7. Past Simple vs. Past Continuous.

The past simpletense expresses past actions as simple facts.

The pastcontinuoustense gives past activities time and duration.

Compare the following pairs of sentences.

A I did not see you in the pub last night.

B No. I stayed at home and watched TV.

A I rang you last night, but there was no reply.

B Sorry, I was watching TV, I did not hear the phone.

Ex. 1. Put the verbs in brackets in the correct tense, past simple or past continuous.

1. He (speak) on the phone when his mother (come).

2. His brother (come) while he (speak) on the phone.

3. Their friends (swim) in the pool at 5 o’clock yesterday.

4. I (work) for this company long ago.

5. He usually (play) volleyball at weekends.

6. They often (see) each other at work.

7. You (know) the answer?

8. It (rain) while she (walk) along the street.

9. He (want) to see his friend, but the friend (be) busy because he (decorate) his flat at that time.

10. I (meet) him when he (be) a child.

11. When they (see) a UFO they (stop).

12. He (break) his arm while he (skate).

13. He (love) her many years ago.

14. When Tim (see) the suitcase he immediately (recognize) it.

Ex. 2. Put the verbs in brackets in the correct tense: past simple or past continuous.

It (happen) many years ago. I (be) in India. I (hunt) there. Once I (spend) the whole day in the jungle. It (be) dark when I (decide) to return to my camp. I (walk) along a narrow path. There (be) strange sounds everywhere. On my right there (be) a thick tropical forest.

Suddenly I (see) something terrible in the jungle on my left. Two green eyes (look) at me. It (be) a man-eating tiger, ready to spring on me.

As I could swim well I (make) up my mind to escape that way. I (look) at the river to my right. There in the river (be) a huge crocodile. It (wait) for me with open jaws.

I (faint). A moment later I (jump) to my feet again. What do you think I (see)? The tiger (be) in the jaws of the crocodile.

Ex. 3. Translate the sentences into English.

1. Его телеграмма пришла, когда я выходил из дому.

2. В прошлом году я часто ходил в кино.

3. Когда я пришел, секретарь печатала письма.

4. Когда мой сын был болен, доктор приходил к нему каждый день.

5. Я вчера читал весь вечер.

6. Она порезала палец, когда готовила обед.

7. Дождь шел с трех до пяти.

8. Я завтракал, когда он мне позвонил.

9. Я пришел домой, поужинал и начал читать газету.

10. Я возвращался домой довольно поздно. Становилось уже темно, и шел дождь. Я шел быстро, так как было холодно. Мимо меня про­езжали машины. Вдруг одна из них остановилась возле меня, и кто-то окликнул меня. Это был мой приятель. Я сел в машину, и через пять минут был дома.

8. Present Perfect Simple

	I, WE, YOU, THEY	HE, SHE, IT
Positive	They havearrived.	He hasarrived.
Negative	They haven’tarrived.	He hasn’tarrived.
Questions	Havethey arrived? Yes, they have. No, theyhaven’t. Where haveyoubeen?	Hashe arrived? Yes, he has. No, hehasn’t. Where hashebeen?

The present perfecttense is a present tense. We use it to talk about:

1.A present result of a past action.

E.g. He has lost his diary. (= He doesn’t have it now)

Typical time words here are: just, already (in positive sentences), yet(only in negative sentences and questions).

E.g. I havejustdone the washing.

She has alreadycleaned the room.

Have you finished the work yet?

2.People’s experiences without any specific time reference. Hereneverandeverare often used.

E.g.“Have youever seen him?”

“No, I have nevermet this person”.

Other time words are: before, recently, so far, lately.

E.g. I haven’t seen themrecently.

I haven’t done it so far.

Have you met them before?

3.Things (actions, states) which began in the past and still continue, especially when we sayhow longthey have lasted.

E.g.Ann has worked with children for 15 years.

Note the time expressions that are common with this use.

ten years

For a week for a period of time

ages

half an hour

1959

last September

SinceEaster for a point in time

5 o’clock

she came

4.Alsothis morning, this evening, this week, today etc. are typical here.

E.g.I haven’t seen herforages.

We haven’t met sinceOctober.

“How longhave you known her?”

“I have known her for a year.”

I have translated three texts today.

Ex. 1. Complete the following irregular verb table with the correct forms. Notice the similarities between the verb forms.

