連続 and 継続: consecutive events and maintaining an activity
Compare three consecutive bell rings with months of practice, distinguishing the repeated unit from an uninterrupted physical action.
Events or units in succession
連続, read れんぞく, identifies consecutive events or units. ベルが三回連続で鳴りました。 says that the bell rang three times consecutively.
三日連続で雨が降りました。 says that rain fell on three consecutive days. It does not establish rain at every instant of all three days.
Maintaining an activity or relationship
継続, read けいぞく, means continuing to maintain an activity or relationship. 毎朝の練習を半年継続しています。 says that daily morning practice has been maintained for half a year.
来月も活動を継続する予定です。 says that continuing the activity next month is planned. It does not report next month’s activity as already finished.
Repeated units and the maintained period
練習を継続していますが、日曜日は休みます。 says that practice continues, with Sundays off. Regular rest days can coexist with maintaining an activity over time.
Identify the unit in 連続, such as sounds, days, or matches. Consecutive units do not always establish a single physical action performed without any pause.
Does 練習を継続していますが、日曜日は休みます。 require practice on Sundays too?
Show the answer and why
No. It explicitly keeps Sundays as rest days. The maintained activity and its schedule on individual dates must be distinguished.