Exercise 5

Fill in the correct tense – you can choose from all tenses.
All tenses are active voice.

ex. | sentence: I (be) a teacher for many years. | answer: have been | code f/pa-pr/av | 1. | Tom has just borrowed the axe; he (chop) wood. | Is chopping, Is going to chop | a/pr/av future | 2. | Lisa’s mother (to change) the baby’s nappies while her husband (to fall) from the stairs. | was changing, fell | a/pa/av f/pa/av | 3. | Ever since his 12th birthday John (to have) a season ticket for Manchester City. | has had | f/pa-pr/av | 4. | The news has just been announced and a reporter (wait) at the door in case the PM wants to make a comment. | is waiting | a/pr/av | 5. | During his lifetime he (continually - search) for a breakthrough in biochemistry. He died in 2005. | had continually been searching | a/rpa-pa/av | 6. | In June 2010 Dutch voters (swing) to the right. | swung | f/pa/av | 7. | The credit crunch (lead) to many bankruptcies in recent years. | has led | f/pa-pr/av | 8. | At the moment banks all over the world (recover) from the crisis. | are recovering | a/pr/av | 9. | The president (want) to make it easier for foreign companies to invest. | wants | f/pr/av | 10. | I only (speak) French when I'm on holiday in France. | speak | f/pr/av | 11. | Modellers (never - throw) away bits and pieces. | never throw | f/pr/av | 12. | While the salesman (talk) to a lady, someone (steal) a TV set. | was talking , stole | a/pa/av f/pa/av | 13. | Lunch is not quite ready yet, although she (cook) all morning. | has been cooking | a/pa-pr/av | 14. | They (grant) permits ever since Mr. Lipton's case in court. | have granted | f/pa-pr/av | 15. | In the previous year they (bring) in a new bill to regulate strike measures. | brought | f/pa/pv | 16. | Nowadays, many guards (treat) prisoners badly. | treat | f/pr/av | 17. | The unity of Europe (always - be) an ideal never to be reached. | has always been, will always be | f/pa-pr/av f/fut/av | 18. | He (look) down on people of lower birth than himself. | looks | f/pr/av | 19. | We (look) for opportunities everywhere in the past few months. | have been looking | a/pa-pr/av | 20. | We (go) there pretty regularly. | go | f/pr/av |

Exercise 7

Choose the correct conditional and fill in the form (A B C).
The tenses in the sentences are in active or passive voice.

ex. | | answer: | conditionA, B, C | 1. | If I drop this glass, it (break). | will break | A | 2. | If I had seen him, I (tell) him the news. | would have told | C | 3. | If you had met him, you (ask) him for further details. | could have asked | C | 4. | I don't think I would recognize him, if I (see) him. | saw | B | 5. | You (earn) a lot of money, if you work hard. | will earn | A | 6. | Even if they offered me a million pounds, I (not do) it. | would not do | B | 7. | If he (give) up smoking, his health could improve. | Will give | B | 8. | She (pass) her exam, if she had done her best. | wouldhave passed | C | 9. | We might come to an agreement, if you (not stick) to your demands. | did not stick | B | 10. | If you (be) like him, you would try to go on with this job. | were | B | 11. | If this company (concentrate) on their core business, it (avoid) bankruptcy. Now it’s too late! | Had concentrated | C | 12. | Unless this land (turn) into a theme park, the tourists (stay) away. | Will turn, will stay | A passive | 13. | Had the farmers maximized food production, there (be) surpluses. | would have been | C | 14. | He (succeed), if these facts (know) to him.Now, he has failed. | would have succeeded had been known | C | 15. | If he (offer) the job, he (accept) it without hesitation. Fortunately his name was not mentioned. | had been offered would have accepted | C passive | 16. | If he (consider) spokesman for the whole community, he must behave like it. | is considered | A passive | 17. | Unless you (adapt) your skills to the new situation, entering foreign markets (undoubtedly - remain) a big problem. | Adapt, will undoubtedly remain | A | 18. | If he (be) not so impatient, he would have managed to finish this job successfully. | had not been | C | 19. | If only Arjan Robben (score) in 2010, we (be) world champion. | had scored, would been | C | 20. | I cannot possibly be in Paris in time, unless I (go) two days earlier. | Go | A |

Exercise 8

Common mistakes / pitfalls

| | answer: | mistake number: | 1. | (there/their) and (were/where) are difficult words (to/too) spell (good /well). | There, where, to , well | 4 - 23 - 24 10 | 2. | (a/an) MP is (a/an) member of parliament. This is (a/an) important position. | An, a, an | 8 | 3. | (much / many) is done (to/too) make our (students/student’s) perform better. | Much, to, students | 5 - 1 - 32 | 4. | His personality (was/were) bigger (then /than) his shadow. | Was, than | 9 - 2 | 5. | (What/which) you have to do is your (chose/choice/choose). | What, choice | 20 - 30 | 6. | (The cat of my brother / My brother’s cat) died. | my brother’s cat | 7 | 7. | He is (usual/usually) very (quite/quiet/quit). | Usually, quiet | 36 - 11 | 8. | Lessons (start / starts) on (tuesday /Tuesday) 15 (may/May) and continue (until /untill) next (friday / Friday). | Start, Tuesday, May, until, Friday | 9 - 14 - 14 18 - 14 | 9. | If you go (to/too), you should also go (to/too) your brother (to/too) say hello. | Too, to to | 1 | 10. | If Gary is taller (then/than) Andy, (then/than) this must be his coat. | Than, then | 2 | 11. | I’m writing (a/an) eulogy for my cat. It’s died and I want to give it (a/an) appropriate send-off. | A, an | 8 | 12. | (The house of one of my friends from Barcelona/ one of my friends from Barcelona’s house) is really big. | one of my friends from Barcelona’s house | 7 | 13. | Fiona asked to (borrow/lend) my pen, but as a rule I don’t (borrow/lend) people my things. | Borrow, lend | 27 | 14. | Never mind (its /it’s) stupid plans, the overall idea (is/are) good. | Its, is | 3 - 9 | 15. | I know you like (to/too) listen (to/too) that John Mayer CD, but you are playing it (to/too) loud. | To, to, too | 1 | 16. | In the 14th century you (were/where) burnt if you (were/where) (a/an) (witch/wich/which), (witch/wich/which) resembles the stoning of adulterous (woman / women) in some (country’s/countries). | were , were , a , witch, which , women, countries | 23 - 23 - 8 16 - 16 - 37 38 | 17. | Look! That dog is playing with (it’s/its) own tail! (It’s/its) a very cute dog. | Its, It’s | 3 | 18. | (Much/many) people like playing football, but I don’t enjoy it (much/many). | Many, much | 5 | 19. | If you (teach/learn/study) hard, you will (teach/learn/study) so much more (than/then) a teacher could ever (teach/learn/study) you. | Study, learn, than, teach | 26 - 26 - 2 26 | 20. | People (who/which) dream (of/off) wealth should realize that you must work for that. | Who, of | 17 - 6 |