Then the whole family cried/was crying at home. (imagining a specific point in the past)

[Marika33]

Can B use the past continuous in his line below?

B is imagining some specific points in the past.
1. The moment when he found his dog and then he cried while the dog whined. 2. The moment when he took the dog home, and then the whole family cried.

• A: I have great news, I've found my dog! I've been looking(searching?) for her the whole week!
• B: I also once looked(searched?) for mine for 16 days! Every day from dawn to dusk. And I found it! I was crying, the dog was whining. Then the whole family was crying at home. But I believed that he was alive and I would find him.

 

[jutfrank]

Yes, you can. The use of the past continuous there works well to describe the scene to the listener. It doesn't simply list the events, as the past simple would. I like to say that the added aspect brings the actions to life. This is a good example of the past continuous as a great narrative device.