UNIT 17GRAMMAR: PAST CONTINUOUS
REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS Illustrative Situations
1. Yesterday evening John was at home. He was watching television. One of the programmes was interesting but the phone rang in the middle of it. It was his friend.
Questions: What was John doing yesterday evening? What happened in the middle of the programme? Who was it'
2. Mr Collins got to the airport early. He sat in the lounge for a while. Then they called out his flight and he went to the plane.
He was sitting in the lounge when they called out his flight. Questions: What did Mr Collins do when he got to the airport? What was he doing when they called out his flight?
3. — What were you doing between 5 and 6 o'clock yesterday
evening?
— I was watching television.
— Was Jack watching television, too?
— No, he was writing letters.
4. — Betty was doing her French homework when Bob came to
see her last Saturday.
— Did he help her?
— Yes, he did, but he didn't enjoy it.
5. — I was very busy last night.
— Were you?
— Yes, I was studying English.
— Really?
6. — David came to see me unexpectedly last night.
— Oh, did he? What were you doing when he came?
— I was having dinner.
— How inconvenient!
Practice
/. Say what you or other people were doing some time ago. Use the prompts.
e.g. The whole day yesterday I was busy, (write an article) I was writing an article.
1. On Sunday I was in the library, (prepare for one's exam)
2. At 11 a.m. on Saturday I was at the University, (write a test)
3. We were in the country on the weekend, (fish) 4. All day long yesterday I was out. (work in the garden) 5. At 7 o'clock yesterday evening we were still at the office, (have a meeting) 6. From 10 till 12 on Sunday Victor was busy, (repair the TV set) 7. At 10 a.m. yesterday I was at home, (clean the flat) 8. Yesterday afternoon we were at the stadium, (play football) 9. On Friday morning I was at work, (make an experiment)
//. Teacher: — At 10 p.m. yesterday I was watching TV. Were
you also watching TV at that time, Mary?
Student: — Yes, I was. (or No, I wasn't, I was doing my
homework)
The students take over the role of teacher. Teacher: At 7 p.m. yesterday I was playing volley-ball. What were
you doing, Mary? Student: I was writing letters.
Teacher: What was your husband (son, etc) doing at that time? Student: He was cleaning the car.
/// Teacher: a) Guess what I was doing from 5 to 6 yesterday evening by asking me questions:
e.g. — You were reading, weren't you?
— You weren't cleaning the flat, were you?
b) Guess what my husband was doing at the same time: e.g. — He was writing a letter, wasn't he?
— He wasn't watching TV, was he?
c.) Guess what my son was doing at the same time: e.g. Was he playing tennis?
IV. Ask your partner what he (she) was doing at 8 p.m. yesterday; who he (she) was talking to when you saw him (her), where he (she) was travelling in summer, if he (she) was working at his (her) thesis on the weekend; what problem he (she) was discussing with his (her) co-workers; what he (she) was doing in the laboratory when you saw him (her); where he (she) was hurrying when you met him (her); who he (she) was waiting for when you saw him (her); if he (she) was watching TV last night.
V. a) Here is a list of some things that Mary did yesterday (and the times at which she did them):
8.45—9.15 — have breakfast 16.00—18.00-watch television
9.15—10.00 — read a newspaper 19.00—20.30—cook
10.00—12.00 —clean her flat 21.00—22.00—listen tome news
12.45—13.30 —have lunch 22.00—24.00—type
14.30—15.30 —wash some clothes
b) Now ask all types of questions about what Mary was doing at these times yesterday.
VI. Make sentences with "when" for these situations:
Situation: We had a lecture on art yesterday and the rector of the University came in the middle of it.
We were having a lecture on art when the rector of the University came in.
1. Mr Robinson turned the radio on and listened to the first part of the concert. Then the phone rang. 2. We were at a dance last night. In the middle of it someone shouted: "Fire!". 3. Robert drove to London yesterday. Halfway there the car broke down 4. The television programme was interesting yesterday but my friends called on me in the middle of it. 5. We had a dictation yesterday. The bell rang in the middle of it. 6. The Browns were at the dinner table when the telegram arrived. 7. Robert went to the bus-stop and waited. At that time it began to rain.
VII. Make up complex sentences using the prompts:
e.g play/talk to smb
While the children were playing Mrs Smith was talking to
her neighbour.
