Babysitting

Question

Hello, I found this sentence. I could not go to the party. It was the day I was babysitting for Jane and Derek. Could also past simple be used in this case instead of I was babysitting?

BarbaraPA · Accepted Answer

You mean "It was the day I babysat for Jane and Derek"? That's possible, but not as natural.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

AnonymousHello, I found this sentence. I could not go to the party. It was the day I was babysitting for Jane and Derek. Could also past simple be used in this case instead of I was babysitting?

Yes, but the mood would be changed a little bit.
To explain the difference, I have shifted from the past to the present:

I can't go to the party. It is the day I am (going to be) babysitting for Jane and Derek. - This has the meaning that after you had agreed to babysit on this particular day, you found out about the party. It implies (slightly) that you have called Jane and Derek and they could not find a substitute babysitter. So you decline the invitation to the party.

I can't go to the party. It is the day I babysit for Jane and Derek. - This has the meaning that you babysit regularly (e.g. once a week) and the party happens to be on one of the days that you are scheduled to babysit.
It implies (slightly) that you have tried in the past to get out of one or more of these babysitting assignments, but Jane and Derek never agree. So you decline the invitation to the party (without calling Jane and Derek.)

The same is true for the past time. Changing from the past progressive to the past simple tense translates those same present time meanings to a past time reference.

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you very much for your answer and explanation

Babysitting

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