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I have studied a lot about the past simple and continuous. I know that we use the past simple when we state a fact and that the continuous is used to create the background. My question is I hear that people say "what did you do yesterday" and not "what were you doing yesterday" Therefore, I get that it is more natural to use the past simple. Does is always work like that with other expressions like: last week last year on your holiday?

Is is natural to say what were you doing on your holiday since we ask about something temporary and if the answer is " yes" why it is not natural to ask "what were you doing yesterda"?

train bee 282
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  • Forget about the temporary thing. Simple past is final and over. Continuous is about a certain activity that lasts a certain time in the past. It's not about more or less natural. It's about what you mean. "What were you doing all day yesterday because you certainly did not do your chores". – Lambie Jan 26 '24 at 19:59
  • What if I just say yesterday without all day? – train bee 282 Jan 26 '24 at 21:20
  • It's not about grammar. – Lambie Jan 27 '24 at 00:03
  • The continuous tense isn't necessarily about 'creating the background', though it can be (The sun was shining). It can be about 'how someone spent a particular period of time' (I was playing tennis all afternoon) or what they were doing when something else happened (I was having dinner when the phone rang). – Kate Bunting Jan 27 '24 at 09:22
  • What were you doing yedterday? I was playing, reading and cooking. What did you do yesterday. I played read and cooked. Are both versions correct and natural. The only difference I can see is that continuoud implies that things happened at the same time and simplr one after another? – train bee 282 Jan 28 '24 at 06:53

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