English Advanced Grammar Exercises – Review: phrasal verbs; verbs with infinitive or -ing; copular verbs; verbs with two objects; advanced verb structures

A. Circle the correct option.

Hi Alex,

You’ll be surprised to hear that yesterday I ran my first half marathon – that’s 21 kilometres! No, I’m not 1…… – I really did do it. I spent about five months training for it, mainly running round my local park six days a week. A half marathon is a long race and, unless you’re naturally very fit, you’ve got to take it seriously – you can’t 2…… . Most days I trained with Chiara. She lives near me and I get 3…… . The first time we went for a run, we set 4…… too quickly and I 5…… breath after about 10 minutes. I had to walk 6…… home feeling terrible. I nearly 7…… at that point because I thought I’d never be able to run very far but Chiara persuaded me to 8…… on trying. We worked 9…… a sensible training programme, starting with short, slow runs and then gradually doing more. This really helped and I got fitter. Running six days a week is hard and I had to 10…… up with aches and pains in my ankles and my knees, but generally it was nice to feel fit. Then Chiara 11…… the idea of entering the half marathon. In the weeks before the race, both of us got really excited and, luckily, the day 12…… our expectations. There were about 5,000 other runners and Chiara and me 13…… up finishing in a time of just under two hours, which is pretty good for a first try.

OK, that’s all for now. Perhaps you could let me know what you’ve been

14…… recently.

All the best

Julie

1 a making up it     b backing it up     c making it up     d backing up it

2 a put off     b rundown     c get up     d mess around

3 a on with     b on well with her     c well with her     d on her well

4 a off     b up     c down     d forward

5 a got away with     b broke up with     c ran out of     d came out of

6 a to     b for     c on     d back

7 a letdown     b shut up     c went down     d gave up

8 a get     b take     c keep     d move

9 a out     b in     c up     d off

10 a come     b pick     c set     d put

11 a got on with     b put up with     c came up with     d went on with

12 a lived up to     b stood up with     c looked up to     d ran up with

13 a got     b ended     c took     d stayed

14 a on about     b up to     c down to     d in with

B. Complete the sentences using TWO of the verbs in brackets in the correct forms: to-infinitive, infinitive without to, or -ing.

1   ………………. the truth, I don’t remember ………………. Peter at school yesterday. (see / say / tell)

2   Frankly ………………., I’m not looking forward to ………………. the situation to Laura. (talk / speak / explain)

3   I lay on the sofa ………………. through a magazine and then decided ………………. something to eat. (look / let / have)

4   There’s not much ………………. in this area in the evenings, so I suggest ………………. to the city centre for a while. (go / spend / do)

5   Stefan wanted to do something ………………. his spoken English, so he tried ………………. a conversation class and he said it helped. (join / know / improve)

6   Our Science teacher never lets us ………………. in class and he always makes us ………………. extra homework. (relax / do / give)

7   ………………. to the gym is good for my self-confidence, not ………………. my health. (mention / use / go)

8   They spent two weeks ………………. around Greece and then stopped for a few days in Athens ………………. the historical monuments. (meet / see / travel)

9   I can’t imagine ………………. a lot of money, but I wouldn’t mind ………………. a bit richer than now. (do / be / have)

10   It’s always been my dad’s ambition ………………. in the countryside, but my mum’s worried about not ………………. any family or friends there. (come / have / live)

C. Complete both sentences, using the same verb. Use the same tense.

1   It …………. really cold last night, didn’t it?

      I …………. eight books for my birthday-it’s a good thing I like reading!

2   My computer is always crashing – it …………. me absolutely mad.

      My dad …………. a much smaller car than he used to.

3   Is this fish OK? It doesn’t …………. very nice.

      Can you …………. something burning?

4   Patricia …………. asleep on the train and missed her bus.

      My brother …………. off his bike this morning but he didn’t hurt himself.

5   Lubna suddenly heard a noise behind her and …………. round quickly.

      The air was cold and the sky …………. a dark grey colour, so we all went inside.

6   Amanda’s an actress and she used to …………. quite often on TV.

      Dimitri didn’t …………. very surprised at the news of his brother’s problems.

7   The security guard …………. the alarm and the firefighters were at the building within 10 minutes.

      That programme about the Arctic …………. interesting – I wish I’d seen it.

8   I didn’t think Katia was very good at chess but when we played at the weekend she …………. to be much better than I’d expected.

      The evidence finally …………. that Fabrice was innocent.

9   Imran was so annoying – he …………. interrupting me all the time.

      Julia didn’t want anyone to know about her visit so we …………. quiet about it.

10   The court …………. Jack Downing innocent, so he went home a free man.

      When she was looking through some old papers, my mum …………. a funny photo of herself as a student.

D. Make sentences by putting the words in the correct order.

1   you / favour / a / I / owe

      …………………………………….

2   you / a / could / hand? / me / give

      …………………………………….

3   her / Jaime / described / to / it

      …………………………………….

4   far / charged / they / much / too / us

      …………………………………….

5   the / was / father / I / taught / my / by / piano

      …………………………………….

6   by / the / waiter / we / French / served / a / were / food

      …………………………………….

7   to / who / dinner / you / for / is / going / cook?

      …………………………………….

8   for / pizza / ordered / we / everyone

      …………………………………….

9   friends / us / luck / wished / Tony’s / good

      …………………………………….

10   job / sister / offered / been / my / interesting / has / an

        …………………………………….

E. Complete the questions and replies with the verbs from the boxes, then match the questions to the correct replies.

Questions 1-8

1   Do those shoes …………… you?

2   Do you think these games will …………… well?

3   Are your brothers going to …………… football tomorrow?

4   Won’t these Strawberries …………… their flavour in the fridge?

5   Do you think temperatures are going to …………… soon?

6   Should I …………… these wet clothes on the washing line?

7   Do you mind if I …………… the window a little?

8   Won’t those chocolates …………… in the sun?

Replies a-h

a   Maybe, but they’ll …………… longer.

b   Only if I have to …………… in them for a long time.

c   No, they’ll …………… better by the radiator.

d   The problem is, the candles might …………… in the draught.

e   Yes, and they think they’ll …………… quite easily again.

f   Yes, so let’s …………… them all now before they do.

g   Not if the shops …………… the prices too much.

h   Probably, but then they’ll start to …………… again.

F. Cross out the underlined words if the sentence is still grammatically correct without them. Put a tick if the words have to stay.

1   My sister’s studying medicine at university.

2   We met each other about six years ago.

3   I enioved the meal very much.

4   He shook his head as he walked out of the room.

5   At the end of the talk, several people raised their hands to ask a question.

6   You need to change your clothes before you go to the interview.

7   Rashida tripped over a cable and hurt her ankle.

8   I first met Hiroko six years ago.

9   The company closed down two shops last year.

10   Annie starts work at 8 o’clock.

11   I rang the bell but no one came to open the door.

12   Before we started to paint, we laid old newspapers on the floor.