Lesson 4
- 1. UNIVERSIDAD JOSE CARLOS MARIATEGUI R.M.C. UNIT II LESSON 4 BE IN THE PAST SIMPLE A. The past Simple of be is like this: Positive Negative Question 1 was I was not (wasn't) Was I....? Singular You were, You were not(weren't) Were you ... He/she/it was He/she/it was not (wasn't) Was he/she/it ...? We were We were not (weren't) Were we ...? Plural You were You weren't not (weren't) Were you ...? They were They were not (weren't) Were they...? We usually use the short forms (wasn't/weren’t) when we are speaking or writing a friendly letter: She wasn't at the dance yesterday, so her boyfriend wasn't happy. B. We use was and were to talk about the past: I was a student from 1986 to 1991. Kyoto was the capital of Japan.(not now) It was very hot last August. They were at club until midnight. - 46 – Ms. Carcasi
- 2. UNIVERSIDAD JOSE CARLOS MARIATEGUI R.M.C. C. We use there was.../there were ... to talk about something in the past: There was a panty in the school last Saturday. There were steam trains in England in 1950. We use there was with a singular noun: There was a football match in the car park last week. with an uncountable noun: There was some* bread in the cupboard yesterday. We use there were with a plural noun: There were two hundred people at the wedding. D. Questions and short answers are like this: Was there a football match yesterday? Yes, there was. Or No, there wasn't. Were there any* good programmes on TV last week? Yes, there were. Or No, there weren't. EXERCISES 1. Look at the conversation from The History Quiz, a TV show, and underline all the past forms of be. "Are you ready? Now, Miss Jones; this is your first question. Who was William Shakespeare?" "Was he a famous general?" "No, he wasn't a general, he was a dramatist. Bad luck! Now, Mr. Smith, here's your question. Who was Napoleon7 "Was he a famous footballer?" "No, he wasn't a footballer, he was a general. Now, Miss Jones, who was Leonardo da Vinci?" 2. Now continuo the conversation in exercise 1 and fill the gaps. Use one word for each gap. "(1) was (2) he a famous actor?". "No, (3) (4) a famous actor, (5) (6) an artist. Now, Mr. Smith, who (7) Romulus and Remus?. “(8)………………………….. (9)………………….. circus clowns? "No, they(10) ……………………….. clowns, they (11) ………………… the founders of Rome. Well, Miss Jones and Mr. Smith, you have zero points. I’m sorry. - 47 – Ms. Carcasi
- 3. UNIVERSIDAD JOSE CARLOS MARIATEGUI R.M.C. 3. Your friend was at a party last weekend at the house of a millionaire. Use items from the list to make sentences. delicious luxurious heart-shaped by Picasso old and ugly interesting young and beautiful full of roses very expensive very polite famous antique a. The millionaire was old and ugly . b. The millionaire’s wife ………………. c. The other guests …………………….. d. The servants …………………………. e. The house ……………………………. f. The swimming pool …………………. g. The furniture ……………………….. h. The paintings ……………………….. i. The gardens ………………………….. j. The food ……………………………… k. The wine ……………………………. l The conversation …………………….. 4. Here are some items from the news. For each news item, write a sentences with There was or There were or There is or There are. a. A car accident (yesterday) There was a car accident. b. A plane crash (yesterday) ……………………………….. c. A party at the White House (this evening, now) ……………………………….. d. An earthquake on Pacific island (yesterday) ……………………………….. e. No economic problems in Peru (last month) ……………………………….. f. Two bomb explosions (last night) ……………………………….. g. A music festival in Hyde Park (today, now) ……………………………….. h. A meeting between the Presidents of the USA ……………………………….. and Russia (last week). i. An important football match at Wembley (today, now). ……………………………….. j. No rain in Chiclayo (last month) ……………………………….. k. A royal wedding (last month) ……………………………….. 1. Three firework displays in London (tonight, now) ……………………………….. - 48 – Ms. Carcasi
- 4. UNIVERSIDAD JOSE CARLOS MARIATEGUI R.M.C. 5. Look at these pictures of Bob and Sue and complete the sentences below. Here are some useful words: babies dark energetic friendly generous happy healthy pretty smooth thin very intelligent 1962 now 1. Bob and Sue are old now but then they were young. 2. Bob and Sue are sad now but then ……………………………….. 3. Sue is fat now but then ……………………………….. 4. They are often ill now but then ……………………………….. 5. Their skin is wrinkled ( = with lines ) now but then it ……………………………….. 6. They are often angry now but then ……………………………….. 7. Their hair is grey now but then it ……………………………….. 8. They are often tired now but then ……………………………….. 9. Sue is forgetful now but then ……………………………….. 