A. 概念介绍
过去进行时表示过去在某一段时间内正在发生或进行的动作或状态。其形式为主语+was /were + doing:
- Yesterday Kate and James played tennis. They started at 10 and finished at 11:30. So, at 10:30 they were playing tennis.
- 昨天凯特和詹姆斯打了网球。他们十点开始,十一点半结束。所以,十点半的时候他们正在打网球。
在上面一段话中,they were playing tennis就是过去进行时,用来说明Kate和James在十点半正在进行的活动。
B. 与一般过去时的辨析
1. 一般过去时用来说明动作发生过,而过去进行时重在表达某一动作在过去某个时间点正在发生:
- I walked home after school.
- 放学后我步行回家。(只说明动作发生过,没有强调在某一时间点正在进行走路这一动作)
- I was walking home when I met Dan.
- 我走路回家途中遇到了丹。(在遇到丹这个过去的时间点,走路这一动作正在发生)
- Kate watched TV a lot when she was ill last year.
- 凯特去年生病的时候看了不少电视。(只说明凯特在过去某一时间段做过看电视这件事)
- Kate was watching TV when her brother came home.
- 凯特的哥哥回家时她正在看电视。(在哥哥到家这个过去的时间点,凯特正在看电视)
2. 一般过去时经常与过去进行时搭配使用,表示一个动作发生时,另一个动作在进行:
- Mary phoned while we were having dinner.
- 我们吃完饭时,玛丽打电话来。
- I saw you in the park yesterday. You were walking the dog.
- 昨天我在公园看到你了。你在遛狗。