Narrative tenses

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Let’s get started
with Past Continuous

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Match Past Continuous sentences with the correct uses.

SAMPLE SENTENCES: USES OF PAST CONTINUOUS:

A. I was washing the dishes when my 1. Describing a scene in a story
mom called.
2. Describing two actions happening
B. We were living in Berlin at the at the same time in the past
time.
3. Describing a past action in progress
C. What were you doing at 8pm interrupted by another event
yesterday?
4. Describing an action in progress at
D. While I was playing computer a specific time in the past
games, my girlfriend was reading a
book. 5. Describing temporary situations in
the past
E. It was a nice day and the sun was
shining. We were sitting in our
garden.
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Let’s check the answers.

SAMPLE SENTENCES: USES OF PAST CONTINUOUS:

A. I was washing the dishes when my 1. Describing a scene in a story
mom called.
2. Describing two actions happening
B. We were living in Berlin at the at the same time in the past
time.
3. Describing a past action in progress
C. What were you doing at 8pm interrupted by another event
yesterday?
4. Describing an action in progress at
D. While I was playing computer a specific time in the past
games, my girlfriend was reading a
book. 5. Describing temporary situations in
the past
E. It was a nice day and the sun was
shining. We were sitting in our
garden.
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Now, write five sentences representing the different uses of Past Continuous.
Each sentence should include two verbs from the box.
EXAMPLE When I was driving to work, my boss called to tell me some good news.

USES OF PAST CONTINUOUS:

buy call decide
1. Describing a scene in a story
drive fall find
2. Describing two actions happening at
the same time in the past hear look for meet

3. Describing a past action in progress see sing sit

interrupted by another event
rain read ride
4. Describing an action in progress at a
specific time in the past walk wash watch
5. Describing temporary situations in the
past
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Let’s practise Past Perfect!

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Look at the sentences below and decide which action happened first.

EXAMPLE I didn’t pass my exam because I hadn’t studied at all.

2nd action 1st action

A. When I came back home, I realized that my car had been stolen.

B. We hadn’t booked the table, so we had to stand in a long queue

waiting for a table.

C. When I got to work, the meeting had already finished.

D. I missed my train because I had overslept.

E. I left home, got into the car, and drove to work.

F. We hadn’t done the shopping, so we ordered a pizza.

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Studying the sentences again, choose the correct options in the rules below.

A. When I came back home, I realized that my car had been stolen.

B. We hadn’t booked the table, so we had to stand in a long queue waiting for a table.

C. When I got to work, the meeting had already finished.

D. I missed my train because I had overslept.

E. I left home, got into the car, and drove to work.

F. We hadn’t done the shopping, so we ordered a pizza.

RULES:

● We use Past Perfect to show which action happened first/second

● We use Past Simple/Past Perfect when actions happen immediately after each other

● We use Past Simple/Past Perfect to give a reason for some event

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Let’s check the answers.

A. When I came back home, I realized that my car had been stolen.

B. We hadn’t booked the table, so we had to stand in a long queue waiting for a table.

C. When I got to work, the meeting had already finished.

D. I missed my train because I had overslept.

E. I left home, got into the car, and drove to work.

F. We hadn’t done the shopping, so we ordered a pizza.

RULES:

● We use Past Perfect to show which action happened first/second

● We use Past Simple/Past Perfect when actions happen immediately after each other

● We use Past Simple/Past Perfect to give a reason for some event

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Using Past Simple and Past Perfect, write sentences with the words in the boxes.

already because realize so when

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Complete the story below using Past Simple, Past Continuous and Past Perfect,
and the verbs in brackets.
It was a nice day and the sun ______ (shine).
I _______ (watch) the news when my dog got
up and went to the door. Time for a walk. I
_____ (put) on my jacket, _____(take) my phone
and ____ (leave) home. We went to the park.
While my dog _________ (run) around,
I __________ (talk) on the phone with a friend.
After some time, I got hungry so I went to a
nearby food truck and ordered a hotdog. When
it was ready, I wanted to pay but I realized that
I ______ (not take) my wallet.
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I was quite embarrassed and the guy from
the food truck wanted his money. I told him I
didn’t have my wallet with me and I’d be
back in 15 minutes with his money. He
agreed but asked me to leave something as a
guarantee. I decided to leave him my watch.
I got home, took some money, and went back
to pay for my hotdog. When I ______(get)
there, the food truck ____ (already leave)
together with my watch.
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Let’s check the answers.

It was a nice day and the sun ______ (shine).

was shining. I was quite embarrassed and the guy from
I _______ (watch) the news when my dog got
was watching the food truck wanted his money. I told him I
up and went to the door. Time for a walk. I didn’t have my wallet with me and I’d be
_____
put(put) on my jacket, _____(take)
took my phone back in 15 minutes with his money. He
and ____ (leave)left
home. We went to the park. agreed but asked me to leave something as a
While my dog _________
was(run) around,
running guarantee. I decided to leave him my watch.
I __________ (talk) on the phone with a friend.
was talking I got home, took some money, and went back
After some time, I got hungry so I went to a to pay for my hotdog. When I ______(get)
got
nearby food truck and ordered a hotdog. When there, the food truck ____
had(already
alreadyleave)
left
it was ready, I wanted to pay but I realized that together with my watch.
I ______
hadn’t(not take) my wallet.
taken

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Now, we’ll put it into practice!

ESL Brains
Work in pairs or groups. Come up with a story together. The first person builds a
few sentences connected with the first two images. The next person continues the
story by building more sentences based on the next two images.

EXAMPLE It was a nice day and the sun was

shining. I was watching the news
when my dog got up and went to the
door. Time for a walk.

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Start the story using the images below.

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Continue the story using the images below.

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Continue the story using the images below.

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Continue the story using the images below.

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Finish the story now. That’s the last set of images!

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THANKS!

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