English Grammar Exercises for B2 – -ing form or infinitive / prefer, would rather, had better / infinitives of purpose exercise

A. Circle the correct word or phrase.

1   I really don’t feel like going / to go out tonight. Do you?

2   Everyone expected his business failing / to fail within the first few months.

3   What would you like doing / to do this evening?

4   We discussed turning / to turn the attic into a spare bedroom with the architect.

5   She wasn’t able speaking / to speak very clearly after her accident.

6   Do you mind moving / to move your car, please? You’re blocking the road.

7   They’re going to postpone making / to make a decision until next month.

8   Are you planning of getting / to get a new DVD player?

9   Are you thinking of getting / to get a PlayStation?

10   I’m very pleased telling / to tell you that you’ve passed!

11   Sarah’s offered putting / to put us up for the weekend.

12   I’m really looking forward to going / to go on the cruise.

B. Complete using the correct form (-ing form or full infinitive) of the verb in brackets. You may need to use the passive voice.

1   I’ll never forgive June for ………………………. (lie) to me like that.

2   Daniel’s not very good at ………………………. (make) friends.

3   I can’t resist ………………………. (buy) things when they’re in the sales.

4   We’ve got to encourage students ………………………. (study), not blame them for not studying.

5   I don’t know how you managed ………………………. (persuade) the bank manager to lend you so much money!

6   Does Jessica dislike ………………………. (walk) so much that she’s not going to come with us?

7   Do you deny ………………………. (steal) the money? Yes or no?

8   The kids were pretending ………………………. (be) asleep but they didn’t fool me for a second.

9   I refuse ………………………. (accept) that there’s no alternative.

10   No one understands how Jill can afford ………………………. (go) on so many holidays each year.

11   He only just escaped ………………………. (send) to prison. Next time, the judge won’t be so forgiving.

12   He expected ………………………. (give) a brand new computer for Christmas, but all he got was a second-hand watch!

C. Read the text in Exercise D and decide whether each gap should be filled with the -ing form, a bare infinitive or a full infinitive. Write ing, BI or FI fir each gap.

13   …………

14   …………

15   …………

16   …………

17   …………

D. Complete using the correct form (-ing form, bare infinitive or full infinitive) of the verbs in the box. Use each verb only once.

Report: William Watson

William Watson sometimes seems to be afraid of (1) ……………………… hard. He can’t help (2) ……………………… to avoid (3) ……………………… anything that involves (4) ……………………… his brain, particularly on Friday afternoons. He seems to detest (5) ……………………… life seriously, and pretends he isn’t capable of (6) ……………………… anything of worth. This is unfortunate as, with a little more effort, William could succeed in (7) ……………………… great progress.

However, at present he frequently just wants (8) ……………………… the fool. He enjoys (9) ……………………… jokes. Presumably, he imagines this (10) ……………………… the best way to make friends, but in fact he often just ends up preventing the other students from (11) …………………… . He has promised on several occasions (12) ……………………… his behaviour in class, but then he just keeps on (13) ……………………… in exactly the same way. Recently, I have had to beg him (14) ……………………… and be quiet in the classroom, but it’s difficult to know how to make him (15) ……………………… to his senses. He just doesn’t seem interested in (16) ……………………… to my opinion. I’m tempted to give up even (17) ……………………… that he might improve. Having said that though, Mr Watson is an extremely good maths teacher!

Julie Cross – 5A

E. For each pair of sentences, put a tick (✓) if both sentences mean the same thing. Put a cross (✗) if they have different meanings.

1   a   I can’t bear being tickled!

     b   I can’t bear to be tickled!

2   a   My boss went on saying that he was very proud of all of us.

     b   My boss went on to say that he was very proud of all of us.

3   a   Have you stopped having lunch yet?

     b   Have you stopped to have lunch yet?

4   a   Have you started having lunch yet?

     b   Have you started to have lunch yet?

5   a   They continued climbing the mountain.

     b   They continued to climb the mountain.

6   a   We all saw the reporter interviewing the witness.

     b   We all saw the reporter interview the witness.

7   a   I love playing practical jokes on my younger brother.

     b   I love to play practical jokes on my younger brother.

8   a   Why don’t you try holding your breath for a minute or two?

     b   Why don’t you try to hold your breath for a minute or two?

9   a   I have being cheated by taxi drivers.

     b   I hate to be cheated by taxi drivers.

F. Complete each second sentence using the word given, so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence. Write between two and five words in each gap.

