LESSON 3

A. GRAMMAR: PAST SIMPLE AND PAST CONTINUOUS

Exercise 1. Complete the sentences using the following verbs in the correct form:

buy catch cost fall hurt sell spend teach throw write
1 Mozart wrote more than 600 pieces of music.
2 ‘How did you learn to drive?’ ‘My father ........................................... me.’
3 We couldn’t afford to keep our car, so we ........................................... it.
4 Dave ........................................... down the stairs this morning and ........................................... his leg.
5 Joe ........................................... the ball to Sue, who ........................................... it.
6 Kate ........................................... a lot of money yesterday. She ........................................... a dress which ...........................................
100$.

Exercise 2. Complete the sentences. Put the verb into the correct form, positive or negative.

1 It was warm, so I took off my coat. (take)

2 The film wasn’t very good. I didn’t enjoy it much. (enjoy)
3 I knew Sarah was busy, so I ........................................... her. (disturb)
4 We were very tired, so we ........................................... the party early. (leave)
5 It was hard carrying the bags. They ........................................... really heavy. (be)
6 The bed was very uncomfortable. I ........................................... well. (sleep)
7 This watch wasn’t expensive. It ........................................... much. (cost)
8 The window was open and a bird ........................................... into the room. (fly)
9 I was in a hurry, so I ........................................... time to call you. (have)
10 I didn’t like the hotel. The room ........................................... very clean. (be)

Exercise 3. Complete the sentences. Choose from:

was looking was wearing wasn’t listening weren’t looking

was snowing was working were sitting were you going
1 Today Helen is wearing a skirt. Yesterday she was wearing trousers.
2 ‘What did he say?’ ........................................... ‘I don’t know. I ............................................’
3 We ........................................... at the back of the theatre. We couldn’t hear very well.
4 This time last year Steve ........................................... on a farm.
5 They didn’t see me. They ........................................... in my direction.
6 The weather was bad. It was very cold and it ............................................
7 I saw you in your car. Where ...........................................?
8 I saw Kate a few minutes ago. She ........................................... for you.

Exercise 4. Put the verb into the correct form, past continuous or past simple.

1 Jenny was waiting (wait) for me when I arrived (arrive).

2 ‘What ........................................... (you / do) at this time yesterday?’ ‘I was asleep.’
3 ‘ ........................................... (you / go) out last night?’‘No, I was too tired.’
4 How fast ........................................... (you / drive) when the accident ........................................... (happen)?
5 Sam ........................................... (take) a picture of me while I ........................................... (not / look).
6 We were in a very difficult position. We ........................................... (not / know) what to do, so we ...........................................
(do) nothing.
7 I haven’t seen Alan for ages. When I last ........................................... (see) him, he ........................................... (try) to find a job.
8 I ........................................... (walk) along the street when suddenly I ........................................... (hear) something behind me.
Somebody ........................................... (follow) me. I was scared and I ........................................... (start) to run.
9 When I was young, I ........................................... (want) to be a pilot. Later I ........................................... (change) my mind.
10 Last night I ........................................... (drop) a plate when I (do) the washing up. Fortunately it ...........................................(not
/ break).

Exercise 5. Put the verbs in brackets into the appropriate form

1. Yesterday evening Tom ........................................... (have) a bath when the phone ........................................... (ring). He got
out of the bath and ........................................... (answer) the phone.
2. I........................................... (see) Tony in the park. He ........................................... (sit) on the grass and ...........................................
(read) a book.
3. While I........................................... (walk) in the garden, I ........................................... (hurt) my back.
4. Tommy........................................... (burn) his hand when he ........................................... (cook) the dinner.
5. George........................................... (fall) off the ladder while he ........................................... (paint) the ceiling.
6. Last night, I........................................... (read) in the bed when suddenly I ........................................... (hear) a scream.
7. ........................................... (you, watch) television when I phoned you?
8. Ann........................................... (wait) for me when I........................................... (arrive).
9. I........................................... (not/drive) very fast when the accident ........................................... (happen).
10. I ........................................... (break) a plate last night. I ........................................... (do) the washing-up when it
........................................... (slip) out of my hand

Exercise 6. Choose the correct tense of the following sentences

1. I saw/ was seeing the accident when I was waiting for the taxi.
2. What were you doing/ did you do when I phoned?
3. They didn’t visit/ weren’t visiting their friends last summer holiday.
4. It rained/ was raining heavily last July.
5. While people were talking to each other, he read/ was reading his book.
6. Chris was eating/ ate pizza every weekend last month.
7. While we were running/ run in the park, Mary fell over.
8. Did you find/ Were you finding your keys yesterday?
9. Who was she dancing/ did she dance with at the party last night?
10. They were watching/ watched football on TV all day.

