UNIVERSITY OF MONTENEGRO INSTITUTE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

simile / ˈ s ɪ m ɪ l ɪ / a figure of speech that expresses the resemblance of one thing to another of a different category, usually introduced by as or like: as cute as a kitten as black as coal

As blind as a bat As old as the hills

As strong as an ox As hungry as a wolf

As sly as a fox As stubborn as a mule

As drunk as a skunk As slow as a snail

As cool as cucumber As free as a bird

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Past Simple:  When sth happened at a particular/specific moment in the past.  Multiple actions that took place one after another in the past.  Sth that ended in the past.  Keywords: in 1967, yesterday,...ago, last night/week/year /month, and when.  Example sentences: He worked in a factory in 1834 I wrote this letter when I was 16. PAST SIMPLE

Past Simple: HOW?  Verb+ed/ 2nd column  Did/didn’t  DID/DIDN’T folowed by: infinitive PAST SIMPLE +?- I workedDid I work?I didn’t work You workedDid you work?You didn’t work He workedDid he work?He didn’t work She workedDid she work?She didn’t work It workedDid it work?It didn’t work We workedDid we work?We didn’t work You workedDid you work?You didn’t work They workedDid they work?They didn’t work

 I went to school five minutes ago.  She swept the flat.  They broke the window.

 I didn‘t go to school.  She didn‘t sweep the flat.  They didn‘t break the window.  THE RULE: DIDN‘T + the infinitive

 Did you go to school five minutes ago?  Did she sweep the floor?  Did they break the window?  THE RULE: DID + Subject + the infinitive (no –ED, no II column!!)

 To talk about the actions that were completed in the past.  The time is known or can be understood from the context.  Common time expressions: yesterday, last week, last month, in 1998, five minutes ago, …

 The past continuous refers to an action in progress during a particular time in the past. It is formed with was/ were + the –ing form of the verb.

Past Continuous: HOW?  Was/were + verb + ing PAST CONTINUOUS +?- I was workingWas I working?I wasn’t working You were workingWere you working?You weren’t working He was workingWas he working?He wasn’t working She was workingWas she working?She wasn’t working It was workingWas it working?It wasn’t working We were workingWere we working?We weren’t working You were workingWere you working?You weren’t working They were workingWere they working? They weren’t working

I was playing video games all afternoon. Where were you? We were waiting for hours! I was running back to the hotel.

 Was he doing his homework at 5:00?  Were they swimming in the pool?  Were you waiting for hours?

We use Past Continuous to talk about an action that was in progress in the past. I was watering the flowers at 4 o’clock yesterday. They were writing a test this time last Tuesday.

When specific time is given we use PAST CONTINUOUS not SIMPLE PAST: AT 7 o’clock I read an article. WRONG AT 7 o’clock I was reading an article. RIGHT

 The past continuous is often used with a when clause. I was having a shower when the phone rang. This use draws attention to the idea of one action in progress interrupted by another past action.

Longer action – PAST CONTINUOUS Shorter action – SIMPLE PAST

 When the accident happened, she was riding her bike.  She was riding her bike when the accident happened.

 I was practicing the piano when the electricity went out.  When lighting struck a tree next to them they were walking their dog.  When it began to rain I was swimming.  What was he doing when it began to rain?

 The past continuous is also often used with a while clause. The while clause can go first or it can go second. The meaning is the same. WITH WHILE WE USE PAST CONTINUOUS IN BOTH CLAUSES. Mum was cooking while Dad was mowing the lawn. They were reading while I was studying.

I had not seen the snow, until I went to Farellones. Before I went to school, I had never played basketball. By the time we arrived, she had already left.

Look at these two sentences, what is the difference in meaning? When I turned on the TV, the programme started. When I turned on the TV, the programme had started.

COMPARE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES: I HAVE LIVED IN PODGORICA SINCE I HAVE BEEN LIVING IN PODGORICA SINCE 1990.

PAY ATTENTION: WHILE – PAST CONTINUOUS IN BOTH PARTS OF A SENTENCE: WHILE THEY WERE READING SHE WAS LISTENING TO MUSIC. WHEN – USE SIMPLE PAST IN PART OF THE SENTENCE BEGINNING WITH WHEN (FOR SHORTER ACTION) AND USE PAST CONTINUOUS IN THE SECOND PART OF THE SENTENCE FOR LONGER ACTION : WHEN SHE CAME WE WERE PLAYING HIDE AND SEEK.

IF THERE IS BEFORE, AFTER, UNTIL, BY THE TIME – USE PAST PERFECT FOR ACTION THAT HAPPENED BEFORE SOME OTHER ACTION EXPRESSED BY SIMPLE PAST: BEFORE I MOVED HERE I HAD LIVED IN LISBON. IF THE EXACT TIME IS MENTIONED (7 O’CLOCK, THIS TIME YESTERDAY) ALWAYS USE PAST CONTINUOUS: I WAS WATCHING TV AT 3 O’CLOCK LAST NIGHT.