English 4 French

#16 A1 Past simple positive: A Day at the Office 💼🎙️ 

Welcome back to English for French podcasts! I’m Alison, and today we are going to talk about the past simple in positive sentences. Grab your headphones, grab a cup of tea , and get ready. Here we go. Today, we step inside the workplace to master the Past Simple (Positive). Every verb in today's reading story comes directly from our reference table, making it easy to spot and practice each one. 

When Do We Actually Use the Past Simple ? 

Today, we are answering an essential question: When do we choose the Past Simple? 

Many learners get confused and ask: "Can I use it for something that happened five minutes ago, or only for ten years ago?" 

Here is the secret: Distance in time does not matter. Finished time matters. 

We use the Past Simple whenever an action started and completely finished in the past. It is locked in history. There are three key situations where you must use it: 

STRUCTURE  

Subject+ Verb in past simple form + Object  

1. With Specific Finished Time Markers 

Whenever your sentence names a time period that is completely over, reach for the Past Simple. Listen for these common "time stamps": 

If the clock or calendar has moved on, the door is shut. The action is done. 

2. Chronological Stories and Daily Routines 

When you describe your day step-by-step—like a movie scene—you string together Past Simple verbs: 

"I arrived at the office, called my manager, wrote an email, and drank a coffee." 

Action 1 finishes, then Action 2 happens, then Action 3 happens. Each one is a completed block. 

3. Past Habits and Past States 

We also use it for things that were true for a period in your past life, but are no longer true today: 

"Five years ago, I worked in a bank." (Now I work somewhere else.) 

"When I was an intern, I was very nervous." 

How the Verbs Behave: Regular vs. Irregular 

To tell your story, you need the right tools. In English, verbs split into two teams: 

call -called | start- started | print -printed 

write - wrote | send -sent | have -had 

Here is your desk reference of 15 essential verbs. Every bold verb in our story below is in this table! 

Base Verb 

Past Simple Form 

Verb Type 

Example Sentence 

arrive 

arrived 

Regular 

Lucas arrived at the office very early. 

make 

made 

Irregular 

We made a checklist of all our tasks. 

have 

had 

Irregular 

We had a quick team meeting before lunch. 

start 

started 

Regular 

The meeting started at 9:00 AM sharp. 

speak 

spoke 

Irregular 

Jane spoke to her team about the project. 

write 

wrote 

Irregular 

I wrote four urgent emails to our clients. 

send 

sent 

Irregular 

She sent the budget report to the director. 

call 

called 

Regular 

The manager called a client on the phone. 

meet 

met 

Irregular 

Jane met a colleague in the cafeteria. 

eat 

ate 

Irregular 

They ate a sandwich for lunch yesterday. 

drink 

drank 

Irregular 

John drank cold water with his lunch. 

print 

printed 

Regular 

The assistant printed thirty contracts. 

finish 

finished 

Regular 

The team finished all tasks on time. 

leave 

left 

Irregular 

Everyone left the building at 5:45 PM. 

be 

was / were 

Irregular 

Jane was very tired after work. 

That’s all from me, Alison, at podcasts with English for French. I hope the past simple is clearer for you now. The secret is to practice, so, I have added a text comprehension and a gap-fill exercise below. The most important thing is to use the past simple, keep a diary, write the things you did yesterday, last week, or when you were young. 

Have fun. 

Cheers. 

Reading Comprehension: Jane’s Busy Day at the Office 

Read the short workplace text below. All highlighted past verbs can be found in the table above!Yesterday was a very busy Tuesday for Jane. She arrived at the office at 8:15 AM and made a cup of tea. 

At 9:00 AM, she had a project meeting. The meeting started on time, and Jane spoke to her team about the new plan. After the meeting, she wrote four urgent emails and sent the budget report to her director. She also called a client on the phone to confirm an order. 

At 1:00 PM, Jane met her colleague Lucas in the cafeteria. She ate a sandwich and drank a glass of cold water.In the afternoon, Jane printed thirty contracts for the legal department. She finished all her tasks before the end of the day and left the office at 5:45 PM. She was tired, but she was very pleased with her work. 

Comprehension Questions 

Gap-Fill Practice: Complete the Sentences 

Fill in each blank with the correct Past Simple form of the verb in brackets ( ). 

Answer Key  

Comprehension Answers: 

Gap-Fill Answers: 

Episode 15: A1 –ed or –ing adjectives 

"Are You Bored or Boring?"  

Hello and welcome back to English for French podcasts! I’m Alison, and today, we are learning about two very common adjective endings: -ed and -ing. We will also learn how to pronounce -ed correctly, look at voiced and voiceless sounds, read an easy story about a boy named Tom, and finish with plenty of practice. Here we go. 

Both endings make adjectives (words that describe things or people), but they do two completely different jobs: 

Many learners try to pronounce the letters "e-d" as an extra syllable every time (like saying tir-ed or bor-ed). In English, we do not do this! 

There are three different ways to pronounce the -ed ending: 

                                 ───> /t/ (after voiceless sounds) 

Final sound of   ┼  ───> /d/ (after voiced sounds & vowels)  

the base word        ───> /ɪd/ (only after /t/ or /d/ sounds) 

What are "Voiced" and "Voiceless" sounds? 

Put your hand gently on the front of your throat (on your vocal cords): 

The Three Pronunciation Rules 

Rule 1: The /t/ sound (Whisper sound) 

If the base word ends in a voiceless sound, the -ed is pronounced as /t/. Do not add an extra syllable. 

Rule 2: The /d/ sound (Buzzing sound) 

If the base word ends in a voiced consonant OR any vowel sound, the -ed is pronounced as /d/. Do not add an extra syllable. 

Rule 3: The /ɪd/ sound (Extra syllable) 

We only add an extra syllable when the base word already ends in a /t/ or /d/ sound. We do this because it is impossible to say two "t" or "d" sounds together without a vowel between them. 

Remember –ed adjectives describe how someone feels, -ing adjectives describe the thing causing an effect on someone or something. 

That’s all for today at podcasts with me, Alison, at English for French. You can find the text and comprehension questions, some exercises and the answer key below. 

See you soon. 

Cheers. 

Tom wakes up at seven o'clock on Saturday morning. Today is a special day! He is going to the zoo with his family. Tom is very excited because he loves animals. 

