1. Replace the infinitives in brackets by the Present Indefinite or the Past Indefinite. 1. They (to work) hard at that problem for a whole year, but when they (to fail), the failure (not to discourage) them and they (to start) working anew. 2. Stratford-on-Avon (to be) a small town in central England where Shakespeare (to be born). 3. Renaissance (to mean) “a new birth,” “a revival”. Thus we (to call) the time of the great revival of art and learning which (to cover) the 15th and 16th centuries and (to mark) the transition from medieval to the modern world. 4. Some two centuries ago, when there (not to be) trains, cars and trams, people (to travel) in carriages. The mail-coach (to take) both people and the post from town to town. In some carriages the driver (to stand) or (to sit) behind the carriage. Even, when the train (to appear) some English writers still (to prefer) to make their heroes travel by cabs, hansoms and mail-coaches. 5. Latin (to be) a dead language now, but it (to be) the international language some four centuries ago. 6. Many thousands of years ago Cyprus (to be) famous for its copper. Our word “copper” (to originate) from the old word “cuperus”, which (to come) from Cyprus. 7. The Metric system (to be) a system of measures and weights which (to be) first adopted in France. 8. In ancient Rome people (to use) sticks of bone or metal with a pointed end, for writing on waxed tablets. They (to call) these sticks “styles”. Now this word (to mean) a mode of writing or speaking. 9. I (not to know) that Shishkin (not to create) his picture Morning in the Pine Wood alone. The no less famous painter Savitsky (to paint) the bear with her three little cubs.
Explanation:
- The sentence is in the past tense, so we use the Past Indefinite form of the verbs.
- "Worked" is the Past Indefinite form of "to work".
- "Failed" is the Past Indefinite form of "to fail".
- "Did not discourage" is the Past Indefinite form of "not to discourage".
- "Started" is the Past Indefinite form of "to start".
2. Stratford-on-Avon is a small town in central England where Shakespeare was born.
Explanation:
- The sentence is in the present tense, so we use the Present Indefinite form of the verbs.
- "Is" is the Present Indefinite form of "to be".
- "Was born" is the Past Indefinite form of "to be born".
3. Renaissance means "a new birth," "a revival". Thus we call the time of the great revival of art and learning which covered the 15th and 16th centuries and marked the transition from medieval to the modern world.
Explanation:
- The sentence is in the present tense, so we use the Present Indefinite form of the verbs.
- "Means" is the Present Indefinite form of "to mean".
- "Call" is the Present Indefinite form of "to call".
- "Covered" is the Past Indefinite form of "to cover".
- "Marked" is the Past Indefinite form of "to mark".
4. Some two centuries ago, when there were no trains, cars and trams, people traveled in carriages. The mail-coach took both people and the post from town to town. In some carriages, the driver stood or sat behind the carriage. Even when the train appeared, some English writers still preferred to make their heroes travel by cabs, hansoms, and mail-coaches.
Explanation:
- The sentence is in the past tense, so we use the Past Indefinite form of the verbs.
- "Were" is the Past Indefinite form of "to be".
- "Traveled" is the Past Indefinite form of "to travel".
- "Took" is the Past Indefinite form of "to take".
- "Stood" and "sat" are the Past Indefinite forms of "to stand" and "to sit".
- "Appeared" is the Past Indefinite form of "to appear".
- "Preferred" is the Past Indefinite form of "to prefer".
5. Latin is a dead language now, but it was the international language some four centuries ago.
Explanation:
- The sentence is in the present tense, so we use the Present Indefinite form of the verbs.
- "Is" is the Present Indefinite form of "to be".
- "Was" is the Past Indefinite form of "to be".
6. Many thousands of years ago, Cyprus was famous for its copper. Our word "copper" originates from the old word "cuperus", which came from Cyprus.
Explanation:
- The sentence is in the past tense, so we use the Past Indefinite form of the verbs.
- "Was" is the Past Indefinite form of "to be".
- "Originates" is the Present Indefinite form of "to originate".
- "Came" is the Past Indefinite form of "to come".
7. The Metric system is a system of measures and weights which was first adopted in France.
Explanation:
- The sentence is in the present tense, so we use the Present Indefinite form of the verbs.
- "Is" is the Present Indefinite form of "to be".
- "Was adopted" is the Past Indefinite form of "to be adopted".
8. In ancient Rome, people used sticks of bone or metal with a pointed end for writing on waxed tablets. They called these sticks "styles". Now this word means a mode of writing or speaking.
Explanation:
- The sentence is in the past tense, so we use the Past Indefinite form of the verbs.
- "Used" is the Past Indefinite form of "to use".
- "Called" is the Past Indefinite form of "to call".
- "Means" is the Present Indefinite form of "to mean".
9. I did not know that Shishkin did not create his picture Morning in the Pine Wood alone. The no less famous painter Savitsky painted the bear with her three little cubs.
Explanation:
- The sentence is in the past tense, so we use the Past Indefinite form of the verbs.
- "Did not know" is the Past Indefinite form of "not to know".
- "Did not create" is the Past Indefinite form of "not to create".
- "Painted" is the Past Indefinite form of "to paint".