過去進行式 (Past Progressive Tense)

過去進行式是指過去某時刻正在發生或持續的動作。

What were you doing at nine o'clock last night?

你昨晚九點鐘在幹什麼？

I was riding my bike at nine o'clock last night.

昨晚九點鐘我正在騎我的自行車。

The children were staring at us with huge eyes.

孩子們張大了眼睛盯著我們。

過去進行式經常與另一過去時式的子句並用。

While I was eating dinner, the telephone rang.

當我正在吃晚飯時，電話鈴響了。

My boyfriend was waiting for me when I got off the plane.

當我下了飛機時，我的男朋友正在等我。

Andy was cooking dinner when I arrived.

當我到達時，安迪正在做飯。

I was watching TV when she called.

她打電話來時，我正在看電視。

What was he doing when the earthquake started?

地震剛開始的時候，他正在做什麼？

While we were having the picnic, it started to rain.

當我我們正在野餐的時候，天上開始下雨。

上面這些例子，讀者不難發現都有從屬連接詞 when 與 while 來連接兩個子句而形成複句。通常 when 描述過去發生的事，後面跟著過去時式， 而 while 強調過去的一段時間所發生的事，後面跟著過去進行式。

• 當她打電話給我時，我正在彈鋼琴而沒有聽到。
• When she called me, I am playing the piano and did not hear the phone.
• When she called me, I was playing the piano and did not hear the phone.

• 湯姆想成為一名科學家，當他還是個孩子的時候。
• Tom was wanting to be a scientist when he was a child.
• Tom wanted to be a scientist when he was a child.

• 她在和她媽媽說話時聽到一聲巨響。
• She was hearing a loud bang while she talked to her mom.
• She heard a loud bang while she was talking to her mom.

過去進行式的被動語態

The waiter was taking my order when the lights went out.

燈光熄滅時，服務員正在接我的點菜單。

過去進行式的主動語態 。

My order was being taken by the waiter when the lights went out.

燈光熄滅時，服務員正在接我的點菜單。

過去進行式的被動語態。

Was she being stalked by somebody? That's our big question.

她被某人非法跟蹤嗎？ 那是我們最大的疑問。

過去進行式的被動語態。

過去進行式夾帶著 always 或 constantly 通常表示負面的意思。

Jeff was always coming to class late.

傑夫上課總是遲到。

She was always complaining; nothing satisfied her.

她總是在抱怨；沒有任何事可以滿足她。

He was constantly changing his mind.

他總是不斷地改變主意。