8.4高中英语语法系列

8.4 一般过去时和过去进行时
8.4.1 一般过去时的用法
1）一般过去时（the simple past tense）主要表示一个过去发生的动作（a）
或存在的状态（b）：
A．I got to know her in 1998.我是1998年认识她的。
My grandfather died last year.我祖父是去年去世的。
When did this happen？——it happened in the Han Dynasty.这是什么时
候发生的事？——这是汉朝时发生的。
How did you get the job？这工作你是怎么得到的？
B．I didn’t know her at that time.那时我还不认识她。
They loved each other for twenty years.他们相爱了二十年。
She suffered a lot in her childhood.小时候她受了很多苦。
He believed that he was right.他相信自己是对的。
2）was和were的用法：
Was用于第一、三人称单数（a），其他情况都用were（b）：
a． She was a lawyer. Now she’s a senator.她过去时律师，现在是参议
员。
He was very busy last Friday.上星期五他非常忙。
The party was a great success.晚会很成功。
The train was ten minutes late.火车晚点十分钟。
I wasn’t interested in going.我没兴趣去。
b． The girls were not very happy about it.姑娘们对此不太高兴。
We were both late for the meeting.我们两人开会都迟到了。
Where were you yesterday.昨天你在哪里？昨天你在哪里？
Most of them were fishermen.他们大多数人都是渔民。
Some of us were students at that time.那时我们有些人还是学生。
We weren’t in town that day.那天我们不在城里。
3）前一会儿发生的事也要用过去时表示：
She was here a minute ago.她前一分钟还在这里。
George came in just now.乔治刚才来过的。
Who told you this？这是谁告诉你的？
Did the telephone ring？电话铃响了吗？
也可以表示过去习惯性的动作：
We often played badminton together.我们经常在一起打羽毛球。
Sometimes we heatedly discussed these problems.有时我们热烈地讨
论这些问题。
4）在叙述性文字（如小说、故事等）中用这个时态时特别多，例如：
Laura was born in Bristol. Her parents came from Ireland. Laura’s
father was a customs officer. Unfortunately, he died a few years
ago. Laura grew up in the suburbs of Bristol. She started her
education at a local school. When she was 18，she went to Bristol
University. She majored in economics. While she was at university,
she joined a folk group and started singing. When she was 21，

she was married to Tony Harper. Now they have two children.
5）在日常谈话中也常会用到它：
Who said it？这话谁说的？
I didn’t know you were here.我不知道你也在这儿。
I was glad to get your letter.我很高兴收到你的来信。
I thought they were with you.我以为他们和你在一起哩。
How did you find your way home？你怎么找到回家的路的？
已去世的情况一般用一般过去时表示：
Edison was a great inventory.爱迪生是伟大的发明家。
My grandfather lived a very simple life.我祖父过着简朴的生活。
（表示他已不在人间）
[注] 在口语中，一般过去时有时可用来代替一般现在时，使口气显得更缓
和，因而更客气：
I wondered（wonder）if you could do me a favour.不知你可否帮
我一个忙。
I wanted（want）to ask if I could borrow your car.我想问问可
否借用你的车。
I hoped（hope）you could（can）give me some advice.我希望你
能帮我出点主意。
Did（do）you want to see me？你是想见我吗？
在家人和熟人间不需要用过去时代替现在时。

8.4.2 过去进行时的用法
1）过去进行时（the past continuous tense）主要表示过去某市的一个动作正
在进行，过去时间可以有一个状语表示出来：
What were you doing when I rang you up？我给你打电话时你在干吗？
I was having a bath（at that time）.（那时）我在洗澡。

You were then working in the post office, weren’t you？那时你在邮局工
作，对吧？
I was writing a letter when she called.她来时我正在写信。
I was busy yesterday. I was preparing for the exams.昨天我很忙，我在准
备考试。
At that moment, I wasn’t doing anything.那会儿我什么也没干。
I was thinking of you all those years.那些年我一直惦记着你。
有时候时间由上下文表示出来：
Jane was in town. She was doing some shopping.简在城里，在买东西。
The bride was wearing a pink dress and carrying a small bouquet.新娘穿
着粉红色的裙服，手上拿着一小束花。
He was sitting alone on the deck. 他一个人坐在甲板上。
Someone was following her. She was scared.有人跟着她，她很害怕。
A small orchestra was playing. 一支小型管弦乐队在演奏。
They knew what they were working for.他们知道在为什么而工作。
I didn’t know you were still waiting for me.我不知道你还在等我。

