Past Continuous vs Past Simple

Master the difference between background and main actions in the past

Past Continuous: Use for background or interrupted actions.

Past Simple: Use for the main or short actions.

Past Continuous: Décrit l'action en cours, souvent interrompue.

Prétérit: Pour une action courte qui interrompt ou une action principale.

Aspect	Past Continuous	Past Simple
Use	Background or interrupted actions	Main or completed actions
Duration	Actions in progress at a specific time	Actions that happened and finished
Interruption	The action being interrupted	The action that interrupts
Example	I was watching TV when...	...the phone rang.
Time markers	at 8pm, while, when (ongoing)	suddenly, then, when (interruption)

While I cooked, the phone rang.

While I was cooking, the phone rang.

Use Past Continuous for the ongoing action with 'while'

I was reading when I was hearing a noise.

I was reading when I heard a noise.

Use Past Simple for the interrupting action

Yesterday at 3pm I worked in the garden.

Yesterday at 3pm I was working in the garden.

Use Past Continuous for actions in progress at a specific past time

Complete sentences focusing on interrupted vs completed actions