Exercise 1:

Confusion of number

Exercise 1:
Give the correct number, is or are, in the following:

1. The news I’ve received____good.
2. Where ____ the money?
3. His trainers ____ worn out.
4. Maths ____ my poorest subject.
5. Riches ____ sought after by all.
6. Our furniture ____ getting old.
7. This pair of scissors ____ not sharp.
8. Eating fish ____ very healthy.
9. The number of mobile phones ____ increasing.
10. The sheep ____ grazing in the field.

Exercise 2:
Correct the following sentences, giving reasons for your corrections:

1. Her advices were very wise.
2. You was the first to do it.
3. The class wasn’t able to agree.
4. I’ve many works to do this morning.
5. The thunders and lightnings frightened the little girl.
6. I’ve more than two dozens of books at home.
7. The poors say that riches does not make a man happy.
8. She waited at the terminal for her luggages.
9. You should go and have your hairs cut, they’re too long.
10. I’m waiting for more informations about this matter.

Exercise 3:
Write sentences showing whether the following nouns can be used in the singular or in the plural:

1. News
2. Money
3. Advice
4. Riches
5. Dozen
6. Knowledge
7. Spectacles
8. Gymnastics
9. Furniture
10. Damage

Nouns often confused

Exercise 4:
Use house or home in these sentences:

1. I live in a ____.
2. My ____ is in Cyprus.
3. Many ____ are being built this year.
4. East or West, ____ is best.
5. The ____ was sold for 150,000 tk.
6. Let us go inside the ____.

Exercise 5:
Use habit or custom in these sentences:

1. You should get into the ____ of brushing your teeth after meals.
2. It’s the ____ of many people to pray for rain.
3. He has a ____of biting his nails.
4. Smoking isn’t a good ____.
5. The ____ of showing hospitality to strangers is ancient.

Exercise 6:
Fill in the blanks with one of the nouns in brackets:

1. The ancient ____ of Greece is an interesting subject (story, history).
2. His ____ was swollen and he couldn’t get his shoe on (foot, leg).
3. The strong ____ spoilt the game (wind, air).
4. Mr Brown is my lawyer and I’ve been his ____ for many years (customer, client).
5. We’ve been given a long ____ to learn by heart (poem, poetry).
6. She can play the violin and other ____ (organs, instruments).
7. The ____ of Switzerland is very beautiful (scene, scenery).
8. There wasn’t much ____anywhere (shade, shadow).
9. The ship was sunk in the ____ of the Atlantic (middle, centre).
10. The students will do a ____ at the end of the year (theatre, play).

Comparative or superlative

Exercise 7:
Rewrite the following with the correct adjectives in brackets:

1. He’s the (strong) boy in the whole school.
2. Of the two sisters, Mary is the (beautiful).
3. Ann is the (young) of four sisters.
4. John is the (old) of all my friends.
5. This is the (good) novel I’ve ever read.
6. Which do you think is (good), tea or coffee?
7. Iron is the (useful) of all metals.
8. The Nile is the (long) river in Africa.
9. Which of the two girls is (tall)?
10. David is (bad) than his brother.

Exercise 8:
Correct the following, giving reasons for your corrections:

1. Alexandria is smaller from Cairo.
2. New York is the largest city in the United States.
3. He’s the better student from all.
4. John is more stronger than his brother.
5. My handwriting is more bad than my sister’s.
6. Which is the heaviest you or I?
7. Which of these three girls is the elder?
8. This boy’s manners are more good than his brother’s.
9. Which of the girls is the taller in the class?
10. Mount Everest is the higher mountain of the world.

Adjectives often confused

 

Exercise 9:
Use many or much in these sentences:

1. He hasn’t ____ money.
2. Have they ____ books?
3. There isn’t ____ food in the house.
4. Does she take ____ interest in it?
5. I haven’t ____ time.
6. Are there ____ pupils absent today?
7. How ____ does this book cost?
8. ____ rain has fallen on the mountains.
9. He doesn’t know ____English.
10. ____ too people went to the concert.

