My car is shaking, and won't start....fuel pump?

Hi all....I couldn't find an introduction forum, so I'm sorry if I missed it. If so, could someone direct me to it? I searched but found nothing. Anyways, I have a 96 Ford Escort, 1.9L. I was about to leave for class today and it wouldn't start. It just shook. I got a response when pressing the gas pedal...but not enough for it to turn over. It's been starting hard like that for about a week. I just haven't had time to get on here and figure out what the problem is yet. My thoughts are that it's the fuel pump, because I just had the lines replaced a few months ago, and that's about the only thing I can think of that would make it shake before the engine ignites. Any thoughts/ideas to help me out? Anything would be appreciated. Thanks a lot.

To check the fuel pump by ear it should Whirrr-for 2-3 seconds after turning the key on. Don't try to start the car. Just turn the key on. If you can hear it running it is probably is all right. As far as the engine not turning over and it shaking before trying to start could be the solenoid drive on the starter not holding the starting gear into the ring gear or it could be a stripped ring gear not letting the starter turn over enough to start. You'd think that with all the teeth on the ring gear it would start, but when you shut the engine off the flywheel tends to stop in the same position which is usually the cylinder that has the most compression. If your 96 is turning over, but not starting due to some reason other than the starter-ring-gear it could be a clogged fuel filter. If it is not starting mechanically it is probably a broken timing belt. If it is a broken timing belt the engine will turn over unevenly. Fast- slow-slow fast etc. You can check to see if it is the timing belt by looking at the valve train through the add oil cap location with a light. If you don't see anything moving in there it is a broken timing belt. If it is firing at all it isn't a broken timing belt. I'm thinking that the plugs are fouled up. If it's really cold where you live the plugs will ice up due to combustion condensation. IF the plugs were fouled it would make it act like it wanted to go and just 1 or 2 cylinders firing would make it shake like the devil. Pull your plugs and clean them or put in new ones. No more than plugs cost I'd just put in new plugs.