CHAPTER

Expressing Past Time, Part 1

8-1 USING BE: PAST TIME

PRESENT TIME PAST TIME

(a) I am in class today. (c) Alice is at the library today. (e) My friends are at home today.
SIMPLE PAST TENSE OF BE

( b) I was in class yesterday. (d) Alice was at the library yesterday. (f ) My friends were at home yesterday. I she he it we you they

Singular I was you were (one person) she was he was it was

Plural we were you were (more than one person) they were

was

EXERCISE 1. Sentence practice.

were

Directions: Change the sentences to past time. 1. Bob is in class today. He was in class yesterday too. 2. Im in class today. I was in class yesterday too. 3. Mary is at the library today. 4. Were in class today. 5. Youre busy today. 6. Im happy today. 7. The classroom is hot today. 8. Ann is in her office today. 9. Tom is in his office today. 10. Ann and Tom are in their offices today.
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 EXERCISE 2. Lets talk: class activity.

Directions: Talk about today and yesterday. Close your book for this activity. Example: Im in class. Im in class today. I was in class yesterday too. TEACHER: (to Speaker B) (Speaker A) is in class. SPEAKER B: (Speaker A) is in class today. She/He was in class yesterday too.
SPEAKER A: TEACHER:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Were in class. Im in class. ( . . . ) is in class. ( . . . ) and ( . . . ) are in class. ( . . . ) is here.

6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

( . . . ) is absent. Im tired. ( . . . ) and ( . . . ) are (in the first row). The door is open/closed. Its hot/cold.

8-2 PAST OF BE: NEGATIVE

(a) I was not in class yesterday. ( b) I wasnt in class yesterday.
NEGATIVE CONTRACTIONS

was were I she he it

not not

wasnt werent we you they

(c) They were not at home last night. (d) They werent at home last night.

EXERCISE 3. Sentence practice.

wasnt

werent

Directions: Study the time expressions. Then complete the sentences. Use wasnt or werent. Use a past time expression.
PRESENT PAST

today this morning this afternoon tonight this week

yesterday yesterday morning yesterday afternoon last night last week

1. Ken is here today, but 2. Im at home tonight, but

he wasnt here yesterday. I wasnt at home last night.

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3. Olga is busy today, but 4. Tom is at the library tonight, but 5. Alex and Rita are at work this afternoon, but 6. Youre here today, but 7. Dr. Ruckman is in her office this morning, but 8. Its cold this week, but
EXERCISE 4. Lets talk: class activity.

Directions: Think about your first day in this class. Check () the words that describe how you felt. Then answer your teachers questions. Example: happy TEACHER: Were you happy the first day of class? SPEAKER A: Yes, I was happy. SPEAKER B: No, I wasnt happy. TEACHER: (to Speaker C) Tell me about (Speaker A) and (Speaker B). SPEAKER C: (Speaker A) was happy. (Speaker B) wasnt happy. 1. 2. 3. excited scared/afraid nervous 4. 5. 6. relaxed (not nervous) quiet talkative

EXERCISE 5. Listening.

Directions: Listen to the sentences. Circle the verbs you hear. 1. was 2. was 3. was 4. was 5. were wasnt wasnt wasnt wasnt werent 6. were 7. was 8. was 9. were 10. were werent wasnt wasnt werent werent

EXERCISE 6. Lets talk: find someone who . . . .

Directions: Interview your classmates about their days in elementary school. Find people who can answer yes to your questions. Write down their names. Speaker A: Make a complete question with the given words. Use the past tense. Ask (Speaker B) the question. Speaker B: Answer the question.

Expressing Past Time, Part 1 215

Example: you \ shy Were you shy? SPEAKER B: No, I wasnt. SPEAKER A: (to Speaker C) Were you shy? SPEAKER C: Yes, I was.
SPEAKER A:

First name 1. you \ shy 2. you \ outgoing (not shy) 3. you \ talkative 4. you \ happy 5. you \ hardworking 6. you \ quiet 7. you \ noisy 8. you \ athletic 9. you \ active 10. you \ wellbehaved 11. you \ a serious student 12. you \ artistic

First name

8-3 PAST OF BE: QUESTIONS

YES/NO QUESTIONS SHORT ANSWER

(LONG ANSWER) (I was in class yesterday.) (I wasnt in class yesterday.) (He was at home last night.) (He wasnt at home last night.) (LONG ANSWER) (I was in class yesterday.) (She was at home last night.)

(a) Were ( be) ( b) Was (be)

you in class yesterday? (subject) Carlos at home last night? (subject)

Yes, I was. No, I wasnt. Yes, he was. No, he wasnt.

SHORT ANSWER

INFORMATION QUESTIONS

(c) Where Where (d) Where Where

were (be) was (be)

you yesterday? (subject) Jennifer last night? (subject)

In class. At home.

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