Basic English Grammar Exercise
Rewrite the following sentences with the words given in such a way that the second one has the same meaning as the first one
1. I think you should try and be as optimistic as you can. (SIDE)
2. Local residents said they were against the new traffic scheme. (DISAPPROVAL)
3. Fish for breakfast doesn’t appeal to everyone. (TASTE)
4. We agreed that each of us would do the washing up on alternative days. (TURNS)
5. Jack and Rose never agree on how to bring up their children. (EYE)
6. Most stores will accept a credit card instead of cash. (ALTERNATIVE)
7. You can avoid tooth decay by brushing your teeth regularly. (PREVENT)
8. Some of Peter’s expressions make me think of my brother. (REMIND)
9. When do you think that bridge was built? (OLD)
10. That old typewriter is not worth repairing. (POINTLESS)
11. They share a lot of hobbies and interests. (COMMON)
12. This train should have left 30 minutes ago. (MEANT)
13. Alcohol is bad for your health, and so are cigarettes. (NOR)
14. Nobody helped me at all. (FINGER)
15. You’re far more practical than I am. (NOWHERE)
16. The result of the match was never in doubt. (NO)
17. The firm is going to raise everybody’s salary. (GIVEN)
18. We were just going to bed when the earthquake happened. (POINT)
19. The stories he tells about his war experiences are unbelievable. (BEYOND)
20. It’s a month now since she fell down the stairs but you can still see the bruises. (SHOW)
21. Things are always going wrong in a job like this. (SORT)
22. Tony bought Mary a necklace as a compensation for not having a holiday. (MAKE)
23. There is no need to telephone me when you arrive. (BOTHER)
24. The garden is too small for us to build a swimming pool. (ROOM)
25. Who will inherit the estate? (HEIR)
26. I think you should try and be as optimistic as you can. (SIDE)
27. Fish for breakfast doesn’t appeal to everyone. (TASTE) Page 1 Basic English Grammar Exercise
28. We agreed that each of us would do the washing up on alternative days. (TURNS)
29. Jack and Rose never agree on how to bring up their children. (EYE)
30. Most stores will accept a credit card instead of cash. (ALTERNATIVE)
31. You can avoid tooth decay by brushing your teeth regularly. (PREVENT)
32. Some of Peter’s expressions make me think of my brother. (REMIND)
33. When do you think that bridge was built? (OLD)
34. That old typewriter is not worth repairing. (POINTLESS)
35. Alcohol is bad for your health, and so are cigarettes. (NOR)
36. Nobody helped me at all. (FINGER)
37. You’re far more practical than I am. (NOWHERE)
38. The result of the match was never in doubt. (NO)
39. The firm is going to raise everybody’s salary. (GIVEN)
40. We were just going to bed when the earthquake happened. (POINT)
41. The stories he tells about his war experiences are unbelievable. (BEYOND)
42. It’s a month now since she fell down the stairs but you can still see the bruises. (SHOW)
43. Things are always going wrong in a job like this. (SORT)
44. Tony bought Mary a necklace as a compensation for not having a holiday. (MAKE)
45. There is no need to telephone me when you arrive. (BOTHER)
46. The garden is too small for us to build a swimming pool. (ROOM)
47. That hotel is a bit too expensive for us, I’m afraid. (REACH)
48. I don’t personally care if they come or not. (MATTER)
49. After two hours, the bridegroom had still not arrived. (SIGN)
50. We didn’t go to the island that stormy weekend in case we couldn’t get back. (FEAR)
51. Go and ask Winifred. I’m sure she’ll know the answer. (BOUND)
52. Who gave you my name and address? (TOUCH)
53. All of a sudden, Alice thought of a solution to the problem. (OCCURRED)
54. It’s very interesting to talk to him. (HE)
55. Your hair is much too long, dear. (NEEDS)
56. There is no ice-cream left. (RUN) Page 2 Basic English Grammar Exercise
57. I usually walk to work, but today I drove. (INSTEAD)
58. I would like to express my thanks for everything you have done for me. (THANKFUL)
59. Would you like to go for a coffee in 10 minutes or so? (ABOUT)
60. Don’t you regret not learning to swim? (WISH)
61. I think this word comes from ancient Greece. (DERIVED)
62. I like to spend a lot of time in the open air. (DOORS)
63. Paul went to see the bank manager about getting a loan. (VIEW)
64. I wish I knew what to do about the problem. (SOLUTION)
65. Karen received the medal for her services. (RECOGNITION)
66. You have to pay your son’s debts as he is under age. (LIABLE)
67. I don’t think there will be any applicants for this post. (LIKELIHOOD)
68. It was difficult for Susan to believe the good news. (HARDLY)
69. This contract is not binding until we both sign it. (BOUND)
70. He wasn’t to blame for the accident. (FAULT)
71. You shouldn’t take his help for granted. (ASSUME)
72. Mr. Watson managed to repair the garage roof only because his neighnour helped him. (WITHOUT)
73. Nobody is infallible. (MISTAKES)
74. The last Olympic Games were held in Seoul. (TOOK)
75. You must make allowances for his inexperience. (ACCOUNT)
76. I’m very familiar with this neighbourhood. (HAND)
77. She did very well on her final exams. (COLORS)
78. The food at the new restaurant isn’t as good as the food at Mario’s. (CRY)
79. David can’t go to Alice’s party and neither can I. (BOAT)
80. I’m not in agreement with him on this proposal. (EYE)
81. Alfred is in trouble with his boss. (WATER)
82. You’d better leave if you want to go home by midnight. (ROAD)
83. Will the concert start soon? (WAY)
84. Don’t try to do something more than you can manage. (BITE)
85. The desk was too crowded for him to put his book down. (ROOM) Page 3 Basic English Grammar Exercise
