ACTIVITY PACK

SIGS

FRAMEWORK 3B

UNITS 9 AND 10
ANSWER KEY
 Commonly-used idiomatic expressions.
Expressions with MIND

Expression Meaning Example

At the back of your mind Something that you are not thinking At the back of my mind is the fear of failing the
about right now but is in your test.
thoughts.

Be in two minds Be undecided. I'm in two minds about what to do.

Bear/keep in mind Remember Bear in mind that no food will be served on

board.

Bring to mind Recall something Fish and chip shops bring to mind my holidays
in Britain.

Broadens the mind Helps you understand more about Travel broadens the mind.
different subjects, people, ideas and
places.

Change your mind Change your decision I was going to go sailing but I changed my
mind when I saw the weather.

Cross your mind Come into your thoughts as a It crossed my mind that the child might be
possibility hungry.

Get something or Stop thinking about someone or No matter how hard I try I can't get the
something out of your something accident out of my mind.
mind

Give someone a piece of Express your disapproval in a firm or I'm going to give those kids a piece of my
your mind angry manner. mind about the noise they're making.

Go out of your mind Go crazy or be insane You're going to walk across the desert? Have
you gone out of your mind?

Have a good mine/half a Feel tempted or be inclined to do I've a good mind/half a mind to ask for my
mind something that you will probably not money back!
do.

Have something in mind Be considering something We haven't decided where we're going yet but
we've got something in mind.
 Expression Meaning Example

Have a lot on your mind Have a lot of thoughts, worries and You can see he's preoccupied. He's got a lot on
concerns in your head. his mind these days.

Have an open mind / be Be receptive to other people's I went into the meeting with an open mind.
open-minded opinions or ideas.

Have a mind of your own Be capable of making your own Emma doesn't need any advice; she's got a
decisions mind of her own.

Last thing on your mind Of the least importance to you I'm too busy to eat! Food is the last thing on my
mind right now.

Lose your mind Go crazy Jack nearly lost his mind when he missed the
flight!

Make up your mind Reach a decision There are many options. I can't make up my
mind.

Mind over matter The mental power to influence one's His illness was incurable but he lived until the
body and overcome physical baby was born – a case of mind over matter.
difficulties.

Mind your own business Stop interfering! Don't tell me what to do. Mind your own
(rude) business!

Mind your language Be careful what you say. My grandfather won't tolerate any rudeness
so mind your language!

Mind your P's and Q's Behave properly; show good You'd better mind your P's and Q'swhen you go
manners. to meet your future in-laws!

Mind the step Be careful where you walk. Mind your step getting off the train.

My mind went blank Forget everything momentarily or be I was so nervous during the test that my mind
unable to think clearly. went blank!

Never mind Don't worry. It's not important. "Sorry I can't be of help."
"Never mind. It's OK."

Not in your right mind Not behaving in a logical or sensible Julie wasn't in her right mind when she bought
way. those ridiculous shoes.

One-track mind Think about only one subject That boy has a one-track mind; all he thinks
about is football !
 Expression Meaning Example

Out of sight, out of mind Forget someone you don't see As soon as he retired he was forgotten. Out of
frequently. sight, out of mind!

Peace of mind State of tranquillity with no worries I will have peace of mind when my son
passes his exams.

Put your mind at ease. Reassure you. Let me put your mind at ease. Your travel
expenses will be paid by the company.

Read someone's mind Guess someone's thoughts or have Yes, I think we should take a taxi. You read my
the same idea mind!

Slip your mind Forget something. I forgot the electrician was coming. It
completely slipped my mind!

Speak your mind Say frankly what you think Andy always speaks his mind but he's not
always diplomatic.

Take your mind off Stops you thinking about something Talking to people takes his mind off the pain.
something. unpleasant.

Takes a load off your mind Relieves someone of a worry or The children are safe? That takes a load off my
problem. mind.
 Expressions using the word "MIND" ...

Choose the right answer from the list.

Mind your head! I hope you don't mind. My mind went blank.

I'll keep it in mind. I can't get you out of my mind. It stuck in my mind.

Mind your own business! It will take things off your mind. Would you mind helping me?

