English intensive course

Academic year: 2023-2024

Licence 1 : propaedeutic lesson

LESSON N°1: Past continuous (I was doing)

A) Study this example situation :
Yesterday Karen and Joe played tennis. They started at10 o’clock and finished at 11.30.
So, at 10.30 they were playing tennis.
they were playing = they were in the middle of playing, they had not finished
was/were + -ing is the past continuous:

he/she/it was playing

we/you/they were doing
working etc

B) I was doing something = I was in the middle of doing it at a certain time. The action or
situation started before this time, but had not finished:
I started doing I was doing I finished doing
…………………………………………………………………………………………
past past now

• This time last year I was living in Hong Kong.

• What were you doing at 10 o’clock last night?
• I waved to Helen, but she wasn’t looking.

C) Compare I was doing (past continuous) and I did (past simple):

I was doing (= in the middle of an action) I did (= complete action)

• We were walking home when I
met Dan. (in the middle of
walking home)
• Kate was watching TV when we
arrived.
• We walked home after the party last
night. (= all the way, completely)
• Kate watched TV a lot when she was
ill last year.

D) You can say that something happened (past simple) in the middle of something else (past
continuous):
• Matt phoned while we were having dinner.
• It was raining when I got up.
• I saw you in the park yesterday. You were sitting on the grass and reading a book.
• I hurt my back while I was working in the garden.

But we use the past simple to say that one thing happened after another:
• I was walking along the road when I saw Dan. So I stopped, and we talked for a
while.

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 English intensive course
Academic year: 2023-2024
Licence 1 : propaedeutic lesson

Compare:
When Karen arrived, we were having When Karen arrived, we had dinner.
dinner. (= we had already started before (= Karen arrived, and then we had
she arrived) dinner)

E) Some verbs (for example, know and want) are not normally used in continuous forms (is + -ing,
was + -ing etc.).
• We were good friends. We knew each other well. (not we were knowing)
• I was enjoying the party, but Chris wanted to go home. (not was wanting)

Exercises
Complete the sentences. Choose from:
was looking was wearing wasn’t listening weren’t looking
was snowing was working were sitting were you going

1 Today Helen is wearing a skirt. Yesterday she was wearing trousers.

2 ‘What did he say?’ ‘I don’t know. I ……………………………..’
3 We …………………………at the back of the theatre. We couldn’t hear very well.
4 This time last year Steve ……………………………on a farm.
5 They didn’t see me. They ………………………..in my direction.
6 The weather was bad. It was very cold and it ……………………. .
7 I saw you in your car. Where ………………………….. ?
8 I saw Kate a few minutes ago. She ………………………….for you.

Which goes with which?

1 When I got to the cafe a when she was living in Rome. 1 …f…
2 We fell asleep b she was working in a clothes shop. 2 ……
3 Amy learnt Italian c when I was driving home. 3……
4 Tom didn’t come out with us d but nobody was watching it. 4 ……
5 The car began to make a strange noise e while we were watching a film. 5 ……
6 The TV was on f my friends were waiting for me. 6 ……
7 When I first met Jessica
g because he wasn’t feeling well. 7 ……

Put the verb into the correct form, past continuous or past simple.
1 Jenny was waiting (wait) for me when I arrived (arrive).
2 ‘What ……………………….(you / do) at this time yesterday?’ ‘I was asleep.’
3 ‘ …………………….(you / go) out last night?’ ‘No, I was too tired.’
4 How fast ………………….(you / drive) when the accident …………………(happen)?
5 Sam …………………(take) a picture of me while I …………………. (not / look).

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 English intensive course
Academic year: 2023-2024
Licence 1 : propaedeutic lesson

6 We were in a very difficult position. We ………………..(not / know) what to do, so we

…………….(do) nothing.
7 I haven’t seen Alan for ages. When I………………….. last (see) him, he …………………(try) to
find a job.
8 I ………………….. (walk) along the street when suddenly I ………………….(hear) something
behind me. Somebody ……………………. (follow) me. I was scared and I………………… (start) to
run.
9 When I was young, I ……………..(want) to be a pilot. Later I ……………….(change) my mind.
10 Last night I ………………….. (drop) a plate when I ……………… (do) the washing up.
Fortunately it ………………….(not / break).

LESSON N°2: Question words

Questions about the subject

When we ask questions about the subject of a sentence, the word order in the question and the answer
is the same:
Ben designed this house.
Who designed this house?
X Who did build this house?
/ Who built this house?

• We use what, who, which, whose and how many in-questions about the subject.

Questions about the object

Questions about the object need an auxiliary verb (do, have, is, etc.) before the subject:
Wren designed this cathedral.
What did Wren design?

