Interrupted Actions and Parallel Events
Past Continuous is used for:
ā¢ Actions in progress at a specific moment in the past
ā¢ Interrupted actions (I was eating when the phone rang)
ā¢ Parallel actions (I was reading while he was cooking)
ā¢ Setting the scene in a story (The sun was shining...)
ā¢ Polite Enquiries/Requests: To make a request or ask a question very tactfully (e.g., "I was wondering if you could help me.")
Key Pattern:
Past Continuous (longer action) + When + Simple Past (interruption)