exercises – Ingliando

Sentence Transformation Exercise

Bisogna completare la seconda frase in modo che fornisce esattamente la stessa informazione della prima frase utilizzando un massimo di TRE parole.

Se lavori dal PC (scelta consigliata) puoi controllare le tue risposte fermando il cursore del mouse sullo spazio nella seconda frase SENZA cliccare. Se lavori da smartphone o tablet puoi consultare le soluzioni in fondo alla pagina (meno comodo).

BUON LAVORO!

1) We have a new swimming pool in our town.
There __________ a new swimming pool in our town.

2) The new pool opened five days ago.
The new pool has been open __________ five days.

3) The old swimming pool wasn’t as big as the new one.
The new swimming pool is __________ the old one.

4) The new pool is closed on Wednesday mornings.
The new pool isn’t __________ on Wednesday mornings.

5) Young children are not allowed to go in the deep end.
Young children must __________ in the deep end.

6) This is the first time I’ve been to the new pool.
I __________ been to the new pool before.

7) I went to the old pool every week.
I used __________ to the old pool every week.

8) My old swimming costume isn’t big enough for me.
My old swimming costume is too __________ for me.

9) I borrowed a swimming costume from my friend.
My friend __________ a swimming costume.

10) We stayed in the pool for two hours.
We __________ two hours in the pool.

11) The Royal Cinema is near my house.
The Royal Cinema is not __________ my house.

12) The cinema has eight screens.
There __________ eight screens in the cinema .

13) I go there every Sunday with my friend.
I go there __________ Sundays with my friend.

14) We pay £6 each for the tickets.
The tickets __________ £6 each.

15) Last week my sister said she wanted to come with us.
Last week my sister said, “I __________ come with you.”

16) My brother is too young to come with us.
My brother isn’t __________ to come with us.

17) The film was so long that I fell asleep.
It was such __________ that I fell asleep.

18) I found the film boring.
I was __________ by the film.

19) The title of the film was Barry Lyndon.
The film was __________ Barry Lyndon.

20) My sister said it was the worst film she’d ever seen.
My sister said, “__________ the worst film I’ve ever seen.”

21) My friend and I took the bus to town last week.
My friend and I went to town __________ last week.

22) My friend forgot to bring her purse.
My friend didn’t __________ bring her purse.

23) She asked me how much money I had in my purse.
She asked me,”How much money __________ in your purse?”

24) First we went into a shop called The Blue Banana.
First we went into a shop __________ name was The Blue Banana.

25) We couldn’t afford the clothes in The Blue Banana.
The clothes in The Blue Banana were __________ for us.

26) We bought nothing in The Blue Banana.
We didn’t __________ in The Blue Banana.

27) The shop next door is owned by my mother’s friend.
My mother’s friend __________ the shop next door.

28) Although she showed me lots of clothes, I couldn’t choose.
She showed me lots of clothes __________ I couldn’t choose.

29) We said, “If we don’t hurry, we’ll miss the bus”.
We said, “Unless __________ we’ll miss the bus”.

30) We had such a tiring day we fell asleep on the bus.
We were so __________ we fell asleep on the bus.

31) All the people in my class went to a restaurant together.
__________ in my class went to a restaurant together.

32) The restaurant is usually crowded because it’s so good.
It’s usually crowded because it’s __________ good restaurant.

33) It’s less crowded on weekdays.
It isn’t __________ crowded on weekdays.

34) The restaurant had a large garden at the back.
__________ a large garden at the back of the restaurant.

35) Before choosing our food, we asked the waiter’s advice.
We asked the waiter’s advice, then __________ our food.

36) The waiter recommended a fish dish.
The waiter said, “If I __________ you, I’d have the fish dish.

37) The service charge wasn’t included in the bill.
The bill __________ the service charge.

38) The ring I bought was more expensive than the others in the shop.
I bought __________ ring in the shop.

39) The moon is smaller than the earth.
The moon is not __________ the earth.

