Past Continuous and Simple Past
Grammar Basics
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Simple Past vs. Past Continuous
Simple Past vs. Past Continuous
The Past Continuous sets the "background scene" to an event or action. This background action can be interrupted by another event or action in the Simple Past.
SIMPLE PAST
SIMPLE PAST
Used for things that are FINISHED
Used for things that are FINISHED
To talk about a sequence of events that happened one after another
First I lived in London and then I moved and lived in Paris for a while.
After I graduated high school, I worked part time at a bakery before I began university.
PAST CONTINUOUS
PAST CONTINUOUS
Used for the BACKGROUND ACTIVITY
Used for the BACKGROUND ACTIVITY
To talk about something that was happening when something else happened
I saw him at 8 o'clock on Monday morning while he was waiting for the school bus.
I was shopping in a supermarket when I noticed a strange-looking man.
SIMPLE PAST
SIMPLE PAST
Used for things that are FINISHED
Used for things that are FINISHED
To talk about two previous habitual activities or events (facts) that happened in the past and no longer happen now
Last year, I taught English and I played on the volleyball team.
In the past, we saw people more often because cell phones didn’t exist.
PAST CONTINUOUS
PAST CONTINUOUS
Used for the BACKGROUND ACTIVITY
Used for the BACKGROUND ACTIVITY
To talk about multiple ongoing yet temporary events that happened at the same time
I was sitting on my bed reading and my boyfriend was using the computer.
I was listening to podcasts while I was shopping.
Remember that progressive tenses are not usually used with Stative Verbs.
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