Right Forms of Verbs

1. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

Once there (a) —(live) a farmer who had three sons. They always (b) —(quarrel) with each other. Their parents told them to (c) —(stop) but they didn’t listen to their advice. One day the farmer (d) —(tell) his sons to bring five sticks and a rope. He (e) —(make) a bundle of the sticks and told his sons to break it. They tried and tried but (f) —(fail). At last he untied the sticks and gave one stick each. Now they could easily break the sticks. Then the farmer (g) —(say), “If you remain united like the sticks, you will be very strong and none can harm you”. After that the sons stopped (h) —(quarrel).

2. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

One day Meena and her parrot Mithu (a) —(climb) a tall tree to pick a mango. She (b) —(pick) the mango and took it to her mother. Although Meena (c) —(pack) the mango, her mother gave the larger share of the fruit to Raju. Meena (d) —(feel) very disappointed. At dinner, Meena (e) —(notice) that Raju as usual had got an egg but she did not. Mithu was not pleased to see that. Mother (f) —(want) to see if the children (g) —(wash) their hands before they started eating. While they were outside washing their hands, Mithu (h) —(divide) the egg into two and put half of it on Meena’s plate.

3. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

Once, a hare and a tortoise (a) —(compete) in a race. The peacock (b) —(be) the judge. The hare (c) —(run) very fast and went a long way in a moment. He (d) —(look) back but could not see the tortoise. So he (e) —(sit) to take rest under a tree and soon (f) —(sleep) off. When he (g) —(wake) up, it was evening. So he felt worried and (h) —(begin) to run fast. But when he reached the goal, the tortoise had already crossed the finishing line.

4. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

Once two rats (a) —(find) a piece of bread. They could not (b) —(agree) on how to divide the bread because each rat (c) —(want) the larger share. At last they (d) —(go) to Mr. Monkey for help. Mr. Monkey said that they should solve their own problem. But the rats (e) —(persist) and asked him to divide the bread. So Mr. Monkey (f) —(break) the bread into two halves and put them on his scales. One part became larger and he (g) —(take) a bite from that part. Now the other part became larger and he took another bite from that part. Only a little piece (h) —(leave) and now the rats agreed to divide it themselves.

5. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

Once a farmer (a) —(have) a wonderful goose. She (b) —(use) to lay a golden egg every day. He (c) —(sell) it in the market and got much money. Little by little he (d) —(grow) rich. But the farmer was very greedy and wanted to get all the eggs at a time. So one day he (e) —(decide) to cut the goose. His wife forbade him to do it but he did not listen to her. He (f) —(grab) the goose and (g) —(cut) her belly. But alas! There was no egg in the belly. He (h) —(become) very worried and began to cry in fear.

6. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

One day when a woodcutter (a) —(cut) wood, his axe (b) —(fall) into a river. He (c) —(make) a good search but his efforts were in vain. Finally, he (d) —(burst) into tears. An angel (e) —(appear) before him with a golden axe. But the woodcutter did not accept it. The angel disappeared and soon (f) —(return) with a silver axe. The woodcutter again said that it was not his axe. The angel once again (g) —(dive) into the river and came up with the woodcutter’s axe. The poor man now said that it was his axe and thanked the angel. She (h) —(give) him all the axes for his truthful nature.

7. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

Once a farmer, who was old and weak, (a) —(have) two sons. They (b) —(be) very strong and healthy but lazy. They didn’t do any work. One day the farmer (c) —(call) his sons to his bed and said that there (d) —(be) hidden treasures in his fields. Saying this, the farmer died. The sons (e) —(be) very greedy and (f) —(dig) the field again and again. But they (g) —(find) no hidden treasures. At last, they (h) —(sow) seeds in the fields. After two months they got golden crops. Now they became very happy and thanked their father.

8. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

Once a bone (a) —(get) stuck in a wolf’s throat. First, he (b) —(try) to swallow. Then he (c) —(try) to spit it out but the bone wouldn't move. He got afraid. Suddenly he (d) —(remember) the crane and (e) —(go) for help. He (f) —(promise) to give it a lot of gifts. The crane (g) —(take) the bone out with its long beak. Then it (h) —(demand) the gifts. In reply, the wolf said that it was his reward that he had not killed it yet. The crane was very much disappointed and ran away to save its life.

9. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

One day while (a) —(cross) a field, a fox (b) —(get) in a trap. At last, he (c) —(come) out of the trap but (d) —(lose) his tail. He was ashamed of his loss. But the fox was very clever and wicked. He (e) —(tell) the other foxes that the tail looks ugly. So he had cut his tail off. Some foxes (f) —(agree) to cut their tails off. Then an old and wise fox (g) —(say), “You didn’t cut your tail off. You lost it in a trap.” Hearing this, the fox (h) —(feel) ashamed and flew away.

10. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

Once there (a) —(live) a fox in a village. One day he (b) —(be) very hungry. He (c) —(search) for food everywhere but did not find any. At last, he (d) —(see) a bunch of grapes hanging from a grapevine. His mouth (e) —(start) watering. He wanted to eat the grapes. So, he (f) —(jump) and (g) —(jump) to get them. But all his efforts (h) —(end) in smoke. He could not reach any grape.

11. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

Once there (a) —(live) many mice in a house. They (b) —(eat) and (c) —(cut) the things in the house. The owner (d) —(become) very angry and brought a fat cat. The cat (e) —(start) hunting and killing the mice every day. The mice could not (f) —(move) freely now. So they (g) —(hold) a meeting to solve the problem but none could give any solution. At last, a young mouse (h) —(propose) to tie a bell around her neck.

12. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

Once there (a) —(be) a king called Midas. He (b) —(be) very greedy. Although he (c) —(have) a lot of wealth, he (d) —(want) more and more. One day, a wise god (e) —(grant) his wish. The king (f) —(become) very happy and (g) —(run) to the palace. His little daughter (h) —(come) up to him. He touched her and she turned to gold. The king loved his daughter more than anything. So he began to cry in fear. Then the god took pity on him and took his power away. The king became repentant. He was no longer greedy.

13. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

Bayazid (a) —(be) a good boy. Once his mother (b) —(be) ill. At midnight she (c) —(wake) up and (d) —(want) to drink water. Bayazid (e) —(go) to the kitchen to bring some water but (f) —(find) the pitcher empty. Then he (g) —(go) to bring water from the fountain which was far away from his house. When he (h) —(come) back home with water, he found his mother asleep. He didn’t want to disturb his ailing mother. So he remained standing before her the whole night. In the morning his mother got up and found Bayazid standing beside her. She embraced her son with deep love and prayed to Allah for him.

14. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

Once there (a) —(be) an old pond in a village. Some frogs (b) —(live) there happily. One day the frogs (c) —(sing) in chorus. Some boys (d) —(pass) by the pond. They (e) —(hear) the frogs and (f) —(begin) to throw stones at the frogs. All the frogs (g) —(stop) singing. But the boys (h) —(continue) to throw stones. As a result, many frogs (i) —(die) and many (j) —(become) severely injured. At last an old frog said, “Oh boys! Please stop. Don’t play with our lives. What is play to you is death to us.” Hearing this, the boys stopped throwing stones.

15. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

Once, a fox (a) —(be) very thirsty. He (b) —(see) a big well nearby and (c) —(peep) into it. The fox (d) —(slip) and (e) —(fall) into the well. He (f) —(try) to come out. But he could not do so. After some time, there (g) —(come) a goat that (h) —(be) also thirsty. He too peeped into the well. The fox saw the goat and said from inside, “The water is very sweet. Come and enjoy.” The foolish goat also (i) —(jump) into the well. The clever fox (j) —(climb) on the back of the goat and (k) —(jump) out of the well.

16. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

A woman (a) —(have) a pet mongoose which (b) —(be) very faithful. One day she (c) —(go) to market, leaving her baby in its care. At that time a big cobra (d) —(enter) the house. The mongoose (e) —(kill) it after a long and fierce fight. When the woman (f) —(come) back she (g) —(see) the mongoose lying at the entrance. She (h) —(notice) its blood-covered mouth. In her haste, she (i) —(think) that it had killed her baby. In a moment of sudden fury, she (j) —(kill) it. When she (k) —(enter) the house she (l) —(be) filled with remorse. Her baby (m) —(play) cheerfully and a big cobra (n) —(lie) dead nearby.

17. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

Once upon a time two friends (a) — (pass) by a forest. They  (b) — (talk) about their love for each other. Suddenly a bear  (c) — (come) there. The first friend  (d) — (climb) up a tree. The later  (e) — (climb) up a tree. He did not find any way. He  (f) — (lie) down on the ground and feigned death. The bear smelt his ears, nose and face. He  (g) — (think) him to be dead. Then the bear  (h) — (go) away.

18. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

A crow was very thirsty and  (a) — (want) to drink water. It (b) — (flow) from one place to another in search of water and at last found a jar in a garden. There was some water in the jar but it  (c) — (be) too low down and out of his reach. The crow tried to  (d) — (turn) the jar over and over again but it had no effect. Then it decided to fly away in despair. As it was leaving the jar, it  (e) — (notice) a heap of pebbles nearby. It hit upon a plan then and  (f) — (take) some pebbles. Then it  (g) — (drop) the pebbles into the jar. As each pebble went down, the water in the jar (rise) up little by little. When the water came to the mouth of the jar crow  (h) — (drink) it.

19. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

A long time ago the town of Hamlin in Germany was faced with a great problem. It (a) — (become) full of rats. The people of the town  (b) — (come) to the town hall. They said to the Mayor to  (c) — (do) something about rats. The Mayor  (d) — (call) a meeting of the councilors. The Mayor and the councilors  (e) — (talk) abut the problem. But they (f) — (find) a way out. At that moment there  (g) — (be) a knock at the door. The Mayor said, “Come in”. The stranger  (h) — (enter) the hall.

20. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

There lived a farmer in a village. He  (a) — (have) a few acres of land. The lands  (b) — (yield) him some crops. With that he  (c) — (support) his family with difficulty. So he always thought how he could add to his income. One day he  (d) — (walk) through the fields. While  (e) — (walk) he came across-a purse of gold. He thought that it might have  (f) — (be) dropped by a passer-by. However, he  (g) — (pick) it up and carried it home. He  (h) — (show) it to his wife.

21. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

Once upon a time there (a) — (be) an honest and pious man. His name was Abu Ben Adhem. He was once  (b) — (sleep) peacefully. Suddenly he  (c) — (wake) up and saw an angel. The angel was writing the names of persons who loved God. He  (d) — (ask) the angel if his name was there. In reply the angel  (e) — (say) that his name was not there. Abu then requested him to put his name in the list because he  (f) — (love) mankind and his fellow brothers. The angel  (g) — (take) down his request and went away. He again  (h) — (appear) the next night and showed Abu that his name was at the top of the list.

22. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

A snake lived in a hole at the foot of a tree. High up on its branches  (a) — (be) the nest of a crow. The crow  (b) — (have) four young chicks in its nest. Whenever the crow would leave the nest to bring food for its chicks, the snake would climb up and eat one. In this way the snake  (c) — (eat) up three of the chicks. The crow at last thought of a plan (d) — (get) rid of its enemy. It stole an expensive necklace of the princes from the royal palace and  (e) — (drop) it into the snake's hole after scattering a few rubies here and there. The king became very angry at the loss and sent out men (f) — (look) for the necklace. In course of time they  (g) — (notice) the scattered rubies near the hole. They dug the hole, (h) — (kill) the snake, and took the necklace.

23. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

Once there lived a beggar in a city. He could not earn much by  (a) — (beg).So he thought how he (b) — (add) to his income. One day an idea  (c) — (cross) his mind. He thought that he would have more money if he  (d) — (pretend) to be dumb. So one day he  (e) — (paint) the word 'dumb' on a board. He (f) — (hang) it round his neck. Another beggar also  (g) — (live) in the city. He was very jealous of him. He wanted (h) — (teach) him a good lesson.

24. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

Once upon a time there  (a) — (live) a young man named Androcles. He (b) — (catch) by a slave merchant who sold him to a rich man. His master was very bad and  (c) — (inflict) heavy torture on him. Androcles was very home-sick. One day he  (d) — (flee) from his master's house and took shelter in a cave. In the evening a lion  (e) — (enter) the cave. The lion seemed wounded as it  (f) — (groan). It came near Androcles and lifted its paw. He took the lions paw in his hand and  (g) — (remove) a big thorn from it. The lion  (h) — (relive) from its pain.

25. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

Once sheikh Saadi (a) — (go) to Bagdad with a group of rich merchants. He had a bundle of books and some money with him. The merchants had their goods and a lot of money. They (b) — (travel) for twelve days without any trouble. On the thirteenth day a gang of robbers  (c) — (attack) them. The robbers  (d) — (take) away all the goods and money from the merchants. Then the leader of the robbers  (e) — (come) to Saadi. He ordered Saadi (f) — (give) all he had to him. Sheikh Saadi (g) — (hand) him the bundle of books and also the little money he had without any fear. Saadi then said, “I hope that you  (h) — (make) good use of these books.”

26. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

Once there was a man  (a) — (name) Aesop in Greece. He was famous for his fables on moral lessons. He was a slave in his early days but he was very religious minded. Once he  (b) — (sell) to a farmer who was lazy. On the first day Aesop found that his master  (c) — (not say) his morning prayer but slept till sunrise. He  (d) — (wake) his master but he  (e) — (not leave) his bed. He asked Aesop to go to the field  (f) — (work) for him. Aesop woke his master next day too. But the master  (g) — (become) very angry and gave him a bag of barley. He told him to go to the field and  (h) — (sow) the seeds.

27. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

Long ago there lived a very kind and generous man in Yemen. The name of that man  (a) — (be) Hatem Tai. He was not rich but he  (b) — (be) very hospitable. People  (c) — (praise) him more than a king. One day the king  (d) — (give) a dinner. The guests praised the king. So the king  (e) — (feel) happy and proud. But the guests praised Hatem Tai also. This  (f) — (make) the king angry. So the king  (g) — (want) to have him  (h) — (remove) the world.

28. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

Taimur was one of the greatest conquerors of the world. Once he  (a) — (attack) the province of a powerful prince. He entered the kingdom of the prince and  (b) — (capture) a large village. The village  (c) — (situate) far away from the capital. The prince  (d) — (hear) the news. He (come) with a large army. His soldiers  (e) — (surround) the village on all sides and a terrible battle took place. Taimur's soldiers (f) — (kill). Taimur (g) — (disguise) himself as a poor traveller.  Thus he saved his life.

29. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

William Shakespeare  (a) — (bear) in 1564 at Stratford-on-Avon in England. He received a sound basic education. But he never  (b) — (attend) any college. Shakespeare  (c) — (marry) at eighteen to a woman of twenty one. A few years later, he  (d) — (go) to London. There he became an actor and a playwright. He had three children before he  (e) — (be) twenty-one. During the next ten years, he  (f) — (compose) his greatest plays. By this time, he was thirty. He  (g) — (become) prosperous before he  (h) — (reach) the age of thirty four.

30. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

Long, long ago there lived a fisherman in a village. He (a) — (not support) his wife and three children well. Every day he (b) — (go) fishing early in the morning. But he never  (c) — (throw) his net into the sea more than four times. One morning he threw his net into the sea as usual. He thought he  (d) — (catch) a large fish and so he felt very happy. But a moment later he  (e) — (see) that there no fish, rather only a dead donkey. He (f) — (very disappoint).Then the fisherman  (g) — (become) angry. He (h) — (just repair) his net and he noticed that the weight of the dead donkey had broken it in several places.

31. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

Once a dog  (a) — (eat) a bony piece of meat under a tree. A crow saw him and wished  (b) — (eat) that. It flew away and after some time returned with another crow. Both the crows went near the dog. One of them started  (c) — (pick) the dog’s tail. The dog not only felt  (d) — (disturb) but also  (e) — (become) angry. The dog dropped the bone and  (f) — (bark) at the crow. In the meantime the other crow flew away with the bone. The dog  (g) — (run) after the crow but in vain. Thus they (h) — (make) him sad and helpless.

32. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

Once there lived a Sultan in a country. He wanted  (a) — (appoint) an honest man as his tax collector. Then he  (b) — (invite) applications. A number of people  (c) — (apply) for the job. So he asked for the wise counsellor’s advice. The applicants  (d) — (ask) to meet the Sultan one by one. They came through a passage where gold coins  (e) — (keep). When they all arrived the Sultan asked them  (f) — (dance). All the applicants  (g) — (blush) and refused except one. Then he  (h) — (find) the desired man.

33. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

Robert Bruce was the king of Scotland. He reigned over the country well and his subjects  (a) — (be) happy under his rule. The greedy king of England attacked Scotland  (b) — (grab) his territory. He tried his best  (c) — (uphold) the independence but fortune  (d) — (not smile) upon him. After repeated defeats, he has to take shelter in a lonely cave. There he saw a spider  (e) — (try) to reach the ceiling with the help of its silken thread to complete the cobweb. The spider  (f) — (try) again and again to go up but dropped down cave. Bruce observed that the spider came out successful in its twentieth attempt. He saw a ray of hope from the struggle and thought that if the spider  (g) — (not accept) defeat, why should he? Filled with new hope he brought together his scattered forces and finally succeeded in  (h) — (defeat) his enemies.

34. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

Once there (a) — (live) a cowboy in a village near a deep forest. He used to (b) — (tell) lies to make fun. One day the boy cried out, “Tiger! Tiger! Help! Help!” The villagers (c) — (rush) to help him but found no tiger. The villagers became angry and (d) — (go) away. Some days later, the boy made the same fun and the villagers (e) — (deceive) again. One day a tiger really came. The boy cried for help but nobody (f) — (come). At last the tiger (g) — (kill) all the cows. The boy saved his life (h) — (run) away from the spot.

35. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

Once a cap-seller was (a) —(go) to a distant market. On the way, he (b) —(sit) under a big tree and slept off. There were many monkeys on the tree. They came down and (c) — (take) the caps away. Waking up, the cap-seller was (d) — (shock) to see his basket empty. To his surprise, he saw the monkeys (e) — (wear) them. He found that monkeys were imitating him. So, he started (f) — (throw) his cap down. The monkeys also did so. The cap-seller (g) — (collect) all the caps, put them back in his basket and (h) — (go) away happily.

36. Complete the following passage by using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 

Once there (a) —(live) a farmer who had three sons. They always (b) —(quarrel) with each other. Their parents told them to (c) —(stop) but they didn’t listen to their advice. One day the farmer (d) —(tell) his sons to bring five sticks and a rope. He (e) —(make) a bundle of the sticks and told his sons to break it. They tried and tried but (f) —(fail).At last he untied the sticks and gave one stick each. Now they could easily break the sticks. Then the farmer (g) —(say), “If you remain united like the sticks, you will be very strong and none can harm you”.  After that the sons stopped (h) —(quarrel).