第8章　時　態(tài) 8.4　一般過去時和過去進行時

8.4　一般過去時和過去進行時

8.4.1　一般過去時的用法

1) 一般過去時（The Simple Past Tense）主要表示一個過去發(fā)生的動作（a）或存在的狀態(tài)（b）：

a. I got to know her in 1998. 我是1998年認識她的。

My grandfather died last year. 我祖父是去年去世的。

When did this happen？——It happened in the Han Dynasty. 這是什么時候發(fā)生的事？——是漢朝時發(fā)生的。

How did you get the job? 這工作你是怎么得到的？

b. I didn't know her at that time. 那時我還不認識她。

They loved each other for twenty years. 他們相愛了二十年。

She suffered a lot in her childhood. 小時侯她受了很多苦。

He believed that he was right. 他相信自己是對的。

2) was和were的用法：

was用于第一、三人稱單數(shù)（a），其他情況都用were（b）：

a. She was a lawyer. Now she's a senator. 她過去是律師，現(xiàn)在是參議員。

He was very busy last Friday. 上星期五他非常忙。

The party was a great success. 晚會很成功。

The train was ten minutes late. 火車晚點十分鐘。

I wasn't interested in going. 我沒興趣去。

b. The girls were not very happy about it. 姑娘們對此不太高興。

We were both late for the meeting. 我們兩人開會都遲到了。

Where were you yesterday? 昨天你在哪里？

Most of them were fishermen. 他們多數(shù)人都是漁民。

Some of us were students at that time. 那時我們有些人還是學生。

We weren't in town that day. 那天我們不在城里。

3) 前一會兒發(fā)生的事也要用過去時表示：

She was here a minute ago. 她前一分鐘還在這里。

George came in just now. 喬治剛才來過的。

Who told you this? 這事誰告訴你的？

Did the telephone ring? 電話鈴響了嗎？

也可以表示過去習慣性的動作：

We often played badminton together. 我們經(jīng)常在一起打羽毛球。

Sometimes we heatedly discussed these problems. 有時我們熱烈地討論這些問題。

4) 在敘述性文字（如小說、故事等）中用這個時態(tài)時特別多，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) 在日常談話中也常會用到它：

Who said it? 這話誰說的？

I didn't know you were here. 我不知道你在這兒。

I was glad to get your letter. 我很高興收到你的來信。

I thought they were with you. 我以為他們和你在一起哩。

How did you find your way home? 你怎么找到回家的路的？

已去世者的情況一般用一般過去時表示：

Edison was a great inventor. 愛迪生是偉大的發(fā)明家。

My grandfather lived a very simple life. 我祖父過著簡樸的生活。（表示他已不在人間）

8.4.2　過去進行時的用法

1) 過去進行時（The Past Continuous Tense）主要表示過去某時的一個動作正在進行，過去時間可以由一個狀語表示出來：

What were you doing when I rang you up? 我給你打電話時你在干嗎？

I was having a bath (at that time). （那時）我在洗澡。

You were then working in the post office, weren't you? 那時你在郵局工作，對吧？

I was writing a letter when she called. 她來時我正在寫信。

I was busy yesterday. I was preparing for the exams. 昨天我很忙，我在準備考試。

At that moment, I wasn't doing anything. 那會兒我什么也沒干。

I was thinking of you all those years. 那些年我一直惦記著你。

有時候時間由上下文表示出來：

Jane was in town. She was doing some shopping. 簡在城里，在買東西。

The bride was wearing a pink dress and carrying a small bouquet. 新娘穿著粉紅色的裙服，手上拿著一小束花。