I've changed my mind. It's all in your mind. I am in two minds about the matter.

It's the first thing that came to mind. Make up your mind! You must be out of your mind.

It crossed my mind. That's a load off my mind.

I just forgot.

I hope that this will not inconvenience you.

You must be completely mad.

Make a decision!

I have decided otherwise.

Could you possibly help me?

You have imagined it all.

I won't forget your idea.

I have already thought about that.

Look after your own affairs!

It doesn't matter.

Say what you think!

It's the first thing I thought of.

Be careful - the doorway is very low.

I can't stop thinking about you.

That will give you something else to think about.

What a relief!

I suddenly forgot what I wanted to say.

I don't know what to think about the subject.

I couldn't forget.
ANSWER KEY
 CHARITY

READING

You are going to read an article in which five people talk about what they have done to raise money for charity. For
questions 16-30 choose from the people (A-E). The people may be chosen more than once. When more than one
answer is required they may be given in any order.

Which person or people:

would not repeat what they did to raise money? 16

tried to encourage others to do things to raise money for charity? 17

spent a long time preparing for what they did? 18

was frightened? 19

says raising money for charity was their secondary aim? 20 21

says the experience was unique and memorable? 22

did their challenge with a group of people? 23 24

had a family member help them with the preparation for the event? 25

says the hardest part was the beginning of the activity? 26

mentions more than one type of charity event? 27

sees taking part in charity events as a way of learning about people in need? 28

took part in the same event many times? 29

didn’t enjoy the event as much as the preparation? 30

Raising money for charity

Housewife and grandmother

I abseiled off a cliff to raise money for charity. It was an enormous challenge as I’m actually quite afraid of heights. It was only really
A the moment of going over the edge that was difficult; after that it was very easy. You just have to get into the rhythm and not go too
fast. My son is very into climbing and things like that and he and some of his friends from his university climbing club set everything
up and organised the whole event. There were about twenty of us who did it and between us we raised well over the target amount.
It was a great success but I don’t think I’ll be doing anything like that again. Once was enough!

Lawyer

B I ran a triathlon and managed to get over 50 people to sponsor me. I had to train for months and it was really hard work but well
worth it. I actually enjoyed the training more than the final event because on the day the weather was terrible. In the months running
up to the event I followed a very strict regime and it felt good to be working towards such a specific goal. I would often get up at 5
o’clock in the morning so I could train before going to work. Knowing that I was going to be able to give a large donation to charity
 made me even more determined to do it. It wasn’t compulsory to get sponsorship and giving money to charity wasn’t my main
motivation when I first signed up to do it but I wanted to make the most of the opportunity and all my friends and family were really
supportive and wanted to help and give money. It was such a positive experience I’m going to do it again next year.

Environmental consultant

I cycled from L.A. to Quito last spring. All my family thought I was mad but I love cycling and I knew it would be an amazing way to see
lots of really interesting places that most people never see. I managed to raise quite a bit of money for charity through sponsorship
C although that wasn't my main objective. I turned 30 in March and I really wanted to be doing something totally different rather than
just sitting at my desk in the office. I wanted it to be different and something I could look back on when I am older and feel proud of.
It is something I’ll be able to tell my grandchildren about and the fact that I was able to do something to help those less well off than
me at the same time, well that made it even better.

Theatre manager

When I was a child I took part in a lot of sponsored walks. Each year my school would organise the walks and although it wasn’t
compulsory my friends and I would always take part. It was fun. Each walk was about 15 km long so it took quite a long time but it
D was a nice way to spend a day. The first year I did it I was only 11 years old and my father came with us to keep an eye on us but once
we were older we went by ourselves; there were about 8 or 9 of us that all walked together. We managed to get quite a bit of money
between us; in fact it became our challenge to raise more money than the year before, which we always achieved, so there was a
great sense of satisfaction.

