Choose the correct words to complete the text. I went abseiling for the first time last month 'when / as I was on an adventure holiday in Wales with some people from our school. Early in the morning, we all 'walked / were walking to the top of a cliff near our camp. When we arrived, lots of other climbers 'waited / were waiting there to abseil. Most of them 'were talking / talked nervously. I was really frightened until I actually 'started / was starting to abseil - but then I really enjoyed it!See answer

Daftar Isi

Choose the correct words to complete the text I went abseiling for the first time last month when as I was on an adventure holiday in Wales with some people from our school Early in the morning we all…

Question

Choose the correct words to complete the text.
I went abseiling for the first time last month ‘when / as I was on an adventure holiday in
Wales with some people from our school. Early in the morning, we all ‘walked / were walking
to the top of a cliff near our camp. When we arrived, lots of other climbers ‘waited /
were waiting there to abseil. Most of them ‘were talking / talked nervously. I was really
frightened until I actually ‘started / was starting to abseil – but then I really enjoyed it!

Basic Answer

Correct answer：

1. when; 2. walked; 3. were waiting; 4. were talking; 5. started

Analyze：

1. when / as: Both “when” and “as” can be used to introduce a time clause, but “when” is more suitable here because it emphasizes the time of the abseiling event in relation to the holiday. “As” often implies a more simultaneous or continuous action.

2. walked / were walking: The sentence describes a completed action in the past. “Walked” is the simple past tense, indicating the completion of the walk. “Were walking” would imply the action was ongoing at a specific point in the past, which isn’t the focus here.

3. waited / were waiting: This describes a situation that was in progress when the speaker arrived. The use of the past continuous (“were waiting”) shows that the other climbers were already there and in the process of waiting before the speaker’s arrival.

4. were talking / talked: Similar to the previous point, the past continuous (“were talking”) indicates an ongoing action (the climbers talking nervously) at the time of the speaker’s arrival.

5. started / was starting: The sentence focuses on the moment the speaker began abseiling. “Started” is the simple past tense, clearly marking the beginning of the abseiling activity. “Was starting” would suggest the action was in its initial stages, but not yet fully underway.

Point of knowledge

1. Tense Usage in English: Understanding the difference between simple past and past continuous tenses is crucial for accurate sentence construction. Simple past describes completed actions, while past continuous describes actions in progress at a specific time.

2. Time Clauses: Knowing how to use conjunctions like “when” and “as” to introduce time clauses is essential for creating clear and grammatically correct sentences.

Error-prone tips

1. Confusing simple past and past continuous: Incorrectly using the simple past when the past continuous is needed, or vice versa, can lead to sentences that are unclear or grammatically incorrect. Pay close attention to whether the action was completed or ongoing.

2. Overusing “as”: While “as” can be used for time clauses, “when” is often a more natural and straightforward choice, especially when the focus is on a specific point in time. Overusing “as” can make writing sound less fluent.