- •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
2.1. Rewrite the sentences, using there is or there are.
1. They have a lot of English books in their library.
2. Our city has lots of theatres.
3. The family has only one child.
4. Our group has a new student.
5. Every week has seven days.
6. We have a beautiful picture on the wall.
7. A good shoe shop is not far from here.
8. They have some butter on the table.
9. We have a new TV set in our sitting-room.
10. She has some mistakes in her dictation.
11. The cottage has two bedrooms and a bathroom.
12. Their flat has a modern kitchen and a well-equipped bathroom.
13. Our house has no lift.
14. They have a large stock of champagne in this shop.
15. We have a new car in our garage.
2.2. Rewrite the sentences, using there was or there were.
1. They had a villa near the beach.
2. He had some pencils in his bag.
3. We had a meeting in town last night.
4. Our group had a lot of good students.
5. The room had two windows.
6. The family had a Ford once.
7. They had some cherry trees in their garden.
8. He had an old computer in his office.
9. We had some meat in the fridge.
10. I had too much sugar in my tea.
11. She had many cats in the house.
12. They had a nice cellar in their yard.
13. We had a dog in our summer house.
14. I had a new secretary in my office.
15. He had a new stereo system in his bedroom.
2.3. Make these sentences into questions. Begin each question with the words given.
1. There was a bad accident not far from here.
When……………………………………………………………………………..?
2. There is a good film on TV tonight.
What……………………………………………………………………………...?
3. There are a lot of people at the party.
How many………………………………………………………………………..?
4. There were two cinemas in the street five years ago.
When……………………………………………………………………………..?
5. There are many historical monuments in our city.
Where…………………………………………………………………………….?
6. There is a bus stop near our house.
What……………………………………………………………………………...?
7. There was a bedside lamp in my bedroom.
Where…………………………………………………………………………….?
8. There was a telephone call for you last night.
When……………………………………………………………………………..?
9. There is some snow in the yard.
Where…………………………………………………………………………….?
10. There is a postman at the door.
Who………………………………………………………………………………?
11. There are a lot of interesting exhibits in our museum.
Where…………………………………………………………………………….?
12. There is a fierce dog in our garden.
What dog…………………………………………………………………………?
13. There is a letter from my father on the table.
What……………………………………………………………………………...?
14. There are magnificent mountains in China.
Where…..………………………………………………………………………...?
15. There is a loaf of brown bread in the bread bin.
What……………………………………………………………………………...?
2.4. Fill in the gaps with it or there.
1. … is a tree in the garden. … is an apple tree.
2. … looks as if … is going to rain.
3. … is strange that … are no restaurants in this town.
4. A: Who’s that at the door? – B: … is only me!
5. A: Which house is yours? – B: … is the one at the end of the street.
6. … seems to be something under the cupboard, but what is …?
7. … appears that … was nobody at home when I phoned.
8. A: Did you enjoy the party? – B: No. … weren’t many people there. … was boring.
9. A: … is someone on the phone for you. I think … is David. – B: Hold on. I’ll be there in a jiffy.
10. A: Was that a Ferrari going past? – B: I didn’t see … .
11. A: Look! … is your friend! – B: Oh yes! …’s Ian.
12. A: When did you last play a game of chess? – B: I haven’t played … for months.
13. A: Have you got your umbrella with you? – B: No. … wasn’t raining this morning, so I left … at home.
14. A: Did you sleep late yesterday? – B: Yes. By the time I woke up, … was lunchtime.
15. A: Have you got a bike? – B: No. I used to have … , but then I sold … .
16. A: Look at this mess! … are toys everywhere. – B: Sorry. I’ll tidy up.
17. A: Did you visit the Great Barrier Reef? – B: No. … wasn’t enough time.
18. A: Could I have the bill, please? – B: Certainly. I’ll bring … at once.
19. A: … seems to be a mistake in this report. – B: Oh, sorry. I’ll type … again.
20. A: Josie is very pretty. – B: No doubt. … doesn’t matter what she wears, she always looks drop-dead gorgeous.