The Past Simple Passive

Exercise 1. Match the achievements and the people.

Use: the following verbs: to discover, to invent, to write, to make, to sing, to compose, to design, to name after, to build, to paint, to shoot.

Mickey Mouse, Mona Lisa, A Farewell to Arms, Oliver Twist, America, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Aida, the light bulb, Yesterday, gravity, Lord of the Rings, the Godfather, the Pyramids, Eiffel Tower, the telephone, War and Peace, the Swan Lake

The Beatles, Thomas Edison, the Ancient Egyptians, Walt Disney, Francis Coppola, Isaac Newton, Alexander Bell, J.R.R. Tolkien, Tchaikovsky, Charles Dickens, Ernest Hemingway, Columbus, Verdi, Tolstoy, Sir Christopher Wren, Leonardo da Vinci, Gustav Eiffel

Exercise 2. Make the following sentences passive according to the pattern. Give two variants when possible.

Pattern: They showed me a very interesting book – a) I was shown a very interesting book. b) An interesting book was shown to me.

1. My mother told me the news yesterday. 2. Their friends sent their photographs last week. 3. Did they recommend you any good hotels. 4. The librarian showed the students how to find necessary books. 5. They allowed the children to go to the zoo. 6. They gave us a lot of money. 7. Her parents gave her a computer for her birthday. 8. They lent us some money. 9. My friend offered me a challenging job. 10. They pay him twice a month. 11. My mother teaches them English at school. 12. He promised me a book. 13. Did they show you that new Oxford Dictionary? 14. They sent presents to their relatives and friends. 15. The secretary gave the letter to her boss.

Exercise 3. Answer the questions in the Past Simple Passive according to the pattern.

Pattern: Did they take care of him? – Yes, he was taken care of.

1. Did they agree upon the terms? 2. Did the students listen to her with interest? 3. Did you send for the doctor? 4. Did they object to your proposal? 5. Did she rely on his information? 6. Did they wait for him? Did he refer to this book in his report? 8. Did they dispose of the goods in short time? 9. Did the guests really laugh at him? 10. Did everyone find fault with him? 11. Did they put an end to this useless talk? 12. Did the public speak of that film a lot? 13. Did they really depend on this man? 14. Did you speak about this plan last night? 15. Did he insist upon the time? 16. Did they look into this matter? 17. Did the children interfere with his studies? 18. Did they make fun of him when he was a schoolboy? 19. Did the press comment upon that event? 20. Did many people ask for this book?

Exercise 4. Use the Past Simple Active or the Past Simple Passive instead of the infinitives in brackets.

1. They (go) into the storeroom where the goods (keep). 2. He (make fun of)? But he never (answer) back. 3. The flowers (bring in) and (put) into the blue vase. The first thing which Dinny (see) when she (come in) were those flowers. 4. The book (put) on the shelf. No one (take notice) of it. 5. The matter (forget) by everyone. But Lanny (remember). 6. Mark (forget) to close the window. It (not take notice of). 7. She (operate on) by a distinguished surgeon. Soon she (recover). 8. When the door (close), he (put down) his book. His pipe (forget). He (stare) in front of him. 9. He (know) that the thief (hide) by the darkness. 10. Tony’s proposal (turn down), but he (not ask) why. 11. He (tap) on the door. ‘Who’s there?’ The question (ask) in a whisper. 12. Finally they (persuade) him to go away. But he (take in)? 13. They (ask) you many questions? – No, the inspector only (ask) me some not very important questions. The one which could cause us some trouble (not ask). 14. We (receive) a lot of letters every day. once we (give) a letter which (change) everything, though at the moment it (not pay attention to). 15. The book much (speak about). It (become) a bestseller. 16. The patient (take care of) well. 17. He (not ask) her many questions, but her story (listen to) very attentively.