Past Continuous Tense 過去進行式
基礎過去進行式。
- Past continuous = was/were + verb-ing，講『那時進行中』
- while + 長動作 · when + 短動作（打斷）：While I was copying my notes, the lights went out.
- 兩個同時進行：Dad was talking while Mum was putting a towel.
文體小知識：An action in progress at a past moment.
§課文原文 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.
§逐句中文翻譯 Sentence-by-sentence translation
Last night, a heavy rainstorm hit Hong Kong suddenly.
昨晚，一場大暴雨突然襲擊香港。
At 8 p.m., I was revising for my Maths test in my room.
晚上八時，我正在房間溫習數學測驗。
My parents were watching the news in the living room, and the wind was howling outside.
爸媽正在客廳看新聞，外面狂風呼嘯。
While I was copying my notes, the lights suddenly went out.
我抄筆記的時候，燈光突然熄滅。
My little sister was sleeping, but the thunder woke her up.
妹妹正在睡覺，但雷聲把她吵醒了。
The past continuous describes an action in progress at a time in the past.
過去進行式描述過去某個時間正在進行的動作。
When the lights came back, we found water dripping from the kitchen window.
電力恢復後，我們發現廚房窗戶有水滲進來。
Dad was talking to the building manager on the phone while Mum was putting a towel under the window.
爸爸正打電話給大廈管理員，媽媽則把毛巾墊在窗下。
At about 9 p.m., I was helping my sister dry the floor with old newspapers.
大約晚上九時，我正在幫妹妹用舊報紙抹乾地板。
The rain was still beating against the windows, and the streets below were shining like rivers.
雨仍拍打著窗戶，樓下的街道像河流一樣閃亮。
Nobody could sleep until the storm stopped.
暴風雨停下來之前，誰也睡不著。
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，很難相信昨晚的天氣有多狂野。
Only twelve hours earlier, at 8 p.m., we were all busy fighting the storm, but now everything felt calm again.
就在十二小時前、晚上八時，我們還在忙著應付風暴，但現在一切又平靜了。
The past continuous often works with was or were plus a verb-ing form.
過去進行式通常由 was 或 were 加動詞-ing 組成。
We use when before a short action that interrupts, and while before a longer action.
我們在打斷動作的短動作前用 when，在較長的動作前用 while。
My sister says she was dreaming about sunshine while the storm was shaking our building.
妹妹說，風暴搖晃我們大廈的時候，她正夢見陽光。
1重點摘要 Summary
過去進行式。
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逐步講解 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 動詞後面是 -ing：I was watching（不是 was watch）· They were playing（不是 were play）。-ing 規則照用：run→running 雙寫、make→making 去 e——過去進行式一樣要守。
- when/whilewhen 接短動作（打斷）· while 接長動作：While I was copying my notes, the lights suddenly went out.一句用一個連接詞就夠：I was reading when the phone rang——長短配搭一句寫齊。
- 指定時刻過去某刻正在做：At 8 p.m., I was revising for my Maths test in my room. The wind was howling outside.畫時間軸幫記：某一刻（8 p.m.）一點，線上進行中（was revising）——時刻＋進行就是過去進行式。
- when 打斷短動作打斷長動作：While I was copying my notes, the lights suddenly went out.——copying 長、went out 短。
- while 同時兩個長動作並行：Dad was talking to the building manager while Mum was putting a towel under the window.
- 背景描寫開場畫氣氛全靠它：Last night, a heavy rainstorm hit Hong Kong suddenly… the wind was howling outside.天氣和燈光最常用來鋪氣氛：The rain was pouring. The wind was howling——開場兩句，畫面即出。
- 課文金句My sister says she was dreaming about sunshine while the storm was shaking our building.——兩個 was…ing 同時出現。
4圖解 Diagrams
5例題示範 Example
根據課文，用 past continuous 描述暴風雨那晚你家人在做什麼，並用 when / while 連接動作。
- 第一步：結構 = was/were + verb-ing——At 8 p.m., I was revising for my Maths test.
- 第二步：長動作用 while 帶——While I was copying my notes, the lights suddenly went out.
- 第三步：短動作打斷長動作用 when——My little sister was sleeping when the thunder woke her up.
- 第四步：兩個同時進行的動作都用過去進行——Dad was talking on the phone while Mum was putting a towel under the window.
- 第五步：檢查配搭——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常見錯誤 Mistakes
75 題快測 Quick check
Q1How to form past continuous?
Q2What does "while" show?
Q3What does "when" show?
Q4Which verb for "I"?
Q5Which verb for "they"?
8重點回顧 Recap
- Past continuous = was/were + verb-ing，講『那時進行中』
- while + 長動作 · when + 短動作（打斷）：While I was copying my notes, the lights went out.
- 兩個同時進行：Dad was talking while Mum was putting a towel.
- 配搭：I/he/she/it → was；you/we/they → were
- 指定時刻：At 8 p.m., I was revising.——那刻正在做