This is an example of something happening again and again or that could be seen as a habit. It's commonly used with words like 'always', 'forever', 'constantly' etc.

The past continuous tense is used to describe events over a period of time that were not completed, or in other words unfinished, because there was an interruption. The plan was ongoing (to increase interest rates) but it was then interrupted or stopped by a change of mind (when it was realised mortgages would become unaffordable).

We often use the past continuous to describe the background to a story written in the past tense. In reality this is the same as the Interrupted Past Events use of the past continuous because we are explaining what was happening in the background (past continuous) when the specific event/action in the story took place (past simple). So don't worry if you chose that by mistake.

The past continuous is used for completed actions over a fixed period of time in the past. 'Completed' means the action being referred to was started and finished. These are commonly used with phrases/words such as all day/morning etc, the whole time, every minute, and so on.

This is an example of something happening again and again or that could be seen as a habit.

The past continuous can be used for a situation where something is happening over time, but there is an intervening event. The intervening event (accident) doesn't stop the thing happening over a period of time (waiting for the bus). We can assume the person carried on waiting for the bus.

The past continuous tense is used to describe ongoing events that were not completed, or in other words unfinished, because there was an interruption. The event or action was stopped at a key point in the past. The person could obviously not continue playing football after he broke his leg.

Again, a situation where something is happening over time, but there is an intervening event. We can assume they continued with their dinner even though it had started to rain.

The past continuous is used for completed actions over a fixed period of time in the past. 'Completed' means the action being referred to was started and finished. These are commonly used with phrases/words such as all day/morning etc, the whole time, every minute, and so on.

We often use the past continuous to describe the background to a story written in the past tense, with the main event (the picnic) in the past simple.