過去進行式 (Past Continuous)

「過去某個時間點『正在』做什麼事」，該怎麼辦呢？例如「我昨晚八點正在看電視」、「當你打電話來時，我正在洗澡」。這時候就要用「過去進行式」(Past Continuous)！

一、什麼時候用過去進行式？ (When to Use Past Continuous?)

過去進行式主要用來描述**在過去某個特定時間點或某段時間內，正在進行的動作**。

• 描述過去特定時間點正在進行的動作：
  常與表示過去特定時間點的詞語連用，例如 at 7 PM yesterday, at that time。
  例：I was watching TV at 8 PM last night. (我昨晚八點正在看電視。)
  例：What were you doing at this time yesterday? (你昨天這個時候正在做什麼？)
• 描述過去某動作發生時，另一個正在進行的背景動作：
  常用 when (當...) 或 while (當...的時候) 連接兩個子句，一個用過去進行式 (較長的背景動作)，一個用過去簡單式 (較短、插入的動作)。
  例：I was taking a shower when the phone rang. (當電話響起時，我正在淋浴。)
  例：While she was studying, her brother came into the room. (當她正在讀書時，她的弟弟進了房間。)
• 描述過去某段時間內同時進行的兩個動作：
  常用 while 連接兩個都用過去進行式的子句。
  例：While I was cooking dinner, my husband was watching TV. (當我正在做晚餐時，我先生正在看電視。)
• 描述故事的背景：
  例：The sun was shining, and the birds were singing. Suddenly, a loud noise was heard. (那時陽光普照，鳥兒歌唱。突然，傳來一聲巨响。)

二、句型結構 (Sentence Structure)

過去進行式的結構很簡單，就是把 Be 動詞變成過去式 was 或 were，後面加上動詞的 -ing 形式。

核心句型：主詞 + was/were + V-ing ...

• 主詞是 I / He / She / It / 單數名詞 → 用 was + V-ing
• 主詞是 You / We / They / 複數名詞 → 用 were + V-ing

動詞加 -ing 的規則 (複習)：

• 大部分動詞：直接加 -ing (play → playing, eat → eating)
• 字尾是 e：去掉 e，加 -ing (make → making, write → writing)
• 字尾是 ie：去掉 ie，改成 y，加 -ing (lie → lying, die → dying)
• 單音節，字尾是「子音 + 母音 + 子音」：重複字尾子音，加 -ing (stop → stopping, run → running)

1. 肯定句 (Affirmative Sentences)

句型： 主詞 + was/were + V-ing ...

• I was studying last night. (我昨晚正在讀書。)
• She was cooking when I arrived. (我到的時候她正在做飯。)
• They were playing games. (他們那時正在玩遊戲。)

2. 否定句 (Negative Sentences)

在 was/were 後面加上 not。

句型： 主詞 + was/were + not + V-ing ...

縮寫： was not → wasn't / were not → weren't

• He wasn't sleeping at 10 PM. (他晚上十點還沒在睡覺。)
• We weren't watching TV; we were studying. (我們那時沒在看電視；我們在讀書。)

3. Yes/No 疑問句與簡答 (Questions and Short Answers)

將 Was/Were 移到主詞前面。

句型： Was/Were + 主詞 + V-ing ...?

簡答： Yes, 主詞 + was/were. / No, 主詞 + wasn't/weren't.

• A: Were you studying when I called? (我打電話時你正在讀書嗎？)
  B: Yes, I was. / No, I wasn't.
• A: Was he playing the computer game? (他那時正在玩電腦遊戲嗎？)
  B: Yes, he was. / No, he wasn't.

練習 1：用過去進行式填空

1. I ____________ (read) a book at 9 PM last night.
2. They ____________ (play) soccer when it started to rain.
3. She ____________ (not sleep) when I got home.
4. _______ you _______ (watch) TV at that time?

解答：1. was reading 2. were playing 3. wasn't sleeping 4. Were / watching

練習 2：用 when 或 while 合併句子 (一句用過去進行式，一句用過去簡單式)

1. I studied. My phone rang. → While I _____________, my phone _____________.
2. She cooked dinner. He arrived home. → She _____________ dinner when he _____________.

解答：1. was studying, rang 2. was cooking, arrived

過去進行式小總結：

• 用來描述過去某個時間點**正在進行**的動作。
• 基本結構是 was/were + V-ing。
• 常常搭配過去簡單式一起使用，描述一個動作發生時，另一個動作正在進行。
• 掌握它，就能更生動地描述過去發生的故事囉！