past simple + yesterdayUse yesterday after a Past Simple clause to show a finished day before today.
Past Time Expressions
A1Use past time expressions like yesterday, last week, two days ago, and in 2010 for finished time before now. These markers go naturally with Past Simple.
What you'll learn
- Use yesterday to place an action one day before today.
- Build expressions with last + past time unit.
- Put ago after a time phrase to count back from now.
- Use in with years and named past periods.
- Choose Past Simple when the time is finished.
Structure
last + time unitUse last directly before the past time unit. Do not add the.
number + time unit + agoAgo comes after the time phrase, not before it.
in + year / month / season / part of dayUse in before years and named periods when you place an action in finished past time.
Build a sentence
Time expression
Clause
Anna calledyesterday
Anna called yesterday.
Yesterday shows a finished past day.
When to use
One day before today
Use yesterday for something finished on the day before today. Maria called yesterday.
Previous period
Use last with the previous week, month, year, night, or weekend. Tom traveled last month.
Count back from now
Use number + time + ago to show how far back something happened. Anna arrived two hours ago.
Year or named period
Use in before years, months, seasons, and parts of the day. Lisa moved here in 2018.
Markers
yesterdaylast nightlast weektwo days agoa year agoin 2010in July
In contrast
vs present-perfect-vs-past-simple
Finished time expressions like yesterday, last week, and in 2010 point to Past Simple, not Present Perfect.
Common mistakes
Wrong
I have seen Maria yesterday.
Correct
I saw Maria yesterday.
Yesterday is a finished past time, so use Past Simple.
Wrong
Tom visited us the last week.
Correct
Tom visited us last week.
With last week, last month, and last year, use last without the.
Wrong
Anna left ago two hours.
Correct
Anna left two hours ago.
Ago comes after the whole time phrase.
Wrong
Lisa moved here 2018.
Correct
Lisa moved here in 2018.
Use in before a year.
Wrong
She has finished the report last night.
Correct
She finished the report last night.
Last night is finished, so choose Past Simple.
Common misconceptions
❝ I need the before last week and last year. ❞
No article is used in these fixed expressions: last week, last year, last night.
❝ Ago goes before the number because it means the past. ❞
Ago comes after the full time phrase: three days ago, a year ago.
Skills in this rule (6)
USE_YESTERDAYw5Use yesterday for a finished time one day before now
Use yesterday when the action happened on the day before today. It points to a closed past time.
USE_LAST_PLUS_TIMEw5Use last with past periods like last night, last week, and last year
Use last before a past time unit to mean the previous one: last night, last weekend, last month. Do not add the before last in these expressions.
USE_NUMBER_PLUS_AGOw5Use ago after a length of time to count back from now
Put ago after a time phrase such as two days, three weeks, or a year. It counts backward from the present moment.
USE_IN_FOR_YEAR_OR_PERIODw4Use in with years and named past periods
Use in before years, months, seasons, and parts of the day when you give a finished time in the past: in 2010, in July, in the morning.
PICK_FINISHED_TIME_MARKERSw4Recognize expressions that show finished past time
Words and phrases like yesterday, last week, and in 2010 place the action in a closed time before now.
CONNECT_FINISHED_TIME_TO_PAST_SIMPLEw5Choose Past Simple with finished past time expressions
When a sentence has a finished time marker, use Past Simple, not Present Perfect. The time is complete and separate from now.