Retired primary school head teacher

We used to make a big effort to get the children involved in charity events as I think it helps raise their awareness of world events and
the fact that in many places there are people, particularly children like themselves, who live in very different circumstances to them.
E I think they get a great sense of satisfaction too from knowing that they are able to do something to help. Each year we had a mufti
day; where all the children paid a small amount of money and then came to school for one day in their own clothes and not in school
uniform. We also regularly held school fetes where the children were encouraged to donate old toys and books and things which we
then sold. The children got involved in running the stalls too and all the money we made went to our chosen charity.
 ANSWER KEY

16 = A 17 = E 18 = B 19 = A

20 = B 21 = C 22 = C 23 = A

24 = D 25 = A 26 = A 27 = E

28 = E 29 = D 30 = B
 Personality Adjectives

Personality adjectives are adjectives that we use to describe a person and their character or personality. Everybody
is an individual so we all have different personalities. One of us may be kind and like to help other people. Another
person may be lazy and prefer to sleep rather than work.

Personality adjectives answer the question: "What is he like?"

Look at these example sentences using the personality adjective "polite":

• John is polite. John seems polite.

• John has a polite character.

• He is a polite person. I like polite men.

• I wish you were as polite as John. If you were more polite I might marry you.

POSITIVE PERSONALITY ADJECTIVES

List of 100 common personality adjectives that describe people positively

Most people would consider the character traits described by the personality adjectives below to be "good" or
positive. This is generally true, but remember that words are often used subjectively. For example, "determined" is
shown here as a positive personality adjective, while "stubborn" is listed on the negative personality adjectives page,
yet the meaning of both can be very similar. The choice of word sometimes says as much about the author as about
the person being described.

adaptable courageous friendly modest

adventurous courteous funny neat
affable creative generous nice
affectionate decisive gentle optimistic
agreeable determined good passionate
ambitious diligent gregarious patient
amiable diplomatic hard-working persistent
amicable discreet helpful pioneering
amusing dynamic honest philosophical
brave easygoing humorous placid
bright emotional imaginative plucky
broad-minded energetic impartial polite
calm enthusiastic independent powerful
careful exuberant intellectual practical
charming fair-minded intelligent pro-active
communicative faithful intuitive quick-witted
compassionate fearless inventive quiet
conscientious forceful kind rational
considerate frank loving reliable
convivial loyal reserved
 resourceful shy thoughtful warmhearted
romantic sincere tidy willing
self-confident sociable tough witty
self-disciplined straightforward unassuming
sensible sympathetic understanding
sensitive versatile

POSITIVE PERSONALITY ADJECTIVES QUIZ

1. Which word is closest in meaning to "polite"?

charming
sincere
courteous

2. Which word is closest in meaning to "hard-working"?

pro-active
resourceful
diligent

3. Which word is closest in meaning to "funny"?

humorous
convivial
plucky

4. Which word is closest in meaning to "sociable"?

amusing
gregarious
diplomatic

5. If you consider the needs or feelings of others, you're a _______ person.

reserved
considerate
faithful

6. If you have a relaxed attitude and don't worry too much, you're _______ .
easygoing
versatile
patient

7. If you express strong feelings or beliefs about something, you're _______ about it.
passionate
romantic
compassionate

8. If you often feel sympathy for people or animals that are suffering, you're a _______ person.
passionate
romantic
compassionate

9. Which word is closest in meaning to "sensible"?

sensitive
rational
reliable

10. If you don't depend on other people or need much support, you're an _______ person.
adventurous
energetic
independent

NEGATIVE PERSONALITY ADJECTIVES

List of 100 common personality adjectives that describe people negatively

Most people would consider the character traits described by the personality adjectives below to be "bad" or
negative. This is generally true, but remember that there can be exceptions. For example, for a policeman
"aggressive" might be a negative trait while for a boxer it might really belong to the positive personality adjectives.