A	Infinitive	Past Simple	Past Participle
	drink begin ring –– ––	drank –– –– –– sang	drunk begun –– swum ––
B	bring –– teach –– think ––	brought bought –– caught –– ––	brought –– –– –– –– fought
C	meet –– mean keep ––	met slept –– –– fed	met –– –– –– ––

Ex. 2. Make the sentences negative and interrogative (yes/no questions)..

1. He has ridden a camel.

2. We have passed our exams.

3. He has had a chance to think about his future.

4. You have asked her to dinner several times.

5. They have recently bought a new camera.

6. He has finished his report this week.

7. We have had a few meetings with our partners.

8. I have made several phone calls.

9. She has already done a crossword.

10.Their son has passed his exams successfully.

Ex. 3. Mr. Pitt is a retired man. His life has changed. He has a lot of free time. Write sentences about the changes in his life. Use the present perfect simple tense.

1. (he/ visit/ all his relatives) …

2. (he/ travel/ to many interesting places) …

3. (he/ phone/ his old friends) …

4. (he/ start/ playing table tennis) …

5. (he/ read/ a lot of books) …

6. (he/ write/ letters to his ex business partners in Africa and Australia) …

7. (he/ mend/ several broken things in his kitchen) …

Ex. 4. You are asking Peter questions beginning with Have you ever … ?

1. (change/ a job) - No, never

2. (have/ a pet) - Yes, once

3. (travel/ abroad) - Yes, twice

4. (be/ married) - No, never

5. (fall/ in love) - Yes, a few times

6. (speak English/ to a foreigner) - Yes, many times

7. (smoke/ cigars) - No, never

8. (ride/ a horse) - No, never

9. (eat/ in a Japanese restaurant) - Yes, once

10. (get/ a bad mark in English) - Yes, many times

Now look at Peter’s answers and write sentences about Pete and yourself.

Peter	You
Peter has never changed a job. … … … …	I… … … … …

Ex. 5. Make up sentences describing things which you have/haven’t done

already, yet, recently, just, before, so far.

I have already ……………………………………………. .

I have just ………………………………………………… .

I have ……………………………………………… recently.

I haven’t ………………………………………………… yet.

I have / haven’t ………………………………………. so far.

I have / haven’t …………………………………….…..before.

Ex. 6. Complete these sentences using the correct form of the underlined verb.

E.g. Shelikessport. She has liked it since her childhood.

1. I am afraid of dogs. I … since one of them attacked me.

2. They are married. They … for a long time.

3. He issingle. He … all his life.

4. She hastrouble sleeping. She … for 6 years.

5. We knoweach other. We … for ages.

6. She hastwo jobs. She … since she moved to Paris.

7. I am in love with Mary. I … since I left school.

8. He doesn’t believeanybody. He … since his father left him.

Ex. 7. Insert for or since.

1. I have lived in the same flat … ages.

2. He has been ill … 2 days.

3. He has been ill … Monday.

4. He has been ill … he returned from a backpacking trip.

5. He has been ill … a week.

6. You have been careless with things like that … you left college.

7. You have been careless …a long time.

Ex. 8. Rewrite each sentence, beginning as shown, so that the meaning stays the same.

E.g. It’s a long time since I last went to Switzerland. I haven’t gone to Switzerland for a long time.

1. It’s ages since I last spoke to her. I haven’t … .

2. It’s over two years since I knew my teacher. I have … .

3. The last time I visited Tom was in September. I haven’t … .

4. It’s two years since I last saw him. I …

5. There is a certain change in your attitude to Mary. Lately your attitude … .

6. We bought a cat ten years ago. We have … .

7. The last time I delivered a lecture was in 2004. I haven’t … .

8. After she left I started to feel more comfortable. Since she … .

9. After we talked I got interested in that problem. Since we …

10. They got married five years ago. They have … .

Ex. 9. Translate the following sentences into English.

1. Они только что пообедали.

2. Я уже сделала все покупки.

3. Я не играла в теннис в этом году.

4. Она поменяла три работы с тех пор, как закончила школу.

5. Мы знаем друг друга целую вечность.

6. Я был во Франции, но никогда не был в Испании.

7. Я еще не напечатала все письма.

8. Как долго он находится в больнице?

9. Они поженились на этой неделе.

10. Вы когда-либо были в Италии? - Я прежде не путешествовал.

11. Он уже перевел эти письма? - Еще нет.

12. Она сильно изменилась за последнее время.

13. Раньше я не делал таких заданий.

14. До сих пор она перевела только три статьи.

15. – Вы давно его знаете?

- Да, с тех пор, как мы поступили в институт.