进行时由助动词 be 的不同形式加现在分词构成,它的用法具有多样性,主要表现在以下五方面:

　　I. 进行性

　　进行性是进行时的最基本用法,也是高考考查的重点,表示当时动作正在进行。如:

　　1) A new cinema ________ here. They hope to finish it next month.

　　A. will be built B. is built C. has been built D. is being built

　　正确选项是D。所提供的情景They hope to finish it next month.说明电影院还在建设之中,要用现在进行时。

　　2) The reporter said that the UFO ________ east to west when he saw it.

　　A. was traveling B. traveled

　　C. had been traveling D. was to travel

　　正确选项是A。叙述报告者当时看到UFO的情景,要用过去进行时。

　　3)—Hey, look where you are going!

　　—Oh, I’m terribly sorry. ________ .

　　A. I’m not noticingB. I wasn’t noticing

　　C. I haven’t noticed D. I don’t notice

　　正确选项是B。表示刚才没有注意到,要用过去进行时。

　　II. 暂时性 (进行时的这一用法是近几年高考考查的重点。)

　　暂时性是进行时最经常的用法,是指暂时性的事件和暂时性的状态。进行时说明说话时或工作时某事正在发生并强调该动作的有限持续或尚未完成。如:

　　Selecting a mobile phone for personal use is no easy task because the technology ________ so rapidly.

　　A. is changing B. has changed C. will have changed D. will change

　　正确答案是A。表示这种情况正在进行,并强调仍未完成这一概念。不少同学选B,但完成时通常表示完成的动作。又如:

　　1) Shirley ________ a book about China last year, but I don’t know whether she has finished it.

　　A. has writtenB. wrote C. had written D. was writing

　　答案应为D,表示情况仍在进行,还未出现结果。

　　2) —Is this raincoat yours?

　　—No, mine ________ there behind the door.

　　A. hangs B. has hung C. is hanging D. hung

　　正确答案应为C,表示暂时性的情况,雨衣只是暂时放那儿,随时要带走的。

　　3) E-mail, as well as telephones, ________ an important part in daily communication.

　　A. is playing B. have played C. are playing D. play

　　正确选项是A,表示这种情况正在进行,并会延续下去。

　　4) I don’t really work here, I ________ until the new secretary arrives.

　　A. just help out B. have just helped out C. am just helping outD. will just help out

　　所提供的情境是 I don’t really work here,言外之意是我在这儿只是暂时帮忙。所以正确选项是C。

　　III. 将来性

　　进行时可以用来指与一定的计划、安排有关的将来。如:

　　1) How long are you staying in Xi’an?

　　2) How are you getting there?

　　上述的两句话均用进行时表示将来。常用进行时表将来的动词有go, come, leave, start, arrive, return, fly, stay, do, have等。如:

　　I’ve won a ticket for two weeks to Florida. I ________ my mum.

　　A. am taking B. have taken C. take D. will have taken

　　正确答案是A,该动作尚未发生,表示一种计划、打算、安排要发生的事情。

　　注意:英语中还有用一般现在时表示具有一定程度的“将来”意义。这些一般都是表示公共汽车、火车、轮船、飞机等的班次时间。如:

　　Hurry! There are only thirty minutes left. The plane leaves at seven.

　　IV. 特有习惯性

　　与always, forever, all the time, constantly等连用时,进行时可以表示某些事情是持续不断或重复发生的,常带有一种感情色彩,如“赞叹、厌烦、不满”等。如:

　　1) You shouldn’t be always translating English into your own language while learning English.

　　2) The little boy is forever asking silly questions.

　　3) He is always asking me for money.

　　V. 反复性

　　进行时还可以表示暂时性与重复性的结合。此外,进行时替代一般时态(一般现在时、一般过去时)可以达到委婉、诚恳的效果。如:

　　1) I’m getting up early this week to prepare for my final examinations.

　　2) I’m expecting you to write to me.

　　(文/丁凤丽 刘美红 英语辅导报高三年级版2004-2005学年第25期；版权归英语辅导报社所有，独家网络合作伙伴新浪教育，未经许可，不得以任何形式进行转载。)