D-09.04 Tell Stories & Describe Customs with Simple-Past vs Past-Continuous Tense Forms

Part Two of Chapter 1 (“Meeting People”) of WorkLife English Grammar 5: Language & Culture in Depth, pages 15, 18-20

4 Pages

Who It’s For: (Self) Teachers & Helpers at (Almost) Advanced Learning Levels      

Why It’s Useful:  It may help—and it’s usually reassuring—to go over familiar grammar with new material, so here’s a brief summary of uses of the Simple Past vs. the Past Continuous—with time adverbs. Different kinds of practice exercises are included.   

What You’ll Do: 

[1]  To start Part Two: The Simple Past & the Past Continuous Tenses: Statements, first correct the errors in a story called “Meeting the New Neighbors.” Look through the explanations. Do and check Exercises D, E, *H, and K on the next three pages. 

[2] To make sure you “got the grammar” and can use it effectively to express yourself and communicate with others, try Activities *F, *G and/or *J with English speakers who can make corrections if necessary. Notice that these instructions can be followed with or without visuals (pictures of scenes with many things going on in them), at almost any time in most situations, and again and again for additional past story-telling practice.