- •The abc of modern english grammar: a key to successful communication
- •Unit 1. The verb to be
- •1.1. Complete the sentences using a suitable form of the verb to be. Give all possible answers.
- •1.2. Render the sentences into English.
- •2.1. Rewrite the sentences, using there is or there are.
- •2.2. Rewrite the sentences, using there was or there were.
- •2.3. Make these sentences into questions. Begin each question with the words given.
- •2.4. Fill in the gaps with it or there.
- •2.5. Complete the sentences using there is or it is. Use inversion where necessary.
- •2.6. Rewrite these sentences to begin with “there” as an impersonal subject.
- •2.7. Make ten sentences from this table.
- •2.8. Rewrite each sentence, ending as shown, so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, and so that it contains it or there.
- •2.9. The word “it” has been left out of these sentences. The number in brackets tells you how many times it should occur. Show where it should be.
- •2.10. Rewrite these sentences with “it” and a “to”-infinitive clause.
- •Unit 3. Questions
- •3.1. Expand the “What about…?” phrases to make “yes/no”-questions.
- •3.2. Complete the “yes/no”-questions using the endings given.
- •3.3. Use the “wh”-words below to complete the questions which follow.
- •3.4. Rearrange the parts of the sentences to make questions with “wh”-words as subject.
- •3.5. Expand the “What about…?” phrases to make questions with “wh”-words as object.
- •3.6. Do these questions starting and finishing with the words given.
- •3.7. Write questions to which the words in bold are the answers.
- •3.8. Write a who or what question for each answer.
- •3.9. Write a question to each answer.
- •3.10. Match the questions and answers.
- •3.11. Complete the table by writing questions and answers.
- •3.12. Here are some of the things people say at parties. Match the statements with the question tags.
- •3.13. Add the question tags.
- •3.14. Mark and Jenny went into the travel agent’s to book a holiday. These are some of the questions that were asked. Add the question tags.
- •3.15. Mark and Jenny were showing some family photographs to a friend. Here are some of the questions that were asked. Complete the questions by adding the question tags.
- •3.16. Complete these questions with the appropriate question tags.
- •3.17. Use question tags to complete these sentences.
- •3.18. Add question tags to these statements to make them into questions asking someone to confirm what you are saying, or to agree with you.
- •3.19. Add suitable question tags.
- •3.20. Add a question tag to each sentence.
- •3.21. Write a short answer for each question, beginning as shown.
- •3.22. Rewrite these requests using question tags.
- •3.23. In pairs, look at this conversation. Where do you think the conversation is happening? Read it out between you, adding a question tag in each gap.
- •3.24. Read out these sentences, adding a question tag. Decide whether you want it to be: 1) a real question, with a rising intonation, or 2) a request for confirmation, with a falling intonation.
- •In pairs, choose some of the questions and write short dialogues, e.G.
- •3.25. Make a new sentence with a tag question which has the same meaning as the first sentence, beginning as shown. Make any necessary changes.
- •In groups of three, take it in turns to say a statement to the student on your left to reply to with a short question. Do not use the statements given above.
- •3.31. Questionnaires
- •3.32. Yes/no game
- •3.33. Questions for answers
- •3.34. Questions for questions
- •3.35. In pairs, write short conversations (5 – 6 remarks for each student) for one of the following situations.
- •3.36. Render the following into English.
- •Unit 4. Possession
- •4.1. Choose the correct word or phrase in each sentence.
- •4.2. Complete these sentences by adding a possessive.
- •4.3. Complete these sentences by adding a possessive with “own”.
- •4.4. Complete the sentences by adding an apostrophe or an apostrophe s (’s) to the word or word combination in brackets.
- •4.5. Find the errors in these sentences. Rewrite each sentence.
- •4.6. Put an apostrophe where necessary.
- •4.7. Put apostrophes where necessary. There should be twenty. Decide whether each ’s is a) an abbreviation of is, b) an abbreviation of has, c) an abbreviation of us, or d) a possessive ’s.
- •4.8. Look at these sentences and transform them, using a possessive pronoun instead of the possessive adjective, e.G. It’s my book. – The book is mine.
- •4.9. Rewrite these sentences using “a … of” instead of “one of”.
- •4.10. Rewrite the replies to these questions.
- •4.11. For each question, complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first, using no more than three words.
- •4.12. In pairs, discuss what you know about each other, e.G. Carmen’s hair is curly. Donald’s job is very rewarding.
- •4.14. Give the English for the following sentences.
- •Unit 5. Pronouns
- •5.1. Choose the correct word in each sentence.
- •5.2. Complete the following sentences with “they”, “them” or “their”.
- •5.3. In small groups, take turns to say as many sentences as you can using these words, as quickly as possible, e.G. He wants us to listen.
- •5.4. Add personal pronouns to complete the story.
- •5.5. Use the correct reflexive pronouns to complete the following sentences.
