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Exercise. Turn the following sentences into negative sentences.

Example:

The soup was hot. ==> The soup wasn’t hot.

1. Mom can knit mittens for the bazaar.
Mom can’t knit mittens for the bazaar.

2. I am going to the concert.
I’m not going to the concert.

3. You must be careful.
You mustn’t be careful.

4. We were late for the bus.
We weren’t late for the bus.

5. You should let your sister clean your room.
You shouldn’t let your sister clean your room.

6. The baby was afraid of the elephant.
The baby wasn’t afraid of the elephant.

7. I will wash the car.
I won’t wash the car.

8. Dick and Jane have been to Canada.
Dick and Jane haven’t been to Canada.

9. Sheri is sweeping the sidewalk.
Sheri isn’t sweeping the sidewalk.

10. Mr. Smith has written a book.
Mr. Smith hasn’t written a book.

11. Tom, Dick, and Harry are staying after school.
Tom, Dick, and Harry aren’t staying after school.

12. Jack could see the scar on the man’s forehead.
Jack couldn’t see the scar on the man’s forehead.

13. I would like to take Mr. Jones’ class.
I wouldn’t like to take Mr. Jones’ class.

Exercise. Turn the following sentences into negative sentences. Use don’t / doesn’t / didn’t.

Example:

Max plays the saxophone. ==> Max doesn’t play the saxophone.

1. Mark has a black cat.
Mark doesn’t have a black cat.

2. The car got a flat tire.
The car didn’t get a flat tire.

3. Sally and Mary grow watermelons in their backyard.
Sally and Mary don’t grow watermelons in their backyard.

4. The dogs barked all night.
The dogs didn’t bark all night.

5. The refrigerator works now.
The refrigerator doesn’t work now.

6. Hank fixes our car.
Hank doesn’t fix our car.

7. I went to the bank.
I didn’t go to the bank.

8. The choir sings the national anthem.
The choir doesn’t sing the national anthem.

9. The barber cut my hair.
The barber didn’t cut my hair.

10. Father made breakfast in bed for Mother.
Father didn’t make breakfast in bed for Mother.

Grammar Basics: Unit 44 – isn’t…., haven’t…., don’t…., etc.

Posted on 2012/05/17

“not” is used to make negative sentences. Sentences using “not” often use the contracted form.

For “be” verbs, we have:

am ==> am not (’m not):

I am hungry. ==> I am not hungry. / I’m not hungry.

is ==> is not (isn’t, ’s not):

John is tall. ==> John is not tall. / John isn’t tall. / John’s not tall.

are ==> are not (aren’t, ’re not):

We are coming. ==> We are not coming. / We aren’t coming. / We’re not coming.

was ==> were not (weren’t):

The children were playing. ==> The children were not (weren’t) playing.

For modal verbs that are not forms of the verb “be,” we have:

have ==> have not (haven’t, ’ve not):

I have read that book. ==> I have not read that book. / I haven’t read that book. / I’ve not read that book.

has ==> has not (hasn’t, ’s not):

Mary has eaten breakfast. ==> Mary has not eaten breakfast. / Mary hasn’t eaten breakfast. / Mary’s not eaten breakfast.

will ==> will not (won’t):

I will go to the library. ==> I will not (won’t) go to the library.

can ==> cannot (can’t):

Max can speak French. ==> Max cannot (can’t) speak French.

could ==> could not (couldn’t):

We could go to Tom’s wedding. ==> We could not (couldn’t) go to Tom’s wedding.

should ==> should not (shouldn’t):

Bob should go to bed early. ==> Bob should not (shouldn’t) go to bed early.

would ==> would not (wouldn’t):

I would like to visit Switzerland. ==> I would not (wouldn’t) like to visit Switzerland.

must ==> must not (mustn’t):

I must wake up Father. ==> I must not (mustn’t) wake up Father.

To make negative sentences for “do” verbs, use:

do not (don’t) / does not (doesn’t) + V (inf.)

(This is for the simple present.)

I work on Tuesdays. ==> I do not (don’t) work on Tuesdays.
That restaurant has the best coffee. ==> That restaurant does not (doesn’t) have the best coffee.
Tom wants to go to Disneyworld. ==> Tom does not (doesn’t) want to go to Disneyworld.
Jane likes pumpkin pie. ==> Jane does not (doesn’t) like pumpkin pie.

