The past continuous tense
概念表示过去某时正在进行的状态或动作。
句式：主语+was/were+动词ing+其他。
过去进行时的主要用法1.表示过去某一时间内（正在）进行的动作
如：I was doing my homeworks at 9 o'clock p.m. last Sunday.
2.表示一动作正在进行时，另一动作同时正在进行.
如：I was reading books while he was cleaning the floor.
3.表示一个动作正在进行时，另一个动作发生了
如：he played when I was studying.
4.表示过去将要发生的动作
She told us Mr.Lee was arriving here.
5.用于故事，以提供其时间背景
6.表示礼貌
常用的时间状语this morning, the whole morning, all day yesterday, from nine to ten last evening, when, while
My brother fell while he was riding his bicycle and hurt himself.
It was raining when they left the station.
When I got to the top of the mountain, the sun was shining.
典型例题(1) Mary ___ a dress when she cut her finger.
A. made B. is making C. was making D. makes
答案C. 割伤手指是已发生的事情，应用过去时。同 时，when表时间的同时性，"玛丽在做衣服时"提供事情发生的背景，因此用过去进行时。
(2) As she ___ the newspaper, Granny ___ asleep.
A.read； was falling B. was reading； fell C. was reading； was falling D. read；fell
答案B. 句中的as = when, while，意为"当……之时"。描述一件事发生的背景时，用过去进行；一个长动作发生的时候，另一个短动作发生。句意为 "在她看报纸时，奶奶睡着了。"句中的 fell (fall的过去时)，是系动词，后跟形容词，如：fall sick。 过去进行时的基本用法:表示过去某个时刻或时间正在进行过持续进行的动作,句中往往需要有时间状语来表示这一特定的时间. What were they doing just now? 他们刚才在干什么?
具体概念一、 概念和用法：过去进行时表示在过去某一时刻或某一段时间内进行或发生的动作。其形式为was /were + V-ing。常与表示过去的时间状语连用，如：last night, last Saturday等；或者与when, while, as引导的过去时间状语连用。例如： We were watching TV from seven to nine last night. 昨天晚上七点到九点的时候我们在看电视。 What was he researching all day last Sunday? 上周日他一整天都在研究什么？
二、 过去进行时可以表示在过去某个时间点发生的事情。时间点可以用介词短语、副词或从句来表示。如： What was she doing at nine o‘clock yesterday? 昨天晚上九点她在做什么？ (介词短语表示时间点) When I saw him he was decorating his room. 当我看见他的时候他正在装饰房间。 (when从句表示时间点)
三、 在复合句中，如果主要动作和背景动作都是延续的或同时发生的，那么主从句的动词都可用过去进行时。例如： While he was waiting for the bus, he was reading a newspaper.他边等车边看报。 (两个动作都是延续的) He was cleaning his car while I was cooking. 他擦车时我在做饭。(两个动作同时进行)
四、 通常不能用于过去进行时的动词主要有：agree, is,am,are, believe, belong, care, forget, hate, have(拥有), hear, know, like, love, mean, mind, notice, own, remember, seem, suppose, understand, want, wish等。
例如： 误：I was knowing the answer. 正：I knew the answer. 我知道答案。
误：I wasn‘t understanding him. 正：I didn‘t understand him. 我不明白他的意思。
结构1. was/were+Ving
eg:My morther was cooking at 6:00p.m. yesterday.（直接表达）
2. 用while连接
eg:My mother was cooking while I was doing my homework.(可以持续动作时态一致)
3. when表示
eg:I was doing my homework when my mother came in.(间接表达了具体时间)