Verb Patterns – Day 1

1. General Revision - Verb patterns (reference -

http://www.englishrevealed.co.uk/fce_grammar.php)

Put the words from the box into the correct column.
can't bear | understand | would prefer | prefer | explain | would like | report | make |
would rather | continue | begin | wish | start | hope | had better | postpone | forgive | let |
appear | can
VERB + VERB + TO + VERB + BARE VERB + TO + INFINITIVE or
GERUND (-ING) INFINITIVE INFINITIVE VERB + GERUND (-ING)
enjoy propose should like
understand w ould can start

explain hope w ould rather prefer

report w ish let begin

postpo appear make can't bear

forgive w ould like w ish continue

2. Gerund or infinitive with a change in meaning 1

3. Put the verbs in brackets using either an -ing or a to-infinitive form.
STOP
to drink
1) She stopped a cup of tea. (drink)
drinking
2) I stopped alcohol fifteen years ago. (drink)
playing
3) My daughter stopped the piano when she was 20. (play)
to give
4) John stopped us a lift to the station. (give)
REMEMBER
mentionig
5) She remembers the conference the day before yesterday. (mention)
to visit
6) Remember your grandfather on Saturday. It's his birthday. (visit)
to lock
7) Did you remember the car when you left. (lock)
visiting
8) Jim doesn't remember ever this gallery. (visit)
REGRET
going
9) Gina now regrets to the party last week. (go)
to inform
10) I regret you that your son has failed the exam. (inform)
giving
11) I regret up the self-defence course. (give)
to tell
12) We regret you that your application for the job was unsuccessful. (tell)

3. Gerund or infinitive with a change in meaning 2

Put the verbs in brackets using either an -ing or a to-infinitive form.
TRY
taking
1) She tried some painkillers but the pain was unbearable. (take)
to move
2) Martin tried the wardrobe but it was too heavy. (move)
to w arn
3) They had tried her of the conditions they might expect. (warn)
eating
4) I tried snails, but I didn't like it. (eat)
GO ON
to become
5) Anne Smith worked at the office for two years, then went on a secretary.
(become)
talking
6) He went on after most of the audience had left. (talk)
w orking
7) She went on till she was 72. (work)
to play
8) After I finished watching the film, I went on computer games. (play)
NEED
to know
9) She'll need your decision by next month. (know)
cleaning
10) The kitchen needs . (clean)
to w ork
11) You need hard if you want to be successful. (work)
checking
12) The engine needed . (check)

4. Gerund or infinitive with a change in meaning 3

Put the verbs in brackets using either an -ing or a to-infinitive form.
FORGET
visiting
1) Hannah will never forget the National Gallery in London. (visit)
to ask
2) I forgot her for her e-mail address. (ask)
w atcing
3) He forgot the film when he was a child. (watch)
to pay
4) Adam forgot the bills last month. (pay)
LIKE / WOULD LIKE
to go
5) She likes to the doctor once a year. (go)
playing
6) He likes chess; it's his favourite pastime. (play)
to apologise
7) I would like for the delay. (apologise)
living
8) How do you like in Barcelona? (live)
MEAN
w orking
9) If she wants to win the competition, it will mean hard. (work)
staying
10) I'll get the work done this evening even if it means late. (stay)
to tell
11) Sorry, I meant you about the meeting. (tell)
to go
12) Jim meant jogging this morning, but he overslept. (go)
 5. Gerund or infinitive
Complete the sentences using the words in bold. Use two to five words. Put in commas where
necessary.

1) I don't know why Brian left the meeting so suddenly.

MADE
I don't know what made Brian leave the meeting so suddenly.
2) Would you like to go to the concert with me?
FANCY
Do you fancy going to the concert with me?
3) I'm sure he knows how to install the vending machine.
CAPABLE
I'm sure he is capable of installing the vending machine.
4) Some people don't understand modern art at all.
IMPOSSIBLE
Some people find it impossible to understand modern art.
5) That guitar is too expensive for me to buy.
AFFORD
I can’t afford to buy that guitar.
6) Joe Hill never fails to scare his readers.
SUCCEEDS
Joe Hill always succeeds in scaring his readers.