Exercise 10:
Use few or a few, little or a little in these sentences:

1. As he has ____ books, he isn’t able to study.
2. Will you have ____ tea?
3. He’s very ill, there’s ____ hope for him.
4. There are ____ apples in the bowl, help yourself to some.
5. ____  people study Latin nowadays.
6. He can’t afford it as he only has ____  money left.
7. As she didn’t speak clearly, ____  people understood what she said.
8. ____ people will admit their faults.
9. We must save ____ money for our journey home.
10. I have ____  friends in London who will help me.

Exercise 11:
Use ill or sick in these sentences:

1. She was suddenly taken ____.
2. The meat was bad, and made everybody ____.
3. He went to the hospital to visit the ____.
4. The ____ man died yesterday.
5. When we’re ____ we go to the doctor.
6. Those who are in bad health are said to be ____.
7. The ____ and the wounded were taken to hospital.
8. He’s with ____ a bad cold.
9. When I travel by boat I’m always ____.
10. She felt ____ and left in the middle of the game.

Exercise 12:
Use some or any in these sentences:

1. I’ve got ____  new CDs at home.
2. There aren’t ____  flowers in the garden.
3. Have you ____  brothers in this school?
4. Did you buy ____  stamps at the post office?
5. Have I ____  got e-mails this morning?

Exercise 13:
Use his or her in these sentences:

1. The father told ____  daughter to come back.
2. She gave the money to ____  uncle’s neighbour.
3. He sent a letter to ____  niece.
4. The woman lost ____ son.
5. The grandfather gave a nice gift to ____ daughter’s eldest son.

Exercise 14:
Use interesting or interested in these sentences:

1. I’m ____  in English.
2. Was the film ____  last night?
3. The book is ____  from beginning to end.
4. She’s a most ____  lady.
5. Are you ____ in computers?

Exercise 15:
Fill in the blanks with one of the adjectives in brackets:

1. He sat down and said nothing ____ . (farther, further)
2. Is that the ____ edition of The Times? (last, latest)
3. Wash your hands if they’re not ____. (clean, clear)
4.   A prize was given to ____ one of the two best pupils. (each, every)
5. She knows ____words than her brother. (less, fewer)
6. Several people were ____when the train ran off the track. (wounded, injured)
7. Jane is ____ than her cousin. (higher, taller)
8. Tom is three years old, he’s too ____ to go to school. (small, young)
9. James is my ____  brother. (older, elder)
10. My sister Emma is ____ than I am. (older, elder)

The ARTICLES

Exercise 16:
Fill in the blanks with a or an where necessary:

1. Swimming is ____ great fun.
2. The plane made ____ terrible noise.
3. What sort of ____ man is he?
4. My aunt made ____ fortune in America.
5. He saved up more than ____thousand pounds.
6. The train left half ____hour ago.
7. She’s made ____great progress in English.
8. She’s ____clever girl.
9. He tried without success to find ____work.
10. Vitamins are necessary for ____ good health.

Exercise 17:
Fill in the blanks with the where necessary:

1. My little brother will go to ____  school next year.
2. My father left ____ school many years ago.
3. ____  red, ____ blue and ____ green are beautiful colours.
4. ____ cotton of Egypt is exported to many countries.
5. ____ Nile flows into Mediterranean.
6. What time is ____  lunch.
7. She can speak ____ French.
8. She speaks ____ German better than ____ English.
9. ____ flies are harmful insects.
10. The boy was sent to ____ post office to post a letter.

Relative pronouns

 

Exercise 18:
Put relative pronouns in each of the following:

1. That’s the boy ____came yesterday.
2. The man to ____I spoke is my brother.
3. The girl ____mother is ill has left school.
4. This is the pen ____I bought.
5. I can’t repeat all ____ I heard.
6. He’s a boy ____ I know you can trust.
7. She’s the girl ____ we thought had been ill.
8. He’s the tallest man ____ I ever saw.
9. She’s the same ____ she’s always been.
10. I like to help those ____ I love and ____ I know love me.

Interrogative pronouns

 

Exercise 19:
Put interrogative pronouns in each of the following:

1. ____do you find easier to learn, English or French?
2. ____were you talking about? (the cinema)
3. ____is this book? (my uncle’s)
4. ____of the two players do you like better?
5. ____do you think I wanted? (your brother)
6. ____of the three boys spoke?
7. ____did you say won the prize?
8. ____is he, do you suppose? (a lawyer)
9. ____of your brothers works in the bank?
10. ____is the number of your house?

