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Grammar Reference B 2

The document is a B2 Grammar Reference guide that provides comprehensive grammar explanations and exercises for learners preparing for B2 level examinations. It covers various grammar topics, including verb tenses, conditionals, and state verbs, along with reading and listening comprehension exercises to enhance vocabulary and skills. The guide also includes prompts for writing practice and a structured index for easy navigation.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
13 views181 pages

Grammar Reference B 2

The document is a B2 Grammar Reference guide that provides comprehensive grammar explanations and exercises for learners preparing for B2 level examinations. It covers various grammar topics, including verb tenses, conditionals, and state verbs, along with reading and listening comprehension exercises to enhance vocabulary and skills. The guide also includes prompts for writing practice and a structured index for easy navigation.

Uploaded by

stor age
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

TEXTS AND EXERCISES GABRIELLE HODSON-HIRST

REVISION ROBIN ROBERTS

Monografia istituzionale redatta da ECI


Ente culturale italiano Via Paleocapa, 1
20121 Milano, C.F. e P.I. 81002450039.

SI RINGRAZIANO QUANTI HANNO COLLABORATO O CONTRIBUITO ALLA REALIZZAZIONE DEL PRESENTE VOLUME. EVENTUALI COMPENSI SONO A DISPOSIZIONE DEGLI AVENTI DIRITTO.
B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE Introduction

GRAMMAR REFERENCE – LEVEL B2, apart from consolidation and revision of previous levels,
provides a thorough grammar preparation for any B2 level examination and especially for the
British Academy 1972 B2 .

The full grammar explanations and wealth of exercises appropriate for this level of the Common
European Framework Reference include also problem areas such as confusing words,
prepositions preceding or following certain expressions, verbs, nouns or adjectives, idioms,
phrasal verbs and word formation.

In Unit 8 you will find revision of the tenses and verb formations found in Unit 1 to Unit 7, while Unit
20 is a general revision of all the units.

In addition to the grammar exercises, the reading and listening comprehension exercises in many
units give the opportunity of radically improving and enriching your lexicon while practicing your
reading and listening skills. They are also intended to help you focus on what is needed to
understand in order to answer the questions even though you may not understand every single
word.

The listening scripts are to be found at the end of the book. Please do not be tempted to look at
them before listening. This would defeat the purpose of the exercise!

For those who are interesting in improving writing skills, there are many prompts for paragraph or
essay writing. These are the only parts in the book which need a teacher’s correction.

The clear grammar explanations, the examples of the grammar point or lexicon in sentences, the
transcript of the listening exercises and the answer key make GRAMMAR REFERENCE – LEVEL
B2 an excellent self-study book. The units may be studied in order or according to your need to
reinforce certain skills.

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UNIT 1
B2: GRAMMAR REFERENCE B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE
INDEX

Unit Contents Page


1. Present: present simple; present continuous; verbs not used in continuous tenses 5

2. Past: past simple & continuous, past habits, past perfect simple & continuous, participle 11
clauses

3. Present perfect simple & continuous 12

4. Future: present continuous, present simple, future simple, going to, future continuous, future 27
perfect, future perfect continuous

5. Conditionals: zero, first, second, third; wishes about the past, present & future; it’s time, I’d 34
sooner, I’d rather

6. Passives; have / get something done; need, require, want, with passive meaning 41

7. Verbs followed by the infinitive, -ing and/or ‘that’ clause 48

8. General verb form and tense review exercises 54

9. Modal verbs; present, future & past, related expressions 60

10. Relative clauses 69

11. Indirect speech 74

12. Prepositions – adjectives, nouns & verbs + prepositions 81

13. Countables & uncountables; articles; determiners 91

14. Comparatives & superlatives 98

15. Connectors 104

16. Subject, object, direct & indirect questions; question tags; confusing words & expressions 111

17. Word formation: prefix, suffix; compound nouns; compound adjectives 119

18. Phrasal verbs 129

19. Idioms 138

20. General review exercises 147

Transcript 158

Answer key 166

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B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE UNIT 1
B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE

UNIT 1
PRESENT: PRESENT SIMPLE, PRESENT CONTINUOUS, VERBS NOT USED IN
CONTINUOUS TENSES
PRESENT SIMPLE:
• Use
• To talk about general truths or permanent facts:
Rain falls to the ground.
Water boils at 100° Celsius.

• To give personal details: He lives in Newport but works in Bristol.

• To talk about things which are regular, such as routines, habits or customs:
He hardly ever bothers to let her know when he’s coming.

• For summaries of the plot of books or films and, as a rule, for live commentaries on matches or
games, although the present continuous is also used in this last case:
A politician dies in mysterious circumstances and the police arrest his wife who knows the truth but
doesn’t want to reveal it.

• To criticise behaviour with just:


Whenever there’s extra work to be done, he just waits for someone else to volunteer.

• For the future when speaking of timetables, schedules, concerts, etc. NOT for personal programmes:
The plane takes off at 6.00 tomorrow.

• After time expressions with a future meaning: e.g. when, after, before, unless, in case, as soon as,
by the time, the next time: As soon as she arrives, could you ask her to ring me?

• The present simple is often found with adverbs of frequency: e.g. always, constantly, continually,
forever, often, frequently, normally, regularly, usually, sometimes, occasionally, rarely, hardly ever,
seldom, never, ever: They often offer large discounts in this season. He never works late in the evening.

• The normal position of adverbs of frequency is before the main verb, but after the verb be. An adverb
of frequency is sometimes placed at the beginning of a sentence for emphasis:
He is always punctual. Sometimes he travels to Italy on business.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS
• Use
• For actions which are in progress: She’s recovering from her operation.

• For temporary situations: She’s staying with her sister until she can find her own place.

• For a repeated temporary action (with a time expression): Nowadays he always seems to be
hurrying somewhere.

• An annoying habit (with always): He’s always breaking things.

• To talk about a current trend: House prices are going down.

• To talk about the planned future: They’re moving to Scotland next month.

STATE VERBS
Some verbs are not normally used in any continuous tense. These are called ‘state’ verbs because they
describe states rather than actions: some of the most common are:
• Verbs of thinking: e.g. expect (think) think (meaning opinion) believe, doubt, imagine, know, realise,
suppose, understand: I expect he knows what he’s doing.

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UNIT 1 B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE

• Verbs of possession: belong to, have (meaning possess), possess, own, etc.: Who does this belong
to?

• Verbs of the senses: hear, smell, sound, taste, etc.: His story sounds very fishy.
• Verbs of emotion: like, dislike, hate, love, adore, regret, prefer, want, wish, etc.: He hates working
on a Saturday.

• Verbs of appearance: appear, seem, etc.: He seems to be a decent chap.

• Others: involve, mean, include, contain, depend on, require, etc.: Her new job involves travelling all
over the world.

Some state verbs, e.g. be, have, see, taste, think, can be used in the continuous but change their meaning:
She is tall. (permanent) / She’s being very silly over this matter. (temporary)
I think he’s a fool. (It’s my opinion) / I’m thinking of changing my job. (considering) Please be quiet. I’m
thinking. (mental process)
I’m tasting the sauce. (sampling) / What does it taste like? (What flavour does it have?)
He has a new car. (possession) / He’s having dinner at the moment. (eating)
I see the sea! (sight) I see what you mean. (understand) / I’m seeing Paul later. (meeting)

1. Underline the most suitable alternative in italics to complete each sentence.


1. He has / is having a very convoluted style of speaking. Half the time I’ve no idea what he is talking / talks
about!
2. He’s a secretive person and seldom tells / is seldom telling us what he is doing / does.
3. As she isn’t watching / doesn’t watch the news, she doesn’t know / isn’t knowing what is happening /
happens in the world at any one time.
4. The concert isn’t starting / doesn’t start until eight but we are going / go earlier because we are meeting /
meet Paul and Jill for a snack before we are going / go in.
5. ‘What are you doing / do you do?’ – ‘I’m an engineer but I am not working / don’t work at the moment. I
am looking / look for my first job.’
6. I am not understanding / don’t understand what she is seeing / sees in him. Whenever we are meeting /
meet, he is being / is rude and unpleasant.
7. He is always poking / always pokes his nose into other people’s business! It’s so irritating!
8. Whenever there’s anything even vaguely disagreeable to do, he is just disappearing / just disappears
and isn’t coming / doesn’t come back until someone else is doing / does it.
9. ‘Why are you sticking / do you stick your finger into that saucepan?’ – ‘I am tasting / taste it to see if
there’s enough salt in the soup.’ – ‘Well, why aren’t you ever using / don’t you ever use a spoon? – ‘It is
tasting / tastes better on my finger!’
10. He is living / lives with his sister’s family for the time being. He is saying / says it’s only as long as it is
taking him / takes him to find his own place but he is not seeming / doesn’t seem to be making much
effort to find anywhere. In any case, I am not thinking / don’t think they’ll put up with him for much longer.

2. Put the verbs in brackets into either the present simple or present continuous.
1. The phone ………………………….. (ring). Why ………………………….. (not answer)?
2. It is reported that an English Member of the European Parliament ………………………….. (receive) a set
fee of £500 every time he ………………………….. (fly) to Brussels so he ………………………….. (buy)
an economy ticket for about £200 and ………………………….. (pocket) the difference. He allegedly
………………………….. (say) that he ………………………….. (see) it as a challenge to make some
profit.
3. “………………………….. (he, work) in the frozen food department now?” – “Yes, as part of his training he
………………………….. (spend) three months in each department.”
4. ‘Any Given Sunday’ ………………………….. (examine) the business of pro football, with its violence,
racial bias and drug use, but at its core ………………………….. (lie) a story about leadership and
sportsmanship. Al Pacino ………………………….. (play) a coach who ………………………….. (struggle)
against the march of time.
5. “They ………………………….. (always, deliver) promptly, I ………………………….. (believe).” – “Well,
no, actually I ………………………….. (still, wait for) something I ordered last month.”
6. The plant I bought last month ………………………….. (not grow) very fast even though I
………………………….. (water) it every day.

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B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE UNIT 1

7. She ………………………….. (look after) her boyfriend’s sheepdog this month. …………………………..
(you, want) to come with us to take it for a walk? It’s a beautiful dog and ……….........…………………..
(usually, behave) very well but I ………………………….. (think) it ………………………….. (miss) its
owner. Every time we ………………………….. (take) it into the country it ………………………….. (run)
off and ………………………….. (try) to herd the cows.
8. Excuse me, ………………………….. (you, read) that book? Could I borrow it?
9. “What on earth ………………………….. (he, do) up that tree?” – “I ………………………….. (think) he
………………………….. (want) to prune the top branches. A man ………………………….. (usually,
come) every year to do it but he can’t come this year. However, the tree ………………………….. (shake)
so much that it ………………………….. (become) dangerous. I ………………………….. (hope) he
………………………….. (not try) to climb up too far.”
10. I can’t understand why he ………………………….. (behave) this way. He …………………………..
(normally, be) so level-headed!
11. At the moment we ………………………….. (send) all our mail by fax or e-mail because the postmen
………………………….. (be) on strike.
12. She ………………………….. (think) of moving to Newport. She ………………………….. (work) there but
………………………….. (have) a flat in Chepstow at the moment. It ………………………….. (normally,
not take) her long to get to work but she ………………………….. (come) home right in the middle of the
rush hour and all the traffic ………………………….. (sometimes, slow) down to a crawl.
13. The film ................................ (tell) the story of a burnt-out ex-military captain, John Carter, who is
transported to Mars and ........................................ (get) involved in a war amongst the inhabitants of the
planet. In this world on the brink of collapse, Carter ..................................... (rediscover) a reason to live
when he ........................................... (realise) that its survival ................................ (depend) on him.
14. He ....................................... (not think) he ...................................... (go) to the Annual Convention next
week. In fact, he ........................................ (feel) worn out and he ......................................... (think) of
taking the whole week off to chill out.
15. The price of petrol ...................................... (seem) to have risen every time I ................................ (have)
to fill the tank. It .......................................... (get) more and more difficult to make ends meet.

3. Complete the sentences with the verbs below in the correct form of present simple or present
continuous.
buy - expect – play – cook – get – hope – fall – have - wear – smoke – grow -
wait – get up to – not know – appear - look like – feel – smell
1. Carol ……………………………… a baby, it is due in September.
2. Excuse me, ………. you ……………………………… for the bus to Newcastle?
3. I can’t understand why he ……………………………… a pair of white trousers to work in the garden.
………. he ………………………… how difficult they are to get clean?
4. In ‘Mission Impossible 2’, Tom Cruise ……………..……… the part of a special agent who
…………………… in love with a beautiful thief and ………………………… all manner of scrapes.
5. I thought I’d planted a Chinese lantern plant but the more it ………………………, the more it
………………………… a tomato plant.
6. Dire Straits ……………………………… at the Palladium this week. I’d like to go.
7. Whenever she sees him, he ………………………………. She would like to know who
……………………… cigarettes for him, as he’s too young to be served with them in a shop.
8. What ………. you ………………………? It …………………… delicious! Could I have a taste?
9. I’m sorry, you can’t speak to the director now. He ……………………………… an important meeting with
the salespeople.
10. She still …………………… a little weak after her operation but she ………………………… better and
………………………… to return to work next month.

4. Fill each space with one word. Contractions (isn’t, etc.) count as one word.
1
I thought I’d send you an email to tell you how I’m ………………………… on in my first job. I must say I’m
2 3
enjoying the experience. ………………………… the whole, the people who ………………………… there
are friendly and helpful. There’s just one fly in the ointment, Janice, the girl at reception, seems to have
4 5
taken a dislike to ………………………… . She’s ………………………… making snide remarks about people
6
fresh from university who ………………………… know anything about ‘real’ life. I don’t know
7 8
………………………… she’s .................................... so unpleasant to me. She’s charming to everybody
9 10
…………………………. It can’t be that she thinks her job is harder ………………………… mine.
11 12
………………………… the moment, I’m ………………………… a month in every department to get a

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UNIT 1 B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE
13
general ‘overview’ of all the firm, as the manager …………………………. It’s exciting but tiring and
14 15
stressful. On the ………………………… hand, her job doesn’t look ………………………… arduous.
16 17
Whenever I see her, she’s ………………………… at her desk, chatting ………………………… the phone
to all and sundry.
18 19 20
I’m still ………………………… with a cousin of …………………………, Ellie. I’m …………………………
21 22
for a place of my ………………………… because Ellie’s flat is tiny and I’m ………………………… on a
23
studio bed in the living room, which doesn’t give either of ………………………… much privacy. It also
24 25 26
………………………… me almost an hour to ………………………… to work ………………………… bus.
27
However, it’s next to impossible to find anywhere nearer and, at the ………………………… time, not too
28 29
expensive. As we get ………………………… so well, Ellie and I are ………………………… of finding a
bigger flat we could share comfortably. I’ll let you know when we find something! Must go, Ellie and I are
30
………………………… some friends at our local pub.
Love and take care,
Gail

5. ►Listen and complete the information gaps in the statements.


1. Alberto, Beryl, ………………..…….. and Debby are the names of …………….………..
2. The ………………..…….. hurricane season starts the following ………………..……..
3. The experts predict a year of ………………..……..
4. They expect ……….. hurricanes, ……….. of which are likely to be ‘…………………’.
5. These hurricanes threaten the …………………… coast of America and the …………………..
6. Winds of more than …………..mph are expected to cause …………………. surges, …………………..,
and serious …………………….. to buildings and ………………..
7. Another team expects an ‘above ………………’ season.
8. They think the American coastline has a …………. chance of being hit while the Florida peninsula has a
……………… chance.
9. The official hurricane season is from ………………….. to ………………….. but the worst storms usually
come during ………………….. and …………………...

6. Listen and fill in the missing words.


The backpacker trail now starts at the ……………………….. If your idea of a backpacker is a long-haired,
unwashed hippy, who shuns modern technology in order to commune with ……………………….., you’re way
behind the times.
Today’s young budget traveller ……………………….. that staying in touch with friends and family, as well as
swapping ……………………….. with other travellers, while on the road is easier and ………………………..
than ever. One consequence of this is a rash of Internet cafes at every backpackers’ hang-out, from
Guatemala to Goa. However much they ……………………….. off the beaten track, they’re never more than
an hour or two from the next e-mail. According to the Internet Cafe Guide, there are now more than
…………….. cyber cafes in ………….. countries, including ………….. in India and ………….. in the
Philippines. Many are open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, allowing travellers to drop in to
……………………….. and receive e-mail and browse the Internet. Some backpackers set up their own
……………………….. before leaving the UK and keep them updated as they go.
One of the most encouraging aspects of the ……………………….. is the emergence of new communities
united by a single interest, in this case, budget travel, regardless of age, sex or ………………………... The
free trade in information, ideas and tips on backpackers’ sites ……………………….. that today’s travellers
are better informed than their predecessors and less likely to stumble blindly into ………………………...

7. Read the completed text and find words or expressions in the text which have the following
meanings.
1. …………………………………… = traveller who carries everything on a large bag, or rucksack, on his /
her back
2. .…………………………………… = route
3. .…………………………………… = dirty
4. .…………………………………… = avoids
5. .…………………………………… = very old-fashioned in one’s ideas
6. .…………………………………… = traveller who travels very cheaply
7. .…………………………………… = exchanging
8. .…………………………………… = large number of things all appearing at the same time
9. .…………………………………… = place where a particular group stays or spends a long time
10. .…………………………………… = in a place that is far away from people, houses, etc.
11. .…………………………………… = using electronic science to communicate
12. .…………………………………… = pay a casual visit

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B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE UNIT 1

13. .…………………………………… = look through or consult in a casual way


14. .…………………………………… = establish or create
15. .…………………………………… = made more modern or containing the latest information
16. .…………………………………… = paying no attention
17. .…………………………………… = advice
18. .…………………………………… = people who went before
19. .…………………………………… = become involved in a certain situation or place by accident
20. .…………………………………… = without being aware, carelessly

8. Read the text or listen again and choose the correct answers.
1. ‘The backpacker trail now starts at the keyboard’ means backpackers ........
a) travel by email
b) use the Internet as a means of keeping in touch
c) track their progress by computer
d) don’t bother to move from their house while travelling

2. The out-of-date idea of backpackers is that they are ........


a) old-fashioned
b) nonconformists
c) avant-garde
d) budget travellers

3. Backpackers ........
a) are never far from access to Internet
b) are cheap
c) always go from Guatemala to Goa
d) go to 2,800 cyber cafes on their travels

4. Cyber cafes ........


a) are always open 24/7
b) are off the beaten track
c) can be found practically all over the world
d) are mostly in the Philippines

5. One of the positive characteristics of the Internet is ........


a) that it is limited to age, gender or nationality
b) that people can browse whenever they want
c) that people can set up websites
d) the growth of groups united by common interests

6. Today’s backpackers ........


a) never get into trouble
b) have more information than they used to
c) travel freely
d) are knowledgeable

9. Rewrite each sentence, beginning as shown, so that the meaning remains the same.
1. What’s your opinion of his idea?
What do ……………………………………………………….?
2. Sue has flu.
Sue is ……………………………………………………….
3. There’s a smell of old socks in the bag you use for gym.
The bag you use for gym ……………………………………………………….
4. What’s the weight of that machine?
How much ……………………………………………………….?
5. Tom and his father are exactly alike.
Tom looks ……………………………………………………….
6. I find staying with you really enjoyable.
I am ……………………………………………………….
7. The cost of food is included in the price of the holiday.
The price of the holiday ……………………………………………………….
8. What’s inside this cupboard?

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UNIT 1 B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE

What does ……………………………………………………….?


9. What’s the meaning of this word?
What does ……………………………………………………….?
10. A new publicity campaign is under discussion.
They are ……………………………………………………….

10

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B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE UNIT 2

UNIT 2
PAST: PAST SIMPLE & CONTINUOUS, PAST HABITS, PAST PERFECT SIMPLE &
CONTINUOUS, PARTICIPLE CLAUSES
The PAST SIMPLE expresses:
• finished events in the past. A definite time expression is often used or implied: When she lived in Bristol
she studied a little French.
• past habits or states. A time expression is usually necessary: She went to the village school when she
was a child. (habit) They lived on a farm then. (state)

The PAST CONTINUOUS expresses:


• past actions in progress, often interrupted by events:
At six o’clock I was cooking. The phone rang as he was going out.
• two or more long actions or situations which were going on at the same time in the past:
She was living and working in Bournemouth in 1999. While he was cooking, she was watching her
favourite soap.
• background descriptions:
When Jill came in, Jane was sitting on her desk and Bob was talking to her.
• changing states: It was getting colder and colder.
• with always, to imply criticism:
When she was at school, she was always forgetting to do her homework.
• unfulfilled past events (especially with was/were going to + infinitive):
I was going to phone you but I forgot. He was thinking of changing his job but changed his mind.
• politeness and uncertainty: I was wondering if you could lend me some money. I was thinking of having a
few days off.

PAST SIMPLE vs. PAST CONTINUOUS


Compare the following:
past simple past continuous
When he arrived, they had the meeting. (He arrived When he arrived, they were having a meeting. (He
and then the meeting started.) arrived after a meeting had already started.)

As soon as their new colleague arrived, Don Don was talking to their new colleague and Carol
introduced himself and offered to show her around was showing a client round the factory. (two actions
the factory. (a series of actions, one after the other) going on at the same time.)

PAST HABITS
Apart from the past simple, there are other ways of expressing habit in the past. These are:
• used to: this only exists in the past simple and expresses past activities or states, often in contrast
with the present. A time expression is not necessary:
She used to work in an office but now she works from home. Didn’t he use to live near you?
• Would, which is found more in descriptive writing than in speech, is used to describe a person’s typical,
repeated past activities, not states:
When he was a child he would go blackberry picking in the woods.
N.B. Do not confuse used to + infinitive, which indicates habits in the past, with be / get used to + -ing
which can be used in any tense.
• be used to + -ing means the same as be accustomed to something / doing something:
Is he used to sleeping late in the morning?
• get used to + -ing means the same as become accustomed to something / doing something:
She can’t get used to being without air conditioning.

The PAST PERFECT SIMPLE is used:


• to describe an event which happened before another event in the past, especially where there is no time
expression to make this clear:
By the time we arrived, the film had started.
• in reported speech:
He said, “I dealt with the problem.” – He said he had dealt with the problem.
• when the sequence of actions is clear, the past perfect is not always necessary:

11

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UNIT 2 B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE

They phoned her before they left for work. = They had phoned her before they left for work.
rd
• in 3 conditional sentences:
If he hadn’t missed his train, he would have been on time.

PAST SIMPLE vs. PAST PERFECT


Compare the following:
past simple past perfect
When he arrived, they started the meeting. (He When he arrived, they had started the meeting.
arrived and then the meeting started.) (They had started the meeting before he arrived.)

The PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS is used:


• to describe long actions or situations in progress before another event took place in the past: He had
been living in Spain before his family moved to France in 1996.
• to explain the cause (past perfect continuous) of an effect (past simple) in the past: They were soaked
to the skin because they had been walking in the rain without umbrellas.
• in reported speech: He told her, “I’ve been considering sacking him.” – He told her he had been
considering sacking him.

PAST CONTINUOUS vs. PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS


Compare the following:
past continuous past perfect continuous
They were eating when we arrived. (They were still They had been eating when we arrived. (They
eating) probably weren’t eating but there were clear signs of
a meal)

There are three types of PARTICIPLE CLAUSES:


They must have the same subject as the following clause.
• past participle:
Stolen over ten years before, the painting was found in an attic.
Released from captivity, he got in touch with the local consulate.
• perfect participle:
Having been made redundant, he found it difficult to make ends meet.
Having had all he could take, he lost his temper.
• present participle:
Being sleepy, she went to bed early.
Drinking his tea slowly, he considered his options.

Participle clauses, often with an appropriate preposition or conjunction, are used to express:
• reason and result:
Not having had any lunch, he was feeling hungry.
After appearing on television, she became a celebrity.
• time:
After finishing his homework, the boy was allowed to go and play.
On arriving at his meeting, he was told it had been cancelled.
Before setting out, she checked the level of oil in the car.
While eating, she dropped her spoon.
N.B.
• the use of participle clauses is obviously not limited to past tenses:
Since moving to the village, she has felt more at ease.
On arriving at the airport, he will be met by someone.
• state verbs can be used in participle clauses:
Hearing them speak, she realised they weren’t British.
Not understanding, she asked him to explain again.

1. Underline the most suitable alternatives in italics to complete each sentence.


1. She suddenly remembered where she saw / had seen him before. She also recalled / had recalled that
she didn’t like / hadn’t liked his manner then either.
2. While Christine watched / had watched / was watching an interesting documentary, the lights went / had
gone / were going out and there was / had been a loud bang outside her kitchen window.

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3. While you passed / were passing the cinema, did you notice / had you noticed / were you noticing what’s
on next week?
4. They launched / were going to launch / had been launching the new product last month but they
discovered / had discovered that their competitors already put / had already put a similar, cheaper
version on the market so they decided / had decided to modify it.
5. We travelled / were travelling / had been travelling for six hours in the hot crowded train and I looked
forward / was looking forward to getting home and having a shower. As we were drawing / had drawn
near Newport station people began / were beginning / had begun to take their suitcases down from the
racks. However, for some obscure reason the train didn’t stop / wasn’t stopping at our station. It kept on /
had kept on going for another forty miles before finally stopped / stopping at a little station out in the
middle of nowhere. All the passengers who expected / had expected to get off at Newport got / were
getting out. The station master apologised / had apologised / was apologising and we were / had been
taken back to Newport by the first available train. Strangely enough, this train was equipped for
handicapped or invalid people which I thought / had thought / was thinking was very appropriate for the
way I had felt / was feeling by that time.
6. Many years ago I would have / used to have a friend who would live / lived in a small flat in London. So,
whenever I was going / went to London I was staying / would stay with her.
7. Last night his neighbours shouted / were shouting for hours and he didn’t get / wasn’t getting to sleep
until about four.
8. I was wondering / had wondered whether you would like to come out with me.
9. He didn’t eat / hadn’t eaten all day so he was really hungry when he arrived / had arrived home.
10. He realised / was realising someone stole / was stealing his wallet when he felt / had felt / was feeling a
hand in his pocket.

2. Put the verbs in brackets into a suitable past tense or form. Sometimes more than one answer is
possible.
1. When you ……………………………… (live) in London, ……………………………… (you, travel) by
underground?
2. I ……………………………… (try) to call you all day yesterday. Where …………………… (you, be)?
3. When she ……………………… (get) up this morning she ……………………… (see) that, although it
………………………..……… (not rain) at that moment, it ……………………………… (rain) hard during
the night because there ……………………… (be) big puddles on the ground.
4. When she ……………………… (arrive) at John’s house, everybody ……………………… (have) a good
time, although not many people ……………………… (dance).
5. Joe ……………………… (admit) he ……………………… (quarrel) with Pete but he said he
……………………… (not hit) him.
6. She ……………………… (study) English for four years before she ……………………… (go) to England.
7. After ……………………… (pack) her suitcase, she ……………………… (call) a taxi.
8. He ……………………… (have) a sweet tooth when he ……………………… (be) a child but now he
prefers savoury things.
9. When he ……………………… (be) younger, he ……………………… (always, get) into trouble.
10. They ……………………… (not have) a barbecue yesterday evening because it ………………………
(rain).
11. Laura ……………………… (not come) to the party because nobody ……………………… (invite) her.
12. After ............................... (work) at her computer for over six hours without a break, she ......................
(have) a terrible headache.
13. I recently ……………………… (make) a brief shopping trip into town. The weather ………………………
(be) awful. After ……………………… (make) the few purchases I ……………………… (need) I
……………………… (come) out of the supermarket and the heavens just ……………………… (open).
……………………… (put) up my umbrella, I ........................... (decide) to finish my shopping all the
same. All I ……………………… (leave) to get was some wrapping paper so I ……………………… (dash)
into a card shop. While I ……………………… (wait) to pay, I ……………………… (glance) up and
……………………… (notice) a man looking at me holding what ……………………… (look) like my
umbrella, but the penny ……………………… (not drop) until I ……………………… (leave) the shop. It
……………………… (still, pour) down with rain but my umbrella ……………………… (disappear) from
the stand.
14. ............................... (want) to calm her down, he .................................. (agree) to phone the police and
report the noise from the neighbouring flat. However, ............................................. (do) so, he
........................ (be) worried that the neighbours would make trouble for them the next day.
15. Last night detectives ……………………… (still, question) the man they ……………………… (arrest) last
Sunday in connection with the murder. The police ……………………… (already, conduct) two identity

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parades before forensic scientists ……………………… (search) his home yesterday for anything that
might link him to the crime.
16. An archaeologist ……………………… (dig) on a dusty Syrian plain last autumn when a bright green
object in the dirt ……………………… (catch) his eye. Until then, the only cities archaeologists
……………………… (find) dating back to 4000BC ……………………… (be) Sumerian ones in southern
Mesopotamia. Yet if cities ……………………… (spring) up in the north at the same time, archaeologists
will have to consider the possibility that a culture which ……………………… (predate) the Sumerians
................................ (sow) the seeds of civilisation in both places.
17. After ........................... (travel) for more than ten hours, she ......................... (not feel) up to going out to
dinner with friends that evening. Instead, ............................. (make) herself a sandwich and a cup of tea,
she ............................ (settle) down to watch an old film on the television.
18. When the journalist ……………………… (go) back to the army camp the next morning he
……………………… (find) it was in great confusion. Soldiers ……………………… (wander) around
looking dazed; they ……………………… (carry) pieces of equipment from one place to another but there
……………………… (not appear) to be any purpose to what they ……………………… (do). He
……………………… (never, be) in an army camp before but he ……………………… (realise) that most
of the officers ……………………… (desert) the camp. He ……………………… (try) to telephone but
something ……………………… (happen) to the lines. Suddenly, a plane ……………………… (fly) low
over the camp and bombs ……………………… (drop) all around him. He ……………………… (throw)
himself to the ground. After ……………………… (fly) round three times, the plane ………………………
(disappear) again. The journalist ……………………… (rise) cautiously and ……………………… (look)
around. Buildings and piles of equipment ……………………… (burn) furiously. A dead man
……………………… (lie) on the ground next to him, the first dead person he ……………………… (ever,
see).
19. ............................................ (face) with an angry bull, he ................................. (decide) that ‘discretion
was the better part of valour’ and ....................................... (jump) over the gate. It was only later that he
................................... (realise) his mobile phone ................................. (fall) out of his pocket during his
dash to safety.
20. He ..................................... (make) the decision to phone her on the spur of the moment. However, on
.............................. (hear) her say ‘Hello?’ he ........................................... (become) aware that he really
..................................... (not know) what to say.

3. Use the verbs given before each sentence, in the correct tense or form, to complete the sentence.
Use each verb once only.
1. act - breathe – clutch – drive – give – leap – notice - phone – praise - pull – seem – sit - take
A thirteen-year-old ........................................ in a school bus when he ..............................that their bus driver
...................................... his chest and ................................... to have difficulty in .................................... He
..................................... up from his seat, and after ................................. hold of the steering wheel, he
......................................... the bus to the curb and .................................. out the key. While another boy
............................................. for help, he .......................................... the bus driver chest compressions. The
police and school authorities later ........................ the boy and said that if he ............................... so promptly,
the bus driver might have died and there could have been a serious accident.

2. arrest – be - carry – catch – drink – happen - have – hit – overturn – travel - try
A fuel tanker, which ...................................... 9,000 gallons of petrol, ...................... a guard rail and
............................... after .................................. hit by a car which ................................. to overtake it. The
tanker................................ along the M25 motorway when the accident .............................. The motorway
....................... to be closed to traffic because the spilt petrol ........................... fire. Police .......................the
driver of the car, who .......................................... heavily at a stag party until the early hours that morning.

3. begin – give – manage – plunge – slide – tow – trap


A driver ............................. a broken-down lorry along a slippery, snow-covered hillside road when the lorry
................................ to slide towards the guardrail and a steep drop into the valley below. The barrier
................................... way and the lorry ........................ down the hill with its driver ............................ inside.
The tow truck driver ................................ to leap out just seconds before his vehicle ........................................
over as well.

4. arrest – be – charge – claim – comment – confirm – force – go - risk


After the historical Oxford and Cambridge boat race .................................... on for only eight minutes, a man
swimming across the Thames in front of the boats ........................................... officials to stop the race. The
man ..................................... his actions ........................................... ‘an act of civil disobedience’. The police
.............................. they .................................. the man and .............................................. him with committing

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a public order offence. One of the race officials .................................... that the swimmer
...................................... serious injury.

5. add – be – be able – be exposed – emerge – face – find – go – place - use


A leading bank ............................ the prospects of official fines after it ................................ that millions of its
customers ................................... to potential fraud. A spokesperson for the UK Card Association said that by
........................... a wireless reader on his phone and ............................ it over a card, he ...............................
to read the details from a card, including the name, the number and the expiry date. He ..............................
that there .......................... a serious breach of the data protection act and they would continue to investigate
until they ................................ out what .................................... wrong.

6. base – develop - enjoy – escape – find – flee – get – have – hear – insult – kill – live – move – offer –
play - produce
Caravaggio ................................ tennis in Rome in 1606 when he............................. an argument with his
opponent which ................................ into a brawl. In the following duel Caravaggio .................................... his
opponent and .............................. to Naples. He .................................. and painting there when he
............................... that the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, ..................................... on the island of Malta,
........................................ him a knighthood. .............................................. there, soon he
..................................... the patronage of the rich knights. Although he ................................... several major
works there, before long he .................... into trouble again. After ....................................... one of the knights,
he ......................... himself in prison from where he eventually ............................... to Sicily.

4. ►Listen and choose the most suitable answers.


1. Gardening is usually thought to be .......
a) connected with planting
b) a gentle occupation
c) associated with weeding

2. Blight is .......
a) a plant disease
b) on the vegetables
c) on the lawn

3. Moles are .......


a) making piles of earth on the lawn
b) animals that eat vegetables
c) small animals that dig tunnels under the ground

4. This is a story about .......


a) horticulture
b) the darker side of human nature
c) the darker side of nature

5. Bill Smith is .......


a) 33
b) 34
c) 43

6. Bill Smith built his shed .......


a) on his vegetable patch
b) on Blithe’s fence
c) against the fence between the two gardens

7. The trouble began .......


a) quite shortly after Smith had laid the foundation
b) as Smith was laying the foundation
c) as soon as Smith had put up the shed

8. Blithe said .......


a) the shed would stop his vegetables from getting enough sunlight
b) he was objectionable
c) he didn’t want a shed on his vegetable patch

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9. When the shed had been put up, Blithe said .......
a) it was ugly
b) the shed made his eyes sore
c) he had seen it with his own eyes

10. Over the next few days the two men .......
a) insulted the vegetables and herbs
b) escalated
c) made ruder and ruder remarks about each other’s gardening

11. The last straw for Mr Smith was when .......


a) Mr Blithe climbed over the fence to collect his gnomes
b) Mr Blithe threatened to damage his garden gnomes
c) Mr Blithe was violent towards his garden gnomes

12. The two men fought .......


a) with teeth
b) with garden tools
c) with spades

13. The neighbour who called the police .......


a) had been upset by the scene
b) was afraid of being attacked
c) had seen the scene from the start

14. Which statement is correct?


a) Two of the four policemen separated the pair.
b) Blithe injured two of the four policemen.
c) Two of the four policemen had to have hospital treatment.

15. The two men .......


a) were fined heavily
b) were fined and placed under legal obligation not to fight any more
c) were fined and bound up

16. After the trial, Mr Smith ......


a) wanted to bury the hatchet
b) wanted to chop wood
c) hadn’t forgiven Blithe

5. Rewrite each sentence so that it means the same and contains the word(s) given.
1. She wasn’t very keen on classical music in the past.
(use) ………………………………………………………………………..
2. She intended to write but kept putting it off.
(going) ………………………………………………………………………..
3. She bought a new stereo but first she went round shops comparing prices.
(before) ………………………………………………………………………..
4. I might possibly go to the theatre next week.
(was) ………………………………………………………………………..
5. He worked for that firm for six years and then he resigned and set up his own business.
(had, before) ………………………………………………………………………..
6. Sam had an irritating habit of cracking his knuckles.
(always) ………………………………………………………………………..
7. She took an aspirin and then she felt better.
(after) ………………………………………………………………………..
8. John was under the shower when the phone rang.
(was) ………………………………………………………………………..
9. At one time there was a cinema in that town.
(used) ………………………………………………………………………..
10. Tom left before we arrived.
(by the time) ………………………………………………………………………..

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11. The weather was increasingly cold so I bought a warm jacket.


(had) ………………………………………………………………………..
12. Although it wasn’t snowing at that moment, there was a lot of snow on the ground when she got up.
(had) ………………………………………………………………………..
13. During their dinner party, there was a black-out.
(While) .....................................................................................................
14. Joan arrived before he got to the station.
(already) ....................................................................................................
15. Because he was late, he decided to go by taxi.
(Being) ...............................................................................................................
16. He had lunch and then went out.
(After having) .............................................................................................................
17. He intended to resign but changed his mind after he was promoted.
(going, being) ..............................................................................................................
18. When she realised her son was safe and sound despite all odds, she burst into tears of joy.
(Having) .......................................................................................................................
19. He was brought up by indulgent grandparents and he became accustomed to doing more or less
whatever he wanted.
(Having, used) .............................................................................................................................
20. As he hadn’t told her anything, he was surprised she knew everything.
(having) .......................................................................................................................................

Further comprehension practice.


In the early nineteenth century there were two systems in operation for the relief of the destitute: the
workhouse and outdoor relief. The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 aimed at stopping wholesale outdoor
relief, whereby labourers’ wages were supplemented to subsistence level, by abolishing out-relief to the
able-bodied. This aroused the anger of many contemporary commentators, including Dickens and The
Times. Read the extract from Oliver Twist describing conditions in the workhouse, which was often the only
alternative to starvation for the poor.
The members of this board were very sage, deep, philosophical men, and when they came to turn
their attention to the workhouse, they found out at once, what ordinary folks would never have
discovered – the poor people liked it! ….. So, they established the rule, that all poor people should
have the alternative (for they would compel nobody, not they), of being starved by a gradual process
in the house, or by a quick one out of it. With this view, they contracted with the water-works to lay on
an unlimited supply of water; and with a corn-factor to supply periodically small quantities of oatmeal;
and issued three meals of thin gruel a day, with an onion twice a week, and half a roll on Sundays.
They made a great many other wise and humane regulations having reference to the ladies, which is
not necessary to repeat; kindly undertook to divorce poor married people, in consequence of the great
expense of a suit in Doctors’ Commons; and, instead of compelling a man to support his family, as
they had theretofore done, took his family away from him, and made him a bachelor!
(From Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens)

6. Find words or expressions from the extract with the following meanings.
a) ………………………… = wise
b) ………………………… = to start thinking about or discussing
c) ………………………… = discovered
d) ………………………… = suffering from or being killed by lack of food
e) ………………………… = supply
f) ………………………… = dealer in grain
g) ………………………… = type of flour made from oats
h) ………………………… = very thin porridge
i) ………………………… = started doing and accepted responsibility for
j) ………………………… = law case
k) ………………………… = up to then
l) ………………………… = unmarried man

[Link] examples from the extract of Dickens’s use of irony to criticise the system of the
workhouse and the board of workhouse administrators.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………

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8. In your own words, describe conditions in the workhouse.


………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………

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B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE UNIT 3

UNIT 3
PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE & PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
The PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE is formed with the auxiliary verb have and the past participle. In speech
and informal writing, contractions are generally used.

Use:
• When the time of the action is before now, but not specified, and we are often more interested in the
result than in the action itself: My computer has crashed! (I don’t say when but that’s why I’m not using
it.)
Compare: My computer crashed yesterday. (specific time)
• For an action when the time is not important. When we want to ask for or give more details about when,
where, who, the past simple is used:
He has been to Egypt.
Compare: When did he go? – He went last spring.
• To describe a state or repeated event lasting until the present, and still happening. There is often a time
expression, describing how long (especially with state verbs) or how often something has happened:
How long has she known him? – She’s known him practically all her life.
How often has he been to Washington? – Twice.
• To describe experience:
She’s travelled all over the world.
• To describe the number or quantity of things completed so far:
He’s written twenty pages of the report.
How much time has he spent on the report?
• To describe very recent events with no specific time given:
There has been an accident on the M25.
• With expressions of time that are not finished, e.g. today, this week, this year, this century, etc.:
I haven’t seen him this morning. (It is still morning)
Compare: I didn’t see him this morning. (It is no longer morning)
• With expressions like the first/second/third time …, never…before:
This isn’t the first time he’s been late.
She has never driven before.

N.B.
• Have been or have gone? Both may be used as the past participle of go. Been indicates that the
person has gone somewhere and then returned. Gone indicates that the person is still away.
Compare:
She has been to Paris. (She has returned.)
She has gone to Paris. (She is still there.)
• Please notice that there are alternative structures which can be used to convey the same meaning:
I haven’t seen him for two years = It is two years since I saw him. = It’s been two years since I saw
him.

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE vs. PAST SIMPLE


• The present perfect simple is used when the time period includes the present. This can be a situation
or action which started in the past and is still true or continuing, life experiences up to now, or the
present result of a past action: He has studied French for six years. (He still studies French.) They have
gone to Milan. (They are still there.)
• The past simple is used to describe actions in completed time periods: He studied French for six years.
(He no longer studies French) They went to Milan last month.
• Choice between the present perfect simple and the past simple often depends on the mental attitude
of the speaker, whether he/she feels distant in time or place.
I’ve left my bag at the restaurant. (The speaker may be going to return to get it, or has just realised)
I left my bag at the restaurant. (The speaker feels separated by time or distance)
• Normally, the past simple is used with definite times, either stated or implied: They came back last
Monday. Did you buy that jacket? (I’m thinking of a particular jacket that we saw in the past.) Compare:
Have they come back? Have you bought a jacket?

N.B.
• USA English often uses the past simple where British English uses the present perfect

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• In journalistic use the present perfect is often used at the beginning and then the present simple is used
for

The PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS is formed with the present perfect of be + -ing form of the main
verb.
Use:
• To emphasise the length of time of an event or situation which began in the past and is still going on or
has just stopped: He has been waiting for more than an hour. They haven’t been working here long.
Things have been going badly for some time.
• For incomplete actions: I’ve been reading that book all week and I still haven’t finished.
• To describe repeated actions: He’s been commuting for years.
• For a recently completed action, often with a present result: He’s been painting his room. (That’s why
he’s covered with paint.)
• To emphasise that something is temporary: He’s been staying with his sister until he can find a place of
his own.
• To explain the cause (present perfect continuous) of a present effect (present simple). We are not
interested in knowing whether the action (cause) has finished: Her boss is furious because she hasn’t
been doing her work properly.

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE vs. PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS


Very often there is little difference in meaning between the use of the present perfect simple and the
present perfect continuous. However, for some general rules, look at the following examples:
present perfect simple present perfect continuous
• With ‘live’ and ‘work’ in particular, this tense • A more temporary situation: His office is in
indicates a more permanent situation: He’s lived London, but he’s been working in Leeds for two
there since he got married. (permanent) months. (temporary)
• Attention focused on the finished action: • Attention focused on the action in progress:
I’ve loaded the software. ! It took me hours. I’ve been loading the software. It’s taking me
(completed action) hours. (unfinished action)
I’ve painted my bedroom. Do you like it? I’ve been painting my bedroom, that’s why I’m
(completed action) covered with paint. (We don’t know if the action
is completed.)
• Used to say how often, how much or how • Used to say how long (not with state verbs!):
many: She’s written a hundred pages so far. He’s been staying here for three weeks.
He’s phoned her three times.

TIME EXPRESSIONS:
For (a period of time) N.B. The meaning of for changes according to the tense used:
present perfect - She’s been here for six days. = She arrived six days ago and she’s still here.
past simple - She was there for six days. = She’s no longer there.
Since (the beginning of a period of time): present perfect – She’s been here since Wednesday. = She
arrived last Wednesday and she’s still here.
Already (indefinite time): present perfect - She’s already eaten.
Ago, last week, in 1999, on Saturday, etc. (i.e. definite times): past simple:
They left for Berlin three hours ago.
N.B.
Do not use for or since with time expressions with all: all my life, all day, etc.:
She’s been employed there all her working life.

PRESENT PERFECT vs. PAST PERFECT


Look at the examples:
present perfect simple & continuous past perfect simple & continuous
He is annoyed because they haven’t bothered to He was annoyed because they hadn’t bothered to
phone phone
I haven’t been there for two years. = It’s two years I hadn’t been there for two years. = It was two years
since I was there. since I had been there.
It’s the first time I’ve met her. It was the first time I had met her.
She’s been working hard (present perfect She had been working hard (past perfect
continuous) so she is (present simple) exhausted. continuous) so she was (past simple) exhausted.

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1. Underline the most appropriate alternatives in italics to complete the sentences.


1. Police made / have made / have been making more than 150 arrests, mostly for burglary, at the
Glastonbury Festival in Somerset. They charged / have charged / have been charging fifty people. This
was / has been after more than 500 campers reported / have reported / have been reporting thefts from
tents.
2. You can’t fool me by looking innocent! What did you get up to/ have you got up to / have you been
getting up to?
3. The actor, David Tomlinson, who played / has played / has been playing the children’s father in Mary
Poppins, died / had died / has been dying aged 83 in June, 2000. He shot / has shot / has been shooting
to fame in the 1960s, when he starred / has starred / has been starring in more than 50 films.
4. I can hardly believe my ears! Do you mean to say that he stole / has stolen / has been stealing money
from his firm for over three years?
5. The Opposition gained / has gained / has been gaining the lead over the party in power by 13 points.
They carried / have carried / have been carrying out the opinion poll on Monday.
6. A British band played / has played / has been playing there for the first time since the country gained /
has gained / has been gaining independence. A musician from the country played / has played / has
been playing at the National Concert Hall last Friday.
7. He’s exhausted. He weeded / has weeded / has been weeding the garden for hours and he didn’t rest /
hasn’t rested / hasn’t been resting at all.
8. “What’s the matter? You look tired.” – “I had / have had / have been having trouble with Carol. She rang /
has rung / has been ringing me up in the middle of the night to talk about her problems ever since she
and her boyfriend broke / have broken / have been breaking up last month.”
9. In old-style China, Chairman Mao actually banned / has banned / has been banning dogs from urban
streets. However, all this changed / has changed / has been changing and dogs are back in fashion. A
pet pedigree dog that was clearly / has clearly been imported is the new status symbol in Peking.
10. Dick Williams, who won / has won / has been winning the men’s doubles at Wimbledon in 1920, survived
/ has survived / has been surviving the sinking of the Titanic.
11. “How long did she take / has she taken / has she been taking driving lesson?” – “Since she had / has
had / has been having her eighteenth birthday” – “Did she take / Has she taken / Has she been taking
her test yet?” – “Yes, she failed / has failed / has been failing three times!”
12. She tried / has tried / has been trying to get through to him for the last two hours, but without luck.
13. I have been trying / tried to open the attachment you have been sending / have sent / sent me in your
email yesterday with different programmes but I haven’t been / wasn’t able to open it so far. Which
programme have you been using / have you used / did you use when you have created / have been
creating / created it?
14. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you have arrived / had arrived / arrived. Did you wait / Have you been waiting
long?” – “No, I only got / have only got / have been only getting here a few minutes ago.”
15. “Did you see / Have you been seeing / Have you seen Paul recently?” – “I spoke / have spoken/ have
been speaking to him on the phone several times but we weren’t / haven’t been / hadn’t been able to
meet up because we were both / have both been very busy in this period.”
16. His nervousness is understandable. It’s the first time he spoke / has spoken in public.
17. “Did you ever go / Have you ever been to Beijing?” – “Oh yes, I have been / went there last year.”
18. Flights in and out of Gatwick were / have been suspended since a plane made / has made / has been
making an emergency landing earlier this morning.
19. According to research, one in four households received / has received an incorrect energy bill in the past
two years. On average the problems with billing took / have been taking almost two months to resolve,
causing stress and anxiety for many vulnerable customers.
20. “What on earth did you do / have you done / have you been doing? You’re filthy!” – “I clear / have clear /
have been clearing out the cellar.” – “Did you finish / Have you finished / Have you been finishing?” –
“Not yet.”

2. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense; present perfect simple, present perfect
continuous or past simple.
1. I …………………………….. (just, heard) from Michael. He …………………………….. (buy) a new house,
and …………………………….. (move) in last week. He …………………………….. (not finish) settling in
yet as the furniture he …………………………….. (order) …………………………….. (not arrive) yet.
2. “…………………………….. (you, be) shopping recently?” – “No, I .................................... (not be able to)
go because I …………………………….. (be) very busy this week.”

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3. Chinese authorities …………………………….. (arrest) the captain of an overloaded ferry which


…………………………….. (overturn) in the Yangtze River and …………………………….. (sink). 120
people …………………………….. (die) in the accident.
4. One of the Republican presidential candidates …………………………….. (hire) a cut-price charter plane
to fly him round America. However, journalists travelling with the candidate ……………………………..
(raise) serious doubts about the plane’s safety. A fire …………………………….. (break out) on board last
week and one journalist says he …………………………….. (see) loose rivets on the wings. On one
occasion, a section of panelling above the seats …………………………….. (fall out) during takeoff.
5. Solicitors …………………………….. (come) under fire from their own watchdog, the Office for the
Supervision of Solicitors, after complaints about their conduct …………………………….. (rocket),
creating a backlog of 12,000 cases this year.
6. Pete …………………………….. (get) the job but he …………………………….. (grumble) about the hours
since he …………………………….. (start).
7. When the salesman …………………………….. (ring) up and …………………………….. (offer) a
seventeen-year-old schoolboy a fantastic trip off the Florida coast, the boy ……………………………..
(reply) that it …………………………….. (sound) too good to be true but he ……………………………..
(not have) the means to pay. The salesman then …………………………….. (tell) him to ‘borrow’ his
dad’s credit card. Luckily the boy …………………………….. (resist) temptation and
…………………………….. (hang) up. Unfortunately, there …………………………….. (be) an increasing
amount of complaints about unscrupulous selling in recent times.
8. “I …………………………….. (wait) for you for almost an hour. What …………………………….. (you,
do)?” – “I …………………………….. (iron) my shirts for next week.”
9. A badly-faded fresco depicting St. Christopher with the infant Jesus …………………………….. (come) to
th
light at the 12 century St. Mary’s church in Langley. Conservationists …………………………….. (begin)
slowly scraping away whitewash which …………………………….. (cover) it.
10. Police …………………………….. (question) a man in connection with the disappearance of eight-year-
old Sally Morgan. Sally, who …………………………….. (disappear) last Thursday,
…………………………….. (now, miss) for over a week. At first, the police ……………………………..
(think) it was a question of kidnapping but Sally’s parents …………………………….. (receive) no request
for ransom.
11. Female soldiers …………………………….. (make) a huge difference to Sandhurst: they
…………………………….. (bring) a new dimension into what …………………………….. (be) an all-male
environment. Women …………………………….. (be) in the regular army doing exactly the same jobs as
men since the 1980s.
12. He …………………………….. (write) the story of his life since he …………………………….. (retire), but
he …………………………….. (only, manage) to write three chapters so far.
13. “I see his leg’s in plaster. …………………………….. (he, break) it?” – “No, his girlfriend
…………………………….. (practise) on him again. You know she’s a medical student.”
14. Why …………………………….. (you, not tell) me you …………………………….. (not want) to help me
move? You …………………………….. (do) nothing but groan since we ……………………………..
(begin) shifting furniture.
15. I think this is the best meal I …………………………….. (ever, eat)! It’s ages since I
…………………………….. (go) out to a restaurant but it …………………………….. (be) worth waiting for.
16. “I ...................................... (mislay) my passport. I ..................................... (think) I’d put it in this drawer,
but it isn’t there. .................................................... (you, see) it?” – No. ............................... (you, look) in
your desk? It ................................. (be) there the other time you ............................ (lose) it.”
17. This is the third time he .................................... (not turn) up despite promising faithfully to do so.
18. He ......................................... (teach) English as a foreign language before but he ............................ (not
have) much experience teaching adults.
19. “How long .............................................. (you, stay) with your sister?” – “Ever since my firm
............................... (relocate) to Birmingham.” – “Why don’t you get your own flat?” – “I’d prefer to work
in London. I .......................................... (look) for a job there for months and I ..................................
(apply) for at least six positions but I ................................... (be) lucky so far.”
20. (on the mobile phone) “I .................................................... (stand) here on the corner of Wexford Street
and Oak Avenue for thirty minutes! Where are you?” – “On the corner of Wexford Street and Beech
Avenue, as we ................................ (decide) yesterday! I .......................... (get) here almost an hour ago.
You .............................................. (mix) up the type of tree! Why don’t you write things down?

3. Rewrite each sentence so that it contains the word given and means the same.
1. It’s ages since I spoke to him.
(for) ……………………………………………………………………
2. This is his third visit to Spain.

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(time) ……………………………………………………………………
3. She started working for that firm six years ago.
(has) ……………………………………………………………………
4. Surfing is new to me.
(first) ……………………………………………………………………
5. I had something to eat earlier.
(already) ……………………………………………………………………
6. They haven’t been to the cinema for months.
(since) ……………………………………………………………………
7. How long have they been married?
(get) ……………………………………………………………………
8. The last time he played tennis was in 1999.
(since) ……………………………………………………………………
9. He’s been studying Japanese since October.
(started) ……………………………………………………………………
10. This is the first time he has driven alone.
(before) ……………………………………………………………………
11. I’m on page 300 of the book I’m reading.
(so far) ……………………………………………………………………
12. There’s a deterioration in the quality of your work.
(deteriorated) ……………………………………………………………………
13. They started drilling for oil in June.
(have) ……………………………………………………………………
14. I’ve never seen such a bad film.
(worst) ……………………………………………………………………
15. We’ve never flown before.
(first) ……………………………………………………………………
16. The last time we went out was a fortnight ago.
(for) ……………………………………………………………………

4. Write suitable questions in the present perfect simple, present perfect continuous or past simple
for the following answers.
1. ………………………………………………………..?
No, never. However, I hope to go next year.
2. ………………………………………………………..?
Here? Since she got married.
3. ………………………………………………………..?
No, not yet. He got in late last night.
4. ………………………………………………………..?
Ridden a horse? Only once or twice, isn’t it obvious?
5. ………………………………………………………..?
Montreal? Yes, he went there three years ago.
6. ………………………………………………………..?
Jack? I last saw him on Monday.
7. ………………………………………………………..?
Ever since she bought the CD. I must admit I’m getting fed up with hearing the same music day-in, day
out.
8. ………………………………………………………..?
His new car? Last month.
9. ....................................................................................?
A restaurant? It’s ages since I last went to one.
10. .....................................................................................?
I’m not surprised I’m covered in white splashes. I’ve been painting the fence.

5. ►Listen and choose the most suitable answers.


1. When he leaves office, the President has decided he may ......
a) help promote foreign disputes
b) take an important role as a mediator in foreign disputes
c) take a back-seat role as a mediator in foreign disputes

2. The Middle East and the Balkans are considered ......


a) very hot areas

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b) areas needing financial help


c) areas of potential violence and political unrest

3. The world of international diplomacy is ......


a) exciting
b) terrifying
c) successful

4. The new government plan for council housing has given equal priority in housing to ......
a) people who have been in prison or the army, as well as young single people
b) prisoners and soldiers and single homeless people
c) the families of prisoners and soldiers as well as single people

5. There has been criticism of this plan because ......


a) it helps former criminals
b) there is a long queue for housing
c) it further weakens the importance of the family

6. Campaigners have called for a ban on the export of San Bernards to the Far East because ......
a) they think people there don’t give the dogs enough food
b) they think people there use the dogs as food
c) there is evidence that the dogs miss the mountains and feel afraid

7. The woman from Merseyside was killed by the airbag ......


a) when it exploded
b) when it opened suddenly, breaking the bones of her head
c) when she had a crash at high speed

8. The nuclear power station workers ......


a) used forged passes in order to take their vehicles into the plant
b) entered high-risk areas on foot
c) set fire to the station

6. Read the news items and choose the correct answers to the questions.

A. The Environment Agency has warned that millions of people are now living in drought-affected areas
and that the UK is facing its most severe water shortage since 1976. Last week drought was declared
across London, East Anglia and the South after the eighth-driest year on record. This affects more than
20 million people and has led to water restrictions, including hosepipe bans. Now, a further seventeen
counties in the Midlands and in the South West, with fifteen million inhabitants, have been declared
drought-areas, although authorities do not intend introducing hosepipe bans as yet. Experts claim that
despite recent heavy rainfall, parts of the country are already drier than they were in 1976 when
standpipes, which are vertical pipes connecting temporary taps to the mains, were installed in
residential streets, water supplies to businesses were rationed and schools closed early.
1. The drought-affected areas declared so far concern ........ so far.
a) 20,000,000 inhabitants
b) 15,000,000 inhabitants
c) 35,000,000 inhabitants
d) seventeen countries
2. People .......
a) can water their gardens with hosepipes in the above areas
b) cannot water their gardens with hosepipes in the above areas
c) can water their gardens with hosepipes in the last declared drought-areas
d) cannot own a hosepipe in London, East Anglia and the South
3. Which statement is correct?
a) Recent heavy rainfall has made little or no difference to the situation.
b) Standpipes have been installed in residential areas.
c) The UK has never had so little rain.
d) In 1976 people installed standpipes to pump water to their houses.

B. A row has broken out between Austria and Slovenia over the naming of a regional sausage. Slovenia,
which claims that the sausage originated in Slovenia in the nineteenth century, wants ‘their’ sausage to

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be awarded special protected EU status. This status identifies regional and traditional foods, the
authenticity and origin of which can be guaranteed. Under this system, a named food or drink registered
at a European level is given legal protection against imitation throughout the EU. However, the Slovenia
claim has been disputed by the Austrians, who affirm that the sausage is their very own and to rename
it would be absolutely unthinkable.
1. Austria and Slovenia .......
a) think their sausage should be awarded special protected EU status
b) want to rename the sausage
c) want to protect ‘their’ sausage from being sold elsewhere
d) cannot agree over which country invented the sausage
2. Special protected EU status .......
a) guarantees the authentic origin of a product
b) protects people who eat sausage
c) guarantees products come from Slovenia
d) improves the quality of a named food or drink

C. Airlines have advised the Home Secretary that British airports will probably be reduced to ‘gridlock’ this
bank holiday weekend as there are not enough staff to carry out checks on passports. The airlines’
report states that if arriving passengers cannot get through UK passport control efficiently, the whole
airport operation is put at risk. If there are long queues at customs, this will delay the collection of
passengers’ luggage, which in turn will make for delays in the delivery of luggage from later flights.
Furthermore, if immigration halls are overcrowded, airlines will be obliged to keep passengers aboard
planes which, apart from inconveniencing tired and restless passengers, will jeopardise the smooth
running of subsequent flights.
1. The basic cause of ‘gridlock’ at airports this weekend would be .......
a) because customs officers are not efficient
b) the lack of immigration hall staff
c) a backlog of luggage
d) delays in the delivery of luggage from later flights
2. Which statement is correct?
a) Passengers will have to go through customs in planes if immigration halls are overcrowded.
b) Luggage will not arrive if immigration halls are overcrowded.
c) Tired and restless passengers in planes jeopardise the smooth running of an airport.
d) Long delays in customs compromise the running of an airport.

D. Panic buying as a consequence of the Government’s advice to motorists to fill up tanks in preparation
for the threatened tanker drivers’ strike has led to thousands of garages running out of both petrol and
diesel. The situation is so serious that crews of emergency services, such as ambulances and fire
engines, have been struggling to get hold of fuel. The Government has come under pressure to invoke
the National Emergency Plan for Fuel, which closes designated petrol stations to all but essential
vehicles. Although the pre-arranged plan can be put into operation in less than twenty-four hours, as yet
the Government has refused to consider it.
1. The panic buying has resulted from .........
a) lack of fuel
b) a strike
c) thousands of garages running out of fuel
d) the Government’s advice
2. Which statement is correct?
a) The Government is under pressure to close all petrol stations.
b) People are demanding that the Government creates a National Emergency Plan for Fuel
c) Emergency services are demanding the implementation of an Emergency Plan.
d) The Government doesn’t want to put the National Emergency Plan into effect.

7. Look at these headlines to articles and choose the most suitable explanations.
1. CUSTOMERS WASTE £300M A YEAR ON OVERDRAFT FEES
a) Customers have over £300m overdrafts a year.
b) Banks have been charging customers by £300m every year by levying unnecessary overdraft fees.

2. THE SURGEON WAS FINE BUT THE PENPUSHERS ALMOST WROTE ME OFF

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a) A patient suffering from a serious illness was almost killed when bureaucracy and red tape delayed
his urgently needed operation, which was eventually performed by a good surgeon.
b) A patient was satisfied with the surgeon who performed his urgently needed operation but he had to
write a lot of letters to get into hospital.

3. A TWISTED KIND OF PATRIOTISM


a) This is an article about work.
b) This is an article about football hooligans who use their love for their national football team as an
excuse to be violent when in another country.

4. NET CLOSES ON PREACHER SUSPECT IN KLAN KILLINGS


a) They have almost caught a preacher suspected of killing people of the Ku Klux Klan.
b) Police think they have drawn nearer to being able to charge and imprison a preacher suspected of
masterminding some Ku Klux Klan murders.

