五、过去进行时
1.表顺承
[例17] —Sorry to have interrupted you. Please go on.
—Where was I ?
—You ____you didn’t like your father’s job.（北京春2004NMET）
A. had said B. said
C. were saying D. had been saying
答案C。过去进行时用作顺承，以引起话题。
[备考启示] 过去进行时用来打开话头，顺接话题，可译作“……来着”。
2.表原因
[例18] —What’s wrong with your coat?
—Just now when I wanted to get off the bus, the man next to me ______on it.(重庆2005NMET)
A. sat B. had sat
C. had been sitting D. was sitting
答案D。说话者描述在下车时所受遭遇，同时向对方解释原因。
[备考启示]在口语中，用来申述原因或用作借口，常用过去进行时。
3.表婉转语气
[例19] —Excuse me, sir. Would you do me a favor?
—Of course. What is it?
—I ____if you could tell me how to fill out this form.（北京2002NMET）
A. had wondered B. was wondering
C. would wonder D. did wonder
答案B。过去进行时表婉转语气，以示礼貌，从if从句中助动词could也可领会到。
[备考启示]过去进行时表婉转语气仅限用于少数动词如hope\want\wonder等，表婉转语气或礼貌请求，且较一般过去时、现在进行时和一般现在时更加婉转礼貌。上述各时态并无时间差异，只是语气婉转程度不一。
六、过去完成时表示与过去相反的假设
[例20]—Hurry up! Alice and Sue are waiting for you at the school gate.
—Oh! I thought they ____without me. (江西2005NMET)
A. went B. are going
C. have gone D. had gone
答案D。我还以为Alice，Sue不等我就走了。
[备考启示]过去完成时此种用法常见于as if\if\if only分句中以及I wish\I’d rather…宾语从句中，表示与过去相反的假设；用于I had expected\thought\intended\meant…中表示过去未曾实现的愿望、打算或企图。
Ⅲ、特定句式中时态的用法
一、祈使句
[例21] Turn on the television or a magazine and you ____advertisements showing happy families. （湖南2004NMET）
A. will often see B. often see
C. are often seeing D. have often seen
答案A。此题考查时态。祈使句陈述部分的谓语动词用将来时。
[备考启示]祈使句的构成：动词原形或名词词组 and\or\but 谓语用将来时或情态动词的陈述句；其否定构成直接在整个句子前加Don't\Never即可。
二、并列句
[例22] He was hoping to go abroad but his parents____ that they won’t support him unless he can borrow money from the bank. (湖北2005NMET)
A. were deciding B. have decided C. decided D. will decided
答案B。前后分句虽由but连接，但前一分句动作迟于后一分句动作的发生。
[备考启示]若并列连词连接两个动作同时发生无先后顺序，前后时态保持一致；否则考虑使用完成时或其他时态。
三、时间\条件状语从句
[例23] Send my regards to your lovely wife when you ____home. (上海2006NMET)
A. wrote B. will write
C. have written D. write
答案D。when引导时间状语从句，谓语用一般现在时代替将来时。
[备考启示]在if \in case等引导条件句和when引导的时间状语从句中谓语用一般现在时代替将来时；但在宾语从句中不可。
四、since 分句
[例24]he country life he was used to_____greatly since 1992.（山东2005NMET）
A. change B. has changed
C. changing D. have changed
答案B。自从1992年以来，动作或状态延续到说话时间，故主句使用现在完成时
[备考启示]在since 分句中，谓语用非延续动词的一般过去时，与之相对应的主句常用现在完成时；例：It has been almost five years since we saw each other last time.若since 分句的动作或状态延续到说话时间，则从句使用现在完成时。
五、含系动词的一般分句
[例25]The water _____cool when I jumped into the pool for morning exercise. (NMET2006)
A. was felt B. is felt
C. felt D. feels
答案C。系动词的时态多为一般现在时或一般过去时。从jumped 可以判断此题选用一般过去时以保持时态呼应。
[备考启示]系动词无被动语态，不使用进行时，常见时态为一般现在时和一般过去时，间或使用将来时。例：The meat will stay fresh for several days.
以上考例和解析告诉我们进行时、完成时和一般过去时是高考热点。考题综合时态、语态、主谓一致以及祈使句、倒装等句式结构对考生进行综合考查。解题时，考生务必注意动作发生顺序；看动作进展程度，是正在进行、刚刚过去、已经完成还是将来进行；善于利用题干暗示，包括情景暗示，时间暗示和连词暗示；熟知常见时态的特殊用法，注意运用时态呼应规律等。认真分析主语是施动还是受动，恰当选用语态。