FORM 5 UNIT 2: LANGUAGE AWARENESS

PAST SIMPLE & PAST CONTINUOUS

UNIT 2 : LIFE'S GREAT MYSTERIES

PAST SIMPLE

WHEN TO USE?

something that started and finished at a stated time in the past

• They investigated that crime two years ago.

• They found new evidence last week.

past routines and habits

• The archaeologist often visited Egypt.

• She often read Greek myths.

situations or states which were true in the past, but are no longer true

• Tony believed in ghosts when he was a child.

• Mark believed in aliens when he was young

actions that happened one after the other in the past, for example when telling a story

• Dean opened the door of the haunted house, went inside and walked slowly up the stairs.

• Tina walked down the passage, turned the corner and stopped.

past actions which won’t happen again

• Homer wrote many stories about the ancient Greeks.

• Icarus flew too close to the sun.

PAST CONTINUOUS

When to use?

actions that were in progress at a stated time in the past

• The historian was reading a book at five o’clock last night.

• The historian was writing his article at ten o’clock this morning.

two or more actions that were in progress at the same time in the past

• I was watching a spooky programme while my brother was doing the laundry.

• Sam was looking around the haunted house while Pat was waiting outside.

giving background information in a story

• The sun was shining and John was walking in the forest.

• It was raining hard and the wind was blowing.

an action that was in progress in the past that was interrupted by another.

• We were talking about our theory when we observed something remarkable.

• I was reading about spooky places when I heard a strange noise.

past continuous for the action that was in progress

past simple for the action which interrupted it

• We were talking about our theory when we observed something remarkable.

• I was reading about spooky places when I heard a strange noise.

Remember!

We DO NOT usually use stative verbs in continuous tenses

LET'S CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

Tom was wanting to find proof to solve the mystery.

• Identify the main verb.

• Which tense is used?

Tom was wanting to find proof to solve the mystery.

• Main verb = want

• past continuous

Tom was looking for proof to solve the mystery.

• Identify the main verb.

• Which tense is used?

Tom was looking for proof to solve the mystery.

• Main verb = look

• Past continuous

Multiple Choice

Which sentence is incorrect?

• Tom was wanting to find proof to solve the mystery.

• Tom was looking for proof to solve the mystery.

Why?

Because want is a stative verb

Remember!

We DO NOT usually use stative verbs in continuous tenses

Choose the correct words to complete the sentences

Multiple Choice

Peter _________ a scary programme at seven ’clock yesterday.

• wasn’t watching

• didn’t watch

Multiple Choice

Alfred Hitchcock ________ many remarkable films.

• was directing

• directed

Multiple Choice

Every year, Pat ________ me a mysterious box and we ________ it together.

• brought , opened

• was bringing , were opening

Multiple Choice

Lara ________ a book of myths while Tyler ________ the Net.

• read , surfed

• was reading , was surfing

Multiple Choice

_______________ the mystery in 1990?

• Did they solve

• Were they solving

Multiple Choice

Tom ________ about the bizarre event.

• knew

• was knowing

Multiple Choice

The spirit ________ out of the castle, _______ down to the lake and _________ .

• was coming,

  was walking,

  was disappearing

• came ,

  walked ,

  disappeared

PANDORA'S BOX

Complete the sentences.

Use the past simple

or

the past continuous.

Fill in the Blanks

According to the Greek myth, there once

(live) a man called Hephaestus.

Multiple Select

One day, while he _________ (work) , Zeus ________ (tell) Hephaestus to make him a daughter.

• was working

• worked

• was telling

• told

Multiple Select

He _______ (listen) to Zeus, _______ (make) a beautiful woman and _______ (name) her Pandora.

• listened

• was listening

• made

• was making

• named

Fill in the Blanks

Zeus

(send) Pandora to marry Epimetheus, who was the brother of Prometheus.

Fill in the Blanks

Prometheus had given people the gift of fire and Zeus

(want) to get revenge.

Multiple Select

Zeus ______ (give) Pandora a box and ______ (order) her never to open it.

• was giving

• gave

• was ordering

• ordered

Multiple Select

However, Pandora was very curious, so one night while her husband ________ (sleep), she ______ (open) the box and all kinds of terrible things came out: hate, crime, disease ... .

• was sleeping

• slept

• was opening

• opened

Multiple Select

When Epimetheus _______ (wake up), Pandora _______ (cry)

• was waking up

• woke up

• was crying

• cried

Multiple Select

She _______ (open) the box to show Epimetheus it was empty and he _______ (see) a small insect inside. ‘My name is Hope,’ it said.

• opened

• was opening

• saw

• was seeing

Multiple Select

Hope _______ (thank) Pandora for opening the box and _______ (fly away) to help the world.

• thanked

• was thanking

• flew away

• was flying away