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    Learn English > English lessons and exercises > English test #105522: We want to work with tenses ...(1/2)
    > Other English exercises on the same topics: Conditional and hypothesis | Future | Past | Plu-perfect | Find the correct tense [Change theme]
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    We want to work with tenses ...(1/2)


    Tenses, tenses !  ... We'd still like to work on tenses ....

     

    Mixed tenses, linked  to the past, especially !

    * I'll tell you a story : Remember, the tense used for narration is the simple past.

    ex : The modest seamstress worked in London.

    * If two actions happened simultaneously in the past, then

    the long action (the important one) is in the preterite in -ing and the short action  which interrupted it, is in the  simple past

    ex: While she was walking up the street, she imagined her dream ...

    * If an action happened before an action in the simple past , it must be in the past perfect simple (or in -ing) if we want to insist on the length of the action

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

    ex: She had always lived/ had always been living a humble life.

    * If you need to use a future, remember that it doesn't get on well with a past ! 

    You'll have to use the conditional = would + verb

    ex : She wouldn't spend her little money on flowers.

    * If you need a modal auxiliary,   can => could and  may=> might

    ex : Though very poor, she could imagine her dream.

    Ready ? Now, let's follow Myrtle Brown's adventure ... (and take care of your tenses ...)

     

                                   

     

     





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    English exercise "We want to work with tenses ...(1/2)" created by here4u with The test builder. [More lessons & exercises from here4u]
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    Dear Myrtle a modest, humble button-hole stitcher in a factory near London. Forever, she a dull, uneventful life, always alone and often lonely, but was grateful the bare minimum to get by.
    Yet, she a powerful and secret dream, which had helped her survive : an unreasonable dream, she it ! One day, she a load of wonderful, innumerable and varied flowers in a box, with a note how admirable and loved !'... even if she had to... pretend, and buy it for herself... Pathetic, ? Her landlady admiring, impressed, and respectful !
    Myrtle for months because she such a treat ! After months she had saved enough for a profusion of flowers.
    Then, her dream . She dressed as elegantly as she could, she trudged to the little station, took the train and finally a luxury flower boutique in Covent Garden. She picked and chose the most beautiful flowers in the shop. It was the first time she anything 'useless' for herself, and she ! Now her dream could start ! ;0) (to be continued...)








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