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C GOAL Describe Past Actions
Language Expansion: Personal Achievements
A Read about Mạc Đĩnh Chi. What did he achieve?
Mac Dinh Chi was a poor boy from a small village in Việt Nam during the Trán Dynasty. When he was studying in his hometown, he could not afford an oil lamp to read books at night. Therefore, he put fireflies into eggshells and used their light to read the pages. With great dedication, he became a leading scholar in the village and later passed the palace examination as the highest-scoring graduate in 1304.
B Label the pictures with the achievements from the box.
| get a scholarship graduate from high school/college learn a language pass your driving test run a marathon travel abroad |
1. _______________________ 2. _______________________ 3. _______________________
4. _______________________ 5. _______________________ 6. _______________________
C In groups, discuss the achievements in B. Rank them from 1 to 6 and give reasons. (1 = most difficult to achieve, 6 = easiest to achieve.)
Grammar (See Grammar Reference pp. 159-160)
| Simple Past and Past Continuous with when and while |
| An action interrupting another action in the past While she was studying in high school, she won a scholarship. They were running a marathon when I arrived at their school. I first met my best friend while I was traveling abroad a few years ago. Two actions happening at the same time in the past While I was learning English, he was preparing for his driving test. |
| We weren't chatting when the teacher came into the classroom. David wasn't watching TV while his mom was cooking dinner for the family. He was helping her. |
| Was she doing her math homework when she heard a loud noise? Were you listening to the teacher while she was explaining the math problem? | Yes, she was. No, she wasn't. Yes, we were. No, we weren't. |
| Use the past continuous to talk about actions in progress at a specific time in the past. Use the past simple to talk about short, completed actions. |
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D Underline the correct words to complete the sentences.
1. What were you trying to tell me when we bought / were buying the groceries?
2. I found these photos while I arranged / was arranging some English books on the shelf.
3. The teacher was explaining the lesson when he dropped / was dropping the microphone.
4. We ran / were running a marathon in Ho Chi Minh City when we met an old friend.
5. While Nam was giving his best friend some tips to pass the driving test, we waited / were waiting patiently outside.
E Complete the sentences. Use your own ideas.
1. I was learning English while ____________________________________.
2. I was ____________________________________ when the band started their first song.
3. She was traveling abroad when ____________________________________.
4. They ____________________________________ when one of them decided to leave the team.
5. We ____________________________________ while Minh was preparing for his poster presentation.
SPEAKING STRATEGY
Showing Surprise or Interest
Oh my goodness!
Wow!
What a wonderful surprise! Really?
I really didn't expect that!
Are you serious?
Tell me more!
That's shocking!
Conversation (Optional)
F 🎧62 Listen to the conversation. What was Pete doing when the fire drill started?
Alfredo: Hi, Pete. Last Friday, there was a fire drill at our school. Did you hear about that?
Pete: Oh, yes! I was preparing for the presentation with my friends when the alarm went off.
Alfredo: Oh, really? I didn't know that. Was Alice with you at that time?
Pete: Yes, of course. While I was working with my group, she was talking to the teacher.
Alfredo: It seems everybody in the class was there except me.
Pete: Why? Where were you?
Alfredo: I was running in the school marathon on Fifth Avenue.
Pete: Oh, I remember. You represented our class in the marathon. Did you win?
Alfredo: Yes, I did. Look at my medal!
Pete: Congratulations! I'm so proud of you!
G Practice the conversation in pairs. Switch roles and practice it again.
H Change the underlined words and practice the conversation again.
✔️GOAL CHECK
Describe Past Actions
1. Interview your partner.
2. Ask What were you doing when / while...?
What were you doing when the teacher asked you to help her this morning?
I was talking to Nhu.
What were you doing while we were playing football during the break yesterday?
I was trying to explain a math problem to Minh.