He was sitting alone on the deck. 他一個人坐在甲板上。

Someone was following her. She was scared. 有人跟著她，她很害怕。

A small orchestra was playing. 一支小型管弦樂隊在演奏。

They knew what they were working for. 他們知道在為什么而工作。

I didn't know you were still waiting for me. 我不知道你還在等我。

I asked him to tell me what was troubling him. 我讓他說出他的煩心事。

這個時態(tài)還可以用在狀語從句中：

He met the bride while he was studying in California. 他是在加州上學時遇到新娘的。

He lost his purse when he was strolling across a meadow. 他在草地上散步時把錢包丟了。

I got to know her when I was working in a pharmacy. 我在藥房工作時認識了她。

While the water was heating, I began cooking. 燒水時我開始做飯。

2) 過去進行時可以用來描繪一幅景象，作為描繪的開始：

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. 爐火燒著，一只貓睡在爐火前。一個女孩在彈鋼琴，輕聲對自己唱著，這時有人敲門。

She was sitting at the window, watching the evening invade the avenue. Suddenlysheheardsomeonecallingherfromdownstairs,andsherecognized the voice. She stood up quickly. 她坐在窗前，看著暮色漸漸籠罩大街。突然她聽到樓下有人叫她。她聽出了這聲音，迅速站了起來。

在故事中間也可用這時態(tài)來描繪一幅景象：

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!" 最后我們爬上了山頂。白雪覆蓋著一切，人們?nèi)宄扇旱刈?，有的人仰面躺著。他們看到我們時非常高興，高聲叫到：“我們還以為你們迷路了哩！”

在小說中我們?？煽吹竭@樣的段落。

8.4.3　過去進行時和一般過去時的比較

1) 過去進行時和一般過去時的基本差別是，過去進行時表示一個正在進行的動作，而一般過去時表示一個業(yè)已完成的動作。試比較下面的句子：

2) 有些動詞本身并不表示動作完成，如rain， snow， cough， wear， feel， wait， stay， work等，這時用兩種時態(tài)意思上差別不大：

3) 用進行時態(tài)時有時有感情色彩，特別是帶有always， forever， constantly這類狀語時，如：

He was always ringing me up. 他老是給我打電話。（厭煩）

She was always working. 她總是不停地干活。（贊揚）

The old lady was forever grumbling. 這老太太老是嘀嘀咕咕。（厭煩）

He was constantly changing his mind. 他老是改變主意。（不以為然）

4) 有時用過去進行時表示現(xiàn)在的想法，可以顯得客氣一點，如：

I was wondering whether you could give me some advice. 不知你能否幫我出點主意。

I was thinking maybe he could go by taxi. 我在想或許他可以坐的士去。

I was hoping you could reconsider our proposal. 我希望你能再考慮一下我們的建議。

8.4.4　表示過去某時預計要發(fā)生情況的用法

有些結(jié)構可以表示過去某時打算要做的事或預計要發(fā)生的事，如：

1) 過去進行時（僅限于come， go， leave這類動詞，可參閱第8.2.2節(jié)）：

He was busy packing， for he was leaving that night. 他忙著收拾行李，因為那晚他就要走了。

Mr. Brown was coming to dinner. 布朗先生要來吃晚飯。

She told me she was going to Boston. 她告訴我她準備去波士頓。

We were very excited as we were flying to Europe the next morning. 我們很激動，因為第二天早晨我們就要飛往歐洲了。

2) was going to：

She said she was going to come early. 她說她一早就來。

Judy was going to meet me, but she was ill and couldn't come. 朱迪本來是要來和我會面的，但她生病了沒能來。

When I arrived, the train was just going to start. 我到時火車正要開出。

3) be about to（表示“就要”、“即將”發(fā)生某事）：

He was about to go out when the phone rang. 他正要出去時電話鈴響了。

I was just about to explain when she interrupted me. 我正要解釋，她打斷了我的話。

It was seven o'clock. The show was about to start. 七點鐘了，演出即將開始。

4) be due to（表示“定于”）：

He was due to speak that night. 他定于那天晚上發(fā)言。

Mary was due to leave at 2 o'clock. 瑪麗定于兩點出發(fā)。

The conference was due to start in 2 weeks' time. 會議定于兩周后開始。

She was due to graduate in the coming summer. 她將于這個夏天畢業(yè)。