Grammar Exercises

Exercise 1. Put questions of different types to the following sentences.

1. He had lived there all his life.

2. Most of the shops had closed by 6 p.m.

3. By 1960 most of Britain’s old colonies had become independent.

4. He had been smoking for 30 years before he gave up smoking.

5. They had been waiting for 20 minutes before the bus came.

Exercise 2.	Use «after» to make one sentence for each situation.
e.g.	He finished his work. Then he went home. After he had finished his work, he went home.

1. I wrote to my boyfriend. Then I watched television for an hour or so.

2. I posted the letter. Then I felt much better about everything.

3. He bought presents for everyone in his family. Then he bought something for himself as well.

4. He had his supper. Then he went to bed.

5. She heard the news. Then she phoned her mother.

6. They left the house. Then it began to snow.

7. He spoke to the boss. Then he decided to leave.

8. I worked in England for five years. Then I went to Australia.

9. I ate the meat. Then the dog finished the bones.

10. It got dark. Then we made camp.

Exercise 3.	Add sentences to the ones given below using the Past Perfect Tense and the expressions in parentheses.
e.g.	They didn’t introduce me to Edna. (to meet her) They didn’t introduce me to Edna. I had met her before.

1. We didn’t go to the Crimea last summer. (to be there)

2. I went to her concert last night. (to hear her and to like her singing).

3. Ralph was not surprised. (to hear something about it).

4. Miss Black gave the students an easy dictation. (to dictate only difficult words)

5. Frank invited Susan to the theatre. (not to ask her for a date)

6. Gerald came home at three. (never to finish his work so early)

7. I was surprised Mabel agreed with me. (always to disagree)

8. Isabel didn’t want to wait for us. (never to be so impatient)

9. I found the problem in algebra easy. (to do similar problems)

10. Harold didn’t go to the movies with us. (to see the film)

Exercise 4.	Add your own sentences to the ones given below.
e.g.	We went to the movies on Saturday. We went to the movies on Saturday. We hadn’t gone to the movies for a long time.

1. We visited the Carters last week.

2. They had a party on Sunday.

3. Madge had a rest after lunch.

4. Caroline bought flowers that evening.

5. The student wrote a test yesterday.

6. He ate ice-cream for dessert.

7. Mrs. Smith played the piano for us.

8. They played tennis in the afternoon.

9. Tom and Barbara quarreled yesterday.

10. Miss Black gave her students a difficult home assignment.

11. Mr. Connely worked in the garden in the afternoon.

12. Edward drank black coffee in the afternoon.

13. The Browns went to the picture gallery on Saturday.

Exercise 5. Read the story and answer the questions.

On Tuesday afternoon, everyone in my family was very busy - except me. During the afternoon Helen repaired her car; John practised his karate; Kate did some gardening; Stephanie played tennis; Roger swam for half an hour; Pam went horse-riding; Philip painted the ceiling in his room light blue. I spent the afternoon sitting reading.

1. Who had black greese on her hands at tea time? Why? -

Helen, because she had been repairing her car.

2. Who had dirt on her hands and knees? Why?

3. Who was wearing a short white skirt? Why?

4. Who was wearing a white jacket and trousers and a black belt? Why?

5. Who was wearing high boots and a hard hat? Why?

6. Whose hair had light blue streaks in it? Why?

7. Whose hair was all wet? Why?

Exercise 6.	In a murder investigation, some suspects were asked by police what they had been doing at eight o’clock the previous evening. They all told lies. Write sentences to explain what they told the police they had been doing, and what they had actually been doing.
NAME	TOLD POLICE HE/SHE HAD BEEN DOING	TRUTH
Mrs Oliver Mr Lucas Mrs Allen Mr Nash Alice Pete Aunt Jane Miss Fry Rob	reading watching TV talking on the phone washing clothes playing cards studying chemistry writing letters washing her hair painting his flat	watching neighbours through binoculars stealing cars making a bomb forging £5 notes selling drugs fighting planning a bank robbery out dancing with her sister’s boyfriend playing roulette

e.g.	Mrs Oliver said she had been reading, but actually she had been watching the neighbours through binoculars.

Exercise 7.	Change the following sentences into the past tense. Use the Past Simple, the Past Continuous or the Past Perfect, whichever is appropriate.
e.g.	Harry has opened his textbook and is writing an exercise. Harry had opened his textbook and was writing an exercise.

1. Roger has done the exercise and is reading the text now.

2. Constance has made tea and is pouring it out.

3. Fred is my best friend. I have known him since our schooldays.

4. Miss Baker is a teacher. She has been a teacher for many years.

5. Douglas speaks German well. He has known German since his childhood.

6. Gwen has bought a new coat. Now she needs a new hat too.

7. Henry has received a bachelor’s degree. He plans to go for a master’s degree.

Exercise 8.

