Past simple vs. past continuous

Question

I am a bit confused with past simple and past continuous tense. I know all the rules how and when to use them but there are some cases when I am not sure which one to use. I would like to ask you whether we can say I ate my hamburger for an hour or I was  eating my hamburger for an hour. Another question is whether it is right to say I cooked lunch for two hour or I was cooking lunch for two hours and is it possible to say I took antibiothics for a week or I was taking antibiothics for a week. I would also like to ask you which one is right When I was ill I did not read a book for a week or I was not reading a book for a week. Thank you for your answer in advance.

Englishmaven · Accepted Answer

These are good questions. Sometimes it doesn't make any difference really, but in these cases, it does.

I am a bit confused with past simple and past continuous tense. I know all the rules how and when to use them but there are some cases when I am not sure which one to use. I would like to ask you whether we can say I ate my hamburger for an hour or I was eating my hamburger for an hour. Another question is whether it is right to say I cooked lunch for two hour or I was cooking lunch for two hours and is it possible to say I took antibiothics for a week or I was taking antibiothics for a week. I would also like to ask you which one is right When I was ill I did not read a book for a week or I was not reading a book for a week. Thank you for your answer in advance

For the examples about the hamburger, cooking lunch, and taking antibiotics, the past continuous would be better because the actions continued to be in progress over the time periods in the past. For the example about not reading the book, it makes more sense to state what did not happen for that period than for what continued to not happen. The past continue there sounds very strange, as if under normal circumstances, you would be reading nonstop for a week.

Let me know if you understand this better now.

Anne58 · Answer

Anonymous I would like to ask you whether we can say I ate my hamburger for an hour or I was eating my hamburger for an hour. .

I would say the second, I was eating my hamburger for an hour . . . would be the best choice.

Anonymous Another question is whether it is right to say I cooked lunch for two hour or I was cooking lunch for two hours

I was cooking lunch for two hours. sounds the best.

Anonymous and is it possible to say I took antibiothics for a week or I was taking antibiothics for a week.

In this instance either would be correct . . I took antibiotics .. . . or I was taking antibiotics

Anonymous When I was ill I did not read a book for a week or I was not reading a book for a week. Thank you for your answer in advance.

When I was ill I did not read a book for a week.

Here, the second sentence give the impression that you were reading a book but for a time period that was different than a week

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you for your answer. Now I understand it better.

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you for your answer

Anonymous · Answer

And could you please tell me which of these sentences are correct? We celebrated her birthday for 5 hours or We were celebrating her birthday for 5 hours. They inspected us for two weeks or They were inspecting us for two weeks. We discussed it for 2 hours or We were discussing it for 2 hours. I know that in some cases it does not make a difference, but in some it does and sometimes I am not sure whether it makes difference or not.

Past simple vs. past continuous

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