For the negative simple past of “do” verbs:

did not (didn’t) + V (inf.)

I ate an apple. ==> I did not (didn’t) eat an apple.
Mother baked a cake. ==> Mother did not (didn’t) bake a cake.
We had a good time. ==> We did not (didn’t) have a good time.

For imperative sentences (commands), use “do not (don’t)” to make a negative command.

Run away. ==> Do not (Don’t) run away.
Be afraid. ==> Do not (Don’t) be afraid.
Hang up the phone. ==> Do not (Don’t) hang up the phone.

If “do” is the main verb, we still use “do not / did not” to form negative sentences:

I do my homework every day. ==> I do not (don’t) do my homework every day.
Jack does the laundry on the weekend. ==> Jack does not (doesn’t) do the laundry on the weekend.
Peter did as he was told. ==> Peter did not (didn’t) do as he was told.

Exercise. Turn the following sentences into negative sentences.

Example:

The soup was hot. ==> The soup wasn’t hot.

1. Mom can knit mittens for the bazaar.
______________________________________

2. I am going to the concert.
______________________________________

3. You must be careful.
______________________________________

4. We were late for the bus.
______________________________________

5. You should let your sister clean your room.
______________________________________

6. The baby was afraid of the elephant.
______________________________________

7. I will wash the car.
______________________________________

8. Dick and Jane have been to Canada.
______________________________________

9. Sheri is sweeping the sidewalk.
______________________________________

10. Mr. Smith has written a book.
______________________________________

11. Tom, Dick, and Harry are staying after school.
______________________________________

12. Jack could see the scar on the man’s forehead.
______________________________________

13. I would like to take Mr. Jones’ class.
______________________________________

Exercise. Turn the following sentences into negative sentences. Use don’t / doesn’t / didn’t.

Example:

Max plays the saxophone. ==> Max doesn’t play the saxophone.

1. Mark has a black cat.
______________________________________

2. The car got a flat tire.
______________________________________

3. Sally and Mary grow watermelons in their backyard.
______________________________________

4. The dogs barked all night.
______________________________________

5. The refrigerator works now.
______________________________________

6. Hank fixes our car.
______________________________________

7. I went to the bank.
______________________________________

8. The choir sings the national anthem.
______________________________________

9. The barber cut my hair.
______________________________________

10. Father made breakfast in bed for Mother.
______________________________________

Grammar Basics: Unit 43 – Too/either, so am I/neither do I, etc. (Solution)

Posted on 2012/05/16

Exercise. Complete the responses by writing “too” or “either.”

Example:

My birthday’s in July. — My birthday is ___________. ==> My birthday’s in July. — My birthday is too.

1. It didn’t rain on Friday.
It didn’t rain on Saturday either.

2. Tom was late for school yesterday.
Sam was late too.

3. Jane is getting married in June.
Susan is getting married in June too.

4. Dick doesn’t like coffee.
Jane doesn’t like coffee either.

5. I can play the piano.
Kathy can play the piano too.

6. I haven’t seen the new movie.
We haven’t seen the new movie either.

7. I can’t wait to see you next week!
I can’t wait to see you next week either!

8. William Shakespeare was a famous writer.
Mark Twain was a famous writer too.

9. Mark won’t eat his supper.
He won’t eat his dessert either.

10. Jake went hunting last weekend.
Bill went hunting last weekend too.

Exercise. Respond to the following sentences with either “So…I” or “Neither…I”

Example:

I wouldn’t want to be in his shoes.— ____________. ==> I wouldn’t want to be in his shoes.—Neither would I.

1. I wouldn’t know what size shoes Max wears
Neither would I.

2. I was just thinking about Mrs. Carson.
So was I.

3. I have the complete works of J.S. Bach on CD.
So do I.

4. I love the smell of fresh-baked bread.
So do I.

5. I haven’t heard any more about Carly’s grandmother.
Neither have I.

6. Wendy could pick Helen up at the airport next Tuesday.
So could I.

7. Wait, I’m not ready to leave yet.
Neither am I.

8. It looks like Howard won’t be coming to the party this Saturday.
Neither will I.

9. Peter can do a hundred push-ups.
So can I.

10. Mary didn’t finish her report on the Pilgrims.
Neither did I.

agreeing

Grammar Basics: Unit 43 – Too/either, so am I/neither do I, etc.

