何時(shí)及怎樣用過去進(jìn)行時(shí)
過去進(jìn)行時(shí)用來描述過去正在進(jìn)行的動(dòng)作,比如I was writing my research paper all night. 。它使用與現(xiàn)在進(jìn)行時(shí)相同的結(jié)構(gòu),除了動(dòng)詞to be的過去式。
過去進(jìn)行時(shí)和過去完成進(jìn)行時(shí)甚至一般過去時(shí)之間的區(qū)別是什么?下面,我們將深入研究過去進(jìn)行時(shí),回顧所有的規(guī)則和用法,并給出大量的過去進(jìn)行時(shí)的例子。
什么是過去進(jìn)行時(shí)?
過去進(jìn)行時(shí)表示從過去開始的連續(xù)動(dòng)作。它是現(xiàn)在進(jìn)行時(shí)的過去式,也用來描述當(dāng)時(shí)進(jìn)行的動(dòng)作?,F(xiàn)在進(jìn)行時(shí)和過去進(jìn)行時(shí)非常相似,但是過去進(jìn)行時(shí)使用was和were, 這是be的過去時(shí)。
過去進(jìn)行時(shí)的公式
過去進(jìn)行時(shí)公式包括to be (was或were)的過去式和動(dòng)詞的現(xiàn)在分詞,即-ing形式。
[was/were] +[現(xiàn)在分詞]
While I was studying, my friends were playing.
Keep in mind that you must conjugate to be to match the subject. Use was for first- or third-person singular subjects, such as I, he, she, or it.
記住,你必須將be和主語匹配。was用于第一人稱或第三人稱單數(shù)主語,如I、he、she或it。
She was working on an email when the fire alarm rang.
The team was playing well until the second half.
were用于所有其他主語,包括所有復(fù)數(shù)主語和單數(shù)第二人稱主語you。
You were becoming a great novelist before switching to screenplays.
The days were getting shorter as winter approached.
有些動(dòng)詞不能用于過去進(jìn)行時(shí)
有一類動(dòng)詞不能用于任何進(jìn)行時(shí),包括過去進(jìn)行時(shí)。這些動(dòng)詞被稱為靜態(tài)動(dòng)詞,也被稱為狀態(tài)動(dòng)詞,或者更恰當(dāng)?shù)卣f,是非連續(xù)動(dòng)詞。
靜態(tài)動(dòng)詞不太像動(dòng)作,而更像狀態(tài)或感覺。它們描述了持續(xù)的心理狀態(tài),如意見、需求或意識(shí)。一些最常見的靜態(tài)動(dòng)詞的例子包括:
believe dislikehateinvolveknowlikeloveneedpreferrealizeseemunderstandwant因?yàn)殪o態(tài)動(dòng)詞本質(zhì)上是連續(xù)的,把它們放在進(jìn)行時(shí)態(tài)中聽起來很奇怪。避免在過去進(jìn)行時(shí)中使用上述單詞,你可以將它們用于一般過去時(shí)。
I was understanding math class until we started fractions.
I understood math class until we started fractions.
過去進(jìn)行時(shí)的五種用法
1 過去的一個(gè)動(dòng)作被中斷
One of the most common uses of the past continuous tense shows a past action that was interrupted by another past action. These are often complex sentences featuring subordinating conjunctions like when, while, before, after, until, or whenever.
Put the action that was interrupted in the past continuous tense and the action that interrupts it in the simple past.
過去進(jìn)行時(shí)最常見的用法之一是表示過去的一個(gè)動(dòng)作被另一個(gè)過去動(dòng)作打斷。這些通常是復(fù)雜的句子,具有從屬連詞,如when, while, before, after, until或whenever。
將被打斷的動(dòng)作用過去進(jìn)行時(shí),打斷前者的動(dòng)作的用一般過去時(shí)。
過去進(jìn)行時(shí)的例子:
Marta was leaving her apartment when she heard the thunderstorm.
They were sleeping peacefully until the alarm rang.
My parents arrived while I was shopping.
2 在特定時(shí)間所進(jìn)行的動(dòng)作
當(dāng)你提到過去的某個(gè)確切時(shí)間時(shí),如果某件事在那個(gè)時(shí)間之前開始,在那個(gè)時(shí)間之后繼續(xù),則使用過去進(jìn)行時(shí)。如果動(dòng)作開始于所提到的時(shí)間,請(qǐng)使用一般過去時(shí)。
過去進(jìn)行時(shí)的例子:
At midnight, everyone at the party was still having fun.
