Lesson 12 (Twelfth Lesson) ‘The Past Tense of be, have, can Teacher and Mr, A was, wore Teacher: Where were you this time last year, Mr. A? ‘Mr. A year ago I was in Turkey. Tas aa school Teacher: Were you studying English then? ‘Mr. A: Yes, I was studying a little but not very much. Twas at a school in Ankara, My brother was there, too, It was a very good school, All the teachers ‘were good; the teacher for my class was very good indeed, But my brother and I were only at school fora few weeks before we eame to England; vo our knowledge of the language was, of course, very small, . Teacher and Mr. B could ou can speak English «litle now, Mr. B, you Mr. B: Yes, 1 can speak a little; not quite as much as eat) Send Me “ her: Could you speak English a year ago? ‘Mr. B: This time last year T could speak only a few words; I could not speak English well. It was very difficult to learn English. Teacher: Why was that? Mr. B: Well, 1 was not as lucky as Mr. A. He could get a good teacher; I could not. There were no Teacher: Lesson toetos o English people in my town, a very small town in and it was difficult to find a good teacher. rere one or two teachers, but they were not English. They could not speak English well couldn’t explain the grammar to their students; so T was very glad to come to England to learn English well. Teacher and Miss D had Teacher: What about you, Miss D? Could you speak English a year ago? Miss D: No, a year ago T couldn't speak a word. T ‘wasn’t thinking about English or England. T had no time; we had a big farm and I had to do a lot of work on it, I had to work hard. Teacher: Really? That is very interesting. ‘Miss D: Yes. Yam fond of the country, and I was very fond of the work, but I couldn't do all that work and learn English, too. Thadn't a minute for study from morning till night. ‘Teacher: What animals were there on the farm? ‘Miss D: Oh, we had horses, cows, sheep and pigs. Teacher: And were they a lot of work for you? ‘Miss D: Well, there were fifteen men working on the farm. They were all big eaters and T had to feed all those men. It was nearly a full day’s work to ‘cook their food. I couldn't cook enough; they could always eat everything on the table. Oh, yes, it was hard work, and I coulda’t find time for study, but I had a happy time on the farm and I ‘was very sorry to come away,2 GRAMMAR The Past Tei have, can ‘The past tense of these verbs is very simple. ‘There are only two forms for be: cas [woz] and rere [wa:(t)]; only one form for have: had; and one for ean: could [kud]. Here are all the forms of the past tense of these verbs: Be Afirmatice Interrogation Negative 1 hie, she, it was | was I, he, she, it? | T, he, she, it was not ve, you, they, | were we, you, | we, you they were ‘were’ they? ‘aot Have Affomative Interrogation Negatce 1, he he, it The, she, it? |, be, she, it Jad wooniey} 4 | Mle? | neon) nt Gan Interogatice Negative I, he, she, i? |, he, she, it Jeouta| conta re, you they? we, You, theyJaot Lesom tecle 93 In conversation, we generally use the short negative forms: vas not = wasa' sent] nok = were’ [wot] Had nt = hada’ sed] could not = could [ud] infinitive Tt wae dificult to find a good teacher. Te was a full day’s work fo ook thee food. 2, Lan very glad to come to England. was very torr fo come away. 13 Thad to do a Tot of work. ‘Thad to work hard (= It was necessary). so can join sentences (instead of “and”); the meaning is “for that reason”, "because of that” ‘We were only a schoo! fora few weeks, s0 our knowledge was sual. “They coulda’t explain the grammar, 29 T was glad to come to Brgland. "There were no English people. Thad no time. No here makes the noun negative. Notice—the verb is not negative. Compare: "There were alot of B “There were some English people. "There were no English people. people, Thad a lot of time, had tome time, had no ime.sential Engh not as. sot a much ar my friend. ‘Not as lucky at Me. A. sas ‘This is a comparison. ‘There is an explanation in Lesson 20. EXPRESSIONS ‘This time lst years this time last wok, -Ayear ago: a wk ago two dae ago. Only fore few weeks Very good indeed OF course, Well.» (Before the answer toa question) Wh * What are yo thinking about? On the farm, Everything on the table, Tam fond of From morning til night, Thada’t a minute, ‘From morning till night Teould’t speak & word. work hard. EXERCISES 1. Put these sentences into the Past Tense: 1 It ie a ice day. 2. Tam glad wo meet you. 3: Richard Brown is my friend, 4 We are in the classroom. ‘5. You are the students in my cas, 6. My hotel in Scotland is very nice. 7. Lhave a big dog. 8. She has a brown dog. 9. He has some cigarettes on the table, 10, Lucille has a new motorcar. TUCUUUTMTRETEELT TT Lesson twetoe 9s 1, Has Taille a new motor-cae? 12, Have you an anemer to the question? 13, They have a farm in Ceechoslovalie, 14, Whit time isthe lesson? 15, Leant sleep beesuse Tam cold, 16. He can speak English very well 17. Can they play tennis near the hotel? 8, ‘The weather is very bad. We can’t see the mountain, 2. Put in the missing words: 2, Where were you this t— 1 year? 2. Could you speak English a year —-? 3: Las not as as Me. A. “+ Our kn— of the language was very small §- We had a big f and Thad ——a lot of work — it 6. That ie very i 7. Twas very f—— the work, 8. I hadn't a minute — study from morning — night, 9. What a— were there on the farm? 10, Thad to e— the food to £ the men. I coulda’t cook —, 3: Make sentences with these expressions: 1, Ie’ dficlt to. 2. Itis cay to, 3: Tam sorry to. 4: Yesterday Thad to... SeveyooTees 6 no Bnglish people 7. no de 8, This time lave year 9. A meek ago. ro. fond of Disatin A porte Imi agin a te ay ee rT raha om an ene and chickens, I was very fond of the farm and we ‘were lucky te ie toed ae ate ntsneeepeb e A a aang cn ta mre ieyean dr erty ‘ince tg recs