Mastering the Past Tense of ‘Visit’: Forms, Rules & Usage

by

The verb “visit” is one of the most commonly used action verbs in English. We use it to talk about going to see people, places, or events. Whether you’re describing a recent vacation, a trip to the doctor, or a meeting with family, knowing how to correctly express “visit” in the past tense is crucial for clear communication.

Understanding and mastering the past tense allows English speakers and learners to accurately narrate personal experiences, tell stories, and report past events. This is essential not only in everyday conversations but also in formal writing, storytelling, and professional communication.

This comprehensive guide is designed for learners from beginner to advanced levels, ESL students, teachers, and anyone looking to improve their command of English verb tenses. Throughout this article, you will learn the forms, rules, usage contexts, exceptions, pronunciation, and common mistakes related to the past tense of “visit.” You will also find numerous examples, detailed tables, advanced grammar insights, and lots of practice exercises with answers to help solidify your learning.

Let’s dive into everything you need to know about using the past tense of “visit” confidently and correctly!

Table of Contents

3. Definition Section

3.1. What is the Past Tense of “Visit”?

The simple past tense form of the verb “visit” is “visited.”

We use “visited” to show that the action of visiting happened and finished in the past. It tells the listener or reader that the event is over and no longer ongoing.

For example:

  • I visited my grandmother yesterday. (The visit is finished.)
  • She visited London last summer.

3.2. Grammatical Classification

The verb “visit” is classified as a regular verb in English. Regular verbs form their simple past tense by adding -ed to the base form.

This is different from irregular verbs, which have unique past tense forms (e.g., “go” → “went”). Since “visit” is regular, making its past tense is straightforward:

  • visit + ed → visited

3.3. Function of the Past Tense of “Visit”

The form “visited” is used to describe an action that was completed at some point in the past. This includes:

  • Narrating past experiences: We visited the new restaurant last weekend.
  • Telling stories: Once, I visited a haunted castle.
  • Reporting past events: The prime minister visited the disaster site yesterday.

3.4. Usage Contexts

Use the past tense “visited” in contexts such as:

  • Specific finished times: I visited Paris last year.
  • Sequences of past events: She visited her aunt and then went shopping.
  • Historical facts: The president visited China in 1972.

4. Structural Breakdown

4.1. Forming the Simple Past of “Visit”

Forming the simple past of “visit” is straightforward:

  • Take the base form: visit
  • Add -ed: visited
Base Form Past Tense Past Participle Present Participle
visit visited visited visiting

Notice that for “visit,” the past tense and the past participle forms are the same: visited.

4.2. Pronunciation of “Visited”

The word “visited” has three syllables:

vis-it-ed → /ˈvɪzɪtɪd/

The -ed ending is pronounced as /ɪd/ because the base verb “visit” ends with a /t/ sound. This is the same for other regular verbs ending with /t/ or /d/ sounds.

Verb Pronunciation of -ed Example IPA
visit /ɪd/ /ˈvɪzɪtɪd/
need /ɪd/ /niːdɪd/
want /ɪd/ /wɒntɪd/
invite /ɪd/ /ɪnˈvaɪtɪd/

4.3. Forming Negative Sentences

To make a negative sentence in the past simple, use:

Subject + did not (didn’t) + base form

Important: After “did not” or “didn’t,” always use the base form “visit,” not “visited.”

Examples:

  • He didn’t visit the museum.
  • We did not visit our friends last weekend.

4.4. Forming Questions

To ask questions in the past simple, use:

Did + subject + base form

Examples:

  • Did you visit your grandparents?
  • Did she visit the art gallery?

Tip: When asking yes/no questions, your voice usually rises at the end of the sentence (rising intonation).

4.5. Short Answers

For short answers, use:

  • Yes, + subject + did.
  • No, + subject + didn’t.
Question Positive Short Answer Negative Short Answer
Did you visit London? Yes, I did. No, I didn’t.
Did she visit her sister? Yes, she did. No, she didn’t.
Did they visit the museum? Yes, they did. No, they didn’t.

5. Types or Categories

5.1. Simple Past vs. Past Continuous

Both tenses refer to the past, but they serve different functions:

  • Simple Past (“visited”): A completed action that happened at a specific time.
  • Past Continuous (“was/were visiting”): An action that was ongoing at a past moment, often interrupted or providing background.

Examples:

  • I visited them yesterday. (The visit is finished.)
  • I was visiting them when it started to rain. (The rain interrupted my visit.)

5.2. Past Simple with Time Expressions

Common time expressions used with the past simple tense include:

Time Expression Example Sentence
yesterday I visited the library yesterday.
last week/month/year She visited her cousin last month.
in + past year They visited Rome in 2019.
two days/weeks ago We visited the museum two weeks ago.
on Monday/Tuesday/etc. He visited on Friday.