Repetition of subject or object

Exercise 20:
Rewrite the following sentences, leaving out unnecessary pronouns and making other necessary changes:

1. The prizes they were given to the boys.
2. The girl she said nothing.
3. The teacher gave us an exercise to do it.
4. He went home and he got his book.
5. The book which it is on the table is mine.
6. Students who are good at their lessons they get good marks.
7. She gave us a football to play with it.
8. The people, having seen the game, they went away.
9. The headmaster I have seen him just now.
10. The scorpion it has a sting in its tail.

Miscellaneous examples

Exercise 21:
Correct the following sentences, giving reasons for your corrections:

1. One should mind his own business.
2. The most of the people are fond of the cinema.
3. This is the boy which is always late.
4. I speak English better than him.
5. She told her mother all what had been said.
6. This cake is for you and myself.
7. I want to give me your book, please.
8. Is a very good girl.
9. It is them.
10. I and Stephen are friends.

Sequence of tenses

Exercise 22:
Put the verbs in brackets into the tenses required:

1. I thought that he (can) run much faster.
2. The boy said that he (begin) his work tomorrow.
3. She says she (understand) French very well.
4. The teacher said, ‘London (be) the largest city in the world.’
5. The teacher said that London (be) the capital of England.
6. I was sure that he (will) succeed.
7. I asked her if she (want) anything.
8. They say that he (will) pass the exam.
9. She told me that she (feet) very tired.
10. The boy worked hard so that he (may) not fail in the exam.

Exercise 23:
Complete the following, using a verb in the required tense:

1. Laura told me that she ____ .
2. I asked him whether he ____ .
3. James said that he ____ .
4. Our teacher taught us that ____ .
5. Sarah gave me a promise that she____ .
6. The boys said that ____ .
7. I knew that she ____ .
8. I asked him to wait until____ .
9. I thought that she ____ .
10. He didn’t come when ____ .

Use of the wrong tense

 

Exercise 24:
Supply the correct tense, Simple Present or Present Continuous, in the following:

1. I (to go) to school every day.
2. He (to go) to the school now.
3. Look! They (to come) towards us.
4. Now I (to hear) her clearly.
5. Every morning I (to take) a walk by the river.
6. The sun (to rise) in the east and (to set) in the west.
7. The teacher (to watch) me when I (to write).
8. We (to go) to the cinema this evening.
9. I (to read) English now.
10. People (to use) umbrellas when it (to rain).

Exercise 25:
Supply the correct tense, Simple Past Tense or Past Continuous, in the following:

1. When I (come) in, it (rain).
2. Many years ago people (travel) on horseback.
3. I (meet) him as I (go) home.
4. He (go) to another school last year.
5. My father (play) football in his youth.
6. We (eat) our dinner when he (come) to visit us.
7. In the past he (smoke) a great deal.
8. They (shout) when the teacher (enter) the room.
9. Last year he (study) very hard.
10. While he (play) football he (lose) his watch.

Exercise 26:
Supply the correct tense, Simple Pat Tense or Present Perfect, in the following:

1. He (come) back last week.
2. I just (finish) my work.
3. I (live) in London last year.
4. The bell (ring) five minutes ago.
5. I (see) the Pyramids of Egypt.
6. He (write) the book in 1936.
7. She (be) ill with fever since last Saturday.
8. The ship (arrive) yesterday.
9. I (stay) at my uncle’s last night.
10. I (deposit) the money in the bank.

Exercise 27:
Supply the correct tense, Simple Past Tense or Past Perfect, in the following:

1. I (want) to see you yesterday.
2. He (tell) me that he (see) me the day before yesterday.
3. There (be) a strong wind last night.
4. The girl (find) the book which she (lose).
5. When I (run) a mile, I (be) very tired.
6. The tourist (talk) about the countries she (visit).
7. When I (be) a boy I (study) music.
8. The Romans (speak) Latin.
9. After he (finish) his work he (go) to bed.
10. She (sleep) an hour when I (wake) her.

