过去进行时
过去某一时刻或某段时间正在进行的动作。
was / were + 动词-ing
要点
- 表示过去某一时刻或某段时间正在进行的动作。
- 常与 at that time、at eight last night、when 引导的从句连用。
- 结构是 was / were + 现在分词。
- 常与一般过去时搭配：一个动作进行中，另一个动作突然发生。
- 讲故事时它铺背景、一般过去时推进主线：The sun was shining and the birds were singing when I walked out. —— 一直存在着的情景用进行，一件件新发生的事用过去时。
- while 连接的两个动作都在持续，两边都用过去进行时：While I was reading, my sister was watching TV.；只有"长动作里插进一个短动作"时，才是一边过去进行、一边一般过去。
- 问句与答语配套：What were you doing at nine? — I was having a shower.（问过去某时刻正在做什么，答语同样落在过去进行时上）。
例句
He was sleeping when I called.
我打电话时他在睡觉。
She was cooking when I arrived.
我到时她在做饭。
They were playing soccer at that moment.
那时他们在踢足球。
I was waiting for the bus at seven.
七点我在等公交车。
It was raining hard when I left home this morning.
今天早上我离开家时雨下得很大。
While my mother was cooking dinner, I was doing my homework.
我妈在做晚饭的时候，我在写作业。
易错提示
- when 引导短暂动作用一般过去时，while 引导持续动作用过去进行时。
- was 还是 were 由主语决定，别跟着后面的动词走。
- 过去进行时不表"过去经常做"，那是 used to 和 would 的活：I used to get up at six（过去天天如此）；说成 I was getting up at six 就变成"那时我正起床"。
- 状态动词没有过去进行形式 —— I was knowing him 不成立，要说 I knew him；这一批动词（know、want、believe、own）与「现在进行时」那条共用同一张禁令表。