5. ORGANIC FARMERS FACE TOO MANY HURDLES


a) There are a lot of bureaucratic and economic difficulties for farmers producing organic food.
b) The organic farmers are producing food for race horses.

8. a) Expand the headlines in your own words to express their full meaning.
b) Invent the story behind the headlines. Write about 5 lines for each.
1. 2,250 MORE STEEL JOBS TO BE AXED
a) ………………………………………………………………………………………………..
b) ………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
2. WIFE SEES LION SAVAGE HUSBAND TO DEATH
a) ………………………………………………………………………………………………..
b) ………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3. FLASHING UFO IS SEEN AGAIN
a) ………………………………………………………………………………………………..
b) ………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
4. GOVERNMENT RENEGES ON ARMY PAY RISE
a) ………………………………………………………………………………………………..
b) ………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
5. VOTERS DEFY TERROR TO BREAK TYRANT’S HOLD ON POWER
a) ………………………………………………………………………………………………..
b) ………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..

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UNIT 4
FUTURE: PRESENT CONTINUOUS, PRESENT SIMPLE, FUTURE SIMPLE, ‘GOING
TO’, FUTURE CONTINUOUS, FUTURE PERFECT, FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
• The present continuous is generally used to talk about personal arrangements. The time (usually in
the near future) and/or place have already been arranged and/or some preparation has been made.
There is also some suggestion that other people are aware of the event.
What are you doing tomorrow? – I’m meeting Joan at ten and then we’re going shopping together.

PRESENT SIMPLE
• The present simple is used for the future when the future event is part of a programme or timetable.
The weekly meeting starts at ten. (There is a meeting every week.)
His train leaves at ten-thirty. (It is on the timetable)
• The present simple is NOT used for personal futures. He’s catching the ten-thirty train tomorrow.

FUTURE SIMPLE
The future simple is formed with will + bare infinitive.
USE
• To express predictions about the future: He will be furious when he hears what you’ve done!
• To express a decision taken at the moment of speaking: This jacket is just what I’ve been looking for. I’ll
buy it!
• To express something in the future which is independent of the speaker’s control: I’ll be 65 next March.
After verbs such as; think, expect, hope, suppose, be sure, be certain, wonder, doubt, etc.: I wonder whether
they’ll give him an interview. I suppose you’ll want the day off.
In if / when sentences with the present simple: As soon as he arrives, we’ll set off. When you see him, you
won’t recognise him!
N.B.
if, when, until, unless, as soon as, after and other time expressions are NOT normally followed by the future.

Will is also used for:


• Promises / offers: I promise I’ll do it tomorrow.
• requests: Will you hand out these photocopies, please?
Won’t is also used for refusals:
I won’t do his work for him!
The car won’t start. I wonder what’s wrong with it.
Shall, which in more formal English is used with I /we instead of will, nowadays is more used for:
• offering (usually interrogative): Shall I carry these for you?
• asking for suggestions: Where shall we go this weekend?

‘GOING TO’
• The ‘going to’ future is formed with the present continuous of go + infinitive. If the main verb is go, it is
normally omitted, and just going to is used.
USE:
• To express a plan or intention or decision to do something in the future:
He’s going to do his very best to get here on time. (It is his intention.)
They’re going to lay off some workers in June. (It is their intention or plan.)
• To predict a future action or situation based on something which can already be seen in the present:
The sky is very black and overcast. There’s going to be a terrible thunderstorm!
Look at his face! He’s going to lose his temper soon.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS or ‘GOING TO’?


In certain situations the use of the present continuous tense and the ‘going to’ future is similar. The
difference is that the use of the present continuous implies that some arrangements have already been
made, while with the ‘going to’ future the focus is more on intentions.
When it is not clear from the context whether the future event is already arranged or merely intention, either
tense may be used.
Jim is retiring at the end of the month. (The time of Jim’s retirement has been arranged and other people are
aware of it.)
Bob is going to speak to his boss about the situation. (It is his intention.)
I’m meeting / going to meet him next week. (This could be either a definite, fixed arrangement or just a plan)

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FUTURE PERFECT
The future perfect is formed with will/shall + have + past participle
USE
• To refer to a completed action in the future. By using this tense, we are projecting ourselves forward to
a certain time in the future and looking back at an action that will be completed at that time. It is often
used with a time expression using by + a point in future time.
He will have finished the work by the deadline.
The plumber says he will have installed the shower by this evening.
By the time we get there, the concert will have started.
By this time next year, she will have been in this country for thirty years.

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS


The future perfect continuous is formed with will/shall + have been + -ing
USE:
To describe continuous actions which will be completed in the future. It is often used with for:
By this time next year, he’ll have been working there for thirty years.

FUTURE CONTINUOUS
The future continuous is formed with will / shall + be + -ing.
USE
To project ourselves into the future and see something happening at that time: This time next week, I’ll be
lying on a warm, sandy beach, sipping a long, cool drink.
• To describe something that will definitely be happening in the future because arrangements have been
made. Here the present continuous can also often be used. We’ll be having a meeting next week, so we
can discuss the matter in depth then.
They’ll be installing the software tomorrow.
• In the interrogative, to distinguish between a request for information and an invitation:
Will you be coming to the presentation? (request for information)
Will you come to the presentation? (invitation)
• To predict or guess about someone’s feelings or actions, now or in the future:
He’ll be feeling tired after such a long journey.
I suppose she’ll be complaining to the boss again.

N.B.
When we are talking about the past, we may want to refer to something that was in the future at that time
and which had not yet happened. To express this idea, we use structures which are used to talk about the
future but we make the auxiliaries past.
• He’s going to stay with his sister. (‘going to’ future)
I understood he was going to stay with his sister. (future in the past)
• I’ll be here until Monday. (future simple)
When I last saw him, he told me he would be here until Monday.
• I’ll be spending the week in Birmingham. (future continuous)
He told me he would be spending the week in Birmingham.
• He’ll have finished it by Monday. (future perfect)
I understood he would have finished it by Monday.

1. Underline the most suitable alternative (in italics).


1. What time is she going to leave / will she leave tomorrow?
2. “Is that the phone?” – “Yes, I’m going to get / I’ll get it.”
3. The weather’s awfully sultry and just look at those clouds! There is going to be / will be a thunderstorm,
for sure.
4. “Are they finishing / Will they have finished the house by next month?” – “I doubt it! They are still going to
put / will still put / will still be putting on the roof at this rate.”
5. From now on, you are doing / will do as I say!
6. The car’s making a funny rattling noise. It is going to break / is breaking / will break down soon.
7. Don’t phone Mr Brown at ten. He is going to have / will have / will be having an important meeting with
clients at that time.
8. By this time tomorrow, the marathon dancers will dance / are going to dance / will have been dancing /
will be dancing for 24 hours non-stop.
9. What do you think you are going to do / will do / will be doing / are doing in twenty years’ time?

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10. “It’s Jim’s birthday on Monday.” – “Is it? I send / am going to send / will send / am sending him an e-
card.”
11. By the time he will retire / is going to retire / retires, he will work / is going to work / is working / will have
worked for that firm for twenty-five years.
12. We are going to send / are sending / will send you the contract for your signature as soon as it will be / is
/ is going to be drawn up.
13. “Where do you go / are you going / will you go? Do you head / Are you heading / Will you head for
town?” – “Yes, I buy / am buying / am going to buy a camcorder before we are leaving / will leave / leave
/ will be leaving on holiday. If I will find / am finding / find one that suits my pocket, of course.” – “How
much do you think you are spending / will spend?” – “They’re expensive. That’s why I will go / am going /
go to the new commercial centre. I am probably finding / am probably going to find / will probably find a
cheaper one there.”
14. Oh, no! The printer isn’t going to work / won’t work! Now, how am I going to print / will I be printing / am I
printing my CV?
15. “The steam passes through these pipes, is that right?” – “Yes, and after that it will liquefy / is going to
liquefy / liquefies in this boiler.”
16. “What would you like to drink, Carol?” – “I am having / will have / am going to have half a lager and lime,
please.”
17. The monthly meeting isn’t beginning / doesn’t begin / won’t begin until ten thirty but we have / will have /
will be having a working breakfast with Tim beforehand. He wants to go over some points with us.
18. I am not seeing / won’t see / don’t see you next week. While you are slogging / are going to slog away in
a stuffy office, I am relaxing / relax / will be relaxing on a sunny beach.
19. The decorators told me they will have finished / would have finished / will be finishing the sitting room by
the end of the week! Now, apparently, they are needing / will need / will have needed another few days.
If I’m lucky, the room will be / is going to be have been painted by Tuesday. As soon as they are finishing
/ will finish / are going to finish / have finished, I am having / will have to clean up the mess they are sure
to leave before my mother-in-law is arriving / will be arriving / arrives on Friday.
20. By the time he is getting / gets / will get his degree in three years’ time, his father will retire / is retiring /
will have retired. In fact, by next year he will work / will be working / will have been working for the same
firm for thirty-five years.

2. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense. All sentences refer to a future time.
1. “Has Tim broken off with Sue?” – Not quite, but when he ………………………….. (see) her tomorrow, he
………………………….. (tell) her it’s over. At least, that’s what he’s promised he …………………………..
(do). I have my doubts. I think he ………………………….. (just, dither) about as usual.”
2. According to some commuter experts, computers ………………………….. (soon, be able) to predict the
future; for example, how many people ………………………….. (live) in a particular area, what they
………………………….. (eat), and what jobs, if any, they ………………………….. (do). Furthermore, by
the year 2050 computers ………………………….. (replace) teachers and ………………………….. (take
over) most of air, road and rail traffic control.
th
3. “On July 25 they ………………………….. (be married) for 30 years!” – “Will they? How
………………………….. (they, celebrate)?” – “He ………………………….. (take) her to the Bahamas,
they ………………………….. (have) a second honeymoon.”
4. Unless we ………………………….. (get) there by seven, Jackie ………………………….. (leave). She
says she’s fed up with us being late and that this time she ………………………….. (go) without us if we
………………………….. (be) late.
5. “What time ………………………….. (your train, leave) tomorrow morning?” – “It …………………………..
(leave) at ten past eight but I ………………………….. (have to) set off at least half an hour before as I
………………………….. (pick up) Julie on the way.”
6. I’m sorry, I ………………………….. (negative, be able to) see you next week. I …………………………..
(stay) in Birmingham until we ………………………….. (solve) that technical problem.
7. Have you heard the news? Tony and Angela ………………………….. (come) to stay with us for a week!
8. According to the timetable, the bus ………………………….. (pass) at ten past six.
9. “………………………….. (you, read) War and Peace in time for the seminar tomorrow afternoon?” –
“Whoops! I’d completely forgotten about it. I ………………………….. (start) it when I
………………………….. (get) to my room and I ………………………….. (probably, read) it all night, if I
can keep my eyes open.” – “Well, if I ………………………….. (still, be) awake at midnight, I
………………………….. (drop by) your room and ………………………….. (make) you a cup of strong
black coffee.” – “Thanks, by that time I ………………………….. (need) it!”
10. Don’t wait up for me. I ………………………….. (work) late at the computer.
11. Some scientist have predicted that if machines can be made as intelligent as humans, it
………………………….. (be) the end for the human race. Robots ………………………….. (be able to)

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adapt more quickly to the challenges of the universe. Humans ………………………….. (benefit) for a
time but then the robots ………………………….. (break away) and ………………………….. (take over).
12. Look out! You ………………………….. (knock) that vase off the shelf!
13. I hear you ………………………….. (go) to a party on Saturday. Who ………………………….. (look after)
little Brian?
14. It’s awfully hot in here. ………………………….. (I, open) a window?
15. When they next ………………………….. (land) on Earth again, they ………………………….. (be) in
space for over four months.
16. The President affirmed that by the year 2029, the USA ………………………….. (send) a man to Mars.
17. I ………………………….. (have) a shrimp cocktail for starters and then sole and salad. What
………………………….. (you, have)?
18. Pete says he ………………………….. (book) a flight for you, if you …………………….. (like).
19. If you ………………………….. (negative, use) the car tomorrow, I ………………………….. (take) it to be
serviced.
20. In five minutes’ time I ………………………….. (wait) here for an hour!
21. If all ………………………….. (go) well, the first Venus colonists ………………………….. (leave) next
month. They ………………………….. (sleep) for most of the journey and by the time they finally
………………………….. (arrive), their relatives and friends on Earth ………………………….. (die) some
time before.
22. The space probe ………………………….. (travel) to Mars for some months yet.
23. “I ………………………….. (do) some shopping this morning.” – “I ………………………….. (give) you a lift
to the supermarket but I ………………………….. (negative, be able to) bring you back, I’m afraid. I
………………………….. (see) my dentist at ten.” – “That’s all right. I ………………………….. (catch) the
bus home.”
24. “You still haven’t tidied your room!” – “I ………………………….. (do) it this afternoon, I promise.”
25. By Saturday he ………................………………….. (stay) with us for two weeks. Isn’t it time he went
home?

3. ►Listen and answer the questions.


1. It is .......
a) 2121
b) 2021
c) 2131
2. The new ‘Wonderland’ is ....... California.
a) near what was once the coast of
b) off the coast of what used to be
c) in
3. ‘Wonderland’ offers .......
a) guided tours around the coast
b) free instruction in underwater filming
c) free tours around underwater cities
4. Los Angeles .......
a) has an underwater park
b) is only inhabited by fish
c) will have been underwater for a hundred years
5. The inhabitants of Los Angeles .......
a) will be entertaining visitors
b) live in Atlantis
c) will be entertained
6. Visitors will be relieved because .......
a) they will have temporary gills fitted
b) oxygen breathers live in Los Angeles
c) the oxygenated facilities will have been finished
7. The colony ship .......
a) is setting off earlier than planned
b) is going to set off for Jupiter
c) will have set off for Jupiter by next year
8. Applicants must ........
a) not be over 250 years old
b) all be engineers, doctors, astrophysicists, microbiologists or IT experts
c) all have families
9. It will be a one-way trip because .......

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B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE UNIT 4

a) they will be too old to come back


b) the colonists will have to undergo irreversible genetic modifications and body engineering
c) they will sleep all the way to Jupiter
10. The colonists are going to .......
a) be in the colony ship for almost 150 years
b) be put to sleep after embarking
c) sleep for over 150 years
11. Which statement is correct?
a) The colony will have become self-sufficient before the colonists are fifty.
b) The colonists are not going to build the pressurised ‘igloos’ themselves.
c) The building site has already been chosen.

4. Complete each second sentence so that it means the same as the first and contains the word(s)
in brackets.
1. Oh no! We’ll get to the station after the train has left. (by)
Oh no! The train ................................................................... to the station.
2. Mary’s baby is due in May. (have)
Mary .......................................................................... in May.
3. Pete’s bus arrives at nine o’clock. (is / on)
Pete ....................................................................................... bus.
4. There’s a party at Joan’s next Saturday. (having)
Joan ............................................................................................. next Saturday.
5. We can talk about this matter face-to-face next week when you come to Rome. (going)
You ........................................................................... we can talk about this matter face-to-face.
6. “I’m going to stay here a month,” he said to me. (told)
He ....................................................................................................... a month.
7. It is their thirtieth wedding anniversary next July. (have)
They .................................................................................... by next July.
8. I can imagine her exhaustion after doing all her Christmas shopping in one day. (will / feeling)
I imagine ......................................................................... after doing all her Christmas shopping in one
day.
9. “She’ll have written the report before leaving this evening.” (would / by)
I was told .............................................................................................. this evening.
10. Look how black the sky is! There’s a thunderstorm on the way. (be)
Look how black the sky is! There ...................................................................... a thunderstorm.

5. Complete each sentence with a suitable word or phrase referring to future time.
1. Can you send me the results as soon as …………………………………
2. This time next week I ……………………………….. on the beach in Spain.
3. Look at those two cars! There …………………………………….. a crash!
4. By the time we get there, the film ………………………………… started.
5. If we don’t get there by six, Chris ……………………………….. without us.
6. You can come and stay whenever you like, except for June. My brother …………………….. with me then
and I’ve only got one spare bedroom.
7. What …………………………………… with the money you’ve won?
8. “Bother! We’ve run out of milk.” – “Don’t worry. I ……………………………… to the shop and buy some.”
th
9. Are …………………………………. anything on the 18 ? I’ve got a couple of theatre tickets.
10. Sorry, I can’t help you. I ………………………………… for Paris tomorrow.
11. They ………………………………. building the tunnel by July.
12. When he retires at 65, he ……………………………………….. for 50 years!

6. Complete the sentences for yourself.


1. As soon as I finish work, I ………………………………………………………………….
2. For my next holidays, I ………………………………………………………………….
3. Next Saturday I ………………………………………………………………….
4. After I ………………………………………………………………….
5. I will have ………………………………………………………………….
6. I will still be ………………………………………………………………….
7. In five years’ time I ………………………………………………………………….
8. In my opinion, there …………………………………………………………………. in the next twenty years.

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7. Fill each gap with one word taken from the group below. Careful, there are three unnecessary
words.

problems – unsafe – having - faster – living – damage – learnt –


becoming – consumption – used – increased – using – average –
rising – medium - less – staying – employment
1
In this century we will almost certainly be .......................... in an increasingly warmer world. The world will
probably continue to use fossil fuels which release carbon dioxide, the main cause of global warming, into
2
the atmosphere. ............................. to the ozone layer by man-made chemicals will mean our children will
3 4
have ..................................... risk of developing skin cancer. There will be ............................. energy
5
available and we will be forced to reduce our energy ...................................
st 6
In the 21 century most families will be .............................. computers in the home. In 25 years time
7
computers will be much .................................. and easier to use, but anyone who has not
8
........................................ how to use the new technology will be seriously disadvantaged, particularly in the
9
field of .....................................
10
Statistics show that society is becoming more violent. 95% of Britons think it is ........................
11
to walk the streets at night; 85% believe that it ............................... to be safe 30 years ago. The
12 13
.................................. person’s risk of .......................... a victim of violent crime has trebled since 1980.
14
This trend will probably continue. .................................... crime will be one of the main
15 st
..................................... that people in the 21 century will have to deal with.

8. Now answer the multiple choice questions on the text above.


1. In this century the world is likely to .......
a) be hot
b) have to invent fuels
c) continue producing carbon dioxide
d) not be cooler than now

2. In this century ........


a) most people will have skin cancer
b) chemicals will develop skin cancer
c) they will have found a cure for skin cancer
d) our descendants will run a much higher risk of having skin cancer

3. People will consume less because .......


a) they won’t want to damage the ozone layer
b) there will be laws against consumption
c) there will be a shortage of energy
d) there will be no energy

4. People who don’t have a modern technological education will .......


a) have difficulty in finding work
b) not be able to work
c) have difficulty at home
d) be able to use a computer

a) Which statement is correct?


a) It is three times more dangerous to walk in the streets.
b) It will be three times more dangerous to walk in the streets.
c) Thirty years ago it was safe to walk in the streets at night.
d) Nowadays, walking in the streets at night is thought to be three times as dangerous as it was 30 years
ago.

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B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE UNIT 4

Further comprehension and writing practice.


Read the text.
There are many ethical issues that genetics research will spark off. One of these is the threat of genetic
discrimination. If medical care becomes connected to private insurance and employment, there will be
thousands of people who, thanks to the development of tests for genetic predisposition to disease, will
discover suddenly they are uninsurable and therefore unemployable. This will be followed by numerous other
problems, such as selective abortion. Will there be wholesale aborting of foetuses that do not meet genetic
standards? Or will future parents choose sex, intelligence, colour of eyes and hair, etc. as casually as if they
were ordering from a mail catalogue? There is also the problem of moral and legal responsibility for anti-
social behaviour. If it is shown that certain people are genetically predisposed towards alcoholism,
aggression, or violence, will society still consider them criminally responsible?

1. ‘A human being is a prisoner of his genes’. Discuss this view.


…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………...............................................................
2. ‘Man is born to suffer.’ Examine the philosophical implication of this statement.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. Give your own views on the advantages and drawbacks of genetic research.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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UNIT 5 B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE

UNIT 5
CONDITIONALS: ZERO, FIRST, SECOND, THIRD, MIXED – WISHES ABOUT THE
PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE – IT’S TIME, I’D SOONER / RATHER
N.B.
The order of the clauses in conditional sentences can change – the ‘if’ clause can come as the first or as the
second clause. Notice the difference in punctuation:
If you press this button, the machine starts.
The machine starts if you press this button.

ZERO CONDITIONAL
Use:
The Zero conditional is used to talk about something that is generally true, often happens or is a scientific
fact - that is, the result will always occur if the conditions are met. In this case, ‘if’ has the meaning of ‘when’
or ‘every time’.

Zero conditional sentences are formed:


• if + present simple + present simple: If / When you put your finger in boiling oil, it hurts.
• if + present simple + imperative: If / When you need help, call on me.
• if + present continuous + present simple: If /When the dog is barking, there’s someone at the door.
• if + present perfect + present simple: If / When they’ve had problems, they always phone.
nd
• (is it possible to have the other present tenses also in the 2 clause?)

FIRST CONDITIONAL
The first conditional is formed by if + present simple + future simple
Use:
This type of sentence is used to describe future possibilities and their results:
I will have to have a serious talk with him if he causes any more trouble.

Unless (= only if / if not) or in case (= a less likely situation) can be used instead of if:
Unless you phone, he’ll go without us.
Take something to eat in case you get hungry.
Variations:
• if + present continuous + future simple: If you’re going my way, I’ll come with you.
• if + present perfect + future simple is used to emphasise that the future clause depends on whether
another action in the ‘if’ clause has finished or been completed:
If I have read it by tomorrow, I will give it back.
If he has seen the film, he won’t want to see it again.
• if + present simple + ‘going to’ future: If I see him, I am going to tell him what I think of him.
• In the main clause you often find a modal verb or imperative:
If she arrives in time, she can / may help us.
If you see him, don’t tell him what I said.

Other words or phrases to replace if in this type of conditional are possible:


• As long as you don’t panic, everything will be all right.
• You had better do as he says, otherwise you will get into trouble.
• I will lend you money, provided / on (the)condition that you pay it back next week.

SECOND CONDITIONAL
Second conditional sentences are formed by:
• if + past simple + would + bare infinitive (no to): If he worked freelance, he wouldn’t have any
problems in finding clients.
• if + past simple + could + bare infinitive: He could organise his time better if he worked from home.
• if + past simple + might + bare infinitive: She might lose her job if the merger went through.

Use:
The second conditional is used to describe unlikely or unreal situations and their probable or hypothetical
results. Might or could are used when the result is not so certain or we wish to emphasise possibility:
He might do it if you asked him nicely enough.
If he wanted, he could help us.

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N.B:
Were instead of was is often used in formal English with I, he, she, it:
If I were you, I wouldn’t trust him.
If I was a better businesswoman, I would set up my own firm.
• Could is both past simple and conditional:
If I could use a computer well, I’d go to work there.
If I saved enough money, I could afford to fly to Australia.

Variations:
• as a variation of the second conditional, the past continuous can be used instead of the past simple:
if + past continuous + would + infinitive: If they weren’t digging up the road, there wouldn’t be
such a traffic jam.
• were to: If they were to visit the museum, they would find some interesting exhibits. = If they visited
the museum, they would find some interesting exhibits.
• if + past simple + conditional continuous: If she had time, she would be helping us.
• In formal English it is possible to put the verb at the beginning and omit if, e.g.
Should he arrive before me, ask him to wait. = If he should arrive …
Were he truthful, I’d believe him. = If he were truthful …

Other uses of would + bare infinitive


• Offering: Would you like to go out?
• Request: Would you close the window?
• Refusing in the past: The car wouldn’t start this morning.

THIRD CONDITIONAL
Third conditional sentences are formed by:
If + past perfect + conditional perfect
If he had telephoned, I would have known where he was.

Use:
This type of conditional is often called an ‘impossible conditional’. It is used to refer to actions or situations in
the past and, as such, impossible to change. Would can be replaced with might or could.
If he hadn’t broken his leg, he might have skied for his country.
If I had known you were coming, I could have planned better.

Variations:
• for past conditions which have a result in the present, mixed third and second conditionals are used:
If he hadn’t accepted the job, he would be sorry now.
• if + past perfect + conditional perfect continuous:
If they hadn’t had to work, they would have been lying on the beach now.
• if + past perfect continuous + conditional perfect:
If she hadn’t been working, she would have gone with them.
• In formal English it is possible to put the verb at the beginning and omit if, e.g.
Had I known the true facts, I wouldn’t have lost my temper. = If I had known …

N.B.
If and unless are not the only ways of beginning a conditional clause: you can also use if only, as long as,
provided (that), providing (that), had better ... otherwise
If only we had had more reliable information about the market, we wouldn’t have made that mistake.
As long as he brings it back next week, he can take the laptop home.
Provided you stay within the budget, you can do what you like.
Providing that the manager approves, you can take your holiday next month.
You had better do as he says, otherwise he’ll lose his temper again.

WISHES
• wish + infinitive is a formal way of saying want:
I wish to see the manager. = I want to see the manager.
If you wish to make a formal complaint, please fill in this form.
• wish + past simple or wish + past continuous is used to express wishes about an ‘unreal’ present:
I wish I had more time for myself. = If I had more time for myself, I would be happier.
He wishes she weren’t living so far away.

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• As in conditional sentences, I, he, she or it can be followed by either was or were:


I wish I wasn’t / weren’t so short-sighted.
He wishes he was / were anywhere else but here.
• wish + past perfect is used to express wishes / regrets about past events:
He wishes he hadn’t eaten so much last night. = He would have felt better if he hadn’t eaten so much.
• wish + could is used to express wishes about doing something that is difficult or impossible or about a
change you’d like to make:
I wish I could change my car.
I wish that I could get in touch with him, but his mobile phone seems to be turned off.
• wish + would (with a different subject) is used to express wishes about something that irritates:
I wish he wouldn’t keep on talking when I’m trying to concentrate.
• If only is used instead of wish to make emphatic wishes:
If only I knew how to solve this problem.
If only I had brought my umbrella.
If only I could turn back time.
If only they would answer the phone.

FURTHER HYPOTHETICAL or UNREAL EXPRESSIONS:


• It’s time + person is followed by an ‘unreal’ past tense:
It’s time you learnt how to drive. = If you learnt to drive, it would be much better.
• high or about can be added for emphasis:
It’s high time he got a place of his own.
Isn’t it about time you were promoted?
• It’s time can also be followed by the infinitive. In this case we are only stating a fact, not complaining or
emphasising:
It’s time to leave. (fact)
Compare with:
It’s time you left! = I wish you would go!
It’s time we went.
• I’d rather / sooner + person is followed by an ‘unreal’ past tense:
I’d rather you rang him yourself. = I think it would be better if you telephoned him yourself.
I’d sooner he didn’t go alone. = I think it would be better if he didn’t go alone.
• I’d rather or I’d sooner (meaning: I would prefer) followed by a verb takes the bare infinitive:
I’d rather not speak to him now.
I’d sooner do it myself.

1. Match A to B to make logical sentences. Use each clause once only.

A B
1. If I owned a dog like that, a) if she lived nearer.
2. Unless it stops raining, b) you didn’t come home late tonight.
3. If she had known about the exhibition, c) I wouldn’t have put my foot in it when I spoke to
4. If he hadn’t been chatting on his mobile phone, him.
5. Provided you help her, d) she hadn’t told him my secret!
6. She could visit us more frequently e) I would keep it on a lead.
7. I’d rather f) he would tell you not to be so nosy.
8. I’ll lend you the CD g) she could have gone to see it.
9. Had you told me about his problem, h) he might not have had an accident.
10. If you borrow it without her permission, i) it melts.
11. Were he here, j) we went home, it’s late.
12. It’s high time k) if he’d known they were planning to spend the
13. If you put salt on ice, weekend spring cleaning it.
14. You’ll catch your death l) unless she trains harder.
15. He wouldn’t have been so keen to go with them m) she’ll be finished in time to catch the six o’clock
to their house in the mountains bus.
16. She won’t be put in the team n) we can’t go for a walk in the country.
17. If you lived on a desert island, o) if you go out in that light jacket.
18. If only p) she may get angry.
q) you would have to learn how to catch fish.
r) on the condition that you take care when using it.

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B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE UNIT 5

1. ………….. 7. ………….. 13. …………..


2. ………….. 8. ………….. 14. …………..
3. ………….. 9. ………….. 15. …………..
4. ………….. 10. ………….. 16. …………..
5. ………….. 11. ………….. 17. …………..
6. ………….. 12. ………….. 18. …………..

2. Choose the most suitable alternative in italics.


1. I can’t understand why he puts up with her. If anyone treats / will treat / treated me like that, I am / will be
/ would be furious.
2. If you boiled / boil / would boil water, it turned / would turn / turns / will turn to steam.
3. If we find / will find / found / had found a taxi, we will be / would be / would have been here before the
film started.
4. It’s a pity we haven’t any tools. If we have / had / would have / have had some, we may repair / might
repair / will repair / repaired it ourselves.
5. If I phone / will phone tonight, would you be / will you be / are you in?
6. If you do not use / are not using / won’t use it, put / you will put / you are putting it away.
7. Unless it rained / will rain / rains, we have / had / are going to have a barbecue next weekend.
8. What rotten luck! If he doesn’t fall / didn’t fall / hadn’t fallen over, he might win / might have won / might
have been winning the race.
9. Provided I finish / have finished / will have finished reading the book, I will give / gave / would give it back
to you tomorrow.
10. When you will need / need / needed help, just call / you will call me.
11. They had a tremendous quarrel and split up. Now he wishes he apologises / would apologise / had
apologised.
12. Should he be / Were he / Had he been more honest, I will forgive / forgive / had forgiven / would have
forgiven him.
13. If their car didn’t break down / wouldn’t break down / hadn’t broken down / doesn’t break down, they
would lie / would be lying / lay / would have lain on the beach now.
14. Would you give / Would you have given / Will you give / Are you giving some money to charity if you will
win / would win / won / had been winning the national lottery?
15. I wish I am / were / had been taller!
16. It’s time we go / went / had gone home.
17. She will be / would have been / was happier if they had shown / show / are showing some appreciation
of her efforts but they just took her hard work for granted.
18. It was such a hassle to organise last week’s conference! If we had been holding / held / hold a
videoconference, it hadn’t taken / wouldn’t have taken / isn’t taking so much time and effort to do it.
19. I wish everyone doesn’t use / couldn’t use / wouldn’t use abbreviations and acronyms all the time. If they
would use / used / use the full terms, perhaps I understood / would be understanding / would understand
what they were talking about.
20. If only the manager and his assistant will come / will be coming / would come to an agreement before
giving out orders. If I do / did / had done what his assistant told me, I will be / would be / was in deep
trouble now!

3. Put the verbs in brackets into the most suitable tense or form.
1. Why didn’t you phone? If I ……………………………………. (know) you were coming, I
……………………………………. (prepare) something to eat.
2. If you ……………………………………. (help) me with this work, I ……………………………………. (do)
the same for you one day.
3. You had better ……………………………………. (go) now, otherwise you
……………………………………. (miss) your train.
4. He refused her invitation. Now he wishes he ……………………………………. (go) with her on holiday.
5. If he ……………………………………. (negative, work) hard all his life, he
……………………………………. (negative, be) in his present position.
6. How ……………………………………. (you, feel) if we ……………………………………. (offer) you the
position of sales manager?
7. It’s a beautiful car. I ……………………………………. (buy) it if I ……………………………………. (have)
the money, but unfortunately, it’s out of the question.
8. When he ……………………………………. (tap) his fingers, it ……………………………………. (mean)
he’s on the point of losing his temper.
9. Unless something ……………………………………. (go) wrong, she ……………………………………. (be)
on the plane tomorrow.

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10. ……………………………………. (you, keep) the money if you ……………………………………. (find) it?
11. If she ……………………………………. (already, buy) a new computer, she
……………………………………. (negative, be) interested in buying your second-hand one.
12. The superstition that if you ……………………………………. (break) a mirror, you
……………………………………. (have) bad luck, comes from the belief in ancient times that the
reflection was part of their soul. As a result, people thought that if you …………………………………….
(break) anything with this reflection, you ……………………………………. (harm) the soul.
13. “What ……………………………………. (happen) if you ……………………………………. (run) out of
money while you were on holiday?” – “I ……………………………………. (use) my credit card, of course.”
14. If he ……………………………………. (negative, have to) go away this weekend, he
……………………………………. (give) us a hand painting this room now.
15. As long as he ……………………………………. (negative, lose) his temper, everything
……………………………………. (turn out) well.
16. He’s got a terrible hangover this morning. He wishes he ……………………………………. (negative,
drink) so much wine last night.
17. If the Liverpool fans ……………………………………. (negative, start) insulting supporters of the other
team, there ……………………………………. (negative, be) trouble at the end of the game last Saturday.
18. If you ……………………………………. (save) some money while you were earning a lot, you
……………………………………. (negative, be) so hard up now.
19. If I ……………………………………. (be) you, I ……………………………………. (negative, accept) that
offer. They ……………………………………. (negative, offer) so much money for so little work if there
……………………………………. (negative, be) a catch somewhere.
20. He’s not satisfied with his job. He wishes he ……………………………………. (find) one with better
prospects.
21. She’d sooner we ……………………………………. (negative, ask) Peter to come with us.

4. Complete the sentences with the most suitable tense or form of the verbs below. Use each verb
once only.

afford – arrive – ask – be - be unable – book – catch – check – distract - install – make - not be - not
crack - not go - not happen - not have - not take – spend – turn – work

1. Don’t worry! As long as he .................................. at the station by ten, he ......................... the train.
2. If you ............................... the anti-virus software I asked for, this ...............................................!
3. If he ............................................. this Saturday, he .............................................. time to help you
decorate your flat.
4. If he .................................. some unnecessary risks on the stock market, he ............................... in his
present unhappy situation.
5. Even if they offered me the job, I ........................................ it down. I don’t want to relocate to
Birmingham.
6. He wishes his colleague sitting at the next computer .................................... his knuckles while he’s
thinking.
7. He wishes she ................................................ out with his best friend. If it ..................................
someone else, he ....................................... her for a date.
8. If you ..................................... your flight and/or can’t avoid arriving at a busy time, .................................
sure you check in and select your seat early.
9. If the captain’s mobile phone messages ..................................... both the captain and the first officer,
they ....................................... that the landing gear was correctly locked for flight. As it happened, a
serious accident was narrowly avoided.
10. I wish I ........................................... a decent holiday! On what I earn, if I ....................................... my
money on holidays, I ....................................... to run a car.

5. ►Listen and choose the most suitable answers.


1. The new system would monitor offenders by means of .......
a) tags
b) nationality
c) telephone calls

2. The home secretary hopes the tagging system will .......


a) ease offenders return into society
b) save money
c) release a lot more offenders

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3. At the moment, tagged offenders .......


a) wear a receiver at home
b) have to receive people at home
c) wear an ankle unit

4. The police are alerted if the offenders .......


a) leave the house
b) are further from their homes than they should be
c) get lost

5. This system is unsuitable for young offenders because .......


a) they want to stay at home instead of going to school
b) it keeps them at home when they should be at school
c) they don’t like wearing the tags at school

6. One of the advantages of the new system would be that .......


a) it is checked by a computer
b) they can use a mobile phone
c) it needs no equipment

7. The computer checks .......


a) the voice and origin of the call
b) the identity
c) if a recording is being used

8. Problems would arise with the new system .......


a) if the offenders are out of jail
b) if social and probation workers did not do their jobs thoroughly
c) if the offenders were disreputable

9. The new system could .......


a) save a lot of money
b) be used internationally
c) save the Home Office

6. Complete each sentence so that it means the same as the one before it.
1. You go to bed late, that’s why you’re so sleepy in the morning.
If …………………………………………………………………
2. I didn’t hear you calling because I was listening to my iPod.
I would …………………………………………………………………
3. He didn’t go on to university and now he regrets it.
He wishes …………………………………………………………………
4. She would forgive you if you apologised.
If you were …………………………………………………………………
5. You should make your bed in the morning.
It’s high time …………………………………………………………………
6. Nobody told him about the meeting, so he didn’t come.
If …………………….............................……………………………………………
7. You press this button to start the machine.
If ………………..................................…………………………………………………
8. He didn’t remember it was her birthday so he didn’t send her a card.
Had …………..............................………………………………………………………
9. If you happen to see Tom, tell him I’m expecting to see him next week.
Should ………….........................………………………………………………………
10. Those people make a terrible noise every night and the police do nothing about it.
If only ……..........................……………………………………………………………
11. He’s got a dead-end job and he wants to find one with better prospects.
He wishes ….....................………………………………………………………………
12. Without his help, I wouldn’t have been able to solve the problem.
If ……….................................…………………………………………………………
13. He keeps telephoning at night and it annoys her.

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She wishes ………..............…………………………………………………………


14. He fell off his horse at the last fence so he didn’t win the race.
If ……………………...............................……………………………………………
15. If you ate less fatty food, I think it would be better.
I’d rather ……….................…………………………………………………………
16. Without Sue’s help, I wouldn’t have been able to install the programme.
If ..............................................................., ........................................................
17. He doesn’t like being so fat.
He wishes ........................................................................................................
18. I’ll speak to the boss if you don’t stop harassing me.
Unless .....................................................................................................................
19. He keeps on using my computer and it drives me round the bend!
I wish ........................................................................................................................
20. We should leave now.
It’s time ...................................................................................................................

7. Put the word in brackets into the correct form to complete the text below.

The World After Cloning


The arrival of Dolly, the genetic clone of her mother, showed that the (1. science) ..................................
discovery was the easy part. On the other hand, the social and moral implications had only just begun.
Will it be possible to clone the dead?
“(2. Theory) ......................................., it might be possible (3. clone) .......................... the dead”, says an
expert on cloning, “if the body is fresh.”
Would a cloned human be identical to the original?
Identical genes don’t produce identical people. In fact, twins are more alike than clones would be, since they
have (4. share) .................................. the uterine environment, are usually (5. bring) ................................ up
in the same family, etc. Parent could clone a second child, who (6. strange) .................................. resembled
their first in (7. appear) ................................., but all the evidence suggests the two would have very different
personalities.
Could a megalomaniac decide to achieve (8. mortal) ........................................ by cloning an heir?
Of course he could, and there are other situations where adults might be (9. tempt) .................................... to
clone themselves.
What are some of the other implications for society?
The gravest worry about the misuse of genetics isn’t (10. relate) ..................................... to cloning (11.
direct) .................................... but to genetic (12. engineer) ............................... - the deliberate manipulation
of genes to improve human talents and create human (13. be) .................................. according to certain (14.
specify) ..............................................
Could cloning be criminally misused?
If the technology to clone humans (15. exist) ............................ today, it would be almost impossible to
prevent someone from (16. clone) ........................................ you without your (17. know)
................................... or permission. Think of the (18. commerce) ................................... value of a dynasty-
building athletic pedigree or the (19. possible) ......................................... of creating an army of super-
commandos. The idea is really (20. fright) ......................................... !

Further writing practice.


1. What is your personal opinion of the advantages and disadvantages of cloning.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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UNIT 6
PASSIVES – HAVE SOMETHING DONE, NEED, REQUIRE, WANT WITH PASSIVE
MEANING
PASSIVES
Active Passive
(present simple) They make shoes there. Shoes are made there.
(present continuous) They are meeting him. He is being met.
(future simple) They will ask her. She will be asked.
(past simple) They sent an email. An email was sent.
(going to) Somebody is going to tell them. They are going to be told.
(present perfect) Someone has broken this window. The window has been broken.
(past perfect) They had arranged a loan. A loan had been arranged.
(modal) They might not allow him to go. He might not be allowed to go.
(past modal) Someone could have told me. I could have been told.
Use:
• Only transitive verbs can be made passive:
They stole the car. = The car was stolen.

• Verbs with both direct and indirect objects can be made passive in two ways. Which of the two objects
in the active sentence becomes the new subject in the passive depends on which is considered more
important:
(active) They have sent him an invitation.
(passive 1) He has been sent an invitation.
(passive 2) An invitation has been sent to him.

• By placing the object at the beginning of the sentence, the passive changes the focus of interest and
gives emphasis to important information:
The ‘Maastricht’ Treaty on European Union was signed in 1993.

• in impersonal and/or formal statements:


Students are required to be in the examination room ten minutes before the start of the exam.

• the agent is unknown or obvious:


His car was stolen.
Thirty hooligans had been arrested before the match started.
• When the agent is unknown, obvious or unimportant, such as people, somebody or they, it is not
mentioned. When the agent is mentioned use by.
The murder was committed by his wife.
• with introduces the instrument used:
He was killed with a sharp knife.

• in procedures and processes:


Good malt whisky is aged in oak barrels for at least three years.

• The passive is often used with say, believe, understand, know and other verbs used in reporting:
• When referring to the present, the reporting passive is followed by the present infinitive:
Bill Gates is said to be one of the richest men in the world.
• Present and past continuous infinitives can also be used after a reporting passive:
He is believed to be writing a report.
He is thought to have been driving to London.
• When referring to the past, the reporting passive is followed by the past infinitive:
She is believed to have escaped by means of inside help.
• When the reporting verb is in the past, the passive is followed by the past infinitive:
She was considered to have overreacted to the news.
• The reporting passive can be followed by a passive infinitive.
(active) They think Leonardo da Vinci designed the square.
(passive) The square is thought to have been designed by Leonardo da Vinci.

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• Be to + passive infinitive is used to give formal instructions or orders:


Reference books are not to be removed from the library.
Visitors to the factory are to be accompanied at all times.
• A double passive may be used. However, be careful to avoid ambiguity. In the following example it is
not clear whether the Bristol branch did the scheduling or the Bristol branch is launching the product.
The product was scheduled to be launched next week by the Bristol branch.

N.B.
• If a verb is followed by a preposition and object, the preposition remains in the passive construction:
I hate people shouting at me. I hate being shouted at.
• Make (= force) is followed by the bare infinitive (no to) in the active and to + infinitive in the passive:
Her teacher made her do the test again. She was made to do the test again.
• Let (= allow), followed by the bare infinitive, is only used in the active. It changes to be allowed to in
the passive:
(active) They let her go to the party. = (passive) She was allowed to go to the party.
• Need, require and want can be followed by –ing with a passive function:
His hair needs cutting.= His hair needs to be cut.
This contract requires signing. = This contract needs to be signed.
The roof wants repairing. = The roof needs to be repaired.

1. Put each verb into a suitable passive tense.

1. This swimming pool ………………………………… (use) by thousands every day in the summer months.
2. The hole in the road ………………………………… (repair) when I passed. I hope it
………………………………… (finish) by tomorrow. It’s causing a traffic jam.
3. The robbers ………………………………… (arrest) as they came out of the bank.
4. If the field is too wet, the match ………………………………… (called off).
5. Three new supermarkets ………………………………… (open) in that area in the last five years.
6. A hundred machines ………………………………… (manufacture) last week.
7. How many workers ………………………………… (make) redundant this month?
8. If you had a heart attack, you ………………………………… (rush) to hospital.
9. The film star arrived at the airport and ………………………………… (welcome) by thousands of fans.
10. ………………………………… (the rooms, clean) every morning?
11. ………………………………… (you, tell) about the change of plans?
12. A new ring road ………………………………… (construct) at the moment. When it …………………………
(finish) in May, it ………………………………… (open) officially by the mayor.
13. If the police ………………………………… (send) for, there wouldn’t have been so much trouble.
14. If you’re late again, you ………………………………… (sack)!
15. By 2020, new forms of energy ………………………………… (develop), I hope!
16. I’m sorry, but the picture ………………………………… (already, sell).
17. It ................................... (announce) yesterday that the long bureaucratic process which ......................
(use) up to now to identify children with the most severe special needs ...................................... (scrap)
and replaced with a single assessment covering education, health and care.
18. It .......................................... (report) that thousands of lambs .................................... (kill) by a new virus
that is threatening the survival of many British farms.
19. Nanobots ....................................... (programme) to play tunes by buzzing up and down in unison over a
selection of musical instruments. They ................................ (fit) with wireless cameras and infrared lights
that help to plot their exact position in a precise way.
20. A stir ………………………………… (cause) at Covent Garden last week when the first night of a
production …………………………… (boo). It was the first time the opera ………………………………….
(perform) at the Opera House, and the boos were probably from traditionalists disappointed that the long
wait due to the Opera House’s renovations ………………………………. (reward) with an imported
production that set out to shock and alienate, with singers running around in their underwear.

2. Rewrite each sentence in the passive, do not mention the agent.

1. I think somebody is following me.


……………………………………………………………
2. People say that they found the murder weapon in his bedroom.
……………………………………………………………

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3. By the end of the year, they will have reduced inflation.


……………………………………………………………
4. Nobody can solve this puzzle.
……………………………………………………………
5. They believe she got married in secret.
……………………………………………………………
6. They are to hold the meeting on Monday.
……………………………………………………………
7. They had to answer all the questions.
……………………………………………………………
8. When did they build this bridge?
……………………………………………………………
9. They must have frightened you.
……………………………………………………………
10. The police were following the suspects.
……………………………………………………………
11. People think he’s staying in New York.
……………………………………………………………
12. Nobody could find the missing keys.
……………………………………………………………
13. They won’t have finished the design in time for the deadline.
……………………………………………………………
14. His parents made him come home early on weekdays when he was attending school.
……………………………………………………………
15. They were making a lot of fuss over nothing.
……………………………………………………………
16. Nobody invited him to speak.
……………………………………………………………
17. People believe he has emigrated to Australia.
..........................................................................................
18. They always make her do overtime on Fridays.
..........................................................................................
19. They understand she is holidaying in Greece.
..........................................................................................
20. What has somebody done to my computer?
...............................................................................................

3. Add suitable prepositions and then change each sentence into the passive.

1. They insist ………… punctuality.


……………………................................................………………………………………
2. They may have to operate ………… the patient.
……………………….................................................……………………………………
3. By the time the firemen arrived, they had already put ………… the fire.
………………………………................................................……………………………
4. The witch turned the prince ………… a frog.
……………................................................………………………………………………
5. The police are going to evict the squatters ………… the house.
…………………................................................…………………………………………
6. You must fill ………… this application form.
……………................................................………………………………………………
7. They should do (two prepositions) ………… capital punishment completely.
……………................................................………………………………………………
8. I don’t like people staring ………… me.
………................................................……………………………………………………
9. They may have to call ………… the open-air concert.
………………................................................……………………………………………
10. They took 10% ………… the bill.
……….................................................……………………………………………………
11. They ruled ………… several possibilities before they decided ………… a course of action.
………………....................................................……………………………………………

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12. A chauffeur will pick you ………… at the hotel at ten.


……………………………...................................................………………………………
13. The judge let the boy ………… because it was his first offence.
……………………………...................................................………………………………
14. Investigators are looking ………… the matter.
…………………......................................................…………………………………………
15. They have knocked ………… the old factory because it was dangerous.
…………………......................................................…………………………………………

4. Put each verb into a suitable active or passive form.

1. One of the new president’s comrade in arms during the war of independence ………………………..
(remember) him ……………………….. (horrify) by one of the raids carried out by the Rhodesian Army.
Over a thousand young guerrilla fighters ……………………….. (kill) in their training camps and hundreds
more ……………………….. (injure).
2. There ……………………….. (be) nothing faint-hearted about the present election campaign so far. It
……………………….. (conduct) from the start with a total disregard for the rights of opponents. They
……………………….. (bludgeon), not with arguments but with blows, in an attempt to frighten them away
from the polling stations this week. In the past, the British governor had the power to recommend that the
elections ……………………….. (declare) null and void if there was widespread coercion. In any case, he
……………………….. (turn) a blind eye to the evidence on the grounds that worse violence
……………………….. (ensue) if the elections ……………………….. (suspend).
3. The Isokon flats in Hampstead, north London, ……………………….. (cause) a sensation when they
……………………….. (unveil) in 1934. The block ……………………….. (commission) by a furniture
manufacturer whose company, Isokon, ……………………….. (set up) to build low-cost accommodation
for young professionals.
4. A house that ……………………….. (give) to the Norwegian royal family by the British royal family in
return for the annual Trafalgar Square Christmas tree ……………………….. (sell) as luxury apartments
in this period. Norway House ……………………….. (build) in 1890 and ……………………….. (front) onto
Trafalgar Square. It ……………………….. (live) in by first members of the British, then of the Norwegian
royal families and later ……………………….. (become) the Norwegian embassy. Now it
……………………….. (convert) into apartments with a starting price of £525,000.
5. Last week bomb experts ……………………….. (call) in to defuse a large bomb dating from the Second
World War. The bomb ……………………….. (bury) in 78-year-old Mrs May Clutterbug’s garden, who
……………………….. (actually, find) the device some twenty odd years ago when she
……………………….. (buy) the house. At the time she ……………………….. (merely, cover) it with earth
and ……………………….. (forget) about it. She only ……………………….. (remember) it when she
……………………….. (re-design) her garden. Fearing that it ……………………….. (blow) up if an
ornamental water feature ……………………….. (build) on top of it, she ……………………….. (get) in
touch with the police to see if they ……………………….. (come) round and ……………………….. (take)
it away. Army ordinance experts ……………………….. (fly) in by helicopter to examine the device, and a
mass evacuation plan ……………………….. (set) in motion to clear all residents with a mile radius of the
missile. Thirteen hours of probing amongst Mrs Clutterbug’s herbaceous borders ………………………..
(fail) to find the bomb. It ……………………….. (finally, discover) that the bomb wasn’t a bomb, after all,
but an old air-raid shelter.

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6. Swansea ……………………….. (recently, hit) by a tornado. The freak storm ………………………..


(sweep) in from the sea, fishing nets and polythene sheeting ……………………….. (suck) up and more
than 500 homes in the area (leave) without electricity. The tornado ……………………….. (estimate) to
have been more than 400m tall and 200m wide and ……………………….. (leave) a trail of havoc in its
wake, although fortunately nobody ……………………….. (injure).
7. A world record ……………………….. (break)! Eight men from Drewsbury ………………………..
(succeed) in hauling a hundredweight of coal over a distance of eighty miles. This remarkable feat
……………………….. (do) to raise money for the local hospital. The men ……………………….. (begin)
their Herculean feat at 6.15am, the sack of coal ……………………….. (carry) 387 times round a circular
track. They ……………………….. (finally, finish) just under eleven and a half hours later. The world
record ……………………….. (witness) and ……………………….. (verify) by the local mayor and now
video evidence and lap records ……………………….. (send) to the Guinness Book of Records for
authentication.
8. In the future traffic congestion in cities ……………………….. (reduce) because drivers
……………………….. (use) electronic route maps to find the quickest routes to their destinations. Speed-
control systems ……………………….. (build) into cars, thus the speed of the car ………………………..
(regulate) according to traffic and weather conditions.
9. Mr Morgan of Bradford ……………………….. (renovate) his home when he ………………………..
(uncover) three rare paintings which ……………………….. (paint) onto the house’s original wooden door
but subsequently ……………………….. (cover) over with clipboard. He ……………………….. (persuade)
by his daughters not to throw them away and an art expert ……………………….. (consult), who
……………………….. (say) that if the scenes on the doors ……………………….. (could, remove) without
……………………….. (damage), they ……………………….. (fetch) up to £5000 each at auction.
10. It ……………………….. (foresee) that cash and bank notes ……………………….. (disappear) completely
by 2020. They ……………………….. (replace) by smart cards – plastic cards ‘loaded’ with money. When
we ……………………….. (pay) for goods, the card ……………………….. (insert) into a payment terminal
and money ……………………….. (transfer) from our card to the retailer’s card.

HAVE SOMETHING DONE


The structure of ‘to have something done’ is: have + direct object + past participle. Have can be used in
any tense:
She is having her hair cut tomorrow.
Have they had the roof repaired yet?
Could you have the document translated by the end of the week?
The causative have describes:
• Services done for somebody by someone else (often paid for):
They had the garage rebuilt last month.
• Misfortunes which happen to someone:
He had his car stolen. = His car was stolen.
She had her leg broken in the match. = Her leg was broken.

Get (in any tense) can be used instead of have, it is more informal and can give the idea of managing to do
something:
I got the work done in the end.
How about getting the central heating repaired?

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5. Rewrite each sentence so that it contains a form of have something done. Do not mention the
agent.

1. They got a carpenter to make the fitted cupboards.


……………………………………………………………
2. Harry’s leg was broken in a skiing accident.
……………………………………………………………
3. She hasn’t been to the car-wash for a long time.
……………………………………………………………
4. Someone has stolen his scooter.
……………………………………………………………
5. The dentist is going to take out one of his wisdom teeth tomorrow.
……………………………………………………………
6. Somebody pruned the fruit trees for her.
……………………………………………………………
7. He’s taking his suit to the dry cleaner’s next week.
……………………………………………………………
8. They are painting his house at the moment.
……………………………………………………………
9. They could have delivered the goods to us.
...............................................................................
10. The mechanic is going to service their car next week.
......................................................................................................

6. ►Listen and fill in the missing information (one word or a number)

Despite rising cereal ...................................., many people will still be poorly ...................... in 2020,
according to the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). Global cereal demand is expected
to reach ....................... billion tonnes in 2020, which is .................................% above ...................... .
..............% of this extra demand will be accounted for by .................................... countries while
developing countries will need far more. The population of ...................................... countries is growing
fast and a switch from substance ..................................... to grain is prompted by rising ........................
However, their output of cereals is not likely to keep up with the demand and by 2020, ...................% of
their cereals will have to be imported. IFPRI affirms that a better use of technology and freer farm trade
are needed to feed the ................ million children under ............................... who will otherwise be
........................................... in 2020.

7. Complete the second sentences so that they mean the same as the first sentences. Use the
words in bracket.

1. You should handle these crystal glasses carefully (need)


These crystal glasses .............................................................................. carefully.
2. They used a sledgehammer to break down the wall. (with)
The wall ................................................................ a sledgehammer.
3. An oddjobber is going to put up some bookshelves for me. (have)
I .......................................................................................... some bookshelves.
4. When I left their house, they were taking the packing off the new sofa. (unpacked)
When I left their house, the new sofa ................................................................
5. They think he has signed the documents. (to)
He ............................................................................................. the documents.
6. He’s left the bathroom window open! He’ll be lucky if nobody breaks into his house. (have)
He’s left the bathroom window open! He’ll be lucky if he .......................................................................
7. No decision had been taken by the time I left the meeting. (decided)
Nothing ............................................................................. by the time I left the meeting.
8. They made the salesman apologise for his rudeness. (was)
The salesman ............................................................................. for his rudeness.

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9. They know she is spying for their competitors. (be)


She ......................................................................... for their competitors.
10. They could have done more to help her. (more)
................................................................................................ to help her.
11. Her left leg was broken in the skiing accident. (had)
She .................................................................................... in the skiing accident.
12. They considered he was spending too much time at the gym. (to)
He ................................................................................ too much time at the gym.
13. I managed to finish the decorating before my mother-in-law arrived. (get)
I ............................................................................... before my mother-in-law arrived.
14. The police towed his car away because he parked it on a double yellow line. (had / was)
He ................................................................................................. on a double yellow line.
15. Isn’t it time someone cleaned out the attic? (got)
Isn’t it time you ........................................................................................................?
16. Nobody has heard from John since he moved to Scotland. (from)
John ........................................................................... since he moved to Scotland.
17. People must show their passports at customs. (are)
Passports ................................................................................. at customs.
18. Your suit needs ironing before you go for the interview. (get)
You should ................................................................................. before you go for the interview.
19. People say he married her for her money. (to)
He ..................................................................................................... for her money.
20. When did they tell you about the merger? (told)
When ............................................................................................... about the merger?

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UNIT 7 B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE

UNIT 7
VERBS FOLLOWED BY THE INFINITIVE, -ING AND/OR ‘THAT’ CLAUSE
VERBS FOLLOWED BY EITHER INFINITIVE OR –ING (no or little change in meaning)
• Some of the most common verbs which can be followed by either –ing or the infinitive, with little or no
change in meaning, include: begin, continue, fear, hate, love, not bear, prefer, start.
She began working there three months ago. / She began to work there three months ago.
He can’t bear not knowing the truth of the matter. / He can’t bear not to know the truth of the matter.
N.B.
• For some speakers there is a slight difference between like + -ing and like + infinitive:
• He likes working from home. = He enjoys it. / He likes to work from home. = It’s convenient for him.
• He likes swimming (in general)...He likes to swim every Friday (specific)
• When like, love, hate and prefer are used in the conditional (with ‘would’ etc), they are always followed
by the infinitive.
She would love to move to New York.
• You prefer one thing to another. If it is an activity, use -ing.
He prefers working from home to commuting to the office.

VERBS FOLLOWED BY THE INFINITIVE (with to)


• Some of the most common verbs followed by the infinitive include: afford, agree, appear, arrange, ask,
choose, decide, expect, fail, force, guarantee, help, hope, manage, mean, offer, plan, prepare, pretend,
promise, refuse, seem, threaten, want, wish (meaning ‘want’):
I wish to speak to the manager.
The workers decided to strike if their demands weren’t satisfied.
• Agree, arrange, decide, demand, desire, expect, hope, learn, plan, pretend, promise, seem, threaten,
wish, etc. can be followed by the infinitive or a ‘that’ clause:
I expect to arrive by seven. / I expect that I will arrive by seven.
• Verbs that can take verb + object + infinitive include: allow, ask, cause, force, instruct, persuade, tell:
Her parents allowed her to go to the party.
Ill health forced him to retire.
• Verb + to + infinitive is also used:
• to explain why we do something:
She called to inquire whether Mr Brown would be in the office today.
• after a question word
He showed him where to put his coat.

VERB + BARE INFINITIVE (no to)


• Make (force):
The teacher made her learn the poem by heart.
• Let (allow)
Her mother let her stay up late.

VERBS FOLLOWED BY -ING


• The –ing form is necessary not only after prepositions, but also following certain verbs and
expressions, such as: appreciate, avoid, be busy, be worth, be no use, be no good, be/get used to,
consider, delay, detest, enjoy, fancy, feel like, finish, give up, involve, keep on, look forward to, mind,
miss, postpone, practise, put off, recommend, resist, risk, can’t stand, can’t help:
It’s not worth going into the cinema; the film started thirty minutes ago.
She doesn’t mind babysitting for them now and then.
I look forward to seeing you soon.
• Avoid, be worth, dislike, enjoy, face, fancy, can’t help, keep, mind, miss, practise, risk, can’t stand, etc.
can be followed by –ing or a noun:
She misses seeing her boyfriend frequently. / She misses her boyfriend who’s moved to another town.
• Some verbs can be followed by –ing or a that clause (that is often omitted).These include: admit, deny,
imagine, suggest:
He denied taking the money = He denied (that) he had taken the money.
I suggest leaving early. = I suggest (that) we leave early.
• Suggest can also be followed by should
I suggest we should leave early.
• Admit, consider, deny, imagine, recollect, report, suggest, etc. can be followed by –ing, a ‘that’ clause
or a noun:

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He denied stealing the money but admitted (that) he had considered the possibility. / He denied (that)
he had stolen the money. / He denied the possibility of his being promoted in the near future.

VERBS FOLLOWED BY INFINITIVE OR –ING (with a change in meaning)


The following can be take either by infinitive with to or -ing and sometimes a ‘that’ clause or noun, but with
a change in meaning:
• Forget:
She forgot to buy bread. She forgot (that) she had already told him about it. (She didn’t remember)
She will never forget going sightseeing in Egypt. (It will stay in her memory)
• Go on:
He went on talking. (continue the same activity)
After discussing last week’s conference, he went on to speak about the next meeting. (finish something
and start something else)
• Mean:
I meant to ring but I forgot. (intend)
This job means working with a lot of people. (involve)
Going by train means that we must get up at six. (involve)
• Regret:
I regret to inform you that the position has been filled. (formal)
I regret telling him the secret. (be sorry)
He regretted that he hadn’t phoned her. (feel sorry about the past)
• Remember:
Remember to post the letter. (remember a future action)
I’ll always remember him tripping over the step. (remember a past action)
I remembered that he was coming to dinner. (remember a past action or a past action that has an effect
in the present / future)
• Stop:
He stopped smoking two years ago. (give up)
He stopped to have something to eat. (stop doing something to do something else)
• Try:
After the accident he tried to get up, but he found he’d broken his leg. (make an effort, usually without
success)
Try going to bed earlier, if you want to be awake in the mornings. (try as an experiment, action usually
completed)

VERBS FOLLOWED BY THE BARE INFINITIVE (no to) or –ING (with a change of meaning)
• Feel, hear, notice, see, watch, etc. can be followed by either the bare infinitive or –ing, but with a
change of meaning:
She felt the ground shaking. = She felt that the ground was shaking. (continued action)
She felt the car bump into something. = She felt that the car had bumped into something. (completed
action)
I saw him waiting at the bus stop. (uncompleted action: he was probably waiting before and after being
seen)
They heard him cry out. (They heard one cry – completed action)
They heard the baby crying all night. (continuous action)
I saw him enter the room. (I saw the complete action)
• Feel, hear, see can be followed with a ‘that’ clause with a change of meaning (that is often omitted):
I feel (that) I should go. (believe)
I feel (that) I haven’t been told everything. (It’s my opinion)
I hear (that) he’s leaving. (receive news)
See that he behaves in future. (make sure)
He saw (that) she didn’t know what he was talking about. (realise)
N.B.
• Make in the passive is followed by the infinitive with to:
She was made to learn the poem by heart.
• Let is not used in the passive, use allow to:
She was allowed to stay up late.

