The Past Continuous vs. the Past Indefinite

1. In complex sentences with subordinate clauses of time there can be found different types of past actions to be expressed in either (both) the Past Indefinite or (and) the Past Continuous

Types of actions/Tenses to express	Past Indefinite + Past Indefinite	Past Continuous + Past Continuous	Past Indefinite + Past Continuous
Parallel	•As a rule, two parallel actions connected with as: e.g. As she grew older, she gained in confidence^[10]. С годами она становилась увереннее. He sat watching her as she got ready^[2]. Он сидел и рассматривал ее, пока она готовилась. •Parallel actions in a sentence with the comparative degree of adjectives or adverbs: e.g. The more she thought about it, the more depressed she became^[10]. • Occasionally, two parallel actions connected with while (whilst): e.g. She read to the children while Kevin washed up^[7]. It can be implied in this case that the situation is part of some past routine, habit or narration.	Two parallel actions connected with while (whilst) or rarely when ^[3]: e.g. She was reading to the children while Kevin was washing up^[7]. In this case the situation spoken about is seen from the middle of its development, happening. It can be implied to serve as a background for some other past events.	----
Coinciding	-----	----	One of the two actions is used with the past continuous to indicate a background (usually longer) event of secondary importance: e.g. I read the letter on the Underground as I was coming into town^[3]. They arrived while we were having dinner^[2].
Successive	Successive past actions are usually found in sentences with until, before, after, when, as soon as, as: e.g. He waited till she arrived. When she learnt it, she got worse. I tripped as I got off the bus^[2]. Я споткнулся, выходя из автобуса (при выходе из автобуса)	---	One of the two actions in a succession may be progressive: e.g. When helearnt to drive, he was living with his parents (=He had learnt to drive and was living with his parents)^[7]. But: When he was learning to drive, he was living with his parents (=while he was learning to drive…)

2. When we use the form of the Past Continuous unlike the form of the Past Indefinite in identical contexts, it means that we are involved only in the past moment referred to and are not interested in the completion or final results of the action ^[1,3]:

It was snowing at night (when I fell asleep, I haven’t been outside this morning yet)

It snowed at night (Look, the roofs are covered with snow!)

‘Do you remember what happened to Harry in Book VI?’

‘Yes, I read about it’ (I know)

‘Yes, I was reading about it’ (I partially know, I remember something)

Likewise, we can use the Past Continuous to talk about intentions which were not realised ^[7]:

I was thinking/I thought of coming to you, but I was called to work = I was coming to you yesterday.

3. The Past Continuous occurs with such adverbs as always, constantly, repeatedly, perpetually to express repeated unplanned and undesired event, often with emotional colouring^[1,3]:

People were always warning me that my success wouldn’t last!

4. With the verbs of mental and emotional state (to wonder, to think, to suggest, to want, to forget, to hope, etc ) the form of the Past Continuous sounds politer or less definite to express recent actions in requests, uncertain statements etc. ^[1,3,11] The most common situations are:

a) when addressing somebody (‘I was wondering/am wondering/wonder^*, where Red Square is situated?’);

b) when suggesting something (‘I was thinking/thought, what would you say to going out to the theatre?’);

c) when apologizing (‘Sorry. I wasn’t thinking’);

d) in polite questions (‘Were you wanting/did you want/do you want to see someone?’^{[see Appendix2]}).

e) in intentions for the future^[7] (‘I was thinking/am thinking of going down to London next weekend’.)

(*The variants given illustrate the falling degree of politeness and (or) certainty)

Exercises

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