I was doing my homework at this time yesterday.昨天的这个时候我正在做作业。
They were expecting you yesterday.他们昨天一直在等待。
b.过去进行时可与soon,the next moment,in minutes,minutes later等时间状语连用,表示一个新的动作刚刚开始。如:
Soon the whole town was talking about it.不久镇上的人就都谈论起这种事了。
c.过去进行时可用来申述原因或用作借口,这种用法常用在口语中。如:
—— Have you finished your homework,Mary?玛丽,你作业做完了吗?
—— No,I was helping my mother is the kitchen all day yesterday.还没呢,我昨天一天都帮妈妈在厨房干活。
d.过去进行时可用来为一个后一系列动作的发生提供背景。如:
I hurt my leg when I was riding a bike.我在骑车时把腿摔坏了。
e.过去进行时可表示过去未曾实现的愿望或打算,这时be动词was/were要重读。如:
I was writing him a letter this morning and forgot all about it .我本该今天早上给他写信的,后来全给忘了。
I was seeing her tomorrow. 我本来打算明天会见她。
He was watching the play yesterday,but he was too busy. 他昨天本来要看那场戏的,可是太忙了。
5 一般过去时和过去进行时的区别
(1)一般过去式常表示在过去某时发生的动作或存在的状态(包括过去习惯动作),常与一般过去时连用的时间状语有just now,a moment ago,yesterday,last week(month,year),the day before yesterday及表示过去的时间状语从句。如:
I was sixteen yesterday old last year.我去年16岁。
He worked in a factory in 1986.他1986年在一家工厂工作。
I met her in the street the day before yesterday.前天我在街上遇见了她。
He often swam in the river when he was young.他小时侯常在河里游泳。
(2)过去进行时表示过去某一段时间或某一时刻正在进行的动作。常与之连用的时间状语有,at that time/moment,(at) this time yesterday (last night/Sunday/week…),at+点钟+yesterday (last night / Sunday…),when ******************. did sth等时间状语从句。
What were you doing at seven p.m. yesterday?昨天晚上七点你在干什么?
I first met Mary three years ago. She was working at a radio shop at the time.我第一次遇到玛丽是在三年前,当时她在一家无线电商店工作。
I was cooking when she knocked at the door.她敲门时我正在做饭。
(3)一般过去时往往表示某一动作已经完成,而过去进行时却表示动作在持续或未完成。如:
I saw you while you were speaking to the teacher.你在和老师谈话时我看见了你。
注意:有的过去时间状语既可用于一般过去时,也可用于过去进行时,但含义不同。如:
She wrote a letter to her friend last night.她昨晚给她的朋友写了封信。(信写完了)
She was writing a letter to her friend last night.她昨晚一直在给她的朋友写信。(信不一定写完)
I was walking in the street when someone called me.我正在街上走时突然有人喊我。
二、下面几种情况不用一般过去时而要用过去进行时:
1. 表示过去某一阶段暂时性的习惯动作时。如:
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。
2. 与always连用表示赞美,厌烦等感情色彩时。如:
John was always coming to school late.约翰上学总是迟到。
Lei Feng was always doing good deeds for the people.雷锋总是为人民做好事。
3. 用来描写故事发生的情景时。如:
It was a dark night. The wind was blowing hard and the rain was falling heavily. A PLA man suddenly appeared on the river bank. He wanted to cross the river.那是一个漆黑的夜晚,风刮得很厉害,雨下得很大,一个解放军战士突然出现在河岸上,他想过河去。