Comprehensive English Grammar Exercises & Solutions

Posted on Aug 14, 2024 in English

English Grammar Exercises and Solutions

Translations and Corrections

Translate into English:

• Llevamos 5 años saliendo y acabamos de empezar a vivir juntos. We have been going out for five years and we have just started to live together.
• No he leído el libro todavía. I haven’t read the book yet.
• Cortamos el año pasado pero nos llamamos por teléfono todas las semanas. We broke up last year, but we call each other every week.
• Me lo pasé muy bien en la fiesta de cumpleaños de Carlos. I had a great time at Carlos’s birthday party.
• Pareces triste ¿qué te ha estado diciendo? You look sad. What has he been telling you?
• Me ha estado hablando de sus problemas. He has been talking about his problems.
• Ya lo se. I already know that.
• Ni mi hermana ni mi madre se parecen a mi abuela. Neither my sister nor my mother looks like my grandmother.
• Mi suegra y mi suegro, ambos, son encantadores. My mother-in-law and my father-in-law are both charming.

Correct these sentences:

• We are From Rumania both. We are both from Romania.
• Both of us lives in Zaragoza. Both of us live in Zaragoza.
• We have met in Barcelona last summer. We met in Barcelona last summer.
• I have been falling into the river. I fell into the river. / I have fallen into the river.
• They enjoyed a lot in the swimming pool. They enjoyed the swimming pool a lot. / They enjoyed themselves a lot in the swimming pool.
• They live by theirselves. They live by themselves.
• These are my friends´s clothes. These are my friends’ clothes.

Verb Conjugation

Put the verbs in the correct form:

How long have you been writing to your pen-friend? (write) For three years.

• I can’t carry this case. It’s too heavy. Don’t worry! I will help you. (help)
• You won’t catch the bus if you don’t hurry. (not catch)
• If you won the lottery, how would you spend your money? (win)
• After five minutes, he realized that he had seen the film before. (see)
• Her new book will be published next year. (publish)
• While I was cutting the grass, it started to rain. (cut, start)
• Would you mind opening the window? (open)
• Our teachers make us do a lot of homework. (do)
• If she had missed the bus, she would have phoned us. (miss)

Sentence Completion

Complete with one or two words:

• Do you eat much chocolate? Yes, I eat a lot. I love it.
• I’ve never been able to play chess, but I’d like to learn.
• I’d like a car which/that never breaks down.
• I’m the youngest. My two brothers are both older than me.
• This film’s awful – in fact it’s the most awful film I’ve ever seen!
• The doctor told me not to worry.

Sentence Transformation

Finish the second sentence so that it means the same:

• The restaurant is closed because they’re redecorating it. The restaurant is closed because it is being redecorated.
• “I’ve never been to New York.” She said that she had never been to New York.
• What time does the bus leave? He asked me what time the bus left.
• It isn’t compulsory to wear a helmet on a bike. You don’t have to wear a helmet on a bike.
• Don’t be late! My father told me not to be late.

Sentence Correction

Correct these sentences:

1. I enjoyed myself a lot in the park. I enjoyed the park a lot.
2. I haven’t seen the film jet. I haven’t seen the film yet.
3. Both of us live in Madrid.
4. He is always tired.
5. I drink a lot of tea.
6. Going out with my friends is great.
7. We can dance.
8. You are friends, aren’t you?
9. I didn’t use to travel abroad every summer.
10. I’m used to getting up early.
11. Could you tell me where your school is?
12. He said to me I was a good friend. He told me I was a good friend. / He said that I was a good friend.
13. He told me not to touch the picture.
14. If I had known you were going to come, I would have prepared a great dinner.
15. This film is terrifying.
16. Juan Carlos is the tallest boy in my class.

Passive Voice

Translate these sentences and write them into the passive voice:

1. Hitchcock dirigió Los Pájaros. The Birds was directed by Hitchcock.
2. Brad Pitt protagonizó mi película favorita. My favorite film was starred in by Brad Pitt. / My favorite film was starring Brad Pitt.
3. El productor ha pagado los efectos especiales. The special effects have been paid for by the producer.
4. Estopa no escribirá la banda sonora. The soundtrack won’t be written by Estopa.
5. La actriz principal no esta interpretando la conmovedora escena. The moving scene isn’t being performed by the main actress.