• Need is followed by the infinitive with to in active sentences and by –ing in a passive sense:
I need to see the manager.
Your hair is long. It needs cutting.

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1. Complete each sentence with a suitable form of the verb in brackets.


1. She doesn’t mind ……………………. (spend) money, especially if it isn’t hers.
2. “Where would you like ……………………. (go) for our holidays, with my mother or to the seaside?” –
“Neither, I can’t face ……………………. (stay) with your mother for two weeks, she always makes me
……………………. (do) all the ‘little’ jobs round the house and we can’t afford ……………………. (rent) a
caravan or anything at the seaside. I suggest ……………………. (have) a quiet holiday at home.”
3. The doctor advised him ……………………. (stop) ……………………. (eat) so many fatty things and
suggested ……………………. (change) his eating habits completely. He also made him promise
……………………. (cut down) on tea and coffee.
4. She tends ……………………. (raid) the fridge when she’s feeling depressed. Unfortunately, this makes
her ……………………. (put) on weight and when she looks in the mirror, she feels even more down in
the dumps, so she goes on ……………………. (eat). It’s a vicious circle.
5. Remember ……………………. (check) your exam papers before handing them in.
6. The speaker stopped ……………………. (look) at his notes so many times it became embarrassing. In
the end he realised and tried ……………………. (improvise), but the results were even worse.
7. I remember ……………………. (camp) on the Gower coast every summer when I was a child. It was
funny, but every year my mother forgot ……………………. (pack) something. One year she discovered
she hadn’t remembered ……………………. (put) in the teapot. She said it wasn’t worth
……………………. (buy) a new one and she could manage ……………………. (make) tea without a pot
but my father insisted on ……………………. (get) one immediately.
8. “Have you ever considered ……………………. (work) as a teacher?” – “Actually, I tried
……………………. (teach) English abroad for a couple of years after I left university but although I
enjoyed ……………………. (do) it, I found a job in an office later. Teaching privately means
……………………. (work) strange hours and ……………………. (not earn) much. I couldn’t afford
……………………. (keep) a family on what I earned as a teacher.”
9. “Would you like ……………………. (drink) something?” Mark asked the tall, pale stranger. “It depends.
What are you offering?” – “Well, I’ve got some nice red wine. Do you fancy ……………………. (drink) a
bottle with me?” – “Red wine isn’t exactly my cup of tea. I need ……………………. (have) something
more nutritious. Excuse me, would you mind ……………………. (tell) me what your blood group is?”
10. “Why does he keep ……………………. (ask) her to go out with him?” – “Perhaps he can’t imagine her
……………………. (not bowl) over by his charm or he may be hoping ……………………. (wear) down
her resistance or maybe he’s just too thick to realise she doesn’t want ……………………. (have)
anything ……………………. (do) with him.”
11. Dracula used ……………………. (be) fond of ……………………. (fly) over roads. He enjoyed
……………………. (swoop) down suddenly and ……………………. (grin) at the startled occupants of the
cars with his big shiny teeth. Sometimes, he couldn’t resist ……………………. (land) on the car bonnets
and ……………………. (sit) there cross-legged. He just loved ……………………. (hear) them
……………………. (scream). However, one moonlit night he had just landed and was getting ready
……………………. (hum) his favourite funeral march when the driver braked. Dracula slid off and landed
rather painfully on his tender posterior. He decided ……………………. (get) his revenge and took off.
Unluckily, he forgot ……………………. (look) behind and as he took off another car came along and
helped him ……………………. (accelerate). The force of the blow caused him …………………….
(misjudge) distances and he ended up flat against a billboard advertising sanitary appliances. At this
point he was made ……………………. (realise) by a distant cock crow that if he didn’t want
……………………. (make) himself ……………………. (look) even more ridiculous, he’d better
……………………. (head) off home to his nice padded coffin.
12. “What time did you get in last night? I didn’t hear you ……………………. (come) in.” – “Oh, it wasn’t late.
Actually, I could hear the radio ……………………. (play) in your bedroom but when I looked in I saw you
……………………. (sleep) so I didn’t disturb you.”
13. “Didn’t you arrange ……………………. (travel) in Bob’s car?” – “I thought so but when I arrived at his
house he denied ……………………. (promise) to take us, he even pretended ……………………. (not
know) we were meant ……………………. (go) to Birmingham that day.”
14. “Why don’t we try ……………………. (go) on one of these adventure holidays this year?” – “Oh, no. I’m
too used to ……………………. (have) all my comforts. One of my friends went on one of these holidays
last year. She said she had to sleep in a barn and she could hear the mice ……………………. (squeak)
all night long. The next morning the tour leader threatened ……………………. (make) them
……………………. (catch) and ……………………. (milk) some goats if they didn’t stop
……………………. (complain) about the ‘hotel’.”
15. I love ……………………. (watch) the waves ……………………. (break) against the rocks in a storm.
Normally, I can’t help ……………………. (go) too near and end up by ……………………. (get) soaked.

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16. The man presenting the new product stopped ……………........………. (look) at his notes so many times
it became embarrassing. In the end he tried ………...............……………. (improvise), but the results
were even worse.
17. This job means ……………………. (work) strange hours and ……………………. (not earn) much. Are
you sure you want it?
18. Can you show me how ……………. (use) this machine? I’ve tried ..................................... (read) the
instruction manual but it’s all gobbledygook to me and I can’t afford .................................. (waste) any
more time on it.
19. I heard the machine …………………… (make) strange noises for about ten minutes, and then it stopped
........................................... (work) and wouldn’t start again.
20. Now he regrets .......................................... (not accept) the job offer even if it meant
.................................. (move) to Bristol.

2. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first, using the word(s)
given.
1. I’m sorry but you haven’t got the right qualifications for this job. (regret)
……………………………………………………………………..
2. I think John has forgotten he was meant to meet us. (appears)
……………………………………………………………………..
3. The suspect said he hadn’t killed the shop manager. (denied)
……………………………………………………………………..
4. She has the habit of exaggerating on occasion. (tends)
……………………………………………………………………..
5. He detests getting up early. (stand)
……………………………………………………………………..
6. Make sure you lock the door when you leave. (see)
……………………………………………………………………..
7. “OK. I’ll meet Sam at the station,” Jim said. (agreed)
……………………………………………………………………..
8. Her boss allowed her to leave early on Friday. (let)
……………………………………………………………………..
9. I intended speaking to her myself but it slipped my mind. (meant)
……………………………………………………………………..
10. He was sorry later that he hadn’t kept his temper. (regretted)
……………………………………………………………………..
11. She had the sensation that he wasn’t telling the truth. (felt)
……………………………………………………………………..
12. It was impossible not to laugh when he slipped on the ice. (help)
……………………………………………………………………..
13. By chance I saw him taking the money. (just, happened)
……………………………………………………………………..
14. I would like to meet her very much indeed. (long)
……………………………………………………………………..
15. She does the housework on Saturday mornings because it’s convenient for her. (likes)
……………………………………………………………………..
16. Her mother made her help in the house when she was a child. (was)
……………………………………………………………………..
17. I was working when I felt I needed a ten-minute break. (stopped, have)
……………………………………………………………………..
18. He’s in too much the habit of getting his own way. (used)
……………………………………………………………………..
19. Someone told me Tom and Sue have broken up. (heard)
……………………………………………………………………..
20. She said she would report him if he did it again. (threatened)
……………………………………………………………………..

3. Complete each sentence with suitable words.


1. You don’t …………………………………….. taking me to the station, do you?
2. The boat overturned but he …………………………………….. to swim to the shore safely.
3. Did you …………………………………….. to see Joe at the meeting?
4. …………………………………….. to phone your mother, will you?
5. What do you …………………………………….. about the situation?

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6. She was so angry that she …………………………………….. to see the manager.


7. You can’t …………………………………….. him to believe you after all the lies you’ve told him.
8. She will never forget …………………………………….. him for the first time.
9. When I got home I could smell …………………………………….. in the kitchen.
10. It …………………………………….. going in the lesson now, the bell’s about to ring.
11. She …………………………………….. working when she was sixty.
12. I must …………………………………….. a hotel a couple of weeks before I go, otherwise I’ll have
nowhere to sleep.
13. Mary refused …………………………………….. her children go to the concert because she thought it was
too dangerous.
14. I …………………………………….. you that your work has been unsatisfactory recently.
15. She can’t …………………………………….. housework, she prefers to pay a woman to come in and
clean for her.
16. I can’t stand ............................................................ with her any longer! Since she came, there’s a
horrible atmosphere in the office.
17. You can’t deny ..................................................... him my secret!
18. After .................................... two new staff members, he went on ............................................ some of
the most important regulations of the school.
19. I bet he’ll never forget ............................................... such an awful mistake!
20. During the earthquake they felt the whole building ....................................... for several seemingly
interminable minutes.

4. Answer the questions.


1. What does pepper make you do?
……………………………………………………………………..
2. If you were overweight, what would your doctor advise you to do?
……………………………………………………………………..
3. If you don’t prepare for your exams, what will you fail to do?
……………………………………………………………………..
4. What do careless people keep doing?
……………………………………………………………………..
5. What does being a tour guide mean?
……………………………………………………………………..
6. What are hypochondriacs always complaining about?
……………………………………………………………………..
7. When you finish studying English, what would you like to go on to do?
……………………………………………………………………..
8. What are shoplifters arrested for?
……………………………………………………………………..
9. What is a potter skilful at?
……………………………………………………………………..
10. If money is burning a hole in your pocket, what must you try not to do?
……………………………………………………………………..

5. ►Listen and answer the questions.


1. What did the car-rental company have to apologise for?
a) Not renting a car to the mother with children.
b) Leaving a mother with children without both a car and the possibility of getting in touch with the rental
firm.
c) not supplying an email address for the mother to use in emergencies

2. Mrs Summer’s flight should have arrived at .......


a) 11.00pm
b) 9.00pm
c) 10.00pm

3. She had expected .......


a) to drive to Barcelona
b) to pick up the car at the airport
c) to pick up the car in Barcelona

4. When she arrived at the pick-up point, ......

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a) the car rental office was closed


b) she couldn’t find the office
c) she booked a car by internet

5. She had planned ........


a) to drive along the coast to her final destination
b) to ring the office to complain about her car not being there
c) to ask the office in London to book her car

6. To make matters worse, ........


a) the Barcelona office was closed
b) the London office was closed too
c) she and her family were attacked

7. They finally managed to reach their destination because .........


a) they had had a scary experience
b) a friend offered them a lift
c) Mrs Summers had a friend in London who came to get them

8. According to the car-rental company, passengers had to ......


a) be at the agreed pick-up point before 11.00pm
b) not get on delayed flights
c) always arrive at 11.00pm

9. Amongst other things Mrs Summers received .......


a) a full refund and compensation
b) a free flight and an apology
c) compensation and a free car

6. ►Listen again and find words or expressions with the following meanings.
1. …………………………………… = left in a place where one is helpless
2. …………………………………… = collect
3. …………………………………… = managed to arrive at
4. …………………………………… = to render an already difficult situation more difficult
5. …………………………………… = steal
6. …………………………………… = contact
7. …………………………………… = considering everything
8. …………………………………… = frightening
9. …………………………………… = nervous excitement or activity and trouble or effort
10. …………………………………… = sum of money paid back

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UNIT 8 B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE

UNIT 8
GENERAL VERB FORM AND TENSE REVIEW EXERCISES
See Units 1 – 7 for grammar.
1. Choose the most suitable alternative to complete each sentence.
1. They were held up by a traffic jam and by the time they got to the station, their train ...... ten minutes
before. They had to take a later one.
a) was leaving
b) has left
c) had left
d) had been leaving

2. She ........ him all morning but his mobile phone ....... turned off.
a) has been trying calling ...... seems to be
b) has been trying to call ...... seems to be
c) was trying calling ...... seems being
d) is trying to call ...... seems being

3. He ....... very pig-headed over this matter! What’s wrong with him? He’s usually more easy-going.
a) has been being
b) is being
c) would be
d) is

4. When he was a young boy, he ...... in the country.


a) would live
b) was living
c) has lived
d) used to live

5. As soon as he ......., we ........ off.


a) will arrive ...... are setting
b) has arrived ...... set
c) arrives ...... are setting
d) arrived ..... are setting

6. Isn’t it time Jim and Sally ....... the hatchet? They ....... to each other for months and it ...... things very
awkward for everybody else in the office.
a) bury ...... don’t speak ....... is making
b) buried ...... haven’t spoken ....... makes
c) are burying ....... didn’t speak ....... made
d) have buried ....... haven’t spoken ....... is making

7. Although she ......... for it for ages, this is the first time she ........ bungee-jumping. It’s no wonder she ......
nervous.
a) has been preparing ...... has been ..... feels
b) was preparing ...... has been ...... is feeling
c) prepared ...... was ....... felt
d) has prepared ...... had been ...... feels

8. Thieves ........ in while he ....... but he ....... a thing!


a) have broken ...... is sleeping ...... doesn’t hear
b) broke ...... was sleeping ...... didn’t hear
c) have broken ..... was sleeping ...... wasn’t hearing
d) are breaking ...... was sleeping ...... wasn’t hearing

9. He promised me he ....... me up at the station! Why .......? Now I ........ to phone for a taxi.
a) was picking ...... didn’t he come ...... am having
b) would have picked ....... hasn’t he come ..... am having
c) would pick ...... hasn’t he come ...... will have
d) is going to pick ...... doesn’t he come ...... will have

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10. Why did he pretend ........ the software if he had no idea whatsoever?
a) knowing how to install
b) to know how to install
c) to know how installing
d) knowing how installing

11. If he ........ the film, why ........ to see it again?


a) has seen ...... does he want
b) has seen ....... will he want
c) saw ...... does he want
d) would see ....... did he want

12. If he ....... busy this weekend, he ........ us to move, I’m sure.


a) isn’t ...... would help
b) wasn’t ....... will help
c) weren’t ........ would be helping
d) hadn’t been ....... would help

13. I do wish he ........ on running down his colleague behind his back. If I ........ so strongly about something,
I hope I ........ the courage to tell him to his face.
a) wouldn’t keep ....... felt ........ would have
b) didn’t keep ....... feel ........ would have
c) hadn’t kept ..... felt ....... will have
d) doesn’t keep ...... feel ...... will have

14. A gust of wind ....... out the Olympic flame in Greece while the torch ........ by an actress ....... a high
priestess ....... a scene from the ancient Olympics.
a) was blowing ...... was held ....... played ....... was re-enacting
b) blew ...... was being held ...... playing ...... re-enacting
c) had blown ...... is held ..... playing ...... re-enacting
d) has blown ....... is being held ...... plays ..... re-enacts

15. He ....... a hotel because he doesn’t fancy ....... the night at the airport.
a) will book ..... to spend
b) will book ...... that he spends
c) is going to book ....... to spend
d) is going to book ...... spending

2. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form or tense, active or passive.
1. One of the least successful, as well as one of the wettest robberies, ………………………… (take) place
in Poole last week when a team of thieves who ………………………… (stake) out the place for weeks
before, ………………………… (endeavour) ………………………… (steal) all the copper piping from an
empty house. They ………………………… (break) in through the roof and ………………………… (begin)
………………………… (remove) the piping. It all ………………………… (go) like clockwork until they
………………………… (start) ………………………… (cut), at this point, their otherwise foolproof plan
………………………… (find) ………………………… (contain) a small error. They …………………………
(forget) ………………………… (turn) off the water. One neighbour ………………………… (say) later,
“We ………………………… (hear) someone ………………………… (scream) and we
………………………… (see) three men ………………………… (run) out of the house, all soaking wet.”
2. “………………………… (your son, know) what he ………………………… (do) next year?” – “Yes, he
………………………… (decide) that he ………………………… (backpack) around the world for a year
and when he ………………………… (return) he ………………………… (go) to teaching college.”
3. “What …………………… (she, do) if he …………………… (find) out who she …………………… (see) at
weekends?” – “She …………………… (probably, tell) him it ………………..…………… (be) none of his
business.”
4. It’s always best ………………..…………… (avoid) ………………..…………… (crash) altogether.
However, if you ………………..…………… (happen) ………………..…………… (have) an accident, the
A49 ………………..…………… (seem) ………………..…………… (be) the place
………………..…………… (avoid) most. This lesson ………………………… (learn) by Ms Dawson the
hard way. After ………………..…………… (throw) from her motorcycle when she
………………..…………… (skid) on an oil slick and ………………..…………… (collide) with the guard-

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rail, she ………………..…………… (manage) ………………..…………… (drag) herself onto the grass
verge beside the road from where she ………………..…………… (try) ………………..…………… (flag)
down traffic. She ………………..…………… (spend) almost half an hour ………………..……………
(wave) for help before anyone ………………..…………… (bother) …………………… (stop), although
numerous cars ………………..…………… (pass) and it ………………..…………… (be) obvious to them
from her posture and damaged motorcycle that she …………………… (be) in severe pain. Later, one of
the passing motorists …………………… (admit) that he …………………… (feel) bad about it but if he
………………..…………… (stop) …………………… (help), he ………………..…………… (miss) the kick-
off of his team’s match.
5. …………………… (you, think) a cure for cancer ………………..…………… (discover) by 2020?
6. Volunteers at a charity shop …………………… (make) a surprising discovery this week when a brass
container which ………………..…………… (be) in the shop window for over two weeks,
…………………… (turn) out …………………… (be) a funeral urn, containing human ashes. Now the
shop ………………..…………… (try) …………………… (trace) the urn’s owner, so far they
………………..…………… (not have) success.
7. If the work ………………..…………… (not finish) by last Friday, his boss ………………..……………
(make) him …………………… (work) all the weekend and we ………………..…………… (not lie) on the
beach now.
8. There ………………..…………… (be) a touch of Baywatch in Essex this week. The excitement
…………………… (start) when PC Warrior, who ………………..…………… (patrol) along the front
…………………… (receive) a radio message informing him that a stolen yacht ………………..……………
(spot) offshore. Lesser men ………………..…………… (daunt) by the 600 yards of freezing water
between them and the suspect craft. Not so PC Warrior who, seeing a jet-ski close by, ……………………
(call) the rider and …………………… (demand) ………………..…………… (ferry) out to the boat. Two
men ………………..…………… (subsequently, arrest) and PC Warrior …………………… (hail) as a
hero. One colleague said, “He might look like a burly copper, but to us he ………………..……………
(always, be) Pamela Anderson.”
9. “How long ………………..…………… (he, work) for that firm when he …………………… (retire) next
year?” – “About 25 years, I believe. He ………………..…………… (really, look) forward to
…………………… (retire).”
10. Those who …………………… (feel) the police ………………..…………… (not do) enough
…………………… (apprehend) criminals ………………..…………… (gratify) by events in Dorset this
week, where a man ………………..…………… (fine) for …………………… (eat) a bar of chocolate.
While Mr G. of Corfe ………………..…………… (drive) along the motorway he ………………..……………
(signal) …………………… (stop). Since he ………………..…………… (do) 70mph in a 50mph area he
…………………… (fear) he ………………..…………… (receive) a speeding ticket. However, the officer
was more interested in the fact that he ………………..…………… (drive) while …………………… (eat) a
chocolate bar which, incidentally, ………………..…………… (unwrap) by his wife. Mr G
………………..…………… (caution) and …………………… (issue) with a £20 on-the-spot fine. A police
spokesman later …………………… (admit) that the officer …………………… (be) a little too zealous and
that chocolate …………………… (not threaten) law and order. He added that if it …………………… (be)
a meat pasty, on the other hand, he ………………..…………… (not get) off so lightly.

3. Fill the spaces with the correct form of the verbs below. Some verbs are used more than once.

believe – convince – come out – carry – carry out - overturn – fall – find – catch – cross -
die – divide – suffocate – freeze – include – jump - target – remand – rise - stab – appear -
do – kill – reach - pay – reveal – charge – drown – invest – create
1
At least fourteen more illegal immigrants ……………………………….. on their way to Britain over the
2
past eighteen months. This ……………………………….. by figures yesterday, as two more people
3
……………………………….. in connection with the deaths of sixty Chinese stowaways.
4
As the government promised ……………………………….. more to win the battle against the traffickers
5
in human flesh, it ……………………………….. that the tragedy at Dover was not an isolated case.
6
Of the more than three hundred clandestine immigrants known …………………………….. world-wide in
7
the last two years after ……………………………….. exorbitant sums to criminal gangs, at least fourteen
8
were bound for Britain. These …………………...............………….. four Albanians who
8 10
……………………………….. when a ferry heading for Italy ……………………………….. fire last
11
November and six Romanians whose decomposing corpses ……………………………….. on a ship in
Spain.
12
One Albanian ……………………………….. to death after he climbed into a refrigerated lorry heading
13
for Britain wearing only light clothes. Two more Bosnians ……………………………….. in the Danube

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14 15
when the boat in which they ……………………………….. the river ……………………………….. Both
16 17
(16) ……………………………….. false visas for Britain. Interpol ……………………………….. that a
18
Chinese who ……………………………….. to death with flick-knives in Rotterdam last year
19 20
……………………………….. victim to the gang he ……………………………….. to transport him to
Britain.
21
Last Friday, two men ……………………………….. in court in connection with the bodies found in
22
Dover, they ……………………………….. with conspiracy to facilitate illegal entry into Britain in the first
23
six months of the year. They ……………………………….. in custody to appear before the magistrates
24
next month. They ……………………………….. the same day as the lorry driver who
25
……………………………….. with the manslaughter of the sixty Chinese.
26
The scale of organised trafficking in migrants ……………………………….. faster than almost any other
27
area of crime in the past five years. Last year it ……………………………….. 16,000, with estimates
that at least two people make it past customs and immigration checks for each one who
28
……………………...........…………...
29
Next year, Britain ………...................……………………….. £1,5m in an x-ray scanner for Dover in an
effort to solve the problem, but officials blame the French and Dutch authorities, who, they claim, fail
30
……………………………..................….. proper checks at their ports.
31
Last Monday, it was decided ……………………………….. a new task force which
32
……………………................………….. twelve gangs operating in Britain. These gangs
33
……………………….......……….. to have about five hundred people working for them. Although most of
34
the gangs ……………………………….. along ethnic lines, there is growing evidence that some British
35
criminals ……………………………….. onto the bandwagon.

4. Look back at the completed text in exercise 2 and find words or expressions which have the
following meanings.
1. ……………………………… = people who have come to live permanently in another country
2. ……………………………… = numbers
3. ……………………………… = people who hide in ships or planes before departure, in order to travel
without paying
4. ……………………………… = people who trade in something illegally
5. ……………………………… = was revealed
6. ……………………………… = done secretly
7. ……………………………… = unreasonably high
8. ……………………………… = going to
9. ……………………………… = killed as a result of being unable to breathe
10. ……………………………… = on the way to
11. ……………………………… = decaying
12. ……………………………… = dead bodies
13. ……………………………… = killed in water as a result of being unable to breathe
14. ……………………………… = capsized
15. ……………………………… = killed with a knife
16. ……………………………… = secret plan by a group of people to do something illegal
17. ……………………………… = sent to prison until the date of the trial
18. ……………………………… = crime of killing a person illegally but not intentionally
19. ……………………………… = relative extent
20. ……………………………… = manage to pass
21. ……………………………… = device to produce a picture of the inside of something on a computer
screen
22. ……………………………… = say that someone is responsible for something bad
23. ……………………………… = affirm
24. ……………………………… = do as required or specified
25. ……………………………… = group of people assembled to deal with a particular problem
26. ……………………………… = concentrate on
27. ……………………………… = of or involving a nation or race that has a common cultural tradition
28. ……………………………… = join others in doing something likely to be successful

5. ►Listen and choose the most suitable answers.


1. A CV should be ......
a) noticeable because it’s full of gimmicks
b) with weird clip art
c) none of the above

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2. A CV should be on ...... paper.


a) pink or blue
b) only white
c) white or cream

3. Which statement is correct?


a) A CV should be clear and easy to read.
b) CV number 199 among 200 is always read last.
c) You should read the key points of your CV.

4. The content of a CV should be .......


a) divided into five pages
b) under five headings
c) on more than two pages

5. The third section deals with ......


a) personal details
b) work experience
c) education and qualifications

6. The last section should deal with .......


a) hobbies and interests
b) positions of authority
c) interview topics

7. If you don’t really meet the job criteria, it is better .......


a) to make yourself out to be different
b) to tell the truth
c) attempt to cover it up

8. Before sending off your CV, ......


a) fold it and put it in an envelope
b) have it checked
c) look up the spelling and grammar

6. Rewrite each sentence using the word(s) given so that the meaning remains the same.
1. Transfer from the airport to your hotel isn’t included in the price of the ticket. (doesn’t)
……………………………………………………………................……….
2. Your application is under discussion. (being)
…………………………………………………………................………….
3. When did they get married? (long)
…………………………………………………………………...........….
4. When I see that old film I always cry. (makes)
…………………………………………………………………..........….
5. Arrangements for our meeting next week have been made. (will)
………………………………………………………………...............…….
6. It’s a long time since she had a holiday. (for)
………………………………………………………………….....................….
7. He didn’t apologise and now he’s sorry. (wishes)
………………………………………………………….......................………….
8. He didn’t like going to the theatre when he was younger. (use)
………………………………………………………............…………….
9. They ate and then they went out. (after)
……………………………………………………..................……………….
10. It was impossible for them not to suspect him. (help)
………………………………………………………........................…………….
11. The police were questioning the suspect. (was)
…………………………………………………….........................……………….
12. This is his first visit to the USA. (never)
…………………………………………………………….........................……….
13. “I didn’t break the window!” said Bill. (denied)
…………………………………………………………………….

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14. I was concentrating on my book and that’s why I didn’t hear him arrive. (if)
…………………….............................……………………………………………….
15. Tom was in the bath when she arrived. (having)
………………………..............................…………………………………………….
16. It began raining six hours ago. (for)
…………………………………………………………………….
17. You eat too much trash food, that’s why you’re spotty. (if)
…………………………………………………………………….
18. He intended to phone her but he forgot. (was)
…………………………………………………………………….
19. She always disagrees with him and he is accustomed to it. (used, her)
…………………………………………………………………….
20. I can’t get this printer to work. (won’t)
…………………………………………………………………….
21. She hasn’t got the money to go on holiday this year. (afford)
…………………………………………………………………….
22. It annoys her when he contradicts her in public. (wishes)
…………………………………………………………………….
23. They will have finished the decorating by next week. (been)
…………………………………………………………………….
24. They might have told him they were going to leave early. (he)
…………………………………………………………………….
25. “You took my bike!” she told Tom.
(accused) …………………………………………………………………….

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UNIT 9
MODAL VERBS: PRESENT, FUTURE & PAST, RELATED EXPRESSIONS
The past of modal verbs is formed by: modal verb + have + past participle.
Their plane might have been delayed by fog.
You shouldn’t have left so much money on your desk. It could have been stolen.

ABILITY:
• can
She can read English but she can’t speak it very well.
• be able to is used instead of can in more formal writing, when the infinitive is required or for all the
missing tenses of can (future simple, present perfect, past perfect, etc.):
After the operation he’ll be able to lead a normal life.
• be capable of means to have the necessary ability or qualities required to do something: (often used
with a condition, as in your example)
He’s capable of doing the job if he sets his mind to it.
• could is used to talk about general ability in the past which is not limited to one occasion and in
conditional sentences:
When he was young, he could play the piano quite well.
If I could speak the language, I’d enjoy my stay here more.
• with verbs of the senses, even if the ability refers to one occasion, use could:
She could hear someone moving about in the sitting room so she woke her husband.
• was/were able to (in the affirmative), is used to describe a successfully completed action on one
specific occasion in the past:
She could swim so she was able to save herself from drowning.
• other expressions used to talk about ability on one specific occasion are managed to or succeeded in:
He succeeded in persuading his father to help him set up his business.
He managed to get in touch with them in the end.
• in negative and interrogative sentences, there is no difference between ability in the past on one specific
occasion and in general, use could, was/were able to, succeed in or managed to:
Did he manage to convince her?
They weren’t able to understand the guide’s explanations as they didn’t speak a word of English.

CERTAINTY, UNCERTAINTY
• will, be certain to or be bound to are used when there is certainty that something will happen in the
future:
There will be a general outcry when the news of the new tax comes out.
You’re bound to see him tomorrow. (I’m certain you will.)
• In case of uncertainty (and/or possibility), use may (not), might (not) or could (could not does not
express uncertainty)
I might be able to finish the job by Friday, but it is doubtful.
His flight could be delayed by fog.
We may not have enough time to visit her.

POSSIBILITY / IMPOSSIBILITY
• can/can’t or could/couldn’t:
We can work overtime in an effort to complete the order.
They couldn’t do any more that evening.
• to talk about things which are possible or impossible in the future, use can, may, might or will / won’t
be able to:
We can leave tomorrow.
We’ll be able to see the results of the publicity campaign next month.
They won’t be able to do much sightseeing in two days!
• may, might, could (affirmative) express both uncertainty or possibility:
I may / might arrive late tomorrow.
She could be stuck in a traffic jam.
She may / might have missed the train. (Perhaps she did.)
You could have had a bad accident. (It was a possibility.)
• may / might be + –ing is used to express a possibility that something may be happening at that
moment:
She may / might be working late at the office.

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• was / were to have (very formal) refers to something which should have happened but didn’t:
He was to have left yesterday but he felt ill.
• be likely or be unlikely is used to say that something probably will or won’t happen.
• unlikely is not used much in spoken English nowadays: not be likely is more common. There are two
possible structures:
• it + (not) be + likely / be unlikely (+ that) + subject + verb etc.
It is likely (that) he will move nearer his office.
It is unlikely (that) he will be promoted this year.
It isn’t likely he will be promoted this year.
• subject + be + (not) likely / unlikely + infinitive (with to)
He is likely to move.
He is not likely to have enough money to buy that car.
He is unlikely to spend much on furnishings.

OBLIGATION
• must (personal obligation), have to (external obligation) – sometimes there is no difference:
I must / have to go now.(it is not clear if it is a personal or an external obligation)
• be to (formal) is used in instructions:
You are to fill in this form.
• the past of both must and have to is had to:
She had to pull her socks up to pass that exam.
• mustn’t (prohibition), don’t have to (It’s not necessary.):
You mustn’t smoke here; it’s against the law!
He doesn’t have to finish now, he can do it tomorrow.
There was plenty of time so he didn’t have to hurry.
• needn’t have describes an action which happened, but was unnecessary:
You needn’t have prepared a meal, we could have gone to a restaurant.
• didn’t need to describes an action which wasn’t necessary and did not happen:
We didn’t need to book a table as there are never many people there on Thursdays.

PERMISSION
• can is used in informal situations
Can I use your dictionary?
• could is more polite than can:
Could you move your bag so I can sit down?
• may is more formal and polite than can or could:
May my son leave school early? He’s got a dental appointment.
• indirect questions are more polite than direct questions:
Do you think I could close the door?
• Do you mind if + present simple:
Do you mind if I take a day off next week?
• would you mind if + past simple:
Would you mind if I used your phone? It’s an emergency.
• mind + -ing
“Do you mind opening the window?” – Actually, I’m feeling rather cold.”
Would you mind moving your bag, please? This is the only seat left.
• allow or permit + object + infinitive are used to give permission. Permit is more formal than allow.
They allowed him to use the Internet for personal motives.
• be allowed to + infinitive is used to say something is permitted. All tenses are possible with this
expression. The subject of be allowed to must be a person.
He was allowed to leave school early.
• let + object + bare infinitive (no to)
They let him stay up to see the end of the film.

ADVICE, SUGGESTIONS, EXPECTATIONS


• should (more frequently used) / ought to(more formal) is used to express expectation:
She should be / ought to be here by now.
• should / should not, ought to / ought not to + bare infinitive are also used to give an opinion or
advice in the present and future:
You shouldn’t take his agreement for granted.

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• should be –ing / ought to be –ing are used to describe actions which are supposed to be going on at
that moment (but often aren’t):
She should be studying / ought to be studying in her room at this time.
• should have / ought to have are used to criticise or talk about things in the past which were not
expected by the speaker:
You should have / ought to have telephoned earlier.
He should have / ought to have passed the exam. I can’t understand why he didn’t.
• had better (present or future) is used to give advice or strong recommendations:
You’d better go home, it’s late.
• might / could have is also used to express irritation on the part of the speaker:
You might have told me he was going to be late!
• it’s better or best + bare infinitive, it’s better to + infinitive or had better + bare infinitive to suggest
how to avoid problems or get the best results:
It’s best you make an appointment.
Don’t just go and visit him. It’s better to phone first. /You had better phone first.
• advise + somebody (+ not) + infinitive is used to tell people what you think they should do. It is also
used in formal contexts:
They advised him not to go out alone at night in that district.
• other important verbs used to suggest and advise are:
• suggest when talking about things you believe would be a good idea or the correct thing to do
• recommend when you want to tell somebody that something is a good idea or suitable because you
have had a good experience of it
• propose is used to suggest ideas and plans, usually in formal contexts
• All three verbs take the following structures:
• present verb (that) + somebody + bare infinitive
I suggest (that) you apply for the job.
• present verb (that) + somebody + should + bare infinitive
I propose he should resign.
I suggest you should apply for the job.
• past verb (that) + somebody + bare infinitive
He recommended (that) we call an expert.
• past verb (that) + somebody + should + bare infinitive
She suggested (that) they should book a hotel.
• verb + ing when the subject of the –ing verb is obvious or will also do the action suggested:
They proposed booking the hotel well in advance.
I suggested catching a train rather than driving. I thought it would far less tiring for us.

DEDUCTIONS
• Positive deductions or assumptions on the part of the speaker are expressed by:
• (present) must + bare infinitive:
You must be tired after travelling for so long.
• (present) must be –ing is used for deductions about something which the speaker thinks are
happening at the moment:
She must be having a bath, she’s been in there an age.
• (past) must have + past participle:
• You must have been tired when you arrived.
• (future) be bound to, be sure to:
He’s bound to be there at the exhibition next month.
He’s sure to arrive soon.
• Negative deductions or assumptions on the part of the speaker are expressed by:
• (present) can’t + bare infinitive:
He can’t be hungry. He’s just eaten an enormous sandwich.
• (present) can’t + be + -ing for things you assume or deduct aren’t happening at this moment or in
this period:
He can’t be working at this hour of the night!
• (past) can’t + have + past participle:
He can’t have been happy when he got the bill for the repairs.
• Uncertain deductions or assumptions are expressed by:
• (present) may / may not, might / might not, could + bare infinitive:
He may stay for another night. It depends on which flight has seats.

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• (present) may / may not, might / might not, could + be + -ing to talk about things you think might
be happening or not happening at this moment or in this period
He might be watching the match although he’s not that keen on football.
• (past) may / may not, might / might not, could + have + past participle (could not etc. is not used
for deduction):
He may not have realised that he was invited too.

1. Choose the most suitable alternative to complete each sentence.


1. What a racket! Close the window. They ....... up the road yet again.
a) must be digging
b) can be digging
c) could dig
d) need to dig

2. She ....... through to his office yet, although she’s been trying all morning.
a) hasn’t been able to get
b) couldn’t get
c) didn’t manage to get
d) doesn’t succeed in getting

3. She ....... yet! She’s a fast worker but she only started the job yesterday.
a) mustn’t finish
b) might not finish
c) can’t have finished
d) mustn’t have finished

4. Tom just rang. He said he was still at home. ......... to the airport at this time?
a) Mustn’t he drive
b) Shouldn’t he be driving
c) Doesn’t he need driving
d) Can he be driving

5. She was brought up in Madrid so by the time she was five, she ....... Spanish perfectly.
a) managed to speak
b) could speak
c) succeeded in speaking
d) is able to speak

6. He isn’t ....... to do that horrendous job all by himself!


a) bound that he will volunteer
b) minding volunteering
c) let volunteer
d) likely to volunteer

7. It was difficult but he ....... convince his father to let him use the family car.
a) succeeded
b) was able to
c) could
d) managed

8. It isn’t certain, but I ....... this Saturday.


a) must be working
b) might be working
c) have been able to work
d) will succeed in working

9. They ....... the work by the deadline if they hadn’t come up against so many setbacks.
a) could have finished
b) must have finished
c) might be finishing
d) ought to finish

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10. Sue wasn’t feeling too well yesterday. She wasn’t sure but she told me she ....... at home today.
a) must stay
b) can have stayed
c) may stay
d) has to stay

11. He ....... in his office. All the lights are out.


a) mustn’t be working
b) can’t be working
c) might work
d) may be working

12. ....... doing overtime this evening?


a) Do you mind if
b) Should you
c) Can you
d) Would you mind

13. He ....... the report home to finish. Otherwise it would be on his desk.
a) can take
b) might be taking
c) must have taken
d) can take

14. I suggest ....... some time to relax and chill out. He’s exhausted!
a) he is taking
b) he take
c) he has taken
d) to take

15. He ........ alcohol while he was on those pills.


a) was advised not to drink
b) is advised not drinking
c) has advised no
d) was advised to not drinking

16. By running as fast as he could, he ....... catch his train by the skin of his teeth.
a) could just
b) was just able to
c) managed
d) succeeded to

2. Complete each sentence with the correct tenses or forms of can, could, be able to, must, have to,
should, may or might - and the correct form of the verb in brackets. Sometimes, the passive may
be necessary.

E.g. I think we …shouldn’t have stopped……. (not / stop) and ……..had………(have) a break earlier, we
....should have......... (push) on. Now we’re caught in the rush hour traffic.

1. They …………………………………. (not / arrive) yet, it’s too early. Their train
…………………………………. (get) in at six.
2. His mobile telephone’s off. He …………………………………. (have) a lesson, he always turns it off
before going into the classroom.
3. I’m not sure but I …………………………………. (be) late tomorrow morning, I
…………………………………. (take) my little sister to school.
4. I’m sorry I …………………………………. (not / come) with you yesterday. I
…………………………………. (go) to the lawyer’s.
5. Let’s go round to the back of the house. He …………………………………. (sit) in the garden, he often
does when the weather’s fine.
6. If I …………………………………. (phone) you, I would have done so, but I ………………………………….
(not / get) through. I …………………………………. (be) in an area which doesn’t receive a telephone
signal.

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7. She …………………………………. (warn) me that he had recently been widowed. As it was, I really put
my foot in it!
8. You were lucky! The incident …………………………………. (have) much more serious consequences.
9. You …………………………………. (post) the letter yesterday. Why didn’t you?
10. Oh bother! I can’t find my keys. I …………………………………. (leave) them in my other bag.
11. You …………………………………. (turn) left here and park. You …………………………………. (not /
take) the car into the centre, it’s a pedestrian island.
12. “Where is he? He …………………………………. (arrive) hours ago!” – “Don’t worry. He
…………………………………. (catch) in a traffic jam or he …………………………………. (work) late at
the office.” – “He …………………………………. (not / be)! He always telephones if he’s going to be late.
He …………………………………. (have) an accident or something. I’m going to call the police. He
…………………………………. (lie) unconscious in the road for all we know!”
13. Your application …………………………………. (send) in by the end of May, at the latest.
14. …………………………………. (he, pay) much interest on his mortgage last year?
15. I’d like …………………………………. (drive). Not …………………………………. (drive)
…………………………………. (be) a nuisance when public transport isn’t very good, you
…………………………………. (rely) on other people’s kindness. For example, next Monday I
…………………………………. (fly) to Paris, if a friend hadn’t offered to take me, I
…………………………………. (take) a train, the underground and then another train before even arriving
at the airport.
16. “Where’s the ham gone? I wanted to make sandwiches.” – “It …………………………………. (eat). You
know David and his friends were here alone yesterday afternoon. You ………………………………….
(hide) it if you didn’t want anyone to eat it.”
17. The secretary …………………………………. (write) up that report but actually she’s talking to her
boyfriend on the phone.
18. “He …………………………………. (be) furious when he found out the truth!” – “Yes, you
…………………………………. (hear) the shouting from the end of the street.”
19. You …………………………………. (not / answer) the boss back in that way this morning. One of these
days you’re going to be fired and then you …………………………………. (find) yourself another job.
20. You …………………………………. (not / shout), I’m not deaf.
21. I wonder why Alan didn’t buy me anything for my birthday. He ....................................... (forget) or he
..................................................... (think) that now I’m getting on, I don’t like to be reminded of my
advancing years. On the other hand, he .......................................... (not forget)! He ...........................
(give) me a present this evening when I see him. Oh no! He ............................... (plan) a surprise party,
as he did last year. What a disaster that was! I hope he isn’t going to do it again.
22. Every time I phone Kelly, it’s engaged. I suppose she ........................................ (try) to phone me while
I’m calling her. I’ll wait a while and try again later.
23. I can’t help worrying when my son is late home and doesn’t answer his mobile phone. I know it’s
irrational but I automatically think something awful ........................................... (happen). Wait a minute!
Isn’t it Tuesday? He often works late on Tuesdays. He ..................................... (not / leave) the office yet.
I’ll give him a ring there.
24. Jane has got a lot of brochures about Ireland. She ..................................... (think) of going there this year
on holiday. I wonder who she’s going with.
25. “I wonder where Jack is. I haven’t seen him at the station all this week” – “I’m not sure but he
.......................................... (work) from home this week. He mentioned the possibility.

3. Complete the sentences with the correct forms of have to, need or must and the correct form of
the verbs in the list Use each verb once only.
book – clean – do – have – learn – leave – look - never / pull - not / go - not / make - not / take – offend –
open - taste – tell – watch – wear – work - worry

1. “What time ................... we ............for the airport?” – “It’s only a thirty-minute drive, so we
.......................... until about 4.30. I ........................... my packing. I haven’t started yet.”
2. He has an interview for a job next week, but before the interview he ........................... a medical
examination.
3. How did you damage your bike? You .......................... to look after your things. When I was your age, I
........................... my bike once a week.
4. A new Indian restaurant has just opened. You ................................ their special curry. It’s fantastic.
However, you ............................ at least a week in advance as it’s already very popular.
5. I’m sure she didn’t mean to upset you. You ................................. her remarks so personally.
6. I hate .................................... you, but you’ve just got a parking fine.
7. It was kind but you ............................................. sandwiches. I had something to eat on the plane.

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8. He has perfect teeth! The dentist ..................................... out a single tooth in all these years!
9. I’ve put on weight! I ............................. what I eat in the future.
10. I don’t think a career in the army would suit him. He ................................. a uniform, for a start.
11. You ................................ about him. He can look after himself.
12. We .............................................. for a hotel when we went to Rome. A friend of ours put us up for the
three nights.
13. “Look! The light is on in his office. He ............................................”
14. He’s not very polite, is he? ......................................... her by telling her she looked ten years older than
her age?
15. You ................................... the door before the train stops!

4. ►Listen and choose the most suitable endings.


1. Many Americans go to the Grand Canyon ....... .
a) as a pilgrimage
b) so they can tell other people they’ve been there
c) as part of a trip

2. A common reaction to the first sight of the canyon is ....... .


a) disappointment
b) impression
c) discomfort

3. The canyon is ....... .


a) a mile in depth
b) very wide
c) coloured

4. When looking over the rim, you may feel ....... .


a) dizzy
b) strange
c) elated

5. When visiting the canyon you should ....... .


a) stay at least four hours
b) go by night
c) make an overnight stay

6. To really appreciate the canyon you should ....... .


a) use a mule
b) walk round the rim
c) go into the canyon

7. If you hike down, you must ....... .


a) take extreme measures
b) be very careful
c) go round

8. Some people have been killed by ....... .


a) suicides
b) thirst
c) rocks

9. Rescuers have saved people ....... .


a) from walking
b) who were in difficulty on the river
c) with temperatures

10. At the moment it is difficult to find room and quiet because ....... .
a) there are too many cars in the canyon
b) too many people stay in the lodges
c) it is too crowded

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11. 90% of the visitor traffic heads towards ....... .


a) the Grand Canyon Village complex
b) the rim
c) Mather Point

12. In the future, the park may be able to improve the quality of a visit by ....... .
a) using buses and horses
b) sending everyone to Mather Point
c) limiting the amount of traffic allowed in the park

5. Make suitable comments with a modal. Use the word given in brackets.
E.g. The light’s still on in Sam’s bedroom. (reading)
He must be reading.

1. Nobody laughed at his jokes. (funny)


………………………………………………………………………..
2. She went red in the face. (embarrassed)
………………………………………………………………………..
3. She’s in the maternity ward of the hospital. (baby)
………………………………………………………………………..
4. The alarm went off half an hour ago and she’s still in bed. (up)
………………………………………………………………………..
5. It’s five thirty. They’re asking the customers to leave the shop. (closing)
………………………………………………………………………..
6. There are no umbrellas up. (raining)
………………………………………………………………………..
7. That bus missed the old man on a bike by a hair! (knocked)
………………………………………………………………………..
8. The room’s in a terrible mess. (cleaned)
………………………………………………………………………..
9. That man doesn’t seem to understand me when I speak. (foreigner)
………………………………………………………………………..
10. I’ve been trying to get through to him for ages but the line’s always busy. (girlfriend)
………………………………………………………………………..

6. Rewrite each sentence so that it has the same meaning and contains the word given.
1. You should go by train, it’s more convenient.
(had) ………………………………………………………………………..
2. I’m sure you didn’t see Julie yesterday.
(seen) ………………………………………………………………………..
3. I’m certain you’ll have a good time in California.
(bound) ………………………………………………………………………..
4. He should have gone to Rome last week but there was a plane strike.
(was) ………………………………………………………………………..
5. Perhaps Joe didn’t take your dictionary.
(have) ………………………………………………………………………..
6. It would be a good idea for her to stay in bed until she feels better.
(should) ………………………………………………………………………..
7. It was wrong of you to borrow her CD without leave.
(borrowed) ………………………………………………………………………..
8. I’m sure he was relieved when he heard the good news.
(have) ………………………………………………………………………..
9. It’s possible he’s sleeping.
(be) ………………………………………………………………………..
10. It was unnecessary for him to stay up all night studying as the exam was easy.
(stayed) ………………………………………………………………………..
11. It’s just possible that they missed the train.
(have) ………………………………………………………………………..
12. It wasn’t necessary for me to pay for the theatre ticket as it was David’s treat.
(to) ………………………………………………………………………..
13. I wish he had given me more time to prepare.
(have) ………………………………………………………………………..

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14. I’m sure he isn’t working, it’s Sunday!


(be) ………………………………………………………………………..
15. I expect they’ll be arriving any moment now.
(should) ………………………………………………………………………..
16. Visitors must vacate rooms before eleven in the morning.
(are) ………………………………………………………………………..
17. It would be a good idea if we phoned him instead of arriving out of the blue.
(had) ………………………………………………………………………..
18. It wasn’t necessary for you to take me to the station, it wasn’t far to walk.
(have) ………………………………………………………………………..
19. Perhaps she spoke without thinking.
(spoken) ………………………………………………………………………..
20. It’s impossible that she studied Japanese at school.
(have) ………………………………………………………………………..

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B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE UNIT 10

UNIT 10
RELATIVE CLAUSES
DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES are used to identify exactly which person or thing, etc. is meant. The
relative clause is part of the noun clause (i.e. not separated by commas) and the information it contains is
necessary for the sentence to make sense.
• Defining relative clauses are usually introduced by a relative pronoun, such as ‘that’ (things / people),
‘which’ (things), ‘who’ (people), ‘whom’ (people - whom is used in very formal English as the object of
the verb in the relative clause) or ‘whose’.
• who, that, which, whom cannot be omitted when used as the subject of the clause:
The man who / that lives next door is a bit nosy.
The car that / which caused the accident didn’t stop.
• who, that, which, whom can be omitted when used as the object of the clause:
The man (who / that / whom) I met yesterday was rather good-looking.
The car (which / that) she bought was second-hand.
• possession: whose is generally used for people, although in common, idiomatic use it is also used for
things:
The applicant whose interview had gone well got the job.
London is a city whose monuments attract myriads of tourists.
(more formally) London is a city the monuments of which attract myriads of tourists.
• To avoid both whose and of which with things, we sometimes use with:
The car with the dented bumper is hers.
• With prepositions:
• (informal) She was the person (who / that) I was waiting for.
• (formal) She was the person for whom I was waiting.
• (informal) The bed (which / that) I slept in was too soft.
• (formal) The bed in which I slept was too soft.

NON-DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES are used:


• to give extra information about the person or thing you’re talking about. They are not a necessary part of
the sentence.
Mrs Holmes, who is the manager’s assistant, is at home on maternity leave.
Jack, whose car had been stolen the night before, went to work by bus.
That car, which is second-hand, belongs to Mr Jones.
• non-defining relative clauses are introduced by a relative pronoun, such as ‘which’ (things), ‘who’
(people), ‘whom’ (people) or ‘whose’. Who, which, whom cannot be omitted in non-defining relative
clauses. Do not use that for non-defining relative clauses
• non-defining clauses are placed between commas:
• subject:
His father, who is Australian, wants to open a business.
His car, which was black, was stolen.
• object:
His sister, who (informal) / whom (formal) you met yesterday, works for the same firm.
His car, which was in the car park yesterday, is rather ancient.
• with prepositions:
Sue, who I spoke to (informal) / to whom I spoke (formal) yesterday, has left for Berlin.
His car, which he paid a lot for, (informal) / for which he paid a lot (formal), has been stolen.
• possession:
Sam, whose girlfriend is a nurse, studies medicine.

PARTICULAR USES:
• with a present participle:
The celebrations beginning tomorrow usually continue all week. = The celebrations which will begin
tomorrow usually continue all week.
• with a past participle:
The painting stolen last week has been found by the police = The painting which was stolen last week
has been found by the police.
• with for and an infinitive:
There’s nothing else for us to do. = There’s nothing else (which / that) we can do.
• when / why / where / how:

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I’ll always remember the day when I met Jim. = I’ll always remember the day on which I met Jim.
The shop where I bought … = The shop in which I bought ….
The reason why he was late ..... = The reason for which he was late ….
He explained how it had to be done. = He explained the way in which it had to be done.
• what = the thing that:
What I can’t understand is his attitude towards the rest of the staff.
• which can also refer to the whole situation described in the main clause:
She was very nervous before the exam, which was understandable.(i.e. that she was very nervous)
• however ( it doesn’t matter how):
However much it costs, he will buy it.
• whatever (it doesn’t matter what):
Whatever you do, don’t touch anything!
• whenever (it doesn’t matter when):
Whenever I see him, he’s talking on his mobile phone.
• whichever (it doesn’t matter which):
Whichever bag you choose, it’ll still be too expensive.
• wherever (it doesn’t matter where):
Wherever he goes, he insists on drinking tea.
• whoever (it doesn’t matter who):
He’ll have to toe the line, whoever he is!

1. Decide whether the relative clauses are defining (D) or non-defining (ND), insert commas (where
necessary) and complete the sentences with who, which, that, or whose only if necessary.
1. (……….) They didn’t enjoy the play ………………….. they went to see last week.
2. (……….) A friend of mine ………………….. parents live near the sea invited me to spend a week with
him.
3. (……….) Pete ………………….. had been a policeman for twenty years now works with young people
………………….. childhood has been difficult.
4. (……….) Is this the gentleman ………………….. wishes to see me?
5. (……….) Al Capone ………………….. family came from Sicily was a notorious Mafia boss.
6. (……….) The castle ………………….. was built in the twelfth century is said to be haunted by the spirit of
a man ………………….. threw his wife off the top of the tower.
7. (……….) Anyone ………………….. witnessed the accident should report to the nearest police station.
8. (……….) Coffee ………………….. is grown for export is their principal crop.
9. (……….) Agatha Christie ………………….. crime and mystery novels are still popular died in the mid
70s.
10. (……….) I don’t believe the story ………………….. she told us.
11. (……….) The car in ………………….. the robbers had made a get-away was later found abandoned.
12. (……….) A ring road ………………….. would connect all the suburbs would be a great amenity.
13. (……….) A parcel ………………….. was addressed to John was delivered yesterday.
14. (……….) His flat, ………………….. was rather small, overlooked the main road.
15. (……….) The man ………………….. photo had been identified by the witness was arrested by the police
………………….. charged him with breaking and entering.
16. (……….) The computer programme ………………….. they installed last week doesn’t seem to work very
well.
17. (……….) The person ………………….. I spoke to said there would be no extra charge for the repairs to
the stereo ………………….. had resulted from faulty wiring.
18. (……….) David’s mother ………………….. likes dogs has offered to take one of the puppies.
19. (……….) Exeter ………………….. is a cathedral town is always full of tourists in summer.
20. (……….) Mr Brown for ………………….. you are waiting has unfortunately been delayed.

2. Make the sentences less formal, omitting relative pronouns where possible.
1. The man for whom she worked was rather unpleasant.
................................................................................................................
2. The mattress the springs of which were broken was thrown away.
................................................................................................................
3. The dog, the tail of which was wagging furiously, leapt toward his master with joy.
4. ................................................................................................................
5. The boy at whom she was staring went bright red.
................................................................................................................

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6. John is the boy to whom she spoke .


................................................................................................................

3. Rewrite each sentence using a present or past participle.


1. Students who absent themselves from lectures will not be allowed to take the exam.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
2. Money which has once been spent cannot be spent again.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
3. Wood pulp which is used for making paper is produced in that factory.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
4. There are now mobile telephones which enable users to surf the net.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
5. The engineers who had been brought from England were all experienced men.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
6. The missing dog which was found wondering about the centre was taken back to its owner.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
7. The town which lies on the other side of the bay doesn’t get as much sunshine as this.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
8. The car which was used in the robbery had been stolen three weeks before.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
9. She received an e-mail which invited her to the conference.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
10. Anyone who requires further information should write to us.
…………………………………………………………………………………….

4. Rewrite each sentence with the infinitive and for, if necessary.


1. Tom seems the most unlikely person that would have the book you want.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
2. Do you know of a quiet hotel that I could stay in for a week?
…………………………………………………………………………………….
3. The police were investigating the most serious crime that had even taken place here.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
4. This is a possibility that you should remember.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
5. Working underground in a mine is not the way in which a man with his health problems should live.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
6. The next person who dropped in was an old colleague of mine.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
7. The only thing they could do at that point was to phone the police.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
8. Have you a book that Sue can read in bed, please?
…………………………………………………………………………………….
9. The parts which you must read carefully are highlighted.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
10. Nothing has happened that makes me change my mind.
…………………………………………………………………………………….

5. Complete the sentences with when, why, where, how, which or what.
1. She was given three days to finish the job ……………………… wasn’t long enough.
2. The place ……………………… you should sign is marked with a cross.
3. ……………………… really annoys me is that he expected me to apologise!
4. Can you explain to me again ……………………… I should use this machine? Yesterday
……………………… you explained, I wasn’t really listening.
5. Can you give me one good reason ……………………… I should believe you this time?
6. They have the habit of writing down everything you say, ……………………… makes conversation rather
difficult.
7. I can thoroughly recommend the hotel ……………………… I stayed.
8. The police didn’t know ……………………… the thieves entered the building, because none of the doors
or windows were forced ……………………… made them think it may have been an inside job.
9. Can you remember the time ……………………… he was supposed to arrive?
10. ……………………… I can’t understand is ……………………… he didn’t tell us about his problems. Aren’t
we supposed to be his friends?

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6. Rewrite the sentences using whatever, whoever, wherever, whenever, whichever or however.
1. The person who booked your ticket has made a mistake in the date.
………………………………………………………………………..
2. No matter how hard they try to cover up, they are to blame.
………………………………………………………………………..
3. I try to find time to go to the theatre on every occasion I have the opportunity.
………………………………………………………………………..
4. No matter where you go on holiday, don’t forget to send me a postcard.
………………………………………………………………………..
5. Every time I try to bend down, my back hurts.
………………………………………………………………………..
6. No matter which book you borrow, bring it back next week.
………………………………………………………………………..
7. I don’t care what has happened, I insist on speaking to him.
………………………………………………………………………..
8. No matter which of you made the mess, it has to be cleaned up immediately.
………………………………………………………………………..
9. It doesn’t matter when he drops in, they always make him welcome.
………………………………………………………………………..
10. It doesn’t seem to matter how much she tries to satisfy him, he always finds something wrong.
………………………………………………………………………..

7. ►Listen and choose the most suitable endings.


1. The island of Lundy is ....... .
a) three miles in width
b) six times as long as it is wide
c) three times as long as it is wide

2. The island of Lundy ....... .


a) is especially remote
b) gives a feeling of being isolated
c) is on the coast of Devon

3. People usually land on the east coast ....... .


a) because of the pretty beaches
b) because there is an easy path
c) because it is the easiest and safest place

4. In the past, Lundy was ....... .


a) was used by people threatening Britain
b) was a Viking settlement
c) was often used by people to raid Britain

5. The French invaders ....... .


a) threw living people off the cliffs
b) sent animals over the cliffs into the sea
c) didn’t like British meat

6. Thomas Benson used the castle ....... .


a) to save money
b) in the late thirteenth century
c) to illegally imprison people

7. Two more lighthouses were built because ....... .


a) the original lighthouse wasn’t doing its job properly
b) the original lighthouse didn’t give enough light
c) the original lighthouse was covered in fog

8. The Marisco family used the island as a pirate base ....... .


a) until William de Marisco became the owner of the tavern
b) until they became notorious in 1250

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c) until William de Marisco was executed

9. The island was made a Marine Nature Reserve because ....... .


a) only eighteen people live there
b) it is an ideal place for sea-life
c) there are a lot of visitors who want to see the marine life

10. The Landmark Trust ....... .


a) earns money by restoring and renting out historic buildings
b) restores historic buildings and lets them to visitors who cook for themselves
c) restores historic buildings and rents them to hotels

8. Make one new sentence out of the information given.


1. Tony lives in Newport. Newport is on the south coast of Wales. Tony’s wife works with me.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
2. Jack’s car broke down. He had to take a bus.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3. The painting was stolen last July. It was found in the boot of a car. The car had been abandoned outside
the police station.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
4. The house you are looking for is on the moor. The moor is haunted by the ghost of a highwayman. The
highwayman was hanged in the seventeenth century. The ghost has eyes of fire.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
5. I finally bought some shoes. The shoe shop is on the corner of May Street and Peeps Avenue. I had
gone to that shop first.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
6. Two people applied for the job. Neither of them had the right qualifications.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
7. Malnutrition is the most endemic disease of the Western world. It is largely due to overeating of refined
carbohydrates.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
8. The next train is the six thirty to Brighton. The train arrives at platform ten. The train is running fifteen
minutes late.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
9. A lot of artists become famous after their death. Their work doesn’t sell while they’re alive.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
10. Claire is my best friend. I have know Claire for over twenty years.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
11. She lent me a book. It was written by a friend of hers. This friend lives in Scotland.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
12. I was told that the boss had taken the day off. This cheered me up considerably.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
13. The footballer was sent off. He had argued with the referee.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
14. The man’s wife was murdered. The man has been arrested by the police. The police think he killed her
to get the insurance money.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
15. The person had a strong Scottish accent. He approached us next.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
16. Some people say that professional football players are too highly paid. Their professional lives are short.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
17. They were discussing the latest royal scandal. The scandal had been reported in the Sunday
newspaper. I was not interested in it.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
18. The fastest passenger aircraft is the Concorde. The aircraft operates regularly. Concorde was the result
of French-British co-operation.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
19. Gamma radiation is potentially dangerous. It is a by-product of nuclear power.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
20. An explosive device was found in the parcel. The device had been made by an expert. The expert was
captured by the police.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..

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UNIT 11 B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE

UNIT 11
INDIRECT SPEECH
• Normally, when the verb introducing the indirect speech is in the past simple, past perfect or
conditional, the tense in the reported statement shifts backwards:
“I’m stressed-out.” – She said she was stressed-out.
“I’ll do it.” – She had told me she would do it.
“I hate Mondays.” – She would often say she hated Mondays.

tense direct speech indirect speech


present simple “I study.” He said he studied.
present continuous “I’m going.” He said he was going.
present perfect “I have finished.” He said he had finished.
present perfect continuous “I’ve been reading.” He said he had been reading.
past simple “I lied.” He said he had lied.
future simple “I will bring it.” He said he would bring it.
future continuous “I will be staying.” He said he would be staying.
future perfect “I’ll have done it.” He said he would have done it.