- •5.6. Complete each sentence so that it includes a suitable form of one of the verbs from the box, and a reflexive pronoun.
- •5.7. Choose a personal pronoun or a reflexive pronoun to complete these sentences correctly.
- •5.8. Use these pairs of words and a reflexive pronoun in sentences, e.G. Matches/burn – He burnt himself while he was playing with matches.
- •5.9. Change the phrases “on one’s own” to “by oneself”.
- •5.10. Come up with answers to the following questions.
- •5.11. Supply the English for the underlying sentences.
- •Unit 6. Making comparisons
- •6.1. Write down the comparative and superlative forms of the adjectives below.
- •6.2. Correct the spelling of these words where necessary.
- •6.3. Complete these sentences using the comparative of the adjectives in brackets and “than”.
- •6.4. Form the comparative of the adjectives in these phrases and use the phrases in the sentences below.
- •6.5. Make sentences with a comparative form and “than”, using the words given.
- •6.6. Complete these sentences using the comparative and the superlative of the adjectives given.
- •6.7. Complete the following sentences using superlative adjectives in front of the nouns.
- •6.8. Put one suitable word in each space, beginning with the letter given. The number of letters in the word is suggested.
- •6.9. Choose the correct word or phrase in each sentence.
- •6.10. Complete each sentence with a comparative or superlative form of the word in bold. Include any other necessary words.
- •6.11. Choose the correct answer.
- •6.12. Change not as … as into less … than.
- •6.13. Supply as … as, not as … as, less. More than one answer may be possible.
- •6.14. Choose the correct answer.
- •6.15. Rewrite the sentences using the words in bold.
- •6.16. Put one suitable word in each space.
- •6.17. Put one suitable word in each space.
- •6.18. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence.
- •6.19. For each question, complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first, using no more than three words.
- •6.26. The sooner the better
- •In pairs, write two more beginnings and pass them on to another pair to complete.
- •6.27. The same of different?
- •6.29. Opinions
- •In pairs, think of five questions with superlatives about a country you know well. Give the questions to another pair to answer.
- •6.32. Give an English equivalent for the sentences.
- •Recommended learning resources Reference and grammar books
- •Dictionaries
- •Internet resources
6.11. Choose the correct answer.
1. I haven’t heard the latest / last news.
2. It is the eldest / oldest house in our street.
3. This cottage is further / farther than we thought.
4. The boy used to faint at the least / last sign of blood.
5. Ann’s older / elder sister is a nurse.
6. Where is the nearest / next underground station?
7. Our house is less / smaller than yours.
8. We have no further / farther information.
6.12. Change not as … as into less … than.
1. She is not as tired as I am.
2. The child is not as sleepy as you are.
3. This task is not as interesting as that one.
4. Spanish is not as difficult as Chinese.
5. She is not as friendly as she looks.
6. The park is not as beautiful as the old one.
7. The boy is not as diligent as his father is.
8. She is not as clever as her mother is.
9. Your cottage is not as comfortable as ours.
10. This test is not as complicated as the previous one.
11. She is not as hardworking as she seems.
12. There is not as much ink in my fountain pen as in yours.
6.13. Supply as … as, not as … as, less. More than one answer may be possible.
1. He is … tall … his father.
2. My granny is … old … yours.
3. His novels are … interesting than his stories.
4. My bedroom is … light … our living room.
5. Sugar is … sweet … honey is.
6. Our city is … large … Moscow.
7. The girl is … beautiful … her mother.
8. The Thames is … long … the Nile.
9. I haven’t got … much money … you have.
10. This TV show was … amusing than the one last Saturday.
11. These shoes are … comfortable than those ones.
12. The boy is … intelligent than his brother.
13. A mouse is … big … a rat.
6.14. Choose the correct answer.
1. Kate is … than Helen. She is always ready to answer the teacher’s questions.
A. clever
B. cleverer
C. the cleverest
D. more clever
2. His garden is … in the village.
A. beautiful
B. more beautiful
C. the most beautiful
D. the beautiful
3. This book is … than that one.
A. thinner
B. the thinnest
C. thin
D. more thinner
4. Your IT project is … than your friend’s.
A. good
B. better
C. the better
D. the best
5. The days in winter are … than in summer.
A. the short
B. short
C. shorter
D. the shortest
6. The river is … in the world.
A. long
B. longer
C. the longest
D. the longer
7. The book is … than the film.
A. interesting
B. more interesting
C. the interesting
D. the most interesting
8. The house looked ... than we thought.
A. more comfortable
B. the most comfortable
C. comfortable
D. the comfortable
9. Computers are … nowadays than they used to be.
A. complicated
B. more complicated
C. the most complicated
D. the complicated
10. The watch is … in the shop.
A. expensive
B. more expensive
C. the expensive
D. the most expensive
11. I’ve found my way around … places than this one.
A. bad
B. worse
C. the worst
D. badder