English Advanced Grammar Exercises – Review: word formation; conditionals; relative and adverbial clauses; question forms; indirect speech; emphatic devices

A. Complete the dialogues. Use words from Box A for part A of each dialogue and prefixes or suffixes from Box B for part B of each dialogue.

1   A:   That seems a lot to pay for a pencil ……………… .

      B:   Yes, I think we’ve been ………… charged ………… .

2   A:   Eric looks really ……………… up today.

      B:   Yes, he seems to feel he’s been …………treated ………… in some way.

3   A:   The last James Brook film got ………………-star reviews, you know.

      B:   Maybe it did, but I found it completely …………watchable ………… myself.

4   A:   It must have been ………………-breaking for Selina when Amir died.

      B:   Yes it was. They had a very close …………relation ………… .

5   A:   Some people think they’ll be able to go into a highly-……………… job as soon as they leave university.

      B:   Yes, they have no …………aware ………… of how hard it is to find that kind of work these days.

6   A:   I hear Pam’s taking part in a 10-……………… race this Saturday.

      B:   That’s right. I told her I’d go and watch and give her some …………encourage ………… .

7   A:   Jake’s tall for his age but he isn’t very ………………-behaved, is he?

      B:   No, he’s not. He’s actually rather …………child ………… .

8   A:   I’m not sure if Pablo’s really in pain. I think he might be ………………-acting.

      B:   Oh no. I think he’s in severe …………comfort ………… .

9   A:   I thought the match between Brazil and England was very ………………-sided, didn’t you?

      B:   Oh yes. Brazil completely …………classed ………… England.

B. Circle the correct option.

1   If you want to manipulate the image on screen, just … here with your mouse.

      a beep     b click     c buzz

2   When we were in Buxton, we paid a … to the old spa.

      a claim     b search     c visit

3   These days so much of the media seems obsessed with … about the private lives of actors and footballers.

      a agenda     b trivia     c formulas

4   He was … at the Dickensian conditions that the families were living in.

      a alarmed     b masked     c questioned

5   I’d like to have a go at one of the … arts like judo or karate.

      a titanic     b herculean     c martial

6   As I’d been sitting down all day, I decided to … for the gym.

      a head     b eye     c nose

7   It’s obvious that no one’s proofread the text carefully because it’s full of … .

      a ads     b typos     c decafs

8   Adam’s always eating burgers, even though he knows they don’t do him any … .

      a right     b time     c good

C. Cross out ONE incorrect option.

1   I’d come and see you later today

      a if I had a bit more time.

      b if I wouldn’t be so busy.

      c if I wasn’t feeling so tired.

2   The bus should get us to the cinema by 7.30 pm

      a assuming it comes on time.

      b unless the roads are very crowded,

      c in case the traffic’s not too heavy.

3   a If only

      b Given

      c I wish

      you’d warned me about this earlier.

4   You can always send me an email

      a if known.

      b if necessary,

      c if in doubt.

5   a Had you needed any help

      b If you happen to need any help

      c Should you need any help

      please don’t hesitate to ask me.

6   If we’d saved a bit more money

      a we could afford a better computer.

      b we’d afforded a better computer.

      c we might have bought a better computer.

7   a I’d be grateful

      b It would be great

      c It would be glad

      if you could contact me as soon as possible.

8   I may be out of the office,

      a in which case one of my colleagues can help you.

      b otherwise one of my colleagues can help you.

      c and if so, one of my colleagues can help you.

D. Underline the correct option.

I’m the unusual one in my family. (1) While / As my wife and children are all mad about sport, I’m not at all interested in it. (2) So as / Much as I enjoy walking from one place to another, I can’t see the fun in doing hard physical exercise. Actually, I was quite sporty (3) until / as long as I was about 14, but then I broke my leg playing football. (4) Despite / Although having three operations, each of (5) them / which was quite lengthy, the bone didn’t mend properly and for a long time I needed a walking stick. Then, three years ago, (6) having / after married and had two children, I had another operation, (7) this / which was very successful and meant I didn’t need to use a stick any more. The funny thing is, (8) now / once that I can move freely, I’ve lost interest in sport. (9) That / What I really like nowadays is my work designing computer games. It’s something I can do (10) however / wherever I am and (11) no matter / whenever what time of the day or night it is. My wife Diana, (12) whose / her great passion is volleyball, is determined that our two children will follow her example rather than mine. That’s the reason (13) why / for my son and daughter go to gymnastics, karate, football, tennis and swimming clubs.

E. Complete each sentence b so that it has a similar meaning to sentence(s) a, using three to six words including the word in brackets.

1   a   Look. Why don’t we try again? (let)

      b   Look. ……………………………………… we?

2   a   Who does that car belong to? Do you know? (whose)

      b   Do you know ………………………………………?

3   a   There were rumours that the President had Resigned. (rumoured)

      b   The President ……………………………………… .

4   a   Yesterday Hasna said to me: ‘Have you seen Salim recently?’ (asked)

      b   Yesterday Hasna ……………………………………… Salim recently.

5   a   What are your brother’s main interests? (interested)

      b   What ………………………………………?

6   a ‘Be careful with the plant!’ I told her. (warned)

      b   I ……………………………………… the plant.

7   a   It was a bad idea for Ian to come, wasn’t it? (should)

      b   Ian ………………………………………, …………………… he?

8   a   ‘I’ll ring Nancy tomorrow,’ said Richard. (following)

      b   Richard said he ……………………………………… .

9   a   Hanah’s dad asked her: ‘Where are you?’ (wanted)

      b   Hanah’s dad ……………………………………… .

10 a   ‘This may be my last chance to see the world.’ That was my idea at the time. (thought)

      b   At the time, ……………………………………… my last chance to see the world.

F. Complete the sentences by adding the words in brackets in the correct order.

1   Sheila ………………………………………… . (wonderful / a / such / person / is)

2   The situation was getting difficult ………………………………………… Jack to calm things down again. (stepped / when / up)

3   ………………………………………… we could go to the seaside. (that / was / what / thought / I)

4   ………………………………………… she was planning to leave. (point / that / Michelle / no / tell / at / did / us)

5   ………………………………………… you’ve done for me. (appreciate / do / everything / I)

6   ………………………………………… she also knows how to put them into practice. (good / Catherine / only / but / does / ideas / not / have)

7   ………………………………………… the file for a few minutes. (did / borrow / I / to / all / was)

8   No ………………………………………… it started to pour with rain. (we / beach / than / the / sooner / got / had / to)

9   ………………………………………… we went to see the photography exhibition. (recommended / because / it / you / that / it / was)

10   Not ………………………………………… the recognition he deserved. (Mike / once / given / was)