English Advanced Grammar Exercises – Verbal complements exercise

A. Circle the correct word or phrase.

1   I don’t know how you could even contemplate to allow / allowing Vicky to go on holiday with her friends.

2   The interviewer somehow managed to get / getting the politician to admit his mistake.

3   Did you mention to have / having to book the restaurant when you saw Angie?

4   We missed our flight so we ended up to sleep / sleeping on the floor in the airport.

5   The woman demanded to know / knowing who was in charge.

6   I can’t help to feel / feeling that I’ve forgotten something.

7   The board of directors opted to apply / applying to the bank for a loan.

8   What happened when Sandra applied to join / joining the army?

9   We don’t foresee to need / needing to employ anyone to replace Amy when she’s on maternity leave.

10   I really wasn’t expecting to bump / bumping into Ken in Birmingham.

11   I’m beginning to wish I hadn’t volunteered to help / helping Sandra move house.

12   Please don’t hesitate to contact / contacting me if you require further information.

B. Circle the correct verb form.

Kathy:   Erm … hello. You must be Preston.

Preston:   Yes, yes, I am. Kathy, is it? I have to admit (1) to be / to being a bit nervous. This is the first blind date I’ve been on.

Kathy:   Me too. I almost didn’t come (2) to see / seeing you, actually. But then you just have to risk (3) to meet / meeting someone you don’t like, don’t you?

Preston:   Er … yeah. Do you mind (4) to sit / sitting by the window?

Kathy:   No, that’s fine. It was my sister, Jane, who suggested (5) to meet / meeting you.

Preston:   Right. Did she happen (6) to tell / telling you anything about me?

Kathy:   She said you work together, but she refused (7) to say / saying anything else.

Preston:   Oh. Well, I’ve been looking forward (8) to meet / to meeting you. Erm … do you feel like (9) to order / ordering? I’m starving.

Kathy:   Okay. I think I fancy (10) to have / having seafood. What about you?

Preston:   Seafood sounds good. Can you see our waiter?

C. Complete using the verbs in the box in the correct form. You may need to add a preposition.

1   How can you justify …………………. so many lives at risk like that?

2   Everyone voted …………………. Mr Greenwood to join the golf club.

3   The government have undertaken …………………. more than a dozen helicopters from the US military.

4   People who have been accused …………………. serious crimes are usually sent to prison to await their trial.

5   The man claimed …………………. by two young men, but something about him made me suspicious.

6   We can’t afford …………………. for everyone to agree or we’ll miss this opportunity.

7   We are trying to encourage all local people …………………. more of their rubbish.

8   Why do you keep …………………. me about what Susan said?

9   I challenge you …………………. those accusations!

10   The assistant manager hoped …………………. before too long.

D. One verb in each sentence is in the wrong form. Underline the incorrect form and rewrite it correctly.

1   You deserve to be given a medal for all the work you did when you volunteered to help Alan finish to clear out the attic. ……………………….

2   The company has resolved to improve performance in the coming months and plans resisting being forced to close any offices. ……………………….

3   Being married involves to make a lot of compromises and being prepared to learn to live with other people’s faults. ……………………….

4   Alec often appears to want to join in discussion but he needs to avoid to be so shy or he’ll never manage to get his opinion across. ……………………….

5   Health experts recommend taking up a sport, so consider joining a team or, if you can’t face to exercise in front of so many people, plan to go running with a friend. ……………………….

6   I detest being kept waiting, and it tends happening at this hotel more than any other, so stop giving me excuses. ……………………….

7   What prompted me applying to join the police force was that my parents expected me to find a job which promised to offer security and good prospects. ……………………….

8   Many young people yearn to get involved in making films, but few are prepared to endure to work for years to perfect their acting skills. ……………………….

9   I dislike having to pretend getting on with someone when they don’t attempt to get to know me. ……………………….

10   If you are considering applying to become a student at Central University, we recommend you to contact the secretary, who needs knowing which course you are planning to follow. ……………………….

E. Complete each sentence with a pair of verbs from the box in the correct form.

1   I couldn’t see clearly, but I thought I …………………. Lily …………………. past the window.

2   Did you …………………. Nigel …………………. that he was thinking of moving to France?

3   During the experiment, we …………………. the animals …………………. with each other.

4   Did you turn the oven off? I can …………………. something …………………. .

5   I looked everywhere for Johnnie and I finally …………………. him …………………. under the stairs.

6   We …………………. the burglar …………………. out of the window and then called the police.

7   I couldn’t help …………………. Simon …………………. to get his car started, so I went to help him.

8   I thought I …………………. somebody …………………. me, but when I turned round there was no one there.

9   Patrick …………………. himself …………………. he had never accepted the job in the first place.

10   I …………………. Vanessa …………………. towards me, so I quickly dived into the nearest shop to avoid her.

F. Underline twelve verbs in the wrong form and rewrite them correctly.

Divorce

Legal and social changes in Britain have led to many more people choosing getting divorced over the last three decades. The Divorce Reform Act (1969) let people to get divorced far more easily and, despite promising staying together for life, over 160,000 couples ended up to get divorced each year during the late 80s and early 90s, compared to just over 27,000 in 1961.Towards the end of the twentieth century, divorce rates tended falling, then started to rise again over the first years of the twenty-first century.