Join these sentences using the words in brackets. Change verbs into the Past Perfect Simple or the Past Perfect Continuous where necessary.

1. The sun set. They were ready to leave. (before)

2. The river was deeper than usual. It rained for weeks on end. (because)

3. They finished breakfast. They went for a swim. (as soon as)

4. We drank our beer. We went back to work. (when)

5. We lived there for only six months. We decided we didn’t like it. (after)

6. It happened ten years before. She could not forget it. (although)

7. I didn’t see Jane for many years. She called to see me last week. (when)

8. She walked for two hours. She saw the house. (when)

Exercise 9. Use the Past Simple, the Past Perfect or the Past Perfect Continuous.

1. He (be) tired out because he (work) in the garden all day.

2. First she (open) the parcel, and then she (read) the letter.

3. After she (open) the parcel, she (read) the letter.

4. They (sit) there for more than an hour when the taxi finally (arrive).

5. They (leave) the room as soon as he (finish) speaking.

6. He quickly (forget) all he (learn) at school.

7. When we (come) to Harpole, the Smiths (already live) there for ten years.

8. He (tell) me that he (fish) in the river every weekend for the last two years but that he (never catch) anything.

9. When the doctor (go) the patient (feel) quite defenceless.

10. He (be) a man who (deal) with secret information for many years.

11. After she (put) her baby to bed, she (walk) down into the town.

12. I (know) that they (not see) him since Friday.

13. He (have) no idea in which room he (hear) the noise.

14. He (not know) his wife (think) of a divorce for several months now.

15. When he (go) to London he (already study) English.

Exercise 10.

Put the verbs in brackets into the correct present or past tense.

1. It (rain) for two weeks now.

2. I (not think) I (see) him since the war.

3. - (you go) home)? - No, I (not go) home. I (only go out) to lunch.

4. (James carry) a briefcase when you (see) him yesterday?

5. She usually (drink) nothing stronger than beer.

6. He said he (try) to telephone Sarah for two days now.

7. John (eat) a lot, but he (eat) more since last year.

Exercise 11.

Fill in who, whom, which.

1. That’s the photo ….. he had seen.

2. That’s the man ….. had beaten me.

3. That’s the artist ….. spoke to me.

4. That’s the woman ….. I met yesterday.

5. That’s the programme ….. we saw last night.

6. That’s the girl ….. smiled at me.

7. That’s the fellow ….. I talked about.

8. That’s the astronaut ….. walked on the moon.

9. That’s the language ….. I have learned.

10. ….. steals once is for ever a thief.

11. Is that the girl ….. has suffered so much?

12. Here is the money ….. I earned.

13. There is the butcher ….. you met yesterday.

14. That’s the door ….. he painted.

15. Here is the bridge ….. was built in the Middle Ages.

Exercise 12. Translate from Russian into English.

1. Я не слушал эту пьесу по радио, потому что слышал ее раньше.

2. Она чувствовала себя усталой, потому что много работала накануне.

3. Они уехали на каникулы после того, как сдали экзамены.

4. Он понял книгу только тогда, когда прочитал ее еще раз.

5. Они ушли домой только после того, как закончили работу.

6. Мистер Браун уехал в Румынию после того, как закончил читать лекции.

7. Он не пришел на концерт, потому что мы его не пригласили.

8. К тому времени, как мы собирались уходить из дома, дождь прекратился.

9. Он стал сильнее после того, как много плавал летом.

10. Он сказал, что не видел своего друга два дня.

UNIT 12

Grammar: Texts:

The Future Simple Tense Subordinate Clauses of Time and Condition The construction to be going to Modal Verbs may, might 1. «The Car of the Future» «A Good Job» «Tea» «I Love You» Dialogue.

Text One

«The Car of the Future»

A pessimist is a person who always expects bad things to happen. Pessimists think that today’s cars are in trouble because they use too much gas. They say the car of the future will be much, much

Vocabulary: a pessimist speed air conditioning swimming pool

an optimist to solve Supercar comfortable

smaller. The car of tomorrow will have no heater and no air conditioning. It’ll have no radio and no lights. Tomorrow’s car will be an open air car with no doors and windows. It won’t need a pollution control system because it won’t use gas. In fact, drivers will push this new car with their feet. Very few people will be killed in accidents, because the top speed will be five miles per hour. However, pessimists warn us not to ask for pretty colours, because the car will come in grey only.

Optimists are sure that the future will be happy. They think that car companies will soon solve all our problems by producing the Supercar. Tomorrow’s car will be bigger, faster, and more comfortable than before. The Supercar will have four rooms, color TV, running water, heat, air conditioning, and a swimming pool. Large families will travel on long trips in complete comfort. If gas is in short supply, the Supercar will run on water. Finally, optimists promise that the car of the future will come in any color, as long as the colour is grey.

