Level: Pre-Intermediate and above

Brief description:

This is a funny joke that also practices the use of the past simple and past continuous.

Grammar: past simple or continuous

We use the past continuous to describe something in progress at a point of time in the past. These are usually background actions.

We use the past simple to talk about something completed in the past. These are usually the main events in the story.

Example: I was eating a grapefruit when the juice went into my eye.

For more information about past simple or continuous, review the lesson here: Verb tense – Past simple or continuous?

Instructions:

• Read the joke and answer the question.

• Then read the joke again and change the verbs to past simple or past continuous.

• Check your answers with the key at the end.

A PIRATE’S STORY

An old pirate was sitting in a bar. He (smoke) and (drink) a glass of rum. He was wearing an eye-patch and he (have) a parrot on his shoulder and a wooden leg. Instead of his right hand he (have) a metal hook. A young sailor (chat) with the pirate and he (ask) him about his adventures at sea. ‘So, how did you lose your leg?’ the young man (ask) the pirate.

‘Arrr! ,’ (say) the pirate, ‘You see, some sharks (circle) the ship when I (fall) overboard. Luckily, my men (pull) me back onto the ship before the sharks (eat) me completely, but one of the sharks (get) my leg.’

‘And how about the hook on your hand? How did you lose your hand?’ ‘I (board) a ship when another sailor (cut) off my hand with a sword.’

‘That’s amazing! What a life full of adventures!’ (say) the young man. ‘And how about your eye? How did you lose that?’

‘I (eat) a grapefruit when the juice (go) into my eye.’

‘But I don’t understand. How did you lose your eye from the grapefruit juice?’

‘Arrr!’ (say) the pirate, ‘It (is) my first day with the new hook.’

Question:

1. How did the pirate lose his eye?

Answer:

1. The pirate tried to rub his eye when the grapefruit juice went into it. However, he forgot he had a new metal hook where his hand used to be so he poked his eye with the hook by accident.

Glossary:

• Rum (noun): a strong alcoholic drink made from the juice of the sugar cane plant (Rượu rum

• Eye-patch (noun): a covering worn over the eye to protect it if it is damaged or sore (Mảnh băng che mắt)

• Hook (noun): a curved device used for catching or holding things (Cái móc)

• To circle (verb): to move in a circle, often around something (Lượn vòng)

• Overboard (adverb): over the side of a boat or ship and into the water (Qua khỏi mạn tàu)

• Sword (noun): a weapon with a long sharp metal blade and a handle, used especially in the past (Thanh kiếm)

• Grapefruit (noun): a type of large, round fruit (Quả bưởi)

• To poke (verb): to push a finger or other pointed object quickly into someone or something (Thọc, móc)

Answers

Check your answers to the pirate joke below:

An old pirate was sitting in a bar. He was smoking and drinking a glass of rum. He was wearing an eye-patch and he had a parrot on his shoulder and a wooden leg. Instead of his right hand he had a metal hook. A young sailor was chatting with the pirate and he asked him about his adventures at sea.

‘So, how did you lose your leg?’, the young man asked the pirate.

‘Arrr! ,’ said the pirate, ‘You see, some sharks were circling the ship when I fell overboard. Luckily, my men pulled me back onto the ship before the sharks ate me completely, but one of the sharks got my leg.’

‘And how about the hook on your hand? How did you lose your hand?’ ‘I was boarding a ship when another sailor cut off my hand with a sword.’

‘That’s amazing! What a life full of adventures!’ said the young man. ‘And how about your eye? How did you lose that?’

‘I was eating a grapefruit when the juice went into my eye.’

‘But I don’t understand. How did you lose your eye from the grapefruit juice?’

‘Arrr!’ said the pirate, ‘It was my first day with the new hook.’

This material is provided by the Australian Centre for Education and Training (ACET).