过去进行时常用的时间咽疖纲掇状语this morning, the whole morning, all day yesterday, from nine to ten last evening, when, while。
过去进行时的主要用法是描述一件事情在过去的持续发生的过程或背景，也就是一个长动作发生的时候，另一个短动作也同时发生，过去进行时表示过去某段时间内持续进行的动作或者事情。
例如：
1、What was he researching all day last Sunday?
上周日他一整天都在研究什么？
2、My brother fell while he was riding his bicycle and hurt himself.
我哥哥骑自行车的时候从车上摔下来，受伤了。
3、It was raining when they left the station.
他们离开车站的时候天正在下雨。
4、When I got to the top of the mountain, the sun was shining.
当我到达山顶的时候，阳光灿烂。
5、The boy was doing his homework when his father came back from work.
当男孩的父亲下班回来时，他正在做作业。
6、He was taking a walk leisurely by the lake when he heard someone shouted for help.
当他正在湖边散步时，听到有人喊救命。
7、What were you doing at nine last night?
昨天晚上九点你在干什么？
8、Were you playing basketball at eight this morning?
今天早上八点你们在打篮球吗?
9、My parents were watching TV at 8:00 last night.
昨晚八点钟时我的父母亲都在看电视。
10、We were watching TV from seven to nine last night.
昨天晚上七点到九点的时候我们在看电视。
扩展资料：
1、过去进行时可以表示在过去某个时间点发生的事情：时间点可以用介词短语、副词或从句来表示。
例如：
（1）介词短语表示时间点——What was she doing at nine o‘clock yesterday? (昨天晚上九点她在做什么?)
（2）when从句表示时间点——When I saw him he was decorating his room.(当我看见他的时候他正在装饰房间。)
2、 在复合句中，如果主要动作和背景动作都是延续的或同时发生的，那么主从句的动词都可用过去进行时。
例如：
（1）两个动作都是延续的——While he was waiting for the bus， he was reading a newspaper. (他边等车边看报。)
（2）两个动作同时进行——He was cleaning his car while I was cooking.(他擦车时我在做饭。)
3、通常不能用于过去进行时的动词主要有：agree、be、believe、belong、care、 forge、hate、have(拥有)、hear、know、like、love、mean、mind、notice、own、remember、 seem、suppose、understand、want、wish等。
例如：
误：I was knowing the answer.
正：I knew the answer.(我知道答案。)