• We use what, which, who, whose, when, where, how often, etc. in questions about the object.
X Which cathedral Wren built?
/ Which cathedral did Wren build?
Here is a summary of question words with examples:

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 English intensive course
Academic year: 2023-2024
Licence 1 : propaedeutic lesson

Question word Example: subject question Example: object question

Who Who is teaching you? Who do you know here? (Whom is very formal.)

What What film did you see?

What caused the problem?

What kind of What kind of people live here? What kind of TV programmes do you watch?

Which Which picture do you like?

Which book sold most?

Whose Whose book did you borrow?

Whose book won the prize?

How many How many pupils came to the How many people did you see?
lesson?

Why Why did you get up so late?

When When did you go to England?

How How do I get to your house?

How far How far is the college from here?

How long How long does it take to get there?

How often How often do you go swimming?

Position of prepositions
• Note the change in the position of a preposition in questions about the object:
I gave the book to John, becomes: Who did you give the book to?
To whom did you give the book? (= formal)

She sent the letter from India, becomes: Where did she send the letter from?
From where did she send the letter? (= formal)

What or which?
We use what when the choice is open. We use which when there is a limited choice:
What colour do you like? (= open choice)
Which colour do you prefer, red or blue? (= limited choice)
What countries have you visited? (= open choice)
Which countries in South America have you visited? (= limited choice)

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 English intensive course
Academic year: 2023-2024
Licence 1 : propaedeutic lesson

CONSOLIDATION: Ask a question about the information brackets in each of the following
sentences using who, what, how, which or another question word.
Example: There 's (a litre) of milk left.
==> How much milk is left?
1. We live (in the old town.) …………………………………………………

2. I gave the book to (Valerie.) ………………………………………………

3. (Michael) lent me a car. …………………………………………………..

4. I got married (20 years ago.) ……………………………………………..

5. I'd like (the green) pullover, please. ……………………………………….

6. (A madman) murdered the President. ……………………………………..

7. I go to the cinema at least (once a week.) …………………………………..

8. The journey takes (about six hours) from here. ……………………………

9. To get to my house, (you take the bus and get off at Wood Green.) ………………………………..
1. They study (English) every Tuesday morning. ……………………………………..?

2. Romi goes to school (by bus). ……………………………………………………….?

3. The teacher explains the lesson (in front of the class). ……………………………..?

4. (My brother) does his homework carefully. ………………………………………..?

5. My daughter washes her hair (twice a week). ………………………………………?

6. John loves eating (pizza). ……………………………………………………………..?

7. Olga sings a song (beautifully). ……………………………………………………….?

8. Shanti gets up (at five). …………………………………………………………………?

9. Harry doesn't go to school (because he is sick). ………………………………………?

10. (Mother) cooks rice in the kitchen. …………………………………………………..?

11. Tommy rides his bike (very fast). …………………………………………………….?

12. Thalia (has breakfast) before going to school. ……………………………………….?

13. I give (Mario) a birthday present. …………………………………………………….?

14. Mario celebrates (his birthday) in September. ………………………………………?

15. The students listen to (the teacher's explanation). …………………………………...?

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 English intensive course
Academic year: 2023-2024
Licence 1 : propaedeutic lesson

16. I like (the white T-shirt), not the red one. …………………………………………….?

17. Julia has (two) brothers. ……………………………………………………………….?

18. The little boys play (hide and seek). ……………………………………………………?

19. Sammy closes the windows (because it's going to rain).

……………………………………………?
Ask appropriate questions for theses answers
1. …………………………………………………. / Yes, I am a student.

2. …………………………………………………. / No, I do not speak English.

3. ………………………………………………… / Yes, I can help you.

4. …………………………………………………. / No, I have not got a blue pen.

5. ………………………………………………… / Yes, he will arrive tomorrow.

6. …………………………………………………. / Yes, you must finish your work today.

7. ………………………………………………….. / Yes, you should help him.

8. ………………………………………………….. / Yes, it is forbidden to smoke in the classroom.

9. …………………………………………………… / I am 29 years old.

10. …………………………………………………. / I live in Algiers.

11. ………………………………………………… / I have got two brothers.

12. …………………………………………………. / My birthday is on September 2nd.

13. …………………………………………………. / The weather in Algeria is very hot.

14. …………………………………………………. / There are twenty students in the classroom.

15. ………………………………………………… / It costs 100 $.

16. ………………………………………………….. / The Eiffel tower is 400 meters high.

17. …………………………………………………. / London is 4000 km far.

18. …………………………………………………. / Karim is 1m 80 tall.

19. …………………………………………………. / I prefer the blue car.

20. ………………………………………………… / The red car is mine.