Simple Past vs Past Continuous

Simple Past ( v-ed, or irregulars in past )

1. To refer to states and actions which finished in the past.
I went to your office yesterday.

2. The action can be short, long or repeated
He took a taxi to get to the office

The meeting lasted 5 hours

I took the same bus everyday

3. For the main actions and events in a story that happen one after the other
He said I was wanted back at the office and ended the call. I tried to call back, but there was no reply.

4. Express a past state or habit
When I worked for AMB, we lived in a small house, everyday I walked for miles to get to the office.

Past Continuous ( was / were + v-ing )

1.Talk about actions that were not yet finished and continued over a period of time
At that time, we were still trying to solve our recruitment problem.

2.Refer to situations that were changing over time in the past.
Last year at that time we were coming out of recession and things were improving.

3. To express an interrupted past activity
I was working on the report when the phone rang.

4.To express an incomplete activity in the past.
I was reading the report during the flight (But I did't finish it)

5. To express an activity that was in progress at every moment during a period of time.
I was working all day yesterday.

6.To set the scene and give background information at the beginning of a narrative
When I got to the trade fair, some of the exhibitors were setting up their stands and others were unpacking their publicity materials.