Exercise 7. Find the mistakes in the following sentences and correct them

1. I was play football when she called me. .................................................................................

2. Was you study Math at 5 p.m. yesterday? .................................................................................
3. What was she do while her mother was making lunch? .................................................................................
4. Where did you went last Sunday? .................................................................................
5. They weren’t sleep during the meeting last Monday. .................................................................................
6. He got up early and have breakfast with his family yesterday morning. .................................................................................
7. She didn’t broke the flower vase. Tom did. .................................................................................
8. Last week my friend and I go to the beach on the bus. .................................................................................
9. While I am listening to music, I heard the doorbell. .................................................................................
10. Peter turn on the TV, but nothing happened. .................................................................................
B. VOCABULARY
Exercise 8. Choose A, B, C or D that best completes the sentence

1. I don't know what to say to break the ................................ with someone I've just met at the party.
A. air B. ice C. leg D. rule
Được dùng để diễn đạt phá vỡ bầu không khí căng thẳng, ngại ngùng.
2. Their close friendship ................................ a romantic relationship.
A. brings about B. puts up C. takes over D. turns into
bring about: gây ra

put up: thể hiện, trung bày

take over: tiếp quản, chịu trách nhiệm

turn into: trở thành, biến thành

Tạm dịch: Tình bạn thân thiết của họ biến thành một mối quan hệ lãng mạn.

Chọn D.
3. It's time I ................................ and raised a family.
A. carried on B. grew up C. settled down D. worked out
Carry on: tiếp tục
Grow up: lớn lớn

Settle down: định cư, ổn định cuộc sống

Work out: tập thể dục

Dịch: Đã đến lức tôi phải ổn định cuộc sống và nuôi gia đình.
4. They fell ................................ because they disagreed on the care of their young son.
A. apart B. away C. out D. over
- Fall out: gây sự

- Fall apart: hỏng

- Fall over: đột nhiên ngừng làm việc, treo

- Fall away: biến mất

Dịch: Họ gây sự với nhau bởi vì họ không đồng ý về việc chăm sóc con trai nhỏ của họ.
5. All the three boys seem to fall ................................ over heels in love with her.
A. head B. heart C. mind D. soul
fall head over heels in love with sb: si mê ai đó
6. She says she has kissed and ................................ up with Nigel, and the reunion was a fun night.
A. caught B. done C. made D. took
make up with sb: to end an argument with somebody and become friends again (làm hòa)
7. Due to financial conflict over years, they decided to get ................................ .
A. divorced B. engaged C. married D. proposed
8. Many husbands and wives can't remember why they ever got ................................ in the first place because they
no longer have anything in common.
A. divorced B. engaged C. married D. proposed
9. We started ................................ out together before we realized we were in love.
A. asking B. eating C. going D. hanging
eat out: ăn ngoài
10. Parents are always willing to lend a sympathetic ................................ to their children when they have
problems.
A. hand B. ear C. eye D. paw
Lend a sympathetic hand: lắng nghe ai đó một cách chân thành
11. I have a ................................ on a classmate who is very near and dear to me.
A. crush B. desire C. flame D. passion
Have a crush on: thích thầm ai đó
12. Jane arranged for me to go on a/an ................................ date with a guy from her office.
A. blind B. group C. online D. speed
bline date: cuộc hẹn hò được sắp đặt
13. ................................ dating involves couples going out together. It gives you the chance to see how your date
interacts with other people.
A. Blind B. Group C. Online D. Speed
Group dating: hẹn hò theo nhóm
14. If you are lucky, it will be love at first .................................
A. look B. see C. sight D. site
15. When you start dating somebody regularly, we say that you are ................................ somebody.
A. knowing B. looking C. seeing D. viewing

Exercise 9. Read the article about Climbing Mount Everest and answer the questions.

Climbing Mount Everest

Rebecca Stevens was the first woman to climb Mount Everest. Before she went up the highest mountain in
the world, she was a journalist and lived in a small flat in south London. In 1993, Rebecca left her job and
her family and travelled to Asia with some other climbers. She found that life on Everest is hard. 'You must
carry everything on your back,' she explained, 'so you can only take things that you will need. You can't
wash on the mountain, and in the end, I didn't even take a toothbrush. I'm usually a clean person, but there is
no water, only snow. Water is very heavy, so you only take enough to drink!' When Rebecca reached the top
of Mount Everest on May 17 1993, it was the best moment of her life. Suddenly, she became famous. Now
she has written a book about the trip and people often ask her to talk about it. She has a new job too, for a
science programme on television. Rebecca is well-known today, and she has more money, but she still lives
in the little flat in south London, among her pictures and books about mountains!
1. Before Rebecca climbed Everest, she worked for
A. a bookshop. B. a newspaper. C. a TV station.
2. Rebecca didn't take much luggage because she
A. didn't have many things. B. had a bad back. C. had to carry it herself.
3. Rebecca didn't wash on Everest because
A. it was too cold. B. there was not enough water. C. she is a dirty person.
4. Rebecca carried water for
A. drinking. B. cooking. C. cleaning her teeth.
5. Rebecca became famous when she
A. got to the highest place in the world.
B. wrote a book about her trip.
C. was on a television programme

Exercise 10. Read the article about getting to sleep and answer the questions below.

