CHAPTER ONE

SENTENCE

 A sentence is one word or a groupof words or an arrangement of

words that makes or conveysa complete sense, a complete
meaning and a complete thought. It must be meaningful.
 A sentence always begins with a capital letter or upper case.
 A sentence has two parts such as subject and predicate (included
auxiliary verb, main verb, preposition and object or
complement).
 A sentence is a group of words set in a proper order to express a
complete fact or thought.
 The sunrise in the east. --------------------------(fact)
 What is your name? ------------------------------(question)
 Respect your families and elders person. ----(advice)
 Bring me your homework do. -------------------(order)
 Can you help me please? -------------------------(request)
 She is crying about her lost books. ------------------(feeling)
 May you live long! ---------------------------------(blessing)

Sentences are classified according to their purpose and their

make-up or structure.

1
 Sentence classified according to their purpose, there are four
major groups or kinds or types.
1. Statement (declarative) sentence
 Statement is a sentence tells us something about a
person, an idea, a place or a thing. In other words, a
declarative describes persons, things or events or
that give facts.
 Statement always begins with a capital letter and
ends with a full stop (.)
 Affirmative(positive) statement
Example
a. Sun gives us light.
b. Seven persons died in the car accident.
c. I am brilliant student.
d. My cousin always invites me at holiday.
e. The sunshine during the day.
f. The sunrise in the east.
g. The sunset in the west.
h. Our teachers teach us carefully.
i. Abel ate egg sandwich last night.
j. Mother washes clothes on weekend.
 Negative statement

2
 Example
a. I have not seen her for a long time
b. Lion doesn’t eat grass.
c. The moon does not have its own light.
d. She was not running to school.
2. Interrogative (questions) sentence
 Question is a sentence which asks something.
 Question always begin with a capital letter and ends
with a question mark (?)
Example
a. Did the owner visit his company operation?
b. Where can we get this book?
c. Did you put the food on the bed?
d. What did you do yesterday?
e. What is your name?
f. Where do you live?
g. Do you have a pencil?
h. Can you help me?
i. May you tell me the truth?
j. What are they talking about?
k. Which boy is the most successful?
l. Did he repair the TV?

3
3. Imperative sentence express request, advice, order,
command or suggestion. The subject of an imperative
sentence is you. However, the pronoun you is not
commonly expressed with imperatives. An imperative
sentence often contains an understood subject you.
 An imperative sentence begins with a capital letter
and ends with a full stop. Some strong imperative
may end in an exclamation mark (!).
Example
a. Lend me your book, please.
b. Let us go to their home.
c. Order the breakfast.
d. Stop!
e. Come on, please.
f. Let us take a taxi.
g. Stand up.
h. Read the books.
i. Leave the room!
j. Please shut the windows.
k. Bring your books, please.
l. Discuss the question, please.
m.Don’t lie to your parents.

4
 n. Don’t smoke cigarettes.
o. Don’t chew chat.
p. Don’t steal money.
q. Don’t quarrel or argument or clash or fight or
dispute with your friends.
4. Exclamatory sentence express a strong emotion or feeling
such as surprise, anger, regret, joy etc.
 Exclamatory sentence begins with a capital letter
and ends in an exclamation mark.
Example
a. What a surprise!
b. How terrible!
c. Oh! How tragic or sad or catastrophic!
d. Wow! It is amazing!
e. How stupid of you to say that!
f. Incredible!

Example of sentence

1. Fissehatsion study very hard to pass examination.

2. Atnatewos is reading story books carefully.
3. Hiruy did his homework quickly.
4. Afomiya was writing English words from text book.
5. Selam is playing with toy or doll.
5
 6. Betelhem is peeling an orange.
7. Ethiopia is a beautiful country.
 It does make any sense therefore or thus it is a sentence.

Example of not sentence

1. Barks at the thief.

2. Loves to drink hot milk.
3. Playing with ball.
4. Fissehatsion has.
5. Selam and Betelhem play with.
6. Eyob and Helawit are reading.
 It does not make any sense therefore or thus it is not a
sentence.
 Sentences classified according to their make-up or structure.
There are four kinds of sentences: simple, compound, complex
and compound-complex.
1. Simple sentence contains only one predicate. That means it can
have only one verb. A simple sentence contains a subject and a
verb.
 A simple sentence is a sentence with one main clause and
no subordinate clauses.
Example
1. All the members of the team played well.
6
 2. Fissehatsion is quite hard-working.
3. Can you speak Italy?
4. Man is a social animal.
5. All the passengers on the boat jumped into the water.
6. We can climb to the top of the mountain tomorrow.
7. Helawit is a clever student.
8. Unity is strength.
9. Fissehatsion and Betelhem read English books.

10. Soliana went to the library and studied physics.

11. Selam and soliana go home.

2. Compound sentence contains two or more simple sentence are

joined together by a connecting word or coordinating
conjunction(and, but, or, for, nor, yet, so) or by conjunctive
adverbs(accordingly, also, besides, consequently, hence,
moreover, nevertheless, otherwise, then, thus, still, therefore,
however)both simple sentence are independent sentences, each
having a subject and a predicate.
 A compound sentence is a sentence composed of two or
more main clauses but no subordinate clauses.
Example

7
 1. Fissehatsion went out for a walk but Betelhem stayed at
home.
2. You must return the book or pay its price.
3. Live to learn and you will learn to live.
4. He was born in Awassa but has spent most of my childhood
here.
5. Reach the cinema hall in time or you will miss the newsreel
(documentary or news films).
6. I have been learning English for the last two years and now I
am studying Russian also.
7. Fissehatsion was not at home, so his younger sister went
shopping.
8. You must study hard or you will fail the exam.

9. My friend doesn’t study hard but he will pass the exam.

10. I still feel fatigue; therefore, I must need more exercise.

3. Complex sentence has only one main (independent) clause but

may have one or more dependent (subordinate) clause. The
main clause and the subordinate clause are joined together by
connecting words (subordinating conjunction) like before, after,
if, that, though, although, as soon as, when, which, until, as if,
because, etc.

8
 Example
1. God saw that the light was good.
Main subordinate
2. I know that you will succeed because you are hard-working.
Main subordinate
3. There is nothing that this book can tell me which I do not
already know.
Main subordinate
4. God helps those who help themselves.
Main subordinate
5. How did you enter the room if the door was locked?
6. He told me that he was going abroad for a holiday.
7. He told them that they could all get into the bus if they
formed a queue or line.
8. Although Fissehatsion was invited to a party, he didn’t want
to go.
9. Seble didn’t know about racism before she met Barak.

10. If they know him, they will greet him warmly.

11. She told me that she would get married.

12. When the team has had a little more experience, it will be

stronger than last year’s championship team.

9
4.Compound-complex sentence contains two or more independent
clauses and one or more dependent clauses.

Example

1. I saw a hawk when I was walking, and other small birds were
chasing it.

Dependent clause: when I was walking. (one dependent

clause)

Independent clauses: I saw a hawk (and) other small birds

were chasing it. (two independent clauses)

2. If I am not in a hurry, I will take leisurely or unhurried or slow

or relaxed walks, and I try to ride a horse.
Dependent clause: if I am not in a hurry. (one dependent
clause)
Independent clauses: I will take leisurely walks (and) I try to
ride a horse. (two independent clauses)

Exercise 1

Rearrange the words given below to make meaningful sentences.

1. Flying the kite the boys are.

2. Is crying the baby.

10
 3. Singing on the tree the birds are.
4. For breakfast my mother is calling
5. Is chasing the mouse the cat.
6. Barks at the thief the dog.

Exercise 2

Join the two columns to make complete sentences.

AB

1. The dog ate A. about our exam is today.

2. I have lost B. your step!
3. The cat is drinking C. his books in the house.
4. Fissehatsion, Helawit and Betelhem D. our neighbours.
love to ride
5. My father reads E. its meat.
6. I speak with my friend F. their bike.
7. The Kenya’s are G. its milk.
8. Watch H. my textbook.

Exercise 3

Find out the statements and questions in the following sentence and
put a full stop after the statements and a question mark after the
questions.

11
1. The girls are singing and dancing
2. Are you a student
3. Do you know what is the problem
4. The stars twinkle at night
5. What are you doing now
6. I watch television in the evening
7. When did it stop raining
8. The rain has cooled the city
9. Why not go to school today

10. The rains have arrived before time

11. Does Fissehatsion play with Betelhem

12. Mother roasted egg for us to eat on snack

Phrases and clauses

 Phrase is makes sense but it does not make complete sense. It

does not have a predicate.
 A phrase does not have a subject and a verb.

Example

1. He received a very big parcel or lot or portion.

2. Fissehatsion lives on the top floor.
3. There I a man outside the window.

12
 4. All the boys in the class stood up.
5. Tell me how to solve this problem.
6. Betelhem is a woman of great beauty.
7. The cat is sitting on the roof.
8. She lives in the next street.
9. The train left two hours late.

10. The sun rises in the East and sets in the West.

11. Do you know how to swim?

Types of phrases

 Types of phrases: - there are several kinds of phrases such as verb

phrase, noun phrase, prepositional phrase, infinitive phrase,
gerund phrase etc.
 Verb phrase is two or more verbs together. A verb
phrase is the main verb + one or more auxiliary
verbs.
Example
1. The boys have been talking about space science.
2. Our children are learning English now.
3. They may know you.
4. He was sleeping in this room.
5. The boys will play football tomorrow.

13
6. I should study hard to pass the exam.
 Noun phrase is a noun with one or more than one
adjective that modifies the noun.
Example
1. The wise shopkeeper sold the red carpet.
2. Helen loves the poor man.
3. The tired farmer came home.
4. Fissehatsion opened his birthday present happily.
5. My children are learning French now.
 Prepositional phrase begins with a preposition like
on, in, by, with etc. preposition + noun or
pronoun is a prepositional phrase.
Example
1. He is interested in films and sports.
2. The boys are sitting on the sofa.
3. He is running in the rain.
4. Betelhem is writing with a red pen.
5. We are interested in reading newspapers.
 Infinitive phrase begins with the infinitive marker
to. It is to + verb.
Example
1. Helawit wants to buy the blue dress.

14
 2. To be successful, you should work hard.
3. To build a bridge is very costly.
4. He decided to sell his car.
 Gerund phrase begins with the -ing form of a verb
and function as a noun.
Example
1. Reading the bible is his daily practice.
2. They hate listening to his long speech.
3. Teaching children is not a simple task.
4. Reading good books broadens knowledge.

Clauses

 Clause is makes sense it has a subject and a predicate but it is not

a complete sentence because it does not give a complete
meaning independently.
Example
1. Tell me where he has gone.
2. I asked the teacher what I should do after school.
3. He who gets up early has more time for his work.
4. Helawit came as soon as she was called.
5. He does not work hard but he is quite intelligent.
6. The boy did not know that his father had come.

15
 7. Betelhem and Helawit went up the hill.
8. I understand that Fissehatsion, Betelhem and Helawit
become doctor.

Types of clauses

 Clauses are two main types such as dependent and independent

clauses.
 A dependent clause is also called a subordinate clause. This
clause has a subject and a verb, but it does not make a
complete sense or meaning if it is separated from the rest
of the sentence. A dependent clause begins with a
subordinating conjunction like when, if, as, although, as
soon as, while, that etc.
 A dependent clause is one that cannot stand alone because
it does not make a grammatically or logically complete
statement.
 Subordinating conjunctions join subordinate
(dependent) and main (independent) clauses. These
conjunctions are placed before a subordinate clause.
These conjunctions included because, since, as, when,
while, as if, that, after, before, till, until, if, as though,
unless, though, although, so that, as long as, so long as,

16
 as soon as, however, what, who, which, where, why,
how.

Example

1. If you ask him, he will help you.

2. He could not come because he was sick.
3. While she was reading the book, her father called her.
4. He will talk with me after the teacher goes out.
5. We have continued our studies since we came here.
6. The man who bought the laptop is a teacher.
7. The book that she bought yesterday is very useful.
 Independent clause is also called a main clause. This clause has a
subject and a verb, it makes a complete sense or meaning. It can
make sense independently.
 Main clause which express the main idea of the sentence and it
can stand alone as a sentence.
Example
1. I will be very happy if I go to the stadium with you.
Independent dependent
2. He will buy the jackets as soon as he collects his salary.
Independent dependent
3. Betelhem will visit you when she comes to church.

17
 Independent dependent
4. Before Fissehatsion goes to bed, he sees a film.
Dependent independent
5. The rich man bought a car after he built a house.
Independent dependent
6. The doctor will examine you when you are sick.
Independent dependent
7. Helawit would be a doctor if she studied hard.
Independent dependent
8. He couldn’t catch the bus although he tried to run as fast as wind.

Independent dependent

Subject and predicate

 Subject is a part of sentence which indicates name of the person,

place or thing that performs an action or is described or about
which something is said.

 Predicate is a part of sentence which tells or says something

about the subject. Predicates included auxiliary verb, main verb,
preposition and object or complement.

Example

18
 1. The dog is barking at the robber.
Subject Predicate
2. We are going to school early in the morning.
Subject Predicate

3. The horse is eating grass.

Subject predicate

4. The cat sleeps on the bed.

Subject Predicate
5. We must read to get sufficient knowledge about global.
Subject Predicate

6. Ras Dejen is the largest mountain in Ethiopia.

Subject predicate

7. Lake Tana is the biggest lake in Ethiopia.

Subject Predicate

8. Ethiopia has fabulous historical heritage.

Subject predicate

9. Fissehatsion and his sisters like as brotherly and sisterly.

Subject Predicate

10.Youare to be strong for every challenge.

Subject predicate

Exercise 4

19
Underline the subjects and the predicates in these sentences. Put “S”
under the subjects and “P” under the predicates.

1. Stars twinkle at night.

2. The dog bites the boy.
3. Flowers bloom in the garden.
4. Cocks crow in the morning.
5. Gardener or planter planting beautiful flowers in the garden.
6. Birds fly in the sky.
7. I help mother in the kitchen.
8. Our families go to church every Sunday.
9. Fissehatsion has finished his homework.

10. Betelhem has broken her sister puppet or doll.

11. All families came back from monastery after celebration.

12. Our families watch television together in the evening.

13. Tap or pipe water polluted through bacteria.

14. We dig five meter in the ground get underground water.

15. Human being need to live temperate climate.

16. Nomad people live in lowland area.

17. You bought one loaf of bread.

18. We must take in a lot of fresh air to be survival.

19. They had two loaves of bread.

20
 20. Fissehatsion wants to have car.

Exercise 5

Tell what kind of sentence each of the following is: simple, compound,
complex and compound-complex.

1. A telegram or a telephone call at three in the morning always

sends.
2. She learned to knit during the summer, and now she spends most
of her time knitting socks for mother.
3. If employers will not hire inexperienced persons, how is a beginner
going to get a job?
4. An attractive display of the new books in the library was a feature
of this year’s book week.
5. To underestimate your opponent is dangerous, but to
underestimate yourself is more dangerous.
6. He failed English because his grades in composition were too low.
7. A few telephone calls revealed to father that his daughters’ stories
of what other parents allowed their children to do were clever
falsifications; furthermore, he learned to his surprise that other
children had been holding him up to their parents as a liberal father
who made no strict rules for his daughters.
8. When the team has had a little more experience, it will be stronger
than last year’s championship team.

21
 9. Although they were almost invariably poor, the early Ethiopians
were hard-working people, and they were eager to make a place for
themselves in the wilderness.

10.Harmful effects of radiation appear in the offspring of irradiated fish.

Answers

Exercise 2

1. E 2. H 3. G 4. F

5. C 6. A 7. D 8. B

Exercise 3

1. Full stop 2. Question mark 3. Question

mark

4. Full stop 5. Question mark 6. Full stop

7. Question mark 8. Full stop 9. Question

mark

10. Full stop 11. Question mark 12. Full stop

Exercise 5

22
1. Simple 2. Compound 3. Complex 4. simple

5. Compound 6. Compound 7. Compound-complex

8. Complex 9. Complex 10. Simple

23
 CHAPTER TWO

NOUN

 Noun is word that we use for giving a name to a person, place,

thing, quality, idea or action.
 There are five different kinds of nouns.
1. Proper nouns
2. Common nouns
3. Collective nouns
4. Material nouns
5. Abstract nouns
Proper nouns
 Proper nouns is the name of a particular person, place, idea or
thing.
 A proper nouns always begins with a capital letter.
 A person’s name
Example
Fissehatsion, Helawit, Betelhem, Soliana, Selam, Eyob, Hana,
Geremew, Fikrte, etc.
 The name of a country or continent or city
Example
Ethiopia, Canada, England, Holland, Italy, Africa, Europe,
Asia, North America, South America, Australia, Antarctica,
24
 Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa, Bahir Dar, Hawassa, Gonder,
Mekele, Adama, Khartoum, Nairobi, Cairo, Kigali, Asmara,
etc.
 The name of a particular river or pond or lake or sea,
ocean, or mountain
Example
The River Abay, Blue Nile River, the River Awash, the River
Omo, the River Baro, Lake Tana, Lake Chamo, Lake Shala,
Lake Victoria, the Red Sea, the Dead sea, the Indian Ocean,
the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, mount Everest, mount
Ras Dashen, mount Himalaya, mount Kilimanjaro, Suez
Canal,etc.
 The name of a month or day
Example
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August,
September, October, November, December, Monday,
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
 The name of a holiday
Example
New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Founding of the True Cross,
Christmas, Epiphany, Good Friday, Easter, Birth Day of

25
 Prophet Mohammed, ID Al Fiter, Arefa, Victory of Adwa,
Labor Day(May Day), Patriots Victory Day

Common nouns
 Common noun is a name which we give to any person or thing of
the same kind or class.
 Common noun is any noun that is not the name of a particular
person, thing or idea.
Example
King, lake, book, city, town, plant, river, village, stone, pencil,
chair, dog, war, nation, sea, ocean, revolution, university,
organization, son, agent, boy, Christian, diplomat, friend, father,
leader, man, product, slave, student, country, singer,hotel, cow,
car, school, teacher, wife, road, doctor, etc.
 Some common nouns like river, lake, sea, ocean, nation, etc.
become proper nouns when they are used to name a
particularthing.
Example
World war I, United Nations organization, Red Sea, October
Revolution, Addis Ababa University, Son of God, Pacific ocean,
River Awash, Lake Shala, etc.

26
 Collective nouns
 Collective noun is the name given to a group of persons or
thingsor animals or insectstaken together and spokenas a whole.
Example
Police, public, committee, government, cattle, jury, people, team,
army, flock, crowd, mob, youth, union, band, bouquet, chest,
clump, cluster, fleet, herd, gaggle, plague, brood, family, crew,
gang, shoal, swarm, people, choir, community, class, chorus,
orchestra, etc.
 People, cattle, police, clergy, military, swine, and vermin
are singular in form but are used with a plural verb. The
word people can also be used to mean a nation. In this
sense it also forms a plural by adding ‘s’ to it.
Example
1. Thereare a lot of poor people in our country
2. A herd of cattleblocked the traffic on the road.
3. The police are on duty to control the crime.
4. The peoples of Asia are no less intelligent than those
of Europe.
5. The cattle are grazing the field.
6. The police are wise.

27
 7. The police/the military have surrounded the
building.
8. Some people are never satisfied.
 Committee,team, band, class, government, jury can be
used as either asingular or a plural verb.

Example

1. The committee meets twice a month.Committee is treated as one.

2. The committeeare divided over the proposal. The members
of committee.
3. There is an efficientgovernmentinthecountrynow.
Government as a unit.
4. The government are considering this matter from various angles.
Government as composed of various departments.
5. The jury has not given its verdict or decision or judgment yet.
Jury as a single body.
6. The jury are divided in their views on the murder case. The
members of the jury.
7. Our teamis not playing well.
8. Our team are not playing well.
 These nouns have a plural form also: committees (more
than one committee), governments, juries.

28
 Example
1. Many governments have signed the treaty.
2. Many committees have decided to build the fence.
3. Many juries have discussed to reform the law.
 Public may take either a singular or a plural verbwithout
change of meaning.
Example
1. The publicis the best judge in a democracy.
2. The public are the best judges in a democracy.

