The document provides instruction on using the simple past tense in English. It discusses using "was/were" with the verb "to be" for positive and negative sentences as well as questions. It also covers regular and irregular past tense forms of the verb "to do" such as "played, studied, jumped" and "came, bought, became." Examples are given of transforming present tense sentences into the past simple tense. The purpose is to explain how to express that an action started and finished at a specific time in the past.