定义/语境：指在过去的某一时间点或某一时间段正在发生的动作或事情。
基本结构：主语 was/were doing 其他
时间状语：at ...o’clock yesterday morning/afternoon/evening, at this/ that time, from 9:00 to 11:00 last Saturday，between 9 am and 10 am yesterday等；此外，过去进行时还可以和when、while、as引导的过去时间状语从句连用。
关联/辨异：
过去进行时：特指在过去的某一时间点或某一时间段正在发生的动作或事情。
一般过去时：泛指发生在过去的动作或事情。
经典例题：
（ ）1 -- I didn’t see you at the beginning of the party last night.
--I ________ on my report.
A worked B was working C work D have worked
（ ）2 -- I called you at 8:00 pm yesterday, but there was no answer.
-- Oh, I am sorry. I ______ dinner at my friend’s home.
A have B had C was having D am having
（ ）3 Tony _______ football every weekend when he was young.
A plays B played C is playing D was playing
（ ）4 -- Did you see Mr White just now?
-- Yes. He ________ his car when I met him.
A parked B was parking C parks D will park
难点突破：when/ while / as 从句的辨析
1、当要表示一件事情正在发生，另一件事情突然发生的时候，过去进行时常与when或while引导的时间状语从句连用。when引导的时间状从既可以指时间点，也可以指时间段，但while引导的时间状从只能指时间段。因此，当从句的动词是延续性动词时，从句的引导词可以是when/ while，从句时态用过去进行时；当从句的动词是短暂性动词时，从句的引导词只能是when，从句时态用一般过去时。如：
When/ While Henry was working in a restaurant, a snake (suddenly) bit him. (强调他当时在工作)
We were talking when he (suddenly) came in. （强调他进来的突然性）
2、当主句和从句的动作都是延续性的或两个动作同时发生时，主句从句都用过去进行时，并用while引导从句，如：
While he was waiting for the bus, he was reading a book.
Mum was cooking while I was doing my homework.
3、as有多种词义，它引导时间状语从句时，也跟when和while一样，被翻译为”当.......的时候”，但是as仅能与延续性动词连用，专门用来表达“随着时间的推移/ 随着年龄的增长”或“在某事发生的过程中”等意义。as从句有时候用一般过去时，有时候用过去进行时，取决于它要强调某件事情（用法1）还是讲述两件事情同时发生（用法2）。如：
As time went by, I finally understood what my mother wanted to tell me. ( 强调“终于明白......”)
As I was growing older, I was becoming more and more confident. ( 讲述两件事情同时发生)
As the doctor was checking him, the pain got worse. （强调疼痛的加深发生在检查的过程中）
阶梯练习：
一、单项选择：
（ ）1 At this time yesterday I _________ my bike.
A. repair B. repaired C. was repairing D am repairing
（ ）2 It was Friday evening, Mr and Mrs Green ________ ready to fly to England.
A are getting B got C were getting D gets
（ ）3 The teacher ____ us a history lesson when Tom _______ into the classroom.
A gave, was walking B was giving, walked C was giving, was walking
（ ）4 While Mother ______ some washing, I __________ a kite for Kate.
A did, was making B was doing, made C was doing, was making
（ ）5 What book ______ you __________ when I ____________ you at five yesterday afternoon?
A were, reading, saw B did, read, saw C were, reading, was seeing
（ ）6 One day, Edison _____ for a train to arrive when suddenly a little boy ______ to the track(轨道) to play.
A waited, was running B was waiting, was running C was waiting, ran
（ ）7 What were you doing _________ the light suddenly went off?
A when B while C as
（ ）8 -- I saw Mr. Smith in the office at ten yesterday morning.
-- That’s impossible. He ________ an English party with us then.
A has B had C was having D has had
（ ）9 Sally took a photo of her friends while they _________ computer games.
A play B are playing C have played D were playing
（ ）10 We were waiting to cross the road _______ I saw the girl fall off her bike.
A as B when C while D so that
二、用所给动词的适当形式填空：
1 They ______________________(make) a model ship when I saw them.
2 When the bell_____________(ring), Jenny ____________(wait) in her seat.
3 I _______________(do) my homework while my parents ______________(watch) TV last night.
4 It was late at night. Dad ____________ still ___________(work) at the desk.
5 There ____________________(be) a group of people round the fire when they ___________________________(reach) there. An old woman ___________________________(sit) on the ground near the fire; two small children _______________(lie) near her, a donkey ____________________(bend) his head over a tall girl.
三、完成句子：
1 我看见他们正肩并肩地走在街上。
I saw they ______________________________.
2 当他在骑车的时候，他没看见路边的标志。
________________, he didn’t see the sign on the roadside.
3 昨晚七点你在我的房间里干什么？
____________________________________?
我在找我的字典，但我没有找到它。
_________________________________________.
4 昨晚八点到十点，玛丽在复习她的功课。
_______________________________________.
5 当我走过他身旁时， 他正朝我微笑。
_____________________________________.
