68
An accident
Textbook: p. 73
GoalTell a witness story: Past Continuous and Past Simple together.
New words
accident · baxtsiz hodisatraffic · yo‘l harakatibark · akillamoq (it)witness · guvoh
Explanation
A witness describes what was happening with the Past Continuous: “A dog was barking at two boys. A cat was sitting under a tree. A girl was getting off the bus.” A short event uses the Past Simple: “I heard a loud noise and went out.” Two actions together: “I was working in the café when I heard a noise.” When / while: “While I was working, I heard a noise.” Police questions: “What did you see?” “What was the driver doing?” Useful words: get on, get off, stand, sit, behind, near, on the ground. Question: “Where was the red car? Why?”
Worked examples
“A witness”. Officer: What were you doing at three o’clock? Witness: I was working in my shop. Suddenly I heard a loud noise and went out. A big dog was barking at two boys, and the boys were standing behind a tree. A bus was waiting near the bank and a girl was getting off. A red car was standing next to a tree. A woman was talking on the phone. Officer: Thank you very much.
I was walking home when I saw an accident. While I was calling the police, the driver was getting out of the car.
Class activity
“Picture description”: a pupil looks at a picture and says 4 sentences (“The dog was barking …”); the class finds the differences.
Practice
1
Past Continuous: the dog / bark / at the cat
The dog was barking at the cat.
2
Past Simple or Past Continuous: I (work) in the cafe when I (hear) a noise.
was working; heard
3
Make a question: the driver / do
What was the driver doing?
4
Why “heard” is Past Simple and “was working” is Past Continuous?
Heard is a short event; was working is a longer action in progress.