grammar practice exercises

1. Tenses

1)         1. I …………….. (clean) the windows when the telephone ……………… (ring).

2. Life ……………. (be) better in fifty years from now.

3. …………….. (you/write) to Simon lately?

Yes, I……………….. (do) it last week.

4. John and Mary ………………. (play) chess at the moment.

5. Where ……………… (you/be) last night?

I ……………… (be) at the cinema. I ……………….. (watch) a great film when a fire ……………… (break out).

2)         1. Yesterday I …………….. (go) for a walk in the park. While I was there, I……………. (see) lots of children who ……………. (play).

2. Charlie Foster ……………. (work) at a bakery. He ……………….. (always/get up) early because he ………………. (start) work at 4 o’clock every morning. Charlie ……………… (not/be) at work this morning. At the moment he ………………… (pack) a suitcase because he …………… (go) on holiday today.

3. I ……………… (not/see) my family for two years.

4. Look at these clouds! There ………………. (be) a thunderstorm!

3)         1. He ………………. (watch) TV when the door bell ……………… (ring).

2. I ……………….. (never/be) to Australia, but I would love to go.

3. I ……………… (go) to the gym yesterday.

4. Claire Bryan …………….. (work) as a secretary.

5. He …………………. (read) a book right now.

6. Paul ……………….. (usually/not/eat) out on Sundays.

7. I ………………. (know) them for six years.

8. What ……………….. (happen) at the time of the robbery?

2. Present Simple and Present Continuous

1)         1. My father ……………… (buy) a newspaper every day.

2. John and Mary ……………… (play) chess at the moment.

3. We ………………… (usually/meet) at the sports centre every Wednesday afternoon.

4. Greg ……………….. (train) for the next Olympic Games these days.

5. What time ……………… (normally/they/start) work?

6. You ………………… (not/listen) to me now.

7. Sarah ………………… (not/like) classical music.

8. “What ………………. (eat)?” “A cheese sandwich.”

2)         1. “Where’s Susan?” “She ……………….. (come) now.”

2. John ……………… (cook) dinner every Sunday.

3. There’s a man at the door. He ………………. (sell) vegetables.

4. The fast train ……………… (not/stop) at this station.

5. “Why aren’t you at the office?” “I ……………….. (not/work) today.”

6. ………………. (you/drive) to school?

7. I ……………... (read) a lot of magazines these days.

8. Why ……………….. (all these people/look) at me?

3. Past Simple and Past Continuous

1)         1. When ………………… (my letter/arrive)?

2. At 8 o’clock yesterday morning I ………………… (swim) in the sea.

3. Alan met Helen while he ………………… (travel) in Morocco.

4. He ……………… (not/know) the answer.

5. I ……………… (take) my father to Spain last week.

6. When I walked in, they ………………. (talk).

7. They ………………. (cook) the meal first, then they ……………….. (eat) it.

2)         1. Sue ………………. (live) in France when her uncle died.

2. Yesterday we ……………….. (drive) from Oxford to Edinburgh and back.

3. While I was walking down the road, I ………………… (see) Bill.

4. The doctor ……………….. (not/remember) my name.

5. When I walked in, the children ………………… (fight).

6. When I ………………… (go) out of the house I took my umbrella because it …………………. (rain).

7. ………………… (all your brothers/send) you birthday cards?

4. Present Perfect

1)         1. I ………………. (have) this sweater for years.

2. Who ………………. (take) my coat?

3. Bill ………………… (not/come) in yet.

4. I ……………….. (make) a cake.

5. I ………………. (write) to John, so he knows what’s happening now.

6. The people in the big house ……………….. (go) on holiday.

7. We ………………(not/hear) the news yet.

8. ………………..(you/ever/ride) a horse?

2)         1. She ……………….. (already/ do) a lot of work.

2. I ………………… (break) my arm three times.

3. We ……………… (not/play) football this week.

4. He ………………. (not/buy) any clothes this year.

5. English footballers ……………… (arrive) back in Britain after their match in Rome.

6. Dad! The cat ……………….. (eat) your supper!

7. …………………………. (John/leave)?

5. Present Perfect and Past Simple

1)         1. I ………………… (buy) a new dress for the party last Tuesday.

2. Bill ………………. (/recently/have) an accident. He ………………. (fall) off his bike last night.

3. How long …………………… (you/know) Mary?

4. I ………………… (write) to my brother yesterday.

5. The Prime Minister ……………….. (leave) for Paris last week.

6. David and Elizabeth ……………… (be) together since January.

7. …………………… (you/see) this film before?

2)         1. Bill ……………… (phone) three days ago.

2. A plane ……………… (crash) at Heathrow airport.

3. I ………………. (see) Penny yesterday.

4. I ………………. (know) Jake since 1996.

5. He ……………… (fall) off his bicycle when he was going to work.

6. They …………….. (already/go) home.

7. A man ………………. (walk) into a café and ……………… (sit) down at a table.

6. Present Continuous, Future Simple, be going to

1)         1. I ……………………. (start) a new job next week.

