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1. The most common use of the past continuous tense is to talk about
something that was happening around a particular time in the past.
What were you doing at 8 oclock last night? I was watching television.
I started watching television before 8 oclock and I continued watching it
after 8 oclock.
When I woke up this morning it was raining and my father was singing
in the kitchen.
I was walking home, whistling happily, when I saw two masked men
run out of the bank.
Often, the action described by the past simple tense interrupts the
situation described by the past continuous tense.
When they arrived, Jeff was cooking dinner. Jeff started cooking before
they arrived.
When they arrived, Jeff cooked dinner. Jeff started cooking dinner
after they arrived.
- See more at: http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/quickgrammar/past-continuous-and-past-simple#sthash.RmmP3je9.dpuf
Past Simple
Past Continuous
Examples:
1) We went to Mexico two years ago.
Form
am/is/are + present participle (verb + ing)
Meaning
1.
He is speaking to John.
Jenny is looking really good today? / Jenny looks really good today.
Additional points
1.
1. The most common use of the past continuous tense is to talk about
something that was happening around a particular time in the past.
What were you doing at 8 oclock last night? I was watching television.
I started watching television before 8 oclock and I continued watching it
after 8 oclock.
When I woke up this morning it was raining and my father was singing
in the kitchen.
I was walking home, whistling happily, when I saw two masked men
run out of the bank.
Often, the action described by the past simple tense interrupts the
situation described by the past continuous tense.
When they arrived, Jeff was cooking dinner. Jeff started cooking before
they arrived.
When they arrived, Jeff cooked dinner. Jeff started cooking dinner
after they arrived.
- See more at: http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/quickgrammar/past-continuous-and-past-simple#sthash.H0hNW0Zf.dpuf