Posted on 2012/05/15

If we can say the same thing as another person, we can add “too” or “either” at the end of a sentence.

too – At the end of a sentence with a positive verb:

I’m tired. — I’m tired too. / I am too.
John is a student. — I am a student too. / I am too.
Mike went to Canada on his vacation. — Really? We did too.
Tim can speak German. — I can too.

either – At the end of a sentence with a negative verb:

I’m not tired. — I’m not tired either. / I’m not either.
John isn’t a student. — I’m not a student either. / I’m not either.
Tom can’t speak German. — I can’t either.
Mike didn’t go to Canada on his vacation. — We didn’t either.

Other options for a sentence with a positive verb:

so am I = I am too:

I’m going to college next fall. — So am I. (I’m going to college next fall too.)
The Martins are moving to Wyoming. — So are we. (We are moving to Wyoming too.)

so do I = I do to (do, can, would, should, etc.):

I like swimming. — So do I.
I can ride a bike. — So can I.
I should go to bed now. — So should I.
I’d like to have a million dollars. (I would like to have a million dollars.) — So would I.
We have three cats. — So do the Smiths.
Jack went camping in Michigan. — So did we.

Other options for a sentence with a negative verb:

neither am I = I’m not either:

I’m not going to college next fall. — Neither am I. (I’m not either.)
The Martins aren’t moving to Wyoming. — Neither are we. (We aren’t either.)

neither do I = I don’t either (do, can, would, should, etc.):

I don’t like dogs. — Neither do I.
I can’t speak Italian. — Neither can I.
I would never treat my mother like that! — Neither would I!
Dick shouldn’t eat so much. — Neither should Harry.

Exercise. Complete the responses by writing “too” or “either.”

Example:

My birthday’s in July. — My birthday is ___________. ==> My birthday’s in July. — My birthday is too.

1. It didn’t rain on Friday.
It didn’t rain on Saturday ___________.

2. Tom was late for school yesterday.
Sam was late ___________.

3. Jane is getting married in June.
Susan is getting married in June ___________.

4. Dick doesn’t like coffee.
Jane doesn’t like coffee ___________.

5. I can play the piano.
Kathy can play the piano ___________.

6. I haven’t seen the new movie.
We haven’t seen the new movie ___________.

7. I can’t wait to see you next week!
I can’t wait to see you next week ___________!

8. William Shakespeare was a famous writer.
Mark Twain was a famous writer ___________.

9. Mark won’t eat his supper.
He won’t eat his dessert ___________.

10. Jake went hunting last weekend.
Bill went hunting last weekend ___________.

Exercise. Respond to the following sentences with either “So…I” or “Neither…I”

Example:

I wouldn’t want to be in his shoes.— ____________. ==> I wouldn’t want to be in his shoes.—Neither would I.

1. I wouldn’t know what size shoes Max wears
___________.

2. I was just thinking about Mrs. Carson.
___________.

3. I have the complete works of J.S. Bach on CD.
___________.

4. I love the smell of fresh-baked bread.
___________.

5. I haven’t heard any more about Carly’s grandmother.
___________.

6. Wendy could pick Helen up at the airport next Tuesday.
___________.

7. Wait, I’m not ready to leave yet.
___________.

8. It looks like Howard won’t be coming to the party this Saturday.
___________.

9. Peter can do a hundred push-ups.
___________.

10. Mary didn’t finish her report on the Pilgrims.
___________.

agreeing

Grammar Basics: Unit 42 – You have? …, have you? etc… (Solution)

Posted on 2012/05/11

Exercise. Answer the following questions, using the declarative questions You do? / He doesn’t? / They didn’t? etc.

Example:

Congratulations! You got top score in the tournament. — _________ Wow! ==> Congratulations! You got top score in the tournament. —I did? Wow!

