Simple past and past perfect

Notes

Use the past perfect for the earlier of two past actions. Note that in my cases the simple past and past perfect are both possible.

Use the simple past to simply say that something happened sometime ago. The past perfect is used only when you want to make it clear that one action had been completed before another action commenced.

Complete this story by Julius Lester. Choose the correct forms of the words given in the brackets.

Refer English workbook page 1

Brer Rabbit (a) had decided gardening was too much hard work. So he (b) went back to his old ways of eating from everybody else’s garden. Earlier, he (c) had made a tour through the community to see what everybody (d) had been planting that summer and his eye (e) had been caught by Brer Fox’s peanut patch.

Soon as the peanuts (f) were ready, Brer Rabbit (g) decided to make his acquaintance with them. Every night he (h) ate his fill and even started bringing his family. Brer Fox (i) had a good idea who was eating his peanuts, but he couldn’t catch him. He inspected his fence and finally (j) found a small hole on the north side. He tied a rope with a loop knot and put it inside the hole. If anybody (k) stepped in it, the rope would grab his leg and hoist him up in the air.

That night Brer Rabbit (l) came down to the peanut patch. He climbed through the hole and WHOOSH! Next thing he (m) knew, he was hanging in the air upside down. There (n) wasn’t a thing he could do, so he made himself comfortable to catch a little sleep!

Answer the following questions based on the story you have read.

(a) What had Brer Rabbit found out?

Brer Rabbit had found out that gardening was too much hard work for him.

(b) What did he do when the plants grew?

When the plants grew, he ate peanuts to his fill.

(c) How did he enter Brer Fox’s peanut patch?

He entered Brer Fox’s peanut patch through a small hole in the north side of the fence.

(d) Brer Fox had an idea of who was stealing from his patch. What did he do to trap Brer Rabbit?

He tied a rope with a loop knot and put it inside the hole through was Brer Rabbit was entering his garden. Anyone who stepped in the loop would be hoisted up in the air.

You must have used the simple past tense and past perfect tense in your answer. Do you know most often, when you use the past perfect, you use it with the (simple) past?

Question 2.

Here is a news story about how crops are saved by climate-proofing them. Complete it by choosing the right words from those given in the brackets.

Refer workbook page 2

Among the most worrying aspects of climate change today (a) is the effect it (b) has had (use has had because the subject is the singular pronoun it) on the food supply of the world. Scientists (c) focus (use the simple present to talk about facts) their attention and efforts on increasing crop yield and improving crop resilience. Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa (d) are the most affected today. Their population (e) is the world’s fastest growing rice consumer. The most vulnerable agricultural systems (f) are the rain-fed uplands and lowlands that form 80% of total rice land. Until recently, scientists (g) focused on improving crop yields, and in a relatively short period of time, (h) have given us, higher yields. Warning reports of increased droughts and floods, (i) have shifted scientists’ attention to making crops “climate- proof”

Question 2.1

Answer the questions based on your reading of the passage above.

(a) What have been the most worrying aspects of climate change?

The most worrying aspect of climate change is the effect it has had on food production.

(b) What do scientists today focus on?

Scientists focus their attention on improving crop yield and making them resilient.

(c) Where is the negative impact of climate most felt?

The negative impact of climate change is most felt in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

(d) What have the scientists focused on so far?

Scientists have so far focused on improving crop yield.

(e) How has their attention shifted?

Now that there are reports warning of increased droughts and floods, scientists have shifted their focus towards producing climate proof crops.