Prompts: 1. have a bath/wash the dishes; 2. make tea/clean the car; 3. listen to the news/read the papers; 4. have a holiday/work hard; 5. write an article/do one's homework; 6. repair the tape-recoder/do the housework; 7. look through business papers/type e.g. to work this morning/an accident
I was walking (riding) to work this morning when I saw an
accident
Prompts: \. breakfast/the telephone; 2. tennis/rain; 3. TV/my cousin; 4. lesson/bell; 5. the guitar/string; 6. newspaper/bus; 7. in the park/a friend; 8. homework/noise outside; 9. golf/a telegram
VIII. Complete these sentences using Past Continuous or Simple Past.
1. When we went out... 2. Who were you talking to ...? 3. It was raining ... 4. When I got to the lesson ... 5. I was ringing the doorbell when ... 6. When I opened the door ... 7. While Mary was playing the piano ... 8. ... his father was sleeping. 9. When I arrived home ...
10. All day long yesterday ... 11. On Sunday morning ... 12. ... 1 was resting. 13. While John was swimming ... 14. This afternoon ... 15. From 5 till 6 on Friday ... 16. When I got up ... 17. While I was talking to my friend ... 18. The whole month ... 19. ... yesterday morning 20. I was having tea ...
IX. Use the prompt verbs both in Past Continuous and in Simple Past:
e.g. do exercises
At our English lesson we were doing exercises. We did 6 exercises (write letters; make telephone calls; do lectures; take exams; type articles; learn poems; read fan letters; translate articles)
X. Ask questions:
e.g. — Jill went out with someone yesterday.
— Who did she go out with?
1 When I saw Harry he was waiting for someone. 2. When James came Mary was looking for something. 3. Mike was writing to someone when I entered the room. 4. He wanted to talk to someone at the police station. 5. When I saw Gemma she was talking to someone. 6. He wanted to talk about something very important. 7. Betty went out with someone. 8. When I came Roger was listening to something over the radio. 9. He went there for something.
XI. Say what you (your friends, relatives) wanted to do once but didn't do:
e.g. — We were going to travel by train but then we decided to go
by car.
1. Tom wanted to invite Peter but then he changed his mind. 2. Mary intended to become a teacher but then she changed her mind 3. My mother wanted to go shopping but then she decided not to. 4. My sister wanted to go to the cinema at first but then she decided to go shopping. 5. James intended to play cricket on Saturday but then he decided to play golf. 6. We planned to leave at 5 a.m. but left at 8 a.m. 7. They intended to boating but then decided to stay home because of the weather.
XII. Make up short dialogues. Do it as in the example:
e.g. — Did she get married?
— No, she was going to get married but then she changed her mind.
XIII. Ask and answer questions: e.g. — Who was he talking to?
— I've no idea who he was talking to.
Prompts: Betty/dance with; Jack/wait for; they/listen to; Mary/look for; they/talk about; the boss/speak to
XIV. Travel Schedule — Thursday
7.30 Arrive at NBC studios.
7.45—9.00 Have breakfast with the producer of Musical
Box
9.15 Leave the studio.
9.15—10.30 Drive to the Concert Hall in Pasadena.
11.00—12.30 Interview jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater.
12.30 Return to the motel.
13.00—13.45 Have lunch with Dee Dee's manager.
14.00—17.00 Take photographs of Dee Dee's Bridgewater.
18.00 Leave the concert hall to return to the motel.
19.30—midnight Attend a party in Hollywood.
Practice
1. Sue Barnes is a young Scottish music journalist on her first visit to California. Look at the travel notes above for the last day of her visit. In pairs, ask and say what Sue did: 1. before lunch; 2. after lunch; 3. in the evening.
Fluency In a Park
This is what happened in a park yesterday when it began to rain.
An old lady was feeding some pigeons. Two old men were sitting on a park bench and talking A young man was looking at the flowers. A young couple was walking hand in hand. Some children were playing volley-ball. When it began to rain the two old men got up and stood under a tree. The old woman put a newspaper over her head and the young man put his umbrella up. The young couple and the children began to run as fast as they could.
/. Listen to the text and answer the questions:
What was the old lady doing when it began to rain? What were the two old men doing? What was the young man looking at? What were the young couple and the children doing? What did the people in the park do when it began to rain?
//. Say what was going on in the park yesterday.
What was it like?
Maggie is asking Stephen about the time he spent in Amsterdam. Stephen: I really enjoyed Amsterdam. I was living in a flat in the centre of the town.
