The Children of Lir / Los hijos de Lir

The Children of Lir

The sea god Lir had a daughter and three sons with his first wife. When she passed away, he married her sister. But this lady was jealous of the four children and turned them into swans to get them out of her way. The spell obliged the children to spend three hundred years in three different lakes each, which meant they would live as swans for 900 years. So that they would never be separated, the swan children chained themselves to each other with silver chains. Time went by and Ireland became Christian. The swans sought refuge in a monastery, where their chains and the spell snapped when the bells of the angelus rang.But though they became human again, they were no longer children. They were 900 year old people and only had time to be baptized before they died and their souls flew up to heaven.

Los hijos de Lir

El dios del mar, Lir, tuvo una hija y tres hijos con su primera esposa. Al enviudar, se casó con la hermana de su difunta esposa, pero esta mujer quiso deshacerse de los cuatro niños y les convirtió en cisnes. El hechizo obligaba a los niños a pasar como cisnes 300 años en cada uno de tres lagos diferentes, es decir, serían cisnes un total de 900 años. Para no separarse nunca, los niños-cisnes se encadenaron los unos a los otros con cadenas de plata. Pasaron los siglos e Irlanda se convirtió al cristianismo. Un día los cisnes se refugiaron en un monasterio, lugar en el que se rompieron sus cadenas y el hechizo simultáneamente cuando sonaron las campanadas del ángelus. Pero ya no eran niños. Eran ancianos de novecientos años y sólo les dio tiempo a ser bautizados antes de morir, por lo que sus almas subieron directamente al cielo.

Don Quijote 

My teacher says that in Ireland, swans are sacred. 

Dice mi profe que en Irlanda, los cisnes son sagrados. 

The Sidhe / Los Sidhe

Riders of the Sidhe

The Sidhe (pronounced like the pronoun “she” and meaning “mounds”) are a tribe of Irish fairies that live in underground palaces they enter through portals found in hills. These beings do not seem to step out of their territory very often, but on certain days they all ride out together in a spectacular cavalcade. In this painting they are celebrating Midsummer’s eve, the 21st of June, which is the moment when the sun is at its brightest and after which the dark half of the year begins. The riders are carrying two of the more famous treasures of the Sidhe. These are the Dagda´s bottomless cauldron of plenty and of resurrection and Nuada's sword, which always cuts down those it is used against. Among the riders is Caolte of the Flaming Hair. He is a leader who lights up the dark for his followers. Also among those present is Niahm, a princess of the fairies who invites mortals to dream. The Sidhe carry off those mortals who set eyes on them. This is not always physical abduction, however. It can mean that the seers will lose interest in “reality” as created by realists and begin to see other possibilities. The poem you can read below is by Yeats. The painting above, by John Duncan, who said he heard fairy music when he painted.       

La Cabalgata de los Sidhe

Los Sidhe (se dice “shi” y significa “montículos”) son una tribu de hadas irlandesas que viven bajo tierra en palacios a los que entran por portales que se encuentran en pequeñas colinas. En fechas señaladas salen todos juntos a pasear en una gran cabalgata. En este cuadro han salido a celebrar el 21 de junio, día en el que comienza la mitad oscura del año. Los jinetes portan dos de sus más famosos tesoros, el caldero de la abundancia y de la resurrección del Dagda y la espada de Nuada, de la que nadie puede escapar. Entre los jinetes está Caolte, del pelo en llamas. Es un líder que alumbra a los demás en la oscuridad. Niahm, princesa de la hadas, llama a los mortales a soñar. Los Sidhe se llevan a los mortales que les ven. Esto no siempre significa un secuestro físico. Puede significar que los videntes pierden el interés en “la realidad” fabricada por los realistas y empiezan a ver otras posibilidades. La poesía sobre los Sidhe que puedes leer más abajo es de Yeats. La imagen de arriba es de un cuadro de John Duncan, que decía escuchar música de las hadas mientras pintaba. 

The Hosting of the Sidhe / La invitación de los Sidhe 

The host is riding from Knocknarea

And over the grave of Clooth-na-bare;

Caolte tossing his burning hair

And Niamh calling Away, come away:

Empty your heart of its mortal dream.

The winds awaken, the leaves whirl round,

Our cheeks are pale, our hair is unbound,

Our breasts are heaving, our eyes are a-gleam,

Our arms are waving, our lips are apart;

And if any gaze on our rushing band,

We come between him and the deed of his hand,

We come between him and the hope of his heart.

The host is rushing ‘twixt night and day,

And where is there hope or deed as fair?

Caolte tossing his burning hair

And Niahm calling Away, come away.

La hueste cabalga desde Knocknarea

Y sobre la tumba de Clooth-na-bare;

Caolte sacudiendo su melena en llamas

Y Niamh llamando Venid, partid:

Vaciad vuestro corazón de su sueño mortal.

Los vientos despiertan, las hojas revolotean girando,

Nuestras mejillas son pálidas, nuestro pelo está suelto,

Nuestros pechos vibran y nuestros ojos brillan encendidos,

Nuestros brazos saludan, nuestros labios están abiertos;

Y si alguien fija su vista en nuestra veloz banda,

Nos metemos entre él y la obra de su mano,

Nos metemos entre él y la esperanza de su corazón.

La hueste vuela entre el día y la noche.

¿Y dónde hay esperanza u obra tan bella?

Caolte sacudiendo su melena en llamas
Y Niahm llamando Venid, partid.  

Don Quijote

I'm sure I must have seen these people somewhere, even if only prancing through the pages of a book.

En alguna parte tuve que ver yo a estos señores, aunque sólo fuese cabalgando por las páginas de un libro.

Below a video in which the poem is read with an Irish accent.

Abajo, un video en el que se lee el poema con un acento muy irlandés.

The Rhine Gold / El oro del Rin

Oberon

You know what, Titania? My first job was guardian of the gold of the Nibelungs. Back then I was under a spell that didn’t let me grow and my parents thought it would be best for me to live among my cousins  the dwarfs. But one day I grew to my present height and was politely fired. I left, but not before they had made me a shareholder in Rhine Gold, Inc, a very anonymous corporation. Every month they send me a check to pay my dividends. But this month it hasn´t arrived. Is there some kind of a traffic jam at the post office? I doubt it, because the mail has been arriving on time ever since my PM fell asleep and stopped flooding the postman with letters.

¿Sabes, Titania? Mi primer empleo fue el de guardián del oro de los nibelungos. Entonces yo estaba bajo un hechizo que no me dejaba crecer y mis padres pensaron que estaría mejor viviendo entre mis primos los enanos. Pero un día sí que empecé a crecer y me largaron de allí. Pero no sin que me hiciesen antes accionista de El Oro del Rin, Sociedad Muy Anónima. Todos los meses, me mandan un cheque para pagar mis dividendos. Pero este mes no me ha llegado. ¿Estará alguien colapsando el hada correo? Me extraña, porque desde que mi primer ministro se quedó roque y dejó de inundar al cartero, el correo ha estado llegando muy bien.

Titania

I´ve told you many a time not to tell me stories about your German origins. I don't like them. I was born both English and queen. Some of us do things right from the very start.

Te tengo dicho que no me cuentes historias de tus orígenes alemanes, que no me gustan. Yo soy inglesa y reina de nacimiento. Los hay que hacemos las cosas bien desde el principio.

Puck

So, I´m back, Oberon! You sent me for the dividends of your shares in the gold of the Rhine enterprise. Well, I´ve got news for you. I´ve got bad news, and also…well, in my personal opinion, worse news. The bad news is the gold has disappeared. It was last seen floating towards Switzerland. The possibly worse news is that the dwarfs are growing out of proportion. They used to be up to my navel and now…

Bueno, ya estoy de vuelta, Oberon. Me mandaste en busca de los dividendos del oro del Rin. Pues traigo dos noticias. La primera es mala, pero la segunda…bueno, en mi opinión personal es peor. La primera noticia es que el oro ha desaparecido, aunque fue visto por última vez flotando en dirección a Suiza. La segunda noticia, y no es por contar historias de miedo, es que nos crecen los enanos. Antes me llegaban al ombligo y ahora…

Oberon

Hm. Even running a circus is a risky business nowadays.

No, si es que ya no se puede ni montar un circo con tranquilidad.

