Word building

Exercise 50 Change the form of the words in brackets to complete the sentence.

Model: What’s that funny noise? (fun)

Max never keeps his promises. He is very unreliable. (rely)

1. Have I told you about the most (embarrass) moment in my life? 2. Do you know if this mushroom is (poison)? 3. The rate of (literate) amongst the poor is still quite high, despite all the (improve) in education. 4. Jane was so (disappoint) that she didn’t get the job.5. I want to complain. Your sales assistants were very (help). They couldn’t give me any of the information I needed. 6. I’m afraid most of the points you have made in your essay are (relevant). 7. The extent of the damage after the storm was terrible, quite (believe) in fact. 8. What you need is a really (relax) holiday! 9. Parents should always take (responsible) for their children’s bad behaviour. 10. It’s (use) talking to him. He won’t listen to a word you say. 11. My brother was (conscious) for two hours after he fell off his bike. 12. We are sorry to inform you that your application has been (success). 13. This wet weather is so (depress). 14. He was accused of (loyal) to the company, and asked to resign from his job. 15. Do you have good (relations) with your mother-in-law?

Exercise 51 Put one of the adjectives into each gap. Sometimes more than one is possible.

interested / interesting; bored / boring; embarrassed / embarrassing; tired / tiring; surprised / surprising

1. Your news was very ... . I’m pleased you’re enjoying yourself. 2. I liked the book until the end. It had a ... ending which I didn’t like. 3. - How was your journey? - Very ... . I think I’ll go to bed. 4. The play was so ... that I fell asleep. 5. He started to tell a joke about the director when the director came into the room. It was very ... . 6. You look ... . Have you had a busy day? 7. It’s Sunday and I don’t know what to do. I’m ... . 8. Are you ... in museums? I’m going to the National this afternoon. Do you want to come?