Advanced English Grammar Practice and Solutions

Sentence Completion and Correction

• (I'm sorry, but / the game / cancelled): I’m sorry, but the game got cancelled.
• (The rules say that / players / must / not strike): The rules say that players mustn’t strike.
• (At the last hockey game / my photo / taken): At the last hockey game, I got a photo taken.

Logical Sentence Follow-ups

Write a sentence to logically follow the first sentence using the words in brackets:

• Why did he leave so quickly? (may / in a hurry): He may have been in a hurry.
• Kate has just had a row with Dylan. (must / upset): She must be upset.
• Why didn’t you tell me you had no way to get to the party? (could / take): I could have taken you.
• There was plenty of food at the party. (have to / bring): We didn’t have to bring more snacks.

Reported Speech Transformations

• “I will not leave this room until you tell me the truth,” Susan said: Susan refused to leave that room until she was told the truth.
• “We should go back tonight because the trip is getting too dangerous,” Tom said: Tom suggested that we go back that night because the trip was getting too dangerous.
• “You can go without me because I have already seen this film,” Roxie said to us: Roxie told us that we could go without her because she had already seen that film.
• “It is not a good idea to sign this mortgage; its rates are too high,” Melanie said: Melanie suggested not signing that mortgage because the rates were too high.
• “I’m sorry I was so rude to you yesterday at the meeting,” my boss told me: My boss apologised for being rude to me the day before at the meeting.

Sentence Rewriting and Syntax

• It is a pity that you missed the play, as it was really interesting: I wish you had seen the play; it was really interesting.
• I didn’t go with you to the cinema yesterday because I had to work late: If I hadn’t had to work late, I would have gone with you to the cinema.
• We waited for over forty-five minutes and then the train came: By the time the train came, we had been waiting for over 45 minutes.
• Charlie is the only real friend that Adam has: Adam doesn’t have any real friends except for Charlie.
• When I was a child, I played football although I didn’t like it: When I was a child, I played football despite not liking it.
• It’s a pity you didn’t see the film last night (seen): I wish you had seen the film last night.
• I’m sure they haven’t created that project: They couldn’t have created that project.
• It is necessary for mom to get up very early tomorrow morning (have to): Mom will have to get up very early tomorrow morning.
• You didn’t write as many words as possible: You could have written more words.
• He rarely watches TV before going to bed: Rarely does he watch TV before going to bed.