Difference between Simple Past and Past Continuous Tense
Difference between Simple Past and Past Continuous Tense
As we have already studied from the previous post before, both the Simple Past and the Past Continuous Tense refer to completed actions in the past time. However, both of them actually have some differences. (Also read : Difference Between Simple and Present Continuous Tense)
Below are some differences
A. We use Simple Past Tense to talk about a finished action in the past, often with time expressions like yesterday, last week, a year ago etc. This is by far the most common way of talking about the past.
Examples:
- I lived there for 6 years.
- I only found out a few moments ago.
- I asked her but she didn’t know anything.
- The company made 100 people redundant last year.
B. The most common use of the past continuous tense is to talk about something that was happening around a particular time in the past [to emphasize the continuity of the action]. (Also read other article at : Gemuruh Petir Menyertai Hujan)
Examples:
- What were you doing at 8 o’clock last night? I was watching television.
(I started watching television before 8 o’clock and I continued watching it after 8 o’clock.)
- In 1994 he was working in a small town in Poland.
(he started working in 1994 and he continued working in a small town in Poland after 1994.)