Exercise 2B, page 3 - English File Studetn's book, pre-intermediate, Oxford

3 GRAMMAR past continuous

a Read two sentences about the article in 1.

In 1972, Jane was living in London and she was working for an advertising agency.

When Cartier-Bresson took the photo, Jane and her boyfriend were looking at an owl in a tree.

Look at the highlighted verbs. Which verbs describe...?

1 an action in progress at a specific moment in the past

2 the situation at the beginning of the story

b G p.128 Grammar Bank 2B

c 🔊2.13 In pairs, listen to the sounds and write a sentence using the past continuous and the past simple.

They were playing tennis when it started to rain.

2B past continuous: was / were + verb + -ing

At 8.45 last Saturday I was walking in the park.

The birds were singing. It wasn't raining. 🔊2.11

A Was it raining when you got up? B No, it wasn't.

A What were you doing at 11 o'clock last night? B I was watching TV.

• We use the past continuous to describe an action in progress at a specific moment in the past.

• We often use the past continuous to describe the situation at the beginning of a story, e.g. In 1972 I was living in London.

past simple or past continuous?

We were walking in the gardens when he took a photo of us. 🔊2.12

My sister arrived when I was having lunch.

• We often use the past continuous and the past simple together in the same sentence. We use the past continuous to talk about a longer action that was happening in the background when the shorter past simple action happened.

2B

a Complete the sentences with the verb in the past continuous.

I was eating dinner, so I didn't answer the phone. (eat)

1 I took this photo when we __________ in Greece. (travel)

2 He met his wife when he __________ in Japan. (live)

3 __________ she __________ a coat when she went out? (wear)

4 The sun __________ when I went to work. (shine)

5 What __________ you __________ at 7.30 last night? (do)

6 I __________ when you gave the instructions. (not listen)

7 They __________ TV when I arrived. (not watch)

8 It started to rain when we __________ in the park. (run)

b Put the verbs into the past simple or past continuous.

She arrived when we were having dinner. (arrive, have)

1 I __________ my arm when I __________ football. (break, play)

2 __________ you __________ fast when the police __________ you? (drive, stop)

3 It __________ when we __________ the pub. (snow, leave)

4 I __________ the match because I __________ . (not see, work)

5 When you __________ me, I __________ to my boss. (call, talk)

6 We __________ in Cambridge when we __________ . (study, meet)

7 __________ they __________ in Rome when they __________ their first baby? (live, have) ⬅p.17

Посмотрите на выделенные глаголы. Какие глаголы описывают...? 1 действие, происходящее в определенный момент в прошлом 2 ситуацию в начале истории

Ответ:

1 "were looking" describes an action in progress at a specific moment in the past. / "were looking" (смотрели) описывает действие, происходящее в определенный момент в прошлом.

2 "was living" and "was working" describe the situation at the beginning of the story. / "was living" (жила) и "was working" (работала) описывают ситуацию в начале истории.

В парах прослушайте звуки и напишите предложение, используя past continuous и past simple.

Ответ:

Для ответа на вопрос недостаточно данных.

Дополните предложения, поставив глагол в форму past continuous.

Ответ:

1 I took this photo when we were travelling in Greece. / Я сделал эту фотографию, когда мы путешествовали по Греции.

2 He met his wife when he was living in Japan. / Он встретил свою жену, когда жил в Японии.

3 Was she wearing a coat when she went out? / На ней было пальто, когда она вышла?

4 The sun was shining when I went to work. / Солнце светило, когда я пошел на работу.

5 What were you doing at 7.30 last night? / Что ты делал вчера в 7:30 вечера?

6 I wasn't listening when you gave the instructions. / Я не слушал, когда ты давал инструкции.

7 They weren't watching TV when I arrived. / Они не смотрели телевизор, когда я приехал.

8 It started to rain when we were running in the park. / Начался дождь, когда мы бегали в парке.

Поставьте глаголы в форму past simple или past continuous.

Ответ:

1 I broke my arm when I was playing football. / Я сломал руку, когда играл в футбол.

2 Were you driving fast when the police stopped you? / Вы ехали быстро, когда вас остановила полиция?

3 It was snowing when we left the pub. / Шел снег, когда мы вышли из паба.

4 I didn't see the match because I was working. / Я не видел матч, потому что я работал.

5 When you called me, I was talking to my boss. / Когда ты мне позвонил, я разговаривал со своим начальником.

6 We were studying in Cambridge when we met. / Мы учились в Кембридже, когда познакомились.

7 Were they living in Rome when they had their first baby? / Они жили в Риме, когда у них родился первый ребенок?