Grammar Focus.

The Present Continuous, the Past Continuous, the Future Continuous.

I. The Present Continuous.

1. The Present Continuous is used:

• to express an activity that is happening now.

Please don’t make so much noise. I am working.

Let’s go out now. It isn’t raining any more.

• to express a temporary activity.

Peter is a student, but he is working as a barman during the holidays.

I am living with friends until I find a place of my own.

• to express a planned future arrangement

I am having lunch with Anna tomorrow.

We’re meeting at 1.00 outside the restaurant.

Form: am/is/are + present participle

Positive - You are watching TV.

Negative - You aren’t watching TV.

Question- Are you watching TV?

What are you doing?

Exercise 1. Complete the sentences with one of the following verbs in the correct form:

Come get happen look make start stay try work

1.”You are working hard today.” “Yes, I have a lot to do.”

2. I ……………..for Christine. Do you know where she is?

3. It………………dark. Shall I turn on the light?

4. They haven’t got anywhere to live at the moment. They……………with friends until they find somewhere.

5. “Are you ready, Ann?” “Yes, I ……………….”

6. Have you got an umbrella? It……………to rain.

7. You……………a lot of noise. Could you be quieter? I ……………….to concentrate.

8. Why are all these people here? What…………….?

Exercise 2. Use the words in brackets to complete the questions.

1 “Is Colin working this week?” “No, he’s on holiday.” (Colin /work)

2 Why…….at me like that? What’s the matter? (you/look)

3 “Jenny is a student at university.” “Is she? What………..? (she/study)

4 ………………to the radio or can I turn it off? (anybody/listen)

5 How is your English?..........................better? (it/get)

Exercise 3.Put the verb into the correct form. Sometimes you need the negative (I’m not doing etc.).

1 I’m tired. I’m going (go) to bed now. Goodnight!

2 We can go out now. It…………(rain) any more.

3 “How is your new job?” “Not so good at the moment. I………(enjoy) it very much.”

4 Kate phoned me last night. She’s on holiday in France. She ……….(have) a great time and doesn’t want to come back.

5 I want to lose weight, so this week I………. (eat) lunch.

6 Angella has just started evening classes. She……………. (learn) German.

7 I think Paul and Ann had an argument. They…………… (speak) to each other.

II. The Past Continuous.

The Past Continuous is used:

• to express an activity in progress before, and probably after, a particular time in the past.

I walked past your house last night. There was an awful lot of noise. What were you doing?

At 7.00 this morning, I was having breakfast.

• to describe a situation or activity during a period in the past.

Jan looked lovely. She was wearing a green cotton dress.

• To express an interrupted past activity.

When the phone rang, I was having a bath.

Form: was/were + present participle

Positive - You were studying when she called.

Negative-You weren’t studying when she called.

Question-Were you studying when she called?

What were you doing when she called?

Exercise 1. Here is a list of some things that Ann did yesterday (and the times at which she did them):

1. 8.45-9.15 - had breakfast 4. 12.45-1.30 –had lunch

2. 9.15-10.00-read the newspaper 5. 2.30 – 3.30 –washed some clothes

3. 10.00-12.00-cleaned her flat 6. 4.00 -6.00 –watched television

Write sentences saying what she was doing at these times:

1. At 9 o’clock she was having breakfast.

2. At 9.30 she _____________________

3. At 11 o’clock ___________________

4. At 1 o’clock ____________________

5. At 3 o’clock____________________

6. At 5 o’clock ____________________

Exercise 2.Use your own ideas to complete these sentences. Use the past continuous.

1 Tom burnt his hand while he was cooking the dinner.

2 The doorbell rang while I……………………………

3 We saw an accident while we……………………….

4 Mary fell asleep while she…………………………..

5 The television was on but nobody…………………..

Exercise 3. Put the verbs into the correct form, past continuous or past simple.

1 Jane was waiting (wait) for me when I arrived (arrive).

2 “ What ……………….(you/do) this time yesterday?” “I was asleep.”

3 “……………… (you/go) out last night?” “No, I was too tired.”

4 “Was Carol at the party last night?” “Yes, she ………………(wear) a really nice dress.”

