一、过去进行时的定义
过去进行时主要表示过去某一时刻正在进行的动作，或表示过去某一阶段一直在进行的动作。如：
I was having a talk with Li Hua at that time. 那时，我正在跟李华谈话。
I was watching TV at home last night. 昨晚我一直在看电视。
二、如何理解过去进行时：
大家知道，过去进行时表示说话时正在进行的动作或发生的情况。由此可推知，过去进行时就是表示在过去某时正在进行的动作或发生的情况。如汉语说“我进来时他正在吃饭”，如果“进来”发生在过去，那么“正在吃饭”显然就是过去某时正在进行的动作――也就是说，“进来”用一般过去时，“正在吃饭”就要用过去进行时。
三、过去进行的构成
过去进行时由“was / were + 现在分词”构成。如：
Someone is knocking the door. 有人在敲门。
Steam was rising from the coffee. 咖啡冒着热气。
Clouds were flying across the sky. 云彩飘过天空。
注意有些was (were) doing sth不是现在进行时，而是系表结构，其中的doing sth是动名词，不是现在分词。如：
Her job was washing clothes. 她的工作是洗衣裳。
Her hobby was growing roses. 她的爱好是种植玫瑰。
Her suggestion was having our conversation in French. 她的建议是我们用法语交谈。
四、过去进行时的主要用法
1. 表示在过去某一点时间或某一段时正在进行的动作。如：
I was having a bath when the phone rang. 我正在洗澡，突然电话铃响了。
She was writing letters. I didn’t want to disturb her. 她在写信。我不想打扰她。
2. 表示在过去短期内正在进行的动作或存在的情况，这种情况通常不会长期如此。如：
It happened while I was living in Eastboume last year. 这件事发生于去年我住在伊斯特本的时候。
3. 表示为过去的将来安排好的活动和事件。这类用法在没有明确上下文的情况下，通常会连用一个表示将来时间的状语。如：
He said that his sister was getting married next December. 他说他妹妹12月结婚。
用arrive, come, go, leave等动词的现在进行时描写行程安排，也通常有含有将来意义。如：
Four of them were coming for Sunday lunch. 他们有四个人将在星期天来吃午饭。
Her daughter was going to a summer camp the following day. 她的女儿将在第二天去参加夏令营。
4. 动词 hope, wonder 等的过去进行时常用来表示提出要求，虽然表示现在的内容，但语气比一般现在时或一般过去时要委婉。如：
I was wondering if you could give me a lift. 我不知您能不能让我搭一下车。
I was thinking it might be a good idea to keep the window open. 我看还是把窗户开着的好。
注：一般过去时也有类似用法，相比之处，一般过去时通常表示主语的行为是经过认真考虑的，而过去进行时则多表示一种较随便或没有进行仔细考虑的行为。
5. 过去进行时有时可以与always, constantly, continually, forever, perpetually, repeatedly等表示动作屡次发生的副词连用，强调动作的不断重复的。如：
She was always thinking of others. 她老是想到别人。
He was constantly changing his mind. 他老是改变主意。
She was forever complaining. 她老是抱怨。
注：现在进行时也有类似用法，但过去进行时是表示过去不断重复的动作，而现在进行时是表示现在不断重复的动作。
五、动词be的过去进行时
动词 be 的过去进行时也表示过去一时的表现或暂时的状态。比较：
He was friendly. 他很友好。(指过去长期如此)
He was being friendly. 他当时显得很友好。(指当时一时的表现)
六、过去进行时和一般过去时的用法比较
两者的基本差别是过去进行时通常表示一个过去正在进行且尚未完成的动作，而一般过去时则通常表示一个过去已经完成的动作：
I was reading a book last night. 我昨晚在看书。(不一定看完)
I read a book last night. 我昨晚看了一本书。(已经看完)
They were building a bridge there. 他们在那里修一座桥。(不一定建成)
They built a bridge there. 他们在那儿修了一座桥。(已建成)
注：有些动词(如rain, snow, cough, wear, feel, work等)本身并不表示动作完成，这时用两种时态都可以，且含义区别不大：
It rained [was raining] all day yesterday. 昨天下了一天的雨。
She didn’t feel [wasn’t feeling] well that day. 那天她感到不太舒服。
七、过去进行时典型考题（附详解）
1. The reporter said that the UFO ______ east to west when he saw it.
A. was traveling B. traveled C. had been traveling D. was to travel
分析：答案为A。过去进行时表示报告人当时所看到的情景。
2.－Sorry to have interrupted you. Please go on.
