1. 一般过去时的定义
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连用。如：
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。
2. 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。如：
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. 如：
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。
3. 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。如：play—played, offer—offered, weigh—weighed, destroy— destroyed, sign—signed.
(2) 在以字母e结尾的动词后，只加-d。如：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。如：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。如：plan—planned, refer—referred, regret—regretted, ban—banned.
4. 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。如：
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。