>>
>>But how about street talk? Are all people really using the "I'm smoking a cigarette" sentence and do they never say "I smoke a cigarette"? I'm not referring here to formal speech, but to street talk. How about...
>>
>>"I was smoking a cigarette."
>>"I smoked a cigarette."
>>
>
>We would use the first ( past tense progressive ) to indication what we were doing when something else happened. "I was smoking a cigarette when the teacher caught me."
>
>We use the second to indicate past completed action
>
>"What did you do outside?"
>"I smoked a cigarette."
>
>If someone says "What were you doing ( while you were ) outside?"
>
>"I was smoking a cigarette ( while I was outside )" is correct as the duration is implied.

Terry gave this example:

A - "Come inside"

B1 - "No, I'm smoking"
B2 - "No, I smoke" Which indicates that someone is a smoker.

I understand that rule. But if one can say "I smoked a cigarette", then one can also say "I smoke a cigarette", notwithstanding the proclaimed practice that most would say "I am smoking a cigarette". As it is obvious to everyone that this person is not a smoker of one single cigarette during his whole life. ( I know cigarettes kill you, but not that fast :)



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