Grammar tenses – Day 2

Simple Present and Present Continuous

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text with the appropriate tenses, then click the
"Check" button to check your answers. Access the following link to see the exercise:

https://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs2.htm

Simple Past and Present Perfect

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text with the appropriate tenses, then click the
"Check" button to check your answers. Access the following link to see the exercise:

https://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs5.htm

Simple Past, Present Perfect, and Past Perfect

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text with the appropriate tenses, then click the
"Check" button to check your answers. Access the following link to see the exercise:

https://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs12.htm
Grammar tenses – Day 3
Present Continuous, Simple Past, Present Perfect Continuous, and Past
Perfect Continuous
Using the words in parentheses, complete the text with the appropriate tenses, then click the
"Check" button to check your answers. Access the following link to see the exercise:

https://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs15.htm

Will and Be Going To

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text with the appropriate tenses, then click the
"Check" button to check your answers. Access the following link to see the exercise:

https://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs20.htm

Simple Present, Simple Future, Present Continuous, and Future

Continuous
Using the words in parentheses, complete the text with the appropriate tenses, then click the
"Check" button to check your answers. Access the following link to see the exercise:

https://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs24.htm

Grammar tenses – Day 4

Verb Tense Practice Test

https://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs29practicetest.htm

Grammar – Day 5
(reference: http://www.englishrevealed.co.uk/fce_grammar.php)

Causative
Rewrite the sentences in the Causative form.

1) A mechanic has already repaired their car.

They .
2) I will ask somebody to install the pipes in the kitchen.
I in the kitchen.
3) His coat is being cleaned at a specialist cleaner´s.
He at a specialist cleaner´s.
4) Somebody is going to redecorate our living room.
We .
5) Gina may ask someone to dye her hair blonde next week.
Gina blonde next week.
6) They paid someone to fix the chimney of their house last year.
They last year.
7) The gardener was pruning George's bushes.
George .
8) The woman from the local shop delivers her groceries.
She by the woman from the local shop.
9) The town hall had just been rebuilt for the council.
The council .
10) Alice should ask somebody to deliver the washing machine.
Alice .

Conjunctions and linking words

Fill the gaps using the words given. Use each word only once.

unfortunately | and | because | however | although | so | as | despite | but | if

The Quarrel

About a year ago I had a bad quarrel with my father. Since then we have hardly spoken to each other.

I would apologise (1) ... I felt that the quarrel was my fault. But I don't think it was. It all

began (2) ... he criticised the man I was going out with (3) ... I told him he had
no right to interfere in my personal life. This made him very angry. A few months after the quarrel, I

discovered my boyfriend was having an affair with another woman (4) ... we broke up. But

I still haven't told my father what happened (5) ... I phoned him recently to wish him a
happy birthday. He sounded very cool and I didn't feel like continuing the conversation. (6) ...

, I need a new car, (7) ... my old one has broken down and can't be repaired.

But I am rather short of money. I know my father would lend me if I asked him, (8) ... I

don't want him to think this is the only reason I have contacted him again. (9) ... , if he
finds out that I have borrowed the money from a bank before asking him, he will probably never

forgive me. Life must go on, (10) ... the events I have lived through.

Grammar – Day 6
Reference: https://www.flo-joe.co.uk/fce/students/strategy/transfrm/conditn.htm
Revision:
Mixed Conditional
For Questions 1-8, complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first
sentence using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and
five words.
1. I only told you because I thought you would be interested.
TOLD
I ..... you if I thought you weren't interested.

2. I won't organise the party unless you arrange the food.

LONG
I'll organise the party ..... arrange the food.

3. I think it would be a good idea to speak to the manager first.

WERE
If ..... speak to the manager first.

4. If you do the washing up I'll make the coffee.

PROVIDED
I'll make the coffee ..... the washing up.

Relative clauses - Defining and non-defining clauses

Decide if the following sentences need commas. Choose defining relative clause if you think
it doesn't need commas and non-defining relative clause if you think it needs commas.

