Past Simple and Past Continuous

We use Past Simple to talk about completed actions or past situations and habits:

• I finished my work in the library yesterday.
• I did not read this book yesterday.
• Didyou see my phone?

When we talk about activities that continued for some time in the past we use Past Continuous:

• I was cooking supper about two hours in the evening yesterday.
• We were not playing at this time yesterday.
• Were they talking on the phone? - No, they were not.

We also use Past Continuous to talk about activities that form a background for some events:

• When I was watching an interesting video, my mother entered my room.
• While she was drinking her tea, she heard a ring.
• They were playing football, wher their father called them.