The verb to call · Conjugation
Past Simple of call
The answer: called
A2
A finished action at a definite time in the past.
Quick answer
The Past Simple of the verb to call is called.
Example: I called her yesterday.
Full conjugation in the Past Simple
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| I | called |
| You | called |
| He / She / It | called |
| We | called |
| You (pl.) | called |
| They | called |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. We called back the match ❌
To cancel something, use call off: We called off the match. Call back means to phone someone again: I called my friend back after dinner.
2. She called out him ❌
Call out has two meanings: to shout (He called out my name) and to criticise someone in public (She called him out on social media). With a pronoun like him, the pronoun goes in the middle: called him out, never called out him.
Practice quiz
Going further
The English contest tests the Past Simple of call in real sentences
Instead of a single school exercise, your students meet this tense in context, in a contest that really motivates them.
Register my students5,000 students every year · Primary and secondary
Practise on PLAYMaster the Past Simple of call when you speak, not just on paper
The conjugation is clear in your head. On PLAY, you practise it in a game, with instant feedback, until it comes out on its own.
Practise the Past Simple of call on PLAYFree · No sign-up · 3 minutes
For teachersYour whole class practises the Past Simple of call, and you follow each student
The Academy has self-marking activities on this form, with a dashboard for each student: you see at a glance who is falling behind.
Discover the Academy30-day free trial · No bank card needed
Frequently asked questions
What is the past tense of call?+
Call is regular: its Past Simple is called, the same for every person. I called her yesterday.
What is the difference between call back and call off?+
Call back means to phone someone again: She called me back an hour later. Call off means to cancel: We called off the party. Call out means to shout, or to criticise someone in public: He called out for help.
Can you say my name is called?+
No. My name is called Sarah mixes two patterns. Say My name is Sarah or I'm called Sarah (this means people call me Sarah).
Is call also a noun?+
Yes. A call or a phone call is a conversation on the phone: I had a call from my dad. To phone someone, you can also say make a call: I need to make a call.
What does calling mean as a noun?+
A calling is a strong feeling that a certain job is right for you: Teaching is her calling. It is a rather formal word.
Related pages: call Past Simple
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/call/past-simple
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.
Keep learning
More forms of the verb to call are coming soon.