Present Forms Revision: Level b

EXERCISE 1. Open the brackets and put the verbs into the correct tense (the Present Simple, the Present Continuous, the Present Perfect Simple or the Present Perfect Continuous Tense).

1. It (snow) steadily the whole week and it still (snow). 2. We (climb) for six hours already, but we (not reach) the top of the mountain yet. 3. The pain already (go) but the child still (cry). 4. The workers (work) very hard these two weeks, they (bе) busy with the interior decoration of the house. 5. Не (solve) the crossword puzzle for аn hour and he (say) he (bе) about to solve it as he (think) over the last word. 6. Не (work) at the language all the time and (make) great progress. His pronunciation (bе) rather good, only а slight accent (remain). 7. Не (finish) the first part of his book and now he (write) the second. Не (work) at his book for two years. 8. Dustin Hoffman, who (play) the hero, (give) а fine performance. 9. Why your hair (be) wet? You (swim)? 10. Doctors and scientists (show) recently the benefit of fish in the diet.

EXERCISE 2. Translate into English.

1.Мы знаем друг друга уже четыре года. 2. Я всегда хотел изучать английский язык.3. Где Нина? - Она уже два часа дома. 4. Где дети? - Они все еще играют во дворе. 5. Мой брат уже три года инженер. 6. Мой друг знает английский с детства. 7. Я уже полчаса наблюдаю за тобой. 8. Ваш брат еще болен? - Нет, он уже поправился. Он уже три дня занимается физикой. Он хочет полу­чить отличную оценку на экзамене. 9. Мне уже давно хочется прочесть эту книгу. 10. Я уже двад­цать минут пытаюсь найти мою старую тетрадь. 11. Они уже десять лет живут в Нью-Йорке.12. Моя тетя - артистка. Она всегда любила театр. 13. Ваш папа уже вернулся с севера? - Да, он уже две недели дома. 14. Я уже три дня об этом думаю. 15. Моя сестра пьет кофе с молоком. А я всегда предпочитал черный кофе. 16. Мы очень рады вас видеть. Мы вас ждали целый месяц. 17. Вы все еще читаете эту книгу? Сколько времени вы ее уже читаете? 18. Моя сестра занимается музыкой уже пять лет. 19. Я ищу тебя весь вечер. Где ты был все это время? 20. Они пишут сочинение уже два часа.

The verb – Past Forms: Level b

	1	2	3	4
	Past Simple	Past Continuous	Past Perfect	Past Perfect Cont.
a	Past actions which happened one after the other She sealed the letter, put a stamp on it and posted it.	Action in the middle of happening at a stated past time He was playing tennis at 3.15 yesterday.	Past action which occurred before another action or before a state past time He had left by the time I got there. (or by 7.15)	Action continuing over a period up to a specific time in the past She has been working as a clerk for 7 years before she resigned.
b	Past habit or state He used to go / went to school on foot. Complete action or event which happened at a stated past time She called an hour ago.	Past action in progress interrupted by another past action. The longer action is in the Past Continuous, the shorter action is in the Past Simple. While I was getting dressed the bell rang.	Completed past action which has visible results in the past She was sad because she had failed the tes.	Past action of certain duration which had visible results in the past They were wet because they had been walking in the rain.
c	Action which happened at a definite past time although the time is not mentioned. This action is not connected with the present. Oscar Wilde wrote a lot of poems.(O. Wilde is now dead; he won’t write again - period of time is now finished)	Two or more simultaneous actions While I was reading a book Sam was watching TV. Background description to events in a story She was swimming. The sun was shining…	The Past Perfect is the past equivalent of the Present Perfect (He can’t find his watch. He has lost it.) He couldn’t find his watch. He had lost it.	The Past Perfect Continuous is the past equivalent of the Present Perfect continuous (She is going to the doctor. Her leg has been aching for two days.) She went to the doctor. Her leg had been aching for two days.

Time expressions used with:

Past Simple	yesterday, last week, (how long) ago, then, when, in 1990, etc
Past Continuous	while, when, as, etc.
Past Perfect	just, ever, never, already, after, yet, by the time, by, so far, since, for, etc
Past Perfect Cont.	for, since

Used to, would, be/get used to -We use used to or would + infinitive to talk about something that happened regularly in the past: I used to go jogging every day until I hurt my knee. He would stay up all night when he was younger. -We use used to (not would) for a situation that was true in the past: She used to have long hair. I didn’t use to like pop music. Where did they use to live? -We use be/get used to + noun/pronoun/-ing to talk about something that seems or becomes normal because we’ve experienced it before: We don’t mind the cold weather. We’re used to it. (= It’s normal for us.) You’ll soon get used to wearing glasses. (= It will become normal for you.)

EXERCISE 1. Identify the tenses in bold, then match them with the correct description.