Jack and Jill had a baby boy.—They did? Oh, that’s nice. I know they had wanted a son.
Speak up. Bob doesn’t hear very well.—He doesn’t? Why doesn’t he just get a hearing aid, then?
I saw Harry last week.—You did? How’s he doing these days?
Mary doesn’t have a car anymore, so you’ll have to pick her up on your way to work.—She doesn’t? Oh, I didn’t realize she was that bad off.
I have to go to the dentist.—You do? Didn’t you go just the other month?
Bill and Wanda didn’t go on their second honeymoon after all.—They didn’t? That’s a shame. I know they had been so looking forward to it.
Sharon just got back from her trip.—She did? Did she have a good time?
I’m sorry, sir, but apparently you and your wife didn’t pay your taxes?—We didn’t? I thought we did.
Have you heard? The Mississippi bridge collapsed yesterday.—It did? Was anyone hurt?
I didn’t sleep a wink last night.—You didn’t? Why not?

Exercise. Answer the following questions, using declarative questions like You have? / He will? / She hasn’t? etc.

Example:

Both Tom and Becky were in the hospital.— _________ How awful! What happened? ==> Both Tom and Becky were in the hospital.—They were? How awful! What happened?

Sam will oversee the project for our department.—He will? I didn’t know the boss still trusted him.
I’ve decided to quit my job and become a pop singer.—You have? I don’t think that’s such a wise thing to do.
Boycott the class. Don’t worry, the teachers won’t flunk everybody.—They won’t? How can you be so sure?
It’s nearly 6 o’clock, and Jane still hasn’t finished cleaning her room.—She hasn’t? I’m going to have to have a talk with that child.
Have you heard? Mr. Johnson isn’t retiring until next year.—He isn’t? Oh man, that means I’m going to have to have him for trigonometry next semester.
I’m not going to enter my apple pie in the county fair this year.—You aren’t? That’s a shame. You’d be a cinch to win the blue ribbon.
Sit down and relax. We have plenty of time before we have to board the plane.—We have? Aren’t you forgetting that we have to go through security, though?
Congratulations, sir – you’re the ninth caller on WXMQ’s morning talk show.—I am? Oh, how embarrassing – I thought I was calling doctor’s office.
We found the cows in Farmer MacGregor’s field. They weren’t lost, after all. —They weren’t? I’m glad to hear that.
It’s a good thing we had the car engine inspected. The fan belt was so worn it was about to break.—It was? I had no idea it was in that bad a shape.

Exercise. Complete the following sentences using an appropriate tag question.

Example:

Tom hasn’t come home yet, _________? ==> Tom hasn’t come home yet, has he?

The teachers didn’t go on strike, did they?
That sure was a hard test, wasn’t it?
I can’t park here, can I?
Karen likes chocolate cake, doesn’t she?
I’m trying as hard as I can, aren’t I?
We’re not afraid of ghosts, are we?
The Wilsons are a nice couple, aren’t they?
Tom isn’t six feet tall, is he?
John has a large collection of baseball cards, hasn’t he?
I shouldn’t water the plants every day, should I?

Grammar Basics: Unit 42 – You have? …, have you? etc…

Posted on 2012/05/10

In English it is possible to ask a yes-no question without using “Do you…?” or “Are you…?” and just use the S – V – O form. When speaking, we indicate that we are asking a question by finishing the sentence with a rising tone:

You’re going home? I thought you were planning on staying until 10 o’clock.
Grandmother’s out of the hospital? I didn’t even know she was sick!
Tom got an A on his test? That’s good news for a change.
You wrote a poem? Oh, I’d like to hear it, if you don’t mind.

Note:
These type of questions (known as “declarative questions”) are used when:

the speaker wants to show interest, or
the speaker wants to show surprise.

More examples:

Pack your bags. We’re going out of town for the weekend.
—We are? I thought you had too much work to do.
You can stay at my place on vacation, but you’ll have to leave your cat at home. I have a parakeet, you know.
—You do? I didn’t know you were a bird lover.
Congratulations! You got top score in the tournament.
—I did? Wow, I didn’t think I had played that well.
We’ve sold our house and bought a sailboat.
—You have? Why?
—We’re going to take a couple of years off and sail around the South Pacific.

English also has tag questions. A tag question is a short question at the end of a sentence. We ask tag questions when

we are seeking agreement, or
we want to confirm that we have correct information.

