- •The abc of modern english grammar: a key to successful communication
- •Part 1. The system of present tenses Unit 1. The present simple
- •1.1. In the sentences below, decide if the verb underlined refers to the present (p), the future (f), or to something habitual (h).
- •1.2. Complete these sentences using the correct form of the verb in brackets.
- •1.3. Suggest some other expressions for this line.
- •1.4. In pairs, ask and answer questions, using this table to help.
- •1.5. In pairs, match a verb from the first column with a word from the second to make a phrase.
- •1.6. Regular events
- •In pairs, ask and answer questions about the activities suggested in Table 2, using the frequency expressions given in Table 1. Start your questions with How often do you …?
- •1.7. Discuss these topics.
- •2.1. Here are the beginnings of some sentences. Think of suitable endings using the present continuous.
- •2.4. Imagine you find your diary from a few years ago. As you leaf through it, you find different entries beginning with the following sentences. Continue each entry, e.G.
- •2.5. Speak out on what is happening in your life these days outside the classroom. Include information about the following.
- •2.6. In two groups, discuss what’s happening in the world these days. Include information about the following.
- •2.7. Future arrangements
- •2.8. Annoying habits
- •2.10. Project
- •Unit 3. The present simple vs. The present continuous
- •3.1. Choose the correct phrase in each sentence.
- •3.2. Rewrite each sentence so that the verb in italics is a negative contraction.
- •3.3. Decide whether the verb form in italics refers to the present or the future.
- •3.4. Choose the correct sentence for each situation.
- •3.5. Choose the most suitable verb form in each sentence.
- •3.6. Put each verb in brackets into either the present simple or the present continuous.
- •3.8. Put each verb in brackets into either the present simple or the present continuous.
- •3.9. Read the answers and then complete the questions.
- •3.12. Rewrite each sentence. Use a verb from the box to replace the words in italics.
- •3.13. Render the following sentences into English.
- •Unit 4. The present perfect and the present perfect continuous. Their contrast to the past simple
- •4.1. Put each verb into the present perfect.
- •4.2. Complete each sentence with a time expression from the box.
- •4.3. For each question, complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first, using no more than three words.
- •4.4. Complete the following sentences using the present perfect continuous of the verbs below.
- •4.5. Put each verb in brackets into either the present perfect or the present perfect continuous.
- •4.6. Complete each mini-dialogue by putting the verbs given in brackets into either the present perfect or present perfect continuous.
- •4.7. For each question, complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first, using no more than three words.
- •4.8. Complete the following sentences, putting one verb in the present perfect and one in the past simple.
- •4.9. Choose the most suitable verb form in each sentence.
- •4.10. Put each verb in brackets into a suitable verb form.
- •4.11. Put each verb in brackets into either the past simple, the present perfect, or the present perfect continuous.
- •4.12. Find the errors in these sentences and correct them.
- •4.13. Choose the most suitable time expression.
- •4.14. Complete each sentence with one suitable word.
- •4.17. Past participles
- •4.18. Life experience
- •In pairs, ask and answer Have you ever …? questions about these subjects.
- •4.19. In pairs, ask and answer questions about whether you have ever done these things. If the answer is yes, find out some more information, e.G.
- •4.20. Preparations
- •In pairs, imagine you are making preparations for …
- •4.21. Changes
- •4.22. Come up with an explanation to answer each of the following questions, using the present perfect.
- •4.23. Time game
- •4.24. Make the sentences complete.
- •4.25. In pairs, suggest four endings for these sentences, using still, yet, already and (only) just, e.G.
- •4.27. Suggest the English for the sentences.
- •Unit 5. Review of the present tenses
- •5.1. Here are some very common question forms in English. First complete the questions by adding ‘do’, ‘does’, ‘has’, or ‘have’, then match the questions and answers.
- •5.2. Look carefully at the verbs in bold. Decide which of them refer to the future.
- •5.3. Render the following sentences into English.
- •Part 2. The system of past tenses Unit 6. The past simple. Used to do / would do
- •6.1. Find the past simple form of the following verbs:
- •6.2. Rewrite the sentences according to the instructions given.
- •6.3. Make past simple questions and answers using the words given.
- •6.4. Complete each sentence, using would or used to and the verb in brackets. More than one answer may be suitable.
- •6.5. Alphabet game
- •6.6. Work in pairs. Take turns to ask each other some questions about what each of you did using these time expressions:
- •6.7. Story chain.
- •6.8. The first time
- •6.9. The last time
- •6.10. First and last times
- •6.11. Matthew’s day
- •6.12. Join each pair of sentences to make one sentence in the past simple, beginning with when.
- •6.13. Changes
- •In four groups, list the ways life used to be different, e.G. 1,000 years ago most people used to go everywhere on foot.
- •6.14. Life-changing events
- •6.16. Here is some surprising news about people you haven’t seen for a long time. Take turns to say why you’re surprised, e.G. A: Christine has taken up acting. – b: Really? She used to be so shy.
- •6.18. Supply the English equivalents for the underlying sentences.
- •Unit 7. The past continuous
- •7.1. In pairs, ask each other what you were doing yesterday at these times. In your answers, tell two lies and see if your partner can identify which answers are lies.
- •7.2. In pairs, discuss what was happening when …
- •7.3. Role-play: alibis
- •Unit 8. The past simple vs. The past continuous
- •8.1. Choose the correct word or phrase in each sentence.
- •8.2. Complete these sentences, putting the verbs in the past simple or the past continuous.
- •8.3. Complete each sentence with a suitable time expression from the box. You can use an expression more than once.
