was doing or did?

[worcester]

Hello everyone,
Are these two sentences correct and if they are is there any difference between them in meaning? I mean is it possible sometimes to use Past Simple instead of Past Continuous?

1. "What were you doing yesterday?"
2. "What did you do yesterday?"

Thank you.

 

[Boris Tatarenko]

Not a teacher or a native speaker.

They are both correct. If you know the difference between simple and continuous tense, it will be easy to you to understand that difference between sentences.
Sometimes you can use continuous instead of simple and vice versa.

If you asked me your #1 sentence, I'd say "I was playing football", "I was sleeping almost the whole day!"
If you asked me #2, I'd say something in the past simple: "I played football with John", "Oh, unfortunately, I dozed off in the middle of my favourite TV show for 5 hours!"

If I'm wrong, teachers will correct me (or delete my message) and answer your question.

 

[ROFTOK]

Not a teacher (added by moderator Rover_KE)

- What were you doing yesterday?
- I was playing football.
To me it sounds as if the person spent the whole day playing football.

- What were you doing yesterday?
- I was jogging for one hour.
Sounds awful.

- What were you doing yesterday?
- I was going to school.
Horrendous nonsense.

While I find the question "What were you doing yesterday?" possible and correct in terms of grammar, I find answering it problematic.

 

[Tarheel]

1. "What were you doing yesterday?"
2. "What did you do yesterday?"

As standalone sentences neither makes much sense. (Especially the first one.) As for whether you should use past continuous or simple past, it is oversimplifying it some, but it depends on what you want to say.

I would say simple past should be your default choice. In other words, consider that first.

"What did you do yesterday?" is possible if if I am talking to a friend and I want to know how his day went, but I am much more likely to say, "How did your day go?"

I hope that helps.

 

[ROFTOK]

I have come across two or three examples of "- What were you doing yesterday?" in books.

But I still don't understand how to answer it properly.

Well, what were you doing yesterday? Were you at the masquerade?”
“Why, were you? I don't go, you know. Besides, yesterday I was visiting our captive. ...

Is this correct?
What were you doing yesterday?
I was reading

 

[Rover_KE]

ROFTOK, you must state that you are not a teacher when replying to the posts of other members, as Boris Tatarenko did in post #2.

 

[Tarheel]

I have come across two or three examples of "- What were you doing yesterday?" in books.

But I still don't understand how to answer it properly.

Well, what were you doing yesterday? Were you at the masquerade?”
“Why, were you? I don't go, you know. Besides, yesterday I was visiting our captive. ...

Is this correct?
What were you doing yesterday?
I was reading

In the proper context it can make sense. (See below.)

Mary: What were you doing yesterday?
Bob: What are you talking about?
Mary: What were you doing at Tom's house? You were supposed to be taking care of the kids. Who was doing that if you weren't?
Bob: Oh, it's OK. They were in good hands. Pam said she'd take care of them for a while.
Mary: Oh. OK.

 

[Tarheel]

Is this correct?
What were you doing yesterday?
I was reading.

Technically, yes.

 

[ROFTOK]

Technically, yes.

But I've got the impression that natives don't find it idiomatic.

And to me it sounds as if I was reading all day.

 

[5jj]

If somebody happens to ask you "What were you doing yesterday?", respond as if they had asked "What did you do yesterday?"

End of problem.

 

[Tarheel]

But I've got the impression that natives don't find it idiomatic.

And to me it sounds as if I was reading all day.

I would have thought you would have noticed the qualifier. Just because something is grammatical that doesn't mean it is natural or that it is used.