Use of

English file

Unit 1: Eating out

Unit 2: Couples

1. past progressive vs
past simple

2. Adverbs of manner

3. vocabulary: food and

restaurants
We use the past progressive to talk
about an action that continued over a
period of time in the past.
Examples:

• My mom was cooking at home

yesterday afternoon.
• I was studying at university yesterday
at 9 am.
Affirmative:
Subject+ was/ were + verbing+ complement

• My mom was cooking at home yesterday.

• I was studying at university yesterday at 9
am.
Negative:
Subject+ was/ were (not) + verbing+
complement
• My dad wasn’t cooking at home yesterday.
• I wasn’t playing at university at yesterday
at 9 am.

Remember contractions in negative:

I was – wasn’t you were- weren’t

He was – wasn’t we were- weren’t
She was- wasn’t they were – weren’t
It was – wasn’t
Yes / no questions:
was/ were + subject + verbing+ complement
Was your mom cooking at home yesterday?

Yes, she was.

No, she wasn´t.

Were you studying at university at yesterday at 9

am?

Yes, I was.

No, I wasn’t.

Wh - questions:

Wh -was/ were + subject + verbing+ com?

What were you doing yesterday evening?

I was making lunch for my family.

We use the past simple to talk about a
completed action in the past
Examples:
• I went to a new restaurant last
Monday.
• I watched a tutorial about Italian food
on YouTube.

Remember that there are

regular verbs and irregular
verbs for the past simple.
base form past tense past participle base form past tense past participle
1. say said said 1. mean meant meant
2. make made made 2. set set set
3. go went gone 3. meet met met
4. take took taken 4. run ran run
5. come came come 5. pay paid paid
6. see saw seen 6. sit sat sat
7. know knew known 7. speak spoke spoken
8. get got got/gotten (US) 8. read read read
9. give gave given 9. grow grew grown
10. find found found 10. lose lost lost
11. think thought thought 11. fall fell fallen
12. tell told told 12. send sent sent
13. become became become 13. build built built
14. show showed shown 14. understand understood understood
15. leave left left 15. draw drew drawn
16. feel felt felt 16. break broke broken
17. put put put 17. spend spent spent
18. bring brought brought 18. cut cut cut
19. begin began begun 19. rise rose risen
20. keep kept kept 20. drive drove driven
21. write wrote written 21. buy bought bought
22. stand stood stood 22. wear wore worn
23. hear heard heard 23. choose chose chosen
 We use both tenses when we have
two actions in the past, one short
action and one long action. The
short action happened while the
long action was taking place.

Examples:

I cut my finger while I was cutting some

carrots.

Short action: I cut my finger.

Long action: I was cutting some carrots.

Connector: while
Observe and analyze:

I cut my finger while I was cutting some carrots.

short action connector long action

(past simple) (past progressive)

I was making juice when my phone rang.

long action connector short action

(past progressive) (past simple)

We usually use two connectors: while and when. If we mention the short
action first, we use while. If we mention the long action first we use when.
. He was surfing the net when the police
stopped him.

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 I. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs: past simple or past progressive.

1. My mom _______________________ (cook) when I ______________ (call) her.

2. I ____________________ (make) a sandwich when the bread ______________ (fall) on the floor.
3. I __________________ (drop) the spoon while I ___________________ (make) tea.
4. My dad ______________ (call) me while I ________________________ (decorate) a cake.
5. The chef __________________ (teach) his students new recipes when one student __________ (enter) the class
late.
6. The lights __________________ (go out) while I _________________ (bake) some cookies.
7. The bartender ___________________ (bring) my frozen lemonade when he _______ (trip).
8. The pot _______________ (fall) on the floor while I ______________________ (make) some pasta.
9. I ______________________ (boil) some eggs when I ________ (get) distracted with my cellphone.
10. My mom ____________________ (chop) the onions when she ____________(start) to cry.
11. The waiter _____________ (have) a mishap in the kitchen while I _________________ (wait) for my order.
 Answer key

