答:它们是be动词的过去式
一、作助动词:
1. 现在分词,构成过去进行时态:
He was reading.
2.过去分词,构成被动语态:
They were defeated.
二、作系动词
3. 现在分词、动名词短语作表语:
The film was moving.
His job was teaching English .
4. 过去分词作表语:
We were moved.
5.不定式作表语:
1)有to不定式:His work that day was to clean the blackboard.
2) 无to 不定式:What he should do is clean the blackboard.