Week 6. Past Continous vs Simple Past (or Past Simple) Review

-We use the past continuous to emphasize progress. For example:

When I woke up this morning, it was raining. (This means that it started raining before I woke up, at the moment I woke up, and probably after I had woken up)

Last night at 10pm, they were studying English. (They probably studied from 9 to 11pm: an action in progress.

-In contrast, the simple past refers to actions that happened and ended in the past. For example:

It rained yesterday   (a finished past action)

It was raining at 2pm yesterday (an action that was in progress in the past)

Last month, I worked every Sunday (a finished past action)

I was working when my wife called me (an action in progress in the past)

Please watch these videos:

Now take Quiz 8: