HKU School of Professional and continuing Education 

Active Grammar 2
End-of-course test (60 minutes)

Section 1 - Narrative tenses  (20 marks)
Complete the passage by filling each gap with an appropriate form of the verb in brackets.

I lost my train ticket once. It was years ago when I (1)_________(be) a student. I (2)____________(visit) my parents in the country for a few days and 
I (3)__________(travel) back to London where I (4)_____________(live) at the time. Anyway, I (5)________________(sit) on the train reading a book when the ticket collector (6)___________(come) along to inspect the tickets. When he came up to me I (7)____________(put) my hand in my pocket to show my ticket. It was winter and I (8)___________(wear) a scruffy old overcoat that I (9)_______________(buy) in a jumble sale. I searched in all my pockets but I (10)____________(not / find) my ticket anywhere. I couldn't understand what (11)______________(happen). I was sure  I (12)_______________(buy) a ticket as it was quite expensive - not the kind of thing you would forget.

The ticket collector (13)__________________(watch) me suspiciously as I (14)________________(look)  in all my pockets again going slightly red in the face. When I told him I couldn't find my ticket, he (15)_____________(take) my name and address and said I would have to pay later.

When I (16)________________(get)  home, I (17)_________________(look) through  my pockets again but I still couldn't find the ticket. It wasn't until a week later that I finally (18)____________(find)  the ticket, inside the lining at the very bottom of the coat. It (19)_____________(fall) through a hole in the pocket. By that time however I (20)___________(receive) a letter from the railway company saying they were not going to take any action on this occasion.

Section 2   -  Participle clauses  (5 marks)
Rewrite the sentences with a participle clause beginning with the word(s) given. 

He took the book in his hand, turned to the first page and started reading.
Taking___________________________________________________

I wasn't at the meeting so I have no idea what was agreed.
Not having ___________________________________________________

I see you know her quite well so perhaps you could ask her.
Seeing_______________________________________________________

He went rather red and said, 'Look, I'm really sorry about last night'.
Going _______________________________________________________

She didn't want to go to university so she found a job as a trainee designer.
Not_______________________________________________________

Section 3 -  Modal auxiliary verbs and equivalent structures  (15 marks)
Delete the words you think are not appropriate in each bold underlined section.

(1)	I  was able to / could  get in touch with John this morning.
(2)	You can / will be able to use   most Hong Kong ATM cards abroad so I'm sure you  (3) can / will be able to   use yours in London.
(4)	She could speak / managed to speak three languages by the age of seven.
(5)	I'm afraid we couldn't / haven't been able to find a suitable replacement so far, but we're still looking.

(6)	Don't worry, she will / must be/ can be  there at nine.  She's never late.
(7)	He's only gone to the shop for a paper so he mustn't / couldn't / shouldn't  be long.
(8)	You must / should / will  be boiling hot in that coat in this weather.
(9)	They can't have / wouldn't have/ might not have  invited him. Otherwise he'd be here.
(10)	She might have / must have / should have  gone to the beach. She does go swimming sometimes on Saturdays.
(11)	If you want to go to the airport, you can / may / are supposed to take the Airport Express
(12)	You have to / must / should  buy a ticket if you want to travel on the MTR. 
(13)	You can / have to / must  buy an Octopus card, which is more convenient if you use public transport often.
(14)	Most Hong Kong people shouldn't / no need / don't have to get a visa to go to the UK.
(15)	You didn't need to bring / no need bring/ needn't have brought sandwiches as lunch is provided.

Section 4  -  Conditionals, wishes and regrets  (10 marks)
Complete the sentences by writing the correct form of the words in brackets.

I wish I (1)_______________(not / go) to bed so late last night.
If I (2)__________________(go) to bed earlier  I (3)______________________(not be) so tired this morning 
and  I (4)_______________(be able to) concentrate now. It's my brother's fault. He was watching TV until 2 a.m.
I wish  he (5)_____________________(not watch) TV so late every evening. 
He's so noisy. In fact, I wish  he (6)__________________(move out) of the flat and find a place of his own.
If he moved out, the flat (7)___________________(be) a lot quieter and I (8)_______________(be able to) study at home.
In fact, if he (9)________________(stay) here much longer, I think I (11)________________(go) crazy!

Section 5  -  Present perfect, present and past tenses  (20 marks)
Complete the passage by filling each gap with an appropriate form of the verb in brackets.

Dear Maria,

It (1)__________(be) great to get your email, and apologies for the time it (2)_____________(take) to reply. We (3)____________(pack) our things in preparation for moving house next month. Anyway, we (4)_________________(nearly / finish) now. Most of the furniture (5)______________(already / go) - in fact we (6)________________(sleep) on the floor for the past few days! The children (7)______________(go)  to stay with Julia's sister in London for a few weeks, which is making life a bit easier.

Anyway, congratulations on your promotion. You must be very pleased. I know how hard you (8)________________(work) over the past year so you deserve it.

We (9)_______________(go) for dinner with Kate and Tom last week, but apart from that we (10)_________________(not / go) out much as we have had too much to do. Kate's well. She (11)_______________(do) a part-time MA in IT  since October and says she's really enjoying it.  

Julia (12)______________(look) for a new job as she (13)____________(have) enough of working for DCM. The overtime (14)_______________(become) ridiculous. Last week they (15)________________(expect) her to work until 9 every night.   She (16)___________________(apply) for jobs locally as she doesn't want to travel. She (17) _____________(not / find) anything yet although she (18)___________(have) a couple of interviews.

What we really need is a holiday! We (19)_______________(think) of going to Hong Kong or Singapore. You (20)_______________(go) to Singapore, I seem to remember. What did you think of it? is it a good place to relax?
Section 6  -  Active and passive  (10 marks)
Delete the words you think are not appropriate in each bold underlined section.

Dear Mr Kwok,

(1) Please be informed / I am pleased to inform you  that you have passed Module 1 of the Accelerated English Course. (2)  I will send a certificate / A certificate will be sent shortly. Please contact this office if (3)  it has not been received / you have not received it  by the end of September.

I would like to invite you  to apply for  Module 2 which (4)  starts / is started on 1 September.
The course (5)  will be taught /will teach by Dr Jon Humphreys  and (6)  we will hold it/ will be held  in our Central Plaza Learning Centre. The times and precise location (7)  will be confirmed / will confirm  within the next week. Please see the website for details.

The attached application form should (8) complete /be completed by 12 August and (9)  you should send it / sent  to the above address. 
Please note that any applications received after this date(10)  we will not accept them / will not be accepted .

We look forward to receiving your application for Module 2. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call the Student Affairs office on 2671 4242.

Yours sincerely,

Total: 80 marks

Answers

Section 1 - Narrative tenses  (20 marks)
Complete the passage by filling each gap with an appropriate form of the verb in brackets.

I lost my train ticket once. It was years ago when I (1) was (be) a student. I (2) had been visiting (visit) my parents in the country for a few days and 
I (3) was travelling (travel) back to London where I (4) lived / was living (live) at the time. Anyway, I (5) was sitting (sit) on the train reading a book when the ticket collector (6) came (come) along to inspect the tickets. When he came up to me I (7) put (put) my hand in my pocket to show my ticket. It was winter and I (8) was wearing (wear) a scruffy old overcoat that I (9) had bought (buy) in a jumble sale. I searched in all my pockets but I (10) couldn't find (can /not / find) my ticket anywhere. I couldn't understand what (11) had happened (happen). I was sure I (12) had bought (buy) a ticket as it was quite expensive - not the kind of thing you would forget.

The ticket collector (13) watched (watch) me suspiciously as I (14) looked (look)  in all my pockets again going slightly red in the face. When I told him I couldn't find my ticket, he (15) took (take) my name and address and said I would have to pay later.

When I (16) got (get)  home, I (17) looked (look) through  my pockets again but I still couldn't find the ticket. It wasn't until a week later that I finally (18) found (find)  the ticket, inside the lining at the very bottom of the coat. It (19)  fallen (fall) through a hole in the pocket. By that time however I (20) had received (receive) a letter from the railway company saying they were not going to take any action on this occasion.

Section 2  -  Participle clauses  (5 marks)
Rewrite the sentences with a participle clause beginning with the word(s) given.

He took the book in his hand, turned to the first page and started reading.
Taking the book in his hand, he turned to the first page and started reading.

I wasn't at the meeting so I have no idea what was agreed.
Not having been at the meeting, I have no idea what was agreed.

I see you know her quite well so perhaps you could ask her.
Seeing you know her quite well, perhaps you could ask her.

He went rather red and said, 'Look, I'm really sorry about last night'.
Going rather red, he said, 'Look, I'm really sorry about last night'.

She didn't want to go to university so she found a job as a trainee designer.
Not wanting to go to university, she found a job as a trainee designer.

Section 3  -  Modal auxiliary verbs and equivalent structures  (15 marks)
Delete the words you think are not appropriate in each bold underlined section.

(1)	I  was able to / could  get in touch with John this morning.
(2)	You can / will be able to use   most Hong Kong ATM cards abroad so I'm sure you  (3) can / will be able to   use yours in London.
(4)	She could speak/ managed to speak three languages by the age of seven.
(5)	I'm afraid we couldn't /haven't been able to find a suitable replacement so far, but we're still looking.

(6)	Don't worry, she will / must be/ can be  there at nine.  She's never late.
(7)	He's only gone to the shop for a paper so he mustn't / couldn't / shouldn't  be long.
(8)	You must / should / will  be boiling hot in that coat in this weather.
(9)	They can't have / wouldn't have/ might not have  invited him. Otherwise he'd be here.
(10)	She might have / must have / should have  gone to the beach. She does go swimming sometimes on Saturdays.

(11)	If you want to go to the airport, you can / may / are supposed to take the Airport Express
(12)	You have to / must / should  buy a ticket to travel on the MTR. 
(13)	You can / have to / must  buy an Octopus card, which is more convenient if you use public transport often.
(14)	Most Hong Kong people shouldn't / no need / don't have to get a visa to go to the UK.
(15)	You didn't need to bring / no need bring/ needn't have brought sandwiches as lunch is provided.

Section  4  -  Conditionals, wishes and regrets  (10 marks)
Complete the sentences by writing the correct form of the words in brackets.

I wish I (1)  hadn't gone (not / go) to bed so late last night.
If I (2) had gone (go) to bed earlier  I (3) would not have been (not be) so tired this morning 
and  I (4) would be able to (be able to) concentrate now. It's my brother's fault. He was watching TV until 2 a.m.
I wish  he (5)  wouldn't watch / didn't watch (not watch) TV so late every evening. 
He's so noisy. In fact, I wish  he (6) would move out (move out) of the flat and find a place of his own.
If he moved out, the flat (7) would be (be) a lot quieter and I (8) would be (be able to) study at home.
In fact, if he (9) stays(stay) here much longer, I think I (11) will (go) crazy!

Section 5  -  Present perfect, present and past tenses  (20 marks)
Complete the passage by filling each gap with an appropriate form of the verb in brackets.

Dear Maria,

It (1)   was (be) great to get your email, and apologies as usual for the time it (2) has taken (take) to reply. We (3) have been packing (pack) our things in preparation for moving house next month. Anyway, we (4) have nearly finished (nearly / finish) now. Most of the furniture (5)  has already gone (already / go) - in fact we (6) have been sleeping (sleep) for the past few days! The children (7) have gone (go)  to stay with Julia's sister in London for a few weeks, which is making life a bit easier.

Anyway, congratulations on your promotion. You must be very pleased. I know how hard you (8) have worked / have been working (work) over the past year.

We (9) went (go) for dinner with Kate and Tom last week, but apart from that we (10) haven't been_(not / go) out much as we've had too much to do. Kate's well. She (11) has been doing (do) a part-time MA in IT  since October and says she's really enjoying it.  

Julia (12) is looking / has been looking (look) for a new job as she (13) has had (have) enough of working for DCM. The overtime (14) has become / is becoming (become) ridiculous. Last week they (15) expected (expect) her to work until 9 every night.   She (16) is applying / has been applying (apply) for jobs locally as she doesn't want to travel. She (17) hasn't found (not / find) anything yet although she (18) has had (have) a couple of interviews.

What we really need is a holiday! We (19) are thinking / have been thinking (think) of going to Hong Kong or Singapore. You (20) have been (go) to Singapore, I seem to remember. What did you think of it? Is it a good place to relax?

Section  6  -  Active and passive  (10 marks)
Delete the words you think are not appropriate in each bold underlined section.

Dear Mr Kwok,

(1) Please be informed / I am pleased to inform you  that you have passed Module 1 of the Accelerated English Course. (2)  I will send a certificate / A certificate will be sent shortly. Please contact this office if (3)  it has not been received / you have not received it  by the end of September.

I would like to invite you  to apply for  Module 2 which (4)  starts / is started on 1 September.
The course (5)  will be taught /will teach by Dr Jon Humphreys and (6)  we will hold it/will be held  in our Central Plaza Learning Centre. The times and precise location (7)  will be confirmed / will confirm  within the next week. Please see the website for details.

The attached application form should (8) complete /be completed by 12 August and (9)  you should send it / sent  to the above address. 
Please note that any applications received after this date(10)  we will not accept them / will not be accepted .

We look forward to receiving your application for Module 2. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call the Student Affairs office on 2671 4242.

Yours sincerely,