Usage Examples Past Simple vs. Past Continuous

• Were they smiling when they saw you? -
• I wanted to call my mum but I called you instead. -
• What were they doing when you arrived at the party? -
• My wife arrived when I was having a bath. -
• My best friend graduated from the university in June. -
• My granddad went to see a doctor on Friday. -
• The town was changing quickly. -
• My mother bought a new bag yesterday. -
• Which song were you singing when I came in? -
• Which shop did Tom go yesterday? -
• Emma called me when I was sitting on the train. -
• Just as Ted was finishing his homework, he remembered another exercise he had to do. -
• Paula was running when the storm started. -
• What were you doing at eight o'clock last night? -
• The bird was singing in the garden when the cat attacked it. -
• Was Anna having a shower when an earthquake began? -
• Who did you see at the train station? -
• My mother was cooking for five hours on Sunday. -
• I was studying at the library all day yesterday. -
• I broke my leg when I was skiing. -