UNIT ONE – ALLIANCES COURSEBOOK, p. 8; LISTENING Complete the following sentences with the most suitable words. Merger = two or more companies join together to create a single company. Takeover = similar to a merger with one company taking control by buying more than half the shares. Joint venture = two or more companies make a joint investment in a project without actually merging. Partnership = two people or businesses who work together. Predator = an animal that kills and eats other animals: Description of the main picture of Unit One. The picture shows a man riding a lion stalking his prey – a group of people riding a variety of animals. The scene represents a company boss preparing to pounce on weaker companies, as potential takeover targets. Translate: orally 1 perfektní aliance = perfekt match alliance 2 oblíbený nápoj s příchutí kávy = popular coffee flavoured drink 3 splnit strategické cíle = to meet strategic goals 4 čelit konkurenci sám = to face competition alone 5 silní/mocní hráči v automobilovém průmyslu =powerful players in automotive industry 6 nemít od začátku šanci = not to have a chance from the start 7 být spojován s image Disney = to be linked with Disney image * to hibernate = verb [intransitive] if an animal hibernates, it sleeps through the winter months – hibernation = noun [uncount] COURSEBOOK, p. 9 Create questions to these answers: 1. Hibernation. - a period of sleep through the winter months 2. Spring in someone´s step. - used for saying sb looks as if they are happy and full of energy 3. Because of the dot-com boom. - why did many chief executives slowed down in their attempts to buy companies 4. Rapid growth of internet-based business - what is the dot-com boom 5. a situation in which you hurry to do something, especially because you do not have much time - what is it a rush???? Answer these questions: 1. Which attempt is more likely to succeed : acquisition of a company or creating a brand new business? What is the success rate for each of them? - widely quoted statistics suggests the success rate for acquiring companies is 25% which is better than chances of starting a new business, the success rate of which is not mentioned in the article. 2. What is it a conglomerate and why did they go out of fashion in the 1990s? - a holding company with a diverse portfolio of businesses - some of them faltered, i.e. got weaker, they didn´t add value. To add value companies started to concentrate on “core competence“. 3. General Electric was a representative of what kind of company in the 1990s? - one of the most successful companies of that decade, yet it was little more than an old-style conglomerate with a particularly fast-changing portfolio. · portfolio /OBED/ - a set of investments owned by a particular person or organization - the range of products or services offered by a particular company 4. The attempt of Brian Roberts of Comcast, a giant cable company, to buy Disney is an example of what type of acquisition? Did this type of acquisition prove highly successful in the past? - acquisition which was/is supposed to combine entertainment content with distribution, a strategy which has made fortunes for a few but which regularly proves the ruin of many big media teakeovers. 5. What is more difficult to find a good acquisition target or to handle the future life of the newly created company? - b is correct. 6. Many CEOs have a tendency to overestimate or underestimate their abilities to make mergers. - they overestimate their abilities heavily and even describe themselves as “above average“ at this. COURSEBOOK , p. 9; WORDFORMATION Complete the gaps with the correct forms of the WORDS in brackets. 1. If CEOs wish to avoid some of the failures of the 1990s, /FAIL/ 2. they should not forget that they are subject to the eternal tendency of business planners to be over-confident. /SUBJECT, ETERNITY/ 3. It is a near certainty that, if asked, almost 99% of them would describe themselves as “above average“ /CERTAIN/ 4. at making mergers and acquisitions work. /ACQUIRE/ 5. They should also be aware that they will be powerfully influenced by the herd instinct. /POWER/ 6. In the coming months they will have to watch carefully to be sure that the competitive space into which the predator in front of them is joyfully leaping does not life at the edge of a cliff./ CARE, COMPETITION, JOY/ COURSEBOOK, p. 9; TRANSLATION 1 zlepšit své (oni) naděje na úspěch = to improve their chances of success 2 často citovaná statistika = widely quoted statistics 3 konglomerát jako dobrý cíl akvizic vyšel z módy = conglomerate as a good target for acquisitions went out of fashion 4 hnát se za snem spojit zábavu s