5.3. Past Perfect and “Visit”

The past perfect expresses an action that happened before another past action.

Form: had + past participle

Because “visit” is a regular verb, the past participle is also visited.

Example:

  • I had visited Rome before I went to Florence. (First, I visited Rome; then, I went to Florence.)
Past Simple Past Perfect
I visited Paris in 2018. I had visited Paris before moving to London.
She visited the museum yesterday. She had visited the museum before the renovation.

5.4. Passive Voice in the Past

To make a passive sentence in the past simple, use:

was/were + past participle

Example:

  • The museum was visited by thousands last year.

This structure emphasizes the object or the experience rather than the person doing the action.

Active vs. Passive:

  • Active: Thousands of tourists visited the museum.
  • Passive: The museum was visited by thousands of tourists.

Try transforming these:

  • Active: The students visited the exhibition.
  • Passive: The exhibition was visited by the students.

6. Examples Section

6.1. Basic Affirmative Past Tense Examples

  • She visited her friend.
  • I visited three countries last summer.
  • They visited the art gallery.
  • We visited a new restaurant yesterday.
  • He visited his grandparents last weekend.
  • The children visited the zoo on Saturday.
  • My parents visited me last month.
  • She visited the doctor in the morning.
  • I visited my old school last year.
  • They visited their uncle during the holidays.

6.2. Negative Sentence Examples

  • He didn’t visit the new library.
  • We didn’t visit our cousins.
  • She didn’t visit the exhibition.
  • I didn’t visit the museum last week.
  • They didn’t visit the park yesterday.

6.3. Question Examples

  • Did you visit your hometown?
  • Did they visit the exhibition?
  • Did she visit her aunt last weekend?
  • Did he visit the dentist yesterday?
  • Did we visit that museum before?

6.4. Examples with Time Expressions

  • I visited my uncle two weeks ago.
  • She visited Paris in 2018.
  • They visited yesterday afternoon.
  • We visited last summer.
  • He visited the city last year.

6.5. Examples Comparing Tenses

  • I visited the museum. (simple past)
  • I was visiting the museum when I saw him. (past continuous)
  • I had visited the museum before. (past perfect)
  • While I was visiting Paris, I met many people. (past continuous)
  • I had visited the gallery before it closed. (past perfect)

6.6. Passive Voice Examples

  • The temple was visited by many tourists.
  • The exhibition was visited by students.
  • The park was visited by hundreds of families last weekend.
  • The castle was visited by the king in 1600.
  • The art fair was visited by famous artists.

6.7. Example Tables

Table 1: Affirmative, Negative, and Question Forms with “Visit”
Affirmative Negative Question
I visited Rome. I didn’t visit Rome. Did you visit Rome?
She visited her friend. She didn’t visit her friend. Did she visit her friend?
They visited the museum. They didn’t visit the museum. Did they visit the museum?
Table 2: Time Expressions with Sample Sentences
Time Expression Example
yesterday I visited the doctor yesterday.
last week We visited the zoo last week.
in 2019 She visited Japan in 2019.
two days ago They visited two days ago.
Table 3: Active vs. Passive Voice Using “Visit”
Active Passive
The tourists visited the castle. The castle was visited by the tourists.
The students visited the exhibition. The exhibition was visited by the students.
Many people visited the museum. The museum was visited by many people.
Table 4: Comparison of Past Simple, Past Continuous, and Past Perfect with “Visit”
Tense Example Usage
Past Simple I visited London. Completed action
Past Continuous I was visiting London when it rained. Ongoing past action interrupted
Past Perfect I had visited London before moving. Earlier past action
Table 5: Pronunciation Patterns with Similar Verbs Ending in -ed
Verb Past Tense Pronunciation
visit visited /ɪd/
want wanted /ɪd/
invite invited /ɪd/
need needed /ɪd/

7. Usage Rules

7.1. When to Use the Past Simple of “Visit”

  • To describe completed actions at a specific time in the past
  • When narrating a sequence of past events
  • For historical facts or past achievements

Examples:

  • I visited the museum yesterday.
  • After we visited the castle, we went to a café.
  • The prime minister visited the city in 2015.

7.2. Avoiding Common Errors with “Did + Visited”

After “did” (in negatives and questions), always use the base form “visit” — never “visited.”

Correct: Did you visit the park?

Incorrect: Did you visited the park?

7.3. Choosing Between Simple Past and Present Perfect

  • Past simple (“visited”) is used for a specific, finished time.
  • Present perfect (“have visited”) is used for an unspecified time or to talk about life experiences.

Examples:

  • Past Simple: I visited Japan last year. (specific time, finished)
  • Present Perfect: I have visited Japan three times. (experience, time not specified)
  • Incorrect: I have visited Japan last year.

