Past Continuous Tense 过去进行式
基础过去进行式。
- Past continuous = was/were + verb-ing，讲『那时进行中』
- while + 长动作 · when + 短动作（打断）：While I was copying my notes, the lights went out.
- 两个同时进行：Dad was talking while Mum was putting a towel.
文体小知识：An action in progress at a past moment.
§课文原文 Passage
1Last night, a heavy rainstorm hit Hong Kong suddenly. At 8 p.m., I was revising for my Maths test in my room. My parents were watching the news in the living room, and the wind was howling outside. While I was copying my notes, the lights suddenly went out. My little sister was sleeping, but the thunder woke her up. The past continuous describes an action in progress at a time in the past.
2When the lights came back, we found water dripping from the kitchen window. Dad was talking to the building manager on the phone while Mum was putting a towel under the window. At about 9 p.m., I was helping my sister dry the floor with old newspapers. The rain was still beating against the windows, and the streets below were shining like rivers. Nobody could sleep until the storm stopped.
3The next morning, the sky was clear, and it was hard to believe how wild the night had been. Only twelve hours earlier, at 8 p.m., we were all busy fighting the storm, but now everything felt calm again. The past continuous often works with was or were plus a verb-ing form. We use when before a short action that interrupts, and while before a longer action. My sister says she was dreaming about sunshine while the storm was shaking our building.
§逐句中文翻译 Sentence-by-sentence translation
Last night, a heavy rainstorm hit Hong Kong suddenly.
昨晚，一场大暴雨突然袭击香港。
At 8 p.m., I was revising for my Maths test in my room.
晚上八时，我正在房间温习数学测验。
My parents were watching the news in the living room, and the wind was howling outside.
爸妈正在客厅看新闻，外面狂风呼啸。
While I was copying my notes, the lights suddenly went out.
我抄笔记的时候，灯光突然熄灭。
My little sister was sleeping, but the thunder woke her up.
妹妹正在睡觉，但雷声把她吵醒了。
The past continuous describes an action in progress at a time in the past.
过去进行式描述过去某个时间正在进行的动作。
When the lights came back, we found water dripping from the kitchen window.
电力恢复后，我们发现厨房窗户有水渗进来。
Dad was talking to the building manager on the phone while Mum was putting a towel under the window.
爸爸正打电话给大厦管理员，妈妈则把毛巾垫在窗下。
At about 9 p.m., I was helping my sister dry the floor with old newspapers.
大约晚上九时，我正在帮妹妹用旧报纸抹干地板。
The rain was still beating against the windows, and the streets below were shining like rivers.
雨仍拍打著窗户，楼下的街道像河流一样闪亮。
Nobody could sleep until the storm stopped.
暴风雨停下来之前，谁也睡不著。
The next morning, the sky was clear, and it was hard to believe how wild the night had been.
第二天早上，天空放晴，很难相信昨晚的天气有多狂野。
Only twelve hours earlier, at 8 p.m., we were all busy fighting the storm, but now everything felt calm again.
就在十二小时前、晚上八时，我们还在忙著应付风暴，但现在一切又平静了。
The past continuous often works with was or were plus a verb-ing form.
过去进行式通常由 was 或 were 加动词-ing 组成。
We use when before a short action that interrupts, and while before a longer action.
我们在打断动作的短动作前用 when，在较长的动作前用 while。
My sister says she was dreaming about sunshine while the storm was shaking our building.
妹妹说，风暴摇晃我们大厦的时候，她正梦见阳光。
1重点摘要 Summary
过去进行式。
2生字卡 Vocabulary
was/were + verb-ing。
Happening then。
Short action interrupts。
Two long actions。
Specific time past。
I/he/she/it was。
You/we/they were。
Short action stops long one。
3逐步讲解 Steps
- was/wereI/he/she/it → was；you/we/they → were：At 8 p.m., I was revising. My parents were watching the news.
- verb-ingbe 动词后面是 -ing：I was watching（不是 was watch）· They were playing（不是 were play）。-ing 规则照用：run→running 双写、make→making 去 e——过去进行式一样要守。
- when/whilewhen 接短动作（打断）· while 接长动作：While I was copying my notes, the lights suddenly went out.一句用一个连接词就够：I was reading when the phone rang——长短配搭一句写齐。
- 指定时刻过去某刻正在做：At 8 p.m., I was revising for my Maths test in my room. The wind was howling outside.画时间轴帮记：某一刻（8 p.m.）一点，线上进行中（was revising）——时刻＋进行就是过去进行式。
- when 打断短动作打断长动作：While I was copying my notes, the lights suddenly went out.——copying 长、went out 短。
- while 同时两个长动作并行：Dad was talking to the building manager while Mum was putting a towel under the window.
- 背景描写开场画气氛全靠它：Last night, a heavy rainstorm hit Hong Kong suddenly… the wind was howling outside.天气和灯光最常用来铺气氛：The rain was pouring. The wind was howling——开场两句，画面即出。
- 课文金句My sister says she was dreaming about sunshine while the storm was shaking our building.——两个 was…ing 同时出现。
4图解 Diagrams
5例题示范 Example
根据课文，用 past continuous 描述暴风雨那晚你家人在做什么，并用 when / while 连接动作。
- 第一步：结构 = was/were + verb-ing——At 8 p.m., I was revising for my Maths test.
- 第二步：长动作用 while 带——While I was copying my notes, the lights suddenly went out.
- 第三步：短动作打断长动作用 when——My little sister was sleeping when the thunder woke her up.
- 第四步：两个同时进行的动作都用过去进行——Dad was talking on the phone while Mum was putting a towel under the window.
- 第五步：检查配搭——I/he/she/it → was；you/we/they → were
- 答案：At 8 p.m., I was revising for my Maths test while my parents were watching the news, and the wind was howling outside. While I was copying my notes, the lights suddenly went out, and my little sister was sleeping when the thunder woke her up. Dad was talking to the building manager on the phone while Mum was putting a towel under the window. At about 9 p.m., I was helping my sister dry the floor with old newspapers. We were all busy fighting the storm that night.
6常见错误 Mistakes
75 题快测 Quick check
Q1How to form past continuous?
Q2What does "while" show?
Q3What does "when" show?
Q4Which verb for "I"?
Q5Which verb for "they"?
8重点回顾 Recap
- Past continuous = was/were + verb-ing，讲『那时进行中』
- while + 长动作 · when + 短动作（打断）：While I was copying my notes, the lights went out.
- 两个同时进行：Dad was talking while Mum was putting a towel.
- 配搭：I/he/she/it → was；you/we/they → were
- 指定时刻：At 8 p.m., I was revising.——那刻正在做