They arrive at the zoo at nine o'clock. The zoo is very big. First, they see the monkeys. The monkeys jump from tree to tree and eat bananas. They are very funny and interesting. Tom watches them for one hour. 

Next, they go into a dark house to see big spiders and snakes. Tom does not like spiders. The spiders are frightening. Tom runs to his dad. Tom is frightened and holds his father's hand. 

At one o'clock, it begins to rain. They go into a small cinema at the zoo. The cinema shows a long film about rocks and dirt. The film has no animals. The film is slow and very boring. Tom's little sister falls asleep. Tom does not want to watch the film. He is bored. 

At five o'clock, the family walks back to the car. They walked all day. Walking for eight hours is very tiring. In the car, Tom closes his eyes. He is very tired, but he had a good day. 

Answer each question using simple, full sentences: 

Choose the correct adjective from the brackets for each sentence: 

Answer Key 

Comprehension Answers 

Gap-Fill Answers 

Episode 1: England: Business and everyday etiquette

Welcome back to podcasts with English for French.I’m Alison and today we are looking at etiquette in Britain particularlyEngland ,and  the things to avoid and the ‘rules’ to follow , particularly in a business situation.

Grab a cuppa ( term used only for tea, an abbreviation of a cup of tea , never for coffee), pop on your headphones, and mentally prepare to stand in an orderly queue. Today, heading straight into England: a compact, known for its rainy climate, endlessly fascinating corner of the world where people apologize to doors they accidentally walk into, yet managed to conquer global airwaves, invent half the sports the world plays, and speak in roughly fifty entirely different accents within a thirty-mile radius.

A Nation of Accents: Five Miles Down the Road, a Whole New Language

Forget the Hollywood cliché that everyone in England sounds like a BBC newsreader or Mary Poppins. The English linguistic map is astonishingly hyper-local. Drive just 30 minutes in any direction, and the vowels shift, the rhythms warp, and entirely new slang turns up on street signs and pub menus.

In London alone, you move from old-school East End Cockney (home of rhyming slang, where "apples and pears" means stairs) to Multicultural London English (MLE), an energetic blend influenced by Caribbean, African, and South Asian diasporas.Then you have the accent of the City or square mile , the hub of businesses in London , known for its Received Pronunciation, clearly enunciated vowels often considered”posh”, this is the accent of most journalists, politicians and high-class business people. Travel up north and the landscape changes completely: Liverpool boasts the throatier, musical lilt of Scouse; Manchester gives you the swaggering, flat vowels of Mancunian; and Newcastle welcomes you with the fast, sing-song dialect of Geordie, where "bairn" means child and "howay" means pretty much anything you need it to mean.

Toss in the warm, rolling "r"s of the West Country (often dubbed pirate talk) and the blunt, flat-voweled warmth of Yorkshire, and you realize there is no single "English accent"—just hundreds of micro-dialects tied proudly to local postal codes.

Crowns & Commons: How Politics and Royalty Actually Work

If you've ever wondered who steers this ship, England operates within the United Kingdom as a constitutional monarchy combined with a parliamentary democracy.

Everyday Etiquette & Cultural Faux Pas

British social interaction relies heavily on non-intrusiveness, understatement, and unspoken spatial codes.

Business English "No-Nos" & Decoding Subtext

In British business contexts, confrontation is rarely explicit. Direct disagreement is cushioned with polite phrases that mean the exact opposite of their literal wording.

What Is Said

What It Actually Means

Recommended Response

"With the greatest respect..."

"You are completely wrong."

Concede ground or clarify your reasoning gently.

"That's a very brave / interesting proposal."

"That idea is reckless or unworkable."

Ask: "What specific risks do you see here?"

"I hear what you say."

"I disagree and do not intend to discuss it further."

Pivot to a compromise rather than repeating the point.

"Perhaps we could consider..."

"Do this instead."

Treat it as a direct instruction, not an optional thought.

"Not bad at all / Quite good."

"Exceptional work." (British understatement)

Say "Thank you, glad it hit the mark."

Linguistic Traps to Avoid:

Meeting Etiquette & Dynamics

Business Dining & Food Protocol

Navigating Sports & Cultural References

The Sporting Heart: We Invented It (and Usually Lose at It)

England has a hilarious habit of codifying the world’s most popular sports, sharing the rules with everyone else, and then spending generations watching other nations beat them at their own games.Sports provide common ground for informal networking, but missteps happen quickly.

The Soundtrack of the World: Musical Culture & Britpop

For a small island, England punches comically above its weight on the global charts:

To finish up, here are some fun facts you may not know about England in particular.

Quirky Customs & Fun Facts You Won't Believe Are Real

Whether travelling for business or pleasure, remember,Britain is a land of apologies, British humour, often difficult to understand for non natives, based on witty repartee and self deprecation,and polite behaviour. Generally speaking, the British are warm, friendly and welcoming.The British population is made up of a huge number of different cultures and religions, tolerance is the keyword in these countries.

I hope you have enjoyed this podcast.Rule Britannia! See you all soon at podcasts with English For french

Cheers

#3 B1/2 Past simple vs Past continuous  

Welcome back to podcasts at English for French, with me, Alison. In today’s episode, we’re looking into two major tenses of English storytelling: the Past Simple and the Past Continuous. 

If you’ve ever found yourself asking, "Do I say 'I was walking' or 'I walked'?" or wondered where words like when, while, and as fit into the puzzle, this episode is made for you. 

The Past Simple 

Think of the Past Simple as a snapshot or a completed event in history. We use it for actions that started and finished at a specific time in the past. 

Example: "I woke up, grabbed my coffee, and left the house." 

The Past Continuous 

Think of the Past Continuous as a video recording in progress. It describes background activities, temporary situations, or ongoing actions taking place at a specific moment in the past. 

Example: "At 8:00 AM, rain was falling softly outside." 

Feature 

Past Simple 

Past Continuous 

Action Type 

Completed action / Snapshot 

Ongoing action / Background activity 

Duration 

Short or viewed as a whole unit 

Extended over a period of time 

Function in Stories 

Moves the narrative forward (main events) 

Sets the mood or describes background context 

Formula 

Verb + -ed / Irregular past 

was / were + Verb-ing 

Example 

"The alarm rang at 7 AM." 

"I was dreaming about space travel." 

When we combine ongoing background actions with sudden events, time connectors act as glue. 

When 

Usually followed by the Past Simple (the shorter, interrupting action). 

