Времена английского глагола в сравнении = English Tenses Compared. Пособие

•Questions

1. Where is Sue at the moment? 2. What is she doing in Spain? 3. Is she alone there? 4. Why is Sue calling Mike? 5. Is Sue enjoying her holidays? 6. Why does Mike feel jealous? 7. How is Mike doing?

•Give the appropriate English phrases from the text.

Откуда ты звонишь? Береги себя. Я работаю над последней статьей. Скучаю по тебе. Ты вызываешь у меня зависть. Я звоню тебе, чтобы пожелать счастливого дня рождения. Какой замечательный сюрприз! Я думал, что ты в Испании. Я прекрасно провожу время. Какая погода? Здесь льет дождь. Все жалуются и говорят о том, какое ужасное у нас лето. Здесь страшная жара. Спасибо, что не забыла о моем дне рождения. Я полагаю, что ты продвигаешься со своей работой. Я уже чувствую себя лучше. Я позвоню тебе через несколько дней, хорошо? Я отчетливо тебя слышу. Жаль, что тебя здесь нет. Тысячи людей загорают на пляже. Подожди минутку. Тебе везет. Я слышу, как смеются и разговаривают люди. Мы здесь пьем напитки и пишем почтовые открытки. Здесь ничего интересного не происходит. Как продвигаются дела? В этот самый момент я отдыхаю. Это напомнило мне. Я лучше положу трубку. Мне это дорого стоит.

•Situation

You are having your holidays at the seaside. At the moment you’re phoning your mother. She wants to know whether you’re having a good time.

•Tell the class how you usually spend your holidays.

Cathy and Steve

Cathy and Steve are engaged, but unfortunately Cathy lives in Sussex and Steve in Yorkshire. It is nine o’clock on Saturday morning, when the phone rings beside Steve’s bed. He is still asleep.

Steve: Hello?

Cathy: Hello dear, where are you?

Steve: Where all civilized people should be at this time on a Saturday morning – in bed.

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Cathy: Lazy thing!

Steve: What do you mean ‘lazy thing’? I earn my rest. I work jolly hard, you know.

Cathy: Of course you do, dear.

Steve: What about you? What are you doing?

Cathy: At the moment I’m drinking a cup of coffee and talking to my lazy fiance, but later I’m going shopping. That’s what I want to talk to you about.

Steve: Mmm.

Cathy: I’m getting the curtains for the bedroom. Steve: Good.

Cathy: Do you like the idea of pale green? Steve: That sounds all right.

Cathy: Plain ... then there won’t be any problem when we come to buy the carpet. But I want to order the curtains today, because Aunt Phyllis is staying, and she’s giving us the curtains as a wedding present. So we’re going together to choose the material.

Steve: That’s a good idea. Cathy: What are you doing today?

Steve: Well, this morning I’ve got a little shopping to do, then this afternoon I’m going to the football with Jim.

Cathy: All right. Love, enjoy yourself. Bye. Steve: Same to you. Bye.

•Questions

1.Do Cathy and Steve see one another every day? If not, why not?

2.Why isn’t Steve at work when the phone rings? 3. What does Cathy call Steve? 4. How does he defend himself? 5. What is Cathy doing while she’s talking to Steve? 6. What is she planning to buy? 7. Is she planning to buy flowered material? 8. Where is Steve going this afternoon?

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Past Simple and Past Continuous

Past Simple

FORM

1. Regular verbs add -ed or -d to the base form. In the affirmative: play — played [d]

help – helped [t] invite – invited [Іd]

2. Irregular verbs have a special (the 2nd) form:

Interrogative and negative forms are formed with did and did not (didn’t) and bare infinitive.

Table 3

The Past Simple is the same in all persons except in the past tense of be. In the affirmative: I / he / she / it was:

you / we / they were

I was ill last week. Those cakes were nice. We also use was and were in negatives and questions.

I wasn’t very well last week. The gates weren’t open. Where was your brother last night? Was your steak nice?

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Past Continuous is also used in polite inquiries.

I was wondering if you could give me a lift.

Used to (I used to do)

We use used to+injinitive to talk about past habits which are now finished.

Robert used to play football when he was younger, but he stopped playing 20 years ago. (= Robert played football regularly in the past, but he does not play now.)

More examples:

Kate used to go swimming a lot, but she never goes swimming now. ‘Do you go to the cinema very often?’ ‘Not now, but I used to.’

We also use used to for past states and situations which are no longer true.

Robert used to be very slim when he was younger.

I used to live in London, but I moved in 1980.

We only use used to to talk about the past.

The negative of used to is normally didn’t use to (= did not use to).

I didn’t use to live in London.

Jack didn’t use to go out very often until he met Jill.