5 How fast ………… (you/drive) when the accident…………(happen)?

6 John………….. (take) a photograph of me while I ………….(not/look).

7 We were in a very difficult position. We……….. (not/know) what to do.

8 I haven’t seen Alan for ages. When I last…….. (see) him, he………(try) to find a job in London.

9 I………….. (walk) along the street when suddenly I………..(hear) footsteps behind me. Somebody………….. (follow) me. I was frightened and I………… (start) to run.

10 When I was young, I………………… (want) to be a bus driver.

III. The Future Continuous.

The Future Continuous is used for an action that lasts a period of time in the future.

Form: will be +present participle

Positive: You will be waiting for her when the plane arrives tonight.

Negative: You won’t be waiting for her when the plane arrives tonight.

Question: Will you be waiting for her when the plane arrives tonight?

Exercise 1. Put the verb in brackets into the Future Continuous.

1. Don’t ring her up at 12 o’clock. She (write) her composition then.

2. At this time tomorrow the boys of our group (play) football.

3. When we arrive in St.Petersburg, it probably (rain).

4. It is nearly autumn, soon the leaves (change) colour.

5. If you want to see us, come to Tom’s house on Sunday. We (wait) for you there at midday.

Exercise 2. Answer the questions in the Future Continuous Tense, using the given suggestions.

1. What will she be doing on Sunday? (make a dress)

2. What will you be doing at this time next week? (swim in the Black Sea)

3. What will he be doing at the University for five years? (study law)

4. What will they be doing at this time tomorrow? (fly to Kiev)

5. What will grandfather be doing when we arrive? (work in the garden)

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Text I

Pre-reading

Read and practice the pronunciation of the following words and word-combinations:

Europe, the British Isles, the Atlantic Ocean, the Irish Sea, the Thames, the Severn, vegetables, islands, Northern Ireland, surface, mountainous, descendants, manufacture, natural resources, textiles, equipment, pharmaceuticals.

Answer the following questions:

1. What is the full official name of Great Britain?

2. What parts does the UK consist of?

Reading

Read the text and be ready to answer some questions on geography, climate, population, and economy of the UK.

Geographical Outline.

Great Britain is situated on the British Isles. The larger of the two big islands is known as Great Britain. The smaller island is Ireland, with Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. The island of Great Britain together with the neighboring minor islands and the northeastern part of Ireland constitute the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The total area of Great Britain is 244,000 square kilometers. The west coast of the country is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea, the east coast is washed by the North Sea. Great Britain is separated from France by the English Channel which is 32 km. wide. The seas surrounding Great Britain are not very deep. The surface of England and Ireland is flat, but the surface of Scotland and Wales is mountainous. In Wales, there are the Cambrian Mountains, the highest peak of which is Snowdon. It is 3,560 feet high (nearly 1,000 metres). In Scotland, the main chain of mountains is called the Grampians, its highest peak is Ben Nevis (4,400 feet high). The mountainous northern part of Scotland is called the Highlands.

The rivers of Great Britain are short. The Thames, the Severn and the Clyde are the most important. The Thames on which London, the capital of Great Britain is situated, flows into the North Sea and is very deep. There are many beautiful lakes in Great Britain, the largest part of them is in the Lake District in northwestern England.

The Climate.

The climate of Great Britain is typically maritime with frequent rains and strong winds. The Gulf Stream makes the climate mild and damp. Frosts are very rare in winter and hot days are rare in summer.

The Population.

The population of the UK is about 60 million people (estimate 2001). The country is more densely populated than most countries. About nine - tenths of the people live in cities and towns. Most of the British are descendants of many early peoples who invaded Britain. These are the Celts, Romans, Angles, Saxons, Scandinavians, and Normans. Since the late 1940’s many immigrants from Commonwealth countries have settled in the United Kingdom. Most of them came from the West Indies, Asia, and Africa.

The largest cities of Great Britain are: London, the capital, Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Cardiff, and Edinburgh.

The Economy.

The UK is one of the world’s great manufacturing and trading nations. The country’s farms produce only about two – thirds of the food needed by the people. Vegetables are grown in all parts of the country, especially in the south. Sheep breeding and cattle breeding are also developed in Great Britain.

