differences

Question

Hello, would you please help me with the following sentences?

I wrote a letter yesterday. I was writing a letter yesterday.
You made a lot of noise last night. You were making a lot of noise last night.
I ate dinner yesterday evening. I was eating dinner yesterday evening.
I read a book from 5 to 7 yesterday. I was reading a book from 5 to 7 yesterday.

Are there any differences in meaning between the given sentences?

Thank you very much

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

The continuous forms indicate that something else occurred during that time, and that is the context in which such sentences would appear.

I was writing a letter last night when you phoned.

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you

Fivejedjon · Answer

AnonymousI wrote a letter yesterday. I was writing a letter yesterday.You made a lot of noise last night. You were making a lot of noise last night. I ate dinner yesterday evening. I was eating dinner yesterday evening.I read a book from 5 to 7 yesterday. I was reading a book from 5 to 7 yesterday.

In your particular sentences, the simple form indicates that a complete activity took place; the continuuous form indicates that it was in progress at the time or during the period mentioned. The activity was not necessarily completed at that time or during that period.

CalifJim · Answer

I wrote a letter yesterday. ~ At some point in time yesterday I finished writing a letter.

I was writing a letter yesterday. ~ During some time period yesterday I was busy writing a letter.

You made a lot of noise last night. ~ At some point in time last night you made a lot of noise. (I'm thinking of it as a single event.)

You were making a lot of noise last night. ~ During some time period last night you were making a lot of noise. (I'm thinking of it as an extended period of activity.)

I ate dinner yesterday evening. ~ At some point in time yesterday evening I ate dinner. (A single event occurred.)

I was eating dinner yesterday evening. ~ During some time period yesterday evening I was eating dinner. ( An activity was in progress.)

I read a book from 5 to 7 yesterday. ~ During the 5 to 7 time period yesterday I was reading a book.

I was reading a book from 5 to 7 yesterday. ~ During the 5 to 7 time period yesterday I was reading a book.
________________

I don't sense much difference in the last pair because you specify a time period. That blocks the "event" interpretation of "I read". But just "I read a book yesterday" would say that you finished reading the book.

Just about any time you add "time-period adverbs" (from 3 to 8; for an hour; etc.) to the simple past, you force an activity reading. The combination of these kinds of adverbs with the simple past is therefore not as common as with the continuous past.

CJ

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