UNIT 4.
GRAMMAR.
Study the Language Summary (G4.1) on p. 121 in your Student’s Book.
I. Past Simple vs. Past Continuous.
1. Complete the text with the verbs in the box (there is one verb too many). You will need five past progressives and three simple pasts.
ask come dance grin hold not dance order play throwOn the dance floor half a dozen couples (1)themselves around. Most of them (2) cheek to cheek, if dancing is the word. The men wore white tuxedos and the girls wore bright eyes, ruby lips, and tennis or golf muscles. One couple (3) cheek to cheek. Mitchell's mouth was open, he (4), his face was red and shiny, and his eyes had that glazed look. Betty (5) her head as far as she could get away from him without breaking her neck. It was very obvious that she had had about all of Mr Larry Mitchell that she could take.
A Mexican waiter in a short green jacket and white pants with a green stripe down the side (6) up and I (7) a double Gibson and (8) if I could have a club sandwich. Raymond Chandler: Playback
2. Complete each paragraph with one set of verbs, using the past simple or past continuous.
miss /not get / wonderbreak / see / steal / teach
come / listen / make / say explain / talk / understand
1. We (1)...... to music when one of the neighbours (2)...to the door
and (3)...... she couldn't sleep because we (4)...too much noise.
2. Someone (5)…..….into Barbara's office and (6)...... her computer
yesterday afternoon while she (7)………her history class. No one
(8)...... the thief.
3. Because he never (9)……..anything very clearly, none of us (10)……..
what the science teacher (11)...... about most of the time.
4. I'm sorry. I (12)...... here on time and I (13).....the beginning of
your presentation, but I (14)...... if you might have an extra handout left.
NB. Other uses of the Past Continuous.
- We use the Past Continuous to emphasise the temporary character of the action:
e.g. When I learned to drive, I wasliving with my parents.
- We use the Past Continuous with verbs describing change and development:
e.g. She was feeling much better after the surgery.
- We use the Past Continuous to speak about something that happens surprisingly often and to complain about annoying habits (See Unit 2):
e.g. When the builders were here I was making them cups of tea all the time.
He was always making snide remarks about my cooking. (other possible adverbs are constantly, continually, forever).
- We can use either the Past Continuous or the Past Simple to talk about things we intended to do but didn’t:
e.g. We were meaning/ meant to call in and see you, but Jane wasn’t feeling well.
3. Complete the sentences using these pairs of verbs. Use the past simple in one space and the past continuous in the other.
come - show get—go hope - give live - spend look - see start - check in
1. Just as Iwas...... into the bath all the lights ……...... off.
2. I ……….to go away this weekend, but my boss...... me some work that I
have to finish by Monday.
3. When I...... in Paris, I...... three hours a day travelling to and from work.
4. A friendly American couple.....chatting to him as he....at the hotel
reception.
5. I bumped into Mary last week. She....a lot better than when I last...her.
6. My boss...... into the office just as I....everyone my holiday photos.
This time, use the sametense in both spaces.
add - taste go off - light not listen - explain push - run not watch - dream
8. The smoke alarm...... when he...... a cigarette underneath it.
9. I can't remember how to answer this question. I must confess that I………while theteacher it to us.
10. She...... more salt to the soup, and then it...much better.
11. Although the television was on, I....it. Instead I...... about my holidays.
12. She...... open the door and.....into the room.
5. Complete this text with either the past simple or the past continuous form of the verbs in brackets. Where alternatives are possible, think about any difference in meaning.
I (1)(buy) a new alarm clock the other day in Taylor's the jewellers, whenI actually (2)(see) somebody shoplifting. I'd just finished paying for myclock and as I (3)(turn) round, an elderly woman (4)(slowly put) a silver plate into a bag that she (5)(carry). Then she(6) (walk) over to another part of the shop and (7)(pick up)an expensive-looking watch a number of times. When she (8) (think) thatnobody (9)(look), she (10)(drop) it into the bag. Before I(11)(have) a chance to tell the staff in the shop, she (12)(notice) that I (13) (watch) her and (14)(hurry) out.
Unfortunately for her, two police officers (15)(walk) past just at that moment and she (16)(run) straight into them.
II Past Simple vs. Past Perfect.
NB. If the order of past events is clear from the context (for example, if time expressions make the order clear) we can use either the Past Perfect or the Past Simple:
e.g. After John had finished/ finished reading, he put out the light.
However, when we report what was originally said or thought in the Present Perfect only the Past Perfect is used:
e.g. “I have met him before” → I was sure that I had met him before (NOT …I met …).
1. Underline the correct answers. In some cases only one is correct, and in others both are correct.
1As Geoff was introduced to Mrs Snape, he realised that he had met/ met her before.
2During the previous week, I had been/ went to the gym every evening.
3He denied that he had taken/ took the money from the office.
4I didn't know the marking would take so long until I had read/ read the first couple of essays.
