Unit 3.1
1. VOCABULARY AND READING
Describing past
In this unit we are going to study the past by using different narrative tenses (past simple, continuous and perfect). But first, let's discover the uses by reading this text.
Have you ever had a very bad day at work?
What happened?
Can you guess what happened to Emma Wyatt?
True or False?
a) Emma liked her present job.
b) On the day of the interview, Emma overslept because she was tired.
c) Emma was just in time to catch her train.
d) Emma took the tube because the bus was late.
e) People on the train were staring at Emma.
f) Emma was worried what the interviewer would think of her.
g) The taxi drove through a puddle and covered Emma in water.
h) Emma can’t remember anything after crossing the road to go back to the tube station.
a) Emma liked her present job.
b) On the day of the interview, Emma overslept because she was tired.
c) Emma was just in time to catch her train.
d) Emma took the tube because the bus was late.
e) People on the train were staring at Emma.
f) Emma was worried what the interviewer would think of her.
g) The taxi drove through a puddle and covered Emma in water.
h) Emma can’t remember anything after crossing the road to go back to the tube station.
Verbs related to narrative events
Some common verbs used in narrative tenses are:
BELIEVE
EXPECT
REALIZE
RECOGNIZE
REMEMBER
REMIND
WONDER
And common expressions and linkers:
Some common verbs used in narrative tenses are:
BELIEVE
EXPECT
REALIZE
RECOGNIZE
REMEMBER
REMIND
WONDER
And common expressions and linkers:
6. 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.
- PAST PERFECT
I had finished the work.
She had gone .
The past perfect is used in the same way as the present perfect, but it refers to a time in the past, not the present.
We use the past perfect tense:
- for something that started in the past and continued up to a given time in the past:
- when we are reporting our experience and including up to the (then) present:
I was pleased to meet George. I hadn’t met him before, even though I had met his wife several times.
- for something that happened in the past but is important at the time of reporting:
Teresa wasn’t at home. She had gone shopping.
We use the past perfect to talk about the past in conditions, hypotheses and wishes:
I would have helped him if he had asked.
It was very dangerous. What if you had got lost?
I wish I hadn’t spent so much money last month.
Here's a brief summary of narrative tenses
Watch the following presentation in case it's still not clear.
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 |
1b_past_tenses_-_past_perfect.doc | |
File Size: | 162 kb |
File Type: | doc |
ON-LINE ACTIVITIES
If you want to extra practice, click on the on-line activities below:
Past Perfect exercises 1
Past Perfect exercises 2
Past Perfect exercises 3
Past Perfect and Past Simple
English Verb tenses
If you want to extra practice, click on the on-line activities below:
Past Perfect exercises 1
Past Perfect exercises 2
Past Perfect exercises 3
Past Perfect and Past Simple
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: |
8. 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 short story telling it (about 100 words).
OR
A magazine asked its readers to send their strange or romantic or supernatural stories. Write it in about 100 words.
A magazine asked its readers to send in stories about a time they had a disastrous journey. Write a short story telling it (about 100 words).
OR
A magazine asked its readers to send their strange or romantic or supernatural stories. Write it in about 100 words.