过去进行时是英语考试中常考的一个语法点，它表示过去在某一时间段或某一段时间内正在发生或进行的动作或状态。过去进行时有表示原因、强调、表示感情色彩等作用。

过去进行时
形式：was /were + V-ing
表示在过去某一时刻或某一段时间内进行或发生的动作。

一、结构

过去进行时肯定句基本结构=主语+was/were+doing+其它
过去进行时否定句基本结构=主语+was/were+not+doing+其它
过去进行时一般疑问句基本结构=Was/Were+主语+doing+其它
答语：Yes,主语 was/were. 或No,主语 wasn't/weren’t.
过去进行时特殊疑问句基本结构=特殊疑问词+一般疑问句+其它

以下是各种句型的例句：
1.We were having supper when the phone rang.
我们正在吃晚饭时，电话响了｡
2.This time yesterday Jack was not watching TV.
昨天这个时候杰克没看电视。
3.He was repairing his bike.
他在修理自行车。
4.When/While we were having supper, the light went out.
我们正在吃饭时，灯熄灭了。
5.While we were talking, the teacher came in.
当我们正在谈话时,老师进来了。
6.While he was waiting for the bus, he was reading a newspaper.
他边等车边看报。
7.He was cleaning his car while I was cooking.
他擦车时，我正在做饭。
8.Tom was getting up at six o’clock every day that week.
汤姆那一周里每天都是六点钟起床。
 

二、含义

· 过去进行时表示同时进行的动作。

1.While you were writing letters，I was reading a book.
你写信的时候，我在看书。

2.While we were having breakfast，John was talking on the tele-phone.
我们吃早饭的时候，约翰在打电话。

· 过去进行时和一般过去时在一个句子里使用，用过去进行时表示过去正在进行的动作。过去进行时可用于主句，亦可用于从句。

1.Just as I was leaving the house，the telephone rang.
我正要出门，电话铃响了。（用于从句）

2.He broke his leg when he was playing football.
他踢足球的时候把腿伤了。（用于从句）

3.She was reading when he called.
他来访时，她正在看书。（用于主句）

 

三、过去进行时在句子中的作用

1、表示原因。例句：
I didn’t hear what you said;I was looking at the picture.
我没有听见你的话，我在看那幅画。

2、对所说的话进行强调。在小说的对话中，有时引述动词不用一般过去时，而用过去进行时，意在强调所说的话，语气较重，且更为生动。例句：
A：“Did they catch her?”Mary was asking.
“他们抓住她了吗？”只听得玛丽问道。
B:”No,she escaped.”Tom told her.
“没有，她逃走了。”汤姆告诉她。

3、过去进行时还可和when结构遥相呼应，含有意外之意。例句：
I was walking in the street when someone called me.
我正在街上走时突然有人喊我。

4、表示与现在事实相反或将来的猜想情况，有时表示不耐烦等情绪。例句：
I was going to phone you,but I just didn’t have time.
我本想给你打电话的，但就是没有时间。
The basketball match was taking place the next day,but it had to be canceled because of the heavy rain.
篮球赛原定第二天举行的，但因大雨不得不取消。

5、用来陈述原因或用作借口。
She went to the doctor yesterday. She was having a lot of trouble with her heart.
她昨天去看病了。她患了很严重的心脏病。

6、与always,constantly等词连用，表示感情色彩。例句:
The girl was always changing her mind.
这女孩老是改变主意。

7、表示动作的未完成性。过去进行时可以表示动作的未完成性，即对某事了解的不全面，希望得到更详细的情况。例句：
I was hearing Susan had entered the college.
我听说苏珊上了大学。

8、表示继续刚刚中断的谈话，用于日常生活中。例句：
As I were telling you,the boy took his stubbornness from his father.
正想我刚刚告诉你的，这孩子的犟脾气是他爸爸遗传给他的。
As she was telling me,we must depend upon ourselves to make our own way as best we can.
正如她所告诉我的，我们必须依靠自己竭尽全力走自己的路。

9、表示婉转语气，只限于want,hope,wonder等动词，用以提出请求。例句：
I was wondering if you could help me.
我想知道你是否能够帮助我。

10、表示对比。
例句： He was not sitting idle,he was making preparations.
他没有闲坐着，他在做准备。
While the children were playing in the shade,their parents were working in the scorching sun.
孩子们在树荫下玩耍，而他们的父母却在烈日下劳作。