Exercise 28:
Complete the following, using the correct tense:

1. We’ll go for a picnic, if ____.
2. I’ll visit the Pyramids when ____.
3. Some people talk as if ____.
4. Since he came her ____.
5. You would have passed if ____.

Exercise 29:
Rewrite the following with the verbs in brackets in the correct tense:

1. After he (finish) his work he (go) home.
2. I (study) English for two years.
3. I (finish) my work this morning.
4. I (do) my homework before Tom (call) for me.
5. He said he (will) go to the cinema.
6. I not (see) her since Wednesday.
7. I (speak) to her five minutes ago.
8. I (study) grammar last year.
9. She always (whisper) during the lesson.
10. The courier (come) back.

Exercise 30:
Correct the following sentences, giving reasons for your corrections:

1. Richard said that he is working hard.
2. How long did you waited for me yesterday?
3. She speaks English very well, but I’m not sure whether she can speaks French too.
4. He is on the team for two years.
5. I have seen her yesterday at church.
6. What do you do now? – I do my project.
7. I use to get up early.
8. Paul acts as if he is a rich man.
9. I’ll speak to him as soon as he will come.
10. I told Jill to come with us, but she says that she isn’t feeling well.

Third person singular

Exercise 31:
Put the following into the third person singular, present tense:

1. I always do my homework carefully, but Mike never ____.
2. Karen’s friends often go fishing, but she never ____.
3. I haven’t got a new computer, but Rosie ____.
4. Simon has tickets for the match, but Bruce ____.
5. She walks to work every day, but her husband ____.
6. We comb and brush our hair, but our sister ____.
7. Robin has a broken arm, but Carol ____.
8. I haven’t got time for breakfast, but my sister ____.
9. I sit and talk to my friends, but my mother ____.
10. I go to school by bike, but my friend ____.

Exercise 32:
Fill the blanks with the right word, don’t or doesn’t, in the following:

1. I ___think so.
2. John ____ know how to swim.
3. He ____ play football well/
4. It ____ matter what they say.
5. Some pupils ____ take good care of their books.
6. ____ you know where I live?
7. Why ____ you try?
8. Teachers ____ like lazy pupils.
9. Lucy ____speak English very well.
10. ____ be afraid of the dog!

Questions and negations

Exercise 33:
Rewrite the following sentences (a) as questions, (b) as negative sentences:

1. He went home.
2. You told me to wait.
3. I made a mistake.
4. She broke the window.
5. She opened the document.
6. He speaks English.
7. He bought a new calculator.
8. She found her disk.
9. Mary came late.
10. He knew the answer.

Exercise 34:
Answer the following questions (a) in the affirmative, (b) in the negative, using complete sentences:

1. Did you buy a new printer?
2. Does John often swim across the river?
3. Did you find the book that you lost?
4. Does she always ring the bell?
5. Did he go to London last year?
6. Did she teach you anything?
7. Did you know the answer to the problem?
8. Does he speak many languages?
9. Do you think it will rain?
10. Did they catch the thief?

Exercise 35:
Correct whatever is wrong with the following questions:

1. You were at the cinema last night?
2. At what time did she came yesterday?
3. You will go home next week?
4. He has returned from leave?
5. Does she speaks French?
6. You have some good news for me?
7. He can drive a car?
8. You heard about the accident?
9. Why she comes here every day?
10. When the post will come?

Question phrases

Exercise 36:
Complete the following, adding question phrases:

1. She sings well, ____?
2. He can’t swim, ____?
3. You play the piano, ____?
4. It’s cool today, ____?
5. It isn’t warm today, ____?

Indirect questions

Exercise 37:
Change the following into indirect questions:

1. I asked him, ‘How much did you pay for your bicycle?’
I asked him how much he…
2. She asked her guest, ‘Do you want tea or coffee?’
She asked her guest if she…
3. I asked him, ‘What’s your idea?’
I asked him what his…
4. We asked them, ‘Where are you going?’
We asked them where…
5. They asked the assistant, ‘What’s the price of this PC?’
They asked the assistant what…
6. He asked me, ‘Did you ring the bell?’
He asked me if…
7. The tourist asked us, ‘Which is the way to the airport?’
The tourist asked us which…
8. The teacher asked me, ‘Why are you crying?’
The teacher asked me why…
9. My father asked me, ‘Why are you so late?’
My father asked me why…
10. She asked me, ‘How long does it take to get there?’
She asked me how…

Double negative

Exercise 38:
Rewrite the following sentences correctly:

1. I couldn’t find him nowhere.
2. There isn’t no one here who knows her name.
3. I didn’t see nobody there.
4. He didn’t tell me nothing.
5. He isn’t neither wise nor good.
6. You will find the box nowhere.
7. We didn’t give him nothing.
8. I don’t know nothing.
9. He didn’t speak to no one in the room.
10. Nobody never saw him without his stick.

