Past Simple vs Past Continuous

We use the past simple for something that happened and finished in the past. We use it when we say or know the time when something happened. It is often used in stories, when one thing happened after another.

Last year, we travelled by jeep across the Sahara.

When the car stopped, we all got out.

We use the past continuous for something that happened in the past but was not finished at a particular time. This can be an exact time in the past (12 o’clock, etc.) or the time when another thing happened.

It was 12 o’clock and we were standing in the midday sun.

Mick was checking the engine when the rescue helicopter arrived.

When we use these two tenses together, it shows us that the past simple action happened in the middle of the past continuous action, while it was in progress.

While I was studying, I suddenly felt sleepy.

We often use these tenses to show an action interrupting another action.

I broke my leg when I was skiing.

As I was going to work, I saw an old friend.

We were watching television when the power went off.