1. Put each verb in brackets into a suitable past verb form.

a) I realised that someone... ...................... (steal) my wallet when I.. ……….(feel) their hand in my jacket
pocket.

b) When I.............. (phone) Helen last night she ……………….. (wash) her hair.

c) Peter..... (offer) me another drink but I decided I ………….. (had) enough.

d) Nobody................. (watch), so the little boy.............. (take) the packet of sweets from the shelf and
……... (put) it in his pocket.

e) I......................... (not/realise) that I..................... (leave) my umbrella on the bus until it ...................
(start) to rain.

f) At school I .................. (dislike) the maths teacher because he ....................... (always/pick) on me.

g) Wherever Marion....................... (find) a job, there was someone who……………...... (know) that
she………...... (go) to prison.

h) Several years later I ....................... (find out) that during all the time I………….. (write) to my pen
friend, my mother …………....(open) and reading the replies!

i) I........... (not/understand) what ............... (go on). Several people .................. (shout) at me, and one
passer-by ................... (wave) a newspaper in front of my face.

j) I ............................. (know) I ..................... (do) well in my exams even before I.......……... (receive) the
official results.

2. Underline the correct word or phrase in each sentence.

a) It's a long time since/when I last saw you.

b) I've seen Bill quite often lately/from time to time.
c) Have you spoken to the director beforehand/already?
d) I've lived in the same house for years/for ever.
e) I've read the paper now/still.
f) Diana has bought a computer two years ago/since then.
g) Nothing much has happened by now/so far.
h) I've finished reading her new book at last/this evening.
i) Sue bought a CD player last week and she's listened to music ever since/for a while.
j) Sorry, but I haven't got that work finished already/yet.
3. Match the expressions (a-j) with the explanations of when they might be said (1-10).

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 a) Have you heard the one about ... ? . 1 Saying you don't follow what someone is
b) I haven't seen you for ages! saying.
c) I've had enough of this! 2 Having doubts about a big decision
d) Sorry, you've lost me! 3 Having a brilliant idea.
e) I've had a brainwave! 4 Introducing a joke.
f) It's been one of those days! 5 Declining more food.
g) I've had enough, thanks. 6 Spreading gossip
h) I haven't had a chance yet. 7 Seeing an old face from the past.
i) I've been having second thoughts. 8 Having a frustrating time, when everything is
j) Oh, haven't you heard going wrong.
9 Wanting to stop doing something because it's
annoying you.
10 Apologising for not doing something you said
you'd do.

4. Underline the correct phrase in each sentence.

a) The price of petrol has risen/has been rising by 15% over the past year.
b) No wonder you are overweight! You have eaten/You have been eating chocolates all day long!
c) I've read/I've been reading a really good book this morning.
d) Doesn't this room look better? I've put/I've been putting some posters up on the walls.
e) Don't disappoint me! I've counted/I've been counting on you.
f) Don't forget your pills today. Have you taken them/Have you been taking them?
g) Who has worn/has been wearing my scarf?
h) I think there's something wrong with your motorbike. It's made/It's been making some very
funny noises.
i) Jack has asked/has been asking for a pay-rise three times this year.
j) I've been phoning/I've phoned Ann all evening, but there's no reply.

5. Complete the text with one suitable word in each space.

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The relationship between the British royal family and the popular press is curious, to (1) ………
the least. In many respects, the press has yet to realise that the royals are indeed the goose that
lays the golden egg. Royal scandals and royal divorces illustrated with tasteless photographs and
supported by the worst kind of journalistic excess have proved to be just the thing
(2) ................... raising newspaper circulations.
The same papers that oozed sentimentality over royal weddings, (3) ............... drooled over
idealised princesses, later went out of their way to hound various royals into separation or
divorce. Every photograph became a contribution to (4) ......... new rumour or other; even private
telephone conversations were printed on the front page. (5) .................. the press has yet to
realise is that (6) ........... intrusions into the privacy of members of the royal family have also
helped to create an atmosphere in (7) ……..... the very existence of the monarchy has been called
into question. The prestige of the royal family has undoubtedly suffered. And how could this not
(8) ............ so when their lives have been turned (9) .........some absurd soap opera? Just
(10) ........... the press feeds the illusion that the characters on television, those awful creeps in
'Eastenders' and 'Neighbours', are somehow 'real people', so it has reduced the royal family to the
status of (11) .......... series of cardboard characters. And if you are secretly thinking, “Well, that's
what they are, anyway,” perhaps you are yet (12) ..... victim of the illusion.
There are real issues still (13) ….... be debated about the role, and indeed the survival, of the
royal family, issues to which the popular press has hardly contributed. If the monarchy (14) ......
lose its constitutional role, the press will be largely to blame. And ironically it will then
(15) ............. lost one of its main circulation boosters, and killed off its golden goose for good.

6. Find one word only that fits in all three sentences.

a) It only takes one small accident to_______________ up the traffic for several hours.
The new Atlantic airbus will ___________ about 700 passengers.
Like it or not, it is the train and not the car which will ____________ the key to the future of
domestic travel.
b) Why don't you just get the goods delivered to your house, and________________ yourself a
two-hour car journey into the city-centre?
By driving at 70 km/h instead of 100, you can _______ a lot of petrol.
I'm trying to ____________ up for a trip to Canada, so I can't afford to buy much at the moment.

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c) The Department of Transport have ___________ a deadline of 1 June for completion of the
new motorway.
Because of the strike by air traffic controllers, delays are ___________ continue well into next
week.
The trains in Switzerland are so punctual you can ___________ your watch by them.
d) The train was delayed because of ice on the ______________ .
After the accident there was a solid ____________ of cars stretching back for several miles.
In a new initiative announced today, police are to take a harder __________ on speeding
motorists.
e) After a while, the ___________ we had been following became thick undergrowth.
Right now, I want you to run twice around the ___________ for a warm-up.
Sorry, I've rather lost ___________ of my argument.

7. Match each sentence (a-j) with an explanation (1-10).

a) I nodded. 1. I moved my eyebrows together to show

disapproval.
b) I chuckled.
2. I laughed uncontrollably, in a silly way.
c) I grinned.
3. I looked with wide-open eyes at the same
d) I shook my head. place for several moments.
4. I laughed quietly under my breath.
e) I scowled.
5. I opened my mouth uncontrollably to show
f) I giggled.
boredom or tiredness.
g) I yawned 6. I gave a large smile.
7. I moved my head from side to side meaning
h) I frowned.
'no'.
i) I choked.
8. I made a threatening expression with my lips
j) I stared. 9. I moved my head up and down meaning
'yes'.
10. I had trouble breathing because my throat
was blocked.

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s

8. Replace the words underlined in each sentence with one of the words from the box.

crawling dashing hobbling limping marching

rambling staggering tiptoeing strolling wandering

a) I really enjoy walking for pleasure in the countryside. ______________

b) After about six months babies start moving about on their hands and knees. _____________
c) My sister was walking on the front part of her foot so as to make no noise along the corridor.
______________
d) The injured player began walking with one leg more easily than the other off the pitch.
_____________
e) The drunken man was moving unsteadily from one side of the street to the other.
_______________
f) Nowadays soldiers have motorised transport and do little moving on foot. ______________
g) There is nothing more pleasant than walking in a leisurely manner along the sea front.
____________
h) I've been moving very rapidly backwards and forwards all day, and I'm exhausted.
_____________
i) When I visit a new town I like walking with no particular purpose around looking at the sights.
__________________
j) I wasn't used to so much walking, and ended up moving with difficulty home, with blisters on
both feet. ____________________