It’s hot out today, isn’t it?
Tom hasn’t come home yet, has he?

Note:

Positive sentences will have a negative tag question, and
Negative sentences will have a positive tag question.

Positive sentence, negative tag question:

It’s hot out today, isn’t it?
You ate at an Italian restaurant the other day, didn’t you?
You’ve finished your homework, haven’t you?
Sally’s turned out to be a fine young lady, hasn’t she?
This blue sweater will go well with my sports jacket, won’t it?

Negative sentence, positive tag question:

Tom hasn’t come home yet, has he?
I’ve never seen such a crowd before, have you?
The plants don’t need watering yet, do they?
The bus stop isn’t far off, is it?
Oh no, the train isn’t late again today, is it?

Exercise. Answer the following questions, using the declarative questions You do? / He doesn’t? / They didn’t? etc.

Example:

Congratulations! You got top score in the tournament. — _________ Wow! ==> Congratulations! You got top score in the tournament. —I did? Wow!

1.   Jack and Jill had a baby boy. — _________ Oh, that’s nice. I know they had wanted a son.
2.   Speak up. Bob doesn’t hear very well. — _________ Why doesn’t he just get a hearing aid, then?
3.   I saw Harry last week. — _________ How’s he doing these days?
4.   Mary doesn’t have a car anymore, so you’ll have to pick her up on your way to work. — _________ Oh, I didn’t realize she was that bad off.
5.   I have to go to the dentist. — _________ Didn’t you go just the other month?
6.   Bill and Wanda didn’t go on their second honeymoon after all. — _________ That’s a shame. I know they had been so looking forward to it.
7.   Sharon just got back from her trip. — _________ Did she have a good time?
8.   I’m sorry, sir, but apparently you and your wife didn’t pay your taxes? — _________ I thought we did.
9.   Have you heard? The Mississippi bridge collapsed yesterday. — _________ Was anyone hurt?
10.   I didn’t sleep a wink last night. — _________ Why not?

Exercise. Answer the following questions, using declarative questions like You have? / He will? / She hasn’t? etc.

Example:

Both Tom and Becky were in the hospital. — _________ How awful! What happened? ==> Both Tom and Becky were in the hospital. —They were? How awful! What happened?

1.   Sam will oversee the project for our department. — _________ I didn’t know the boss still trusted him.
2.   I’ve decided to quit my job and become a pop singer. — _________ I don’t think that’s such a wise thing to do.
3.   Boycott the class. Don’t worry, the teachers won’t flunk everybody. — _________ How can you be so sure?
4.   It’s nearly 6 o’clock, and Jane still hasn’t finished cleaning her room. — _________ I’m going to have to have a talk with that child.
5.   Have you heard? Mr. Johnson isn’t retiring until next year. — _________ Oh man, that means I’m going to have to have him for trigonometry next semester.
6.   I’m not going to enter my apple pie in the county fair this year. — _________ That’s a shame. You’d be a cinch to win the blue ribbon.
7.   Sit down and relax. We have plenty of time before we have to board the plane. — _________ Aren’t you forgetting that we have to go through security, though?
8.   Congratulations, sir – you’re the ninth caller on WXMQ’s morning talk show. — _________ Oh, how embarrassing – I thought I was calling doctor’s office.
9.   We found the cows in Farmer MacGregor’s field. They weren’t lost, after all. — _________ I’m glad to hear that.
10.   It’s a good thing we had the car engine inspected. The fan belt was so worn it was about to break. — _________ I had no idea it was in that bad a shape.

Exercise. Complete the following sentences using an appropriate tag question.

Example:

Tom hasn’t come home yet, _________? ==> Tom hasn’t come home yet, has he?

1.   The teachers didn’t go on strike, _________?
2.   That sure was a hard test, _________?
3.   I can’t park here, _________?
4.   Karen likes chocolate cake, _________?
5.   I’m trying as hard as I can, _________?
6.   We’re not afraid of ghosts, _________?
7.   The Wilsons are a nice couple, _________?
8.   Tom isn’t six feet tall, _________?
9.   John has a large collection of baseball cards, _________?
10.   I shouldn’t water the plants every day, _________?

Grammar Basics: Unit 41 – I am, I don’t, etc… (Solution)

Posted on 2012/05/09

Exercise. Complete the following sentences. Use only one verb – is, was, have, do, can, will, might, should – each time.

1.   I’m not bored, but Tom is.
2.   Mary can’t keep a secret, but I can.
3.   Mother doesn’t watch the news, but Father does.
4.   Our house wasn’t damaged by the storm, but our neighbor’s (house) was.
5.   Hannah won’t eat peas, but Jacob will.
6.   Will Uncle Kirk come to the graduation? I don’t know – he might.
7.   I can’t make it to the party, but Sue can.
8.   Let’s skip school today. —Do you think we should? What if Mom and Dad find out?
9.   I haven’t been to China, but Sharon has.

Exercise. Complete the following sentences. Use a negative verb – isn’t, wasn’t, haven’t, don’t, can’t, won’t.

1.   Betsy has seen the movie Gone With the Wind, but I haven’t.
2.   Clarice exercises every day, but I don’t.
3.   Dave is a hard worker, but Mary isn’t.
4.   Dick can ride a bike, but Jane can’t.
5.   I thought the air conditioning was on, but it wasn’t.
6.   Sid likes school, but Tom doesn’t.
7.   Ken will sing a solo, but Keith won’t.
8.   I’m going to the county fair, but Jack and Jill aren’t.

Exercise. Complete the following sentences. Use do/does/did or don’t/doesn’t/didn’t.

1.   Brad doesn’t have a lot of friends, but Roland does.
2.   This brand of laundry soap really gets clothes clean, but that one doesn’t.
3.   Bill thought it was a great movie, but I didn’t.
4.   We don’t have a dog, but Dan and Rachel do.
5.   The Fosters have a big yard, but we don’t.
6.   Emma reads a lot of history, but Ben doesn’t.
7.   I don’t know too much about chemistry, but Kathy does.
8.   Mike heard rumors about the company going bankrupt, but Mark didn’t.
9.   Sam doesn’t have any homework, but I do.
10.   Steve didn’t go to Scouts, but Joe did.

Grammar Basics: Unit 41 – I am, I don’t, etc…

Posted on 2012/05/08

In English, it is not always necessary to repeat some words. Look at the following examples:

am / is / are / was / were:

Are you nervous? – I wasn’t (nervous) before, but I am (nervous) now. (We do not need to repeat the word “nervous,” since the original question gives us the context.)
I’m not hungry, but Scott is (hungry).

have / has:

I’ve gotten a call from the boss, but Jack hasn’t (gotten a call from the boss). (Again, enough context is provided for us by the first use of “gotten a call from the boss.)

do / does / did:

I don’t like coffee, but my brother does (like coffee).

can:

I can’t make it to the staff meeting, but Tom can (make it).

will:

The weatherman said it won’t rain today. – He’s full of beans. I think it will (rain).

might:

Is Mike coming to the party? – I don’t know. He might (come).

should:

If you haven’t already made a reservation, you probably should (make one).

Notes:
1) Contractions are not possible with positive sentences like these.

I’m not hungry, but Scott is. (NOT: I’m not hungry, but Scott’s.)
He’s full of beans. I think it will. (NOT: I think it’ll.)
I wasn’t before, but I am now. (NOT: I wasn’t before, but I’m now.)
Sally hasn’t seen a ghost, but I have. (NOT: Sally hasn’t seen a ghost, but I’ve.)

2) Contractions are permitted with negative sentences like these.

I’ve gotten a call from the boss, but Jack has not / hasn’t. (OK)
Mary likes pumpkin pie, but I do not / don’t. (OK)
Tom should retire, but he probably will not / won’t. (OK)

Are you…?, Is there…?, Will he…?, etc. questions can be answered with “Yes, I can” / “No, I can’t,” etc.

Are you sleepy? – Yes, I am. / No, I’m not.
Will Jack pick us up at the airport? —Yes, he will. / No, he won’t. Dave will.
Is the store manager on duty? —Yes, he is. / No, he isn’t (he’s not).
Has Father bought Mother a birthday present yet? —Yes, he has. / No, he hasn’t.
Should Billy go see the dentist? —Yes, he should.