distribucí = to chase a dream of combining entertainment with distribution 5 získat a rozdělit podhodnocenou firmu = to acqurie and break up an undervalued firm 6 ovlivněn stádovým instinktem = influenced by the herd instinct COURSEBOOK, p. 14; D+D, BREAKING THE ICE Translate: 1 prolomit ledy = break the ice 2 učinit nabídku koupit B&J = make a bid to buy B&J´s´ 3 odmítnout nabídku = turn down the offer 4 typické znaky jejich obchodní filozofie = hallmarks of their business philosophy 5 najít společnou řeč / něco společného = to find common ground 6 angažován v debatě o společenské odpovědnosti = engaged in the debate on the social responsibility COURSEBOOK, p. 14; WORDFORMATION 1 What concessions or compromises do you think they would ask for? /CONCEDE/ 2 Is it possible for two companies with seemingly different cultures to merge and work together? /SEEM/ 3 They founded a company with a $ 12 000 investment. /INVEST/ 4 They are recognised for fostering their company´s commitment to social responsibility. /COMMIT, RESPONSIBLE/ 5 He is a practical left-winger. /WING/ 6 He insisted, against opposition, on unsegregated facilities. /OPPOSE, SEGREGATE/ 7 Vietnam, Ghana and other parts of the developing world. /DEVELOP/ WORKBOOK, p. 5; WORDFORMATION 1 IMS Health, a data and consultancy firm. /CONSULT/ 2 It´s a gloves-off business compared to the gentlemanly boxing match which is Big Pharma. /GENTLEMAN/ 3 Companies need to be big enough to dominate distribution channels. /DISTRIBUTE/ 1 udržovat nízké náklady = to keep the costs down / low costs 2 omezený přístup k lékům = restricted acess to medicines 3 plucky underdog business = odvážný podceňovaný podnik 4 opportunity ebbs and flows = příležitosti přicházejí a odcházejí · ebb = verb [intransitive] MAINLY LITERARY 1 if the TIDE ebbs, the sea’s level on a coast gradually becomes lower. A more usual word is go out. 2 to gradually become smaller or less ebb and flow 1 to keep becoming smaller or weaker and then larger or stronger: Enthusiasm for reform ebbed and flowed. 2 to keep changing between two states: The battle ebbed and flowed around them. · flow = [singular] the movement of the sea in towards the land: the ebb and flow of the tide TASK Find in the text words described by the following: 1. generic = a) FORMAL relating to or suitable for a range or class of similar things, b) a generic drug or other product does not have a TRADEMARK and is sold without a company’s name on it 2. plucky = brave and determined, especially when success is unlikely, GUTSY 3. incursion = a) a sudden attack on an area controlled by other people, b) a situation in which someone or something enters an area where they do not belong 4. underdog = a) a person, team, or group that seems least likely to win a game, competition, election etc, b) a person or group that has very little money, power, or social status 5. grumble about = to complain, especially continuously and about unimportant things, MOAN 6. stronghold = a) a place where people fighting an enemy can defend or organize themselves: b) a place where the majority of people have the same political or religious beliefs: The area is no longer a Republican stronghold. c) a place where something that is no longer common can still be found: Some of the smaller birds have a stronghold in the New Forest. = pevnost, bašta, tvrz WORKBOOK, p. 6; LISTENING Complete the gaps with the words you hear. The sentences with slight modifications have been taken out of the text you will hear and have been listed in the order they appear in the original exercise. 1 Univeler has long been plagued by comparisons. 2 As an Anglo-Dutch multinational with two boards and two stockmarket quotations, it is often compared with Royal Dutch/Shell. 3 So with RD/S having decided to abandon its dual structure, and P&G last week acquiring Gillete.. for $54 billion, expectations have been rising that Univeler would follow suit. 4 But there is so far no sign of a deal that would help Unilever to catch up with the new P&G/Gillette combination. 5 Colgate-Palmolive and Reckitt Benckiser are possible takover targets. 6 On February the 9th Reckitt announced an increase in its pre-tax profits to £770m from £660m in 2003. 7 Univeler´s debts are high: at the end of December net debt stood at nearly £9 billion. 8 The company needs to sort out its own problems before it takes on the complex integration of another business. Last year sales were down by 6% and operating profits slipped by 9%. In September 2004 came the first warning that it would not deliver a promised increase in profits. That led it this week to scale back the performance targets it had set itself for the next five years. 