Unit 8. The past simple vs. The past continuous

8.1. Choose the correct word or phrase in each sentence.

1. While I washed / was washing my hair, the phone rang / ringed.

2. How did you felt / feel yesterday afternoon?

3. When I got / was getting home, I received / was receiving a phone call.

4. Last summer I was going / went swimming every weekend.

5. When the dog bit / was biting Laura’s leg, she screamed / was screaming.

6. We sang / sung some songs and then ate / eat some sandwiches.

7. When you fell / felt over the cliff, what happened / was happening next?

8. While Mary washed-up / was washing-up, she broke / was breaking a cup.

9. I didn’t see / saw where the bus stop was, so I was missing / missed the bus.

10. What did you do / were you doing when I phoned / was phoning you last night? There was no reply.

8.2. Complete these sentences, putting the verbs in the past simple or the past continuous.

1. When Harry (wake up), we (tell) him the news.

2. Everyone (wait) for the concert to begin when a message (arrive).

3. Charlotte (want) a relaxing holiday, so she (choose) to stay on a small island.

4. When Richard (study) in the United States, his parents (phone) him every week.

5. I (find) my pen while I (look for) my bag.

6. Ann (watch) a film on television when Juliet (arrive).

7. When the lights (go out), I (lie) in bed reading.

8. When you (go) to the new Chinese restaurant, what (you eat)?

9. I (work) upstairs when the accident (happen).

10. He (open) the book and (start) to read.

11. We (enjoy) the film, when suddenly the electricity (go) off.

12. When she (hear) the news, she (begin) to cry.

13. Everyone (talk) quietly. Suddenly the door (burst) open.

14. When I (hear) the doorbell, I (run) downstairs.

15. He (drive) at over 100 kilometres an hour when the accident (happen).

16. The thieves (break in) while we (sleep).

17. Someone (run off) with my clothes while I (swim).

18. I (shop) in the supermarket when I (lose) my purse.

19. He (play) tennis and he (break) his leg.

20. I first (meet) my wife when we (work) in London.

21. I (read) the newspaper, when suddenly I (hear) a loud knock on the door.

22. I (phone) George an hour ago. He (watch) the football on TV.

23. I first (meet) Mary a couple of years ago. She (work) at the Royal Hospital at the time.

24. We (ask) Peter to come with us, but he (mend) his bike.

25. While I (drive) to work this morning, I almost (have) a serious accident.

26. When we (do) the shopping last week, we (find) a nice place to have coffee.

8.3. Complete each sentence with a suitable time expression from the box. You can use an expression more than once.

ago in last week at when while

1. A burglar broke into the house ……………… we were watching television.

2. ……………… I met an old friend of mine in the city centre.

3. What were you doing ……………… the police officer knocked on the door?

4. Jan met Sarah ……………… half past eight outside the cinema.

5. ……………… Dick was preparing lunch, he cut his finger badly.

6. I first came to this town more than twenty years ……………….

7. Jeff was studying to be a doctor ……………… he met Sally.

8. Tony bought his first motorbike ……………… 2003.

9. ……………… did you start playing tennis?

10. Most of the young people left this village a long time ……………….

8.4. Match each sentence (a-h) with a suitable response (1-8).

a) What was Catherine doing when you knocked on the door?	1) She went sailing most days, and sunbathed at the beach.
b) How did Brenda spend her holiday?	2) She put the phone down.
c) What happened when the lights went out?	3) She was listening to the radio in the kitchen.
d) When did you meet Amanda?	4) She went to meet her parents at a restaurant.
e) What did Julie do when Tom called?	5) She came to my brother’s birthday party.
f) Did Suzannah hear what David said?	6) While Andy was looking for a torch, they came back on.
g) What did Lucy do when the bell rang at the end of the lecture?	7) She wasn’t listening.
h) Why did Angela leave so early?	8) She put her books away and left.