Material nouns

 Materials noun is used to name the matter or substance of which

things are made or exists in nature.
Example
Milk, meat, gold, air, cloth, silver, bronze, aluminum,
uranium,glass, ice, iron, paper, etc.
Abstract nouns
 Abstract noun denotes quality, state, action, arts and sciences.
But we cannot touch, see, smell, or taste.
Example
Quality kindness, cleverness, honesty, softness, darkness,
wisdom, beauty, leadership, knowledge, courage, politeness,

29
 laziness, darkness, truth, rudeness, friendship, heroism, goodness,
motherhood, loyalty, etc.
State poverty, sickness, sorrow, slavery, Christianity,
ambition, love, wish, pain, etc.
Action laughter, decision, inspection, production, judgement,
departure, theft, discussion, help, order, promise, advice,
movement, ability, etc.
Arts music, drama, theatre, painting, idea, etc.
Science physics, mathematics, chemistry, astronomy,
medicine, etc.
 Singular nouns denote one person, one place, one animal or one
thing.
 Plural nouns denote more than one person, one place, one
animal or one thing.
 Nouns are used as name of people, places, animals or things.

Example

People

 Fissehatsion, Helawit, Eyob, Soliana, Selem, Betelhem etc.

 Girl, boy, father, teacher, doctor, friend, aunt, cousin etc.

Places

30
  Ethiopia, Africa, Asia, Europe, America, Harer, Shoa,
Gonder, Addis Ababa, Australia, Gojam, Tigray, Bale,
Sidamo, Arsi, Somali, Afar, Eritrea, Gambella,etc.
 Aware, Yeka abado, Megenagna, Kera, Meskel square,
Bole, Merkato, Piazza, Entoto, Kasanchez,Lideta, Kara,
Kotebe, Shola, Kebena, Belair, Arat kilo, Sedit kilo, kolfe,
Shiromeda, Ayat, Ayertena, Jemo, Bole arabsa, Alembank,
CMC, Gurdshola, Meri, Gerji, Goro, Saris, Nifassilk, Gofa,
Adeyabeba, Mexico, Sarbet, Mekanisa, Sebarababur,
Keranio, urael, Bambis, Betemengist, Ambassador, Fitber,
Teklehaimanot, Tewodros square, Somali tera, etc.

Animals

1. Domestic animals

Cat, kitten, dog, cock, hen, chicken, rooster, cow, ox, goat,
sheep, horse, jenny, mule, donkey, camel, rat, mouse, pig,
piglet, bull, bullock, foal, bulldog, yak, yearling, rabid, ass,
jackass, dormouse, buffalo, burro, ewe, bitch, heifer, colt,
puppy, pup, calf, hogg, tomcat, mare, pet, livestock, steer,
cattle, flock, fowl, bronco, etc.

2. Wild animals

31
 Tiger, lion, leopard, elephant, giraffe, monkey, jackal, fox, ape,
chimpanzee, zebra, ibex, hippopotamus, rabbit, elk, kangaroo,
doe, antelope, baboon, wildebeest, wapiti, mole, puma, boar,
dinosaur, panda, panther, hyena, wolf, wolf cub, woodchuck,
hedgehog, cub, warthog, echidna, bear, bruin, hart, deer, fawn,
gazelle, gorilla, rhinoceros, rhino, cheetah, mice, skunk,hare,
squirrel, anteater, impala, wild pig, whelp, warthog, etc.

3. Birds
Owl, sparrow, parrot, pigeon, dove, bullfinch, flamingo, grouse,
ibis, vulture, duck, duckling, robin, albatross, condor, falcon,
drake, pelican, woodpecker, woodpigeon, chameleon, guinea
fowl, buzzard, ostrich, waterfowl, widgeon, eagle, eaglet, teal,
fowl, pullet, hummingbird, peacock, turkey, chicken, rooster,
scavenger,skylark, crow, kestrel, kite, kiwi, geese, penguin,
merlin,etc.
4. Aquatic animals
Whale, dogfish, fish, shark, octopus, sea lion, starfish, jellyfish,
bream,shrimp, guppy, catfish,manatee, etc.
5. Insects
Centipede, gnat, flea, ant, white ant, fly, drone, bee, honeybee,
wireworm, grasshopper, locust, vermin, hornet, butterfly, wasp,
weevil, beetle, bug, dragonfly, dragon, emu, mosquito, spider,
32
 worm, hookworm, leech, tick, pest, firefly, caterpillar, maggot,
anthill, larva,imago, silk-worm, moth, tarantula, scorpion,etc.

6. Reptile
Python, alligator, anaconda, iguana, lizard, snake, whelk, eel,
crocodile, tortoise, mongoose, cobra, serpent,dinosaur,
turtleetc.
7. Amphibian
Newt, toad, tadpole, frog, bullfrog etc.
8. Mammals
Bat, human, rat, whale, dog, elephant, raccoon, sheep, goat,
horse, cat, lion, tiger, ape, monkey, rabbit, fox, donkey, ass, cow,
zebra, buffalo, camel, giraffe, wolf, panda, leopard, hyena,
chimpanzee, gorilla, baboon, antelope, etc.

Things

Table, chair, cup, teacup, coffee cup, water glass, saucer, barrel, butt,
container, vacuum flask,box, wok, bulb, television, computer, washing
machine, ball, toy, bowl, basin, washbasin, washbowl, hand basin, sink,
knife, spoon, spoonful, bed, sofa, chesterfield, bench, house, building,
palace, castle, lodging, lodge, cottage, hut, shelter, shelf, bottle, jar,
flask, thermos, pot, pan, vessel, jug, dish, mop, curtain, shutter, carpet,

33
mat, rug, doormat, hob,floorcovering, bathmat, hotplate, stove, oven,
cooker, heater, boiler, warmer, bin, dust bin, case, trash can, garbage
can, waste basket, litter bin, dustpan, basket, can, broom, sweeper,
besom, broomstick, broom handle, baking sheet, baking tray, bulrush,
burner, ewer, pitcher, bag, wicker, vase, door knob, knob, drawer,
diaper, dipper, ladle, demitasse, soap, soap powder, fluid soap,
detergent, dishwashing liquid, shampoo, candle,sack, feeding bottle,
frankincense, incense, colander, frying pan, hammer, comb, fork,
folding chair, furniture, gas stove, gas cooker, gas oven, hoe, glass,
griddle, gridiron, coffeepot, hairbrush, toothbrush, hook, hinge,
strainer, kettle, teapot, cutlery, freezer, fridge, refrigerator etc.

Cloth, shoe, sock, trousers, jeans, pants, dress, garment, clothing, knit,
basque, textile, shirt, , overcoat, coat, blanket, skirt, belt, bedclothes,
bedcover, bedspread, coverlet, eiderdown, counterpane, bedding,
apron, gown, night-dress, night-gown, nightie, nightwear, nightclothes,
pajamas, sleepwear, working clothes, vestment, robe, camp bed, towel,
clothes horse, clothes peg, coat hook, coat hanger, hanger, wardrobe,
jacket, hat, cap, bonnet, wallet, pillow, pillowcase,cravat, necktie, bath
towel, hand towel, dishtowel, grommet, handkerchief, hankie, scarf,
bandana, neckerchief, kerchief, headscarf, bow-tie, etc.

34
Bread, cake, ice cream, candy, chocolate, toffee, lollipop, ingera, milk,
cheese, buttermilk, curd, butter, yoghourt, yoghurt, yogurt, whey,
coffee, tea, tea leaf, jam, honey, honeycomb, chickpea, sugar, salt,
water, oil, vine, wine, garlic, onion, fat, apple, orange, pineapple,
strawberry, berry, blackberry, banana, mango, watermelon, grape, rye,
avocado, potato, jacket potato, tomato, porridge, cauliflower, carrot,
flour, pepper, pepper corn, corn, maize, peppermint, soup, egg, yolk,
rice, meat, flesh, beef, bully beef, beef burger, rue, white meat, boiled
potato, boiled milk, roasted meat, juice, fried rice, chips, French-fried
potatoes, fruit, baking powder, yeast, broccoli, toadstool, mushroom,
vegetable, vegetable oil, cabbage, chili, chamomile, malt, millet, pea,
barley, sacred basil, crop, saffron, salad, semolina, sesame, sorghum,
sour milk, spaghetti, spice, split peas, steak, sultana, sunflower, swiss
chard, tangerine, thistle, flax, thyme, truffle, turmeric, beet root, beet,
margarine, cooking oil, ghee, pemmican, playa, bean, popcorn,
pumpkin, ragout, raisin, raspberry, roasted grain, grain, salt bar, rock
salt, grits, vinegar, fried eggs, fried chicken, rosemary, cucumber,
vetch, victual, harvest, currant, crumb, fennel, germinal, bran, yam,
gruel, flavoring, ginger, groundnut, peanut, almond, peanut butter,
wheat, pulses, nuts, seed, radish, spinach, clove, beverage, sugar cane,
edible oil, mustard, coconut, ingredient, ketchup, kohlrabi, leaven, leek,
lees, lemon, lemonade, lentil, lettuce, linseed, liquor, fluid, liquid, chaff,

35
confection, crust, decoction, dessert, diet, food, nourishment, nutrition,
nutriment, foodstuff, dregs, fennel, foliage, lady-finger, sauce, tomato
sauce, cutlet, etc.

Clay, sand, pebble, gravel, grit, stone, brick, soil, rock, igneous, lava,
magma, molten rock, limestone, sandstone, granite, marble, loam,
mud, petroleum, gasoline, petrol, gas, fuel, kerosene, diesel, paraffin,
road, street, highway, candle, envelope, glue, coin, bike, bicycle,
motorcycle, motorbike, vehicle, airplane, locomotive, train, hat, pencil,
pen, book, bag, ruler, magazine, newspaper, hay, clock, rubber, piano,
bass guitar, inshore, flower, bud, plant, tree,palm tree, peach, acacia,
eucalyptus, yucca, dandelion, cactus, cedar, jackboot, juniper, eraser,
hive, apiary, beehive, rope, fiber, cable, cord, pin, string, thread, rattan,
feather, quill, glove, sharpener, fastener, clip, grass, handbag,
backpack, pack, carton, packet, haycock, haystack, staple, root,
seedling, stem, branch, bark, leaf, leaves, autumn, summer, winter,
spring, flood, cloud, cloudburst, rain, rainbow, rainfall, rainstorm, river,
lake, sea, ocean, pond, well, underground water, sunlight, sunrise,
sunup, sunset, sundown, sunshine, rift valley, valley, vale, gorge, forest,
jungle, woodland, timberland, bush, scrub, savanna, grassland, ice, ice
field, iceberg, snow, snowfall, snowstorm, mist, fog, rainwater,
raindrops, stream, watercourse, dew, downpour, drizzle, marine, frost,
water storm, chill, desert, highland, upland, plateau, terrain, hill,
36
mountain, lowland, plain, dry, dry land, dry season, dryness, arid,
climate, weather, dust, fug, haze, smog, dust storm, temperature,
environment, atmosphere, surroundings, pole, tempest, hurricane,
cyclone, windstorm, tornado, wind, airstream, air, lightning,
thunderstorm, thunder, thunderbolt, thunderclap, thundercloud,
thunderous, land, parcel, plot, town, city, urban, metropolitan,
municipal, rural, countryside, suburb, landscape, landmark,
topography, geography, tank, tap, pipe, walnut, wood, lumber, fire,
timber, jute, rose, jasmine, perfume, fodder, gum, bamboo, cane,
manure, compost, dung, wool, silk, agriculture, cultivation, fur, hair,
wing, leather, firewood,wet, wetlands, marshland, volcanic, volcano,
fountain, coast, shore, seaboard, shoreline, beach, bank, seashore,
seaside, contour, crag, foothills, gale, gulf, bay, gully, hemisphere,
hillock, hillside, hilltop, hollow, horizon, skyline, humid, moist, damp,
humidity, moisture, moistness, mugginess, wetness, dampness,
flashflood, wildlife, zoo, wildfire, wilderness, windmill, watermill,
calabash, canyon, ravine, charcoal, coal, coke, comet, galaxy, star,
moon, sun, earth, sky, firmament, space, universe, falling star,
forenoon, full moon, darkness, nightfall, dimness, twilight, dawn,
daybreak, day, daylight, nighttime, fig, fig tree, firelight, gum tree,
geocentric, husbandry, farming, earthquake, alluvial, sedimentary,
tremor, etc.

37
Skull, brain, hair, head, forehead, forefront, headache, ear, earache,
eardrum, earwax, eye, eye brow, eye lash, eyelid, eye ball, tear, tear
drop, nose, nasal, nasally, nostril, pharynx, nasal cavity, mucus,
mustache, beard, bearded, sniffle, mouse, lip, gum, gingiva, teeth,
tooth, enamel, tongue, taste bud, saliva, phlegm, gnash, palate, cheek,
chin, gnathic, jaw, jaw bone, face, pimple, neck, esophagus,
oesophagus, throat, trachea, vocal cords, uvula, larynx, Adam’s apple,
goiter, shoulder, armpit, joint, limb, upper limb, hand, arm elbow, hand
muscle, finger, fingernail, fingerprint, fingertip, wrist, first finger,
forefinger, forearm, chest, thorax, rib, breast, nipple, heart, lung, back,
nape, waist, pelvis, spinal column, back bone, backache, tummy, belly,
stomach, abdomen, paunch, stomachache, navel, liver, kidney,
intestinal, intestine, small intestine, large intestine, pancreas, gall
bladder, urine bladder,urine, pee, umbilical cord, womb, uterus, blood,
muscle, hip, anus, rectum, penis, vagina, lower limb, leg, shank, shin,
rump, thigh, knee, kneecap, patella, ankle, forefoot, foot, feet, heel,
toe, toenail, toe tip, thumb, thumbnail, naked foot, bare foot, calf,
perspiration, sweat, sweat all over, tendon, ligament, sinew, buttocks,
groin, shin, instep, sole, arch of the foot, ball of the foot, big toe.

 Nounscan generally be divided into countable nouns and

uncountable nouns.
Countable nouns
38
  Nouns that can be counted are known as countable nouns or unit
nouns.
 Countable nouns can be in singular or plural form.
 Countable nouns can havea, an, manyandnumber before them.
 Countable nouns have plurals andcan be used in the question:
how many?

Example

1. I have two pens.

2. There are two girls.
3. There is one chair.
4. She has three books.
5. You have a car.
6. There weren’t many students there.
7. She has an apple.
8. Fissehatsion send an envelope for his sister.
9. He hasn’t many books.

10. How many students there in the class?

Uncountable nouns
 Nouns that cannot be counted are called uncountable nounsor
non-counts or mass nouns.

39
 Uncountable nouns are always takesingular form or verband ‘s’ is
not added.
 Uncountable nouns donot haveplural forms and do not
takea,an,manyand numberbefore them. But, we measure them
by using a unitlikeliter, kilo, bottle etc. which can be counted.
 Uncountable nouns can be used in the question: how much?
 Uncountable nouns havea little and much before them.
 We cannot say a water, two sugars, many milks, an
oxygen, many gold, three soups, four meats, six
petrol, salts, sugars, furnitures, breads, equipments,
etc.
Example
a glass of water/milka few grains of sand
a pint of wine two quintals of wheat
aliter of oil/ petrol/milk/water a brick of gold
a bottle of milk/oil/watera cylinder of oxygen
a cup of tea/coffee/milkten meters of wire
two spoonful of brandy a loaf of bread
a dose of medicinea pound of butter
acaskor case of beera pinch of salt
a bag of rice/flourfive meters of cloth
a kilogram of sugar/meat a cask of wine

40
 a grain of sugar/salt a bowl of soup
a slice of bread/cake a piece of
information/news/advice
a piece of furniture/paper/equipment
two bottles of oil/milk/water five liters of petrol/water/milk
three loaves of bread two kilos of salt/rice/honey
six cylinders of oxygen five cups of milk/coffee/tea
a spoonful of salta sheet of paper
a tin of soup a jar/pot of jam/tea
a packet of cigarettes/biscuits a tube of toothpaste
abox of matches a drop of water
a pair of gloves/jeans
 Singular: - a piece of/bit of chalk/cloth/information/meat/plastic.
 Plural: - pieces of /bits of chalk/cloth/information/meat/plastic.

Examples of uncountable nouns

advice information work accommodation

baggage luggage assistance homework

machinery news research permission

safety conduct violence employment

furniture money mud jewelry

rubbish cash wealth courage

41
evidence sunshine luck housework

music fun pollution equipment

bread beer cloth coffee

cream dust gin glass

gold ice jam oil

paper sand soap stone

tea water wine wood

tomatoes jam soup spaghetti

Example

1. Fissehatsion likes to eat jam with bread.

2. Helawit is drinking a lot of milk.
3. The ship sails on water.
4. Selam and Betelhem are playing with clay.
5. Soliana likes to eat porridge.
6. Eyob loves to eat rice.
7. Music helps me to relax.
8. Too much coffee isn’t good for you.
9. The weather was beautiful all week.

10. Will you have a little more ice cream?

42
11. He hasn’t much money.

Possessive nouns

 Possessive nouns are used to show ownership or possession.

 A singular possessive nouns show ownership or possession by
a person, place or thing. It is formed by adding an apostrophe
(‘) and s to a singular noun.
Example
1. Fissehatsion has new trousers.

Fissehatsion’s new trousers are charming.

2. Helawit has new dress.

Helawit’s new dress is beautiful.
3. Betelhem has elephant toy.
Betelhem’s elephant toy is attractive.
4. Selam has a white kitten.
Selam’s white kitten is sitting in a basket.
5. Soliana has nice bag.
Soliana’s nice bag carries her exercise books.
6. Eyob has ball.
Eyob’s ball is lost last week.
7. The policeman’s gun is big and heavy.
8. The elephant’s long trunk is strong.

43
 9. The king’s crown fell down and broke.
10. Ourneighbour’sdog is barking loudly.
11. The book’s pages are torn.
12. The passenger’s suitcase is heavy.

 A plural possessive noun shows ownership or possession by a

plural noun.
 Most of the plural possessive nouns are formed by adding an
apostrophe (‘) after s of the plural noun.
Example
1. The children’s houses are over there.
2. Teacher is testing the students’ physical fitness.
3. Policeman traced therobbers’ hideouts.
4. The guests’ house in on the first floor.
5. The mother is angry on the boys’ behavior.
6. The guard is checking the visitors’ cars.
7. The women’s hats lost last week.
8. My father closed the mice’s cage.
9. The shepherds are hit the oxen’s feet.

Gender

 Gender indicates the sex of objects in nature.

44
  The noun that refers to male sex is said to be of masculine
gender.
 The noun that refers to a female sex is said to be of
feminine gender.
 The noun that refers to things without life or no sex is
called a neuter gender.
 Some nouns which can refer to either a male or a female.
Such nouns are said to be a common gender.
 A gender of a noun tells us whether a person or an object belongs
to the male sex, female sex or neither of the two sexes (neuter).
Sex and gender are two different things. Both living things and
non-living things have gender, but only a living thing has sex.
MasculineFeminine
Manwoman

Boy girl

Brother sister
Dog bitch
Bull cow
Husband wife
Father mother
Papa mama
Uncle aunt
45
Son daughter
Nephew niece
Gentleman lady
He-got she-got
Pea-cockpea-hen
Sirmadam
Duke duchess
Bachelorspinster
King queen
Lordlady
Monk holy sister
Friar
Holy brother nun
Cockhen
Colt filly
Dronebee
Buckdoe
Horsemare
Staghind
Foxvixen
Earlcountess
Gandergoose

46
Drakeduck
Princeprincess
Poetpoetess
Priestpriestess
godgoddess
Prophetprophetess
Hosthostess
Heirheiress
Shepherdshepherdess
Authorauthoress
Patronpatroness
Lionlioness
Actoractress
Hunterhuntress
Instructorinstructress
Negronegress
Emperorempress
Temptertemptress
Tigertigress
Waiterwaitress
Mastermistress
Heroheroine

47
Viceroyvicereine
Widowerwidow
Executorexecutrix
Bridegroombride
Best man brides-maid
Beaubelle
Man-servantmaid-servant
Grandfathergrandmother
Grandsongranddaughter
Landlordlandlady
Dairymandairymaid
Washer-manwasher-woman
Giantgiantess
Murderermurderess
Benefactorbenefactress
Governorgoverness
Father-in-lawmother-in-law
Brother-in-lawsister-in-law
Son-in-lawdaughter-in-law
Cock-sparrowhen-sparrow
Milk-manmilk-maid
Step-fatherstep-mother

48
 Step-brotherstep-sister
Step-sonstep-daughter
Ramewe
Wizardwitch
Mister (Mr.) Miss (Mrs.)

 There are some nouns which can refer to either a male or a

female. Such nouns are said to have a common gender.
Example
Child, student, friend, servant, member, animal, parent, artist,
cousin, baby, person, president, ministry, idiot, etc.
 Some nouns that refer to objects that are neither male nor
female are said to be neuter gender.
Example
Pencil, book, house, shoe, tree, plant, water, sugar, oxygen, gold,
food, table, chair, stone, computer, car, iron, silver, copper, paper,
plastic, bread, egg, etc.

