Exercise 1. Change the following sentences so as to use the pattern.

Exercise 1.

1. There isn't much chance of the weather improving today.

likely

The weather.............................................................. today.

2. The meeting probably won’t last more than a few minutes.

unlikely

The meeting............................................................ on for more than a few minutes.

3. The band probably won't do another tour this year.

unlikely

The band.......................................................................... another tour this year.

4. This old car probably won’t last for more than a year.

unlikely

This old car................................................... for more than one year.

5. Mike probably won’t come to the party.

Unlikely

Mike……………………………. to the party.

6. It’s unlikely that it’ll stop snowing soon.

It isn’t ………………….. snowing soon.

7. He’ll probably win the race.

Likely

He’s ………………………….. the race.

8. She’ll probably be late for the meeting.

Unlikely

She’s ……………………….. for the meeting.

9. She’ll probably be nominated for an award.

Likely

She……………………………..for an award.

Exercise 2.

1. Is it probable that they will send him an invitation? - (certain)

2. Is it probable that he will marry her? - (sure)

3. Is it probable that the coat will be ready by next Friday? - (likely)

4. Is it probable that this medicine will help him? - (certain)

5. Is it probable that Ann will take part in our concert? - (sure)

6. Is it probable that the conference will be held at our university? - (likely)

Exercise 3.

I hear your friend is coming today. – I really don’t think he (to come) as he (not to go) by plane.

I really don’t think he is likely to come as he is unlikely to go by plane.

1. Having four hours of grammar running I can’t but criticize the timetable. - Yes, I fully agree with you but...(not to change)

2. Is your son going to university this summer? - He hopes to, but I’m afraid he... (not to enter). He isn’t well-read in all the subjects.

3. They say there’s a new novel by S. Faulks. - Do you think it... (to translate) into Russian?

4. The child is so naughty! - He... (to punish) for his bad behaviour?

5. I think there’s a disco today. - Do you think you... (to invite) there?

6. John is still in hospital. He is being treated with some new medicine. - They say it... (to work) wonders.

7. Everyone is crazy about the coming concert. - Yes, the tickets are hard to get. They... (not to buy) at the box office.

8. I’m so nervous before the operation! - Oh, it’ll be all right! You... (not to feel) anything.

9. I’ve bought two tickets for the ferry. We’ll have a nice voyage. - Oh, no! I’m usually seasick, and I... (to be) a good sailor.

10. Has he left for good? Never to come back? - Yes, I think he... (not to return)

Exercise 4.

It’s pouring with rain. And I must go out now. – Don’t. You are sure to get wet through.

1. I’m afraid a thunderstorm is approaching. – Yes. It looks like rain. (we - catch in the storm)

2. Michael is really very talented. – (he – get a grant)

3. There’s no bus and it’s almost seven o’clock! – (we – be late for the performance / not to admit into the hall)

4. I can’t call her. I don’t know her telephone number. – Ring up the telephone directory. (they – give it to you)

5. Do you think he can give up smoking? – Yes, he’s so ill that (he – give it up)

6. Do you think the taxes will go up or down? – (they – go up next year)

7. My friend is going to buy a new flat. – Is he? (it – cost him a lot of money)

8. I must call Sean. Do you think he will be at home tonight? – (you – find him) at home. He is always at home at this time.

9. My daughter was robbed on her way home last night. – Oh, isn’t that awful? But I think (the robbers - find)

10. We’re going to redecorate our flat this summer. – Oh, poor you! (you – hate the moment you start it)

be (well) worth V_ing

there’s no point (in) V_ing = it’s no use V_ing

see the point of V_ing

be on the point of V_ing = be about to do smth

1. There’s no point in asking George to help.

worth

It............................................... George to help.

2. It wasn’t worth going to the market because it was closing.

Point

The market was closing, so ………………………. going there.

3. It’s not worth saving this left-over food.

Point

There’s …………………………this left-over food.