We also use never used to eg You never used to like classical music. We normally form questions with did...use to... ?

Where did you use to live?

Did you use to like classical music?

Note: When we talk about past habits we can also use would.

When we were children we used to / would play Cowboys and Indians together.

When I was a child, my elder brother used to / would take me to the cinema every Saturday morning.

When we talk about past states, we can use used to, but not would.

My grandfather used to be a policeman. (not: My grandfather would be...)

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PRACTICE

1. Choose the correct tense.

1.At noon yesterday, the staff were having / are having their monthly meeting.

2.My father works / used to work as a taxi driver five years ago.

3.Did you arrive / Were you arriving at the airport on time?

4.The teacher was giving / gave the students a test when the principal came/was coming into the classroom.

5.Did your grandfather use to went / go birdwatching when he was a young man?

6.Nick is closing/closed the windows, sets / set the alarm and left / was leaving the house.

7.I walked / was walking on the beach in Bali this time last week.

8.Did Arnold attend / Was Arnold attending the conference yesterday?

9.Amy was sitting / sat on the park bench while the children play / were playing.

10.Billy had / was having a fantastic time at the party on Saturday night. 11.Conrad didn’t use to socialise / socialised much two years ago.

2. Put the verbs in brackets into the Past Simple or the Past Continuous.

1.I (not / hear) the thunder during the storm last night because I (sleep).

2.It was beautiful yesterday when we went for a walk in the park. The sun (shine). A cool breeze (blow). The birds (sing). 3. My brother and sister (argue) about something when I (walk) into the room. 4. I (get) a package in the mail. When I (open) it, I (find) a surprise. 5. Stanley (climb) the stairs when he (trip) and (fall). Luckily, he (not / hurt) himself.

6.While Mrs Emerson (read) the little boy a story, he (fall) asleep, so she (close) the book and quietly (tiptoe) out of the room. 7. I really (enjoy) my vacation last January. While it (snow) in Iowa, the sun (shine) in Florida. While you (shovel) snow in Iowa, I (lie) on the beach in Florida.

8.It was my first day of class. I (finally / find) the right room. The room (already / be) full of students. On one side of the room, students (busily / talk) to each other in Spanish. Other students (speak) Japanese, and some (converse) in Arabic. It (sound) like the United Nations. Some of the students, however, (just / sit) quietly by themselves. I (choose) an empty seat in the last row and (sit) down. In a few minutes, the teacher

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(walk) into the room and all the multilingual conversation (stop). 9. When I (arrive) she (have) lunch. She (apologize) for starting without me but said that she (always / lunch) at 12.30. 10. He (always / wear) a raincoat and (carry) an umbrella when he walked to the office. 11. I (share) a flat with him when we were students. He (always / complain) about my untidiness. 12. He suddenly (realize) that he (travel) in the wrong direction. 13. He (play) the guitar outside her house when someone opened the window and (throw) out a bucket of water. 14. I (just / open) the letter when the wind (blow) it out of my hand. 15. The burglar (open) the safe when he (hear) footsteps. He immediately (put) out his torch and (crawl) under the bed. 16. The boys (play) cards when they (hear) their father’s step. They immediately (hide) the cards and (take) out their lesson books. 17. He (not / allow) us to go out in the boat yesterday as a strong wind (blow). 18. The traffic (make) so much noise that I couldn’t hear what he (say). 19. She (stand) at the bus stop. I asked her what bus she (wait) for. 20. When I (hear) his knock I (go) to the door and (open) it, but I (not / recognize) him at first because I (not / wear) my glasses. 21. While the guests (dance) thieves (break) into the house and (steal) a lot of fur coats. 22. She was very extravagant. She (always / buy) herself new clothes. 23. Her mother often (tell) her that she (spend) too much money but she never (listen). 24. Mr Smith never (wake) up in time in the mornings and always (get) into trouble for being late; so one day he (go) to town and (buy) an alarm clock. To get home he (have) to go through a field where a bad-tempered bull (usually / graze). This bull normally (not / chase) people unless something (make) him angry. Unfortunately, as Mr Smith (cross) the field, his alarm clock (go) off. This (annoy) the bull, who immediately (begin) to chase Mr Smith. Mr Smith (carry) an open umbrella as it (rain) slightly. He (throw) the umbrella to the ground and (run) away as fast as he could. The bull (stop) and (begin) to attack the umbrella. While he (do) this Mr Smith escaped. 25. Why (you / interrupt) me just now? I (have) a very interesting conversation with Mr Pitt. 26. As they (walk) along the road they (hear) a car coming behind them. Tom (turn) round and (hold) up his hand. The car (stop). 27. While he (make) his speech the minister suddenly (feel) faint. But someone (bring) him a glass of water and after a few minutes he (be able) to continue. 28. I (see) you yesterday from the bus. Why (you / use) a stick? — I (use) a stick because I had hurt my leg that morn-

