UNIT ONEPresent Simple Tense

Structure: To form the Present Simple Tense we use the verb’ base form (go, work, speak, study). In 3rd person singular

(he, she, it), the base form of the verb takes -s/es. (Auxiliary verbs "be," "do," "have", which can also be used as main verbs, are exceptions.)

 Affirmative form

I/ you/ we/ they work

he/she/it  works /-s/

go - goes /-es/watch - watches /-es/play - plays /-s/study - studies /-es/

! Remember:

to beI amyou/we/they arehe/she/it is

to doI/you/we/they dohe/she/it does

to haveI/you/we/they havehe/she/it has

 Negative form

I , you, we, they DO NOT (DON’T) WORK

he, she, it    DOES NOT (DOESN’T) WORK             1. She doesn’t often go to the cinema.2. I don’t get up early at the weekend.3. They don’t speak English very well.

 Interrogative form

               IDO       you       WORK?             we             they

1

DOES   he/she/it    WORK?

1. Do they speak foreign languages?2. Do you want a banana?3. Does your sister play the piano?

 Questions and short answers:

Do you like spaghetti?Yes, I do.No, I don’t.

Does she know Bulgarian? Yes, she does.No, she doesn’t.

 Notes about formation of the 3rd person singular (he, she, it):

If the verb ends in -ss, -sh, -ch, -x or -o, add -es to the base form:  kiss - kisses, finish - finishes, watch - watches, mix - mixes, go - goes

 If the verb ends in consonant + y change y to i and add -es:  study - studies, copy - copies,  try - tries, carry – carries

 We use the Present Simple Tense:

when we talk about things that happen repeatedly or habitually

With Present Simple Tense we often use time expressions such as always, often, sometimes, usually, seldom, on Saturdays, rarely, never, every day, etc.Examples:

1. Philip gets up at 6 o’clock every morning.2. I go to school every day.3. She sometimes goes out on Friday night.4. I usually sleep late on Sunday morning.5. Peter works for 8 hours every day. 6. We usually start work at 8 o’clock.7. My children often watch TV in the afternoon.8. He always forgets his keys.

When we talk about permanent or long-lasting situationsExamples:1. I work in a bank.2. Kate speaks English very well. 3. Tom lives in London.

When we talk about people or things in generalExamples:

2

People make choices because they can’t have everything they want.2. Nurses work in clinics and hospitals. 3. Football is a very popular sport in Bulgaria.

To indicate general truths, facts and scientific lawsExamples:

1. The Earth is spherical.2. My birthday is in May.3. California is in the United States.4. The sun rises in the east.5. Water freezes at 0°C (32°F).

When we talk about travel plans and timetables (mainly with verbs such as go, leave, arrive, start, come, return etc.)Examples:1. We arrive in Rome at 6 p.m.2. The train leaves in five minutes. 3. The course starts next Thursday.

With state (or stative) verbs such as like, dislike, love, think, seem, look, know, feel, understand, want, need, hate, remember, forget, prefer, believe, mean, taste, hear, see, have (when the meaning is "possess"), own, belong, etc. These verbs are not normally used in the Continuous Tense (but there are exceptions).Examples:

1. She loves jazz music.2. My aunt hates travelling by train.3. I like ice cream. I don’t like spinach.4. I think she is a wonderful person.5. Do you believe in God?6. I have no money at the moment.7. My brother has a new car.8. That bicycle belongs to me.

To give instructions/directionsExamples:1. Pour all ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix until smooth.2. Walk down the street to the corner and then turn right.

 The Present Simple Tense is also used in:

sentences after “when”, “after”, “while”, “till” / “until”, “before”, “as soon as” - When the rain stops, we’ll go out.I’ll call you back as soon as I return home.

 zero conditional sentences (when the result of the condition is always true) - If you heat water to 100°C (212°F), it boils.

first conditional sentences (Often called the “real” conditional because it is used for real (or possible) situations. These situations take place if a certain condition is met.) - If you finish your homework I’ll bring you to the zoo.

List of stative verbs

3

Here is a comprehensive list of stative verbs:

to adore to fit to pleaseto agree to hate to possessto appear (seem) to have (possession) to promiseto appreciate to hear to realise to be to imagine to recognizeto believe to include to rememberto belong to to involve to resembleto concern to know to satisfyto consist of to lack to seeto contain to like to seemto cost to loathe to smellto deny to look (seem) to soundto depend on to love to supposeto deserve to matter to surpriseto detest to mean to tasteto disagree to measure to think (opinion)to dislike to mind to understandto doubt to need to wantto equal to owe to weighto feel to own to wish

Exercises

1. Write down the missing sentences:

AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE QUESTIONS

I I play.

you You help.

he He does not answer.

sheDoes she sing?Doesn’t she sing?

it It rains.

weDo we dream?Don’t we dream?

4

you You do not read.

theyDo they work?Don’t they work?

2. Arrange the words to make sentences in simple present.

I / to collect stamps – I collect stampswe / to play card games - …………………………………………………….he / to read comics - ………………………………………………………….Chris / to sing in a band - …………………………………………………….we / to have a hamster - ……………………………………………………...Andy and John / to like cola - ……………………………………………….she / to be nice - ……………………………………………………………...they / to help their parents - ………………………………………………….the children / to speak English - ……………………………………………..I / to buy a newspaper every Saturday - ……………………………………..

3.Choose the correct form.

We sometimes (read, reads, doesn’t read)……….. books. Emily (go, don’t go, doesn’t go)…………to the disco. It often (rain, don’t rain, rains)………. on Sundays. Pete and his sister (doesn’t drive, drives, drive)………………. the family car. I always (walks, doesn’t walk, walk)……………….. to the bus stop.

4. Put the verbs into the correct form.

I (to like)……………………. lemonade very much. The girls always (to listen) ………………………to pop music. Janet never (to wear) ……………………..jeans. Mr Smith (to teach) …………………..Spanish and French. You (to do) ………………………your homework after school.

5. Fill in the correct form of the verbs.

We (to have) …………………….a nice garden. She (to be)……………………… six years old. Simon (to have)……………………. two rabbits and five goldfish. I (to be)……………………………. from Vienna, Austria. They (to be) ………………………….Sandy’s parents.

6. Make negative sentences.

My father makes breakfast. →…………………………………………….They are eleven. →………………………………………………………..She writes a letter. → ……………………………………………………..I speak Italian. → …………………………………………………………

5

Danny phones his father on Sundays. → …………………………………

7. Make questions.you / to speak / English →…………………………………………………when / he / to go / home → ………………………………………………..they / to clean / the bathroom → …………………………………………..where / she / to ride / her bike → ………………………………………….Billy / to work / in the supermarket → ……………………………………

8. Find the signal words for simple present.

1. Which is a signal word for simple present?a. now b. last Monday c. often

2. Which is a signal word for simple present?a. sometimes b. the moment c.yesterday

3. Which is a signal word for simple present?a. last Friday b. every Friday c. next Friday 4. Which is not a signal word for simple present?a. never b. already c. usually

5. Which is not a signal word for simple present?a. Listen! b. first ... then ... c. seldom

Present Continuous Tense

1. Structure The Present Continuous is made with the present form of the verb “to be” (I am, you are, he/she/it is, we are,

you are, they are) + the ‘-ing’ form of the main verb. The ‘-ing’ form of the verb is called the Present Participle.

AFFIRMATIVE FORM NEGATIVE FORM QUESTION FORM

 I am  reading  I  am not  reading  Am  I  reading?

 You are  reading  You  are not  reading  Are  you  reading?

 He is  reading  He  is not  reading  Is  he  reading?

 She is  reading  She  is not  reading  Is  she  reading?

 It is  reading  It  is not  reading  Is  it  reading?

 We are  reading  We  are not  reading  Are  we  reading?

 You are  reading  You  are not  reading  Are  you  reading?

 They are  reading  They  are not  reading  Are  they  reading?

Contracted forms: I am = I’m    you are = you’re   

6

he/she/it is = he’s/she’s/it’s           

                        I am not  = I’m not you are not  = you aren’t         he/she/it is not = he isn’t/she isn’t/it isn’t                              we are = we’re                         they are   = they’re                                                    we are not  = we aren’t             they are not = they aren’t   

       Examples:  1. What are you doing?                                       3. He is reading a newspaper.2. I’m having a bath.                                           4. Are they working?           

   2. Using the Present Continuous Tense

    We most often use the Present Continuous when we talk about something which is happening at the time of speaking (now, at the moment):

Examples:  1. Pamela is sleeping in the bedroom. 2. The telephone is ringing! 3. They are doing their homework. 4. I’m waiting for my girlfriend in front of the cinema.