Singular and plural forms of some nouns

 Some nouns have the same singular and plural forms.

SingularPlural
Aircraft aircraft

49
 Hovercraft hovercraft
Spacecraft spacecraft
Headquarters headquarters
Means means
Sheep sheep
Swine swine
Deer deer
Series series
Innings innings
Barracks barracks
Crossroads crossroads
Gallows gallows
Whereabouts whereabouts
Species species
Trout trout

 Some irregular nouns change their vowels to form plurals.

SingularPlural
Man men
Woman women
Mouse mice
Foot feet
Tooth teeth
50
 Ox oxen
Child children
Louse lice
Gentleman gentlemen
Watchman watchmen
Brother brethren
 Nouns borrowed from other languages have different rules to
form their plurals.
SingularPlural
Stimulus stimuli
Datum data
Agendum agenda
Radius radii
Criterion criteria
Medium media/mediums
Stratumstrata
Memorandum memoranda
Phenomenon phenomena
Curriculum curricula
Focus foci or focuses
Analysisanalyses
Basis bases

51
Bacillus bacilli
Bacterium bacteria
Dictum dicta
Erratumerrata
Formula formulae/formulas
Locus loci
Nucleusnuclei
Syllabussyllabi
Thesis theses
Tableautableaux
Axis axes
Larva larvae
Crisis crises
Hypothesis hypotheses
Oases oases
Appendix appendixes/appendices
Antenna antennae/antennas
Index indices/indexes
Plateau plateaus
Automaton automata/automatons
Cactus cacti/cactuses
Alumna alumnae

52
 Alumnus alumni
 Some nouns areplural in form but are always used as singular
meaning. These include names of subjects in arts and sciences,
diseases or illnesses and games.
Example
Darts news billiards measles
Mumps United Nations United States physics
Economics mathematics messes rickets
Shingles cards dominoes electronics
Phonetics statistics linguistics

 Some nouns with two parts have always a plural form and a
plural meaning.To talk about a single material, you should say a
pair of.
Example
Pliers shorts trousers scissors
Spectacles glasses binoculars tongs
Pajamas jeans pants tweezers
Pincers forceps scales
Example
1. The headquartersare in Addis Ababa.
2. The headquartersis in Addis Ababa.
3. The United Nationsis doing a lot for developing nations.
53
 4. Mumpsis a serious diseases.
5. Isphysics more difficult than English?
6. His trousersare torn.
7. The spectaclesare expensive.
8. His pair oftrousersistorn.
9. Thispair of spectacles is highly expensive.

10.Thesepairs ofspectaclesare highly expensive.

11. Thisis a means to solve the problems.

12. Thereare several legal and illegal means to get money.

13. An enemy aircraftwas shot down.

14. There are many sheepin the shed.

15. What are the means of transport in our country?

16. All of our aircrafthave returned safely.

17. Scissorsare used for cutting cloth.

18. I found a pair ofspectacles in the library.

19. German measlesis a dangerous disease for pregnant women.

20. Mathematicsisa compulsory subject at school.

21. A pair ofglasses costs quite a lot these days.

22. Two pairs of your trousers are still at the cleaner’s.

Exercise 6

54
Fill in the blank spaces with the correct word

brood fleet bunch slice

piece gang galaxy glass

library liter cask grains loaf

1. My aunt bought a ……….. of bread yesterday.

2. A ………… of cars are parked here.
3. The police caught a ………… of robbers last week.
4. We needed some ………… of sand.
5. He has lost a ………… of keys.
6. We are looking at a ………… of stars.
7. Fissehatsion bought a ………… of flowers yesterday.
8. Her child drink a ………… milk.
9. A ………… of books were bought yesterday.

10. Betelhem is feeding a ………… of chickens.

11. This is a ………… of equipment.

12. He drinks a ………… of beer daily.

Exercise 7

1. Can you guess what a student takes to school every day?

2. Can you name the things, mother bought from the market?
55
 3. What is going on in school compound?

Answers

Exercise 6

1. Slice /loaf 2. Fleet 3. Gang 4. Grains

5. Bunch 6. Galaxy 7. Bunch 8. Glass

9. Library 10. Brood 11. Piece 12. Cask

56
 CHAPTER THREE

PRONOUNS

 Pronoun is a word which is used in place of a noun.

 Pronoun used for the name of the person, thing or place is
notrepeated again and again in a sentence or in a longer piece
ofwriting.
 A pronoun can be used in place of a noun phrase, a noun clause
and a whole sentence.
Example
1. He talks in a funny way. I do not like it. (the pronoun it
replaces the noun phrase a funny way)
2. We don’t know where they have gone. We don’t really
know it. (the pronoun it replaces the clause where they
have gone)

57
 3. The rains have failed. It means famine. (the pronoun it here
stands for the sentence, the rains have failed)
 Pronounsarefive different kinds.
1. Personal pronouns
2. Demonstrative pronouns
3. Relative pronouns
4. Interrogative pronouns
5. Indefinite pronouns

Personal pronouns

 Personal pronouns stand for first, second and third person.

First person Second person Third person

I He

Me My Him Himself

You His

Myself Mine She

We Your Yours Her Hers

Us Our Herself

Yourself They

Them Their

58
 Ours Ourselves Yourselves Theirs

Themselves
It

Itself its
One/ones

Oneself one’s

 Personal pronounsstand for definite persons, places and things.

 Subject pronouns are I, we, you, he, she, they, one, ones and it.
 Singular subject pronouns are I,you,he, she, it, and
one.
 Plural subject pronouns are we, you, ones and they.
Example
1. I don’t want drink any alcoholic.
2. You should run faster.
3. It climb up the large tree.
 Object pronouns are me, you, him, her, it, one, us, them, and
ones.
 Singular object pronouns are me,you,him, her, itand one.
 Plural object pronouns are us, you, ones and them.

59
  Let and betweenrequire the use of the object form
ofpronoun.

Example

1. Letme go now.
2. There was a fight betweenhim and me.
3. Letthem do what they like.
4. There was an agreement betweenher and me.
5. Letit remain here.
6. They letme do what I liked.
7. They should let you stay here.
8. There was a long conversation between John and me.
9. Letus go to home now.
Example
1. I saw Fissehatsion walking in the park.
I sawhim walking in the park.
2. Mame took her children to the school.
Mame took them to the school.
3. Fissehatsion is Betelhem brother.
Fissehatsion is her brother.
4. Helawit knows me.
5. Soliana remembers you.

60
 6. Selam soon found it.
 Possessive pronouns are used to show possession or ownership.
 Singular possessive pronouns are mine,yours,his and
hers.
 Plural possessive pronouns are ours, yours and
theirs.
 It has no possessive pronoun form.

Example

1. This book ismine.

2. That school isours.
3. These chairs are theirs.
 Possessive adjectives are my, our, your, his, her, their, one’sand
its.
 Singular possessive adjectives are my,your,his, her, itsand
one’s.
 Plural possessive adjectives are our, your and their.

Example

1. Is this your pen?

2. The employers were satisfied with her performance.
3. It is my car.

61
 Reflexive pronouns are myself, ourselves, yourself,
yourselves,himself, herself, itself, oneself and themselves.
 Singular reflexive pronouns are myself, yourself, himself,
herself, itself and oneself.
 Plural reflexive pronouns are ourselves, yourselves and
themselves.
 Use of it
 It is a third person singular pronoun and is used for
lifelessthings, animals and for a baby or a small child
when its sex is unknown or unimportant.
 The possessive form of it is its and is not to be confused
with it’s which is a contraction of it is.
 It is generally applied to things and not to people; but it is
often used to identify an unknown person. He and she
replace byit.
Example
1. There’s a knock at the door. Who is it?
2. It’s the policeman.
3. Who’s that? It’s our new next-door neighbors.
 It used for expressing time, distance, weather,
temperatureetc.
Example

62
 1. What time is it?
2. What is the day today?
3. What is the date today?
4. How far is it to Addis Ababa?
5. It is cold or hot or cloudy or rainy today.
6. It is spring now.
7. It was snowing yesterday.
8. It is raining now.
9. It is fine day.

10. It was not windy yesterday.

11. It is five pass ten.

12. It is quarter or fifteen to eleven.

13. It is half or thirty pass four.

14. It is quarter pass six.

15. It is 5 o’clock now.

16. It is Monday.

17. It is 20 kilometers.

18. It is the 3rd of January 2019.

 It used to introduce an infinitive phrase.

Example
1. It is easy to please him.
63
 2. It is necessary to go there.
3. It is impossible to finish the job in time.
4. It is time for us to take tea.
5. It is good for children to get up early.
6. It is difficult to live on such a small salary.
7. It is hard to live in desert place.
8. It is time to remember school life.
 Use of one
 One is used in such expression as the holy one (God),
theevil one (satan) and the person.

Example

1. Come here, little one. The person

2. He is not the one to run away from difficulties. The person
 One is also used as an indefinite pronoun.

Example

1. One must listen carefully before speaking.

2. One can’t get everything that one wants.
3. One must save money for difficult times.
4. One must respect one’s parents.
5. One must do one’s home task oneself.
6. One must suffer oneself and learn the hard way.
64
 7. One must study hard to pass the exam.
 One is replaced by the impersonal (you). In such
cases, youdoes not refer to any particular person.
 One’s is possessive adjective. One’s is more commonly
used.
Example
1. It is difficult to know one’s way in a big city.
2. It is one’s duty to live as long as possible.
3. It is foolish to spend all one’s savings.
4. It is good to hear one’s efforts praised.
 Use of they
 They can stand for persons, animals or things.
Example
1. Look at those donkeys. They never stop eating.
2. Our curtains look dirty. They need a good wash.
3. Betelhem and Selam are going to school. They are carrying
their bag.

Exercise 8

Fill in the blanks with “you”, “he”, “she”, “it”, “we”, or “they”.

1. Fissehatsion is wake up early in the morning.

………… go to school.

65
 2. Helawit and Betelhem are going to home.

………… do them homework.

3. Eyob is sitting on the desk in the class.

………… is doing his classwork.

4. Soliana study very hard.

………… pass the examination.

5. Selam and I arelearning in the same school.

………… are good friends.

6. Fissehatsion and Helawit are sitting in the library.

………… are reading reference books.

7. The milk is dirty.

………… is not fit for drinking.

8. The birds perching on the tree.

………… are singing.

9. Betelhem and I are doing to circus.

………… always meeting Saturday afternoon.

10. Selam has two elephant dolls.

………… is give one of them for her sister Betelhem.

Exercise 9

Underline the correct pronouns in the brackets.

66
1. The mother took (I, me) to the hospital.
2. Our parents gave (us, we) the gifts on New Year.
3. Helawit is going to school with (they, them).
4. Mame is walking to the church with (she, her) daughter.
5. I am reaching to (you, me) within five minutes.
6. Betelhem is painting (it, you) now.
7. Postman delivered the letter to (it, you).
8. Father bought (him, his) a new bicycle.
9. Fissehatsion invited (they, them) to the birthday party.
10. Fissehatsion is drawing (it, him) in class.

11. I helped (him, his).

12. We know all about (you, your).

13. They carried the luggage or baggage or bags. (them, themselves)

14. She could not read (his, her) own handwriting.

15. The came and met (we, us) at the station.

16. Here are some letters for you and (me, I).

17. If this is your bag, which is ………… (my, mine)

18. ………… is the prettiest dress. (her, hers)

19. You go ………… way, I go mine. (your, yours)

20. Is this umbrella ………… or …………? (her, hers, your, yours)

21. This is ………… cycle and that is ………… (my, mine, her, hers)
67
 22. She is a sister of ………… (me, mine)

23. A friend of ………… has gone abroad. (our, ours)

24. Our roads are better than ………… (their, theirs)

Exercise 10

Fill in the blanks with “mine”, “yours”, “his”, “hers”, “ours” or

“theirs”.

1. You have a pretty doll.

That pretty doll is …………

2. I have a new bicycle.
This bicycle is …………
3. Betelhem has a teddy or toy bear.
The teddy bear is …………
4. Fissehatsion has four books.
These books are …………
5. Helawit and I bought new books.
These books are …………
6. Soliana and Selam have new dresses.
These dresses are …………
7. I gave this puppy to them.
Now this puppy is …………

68
 8. This shop belongs to Fissehatsion and Betelhem. This shop is ………
9. I study in this room. This room is …………
10. These books are --------. We borrowed them from Helawit.
11. These toys are ---------. I bought them yesterday.
12. Soliana and I caught this bird. This bird is …………

13. Selam painted these pictures. These pictures are …………

14. Eyob bought these shoes. These shoes are …………

15. Fissehatsion and Betelhem bought a new car. This car is …………

16. This book belongs to my sister. It is …………

17. You do not have any pen. That pen is not …………

18. Fissehatsion has a gold ring. The gold ring is …………

19. She does not have a lunch box. That lunch box is not …………

20. He does not have any toy. This toy is not …………

Demonstrative pronouns

 Demonstrative pronouns are used topoint out or refer to

theobjects mentioned earlier.
 This, that, these,those,such and oneare demonstrative pronoun.
 These are the plural of this.
 Those are the plural of that.
 “This” and “these” is refer topersons, places or thingsindicate
closeness or nearness the speaker.
69
  “That”and “those” refer to persons, places or things indicate
farness or away from the speaker.

Example

1. This is my classmate. (this stands for my classmate)

2. I have failed again. Such is my luck. (such stands for I have
failed again)
3. Which trousers do you want? I want the blue one. (one stands
for the blue trousers)
4. This is my broken finger.
5. That is a girl.
6. That is an apple.
7. These are the ones you want
8. These are my gloves.
9. Those are cows.

Relative pronouns

 A relative pronoun is a joining pronoun. They are who, which,

whom, whoseand that.
 The clauses that start with these words are called relative
clauses.
 A personal pronoun like me, us, your, her, him, and themcannot
be used in a relative clause if it refers to the same antecedent.

70
Example
1. I know the boy who brake the window.
2. The book which I bought yesterday cost Birr 130.50.
3. That is the girl whom we met at our uncle’s place.
4. The girl, whose pen you borrowed, has come to ask for it.
5. The newspaper that you lent me yesterday is very dull.
6. The boy who is carrying a bag is Betelhem’s brother
7. The man who is pulling the big dog is a rich farmer.
8. The Fissehatsion who has a book is a university student.
9. The drug which the irresponsible pharmacist has hidden
inunknown store was imported illegally.
10. Albertan Einstein, who failed his university entrance exam,
discovered relativity.
 The underline parts in the above sentences are
relative clauses.
11. The man who we met him at the gate is their guard. (wrong)
 Whorefer to the man and also himrefer to the man.
Therefore, two reference are not allowed in the
sameantecedent.
The manwho we met at the gate is their guard. (Correct)
12. The woman whom I live with her is kind and generous.
(wrong)

71
 The woman whom I live with is kind and generous. (Correct)
13. As an artist, Sara is the only one who can do the job in a
professional manner.
 Use ofwho, whose, whom
 Who is generally used for human beings but sometimes
for pet or domestic animals?
 Who is used for persons in both defining and non-
definingrelative clauses as a subjective case.
 Who can be followed by a verb when used as subject,
and by a noun or a pronounwhen used as an object.
 A preposition cannot be used before who.
Preposition + that or who wrong
 Whom is used for human beings but sometimes for pet
or domestic animals.
 Whom is used in both defining and non-defining
relativeclauses an objective case.
 Whom isimmediately followed by a noun or a pronoun.
It is not followed by a verb.
 A preposition can be used before whom.
Preposition + whom or which correct
 Whose is used for human beings, animals and things in
both defining and non-defining relative clauses.

72
  Whose must be followed by a noun.
 Whose shows belongingness or ownership.
 We use whose in place of possessive adjectives like my,
his, her, its, their, our, your to refer to people and
things.
Example
1. A good builder is one whose house doesn’t fall
down.
 Whose house means his house
2. The students whose results are high should be
awarded.
 Whose results means their results
3. That is the house whose windows were broken.
 Whose windows means its windows
4. They are the children whose team won match.
 Whose team means their team
5. She is the customer whose address I lost.
 Whose address means her address
6. I am the novelist whose book won first prize.
 Whose book means my book
 Use of which

73
  Which is used for animals and for inanimate or lifeless
or dead or non-living things.
 Which is used for animals and things in both defining
and non-defining relativeclauses.
 Which can be used for persons and things in questions.
 Which can be followed by a verb when used as subject,
and by a noun or a pronounwhen used as an object.
 A preposition can be used before which.
Preposition + whom or which correct

 Use of that
 That can be used for both persons and things in a
defining relative clause. It is not used in a non-defining
relativeclause.
 That is often instead ofwho, whom, which but never in
place of whose.
 That is used after the adjectives in the superlative
degree.
 That is used after the wordsmuch, few,all, some,none,
only, nothing, something, everything, same and any.
 That can be followed by a verb when used as subject,
and by a noun or a pronounwhen used as an object.

74
  A prepositioncannotbe used before that.
Preposition + that or who wrong

Example

1. We had to take Teklu, who had been barking all night, inside.
2. It is a problemwhose solution I don’t know.
3. The timewhich is lost is lost forever.
4. He ran ten miles in an hour, which is creditable. (which stands
for the entire clause or he ran ten miles in an hour)
5. He is the manthat or whohas won the race.
6. The thiefthat or whom the police were looking for has been
caught.
7. The penthat or which I bought yesterday is not working
properly.
8. Fissehatsion is thefinest man that I have ever met.
9. Allthat glitters or sparkles or twinkles is not gold.

10. He is not the same friend that he was.

11. There is none among us that can compare with him.

12. There is nothingthat Betelhem will not do for her friends.

13. Man is the only animal that can think.

14. The road which bypasses our village in muddy.

15. The catwhich is sitting on the fence does not meow or mew.
75
 16. Which teacher is good at handling students?

17. Which girl is the best at decision making?

18. The thiefwho stole a painting from the art gallery is imprisoned.

19. I saw somethingthat I can’t tell you.

20. Everythingthat the chairperson said has been recorded.

21. This is the only book that her father bought.

22. Theboywhomwe dislike is disobedient.

23. Fissehatsion, whomthey like, is humorous or funny or comic.

24. The carpenterwhom yougreeted warmly is always busy.

25. The cowwhosehorns are long gives a lot of milk.

26. This girlwhosedress is long has lovely eyes.

27. Fissehatsion, whosebooks are torn, wants to be a doctor.

28. The housewhoseroof leaks is very old.

29. The bed onthat the child is lying was bought last week. (Wrong)

The bed onwhich the child is lying was bought last week.
(Correct)

30. The room inthat Fissehatsion lives is very small. (Wrong)

The room inwhich Fissehatsion lives is very small. (Correct)

The room which Fissehatsion lives in is very small. (Correct)

31. The boy withwho I play table tennis is a clever student. (Wrong)

76
 The boy withwhom I play table tennis is a clever student.
(Correct)

The boy who/that I play table tennis with is a clever student. (Right)

32. Betelhem’s father tothat the teacher spoke is old. (Wrong)

Betelhem’s father towhom the teacher spoke is old. (Correct)

Betelhem’s father who/that the teacher spoke to is old.

