INTERMEDIATE TEST

Exercise 1 - Tenses and verb forms

Put the verb in brackets in the correct tense. Some verbs are passive, and there are also examples of the Second
Conditional, indirect questions, infinitives, gerunds, and reported statements and requests.

Example:
I started (start) teaching five years ago. I really like teaching (teach) children.

An interview with Sarah Jenkins

Sarah Jenkins is an English teacher. She 1_________ (work) in a language school in London. She
2__________ (teach) English since she 3_________ (leave) university five years ago. I asked her first if she
4__________ (enjoy) teaching English. „Yes, I do,“ she replied. „It´s hard work, but it´s very rewarding.“
„5_________ you ever __________ (work) abroad?“ „Yes,“ replied Sarah, „I 6__________ (spend) two years
in Madrid. But the school soon closed and I 7___________ (make) redundant. Luckily, some of my students
asked me if I 8_________ (continue) to teach them privately, so I stayed in Madrid.
„And how long 9_________you _________(teach) in London?“I asked. „Since I came back from
Madrid, three years ago.“ I then asked Sarah what the most memorable moment of her career was.
„Well, a funny thing 10_________ (happen) while I 11_________ (work) at the school in Madrid.
I had a student called Gloria. On some days she was the best student in the class. But on other days she
performed really badly. I tried very hard 12_________ (help) her, but things got worse. Then, one day, I met
Gloria in the street and asked her about her boyfriend. (The day before she 13_________(tell) me a sad
story about him.) She looked surprised and told me that her name 14____________ (be) Victoria, not Gloria.
She continued, „My twin sister and I 15_________ (alternate) in your classes since September – two for the
price of one!“ After that it was much easier to teach them. At the beginning of each class I simply asked,
„Are you Gloria or Victoria today?“ Finally I asked Sarah about her plans for the future. „Well, I´m very
interested in teaching young children, so next September I 16___________ (do) a special training course.“
„And are you going to stay in Britain, or would you like to work abroad again?“
„I 17_________ (promote) recently. I´m now Director of Studies. So I think I 18__________ (stay)
here for a few more years. Of course, if someone 19____________ (offer) me a well-paid job in Italy or
Greece, I 20____________ (take) it, but that´s not very likely!“

Exercise 2 - Conditionals
Using the prompts, write a sentence in either the first or the second conditional.

1. „Are you coming to town with me this afternoon?“

„Perhaps. If I / finish / decorating the living room, I / come / with you.“

_____________________________________________________________________________
2. „I haven´t got any money. If I / have / some money, I / buy / you a drink.“

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3. „I always go to Italy for my holidays. If the weather in Britain / be / better, I /take / my holidays / there.“

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4. „I´ve got so much work to do!“
„I´m sorry. I have a lot of work, too. If I / have / more time, I / help / you.“

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5. „I´m a teacher. If I / be / the Minister for Education, I / spend / more money on schools.“

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6. „I´ve lost my address book.“
„If I / find it, I / bring it to you.“
Exercise 4 - Modals
Finish each sentence (b) so that it means the same as sentence (a).
Example: (a) I´m sure he´s not Swedish. He has black hair and brown eyes.
(b) He can´t be Swedish. He has black hair and brown eyes.
1. (a) The dog´s barking. I´m sure he´s hungry.
(b)The dog´s barking. He must
_______________________________________________________________
2. (a) There´s no food in his bowl. I´m certain he hasn´t eaten anything since this morning.
(b) There´s no food in his bowl. He can´t
________________________________________________________
3. (a) Sally hasn´t got in touch with me. Perhaps she phoned while I was out.
(b) Sally hasn´t got in touch with me. She could
__________________________________________________
4. (a) Ah, the phone´s ringing. Perhaps it´s Sally.
(b) Ah, the phone´s ringing. It could
____________________________________________________________
5. (a) Why did the car crash? Perhaps the driver didn´t see the red light.
(b) Why did the car crash? The driver might
_____________________________________________________
6. (a) I´m sure it was Tom I saw at the theatre last night.
(b) It must
________________________________________________________________________________
7. (a) Why is that man standing at the side of the road? Perhaps he´s trying to hitch a lift.
(b) Why is that man standing at the side of the road? He might
______________________________________

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Exercise 5 - Time expressions
Complete the sentences with in, at, on, ago, for, since or nothing.
1. I left college ______________ 1982.
2. What are you doing ______________ next Thursday?
3. I like to relax ______________ weekends.
4. He came to live here four years ______________.
5. He´d been painting ______________ many years before he sold his first picture.
6. Shakespeare was born ______________ 23 April, 1564.
7. Spring begins ______________ March.
8. We always eat turkey ______________ Christmas.
9. ______________ you left, there have been many changes. 10
10. I started my new job ______________ last Monday.

Exercise 8 - Correct these sentences

There is one mistake in each of the following sentences. Find it and write the corrected sentence below.
1. How long do you live in London?
____________________________________________________________________________________
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2. Yesterday evening I have seen a really good film.
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3. I´ll phone you as soon as I´ll arrive.
____________________________________________________________________________________
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4. If I won a million pounds, I´ll buy a Rolls Royce.
____________________________________________________________________________________
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5. I work in this office since 1992.
 ____________________________________________________________________________________
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6. „I went to Canada last year.“ „So have I.“
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7. If you have a headache you ought take an aspirin.
____________________________________________________________________________________
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8. „What´s the matter?“ „I´ve just been seeing a road accident.“
____________________________________________________________________________________
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9. Could you tell me how much does this cost?“
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10. She said me that she was hungry.
____________________________________________________________________________________
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Exercise 9 - Everyday English
What would you say in these situations?
1. Somebody telephones your house and wants to speak to your son, but he isn´t at home. Tell the caller
where your son is and offer to take a message.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____
____________________________________________________________________________________
____

2. You phone the travel agent to inquire about flights to the USA. The office is closed so you leave
a message on the answer phone. Introduce yourself, say why you are phoning, ask the travel agent to call
you back, leave your number, and end the call.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____
____________________________________________________________________________________
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3. Your friend says she has a headache. Make helpful suggestions.

____________________________________________________________________________________
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4. Your brother rings you and says he´s just won $ 100.000 on the National Lottery. Suggest things he could
do with the money.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____

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5. You have arranged to go to the cinema with your friend. But on that day your sister has an accident and is
taken to hospital. You want to visit her in the evening and have to cancel the appointment with your friend.
What will you say to him?

____________________________________________________________________________________
____
____________________________________________________________________________________
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6. Your friend tells you he has just failed to get a place at university, and that he has to stay at school for
another year.
 ____________________________________________________________________________________
____
____________________________________________________________________________________
____

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Exercise 10 - Phrasal verbs
Match a verb from A with an adverb/preposition from B to complete the sentences. Put the verbs in the correct form.
A Turn look bring take get
B Over up on after off
1. Quick! ______________ the television – the film´s about to start.
2. We ______________ from Heathrow Airport at 1 pm and landed in Paris an hour later.
3. My grandparents were very poor. I don´t know how they managed to ______________ six children.
4. He found it very difficult to ______________ his mother´s death.
5. We can get a baby-sitter to ______________ the children while we´re out. 5