The National School of Administration

English course – CSP 1- 2022-2023

Instructor: Hassen Soukni
The US and UK systems of
government
-Exercises-

I - Put in the right tense:

1 – Every four years, the American people (to elect) elect their president. Indeed, the
President’s mandate (to last) l a s t s four years. The political parties (to organize) organize
primary elections in the different states to choose the candidate. These elections (to be called)
are called Conventions.
2- The candidates (to lead) lead electoral campaigns all over the country and (to make)
m a k e promises to win more votes. Traditionally, they (to be supported) are
supported by different lobbies that (to defend) defend various causes.
3- The American Constitution (to provide) provides that the elections (to be) are
universal, free, and secret but indirect.
4- In the UK, we often (to say) say that the monarch (to reign) reigns but (not to rule) does not
rule. The Prime Minister (to be appointed) is appointed by the monarch after the legislative
elections. Traditionally, he (to be) is the leader of the majority party. The opposition (to
form) forms the shadow cabinet. The Parliament (to be composed) is composed of two
houses, the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The first one (to be elected) is
elected and (to represent) represents the people, while the second one (to represent)
represents the crown. Unlike the House of Commons, most of the members (to be
appointed) are appointed.

5- The House of Lords Act 1999 (to restrict) restricted, the right to membership to 92
hereditary peers only. The House of Lords Reform Act 2014 (to allow) allowed the members
of the House of Lords for the first time, to retire or resign. Since then, the number of Lords
(to be reduced) has been reduced.
6 – This year, the American State budget (to face) is facing particular problems of expenditures
due to different commitments taken by the State in relation to the war in Ukraine. The President
(to try) is trying to mobilize additional resources and the Congress (to debate) is debating the
issue as the war (to cost) costs much to the American taxpayers.
7– Since its promulgation in 1789, the constitution (to be amended) has been amended a few
times; the amendments (to respond) have responded to new needs of the American nation and
requirements of modern life, but on the whole, the Americans (to succeed) have succeeded in
preserving the initial version without much change. The principles (to remain) have remained
the same, and even though some rules (to appear) have appeared to be hard, nothing (to be made)
has been made to change them.

8– In 1789, the Constitution (to be adopted) was adopted. Before that, the founding fathers (to
debate) had debated many drafts in order to preserve a series of balances. Some representatives
(to defend) h a d d e f e n d e d the rights of people and some others (to defend) had defended
the rights of states. The adopted constitution (to guarantee) guaranteed different balances.
9 – Next year, the UK Prime Minister (to announce) will announce the organization of new
elections. The parties (to choose) w i l l c h o o s e their candidates who (to present) will present
electoral programs. The orientations (to be fixed) will be fixed by the central committees of the
parties. The different parties (to prepare) will prepare their electoral manifesto.
10- Now, the services of the Prime Ministry (to prepare) are preparing reports about the previous
fiscal years; they (to ask) are asking the different ministries about their opinions and
recommendations.
I - Put in the right tense:
1 –These small parties always (to complain) are always complaining about the electoral system.
2 – The electors (to ask) are asking many questions about electoral promises.
3 – I expect that these constraints (to cause) will cause a lot of controversy during the electoral
campaigns.
4 – The ministers probably (to call) will probably call a meeting with their staff as soon as they
receive the information.
5 – The Congress debates (to begin) will begin next Monday at 9 O’clock.
6 – I think that the budget (to face) will face fewer difficulties.
7 – The financial controller said that the previous fiscal year (to be) had been a good one on the
whole.
8- We (to introduce) will introduce many innovations next year.
9- If the reform is accepted, many measures (to be taken) will be taken.
10- You (to burst) would have burst with anger if you had been informed of the truth.
12- They said that you (to receive) would receive the report before anyone else.
13- The electors (not to learn) had not learned all about the candidates before the elections were
held.
14- Tell me please if you (can transmit) can transmit the whole file tomorrow.
15- Next year, when the elections (to be announced) are announced, much work (to have) will
have to be done.
III – Say what is common between the following verbs:
To want – to equal- to consist – to love – to like- to hate- to dislike - to cost – to exist –
to hear – to see –to own – to possess – to have - to understand – to forget – to remember
– to deal -
Note that:
1- The simple present indicates a repeated/permanent action.
2- The past indicates an action that took place in the past and is totally finished.
3- The present perfect indicates an action that started in the past and still continues in the
present.
It is also used to express a feeling of dissatisfaction. Exm: they are always complaining.
4- The future indicates an action that will take place at a later time. But, the future :
- is used after such verbs as to think, to expect, to hope, etc
 - is used with some adverbs such as « probably »,
- is not used after « when » and « if ».
5- When « if » is followed by the present, we must use the future :
- If the reform is accepted, many measures will be taken.
When « if » is followed by the past, we must use the present conditional :
- If the reform was accepted, many measures would be taken
When « if » is followed by the past perfect, we must use the past conditional :
- If the reform had been accepted, many measures would have been taken will be taken
6- The list of verbs in question III cannot be used in the progressive form. They are called
« stative verbs ». They express feelings, attitudes, a state of being (as opposed to dynamic
verbs).