(Correct)

33. I’ve told you everythingthat I know.

34. She is the kindest girl that I know.

35. The only thing that matters me is your happiness.

36. The flowers which planted them are doing well. (Wrong)

The flowers which planted are doing well. (Correct)

 Them is not necessary, because which is used as an

object.

37. This is the report that I wanted it. (Wrong)

This is the report that I wanted. (Correct)

 It is unnecessary because that is usedinstead ofit.

38. The lady who/that we must yesterday is secretary.

39. that is the man whoI wanted to see.

 Who is object

40. It is a book thateverybody talks about and nobody reads.

77
  That is object

41. Have you got anything thatwill clean this carpet?

 That is subject

42. An orphan is a child who hasn’t got any parents.

 Who is subject

43. Economics is a subject aboutwhich I know very little.

44. The sales manager is the person fromwhom I obtained the

figures

45. He’s the person towhom I wrote.

46. This is the pan inwhich I boiled the milk.

47. By whom was this written?

48. To whom did you say that?

49. To whom did you write?

50. For whom did you vote?

51. With whom did you go?

 All, most, both, few, several, some, none, neither, any,

either,many, much, half, each, one, two, etc. + of +whom or
which can be used for both people and things.
Example
1. Fissehatsion has four sisters, all of whom are younger.

78
 2. He tried on three jackets, none of which fitted him.
3. They asked me a lot of questions, most of which I couldn’t
answer.
4. Two girls, neither of whom I had ever seen before, came into
my office.
5. They have got three cars, two of which they never use.

Adjective clauses or relative clauses

 A clause that modifies a noun or pronoun in the manner of an

adjective is called an adjective clause.

 Kinds of relative clauses

1. Defining relative clauses (restrictive or identifying
relative clauses)
2. Non-defining relative clauses (non-restrictive or non-
identifying or adding relative clauses)
 Defining relative clause is used to identify the preceding
noun from other nouns of the same group. This clause is
notseparated from the main clause by a comma or
commas.
 Defining relative clause exactly identifies or defines which
thing the speaker is talking about.
79
 Omission of relative pronouns or zero relative pronouns:
when they are used as an object who, whom, that and
which can be omitted or left out but not when they are used
as a subject.
Example
1. The man who is wearing shorts is Helawit’s brother.
2. The girl whose dream came true recently arrived
early.
3. The girl whom you wanted to marry has married
someone else.
4. The cakes which/that Betelhem baked were delicious.
The cakes Betelhem baked were delicious.
 Non-defining relative clause is comes after a noun which is
already definite or known. Therefore, it is not used to
identify the preceding noun from other nouns. This clause is
separated from the main clause by a comma or commas.
 Proper nouns should be followed by a non-defining
relativeclause.
 Unique nouns like the earth, the moon, the sun, the
equator, the sky etc. should be followed by a non-defining
relativeclause, not by a defining relative clause that means
the nouns are already definite or known.

80
 That is not used in a non-defining relative clause.
 Non-restrictive clauses merelyadd something to the noun
by giving some more extra or additional information about
a noun or thing.
 The non-defining relative clauseprovides
additionalinformation and if left out does not affect the
essential meaning of the sentence.
 We don’t use zero relative pronouns in non-defining
relative clause that is omission is not allowed.
Example
1. Ethiopia, which is a developing country, will be
prosperous if it uses the rivers for irrigation and
electricity.
2. Louis Pasteur, who invented a means of making
milksafer for drinking, was a famous scientist.
3. Tilahun Gesses, whose songs are liked by
mostEthiopians, was a famous musician.
4. The moon, which revolves around the earth, does not
emit its own light.
5. The sun, which emits both light and heat, is the biggest
star in the solar system.

81
 6. Addis Ababa, in which skyscrapers (high-rise building)
arebeing built, is a capital city.
7. My sister Betelhem, whom you met yesterday, wants
to speak to you.
8. Love, which is a wonderful experience, comes to
everyone at least once in life.
9. The woman next door, who/whom I met for the first
time last week, is moving next week.

10. My laptop, whose origin is Japanese, is very active.

Interrogative pronouns

 Interrogative pronouns are used for persons or things about

which questions are asked.
 Interrogative means questioning or enquiring or inquiring.
 Interrogative pronouns are what, who, whom, which, whose.

Example

1. What happened at the meeting?

2. Who told you that?
3. Whom do you want to see?
4. Which is the largest city in Ethiopia?
5. Whose is that book?

82
 6. Which book is mine?

 Interrogative pronouns can also be used to ask indirect

questions.
Example
1. He asked me what I wanted.
2. My father asked me who had come in his absence.
3. She asked me which of these songs I liked.
4. My mother wanted to know whom I was inviting for dinner.
5. The railway guard asked me where I wanted to go.
6. My father requested me what she loved.

 Interrogative pronouns are often used to combine two

questions.
Example
1. Do you know where the library is?
2. Can you tell me where I can find the principal?
3. Do you know how he escaped punishment?
4. Can you tell me whom I should approach for help?
5. Does anyone know whose photograph is?
6. How can we know where he has gone?

Exercise 11

83
Use the correct relative pronoun and interrogative pronoun such as
who, which, whom, whose, what and that.

1. God helps those ………… help themselves.

2. The car ………… I bought a month ago is still out of order.
3. These are the children ………… parents have died in the
earthquake.
4. Don’t listen to ………… he says.
5. It is difficult to decide ………… we should give this prize to.
6. My mother didn’t like the college ………… I had chosen.
7. He is the man ………… ran away with your purse or prize or reward.
8. ………… is this house?
9. ………… was your result?

10. …………. do you want to meet?

11.………… of these two girls would you like to marry?

12. ………… made you go to him?

13. ………… shirt are you wearing?

14. ………… wants dinner?

15. ………… is your car?

16. For ………… was she waiting?

17. ………… made the cartoon on the blackboard?

Indefinite pronouns
84
 Indefinite pronouns are do notname particular person or objects.
 Singular indefinite pronouns are another, other, either,
neither, any, anybody, anyone, no one, nobody, nothing,
none,one, each, some, someone, somebody, everyone,
everything, and everybody.
 Plural indefinite pronouns are any, both, a few, few, many,
none, several, all, much, nothing, others, little, a little,
mostand some.
 When you use a singular indefinite pronouns as subject, use the
singular form of verb.
Example
1. One of us is wrong.
2. Each of us does his assignment well.
3. Everyone in the room is very nervous.
4. Some of the butter was eaten.
5. Isany of that stew left?
6. None of his energy is gone.
 When you use a plural indefinite pronoun as subject, use the
pluralform of verb.
Example
1. Few of them have ever seen video.
2. Manyare working on their class work.

85
 3. Many of them were lost at sea.
4. Some of the oranges were eaten.
5. Areany of the boys late?
6. None of the books were sold.
7. Most of the apples have been spoiled.

Distributive pronouns

 Distributive pronouns stand for persons or things individually.

These are each, everyone, everybody, either, neither.
 Either and neither are followed by a singular verb in British
English and by a plural verb in American English.
 Each, everybody, and everything are followed by a
singularverb.

Example

1. Either of you hasto come to the meeting. (British English)

Either of youhaveto come to the meeting. (American English)
2. Neither of them was present at the meeting.(British English)
Neither ofthem werepresent at the meeting. (American English)
3. Neither of the soldiers is wounded. (British English)
Neither of the soldiers are wounded. (American English)
4. They each got a prize.
5. Everyoneloves his country.
86
 6. Everythingis terrible these days.
7. Each of the boys isready.
8. Every one of the girls plays volleyball.

Reciprocal pronouns

 Reciprocal pronounsexpressmutual relationships. These are

eachother and one another.
 Each other shows relationship between two persons and
one another between more than two.In modern English,
reciprocal pronouns are used in the same way. There is
nodifference between the two.

Example

1. The two friends helped each other.

The five friends helpedone another.
2. The villagers helped one another during the floods.
The villagers helped each other during the floods.
3. All the firemen were helpingeach other.
All the firemen were helping one another.
4. The husband and wife loved each other.
The husband and wife lovedone another.

 Use of when, where and why

87
  When, where and why are relative adverbs. When is
used for time like day, month, year etc. and where is used
for a place like house, room, hotel, town, country etc. and
why is used for a reason.
 When can replace in which or on which (used of time). In
which is used with years, months etc. on which is used
with days, dates etc.
 For which can be instead of why.
 At which or in which can be instead of where (used of
place).

Example

1. October is the month when we see beautiful flowers.

October is the month in which we see beautiful flowers.
2. Sunday is the day when they always go to church.
Sunday is the day on which they always go to church
3. We don’t know the reason why he didn’t pass the test.
We don’t know the reason for which he didn’t pass the test.
4. The country where they live is prosperous.
The country in which they live is prosperous.

Exercise 12

88
Fill in the blanks with where, when, who, that, which or whose.
1. The girls ………… were sitting in the café are not from our school.
2. What did Fasil do with the money ………… you lent him last week?
3. Kenenisa Bekele, ………… broke several records, is one of the most
famous athlete in the world.
4. The girl was talking with the man ………… car ran out of fuel.
5. Betelhem thanked Fissehatsion for his e-mail ………… was very
useful.
6. This is the policeman ………… saved the children.
7. Helawit was wearing a jacket ………… was blue.
8. Soliana, ………… won the prize, was really happy about it.
9. Do you remember the day ………… Selam left for Netherland.

10. The shelf on ………… she put her books is new and clean.

11. A person ………… gets up early is called an early riser.

12. The day on ………… we met at the cinema was very foggy.

Answers
89
Exercise 8
1. He 2. They 3. He 4. She 5. we
6. They 7. It 8. It 9. We 10. She

Exercise 9
1. Me 2. Us 3. Them 4. Her 5. You 6. It
7. You 8. Him 9. Them 10. It 11. Him 12. You
13. Themselves 14. Her 15. Us 16. Me 17. Mine
18. Hers 19. Your 20. Hers/yours 21. My/hers
22. Mine 23. Ours 24. Theirs

Exercise 10
1. Yours2. Mine3. Hers 4. His5. Ours 6. Theirs
7. Theirs8. Theirs9. Mine 10. Ours 11. Mine 12. Ours
13. Hers 14. His 15. Theirs16. Hers 17. Yours 18. His
19. Hers 20. His

Exercise 11
90
 1. Who 2. Which/that 3. Whose 4. What 5. Whom
6. That 7. Who 8. Whose 9. What 10.
Who/whom
11. Which 12. What 13. Whose 14. Who 15. Which
16. Whom 17. Who

Exercise 12
1. Who/that 2. Which/that 3. Who 4. Whose
5. Which/that 6. Who/that 7. Which/that 8. Who
10. When 10. Which 11. Who/that 12. Which

CHAPTER FOUR

91
 VERBS

Verbs

Main verbs Auxiliary

(principal verbs) (helping verbs)

Primary
auxiliary Modals

to be to do to have

am, is, are do have

was, were does has
be, been did had
being

 A verb is a word that expresses an action, feeling or state.

 A verb describes some action taking place.
92
  A verb is a word that says something about a person, animal,
idea or thing.
Example

1. The girl danced well.

2. I am studying English in class room.
3. The teacher shouted loudly.
4. Motheris stitching clothes.
5. I drink a glass of milk every morning.
6. The babycries for milk.
7. The milk is boiling.
8. The picture was painted.

 Some main or ordinary verbs are transitive verbs and some of

them are intransitive verbs.
 Kinds of verbs
1. Transitive verbs
2. Intransitive verbs
3. Auxiliary verbs

 Transitive verbs: a verb is transitive when the action passes over

from the subject to the object.
 A transitive verb is a verb that requires an objects to express a
complete meaning.

93
 Transitive verb expresses an action thata subject exerts up on an
object.
 Transitive verb have or take an object.
Example
1. The fox killed the rabbit.
2. He dropped a stone into the water.
3. My sister cooked lunch for me.
4. He isreading a book.
5. He gave me a pen.
6. Children help their parents.
 The rabbit, a stone, lunch, a book, me, their parents are
direct object.
 Intransitive verbs: a verb is intransitive when it does not
requirean objectto complete thoughtbecause the action denoted
by the verb does not pass over to anything else.
 An intransitive verb does not have or take an object.
 Rise, swim, go, die, appear and come are some of the verbs
which are used only intransitively.
Example
1. The rabbit died.
2. The children laughed.
3. The sun rises in the east.

94
 4. The bus stopped suddenly.
5. The old man sat in the room.
6. The lady laughs cheerfully.
7. The student went to school.
8. The girl smiles happily.
9. We live in Addis Ababa.
 In the east, suddenly, in the room, cheerfully, to school,
happily and in Addis Ababa are not direct object.
 Some verbs may be used transitively or intransitivelydepending
on the contexts. Some of these verbs are
Break cook hurt ring tear
Burn decrease increase read teach
Begin develop improve shut turn
Boilfinish melt start unite
Closefreezemove stop wake
Continuefly mix shine weaken
Crashfloat opensing
Change growrun separate

Example
1. Guta teaches physics. (transitive)

95
 Guta teaches well. (intransitive)
2. Betelhem opened the windows. (transitive)
The windows opened. (intransitive)
3. The student rang the bell an hour ago. (transitive)
The bell rang an hour ago. (intransitive)
4. He can fly a jet fighter. (transitive)
Birdsfly in the sky. (intransitive)
5. Helawit runs her father’s house. (transitive)
Helawit runs fast. (intransitive)
6. Fissehatsion reads a book daily. (transitive)
He can’t read fast. (intransitive)
7. Soliana floated paper boats. (transitive)
Wood floats on water. (intransitive)
8. Selam burnt all her toys. (transitive)
The fire burns dimly. (intransitive)
9. She broke the glass. (transitive)
The chair broke. (intransitive)

Exercise 13

Decide whether the verbs in bold are transitive or intransitive.

1. Divorce hurts children.

2. The children were singing beautifully.

96
3. Mammo Wudneh wrote more than fifty books.
4. The women were sitting together.
5. He was eating hamburgers.
6. A city life may change her outlook or point of view or viewpoint.
7. The world is changing rapidly.
8. The goalkeeper hit the ball.
9. The maid is cooking dinner now.

10. The man has scraped the paint from the building.

11. The boys were talking loudly.

12. We will go to the theatre tomorrow.

13. The librarian told me about useful books.

14. The thief has disappeared from my sight.

15. The child was crying bitterly.

16. This pilot flies a helicopter.

17. The birds fly in the air.

18. My uncle laughed happily.

19. The girl sings a song.

20. The girl sings cheerfully.

21. He always keeps his money in a wallet.

22. The baby was crying in the afternoon.

97
23. He showed me the photo album.

24. The doctor advised me to exercise regularly.

25. It was raining in the morning.

26. Our boss does not smile.

27. Betelhem gave us some cookies.

28. The boys lay under the tree.

29. The child ate the chocolates.

30. My father doesn’t drink coffee and alcohol.

31. The ship sank yesterday.

32. The sun rises in the East.

33. He is successful.

34. She speaks slowly.

35. He speaks French.

36. They speak Arabic.

Auxiliary verbs

 Auxiliary verb is a helping or supporting or ancillary or assisting

verb.
 Auxiliary verbs are primary auxiliaries and modal auxiliaries.

98
 Have, has, had, do, did, does, is, am, are, was, were, be and been
are primary auxiliaries. These verbs may also be used as main or
ordinary verbs.
 Primary auxiliary can be used alone or with a main verb. It
maysometimes be used as a main verb.
Example
1. He is a teacher. The word is is a main verb
He isreading a book. The word is is an auxiliary verband
reading is main verb
2. Fissehatsionhas a nice car. Has is main verb
Fissehatsion hasbought a nice car. Has is an auxiliary
verb and bought is main verb
3. We do our homework daily. Do is a main verb
4. They are not playing football. Are is an auxiliary
verband playing is main verb

 They are be, have, do

 Be included am, is, are, was, were, been and being.
 The continuous form of be is being.
 Be is used in all passive construction.
 Have included have, has and had
 Do included do, does and did

99
 Example
1. The boy was given a prize.
2. English is used by a large number of people.
3. His watch has been stolen.
 Beused as a helping verbin the formation of continuous
tense.
Example
1. Fissehatsion is drawing a picture.
2. Our families were going to the zoo.
3. She will be taking his examination next year.
 Be used as an ordinary verbto express existence or to
give information about a person or thing.
Example
1. Africa is a continent.
2. My fatheris an accountant.
3. Copper is a metal
 Be used as an ordinary verbto express age, size, weight
etc.
Example
1. I am forty seven years old.
2. This buildingis hundred feet high.
3. She is fifty kilograms in weight.

100
 Have as an auxiliary verb is used to form perfect and
perfect continuous tenses.
Example
1. He has come.
2. I have bought it
3. She had finished.
4. He will have come home by now.
5. We have been working for two hours.
6. They had been living here for two years.
 Have as an ordinary verb used as to express possession.
Example
1. I have a new car.
2. Fissehatsion, Helawit and Betelhem have bright or
interesting idea.
3. She had a lot of dresses.
4. He has many books.
 Have to mean take, give, enjoy, experience, encounter,
receive, eat, drink and find.
Example
1. I have my lunch at 2 p.m. Take
2. Ihave had my bath. Take
3. We are having a party this evening. Give

101
 4. We had a nice picnic or eat outside. Enjoy
5. My friend had a heart attack. Experience
6. The widow hada lot of trouble. Encountered
7. I didn’t have any breakfast this morning. Eat
8. Did you have a letter from home this morning?
Receive
9. Did you have tea or coffee for breakfast? Drink

10. I don’t have much difficulty with English grammar.

Find or experience

11. Did you have a good time at the dance last night?

Experience or enjoy

 Have as an ordinary verb forming negatives and

interrogatives.
Example
1. He has no money.
2. I have no idea. Negative
3. She does not have book.
4. Has he money?
5. Have I idea? Interrogative
6. Does he have book?

102
 Do as an auxiliary verb is used to form negatives and
interrogatives.
Example
1. They do not know him.
2. She did not speak. Negative
3. He does not love her.
4. Do they know him?
5. Did she speak? Interrogative
6. Does he love her?
 Do is used as an ordinary verb in a formal greeting.
Example
1. How do you do?
 Do is used as an ordinary verb.
Example
1. I do my work well.
2. I have done my work well.
3. He is doing his work well.
4. Does he do his work well?
5. I didn’t do my work well.
6. Is he doing his work well?
7. We have done group assignment.
8. Does she doher homework?

103
 9. I don’t believe it, you are told.

Linking verbs

 A linking (copulative) verblinks the subject of a sentence to a

noun, a pronoun or an adjective in the predicate. All linking
verbs are intransitive.
 Am, is, are, was, were, been, and be are very common
linkingverbs. These words are linking verbs when they are not
followed by a main verb. If these verbs are followed by a main
verb, they become auxiliary (helping) verbs.
 Look, smell, sound, feel, taste, seem and grow arelinking verbs
when they are followed by adjectives.
 Look, smell, sound, feel, taste, seem and grow become
actionverbs when they are followed by a direct object or an
adverb.
 The noun or adjective or adjective+noun that comes after a
linking verb is called a complement.

Action verbs

 Action verb shows an action and can be used in

continuous(progressive) tenses. It tells what the subject does. An
action verb may include one or morehelping verbs. An action
verb may be transitiveor intransitive.
104
Example

1. He told you about it. (action verb)

2. They have slept the whole day. (action verb)
3. The man killed an antelope last week. (action verb)
4. The man killed an elephant. (action verb)
5. My father is an accountant.
6. We are students. (linking verb)
7. He became a soldier. (linking verb)
8. The look sad. (linking verb)
9. My mother is a wise woman. (linking verb)
 Students, a soldier, sad, and a wise woman are
notobjects, these are complements.

10. It tastes delicious. (linking verb)

11. This flower smells nice. (linking verb)

12. My friend grew old. (linking verb)

13. She looked unhappy. (linking verb)

14. we grow bored. (linking verb)

15. They felt guilty. (linking verb)

 Tastes, smells, grew, looked,feltetc. are linking verb.

