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    Learn English > English lessons and exercises > English test #107002: From Kansas City to Tulsa : What for? (1/2)
    > Other English exercises on the same topics: Tales | Literature | Find the correct tense [Change theme]
    > Similar tests: - Past tenses - Present simple and habits - Gerund - Fairy tales and legends-Vocabulary - May, Might, Should... what they mean... - A/An-how to use - Around the world in 80 days - Preterite or Present Perfect
    > Double-click on words you don't understand


    From Kansas City to Tulsa : What for? (1/2)


     

     

         

     

    Once again, I'll be telling you a story: remember, the tense of narration is the   simple past.

    ex: Jesse arrived in Tulsa after a painful two weeks' walk.

        * If an action started in the past and is still taking place (or has a result)  in the present, the verb must be in the present perfect : Have/has + verb in the  past participle

    ex: Jesse has hoped to be given a job for 6 years.

        * IMPORTANT !  If an action happened before a simple past, it must be in the past perfect simple (or in -ing if the speaker wants to insist on the duration of the action.) 

                  had + verb in the past participle  or  had + been + verb + ing  

    ex  In order to give Tom a good impression, Jesse had washed a little at a water fountain.

    ex: He had been walking for two weeks from Kansas City to Tulsa.

    * The - ing  forms express:
    an action which is in progress, in the present ( present in -ing), or in the past (preterite or past perfect in -ing)
    ex: When Jesse arrived, Tom was working at his desk.

    - the positions of the body:
    ex: Jesse was standing, exhausted by his long walk, while Tom was sitting.


    * If you need to use a future, remember that it doesn't get on well with the past ... You should use : a conditional : would + verb

    *   Yet, here,  in the test, you'll need a future in the particular context of  ' potential if clauses ' : if the verb of the main clause is in the future, the verb in the subordinate introduced by 'if' will be in the present ( simple present or present perfect).

    ex: I'll be so happy if you give me the job ! Jesse said.

         *   You'll use  the conditional : would + verb  and the past conditional  : would + have + past participle   if the main clauses are in the preterite, or in the past perfect.

    ex: If Tom gave Jesse a job, it would be a real relief for the whole family ...

        *  Don't forget that there may be .... one or two present tenses !

     

                                                   

     



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    English exercise "From Kansas City to Tulsa : What for? (1/2)" created by here4u with The test builder. [More lessons & exercises from here4u]
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    Suddenly, when Jesse at last, tall and skinny, tousled-haired, exhausted, his clothes looking shabby, sloppy and dusty, he strangely happy and even relieved … Here, at last, he hoped a solution ...
    Jesse for two weeks from Kansas City to Tulsa (250 miles /400 km) in pouring rain and scorching heat. He sat down to rest his injured feet.
    Losing job after job, he now looked like a real tramp, a bum, a 'down and out' ... The Depression and the New Deal, which 'dealt' nothing to him, his hope and dignity. He would beg if he had to, but that job ! !
    He this long way to put an end to his appalling situation and ask Tom, his brother-in-law, for some help ... He his pride and his honour ... Destitution and humiliation his whole family ...
    1O years before, Tom a shop, which the Depression had taken from him. At present, in the oil business and Egbert had told Jesse that any man work, here ...
    He hoped Tom him ... He didn't, not at first ... The 6 years when he couldn’t feed himself, his wife and family the man … But in him still, the same desire and determination, the same compulsion to get by and provide for those he loved so much ...
    - 'No, Jesse,' Tom denied, 'there's no job here!' - 'Of course there is! Egbert told me so!' Jesse replied. '
    Tom exclaimed :' you want a job in MY department ?! You CAN'T HAVE ONE!'

    (to be continued ...)








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