I asked him to tell me what was troubling him.我让他说出他的烦心事。
这个时态还可以用在状语从句中：
He met the bride while he was studying in California.他是在加州上学时
遇到新娘的。
He lost his purse when he was strolling across a meadow.他在草地上散步
时把钱包丢了。
I got to know her when I was working in a pharmacy.我在药房工作时认识
了她。
While the water was heating, I began cooking.烧水时我开始做饭。
2）过去进行时可以用来描绘一幅景象，作为描绘的开始：
A fire was burning and a cat was sleeping in front of it. A girl was
playing the piano and singing softly to herself. Then there was a knock
at the door.炉火烧着，一只猫睡在炉火前。一个女孩在弹钢琴，轻声对自己
唱着，这时有人敲门。
At last we got to the top of the mountain. White snow covered everything.
People were sitting in groups of three and four. Some were lying on their
backs. When they saw us，they were very happy and shouted:“we thought
you had lost your way！”最后我们爬上了山顶。白雪覆盖着一切，人们三
五成群地坐着 ，有的人仰面躺着。他们看到我们时非常高兴，高声叫到：“我们
还以为你们迷路了哩！”
在小说中我们常可看到这样的段落。

8.4.3 过去进行时和一般过去时的比较
1）过去进行时和一般过去时的基本差别是，过去进行时表示一个正在进行的动
作，而一般过去 时表示一个业已完成的动作。试比较下面的句子：
I was writing an essay.我在写一篇论文。（可能还没写完）
I wrote an essay yesterday.我昨天写了一篇论文。（已写完
They were building a skyscraper.他们在建一座摩天大楼。
They built a skyscraper.他们盖了一座摩天大楼。（已盖好）
She was knitting a sweater for Tom.她在给汤姆织一件毛衣。
She knitted a sweater for Tom.她给汤姆织了一件毛衣。
He was doing his homework in the afternoon.下午他在做作业。
He did his homework in the afternoon.下午他把作业做完了。 2）有些动词本身并不表示动作完成，如rain，snow，cough，wear，feel，wait ，
stay，work等，这时用两种时态意思上差别不大。
It snowed all night.下了一整夜的雪。
was snowing
She wore a blue coat.她穿着一件蓝外套。
was wearing
He felt a bit uneasy.他感到有点不自在。
was wearing
We stayed in a hotel.我们住在旅馆里。
were staying
3）用进行时态时有时有感情 色彩，特别是带有always，forever，constantly

这类状语时， 如：
He was always ringing me up.他老是给我打电话。（厌烦）
She was always working.她总是不停地干活。（赞扬）
The old lady was forever grumbling.这老太太老是嘀嘀咕咕。（厌烦）
He was constantly changing his mind.他老是改变主意。（不以为然）
4）有时用过去进行时表示现在的想法，可以显得客气一点，如：
I was wondering whether you could give me some advice.不知你能否帮我
出点主意。
I was thinking maybe he could go by taxi.我在想或许他可以坐的士去。
I was hoping you could reconsider our proposal.我希望你能再考虑一下
我们的建议。

8.4.4 表示过去某时预计要发生情况的用法
有些结构可以表示过去某时打算要做的事或预计要发生的事，如：
1)现在进行时come，go，leave这类动词，可参阅第8.2.2节）：
He was busy packing，for he was leave that night.他忙着收拾行李，因为
那晚他就要走了。
Mr. Brown was coming to dinner.布朗先生要来吃晚饭。
She told me she was going to Boston.她告诉我她准备去波士顿。
We were very excited as we were flying to Europe the next morning.我
们很激动，因为第二天早晨我们就要飞往欧洲了。
1） was going to：
she said she was going to come early.她说她一早就来。
Judy was going to meet me，but she was ill and couldn’t come.
朱迪本来是要来和我会面的，但她生病了没能来。
When I arrived，the train was just going to start.我到时火车正
要开出。
2） be about to（表示“就要”、“即将”发生某事）：
He was about to go out when the phone rang.他正要出去时电话铃响
了。
I was just about to explain when she interrupted me.我正要解释，
她打断了我的话。
It was seven o’clock. The show was about to start.七点钟了，演
出即将开始。
3） be due to（表示“定于”）：
He was due to speak that night.他定于那天晚上发言。
Mary was due to leave at 2 o’clock.玛丽定于两点出发。
The conference was due to start in 2 weeks’ time.会议定于两周
后开始。
She was due to graduate in the coming Summer.