86. I don’t like him because he boats a lot. (MOUTH)
87. He liked the new job straight away. (DUCK)
88. The young man was very embarrassed when his proposal was turned down. (REJECTION)
89. He was never too busy to write to his mother. (TIME)
90. As the days passed, the children’s excitement grew. (BECAME)
91. Some people learn a foreign language not from compulsion but because they want to. (REASON)
92. Our parents usually watched romantic, musical and western films in their youth. (ACCUSTOMED)
93. In 1967, programmes began to be transmitted in colour. (ADVENT)
94. It is estimated that 85 per cent of the population watch TV regularly. (VIEWERS)
95. The women really hoped they would find work soon. (FORWARD)
96. Kevin felt that the official’s tone implied that there was no likelihood of his getting any work. (INFERRED)
97. I don’t personally care if they come or not. (MATTER)
98. After two hours, the bridegroom had still not arrived. (SIGN)
99. We didn’t go to the island that stormy weekend in case we couldn’t get back. (FEAR)
100. Go and ask Winifred. I’m sure she’ll know the answer. (BOUND)
101. Who gave you my name and address? (TOUCH)
102. All of a sudden, Alice thought of a solution to the problem. (OCCURRED)
103. It’s very interesting to talk to him. (HE)
104. Your hair is much too long, dear. (NEEDS)
105. There is no ice-cream left. (RUN)
106. I usually walk to work, but today I drove. (INSTEAD)
107. I would like to express my thanks for everything you have done for me. (THANKFUL)
108. Would you like to go for a coffee in 10 minutes or so? (ABOUT)
109. Don’t you regret not learning to swim? (WISH)
110. I think this word comes from ancient Greece. (DERIVED)
111. I like to spend a lot of time in the open air. (DOORS)
112. Paul went to see the bank manager about getting a loan. (VIEW)
113. I wish I knew what to do about the problem. (SOLUTION)
114. Karen received the medal for her services. (RECOGNITION) Page 4 Basic English Grammar Exercise
115. You have to pay your son’s debts as he is under age. (LIABLE)
116. I don’t think there will be any applicants for this post. (LIKELIHOOD)
117. It was difficult for Susan to believe the good news. (HARDLY)
118. This contract is not binding until we both sign it. (BOUND)
119. He wasn’t to blame for the accident. (FAULT)
120. You shouldn’t take his help for granted. (ASSUME)
121. Mr. Watson managed to repair the garage roof only because his neighbour helped him. (WITHOUT)
122. Nobody is infallible. (MISTAKES)
123. The last Olympic Games were held in Seoul. (TOOK)
124. You must make allowances for his inexperience. (ACCOUNT)
125. I’m very familiar with this neighbourhood. (HAND)
126. She did very well on her final exams. (COLORS)
127. The food at the new restaurant isn’t as good as the food at Mario’s. (CRY)
128. David can’t go to Alice’s party and neither can I. (BOAT)
129. I’m not in agreement with him on this proposal. (EYE)
130. Alfred is in trouble with his boss. (WATER)
131. You’d better leave if you want to go home by midnight. (ROAD)
132. Will the concert start soon? (WAY)
133. Don’t try to do something more than you can manage. (BITE)
134. The desk was too crowded for him to put his book down. (ROOM)
135. I don’t like him because he boats a lot. (MOUTH)
136. He liked the new job straight away. (DUCK)
137. The young man was very embarrassed when his proposal was turned down. (REJECTION)
138. He was never too busy to write to his mother. (TIME)
139. As the days passed, the children’s excitement grew. (BECAME)
140. Some people learn a foreign language not from compulsion but because they want to. (REASON)
141. Our parents usually watched romantic, musical and western films in their youth. (ACCUSTOMED)
142. In 1967, programmes began to be transmitted in colour. (ADVENT)
143. It is estimated that 85 per cent of the population watch TV regularly. (VIEWERS) Page 5 Basic English Grammar Exercise
144. The women really hoped they would find work soon. (FORWARD)
145. Kevin felt that the official’s tone implied that there was no likelihood of his getting any work. (INFERRED)
146. Who will inherit the estate? (HEIR)
147. Organic vegetables are said to be very healthy. (WONDERS)
148. There’s nothing new about defence alliances. (HILLS)
149. I’m sure that he missed the eleven o’clock train. (CAN’T)
150. My impression of him was that he was a very capable person. (STRUCK)
151. When she sold the jewellry at such a low price, she was cheated. (RIDE)
152. We would like a copy of you r new prospectus. (GRATEFUL)
153. Turning town that job was very foolish of you. (FOOL)
154. This mix-up is not my fault. (BLAME)
155. I wanted to learn Russian before I visited Moscow. (WITHOUT)
156. Her arrival was completely unexpected. (TOOK)
157. He can hardly read at all. (VIRTUALLY)
158. If only you had tried harder, you might have passed the exam. (EFFORT)
159. Tom reckoned that his success was due to incredible luck. (PUT)
160. Mary wore dark glasses. So that no one would recognize her. (AVOID)
161. They don’t mind which film they go to. (MATTER)
162. She is certainly not foolish. (MEANS)
163. The film didn’t come up to my expectations. (SHORT)
164. “You don’t appreciate me,” she complained. (GRANTED)
165. He can speak French well enough to go to the concert. (FLUENT)
166. I wonder if you could possibly open the door for me. (MIND)
167. She was dismissed because her typing was poor. (LOST)
168. My mother didn’t like my new shoes. (DISAPPROVED)
169. She doesn’t know the difference between margarine and butter. (TELL)
170. The man in that painting bears a strong resemblance to my uncle. (REMINDS)
171. People knew they were spies. (KNOWN) Page 6