Sure, I can help you with that! Below are the sentences with one verb in the past simple and the other in the past continuous:
a) I was working in Oxford when I met Tony for the first time.
- "was working" is the past continuous verb, indicating an ongoing action in the past.
- "met" is the past simple verb, indicating a completed action that interrupted the ongoing action.
b) It was raining when Sara arrived home.
- "was raining" is the past continuous verb, indicating an ongoing action in the past.
- "arrived" is the past simple verb, indicating a completed action that occurred as the ongoing action (rain) was happening.
c) We were having lunch when you rang.
- "were having" is the past continuous verb, indicating an ongoing action in the past.
- "rang" is the past simple verb, indicating a completed action that interrupted the ongoing action.
d) You were chatting when I came in.
- "were chatting" is the past continuous verb, indicating an ongoing action in the past.
- "came" is the past simple verb, indicating a completed action that happened while the ongoing action was taking place.
e) Joe was cooking when he cut his finger.
- "was cooking" is the past continuous verb, indicating an ongoing action in the past.
- "cut" is the past simple verb, indicating a completed action that interrupted the ongoing action.
f) Dave and Becky were watching TV when the baby woke up.
- "were watching" is the past continuous verb, indicating an ongoing action in the past.
- "woke" is the past simple verb, indicating a completed action that happened as the ongoing action was taking place.
In summary, the past continuous is used to describe actions that were ongoing at a specific time in the past, often interrupted by another action. The past simple is used to describe actions that were completed at a specific time in the past.