Simple present: Use “do / does.”

I don’t like coffee, but my brother does. (i.e., my brother likes coffee)
Becky plays the piano, but Sally doesn’t. (i.e., Sally doesn’t play the piano)
Do you take this bride to be your wedded wife? —Yes, I do.

Simple past: Use “did.”

Did you pick up the dog from the vet? —Oh no, I didn’t! I totally forgot.
Did you and Jack come home early from school? —I did, but Jack didn’t. He had to stay after class.
Did Tom catch the train? —No, he didn’t, so he wound up taking a later one.

Exercise. Complete the following sentences. Use only one verb – is, was, have, do, can, will, might, should – each time.

1.   I’m not bored, but Tom _________.
2.   Mary can’t keep a secret, but I _________.
3.   Mother doesn’t watch the news, but Father _________.
4.   Our house wasn’t damaged by the storm, but our neighbor’s (house) _________.
5.   Hannah won’t eat peas, but Jacob _________.
6.   Will Uncle Kirk come to the graduation? I don’t know – he _________.
7.   I can’t make it to the party, but Sue _________.
8.   Let’s skip school today. —Do you think we _________? What if Mom and Dad find out?
9.   I haven’t been to China, but Sharon _________.

Exercise. Complete the following sentences. Use a negative verb – isn’t, wasn’t, haven’t, don’t, can’t, won’t.

1.   Betsy has seen the movie Gone With the Wind, but I _________.
2.   Clarice exercises every day, but I _________.
3.   Dave is a hard worker, but Mary _________.
4.   Dick can ride a bike, but Jane _________.
5.   I thought the air conditioning was on, but it _________.
6.   Sid likes school, but Tom _________.
7.   Ken will sing a solo, but Keith _________.
8.   I’m going to the county fair, but Jack and Jill _________.

Exercise. Complete the following sentences. Use do/does/did or don’t/doesn’t/didn’t.

1.   Brad doesn’t have a lot of friends, but Roland _________.
2.   This brand of laundry soap really gets clothes clean, but that one _________.
3.   Bill thought it was a great movie, but I _________.
4.   We don’t have a dog, but Dan and Rachel _________.
5.   The Fosters have a big yard, but we _________.
6.   Emma reads a lot of history, but Ben _________.
7.   I don’t know too much about chemistry, but Kathy _________.
8.   Mike heard rumors about the company going bankrupt, but Mark _________.
9.   Sam doesn’t have any homework, but I _________.
10.   Steve didn’t go to Scouts, but Joe _________.

Grammar Basics: Unit 40 – It… (Solution)

Posted on 2012/05/04

Exercise. Complete the sentences with either it’s/it is or is it.

Example:

________ only five degrees outside. ==> It’s only five degrees outside.

1.   It is so quiet in the classroom that you could hear a pin drop.
2.   Is it time to leave for the airport yet?
3.   It’s rare to get this much snow in November.
4.   Is it safe to enter the room now?
5.   Is it easy to bake cookies?
6.   The sign says it’s 93 miles to the next gas station.
7.   I don’t know why it’s so difficult for Jack to understand algebra.
8.   Is it fair that you get three cookies, and I get none?
9.   It’s a two-hour hike up the mountain to the temple.
10.   Is it Friday already? This week sure went by fast.

Exercise. Make questions with the given information, using How far…?

Example:

the hotel / the airport ==> How far is it from the hotel to the airport?

1.   How far is it from Boston to New York?
2.   How far is it from here to the library?
3.   How far is it from the hostel to the market?
4.   How far is it from the train station to the bus station?
5.   How far is it from your house to the river?

Exercise. Complete the sentences, choosing an appropriate word or phrase from the lists.

Example:

It’s (easy / stupid / silly) to (get up early / eat your vegetables / wash your clothes) when you’ve had enough sleep. ==> It’s easy to get up early when you’ve had enough sleep.