Titania

But why have you brought these overgrown dwarfs back with you? We don´t need more wee folk here. We have got kids. By the way, where are they?

¿Pero por qué te has traído devuelta contigo a estos enanos creciditos? No necesitamos más gente menuda aquí. Tenemos hijos. Por cierto, ¿dónde están?

Puck

Well, Titania, it so happens that while I was running this errand I also ran into two of your little girls, the inseparable ones. They were manufacturing screeching cucumbers of the kind Germans hang on Christmas trees. If you have no clue what those are, don´t worry because you´ll learn when they give you one on Christmas Eve. It´s not likely you´ll miss much not finding out sooner. And as for the boy Arley, he was back there too, but at a university, with his scientific girlfriend, who is set on becoming a recycling queen with the support of a tribe of Rubbishies. Or is it the other way around?

Pues mire, Titania, al hacer este recado, casualmente me encontré con dos de las tres niñas menores, las dos que son inseparables. Estaban fabricando pepinillos gritones de esos que cuelgan los alemanes en los árboles de navidad. Si no sabe lo que es eso, ya se enterará cuando le regalen uno en nochebuena. No se pierde nada no enterándose antes. Y el niño Arley también anda por ahí, pero ese está haciendo unos cursos con su novia, la científica, que está decidida a convertirse en la reina del reciclado con el apoyo de una tribu de basuritas. ¿O es al revés? 

Tristan and Isolde / Tristán e Isolda

Tristan and Isolde

The Cornish knight Tristan travelled by sea to fetch the Irish princess Isolde, promised in marriage to his uncle King Mark. On the way back to Cornwall, Tristan and Isolde knowingly or unknowingly drank a magic potion that made them fall deeply in love. Thus begins this tragic tale which has multiple versions. In one, the jealous king kills his nephew with a poisoned dart alter hearing him play the harp for Isolde. It is said thatTristan and Isolde were buried together and  a hazel and  a honeysuckle sprung from their graves inseparably intertwined.

Tristán e Isolda

Tristán, caballero de Cornualles, viaja por mar para recoger a la princesa irlandesa Isolda, prometida de su tío, el rey Marcos. En el viaje de vuelta, Tristán e Isolda beben, queriendo o sin querer, una poción mágica que hace que se enamoren perdidamente. Así empieza esta tragedia de múltiples versiones. En una, celoso, el rey mata a su sobrino clavándole en la espalda un dardo envenenado tras escucharle tocar el harpa para Isolda. Se cuenta que enterraron a Tristán e Isolda juntos y que un avellano y un árbol de madreselva brotaron de su tumba y crecieron inseparablemente entrelazados.

Didn't I cry when I read this!

¡Lo que lloré cuando leí esto!

Keats' Vilia / La vilia de Keats

La Belle Dame Sans Merci (The Beautiful, Pitiless Lady)

The Celtic Vilia is a witch of the woods. Unwary men who invade her territory may fall wildly in love with her and never recover from the experience. Whether she is evil and only seeks to do harm or is unhappily unable to create a happy ending for her love affairs is a mystery. This legendary creature may have inspired Keats’ poem about a poet who wanders about the countryside late in autumn and encounters the shattered victim of a beautiful, pitiless woman. He is a dying knight, already more of a ghost than a living man. She is a supernatural being who has been through this many times before. Both have inspired many an artist.    

La Belle Dame Sans Merci  (La bella dama sin piedad)

La vilia de la mitología celta es una bruja del bosque. Incautos que invaden su territorio pueden acabar locamente enamorados de ella y perder más que la cordura. Si es malvada y sólo busca hacer daño o si llora amargamente porque es desgraciadamente incapaz de lograr un final feliz para sus asuntos amorosos no deja de ser un misterio. Esta criatura legendaria pudo haber inspirado los versos de Keats sobre un poeta que vaga por el campo a finales del otoño y se encuentra con la moribunda victima de una mujer hermosa que según él carece de piedad. Él es un caballero armado que ya está más muerto que vivo. Ella es un ser sobrenatural que ha pasado por esto más veces. Ambos han inspirado a más de un artista. 

La Belle Dame Sans Merci

O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms,

Alone and palely loitering?

The sedge has withered from the lake,

And no birds sing.

O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms,

So haggard and so woe-begone?

The squirrel’s granary is full,

And the harvest’s done.

I see a lily on thy brow,

With anguish moist and fever-dew,

And on thy cheeks a fading rose

Fast withereth too.

I met a lady in the meads,

Full beautiful—a faery’s child,

Her hair was long, her foot was light,

And her eyes were wild.

I made a garland for her head,

And bracelets too, and fragrant zone;

She looked at me as she did love,

And made sweet moan.

I set her on my pacing steed,

And nothing else saw all day long,

For sidelong would she bend, and sing

A faery’s song.

She found me roots of relish sweet,

And honey wild and manna-dew,

And sure in language strange she said—

‘I love thee true’.

She took me to her Elfin grot

And there she wept and sighed full sore,

And there I shut her wild wild eyes

With kisses four.

And there she lullèd me asleep,

And there I dreamed—Ah! woe betide!—

The latest dream I ever dreamt

On the cold hill side.

I saw pale kings and princes too,

Pale warriors, death-pale were they all;

They cried - "The Belle Dame Sans Merci

Thee hath in thrall!"

I saw their starved lips in the gloam, 

With horrid warning gapèd wide,

And I awoke and found me here,

On the cold hill’s side.

And this is why I sojourn here,

Alone and palely loitering,

Though the sedge is withered from the lake,

And no birds sing.

La Bella Dama Sin Piedad

Oh, ¿Qué puede afligirte, caballero armado,
Solitario y deambulando débilmente?
El junco del lago se ha marchitado
Y no hay pájaros que canten.

Oh, ¿Qué puede afligirte, caballero armado,
Tan demacrado y tan acongojado?
El granero de la ardilla está lleno
Y la cosecha ya ha sido recogida.

Veo un lirio en tu frente,
Húmedo con agonía y febril rocío,
Y en tu mejilla una rosa se desvanece
veloz al marchitarse.

Conocí a una dama en los prados
de  plena belleza, una hija de las hadas;
Su pelo era largo, su caminar era ligero
Y sus ojos eran salvajes

Tejí una guirnalda de flores para su cabeza
Brazaletes también, y un cinturón fragante;
Me miraba al hacerme el amor
Con dulces quejidos.

La senté en mi corcel errante
Y nada más vi durante el resto del día
Allí ella se recostaba y cantaba en mi oído
Una cántico de las hadas.

Me encontró raíces de dulce sabor
Miel salvaje y maná de rocío
Y en un lenguaje extraño sin duda dijo-
‘Te amo de veras’.

Me llevó a su gruta encantada
Y allí lloró, y suspiró desolada,
Y allí con cuatro besos
cerré sus salvajes ojos salvajes.

Y allí me arrulló hasta dormirme
Y allí soñé – ¡Ah, en que mala hora!
El último sueño que  tuve
En la ladera de la fría colina.

Vi pálidos reyes, y príncipes también,
Pálidos guerreros, todos pálidos como la muerte;
Gritaban – "La bella dama sin piedad
Te ha esclavizado!"

Vi sus famélicos labios en la penumbra
Distorsionados en horrenda advertencia
Y desperté, y me encontré  aquí,
En la ladera de la fría colina.

Por eso  me encuentro aquí
Solo, deambulando débilmente,
Aunque se haya marchitado el junco del lago
Y no haya pájaros que canten.

Since the British consider the Spanish somewhat dangerous and savage, it is not surprising that another artist saw the beautiful, pitiless lady as akin to an Andalusian woman. There she is below.

Como los ingleses nos consideran  salvajes y peligrosos, no es de extrañar que otro artista haya visto a la bella dama sin piedad con un aire sospechosamente andaluz.Debajo de esto está.  

I wrote that poem. I´m John Keats.

Yo escribí ese poema. Soy Juan Keats.

