Grammar - Past Continuous

This is for LEVEL 4. It is more challenging grammar.......

So far this quarter, we have reviewed present and present continuous tense (not many students did this lesson) and past tense - regular and irregular verbs. That may have been review for some of you. This lesson, we will learn about Past Continuous Tense. What is the past continuous tense, and when do we use it?

WATCH and LISTEN the first time. Then, WATCH, LISTEN, and TAKE NOTES the second time. Use the 'cc' for English subtitles if you need. Listen carefully. There is past simple tense and past continuous tense in the conversation.

WATCH, LISTEN, READ, and SPEAK. This is about an interview with a woman who saw a crime. A crime is when someone breaks a law. Example: stealing a car is a crime.


Pronunciation Practice - relaxed English

Listen again to the conversation. (without words)

Listen and Read the conversation

Do you understand all the new vocabulary bolded in black? If not, use your dictionary or ask me via e-mail. :)


Guy: Hello. I'm Guy Newsman with News Channel XYZ. I’m here in Washington, D.C. at the scene of a crime.

Guy: We are talking with this woman.

Guy: She saw the crime during her lunch break. It looks like she hurt herself while she was trying to stop the crime.

Guy: Tell us your name.

Anna: Hi, Guy. I'm Anna.

Guy: Anna, what did you see and what happened to your arm?

Anna: Guy, I was minding my own business. See, I work over there.

Guy: Um-hum

Anna: I left work to get some lunch. Then suddenly, I heard a woman yelling. She was yelling like this ... “Help! Help!”

Guy: Um-hum

Anna: Two robbers were grabbing her bag like this. She was hitting them with her umbrella.

Guy: Is that when you hurt your arm?

Anna: No. At that time, I was not fighting the robbers.

Guy: Um-hum.

Anna: See. I was too far away and I didn't have my own umbrella.

Guy: So, what happened next?

Anna: They grabbed her bag and ran away! So, I grabbed her umbrella and ran after the robbers.

Guy: Then that is the time that you hurt your arm?

Anna: No. I was yelling, “Stop, robbers! Stop!” She was yelling, “Hey, come back with my umbrella!”

Guy: Were you afraid?

Anna: I had no time to be afraid, Guy. Well, I had time while I was resting on a bench. I had a lot of time.

Guy: Then what happened?

Anna: The robbers got on a bus. So, I ran after the bus.

A VO: While I was running, I tripped and fell.

Guy: And that is the time that you hurt your arm?

Anna: No. While I was lying on the ground, someone stepped on my arm!

Guy: Ouch. That’s too bad.

Anna: Yeah. And they didn’t apologize. Well, then the robbers got themselves kicked off the bus.

Guy: Why?

Anna: They didn’t pay. You've got to pay when you get on a bus. The police came and took them away.

Guy: And that’s when you hurt your arm!

Anna: No.

Guy: Then, when did you hurt yourself?

Anna: Well, Guy, by this time, I was feeling very hungry. So, I went to my office to get a snack.

C: Anna, I'm calling for help right now.

C: (on the phone) Hello? Yes, please come right away. My co-worker is stuck in a vending machine.

Guy: You hurt your arm in a vending machine buying a bag of chips?

Anna: I was really hungry and the bag was stuck. I had to -

Guy: That’s all from News Channel XYZ. This is Guy Newsman saying goodbye.

Guy: Okay, we have to find ourselves another story, guys.

Anna: Until next time! Hi Mom!


Read the conversation again.

Count how many times past simple is used, and how many times past continuous tense is used ( positive and negative statements).

HOMEWORK - email me your answers dbruckner@tacomacommunityhouse.org

Read more about past continuous tense.

Practice

Take A Break

This is a long music video......listen for as long as you want. Beautifully relaxing music