PAST SIMPLE CONTINUOUS

PAST SIMPLE CONTINUOUS
SUBJECT + WAS / WERE + VERB-ing + (Complements)


STATEMENT
You were listening to the radio
He was coming from school by car
You were being an animal

NEGATION
You were not listening to the radio
He was not coming from school by car
You were not being an animal

INTERROGATION
Were you listening to the radio?
Was he coming from school by car?
Were you being an animal?


TIME EXPRESSIONS:
• YESTERDAY / THE DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY
• AT (Hours) / ON (Days of the Week) / IN (Months, Years and Centuries)
• LAST (day, year, time, ...) / THIS / THAT (day, year, time, ...)
• WHEN versus AS / WHILE: WHEN + Past Simple
(Action interrupting the continuous)
WHILE / AS + Past Simple Continuous (Action continuous)
WHEN she heard the noise, she was making a cup of tea
WHILE / AS she was making a cup of tea, she heard the noise

USES:
• Continuous activity in the past: They were working in London last year
• Continuous activity in the past interrupted by a past action: I was watching TV when the light went off
• Simultaneous actions in the past: Mary was reading a book WHILE / AS Peter was watching a film
• With ALWAYS to show annoyance (irritation) or surprise: She was always laughing

STATIVE VERBS:
• They cannot be used in the progressive form
• They are used to express feelings, likes and dislikes, possession and mental activities:

- LOVE, HATE, WANT
- LIKE, DISLIKE
- OWN, HAVE GOT
- THINK, REMEMBER, KNOW, UNDERSTAND, BELIEVE

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

SUBJECT + HAVE / HAS + VERB-pp + (Complements)


STATEMENT
I have eaten some apples
She has written a good novel
They have walked home early

NEGATION
I have not eaten some apples
She has not written a good novel
They have not walked home early

INTERROGATION
Have I eaten some apples?
Has she written a good novel?
Have they walked home early?

TIME EXPRESSIONS:
• FOR / DURING / SINCE- FOR: A period of time: He has worked as a miner for six years
- DURING: A period of time defined by itself: He has worked as a miner during the autumn
- SINCE: A period of time extending into the present: He has worked as a miner since he left school

• EVER / NEVER- EVER: To express at any time in the past until now:
Interrogative (ALGUNA VEZ): Have you ever been to London?
Negative (NUNCA): I have not ever drink gin
- NEVER: To express at no time (the opposite of ‘ever’):
Affirmative (NUNCA): I have never been to London

• ALREADY / YET- ALREADY:
Affirmative (YA): They have already finished
- YET:
Interrogative (YA): Have you finished yet?
Negative (AÚN / TODAVÍA)): He has not finished his meal yet

• JUST
To express a recently completed action:
- JUST (ACABAR DE): The children have just come from school

USES:
• A past that is in some way connected to the present: I have walked for two hours
• Actions happened in an indefinite past time, where those actions are more important than the time when they happened: The workers have finished the house
• Actions that began in the past and are not yet finished: I have lived in this house all my life
• Actions in the past that may be repeated in the future: He has built many houses


PRESENT SIMPLE PERFECT versus PAST SIMPLE
PRESENT SIMPLE PERFECT:
- Past action with no mention of time: I have been to London many times
- Past action with visible effect in the present: Volunteers have cleaned the beach

PAST SIMPLE:
- Past action with mention of time: I went to London last summer
- Past action with no visible effect in the present: I went to the beach last summer

United Kingdom Flag and Anthem

This flag is called 'the Union Jack' and it is made from the national flags of the four countries comprised within the United Kingdom (Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland).

The Battle of Hastings

United Kingdom Map

The United Kingdom is divided into four different and independent countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.

Their correspondent capital cities are as follows: London, Belfast, Edinburgh and Cardiff