10. Bob and Sue are rich now but then ……………………………….. 11. They are mean ( = not generous ) now but then ……………………………….. 12. Their children are adults now but then ……………………………….. 13. Sue is ugly now but then ……………………………….. 6. Look at this. As you read, put was or were or wasn’t or weren’t in the gaps. Jim and Barbara: We were at the zoo yesterday. Sarah: Was it good? Jim: No, it was terrible. There (1) weren’t any lions. Barbara: And there(2) …………………… any tigers, Jim: There (3)…………….. any kangaroos. Barbara: And there(4) …………….. any elephants. Sarah: (5) …………….. there any snakes? Barbara: Yes, there(6) …………….. one. It was only five centimeters long. Jim: There (7) …………….. a monkey but he was very old and fat. - 49 – Ms. Carcasi
- 5. UNIVERSIDAD JOSE CARLOS MARIATEGUI R.M.C. Barbara: And there(8) …………….. a camel with only one eye. Jim: There (9) …………….. two crocodiles with no teeth. Barbara: And there(10) …………….. a parrot with no feathers. Jim: There(11) …………….. any penguins. Barbara: And there(12) …………….. enough food for the animals. Jim: There(13) …………….. only one zoo keeper. He was old and folish. 7. Now make questions about the zoo. Give short answers. 1. Lions ? Were there any lions at. the zoo? No, there weren't 2. Crocodiles? ……………………………………………………... 3. Parrots? ……………………………………………………... 4. Largo snakes? ……………………………………………………... 5. Enough food the animals? ……………………………………………………... 6. A young zoo keeper? ……………………………………………………... OPEN EXERCISES 8. Where were you last weekend? Look at this table: Place Friday Saturday Sunday Beach Disco Shopping 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. Centre 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. Restaurant 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Cinema Zoo Write more times (e.g. 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.) in the empty spaces in the table. Then write the story of your weekend. Use was and were. For example: Last Friday, the weather was fine. I was at the shops from nine o’clock to eleven o’clock. From eleven o’clock to two o’clock, I was at restaurant. The food was delicious but the waiters weren’t very polite. 9. Invent similar questions about the places below. Do you remember the questions about the zoo in exercise 7 ? a. The beach: Were there any lifeguards at the beach? b. The museum c. The circus d. The disco e. The park f. The hotel - 50 – Ms. Carcasi
- 6. UNIVERSIDAD JOSE CARLOS MARIATEGUI R.M.C. PAST PROGRESSIVE GRAMMAR: ANNE WAS STUDYING IN THE LIBRARY The past progressive is used to show that an action took place over period of time. I Was studying Mark Was studying Last night Mark and Al Were studying What were you doing last night? I was studying in the library. I WAS THINKING ABOUT MY VACATION Read your part and learn it well enough to say it without looking at your book Jan: Why were you smiling a minute ago? Tom: I was thinking. Jan: What were you thinking about? Tom: My vacation next week. - 51 – Ms. Carcasi
- 7. UNIVERSIDAD JOSE CARLOS MARIATEGUI R.M.C. Rita: What were you doing last night? Jane: I was studying at the library. Rita: What were you studying? Jane: French. I was reviewing for today’s test. Steve: I don’t understand this exercise. Larry: Were you listening to the teacher? Steve: No. What was he saving? Larry: He was explaining this exercise. SUBSTITUTION DRILL Oral cue Oral response Individual 1. Jane was watching a movie night. (TV) 2. Studying math 3. Mark an Al 4. this morning 5. playing soccer 6. baseball 7. I 8. Yesterday 9. washing the car 10. My brother and I. WHO WAS READING A BOOK LAST NIGTH? Your instructor will read a sentence and then give you a word or phrase to substitute. Make a new sentence with that word or phrase. Look at the pattern. PATTERN: I: Helen was reading a book last night I: Jane S1: Jane was reading a book last night. I: watching a movie S2: Jane was watching a movie last night. - 52 – Ms. Carcasi
- 8. UNIVERSIDAD JOSE CARLOS MARIATEGUI R.M.C. WHAT WAS LAURA DOING YESTERDAY? SHE WAS WAITING FOR THE BUS Ask and answer the question about the pictures. Remember to use the past progressive. EXAMPLE: What was Laura doing at 6:30? She was eating breakfast. 1. Where was Laura standing 2. Who was Laura talking to at 7:00? at 9:00? (She was standing at the (She was talking to a bus stop.) student.) 1. When was Laura running? 2. What was Laura buying at 4:30? (She was running at noon.) (She was talking to a student.) - 53 – Ms. Carcasi
- 9. UNIVERSIDAD JOSE CARLOS MARIATEGUI R.M.C. 1. When was Laura cooking 2. Who was Laura talking to dinner? at 8:00? (She was cooking dinner at (She was talking to her 4:30.) mother at 8:00.) - 54 – Ms. Carcasi