一．一般过去时叙述旧事，过去进行时描述背景。

　　Ａ、一般过去时

　　１）叙述过去状态、动作或事件
　　He went to Beijing the other day.（带具体时间）

　　２）表示过去的习惯 

　　a) would ,used¹ to与过去时
　　would 表间断性不规则的习惯，常带频率时间
　　used to 表一贯性有规律的习惯 

　　They used to meet and would sometimes exchange one or two words.
　　He smoked a lot two years ago. （过去行为）

　　b) Would 用于文中不用于句首，只表过去习惯。
　　Used to 表今昔对比的含义，叙述习惯动作可与would 换用。
 
　　When he was a boy , he would often go there . （叙述过去）
　　She isn’t what she used to be. (今昔对比) 

　　c) 表示状态时一般只用used to
　　Tom used to be fat /There used to stand a tree there. (状态) 

　　d) was (were) used to +ving表示“合适于，适应于…..”
　　He used to work at night . (“习惯”表经常)
　　He was used to working at night. (习惯表适应)

　　３）表示过去的经历，平行动作，依此事件用一般过去时。
　　He sat there and listened to the radio.(依此发生)

　　４）表示客气委婉的语气，用于情态动词，助动词和want , wonder , hope 等
　　How did you like the film? / Could you help me? 


　　B. 过去进行时

　　－表示在过去某阶段或某一时刻正在发生
　　What were you doing at 8:30 last night? (过去某时刻正在发生)

　　－短暂性动词用过去进行时表示按计划、打算
　　During that time he was going with us.(表示打算)

　　－与always ,often ,usually 等连用表喜爱，讨厌等感情色彩。
　　He was always Changing his mind.


　　二、过去进行时与一般过去时的区别

　　A. 进行时表某一行为的“片断”一般时表示行为的“整体”和存在的状态。
　　I was reading² the book at that time. (未读完，“读”的片段)
　　I read the book yesterday. (已读完，表整个“读”)

　　B、一般持续时间状语多与进行时连用
　　It was raining all night.(优先用was raining ,rained 为持续动词，故也可使用)
　　He was writing a letter the whole of afternoon. (短暂动词与持续时间连用，表反复，连续发生，不可用一般过去时)

　　C、while 时间状语从句中用短暂动词时只能用进行时。
　　例：He broke a chair while he was jumping up and down. 

　　D、While 所在主从句动作大致持续相等时主从句一般都用进行时，但若是持续动词可都用一般过去时，两个动作一长一短时短的用一般时，长的用进行时。
　　I was cooking the dinner while he was playing the piano.(平行)
　　I cooked the dinner while he played the piano. 
　　I saw him while I was walking to the station.

　　三、英语中有四类动词一般不用进行时（不用现在进行时和过去进行时）

　　1)表心理状态、情感的动词，如love ,hate ,like ,care ,respect³ ,please ,prefer ,know 等，若用进行时则词意改变。
　　I’m forgetting it . (=beginning to forget )

　　2)表存在、状态的动词，如appear ,exist⁴ ,lie ,remain ,stand ,seem等

　　3)表感觉的动词，如see ,hear ,feel ,smell ,sound ,taste等.

　　4)表一时性的动词，如accept ,allow ,admit⁵ ,decide ,end ,refuse ,permit⁶ ,promise等。 


　　[示例]

　　考题1 As she ____the newspaper ,Granny ____ asleep .(95)
　　A. read /was falling B .was reading /fell 
　　C. Was reading /was falling D. read/fell

　　分析 时间从句的动作长，而“入睡”动作短，故前者用过去进行时，而较短动词用一般过去时，选B

　　考题2 Tom ___ into the house when no one ___ .
　　A. slipped⁷/was looking B. Had slipped /looked
　　C. slipped/had looked D. was slipping⁸ /looked 
　　分析 此题先要理解好when ，表“此时”，说明主句中slipped是较短行为，而look是较长行为的片断，即汤姆溜进房子，此时没人瞧见，故选A为正确。


　　[训练]

　　1. –Is Smith in America ? ----Yes, he ___ in China for there years.
　　A. lives B. Has lived C. Lived D. was living

　　2. The method⁹ he had stuck -___ right .
　　A. to prove B. To proved C. To be proved D. were proved

　　3. –Why didn’t Miss Green go there ?
　　　-She would have gone there expect ____ enough time.
　　A. she had B. She had had C. She didn’t have D. she would have

　　4. Am didn’t see me wave to her , she ____ in other direction.
　　A. looked B. Was looking C. Has looked D. is looking

　　5. Tom burnt his hand when he ____ the dinner.
　　A. cooked B. Was cooking C. Has been cooking D. had cooked

　　6. Mary ____ a dress when she cut he rfinger.
　　A. made B. Is making C. Was making D. had made