过去进行时和一般过去时的区别：
一、二者概念理解
一般过去时叙述旧事，过去进行时描述背景。
A、一般过去时
1.过去状态、动作或事件
He went to Beijing the other day.（带具体时间）
2.过去的习惯
a would ,used to与过去时
would 表间断性不规则的习惯，常带频率时间
used to 表一贯性有规律的习惯
They used to meet and would sometimes exchange one or two words.
He smoked a lot two years ago. （过去行为）
bWould 用于文中不用于句首，只表过去习惯。
Used to 表今昔对比的含义，叙述习惯动作可与would 换用。
When he was a boy , he would often go there . （叙述过去）
She isn't what she used to be. (今昔对比)
c 表示状态时一般只用used to
Tom used to be fat /There used to stand a tree there. (状态)
dwas (were) used to +ving表示“合适于，适应于…..”
He used to work at night . (“习惯”表经常)
He was used to working at night. (习惯表适应)
3.过去的经历，平行动作，依此事件用一般过去时。
He sat there and listened to the radio.(依此发生)
4.客气委婉的语气，用于情态动词，助动词和want , wonder , hope 等
How did you like the film? / Could you help me?

B. 过去进行时
1.在过去某阶段或某一时刻正在发生
What were you doing at 8:30 last night? (过去某时刻正在发生)
2.性动词用过去进行时表示按计划、打算
During that time he was going with us.(表示打算)
3.lways ,often ,usually 等连用表喜爱，讨厌等感情色彩。
He was always Changing his mind.

二、区别
A. 进行时表某一行为的“片断”一般时表示行为的“整体”和存在的状态。
I was reading the book at that time. (未读完，“读”的片段)
I read the book yesterday. (已读完，表整个“读”)
B、一般持续时间状语多与进行时连用
It was raining all night.(优先用was raining ,rained 为持续动词，故也可使用)
He was writing a letter the whole of afternoon. (短暂动词与持续时间连用，表反复，连续发生，不可用一般过去时)
C、while 时间状语从句中用短暂动词时只能用进行时。
例：He broke a chair while he was jumping up and down.
D、While 所在主从句动作大致持续相等时主从句一般都用进行时，但若是持续动词可都用一般过去时，两个动作一长一短时短的用一般时，长的用进行时。
I was cooking the dinner while he was playing the piano.(平行)
I cooked the dinner while he played the piano.
I saw him while I was walking to the station.

过去进行时的基本用法:
过去进行时的基本用法主要表示过去某一时间正在进行的动作。如：
He fell asleep when he was reading. 他看书时睡着了。 　　
2. 用过去进行时表示现在主要是为了使语气委婉、客气。如：
I was wondering if you could give me a lift. 我不知你能否让我搭一下车。 　　
【注】一般过去时也有类似用法，但比较而言，用过去进行时显得更客气，更不肯定。 　　
3. 过去进行时表示感情色彩与现在进行时相似，过去进行时也可表示满意、称赞、惊讶、 
厌恶等感情色彩，也通常与 always, forever, continually等副词连用。如：
They were always quarrelling. 他们老是吵架。 　　
4. 动词be的过去进行时动词be的进行时也可表示过去一时的表现或暂时的状态。 　　
比较：He was friendly. 他很友好。(指过去长期如此) 　　
   He was being friendly. 他当时显得很友好。(指当时一时的表现)

特殊用法
1、当句子意思很清楚时，我们也可以把两个动词都换成一般过去时
We listened carefully when the teacher read the text. 老师读课文时，我们都仔细地听着。
2、表示按计划、安排过去将要发生的事。
用于come,go,leave,start,arrive等表示位置转移的动词时，也可以用过去进行时表示过去将要发生的动作。
如：He told me that he was going soon. 他告诉我他很快就要走了。
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。