aggressive cruel impatient miserly

aloof cunning impolite moody
arrogant cynical impulsive narrow-minded
belligerent deceitful inconsiderate nasty
big-headed detached inconsistent naughty
bitchy dishonest indecisive nervous
boastful dogmatic indiscreet obsessive
bone-idle domineering inflexible obstinate
boring finicky interfering overcritical
bossy flirtatious intolerant overemotional
callous foolish irresponsible parsimonious
cantankerous foolhardy jealous patronizing
careless fussy lazy perverse
changeable greedy Machiavellian pessimistic
clinging grumpy materialistic pompous
compulsive gullible mean possessive
cowardly harsh pusillanimous
quarrelsome self-centred tactless untidy
quick-tempered self-indulgent timid untrustworthy
resentful silly touchy vague
rude sneaky thoughtless vain
ruthless stingy truculent vengeful
sarcastic stubborn unkind vulgar
secretive stupid unpredictable weak-willed
selfish superficial unreliable

NEGATIVE PERSONALITY ADJECTIVES QUIZ

1. Which word is closest in meaning to "impolite"?

vulgar
nasty
rude

2. Which word is closest in meaning to "thoughtless"?

inconsiderate
indecisive
stupid

3. Which word is closest in meaning to "stubborn"?

obstinate
weak-willed
aggressive

4. Which word is closest in meaning to "bossy"?

grumpy
domineering
unkind

5. If you don't care about the needs or feelings of others, you're a _______ person.
greedy
self-indulgent
selfish

6. If someone isn't brave enough to face danger or take a risk, they're _______ .
cowardly
nervous
touchy
7. If you're speaking down to someone because you think you're smarter or better than they are, you're being
_______ .
overcritical
patronizing
boastful

8. People who won't listen to new ideas or alternative viewpoints are said to be _______ .
big-headed
narrow-minded
self-centred

9. Which word is closest in meaning to "dishonest"?

cunning
unreliable
untrustworthy

10. If your main goal in life is to make money and collect possessions, you're a _______ person.
materialistic
possessive
compulsive
ANSWER KEY
ANSWER KEY
 COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES

MEANING AND USE

We use comparative adjectives and adverbs to compare one person or thing with another person or
thing.

Today is hotter than yesterday.

I think documentaries are more interesting than the news.

Can you drive faster? – I'm late.

My brother speaks more fluently than me.

We can repeat comparatives with and to say how something changes.

Train journeys in the UK are becoming more and more expensive.

The sky grew darker and darker and we knew the storm would break soon.

We can use two different comparatives with the to say how something changes as something else
changes.

The faster they went, the louder they screamed.

The taller she grew, the thinner she became.

We use superlative adjectives and adverbs to compare one person or thing with several other people or
things of the same kind.

September is the busiest month for our business..

Angelina Jolie was the highest paid actress last year.

Which student has worked the hardest this year?

We often use superlatives with the present perfect to talk about a particular life experience.

That was the funniest film I've seen this year.

He swam the fastest he has ever swum to win gold.

FORM
We make comparatives in two ways: by adding -er or by putting more in front of the adjective or adverb.
This hotel is cheaper than the one on the beach.

Life in the country is more peaceful than in the city.

Ali spoke more accurately than Khalid in the exam.

We usually use than with the comparative, but not always.

He's better than me at tennis.

Can you talk more quietly, please - I'm trying to work.

We make superlatives by adding -est or by putting most in front of the adjective or adverb.

It's the cheapest restaurant in town.

He spoke the most confidently in the final interviews.

We usually use the before the superlative, but we sometimes use a possessive adjective.

August is the quietest month in Paris.

December is our busiest time of year.

For adjectives and adverbs with one syllable, add -er in the comparative form, and

-est in the superlative form. If the adjective or adverb already ends in -e, then just add

-r (comparative) or -st (superlative).

Adjective/adverb: great nice fast

Comparative: greater nicer faster

Superlative: greatest nicest fastest

If an adjective ends in a vowel + consonant, double the last letter before adding

-er or -est (unless it ends in -w).

Adjective: big hot new

Comparative: bigger hotter newer

Superlative: biggest hottest newest

If an adjective or adverb has three or more syllables, use more in the comparative, and most in the
superlative.

Adjective/adverb: expensive fluently

Comparative: more expensive more fluently

Superlative: most expensive most fluently

To form the comparative and superlative of some two-syllables adjectives, you can either add -er/-est or
use more/most.

