Upper-Intermediate Morning Monday and Wednesday

First of all, the exercise I said I would give you for homework:

Complete the sentences for situations in the past. Decide which tense you need to use.

1. Yesterday, a plumber (come)  to our house.normal narrative past form → simple past

2. He (have)  to repair our washing machine that (break)  down a few days before.1st space: normal narrative past form → simple past|2nd space: looking back to something that had happened earlier → past perfect simple

3. Before he (ring)  at my door, he (look)  for a parking space for about ten minutes.1st space: normal narrative past form → simple past|2nd space: looking back to something that had happened earlier → past perfect simple

4. While the plumber (repair)  the washing machine, I (watch)  the news.simultaneous actions → past progressive

5. Suddenly, I (realise)  that they (show)  our street on TV.second action was already taking place when the first action began|1st space → simple past|2nd space: past progressive

6. The reporter (say)  that a car (crash)  into a stop sign just before reaching the crossroads.1st space: normal narrative form → simple past (say is generally only used in the simple form)|2nd space: looking back to something that had happened earlier → past perfect simple

7. While I (listen)  carefully to what (happen) , someone (knock)  at my door.1st space: emphasising the action's progression → past progressive|2nd space: looking back to something that had happened earlier → past perfect simple|3rd space: shorter action that started while another action was already taking place → simple past (past progressive would sound as if the person had been knocking on the door the whole time)

8. I (open)  the door and (see)  a police officer standing there.normal narrative past form → simple past

9. He (ask)  for the plumber.normal narrative past form → simple past

10.  As it (turn)  out, it (be)  our plumber’s car that (roll)  down the street.1st space: normal narrative past form → simple past|2nd space: condition in the past (after all, it was still his car) → simple past|3rd space: looking back to something that had happened earlier → past perfect simple

11.  In his haste, the plumber (forget)  to set the handbrake.looking back to something that had happened earlier → past perfect simple

I have noticed you may need to use the Past Perfect Continuous too.

Hello, I am back to give you some more work.

1) We (walk) _______ _______ by the bakery when the smell of fresh cinnamon 
 rolls (reach) ____________ our noses. 
2) Dr. Lee (treat) _______ ________ her patient when she (get) ________ a 
 signal from her pager. 
3) Annie and Lilly (climb) _______ _______ trees when Annie (fall) 
____________ and (break) ________ her arm. 
4) While Christopher (dig) _______ _______ a hole in the sand, a 
crab (crawl) ____________ out. 
5) They (sit) _______ _______ on the park bench when the fountain suddenly (light) 
____________ up. 
6) David (ride) _______ _______ his motorcycle on the dirt road when it (hit) 
 ________ a dangerous bump. 
7) Mr. Walker (earn) _______ _______ more than anyone else in his division when 
 he (retire)__________ last year. 
8) The lost dog (wear) _______ _______ his collar when the children (find) 
 ____________ him. 
9) Marcella (hope) _______ _______ to buy a yacht; instead she (buy) __________a 
 small fishing boat. 
10) Nick (water) _______ _______ the plants in the garden when a groundhog 


You may also make a list of any words that are new for you.

Yesterday  we started the class reviewing "be used to" and "get used to"by answering some questions. Then students had to tell a story they had read and a classmate had to retell it.

 Later we were listening to a recording of some news: some new words and expressions we should remember from it are: get in touch, shelter, trapped, break in the system, rescue, ordinary clothes (or something else)

Enjoy your free time.