pie

D We form the Past Simple of be like this: D look at these examples of how we use the Past
Simple of be:
• wasfwere + facts about the past:
John F. Kennedy was an American president.
Our first house was in the centre of town.
A: Were your answers correct?
B: No, they were all wrong!
Olivia wasn't at the party.
• wasfwere + place and time:

Wt ...,,. in Spain in}une.

She wcun't at home last night.
George and joanna weren't in London at the
weekend. They were in Brighton.
Steve and Mary were here at six o'clock.
• wasfwere + adjective (e.g. cold, tired):
lt was cold yesterday.
They were tired after the journey.
Here are some examples with was and were: The train was late again this morning.
I was in New York last week. A: Were your exams easy?
We were at home yesterday evening. B: The first exam was easy, but the second
They weren't late this morning. one wasn't.
Was it a good film?

Complete the sentences using was or were.

+ Today I am happy but yesterday I was sad.
1 Now Jasmine is at home but last week she on holiday.
2 Today it's raining but yesterday it sunny.
3 This year there is a jazz festival here and last year there a pop festival.
4 Today Mr Brown is at work but yesterday he ....... ill.
5 These days there are houses here but 100 years ago there trees.
6 Today I feel fine but yesterday I in bed all day.
7 My mother is a manager now but she . a shop assistant last year.
8 Today is Saturday and we are at home, but yesterday we at school.
9 This summer we are staying at home but last summer we in Greece.
10 Today Tina and Jack are tired because yesterday they at the gym.

20
 Tenses: past

Mary spent last weekend in Madrid. Ask her some questions using the words in brackets ( )
and was or were.
+ (your hotel/good?) Was your hotel good?
1 (your room/comfortable?) . ..... .. ... ..... ......... .. .
2 (the weather/nice?) ........
3 (the streets/full of people?) ..... ...
4 (the shops/expensive?)
5 (the city/exciting at night?)
6 (the museums/interesting?) ... .. .
7 (the people/friendly?) .........................
8 (your flight/OK?) .

George and Sally have been married for 50 years. They are talking about their first house.
Complete their conversation using words from the box, and following the model of the two
examples.
new Italian ~ green cheap ~ bad

George: The house was warm.

Sally: No, it • wasn't warm, it W<i!S cold.
George: The garden was small.
Sally: No, it • wasn't small, it was big.
Sally: The neighbours were French.
George: No, they 1
George: The living room was red.
Sally: No, it 2
Sally: Our first chairs were expensive.
George: No, they 3
George: The kitchen was old.
Sally: No, it 4
George: The local shops were good.
Sally: No, they 5

Complete these conversations with was, wasn't, were, or weren't.

Peter: •was Paul at work today?
1
Julie: No, he in the office. I think he's sick.

2
Henry: you in South America last year?
Steve: Yes. I3
in Bolivia on business, and then my wife and 1 4 in Brazil for
a holiday.

Raphael and I 5
6
Olivia: ............... at home in London last week. We at Mike's house in
Cornwall. it was lovely there. Do you know Mike?
7 8
Jasmine: Yes, 1 ............................. .... at Mike's party in Oxford in the summer. you there?
9
Olivia: No, we weren't there. Raphael and 1 .......................... in Portugal in the summer.

21
 Past Simple

D We form the Past Simple of regular verbs by D We form the negative with didn't and the
adding -ed to the verb: infinitive (e.g. do, take, understand):
walk - walked watch - watched I didn't understand. (NOT tJitJ,'t t.mtJersteetJ)
open - opened ask- asked We form questions with did and t he infinitive
(e.g. watch):
There are some exceptions: Did you watch the film?
._ verbs ending with -e:
~----~--------------~
D We use the Past Simple to talk about an action
lwe- l1ved like - liked or situat ion in t he past which is finished. We
often say when it happened (e.g. yesterday,
._ verbs ending with a consonant and -y: last night):
- tried Chris phoned me yesterday. He wanted to ask
me something.
._ most verbs ending with one vowel and Did you enjoy the concert last night?
one consonant:
stop - stopped plan - Dla1rmed.l
D We can use the Past Simple wit h for to talk
about something that continued for a period of
(For more details on the form of the Past time, and ended in the past:
Simple, see Appendix 2, page 243.) I lived in Rome for two years. Then I went to
work in japan.
D Many verbs have an irregular Past Simple form:
do- did have- had 2 3

take- took buy- bought FOR TWO YEARS

come- came stand - stood

!find - found ring- rang
go- went say- said
(For more details, see Appendix 3, page 244.)