7.4. Using “Visited” with Frequency and Duration

Be careful when combining “visited” with time expressions about frequency and duration:

  • Correct: I visited my grandmother three times last month.
  • Incorrect: I visited my grandmother for three years. (Use “lived with” or “was visiting” instead.)

Generally, don’t use past simple with “for” + duration to describe ongoing actions. Use it for specific, completed actions or frequencies.

7.5. Exceptions and Variations

  • Informal speech: Sometimes, people omit “did” in casual speech (“You visit her yesterday?”) — but this is grammatically incorrect.
  • Regional variations: No major differences between UK and US English in past tense of “visit.”
  • Register: Passive voice (“was visited”) is more common in formal writing and news reports.

8. Common Mistakes

8.1. Using “Visit” Instead of “Visited” for Past Events

Incorrect: Yesterday I visit my friend.

Correct: Yesterday I visited my friend.

8.2. Using “Did + Visited” in Questions/Negatives

Incorrect: Did you visited the museum?

Correct: Did you visit the museum?

8.3. Misplacing Time Expressions

Incorrect: I visited last week the doctor.

Correct: I visited the doctor last week.

8.4. Confusing Past Simple with Present Perfect

Incorrect: I have visited the museum yesterday.

Correct: I visited the museum yesterday.

8.5. Wrong Pronunciation of “Visited”

Incorrect: /vɪˈsɪtd/ (missing the /ɪ/ sound)

Correct: /ˈvɪzɪtɪd/ (three syllables)

Tip: The -ed ending adds a full syllable /ɪd/ after /t/ or /d/ sounds.

8.6. Summary Table of Common Errors and Corrections

Incorrect Sentence Corrected Sentence
Did you visited the zoo? Did you visit the zoo?
I visit my aunt last weekend. I visited my aunt last weekend.
She has visited the park yesterday. She visited the park yesterday.
I didn’t visited the exhibition. I didn’t visit the exhibition.
Visited you the museum? Did you visit the museum?

9. Practice Exercises

9.1. Fill-in-the-Blank

Use the correct form of “visit” in each sentence.

  1. Yesterday, we ____ (visit) the science museum.
  2. They ____ (not visit) us last month.
  3. ____ you ____ (visit) the doctor?
  4. She ____ (visit) her grandparents last week.
  5. He ____ (not visit) the exhibition.
  6. I ____ (visit) my friend two days ago.
  7. ____ he ____ (visit) his hometown?
  8. We ____ (visit) Paris in 2015.
  9. They ____ (not visit) the zoo last Saturday.
  10. ____ you ____ (visit) the art gallery?

9.2. Error Correction

Find and correct the mistakes.

  1. Did she visited her grandmother?
  2. Last year, I visit Australia.
  3. They didn’t visited the exhibition.
  4. I have visited the museum yesterday.
  5. He visit his uncle last weekend.
  6. Did you visited the new restaurant?
  7. We visited last week the doctor.
  8. She didn’t visited Paris in 2019.
  9. Visited you the zoo last month?
  10. They has visited the library yesterday.

9.3. Identify the Correct Form

Choose the correct form: “visit” or “visited.”

  1. Last summer, we (visit/visited) Italy.
  2. Did he (visit/visited) the museum?
  3. I (visit/visited) my cousin yesterday.
  4. They didn’t (visit/visited) the aquarium.
  5. She (visit/visited) her family last weekend.
  6. Did you (visit/visited) the exhibition?
  7. We (visit/visited) the zoo two weeks ago.
  8. He didn’t (visit/visited) his grandparents.
  9. They (visit/visited) us last month.
  10. Did she (visit/visited) the library?

9.4. Sentence Construction

Make complete sentences with the prompts.

  1. she / visit / library / last week
  2. they / not / visit / zoo / yesterday
  3. you / visit / doctor / last month
  4. he / visit / his parents / last year
  5. I / not / visit / art gallery / two days ago
  6. we / visit / museum / on Monday
  7. they / not / visit / Paris / in 2018
  8. did / she / visit / her cousin / last weekend
  9. he / not / visit / the new exhibition
  10. did / you / visit / London / last summer

9.5. Practice Exercise Answer Key

9.1. Fill-in-the-Blank Answers:

  1. visited
  2. did not (didn’t) visit
  3. Did you visit
  4. visited
  5. did not (didn’t) visit
  6. visited
  7. Did he visit
  8. visited
  9. did not (didn’t) visit
  10. Did you visit

9.2. Error Correction Answers:

  1. Did she visit her grandmother?
  2. Last year, I visited Australia.
  3. They didn’t visit the exhibition.
  4. I visited the museum yesterday.
  5. He visited his uncle last weekend.
  6. Did you visit the new restaurant?
  7. We visited the doctor last week.
  8. She didn’t visit Paris in 2019.
  9. Did you visit the zoo last month?
  10. They visited the library yesterday.

