Unit 4 History and Culture
Grammar
Past Simple
Tense express the time of action
and its degree of completeness. There are mainly three tense in English:
Present, Past and Future. Every tense has four aspects: Simple, Continuous,
Perfect and Perfect Continuous. There is no one to one correspondence between
English and Nepali tenses.
1.
Tense structure
and time adverbial…
|
Structure |
Uses |
Examples |
|
Simple
present S + V1/ V5 + O |
With the time adverbial: always, often, never, everyday, sometimes, generally,
seldom, usually, nowadays, these days … |
He often comes here. They never play football. He sometimes visits new places. Barking dog seldom bites. |
|
To express present habitual action |
They watch TV serials every evening. |
|
|
To express general truth |
Water boils at 1000
Celsius. |
|
|
To express the time-table actions |
Our exam starts at eleven. |
|
|
To express saying and proverbs |
Honesty is the best policy. |
|
|
Present
continuous S + is/am/are + V4 + O |
With
time adverbials: Now, at present, still, today, this + time… |
The little child sleeping now. We are learning something at present. |
|
With
words of attention: Look!, Listen!, Hurry up! … |
Look! My father is coming. Listen! Someone is calling us. |
|
|
With imperatives |
Don’t talk so loudly, your father is sleeping. Wait, a bus is coming. |
|
|
Fixed planned action |
We are going to Pokhara tomorrow. |
|
|
Present
perfect S + has/have + V3 + O |
With
time adverbials: Just, already, recently, lately, yet… Since + point of time For + period of time |
We have just come here. Mina has already seen me. I have known you since April. She has been here for two years. |
|
To express the past action with a present effect/result |
Mina has got in an accident. She is still in hospital. I have lost my key. It is not in my pocket. |
|
|
Present
perfect continuous S + has/have + been + V4 + O |
With
the time adverbials: All + time … Since + time … For + time …. |
He has been working all this morning. She has been living here for six months. He has been writing a letter since 2 o’clock. |
|
Simple
past S + V2 + O |
With
the time adverbials: Ago, yesterday, last, those days, ancient, last + time…. In + past time….. |
Anju passed the test in June. She met me yesterday. I bought it last week. He got married in 1960. |
|
Narrative in stories |
Once upon a time, there was a king. |
|
|
Past habits |
She often ate Daal and Roti in India. |
|
|
Past
continuous S + was/were + V4 + O |
To talk about an activity that was going on at a certain
time in the past with
‘ all yesterday’ |
This time last week they were dancing. They were reading novels all yesterday. He was playing football all yesterday. |
|
Past
perfect S + had + V3 + O |
To express an action that took place before another action
started. |
He had already left the place before Ram came. The patient had died by the time doctor came. |
|
Past perfect continuous S + had been + V 4 + O |
To express an action that had been going on before another
action started… |
It had been raining when I woke up. She had been working there when the trouble began |
|
Simple
future S + will + V1 + O |
With
the time adverbials: Tomorrow, next, soon, tonight … |
Tom will come here tomorrow. I shall help you next week. |
|
To make prediction |
The weather will be cooler tomorrow. |
|
|
Future
continuous S + will be + V4 + O |
To express an ongoing action at a certain point in the
future… |
This time next week I will be visiting Pokhara with my
friends. |
|
Future
perfect S + will have + V3 + O |
To express future completed action With:
By / Before + point of time In + period of time |
They will have gone home. She will have cooked rice by 6 o’clock. He will have passed I. A. in two years. |
|
Future
perfect continuous S + will have been + V4 + O |
To express future ongoing action With: By + time……..for + time. |
By the next month, he will have been living here for two years. |
2.
Tense sequence
….
|
Simple present + simple future |
If I give a party, I will invite them. |
|
Simple past + simple past / past continuous/ past perfect |
When she pushed him, he fell down. When Sita came to meet Ram, he was reading a novel. When the doctor came, the patient had already died. |
|
Past tense + while + past continuous Present tense + present continuous |
The boys looked at me while I was dancing. He always comes while she is cooking. |
3.