They are followed by adjectives.

16. My father grows teff. (action verb)

105
 17. The cook tasted the stew if there was enough salt in it. (action
verb)

18. She smells flowers daily. (action verb)

19. The man looked at the boy angrily. (action verb)

 Grows, tasted, smells, looked etc. are action verbs

when they are followed by a direct object or an adverb.

Exercise 14

Decide whether the words in bold are linking verbs or action verbs.

1. They look fine.

2. She looked at the tall man.
3. He was the best footballer in the world.
4. Her coffee tastes nice.
5. He seems confused.
6. I tasted the pizza.
7. The pizza tasted nice.
8. That sounds fantastic.
9. I had my dinner in restaurant.
10. The flowers smell sweet.
11. I watched the film yesterday.
12. Betelhem bought a new dress.

13. Fissehatsion bought a new car.

106
Exercise 15

Decide whether the words in bold are objects or complements.

1. Cancer is a deadly disease.

2. His sister studied law and economics.
3. Good children do not steal money.
4. He seems kind and generous.
5. It tastes sweet.
6. Have you ever tasted whisky?
7. These flowers smell nice.
8. The children smell these flowers.
9. Her parents grow coffee and sisal.
10. They were veteran or trouper or experienced person soldiers.
11. The bandit killed the veteran soldiers.
12. He looks happy.
13. He is looking at the beautiful butterfly.
14. His son has become a well-known professor.
15. He grew suspicious.
16. The weather seems fine.
17. They were reading a newspaper.
18.We all thanked the host.
19. This is my computer.

107
20. Fissehatsion loves Betelhem.

Primary verbs

 Some primary verbs are derived from the verbs “tobe” (am, is
and are), have and do.
 “Do” or “Does” is used to tell us about aworkwhich is carried out
or finished in the present.
 “Did” is used to denote a work which was carried out or finished
in the past.

Example

1. She is an intelligent girl

2. He was very polite.
3. You are a clever boy.
4. They have two kittens.
5. Shedoes her homework in time.
6. They are good children.
7. We are enjoying ourselves.
8. Fissehatsion is not going to school today.
9. The horse is not fit to run the race.
10. Do you live in Addis?
11. Does she want to go shopping this afternoon?
12. Did you take a walk with him yesterday?
108
 13. Are you from Ethiopia?
14. Our English teacher is very clever.
15. I have a headache or toothache or backache.
16. She has a stomachache or earache.
17. They have a pain in their back or tooth or head.
18. He has a broken or sprained or twist an ankle or wrist.
19. I haveflu or cold or runny (liquid or fluid) nose or fever or high
temperature or sore (painful) throat(esophagus or gullet).
20. I have a bruise (hurt, wound, injured) or graze (scratch or cut).

21. We have seen that movie.

PRESENT TENSEPAST TENSE

Be, is, am, isn’t, am notwas, wasn’t
Are, aren’t were, weren’t
Has, have, hasn’t, haven’t had, hadn’t
Do, does, don’t, doesn’tdid, didn’t
Can, can’t could, couldn’t
May, mayn’t might, mightn’t
Will, won’t would, wouldn’t
Shall, shan’t should, shouldn’t
Need, needn’t needed

109
Used to ----
Dare, daren’t dared
Ought to, oughtn’t to ----
Have to, haven’t tohad to, hadn’t to
Has to, hasn’t tohad to, hadn’t to
Am to the same was to, wasn’t to
Is to, isn’t to meaning was to, wasn’t to
Are to, aren’t to were to, weren’t to
Must, mustn’t ----

Pronoun Present Past Tense Future Tense

Tense
am was

I have had shall

do did

are were

We have had shall

do did

are were

You have had will

do did

110
 is was

He has had will

does did

is was

She has had will

does did

is was

It has had will

does did

are were

They have had will

do did

Contracted form

Full formContracted form

I am, I am notI’m, I’m not
He is, he is not he’s, he isn’t, he’s not

111
 She is, she is not she’s, she isn’t, she’s not
It is, it is not it’s, it isn’t, it’s not
We are, we are not we’re, we aren’t, we’re not
You are, you are not you’re, you aren’t, you’re not
They are, they are not they’re, they aren’t, they’re not
I have, I have not I’ve, I’ve not, I haven’t
We have, we have not we’ve, we’ve not, we haven’t

They have, they have not they’ve, they haven’t, they’ve not

You have, you have not you’ve, you haven’t, you’ve not

She has, she has not she’s, she hasn’t, she’s not
He has, he has not he’s, he hasn’t, he’s not
It has, it has not it’s, it hasn’t it’s not
I had, I had not I’d, I hadn’t, I’d not
We had, we had not we’d, we hadn’t, we’d not
You had, you had not you’d, you hadn’t, you’d not
They had, they had not they’d, they hadn’t, they’d not
He had, he had not he’d, he hadn’t, he’d not
She had, she had not she’d, she hadn’t, she’d not
It had, it had not it’d, it hadn’t, it’d not
I will, I will not I’ll, I won’t, I’ll not
I would, I would not I’d, I wouldn’t, I’d not
Do not don’t
112
 Does not doesn’t
Did not didn’t
Cannot can’t
Could not couldn’t
May not mayn’t
Must not mustn’t/ mightn’t
Need not needn’t
Shall not shan’t
Should not shouldn’t
Ought not to oughtn’t to
Dare not daren’t
Used not to usedn’t/didn’t use to

Regular verbs

 Verbs whose forms can be changed to past tense by adding“ed”

to the present tense.

Present tensePast tensePast participle

Advise advised advised
Agree agreed agreed
Arrange arranged arranged
Bore bored bored

113
 Care cared cared
Cause caused caused
Compare compared compared
Change changed changed
Charge charged charged
Create created created
Desire desired desired
Dare dared dared
Die died died
Excuse excused excused
Face faced faced
Force forced forced
Hate hatedhated
Hope hoped hoped
Imagine imagined imagined
Include included included
Like liked liked
Live lived lived
Love lovedloved
Lie lied lied
Prepare prepared prepared
Promise promised promised
114
 Practice practiced practiced
Propose proposed proposed
Refuse refused refused
Require required required
Serve served served
Side sided sided
State stated stated
Surprise surprised surprised
Tolerate tolerated tolerated
Unite united united
Vote voted voted
Add added added
Appear appeared appeared
Accept accepted accepted
Clean cleaned cleaned
Enter entered entered
Expect expected expected
Fear feared feared
Grant granted granted
Heed heeded heeded
Help helped helped
Laugh laughed laughed
115
 Load loaded loaded
Look looked looked
Mark marked marked
Miss missed missed
Need needed needed
Offer offered offered
Play played played
Remember remembered remembered
Report reported reported
Respect respected respected
Seem seemed seemed
Shout shouted shouted
Suggest suggested suggested
Succeed succeeded succeeded
Talk talked talked
Wash washedwashed
Want wanted wanted
Wait waited waited
Weight weighed weighed
Allot allotted allotted
Bag bagged bagged
Drop dropped dropped
116
Fit fitted fitted
Occur occurred occurred
Plan planned planned
Permit permitted permitted
Prefer preferred preferred
Stop stopped stopped
Travel travelled travelled
Apply applied applied
Cry cried cried
Dry dried dried
Pity pitied pitied
Reply replied replied
Supply suppliedsupplied

Irregular verbs

 Verbs whose forms are changed to past tense in other ways.

Present tensePast tensePast participle

Abide abode abode

Arisearose arisen
Awake awoke awoken, awakened
Be was, were been

117
Bear bore born, borne
Beat beat beaten
Become became become
Befall befell befallen
Beget begot, begat begotten
Begin began begun
Beheld beheld beheld
Belay belaid belaid
Bend bent bent
Bereave bereft bereft
Beseech besought besought
beseeched beseeched
Beset beset beset
Bet bet bet
Bid bade, bid bidden,bid
Bind bound bound, bounden
Bite bit bitten
Bleed bled bled
Blend blent blent
Bless blest blest
Blow blew blown
Break broke broken
118
 Breed bred bred
Bring brought brought
Broadcast broadcast broadcast
Build built built
Burn burnt, burned burnt, burned
Burst burst burst
Buy bought bought
Cast cast cast
Catchcaught caught
Chide chid chidden
Choose chose chosen
Cleave cleft, clove cleft, cloven
Clothe clothed,cladclothed, clad
Cling clung clung
Come came come
Cost cost cost
Creep crept crept
Crow crew, crowed crowed
Cut cut cut
Dare dared, durst dared, durst
Deal dealt dealt
Dig dug dug
119
 Do did done
Draw drew drawn
Dream dreamed, dreamt dreamed,
dreamt
Drink drank drunk, drunken
Drive drove driven
Dwell dwelt, dwelled dwelt, dwelled
Eat ate eaten
Fall fell fallen
Feed fed fed
Feel felt felt
Fight fought fought
Find found found
Flee fled fled
Fling flung flung
Fly flew flown
Forbear forbore forborne
Forbid forbade forbidden
Forecast forecast forecast
Foresee foresaw foreseen
Forget forgot forgotten
Forgive forgave forgiven

120
 Forgoforwent forgone
Forsake forsook forsaken
Freeze froze frozen
Get got got, gotten
Gild gilt gilt
Gird girt girt
Give gave given
Go went gone
Grave graved graven
Grow grew grown
Hang hanged, hung hanged, hung
Have had had
Hear heard heard
Heave hove hove
Hew hewed hewn
Hide hid hidden
Hit hit hit
Hold held held, holden
Hurt hurt hurt
Input inputted, input inputted, input
Interweave interwove interwoven
Keep kept kept
121
 Kneel knelt, kneeled knelt, kneeled
Knit knit, knitted knit, knitted
Know knew known
Lade laded laden
Lay laid laid
Lead led led
Lean leant, leaned leant, leaned
Leap leapt, leaped leapt, leaped
Learn learnt, learned learnt, learned
Leave left left
Lend lent lent
Let let let
Lie lay lain
Light lit, lighted lighted, lit
Lose lost lost
Make made made
Mean meant meant
Meet met met
Mow mowed mown
Mislay mislaid mislaid
Mislead misled misled
Misspell misspelt misspelt
122
misspelled misspelled
Mistake mistook mistaken
Misunderstand misunderstood
misunderstood
Outdo outdid outdone
Outgrow outgrew outgrown
Overcome overcame overcome
Overdo overdid overdone
Overdraw overdrew overdrawn
Overeat overate overeaten
Overhang overhung overhung
Overhear overheard overheard
Overpay overpaid overpaid
Override overrode overridden
Overrun overran overrun
Oversee oversaw overseen
Overtake overtook overtaken
Overthrow overthrew overthrown
Pass past past
Pay paid paid
Put put put
Quit quit quit

123
 Rap rapt rapt
Read read read
Reave reft reft
Redo redid redone
Repay repaid repaid
Rerun reran rerun
Reset reset reset
Rethink rethought rethought
Rewind rewound rewound
Rewrite rewrote rewritten
Rid rid rid
Ride rode ridden
Ring rang rung
Rise rose risen
Rive rived riven
Run ran run
Saw sawed sawn
Say said said
See saw seen
Seek sought sought
Sell sold sold
Send sent sent
124
Set set set
Sew sewed sewed, sewn
Shake shook shaken
Shape shaped shapen
Shave shaved shaven
Shear shore, sheared sheared,
shorn
Shed shed shed
Shine shone shone
Shoot shot shot
Show showed shown
Shrink shrank, shrunk shrunk, shrunken
Shut shut shut
Sing sang sung
Sink sank, sunksunk
Sit sat sat
Slay slew slain
Sleep slept slept
Slide slid slid, slidden
Sling slung slung
Slink slunk slunk
Slit slit slit

125
 Smell smelt, smelled smelt, smelled
Smite smote smitten
Sow sowed sowed, sown
Speak spoke spoken
Speed speeded, sped speeded, sped
Spell spelt, spelled spelt, spelled
Spend spent spent
Spill spilt, spilled spilt, spilled
Spin span, spunspun
Spit spat spat
Split split split
Spoil spoilt, spoiled spoilt,
spoiled
Spread spread spread
Spring sprang, sprung sprung
Stand stood stood
Stave stove stove
Stay staid staid
Steal stole stolen
Stick stuck stuck
Sting stung stung
Stink stank, stunk stunk

126
 Strew strewed strewn
Stride strode stridden
Strike struck struck, stricken
String strung strung
Strive strove striven
Swear swore sworn
Sweep swept swept
Swell swelledswelled, swollen
Swim swam swum
Swing swung swung
Take took taken
Teach taught taught
Tear tore torn
Tell told told
Think thought thought
Thrive thrived, throve thrived
Throw threw thrown
Thrust thrust thrust
Tread trod trodden
Understand understood
understood
Undergo underwent undergone

127
 Undertake undertook
undertaken
Undo undid undone
Unwind unwound unwound
Uphold upheld upheld
Upset upset upset
Wake waked, woke woken, waked
Wax waxed waxen
Wear wore worn
Weave wove woven
Wet wet, wetted wet, wetted
Weep weptwept
Win won won
Wind wound wound
Withdraw withdrew withdrawn
Withhold withheld withheld
Withstand withstood withstood
Wreak wreaked, wrought wreaked,
wrought
Wring wrung wrung
Write wrote written

128
Exercise 16
Fill in the blanks with “is”, “am”, or “are”.
There ……1…… a school next to my house. I …… 2…… a student of the
same school. There ……3…… hundreds of students in my school. My
class ……4…. on the ground floor. The senior classes …… 5…… on the
second floor. I ……6…… the monitor of my class. My sister …… 7…… the
monitor of her class. My teacher …… 8…… very hard working but there
……9…… some lazy boys in our class. All my friends …… 10…… good boys. I
……11……very fond or loving of my school library. We …… 12…… going to
have our annual day next month. My school gets over at 2 o’clock.
There ……13…… many buses of my school which take children to their
homes. I ……14…… proud of my school.

Exercise 17
Fill in the missing words in Fissehatsion daily routine.
brushes eats studies comes washes
wears gets leaves takes combs
goes rests drinks does

Fissehatsion ……1…… up at six o’clock in the morning. He …… 2…… his

teeth and ……3…… his face. Then he ……4…… his uniform and ……5…… his
hair. He ……6…… his breakfast at seven o’clock and …… 7…… to school at

129
7:15 a.m. He ……8…… back from the school at 2:30 p.m. and then he ……
9
…… a bath and ……10…… his lunch. He ……11…… for one hour and then
he ……12…… until 5:30 p.m. He ……13…… milk and ……14…… to play in the
field. He ……15…… back at 6:30 p.m. He …… 16……responsibility to study
his sister. After that he …… 17…… his homework. He ……18…… his dinner
at 8 o’clock and ……19…… to bed at 9:00 p.m.

Exercise 18

Fill in the blanks with “has”, “have” or “had”.

1. The little girl ………… a sweet face.

2. She ………… fever yesterday.
3. I ………… three sisters.
4. The girls ………… ice-cream at the party last night.
5. I ………… an interesting book. I read it on Sundays.
6. Hana ………… a new dress.
7. The boys ………… many toys. They keep them in the box.
8. You ………… a nice pen.
9. The sun ………… its own light.

10. The sky ………… many stars.

11. Father ………… a bad cough yesterday.

130
12. We ………… fried rice for dinner last night.

13. She ………… a stomachache.

14. I ………… a toothache.

15. You ………… a headache.

16. The cat ………… a beautiful long tail.

Exercise 19

Fill in the blanks will the correct words in the brackets.

1. Fissehatsion ………… his homework carefully yesterday. (did, does)

2. They all ………… the work well. (did, do)
3. I ………… my homework in the study room. (do, did)
4. Helawit ………… her classwork just now. (does, do)
5. Soliana ………… work hard last night. (did, does)
6. Selam and Betelhem ………… the playing here a few minute ago.
(did, do)
7. Fissehatsion ………… the painting here every day. (did, does)
8. Eyob and Hana ………… their work carefully. (do, does)
9. We ………… our study every day. (do, did)

10. He ………… his homework honestly. (do, does)

11. The workers ………… repair the cars yesterday. (did, do)

12. You ………… your work neatly. (do, does)

13. She ………… her homework herself an hour ago. (did, does)
131
Exercise 20

Choose the correct verb in the brackets.

1. There ………………… (is, are) students waiting for you, sir.

2. The citizens wholeheartedly ……… (support, supports) the mayor.
3. Ours ………….. (is, are) great warriors …………. (isn’t it, aren’t they)?
4. The nomads’ cattle ……………… (was, were) grazing on the hill side.
5. The youth …………….. (has, have) made unforgettable contribution
inthis country’s literacy campaign.
6. The news of the war in the Middle East ………………. (has, have) got
much worse.
7. The archives of our school ……………… (is, are) kept downstairs.
8. (do, does) your parents always believe what you say?
9. Every one of us ………………. (has, have) (his, their) own work to do.
10. It is on each individual effort that the safety and happiness of the
whole enterprise ……………. (depend, depends).
11. English as well as French ……………….. (is, are) taught at our school.
12. The employment of girls under sixteen ………. (is, are) forbidden in
this country.
13. Your drawing and your friend’s ………. (is, are) very much identical.
14. The committee wishes to reconsider…………….. (its, their) decision.
15. It was announced that the committee member…………. (has, have)
resigned due to financial problems.
132
16. Neither Fissehatsion nor his sisters ………….. (want, wants) to go to
the movies.
17. The brightness of these flowers …………… (is, are) remarkable.
18. Neither of these coats …………… (fit, fits) you properly.
19. The mother of those twins, Kidus and Nebiyou ……… (is, are) liked
by all members of the community.
20. Three hours ………………… (is, are) not enough for such a difficult
examination.
21. The number of students in our English classes ………………… (is, are)
limited to thirty.
22. Only the reading of good novels will …………… (improve, improves)
your language.
23. You should know that cheap purchases …………. (does, do) not last
long.

24. Badly built houses …………… (does, do) not cost much.

25. Look at this water! Some of it ……………. (are, is) on my book.

26. Has Betelhem won many tournaments?

Yes, she has

27. Did she go to America ten years ago?

……………………………………………..

28. Did she start playing tennis when she was three?

133
 ………………………………………........

29. Have Betelhem and her father travelled a lot?

………………………………………………

30. Have they ever been to Australia?

………………………………………………

31. Did they go to Australia last month?

………………………………………………

32. Did she win the tournament?

……………………………………………..

33. Has she won Wimbledon yet?

……………………………………………..

Exercise 21

Fill in the blanks will the correct verb in the brackets.

1. One of the boys from our school …………. (have, has) been elected
to direct the activities of the whole group.
2. Bacon and eggs …………………. (are, is) a favorite breakfast for many
millions.
3. A number of women …………….. (have, has) taken turns as crossing
guards.

134
 4. The number of people involved in the project ………. (are, is) great.
5. There …………… (go, goes) Fissehatsion in his new car.
6. Betelhem, as well as the rest of the family …………. (has, have)
enjoyed the game.
7. Neither the bread nor the cookies …………… (were, was) for sale.
8. Neither the men nor the women ……………. (have, has) made their
quota of sales.
9. Either a single large cake or many smaller ones …………. (is, are) to
be baked.

10. Each of you …………… (has, have) his own bicycle.

11. None of the students ……………….. (is, are) in the room.

12. None of the rooms ………….. (has, have) been painted, but some of

the plaster …………….. (is, are) dry.

13. One half of the cake …………… (has, have) been eaten.

14. A number of girls ……………….. (has, have) signed up for the course,

but the number of people …………….. (are, is) not large enough yet.

15. Fissehatsion, accompanied by or go with or go along with or go

together with his two sons…………….. (is, are) taking a pack trip

through the Alps.

16. Aunt Betelhem’s lawyer and advisor, Biniam, …………………. (is, are)

135
 a friend of father’s.

17. Every letter and postcard ………….. (has, have) readdressed.

18. Half of the boys ………… (have, has) decided to work this summer.

19. The minister, accompanied by two guards, ……………….. (has, have)

gone out of the office.