While 

Usually followed by the Past Continuous (the longer, ongoing action). 

As 

Functions similarly to while, but often emphasizes two actions happening simultaneously or at the exact moment of progression. 

In storytelling, the Past Continuous creates the atmosphere, while the Past Simple delivers the action: 

"The wind was howling through the trees and rain was pounding against the glass (background scene). Suddenly, Sarah dropped her keys (main action). While she was searching for them on the wet pavement (ongoing action), a mysterious light appeared in the distance (interruption)."  

In English grammar, verbs are divided into two main categories: action (dynamic) verbs and state (stative) verbs. Understanding this distinction is the key to knowing which verbs can—and cannot—be used in the Past Continuous tense. 

Action (Dynamic) Verbs 

Action verbs describe physical activities, processes, or events that have a clear beginning and end. Because these actions happen over time and can be seen or measured, they can be used in both the Past Simple and the Past Continuous. 

State (Stative) Verbs 

State verbs describe conditions, states of mind, emotions, relationships, or senses that are static or unchanging. They do not involve a physical action or a process happening moment-by-moment. 

Core Rule: Pure state verbs are generally not used in continuous tenses (including the Past Continuous). Instead, we use the Past Simple to express past states. 

Here is a guide to the main groups of verbs that stay in the Past Simple: 

Category 

Verbs 

Examples 

Emotions & Feelings 

like, love, hate, prefer, want, wish, dislike 

"She wanted to leave early." (Not: was wanting) 

Mental States & Thoughts 

know, understand, remember, forget, believe, mean, think (opinion) 

"I knew the answer right away." (Not: was knowing) 

Possession & Relationships 

have (own), possess, belong, own, contain, depend 

"They owned a small cottage." (Not: were owning) 

Senses & Perception 

see, hear, smell, taste, feel, seem, appear 

"The house seemed quiet." (Not: was seeming) 

Measurements & States 

cost, weigh, measure, consist of, fit, need 

"The ticket cost $20." (Not: was costing) 

Some verbs can act as either state or action verbs depending on their meaning in the sentence. When they express a physical action or process, they can be used in the Past Continuous. 

Summary Tip for B1/B2 Learners 

If a verb describes something happening in the brain (thoughts, feelings), a relationship (ownership), or a permanent property (cost, weight), stick to the Past Simple. If it's something you can record on a video camera (moving, eating, working), you can safely use the Past Continuous. 

That’s all for today’s episode of Podcasts at English for French, with me, Alison. I hope you enjoyed this episode and remember the key to learning is to practice. So, try writing your own short story to check how you use the past simple and continuous to talk about an event in the past.You will find exercises and their answers at the end of this podcast.Cheers. 

Exercise A: 8-Question Gap-Fill 

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in brackets (Past Simple or Past Continuous). 

Exercise B: Comprehension Text Gap-Fill & Questions 

Read the narrative below and fill in gaps 1–6 with the correct verb form (Past Simple or Past Continuous). Then answer the questions that follow. 

The Night on Oak Street 

Last Tuesday, Mark had a evening he will never forget. At 10:00 PM, he 1. ____________ (walk) back to his apartment. The streets were quiet, and a cold fog 2. ____________ (roll) over the city. 3. ____________ he was crossing the street, he 4. ____________ (notice) a strange red envelope lying under a street lamp. He picked it up carefully. While he 5. ____________ (examine) the sealed wax mark on the back, a loud scream 6. ____________ (echo) from the dark alley behind him. 

Text Comprehension Questions: 

Exercise A Answer Key 

Exercise B Answer Key 

Text Gap-Fill: 

Text Comprehension Answers: 

#2 B1/2 Prefixes and suffixes  

Welcome back to Podcasts with English for French, with me, Alison. Today we’re taking a look into one of the most effective strategies for B2 learners to expand their vocabulary rapidly: Word Formation through Prefixes and Suffixes. 

The Origins: Where Do English Word Building Blocks Come From? 

To truly master English word building, it helps to understand where these affixes (prefixes and suffixes ) originate. Modern English is a hybrid language, but its affixes come primarily from two major sources: 

Greek and Latin building blocks form much of English vocabulary, as they do in French. 

How Knowing Etymology and Affixes Transforms Your Learning 

Expanded B2 Prefixes & Suffixes Reference Table 

Here is an expanded set of high-frequency B1/2 prefixes and suffixes including their linguistic origin, functional meaning, base words, and transformed examples. 

Type 

Affix 

Origin 

Meaning / Function 

Examples 

Base Word 

Préfix 

un- / in- / dis- 

Germanic / Latin 

Opposite, negative 

unhappy, incorrect, disagree 

happy, correct, agree 

Prefix 

mis- 

Germanic 

Badly, wrongly 

misunderstand, mislead 

understand, lead 

Prefix 

re- 

Latin 

Again, back 

reconsider, rewrite 

consider, write 

Prefix 

over- / under- 

Germanic 

Too much / Not enough 

overcooked, underestimated 

cooked, estimated 

Prefix 

inter- 

Latin 

Between, among 

international, interactive 

national, active 

Prefix 

sub- 

Latin 

Under, below 

subconscious, standard → substandard 

conscious, standard 

Prefix 

trans- 

Latin 

Across, beyond 

transform, transport 

form, port 

Suffix 

-able / -ible 

Latin 

Able to be (Adjective) 

readable, flexible 

read, flex 

Suffix 

-ment / -tion 

Latin 

Action / State (Noun) 

development, hesitation 

develop, hesitate 

Suffix 

-ful / -less 

Germanic 

Full of / Without (Adjective) 

careful, careless 

care 

Suffix 

-ly 

Germanic 

Manner / Way (Adverb) 

efficiently, fortunately 

efficient, fortunate 

Suffix 

-ize (-ise) 

Greek 

To make / cause to become (Verb) 

modernize, prioritize 

modern, priority 

Suffix 

-ity 

Latin 

State / Quality of (Noun) 

creativity, flexibility 

creative, flexible 

Suffix 

-ous 

Latin 

Full of / Possessing (Adjective) 

ambitious, hazardous 

ambition, hazard 

It is also important to understand the different stress we put on syllables in words (which syllable carries the tonic accent). There are rules for this, and here are just some examples of how different affixes can move the tonic accent in a word. 

PhotOgraphy not PhotoGRAPHy DemOcracy not DemoCRAcy! 

