PAST CONTINUOUS

                 

Positive Statements 

S + was / were + action (+ -ing) ...

	Singular	Plural
1st person	I was working ..	we were working ..
2nd person	you were working ..	you were working ..
3rd person	he/she/it was working ..	they were working ..

Negative Statements

S + wasn't / weren't + action (+ -ing) ...

Singular	Plural
1st person	I wasn't working ..	we weren't working ..
2nd person	you weren't working ..	you weren't working ..
3rd person	he/she/it wasn't working ..	they weren't working ..

Questions

(Wh-) was / were + S + action (+ -ing) ...? 

Singular	Plural
1st person	was I working .. ?	were we working .. ?
2nd person	were you working .. ?	were you working .. ?
3rd person	was he/she/it working .. ?	were they working .. ?

Actions Happening at some time in the Past

     DURATION

When we want to talk about an action that was happening over a period of time in the past, we use the past continuous tense. 

E.g.: 

                                                       

* At this time last week I was lying on the beach in Florida.

* I had my car fixed because it wasn't working properly.

* What were you doing yesterday at 8 o'clock?

 Interrupted Action in the Past

  INTERRUPTED ACTION

The past continuous is very often used with the past simple to say that something happened in the middle of something else. In this case, the single event (past simple) interrupted the longer action (past continuous).

E.g.: 

* What were you doing when the lights went off last night?

* When I went to bed last night the sun was already beginning to rise. 

* It was lucky we weren't sitting under that tree when the lighting hit.

                               

 Parallel Actions in the Past

  PARALLEL ACTIONS

We use the Past Continuous to talk about two actions happening at the same time. The actions are parallel. 

E.g.: 

* While she was preparing dinner, he was washing the dishes.

* Were you listening while he was talking?

* He wasn't paying attention while I was explaining.

  When vs While

We use when and while to talk about two actions in the past. 

E.g.  I was sleeping when the teacher finished the lesson.

        I was snoring while the teacher was explaing the lesson.

What´s the difference between when and while?

  we usually use when one of the actions is long and the other is short. When is most often followed by the Simple Past.

E.g.: I was studying when she called.

        When I arrived my father was sleeping on the sofa. 

  We usually use while when we express the idea of an action during that time. We also use while when there are two long actions happening at the same time. While is always followed by the Past Continuos. 

E.g.: While I was studying, my mother was preparing dinner.

        While I was studying, she called. 

 Non-continuous Verbs

Non-continuous verbs are actions that you cannot see somebody doing. These verbs are rarely used in continuous tenses. They include.

Abstract Verbs: be, want, cost, seem, need, care, contain, owe, exist, etc.

Possession Verbs: possess, own, belong...

Emotion Verbs: like, love, hate, dislike, fear, envy, mind...

E.g.:

• Jane was being at my house when you arrived. Not Correct
• Jane was at my house when you arrived. Correct

Adverbs such as always, only, never, still, just, among others are usually placed between was/were and the action with -ing.

E.g.:

• You were just studying when she callled. 
• Were you just studying when she called?

Click on the folling links to practise PAST CONTINUOS:

Exercise 1

Exercise 2

Exercise 3

Exercise 4

Exercise 5

Accidentally in Love

This song, Accidentally in Love, is simple and so true. Falling in love is such an accident, you know, a good accident! But an accident no less. This song is just emphasizing it. The tune es adorable and upbeat, and it is the soundtrack of a famous funny movie. Do you know which one? Have you ever seen it?

Lets work with the song!

1° Watch the video

2° Now Click HERE to work with the song!!

That's all for now!

Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Continuous?

Download this worksheet on Present Perfect Simple Or Present Perfect Continuous and solve the activities. Put it in a plastic file and hand it in after the winter holiday. 

Comparative & Superlative Test

      

We'll carry out this test about comparative & superlative of adjectives and we'll see how much you've learnt about this topic. There are two tests, so click on the test the teacher assigns you.

                                        

TEST 1

TEST 2

                                   


                                      

DATING

                                               

1. What is dating?
Dating means different things to different people, particularly across generations. We can define dating as two people together in an intimate relationship. It may be serious or casual, committed or open, short-term or long-term. The important thing to remember is that dating can occur among all kind of people.

2. How old do you have to be to date?
There is not exact age when you can or cannot start dating. Many parents set an age according to their perspective, culture, views and beliefs. So, it would be important to talk to parents, family and friends to see what their thoughts are. If you think that talking to your parents might be hard, start with your friends or other adults you trust. Ultimately, what matters is that you personally feel ready and confident to make this decision.


2. Are you dating?
Whether you call it dating or something else, both people should agree on the definition and the same rules for that relationship. So, it is advisable to take these questions in mind:

• Do you have romantic feelings for this person?
• Are you and the other person looking for a committed relationship?
• Do you hand out or go on dates without a group of friends?
• Is the status of your relationship something you've shared with others in person or online, like on Facebook?
• Do both people in the relationship agree that it's exclusive?

These questions are just the tip of the iceberg! One of the most important things to take into account is that dating should be fun but also safe. It's important to take precautions to protect yourself:

   Keep your friends in the loop
Tell a friend or family member where you're going, when you'll return, and how to get in touch with you. If plans change, text your friend the new details of where you'll be. 

