I'm aware that spells and other things can be interupted by normal attacks, but how do you know if a normal attack is going to interupt? Is it because every critical strke interupts, or what?
Normal attacks will not interrupt, even on a critical hit.
Only special skills, like the others have listed above and many others, will actually cause you or your target to be interrupted.
Also, like traps, a few other spells / skills are listed as easily interruptible. Any attack (not spells unless knock down or it says it interrupts) will interrupt an action that is easily interruptible.