Put the verbs in brackets into Past Indefinite and Past Continuous.

1. Mary (play) the piano; John (read); my wife (sew) when suddenly we all (hear) a shout.

2. When the doctor (leave) the hospital, he (catch) a glimpse of himself in the glass front door.

3. When her father (come) in she (sit) before a red tea-table, finishing a very good tea.

4. Next day, while he (shave) he (cut) himself slightly.

5. The door of his room (be) open; his mother still (stand) at the window.

6. And, smiling to himself, he (begin) to make plans, fantastic plans for the future. He still (smile) when he (walk) up the rock-cut steps.

7. I (sleep) soundly when the phone (ring).

8. We (sit) on our front porch when Mr Smith (drive) up in his new car.

9. Crosby (cross) the street when the car (strike) him.

10. It (drizzle) when they (come) out of the house.

11. When the World War (break), John (live) in Holland.

12. It (get) dark and I (suggest) that we should go down.

13. John (come) in, (look) at the fire, (stand) a moment, (turn) and (go) away.

14. As I (walk) home yesterday, I (meet) a beggar who (ask) me for some money.

15. We (come) into the dining-room while our parents (eat) supper.

16. She (run) down the stairs and (go) to the library, where her husband (stand) with his mother.

17. Mike (lift) his eyes from the book and (look) out of the window. It still (snow).

18. We (drive) at about forty miles an hour when the accident (happen).

19. You (have) a good time at those parties?

20. A fortnight later Holt (fall) and (hurt) himself when he (ride) his motorcycle.

21. He (go) into the kitchen and (get) himself a cup of coffee.

22. Eric (go) into the library and (sit) down to read the letter. The fire (crackle) merrily in the fireplace, and outside the wind (howl).

23. He (take) a cushion, (put) it behind and (lean) back.

24. At half past four I (put) on the lights.

25. When I (be) a boy, I (want) to be an actor.

26. While he (wait) to cross Fifth Avenue, a man standing beside him (cough) painfully.

27. She (draw) aside the curtains and (look) out into the Square. Two cats (stand) in the light of a lamp - narrow, marvelous, graceful.

28. When I (hear) his knock I (go) to the door and (open) it, but I (not / recognize) her at first because I (not / wear) my glasses.

29. When they (walk) up the street together they (begin) to talk.

30. Your telegram (come) just as I (leave) home.

31. John (talk) with his boss when I last (see) him.

32. When he (arrive) home, he (go) straight to the sitting room and (take) off the picture.

Open the brackets. Use Past Indefinite in case of permanent, repeated one-time actions. Use Past Continuous if the action is a temporary one taking place at a given moment in the past.

Models:

He (turn) the car and (start) back towards Delphi. - He turned the car and started back towards Delphi. One-time action.

The local businessmen (like) something solid with their luncheon coffee. - The local businessmen liked something solid with their luncheon coffee. A permanent action.

I (glance) at the terrace below the balcony. He (sit) under one of the plane-trees smoking. - I glanced at the terrace below the balcony. He was sitting under one of the plane-trees, smoking. A temporary action taking place at a moment in the past. The moment in the past is indicated by an independent sentence "I glanced at the terrace".

1. I (open) the shutters and (look) out. The car (stand) where I had left it.

2. Suddenly I (realize) that they (not / pay attention) to me any longer. They (mutter) something and all (look) in the same direction. I (turn) my head and (look) where they all (look). A man (come) slowly down a steep little street that (lead) uphill between the houses on my right.

3. On my left I (see) the lights of the first house of the village, and I (hurry) towards it through the wood when a sudden flash of light (make) me stop.

4. At that time I (look) for a job.

5. Miss Nobbs (not / see) him leave the office. At half past four she (make) herself a cup of tea in a small recess off the main corridor.

6. The idea first (occur) to me that afternoon as I (back) the car into the garage.

7. I probably (drop) the key when I (fish) for small change in my bag at the news-stand.

8. All through the night I (hear) them work, open drawers, drag cases over the floor. They (pack).

Translate into English.

I. 1. Я посидел на скамейке с полчаса, а потом начал читать книгу. 2. Я окончила университет, когда мне было 23 года. 3. Когда вы были здесь последний раз? - Года полтора тому назад. 4. Грэй кивнул головой и пошел наверх. 5. Я встретила Лену около трех лет назад благодаря своим родителям. 6. Он остановился и сорвал розу. 7. Я навещала их год тому назад. 8. Я видела его в Лондоне неделю назад. 9. Я не видел его, когда был в С.-Петербурге. 10. Что с вами случилось в тот вечер? 11. Они вернулись в дом, когда пошел дождь.