9 Univeler spends 14.5% of its revenues on advertising, which is more than the 12% spent by Nestlé, but far less than the 20% that P&G splashes out on promoting its products. The problem also lies in the way that the company spends its advertising budget. It made a mistake sacrificing longer-term advertising for short-term promotions in an effort to stem its loss of market share. COURSEBOOK, p. 10, READING – TO MERGE OR NOT TO MERGE Translate: 1 zajistit rychlý růst = to secure fast growth 2 diverzifikovat investiční portfolio = to diversify investment portfolio 3 prodej vládou vlastněných podniků = the sale of government-owned businesses 4 získat potenciální soupeře = to acquire potential rivals 5 šéfové společností na čekané = company bosses on the prowl 6 stát se možným cílem převzetí = to become a potential takeover target 7 neuspět ve zvýšení hodnoty pro akcionáře = not to succeed/ fail to succeed in increasing shareholder value 8 vytvářet bohatsví pro všechny zúčastněné = to create wealth for all the involved 9 vedoucí oddělení fúzí a akvizic = head of Mergers and Acquisitions 10 osobnostní střety = personality clashes 11 vydělat obrovské jmění = to earn huge fortunes Questions to the text: 1 Why do companies engage in mergers and acquisitions? - one of the easiest ways to secure growth and diversify their investments 2 Why has made this activity more possible/easier these days? - Europe expands, the sale of the government owned businesses 3 What are the chances of performing a good acquisition? - are still not good, statistics show that many acquisitions or mergers fail 4 What are the main reasons behind the alliances ending in failure - culture conflicts and personality clashes COURSEBOOK, p. 12, LISTENING Part 1: Translate: 1. we´ve been rewarded for our determination = byli jsme odměněni za naše úsilí 2. we´ve been approached with the acquisition deal = byli jsme osloveni / kontaktováni s nabídkou převzetí Complete the gaps with one suitable word: We therefore saw the opportunity of an aliance with Wireless as a way to save the company. However, six months into the aliance, we didn´t feel like that any more. We had really serious problems trying to intergrate our systems and cultures. Part 2: 1. předměty / body sporu Well, there were so many points of contention you wouldn´t believe it. 2. protichůdné přístupy k; obchodování Different companies often have conflicting approaches to different aspects of doing business. 3. řídit / zvládat We managed / ran / operated sales and marketing in a completely different way. 4. suitable word To make an acquisition work, you have to understand how products will work together. 5. dávat přednost individuální interakci We have always encouraged our teams to work together, but the bossess at Wireless preferred to interact separately with each team. 6. Za poslední a nejdůležitější Lastly and most importantly, we didn´t think of trying to overcome our relationship problems by having some human contact. COURSEBOOK, p. 11, ARTICLE Complete the below extract with the correct translation of the below Czech phrases: 1. až do té doby 2. vzdát se v rámci nové smlouvy vedoucího místa (hrát druhé housle, stáhnout se do pozadí) 3. jednoduchá fúze sobě rovných jedinců za podmínky, že se stane generálním ředitelem 4. skončit svou kariéru na vrcholu … The situation only became clear after the deal was made and signed: 1.up until then, Dimon, the top man at Citigroup before joining Bank One, had not wanted to 2.take a back seat under the new deal and only agreed to 3. a simple merger of equals on condition that he became CEO. Harrison, who has made some disastrous acquisitions over the years, wasn´t happy because he wanted to 4.finish his career on a high. Questions related to the text: 1. What preceded a deal signed by Mr Dimon and Mr Harrison? = years of negotiation 2. How long has Mr Dimon been the CEO at Bank One? = since he left Citigroup 3. How much will Mr Dimon be paid for the privilege of keeping the post of the CEO? = 7 billion dollars 4. On whose behalf has Mr Harrison made this decision? = on behalf of his shareholders 5. which phrase in the text is used to express a situation when sb loses their control of sth? = to take a back seat 6. What type of merger did Mr Dimon want? = a simple merger of equals on the condition that he became the CEO 7. What reputation does Mr Harrison have in the world of mergers and acquisitions? = has made some disastrous acquisitions in the past 8. How did Mr Harrison want to finish his career? = on a high 9. Are shareholders invited to participate in such big decisions? = no and they are unhappy as a result 10. What result of the merger can the shareholders expect? = the increase in the share price WORKBOOK, p. 5; READING 1. What does the title of the article mean? Combination of what? = combination of well-established pharmaceutical companies and generics producing companies 2. What has NOvartis done? = announced its purchase of Hexal, a German generics firm, and a sister copany in America for a combined cost of 8.3 billion dollars. 