Practice and Improve Your Grammar part 1

the result of a failed (3) ….. scheme organized by a (4) ….. investment company to develop a new business and technology centre in this part of North Africa. The (5) ….. sales personnel still occasionally conduct tours for prospective buyers, but their (6) ….. white limousines are the only vehicles to use these streets since the construction crews left six months ago.

Exercise 26. Correct the twelve mistakes in these sentences.

1Nobody wants a clean office job because it's such bored low pay work.

2We need more well train medical teams that can operate in threaten life situations.

3A UFO is an unidentify fly object that people believe is a spacecraft from another planet.

4Sometimes the impossible happen and the poor is able to win against the rich and powerfuls.

5The only two groups to support the proposal were the Algerian and the Lebaneses.

Position of adverbs; adverbs of place, time, frequency, expectation, focus

Position of adverbs

We usually put adverbs immediately before the adjectives and adverbs they modify.

1It's nearly complete. • Is it politically correct? • She did it fairly easily.

•He spoke very quietly.

When we use adverbs to modify verbs and sentences, we can put them in front or end position of the clause or sentence (2). We can also put adverbs in mid position after he or an auxiliary verb (3) and before the main verb (4).

131

2Usually I have a piece of toast and orange juice in the morning. I might have a snack later.

3Some people are always hungry when they wake up. • I've never wanted to eat breakfast in bed.

4I really prefer to wait a while before eating. • I sometimes drink coffee.

Note that we don't put adverbs between a verb and its object. (NOT I

drink sometimes coffee.)

Adverbs of place and time: nearby, tomorrow, etc.

We use adverbs of place such as nearby and upstairs to add information on location or direction (5), usually in end position, and before adverbs of time such as recently and tomorrow (6).

5He waited nearby while she took the money and went upstairs. • I slipped and fell backwards.

6You must leave here immediately. • I'll be there tomorrow. • I haven't been abroad recently.

Adverbs of frequency: annually, usually, etc.

We usually put adverbs of definite frequency such as annually, daily and twice in end position (7) and adverbs of indefinite frequency such as ever, often and usually in mid position (8).

7The contract is renewed annually. • Rooms are cleaned daily. • I've seen that film twice.

8We often have to work late. • It usually rains in the evening. • Doesn't he ever study?

132

Expectation adverbs: already, still, etc.

We use expectation adverbs to express a connection between events and expectations. We use already to indicate that an event is earlier than expected, usually in mid or end position.

9His plane has already arrived. • Mrs Black had left already. (NOT Already Mrs Black had left.)

We use still to say that something is going on longer than expected, usually in mid position.

10We are still waiting. • I still bite my nails when I'm nervous. • Ford still avoids crowds.

We use no longer and not... any longer/more when an event was expected to continue, but did not. We usually put them in mid or end position (11). When we put no longer in front position (12), we must use inversion (the auxiliary verb before the subject).

11It no longer works. • We could not stay there any longer. • She doesn't live here any more.

12No longer do the fishing boats come in large groups to Loch Fyne for the herring season.

We use yet (meaning 'up to now') to show that an event is or was expected. We usually put yet at the end of questions, negatives and expressions of uncertainty.

13Have you read it yet? • Classes haven t started yet. • I'm not sure if he's finished yet.

Focus adverbs: even, just, only

We use the focus adverbs even, just and only to draw attention to one part of the sentence.

14 She was only joking. • He can't even swim. • Her research isn't just about English.

133

We can change the focus and the meaning when we change the position of these adverbs.

15 Mark only works here on Fridays. (= only Fridays, not other days) Only Mark works here on Fridays. (= only Mark, not other people)

Exercise 27. Rewrite these sentences with the adverbs in more appropriate positions.

1We thought we had started early our hike, but already other people had left the campsite.

2The workers get paid usually weekly, but they haven't been yet paid for last week.

3Still the students hadn't completed all their work when they had to leave yesterday here.

4Alice lived recently here, but she doesn't here any more live.

