什么是一般过去时（What Is the Simple Past Tense?）
一般过去时用于描述过去完成的活动。 换句话说，活动开始于过去，结束于过去。 例如：
· John baked a cake.
· They painted the fence.
一般过去时的构成
如果是普通动词（regular verb），过去式的构成如下：
base form of verb + "ed"
· jump -> jumped
· paint -> painted
-ed后缀的读音
ed后缀的发音规则如下：
1.当该后缀前的音发浊音（voiced）时， 读/d/。如：loved，died等；
2.当该后缀前的音发清音（voiceless）时，读/t/。如：looked，stopped等；
3.当动词以 "t "或 "d "结尾时， 读/it/。如：waited，decided等
拼写规则（Spelling Rules）
1.单音节动词（verb of one syllable），以[辅音-元音-辅音]结尾，则最后一个辅音双写再加 "ed"：
· chat -> chatted
· stop -> stopped
2.如果单音节词最后一个辅音字母是 w、x 或 y，不要双写：
· sew > sewed
· play > played
· fix > fixed
3.如果双音节或多音节动词的最后一个音节重读，且以[辅音-元音-辅音]结尾，则双写最后一个辅音字母再加 "ed"：
· incur > incurred
· prefer > preferred
4.如果双音节或多音节动词的第一个音节是重音，且动词以[辅音-元音-辅音]结尾，则直接加 "ed"：
· open > opened
· enter > entered
· swallow > swallowed
5.如果动词以 "e "结尾，只需加上 "d "即可：
· thrive > thrived
· guzzle > guzzled
6.如果动词以[辅音 + "y"]结尾，则将 "y "改为 "i "再加上 "ed"：
· cry > cried
· fry > fried
不规则（Irregular verb）动词的过去式
动词的不规则过去式的构成方式多种多样，需要记住这些不规则变形。下面是动词不规则过去式一些例词：
· break -> broke
· catch -> caught
· find -> found
· see -> saw
例句：
· I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.
· I asked God for a bike, but I know God doesn't work that way so I stole a bike and asked for forgiveness.
一般过去时在不同句型的使用
在陈述句使用一般过去时，可以使用以下语序：
[subject] + [verb]
· The Martians landed near the aqueduct.
· The burglar used the fire escape.
否定句：
"did not" + base form of verb
· The Martians did not land near the aqueduct.
(可以用 "didn't" 来代替 "did not."。)
· The burglar did not use the fire escape.
疑问句：
1.一般疑问句
"did" + [subject] + base form of verb
· Did the Martians land near the aqueduct?
· Did the burglar use the fire escape?
2.特殊疑问句
[question word] + "did" + [subject] + base form of verb
· Why did the Martians land near the aqueduct?
· When did the burglar use the fire escape?
3.选择疑问句
"did" + [subject] + base form of verb + choice A + or + choice B
· Did the Martians land near the aqueduct or the town?
· Did the burglar use the fire escape or the stairs?
一般过去时的用法：
1.谈论过去某一特定时间（specific time）发生的行为。使用时间副词来说明发生的时间（时钟，日历上能找到的时间）。 (如yesterday, last Month.)
· Last year l took my exams.
2.可用于描述过去一段时间内发生的事件，常用for，但不是现在（not now），注意与现在完成时用for的区别，后者指现在仍然是。
· I lived in Asia for two years.
3.也用于谈论过去发生的习惯性（habitual）或重复性（repeated）行为。
· "When I was a child we always went to the seaside on bank holidays.”
4.它是一般现在时的间接言语形式（indirect speech form）。
· "I want some fish",she said. = she said she wanted some fish.
5.用于谈论接连发生的行动。
· He arrived home, turned on the TV and sat down.
6.表示与另一个动作同时（simultaneity）发生。
· As she came in, the door closed.
7.用于虚拟语气，即并非基于实际情况，而是不可能或假设条件的句子。
· If she came, we would tell her.
8.用在以这些词开头的从句中：I wish, if only, it is about time, I'd rather。
· I'd rather you didn’t go to the party.
· If only you paid any attention to what I'm saying.
9.用于指过去的事实（Past Facts）或一般事实（General Truths）
· Columbus（哥伦布）discovered American 1492.
注意：一般过去时常与时间表达一起出现，解释活动发生的时间或持续的时间。
1.活动发生时间（"when an activity took place"）
示例：（确定的时间——时钟或日历上来找到的时间）
· On Tuesday last week, the Martians landed near the aqueduct.
（"On Tuesday last week"告诉landed事情发生的时间。 这就是时间副词adverbial phrase of time。其他例子还有"Yesterday," "Last year," "Before breakfast,"。注意： 当副词出现在句子前面时，通常会在后面加上逗号。当副词短语出现在句子后面时，通常不使用逗号。）
· The Martians landed near the aqueduct on Tuesday last week.
（注意: 没有逗号No comma）
· Just before he was caught, the burglar considered using the fire escape.
2.活动持续的时间（"how long an activity took"）:
示例：
· For the whole of June, the council inspected the drains.
（"For the whole of June"告诉inspected这个活动进行了多久。）
· Her daughter hid under the bed for three hours.
（使用 "为""for"是描述一项活动持续多长时间的常用方法。）
其他过去时态
一般过去时是四种过去时态之一。 本表显示了所有四种过去时态：