3. What does the word generic mean? FORMAL relating to or suitable for a range or class of similar things: generic software, suitable for use with both Macs and PCs generic term/word/name: ‘Hoover’ is often used as a generic term for all vacuum cleaners. 2 a generic drug or other product does not have a TRADEMARK and is sold without a company’s name on it 3 relating to a GENUS – generically / B dZE`nerIkli / adverb 4. What is Sandoz and How will it benefit from the acquisition? = a generic drug division belonging to Novartis 5. What is the forecast development for the global generic drugs market? = they are likely to grow by a healthy 10% a year until 2009 6. What was the big pharmaceutical firms´ attitude to generic drugs a few years ago? = first they bought them to make easy money, then they tried to get rid of them/to offload them 7. Are mergers of „official“ pharmaceutical firms and generic drugs firm likely to succeed? =there are few synergies (statement a) 8. How are the two types of business described in the way they do business? = a gloves-off business, gentlemanly boxing 9. In generics what does success depend on? = on being cheap enough to keep manufacturing and other costs down, they need to be big enough to dominate the distribution channels, and fast enough to move in and out of business as opportunities come and go UNIT 1 –ALLIANCES - GLOSSARY 1. acquisition = when one company buys another one or part of another one 2. synergy = additional advantages, profits, etc. that are produced by two people or organisations combining their ideas and resources. 3. bid = an offer to buy something at a stated price. 4. merger = the creation of a new company by joining two separate companies. 5. share = a unit of the capital of the company. These units can be bought and sold on their special exchange called _______ exchange. 6. strategic alliance = partnership formed as part of a plan with important aims 7. conglomerate = a large business organisation consisting of different companies that have joined together 8. multinational = a company which has offices, factories, activities, etc. in many different countries 9. corporate culture = the attitudes or beliefs that are shared by a particular organisation 10. takeover bid = an offer to acquire a company 11. public company = a company whose shares are publicly tradeable, i.e. they can be bought and sold on the stock market 12. core competence = an important ability or strength that a company has that makes it successful and gives it an advantage over its competitors, the main thing it does STUDENT A 1. ____________ = when one company buys another one or part of another one 2. __________ = additional advantages, profits, etc. that are produced by two people or organisations combining their ideas and resources. 3. _______ = an offer to buy something at a stated price. 4. __________ = the creation of a new company by joining two separate companies. 5. __________ = a unit of the capital of the company. These units can be bought and sold on their special exchange called _______ exchange. 6. ______________= partnership formed as part of a plan with important aims STUDENT B 7. ________________ = a large business organisation consisting of different companies that have joined together 8. ______________= a company which has offices, factories, activities, etc. in many different countries 9. _________the attitudes or beliefs that are shared by a particular organisation 10. _____________ = an offer to acquire a company 11. ______________ = a company whose shares are publicly tradeable, i.e. they can be bought and sold on the stock market 12. ________________ = an important ability or strength that a company has that makes it successful and gives it an advantage over its competitors, the main thing it does Grammar of Unit 1 – additional exercises REVIEW OF TENSES Source: Emmerson – Business Grammar Builder I. Present Simple x Present Continuous – Přítomný prostý x Přítomný průběhový I TASK Match sentences 1-5 with their uses a)-e). a) permanent facts b) habits and repeated actions c) actions in progress at the moment of speaking d) temporary actions happening “around now“ e) current trends and changing situations 1 These days we´re selling more and more of our products abroad. 