Past simple vs past continuous
A longer action and a shorter one in the same sentence: I was writing an email when the screen went black.
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Stories about the past usually need both tenses. The past continuous (I was writing) gives the background: a longer action that was in progress. The past simple (the screen went black) gives the events: finished actions, often short ones.
Past continuous | Past simple | |
|---|---|---|
Form | was / were + -ing | worked, went |
Shows | an action in progress, not finished | a finished action |
Job | background | event |
A longer action and a shorter one
When a short action happens in the middle of a longer one, the longer action is in the past continuous and the short one is in the past simple.
- I was writing an email when the screen went black.
- We were crossing the bridge when it started to rain.
- Irina met her husband while she was working in Prague.
- Incorrect: I was dropping my keys while I got out of the car.
- Correct: I dropped my keys while I was getting out of the car.Dropping keys takes a second. Getting out of the car is the longer action around it.
When and while
When usually comes before the short action (past simple). While comes before the long action (past continuous). The meaning of the two sentences is the same.
- I was paying at the till when my card stopped working.
- My card stopped working while I was paying at the till.
When can also come before the long action: When I was living in Leeds, I met a lot of interesting people. But while is not used before a short, sudden action.
- Incorrect: I was reading while the lights went out.
- Correct: I was reading when the lights went out.The lights went out in a second, so use when.
If the part with when or while comes first, put a comma after it.
- While we were waiting for the bus, it started to snow.
One action after another
If the second action happened after the first one, use the past simple for both. Compare:
- When the manager came in, we were discussing the budget.
(The discussion started before she came in.)
- When the manager came in, we discussed the budget.
(First she came in. Then the discussion started.)
- Incorrect: When I was hearing the news, I was calling my sister.
- Correct: When I heard the news, I called my sister.These are two finished actions, one after the other.
Two long actions at the same time
When two actions were in progress at the same time, use the past continuous for both, often with while.
- While I was making the salad, Maria was laying the table.
- The children were playing in the garden while we were talking.
Background and events in a story
At the start of a story, the past continuous sets the scene. The past simple tells what happened next.
- It was raining and I was waiting for the last bus. Suddenly a car stopped next to me.
- We were sitting in the garden when we heard a strange noise.
Background and event: two different tenses
When one action is the background and the other is the event, they need different tenses. If both are in the past simple, or both in the past continuous, the listener can't tell which one was the background.
- Incorrect: While I walked home, it was starting to rain.
- Correct: While I was walking home, it started to rain.The walk is the background. The rain starts at one moment.
- Incorrect: We were having dinner when the lights were going out.
- Correct: We were having dinner when the lights went out.
The tense changes the question too.
- What were you doing when I called?
(At the moment of the call. Perhaps you were driving.)
- What did you do when I called?
(After the call. Perhaps you called back.)