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IMPORTANT

In the simple past, a specific time is used to show when an action began or finished. In the past
continuous, a specific time only interrupts the action.

Examples:

 Last night at 6 PM, I ate dinner.
I started eating at 6 PM.
 Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner.
I started earlier; and at 6 PM, I was in the process of eating dinner.

USE 3 Parallel Actions

When you use the past continuous with two actions in the same sentence, it expresses the idea
that both actions were happening at the same time. The actions are parallel.

Examples:

 I was studying while he was making dinner.
 While Ellen was reading, Tim was watching television.
 Were you listening while he was talking.