Reported Speech

Write these sentences in reported speech:

1. It’s a three-star hotel. She said (that) it was a three-star hotel.
2. What’s the time? The tourist asked us what the time was.
3. Open your case, please! The customs officer asked me to open my case.
4. I’ve just come back from Rome. She told me (that) she had just come back from Rome.
5. Don’t move! The man told us not to move.
6. Do you want a double room? She asked us if we wanted a double room.
7. I’ll do it immediately. The receptionist said (that) he would do it immediately.
8. Where have you been? He asked me where I had been.
9. Do you smoke? He asked me if I smoked.

More Verb Conjugation

Put the verbs in the correct form:

• I have known Carla since 1988. (know)
• We met when we were at school. (meet)
• We want to share a flat, but we haven’t found one yet. (not find)
• She has been learning English for three years. (learn)
• She hates getting up early. (get up)
• She’d like to go to Morocco next summer. (go)
• She always wears jeans or trousers, never skirts. (wear)
• We are having dinner together tonight. (have)

Question Formation

Complete the questions:

• You look tired. What have you been doing? (do)
• Cleaning the kitchen. I started this morning and I haven’t finished yet.
• Have you ever been to New York? (be)
• No, never, but I’d like to.
• When did you go to bed last night? (go)
• Quite early – about 10.30. I was really tired.
• How long have you been learning English? (learn)
• Since last year. I need it for my job.
• How often do you go to the cinema? (go)
• About once a week. I love seeing new films.
• What are you reading at the moment? (read)
• A really good novel by Ruth Rendell. I’ve nearly finished it.

Present Simple or Continuous

Choose the correct tense:

1. Hello! What are you doing here? (do)
2. I am waiting for my girlfriend. She’s a nurse. She works in the hospital over there. (wait, work)
3. Where’s Karl from? He looks German, but I think he’s Swedish. (look, think)
4. He speaks very good English, doesn’t he? (speak)
5. What does your brother do? (do)
6. He’s a computer programmer, but he doesn’t like the work very much. He is looking for a new job. (not like, look for)
7. What kind of job does he want? (want)
8. Well, he is doing a part-time course in journalism at the moment, in the evenings. He’d like to work for a newspaper. (do)
9. I am going on holiday tomorrow. (go)
10. Where are you going? (go)
11. To Amsterdam. My wife’s Dutch, so we go there every year to visit my mother-in-law. (go)
12. Are you flying? (fly)
13. No, we are going by car. (go)
14. When are you coming back? (come)
15. Next Sunday.
16. What are you doing tonight? (do)
17. I am meeting some friends. We always meet on Friday nights. (meet, meet)
18. Right, it’s 1.30. I will go/am going for lunch now. (go) Are you coming? (come)
19. No, I want to finish this letter that I am writing. It’s urgent. I need to send it before 2.00. (want, write, need)

More Translations

Translate into English:

1. Mi doble no solía hacerse pasar por personas distintas. My lookalike didn’t use to pretend to be different people.
2. ¿Están acostumbrados tus hijos a madrugar? Are your children used to getting up early?
3. Ya no hay vallas publicitarias en las carreteras. There are no billboards on the roads anymore.
4. Ya he conocido a su novia. I have already met his girlfriend.
5. Los profesores les hacen estudiar mucho. The teachers make them study a lot.
6. No le deja maquillarse. He doesn’t let her wear makeup. / She isn’t allowed to wear makeup.
7. Los alumnos están autorizados a jugar al fútbol. The students are allowed to play football.
8. Los abogados podían ayudarles. The lawyers could help them.
9. El héroe no podrá hacer nada. The hero won’t be able to do anything.
10. ¿Has podido navegar? Have you been able to sail?
11. Poder montar a caballo es mi sueño. Being able to ride a horse is my dream.
12. Tú quieres poder hablar una lengua extranjera muy bien. You want to be able to speak a foreign language very well.
13. Sus padres en paro pudieron pagarle su regalo. His unemployed parents were able to pay for his present.

More Sentence Correction

Correct these sentences if necessary:

1. I hate playing the piano, but I love playing football. I hate playing the piano, but I love playing football.
2. The last boys will come next month to study Maths. The last boys will come next month to study Maths.
3. This book is worth reading.
4. Shall I/we help you?
5. It’s hot here, I will open the window.