40) My brother is shorter than all the other boys in his class.
My brother is __________ in his class.

41) Sailing is less tiring than windsurfing.
Sailing is not __________ windsurfing.

42) Children are given a quiz when they arrive at the museum.
The museum __________ children a quiz when they arrive.

43) I am driven to school every day by my father.
My father __________ to school every day.

44) I have never lived in a flat before.
This is the first time I __________ in a flat.

45) My new flat is near the station.
My new flat is not __________ the station.

46) The flat is smaller than my old one.
The flat is not __________ my old one.

47) I moved into this flat three weeks ago.
I __________ this flat for three weeks.

48) The flat has one bedroom.
There __________ one bedroom in the flat.

49) From my window, I have a lovely view.
From my window, the view __________ lovely.

50) From this flat, my journey to work is very short.
I get to work very __________ from this flat.

51) Tickets are sold at the box office until 8pm.
The box office __________ tickets until 8pm.

52) There was such a tall man in front of me that I couldn’t see very well.
The man in front of me was __________ that I couldn’t see very well.

53) The orchestra played too softly so it was difficult to hear the music.
The orchestra didn’t play __________ so it was difficult to hear the music.

54) Some of the performers were very good dancers indeed.
Some of the performers danced very __________ indeed.

55) We should go to musicals more often.
We ought __________ to musicals more often.

56) She said, “Please lend me some money, Bill.”
She asked Bill __________ some money.

57) “Don’t put anything on my desk, Susan,” said Derek.
Derek told Susan __________ anything on his desk.

58) “Can you phone the bank please, Mrs Jones?” said the accountant.
The accountant asked Mrs Jones __________ the bank.

59) “Please don’t touch my computer Adam,” I said.
I asked Adam __________ touch my computer.

60) The manager said “Don’t go into my office, Jenny.”
The manager told Jenny __________ into his office.”

61) “Please tidy all the shelves, Helen,” said Jasper.
Jasper asked Helen __________ all the shelves.

62) “Mike, give me my jacket,” said Dave.
Dave asked Mike __________ his jacket.

ATTENZIONE
SOLUZIONI QUI SOTTO

1) is
2) for
3) bigger than
4) open
5) not go
6) haven’t / have never
7) to go
8) small
9) lent me
10) spent
11) far from
12) are
13) on
14) cost
15) want to
16) old enough
17) a long film
18) bored
19) called
20) This is / It is
21) by bus
22) remember to
23) have you got / do you have
24) whose
25) too expensive
26) buy anything
27) owns
28) but
29) we hurry
30) tired
31) everyone / everybody
32) such a
33) as / so
34) There was
35) (we) chose
36) were
37) didn’t / did not include
38) the most expensive
39) as big as
40) the shortest boy
41) as tiring as
42) gives
43) drives me
44) have lived in
45) far from
46) as big as
47) have been in / have lived in
48) is
49) is
50) quickly
51) sells
52) so tall
53) loudly enough
54) well
55) to go
56) to lend her
57) not to put
58) to phone
59) not to
60) not to go
61) to tidy
62) to give him

Active to passive

esercizio con la forma passiva
[vedi articolo]
• intermediate •

Cambia le frasi qui sotto dalla forma attiva alla forma passiva. Dove c’è un complemento di termine in grassetto, usalo come soggetto della frase passiva invece del complemento oggetto.

We only use this room on special occasions.
They feed the seals at the zoo twice a day.
Students are doing a lot of the work.
Are they pulling down the old theatre?
They rang the church bells as a flood warning.
Lightning hit the old oak tree.
They were cleaning the windows and sweeping the floors.
Someone was selling lottery tickets at the door.
Will they give us a guide?
We will not admit children under sixteen.
Has someone made the sandwiches?
The author has written a special edition for children.
People must not leave bicycles in the entrance hall.
Can children do this kind of work?
They told her what to do.
They showed us to our seats.

