WRITING PRACTICE 1

COURSE: FOUNDATION

1. Use the words below (in the same order) to create sentences. Add any necessary prepositions or
articles, and put the verbs in an appropriate form.

1. Young people / copy / role models / they / seg/television

-> Young people copy role models that they seg in television

2. Band / cancel / performance / personal / reasons

-> The band cancel the performance because of personal reasons.

3. Building / closed / public / safety concerns

--> The building was closed in public as safety concerns.

4. Prime Minister / appear / last night / BBC current affairs programme

--> Prime Minister appeared last night in BBC current affairs programme.

5. She / not / give / reason / be / late

--> She đin’t give any reason for being late.

6. Many people / now / book / holidays / internet

--> Many people now book thier holidays on internet.

7. They / spend / eight hours / day / work / computer

-> They spend eight hours a day on working on the computer.

8. Then / error message / suddenly / appear / screen

--> Then the error message suddenly appears on the screen.

2. There is one incorrect or missing preposition in each sentence below. Mark changes or additions
necessary to correct the sentences.

1. Some companies spend huge sums in advertising. --> on

2. The new labels provide customers better information about ingredients.

--> provide customers WITH better information

3. I have a problem AND I think you can help me.

4. The party promised to increase investment for education.

5. We are pressing for the provision FOR more special lanes for cyclists.

6. There are no facilities provided TO passengers with young children. --> FOR

7. Spending for photographic film has dropped dramatically.--> ON

8. There's a porter in reception to help guests WITH their bags.

3. Underline the correct preposition in each sentence.

1. There has been a slight rise in/of/to the number of men employed.

2. Experts expect there to be a fall by/of/in approximately 30% over the next decade.

3. The introduction of DVDs has led to a decline of/into video sales.

4. We have seen an increase by/of/in only 0.5% during the past year.

5. Researchers observed changes of/to/in educational levels.

6. The survey hopes to track trends for/in/to consumer spending.

7. The health service spent a total in/of/at £2.5 billion on staffing last year.

8. The new figures show a drop of 5% in/of/to student numbers.

4. Complete the news stories below with one preposition in each space.

The number of births in Scotland has risen to its highest level since 1999, according to the Registrar

General. Figures suggest that more than 54,000 babies were born in 2005, a rise (1) IN 420

births on the previous year - that's an increase (2) OF less than 1%. The increase (3)

IN births is lower than the increase (4) OF almost 3% between 2003 and 2004. The

Registrar General for Scotland said: "The recent upturn (5) IN the birth rate is encouraging but

it may be easing off." There was a slight decline (6) IN the number of deaths in 2005, with a

drop (7)IN the incidence of strokes and heart disease, two of Scotland's top three causes of

death. There was also a fall (8) IN the number of both marriages and divorces.

Schools spend much more (9) ON computer-based resources than (10) ON books, new

figures suggest. Expenditure (11)OF ICT (information and communication technology) has
seen a rise (12) BY more than 50% over the past year, according to figures from the

Department of Education.

A spokesperson pointed out that one of the reasons (13) FOR this shift is that pupils now have

more reading material available to them (14) ON the internet. Government figures also show that

schools spent £197 million (15) ON exam fees during the same period, a rise (16) BY

quarter in two years.

5. There are 10 mistakes with prepositions in the paragraph below - either incorrect or missing
prepositions. Find the mistakes and correct them.

In the past few years, there has been a dramatic increase of -> IN the number of budget airlines which
offer cheap flights throughout Europe. If you look in -> ON the internet, you will find some amazing
deals at -> ON their websites. These 'no frills' airlines provide very few facilities FOR their passengers,
but when they're only spending a few euros for => ON a flight, most people are happy with a basic
service. This reduction of => IN the cost of European air travel has, inevitably, led to an explosion of =>
IN the number of people who can afford to take foreign holidays. The growth to => IN air travel and
changes to patterns of tourism within Europe have had both positive and negative impacts. It has
encouraged investment for => IN many regional airports and boosted local economies, but what of the
environmental impact of => TO those extra air miles?

6. Rewrite the sentences below using the noun form of the underlined verb.

Example:

The graph shows that sales have fallen by 8%.

-> The graph shows a fall of 87 in sales.

1. We hope to reduce the number of injuries by 25%.

-> We hope to achieve a reduction of 25% in the nuber of injuries

2. The availability of this treatment varies a great deal from one region to another.

-> There is great deal vary from one region to another in the availability of this treatment

3. House prices have risen by 40% in the past five years.

-> In the past five years, there has been a rise of 40% in house prices

4. Daytime temperatures can peak at around 30°C in summer.

-> Daytime temperatures can reach a peak at around 30C in summer

5. The new principal is promising to improve computer access for students.

-> The new principal is promising students a computer access improvement

6. We need to invest more money in staff training.

-> There needs to be a more money investment in staff training

7. Below are comments from five people who have chosen to give up their cars, but their words are
in the incorrect order. Rewrite them to form correct sentences.

1. giving environmental for My car main reason up my was.

=> My car giving

2. mean local I transport need Improvements don't public that just in a car.

=> Improvement

3. different for to I rid reasons decided get my car a of number of.

.......................................................................................................................................

4. economic It fuel to a car any more run due the high wasn't cost to of.

.......................................................................................................................................

5. money much I spending found on I was too repairs.

=> I found money I