lesson 5 part 1 the past continuous the past continuous is used in English to
talk about actions or events that were in progress at some time in the past
it is formed with was or were and a present participle
past continuous English uses the past continuous to talk about ongoing actions
that were in progress at a certain time in the past I knocked on your door at
noon but you weren't at home what were you doing the past continuous shows the
action went on for some time but is now finished I was eating lunch with a
friend the past continuous describes a continuing action
further examples this time last week we were hiking in
Peru he didn't go out because he was working
late when I got my camera we were swimming in the sea
last time I saw him he was washing his car
how to form this sentence
or were followed by the present participle form the past continuous you
have the subject I
you have a form of wars or were
were is used depending on the subject you have the verb ending with 'ing'
eating 'ing' is added to the main verb then you have the rest of the sentence
lunch with a friend I was eating lunch with a friend
the present continuous for scene setting the past continuous is often used in
storytelling to set a scene or describe a situation
it was a beautiful day the Sun was shining and the birds were singing
children who were laughing and playing in the street
the past continuous and the past simple when English uses the past continuous
and past simple together the past continuous describes a longer background
action and the past simple describes a shorter action that interrupts the
background action you have the continuing background
action I was taking and you have the interrupting main action a monkey
grabbed I was taking a photo when a monkey grabbed my camera further
examples he was sunbathing when it started to
rain I was mowing the lawn when you called
she was sleeping when the phone rang I was having a bath when you knocked
part-2 the present perfect simple the present perfect simple is used to talk
about events in the recent past that still have an effect on the present
moment it is formed with half and a past participle present perfect
the present perfect can be used to talk about the past
in a number of different ways to give new information or news hi I
have arrived in London my plane landed five minutes ago to talk about a
repeated action that continues to happen over a period of time I have visited
California every summer since I was 18 to talk about an event that started in
the past and is still happening now olivia has gone on a trip to Egypt
further examples of the present perfect look I've cooked dinner for us John has
just washed the dishes you haven't cleared the table it's a mess have you
cleaned up your bedroom how to form this sentence you have the subject I you have
the form of have or has has is used for he she and it
you have the past participle arrived and then the rest of the sentence in London
I have arrived in London regular past participles regular past participles are
formed by adding II D to the base form asked asked call called helped helped
need needed play played talked talked walk walked want wanted watch watched
work worked
irregular past participles English has a lot of irregular past participles which
sometimes look very different from the base form be beam by bought come come do
done have had give given go Don make made say said see seen
common mistakes with past simple forms and past participles it is important not
to mix up past simple forms with past participles I have seen lots of great
things here correct this is the past participle of see seen I have saw lots
of great things here incorrect this is the past simple form
of see and shouldn't be used in perfect tenses gone een be and go are both used
in the present perfect to talk about going somewhere but they have different
meanings I haven't seen joan recently where is she she's gone to Florida the
word gone tells us that she is still in Florida hi Joan you're looking well yes
I've been to Florida this sentence tells us that she went to Florida but now she
is back home further examples where's Ben he's gone to the mal where's Ariana
she's gone windsurfing where are Julie and Jack they've gone to
see a play you look relaxed yes we've been in Bermuda we had a great time your
hair looks great Thanks I've just been to the hair salon
where have you been we've been to visit Joan in the hospital she's not very well
the present perfect simple and the past simple the past simple is used to talk
about something that happened at a definite time the present perfect is
used when a particular time is not specified have you ever been to France
yes I visited Paris in 2010 a specific date 2010 is given so the past simple is
used yes I have visited Paris many times in this sentence there is no specific
date so the present perfect is used
further examples in the past simple I saw a great movie last week Joe didn't
climb Mount Fuji last year Madison ate too much last night
in the present perfect form I haven't seen that movie Sachi has climbed Mount
Fuji twice Jack hasn't eaten curry before
the present perfect in US English us English often uses the past simple when
UK English would use the present perfect for example no dessert for me I ate too
much us no dessert for me I've eaten too much UK I can't find my passport did you
see it u.s. I can't find my passport have you
seen it UK
finally the present perfect continuous the present perfect continuous is used
to talk about a continuing activity in the past that still has an effect on the
present moment he usually refers to the recent past the present perfect
continuous describes an activity that took place over a period of time in the
recent past the activity might just have stopped or might still be happening in
the form of the present perfect continuous I have been painting the
house all day I'm exhausted the pest activity often affects the
present moment further examples I've been cooking this evening now I have to
do the dishes I have can be shortened to I've he has
can be shortened to he's he's been waiting for the bus for an hour he is
going to be late for work how to form this sentence you have the subject I you
have the form of has or have use have or has depending on the subject you have
been being stays the same for all subjects then you have the verb ending
with ing painting and then the object the house I have been painting the house
the present perfect continuous and the present perfect simple the present
perfect continuous is used to show this an activity in the past was in progress
it is possible that the activity is still taking place I've been fixing my
car I'm covered in oil I've been fixing this is used in the present perfect
continuous the present perfect simple is used to show that an activity in the
past is finished I've fixed my car now I can drive to work again I've fixed this
is the present perfect simple further examples I've been cooking dinner it
will be ready soon Vicky has been running today now she is really tired
I've been eating too much cake I must eat less we've been looking at houses we
want to move I've cooked dinner it's ready now vicki
has just run a race now she's receiving a medal I've eaten all the cake the
plate is empty we've bought a new house we're moving in June
in the next lesson we will look at the pest perfect simple that is all for
today see you soon when once again I will be asking how's your grammar?