Future Tense

Complete with the correct form of the future tense:

1. I might go to France this summer, but I’m not sure. (go)
2. I am seeing some friends tonight. We’re going out for dinner. (see)
3. Have you got any plans for your holiday? Yes, I am going to the South of France. (go)
4. I’m really thirsty. Shall I go and make some tea? (go)

If I have time, I will go to the bank. (go)

I might see Susana tonight. I’m not sure. (see)

Conditional Sentences

First and Second Conditional:

1. If he wasn’t so mean, he would pay us a better salary. (pay)
2. She won’t be able to buy it unless you lend her some money. If you don’t lend her some money, she won’t be able to buy it. (lend)
3. If you spoke to your parents, I’m sure they’d understand. (speak)
4. If he found a better job, he’d be happier. (find)
5. Don’t buy it if you don’t like it. (like)
6. What will she do if she finds out? (do)
7. If we don’t book early, we won’t be able to get tickets. (not be able to)
8. If I inherited a fortune, I wouldn’t work. (not work)

Modal Verbs

Must, have to, should. Rewrite the sentences using the correct form:

• It’s not necessary to leave a tip in a restaurant. You don’t have to leave a tip in a restaurant.
• It’s not a good idea for you to eat so much junk food. You shouldn’t eat so much junk food.
• It’s important that you remember to check the oil and water! You must remember to check the oil and water!
• You aren’t allowed to take photos in the museum. You mustn’t take photos in the museum.
• I advise you to stop for coffee on the motorway. You should stop for coffee on the motorway.
• Driving on the left is compulsory in Britain. You must drive on the left in Britain.

Past Perfect or Past Simple

Choose the correct tense:

• When we opened the door, we saw that somebody had stolen/was stealing our TV. (open, see, steal)
• The police arrived after the thieves had gone. (arrive, go)
• I didn’t want to go to the show because I had seen it before. (not want, see)
• Just after she had closed the front door, she realized that she had left the keys inside. (close, realize, leave)
• We got to the cinema late. The film had started. (get, start)

Relative Clauses

Complete with who, which, where, whose, or – (= not necessary):

1. My mother, who is eighty, is still very fit.
2. Is he the man whose burglar alarm is always ringing?
3. Is that the shop where you bought that dress?
4. The girl who was sitting opposite you was the manager’s daughter.
5. That’s the restaurant (that/which) I told you about.
6. The car, which has automatic gears, only costs $5,000.
7. He’s going to marry a girl who works at his office.
8. What’s the name of the boy (that/who/whom) you met on holiday?

Passive Voice

Rewrite these sentences in the passive voice:

• Hitchcock directed Psycho. Psycho was directed by Hitchcock.
• In Spain, they dub most foreign films. In Spain, most foreign films are dubbed.
• They will shoot the film in three months. The film will be shot in three months.
• They are making the film in Budapest. The film is being made in Budapest.
• They have already chosen the cast. The cast has already been chosen.
• Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote the music for Evita. The music for Evita was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

More Sentence Correction

Correct these sentences if necessary:

1. I had not seen that film yet. I hadn’t seen that film yet.
2. You mustn’t drive if you have drunk alcohol.
3. The teachers of ESO, who are 24, are very friendly. The teachers of ESO, who are 24, are very friendly.
4. I don’t like the boys who are always playing jokes.
5. That is the girl I bought an ice-cream. That is the girl I bought an ice cream for.
6. You mustn’t look at your English book in this exam.
7. When I got up, I put my clothes on. When I got up, I got dressed.
8. I arrived home at ten o’clock.
9. The main characters were played by several actors.

More Translations

Translate into English:

• La película se desarrolla en España. The film takes place in Spain. / The film is set in Spain.
• La actriz fue nominada con dos Oscars. The actress was nominated for two Oscars.
• Mi piso se compró hace dos años. My flat was bought two years ago.
• Las películas solían ser hechas sin sonido. Films used to be made without sound.
• El colegio va a ser comprado por un hombre muy rico. The school is going to be bought by a very rich man.
• Quiero ver al periodista que ha escrito este libro. I want to see the journalist who wrote this book.
• Vosotros no podéis fumar en un colegio. You mustn’t smoke in a school. / You are not allowed to smoke in a school.
• Él no debería haber dicho eso. He shouldn’t have said that.