Talking about the Past in English

Talking about the Past in English

Start-up 11 | Virgínia Barros ✪ Vanessa Reis Esteves ✪ Luísa Barros

PowerPoint Menu1. KWL chart 2. Video: Setting the context3. Past Tenses:

a. Past Simple: Form - Regular verbsb. Past Simple: Form - Irregular verbsc. Leading forms: Practical online exercisesd. Past Simple: Functione. Practical Exercisef. Past Continuous: Formg. Past Continuous: Functionh. Practical exercisei. Past Perfect Simple: Formj. Past Perfect Simple: Functionk. Practical exercisesl. Past Perfect Continuous: Formm. Past Perfect Continuous: Functionn. Practical exercises


Fill in the graphic organiser about talking about the past in English

What I KNOW about past tenses in English

What I WANT to know about Past tenses in

EnglishWhat I LEARNT about Past

Tenses in English


Now compare ideas with a partner and complete your graphic organiser.

What I KNOW about past tenses in English

What I WANT to know about Past tenses in

EnglishWhat I LEARNT about Past

Tenses in English


You are going to watch a film trailer called “Crush”.

What do you think happened in this film?


Now watch the trailer and find out.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIOPUCCrGXE

What can you remember? Order the following events according to what happened in the trailer.

Event Order

Scott was running and listening to music. 1

Bess drew a heart around Scott in her yearbook.Bess decided that if she couldn’t have Scott nobody else could.Scott’s girlfriend warned him that Bess had a crush on him.Scott bumped into Bess.Scott received love mail.Scott asked Bess if she was ok.Scott ran by Bess’ house.Bess got a crush on Scott.Scott was trailing and got injured

Check your work.

Event Order

Scott was running and listening to music. 1

Bess drew a heart around Scott in her yearbook. 4

Bess decided that if she couldn’t have Scott nobody else could.

10

Scott’s girlfriend warned him that Bess had a crush on him.

7

Scott bumped into Bess. 2

Scott received love mail. 8

Scott asked Bess if she was ok. 3

Scott ran by Bess’ house. 5

Bess got a crush on Scott. 6

Scott was trailing and got injured 9

Let’s take a closer look at what happened in the film.

Now

Before now – Past

6. Bess got a crush

1. Scott: running

2. Scott: crashed into Bess

3. Scott:asked Bess : OK?

5.Scottran by Bess’ window

4. Bess drew heart

7. Scott waswarned

8. Scottlove mail

9. Scotthurt

10. The fataldecision

Present

We use the past tenses to talk about finished past actions (that happened before now).


Which past tenses are there?

Past Simple

Past Continuous

Past Perfect Simple

Past Perfect Continuous


Past Simple: Form – Regular verbsAffirmative Negative Interrogative

I watched the film. I didn’t watch the film. Did I watch the film?

You watched the film. You didn’t watch the film. Did you watch the film?

He, she, it watched the film. He, she, it didn’t watch the film. Did he, she, it watch the film?

We watched the film. We didn’t watch the film. Did we watch the film?

You watched the film. You didn’t watch the film. Did you watch the film?

They watched the film. They didn’t watch the film. Did they watch the film?

Time expressions: yesterday, last week, two days ago, in 2013


Affirmative Negative Interrogative

I went to the cinema. I didn’t go to the cinema. Did I go to the cinema?

You went to the cinema. You didn’t go to the cinema. Did you go to the cinema?

He, she, it went to the cinema.

He, she, it didn’t go to the cinema

Did he, she, it go to the cinema?

We went to the cinema. We didn’t go to the cinema. Did we go to the cinema?

You went to the cinema. You didn’t go to the cinema. Did you go to the cinema?

They went to the cinema. They didn’t go to the cinema. Did they go to the cinema?

Irregular verbs: 2nd column of the leading forms


Past Simple: Form – Irregular verbs

Leading forms

• For a complete list of the leading forms go to:

• For further practice, go to:


http://www.inglesduvidas.com.br/tabela.asp

http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=6753

Past Simple: Function.

1. Actions that took place at a specific time in the past: Last Tuesday Scott went for a run in the neighbourhood.2. A sequence of events in the past: He bumped into Bess and asked her if she was ok.3. Past habits or routines: During the summer, he ran everyday to keep fit.

Before now – Past

1. Scott: crashed into Bess

2. Scott:asked Bess: OK?

Last Tuesday…

Present


Exercise: Put the verbs in brackets in the past simple.

Dear Diary:Last night I 1._____________ (watch) a film at the cinema. This time I 2.______________ (not buy) popcorn because I 3.____________ (not have) enough money with me. It 4._________ (be) called “The Crush”. In the film Scott 5. ___________ (fight) to control an admirer whose crush on him 6. _______ (be) out of control. He 7.______ (do) everything he could to protect his girlfriend. However, he 8.______________ (not beat) Bess before the worst 9.____________ (happen). I 10.___________ (not be) surprised with the film’s ending. The film was rather entertaining and I 11.____________ (think) about recommending it to that special person who you know about. Who knows? Perhaps I’ll pick up the phone.

watcheddidn’t buy didn’t have

wasfought

did

didn’t beat happenedwasn’t

thought

was



I was watching the film. I wasn’t watching the film. Was I watching the film?

You were watching the film. You weren’t watching the film. Were you watching the film?

He, she, it was watching the film.

He, she, it wasn’t watching the film.

Was he, she, it watching the film?

We were watching the film. We weren’t watching the film. Were we watching the film?

You were watching the film. You weren’t watching the film. Were you watching the film?

They were watching the film. They weren’t watching the film.

Were they watching the film?

Time expressions: while, as, all morning, at 3 o’clock yesterday

Past Continuous: Form

Past Continuous: Function.