I was working as a cashier in October.
By the age of nine, I was training to be a ninja.
3 過去的習(xí)慣動(dòng)作(通常有類似always類的副詞)
用過去進(jìn)行時(shí)來談?wù)撨^去經(jīng)常做但現(xiàn)在不做的動(dòng)作。這種形式通常與副詞和副詞短語連用,特別是那些表示動(dòng)作做了很多次的短語,如下所示:
all the timealwaysconstantlycontinuously and continuallyforeverperpetuallythe entire time你也可以使用頻率副詞(rarely, seldom, sometimes, occasionally, often, frequently, usually).
過去進(jìn)行時(shí)的例子:
As a baby, my brother was always making a mess.
My first year of college, I was making spelling mistakes all the time.
She was forever trying to impress her crush.
4 強(qiáng)調(diào)過去的動(dòng)作會(huì)持續(xù)多久
你也可以用過去進(jìn)行時(shí)來強(qiáng)調(diào)一個(gè)動(dòng)作花了多長時(shí)間,強(qiáng)調(diào)做這件事花了多少時(shí)間。這種形式通常使用副詞短語來解釋時(shí)間的長度,例如:
all morning/afternoon/eveningall day/night all week/month/ yearfor hours/days/weeks/months/yearsthe whole time過去進(jìn)行時(shí)的例子:
The players were training all year for this match.
She was gardening all morning and missed the delivery.
I was trying to complete the final level for hours.
5 給故事設(shè)置場景
在講故事(或?qū)懝适?時(shí),你可以用過去進(jìn)行時(shí)來“設(shè)定場景”,或者準(zhǔn)確地描述故事開頭發(fā)生的事情。我們使用過去進(jìn)行時(shí)是因?yàn)檫@些動(dòng)作大概在故事開始之前就已經(jīng)發(fā)生了。
過去進(jìn)行時(shí)的例句:
The birds were singing, and the sun was shining. I knew it would be a good day.
Everyone at the cafe was enjoying their coffee. Then the stranger appeared.
The city was going about its business without knowing the aliens had arrived.
過去進(jìn)行時(shí)對(duì)比一般過去時(shí)
過去進(jìn)行時(shí)經(jīng)常與一般過去時(shí)混淆——這可能是因?yàn)橛行┚渥涌梢杂眠@兩者之一。
My hamster was sleeping all day.
My hamster slept all day.
一般過去時(shí)通常更常用。然而,有一些細(xì)微的差異值得一提。
當(dāng)你用從句(例如以When開頭的從句)連接另一個(gè)動(dòng)作時(shí),請(qǐng)記住以下區(qū)別:
?過去進(jìn)行時(shí)表示動(dòng)作在另一個(gè)動(dòng)作之前開始。
?一般過去時(shí)表示一個(gè)動(dòng)作在另一個(gè)動(dòng)作之后開始。
在下面的例子中,使用了過去進(jìn)行時(shí),說話人在哨聲響起之前就開始跑了:
When the whistle blew, I was running.
在這個(gè)使用一般過去時(shí)的例子中,說話者在哨聲響起后開始跑:
When the whistle blew, I ran.
同樣地,當(dāng)你直接提到時(shí)間時(shí),過去進(jìn)行時(shí)表示動(dòng)作在時(shí)間之前開始,而一般過去時(shí)表示動(dòng)作在那個(gè)時(shí)間開始。在這里,說話者在中午之前就開始吃午飯了:
At noon I was eating lunch.
在這里,說話者中午開始吃午飯:
At noon I ate lunch.
過去進(jìn)行時(shí)vs 過去完成時(shí)
另一個(gè)可能令人困惑的話題是過去進(jìn)行時(shí)和過去完成進(jìn)行時(shí)的區(qū)別。這兩者都可以顯示過去的動(dòng)作被另一個(gè)動(dòng)作打斷。然而,主要的區(qū)別是:
?使用過去進(jìn)行時(shí),動(dòng)作在中斷后繼續(xù)進(jìn)行。
使用過去完成進(jìn)行時(shí),動(dòng)作在中斷后停止。
在這個(gè)例子中,使用了過去進(jìn)行時(shí),主人回來后,貓繼續(xù)打盹:
The cat was napping when its owner came home.
而在這個(gè)使用過去完成進(jìn)行時(shí)的例子中,貓?jiān)诖蝽铮?dāng)主人回來時(shí)就停了下來:
The cat had been napping when the owner came home.