    Present Continuous is also used when we talk about something which is happening at present, but not necessarily at the moment of speaking:

Examples:  1. I’m reading an interesting book. 2. Tom is looking for a new job. 3. We are studying English and Spanish.

    We can use the Present Continuous when we talk about temporary actions taking place only for a period of time (today, this week, this semester, this year):

Examples:  1. My husband is working hard today. 2. They are spending this week in Paris. 3. She is teaching English this semester. 4. We are staying at the Bristol Hotel tonight. 5. I’m living with my parents at the moment but soon I’ll buy my own house.

    Present Continuous is also used to express current trends:

Examples:  1. Fuel prices are rising constantly because of strong demand. 2. On-line shopping is growing rapidly nowdays.

    We can use the Present Continuous when we talk about repeated actions which are irritating to the speaker (always, constantly):

Examples:  1. He is always complaining from his colleagues.2. My son is always getting into trouble in school.

7

    Sometimes we use the Present Continuous to describe a planned action in the near future:

Examples:  1. I’m leaving for Vienna tomorrow morning. 2. We are having lunch at 12.30 o’clock.

Some verbs can be both stative and dynamic:

Bebe is usually a stative verb, but when it is used in the continuous it means ‘behaving’ or ‘acting’ you are stupid = it’s part of your personalityyou are being stupid = only now, not usuallyThinkthink (stative) = have an opinionI think that coffee is greatthink (dynamic) = consider, have in my headwhat are you thinking about? I’m thinking about my next holidayHavehave (stative) = ownI have a carhave (dynamic) = part of an expressionI’m having a party / a picnic / a bath / a good time / a breakSeesee (stative) = see with your eyes / understandI see what you meanI see her now, she’s just coming along the roadsee (dynamic) = meet / have a relationship withI’ve been seeing my boyfriend for three yearsI’m seeing Robert tomorrowTastetaste (stative) = has a certain tasteThis soup tastes greatThe coffee tastes really bittertaste (dynamic) = the action of tastingThe chef is tasting the soup

(‘taste’ is the same as other similar verbs such as ‘smell’)

Exercises

1. Fill in the gaps with the correct form of the verb in brackets.

Example: I am listening (listen) to you.The train to Glasgow is leaving (leave) from platform 8. I ‘m begining (begin) to understand the Present Continuous now. Sue is working (work) tonight. Listen! The telephone is ringing (ring).

8

Ms. Johnson is seeing(see) a customer at 3 o’clock. 2. Form complete sentences by putting the following words into the correct order:1  living very We’re flat. in a nice We’re living in a very nici flat.……………………………………………….…………2  image. company hard improve its working to The is The company is working hard to impove its image………………………………………………..…..…….3  interesting China. book reading a I’m very about I’m reading a very interesting book about China……………………………………………………………..4  Saturday. The party a on are having Barrons The Barrons are having a party on Saturday……………………………………………………………..5  playing team are Our today. badly

……………………………………………………………..6  train new with My playing son his is set.

……………………………………………………………..7  her Sheila’s mobile. to someone on talking

……………………………………………………………..8  morning. I’m Bob tomorrow at 12 meeting

……………………………………………………………..9  is week. Rome flying to Margot next

……………………………………………………………..10. meet am that you me. hoping will I ……………………………………………………………..

Present Tense Continuous – Negative Form

I ’m not playing football.

You aren’t standing up.

He isn’t listening to music.

She isn’t swimming.

It isn’t playing with the ball.

We aren’t going home.

They aren’t running.

Exercises

1. Fill in the gaps with the correct form of the verb in brackets.

9

Example: We aren’t watching (not watch) the television.My Dad ……………….(not have) his lunch now. The kids ……………....(not study) tomorrow. It ……………………...(not rain) today. I……………………….(not study) German. We ……………………(not go) to Egypt on summer holiday.

2. Form complete sentences by putting the following words into the correct order:

 

1  homework. isn’t English Anita doing her

……………………………………………………………2  the Progress having We Test today! aren’t

……………………………………………………………3  for the dinner. coming aren’t Unfortunately, Petersons

……………………………………………………………4  The photocopier isn’t working.

……………………………………………………………5  renting aren’t and flat Lisa sister a her together.

