These exercises will help you actively apply the archaic English forms covered in the course, from second-person pronouns to archaic verb conjugations and vocabulary found in Shakespeare and the King James Bible.
→ See the course : Archaisms in English : complete course
Exercice 1 — Identify the Correct Archaic Form
Choose the correct archaic English word or form to complete each sentence as it would appear in a Shakespearean or King James Bible text.
- Speak now, or ___ hold thy peace for evermore.
- ___ thou art my brother, I shall not forsake thee.
- He ___ spoken many words, yet none hath moved the king.
- I shall return ___ the sun doth set upon the hills.
Correction
- Speak now, or else hold thy peace for evermore.
- Sith thou art my brother, I shall not forsake thee.
- He hath spoken many words, yet none hath moved the king.
- I shall return ere the sun doth set upon the hills.
Exercice 2 — Match the Archaism to Its Modern Equivalent
Match each archaic English word or phrase on the left with its modern English equivalent on the right.
- Thou dost
- Ere long
- Whither goest thou?
- Methinks it is a fault
Correction
- Thou dost corresponds to 'you do' in modern English.
- Ere long corresponds to 'before long' or 'soon' in modern English.
- Whither goest thou? corresponds to 'Where are you going?' in modern English.
- Methinks it is a fault corresponds to 'It seems to me that it is a fault' in modern English.
Exercice 3 — Complete the Archaic Passage
Fill in each blank with the appropriate archaic English word or conjugated form to restore the passage to its original Early Modern English style.
- ___ canst thou not hold thy tongue when the king ___ speak?
- She ___ wept bitterly, for she knew ___ her hour was come.
- Go ___ to the market, and return ___ nightfall.
- ___ art the man whom I have chosen above all ___.
Correction
- Why canst thou not hold thy tongue when the king doth speak?
- She hath wept bitterly, for she knew that her hour was come.
- Go thee to the market, and return ere nightfall.
- Thou art the man whom I have chosen above all others.
To go further on this topic: