Mastering Past Tenses and Essential English Words

Essential English Vocabulary Building

Review the following key vocabulary words used in context:

• I felt dizzy and sick all day yesterday.
• A burglar broke into Tom’s house yesterday.
• When you go to explore the desert, be prepared for extreme heat.
• We want to go abroad this summer.
• Scuba diving in the Pacific Ocean was an amazing experience for me.
• Can you give me a hand with this box? I want to take it to my room.
• We took a summer course to improve our English.
• He had a car accident but fortunately, he wasn’t hurt.

A. Complete the Dialogues

Complete the following conversations using the appropriate phrases.

1. A: Where is Ray?

   B: (1) Believe it or not, he went hiking.

   A: No way. He never walks anywhere, not even to the shop on the corner!

   B: I know.

2. A: Hey, Julie.

   B: Nothing much. What about you? (3) What have you been up to?

   A: OK, I am taking a course in English but I think it’s boring.

   B: Oh, no. You don’t like it, eh?

   A: (4) I’m afraid not.

B. Past Tenses Practice: Simple or Progressive?

Complete the narrative using the Past Simple or the Past Progressive form of the verbs in brackets.

1. Jill (1) was walking (walk) through the forest last night. It (2) was (be) dark and it (3) was raining (rain). Suddenly, she (4) heard (hear) a noise. She (5) was frightened (be frightened) and started running. As she (6) was running (run), she (7) saw (see) a man running after her. She (8) hid (hide) behind a tree and while she (9) was waiting (wait) for the man to go away, she (10) fell (fall) asleep. When she (11) woke up (wake up) she was in her bed but she (12) was wearing (wear) her clothes. Strange, eh?

C. Advanced Time Expressions and Word Choice

Circle the correct words in the following sentences:

• As soon as I was getting ready, the phone rang.
• Colin has just returned from his trip to Asia.
• Fortunately, my cousin hasn’t had any accidents since he bought his car.
• He was cooking dinner when the lights went out.
• They bought this house two months ago.
• I have never taken part in a song competition.
• Have you ever been abroad?
• Mary hasn’t made any plans for her summer holiday yet.
• How many times have you visited Europe so far?
• Fay hasn’t been cycling for two months.