• There is no change if the speech is in the past continuous, past perfect, past perfect continuous,
present conditional and perfect conditional:
“She was sleeping.” – He said she was sleeping.
“She had worked before.” – He said she had worked before.
“I would like to speak.” – He said he would like to speak.
• Words that are spoken in one place may be reported in another place by a different person. Because of
this, there are often logical grammatical differences between direct and indirect speech. This often
changes to that or the:
“I don’t want to do this work. I’m leaving now.” - She told him that she didn’t want to do the work and
she was leaving.
• pronouns may also change, e.g. I = he / she, you = him / her / me, etc., we = they.
“I don’t want you to disturb me while I’m working.” – She told him that she didn’t want him to disturb
her while she was working.
• adverbs and adverbial phrases of time and place may be either dropped or changed. Some of the
most common changes are: here = there, now = then, today = that day, yesterday = the day before /
the previous day, next Friday = the following / next Friday, tomorrow = the following / next day, ago =
before. Of course, these changes depend on when and where the speech is reported.
“Don’t leave it here!” – I told him not to leave it here. (the speaker is in the same place) - I told him
not to leave it there. (the speaker is somewhere else)
“I’ll do it tomorrow.” – I said I would do it tomorrow.” (it’s the same day) - I said I would do it the next
day. (it is no longer the same day)
• that is often omitted, especially after common reporting verbs, e.g. say, tell, in informal speech.
He told me (that) he couldn’t come.
She said (that) she’d had enough.
• Modals:
• can / may / shall change to could / might / should
“Can I use your dictionary?” – He asked if he could use her dictionary.
“Shall I open the window?” – He asked if he should open the window.
• must as a logical deduction, prohibition or intention does not change:
“You must be crazy.” – She said he must be crazy.
• When must expresses obligation it changes to had to or would have to
“I must work this Saturday.” – He said he had to work that Saturday
“I must go to Rome tomorrow.” – He said he would have to / had to go to Rome the next day.
• other expressions related to modals do not change:
“I’d rather not do it.” – “She said she’d rather not do it.
• after wish (meaning if only), there is no change in tense
“I wish she were more easy-going.” – He said he wished she were more easy-going.
• requests and commands in the imperative are often reported with tell or ask + infinitive:
‘Call me tomorrow.’ – I told her to call me the next day.
‘Don’t go without telling me.’ – I asked him not to go without telling me.
• questions:
• yes/no questions are reported using if or whether. There is no inversion and no question mark.

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“Do you see her every day?” – She asked if / whether he saw her every day.
• Wh- questions are reported with the question word but without inversion.
“What do you like doing on Saturdays?” – He asked what she liked doing on Saturdays.
• The structure of question word + infinitive is also common:
“Where should I park?” – He asked me where to park.
“How do I use the machine?” – She asked him how to use the machine.
• Indirect questions introduced by polite phrases, e.g. Could you tell me …? I wonder … Can you
explain …?, etc. Note the word order:
“What time does the film start?” – Do you mind telling me what time the film starts?
• After past reporting verbs, sentences with if and would are usually unchanged in indirect speech:
“We would arrive earlier if you drove a little faster.” – He said they would arrive earlier if she drove a
little faster.
• However, conditional sentences which refer to unreal situations can change, depending on the sense
of the sentence:
“If I had time, I would help you.”– He told me that if he had had time, he would have helped me.
(He had no time so it is ‘unreal’) or He told me he would help me if he had time. (He may find time
in the future)
• When the verb introducing the reported speech is in the present simple, present perfect or future,
there is no change in tense in the reported statement:
“I like him.” - He says he likes him.
“I never answer the phone after 10.00.” – He has said he never answers the phone after 10.00.
N:B:
Although past tenses are normally used in reports about the past, you can use a present tense in the
reported clause if what you’re saying is still true:
Did you tell him I’m waiting for him? (I’m still waiting)
He said he has been trying to speak to her all day. (It is still the same day and he is still trying to speak to
her.)

REPORTING VERBS
• Common reporting verbs which take an infinitive construction are: ask, decide, forbid, invite, offer,
persuade, promise, refuse, remind, threat, warn:
“Yes, I’ll buy it.” – He decided to buy it.
“I won’t let the cat out of the bag, I promise.” – He promised not to let the cat out of the bag.
“No, I won’t write the report.” – She refused to write the report.
“I’m going call the police!” – She threatened to call the police.
• object + infinitive is often found with ask, advise, tell, order:
“Would you like to go to the cinema with me?” – He invited her to go to the cinema with him.
“Please be quiet.” - She asked us to be quiet.
“I wouldn’t call her at this time of the night.” – He advised me not to call her at that time of the night.
• other common reporting verbs are:
• apologise + for
“I’m sorry I forgot.” – She apologised for forgetting.
• agree + with
“Yes, I think you’re right, Sally.” – She agreed with Sally.
• congratulate + on
“That’s wonderful! You’re going to Australia!” – She congratulated him on going to Australia.
• admit / deny + -ing
“I didn’t kill him.” – He denied killing him.
• suggest + -ing
“Let’s go out.” – I suggested going out.
• suggest + should
“Let’s go out.” – I suggested we should go out.
• suggest + bare infinitive (subjunctive)
“Let’s go out.” – I suggested we go out.

• It + the passive of a reporting verb is used in formal English to report what people in general feel or
think:
It is claimed that he committed fraud.
It was announced that the firm was bankrupt.
It was pointed out that the speaker hadn’t answered the question.
It is feared that a lot of people will lose their jobs when the two firms merge.

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1. Put a form of say, tell or ask in each space.


1. When you ………………….. him whether he was coming, what did he …………………..?
2. Did you hear what he ………………….. about his new boss?
3. “What did you …………………..?” – “I ………………….. I couldn’t ………………….. the difference
between those two twins.”
4. What have you ………………….. in your defence?
5. When you see him could you ………………….. him if he can come tomorrow?
6. “What did that man ………………….. to you?” – Nothing special. He ………………….. me if I could
………………….. him the time.”
7. When she ………………….. him what he was doing, he ………………….. her it was none of her
business.
8. I think he ………………….. lies when he ………………….. us about his experiences in Japan.
9. I ………………….. I would give you a hand. Why didn’t you wait for me?
10. He ………………….. them the latest scandal when the boss came in. She was furious and
………………….. him not to waste time.

2. Rewrite each sentence in reported speech.


1. “We’re leaving next week,” she told him.
………………………………………………………………………….
2. “Your letter arrived yesterday,” John told Sue.
………………………………………………………………………….
3. “Go straight home and don’t dilly-dally on the way,” his grandmother told him.
………………………………………………………………………….
4. “What have you done so far today?” she asked him.
………………………………………………………………………….
5. “I’ve never been so embarrassed in my life,” he exclaimed.
………………………………………………………………………….
6. “I left my umbrella here last Wednesday,” Diana told the shop assistant.
………………………………………………………………………….
7. “Did you want to speak to me?” she asked him.
………………………………………………………………………….
8. “I wish I had been born rich,” she said.
………………………………………………………………………….
9. “I may have to catch the bus tomorrow,” he said.
………………………………………………………………………….
10. “Have you ever eaten snails, Tony?” Chris asked.
………………………………………………………………………….
11. “I always go to the gym on Mondays,” Jim told her.
………………………………………………………………………….
12. “Shall I do the washing up?” she asked.
………………………………………………………………………….
13. “Unless you unlock the safe, I’ll shoot you,” the bank robber told the manager.
………………………………………………………………………….
14. “Why did you apply for this job?” the director asked him.
………………………………………………………………………….
15. “Wait here until we come back,” they told her.
………………………………………………………………………….
16. “I’ll be working late tonight unless you give me a hand,” Tom told Wendy.
………………………………………………………………………….
17. “How does this camcorder work?” she asked the salesman.
………………………………………………………………………….
18. “I can’t remember where I put my keys,” Frank told her.
………………………………………………………………………….
19. “Are you feeling ill?” he asked her.
………………………………………………………………………….
20. “I must go now or I’ll be late,” he said.
………………………………………………………………………….

3. Change the sentences into direct speech.


1. She asked her boss whether she could go home earlier that evening.
…………………………………………………………………………….

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2. She told him not to be silly and to get on with his homework.
…………………………………………………………………………….
3. He apologised for not phoning her the night before.
…………………………………………………………………………….
4. He said he would have to go to Bonn the following week.
…………………………………………………………………………….
5. The suspect denied stabbing and robbing the old man.
…………………………………………………………………………….
6. She suggested they went somewhere exotic for their holidays.
…………………………………………………………………………….
7. He asked her if she would meet him there at the same time the following day.
…………………………………………………………………………….
8. Tom advised her to see a doctor about her cough.
…………………………………………………………………………….
9. Sue refused to work overtime on Friday evening.
…………………………………………………………………………….
10. He asked her to use the other phone.
…………………………………………………………………………….
11. He grumbled about the spaghetti being overcooked.
…………………………………………………………………………….
12. She warned him about the dangers of going too near the monkey cage.
…………………………………………………………………………….
13. He promised he would be there on time the next day.
…………………………………………………………………………….
14. He explained that he hadn’t been able to finish the work because he didn’t feel very well.
…………………………………………………………………………….
15. She asked if she might use his computer for a few hours.
…………………………………………………………………………….

4. Rewrite each sentence beginning as shown so that the meaning remains the same.
1. Will our team win the championship?
I wonder …………………………………………………..
2. Where can I find a book about photography?
Do you know …………………………………………………..?
3. Did Joe receive my fax?
Do you happen to know …………………………………………………..?
4. Who is that woman in the funny hat?
Have you any idea …………………………………………………..?
5. Will he have finished moving in by next month?
I wonder …………………………………………………..
6. How long have you been back?
Do you mind telling me …………………………………………………..?
7. Where is he going?
Have you any idea …………………………………………………..?
8. Can you lend me some money?
Would you mind …………………………………………………..?
9. Will the repairs have been done by the end of the month?
Can you tell me .............................................................................................?
10. Does he go swimming every day?
She wondered ................................................................................................

5. Complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first.
1. “Don’t forget to buy some bread on your way home, Pete,” Sheila said.
Sheila reminded .................................................................... way home.
2. “Me? No, I didn’t tell anyone,” said Sue.
Sue denied ....................................................................................... anyone.
3. “Why don’t we go away this weekend?” said Larry.
Larry suggested ........................................................ away that weekend.
4. “That was a brilliant idea, John!” Georgia said.
Georgia congratulated .......................................................................... idea.
5. “You haven’t justified such a high budget for the project,” someone told him.

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It was pointed out that ................................................................................... such a high budget for the
project.
6. “Yes, I made the mistake of taking his approval for granted,” said Gil.
Gil admitted .......................................................... the mistake of taking his approval for granted.
7. “I’ll pick you up at the airport,” he told her.
He offered ........................................................... at the airport.
8. “I wouldn’t press Joe for an answer, Carol, if I were you,” said Keith.
Keith advised .................................................................................... an answer.
9. “I will arrive in time to take you to the station, Jill. I give you my word,” Dave said.
Dave promised ................................................................. to the station.
10. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you,” he told her.
He apologised ......................................................... .

6. ►You will hear 10 short dialogues. Decide which of the choices best summarises what is said.
1. a) Joe apologised for stealing the money.
b) Joe denied stealing the money.
c) Joe admitted stealing the money.

2. a) He warned them to take jackets.


b) He persuaded them to take jackets.
c) He reminded them to take jackets.

3. a) He persuaded her not to go near the dog.


b) He warned her not to go near the dog.
c) He threatened her not to go near the dog.

4. a) The woman encouraged him to parachute out of the plane.


b) The woman advised him to parachute out of the plane.
c) The woman ordered him to parachute out of the plane.

5. a) The man promised to take her to the Chinese restaurant.


b) The man invited her to the Chinese restaurant.
c) The man suggested she went to the Chinese restaurant.

6. a) The woman persuaded him to have a cup of coffee.


b) The woman offered him a cup of coffee.
c) The man refused the cup of coffee.

7. a) The man complained about the television.


b) The woman complained about the man insisting on watching football.
c) The woman insisted on watching what she wanted.

8. a) She persuaded him to take Sally to Paris for a few days.


b) She encouraged him to take Sally to Paris for a few days.
c) She recommended taking Sally to Paris for a few days.

9. a) The woman convinced him to take the evening course.


b) The woman urged him to take the evening course.
c) The woman suggested he should take an evening course.

10. a) The robber threatened to shoot the cashier if she didn’t give him the money.
b) The robber warned the cashier to give him the money.
c) The cashier agreed to give the robber the money.

7. Change the sentences into reported speech using each of the following reporting verbs once.
Use He …. her (if necessary).
congratulated – urged - threatened – asked - complained – suggested – promised - apologised
– warned - offered - invited – boasted - denied – explained – screamed - reminded – whispered
- ordered – refused – advised
1. “No, you can’t use my car.”
…………………………………………………………………………….
2. “I didn’t hear you because I’m a bit hard of hearing.”

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…………………………………………………………………………….
3. “If I were you, I wouldn’t believe everything he says.”
…………………………………………………………………………….
4. “Don’t move until I tell you to.”
…………………………………………………………………………….
5. “It’s too hot in here!”
…………………………………………………………………………….
6. “Unless you keep quiet, I’ll hit you!”
…………………………………………………………………………….
7. “Go on, make an effort!”
…………………………………………………………………………….
8. “Why don’t we go away for the weekend?”
…………………………………………………………………………….
9. “How marvellous! You’ve won first prize in the lottery. It’s a holiday in Madrid!”
…………………………………………………………………………….
10. “I didn’t do anything wrong!”
…………………………………………………………………………….
11. “I’m sorry I didn’t let you know the news earlier.”
…………………………………………………………………………….
12. “Don’t forget to phone when you arrive.”
…………………………………………………………………………….
13. “Would you like to come to the theatre with me?”
…………………………………………………………………………….
14. “I’ll be very careful with your CD.”
…………………………………………………………………………….
15. “Shall I look after the kids for you while you’re out?”
…………………………………………………………………………….
16. “Have you ever had to eat such a foul meal?”
…………………………………………………………………………….
17. “My father’s the richest man in this town.”
…………………………………………………………………………….
18. “Don’t touch that button, it sets off the alarm.”
…………………………………………………………………………….
19. “There’s a snake in the bedroom!”
…………………………………………………………………………….
20. “Shush! You’ll wake the baby! It’s taken me ages to get him off to sleep.”
…………………………………………………………………………….

Further comprehension practice.


ANTHEM FOR DOOMED YOUTH
What passing-bells for those who die as cattle?
Only the monstrous anger of the guns.
Only the stuttering rifles’ rapid rattle
Can patter out their hasty orisons.
No mockeries for them; no prayer nor bells,
Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs –
The shrill, demented choirs – of wailing shells;
And bugles calling for them from sad shires.
What candles may be held to speed them all?
Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes
Shall shine the holy glimmer of good-byes.
The pallor of girls’ brows shall be their pall;
Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,
And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.
(By Wilfred Owen, born in 1893, killed in action in 1918)

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8. Match the words to their definitions.


1. doomed a) making an abrupt sound repeatedly
2. cattle b) time just before night when it is not completely dark
3. stuttering c) metal containers filled with explosives
4. rattle d) quiet tapping sounds
5. patter e) faint, unsteady light
6. hasty f) long, high-pitched, piercing sound
7. mockeries g) except
8. mourning h) certain to suffer death
9. save i) high-pitched, piercing and unpleasant
10. shrill j) cloth covering, spread over a coffin
11. wailing k) short, sharp knocking sound
12. shells l) rolls of material pulled over the windows to keep out the light
13. bugles m) foreheads
14. glimmer n) cows and bulls
15. brows o) brass instruments used for signals
16. pall p) hurried
17. dusk q) things making something appear worthless or foolish
18. blinds r) sadness caused by the death of someone

1. …………. 7. …………. 13. ………….


2. …………. 8. …………. 14. ………….
3. …………. 9. …………. 15. ………….
4. …………. 10. …………. 16. ………….
5. …………. 11. …………. 17. ………….
6. …………. 12. …………. 18. ………….

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UNIT 12
PREPOSITIONS – ADJECTIVES, NOUNS & VERBS + PREPOSITIONS
• MOVEMENT
• Prepositions used with verbs of movement, e.g. come, go, drive, show the direction of movement,
e.g. to, towards, into, out of, across, around, along, up, down, past:
After running along the road, across the square, up the steps and into the house, she fell into a chair,
exhausted.

• POSITION and PLACE


• These show position, e.g. in, on, at, next to, near, beside, opposite, below, above, in front of, behind,
on top of, under:
She was sitting opposite me, next to her brother.
• problem areas:
• at and to: at is not used with verbs of motion:
They went to the town centre.
They arrived at the station.
• above and over both mean higher than, but over has the suggestion of closeness or touching. In
some contexts, there is little difference:
There was a bird high in the sky above them.
He slung his jacket over his shoulder.
There was a dark cloud of smog over / above the city.
• Over can also include a sense of movement from one side to the other:
They flew over Rome.
• in and at: in is used with towns, countries and the inside of places whereas at refers to points with a
particular purpose rather than inside:
They met at the office. (place of meeting)
They met in the office. (inside)
• near and next to: near means not far whereas next to is the same as beside
I live near the station; it’s only a five-minute walk.
They live next to a church.
• TIME: some of the most common are:
• in: in June, in 1919, in the morning / afternoon / evening, in two weeks (= two weeks from now), in
the end (= finally), in time (to do something)
th
• on: on June 12 , on Monday, on time (= punctually)
• at: at six o’clock, at last, at the end (of something), at night
• by: by seven (not later than): The report must be written by Friday at the very latest.
• problem areas:
• in can refer to future time: It’ll be finished in a month.
• in the end and eventually refer to what will happen after a long time: In the end, we may have to
negotiate a new lease. They agreed to the plan eventually.
• at the end means when something is finished: Everybody stood up and asked for an encore at the
end of the concert.
• presently (UK use) means very shortly, in a few moments: Please take a seat. I’ll be with you
presently.
• while and as are used to describe the background for another action and must be followed by a
subject: While he was reading, she came in. / As he was leaving the house, the phone rang.
• during is followed by a noun and does not specify how long something happened: He fell asleep
during the lesson.
• throughout means from the beginning to the end: Throughout her speech, she was continually
interrupted by hecklers.
• last is not used with morning, afternoon or evening: I saw him last night. / They had a meeting
yesterday morning.
• after must be followed by an object: I’ll see you after the meeting.
• afterwards means after this or that: I’ve got to go to the dentist’s at four. I’ll see you afterwards.
• within indicates a period during which something must be done: Delivery was promised within a
week. Compare ‘by next Monday’ (fixed date / time)
• in the meantime means between now and some future time: I’ll be finished in about ten minutes. In
the meantime, would you like to make yourself a cup of tea?
• on time means punctually: You must be on time. The bus won’t wait.
• in time means early enough: Get there in time to buy your ticket.

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• for means for a period of time: He’s lived here for ten years.
• since means since a point in time: He’s worked for that company since he left school.
• once can mean a) in the past b) from the time when: He worked there once. (in the past)
Once we’ve finished this work, we’ll go out and enjoy ourselves.
• the moment or the minute means right at the moment when: The moment I saw her, I remembered
where we’d met before.
• previously means before that: They met face-to-face at the convention. Previously, they’d only
emailed each other.
• formerly is used when something has changed its name or state: Liverpool was formerly a busy
port.
• There are some prepositions which do not come into the categories of movement, place or time:
He spoke about his future plans.
He didn’t want to go with her.
He worked without a break for four hours.

ADJECTIVES + PREPOSITIONS
Some adjectives are followed only by certain prepositions and others can be followed by more than one
preposition, it often depends on the sense of the sentence:
• angry / annoyed / anxious / certain / curious / doubtful / delighted / excited / furious / happy / nervous /
pleased / pessimistic / right / sad / sorry / upset / worried / wrong ABOUT something or someone:
He’s excited about going to Australia for a month.
Is everything all right? I was worried about you.
• angry / annoyed / astonished / bad / brilliant / clever / delighted / good / hopeless / lucky / surprised AT:
It’s no good asking him to help you with the accounts. He’s hopeless at maths.
He appeared surprised at her rejection of his marriage proposal.
• amazed / astonished / confused / surprised / shocked BY: They were shocked by the results of the
market research.
• appreciated / eager / eligible / famous / late / notorious / punished / qualified / ready / responsible / sorry
/ thankful FOR: He’s overqualified for the job.
• absent / derived / different / safe FROM: Many English words are derived from Latin or Greek.
• experienced / interested / rich / rooted / successful IN: Are you interested in going to Portugal? The
area is rich in mineral deposits.
• afraid / ashamed / aware, unaware / convinced, unconvinced / capable, incapable / characteristic /
conscious / critical / envious / fond / frightened / full / guilty / innocent / jealous / nervous / proud / rid /
scared / short / sick / suspicious / terrified / tired / tolerant / typical OF something or somebody:
I’m a bit short of money this month. I know it’s typical of me but can you lend me some?
• brave / careless / nice / kind / generous / good / intelligent / kind / polite / silly / stupid OF someone TO
DO something: It was good of you to give me a lift.
• based / dependent / keen ON: Until he finds a decent job, he’s dependant on his parents.
• accustomed / addicted / allergic / attached / beneficial / different / engaged / exposed / faithful / good /
grateful / immune / indifferent / inferior / kind / married / opposed / polite / related / relevant / rude /
sensitive / similar / superior / used TO:
This machine is similar to the other but also superior to it in that it produces more.
• acquainted / bored / careful / compatible / connected / crowded / familiar / fed up / friendly / generous /
gentle / impressed / involved / patient / pleased / popular / presented / satisfied, dissatisfied /
disappointed / thrilled / troubled WITH:
I’m fed up with never having enough time to do things properly.
• angry / annoyed / bored / furious / pleased WITH somebody FOR doing something:
She was pleased with herself for telling him exactly what she thought of his behaviour.

VERBS + PREPOSITIONS
• Verbs followed by ABOUT, especially when speaking about subject matter, include: argue / boast /care
/ complain / decide / do (to improve a bad situation) / dream / forget / hear / know / laugh (about
something) / protest / remind / see (take action) / speak / talk / think (meaning ‘consider’) / warn / worry:
They argued about the matter for hours but came to no conclusion.
What are we going to do about our tragic financial situation?
I’ll see about arranging something special for his birthday.
• Verbs followed by AGAINST include: insure / protest:
Are you insured against fire?
The workers protested against the cuts in overtime.

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• The following verbs can be followed by AT, especially when speaking about direction: aim / glance /
guess / hint / laugh (at somebody) / look / marvel / point / shout / smile / stare / throw:
He glanced at them when they entered but didn’t say anything.
He hinted at new developments but wouldn’t go into details.
• Verbs followed by FOR include: account / allow (take into consideration) / apologise / apply / ask /
blame (someone for something) / care / cater / charge (someone for something) / excuse (someone for
something) / forgive (someone for something) / pay / prepare / provide / search / thank (someone for
something) / vote / work:
I’m afraid they don’t cater for coach parties at this pub.
Thank you for being such a help.
• Verbs followed by FROM include: ban (someone from a place or from doing something) / bar (someone
from a place) / benefit / borrow / come / derive / deter (someone from doing something) / differ /
distinguish / distract (someone from something) / exempt (someone from something) / expel (someone
from a place) / hear (from someone) / prevent (someone from doing something) / recover / resign /
result / separate / stop (someone from doing something) suffer:
We would all benefit from a break.
Being barred from the club did not deter him from trying to enter.
• Verbs followed by IN include: believe / confide / invest / involve / participate / result / specialise /
succeed:
I don’t believe in spoiling children.
He succeeded in allaying her fears.
• Verbs followed by OF include: accuse (someone of something) / approve, disapprove / consist /
convince (someone of something) / convict / dream (meaning ‘imagine’) / hear / remind (someone of
something) / suspect / taste / think (meaning ‘remember’ or ‘come to mind’)
I wouldn’t dream of contradicting him!
He reminded her of her appointment.
• Verbs followed by ON include: blame (something on someone or something) / comment / compliment
(someone on something) / concentrate / congratulate (someone on something) / decide / depend /
elaborate / impose / insist / live (money, food) / plan / pride (oneself on something) / rely / spend
(money, time) / waste (money, time):
He blamed his failure on his lack of experience.
This noise makes it difficult for me to concentrate on my work.
Everything depends on the weather.
• Verbs followed by TO include: adapt / add / adjust / apologise (to someone) / appeal / apply (oneself to
something) / belong / commit (oneself to something) / compare / confess / consent / devote (oneself to
something) / happen / introduce (someone to someone else) / invite (someone to something) / object /
prefer (something to another thing) / react / refer / relate / resort / see (meaning ‘make sure it is done’) /
subject:
Can you adapt to different situations?
You should apply yourself to your studies.
I think she overreacted to the criticism.
• Verbs followed by WITH include: agree, disagree / charge (someone with something) / coincide / collide
/ communicate / compare (something with something else) / comply / deal / discuss / fill / provide /
supply / sympathise / temper / trust (someone with something):
I completely disagree with you! If we compare this model with the other, there are a lot of differences.
I’ll have to discuss the matter with your father.
Can you trust him with the secret?

NOUNS + PREPOSITIONS
• With BETWEEN there must be only two things or people or groups of things or people: These nouns
include: comparison / connection / contact / difference / link / relationship:
I wonder if there’s any connection between his promotion and the fact that he’s a close relation to the
General Manager.
Scientists have been trying to find the missing link between monkeys and man.
• Nouns followed by FOR include: admiration / application / aptitude / credit / cure / demand / desire /
disregard / dislike / fondness / need / order / preference / provision / reason / recipe / regret / reputation
/ request / respect / responsibility / room / solution / substitute / sympathy / talent / taste:
I have no respect for a person whose fondness for drink makes him a danger to others.
There’s not enough room for all of us in the car.
• Nouns followed by IN include: decrease / delay / difficulty / experience / fall / increase / interest /
pleasure / reduction / rise:

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UNIT 12 B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE

Have you any experience in this field?


I take great pleasure in welcoming Dr Sam Brown to our panel of experts.
• Nouns followed by OF include: advantage, disadvantage / benefit / arrival / cause / cost / destruction /
drawing / example / experience / decrease / fall / fear / habit / increase / lack / love / map / memory /
news / opinion / painting / photograph / picture / plan / price / process / rise
The painting of the countryside showed the artist’s love of his native country.
What is your opinion of his abilities?
• Nouns followed by ON include: advice / attack / authority (expert) / comment / effect / influence / report /
tax:
He gave her some sound advice on investments.
He made no comment on the recent developments.
• Nouns followed by OVER include: authority / control / dispute (over something): You have no authority
over me!
• Nouns followed by TO include: access / alternative / answer / attitude / damage / devotion / exception /
introduction / invitation / reaction / reference / reply / solution / threat / witness:
He took strong exception to some of her comments on his aptitude for the job.
What was her reaction to the news of his promotion?
• Nouns followed by WITH include: connection / contact / contrast / dispute (with someone) / encounter /
link / matter / quarrel / relationship / trouble:
The police are interviewing him in connection with recent thefts.
His quarrel with Carol has been blown out of all proportion.

PREPOSITIONS + EXPRESSIONS
There are many set expressions beginning with prepositions. Here are only some of the most common.

• AT + a guess / all costs / cost price / fault / first sight / the end / the first, second attempt / a good price /
great length / large / last / least / the latest / a loose end / a loss / a profit / random / any rate / short
notice / war / your (earliest) convenience:
He went on about his holiday plans at great length. I was bored stiff.
He was at a loose end so he dropped in for a chat.
• BEYOND + belief / a joke / the/a shadow of a doubt:
Beyond the shadow of a doubt, he was the one who took the money.
• BY + accident / chance / cheque / heart / law / mistake / sight:
The children were made to learn the poem by heart.
I opened your letter by mistake.
• FOR + ages / a change / fear of / good / hire / life / (not) long / once / the time being
Can’t we go to the mountains this year, just for a change?
For fear of making him angry, she didn’t say anything.
• IN + advance / agreement / all likelihood / any case / answer to / the balance / charge of / collaboration
with / comparison with / comfort / common / (good, bad) condition / decline / demand / dispute / distress
/ the early stages / earnest / the end / favour / fear of / flames / flower / good hands / high spirits /
jeopardy /a (good, bad) mood / the mood (for) / one way or another / (your) own interest / pain / practice
/ principle / recognition / response to / short / some respects / revenge / a rut / safety / self-defence /
stock / theory / time / trouble / turn / two minds:
We ran up against some glitches in the early stages of the development of the product.
I could see he was in pain from the expression on his face.
He felt he was in a rut so he looked around for a job with better prospects.
• OFF + (your) chest / colour / hand / (your) head:
Come on, tell me. You’ll feel better once it’s off your chest.
You must be off your head if you think I’m going to sign that contract without reading all the small print
first!
• ON + average / approval / a regular basis / behalf of / business / the contrary / a diet / fire / good terms /
holiday / loan / the market / offer / order / purpose / the radio / sale / strike / television / time / trial / the
verge of / a visit / the whole:
On average, he buys a new car every other year.
He’s on very good terms with all his colleagues.
He’s on the verge of going bankrupt!
• OUT OF + the blue / breath / control / danger / doors / focus / hand / a job / luck / order / the ordinary /
pocket / place / practice / print / all proportion / the question / reach / sight / stock / work:
You could have knocked her down with a feather when, out of the blue, he asked her to marry him.
The lift is out of order again. That’s the second time this week.

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Her parents were willing to pay for her university education but told her a year’s backpacking round Asia
was definitely out of the question.
• UNDER + age / the circumstances / control / consideration / discussion / the impression / an obligation /
pressure / repair / stress / suspicion:
Your promotion is under discussion. You’ll know next week at the latest.
He was under the impression that his firm would pay all his expenses when he went to Spain.
• WITH + the exception of / intent to / reference to / regard to:
With reference to your advertisement in today’s Times, I’d like to offer my services as receptionist.
• WITHIN + the law / reach
Success is within reach!
• WITHOUT + a chance / a break / delay / exception / fail / success / warning / a word:
We’ve been working for ten hours practically without a break. Isn’t it time to call it a day?
I expect you all to be here without fail at 8am sharp.

1. Choose the most suitable preposition.


1. My brother lives near / next to Chepstow, which is a small town in / at Wales just on / across the old
Severn Bridge. Actually, he lives on / in an old farm over / on a small hill on / in the country. There is a
beautiful view out of / over his bedroom window, you can see both bridges across / in the distance.
2. When I arrived to / at the station I left my suitcase at / in a left luggage locker because my train didn’t
leave by / until an hour later. I decided to spend the time going about / around the shops and I found one
which was having sales. I went in / into and lost track of time. In the end / At the end I had to run towards
/ to the station and only managed to get on / in the train with a minute to spare.
3. Who is that woman dressed with / in red with the black hat on / above her head and a veil on / over her
face? She’s also carrying an umbrella on / in her left hand.
4. I’ll finish reading this book within / by Saturday and I’ll give you it back on / in Monday morning.
5. The bank is among / between the church and the cinema, across / opposite the street from the library.
6. Tom isn’t on / up already / yet. He went to / in bed late last night.
7. When we arrived in / at the cinema we saw there was a long queue at the front of / in front of the ticket
office.
8. She left her books over / on the desk at the end / in the end of the lesson.
9. She got to / at the station just on / in time to see him get out of / off the train.
10. I haven’t seen him since / from we worked together in / at London.

2. Complete the sentences with suitable prepositions, if necessary.


1. When I saw him ……………….. this afternoon he was lying ……………….. the beach ……………….. a
sun umbrella ……………….. a beautiful girl ……………….. a bikini. They were both drinking something
……………….. tall frosted glasses. So, when he comes ……………….. home, saying how exhausted he
is after spending the day ……………….. the office, sitting ……………….. his desk. If I were
……………….. you, I would hit him ……………….. the head!
2. “Does it snow here ……………….. winter?” – “Not often, but we sometimes get a lot of fog which can be
dangerous if you’re travelling ……………….. car ……………….. the country roads.
3. When Peter left his keys ……………….. the office he tried to climb ……………….. his house
……………….. the bathroom window. Unfortunately, a police car was going ……………….. his house
and saw him. They arrested him and took him ……………….. the police station and kept him
……………….. jail ……………….. all night. He was only released ……………….. his father got
……………….. home ……………….. his holiday ……………….. the next day and came ………………..
the station to identify him.
4. Felix the cat was sitting ……………….. the sitting room window sill looking ……………….. the window at
the birds wheeling ……………….. the sky ……………….. the trees. As he leant ……………….. the
window pane he felt the window give a little, it wasn’t closed! He inserted the tip of his paw
……………….. the edge of the window and the frame and managed to open it more. Straightaway, he
wiggled ……………….. the gap and jumped ……………….. ……………….. the patio ………………...
After looking ……………….. to see that nobody was watching, he slunk ……………….. the patio and
garden, he went ……………….. the tall grass ……………….. the bottom of the garden and sneaked
……………….. the gap ……………….. the fence. He crossed ……………….. the little footbridge and
entered ……………….. the woods, he felt very adventurous and decided to explore ……………….. this
new world. He walked ……………….. the bank of the stream ……………….. a while and found a small
glade. He noticed an interesting hollow ……………….. the base of a tree and stuck ……………….. his
paw to investigate. Suddenly, there was a low growl and a big black and white head with sharp teeth
came ……………….. the hole. Felix leapt ……………….. quickly, then turned ……………….. and fled.
He didn’t stop running ……………….. he came ……………….. his own quiet garden.

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5. As David went ……………….. the stairs ……………….. his bedroom ……………….. the castle, his friend
asked him, “Are you sure you don’t mind sleeping alone ……………….. the haunted room?” “Ghosts!” he
scoffed, “I don’t believe in them!” After undressing he climbed ……………….. the high bed, which had
four ornate posts ……………….. it, one ……………….. each corner, supporting a dusty-looking canopy
……………….. the bed. Although he was very tired he couldn’t get to sleep, the old mattress
……………….. him felt lumpy and the heavy velvet curtains ……………….. the open window kept
moving ……………….. the light breeze, as though there was somebody ……………….. them. Telling
himself not to be silly, he closed his book and put it ……………….. the bedside table, then he switched
off the light. He was just dropping off to sleep when he heard slow, heavy footsteps and a strange
muttering coming ……………….. the corridor ……………….. his room. The steps stopped
……………….. his door and the handle rattled! He switched on the bedside lamp and sat ………………..
……………….. bed, sweat seemed to be pouring ……………….. every pore ……………….. his body!
Suddenly, a head came ……………….. the side of the door and a cheery voice said, “Excuse me, I’ve
been going ……………….. and ……………….. these corridors ……………….. fifteen minutes. They said
the bathroom was ……………….. the top of the stairs, ……………….. the left but I can’t find it! Can you
help me?” David almost threw the pillow ……………….. him!
3. Fill each gap with a phrase from the list. Use each once.
early – by - in the end – afterwards – once - presently – at the end - on
time - one day - nowadays – late - soon – recently – after
1. I was thinking of moving to a smaller house but, ………………………. I decided it was just too much
trouble.
2. ………………………., many rivers are so polluted fish cannot live in them.
3. He’ll be back ………………………., if you want to wait.
4. You’ll have to get up ………………………. tomorrow morning. We’re leaving at seven.
5. Have you seen Pete ……………………….?
6. Go and wash your hands. Dinner will be ready ……………………….
7. Make sure you get home ………………………. ten, at the latest!
8. I’m busy now but if you like we can meet at the pub ………………………. and have a long chat.
9. I think he’ll be a successful business man ……………………….
10. ………………………. upon a time there was a princess who lived in a lonely castle, she also looked like
a frog. Luckily, a short-sighted prince came calling and ………………………. a short courtship they were
married
11. ………………………. of the play everybody clapped for at least ten minutes.
12. Kelly is never ……………………….! I think she’d be ……………….. for her own funeral!
4. Fill each gap with a phrase from the list. Use each once.
time and time again – all day long - in the nick of time – one at a time - for hours
on end - in a few minutes – the other day – once and for all
1. If you wait, I’ll be finished …………………………….
2. I’ve told you ……………………………., clear your school things away when you’ve finished!
3. His mother managed to grab little Tommy …………………………….before he fell into the bear pit.
4. He is at his play station …………………………….. I wish he’d go outside and play more.
5. I saw John …………………………….. He sent his regards.
6. These boxes are heavy. We’ll have to move them …………………………….
7. Get it through your head ……………………………., I don’t want to see you again!
8. After working in the office ……………………………., I just want to put my feet up when I get home.
5. Fill each gap with a phrase from the list. Use each once.
out of breath – in vain - out of the question - in practice - without fail – by mistake - on the
house - out of my depth – on my mind - in common – in principle
1. By the time he’d climbed six flights of stairs, he was …………………………….
2. I don’t know what she sees in Jim. They have absolutely nothing …………………………….
3. I’m afraid I’m ……………………………., I don’t know anything about philosophy.
4. Don’t worry. I’ll be there on time …………………………….
5. Your first drink is …………………………….. It’s the landlady’s birthday.
6. I’ve got a serious problem …………………………….. I’d like to talk to you about it.
7. I’m sorry, I took your umbrella …………………………….. I’ll bring it back tomorrow.
8. I agree with you ……………………………., but I don’t think it would work …………………………….
9. I’m afraid a pay rise is …………………………….. Our firm has financial difficulties.
10. I tried my best to persuade her but it was ……………………………., she just didn’t want to come.

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6. Fill each gap with a phrase from the list. Use each once.
at random – in touch – in the mood - on behalf of – off his head – in two minds
– in full swing – out of order - for ransom – in the nude
1. …………………………….. the director, who is ill, I’d like to thank you for coming.
2. The party was …………………………….. when we arrived at midnight.
3. The kidnappers held him ……………………………..
4. The lottery numbers are picked completely …………………………….., I assure you.
5. He must be …………………………….. if he thinks I’ll lend him any more money!
6. She’s …………………………….. whether to stay on or look for a new job.
7. When we got to the beach we had the shock of our lives. There were about fifty people, all
……………………………..
8. The lift is …………………………….., you’ll have to use the stairs.
9. Even if you move to another town, please keep ……………………………..
10. I’m not …………………………….. to go out tonight. I’d like to have a quiet evening at home.

7. Fill each gap with a phrase from the list. Use each once.
down to earth – off colour - off your chest - out of the blue – in his shoes - by heart – in your
own interest - under your breath - in the clouds – without a break – on a diet
1. His offer came …………………………….., nobody was expecting it.
2. He’s very dreamy. His head is …………………………….. most of the time. I wish he’d come
……………………………..
3. Come on! Tell me everything. You should get it ……………………………..
4. They drove all the way here …………………………….., they must be exhausted.
5. Don’t mutter ……………………………... Say it so everyone can hear.
6. She won’t come to the restaurant. She’s convinced she’s overweight so she’s gone
……………………………..
7. You’re looking ……………………………... Are you ill?
8. They had to learn all the rules and regulations ……………………………..
9. If I were …………………………….., I wouldn’t trust her.
10. You should learn how to use a computer. It really is …………………………….. you could get a better job.

8. Complete the sentences with suitable prepositions.


1. I really can’t approve …………………… your behaviour.
2. He was astonished …………………… her answer.
3. She insisted …………………… seeing the manager.
4. It’s rude to laugh …………………… people who are less fortunate. It’s not his fault he suffers
…………………… a lack …………………… intelligence.
5. Their son was named …………………… a famous actor …………………… the time.
6. Please don’t interfere …………………… him. His problems are none …………………… your business.
7. The accused was found guilty …………………… manslaughter although originally he had been changed
…………………… murder.
8. Last year he got married …………………… the girl he’d been going (three prepositions)
………………………………………… three years.
9. There’s been a delay …………………… your order because we haven’t got the spare parts
…………………… stock.
10. He boasted …………………… us …………………… his new rich girlfriend. Well, they say pride goes
…………………… fall!
11. Cheers! Let’s drink …………………… your success!
12. That area is famous …………………… its castles.
13. Ask Jane. She’s an expert …………………… computer programmes.
14. I’m fed up …………………… doing the same things, day …………………… day …………………….
15. He was a bit doubtful …………………… accepting the task but now he’s very pleased ……………………
his results.
16. Why don’t you get rid …………………… that old car? You can’t rely …………………… it to get you
anywhere. You should invest …………………… another one.
17. What’s the use …………………… complaining …………………… the situation if you’re not prepared to
do something …………………… it?

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18. I’ve read your report …………………… the matter and I agree …………………… you ……………………
some points but not everything. I’m more pessimistic than you …………………… the possibility
…………………… financial backing.
19. Who is responsible …………………… all this mess?
20. I’ve been thinking …………………… taking a few days off. I’m getting stale and I need a break
…………………… ordinary routine.
21. I’m sorry. We’ve decided …………………… your proposal …………………… the moment. Try again
…………………… a few months’ time.
22. I have no intention …………………… taking the blame …………………… something that wasn’t my fault.
23. Have you heard the joke …………………… the bare bear?
24. You should be ashamed …………………… yourself! That bike belongs …………………… your sister
and you shouldn’t have taken it …………………… her permission.
25. You’ll have to choose …………………… having success …………………… business and having a good
relationship …………………… him.
26. Don’t take any notice …………………… him, he’s jealous …………………… your popularity.
27. Who did you borrow the book ……………………?
28. He looks …………………… his father but he takes …………………… his mother in character.
29. Can you give me some information …………………… flights …………………… New Zealand?
30. That pink and yellow tie doesn’t go …………………… your blue shirt.

9. Complete the sentences with the verbs below in the correct tense or form. Use each verb once
only. Add prepositions.
adapt – argue – blame – charge – choose – comply – confide – prevent – rely – remind – see - suspect

1. He tried ................... ............. all the conditions set out in the contract, but he had serious trouble
................ meeting deadlines.
2. After ..................... .......... where to go .............. a month, they decided to have separate holidays.
3. She is angry ........ him ........ forgetting their anniversary. She said that next year she ....................... him
.......... the date every day for a month beforehand!
4. He .................. ............ taking part in the marathon by ill health.
5. Can you .............. .......... all the arrangements ........ yourself or do you need help?
6. ........ a guess, I’d say he’ll have extreme difficulty in ....................... ......... his new financial situation.
7. He .............. their disastrous holiday.......... her last year. He said it was silly ....... her
.................................... such a lousy place.
8. I’m glad he ....................... .......... you. He needed to get his problems ......... his chest.
9. The police ................ him ......... committing the crime right from the first. In fact, last week they formally
................ him .......... the theft.
10. You can’t ................... ........... him! He’s completely untrustworthy.

10. Choose which of the choices best explain the meaning of the sentence.
1. He jumped at the offer.
a) He jumped with surprise.
b) He accepted the offer enthusiastically.
c) He was astonished at the offer.
d) He turned the offer down.
2. I tried to talk him round, but it was no good.
a) I tried to persuade him but it was no good.
b) I walked round him as I talked.
c) He turned round as I spoke so he didn’t hear.
d) I was trying to talk to somebody behind him.
3. He’s always putting his colleagues down.
a) He picks his colleagues up and then he drops them.
b) He depresses his colleagues.
c) He puts his colleagues down the loo.
d) He criticises his colleagues.
4. If you want to pass that exam, you’d better pull your socks up.
a) You’ll have to dress better.
b) You must wear socks.
c) You’ll have to study harder.
d) You must pay the examiner.
5. The car was a write-off after the accident.
a) The car was completely wrecked in the accident.

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b) The driver wrote to his insurance agency after the accident.


c) The accident wasn’t the driver’s fault.
d) The driver was badly hurt in the accident.
6. When we moved into the new house, we didn’t intend to buy new furniture but my wife said we should go
the whole hog, so we did. Now we’re in debt.
a) His wife made him buy an expensive hog.
b) They decided to keep a hog in the garden.
c) They decided to make a thorough job of it.
d) The house cost more than they expected.
7. She’s dressed to kill. Where’s she going?
a) She’s carrying a knife.
b) She’s very well dressed.
c) She’s wearing a soldier’s uniform.
d) She’s got a gun in her bag.
8. They really made it hot for him.
a) They heated the room for him.
b) They made things difficult for him.
c) They cooked something hot for him.
d) They made him angry.
9. I wish he wouldn’t blow hot and cold all the time.
a) He’s always feeling ill.
b) He’s always very angry.
c) He’s always undecided.
d) He’s always running.
10. I’m afraid we’ve finished all the coffee.
a) We’ve been out of coffee.
b) We’ve gone out of coffee.
c) We’ve run out of coffee.
d) We’ve got out of coffee.
11. I need a new jacket but I’m broke at the moment.
a) I’m hard up.
b) I’m hard pressed.
c) I’m hard hit.
d) I’m hard to please.
12. Those two get on very well.
a) Those two are as thick as two short planks.
b) Those two are in the thick of it.
c) Those two are laying it on thick.
d) Those two are as thick as thieves.
13. He only managed to jump to safety in the nick of time.
a) It was a near thing.
b) It was just one of those things.
c) It was a sure thing.
d) It was just the thing.
14. He’s not very well off.
a) He’s ill.
b) He’s stupid.
c) He’s poor.
d) He’s unhappy away from home.
15. I’ll be back in no time.
a) I’m never coming back.
b) I won’t be away long.
c) I don’t know when I’ll return.
d) I’m going back home.
16. He calls in from time to time.
a) He often comes to see us.
b) He visits us occasionally.
c) He visits us every hour.
d) He sometimes comes to stay a while.
17. We have a thing in common.
a) We’re partners.
b) We’re both ordinary.

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c) We like each other.


d) In one way, we’re similar.
18. Don’t leave her by herself.
a) Don’t let her go alone.
b) Don’t let her do it on her own.
c) Don’t make her do it without help.
d) Stay with her so she isn’t alone.
19. He may be out.
a) He can’t be at home.
b) Perhaps he isn’t at home.
c) He might be in the garden.
d) Perhaps he’s left the country.
20. I wish you’d say what you really want without beating about the bush.
a) I wish you’d miss a point.
b) I wish you’d come to the point.
c) I wish you’d stretch a point.
d) I wish you’d see the point.

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UNIT 13
COUNTABLES & UNCOUNTABLES, ARTICLES, DETERMINERS
COUNTABLE NOUNS are the names of separate objects, people, concepts, etc. which can be counted.
Countable nouns have plurals, e.g. a boy, (some) boys
• There are some countable abstract nouns that can be used as uncountable after determiners such as
any, some, little, much. Some of the most common are: change, difference, idea, point, reason:
There is little difference in price.
I’ve got some ideas on how to cut expenses this month.
Are there any changes in her condition?
There isn’t much chance of his being promoted in the foreseeable future.
• Some determiners, such as many and few, can only be used with countable nouns:
Few people speak many languages fluently.

UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS are the names of materials, liquids, collections and other things which are not
seen as separate objects. Numbers cannot be used with uncountable nouns and most are singular without
plurals. Typical uncountable nouns are: substances (metal, paper); liquids and gases (water, oxygen);
abstracts (sorrow, rage); collections (furniture, luggage).
• The following are normally uncountable in English although they may be countable in other languages:
• accommodation (can be plural in American English), advice, baggage, behaviour, business (see table
below), cash, data, equipment, furniture, health, information, knowledge, luggage, machinery, money,
permission, rubbish, scenery, software, traffic, weather, work, waste
The information he gave me was very helpful.
The machinery in this factory is extremely noisy.
• Determiners such as: much and little can only be used with uncountable nouns:
I have little time and so much work to do in this period.
• Some words have differences of meaning in countable and uncountable forms: these include:

countable uncountable
a business (a company) business (in general)
a cheese (a particular type of cheese) cheese (in general)
a chicken (the bird) chicken (a piece of meat)
a glass (something to drink out of) glass (material)
a hair (a single example) hair (attached to the head)
a help (a helpful person / thing) help (general)
an iron (electrical appliance) iron (substance)
a lamb (an animal) lamb (meat)
a light (a lamp etc.) light (illumination)
a paper (newspaper) paper (substance)
a potato (the vegetable) potato (substance on a plate)
a space (a small area) space (room, area around the earth)
a wood (small area of trees) wood (substance)

• Strictly speaking, drinks are uncountable, but in everyday speech we treat them as if they were
countable:
I prefer coffee to tea.
Could I have two coffees, please? (= two cups of coffee)
I’ll have a beer. (= a glass or bottle of beer)
• Many abstract nouns can have both countable and uncountable uses. These generally depend on
whether they are used in the general sense or with a more particular meaning:
Life is difficult. (uncountable, general) - He had a hard life. (countable, more specific)
We haven’t got time to talk now. (uncountable) - There are times I feel like getting on the first flight out
of here. (countable)
He has a lot of experience in this field of work. (uncountable) - He had some strange experiences
when he stayed in that old Scottish castle. (countable)
• Some words, ending in ‘s’, have no singular form, but are used with a singular verb:
The news is bad.
The mess left after the party was incredible!
• Other words have no singular form and take a plural verb, e.g. trousers, jeans, shorts, goods, clothes,
outskirts, means.
Talk about mutton dressed as lamb! The clothes she wears would look good on a teenager.

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• We often make an uncountable noun countable by putting ‘a piece of’ etc. in front of it:
advice– a piece of advice
bread – a piece / a slice / a roll / a loaf of bread
jam – a jar of jam
luggage – a piece, an item of luggage
meat – a tin of meat
news – a piece / an item of news
wine – a glass / a bottle of wine
• Some words referring to groups of people can be singular when we think of the group as a unit and
plural when we think of the group as a number of individual people; both singular and plural verbs are
often correct:
The family is / are away on holiday.
• Others have a different form which is countable:
poetry – a poem
traffic – cars, etc.
money – a note, a coin
knowledge – a fact
publicity – an advertisement
work – a job or a piece of work
travel – a journey or a trip

ARTICLES
• Zero article is used with:
• plurals, uncountable nouns, abstract or general ideas, e.g. She loves dogs. Happiness is hard to
find.
• proper names, meals (when speaking about routine meals), means of transport (when using by),
sports, e.g. What time’s dinner? She goes to work by bus. He doesn’t like golf.
• prepositions of place, when the place plays a special role, e.g. She’s in hospital for an operation.
Compare: He’s gone to the hospital to visit her.
• Definite articles are used with:
• specific things, e.g. The life of that man is very hard.
• previously mentioned things, e.g. There’s a man and a woman in the street. The man is shouting at
the woman.
• single things, when the reference is obvious, e.g. Can you close the door, please?
• unique objects, e.g. the sun, the moon
• national groups (the British); classes of people (the poor, the rich); names of musical instruments (in
the UK, not Am) (the piano); plural countries (the United Kingdom); names of rivers, oceans and
regions (The Thames, The Atlantic, The Antarctic); media (the television, the cinema)
• superlatives, ordinals (the best, the first)
• Indefinite articles are used with:
• jobs: She’s a teacher.
• singular fractions, numbers: Three and a half hours. A thousand people.
• meaning ‘per’: That hotel costs £50 a / per night. She earns £400 a week.
• Determiners: all, no, each, every, either, neither, none
All is used:
• as a quantity word: That dog barked all (of) the night.
• referring to a specific group as a whole:
All the students passed their exams.
All students take exams?
• to emphasise a plural personal pronoun, noun or noun group:
They all turned up late.
The ham sandwiches have all gone.
• to mean, ‘the only thing’: All he wants is some peace and quiet.
No is used:
• to mean ‘not any’: There is no money here. No books on the subject have been found..
• as an adverb: As there is no better solution, we’ll have to do it his way.
• with –ing forms: No cheating, please.
Each (takes singular verb) is used:
• to refer to single persons / things in a group: Each person must bring something to eat.
• followed by a noun or pronoun: Each of the children was given a prize.

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• following a noun or pronoun: The children were each given a prize.


Every is used
• for repeated actions: I see him every day.
• to mean all, each: Every child is hungry. (with singular verb)
Either can mean ‘both’: Trees grew on either side of the river.
Either, neither both refer to choices between two things:
She didn’t like either of the boys.
Neither of the boys was intelligent.
None can mean:
• not one: I like none of them.
• not any: None of the staff was present. (N.B: none is singular)

1. Complete the sentences with a / an, the, some or a blank (--).


1. Is this ……………… man you told me about?
2. He’s not playing well. He’s out of ……………… practice.
3. Waiter! There’s ……………… hair in my soup!
4. What’s on ……………… television tonight?
5. ……………… Britain’s local museums are facing ……………… slow death, caused by ………………
thousand budget cuts. ……………… funding from ……………… government has fallen by ………………
15% since 1997, and ……………… hundreds of museums all round ……………… country are firing
……………… staff, cutting ……………… opening hours and keeping ……………… treasures in
……………… inadequate storage as ……………… result of ……………… lack of funding.
6. He’s just bought ……………… flat in ……………… town centre but he thinks he’ll have to buy
……………… second-hand furniture to fill it as he’s run out of ……………… money.
7. Joe tried to learn how to play ……………… violin when he was ……………… child but in ………………
end his parents stopped his lessons as they decided that ……………… neighbours would probably call
……………… police because ……………… sound he produced was vaguely reminiscent of
……………… cat being slowly strangled.
8. ……………… survey has recently shown that ……………… British teenagers believe ………………
appearance plays ……………… more important role than ……………… talent or ………………
intelligence in getting ……………… job. ……………… psychologist claims that ……………… society is
saturated with ……………… images of ……………… types of ……………… people we ought to find
attractive and there is ……………… considerable pressure on ……………… adolescents to conform to
these ideals.
9. ……………… US scientists claim they have used ……………… gene therapy to stimulate ………………
new blood flow to ……………… failing hearts in ……………… small group of ……………… patients. If
……………… same treatment works on ……………… larger scale, it may make ……………… bypass
surgery unnecessary in many cases.
10. When ……………… judge sent him to ……………… prison for ……………… six years his wife told him
she wasn’t going to come to ……………… prison to see him and that she was thinking of asking for
……………… divorce.
11. When are you going to pay back ……………… ten pounds you owe me?
12. ……………… teacher was very pleased with ……………… progress ……………… students had made.
13. I’ve just bought ……………… new programme but I think I’ll have to ask ……………… technician to give
me ……………… advice on how to install it. Perhaps ……………… memory in my computer isn’t
sufficient.
14. How did she react to ……………… news?
15. It is said that ……………… Vikings crossed ……………… Atlantic long before ……………… Columbus.
16. “Did you like ……………… present she gave you for ……………… Christmas?” – “No, I didn’t. I needed
a picture for ……………… dining room but I’m not going to eat with ……………… picture of
……………… bull being killed in front of me.”
17. Have you had enough to eat? There’s ……………… fruit in ……………… bowl or ……………… nice
Stilton cheese in ……………… fridge if you’re still hungry.
18. ……………… fox hunting is ……………… blood-thirsty sport.
19. I need ……………… iron, I’ve got ……………… trousers to press.
20. Haven’t you ……………… homework to do?

2. Complete the sentences with uncountable nouns.


E.g. His …..writing….. was illegible.
1. The ………………………… at that snack bar was inedible.
2. Children are always getting up to …………………………

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3. Cigarettes can seriously damage your …………………………


4. ………………………… is collected by dustmen.
5. The ………………………… during the rush-hour often comes to a standstill.
6. If you take my …………………………, you’ll go on a diet.
7. ………………………… has been carried out into the causes of cancer.
8. The ………………………… the orchestra played was by Bach.
9. She had a lot of ………………………… so she got a porter to help her.
10. The only ………………………… in the room was a table and chair.
11. The ………………………… he was given to do was tedious.
12. The explosion caused a lot of …………………………
13. If you want to take part in the marathon, you’ll need a lot of …………………………
14. The airport was closed due to bad …………………………
15. Your English is getting better. I’m pleased with your …………………………
16. She couldn’t go out last night. Her teacher had given her a lot of ………………………… to do for the next
day.
17. I’m looking for …………………………. Do you know a cheap hotel where I can stay?
18. He used to have long ………………………… but he had it cut.
19. Have you got any …………………………? I want to write a letter.
20. The ………………………… of the accused was established without a doubt.
21. I need some ………………………… about language schools. Can you help me?
22. I couldn’t have finished that job without his …………………………
23. The level of ………………………… in the town has risen dramatically since that factory closed down.
Many people have moved away in search of …………………………
24. ………………………… is the noise which usually follows a flash of lightning.
25. The fireman won a medal for …………………………

3. Complete each sentence with a suitable word from the box. Use each word once.
burst – sheet – stroke – fit - speck – loaf - state - splinter – breath - rasher
1. She’s rather fanatic about housecleaning. There isn’t a …………………… of dust in her house.
2. Could I have a …………………… of bacon with my egg?
3. There was a …………………… of laughter at the punch line of his joke.
4. I think I’ve got a …………………… of wood in my finger.
5. The government has declared a …………………… of emergency.
6. It’s so hot! There isn’t a …………………… of air!
7. Do you need another …………………… of paper for your composition?
8. It was a …………………… of luck you found me in. I was just going out.
9. Can I have a …………………… of bread, please?
10. He smashed the mirror in a …………………… of anger.

4. Complete the sentences with nouns that are always plural in form.
E.g. It’s bad …..manners….. to stare at people.
1. It’s cheaper to live on the ……………………… of the town rather than in the centre.
2. The castle is in ……………………… now but it must have looked magnificent once.
3. She kept all her ……………………… in the bank.
4. She was stopped as she went through ……………………… and asked if she had anything to declare.
5. She always looks elegant. She must spend a lot on ……………………….
6. If the ……………………… aren’t delivered by next week they’ll cancel the order.
7. She weighed herself on a pair of ……………………….
8. Have you a pair of sharp ………………………? I need to cut this paper.
9. They’re trying to raise ……………………… to help victims of the flood.
10. Did you hear the ……………………… on the radio?

5. Complete the sentences with all, no, each, every, everything, either, neither or none.
1. ……………………… she’s interested in doing is dancing!
2. He can’t complain. He was given ……………………… chance to succeed.
3. Can ……………………… of you two speak German?
4. Is ……………………… ready for the meeting?
5. They didn’t take her on because there are ……………………… vacancies in the firm at the moment.
6. There were two applicants for the position but ……………………… of them had the right qualifications.
7. Their mother gave the children £3 ……………………… to spend at the Fun Fair.
8. The teacher was angry because ……………………… of the students knew the right answer.
9. ……………………… time I see her she’s wearing a new dress.

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10. The team ……………………… wore blue blazers and white trousers.
11. ……………………… less than three thousand turned up for the concert.
12. When she met him at the station she kissed him on ……………………… cheek.

6. Rewrite each sentence so that it contains the word given and means the same.
1. All of the glasses are dirty. (none)
………………………………………………………………..
2. Both applicants were unsuitable for the job. (neither)
………………………………………………………………..
3. I only had an egg for supper. (all)
………………………………………………………………..
4. There wasn’t any food left. (no)
………………………………………………………………..
5. A passport is the only thing you need now. (all)
………………………………………………………………..
6. Everyone brought sandwiches for the journey. (each)
………………………………………………………………..
7. I liked neither of the two men. (either)
………………………………………………………………..
8. We are all to blame for what happened. (each)
………………………………………………………………..

7. Match the words or expressions with the correct definitions.


1. avalanche a) The wearing away and loss of topsoil, mainly by wind and running water
2. conservation b) A chain of organisms along which energy, in the form of food, passes. An
3. desertification organism feeds on the preceding link and is in turn prey for the succeeding link.
4. ecosystem c) The wearing away of the land by the action of water, ice or wind.
5. erosion d) Naturally occurring carbon or hydrocarbon fuel formed by the decomposition of
6. food chain pre-historic remains.
7. fossil fuel e) A vent in the earth’s crust through which magma forces its way to the surface.
8. greenhouse f) Contamination by poisonous or harmful substances.
effect g) Undernourishment due to insufficient food or an unbalanced diet.
9. ice cap h) The phenomenon in which the atmosphere stops the heat radiated from the
10. malnutrition surface of the earth escaping, resulting in higher than normal temperatures.
11. ozone i) Oxygen with molecules containing three rather than the normal two atoms; in the
12. pollution upper atmosphere it absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation.
13. refugees j) People who have fled from one country to another to escape from danger.
14. soil erosion k) The careful management and preservation of natural resources and environment.
15. volcano l) A system involving the interactions between living organisms and the physical
environment.
m) The process by which areas of desert are created by natural forces or the
activities of man.
n) Large amounts of snow and ice falling from a mountainside into the valley below.
o) A permanent covering of ice over a tract of country.

1. ………… 6. ………… 11. …………


2. ………… 7. ………… 12. …………
3. ………… 8. ………… 13. …………
4. ………… 9. ………… 14. …………
5. ………… 10. ………… 15. …………

8. ►Listen and choose the most suitable alternatives.


1. What happens when one part of an ecosystem is changed or disrupted?
a) All other ecosystems are affected.
b) Everything is destroyed.
c) Unseen human intervention is necessary.

2. The natural hazards mentioned as being exacerbated by human action are ...... .
a) droughts and natural hazards
b) droughts, storms and floods
c) the removal of crops

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3. Desertification is caused by ...... .


a) too many animals eating in the desert
b) overgrazing and the removal of trees
c) crops along the edges of deserts

4. Desertification causes ...... .


a) dust in the clouds
b) the air to rise
c) negative climate changes

5. Overgrazing and deforestation particularly affect ....... .


a) vulnerable environments
b) the rainforests
c) oxygen in the air

6. Which statement is true?


a) Half the rainforests are destroyed every year.
b) The UK is cleared of trees every year.
c) Acid rain forms from fuel gases, water vapour, sunlight and oxygen.

7. Toxic wastes ....... .


a) only affect poor soil
b) are often sent to developing countries or dumped
c) can only be eliminated in developing countries

8. Water pollution ....... .


a) only concerns lakes as they allow pollutants to build up
b) is only caused by waste from factories, farms and cities
c) is caused by a number of factors

9. Global warming ....... .


a) is only caused by burning fossil fuels
b) results from the greenhouse effect
c) causes heat to build up around the planet

10. Scientists believe some of the results of global warming may be ...... .
a) the extinction of plants and animals
b) complete crop failure
c) food shortages, violent weather, new diseases and flooding

Further writing practice.


