After driving aroun paked the 85 ford ranger, would'nt start

Check the fire to the spark plugs , take a spark plug wire off and hold it in your hand and while you touch the car and some one turns it over if it bites you its getting fire , just kidding thats not a good idea , hold the spark plug wire close to the motor block and see if a spark jumps form as some one turns it over, if its getting a spark it must not be getting gas , fuel pump . or fuel filter bad , if no spark could be the coil or something in the distributor , or a blowed ignition fuse

If starter doesen't turn have someone bang on it with a wrench while you try to start it
that's what we had to do with my friends until she could afford to replace the starter