《英语语法详解》：
（二）用法
1.表示过去某一时刻或某阶段正在进行的动作，常和表示过去时间的时间状语连用。例如：
They were playing tennis at eight o'clock yesterday morning.昨天早晨八点钟他们在打网球。
The last of the autumn leaves were falling on October13...（TimMadigan）10月13日，最后几片秋叶从树上飘落下来……
It was cold.I was trembling in the darkness of the car.天气.很冷。我正在漆黑的汽车里打哆嗦。
Meanwhile,the lady was waiting beside the carriage,looking worried.这时，那位女士正在车厢旁边等着，显得很着急。
He looked like he was sleeping.（Ekater in a Gordeeva）他好像是睡着了。
2.while，as引导的时间状语从句用过去进行时，表示一段持续的动作或状态。例如：
While we were working in the office he ranover and told us the good news.我们在办公室工作时，他跑过来告诉了我们这个好消息。
He came up as I was speaking.我正说话的时候他来了。
如果两个动作同时发生，从句和主句都用过去进行时。例如：
It was drizzling while we were playing basketball lyesterday.昨天我们打篮球时，正下着毛毛雨。
He was thinking about an experiment as he was walking by the river.他沿着河边走的时候，正思考着一个实验。
3.-些位移动词如go，come，leave，arnve，stay，start等的过去进行时，或者这些动词的过去进行时+不定式，可表示按计划或安排在过去某时刻即将发生的动作。例如：He came on the eve of the day when we were starting for the South.他在我们即将动身到南方去的前夕来到了。
He told me he was staying with his aunt for a few days.他告诉我他将在姑妈家住几天。
4.与频度副词always，constantly，continually，forever，repeatedly等连用，表示经常重复的动作，表达说话人对某种行为的厌烦、不满的情绪。这种用法跟现在进行时相似，只是这指的是“过去时间”。例如：
Mary was a l ways losing her keys.玛丽老是丢失钥匙。
He was constantly offering his girl friend flowers.他经常给女友送花。
He was always thinking and always asking the reasons for things.他总是不断地思考和追究事物的原因。
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