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Question

When do we use simple past and when do we use past continuous?

We say "I was talking on the phone when you knocked the door.", but we don't say "I talked on the phone when you knockedthe door.", right? Do we say "I was talking on the phone when you were knocking on the door."?

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Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

We say "I was talking on the phone when you knocked the door.", but we don't say "I talked on the phone when you knockedthe door.", right? -- Right.

Do we say "I was talking on the phone when you were knocking on the door."?-- It is possible if he knocks for a long time.

When do we use simple past and when do we use past continuous?-- Generally, past continuous indicates an ongoing action 'in the background', so to speak, during which another past action occurs. If this other past action is a short kind of action, then we use simple past ('I was washing dishes when the phone rang'), and if this other action is also an ongoing action continuing over about the same time span as the first action, we use past continuous for it, too - but in this case we often use 'while' instead of 'when' (I was washing dishes while you were drying them').

Bassa · Answer

thanks <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' alt='Emotion: smile'/>

CalifJim · Answer

bassaWhen do we use simple past and when do we use past continuous?

Can you explain this to me?

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