SIMPLE PAST
USE
We use the Past Simple tense to talk about an action that
happened at a particular point in the past. We often use past time
expressions such as yesterday, last week, and in +
month/season/year.
The doctor examined my leg yesterday.
PASSIVE VOICE
My leg was examined by the doctor yesterday.
EXERCISE
1 The patient was given a general anaesthetic.
2 A variety of medicines were used to help control the mood
swing.
3 Many accidents were prevented by following simple
guideline.
4 The malaria life cycle was discovered in 1902.
5 Mr. Bloomfield suffered from shortness of breath and
wheezing three weeks ago.
6 The coughs woke him up at night about three times.
7 The patient showed a history of previous attacks.
8 Damage to the heart was possibly caused by high blood
pressure.
9 Last week, the specialist mentioned two main drugs that
work on the heart.
10 Chest pain and tightness contributed to the patient’s
condition last month.
EXERCISE 1
1 The patient is arriving / arrives / arrived at 9.45p.m last
night.
2 We didn’t called / didn’t call / calling an ambulance, because
it wasn’t necessary.
3 Did you catch / catched / caught your cold at school ?
4 I walked / am walking / was walking when the dog attacked
me.
5 A: Did she interview the patient ? B: Yes, she did /
interviewed / do.
6 What were you doing while / when / during you broke your
leg ?
7 She didn’t / wasn’t / were concentrating while she was
driving.
8 They were / was / been in a fight.
EXERCISE 2
1 The patient was given a general anaesthetic.
The doctor gave the patient a general anaesthetic.
2 A variety of medicines were used to help control the mood
swing.
We used a variety of medicines to help control the mood
swing.
3 Many accidents were prevented by following simple
guideline.
Following simple guideline prevented many accidents.
4 The malaria life cycle was discovered in 1902.
They discovered the malaria cycle in 1902.
5 Mr. Bloomfield suffered from shortness of breath and
wheezing three weeks ago.
6 The coughs woke him up at night about three times.
He was woken up about three times at night by the coughs.
7 The patient showed a history of previous attacks.
8 Damage to the heart was possibly caused by high blood
pressure.
High blood pressure caused damage to the heart.
9 Last week, the specialist mentioned two main drugs that
work on the heart.
Two main drugs that work on the heart were mentioned by
the specialist.
10 Chest pain and tightness contributed to the patient’s
condition last month.
EXERCISE 3
1 The patient _____ a general anaesthetic.
( gave / gives / was given/ were given)
2 A variety of medicines _____ to help control the mood swing.
(use / are using / were used / using)
3 Many accidents ______by following simple guideline.
(prevented / are preventing / prevent / were prevented)
4 The malaria life cycle ________ in 1902.
( was discovered/ is discovered / was discovering / discovered)
5 Mr. Bloomfield ______ from shortness of breath and
wheezing three weeks ago.
(is suffered / suffer / suffered / suffering)
6 The coughs ______ him up at night about three times.
(wakes / woke / waking / were woken)
7 The patient _____ a history of previous attacks.
(show / showed / showing / is showed)
8 Damage to the heart ______ by high blood pressure.
(were possibly caused / was possibly caused / were possibly
causing / was possibly causing)
9 Last week, the specialist _______ two main drugs that work
on the heart.
( mentioned / mentions / is mentioning / is mentioned)
10 Chest pain and tightness ______ to the patient’s condition
last month.
(contributing / contribute / were contributed / contributed)