9. Answer the following questions from your own personal studies and knowledge.
Which areas in the world are effected by each of the following and in your opinion what could be the
consequences, both to the area and to the world in general?
a) Deforestation ………………………………………………………………………………….
………..……..…………………………………………………………………………………
………..……..…………………………………………………………………………………
………..……..…………………………………………………………………………………
b) Droughts ………………………………………………………………………………………
………..……..…………………………………………………………………………………
………..……..…………………………………………………………………………………
………..……..…………………………………………………………………………………
c) Floods …………………………………………………………………………………………
………..……..…………………………………………………………………………………
………..……..…………………………………………………………………………………
………..……..…………………………………………………………………………………
d) Famine ………………………………………………………………………………………..
………..……..…………………………………………………………………………………
………..……..…………………………………………………………………………………
………..……..…………………………………………………………………………………
e) Earthquakes …………………………………………………………………………………...

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………..……..…………………………………………………………………………………
………..……..…………………………………………………………………………………
………..……..…………………………………………………………………………………
10. Thousands of plant and animal species are officially classed as endangered. Discuss the
different threats to wildlife and what has been done so far to save them.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………

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UNIT 14
COMPARATIVES & SUPERLATIVES
the comparative and superlative of adjectives and adverbs
Form Adjective Comparative Superlative
One syllable adjectives / short shorter (than) the shortest
1
adverbs slim slimmer (than) the slimmest
hard harder (than) the hardest
Two syllables adjectives early earlier (than) the earliest
ending in –y
Adjectives / adverbs of reliable more reliable (than) the most reliable
2
two or more syllables carefully more carefully (than) the most carefully
Irregular adjectives / good / well better (than) the best
adverbs bad / badly worse (than) the worst
much / many more (than) the most
little less (than) the least
3
far farther / further (than) the farthest / furthest
4 4
old older /elder (than) the oldest / the eldest
1
One-syllable adjectives ending in one vowel and a consonant (except those ending in –y or –w)
double the consonant: fit – fitter – fittest, (few – fewer – fewest).
2
Most two-syllable adjectives can take either –er /-est or more / most, e.g. polite, common,
pleasant, stupid: stupid - stupider / more stupid – stupidest / the most stupid.
3
Farther is used more for distances, although further can also be used in this sense; further is
used to mean more in degree, time or quantity.
4
Elder and eldest are used for members of the same family. Elder cannot be used to make a
comparison: His eldest brother is only three years older than him.

Comparatives
Use:
• to compare one person / thing with another / others: Jane is much heavier than Sarah. Jane is much
heavier than her sisters.
• Comparative + comparative is used to say something is continuing to decrease or increase:
He’s getting more and more absent-minded as he grows older.
That hole in your pullover is getting bigger and bigger.
• The + comparative clause, the + comparative clause is used to say that two things change together
or one thing depends on another:
The older he gets, the more forgetful he becomes.
• The can be used with a comparative:
Of the two, Sam is the taller.
• Any / no + comparative:
I’ve waited ten minutes. I’m not waiting any longer. = I’m waiting no longer.
• The …. the better:
“When should I go?” – “The sooner the better. (= as soon as possible)
• A little / a bit / slightly / much / far / a lot can be used to make comparisons stronger:
This jacket is slightly more expensive than the other but it is far more attractive.

Superlatives
Use:
• to compare one person / thing in a group with two or more people / things in the same group:
What’s the best film you’ve ever seen?
• By far / easily can be used before a superlative:
He’s by far /easily the most absent-minded man I know.
This is easily the strangest sight I have ever seen.
• Expressions with best:
I don’t know if I can win, but I can do my best.

Other comparisons (comparatives and superlatives):


• more + noun (+ than)
There are more possibilities of finding work in a large town than in a village.
• the most + noun
He has had the most opportunities.

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• verb + more (+ than)


They waste far more than they should!
• verb + the most
That salesman sells the most.
• less + adjective, adverb or uncountable noun (+ than)
He is less sociable than he used to be.
He eats less fresh fruit than he should.
• the least + adjective, adverb or uncountable noun:
He’s the least modern in his way of dressing.
The least noise you make the better.
• verb + less (+ than)
He does less work than his colleague.
• verb + the least
Of all my new colleagues, he does the least to help me.
• fewer + countable noun (+ than)
There are fewer opportunities of employment in this town than ever before.
• the fewest + countable noun
Who sold the fewest machines last month?

As ....... as
• (not) as + adjective or adverb + as is used to say two things / people are (not) the same:
This is as far as I can take you.
This bus doesn’t go as quickly as the other.
• Just is often used in the affirmative for emphasis:
You are just as bad as your brother!
• (not) as much + uncountable noun/verb + as:
He hasn’t as much money as he would like.
A person living alone sometimes spends as much as a family in terms of heating.
• (not) as many + countable noun + as:
He doesn’t read as many books as she does.
• Verb + as much + as:
He eats (just) as much as Bob.
• With such …. as:
I’d never seen such a shocking scene as that before in my life!
• With the same …as:
He lives in the same street as she does.
• An alternative to as in negative sentences is so + adjective or adverbs + as to say two things / people
are not the same:
He isn’t so intelligent as he makes out.
He has the same salary as her, but he doesn’t work so much.

1. Put one suitable word in each space.


1. The Amazon is far ………………….. than the Thames.
2. Of the two armchairs, I think this is ………………….. more comfortable.
3. Sally is not ………………….. tall as Laura but she’s ………………….. as good at volleyball as Laura
…………………...
4. She’s ………………….. far the kindest person I know.
5. She has the ………………….. colour eyes as her mother.
6. She knew her son hadn’t studied as ………………….. as he should have but she was disappointed that
he didn’t do ………………….. in the exam.
7. She felt ………………….. and ………………….. tired as she worked.
8. I wish my husband earned as much ………………….. hers …………………...
9. I’m exhausted, I can walk no …………………..
10. Do you think you could make a ………………….. less noise? I’m trying to concentrate.
11. “How much are you willing to spend?” – “Considering my disastrous financial state, the …………………..
the …………………...
12. I’ve never had such a delicious meal ………………….. this.
13. Prices seem to be getting higher and …………………..
14. Nobody expects you to do miracles. Just do the ………………….. you can.
15. Isn’t that the same blue dress ………………….. your sister wore last night?

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16. He works much harder ………………….. she does but he earns far ………………….. than she
…………………...
17. I’m not going to put up with his behaviour ………………….. longer.
18. We haven’t had as ………………….. rain this year ………………….. we ………………….. last year.
19. She has ………………….. English books than she would like.
20. Animals are often ………………….. off than people in many respects. If we enter a room, we can detect
no ………………….. than a few smells whereas a dog’s sense of smell is ………………….. more
powerful and can trace a missing person by sniffing an article of clothing.

2. Rewrite each sentence using the word given so that it means the same.
1. If you practise a lot, you’ll get better. (more)
…………………………………………………………………………
2. Computers used to be much more expensive. (as)
…………………………………………………………………………
3. Our product is the least expensive on the market. (more)
…………………………………………………………………………
4. Our car is nothing like as economical as theirs. (far)
…………………………………………………………………………
5. It has won more Oscars than any other film. (no)
…………………………………………………………………………
6. John and Philip are the same age. (as)
…………………………………………………………………………
7. No-one at school swims better than Philip. (swimmer)
…………………………………………………………………………
8. It doesn’t rain as much here as it does in the Lake District. (more)
…………………………………………………………………………
9. His school is not nearly as far away as mine. (much)
…………………………………………………………………………
10. Is this the best you can do? (can’t)
…………………………………………………………………………
11. She expected that learning how to use a computer would be more difficult. (than)
…………………………………………………………………………
12. Ron plays tennis better than anyone else I know. (as)
…………………………………………………………………………
13. As it gets colder he goes out of the house less. (the)
…………………………………………………………………………
14. I’ve never seen such a bad film as that. (the)
…………………………………………………………………………
15. No other person in my family is as lazy as Steward. (the)
…………………………………………………………………………
16. As far as many of our customers are concerned, price is not as important as quality. (more)
…………………………………………………………………………
17. Men usually die at a younger age than women. (than)
…………………………………………………………………………
18. You’re driving too slowly. (have to)
…………………………………………………………………………
19. All my sisters are younger than me. (the)
…………………………………………………………………………
20. Katy did the best she could. (hard)
…………………………………………………………………………
21. This CD was cheaper than that. (cost)
…………………………………………………………………………
22. That was the funniest film I’ve ever seen. (such)
…………………………………………………………………………
23. When you drink a lot, you get increasingly tipsy. (more)
…………………………………………………………………………
24. Pete was getting increasingly muddled. (and)
…………………………………………………………………………
25. You should leave as soon as possible. (better)
…………………………………………………………………………

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3. A) Look at the following list of adjectives and divide them into three groups: those you might use
to describe women, those you would use to describe men and those you might use for both men
and women.
active – aggressive – assertive – blonde – brave – clinging – cold – cute – delicate – domineering –
elegant – emotional – gentle – hysterical – muscular – passive – plain – powerful – pretty – raving –
ruthless – slim – sly – strong – submissive – sweet – tender – thoughtful - weak

Female: .....................................................................................................................................................
Male: .........................................................................................................................................................
‘Unisex’ .....................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................

B) Choose any ten of the above adjectives and write sentences, using the grammatical structures
studied in this unit.
1. ………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. ………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. ………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. ………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. ………………………………………………………………………………………………
6. ………………………………………………………………………………………………
7. ………………………………………………………………………………………………
8. ………………………………………………………………………………………………
9. ………………………………………………………………………………………………
10. ………………………………………………………………………………………………

C) Now compare the two lists of words you have chosen to describe men and women. Discuss why
these words are not used to describe both sexes and how they show stereotyped assumptions about
women or men.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………............................…………………………...
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………............................…………………………...

D) Choose four of the following nationalities (not your own) and write a stereotype description of
each, comparing them with the other nationalities.

English – French - Italian – German – Russian – Japanese – African – Indian – Chinese – Spaniard

1. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

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……………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………
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3. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………
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4. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………
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5. How do you think a person of your nationality appears to other nations? Write a short stereotyped
version for your own nationality.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

6. Do you consider these stereotypes to be flattering, insulting or merely humorous? Give reasons for your
answer.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

4. ►Listen and fill in the missing words.


Today Britain, like most Western industrialised countries, has an .................................. population. This
means that the ..................................... age of the population is getting older, with a greater percentage of
the population over .................................... age, and a smaller percentage of young people.
The ................................... birth and death rates in the ...................................... century meant that more
people were young – people didn’t live long ................................... to grow old! Nowadays,
...................................... and .......................................... which claimed many lives in the past have been
............................................. by medical science and both the quality and quantity of food have got

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.......................................... The .......................................... in the death rate and increased life


.......................................... have meant that people are living .................................., and more are reaching
old age.
In the past, people tended to have ..................... ...................... babies – because of ignorance, lack of
reliable anti-contraception methods and the fact that infant mortality was so high. Now, the decline in the
................................................... rate - probably caused by widespread .............................................. of better
anti-contraception, plus the fact that many couples prefer to have only one or no children for economic
reasons – means that ........................................ children are being born. These factors have changed the
........................................... age structure of the nation and are likely to become more
......................................... as time goes by.

5. Find words in the completed text which correspond to the definitions (as used in the text).
1. .................................. = withdrawal from office, business, or active life, usually because of age
2. .................................. = diminution
3. .................................. = general
4. .................................. = growing old
5. .................................. = the relative frequency of deaths in a specific population
6. .................................. = took
7. .................................. = occurring in many places or among many persons or individuals
8. .................................. = lack of knowledge, learning, information, etc.
9. .................................. = measure of the frequency of given events, such as births and deaths
10. .................................. = something looked forward to, whether feared or hoped for

6. Read the completed text and answer the questions.


1. Which areas are mentioned as having an ageing population?
………………………………...............................................................…………………………………………
2. What does this signify?
………………………………...............................................................…………………………………………
th
3. Why was there a greater proportion of younger people in the 19 century?
………………………………...............................................................…………………………………………
4. Which factors have changed the situation?
………………………………...............................................................…………………………………………
5. Why are more people reaching old age than before?
………………………………...............................................................…………………………………………
6. Why did people have more babies in the past?
………………………………...............................................................…………………………………………
7. Which factors have influenced the number of babies being born?
………………………………...............................................................…………………………………………

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UNIT 15 B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE

UNIT 15
CONNECTORS
ADDITION is expressed by:
• both … and
Both the manager and his assistant were off with flu.
• too, as well (as), also
They had to take into consideration the cost of their hold luggage too.
As well as hand luggage, Jill had a huge overweight suitcase.
They are going to make use of blogs and also podcasts.
• in addition to
If we caught the night train there and back, in addition to saving money on a hotel in Paris, we would
arrive early and have time for a whole day’s sightseeing.
• furthermore, moreover, besides
India has lower labour costs than most European countries. Furthermore, it has a strong local market.
The country is poor and underdeveloped. Moreover, the political situation is extremely unstable.
He had no wish to relocate to another country. Besides (this), it would have meant disrupting his
children’s education.
• in fact, as a matter of fact (is this really ‘addition? )
I’m ready to set off. In fact / As a matter of fact, my bags have been packed for days!
• not only... but also
One of the applicants not only wore scruffy clothes but also chewed gum throughout the interview.

CHOICE or ALTERNATIVE is expressed by:


• either … or
They didn’t like either the hotel or its location.
• neither … nor
They liked neither the hotel nor its location.

PURPOSE is expressed by:


• for + noun or –ing form of verb. This explains how something is used:
This red button is for stopping the machine. This other button is for the light.
• to + infinitive. The person in the main clause, and the person referred to by the infinitive must be the
same.
Jack went to London to have an interview.
• so (that). This is usually followed by can, could, will or would
He took his laptop so that he could work on the train.
She saved up money so (that) she could have a good holiday.
• in order to, so as to: (more formal than to)
In order to save unnecessary travelling, we should look into the possibility of people working from
home.
So as not to frighten the nervous horse, he spoke softly.

RESULT and REASON are expressed by:


• so
I was tired so I decided to take a break.
• because
I decided to take a break because I was tired.
• for (For cannot begin a sentence and is followed by a clause):
He doesn’t have much money, for he lost his job last month.
• owing to / due to
Owing to and due to are similar in meaning to on account of, because of, as a result and as a
consequence of. The difference between owing to and due to is that due to can be used after the
verb to be; while owing to cannot.
Owing to / Due to the transport strike, they couldn’t deliver on the date promised.
The delay in delivery was due to the transport strike.
As a result of the transport strike, supplies in supermarkets were running low.
The product was discontinued as a consequence of insufficient demand.
• as / since
As / Since he arrived at the station late, he missed his train.
• therefore

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I was not convinced by his arguments, therefore I refused the offer.


• eventually (meaning finally; ultimately; at some later time)
If you've ever built a sandcastle at the beach, the water eventually comes up and washes it away.
• in the end
The product wasn’t selling. In the end they took it off the market.
They tried to assemble the cupboard for hours. In the end they gave up and called a handyman.
• so + much / many / few / little (that)
She had spent so much (money) (that) she had nothing left for her bus fare.
There were so many people in the room that they had to stand.
• so + adjective / adverb (that)
He is so reliable that I think we can leave the matter safely in his hands.
The manual was so badly translated that it was incomprehensible.
• such + adjective + noun (that)
It was such a bad line that I couldn’t make out what he was saying.
• too + adjective + infinitive (with to)
This curry is too hot (for me) to eat.
• too + much / many / few / little + noun
There’s too much work for me to do.
• (not) + adjective + enough + infinitive (with to)
He couldn’t run fast enough to catch the bus.
• (not) + enough + noun + infinitive (with to)
There isn’t enough room for everyone to sit.

CONTRAST can be expressed by:


• although (which gives a suggestion of surprise)
Although your idea sounds good in theory, I don’t think it would work in practice.
• even though (more emphatic)
Even though I agree that using Skype would save a lot of travel, I prefer face-to-face meetings.
• though (note the position, it cannot start a sentence)
She was highly qualified: she didn’t get the job, though.
Your idea sounds good in theory, though I don’t think it’s practical.
• despite + noun / -ing
Despite the competition represented by the mass media such as radio, television, and Internet news
sites, many newspapers have remained attractive to readers.
Despite losing readers to the mass media, many newspapers still have large circulations.
• in spite of + noun / –ing
In spite of his broken leg, he went to work.
In spite of having a broken leg, he went to work.
• however (formal, it can go at the beginning or the end of a sentence and is always separated from the
rest of the sentence by a comma)
The terms they offered were extremely advantageous. However, she wanted even more before signing
the contract.
She was highly qualified. I didn’t like her, however.
• yet, which can be used in place of but
She was offered a good salary, yet she refused to sign the contract.
• while / whereas
While / Whereas I agree with you about the cause of the problem, I have some reservations about the
practicality of your proposal.
While / Whereas Mary dressed well for the interview, John turned up in old jeans.
• nevertheless / nonetheless, which is a formal way of expressing however.(but not usually found at the
end of a sentence)
He claims he has no money. Nevertheless / Nonetheless, he’s just bought a new car.
• on the other hand
This applicant is very well qualified. On the other hand, he has no actual work experience.

N.B.
ACTUALLY has several meanings and uses:
• ‘in actual fact’
Nobody actually saw him take the money.
• ‘as a matter of fact’

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He’s dissatisfied with his present job. Actually, he’s been sending off his CV to various firms.
• ‘suprisingly’
He actually agreed to help me.
• as a sentence modifier to add slight emphasis
Actually, I haven’t spoken to him personally about the matter.
• at the present moment
He’s actually on holiday.

1. Underline the most suitable word or expression in italics in each sentence.


1. While / However Chris makes a point of arriving on time, Barbara is inevitably late.
2. Although / Despite he was late, he didn’t apologise.
3. She is so / such a pleasant person, I’d like to see her again.
4. However / In spite of the bad weather, we had a good time yesterday.
5. It was so / such windy that they couldn’t go sailing.
6. They didn’t do neither / either the job set that day nor / or turn up on time the next day.
7. He knew he was going to be late for his appointment. Therefore / Furthermore, he rang the office to warn
them.
8. The shelf was so / too high that the little boy couldn’t reach the jar.
9. Whereas / However some people are optimistic about the future, I am rather depressed over the outlook.
10. So / Such few / little people turned up for the meeting that it was cancelled.
11. For / As Tim and Paula will be away on holiday, they won’t be able to come to the party.
12. He worked such / so hard that he had a nervous breakdown.
13. Pete went out so that he bought / to buy some food.
14. In some parts of Switzerland they speak German, nevertheless / whereas in other parts they speak
French.
15. You may be right. While / Nevertheless, I’m going to do it my way.
16. Due to / As heavy rain, the match was cancelled.
17. They spoke in whispers on account of / so that nobody could hear them.
18. As well as / Both being boring, he was extremely unpleasant.
19. He actually / besides said he would help. You could have knocked me down with a feather!
20. He tried to call her several times that evening on her mobile phone but it must have been turned off. In
the end / Even though, he gave up and left a text message, hoping she’d turn on her phone the next
morning.

2. Complete the sentences with a suitable word or expression studied in this unit.
1. ……………………. feeling ill, he went to work.
2. ……………………. he wouldn’t feel lonely, we telephoned him every day.
3. ……………………. she was afraid of being late for her appointment, she caught an earlier bus.
4. ……………………. I asked her, she didn’t come.
5. These papers are ……………………. large they won’t go into this envelope.
6. It was ……………………. a long way to the station that I called a taxi.
7. The problem looked ……………………. complicated to be solved easily.
8. The second-hand car didn’t cost much. ……………………., it was ……………………. expensive for me.
9. Your coffee should be cool ……………………. to drink now.
10. He was feeling ...................... sleepy .................... bored with the programme ................... he switched
off the television and went to bed.
11. ……………………. she apologised, he wouldn’t forgive her.
12. This button is ……………………. starting the machine.
13. ……………………. the low price, the quality is all you could wish for.
14. They made him a good offer. He didn’t accept it, …………………….
15. Tom’s gone to the airport ……………………. pick up his brother.
16. She held it carefully in both hands, ……………………. not ………. drop it.
17. There was ……………………. food that everyone was still hungry at the end of the meal.
18. He’s ……………………. unpleasant a person that he has no friends.
19. Let’s check everything one more time ……………………. be absolutely sure we haven’t forgotten
anything.
20. The rope wasn’t long ……………………. to reach the ground.
21. ……………………. having a broken leg, he managed to crawl to safety.
22. The house is big and in a good position. ……………………., I don’t like it.
23. It’s difficult for Kim and Sue to decide on a restaurant they both like. Kim loves rare steak
……………………. Sue is a strict vegetarian.

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24. He has ……………………. friends I don’t know how he can still complain he’s lonely.
25. It was ……………………. a lovely day we went out for a long walk.
26. Don’s success was ……………………. hard work.
27. I’m not surprised she’s withdrawn her support. ..............................., she didn’t seem so keen on the
proposal right from the start.
28. He said ............................. ‘yes’ ......................... ‘no’. I do wish he’d make up his mind.
29. He’s not in the office. He’s ...................................... in France on business, He’ll be back next Monday,
.......................... .
30. There isn’t ................................ bread ....................... make sandwiches. .........................., there’s some
leftover pizza if we’re feeling peckish.

3. Rewrite each sentence using the word(s) given so that it means the same.
1. John moved to a new flat so that he could be nearer his office. (to)
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
2. Jane set her alarm for six because she wanted to study before going to school. (since)
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. Despite the rain, we went for a walk. (although)
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. She knows she should apologise but she won’t. (even)
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. The steaks were too tough for us to eat. (so)
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
6. He isn’t old enough to apply for a driving licence. (too)
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
7. The lecturer spoke so simply that everyone understood him. (enough)
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
8. Tom took his shoes off because he didn’t want to wake anyone when he came in. (so)
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
9. The girl’s voice was so soft he could hardly hear her. (such)
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
10. Although he offered to pay for the goods, they charged him with shoplifting. (spite)
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
11. He likes fishing, but he doesn’t like eating fish. (even)
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
12. The lesson was put off because a lot of students were ill with flu. (so)
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
13. It was such a foggy day we decided to go by train. (so)
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
14. Our new house is so small it can’t accommodate guests overnight. (too)
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
15. Although money is important, it has been the least of our worries. (despite)
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
16. She looks such an old woman that she could be his grandmother. (enough)
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
17. He didn’t approve of her travelling plans and her choice of a companion. (neither)
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
18. Ann thought it excessive to drive such a long distance. She finally decided to go by train. (too / end)
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
19. I haven’t enough time to take up a sport. (so)
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
20. It’s only four o’clock but I feel hungry already. (although)
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
21. The children were clever enough to solve the problem by themselves. (such)
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
22. We followed the instructions carefully but we couldn’t get the machine to work. (despite)
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
23. They had to consider both the obvious dangers of climbing such a sheer cliff and the rapidly worsening
weather. (besides)
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
24. They are touring the Swiss Alps at the moment. (actually)
…………………………………………………………………………………………….

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25. His bad manners and scruffy clothes completely put her parents off. (both)
…………………………………………………………………………………………….

4. Complete the sentences.


1. Due to unforeseen circumstances ……………………………………………………..…………..
2. I checked the figures so as ………………………………………………………….…………….
3. It rained for most of the holiday. Nevertheless, ………………………………………………...
4. Whereas some scientists believe temperatures will increase, ……………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
5. The open air concert was called off on account of ………………………………………………..
6. Since she didn’t have enough money ……………………………………………………………..
7. There were so few ………………………………………………………………………………...
8. This bed is so ……………………………………………………………………………….…….
9. He’s not intelligent enough ………………………………………………………………………
10. Glue is for ……………………………………………………………………………….………
11. In spite of having ………………………………………………………………………………...
12. Although he tried his best, ………………………………………………………………………
13. She had drunk so much ……………………………………………………………………………
14. Pete and Harry are both students. The former ………………………………… whereas the latter
……………………………………………………………………………….……………………
15. She tip-toed upstairs so as ………………………………………………………………………
16. ……………………………………………………………………… owing to a fall in demand.
17. As it was so late ………………………………………………………………………………...
18. ………………………………………………………………… he didn’t pass the exam, though.
19. ……………………………………………………………………… for he loved her very much.
20. Even though he begged her to listen to him, ……………………………………………………

5. ►Listen and choose the correct answers.


1. Father Gregory Brusey saw a creature ........ .
a) in the grounds of the Abbey
b) about three hundred yards away
c) seven feet above the water

2. When they saw the agitation of the water they were ........ .
a) frightened
b) staring
c) surprised and shocked

3. They watched it until ........ .


a) it swam away
b) it agitated the water
c) it sank beneath the water

4. It’s difficult to prove a monster exists because ........ .


a) the lake is 975 feet deep
b) the water is cloudy and the lake varies in depth
c) the lake is deep and discoloured

5. In 1972 the Academy of Applied Science used ........ .


a) sonar and an advanced camera system
b) advanced sonar
c) a system of sonar with a camera

6. They saw traces of something large on the sonar ........ .


a) at about one o’clock in the morning
b) at about one o’clock in the afternoon
c) at about eight o’clock in the morning

7. One of the photographs they took showed ........ .


a) a clear view of a flipper
b) two creatures with flippers
c) an unclear view of a flipper

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8. In 1975 they filmed ........ .


a) Loch Ness
b) something that looked like a mythical creature
c) a dragon

9. The creature had ........ .


a) a neck which was one and a half feet long
b) twenty feet
c) short protuberances on its head

Further comprehension and writing practice


6. Read the following extract and answer the questions.
(A man trying to kill the black cat he hated was prevent from doing so by his wife. In a fit of rage he killed her
and hid her body behind a wall in the cellar. Later, the police came to search the house. He was so confident
that they couldn’t find her that he rapped against the same wall behind which she was hidden.)
No sooner had the reverberation of my blows sunk into silence, than I was answered by a voice
from within the tomb! -–by a cry, at first muffled and broken, like the sobbing of a child, and then
quickly swelling into one long, loud, and continuous scream, utterly anomalous and inhuman – a
howl – a wailing shriek, half of horror and half of triumph, such as might have arisen only out of
hell, conjointly from the throats of the damned in their agony and of the demons that exult in the
damnation.
Of my own thoughts it is folly to speak. Swooning, I staggered to the opposite wall. For one instant
the party on the stairs remained motionless, through extremes of terror and awe. In the next a
dozen stout arms were toiling at the wall. It fell bodily. The corpse, already greatly decayed and
clotted with gore, stood erect before the eyes of the spectators. Upon its head, with red extended
mouth and solitary eye of fire, sat the hideous beast whose craft had seduced me into murder, and
whose informing voice had consigned me to the hangman. I had walled up the monster within the
tomb.
(From: The Black Cat by Edgar Allan Poe)
Find words and expressions from the extract with the following meanings.
1. ……………………………. = died away
2. ……………………………. = suffocated
3. ……………………………. = becoming greater
4. ……………………………. = completely
5. ……………………………. = loud cry of pain
6. ……………………………. = high, long and sad
7. ……………………………. = scream
8. ……………………………. = are extremely happy
9. ……………………………. = foolish act
10. ……………………………. = almost losing consciousness
11. ……………………………. = walked unsteadily
12. ……………………………. = fear mixed with reverence
13. ……………………………. = working
14. ……………………………. = gone bad
15. ……………………………. = blood
16. ……………………………. = persuaded
17. ……………………………. = man who executed criminals by putting the rope round their neck
18. ……………………………. = closed with bricks

7. Answer the questions.


1. What do you think had made the noise?
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
2. Why do you think he says the sound ‘might have arisen only out of hell’?
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
3. How did the man react when he heard the sound?
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
4. Where was the cat?
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
5. What had the man done?
……………………………………………………………………………………………..

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8. There are many unexplained mysteries in this world. Choose one and write about it.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………
9. Do you believe in ghosts? If so, why? If you don’t, what explanation can you give for the many
sightings?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………
10. Do you believe there is intelligent life on other planets? Discuss.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………

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B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE UNIT 16

UNIT 16
SUBJECT, OBJECT, DIRECT & INDIRECT QUESTIONS; QUESTION TAGS;
CONFUSING WORDS & EXPRESSIONS
SUBJECT & OBJECT QUESTIONS
• When the question is about the subject, do not use do/does or did:
Five thousand fans turned up for the concert in Birmingham.
Who turned up for the concert in Birmingham? (subject question)
How many fans turned up for the concert in Birmingham. (subject question)
What did the fans turn up for? (object question)
Where did they turn up? (object question)
• Do not use inversion with other auxiliaries when it is a subject question:
Joe had sent off his CV.
Who had sent off his CV? (subject question)
What had Joe sent off? (object question)
Jill and Mike could have told Sue they were going home.
Who could have told Sue they were going home? (subject question)
Who could Jill and Mike have told they were going home? (object question)

DIRECT & INDIRECT QUESTIONS


To ask questions more politely we can turn them into indirect questions by using: Do you know …? Can you
tell me …? I wonder …? Do you mind telling me …? etc.; in this case the order of the question changes and
is like a normal statement.
Does he ever travel on business? (direct question)
Do you know whether / if he ever travels on business? (indirect question)
Was she upset at not being promoted? (direct question)
I wonder if/whether she was upset at not being promoted. (indirect question)
How long has he worked for them? (direct question)
Do you have any idea how long he has worked for them? (indirect question)
What did she want? (direct question)
Please tell me what she wanted. (indirect question)

QUESTION TAGS
Question tags add a question to the end of a statement. The meaning depends on the intonation: if the tone
rises, then it is a real question because the speaker is not sure and needs confirmation; a level or falling tone
is used to check information.
• Pronouns, and not proper names, are always used in question tags:
Jim works shifts, doesn’t he?
The bottom has fallen out of the market, hasn’t it?
• Use abbreviations: aren’t, isn’t, doesn’t, etc. in the question tags:
You like her, don’t you?
If the verb in the statement is affirmative, the tag is negative-interrogative:
You ordered the raw materials, didn’t you?
• If the verb in the statement is negative, the tag is affirmative-interrogative:
You didn’t phone him, did you?
• The negative question tag for I am is irregular: it is aren’t I?
Oh dear. I’m late, aren’t I?
• After Let’s, the tag is …. shall we?
• After the imperative: Do … / Don’t , the tag is usually ….will you?
Don’t be late, will you?
• However, polite instructions use either will or won’t as a tag in the affirmative imperative with no
change in meaning.
Sit down, will you / won’t you?

1. Complete the questions to obtain the underlined information.


1. There were over fifty people at the party.
............................................................................. at the party?
2. Richard was having a shower when there was a blackout.
..................................................... when there was a blackout?
3. She has her teeth cleaned every six months.
...........................................................?

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4. They didn’t know if she had told Ron.


...............................................................................................?
5. Jim has worked here for six years.
............................................................................................ here?
6. They weren’t prepared for his reaction.
................................................................................................................
7. A hundred workers are expected to be laid off.
...................................................................................... to be laid off?
8. Sarah’s phone was lost on the train.
............................................................................................ on the train?
9. A couple returning to their cottage after their holiday found it on the verge of collapse.
..................................................................................................................?
10. A driver lost control of his car at about 10pm on Saturday night and ploughed through the front garden
and into the house.
.......................................................................................................... at about 10pm on Saturday night?

2. Complete the indirect questions.


1. Where did you go after leaving the gym?
Would you mind telling me .......................................................................... after leaving the gym?
2. How fast was the car going when it hit the building?
Do you know ............................................................................................ when it hit the building?
3. How long was it before people noticed the post wasn’t being collected?
Can you tell me ............................................................................ noticed the post wasn’t being collected?
4. How long has he known about it?
I wonder ......................................................................................... about it.
[Link] he had known the true facts, would he have told her?
I wonder ...................................................................... the true facts.
[Link] does she do for a living?
Can you tell me ......................................................................... a living?
[Link] did he do when he heard the scream?
Do you mind telling us .................................................................... when he heard the scream?
[Link] he ever travel abroad on business?
Do you know ................................................................... abroad on business?
[Link] he switched off the lights downstairs?
Do you know .................................................................... the lights downstairs?
[Link] Julia wait for you for a long time?
I wonder ............................................................................... you.

3. Complete the questions with question tags.


1. Let’s go to the Lake District this weekend, .........................?
2. I’m not wrong, ................................?
3. They aren’t going to lay off any more workers, .........................?
4. You would tell me if there was news, .........................?
5. Sam won’t have arrived by now, .........................?
6. Close the door, .........................?
7. You told me she wasn’t going to be here today, .........................?
8. Harry hasn’t been entirely truthful, .....................?
9. The weather hasn’t been so good this week, ........................?
10. He couldn’t have stayed in a more luxury hotel, ....................?
11. Don’t let the cat out of the bag, .........................?
12. John never tells you when he’s going to be late, ..................?
13. You’ll be leaving for Madrid tomorrow, .........................?
14. Sheila works full time, .........................?
15. Don’t let the cat out, ................?

4. Make questions for the following answers. Use the word(s) in brackets.
1. (mind) ...............................................................................................................?
Pete? I believe he’s gone to the bank.
2. (let’s / cinema) .................................................................................................................?
I’d rather stay in if you don’t mind. I’m feeling a bit under the weather.
3. (idea) ................................................................................................................?
Sorry! I haven’t a clue when Larry will be back.

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4. (who / been) ...................................................................................................................?


Bob. I believe he had some trouble connecting to the Internet with his own computer.
5. (don’t) ........................................................................................................................?
On the contrary, I love musicals.
6. (know / many / party) ...........................................................................................................?
There’ll only be about twenty, I promise you.
7. (forgot / didn’t) .....................................................................................................................?
Yes. Sorry. It completely slipped my mind.
8. (tell / when) ..........................................................................................................................?
I got home at about 11pm. Why are you asking?
9. (wonder / mobile phone) ..............................................................................................................
It’s David’s. He left it here last night.
10. (mind / whether) .................................................................................................................?
The meeting on Friday? Yes, Jill was there but she left early.

5. ►Listen and choose the correct answers.


1. In 1994 ....... .
a) about 2,441 prisoners were executed
b) more than 2,331 prisoners were executed
c) fewer than 4,032 prisoners were executed
2. Capital punishment still exists in ....... .
a) 37 countries
b) 75 countries
c) 97 countries
3. The numbers of people executed are ....... .
a) certainly more than the official figures
b) only for three countries
c) exact because they come from Amnesty International
4. The majority of executions took place in ....... .
a) Iraq
b) China, Iraq and Nigeria
c) China, Iran and Nigeria
5. According to the surveys ....... .
a) 87% of Americans were in favour of capital punishment
b) about three quarters of the American population were in favour of capital punishment
c) three or four Americans were in favour of capital punishment
6. As an alternative to capital punishment many Americans would accept ....... .
a) life imprisonment with parole for good behaviour
b) life imprisonment coupled with financial compensation for the victims’ families
c) the offenders being forced to work to support the victims’ families
7. Many murderers ....... .
a) do not think about punishment when they kill
b) try to invent ways of avoiding punishment
c) consider the consequences but are certain they won’t get caught
8. a) The death penalty deters potential murderers.
b) Crime rates are linked to the death penalty.
c) There seems to be no connection between crime rates and the death penalty.
9. Amnesty International affirms that the death penalty ....... .
a) is imposed on the mentally ill
b) is racist
c) is not imposed impartially
10. US researchers have proved that ....... .
a) At least 23 people were not guilty
b) at least 23 innocent people were executed
c) 350 people were unjustly executed

CONFUSING WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS


There are many words and expressions that may cause confusion. Practice is perhaps the only way to really
know their meaning.

6. Complete each sentence with the ‘time’ words or phrases below. Use each one once only.

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shortly - the minute - since then – by then - in the meantime - as soon as – throughout –
the time being - now and then – by the time

1. ....................... the war, food was rationed.


2. I last went to the cinema in 2011, ................................. I haven’t had the chance to go.
3. They moved to Bristol last year so I don’t see them often, just ........................................ when they come
here to see their grandparents.
4. ........................................ he retires, he will have worked there for more than thirty years.
5. ........................................ you’ve done your homework, you can go out and play.
6. ........................................ I saw his face I knew I’d met him before but I couldn’t remember when or
where.
7. I need about fifteen minutes to finish this work. ................................., why don’t you make yourself at
home?
8. He’s looking for a flat near his office but for .................................., he’s staying with his sister.
9. I’m supposed to give in the report at five but I’m afraid I won’t have finished it ............................
10. The management will announce their new proposals ...............................

7. Complete each pair of sentences with the correct alternative. If necessary, use the correct tense
or form.
1. affect / effect
a) His parents’ divorce had a big .................................. on his childhood.
b) Many companies were badly .................................... in last year’s recession.

2. continually / continuously
a) He .................. forgot to close the bedroom window until the day he was burgled.
b) It’s been raining .................... for more than a week. Will it ever stop?

3. sensitive / sensible
a) You can trust Sue not to panic in an emergency. She’s a .........................., down-to-earth kind of
person.
b) She’s a very ......................... person; she gets upset when she sees scenes of violence on
television.

4. shadow / shade
a) After their long walk under the hot sun, they sat in the ........................., sipping a cool drink.
b) The tree cast a long ............................... in the evening sun.

5. lie / lay
a) He ................................... the mirror face down on the table while he was painting the living room
walls.
b) She had a headache and decided to take a painkiller and .................... down on the sofa with her
eyes closed until it passed.

6. principle / principal
a) In ................................., I agree with his proposal, but we’ll have to work on the details.
b) His ................................ food is bacon, sausage and eggs! He never seems to eat anything else,
except of course, chips!

7. adverse / averse
a) He is ................................ to using chemical products in his garden.
b) Taking painkillers regularly can have .............................. consequences.

8. desert / dessert
a) What would you like for ..........................? Ice cream, fresh fruit salad, or both?
b) They were crossing the ................................ when their jeep got stuck in the sand and they had to
call for help.

9. loose / lose
a) The team played so badly they deserved to ..........................
b) This tooth feels very ............................ . I’ll have to go to the dentist’s.

10. rise / raise

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a) The price of petrol is always .........................!


b) When they ............................... the curtain and the audience saw the famous singer standing there
on the stage, there was thunderous applause.

11. stationary / stationery


a) They are getting special ..................................... printed for the wedding invitations.
b) How on earth did you manage to drive into a ...................................... vehicle?

12. remember / remind


a) Please ........................................ me to phone Phil tonight.
b) I can’t .................................... what time my appointment was.

13. alone / lonely


a) He often telephones late at night when he feels .................................... and wants to chat to
someone.
b) A person who lives .................................... in a big house will spend as much on heating as a family.

14. economic / economical


a) Surely it would be more ................................... and less stressful to use public transport than drive
every day.
b) The government’s ............................................ policy is extremely unpopular.

15. altogether / all together


a) His friend were ....................................., waiting for him when he arrived at his ‘surprise’ birthday
party.
b) ................................., I’m very pleased with the results of my examinations.

16. assent / ascent


a) You can’t take his ............................... for granted. He may say ‘no’.
b) The ............................... up the mountain was made more arduous by bad weather.

17. brake / break


a) You’re exhausted! Why don’t you take a coffee .............................?
b) He ............................... to avoid the dog but skidded on the icy road and crashed into a wall.

18. complement / compliment


a) To Jack the greatest ................................. was to be considered funny.
b) The wine we were given would be a good .................................. to the roast I’m cooking for dinner.
Why don’t you open the bottle to let it breathe?

19. canvas / canvass


a) His tennis shoes are made of ................................
b) Candidates of both parties are busy ....................................... for votes in the streets.

20. current / currant


a) She made a ................................ cake and then covered it with icing.
b) Swimming is not allowed on this stretch of the river. The ............................... makes it extremely
dangerous.

8. Choose the most suitable alternative to complete each sentence.


1. As ......... as I know, he’ll be back next Monday.
a) long
b) far
c) much
d) soon

2. This ring is .........! It’s only made of glass and plastic.


a) valuable
b) invaluable
c) worthless
d) priceless

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3. The room is decorated in a ........ combination of colours.


a) tasteful
b) resting
c) tasty
d) spicy

4. Your watch must be ........! It says ten to ten while I make it five past.
a) behind
b) late
c) slow
d) delayed

5. His doctor ........ him to take up a sport such as swimming.


a) suggested
b) proposed
c) threatened
d) advised

6. You shouldn’t have criticised him in front of everybody. It was very ........ of you.
a) insensible
b) insensitive
c) unconscious
d) worthless

7. His doctor is ......... him for high blood pressure but he is convinced he has other health problems too.
a) curing
b) treating
c) healing
d) remedying

8. I don’t want another television or this one repaired. I want a full ........!
a) refund
b) recharge
c) payment
d) reward

9. They had so many problems with their car that ........ they sold it and bought another one.
a) at the end
b) by the end
c) in the end
d) to the end

10. Their washing machine was out of .......... so she had to wash everything by hand.
a) work
b) line
c) condition
d) order

9. Choose the most suitable alternative to complete each sentence.


1. I wish you would speak more clearly instead of .......... everything!
a) boasting
b) crumbling
c) mumbling
d) crunching

2. Now what’s he .......... about? Why does he have to complain about everything?
a) grumbling
b) gushing
c) stammering
d) leering

3. When she entered the room, he just .......... at her for a second and then carried on reading.

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a) glimpsed
b) strutted
c) strolled
d) glanced

4. Am I boring you? That’s the third time you’ve .......... since I started speaking.
a) snored
b) yawned
c) snarled
d) wept

5. He was so pleased with the present that he ........ from ear to ear.
a) laughed
b) sniggered
c) snorted
d) grinned

6. It’s time we went somewhere warm. You’re ........ with cold.


a) sucking
b) sweating
c) shivering
d) swallowing

7. The dust she was raising as she was cleaning the attic made her ........ violently.
a) sneeze
b) shake
c) hiccough
d) scream

8. I detest it when people ......... their way to the head of the queue!
a) kneel
b) toe
c) elbow
d) knee

9. They weren’t in a hurry so they just ......... around the old town, enjoying the sights.
a) waded
b) strolled
c) ploughed
d) dashed

10. When the ball hit it, the vase ........... to the floor and ......... .
a) knocked ........ broke
b) crashed ....... smashed
c) leapt ........ crashed
d) stumbled ........ demolished

Further comprehension and writing practice.


Read the extract.
(In Dickens’s Oliver Twist, Fagin is the evil head of a thieves’ den where boys are taught to steal. He is
also a receiver and Monk’s willing servant in his attempt to destroy Oliver. He was apprehended and
hanged at the end of the story. Oliver went to visit him on the morning of his execution.)
The men laid hands upon him, and disengaging Oliver from his grasp, held him back. He
struggled with the power of desperation for an instant, and then sent up cry upon cry that
penetrated even those massive walls, and rang in their ears until they reached the open
yard.
It was some time before they left the prison. Oliver nearly swooned after this frightful scene,
and was so weak that for an hour or more he had not the strength to walk.
Day was dawning when they again emerged. A great multitude had already assembled; the
windows were filled with people, smoking and playing cards to beguile the time, the crowd
were pushing, quarrelling and joking. Everything told of life and animation but one dark

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cluster of objects in the very centre of all-the black stage, the crossbeam, the rope, and all
the hideous apparatus of death.
(From: Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens)
10. Find words or expressions which have the following meanings.
a) ……………………………….. = took hold of
b) ……………………………….. = tight hold
c) ……………………………….. = prevented from advancing
d) ……………………………….. = were heard clearly
e) ……………………………….. = large open area between walls
f) ……………………………….. = fainted
g) ……………………………….. = beginning to come into existence
h) ……………………………….. = crowd
i) ……………………………….. = pass in a pleasant way
j) ……………………………….. = arguing
k) ……………………………….. = group
l) ……………………………….. = long thick bar of wood at the top of a gallows

11. Answer the following questions in your own words.


1. Why do you think the men lay hands on him?
…………………………………………………………………………………………
2. What kind of noise did Fagin make?
…………………………………………………………………………………………
3. Why do you think Oliver was almost fainting?
…………………………………………………………………………………………
4. How much time lapsed between Oliver’s visit to Fagin and their exit from the prison?
…………………………………………………………………………………………
5. What was the scene that met their eyes?
…………………………………………………………………………………………
6. Why had the people come?
…………………………………………………………………………………………

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UNIT 17
WORD FORMATION: PREFIXES, SUFFIXES, COMPOUND NOUNS, COMPOUND
ADJECTIVES
The basic part of any word is the root; you can add a prefix to the beginning and/or a suffix to the end to
change or modify the meaning.
root word Examples
depend He’s very independent, he doesn’t like to rely on anyone.
lead The information given us was very misleading. It could have been clearer.
PREFIXES
• Many words form their opposites by using prefixes but it is sometimes difficult to know which prefix to
use. The best way is to check in a dictionary. In general, im- is used before a ‘root’ word beginning with
‘m’ or ‘p’ – immature, impatient; ir- is used with words beginning with ‘r’ – irreplaceable, irrational
(unreliable is one of the exceptions to the rule); il- is used with words beginning with ‘l’ – illegible,
illegal.
• Some of the most common prefixes used to make words negative are:
• un: It’s unusually hot in here. Is the air conditioning working?
• dis: He felt discontented and disillusioned.
• im: It’s impractical to think I can finish this job by the deadline they’ve set.
• in: As a temp, she feels insecure.
• ir: It’s irrational to expect anyone to do their best when they’re unhappy.
• il: His demands are both illogical and illegal!
N.B.
• The prefixes in- and im- do not always have a negative meaning: they can also mean inside or
movement into: e.g. insert, internal, import, income: He has to pay a lot of income tax on his
earnings.
• dis- can also mean apart: The crowd dispersed after the police intervened.
• Other common prefixes include:
prefix meaning Examples
ante- before anterior, antedate, antediluvian
auto- of, by oneself autobiography
bi- two, twice bilingual, bicycle, binocular
co- together, with co-operation, co-writer, coexist
con- with connection, confederation, conspire
de- opposite or removal of a quality desensitise, dehumanise, deactivate
ex- a) out of b) former a) exhale b) ex-partner
extra- a) outside, beyond b) (informal) a) extraordinary, extracurricular b) extra-large,
very, more than normal extra-strong
micro- small microwave, microchip, microscope
mono- one / single monorail, monotonous, monologue
multi- many multinational, multi-purpose, multiracial
out- a) excelling / surpassing b) external a) outdo, outlive b) outlet, outpatient, outlaw c)
c) emergence d) result outgrowth, outcrop d) outcome, output
over- too much overcharge, overdue, overrate, overwork
post- after post-mortem, post-graduate, post-war
pro- in favour of pro-European, pro-euro, pro-government
pseudo- false pseudo-intellectual, pseudo-scientific
re- again or back reread, review, rewrite, replace
semi- half semi-detached, semi-final
sub- under subway, submerge, submarine
super- above, upper, more superfluous, superficial, superior
under- not enough underpay, undernourished, undercooked
ultra- beyond, extremely ultrasonic, ultra-modern
Coexistence in a multiethnic organisation can pose problems.
At this level of English you should be using a monolingual dictionary.
The company decided to cut costs by outsourcing the work to a specialist IT company.
Their offices are in London so the overheads are very high.
To say my financial situation is bad is an understatement!

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SUFFIXES
NOUNS
• Many nouns, especially abstract nouns, are formed from verb + suffix. Note that there may be spelling
changes when a suffix is added.
Verb Suffix Noun
achieve -ment achievement
admit -sion admission
complicate -ation complication
describe -tion description
employ -ment (un)employment
manage -ment (mis)management
organise -ation organisation
pollute -tion pollution
repeat -ition repetition
swim -ing swimming

• Nouns are also formed by adding a suffix to the adjective. Here again, be careful of additional spelling
changes. The most common suffixes here are –ity and –ness. The latter suffix is especially used to
form abstract nouns.
Curiosity killed the cat’ is a common saying.
The ugliness of the scene shocked her.
• -ibility /-ability replaces the -able or –ible at the end of adjectives to form nouns referring to the state
or quality described in the adjective:
This offer is subject to availability.
He’s in a position of great responsibility and has to be careful.
There is a strong possibility they will emigrate to Australia.
• -ism (activity, ideology) forms nouns which describe social, political or religious beliefs, studies or
behaviour:
Constructive criticism can lead to great improvements.
Feminism is not only an intellectual commitment but also a political movement that seeks justice for
women and the end of sexism in all forms.
• -ist is used for the people who believe or practise social, political or religious beliefs, etc. and also for
some job titles.
He believes in alternative medicine and spends a fortune at the herbalist.
The pianist gave two encores.
The journalist asked some awkward questions.
• adjective + -th (note changes in spelling)
Adjective Noun
broad breadth
deep depth
long length
strong strength
warm warmth
wide width
The height of the machine is 2.50 metres, its width is 90 centimetres and its depth is 100 centimetres.
• Some abstract nouns can be formed from noun/adjective + -dom:
The concept of political freedom is closely linked with the concepts of civil liberties and rights.
Routine, monotonous jobs cause boredom.
• -er, -or, can be added to nouns or verbs to describe people and the work they do. –er is also used for
objects and their function:
When he retired, the sailor opened a pub near the docks.
Have you a bottle opener?
• -ee is also added to nouns or verbs to describe people and the work they do. –ee denotes a person
who receives, obtains, etc.
The interviewee sat nervously on the edge of his seat.
The addressee’s name on this envelope is wrong!
• Noun + -hood describes a state or condition:
Childhood, adolescence and adulthood all have their own problems and difficulties.

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She wanted to move out of her neighbourhood as it wasn’t safe at night.


• Noun + ship denotes the rank, position, skill or relationship of the stated type;
Their partnership broke up after they fell out.
The craftsmanship of these artefacts is superb.

ADJECTIVES
Many adjectives and adverbs are formed by adding suffixes to nouns or verbs.
• -able /-ible are added to verbs or nouns to make adjectives with the meanings of a) being able to do or
be done b) having that quality/ability:
He’s a very capable man.
Who is responsible for this mess?
• Adjectives ending in –able can often be changed to mean the opposite by adding the prefix un-:
unbreakable, uncomfortable, unpreventable, unreliable, unreasonable, unsuitable
Your request is unreasonable!
He felt uncomfortable and kept fidgeting with his pen.
• Adjectives ending in -ible can often be changed to mean the opposite by adding the prefix in- (or ir-
and il- for those adjectives beginning with ‘r’ or ‘l’):
That was a very irresponsible thing to do.
• -ful gives the meaning of having the stated quality to a large degree, or causing it: careful, colourful,
harmful, helpful, painful, powerful, thoughtful, truthful, useful:
The receptionist was extremely helpful; she gave me some useful information.
• -less gives the meaning of ‘without’ the stated quality: careless, helpless (= defenceless), harmless (=
not causing harm), painless, thoughtless, homeless (nowhere to live), jobless (without a job), useless:
Don’t worry! The dog is harmless. He just wants to play.
N.B. Remember that although the same words can often take both –ful and –less, this is not always
true. For example, -ful can be added to beauty = beautiful but you cannot add –less.
• noun + -y (note spelling changes): cloudy, dirty, foggy, funny, sunny, windy, faulty:
The weather forecast says it will be windy but sunny over the weekend.
• noun + -al (note spelling changes): politics - political, music - musical, industry – industrial
The political situation is very unstable in that country.
• noun + -ous (note spelling changes): danger - dangerous, industry – industrious, suspicion –
suspicious, fury – furious
The police became suspicious when he bought a sports car and a luxury flat.
• verb + -ive: gives a meaning of causing or making: attractive, creative, imaginative. (Here again, the
opposite is often formed by adding a negative prefix: unattractive, unimaginative)
He lost his temper and became abusive.
She looks positively unattractive when she’s in a bad mood.
• –free is added to some nouns to make adjectives describing something without that aspect: trouble-
free, carefree, tax-free, stress-free:
His holiday got off to a trouble-free start.
• –proof is added to some nouns to describe things that can resist the damage or difficulty caused by the
noun: rainproof, waterproof, foolproof, soundproof:
With double-glazing and insulation, the room was pretty soundproof.
• -minded is added to some nouns or verbs to form adjectives used to describe people with certain
characteristics: broad-minded, narrow-minded, like-minded, career-minded:
I’m sure he’ll understand the problem; he’s a broad-minded person.
• –ly forms some adjectives as well as adverbs: friendly, lively, costly, leisurely:
He didn’t do any background research before going to the interview. It proved a costly mistake.
• –ant / -ent is added to some roots to form adjectives: relevant, distant, persistent, pertinent:
Persistent light rain ruined people’s enjoyment of the concert.
• –ish gives the meaning of ‘origin’, ‘nature’ or ‘resembling’: foolish, impish, clownish:
She had an impish smile on her face. I knew she was plotting mischief!
• –ish (only informal use) can be added to most common adjectives, ages and times to make them less
precise: thirtyish, reddish:
He’s fortyish, with reddish-brown hair.
• Some common adjectives are formed from the present participle (-ing) and the past participle (-ed):

‘Root’ verb Present participle as Past participle as


adjective adjective
alarm alarming alarmed

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amaze amazing amazed


annoy annoying annoyed
bore boring bored
develop developing developed
encourage encouraging encouraged
frighten frightening frightened
irritate irritating irritated
please pleasing pleased
shock shocking shocked
tire tiring tired
worry worrying worried

She was both worried and annoyed because he hadn’t phoned to tell her he’d be late.
His lateness was both worrying and annoying because he hadn’t phoned.

ADVERBS
• adverbs are usually formed by adding –ly to an adjective: quietly, carefully, carelessly, creatively,
cleverly:
He was visibly shocked by the bad news.
• adjectives ending in –le change to –ly: possible - possibly, probable - probably, incredible – incredibly
Predictably, he lost his temper.
• adjectives ending in –y change to –ily: lucky – luckily, funny – funnily, angry – angrily:
His wallet was stolen. Luckily, his credit cards were in another pocket.
• adjectives ending in –ic change to –ically: ironic – ironically, basic – basically, scientific – scientifically:
When he said he would do the same for you any day, I think he was speaking ironically.
• some of the most common irregular adverbs are: good (adjective) – well (adverb), fast (adjective) – fast
(adverb), hard (adjective) – hard (adverb)
‘Hard work never killed anyone’ is a saying probably coined by someone who had never worked hard in
his life.

VERBS
There are four main prefixes or suffixes used in the formation of verbs:
• en-: e.g. enable, endanger, enlarge, enrage, ensure, entrust:
Can she be entrusted with this responsibility?
• -en: e.g. brighten, darken, deepen, lengthen, lighten, shorten, strengthen, tighten, weaken, widen
It is believed the foundations of the house were weakened by the road works to widen the road.
• -ify: e.g. clarify, indentify, modify, purify, specify, terrify:
She was terrified by the unexpected noise until she identified it as a cat.
• -ise (in USA – ize): e.g. advise, apologise, industrialise, modernise, organise, prioritise, specialise,
televise:
We should prioritise our tasks and then organise ourselves accordingly.

1. Complete each sentence with a word formed from the list below and a prefix.
understand – usual - obedient – division - night - purpose – employed – cooked – biotic – fair
1. This is a ……………………………. tool; it opens bottles and cans, cuts and screws.
2. I wish the children weren’t so ……………………………., I can’t take them anywhere!
3. This meat isn’t done! It’s ……………………………..
4. She took the ……………………………. train to Scotland and arrived early the next morning.
5. Please don’t ……………………………. me! I’m not criticising you.
6. The doctor gave me an ……………………………. for the infection.
7. He’s been ……………………………. for six months. Can’t he find another job?
8. What an ……………………………. vase! I’ve never seen one like that before.
9. You always blame me. It’s …………………………….!
10. Months are a conventional ……………………………. of the year.

2. Complete the word in each sentence.


1. I can’t solve this puzzle. It’s im…………………..
2. I’m dis………………….. with your work. you can do much better.
3. Can you put this dish in the micro………………….. oven to heat up?
4. Il………………….. parked cars will be towed away.

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5. Someone who is im………………….. is able to act fairly because they are not personally involved in a
situation.
6. Addictive substances inter………………….. with the chemicals in the brain.
7. If a person is un………………….., he is not carrying a weapon.
8. Although it works well in theory, it’s im………………….. in real life.
9. An under………………….. country does not have industries and usually has a low standard of living.
10. She un………………….. the buttons of her jacket because she was hot.
11. The financial out………………….. for the coming year was not very encouraging.
12. The American for post………………….. is zip code.

3. Complete each sentence with a word formed from the list below ending as shown.
live - fit – danger - use – person – mother - object – child - reason - care
1. Physical …………………ness is essential for a pilot.
2. If nobody has any …………………ions, we’ll go on to the next item on the agenda.
3. Please be …………………ful with that vase. It’s very valuable.
4. She’s a …………………ly child, she’s only still when she’s sleeping.
5. That thing is …………………less, it serves no purpose whatsoever!
6. I think he’ll understand if you explain the situation. He’s a very …………………able person.
7. It’s …………………ous to drive in thick fog.
8. He’s very …………………ish. I wish he’d grow up.
9. He’s always asking …………………al questions. I wish he’d mind his own business.
10. Ever since she had a baby she looks happier. …………………hood seems to suit her.

4. Complete the word in each sentence.


1. Are you …………………ed in classical music or do you prefer modern?
2. …………………ment can be carried out by credit card or cash.
3. Is it really …………………ary for you to make all that noise?
4. There was a burst of …………………ter at the end of his joke.
5. If you use your …………………ion, I’m sure you’ll write a good composition.
6. I’m sure it was an accident, he can’t have done such a thing …………………ally.
7. There was a flash of …………………ning and then a roll of thunder.
8. It’s very …………………ant to see old friends after a long time.
9. He was given ten years …………………ment for his crime.
10. Have you any …………………ion for his strange behaviour?
11. The …………………ion caused by a gas leak completely destroyed the building.
12. Are you …………………able in that armchair or would you prefer the sofa?
13. When they write, …………………ants must include their CVs.
14. He’s a …………………able man, he would never let anyone down.
15. Who is the …………………ress who played the detective in that film, I can’t remember her name.

5. Use the word(s) in brackets to form a word that fits into the sentence.
1. When I’m overtired, I get ………………………….. (irritate)
2. The teacher ………………………….. their ability. Therefore, they found the exercise much too difficult.
(rate)
3. I’m sure it will be a great ………………………….. (succeed)
4. If you ………………………….. seven by seven, you get forty-nine. (multiple)
5. The footballer was ………………………….. for obstructing an opponent. (penalty)
6. The delay at the airport was ………………………….. (fury)
7. The baby was born one month ………………………….. (mature)
8. My library books are ………………………….., I’ll have to pay a fine. (due)
9. There’s no ………………………….. between the two. (compare)
10. They are ..................................... the road to ............................. greater safety for motorists. (wide / sure)
11. You cooked the meat too long. It’s ………………………….. (do)
12. ………………………….. pre-cooked meals are a great help when you’ve no time to cook. (freeze)
13. Appearances can often be ………………………….. (deceive)
14. The prince was ………………………….. into a frog. (form)
15. They sell a lot because their prices are ………………………….. (compete)
16. The athlete was ………………………….. from the championship because he had taken drugs. (qualify)
17. The police are responsible for the ………………………….. of law and order. (force)
18. Patients’ lives are ................................... by the lack of fully-qualified doctors at night and at weekends.
(danger)

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19. He claims that he is expected to do too much for a ridiculously low salary. In other words, he is
.............................. and .................................. (work / pay)
20. The old woman ………………………….. her husband by twenty years. In fact, he was only seventy when
he died. (live)
21. There’s no ………………………….. that he stole the money. (prove)
22. ………………………….. people are imperious to criticism. (sense)
23. Clairvoyants are supposed to ………………………….. the future. (tell)
24. The police were able to ............................. the criminal from the CCTV videotapes. (identity)
25. He needs to either get his jeans ................................. and ................................ or buy new ones of the
right size. (tight / short)

COMPOUND NOUNS & ADJECTIVES


Compound nouns are nouns which are made up of two or more words. They can be:
• spelt as one word, e.g. earring, blackboard, overexposure, workload, backup:
He was only invited as an afterthought.
• hyphenated, e.g. T-shirt, write-off, nitty-gritty, check-in:
Some passers-by were injured in the accident.
• written as two words, e.g. assembly line, cash flow, washing machine, alarm clock:
They went on a package holiday; everything except their drinks was included in the price.
When in doubt about how a compound noun is written, look it up in a good dictionary

The two parts of a compound noun may be:


• noun + noun, e.g. toothpaste, bedroom, printer cartridge, blood donor, windscreen wiper, credit card,
handcuffs, contact lens, brain drain:
Brain drain occurs when educated people emigrate to another country for higher wages or better
opportunities.
• adjective + noun, e.g. weekly ticket, software, greenhouse, madman, blackbird, whiteboard:
The greenhouse effect has been blamed for global warming.
• noun + verb, e.g. rainfall, haircut, daybreak, sunset, handshake:
The average rainfall in this area is the highest in the country.
• verb/gerund + noun, e.g. swimming pool, writing paper, pickpocket, driving licence:
His wallet was stolen by a pickpocket.
• preposition + noun, e.g. underground, download, insight, bystander, outlaw, overlap, by-product:
Some bystanders were able to give descriptions of the people involved in the incident.
• noun + preposition, e.g. check-in, checkout, hanger-on:
The police admitted they had been able to catch the criminals red-handed thanks to a tip-off.
• adjective + verb/gerund, e.g. dry-cleaning, public speaking:
Public speaking can be a nerve-wracking ordeal for some people.
• based on phrasal verbs, e.g. breakdown, breakthrough, by-pass, crackdown, cutback, drawback, drive-
in, dropout, feedback, flyover, hangover, hold-up, input, lay-by, makeup, outbreak, outcome, outlay,
outlet, outlook, outset, setback, shake-up, takeaway, takeover, turnover, walkout, walkover:
Have you had any feedback from the others?
The financial outlook is grim! It looks like the credit crunch is going to continue.
I don’t feel like cooking. Let’s get a Chinese takeaway.