Getting to Sleep
Sleep is very important. It's just as important for your body as eating and exercising. If you don't get enough
sleep, then you won't be able to enjoy yourself. Going out with friends, playing sports or even watching
movies will not be much fun if you're tired. People of all ages need sleep, but different people need different
amounts. Babies sleep about twice as much as they stay awake. Teenagers need about eight to ten hours a
night, and older people need less. But one person may need more than another even if they are both the same
age. Six out of ten children say they are tired during the day, which means they are not getting enough sleep.
So how can you get to sleep? A good idea is to write down what you are thinking about before you go to
bed. Then, make sure your bedroom is as dark as possible, and it isn't too hot or too cold. You can also try
reading a book. Don't drink soft drinks or use your phone before going to bed. However, playing games on
your computer is the main one to avoid!
1. What is more important doing?
A. Sleeping and eating are more important.
B. Sleeping and exercising are more important.
C. Sleeping, eating and exercising are all important.
2. What do babies spend more time doing?
A. Sleeping B. Staying awake C. Eating
3. Who needs less sleep?
A. Babies B. Teenagers C. Older people
4. What may stop you from sleeping?
A. The bedroom is too dark. B. Feeling too hot. C. Reading a book.
5. What is the worst thing to do before going to bed?
A. Using your phone. B. Playing online. C. Drinking softs drinks.
KEY
EX1
5.2
2 taught
3 sold
4 fell … hurt
5 threw … caught
6 spent … bought … cost
EX2
5.4
1. didn’t disturb
2. left
3. were
 4. didn’t sleep
5. didn’t cost
6. flew
7. didn’t have
8. wasn’t
EX3
6.1
2 wasn’t listening
3 were sitting
4 was working
5 weren’t looking
6 was snowing
7 were you going
8 was looking
EX4
6.4
2 were you doing
3 Did you go
4 were you driving … happened
5 took … wasn’t looking
6 didn’t know … did
7 saw … was trying
8 was walking … heard … was following … started
9 wanted … changed
10 dropped … was doing … didn’t break
EX5
1. was having – rang – answered
2. saw – was sitting – reading
3. was walking – hurt
4. burnt – was cooking
5. fell – was paiting
6. was reading – heard
7. Were you watching
8. was waiting – arrived
9. wasn’t driving – happened
10. broke – was doing – slipped
EX6
1. saw
2. were you doing
3. did’nt visit
4. rained
5. was reading
6. ate
7. were running
8. Did you find
9. did she dance
10. were watching
 EX7
1. play thành playing
2. study thành studying
3. do thành doing
4. went thành go
5. sleep thành sleeping
6. have thành had
7. broke thành break
8. go thành went
9. am thành was
10. turn thành turned
EX8
1C 7A 13 B

2D 8C 14 C

3C 9D 15 C

4A 10 B 16 B

5A 11 A 17 D

6A 12 A 18 A

EX9
Your answers are shown below:
1. Before Rebecca climbed Everest, she worked for
 a bookshop
 a newspapercorrect
 a TV station
2. Rebecca didn't take much luggage because she
 didn't have many things.
 had a bad back.
 had to carry it herself.correct
3. Rebecca didn't wash on Everest because
 it was too cold.
 there was not enough water.correct
 she is a dirty person
4. Rebecca carried water for
 drinking.correct
 cooking.
 cleaning her teeth.wrong
5. Rebecca became famous when she
 got to the highest place in the world.correct
 wrote a book about her trip.
 was on a television programme.
EX10
1. What is more important doing?
 Sleeping and eating are more important.
 Sleeping and exercising are more important.
 Sleeping, eating and exercising are all important.correct
2. What do babies spend more time doing?

 Sleeping.correct
 Staying awake.wrong
 Eating.
3. Who needs less sleep?

 Babies.
 Teenagers.
 Older people.correct
4. What may stop you from sleeping?

 The bedroom is too dark.

 Feeling too hot.correct
 Reading a book.wrong
5. What is the worst thing to do before going to bed?

 Using your phone.

 Playing online.correct
 Drinking softs drinks.