Top secret · Briefing
The Blackout at Hilltop Hotel
Last Saturday there was a big storm. At exactly 9 o'clock, the lights went out at Hilltop Hotel. Five minutes later they came back on, and Lady Ashworth's famous green diamond necklace was gone!
Five people were in the hotel. Everyone says what they were doing when the lights went out. One of them is not telling the truth.
Your job, detective: study the grammar, collect six pieces of evidence and find the thief.
Read the report together. Ask: What happened at 9 o'clock? What do you think the guests were doing? Draw the timeline on the board, then do the three questions below as concept checks. Point to the colours: green = long action, red = short action.
Look closely
Mrs Bell was baking a cake when the lights went out.
Detective's notebook
Two actions, one sentence
Elicit the form before showing it. Drill the weak forms: was /wəz/, were /wə/. Ask the student to make one sentence for each pattern about the hotel. Highlight the comma when when / while starts the sentence.
Long action
was / were + verb-ing
Past continuous. The action was in progress. It was the background.
I / he / she / it was reading
you / we / they were reading
Short action
past simple
It happened in the middle of the long action and interrupted it.
went · heard · saw · fell · started · stopped · screamed
I was reading when I heard a scream.
When I heard a scream, I was reading.
While I was reading, I heard a scream.
I heard a scream while I was reading.
Detective tips. We usually say while + the long action and when + the short action. When the sentence starts with when or while, put a comma in the middle.
Evidence 1
Sort the clues
Drag each clue into the right folder. You can also tap a clue, then tap a folder.
Ask the student to say each clue aloud as they sort it. After sorting, join two clues into one sentence: I was sleeping in my room when somebody screamed.
Evidence 2
Witness statements
Everyone tells you their story. Choose the correct verb form in each gap. Read carefully: you will need these statements to solve the case!
After each statement ask: Where was this person at 9 o'clock? Do you believe them? Encourage the student to make notes. The key clues are Rosa's empty chair and Mrs Bell's last two statements.
Evidence 3
When or while?
Look at the verb after the gap. Long action or short action? Choose the best word.
Strategy: find the verb straight after the gap. was/were + -ing → while. Past simple → when. When + a long action is also possible, so the page accepts it with an amber note and asks for the better choice. Notice item 8: a new clue!
Evidence 4
Rebuild the torn notes
The thief tore up some notes. Tap the words in the right order to make a sentence. Tap a word in your sentence to send it back. Capital letters and commas will help you.
When a sentence is complete, ask the student to say it in the other order (e.g. Lady Ashworth was crying when the police arrived.) and notice the comma disappears.
Evidence 5
The detective's report
This is your own report about Saturday night. Write the verbs in the past simple or past continuous, then press Check.
Watch for spelling: arrive → arrived, ring → rang, find → found. Gap 6 is a trap: everybody takes was. The glove links to the clue in Evidence 3.
Evidence 6
Solve the case
Before clicking, ask the student to explain their theory aloud using both tenses: Dr Hale said he was reading when… but Mrs Bell saw him while…
1. Who took the necklace?
2. Which statement proves it?
Dr Hale took the necklace. He said he was reading in his room when the lights went out. But while Mrs Bell was carrying candles upstairs, she saw him. He was coming out of the library, and he was holding something green. And his grey glove was on the library floor!
Your turn
What's your alibi?
The detective is asking about YOUR day yesterday. Finish the sentences about your real life. The scanner colours your was / were + -ing verbs.
Speaking first, writing second. Play the alibi game: you are the detective and ask the questions below quickly; the student answers in full sentences and must not change the story. Then the student writes three sentences here and reads them aloud.