II. 1. Ты видел его этим утром? - Да, он стоял у машины. 2. Он вошел и увидел Нелли, которая рисовала странную картину. 3. Он побежал к воротам, где стояла Анна. 4. Я взглянул на Дженни, которая все еще дрожала от холода. 5. Мы как раз говорили о нем, когда он вдруг вошел. 6. Они пришли в то время, когда я работала в саду. 7. Вчера в шесть часов она накрывала на стол. 8. Что ты играл, когда я вошла? 9. Вода в чайнике кипела, когда мои друзья вернулись в лагерь. 10. Когда я приехал, Елена, к сожалению, как раз уходила. 11. Он вдруг понял, что едет не в ту сторону. 12. Я сидела в саду вчера, когда пришел брат и принес щенка. 13. Когда я вошел, они сидели в гостиной. Старший брат решал кроссворд, мама вязала, остальные читали. Мама улыбнулась мне и сказала: "Входи, пожалуйста, и садись". 14. Когда она проснулась, в саду весело пели птицы. 15. С кем вы разговаривали по телефону, когда я вошла? - Я разговаривала с сестрой. 16. К ним подошел какой-то мужчина, когда они переходили улицу, и спросил дорогу к Дворцовой площади. 17. Я делала уроки, когда он пришел.

Translate into English.

1. Вчера, когда я шел по Невскому проспекту, я встретил Виктора, моего старого друга. Он сразу узнал меня, хотя на мне были большие темные очки, потому что у меня болели глаза.

2. Он сказал: "Я собирался навестить тебя пару недель назад, но, к сожалению, не смог найти времени зайти к тебе". Все время, пока он говорил это, я пытался вспомнить что-то, что хотел сказать ему.

3. Наконец, я вспомнил и сказал ему: "Перед тем, как мне выйти, мне позвонил Олег. Он хотел поговорить с тобой вчера на вечере у Бориса. Но ты так оживленно разговаривал с Алисой, что он не осмелился прерывать".

4. В это время я увидел другого своего друга. Он махал мне с другой стороны дороги. Я сказал Виктору: "До свидания" и начал переходить дорогу.

Keys

1. 2. he was meeting the manager; 3. he was having lunch; 4. he was visiting his dentist; 5. he was listening to an organ concert...; 6. he was walking the dog; 7. he was driving his mother home.

2. 1. Mother was cooking in the kitchen. 2. Father was making a phone call. 3. I was getting ready to go out. 4. My sister was washing some clothes.

3. 1. I caught that cold when I was skating on a frosty day. 2. He wrote those nice poems when he was having a holiday. 3. She learnt the language when she was living in England. 4. She heard that song when she was listening to a concert on the radio. 5. I bought that book when I was reading up for my exams. 6. The boy hurt himself when he was riding the bicycle. 7. Philip lost his camera when he was walking about the city. 8. He rang me up when I was having supper.

4. 1. The postman brought the letter when I was having breakfast. 2. It started to snow when I was going downstairs. 3. The door bell rang when they were entering the dining room.

5. 1. fell, was rescuing; 2. was reading, heard; 3. Were you having; 4. were waiting, arrived; 5. wasn't driving, saw; 6. broke; was doing, slipped; 7. took, was paint­ing; 8. didn't go, was getting; 9. were you doing; 10. saw; was wearing.

6. 1. was playing, was reading, was sewing, heard; 2. was leaving, caught; 3. came in, was sitting; 4. was shaving, cut; 5. was; was standing; 6. began; was smiling, was walking; 7. was sleeping, rang; 8. were sitting, drove up; 9. was crossing, struck; 10. was drizzling, came; 11. broke, was living; 12. was getting, suggested; 13. came in, looked, stood, turned, went; 14. was walking, met, asked; 15. came, were eating; 16. ran, went, was standing; 17. raised, looked; was still snowing; 18. were driving, happened; 19. Did you have; 20. fell, hurt, was riding; 21. went, got; 22. went, sat, was crackling, was howling; 23. took, put, leaned; 24. put on; 25. was, wanted; 26. was waiting, coughed / was coughing; 27. drew, looked; were standing; 28. heard, went, opened, did not recognize, was not wearing; 29. were walking, began; 30. came, was leaving; 31. was talking, saw; 32. arrived, went, took off.

7. 1. opened, looked, stood; 2. realized, were not paying attention, were muttering, (were) looking, turned, looked, were looking, was coming, led; 3. saw, was hurrying, made; 4. was looking; 5. did not see, was making; 6. occurred, was backing; 7. dropped, was fishing; 8. heard, were packing.

