Look at these examples to see how the past continuous and past simple are used.
When I woke up this morning, it was snowing.
I was sleeping when you called me.
Try this exercise to test your grammar.
- Grammar test 1
Read the explanation to learn more.
Grammar explanation
The past continuous and the past simple help us to show how two past actions or situations are connected.
Past simple
The past simple shows us that an action was in the past, not in the present. Regular past simple verbs have -ed at the end (e.g. called, played, arrived). Irregular verbs have a different form, usually with a different vowel sound (e.g. wake → woke, break → broke, feel → felt).
My parents called me yesterday.
I woke up early this morning.
Sam played basketball when he was at university.
We make the negative with didn't and the infinitive verb.
My parents didn't call me yesterday.
I didn't wake up early this morning.
We make the question form with did and then the subject and infinitive verb.
Did you wake up early this morning?
Did Sam play basketball when he was at university?
Past continuous
The past continuous shows us that the action was already in progress at a certain time in the past.
What were you doing at 8 p.m. last night? I was studying.
This means that I started studying before 8 p.m. and I continued after 8 p.m.
The past continuous can also show that an activity was in progress for some time, not just for a moment.
We were cleaning the house all morning.
We make the past continuous with was or were and the -ing form of the verb.
She couldn't come to the party. She was working.
Three years ago, we were living in my home town.
I tried to give him some advice, but he wasn't listening.
What were you doing this time last year?
Past continuous and past simple
When we use these two tenses together, it shows us that the past simple action happened in the middle of the past continuous action, while it was in progress.
While I was studying, I suddenly felt sleepy.
We often use these tenses to show an action interrupting another action.
I broke my leg when I was skiing.
As I was going to work, I saw an old friend.
We were watching television when the power went off.
Can you see a difference in the meaning of these two sentences?
When the guests arrived, Jane was cooking dinner.
When the guests arrived, Jane cooked dinner.
In the first one, Jane started cooking dinner before the guests arrived. We know that because it uses the past continuous. In the second sentence, the guests arrived first and then Jane started cooking.
Do this exercise to test your grammar again.
- Grammar test 2
Hi, could you please tell me which one is the correct sentence, "I heard a heavy footstep on the stairs when I closed my book at 9.30 p.m" or " I heard a heavy footstep on the stairs when I was closing my book at 9.30 p.m" and give me an explanation?
I heard a heavy footstep on the stairs when I was closing my book at 9.30 p.m. It is correct sentence
Hello nganguyen27,
Both of these can be correct, but generally speaking the second one is probably better. The past simple action ('I heard') happened in the middle of the past continuous action while it was in progress ('I was closing').
But if we think of the two actions (hearing the footstep and closing the book) as actions that happened at the same time and we think of closing the book as a quick action -- that is, one that is so short that it's the same length of time as hearing the footstep -- then using past simple in both verbs is fine.
I hope this helps you make sense of it.
Best wishes,
Kirk
LearnEnglish team
While I finished one story, I was planning a new one.
While I was finishing one story, I was planning a new one.
While I finished one story, I planned a new one.
Are these sentences correct?
Hello a1981z,
Yes, all of those are possible sentences. The differences here are nuanced and more about emphasis (action vs activity) than anything else.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello dear teachers,
Could you please help me find out the best form of question with “yesterday evening”:
What did you do yesterday evening?
Or what were you doing yesterday evening?
Thanks so much for sharing your answer.
Hello Rima-Akid,
In general, the first one (with past simple) is more common because most of the time when we refer to yesterday evening, we're talking about a finished past time. You might use this form when talking with friends, for example.
Both the other sentence is also possible in specific situations. For example, if the police were investigating a crime that occurred last night and suspected you, they could ask you the question with the past continuous. It focuses more on what activities you were doing than on the fact that they are finished now.
Does that make sense?
Best wishes,
Kirk
LearnEnglish team
I came across the following sentence:
While mother _____ (prepare) lunch, Janet _____(set) the table.
We can go with "was preparing" and "was setting", but can we go with "was preparing" and "set" as if to say that setting of the table happened sometime during the process of preparing lunch? Somehow setting the table doesn't seem to me as a single short action that might interrupt the ongoing one...
Hi Gile,
Yes, sure, and the meaning is as you say!
Jonathan
LearnEnglish team
i understand