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Grammar Basics: Unit 52 – work / working, go / going, do / doing (Solution)

Posted on 2012/07/13
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Exercise.  Complete the sentences.  Use either “eat breakfast” or “to eat breakfast.”

Example:

I’ll _____________. ==>  I’ll eat breakfast.
John’s going _____________. ==>  John’s going to eat breakfast.

1.    I could eat breakfast.
2.    You must eat breakfast.
3.    Mary wants to eat breakfast.
4.    He may eat breakfast.
5.    They have to eat breakfast.
6.    We can eat breakfast.
7.    I want to eat breakfast.
8.    You should eat breakfast.
9.    She might eat breakfast.
10.    Father used to eat breakfast.

Exercise.  Complete the sentences with a verb from the list.  Choose either the base form (sleep/play) or the –ing form (sleeping/playing).

Example:

Shhh – the baby is (sleep/sleeping). ==> Shhh – the baby is sleeping.
Do you (play/playing) a musical instrument?  ==>  Do you play a musical instrument?

1.    I might need your help later this afternoon.
2.    Make sure to set the alarm – I’m getting up early tomorrow morning.
3.    What are you wearing for the costume party next week?
4.    Did John practice the piano after school?
5.    Mark didn’t write his thank-you note yet.
6.    They must be tired after their long journey.
7.    Does the hotel have a swimming pool?
8.    Mary said she would bring some salad for the picnic.
9.    Our team is playing the Southsiders tomorrow.
10.    The ice cream stand doesn’t take credit cards.

Exercise.  Put the verb in the correct form.  Choose either the base form, the infinitive form, or the –ing form.

Example:

May I _____________ you?  (help) ==>  May I help you?
I have _____________ a movie for my history class.  (watch) ==>  I have to watch a movie for my history class.
The children _____________ hopscotch.  (play) ==>  The children are playing hopscotch.

1.    We would like to rent a cabin for our vacation.
2.    Does this vending machine work?
3.    I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.
4.    They’re going to build a new school across the street.
5.    We will give you a call as soon as we get home.
6.    The janitor is cleaning the boys’ bathroom right now.
7.    We must hear the orchestra play Mozart’s requiem – I’ve heard it’s an excellent performance.
8.    Uncle Howard doesn’t like opera.
9.    I would like to visit the Grand Canyon someday.
10.    Mother couldn’t open the pickle jar.
11.    What time does your plane leave tomorrow morning?
12.    When did you come home last night?
13.    Father used to sing in the choir when he was a young man.
14.    I have to return the library book today.
15.    The children want to go to the museum this weekend.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 52 – work / working, go / going, do / doing

Posted on 2012/07/12
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Let’s review some of the things we’ve covered here in Grammar Basics so far.

When we use modal verbs (will, shall, might, may, can, could, must, should, would), we use what is called the base form, or dictionary form, of the verb:

will:    John will wash the dishes.
shall:    I shall call you later today.
might:    It might rain tomorrow.
may:    Tom may come to the party.
can:    Bobby can write his name now.
could:    We could go to the park.
must:    You must stand up.
should:    He should get a new car.
would:    I would be quiet if I were you.

The base form / dictionary form is also used with do/does and did:

do/does:

Do you see John anywhere?
Does your dog have a leash?
The phone doesn’t work.

did:

When did you come home last night?
I didn’t eat the cupcake.

We also use the base form / dictionary form after the infinitive marker to:

going to:    I’m going to go to bed now.
have to:    Tom has to do his homework after school.
want to:    We want to build a sand castle.
would like to:    I would like to have some tea, please.
used to:    We used to play by the river when we were kids.

–ing is used for the continuous form:

am/is/are –ing:

Our school is putting on the play, The Diary of Anne Frank.
We are going on vacation next month.
I am taking a shower.

was/were –ing:

I was sleeping when you called.
The boys were playing outside when Grandfather arrived.

 

Exercise.  Complete the sentences.  Use either “eat breakfast” or “to eat breakfast.”

Example:

I’ll _____________. ==>  I’ll eat breakfast.
John’s going _____________. ==>  John’s going to eat breakfast.

1.    I could _____________.
2.    You must _____________.
3.    Mary wants _____________.
4.    He may _____________.
5.    They have _____________.
6.    We can _____________.
7.    I want _____________.
8.    You should _____________.
9.    She might _____________.
10.    Father used _____________.

Exercise.  Complete the sentences with a verb from the list.  Choose either the base form (sleep/play) or the –ing form (sleeping/playing).