1. She used to go to her grandmother's village for her summer holidays when she was young.

2. He went on a safari holiday last month.

3. He was travelling in Italy when he had the accident.

4. He had been to Malta twice before he took me there.

5. He had been travelling for a year before he settled in Lisbon.

6. He was flying to Rome while I was heading for Rio.

7. This time last Monday he was enjoying himself on a beach in Majorca.

8. The rain was falling heavily and the wind was blowing. A few people were walking hurriedly down the street.

1. past action in progress interrupted by another past action

2. action in progress up to a specific time in the past

3. past action which happened before another past action

4. complete action which happened at a stated past time

5. action in the middle of happening at a stated past time

6. simultaneous past actions of certain duration

7. simultaneous past actions which describe a scene

8. past habit

EXERCISE 2. Put each verb in brackets into a suitable past verb form (the Past Simple or the Past Continuous).

This time last year I (1) was cycling (cycle) in the rain along a country road in France with a friend of mine. We (2) ___ (decide) to go on a cycling holiday in Normandy. Neither of us (3) ___ (be) to France before, but we (4) ___ (know) some French from our time at school and we (5) ___ (manage) to brush up on the basics. Now we (6) ___ (wonder) if we (7) ___ (make) the right decision. We (8)___ (plan) our route carefully in advance, but we (9) ___ (forget) one important thing, the weather. It (10) ___ (rain) solidly since our arrival and that night we (11) ___ (end up) sleeping in the waiting room at a railway station. Then the next morning as we (12) ___ (ride) down a steep hill my bike (13) ___ (skid) on the wet road and I (14) ___ (fall off). I (15) ___ (realise) immediately that I (16) ___ (break) my arm, and after a visit to the local hospital I (17) ___ (catch) the next train to Calais for the ferry home. Unfortunately my parents (18) ___ (not/expect) me home for a fortnight, and (19) ___ (go) away on holiday. So I (20) ___ spend a miserable couple of weeks alone, reading ‘Teach yourself French’.

EXERCISE 3. Put the verbs in brackets into the Present Perfect or the Past Simple tense (in some sentences the Present Perfect Continuous is also possible).

1. This is my house. – How long you (live) here? - I (live) here since 1970.

2. He (live) in London for two years and then (go) to Edinburgh.

3. You (wear) your hair long when you were at school? - Yes, my mother (insist) on it.

4. But when I (leave) school I (cut) my hair and (wear) it short ever since.

5. Shakespeare (write) a lot of plays.

6. My brother (write) several plays. He just (finish) his second tragedy.

7. He (not smoke) for two weeks. He is trying to give it up.

8. The plumber (be) here yet? – Yes, but he only (stay) for an hour. - What he (do) in that time? – He (turn) off the water and (empty) the tank.

9. He (lose) his job last month and since then he (be) out of work. - Why he (lose) his job? - He (be) very rude to Mr. Pitt.

10. You (finish) checking the accounts? - No, not quite. I (do) about half so far.

EXERCISE 4. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense.

1. He (give) me back the book, (thank) me for lending it to him and (say) that he (enjoy) it very much; but I (know) that he (not read) it because most of the pages (be) still uncut. 2. When he (see) his wife off the station, he (return) home as he (not have) to be at the airport till 9.30. 3. He (not have) to pack, for his wife already (do) that before she (leave) the house. 4. He (not have) to check the doors and windows either, for his wife always (do) that before she (leave) the house. 5. All he (have) to do (be) to decide whether or not to take his overcoat with him. In the end he (decide) not to. 6. At 8.30 he (pick) up his case, (go) out of the house and (slam) the door behind him. 7. Then he (feel) in his pockets for the key, for his wife (remind) him to double-lock the front door. 8. When he (search) all his pockets and (find) no key he (remember) where it (be). He (leave) it in his overcoat pocket. 10. Then he (remember) something else; his passport and tickets (be) in his overcoat pocket as well.

EXERCISE 5. Complete the sentences. Use used to or would and the verbs in brackets. Sometimes both are possible.

0. We would go to two or three films every week. (go)

1. We ______ home very early in the morning when we went on holiday. (leave)

2. A few years ago, I ______ many friends, but I do now. (not have)

3. ______ near the airport? (you/live)

4. We ______ hours talking about our dreams. (spend)

5. She ______ us funny stories about the animals on the farm. (tell)

6. There ______many cars on the road in those days. (not be)

7. I ______ all kinds of ball games when I was a child. (love)

8. My dad ______ football with us on Sundays when we were little. (play)

EXERCISE 6. Underline the correct answer.

0.I come from London, so I’m/I’m getting used to big cities.

1.After London, It’s hard to be/get used to living in the country. It’s very different.

2.It took me a few weeks to be/get used to my new surroundings.

3.I’m not/I’m not getting used to the silence. I miss the noise.

4.At the moment my parents have to drive me everywhere. I don’t like that because I’m/I’m getting used to being independent.

5.The pace of life here seems a bit slow, but I’m sure I’ll be/get used to it.

6.Change is hard for everyone, but we’re/get used to new things quite quickly.