◇ The Past Simple vs. The Past Continuous
過去簡單式與過去進行式
許多人會將過去簡單式 (ex: did) 與過去進行式 (ex: was/were doing) 這兩種時態搞混。這兩者的差別就在這邊一次統整給各位。首先過去簡單式有四種情況：ㄧ、一次性地發生在過去，也在過去就結束的事，例如 I met my wife in 1983. 二、表達過去的習慣、經常做的事，例如 When I was little, I walked to school every day. 三、在過去某段期間內真實、正確的事，例如 I lived in Toulouse for ten years. 四、當出現 ago 一字時，通常搭配過去簡單式，例如 I bumped into Lars a long time ago. 另一方面，過去進行式則強調以下四種情況：ㄧ、某個在另一個動作發生之前或之後的動作，例如 The children were doing their homework when I got home. 二、某個特定時間點之前或之後發生的動作，這概念跟「ㄧ」其實是類似的，例如 It was eight o'clock. I was writing a letter. (試著比較這句與 At eight o'clock I wrote (= started writing) some letters. 我們就可以發現， So I was about nine years old when I started making little changes to my everyday life. 此處的 started making 表示這個動作在過去某個時間點開始，這個「開始」是一次性發生的動作，因此這句也就等於 So I was about nine years old when I made little changes to my everyday life. 可再多家度腦思考看看) 三、表示某個動作在過去持續了一段時間，例如 My head was aching. 四、與成長 (growth) 或改變 (change) 有關的動作，可用過去進行式，例如 Her English was improving. 或 My hair was going grey. 等。
Example：
1. They were watching a movie last night.
他們天在看一部電影
2. He was playing basketball this morning.
他早上在打籃球。
3. They were always quarreling.
他們總是在爭吵。