Compound adjectives:
Most, but not all, compound adjectives are hyphenated when they are before a noun, e.g. a densely-
populated area. Others are so well-established that they have lost the hyphen, e.g. a foolproof solution.
However, when in doubt, use a dictionary.
• compound adjectives are often formed with parts of the body or clothes: e.g. blue-eyed, brown-haired,
broad/narrow-shouldered, high/low-heeled (shoes), loud-mouthed, right/left-handed, short/long-sighted,
round/open-necked (shirt), warm/cold-blooded, warm/cold/half-hearted:
The man was broad-shouldered, white-haired and blue-eyed. He was wearing an open-necked shirt
and jeans.
Several loud-mouthed hooligans were arrested.
• Other compound adjectives describe character: absent/ narrow/broad/open-minded, easy-going, laid-
back, good/bad-tempered, quick-witted, self-centred, uptight:
He’s a self-centred, narrow-minded bigot!
He’s normally an easy-going person. I wonder why he’s being so uptight over this.
A special group of compound adjectives are those where the second part is a preposition, e.g. worn-out,
well-off, built-up, hard-up, etc.

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• adjective/adverb + past participle forms many compound adjectives: air-conditioned, deeply-rooted,


low/mid/high-priced, far-fetched, market-oriented, middle-aged, remote-controlled, hand/machine-made,
government-owned, self-employed (also a noun), self-motivated, so-called, state-owned, unheard-of,
well/badly-behaved, etc.:
His convictions are deeply-rooted; you’ll never get him to change his mind.
He made up some far-fetched excuse for being late.
I know he’s a well-known actor, I just can’t remember his name.
• adjective/adverb / noun + present participle is also very common in the formation of compound
adjectives: best-selling, forward/backward-looking, fund-raising, ground-breaking, labour-saving, long-
standing, long-lasting, loss/profit-making, mouth-watering, never-ending, record-breaking, time-
consuming, etc.:
His speech seemed never-ending.
The dishes she’d prepared with her labour-saving appliances looked absolutely mouth-watering.
• Some compound adjectives are formed with a preposition: all-out, broken-down, built-up, cast-off,
hard-up, run-down, stick-on, well-off, worn-out, etc.:
He’s always saying he’s hard-up. How on earth could he afford a new car?
He always wears cast-off clothes; you’d never guess he was extremely well-off.
• Other common patterns for compound adjectives are:
• noun + past participle: shop-soiled, sun-dried:
These sun-dried tomatoes are delicious.
• noun + adjective: cash-poor, cost-effective, duty-free, interest-free, sugar-free, trouble-free, user-
friendly, world-famous:
This programme is user-friendly. Anyone who can turn on a computer can use it.
• adjective + noun: deep-sea, last-minute, long-distance, long/short-term:
There have been some last-minute changes to the programme.
• number + noun: four-wheeled, thirty-mile, twenty-page (N.B. the noun is always singular):
It was a twenty-page report.
• Some other useful compound adjectives are: bullet-proof, computer-literate/illiterate, cross-cultural,
cut-price, drip-dry, first/second-class, foolproof, full/part-time, head-on, hi/low-tech, off-brand, off-peak,
price-sensitive, state-of-the-art, top-secret, up-to-date:
In modern industry, a hi-tech product becomes low-tech after an incredibly short time.
They prefer taking their holidays in the off-peak season; it’s much cheaper.

6. In each of the following sentences is a blank with a word just before it. Fill each blank with a
word that combines with the one given, making a new word that fits the sentence.
1. I’m afraid you’ll have to rewrite this. I just can’t read your hand…………………….
2. When they went to Florence they spent all their time sight…………………….
3. After several years out of business, the star tried to make a come…………………….
4. He wasn’t seriously hurt in the accident but his car was a write…………………….
5. Their out……………………. has increased since they put in the new machinery.
6. The minister wasn’t hurt when the terrorist fired at him because his car had bullet…………………….
windows.
7. Despite a number of set……………………. the climbers finally reached the summit.
8. The take……………………. of the plane was delayed by some technical trouble.
9. During the rush……………………., traffic often comes to a stand…………………….
10. He had a terrible hang……………………. the morning after the party.
11. All his family have green eyes, he’s the only blue……………………. one.
12. She needs glasses because she’s rather short…………………….
13. When the doctor took his blood……………………., he said it was a little high.
14. The alarm……………………. didn’t go off this morning so he was late for work.
15. He never knows what lessons he has, he always has to look at his time…………………….
16. They must be well……………………. if they can afford to go to Australia or the USA on holiday every
year.
17. The police put a pair of hand……………………. on the suspect as soon as they had arrested him.
18. He was driving along the motor……………………. when a stone smashed his wind…………………….
19. The child is normally well……………………., I don’t understand why he’s being so naughty.
20. He’s getting more and more absent……………………. I think he would forget his head if it wasn’t
screwed on!

7. In each of the following sentences is a blank with a word just after it. Fill each blank with a word
that combines with the one given, making a new word that fits the sentence.

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1. A number of innocent ……………………. standers were hurt in the explosion.


2. There was a public ……………………. cry at the increase in rates.
3. The bank manager told him to reduce his ……………………. draft.
4. He made up a rather ……………………. fetched excuse for his absence. Nobody believed him.
5. They always go on holiday in the ……………………. peak period. It costs less.
6. I don’t know how he can walk, let alone sit, in those ……………………. fitting jeans.
7. Don’t forget your ……………………. glasses when you go to Spain.
8. The people living near the military ……………………. port were up in arms about the jets breaking the
……………………. barrier near them.
9. He dropped a ……………………. lens and spent ten minutes scrabbling around on the floor trying to find
it.
10. He had to be taken to hospital with ……………………. poisoning after eating mussels.

8. Complete the following sentences with compound nouns formed from the verb in brackets and a
preposition.
1. As he was quick on the ……………………., he made rapid progress. (take)
2. She’s always on the ……………………. for a bargain. (look)
3. There’s been another ……………………. of violence in the Middle East. (break)
4. The revolution caused the dictator’s ……………………. (fall)
5. Scientists hope the new discovery will be a(n) ……………………. (break)
6. When the leading actress was ill, her ……………………. took over. (study)
7. While they were walking in the park they got caught in a(n) ……………………. (pour)
8. The sky was ……………………. so he took his umbrella. (cast)
9. He worked so hard he had a nervous ……………………. (break)
10. The peace settlement led to a(n) ……………………. of troops. (draw)
11. Isn’t it time you had a(n) ……………………. of that cupboard. It’s full of old papers. (clear)
12. The ……………………. for the future seems a little brighter since we paid off the mortgage. (look)
13. He likes to have a(n) ……………………. on Sunday morning when he doesn’t have to work. (lie)
14. The company’s ……………………. increased dramatically after they reorganised everything. (turn)
15. When the referee sent they player off it caused a(n) ……………………. (roar)

9. ►Listen and choose the most suitable alternative.


1. These criminals use computers ...... .
a) so they don’t have to use guns and getaway cars
b) to steal merchandise
c) to make goods cheaply and without any risk
2. This type of crime affects ...... .
a) high-tech rich businesses
b) hospitals and government offices
c) practically everybody
3. It’s difficult to have exact figures for the amount stolen because ...... .
a) the criminals are costing too much
b) businesses are slow to admit they have been robbed
c) nobody knows how much has been stolen
4. ‘Hackers’ are ...... .
a) amateur and profession people using their computer skills illegally
b) expert industrial spies
c) junior employees using computers to steal secrets from their own firms
5. Viruses are ...... .
a) logic-bombs
b) often invented for fun
c) timed to go off around traditional anniversaries
6. Organised gangs use Internet to ...... .
a) exploit banks
b) steal credit card numbers and use them to buy goods
c) steal goods internationally
7. The ‘sniffer’ programme ...... .
a) captures credit card numbers when people use Internet to buy things
b) is used to find people who buy things on Internet
c) steals money and services using Internet
8. Card owners ...... .
a) are aware of the theft but can’t do anything about it

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b) never realise that their numbers have been used


c) do not realise until much later that their numbers have been used illegally
9. Six youngsters were caught ...... .
a) stealing credit cards numbers from Internet
b) stealing money by Internet
c) using the system to commit fraud against mail-order firms
10. The police say Internet ...... .
a) teaches children how to make bombs and napalm
b) teaches children how to commit various crimes
c) gives illegal drugs and supplies of hard-core pornography

10. Complete the text with a suitable form of the word in brackets.
In a boundary dispute between neighbours, Mr Bellingham and Mr Simpson, Mr Bellingham altered a site
1
plan so that a crucial ............................... (measure), which should have been 63 feet, read 68 feet. When
2
the .................................. (deceive) was found out, he even accused Mr Simpson of forging the document
3 4
himself in an attempt to .................................. (black) his ............................... (credible) . When the truth
5
about the ............................. (forge) came out in court, the judge ruled in favour of Mr Bellingham on the
6
boundary issue but went on to punish his .................................. (honest) by leaving him to pay for both his
own and most of his neighbour’s legal bills.
7
Mr Simpson’s barrister said that it was only right that someone who gave perjured ............................
8
(evident) should have to pay. He further claimed that Mr Bellingham’s ................................ (accuse) had not
9 10
only made a ................................ (settle) all but ....................................... (possible) but that he had made
1
no attempt to ................................... (apology) either to the court or to Mr Simpson for his
12 13
.................................. (offend) .................................... (allege). The Appeal Court judges have reserved
14
their .................................. (judge) on the case until a later date.

11. Complete the text with a suitable form of the word in brackets.
1 2
Mystery has long surrounded the ............................... (locate) of the ............................. (bury) place of
Richard III, the last Plantagenet king, who was defeated and killed at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. Richard
3 4
has gone down in history as a ................................ (black-heart), ............................. (hunchback) tyrant and
5 6
Shakespeare’s play reinforced the ............................ (conceive) of Richard’s ........................... (notorious).
However, it must be remembered that Shakespeare was writing to please a Tudor queen. Nowadays, many
7 8 9
................................ (history) claim this ................................ (fame) ........................... (repute) is
10 11
............................. (just) and was made up by the ..................................... (propaganda) of the time to
12 13
............................. (just) the ................................... (ascend) of the Tudors to the throne.
14
A team of ...................................... (archaeology) , seeking the long-lost Franciscan Friary where Richard
15 16
was .................................. (suppose) buried, have ................................ (earth) both the Friary and its
17
church containing a male skeleton with a form of ............................. (spine) curvature, which would have
18
made his right shoulder ................................. (visible) higher than his left.
19
The next step will be the ..................................... (compare) of the DNA of the skeleton found in the
20 21
................................... (excavate) with that of a man whose mother was a direct .............................
22 23
(descend) of the king’s .............................. (old) sister. Experts are .............................. (hope) that the
24
tests will verify the ‘..................................’ (stun) find.

12. Complete the text with a suitable form of the word in brackets.
Three of the cities visitors will enjoy on their cruise are Copenhagen, Helsinki and St. Petersburg.

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1
Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, is one of Europe’s ................................... (old) capitals. It was a mere
2 3
............................... (fish) village until the middle of the ................................. (twelve) century. However,
4 5
after being .................................... (fort) in 1167, its ..................................... (grow) in
6 7
................................... (commerce) .............................. (important) was rapid. Nowadays, this
8
......................................... (history) centre, with its theatres, museums, art galleries, musical
9 10
.................................. (entertain) and other .................................. (attract), make a visit truly
11
...................................... (memory).
12 13
Helsinki is an ....................................... (architecture) delight, with many fine and .................................
14
(impress) buildings, designed by eminent Finnish architects, wide streets and .......................................
15
(grace) squares. With an open and .................................. (space) feel, the city is in complete harmony with
16 17
the ..................................... (surround) countryside. This tour provides an .....................................
18
(introduce) to Finland's ................................. (charm) rural landscapes as you visit Hvittrask, once home to
19 20
three of Finland's .............................. (lead) architects whose ...................................... (admire) work can
21
also be seen during the .................................. (panorama) tour of the city.
St. Petersburg, which was the capital of the Russian Empire for over two hundred years, is known as
22 23
Russia’s ......................................... (art) and ............................... (intellect) centre. Visitors will be
24 25
............................... (thrill) by St. Isaac’s Cathedral, with floors of ..................................... (different-colour)
26 27
marble and a .................................. (remark) array of frescoes, as well as the ................................ (glory)
Peterhof Palace.

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UNIT 18
PHRASAL VERBS
A phrasal verb is a verb combined with an adverb or preposition and occasionally with an adverb and a
preposition. They are more common in informal English, but many are also found in formal writing and
speech.
There are four basic types. These are as follows:
1. Verb + adverb (no object):
The plane took off on time.
2. Verb + adverb + object / verb + object + adverb: If the object is a noun, the adverb can come before
or after the noun. If the object is a pronoun, the adverb must come after the object:
Are you going to give back the money? / give the money back? Are you going to give it back?
3. Verb + preposition + object:
When the princess kissed the frog, it turned into a prince. Unfortunately, he still looked like a frog.
4. Verb + adverb + preposition + object:
I’m not going to put up with his behaviour any longer.

phrasal verb meaning


aim at direct efforts, as toward an object
be up (time) be finished
be up to a) be good or well enough to b) do something (sometimes naughty or wrong)
blow up a) fill with air; inflate b) (photo, etc.) enlarge c) explode d) lose one’s temper
bog down cause to slow down or get stuck
break down a) become ineffective b) lose control; weaken c) have a physical or mental collapse d)
cease to function e) itemise: break down a hotel bill into daily charges f) (chemistry)
separate (a compound) into its constituent molecules g) (electricity – of an insulator) fail,
as when subjected to excessively high voltage, permitting a current to pass h) decompose
i) analyse j) separate into constituent parts
break even have income exactly equal to expenditure, thus show neither profit nor loss
break off a) suddenly stop when speaking b) stop doing something c) end a relationship
break in(to) a) enter illegally by force b) train; instruct c) begin to wear or use so as to make
comfortable d) interrupt e) run (new machinery) under reduced load or force until ready to
operate under normal conditions
break out a) develop or start suddenly and forcefully b) (from prison) escape
break up a) separate, scatter b) end a personal relationship c) put an end to; disrupt; finish d) divide
or be dived into pieces e) cause or be overcome with laughter
bring about cause to happen
bring back a) return b) cause to remember
bring in a) (profits, income) produce or earn b) (law) introduce c) invite (someone from outside) to
join in an activity or discussion c) (law court) give or submit (a verdict)
bring off accomplish, carry out, or achieve
bring round a) convince of a belief or opinion b) restore to consciousness c) bring as a visitor
bring up a) care for and train (a child); rear b) raise (a subject) for discussion c) vomit (food)
build up a) fill an area with buildings, urbanise b) gradually develop c) accumulate or collect d)
increase, strengthen e) establish or enhance (reputation, image)
buy out secure all of (an owner or partner’s) share or interest (in an enterprise)
call off a) cancel or abandon (concert, match, etc.) b) summon away (animal or person)
carry out execute; perform
catch on a) become popular b) understand
check up on investigate, scrutinise, or inspect
chill out relax; become quiet or calm, especially after a state of agitation
come across meet or find by chance
come into a) enter b) inherit c) become fulfilled d) receive what is due to one
come round a) change one’s opinion, decision, etc. especially to agree with another’s b) visit c) recover
consciousness
come over a) (of a person or his words) communicate the intended meaning or impression b)
(informal) undergo or feel a particular sensation c) visit (a person’s house)
come up a) happen, perhaps unexpectedly b) mentioned; discussed c) appear on a computer
screen
come up encounter (especially a difficulty or major problem)
against

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come up with think of a plan or idea and suggest it


count on rely on
crack down act (more) forcefully to regulate, repress, or restrain
crop up happen or appear suddenly or unexpectedly
cut back reduce
cut down on reduce
cut off a) interrupt or break the line of communication b) stop suddenly; discontinue c) separate
from others; isolate
deal with a) do business with b) take action in, handle
do away with a) get rid of; stop; abolish b) kill
do without manage or survive in spite of not having (something)
draw up a) come or cause to come to a halt (especially in a vehicle) b) prepare a draft of (legal
document, etc.) c) (used reflexively) straighten yourself
drink up finish drinking
drop off a) decrease b) fall asleep c) fall (off)
drop in pay an unexpected and/or uninvited visit
end up finally be or do something
fall out a) have an argument b) (literal meaning, e.g. It fell out of the window)
figure out (informal) a) discover or decide b) solve or decipher
fill in a) supply missing or desired information b) complete by adding detail c) substitute for d) fill
with some material e) (informal) supply (somebody) with information
fill up a) make or become full b) fill a cavity c) eat until one is sated
find out a) discover or confirm the truth of (something) b) detect or expose c) uncover the true
nature, identity or intentions of (someone)
fit in be able to live, exist etc. in agreement or harmony, be a part of (a group)
follow through continue something until it is completed
freshen up make oneself feel freshly clean or neat, as by washing, changing clothes
get by manage to exist, survive, continue in business, etc. in spite of difficulties
get into a) become involved b) get into a habit c) enter (a car etc.)
get on/along a) make progress; proceed; advance b) have sufficient means to manage, survive c) be on
good terms with e) advance in age
get over a) cross or surmount (something) b) recover from illness, shock, etc. c) overcome or
master d) communicate something effectively e) bring (something necessary but
unpleasant) to an end
get through a) succeed or help to succeed (in examination, test, etc.) b) bring or come to a destination,
especially after overcoming problems c) (telephone) contact d) (money, supplies, etc.) use,
spend or consume e) make understand
get up to be involved in (mischief, etc.)
give up a) abandon hope (for) b) renounce an activity c) relinquish or resign from d) (usually
reflexive) surrender e) admit your defeat or inability to do something
go for a) make an attempt at b) attack c) favour; like
go off a) (of power, water supply, etc.) cease to be available, running, or functioning b) be
discharged or activated; explode c) occur as specified d) (of sensation) gradually cease to
be felt or perceived e) fall asleep f) (informal) (of food, milk, etc.) to become stale or rotten
g) (informal) cease to like
go through a) experience, especially something unpleasant b) examine carefully
go with a) blend or harmonise with b) accompany
go without not have something or not do something
hold down a) restrain; check b) (job, etc.) continue to do and manage well
hold out (for) refuse to accept something which is not thought good enough or large enough, and
continue to ask for more
jump at be extremely glad to accept
keep up a) move at the same speed as someone or something b) able to cope with a change c)
(with work or other people) manage to do or understand as well as others
knock over a) cause somebody or something to go from an erect to a prone position by striking
lay off tell employees to leave their jobs, usually because there is not enough work for them
leave out omit
let down fail to do what is expected or promised, disappoint
let off not punish, make explode (bomb, etc.)
look down on have contempt for

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look into investigate


look up a) discover (fact) by using a work of reference b) increase, as in quality or value c) have
respect (for) d) visit or make contact with
make out a) (bill, cheque, etc.) write or complete b) establish; prove c) imply, suggest d) manage,
succeed e) understand, discern
make up a) invent fiction or falsehood b) put together, construct or compose c) constitute, form d)
compensate for, provide for a deficiency e) repeat a course, take a test or do an
assignment at a later time because of previous absence or failure f) end a quarrel
move on a) finish or stop one activity and start another b) leave one place and go to another
pour down rain very heavily
pull in a) (e.g. train at a station) reach a destination b) draw in to the side of the road c) attract
(crowds, etc.)
pay off make profit / be successful
pull off perform successfully, especially something requiring courage
put down to attribute
put off a) postpone b) disturb c) cause to lose interest in or enjoyment of
put on a) clothe oneself in b) (usually passive) adopt (attitude or feeling) insincerely c) (show,
play, etc.) present or stage d) (electrical device) cause to function e) tax(?) f) wager
(money) on
put out a) annoy, irritate b) disturb, inconvenience c) extinguish d) issue or publish
put through connect by telephone
put up a) provide lodgings for b) erect, build c) (funds) provide in advance d) offer for sale
put up with endure, tolerate without complaint
ring up call by phone
run down criticise
run into a) come across; meet difficulties b) meet (somebody) by chance
run out of finish a supply or quantity of
run over a) review b) knock down (person, animal) with a moving vehicle c) overflow the capacity of
(container) d) (time) exceed a limit
see off take leave of someone setting out on a journey; accompany to the place of departure
see through a) understand the true nature b) persevere; stay with until completion
send off for send away for
set off a) start a journey b) make suddenly or demonstrably angry c) direct attention to by contrast
d) cause to explode e) counteract; compensate for
set up establish, create or arrange
show off display or behave in an ostentatious or conspicuous way
slip up make a mistake
smooth over a) bring to an agreement; settle; straighten out b) gloss over or make light of
snow under a) cover with or bury in snow b) overwhelm with a large amount of something
sort out a) put in order; clarify b) evolve; develop; turn out
stand by a) support b) adhere to (promise, etc.) c) be ready to board a plane, etc. if a seat becomes
available at the last minute
stand up to / a) meet or deal with fearlessly; confront b) stand up for: defend the cause of; support
for
stop off halt for a brief stay at some point on the way elsewhere
sum up summarise
take after resemble (e.g. a parent) physically, temperamentally, etc.
take back a) regain possession b) return, as for exchange c) cause to remember (the past) d) retract
take down write or record
take on a) accept, assume (job, responsibility) b) hire (employees)
take over (company) gain control by buying a majority of shares b) gain control of
take up a) adopt the study, practice or activity of b) shorten (garment)
tell off reprove; scold
tighten up make (rules, etc.) more severe
turn down a) refuse (offer, job, etc.) b) (volume) lower
turn off a) (electrical device) switch off (opposite: turn on / switch on) b) stop the flow of (water,
gas, etc.), by closing a tap or valve c) diverge or branch off, as a side road from a main
road
turn up a) appear; arrive b) happen; occur c) find; be found
wear out a) make (someone) very tired b) use (something) so much that it can no longer be used

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wind up a) bring or come to an end; conclude b) settle or arrange in order to conclude c) excite d)
become ultimately
work out a) find a solution for; solve b) formulate or develop c) have a specified result d) prove
successful, effective, or satisfactory e) calculate f) do strenuous exercise for physical
conditioning
wrap up a) wind up; complete or end in a satisfactory way b) fold paper, etc. around something c)
put warm clothes on d) (with in) completely immersed or absorbed in
write off a) regard as worthless, lost, obsolete, etc. b) cancel an entry in an account, as an unpaid
and uncollectible debt c) (vehicle) damage so much it is not worth repairing

1. Complete the sentences with suitable prepositions or adverbs.


1. What brought .......................... his sudden change of mind?
2. I should wrap ..................... well if I were you. It’s very chilly outside.
3. She came ………………. some old photos while she was clearing ………………. the attic.
4. The car broke ………………. but she had her mobile so she rang ………………. her mechanic.
5. We’ll come to the airport to see you ……………….
6. They left last Tuesday. We all went to the airport to see them ............. .
7. While we were testing the machine we ran ………………. some technical problems.
8. Can you put me ………………. to the manager, please?
9. They were snowed ………………. with applications for the course.
10. He put ………………. a jacket because it was getting cold.
11. They decided to stop ............... in York on their way north.
12. Do you mind if we run ........................ the main points again? I want to be sure they’re clear in my mind.
13. Are you absolutely sure this fashion will catch ................ and make us a lot of money?
14. Are you ....................... coming back to work? I know there’s a lot to do, but your health should be your
first consideration.
15. I once went cross country walking with a group of friends, but they all seemed to have long legs and
boundless energy. I just couldn’t keep ....................... without wearing myself ...................... . In the end, I
gave .................. and found a comfortable spot to rest and wait ................... them to come ................ .
16. When he heard how much she had spent, he blew .................. and swore he’d never trust her with
money again.
17. I was exhausted! I dropped .............. as soon as my head hit the pillow.
18. The head teacher has announced he is going to crack ....................... on bullying.
19. If I come to London for the weekend, can you put me .....................?
20. We meant to finish the work by the end of the week but some problems cropped ............. and delayed
matters somewhat.

2. Choose the best alternative to complete each sentence.


1. I think we’ll have to get a new car. Our old one keeps ............ .
a) putting up
b) pulling in
c) breaking down
d) going off
2. He ............ quite a lot of money when his uncle died.
a) went out
b) was off
c) saw in
d) came into
3. She’s been afraid of dogs ever since one ............ her when she was a child.
a) went for
b) came against
c) took after
d) got out
4. Was that story true or did you ............?
a) do it over
b) make it up
c) took it over
d) got on it
5. The first time she drove by herself, she nearly ............ a cat. It really upset her.
a) put up
b) saw through

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c) broke into
d) ran over
6. She’s studying hard as she wants to ............ that exam first go.
a) get through
b) make over
c) go on with
d) get at
7. The line was so bad I couldn’t ............ what he was saying.
a) turn up
b) make out
c) put over
d) run off
8. He’s getting fat so he’s decided to ............ squash.
a) bring on
b) get over
c) take up
d) put in
9. He was getting tired of driving, so they decided to take a break and ............ at the nearest lay-by.
a) pulled in
b) drew out
c) work over
d) put on
10. Seeing those photos ............ happy memories of his holiday.
a) put up
b) brought back
c) bought up
d) made up
11. Have you heard that Jill and Sam have ............? They’d been going out together for six months.
a) taken down
b) broken up
c) got out
d) bought off
12. That pullover doesn’t really ............ your skirt. The colours clash horribly.
a) go off
b) wear out
c) go with
d) put on
13. I’m afraid we’ve ............ coffee. Would tea do?
a) come up against
b) come up with
c) run out of
d) run away with
14. When the children are so quiet I’m always worried about what they’re ............ .
a) going into
b) breaking out of
c) coming on
d) getting up to
15. While they were away on holiday, thieves ............ and stole everything of any value.
a) broke in
b) took in
c) went off
d) ran out
16. Not as many people as they’d hoped ............ for the open-air concert because it was raining.
a) dropped in
b) put over
c) turned up
d) ran away
17. I ............ Jim at the library! I hadn’t seen him for years!
a) ran over
b) put up
c) got away with
d) ran into

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18. A good friend will ............ you if you’re in trouble.


a) put on
b) stand by
c) take after
d) stand out
19. I know it looks bad now, but I’m sure everything will ............ all right in the end.
a) work out
b) come in
c) go for
d) wrap up
20. Business was so bad he had to ............ the company.
a) wind down
b) break over
c) get through
d) wind up
21. Times were hard and they had to ............ a number of workmen.
a) put out
b) lay off
c) let off
d) come across
22. Do you think you could ......... these books for me? They need to be put in alphabetical order.
a) hold down
b) get over
c) sort out
d) follow through
23. Isn’t it time they ............ capital punishment in that country?
a) did away with
b) got off
c) cracked down on
d) got over
24. I hope I can ............ you to help.
a) bring up
b) count on
c) look into
d) let off
25. The car ............ and the driver got out.
a) came up
b) drew up
c) held out
d) blew up
26. Make sure you ............ the form correctly.
a) put up
b) come under
c) fill in
d) do up
27. I suddenly started trembling, I don’t know what ............ me.
a) brought into
b) came over
c) went off
d) came at
28. The workers are protesting because the management is going to ............ the number of paid overtime
hours they can do in a month.
a) get through
b) cut down on
c) put off
d) come into
29. They haven’t spoken to each other since they .......... .
a) went for
b) fell out
c) came up
d) knocked over
30. You’ll never ............ to your point of view.

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a) call her at
b) put her up
c) bring her round
d) bring her up

3. Complete the sentences with the correct form or tense of the verbs below. Use each verb once
and add prepositions/adverbs.

go – put – deal – jump – call – bring – (not) wear – knock - set –


leave – tidy - pour – get - get - tell - turn
1. Don’t forget to ………………………………. off the television when you go to bed.
2. He ………………………………. up by an aunt because his parents died when he was only a baby.
3. That meat ………………………………. off if you don’t put it into the fridge.
4. If I ................................................ out by the fifteen-hour journey home, I would have loved to come to
your party.
5. If someone offered me a fantastic job like that I ………………………………. at it immediately.
6. I was trying to concentrate but the noise kept ………………………………. me off.
7. Bobby was playing with his ball in the living room and he ....................................... over the stand by the
window. Of course, the plant on it crashed to the floor. It took me ages to get the earth out of the carpet.
8. They ………………………………. off early this morning to avoid the rush hour traffic.
9. If there are any complaints, you’ll have to ………………………………. with them.
10. When you were telling your father about how you scraped the side of the car on our gate post, you
................................. out the bit about talking on your mobile phone while you were trying to manoeuvre!
11. I don’t know how they manage to ....................................... by on his low salary. I know he’s always short
of money by the end of the month.
12. When she came home late her mother was angry and ………………………………. her off.
13. She was very ill last week but she ………………………………. over it now.
14. If I were you
15. Last night’s open-air concert ………………………………. off because it ……………………………….
down with rain.

4. Rewrite each sentence so that it means the same, using the correct form or tense of one of the
verbs below. Use each verb once and add prepositions/adverbs.

cut off – find out - turn up – show off – carry out – look up
- fall out – make up - put off – work out

1. Tom arrived unexpectedly at the party.


……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
2. Pete and Bill have quarrelled again.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3. The match has been postponed till next Saturday.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
4. She’ll normally a good little girl but she behaves so as to attract attention when we have guests.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
5. He was talking to her on his mobile phone when they were disconnected.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
6. You haven’t done what I instructed you to do.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
7. If you don’t know what a word means, find it in the dictionary.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
8. I can’t find a solution to this problem.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
9. They have quarrelled but they’ll have become friends again by next week, I bet.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
10. I must discover what happened.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..

5. Rewrite each sentence so that it means the same, using the correct form of one of the verbs
below. Use each verb once.

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hold out for – put up with – bring about – aim at – turn down – build up
- let down – look into - come up against - put off – call off

1. I don’t think I’ll accept their offer of a job.


……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
2. I’m sorry I disappointed you.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3. His rudeness caused her to lose interest in him.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
4. The trade union won’t cancel the strike. They are asking for more concessions.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
5. We were confronted by a lot of technical difficulties while making this machine.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
6. She’s decided she’s not going to tolerate his playing around any longer.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
7. The police are investigating the robbery.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
8. What caused his change of mind?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
9. After his illness he had to do exercises to get his strength back.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
10. He intends to be a millionaire by the age of thirty.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..

6. Complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first. Use the word(s) in
brackets.
1. Although he looks like his father, he hasn’t inherited his strength of character. (after)
Although he ..................................................... in appearance, he hasn’t inherited his strength of
character.
2. Can you calculate how much it would cost to fix the roof? (out)
Can ......................................... how much it would cost to fix the roof?
3. I may not be well-off, but I can manage on what I earn. (by)
I may not be well-off but ............................................................................................
4. Something urgent has arisen at work. I’ll have to go in on Saturday to handle it. (up / with)
Something .................................................................... at work. I’ll have to go in on Saturday
................................ it.
5. Have you had time to read all the information I collected? I’d like your opinion. (through)
Have you had time to ................................................... all the information I collected? I’d like your
opinion on it.
6. Things are getting better at work! (up)
Things .................................................................. at work!
7. I’ve been working hard since September! I need to relax. (out)
I’ve been working hard since September! I need .........................................................
8. After seething for a while, he lost his temper and told Jim exactly what he thought of him in no uncertain
terms. (up)
After seething for a while, she ........................................ and told Jim exactly what she thought of him in
no uncertain terms.
9. Apparently, somebody made the bomb explode by means of a mobile phone. (off)
Apparently, the bomb ............................................................. by means of a mobile phone.
10. He hardly touched the subject. He was obviously trying to make light of the oversight. (over)
He hardly touched the subject. He was obviously trying ....................................................... .
11. He goes to the gym twice a week to exercise. (out)
He goes to the gym twice a week ..........................................................
12. Isn’t it funny how electrical appliances don’t last as long as they used to? This washing machine is on its
last legs and I’ve only had it four years. (out)
Isn’t it funny how electrical appliances ................................................... than they used to? This washing
machine is on its last legs and I’ve only had it four years.
13. He was offered a good job but he refused it because it would have meant relocating his whole family.
(down)
He was offered a good job but he ......................................................... because it would have meant
relocating his whole family.
14. His car was completely smashed in the accident. He’s lucky he wasn’t killed! (off)

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His car was completely ............................................................ in the accident. He’s lucky he wasn’t
killed!
15. Who was the crazy person who proposed this idiotic plan? (with)
Who was the crazy person who ......................................... this idiotic plan?
16. I believe we’ve covered all the points on the agenda so shall we end the meeting and go home? (up)
I believe we’ve covered all the points on the agenda, so ............................................... the meeting and
go home?
17. The smell of a cake baking makes me remember my childhood. (back)
The smell of a cake baking ......................................................................
18. There is no more time! Put down your pens and close the examination booklet. (up)
Time.....................................................! Put down your pens and close the examination booklet.
19. They had quite a lot of setbacks while developing this machine. (against)
They ........................................................... quite a lot of setbacks while developing this machine.
20. He pretended to be a high-flyer but everyone soon understood his true nature. (through)
He pretended to be a high-flyer but everyone soon .........................................................
21. A buzzing fly disturbed me while I was trying to concentrate. (off)
I was trying to concentrate but I ............................................................................ a buzzing fly.
22. He took a risk by creating his own business but it was successful. (up / off)
He took a risk by ............................................. his own business but it ....................................
23. It doesn’t matter if you’ve missed your train. I can find a bed for you at my place tonight. (up)
It doesn’t matter if you’ve missed your train. I can ........................................... at my place tonight.
24. The lecturer droned on and on in a monotonous voice. I nearly fell asleep. (off)
The lecturer droned on and on in a monotonous voice. I nearly ..............................................
25. Are you driving straight to Glasgow or will you make an overnight stay somewhere? (off)
Are you driving straight to Glasgow or will you ........................................................ somewhere?
26. They evacuated all English citizens when civil war started in the region. (out)
They evacuated all English citizens when civil war ............................................ in the region.
27. Somebody has calculated that the increased sales will earn a twenty-five per cent profit. (out / in)
It .............................................. that the increased sales ......................................... a twenty-five per cent
profit.
28. She went to pieces when she heard the terrible news. (down)
She .................................................. when she heard the terrible news.
29. Everybody thought his bad temper was due to work problems. (down)
His bad temper ............................................... work problems.
30. It took him a long time to recover from the operation, but he’s fine now.
It took him a long time .......................................... the operation, but he’s fine now.

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UNIT 19
IDIOMS
An idiom or metaphor may be an expression or a word which uses language in a non-literal way. They are
important because they are very common in spoken and informal English. They can also be fun to learn and
use and undoubtedly make your English sound more natural.
literal use Idiomatic use
A farmer ploughs a field. You plough through a long book.
She’s lost her keys. She’s lost her mind.
Doesn’t the moonlight (noun) make everything look She doesn’t earn enough as a teacher so she
ghostly? moonlights (verb) as a waitress.
Here are just a few of the most common idioms (N.B. they are not the only idioms you will find in this unit)
idiom meaning
across-the-board including everything or everyone
at stake at risk; in danger of being lost, such as something wagered; critically
involved
be at loggerheads disagree very strongly
be in a tight spot / jam / tight be in a difficult situation
corner
be set in your ways be inflexible, fixed in your habits
bear / keep something in mind remember / take into consideration
bone of contention issue or point that people have been arguing about for a long time
bottom line a) the lowest line of the earnings report of a company, on which net
profit per share of stock is shown b) final result or statement; upshot c)
main or essential point
can’t be bothered (to / with) consider something as too much trouble or not important enough to do
or have anything to do with
Catch-22 a) situation in which a desired outcome or solution is impossible to
attain because of a set of inherently illogical rules or conditions b) rules
or conditions that create such a situation c) situation or predicament
characterised by absurdity or senselessness d) contradictory or self-
defeating course of action
change of heart reversal of your feelings, intentions, opinions, etc.
climb the corporate ladder advance in your career; get promoted
come again? used as a request to repeat what was said
come off it! stop acting or speaking foolishly or pretentiously, usually in the
imperative
come on! used mainly in the imperative: a) stop inappropriate behaviour b)
abandon a position or an attitude
dirt cheap very cheap
Don’t talk rubbish! (exclamation – not polite) used to dismiss something as wrong or not to
be believed
down in the dumps depressed
drag your heels procrastinate; postpone doing what you should be doing
draw the line reasonably object (to) or set a limit (on)
face the music take, or accept the consequences of your mistakes, actions, etc.
foot the bill pay the bill, settle the accounts
from Day One / scratch from the very beginning
gain ground become more successful, advance
generate lots of buzz cause excited interest or attention
get off to a good/bad start be successful / not successful in the early stages of doing something
get off on the wrong foot
get on your nerves annoy, irritate or bother
get the message understand the implications of a hint, insinuation
give somebody the cold shoulder totally ignore or behave towards someone in a way that is not at all
friendly, sometimes for reasons that this person does not understand
give-and-take a) practice of compromise b) lively exchange of ideas or conversation
go / come over like a lead balloon not be liked at all
go great guns be very successful

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go through the roof lose your temper


go to great lengths try very hard to achieve something
go without saying be completely self-evident; be understood
hard up poor; in need
have a lot on your plate have a great deal (or too much) to cope with
have your head in the clouds be out of touch with reality and perhaps have impractical ideas about
achieving success
have your head screwed on (the be sensible
right way)
high-flyer a) person who is highly successful in their job b) person who is
extravagant or goes to extremes in aims, pretensions, opinions, etc.
hit the roof lose your temper; get very angry
in a fix in a difficult situation
in a nutshell in a few words
in short supply not available in sufficient quantity
in the works in preparation; under development
jump in with both feet become involved in something very quickly, often without thinking
carefully about it first
jump on the bandwagon become involved in something that is popular
keep up with the Joneses try to have or do the same things as other people that one knows, even
if one does not have enough money to do this, or are not really
interested in these things
lay / put the cards on the table tell someone honestly what you think or what you plan to do
let the cat out of the bag tell somebody a secret, especially without intending to
light at the end of the tunnel something which gives hope about the future and for the end of a
difficult or unpleasant situation
live and let live an expression used to say you should accept other people’s behaviour,
even if it seems strange
long-winded talking or writing at tedious length
make a go of something achieve success in
make money hand over fist make a lot of money on a continuous basis
make up your mind decide
moonlight do a second job, usually after hours
need it yesterday need (something) as quickly as possible / immediately
not turn a hair not show any emotion when you are told something bad or when
something bad happens
nothing ventured, nothing gained an expression used to say that it is necessary to take risks in order to
achieve something
on a shoestring with very little money
on cloud nine in a state of elation or great happiness
on hand immediately available
on the brink on the edge
on the same wavelength in sympathy or rapport with someone
once in a blue moon very rarely
out of line a) totally unacceptable b) unruly and out of control
out of the blue suddenly, unexpectedly
paint the town red go out and enjoy yourself in the evening, often drinking a lot of alcohol
and dancing
pay through the nose pay an excessive price
pick holes (in) criticise
put / set your mind to concentrate on or be determined to achieve
put two and two together guess the truth about a situation from pieces of information one knows
put your back up make you angry
put your foot down use your authority to stop something from happening
read between the lines try to understand someone's real feelings or intentions from what they
say or write
round the bend mad, crazy
see eye to eye agree about everything
see the light suddenly understand or accept something

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UNIT 19 B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE

set in your ways be conventional, artificial, not spontaneous or open to changes


speak out of turn speak at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner
spread like wildfire spread extremely fast
talk / be at cross-purposes if two people are at cross-purposes, they do not understand each other
because they are trying to do or say different things, but they do not
know this
talk shop discuss matters that are related to work
tread / step on somebody’s toes a) offend somebody by criticising b) interfere in something that is
somebody’s responsibility
turn over a new leaf change the way you behave and become a better person
turn thumbs down vote against; not give approval
two heads are better than one two people working together can solve problems better than one
working alone
two-way street if a situation between two people is a two-way street, both people must
make an equal effort in order to achieve good results
watch your step a) act or proceed with care and caution b) behave as demanded,
required, or appropriate.
wear the trousers command (usually in a household or a family)

1. Match the idiomatic expression to its definition.


1. to pooh-pooh a) inefficient, of a low standard
2. chock-a-block b) person living in an unused house without permission or paying rent
3. humdrum c) endlessly, in excess, too much
4. ad nauseam d) chaotic, upside down
5. slapdash e) complicated meaningless or obscure language
6. topsy-turvy f) too weak and sentimental
7. tit for tat g) to turn down or treat something with contempt
8. squatter h) boring, repetitive, ordinary
9. gobbledegook i) completely full
10. namby-pamby j) an unpleasant action given in return for one received

1. ……….. 6. ………..
2. ……….. 7. ………..
3. ……….. 8. ………..
4. ……….. 9. ………..
5. ……….. 10. ………..

2. Use the words or expressions in exercise 1, modifying them if necessary, to complete the
sentences below.
1. Please, listen to me before you ………………………… this idea!
2. The police turned out over a hundred ……………………… from that old building last night.
3. I’ve just received a letter from the solicitor and I can’t understand the jargon he uses, it just a load of
………………………… to me.
4. The airport is ……………………………………… with angry passengers waiting for their planes to leave
but they can’t until the weather improves.
5. It’s no good being …………………….………… over this. You should be stronger and more decisive.
6. I need a change! I’m fed up to the back teeth with this …………………………………… life!
7. When they got back to the flat they found everything was …………………………; the contents of the
cupboards were all over the floor, ornaments were smashed and the kitchen looked as though a bomb
had hit it.
8. Don’t bring up the subject of football! Once he starts talking about it he’ll go on ………………………….
9. I hope you didn’t pay much for this decorating. It looks very ………………………… to me, not at all
professional.
10. Andrew’s a great believer in …………………………. One night he couldn’t sleep because of his
neighbour’s drum practice, so the next evening he organised an all-night party.

3. Match the idiomatic expressions to the definitions.


1. to bite off more than you can chew a) to be curious
2. a slip of the tongue b) to not know what to do, say or think
3. to be rolling in it c) impulsively
4. to be nosy d) to fall asleep immediately

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5. to move heaven and earth e) to hitch-hike


6. on the spur of the moment f) a nuisance
7. once in a blue moon g) to be completely different
8. to thumb a lift h) something you don’t want to say
9. a pain in the neck i) to try to do more than is possible
10. to go out like a light j) very rarely
11. to be at a loss k) to be very rich
12. to be like chalk and cheese l) to do everything in your power

1. ……….. 5. ……….. 9. ………..


2. ……….. 6. ……….. 10. ………..
3. ……….. 7. ……….. 11. ………..
4. ……….. 8. ……….. 12. ………..

4. Use the expressions in exercise 3, modifying them if necessary, to complete the sentences
below.
1. Don’t …………………………………..! It’s none of your business!
2. Having to go out in this rain is a real ………………………………..!
3. I was completely knocked out by the news! I ………………………………. for words.
4. You know I ………………………………………. to help you if I could.
5. Their car broke down in the middle of nowhere. Luckily they were able to …………………………………
from a passing car.
6. You’ve promised to paint all the house by next Saturday! I think you …………………………………….
7. I …………………………………….. last night! I must have been exhausted.
8. They ………………………………….. I can’t understand how they can be such good friends.
9. He’s just bought a luxury yacht. He must ………………………………………..
10. I said ‘yes’ …………………………………………….. but now I regret it.
11. I used to go to the cinema a lot but now I’m too busy. I only go ……………………………….
12. I didn’t mean to call you an idiot. It was just ………………………………………..

5. Use the following expressions to complete the sentences below.

jumped in with both feet – locking the stable door after the horse has bolted – give him a piece of
my mind – see past the end of his nose – out of sight, out of mind - let the cat out of the bag –
crying over spilt milk - pitch black - keep your head down – bat an eyelid

1. My boss is really selfish and small-minded. He can’t …………………………………………….


2. I told Kim it was a secret but of course she ……………………………………………. and told everyone.
3. I think the boss is in a foul mood. Just get on with your work and …………………………………………….
4. It’s ……………………………………………. in here. I can’t see a thing.
5. I’ll ……………………………………………. when he gets back. I’m not going to put up with his behaviour
any longer.
6. Her parents didn’t ……………………………………………. when she told them she was going to work as
a missionary in Africa. It was incredible!
7. He didn’t know anything about the new job when he accepted it. He just
…………………………………………….
8. You should install a burglar alarm now. It’s no good …………………………………………….
9. You say you’ll miss me but I’m sure it’ll be a case of …………………………………………….
10. It’s useless …………………………………………….. What’s done is done.

6. Use the following expressions to complete the sentences below.

hold the fort – up to my eyes - running out of steam – in two minds - in a rut – on the blink –head over
heels in love - leave no stone unturned – each other’s guts - own worst enemy

1. Joe quarrelled with the boss again this morning. He’s good at his job but if he’s not careful he’ll get the
sack. He’s his ……………………………………………..
2. I don’t have the enthusiasm I used to have. I seem to be ………………………………………..
3. She’s been doing the same job for years. She’s looking for something else because she feels she’s
……………………………………………..

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4. “Where’s Jackie?” – “Oh, she asked me to …………………………………………….. while she popped out
for a few minutes.”
5. The police have promised they would …………………………………………….. until they’ve caught the
escaped criminal.
6. I’m afraid I’ll have to do overtime again this evening. I’m …………………………………….. in work.
7. “Are you going to accept that job?” – “I’m …………………………………………….. about it. The pay’s
good but it would mean moving.”
8. Oh, no! The television is …………………………………………….. again. Why don’t we buy a new one?
9. Don’t ask both Sam and Joe to dinner. They hate ……………………………………………..
10. “Why is Barbara looking so starry-eyed?” – “Haven’t you heard? She’s ……………………………………..
with Larry.

7. Rewrite each sentence changing the parts in italics and making any necessary modifications.
Use the expressions below in the correct form.

spread like wildfire - easier said than done – spend money like water - know something inside
out – there’s no question about it – skate on thin ice - the blind leading the blind - have a crush
on – make a mountain out of a molehill – hit the roof

1. I think Sue is attracted to her gym teacher.


I think Sue has a crush on her gym teacher.
2. They asked me to find raw materials at a cheaper price but it’s more difficult to do than it seems.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3. Tony knows as much about organising a meeting as I do. It’s a case of the person in charge knowing no
more than the rest of the group.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
4. Try and calm down. You’re making a fuss about nothing.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
5. When it comes to the history of the town, old Peter Right knows the subject thoroughly.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
6. When his mother heard he’d wrecked the car she was furious.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
7. Angela certainly knows more about the situation than I do.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
8. The news of his being sacked got around very quickly.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
9. Has Lucy won the pools or something? I saw her in town yesterday and she was buying anything she
fancied without considering the cost.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
10. Isn’t Pete taking a risk by two-timing Julie?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

8. Rewrite each sentence changing the parts in italics and making any necessary modifications.
Use the expressions below in the correct form.

keep up with the Joneses - knock down with a feather – be more to someone than meets the eye –
put one’s foot in it - burn the candle at both ends – make a mess of something – stick one’s neck out -
donkey’s years - be a blessing in disguise – get to grips with something

1. “Did you hear Dick’s the new manager?” – “Yes, I was very surprised. I didn’t think he stood a chance of
promotion.”
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
2. “Bad luck! I heard you lost your job.” – “Well, it looked like a bad thing to happen but actually it’s been
good. I’ve found a much better one.”
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3. I’ve known him for a long time.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
4. He’s been having late nights and early starts recently. He should slow down.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
5. Did you know Katy writes books in her spare time? She’s got more ability than we realised.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

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6. “When she found out her neighbours had bought a new car, she had to have one too.” – Yes, she always
wants what other people have.”
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
7. You’re risking a lot by going free-lance in this period.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
8. I made an embarrassing mistake when I asked her when she and Bob were getting married. It turned out
they’d broken up.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
9. She’s finally learning how to use the computer programme, but it wasn’t easy.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
10. He did very badly in his history exam.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

9. ►Listen and choose the alternative which best explains the meaning of the sentence you hear.
1. a) I’ve had enough to eat.
b) I’m getting fat.
c) I’m sick and tired of it.
d) I’ve got toothache.
2. a) I can’t support her.
b) I don’t like the way she looks at me.
c) She wears very heavy glasses.
d) I hate her guts.
3. a) She loves cakes.
b) She would love to have a cake to eat later.
c) She wants more than she can have.
d) She wants more cake.
4. a) You ought to be more tolerant.
b) You shouldn’t kill people.
c) You should let people live where they want.
d) You ought to live somewhere else.
5. a) The car wasn’t very cheap.
b) The car was cheap because it was dirty.
c) The car was dirty.
d) The car was a bargain.
6. a) He’s jumping around like a cat.
b) He’s making a terrible noise.
c) He’s very nervous and can’t keep still.
d) He’s like a cat in heat.
7. a) They had to work to catch the train.
b) They did a good job before catching the train.
c) It’s lucky they were able to catch the train.
d) It’s hard work catching a train.
8. a) She didn’t appear upset by the news.
b) Her hair was perfectly tidy.
c) She hasn’t combed her hair since she heard the news.
d) She was so shocked by the news that her hair turned white.
9. a) Don’t take your hat off.
b) Hide this under your hat.
c) Don’t tell anyone.
d) Don’t go out without your hat.
10. a) You shouldn’t criticise him because he’s got a long neck.
b) You’re asking for trouble by criticising him.
c) You’re becoming a pain in the neck.
d) You should stand straight when you’re criticising him.
11. a) Stop making a fuss about nothing.
b) Stop piling up earth.
c) Stop climbing and have a rest.
d) The mountain you’re climbing isn’t that high.
12. a) Be careful not to trip over him.
b) You’d better following in his footsteps.
c) When you’re walking with him, be careful.
d) You’d better take care when dealing with him.

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13. a) You must stand on your toes.


b) You must obey the rules.
c) You must get in a straight line.
d) You must take to your heels.
14. a) They don’t invite him because he dribbles.
b) They don’t invite him because he wets the bed.
c) They don’t invite him because he spoils other people’s fun.
d) They don’t invite him because he drinks a lot.
15. a) He never makes mistakes.
b) He dances fantastically.
c) He always walks in step with others.
d) He never puts his feet up.
16. a) Shoot and then run away.
b) Let’s try to do it, although I don’t think it’ll come off.
c) Let’s try and shoot him from a distance.
d) Let’s try and walk there, although it’s a long way.
17. a) She goes skating with two boys.
b) She may lose her boyfriends in the drink.
c) Her boyfriends may give her the push.
d) She’s taking a chance in a risky situation.
18. a) I wish he wouldn’t jump off the rocks into the sea.
b) I wish he wouldn’t jump all over the place.
c) I wish he would think of the consequences before acting.
d) I wish he would act sensibly.
19. a) He caused a lot of confusion.
b) He kept his cat in a bag.
c) He let slip a secret.
d) He let a good chance get away from him.
20. a) It has a pleasant smell.
b) It stinks.
c) It’s smell is heavenly.
d) It has no smell.

10. Using the idioms from the chart in this unit, complete the sentences.
1. He used to be such a cheerful and optimistic chap but nowadays he always seems to be down
.....................................! I wonder what brought on such a change of character.
2. It goes ................................................. that I knew nothing of his plans to emigrate. I was as surprised
as everyone else.
3. He used to go clubbing practically every night, but since his marriage he seems to have turned
………………………… Now, he spends most of his evenings with his wife and child.
4. I really can’t take on any more work! In fact, I’ve already got too much on ................................!
5. I don’t mind doing a spot of overtime during the week, but I draw ................................ at working on
Saturday morning! By the time the weekend comes round, I need a break.
6. I’m sorry if you think I spoke ................................................., but somebody had to tell him the true facts
of the matter.
7. He wants to set up his own Internet business. I wish him well but, as he hasn’t got much money, he’ll
probably have to do it on ………….............................…!
8. As she was starting to get bad marks at school, her mother put ....................................... and forbade
her to go out on weekday evenings.
9. I bet he had to pay ....................................... for those tickets to the match! I was under the impression
they’d been sold out for over a month.
10. I know it isn’t an easy job but if you drag ......................................................... any longer, you’ll never
get it done in time. Don’t think about it, just do it!
11. His second-hand car may have been ................................... but it looks and sounds as though it’s on its
last legs! He’d have done better to spend more and get a car he could rely on.
12. I hear there’s new, cutting-edge version of this Smartphone in .................................. It should be on the
market by May.
13. I hate it when he ................................. in whatever people say. Constructive criticism is fine, but he just
loves running down all his colleagues.
14. Their determination ................................................ will be their ruin! Now they’ve decided to go on a
luxury cruise just because one of their neighbours went on one last summer.

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15. The news of the manager’s dismissal spread through the office ......................................! Everyone was
shocked.
16. He has always appreciated honesty. Perhaps if you .................................................... and told him
exactly what you can and cannot do, he’d be more reasonable in his demands.
17. He’s been on ......................................... since he heard he was being promoted!
18. Their marriage was doomed from the first. They were both in their forties, set
........................................... and unwilling to compromise on anything.
19. I’m afraid he’ll just have to admit his mistake and ..........................................! They’ll probably go easy
on him as he’s new in the office and can’t be expected to know everything.
20. They’re like chalk and cheese! They never see .......................................... about anything.

11. Using idioms from the chart in this unit, complete the second sentence so that it means the same
as the first.
1. She asked Jim not to tell anyone about her unpleasant experience. However, after a few drinks with his
friends, he blabbed about it.
She asked Jim not to tell anyone about her unpleasant experience. However, after a few drinks with his
friends, he let .......................................................
2. He’s going to have to be very careful in the future. One more mistake and he’ll get the sack!
He’s going to have to watch ……………………….……….. in the future. One more mistake and he’ll get
the sack!
3. Can you lend me some money? I’m broke at the moment. I’ll pay it back when I get my wages.
Can you lend me some money? I’m ……………………………….. at the moment. I’ll pay it back when I
get my wages.
4. She waved and smiled at him but he looked straight through her as though she didn’t exist.
She waved and smiled at him but he gave ................................................. as though she didn’t exist.
5. He gave a bad impression from the start because he turned up late for his interview.
He got ................................................... because he turned up late for his interview.
6. There have been arguments about Jim’s garden shed since it was put up. His neighbour claims it blocks
out the sun from his vegetable patch.
Jim’s garden shed ................................................................... contention since it was put up. His
neighbour claims it blocks out the sun from his vegetable patch.
7. Australia! Doesn’t he realise we can’t even afford to go for a holiday anywhere in this county, let alone
Australia. I wish he’d be more practical.
Australia! Doesn’t he realise we can’t even afford to go anywhere in this county, let alone Australia. I
wish he didn’t have ...........................................
8. It’s been a horrible period, but I think it’s almost over.
It’s been a horrible period, but I can see ...........................................................
9. ‘When do you need the report?’ – ‘As quickly as possible!’
‘When do you need the report?’ – ‘I need ............................................!’
10. I think we’ve been talking about two completely different things for the last thirty minutes!
I think we’ve been talking at ........................................................ for the last thirty minutes!
11. You can do it if you are determined!
You can do it if you set ...........................................................
12. She doesn’t like going out with work colleagues much. She finds that they eventually discuss work-
related matters most of the time.
She doesn’t like going out with work colleagues much. She finds that they end up ...................................
shop most of the time.
13. It’s too much trouble to cook anything. I’ll make do with a sandwich.
I can’t .................................................. to cook anything. I’ll make do with a sandwich.
14. Just briefly give me the main facts. You can go into the details when we have more time.
Just give me the facts in ............................................. You can go into the details when we have more
time.
15. I think the only thing to do is to scrap everything and begin again.
I think the only thing to do is to scrap everything and start from ........................................
16. I’d be in difficulties if it hadn’t been for your help!
I’d be ..................................................... spot if it hadn’t been for your help.
17. That dripping tap is irritating me. I’m going to have to call the plumber.
That dripping tap is ......................................... nerves. I’m going to have to call the plumber.
18. He lives in another town and I rarely see him.
He lives in another town and I only see him once ............................................
19. He caters to her every whim. Everyone knows who gives the orders in that family!

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He caters to her every whim. Everyone knows who wears .................................................... in that
family!
20. Don’t worry about her! She’s a sensible girl.
Don’t worry about her! She’s got her ................................................

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B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE UNIT 20

UNIT 20
GENERAL REVIEW EXERCISES
1. Choose the correct alternative.
1. She still ........ yet.
a) didn’t arrive
b) hasn’t arrived
c) isn’t arriving
d) won’t arrive
2. While he ........ he ........ a strange dream.
a) slept .... was having
b) has slept .... is having
c) was sleeping .... had
d) had slept .... had
3. How old ........ when you met him?
a) were you
b) are you
c) will you be
d) have you been
4. She wonders what she ........ this time next year.
a) does
b) is doing
c) will have been doing
d) will be doing
5. He ........ and it drives me up the wall.
a) would be always contradicting me
b) is always contradicting me
c) always is contradicting me
d) contradicts me always
6. He was out of breath because he ........
a) has been running
b) was running
c) had been running
d) runs
7. I ........ to get in touch with you for the past six days. Where have you been?
a) tried
b) was trying
c) have been trying
d) had tried
8. I ........ but I lost your phone number.
a) was going to call
b) was calling
c) would call
d) have been calling
9. If you ........ ill, you ........ go to bed.
a) felt .... will
b) are feeling .... had better
c) feel .... had better to
d) feel .... would
10. He suggested ........ the museum.
a) me to visit
b) me visiting
c) I should visit
d) I would visit
11. I wish I ........ how to drive when I had the chance.
a) had learnt
b) learnt
c) should have learnt
d) would learn
12. You ........ to finish the report, it doesn’t have to be in until next Friday.
a) didn’t need hurrying

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b) mustn’t have hurried


c) needn’t have hurried
d) can’t have hurried
13. This room is so stuffy! The window ........ for years!
a) can’t have been opened
b) mustn’t be opened
c) can’t be opened
d) mustn’t have been
14. I’ll never forget ........ her for the first time.
a) to meet
b) met
c) to have met
d) meeting
15. ........ me, I would have given you a hand.
a) If you asked
b) Should you ask
c) Had you asked
d) If you would have asked
16. If you accept that job, you’ll have to ........ night shifts.
a) be used to do
b) get used to doing
c) get used to do
d) be used to doing
17. If you were me, what ........ in this situation?
a) would you have been doing
b) would you do
c) had you done
d) did you do
18. New drains ........, that’s why this road is closed to traffic.
a) are put down
b) were putting down
c) are being put down
d) have put down
19. I don’t think that pink dress ........ her.
a) goes with
b) matches
c) suits
d) agrees
20. There’s ........ to be frightened of the dog. It’s harmless.
a) a reason
b) no fear
c) no need
d) any reason
21. When he heard the scream he asked me what was ........ on.
a) going
b) getting
c) happening
d) being
22. I’m afraid a rise in salary is ........ just now.
a) out of sight
b) out of order
c) out of the question
d) out of mind
23. I don’t think he’ll ever ........ his wife’s death.
a) get under
b) get through
c) get over
d) get by
24. After a lot of difficulty he ........ to open the window.
a) succeeded
b) managed
c) obtained

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d) could
25. What ........ this change of mind?
a) brought up
b) brought on
c) brought about
d) brought in
26. I think this milk has ........ Just smell it!
a) gone up
b) gone on
c) gone out
d) gone off
27. He looks like his father in appearance but he definitely ........ his mother in character.
a) takes up
b) takes after
c) takes in
d) takes off
28. He’s got ........! He never remembers anything!
a) a head like a sieve
b) his head in the clouds
c) his head screwed on
d) a head for heights
29. He’s infuriating! His mannerisms are driving me ........
a) miles away
b) off the mark
c) up the creek
d) round the bend
30. He promised he would ......., but, as far as I can see, he’s behaving just as badly as before!
a) turn over a new leaf
b) go great guns
c) be at loggerheads
d) go over like a lead balloon

2. Complete the text by either filling in the space with one suitable word or putting the verb in
brackets into the most suitable form or tense.
1 2
Commercial whaling began hundreds of years …...………..……, but two events (precipitate)
3
………………………. ……….......…………. enormous increase in the killing world-wide. In 1864 a new,
4 5
explosive harpoon (develop) ………………………………., which ….....………..… be fired from a cannon
6 7
and then …………………. off …….....…………… the whale’s body; and in the early 1920s, floating factory
8 9
ships (introduce) ………………………………. to do the processing ………………. sea.
10 11
Large whales (almost, hunt) ………………………………. ……………. extinction. A world-wide ban
12 13
(agree) …………………………. in 1986, after tireless campaigning ……….....………. conservation
14
groups, but several hundred whales (still, kill) …………........…………. every year. There is
15 16
………………………. some commercial whaling ……...………… open defiance of the ban, but most of the
17 18 19
killing occurs as a ……………………. of a serious loophole …………………… allows any nation (issue)
20
…………….....……. its own permits to ……......…………… whales for scientific research.
21
Smaller whales and dolphins (hunt) ………………………………., especially in Japanese and South
22 23
American waters, to ……………………. meat for human ……….....…………. and bait for crab fisheries; in
24 25
some areas, where fish stocks are severely ……………………. ……………………. to over-exploitation,
26
these cetaceans (blame) ………....…………………. for the scarcity of fish and are ‘culled’ to protect the rest
27 28
of the stock. ……....…………………., an increasing number of cetaceans ……………….....…….
29
entangled and drown in fishing nets every year. The problem varies …………...………… to the type of
fishing gear used, local customs, the species and the fishing season. Most of the fisheries that kill dolphins,
30 31
do ……...…………. accidentally but tuna fishing is a notable ……………………….; many fishermen
32 33 34
…………………… their nets around dolphins …………………., (know) ………………………. that they
35 36
tend (swim) ……………………. with the tuna, as it is the cheapest and quickest ……………………. to
catch the most fish.

