Regretting

whatchadoinYou were regretting not having kids so I gave you one.How long was he/she regretting not having kids? Her/his entire life?

Entire life? Very doubtful!

We use this tense when we don't know or don't want to say how long the action continued, so you can't answer the question "How long was he/she regretting it?" except to say, "For some indefi

CalifJimMaybe regret was expressed on various occasions throughout this indefinite period.

It might've lasted 1 year?

CalifJim I gave you one.

Is 'one' at the end of a sentence informal?

whatchadoinIt might've lasted 1 year?

Yes. Any amount of time is possible. That's what "indefinite" means.

whatchadoinIs 'one' at the end of a sentence informal?

No.

CJ

Don't know why but until recently I thought that 'was+verb+ing' could only mean that an action lasted a really short period of time.

I was doing it every day until I moved tothe USA.
I did it every day until I moved to the USA.
Does this one have the same meaning as the original one?

whatchadoinDon't know why but until recently I thought that 'was+verb+ing' could only mean that an action lasted a really short period of time.

That's because we don't often talk about longer periods of time like historical developments that take years.

whatchadoinI was doing it every day until I moved tothe USA.I did it every day until

whatchadoin,
You may think this is a lot of hot air. As I had suggested, without the "speaker's perspective", chances are, you will always get lost in the tenses. The perspective is the way the speaker tried to project to the listeners, which is lacking in your sentences..

I was exercising everyday when I was living in LA. >

I was exercising everyday before I moved to New

I was doing it every day until I moved to the USA.
I did it every day until I moved to the USA.

Is simple past more common in such cases? I'd use simple past because it sounds fine here.

whatchadoin in such cases?

Which cases? Cases of doing something every day? Cases with an until-clause?

whatchadoinI'd use simple past

Fine.

CJ

CalifJimCases of doing something every day?

Yes. Something that I used to do every day but I don't do it now.

whatchadoinSomething that I used to do every day but I don't do it now.

"used to" is probably best then, and the simple form is probably second best, in this order:

I used to swim every day before I moved to England.
I swam every day before I moved to England.
I was swimming every day before I moved to England.

CJ