"was running" vs "ran"

Question

"was running" vs "ran"

Both "was running" and "ran" are correct verb forms, but they are used in different contexts. "Was running" is the past continuous tense, indicating an ongoing action in the past. On the other hand, "ran" is the simple past tense, indicating a completed action in the past. The choice between the two depends on whether you want to emphasize the continuous nature of the action or simply state that the action occurred.

Last Updated: March 15, 2024

Use "was running" when you want to describe an action that was in progress at a specific point in the past. It is formed with the past tense of "to be" (was/were) and the present participle of the main verb (running).

Examples:

He was running in the park when it started to rain.
She was running late for the meeting yesterday.
I was running out of time to finish my assignment.

Alternatives:

was jogging
was sprinting
was dashing
was hurrying
was moving quickly

Use "ran" when you want to describe an action that took place and was completed in the past. It is the simple past tense form of the verb "to run."

Examples:

She ran a marathon last year.
He ran to catch the bus.
They ran out of milk and had to go to the store.

Alternatives:

sprinted
jogged
hurried
dashed
moved quickly

Answer 1

was running

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate an ongoing action in the past.

Answer 2

ran

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate a completed action in the past.

"was running" vs "ran"

was running

ran

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