Se vuoi un riscontro diretto, lascia le tue versioni nei commenti.
Altrimenti aspetta che pubblico le mie versioni tra qualche giorno.
Non guardare i commenti degli altri se non vuoi farti influenzare.

BUON LAVORO!

Would you like some tea?

~ some / any / a ~

Esercizio a livello elementary.
Per trovare le soluzioni, passaci sopra lo spazio con il mouse senza cliccare.
[pc only]

1. There’s _______ milk in the fridge, but there aren’t _______ biscuits.
2. I can’t find _______ good postcards of the cathedral.
3. Tom bought _______ new jacket yesterday.
4. The supermarket didn’t have _______ lemons.
5. Do you want _______ glass of wine with your sandwich?
6. We’ve still got _______ tickets for the concert on Sunday evening.
7. Do you know _______ good restaurants around here?
8. We had _______ good lunch and _______ free time in the afternoon.
9. Would you like _______ strawberries and ice cream?
10. There is _______ bus stop but I can’t see _______ buses.

grammar

Ode to the spell checker

Ammettilo, quante volte hai contemplato l’idea di disattivare il predictive text (ex T9) del tuo smartphone? Già. Il predictive text. Una di quelle trovate super-tecnologiche che tanto sembra una buon’idea, tanto può essere davvero frustrante quando cerchi di mandare un messaggio, sopratutto se vai di premura.

Bene, qualche inglese anonimo e spiritoso ha scritto questa ode in onore del famigerato Spell Checker. Il tuo lavoro? Riscriverla nei commenti in un inglese corretto. Buon divertimento!

Eye have a spelling checker,
It came with my pea sea,
It plane lea marques four my revue
Miss steaks eye can knot sea.

Eye strike a key and type a word
And weight four it two say
Weather eye am wrong oar write,
It shows me strait a weigh.

As soon as a mist ache is maid
It nose bee fore two long,
And eye can put the error rite,
It’s rare lea ever wrong.

Eye have run this poem threw it,
Eye am shore your pleased two no,
Its letter perfect awl the weigh,
My checker tolled me sew.

Who is Johnny Depp?

Exercise: past simple vs. past continuous

Bisogna mettere tutti i verbi che trovi scritti tra parentesi, nel tempo corretto, scegliendo principalmente tra il past simple e il past continuous, ma tenendo presente che dove c’è il discorso diretto, potranno servire anche degli altri tempi. Bisogna ricordare che il past simple serve per l’andamento narrativo (in ordine cronologico) mentre il past continuous serve per descrivere quelle azioni che erano già in corso in un momento specifico del narrativo.

Buon lavoro!

Who is Johnny Depp?

Last summer I __________ (go) to Los Angeles to stay with my cousin for a few weeks. One afternoon we _______ (have) lunch in a nice restaurant in the centre of town when my cousin __________ (get) a call on her mobile phone and __________ (go) outside to talk.

While she __________ (speak) to her friend, I suddenly __________ (notice) a man in a black hat who __________ (sit) at the next table. It __________ (be) the actor Johnny Depp! He __________ (be) alone, and I __________ (decide) to take my chance. So I __________ (get up) and __________ (go) to his table.

“Excuse me, can I take a photograph with you and me together?” I __________ (ask).

He __________ (say) yes, so I __________ (stop) a waitress who __________ (pass) and __________ (give) my camera to her. She __________ (take) the photo of me with Johnny and I __________ (thank) her and __________ (go back) to my table.

When my cousin __________ (come back) , I __________ (smile) . “Why __________ (smile) ?” she __________ (ask) .
“The waitress __________ (just take) a photo of me with Johnny Depp!” I __________ (reply) .

“Johnny Depp? Where is he?” she __________ (ask) .
“He __________ (sit) at that table.” I __________ (reply) .
She __________ (turn) to look and then __________ (start) to laugh.
“That __________ (not be) Johnny Depp!” she __________ (say).
I __________ (look) again at the man in the black hat: he __________ (laugh) too!

