Choose the correct tense, simple past or continuous.

↑

▷ Содержание

⇐ ПредыдущаяСтр 51 из 82Следующая ⇒

С Interrupted past action

We can use the past continuous to talk about an action or activity that was already in progress, and which was interrupted by another action:

We were discussing our expansion plans when the chairman suddenly announced his resignation.

We can rephrase this sentence using while + the past continuous:

While we were discussing our expansion plans, the chairman suddenly announced his resignation.

The activity may or may not continue after the interruption:

Paul was doing some filing when his boss asked him to fetch an invoice. (Paul fetched the invoice and then probably carried on with the filing.)

Paul was doing some filing when the fire broke out. (Paul probably stopped doing the filing at this point.)

D Sequence of tenses

With a time clause like when the phone rang, we can use either the past continuous or the simple past.

The past continuous tells us what was happening up to the point when the phone rang:

When the phone rang, I was talking to a client.

The past simple tells us what happened afterwards:

When the phone rang, I answered it.

Exercise 1

Points of time in the past

David’s colleague Jack (who doesn’t have enough work to do) has tried to phone him several times without success. Complete their conversation by putting the verbs in brackets into the correct form of the past continuous.

David’s Activities – Wednesday

 9.00-10.00          make some phone calls to clients

10.00-11.00         see Sue Tims (her office)

11.00-11.15         have coffee with JC (canteen)

11.15-1.00           meeting with designer

 1.00-2.00            lunch with designer

Jack: I rang at 9.15 and again at 9.30 but the phone was engaged. Who ⁽¹⁾ were you talking (you/talk) to?

David: Oh, I ⁽²⁾ ______________ (call) some clients.

Jack: And I tried again at 11.15, but there was no reply.

David: At 10.15? I think I ⁽³⁾ ____________ (discuss) the new catalogue with Sue Tims.

Jack: And then I rang back again at 11.10.

David: Yes, I was out. I ⁽⁴⁾ ____________ (have) a coffee in the canteen.

Jack: I thought so, so I rang again at 11.30.

David: I was out again. The new designer and I ⁽⁵⁾ _________________ (organize) the artwork for some adverts.

Jack: What ⁽⁶⁾ ___________ (you/do) at 1.30, then? I called again, and tried to leave a message but even the answering machine ⁽⁷⁾ ____________ (not/work)

David: I’d better have a look at it, but the designer and I ⁽⁸⁾ _____________ (have) lunch. Anyway, what did you want to talk about?

Jack: Oh, nothing special. I just wanted to try out my new mobile phone.

Exercise 2

Interrupted past action

I (1) met/was meeting an old business colleague of mine while I (2) travelled/was travelling to New York for a conference. She (3) noticed/was noticing me while I (4) stood/was standing in the queue at the airport check-in desk. We decided to travel together, and while we (5) waited/were waiting for the light to leave, we (6) realized/were realizing than we were going to the same conference and staying at the same hotel. We talked about old times, and while (7) had/were having lunch on the plane, she (8) said/was saying that she was going to look for a new job. I didn’t think of it at the time, but later on when the plane (9) came/was coming in to land, I suddenly (10) remembered/was remembering that we had a vacancy for a lawyer. I told her about the terms and conditions, and later that evening, when we (11) had/were having dinner, she (12) accepted/was accepting the position.

Познавательные статьи:



Где возникла философия и почему?

Относительная высота сжатой зоны бетона

Сущность проекции Гаусса-Крюгера и использование ее в геодезии

Тарифы на перевозку пассажиров