3. Rewrite each sentence using the word(s) given so that it means the same as the sentence above.
1. They are discussing the idea. (under)
……………………………………………………………………………………….
2. Pete regrets not going on to university. (wishes)
……………………………………………………………………………………….

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3. He had the sensation that someone was watching him. (watched)


……………………………………………………………………………………….
4. His handwriting is so bad I can hardly make it out. (such)
……………………………………………………………………………………….
5. Although he apologised sincerely, she wouldn’t forgive him. (despite)
……………………………………………………………………………………….
6. I haven’t flown before. (time)
……………………………………………………………………………………….
7. Sue couldn’t get her parents’ permission to go on holiday with her friends. (let)
……………………………………………………………………………………….
8. Tom didn’t listen to what his father advised him to do. (notice, advice)
……………………………………………………………………………………….
9. She found it difficult to understand him. (difficulty)
……………………………………………………………………………………….
10. He hasn’t been to the cinema for six years. (it’s)
……………………………………………………………………………………….
11. The sea was so cold that nobody could swim. (enough)
……………………………………………………………………………………….
12. He overslept so he missed his train. (if)
……………………………………………………………………………………….
13. I don’t suppose you know when the next train arrives, do you? (happen)
……………………………………………………………………………………….
14. They couldn’t drive there because of the fog. (prevented)
……………………………………………………………………………………….
15. The garage is going to service our car next week. (we, have)
……………………………………………………………………………………….
16. His teacher made him do the test again. (was)
……………………………………………………………………………………….
17. She had never been so unhappy before. (unhappier)
……………………………………………………………………………………….
18. “You broke the window!” Joe told Bill. (accused)
……………………………………………………………………………………….
19. The grass has to be mown once a week. (needs)
……………………………………………………………………………………….
20. I don’t intend to invite him to come with us. (intention)
……………………………………………………………………………………….
21. I’d rather not take them up on their offer. (feel)
……………………………………………………………………………………….
22. He has great respect for his uncle. (looks)
……………………………………………………………………………………….
23. She refused his marriage proposal. (turned)
……………………………………………………………………………………….
24. The meal we had last week was better than this one. (good)
……………………………………………………………………………………….
25. I wish you wouldn’t get off the main subject. (point)
……………………………………………………………………………………….

4. Use the word in italics to form a word that fits in the sentence.
1. The police tried to …………………………….. the angry mob. (peace)
2. No-one can explain the …………………………….. of the director. He hasn’t been seen for over a week
and nobody knows where he’s gone. (appear)
3. Nobody knows what the …………………………….. will be. (come)
4. He wasn’t as …………………………….. as he’d hoped. (succeed)
5. The patient was …………………………….. from hospital. (charge)
6. Travel can …………………………….. the mind. (broad)
7. They’re trying to find new …………………………….. for their product. (let)
8. It’s only a matter of time before there’s a(n) …………………………….. between the two sides. (show)
9. The car was so damaged in the accident that it was a(n) …………………………….. (write)
10. What a load of ……………………………..! (sense)
11. I wish you wouldn’t write so ……………………………... This composition is terrible. (care)
12. The work was so …………………………….. that he soon got bored. (repeat)
13. You don’t seem to appreciate the …………………………….. of the situation. (grave)

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14. I’ve had no …………………………….. of my letter. I wonder if they got it. (know)
15. She suffered from a sense of …………………………….. and lack of confidence in herself. (secure)
16. Following the …………………………….. of war, troops were sent in. (break)
17. The prisoner managed to …………………………….. the guard and escape. (power)
18. They rejected the proposal because it was …………………………….. (practice)
19. There was a poor …………………………….. at the meeting. (turn)
20. You’re opening the box …………………………….. down. Turn it round. (side)

5. ►Listen and answer the questions.


1. What two styles of architecture are mentioned?
…………………………………………………………………………………..…………….
2. When did the transition between the two styles of architecture take place?
…………………………………………………………………………………..…………….
3. Who was Suger?
…………………………………………………………………………………..…………….
4. When was the new Abbey choir consecrated?
…………………………………………………………………………………..…………….
5. How, according to Suger, does “the dull mind rise to truth”?
…………………………………………………………………………………..…………….
6. What was the purpose of the rib vault?
…………………………………………………………………………………..…………….
7. Why did the stained glass windows have picture stories?
…………………………………………………………………………………..…………….
8. What were people obsessed with in the early Middle Ages?
…………………………………………………………………………………..…………….
9. Why was the Church seen as ‘victorious’?
…………………………………………………………………………………..…………….
10. What vision did people have of God’s world in this time?
…………………………………………………………………………………..…………….
11. What decorated the churches?
…………………………………………………………………………………..…………….

6. ►Listen again and find words or expressions which have the following meanings.
1. ………………………………….. = something marking an important stage of history.
2. ………………………………….. = change from one state or condition to another
3. ………………………………….. = occasion when something is set apart for sacred use
4. ………………………………….. = person attending church
5. ………………………………….. = heavenly, divine
6. ………………………………….. = understood the attitude of mind
7. ………………………………….. = moving
8. ………………………………….. = more severe
9. ………………………………….. = transgression against divine or moral law
10. ………………………………….. = eliminated
11. ………………………………….. = people holding opinions contrary to orthodox belief
12. ………………………………….. = express joy
13. ………………………………….. = abundance
14. ………………………………….. = spiral shoots of climbing plants

7. In each pair of sentences, the same phrasal verb is used once literally and once non-literally.
Look at the list below and choose one for each sentence pair. Put the verb into an appropriate
form or tense.
break off - bring back - catch up with - come across - get through - pick up - see
through - sort out - stand up for - wipe out
1. a) His stamp collection was in a terrible mess, so one afternoon he dedicated time to ......................... it
................ according to date and country of origin.
b) You and I have a problem of communication, but if we learn to see each other’s point of view, I’m
sure we can ..................... it ...............
2. a) She had walked faster than the others, so she sat on a bench and waited for them ............................
her.
b) His teachers helped him ............................... his classmates after his long illness.
3. a) Don’t let him daunt you! Defend yourself and ......................................... your rights.
b) The whole theatre audience ........................................... the Prince when he arrived.

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4. a) She didn’t learn much Chinese while she was working there, but she managed to ......................... a
few useful phrases.
b) Don’t just drop the paper on the floor! ...................... it .................. and put it into the bin.
5. a) Look what I ........................................ while I was sheltering from the rain in a charity shop! It only
cost £3.50 and it fits me perfectly.
b) As soon as he saw me, he waved and ...................................... the road to chat to me for a while.
6. a) You can borrow my bike but don’t forget to ........................ it ............... before the weekend. I’ll need it
then myself.
b) The smell of lavender always ...................................... memories of my grandmother.
7. a) The material of her blouse was so sheer you could ....................................... it.
b) He had superficial charm, but it didn’t take her long ......................................... the smooth exterior to
the real person beneath.
8. a) Smallpox has very nearly .......................................... in most parts of the world.
b) Don’t forget ............................................. the sink after you finish gutting those fish!
9. a) Oh dear! The teapot handle .........................................! It must have happened when I washed it.
b) She knew they were talking about her because they .................................... whatever they were
saying and looked embarrassed.
10. a) Do you think this last minute swotting ............................. you ........................... next week’s
examination?
b) The hedge was too thick and prickly for him ......................................, so he walked to the nearest
gate.

8. Change the word(s) in brackets so that it fits logically into the gap(s) in each sentence.
1. The bloodstain on her shirt was very .....................................! (notice)
2. I have never worked for such a considerate ......................................... . I think most of my fellow
................................. are of the same mind. (employ)
3. Without your ........................................., he wouldn’t have been as ................................... (courage /
succeed)
4. He felt both ..................................... and ..................................... by their negative attitude. (frustrate /
depress)
5. The cost of ................................ must be paid by the buyer. (carry)
6. Of course we can place confidence in her and believe what she says! She’s a ...................................
and ................................ person. (trust / true)
7. He is thoroughly ................................. of his bad behaviour. (shame)
8. Any business needs good .........................................if it wants to be ................................... (organise /
profit)
9. She has sent me a very ............................. letter in ...................................... of her .............................. to
keep her promise. (apology / explain / fail)
10. The necklace they stole was not ................................ In fact, it was practically ...............................
(value / worth)
11. He must have realised that such ..................................... would not be tolerated. He’ll just have to learn
to follow orders! (obey)
12. Some scientists believe that the .................................... of the moon is possible. (colony)
13. Let’s go for a picnic tomorrow, unless the weather forecast is ......................................, of course!
(favour)
14. They employ expert ..................................... to ensure no porcelain with a(n) .............................. is
allowed to leave the factory. (inspect / perfect)
15. She says she feels .................................... and needs a holiday. (wear)
16. The floor of the attic needs to be ............................... if they want to convert it into a guest bedroom.
(strong)
17. The number of ....................... in the shop have increased so the police have been asked to make a(n)
....................................... (thief / investigate)
18. Thanks to people’s .................................., we have collected enough money to send him to America for
the ..................................... (generous / operate)
19. The government is threatening another ...................................... of the currency. (value)
20. He complained .................................. about the problem. Nothing was done to correct the situation.
(use)

9. Choose the alternative which best explains each sentence.


1. Wait a moment. It’s on the tip of my tongue.
a) I’ve got something in my mouth.
b) I can’t speak for the moment.

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c) I may remember it in a moment.


2. He’s hard up.
a) He lives dangerously.
b) He’s poor.
c) He’s cruel.
3. Go and see what the children are getting up to.
a) I want to know if they need anything.
b) I want to know what they’re doing.
c) I want to know which tree they’ve climbed this time.
4. I’ll lay my cards on the table.
a) I want to stop playing cards.
b) I’ll come back later.
c) I’ll be honest about my intentions.
5. His proposal of having the meeting late on Friday afternoon went down like a lead balloon.
a) Nobody was keen on having the meeting then.
b) Everybody thought the meeting was a waste of time.
c) Nobody could digest their lunch if they had a meeting afterwards.
6. The new product is generating a lot of buzz.
a) The new product makes a noise like a lot of flies.
b) The new product has been greeted with interest or excitement.
c) Everybody is whispering about the new product.
7. He hit the roof when he heard his son had written off the car.
a) He jumped with surprise when he got his son’s letter.
b) He was repairing the roof when he saw his son breaking up the car.
c) He lost his temper when he heard his son had wrecked the car.
8. He makes a habit of dragging his heels until the last possible moment.
a) He always waits until the last minute before tackling something.
b) He doesn’t lift his feet when he walks.
c) He ruins his shoes by scuffing his heels against the ground.
9. They’re on the same wavelength.
a) They get on well.
b) They listen to the same programmes.
c) They surf together.
10. He turned up on my doorstep, completely out of the blue.
a) His visit was unexpected.
b) He was dressed in blue.
c) He rarely comes to visit.

10. Fill each of the gaps with one suitable word.


1
Joe was in a bad ...................... when he joined his friend in the hotel bar.
2
“A large whisky and soda, please,” he said to the waiter who .................................. him as he sat down. He
put his head in his hands, “Oh dear!” he said.
3
“What’s the .....................?” asked Charlie.
4 5
Joe breathed heavily a ............................ of times ................. replying. “The inefficiency in this country! I’ve
6 7
never seen anything ......................... it. It’s getting on my .................., I can tell you!”
8
“What’s ........................ now?”
9 10
“What hasn’t! I’ve only ........................... here for two weeks and at ....................... one thing has gone
11
........................... every day.”
12 13
“You get ....................... to it after a .............. years,” said Larry. “However, you must admit, they’re
charming people.”
14
“Humph! How you ....................... up with it is beyond me.”
15
“You ........................ haven’t told me about your latest problem.”
16 17
“Well, six days ago I ................... a light-grey suit to the dry-cleaners. It ........................ promised for the
18
next day. I’ve been ......................... every day since then, but they only gave it to me half an hour
19 20
..................... Do you know what they have ....................... to it?”
“I can think of a number of things, but do tell us.”
21
“They have ................................ it navy blue!”
22
After Larry had stopped ..............................., he asked, “Did they apologise?”
23 24
“No ..........................!” said Joe. “The man behind the ........................... just smiled sweetly and said that
25
navy blue will ......................... me much better than grey.”

11. Complete the sentences with the appropriate tense or form of the verb(s) in brackets.

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1. After ......................... prices and ............................ through numerous catalogues, Robby finally
........................... a new car last week. (compare / look / buy)
2. Joe ........................................ in the house for over six months before he ................................. his
neighbour yesterday. (live / meet)
3. I have no idea why he ................................. to the party. He ............................... an invitation last week.
(not come / send)
4. I ......................................... my mobile phone. Do you mind ................................... my number? Perhaps
I ............................. able to hear it. (mislay / call / be)
5. It’s high time you ................................... a flat of your own. (find)
6. Sean ...................................... from Dublin. I love his accent! (come)
7. Look! I managed to get two of the last tickets for the play. If I ........................................ to get seats, I
..................................... very disappointed. (not be able / be)
8. The old water tower .......................................... up next Friday ......................... way for a new shopping
mall. (blow / make)
9. Please give him my message as soon as he .................................. (arrive)
10. This is the second time I ................................................. this film and I ....................................... the first
time either. (see / not like)
11. I ........................................... to avoid ......................................... along that stretch of motorway during
the rush hour if I could. However, unless I ..................................... off at some unearthly hour in the
morning, I ...................................... able to do so. (prefer / drive / set / not be)
12. If I ....................................... the boss, I ....................................... that incompetent idiot! (be / sack)
13. I hope it ......................... soon. We ..................................... a drop for nearly a month and the garden
...................................... parched. (rain / not have / look)
14. Steve .......................................... to find a job since he ................................... university. Let’s hope he
has some luck soon. (try / leave)
15. Why didn’t you ask us? We ......................................... you the money if we .................................... you
needed it. (lend / know)
16. They ............................................ dinner when the gale force wind ........................... a tree down in the
garden. It narrowly ..................................... crashing through the dining room window. (have / blow /
miss)
17. On 7 July they ............................................... married for ten years. They ............................... a holiday
to celebrate. (be / plan)
18. The new motorway ................................... three years ago and they ...................................... it yet! (start
/ finish)
19. I wish he .................................. his knuckles! I .............................. him time and time again that it
........................... me. (crack / tell / irritate)
20. Our road .............................. up all last week. New drains ................................. down. I hope this
............................... the road ............................. every time there ........................... heavy rain. (dig / put /
mean / not flood / be)
21. The little boy who .................................... since last night ........................................ safe and sound. He
.................................... hide-and-seek with his friends, .................................... in an old chest and
............................. asleep. (miss / find / play / hide / fall)
22. I ................................ this report at last! I ............................. it ............................ so long for me
.....................it. (finish / not expect / take / do)
23. Oh no! I ..................................... myself out of the house! I wish I ..................................... that lock which
automatically .................................. when the door ............................ . Now I ................................. to
climb through the kitchen window. I hope the police ....................................... past the house while I
..................................... it and ............................. me for a thief! (lock / not install / lock / shut / have/ not
drive / do / mistake)
24. The man who ......................... from Dartmoor Prison two days ago ............................ early this morning.
Two police officers .................................... during the capture. Their wounds .................................
serious but they ................................. in hospital for a few days under observation. (escape / capture /
wound / not consider / keep)
25. By this time next year he ................................... for the firm for over thirty years. I wonder when he
.................................. of ............................ . (work / think / retire)

12. Choose which of the point or time expressions are most suitable.
1. What he said was brief and .......... .
a) on the point
b) to the point
c) up to a point
d) in point

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2. We eat out ......... but not as often as we’d like. It’s too expensive.
a) in time
b) from time to time
c) against time
d) at one time
3. I didn’t like her at first but ......... I grew to appreciate her sense of humour.
a) in time
b) on time
c) against time
d) by the time
4. You’d better hurry. The train is ........ of leaving.
a) on the point
b) beside the point
c) to the point
d) at point
5. .......... she wears the most extraordinary clothes!
a) With time
b) At one time
c) At times
d) In time
6. We’re fighting ......... to finish the job for you by Friday.
a) in time
b) on time
c) by the time
d) against time
7. ........ the fire-fighters arrived, we’d put out the fire ourselves.
a) With time
b) By the time
c) In time
d) At the same time
8. Don’t talk rubbish! What you’ve just said is quite ........ .
a) up to a point
b) beside the point
c) on the point
d) in point
9. You’re right, of course, but ....... you needn’t have been so rude about it.
a) at one time
b) from time to time
c) at the same time
d) at times
10. I agree with you ....... but there are some other things to consider as well.
a) up to a point
b) to the point
c) besides the point
d) in point

13. Fill in the blank spaces with an appropriate modal (must, can, should, etc.) in the affirmative or
negative, present or past. Use the verb in brackets.
1. Patrick has a yacht, helicopter and a luxurious house. He ......................... (be) very wealthy.
2. We waited for over an hour. You ....................................... (telephone) to say you weren’t coming.
3. Mum is terribly lonely after becoming a widow. We .......................................... (spend) more time with
her.
4. They only left an hour ago. They ........................................ (arrive) yet. It’s a three-hour journey.
5. I can’t find my umbrella anywhere. I ......................................... (leave) it at the office.
6. I’m not sure but I ............................. (be) late tomorrow.
7. You ..................................... (see) Kim in the mall yesterday. She’s in Munich on business. It
................................... (be) someone who looks like her.
8. “Where’s Tom?” – “I’m not certain, but he ....................................... (work) late at the office. He
mentioned they had an important deadline that ................................. (meet).”
9. You ...................................... (say) that to him yesterday! You know how easily he takes offence.
10. He ....................................... (go) to bed without cleaning his teeth!

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14. Rewrite each of the sentences so that it means the same and contains the word(s) in brackets.
1. May I sit here for a few minutes? (mind)
...............................................................................................................
2. You are going to be responsible for the organisation of the meeting. (charge)
...............................................................................................................
3. They are going to raise everybody’s salary! (given)
...............................................................................................................
4. It wasn’t necessary for you to do the washing up. (needn’t)
...............................................................................................................
5. He bought her a necklace as compensation for forgetting her birthday. (make)
...............................................................................................................
6. The stories he tells about his experiences are unbelievable. (beyond)
...............................................................................................................
7. The doctor says he’ll be fine, unless he overworks. (provided)
...............................................................................................................
8. It is as though they were millionaires, the way they live. (might / well)
...............................................................................................................
9. Nobody would let the reporter into the hospital to interview the survivors. (allowed)
...............................................................................................................
10. We walked to the station as it was so near. (enough)
...............................................................................................................
11. John says he didn’t have anything to do with the theft. (denies)
...............................................................................................................
12. Trying to repair this tyre is useless. (point)
...............................................................................................................
13. I’m not going to punish you this time. (let)
...............................................................................................................
14. She slept for only three hours last night. (had)
...............................................................................................................
15. The lecture he gave was so long-winded, I almost fell asleep. (such)
...............................................................................................................
16. “You did it purposely!” he told her. (accused / on)
...............................................................................................................
17. No matter how hard he tries, he can’t finish the job by that absurd deadline. (however / be)
...............................................................................................................
18. Although he was injured, he managed to pull his son to safety. (spite)
...............................................................................................................
19. Chris recently inherited a large fortune. (came)
...............................................................................................................
20. All of us with the exception of Harry thought the meeting was a waste of time. (only)
...............................................................................................................

15. Add the correct adverb particles below to form nouns.


by – down – in – on – out – over - up
1. The .........keep of such a luxury car must cost a lot!
2. They’ve just built a ..........pass around the town.
3. What was the ........come of the meeting? Did you reach an agreement?
4. The ........set of flu is shown by aches, sneezing, headaches and a general feeling of illness.
5. He’ll have to cut down on his daily ...........take of alcohol.
6. Despite hopes that we wouldn’t have any rain during the barbeque, a sudden ..........pour sent everyone
inside the house.
7. The rebels had been plotting the .........throw of the government for years.
8. The old woman accidently took an ..............dose of her medicine and was rushed to hospital.
9. I can’t understand how he can run two cars on his low ............come.
10. Inefficiency and ............spending were basically the cause of the government’s ..........fall.
11. I wonder what caused his sudden .........burst of anger.
12. She was very ........set by his nasty comments.
13. Some ..........standers were injured in the accident.
14. He isn’t very quick on the .........take, is he? It took him ages to understand my hints.
15. He had a very strict ..........bringing. His parents didn’t allow him to go out with his friends on weekday
evenings.

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16. Rewrite the sentences so that they mean the same and include the word(s) in brackets.
1. She was in a hurry, so she forgot her passport. (such)
..............................................................................................................................
2. He had had very few driving lessons and, as a result, he failed his test. (enough / pass)
.............................................................................................................................
3. He didn’t go back to work because he didn’t feel well. (as)
.............................................................................................................................
4. He could never be a teacher because he’s not patient enough. (too)
...............................................................................................................................
5. The car was so expensive that we couldn’t afford it. (too)
............................................................................................................................
6. They closed the shop early because there weren’t many customers. (so)
...........................................................................................................................
7. The experience affected me profoundly and changed my whole life. (such)
...........................................................................................................................
8. The party ended earlier than I thought it would. (as / long)
............................................................................................................................
9. What I earn in a month, he earns in a week. (more)
...........................................................................................................................
10. The little girl’s behaviour is usually better than on this occasion. (behaves)
..........................................................................................................................

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TRANSCRIPT B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE
B2 reference grammar
UNIT 1
5.
Prepare yourselves to meet Alberto, Beryl, Chris and Debby. Thursday next marks the official start to the
hurricane season and the American experts are predicting a year of devastation.
Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami expect seven hurricanes in the Atlantic, each
threatening the American east coast and the Caribbean. Three of these are likely to be ‘major’ hurricanes,
bringing winds of more than 110mph and the chance of tidal surges, flooding and serious damage to
buildings and trees.
Another team of experts also predicts an ‘above average’ season. They say the American coastline has a
60% chance of being hit, the peninsula of Florida has a 39% chance.
Holiday makers who are planning to visit America’s east coast or the Caribbean this summer should take the
st st
threat seriously. Although the official hurricane season runs from 1 June to 1 November, most heavy
storms usually arrive during August and September.
6, 7, 8
The backpacker trail now starts at the keyboard. If your idea of a backpacker is a long-haired, unwashed
hippy, who shuns modern technology in order to commune with nature, you’re way behind the times.
Today’s young budget traveller knows that staying in touch with friends and family, as well as swapping
information with other travellers, while on the road is easier and cheaper than ever. One consequence of this
is a rash of Internet cafes at every backpackers’ hang-out, from Guatemala to Goa. However much they trek
off the beaten track, they’re never more than an hour or two from the next e-mail. According to the Internet
Cafe Guide, there are now more than 2,800 cyber cafes in 130 countries, including 126 in India and 53 in the
Philippines. Many are open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, allowing travellers to drop in to
send and receive e-mail and browse the Internet. Some backpackers set up their own websites before
leaving the UK and keep them updated as they go.
One of the most encouraging aspects of the net is the emergence of new communities united by a single
interest, in this case, budget travel, regardless of age, sex or nationality. The free trade in information, ideas
and tips on backpackers’ sites means that today’s travellers are better informed than their predecessors and
less likely to stumble blindly into trouble.
UNIT 2
4.
Those who associate gardening with gentle planting, weeding and watering, meeting nothing more
dangerous than blight on the vegetables or moles making earth piles on the lawn, will be distressed to
discover there is an altogether darker side to the world of British horticulture.
This was recently seen when a row over a garden shed culminated in two neighbours going for each other
with garden implements.
The trouble started when Bill Smith, aged 34, began building a garden shed right against the fence dividing
his garden from that of his neighbour, Joe Blithe, aged 43.
One of Smith’s friends claimed that Blithe started being objectionable just after Mr Smith had laid down the
cement foundation, on the grounds that a garden shed in that position would put his vegetable patch in the
shade. When Smith put up the pre-fabricated shed, Blithe said it was an eyesore. Then Smith insulted
Blithe’s beans and it escalated from there. Over the next few days the men exchanged increasingly
vituperative remarks about each other’s gardening skills; apparently Smith branded Blithe’s tomatoes as
‘tragic’ and Blithe called Smith’s herb garden ‘an insult to herbs the world over’.
Things came to a head when Mr Blithe threatened violence against Mr Smith’s garden gnome collection.
This proved too much for Mr Smith, who climbed over the fence and attacked his neighbour with a rake. Mr
Blithe retaliated with a spade. Luckily, another neighbour had seen the onset of the scene and, fearing the
worst, had called the police. It took four burly policemen to separate the irate pair. Constable Barnes later
had to have three stitches on his arm where Blithe had hit him with the spade and Constable Jones was
given an anti-tetanus injection because Mr Smith had bitten his hand.
Both men appeared in court where the judge gave them heavy fines, they were also bound over to keep the
peace for a year. Mr Smith’s friend commented that Mr Smith wanted to bury the hatchet, preferably in
Blithe’s forehead.
UNIT 3
5.
The American President has decided he wants a high-profile role as a mediator in foreign disputes when he
leaves office. While speculation about future employment prospects has ranged improbably from Hollywood
to Wall Street, the President has been quietly planning his life. He has voiced a strong interest in staying
involved as a mediator in such hotspots as the Middle East and the Balkans. Last month’s successful visit to
India and Pakistan has convinced him that his future lies in the adrenaline-soaked world of international
diplomacy.

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The new government plan for council housing has given former prisoners and soldiers as well as young
single homeless equal priority in the queue for housing. There has been criticism of this plan on the grounds
that it further undermines the primacy of the family in government policy. Formerly, families, including single-
parent ones, went automatically to the top of the council waiting list.
Swiss animal rights campaigners have called for a ban on the export of San Bernards to the Far East
because of fears that they will end up in the cooking pot. According to the president of the Swiss-based
International Organisation for Animal protection, they have found evidence that many of the famed mountain
rescue dogs sent there have been eaten.
There has been the first death in Britain directly caused by a car airbag. A 47-year-old woman from
Merseyside died when the bag blasted into her head, breaking her skull and causing brain damage. Her car
was travelling at 19 mph.
It is reported that workers used forged passes at a nuclear power station for several weeks. The workers had
limited clearance passes which gave them permission to enter low-risk parts of the plant on foot, but they
altered them to gain access to more sensitive areas - with their vehicles. The workers concerned have been
fired.
UNIT 4
3.
st
It’s May 1 , 2121 and this is your newscaster, P.I.P. 13, with two interesting items of news.
The new ‘Undersea Wonderland’ will be opening next July. ‘Wonderland’ is situated just off the former coast
of California and offers free instruction in underwater filming as well as guided tours round the underwater
th
city of Los Angeles which will be celebrating its 100 anniversary as the new ‘Atlantis’. The inhabitants will
be putting on various shows and exhibitions for the entertainment of visitors. By the way, visitors will be
relieved to hear that it will no longer be necessary to have temporary gills fitted, since facilities for oxygen
breathers will have been completed before the opening date.
A new colony ship is going to set off for Jupiter early next year. Applicants will have to satisfy strict health
requirements before being accepted and no-one over the age of 250 will be considered. Engineers, doctors,
astrophysicists, microbiologists and experts in informatics and their families will be given priority. It must be
remembered that this is a one-way trip; the genetic modifications and body engineering required before
embarking are irreversible. By the time the colonists arrive, they will have been travelling more than one
hundred and fifty years in deep-sleep. This will give the robot-builders plenty of time to select a suitable site
and erect the giant pressurised igloos which will contain homes, parks and sports facilities, as well as
factories, farms and laboratories. It is hoped that the colony will have become self-sufficient within fifty years
of its foundation.
UNIT 5
5.
A new ‘voice tagging’ system, under which the movements of young offenders are monitored by telephone
calls, might be introduced nation-wide.
Thousands of offenders, including juveniles, are released from prison under the present tagging system
which the home secretary hopes will help their return into society.
At the moment, tagged offenders have to wear an ankle unit that transmits to a receiver in their homes. If
they stray too far away when they are meant to be at home, the unit alerts the police. However, the system is
unsuitable for young offenders because it keeps them at home when they need to be at school.
The new system would need no equipment, instead offenders make a telephone call to a computer which
identifies the voice and checks where he or she is phoning from, it can also tell whether a mobile phone is
being used or even if a tape recording is being played. It is hoped that offenders would benefit from having
some routine in their lives.
The new system would have the same problems as all out-of-jail penalties, through, if social and probation
workers did not take action when it was abused. If they were sluggish in dealing with any non-compliance on
the part of offenders, the whole system would be brought into disrepute.
However, if used nationally, the system would save the Home Office millions of pounds.
UNIT 6
6.
Despite rising cereal output, many people will still be poorly fed in 2020, according to the International Food
Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). Global cereal demand is expected to reach 2.5 billion tonnes in 2020,
which is 40% above 1995. 15% of this extra demand will be accounted for by developed countries while
developing countries will need far more. The population of developing countries is growing fast and a switch
from substance crops to grain is prompted by rising incomes.
However, their output of cereals is not likely to keep up with the demand and by 2020, 80% of their cereals
will have to be imported. IFPRI affirms that a better use of technology and freer farm trade are needed to
feed the 135m children under five who will otherwise be malnourished in 2020.
UNIT 7
5.

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An internet car-rental company had to apologise for leaving a mother and her two children stranded in the
centre of Barcelona at night with only an e-mail address to contact in an emergency.
Susan Summers arrived at 10pm after her flight from Gatwick was an hour late. She had been told to take
the train to the centre of Barcelona and expected to pick up the hired car she had booked over the internet.
Unfortunately, by the time she made it to the pick-up point the office had closed, leaving them unable to
reach their destination, which was a three-hour drive along the coast. Mrs Summers said she had tried to
ring the car-hire’s London office but found it had closed at eight. To make matters worse, as Mrs Summers
made repeated attempts to contact the company, she was attacked by two youths who attempted to run off
with her luggage. In the end, Mrs Summers managed to get in touch with a friend who offered to drive them
up the coast but on the whole, it was a scary experience.
The car-rental firm admitted not waiting for passengers on delayed flights and said it was ‘unfortunate’ but
passengers had to plan to pick up their cars before 11pm. In the end, after a great deal of fuss and bother,
Mrs Summers received an apology, a full refund, compensation of £20 and an offer of free car rental.
UNIT 8
6.
Here are some useful hints to be kept in mind when writing your CV.
The first piece of advice is to forget about the flashy or gimmicky CV. People are often tempted to use
strange paper colours, colour photographs or weird clip art to get noticed, but the trouble with this approach
is that it could mean theirs is the first to be binned. If you want a different colour to white, use cream. Cream
stands out and can look quite classy whereas pink or blue just look like poor taste. Apart from that there’s
little room for creativity. Go for quality paper and choose a clear typeface which is easy to read, avoid letters
with tails.
Next, use plenty of white space so that the key points are easy to see. You may be number 199 in a pile of
200 CVs late in the afternoon so obviously you have to help an employer pick out the key points.
The content of a good CV should run to no more than two pages and be divided under five headings. First
are personal details, including name, address and telephone number. Next comes education and relevant
training listed in reverse chronological order. The third section deals with your career to date or work
experience, again in reverse order. Following this comes positions of responsibility. If you organised anything
at school or university, put it here. Finally, detail your hobbies, try to include those interests that can be
talked about at an interview.
Before you send off your CV, it is advisable to look closely at the job advertised; it’s important to show clearly
how you meet the criteria in the job ad. If you don’t cover the criteria, it’s better to be honest about it rather
than attempt to cover it up or make extravagant claims.
Once you’ve written your CV and before you place it, unfolded, in a good quality envelope, the final thing is
to have it checked for good grammar and spelling.
UNIT 9
4.
There may be something of the pilgrimage for Americans about a trip to the Grand Canyon, in fact, many go
so they can say, “I’ve seen it!”
However, it’s highly unlikely that anyway can truthfully say they have been able to see all the Grand Canyon.
Many come away with a feeling not of disappointment – you just can’t fail to be impressed by it – but of
unease. When you stare over the rim for the first time, your brain cannot take it all in. Your eyes search for
perspectives and dimensions but the vast, multi-layered, mile-deep, many-hued chasm offers none. You may
suffer from an odd, nauseous, giddy sensation. The sheer scale and grandeur is too much for the mind.
When you visit the Canyon you should stay the night, either in the park or in near-by Tusayan, because the
average four-hour stay is not enough to get to grips with the geological phenomenon. For that you really
ought to go down within it. This can be done by mule, although in the peak season you have to book a year
in advance. Another way of going down is on foot, although the round trip cannot be done in a day and
hikers have to take extreme care. Many don’t, and an average of eleven people die each year in the Canyon;
some run out of water, some fall over the edge, some drown and a few commit suicide. Every year, rescuers
have to go out and save more than three hundred and fifty hikers, rafters or people suffering from heat.
Temperatures can reach over 100°F in summer within those walls.
The Canyon is no longer an icon only for Americans, but for the world, and every year almost five million
people pay their $20 to enter the park. Thus, finding the space and peace to contemplate the two billion
years’ worth of erosion caused by the Colorado River might be harder than you expected. In the future, the
park may be closed to all vehicles save for visitors staying at one of the lodges in the Grand Canyon Village
complex on the South Rim which gets 90% of the visitor traffic. From a giant car park outside the park
boundaries visitors could be shuttled by bus to Mather Point, which is the first viewing point. Then the hordes
could be dispersed, by rented bikes or horses, or by buses to the village or other points along the rim. In this
way, they would be able to improve the quality of the experience by thinning out the current clumping.
UNIT 10
7.

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Lundy is a three-mile-long, half-mile-wide, granite island rising from the wind-swept waters of the Bristol
Cannel. Although it is not particularly remote, being only eleven miles from the coast of Devon as the gull
flies, it presents a defiant face to all who venture there. The east coast, with its pebble beaches and an easy
path to the cliff top, is usually the most sheltered and accessible. From the top of the cliffs the Devonshire
coast is plainly visible, but somehow Lundy feels utterly remote – a natural fortress that might as well sprout
from the mid-Atlantic as the Bristol Channel.
Throughout history, solitude and inaccessibility have made Lundy a most desired possession. Around
AD800, Vikings may have used the island as a base for raiding Britain. In the Middle Ages the island was a
popular lair for pirates, one of whom went so far as to proclaim himself, ‘King of Lundy’. This was followed by
a bizarre succession of foreign invaders; Turkish pirates who threatened to burn Ilfracombe, a band of
raiding Spaniards and then the French who seized control and, in an early aversion to British meat, drove the
islanders’ livestock over the cliffs. There was even a time in the 1700s, when a certain Thomas Benson, who
had obtained a contract to transport convicts to Virginia, saved himself the expense of transatlantic voyages
by landing them on Lundy and imprisoning them in the castle originally built in the late thirteenth century.
Lying on a busy seaway, Lundy has claimed 137 shipwrecks. The first lighthouse, now known as the Old
Light, was situated too high and was often obscured by fog even when it was clear at sea-level. To remedy
this, two more lighthouses were built at each end of the island.
In the centre of the village of Lundy, which has been meticulously restored in local granite, there is the
Marisco Tavern which was named after the notorious Norman family who used Lundy as a pirate base until
about 1250 when William de Marisco was hanged, drawn and quartered.
Nowadays, only about eighteen people live permanently on the island which was made Britain’s first Marine
Nature Reserve in 1986 on account of its clear water and abundant marine life. However, there is no lack of
places for visitors to stay thanks to the Landmark Trust, a charity which restores historic buildings and rents
them for self-catering holidays. In fact, Lundy offers a remarkable range of authentic accommodation,
including a lighthouse, an old fisherman’ cottage and the castle.
UNIT 11
5.
1.
A: You were the only one in the office late that evening, Joe, and I know you’ve had trouble with the law
before!
Joe: OK, I did something stupid when I was a kid, but that’s past history. I’ve been going straight for years. I
didn’t steal the money. Somebody must have come in later after I’d left and taken it.
2.
Man: Are you all ready for the trip tomorrow? Now, don’t forget to wear comfortable shoes and bring your
jackets in case it turns cold.
Boy: Is a heavy sweatshirt OK?
Man: An anorak is better, it keeps the wind out more. It can get pretty chilly on the moors when the sky’s
overcast.
3.
Woman: Oh, what a beautiful dog! Can I touch him?
Man: I wouldn’t if I were you. He’s not used to strangers and can turn nasty and bite if he’s nervous.
Woman: But he looks so cuddly!
4.
Woman: Come on! You can’t be afraid after all the preparation and practice you’ve done.
Man: Do you want to bet? I didn’t realise the plane would be so far from the ground when we had to jump.
Couldn’t we go lower down?
Woman: If we were nearer the ground the parachute wouldn’t have time to open. Now, take a deep breath …
and jump!
5.
Man: Have you heard? There’s a new Chinese in Kings Street.
Woman: Yes, Sue went yesterday. She said it was excellent, although a bit pricey.
Man: What isn’t, nowadays? How about us going there on Saturday?
Woman: I’ll be looking forward to it.
6.
Woman: I’m going to make some coffee. Are you going to keep me company?
Man: I’d better not. I’ve already had four today.
Woman: Come off it! Another won’t do you any harm and besides, my coffee’s very weak.
Man: All right then. But if I can’t get to sleep tonight, I’ll call you!
7.
Man: I’m fed up! There’s nothing on telly tonight.
Woman: Just because there’s no football doesn’t mean there’s nothing interesting on. I’m glad there’s no
match this evening. During the championship you insist on watching each and every match and won’t let me

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see anything I want. To tell the truth, I’m bored to tears with watching twenty-two grown men chasing after a
ball.
Man: But I thought you enjoyed it!
8.
Man: It’s Sally’s fortieth next Friday. I’d like to organise something special for her. Any ideas?
Woman: Well, hasn’t she been going to a French evening course this year? Why don’t you take her to Paris
for a long weekend? It doesn’t take too long by train and I’m sure she’d enjoy it.
Man: Yes, you’re right. I would, too.
9.
Man: I’m a bit dubious about taking the course. It’s three evenings a week after eight hours at work for four
months. I don’t know if I can do it. Besides, it would cut down my social life drastically.
Woman: Three nights a week you wouldn’t spend at the pub! Just think, you’re always complaining you’re in
a dead-end job. With the extra qualification this course would give you, you could get one with better
prospects. What are three months of sacrifice against the benefits?
Man: You may be right. I’ll think about it.
10.
Robber: Hands up! Everyone down on the floor! Nobody move! You, fill this bag up with cash if you don’t
want a bullet through the head!
Cashier: Please, .. don’t hurt me!
UNIT 12
9.
1. He jumped at the offer.
2. I tried to talk him round but it was no good.
3. He’s always putting his colleagues down.
4. If you want to pass that exam, you’ll have to pull your socks up.
5. The car was a write-off after the accident.
6. When we moved into the new house we didn’t intend to buy new furniture but my wife said we ought to
go the whole hog, so we did. Now we’re in debt.
7. She’s dressed to kill. Where’s she going?
8. They really made it hot for him.
9. I wish he wouldn’t blow hot and cold all the time.
10. I’m afraid we’ve finished all the coffee.
11. I need a new jacket but I’m broke at the moment.
12. Those two get on very well.
13. He only just managed to jump to safety in the nick of time.
14. He’s not very well off.
15. I’ll be back in no time.
16. He calls in from time to time.
17. We have something in common.
18. Don’t leave her by herself.
19. He may be out.
20. I wish you’d say what you really want without beating about the bush.
UNIT 13
8.
Human action has an effect on the natural environment and consequences often go beyond what we
immediately perceive; if one part of an ecosystem is changed or disrupted it affects all the others.
In recent years, the environment has been put under increasing stress and in many parts of the world human
action has exacerbated natural hazards such as droughts, floods and storms. Desertification, caused by
overgrazing and the removal of trees for crops along the edges of existing deserts, has a negative effect on
climate as the increase in dust prevents air from rising freely and forming clouds. In addition, the loss of
vegetation reduces the amount of moisture in the air and temperatures rise. Both these factors make
droughts worse. Overgrazing and deforestation, also make already fragile environments even more
vulnerable. Half the world’s rainforests which provide vital oxygen has already been destroyed and an area
the size of the UK is cleared each year.
The gases released by burning coal and oil combine with water vapour, sunlight and oxygen to form
sulphuric acid or nitric acid which falls back to earth as acid rain. Although the effects of this vary greatly, the
areas with poor soil suffer the most. Land pollution is partly caused by dangerous toxic wastes, especially
from the chemical industry. These wastes are difficult and expensive to eliminate so they are often shipped
illegally to developing countries or dumped into the sea. Another cause of land pollution are agrochemicals
such as fertilisers and pesticides.

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Water pollution is a world-wide problem. Waste from factories, farms and cities is poisoning rivers. Lakes are
particularly at risk as they allow pollutants to build up. The discharge of oil from tanker accidents and ships
that wash out their tanks illegally is another serious problem.
Another gave risk is that of global warming caused by the ‘greenhouse effect’ resulting from a blanket of
gases building up round the earth and trapping heat from the sun. Carbon dioxide, released by burning fossil
fuels, is one of the main culprits. Some of the results of this, as predicted by scientists, will be food shortage
as crops fail, more violent and unpredictable weather conditions, new pests and diseases, flooding of low-
lying areas as the sea level rises and the extinction of many plant and animal species as conditions change.
Not a pleasant prospect!
UNIT 14
4.
Today Britain, like most Western industrialised countries, has an ageing population. This means that the
average age of the population is getting older, with a greater percentage of the population over retirement
age, and a smaller percentage of young people.
The high birth and death rates in the nineteenth century meant that more people were young – people didn’t
live long enough to grow old! Nowadays, illnesses and diseases which claimed many lives in the past have
been defeated by medical science and both the quality and quantity of food have got better. The decline in
the death rate and increased life expectation have meant that people are living longer, and more are
reaching old age.
In the past, people tended to have many more babies – because of ignorance, lack of reliable anti-
contraception methods and the fact that infant mortality was so high. Now, the decline in the birth rate -
probably caused by widespread knowledge of and better anti-contraception, plus the fact that many couples
prefer to have only one or no children for economic reasons – means that fewer children are being born.
These factors have changed the overall age structure of the nation and are likely to become more marked as
time goes by.
UNIT 15
5.
th
Father Gregory Brusey is certain he saw a creature in Loch Ness on October 14 , 1971. He and a visitor
were strolling in the grounds of the Benedictine Abbey when they were startled by the sudden, violent
agitation of the waters of the Loch. About three hundred yards away a great beast loomed in front of them,
its head towering as much as seven feet about the water. They watched it, hardly believing their eyes, for
about twenty seconds before the creature submerged.
The problem of proving the existence of an unidentified monster in Loch Ness is compounded by the
characteristics of the lake itself. The bottom of the lake, in places from seven hundred to nine hundred and
seventy-five feet deep, make it easy for underwater creatures to escape electronic detection. Added to that,
as the water is discoloured with suspended peat particles it is so murky that it is difficult to photograph
anything clearly.
In 1972 the Academy of Applied Science arrived with advanced sonar equipment, supplemented by a
th
camera strobe light system. On August 8 , at about 1am., the team began to see heavy dark traces of a
large moving object on the sonar beam. The photographs they took were vague owing to the cloudiness of
the water. However, when they used computer enhancement, on one frame they were just able to make out
a four-to-six-foot-long flipper. Another picture revealed two objects which seemed to be two large creatures.
In June 1975 another expedition mounted by the Academy of Applied Science went to Loch Ness with an
improved camera strobe system as well as the 1972 apparatus. They filmed something that looked like an
underwater dragon with an overall length of twenty feet, a neck with a thickness of about one and a half feet,
a mouth nine inches long and five inches wide and with six-inch-long horns.
Whether or not this manifestation is the famous Loch Ness monster, it is undeniably a phenomenon that just
begs to be explained.
UNIT 16
5.
Ninety-seven countries both retain and use the death penalty. In 1994, 2,331 prisoners were executed in
thirty-seven countries and 4032 were sentenced to death in seventy-five countries. Only figures known to
Amnesty International have been included here, the true numbers are more than probably higher.
China, Iran and Nigeria accounted for 87% of all the executions recorded by Amnesty International in 1994.
Although they also received reports of several hundreds of executions in Iraq, they were unable to confirm
them or give an exact figure.
According to surveys into American attitudes towards capital punishment, three out of four people supported
capital punishment. However, when they were asked if, instead of the death penalty, they would support the
idea of life sentence without parole – that is, reduction of a sentence due to good behaviour – combined with
forcing offenders to work in prison for money that would go to the families of the victims, many changed their
minds. In New York, for example, the 71% who supported capital punishment went down to 19% when the
other option was offered.

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The argument most frequently used for the death penalty is deterrence. However, in none of the murders
committed in moments of passion, under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or in moments of panic, do the
murderers calculate the consequences. Neither do those who commit murder because they are unstable or
mentally ill. In fact, study after study has failed to establish any link between the death penalty and crime
rates.
Amnesty International claims that the death penalty, as well as being a violation of the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights, is also disproportionally imposed on the poor, on racial minorities, on the mentally ill and
those without adequate legal counsel. Furthermore, in the US researchers have estimated that three
hundred and fifty innocent people were wrongly convicted of murder in the twentieth century. For twenty-
three of the prisoners, the evidence establishing their innocence appeared after they had been executed.
UNIT 17
9.
There is a growing number of criminals who don’t carry guns or knives and don’t use getaway cars but make
off with goods worth thousands of pounds in a few seconds. These criminals are the silent but deadly
practitioners of computer crime. Under threat are not just high-tech multi-million pound businesses, but also
hospitals, government offices and even small businesses and private people.
Although exact figures are hard to obtain, because many businesses don’t want to admit that their security is
lax, these criminals are probably costing public bodies and industry millions of pounds annually in Britain.
The growth of ‘hacking’ – unauthorised access to computer data – came about when some systems experts,
both amateur and professional, decided they could use their skills more profitably on the other side of the
law. Industrial espionage has existed as long as industry but now police come across cases of junior
employees who use computers to steal valuable information which they can use themselves or sell to
unscrupulous rivals.
Another ‘popular’ misuse of the computer is the ‘unauthorised modification’ of computer information. This
crime is best known in the form of ‘viruses’ – hidden instructions designed to distort or destroy a legitimate
computer program. This crime often takes the form of pure mischief-making with viruses such as ‘logic-
bombs’ that will make pages of script disintegrate, often timed to go off around traditional anniversaries such
as Valentine’s Day.
Organised gangs are now using Internet to steal credit card numbers and exploit flaws in bank credit
checking systems to buy goods and services internationally. The criminals use a ‘sniffer’ program, which
they run on computers that route data over the Internet, to capture credit card numbers when people order
goods over the network. Card owners are unaware their details have been captured until false purchases
show up on their bills. These crimes are not only committed by professional criminals; six fourteen-year-olds
were recently caught using the system to organise a sophisticated credit card fraud against mail-order firms.
In fact, the police claim that Internet is teaching children how to commit serious crimes; bomb-making
recipes and formulae for making napalm and the drug Ecstasy can all be found on the Internet, as well as
price lists for illegal drugs and limitless supplies of free, hard-core pornography.
UNIT 18
6.
1. Please don’t bring up the subject of exam results when Katy’s here.
2. He’s so lazy he has difficulty in holding down a job for any length of time.
3. She jumped at the offer of a job in Singapore.
4. They looked down on her because of her poor clothes.
5. He calls in from time to time.
6. I’ll let you off this time but see that it doesn’t happened again.
7. You really ought to stand up to him.
8. I put his bad temper down to work problems.
9. They put out an appeal for more helpers.
10. The authorities tried to play down the incident.
11. He likes to chew things over for a time before deciding.
12. While she was away the work just piled up.
13. Let’s splash out on a good holiday.
14. She broke down in front of everyone when she heard the news.
15. The alarm clock went off at six.
UNIT 19
9.
1. I’m fed up to the back teeth with it.
2. I can’t stand the sight of her.
3. She wants to have her cake and eat it.
4. You should live and let live.
5. That second-hand car was dirt cheap.
6. He’s like a cat on hot bricks.

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7. It’s a good job they arrived in time for the train.


8. She didn’t turn a hair when she heard the news.
9. Keep this under your hat.
10. You’re sticking your neck out if you criticise him like that.
11. Stop making a mountain out of a molehill.
12. You’d better watch your step with him.
13. I’m afraid you’ll have to toe the line.
14. Nobody invites him because he’s such a wet blanket.
15. I admire him, he never puts a foot wrong.
16. It’s a long shot, but let’s give it a go anyway.
17. She’s skating on thin ice, having two boyfriends at the same time.
18. He always jumps in with two feet, I wish he’d be more careful.
19. He let the cat out of the bag.
20. It smells like nothing on earth.
UNIT 20
5.
On occasion, in the story of architecture, there is a particular person, place or building which is a milestone.
In the transition from the first to the second half of the Middle Ages, that is, from Romanesque to Gothic,
there is such a milestone. The man is a Benedictine abbot called Suger, the place is the Abbey Church of St
Dennis, the year 1144 and the occasion was the consecration of the new Abbey choir. Abbot Suger’s
writings present us with a rare description of the origins of Gothic architecture. He thought that “the dull mind
rises to truth through that which is material.” He used the rib vault to lift the spirit, he transformed walls into
screens of stained glass which could teach the illiterate worshipper the doctrine and origins of his faith in
picture stories while bathing him in celestial light. He caught the temper of the times, which was swinging
away from the obsession of the early Middle Ages with life’s grimmer aspects - sin, guilt and death - to a
victorious Church which had put down the Albigensian heretics and achieved romantic success with the
crusades. God’s world was now seen as one of beauty and comparative safety in which ordinary men could
rejoice. Choir stalls, portals, canopies and chapter houses were decorated with an exuberance of tendrils,
leaves, birds, animals and flowers.

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B2 grammar reference – ANSWERS


UNIT 1
1.
1. has .. is talking 2. seldom tells .. is doing 3. doesn’t watch .. doesn’t know .. is happening 4. doesn’t start ..
are going .. are meeting .. go 5. do you do.. am not working .. am looking 6. don’t understand .. sees .. meet
.. is 7. is always poking 8. just disappears .. doesn’t come .. does 9. are you sticking .. am tasting .. don’t you
ever use .. tastes 10. is living .. says .. takes .. doesn’t seem .. don’t think
2.
1. is ringing .. don’t you answer 2. receives .. flies .. buys .. pockets .. says .. sees 3. Is he working .. is
spending 4. examines .. lies .. plays .. is struggling 5. always deliver .. believe .. am still waiting for 6. isn’t
growing .. water 7. is looking after .. Do you want .. usually behaves .. think .. is missing / misses .. take ..
runs .. tries 8. are you reading 9. is he doing .. think .. wants .. usually comes .. is shaking .. is becoming ..
hope .. isn’t trying / doesn’t try 10. is behaving .. is normally 11. are sending .. are 12. is thinking .. works ..
has .. doesn’t normally take .. comes .. sometimes slows 13. tells .. gets .. rediscovers .. realises .. depends
14. doesn’t think .. is going .. is feeling / feels .. is thinking 15. seems .. have .. is getting
3.
1. is expecting 2. are .. waiting 3. is wearing .. Doesn’t .. know 4. plays .. falls .. gets up to 5. grows .. looks
like 6. are appearing 7. is smoking .. buys 8. are .. cooking .. smells 9. is having 10. feels .. is getting .. hopes
4. (possible answers)
1. getting 2. On 3. work / are 4. me 5. always 6. don’t 7. why 8. being 9. else 10. than 11. At 12. spending 13.
says 14. other 15. too / so / very 16. sitting 17. on 18. living / staying 19. mine 20. looking 21. own 22.
sleeping 23. us 24. takes 25. get 26. by 27. same 28. on 29. thinking 30. meeting
5.
1. Chris .. hurricanes 2. official .. Thursday 3. devastation 4. seven .. three .. major 5. east .. Caribbean 6.
st st
110 .. tidal .. flooding .. damage .. trees 7. average 8 60% .. 39% 9. 1 June .. 1 November .. August ..
September
6. (see transcript)
7.
1. backpacker 2. trail 3. unwashed 4. shuns 5. way behind the times 6. budget traveller 7. swapping 8. rash
9. hang-out 10. off the beaten track 11. cyber 12. drop in 13. browse 14. set up 15. updated 16. regardless
17. tips 18. predecessors 19. stumble .. into 20. blindly
8.
1. b) 2. b) 3. a) 4. c) 5. d) 6. b)
9. (possible answers)
1. What do you think of his idea? 2. Sue is suffering from flu. / is ill with flu. 3. The bag you use for gym
smells of old socks. 4. How much does that machine weigh? 5. Tom looks exactly like his father. 6. I am
really enjoying my stay with you. 7. The price of the holiday includes the cost of food. 8. What does this
cupboard contain? 9. What does this word mean? 10. They are discussing a new publicity campaign.

UNIT 2
1.
1. had seen .. recalled .. hadn’t liked 2. was watching .. went .. was 3. were passing .. did you notice 4. were
going to launch .. discovered .. had already put .. decided 5. had been travelling .. was looking forward ..
were drawing .. began .. didn’t stop .. kept on .. stopping .. had expected .. got .. apologised .. were .. thought
.. was feeling 6. used to have .. lived .. went .. would stay 7. were shouting .. didn’t get 8. was wondering 9.
hadn’t eaten .. arrived 10. realised .. was stealing .. felt
2.
1. were living / lived / used to live .. did you travel / did you use to travel / would you travel 2. was trying /
tried .. were you 3. got .. saw .. wasn’t raining .. had been raining .. were 4. arrived .. was having .. were
dancing 5. admitted .. had quarrelled .. hadn’t hit 6. had been studying .. went 7. packing .. called 8. used to
have / had .. was 9. was .. was always getting 10. didn’t have .. was raining 11. didn’t come .. had invited 12.
having worked/working .. had [Link] .. was .. making/having made .. needed .. came .. opened ..
Putting/having put .. decided ..had left .. dashed .. was waiting .. glanced .. noticed .. looked .. didn’t drop ..
left / was leaving / had left .. was still pouring .. had disappeared 14. Wanting .. agreed .. having done .. was
15. were still questioning .. arrested / had arrested .. had already conducted .. searched 16. was digging ..
caught .. had found .. had been / were .. were springing .. predated .. had sown 17. travelling .. didn’t feel /
hadn’t felt .. making / having made .. settled 18. went .. found .. were wandering .. were carrying .. didn’t
appear .. were doing .. had never been .. realised .. had deserted .. tried .. had happened .. flew .. were
dropping / dropped .. threw .. flying .. disappeared .. rose .. looked .. were burning .. was lying .. had ever
seen 19. Faced/being faced .. decided .. jumped .. realised .. had fallen 20. had made/made ..
hearing/having heard .. became .. didn’t know

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3.
1. was sitting .. noticed .. was clutching .. seemed .. breathing .. leapt .. taking .. drove .. pulled .. was
phoning / phoned .. was giving / gave .. praised .. had not acted 2. was carrying .. hit .. overturned .. being ..
was trying / had been trying .. was travelling / had been travelling .. happened .. had .. caught / had caught ..
arrested .. had been drinking/had drunk 3. was towing .. began .. gave .. plunged/slid .. trapped .. managed
.. slid/plunged 4. had been going .. forced .. claimed .. were / had been ‘.. confirmed .. had arrested ..
charged .. commented .. had risked 5. faced/was facing .. emerged/had emerged .. had been exposed ..
using .. placing .. had been able/was able .. added .. had been .. had found/found .. went/had gone 6. was
playing .. had .. developed .. killed .. fled / escaped .. was living .. heard .. based .. had offered .. Having
moved/Moving .. was enjoying/enjoyed .. produced .. got .. insulting .. found .. escaped / fled
4.
1: b 2: a 3: c 4: b 5: b 6: c 7: a 8: a 9: a 10: c 11: b 12: b 13: c 14: c 15: b 16: c
5.
1. She didn’t use to be fond of / like classical music. 2. She was going to write but kept putting it off. 3.
Before buying a new stereo she went round shops comparing prices. / Before she bought a new stereo she
had gone round shops comparing prices. 4. I was thinking of going to the theatre next week. 5. He had
worked for that firm for six years before resigning and setting up his own business. / before he resigned and
set up his own business. 6. Sam was always cracking his knuckles. 7. After taking / having taken an aspirin,
she felt better. / After she had taken an aspirin she felt better. 8. John was having a shower when the phone
rang. 9. There used to be a cinema in that town. 10. By the time we arrived, Tom had left. 11. The weather
had been getting colder so I bought a warm jacket. 12. When she got up she saw it had been snowing
heavily. 13. While they were having their/a dinner party, there was a black-out. 14. Joan had already arrived
before/when he got to the station. 15. Being late, he decided to go by taxi. 16. After having had/having lunch,
he went out. 17. He was going to resign but changed his mind after being promoted. 18. Having realised he
son was safe and sound despite all odds, she burst into tears of joy. Having been brought up by indulgent
grandparents, he got used to doing more or less whatever he wanted. 20. Not having told her anything /
having told her nothing, he was surprised she knew everything.
6.
a) sage b) to turn their attention to c) found out d) being starved e) lay on f) corn-factor g) oatmeal h) gruel i)
undertook j) suit k) theretofore l) bachelor

UNIT 3
1.
1. have made .. have charged .. was .. reported 2. have you been getting up to 3. played .. died .. shot ..
starred 4. has been stealing 5. has gained .. carried 6. has played .. gained .. played 7. has been weeding ..
hasn’t rested 8. have been having .. has been ringing .. broke 9. banned .. has changed .. has clearly been
10. won .. survived 11. has she been taking .. had .. Has she taken .. has failed 12. has been trying 13. have
been trying .. sent .. haven’t been .. did you use .. created 14. had arrived .. Have you been waiting .. only
got 15. Have you seen .. have spoken .. haven’t been .. have both been 16. has spoken 17. Have you ever
been .. went 18. have been .. made 19. has received .. have been taking 20. have you been doing .. have
been clearing .. Have you finished
2.
1. have just heard .. has bought .. moved .. hasn’t finished .. ordered .. hasn’t arrived 2. Have you been ..
haven’t been able to .. have been 3. have arrested .. overturned .. sank .. died 4. has hired .. have raised ..
broke out .. has seen .. fell out 5. have come .. rocketed 6. got .. has been grumbling .. started 7. rang ..
offered .. replied .. sounded .. didn’t have .. told .. resisted .. hung .. have been 8. have been waiting .. have
you been doing .. have been ironing 9. has come .. have begun .. covered 10. have been questioning ..
disappeared .. has now been missing .. thought .. have received 11. have made .. have brought .. was ..
have been 12. has been writing .. retired .. has only managed 13. Has he broken .. has been practising 14.
didn’t you tell .. didn’t want .. have done .. began 15. have ever eaten .. went .. was 16. have mislaid ..
thought .. Have you seen .. Have you looked .. was .. lost 17. hasn’t turned .. 18. has taught .. hasn’t had 19.
have you been staying .. relocated .. have been looking .. have applied .. haven’t been 20. have been
standing .. decided .. got .. have mixed
3.
1. I haven’t spoken to him for ages. 2. This is the third time he has been to Spain. 3. She has been working
for that firm for six years /she has worked... 4. This is the first time I’ve surfed /been surfing. 5. I’ve already
eaten. 6. It’s months since they went to the cinema. 7. When did they get married? 8. He hasn’t played
tennis since 1999. 9. He started studying Japanese in October. 10. He has never /hasn’t driven alone before.
11. I’ve read 300 pages of the book so far. 12. The quality of your work has deteriorated. 13. They have
been drilling for oil since June. 14. This is the worst film I’ve ever seen. 15. This is the first time we’ve (ever)
flown. 16. We haven’t been out for a fortnight.
4. (possible questions)

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1. Have you ever been to (……)? 2. How long has she lived / been living here? 3. Has he got up yet? 4. How
often have you / has he ridden a horse? 5. Has he ever been to Montreal? 6. When did you last see Jack? 7.
How long has she been playing that music? 8. When did he buy his new car? 9. When did you last go to a
restaurant? 10. What have you been doing? / Why are you covered in white splashes?
5.
1: b 2: c 3: a 4: a 5: c 6: b 7: b 8: a
6.
A. 1. c 2. c 3. a B. 1. d 2. a C. 1. b 2. d D. 1. d 2. d
7. (possible meanings of headlines)
1.a) 2,250 more steelworkers will lose their jobs. 2.a) A wife witnessed her husband being killed by a lion.
3.a) There has been another sighting of a UFO with flashing lights. 4.a) The government has gone back on a
promise to award soldiers more pay. 5.a) People went to vote for the opposition at the elections, despite
threatened violence from the tyrant’s supporters.