4. He was about to start the car when someone called him.

Point

He was…………………………….the car when someone called him.

5. She has already made up her mind so it is not worth trying to convince her.

Point

She has already made up her mind so………………………..trying to convince her.

6. It’s useless to worry about what has already happened.

Point

There is ……………………………… what has already happened.

7. I don’t see why I should try harder.

Worth

In my opinion, it…………………….. harder.

8. I shouldn’t bother washing my car today because it’s going to rain.

Worth

It………………………. my car today because it’s going to rain.

9. Learning to sew seemed a waste of time to Lisa.

point
Lisa couldn’t ……………………….. learning to sew.

10. I was just about to call you to see what time you were coming.

Point

I ……………………………you to see what time you were coming.

11. There’s no point arguing about this small detail, in my opinion.

Worth

This small detail …………………………., in my opinion.

12. I was on the point of calling him when he rang me instead.

About

I was just …………………… when he rang me instead.

13. Tom hates parties, so don’t try to persuade him to go.

Worth

It…………………………………Tom to go to parties because he hates them.

14. There’s no point in trying to convince her to go.

Use

It’s …………………. to convince her to go.

15. Learning to drive is a waste of time unless you already have a car.

Point

There…………………………to drive unless you already have a car.

16. When writing for the student magazine you should remember that teachers will read it too.

Worth

When you write for the school magazine……………………mind that teachers will read it too.

17. Sally was all ready to leave the office when her boss asked her to type up a report.

Point

Sally was…………………………………………… the office when her boss asked her to type up a report.

18. I think learning to use a typewriter is a waste of time.

Point

I can’t ……………………………. how to use a typewriter.

19. Nadia’s friend arrived just as she was about to leave the restaurant.

Point

Nadia was just ……………………………… the restaurant when her friend arrived.

20. It’s only because of the quality of the lead singer’s voice that people listen to the album.

Worth

It’s the quality of the lead singer’s voice that ………………………………… to.

21. There is no point worrying about jet lag.

Worth

Jet lag is…………………………...

prevent smb from doing smth = stop smb doing smth

Avoid doing smth

Allow smb to do smth

Let smb do smth

Make smb do smth

Be made to do smth

1. My parents wouldn’t allow me to go to the party.

Prevented

My parents……………………………to the party.

2. Because of its price, the book may never become a bestseller.

Prevent

The price of the book may…………………………. a bestseller.

3. There are various ways of avoiding insect bites.

Prevented

Insect bites can………………………….various ways.

4. “You should stop your children watching so much television, ” Mary’s sister told her.

Let

Mary’s sister advised her ……………………. so much television.

5. Because he was injured he couldn’t play in the next game.

Prevented

His……………………………. in the next game.

6. The waiter carried the tray very carefully so that he wouldn’t spill any of the drinks.

Avoid

The waiter carried the tray very carefully so …………………………….. any of the drinks.

7. I wasn’t able to get to the airport on time because of the bad weather.

Prevented

The bad weather …………………….. to the airport on time.

8. It was impossible for us to go to school because of the bus strike.

Prevented

The bus strike…………….. to school.

9. They don’t let us use mobile phones in the library.

Allowed

In the library ……………………….use mobile phones.

10. I don’t know why Sarah left the party so suddenly.

Made

I don’t know……………………. the party so suddenly.

11. Claire was not allowed to stay out late when she lived at home with her parents.

Let

Claire’s parents ……………………. stay out late when she lived at home.

12. Floods meant rescue workers could not get through to the village.

Prevented

Rescue workers……………………. through to the village by floods.

13. Because of the parade, we weren’t allowed to park in the High Street.

Let

Because of the parade the police wouldn’t ……………………… in the High Street.

14. We didn’t really enjoy our walk along the seafront because it was so windy.

Prevented

The strong wind…………………………our walk along the seafront.

15. I was angry when Sandra was rude to me this morning.

Made

Sandra’s rudeness …………………………my temper this morning.

