Lesson 05: The Investigation
Vocabulary: Crime & Justice
Professions in Law
People in a Crime
Investigation Nouns
Action Verbs
Grammar Lab: Past Continuous
1. What is it used for?
We use the Past Continuous for:
- Actions in progress at a specific time in the past:
"At 8:00 PM yesterday, I was watching TV." (I started before 8:00 and finished after 8:00). - Two long actions happening at the same time:
"I was cooking while she was reading." - Setting the scene/atmosphere in a story:
"The sun was shining and the birds were singing."
2. When vs. While (The Connection)
WHILE + Long Action
Use WHILE before the Past Continuous.
- While I was sleeping, the phone rang.
- He arrived while we were eating.
WHEN + Short Action
Use WHEN before the Past Simple.
- I was sleeping when the phone rang.
- When he arrived, we were eating.
| Subject | Auxiliary | Verb + ING | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | was | working | I was working late. |
| He / She / It | was | sleeping | She was sleeping at 10 PM. |
| You | were | driving | You were driving fast. |
| We | were | eating | We were eating lunch. |
| They | were | talking | They were talking loudly. |
| Subject | Auxiliary (Short) | Verb + ING | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | wasn't | working | I wasn't working yesterday. |
| He / She / It | wasn't | listening | He wasn't listening to me. |
| You | weren't | looking | You weren't looking at the road. |
| We | weren't | hiding | We weren't hiding the money. |
| They | weren't | helping | They weren't helping us. |
| Wh- Word | Auxiliary | Subject | Verb + ING | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | Was | she | sleeping? | Yes, she was. |
| - | Were | they | working? | No, they weren't. |
| What | was | he | doing? | He was reading. |
| Where | were | you | going? | I was going home. |
Reading: The Museum Heist
1. Martha (The Cleaner)
I was working in the main hall at 8:00 PM. The museum was empty and quiet. I was mopping the floor and listening to music on my headphones. I didn't hear anything suspicious. Suddenly, I saw a man running towards the exit. He was carrying a black bag. He was wearing a dark uniform, maybe like a guard.
Questions:
2. Frank (The Guard)
I was sitting in the security room. I was drinking coffee and watching the monitors. At 7:55, Screen 4 went black. I was trying to fix the cable when the alarm rang. I ran to the Diamond Room immediately. The glass was broken, but nobody was there. The thief was escaping while I was running to the room.
Questions:
3. Leo (The Taxi Driver)
It was raining heavily outside. I was parked across the street from the museum. I was reading a newspaper and waiting for a customer. A man jumped into my back seat. He was breathing fast and he looked nervous. He told me to drive to the airport. I refused because he was acting crazy.
Questions:
4. Pablo (The Artist)
I visit the museum every Tuesday to sketch. I was drawing the statue near the entrance. The museum was closing, but I wanted to finish my sketch. I saw a guard near the Diamond Room. He was unlocking the door with a key. I thought it was normal security work, so I continued drawing. I was focusing on my art.
Questions:
5. The Arrest
The police investigated the clues quickly. They found fingerprints on the door. The guard, Frank, was lying about the camera screen. The artist saw him unlocking the door. When the police arrived at Frank's house, he was hiding the diamond in his kitchen. He was planning to fly to Brazil. They arrested him immediately.
Questions:
Exercises (15 Sets)
Office Investigation
A file is missing. The boss is asking questions.
Game: The Detective's Notebook
Mission: Interview 6 suspects. Find the Grammar Mistakes.
Every mistake increases the chance of arresting an innocent person!
The Chef
"I was cooking soup..."