1. My mom was cooking (cook) when I called (call) her.

2. I was making (make) a sandwich when the bread fell (fall) on the floor.
3. I dropped (drop) the spoon while I was making (make) tea.
4. My dad called (call) me while I was decorating (decorate) my cake.
5. The chef was teaching (teach) his students new recipes when one student entered (enter) the class late.
6. The lights went out (go out) while I was baking (bake) some cookies.
7. The bartender was bringing (bring) my frozen lemonade when he tripped (trip).
8. The pot fell (fall) on the floor while I was making (make) some pasta.
9. I was boiling (boil) some eggs when I got (get) distracted with my cellphone.
10. My mom was chopping (chop) the onions when she started (start) to cry.
11. The waiter had (have) a mishap in the kitchen while I was waiting (wait) for my order.
II. Complete the conversation with the correct form of the verbs: past simple or past progressive.
A: I am home! Have you finished making dinner?

B: Hi mom! Oh. Well… something terrible 1. ______________ (happen) some minutes ago.

A: Really? Let’s see… Tell me.

B: Well… I 2. ________________ (make) some grilled chicken when suddenly I 3. _______________ (hear) a noise in the
living room.

A: Oh! Let me guess! You 4. _________ (go) to the living room to check, right?

B: Yes, mom! And while I 5. ________________ (go) to the living room when someone 6. ___________ (knock) on the
door.

A: Wow! A lot of adventure for one night! So, what happened next?

B: Mom! I 7. _____ (get) very scared! I 8. _________ (see) through the window but there was nothing! No one was there.

A: That sounds very strange. And the grilled chicken?

B: Well, the dog 9. ______ (eat) all the chicken while I 10. _______________ (check) the window in the living room.
A: Rocco 11. _______ (eat) our food?! But he is at your dad’s today!
 Answer key

1. happened
2. was making
3. heard
4. went
5. was going
6. knocked
7. got
8. saw
9. ate
10. was
11. ate
We use adverbs of manner to describe
how actions are performed.

Examples:

1. This chef cooks well.

(Adverb well describes how the chef

cooks.)

2. The new waiter works efficiently.

(Adverb efficiently describes the verb
work.)

3. You need to make a reservation at the

new restaurant early.

(Adverb early describes the verb make.)

 Observe and analyze.
Comparative and superlative sentences: regular adverbs
Adverbs of manner
1. My mom decorates cakes more beautifully than I do.
1. beautifully
2. slowly 2. My dad cooks more slowly than my mom.
3. calmly
4. early 3. My sister makes cupcakes the most easily in my family.
5. quickly
6. quietly 4. I make strawberry juice the most quickly in my family.
7. easily
8. frequently
9. dangerously Comparative and superlative sentences: irregular adverbs
10. badly
11. fast 1. My mom decorates cakes better than me. (well)
12. well irregular
13. hard 2. My dad cooks worse than my mom. (bad)
 1. My mom cooks more slowly than my dad.

2. My dad cooks more dangerously than my mom.

.
3. My mom cooks more calmly than my dad.

4. My dad cooks worse than my mom.

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I. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the adverbs: comparative or superlative.

1. My friend Teresa cooks _________________ me. Her “lomo saltado” is just perfect! (well)

2. My dad makes coffee _________________ my sister. He takes ages! (slowly) Adverbs of manner
3. My friend Kevin prepares omelets _____________ in class. He always finishes first. (fast)
1. beautifully
5. My brother makes hamburgers _________________ at home. He only takes 5 minutes. (quickly) 2. slowly
3. calmly
6. I bake cakes ___________________ my sister. I do it in 10 minutes. (easily) 4. early
5. quickly
7. I cut vegetables ____________________ at home. I don’t want to hurt my fingers. (carefully) 6. quietly
7. easily
8. I decorate my cupcakes _________________ my mom. My cupcakes are great! (beautifully)
8. frequently
9. My friend Sam cooks ___________________ Sue. His food is terrible. (badly)
9. dangerously
10. badly
10. The new waiter works _________________ the old one. He’s fast and friendly. (efficiently) 11. fast
12. well
11. My cat “Maurice” eats ________________________ my dog “Rocco”. (quietly) 13. hard
 Answer key