1   I should have taken my medicine this morning but I didn’t remember.   forgot

     I ……………………………………………… my medicine this morning.

2   I’ll always remember the time when I went up Mont Blanc.   never

     I’ll ……………………………………………… Mont Blanc.

3   I must hang up the washing later.   remember

     I ……………………………………………… up the washing later.

4   Darren things that wearing a suit to work is appropriate.   likes

     Darren ……………………………………………… a suit to work.

5   Jackie wishes she hadn’t said that to Allie.   regrets

     Jackie ……………………………………………… that to Allie.

6   I’m sorry but your credit card has been cancelled by the bank.   regret

     I ……………………………………………… your credit card has been cancelled by the bank.

7   Crashing the car wasn’t my intention, you know!   mean

     I ……………………………………………… the car, you know!

8   If I take that job, I’ll have to do a lot more travelling.   mean

     Taking that job ……………………………………………… to do a lot more travelling.

9   Jim’s mum made him tidy his room before he could go and play in the park.   made

     Jim ……………………………………………… his room before he could go and play in the park.

10   I don’t suppose you watched that film last night on BBC2, did you?   happen

       You ……………………………………………… that film last night on BBC2, did you?

11   People often think that learning Latin is a waste of time.   considered

       Learning Latin ……………………………………………… a waste of time.

G. Each of the words or phrases in bold is incorrect. Rewrite them correctly.

1   I generally prefer coffee from tea.   ………………..

2   Do you prefer watching a DVD at home to go to the cinema?   ………………..

3   I had prefer to meet you a bit later, if that’s all right with you.   ………………..

4   He’d prefer not have to get up so early tomorrow, but he will if he has to.   ………………..

5   I’d rather you write your essay in a notebook, to be honest.   ………………..

6   Would you prefer to get a pizza rather from go out tonight?   ………………..

7   You would better see a doctor if you’re not feeling well.   ………………..

8   I had rather be poor and happy than rich and lonely.   ………………..

9   I’d prefer having an early night tonight, if that’s okay with you.   ………………..

10   She’d rather start revising if she wants to do well in the exam next week.   ………………..

11   Shone prefers to not wear make-up to work.   ………………..

H. Write one word in each gap.

1   I prefer pop music ………………… rock, to be honest.

2   I would prefer to go to the concert tomorrow ………………… than on Saturday.

3   I ………………… playing the piano on my own to performing.

4   I’d rather ………………… to that jazz club than a nightclub.

5   I’d ………………… you didn’t practise playing the trumpet while I’m trying to study.

6   You’d ………………… get tickets soon as they’re running out.

7   We queued up early in ………………… to get good seats.

8   We waited for hours so ………………… not to miss the VIPs arriving.

9   I called the theatre ………………… find out what time the concert started.

10   I actually prefer ………………… to listen to music through speakers; it sounds so much better through headphones.

11   Don’t you think we ………………… better turn the music down a bit?

I. Choose the correct answer.

Approaches to learning

People appear (1) …………… in different ways. Some people expect (2) …………… mistakes in their studies and are capable of (3) …………… from their mistakes. They don’t mind (4) …………… by their teacher and indeed often ask (5) …………… corrected.

Others, however, dislike (6) …………… mistakes. They try to avoid (7) …………… anything which they might do badly. They would rather (8) …………… something in small steps and be sure they have got it right (9) …………… attempt to do a task based on a subject they don’t feel they have finished (10) …………… yet.

Both ways of learning seem (11) …………… equally valid, but a combination of the two may be the best solution. In (12) …………… to learn effectively, students have to remember (13) …………… risks sometimes. But they also have to feel comfortable and secure with what they’re doing so (14) …………… not to become demotivated. All students should at least think about (15) …………… the way that they approach learning.

1   A learning   B to learn   C learn   D having learnt

2   A making   B to make   C make   D having made

3   A benefiting   B to benefit   C benefit   D to have benefited

4   A correcting   B being corrected   C to correct   D to be corrected

5   A being   B be   C to have been   D to be

6   A making   B to make   C to be making   D make

7   A doing   B to do   C having done   D to have done

8   A to perfect   B perfecting   C perfect   D be perfected

9   A to   B from   C that   D than

10   A explore   B to explore   C exploring   D being explored

11   A that   B to be   C as   D being

12   A desire   B demand   C need   D order

13   A to take   B taking   C to have taken   D having taken

14   A that   B much   C as   D many

15   A to question   B questioning   C question   D to be questioned