Unit 3.2
VOCABULARY & SPEAKING
Adjectives for describing feelings
How is the person feeling?
How is the person feeling?
- Ashamed – He who is ashamed of asking is ashamed of learning.
- Indifferent – People have become indifferent to the suffering of others.
- Sorry – It is better to be safe than sorry.
- Determined – He was determined to retrieve his honor.
- Crazy – You’re crazy to go out in this weather.
- Bashful – Don’t be bashful about telling people how you feel.
- Depressed – She became severely depressed after her mother’s death.
- Enraged – She was enraged at his stupidity.
- Frightened – He was frightened at the sight of the dog.
- Interested – I’ve always been interested in music.
- Shy – He was too shy to speak to her.
- Hopeful – I am hopeful that she will come tomorrow.
- Nervous – I get very nervous before a big race.
- Thirsty – She was so thirsty that she drained her cup.
- Suspicious – I think they’re starting to get suspicious.
- Stubborn – She can be as stubborn as a mule.
- Scared – I’m scared to fly in an airplane.
- Regretful – He is regretful for what he has done.
- Embarrassed – He always mumbles when he’s embarrassed.
- Confident – She sounded more confident than she felt.
- Disgusted – I’m disgusted with the way that he was treated.
GRAMMAR & READING
Nightmare stories on video
Watch the following video of a man who spent 41 hours stuck in an elevator
Watch the following video of a man who spent 41 hours stuck in an elevator
- Do you prefer to use the stairs, a lift or an escalator? Does it depend on the kind of building where you are?
- How often do you take lifts?
- Have you ever been stuck in a lift?
- What would you do in Nicholas White's situation?
- Who would you like/ hate to be stuck in a lift with? Why?
- How often do you take lifts?
- Have you ever been stuck in a lift?
- What would you do in Nicholas White's situation?
- Who would you like/ hate to be stuck in a lift with? Why?
GRAMMAR
Past Tenses: Simple, continuous and perfect.
USE 1 Completed Action in the Past
Use the Simple Past to express the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in the past. Sometimes, the speaker may not actually mention the specific time, but they do have one specific time in mind.
Examples:
USE 2 A Series of Completed Actions
We use the Simple Past to list a series of completed actions in the past. These actions happen 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on.
Examples:
USE 3 Duration in Past
The Simple Past can be used with a duration which starts and stops in the past. A duration is a longer action often indicated by expressions such as: for two years, for five minutes, all day, all year, etc.
Examples:
USE 4 Habits in the Past
The Simple Past can also be used to describe a habit which stopped in the past. It can have the same meaning as "used to." To make it clear that we are talking about a habit, we often add expressions such as: always, often, usually, never, when I was a child, when I was younger, etc.
Examples:
Past Tenses: Simple, continuous and perfect.
- PAST SIMPLE
USE 1 Completed Action in the Past
Use the Simple Past to express the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in the past. Sometimes, the speaker may not actually mention the specific time, but they do have one specific time in mind.
Examples:
- I saw a movie yesterday.
- Last year, I traveled to Japan.
USE 2 A Series of Completed Actions
We use the Simple Past to list a series of completed actions in the past. These actions happen 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on.
Examples:
- I finished work, walked to the beach, and found a nice place to swim.
- He arrived from the airport at 8:00, checked into the hotel at 9:00, and met the others at 10:00.
USE 3 Duration in Past
The Simple Past can be used with a duration which starts and stops in the past. A duration is a longer action often indicated by expressions such as: for two years, for five minutes, all day, all year, etc.
Examples:
- I lived in Brazil for two years.
- A: How long did you wait for them?
B: We waited for one hour.
USE 4 Habits in the Past
The Simple Past can also be used to describe a habit which stopped in the past. It can have the same meaning as "used to." To make it clear that we are talking about a habit, we often add expressions such as: always, often, usually, never, when I was a child, when I was younger, etc.
Examples:
- I studied French when I was a child.
- Did you play a musical instrument when you were a kid?
- They never went to school, they always skipped class.
- PAST CONTINUOUS
Use the Past Continuous to indicate that a longer action in the past was interrupted. The interruption is usually a shorter action in the Simple Past. Remember this can be a real interruption or just an interruption in time.
Examples:
- I was watching TV when she called.
- When the phone rang, she was writing a letter.
USE 2 Specific Time as an Interruption
In USE 1, described above, the Past Continuous is interrupted by a shorter action in the Simple Past. However, you can also use a specific time as an interruption.
Examples:
- Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner.
- At midnight, we were still driving through the desert.
- Yesterday at this time, I was sitting at my desk at work.
