A Grammar in a Nutshell First Certificate Level

1. A Grammar in a NutshellFirst Certificate Level Past Simple Pastcontinuous

2. Past simple Form: For affirmative formsweusethepast form ofthefullverb > regularverbs: basic form + -ed; forirregularverbsseelist in yourgrammarbook) Fornegationsandquestionsweusethepast form oftheauxiliary „do“ (=did) + basic form offull verb. + I worked in a factory. (the same form for „you“, „she“, „he“, „it“, „we“, „they“) • I did not (didn‘t) work in a factory. (the same form for „you“, „she“, „he“, „it“, „we“, „they“) Past simple - Past continuous

3. ? Did I workatuniversity? (the same form for „you“, „she“, „he“, „it“, „we“, „they“) -? Did I not (Didn‘t I) studyenough? (the same form for „you“, „she“, „he“, „it“, „we“, „they“) Past simple - Past continuous

4. Use • Foractions/situationsthatstarted in thepastandfinished in thepast; andtheinterest (=unlikethepresentperfect) also lies in thepast. • 1a. The time oftheaction/situationisoftenstated: • He met her in 1976. • 1b. The time isoftenonlyknownorimplied: • I firstmet her on her birthday. • 1c. The time maybeaskedabout: • Whendidyou pass thatexam? Past simple - Pastcontinuous

5. The past simple tenseisused in stories orforconsecutiveactions in general. • He wokeupsuddenlyand was convincedthatsomebody was downstairs. Withoutmaking a sound, he got out ofbedandwalkedtowardsthedoor. Before he gotthere, he heard a noise on thestairsandthepassagelightwent on. • Theylistenedtothejokeandburst out laughing. • The past simple is also usedtodescribe a pasthabit. • Her sisteralwayswrote her longletters. • When I was a boyitsnowedevery winter. Past simple - Pastcontinuous

6. Past continuous (past progressive) • Form • Past simple of the auxiliary „be“ + present participle of a full verb. • + They were still having lunch at the canteen when the bell rang. • - She wasn‘t dancing in the park at two in the morning, was she? • ? Was he crying when you last saw him? • -? Weren‘t we having a great time that evening?! Past simple - Past continuous

7. Use Mindthatthe non-continuousverbslisted in PPP „Present simple – presentcontinuous“ aregenerally non-continuous in thepastandothertenses, too. 1a. Weusethepastcontinuousfor a long, continuingaction in an impliedpast. It was in earlyOctober. The moon was shiningthroughtheclouds. A cool breeze was blowingandleavesweresoftlywhispering. Thensuddenly I heardfootsteps. 1b. Weusethepastcontinuousfor a longandcontinuingactionat a givenorimplied time. Onlytwoweeksago I was swimming in theCaribbean. Past simple - Past continuous

8. 2. Weusethepastcontinuoustogetherwiththepast simple whenwewantto express thatoneaction was in progresswhenthere was suddenlyanother. • Wewere all sittingquietly in theclassroomwhenthe bomb exploded. • The pastcontinuousisusedformorethanonelongandcontinuingactionhappeningatthe same time. • I was doingthedisheswhilemywife was readingthepaper. (orviceversa) • The pastcontinousischosenwhenwewantto stress howextremelylong an actionseemstothespeaker. • He was talkingtothatpolicemanfortwohours. I begantogetworried. Past simple - Past continuous

9. Note thatthepastcontinuousis not usedwhen a numberoftimesthat an actiontookplaceismentionedorimplied. Thenweusethepast simple. He atefoursandwicheswhile I was watching TV. Past simple - Past continuous