# Understanding Time in Midwifery Practice: A Guide to Simple Present and Simple Past Tenses

- Link: https://muhammadiyahciko.or.id/understanding-time-in-midwifery-practice-a-guide-to-simple-present-and-simple-past-tenses/
- Published: 2026-04-08T20:49:30+07:00
- Author: Arofah Firdaus

**By: Arofah Firdaus **

## Introduction

In the world of midwifery, precision is not only about medical procedures but also
about communication. A midwife needs not only to read fetal growth charts but also
to write reports, interview patients, and read international journals. This is where
tenses in English become crucial.

Two tenses that are most frequently used in midwifery contexts are the **Simple 
Present Tense** (for facts and routines) and the **Simple Past Tense** (for past
events). This article will discuss both tenses practically, with real-life examples
from midwifery practice.

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## A. Simple Present Tense: Eternal Truths and Daily Routines

### 1. What is Simple Present Tense?

The simple present tense is used to express:

 * **Scientific facts** (general truths)
 * **Habits or routines** (repeated actions)
 * **Fixed schedules** (e.g., practice schedules, immunization schedules)

### 2. Basic Formula

Sentence Type Formula Example Positive S + V1 (s/es) + O A midwife **examines** 
pregnant women. Negative S + do/does + not + V1 Midwives **do not ignore** hygiene
protocols. Interrogative Do/Does + S + V1? **Does** the baby **cry** frequently?

**Note:**

 * _He, she, it_ → use **V1 + s/es**
 * _I, you, we, they_ → use **V1** (no s/es)

### 3. Examples in Midwifery Context

> **Fact:** _The normal gestational period lasts about 40 weeks._
> **Routine:** _A
> midwife takes the patient’s blood pressure every morning._**Schedule:** _The antenatal
> care session starts at 8 a.m. every Wednesday._

### 4. Common Time Signals

_Always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, never, every day/week/month._

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## B. Simple Past Tense: Caring for Past Stories

### 1. What is Simple Past Tense?

The simple past tense is used to express:

 * **Completed actions in the past** (specific time is mentioned or understood)
 * **A sequence of past events** (narration)
 * **Past habits** (no longer happening now)

### 2. Basic Formula

Sentence Type Formula Example Positive S + V2 + O The patient **gave birth** last
night. Negative S + did + not + V1 The baby **did not cry** after delivery. Interrogative
Did + S + V1? **Did** the mother **experience** contractions?

**Note:**

 * **V2** (past form) can be regular (_-ed_) or irregular (_go → went_).

### 3. Examples in Midwifery Context

> **Completed action:** _The midwife **assisted** a home birth yesterday._
> **Narration:**
> _First, the mother **felt** a contraction. Then, her water **broke**._**Past habit:**
> _In the 1990s, midwives **used** fewer electronic monitors._

### 4. Common Time Signals

_Yesterday, last night, last week, in 2020, two days ago, this morning (if already
passed)._

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## C. Quick Comparison: When to Use Which?

Aspect Simple Present Simple Past Time Present, general, routine Completed in the
past Example sentence _The baby sleeps 16 hours a day.__The baby slept well last
night._ In a midwife’s report _I write the patient’s history every day.__I wrote
the patient’s history yesterday._

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## D. Exercises

Complete the following exercises to test your understanding. Choose the correct 
verb form (Simple Present or Simple Past).

### Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks with the correct verb form

 1. A midwife usually **_\_\__** (check) the fetal heart rate every 30 minutes during
    active labor.
 2. Last Monday, the midwife **_\_\__** (detect) an abnormal presentation.
 3. Pregnant women **_\_\__** (need) at least 300 extra calories per day.
 4. The mother **_\_\__** (not / feel) any movement yesterday evening.
 5. (do) the baby often (hiccup) in the womb?

### Exercise 2: Change the following sentences from Simple Present to Simple Past

**Example:** _The baby cries every night._ → _The baby cried last night._

 1. The midwife gives iron tablets to anemic patients. (add time signal: _last week_)
 2. I don’t see any signs of infection. (add: _in the previous examination_)

### Exercise 3: Create two sentences of your own in a midwifery context**

 * One sentence using **Simple Present** (fact/routine)
 * One sentence using **Simple Past** (past event)

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## Closing

Mastering the simple present and simple past tenses is not just about grammar. For
a midwife, these are tools to record facts, write reports, and understand global
literature accurately. Keep practicing, because every sentence you write is part
of quality professional care.

**Happy learning and keep up your spirit!**

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Let me know if you would like a version with Indonesian-to-English glossaries or
a PowerPoint format for teaching.