Sir Arthur Conan

Doyle
1) Read the text and fill in the gaps with the present
simple or past simple form of the verbs in brackets.

Arthur Conan Doyle was born in Scotland in 1859. He’s most famous for his stories about Sherlock Holmes
who 1________ (be) a very good detective and 2___________ (solve) crimes with the help of his friend, Dr
Watson.
Arthur Conan Doyle 3_________ (go) to university in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. He 4__________
(move) to the south of England after university and 5___________ (become) a doctor. He 6_________ (write)
stories about Sherlock Holmes in his free time. The first story was called A Study in Scarlet.
Arthur Conan Doyle 7__________ (publish) twenty-five Sherlock Holmes stories between 1885 and 1895. But
he 8_____________ (not want) to write any more. In the story The Final Problem, Holmes and Watson
9__________ (travel) to Switzerland. There, Holmes 10____________ (meet) his enemy, Professor Moriarty.
They 11__________ (fight) and 12________ (die) at the Reichenbach Waterfalls.
But many people13_______________ (not like) this, and they wrote so many letters to Conan Doyle that he
14_______________ (change) his mind and 15 ______________ (continue) writing Sherlock Holmes mysteries
until 1920, twenty-five years later!
Many people around the world still 16____________ (love) the character Sherlock Holmes. In the stories, he
17____________(live) at 221b Baker Street, in London.
Today, the house at this address 18________ (be) a museum and people from all over the world 19_______
(visit) it. Lots of people 20____________ (take) photographs outside the museum. It is open every day of the
year, except Christmas day! Inside the museum you can buy souvenirs and Sherlock Holmes books.
Arthur Conan Doyle 21__________ (die) in 1930 in Sussex in the south of England.

2) Complete the fact file. 3) Write true (T) or false (F).

Conan Doyle
Conan Doyle’s early life:
Conan Doyle was born in Scotland in: 1_____________
Went to University in: 2 ___________________________
Worked as a: 3___________________________________
Sherlock Holmes stories
The first story is called: 4__________________________
The writer wrote 25 mysteries: 5____________________
Holmes died in the story: 6_________________________
Holmes and London:
Sherlock Holmes lived at: 7________________________
At this address in London there is a: 8_______________
The only day you can’t visit is: 9____________________
Conan Doyle’s later life:
Conan Doyle died in the year: 10___________________
Correct false sentences.
1. Arthur Conan Doyle was born in the 20th
century. ________________________________
2. Edinburg is the capital of Scotland.
________________________________________
3. After university Conan Doyle worked as a
writer. __________________________________
4. Professor Moriarty was one of Sherlock’s
friends. _________________________________
5. Sherlock Holmes died in France.
________________________________________
6. Conan Doyle refused to continue writing
stories about Sherlock Holmes.
________________________________________
7. Sherlock Holmes lived in Baker Street in
London. ________________________________
8. People can buy souvenirs at the Sherlock
Holmes shop. ____________________________
9. Sussex is located in the east of England.
________________________________________
KEY
Ex. 1)
1 was 2 solved 3 went 4 moved 5 became
6 wrote 7 published 8 didn’t want 9 travelled 10 met
11fought 12 died 13 didn’t like 14 changed 15 continued
16 love 17 lived 18 is 19 visit 20 take 21 died

Ex. 2)
1. 1859
2. Edinburgh
3. doctor
4. A Study in Scarlet
5. between 1885 and 1895
6. The Final Problem
7. 221b Baker Street
8. museum
9. Christmas Day
10. 1930

Ex. 3)
1. F (he was born in the 19th century)
2. T
3. F ( he worked as a doctor)
4. F ( Professor Moriarty was his enemy)
5. F ( in Switzerland)
6. F (Conan Doyle continued writing Holmes stories until 1920)
7. T
8. T
9. F (Sussex is located in the south of England)