Example:

Shhh – the baby is (sleep/sleeping). ==> Shhh – the baby is sleeping.
Do you (play/playing) a musical instrument?  ==>  Do you play a musical instrument?

be/being
bring/bringing
get/getting
have/having
need/needing
play/playing
practice/practicing
take/taking
wear/wearing
write/writing

1.    I might _____________ your help later this afternoon.
2.    Make sure to set the alarm – I’m _____________ up early tomorrow morning.
3.    What are you _____________ for the costume party next week?
4.    Did John _____________ the piano after school?
5.    Mark didn’t _____________ his thank-you note yet.
6.    They must _____________ tired after their long journey.
7.    Does the hotel _____________ a swimming pool?
8.    Mary said she would _____________ some salad for the picnic.
9.    Our team is _____________ the Southsiders tomorrow.
10.    The ice cream stand doesn’t _____________ credit cards.

Exercise.  Put the verb in the correct form.  Choose either the base form, the infinitive form, or the –ing form.

Example:

May I _____________ you?  (help) ==>  May I help you?
I have _____________ a movie for my history class.  (watch) ==>  I have to watch a movie for my history class.
The children _____________ hopscotch.  (play) ==>  The children are playing hopscotch.

1.    We would like _____________ a cabin for our vacation. (rent)
2.    Does this vending machine _____________? (work)
3.    I’m so hungry I could _____________ a horse. (eat)
4.    They’re going _____________ a new school across the street. (build)
5.    We will _____________ you a call as soon as we get home. (give)
6.    The janitor _____________ the boys’ bathroom right now. (clean)
7.    We must _____________ the orchestra play Mozart’s requiem – I’ve heard it’s an excellent performance. (hear)
8.    Uncle Howard doesn’t _____________ opera. (like)
9.    I would like _____________ the Grand Canyon someday. (visit)
10.    Mother couldn’t _____________ the pickle jar. (open)
11.    What time does your plane _____________ tomorrow morning? (leave)
12.    When did you _____________ home last night? (come)
13.    Father used _____________ in the choir when he was a young man. (sing)
14.    I have _____________ the library book today. (return)
15.    The children want _____________ to the museum this weekend. (go)

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Grammar Basics: Unit 13 – Past Continuous (Solutions)

Posted on 2012/02/01
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Exercises: For the following sentences, convert to past continuous. Then, put the past continuous into question form. Finally, put it in past negative question form.

Example:
She is sweeping the porch. ==>

  • She was sweeping the porch.
  • Was she sweeping the porch?
  • Wasn’t she sweeping the porch?

1. He is doing his homework.
He was doing his homework.
Was he doing his homework?
Wasn’t he doing his homework?

2. The cat is acting crazy.
The cat was acting crazy.
Was the cat acting crazy?
Wasn’t the cat acting crazy?

3. Mother is washing clothes in the basement.
Mother was washing clothes in the basement.
Was Mother washing clothes in the basement?
Wasn’t Mother washing clothes in the basement?

4. Father is mowing the lawn.
Father was mowing the lawn.
Was Father mowing the lawn?
Wasn’t Father mowing the lawn?

5. I am taking a bath.
I was taking a bath.
Was I taking a bath?
Wasn’t I taking a bath?

6. We are having pork chops for dinner.
We were having pork chops for dinner.
Were we having pork chops for dinner?
Weren’t we having pork chops for dinner?

7. You are lying!
You were lying!
Were you lying?
Weren’t you lying?

8. It is snowing heavily.
It was snowing heavily.
Was it snowing heavily?
Wasn’t it snowing heavily?

9. I am talking on the phone.
I was talking on the phone.
Was I talking on the phone?
Wasn’t I talking on the phone?

10. The bird is sitting on the fence over there.
The bird was sitting on the fence over there.
Was the bird sitting on the fence over there?
Wasn’t the bird sitting on the fence over there?

11. The twins are swimming in the pool.
The twins were swimming in the pool.
Were the twins swimming in the pool?
Weren’t the twins swimming in the pool?

12. We are drinking iced tea to keep cool.
We were drinking iced tea to keep cool.
Were we drinking iced tea to keep cool?
Weren’t we drinking iced tea to keep cool?

13. We are practicing for next week’s concert.
We were practicing for next week’s concert.
Were we practicing for next week’s concert?
Weren’t we practicing for next week’s concert?

