UNIT 2

GRAMMAR Past Continuous

Yes/No questions Was I/he/she/it Were we/you/they

working at eight o'clock? yesterday?

We use the Past Continuous to talk about things which were happening at or around a fixed time in the past: I was washing my hair at nine o'clock last night talk about temporary things in the past: My grandmother was staying with us last month. set the scene in a story or give background information: I was walking along the road ... emphasise a continuous activity: It was raining all day yesterday

Short answers Yes, I//he/she/it was. / No, I/he/she/it wasn't. Yes, we/you/they were. / No, we/you/they weren't, Past Continuous Wh- questions What was he doing yesterday? Where were you going last night?

Past Continuous + Past Simple We often use these two verb tenses together. The Past Continuous tells us the background information and the Past Simple tells us about a shorter action or an interruption: As I was walking along the street I saw an old friend. I was reading my book when I heard a knock at the door.

A) Circle the correct verbs. 1 The German composer Handel lived / was living in England when he composed / was composing his Water Music. 2 The 1950s singer Buddy Holly travelled / was travelling in a plane when it crashed / was crashing. 3 The singer Hayley Westenra sang / was singing in the streets of Christchurch, New Zealand, when she made / was making her first record. 4 Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones met / were meeting in 1961 when they waited / were waiting for a train. 5 Mozart composed / was composing music before he was / was being five years old. 6 Elvis Pres ley did / was doing national service for the US army in Germany when he met / was meeting his wife, Priscilla.

B) Complete the text with either the Past Simple or Past Continuous form of the verbs in brackets. This morning, I checked (check) my homework while I
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_________________ (eat) my breakfast. Then I walked to the bus stop. While _________________(wait) for the bus, I suddenly
3

_________________ (remember) my homework. It was at home in the

kitchen! As I _________________ (decide) what to do, the bus

_________________ (arrive). As I _________________ (get on) the bus, I _________________ (get) a text message from my mum: 'I
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_________________ (find) your homework as I _______________ (clean)

the kitchen. Wait at the bus stop.' It was too late, I was on the bus. As I _________________ (think) about what to do, I
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_______________

(see) my mum's car behind the bus. She

_________________ (drive) in

her pyjamas and I _________________ (be) very embarrassed. At the next bus stop, she _________________ (stop) her car in front

of the bus, got out and got on the bus. It was terrible! She pyjamas so I
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_________________ (walk) towards me in her

_________________ (close) my eyes. When I _________________ (know) it

_________________ (open) my eyes I

wasn't a nightmare or even a dream. My mother

_________________

(stand) on the bus, in her pyjamas and holding my homework!

C) Use the prompts to write the police officer's questions to Leo. 1 What / do / 8.30 yesterday? Officer: W hat were you doing at 5.30 yesterday? Leo: I was waiting for a friend. 2 Where / you? Officer : _________________________________________? Leo: I was in a caf near the station. 3 Were / sit / near the window? Officer _________________________________________? Leo: Yes, I was. 4 Tell me / exactly / where / sit Officer: _________________________________________? Leo: I was sitting at a small table next to the door. 5 What / do'? Officer: _________________________________________? Leo: I was drinking a cup of coffee and looking for my friend's bus. 6 Did / hear / a loud bang? Officer: _________________________________________? Leo: No, I didn't. 7 Did / s ee / a man / drive / at high s peed? Officer: _________________________________________? Leo: No, I didn't. 8 Did / see / anything unusual'? Officer: _________________________________________? Leo: Well, I saw a woman get onto a school bus in her pyjamas. Officer: That isn't a crime.

D) Complete the newspaper report with the correct form of the verbs in the box. clap drive hear look phone sleep s n o w s t o p t r a v e l w a i t w a l k

CITY IN DARKNESS, THOUSANDS WAIT IN UNDERGROUND, LIGHTS OUT IN LONDON

Engineers were working on an electricity generator when it exploded. Several thousand people were travelling home on the Underground when all the trains commuter told our reporter, 'I
2 __________________________ 1

. One but I
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3 ______________________________

woke up because a child was crying. After an hour, the driver said that rescue workers were on the train and everyone ___________________ it was fantastic!' Things weren't much better for people above ground. I _______ _________________ for Christmas presents when the lights went out. When I left the shop it
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_____________________
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so it was impossible to get a taxi. I __________________ to a bus stop but hundreds of people _________________ for the bus. I ___________________my son for help but he
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__________________ to Manchester in his car. Luckily, a

young woman '

me talking on the phone. Her boyfriend came in

their car and they took me home.

E) Find eighteen character and personality words in the puzzle. F) Read the sentences and complete the words. The first letter is given. 1 He always thinks he's right. He's very a r r o g a n t. 2 She's a g _ _ _ _ _ _ _ person. She gave me some money when I needed it. 3 I hate v _ _ _ _ _ _ films with a lot of fighting. 4 She likes love stories with r _ _ _ _ _ _ _ characters. 5 The villain in films is usually very c _ _ _ _. 6 They rescued two children from a burning house. They're very b _ _ _ _ . 7 She's just started in the company, but she wants to be a manager by next year. She's very a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . 8 Einstein was very i _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .