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Grammar Basics: Unit 49 – How long does it take…? (Solution)

Posted on 2012/07/04
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Exercise.  Using the given words, write questions with How long….?

Example:

Chicago, New York, car ==>  How long does it take to get from Chicago to New York by car?

1.    How long does it take to get from Hong Kong to Tokyo by plane?
2.    How long does it take to get from the school to the library by foot?
3.    How long does it take to get from home to downtown by train?
4.    How long does it take to get from the island to the mainland by boat?
5.    How long does it take to get from the train station to the airport by bus?

Exercise.  From the following sentences, write questions using How long did it take…?

Example:

Jack painted the picture in the hall. ==>  How long did it take him to paint the picture?

1.    The English class read the book “War and Peace.”
How long did it take them to read the book?

2.    John drove from Atlanta to Dallas.
How long did it take him to drive from Atlanta to Dallas?

3.    Mother made all the bridesmaids’ dresses for Edith’s wedding.
How long did it take her to make all the bridesmaids’ dresses?

4.    Edward finally finished writing the Smith family history.
How long did it take him to write the family history?

5.    Jack and Jill wrapped all the Christmas presents.
How long did it take them to wrap all the presents?

Exercise.  Read the following situations, and write sentences using It took….

Example:

I wrote a term paper.  I started it on March 3, and finished it on April 3. ==> It took me a month to write the paper.

1.    Max weeded the garden.  He started at 9 a.m., and finished at 11 a.m.
It took him two hours to weed the garden.

2.    We drove from Chicago to Los Angeles.  We left on Monday, and got there on Saturday.
It took us six days to drive from Chicago to Los Angeles.

3.    Mary knit a sweater.  She started it at the beginning of October, and finished it in time for Christmas.
It took her almost three months to knit the sweater.

4.    Steve walked home from the train station.  He got off the train at 5:30 p.m., and got home at 5:45 p.m.
It took him fifteen minutes to walk home.

5.    Kevin built his summer cottage.  He started building it in 2008, and he finished it in 2010.
It took him two years to build the summer cottage.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 49 – How long does it take…?

Posted on 2012/07/03
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If we are talking about time, we use the phrase “How long does it take…?”

When we are wondering about the time needed to travel (from place A) to place B, we can ask “How long does it take to get (from A) to B?”:

How long does it take to get from Chicago to Miami? —It takes about three days by car.
How long does it take to get from the library to the museum? —It’s about a ten-minute walk.
How long does it take to get to the airport?—About twenty minutes.

Note:  Many times we also include the method of travel.  For example, traveling by plane is quicker than traveling by car.  This makes a difference how the question is answered.

More examples:

How long does it take to get to school by bus?—It takes 45 minutes.
How long does it take to get from Paris to Frankfurt by train?—About four or five hours.
How long does it take to get to the beach by foot?—About fifteen minutes.  (“by foot” or “on foot” both mean “by walking”)

We can also use “How long does it take…?” if we are asking about doing something:

How long does it take to bake a cake?
How long does it take to build a house?
How long does it take to get a haircut?

Other tenses are possible:

Past tense:  How long did it take….?

How long did it take to knit that sweater?
How long did it take to write the book?

Future tense:  How long will it take…?

How long will it take to mow the lawn?
How long will it take to save enough money for a nice vacation?

We can also make negative sentences (usually in response to one of the above questions):  It doesn’t / didn’t / won’t take long…

It doesn’t take long to get from the library to the museum.
It doesn’t take long to get a haircut.
It didn’t take long to knit the sweater.
It won’t take long to mow the lawn.

The questions can be personalized, as well:  How long does it take you to do something?

How long does it take you to do your homework?
How long will it take Tom to clean his room?
It took me forever to finish that project.

Exercise.  Using the given words, write questions with How long….?

Example:

Chicago, New York, car ==>  How long does it take to get from Chicago to New York by car?

1.    Hong Kong, Tokyo, plane
2.    School, library, foot
3.    Home, downtown, train
4.    Island, mainland, boat
5.    Train station, airport, bus

Exercise.  From the following sentences, write questions using How long did it take…?

Example:

Jack painted the picture in the hall. ==>  How long did it take him to paint the picture?

1.    The English class read the book “War and Peace.”
2.    John drove from Atlanta to Dallas.
3.    Mother made all the bridesmaids’ dresses for Edith’s wedding.
4.    Edward finally finished writing the Smith family history.
5.    Jack and Jill wrapped all the Christmas presents.

 

Exercise.  Read the following situations, and write sentences using It took….
Example:

I wrote a term paper.  I started it on March 3, and finished it on April 3. ==> It took me a month to write the paper.

1.    Max weeded the garden.  He started at 9 a.m., and finished at 11 a.m.
2.    We drove from Chicago to Los Angeles.  We left on Monday, and got there on Saturday.
3.    Mary knit a sweater.  She started it at the beginning of October, and finished it in time for Christmas.
4.    Steve walked home from the train station.  He got off the train at 5:30 p.m., and got home at 5:45 p.m.
5.    Kevin built his summer cottage.  He started building it in 2008, and he finished it in 2010.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 48 – What…? Which….? How…? (Solution)

Posted on 2012/06/01
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Exercise.  Using the word in parentheses, write questions with What…?

Example:

Jack went to bed late last night.  (time) ==> What time did he go to bed?

1.    I went to the library this afternoon.  What books did you check out?
2.    Tom bought a new car.  What color is it?
3.    Let’s have some ice cream.  What type would you like?
4.    We’re thinking of getting new cell phones.  What kind are you thinking of getting?
5.    Mary is flying to Atlanta next week.  What airline is she going to take?