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ing falling off a horse. — Whose horse (you / ride)? 29. How (you / damage) your car so badly? — I (run) into a lamp-post yesterday. — I suppose you (drive) too quickly or were not looking where you (go). 30. I (just / write) a cheque when I (remember) that I (have) nothing in the bank. 31. He (say) that he (build) himself a house and that he (think) it would be ready in two years. 32. Why (you / lend) him that book? I (still / read) it. — I’m sorry. I (not / know) that you (still / read) it. 33. (you / hear) what she (just / say)? — No, I (not / listen). I (think) about something else. 34. Why (you / not / be) at the meeting? — I (wait) for an overseas call from my family. 35. I’m sure you met Carol Jones at the party last night. — I don’t remember her. What (she / wear)? 36. How (you / break) your arm? — I (slip) on the ice while I (cross) the street in front of the dorm. 37. Peter and Ann (decide) to redecorate their sitting room themselves. They (choose) cream paint for the woodwork and apricot for the walls. When John (look) in to see how they (get) on, Ann (mix) the paint, and Peter (wash) down the walls. They (be) glad to see John and (ask) if he (do) anything special that day. He hastily (reply) he (go) to the theatre and (go) away at once, because he (know) they (look) for someone to help them. They (begin) painting, but (find) the walls (be) too wet. While they (wait) for the walls to dry, Ann (remember) she (have) a phone call to make. Peter (start) painting while she (telephone), and (do) a whole wall before Ann (come) back. He (grumble) that she (always / telephone). Ann (retort) that Peter (always / complain). They (work) in silence for some time. Just as they (start) the third wall, the doorbell (ring). It (be) a friend of Peter’s who (want) to know if Peter (play) golf the following weekend. He (stay) talking to Peter in the hall while Ann (go) on painting. At last he (leave). Peter (return), expecting Ann to say something about friends who (come) and (waste) valuable time talking about golf. But Ann nobly (say) nothing. Then Peter (think) he would do the ceiling. He (just / climb) the step ladder when the doorbell (ring) again. Ann (say) she (get) tired of interruptions but (go) and (open) the door. It (be) the postman with a letter from her aunt Mary, saying she (come) to spend the weekend with them and (arrive) that evening at 6.30. 38. We (not / get) much sleep last night because the people next door (have) a noisy party. I (ring) up the landlord and (say) that his tenants (make) too much noise. He (point out) that it (be) Saturday and that people in his house often (have) parties on Saturday

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nights. 39. What (you / do) before you (get) this job? — I (work) for Brown and Company. — And how long (you / stay) with them? — I (stay) for about six months. I (leave) because they (always / go) on strike. It (become) quite monotonous. 40. How (you / break) your leg? — I (fall) off a ladder when I (put) up curtains. The worst of it (be) that it (be) just before the holidays and I (go) away. (had planned to go away) — So you (not / go) away? — No, of course not. I (cancel) my bookings and (spend) the holiday hobbling about at home. 41. My neighbour (look) in last night and (say) that he (leave) the district and (go) to Yorkshire to a new job. I (say) I (be) very sorry that he (go) and (tell) him to write to me from Yorkshire and tell me how he (get) on. 42. As the goalkeeper (run) forward to seize the ball a bottle (strike) him on the shoulder. 43. It (snow) heavily when he (wake) up. He (remember) that Jack (come) for lunch and (decide) to go down to the station to meet him in case he (lose) his way in the snowy lanes. 44. It (be) midnight and I (be) alone in the house. Outside it (rain) very hard. I (get) ready to go to bed when I suddenly (hear) a strange noise outside my room in the corridor. Then, when I (look) at the door, I (notice) that someone (turn) the handle! I (rush) over to the door and quickly (turn) the key in the lock. Then I (ask) in a trembling voice, ‘Who is it?’ 45. When I (introduce) Tom to Ryan, they (shake) hands and (smile) at each other. 46. Chris (hurt) his finger when he (make) his dinner last night. He accidentally (cut) it with a sharp knife.

3. Complete the texts below. Put in the Past Simple or the Past Continuous.

1.

Dear Peter,

I’m writing to tell you about what happened to me last week while I (visit) my aunt who lives by the sea. One afternoon I (take) her dog for a walk by the cliffs when I (notice) a girl who (climb) a tree by the edge of the cliff. As she (hang) there, the branch suddenly (break) and the girl (fall) over the edge. I (run) to the edge, but although the girl (shout) for help, I (not / be able to) see her. I (think) about what to do when a man (come) along the cliff path. I (explain) what had happened and while he (go) for help I (talk) to the girl.

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