GERUND
Exercise 1. In this exercise you have to complete the sentences with verbs:
try |
steal |
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meet |
look |
write |
make |
be knocked |
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wash |
play |
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eat |
splash |
go |
drive |
take |
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Example: Do you fancy playing tennis this afternoon? |
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1. |
Could you please stop |
… |
so much noise? |
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2. |
I don’t enjoy … |
letters. |
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3. |
Does your job involve |
… |
a lot of people? |
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4. |
I considered … |
the job but in the end I decided against it. |
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5. |
If you use the shower, try and avoid … |
water on the floor. |
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6. |
Jack gave up … |
to find a job in Britain and decided to emigrate. |
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7. |
Have you finished |
… |
your hair yet? |
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8. The phone rang while Ann was having her dinner. She didn’t answer it, she
just carried on |
… . |
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9. He admitted |
… the car but denied … it dangerously. |
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10. |
Why do you keep on |
… at me like that? |
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11. |
They had to postpone |
… away because their son was ill. |
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12. |
If you walk into the road without looking, you risk … down by a car. |
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Exercise 2. This time you have to read a sentence and write a second sentence with the same meaning. Begin your sentence in the way shown. Examples: Do you have to travel in your job? Does your job involve travelling?
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He is now sorry that he didn’t study harder when he was at college. |
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He now regrets not studying harder when he was at college. |
1. |
I don’t want to go out this evening. I don’t fancy … . |
2. |
Are you sorry you didn’t take the job? Do you regret … ? |
3. Why don’t you go away tomorrow instead of today? Why don’t you put off
… |
until … ? |
4. |
It’s not a good idea to travel during the rush-hour. It’s better to avoid … . |
5. |
Could you turn the radio down, please? Would you mind … ? |
6. The driver of the car said it was true that he didn’t have a license. The driver of the car admitted … .
7. Tom said ‘Let’s have fish for dinner’. Tom suggested … .
Exercise 3. Complete the sentences by using gerunds. Add a preposition
after the gerund if necessary. |
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1. |
It was cold and rainy yesterday, so we postponed |
… |
the botanical gardens. |
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2. |
The Porters’ house is too small. They’re considering |
… a bigger house. |
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3. |
We discussed … Colorado for our vacation. |
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4. |
When Martha finished … |
the floor, she dusted the furniture. |
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5. |
Sometimes students put off |
… their homework. |
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6. |
We had a blizzard yesterday, but it finally stopped |
… around ten p.m. |
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7. |
I quit … comic books when I was twelve years old. |
8. |
I’m thinking about … a biology course next semester. |
9. |
Beth doesn’t like her job. She’s talking about … a different job. |
10.I enjoy … sports.
11.I’m considering ... New York City.
12.A: Are you listening to me?
B: Yes. Keep … . I’m listening.
13.A: Do you want to take a break?
B: No. I’m not tired yet. Let’s keep on … for another hour or so.
14.A: Would you mind … the window? B: Not at all I’d be glad to.
Exercise 4. Complete the sentences so that they mean the same as the sentence in brackets.
1. |
(Why is it useful to have a car?) What are the advantages of having a car? |
2. |
(I don’t intend to lend you any money.) I have no intention of … |
3. |
(Helen has a good memory for names.) Helen is good at … |
4. |
(Mark won’t pass the exam. He has no chance.) Mark has no chance of … |
5. |
(Did you get into trouble because you were late?) Did you get into trouble for |
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… |
6. |
(We didn’t eat at home. We went to a restaurant instead.) Instead of … |
7.(Tom thinks that working is better than doing nothing.) Tom prefers working to …
8.(They got married. They didn’t tell any of their friends.) They got married without …
9.(Our team played well but we lost the game.) Our team lost the game in spite of …
Exercise 5. Complete the sentence using by – ing. Use one of the following
(with verb in the correct form): |
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borrow too much money |
break a window |
drive too fast |
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put some posters up on the walls |
stand on a chair |
turn a key |
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1. |
The burglars got into the house by ... |
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2. |
I was able to reach the top shelf … |
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3. |
You start the engine of a car |
… |
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4. |
Kevin got himself into financial difficulty … |
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5. |
You can put people’s lives in danger … |
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6. |
We made the room look nicer |
… |
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Exercise 6. Complete the sentences with a suitable word. Use only one word each time.
1. |
I ran five kilometres without ... . |
2. |
He left the hotel without …. his bill. |
3. |
It’s a nice morning. How about … |
for a walk? |
4. |
I was surprised that she left without |
… goodbye to anyone. |
5. |
Before … to bed, I like to have a hot drink. |
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6. |
We were able to translate the letter into English without … a dictionary. |
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7. |
It was a very long journey. I was very tired after … on a train for 36 hours. |
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8. |
I was annoyed because the decision was made without anybody … me. |
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9. |
After … the same job for ten years, I felt I needed a change. |
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Exercise 7. For each situation write a sentence with I’m (not) looking forward to.
1.You are going on holiday next week. How do you feel about this? I am ...
2.Diane is a good friend of yours and she is coming to visit you soon. So you
will see her again soon. How do you feel about this? I’m …
3. You are going to the dentist tomorrow. You don’t like visits to the dentist.
How do you feel about this? I’m not …
4.Carol is a student at school. She hates it but she is leaving school next summer. How does she feel about this?
5.You’ve arranged to play tennis tomorrow. You like tennis. How do you feel about this?
