SIMPLE PAST AND PAST CONTINUOUS

Simple past tense is used when we want to refer to an action or event completed in the past. For example, a. I watched TV yesterday.
b. My friend called me yesterday.
c. He went to Mumbai on Monday.
d. I saw him at the supermarket.

Past tense form of the verb is used in past simple. For example,
Regular verb: watch – watched
call – called
Irregular verbs: go – went
see – saw

Past continuous is used to refer to an action or activity going on at a specific time in the past.
For example, a. I was watching TV at 9.30 pm yesterday.
b. They were dancing at 10 o’clock.
c. You were shopping.
d. He was helping me.

We use ‘was / were + -ing form of the verb’ in past continuous. For example,
I/He/She/It/Singular noun – was watching
We/ You/ They/ Plural noun- were watching

Using tenses alone is very easy. Challenge lies in using different tenses in context with each other. Consider the following example situation.

“ I started watching TV at 9 pm and finished it at 10 pm. I watched TV
from 9pm to 10 pm. I was watching TV at 9.30 pm. My friend called me
at 9.30 pm., i.e., the action of watching TV was already in progress
when my friend called me.”

So here we have two actions:
a. I was watching TV at 9.30 pm.
b. My friend called me at 9.30 pm.

We can combine these two sentences by using the connectors when or while. For example,
a. When my friend called me, I was watching TV.
b. My friend called me while I was watching TV.
Thus, the connector ‘when’ is used with simple past and the connector ‘while’ is used with past continuous.

Exercise:

Fill in the blanks in the following sentences with the appropriate form of the verb given in the bracket.

1. I _____ (go) to bed late last night.
2. When I arrived at the office, Jane and Paul ________ (work) at their desks.
3. I _____ (open) the window because it was hot.
4. The phone _______ (ring) while Sue _____ (cook) the dinner.
5. What ______ (you/do) at 6 o’clock last Sunday morning.