Tense contrasts
…
|
Simple present
(permanent action) Present continuous (temporary action) |
He works in a supermarket. He is working in a school until he finds another job. |
|
Simple future (uncertain future action) Present continuous (fixed future action) |
He will fly to Singapore next week. He is flying to Singapore next week. He has already booked
a ticket. |
|
Present perfect (if
the action takes little time to happen) Present perfect continuous (if the action takes some time
to happen) |
He has fallen of the bridge. He is in the river now. He has been running. He is sweating. |
|
Simple past (no result of the action and is already
completed in the past) Present perfect (the result of the action in the present
context) |
Hari fell in the river. He drowned. Hari has fallen in the river. He’s very wet. |
4.
Be going to + V1
…. (It is used for the future action
which we can guess or predict)
It is going to rain soon. There is
cloud over the sky.
Regular and Irregular Verbs
Regular
verbs in English create the past simple (V2) and past participle (V3)
by adding -ed to the base form.
Root past simple (V2) past participle (V3)
call called called
study studied studied
There
are about 200 irregular verbs in English that have different endings.
Root past simple (V2) past participle (V3)
put put
put
go went gone
A.
Read this paragraph and classify regular and irregular verbs in the bold face.
About
771 BCE, a barbarian invasion drove the Zhou rulers eastwards. During
this time, the state of Qin became responsible for guarding the western
frontier and they gradually moved eastward and eventually occupied
the original Zhou domains. Thus, the Qin became a close ally of the Zhou
and they also had marriage relations with the Zhou ruling class. King
Ping of Zhou (r. 770-720 BCE) transferred titles of the nobility and
huge estates to the chief of Qin.
Past
simple is used to talk about a single action or series of actions that happened
in the past.
B.
Complete the texts below using the correct past forms of the verbs from the
bracket.
a.
The Maya established a very advanced civilization in the jungles of the
Yucatan. However, their culture……(disappear) by the time Europeans first……
(arrive) in the New World.
The
Maya established a very advanced civilisation in the jungles of the Yucatan.
However, their culture had disappeared by the time
Europeans first arrived in the New World.
b.
When I ………(turn) on the radio yesterday, I ……….(hear) a song that was popular
when I ……(be) at the basic level of my study. It ……….. (take) me back to some
old memories.
When
I turned on the radio yesterday, I heard a
song that was popular when I was at the basic level of my study.
It took me back to some old memories.
c.
I was looking for a job. I……….(apply) for a job last week. Fortunately, I…… (get)
it and now I am a job holder.
I
was looking for a job. I applied for a job last week.
Fortunately, I got it and now I am a job holder.
C.
Choose the correct words from the list and complete the sentences with the
correct verb form.
|
teach,
write, see, get up, throw, cost |
a.
Newton………….an apple falling from the tree.
Newton saw an
apple falling from the tree.
b.
Ramesh Bikal…………..many popular stories.
Ramesh Bikal wrote many
popular stories.
c.
My jacket is expensive. It……….me Rs 5000.
My jacket is expensive. It cost me
Rs 5000.
d.
She………….early in the morning yesterday.
She got
up early in the morning yesterday.
e.
When I was small, my father………..me at home.
When I was small, my father taught me
at home.
f.
Why did you………….the cap away?
Why did you throw the cap
away?
D.
Put the verb into the correct form and complete the sentences.
a.
I went to see the film, but I…………..it. (not/enjoy)
I went to see the film, but I did not
enjoy it.
b.
I…………..Rojina in town in a few days ago. (meet)
I met Rojina in town in a
few days ago.
c.
