Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.

timing

Stages

Activities and learning modes

Expectations

5min

Exercise 1( Terminal L)

Put the verbs in brackets into past simple, present perfect simple or continuous.

J: Hello, I (not see)…………. you for ages.

M: No, it must be about two years since we last (meet). ……………What (you do)…………… yourself.

J: I (do)…………… all sort of things. Life (be)…………. very busy lately. I (start)……………….. a new job in the sailing center.

M: Really? Doing what?

J: Well, I (teach)……………. beginners course to school groups this but when those (finish)……………. I will be teaching more advanced groups

M: That sounds great? What about your old job at the tourist office then?

J: I (work)……………… there for ten years and I quite (enjoy)…………….. the job but I (want)…………..... to do something different. I (always/enjoy)…………... sailing in my spare time so I (think)……………... it would be nice to do it for a job.

M: So how long (you/be)………….. at the sailing center?

J: For about two months now. I am sure I do the right thing. It’s a really enjoyable job. And what about you?

M: I am still at the hotel. I (work)……………… there for fifteen years now. But I (have)……………... a promotion so that’s good. They (give)……………….. me the job of head receptionist.

J: Oh! That’s good news.

M: Yes, it (make)………………. me feel much better about work. I mean, I (do)………...... a lot of different jobs but I (never have)……………. a job with this much responsibility before.

J: So when (you/get)…………… the new job?

M: A month ago, after I (pass)………………… my intermediate exams in English and French. Did you know I (do)…………………. language evening classes at the college for a while now?

J: No, I didn’t realize.

M: yes, I (decide)………………… that I (cannot/get)…..  ………………any further at work without learning some languages.

J: And so you did! What a good idea!

Exercise 2( Terminal S)

Put the verbs in brackets into simple past or continuous.

News (just come in)……………….. that there (be)……...

 an air crush somewhere off the south coast of England. There (be)…………. 120 passengers and crew on the plane and it is understood that no survivor (be found). …………..Apparently the plane (go) mysteriously out of control and (plunge)…………… into the sea. Relatives of most of the passengers and crew (now be informed) …………..and many of them (set off)……………… for the sea rescue base. But they (not be given)…………….. much hope. Most of the passengers (be)…………….. on business.

NOTE

Usages of the simple past

1. Completed actions

Your mother phoned few minutes ago

Who opened this bank?

I never learnt to swim as a child.

2. Past habits or regular events

We went out for a meal every evening on holidays

We got up at 7o’clock to go to school.

3. Past situation at a point in time.

In 1950 there were fewer than 50 million cars in use around the world.

4. To express opposition with the present

He was the poorest man in the village but he is the richest now.

5. With some adverbs of time

Yesterday, ago, last night/week/month/year….

He went to Mecca last year.

6.The modal preterit (to translate French subjunctive)

He wishes he still loved her.

Usages of past continuous

1. With past simple to show that the action was going on before another one happened.

They were watching a film when we arrived.

We were having dinner when the phone rang.

2. To describe an action that was in progress at a specific time in the past.

In 1982, we were living in a small flat in Dakar.

At 6 o’clock in this morning, I was running along the beach.

3. For descriptions

The wind was blowing and the rain was beating down. John was standing at the bus stop shivering. He was trying to imagine being at home sitting by a warm fire. Finally he saw the headlights of a bus approaching.

4. With adverbials beginning with all: all night, all morning, all day yesterday…..

I was watching television all morning

Were you working all weekend?

N.B: While describes two actions that were in progress at the same time.

While I was driving this morning, I was thinking about what you.

Present perfect or simple past?