I Put in can / cant / could / couldnt.

If none is possible, use be able to in the

correct tense:
1. _________________ you swim when you were 10?
2. We _________________ get to the meeting on time yesterday because the
train was delayed by one hour.
3. He _________________ arrive at the party on time, even after missing the
train, so he was very pleased.
4. Hes amazing, he _________________ speak 5 languages including Chinese.
5. I _________________ drive a car until I was 34, then I moved to the
countryside so I had to learn.
6. I looked everywhere for my glasses but I _________________ find them
anywhere.
7. I searched for your house for ages, luckily I _________________ find it in the
end.
8. Shes 7 years old but she _________________ read yet her parents are
getting her extra lessons.
9. I read the book three times but I _________________ understand it.
10. James _________________ speak Japanese when he lived in Japan, but hes
forgotten most of it now.
11. I _________________ understand the chapter we had to read for homework. It
was so difficult.
12. I _________________ lift this box its too heavy! Would you help me?
13. Lucy _________________ make it to our meeting after all. Shes stuck in
traffic at the moment.
14. John _________________ play tennis really well. Hes champion of his club.
15. Unfortunately, I really _________________ sing at all! No-one in my family
is musical either.
16. When the car broke down I was really pleased because I _________________
solve the problem.
17. Julian _________________ play excellent golf when he was only ten.
18. My grandmother _________________ use a computer until last month. Since
then, shes been taking lessons at the library.
19. I _________________ open this window. I think its stuck!
20. Gill _________________ play the piano. Shes never studied it.
II Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs below. Use
contractions where possible.
be able to can could manage succeed
1. I __________ understand a word she said. She spoke too quickly.
2. __________ to use a computer is a requirement of many jobs today.
3. I think I know what's wrong with the TV. I might ___________ fix it.
4. We were surprised when Chris ___________to pass his driving test first time.
5. The music from Beth's house was really loud, I'm sure everyone for miles around
___________hear it.

6. It was only after hours of climbing, that they ___________in reaching the top of the
mountain.
7. I've got lessons all morning, so I ___________ meet you until the afternoon.
8. Do you think you'll _____________ finish this assignment for tomorrow?
III Negative inversion:
1. (Never/I/meet) _____________such well-behaved children before. They are as good
as gold.
2. (No sooner/my father/sit down) __________________to dinner than there was a
knock on the door.
3. (Little/he/know) _________________ that his culinary skills are quite substandard.
4. (At no time/ I/ mean)___________________ to hurt your feelings. It was all a big
misunderstanding.
5. (Seldom/we/ have) _____________friends over for a drink. We prefer to meet them
at pubs or restaurants.
6. (Not only/he/make) __________________ a mean cheesecake, but he also prepares
homemade jam.
7. Only when the situation gets out of hand (the government/ begin)
_________________to act
8. Not until June (you/can /get) ______________all the swimming gear out of the
drawers.
9. (Only once/ I/climb) ______________ such a high mountain before.
10. Her eyes were very red. (only later/I/find out) _________________ that her fianc
had broken up with her.
1. I had hardly arrived home when my phone rang.
2. They had barely won the match when the coach had a heart attack.
3. The company had no sooner launched a new product than it went bankrupt
4. She didn't really understand what the conversation was about. (Little...)
5. You are not allowed to disturb the pilots under any circumstances
6. We have never faced such a challenge!
7. You can solve this puzzle only by guessing.
8. I would accept this position only if everybody agreed.
9. If I had known the answer, I would have told you.
10. If you had told me before, I could have bought an extra ticket.
IV Mixed conditionals:

1.a. She will take care of the children for us next weekend because her business trip
was canceled.
1.b. But, she (take, not) would not be taking care of the children for us next
weekend if her business trip (be, not) had not been canceled.
2.a. Tom is not going to come to dinner tomorrow because you insulted him
yesterday.
2.b. But, he (come)__________ if you (insult) ____________him.
3.a. Marie is unhappy because she gave up her career when she got married.

3.b. But, Marie (be)_________ happy if she (give, not) __________up her career when
she got married.
4.a. Dr. Mercer decided not to accept the research grant at Harvard because he is
going to take six months off to spend more time with his family.
4.b. But, Dr. Mercer (accept) _________ the research grant at Harvard if he (take, not)
_________six months off to spend more time with his family.
5.a. Professor Schmitz talked so much about the Maasai tribe because she is an
expert on African tribal groups.
5.b. But, Professor Schmitz (talk, not) ____________so much about the Maasai tribe if
she (be, not) ______________ an expert on African tribal groups.
6.a. I am unemployed because I had a disagreement with my boss and I was fired.
6.b. But, I (be, not) ____________unemployed if I (have, not) _______________ a
disagreement with my boss and I (be, not) fired.
7.a. Nicole speaks Chinese fluently because she lived in China for ten years.
7.b. But, Nicole (speak, not)______________ Chinese fluently if she (live, not)
_____________in China for ten years.
8.a. I will not help you study for your test because you have spent the last two
weeks partying and wasting time.
8.b. But, I (help) _______________you study for your test if you (spend,
not)_____________ the last two weeks partying and wasting time.
9.a. Eleanor and Ben are not going skiing with us this year because Eleanor just had
a baby.
9.b. But, Eleanor and Ben (go)____________ skiing with us this year if Eleanor (have,
not, just) __________ a baby.
10.a. I am completely exhausted, so I will not go with you to the movies tonight.
10.b. But, if I (be, not) ________ completely exhausted, I (go)_________ with you to
the movies tonight.
11.a. She is not worried about the conference tomorrow because she is not giving a
speech.
11.b. But, she (be) ___________ worried about the conference tomorrow if she
(give)__________ a speech.
12.a. Frank is not going to the graduation ceremony because he broke his leg
snowboarding last week.
12.b. But, Frank (go) ____________to the graduation ceremony if he (break)
_____________his leg snowboarding last week.
13.a. They are not releasing the prisoner next month because there was so much
public opposition to his parole.

13.b. But, they (release)____________ the prisoner next month if there (be)
_____________ so much opposition to his parole.
14.a. The hotels filled up months in advance because the festival is going to include
jazz artists from around the globe.
14.b. But, the hotels (fill) _____________ up months in advance if the festival (include)
____________ jazz artists from around the globe.
15.a. We are not worried about the recent string of robberies in the neighborhood
because the police have started regularly patrolling the area.
15.b. But, we (be) ______________worried about the recent string of robberies in the
neighborhood if the police (start, not)______________ regularly patrolling the area.