Definition & Meaning of "past tense"

What is "past tense"?

Past tense is a grammatical form used to describe actions or events that have already happened. It indicates that something occurred at a specific time in the past. In English, the past tense is typically formed by adding "-ed" to regular verbs, such as "walked" or "played." Irregular verbs, however, have unique forms, such as "went" from "go" or "ate" from "eat." For example, in the sentence "She visited her friend yesterday," the verb "visited" is in the past tense, showing that the action took place in the past. Past tense is essential for discussing completed actions, providing clarity and context in communication.