Past Simple vs Past Continuous
Choose between Past Simple and Past Continuous to complete each sentence correctly.
Past Simple vs Past Continuous
Past Simple
Use the Past Simple for:
- A completed action in the past
- She called me at 8pm.
- A sequence of events
- He woke up, got dressed and left.
- A short action that interrupts a longer one
- The phone rang while I was studying.
Past Continuous
Use the Past Continuous for:
- A longer action in progress at a past moment
- At midnight, they were still talking.
- The background action interrupted by a shorter one
- I was studying when the phone rang.
- Two actions happening simultaneously
- She was cooking while he was setting the table.
The key combination: WHEN and WHILE
| Connector | Which tense follows? | Example |
|---|---|---|
| when | Past Simple (the interruption) | She was sleeping when the alarm rang. |
| while | Past Continuous (the background) | While I was walking, I saw an old friend. |
Structure reminder
| Past Simple | Past Continuous | |
|---|---|---|
| ✅ Positive | She called / He went | She was calling / They were going |
| ❌ Negative | She didn't call | She wasn't calling |
| ❓ Question | Did she call? | Was she calling? |
⚠️ Common mistakes
- ❌ I was seeing him yesterday at the park.
- ✅ I saw him yesterday at the park. (completed action, specific time)
- ❌ She was cooking when she burnt herself and she dropped the pan.
- ✅ She was cooking when she burnt herself and dropped the pan. (two short interruptions = Past Simple)
