You are gossiping about your colleagues Richard and Jane who have been dating for several years and are thinking of getting married. Make use of the clues provided.

Richard will marry Jane

when after before while as soon as and but or because so as although on condition that in case unless even if only if

Writing Practice

Rewrite the following sentences in as many ways as possible using different conjunctions. Consult the section Golden Rules if necessary.

E.g.: He is rich and good-looking. He is not only rich but also good-looking. Though he is rich and good-looking, he is unhappy. etc.

1. Linda speaks Spanish.

2. London is a very noisy city.

3. It rained all day.

4. John is very easygoing.

5. Lucy is a successful businesswoman.

Achievement Test

Complete the following dialogues with the appropriate conjunctions.

Part A

Mr Bodger: Hello - Mrs O’Brien? Bodger here. I trust _1.… the men have completed the work to your satisfaction now.

Mrs O’Brien: Well – they’ve been working, _2.… I wouldn’t say it was right. _3.… you’ve made an effort to get the work done, it’s hardly adequate. _4.… to be honest, we feel we should get our money back, _5.… you feel you can offer to do the work yourself.

Mr Bodger: What’s the problem now?

Mrs O’Brien: I think you’d better come _6.… see for yourself. What really annoys me is _7.… in spite of the fact they’ve come back again and again, it’s still far from perfect. They work just like anyone else, _8.… they take breaks every five minutes. You may find _9.… other customers don’t mind, we’ve had enough.

Mr Bodger: I’ll come over _10.… inspect the work right now.

Part B

Mrs O’Brien: Well, Mr Bodger, I can’t thank you enough for giving up all your time. It looks even better _11.… we’d hoped. You’ve done the work exactly _12.… we wanted.

Mr Bodger: I’m sorry – I can only apologize for the trouble you’ve had. I can’t work out _13.… they behaved _14.… they did. I feel _15.… I have no control over their work. _16.… I’ve looked, they’ve made mistakes.

Mrs O’Brien: Some of this work, _17.… you yourself said, should have been quite straightforward. Now it’s much _18.… I would expect in my own house. I’m not sure _19.… they’ll get any more work from me. They’ve behaved _20.… they don’t want a job, that’s for certain.

20 Points unit 10: prepositions

Test Your Grammar

Read the following sentences carefully and choose the correct word in brackets.

1. He started going (in, at, to) school (at, of, in) the age of five. So now he’s been (in, at, on) school for ten years. He’s leaving (in, at) the end of this year.

2. I think I left my umbrella (in, on, by) the bus. I’d better write (to, in, for) the Lost Property Office.

3. We arrived (to, in, at) the airport (in, on, at) good time for the plane.

4. (during, in, at) the daytime the streets are crowded but (during, in, at) night they are quite deserted.

5. The pilot climbed (at, to) 5 000 metres and flew (on, at) that height till he got (to, at, on) the coast. Then he came down (to, on) 1 000 metres and began to take photographs.

6. The train stopped (at, on, in) all the stations, and long before we arrived (to, in, at) London every seat was taken and people were standing (in, on) the corridors.

7. - I’m going to Bath (in, on, at) Monday morning (with, together) Tom. Would you like to come (with, together) us? - Are you going (by, on, in) bus? - No, we’re going (on, in, by) Tom’s car.

8. Children get presents (at, on, for) Christmas and (at, on, for) their birthdays.

9. He has lived (at, on, in) 101 Cornwell Gardens (since, for, during) 1966.

10. (in, on, at) the age (of, under, over) 18 he was sent (in, to, for) prison (for, with, to) theft.

11. - Have you heard (off, of, from) John (since, after, from) his return? – Yes, I had a letter (on, in, --) last Monday. He’s thinking (of, at, about) going back (to, in, for) America.

12. When he gets back (from, into, to) the office he expects his wife to meet him (in, at, by) the door (with, in, on) his slippers, and have a hot meal waiting (--, for, with) him.

13. Yesterday the children went (on, for, to) a walk and didn’t get back (to, till) 10 p.m. Their mother was furious (with, about, to) them (about, for) coming in so late.

14. Passengers who get (on, in) or (off, out) a bus (i.e. who board or leave it) except (on, in, at) the official bus stops do so (on, at, for) their own risk.

15. The house is (on, in, at) fire! Send (for, at, --) the Fire Brigade!

16. They are (on, in, at) friendly terms with all their neighbours.