敘事時態:把四個過去一起用

🎯 這一課你會學會

說一個有層次的完整故事——把四個過去時態(過去簡單、過去進行、過去完成、過去完成進行)交織起來。B2 的敘事不再是流水帳,而是有背景、有先後、有畫面。

💬 先聽一段(一個小故事)

Last night, I was walking home（背景)when I saw an old friend（發生). We hadn't seen each other for years（更早). She had been living abroad（更早持續)and had just moved back. We talked for an hour（主線).

短短幾句,四個時態各司其職,故事立刻立體。

🔑 四個過去時態,各管一種「時間感」

• 過去簡單(did) = 故事的主線事件(一件接一件):I arrived, sat down, and ordered.
• 過去進行(was doing) = 當時的背景、被打斷的長動作:I was reading when the phone rang.
• 過去完成(had done) = 主線之前更早發生的事:When I got there, they had left.
• 過去完成進行(had been doing) = 更早之前持續了多久:I was tired because I had been working all day.

🧩 文法點:怎麼把它們織在一起

① 主線用過去簡單、背景用過去進行:

• The sun was shining and birds were singing（背景)when we set off（主線動作).

② 要交代「這件事之前發生的事」→ 往回一層用過去完成:

• She was upset because she had lost her keys.（弄丟在前——過去完成)
• By the time the movie started, we had bought popcorn.

③ 要強調「更早之前持續多久」→ 過去完成進行:

• My eyes hurt because I had been staring at the screen for hours.

④ 一張時間感對照表:

時態	用在故事的…	例
過去簡單	主線事件(先後)	I opened the door.
過去進行	背景/被打斷	I was cooking when…
過去完成	更早發生的事	I had locked it.
過去完成進行	更早持續多久	I had been waiting for an hour.

訣竅:講故事時先鋪過去進行的背景,用過去簡單推進主線,需要回頭補「更早的事」就切到過去完成——這樣聽起來就像母語者在說故事。

📒 高頻單字

單字	KK 音標	中譯	例句
suddenly	/ˈsʌdənli/	突然	Suddenly, the lights went out.
notice	/ˈnotɪs/	注意到	I noticed something odd.
realize	/ˈriəˌlaɪz/	意識到	I realized I had forgotten it.
already	/ɔlˈrɛdi/	已經	They had already gone.
eventually	/ɪˈvɛntʃuəli/	最終	Eventually, we found it.

🗣️ 發音提醒

• had been 弱讀:「həd-bɪn」;I'd been = I had been。
• eventually /ɪˈvɛntʃuəli/:五音節,重音在 ven,「i-VEN-choo-a-lee」。
• 說故事時語調有起伏(背景平、高潮強),比時態正確更能抓住聽者。

✍️ 開口練習

練習 1:選對時態。

• I ＿ (walk) home when it ＿ (start) to rain.（背景 + 主線)→ was walking … started
• When I arrived, the party ＿ (already/finish).（更早)→ had already finished
• I was exhausted because I ＿ (run) for an hour.（更早持續)→ had been running

練習 2:用四個時態講一個「昨天發生的小故事」(背景 → 主線 → 補一件更早的事)。

🎒 帶走

• 說故事 = 四個過去時態分工:過去簡單(主線)、過去進行(背景)、過去完成(更早)、過去完成進行(更早持續多久)。
• 先鋪背景、推主線、需要就回頭補更早的事——這是母語者說故事的方式。

🎉 你完成 B2 Unit 1「未來與敘事時態」了! 未來進行/完成、四個過去時態交織——你講時間的能力到頂了。下一個 Unit,把條件句玩得更靈活:混合條件、if 的替代與倒裝。