Present and Past Continuous Tense

现在进行时式和过去进行时式

Verbs in the continuous form are formed using the following rule:

进行时式的动词形式是根据以下的规则构成：

Present continuous tense 现在进行时式

[am / is / are] + [verb / ing]

Past continuous tense 过去进行时式

[was / were] + [verb / ing]

We use the present continuous tense to express the idea that something is happening now, at this very moment. It can also be used to show that something is not happening now.

我们用现在进行时式来显示某事件在这一刻正在发生。它也可以来显示某事件不在这一刻发生。

e.g.   They are having a test now.

          The dog is not sleeping now.

Sometimes, we use the present continuous tense to indicate that something will or will not happen in the near future.

我们也用现在进行时式来显示某事件在不久的将来会或不会发生。

e.g.   I am meeting my cousin after school.

          She is not going to the library tomorrow.

The past continuous tense is used:

过去进行时式用于以下的情况：

**  when we talk about an action that had 
     already started and was still continuing 
     at a particular time;

   在过去的某时刻已经开始并持续进行的动作；

       e.g.   It was raining at 5 o’clock yesterday.

**   when one action began before another 

       and finished after it.

   一个动作在另一个动作进行前开始，在该动作进行后结束；

      e.g.  

      The boys were playing a game when 
       their uncle came.

**  to describe two actions that were both 
      continuing at the same time in the past. 
      In this case, we use the past continuous
      tense for both actions.

   显示过去某段时间同时进行的两个动作。在这
   情况下，两个动作都用过去进行时式。

    e.g.   While the boys were doing their homework, 

              their mother was cooking in the kitchen.