It was very warm, so I………..my coat. (take off)
It was very warm, so I took off my
coat.
d. Though the
bed was very comfortable, I………very well. (not/sleep)
Though
the bed was very comfortable, I did not sleep very
well.
e. I
............. new job last week. (start)
I started new
job last week.
f. He
................ too busy in the office yesterday. (be)
He was too
busy in the office yesterday.
g. Nita…………. her
to the party, but she didn’t come. (invite)
Nita invited her
to the party, but she didn’t come.
Extra Questions
A. Choose the
correct words from the bracket or list and complete the sentences with the
correct verb form.
1. A: … they tired after the long trip? B: Yes, they …. a) were / were b) was / were c) were / was
2. A: … you a good student in school? B: Yes, I was.
a) did b) were c) was
3. A: Did you have a good time? B: Yes, I …. a) had
b) did c) have
4. … they late or on time yesterday afternoon? a)
were b) did c) was
5. At this time tomorrow I shall……a movie on
television. (watch, be watching, have watched)
6. Before the policeman came, the thief …… (run
away, runs away, had run away)
7. Bimala ……food every day. (prepares, prepared, was
prepared)
8. By the end of this year she will……here for six
years. (be staying, have stayed, have been staying)
9. By the time we reach home, it ……been dark. (will
have, has, had)
10. By the time we reached home, it ……been dark. (will
have, had, has)
11. Did you … lots of interesting photos on your
holiday? a) took b) take c) takes
12. Don’t cross the road. The bus …… (come, is
coming, will come)
13. He … see a dentist yesterday because he had a
toothache. a) has to b) have to c) had to
14. He ……out. (has gone already, already went, has
already gone)
15. He didn’t … me because I was behind the tree. a)
saw b) see c) sees
16. He will come to the spot as soon as you ……him.
(call, called, will call)
17. I ……here until Amrita comes back. (be, am, will
be)
18. I wanted to …, but I couldn’t. I had to stay and
help my friend. a) went b) go c) going
19. I wish the children …….longer in the morning,
then I shouldn’t get woken so early. (sleep, are sleeping, slept)
20. I’m sure you ……the exam. (passes, passed, will
pass)
21. In two months the SLC exam result ……out. (will
be, will have been, will have)
22. It ……night, we must leave. (had been, has been,
was being)
23. Krishna ……yet. (hasn’t arrived, didn’t arrive,
won’t arrive)
24. Listen! Someone …… (is singing, sings, will
sing)
25. My family and I … in London when I was young. a)
lived b) live c) was live
26. My mother ……TV when I entered the room.
(watched, has been watching, was watching)
27. My sister ……the room before the guests entered.
(cleans, was cleaning, had cleaned)
28. Nila ……all day yesterday. (wrote, had written,
had been writing)
29. Pramila is pregnant now. She ……birth to a baby.
(is going to give, is giving, will give)
30. Pramita ……us daily in the past. (helped, helps,
will help)
31. Pramod ……his house. It looks nice. (is painting,
had painted, has painted)
32. Ram and Nagma love travelling. They ……India next
month. (will visit, are visiting, visit)
33. Ram and Shyam ……Pokhara by next week. (will go,
will have gone, will have been going)
34. Sera ……to me whenever he was in a shortage of
money. (always comes, always came, will always come)
35. She didn’t answer the phone because she … at
home. a) didn’t b) weren’t c) wasn’t
36. Sophia and Sagun……working in the radio Nepal
since six months ago. (will be, were , have been)
37. Take the umbrella. It ……outside. (is raining,
rains, raining)
38. The bus ……Pokhara at 10 o’clock. (leaves, will
leave, left)
39. The cat ……you when you pull its tail.
(scratched, will scratch, will be scratching)
40. The old beggar ……yesterday. (dies, died, had
died)