Contractions

Exercise 39:
Write the words which each of the following contractions stand for:

1. Don’t
2. Doesn’t
3. Aren’t
4. Isn’t
5. Wasn’t
6. Can’t
7. Couldn’t
8. Haven’t
9. We’ll
10. You’ve

Exercise 40:
Write contractions for the following:

1. Would not
2. I am
3. I have
4. I will
5. Had not
6. He is
7. It is
8. Will not
9. Shall not
10. Must not

Verbs often confused

Exercise 41:
Put shall or will in he following:

1. Tomorrow ____ be Sunday.
2. All right, I ____ come.
3. You ____ not leave this room until you finish your work.
4. You ____ find your books on the table.
5. ____ I bring my books with me?
6. He ____ go to school this year.
7. No! I ____ never do that.
8. I ____ write a few letters tomorrow.
9. I ____ do it whether they like it or not.
10. ‘We ____ be as quiet as mice,’ promised the children.

Exercise 42:
Use the correct form of say or tell in the following:

1. He always ____  the truth.
2. Simon ____ , I shall go tomorrow.
3. She ____  nothing.
4. They ____  that she is ill.
5. He ____  that he’d go the next day.
6. I ____  him that I’d go with him.
7. She ____  to me, ‘I’m not feeling well.’
8.  What’s he ____ing?
9. Don’t ____ lies.
10. Amy ____ me that she would go home.

Exercise 43:
Use the correct form of make or do in the following:

1. Some of the best cheeses are ____ in France.
2. He ____ his best to help me.
3. Have you ____your homework?
4. I have only ____ one mistake.
5. If you take this medicine, it’ll ____ you good.
6. ____ whatever you like.
7. What were you ____ing when I came in?
8. Did you ____your homework carefully?
9. Don’t ____ a noise.
10. They often ____fun of her at school.

Exercise 44:
Use the correct form of lie or lay in the following:

1. I’ll go and ____ down.
2. The book was ____ing on the floor.
3. He ____ down to rest.
4. She told the dog to ____  down.
5. The hen has ____  an egg.
6. How long have you ____  in bed?
7. She ____  to the teacher.
8. He ordered his troops to ____  down.
9. I ____  the book on the table.
10. Yesterday she ____ in bed until midday.

Exercise 45:
Use the correct form of sit, seat or set in the following:

1. Please ____  down.
2. Please ____  yourself.
3. Please be ____ .
4. The sun ____ in the west.
5. The boat will ____ twelve people.
6. The old man was ____ ing by the fire.
7. ____  the vase on the table.
8. The dog was ____ ing on the chair.
9. The teacher ____  the boys as they came in.
10. I once in ____  that famous chair.

Exercise 46:
Use the correct form of rise or raise in the following:

1. Prices ____  during the war.
2. He promised to ____  her salary.
3. The balloon ____ in the sky.
4. The sun ____  at six o’clock.
5. He ____  his hat to the teacher.
6. The box is too heavy, I can’t ____ it.
7. She ____ from her seat and left the room.
8. I ____  very early in the morning.
9. The teacher told him not to ____ his voice.
10. We had ____  from table before she came in.

Exercise 47:
Use the correct form of wear, put on or dress in the following:

1. She often ____  a green coat.
2. I ____  my coat and went out.
3. The mother ____  the child.
4. She ____ a beautiful dress at the dance.
5. It takes him a long time to ____ his clothes.
6. He ____  a red tie yesterday.
7. She never ____  brown shoes.
8. Mary ____  herself and went to the party.
9. I’ll ____ my new dress at the wedding.
10. When he came in he was ____ ing his coat.