When asked what motivated them getting divorced, people usually mention things like not to feel that the relationship was developing, or their partner making them to feel inadequate. Whatever causes people separating, it is often the children who have to learn living in a different family setting. They often resent to have to change their lives because the adults involved can’t manage resolving their difficulties. Divorce has got easier legally, but it hasn’t got any easier emotionally.

10   ………………………

11   ………………………

12   ………………………

G. Complete by writing the verb in bold in the correct form in each pair of sentences.

1   I wish you’d stop …………………… us you’re going to get an A because it’s not certain, you know.

2   Miss Edwards was explaining some grammar to us but she had to stop …………………… a couple of the girls to be quiet. tell

3   When you’re in town, remember …………………… some snacks for this evening.

4   I remember …………………… out of the car and I think I saw the motorbike, but everything after that is a blank. get

5   We regret …………………… that flight RA 721 has been cancelled.

6   I regret …………………… that I was going to resign because I changed my mind soon after. announce

7   The lecturer ignored the interruption and went on …………………… as if nothing had happened.

8   The lecturer described the social conditions in the 1930s and went on …………………… about the effect of the war. talk

9   You’re going to be angry, but I forgot …………………… to the bank to pay that cheque in.

10   Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten …………………… to the Blue Mountains! It was only last summer. go

11   The air conditioner wasn’t working so I tried …………………… the batteries in the remote control, but it didn’t make any difference.

12   There must be something wrong with the remote control because every time I try …………………… channels, nothing happens. change

13   We like …………………… the car serviced at least once a year, just to be on the safe side.

14   No, don’t! I really don’t like …………………… my feet tickled like that! have

H. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between three and eight words, including the word given.

1   After working for six hours, I finally managed to finish the report. in

     I finally ……………………………. the report after working for six hours.

2   Oscar is qualified to teach Russian because he has a degree in it. to

     Oscar’s Russian degree ……………………………. the language.

3   I couldn’t believe it when they suggested that I should speak to the head teacher about the problem. nominated

     I couldn’t believe it when they ……………………………. to the head teacher about the problem.

4   I shared a bedroom with my brothers when I was young and I quite liked it. like

     I used ……………………………. a bedroom with my brothers when I was young.

5   Tim resolved that he would stay out of trouble when he left prison. to

     On being released from prison, Tim resolved ……………………………. trouble again.

6   Are you sorry that you invited Liam to join us on the trip? regret

     Do ……………………………. Liam to join us on the trip?

7   The arrangement is that you are staying with Mr and Mrs Andrews. for

     We ……………………………. with Mr and Mrs Andrews.

8   What was your inspiration for creating such a fantastic character in your new novel? to

     What ……………………………. such a fantastic character in your new novel?

I. Choose the correct answer.

6   After what the manager said this morning, I didn’t ……………………. him about the problems I’ve been having.

      A dare telling

      B dare it telling

      C dare tell

      D dare to telling

7   Don’t you ………………. that Veronica and George are still together?

      A incredibly find

      B find incredible

      C find incredibly

      D find it incredible

8   You shouldn’t have let Kerry ………………. without apologising for what you said to her.

      A leave   B to leave

      C leaving   D to leaving

9   It was a bit embarrassing when the teacher caught us ………………. during the test.

      A to cheat   B cheating

      C cheat   D to cheating

10   It’s not fair to make the dog ………………. in the car on such a hot day.

      A to wait   B waiting

      C wait   D for waiting

J. Write one word in each gap.

Speed Dating

‘You’ve been trying (1) ……………… find that certain someone for far too long, Debbie,’ they said. ‘Can’t you feel (2) ……………… getting older? Don’t you (3) ……………… it strange to be 25 and not married yet?’ they asked. They recommended (4) ……………… to check out something called ‘speed dating’. Two days later I found (5) ……………… sitting in a club in central London with 100 other people with name badges on.

The idea with speed dating is that you have three minutes to chat, then a bell rings and you change partners. You keep (6) ……………… going like that all night, making a note of anybody you like. So, I sat there as 50 young men passed before my eyes. I didn’t (7) ……………… tell them that I worked for a young women’s magazine, so I pretended to be a hairdresser. Everyone obviously found (8) ……………… hard to know what to say – well, what do you say to sell yourself in three minutes? The Kevins, Jonathans and Michaels came and went, and I (9) ……………… to feel like I couldn’t (10) ……………… to hear another potted biography. Speed dating might work for some, but I think I’ll stick to traditional methods to find Mr Right.