Lesson 4 / handout 4a


Revision – miscellaneous issues based on Lesson 3:


a)      Either your eyesight or your brakes …… at fault.

Either your brakes or your eyesight …… at fault.

Apply the principle of proximity and fill in the gaps with the appropriate form of the verb be.


b)      His brother and the editor of his papers was / were with him when he died.

Are both verb forms (singular and plural) correct? Is there any difference in meaning?


c)      emphasizing negation

Rewrite the following sentences with the negative or near-negative word or phrase at the front:

There has never been so much protest against the Bomb.

There has seldom been so much protest against the Bomb.

He little realizes how important this meeting is.

You must on no account accept any money if he offers it.

I only then realized how much I loved him.


d)         scope of negation

What is the scope of negation?


Explain the difference between:

I definitely don’t know what’s happening.

I don’t know definitely what’s happening


I don’t particularly like oysters

I particularly don’t like oysters.


e)         Explain the difference between:

This window won’t open.         X        This window doesn’t open.


f)          Transform the following sentences with although using the modal may without changing
their meaning:

Although she is a nice girl, she can be very stubborn.

Although he is very rich, I don’t like him at all.

Although she is very selfish, he still loves her.

Although he pretends to be healthy he is actually seriously ill.


g)         Why is this sentence incorrect:

I would like going to pop concerts when I was a teenager.


h)         What do the sentences below express:

He will play his music too loud when I’m trying to work.

He will leave the front door open when he goes out.


As soon as he woke up he would get things ready for breakfast.

When I was younger I would spend hours just kicking a ball around the garden.


The factory used to be in the city centre.

I used to be a heavy cigarette smoker.


John denies breaking my pen. Well, he would!


She won’t tell me. I knew she wouldn’t tell me.


He won’t be there tomorrow. I knew he wouldn’t be there.




References:

Greenbaum, S. and R. Quirk (1990) A Student’s Grammar of the English Language. Harlow: Longman. –
chapter 10 (pp 204 – 230)

Gethin, H. (1992) Grammar in Context. Proficiency Level English. Harlow: Longman. – chapter 11B (pp
122 – 126)