2 Look! They´re selling malt whisky at 20% discount in duty free! 3 We´re selling the new model, but we don´t have any in stock right now. 4 We usually sell around 40% of our annual total at Christmas time. 5 We sell a full range of consumer electronics, from TVs to cameras. 1e 2c 3d 4b 5a I TASK Complete the newspaper article about the Brazilian company Gerdau by using the words from the list below. Each set of words fills two spaces. [DEL: is becoming / companies :DEL] is making / flexible is attracting / attention is approaching / market share is getting / right is raising / plants is beginning / expectations is modernising / law Gerdau: a Brazilian success story Gerdau, the Brazilian steel maker, (1a) is becoming one of Latin America´s most successful (1b) companies. It (2a) ________________ productivity in its (2b) __________________; it (3a)_______________ the price and timing of its takeovers of smaller companies (3b)________________________; and, most important, it (4a) _______________ to understand investors´ (4b)__________________________ . Investors want a firm that´s focused and transparent, with a simple share structure, and that´s exactly what Gerdau gives them. The only problem in the short term is a problem of success. Gerdau (5a) _____________ a 50% (5b) _________________ in its domestic market, and so it (6a)____________________ the (6b) ________________ of Cade, the monopolies authority. These days it´s much easier to do business in Brazil. The government is simplifying the company-tax structure, it (7a) ________________________ the labour market more (7b)________________ by changing the restrictive labour laws, and it (8a) ____________________ company (8b)_________________ in general. 2 is raising / plants 3 is getting / right 4 beginning / expectations 5 is approaching / market share 6 is attracting / attention 7 is making / flexible 8 is modernising / law & THEORY State verbs: Some verbs describe states, not actions. Verbs like this are not normally used in the continuous form of any tense. I notice that you´ve moved your desk. (NOT [DEL: I´m noticing :DEL] ) Sorry, I don´t understand. (NOT [DEL: I´m not understanding :DEL] ) How much does it cost? (NOT [DEL: is it costing :DEL] ) It weighs 4kg with the packaging. (NOT [DEL: It is weighing :DEL] ) These examples are in the present simple though we are talking about temporary situations. State verbs include: * the senses: appear, hear, look, like, notice, see, seem, smell, sound, taste (=to have a flavour) * feelings: dislike, fear, hate, like, love, prefer, want, wish * thinking: agree, believe, doubt, expect (=believe), feel (=believe), forget, imagine, know, realise, recognise, suppose, suspect, think (=believe), understand * possession: belong to, contain, have (=possess), include, own, possess * being: be, consist of, exist * other verbs: cost, depend on, fit, involve, matter, measure (=have length), mean, need, satisfy, surprise, weigh Analysts expect that shares in the demerged P&O Princess Cruises will trade initially at about 400p a share, which means that P&O is currently undervalued. However, some analysts think that the arrival of new cruise ships on the market will produce a fall in profits. Some of the verbs mentioned in the previous list can have a “state“ meaning and an “action“ meaning. Examples include be, have, taste, think. * Our suppliers are usually very helpful. (state) * Our suppliers are being very helpful at the moment. (action) * I have two sisters. (state) * I´m having problems with my computer. (action) * This soup tastes salty. (state) * I´m tasting the soup to see if it needs more salt.(action) * I think you´re right. (state) * I´m thinking about changing my job. (action) I TASK Complete this article about the magazine TIME OUT by using words from the list below. Decide whether to put the verbs into the present simple or present continuous. [DEL: own :DEL] ; look for; move; investigate; rely; want; provide; try to Time Out: time to expand Time Out, the London entertainment magazine, has plans for expansion. It already (1) owns the monthly magazine Paris Passion, and now it (2)_____________________ beyond France to other markets such as Argentina and Japan. Tony Elliott, Time Out´s founder, says he (3) _________________ local people to initiate and run the magazine, as Time Out´s London officed doesn´t have the cash or management time. Elliott also has plans for the website, Timeout.com, which was launched in 1995 and (4) ______________ information about more than 30 citites. It (5) _______________ on advertising revenue and a small amount of money from ticket sales to survive. But as Time Out changes and