Day 7 A lexical set and past simple and past continue

1.Vocabulary points to take away

A lexical set is a group of words that share the same topic or theme and belong to the same part of speech - they are all nouns, all verbs, all adjectives (for example).

Lexical sets are a useful way to organise vocabulary, making it easier to learn. When reading texts from different sources, it is a good idea to try to find groups of words that are related to the same topic and that belong to the same part of speech.

2.Past simple and past continuous

Meaning and use

We use the past simple for something that happened and finished in the past. We use it when we say or know the time when something happened. It is often used in stories, when one thing happened after another.

Last year, we travelled by jeep across the Sahara.

When the car stopped, we all got out.

We use the past continuous for something that happened in the past but was not finished at a particular time. This can be an exact time in the past (12 o’clock, etc.) or the time when another thing happened.

It was 12 o’clock and we were standing in the midday sun.

Mick was checking the engine when the rescue helicopter arrived.

We also use the past continuous to describe a scene or situation in the past or for an action that continued for some time.

The stars were beginning to come out.

The dog was barking loudly.

Form

Past simple: positive

For regular verbs, the past simple ends in -ed. Irregular verbs have different forms. The past simple form is the same for all persons (I, you, he, she, etc).

Suddenly the jeep skidded and stopped.

Jake thought that we had a puncture.

Past continuous: positive

The past continuous is subject + was/were + -ing form. There are no short forms of was/were.

Fortunately, we were carrying a toolkit.

Past simple: negative
We make the negative past simple with didn’t + infinitive.

We didn’t stay inside the jeep because that was even hotter.

Past continuous: negative
We make the negative past continuous with wasn’t/weren’t + -ing form

Despite the heat, Jess and Debs weren’t wearing hats.

Past simple: question

The past simple question form is did + subject + infinitive for all persons. The short answers are Yes, I did. / No, I didn’t.

Did the helicopter land in the desert? Yes it did.

Past continuous: question

The past continuous question form is was/were + subject + -ing form. The short answers are Yes, I was. / No, I wasn’t.

How were you feeling when it arrived?

Take note: spelling changes
In the past continuous, all verbs end in -ing, but sometimes the spelling changes:

take – taking hit – hitting die – dying

Take note: verbs we don’t use in the past continuous
There are some verbs that we don’t usually use in the continuous form. They are often verbs related to the senses and thinking, for example: hear, see, smell, hate, know, understand, believe, notice, want, need, seem, wish.

WRONG: Were you knowing Jess when you were living in Madrid?

CORRECT: Did you know Jess when you were living in Madrid?

Spoken English
In the past simple and the past continuous, we usually use a contraction with the negative auxiliary verb:

didn’t (= did not) wasn’t (= was not)

We usually say the positive and negative auxiliary verbs quickly and without emphasis. We don’t usually pronounce the final ‘t’ in ‘didn’t’, ‘wasn’t’ or ‘weren’t’ in the flow of speech.

He wasn’t looking when his team scored a goal.

/hi wɒzn ˈlʊkɪŋ wɛn hɪz tiːm skɔːd ə gəʊl/

But when the word following the contraction begins with a vowel sound, we pronounce the final ‘t’:

They were delayed, so they didn’t arrive on time.

/ðeɪ wə dɪˈleɪd, səʊ ðeɪ dɪdnt əˈraɪv ɒn taɪm/

3.Vocabulary Reference

passenger liner
a large ship that carries people across the sea

iceberg
a very large piece of ice in the ocean

to sink
to go under the water

to strike
to hit with force

string quartet
a classical music group of four people

lifeboats
something that is used to help people escape from danger on a ship

fortunate
lucky

apprehension
fear that something bad will happen

luxurious
extremely comfortable or elegant

shipwreck
the destruction of a ship at sea by sinking or breaking up

stationary
not moving, still

tragedy
an event causing great suffering, destruction and distress

overcrowded
when there are too many people in a space than is comfortable

rainfall
water that falls as rain over a period of time

water level
the height of water in rivers and lakes

burst its banks
we say this when the water level of a river gets so high that the water overflows its sides and floods the local area

flooded
full of water, usually from coming from rainfall

soaked
covered in water

waterlogged
when something is so full of water it cannot hold any more

I could hardly stand
I almost couldn’t stand up

tilting
leaning to one side

lowered
moved into a low position

making a lark of it
making fun of a situation

boatswain
a ship’s officer in charge of equipment and the crew, also written as bosun

jutting out
sticking out

pulpit
high place in a church where the priest speaks

research
a detailed study of a subject

satisfaction
feeling of being happy when you do or receive something you wanted

clergy
priests or other religious leaders, especially in the Christian Church

vicar
priest in Church of England who is in charge of a church

roles
jobs

actually
used in sentences to show surprise

similarities
things that are similar or the same

stressful
describes an activity that makes people feel worried or nervous

till
a container with a drawer in a shop where the money goes after a customer pays

publican
manager of a pub

bottoms on seats
people watching a performance (the bottom is the part of the body you sit on)

shipwrecked
unable to go anywhere because your ship/boat has been damaged in an accident

castaways
people who are left on an island or beach (where there are no other people) because their ship has been sunk or damaged

marooned
left or stuck in a place that you cannot leave

driftwood
wood that is floating on the sea or brought onto the beach by the sea

beachcombing
searching a beach for shells or valuable or useful objects