Word Stress & The Origins of Affixes 

Master Reference Table with Tonic Accents 

Syllables 

Word 

IPA Pronunciation 

Tonic Accent Position 

Base Word 

2 Syllables 

RE-write 

/riːˈraɪt/ 

1st Syllable 

write /raɪt/ 

2 Syllables 

CARE-less 

/ˈkɛər.ləs/ 

1st Syllable 

care /kɛər/ 

2 Syllables 

MIS-lead 

/mɪsˈliːd/ 

2nd Syllable 

lead /liːd/ 

3 Syllables 

un-HAP-py 

/ʌnˈhæp.i/ 

2nd Syllable 

happy /ˈhæp.i/ 

3 Syllables 

dis-a-GREE 

/ˌdɪs.əˈɡriː/ 

3rd Syllable 

agree /əˈɡriː/ 

3 Syllables 

FLEX-i-ble 

/ˈflɛk.sə.bəl/ 

1st Syllable 

flex /flɛks/ 

3 Syllables 

MO-dern-ize 

/ˈmɒd.ər.naɪz/ 

1st Syllable 

modern /ˈmɒd.ərn/ 

4 Syllables 

un-CER-tain-ty 

/ʌnˈsɜːr.tən.ti/ 

2nd Syllable 

certain /ˈsɜːr.tən/ 

4 Syllables 

e-ffi-CIEN-cy 

/ɪˈfɪʃ.ən.si/ 

3rd Syllable 

efficient /ɪˈfɪʃ.ənt/ 

3 Syllables 

in-ter-ACT 

/ˌɪn.tərˈækt/ 

3nd Syllable 

act /ækt/ 

3 Syllables 

sub-STAN-dard 

/sʌbˈstæn.dərd/ 

2nd Syllable 

standard /ˈstæn.dərd/ 

That’s all for today, now it’s your turn to practice. I have given you some exercises below and the answer key can be found at the end of the transcript. I hope you enjoyed this podcast and that it will help you decipher some interesting vocabulary,and use it. Thanks for listening to English for French podcasts with me, Alison.  

Cheers. 

Exercise 1: Reading Comprehension 

Read the short podcast story below and pay attention to how prefixes and suffixes change the meaning of the words. 

The Career Pivot 

When Sarah decided to leave her corporate job, her colleagues thought she was making an unwise decision. She had worked at the firm for a decade, moving up from a junior assistant to a senior project manager. However, she found the work increasingly unsatisfying. 

Despite the financial uncertainty, Sarah remained optimistic. She enrolled in an intensive coding bootcamp. At first, the complex algorithms seemed almost comprehensible only to experts, and she frequently misunderstood basic concepts. There were moments of frustration, but she refused to give up. 

After six months of continuous improvement, Sarah landed her first role as a software developer. She now works remotely for a green energy startup. Her former coworkers, who once viewed her career change as unrealistic, now frequently ask her for career advice. 

Comprehension Questions 

Exercise 2: Gap-Fill (Word Formation) 

Complete each sentence by transforming the word given in capital letters at the end of the line using an appropriate prefix, suffix, or both. 

Answer Key & Explanations 

Exercise 1: Reading Comprehension 

Exercise 2: Gap-Fill 

#6 A2 Past Simple & Continuous

Hi, and welcome back to English for French podcasts with me, Alison. Today we are looking at the difference between using the Past simple vs. Past Continuous.

When you tell a story, Past Continuous builds the background scene (the atmosphere and ongoing actions), while Past Simple captures the main events that move the story forward! These tense aspects work in all notions of time. Read the following explanation to understand. The idea is the same for the aspects, whether they are present, past, or future, even if today we are concentrating on the past tenses.

Time and Aspect:

• Time: Both tenses happen entirely in the past. They describe events that started and finished before now.

• Aspect (Simple vs. Continuous):

o Simple Aspect: Focuses on completed events, whole actions, or

sequences of events.

o Continuous Aspect: Focuses on duration, ongoing processes, or

background activities at a specific moment.

1. Interrupted Action (Continuous + Simple): A long action in progress is

interrupted by a short event.

I was sleeping when the alarm rang.

2. Parallel Actions (Continuous + Continuous): Two ongoing actions happening at the exact same time.

While Dad was cooking, Mum was working in the garden.

3. Sequential Actions (Simple + Simple): Actions that happen one after another.

He woke up, grabbed his keys, and ran out the door.

Auxiliary Verbs: How to Form Positive, Negative & Question Forms

Understanding auxiliary verbs is the key to building these tenses correctly without making common mistakes:

• Past Simple: Uses no auxiliary verb in positive sentences (just regular -ed or

irregular 2nd forms), but requires the auxiliary verb "did" / "did not" (didn't) for all negatives and questions. When you use "did," the main verb returns to its base form, with no conjugation of the verb, only the auxiliary.

• Past Continuous: Always uses the auxiliary verb was / were (past form of to be) across positive, negative, and question forms, followed by verb + -ing.

Quick Verb Structure Reference

Tense

Sentence

Type

Auxiliary

Verb

Main Verb Form

Example

Past Simple Past

Continuous

Positive

None

Past form (-ed /

Irregular)

They played tennis.

Negative

did not

(didn't)

Base verb

They didn't play

tennis.

Question

Did ... ?

Base verb

Did they play

tennis?

Positive

was / were

Verb + -ing

She was reading a

book.

Negative

was not /

were not

Verb + -ing

She wasn't reading

a book.

Question

Was / Were

... ?

Verb + -ing

Was she reading a

book?

💡 Quick Rules for Adding "-ing" (Past Continuous)

• Most verbs: Add -ing ,talk.... talking

• Verbs ending in silent -e: Drop the -e. Write...writing.

• Short CVC verbs (Consonant-Vowel-Consonant): Double the final consonant

swim ..swimming, stop ...stopping.

🎧 Reading Comprehension: "The Unexpected Storm"

Read the story carefully. Pay attention to how both tenses interact within the same sentences through interrupted actions, parallel actions, and sequential events.

Yesterday at 4:00 PM, a busy street in downtown Bristol was full of activity. While light rain was falling from the dark clouds, people were walking quickly with their umbrellas up. At the local café, Mark was drinking a warm coffee while his colleague Sarah was typing an email on her laptop. Outside on the pavement, two children were playing in the puddles while their mother was talking on the phone.

Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew through the street and knocked over a display sign outside a bookshop. While Mark was watching the wind blew leaves across the street, a passing cyclist swerved to avoid the sign and lost his balance. The cyclist didn't fall off his bike, but he dropped his bag, and papers flew everywhere!

Instantly, Sarah stopped typing, stood up from her chair, and ran outside to help. While she was collecting the scattered papers from the wet ground, Mark held the cyclist's bike. The mother, who was still holding her umbrella, offered the man a tissue to clean his hands. The cyclist smiled, thanked everyone for their help, and continued his journey home.

Written Comprehension Questions

Answer the following questions in full sentences:

1. What were people doing while light rain was falling at 4:00 PM?

2. What parallel actions were Mark and Sarah doing inside the café?

3. What happened while the children were playing in the puddles?

4. Did the cyclist fall off his bike when he swerved?

5. What was Sarah doing when Mark held the cyclist’s bike?

6. List three consecutive (sequential) actions Sarah took when the accident happened.

✍️ Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Gap-Fill

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs in brackets (Past Simple or Past Continuous):

1. While I ___________________ (cook) dinner, my sister ___________________ (set) the table. (Parallel action)

2. They ___________________ (not watch) the movie when the power

___________________ (go) out.

3. What ___________________ you ___________________ (do) when the fire alarm ___________________ (ring)?

4.I ___________________ (not hear) my phone because I ___________________ (listen) to loud music.

5. While Tom ___________________ (walk) in the park, he ___________________ (lose) his wallet and ___________________ (not notice) it until later.

6.She ___________________ (open) her bag, ___________________ (take) out her keys,and ___________________ (unlock) the front door.

Exercise 2: Choose the Correct Tense

Circle or select the correct form of the verb:

1. While I (shopped / was shopping) for groceries, I (met / was meeting) an old school friend.

2. What (did you do / were you doing) at 8:00 AM yesterday morning?

3. The children (didn't listen / weren't listening) while the guide (explained / was explaining) the rules.

4. I (dropped / was dropping) my cup while I (carried / was carrying) the tray into the dining room.

5. While Mum (drove / was driving) to work, Dad (prepared / was preparing) breakfast for everyone.

6. He (woke up / was waking up), (had / was having) a quick coffee, and (left / was leaving) for work.

7. (Did you see / Were you seeing) the lightning while you (walked / were walking) home last night?

8. I (didn't answer / wasn't answering) your call because I (had / was having) a job interview.

9. As we (sat / were sitting) on the beach, the sun (set / was setting) behind the hills.

10. Sam (tripped / was tripping) and (fell / was falling) while he (ran / was running) for the train.

11. While the birds (sang / were singing) in the garden, Lucy (read / was reading) her

morning paper.

12. Why (did they leave / were they leaving) the party early yesterday evening?

That’s all for today from me, Alison, at English for French podcasts. I hope you enjoyed this episode and that you find it easier to choose which tense to use, simple or continuous. Kep practicing

Cheers🔑 Answer Key

Comprehension Answers

1. While light rain was falling, people were walking quickly with their umbrellas up.

2.While Mark was drinking a coffee, Sarah was typing an email on her laptop.

3.While the children were playing, a strong gust of wind blew through the street and knocked over a sign.

4.No, the cyclist didn't fall off his bike, but he dropped his bag.

5.Sarah was collecting the scattered papers from the wet ground while Mark held the bike.

6.Sarah stopped typing, stood up from her chair, and ran outside to help.

Exercise 1 Answers

1.  was cooking / was setting

2.were not watching (or weren't watching) / went

3.were ... doing / rang

4.didn't hear / was listening

5.was walking / lost / didn't notice

6.opened / took / unlocked

Exercise 2 Answers

1. was shopping / met

2. were you doing

3. weren't listening / was explaining

4. dropped / was carrying

5. was driving / was preparing

6. woke up / had / left

7. Did you see / were walking

8. didn't answer / was having

9. were sitting / was setting (or set)

10. tripped / fell / was running

11. were singing / was reading

12. did they leave

#5 A2 Past Continuous Podcast transcript 

Hi, and welcome back to English for French podcasts with me, Alison. Today, we are looking at a past tense that helps you paint a dynamic picture when telling stories: the Past Continuous. 

Have you ever wondered how to describe an action that was happening right in the middle of a specific moment in the past? That’s exactly what this tense is for! 

How to Build It: Structure 

The Past Continuous is formed using two simple elements: the auxiliary, to be and the verb form Base verb + ing. 

Subject+was / were+Verb-ing 

Examples 

Spelling Rules for Verb + -ing 

Before starting the exercises, review how to spell verbs with -ing: 

Rule 

Base Form 

Verb + -ing 

Example 

Most Verbs: Add -ing 

work, listen, watch 

working, listening, watching 

I was listening to music. 

Verbs ending in -e: Drop the -e, add -ing 

write, make, drive 

writing, making, driving 

She was writing a letter. 

Short Verbs ending in CVC (Consonant + Vowel + Consonant): Double the final letter, add -ing 

run, stop, swim 

running, stopping, swimming 

He was running for the bus. 

There are a few exceptions to this rule , of course ,e.g. “open becomes opening” 

Aspect and Time: How Does It Work? 

To master this tense, let's break down its two key components: time and aspect. 

Key Uses 

At 10 AM this morning, Sarah was cooking breakfast. (She started before 10 AM and finished after 10 AM, but the action still finished in the past.) 

We were walking in the park when it started to rain. (The long, continuous action was interrupted by a short, completed action.) 

While Mark was studying, his sister was listening to music. (Two ongoing actions happening at the exact same time.) 

Past Simple vs. Past Continuous 

Here is a quick cheat sheet to help you compare the two tenses: 

Feature 

Past Simple 

Past Continuous 

Action Type 

Completed / Short action 

Ongoing / In-progress action 

Focus 

Result or finished event 

Background activity or duration 

Example 

I called Tom at 5 PM. 

I was calling Tom when the battery died. 

Common Signal Words 

Yesterday, in 2020, suddenly 

At [time], while, as, all evening 

🎧 Listening & Reading Comprehension: "The Mysterious Noise" 

Read the story below and notice how the Past Continuous sets the background scene while the Past Simple moves the plot forward. 

Yesterday evening at 7:00 PM, the Miller family was spending time at home. It was raining outside, and a cold wind was blowing through the trees. Mr. Miller was reading a newspaper in the living room, while Mrs. Miller was preparing dinner in the kitchen. Their son, Leo, was doing his homework in his bedroom, and their dog, Max, was sleeping on the rug. 

