• Past simple vs Past continuous 6 Read the theory and say the examples in your language. We use the past simple for: actions that happened at a certain time in the past. He left the concert at 10 pm last night. (When? At 10 pm.) actions that happened immediately after each other in the past. She went to the cinema, then she had dinner with her friends. • We use the past continuous for: an action which was happening at a particular time in the past. I was watching TV yesterday at 2 pm actions happening at the same time in the past. I was reading a book while my brother was playing the piano. Note: When one past action interrupts another, we use the past continuous for the action which was happening and the past simple for the action that interrupted it. She was watching an adventure film when the phone rang while + past continuous: While he was sleeping the phone rang. when + past simple: He was watching TV when the lights went out