action at a specific moment action with a

in time finished time word

What were you doing when I called? I went to the doctor yesterday
we were having lunch Last year we went to Australia

actions which took place at the actions which followed each other
same time first/then/afterwards/finally
My colleague was writing a contract, First the phone rang, then my boss came in
while I was making some photocopies and finally my laptop crashed. What a day!

unreal /imaginary things

If I won the lottery, I would buy a house
I wish I had more time (2nd Conditional)

PAST PAST
CONTINUOUS SIMPLE

background information completed actions in finished

time period
The sun was shining, the birds were Mozart was an Austrian composer
singing when suddenly a storm came up He wrote more than 600 pieces of
music

ongoing action which is interrupted by another action

(first action which started earlier) (second action which started later)
Tom was meeting a new client--------------------------------------------when---------------------------------------his wife called.
While Tom was meeting a new client----------------------------------------------------------------------------------his wife called
When his wife called, Tom was meeting a new client