English for Exams Karen Kovacs

correct the mistakes.
a 
When I was a little girl, I would see my cousin every weekend and going w ith him to 
the local park.
b 
Years ago I would own a horse. I loved riding her but she was expensive to keep so I 
had to sell her.
c 
Last week I used to see Sam at the cinema. He didn't say 'he llo' to me, probably 
because he felt awkward as he was with his new girlfriend.
6 8
Speaking for IELTS

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Unit 8
Exam tip : Use 
used to, would
and the past simple to talk about things that you did 
when you were younger that you no longer do, or to describe situations that are no 
longer true. Below are some ideas fo r topics. Record yourself and pay attention to your 
pronunciation.
where you lived 
pets you had 
your pastimes
toys you played w ith 
friends you had 
your daily routine
15
The past continuous 
[was/were + - ing
) te lls us that something was in progress at a 
p articular tim e in the past. We can use the past simple fo r an action that interrupted or 
happened during the past continuous action. The past continuous is also used to give the 
background to a story.
1
Find an example in the text in Exercise 12 of the past continuous being used 
to 
give 
background. Which main action does it give the background to?
2 
Listen to Track 18 again. Notice that the speaker uses the weak form of was.
Practise 
saying these sentences using the weak forms.
I w as
/ w a z / cycling along. 
They w e r e / w a / cycling along.
Note that the past continuous is not generally used with state verbs, e.g. 
I was liking the 
m ea l.
It does not norm ally describe repeated actions or habits in the past, e.g. 
When I
was 
a 
child, we were having dinner together as a fam ily.