Put a t ick (J') next to t he correct forms of the Past Simple, and cross out those which are
incorrect. You can look at Appendix 3, page 244, before you do the exercise.
walked ./ drinked went played writed swam
~ wrote cooked gived spent finded
drank asked flew made sended buyed
gave meeted took left found winned
met passed stoped followed sent eated
won cryed comed drove bought brought
leaved swimmed cried stopped ate crossed

Complete t he sentences using the Past Simple form and the words in brackets ( ).
+ We wen.t (go) on holiday to Scotland last year.
.. (take) a taxi from the airport to the city centre.
2 We .................. (walk) to the park and then we . .. . . ... .... ........... . . (play) tennis.
3 The man in the shop ............................... ..... (say) something to the woman, but
she (not/hear) him.

22
 Tenses: past

4 .. (ring) the doorbell and a woman . ... .... .. (open) the door.
5 (down load) three films at the weekend, but I only (watch) one.
6 A: (you/understand) the film?
B: No. I (try) to understand it, but the actors ······· .......... ....... (speak) very quickly.
7 A: (you/buy) some clothes at the market?
B: Yes, I ............ (buy) a pair of trousers and a shirt.
8 A: .........- . .. (you/enjoy) the festiva l?
B: Yes. it (not/rain) and we (listen) to some good music.

Make sentences using the Past Simple form and the words in brackets ( ).
+ (When/you/leave/the party?) When did you leave the party?
(When/you/finish/your exams?)

2 (1/wait/for an hour, but he/not/phone.)

3 (you/watch/the news on TV last night?)

4 (Mark/stop/playing tennis, and he/start/playing golf instead.)

5 (He/ask/me a question, but 1/not/know/the answer.)

6 (1/live/there for a few years, but 1/not/like/the place.)

it's the beginning of a new term at university. Two students, Nick and Elliot, are talking about
the summer holidays. Complete their conversation using the Past Simple form of the words
in brackets ( ).
Nick: What • did you do (you/do) in the summer?
Elliot: 11 (take) a trip around Europe by train.
2
Nick: (you/go) on your own, or with some friends?
3
Elliot: A couple of friends (come) with me.
4
Nick: How many countries (you/visit)?
5
Elliot: I (go) to six or seven countries. I 6 (have) a great time,
and I really 7 (love) all of them.
Nick: Which one 8 (you/like) most?
9
Elliot: Sweden, I think. I (enjoy) exploring the marvellous countryside and I
10
(take) lots of photographs.
Nick: When 11 (you/arrive) back home?
Elliot: Last week. I'm still rather tired.

23
 Past Continuous

D We form the Past Continuous like this: D Now look at this:

When I walked into the room, Anna
was working on her laptop and )oseph
was reading.
We use the Past Simple (walked) for a
completed action. We use the Past Continuous
(was working) for an action in progress in
the past.

(For rules on the spelling of -ing forms

(e.g. waiting), see Appendix 2, page 243.)
D Look at these examples: D We can use when or while before the
A: What were you doing at seven o'clock last night? Past Continuous:
B: I was driving home from work. I met her when/while we were working for the
DRIVING same company. (when = during the time)
6.30 7.00 7.15 We can only use when (NOT whHe) before t he
Past Simple:
I was living in japan in 2001. (/lived there
from 1999 to 2003.) When I met her, we were working for the same
company. (when = at the time)
We use the Past Continuous for an action or
situation that was in progress at a particular
time in the past (e.g. at 7 p.m., in 2001).

Complete the sentences using the Past Continuous form of the words in brackets ( ).
+ it was snowing (snow) when I left home this morning.
I tried to explain my problem to her, but she (not/listen).
2 He (talk) on the phone when I arrived.
3 A lot of people (wait) for the seven-thirty bus last night.
4 I (live) in London when I met them.
5 I nearly had an accident this morning. A car (come) towards me, but I moved
quickly out of the way.
6 At the end of the first half of the game, they (win).
7 it was a sunny afternoon and people (sit) on the grass in the park. Then it suddenly
started to rain.
8 Which hotel (you/stay) in when you lost your passport?
9 Fortunately, I . (not/drive) too fast when the child walked into the road in front of me.
10 I looked out of the window, and I saw that it ·- . oooo.ooo _ · ·oooo -·- •• oo. • 00
• (not/rain) any more.
11 What 000 - oooooooooo. 00000000 .oo . . . . 000 oooo--ooooooo . . . (you/do) at three o'clock yesterday afternoon?

24
 Tenses: past

Describe what the people in the picture were doing when Nick came into the room. Use the
correct verb from the box in the Past Continuous.
brush watch fea6 listen write eat paint sit play

• George was r.egd)ng .... . . . ... a newspaper.

1 Julie a sandwich. 5 Hannah ... .... an essay.
2 Lucy and Liz . table tennis. 6 Rita ............... ······· .... her hair.
3 Frank television. 7 Alice to some music.
4 Amelia on the floor. 8 Anna ..... a picture.

