Grammar
Past continuous
1a. Read part of the conversation from GETTING STARTED. Pay attention to the underline part.
Duong: I phoned you around 9 p.m last night, but no reply.
Nick: Oh, I was doing some Internet research on Vietnamese legends for my project.
Form of the past continuous
(+) Positive
I/he/she/it + was + V-ing
we/you/they + were + V-ing
(-) Negative
I/he/she/it + was not/ wasn’t + V-ing
we/you/they + were not/ weren’t + V-ing
(?) Question
was + I/he/she/it + V-ing
were + we/you/they + V-ing
* Short answers to Yes/No questions:
(+) Yes, I/he/she/it was.
Yes, we/you/they were.
(-) No, I/he/she/it wasn’t.
No, we/you/they weren’t.
b. When do we use the past continuous? Can you think of the rule?
- We use the past continuous to describe an action that was in progress at a started time in the past.
Example: The hare was running at 3.30.
- We use the past continuous to describe an action that was in progress when another shorter action happened (this shorter action is expressed by the simple past.)
Example: When she was crying, a fairy appeared.
2. Complete the following sentences by putting the verbs in brackets in the correct form.
1. When the prince saw Cinderella at the party, she (wear) __________ a beautiful gown.
2. What (you/ do) __________ this time yesterday?
3. When Jack (go) __________ to the market, he met a magician.
4. While the hare was sleeping, the tortoise (run) __________ to the finish as fast as he could.
5. When the princess returned, the prince (not wait) __________ for her.
3a. Use the past continuous and the suggested words to write sentences to describe what was happening in each picture.
b. Work in pairs. Ask and answer questions about the pictures in a.
Example:
A: What was the servant doing?
B: She was spinning.
Look out!
We use the past simple for a succession of actions.
Example:
When Tom heard the news, he ran to his car, jumped in it and drove home.
4. Write the correct form of each verb. Use the past continuous or the past simple.
1. The prince (walk) __________ along the road when he met a princess, so he (stop) __________ and (have) __________ a chat with her.
2. When Saint Giong (lie) __________ on the bed, he (hear) __________ announcement that the emperor (need) __________ brave men to protect his land.
3. Alice was walking alone in the woods when she suddenly (hear) __________ footsteps behind her. Someone (follow) __________ her. She was frightened and she (start) __________ to run.
4. When the crow (drop) __________ the cheese, the fox (eat) __________ it.
5. They (dance) __________ merrily when Cinderella suddenly (leave) __________ the party.
6. Lac Long Quan (miss) __________ his life under the sea, so he(decide) __________ to take fifty of his sons back there.
5a. Read the fable and put the verbs in brackets into the past simple or the past continuous.
It was a nice day. The sun (1. shine) __________ and a tortoise (2. sleep) __________ in the sun. He opened his eyes and saw that an eagle was flying in the sky. “I want to fly like that!” the tortoise said. The eagle heard him and agreed to help. The eagle picked up the tortoise, and off they (3. go) __________. When they (4. fly) __________ very high in the sky, the eagle (5. open) __________ his claws for the tortoise to fly. But the poor tortoise (6. fall) __________ all the way down to earth.
b. What is the moral of the fable?
6a. Guess what your partner was doing last Sunday at these times.
Example:
I think Minh was having breakfast at 7 a.m. last Sunday.
b. Ask your partner to check your guesses.
Example:
A: Were you having breakfast at 7 a.m. last Sunday?
B: Yes, I was./No, I wasn't.