9.3. Identify the Correct Form Answers:

  1. visited
  2. visit
  3. visited
  4. visit
  5. visited
  6. visit
  7. visited
  8. visit
  9. visited
  10. visit

9.4. Sentence Construction Sample Answers:

  1. She visited the library last week.
  2. They didn’t visit the zoo yesterday.
  3. Did you visit the doctor last month?
  4. He visited his parents last year.
  5. I didn’t visit the art gallery two days ago.
  6. We visited the museum on Monday.
  7. They didn’t visit Paris in 2018.
  8. Did she visit her cousin last weekend?
  9. He didn’t visit the new exhibition.
  10. Did you visit London last summer?

10. Advanced Topics

10.1. Using “Visit” in Narrative Past Tense

When telling stories, you often combine past simple with past continuous and past perfect to give a clear and rich narration.

Example paragraph:

Last summer, I visited my grandparents in the countryside. While I was visiting them, I met many of their neighbors. Before I arrived, they had prepared a big welcome dinner for me. We spent a wonderful week together.

10.2. Sequence of Past Events with “Visit”

To describe a series of events, use words like:

  • before
  • after
  • when
  • while

Example sentences:

  • Before I visited the museum, I had lunch with a friend.
  • After she visited her aunt, she went shopping.
  • When they visited Paris, they saw many famous sites.
  • While I was visiting the gallery, I took many photos.

10.3. Reported Speech Involving “Visit”

When reporting what someone said about a past visit, often shift the tense back:

  • Direct: She said, “I visited Rome.”
  • Reported: She said that she had visited Rome.

In informal speech, sometimes past simple is still used:

  • She said she visited Rome.

10.4. Passive Voice Nuances

The passive voice can emphasize the event or the experience rather than the person:

  • Emphasizing the event: The exhibition was visited by thousands.
  • Omitting the agent: The castle was visited last year. (Focus on the castle, not who visited)

In formal writing, passive is common to focus on the recipient of the action.

10.5. Collocations and Idiomatic Expressions Related to “Visit”

  • pay a visit: He paid a visit to the hospital last week.
  • make a visit: The ambassador made a visit to the city.
  • fleeting visit: They made a fleeting visit to their old neighborhood.
  • return visit: She planned a return visit to the museum.
  • surprise visit: My friends made a surprise visit yesterday.

11. FAQ Section

  1. What is the simple past tense of “visit”?
    The simple past is “visited.” For example: I visited Paris last year.
  2. How do I pronounce “visited”?
    It is pronounced /ˈvɪzɪtɪd/, with three syllables: vis-it-ed, ending with the /ɪd/ sound.
  3. How do I use “did” with “visit” in questions and negatives?
    Use “did” + base form “visit”:
    Did you visit the museum?
    We didn’t visit the zoo.
  4. When should I use “visited” instead of “have visited”?
    Use “visited” for finished actions at a specific time in the past.
    Use “have visited” for experiences without a specific time or with relevance to now.
  5. Can “visited” be used in passive voice?
    Yes: The museum was visited by many tourists.
  6. What are common mistakes with the past tense of “visit”?
    Using “visit” instead of “visited,” saying “did visited,” misplacing time expressions, or incorrect pronunciation.
  7. Is “visited” a regular or irregular verb?
    “Visited” is a regular verb. Just add -ed to “visit.”
  8. How do I form negative sentences with “visited”?
    Use “did not (didn’t) + visit”: We didn’t visit the library.
  9. What time expressions are used with the past tense of “visit”?
    Words like yesterday, last week, in 2019, two days ago, etc.
  10. Can I use “was visiting” instead of “visited”?
    Yes, but “was visiting” describes an ongoing past action, while “visited” is for a completed action.
  11. What is the difference between “visited” and “was visited”?
    “Visited” is active voice (someone did the visiting).
    “Was visited” is passive voice (someone or something was visited by someone else).
  12. Are there differences in using “visit” in British and American English?
    No significant differences in using the past tense of “visit” between British and American English.

12. Conclusion

In summary, “visited” is the regular simple past tense of “visit,” created by adding -ed to the base form. It indicates an action that happened and was completed in the past.

Remember the correct structures for affirmative, negative, and question forms, and always use the base form “visit” after “did” in questions and negatives.

Be aware of common mistakes, such as using “did visited,” confusing it with present perfect, misplacing time expressions, or pronouncing “visited” incorrectly.

Practice regularly with exercises, focus on context and time expressions, and pay attention to the differences between simple past, past continuous, and past perfect for richer storytelling and clearer communication.

Mastering the past tense of “visit” will greatly improve your ability to talk confidently and accurately about past experiences, events, and stories in English. Keep practicing, and happy learning!

Leave a Comment