3、表示故事发生的背景。
It was snowing as the medical team made its way to the front.
那支医疗小组往前线行进时，天正下着雪。
4、表示一个新的动作刚刚开始。
过去进行时可用来引出一个新的动作，这种用法颇有点儿像镜头转换。
Five minutes later,he stood in the doorway smoking a cigarette.
5分钟后，他已站在门口抽着烟。
5、过去进行时还可和when结构遥相呼应，含有意外之意。
I was walking in the street when someone called me.
我正在街上走时突然有人喊我。
6、用来陈述原因或用作借口。
She went to the doctor yesterday. She was having a lot of trouble with her heart.
她昨天去看病了。她患了很严重的心脏病。
7、与always,constantly等词连用，表示感情色彩。
The girl was always changing her mind.
这女孩老是改变主意。