UNIT 4
1.
1. is she going to leave 2. I’ll get 3. is going to be 4. Will they have finished .. will still be putting 5. will do 6. is
going to break 7. will be having 8. will have been dancing 9. will be doing 10. will send 11. retires .. will have
worked 12. will send .. is 13. are you going .. Are you heading .. am going to buy .. leave .. find .. will spend ..
am going .. will probably find 14. won’t work .. am I going to print 15. liquefies 16. will have 17. doesn’t begin
.. will be having 18. won’t see .. are slogging .. will be relaxing 19. would have finished .. will need .. will be ..
have finished .. will have .. arrives 20. gets .. will have retired .. will have been working
2.
1. sees .. is going to tell / will tell .. will do / is going to do .. will just dither 2. will soon be able .. will be living ..
will be eating .. will be doing .. will have replaced .. (will have) taken over 3. will have been married .. are they
celebrating / are they going to celebrate .. is taking / is going to take .. are having / are going to have 4. get ..
will leave / will have left .. is going .. are 5. does your train leave .. leaves .. will have to / am going to have to
.. am picking up / am going to pick up 6. won’t be able to .. will be staying / am going to stay / am staying ..
solve / have solved 7. are coming / will be coming / are going to come 8. passes 9. Will you have read .. will
start .. get .. will probably be reading .. am still .. will drop .. make .. will need / will be needing 10. will be
working 11. will be .. will be able to .. will benefit .. will break away .. take over 12. are going to knock 13. are
going .. is going to look after / is looking after / will be looking after 14. Shall I open 15. land .. will have been
16. will have sent 17. will have .. are you going to have / will you have 18. will book .. like 19. aren’t using /
aren’t going to use .. will take 20. will have been waiting 21. goes .. will leave / will be leaving .. will be
sleeping .. arrive .. will have died 22. will be travelling 23. am doing / am going to do .. will give .. won’t be
able to .. am going to see / am seeing / will be seeing .. will catch 24. will do 25. will have been staying
3.
1. a 2. a 3. b 4. c 5. a 6. c 7. b 8. a 9. b 10. c 11. b
4.
1. will have left by the time we get 2. is going to have a baby 3. is arriving/going to be on the nine o’clock 4.
is having a party 5. are going to come to Rome next week and/so 6. told me he was going to stay here 7. will
have been married (for) thirty years 8. (that) she will be feeling exhausted 9. she would have written the
report by the time she left 10. is going to be
5. (possible answers)
1. possible / you have/get them. 2. will be lying 3. is going to be 4. will have 5. will have left / will leave 6. will
be staying / is going to be staying / is staying 7. are you going to do / are you doing / will you be doing 8. will
go 9. you doing / are you going to be doing / are you going to do 10. am leaving / am going to leave / will be
leaving 11. will have finished / will still be 12. will have been working
7.
1. living 2. Damage 3. increased 4. less 5. consumption 6. using 7. faster 8. learnt 9. employment 10. unsafe
11. used 12. average 13. becoming 14. Rising 15. problems
8.
1: c 2: d 3: c 4: a 5: d

UNIT 5
1.
1: e 2: n 3: g 4: h 5: m 6: a 7: b 8: r 9: c 10: p 11: f 12: j 13: i 14: o 15: k 16: l 17: q 18: d
2.
1. treated .. would be 2. boil .. turns 3. had found .. would have been 4. had .. might repair 5. phone .. will you
be 6. are not using .. put 7. rains .. are going to have 8. hadn’t fallen .. might have won 9. have finished .. will
give 10. need .. call 11. had apologised 12. Had he been .. would have forgiven 13. hadn’t broken down ..
would be lying 14. Would you give .. won 15. were 16 went 17. would have been .. had shown 18. had been

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holding .. wouldn’t have taken 19. wouldn’t use .. used .. would understand 20. would come .. had done ..
would be
3.
1. had known .. would have prepared 2. help .. will do / helped .. would do 3. go .. will miss 4. had gone 5.
hadn’t worked .. wouldn’t be 6. would you feel .. offered / will you feel .. offer 7. would buy .. had 8. is tapping
/ taps .. means 9. goes .. will be 10. Will you keep .. find / Would you keep .. found 11. has already bought ..
won’t be 12. break .. will have .. broke .. would harm 13. would happen .. ran .. would use 14. hadn’t had to ..
would be giving / would give 15. doesn’t lose .. will turn out 16. hadn’t drunk 17. hadn’t started .. wouldn’t
have been 18. had saved .. wouldn’t be 19. were .. wouldn’t accept .. wouldn’t be offering .. weren’t 20. could
find 21. didn’t ask
4.
1. arrives .. will catch 2. had installed .. wouldn’t have happened 3. is working / works .. won’t have 4. hadn’t
taken .. wouldn’t be 5. would turn 6. wouldn’t crack 7. weren’t going / didn’t go / wasn’t going .. were / was /
had been .. would ask / would have asked 8. have booked /book .. make 9. hadn’t distracted / been
distracting .. would have checked 10. could afford .. spend .. will be unable / spent .. would be unable
5.
1: c 2: a 3: c 4: b 5: b 6: c 7: a 8: b 9: a
6. (possible answers)
1. If you didn’t go to bed late, you wouldn’t be so sleepy in the morning. 2. I would have heard you if I hadn’t
been listening to my walkman. 3. He wishes he had gone on to university. 4. If you were to apologise, she
would forgive you. 5. It’s high time you made your bed in the morning. 6. If somebody had told him about the
meeting, he would have come. 7. If you press this button, the machine starts / will start. 8. Had he
remembered it was her birthday, he would have sent her a card. 9. Should you see Tom, tell him I’m
expecting to see him next week. 10. If only the police would do something about those people making a
terrible noise every night. 11. He wishes he could find another job with better prospects. 12. If he hadn’t
helped, I wouldn’t have been able to solve the problem. 13. She wishes he wouldn’t telephone her at night.
14. If he hadn’t fallen off his horse at the last fence, he won have won the race. 15. I’d rather you ate less
fatty food.16. If Sue hadn’t helped (me), I wouldn’t have been able to install the programme. 17. He wishes
he weren’t / wasn’t so fat. 18. Unless you stop harassing me, I’ll speak to the boss. 19. I wish he wouldn’t
keep on using my computer, it drives me round the bend! 20. It’s time we left.
7.
1. scientific 2. Theoretically 3. to clone 4. shared 5. brought 6. strangely 7. appearance 8. immortality 9.
tempted 10. related 11. directly 12. engineering 13. beings 14. specifications 15. existed 16. cloning 17.
knowledge 18. commercial 19. possibility 20. frightening

UNIT 6
1.
1. is used 2. was being repaired – will be finished 3. were arrested 4. will be called off 5. have been opened
6. were manufactured 7. have been made 8. would be rushed 9. was welcomed 10. Are the rooms cleaned
11. Were you told / Have you been told 12. is being constructed .. is finished .. will be opened 13. had been
sent 14. will be sacked 15. will have been developed 16. has already been sold 17. was announced .. has
been used .. will be scrapped / is going to be scrapped/has been scrapped? 18. has been reported .. have
been killed 19. have been programmed / are programmed .. are fitted / have been fitted 20. was caused ..
was booed .. had been performed / was being performed .. had been rewarded
2.
1. I think I’m being followed. 2. It is said the murder weapon was found in his bedroom. 3. By the end of the
year, inflation will have been reduced. 4. This puzzle can’t be solved. 5. She is believed to have got married
in secret. 6. The meeting is to be held on Monday. 7. All the questions had to be answered. 8. When was this
bridge built? 9. You must have been frightened. 10. The suspects were being followed. 11. He’s thought to
be staying in New York. 12. The missing keys couldn’t be found. 13. The design won’t have been finished in
time for the deadline. 14. He was made to come home early on weekdays when he was attending school.
15. A lot of fuss was being made over nothing. 16. He wasn’t invited to speak. 17. He is believed to have
emigrated to Australia. 18. She is always made to do overtime on Fridays. 19. She is understood to be
holidaying in Greece. 20. What has been done to my computer?
3.
1. on – Punctuality is insisted on. 2. on – The patient may have to be operated on. 3. out – By the time the
firemen arrived, the fire had already been put out. 4. into – The prince was turned into a frog by the witch. 5.
from – The squatters are going to be evicted from the house. 6. in – This application form must be filled in. 7.
away with – Capital punishment should be done away with completely. 8. at – I don’t like being stared at. 9.
off – The open-air concert may have to be called off. 10. off – 10% was taken off the bill. 11. out – on –
Several possibilities were ruled out before a course of action was decided on. 12. up – You will be picked up

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at the hotel at ten by a chauffeur. 13. off – The boy was let off because it was his first offence. 14. into – The
matter is being looked into. 15. down – The old factory has been knocked down because it was dangerous.
4.
1. remembers – being horrified – were killed – were injured 2. has been – has been conducted – have been
bludgeoned – were declared – turned – would ensue – were suspended 3. caused – were unveiled – was
commissioned – had been set up 4. was given – is being sold – was built – fronts – was lived – became –
has been converted 5. were called – was buried – actually found – bought – merely covered – forgot –
remembered – was redesigning – would blow / would be blown – were built – got – would come – take –
were flown – was set – failed – was finally discovered 6. was / has been recently hit – swept – were sucked –
were left – is estimated – left – was injured 7. has been broken – succeeded – was done – began – was
carried – finally finished – was witnessed – verified – have been sent 8. will be reduced – will use – will be
built – will be regulated 9. was renovating – uncovered – had been painted – covered – was persuaded –
was consulted – said – could be removed – being damaged – would fetch 10. is / has been foreseen – will
have disappeared – will have been replaced – pay – will be inserted – will be transferred
5.
1. They had fitted cupboards made. 2. Harry had his leg broken in a skiing accident. 3. She hasn’t had her
car washed for a long time. 4. He has had his scooter stolen. 5. He is going to have one of his wisdom teeth
taken out tomorrow. 6. She had the fruit trees pruned. 7. He’s having his suit dry-cleaned next week. 8. He is
having his house painted. 9. We could have had /got the goods delivered ( to us). 10. They are going to have
/ get their car serviced next week.
6. (see tape script)
7.
1. need handling / need to be handled 2. was broken down with 3. am going to have an oddjobber put up 4.
was being unpacked 5. is thought to have signed 6. doesn’t have his house broken into 7. had been decided
8 was made to apologise 9. is known to be spying 10. More could have been done 11. had her left leg
broken 12. was considered to be spending 13. managed to get the decorating finished 14. had his car towed
away (by the police) because it was parked 15. got the attic cleaned out 16. hasn’t been heard from 17. are
to be shown 18. get your suit ironed 19. is said to have married her 20. were you told

UNIT 7
1
1. spending 2. to go .. staying .. do .. to rent .. having 3. to stop .. eating .. changing .. to cut down 4. to raid ..
put .. eating 5. to check 6. to look .. to improvise 7. camping .. to pack .. to put .. buying .. to make .. getting
8. working .. teaching .. doing .. working .. not earning .. to keep 9. to drink .. drinking .. to have .. telling 10.
asking .. not being bowled .. to wear .. to have .. to do 11. to be .. flying .. swooping .. grinning .. landing ..
sitting .. to hear / hearing .. scream / screaming .. to hum .. to get .. to look .. to accelerate .. to misjudge .. to
realise .. to make .. look .. head 12. come .. playing .. sleeping 13. to travel .. promising .. not to know .. to go
14. going .. having .. squeaking .. to make .. catch .. milk .. complaining 15. watching / to watch .. breaking ..
going .. getting 16. to look .. improvising 17. working .. not earning 18. to use .. reading .. to waste 19.
making .. working 20. not accepting .. moving
2. (possible answers)
1. I regret to inform / tell you that you haven’t got the right qualifications for this job. 2. John appears to have
forgotten he was meant to meet us / It appears (that) John has forgotten ... 3. The suspect denied killing /
that he had killed the shop manager. 4. She tends to exaggerate on occasion. 5. He can’t stand getting up
early. 6. See that you lock the door when you leave. 7. Jim agreed to meet Sam at the station. 8. Her boss
let her leave early on Friday. 9. I meant to speak to her myself but it slipped my mind. 10. He regretted not
keeping his temper. / losing his temper. 11. She felt (that) he wasn’t telling the truth. 12. I couldn’t help
laughing when he slipped on the ice. 13. I just happened to see him taking the money. 14. I long to meet her.
15. She like to do the housework on Saturday mornings. 16. She was made to help in the house when she
was a child. 17. I stopped working to have a ten-minute break. 18. He’s too used to getting his own way. 19. I
heard (that) Tom and Sue have broken up. 20. She threatened to report him if he did it again.
3. (possible answers)
1. mind 2. managed 3. expect / plan 4. Don’t forget / Remember 5. mean to do / intend doing / intend to do 6.
demanded 7. expect 8. meeting / seeing 9. something cooking / burning 10. is not worth 11. stopped 12.
remember to book 13. to let 14. regret to inform 15. stand / bear doing 16. working / being 17. telling / having
told / that you told 18. introducing ... to explain 19. making / having made 20. shaking
4. (possible answers)
1. It makes me sneeze. 2. He would advise me to go on a diet. 3. I will fail to pass the exam. 4. They keep
making mistakes. 5. It means taking tourists round countries and cities to see the sights. 6. They’re always
complaining about feeling ill. 7. I’d like to go on to ...... 8. They’re arrested for stealing from shops. 9. He’s
skilful at making articles in pottery. 10. I must try not to spend it.
5.

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1. b) 2. b) 3. c) 4. a) 5. a) 6. c) 7. b) 8. a) 9. a)
6.
1 stranded 2 pick up 3 made it to 4 to make matters worse 5 run off with 6 get in touch with 7 on the whole 8
scary 9 fuss and bother 10 refund

UNIT 8
1.
1. c) 2. b) 3. b) 4. d) 5. c) 6. b) 7. a) 8. b) 9. c) 10. b) 11. a) 12. c) 13. a) 14. b) 15. d)
2.
1. took – had been staking – endeavoured – to steal – broke – began – to remove / removing – went –
started – cutting / to cut – was found – to contain – had forgotten – to turn – said – heard – scream – saw –
running 2. Does your son know – is going to do / will be doing / is doing – has decided – is going to backpack
/ is backpacking / will be backpacking – returns – is going / will be going 3. will she do / would she do – finds
/ found – is seeing – will probably tell – is 4. to avoid – crashing – happen – to have – seems – to be – to
avoid – was learnt – being thrown – skidded – collided – managed – to drag – tried – to flag – spent – waving
– bothered – to stop – were passing – would have been – was – admitted – felt – had stopped - to help –
would have missed 5. Do you think – will have been discovered / will be discovered 6. made – had been –
turned – to be – is trying – to trace – haven’t had 7. hadn’t been finished – would have made – work –
wouldn’t be lying 8. has been – started – was patrolling – received – had been spotted – would have been
daunted – called – demanded – to be ferried – were subsequently arrested – has been hailed / was hailed –
will always be 9. will he have worked – retires – is really looking – retiring 10. feel – aren’t doing – to
apprehend – will be gratified – was fined – eating – was driving – was signalled – to stop – was doing –
feared – would receive – had been driving – eating – had been unwrapped – was cautioned – issued –
admitted – had been – didn’t threaten – had been – wouldn’t have got
3.
1. have died 2. was revealed 3. were charged 4. to do 5. came out 6. to have been killed 7. paying 8.
included 9. were suffocated 10. caught 11. were found 12. was frozen 13. were drowned 14. were crossing
15. overturned 16. carried 17. is convinced 18. was stabbed 19. fell 20. was paying 21. appeared 22. were
charged 23. were remanded 24. will appear 25. is charged 26. has risen 27. had reached 28. is caught 29. is
going to invest / is investing / will be investing 30. to carry out 31. to create 32. would target 33. are believed
34. are divided 35. have jumped
4.
1. immigrants 2. figures 3. stowaways 4. traffickers 5. came out 6. clandestine 7. exorbitant 8. bound for 9.
suffocated 10. heading for 11. decomposing 12. corpses 13. drowned 14. overturned 15. stabbed 16.
conspiracy 17. remanded in custody 18. manslaughter 19. scale 20. make it past 21. x-ray scanner 22.
blame 23. claim 24. carry out 25. task force 26. target 27. ethnic 28. jumped unto the bandwagon
5.
1. c) 2. c) 3. a) 4. b) 5. b) 6. a) 7. b) 8. b
6. (possible answers)
1. The price of the ticket doesn’t include transfer from the airport to your hotel. 2. Your application is being
discussed. 3. How long have they been married? 4. That old film always makes me cry. 5. We will be having
a meeting next week. 6. She hasn’t had a holiday for ages. 7. He wishes he had apologised. 8. He didn’t use
to like going to the theatre. 9. After eating / they had eaten, they went out. 10. They couldn’t help suspecting
him.11. The suspect was being questioned. 12. He has never been to the USA before. 13. Bill denied
breaking the window. 14. If I hadn’t been concentrating on my book, I would have heard him arrive. 15. Tom
was having a bath when she arrived. 16. It has been raining for six hours. 17. If you didn’t eat so much trash
food, you wouldn’t be spotty. 18. He was going to phone her but he forgot. 19. He’s used to her disagreeing
with him. 20. This printer won’t work. 21. She can’t afford to go on holiday this year. 22. She wishes he
wouldn’t contradict her in public. 23. The decorating will have been finished by next week. 24. He might have
been told they were going to leave early. 25. She accused Tom of taking her bike.

UNIT 9
1.
1. a, 2. a, 3. c, 4. b,5. b, 6. d, 7. b, 8. b, 9. a, 10. c,11. b, 12. d, 13. c, 14. b, 15. a, 16. b
2.
1. can’t have arrived – should get 2. must be having 3. may / might be – must / have to / will have to 4.
couldn’t / wasn’t able to come – had to go 5. may / might / could be sitting 6. had been able to phone –
couldn’t / wasn’t able to get – must have been 7. might have warned 8. could / might / may have had 9.
should have posted 10. must have left 11. have to turn / should turn – mustn’t / can’t take 12. should have
arrived – may / might be caught – may / might be working – can’t be – must / may / might / could have had –
may / might be lying 13. has to be sent / is to be sent / must be sent 14. Did he have to pay 15. to be able to

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drive – being able to drive – can be – have to rely – must / have to fly – would have had to take 16. must
have been eaten – should have hidden 17. should be writing 18. must have been – could hear 19. shouldn’t
have answered – will have to find 20. don’t have to shout 21. may / might / could have forgotten – may /
might think / have thought – may / might not have forgotten – may / might / could give – may / might / could
be planning / have planned 22. may / might / could be trying 23. may / might / could have happened – may /
might not have left 24. must be thinking 25. may / might / could be working
3.
1. do – have to / need to leave – don’t have to / needn’t / don’t need to go – have to / need to / must do 2.
has to have 3. must / have to learn – had to clean 4. have to / must taste – have to / must book 5. mustn’t
take/have taken 6. to have to tell 7. needn’t have made 8. has never had to pull 9. must / will have to watch
10. would have to wear 11. needn’t / don’t have to / mustn’t worry 12. didn’t have to / need to look 13. must
be working 14. Did he have to offend 15. mustn’t open
4.
1: b 2: c 3: a 4: a 5: c 6: c 7: b 8: b 9: b 10: c 11: a 12: c
5. (possible answers)
1. They can’t have been funny. 2. She must have been embarrassed. 3. She must / may / might / could be
having a baby. 4. She should have got up when the alarm went off. 5. The shop must be closing. 6. It can’t
be raining. 7. It could have knocked him off his bike. 8. It can’t have been cleaned. 9. He must / may / could
be a foreigner. 10. He may / might be talking to his girlfriend.
6. (possible answers)
1. You had better go by train, … 2. You can’t have seen Julie yesterday. 3. You’re bound to have a good
time in California. 4. He was to have gone to Rome … 5. Joe might / may not have taken your dictionary. 6.
She should stay in bed until … 7. You shouldn’t have borrowed her CD without leave. 8. He must have been
relieved when he … 9. He may / might / could be sleeping. 10. He needn’t have stayed up … 11. They may /
might have missed the train. 12. I didn’t have to pay for … 13. He might have given me more time to prepare.
14. He can’t be working, it’s Sunday! 15. They should be arriving any moment now. 16. Visitors are to vacate
rooms … / Rooms are to be vacated … 17. We had better phone him instead … 18. You needn’t have taken
me to the station, … 19. He may / might have spoken without thinking. 20. She can’t have studied Japanese
at school.

UNIT 10
1.
1. (D) They didn’t enjoy the play they went to see last week. 2. (ND) A friend of mine, whose parents live
near the sea, invited me to spend a week with him. 3. (ND) Pete, who had been a policeman for twenty
years, now works with young people whose childhood has been difficult. 4. (D) Is this the gentleman
who/that wishes to see me? 5. (ND) Al Capone, whose family came from Sicily, was a notorious Mafia boss.
6. (ND) The castle, which was built in the twelfth century, is said to be haunted by the spirit of a man who/
that threw his wife off the top of the tower. 7. (D) Anyone who/that witnessed the accident should report to
the nearest police station. 8. (ND.) Coffee, which is grown for export, is their principal crop. 9. (ND) Agatha
Christie, whose crime and mystery novels are still popular, died in the mid 70s. 10. (D) I don’t believe the
story she told us. 11. (D) The car in which the robbers had made a get-away was later found abandoned. 12.
(D) A ring road which/that would connect all the suburbs would be a great amenity. 13. (ND) A parcel, which
was addressed to John, was delivered yesterday. 14. (ND) His flat, which was rather small, overlooked the
main road. 15. (D) The man whose photo had been identified by the witness was arrested by the police who
charged him with breaking and entering. 16. (D) The computer programme they installed last week doesn’t
seem to work very well. 17. (D) The person I spoke to said there would be no extra charge for the repairs to
the stereo which / that had resulted from faulty wiring. 18. (ND) David’s mother, who likes dogs, has offered
to take one of the puppies. 19. (ND) Exeter, which is a cathedral town, is always full of tourists in summer.
20. (ND) Mr Brown, for whom you are waiting, has unfortunately been delayed.
2.
1. The man she worked for was rather unpleasant. 2. The mattress whose springs were broken was thrown
away. / The mattress with the broken springs was thrown away. 3. The dog, whose tail was wagging
furiously, leapt towards his master with joy. / The dog, with a furiously wagging tail, leapt towards his master
with joy. 4. The boy she was staring at went bright red. 5. John is the boy she spoke to.
3.
1. Students absenting themselves from … 2. Money once spent cannot be spent again. 3. Wood pulp used
for making paper … 4. There are now mobile telephones enabling users … 5. The engineers bought from
England … 6. The missing dog found wondering … 7. The town lying on the other side … 8. The car used in
the robbery had been stolen … 9. She received an e-mail inviting her to the conference. 10. Anyone
requiring further information …
4.

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1. Tom seems the most unlikely person to have the book you want. 2. Do you know of a quiet hotel for me to
stay in for a week? 3. The police were investigating the most serious crime to ever take place / to have ever
taken place here. 4. This is a possibility for you to remember. 5. Working underground in a mine is not the
way for a man with his health problems to live. 6. The next person to drop in was an old colleague of mine. 7.
The only thing for them to do at that point was to phone the police. 8. Have you a book for Sue to read in
bed? 9. The parts (for you) to read carefully are highlighted. 10. Nothing has happened to make me change
my mind.
5.
1. which 2. where 3. What 4. how .. when 5. why 6. which 7. where 8. how .. which 9. when 10. What .. why
6.
1. Whoever booked your ticket has made a mistake in the date. 2. However hard they try to cover up, they
are to blame. 3. I try to find time to go to the theatre whenever I have the opportunity. 4. Wherever you go on
holiday, don’t forget to send a postcard. 5. Whenever I try to bend down, my back hurts. 6. Whichever book
you borrow, bring it back next week. 7. Whatever has happened, I insist on speaking to him. 8. Whoever
made this mess, it has to be cleaned up immediately. 9. Whenever he drops in, they always make him
welcome. 10. However much she tries to satisfy him, he always finds something wrong.
7.
1: b 2: b 3: c 4: a 5: b 6: c 7: a 8: c 9: b 10: b
8. (possible answers)
1. Tony, whose wife works with me, lives in Newport, which is on the south coast of Wales. 2. Jack, whose
car had broken down, had to take a bus. 3. The painting stolen last year was found in the boot of a car
abandoned outside the police station. 4. The house you are looking for is on the moor which is haunted by
the ghost with eyes of fire of a highwayman who was hanged in the seventeenth century. 5. I finally bought
some shoes at the shoe shop on the corner of May Street and Peeps Avenue where I had gone first. 6. Two
people, neither of whom had the right qualifications, applied for the job. 7. Malnutrition, which is largely due
to overeating of refined carbohydrates, is the most endemic disease of the Western world. 8. The next train
arriving at platform ten is the six thirty to Brighton which is running fifteen minutes late. 9. A lot of artists
whose work doesn’t sell while they’re alive become famous after their death. 10. Claire, who / whom I have
known for over twenty years, is my best friend. 11. She lent me a book written by a friend of hers who / that
lives in Scotland. 12. I was told that the boss had taken the day off, which cheered me up considerably. 13.
The footballer who had argued with the referee was sent off. 14. The man whose wife was murdered has
been arrested by the police who think he killed her to get the insurance money. 15. The next person to
approach us had a strong Scottish accent. 16. Some people say that professional football players, whose
professional lives are very short, are too highly paid. 17. They were discussing the latest royal scandal
reported in the Sunday newspaper, in which I was not interested / which I was not interested in. 18. The
fastest passenger aircraft which / that operates regularly is the Concorde, which was the result of French-
British co-operation. 19. Gamma radiation, which is a by-product of nuclear power, is potentially dangerous.
20. An explosive device made by the expert captured by the police was found in the parcel.

UNIT 11
1.
1. asked .. say 2. said 3. say .. said .. tell 4. to say 5. ask 6. say .. asked .. tell 7. asked .. told 8. was telling ..
told 9. said 10. was telling .. told
2. (possible answers)
1. She told him they were leaving the following week. 2. John told Sue her letter had arrived the day before.
3. His grandmother told him to go straight home and not to dilly-dally on the way. 4. She asked him what he
had done so far that day. 5. He exclaimed that he had never been so embarrassed in his life. 6. Diana told
the shop assistant she had left her umbrella there the Wednesday before. 7. She asked him if he had wanted
to speak to her. 8. She said she wished she had been born rich. 9. He said he might have to catch the bus
the next day. 10. Chris asked Tony if he had ever eaten snails. 11. Jim told her he always went / goes to the
gym on Mondays. 12. She asked if she should do the washing up. / She offered to do the washing up. 13.
The bank robber threatened to shoot the manager unless he unlocked the safe. 14. The director asked him
why he had applied for that job. 15. They told her to wait there until they got back. 16. Tom told Wendy he
would be working late that night unless she gave him a hand. 17. She asked the salesman how the
camcorder worked. 18. Frank told her he couldn’t remember where he had put his keys. 19. He asked her if
she was feeling ill. 20. He said he had to go then or he would be late.
3. (possible answers)
1. Can I go home earlier this evening? 2. Don’t be silly! Get on with your homework. 3. I’m sorry I didn’t
phone you last night. 4. I must go to Bonn next week. 5. I didn’t stab and rob the old man. 6. Let’s go / How
about going somewhere exotic for our holidays. 7. Will you meet me here at the same time tomorrow? 8. I
should see a doctor about that cough. 9. No, I won’t work overtime on Friday evening. 10. Use the other
phone, please. 11. Ugh! This spaghetti’s overcooked. 12. Don’t go too near the money cage, it could be

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dangerous. 13. I’ll be here on time tomorrow, I promise. 14. I haven’t been able to finish the work because I
don’t feel very well. 15. May I use your computer for a few hours?
4.
1. I wonder if/whether our team will win the championship. 2. Do you know where I can find a book about
photography? 3. Do you happen to know if/whether Joe received my fax? 4. Have you any idea who that
woman in the funny hat is? 5. I wonder if/whether he’ll have finished moving in by next month. 6. Do you
mind telling me how long you’ve been back? 7. Have you any idea where he’s going? 8. Would you mind
lending me some money? 9. Can you tell me if/whether the repairs will have been done by the end of the
month? 10. She wondered whether/if he went swimming every day.
5.
1. Pete to buy some bread on the/his 2. telling / having told / that she had told / she had told 3. going away /
(that) they should go / they go 4. John on the/his brilliant 5. he had not justified 6. making / having made /
(that) he/she had made 7. to pick her up 8. Carol not to press Joe for 9. to arrive in time to take Jill/her /
(that) he would arrive in time to take Jill/her 10. for offending her
6.
1: b 2: c 3: b 4: a 5: b 6: a 7: b 8: c 9: b 10: a
7. (possible answers)
1. He refused to let her use his car. 2. He explained that he hadn’t heard her because he was a bit hard of
hearing. 3. He advised her not to believe everything he said. 4. He ordered her not to move until he told her
to. 5. He complained that it was too hot in there. 6. He threatened to hit her unless she kept quiet. 7. He
urged her to make an effort. 8. He suggested going / they went / they should go away for the weekend. 9. He
congratulated her on winning first prize in the lottery which was a holiday in Madrid. 10. He denied doing
anything wrong. / He denied having done anything wrong. 11. He apologised for not letting her know the
news earlier. 12. He reminded her to phone when she arrived. 13. He invited her to the theatre. 14. He
promised he would be very careful with her CD. 15. He offered to look after the children while she was out.
16. He asked if she had ever had to eat such a foul meal. 17. He boasted that his father was the richest man
in that town. 18. He warned her not to touch that button as it set off the alarm. 19. He screamed that there
was a snake in the bedroom. 20. He whispered to her to be quiet or she would wake the baby and it had
taken him ages to get him off to sleep.
8.
1: h 2: n 3: a 4: k 5: d 6: p 7: q 8: r 9: g 10: i 11: f 12: c 13: o 14: e 15: m 16: j 17: b 18: l

UNIT 12
1.
1. near .. in .. across .. on .. on .. in .. out of .. in 2. at .. in .. until .. around .. in .. In the end .. to .. on 3. in ..
on .. over .. in 4. by .. on 5. between .. across 6 up .. yet .. to 7. at .. in front of 8. on .. at the end 9. to .. in ..
off 10. since .. in
2.
1. -- .. on .. under .. next to / beside .. in .. out of .. -- .. in .. behind / at .. -- .. on 2. in .. by .. along / on 3. at ..
into .. through .. past .. to .. in .. -- .. after .. -- .. from .. -- .. to 4. on .. through / out of .. in .. above .. against ..
between .. through .. out .. onto .. below / underneath .. around / round .. across .. through .. at .. through .. in
.. -- / over .. -- .. -- .. along .. for .. at .. in .. out of .. back .. round .. until .. to 5. up .. to / towards .. in .. in .. into
.. around / round .. at .. over .. beneath / under .. in front of .. in .. behind .. on .. from .. outside .. by / at .. up
.. in .. out of .. in .. round .. up .. down .. for .. at .. on .. at
3.
1. in the end 2. Nowadays 3. soon / presently 4. early 5. recently 6. presently / soon 7. by 8. afterwards 9.
one day 10. Once .. after 11. At the end 12. on time .. late
4.
1. in a few minutes 2. time and time again 3. in the nick of time 4. for hours on end 5. the other day 6. one at
a time 7. once and for all 8. all day long
5.
1. out of breath 2. in common 3. out of my depth 4. without fail 5. on the house 6. on my mind 7. by mistake
8. in principle .. in practice 9. out of the question 10. in vain
6.
1. On behalf of 2. in full swing 3. for ransom 4. at random 5. off his head 6. in two minds 7. in the nude 8. out
of order 9. in touch 10. in the mood
7.
1. out of the blue 2. in the clouds .. down to earth 3. off your chest 4. without a break 5. under your breath 6.
on a diet 7. off colour 8. by heart 9. in his shoes 10. in your own interest
8.
1. of 2. at / by 3. on 4. at .. from .. of 5. after .. of 6. with .. of 7. of .. with 8. to .. out with for 9. in .. in 10. to ..
about .. before 11. to 12. for 13. on 14. with .. in .. out 15. about .. with 16. of .. on .. in 17. of .. about .. about

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18. on .. with .. on / about .. about .. of 19. for 20. of .. from 21. against .. for .. in 22. of .. for 23. about 24. of
.. to .. without 25. between .. in .. with 26. of .. of 27. from 28. like .. after 29. about .. to 30. with
9.
1. to comply with ... with / about 2. arguing about ... for 3. with ... for ... would remind .... of / about 4. was
prevented . from 5. see to ... by 6. At ... adapting to 7. blamed ... on ... of ... to choose / to have chosen 8.
confided in ... off 9. suspected ... of .. charged ... with 10. rely on
10.
1: b 2: a 3: d 4: c 5: a 6: c 7: b 8: b 9: c 10: c 11: a 12: d 13: a 14: c 15: b 16: b 17: d 18: d 19: b 20: b

UNIT 13
1.
1. the 2. – 3. a 4. – 5. -- .. a / --.. a .. -- .. the .. -- .. -- .. the .. -- .. -- .. -- .. -- .. a .. --/a 6. a .. the .. some/-- .. –
7. the .. a .. the .. the .. the .. the .. a 8. A .. -- .. -- .. a .. -- .. -- .. a .. A .. -- .. -- .. the .. -- .. -- .. – 9. --/some .. --
.. a .. -- .. a .. – .. the .. a .. – 10. the .. -- .. -- .. the .. a 11. the 12. The .. the .. the 13. a .. a .. some/-- .. the
14. the 15. the .. the .. – 16. the .. – .. the .. a .. a 17. some .. the .. some .. the 18. -- .. a 19. an .. some 20.
some/--
2. (possible answers)
1. food 2. mischief 3. health 4. Rubbish/Trash 5. traffic 6. advice 7. Research 8. music 9. luggage 10.
furniture 11. work 12. damage 13. practice/training 14. weather 15. progress 16. homework 17.
accommodation 18. hair 19. paper 20. innocence/guilt 21. information 22. help 23. unemployment .. work 24.
Thunder 25. bravery
3.
1. speck 2. rasher 3. burst 4. splinter 5. state 6. breath 7. sheet 8. stroke 9. loaf 10. fit
4. (possible answers)
1. outskirts 2. ruins 3. savings 4. customs 5. clothes 6. goods 7. scales 8. scissors 9. funds 10. news
5.
1. All 2. every 3. either 4. everything 5. no 6. neither 7. each 8. none 9. Every 10. all 11. No 12. each
6.
1. None of the glasses is clean. 2. Neither of the applicants was suitable for the job. 3. All I had for supper
was an egg. 4. There was no food left. 5. All you need now is a passport. 6. Each person brought
sandwiches for the journey. 7. I didn’t like either of the two men. 8. Each of us is to blame for what
happened.
7.
1: n 2: k 3: m 4: l 5: c 6: b 7: d 8: h 9: o 10: g 11: i 12: f 13: j 14: a 15: e
8.
1. a) 2. b) 3. b) 4. c) 5. a) 6. c) 7. b) 8. c) 9. b) 10. c)
UNIT 14
1. (possible answers)
1. longer 2. the 3. as .. just .. is 4. by 5. same 6. much .. better 7. more .. more 8. as .. does 9. further 10.
little 11. less .. better 12. as 13. higher 14. best 15. as 16. than .. less .. does 17. any 18. much .. as .. had
19. fewer 20. better .. more .. much / far
2. (possible answers)
1. The more you practise, the better you’ll get. 2. Computers aren’t nearly as expensive as they used to be.
3. Other products on the market are more expensive than ours. 4. Their car is far more economical than
ours. 5. No other film has won as many Oscars. 6. John is (just) as old as Philip. 7. Philip is the best
swimmer at school. 8. It rains more in the Lake District than it does here. 9. My school is much further away
than his. 10. Can’t you do any better? 11. Learning how to use a computer was easier than she expected.
12. No-one else I know plays tennis as well as Ron. / I don’t know anyone else who plays as well as Ron. 13.
The colder it gets, the less he goes out of the house. 14. That is the worst film I’ve ever seen. 15. Steward is
the laziest person in my family. 16. As far as many of our customers are concerned, quality is more important
than price. 17. Women usually live longer than men. 18. You’ll have to drive faster. 19. I am the oldest of my
sisters. 20. Katy tried as hard as she could. 21. That CD cost more than this. 22. I’ve never seen such a
funny film. 23. The more you drink, the tipsier you get. 24. Pete was getting more and more muddled. 25.
The sooner you leave the better.
3. (only possible stereotype answers - adjectives once considered traditionally male/female have
become ‘unisex’. In the end, whether an adjective is to be considered male or female is subjective)
men: muscular, powerful
women: blonde, clinging, delicate, hysterical, plain, pretty, submissive, sweet
both: active, aggressive, assertive, assertive, brave, cold, cute, domineering, elegant, emotional, gentle,
passive, raving, ruthless, slim, sly, strong, tender, thoughtful, weak
4. (see script)
5.

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1. retirement 2. decline 3. overall 4. aging 5. mortality 6. claimed 7. widespread 8. ignorance 9. rates 10.
expectation
6. (possible answers)
1. Britain and Western industrialised countries are mentioned. 2. It means that there is a greater percentage
of the population over retirement age, and a smaller percentage of young people. 3. Because people didn’t
live long enough to grow old. 4. Many illnesses and diseases have been defeated by medical science and
food has improved in quality and quantity. 5. The decline in the death rate and increased life expectation
mean that people are living longer and more are reaching old age. 6. Probably because of ignorance, lack of
reliable anti-contraceptive methods and because there was a high infant mortality rate. 7. Probably both
wide-spread knowledge of better anti-contraceptive methods and the cost of having and bringing up children
have influenced the size of families.

UNIT 15
1.
1. While 2. Although 3. such 4. In spite of 5. so 6. either ... or 7. Therefore 8. so 9. Whereas 10. So few 11.
As 12. so 13. to buy 14. whereas 15. Nevertheless 16. Due to 17. so that 18. As well as 19. actually 20. In
the end
2.
1. Despite / In spite of 2. So that 3. As / Since 4. Although / Even though 5. so 6. such 7. too 8. However /
Nevertheless .. too 9. enough 10. Both/so .... and ...... so/therefore/that 11. Although / Even though 12. for
13. In spite of / Despite 14. however / though 15. to 16 so as .. to 17. so little 18. so 19. so as to / in order to /
to 20. enough 21. In spite of / Despite 22. Nevertheless / However 23. whereas / while 24. so many 25. such
26. due to 27. Actually / In fact / As a matter of fact 28. Neither/both .... nor/and 29. Actually, however 30.
enough .... to ....However / Nevertheless / Nonetheless
3. (possible answers)
1. John moved to a new flat to be nearer his office. 2. Jane set her alarm for six since she wanted … 3.
Although it was raining, we … 4. Even though she knows she should apologise, she won’t. 5. The steaks
were so tough (that) we couldn’t eat them. 6. He’s too young to apply for a driving licence. 7. The lecturer
spoke simply enough for everyone to understand. 8. Tom took his shoes off so as not to wake anyone when
… 9. The girl had such a soft voice he could hardly hear her. 10. In spite of his offering / offer to pay for the
goods, they … 11. Even though he likes fishing, he doesn’t like … 12. So many students were ill with flu that
the lesson was put off. 13. The day was so foggy we decided to go by train. 14. Our new house is too small
to accommodate guests overnight. 15. Despite its importance / being important, money has been the least of
our worries. 16. She looks old enough to be his grandmother. 17. He approved of neither her travelling plans
nor her choice of a companion. 18. Ann thought the distance was too far to drive. In the end, she decided to
go by train. 19. I have so little time I can’t take up a sport. 20. Although it’s only four o’clock, I feel hungry
already. 21. They were such clever children (that) they were able to solve … 22. Despite (our) following the
instructions carefully, we couldn’t get … 23. Besides the obvious dangers of climbing such a sheer cliff, there
was the rapidly worsening weather (for them) to consider. / They had to consider the obvious dangers of
climbing such a sheer cliff. Besides, the weather was rapidly worsening. 24. They are actually touring the
Swiss Alps. 25. Both his bad manners and (his) scruffy clothes completely put her parents off.
5.
1: b 2: c 3: c 4: b 5: a 6: a 7: c 8: b 9: c
6.
1. sunk into silence 2. muffled 3. swelling 4. utterly 5. howl 6. wailing 7. shriek 8. exult 9. folly 10. swooning
11. staggered 12. awe 13. toiling 14. decayed 15. gore 16. seduced 17. hangman 18. walled .. up
7. (possible answers)
1. It was the cat. 2. As the sound was so horrible and terrifying. 3. He was so terrified that he almost fainted.
4. It was sitting on top of his wife’s body. 5. He had walled up the cat with his wife’s body.

UNIT 16
1. (possible questions)
1. How many people were (there) 2. Who was having a shower 3. How often does she have her teeth
cleaned 4. What didn’t they know 5. How long has Jim worked 6. What weren’t they prepared for 7. How
many workers are expected 8. Whose phone was lost 9. What did the couple returning to their cottage after
their holiday find / In what condition was their cottage when they returned from their holiday 10. What
happened
2.
1. where you went 2. how fast the car was going 3. how long it was before people 4. how long he has known
5. whether/if he would have told her if he had known 6. what she does for 7. what he did 8. whether / if he
ever travels 9. If / whether he has switched off 10. how long Julia waited for
3.

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B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE ANSWER KEY

1. shall we 2. am I 3. are they 4. wouldn’t you 5. will he 6. will you / won’t you 7. didn’t you 8. has he 9. has it
10. could he 11. will you 12. does he 13. won’t you 14. doesn’t she 15. will you
4. (possible questions)
1. Do / Would you mind telling me where Pete has gone? 2. Let’s go to the cinema (this evening), shall we?
3. Have you got/do you have any idea when Larry will be back? 4. Who has been using my computer? 5.
You don’t like musicals, do you? 6. Do you know how many people are coming to / will be at the party? 7.
You forgot to ......(phone, etc.), didn’t you? 8. Can / Could you tell me when you got home? 9. I wonder
whose mobile phone this is? 10. Do / Would you mind telling me whether Jill was at the meeting on Friday?
5.
1: b 2: c 3: a 4: c 5: b 6: b 7: a 8: c 9: c 10: b
6.
1. Throughout 2. since then 3. now and then 4. By the time 5. As soon as 6. The minute 7. In the meantime
8. the time being 9. by then 10. Shortly
7.
1. a) effect b) affected 2. a) continually b) continuously 3. a) sensible b) sensitive 4. a) shade b) shadow 5.
a) laid b) lie 6. a) principle b) principal 7. a) averse b) adverse 8. a) dessert b) desert 9. a) lose b) loose 10.
a) rising b) raised 11. a) stationery b) stationary 12. a) remind b) remember 13. a) lonely b) alone 14. a)
economical b) economic 15. a) all together b) Altogether 16. a) assent b) ascent 17. a) break b) braked 18.
a) compliment b) complement 19. a) canvas b) canvassing 20. a) currant b) current
8.
1. b) far 2. c) worthless 3. a) tasteful 4. c) slow 5. d) advised 6. b) insensitive 7. b) treating 8. a) refund 9. c)
in the end 10. d) order
9.
1. c) mumbling 2. a) grumbling 3. d) glanced 4. b) yawned 5. d) grinned 6. c) shivering 7. a) sneeze 8. c)
elbow 9. b) strolled 10. b) crashed ....... smashed
10.
1. laid hands on 2. grasp 3. held back 4. rang in their ears 5. yard 6. swooned 7. dawning 8. multitude 9.
beguile 10. quarrelling 11. cluster 12. crossbeam
11. (possible answers)
1. They probably laid hands on him to separate him from Oliver. 2. He cried out loudly and repeatedly. 3.
Probably because he was so shocked and upset. 4. More than an hour passed before Oliver was able to
leave the prison. 5. They saw a crowd of people behaving as though it was a holiday while they were waiting
for the execution. 6. They had come to see the execution.

UNIT 17
1.
1. multipurpose 2. disobedient 3. undercooked 4. overnight 5. misunderstand 6. antibiotic 7. unemployed 8.
unusual 9. unfair 10. subdivision
2. (possible answers)
1. impossible 2. dissatisfied 3. microwave 4. Illegally 5. impartial 6. interact 7. unarmed 8. impractical 9.
underdeveloped 10. undid 11. outlook 12. postcode
3.
1. fitness 2. objections 3. careful 4. lively 5. useless 6. reasonable 7. dangerous 8. childish 9. personal 10.
Motherhood
4. (possible answers)
1. interested 2. Payment 3. necessary 4. laughter 5. imagination 6. intentionally 7. lightning 8. pleasant 9.
imprisonment 10. explanation 11. explosion 12. comfortable 13. applicants 14. reliable 15. actress
5.
1. irritable 2. overrated 3. success 4. multiply 5. penalised 6. infuriating 7. prematurely 8. overdue 9.
comparison 10. widening .... ensure 11. overdone 12. Frozen 13. deceptive 14. transformed 15. competitive
16. disqualified 17. enforcement 18. endangered 19. overworked .... underpaid 20. outlived 21. proof 22.
Insensitive 23. Foretell 24. identify 25. tightened .... shortened
6.
1. handwriting 2. sightseeing 3. comeback 4. write-off 5. output 6. bullet-proof 7. setbacks 8. takeoff 9. rush
hour .. standstill 10. hangover 11. blue-eyed 12. short-sighted 13. blood pressure 14. alarm clock 15.
timetable 16. well-off 17. handcuffs 18. motorway .. windscreen 19. well-behaved 20. absent-minded
7.
1. bystanders 2. outcry 3. overdraft 4. far-fetched 5. off-peak 6. tight-fitting 7. sunglasses 8. airport .. sound
barrier 9. contact lens 10. food poisoning
8.
1. uptake 2. lookout 3. outbreak 4. downfall 5. breakthrough 6. understudy 7. downpour 8. overcast 9.
breakdown 10. withdrawal 11. clearout 12. outlook 13. lie-in 14. turnover 15. uproar

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ANSWER KEY B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE

9.
1: b 2: c 3: b 4: a 5: b 6: b 7: a 8: c 9: c 10: b
10.
1. measurement 2. Deceit / Deception 3. blacken 4. credibility 5. forgery 6. dishonesty 7. evidence 8.
accusation 9. settlement 10. impossible 11. apologise 12. offensive 13. Allegation/s 14 judgement
11.
1 location 2 burial 3 black-hearted, 4 hunchbacked 5 concept 6 notoriety 7 historians 8 infamous 9 reputation
10 unjust 11 propagandists 12 justify 13 ascension 14 archaeologists 15 supposedly 16 unearthed 17 spinal
18 visibly 19 comparison 20 excavation 21 descendant 22 elder / older / eldest / oldest 23 hopeful 24
stunning
12.
1. oldest 2. fishing 3. twelfth 4. fortified 5. growth 6. commercial 7. importance 8. Historic / Historical 9.
entertainment 10. attractions 11. memorable 12. architectural 13. impressive 14. graceful 15. spacious 16.
surrounding 17. introduction 18. charming 19. leading 20. admirable 21. panoramic 22. artistic 23. intellectual
24. thrilled 25. different-coloured 26. remarkable 27. glorious

UNIT 18
1.
1. about / on 2. up 3. across .. out 4. down .. up 5. off 6. off 7. into 8. through 9. under 10. on 11. off/ over 12.
Over / Through 13. on 14. up to 15. up .... out .... up ..... for .... back 16. up 17. off 18. down 19. up 20. up
2.
1: c 2: d 3: a 4: b 5: d 6: a 7: b 8: c 9: a 10: b 11: b 12: c 13: c 14: d 15: a 16: c 17: d 18: b 19: a 20: d 21: b
22: c 23: a 24: b 25: b 26: c 27: b 28: b 29: b 30: c
3.
1. turn 2. was brought 3. will go 4. hadn’t been worn 5. would jump 6. putting 7. knocked 8. were setting / set
9. deal 10. left 11. get 12. told 13. is getting 14. asking 15. was called .. was pouring
4. (possible answers)
1. Tom turned up unexpectedly at the party. 2. Pete and Bill have fallen out again. 3. The match has been
put off till next Saturday. 4. She’s normally a good little girl but she shows off when we have guests. 5. He
was talking to her on his mobile phone when they were cut off. 6. You haven’t carried out my instructions. 7.
If you don’t know what a word means, look it up in the dictionary. 8. I can’t work out this problem. 9. They
have quarrelled but they’ll make it up again by next week, I bet. 10. I must find out what happened.
5. (possible answers)
1. I think I’ll turn down their offer of a job. 2. I’m sorry I let you down. 3. His rudeness put her off (him). 4. The
trade union won’t call off the strike. They’re holding out for more concessions. 5. We came up against a lot of
technical difficulties while making this machine. 6. She’s decided she’s not going to put up with his playing
around any longer. 7. The police are looking into the robbery. 8. What brought about his change of mind? 9.
After his illness he had to do exercises to build up his strength. 10. He aims at being / is aiming at being a
millionaire by the age of thirty.
6.
1. takes after his father 2. you work out / figure out 3. I can get by on what I earn 4. urgent has come up .....
to deal with 5. go through / read through 6. are looking up 7. to chill out 8. blew up 9. was set off 10. to
smooth over the oversight 11. to work out 12. wear out faster / sooner 13. turned it down 14. written off 15.
came up with 16. shall we wind / wrap up 17. takes me back to my childhood 18. is up 19. came up against
20. saw through him 21. was put off by 22. setting up ..... paid off 23. put you up 24. dropped off 25. stop off
overnight 26. broke out 27. has been worked / figured out ....... will bring in 28. broke down 29. was put down
to 30. to get over

UNIT 19
1.
1: g 2: i 3: h 4: c 5: a 6: d 7: j 8: b 9: e 10: f
2.
1. pooh-pooh 2. squatters 3. gobbledegook 4. chock-a-block 5. namby-pamby 6. humdrum 7. topsy-turvy 8.
ad nauseam 9. slapdash 10. tit for tat
3.
1: i 2: h 3: k 4: a 5: l 6: c 7: j 8: e 9: f 10: d 11: b 12: g
4.
1. be nosy 2. pain in the neck 3. was at a loss 4. would move heaven and earth 5. thumb a lift 6. have bitten
off more than you can chew 7. went out like a light 8. are like chalk and cheese 9. be rolling in it 10. on the
spur of the moment 11. once in a blue moon 12. a slip of the tongue
5.

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B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE ANSWER KEY

1. see past the end of his nose 2. let the cat out of the bag 3. keep your head down 4. pitch black 5. give him
a piece of my mind 6. bat an eyelid 7. jumped in with both feet 8. locking the stable door after the horse has
bolted 9. out of sight, out of mind 10. crying over split milk
6.
1. own worst enemy 2. running out of steam 3. in a rut 4. hold the fort 5. leave no stone unturned 6. up to my
eyes 7. in two minds 8. on the blink 9. each other’s guts 10. head over heels in love
7.
2. ........ but it’s easier said than done 3. ........ It’s a case of the blind leading the blind 4. ........ You’re making
a mountain out of a molehill 5. ........ old Peter Right knows the subject inside out 6. ........ she hit the roof 7.
There’s no question about it, Angela knows more ........ 8. . . . spread like wildfire 9. ........ she was spending
money like water on anything she fancied. 10. Isn’t Pete skating on thin ice by ........
8.
1. ........ Yes, you could have knocked me down with a feather 2. ........ Well, it was a blessing in disguise 3.
........ for donkey’s years 4. ........ burning the candle at both ends 5. ........ There’s more to her than meets the
eye. 6. ........ to keep up with the Joneses 7. You’re sticking your neck out ........ 8. I put my foot in it ........ 9.
She’s finally getting to grips with the computer programme. 10. He made a mess of his history exam.
9.
1: c 2: d 3: c 4: a 5: d 6: c 7: c 8: a 9: c 10: b 11: a 12: d 13: b 14: c 15: a 16: b 17: d 18: c 19: c 20: b
10.
1. in the dumps 2. without saying 3. over a new leaf 4. my plate 5. the line 6. out of turn 7. a shoestring 8. her
foot down 9. through the nose 10. your heels 11. dirt cheap 12. the works 13. picks holes 14. to keep up with
the Joneses 15. like wildfire 16. laid your cards on the table 17. cloud nine 18. in their ways 19. face the
music 20. eye to eye
11.
1. the cat out of the bag 2. his step 3. hard up 4. her the cold shoulder 5. off to a bad start / off on the wrong
foot 6. has been a bone of 7. his head in the clouds 8. a light (at the end of the tunnel) 9. it yesterday 10.
cross purposes 11. your mind to it 12. talking 13. be bothered 14. a nutshell 15. scratch / Day One 16. in a
tight 17. getting on my 18. in a blue moon 19. the trousers 20. head screwed on (the right way) / head on her
shoulders

UNIT 20
1.
1: b 2: c 3: a 4: d 5: b 6: c 7: c 8 a 9: b 10: c 11: a 12: c 13: a 14: d 15: c 16: b 17: b 18: c 19: c 20: c 21: a 22:
c 23: c 24: b 25: c 26: d 27: b 28: a 29: d 30: a
2.
1 ago 2 precipitated 3 an 4 was developed 5 could 6 go 7 in / inside 8 were introduced 9 at 10 were almost
hunted 11 to 12 was agreed 13 by 14 are still being killed / are still killed / were still being killed / were still
killed 15 still / even / also16 in 17 result 18 which / that 19 to issue 20 take / capture / kill / hunt 21 are being
hunted / are hunted 22 provide / supply 23 consumption 24 depleted 25 owing / due 26 are blamed / are
being blamed 27 Moreover / Besides / Furthermore 28 become / get / are 29 according 30 so / it 31
exception 32 set / put / place 33 intentionally / purposely 34 knowing 35 to swim 36 way / method / means
3.
1. The idea is under discussion. 2. Pete wishes he had gone on to university. 3. He had the sensation that he
was being watched. / He felt (that) he was being watched 4. He has such bad handwriting (that) I can hardly
make it out. 5. Despite his sincere apology/ies, she wouldn’t forgive him. Despite his/him apologising
sincerely . . 6. This is the first time I’ve flown. 7. Sue’s parents’ wouldn’t let her go on holiday with her
friends. 8. Tom took no notice / didn’t take any notice of his father’s advice. 9. She had difficulty in
understanding him. 10. It’s six years since he went to the cinema. 11. The sea wasn’t warm enough for
anyone / anybody to swim. 12. If he hadn’t overslept, he wouldn’t have missed his train. 13. Do you happen
to know when the next train arrives? 14. The fog prevented them from driving there. / They were prevented
from driving there because of the fog. 15. We are going to have/are having the / our car serviced (by the
garage) next week. 16. He was made to do the test again by his teacher. 17. She was unhappier than she’d
ever been before / than ever before. 18. Joe accused Bill of breaking the window. 19. The grass needs
mowing once a week. 20. I have no intention of inviting him to come with us. 21. I don’t feel like taking them
up on their offer. 22. He looks up to his uncle. 23. She turned his marriage proposal down. / She turned
down his marriage proposal. 24. This meal wasn’t / isn’t as good as the one we had last week. 25. I wish
you would stick to the point.
4.
1. pacify 2. disappearance 3. outcome 4. successful 5. discharged 6. broaden 7. outlets 8. showdown 9.
write-off 10. nonsense 11. carelessly 12. repetitive 13. gravity 14. acknowledgement 15. insecurity 16.
outbreak 17. overpower 18. impractical 19. turnout 20. upside
5. (possible answers)

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ANSWER KEY B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE

1. Romanesque and Gothic are mentioned. 2. It took place from the first to the second half of the Middle
Ages. 3. He was a Benedictine Abbot. 4. It was consecrated in 1144. 5. It rises to truth through that which is
material. 6. It served to lift the spirit. 7. Because most people couldn’t read so they learnt about doctrine and
the origins of faith through pictures. 8. They were obsessed with life’s grimmer aspects – sin, guilt and death.
9. Because it had defeated the (Albigensian) heretics and achieved romantic success with the crusades. 10.
God’s world was now seen as one of beauty and comparative safety. 11. Tendrils, leaves, birds, animals and
flowers decorated the churches.
6.
1. milestone 2. transition 3. consecration 4. worshipper 5. celestial 6. caught the temper 7. swinging 8.
grimmer 9. sin 10. put down 11. heretics 12. rejoice 13. exuberance 14. tendrils
7.
1. a) sorting ... out b) sort ... out 2. a) to catch up with b) to catch up with 3. a) stand up for b) stood up for 4.
a) pick up b) pick ... up 5. a) came across b) came across 6. a) bring ... back b) brings back 7. a) see through
b) to see through 8. a) been wiped out b) to wipe out 9. a) has broken off b) broke off 10. a) will get / is going
to get ... through b) to get through
8.
1. noticeable 2. employer .... employees 3. encouragement .... successful 4. frustrated .... depressed 5.
carriage 6. trustworthy .... truthful 7. ashamed 8. organisation .... profitable 9. apologetic .... explanation ....
failure 10. valuable ..... worthless 11. disobedience 12. colonisation 13. unfavourable 14. inspectors ....
imperfection 15. worn-out / weary 16. strengthened 17. thefts ..... investigation 18. generosity .... operation
19. devaluation 20. uselessly
9.
1. c 2. b 3. b 4. c 5. a 6. b 7. c 8. a 9. a 10. a
10. (possible answers)
1. mood / temper 2. approached 3. matter 4. couple 5. before 6. like 7. nerves 8. happened 9. been 10. least
11. wrong 12. used 13. few 14. put 15. still 16. took 17. was 18. back 19. ago 20. done 21. dyed 22. laughing
23. apologies 24. counter 25. suit
11.
1. comparing .... looking .... bought 2. had been living / had lived .... met 3. didn’t come .... was sent 4. have
mislaid .... calling .... will be 5. found 6. comes 7. hadn’t been able .... would have been 8. will be blown / is
going to be blown / is being blown .... to make 9. arrives 10. have seen .... didn’t like 11. would prefer ....
driving .... set .... won’t be / wouldn’t be 12. were / was .... would sack 13. rains / will rain .... haven’t had ....
looks / is looking 14. has been trying .... left 15. would have lent .... had known 16. were having .... blew ....
missed 17. will have been ..... are planning 18. was started .... haven’t finished 19. Wouldn’t crack... have
told / have been telling... irritates 20. Was being dug... were put/were being put... doesn’t mean/won’t
mean... is flooded/will be flooded... is 21. Had been missing...has been found...had been playing/was
playing...had hidden / hid...(had) fallen/fell 22. Have finished...hadn’t expected/didn’t expect...to take/to have
taken...to do 23. Have locked...hadn’t installed...locks...shuts...will have / am going to have...don’t drive...am
doing...mistake 24. Escaped...was captured...were wounded...are not considered...are being kept 25. Will
have been working / will have worked...is going to think / will think / is going to be thinking / will be
thinking...retiring

12.
1. b 2. b 3. a 4. a 5. c 6. d 7. b 8. b 9. c 10. a
13.
1. must be 2. should / might / could have telephoned 3. should / ought to be spending / should spend / ought
to spend / must spend 4. can’t / couldn’t have arrived 5. must / might / could have left 6. may / might be 7.
can’t / couldn’t have seen .... must be / must have been 8. may / might be working .... should be met /
needed to be / had to be/ must be 9. shouldn’t have said 10. mustn’t / shouldn’t go
14. (possible answers)
1. Do /Would you mind if I sit ....? / Do /Would you mind me sitting ....? 2. You are going to be (put) in charge
of the organisation ..... 4. Everybody is going to be given a salary rise / a rise in salary 5. He bought her a
necklace to make up for ..... 6. The stories he tells about his experiences are beyond belief. 7. The doctor
says he’ll be fine, provided he doesn’t overwork. 8. They might as well be millionaires, the way .... 9. The
reporter wasn’t allowed into the hospital ..... 10. We walked to the station as it was near enough. 11. John
denies having / having had anything to .... / Johns denies (that) he had anything to ..... 12. There is no point
(in) trying to repair this tyre. 13. I’m going to let you off this time. 14. She only had three hours sleep last
night. 15. It was such a long-winded lecture (he gave), I almost .... 16. He accused her of doing it on
purpose. 17. However hard he tries, the job can’t be finished by ..... 18. In spite of being injured, he ..... / In
spite of his injuries, he ..... 19. Chris recently came into a large fortune. 20. Only Harry thought the meeting
wasn’t a waste of time. / Only Harry didn’t think the meeting was a waste of time.
15.

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B2 GRAMMAR REFERENCE ANSWER KEY

1. upkeep 2. bypass 3. outcome 4. onset 5. intake 6. downpour 7. overthrow 8. overdose 9. income 10.
overspending ... downfall 11. outburst 12. upset 13. bystanders 14. uptake 15. upbringing
16.
1. She was in such a hurry (that) she forgot ..... 2. He hadn’t had enough driving lessons to pass his test. 3.
He didn’t go back to work as he didn’t feel well. 4. He could never be a teacher because he’s too impatient. /
He’s too impatient to (ever) be a teacher. 5. The car was too expensive for us to afford. 6. There were so few
customers (that) they closed the shop early. / There weren’t many customers so... 7. It was such a profound
experience (that) it changed my whole life. 8. The party didn’t go on / last as long as I thought it would. 9. He
earns more in a week than I do /earn in a month. 10. The little girl usually behaves better than on this
occasion./ The little girl usually behaves better than this.

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