5We used to hear hardly ever them, but they've become lately noisy really.

Exercise 28. Add these adverbs to this text.

always	ever no longer	only outside
recently	sometimes today	twice yet

Actress and model Viviane Tavenard is (l) ….. the centre of attention wherever she goes and her appearance in a London boutique this morning was no exception. But her big smile isn't (2) ….. for the crowd of photographers waiting (3) ….. (4) …... She's enjoying her life these days and is (5) ….. concerned about old romances or bad reviews.

Tavenard has won the Best Actress award (6) ….., but that hasn't stopped her from working on new and (7) ….. unusual films.

'This is an excellent time,' she said (8) in an interview with Celebrity Life magazine. 'I think that my life is the best it's (9) ….. been.'

134

The good news for all you Viviane Tavenard fans is that you may not have seen her best work (10) ….. .

Exercise 29. Using a dictionary if necessary, rewrite each of the sentences with one of these adverbs instead of just, plus any other necessary changes.

almost exactly now only (×2) simply very recently

Example: They just weren't paying attention.

They simply weren't paying attention.

1The couple had just got married. …..

2The baby looks just like her mother. …..

3He isn't just an athlete, he's a scholar too! …..

4Wait for us, we're just coming. …..

5Lunch is just about ready. …..

6Wear this silly hat. It's just for fun. …..

Exercise 30. Add one pair of adverbs to each sentence.

already / even	anymore / still	late / somewhere
never / yet	normally / only

1I think their plane was delayed ….. so they arrived quite ….. .

2Just because we haven't found a solution ….. doesn't mean that there will ….. be a solution.

3When I asked Jim if Annie was ….. working in the bookstore, he said she didn't work there ….. .

4One new golfing star is ….. a millionaire and hasn't ….. finished high

school.

5I ….. take a sandwich with me for lunch and ….. rarely go out tо eat

with the other staff.

135

Exercise 31. Rewrite this dialogue with the following adverbs

included in appropriate positions.
always home recently there today	very
A: Why are you travelling tо London?	…..
В: It's where I live. I'm going.	…..
A: Have you lived in London?	…..
B: No, but I've lived for about twenty years. …..
A: Oh, I've just moved to London.	…..
Only two weeks ago, in fact.

Exercise 32. Rewrite these sentences with the adverbs in more appropriate positions.

1She visits daily us and brings always her little dog. …..

2I think already she's packed her bags and she'll come soon downstairs. …..

3She isn't able now to travel, but she likes still to talk about going later abroad. …..

4I used to know some of the people working in the office, but I recognize anyone seldom now there. …..

5I've seen already twice that him, but Angela yet hasn't seen it. …..

6His complaint wasn't about the textbook just, but about getting to practise never speaking. …..

7I liked reading the newspaper at breakfast, but its delivered no longer early here in the morning. …..

8It was better getting weekly, not monthly, paid and I could save usually a little each week, but t can't save anymore now anything. …..

136

Adverbs: degree, manner, viewpoint, comment

Degree adverbs: really, very, etc.

We use degree adverbs to say to what extent something is done or felt. We use some degree adverbs such as really or completely in mid position or end position in sentences.

1He totally forgot. • She really hates fish. • We failed completely. • Prices increased moderately.

We usually use some degree adverbs such as pretty, quite or rather before adjectives and adverbs (2). We can also use the phrases a bit and a little as degree adverbs before adjectives and adverbs (3), but we don't use them with adjectives before nouns.

2They're pretty good. • It's quite tasty • Isn't it rather cold in here? • We listened very carefully.

3She's feeling a little tired. • The music is a bit loud. (NOT It's a bit loud

music.)

We don't use very before verbs: I'm not enjoying it very much. (NOT I'm not very enjoying it.)

We can use more/less and most/least as degree adverbs in comparatives and superlatives.

4Going by train can be more convenient than flying in Europe and it's usually less expensive.

We also use too before adjectives and adverbs and enough after them.

