II. The Past Continuous.

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)

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