Hardly is a negative word and is often used with words like ‘any’ and ‘ever’, but it should not be used with other negative words: We hardly ever do anything interesting.

Hardly comes before the main verb of a sentence, but when there is a modal or auxiliary verb, hardly usually comes after it: I can hardly breathe. You have hardly done any work.

In stories and in formal English, hardly is sometimes used at the beginning of a sentence before an auxiliary verb: Hardly had she begun to speak, when there was a shout from the back of the hall.

Words like hardly, scarcely, and rarely should not be used with negative constructions. Thus, it is correct to say I can hardly wait but incorrect to say ~~I can't hardly wait~~. This is because adverbs like hardly are treated as if they were negatives, and it is a well-known grammatical rule of standard English that double negatives (i.e. in this case having hardly and not in the same clause) are not acceptable. Words like hardly behave as negatives in other respects as well, as for example in combining with words like any or at all, which normally only occur where a negative is present (thus, standard usage is I've got hardly any money but not I've got any money).

There’s hardly any tea left.

There was hardly a cloud in the sky.

Hardly anyone has bothered to reply.

She hardly ever calls me.

Hardly a day goes by without my thinking of her.

I can hardly keep my eyes open.

Hardly had we sat down to supper when the telephone rang.

It’s hardly the time to discuss it now.

The picture is of little value, it is hardly worth the money paid.

It is hardly worth watching soap operas.

Exercise 5.

1. This is a very dry part of the country.

Hardly

On this part of the country ……………………..rains.

2. Almost all the tickets for next Saturday’s concert have been sold.

Hardly

There are…………………………for next Saturday’s concert.

3. It’s unusual for Carol to get angry with her staff.

Hardly

Carol…………………….temper with her staff.

4. It isn’t really worth trying to fly the kite when there is no wind.

Hardly

It……………………. fly the kite when there is no wind.

5 It is unusual for Zoe to be rude.

Hardly

Zoe…………………………rude.

6. I go out very little these days.

Hardly

I………………………days.

7. We very rarely go to the cinema these days.

Hardly

We………………… the cinema these days.

8. There are virtually no hotels of any quality on the west side of the lake.

Hardly

There are………………………….. hotels on the west side of the lake.

9. At the end of the race, he had very little strength left.

Hardly

At the end of the race………………………….left.

10. I’ve just noticed that the car has almost run out of petrol.

Hardly

I’ve just noticed that…………………….left in the car.

The Complex Subject

The picture is considered to be one of Rembrandt’s early paintings.

The Complex Subject is used with a limited number of verbs. They are transitive verbs in the passive voice denoting:

- saying, informing, reporting (announce, claim, declare, report, say, suggest, predict, etc.):

· He was mentioned to have gone to France some time last month.

· The delegation was reported to have left the talks in protest.

· A new star was reported to have appeared in the East.

· The treaty is said to have been signed yesterday.

- mental activity (assume, expect, believe, suppose, consider, know, mean, presume, think, etc.):

· Mary is expected to finish her degree paper by May.

· The picture is presumed to have been stolen from a private collection.

· He was supposed to marry her.

· Everyone was thought to have drowned.

· He was known to run faster than anyone else.

- verbs of sense perception (feel, hear, see, watch, notice, find, discover, etc.):

· He was seen to cross the river.

· They were heard to enter the house.

· He was seen to be talking to somebody by the fence.

· Tom was never heard to mention his name.

- causation/inducement (force, make, cause, order):

· They were made to walk in silence.

· The generals were made to sign the treaty.

· The circumstances were such that he was caused to stay here longer than he intended to.

The Complex Subject is used with a number of finite verbs in the active voice:

- seem, appear, happen, chance, prove, turn out.

· The young people happened to meet the famous musician in the street.

· On the long journey he proved himself to be an amusing companion.

· As it happened my advice proved to be wrong.

· He turned out to live in Hastings.

· Do you happen to know what music is being played?