GRAMMAR FILE
GRAMMAR FILE UNIT 1
REFERENCE
review of past tenses
past simple
We use the past simple:
• to talk about a completed action (or series of completed
actions) or period in the past.
After breakfast I picked up my bag, ran down the street and
just caught the 8.15 bus.
I read my book for ten minutes and then answered some emails.
• to be less direct, more polite and tentative.
Did you want to go out for a coffee later?
I thought we might grab a sandwich after the film.
past continuous
We use the past continuous:
• to focus on an activity in progress in the past.
I missed your call last night. I was watching a film from 6.00
to 8.00.
While I was watching the film, Danny made some popcorn.
• with always or forever, to emphasise a repeated activity that
was also irritating.
He was always moaning about the service at the IT store.
• to be more polite and tentative.
I was thinking we might go round to see Diane this evening.
I was hoping you could give me a hand with this assignment.
I was wondering if you could give me a lift to the town centre.
past perfect simple
We use the past perfect simple to talk about an action that
happened before a stated or implied time in the past.
Tom called me because he’d noticed I hadn’t been at college.
After we’d had a walk in the park, we did some shopping in town.
Note: When narrating a story in the past, we do not usually
continue for a long period in the past perfect. This moves into the
past simple as the action or narration develops, even if the story
described is before a point in the past.
past perfect continuous
We use the past perfect continuous to focus on the duration of
an action before a stated or implied time in the past.
The bus was late and we’d been waiting for at least an hour by
the time it arrived.
It was only when Tom mentioned the name of the band that I
realised we’d been talking at cross purposes!
Jake had a headache because he’d been struggling with some
tricky maths equations all afternoon.
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used to and would
• We use used to to talk about past habits and states that have
now changed.
I used to take the bus to secondary school, but now I take the
train to college.
That block of expensive flats used to be an old factory.
• We use would to talk about past habits (not states), often when
the time frame has been given.
I would spend every summer with my gran. (NOT She would
live in the countryside.)
• Sometimes would suggests an element of nostalgia.
In my early teens I usually spent a week every summer with my
French friend. On Sundays we’d go to the local market and try
to find antiques.
• Sometimes it doesn’t.
When my best friend was young, she would have to spend
every Saturday morning cleaning her room and doing other
housework that she hated.
participle adjectives and
dependent prepositions
We use participle adjectives and dependent prepositions to express
a feeling or attitude in response to an action or event.
Participles usually end in -ed and can give additional information
introduced through a prepositional phrase.
They were interested in the way he had constructed the video.
Participle adjectives are usually paired with specific prepositions
(e.g. accomplished at, dedicated to). Some can take more than
one preposition (e.g. alarmed at/by, annoyed about/with) but this
can sometimes change the meaning.
I was annoyed about the meeting being cancelled. (an event)
I was annoyed with their attitude. (a person or behaviour)
They can be followed by:
• a noun phrase.
The actors were pleased with the audience’s response.
• an -ing clause.
My brothers were entertained by watching the match.
• a wh- clause.
My parents were impressed with how talented the students
were.
Participle adjectives with dependent prepositions can be joined by
and into coordinating expressions. When prepositions are the same
we can omit the first one.
I was fascinated (by) and delighted by her sketches.
When the prepositions are different, both must be used.
We were addicted to and worried about the new Snapchat
feature.
© Pearson Education Limited 2018
 2ND EDITION C1

PRACTICE 4 There weren’t any sandwiches left when Brad arrived at

the party.
GONE
1 Choose the correct verb forms to complete the sentences.
All time Brad arrived
1 How long did you spend / were you spending writing this at the party.
essay?
5 The complexity of the topic meant spending two hours on
2 When I last saw Harry, he did / was doing his homework the essay.
in the library, but I’m not sure where he went / had gone
after that. ME

3 I would never enjoy / never used to enjoy historical fiction, The essay because of
but I love it now and get through a book a week. the complexity of the topic.

4 Jade’s little sister was filthy when I went round because 6 The scientists did lengthy tests and then discussed the
she’d played / been playing in the muddy garden all next steps in the process.
morning and wasn’t washing / hadn’t washed her hands. DONE
5 Did you reply / Had you replied to all those emails you The scientists discussed the next steps in the process
got / used to get last night? lengthy tests.
6 I caught up / was catching up with Amanda at the party
4 Write sentences from the prompts. Use participle
on Saturday. We didn’t see / hadn’t seen each other since adjectives and prepositions. Omit the preposition where it
leaving college six months ago. is not necessary.
2 Complete the sentences with the correct past form of the 0 I am / excite / concern / his plans
verbs in brackets. I am excited and concerned about his plans.
1 When I first (meet) Suzy, I 1 I was / worry / annoy / the phone call
(work) as a shop assistant in the summer before college. 2 we were / interest / amuse / the video she posted
2 Yesterday a woman (come up) to me to say 3 my sister was / interest / please / her new phone
hello, but I (never / see) her before in my life.
4 my classmate was / devote / connect / all his followers
3 My mum (call) me down for dinner and I
(realise) that I (stare) at a 5 my parents were / horrify / shock / my friend’s Facebook
blank screen for half an hour! I (completely / post
run out) of ideas for the essay. 6 the audience was / amaze / engage / the brilliant movie
4 (you / want) to decide about the dates for they saw
our holiday now or shall we talk about it later?
5 Read the blog and complete the gaps with one word only.
5 Katy (wonder) if you could go round this
evening to fix her laptop.
I1 walking through Boston during a
6 (you / think) of auditioning for the school
downpour, 2 suddenly, I saw a poem appear
play this year? If so, we could go together.
on the sidewalk! I was fascinated 3 the
3 Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar poem and interested 4 finding out how it had
meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not 5
created. Apparently, it is an art installation
change the word given. Use between three and six words. entitled Raining Poetry. They are created using stencils
1 As a result of watching the start of the new TV series, Tim and a water-repellent spray; the poems are invisible during
was late for judo club. dry, sunny weather, but appear like magic once raindrops
BEEN start falling from the sky! Scattered throughout the city,
Tim was late for judo club because the poems were selected based 6 their
start of the new TV relationship to Boston, as well as the general themes of
series. water and rain. The poems can be fixed to the sidewalk in
2 Could you possibly give me a hand with moving the a matter of minutes and should wear away in six to eight
furniture round in my room? weeks. I was astonished 7 how such a simple
WAS idea 8 managed to engage everyone. So if
I me a hand with you’re out and about the next time it rains, keep an eye to
moving the furniture round in my room. the ground – you might just spot a poem glistening under
3 In the past my dad drank far less coffee than he does now. the raindrops!
TO
My dad much coffee
as he does now.

© Pearson Education Limited 2018 143