past continue, perfect tense點用

Past Continuous

- Action in the middle of happening at a stated past time

Example: He was playing tennis at 4:30 yesterday
She was playing soccer at 7:00 last night.

-Past action in progress interrupted by another past action. The long action is in the Past Continuous, the sorter action is in the the Past Simple Tense

Example: I was taking a bath while the bell rang
(It takes me a relatively long time to finish the bath. But the bell rang and will be ceased after a minute or so)
I was doing my homework while my brother came in.

- Two or more simultaneous past actions

Example: While I was sunbathing, Tim was swimming.
(Here, we both took nearly the same amount of time to finish what we were doing. Therefore both of them are in the Past Continuous Tense)

============================

Past Perfect Tense

- Past action which occurred before another action or before a stated past time

Example: He had left by the time I got there
(When I got there, he had left. So it was BEFORE I got there)

He had left by 8:15
(before a stated past time)

- Complete past action which had visible results in the past

Example: She was sad because she had failed the test

- The Past Perfect is the past equivalent of the Present Perfect

Example: He couldn't find his key. He had lost it. (Past Perfect)

(He can't find his key. He has lost it. (Present Perfect) )



2009-01-14 17:03:08 補充：
Use Past Continuous when you see the words:

while, when, as etc...

==================================

Use Past perfect when you see the words:

for, since, already, after, just, never, yet, before, by, by the time etc...

(Don't get confused with the Present Perfect)

當你睇到兩個動詞一起出現，其中一個是連續的，又是過去式，就要用past continue tense。
當你睇到兩個動詞一起出現，其中一個是先發生，而另一一個是後發生，先發生的一個動詞，就要用past perfect tense。

PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE (沒有定規見到咩字會用,但有時見到WHEN 或 WHILE會用)

動詞的過去進行時態的形態是：

was / were + 動詞的現在分詞
動詞的過去進行時態表示：

過去某一時間內正在進行的動作或狀態

例如：

He was sleeping WHEN I saw him yesterday.
WHEN he came, I was reading the magazine.
Where were you going WHEN I saw you yesterday?





PAST PERFECT TENSE(沒有定規見到咩字會用,有時會是AFTER)

動詞的過去完成時態的形態是：had + 動詞的過去分詞
動詞的過去完成時態表示：

過去某一時間之前已經完成的動作或狀態
使用這種時態，多會涉及兩個動作或狀態。一個在前，一個在後。
敘述前面的動作或狀態，動詞要用過去完成時態；敘述後面的動作
或狀態，動詞要用一般過去時態。

例如：

I had taken my supper when he arrived.
﹝當他到達時，我已吃完我的晚餐。﹞
※ 上述句子涉及兩個動作，一是「他到達」，二是「我吃晚餐」。
「我吃晚餐」在前，要用過去完成時態；「他到達」在後，要用
一般過去時態。

※ "I had taken my supper" 是主句， "when he arrived" 是從句
﹝副詞從句﹞。

※ 圖示：

過去 現在 將來
_________________________│__________________________
│ │
past perfect simple past
Had you finished your work when I visited you yesterday?
When I reached the station, the train had already started.
He said that his father had returned to America.
After I had done my work, I played tennis.