Besides talking about things that have ended, in English, the past simple is also used when we wish for something.
The simple past tense is used in 7 situations:
1. A single event that happened and ended at a specific time:
We went to Hoi An three years ago.
The light bulb was invented in 1879.
2. A habit or action that was repeated in the past and is no longer:
Before our son moved away to study, he often helped us look after our store.
The President always stayed up late to read books when he was young.
3. A truth in the past:
Early bicycles had wooden wheels.
4. Things that happened one after another in the past (possibly in a story):
He opened the door, took off his shoes and threw the car keys on the table.
5. An action that took place over a long period of time in the past but has now ended:
He worked as a librarian for a few years.
Obama was the president of the United States for two consecutive terms.
6. Used in conditional sentences to talk about unreal things in the present:
What would the world be like if we didn't have the Internet?
7. Used to express wishes, usually after:
Wish (to talk about a desire): I wish I had more money.
It's time (to talk about something that needs to be done now): It's time the government took action to solve this problem.
Would rather (to talk about a wish in the present): I would rather my father didn't smoke so much when he's at home.
Khanh Linh
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