UNIT 1

Short Stories 1
READING

Read the following article and highlight the sentences in Past Continuous.

James and Acelyn Persyn

In 2013 in the town of Shepherd, Michigan. James, a 14-year-old boy, and

his sister Acelin were watching TV at home when they heard a loud
banging at the door by a panicked woman. Their father, Angus Persyn, was
not at home at that moment.

The woman was a student at Central Michigan University who was

escaping from an ex-convict named Ramsey. He had raped her. The kids
let her in and when she was safe inside, James locked all the doors, turned
out the lights, got a knife and took everyone to hide in the bathroom.

The rapist soon found out where his victim was, approached the house and shouted, “Let me in or I'll kill
you.” James and his sister called their dad who called 911. Unable to get into the house, Ramsey lit it on
fire and tried to escape. Angus arrived home just in time and stopped the fire.

The Persyns and the CMU student all ended up safe; the rapist was shot and killed by the police soon
after.
Texts Adapted from: 1. https://www.oddee.com/item_98945.aspx, 2. https://www.hmd.org.uk/resource/witold-pilecki/,
3.https://www.themorningsun.com/news/shepherd-kids-to-get-lifesaving-awards/article_fc0fd423-02c6-5268-981e-
a28208294515.html

Grammar Activity 2

Title: Past Simple vs Past Continuous

2.1 Grammar review

2.2.1 Read the sentences, circle the verbs in the past tense, and underline the verbs in the past
continuous.
1. While the woman was asking for help, two children heard her.
 2. James and Acelyn were watching TV at home when they heard a loud banging at the door by a
panicked woman.
3. The kids let her in and when she was safe inside, James locked all the doors.

2.2.2 Read the sentences from exercise 2.2.1 and circle the correct words to complete the rules.

1. We use _____ to show that an action was in progress.

a. Simple Past b. Past Continuous
2. We use ____ to show that this action is interrupting a longer action.
a. Simple Past b. Past Continuous
3. We use ____ with the Simple Past.
a. when b. while
4. We use ____ with the Past Continuous.
a. when b. while
5. We use ____ when two actions happen at the same time.
a. when b. while

2.2 Grammar summary

Simple Past Past Continuous

Use ● To describe completed ● To talk about an

actions in the past action in progress in
the past
● To describe a long
action

● We use the two tenses in a sentence to describe long and

short actions together.
Example: While the woman was asking for help, two kids heard
her.
● When we use the two tenses together, it shows that the
sentence in the simple past interrupted the action in the
past continuous.
Example: James and Acelyn were watching TV at home when they
heard a loud banging at the door by a panicked woman.
 Form
● Affirmative ● James locked all the doors. ● James and his sister
sentences were watching TV.
● He didn’t lock all the ● They weren’t
● Negative doors. watching TV.
sentences
● Did he lock all the doors? ● Were they watching
● Questions TV?
● Yes, he did.
No, he didn’t ● Yes, they were.
● Short No, they weren’t
answers

2.3 Grammar Practice

2.3.1 Read the story and choose the correct form of the verb to complete it.

Bethany Hamilton, a young American surfer, was born on February 8, 1990 in Hawai’i. She grew up in a
surfing family along with her two brothers. Bethany 1)___ to handle the waves when she was a child, and
by the age of 9, she 2) ___ her first sponsorship. Unfortunately, when she was 13
years old, a shark attack almost 3) ___ her. On October 31st, Bethany, Alana –her
best friend, Alana’s father and brother went surfing at Tunnels Beach. While Bethany
4) ____ on her board, she 5) ____ pressure on her left arm. She felt like something 6)
___ her back and forth, but she 7) ____ any pain. Suddenly, she realized that the
water around her turned red. Her friends were shocked when they 8) ____ that her
left arm had been severed. Alana’s father used his surfboard leash to apply a tourniquet while he 9) ___
everyone to shore. Bethany was taken to the hospital where her father was about to have knee surgery.
She lost 60 percent of her blood in the 14-foot tiger shark attack, but after some surgeries she was
released and surprisingly after a month she 10) ___ again.
1. A) was learned B) learned C) was learning
2. A) got B) was getting C) was got
3. A) killed B) was killing C) killing
4. A) lied B) lay C) was lying
5. A) was feeling B) was felt C) felt
6. A) pulled B) was pulling C) was pulled
7. A) wasn’t feel B) didn’t feel C) didn’t felt
 8. A) noticed B) were noticing C)were noticed
9. A) was lead B) led C) was leading
10. A) surfed B) was surfing C) was surfed

2.3.2 Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in parentheses.

1. While she ________________ (surf), a shark ______________ (attack) her.

2. The kids __________________ (watch) TV when a woman ____________ (knock) on the door.
3. When a man ____________ (come in), the woman ______________ (cash) a check.
4. Claudia ____________ (hang) her hero’s picture when her friend _____________ (arrive)
5. When Richard Carapaz ______________ (win) Giro d’ Italia, Ecuadorians
_____________(be)happy.

2.1.1 Read Rick’s story and rewrite it by using the third person.
Hi, my name is Rick. Yesterday was a terrible day for me because I stayed at
home all day. I wanted to go out but it was raining outside. I was tired of being
inside my house. I tried to play with my little brother, but he was doing his
homework. My father was reading the newspaper and my mother was knitting.
After having lunch I decided to sit by the window. Some people were waiting at
the bus stop. While I was watching the street I saw an accident. A car didn’t stop
at the traffic lights and hit another car. Fortunately nobody was injured. Now I am
waiting for a friend. We will go to the park and play soccer together. I injured my arm while I was playing
soccer last week, but it is ok now. My team needs its goalkeeper!