过去进行时

过去进行时 = was / were + -ing。Was 用于 I / he / she / it，were 用于 you / we / they。加 -ing 的方法和现在进行时一样（见“现在进行时”一课）。

特殊疑问句：What were you doing? Who was she talking to? 简略回答：Yes, I was. / No, they weren't.

1. 过去某一时刻正在进行的动作——在那一刻之前已经开始，还没有结束。常和 at 9 o'clock last night、at this time yesterday 连用。

• At nine last night, I was watching a football match.

  昨晚九点，我正在看一场足球赛。

• What were you doing at this time yesterday?

  昨天这个时候你在做什么？

2. 在故事开头描述背景

• It was raining, and people were hurrying home.

  当时正下着雨，人们匆匆往家赶。

• The sun was shining and the kids were playing on the beach.

  阳光灿烂，孩子们正在海滩上玩耍。

3. 同时进行的两个较长的动作——常用 while 连接

• While I was cooking, my husband was setting the table.

  我做饭的时候，我丈夫在摆餐具。

• Lan was studying while her brother was playing games.

  兰在学习，她弟弟在打游戏。

💡可以把过去进行时理解为过去某一刻“正在……当中”：昨晚九点我正在看球赛 = I was watching football。一般过去时则表示完整、已结束的动作。

这两种时态常在同一个句子里配合使用：过去进行时表示正在进行的较长动作，一般过去时表示打断它的短暂动作。

• I was having a shower when the phone rang.

  我正在洗澡，电话响了。

• We were driving home when we saw the accident.

  我们开车回家的路上看到了那起事故。

• When I arrived, they were eating dinner.

  我到的时候，他们正在吃晚饭。

换一个时态，意思就变了：

一个接一个发生的动作，全部用一般过去时：She got up, had breakfast and left.

• while + 较长的动作（通常用过去进行时）：While I was walking home, it started to rain.
• when + 短暂的动作（通常用一般过去时）：I was walking home when it started to rain.
• When 也可以接较长的动作（When I was walking home, …），但 while 通常接持续一段时间的事；一瞬间发生的动作要用 when：“when I opened the door”，不说 “while I opened the door”。
• when / while 从句放在前面时要加逗号：While she was sleeping, someone called. 放在后面时通常不加：Someone called while she was sleeping.

While（+ 从句）和 during（+ 名词）不一样——见“During 与 while”一课。

和现在时一样，know、want、like、need、believe、understand、own 这类状态动词通常不用进行时，即使说的是过去某一刻正在进行的事——要用一般过去时。

• I didn't understand what he was saying.

  我没听懂他在说什么。（不说：wasn't understanding）

• We wanted to leave, but it was still raining.

  我们想走了，可是外面还在下雨。

• ✗I was cook dinner when you called.

  ✓I was cooking dinner when you called.

  was 后面要用 -ing 形式。

• ✗They was playing football.

  ✓They were playing football.

  they → were。

• ✗I watched TV when the lights went out.

  ✓I was watching TV when the lights went out.

  较长的、被打断的动作 → 过去进行时。

• ✗Were you sleep when I called?

  ✓Were you sleeping when I called?

  was / were + -ing。

• ✗I was knowing the answer.

  ✓I knew the answer.

  know 是状态动词 → 用一般过去时。

• ✗What did you doing at eight last night?

  ✓What were you doing at eight last night?

  过去进行时用 was / were，不用 did。