Past Continuous v/s Simple Past

We use past simple to talk about past routines and habits, actions which happened one after the other in the past and actions or situations which started and finished in the past.

• I went to the cinema yesterday.

• I always visited my grandparents every school holidays when I was small.

• Natalie went to the shop, bought a pizza and took it home.

• Jane had croissants for breakfast every day when she was in France.

The past continuous shows us that the action was already in progress at a certain time in the past and also an activity was in progress for some time, not just for a moment.

• What were you doing at 8 p.m. last night? I was studying.

• We were cleaning the house all morning.

• She couldn't come to the party. She was working.