一般过去时表示过去某一时候或某一段时间所发生了的事情或存在的状态。常与过去时间连用，如：yesterday, this morning, just now, a moment ago, in May, last night / year / week, once upon a time, the other day, before..., when—clause, in the past

　　What did you do yesterday?

　　昨天你干了什么?

　　I met Lin Tao this morning.

　　今天上午我会到了林涛。

　　I was there a moment ago.

　　刚才我在那儿。

　　一般过去时的应用

　　1. 表示过去某时所发生的动作或存在的状态

　　Liu Ying was in America last year.

　　刘英去年在美国。

　　Jim rang you just now.

　　吉姆刚才给你打了电话。

　　2. 表示过去经常或反复发生的动作。常接时间副词often, usually, always, sometimes, every day / week, etc.

　　We often went out for a walk after supper.

　　我们过去常在晚饭后散步。

　　We usually played together.

　　我们通常一起玩。

　　一般过去时对谓语动词的要求：一般过去时的谓语动词要用动词的过去式。动词过去式的构成分规则变化和不规则变化两种形式，不规则变化通常需要逐个记忆，规则变化则遵循以下原则：

　　1. 一般在动词后加-ed

　　play—played, offer—offered, weigh—weighed, destroy—destroyed,

　　2. 在以字母e结尾的动词后，只加-d

　　like—liked, provide—provided, hate—hated, date—dated，

　　3. 在以“辅音字母+y”结尾的动词后，则改y为i，再加-ed

　　supply—supplied, fly—flied, study—studied.

　　4. 在以单短元音的重读闭音节结尾且，末尾只有一个辅音字母的动词后，双写最后一个辅音字母，再加-ed

　　plan—planned, refer—referred, regret—regretted, ban—banned.

　　特别说明：有些动词的过去时，如：expect, hope, intend, plan, wanted 等一般过去时，后接不定式的完成时；或它们的过去完成时接不定式的一般式，都可表示过去未曾实现的意图、打算或希望。

　　I hoped to have been invited to his wedding party. —I had hoped to be invited to his wedding ceremony.

　　我本希望他来邀请我参加他的婚礼。

　　I intended to have joined their games. —I had intended to join their games.

　　我本打算参加他们的比赛。

　　句式变化技巧

　　★肯定句变为否定句

　　【技巧1】

　　当句中含有情态动词或助动词could, would, should等时，可直接在其后面加not构成否定句。

　　例如：

　　I could get you a concert ticket. →I could not / couldn't get you a concert ticket.

　　我给你弄不到那张音乐会门票。

　　【技巧2】

　　当句中含有系动词was, were 时，可直接在其后加not构成否定句。

　　例如：

　　I was on the Internet when you called me. →I was not / wasn't on the Internet when you called me.

　　你找我的时候，我没有上网。

　　【技巧3】当句中谓语是除情态动词、助动词、系动词was,were以外的动词时，在该动词之前加did not / didn't，动词还原，构成否定句。

　　例如：

　　The famous singer sang some Chinese songs. →The famous singer did not / didn't sing any Chinese songs.

　　哪位知名歌手没唱任何中文歌。

　　★肯定句变为一般疑问句

　　【技巧1】

　　移动词语的位置。将was, were, could, would, should等移到句首。

　　例如：

　　He could pack his things himself. → Could he pack his things himself?

　　他自己能收拾好这些吗？

　　【技巧2】

　　添加助动词did。谓语是除情态动词、助动词、系动词was, were以外的动词时，在主语之前加did，动词还原。

　　例如：

　　Mr Li looked very old. → Did Mr Li look very old?

　　李先生看起来很老吗？

　　★陈述句变为特殊疑问句

　　【技巧1】

　　确定疑问词：人who / whom，物what，地点where，时间when / what time，原因why，频率how often，长度how long，距离how far等等。

　　例如：

　　They gave the concert last night. → When did they give the concert?

　　他们什么时候开音乐会？

　　【技巧2】

　　辨认结构形式：疑问词+情态动词/助动词/ was / were / did +主语+...?

　　例如：

　　The accident happened near the station. → Where did the accident happen？

　　那起事故在哪儿发生的？