……………………………………………………………6  aren’t working Saturday. We next

……………………………………………………………7  anywhere going at Clive and I weekends. aren’t

……………………………………………………………8  phone isn’t ringing. The

……………………………………………………………9  I’m anything not now. doing right

…………………………………………………………….10. playing Nobody computer games. is

…………………………………………………………….

Present Tense Continuous – Interrogative Form

Am I doing it right?

Are you listening to me?

Is he working today?

Is she speaking Chinese?

10

Is it working?

Are we going home now?

Are they watching TV?

Exercises

1. Fill in the gaps with the correct form of the verb in brackets.

Example: Are you listening (you listen) to me?

1. …………………………. (it start) to rain? 2. ………………………….. (Sue study) to become a doctor? 3. ………………………….. (you take) your daughter with you? 4. …………………………... (the dog play) with the kids? 5. ………………………... (they come) tonight?

2. Form complete sentences by putting the following words into the correct order:

1  tennis Is with playing Pamela you tomorrow?

…………………………………………………………..2  tonight? you Are doing anything

…………………………………………………………..3  a they in Are London? bigger office into moving

…………………………………………………………..4  presentations doing on his Is Sean Wednesday?

…………………………………………………………..5  staying Is anyone classes? after else

……………………………………………………………6  Are going they already? home

……………………………………………………………7  your back? Isn’t coming wife

…………………………………………………………...8  you joking? Are

……………………………………………………………9  Are your taking play? part the in kids

……………………………………………………………..10  watching anyone TV? Is

………………………………………………………………

11

Wh- Questions

What am I doing?

Where are you living now?

Who is he speaking to?

When is she coming?

What is it doing here?

When are we having the test?

What are they watching?

Exercises

1. Fill in the gaps with the correct form of the verb in brackets.

What company …………………………..(you work) for? What class ………………………………..(they study) in? Who ………………………………(John shake) hands with? What time ………………………………..(your friends come)? What country …………………………… (they visit) at the moment?

2. Form complete sentences by putting the following words into the correct order:

 1. time are What friends coming? your

…………………………………………………………….2  visiting What you vocation? country on are

……………………………………………………………….3  are speaking to? you Who

………………………………………………………………..4  you Where tonight? staying are

………………………………………………………………….5  doing? hell the are What you

…………………………………………………………………..6  arriving train is your When in Moscow?

………………………………………………………………………7  with? my dancing wife Who’s

……………………………………………………………………..

12

8  buying? are What car they

…………………………………….9  How coming? many people are

…………………………………………………………………………10  What you are drinking?

THE –ING FORMS OF THE VERBS

Usually we add ingwork workingstand standinglearn learning

When the verb ends in an e, we drop the e and add ingcome cominghave havingwrite writing

If a one syllable (with only one vowel sound) verb ends in one consonant (for example p, t, r) that follows one vowel (for example a, o, e), we double the consonant.

swim swimmingget gettingstop stopping

Some verbs have irregular ing form

Exercises

Make the –ing form of the verbs:  coming ……………..  watch ……………..  skate ……………..  smile ……………..  die ……………..  speak ……………..  run ……………..  meet ……………..  talk ……………..  have ……………..  take ……………..  live ……………..

lie lyingdie dyingtravel Br. travelling

Am. traveling

13

  sit ……………..  go ……………..  listen ……………..  eat ……………..  lie ……………..  ski ……………..  wear ……………..  chat ……………..  chew ……………..

3. Choose the correct form of the verb depending on whether in this meaning it is an action or a state verb. If both the Present Continuous and the Present Simple tenses are possible, use the Present Continuous tense.

1. a) Why are you smelling the soup?

    b) Why do you smell the soup?

 2.   a) She was feeling his arm on her shoulder.

  b) She felt his arm on her shoulder.

 3.   a) Are you having an English dictionary?

    b) Do you have an English dictionary?

 4.   a) What are you thinking about?

    b) What do you think about?

 5.   a) I am feeling much better today.

    b) I feel much better today.

6.     a) What are you looking at?

    b) What do you look at?

 7.   a) I am not hearing you.

    b) I can’t hear you.

 8.   a) What are you thinking of me?

    b) What do you think of me?

 9.   a) I am feeling we should go home now.

    b) I feel we should go home now.