Hymn to the Rose / Himno a la rosa

Hymn to the Rose

The rose has always been a symbol of love, either divine or profane. To wear a crown of roses is to enter the service of love, renouncing violence and hatred and singing the virtues of beauty, peace and happiness. That is probably what the figures in John Duncan’s painting are doing, singing a song in honor of love. In mediaeval times a red rose with five petals was the symbol of the blood that sprung from the wounds of Jesus. Likewise, the rose, especially the white rose, was a symbol of the Virgen Mary. The Catalans sing the Virolai, an hymn to the dusky Virgen of Monstserrat, whom they call the April rose. The rose is also the symbol of England. Though any rose will do, the most English of all roses is probably the Tudor rose, a fusion of the red and white roses of the houses of Lancaster and York. In England, local belles are called English roses.  

El himno a la rosa

La rosa ha sido siempre un símbolo del amor, ya fuese divino o mundano. Llevar una corona de rosas era entrar al servicio del mismo, deponer la violencia y el odio y cantar a la belleza, la paz y la felicidad. Es probablemente lo que están haciendo los personajes del cuadro de John Duncan, apostar por el amor. En el medievo, la rosa roja de cinco pétalos representaba la sangre de las cinco heridas de Cristo, y las rosas, sobre todo la rosa blanca, a la Virgen María. Los Catalanes cantan el Virolai, un himno a la Virgen de Montserrat, en el que la llaman la rosa de abril. La rosa también es un símbolo de Inglaterra. Aunque sirve cualquier rosa, la más típica es la que resulta de la fusión de una rosa blanca con una roja. En Inglaterra, a las bellezas locales, las llaman rosas inglesas.

Don Quijote

I've been to Barcelona. It didn't go well with me there but I thought it was beautiful anyway. There I saw the sea for the first time. Below is a Tudor rose. 

Yo he estado en Barcelona. No me fue bien, pero me pareció preciosa de todas formas. Allí vi por primera vez el mar. Debajo tenéis una rosa Tudor. 

At Chicago's Haymarket Square / En la plaza Haymarket de Chicago

Why does everybody think “Al Capone” when they hear the word “Chicago?” Other things have hapenned there and other people have achieved more important stuff in this city. For example…

¿Por qué todo el mundo piensa “Al Capone” cuando oye la palabra “Chicago”? Otras cosas han ocurrido allí y hay muchas personas que han conseguido logros importantes en esta ciudad. Por ejemplo…

On May 4, 1886, a number of people gathered near Chicago´s Haymarket Square to protest peacefully because the day before some workers had died at the hands of the police while participating in the eight hour workday movement.

El 4 de mayo de 1886 unas personas se reunieron cerca de una plaza en Chicago para protestar pacíficamente porque el día antes unos obreros habían muerto a manos de la policía al participar en el movimiento que pretendía conseguir una jornada laboral de ocho horas diarias.

At first all went well, but when the police decided the rally had lasted long enough and tried to break it up, somebody threw a bomb at them. As a result of the explosion of the bomb and of shots fired immediately after by the police and possibly also some of the civilians present, seven police officers and four civilians died and a great number of all those present were wounded, though we will never know how many because some of these were afraid to speak out and never did. The only thing that is clear about this riot is that it lasted about five minutes.

Al principio todo iba bien, pero cuando la policía decidió que aquello ya había durado bastante e intentó disolver la reunión alguien tiró una bomba. A consecuencia de la explosión de la bomba y los tiros que a continuación pegaron los policías presentes, murieron siete oficiales de policía y cuatro civiles. También hubo muchos heridos, tanto entre la policía como el público aunque nunca se supo cuantos porque mucha gente tuvo miedo de declarar y nunca dio parte de lo que les había sucedido. Lo único que quedó claro de este barullo fue que la plaza se quedó vacía en cinco minutos. No duró más.

Today we still ignore who threw the bomb, but although there was no clear evidence against them and some were not even present when the bomb was thrown, eight activists were arrested, judged and condemned for this. Four of these men were hanged and one committed suicide in jail.

Hoy sigue sin saberse quién lanzó la bomba, pero a pesar de que no había evidencia que les inculpase y de que algunas de estas personas ni siquiera estaban en la plaza cuando se lanzó el artefacto, ocho activistas fueron juzgados y condenados por estos hechos. De estos, cuatro llegaron a ser ahorcados y uno se suicidó en la cárcel.

