These exercises are a follow-up to my paper to be delivered on 23 July 2018 at the 4th English Teachers' Convention in Stryszawa, Poland. They focus on problems which are typical of Polish learners of English.
Ex. 1 Fill in the gaps with punctuation signs. In some gaps you do not need to use a sign.
1. This is the best comedy ___ I___ve ever seen. My friend didn___t like it at all ___ but I think it was hilarious.
2. After dinner ___ we went for a walk. The weather was very pleasant ___ it was warm and sunny.
3. I was in the waiting room. I had already read the magazine ___ that I___d bought one hour before ___ and there were still eight people before me. If I hadn ___t brought a book with me ___ I would have gone crazy.
4. I will not let you play computer games ___ unless you finish your homework by five.
5. We knew ___ Egypt was hot in July ___ S/still ___ we decided to fly to Sharm el-Sheikh ___ for a week.
6. My friend Jane Smith ___ who lives in a small village ___ says ___ that she misses London.
7. My brother ___ who works as a waiter ___ wants to open his own restaurant one day. (I have one brother)
8. My brother ___ who works as a waiter ___ wants to open his own restaurant one day. (I have two brothers)
Ex. 2. Each of the following sentences contains at least one punctuation error. Correct the sentences.
1. George asked me, if I was an English teacher. I said, that he must have mistaken me for Mr Kowalski who looks a little, like me. He said — Sorry, I expected him to arrive first.
2. Although, it was raining Jukka went swimming, he said he didnt mind, a bit of rain.
3. Ill help you do the dishes, if you read my essay and tell me, if its any good.
4. The textbook is entitled French Grammar — Phonology, Morphology and Syntax.
5. Ian paid 23.000,99 pounds for an old car.
KEY
Ex. 1.
1. This is the best comedy [none] I[']ve ever seen. My friend didn[']t like it at all [, / none] but I think it was hilarious. 2. After dinner [none/ ,] we went for a walk. The weather was very pleasant [: / — it was warm and sunny. 3. 3. I was in the waiting room. I had already read the magazine [none] that I[']d bought one hour before [,] and there were still eight people before me. If I hadn[']t brought a book with me [, / none] I would have gone crazy. 4. none, 5. We knew [none] Egypt was hot in July [. / ;] S/still [,] we decided to fly to Sharm el-Sheikh [none] for a week. 6. My friend Jane Smith [,] who lives in a small village [,] says [none] that she misses London. 7. two commas (a non-defining relative clause) 8. no commas (a defining relative clause)
Ex. 2.
1. George asked me [none] if I was an English teacher. I said [none] that he must have mistaken me for Mr Kowalski [,] who looks a little [none] like me. He said[,] [']Sorry, I expected him to arrive first['].
2. Although[,] it was raining [optional ,] Jukka went swimming [. / ;] he said he didn[']t mind [none] a bit of rain.
3. I[']ll help you do the dishes [none] if you read my essay and tell me [none] if it[']s any good.
4. The textbook is entitled French Grammar[:] Phonology, Morphology and Syntax. (an optional serial comma after 'Morphology')
5. 23,000.99
Monday, 9 July 2018
Saturday, 19 May 2018
Emphatic inversion 2
Ex. Use emphatic inversion to paraphrase the following sentences so that the meaning remains as similar as possible.
1. We have seldom faced such a serious threat.
Seldom .............................................................
2. I have never witnessed so much cruelty.
Never ...............................................................
3. The novel was so popular that people queued for hours to buy a copy.
So .....................................................................
4. The book was in such great demand that people queued for hours to buy a copy.
Such .................................................................
5. The moment the sun came out, tourists flocked to the beach.
Hardly ..............................................................
6. As soon as Fiona began her lecture, the microphone broke down.
No sooner ........................................................
7. I didn't think she was in trouble at all.
Not for .............................................................
8. The children came home and only then realised their dog was missing.
Not until ..........................................................
9. The minister did not realise a detective was following him.
Little ...............................................................
10. The war caused not only a humanitarian crisis but also an economic one.
Not only..........................................................
11. You may be smart but you can't be lazy if you want to succeed.
Smart .............................................................