Suddenly, a strange sound interrupted the quiet evening. Someone was knocking softly on the back door. Mr. Miller stopped reading and walked to the kitchen. Mrs. Miller was holding a wooden spoon and looking at the door with surprise. When Mr. Miller opened the door, nobody was there! Only a small, wet kitten was sitting on the porch, meowing for food. 

Reading Comprehension Questions 

Answer the following questions using full sentences: 

     3. Where was Max sleeping? 

     4.What interrupted the quiet evening? 

     5. What was on the porch when Mr. Miller opened the door? 

✍️ Practice Exercises 

Exercise 1: Gap-Fill 

Fill in the blanks with the correct Past Continuous form of the verb in brackets: 

     2.They _______________ (not play) football because it was raining. 

     3.What _______________ you _______________ (do) when I texted             you? 

     4. While Lucy _______________ (cook), her children _______________ (clean) their room. 

     5.Sam dropped his keys while he _______________ (run) for the bus. 

Exercise 2: Choose the Correct Tense 

Choose whether to use the Past Simple or Past Continuous: 

      2. While we (had / were having) a picnic, it (started / was starting) to rain. 

      3. She (turned off / was turning off) the light and went to sleep. 

      4. While the teacher (explained / was explaining) the rule, the bell (rang / was ringing). 

      5. They (lost / were losing) their keys while they (walked / were walking) in the park. 

      6. When I (arrived / was arriving) at the party, everyone (danced / was dancing). 

      7. I (sliced / was slicing) bread when I accidentally (cut / was cutting) my finger. 

      8. The phone (rang / was ringing) three times while I (took / was taking) a shower. 

      9. What (did you do / were you doing) at 8:00 AM this morning? 

     10. She (fell / was falling) asleep while she (read / was reading) a book. 

That’s all for today, with me, Alison at English for French. I hope you enjoyed this podcast and that you now fully understand the past continuous. Keep practicing. The answers to the exercises can be found below on this transcript  

Cheers  

🔑 Answer Key 

Reading Comprehension Answers 

     2. Mrs. Miller was preparing dinner in the kitchen while Mr. Miller was reading the newspaper. 

     3. Max was sleeping on the rug in the bedroom with Leo. 

     4. A strange sound—someone knocking softly on the back door—interrupted the quiet evening. 

     5. A small, wet kitten was sitting on the porch when Mr. Miller opened the door. 

Exercise 1 Answers 

1.was watching 

2.were not playing (or weren't playing) 

3.were ... doing 

4.was cooking ... were cleaning 

5.was running 

Exercise 2 Answers 

1.was walking / saw 

2.were having / started 

3.turned off 

4.was explaining / rang (Long action interrupted by a short event) 

5.lost / were walking (Short event happened during an ongoing action) 

6.arrived / was dancing (Arrived at a completed moment while an action was in progress) 

7.was slicing / cut (Ongoing action interrupted by a quick accident) 

8.rang / was taking (Short event interrupting an ongoing action) 

9.were you doing (Focusing on an action in progress at a specific past time) 

10.fell / was reading (Short event happening in the middle of a continuous activity) 

Episode 1: B1/2 Tense review

Podcast Episode & Master Guide: The Secret Code of English Grammar

— Master the 4 Aspects

Welcome back to English for French podcasts.I’m Alison, and today let’s talk about time travel—English grammar style.I love the English tenses , if you get the idea of aspects, then the conjugations become easy. Don’t forget for every aspect, one auxiliary ,which we conjugate depending on when the action happened )and one, invariable verb form.

If you’ve been studying English for a while, you’ve probably seen the classic 3x4 grid—

Past, Present, Future crossed with Simple, Continuous, Perfect, and Perfect Continuous. Twelve tenses in total. And usually, middle-school textbooks force you to memorize them by starting with Time: What did you do yesterday? What are you doing today? What will you do tomorrow?

Let’s change this outdated way of thinking about tenses in English

Forget about time for a second. Time is easy! Clock and calendar time—Past, Present, Future—is simple. You already know if something happened yesterday or is happening tomorrow.

The real secret to sounding natural in English—the reason native speakers choose one form over another—isn't time at all. It's ASPECT.

Aspect is the lens through which the speaker views the action. Time tells you WHEN something happens, but Aspect tells you HOW THE SPEAKER FEELS ABOUT THE ACTION. Is it a complete fact? Is it temporary? Is it connected to something else? Is it a long, exhausting process?

Once you understand the 4 main Aspects, you don't need to memorize 12 separate rules—you just need to learn 4 concepts and multiply them across past, present, and future.

Remember, we don’t conjugate tenses; we conjugate auxiliaries and verbs, have a form or each aspect which is invariable depending on the aspect.

Let's break them down, one category at a time.1. The Simple Aspect — The "Fact & Box" Aspect

Let’s start with the base layer: The Simple Aspect.

If the Simple Aspect had a motto, it would be: "It is what it is."

When you use Simple, you treat an action as a single, complete block or fact, habit, permanent situation, or general truth. You are taking the action, putting it inside a neat little box, and presenting it to your listener as a whole unit. You don't care about its inner mechanics, whether it was long or short, or if it's still unfolding. It's just a statement of reality.

Let's look at how this plays out across our three time zones:

• Present Simple: "I live in Madrid" or "Water freezes at zero degrees Celsius."

o Formula: Subject + Base Verb (+ s/es/ies for he/she/it)

o Why choose Simple? Because you view this as a permanent state, a

routine, or a general truth. It’s a solid fact in your life right now.

• Past Simple: "I lived in Madrid in 2018." or "I woke up at 7 AM today."

o Formula: Subject + Past Form of Verb (V2) (1 word to learn per verb, no

conjugation)

o Why choose Simple? Clean, crisp, and finished. The action started,

ended, wrapped in a boxand stayed in 2018.

• Future Simple: "I will live in Madrid one day" or "I am going to call you later."

o Formula : Subject + will + Base Verb (or am/is/are going to + Base Verb)

o Why choose Simple ? You state the future action as a simple prediction,

promise, or decision— (will if spontaneous, to be going to if a planned

action!)a single event on your timeline.

The Golden Takeaway: Choose the Simple Aspect when you want to report facts, permanent truths, routines, or completed events without focusing on the duration or the process.