14

 10.   a) This bread is tasting funny.

    b) This bread tastes funny.

Present Tense Simple / Present Tense Continuous

Permanent (usual) and Temporary (now, around now) actions.

We use the Present Continuous tense to speak about things which are happening now or things which are temporary.

I am not working now. I am on holiday.Sally is listening to a new CD.Who are you phoning?

The Present Simple tense describes usual, repeated and permanent thingswhich happen for example, always, usually, often, sometimes, never.

I work as an accountant.John doesn’t know German.How often do you play tennis?

Compare how these two tenses are used.

Why are you walking to work? Don’t you usually go by bus?I live in Kharkiv, but now I am living in Moscow.Usually we have dinner at 7, but today we are having it at 9.

Some verbs are not normally used in the Continuous Tense. They are called “state” verbs.

Present Continuous and Present Simple to talk about the future.

We use the Present Continuous Tense for plans and arrangements.

What are you doing tonight?I’m seeing a very important customer in my office at 4 o’clock.We are going to the see for our holiday.Where are you staying in Vienna?I’m not going anywhere. It is final.

We use the Present Simple in the conditional clauses after if, when, as soon as, until etc, and when we talk about timetable, schedules, itineraries etc.

What will you do if you fail your exam?We will wait until she comes.

My plane takes off at 9.00.The President arrives in Norway on 17 September.What time does your train leave?

15

Exercises

1. Put the verb in brackets in the correct form, either the Present Simple Tense or the Present Continuous Tense.

1. I ………………..a very interesting book.(to read)2. Joanne ………………eight hours a day. (to work)3. Tonight we …………………a play at the theatre. (to watch)4. Who……………………………to? (he, to speak)5. I ………………………him very well. (to know)6. What will you do if she……………………..late?(to come)7. My wife…………………………………coffee for breakfast. (to have)8. What …………………………………….for breakfast? (you, to have)9. Your train …………………………..at 17.25 from platform 3. (to leave)10. What…………………………………? She’s a student. (she, to do)

2. Put the verbs into present progressive.

1. My sister (to clean) ……………………the bathroom. 2. Look! They (to go) …………………….inside. 3. I (to wait) …………………………in the car now. 4. Mrs Miller (to listen)…………………… to CDs. 5. We (to speak) ………………………….English at the moment.

3. Choose the correct form. Note that there are exceptions in spelling when adding ‘ing.’

1. His brother …………………….a test at the moment. (does, is doing, do)2. They ………………….in the pool. (are swimming, swim, swims)3. Look! David and Max ………………home. (come, comes, are coming)4. My dog Charlie ………………..to the park. (go, goes, is going)5. I ………………..breakfast now. (make, is making, am making)

4. Rewrite the sentences using the short forms (where long forms are given) or the long forms (where short forms are given).

1. We are reading a letter. ……………………………………..…..2. He is opening the window. …………………………………......3. I am playing computer games. ……………………………….....4. She’s dancing at the party. …………………………………...…5. They’re drinking a cup of tea. ………………...…………..….…

5. Rewrite the sentences using the negative forms.

1. We are playing a game. ……………………………………….….2. I’m drawing a picture. ……………………………………………3. He is making pizza right now. ……………………………….…...4. Susan and her brother are taking photos. …………………………5. Dad is working in the kitchen. ……………………………………

6. Write questions in present progressive.

16

Robin / to ride / his bike ……………………………………………..where / she / to go …………………………………………………..what / your mother / to do / now ……………………………………

7. Which is a signal word for the present progressive?

1. often now sometimes

2. always Look! at the moment ………………………………………………………………………..

Past Simple Tense

Structure

The past simple tense of the most English verbs (regular verbs) is formed by adding"-ed"/"-d" to their base form. (If the verb ends in "-e", we add "-d" to form the past simple.)

 There are also some verbs called irregular verbs that have special past tense forms.

Here are some examples of irregular verbs:to do – did – doneto be – was/ were – beento make – made - made

  Affirmative form

 Regular verbs:base form + "-ed" or "-d":work + "-ed" = workedlive + "-d" = lived

I/you/he/she/it/we/they workedI/you/he/she/it/we/they lived

 Irregular verbs: past form only I/you/he/she/it/we/they saw

 To form the negative and interrogative sentences we use the past form of auxiliary verb do --> did:

 Negative form

Iyou                    DID + NOThe/she/it               /DIDN'T/we                    + WORKthey

He didn't work yesterday.She didn't see him last night.