expands, Tony Elliott (6)_______________ persuade advertisers in the printed version to take more space on the Internet site. Also, he (7)_______________ the possibility of charging visitors to the site for access to some information. Despite these expansion plans, Elliott says a flotation on the stock market is out of the question. He (8)________________ to keep control of the business he has built up. 2 is moving 3 is looking for 4 provides 5 relies 6 is trying to 7 is investigating 8 wants I TASK Complete these texts with one of these set of verbs, using each verb once only. Choose either the present simple or present continuous for all the missing verbs in each text. (Hewings, Advance grammar in use) say/tell/ do talk/threaten/negotiate recommend/warn/apologise [DEL: spend/recover/find :DEL] suggest/hope/promise 1 She is only just recovering from the operation and is still finding it difficult to move about. At the moment she is spending most of her time in bed. 2 What I __________ is that you __________ well in your job. Really! I______ you the truth. 3 I __________ I´ll do everything I can to help you to find a flat, although I __________ that you also advertise in the local newspaper. It can be difficult to find accommodation, but I _________ it won´t be too long before you´ve got somewhere. 4 The fishing unions________ with their employers for a pay rise. If there is no agreement by next week, they _________ to strike and even __________ about blockading ports around the country. 5 I ________ for the delay in replying to your letter. To place an order for the book you require, I ____________ that you phone Mrs Jones in our sales department. I ________ you, however, that delivery time is likely to be about six weeks. 2 I´m saying, are doing, I´m telling 3 promise, suggest, hope 4 are negotiating, are threatening, are even talking 5 apologise, recommend, warn I TASK Complete the sentences by putting each verb into a form of the present simple or present continuous. In each sentence the verbs may be in the same or different tenses. 1 Each time inflation______________ /go up/, people _________ /demand/ higher wages. 2 Inflation ____________ /fall/ quite quickly, which ______________ /mean/ that the government can keep interest rates low. 3 ______________ /you, wait/ for Victoria Chambers? I __________ /not, think/ she´ll be long. 4 What exactly ___________________ /our customers /want/? Nobody around here _______________ /seem/ to know. 5 Carlo doesn´t have much experience of this situation. I _____________ /hope/ he _____________/know/ what he _______________/do/. 6 What exactly ________________/you, mean/? I _______________/not,understand/. 7 What exactly__________________/you, say/? ________________/you, want/ to renegotiate the whole contract? 8 _____________ /your chicken, taste/ OK? The food here is usually very good, but of course it all ______________/depend/ on which particular chef _____________ /work/ in the kitchen on that day. 1 goes up/demand 2 is falling/means 3 Are you waiting/don´t think 4 do our customers want/seems 5 hope/knows/is doing 6 do you mean/don´t understand 7 are you saying/Do you want 8 Does your chicken taste/depends/ is working II. Past Simple x Past Continuous = Minulý prostý x Minulý průběhový & THEORY PAST CONTINUOUS - USES * The past continuous is used to describe a situation in progress in the past. I was waiting in the departure lounge for more than two hours. * There can be several situations in progress, happening at the same time: The early 1970s was a time when IBM was beginning to lose its way and many skilled people were leaving to set up their own businesses. Computing was entering a new age. * The past continuous is used to give information about the background situation. The separate, completed actions that happen during or after this period are in the past simple. I came in to Oracle as it was recovering from the recession of the early 1990s. The business unit I joined had an ageing product line that was declining by 30% a year in sales. Within a year we completely turned that unit round. * If we do not mention the background situation then the separate actions are in the past simple in the normal way: When I arrived I registered at reception and went straight to the conference hall. PAST CONTINUOUS – TIME EXPRESSIONS * We can use when, while or as with the past continuous to mean “during the time that something was happening“: While Plattner and Dietmar Hopp were developing the first real-time order processing at SAP, Claus Wellenreuther was writing the financial software. PAST SIMPLE OR PAST CONTINUOUS?? * Sometimes the past simple or past continuous can be used. The past simple suggests a separate, complete action or event. The past continuous emphasizes the duration of the action. We discussed the report and agreed that Peter should prepare some detailed figures before the next meeting. We were discussing the report for over an hour. Eventually we agreed that Peter should prepare some detailed figures before the next meeting. I TASK Complete the sentences by putting the verbs in brackets into either the past simple or past continuous. Sometimes the same tense is used twice; sometimes different tenses are used. 1 What did you eat (eat) when you went (go) to Paris? 