She wanted to know when we were starting this task.

　　她想知道我们什么时候开始这项任务。

　　4．过去进行时与一般过去时的区别

　　一般过去时表示动作的完成，即动作发生过且已结束，着眼于结果；而过去进行时表示动作的未完成性、持续性，着眼于过程。

　　He wrote a letter last night.

　　昨晚他写了一封信。(暗指已写完)

　　He was writing a letter at 9 o'clock last night.

　　昨晚9点他正在写信。(不一定写完)

　　[即时训练2]

　　单句语法填空

　　①He broke(break) a glass while he was_cleaning(clean) up the table yesterday.

　　②While I was_working(work) in the garden，my wife was_cooking(cook) dinner.

　　③She was_phoning(phone) someone，so I nodded to her and went away.

　　④The thief tried to break away from the policeman who was_holding(hold) him but failed.

　　⑤Shirley was_making(make) a gift last night but I don't know whether he has finished it.

　　三、过去完成时

　　1．表示在过去某一时间或某一动作之前完成的动作或存在的状态，即过去的过去。

　　By the end of last month，we had finished all the work.

　　截止到上月底，我们已经完成了所有的工作。

　　2．表示过去某一时刻开始，一直延续到过去另一时间的动作或状态，常与for，since等词连用。

　　He told me that he had known her since he was a child.

　　他告诉我他从小就认识她。

　　3．表示过去本打算实现而未实现的希望或计划。常用此结构的动词有hope，want，expect，think，mean，suppose，plan，intend等。

They had wanted to help but couldn't get here in time.