EXERCISES

I. Give the correct form of the verbs in brackets, using Past Simple.

The American Family of 50 years ago

In the 1950s, according to popular television shows, the American family (consist)
………..of a mother, a father, and two or three children. The Smiths (be) a happy
family. Their problems (not be) serious, the children (get) along with each other, and
Mr. and Mrs. Smith obviously (care)………..about each other very much.

Mr. Smith (Dick) (be) a businessman, and Mrs. Smith (Susie) (be) a house wife. She
(spend) …………most of her time at home, where she (take)…………. care of the
house and the children (Billy and Mary). In the morning, she usually (get)……….. up
before the rest of the family, (go)………… into the kitchen, and (make) breakfast.
Soon Dick, Billy and Mary (sit)……… down to eat. The children (talk)………. about
their plans for the rest of the day while Dick (look) at the newspaper and (think)
………. about his day’s work. Susie, of course, cheerfully (serve) …………
everybody.

When breakfast (be)………… over, the children (leave) for school, and Dick (go)
………. to work. Then Susie Smith (sit)………. down with a cup of coffee and the
morning newspaper. She (have)……… the whole day for herself, until the children
(come)………. back from school. At that time, she (listen)……….to them patiently as
they (talk) about their day at school, and she (help)…………them with their
homework.

II. Give the correct form of the verbs in brackets, using Past Simple, then put these
sentences in the negative form.

1. Billy (spend)………. fifteen minutes looking at his geography book.

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2. She (borrow)………… some sugar from her neighbor.
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 3. At school, the children (laugh)……….. at a funny story
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4. Susie (wait)…………. for the children to come home from school.

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5. During dinner, the family members (talk)……… about their day
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6. Mary (lend) ………… her red pencil to a classmate
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7. During the day, (she listen)…………..to the radio while she worked in the house
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8. Tom (live) ……….with his parents until college.
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9. He (attend) ……….a public high school.
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10. He (play) ………. may sports in high shool.
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III. Give the correct form of the verbs underlined, then put these sentences in the
interrogative form using Past Simple.

1. He/ work……… in a restaurant during high school.

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2. They/ get……. married in 1970.
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3. They/ have………. six children
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4. Miguel/ go…….. to a bilingual school.
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5. He/ become………. fluent in English
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6. He/ begin……….. university studies in Bogota.
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7. He/ take……….. a test for a scholarship
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8. Minguel/ win………….. a scholarship
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 9. He/ choose……….. to study architecture in the United States.
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10. He/ leave………….. Columbia to complete his education.
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IV. Complete the following with appropriate past forms of the verbs in parentheses.

When Ali (come)………… to Canada from Kuwait, he (study already)………. a lot

of English. He (speak) ……….. quite well and (understand)………… almost
everything. However, he (have/often) ……………difficulties in conversation,
sometimes with Canadians and often with people from people other countries. He
(find)………… it especially difficult to speak with the Asian. For example, while he
(talk) with a classmate from Asia, the person (begin)………… to move away from
him. He (feel)…………. that the person (no like) ………… him. After this (happen)
………… several times, Ali asked another Kuwait about the problem His friend
(laugh) …………… and (explain)……….. In general, Kuwaitis stand close to
someone in a conversation, but rather a difference in “personal space”.
 EXERCISES

I. Complete the following with appropriate form of the verbs in parentheses, using the
Simple Present tense.

Language and North America

North America (be)……… a huge land mass occupied by three countries: Canada,
The United States, and Mexico. Of course there (be) many differences between
these three countries. One difference (lie)……… in the climate, which (vary)
………. from the extreme cold of Alaska and the Yukon to the moderate
temperatures in Southern California to the heat of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.
In addition to differences in geography and climate, Canada, The United States, and
Mexico (have)………… many different types of people. Immigrants from all over
the world, their descendants, and indigenous people (populate)…………. these three
countries.
Because so many different groups (populate)………… North America, language
has become an issue. For example, Quebec, one of Canada’s most important
provinces, (be)……….. mostly French speaking. On the other hand, the vast
majority of the rest of the country (speak)……….. English. Because the United
States (absorb) …………..hundreds of thousands of immigrants each year, it also
(have)…………. some controversy with language. Should all immigrants to the
United States have to learn English? Some people (say)…………. yes. However,
many others (disagree)…………. In Mexico, there (be)……….. large numbers of
Indians who (have)…………… their own languages. Many can speak the national
language, Spanish, but many others cannot.
 II. Give the correct form of the verbs in brackets, then put these sentences in the
negative form, using Present Simple tense.

1. Water (boil)………… at 1000C

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2. Hot air (rise)……………
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3. My uncle (work)……………in a factory
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4. John and Sue (wear) ……………glasses
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5. The children (eat)……………a lot of sweets
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6. He only (work)…………..at weekends
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7. I always (go)……………out on Saturdays.
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8. She (drive) …………..to London once a week.
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9. She never (get)………….up very early
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10. I occasionally (eat)………….. meat
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III. Give the correct form of the verbs in brackets, then put these sentences in the
interrogative form.

1. The coach (leave)……………at 6 this evening

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2. The concert (start)………….at 7 next Friday
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3. I (see)………….Barcelona won again.
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4. It (say)…………in the newspaper it’ll be hot.
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5. She (understand)……………..English well

 
6. They often (drink)……….. a lot of tea
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7. This coat (belong) to you
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8. He (seem) unfriendly
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9. You (know) what I (mean)
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10. She prefer fish to meat
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IV. Use the Simple Present tense to complete the following with appropriate form of the
verbs in parentheses

Housing or Living?

At 84, Nathan Saperstein (be)……….. accustomed to living with lots of people. He

(be) ………..the oldest resident in The Sharing House in Boston. He (live)
…………with 15 others, aged 23 to 84. Everyone (have)………. a private bedroom,
but the five bathrooms and the kitchen (belong) …………. to everyone.

Everyone (help)……….. take care of the house. Each person (be)…………

responsible for certain jobs. Saperstein’s job is security guard. He (explain)
…………...: “ At 11:00 P.M I (turn) ………….the lights of and (make)…………
sure that everything (be) ………. okay”. Others (take) …………out the garbage,
(clean)………… up the kitchen and bathrooms, or (figure)………… out the bills.

Although the jobs (be) divided, the housemates (help) ………….each other out
whenever possible. The success of the house (depend)…………. on cooperation.
Saperstein (be) …………. very satisfied with his situation. He (get) ……………
along well with all of his housemates. In other places, he (say)…………., a person
might never (find) ………….out his neighbor’s name. Here I (be)…………. part of
the family. I (know) …………..people (care)…………. for me. He (be) pleased
with the atmosphere of the house. The housemates always (make) time to talk over
each other.