1.
In pairs, complete the verbs in brackets with the correct tense (past simple, past continuous, past
perfect). Ignore the word “Pause” for now. You have 10 minutes. I’ll help if needed. Then we’ll check
together.
Students A and B
I ¹__________ (listen) to the radio the other night when the phone ²__________ (ring).
(Pause 1)
It was Samantha.
(Pause 2)
She’s a friend. We ³__________ (meet) when we ⁴__________ (study) on a Business Management course at
college a couple of years ago. It seemed like she wanted to say something to me.
(Pause 3)
Well, I ⁵__________ (find) it difficult to hear what she ⁶__________ (say) because she ⁷__________ (whisper).
(Pause 4)
Well, apparently, she didn’t want anyone else to hear her. That’s why people usually whisper, isn’t it?
I ⁸__________ (ask) her to speak up a bit, so she did, and I heard her say, “Get over here now!”
(Pause 5)
She didn’t tell me. That was all she said and then she hung up the phone. I ⁹__________ (feel) a bit annoyed
because I ¹⁰__________ (look forward to) a nice, quiet night in. So I turned the radio off, put my coat on and set off
for Samantha’s place.
(Pause 6)
About a mile from me, in a house on Woodstock Road. She moved there a few months ago. Previously she
¹¹__________ (live) in a small flat in the town centre.
Anyway, like I say, I went round there to find out what was wrong.
(Pause 7)
By bike. Normally I would have gone by car but it ¹²__________ (be) at the garage for its annual service. Anyway,
the streets were really wet because it ¹³__________ (rain) heavily earlier that evening. By the time I got to
Samantha’s, I was soaking wet from where cars and lorries ¹⁴__________ (splash) me. And when I got there, I
saw the strangest sight.
(Pause 8)
I saw Samantha. Nothing unusual in that, I suppose, but she ¹⁵__________ (stand) outside in the rain in just a pair
of jeans and a T-shirt.
2. Now, read your part of the story to the other pair. 3. When A/B finishes, C/D reads their part.
This time A/B asks the questions at
- A/B starts. each “Pause”.
- When you see “Pause”, stop.
- C/D must ask a question to make you continue. 4. Decide how the story could end. You
e.g. “Who was calling?” have 5 minutes to prepare your ending.
- If they can’t think of a question, A/B can help them.
1. In pairs, complete the verbs in brackets with the correct tense (past simple, past continuous, past
perfect). Ignore the word “Pause” for now. You have 10 minutes. I’ll help if needed. Then we’ll check
together.
Students C and D
I saw Samantha. Nothing unusual in that, I suppose, but she ¹__________ (stand) outside in the rain in just
a pair of jeans and a T-shirt.
(Pause 1)
Well, my first thought was that she ²__________ (go) outside to look for Roger.
(Pause 2)
Her dog. He sometimes wanders out of the house. So I thought perhaps Samantha ³__________ (lock)
herself out. But then I ⁴__________ (see) the front door was open slightly. And the odd thing was that she
⁵__________ (have) a tennis racket in her hand.
(Pause 3)
That’s a good question. I mean, it was dark and raining, so obviously she wasn’t going to play tennis. Then
it occurred to me that she ⁶__________ (hold) it to use as some kind of weapon, you know, to defend
herself against someone or something. And then, as I ⁷__________ (get) off my bike, I saw the look on her
face.
(Pause 4)
She ⁸__________ (look) absolutely terrified and her face was completely white – like she ⁹__________
(see) a ghost or something. And then I ¹⁰__________ (hear) something from inside the house.
(Pause 5)
A crashing, banging noise. Someone or something was inside her house and it sounded like he, she or it
¹¹__________ (throw) things around or knocking things over. And I could hear Roger.
(Pause 6)
Inside the house somewhere. He ¹²__________ (bark) really loudly. I asked Samantha what was wrong.
She ¹³__________ (explain) that she had been cooking dinner when Roger ¹⁴__________ (suddenly /
stand) up and started walking slowly towards the stairs, growling at something.
(Pause 7)
That’s what I asked Samantha. “I don’t know,” she replied, “but then he ran up the stairs barking furiously,
and that’s when the banging and crashing started.” I asked her if she had called the police.
(Pause 8)
No. She ¹⁵__________ (simply / run) out of the house and called me.
2. Now, read your part of the story to the other pair. 3. When A/B finishes, C/D reads their part.
This time A/B asks the questions at
- A/B starts. each “Pause”.
- When you see “Pause”, stop.
- C/D must ask a question to make you continue. 4. Decide how the story could end. You
e.g. “What was she doing?” have 5 minutes to prepare your ending.
- If they can’t think of a question, A/B can help them.