1. Actions which were in progress at a specific time in the past: Last Tuesday at 3 o’clock Scott was running in the neighbourhood.2. Two simultaneous actions (happening at the same time): Last Tuesday Beth was looking out the window and Scott was running.3. An annoying or irritating habit: Beth was always sending Scott love mail.

Before now – Past

1. Beth was looking out the window

2. Scott:was running

Last Tuesday at 3 o’clock… Present

Past Continuous: Function.

3. An action that was interrupted by another: That afternoon while Beth was leaving the house when Scott ran into her.When Scott ran into Beth she was leaving the house.

Before now – Past

1. Beth was leaving the house2. Scott ran into her

That afternoon…Present

Action: interrupted before it finished


a. In the film Scott ______________ (run) to keep fit when he crashed into Bess.

b. After this incident Bess’ mother ______________ (chat) to her daughter to find out more about Scott.

c. A few days later, Bess _______________ (stand) in front of her window, ____________ (wait) for Scott to run past.

d. Despite trying hard, she ________________ (not succeed) to control her feelings. Instead, Bess __________________ (always follow) Scott around.

e. Scott’s girlfriend _____________ (try) to keep cool about the whole situation. They ________________ (pretend) everything was normal. But things _______________ (get) out of control.

f. Scott _____________ (not live) a normal life anymore.

Exercise: Put the verbs in brackets in the past continuous.

was running

was chatting

was standingwaiting

wasn’t succeedingwas always following

was tryingwere pretending

were gettingwasn’t living



I had watched the film. I hadn’t watched the film. Had I watched the film?

You had watched the film. You hadn’t watched the film. Had you watched the film?

He, she, it had watched the film.

He, she, it hadn’t watched the film.

Had he, she, it watched the film?

We had watched the film. We hadn’t watched the film. Had we watched the film?

You had watched the film. You hadn’t watched the film. Had you watched the film?

They had watched the film.They hadn’t watched the

film.

Had they watched the film?

Time expressions: when, after, before, as, as soon as, until, just, by the time…

Past Perfect Simple: Form

Past Perfect Simple: Function

1. Actions which took place before another action in the past: By the time Scott realised (action 2) what was happening, the crush had already got (action 1) out of control.2. Action which took place before a specific time in the past: At 9 pm last night (specific past time) Beth had already written Scott another love letter.

1. The crush had got out of control.

2. Scott realised what was happening

Past: before present

Before an action in the past (before-before)


a. I _____________ (watch) the film when you invited me to watch it with you.

b. ______ Bess ______ (lose) control when she sent Jules the email?c. By the time Scott spoke to Bess, she ______________ (decide)

to eliminate any obstacles in her path.d. The police ________________ (not suspect) Bess before they first

spoke to her.e. By then Bess ________________ (already do) a lot of damage. f. Bess’ mother __________________ (never think) her daughter

was capable of such brutality.g. People ______________ (suffer) a lot when the situation was

solved. Scott ________________ (almost die) as well.

had watched

Had

had already done

had decided

hadn’t suspected

had suffered

had never thought

lost

had almost died

Exercise: Put the verbs in brackets in the past perfect simple.



I had been watching the film. I hadn’t been watching the film. Had I been watching the film?

You had been watching the film.

You hadn’t been watching the film.

Had you been watching the film?

He, she, it had been watching the film.

He, she, it hadn’t been watching the film.

Had he, she, it been watching the film?

We had been watching the film.

We hadn’t been watching the film. Had we been watching the film?

You had been watching the film.

You hadn’t been watching the film.

Had you been watching the film?

They had been watching the film.

They hadn’t been watching the film.

Had they been watching the film?

Time expressions: when, after, before, as, as soon as, until, just, by the time…

Past Perfect Continuous: Form

Past Perfect Continuous: Function

1. Actions in progress before another action in the past (emphasise the duration of the first action):

Bess had been sending (action 1) lots of love letters when Scott realised who the sender was.Compare:I had written 6 letters before lunch. (emphasise result)I had been writing letters all morning. (emphasise process and duration)

1. Bess had been sending lots of love letters.

2. Scott realised who the sender was.

Past: before present

Action in progress before an action in the past (before-before)

a. We ________________ (watch) the film for an hour when I felt thirsty.

b. ______ they _____________ (try) to stop Bess before she did something serious?

c. By the time Scott spoke to Bess, she __________________ (plan) to eliminate Jules.

d. The students at school____________________ (not expect) to ever go to school with someone as violent as Bess.

e. By then Bess __________________(leaving) Jules loads of hate messages .

f. Bess’ teachers_____________________ (wonder) what was causing Bess’ strange behaviour. They ___________________ (not find) any answers to this dilemma up till then.

had been watching

Had

had been leaving

had been planning

hadn’t been expecting

hadn’t been findinghad been wondering

been trying

Exercise: Put the verbs in brackets in the past perfect continuous.


Now complete the text below with the verbs in brackets in an appropriate tense in the past.

One morning Scott 1. ___________ (jog) as usual when he 2.______ (meet) an admirer he 3._____________ (not know) he had. She 4._________________ (already see) him before and at that time she already 5._______ (have) a crush on him. For some time, she 6._________________ (try) to build up the courage to speak up to him. The next day she 7.______________ (think) of emailing him and 8._____________ (send) him some chocolates and a secret message. When she 9.____________ (find) out that he 10.___________ (go) with someone, she 11.________ (feel) very upset. She 12. _______________ (not plan) on accepting that. She soon 13. __________ (come) up with a plan.

was joggingmet didn’t know

had already seenhad

had been tryingwas thinking

sendingfound

was going feltwasn’t planningcame


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Talking about the Past in English