- •8.4. Match each sentence (a-h) with a suitable response (1-8).
- •8.5. Newspaper headlines
- •8.6. What next?
- •8.7. Lifelines
- •8.8. Accident report
- •8.9. Suggest the English for the sentences.
- •Unit 9. The past perfect
- •9.1. Combine the two sentences to make one sentence. Use when and the past perfect.
- •9.2. Complete these sentences with one verb in the past simple and the other in the past perfect.
- •9.3. Look at these sentences and match questions and answers.
- •9.4. Use the information from the sentences above to complete these sentences.
- •9.5. Look at this narrative of a day at school.
- •9.6. Work in pairs. Join a sentence from the first column with one from the second to make longer sentences, using when, e.G. The guests left. We tidied up. – When the guests had left, we tidied up.
- •Unit 10. Review of the past tenses and the related constructions
- •10.1. Use these verbs and verb groups to complete the narrative below.
- •10.2. Find the errors in these sentences and correct them.
- •10.3. Decide whether the verb form in italics is suitable or unsuitable.
- •10.4. Choose the most suitable verb form in each sentence.
- •10.5. Put each verb in brackets into a suitable verb form.
- •10.6. Put each verb given into the past simple, past continuous or past perfect. More than one answer may be suitable.
- •10.7. Put each verb in brackets into a suitable verb form.
- •10.8. Rewrite the sentences below using ‘be going to’.
- •10.9. Rewrite each sentence beginning as shown. Use a participle clause.
- •10.10. For each question, complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first, using no more than three words.
- •10.11. Supply the English equivalents for the following sentences.
- •Unit 11. Review of the present and the past tenses
- •11.1. Use these auxiliaries to complete the sentences that follow. In some cases, more than one answer may be possible.
- •11.2. Use one of the following verbs in the present continuous or the past continuous to complete each of the sentences below. You may use each verb more than once.
- •11.3. Put each verb in brackets into either the present perfect, past simple or present simple.
- •11.4. Render the following sentences into English.
- •Most typical state verbs
- •List of most frequent irregular verbs
- •Abbreviations and reference characters
- •Recommended learning resources Reference and grammar books
- •Dictionaries
- •Internet resources
8.7. Lifelines
Look at the lifeline. In pairs, write a few sentences with while and when making up any details as necessary, e.g. While he was living in Macau, he had an operation for …, When his parents divorced, he moved to England with his … because … .
Born in Macau 1970 |
Moved to UK 1978 |
University 89 – 93 |
Travelled 94 – 96 |
Worked in bank 97 – 98 |
Returned to London 1999 |
Hospital operation 1974. Parents divorced 1977. |
Secondary school 1981. Started guitar lessons. |
Met girlfriend 1991. Went to Peru on holiday. |
Married 1995. Accident in Namibia 1996. |
Learnt French. Baby Rianne born 1997. Formed band. |
First hit record 2000. Bought a mansion 2002. |
Draw your own lifeline. Exchange it with another student. Ask each other for more information and write similar sentences.
8.8. Accident report
Yesterday morning at 8.30 there was an accident between a bicycle and a lorry at the junction of Green Lanes and Seven Sisters Road. It was raining, but visibility was good. The lorry was travelling up Green Lanes and the cyclist was travelling west. Neither the lorry driver nor the cyclist was injured, but the bicycle was a mangled wreck. The driver and the cyclist both have to make a report to the police, which will be used in an insurance claim. They blame each other. There are some independent witnesses.
Work in groups of four to role-play the ensuing argument (Student A – the lorry driver, Student В – the cyclist, Student C – a witness, Student D – a police officer).
When you have finished, write a report of what happened, from your point of view. Include information / questions about the traffic, the location, speed and direction of the vehicles and what you heard and saw next. Take turns to read out your report.
Tell the group about an accident you have been involved in, or witnessed.
8.9. Suggest the English for the sentences.
1. Я просматривал электронную почту, а Джулия готовила ужин. Потом приехали гости.
2. Когда я принимала душ, кто-то позвонил в дверь. Я сделала вид, что меня нет дома.
3. Кто-то играл на флейте в саду, но было темно и я не видел, кто это был.
4. Вор залез в дом, когда хозяева сажали цветы в саду. Был выходной, и никто ничего не видел.
5. Полиция арестовала мошенника, когда тот пытался расплатиться фальшивой купюрой в 200€.
6. Когда я шёл домой, кто-то окликнул меня по имени. Я обернулся и увидел своего старого университетского приятеля.
7. Мы шли по берегу моря, когда вдали раздался оглушительный взрыв. Началось извержение вулкана.
8. Мы разговаривали по телефону, когда объявили посадку.
9. Наш поезд двигался со скоростью 310 км/ч. Многие люди спокойно читали или спали в креслах.
10. Они как раз обсуждали наше предложение, когда мы зашли. Мы извинились за опоздание и присоединились к дискуссии.
11. Они не понимали, почему мы так долго думаем над таким заманчивым предложением. Но мы взвешивали все «за» и «против».
12. Их юрист не слушал, о чём мы говорили. Или делал вид, что не слушает.
13. Когда ты позвонил, я готовился к экзамену. Я переписывал все правила в отдельную тетрадь.
14. Что ты сделал, когда она сказала тебе об аварии? – Я позвонил в службу спасения навести справки. Они ответили, что они устраняют последствия пожара.
15. Она выглядела так, словно хотела сказать мне что-то крайне важное. Я внимательно наблюдал за ней, но ничего не сказал.