Look at the information about Sian and Nathan. Complete the sentences about them using
the Past Continuous (I was doing) or the Past Simple (I did).
SIAN NATHAN
2000-06 lived in New York 2002-10 lived in Washington
2003-06 studied at university 2003-05 did a course in computing
2006 left university 2005-10 worked as a computer programmer
2006-,10 worked as a translator 2009 met Sian
2009 met Nathan 2010-15 ran his own company
2012 married Nathan 2012 married Sian

+ In 2002, Sian was livil')g in New York.

1 In 2004, Nathan in Washington.
2 In 2004, Sian at university.
3 In 2004, Nathan a course in computing.
4 When Sian university in 2006, Nathan
as a computer programmer.
5 When Nathan ... Sian, she . as a translator.
6 While Si an as a translator, she .. Nathan.
7 In 2012, Nathan ... . ..... . .. .. ....... his own company.
8 While he ............-.......... .... .......... .. .. ... ... his own company, Nathan ... Siar.

25
 D Compare the Past Simple and the Past Continuous:

D We use the Past Simple to talk about a We often use the Past Continuous to talk about
complete event in the past: an action that was in progress, when something
else happened:
Last Saturday morning, Paul played football in. Last Saturday, Paul was playingfootba/1 in the
the park when he saw jasmine.

Here are some more examples: Here are some more examples:
On Sunday I made a cake. My phone rang while I was making a cake.
lt rained a lot on Saturday morning. lt was raining when we left home.

D We often use the Past Simple to talk about one In a story we often use the Past Continuous
event that followed another event: to say what was in progress, when
something happened: .
When Anna )ames left university, she went to The sun was shining. People were sitting
work for a bank. She left the bank after five under the trees or walking around the park.
years, and wrote a book which ... Suddenly a car drove into the park ...

Use the Past Simple and the Past Continuous to make sentences from the words in
brackets ( ).
+ (The police/arrive/while/1/have/breakfast) .
Tl:te _pQii.ce a.rriv~d wbil~ I w~s h;;wing .!lreakff:I~Y...........................
(The storm/start/while/they/drive/home)

2 (1/see/an accident/while/1/wait/for the bus)

3 (Mary/go/to several concerts/while/she/stay/in London)

+ {!/have/breakfast/when/the police/arrive)
Jwas having__breakfa.~:t.when the poljc~ arrived.
4 (My father/cook/the dinner/when/he/burn/his fingers)

5 (The soldiers/prepare/to leave/when/the bomb/explode)

26
 Tenses: past

Complete these texts using the Past Simple or the Past Continuous of the verbs in
brackets ( ).
+ Beethoven wrot.e ........... ... (write) nine symphonies; he w~~..wrJt.:ir.!fL... (write) another symphony when
he died.
Last Saturday Tom wanted to make two salads. He .•.. .......................... (make) the first one in five
minutes. He ............................ (make) the second one when his guests ................................... (arrive), and they
.................................. (help) him to finish it.
2 The artist Gaudf .............................. (design) several houses in Barcelona, Spain. Later he .............. ···~···············-· (start)
~ork on a church. He .............................. .. (work) on the church when he ...................................... (die).
3 Last month a bank robber ............................. . (escape) while the police ..................................... (take) him to prison.
Later they .......................... (catch) him again, and this time they .................................... (lock) him up without
any problem.
4 Raphael's football team were lucky last Saturday. After 20 minutes they ...................................... (lose), but in the
end they .......................... (win) the game by four goals to two.
5 John Lennon ... ................... ... . (sing) and ... ... . ......... ...... (play) on many records with the Beatles. After that
he ................................. (record) several songs without the Beatles. He ..................................... (prepare) a new record
when Mark Chapman .................................... (shoot) him.
6 The evening was getting darker; the street lights .... ......................... (come) on. People .................................... ..
(hurry) home after work. I ... . ....... ......... (stand) in a queue at the bus stop. Suddenly, somebody
(grab) my bag.

A police officer is interviewing Mary Croft about last Friday evening. Look at the pictures
and complete the conversation. Use the Past Simple or the Past Continuous of the words in
brackets ( ).

Police officer: What time •. ~i.4Y9~.g,et..... ...... .. (you/get) home from work?
Mary: At about six o'clock.
Police officer: And what 1 (you/do) after you got home?
Mary: I read the news.
Police officer: Did anything happen while 2 (read)?
3
Mary: Yes, my phone ... ...... ... .. ........ .. .. . ....... (ring).
4
Police officer: What (you/do) when your husband came home? .
Mary: I was watching TV, and I 5 (drink) a cup of coffee.
Police officer: Did you and your husband stay at home?
Mary: No, 16 . . . __ ... ..... . . .... .. ...(drink) my coffee. Then I put on my raincoat,
7
and we ... .. ....... .... ...... .... .. (go) out at seven o'clock.
8
Police officer: Why .. . .. .. .. .... _.. ... .. (you/put) your raincoat on?
9
Mary: Because it ... .............. ...... ....... ....... .. (rain), of course.

27