Past Simple Passive in real stories
When the thing done matters more than who did it. Old tales lean on it constantly, because in a folk tale nobody signs their name.
- Form
- was/were + past participle
- Use
- The action is more important than who did it.
24 sentences, 24 different stories
One example per story, so this is the tense across the shelf and not one tale retold.
A hungry Fox saw some fine bunches of Grapes hanging from a vine that was trained along a high trellis, and did his best to reach them by jumping as high as he could into the air.
THE FOX AND THE GRAPES →A Lion asleep in his lair was waked up by a Mouse running over his face.
THE LION AND THE MOUSE →She began dropping pebbles into the Pitcher, and with each pebble the water rose a little higher until at last it reached the brim, and the knowing bird was enabled to quench her thirst.
THE CROW AND THE PITCHER →He completely deceived the shepherd, and when the flock was penned for the night he was shut in with the rest.
THE WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING →Then Goosey-poosey went in, and “Hrumph,” off went her head and Goosey-poosey was thrown beside Turkey-lurkey.
HENNY-PENNY →Before long the bear was left so far behind that he saw he might as well give up the hunt first as last, so he stretched himself out by the roadside to rest.
JOHNNY-CAKE →The door was not fastened, because the Bears were good Bears, who did nobody any harm, and never suspected that anybody would harm them.
THE STORY OF THE THREE BEARS →Are they nice apples?” “Yes, very,” said the little pig. “I will throw you down one.” And he threw it so far, that, while the wolf was gone to pick it up, the little pig jumped down and ran home.
THE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS →McGregor's garden: your Father had an accident there; he was put in a pie by Mrs.
PETER RABBIT →A gig was coming along the road; it was driven by Mr.
BENJAMIN BUNNY →He was quite pleased when he looked out and saw large drops of rain, splashing in the pond-- "I will get some worms and go fishing and catch a dish of minnows for my dinner," said Mr.
MR. JEREMY FISHER →Once upon a time there was a dear little girl who was loved by everyone who looked at her, but most of all by her grandmother, and there was nothing that she would not have given to the child.
LITTLE RED-CAP [LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD] →There was once a Prince who wished to marry a Princess; but then she must be a real Princess.
THE REAL PRINCESS →When all was ready a signal was given, and they began their music.
THE TRAVELLING MUSICIANS →As soon as the young princess saw her ball, she ran to pick it up; and she was so overjoyed to have it in her hand again, that she never thought of the frog, but ran home with it as fast as she could.
THE FROG-PRINCE →The boy was called Hansel and the girl Gretel.
HANSEL AND GRETEL →Afterwards two pretty little beds were covered with clean white linen, and Hansel and Gretel lay down in them, and thought they were in heaven.
Hansel and Gretel (part 2) →There was once upon a time a poor widow who had an only son named Jack, and a cow named Milky-white.
JACK AND THE BEANSTALK →There she was forced to do hard work; to rise early before daylight, to bring the water, to make the fire, to cook and to wash.
ASHPUTTEL →Prince! prince! look again for thy bride, For she’s not the true one that sits by thy side.’ Then he looked down, and saw that the blood streamed so much from the shoe, that her white stockings were quite red.
Cinderella (part 2) →However, they put all that was given them into their knapsacks; and continued to work with as much apparent diligence as before at their empty looms.
THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES →Now this king was very fond of money; and when he heard the miller’s boast his greediness was raised, and he sent for the girl to be brought before him.
RUMPELSTILTSKIN →The frame of the window was made of fine black ebony, and as she sat looking out upon the snow, she pricked her finger, and three drops of blood fell upon it.
SNOWDROP →Come! do you eat one part, and I will eat the other.’ Now the apple was so made up that one side was good, though the other side was poisoned.
Snow White (part 2) →
Read them where they live
Every sentence above comes from a story on this site, free to read, with the audio and a tap on any word for its meaning. The grammar is easier to keep once you have met it in something you wanted to read anyway.