8. I. 1. I sat on the bench for half an hour and then began reading a book. 2. I graduated from the University when I was twenty three. 3. When were you here last? - About a year and a half ago. 4. Gray nodded and went upstairs. 5. I met Helen through my parents about three years ago. 6. He stopped and picked up a rose. 7. I visited them a year ago. 8. I saw him in London a week ago. 9. I did not see him when I was in St.-Petersburg. 10. What happened to you that evening? 11. They returned into the house when it started to rain.

II. 1. Did you see him this morning? - Yes, he was standing by the car. 2. He came in and saw Nelly, who was painting a strange picture. 3. He ran to the gate where Ann was standing. 4. I glanced at Jennie who was still shivering from cold. 5. We were just talking about him when he suddenly came in. 6. They came while I was working in the garden. 7. She was laying the table at six o'clock yesterday. 8. What were you playing when I came in? 9. The water in the kettle was boiling when my friends came back to the camp. 10. Unfortunately, when I arrived Helen was just leaving. 11. He suddenly realized that he was travelling in the wrong direction. 12. I was sitting in the garden yesterday when my brother came and brought a puppy. 13. When I came in, they were sitting in the sitting room. My elder brother was doing a crossword, my mother was knitting, the others were reading. My mother smiled at me and said, "Come in and sit down, please". 14. When she woke up, the birds were singing merrily in the garden. 15. Who were you talking to on the telephone when I came in? - I was talking to my sister. 16. When they were crossing the street, a man came towards them and asked the way to the Palace Square. 17. I was doing my homework when he came.

9. 1. Yesterday, when I was walking down Nevsky Prospect, I met Victor, an old friend of mine. He recognized me at once though I was wearing big dark glasses because my eyes were aching. 2. He said, "I was going to see you a fortnight ago, but I couldn't find time to get round to you". All the time he was saying this I was trying to remember something I wanted to tell him. 3. Eventually I remembered and said to him, "Just before I came out, Oleg rang me up. He wanted to speak to you at Boris's party yesterday, but you were talking so cheerfully with Alice he didn't dare to interrupt". 4. Just then I saw another friend of mine. He was waving to me from the other side of the road. I said good-bye to Victor and started to cross the road.

Будущее длительное время

(The Future Continuous Tense)

Будущее время группы Continuous образуется при помощи глагола to be в будущем времени и причастия I (глагол + -ing) смыслового глагола.

What will you be doing tomorrow? - Что ты будешь делать завтра?

They will not be playing chess at 12 on Sunday, they will be in the park. - Они не будут играть в шахматы в 12 часов в воскресенье, они будут в парке.

Будущее время группы Continuous употребляется:

1) для выражения действия в ближайшем или отдаленном буду­щем, независимо от того, имеется ли в предложении обстоятельство времени или оно только подразумевается:

He'll be taking his exam next week. Он будет сдавать экзамен на будущей неделе.

What time will you be coming home? Когда вы придете домой? (подразумевается сегодня)

Не won't be coming to our place this month. Он не придет к нам в этом месяце.

Эта форма не имеет дополнительной окраски (намерения, жела­ния, решимости и т. д.) и употребляется для простой констатации фак­та в будущем.

Для выражения действия в ближайшем будущем, особенно при наличии обстоятельства времени, употребляется Present Continuous. Future Indefinite употребляется для выражения действия в отдален­ном будущем или действия, обусловленного обстоятельственными придаточными предложениями условия или времени или когда в предложении имеются выражения сомнения, вероятности, предположения и др.

I'll be meeting him tomorrow. - Мы встретимся с ним завтра. (само собой разумеется)

I'm meeting him tomorrow. - Мы встречаемся с ним завтра. (заранее предопределенное действие)

I shall meet him some day. - Мы встретимся с ним когда-нибудь. (в отдаленном, неопределенном будущем)

В будущем времени группы Continuous часто употребляется глагол to see в значении встречаться.

I'll be seeing him tomorrow. - Мы встретимся с ним завтра.

2) для выражения действия, которое будет совершаться (будет находиться в процессе развития) в определенный момент в будущем. Этот момент может быть ясен из контекста или обозначен:

а) точным указанием времени (часа) в будущем:

I shall be doing my homework at eight o'clock tomorrow again. - Я снова буду готовить уроки завтра в восемь часов.

б) другим действием в будущем, выраженным глаголом в настоя­щем времени группы Indefinite в придаточном предложении времени
или условия:

I shall be working when you come to see me. - Когда ты придешь ко мне, я буду работать.

Exercises