PAST SIMPLE 一般過去時
我們已經學習了用過去進來表現在過去的某個時間點發生并且已經完全結束的事情。下面的對話中包含了過去的肯定句、疑問句、否定句:
Man They moved out of London ten years ago. 他們10年前就搬出倫敦了。
Woman Why did they move? 他們為什么要搬。
Man They didn’t like living in the city. 他們不喜歡住在城里。
PAST CONT6INUOUS 過去進行時
想要說在過去某一時間點持續發生的事情的時候,或者是想說在某個事情發生的同時另一個體事情正在進行的時候,我們都可以用過去進行時。下面的對話包含了過去進行時的句、疑問句、否定句
Man At midnight, we were will having dinner.半夜了我們還在吃晚餐。
Woman Were you still eating when John arrived? 約翰到的時候你們還在吃嗎?
Man No, we weren’t eating; we were washing the dishes. 沒有,我們不吃了,我們在洗碗。
THE FORM ‘USED TO’: POSITIVE used to 的肯定形式
想說過去的某種或者習慣性的行為的時候,意思即“曾經是這樣的”、過去常常……但是現在不是了。“這時候一般used to 來表達:
Man I treated a man with two broken legs yesterday. 昨晚我醫治了一位兩腿骨折的人。
Woman Oh, I thought you were a teacher, but now I’m a doctor. 不,我以前是教師,現在是一名醫生。
Man What is your favourite kind of music. 你最喜歡哪種音樂?
Woman Well, I used to like pop music. But now I prefer jazz. 過去我喜歡滸音樂,但是現在我喜歡爵士樂。
THE FORM ‘SUED TO: NEGATIVE used to 的否定形式
在否定句中,used to 變成了did not use to.一般我們使用縮寫的didn’t use to:
Woman I like this music. 我喜歡這個音樂。
Man But you don’t like classical music. 但是你不喜歡古典音樂。
Woman I didn’t to like classical music, but I do now.
我過去不喜歡古典音樂,但是現在喜歡。
THE FORM‘USED TO: INTERROGATIVE used to 的疑問形式
在疑問句中,used to 變成了Did …use to…?
Man Hello, I haven’t seen you before.你好,我以前沒見過你。
Woman No. I’ve only lived here for a few days. 是阿,我搬到這兒才幾天時間。
Man Where did you use to live? 你以前住在哪兒?
Woman I used to live in Africa. 我以前在非洲。
‘USED TO’+ ‘NOT NOW’ used to + not now
在使用used to 的進修一般都暗含了“但是現在卻不是這樣的,所以為了強調這一點我們也經常加上not now這個短語:
I used to be a communist , but not now.
I used to be a doctor, but now I’m a teacher.
I used top live in the country, but I don’t now.
I didn’t use to make, but I do now.
‘USED TO’ + NOT ANY LONGER’ / ‘NOT ANY MOVE’ used to = not any longer / not any more
有時候我們為了強調“現在再不這樣了”會用not any longer或者not any more的表達
I used to have a dog, but not any more.
They used to come here often, but they don’t any more.
She used to work in London, but she doesn’t any longer.
He used to smoke a pipe, but not any longer.
‘USED TO’ + ‘WHEN’… used to + when
我們也經常把used to 和由when引導的從句放在一直使用:
I used to have a parrot when I was a child.我小的時候曾有一只鸚鵡。
She used to be a singer when she was young. 她做過歌手。
“HOW LONG?’ AND ‘HOW MANY TIMES?’ 表示過去的事持續的時間和次數
想象說過去的某個事情持續了多久或者曾經經歷了多少次的時候,我們不是用used to ,而是使用實義動詞的過去時。讓我們來看一下例句:
Man I used to have a hamster when I was young. 我小的時候有一只倉鼠。
Woman How long did you have it? 你養了它多長時間?
Man I had it for about two years. 你養了它大約兩年。
Woman We used to have holidays in Italy when I was young. 我小的時候曾經去意大利旅游過。
Man How many times did you go there?你去過那兒幾次?
Woman I went there about ten times when I was a child.當我還是一個孩子的時候,我去過大約10次。
但是,在詢問How often…?或者想說three times a weeks 之類的意思,即關于頻率的時候,我們可以用used to 來表示,這是因為我們所說的事情是習慣性的。例如:
Man I used to ply golf a lot when I was a teenager. 我十幾歲的時候經常打高爾夫。