Exercise 48:
Use the correct form of let, let go, leave or give up in the following:

1. ____  your books here.
2. Does your father ____  you go swimming?
3. Please ____ my room.
4. I have ____  music lessons.
5. Where have you ____ your pen?
6. Mother will not ____ me go.
7. His old friends ____ him.
8. Please ____ of my hand.
9. Someone always ____ the door open.
10. ____ me go, too.

Exercise 49:
Use a correct form of fly, flow or flee in the following:

1. The plane ____  over the city.
2. The birds have ____  north for the summer.
3. He ____  from danger.
4. The water ____ all day.
5. The flies ____  through the window.
6. The Nile ____ into the Mediterranean.
7. He ____ from London to New York.
8. The prisoner has ____ from his guard.
9. Birds ____ .
10. The wild horses ____  from the men.

Exercise 50:
Use hung or hanged in the following:

1. He was found guilty and ____ .
2. Mother ____ the clothes up to dry.
3. The picture ____ on the wall.
4. The criminal was ____ .
5. She ____  his jacket up.

Exercise 51:
Use the correct form of borrow or lend in the following:

1. May I ____ your pen?
2. Please ____ me your book.
3. From whom did you ____ the money?
4. He’ll ____ you his knife.
5. You should avoid ____ ing things from others.

Exercise 52:
Use the correct from of steal or rob in the following:

1. They ____ the house and fled.
2. Someone has ____  his money.
3. ‘I’ve been ____ ,’ cried the lady.
4. When the bank was ____, the thieves escaped.
5. The cat will ____the dog’s food.

Exercise 53:
Use a correct form of refuse or deny in the following:

1. He ____ to do the work.
2. Clare ____that she’d seen him.
3. Do you ____that you broke the window?
4. I ____ to take the money.
5. I asked her to come with us, but she ____.

Exercise 54:
Use a correct form of learn or teach in the following:

1. She ____ her friends the nw game.
2. Will you ____ me how to swim?
3. He ____his lessons quickly.
4. My teacher ____me English.
5. Susan  wanted to ____ to drive.

Exercise 55:
Use the correct form of win or beat in the following:

1. We were sure to ____.
2. I can ____ him at chess.
3. The trophy was ____ by our school.
4. We’ve ____your team several times.
5. We’ve always ____.

Exercise 56:
Use the correct form of see or look in the following:

1. We can’t ____ in the dark.
2. Don’t ____out of the window.
3. Did you ____ that film?
4. When he ____ through the open window, he ____ it on the table.
5. The blind can’t ____.

Exercise 57:
Use a correct form of hear or listen in the following:

1. I ____ carefully but ____ nothing.
2. He can’t ____very well.
3. I was ____ing to the music.
4. The deaf can’t ____.
5. Let’s ____ to my new CD.

Exercise 58:
Use the correct form of like or want in the following:

1. I ____ to go to Athens next year.
2. Children ____to play computer games.
3. Do you ____to come with me for a drive?
4. She always ____ to get up early.
5. Do you ____to play tennis this afternoon?

Exercise 59:
Use a correct form of read or study in the following:

1. My father ____ The times.
2. The boy is ____ing for the exam.
3. When I finish ____ing geography, I’ll ____the letter.
4. She ____ a lot, but she doent ____for her exams.
5. When the students had ____the exam paper, they were advised to ____ the questions again.

Exercise 60:
Use fall or fell in the following:

1. Did the child ____ from the chair?
2. The plane ____ into the sea.
3. He ____down and broke his leg.
4. In winter the leaves ____from the trees.
5. You’ll ____if you’re not careful.

Exercise 61:
In the following sentences, choose the correct word from those in brackets:

1. Who (discovered, invented) the telephone?
2. The judge was (persuaded, convinced) that the man was guilty.
3. When will the meeting (take place, take part)?
4. He (took, received) a prize for his success.
5. It’s not wise to (interfere with, interfere in) family quarrels.
6. He (is, is found) at the school in the morning.
7. At what time do you (sleep, go to bed)?
8. She didn’t (accept, agree) to go.
9. How does that man (win, earn) his living?
10. Please (remember, remind) me to give you the change.