1. The Past Simple expresses past actions as simple
facts.
I did my homework last night.
What did you do
yesterday evening? I watched
TV.
2. The Past Continuouse gives past activities time and duration. The activity
can be interrupted.
What were you doing at 8.00? I was watching TV.
I was doing my homework when Jine arrived.
3. The questions below refer to different time periods. The Past Continuous
asks activities before, and the Past Simple asks about what happened after.
What were you doing when it started to rain? We were playing tennis.
What did you do when it started to rain? We went
home.