"it rained" vs "it was raining"

Question

"it rained" vs "it was raining"

Both "it rained" and "it was raining" are correct, but they are used in different contexts. "It rained" is simple past tense, indicating that rain fell at a specific time in the past. "It was raining" is past continuous tense, indicating that rain was falling continuously over a period of time in the past.

Last Updated: March 15, 2024

Use "it rained" to describe a past event when rain fell at a specific time.

Examples:

Yesterday, it rained heavily.
During the picnic, it rained unexpectedly.
It rained all night long.
It rained for hours.
It rained cats and dogs.

Alternatives:

It poured
It drizzled
It showered
It sprinkled
It stormed

Use "it was raining" to describe a past event when rain was falling continuously over a period of time.

Examples:

When I left the house, it was raining.
It was raining all morning.
While we were driving, it was raining heavily.
It was raining when we arrived at the party.
During the trip, it was raining non-stop.

Alternatives:

It was pouring
It was drizzling
It was showering
It was sprinkling
It was storming

Answer 1

it rained

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate that rain fell at a specific time in the past.

Answer 2

it was raining

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate that rain was falling continuously over a period of time in the past.

"it rained" vs "it was raining"

it rained

it was raining

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