Speaking English #4: Talking About The Past

[Music] during this film listen for sentences  like these last Saturday morning Colin went shopping Colin paid for these things  in cash he was here an hour ago [Music] he had it then and sentences like these I've been here for about 5 weeks have you written  your letter he's lost a wallet [Music] do you know what this is It's a wallet I keep money in my wallet pound notes  and 10 Shilling notes my checkbook and my driving license I look after my wallet very  carefully because I don't want to lose the money in the other things in it I always  keep it here in the inside pocket of my jacket but Colin Groves my visitor from New  Zealand always keeps his wallet here in this pocket of his trousers at least that's where  he always used to keep it after what happened last Saturday I think he now keeps it in the  pocket of his jacket this is what happened last Saturday last Saturday morning Colin went  shopping first he went to his bank to get some money then he went to this department store a department store is a very large  shop which sells all kinds of goods Colin went to the shoe department  first and bought a pair of shoes then he went to another department  and bought a tie and a pair of [Music] socks Colin paid for these things in cash lastly Colin went to the tailoring Department  he had ordered a suit about a fortnite before and it was to be ready for him by last Saturday  morning are you quite satisfied sir yes indeed I'm very pleased with the suit I'd be glad  to take home a suit made in London when are you going back to New Zealand in about 3 weeks  time have you been in this country very long I've been here for about 5 weeks have you  spent all your time in London sir oh no I've spent most of my time in London but I  visited other places as well as a matter of fact I came back from a visit to Oxford  only yesterday that must have been very enjoyable sir now how would you like to pay  for the suit sir can I pay by check of course sir this suit costs £28  doesn't it that is correct sir sure you will find it excellent  value for the money I'm sure I shall here is my check thank you  very much sir here is the receipt sir thank you you oh sir you've forgotten your other Parcels so  I have thank you for telling me goodbye sir goodbye Colin went to a bus stop near the  store to catch a bus and come home to my flat I happen to be passing by in my  car and saw Colin waiting for a bus so I stopped and picked him up Colin put his Parcels on the back  seat got in beside me and I drove [Music] away while we were on our way home in the car  Colin pulled his handkerchief out of his pocket the wallet came out with it and fell on the floor of the car underneath the seat I didn't  know the wallet was there neither did Colin when we got home Colin took his  Parcels out of the car but he didn't see the wallet Mrs Blake the lady who cleans my flat  was at work in the sitting room when we arrived good morning Mr Church good morning Mr Groves  I can see what you've been doing this morning you've been shopping yes I've been buying some  clothes and a pair of shoes would you like a cup of tea I was just going to make some  for myself yes please Mrs Blake will you have a cup of tea Mr Church um what's up BL I'm  making some tea would you like a cup yes please excuse me a moment colen a letter has  come for M that I really must answer at once Mr Church said he wanted a  cup of tea didn't he yes thank you I think he's still writing  a letter I go and tell him it's ready I poured your tea out Mr Church it's  getting cold thank you Mrs Blake I'm coming now have you written your letter yes I go  out and posted as soon as I've drank this cup of tea I haven't any stamps can you L  me one yes I can I have some in my wallet I wonder what I've done with my wallet it's not in any of my pockets I'll go and see  if I put it down anywhere in my room it's not in my room I've looked everywhere  and I can't find it I don't think it's in this room we've looked everywhere and not found it  how much money was there in it £35 £3 35 I Ain wor that's a lot of money to lose why did you  have so much money in it I went to the bank and Drew enough money to pay for my suit and buy a  few other things but I didn't pay for the suit in cash I paid by check instead well that's  why I had so much money left if it's not in this flat you must have dropped it somewhere  while you were out I'm sure I haven't dropped it anywhere I always keep my wallet in this  pocket where it's safe it can't possibly have fallen out then you must have taken it out  and left it somewhere can you remember where you were when you last used it yes I was in the  tailoring Department I remember taking it out of my pocket when I was going to pay for my suit  I expect I put it down and forgot to pick it up again let's go straight back to the shop I'll  drive you that's a good idea I do hope you find it if I had £35 I wouldn't forget what I done with [Music] it hello sir I didn't expect to see you here again  so soon I hope you found nothing wrong with a suit oh no I've come back because I've lost my wallet  I think I may have left it here I don't think so I should have seen it if you'd left it here well  was there much money in it 35 oh dear I do hope you get it back well it certainly isn't here now  and I don't think you can have left it here but I'll tellone our Lost Property department and  find out whether it's been picked up anywhere else in the store uh Jan's here I have a gentleman  with me he's lost a wallet he was here an hour ago he had it then I remember seeing it when he paid  for his suit oh very well Mr grov did you go to any other department uh after leaving here  no I went straight out to the bus stop uh no he went straight out to the bus stop thank you  I'm afraid no wallet has been handed into the Lost Property Department this morning I don't  think I can have lost it anywhere else in the store perhaps you may have lost it on the bus you  said you went straight to the bus stop when you left here as a matter of fact I didn't go home  by bus the friend I'm staying with happened to come by in his car and he drove me home perhaps  you dropped it in the car have you looked in the car no I haven't we never thought of looking  there but I don't think I can have done that you see I always keep my wallet in this pocket  it couldn't possibly fall out couldn't it Carin good Heavens you found it yes it was under the  seat in the car it must have fallen out of your pocket while we were driving home I'm  very glad you've got it back sir so am I all's well at ends well Colin got his wallet  back and we all stopped worrying now I want you to think about some of the things we said that  morning have you been in this country very long I've been here for about 5 weeks have you  been in this country very long I've been here for about 5 weeks this is one use of  the present perfect the has have tense to talk about something which like Collin's visit  began some time ago and is still going on now but we very often use the present perfect to  talk about something that happened completely in the past do you remember what happened in  this room room a letter has come for me that I really must answer at once a letter has  come for me that I really must answer at once I've poured your tea  out Mr church it's getting cold I poured your tea out Mr church it's getting cold it's not in my room I've looked everywhere  and I can't find it I don't think it's in this room we've looked everywhere and not found it  it's not in my room I've looked everywhere and I can't find it I don't think it's in this  room we've looked everywhere and not found it I've come back because I've lost my  wallet I've come back because I've lost my wallet good Heavens you you found it good  Heavens you found it in all these examples we have been interested in what has happened  and not in when the happening took place now listen carefully I spent most of my time in  London but I visited other places as well as a matter of fact I came back from a visit to  Oxford only yesterday I spent most of my time in London but I visited other places as well  as a matter of fact I came back from a visit to Oxford Only Yesterday notice the change  from present perfect in the first sentence to past in the second sentence Colin speaks  of yesterday the time in the past has become important so he uses came let's have another  example he's lost a wallet he was here an hour ago he had it there then he's lost a  wallet he was here an hour ago he had it then the ordinary past tense is of course  used time after time when one is describing events in the past telling a story I went  to the bank and Drew enough money to pay for my suit and buy a few other things  but I didn't pay for the suit in cash I paid by check instead I went to the bank  and Drew enough money to pay for my suit and buy a few other things but I didn't  pay for the suit in cash I paid by check instead Colin pulled his handkerchief out  of his pocket the wallet came out with it and fell on the floor of the car underneath the  seat Colin pulled his handkerchief out of his pocket the wallet came out with it and fell  on the floor of the car underneath the seat and the lesson from that story is don't keep your wallet in your handkerchief in  the same pocket goodbye [Music]