5The boy told me that he had lost/ lost his train ticket and didn't know how he would get home.
6At the conference, scientists reported that they had found/ found a cure for malaria.
7The teacher guessed that some of the children had cheated/ cheated in the exam.
8Thomas explained that he had gone/ went home early because he felt ill.
9The waiter took my plate away before I had finished/ finished eating. 10 Jane didn't want any dinner. She had eaten/ ate already.
2. Use the Past Simple or the Past Perfect to complete the sentences:
When I (1 go) to Paris last spring for a job interview, I (2 not be) there for five years. I (3 arrive) the evening before the interview, and (4 spend) a happy hour walking round thinking about the good times I (5 have) there as a student.
As I was strolling by the Seine, I suddenly (6 see) a familiar face - it was Nedjma, the woman I (7 share) a flat with when I was a student, and whose address I (8 lose) after leaving Paris. I could tell she (9 not see) me, so I (10 call) her name and she (11 look) up. As she (12 turn) towards me, I (13 realise) that she (14 have) an ugly scar on the side of her face. She (15 see) the shock in my eyes, and her hand (16 go) up to touch the scar; she (17 explain) that she (18 get) it when she was a journalist reporting on a war in Africa.
She (19 not be) uncomfortable telling me this; we (20 feel) as if the years (21 not pass), as if we (22 say) goodbye the week before. She (23 arrive) in Paris that morning, and she (24 have) a hospital appointment the next day. The doctors (25 think) that they could remove the scar, but she would have to stay in Paris for several months. Both of us (26 have) the idea at the same time: if I (27 get) the job, we could share a flat again. And we could start by having a coffee while we (28 begin) to tell one another everything that (29 happen) to us in the past five years.
3. Choose an ending (a-d) for each beginning (1-4) and add these verbs in the past perfect or past simple.
come give need not finish say talk work
1He...... the money last week,
2You.....during the meeting
3When he.....back later,
4Ashley could have done much better
A. that you ………about that already.
B. so I.....it to him then.
C. if she...... harder.
D. they still………..writing their reports.
4. Complete this text with these verbs.
was (x2) explained didn't eat have gone had cooked hadn't eaten were went didn't lock have heard had reached hadn't locked
One of the four-year-olds in the reading group suddenly said, 'This is the silliest story I(l)…..ever……!' I (2)……in the middle of readingGoldilocks and the Three Bears to the group. We (3)……just thepart in the story where Goldilocks goes into the bears' house and eats some of the food from bowls on the table.
'Where (4)...... the bears?' he asked.
'Maybe outside or playing in the woods,' I suggested.
'And their house was wide open? They (5)...even……….the doorbefore going out?'
'Well, in the old days, people (6)....their doors.'
'And their food was on the table, but they (7)...it before they (8)……… outside?'
'Maybe they (9)...... it because it (10)...... too hot.'
'If you (11)...... that meal, you wouldn't (12)....out and left it, wouldyou?'
'Probably not, but it's just a story,' I (13)...rather weakly.
III Past Perfect vs. Past Perfect Continuous.
1. Complete the sentences with one of these verbs, using the same verb for each sentence in the pair. Use the past perfect continuous if possible; if not, use the past perfect.
apply carry fly smoke work
1. a She...... for the company since she left school, so I wasn't surprised when shetook a new job in London.
b She...... finally...... her way up from trainee to a management position,and she celebrated her promotion with a big party.
2. a The avalanche...... them 500 metres down the mountain but no-one was hurt.
b She took a bottle from the bag she...... …..all the way from home.
3. a Michael...... all his cigarettes and had to borrow some from Kate.
bBy the smell in the room and his guilty expression I could tell that Alex………..
4.aWe...... for visas early, but still hadn't got them by the week before the holiday.
bShe...... for jobs, without success, since leaving university.
5.a He...... all the way from New York to be at yesterday's meeting.
b When the plane was diverted, shortly after take-off, it ………… from London to Frankfurt.
NB. Remember that we don’t describe states with continuous tenses, and we use the Past Perfect, not the Past Perfect Continuous, even when we focus on the length of a situation up to a particular past time.
2. Choose the past perfect continuous form of the verb if appropriate; if not, use the past perfect.
1. Mrs Bishop...... to have children for years; then she finally became pregnant at theage of 45. (try)
2 This was the first time we had been to the castle, even though we ……… Edinburgh afew times before, (visit)
3She bought her first watch at the age of 8. It ……… two pounds.(cost)
4Meg James...... children's stories for 10 years when she got her first book published.(write)
5. For some time Mark ……….. about passing the exams and eventually decided to changethe course he was taking, (worry)
6. My teacher was really annoyed with me. It was the third time I ………… late for schoolthat week, (arrive)
7. Ialways...it would be easy to get a job, and was disappointed to berejected, (believe)
8. We about Sue when, to our amazement, she walked through the door, (talk)
3. Study this conversation extract. If the underlined verbs are correct, write “V”. If they are wrong, correct them using either the past perfect (active or passive) or past perfect continuous.
