was cooking (for) the whole evening

1. I was cooking the whole evening yesterday.
2. I was cooking for the whole evening yesterday.

Which one is more correct?
The first one is from a Russian grammar source but I'm doubting if it doesn't look as if it is the evening that I cooked?
Thank you.

Both are fine. I'd probably use the first.

What about
" I had been cooking for the whole evening yesterday"?

shibli.aftab said:

What about
" I had been cooking for the whole evening yesterday"?

Click to expand...

Not without more context to justify the past perfect.

I agree with 5jj that they're both fine but I would probably use "I was cooking all evening yesterday/last night".

I wonder, if "for" is optional because of the progressive...:?:
What about:
I cooked (for) the whole evening yesterday.
I had cooked (for) the whole evening yesterday by the time you came.

What I meant was whether all these phrases are correct...:?::
I was cooking for the whole evening yesterday.
I cooked for the whole evening yesterday.
I had cooked for the whole evening yesterday by the time you came.
I was cooking the whole evening yesterday.
I cooked the whole evening yesterday.
I had cooked the whole evening yesterday by the time you came.