 1 A) London, which has a population of eight million, is a wonderful city.

 1 B) London which has a population of eight million is a wonderful city.

 2 A) My only sister who has beautiful eyes prepared the meal.

 2 B) My only sister, who has beautiful eyes, prepared the meal.

 3 A) The package, which Jim posted a few days ago, only arrived today.
 3 B) The package which Jim posted a few days ago only arrived today.

 4 A) My grandfather who is dead now came from South of Scotland.

 4 B) My grandfather, who is dead now, came from South of Scotland.

 5 A) The film which I am watching at the moment is boring.

 5 B) The film, which I am watching at the moment, is boring.

 6 A) This is the car, which we spoke about, the day before yesterday.
 6 B) This is the car which we spoke about the day before yesterday.

 7 A) The building which is next to the swimming pool has been demolished.
  7 B) The building, which is next to the swimming pool, has been demolished.

 8 A) Joanna, whose father is a doctor, is coming to the wedding reception.

 8 B) Joanna whose father is a doctor is coming to the wedding reception.

 9 A) Do you know the girl, who is talking to Mary?

 9 B) Do you know the girl who is talking to Mary?

 10 A) Angela, whom I trust very much, will make a perfect wife.

 10 B) Angela whom I trust very much will make a perfect wife.

Use of English – Day 6

https://www.englishaula.com/en/cambridge-english-test-exam-preparation/cambridge-
english-first-fce-b2/reading-use-of-english/exam-parts/exercise-practice-test/2-1-1-
5954784519520256/

This free FCE Use of English Practice Test helps with the grammar and structure points that
you need to master for the FCE.

(Reference: https://www.examenglish.com/FCE/fce_use_of_english_part2.htm)

Click in the gaps and type one word in each gap.

The Goulburn Valley

The Goulburn Valley is situated in the south-east corner of the Australian continent, in the
state of Victoria. Because the introduction of irrigation over a century ago,
primary industry flourished, resulting in multitude of orchards
market gardens. After World War II, migrants flocked to the area in search of work on the
farms, and in cases, establishing a property of their own.

Unfortunately, the region taken a turn for the worse over the past decade. The
irrigation water that was plentiful has now been rationed, and many farmers have
been forced the land. The main source of water from the Goulburn
River, with several reservoirs located along its stretch to the mighty Murray River. Dam
capacities have fallen to dangerous levels, resulting in some farmers having
inadequate supply of irrigation water.

the recent hardships, some farmers have continued to eke an existence out of the
land. Many have become ingenious, devising new ways to utilize water plus
finding special niches to service the ever-changing urban needs. Perhaps the Goulburn Valley
can return to its prosperous times .
 Use of English – Day 7

FCE Use of English part 3

Difficulty level: B2 /Upper Intermediate

This free FCE Use of English Practice Test helps with the word formation and vocabulary that
you need to master for the FCE.

Read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of the lines to form a word
that fits in the gap in the same line.

Agriculture in Australia

Traditionally, Australia was for producing wheat and FAME

wool, but times have changed in years, with many RECENTLY

farmers to be more diverse in their ELECT

crop and livestock range. It is now quite common to see farms LIKE

with more exotic fruit and vegetables. Farmers are to PRODUCE

sell their produce locally nowadays, but rather to the factories in CULTIVATE

the cities. As a result, farms are now large-scale IRRIGATE

where thousands of tonnes of crops are SYSTEMATIC

Another aspect that is different nowadays is . In the CONSERVATION

past, farmers would just flood the fields but now it is common to see
 
sprinkler everywhere. This means that more water SYSTEMATIC

is , which has been helpful with the drought that CONSERVATION

has severely impacted the of the farms in the MAJOR

states of the country. SOUTH

Hopefully, the the farmers have shown in recent times will continue. CREATE
FCE Use of English part 4

This activity helps with the key word transformations section of the Use of English paper.

There are 10 questions in this quiz. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to
the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two
and five words, including the word given.

1.   You must do exactly what the teacher tells you.

carry
You must    instructions exactly.

2.   So that Susan would be fit for the skiing, she went to the gym three times a week.

order
Susan went to the gym three times a week    fit for the skiing.