Exercise.  Use What, Which, or Who to complete the following questions.

Example:

There are a lot of newborns in the nursery.  ____________ baby is yours? ==> Which baby is yours?

1.    What month is it?—It’s June.
2.    Don’t forget your umbrella.  Which one is yours?
3.    What day does your birthday fall on this year?
4.    Who is smarter, Jack or Jill?
5.    Which room is your next class in, Room 328 or Room 329?
6.    Who did the laundry?  Sally or Mack?
7.    Which lake did you vacation at?  Lake Michigan, or Lake Huron?
8.    What hobby does Steve enjoy?
9.    Who ate the last piece of cake, Dad or Bill?
10.    What classes do you have this semester?

Exercise.  Write questions for the following answers, using How + (adjective / adverb)…?

Example:

____________ is it to the bus station?  —About three blocks. ==> How far is it to the bus station?

1.    How much money do you have?  —Over $20.
2.    How tall is that building?  —It’s 200 feet tall.
3.    How heavy is an elephant?  —About 2000 pounds.
4.    How long is a blue whale?  —It’s nearly 100 feet long.
5.    How high is Mount McKinley?  —Over 20,000 feet.
6.    How far is Earth from the sun?  —About 93 million miles.
7.    How many miles is it from New York to Los Angeles? —Almost 3000 miles.
8.    How much gas does the tank of your car hold?  —About 12 gallons.
9.    How often do you catch a cold?  —Only once or twice a year.
10.    How old is your grandmother?—She’s 96.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 48 – What…? Which….? How…?

Posted on 2012/05/31
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In this lesson we’ll take a look at some more question words:  What…?, Which…?, and How…?

What…?

We have already seen

What + (no noun)…?
•    What is Jack doing?
•    What did the mayor say?

Now:  What + (noun)…?
•    What time is it?
•    What color are your eyes?
•    What program did you watch?
•    What size shoe does Bobby wear?
•    What kind of dessert do you like?

Which + (noun)….?
•    Which bus should I take?
•    Which coat is yours?
•    Which teacher was your favorite?
•    Which class did you like least?

Which without a noun is used for things:
•    Which is more famous – Disneyland or Universal Studios?
•    Which is hotter – Florida or Hawaii?
•    Which is taller – the Empire State Building or Willis Tower?

For people, use Who without a noun (not Which):
•    Who is more famous – Abraham Lincoln or Albert Einstein?  (not:  Which is more famous – Abraham Lincoln or Albert Einstein?)
•    Who is taller – Michael Jordan or Wilt Chamberlain?  (not:  Which is taller – Michael Jordan or Wilt Chamberlain?)

How do we know whether to use What or Which?
What color do you like?
or
Which color do you like?

Which:  Use when there are only a few possibilities.
•    Which color do you like?  Yellow, blue, or green?
•    Which way should I go?  Left or right?
•    Which dessert do you want?

What:  Use for more general situations.
•    What color do you want to paint the room?
•    What movies are playing at the downtown theater?
•    What desserts do they serve at that restaurant?

How…?
•    How was the movie?  —It was boring.
•    How should I wash this sweater?  —By hand.

How + (adjective / adverb)…?
•    How tall is Willis Tower?
•    How big is the sailboat?
•    How many cars are in the parking lot?
•    How often do you mow the lawn?
•    How late do you stay up?
•    How far is it to St. Louis?
•    How hard do you work to keep such a beautiful garden?
•    Etc.

Exercise.  Using the word in parentheses, write questions with What…?

Example:

Jack went to bed late last night.  (time) ==> What time did he go to bed?

1.    I went to the library this afternoon.  (books)
2.    Tom bought a new car.  (color)
3.    Let’s have some ice cream.  (type)
4.    We’re thinking of getting new cell phones.  (kind)
5.    Mary is flying to Atlanta next week.  (airline)

Exercise.  Use What, Which, or Who to complete the following questions.

Example:

There are a lot of newborns in the nursery.  ____________ baby is yours? ==> Which baby is yours?

1.    ____________ month is it?—It’s June.
2.    Don’t forget your umbrella.  ____________ one is yours?
3.    ____________ day does your birthday fall on this year?
4.    ____________ is smarter, Jack or Jill?
5.    ____________ room is your next class in, Room 328 or Room 329?
6.    ____________ did the laundry?  Sally or Mack?
7.    ____________ lake did you vacation at?  Lake Michigan, or Lake Huron?
8.    ____________ hobby does Steve enjoy?
9.    ____________ ate the last piece of cake, Dad or Bill?
10.    ____________ classes do you have this semester?

Exercise.  Write questions for the following answers, using How + (adjective / adverb)…?

Example:

____________ is it to the bus station?  —About three blocks. ==> How far is it to the bus station?

1.    ____________ money do you have?  —Over $20.
2.    ____________ is that building?  —It’s 200 feet tall.
3.    ____________ is an elephant?  —About 2000 pounds.
4.    ____________ is a blue whale?  —It’s nearly 100 feet long.
5.    ____________ is Mount McKinley?  —Over 20,000 feet.
6.    ____________ is Earth from the sun?  —About 93 million miles.
7.    ____________ miles is it from New York to Los Angeles? —Almost 3000 miles.
8.    ____________ gas does the tank of your car hold?  —About 12 gallons.
9.    ____________ do you catch a cold?  —Only once or twice a year.
10.    ____________ is your grandmother?—She’s 96.

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