Maggie: What sort of flat were you living in? Stephen: It was very old and very dark, but it had atmosphere.
I was sharing with some other people actually. Maggie: What sort of people were you sharing with? Stephen: Oh, just students. I was working in an office at the time. Maggie: What sort of office were you working in?
/. Listen to the conversation between Maggie and Stephen and say what Maggie wants to know. What are her exact words?
II. Act out the conversation.
III. Situation: Maggie spent a year in France. Stephen wants to know what it was like.
A Visit from Jeff
Jill: Hello, Jeff. You're back.
Jeff: Yes, I phoned you last night but you didn't answer.
Jill: But we didn't go out.
Jeff: Then what were you doing at 7.30 last night?
Jill: I don't know. At 8.30 I was watching television.
Steve: I heard the phone, but I was cleaning my shoes when it
rang. I had shoe polish on my hands, so I didn't answer it.
I called Jill but she was drying her hair, so she didn't hear
it Then I was walking to the phone when it stopped. Jeff: Ah, I see. .Well, we arrived back yesterday afternoon. We
left at 3.30. When we left France the sun was shining and
when we landed in London, it was raining. Jill: What did you do in Bordeaux? Jeff: Oh, several things. Pam lay in the sun and swam in the sea.
We went on excursions and saw a lot of interesting places.
Pam bought some souvenirs, we wrote postcards, took
photographs and the children made new friends. Pam spoke
French to the waiters. Steve- Did you like it there then? Jeff: I thought it was wonderful. I ate a lot, I drank wine, I slept
until 10 every morning and I spent all my money!
/. Listen to the conversation "A Visit from Jeff" and say where Jeff and his family spent their holidays.
II. Listen to the conversation again and reproduce the phrases with the irregular verbs in Simple Past.
III. Say how Jeff and his family spent their holidays.
IV. Act out the conversation.
V. Situation: Yesterday you phoned your friend several times during the day but he was out. You want to know where he was and what he was doing
A Quiet Evening
Mr Jones was at home at 8.30 that evening. His wife and children were at home, too. Mrs Jones was in the kitchen. She was making tea. Jane was laying the table. David was in the sitting-room. He was reading a book. All this was quite normal but Mr Jones knew there was something wrong about the house. He was going to ask his wife about it when he saw that the television-set was not working. When the family sat at the table Jane told Mr Jones that the TV set was out of order, and the programme that evening was interesting. "Then let's talk about something", said Mrs Jones. But there was nothing to talk about. So the children went to bed. Mrs Jones went to sleep, too. Only Mr Jones was glad. He sat down in a comfortable armchair, took his pipe and began to read an interesting book.
/. Listen to the text "A Quiet Evening", ask and answer questions on the text.
II. Retell the text.
III. Say a) what the members of your family were doing when you came home yesterday; b) what your colleagues were doing when you came to your office this morning.
An Accident
Two cars were going along Cambridge Street. An Englishman was driving a Rolls-Royce, and a foreign student was driving a V. W, The Englishman was driving slowly arid carefully. The student wasn't driving carefully... he was looking at a girl. She was walking along the street. She was wearing a short skirt, and she was carrying a handbag. The traffic-lights were green.
A dog was sitting beside the traffic lights. A cat was sitting on the opposite corner. Suddenly the dog saw the cat. It ran across the road. The English driver saw the dog. He braked quickly. The V. W. crashed into the Rolls-Royce. The girl saw the accident. She ran to a telephone box. The police came immediately.
/. Listen to the text "Accident" and answer the questions:
Where did the accident happen? Who was driving a Rolls-Royce? a V. W.? How did the accident happen? Who saw the accident7* What did she do?
//. Say how the accident happened.
III. Did you ever see an accident? How did it happen?
A Robbery
There was a robbery at 151 River Street yesterday afternoon. Burglars broke into every apartment in the building while all the tenants were out.
The man in apartment 1 wasn't home. He was washing his clothes in the laundry. The woman in apartment 2 wasn't home either. She was visiting a friend in the hospital. The people in apartment 3 were gone. They were having a picnic at the beach. The man in apartment 4 was out. He was playing tennis in the park. The college students in apartment 5 were away. They were attending a football game. And the elderly lady in apartment 6 was out of town. She was visiting her friend in New Jersey.
Yesterday was an unfortunate day for the people at 151 River Street. They had no idea that while they were away burglars broke into every apartment in the building.