A: How was your weekend?
B: Not great, actually. I (1)'d really been looking forward to a relaxing couple of days. But early on Saturday morning Mum phoned to say that Dad (2) had been taking ill.
A: Oh, no! What (3) had happened?
B: She (4) had just been hearing that he (5) had been flown by helicopter to hospital in Edinburgh from a village called Contin where he (6) had fished with my Uncle Mark.
A: And is he okay? What's wrong with him?
B: Well, Uncle Mark said that Dad (7) had been complaining of a bad headache most ofyesterday, but he (8) hadn't been wanting to go back to the hotel and spoil the day. But then in the evening, just as they (9) had stopped fishing for the day, he (10) had been collapsing...
4. Complete this text with these verbs in the past perfect or past perfect continuous.
Be catch live plan take break have make remove worry
The telephone call from the police was a shock, but not a complete surprise. Molly(1) constantly about the old house lying empty during the two months sinceher mother went into hospital. She (2) to go round and check the empty place,but she (3) extra busy at work recently.
According to the police, a homeless man(4)into the house. They (5) him one morning as he was leavingthe building with one of her mother's large paintings. When Molly walked into the house, it wasobvious that the man (6) there for quite a while. He (7) food from the cupboards and throwing empty tins and packages all over the floor. He(8)quite a mess. He (9)alsoseveral paintings from the walls. Molly decided not to tell her mother because she (10) alreadyenough pain in recent weeks and really didn't need any more bad news.
IV Tense Revision.
1. Choose the right tenses:
The Little Girl and the Wolf
One afternoon a big wolf (1wait) in a dark forest for a little girl to come along carrying a basket of food to her grandmother. Finally a little girl did come along and she (2carry) a basket of food. 'Are you carrying that basket to your grandmother?' asked the wolf. The little girl said yes, she was. So the wolf (3ask) her where her grandmother lived and the little girl (4tell) him and he (5disappear) into the wood.
When the little girl (6open) the door of her grandmother's house she (7see) that there was somebody in bed with a nightcap and nightgown on. She (8approach) no nearer than twenty-five feet from the bed when she (9see) that it was not her grandmother but the wolf, for even in a nightcap a wolf does not look in the least like anybody's grandmother. So the little girl (10take) an automatic pistol out of her basket and (11shoot) the wolf dead.
Moral: It is not so easy to fool little girls nowadays as it used to be.
James Thurber: Fables for Our Time
Rioting students battle against police
May 7 (1968). In the last two days, Paris (12see) the worst street-fighting since the Liberation in 1944. Up to 30,000 students, locked out of their own campus yesterday by the Sorbonne rector, Jean Roche, (13 fight) the tear gas of the riot police with barricades, bricks, paving stones and Molotov cocktails.
The trouble (14ferment) for some time. On March 20, six students (15arrest)after an anti-American demonstration; the next day, a mass sit-in at the Nanterre campus (16begin). Last Friday, the police – whose alleged brutality is said to have sparked off the violence - forcibly evicted the students, who (17 lead) by Daniel Cohn-Bendit.
All day yesterday, the Latin Quarter (17be) the arena for running street fights centred on the Boulevard St Germain.Chronicle of the 20th Century
2. Complete the two texts about World War I with the correct form of the verb in brackets.
The condition of Britain in 1917
The government also (1) (need) to ensure that Britain was fed. Under the Defence of theRealm Act it was able to take over land and turn it over to food production. In February 1917 it (2) (set up) the Women's Land Army to recruit women as farm workers. By then,however, the food supply in Britain (3) (became) desperate. German U-boats (4) (sink) one in every four British merchant ships and Britain had only six weeks' supplyof wheat left. As food supplies (5) (run) short, so prices (6) (rise).Wages (7) (hardly rise) during the war because people were mostly prepared to sacrifice betterpay to support the war effort, but prices were now almost double what they (8) (be) in1914. Poorer people could not even afford basic supplies such as bread. Shops (9) (close) early each afternoon as they (10) (run out) of goods to sell.
German reactions to the Treaty of Versailles 1919
The overall reaction of Germans was horror and outrage. They certainly (11) (not believe) they (12) (start) the war. They (13) (not even think) they (14) (lose) the war. In 1919 many Germans (15) (not really understand) how bad Germany's military situation (16) (be) at the end of the war in 1918. They believed that the German government (17) (simply agree) to a ceasefire, and that therefore Germany should have been at the ParisPeace Conference to negotiate peace. They were angry that their government was not represented at the talks and that the Allies (18) (force) them to accept a harsh treaty without any choice or even acomment. At first, the new government (19) (refuse) to sign the treaty and at one point it (20) (look) as though war might break out again. However, Ebert, the new German leader, wasin an impossible position. Reluctantly, he (21) (agree) to accept the terms of the treaty and it (22) (sign) on 28 June 1919.