  Meet in public
Chances of being put in an unsafe situation, but other people may also remember you being in a certain location if something goes wrong.

  Don't leave your food or drink unattended
There are certain drugs that are odorless and colorless that can make you disoriented or unconcious. Worse, the effects of many drugs are exacerbated when alcohol is involved. So, don't accept a drink from your date unless you open it yourself or watch it when it is prepared. 

  Carry extra money
Even if the other person is paying for dinner, take some cash for a taxi fare if the date goes goes wrong.


  Use your own transportation
If you plan on drinking, take public transportation or a taxi so you don't have to rely on your date to get home. It isn't safe if they give you a lift the first time. 

  Don't give out your personal info
Don't publish your contact information on any dating or social networking site. If you use an online dating website, you can choose to have the individual respond to the site, rather than your e-mail address, or you can set up an e-mail address specificically for this purpose. 

  Use the buddy system
Arrange your first date in pairs and go out with a friend, especially if you're headed to a place where you don't know anyone else. That way, you can help each other.

  Have a plan if the buddy system fails
If your friend winds up disappering from the party or the bar, have another way of getting home. Try calling or texting your friend to find out where they went, who they're with and how they plan to get home. You can call another friend or get a taxi. Always let someone else know what has happened and tell your friend's family or other friends he/she has gone and with whom. 


  Don't lie
This may seem against keeping your life private, but lying is not a good option. It is ill-advised to share photos or other information that is not true. Perhaps to share the information you want and retain other is the best option.

     ?




Pay attention to these phrases and words:

• To see someone means to date someone
• In Canada and the USA a boyfriend or girlfriend means a romantic friend, NOT just a friend. There are different degrees of boyfriend and girlfriend. If you are seeing / dating someone it may or may not be serious, meaning that you may or may not date other people. If it is a serious (committed) relationship, of course you would not go on a date with a different person. 

     E.g. Alan’s been seeing Sally for over a year now.            (sounds serious).

           John is going out with Sarah. (going out with 

            also means dating).

• Blind date – this is when neither of the people going on the date have met each other previously and they were introduced to each other by a friend they both know.

     E.g. I’ve got a blind date this weekend. I hope 

            she’s pretty, funny and rich.

• To fix someone up or to set someone up is to arrange a date for that person. 

     E.g. Would you like me to fix you up with that 

            beautiful girl?

• double date - when two couples go on a date together. If my girlfriend and I go on a date with my best friend and his girlfriend, this is called a double date.
• Double dating is NOT when one man has two girlfriends, or a girl has two boyfriends. This situation is called two-timing. “He is two-timing on his girlfriend with another woman.”
• Two-time – it means to secretly date a person while you are dating someone else at the same time. 

     E.g. My friend has John been dating Sheila for 

           one year and he started to date Jenny last 

           month too. John is two-timing Sheila, John 

           is a ‘two-timer’.

• On the side – it is similar to ‘two-time’, but this can also be used for married people.

     E.g. Brad is married to Nancy, but he’s seeing 

            Wanda on the side.

• To cheat on – is to date someone else 
• Stood me up – this phrase is used when you have made plans to meet someone and are waiting for that person, but they don’t show up.

     E.g. I had plans to meet Jenny in the lobby of the 

           Carlton Theatre at 10:00 pm. I got there at 

           9:45 and waited until 10:45 but she never 

           came. I can’t believe it, she stood me up.

• Break up – to break up is to stop dating someone.

     E.g. I broke up with my girlfriend last week.

• Separated – This means that a husband and wife are living apart and are wating to get a divorce. Sometimes separated couples get back together and do not divorce, but many times if they separate, they divorce.

     E.g. Wilma and Fred are separated.

• To Get engaged – To get engaged is to promise to get married. An engagement happens after one person (traditionally the man) proposes to the other person. After someone is engaged, we call the man a fiancé and the woman a fiancée.

    E.g. Why do you think Americans buy a ring when 

           they want to get engaged to someone?

1. Provide a definition for the word dating.
2. What's the ideal age to star dating?
3. After you have read the questions in point 2, what questions would you keep in mind at the moment of dating? Write five of those questions.
4. Safety First gives you tips to take precautions and keep you safe when dating. But number 10 is missing. Think about a good tip to protect yourself and write it. Explain it.
5. We have new vocabulary about dating, too. So write five sentences using new phrases or words related to dating. Don't repeat them. 
6. Now click HERE and solve the following activities:

           a) Answer the three questions about the photo.
       b) Choose a quote about dating that you like 
           and copy it in your project (don't forget to 
           write the name of the person who wrote it). 
           Stick an image for this quote.
       c) Watch the video Things to Avoid when 
           Dating. First: express your opinion about it. 
           Second: read the text under the video and 
           add one write one 'don't' you think we should
           consider when going out on a date. Account 
           on your choice. Take the others 'don'ts' from 
           the paragraph as a guide.


Final Considerations: you can work in a group of two or three students. Include a cover for your project with the students' names, class, and your teacher's name. Hand in your project on time in a plastic file.