In 1893 a new governor of Illinois set those that were still living free, convinced that their trial had been unjust and their conviction the result of fear, hatred and also xenophobia, since most of these men were immigrants or of German origin. Only two had British roots.

En 1893, un nuevo gobernador de Illinois soltó a los tres activistas que seguían con vida porque tenía claro que el juicio había sido injusto y que sólo el miedo, el odio y la xenofobia habían motivado la condena de estos hombres, seis de los cuales eran inmigrantes o de origen alemán. Los otros dos eran de origen británico.

Defenders of the rights of laborers consider these people martyrs of their cause and decisive in the achievement of the eight hour workday. These events are one of the reasons why International Labor Day is celebrated on the 1st of May.

Los defensores de los derechos de los trabajadores consideran a estos ocho hombres como mártires de su causa, decisivos en la consecución de la jornada laboral de ocho horas y el día internacional del trabajo en parte se celebra el 1 de mayo en recuerdo de estos hechos.

And yes, Chicago also has wonderful architecture and devoted poets, and lots more. So why does it always have to be about Capone?

Y sí, Chicago también tiene grandes obras arquitectónicas y poetas entregados y mucho más. ¿Por qué siempre hay que pensar en Capone?

Find words in the text that mean:

1. worker
2. come together
3. bust, dissolve
4. person who fights for a cause
5. hurt
6. big fight, usually among many people, in a public place 
7. executed
8. facts that prove something
9. fundamental
10. successful realization
11. someone who suffers and or dies for a cause
12. happenings
13. activities undertaken to attain a goal
14. strong dislike or mistrust of foreigners
15. supporters
16. prison

     

Exercises Irregular Verbs Past Simple / Ejercicios Pasado Simple Verbos Irregulares

PRACTICE THE PAST TENSE OF IRREGULAR VERBS

I - WRITE THE MEANING OF THESE WORDS IN SPANISH:

1. give ___________  2. bite ____________ 3. bet ______________

4. lay ____________  5. lead ____________ 6. forget ___________

7. believe _________  8. hear ___________   9. wear ____________

10. stand _________  11. sit ____________ 12.  shoot ___________

13. think _________   14. tear ___________ 15. hit ______________

16. sink __________  17. feed ___________18. tell______________

19. sweep ________  20. lend ___________ 21. fall _____________

22. fly ___________   23. beat ___________ 24. stick ____________

II - FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH THE PAST FORM OF THESE VERBS:

1. Peter __________ (swim) very well.

2. Mary __________(buy) a blue dress.

3. Patricia _________(think) I was you.

4. Sylvia _________(dream) of her family.

5. I _________ (cut) some flowers.

6. She __________(give) me a gift for my birthday.

7. He _________(tear) the papers.

8. It _________(begin) to rain.

9. They _________(keep) the money in the bank.

10. We __________(fight) with our neighbours.

11. My dog __________(bite) the bad man.

12. Eliza ___________ (eat) spaghetti.

13. Fred ___________(sell) his old car.

14. She ___________(wear) a red coat.

15. Mr. Philips __________ (forget) to buy orange juice.

16. She ___________(lend) Tom money.

17. Margery __________ (feed) the cat.

18. The Titanic ___________ (sink) in the ocean.

19. The policeman __________ (shoot) the criminal with his gun.

20. We __________ (hear) the news on TV.

III – FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH THE NEGATIVE OF THE PAST SIMPLE OF THESE IRREGULAR VERBS:

1. Peter ______________ (not buy) a new motorcycle.

2. Margaret ____________(not forget) to visit her grandma.

3. We ________________ (not eat) at a Japanese restaurant.

4. The dog ____________(not bite) the children.

5. The house ___________ (not fall) down.

6. John ___________ (not swim) in the river.

IV - WRITE QUESTIONS FOR THESE ANSWERS:

1.

Yes, I saw Elizabeth yesterday.

2.

No, I drove a green car last night.

3.

Yes, I slept at my friend’s house last night.

4.

Yes, Peter built our house.

5.

No, the chilren didn´t swim in our pool.

6.

Paul wrote a letter to Anne.

7.

Elizabeth swept the floor.

8.

Alfred made the beds.

9.

Pansy taught French.

10.

Peter ran to the bus station.

