Explanation
Exercises

⏳ Past Continuous vs ✅ Past Simple

How to talk about actions in the past — ongoing vs finished, overlap vs sequence, and classic “interruption” cases.
🌊Past Continuous
FORM was / were + verb-ing
  • Affirmative: I was studying English.
  • Negative: They weren’t listening carefully.
  • Question: Were you watching an English video?
at 9 a.m.at middayat lunchtimeall morningall daystill
🎯Past Simple
FORM V2 / -ed   ·   did + base (questions/negatives)
  • Affirmative: We practiced speaking yesterday.
  • Negative: We didn’t study last night.
  • Question: Did you finish your homework?
yesterdaythenin 2019last nighttwo hours ago
🧭Past Continuous — Use
ACTIONS IN PROGRESS We use the past continuous to talk about actions that were in progress (not finished) at a specific moment in the past.
  • “What were you doing at 9?” — “I was studying English.”
  • When I called you, you were taking a lesson.
  • Time expressions: She was reading a short story at lunchtime.
  • At midday, we were still practising pronunciation.
  • They were doing an exercise when the teacher came in.
  • When he arrived, I was writing notes.
DESCRIBING A SCENE We often use the past continuous at the beginning of a story to set the scene.
  • It was raining, and I was walking to my English class. Suddenly …
  • People were chatting, someone was laughing, and music was playing in the café.
⚖️Past Simple vs Past Continuous
Completed vs In Progress
  • We studied yesterday. (finished)
  • We were studying at 9. (in progress at that time)

Long action (PC) + short action (PS)

  • When I met my friend, she was practising English on her phone.
  • We didn’t go to the park because it was raining.
LONG: was/were + V-ing SHORT: V2 / did

Interruption (classic case)

  • I was listening to a podcast when my friend sent me a message. ⚡
  • When I went to bed, my sister was still studying.
  • 💡 while + past continuous · when + past simple (typical pattern)
Sequence vs Overlap

Overlap (started earlier)

When he arrived, she was doing her homework.

The homework had already started.

Sequence (one after another)

When he arrived, she did her homework.

She started the homework after his arrival.

🧪More natural examples
  • I was writing new words when my phone vibrated.
  • She wasn’t paying attention while the teacher was explaining the rule.
  • They were practising speaking all evening, so they felt tired later.
  • Did you study yesterday? — Yes, I studied after dinner.
🚫
Common mistakes
✖︎ I didn’t went → ✅ I didn’t go
✖︎ Did you were watching? → ✅ Were you watching?
✖︎ Using when for both actions in progress → Prefer while + PC for the longer background action.
🌟
Quick checks
⏱ Specific time in the past? → likely Past Continuous
✅ Finished action / fact? → likely Past Simple
⚡ Short event breaks a longer action? → PS + PC
Irregular verbs reminder: go → went, see → saw, break → broke, meet → met, eat → ate … Use did + base for questions/negatives in Past Simple.
Exercises:
1
2
3

Past Continuous vs Past Simple

1
I my keys while I for the bus.
2
He to music when he the announcement.
3
The sun when we out of the tunnel.
4
I your call because I a shower.
5
This morning I the news when I that my flight was canceled.
6
When I her, she to catch a taxi.
7
Last weekend we a picnic when it to rain.
8
I to you, but you at your phone.
9
We along the river when a swan right next to us.
10
What when I you last night?

Past Continuous vs Past Simple

1
When I got home, my roommates ____ dinner, so they ____ the doorbell.
A.
B.
C.
2
While we ____ along the beach, we ____ a rainbow.
A.
B.
C.
3
I ____ to text you while you ____ to work.
A.
B.
C.
4
The lights ____ out while I ____ a shower.
A.
B.
C.
5
She ____ when the teacher suddenly ____ her name.
A.
B.
C.
6
They ____ chess when the fire alarm ____ off.
A.
B.
C.
7
As I ____ for the bus, it suddenly ____ to snow.
A.
B.
C.
8
We ____ the news when the earthquake ____.
A.
B.
C.
9
He ____ quietly when someone ____ at the door.
A.
B.
C.
10
While the kids ____ a snowman, their dad ____ to the shop for marshmallows.
A.
B.
C.

Past Continuous vs Past Simple

1
When I (arrive) at the museum,
2
the guards (wait) for me at the gate.
3
One of them (hold) a flashlight,
4
and they (talk) quietly about a noise.
5
While we (walk) through the gallery,
6
the lights (go) out suddenly.
7
I (drop) my map
8
and everyone (start) to laugh nervously.
9
Then we (hear) footsteps above us,
10
and a radio (play) somewhere in the dark.
11
As I (climb) the stairs,
12
my phone (ring),
13
but I (ignore) it.
14
We (open) the door to the roof
15
and the wind (blow) hard.
16
A cat (sit) on the railing
17
and (stare) at us.
18
When it (jump) down,
19
the alarm (stop)
20
and everybody (cheer).