20. The doctor, along with two nurses ………. (sit, sits) in the tea room.

21. The oranges as well as the bananas …………… (look, looks) old and

stale or decayed or decomposed or rotten.

22. You, as well as he ……………. (is, are) in the wrong department.

23. The captain along with five of his men ……………………… (was, were)

decorated for bravery or courageousness.

24. All the students except one ……………. (has, have) been promoted.

25. All the equipment with the exception of these two test-tube ………

(has, have) been washed.

26. All but one of the visitors ………………. (has, have) arrived.

27. All of these flowers except for this red rose ………… (come, comes)

from his garden.

28. All but three of these cups ………………. (was, were) broken.

29. Either the meat on the table or the fish on that plate ………………….

(smell, smells) bad.

136
30. Neither you nor I ………………. (is, am, are) to take this test again.

31. Either you or she …………………….. (know, knows) who the culprit or

lawbreaker or wrongdoer or criminal or offender is.

32. Neither the mother nor her children ………………… (has, have) been

vaccinated.

33. Either the teacher or one of the students …….. (has, have) cleaned

the blackboard or chalkboard.

34. Each student …………. (has, have) a pen on …………. (his, their) disk.

35. Every one of the girls ………………. (have, has) handed in ………………

(her, their) book.

36. Each of these books ……………… (has, have) the name of the school

stamped in ……………….. (it, them).

37. Every man, woman, and child ……….. (was, were) rescued or saved

or freed or liberated from the burning building.

38. Each one of them ……………………. (know, knows) the importance of

education.

39. Not only you but also she …………….. (is, am, are) late today.

40. Not only he but also you ………….... (need, needs) to study hard.

41. Not only the vegetable but also the fruit ……… (look, looks) rotten.

42. Not only my furniture but also yours ……. (need, needs) replacing.
137
 43. Not only the old but also the young ……………… (need, needs) good

treatment.

44. The team ………… (has, have) taken up ………… (its, their) positions

on the field.

45. Our team …………… (is, are) the best in the soccer league.

46. The crowd or troop or multitude or mass ………… (is, are) stamping

……………… (its, their) feet and waving ……………… (its, their) hats in

the air with delight or joy or happiness or enjoyment or pleasure.

47. The crowd ……………. (is, are) standing in complete silence.

48. The class ……………. (has, have) handed or gave or given or offered

or furnished or supplied or providedin ………………. (its, their) note

books.

Exercise 22

Fill in the blanks with the most appropriate verb.

1. Neither Fissehatsion nor his friends ……………. to come here.

A. wantB. wants C. wanting D. is wanting
2. Neither Betelhem nor Helawit ……………. many mistakes yet.
A. make B. has made C. makes D. have been making
3. The brightness of these glasses ……………. of a very high quality.
A. are B. is C. be D. were
138
4. Neither of your students …………. to come for the makeup classes.
A. wants B. want C. is wanting D. are wanting
5. Each of the points raised at the meeting ………….. jotted down at
the time.
A. are B. were C. was D. have been
6. The guest football team ………………. disappointed.
A. are B. were C. was D. have been
7. The doctor of those twins, Eyob and Fissehatsion, ……..............
interviewed by journalists last week.
A. was B. were C. will be D. have been
8. As a general rule, neither the pilot nor his co-pilot …………… radio
messages.
A. accept B. have accepted C. accepts D. haven’t accepted
9. Both recommendations ………………….. acceptable.
A. are B. is C. was D. has been
10. There’s a suit in the bazaar she ………….. to buy for her boy friend.
A. was wanted B. was wanting C. want D. wants
11. Oneof the buildings ……… destroyed by an explosion last summer.
A. was B. have been C. were D. has been
12. One of the pots I bought yesterday ………………. broken.
A. has been B. have been C. are D. were
13. The chain of mountains near Jijiga …………. of strategic importance.

139
 A. has B. have C. is D. are
14. Either the cat or the dogs ……………….. eaten the meat.
A. has B. have C. was D. are
15. All my neighbors except Ermias …………. gone for the holiday.
A. is B. was C. have D. has
16. Neither the boss nor the laborers …………… able to justify the cause
of the fire.
A. was B. had C. are D. be
17. Each of cadets or trainees or students ……………… given the campus
map when he arrived.
A. was B. are C. were D. have been
18. I wanted some food, but there was ……………….. at home.
A. no B. some C. none D. not all
19. My uncle as well as his friend ……………….. gone to the war front.
A. are B. was C. have D. has
20. Neither her face nor her legs ………………. attractive.
A. are B. is C. has D. have
21. He saw the dead man, lifted him up and ………… him to their camp.
A. carry B. carried C. was carrying D. has carried
22. In most countries December is a month for cutting and ……………….
crops.
A. winnow B. winnows C. winnowing D. to winnows
140
 23. My father, having put on his suit and …………… his breakfast left for
office.
A. ate B. eat C. eating D. eaten
24. She’s the kind of woman who gives everything and …… everything.
A. expect B. expects C. expectingD. will expect
25. The policeman jumped and ……………… the thief.
A. caught B. has caught C. was caught D. catch

Exercise 23

Fill the correct form of the verbs in brackets.

Betelhem is a tennis player. She is only 24 years old, but she … 1……
(already won, has already won, had won, wins) many tournaments in
her life. She ……2……… (starts, started, has started) playing tennis with
her father when she ………3……… (is, has been, was, was being) three
years old. Two years ago, she …… 4……. (goes, went, has gone, had gone)
to the USA to a famous tennis school in California. She and her father
…………5………. (travel, travelled, have travelled, were travelling) to many
countries. Last month, they ……6…… (went, have gone, were, had been)
to a tournament in Australia. Betelhem ………7…….. (plays, played, has
played, had played) well, but she ………8………(was not won, did not win,
has not won, had not won). She …… 9…… (was not played, has not

141
played, did not play, did not played) at Wimbledon yet, but she ………
10
………… (hopes, has hoped, is hoping, hoped) to play there next year.

Answers
Exercise 13
Transitive verbs: -1, 3,5,6,8, 9, 10, 13, 16, 19, 21, 23, 24, 27, 29, 30, 35
Intransitive verbs: - 2, 4, 7, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 22, 25, 26, 28, 31,
32, 33, 34

Exercise 14
Linking verbs: - 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10
Action verbs: - 2, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13

Exercise 15
Complement: - 1, 4, 5, 7, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 19
Object: - 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 17, 18, 20

Exercise 16
1. Is 2. Am 3. Are 4. Is 5. Are 6. Am 7. Is

142
 8. Is 9. Are 10. Are 11. Am 12. Are 13. Are 14. Am

Exercise 17
1. Gets 2. Brushes 3. Washes 4. Wears 5. Combs
6. Eats 7. Goes 8. Comes 9. Washes 10. Eats
11. Rests12. Studies 13. Drinks 14. Leaves 15. Comes
16.Takes 17. Does 18. Eats 19. Leaves

Exercise 18
1. Has 2. Had 3. Have 4. Had 5. Have 6. Has
7. Have 8. Have 9. Has 10. Has 11. Had 12. Had
13. Has14. Have 15. Have 16. Has

Exercise 19
1. Did 2. Do 3. Do 4. Does 5. Did 6. Did 7. Does
8. Do 9. Do 10. Does 11. Did 12. Do 13. Did

Exercise 20
1. Are 2. Support 3. Is, isn’t it 4. Were 5. Have 6. Has
7. Are 8. Do 9. Has, his 10. Depends 11. Is 12. Is 13.
Are
14. Its 15. Have 16. Want 17. Is 18. Fits 19. Is 20. Is 21. Is

143
22. Improves 23. Do 24. Do 25. Is 26. Yes, she has
27. Yes, she did 28. Yes, she did 29. Yes, they have
30. Yes, they have 31. Yes, they did 32. Yes, she did
33. Yes, she has

Exercise 21
1. Has 2. Is 3. Have 4. Is 5. Goes 6. Has 7. Was
8. Have 9. Are 10. Has 11. Is 12. Has 13. Has 14. Have, is
15. Is 16. Is 17. Has 18. Have 19. Has 20. Sits 21. Look
22. Are 23. Was 24. Have 25. Have 26. Have 27. Come
28. Were29. Smells 30. Am 31. Knows 32. Have 33. Has
34. Has, his 35. Has, her 36. Has, it 37. Was 38. Knows
39. Am40. Need 41. Looks 42. Need 43. Need
44. Have, their 45. Is 46. Are, their, their 47. Is 48. Have,
their

Exercise 22
1. A 2. B 3. B 4. A 5. C 6. C 7. A 8. C 9. A
10. D11. A 12. A 13. A 14. B 15. C 16. C 17. A 18. C
19. D 20. A 21. B 22. C 23. D 24. B 25. A

144
 CHAPTER FIVE
MODAL VERBS

 Modal auxiliaries are also sometimes called modal verbs or

modals.
 Modal auxiliary verbs like will, would, can, could, shall, should,
may, might, must, ought to, need, needed, and dare are always
helping verbs. i.e. they cannot be used as main or ordinary
verbs.
 A modal auxiliary is always used with a main or ordinary verb. It
cannot be used alone.
1. Can and Could
 Can is used

 To express ability, power or capacity.

145
 Example
1. Can you translate Amharic into English?
2. Her elder brother can write and read French.
3. My sister can play the guitar.
4. Can you swim?

 To express permission.
Example
1. Fissehatsion:can I have some more tea?
Betelhem: Yes, of course you can.
2. Can we ask you about something, father?
3. You can use my laptop if you want to.

 May/might/can/could + I or we to ask for permission.

 Can with state verbs (e.g. see, hear, like, love, forget,
understand, remember) to express actions taking
place at the time of speaking. State verbs are not
normally used in continuous tenses.

Example

1. Are you hearing me? (Wrong)

2. Can you hear me? (Correct)

3. Do you hear me? (Correct)

146
4. Listen! I think I can hear the sound of the sea. (Correct)

5. Listen! I think I am hearing the sound of the sea. (Wrong)

6. I cansmell something burning in the kitchen. (Correct)

7. I am smelling something burning in the kitchen. (Wrong)

 To express offer. Offering means expressing your

willingness to help someone.
Example
1. Can I help you?
2. Can I carry the bag for you?
 To express request. Requesting is asking someoneto
do you a favor.
Example
1. Can you lend me your book, please?
2. Can you open the windows?
3. Can you show me the way to the nearest bank?

 To express inability or incapacity.

 To express possibility.

 Could is used
 To ask for permission. Could is used to ask permission,
but it is not used to give or refuse permission. Use

147
 caninstead of couldwhen giving or refusing
permission. Could is more polite than can to ask for
permission.

Example

1. Fissehatsion:could I borrow your car today?

Betelhem: Yes, you could. (Wrong)
Yes, you can. (Correct) giving permission
2. Helawit:Could I ask you about something?
Hana: No, I’m afraid or fearful or frightened youcouldn’t. (Wrong)
No, I’m afraid you can’t. (Correct) refusing permission

 Coulduse in conditional sentences.

Example
1. If you tried you could do that work.
2. Even if he had been here, he couldn’thave helped
you.
 To request someone. Request means to ask
someoneto do you a favor.
Example
1. Could you open the door?
2. Could you lend me 500 Birr?
3. Could you lend me your pen?

148
 4. Could you tell me the right time, please?

 To express a less definite possibility or doubt. Could

expresses a least definite possibility when compared
with may and might.
Example
1. It could rain in the afternoon.
2. The proposal could be accepted.
3. He could be successful.
4. Yes, his story could be true, but I hardly think it is.
5. Well, I could do the job today, but I’d rather put it
off until Friday.
 To express offer.
Example
1. Could I help you?
2. Could I wash your T-shirt for you?
 Could, can or may to express your willingness to
helpsomeone.
 To express past ability.
Example
1. Fissehatsion could play football when he was a
high school student.

149
 2. Betelhem could sing a beautiful song when she
was a child.
 Polite expression or requestonly used “could”.
 Negative forms of can and could are can’torcannotand couldn’tor
could not.The negative cannot (can’t) is used to express
prohibitionor inability.
 Can is more preferable or usual than be able to, but the
samemeaning.
 Could is more preferable or usual than was able to or were
ableto for past ability.
 Will be able to express future ability only.
 Can express both future and present ability.
 Be able to express present ability only.
 Be in present am, is and are.
 “Could or couldn’t, was or were able to, wasn’t or weren’t
ableto” to describe general ability in the past.
 Past perfect of couldhad been able
Example
1. Helawit said she had lost her certificate. Therefore, she had
notbeen able to compete for the job.

150
  Can and could is only used verbs of perception like see, hear,
smell, taste, touch, feel, remember etc. not used be able to, was
able to and were able to.
 Can’t or couldn’t + perfect infinitive(have + V3)
 This structure expressescertainty or deduction about
the past.
 To expresses that one situation is not likely because of
another situation.

Example

1. Father: who broke the glass?

Betelhem: I think Fissehatsion broke it.
Father: it couldn’t or can’thave been Fissehatsion. He was
out all day.
2. Selam: I saw a kangaroo near the river awash yesterday.
Soliana: you can’t or couldn’thave seen a kangaroo. There is
no kangaroo in Ethiopia at all.
3. Helawit: my friend walked past without greeting me.
Betelhem: she couldn’t or can’thave seen you.
(Betelhem is sure the Helawit’s friends hasn’t seen her.)
4. Son: I heard your phone ringing last night.

151
 Father: you couldn’t or can’thave heard it. No one called me
last night.
(The father is sure that his son hasn’t heard the phone
ringing.)
5. He couldn’thave stolen your money. He was in the cinema
all afternoon.
6. They couldn’thave gone home. I saw them here a few
minutes ago.
 Deduction or certainty in the present is expressed by can’t or
couldn’t + V1 (present infinitive).

Example

1. Soliana: that man is a high school student.

Fissehatsion: he can’t or couldn’tbe a student; he is about 70
years old.
(Fissehatsion is sure the old man is not a high school student.)

Present tensePast tenseFuture tense

Can could shall be able to
be able to will be able to
am able to was able to
is able to
are able to were able to

152
  General formula
can could
be able to + V1 was able to + V1
is able to were able to
are able to
Example

1. I can do the work. (learned ability)

2. I can or am able to run 1500 meters in 5 minutes. (natural
ability)

3. We can’t or are not able to drive a car. (learned ability)

4. Can I borrow your pen, please? (permission)

5. Could I use your telephone? (polite request)

6. Could you send more details about your plan? (polite request)

7. Could I use your guest room, please? (polite request)

8. Could I have look at those pictures? (polite request)

9. She could read when she was four. (ability)

10. I could or was able to run very fast when I was a boy.

11. Can you see it? (Do you see?)

12. I can’t hear the music on the TV. (I don’t hear)

13. I can’t smell anything good. (I don’t smell)

14. When we went into the house, we could smell burning.

153
15. She spoke a very low voice, but could understand what she said.

16. I looked up, but I couldn’t see anything. (I didn’t see)

17. An eagle can fly higher than other birds. (physical ability)

18. Can I sleep here? (permission)

19. Weathercan be very bad here sometimes. (possibility)

20. This news can’t be true. (possibility)

21. Call him. He could suggest a solution. (ability)

22. A smoker couldn’t stop smoking easily. (ability)

23. You could go now. (permission)

24. Could he read sport magazine here. (permission)

25. Don’t touch these wires. It could be dangerous. (possibility)

26. He could easily contact me on the telephone. (possibility)

27. Could I use your telephone? (polite request)

28. Could you send more details about your plan? (polite request)

29. The jug can contain two liters of milk. (capacity)

 Can used deciding nowwhat to do in the future. In other cases we

use “will be able to” to express that something will be possible in
the future.
Example

1. I can see you tomorrow morning for half an hour.

154
2. one day we will be able to live without wars.

3. I think I will be able to speak English quite well in a fewmonths.

4. Iwill be able to pass my driving test after I’ve had a few lessons.

 Can or could in place of “is often” or “was often”.

Example
1. It is often cold in winter.
It can be cold in winter.
2. He was often naughty when he was a boy.
He could be naughty when he was a boy.
3. The sea is often rough in the harbor (port).
The sea can be rough in the harbor.

 Could + have+ V3 indicates past ability, the action is

notperformed for some situation.
Example
1. He couldhave passed the exam but he didn’t sit for it
2. I couldhave given you the money but you didn’t ask.
3. Fissehatsion couldhave eaten it because he was at home.

 Asking for permission with can, could, may and might.

 Can is the commonestand most informal and more
polite than could.
 May is more respectful than can and could.
155
  Might is the most polite but the least common.
 We can add possibly and use expression like do
youthink and I wonder if to make requests even
morepolite.

Example

1. Can/could/may/might I possibly borrow your book?

2. Do you think I could ordo you think I might (possibly)borrow your
book?
3. I wonder if I could or I wonder if I might (possibly) borrow your
book.
4. Could I have another cup of tea, please?
5. May I have another cup of tea, please?
6. Might I have another cup of tea, please?
7. I wonder if I might have another cup of tea, please.

2. May and Might

 May is used
 To express permission. (permission asked or given or
refused)
Example
1. Betelhem:May I switch off the light?
Mother: Yes, you may.
156
 2. Fissehatsion:May I park my car here?
Guard: Yes, you may.
3. She may be absent from the meeting.
4. You may go now.
5. May I take this book? No, you may not.
 To express possibility or doubt.
Example
1. We may visit Axum next week. (Meaning: perhaps
we will visit Axum next week.)
2. Betelhem may be waiting for you at the bus
terminal. (Meaning: perhaps Betelhem will be
waiting for you at the bus terminal.)
3. The widespread rumor may be true.
4. The news may be true, of course.

 Might or could can be used instead of may in the above

examples. However, could and might are used to express a
less definite possibility.
 May/might/could + perfect infinitive expresses a
pastpossibility. In other words, this structure is used to say
“it ispossible that something happened or was true in the
past.” but doubt at the present time.
 Perfect infinitive is have + V3 (past participle)
157
 Example
1. Fissehatsion may/might/couldhave talked to the
manager. (Meaning: it is possible that Fissehatsion
talked to the manager.)
2. Her bag may/might/couldhave been stolen. (Meaning:
it is possible that her bag was stolen.)
3. She may/might/couldhave visited Gondar. (Meaning:
it is possible that she has visited Gondar.)
4. He may/might/couldhave seenthe film. (Meaning: it is
possible that he has seen the film.)

 To offer help. Offering help means

expressingwillingness to help.
Example
1. May I carry the bag for you?
2. May I help you?
 Can, could or may to express offer.
 To express personal wish,faith or hope.
Example
1. May God bless you!
2. May he rest in peace!
3. May God be with you!

158
 4. May you live long!
5. May God fulfill your heart desire!
6. May all your dreams come true!
 To express probability.
 Might is used
 To express a weaker possibility or doubt.
Example
1. The guest might arrive early. (Meaning: perhaps
the guest will arrive early.)
2. Helawit might accept your proposal. (Meaning:
perhaps Helawit will accept your proposal.)
 In reported speech (may is changed into might in
reported speech.)
Example
1. He said, “I may be late.”
He said that he might be late. (Reported speech)
2. They said, “He may refuse to sign the agreement.”
They said that he might refuse to sign the
agreement. (Reported speech)
 To ask for permission.
Example
1. Might I borrow your book?

159
 2. Might we visit the park?
3. Might I see you for a few minutes, please?
 Might express more polite requestand formal than
May. It is sometimes used in a formal situation to
askpermission. But might is notused to give or refuse
permission. In such case, may is used instead ofmight.
Example
1. Fissehatsion:Might I borrow your taxi?
Betelhem: Yes, you might. (Wrong)
Yes, you may. (Correct)
2. Selam:might I borrow your book tonight?
Soliana: No, you might not. (Wrong)
No, you may not. (Correct)
 On probability“may” is stronger than “might”.
 “May not” is never shortened into “mayn’t”.
 If we are referring to possibility, we use may, might or
could+ be or have beenor full verb.
 For permission may is more formal than can.