12. I like Tracy but I could never be her boyfriend.
Much .............................................................
13. The princess almost never talks about her private life.
Rarely ...........................................................
14. The student failed mathematics and often played truant.
Not only ........................................................
15. You can learn English only if you work hard.
Only .............................................. succeed ..................
KEY
1. Seldom have we faced such a serious threat. 2. Never have I witnessed so much cruelty. 3. So popular was the novel that people queued for hours to buy a copy. 4. Such was the demand for the book that ... 5. Hardly had the sun come out when tourists flocked to the beach. 6. No sooner had Fiona begun her lecture than the microphone broke down. 7. Not for a (single) moment did I think she was in trouble. 8. Not until the children came home did they realise their dog was missing. 9. Little did the minister realise that a detective was following him. 10. Not only did the war cause a humanitarian crisis, nut it also caused an economic crisis/one. 11. Smart as/though you are, you can't be lazy if you want to succeed. 12. Much as I like Tracy, I could never be her boyfriend. 13. Rarely does the princess talk about her private life. 14. Not only did the student fail mathematics, but he/she also often played truant. 15. Only by working hard can you succeed in learning English.
1. We have seldom faced such a serious threat.
Seldom .............................................................
2. I have never witnessed so much cruelty.
Never ...............................................................
3. The novel was so popular that people queued for hours to buy a copy.
So .....................................................................
4. The book was in such great demand that people queued for hours to buy a copy.
Such .................................................................
5. The moment the sun came out, tourists flocked to the beach.
Hardly ..............................................................
6. As soon as Fiona began her lecture, the microphone broke down.
No sooner ........................................................
7. I didn't think she was in trouble at all.
Not for .............................................................
8. The children came home and only then realised their dog was missing.
Not until ..........................................................
9. The minister did not realise a detective was following him.
Little ...............................................................
10. The war caused not only a humanitarian crisis but also an economic one.
Not only..........................................................
11. You may be smart but you can't be lazy if you want to succeed.
Smart .............................................................
12. I like Tracy but I could never be her boyfriend.
Much .............................................................
13. The princess almost never talks about her private life.
Rarely ...........................................................
14. The student failed mathematics and often played truant.
Not only ........................................................
15. You can learn English only if you work hard.
Only .............................................. succeed ..................
KEY
1. Seldom have we faced such a serious threat. 2. Never have I witnessed so much cruelty. 3. So popular was the novel that people queued for hours to buy a copy. 4. Such was the demand for the book that ... 5. Hardly had the sun come out when tourists flocked to the beach. 6. No sooner had Fiona begun her lecture than the microphone broke down. 7. Not for a (single) moment did I think she was in trouble. 8. Not until the children came home did they realise their dog was missing. 9. Little did the minister realise that a detective was following him. 10. Not only did the war cause a humanitarian crisis, nut it also caused an economic crisis/one. 11. Smart as/though you are, you can't be lazy if you want to succeed. 12. Much as I like Tracy, I could never be her boyfriend. 13. Rarely does the princess talk about her private life. 14. Not only did the student fail mathematics, but he/she also often played truant. 15. Only by working hard can you succeed in learning English.
Friday, 9 March 2018
Gerunds and infinitives: base, perfect, passive and continuous forms
Ex. Put the verbs in brackets in the correct non-finite form. Add a preposition where necessary.
