标志：动词过去式

*闭音节：元音字母a, e, i, o, u如果发字母本来的音则称为开音节，否则称为闭音节。

1. 表示过去某时所发生的动作或存在的状态，常与表示过去的时间状语连用（e.g. yesterday, this morning, just now, a moment ago, in May, last night / year / week, once upon a time, the other day, before …, when …, in the past等）。如：

Jim rang you just now.

Liu Ying was in America last year.

2. 表示过去经常或反复发生的动作，特别是used to do表达的句型，本身表示的就是过去常常。如：

When I was a kid, I often played football in the street.

She used to visit her mother once a week.

*注意区分sb. used to do sth.（某人过去常常做某事，此处to是动词不定式标志符号）和sb. be used to sth./doing sth.（某人习惯于某物/做某事，此处to是介词）。

3. 代替一般现在时，表示一种婉转、客气、礼貌、商量的语气。此用法仅适用于少数动词（如want, hope, wonder, think, intend等）及情态动词could, would。如：

I wondered if you could have a word with me.

I hoped you could help me with my English.

Would you mind my sitting here?

4.  虚拟语气中用一般过去时表示现在或将来时间的动作或状态。常用句型有：

It is time that sb. did sth. “某人该做某事了”

would rather sb. did sth. “宁愿某人做某事”