可以。比如：

1. 表示过去一段时间持续的动作或过去一段时间里一直进行的动作，其间没有间断。如：

The mayor was wearing his chain of office. 市长戴着标志他职务的链徽。

I was leading the race until the half-way point. 比赛进行到一半之前我一直领先。

A whole side of bacon was hanging from a hook on the ceiling. 天花板的钩子上挂着整块半边猪做成的咸肉。

2. 表示过去一段时间持续的动作或过去一段时间里一直进行的动作，其间有所间断（即说话当时动作不一定在持续和进行）。如：

Plaster was peeling off the ceiling. 天花板上的灰泥在脱落。

She felt she was making a terrible mess of her life. 她感觉她正把自己的生活搞得一团糟。

She was having a romantic liaison with her husband’s best friend. 她与丈夫最好的朋友私通。

It soon became apparent that the company was losing money. 该公司一直亏本的情况很快就显露出来。