1. Nobody likes (criticise) or (laugh) at.
2. Einstein is sometimes said (fail) mathematics at school, which is not true.
3. The ninja was dressed in black to avoid (see) by his enemies.
4. It's necessary for the project (complete) by Friday.
5. I'd love (live) in Ancient China.
6. Shakespeare is thought by some (have) a ghostwriter.
7. Miss Grumble made us (study) hard. We were also made (learn) poems by heart.
8. Hugh apologised to Jill (call) her incompetent.
9. Only you can prevent forest fires (happen).
10. The man denied (be) in the victim's house that night.
11. In the end George was coerced (make) a confession.
12. Joseph Conrad is considered (be) one of the greatest masters of English prose.
13. He never admits (make) mistakes.
14. Where are you, Jack? You're supposed (work) in your office.
15. Frank was accused (steal) his great-aunt's jewellery.
16. During the scandal the politician was believed (hide) on a private island.
17. Did you see the chicken (cross) the road?
18. Would you mind (help) me (translate) this text?
19. Don't waste your time (try) to call him. His phone is always turned off.
20. The decision has been made - there's no point (discuss) it now.
KEY
1. being criticised, (being) laughed, 2. to have failed, 3. being seen, 4. to be completed, 5. to have lived, 6. to have had, 7. study, to study, 8. for calling/for having called, 9. from happening, 10. being/having been, 11. into making, 12. to be/to have been, 13. making, 14. to be working, 15. of stealing/of having stolen, 16. to be hiding, 17. cross/crossing, 18. helping, (to) translate, 19. trying, 20. discussing
1. Nobody likes (criticise) or (laugh) at.
2. Einstein is sometimes said (fail) mathematics at school, which is not true.
3. The ninja was dressed in black to avoid (see) by his enemies.
4. It's necessary for the project (complete) by Friday.
5. I'd love (live) in Ancient China.
6. Shakespeare is thought by some (have) a ghostwriter.
7. Miss Grumble made us (study) hard. We were also made (learn) poems by heart.
8. Hugh apologised to Jill (call) her incompetent.
9. Only you can prevent forest fires (happen).
10. The man denied (be) in the victim's house that night.
11. In the end George was coerced (make) a confession.
12. Joseph Conrad is considered (be) one of the greatest masters of English prose.
13. He never admits (make) mistakes.
14. Where are you, Jack? You're supposed (work) in your office.
15. Frank was accused (steal) his great-aunt's jewellery.
16. During the scandal the politician was believed (hide) on a private island.
17. Did you see the chicken (cross) the road?
18. Would you mind (help) me (translate) this text?
19. Don't waste your time (try) to call him. His phone is always turned off.
20. The decision has been made - there's no point (discuss) it now.
KEY
1. being criticised, (being) laughed, 2. to have failed, 3. being seen, 4. to be completed, 5. to have lived, 6. to have had, 7. study, to study, 8. for calling/for having called, 9. from happening, 10. being/having been, 11. into making, 12. to be/to have been, 13. making, 14. to be working, 15. of stealing/of having stolen, 16. to be hiding, 17. cross/crossing, 18. helping, (to) translate, 19. trying, 20. discussing
Friday, 23 June 2017
Idioms and collocations
Ex. Fill in the gaps with one correct option each.
1. I think everyone has a/an ___-day sometimes.
A. off B. out C. away D. outside E. colour
2. The rain has ___ in and the weather is really depressing.
A. caught B. fixed C. set D. got E. arrived
3. I have to go to bed. I’m not a night ___, you know.
A. Mark B. owl C. vampire D. bat E. ghost
4. When Pete first went to the gym, he was as thin as a ___.
A. stick insect B. finger C. piece of paper D. spider E. rake
5. You won’t get on with Pam if you bear a/an ___ against her.
A. grudge B. curse C. spell D. offence E. misgiving
6. Are you sure the puppy is ___?
A. house-trained B. home-trained C. potty-trained D. house-exercised E. home-taught
7. The police are searching ___ for the criminal.
A. dawn and dusk B. high and dry C. left and right D. to and fro E. high and low
8. Many Poles consider the Palace of Culture and Science ___ and want it demolished.
A. uglifying B. an eyesore C. all the rage D. browned off E. red tape
9. The Kardashians ___ a loud party last night.
A. sprang B. tore C. set D. threw E. cast
10. I hope you’ll pass the exam with ___ colours.
A. bright B. light C. shining D. pretty E. flying
11. I have no idea what the man means. It's all ___ to me.
A. Welsh B. Chinese C. French D. Latin E. Greek
12. It's utter nonsense. You're full of ___, you know.
A. prunes B. pears C. apples D. oranges E. lemons
13. Johnny may be strong, but he's not smart. In fact he's as thick as ___.
A. a mule B. a grey donkey C. a broken branch D. two short planks E. a boot
14. Two and two make four. It's as plain as ___.
A. the moon in the sky B. the sea C. the nose on your face D. a peacock E. the world
15. Jane's getting married this Saturday. It's a ___ letter day for all of us.
A. red B. gold C. silver D. blue E. white
KEY
1A, 2C, 3B, 4E, 5A, 6A, 7E, 8B, 9D, 10E, 11E, 12A, 13D, 14C, 15A
Pronunciation of British place names
To create this post I used howjsay.com and ipa.typeit.org. The default accent on my blog is British RP.