11.

Elsa went to Chicago.

12.

They had a party on Friday evening.

V - FURTHER PRACTICE PAST TENSE OF IRREGULAR VERBS

1. Elizabeth ____________ (fly) to London yesterday afternoon.
2. We ___________ (buy) many things at the shopping center.
3. Arthur ___________ (hide) the money under a tree.
4. The neighbours ___________ (make) a lot of noise last night.
5. Sandra __________(fight) with her best friend.
6. George __________ (give) his mother flowers for Mother’s Day.
7. Arnold __________ (sell) his CDs to Peter.
8. Why did the Titanic _____________ (sink)?
9. Who ___________ (shoot) President Kennedy?
10. Our guide ___________ (lead) us to the Prado Museum.
11.  Martha ______________(not keep) the books in her schoolbag.
12.  Edward _____________(forget) it was Sunday.
13.  Hilary ______________(not see) the car accident.
14. Did you ____________(hear) the story about Dick´s cat?
15. Where did they ___________ (swim) this morning?
16. Pamela __________ (tear) her dress.
17.  Mary ____________(not wear) the green jacket.
18.  Patrick ____________(understand) the lesson well.
19.  Ricky _____________ (find) a pirate´s treasure.
20.  Anton ____________(speak) five languages.
21. Pilar ___________(not eat) sushi.
22.  Did Alex ___________(drive) your car?
23.  I _____________(think) Portugal was in Asia.
24. What did Mrs. Peters _________ (teach)?
25.  The pyromaniac ___________ (burn) a forest.
26.  Who  ___________ (run) to Marathon?
27.  Georgina __________ (tell) her little sister a beautiful story.
28. Mark _____________(come) to see us.
29.  The children ___________(not go) to the park today.
30.  Who __________ (win) the football match?
31.  Why did you ___________(write) to Emily?
32.  Who ___________(write) that novel?
33.  Susan ____________(not read) your letter.
34. Madeleine ____________ (cut) her finger with a knife.
35. Your team ___________(not beat) our team last week.
36. Bertie _____________(not hit) his brother.
37. Randolph __________ (eat) a lot of peanuts.
38. The people ____________(become) quiet.
39. What did Margery __________ (make) for you to eat?
40. Did  Margery__________ (make) muffins?                                                                          
41.  Who __________(make) muffins?                                                                                  
42. They __________ (stick) the parts together with glue. (con pegamento)                       
43. He ___________(bet) money on a horse.                                                                            
44. She ___________(shake) Mrs. Wright’s hand.                                                                   
45. Manuel __________ (take) his dog to school with him.

ANSWERS / RESPUESTAS : Exercises Irregular Verbs Past Simple / Ejercicios Pasado Simple Verbos Irregulares

PRACTICE THE PAST TENSE OF IRREGULAR VERBS

I - WRITE THE MEANING OF THESE WORDS IN SPANISH:

 1. give - dar  2. bite - morder 3. bet - apostar

4. lay - poner  5. lead - liderar 6. forget - olvidar

7. believe - creer  8. hear - oír   9.wear- vestir, llevar puesto

10. stand - estar o ponerse de pie  11. sit - sentarse 12. shoot - disparar

13. think - pensar   14. tear - rasgar 15. hit -golpear

16. sink - hundir  17. feed - alimentar18. tell - decir

19. sweep - barrer  20. lend - prestar 21. fall - caer

22. fly - volar   23. beat - apalear, batir 24. stick – pegar (por ejemplo con pegamento)

 

II - FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH THE PAST FORM OF THESE VERBS: 

1. Peter swam (swim) very well.

2. Mary bought (buy) a blue dress.

3. Patricia thought (think) I was you.

4. Sylvia dreamt / dreamed (dream) of her family.

5. I cut  (cut) some flowers.

6. She gave (give) me a gift for my birthday.

7. He tore (tear) the papers.

8. It began (begin) to rain.

9. They kept (keep) the money in the bank.

10. We fought (fight) with our neighbours.

11. My dog bit (bite) the bad man.

12. Eliza ate (eat) spaghetti.

13. Fred sold (sell) his old car.

14. She wore (wear) a red coat.

15. Mr. Philips forgot (forget) to buy orange juice.

16. She lent (lend) Tom money.

17. Margery fed (feed) the cat.

18. The Titanic sank (sink) in the ocean.

19. The policeman shot (shoot) the criminal with his gun.

20. We heard (hear) the news on TV.

 

III – FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH THE NEGATIVE OF THE PAST SIMPLE OF THESE IRREGULAR VERBS:

1. Peter didn’t buy (not buy) a new motorcycle.

2. Margaret didn’t forget (not forget) to visit her grandma.

3. We didn’t eat (not eat) at a Japanese restaurant.

4. The dog didn’t bite (not bite) the children.

5. The house didn’t fall (not fall) down.

6. John didn’t swim (not swim) in the river.

 

IV - WRITE QUESTIONS FOR THESE ANSWERS:

1.    1.  Did you see Elizabeth yesterday?

Yes, I saw Elizabeth yesterday.

2.    2.  Did you drive a red car last night?

No, I drove a green car last night.

3.    3.  Did you sleep at your friend’s house last night?

Yes, I slept at my friend’s house last night.

4.    4.  Did Peter build your house?

Yes, Peter built our house.

5.    5.  Did the children swim in your pool?

No, the chilren didn´t swim in our pool.

6.    6. Who wrote a letter to Anne?

Paul wrote a letter to Anne.

7.   7.  What did Elizabeth sweep?

Elizabeth swept the floor. 

8.    8. Who made the beds?

Alfred made the beds. 

9.   9.  What did Pansy teach?

Pansy taught French.

1 10. . What did Peter do?

Peter ran to the bus station.

1111.  Where did Elsa go?

Elsa went to Chicago.

1112.  When did they have a party?

They had a party on Friday evening.

 

V - FURTHER PRACTICE PAST TENSE OF IRREGULAR VERBS

1. Elizabeth flew (fly) to London yesterday afternoon.
2. We bought (buy) many things at the shopping center.
3. Arthur hid (hide) the money under a tree.
4. The neighbours made (make) a lot of noise last night.
5. Sandra fought (fight) with her best friend.
6. George gave (give) his mother flowers for Mother’s Day.
7. Arnold sold (sell) his CDs to Peter.
8. Why did the Titanic sink (sink)?
9. Who shot (shoot) President Kennedy?
10. Our guide led (lead) us to the Prado Museum.
11.  Martha didn’t keep (not keep) the books in her schoolbag.
12.  Edward forgot (forget) it was Sunday.
13.  Hilary didn’t see (not see) the car accident.
14. Did you hear (hear) the story about Dick´s cat?
15. Where did they swim (swim) this morning?
16. Pamela tore (tear) her dress.
17.  Mary didn’t wear (not wear) the green jacket.
18.  Patrick didn’t understand (understand) the lesson well.
19.  Ricky found  (find) a pirate´s treasure.
20.  Anton spoke (speak) five languages.
21. Pilar didn’t eat (not eat) sushi.
22.  Did Alex drive (drive) your car?
23.  I thought (think) Portugal was in Asia.
24. What did Mrs. Peters teach (teach)?
25.  The pyromaniac burnt (burn) a forest.
26.  Who  ran (run) to Marathon?
27.  Georgina told  (tell) her little sister a beautiful story.
28. Mark came (come) to see us.
29.  The children didn’t go (not go) to the park today.
30.  Who won (win) the football match?
31.  Why did you write (write) to Emily?
32.  Who wrote (write) that novel?
33.  Susan didn’t read (not read) your letter.
34. Madeleine cut (cut) her finger with a knife.
35. Your team didn’t beat (not beat) our team last week.
36. Bertie didn’t hit (not hit) his brother.
37. Randolph didn’t eat (eat) a lot of peanuts.
38. The people became (become) quiet.
39. What did Margery make (make) for you to eat?
40. Did  Margery make (make) muffins?                                                                          
41.  Who made (made muffins?                                                                                  
42. They stuck (stick) the parts together with glue. (con pegamento)                       
43. He bet (bet) money on a horse.                                                                            
44. She shook (shake) Mrs. Wright’s hand.                                                                   
45. Manuel took (take) his dog to school with him.