3.   It's not worth inviting her to the party. She will never come.

point
There    in inviting her to the party. She will never come.

4.   She had to finish her homework before she went out.

until
She had to stay in    her homework.

5.   Jo had not expected the film to be so good.

better
The film    had expected.

6.   If Patrick does not arrange some more lessons, he will never pass his driving test.

does
Patrick will never pass his driving test    some more lessons.

7.   'Do you know the way to the Italian restaurant?' Julie asked Maria.

where
Julie asked Maria    the Italian restaurant was.

8.   They decided to advertise their house on the internet.

put
They decided    their house on the internet.

9.   The family went skiing a month ago.

month
It    the family went skiing.

10.   The lecture was cancelled because the professor was ill.

called
They    because the professor was ill.

Reading (part 5) – Day 8

Reference: https://www.english-online.org.uk/fcefolder/fceread2.php?
name=FCE%20Reading%20part%201%20test%201

Read the text carefully and then answer the questions opposite.

Clothes

Clothing is a distinctly human artifact. Even more than the use of tools, it
distinguishes humans from the other creatures on this planet. While there are other
creatures which use implements to a greater or lesser degree, clothing is unique to
humanity. Clothing is also uniquely human, in that it serves more than one function.
The basic purpose of clothing was originally utilitarian. By putting on an artificial
skin, humans were able to move into regions where they otherwise would have been
unable to cope with the climate. An extreme example of this use of clothing can be
seen among the Eskimos, and other people who live with extreme cold. However,
clothing was not only used for protection from the elements, but has also been a
means of displaying one's status and sense of style for as long as humans have had
civilisation. Thus clothing also developed in countries where there is no real practical
need for it, apart from the other, very human function of preserving the modesty of
the wearer.

Clothing tells us many things about the wearer. It can be used to indicate whether she
is a member of a particular group or organisation, the most extreme example of this
type of clothing being a uniform. It tells us a lot about the importance of clothing that
the clothes a person was wearing have been, literally, the difference between life and
death. In war, soldiers recognise friends and enemies by their uniforms. Spies may
be shot if captured, but if they go about their business in the uniform of their country,
they are regarded as legitimate members of that country's armed forces.
Uniforms can also be less formal. Anyone who has seen a group of teenagers
walking together will have noticed that their clothing conforms to the standard set by
their particular group. Nor are teens the only ones who are subject to such pressures.
It is a rare businessman who does not feel the need to wear a suit and tie. Most
politicians also try to be neat and well-dressed. People who wish to impress others
often do so by the selection of their clothes - sometimes by choosing more expensive
versions. This can be seen particularly in the fashion industry, where clothing by a
particular designer fetches prices which are out of all proportion to the actual
utilitarian value of the material.

The significance of what we wear and how we wear it is, if anything, becoming more
rather than less important as the cultures of the world mix and sometimes come into
collision. There have been cases on holiday islands where the locals have a strict
conservative tradition and have been outraged by visitors - especially female visitors
- who wear far less than the minimum that the locals consider decent. The humble
headscarf has become a symbol of conformism to religious values, and some
westerners are as affronted by a woman wearing one as others in the middle east are
upset by its absence. (Yet in medieval Europe, both men and women habitually kept
their heads covered in public, and almost always when outdoors.) Indeed, the signals
given by clothing as worn by men and women has not decreased because many
women now wear what were once "men's" garments. For example today most
women are very comfortable wearing jeans. Yet the sight of a man in a dress would
raise eyebrows in most western cultures. For even though the signals given by
clothing change over time - the ancient Romans thought that only barbarians wore
trousers - the signals themselves are as strong as ever. It is impossible not to signal
something about yourself in the clothes you wear, for even not trying to say anything
is itself a strong signal.

Therefore, even though we are steadily managing to adjust our micro-environments

to temperatures which are as close to ideal as the human body wants, and even
though sexual taboos of undress are being steadily eroded, it is highly unlikely the
there will be no use for clothing in our future, unless humanity evolves into a
completely new species.

