Unit 13. I was doing … (Past Continuous) and I did … (Past Simple)
(смысловое различие предложений в простом и продолженном прошедшем времени)

What happened? The phone rang. (Past Simple)
What was Jack doing when the phone rang?
He was reading a book. (Past Continuous)
What did he do when the phone rang?
He stopped reading and answered the phone. (Past Simple)

Jack began reading before the phone rang. So:
When the phone rang, he was reading.

- Jack was reading the newspaper when the phone rang.
but Jack read the newspaper yesterday.
- Were you watching television when I phoned you?
but Did you watch the film on television last night?
- I started work at 9.00 and finished at 4.30. At 2.30 I was working.
- When we went out, it was raining. (= it started raining before we went out)
- I saw Lucy and Tom this morning. They were standing at the bus-stop.
- Joy fell asleep while she was reading.

See Unit 93. before after during while

← back forward →

Unit 13. I was doing … (Past Continuous) and I did … (Past Simple) (смысловое различие предложений в простом и продолженном прошедшем времени)

Unit 13. I was doing … (Past Continuous) and I did … (Past Simple)
(смысловое различие предложений в простом и продолженном прошедшем времени)