I - THE CASE OF THE BIG HOLE IN THE FLOWERBED.

Aunt Martha got angry yesterday morning. She was watering the flowers in
the garden when she noticed there was a big hole in the flowerbed. She said to herself, `My
nephews were in the garden between nine and ten o’clock yesterday… I saw them from the
dining room window. The flowerbed was fine at nine. What were the children doing here after
nine o’clock? Were they digging holes? I’m going to find out.′

II – Aunt Martha plays the detective.

Let’s help Martha start her investigation talking to her gardener, Vincent,
and her nephews about the kids’ activities yesterday morning.

Complete the conversation using the Past Continuous (affirmative, negative and
interrogative forms).

Martha: Vincent, what ……………….. you …………………………..1 (do) this morning between
nine and ten o’clock?
Vincent: I …………………………………………………………………….2.(take) care of the garden, Mrs.
Gloom.
Martha: What …………………. my niece Sandra ………………3(do)? Do you remember?
Vincent: I think she …………………………………………………………………4(skip) with her sister
Sammy.
Martha: …………………………they ………………………………….
Vincent: I
5
(play) near
don’t that flowerbed
remember over
exactly. I think
there?
they ...................................................... 6(try) to hang up the
washing behind that tree. Look! The kids are coming in from
school . Sandra! ............................................................................ 7(you
and Sammy - play) near that flowerbed or ....................................
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(you - skip) near the gate? ............................................. 9(you - hang
up) the washing behind the tree?
Sandra: No, Vincent. We .......................................... 10(not hang up) the washing and we
........................................... .11
(not skip) near the gate. We .............................. 12(sit)
under this tree here. I ................................... 13.(read) a book and Sammy .............
...........................................14(listen) to music. Vincent couldn’t see us. He .................
.............................. (sleep)
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in the hammock.

Vincent: I ……………………………………………………………………….16(not sleep) in the hammock. Charlie

…………………………………………………17(rest) in the hammock.
Martha: What about Mike? What ……………………………..he…………………….18.(do)?
Vincent: He ……………………………………………………………….19(climb) that tree.
Mike: No, I …………………………………………………………………20(climb) that tree. I …………………………………………
20
(have) a shower by the pool. Why are you asking so many questions?
Martha: I want to know who ……………………………………… 21 (dig) that big hole in my flowerbed
Yesterday between nine and ten in the morning!
Mike: I saw your dogs near that flowerbed, aunt Martha. I think they
………………………………………………………….22.(look) for old bones or something like that.
Martha: ……………………………………..Angus and Molly ………………………..23(dig) a hole in the flowerbed?
Mike: Yes, they ………………, 24
aunt Martha! And they ………………………………….25.(run) and
……………………………………26(bark) all the time!
KEY

Martha: Vincent, what WERE you DOING.1 (do) this morning between nine and ten
o’clock?
Vincent: I WAS TAKING….2.(take) care of the garden, Mrs. Gloom.
Martha: What WAS my niece Sandra DOING 3(do)? Do you remember?
Vincent: I think she WAS SKIPPING 4(skip) with her sister Sammy.
Martha: WERE they PLAYING 5(play) near that flowerbed over there?
Vincent: I don’t remember exactly. I think they WERE TRYING 6(try) to hang up the
washing behind that tree. Look! The kids are coming in from school .
Hello, Sandra! WERE you and Sammy PLAYING 7(play) near that flowerbed or
WERE you SKIPPING (skip) near the gate? WERE you HANGING 9(hang up) the
8

washing behind the tree?

Sandra: No, Vincent. We WEREN’T HANGING 10(not hang up) the washing and we
WEREN’T SKIPPING .11
(not skip) near the gate. We WERE SITTING…12(sit)
under this tree here. I WAS READING 13.(read) a book and Sammy WAS
LISTENING 14(listen) to music. Vincent couldn’t see us. He WAS
SLEEPING (sleep)
15
in the hammock.
Vincent: I WASN’T SLEEPING 16(not sleep) in the hammock. Charlie WAS RESTING
17
(rest) in the hammock.
Martha: What about Mike? What WAS he DOING 18(do)?
Vincent: He WAS CLIMBING 19(climb) that tree.
Mike: No, I WASN’T CLIMBING (climb) that tree. I WAS HAVING
20 20
(have) a shower
by the pool. Why are you asking so many questions?
Martha: I want to know who WAS DIGGING 21
(dig) that big hole in my flowerbed
yesterday between nine and ten in the morning!
Mike: I saw your dogs near that flowerbed, aunt Martha. I think they WERE LOOKING
look) for old bones or something like that.
22.(

Martha: WERE Angus and Molly DIGGING (dig) a hole in the flowerbed?
23

Mike: Yes, they WERE, aunt Martha. And they WERE RUNNING 25
.(run) and
BARKING (bark) all the time!
26