Adjective: quiet common pleasant

Comparative: quieter / more quiet commoner / more common pleasanter / morepleasant

Superlative: quietest / most quiet commonest / most common pleasantest / mostpleasant

To form the comparative and superlative of two-syllable adjectives or adverbsthat end in -y, change
the 'y' to 'i' before adding -er/-est.

Adjective/adverb: busy early

Comparative: busier earlier

Superlative: busiest earliest

REMEMBER: IRREGULAR COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES

Some adjectives and adverbs have irregular comparative and superlative forms.

His cold has got worse since he went back to work.

It's the best film I've seen in a long time.

Adjective: good bad far little

Comparative: better worse further less

Superlative: best worst furthest least

Adverb: well badly

Comparative: better worse

Superlative: best worst

Take note: much/a lot

We use much or a lot before an adjective or adverb to emphasise the degree of comparison.

Shirley is much more popular than Janet.

This winter is a lot worse than last year.

I work much more effectively when I have a good night's sleep.

TAKE NOTE: (NOT) AS … AS
To say that two things or people are similar in some way, use as + adjective/adverb + as.

Mario is as clever as his brother.

Juliana shouted as loudly as the others but the teacher didn’t choose her.

IDIOMS WITH (NOT) AS … AS

There are many set idioms in English which use as + adjective + as to make comparisons. These are
often used in narrative texts to make writing more interesting and colourful.

He was as quiet as a mouse.

The material was as thin as ice.

Her hands were as warm as toast.

He ran as fast as the wind to escape.

When Anna heard the news, she turned as white as a sheet.

He picked her up and she was as light as a feather.

We can use not as/so + adjective + as to say that two things or people are not equal in some way.

Ishbel is not as talented as her sister.

The final wasn't so exciting as the semi-final.

 COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES
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, including the
words given.

1) The food was so good we had to leave a tip.

SUCH

It ..... that we had to leave a tip.

2) The computer was too expensive for me to buy.

ENOUGH

I ..... money to buy the computer.

3) It's the most beautiful painting I've ever seen.

SEEN

I .... beautiful painting.

4) This summer has been much cooler than last year.

COOL

Last summer ..... this year.

5) I'm not as good at maths as you.

BETTER

You ..... me.

6) The course wasn't as easy as I'd expected.

MORE

The course ..... I'd expected.

7) This car isn't safe enough to drive.

DANGEROUS

This car ..... drive.

8) This exercise is easier than the last one.

HARD

This exercise ..... the last one.

 ANSWER KEY

1) The food was so good we had to leave a tip. Correct answers:

was such good food
SUCH

It ..... that we had to leave a tip.

2) The computer was too expensive for me to buy. Correct answers:

did not have enough
ENOUGH
didn't have enough
I ..... money to buy the computer.

3) It's the most beautiful painting I've ever seen. Correct answers:
have never seen such a
SEEN
've never seen such a
I .... beautiful painting. have never seen a more
've never seen a more

4) This summer has been much cooler than last year. Correct answers:
wasn't as cool as
COOL
was not as cool as
Last summer ..... this year.

5) I'm not as good at maths as you. Correct answers:

are better at maths than
BETTER
're better at maths than
You ..... me. can do maths better than

6) The course wasn't as easy as I'd expected. Correct answers:

was more difficult than
MORE

The course ..... I'd expected.

7) This car isn't safe enough to drive. Correct answers:

's too dangerous to
DANGEROUS
is too dangerous to
This car ..... drive.

8) This exercise is easier than the last one. Correct answers:

is not as hard as
HARD
isn't as hard as
This exercise ..... the last one.
 COMPOUND ADJECTIVES

A compound adjective is sometimes called a hyphenated adjective. What are they?

Let's look at the following sentences:

• I saw a man-eating alligator.

• I saw a man eating alligator.

The first sentence contains a compound adjective.

The second sentence doesn't.

However the meaning of the two sentences are very different as can be seen in the picture below:

I saw a man-eating alligator.

We are describing the alligator. What type of alligator is it? It is one that eats men (or people).

I saw a man eating alligator.

This sentence without the hyphen sounds like a man is eating an alligator.
(man is the subject, eating is the verb, alligator is the object or thing that is being eaten).
As you can see, the hyphen (or lack of it) makes a big difference in the meaning of the sentence.

Before we explain in more detail why we put that hyphen between those two words in the first sentence, we
need to do a quick review of Adjectives.

WHAT IS AN ADJECTIVE?
An adjective is a word that describes something.

A red car (red is an adjective because it describes the car. How is the car? Red)

A big book (big is an adjective because it describes the book. How is the book? Big)

See our other grammar notes about Adjectives in English. (LINK coming soon)

But sometimes we use more than one adjective to describe something.

COMPOUND ADJECTIVES
A compound adjective is an adjective that contains two or more words.

In general we put a hyphen between two or more words (before a noun) when we want them to act as a single
idea (adjective) that describes something.

• I live in an English-speaking country.

English-speaking is an adjective (used to describe the country). We use a hyphen to connect the
word English with speaking to show that it is one adjective (or one idea).

This adjective with two words joined by the hyphen is called a compound adjective.

Some more examples of compound adjectives are:

• Our office is in a twenty-storey building.

• I have just finished reading a 300-page book.
• He is a well-known writer.

There are many types of Compound Adjectives. Here is a list of the most common types:
PERIODS OF TIME
When he have compound adjectives using a number + a time period, that word referring to a time period is in
singular form and is joined to the number with a hyphen.

• I work eight hours every day --> I work an eight-hour day

• I'm going on vacation for three weeks --> I have a three-week vacation
• There was a delay of 5 seconds --> There was a five-second delay

Notice how we normally write the number as a word, not in numerical form.

ADVERBS AND COMPOUND ADJECTIVES

Adverbs modify a verb.
 • She walks slowly.

How does she walk? Slowly. Slowly is an adverb that modifies (or describes) the verb.

Adverbs can also be used to modify an adjective.

• It is very hot today. (Very is an adverb)

• She is extremely intelligent. (Extremely is an adverb)

Notice how we do not put a hyphen between an adverb and an adjective (not even before a noun).

• It is a very hot day.

• She is an extremely intelligent girl.

ADVERB + PAST PARTICIPLE

However when we have an Adverb + past participle, we put a hyphen between the two words to make it a
compound adjective.

• This is a brightly-lit room.

• She is a well-known actress.
• We live in a densely-populated city.

NOUN + PAST PARTICIPLE

When we have a noun + past participle, we put a hyphen between the two words to make it a compound
adjective.

• We should start using wind-powered generators to cut costs.

• I love eating sun-dried raisins.

NOUN + PRESENT PARTICIPLE

When we have a noun + present participle, we put a hyphen between the two words to make it a compound
adjective.

• I bought some mouth-watering strawberries.

• That was a record-breaking jump.

NOUN + ADJECTIVE
When we have a noun + adjective, we put a hyphen between the two words to make it a compound adjective.

• She is a world-famous singer.

• This is a smoke-free restaurant.

ADJECTIVE + NOUN
When we have an adjective + noun, we put a hyphen between the two words to make it a compound adjective.

• It was a last-minute decision.

• We watched the full-length version of the movie.

ADJECTIVE + PAST PARTICIPLE

When we have an adjective + past participle, we put a hyphen between the two words to make it a compound
adjective.

• That is an old-fashioned dress

• Reptiles are cold-blooded creatures.

ADJECTIVE + PRESENT PARTICIPLE

When we have an adjective + present participle, we put a hyphen between the two words to make it a compound
adjective.

• She is a good-looking girl.

• It left a long-lasting taste in my mouth.

COMPOUND ADJECTIVES WITH PROPER NOUNS

A proper noun is the name of something or someone (e.g. John, Susan Sanders).

Compound Adjectives made from Proper nouns don't need a hyphen though must have capital letters.

• I bought the James Jackson tickets for us.

James Jackson is a compound adjective describing the tickets (What type of tickets? James Jackson tickets).
Since the adjective is a Proper noun, we don't need a hyphen between the two names.

HOW DO WE KNOW WHEN TO PUT A HYPHEN?

If you can use the word “and” between the two adjectives or words, then a hyphen isn't necessary.

• She has a big blue book.