2. I ……………………. (help) you with your homework.

3. Look at the tree. It ……………………… (fall) down.

4. I think he …………………….. (support) me.

5. He ……………………… (come) back to England on Friday night.

6. This summer I ……………………… (swim) and ……………………….   (sunbathe) a lot.

7. Stop or I ……………………. (call) the police.

2)         be going to and Present Continuous

1. I …………………….. (cook) dinner tonight.

2. Sarah ………………….. (start) university on September 17^th.

3. Look out! You ………………… (break) that glass!

4. I …………………… (meet) Pat at the theatre at 8.00.

5. His new secretary ………………….. (start) on Friday.

6. Look! It …………………… (rain).

7. What ……………………... (you/wear) this evening?

8. We …………………. (take) two exams this June.

9. She ……………. (eat) her breakfast.

10. They ……………… (fly) with a ten-o’clock plane.

11. I ………………… (try) again.

12. He is very careless. He ………………. (have) an accident.

13. Phil and Monica …………….. (go) to his wedding on Saturday.

7. Personal & possessive pronouns

1)         1. Oh dear! I’ve left ………….. wallet at home.

2. …………. video recorder is not working. Grandmother is lending us …………. for a few days.

3. The cat was cleaning …………... paws.

4. Where are the children? Can you see …………?

5. “Where are the keys?” “………… are on that chair.”

6. “Mr Carter’s here.” “Ask ………….. to wait downstairs.”

7. “Is that Daniel’s coat?” “No, it isn’t. …………. is the one with the black buttons on the front.”

8. Adjectives and adverbs

1)         1. You are making a terrible/terribly mistake.

2. She walked up the steps slow/slowly.

3. It was raining hard/hardly when I got up.

4. Please drive slower/ more slowly.

5. The party was successful/successfully.

6. They danced happy/happily to the music and had a wonderful/wonderfully time.

7. The audience applauded, as she sang good/well.

2)         1. I’m terrible / terribly sorry.

2. It looks beautiful / beautifully.

3. He doesn’t work hard / hardly.

4. She spoke to me in perfect / perfectly English.

5. I drove very careful / carefully on the snow.

6. He cooks very bad / badly.

7. Ann looks very unhappy / unhappily.

8. Can you speak quieter/ more quietly, please?

9. Prepositions

1)         1. There is a nice picture of our town ……… this magazine.

2. After the party, there was rubbish ……… the floor.

3. Do you eat lunch ……... noon?

4. What do you usually do ………. Christmas Day?

5. I have my guitar lessons ………. 10.00 ……….. Wednesdays.

6. We all went to Wales ……….. the weekend.

7. They live ………. Park Street.

2)         1. What are you doing ………. Saturday?

2. The classes start ………. September 8^th.

3. They live ………45 Park Street.

4. Is there anything interesting ………. the newspaper?

5. The Jacksons live …………. the second floor.

6. Where do you usually go ………… Easter?

7. He wakes up ………. seven o’clock ………… the morning.

8. “When are you going shopping?” “Probably ……… the weekend.”

10. Comparison of adjectives

1)         1. Sam is ……………… (young) player in the orchestra.

2. You sound a bit …………… (happy) today.

3. It’s ……………….. (exciting) book I have ever read.

4. The car is …………… (comfortable) than the bicycle.

5. This is …………….. (good) women’s basketball team in the country.

6. Alice has twice as …………. (much) money as Matt.

7. That is …………….. (bad) experience I’ve ever had.

8. A basketball court is usually …………… (big) than a tennis court.

2)         1. I know that my handwriting is bad, but Jenny’s is ………………. (bad).

2. I think Annie is ………………… (intelligent) person in our class.

3. Let’s meet in the library. It’s …………….. (quiet) than all the other rooms.

4. I don’t enjoy train travel here, but I do in France – the trains are …………….. (good) there.

5. In my job, Friday is ………………… (busy) day of the week.

6. Joan’s sister isn’t as ……………….. (pretty) as her.

7. This book is a lot …………………. (interesting) than that one.

11. Comparison of adverbs

1)         1. My car runs ……………… (quietly) than my sister’s car.

2. My mother drives ……………. (well) than my father does.

3. Liam works ………………. (carefully) of all.

4. Sarah gets up …………… (early) than her brothers do.

5. He sings badly, but I sing ………………. (badly).

6. I want to earn more money, so I have to work ……………….. (hard).

7. Lee behaves ………………. (politely) than Ben.

2)         1. Jo drives ……………………… (dangerously) than Sam.

2. I got to the station ………………… (early) than Mary.

3. Al swims ……………….. (fast) than you do.

4. Catherine dances ……………….. (beautifully) of all.

5. My best friend plays chess ………………… (good) than I do.

6. Jill Thomas works ……………….. (hard) of all.

7. The leading actress speaks ……………….. (clearly) of all.

8. My uncle gives ……………………. (generously) to the poor than my father does.