Example

1. May God bless you! (faith)

2. May you live long! (wish)

160
 3. May his soul rest in peace! (hope)
4. May I borrow your book, sir? (permission)
5. I may see her next year. (possibility)
6. It may rain because the sky is overcast or cloudy. (probability)
7. It might rain but the sky is clear. (probability)
8. Wemay/might/could be at office now. (possibility)
9. We may/might/could have been at office yesterday. (possibility)

10. We may/might/could work at office. (possibility)

11. We may/might/could be working at office. (possibility)

12. We may/might/could have worked at office. (possibility)

13. We may/might/ could have been working yesterday. (possibility)

14. Who is that? I am not sure. It may be father. (possible)

15. The company might lose money this year. (possible)

16. It may rain tonight. (possibility)

17. The newspaper report may not be true. (possibility)

18. The boss said that he might not leave yet. (permission)

19. He hasn’t worked much. But he might pass. (possibility)

20. Might I come with you? (polite request)

21. You may go now. (granting permission)

22. You may not play in this park. (refusing permission)

161
Exercise 24

Fill in the blanks with the most appropriate auxiliary verb.

1. ………… I use your telephone?

A. may B. might C. can D. could
2. She hasn’t arrived yet. She ……….. have missed the plane.
A. might B. may C. can D. could
3. ………… I stay here and wait for her? Yes, you can.
A. may B. might C. can D. could
4. During the last three years of imprisonment we ………… only see
her for two weeks.
A. may B. might C. can D. could
5. I’m not feeling better. I …….. not leave the hospital before Sunday.
A. can B. might C. may D. could
6. ………… you be patient for a minute please?
A. shall B. would C. will D. could
7. In case my father ………… come, let’s not lock the door yet.
A. can B. would C. will D. could
8. Father said that I ………… not go abroad, because he wasn’t able to
afford it.
A. can B. may C. might D. could

3. Shalland should

162
  Shall is used
 Shall indicate future time.
I
+ shall + V1
We
 Shall use for promise, intention (purpose or plan or
aim or intent or objective or target or goal),command
and determination on the part of the speaker. (in the
second and third person)

Example

1. You shall not leave until all test paper are collected. (command)
2. You shall have all comforts (luxuries or wellbeing). (promise)
3. They shall get their prizes (awards or rewards). (intention)
4. You shall stay here till I come back. (command)
5. She shall enter this house again. (command)

 Shall is used in equation in the first person to express

the offers, idea, suggestions or polite requests
(enquires or asks or inquires or probes)

Example

1. Shall I come with you? (polite request)

163
 2. Shall we go alone? (suggestion)
3. Shall I wait for you? (idea)
4. Shall I help you to carry it? (polite request)
5. Shall I go and look for him? (suggestion)
6. Shall we go for a walk? (suggestion)
7. Shall we have some coffee now? (offer)
8. Shall we consult a lawyer? (suggestion)
9. Shall we appoint an accountant? (suggestion)

 Should is used
 Shouldwith a meaning similar to ought to. But ought to
is stronger thanshould.
Example
1. Youshould/ought to do what the teacher tells you.
2. People who live in glass houses should/ought to not
throw stones.
 Should is used to express moral obligation, duty and
desirable action.

Example

1. You should put emphasis on social ethics. (moral obligation)

2. You shouldn’t speak rudely (impolitely) to your parents.(moral
obligation)

164
 3. You should plant trees to protect erosion. (duty)
4. You should protect the country from enemy (foe). (duty)
5. You are hungry, you should eat food. (desire)
6. You should help your parents. (moral obligation)
7. We should pay taxes. (duty)
8. Students should be grateful to their teachers. (duty)

 Should is used to express past unfulfilledactionor not

necessarily fulfilled.

S + should + have + V3 (past participle) + Cthis sentence

have negative meaning or sense.

 Ought to/should + perfect infinitive (have +V3) : this

structure is about the past and it is used to say that the
right action did not happen. Both ought to and should
have the same meaning in this sense.

Example

1. We should/ought tohave gone home.

Meaning

a) It was good to go home.

b) We didn’t go home
(Going to home was right but we didn’t go home.)

165
2. He should/ought tohave eaten the food.
Meaning
a) It was good to eat the food.
b) He didn’t eat the food.
(Eating the food was right but he didn’t eat the food.)
3. She shouldn’t/oughtn’t tohave written the letter.
Meaning
a) It was not good to write the letter.
b) She wrote the letter.
(Writing the letter was not right but she wrote the letter or
she wrote the letter, but doing this was wrong.)
4. They shouldn’t/oughtn’t tohave paid the money.
Meaning

a) It was not good to pay the money.

b) They paid the money.
(Paying the money was not right but they paid the money or
they paid the money, but doing this was wrong.)
5. You should/ought tohave sent the letter last week.
6. Students should/ought tohave got their books by now.
7. He shouldn’t/oughtn’t tohave passed the exam.

 Should is used to give advice.

166
What shall I do?

What do you advice me to do? All are the same

What do you suggest?

What do you suggest me to do? meaning

What do you suggest I do?

Example

1. I have a very bad headache. What shall I do?

I think youshould go to the hospital.

I think you should see a doctor.

I think you should keep healthy.

2. I can’t understand physics. What do you advice me to do?

You should study hard.

You should learn carefully.

You should attend class attentively and read reference books.

 Should is used to make question of advice or giving or

askingfor advice.

Example

1. I am sick. Should I go to the clinic?

Yes, you should go to the clinic.
2. You are taking the examination. Should you study hard?

167
 No, I shouldn’t study hard.
3. You should plan the whole tour before starting
4. Should a child read such books?
 To express advice, you may use ought to, had better or
mustinstead of should without change of meaning. However,
must express more emphatic advice.
 Should is used to express probability or assumption or
expectation.

Example

1. Our new furniture should be ready by now.

2. We should know our results by tomorrow.
3. He should be a security agent.
4. The room should be ready in September.
5. He should be here any time next week.

 Should is used in the indirect speech.

Example

1. He said, “I shall leave.” Direct speech

He said that he should leave. Indirect speech
2. She said, “I shall eat lunch.” Direct speech
She said that she shouldeat lunch. Indirect speech

168
  S + should + be + Ving + C this formula is used to make a
continuous sentence.

Example

1. You should be studying English.

2. He should be writing email.
3. I should be eating snack.
4. We should be going to church every Sunday.

 S + should + be + V3 (past participle)+ Cthis formula is

used to make apassive sentence.

Example

1. I should kill the lion. (active sentence)

The lion should be killed by me. (passive sentence)
2. The hunter should shoot the monkey. (active sentence)
The monkey should be shot by the hunter. (passive

sentence)4.Will and would

 Will is used
 Will is used to give information about the future time.
You
He
She + will +V1
169
 They
It
Example
1. She will call you soon.
2. The will visit Ethiopia.
 Will use for promise, intention (purpose or plan), command
(order or directive or instruction or decree or ruling),
threat, decisionsand determination on the part of the
speaker (in the first person).

Example

1. I will wait for you until I die. (determination or promise)

2. We will pay back every penny (currency or money or coinage or
denomination or change) in a year’s time. (promise)
3. I won’t come late again, father. (promise)
4. All families will attend the Morning Prayer regularly. (command)
5. Everybody will reach the parade (carnival or festival or celebration
or pageant) ground at seven sharp. (command)
6. We will come next week Sunday. (intention)
7. I promise I will stop smoking. (promise)
8. I will hit you if you do that again. (decision)
9. Will you lend me your bicycle? (impolite/not polite/ order)

170
10.Will you turn on the light? (impolite/not polite/order)

11. I will punish you if you do not do your homework. (threat)

12. I will give you a prize if you finish this book today. (promise)

13. You will be penalized if you misbehave again. (threat)

14. I will call you tonight. (promise)

 Will is used question in second and third person to express

“want to” or “willing to” or request or invitation.

Example

1. Will you give him my message, please? (request)

2. Will you please send me a list of your books? (request)
3. Won’t you have some more tea? (invitation)
4. Won’t you step (stage or phase) in? (invitation)
5. Will you wait for me? (Do you want to wait for me?)
6. Will you go with us? (Do you want to go with us?)
7. Will you get me a paper while you’re out? (request)
8. Will you be quite, please? (request)
9. Will you clean the bathroom? (request)

 Would is used

171
  Wouldis the past form of will. But it can be used to
conveymany other meanings.
 It is used to express a polite request or suggestion in the
present.

Example

1. Would you lend me your book, please?

2. Would you tell me where the nearest post office is?
3. Would you mind closing that window? (please, close the window)
4. Would you mind giving this book to Fissehatsion please?
5. Would you mind switching on the light? (Please, switch on the
light)
6. Would you mind opening the windows?
7. Would you mind giving me his address?
8. Would you give me another one, please?

 Wish + would express a very hopeful wish in future.

Example
1. I wish it would stop raining.
 Would can be used with mind. Would you mind if I ………? Is
used to ask permission. Here, “mind” means object to or
dislike. Therefore, No or Not at all is used to give
permission.

172
 Example
1. Betelhem:would you mind if I went home early?
If Fissehatsion is willing to give permission, he will say:
Fissehatsion: No
: Not at all.
: No, please do.
: No, I wouldn’t mind.
: No, go ahead.
: Of course not.
If Fissehatsion is not willing to give Betelhem
permission, he will say:
: Yes, I would mind. (impolite refusal)
: I’d rather you didn’t. (polite refusal)
 To express invitation.

Example

1. Would you like to have dinner with me?

2. Would you like a cup of coffee?
3. Would you like to go with us to the party?
4. I would like my colleague to present speech.

 To express willingness or unwillingness.Would can occur

in an “if clause” as a verb asking about willingness.

173
Example

1. If the court would allow me, I could explain why I did it.
2. If you would give me only one more chance, I could pass.
3. If you would only listen to me, I could help you.
4. If you would let me, I could telephone your mother.
5. She wouldn’t do what I tell her to do.
6. He wouldn’t accept this.
7. The teacher wouldn’t let students are ask questions.

 To express polite enquires, offers, wishes and to

askpermission.

Example

1. Would you like to see our office? (polite enquires)

2. Would you like to have some tea? (offers)
3. I would like to see the manager. (wishes)
4. Would you mind if I smoke? (ask permission)
 To express a past habit.
Example
1. He would smoke cigarettes.
2. He used to smoke cigarettes.

Meaning

174
He had a habit of smoking cigarettes in the past. But he has stopped
smoking cigarettes or he no longer smokes cigarettes.

Exercise 25
Complete the following sentences using either “should” or “would’
whichever is more appropriate.

1. You …………. Follow instructions carefully.

2. ………… you mind if I attend your class?
3. Whatever warning you give them, they ………… not listen.
4. You ………… study hard as the examination is going to be very
difficult.
5. He ………… pay his house rent on time; otherwise, he will be forced
to evacuate (withdraw from or relinquish or give up) immediately.
6. If you want to improve, you ………… work hard.
7. ………… like some coffee?
8. They ………… be somewhere hear town; otherwise, they can’t
reach here on time.
9. I’m going to give you another test; ………… you mind, Fissehatsion?

10. I ………… appreciate that.

5. Would rather

 Would rather is used

175
  It is used to express “choice” or “preference” when there
are two possible alternatives (the one which one likes
better than the other).
 Would rather is used in three ways.
 Would rather………than we use this system
there are only two alternative. In this case the
firstalternative is liked more. The second
alternative is liked less.

Example

1. I would rather study English than French.

Meaning
a) I like studying English more.
b) I like studying French less.
c) I prefer study English to French.
2. I would rather visit Ethiopia than Kenya.
Meaning
a) I like visit Ethiopia more.
b) I like visit Kenya less.
c) I prefer visit Ethiopia to Kenya.
3. She would rather drink milk than coffee.
Meaning

176
 a) She likes drinking milk more.
b) She likes drinking coffee less.
c) She prefers milk to coffee.
4. You would rather study than sleep.
Meaning
a) You like studying more
b) You like sleeping less.
c) You prefer study to sleep.
5. He would rather living in an apartment than living in a hostel.
Meaning
a) He likes living in an apartment more.
b) He likes living in a hostel less.
c) He prefers living in an apartment to living in a hostel.
6. Iwould rather stay here than go out in this rain.

 Would rather with one alternative. This indicate

that the only given alternative is liked more than any
other.

Example

1. I would rather stay at home.

Meaning
a) I like staying at home.

177
 b) I don’t want go anywhere.
c) I prefer to stay.
2. He would rather buy chemistry books.
Meaning
a) He likes buying chemistry books.
b) He doesn’t like buying any other books.
c) He prefers to buy chemistry books.
3. We would rather not go on foot.
Meaning
a) We like not going on foot.
b) We like going by bus, by train, by car etc.
c) We prefer to not go on foot.

 Would rather
Had rather all are the same meaning
Rather than
 S + would rather + have + V 3 + C it the past tense of would
rather. It indicates past chance of choice (pastpreference).
It has negative sense. “Somebody wanted to do
something but that something is not done”.

Example

1. I would ratherhave learned Biology.

178
 Meaning
a) I wanted to learn Biology.
b) I didn’t learn Biology.
c) I learned some other subjects.
I wanted to learn Biology, but I learned some other subjects.

2. She would ratherhave gone to the cinema.

Meaning
a) She wanted to go to the cinema.
b) She didn’t go to the cinema.
c) She went to some other places.

She wanted to go to cinema, but she went to some other

places.

3. They would ratherhave learned History than Geography.

Meaning
a) They wanted to learn history.
b) They didn’t learn history.
c) They learned geography.
d) They didn’t want to learn geography.

They wanted to learn history, but they learned geography.

4. He would ratherhave eaten bananas than oranges.

Meaning
179
 a) He wanted to eat bananas.
b) He didn’t eat bananas.
c) He ate oranges.
d) He didn’t want to eat orange.

He wanted to eat bananas, but he ate orange.

5. We would ratherhave visited the school than the market.

Meaning
a) We wanted to visit the school.
b) We didn’t visit the school.
c) We visited the market.
d) We didn’t want to visit the market.

We wanted to visit the school, but we visited the market.

 Negative form
S + would rather + not + V1 + C
 Question form
Would + S + rather + V1 + C?

Example

1. Would I rather keep quite than speak? Yes, you would or

No, you wouldn’t.
2. Would we rather go by plane than by bus? Yes, we would or

180
 No, we wouldn’t.

6. Had better

 Had better is used

 The phrase “had better” is used to give “suggestion” or

“advice” or “better”.
 Negative form
S + had better + not + V1 + C
 Question form
Had + S + better +V1 + C?

Example

1. Had he better consult to the doctor? Yes, he had.

No, he hadn’t.
2. Had I better go by train? Yes, you had.
No, you hadn’t.
 Questions of suggestions are:-
What do you advice me to do?
What do you suggest me to do?
What shall I do?
What do you suggest I do?

Example

181
1. I am sick.What shall I do?
You had better go to the clinic.
You should go to the clinic. the same meaning.
You ought to go to the clinic.
2. He doesn’t have a house to live in. What do you advice him to do?
He had better build a house.
He should build a house. the same meaning.
He ought to build a house.
3. It is too expensive to go by plane. What shall I do?
I had better go by train.
I should go by train.the same meaning.
I ought to go by train.
4. It is too cold to go out. What do you suggest him to do?
He had better stay at home.
He should stay at home. the same meaning.
He ought to stay at home.
5. The water is too dirty to drink. What do you suggest I do?
You had better drink Coca-Cola.
You should drink Coca-Cola.the same meaning.
You ought to drink Coca-Cola.
6. The letter is too long to read. What do you advice me to do?
I had better cut it short.

182
 I should cut it short.the same meaning.
I ought to cut it short.
7. The knife is to blunt or unsharpened to cut with. What shall we
do?
You had better sharpen it.
You should sharpen it.the same meaning.
You ought to sharpen it.
8. She is making fun of you. What do you suggest I do?
You had better leave this girl.
You should leave this girl. the same meaning.
You ought to leave this girl.

9. You had better tell the doctor everything.

10. I had better do it now.

11. We had better consult an expert.

 Had better is stronger advice than should and ought to.

 There are two important points concerning the phrase

“had better”.
a) It would be advisable.
b) It would be right or correct.

Example

183
 1. You had better discuss the problem with the teacher.
Meaning

a) It would be advisable to discuss the problem with the

teacher.
b) It would be right to discuss the problem with the teacher.
2. He had better take a taxi to reach on time.
Meaning
a) It would be advisable to take a taxi to reach on time.
b) It would be right to take a taxi to reach on time.

Exercise 26

Fill in the blanks with either “had better” or “would rather”

1. You ………… see a doctor if you don’t feel well.

2. You ………… revise this lesson again and again.
3. She says she ………… hung herself than marry him.
4. I ………… wait for her a few more minutes. She’s always late for
appointments.
5. You ………… take a taxi or you will be late.
6. ………… you ………… have soft drink or milk?
7. You ………… do your own dirty work; I ………… not get involved.
8. I said, “………… you ………… see me after class?” (use negative form)

184
 9. I ………… leave this place before it is too late.

10. He says he ………… remain poor than sabotage his country.

7. Ought to

 Ought to is used

 To express moral obligation, duty and desirable action.

 To express advice.
 To express probability or assumption or expectation.
 “Ought” is always together with the preposition
“to”.
 “Ought to” be a past tense form ought to have.

Example

1. You should respect other’s right. (strong)

You ought to respect other’s right. (stronger)moral obligation

You must respect other’s right. (strongest)

2. Our team is strong. It should win. (strong)

Our team is strong. It ought to win. (stronger) probability

3. Men should help wives at home. (strong)

Men ought to help wives at home. (stronger) desirable

185
 4. Children ought to get their parents’ love. (moral obligation or
duty)
5. Students oughtnot to copy in the examinations. (moral obligation)
6. The meeting is over. The secretary ought to be in his office now.
(probability)
7. You ought to report the theft to the police. (desirability)
8. There’s a fine sunset; it ought to be a fine day tomorrow.
(probability)
9. I told him that he ought to see you. (duty)

 S + ought to + have + V3 (past participle) + C

thisformula is used to indicate unfulfilled action and
negative sense.
 Ought to/should + perfect infinitive (have +V 3): this
structure is about the past and it is used to say that the
right action did not happen. Both ought to and should
have the same meaning in this sense.

Example

1. We ought to/shouldhave paid the money.

Meaning
a) It was good for us to pay money.
b) We didn’t pay the money.

186
 (Paying the money was right but we didn’t pay the money.)
2. They ought to/shouldhave solved the problem.
Meaning
a) It was good for them to solve the problem.
b) They didn’t solve the problem.
(Solving the problem was right, but they didn’t solve the
problem.)
3. We should/ought tohave given the waiter a tip.
Meaning
a) It was good for us to give the waiter a tip.
b) We didn’t give him.
(Giving the waiter a tip was right but we didn’t give him.)
4. I oughtn’t to/shouldn’thave sold the book.
Meaning
a) It wasn’t good to sell the book.
b) I sold the book.
(I sold the book, but doing this was wrong.)
5. She oughtn’t to/shouldn’thave walkedon foot.
Meaning
a) It wasn’t good to walk on foot.
b) She walked on foot.
(She walked on foot, but doing this was wrong.)

187
 6. She ought not to/ should nothave read that book.
Meaning
a) It wasn’t good to read that book.
b) She read that book.
(She read that book, but doing this was wrong.)

 The question formation with ought to.

Ought + S + to + V1 + C this is correct form

Ought to + S + V1 + Cthis is wrong form

Example

1. Ought we to go home? Yes, we ought to or No, we oughtn’t to

2. Ought you to buy the book? Yes, I ought to or No, I oughtn’t to

8.Must

 Must is used

 Must is used to express command or obligation or

necessityin the present or future.
 Had to is used to talk about past necessity or obligation
that existed in the past.
 Have to or has to expresses absence of obligation in
negativestatements.
 The negativehad to is didn’t have to or hadn’t to.

188
  Negative of must has the meaning “it is not necessary,
there is no obligation.”
 Must not (mustn’t) express a prohibition, an
obligationnot to do something.

Example

1. Everybody must learn how to write and read.

2. You must polite your parent.
3. You must study to pass the exam.
4. I must to do homework tonight.
5. This is a hospital. You must be quiet.
6. You mustn’t be noisy outside a hospital.
7. The meeting was at 10 this morning and I had to be there.
8. It was a holiday yesterday, so I didn’t have to be at work.
9. You must know good English for a good job.