－Where was I?
－You ______ you didn't like your father's job.
分析：答案为C。此处指“我”的话在被打断前正在谈论的情况。表示过去某一特定的时刻在进行的动作用过去进行时态。
3.―What were you doing when Tony phoned you?
―I had just finished my work and to take a shower.
A. had started B. started C. have started D. was starting
分析：答案为D。过去进行时表示过去将要发生的事。句意是：(Tony给我打电话时)我刚好做完工作，准备去冲凉。
4.―Has Sam finished his homework today?
―I have no idea. He ______it this morning.
A. did B. has done C. was doing D. had done
分析：答案为C。由上文可知，下文的大意是：“我不知道Sam现在是否已经做完了作业，(但是我知道)他今天早上在做作业”，所以用过去进行时态。
5. ―You were out when I dropped in at your house.
―Oh, I ______for a friend from
A. was waiting B. had waited C. am waiting D. has waited
分析：答案为A。句意是：(你来我家时) 我正在机场等候一位从England来的朋友。表示在过去某一时刻或在过去某一段时间内正在发生的事，用过去进行时，所以选A。
6. ― Where did you put the car keys?
― Oh, I ______ I put them on the chair because the phone rang as I ______ in.
A. remembered; come B. remembered; was coming
C. remember; come D. remember; was coming
分析：答案为D。第一空用一般现在时，指的是“现在”还记得; 第二空用过去进行时，指的是当时正在做的事。
8. I ______ along the street looking for a place to park when the accident ______.
A. went; was occurring B. went; occurred
C. was going; occurred D. was going; had occurred
分析：答案为C。第一空用过去进行时，表示过去正在发生的情况; 第二空用一般过去时，表示过去突然发生的一件事。
9. ―I saw Jane and her boyfriend in the park at eight yesterday evening.
―Impossible. She ______ TV with me in my home then.(www.yygrammar.com)
A. watched B. had watched C. would watch D. was watching
分析：答案为 D。表示过去正在进行的动作，用过去进行时。第二句的意思是：不可能。她当时与我一起在我家看电视。
10. ―Is there anything wrong, Bob? You look sad.
―Oh, nothing much. In fact, I ______ of my friends back home.
A. have just thought B. was just thinking C. would just think D. will just be thinking
分析：答案为B。指刚刚在想念老家的朋友，故用过去进行时。
11. ―Did you watch the basketball match yesterday?
―Yes, I did. You know, my brother ______ in the match.
A. is playing B. was playing C. has played D. had played
分析：答案为B。此处用过去进行时表示当时正在进行的情况。
12. I called Hnnah many times yesterday evening, but I couldn’t get through. Her brother ______ on the phone all the time!
A. was talking B. has been talking C. has talked D. talked
分析：答案为A。I called…和I couldn’t get through…用的都是一般过去时，而talk on the phone这一动作正是发生在I couldn’t get through…期间，故要用过去进行时。
13. The telephone ______, but by the time I got indoors, it stopped.
A. had rung B. was ringing C. rings D. has rung
分析：答案为B。根据句意可知，“电话铃响”这一动作在我进屋之前一直在进行，故用过去进行时。
14. I walked slowly through the market, where people ______ all kinds of fruits and vegetables. I studied the prices carefully and bought what I needed.(www.nmet168.com)
A. sell B. were selling C. had sold D. have sold
分析：答案为B。根据句中的walked, studied, bought等可知，句子是在谈论过去的情况，故可排除A和D。再根据句意，联系“慢慢走过集市”“仔细研究价格”“买下需要的东西”等信息，说明当时人们是“正在”卖水果和蔬菜，故用过去进行时。
15. I wasn’t sure if he was really interested or if he ______ polite.
A. was just being B. will just be C. had just been D. would just be
分析：答案为A。根据英语语法，动词be的过去进行时可以表示过去一时的表现或暂时的状态，本题的意思是：我不清楚他是真的感兴趣呢，还是装成有礼貌的样子。又如：
You were being stupid. 你当时真有傻。
She was being angry. 他当时显得很生气。
英语动词16种时态用法详解
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