Logotipo da escola Sue’s Chat & That com microfone, nome em azul, rosa e amarelo e ilustração de professora apontando
Logotipo da escola Sue’s Chat & That com microfone, nome em azul, rosa e amarelo e ilustração de professora apontando

Past Continuous vs
Past Simple 15

Past Continuous - Actions in Progress in the Past

⏰Past Continuous - Actions in Progress in the Past

💡The Past Continuous is a verb tense we use to talk about actions that were in progress at a specific moment in the past. It is often used together with the Past Simple, to show that one action was happening when another action interrupted it.

🏗️Structure

PersonStructureExample
I / he / she / itwas + verb-ingI was reading a book. 📖
You / we / theywere + verb-ingThey were playing football. ⚽

🎯When to Use Past Continuous

1️⃣Action in progress at a specific time in the past

🕗We use Past Continuous to describe what was happening at a certain time.

📝Examples:

  • 📚I was studying at 8 p.m. yesterday. 🕗
  • 📺She was watching TV when I called her. 📺

⚠️Common Brazilian mistake:

  • ❌"I studied at 8 p.m. yesterday." → This is Past Simple. It tells what happened, not what was in progress.

2️⃣Two actions happening at the same time in the past

🔄Use Past Continuous for the longer action, and Past Simple for the shorter action that interrupts.

📝Examples:

  • 🚶‍♂️I was walking to school when it started to rain. 🌧️
  • 🍽️They were having dinner while we were watching a movie. 🍽️🎬

⚠️Common Brazilian mistake:

  • ❌"I walked to school when it rained." → This makes it sound like the actions happened one after the other, not at the same time.

3️⃣Background information in a story

🌄Use Past Continuous to describe the scene or atmosphere in the past.

📝Examples:

  • 🌞The sun was shining, and children were playing in the park. 🌞
  • ☔It was raining, and people were running to find shelter. ☔

⚠️Common Brazilian mistake:

  • ❌"The sun shone and children played in the park." → Sounds like a list of past events, not a continuous background scene.

⏰Time expressions often used with Past Continuous

  • 🕐at 8 p.m.
  • 📅yesterday
  • ⏳while
  • ⚡when
  • 📍as
  • ☀️all day
  • 🌅the whole morning

💡Tips for Brazilian students

  • ⚡Remember: Past Continuous = action in progress
  • ✅Past Simple = finished action
  • 🤝Often used together: Past Continuous sets the scene / Past Simple interrupts it.
  • 🇧🇷Watch out for direct Portuguese translation: Brazilians often say "I was study" → remember verb + -ing: "I was studying."

🔍Quick Review

✅Correct Usage:

  • ⏰I was sleeping when the phone rang. (longer action + interruption)
  • 🌅It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining. (background scene)
  • 📚At 9 PM, I was doing homework. (specific time)

❌Common Mistakes to Avoid:

  • 🚫"I was study" → "I was studying"
  • 🚫"I slept when phone rang" → "I was sleeping when the phone rang"
  • 🚫"Yesterday I was go to school" → "Yesterday I was going to school"