1. Clothes are uniquely human because they

a. are artefacts

b. have many different functions

c. are made by tools

d. are worn when they are unneccessary

2. The author thinks that

a. clothing is an implement

b. there is no real need for clothing in some countries

c. clothes are principally for protection from the weather

d. people will always wear clothes

3. Which of the following does the author NOT give as a function of clothing?

a. To show how wealthy or powerful the wearer is

b. To show the wearer's taste

c. To adjust our micro-environment

d. To avoid indecency

4. According to the article, uniforms

a. are mainly worn by soldiers

b. have many functions

c. show membership of a group

d. are alwas worn by teenagers

5. The author suggests that fashion in clothing

a. is ridiculous

b. is a part of its social function

 c. is used to show membership of a group

d. makes clothes too expensive

6. Teenagers wear very similar clothing to their friends

a. because they have the same climate

b. to avoid looking different from the others

c. because of sexual taboos of undress

d. to display their status and style

7. In future clothing will ...

a. be worn by other species

b. be less needed for its original function

c. be steadily eroded

d. become ideal for the needs of the human body

8. What might be a suitable title for the article?

a. The function of clothing.

b. Clothing as fashion.

c. The future of clothes

d. The story of clothes.

Reading (part 6) – Day 9

Read this text and the paragraphs opposite. Decide where the paragraphs go in the text, and
0

put the correct number next to each. e.g. (X) . You do not need two of the paragraphs
opposite.

Alexandria

(A) Alexandria is a seaport in northern Egypt, where the delta of the river Nile meets the
Mediterranean. The modern city is mainly on a peninsula and includes Pharos, where the
famous lighthouse stood in ancient times. The part of the city on the peninsula today is a
characteristically Egyptian town.

(B) The city was founded in 332 BC by Alexander the Great, who planned it as one of the
finest ports of the ancient world. His city was large and magnificent. In Alexandria the
different peoples of the ancient Mediterranean lived together.

(C) After the defeat of Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, the city came under the rule of Rome.
Its position made it the centre of commerce between East and West, and fleets of grain ships
sailed from Alexandria to Italy year after year.

(D) Later the decline of the city almost became ruin, when the Muslims captured it twice
in a hundred years. The city deteriorated further after the opening of the sea route around the
Cape of Africa to India.

(E) At the end of the eighteenth century, Alexandria was captured and held by Napoleon.
The French occupation lasted from 1798 to 1801, when the British destroyed the French fleet
in the battle of the Nile.

(F) In the last hundred years, Alexandria has been Egypt‘s gateway to the outside world.
The strong European feel of much of the city has combined with the native Egyptian culture
to produce a unique atmosphere, wonderfully captured by the writer Lawrence Durrell in his
Alexandrian Quintet.

1. Gradually, however, the city lost its prosperity. A Jewish revolt let to the removal of the
Jewish population and the destruction of a large portion of the city. The Roman emperor
Caracalla ordered a massacre of the male inhabitants of the entire city for plotting rebellion.

2. In fact, the city has long had an association with books, and the famous lost library of
Alexandria was one of the great monuments of the ancient world. Today the city is working to
build another library, which they hope will be as great.
3. The burning of the Great Library of Alexandria, with its priceless manuscripts, is regarded
as one of the great acts of vandalism in history.

4. Until this time, the businessman of the city had made much of their money be arranging for
goods to be brought across the Sinai peninsula and then shipped on to Europe from
Alexandria.

5. The more European area is on the mainland. Alexandria is a commercial centre and there
are many warehouses for cotton, grain, sugar, and wool. The population is between three and
four million

6. Here, the Jews came into contact with Greek learning, which profoundly influenced the
later religious thought of the world. Under the Ptolemies, the rulers of Egypt after Alexander,
the city became the scientific centre of the ancient world.

7. The city of Cairo was smaller than Alexandria for most of its existence, but it was chosen
as capital partly because of its more central location.

8. But for a few years teams of scientists and engineers came to examine the pyramids and
other ancient works. Many Egyptian antiquities came through Alexandria to Europe, where
that continent acquired a fascination with Egyptology which has continued ever since.

Reading (part 7) – Day 10

This page will let you practise for the Cambridge English First (FCE) exam. This is the format
of the third part of the reading section.