17

 Interrogative form

                 I               youDID       he/she/it        WORK?                we               they

Did he work yesterday?Did she see him last night?

 If it is the verb "to be" we use was/were before the subject:Was he at the office the other day?

 Questions and short answers:

Did you go to the cinema last night?Yes, I did.No, I didn't.

Did he speak with Kate yesterday?Yes, he did.No, he didn't.

Spelling rules for the past simple of regular verbs:

 if a regular verb ends in consonant + y change y to i and add -ed:  carry - carried,    study - studied,    fry - fried,    try - tried

 if a one syllable regular verb ends in consonant + vowel + consonant double the final consonant and add -ed -- > stop - stopped,  plan - planned,   rob - robbed,   beg - begged

 if a regular verb has more than one syllable and ends in consonant + vowel + consonant, we double the final consonant only if the final syllable is stressed -- >  preFER - preferred,    regRET - regretted

Exception: In British English verbs ending in -l have -ll before -ed whether the final syllable is stressed or not -- > travel – travelled

Pronunciation of final "-ed" (regular verbs):

 after an unvoiced consonant sound (sh/ s / ch / p / k / f ) we pronounce /t/: wash (/sh/) - washed (/t/); kiss (/s/) - kissed (/t/); work (/k/) - worked (/t/); hope (/p/) - hoped (/t/); laugh (/f/) - laughed (/t/)

 after a vowel and voiced consonant sounds we pronounce /d/: phone (/n/) - phoned (/d/); judge (/dg/) - judged (/d/); turn (/n/) - turned (/d/); play (/ei/) - played (/d/); follow (/ou/) - followed (/d/)

 after /t/ and /d/ sounds we pronounce /-id/: visit (/t/) - visited (/id/); start (/t/) - started (/id/); need (/d/) - needed (/id/)

Exception! The verb to be is different. We conjugate the verb to be (I was, you were, he/she/it was, we were, they were); and we do not use an auxiliary for negative and question sentences. To make a question, we exchange the subject and verb. Look at these examples:

18

  subject main verb    

+I, he/she/it was   here.

You, we, they were   in London.

-I, he/she/it was not there.

You, we, they were not happy.

?Was I, he/she/it   right?

Were you, we, they   late?

We use the Past Simple Tense:

to describe actions and situations that happened in the past. These actions and situations were started and finished in the past.

Examples:1. We arrived at 9:00 o'clock.2. This morning I went to the supermarket.3. The teacher went to the desk.4. He didn't hear the telephone.5. Susan bought her little sister a doll.6. We came here in 1980.7. I worked at Johnson & Co. from 1990 to 1995.8. My brother lived in London for six years. (he doesn't live there anymore)

 The sentence often contains an adverb or adverb phrase of time, such as yesterday, the other day, last night, last week, three days ago, a few minutes ago, in (year), from (year) to (year), etc.

 to talk about habitual or repeated actions that took place in the past

Examples:1. When she was young, she danced beautifully.2. He played the violin when he was a child.3. We often went there.4. I saw her every day.

Note: This use is also often expressed with used to:Bob used to smoke 20 cigarettes a day.

 to tell a story and to express actions which follow each other in a story

Examples:

19

It happened one night in the winter.2. She opened her bag, took out the key and unlocked the door.

 to refer to the historical past or to events that have happened in the distant past relative to the speaker

Examples:

1. World War II ended in 1945.2. Romans built strong bridges.

 for reporting what someone said (converting from direct to reported speech)

Examples:

1. David said that he was tired.2. The doctor told me that I would have to stay in the hospital for a week.

 to talk about action in the past that took place in the middle of another action

Examples:

1. When Peter arrived, I was reading a book.2. I was having a bath when the phone rang.

 for making second conditional sentences (also called conditional type 2) when we talk about an imaginary or unlikely situation and to describe its result. (If + past simple, would + infinitive)

Examples:

1. If I won the lottery, I would travel the world.2. If I were you, I wouldn't marry him.

Exercises

1. Put the verbs into the simple past:

1. Last year I (go)………………to England on holiday. 2. It (be) ………………………….fantastic.3. I (visit) ……………….lots of interesting places. I (be) ……………..with two friends of mine . 4. In the mornings we (walk) ………………………………in the streets of London. 5. In the evenings we (go) ……………………………………..to pubs. 6. The weather (be) ……………………………strangely fine. 7. It (not / rain) …………………………….a lot. 8. But we (see) ………………………………..some beautiful rainbows. 9. Where (spend / you) ………………………………………..your last holiday?