Ex. Spell the following words phonetically.
1. Reading, 2. the Thames, 3. Leicester, 4. Gloucester, 5. Worcester, 6. Powys, 7. Torquay, 8. Edinburgh, 9. Isles of Scilly, 10. Inverness
KEY
1. /'redɪŋ/, 2. /ðə 'temz/, 3. /'lestə/, 4. /'glɒstə/, 5. /ˈwʊstə/, 6. /'poʊɪs/, /'pɑʊɪs/, 7. /tɔː'kiː/, 8. /'edɪnbᵊrə/, 9. /ɑɪlz əv 'sɪli/, 10. /ɪnvəˈnes/
Ex. Spell the following words phonetically.
1. Reading, 2. the Thames, 3. Leicester, 4. Gloucester, 5. Worcester, 6. Powys, 7. Torquay, 8. Edinburgh, 9. Isles of Scilly, 10. Inverness
KEY
1. /'redɪŋ/, 2. /ðə 'temz/, 3. /'lestə/, 4. /'glɒstə/, 5. /ˈwʊstə/, 6. /'poʊɪs/, /'pɑʊɪs/, 7. /tɔː'kiː/, 8. /'edɪnbᵊrə/, 9. /ɑɪlz əv 'sɪli/, 10. /ɪnvəˈnes/
Thursday, 1 June 2017
Emphasis: Cleft sentences and wh-fronting
This post is loosely based on the structures dealt with in Unit 14 of Michael Vince's Advanced Languge Practice (1994).
Ex. 1. Paraphrase the following sentences using the words provided so that the meaning remains as similar as possible. e.g. 0. Iwant the blue one! It is the blue one that I want!
1. I don't know where Johnny found that rusty knife.
Where ........................................................................
2. We don't know why Pauline left her husband.
Why ...........................................................................
3. Kate was the person who drove me home.
It ................................................................................
4. In the end Kate drove me home.
What Kate .................................................................
5. A cup of coffee is all I need now.
What ........................................................................
All ...........................................................................
6. California was the place where Julia met her boyfriend.
It ..............................................................................
7. Whatever are you doing with my glasses?!
............... earth are ..................................................?!
8. On Monday we finally got back home.
It ..............................................................................
9. She works 10 hours a day and goes to the gym three times a week. I have no idea how she manages to do it all.
She works 10 hours a day and goes to the gym three times a week. How ...............................
10. No, Jack lives in Norway, not Sweden.
No, it ......................................................................
11. The reason why we stayed home was that it was raining.
It was ......................................................................
KEY
1. Where Johnny found that rusty knife I don't know.
2. Why (ever) Pauline left her husband we don't know.
3. It was Kate who/that drove me home.
4. What Kate did in the end was (to) drive me home.
5. What I need now is a cup of coffee. All (that) I need now is a cup of coffee.
6. It was in California that/where Julia met her boyfriend.
7. What on earth are you doing with my glasses?!
8. It was (on) Monday that/when we finally got back home.
9. How she manages to do it all I have no idea.
10. No, it is in Norway that/where Jack lives, not Sweden.
11. It was because it was raining that we stayed home. / It was the rain that made us stay home.
Ex. 1. Paraphrase the following sentences using the words provided so that the meaning remains as similar as possible. e.g. 0. Iwant the blue one! It is the blue one that I want!
1. I don't know where Johnny found that rusty knife.
Where ........................................................................
2. We don't know why Pauline left her husband.
Why ...........................................................................
3. Kate was the person who drove me home.
It ................................................................................
4. In the end Kate drove me home.
What Kate .................................................................
