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      Past continuous/past simple question
      Submitted by gringo5254 on 5 October, 2011 - 06:29

      Hello, I'd like to ask if this sentence is grammatically correct.

      'I met him two years ago while I worked in Germany.' I'm not sure if 'worked'  is correct as I prefer 'was working'.

      I hope you could help me with this question. Thanks.

       

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      berberiegla's picture
      berberiegla
      Past continuous or past simple
      Submitted on 9 October, 2011 - 08:40

      We often use the past simple and the past continuous together to say that something happened in the middle of something else. So, you met him while you were working there. The past continuous would be better in this case.

       

      Heath's picture
      Heath
      More likely
      Submitted on 24 October, 2011 - 03:52

      Past continuous is both clearer (for the reason Berberiegla mentions), and is more likely.

      You will still come across examples where past simple is used, but less frequently.

      eb1312's picture
      eb1312
      which is correct?
      Submitted on 30 October, 2011 - 16:22

      Hi

      I want to know the difference between the 2 sentences?n which is correct? looking forward to the answer...

      I wish I was in Delhi for F1 race.I missed it!

      or

      I wish I had been in Delhi for F1 race.I missed it!

      thank you
      hoangdongtdt's picture
      hoangdongtdt
      I think the second sentence
      Submitted on 31 October, 2011 - 07:23

      I think the second sentence is correct. "I wish I had been in Delhi for F1 race.I missed it!". Because it shows that the action did not take place in the past, this is the suitable tense. And the first sentence "I wish I was in Delhi for F1 race.I missed it!", if you omit the " I missed it", it will be a correct answer because the structure " I wish I was/were...." is to describe a wish that could not be fulfilled at the moment of speaking. For example, I wish I were a bird. Hope this will help you.

      Heath's picture
      Heath
      To eb1312
      Submitted on 31 October, 2011 - 14:34

      It's similar to gringo5254's question.

      The first is possible, and you will hear people use past simple in situations like this.  But the second is both clearer and more likely.

      Commonly the following is true:

      I wish  +  S  + past simple= a present wish about a present situationI wish  +  S  + have/had  + past participal= a present regret about a past situation

       

      And even though your first example is possible, remember that listeners take cues from the first thing you say, so if you start out with "I wish I was...", then people will assume you are making a wish regarding the present and will then need a moment to readjust when the second part of the sentence indicates that you are actually referring to a past situation. 

      eb1312's picture
      eb1312
      thanku it really helped!
      Submitted on 31 October, 2011 - 16:07

      thanku it really helped!

      eb1312's picture
      eb1312
      Hi
      Submitted on 1 November, 2011 - 12:48

      Hi

      I want to prepare for CAE.Can you suggest some good books (or the best, book in your opinion) that might help in the preaparation. Also,how many months in advance should we start preparing for an exam like CAE?

      Thanks

      Heath's picture
      Heath
      Formatting and spelling... sorry.
      Submitted on 1 November, 2011 - 12:56

      Oops, what happened there?  Here's a neater version, and with participle spelled correctly.

      • I wish  +  S  + past simple = a present wish about a present situation
      • I wish  +  S  + have/had  + past participle = a present regret about a past situation

       

      Glad it helped eb1313.  Keep up the interesting questions!

      eb1312's picture
      eb1312
      Hi Heath
      Submitted on 1 November, 2011 - 17:28

      Hi Heath

      I had read quite a few responses of yours n found them really helpful, dats why I posted my question here:)

      As you said above keep up the intresting questions,I have already posted one more question for you :). Hope you can help here as well. 

      Thanks

      Heath's picture
      Heath
      Interesting, but beyond me sorry.
      Submitted on 2 November, 2011 - 15:00

      Oh, that is another interesting question... and I'm going to have find out more about the Cambridge exams some time, but I'm afraid I don't know anything about them at the moment. 

      I do recall that onestopenglish.com has a section with some articles about exams, but I'm not sure which ones exactly.  They definitely have something on IELTS, but I don't know if they also have something on the Cambridge exams.

      I hope someone else here can offer more help.  Good luck!