English Advanced Grammar Exercises – Word formation 1: conversion

A. Match the sentence beginnings to the correct endings.

a   a think about it and let me know tomorrow.

b   a fall and broke her leg.

c   a detailed search of the area.

d   a very significant historical find.

e   it a push to get it going!

f   any help with your homework.

g   clones of each other.

h   a cheat and a liar!

B. Complete the sentences with the nouns used as verbs from the box. Use a dictionary if necessary.

1   I’m not prepared to ………………… all the blame for the accident because it wasn’t really my fault.

2   It hasn’t rained for ages, so Dad asked me to ………………… the garden this afternoon.

3   Why do you have to ………………… me around all the time? Let me do things my way for once!

4   Charlie doesn’t know what time his train arrives, so he’s going to ………………… me when he finds out.

5   It’s important to ………………… the tin before pouring in the mixture, otherwise the cake will stick.

6   If Mum and Dad decide to move to Australia it will be expensive to ………………… all our things there.

7   With profits high this year, the directors of the company are likely to ………………… a record bonus.

8   It’s dangerous to ………………… suddenly if there is ice on the roads, so don’t drive too fast.

9   This conference is a great opportunity for us to ………………… with people and find useful contacts.

10   It’s a bit hot in here – do you mind if I open the window to ………………… the room a bit?

C. Underline the correct option. Use a dictionary if necessary.

1   Do you want to go out for a meal tonight or shall we just have a getaway / takeaway instead?

2   There was a really good turnout / dropout for the meeting – more than two hundred people came.

3   Did you see the match last night? 7-1! It was a complete takeover / walkover, wasn’t it?

4   Unfortunately our car was so badly damaged in the accident that it’s a write-off / take-off.

5   The policeman realised he couldn’t deal with the situation on his own, so he radioed for backup / wind-up.

6   Having to go back to work after such a great holiday was a real comedown / putdown.

7   The fallout / blackout from this scandal will have serious consequences for the government.

8   People in our area have started a protest against the building of a new flyover / hangover.

9   There have been significant changes in the make-up / pick-up of the company in the last few years.

10   Boxing legend Jack Tyson has announced that he is making a fallback / comeback at the age of 42.

D. Complete the email, using the correct form of the expressions in the box.

Dear Maria,

I’m having a great time here. There isn’t much to do apart from sunbathe, 1…………………. in the sea or 2…………………. along the beach, but it means I can 3…………………. after such a busy year. Oh, you can go surfing too. I haven’t tried it yet but I definitely want to 4…………………. before I go home!

Actually, yesterday we 5…………………. to the island’s capital, to try and 6…………………. for the local culture, and we 7…………………. around the markets. I bought some clothes and a CD of traditional music, which is really beautiful – you can 8…………………. when we get home!

At night it’s different. There are cafes and clubs everywhere – last night we stayed out dancing and telling jokes all night, which 9………………….! I think I’ll go to bed early tonight though, because if I don’t 10…………………. I’ll be exhausted tomorrow. See you soon!

Love, Alicia x

E. Complete each sentence b, using a verb formed from the underlined adjective in sentence a, so that it means the same.

1   a   Before eating this bread, get it warm in the oven for 10 minutes.

      b   Before eating this bread, ………………… it in the oven for 10 minutes.

2   a   Wash the mushrooms, then get them dry using a paper towel.

      b   Wash the mushrooms, then ………………… using a paper towel.

3   a   Because of the economic problems, the shops were empty of customers.

      b   The economic problems ………………… of customers.

4   a   Make sure your teeth are clean after every meal.

      b   ………………… after every meal.

5   a   Since her heart attack, my mother takes tablets to make her blood thinner.

      b   Since her heart attack, my mother takes tablets ………………… .

6   a   Diplomats will meet next week to try to make the path towards peace smoother.

      b   Diplomats will meet next week to try ………………… .

7   a   Statistics suggest that the gap between rich and poor is getting narrower.

      b   Statistics suggest that the gap between rich and poor ………………… .

8   a   The lid of the pie will stick better if you make the pastry wet with a little milk.

      b   The lid of the pie will stick better if you ………………… with a little milk.

9   a   You can’t go out until you’ve made your room tidier.

      b   You can’t go out until ………………… .

10 a   The roads are always busy now but they are usually clear by 10 o’clock.

      b   The roads are always busy now but they ………………… by 10 o’clock.

F. Try to work out the meaning of the underlined verbs in these headlines, then check in a dictionary.

UNIVERSITIES SHELVE PLANS TO INCREASE COST OF COURSES

COACH AXED AFTER SHOCK CUP EXIT

PARENTS BLAST PHONE COMPANY OVER TEENAGER AD CAMPAIGN

UNITED MUSCLE THEIR WAY PAST LOCAL RIVALS

STUDENTS CLASH WITH TEACHERS OVER EXAM PLANS

SCHOOLS TO PILOT NEW TEST

Now invent two or three of your own headlines, using some of these verbs.

………………………………………………..

………………………………………………..

………………………………………………..

………………………………………………..

G. Circle the correct option.

1   I’ll ………… the job interview in for Tuesday and we can confirm it later.

      a pen     b pencil     c note

2   You can’t wash this jacket in the washing machine – you need to get it ………… .

      a dry cleaned  

      b spin-dried  

      c spring-cleaned

3   You must be freezing – why don’t you sit by the fire and ………… up a bit.

      a heat     b hot     c warm

4   It’ll be difficult to get the job but I’m going to give it ………… .

      a a try     b a test     c an attempt

5   This government has helped ………… much more than the poorer members of society.

      a rich     b riches     c the rich