The past continuous tense is most commonly used when
two past actions--one interrupting
the other and one longer
than the other--happened at the same time. In this
simple past tense is used for the shorter action and
is used for the longer action. The
connecting words while and when are usually used in order
to make the tense differences clear:
I was taking a shower when you called
you called me, I was taking
Bob and Carol
were living in Chicago when
their first child was born. /
When Bob and Carol's first
child was born,
living in Chicago.
Julia was studying in California when she
met her husband. /
When Julia met her husband, she was studying
Someone called me while I was
taking a shower.
I was taking a shower, someone called me.
Bob and Carol's
first child was
they were living in Chicago.
While Bob and Carol were living in Chicago,
their first child was born.
Julia met her husband while she was studying
in California. /
While Julia was studying in California,
that every example above shows
two past actions.
Notice also that in every
example, one action has was or were
and an -ing
verb and the other
simple past tense.
notice that in the examples,
happened at the same time
and that one interrupted the other.