Text Two

«A Good Job»

Bill Thompson was a university graduate. That is probably why hе got a good job soon after he left the university. He was a barman in a private hospital for the deaf and dumb. One day, or rather one evening, he wanted to go to a party and asked me to do his work. - I’m sorry, old chap - I said - but I can’t! - Why not? - he asked. - You see, I don’t know the sign language. - It’s very simple - he said - the moment you open the

Vocabulary: a university graduate probably the sign language to be worried to pour out to rush to roar with laughter to keep doing smth. Set your mind at rest.

bar at 6 in the evening a few chaps will come in. They will make a sign to put the glasses on the table. You will take the glasses and put them on the table. Next they will make a sign to pour out whisky into the glasses and take the money. If you are still worried you can have my telephone number just in case.

I could not say «no», so I said «yes». I opened the bar at 6 and the moment I did so six fellows walked in. They made the sign to put the glasses on the table. Next they made the sign to pour out whisky into the glasses. I did what they wanted. For the next 2 or 3 hours they kept making the sign to pour out whisky and at last they got up to their feet, opened their mouths, but I could not understand anything. I rushed to the telephone, dialed Bill’s number and told him about it.

- Set your mind at rest, old chap - he answered roaring with laughter - they have had too many drinks and are singing now! The situation is perfectly regular!

Text Three

«Tea»

The English know how to make tea and what it does for you. Seven cups of it will wake you up in the morning; nine cups will put you to sleep at night. If you are hot, tea will cool you off, and if you are cold, it will warm you up.

Vocabulary: to put to sleep to cool off to warm up to stimulate

further to relax off hours to wobble

If you take it in the middle of the morning, it will stimulate you for further work; if you drink it in the afternoon, it will relax you for further thought. Then, of course, you should drink lots of it in off hours.

The test of good tea is simple. If a spoon stands up in it, then it is strong enough; if the spoon starts to wobble, it is a feeble makeshift.

Text Four

«I love you»

Mr Miller: Harold: Mr Miller:

We’re going to the petrol-station first. Well, Harold, what do you think of Hastings? It’s a very nice town. There’s the petrol-station.

Vocabulary: a petrol station ghost-hunting to be on the look-out

What’s up? A Valentine a paydesk

Harold: There’s a police-car standing outside the petrol-station.

Peter: Nancy: David: Peter: David: Nancy: Harold: David: Nancy: David: Peter: Mr Miller:

Yes, it’s Uncle David’s car. Hello, Uncle David. Oh, hello! Are you making a trip? Yes, we’re going to the old castle Ghost-hunting? We’ll bring you back a ghost if we see a nice one. Any news about the smugglers? No, we are still on the look-out for them. Good-bye, Uncle David. Well, I’m ready to go. Good-bye, everybody. It’s your turn, Father. Oh, yes.

The sales girl: Good-afternoon.

Mr Miller:

Good-afternoon. Super, please.

The sales girl: How many gallons?

Mr Miller: Fill her up, please.

The sales girl: Right you are.

Mr Miller: Will you check oil and water, too, please?

The sales girl: Certainly. Shall I check the battery?

Mr Miller: No, that’s all right. But check the tyres, please.

The sales girl: Of course, sir.

Nancy: Father: Harold: Nancy: Peter: Nancy: Peter: Nancy: Peter: Nancy: Peter: Nancy: Peter: Nancy: Peter: Harold: Peter: Harold: Peter: Harold: Peter: Harold: Peter: Nancy:

Can we buy some sweets in the supermarket? All right. But you must hurry up, because I can’t wait long for you. I’ll get a bottle of lemonade. I’ll get the sweets. Hey, Peter! Yes, what’s up? I want to buy a Valentine for Harold. A Valentine? Yes, St.Valentine’s Day is next week. The fourteenth. Look at this card. Oh, very nice. Let me read it. No, listen. «I love you, darling Valentine, I always want you to be mine» Who is your darling Valentine? Harold? Don’t say anything to Harold. I shan’t say anything. Look out! Harold’s coming! I’m going to the paydesk, to pay for the card. Keep Harold busy for a moment, will you? All right. Ah, there you are, Peter! Hello, Harold! Did you get the lemonade? Yes, I did. What do I see over there? Valentines! I’ll buy one for Nancy. Oh, yes, she will like that. Oh, this is a nice one. «I love you, darling Valentine, I always want you to be mine.» Ha-ha-ha Why are you laughing? Oh, nothing. Come on you two, let’s go. TOOT TOOT TOOT There. Father’s waiting.