- •I. Word order: adverbs with the verb.
- •1. These sentences are all taken from real recorded conversations.
- •2. Say how often you do some of the following things.
- •3. Rewrite each underlined sentence using the adverb in brackets.
- •4. Rewrite these sentences putting the words and phrases in brackets in the best order. Note that none of these sentences are emphatic:
- •II. Present and past habits. Repeated actions and states.
- •6. Use one of the sets of notes below to complete each dialogue. Expand the dialogues using your own ideas, act them out in class.
- •7. Here are some laws of nature. Join the beginnings and the ends. Think of other occurrences of Murphy’s Law.
- •9. Transform the statements below into negative sentences and questions making other necessary changes.
- •10. Complete the text with words from the box, using used to ...
- •11. Make sentences with used to and didn't use to about how people lived hundreds of years ago. Use your own ideas.
- •12. Write some sentences about things that you used to or didn't use to do/think/ believe when you were younger. Work with other students, find out what they used to do/think/ believe.
- •13. Rewrite these sentences, using be/ get used to (doing) smth:
- •15. In the following text, delete any examples of would that are not acceptable:
- •3. Insert the correct prepositions into the following sentences (you can find a more comprehensive list of dependent preposition patterns at the end of this book):
- •In pairs ask and answer questions about each other’s likes and dislikes using the active expressions with dependent prepositions.
- •1. Grammar. Choose the correct answer.
- •2. Vocab. Suggest active vocabulary units corresponding to the following definitions:
GRAMMAR
I. Word order: adverbs with the verb.
Mid position is the usual position for adverbs of indefinite frequency, adverbs of degree, adverbs of certainty, one-word adverbs of time, even and only:
Adverbs of indefinite frequency |
Always, frequently, generally, hardly ever, never, normally, occasionally, often, rarely, seldom, sometimes, usually |
Adverbs of degree |
Absolutely, almost, completely, entirely, just, hardly, partly, quite, rather, really, slightly, totally |
Adverbs of certainty |
Certainly, definitely, probably |
One-word adverbs of time |
Already, finally, immediately, just, now, no longer, soon, still, then |
With a simple verb we put the adverb between the subject and the verb, but with simple forms of be the adverb goes after the verb:
e.g. She always arrives by taxi and she is always on time.
If there is a modal verb or an auxiliary verb we put the adverb after the (first) auxiliary verb.
e.g. You can just see the coast. Sea eagles have occasionally been seen around Loch Lomond.
These adverbs go after do or not:
e.g. They don’t really understand my point of view.
NB But we put sometimes, still, certainly, definitely and probably before a negative auxiliary:
e.g. I sometimes don’t understand his arguments. He still hasn’t convinced me.
In spoken English, if we want to emphasise an auxiliary verb or a simple form of be, we can put a mid position adverb before it. The auxiliary verb (underlined) is usually stressed. Compare:
e.g. I don’t really like him. (unmarked position = I slightly dislike him.) I really don’t like him. (emphatic position = I hate him.)
NB We do not use other time adverbs (definite time or frequency) in mid position. They go in front or final position:
e.g. These days I take my health much more seriously. We buy our lunch at that sandwich bar on the corner every day.
If there are several adverbs in final position, we usually follow a sequence of adverbs of manner, then place, and finally time:
e.g. The statue was lifted (carefully) (onto the plinth) (before the ceremony).
1. These sentences are all taken from real recorded conversations.
Can you put the adverbs in the right places?
1. You are here when something happens, (usually)
2. Her mum cooks a meal in the evening, (always)
3. We book that April holiday in January, (usually)
4. They think that we have got bread, (probably)
5. You should look where you're going, (always)
6. She is going to stay overnight, (probably)
7. Chocolate cakes are the best, (definitely)
8. I will be able to get it cheaper, (probably)
9. I have had an illness in my life, (never)
10. We saw sweets in those days, (never)
11. I remember buying some, (definitely)
12. Do you read upside down? (usually)
13. I can manage to get there, (usually)
14. She has done that before, (never)
15. Something is burning, (definitely)
16. She has been nervous, (always)
17. I feel cold in your house, (never)
18. They were against me. (always)
19. We are going to win. (definitely)
20. February is the worst, (usually)
21. It is very difficult, (sometimes)
22. I buy them in boxes, (always)
23. I have tried to find it. (often)
24. She saw this ghost, (often)
25. You are right, (probably)