2. The Continuous Aspect — The "Unfinished & In Progress" Aspect

Next up is The Continuous Aspect (sometimes called the Progressive Aspect).

If Simple is a neat box or photo idea, Continuous is a movie camera. When you use Continuous, you are zooming in and watching the action play out frame-by-frame.Why do we choose Continuous? Two main reasons: Duration/Progress and Temporariness. You choose Continuous when you want to emphasize that an action is incomplete, temporary, or actively happening around a specific focus point.

Let's see it in action across time :

• Present Continuous: "I am recording this podcast right now." or "She is living in Madrid for three months."

o Formula : Subject + am/is/are + Verb(-ing)

o Why choose Continuous instead of Simple ? Notice the contrast! "I live

in Madrid" sounds permanent. "I am living in Madrid" tells the listener:

"This is temporary. It’s an ongoing process right now, but it won't last

forever."

• Past Continuous: "At 8 PM last night, I was sleeping when my alarm went off."

o Formula : Subject + was/were + Verb(-ing)

o Why choose Continuous? You place your listener right inside the middle

of the scene. It acts like background music in a movie before a sudden

event (Past Simple) interrupts it.

• Future Continuous: "This time tomorrow, I will be lying on a beach in Mallorca."

o Formula : Subject + will be + Verb(-ing)

o Why choose Continuous? This tense is all about visualization. It lets you

paint a vivid picture of a future scene actively unfolding at a specific

moment.

The Golden Takeaway: Choose the Continuous Aspect when the action is temporary, incomplete, or in progress at a specific moment.

3. The Perfect Simple Aspect — The "Bridge & Connection" Aspect

Now we arrive at the one that causes the most headaches: The Perfect Aspect.

Here is the secret: Perfect always means CONNECTION. Specifically, Perfect bridges two points in time. It looks back from or to a reference point to an earlier action that still matters.

When you choose Perfect Simple, you care about the RESULT or the COMPLETION of that earlier action at your reference point or the fact that an action started in the past is still true today.

Let's look at the three reference points :• Present Perfect Simple : "I have lost my keys." or "I have visited Japan three times."

o Formula : Subject + has/have + Past Participle (V3)

o Why choose Perfect instead of Past Simple? The golden rule? No

specific past time allowed. If you say "I lost my keys in 2020," that’s Past

Simple—it's in the past box. But "I have lost my keys" links the past event

to the PRESENT moment (Result: You still don't have them now). Present

Perfect is all about experience and connection to now.

o “I have worked at English for French for 6 years”

This indicates an action that started six years ago but the action is

still true today, I still work at English for French

• Past Perfect Simple : "When I arrived at the station, the train had already left."

o Formula : Subject + had + Past Participle (V3)

o Why choose Past Perfect? This is the "past before the past. You have

two points in the past: your arrival and the train leaving. Past Perfect

marks the one that happened first to keep your timeline crystal clear.past

perfect is useful when we want to make the chronological order clear.

• Future Perfect Simple: "By December, I will have finished writing my book."

o Formula : Subject + will have + Past Participle (V3)

o Why choose Future Perfect ? Think of this as setting a deadline. You

stand in the future, turn around, and look back at a goal that is 100%

completed by then.

The Golden Takeaway: Choose Perfect Simple when you want to highlight the result, achievement, or completion of an action relative to a later moment in time. It’s still a simple aspect, the fact is important not the duration.

4. The Perfect Continuous Aspect — The "Journey & Duration" Aspect

Finally, let's combine the bridge concept with the movie camera concept to get The Perfect Continuous Aspect.

Remember :

• Perfect = Connection between two time points.

• Continuous = In progress, duration, or process.

When you put them together, you get an aspect that focuses on HOW LONG an action has been going on up to a reference point, or the PHYSICAL SIDE EFFECTS of that long process.

Let's compare across time.

• Present Perfect Continuous: "I have been speaking for five minutes" or "Sorry, I'm sweaty; I have been running."

o Formula : Subject + has/have been + Verb(-ing)

o Why choose Perfect Continuous? It links the past start time to right

now. Unlike Perfect Simple (which focuses on the result—e.g., "I have run

10 kilometers"), Perfect Continuous emphasizes the unbroken effort,

process, or direct physical evidence of the activity.

• Past Perfect Continuous: "We had been waiting for two hours before the bus finally arrived."

o Formula : Subject + had been + Verb(-ing)

o Why choose Past Perfect Continuous? This combines duration with

background history to explain cause and effect in past stories—like why

you were tired, wet, or frustrated back then.

• Future Perfect Continuous: "By 2030, I will have been working at this company for ten years."

o Formula : Subject + will have been + Verb(-ing)

o Why choose Future Perfect Continuous? This is your "anniversary

tense." You project yourself to a future milestone to measure the total

ongoing duration.

The Golden Takeaway: Choose Perfect Continuous when you want to emphasize duration, ongoing effort, or the visible effects of a recent activity up to a specific checkpoint.

The Master Tense Matrix

Here is how all 12 tenses connect using the verb "to work":

Aspect Core Meaning / Why We Choose It/ Past Present Future

Simple

Fact, routine, permanent state, complete box

I worked I work I will work

Continuous Temporary, in progress, frame-by-frame scene

I was working

I am working

I will be working

Perfect

Simple

Connection to a point in

time; focus on result

I had worked

I have worked

I will have worked

Perfect Continuous

Connection to a point in time ; focus on duration/effort

I had been working

I have been working

I will have been working

That’s all from me, Alison, at podcasts with English for French. I hope you enjoyed it and keep practicing. .There are some exercises below in the transcript to help you practice and remember when something happens is the same as in French, past, present, or future, but in English, how it happens is what defines your choice of tense. See you soon.

Cheers

Practice & Assessment Suite (B1/B2 Level)

Section 1: Text Comprehension

Instructions: Read the short text below and answer the 5 comprehension questions that follow.

Text: The Unexpected Journey of Sarah Vance

Sarah Vance is an architect who currently lives in Chicago, but if you look at her recent schedule, you wouldn't believe it. For the past six months, she has been working on an eco-friendly skyscraper project in Seattle. Because of this, she has been travelling back and forth across the country almost every week.

Yesterday at 3:00 PM, while her colleagues were attending a routine budget meeting in Chicago, Sarah was flying through a thunderstorm over the Midwest. By the time her plane finally landed in Seattle, her team had already sent her three urgent updates regarding the construction site.

