Exercises

I. Make up sentences paying attention to the way of expressing the definite moment in the past.

1. At two o’clock yesterday I was writing a letter.

That time we were having dinner.

When you telephoned me my sister was taking the dog for a walk.

my wife was cooking dinner.

they were watching a TV programme.

it was raining.

the sun was shining brightly.

2. They were not reading at three o’clock.

She was not discussing the problem when the telephone rang.

The children were not having dinner

My colleagues were not listening to the radio news when they came.

conducting an experiment

3. When I came into the office the chief was phoning Moscow.

. the secretary was looking through the papers.

some engineers were discussing a new design.

my friend was looking through a newspaper.

some people were smoking in the hall.

4. What was your son doing when you came home?

were your children listening to

your wife reading

your parents discussing

your husband watching

your guests eating

your dog talking about

5. While I was reading a book my wife was listening to the news on the radio.

my son was doing his lessons.

my daughter was talking with her friend.

my mother-in-law was watching a hockey match on TV.

my dog was sleeping and doing nothing.

II. Complete the situations.

1. Last summer I spent my holidays in the Crimea. I went to the beach every day. When I arrived there once I saw a lot of holiday-makers. Some of them ...

Use the phrases:

to lie in the sun

to bathe

to swim

to play volleyball

to eat an ice

to sit in the tent

to go boating

to sail

2. Yesterday I called my friend Irene but she couldn’t speak with me long as she was busy. She had a lot of things to do. That moment she ... . Her husband ... . Her child … .

Use the phrases:

to cook dinner

to wash up

to lie on the sofa

to read a newspaper

to drink hot milk and to watch a TV film at the same time

3. Tomorrow when I come to see my friend I know that:

а) ее ребенок будет гулять во дворе;

б) ее муж будет сидеть в кресле и курить сигарету;

в) она будет накрывать на стол;

г) ее мама будет гладить белье (to iron).

Unit 5

Grammar: The Perfect Tenses

Read the following dialogues and see how the Present Perfect tense is formed and used: