一般过去时主要表示过去某时发生的动作或情况。可以从以下几个方面来理解：1)过去某个时间所发生的动作或存在的状态。e.g. I bought a new shirt yesterday. He was a worker two years ago.2)过去一段时间内，经常性或习惯性的动作。e.g. When I was a child,I often played with fire. Li Lei always walked to school last term.3)谈到已故人的情况时多用过去时。e.g. Lu Xun was a great writer.4)有些发生时间不是很清楚的情况，实际是过去发生的，也应用过去时态。e.g. What did you say?

　　另外，还可用过去时表示委婉的语气。e.g. Could you lend me your pen?

　　其结构是"主语+动词的过去式"。be动词的过去式为was, were;行为动词的过去式有规则变化和不规则变化两种，规则变化有以下几种情况：1)直接在动词原形末尾加-ed. e.g. work-----worked; ask------asked; 2)以e结尾的动词只加-d. e.g. arrive-----arrived; like-----liked.3)末尾只有一个辅音字母的重读闭音节,应先双写这个辅音字母,再加-ed. e.g. shop-----shopped; 4)以"辅音字母+y"结尾的动词,先把y变成i,再加-ed. e.g. carry----carried; study------studied.有些动词变过去式是不规则的,e.g. fly------flew; break-----broke; teach-----taught. 这些需要象生单词一样记住.

　　其句式变化分为两种情况1)含有be动词的依然在be上做文章. e.g. I was born in 1980. I was not born in 1980. Were you born in 1980? 2)含有行为动词的变否定句要在行为动词前加助动词didn't.,同时把动词变成原形; 变一般疑问句,在句首加助动词did,同时把动词变成原形. e.g. I bought a gift for my mum yesterday. I didn't buy a gift for my mum yesterday. Did you buy a gift for your mum yesterday?

　　其时间状语为yesterday或由其构成的短语,e.g. yesterday morning; 由"last+时间"构成的短语, e.g. last year; 由"时间段+ago"构成的短语, e.g. three days ago; 另外,还有on the morning of Monday, just now等,以及一些表示过去时态的从句.注意,在宾语从句中主句为过去,一般从句也为过去.

　　自主检测:

　　(一 )选择

　　1 She lived there before he____to China.

　　A. came B. comes C. come D. coming

　　2 I _____but_____nothing.

　　A . was listened;was hearing B. listened;heard

　　C . have listened; heard D. listened; heard of

　　3 When did you ____here?

　　A. got to B. reached C. arrive in D. reach

　　4 I____my homework at 7:00 yesterday evening.

　　A. finished B. would finish C. was finishing D. finish

　　5 -He didn't go shopping with you yesterday afternoon, did he?

　　- _______.

　　A. No, he doesn't B. Yes, he didn't C. No, he did D. Yes, he did.

　　6 -I have had supper.

　　- When ____you____it?

　　A. have; had B. do, have C. did,have D. will have

　　答案: 1 A 2 B 3 D 4 A 5 D 6 C

　　(二) 填空

　　1 They____(be) on the farm a moment ago.

　　2 There____(be)a shop not long ago.

　　3 Jenny____(not go)to bed until 11:00 o'clock last night.

　　4 Danny _____(read )English five minutes ago.

　　5 I _____(see)Li Lei ____(go) out just now.

　　6 He ____(do)his homework every day. But he __(not do)it yesterday.

　　7 When I was young, I _____(play)games with my friends.

　　8 When ____you_____(write)this book?

　　I _____it last year.

　　9 Did he____(have) lunch at home?

　　10 I _____(eat) the bread, I 'm full now.

　　答案:1 were 2 was 3 didn't go 4 read 5 saw go

　　6 does ; didn't do 7 played 8 did write ; wrote 9 have 10 have eaten

　　常见错误如下: 　　　　一、把动词变成过去式易出错

　　例: 1 They stoped (stop) talking just now.

　　2 They plaied (play) football yesterday.

　　答案: 1 stopped 2 played

　　解析:我们可以记住下面的口诀:"动词变成过去式,双写规律要牢记;y前若是辅音字,y变i加-ed;y前若是元音字,只须直接加-ed."

　　二、忘记把动词变成过去式

　　例: I fly (fly) kites on the afternoon of Sunday.

　　答案: flew

　　解析:我们可以记住下面的口诀:"一般过去时态里,过去形式莫忘记".

　　三、在句式变换时易出错

　　例: 1 We didn't went (not go) out last Friday.

　　2 Did you had (have) a good time yesterday?

　　答案: 1 didn't go 2 Did have

　　解析:请记住口诀"见助动, 用原形."

　　四、易与单三人称作主语的一般现在时弄混

　　例: He taughts (teach) me English last year.

　　答案: taught

　　解析:行为动词的过去式无人称和数的变化.即使主语是单三人称,也和其它人称所用动词的形式一样.

　　五、易与现在完成时弄混

　　例: 我看过这部电影

　　I saw(see) the film.

　　答案: I have seen (see) the film.

　　解析:"我看过这部电影"说明我了解这部电影的内容,强调现在的情况,应用现在完成时;

　　一般过去时态的句子只是说明我看了这场电影,与现在无关..