"I am completely exhausted," Sarah told her assistant when she arrived. "I have been running on three hours of sleep since Tuesday."

Despite the stress, Sarah remains committed. By November, she will have completed her work on the foundation phase, and she hopes that by this time next year, she will be designing a new green urban park in Canada

.Questions:

1. . What is the difference in perspective between where Sarah lives and where she has been working recently?

2. Why does the writer use the Past Continuous (were attending / was flying) to describe yesterday at 3:00 PM?

3. What event happened before Sarah's plane landed in Seattle? Which grammatical aspect shows this?

4. What present effect is Sarah experiencing as a result of her recent activities, and which tense expresses this?

5. Looking toward the future, what milestone will Sarah have achieved by

November ?

Section 2: Gap-Fill Exercise (10 Questions)

Instructions: Complete the sentences below by putting the verb in brackets into the correct tense and aspect (B1/B2 Level).

1. Please don't call me between 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM tomorrow. I _______________ (have) an important lunch meeting with a new client.

2. Mary was furious last night because she _______________ (wait) for the bus for over 45 minutes before it finally arrived.

3.  Look at those dark clouds! It _______________ (start) raining any minute now.

4.How long _______________ you _______________ (learn) English at this school? You speak very fluently!

5. When we reached the cinema, we realized we were late—the movie

_______________ (already / start).

6. My father _______________ (work) for the same engineering firm for thirty years before he retired last year.

7. Right now, our team _______________ (try) to fix a major bug in the software system.

8. By the time you return from your holiday, I _______________ (clean) the entire house from top to bottom.

9. I _______________ (never / visit) South America, but I am planning to go next winter.

10. At 10:00 AM yesterday morning, I _______________ (sit) in a job interview while my friend was waiting outside

.Section 3: Multiple Choice Exercise (10 Questions)

Instructions: Choose the correct option (A, B, C, or D) that best completes the sentence based on the required aspect.

1. . "Why are your hands covered in paint?" — "Because I __________ the kitchen walls all morning."

a. A) painted

b. B) have been painting

c. C) had painted

d. D) am painting

2. By this time next month, my sister __________ from university with a degree in marine biology.

a. A) graduates

b. B) will be graduating

c. C) will have graduated

d. D) has graduated

3. I couldn't open the front door because I __________ my keys at the office earlier that evening.

a. A) left

b. B) have left

c. C) had left

d. D) was leaving

4. David normally __________ public transport to work, but this week he is taking the car because of the train strike.

a. A) is taking

b. B) takes

c. C) has taken

d. D) took

5."Can we meet at 6:00 PM?" — "No, I __________ dinner with my family at that time."

a. A) will have had

b. B) have had

c. C) will be having

d. D) had been having

6.We were walking along the coastal path when suddenly it __________ to rain heavily.

a. A) was starting

b. B) started

c. C) had started

d. D) has started

7.  She feels much more confident now because she __________ three practice presentations this week.

a. A) has done

b. B) has been doing

c. C) was doing

d. D) had done

8. By 2030, Dr. Smith __________ research into renewable energy sources for over two decades.

a. A) will conduct

b. B) is conducting

c. C) will have been conducting

d. D) has been conducting

9. While the director __________ the main report, his assistant was preparing the financial slides.

a. A) wrote

b. B) was writing

c. C) has written

d. D) had been writing

10. I __________ on this report all afternoon, and I still haven't finished section three!

a. A) work

b. B) was working

c. C) have been working

d. D) am working

Answer Keys & Explanations

Section 1: Text Comprehension Answer Key

1.  Permanent vs. Temporary/Ongoing: "Lives" (Present Simple) indicates her permanent home/fact, whereas "has been working" (Present Perfect

Continuous) highlights a temporary, ongoing project and repeated travel over alimited 6-month period.

2. In-Progress Scene / Simultaneity: The Past Continuous is used to set the scene frame-by-frame, showing actions that were actively in progress at a specific past moment (3:00 PM yesterday).

3. Earlier Action / Past Perfect Simple: Her team had sent three updates before her plane landed ("had already sent"). The Perfect Aspect creates the bridge showing completion before a later past reference point.

4. Physical Effect of Duration: She is exhausted because she "has been running on three hours of sleep." The Present Perfect Continuous connects past ongoing exertion to present physical tiredness.

5.Future Completion Milestone: She will have completed the foundation phase ("will have completed" - Future Perfect Simple).

Section 2: Gap-Fill Answer Key

1. will be having (Future Continuous - planned action in progress at a specific future time)

2. had been waiting (Past Perfect Continuous - duration of action leading up to a specific past moment)

3. is going to start / will start (Future Simple - prediction based on present

evidence)

4. have ... been learning (Present Perfect Continuous - ongoing action starting in the past and continuing now)

5. had already started (Past Perfect Simple - action completed prior to another past action)

6. had worked / had been working (Past Perfect / Past Perfect Continuous - action completed prior to a past reference point: retirement)

7. 8. is trying (Present Continuous - action in progress right now)

will have cleaned (Future Perfect Simple - action that will be completed prior to a future deadline)

9. have never visited (Present Perfect Simple - life experience up to the present without a specific time)

10. was sitting (Past Continuous - action in progress at a specific past moment)

Section 3: Multiple Choice Answer Key

1. B) have been painting — Present Perfect Continuous expresses the recent ongoing activity that explains present physical evidence (paint on hands).

2. C) will have graduated — Future Perfect Simple expresses an action completed prior to a specific point in the future ("by this time next month").

3. C) had left — Past Perfect Simple shows an action that occurred prior to another past event (trying to open the door).

4. B) takes — Present Simple expresses a regular routine or habit.

5. C) will be having — Future Continuous expresses an action that will be actively in progress at a specific time in the future (6:00 PM).

6. B) started — Past Simple expresses a single completed event interrupting an ongoing background action (walking).

7. A) has done — Present Perfect Simple focuses on the completion/result of actions (3 presentations) connected to the present.

8. C) will have been conducting — Future Perfect Continuous emphasizes the continuous duration up to a specific future milestone (by 2030).

9. B) was writing — Past Continuous shows two parallel actions occurring simultaneously in the past.

10. C) have been working — Present Perfect Continuous emphasizes the

continuous, unfinished effort starting in the past and continuing up to now.