14. He is writing a letter to Santa Claus.
He was writing a letter to Santa Claus.
Was he writing a letter to Santa Claus?
Wasn’t he writing a letter to Santa Claus?

15. Thousands of people are dying in Africa from famine.
Thousands of people were dying in Africa from famine.
Were thousands of people dying in Africa from famine?
Weren’t thousands of people dying in Africa from famine?

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Grammar Basics: Unit 13 – Past Continuous

Posted on 2012/01/31
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To form the past continuous, use the appropriate past tense form of the verb “be,” plus the –ing form of the verb:

  • I am –ing ==> I was –ing
  • you are –ing ==> you were –ing
  • he / she / it is –ing ==> he / she / it was –ing
  • we are –ing ==> we were –ing
  • they are –ing ==> they were –ing

Examples:

I’m reading the newspaper. ==> I was reading the newspaper.
You’re sleeping! ==> You were sleeping!
He’s studying for tomorrow’s exam. ==> He was studying for tomorrow’s exam.
The baby’s sleeping. ==> The baby was sleeping.
We’re leaving. ==> We were leaving.
They’re outside playing in the sandbox. ==> They were outside playing in the sandbox.

Negations are made the same way as for the past tense of the verb “be”:

  • I was –ing ==> I was not (wasn’t) –ing
  • you were –ing ==> you were not (weren’t) –ing
  • he / she / it was –ing ==> he / she / it was not (wasn’t) –ing
  • we were –ing ==> we were not (weren’t) –ing
  • they were –ing ==> they were not (weren’t) –ing

Examples:

I’m reading the newspaper.  ==> I wasn’t reading the newspaper.
You’re sleeping! ==> You weren’t sleeping!
He’s studying for tomorrow’s exam. ==> He wasn’t studying for tomorrow’s exam.
The baby’s sleeping. ==> The baby wasn’t sleeping.
We’re leaving. ==> We weren’t leaving.
They’re outside playing in the sandbox. ==> They weren’t outside playing in the sandbox.

Questions are made the same way as for the past tense of the verb “be”:

  • I was –ing ==> Was I –ing…?
  • you were –ing ==> Were you –ing…?
  • he / she / it was –ing ==> Was he / she / it –ing…?
  • we were –ing ==> Were we –ing…?
  • they were –ing ==> Were they –ing…?

Examples:

I’m reading the newspaper. ==> Was I reading the newspaper?
You’re sleeping! ==> Were you sleeping?
He’s studying for tomorrow’s exam. ==> Was he studying for tomorrow’s exam?
The baby’s sleeping. ==> Was the baby sleeping?
We’re leaving. ==> Were we leaving?
They’re outside playing in the sandbox. ==> Were they outside playing in the sandbox?

Questions can also have a negative form:

  • I was –ing ==> Was I not // Wasn’t I –ing…?
  • you were –ing ==> Were you not // Weren’t you –ing…?
  • he / she / it was –ing ==> Was he / she / it not // Wasn’t he / she / it –ing…?
  • we were –ing ==> Were we not // Weren’t we –ing…?
  • they were –ing ==> Were they not // Weren’t they –ing…?

Note:

Like before, this negative question form is expecting a confirmation: Yes, S was / were –ing. ….

Examples:

I’m reading the newspaper. ==> Wasn’t I reading the newspaper?
You’re sleeping! ==> Weren’t you sleeping?
He’s studying for tomorrow’s exam. ==> Wasn’t he studying for tomorrow’s exam?
The baby’s sleeping. ==> Wasn’t the baby sleeping?
We’re leaving. ==> Weren’t we leaving?
They’re outside playing in the sandbox. ==> Weren’t they outside playing in the sandbox?

Exercises: For the following sentences, convert to past continuous. Then, put the past continuous into question form. Finally, put it in past negative question form.

Example:
She is sweeping the porch. ==>

  • She was sweeping the porch.
  • Was she sweeping the porch?
  • Wasn’t she sweeping the porch?

1. He is doing his homework.

2. The cat is acting crazy.

3. Mother is washing clothes in the basement.

4. Father is mowing the lawn.

5. I am taking a bath.

6. We are having pork chops for dinner.

7. You are lying!

8. It is snowing heavily.

9. I am talking on the phone.

10. The bird is sitting on the fence over there.

11. The twins are swimming in the pool.

12. We are drinking iced tea to keep cool.

13. We are practicing for next week’s concert.

14. He is writing a letter to Santa Claus.

15. Thousands of people are dying in Africa from famine.

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