8.5. Newspaper headlines

Work in pairs. Write a few sentences about these headlines. Include information about what was happening when the event took place, e.g. HIKERS STRANDED IN SNOWSTORM. – A search and rescue team took nine hours to find a French couple yesterday, after a freak snowstorm hit the Pyrenees. Anton and Agathe Duval were hiking on the highest peak when the blizzard struck…

MP collapses at conference	Robbers caught during raid
Lights go out at opening ceremony	Road rage in motorway jam
Man eaten by pet alligator	Jogger mauled by dog
Near miss at airport	Shopper sees Elvis

In your pairs, write a headline of your own, if possible about a story in the news at the moment. Exchange it with another pair and expand on the headline that is passed to you.

8.6. What next?

Work in two groups. Write fifteen nouns on separate pieces of paper. Put them face down in the middle of the other group.

Take turns to choose a piece of paper and use the word to make a sentence about what you were doing when something else happened. Answer a question from the group about what you did next, e.g. TV.

A: I was watching TV when the phone rang.

B: What did you do when the phone rang?

A: When the phone rang, I answered it.

8.7. Lifelines

Look at the lifeline. In pairs, write a few sentences with while and when making up any details as necessary, e.g. While he was living in Macau, he had an operation for …, When his parents divorced, he moved to England with his … because ….

Born in Macau 1970	Moved to UK 1978	University 89 – 93	Travelled 94 – 96	Worked in bank 97 – 98	Returned to London 1999
Hospital operation 1974. Parents divorced 1977.	Secondary school 1981. Started guitar lessons.	Met girlfriend 1991. Went to Peru on holiday.	Married 1995. Accident in Namibia 1996.	Learnt French. Baby Rianne born 1997. Formed band.	First hit record 2000. Bought a mansion 2002.

Draw your own lifeline. Exchange it with another student. Ask each other for more information and write similar sentences.

8.8. Accident report

Yesterday morning at 8.30 there was an accident between a bicycle and a lorry at the junction of Green Lanes and Seven Sisters Road. It was raining, but visibility was good. The lorry was travelling up Green Lanes and the cyclist was travelling west. Neither the lorry driver nor the cyclist was injured, but the bicycle was a mangled wreck. The driver and the cyclist both have to make a report to the police, which will be used in an insurance claim. They blame each other. There are some independent witnesses.

Work in groups of four to role-play the ensuing argument (Student A – the lorry driver, Student В – the cyclist, Student C – a witness, Student D – a police officer).

When you have finished, write a report of what happened, from your point of view. Include information / questions about the traffic, the location, speed and direction of the vehicles and what you heard and saw next. Take turns to read out your report.

Tell the group about an accident you have been involved in, or witnessed.

8.9. Suggest the English for the sentences.

1. Я просматривал электронную почту, а Джулия готовила ужин. Потом приехали гости.

2. Когда я принимала душ, кто-то позвонил в дверь. Я сделала вид, что меня нет дома.

3. Кто-то играл на флейте в саду, но было темно и я не видел, кто это был.

4. Вор залез в дом, когда хозяева сажали цветы в саду. Был выходной, и никто ничего не видел.

5. Полиция арестовала мошенника, когда тот пытался расплатиться фальшивой купюрой в 200€.

6. Когда я шёл домой, кто-то окликнул меня по имени. Я обернулся и увидел своего старого университетского приятеля.

7. Мы шли по берегу моря, когда вдали раздался оглушительный взрыв. Началось извержение вулкана.

8. Мы разговаривали по телефону, когда объявили посадку.

9. Наш поезд двигался со скоростью 310 км/ч. Многие люди спокойно читали или спали в креслах.

10. Они как раз обсуждали наше предложение, когда мы зашли. Мы извинились за опоздание и присоединились к дискуссии.

11. Они не понимали, почему мы так долго думаем над таким заманчивым предложением. Но мы взвешивали все «за» и «против».

12. Их юрист не слушал, о чём мы говорили. Или делал вид, что не слушает.

13. Когда ты позвонил, я готовился к экзамену. Я переписывал все правила в отдельную тетрадь.

14. Что ты сделал, когда она сказала тебе об аварии? – Я позвонил в службу спасения навести справки. Они ответили, что они устраняют последствия пожара.

15. Она выглядела так, словно хотела сказать мне что-то крайне важное. Я внимательно наблюдал за ней, но ничего не сказал.

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