The Simple Past Tense VS The Past Continuous Tense

English learners often encounter challenges when distinguishing between the Simple Past and Past Continuous tenses. For instance, how do you explain the difference between "He had breakfast at six" and "At six, he was having breakfast"? Or between "I talked to him several days ago" and "I was talking to him the other day"? Even the distinction between "She always watched TV" and "She was always watching TV" can be tricky. These subtle differences in meaning and usage can sometimes cause confusion—and even lead to misunderstandings—if the tenses are used incorrectly.

To help clarify these differences, here’s a guide that breaks down the meaning and usage of the Simple Past and Past Continuous tenses.

SIMPLE PAST TENSE	PAST CONTINUOUS
The Simple Past Tense is used with an adverbial of time to indicate a completed past action, often starting at the specified time. E.g.: He reviewed his notes for the exam last night. At 8:00AM, we started the meeting.	The Past Continuous tense is used with an adverbial of time to indicate an ongoing past action that started before, was happening, and may have continued after the specified time. E.g.: At 9 PM, he was reviewing his notes for the exam When I arrived, she was wrapping up her presentation.
The Simple Past Tense is used to indicate a more permanent past action. E.g.: They lived in Pandaan for seven years. The ancient bridge stood firm for centuries.	The Past Continuous indicates a temporary past action. E.g. It rained heavily while I was waiting for the bus. He was staying at a friend’s house during the renovation.
The Simple Past Tense is used to indicate an intentional or deliberate past action initiated by the subject. E.g.: I called him yesterday to discuss the event. She painted the entire house last weekend.	The Past Continuous indicates an unintentional or usual past action, often resulting from normal circumstances. E.g.: I was talking to my colleague the other day. She was humming a tune while cooking dinner.
The Simple Past Tense indicates a repeated past action that happened multiple times. E.g.: We visited the museum every Saturday. He wrote her letters almost every month.	The Past Continuous indicates parallel actions happening at the same time. E.g.: While the chef was preparing the meal, the waiters were setting the tables. The children were playing in the yard while their parents were talking inside.
Used with "always", the Simple Past describes habitual past actions. E.g.: She always brought homemade cookies to the meetings.	Used with "always", The Past Continuous describes repeated and often annoying past actions. E.g.: He was always borrowing my tools without asking.
In narratives, The Simple Past Tense indicates events or actions. E.g.: Suddenly, a loud crash echoed through the hall, and everyone turned to look.	In narratives, The Past Continuous indicates background events or descriptions. E.g.: The sky was turning orange, and birds were flying home. The villagers were busy setting up for the festival when....

Special use of the Past Continuous tense:

The Past Continuous can make requests or suggestions sound more polite when used in phrases like I was wondering or I was hoping.
Example: I was wondering if you could explain this topic again.

Those are the differences between these two tenses. Understanding those differences will improve your fluency and help avoid common misunderstandings.