IMPORTANTIn the Simple Past, a specific time is used to show when an action began or finished. In the Past Continuous, a specific time only interrupts the action.
Examples:
- Last night at 6 PM, I ate dinner.
I started eating at 6 PM. - Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner.
I started earlier; and at 6 PM, I was in the process of eating dinner.
USE 3 Parallel Actions
When you use the Past Continuous with two actions in the same sentence, it expresses the idea that both actions were happening at the same time. The actions are parallel.
Examples:
- I was studying while he was making dinner.
- While Ellen was reading, Tim was watching television.
- Were you listening while he was talking?
USE 4 Atmosphere In English, we often use a series of parallel actions to describe the atmosphere at a particular time in the past.
Example:
- When I walked into the office, several people were busily typing, some were talking on the phones, the boss was yelling directions, and customers were waiting to be helped. One customer was yelling at a secretary and wavinghis hands. Others were complaining to each other about the bad service.
USE 5 Repetition with "Always"
The Past Continuous with words such as "always" or "constantly" expresses the idea that something irritating or shocking often happened in the past. The concept is very similar to the expression "used to" but with negative emotion. Remember to put the words "always" or "constantly" between "be" and "verb+ing."
Examples:
- She was always coming to class late.
- He was constantly talking. He annoyed everyone.
- I didn't like them because they were always complaining.
When you talk about things in the past, "when" is most often followed by the verb tense Simple Past, whereas "while" is usually followed by Past Continuous. "While" expresses the idea of "during that time." Study the examples below. They have similar meanings, but they emphasize different parts of the sentence.
Examples:
- I was studying when she called.
- While I was studying, she called.
Observe the differences:
Watch the following story and notice the difference between past simple and past continuous
Watch the video to review the difference between past simple and past continuous
1b_past_tenses_-_past_simple_vs_past_contin.doc | |
File Size: | 74 kb |
File Type: | doc |
1b_past_tenses_-_past_continuous.doc | |
File Size: | 232 kb |
File Type: | doc |
ON-LINE ACTIVITIES
If you want to extra practice, click on the on-line activities below:
English Verb tenses
If you want to extra practice, click on the on-line activities below:
English Verb tenses
PRONUNCIATION
Past simple of regular verbs endings
Past simple of regular verbs endings
regular-past-tense-pronunciation-handout_1.pdf | |
File Size: | 76 kb |
File Type: |
WRITING
Telling a story
Tips for writing effective narrative and descriptive essays:
Tips for writing effective narrative and descriptive essays:
- Tell a story about a moment or event that means a lot to you--it will make it easier for you to tell the story in an interesting way!
- Get right to the action! Avoid long introductions and lengthy descriptions--especially at the beginning of your narrative.
- Make sure your story has a point! Describe what you learned from this experience.
- Use all five of your senses to describe the setting, characters, and the plot of your story. Don't be afraid to tell the story in your own voice. Nobody wants to read a story that sounds like a textbook!
Remember to divide your composition into different paragraphs:
Paragraph 1
When was the journey? Where were you going? Who with? Why?
Paragraph 2
Did you get lost? What happened?
Paragraph 3
What happened in the end?
USEFUL LANGUAGE
We were going on the wrong direction
We took the wrong exit/ turning
We ran out of petrol
We turned right instead of left
We had to turn round and go back in the opposite direction
We missed our flight
We got a puncture
Our flight was overbooked
The flight was delayed
I forgot my passport
Our luggage was lost
We forgot to do the online check in and had to pay 40 euros for our tickets
There was a huge traffic jam
Some examples of nightmare journeys
Paragraph 1
When was the journey? Where were you going? Who with? Why?
Paragraph 2
Did you get lost? What happened?
Paragraph 3
What happened in the end?
USEFUL LANGUAGE
We were going on the wrong direction
We took the wrong exit/ turning
We ran out of petrol
We turned right instead of left
We had to turn round and go back in the opposite direction
We missed our flight
We got a puncture
Our flight was overbooked
The flight was delayed
I forgot my passport
Our luggage was lost
We forgot to do the online check in and had to pay 40 euros for our tickets
There was a huge traffic jam
Some examples of nightmare journeys
WRITING:
A magazine asked its readers to send in stories about a time they had a disastrous journey. Write a story telling it (about 150 words).
OR
A magazine asked its readers to send their strange or romantic or supernatural stories. Write it in about 150 words.
A magazine asked its readers to send in stories about a time they had a disastrous journey. Write a story telling it (about 150 words).
OR
A magazine asked its readers to send their strange or romantic or supernatural stories. Write it in about 150 words.