1. My friend Teresa cooks better than me. Her “lomo saltado” is just perfect! (well)

2. My dad makes coffee more slowly than my sister. He takes ages! (slowly)

3. My friend Kevin prepares omelets the fastest in class. He always finishes first. (fast)

5. My brother makes hamburgers the most quickly at home. He only takes 5 minutes. (quickly)

6. I bake cakes more easily than my sister. I do it in 10 minutes. (easily)

7. I cut vegetables the most carefully at home. I don’t want to hurt my fingers. (carefully)

8. I decorate my cupcakes more beautifully than my mom. My cupcakes are great! (beautifully)

9. My friend Sam cooks worse than Sue. His food is terrible. (badly)

10. The new waiter works more efficiently than the old one. He’s fast and friendly. (efficiently)

11. My cat “Maurice” eats more quietly than my dog “Rocco”. (quietly)
1. comfortable
2. pleasant
3. tasteless
4. efficient
5. enjoyable
6. homemade
7. salty
8. (freshly) baked
9. whipped cream
10. grilled
11. rolls
2a. Vocabulary: food and restaurants

Look at the words. Complete the short dialogues with the correct one.

1. A: Oh! this omelette is awful! it is completely __________.

B: That’s too bad. Ask the waiter to change it. 1. comfortable
2. A: Can you smell the _______ of the bakery? 2. pleasant
B: Yeah. They smell so good! 3. tasteless
3. A: I love this restaurant! the seats are so ___________. 4. efficient
B: Yeah! I always have an __________ time when I come here. 5. enjoyable
4. A: People say that the new restaurant has very ___________ waiters. 6. homemade
B: That’s true. They are fast, polite and friendly. 7. salty
5. A: The food here is delicious. It tastes like _________ food. 8. (freshly) baked
B: That’s true. I remember my mom’s food when I come here. 9. whipped cream
10. grilled
11. rolls
6. A: The new coffee shop has a ___________ atmosphere.
B: I agree. The music they play is relaxing and the decoration is fantastic.

7. A: Yuck! this dish is too _______. I don’t like it. 1. comfortable

B: That’s why I prefer sweet food.
2. pleasant
8. A: I would love to eat some ________ fish now. 3. tasteless
B: That sounds good. Fish and salad.
4. efficient
9. A: Do you want to go to the new bakery? 5. enjoyable
B: Yes please! I want to eat some ___________ cookies and some
cupcakes with _____________ on them. 6. homemade
7. salty
8. (freshly) baked
9. whipped cream
10. grilled
11. rolls
2a.Vocabulary: food and restaurants – Answer key

1. A: Oh! this omelette is awful! it is completely tasteless

B: that’s too bad. Ask the waiter to change it.

2. A: Can you smell the rolls of the bakery?

B: Yeah. They smell so good!

3. A: I love this restaurant! the seats are so comfortable.

B: Yeah! I always have an enjoyable time when I come here.

4. A: People say that the new restaurant has very efficient waiters.
B: That’s true. They are fast, polite and friendly.

5. A: The food here is delicious. It tastes like homemade food.

B: That’s true. I remember my mom’s food when I come here.
6. A: The new coffee shop has a pleasant atmosphere.
B:I agree. The music they play is relaxing and the decoration is fantastic.

7. A: Yuck! this dish is too salty. I don’t like it.

B: That’s why I prefer sweet food.

8. A: I would love to eat some grilled fish now.

B: That sounds good. Fish and salad.

9. A: Do you want to go to the new bakery?

B: Yes please! I want to eat some freshly baked cookies and some
cupcakes with whipped cream on them.
 Sources & Credits

● https://thenounproject.com/
● https://www.shutterstock.com/
● http://www.30minutedinnerparty.com/
● English Discoveries Student platform
● http://msramosenglishclass.blogspot.com/2013/07/past-continuous-vs-simple-past.html
● https://britishcouncilparquegoya.wordpress.com/2016/12/07/past-simple-and-past-continuous-year-2/

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