3 The simple past

　　1 许多动词通过在原型之后添加-ed 构成一般过去式。 其他动词有不规则的过去式，使用一般过去式的时间词语出现在句首或者句尾

　　The company grew from 400 to 5,000 people in the 1950s.

　　Sixty years ago, the company employed about 100 people.

　　2 对于过去式的否定式，使用did not 或者didn't + 动词原型

　　Labor costs increased in 1996.

　　They didn't increase in 1997.

　　3 使用to be 的过去时态的一般疑问句如何提问与回答

　　Were you in the meeting this morning?

　　Yes, I was.

　　No, I wasn't.

　　4 使用其他动词的过去时态的一般疑问句如何提问与回答

　　Did Belle Vie have a successful first quarter?

　　Yes, it had a successful first quarter.

　　Yes, it did.

　　No, it didn't have a successful first quarter.

　　No, it didn't.

　　5 通常过去时的特殊疑问句要求使用did, 但是当疑问句是问句的主语时，did不能使用

　　Where did you meet Rupert?

　　Who called this morning?