Imagine your past self living a different life. The things that person did again and again, or the things that were true about that person — those are past habits and states. A habit is something you did repeatedly, back then. A state is something that was true about you, back then. Neither one is true anymore.

Think of your past habits and states as belonging to a different chapter of a book. That chapter is finished. You can look back and read it, but you aren't living in it anymore.

Each of these happened regularly, at some point in the past — not just once.

These are typical time words for this use:

A state works the same way, but instead of a repeated action, it's something that was generally true.

• People believed the Earth was flat.
• My grandmother lived in a small village all her life.
• She knew everyone in the neighborhood when she was a girl.
• He owned a small bakery on the high street for many years.
• She wanted to be a singer when she was a teenager.

Because these are habits and states — the same kind of thing a Present Simple habit describes — it's easy to forget to shift into the past. If it's no longer true now, it needs the Past Simple.

Click "Habit/State" or "Single Event" for each sentence.

• 1
  She played tennis every weekend.

  Habit/State Single Event

  ✓ Correct — a repeated pattern, not one single time.
• 2
  He owned a small bakery for many years.

  Habit/State Single Event

  ✓ Correct — a state that was true over time, not one action.
• 3
  She visited her sister last weekend.

  Habit/State Single Event

  ✓ Correct — one whole action, done once.
• 4
  They ate dinner together every evening.

  Habit/State Single Event

  ✓ Correct — a repeated family routine, not one single time.
• 5
  He finished the report before lunch.

  Habit/State Single Event

  ✓ Correct — the report is finished, one task, one time.
• 6
  They bought a new car last month.

  Habit/State Single Event

  ✓ Correct — a single purchase, not a pattern.
• 7
  She knew everyone in the neighborhood.

  Habit/State Single Event

  ✓ Correct — a state that was generally true, not one action.
• 8
  The train arrived early this morning.

  Habit/State Single Event

  ✓ Correct — a single arrival, not a repeated event.

Type the correct Past Form of the verb given.

• 1
  As a teenager, she very bright colors. (wear)
• 2
  He she was wrong, but he never said so. (think)
• 3
  My parents French at home when I was growing up. (speak)
• 4
  He by train every day when he worked in the city. (travel)
• 5
  My father a pack a day before he quit. (smoke)
• 6
  She reading mysteries when she was young. (love)
• 7
  They about almost everything back then. (disagree)
• 8
  He tea to coffee back then. (prefer)

Click your answer for each sentence.

• 1
  She plays tennis every weekend when she was younger.

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — this is wrong. It should be "She played tennis every weekend when she was younger."
• 2
  My grandmother lives in a small village all her life.

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — this is wrong. It should be "My grandmother lived in a small village all her life."
• 3
  He smoked a pack a day before he quit.

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — a habit that ended, correctly stated in the past.
• 4
  He owns a small bakery for many years, but he sold it.

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — this is wrong. It should be "He owned a small bakery for many years, but he sold it."
• 5
  They ate dinner together every evening as a family.

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — a repeated family routine, correctly stated in the past.
• 6
  She knew everyone in the neighborhood when she was a girl.

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — a state that was generally true, correctly stated in the past.
• 7
  People believe the Earth was flat.

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — this is wrong. It should be "People believed the Earth was flat."
• 8
  She wanted to be a singer when she was a teenager.

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — a state that was true back then, correctly stated in the past.

Type the whole negative verb phrase — for example, "didn't own," not just "didn't." The main verb goes back to its base form.

• 1
  He a car when he was young. (own)
• 2
  She how to swim as a child. (know)
• 3
  They in the city before moving here. (live)
• 4
  We meat when I was growing up. (eat)
• 5
  He any sports in high school. (play)
• 6
  People the theory back then. (believe)
• 7
  She to be a doctor as a child. (want)
• 8
  He vegetables as a child. (hate)

Type the whole opening question phrase — for example, "Did she wear," not just "Did." The main verb goes back to its base form.

• 1
  glasses as a child? (she / wear)
• 2
  differently back then? (he / think)
• 3
  another language at home? (your parents / speak)
• 4
  a lot for work before? (he / travel)
• 5
  when he was young? (your father / smoke)
• 6
  school as a kid? (she / love)
• 7
  about everything back then? (they / disagree)
• 8
  tea to coffee back then? (he / prefer)

Read each question carefully. Select the sentence that matches the description.

• The idea: a past habit is a repeated action; a past state is something that was generally true. Both work the same way.
• Watch out: this isn't a single completed event (Lesson 24), and it isn't still true now (that would be Present Simple, Lesson 9).
• Common mistake: don't forget to shift into the past — "She plays tennis when she was younger" is wrong; "She played tennis when she was younger" is right.
• Typical time words: every weekend, as a child, when I was young, back then.
• Quick test: did this happen repeatedly, or was it generally true, at some point in the past — but not now?
• Next, you'll meet a related idea: a past situation that lasted for a stated period of time.