41. The river Amazon ……into the Atlantic Ocean.
(flow, flows, flowed)
42. They … back to their country last month. a) fly
b) flies c) flew
43. They ……home by tomorrow. (will go, are going,
will have gone)
44. They wanted to … a movie but there were no more
tickets. a) see b) saw c) seeing
45. They will……the building by the end of this
month. (complete, be completing, have completed)
46. We … some sandwiches and fresh fruit to eat for
lunch yesterday. a) buy b) buys c) bought
47. We generally ……to school in the morning. (went,
go, have gone)
48. We had a great time and we … lots of fun and
exciting things. a) did b) do c) was did
49. When did they … back to their country? a) flew
b) flies c) fly
50. When I last saw you, you ……of moving to your
village. (are thinking, were thinking, have thinking)
51. When I pushed him, he ……there. (was falling,
fell, had fallen)
52. When she hit on his head, he …… (fainted, has
fainted, had fainted)
53. When the bus arrived, we ……on it. (were getting,
had got , got)
54. When the telephone rang, I …… (slept, has slept,
was sleeping)
55. While I was having my dinner, she ……me.
(call, is calling, called)
56. Why … you finish your math homework last week?
a) didn’t b) wasn’t c) weren’t
B. Choose the
correct words from the list and complete the sentences with the correct verb
form.
1. In 1619, the first African
slaves ........ in Virginia, USA, and by 1790, their numbers ........ nearly
700,000.
a) were arriving / have been
reaching b) arrived / had reached c) have arrived / were reaching d) were going
to arrive / reach e) had arrived / will have reached
2. We ........ a lovely view of the
Bosphorus and the bridges over it while the plane ........ over Istanbul.
a) are getting / flies b) had got /
is flying c) got / was flying d) get / has flown e) are getting / had been
flying
3. When they ........ in Sydney
Harbour, they ........ nonstop for three months.
a) anchor / will have been sailing b) were
anchoring / sailed c) have anchored / were sailing d) are anchoring / have been
sailing e) are going to anchor / have sailed
4. According to the new schedule,
the whole team have accepted, we ........ every Monday and Wednesday next term,
but I’m sure we ........ back to our normal routine of once a week before long.
a) had trained / revert b) train /
have reverted c) are training / reverted d) are going to train / will revert e)
have been training / are reverting
5. The prospector ran into town in
excitement because, at last, he ........ some gold at the site which he ........
for months.
a) was finding / was panning b)
will find / is going to pan c) will have found / has panned d) had found / had
been panning e) found / will have panned
6. I expect you ........ bored with
working at the Post Office by this time next year and ........ for a more
interesting job.
a) have become / will have looked
b) were becoming / are going to look c) will have become / will be looking d)
had found / had been panning e) found / will have panned
7. Listen! The coach ........ the
strengths of our opponents because our team ........ against them before.
a) has explained / weren’t playing
b) explains / won’t play c) is explaining / haven’t played d) was explaining /
don’t play e) will explain / hadn’t been playing
8. When I ........ the alterations
to the company accounts, I was left in no doubt that the accountant ........ money
from the firm.
a) saw / had been stealing b) am
seeing / has stolen c) was seeing / was stealing d) have seen / will have
stolen e) see / steals
a) am walking / healed b) will be
walking / will have healed c) walked / was healing d) have been walking / heals
e) walks / is going to heal
10. Shadow puppets ........ in
China and ........ as far as Turkey and Greece today.
a) will originate / have been
spreading b) are originating / will be spreading c) originate / had spread d)
originated / have spread e) will have originated / were spreading
11. Over recent years, many skilled
craftsmen and women ........ their jobs in the pottery trade in the UK, but
gradually English porcelain ........ its reputation.
a) will have lost / will regain b)
had been losing / has regained c) lost / regains d) are losing / regained e)
have lost / is regaining
12. After she ........ to turn up
for our appointment for the third time, I ........ to meet her again.
a) is failing / am refusing b) has
failed / had refused c) was failing / will refuse d) had been failing / have
refused e) had failed / refused
13. Since I took part in my first
debating match, I ........ a member of the debating club, which I ........ most
weekends.
