現在進行式 Present Continuous Tense
公式:
| 例句: |
S + is/am/are Ving | Tom is listening to music. |
例句變化:
〈問題〉Is Tom listening to music?
〈子句〉I don’t know whether Tom is listening to music. (我不知Tom是否(whether)在聽音樂。)
〈反面〉Tom is not listening to music.
用法一:以表示現在此刻正在進行的動作
例句:
˙ I am teaching Mandarin. 我正在教國語。
˙ George is walking. 喬治在走路。
˙ Is the nurse taking care of my grandmother? 護士正在照顧我奶奶嗎?
˙ The virus is killing millions of people. 該病毒此刻在殺死數百萬人。
˙ The staff is setting up classrooms for the quarterly exam. 工作人員此刻正為季考設置教室。
用法二:「近來」要 「持續一段時間」的「暫時」動作
–較多人誤解的3點澄清:
1. 「近來」:不一定是此時此刻。
2. 「持續一段時間」: 指的這動作是需要持續一陣子。
3. 「暫時」: 相反,如果是「長期持續做」,那就應該用「簡單現在式」。
例句:
˙ They are studying for the public examination. 他們正在為公開考試而學習。
˙ I am studying at the university of Hong Kong . 我正在香港大學唸書。
這兩句「進行式」例句,不必是指此時此刻正在埋頭研讀(study),其實只要是「近來」需要持續做的【階段性】行動。
用法三:為將來「安排好」的動作
˙ I am going with you tonight. 今晚我已「安排好」跟你同去。
˙ I am hanging out with my old friends next Monday night. 下週一我已「安排好」跟舊朋友出去玩玩。
只要是認真「在安排」,都可以用現在進行式表示【認真程度】,即並非對將來的順口開河。更多例子:
˙ Are they not joining the reunion tonight? 他們今晚沒安排參加聚會嗎?
˙ Harold is submitting a resignation letter to the secretariat office (秘書處)tomorrow. 哈羅德已安排好明天向秘書處遞交辭職信。
用法四:表述不受歡迎的事件 (通常配上always或constantly)
˙ Sarah is always complaining. 沙拉總是不停地嫌東嫌西。
˙ I am sorry for my being late always! 我為我總是遲到道歉。
˙ May is constantly talking. I wish she would shut up. 阿美就是說個不停,我真希望她快閉咀。
嫌東嫌西、總是遲到、說個不停….都可以是「不受歡迎事件」—是一種【厭惡性表述】。更多例子:
˙ That child is always shouting in class. 那個孩子總是在課堂上大喊大叫。
˙ Tim is always making wrong decision for his son. 阿添總是替兒子做錯決定。
˙ Annie’s supervisor is constantly requiring her to submit research papers quarterly. 安妮的主管不斷地要求她每季度提交研究論文。
動態(Voice)變化: 主動 vs 被動
動態 | 公式:
| 例句: |
主動態 (Active) | S + is/am/are Ving | I am eating the fish! |
被動態 (Passive) | S + is/am/are being Ved³ (過去分詞) | The fish is being eaten (by me)! |
過去進行式 Past Continuous Tense
公式:
| 例句: |
S + was/were Ving | Peter was listening to music when I called. |
用法1:以表示「過去當刻」正在進行的動作【強調「並存」性】
過去進行式是不能夠沒有「時間點」的背景下,獨立存在。
例: Peter was listening to music 【X】是不能單獨成句(除非在上下文你交代過「時間點」。)
改成: Peter was listening (線) to music when I called (點). 【√】
以下的心法,其實都不離一個口訣: 先有「點」,在其中貫穿「線」。
心法1: Past Continuous 的仍在進行動作,發生在Simple Past 前 (並在該點「並存」)。
圖象上就好像「用之前的線動作」,貫穿「之後的點動作」。
(口訣:「線」穿「點」 / 「點」打斷「線」)
例1:
While we were having(之前:線) a barbecue, it started(之後:點) to rain.
中譯: 當我們在享受BBQ時,突然開始下雨。
【心法解說: 用having a BBQ(線)貫穿started(點)。/ 用started(點) 打斷having a BBQ(線) 】
比較: When it started to rain, we were having a barbecue.
【When/While的一般用法: when一般會引出「點動作」,while一般會引出「線動作」】
例2:
What was she doing when the 8 magnitude earthquake began?
中譯: 當八級地震開始時,她正在作什麼呢?
【心法解說: 用was doing(線)貫穿began(點)。 】
比較: How much magnitude the earthquake was while she was touring in Japan?
【When/While的一般用法: when一般會引出「點動作」,while一般會引出「線動作」】
結論: Past Continuous的「線動作」,發生在Simple Past 的「點動作」前,並在該點並存。
心法2: Past Continuous 的進行動作,發生在「某點時間」 前,並在該點「仍進行」(並存)
(口訣:「線」穿「點」)
圖象上就好像「用之前的線動作」,貫穿之後的一「點」時間。
Past Continuous通常會配合「精準的」一點時間,如: Last week at this time, yesterday morning at 8:00, last night at 10:00, at noon, at midnight…
例:
I was flying to Japan yesterday morning at 8:00.
He was still having a barbecue last night at 10:00.
【心法解說: 用past continuous (線)貫穿「一點」時間。 】
心法3: 在「某點過去時間」,兩個同時進行的動作 「並存」(兩個Past Continuous!)
(口訣:「線」「線」穿「一個點」)
「某點過去時間」於上下文有所交代之下,句子可以出現兩個Past Continuous表示當時是【同時進行】。這種情況一般會用while, 而少用when。
例:
Susan was working hard and I was working hard too.
中譯: 當時Susan 在工作,我也正在工作中。
Susan wasn’t working while I wasn’t working either.
中譯: 當時Susan沒有在工作,我也沒有在工作。 【提醒: 「也是」(too)用在正面句;「也是」(either)用在反面句。】
Susan was having a good time while I was having a bad time.
中譯: 當Susan正在享受著美好時光時,我卻在經歷著很壞的時候。
【常用連接詞: and, while】表示當時「同時進行」。
【心法解說:上下文已交代「點」,用「兩條線」將之貫穿。】
心法4: 營造故事「畫面」
例: Yesterday was a lonely day. I couldn’t go out because of the winter storm. I was feeling tired of being trapped at home. My dad was watching his book; my mother was sewing her new scarf and my brother was doing his homework. I had nothing to do but sat by the window. I was watching the street and suddenly noticed something.
以上段落是一種典形的故事(過去事件)敘述,為求敘述得「繪形繪聲」—常會【連續使用Past Continuous來營造「畫面」】: was feeling tired/ was watching/ was sewing/ was doing/ was watching。而was watching是在noticed前發生,故也運用了【「線Past continuous」去貫穿「點Simple Past」的配搭!】
用法2:講出過去「當時的厭煩事」
與Present Continuous 一樣,配合always/ constantly/forever (中譯:負面的「總是」),可以表達「厭煩感」。其中的不同只是表達過去「當時的」厭煩而已。
比較(現在vs過去):
I am always losing cellphones!
(Present Continuous用於: 現在【發晦氣】 我總是不見電話!)
I remember you were constantly losing cellphones last year!
(Past Continuous用於: 過去【厭煩事】 記得去年,你總是不見電話!)
動態(Voice)變化: 主動 vs 被動
動態 | 公式:
| 例句: |
主動態 (Active) | S + was/were Ving | I was eating the fish then (當時)! |
被動態 (Passive) | S + was/were being Ved³ (過去分詞) | The fish was being eaten (by me) then! |