Use the Past Simple to talk about an event which happened at some point in time in the past.
Use the Past Continuous to talk about activities or situations which were not completed in the past or to set the scene (background) in a story.
The past continuous also indicates that a longer action in the past was interrupted.
The interruption is usually a shorter action in the Simple Past.
Remember this can be a real interruption or just an interruption in time.
Exercise 1 Choose the correct past simple.
1. It ________ (rain) yesterday afternoon. rainned rained
2. Mary _______(practise) the violin last night practised practises
3. Last summer Mandy _____ (study) Spanish studyed studied
4. The audience _____ (clap) at the end. clapped claped
5. We ______ (go) to Paris last year. went goed
1. Max a computer game at 6 o'clock.
2. I dressed when you arrived.
3. We dinner at 8.30.
4. Pete and Mary a magazine.
5. Your mother a pizza.
As I home yesterday, I Mark's friend, Sue. She in a shop window when I her. We for a cup of coffee and we a chat. Then we to the bus station. Sue's bus shortly after we , so Sue goodbye quickly and to the bus. As she on, I it was the wrong bus. I after it, but it too fast.