(Big and Blue are adjectives)

Can we say: She has a big and blue book. (Yes, it is possible)

• He is a world famous singer. (Is this correct?)

Can we say: He is a world and famous singer. No, it doesn't sound correct so we need a hyphen to join the
words worldand famous:

• He is a world-famous singer. (Correct)

Also, look at the following:

• It's an old coal-mining town

Notice how we didn't put a hyphen between the word old and coal. If we had have done that, we would have
been referring to old coal, as in coal that is old. We want to emphasis that the town in old and not the coal.

Here we can say it is old and a coal-mining one.

1. From each group, choose the sentence that contains a compound adjective:

A. Sheila was horribly moody.

 B. We’d like you to be part of the decision-making process.
C. The company showed steady improvement in their stock trades.

A. This is a widely used procedure for finishing wood floors.

B. Moths ate his woolen socks.
C. That was really generous of you.

A. Sharon’s adopted son is five years old today.

B. My new car has leather upholstery.
C. She was a well-known actress by the time she reached age five.

2. Using hyphens in compound adjectives: Which sentences are correct?

A. The group was full of rowdy 10 year old schoolboys.

B. The group was full of rowdy 10-year-old schoolboys.

A. The actress is well known.

B. The actress is well-known.

A. They enjoyed a three-year profit streak.

B. They enjoyed a three-year-profit streak.

3. Using –ly adverbs in compound adjectives: Which sentences are correct?

A. Along the river, rapidly increasing floodwaters caused evacuations.

B. Along the river, rapidly-increasing floodwaters caused evacuations.

A. My neighbor Jim is an internationally recognized author.

B. My neighbor Jim is an internationally-recognized author.

A. The bank robbers tried to hatch their ill conceived plan and failed.
B. The bank robbers tried to hatch their ill-conceived plan and failed.

4. Choose the correct compound adjective for each sentence.

A. He is fond of ______________________ Scotch.

o good
o 12-year-old
 o 10 year old
B. The weather has been ___________________ lately.
o terribly-cold
o terribly cold
o too cold
C. Babysitting these kids is like trying to manage a _____________________.
o three ring circus
o three-ring-circus
o three-ring circus

5. Fill in the blanks with the best compound adjective for the situation:

A. Melanie has everything she needs. She is _____________________.

o two-faced
o very badly behaved
o well-cared for
B. Louis overcomes difficulties easily. He is _______________________.
o short-tempered
o level-headed
o internationally renowned
C. Mr. Chan likes to hear about new ideas. He is ______________________.
o strong-minded
o two faced
o open-minded

6. Fill in the blanks with the best phrase for the situation:

A. Jesse was promoted, so he bought ________________________________.

o himself-a brand new car
o himself a brand-new-car
o himself a brand-new car
B. The _______________________ has been going on for decades.
o gun control debate
o gun-control debate
o gun-control-debate
 C. The sound of ___________________________ always soothes my mind.
o gently-flowing water
o gently flowing water
o gently-flowing-water

7. Creating compound adjectives: From each group, choose the sentence pair that
makes the most sense.

A. I don’t like glue that dries slowly. = This is a quick-drying glue.

B. Did you know that some plants eat meat? = Did you know that there are
meat-eating plants?
C. Professor Brown has a very narrow mind. = Professor Brown’s mind is very
narrow.

A. The price of the car was high. = It was a high-priced car.

B. The meal tasted good. = This was a tasteful-meal.
C. He likes to weigh in on political issues. = He is loud-mouthed and boring.

A. The tapeworm measured 35 inches. = The tape-worm measured 35-inches.

B. The duck has flat feet. = That’s a flat-footed duck.
C. Why not try some carrot juice? = Have some carrot-juice.

8. Compound adjectives containing numbers: From each group, choose the

sentence containing the correct compound adjective.