ATTENZIONE
VERSIONE CORRETTA QUI SOTTO

Rosso = past simple

Blue = past continuous

Viola = altri tempi

Last summer I went to Los Angeles to stay with my cousin for a few weeks. One afternoon we were having lunch in a nice restaurant in the centre of town when my cousin got a call on her mobile phone and went outside to talk.

While she was speaking to her friend, I suddenly noticed a man in a black hat who was sitting at the next table. It was the actor Johnny Depp! He was alone, and I decided to take my chance. So I got up and went to his table.

“Excuse me, can I take a photograph with you and me together?” I asked.

He said yes, so I stopped a waitress who was passing and gave my camera to her. She took the photo of me with Johnny and I thanked her and went back to my table.

When my cousin came back, I was smiling. “Why are you smiling?” she asked.
“The waitress has just taken a photo of me with Johnny Depp!” I replied.

“Johnny Depp? Where is he?” she asked.
“He is sitting at that table.” I replied.
She turned to look and then started to laugh.
“That isn’t Johnny Depp!” she said.
I looked again at the man in the black hat: he was laughing too!

Life is too short for drama

ELEMENTARY EXERCISE

Le cinque domande nell’immagine qui sopra utilizzano una grammatica colloquiale dove manca il soggetto e la forma interrogativa è incompleta. Lascia un commento con le cinque domande riscritte nella forma corretta.

Future hopes

How would you describe this cartoon?
Is it funny, sad, ironical, hopeful, stupid, realistic, depressing?
Is it trying to make a point?
Is there a play on words?

**~ Leave your opinion in the comments ~**

Which future?

WHICH FUTURE?

La scelta della forma futura più adatta per una frase dipende moltissimo dal contesto in cui la frase viene utilizzata e spesso anche dal taglio che l’interlocutore vuole dare al messaggio. Di conseguenza un esercizio come questo che è privo di un contesto reale può diventare un po’ problematico. Tuttavia ritengo che sia utile. Bisogna, però, affrontare ogni frase costruendosi un contesto imaginario che permette di individuare la forma più idonea, soprattutto quando più di una forma sarebbe possibile (ricorda che il present continuous è quasi sempre preferito al ‘going to’ quando la frase lo permette). Si consiglia per chi non è familiare con le quattro forme basi per il tempo futuro in inglese, la lettura dell’articolo che si trova QUI. Le soluzioni sono in fondo alla pagina.

EXERCISE 1

Traduci le seguenti frasi dall’italiano all’inglese cercando di utilizzare la forma del futuro che più si addice alla situazione immaginaria.

“Costruiranno un albergo qui.”
“Chiedi a Jill. Ti aiuterà.”
“Luca non lavora la prossima settimana.”
“Non telefonare alle 2.00. Non saremo a casa.”
“Il concerto sta per iniziare.”
“Non credo che il Milan vincerà.”
“Restate a casa stasera?”
“Credi che pioverà questo fine settimana?”
“Domani alle 9.00 saremo a Vienna.”
“Ti ricorderai di mandarmi una cartolina?”
“L’aereo parte nel pomeriggio.”
“Tom non sarà in ufficio domani. Va a Londra.”
“Inviterai molta gente alla tua festa?”
“Mi dispiace. Non succederà più.” (più = again)
“Uscite voi stasera? Noi andiamo al cinema.”
“Penso che Luigi non verrà.” (I don’t think…)
“Siamo in ritardo! Perderemo il treno!” (perdere = to miss)
“Guido io. Tu sei troppo stanco.”
“Dove passerete le vacanze di Natale?” (passare = to spend)
“Credo che guarderò un film stasera.”
“La partita finisce alle 4.30 questo pomeriggio.”
“Che cosa farà Lara dopo l’università?” – “Cercherà un lavoro.”
“Non ti alzare. Lavo io i piatti.”