Except for coal, low-grade iron ore, natural gas and oil, the UK has few natural resources. British factories have long been known for cars, ships, steel, textiles and clothing. The UK also produces heavy machinery for industry, farming and mining; railway equipment, household appliances, and machine tools. British Aerospace, a privately owned company, makes a wide range of jet aircraft. An increasing percentage of the UK’s manufactured goods consists of electronic equipment.

The UK is also famous for its chemical industry, pharmaceuticals, pottery industry. The UK is one of the world’s chief centers of printing and publishing.

Exercise 1. Answer the following questions:

1. Where is Great Britain situated?

2. What are the two large islands called?

3. What is the territory of Great Britain?

4. What seas and oceans wash the territory of Great Britain?

5. What can you say about the rivers of Great Britain?

6. What mountains do you know in Great Britain?

7. What influences the climate of Great Britain?

8. What is the population of the UK?

9. What natural resources is the country rich in?

10. What facts can prove that the UK is still a leading industrial nation?

11. What are the largest cities of Great Britain?

Talking Points

1. What do you think of the geographical position of Great Britain? Why is the climate of the country generally mild and temperate? Why is most of the land agricultural? Can you indicate any other country which has the geographical position like Britain?

2. Look at the maps of the UK and Russia. Fill in the chart, summarize the information to compare the countries.

	UK	Russia
Area
Parts, regions
Seas, oceans, rivers, lakes
Neighboring countries
Population
Highlands, lowlands
Climate
Natural resources
Capital
Largest cities

Grammar Focus

The Present Perfect, the Past Perfect, the Future Perfect.

1. The Present Perfect.

1.The Present Perfect expresses an action which began in the past and still continues.

We have lived in the same house for twenty-five years.

Peter has worked as a teacher since 1991.

2.It expresses an experience that happened at some time in one’s life. The action is in the past and finished, but the effects of the action are still felt.

I have been to the States.( I still remember.)

Have you ever had an operation? (At any time in your life up to now)

3.It expresses a past action that has a present result. The action is usually in the recent past.

I have lost my wallet. (I haven’t got it now.)

The taxi hasn’t arrived. (We’re still waiting for you.)

You can use the Present Perfect with: ever, never, so far, already, yet, etc.

Form: have/has + past participle

Positive-You have seen that film many times.

Negative-You haven’t seen that film many times.

Question- Have you seen that film many times?

How many times have you seen that film?

Exercise 1. Read the situations and write sentences. Choose one of the following:

arrive break go up grow improve lose

1 Mike is looking for his key. He can’t find it. He has lost it.

2 Margaret can’t walk and her leg is in plaster. She……………………….

3 Maria’s English wasn’t very good. Now it is much better……………….

4 Tim didn’t have a beard last month. Now he has a beard………………..

5 This morning I was expecting a letter. Now I have it. …………………..

6 Last week the bus fare was 80 pence. Now it is 90. …………………….

Exercise 2. Complete the sentences using just, already or yet.

1 After lunch you go to see a friend at her house. She says “Would you like something to eat?”

You say: No, thank you. I’ve just had lunch. (have lunch)

2 Joe goes out. Five minutes later, the phone rings and the caller says ”Can I speak to Joe?”

You say: I’m afraid …………………………….. . (go out)

3 You are eating in a restaurant. The waiter thinks you have finished and starts to take your plate away. You say: Wait a minute! …………………………………………….. . (not/finish)

4 You are going to a restaurant this evening. You phone to reserve a table. Later your friend says “Shall I phone to reserve a table?” You say: No,………………………….it. (do)

5 You know that a friend of yours is looking for a job. Perhaps she has been successful. Ask her. You say:……………………………………………..? (find)

6 Ann went to the bank, but a few minutes ago she returned. Somebody asks “Is Ann still at the bank?” You say: No,………………………………….. . (come back)

Exercise 3. You are asking somebody questions about things he or she has done . Make questions from the words in brackets.

1 (ever/ride/horse?) Have you ever ridden a horse?

2 (ever /be/California?)…………………………………..

3 (ever/run/marathon?)…………………………………...

4 (ever/speak/famous person?)…………………………..

5 (always/live/in this town?)…………………………….

6 (most beautiful place/ever/visit?)………………………