Week 10: Sentence Building

For, since and ago - The first time and never before - Prefer
and would rather - Phrasal verbs (work)
 Exercise 1: Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar
meaning to the first sentence. Use the word given and other words to
complete each sentence. You must use between two and five words. Do
not change the word given.

1. I haven’t bought any clothes for a long time. (since)

→ It’s a long time since I bought any new clothes.
2. I last visited Glasgow twenty years ago. (for)
→ I haven’t visited Glasgow for twenty years.
3. I like living in the city better than in the country. (rather)
→ I ‘d rather live in the city than in the country.
4. ‘Would you like to spend the weekend with me?’ she said
to Jane. (invited)
→ She invited Jane to spend the weekend with her.
5. I’ve only been working here for a few days. (started)
→ I only started working here a few days ago.
Exercise 1: Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar
meaning to the first sentence. Use the word given and other words to
complete each sentence. You must use between two and five words. Do
not change the word given.

6. She has lived here since she was born. (life)

→ She has lived here all her life.
7. I’d be quite willing to go with you. (mind)
→ I wouldn’t mind with you.
8. I think what she says is right. (agree)
→ I agree with what she says.
9. I’m trying to calculate the cost of the journey. (work)
→ I’m trying to work out how much the journey cost.
10. The town center is full of shops. (plenty)
→ There there are plenty of shops in the town center.
Exercise 2: Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar
meaning to the first sentence. Use the word given and other words to
complete each sentence. You must use between two and five words. Do
not change the word given.

1. I had never been to school before. (first)

→ It was the first time I had been to school.
2. Please send me your brochure. (grateful)
→ I would be grateful if you would send me your brochure.
3. Neither of the students was familiar to her. (either)
→ She didn’t know either of the students.
4. When he said ‘hello’, I recognized him. (until)
→ I didn’t recognized him until he said ‘hello’.
5. It seemed that she had forgotten everything that she had
learnt. (have)
→ She seemed to have forgotten everything she had learnt.
 Exercise 2: Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar
meaning to the first sentence. Use the word given and other words to
complete each sentence. You must use between two and five words. Do
not change the word given.

6. I was the one who marked her exam paper, as it happens.

(happened)
→ I happened to be the one who marked her exam paper.
7. Her parents expected her to get a good mark in the exam. (well)
→ Her parents expected to do well in the exam.
8. She was not aware that she had fallen asleep. (realizing)
→ She had fallen asleep without realizing it.
9. I lost interest in the subject when the teacher didn’t answer my
questions. (put)
→ When the teacher didn’t answer my questions it put me off the
subject.
10. He was so tall that he was easily visible in a crowd. (stood)
→ He was so tall that he stood out in a crowd.
 MORE ADVANCED PRACTICE
Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the
first sentence. Use the word given and other words to complete each
sentence. You must use between three and six words, including the
word given. Do not change the word given.

1. ‘Do your homework first, and then you can go to the cinema,’ said
Jim’s mother. (long)
→ Jim’s mother agreed to let him go to the cinema as/ so long as he
did his homework first.
2. ‘Yes, I took the money, but Ned told me to do it!’ said George.
(who)
→ George claimed that it was Ned, who told him to take the money.
3. Harry thought of throwing a surprise party for Katie’s birthday.
(came)
→ Harry came up with the idea of throwing a surprise party for
Katie’s birthday.
4. They are decorating our living room, so the house is a mess. (done)
→ We are having our living room done up, so the house is a mess!
 MORE ADVANCED PRACTICE
Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the
first sentence. Use the word given and other words to complete each
sentence. You must use between three and six words, including the
word given. Do not change the word given.

5. I really hate it when people speak to me like that! (being)

→ I really object to being spoken to like that!
6. I was just about to call him when he rang me instead. (point)
→ I was on the point of when he rang me instead.
7. The manager gave her secretary strict instructions that no
one should be allowed to disturb her. (circumstances)
→ ‘Under no circumstances am I to be disturbed!’ the
manager told her secretary.
8. I learnt a lot about gardening, thanks to Kevin. (for)
→ If it hadn’t been for Kevin, I wouldn’t have learnt so much
about gardening.