1.   It’s difficult to make four goals in a row.
2.   I don’t like these new rules. It’s stupid to make us fill out fifteen forms just to import paper clips.
3.   Bill and Bob are twins. It’s impossible to tell them apart if they wear the same clothes.
4.   It’s nice to stay at a decent hotel for a change.
5.   It’s rare to spot an opossum in broad daylight.
6.   Leave your cigarette in the car. It’s dangerous to pump gas while smoking.
7.   It’s interesting to look at all the different people you find in an airport.
8.   What was the travel agent thinking? It’s crazy to drive from Berlin to Rome in one day.
9.   It’s sad to see so much poverty and suffering in the world.
10.   It’s good to come home after a long trip, isn’t it?

Grammar Basics: Unit 40 – It…

Posted on 2012/05/03

“It” is sometimes called a “dummy subject”, or “dummy pronoun,” because it is often used in place of a “real” subject. In particular, “it” is used to introduce:

Day / Date:

What day is it? —It’s Monday.
What date is it? —It’s May 3rd.
It will be our wedding anniversary next Tuesday.

Distance:

How far is it to the post office? —It’s about three blocks.
It’s about 1200 miles from Chicago to Miami.
If I had known it was going to be that far from the train station to the office, I would have taken the bus instead of walking.
It won’t be long now – we are just three miles from our destination.

Time:

What time is it? —It’s 2 o’clock in the afternoon. / —It’s noon.
It’s 3 o’clock in the morning? Why on earth are you calling me?
It’s about time he got a job. He’s been living with his parents since he graduated college.
We’d better be going home now. It’s getting late.
Rise and shine! It’s time to get up!
It took an hour for the accident to be cleaned up so the traffic could move again.

Weather:

It’s raining, it’s pouring, the old man is snoring. (First line from a children’s rhyme)
You don’t have to take your umbrella – according to the weatherman, it’s not supposed to rain today.
It’s awfully humid out. Let’s go for a swim later, okay?
It’s a beautiful day for a picnic.
When it rains, it pours.

Other uses of “it” as a dummy subject:

It’s nice to…
It’s a good thing…
It’s a shame…
It’s difficult…
etc.

It’s nice to take a vacation when you’ve been working hard.
It’s a good thing I packed some extra clothes.
It’s a shame Tom didn’t get to finish university. I know he wanted to study engineering.
It’s difficult to imagine all the hardships the Pilgrims faced when they first came from England.

Exercise. Complete the sentences with either it’s/it is or is it.

Example:

________ only five degrees outside. ==> It’s only five degrees outside.

1.   ________ so quiet in the classroom that you could hear a pin drop.
2.   ________ time to leave for the airport yet?
3.   ________ rare to get this much snow in November.
4.   ________ safe to enter the room now?
5.   ________ easy to bake cookies?
6.   The sign says ________ 93 miles to the next gas station.
7.   I don’t know why ________ so difficult for Jack to understand algebra.
8.   ________ fair that you get three cookies, and I get none?
9.   ________ a two-hour hike up the mountain to the temple.
10.   ________ Friday already? This week sure went by fast.

Exercise. Make questions with the given information, using How far…?

Example:

the hotel / the airport ==> How far is it from the hotel to the airport?

1.   Boston / New York
2.   here / library
3.   the hostel / the market
4.   the train station / the bus station
5.   your house / the river

Exercise. Complete the sentences, choosing an appropriate word or phrase from the lists.

Example:

It’s (easy / stupid / silly) to (get up early / eat your vegetables / wash your clothes) when you’ve had enough sleep. ==> It’s easy to get up early when you’ve had enough sleep.

It’s:
crazy
dangerous
difficult
good
impossible
interesting
nice
rare
sad
stupid

to:
come home
drive
look at
make four goals
make us
pump gas
see
spot
stay
tell them apart

1.   It’s ________ to ________ in a row.
2.   I don’t like these new rules. It’s ________ to ________ fill out fifteen forms just to import paper clips.
3.   Bill and Bob are twins. It’s ________ to ________ if they wear the same clothes.
4.   It’s ________ to ________ at a decent hotel for a change.
5.   It’s ________ to ________ an opossum in broad daylight.
6.   Leave your cigarette in the car. It’s ________ to ________ while smoking.
7.   It’s ________ to ________ all the different people you find in an airport.
8.   What was the travel agent thinking? It’s ________ to ________ from Berlin to Rome in one day.
9.   It’s ________ to ________ so much poverty and suffering in the world.
10.   It’s ________ to ________ after a long trip, isn’t it?