Past Simple

The simple past tense is used to talk about a completed action in a time before now.​

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We use the past simple to talk about:

• ​a definite point in time: last week, when I was a child, yesterday, six weeks ago

• ​an indefinite point in time: the other day, ages ago, a long time ago

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Past Continuous

The past continuous describes actions or events in a time before now, which began in the past and were still going on when another event occurred.​

We use it to talk about:

• ​describe the background in a story written in the past tense

• describe an unfinished action that was interrupted by another event or action

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