/. Listen to the text "A Robbery" and say what happened yesterday afternoon at 151 River Street.
II. Listen to the text again. Say what the people in different apartments were doing.
1. The man in apartment 1 wasn't home. He ... 2. The woman in apartment 2 wasn't home either. She ... 3. The people in apartment 3 were gone. They ... 4. The man in apartment 4 was out. He ...
5 The college students in apartment 5 were away They ... .
6 The elderly lady in apartment 6 was out of town. She ... .
/// Ask all types of questions on the text. IV. Retell the text.
V. I called on you yesterday afternoon but none of the members of your family was at home. Where were you and your family?
Friday the 13th
Yesterday was Friday the 13th. Many people believe that Friday the 13th is a very unlucky day. I, myself, didn't think so ... until yesterday.
Yesterday I cut myself while I was shaving. My wife hurt herself while she was making breakfast. My son poked himself in the eyes while he was putting on his glasses. Our daughter spilled soup over herself while she was eating dinner. Both our children hurt themselves while they were playing outside. And we all got wet paint all over ourselves while we were sitting in the park across the street.
Yesterday was a very unlucky day.
/. Listen to the text "Friday the 13th" and say whether Friday the 13th was a lucky day for the writer.
II. Answer the questions.
What day was yesterday? What happened to the writer (his wife, his children) yesterday? Where did the family get wet paint all over themselves?
///. Retell the text.
IV. Was yesterday a lucky day for you?
V. Make up sentences with reflexive pronouns. Use the prompts. e.g. We/all this work.
We did all this work ourselves.
1. little girl/all that ice-cream; 2. Arthur/all that wine; 3. Tom/ the car; 4. I/this difficult exercise; 5. Susan/all the dishes; 6. the children/the room; 1. Tom and Peter/all that work; 8. We/all these books; 9. Mary/dinner; 10. I/the text; 11. The boys/the table; 12. We/the homework.
Self check
/. Choose the correct verb tense.
1. While I was having/had breakfast this morning my sister phoned from Mexico. 2. When I was seeing/saw his face I was realising/ realised my mistake. 3. I was writing /wrote a letter to my penfriend last night. 4. I was taking/took an umbrella because it was raining/rained. 5. It was a cold winter night.
It was snowing/ snowed hard and I was wanting/wanted to get back home quickly.
//. Put the verbs into the correct forms.
A. 1. — What you (read) when I (come)?
— A very interesting detective. I (take) the book from the library yesterday.
2. Ann still (wait) for me when I (arrive). She (get) angry because I (be) late again.
3. — Where you (hurry) when 1 (meet) you?
— I (go) to the station to meet my mother.
4. I (drive, not) fast when the accident (happen).
5. I (come) to the station an hour before the train's departure. While I (wait) for the train I (read) a newspaper.
6. The telephone (ring) when we (have) dinner. My wife (answer) the phone.
B. The students (talk) excitedly when the teacher (come) in, but they (stop) at once when the teacher (speak). He (walk) across the room and (begin) to write questions on the blackboard. While he (write), the students (sit) down, (take) out their pens and (prepare) themselves for the test. The teacher (finish) writing, (sit) down in front of the class and (open) a book. He (read) his book the whole time while the students (answer) the questions. When the bell (ring) at four o'clock, most of them (still, write). The teacher (tell) them to stop working and he (collect) their answer papers. When they (leave) the room he (begin) to correct the papers.
///. Translate into English:
1. Пока машинистка печатала документы, я разговаривал с главным инженером. 2. — Чем ты занимался в понедельник с 8 до 10 вечера? — Готовился к экзамену. 3. Ты вчера был занят, не так ли? — Да, я писал статью.— Жаль. Вчера в университете была очень интересная лекция. 4. — С кем ты разговаривал, когда я тебя встретил? — Со своим двоюродным братом. 5. Вчера вечером мы все были дома. Я читал весь вечер. Моя жена смотрела телевизор, а дети играли в шахматы. 6. — Что вы обсуждали на вчерашнем собрании? — Мы говорили о нашем производственном плане. 7. — Кто помог тебе перевести статью? — Я перевел ее сам. 8. Она никогда не рассказывала о себе. 9. — Кто подписывал документы? — Вы сами их подписали. 10. Мне не пришлось звонить Николаю. Он сам мне позвонил. 11. Мы никого не просили о помощи и сделали всю работу сами. 12. Они сами рассказали мне об этом.