Ege Academy Blog

MODAL VERBS; CAN / BE ABLE TO EXERCISES

Fill in the blanks with can, can’t, could, couldn’t or was / wasn’t able to

1. Kemal ________________ afford this watch. It’s too expensive.

2. She _______________ swim. She learnt how to swim when she was 7.

3. Sinan _____________ find the password after three attempts.

4. I ______________ open the door since my hands were full.

5. Leyla is a practical girl. She _____________ do every housework very quickly.

6. When I was a child, I _______________ skateboard.

7. As soon as I saw the boy in front of my car, I _______________ step the brake.

8. Because it was foggy, Tim _____________ see clearly.

9. Larry Bird ____________ score 30 points in the last match.

10. In the last Olympic games in Beijing Usain Bolt _____________ run 100 meters in 9.69 seconds and he broke the world record.

KEY: 1. can’t  2. can  3. was able to  4. couldn’t / wasn’t able to  5. can  6. could  7. was able to  8. couldn’t / wasn’t able to 9. was able to 10. was able to

A. Complete the sentences with a verb from the list.

1. Mr.Locke refused ___________ her the job.
2. Tarkan decided ____________ Chemistry in the USA.
3. They like __________ parties in their summer house.
4. Most of my colleagues prefer ____________ Turkish coffee to Nescafe.
5. ?ermin hates ___________ on the cell phone.
6. Can you imagine ___________ in Miami?
7. Shakespeare fancied ___________ plays.
8. They dislike __________ sea food.
9. He hopes ___________ an astranout one day.

B. Underline the correct words. ( Gerund or infinitive )

1. My father and my sister enjoy to visit / visiting historical museums.
2. He doesn’t want to be / being a vet.
3. Zeki prefers playing / to play computer games to Internet.
4. She is very old. She can’t stand to be / being with young children for a long time.
5. I imagine moving / to move to Cunda Island when I’m retired.
6. As he never thanks for anything, I refused helping / to help him with the reports.
7. Lale doesn’t mind to walk / walking under the rain without an umbrella.
8. Arzu hopes to visit / visiting her grandparents at the weekend.
9. My car needs to paint / painting.
10. Norman avoids eating / to eat fatty food because he is on a diet. He must lose / to lose / losing 10 kilos.

KEY

EXERCISE A: 1. to give  2. to study  3. having  4. drinking  5. talking  6. living  7. writing  8. eating  9. to be

EXERCISE B: 1. visiting  2. to be  3. playing  4. being  5. moving  6. to help  7. walking  8. to visit  9. painting  10. eating / lose

Use gerund or infinitive to fill in the blanks.

1. I’m a fan of Demi Moore. I’m really looking forward to ___________ ( see ) her latest film.
2. Although we arranged __________ ( meet )  there at 8, she didn’t come.
3. Let’s go. It’s no use __________ ( wait ).
4. Gaye’s mother warns her __________ ( not touch ) the cable.
5. Don’t forget __________ ( close ) all the windows and doors before __________ ( leave ) the house.
6. As the bad guys were chasing me, I decided __________ ( disguise ) myself by __________ ( dress ) as a woman.
7. I can’t help ___________ ( sneeze ) when I smell blackpepper.
8. My father’s doctor advised him __________ ( give up) ___________. (smoke)
9. Last night I was fined for ___________ ( drive) fast.
10. Children don’t enjoy __________ ( go ) to the dentist.

 

KEY

1. seeing  2. to meet   3. waiting   4. not to touch   5. to close / leaving   6. to disguise / dressing   7. sneezing   8. to give up / smoking   9. driving  10. going

PRACTICE

 Write indirect questions.

1. Have you ever been to Kapadokya?

          I wonder ………………………………………………………..

    2.   Who scored Fenerbaçe’s first goal last night?

          Do you know………………………………………………….?

    3.   When is Hakan going to move to Ankara?

          I have no idea …………………………………………………

    4.   Who brought this computer to the office?

          I want to know………………………………………………..

    5.   Does your new girlfriend smoke?

         I wonder…………………………………………………………

    6.  How many times has Mel been to Bodrum?

        Could you tell me ……………………………………………?

    7.  Can she play the guitar?

         I wonder …………………………………………………………

    8.  What were you doing when the earthquake happened?

         I don’t remember………………………………………………

    9. Has Aylin moved to Izmir?

        I don’t know……………………………………………………….

  10.  What time did Osman leave the office?

        I don’t remember………………………………………………….

KEY

1. I wonder if you have ever been to Kapadokya.
2. Do you know who scored Fenerbahçe’s first goal last night?
3. I have no idea when Hakan is going to move to Ankara.
4. I want to know who brought this computer to the office.
5. I wonder if / whether your new girlfriend smokes.
6. Could you tell me how many times Mel has been to Bodrum?
7. I wonder if she sould play the guitar.
8. I don’t remember what I was doing when the earthquake happened. ( As an answer to the question )
9. I don’t know if Aylin has moved to Izmir.
10. I don’t exactly remember what time Osman left the office.

EXERCISE 1

Fill in the blanks with Simple Past or Past Continuous tense.

1) When the police stopped ( stop ) me, I was speaking on the phone. ( example )

2) I came across my French teacher while I _______________ ( shop ) in Paris last summer.

3) My sister _______________ ( watch ) T.V at 9 o’clock last night.

4) When the earthquake _______________ ( happen ), we _______________ ( have ) lunch.

5) When Murat _______________ ( arrived ) home, her wife ______________ ( cook ).

6) Leyla _______________ ( sing ) while Hasan __________ ( play ) the guitar.

7) The Police: What were you doing when you __________ ( see ) the accident?

    The man: I _______________ ( wait ) for a bus at the bus stop.

8 ) At this time last Saturday I _______________ ( swim ) in the swimming pool.

9) She _______________ ( have ) a shower when I __________ ( call ) her so I had to talk to her mother.

10) I decided to move the house while I _______________ ( water ) the flowers in the garden.

EXERCISE 2

Fill in the blanks with Simple Past or Past Continuous Tense

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

I ___________ ( be ) in Malta for a holiday last summer and it was the place where I first __________ ( see )  her. It was a very hot evening so I _______________ ( decide ) to walk on the beach. Although it was nearly midnight, the beach was too very crowded. Some people _______________ ( sit ) around a fire, some people __________ ( sing ) with their friends. It was really a good atmosphere. While I ___________ ( look ) at the people around me, I ____________ ( notice ) somebody who _______________ ( sit ) alone and __________ ( watch ) the sea. It was her.  I was trying not to disturb her but suddenly she _______________ ( turn ) around and __________ ( see ) me. As soon as I ______________ ( look ) at her eyes, I _______________ ( fall ) in love with her.

To be continued….