5. A cup of coffee is all I need now.
What ........................................................................
All ...........................................................................
6. California was the place where Julia met her boyfriend.
It ..............................................................................
7. Whatever are you doing with my glasses?!
............... earth are ..................................................?!
8. On Monday we finally got back home.
It ..............................................................................
9. She works 10 hours a day and goes to the gym three times a week. I have no idea how she manages to do it all.
She works 10 hours a day and goes to the gym three times a week. How ...............................
10. No, Jack lives in Norway, not Sweden.
No, it ......................................................................
11. The reason why we stayed home was that it was raining.
It was ......................................................................
KEY
1. Where Johnny found that rusty knife I don't know.
2. Why (ever) Pauline left her husband we don't know.
3. It was Kate who/that drove me home.
4. What Kate did in the end was (to) drive me home.
5. What I need now is a cup of coffee. All (that) I need now is a cup of coffee.
6. It was in California that/where Julia met her boyfriend.
7. What on earth are you doing with my glasses?!
8. It was (on) Monday that/when we finally got back home.
9. How she manages to do it all I have no idea.
10. No, it is in Norway that/where Jack lives, not Sweden.
11. It was because it was raining that we stayed home. / It was the rain that made us stay home.
Wednesday, 5 April 2017
Countable and uncountable, singular and plural nouns
Many nouns that are countable in Polish are uncountable in English. Take the word news. It is countable and generally used in the plural in Polish (wiadomość, -ci) but it cannot be counted in English, hence news is used, while a piece of news or a news item replace the general word when we wish to emphasise its countability. There are, however, exceptions to these rules, e.g. hair is generally uncountable, however single hairs are countable.
Ex. Correct the following sentences. Some of the sentences are correct.
1. No news are good news.
2. We bought some furnitures at the IKEA last Saturday. We bought a few furnitures.
3. The colonisers encountered aboriginal peoples on the island.
4. I had no time to wash my hairs in the morning.
5. Jane found two hairs in her soup.
6. Have you got any informations for me?
7. Money do not bring happiness.
8. The contract specified how the moneys were to be paid.
9. The police is searching for the dangerous criminal.
10. The team were founded in 1957.
11. The team were tired but happy after the game.
12. Are one of the doors open?
13. Heavy metal is still very popular in Finland. When I went there, I could see longhairs everywhere.
14. Have you seen my scissor? I must have lost them.
15. The soldiers were told to stay in an old barracks for a month.
KEY
1. is => are, 2. some furniture; a few pieces of furniture, 3. OK, 4. hair, 5. OK, 6. information,
7. do => does, 8. OK (also: monies), 9. is => are (the police = police officers, not the institution), 10. was, 11. OK (here we refer to the players, not to the team as a whole), 12. Is (the Polish word drzwi is always plural, the English word door is not), 13. OK, 14. scissors, 15. OK (despite the -s suffix the word is singular here)
Ex. Correct the following sentences. Some of the sentences are correct.
1. No news are good news.
2. We bought some furnitures at the IKEA last Saturday. We bought a few furnitures.
3. The colonisers encountered aboriginal peoples on the island.
4. I had no time to wash my hairs in the morning.
5. Jane found two hairs in her soup.
6. Have you got any informations for me?
7. Money do not bring happiness.
8. The contract specified how the moneys were to be paid.
9. The police is searching for the dangerous criminal.
10. The team were founded in 1957.
11. The team were tired but happy after the game.
12. Are one of the doors open?
13. Heavy metal is still very popular in Finland. When I went there, I could see longhairs everywhere.
14. Have you seen my scissor? I must have lost them.
15. The soldiers were told to stay in an old barracks for a month.
KEY
1. is => are, 2. some furniture; a few pieces of furniture, 3. OK, 4. hair, 5. OK, 6. information,
7. do => does, 8. OK (also: monies), 9. is => are (the police = police officers, not the institution), 10. was, 11. OK (here we refer to the players, not to the team as a whole), 12. Is (the Polish word drzwi is always plural, the English word door is not), 13. OK, 14. scissors, 15. OK (despite the -s suffix the word is singular here)
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