a) will have been / have attended
b) have been / attend c) will be / was attending d) am / had been attending e)
was / am attending
14. By the first half of the 19th
century, the potato ........ the staple food in Ireland. In 1854, a disease ........
which resulted in widespread starvation.
a) was becoming / has struck b)
will become / was going to strike c) had become / struck d) was going to become
/ strikes e) has become / has struck
15. The origins of domestic poultry
........ uncertain, but experts believe that some breeds are descended from the
Indian jungle-fowl, which still ........ in India today.
a) are going to be / will exist b)
had been / will have existed c) were / had been existing d) are / exists e)
have been / existed
16. In 1868, the US government ........
7000 Navajo Indians to return to their homeland and, since then, they ........ the
largest and richest Indian tribe.
a) allowed / have become b) has
allowed / are becoming c) was going to allow / will become d) has allowed /
were becoming e) was allowing / become
17. In 1960, only 2000 American Indians ........ at university, while in 1970, only a decade later, this number ........ to 12000.
a) are studying / is increasing b)
were studying / increased c) will be studying / will have increased d) studied
/ will increase e) had studied / was increasing
18. Today we ........ a lot of
tangerines at one pound per kilo, unlike yesterday, when we ........ very few
customers.
a) were selling / have had b) are
selling / had c) had been selling / had had d) sold / will have had e) are
going to sell / will be having
19. A: Isn’t that your daughter
playing outside without a coat on? She ........ a chill. B: She has a thermal
vest on under her pullover, but you have a point. I ........ her coat.
a) was catching / am fetching b) is
catching / fetch c) will be catching / have fetched d) will catch / will fetch
e) catches / am going to fetch
20. The number of orders per week ........
all year and the sales manager is confident that we ........ our target.
a) has increased / had been
reaching b) will increase / have been reaching c) increases / reached d)
increased / reached e) has been increasing / will reach
21. As the police ........ the
road, we ........ a time-consuming detour around the mountain.
a) are closing / were making b)
will close / had made c) had closed / made d) will have closed / had been
making e) close / have made
22. I ........ some shopping during
my lunch break, but I couldn’t as I ........ awful because of my cold.
a) was going to do / felt b) have
done / have felt c) will do / am feeling d) did / was feeling e) do / will have
felt
23. By the time the work on their
house is finished, they ........ the painters, decorators and carpenters a
total of ₤8000. They ........ a beautiful kitchen, though.
a) are paying / have had b) paid /
are having c) had paid / were having d) will have paid / will have e) have paid
/ have
24. I feel certain that Greg ........
in his new business because he ........ so hard all the time.
a) is succeeding / will work b)
will succeed / works c) was succeeding / is going to work d) had succeeded /
will be working e) has succeeded / had worked
25. Before Petar Preradovic ........
poems in his native Croatian, he ........ all his poems in German.
a) has published / is writing b) is
publishing / was writing c) published / had written d) had published / will
have written e) has been publishing / has written
26. I ........ some notes earlier
and ........ to them during my presentation. In the event, however, I didn’t
use them once.
a) will have written / will refer
b) am going to write / refer c) had written / was going to refer d) wrote /
have referred e) write / will have referred
27. Because of Istanbul’s
geographical location, it ........ a place of trade since civilisation ........
.
a) is / was being b) was / has
begun c) will be / had begun d) had been / is beginning e) has been / began
28. When Boris Yeltsin ........ on
31st December 1999, he ........ President of Russia for eight years.
a) had resigned / was b) has
resigned / is c) will have resigned / will be d) resigned / had been e) resigns
/ is being
29. The circumference of a circle ........
3.14159265 times its diameter no matter how small or large it is.
a) measures b) measured c) will be
measuring d) had measured e) was measuring
30. At present, British farmers ........
to the government because since the EC lifted the ban on British beef, the
French ........ to buy any.
a) were protesting / refused b) are
protesting / have refused c) had protested / were refusing d) will protest /
refuse e) protest / will be refusing english tenses
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