5It's too difficult. • He spoke too quietly. • Is this box big enough? • You didn't leave early enough.

Manner adverbs: carefully, quickly, etc.

We use manner adverbs to say how something is done. We usually put them in end position.

137

6I'll read it carefully. • He writes clearly. • They searched the room quickly and thoroughly.

Note that we put manner before time: She works hard now. (NOT She works now hard.)

Manner adverbs are sometimes used, especially in novels, to describe how something was said.

7'I have a torch, just follow me,' she said nervously.

'I would follow you to the end of the world,' he whispered hoarsely in reply. Others include: angrily, anxiously, cheerfully, gloomily, impatiently, passionately, seriously

Viewpoint adverbs: commercially, socially, etc.

We use viewpoint adverbs to describe the perspective or point of view being considered. We usually put them in end position (8), or in front position with a comma (9).

8It did well commercially. • They're working individually. • It was not done scientifically.

9Financially, the project makes sense. Psychologically and socially, it's a terrible idea.

Comment adverbs: probably, surprisingly, etc.

We use comment adverbs to include a comment or opinion about what is being said or written. We can use some of them such as probably in mid position, but we usually put comment adverbs such as surprisingly or of course in front or end position with commas.

10 It was probably a misunderstanding. • Surprisingly, he failed. • I'll refund the cost, of course.

138

We can use comment adverbs such as definitely and obviously to say how sure we are (11) and others such as fortunately and seriously to say how we feel (12).

11 I'll definitely call you tonight. • Obviously, someone forgot to lock the

door.

12 Fortunately, no one was injured in the crash. • We're seriously thinking about moving to the country.

Others include: actually, apparently, certainly, frankly, honestly, no doubt, presumably, sadly

Exercise 33. Rewrite each sentence with one pair of adverbs added in appropriate positions.

carefully / tomorrow completely /'yesterday enough / really too / very much

1I forgot my brother's birthday.

2The piano is large and our doorway isn't wide.

3We enjoyed the trip, but it was expensive.

4I'll read the report.

Exercise 33. Choose an ending (a–f) for each beginning (1–6) and add these adverbs.

angrily	casually	enough		extremely
of course	traditionally		carelessly completely
even	individually	only		very

1 ….. , marriages were arranged, (...) 2 There was ….. one ticket left (...) 3 He did the test so ….., (...)

4 ….. , each player is good, (...)

aand everyone wanted it, ….. .

bhe wasn't ….. relaxed.

сbut that's ….. changed now.

dhe started complaining ….. .

139

5Although he was dressed ….., (...)

6Because he was annoyed, (...)

ebut they don't play well ….. as a team.

fhe didn't ….. finish part of it.

Exercise 34. Add these adverbs to this text. actually certainly nervously probably still uncontrollably apparently completely of course seriously very unfortunately

'You've seen the ghost?' I asked.

'More than once,' the old man replied. '(1) ….., I have a photograph. Want to see it?'

This is absurd, I thought, but asked, 'You took a photo of the ghost?'

'No, not me. It's a photo of Lady Barnett from an old newspaper report of her death. She's wearing a long white gown, almost (2) ….. the same one she wears when she appears at night.'

He said all this (3) ….. (4) ….. as if it was solid evidence for the truth of his ghostly tale. 'She was rich and, (5) ….. for her, she was murdered for her money. It all happened about ten years ago. The police thought it was her husband who did it. He disappeared soon after. They found him later, locked in a small basement room. His hair had turned (6) ….. white and his eyes were wide open. He was dead, (7) ….. He was clutching the key to Lady Barnett's safe deposit box in the bank. I think her ghost had (8) ….. found him and had scared him to death.'

'Oh, my god! And she-she-she's still here?' I found myself stuttering (9) ….. . 'Oh, yes. I think she (10) ….. walks through the house in search of his mistress. She only appears when there's a new woman in the house, (11) ….. her husband was in love with another woman and he just wanted Lady Barnett's

money so he could run away with her.'

140