2 While I was negotiating (negotiate) the contract, my boss phoned (phone) me to say that he wanted completely different conditions. 3 The last time something like this _____________ (happen), she __________ (call) a press conference immediately. 4 Anne _______________ (explain) her proposal when Pedro _____________ (interrupt) her. 5 We never got the chance to interview him. While we______________ (investigate) the incident, he ____________ (resign). 6 When he_______________ (finish) reading the article, he ________ (give) it to me. 7 Everyone ______________ (wait) for the meeting to begin when he _________ (call) to say that he was stuck in a traffic jam. 8 When I _____________ (clean) the piece I _______________(drop) it by mistake. 9 I _______________ (find) the missing file while I _________ (look) for some other documents. 10 When Tim __________ (arrive), we__________ (tell) him what had happened. 3 happened/called 4 was explaining/interrupted 5 were investigating/resigned 6 finished/gave 7 was waiting/called 8 was cleaning/dropped 9 found/was looking 10 arrived/told III. Past Perfect Simple and Continuous– Předminulý čas prostý a průběhový I TASK Complete the sentences with the proper forms of the verbs given (Past Perfect Símple, Past Perfect Continuous, Past Simple) 1 David knew he had seen her somewhere before, but he couldn´t remember where. (KNOW, SEE) 2 When I got to the office I realised I had left all my papers behind. (REALISE, LEAVE) 3 Ellen was sure they hadn´t received the invoice, but she checked one more time. (RECEIVE, CHECK) 4 I thought we had already chosen the name for the new product.(CHOOSE) 5 Around 1993 Korean corporations started turning to Park to acquire companies in the US or Europe. By this time, he had built up sufficient contacts to help them.(START, BUILD UP) 6 I´d been working on the project for two months before they decided to cancel it. (WORK) 7 I hadn´t been sleeping well, so I was quite tired. (SLEEP) 8 How long had you been working on the project before they cancelled it?(you, WORK) 9 Before he left IBM he had been putting together a software package for the UK-based chemical company ICI. He had been working on this project during 1971 and 1972. (LEAVE, PUT, WORK) 10 I had already decided what to do before he called me. (already, DECIDE) 11 At the time I still hadn´t decided what to do. (not DECIDE) 12 At the time I still didn´t know what to do. (not KNOW) 13 We arrived at Sue´s office after she left /had left. (LEAVE) 14 When we arrived at Sue´s office, she had left / was leaving. (LEAVE) 15 The economic situation was quite healthy. The central bank had lowered interest rates because inflation had been falling steadily for several years. (LOWER, FALL) 16 By 1997 the national debt had doubled and the British economy was once again at risk of repeating the pattern of inflation followed by recession. (DOUBLE) & THEORY USED TO/ WOULD + infinitive Used to describes a habit or state in the past. There is no present form (for present habits we use present simple). “Price dictates what motorists put into their petrol tanks. Lots of people who used to have their doubts about diesel from biological sources are now regular users“, says D. Enders, who owns an independent filling station in Germany. Used to normally suggests that the action or situation is no longer true and so makes a contrast with the present: I used to work in marketing. (= but now I work in another area). He used to be really enthusiastic about his job. (= but now he isn´t) I didn´t use to work in marketing. Would is used in the same way as used to, but it only describes repeated actions in the past, not states. In the old days we used to / would make three copies of all documents for the files. Our company used to belong to an American multinational. (NOT would belong) I TASK Alan is talking about his first job. Complete what he says with the best form of the verb in brackets. Choose between the past simple, past continuous or past perfect. Interviewer: So, Alan why did you quit your last job? Alan: Well, at the time I (1) was working (work) as a financial officer for an International Accountancy firm in London. I (2)_________________ (be) in the same company for three years. I: How (3)_____________ (you/get) the job? A: Just after I (4) __________(finish) university I (5) _____________ (go) to a job fair. I still (6) _____________________ (decide) what I wanted to do and I was interested to see what kind of jobs there (7)___________ (be) at the fair. While I (8)_______________ (look) at information on one of the stands for a large international accountancy firm, someone (9)________________ (give) me an application form to fill in. I thought this might be a good career opportunity for me as I (10)________________ (already, take) some accountancy exams for my degree. So I (11)______________ (complete) the form and (12)__________(send) it off. They (13) _______________ (interview) me the following week and I got the job. At first, I (14)_________ (feel) satisfied with the job, but as time went by, things (15) ___________ change and I began to hate working there. I: So what (16) ___________ (go) wrong? A: Well, the situation was this. (17)_______________ (work) for a person who was very difficult, er…very demanding….never satisfied. What´s more, my job (18)___________ (become) too repetitive and I really wanted to do something more creative. So, that´s why I resigned… I (19)_____________ (not have) another job to go to, but I knew I (20)__________ (have) to make a change. 2 had been 3 did you get 4 finished/had finished 5 went 6 hadn´t decided 7 were 8 was looking 9 gave 10 had already taken 11 completed 12 sent 13 interviewed 14 felt 15 changed 16 went 17 was working 18 was becoming / had become 19 didn´t have 20 had IV. Present Perfect Simple x Present Perfect Continuous = Předpřítomný čas prostý x Předpřítomný čas průběhový I TASK Complete the sentences with the correct forms of the verbs in brackets. 1 Have you ever spoken in front of a large audience? (ever, SPEAK) 2 We have been in business for 37 years, so the Internet to us is just another way of collecting orders. (BE) 3 UPS became a worldwide Olympics sponsor in 1994, and since then it has handled the Atlanta games in 1996 and the 1998 Japan winter games. (HANDLE) 4 This is the first time I have been interviewed for a job with a multinational company.(INTERVIEW) 5 She´s been to visit our suppliers. She says everything seems to be OK. (BE) 6 She´s gone to visit our suppliers. I hope she will say everything is OK there. (GO) 7 I have been writing the whole morning. I have written one new chapter of my diploma thesis. (WRITE, WRITE) 8 Why are you so tired? I have been revising for the exam. I have revised almost everything. (REVISE, REVISE) 9 I have been working/ have worked on this project since December. (WORK) 10 We´ve had this new boss for 3 months now.(HAVE) 11 Since she left, we have been having wonderful time. (HAVE) 12 She´s lost her temper with the boss. It´ s the second time, it has happened. (HAPPEN) 13 He is new to my colleagues but I have known him for ages. We´ve been friends since we left grammar school. (KNOW, BE, LEAVE) 14 I have lived in Brno for 6 years. (LIVE) I TASK Look at the paired sentences below. Match each one with situation a) or b). 1 Inflation has fallen by 1%. 2 Inflation fell by 1%. a. Two years ago it was 4%. Last year it was 3%. b. Last month it was 4%. This month it is 3%. 3 I think I´ve lost the file. 4 Sorry, I lost the file. a. I can´t find the file. I wonder where I put it? b. The file has gone and I´ll never find it. 5 Has Jane called this morning? 6 Did Jane call this morning? a. Jane promised to call this morning. It´s 11 a.m. b. Jane promised to call this morning. It´s 2 p.m. 7 Sales improved. 8 Sales have improved. a. Last year sales were poor. This year they are better. b. Sales were poor initially. A year later they were better. 9 How long have you worked here? 10 When did you start working here? a. In 1999. b. Since 1999. 1B2A 3A4B 5A6B 7B8A 9B10A I TASK Match the sentences and their explanations. 1 I´ve been waiting for an hour. Why are you so late. 2 I´ve been waiting for an hour and he hasn´t arrived yet. a. I will continue waiting. b. the waiting is finished. 1 I´ve written the report. 2 I´ve been writing the report. a. the finished report is in my mind b. the act of writing is in my mind 1B 2A 1A 2B I TASK Complete the text with the correct forms of the verbs given in brackets. The technology-heavy Nasdaq index has been falling (FALL) for three weeks, and is (BE) now 34% lower than its March peak. Shares of companies announcing poor results have fallen (FALL)by a third or a half after profit warnings.