20

3. Fill in the blanks below with one of the 15 irregular past tense verbs in the box.

atecamedid

drankgavegot

mademetran

readsaw

swam

tookwentrode

1. He……………………………. his homework before he went to school.2. It was cold so we ……………………… some hot chocolate.3. I ………………………….. a sandcastle when I went to the beach.4. It was a hot day so she …………………………… in the lake yesterday.5. His car had a flat tire so he ………………………… the bus to work.6. I …………………………… a horse last summer when I went to my uncle's farm.7. I was late for class so I …………………………….. to school.8. I……………………….. two hamburgers so I am full.9. I………………………………a good book before I went to bed.10. She ………………………. a lion when she went to the zoo.11. A letter…………………………….. in the mail today.12. They ………………………………………….. hiking yesterday.13. I…………………………………. my brother a game for his birthday.14. She………………………………….a good report card so her mom was happy.15. I ……………………………… my friends when we went to the park.

4. Fill in with the correct form of the verb in brackets

1. Yesterday I …………………………..to the movies. (go) 2 .My sister …………………………..a birthday cake for me last week. (make) 3. Steve ……………………………..his bicycle to school yesterday. (ride)4. My friends ……………………………………to Los Angeles two weeks ago. (drive) 5. Elizabeth …………………………………some flowers to her mother last Saturday.(take) 6. Kevin ………………………………………his leg while he was playing football. (break) 7. Last week my aunt ……………………………….a baby. (have)8. When we cleaned the yard, we ………………………………..a lot of work. (do)9. The child ……………………………………………….some milk last night. (drink)10. My teacher …………………………………………some new books last month. (buy)

The Past Continuous Tense

Structure

 The Past Continuous is made with the Past form of the verb "to be" (I was, you were, he/she/it was, we were, you were, they were) + the '-ing' form of the main verb. The '-ing' form of the verb is called the Present Participle.

Past Continuous (Progressive) Tense

Affirmative (Positive) Form Negative Form Question Form

21

 I was  reading  I  was not  reading  Was  I  reading?

 You were  reading  You  were not  reading  Were  you  reading?

 He was  reading  He  was  not  reading  Was  he  reading?

 She was  reading  She  was not  reading  Was  she  reading?

 It was  reading  It  was not  reading  Was  it  reading?

 We were  reading  We  were not  reading  Were  we  reading?

 You were  reading  You  were not  reading  Were  you  reading?

 They were  reading  They  were not  reading  Were  they  reading?

We use the Past Continuous Tense:

    We use the Past Continuous Tense to say that someone was at the middle of doing something at a certain time. The action or situation has already started before this time but hadn't finished yet:

Examples: 1. What were they doing at 10 o'clock? They were working at the garden. 2. Last summer at this time he was visiting Mexico. 3. Karen was walking to school at 8.30 this morning. 4. They were dancing at a friend's birthday party last night at 10.30 p.m.

    The Past Continuous is also used together with the Past Simple to say that somehing happens at the middle of something else:

Examples: 1. David was reading a book in the park when suddenly it began to rain. 2. While I was walking down the street I met an old friend. 3. He phoned as we were leaving the house. 4. They were playing cards when Jim came.

    We can use the Past Continuous to indicate that two actions in the past were in the progress simultaneously (with while):

Examples: 1. While I was studying in one room my older sister was having a party in the other room. 2. While James was washing the car his wife was cleaning the house.

    The Past Continuous is used to express action that were in progress at the time of another particular time:

Examples: 1. It was snowing all morning. 2. They were driving all night long.

    The Past Continuous is also used to talk about irritating repeated actions in the past (with always, constantly):

22

Examples: 1. My girlfriend was always coming late. 2. He was always forgetting to close the door.

    We use the Past Continuous to make polite inquiries:

Example: I was wondering if you could lend me your new car for a few hours.

    Remember that we do not normally use the Past Continuous with no action verbs like seem, know, feel, hear, smell, taste, hate, hope, mean, prefer, love, like, etc.

23