A. The earthworms were at least three inches long.

B. He ate a 12-inch sandwich for lunch.
C. The sumo champion weighed 210-kilograms.

A. He drives a one-ton truck.

B. Our house has three-bedrooms and two-bathrooms.
C. There are nine-carrots in each bottle of juice.

A. My new chainsaw cost three-hundred dollars.

B. I got a 300-dollar chainsaw for two hundred dollars.
C. The best chainsaws cost more than three-hundred-dollars.
 ANSWER KEY

Answers:B, A, C

Answers:B, A, A

Answers:A, A, B

Answers: A – 12-year-old B – terribly cold C – three-ring circus

Answers: A – well-cared for B – level-headed C – open-minded

Answers: A – himself a brand-new car B – gun-control debate C – gently flowing

water

Answers:B – meat-eating plants A – high-priced car B – flat-footed duck

Answers:B – 12-inch sandwich A – one-ton truck B – 300-dollar chainsaw

 Expressing Contrast

Choose the correct option to complete the sentences.

1. (Although/However/Despite ) it was the middle of May, it snowed all day

yesterday.
2. (Nevertheless/In spite of/Even though) the bad reviews from the critics, the movie
went on to be a huge box office success.
3. It's Friday night. (Although/However/Despite), I think I'm going to do some
studying.
4. (Despite/Though) the fact that we lost the final game, we still won the league!
5. The company was doing badly, but they continued hiring employees,
(although/nevertheless).
6. I had to work early the next morning. (Although/However/Despite), I just couldn't
get to sleep that night.
7. (While/However) my father and brother are right-handed, my mother and I are left-
handed.
8. We get a lot of customers during the day, (whereas/despite) at night hardly anyone
comes in!
9. I've never been to Argentina, (despite/while/however) having relatives there.
10. Jordi is a careful driver. (Although / However / Despite ), he’s had several
accidents.
11. We're studying now (however/even though) there's an interesting film on TV.
12. We didn’t win the game (in spite of/even though) all our hard work.
13. The team haven't been playing too well. (In spite of/Nevertheless), they are
expected to win this afternoon.
14. (While/However) in nearly every country in the world they drive on the right, in
England they insist on driving on the left.
15. (In contrast to/While/However) the north, which will remain warm and sunny, the
south will become cloudy during the early morning.
16. He couldn't get the machine to work (despite/though) following the instructions
carefully.
17. I'm not tired at all. (On the contrary/Despite) I'm feeling full of energy.
18. (However/Although) the computer had recently been repaired, it still kept crashing.
19. The man was arrested (although/in spite of) claiming to have been nowhere near
the scene of the crime.
20. (Despite/However) the police warning, the criminal got into his car and drove off.
 ANSWER KEY

1. (Although/However/Despite ) it was the middle of May, it snowed all day

yesterday.
2. (Nevertheless/In spite of/Even though) the bad reviews from the critics, the movie
went on to be a huge box office success.
3. It's Friday night. (Although/However/Despite), I think I'm going to do some
studying.
4. (Despite/Though) the fact that we lost the final game, we still won the league!
5. The company was doing badly, but they continued hiring employees,
(although/nevertheless).
6. I had to work early the next morning. (Although/However/Despite), I just couldn't
get to sleep that night.
7. (While/However) my father and brother are right-handed, my mother and I are left-
handed.
8. We get a lot of customers during the day, (whereas/despite) at night hardly anyone
comes in!
9. I've never been to Argentina, (despite/while/however) having relatives there.
10. Jordi is a careful driver. (Although / However / Despite ), he’s had several
accidents.
11. We're studying now (however/even though) there's an interesting film on TV.
12. We didn’t win the game (in spite of/even though) all our hard work.
13. The team haven't been playing too well. (In spite of/Nevertheless), they are
expected to win this afternoon.
14. (While/However) in nearly every country in the world they drive on the right, in
England they insist on driving on the left.
15. (In contrast to/While/However) the north, which will remain warm and sunny, the
south will become cloudy during the early morning.
16. He couldn't get the machine to work (despite/though) following the instructions
carefully.
17. I'm not tired at all. (On the contrary/Despite) I'm feeling full of energy.
18. (However/Although) the computer had recently been repaired, it still kept crashing.
19. The man was arrested (although/in spite of) claiming to have been nowhere near
the scene of the crime.
20. (Despite/However) the police warning, the criminal got into his car and drove off.