Cambridge First Reading & Use of English part 7

You are going to read an article in which four people comment on a book they have read recently.
For questions 1-10, choose from the people A-D. The people may be chosen more than once.

Sundance by Teresa Wilson

Kerry:

I really don't know why this book is so popular. I mean, I suppose it is going to appeal to young girls
who want danger and romance, but I found this book really tedious. For a start, the characters were
really unconvincing. The author went out of her way to add lots of details about the characters, but I
found these details really pointless. I thought that some of the facts she presented about the main
characters would become significant in some way later in the novel, but they didn't. They were just
worthless bits of information. I also was disappointed that, although this book is meant to be about
kids at high school, the writer seems to have no recollection at all about what it's like to be 17. The
main character thought and acted like a 32-year old. It just wasn't believable. I'm not saying Teresa
Wilson is a bad writer. She can obviously string words together and come up with a story that is
appealing to a large number of people, but she lacks anything original. There is no flair. It just uses
the same sort of language as you can see in many other mediocre novels.

Wild Ways by Margery Emerson

Liz:

I have to say that I won't forget this book for a long time. I was hooked from the very first chapter.
The devastating story affected me so much that I don't know if I'll ever feel the same again. I was
close to tears on several occasions. I've got images in my brain now that I don't think will ever leave
me. It's incredibly well-researched and, although it is fiction, is based on shocking real-life events. I
learned an awful lot about things that went on that I never knew before. Margaret Emerson has a
brilliant way with words and I really felt real empathy towards the characters, although I was
sometimes irritated by the choices they made. However, the parallel story, the part that is set in the
present, is not quite so good. I found myself just flicking through that part so that I could get back to
1940s Paris.

Orchid by Henry Rathbone

Imogen:

This is a delightful novel full of wonderful imagery, a paints a remarkable picture of life in a distant
time and a far-away place. If you're looking to learn about Eastern culture in great detail, then this is
probably not the book for you, as the writer skims over most of the more complicated aspects of the
country's etiquette. The historical aspects are also not covered in much depth. However, I wonder
whether this was the writer's intention. By doing this, he symbolise the superficiality of the girl's life.
She, like the book, is beautiful and eager to please, but remains too distant from us, the readers, to
teach us much. Although I loved the book and read it in one sitting, the ending was a bit of a
disappointment. A story which involves so much turmoil, in a place where the future is uncertain,
should not have a happy-ever-after fairy-tale ending.

High Hills by Mary Holland

Hannah:

I read this book for a literature class. I know it's a classic, and I did try to like it, but I just didn't get
into it. I kept persevering, hoping that I'd start to enjoy it, but no such luck. The famous scene out on
the moors was definitely the best bit of the book, but even that I found ridiculous when it is clearly
supposed to be passionate. As I approached the end of the book, I figured there must be some kind
of moral to the story, something that I would learn from the experience of trudging through seven
hundred long pages, but there was nothing worthwhile. I don't know why the literary world sees this
book as such a masterpiece. The characters are portrayed as being intelligent, but they do such
stupid things! And as for it being a love story - marrying someone you don't love and then being
abused by them - that doesn't spell love to me.

Which person read a book which...

1. was set in an Oriental country  - A) Kerry B) Liz C) Imogen D) Hannah

2. finished in an unrealistic way  - A) Kerry B) Liz C) Imogen D) Hannah

3. had characters that the reader could sympathise with  - A) Kerry B) Liz C) Imogen D)
Hannah

4. is well-known and was written a long time ago -- A) Kerry B) Liz C) Imogen D) Hannah

5. contained two stories - A) Kerry B) Liz C) Imogen D) Hannah

6. was not set in the past - A) Kerry B) Liz C) Imogen D) Hannah

7. was historically accurate  - A) Kerry B) Liz C) Imogen D) Hannah

8. made the reader cry - A) Kerry B) Liz C) Imogen D) Hannah

9. contained insignificant details - A) Kerry B) Liz C) Imogen D) Hannah

10. has a well-known scene  - A) Kerry B) Liz C) Imogen D) Hannah