Exercise 8. |
Make sentences with worth |
-ing or not worth –ing. Choose one |
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of these verbs: |
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consider |
keep |
read |
repair |
see |
visit |
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1. |
The film isn’t very good. It’s not worth seeing. |
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2. |
It would cost too much to repair this watch. It’s not worth |
… |
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3. |
If you have time, you should go to the museum. It’s worth |
… |
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4.It’s quite an interesting suggestion. …
5.There’s an interesting article in the paper today. …
6. We can throw these old clothes away. They …
Exercise 9. Write sentences using have difficulty.
1. |
I managed to get a visa but it was difficult. I had difficulty getting a visa. |
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2. |
I can’t remember people’s names. I have difficulty … |
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3. |
Lucy managed to get a job without difficulty. She had no |
… |
4. |
Do you find it difficult to understand him? Do you have |
… |
5. |
It won’t be difficult to get a ticket for the concert. You won’t have any … |
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Exercise 9. Complete the sentences. It’s a waste of money buying things you
don’t need. |
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1. |
Every morning I spend about an hour |
… the newspaper. |
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2. |
‘What’s Carol doing’ ‘She’s busy |
… |
letters.’ |
3. |
I think you waste too much time |
… |
television. |
4. |
There’s a beautiful view from that hill. It is worth … to the top. |
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Exercise 10. In this exercise you have to write the correct preposition and to put the verb into correct form. Use the verb in brackets at the end of each sentence.
Example: Jack insisted on going out by himself. (go)
1. |
After a long time we eventually succeeded … a flat. (find) |
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2. |
I’ve been thinking … for a new job. (look) |
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3. |
His parents didn’t approve … |
him … |
out so late. (stay) |
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4. |
I wonder what prevented him … to the party. (come) |
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5. |
I’m getting hungry. I’m looking forward |
… dinner. (have) |
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6. |
I don’t feel |
… today. (study) |
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7. |
Forgive me |
… you but I must ask you a question. (interrupt) |
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8. |
The arrested man was suspected |
… into a house. (break) |
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9. |
Have you ever thought … married? (get) |
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10.I’ve always dreamed |
… on a small island in the Pacific. (live) |
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11.The cold water didn’t stop her |
… |
a swim. (have) |
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12.Have you ever been accused |
… |
a crime? (commit) |
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13.She apologized |
… |
so rude to me. (be) |
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14.We have decided |
… |
a new car. (buy) |
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Exercise 11. Now you have to change direct speech into reported speech. Begin each of your sentences in the way shown.
Example: ‘It was nice of you to help me. Thanks very much. (George said to
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you). |
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George thanked me for helping him. |
1. |
‘I’ll drive you to the station. I insist.’ (Tom said to Ann) |
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Tom insisted … . |
2. |
‘I hear you passed your examinations. Congratulations!’ (Jim said to you) |
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Jim congratulated … . |
3. |
‘It was nice of you to visit me. Thank you.’ (Mrs. Dent said Sue) |
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Mrs. Dent thanked … . |
4. |
‘Don’t stay at the hotel near the airport.’ (I said to Jack) |
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I warned … . |
5.‘I’m sorry I didn’t phone you earlier.’ (Margaret said to you) Margaret apologized … not … .
5.‘You didn’t pay attention to what I said.’ (The teacher said to the boy) The teacher accused … .
Exercise 12. In this exercise you have to make sentences with afraid. Read each situation and then use the word in brackets to write your sentence. Example: The streets are unsafe at night.
(I / afraid / go out / alone) I’m afraid to go out alone.
We walked very carefully along the icy path.
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(we / afraid / fall) We were afraid of falling. |
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1. |
I don’t usually carry my passport with me. |
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(I / afraid / lose / it) … . |
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2. |
The sea was very rough. |
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(we / afraid / go / swimming) |
… . |
3. |
We rushed to the station. |
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(we / afraid / miss / our train) |
… . |
4. |
I didn’t tell Tom that I thought he had behaved foolishly. |
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(I / afraid / hurt / his feeling) |
… . |
5. |
In the middle of the film there was a particularly horrifying scene. |
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(we / afraid / watch / it) … . |
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6. |
The glasses were very full, so Ann carried them very carefully. |
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(she / afraid / spill / the drinks) … . |
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7. |
I didn’t like the look of the food on my plate. |
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a) (I / afraid / eat / it) … . |
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b) (I / afraid / make / myself ill) … . |
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Exercise 13. Now you have to make sentences with need -ing. Use the verb in brackets.
Example: This coat is rather dirty. (clean) It needs cleaning.
1. |
This room hasn’t been painted for years. (paint) It … . |
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2. |
Your hair is too long. (cut) It … . |
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3. |
Those shoes are rather dirty. (polish) They … |
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4. |
This plant hasn’t been watered for some time. (water) … . |
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5. |
Those screws are loose. (tighten) |
… . |
6. |
Your jeans are too long. (take up) |
… . |
Exercise 14. Put the verb into the correct form, -ing or to + infinitive.
Examples: If you want to pass your exams, you need to study (study) more.
I’m sorry I broke the glass. I couldn’t help dropping (drop) it. 1. Does this job need … (do) now or can I leave it until later?
2. I’ve got an extra bed, so when you come to stay, you won’t need … (bring) your sleeping bag.
3. |
Tom helped his mother … (get) the dinner ready. |
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4. |
When he told me that everybody had made fun of him, I couldn’t help … |
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(feel) sorry for him. |
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5. |
Those shirts need … (iron) but you don’t need |
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(do) it now. |
6. |
He looks so funny. When I see him, I can’t help |
… |
(smile). |
7. |
The fine weather helped … (make) it a very enjoyable holiday. |
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