10. Candidates must write on both sides of the answer books.

11. A policeman has to be on duty for ten hours a day. (habitual action)

12. Mother has to get up at 5 a.m. every day. (habitual action)

13. I am to report for duty tomorrow. (necessity order)

14. They are to meet us at the station at 6.a.m. (necessity arrangement)

15. Heis to report for duty on Monday. (necessity)

16. Shehas togo immediately. (obligation or necessity)

189
17. Shehas to check the identity cards at the gate. (obligation)

18. They have to take the exam paper next Friday. (obligation)

19. We didn’t have to go there anymore. (absence of obligation)

20. We are to meet the boss. (obligation)

21. I hadn’t to stay after office hours. (absence of necessity)

22. I/ we shall have to finish this work by evening. (future obligation)

23. You/he/she/they will have to start at 5 o’clock. (future obligation)

24. Betty had to wash their clothes weekly when she was 14 years old.

(past obligation)

25. We had to wear a white khaki uniform when we were high school

Students. (past obligation)

26. The pupils were told that they must write neatly. (command)

27. You mustn’t walk on the grass. (absence of obligation)

 A statement with must can be present tense or future

tense. Must refers to the present and to the future. It
has not pasttense form. Thus,must has no past tense
form we use had to, to express obligation in the past.

Example

1. We had to take a taxi to reach the station in time.

190
 2. Had to pass a medical test for entry into the army.
3. I had to prepare the final report yesterday.
4. They had to attend a meeting of the committee this afternoon.
5. She had to receive the boss at the station last evening.
6. I must go home. (both present tense or future tense)
7. I had to go to the dentist yesterday about my bad tooth.

 Must expresses emphatic or strong advice.

Example
1. You must see a doctor when you feel pain.
2. You must read the book to score a better result.
 Should and ought to are used for less emphatic advicethan must.

 Thenegative of must (be) is mustn’t or mustn’t be. In a

negative sentence, must is used to prevent someone
from doing something.
Example
1. You must not smoke in this room.
(Meaning: you are not allowed to smoke in this
room or don’t smoke in this room.)
2. Students must not talk in a library.
(Meaning: students are not allowed to talk in a
library.)

191
  The problem of must concerning present and future
can be solved in two ways.
a) By using time phrase.
Example

I must go home now. (present)

I must go home tomorrow. (future)

b) By using the different forms of mustor mustn’t.

PRESENT TENSEPAST TENSEFUTURE TENSE

Have to, haven’t to shall have to,

Has to, hasn’t to had to, hadn’t toshan’t have to

Am to, am not to

Isto, isn’t to was to, wasn’t to

Areto, aren’t towere to, weren’t towill have to,

Need to, needn’t to needed to won’t have to

Have got to, haven’t had got to, hadn’t got shall have got to,

got to to shan’t have got to

 Need not or donot need to or does not needto instead of do

nothave to or does not have to without change of meaning or to
express absence of obligation.

192
Example

1. We must study hard.

2. We have to study hard.
3. We are to study hard.
4. We shall have to study hard. All are the same meaning
5. We were to study hard.
6. We had to study hard.
7. We need to study hard.
8. We needed to study hard.
Example

1. He mustn’t disturb in the class.

2. He isn’t disturbed in the class.
3. He hasn’t disturbed in the class.
4. He hadn’t disturbed in the class. the same meaning
5. He wasn’t disturbed in the class.
6. He won’t have to disturb in the class.
7. He needn’t to disturb in the class.

 The difference between must not and do not have to or

does nothave to in the following example.
Example

193
 1. You must not tell your father about Fissehatsion.
Meaning: don’t tell your father about Fissehatsion.
2. You don’t have to tell your father about
Fissehatsion.
Meaning: you can tell your father if you want to but
it’s not necessary.
3. You must not inform the director.
Meaning: don’t inform the director.
4. You don’t have to inform the director.
Meaning: you can inform the director if you want to
but it is not necessary.
 S + must + be + Ving + Cthis formula is used to
continuous tense form.

Example

1. He must be reading a book.

2. I mustbe watching TV.
3. They mustbe going to school.

 S + must + be + V3 (past participle) + C this formula is

used to make a passive sentence.

Example

194
 1. You must do the home work. (active)
The home work mustbe done by you. (passive)
2. She must feed the child. (active)
The child must be feed by her. (passive)
3. We must study hard to pass the exam. (active)
To pass the exam mustbe studied hard by us. (passive)

 S + must + have + V3 (past participle) + C thisformula is

used to tell the unfulfilled action.

Example

1. They must have cleaned the house.

Meaning
a) It was good to clean the house.
b) They didn’t clean the house.
2. He must have talked to the teacher.
Meaning
a) It was good to talk to the teacher.
b) He didn’t talk to the teacher.
3. I mustn’thave disturbed in the class.
Meaning
a) It was not good to disturb in the class.
b) I disturbed in the class.

195
  Must + perfect infinitive
 Must + perfect infinitive expresses certainty about the
past.

Example

1. Fissehatsion: I called you in the evening but you didn’t answer it.
Eyob: I am sorry I musthave been asleep.
2. Teacher:Helawit is a clever student, and she has never been
absent from school. But yesterday she was absent, and she has
not come today. What happened to her?
Student: she musthave been sick. She was not in a good mood
two days ago.
 Have to(must)
 Have got toor have to is used to express compulsion,
obligation or necessity. The negative of have to with
the meaning “there is no necessity” is expressed by
“havenot to, haven’t got to or do not (don’t) have to.”
Example
1. You have to or have got to work hard nowadays to make a living.

2. They haven’t got to go to school every day.

3. I don’t have to go to the dentist this afternoon.

9.Need and needn’t

196
  Need is used
 Need is used for willingor unwillingness.

Example

1. I need talk to you something.

2. You need go to home.
3. They need to eat their breakfast.
4. I needn’t go to the school.
5. I need to go to the dentist this morning.
6. I don’t need to go to cinema.
7. I didn’t need to go a hospital.
8. We didn’t need to go recreational place.

 Need is used to tell habitual action like must (have to,

has to).

Example

Youmust speak your own language.

You have to speak your own language.

You need to speak your own language.

 The past tense form of need is needed.

Example

197
 1. He needs to write in English. (present)
He needed to write in English. (past)
2. They need to kill the animals. (present)
They needed to kill the animals. (past)
3. I need to get new tyres for my car, the old ones were badly worn.
(present)
I needed to get new tyres for my car, the old ones were badly
worn. (past)
 Question form of need.

Example

1. She needs to learn biology.

Need she to learn biology? Yes, she need or No, she needn’t.
2. She needed to learn biology
Did she need to learn biology? Yes, she did or No, she didn’t.
3. Need you go so soon? Yes, I need.

 Needn’t is used
 Needn’t is used to indicate absence of obligation.

Example

1. He must go home. (positive obligation)

He mustn’t go home. (negative obligation)

198
 He needn’t go home. (absence of obligation)
2. You must use a pen. (positive obligation)
You mustn’t use a pen. (negative obligation)
You needn’t use a pen. (absence of obligation)

 A sentence with needn’t is both present and future

tense.

Example

I needn’t eat meat. (present and future tense)

o The problem is solved in two ways.

a) Using time phrase.
Example
I needn’t eat meat now. (present)
I needn’t eat meat tomorrow. (future)
b) Using different forms.
 Present form of needn’t.
Don’t need to doesn’t have to
Doesn’t need to haven’t to
Don’t have to hasn’t to
Example
They needn’t drink uncooked (raw) milk.
They don’t need to drink uncooked milk.
199
 They don’t have to drink uncooked milk.
They haven’t to drink uncooked milk.

 Future form of needn’t.

Shan’t have to

Won’t have to

Example

I needn’t write the application.

I shan’t have to write the application.

I won’t have to write the application.

 Past form of needn’t.

Didn’t need to

Didn’t have to

Example

She needn’t sleep early.

She didn’t need to sleep early.

She didn’t have to sleep early.

 S + needn’t + have + V3 (past participle) + Cthis formula

show that a thing was unnecessary but done.

Example

200
 1. My tea is sweetened. I needn’thave added sugar.

Meaning

a) I added sugar in my tea.

b) Adding sugar is not necessary.
2. He needn’thave bought the bag.
Meaning
a) He bought the bag.
b) Buying the bag is not necessary.
3. I needn’thave gone to the office yesterday.
Meaning
a) I went office yesterday.
b) Going to the office yesterday is not necessary.

 The difference between “didn’t + need to + V1” and

“needn’t + have + V3 (past participle)”.
 Need not + perfect infinitive (have +V3) implies that the
action was not necessary but performed.

Example

1. You didn’t need tobuy the book.

Meaningit was unnecessary to buy the book and you didn’t buy it.
2. You needn’thave bought the book.

201
 Meaning you bought the book but it was unnecessary to buy the
book.
3. He didn’t need tocome.
Meaningit was unnecessary to come and he didn’t come.
4. He needn’thave come.
Meaninghe come but it was unnecessary to come.
5. Wedidn’t need tocopy the questions.
Meaningit was unnecessary for us to copy the question and we
didn’t do so.
6. We needn’thave copied the questions.
Meaningwe have copied the questions but it was not necessary to
do so.

10.Used to, be used to, get used to

 Used to
 Expresses a repeated action in the past or past habitual
action.

When
After take “used to”
Before
Example

202
 1. When I was a child, I used to play with dolls.
2. I used to work for him before the war.
3. I didn’t used to play with mud when I was a child.
4. I was used to being punished with a stick when I was a child.
5. I used to collect butter flieswhen I was in Debre Berhan.
6. I used to the cold weather in Russia but I lost the resistance when
I come here.
7. But I used to food after a long time.
8. My sister used to like porridge when she was young.
9. We used to go for swimming every Sunday.

10. People used to think that the earth was flat. (but they or at least

most of them, do not think so now)

11. Alemu used to smoke 20 cigarettes a day. (but he doesn’t do so

now)

12. Betelhem used to have very long hair when she was a child.

13. Fissehatsion used to have or ride a motor bike, but last year he
sold

it and bought a car.

14. We came to live in Arba-minch a few years ago. Weused to live in

Jimma.

15. Eyob used to be my best friend but we aren’t friends any longer.

203
 16. I rarely eat ice cream now but I used to like or love it when I was a

child.

17. It only takes me about 40 minutes to get to work since the new
road

was opened. It used to take more than an hour.

18. There used to be a hotel opposite the station but it was closed a

long time ago.

 Be used to
Is used to is used to express present time habit.
Am used to
Are used to all are the same meaning.
Be accustomed to
Get used to
Example
1. They are used to the cold weather.
2. Nowadays I am used to eating with chopsticks.
3. She is used to dancing.
4. The foreigners got used to eating injera.
5. The Afars are used to living in the desert.
6. Although her handwriting is awful, I am used to reading whatever
she writes.
204
 7. He is used to being taken to church every Sunday.
8. I am used to the cold weather so you don’t have to send me an
extra blanket.
9. Do you like Massawa? Not really, I am not used to the heat.

10. Do you like Debre-Birhan? Not really, I am not used to the cold.

11. Do you like working on the farm? Not really, I am not used to the

smell.

12. Do you like sharing a room with Tariku? Not really, I am not used to

his bad habits.

13. Does your sister like living so close to the airport? She is not used
to

the noise.

14. Do the children like new house? They are not used to living in
town.

15. Do you like Asmara? I haven’t got used to high cost of living.

16. Are you enjoying your new job? I haven’t got used to getting up so

early.

17. How are you getting on with your diet? I haven’t got used to eating

sugar yet.

18. Haveyou settled back in Ethiopia after living abroad for so long? I

205
 haven’t got used to the new money and I haven’t got used to
eating

injera again.

19. You live alone. You don’t mind this. You have always lived alone.

Friend:Do you get a bit lonely sometimes?

You: No, I am used to living alone.

20. You sleep on the floor. You don’t mind this. You always sleep on
the

floor.

Friend: Wouldn’t you prefer to sleep in a bed?

You: No, I am used to sleep on the floor.

21. You have to work hard. This is not a problem for you. You have

always worked hard.

Friend: You have to work very hard in your job, don’t you?

You: Yes, but I don’t mind that. I am used to working hard or I am

used to hard.

22. You normally go to bed early. Last night you went to bed very late

and as a result you are very tired this morning.

Friend: You look tired this morning.

You: Yes, I am not used to go to bed late.

206
 11.Get

 Get is often used in place of other verbs as a substitute and it

has different meanings.

Example

1. The police need to get some information. (obtain)

2. Where did you get this beautiful shirt? (buy)
3. When did you get here? (arrive)
4. How did you get this nice apartment? (find)
5. He will be here soon (presently, now, currently). He went to get
his suit at the laundry. (pick up)

12. Lie

 Lie is an intransitive verb. This means that it does not take

object. It is usually followed by a preposition.

Present Past Continuous Past

TenseTenseFormParticipleMeaning

Lie lay lying lain to be in a horizontal

or flat position. It is

usually followed by a

preposition.

207
Example

1. I want toliedown and asleep. Infinitive

2. Italy liesto the south of Switzerland. Simple present
3. The hand bag is lyingon the table. Present continuous
4. The snow willlieof three or four weeks. Simple future
5. The dog laystretchedout before the fire. Simple past
6. My hat has lainon the grass all night.Present perfect

Present Past Continuous Past

TenseTenseFormParticipleMeaning

Lie lied lying lied not to tell the truth

Example

1. He lies. Simple present

2. He is lying. Present continuous
3. He will lie. Simple future
4. He lied. Simple past
5. He has lied. Present perfect

13. Lay

 Lay is a transitive verb. This means that it is always followed

byan object noun or pronoun.

208
Present Past Continuous Past
TenseTenseFormParticipleMeaning

Lay laid laying laid to put or place

something
Lay laid laying laid to make a dining (eating)
table ready, to prepare a
table for lunch or dinner.

Lay laid laying laid to produce eggs.

Example
1. The girl decided tolay down her burden. Infinitive
2. He always lays his book on the floor. Simple present
3. The writer is laying the book. Present continuous
4. They may or will lay the foundation stone. Simple future

5. The hen has laid an egg. Present perfect

6. The mother laid her baby on the bed. Simple past

7. Rural people lay a goat-skin on the floor when they have a guest.

8. He laid the mat (carpet or rug or floor-covering) on the floor.

9. The mayor laid the foundation-stone of the new hospital.

10. Mame is downstairs laying the table for lunch.

11. Our hen lays an egg almost every day.

209
 14. Rise and raise
 Rise is an intransitive verb. It does not take an object. The
verb rise means “to go up” or “to get up.”
Example
1. The sun rises early. (present)
2. Dan rose at five-thirty. (past)
3. The river has risen again. (past participle)
 Raise is a transitive verb. It requires an object. The verb raise
means “to lift or cause something to go up.”
Example
1. Helawit raises the curtain. (present)
2. She raised her hand. (past)
3. The merchant has raised his price. (past participle)

Exercise 27

1. Fissehatsion: where is my wallet?

Betelhem: I don’t know. It ………… be in the drawer.
A. must B. will C. is D. may
2. You need not wear a suit for school. This means:
A. You can’t wear a suit because you don’t have it.
B. You are forbidden to wear a suit for school.
C. You don’t have to wear a suit for school.

210
 D. You mustn’t wear a suit for school.
3. Can the guest ………… French?
A. speaking B. to speak C. speak D. speaks
4. The sky is cloudy. It ………… rain.
A. must not B. needs to C. could D. ought
5. Helawit: Zenebe has not come to school today.
Adane: he ………… sick.
A. may B. had better C. ought to D. might be
6. ………… you carry this bag for me, please?
A. would B. may C. might D. need
7. They ………… go near the lake; there are dangerous crocodiles in the
lake.
A. must not B. must C. need not D. do not have to
8. That man is carrying a saw. He ………… be a carpenter.
A. will B. would C. can D. must
9. Student: ………… I come in, sir? I want to attend your class.
Teacher: Yes, of course.
A. would B. may C. must D. will

10. You ………… bully girls. It’s an immoral act.

A. should not B. won’t C. may not D. don’t have to

11. Helawit: my maths results are not good. What do you advice me?

Fissehatsion: I think you ………… harder.

211
 A. have studied C. should study
B. might study D. are studying

12.Students ………… eat their lunch in classrooms.

A. are not B. need to C. must not D. might not be

13. Fissehatsion might have gone to the cinema. This means …………

A. it is certain that Fissehatsion went to the cinema.

B. perhaps Fissehatsion went to the cinema.

C. Fissehatsion must have gone to the cinema.

D. I’m sure that Fissehatsion went to the cinema.

14. The car crashed yesterday. The driver ………… drunken.

A. might not have been B. need not have been

C. must have been D. can’t have been

15. Soliana: Fissehatsion borrowed this book from the library

yesterday.

Eyob: he ………… it. It is a useless book.

A. need not have borrowed

B. didn’t need to borrow
C. should not borrow
D. should have borrowed

16. Helawit might have won the highland rally if she hadn’t failed to

follow the instructions. This means …………

212
 A. Helawit followed the instruction and won the highland rally.
B. Helawit didn’t follow the instruction and so she couldn’t be
successful in the highland rally.
C. If she had followed the instruction, she wouldn’t have won the
highland rally.
D. She would have won the highland rally if she hadn’t followed the
instruction.

17. Fissehatsion: I think my friend is sick now.

Soliana: he ………… sick. Look! He’s dancing joyfully.

A. can be B. must be C. couldn’t be D. couldn’t

18. Copying answers from a friend is forbidden. This is to say that

…………

A. you don’t need to copy answers from your friend.

B. you mustn’t copy answers from your friend.

C. there is no need of copying answers from a friend.

D. you don’t have to copy answers from a friend.

19. We ……… gunfire now. There ………… be a conflict between the

police

and armed robbers.

A. are hearing / may B. hear / must

C. are hearing / should D. hear / can

213
20. ………… you lend me your books, please?

A. may/can/could/might B. would/will/can/could

C. must/need/may D. have/do/did

21. We needn’t have attended yesterday’s meeting. This means…………

A. we didn’t attend yesterday’s meeting.

B. it was essential to attend yesterday’s meeting but we didn’t do it.

C. we attended yesterday’s meeting although it was not essential.

D. we were obliged to attend yesterday’s meeting.

Exercise 28

Select the correct alternative in brackets.

1. My teacher told me to ………… down and get some sleep. (lie/lay)

2. My hens haven’t ………… any eggs for days. (lain/laid)
3. The manager has ………… my salary by 10 percent. (raised/risen)
4. My elder brother …………………… the washing out on the line.
(hung/hanged)
5. She ………… a firm hand on my shoulder. (lay/laid)
6. To cover my cost, I have to ………… my price. (raise/rise)
7. I phoned to apologize but just ………… up on me. (hung/hanged)
8. The price of books always ………… just before examination. (raises/
rises)

214
 9. I would ………… you my umbrella, but Fissehatsion has ………… it.
(lend/borrow) (lent/borrowed)

10. The guard ………… the flag. (rose/raised)

11. May I ………… your radio? (lend/borrow)

12. The flood waters ………… higher and higher. (rose/raised)

13. We watched the rocket as it ………… from the launching pad. (rose/

raised)

14. Did you see how the plane ………… its landing gear? (rose/raised)

15. The price on the menu have not ……….. in three years. (risen/
raised)

16. May I have my pencil, which you ………… last week?

(lent/borrowed)

Exercise 29

Fill in part (be) in each of the spaces.

What do you want to ……1…… when you grow up? What a silly question
to ask a child! But it ……2…… one of the commonest questions adults
ask. The child doesn’t know what ……3…… possible. He cannot imagine
all the different jobs that ……4…… available to him in the modern world-
thousands more than ……5…… available to the silly adult asking the

215
question. And how many more different kinds of jobs will there …… 6……
by the time the child ……7…… an adult? The child ……8…… growing up in
a world where we can never ……9…… sure what ……10…… round the next
corner. And we expect him to …… 11…… sure about his or her future. No
wonder may children answer, “Lorry driver!”

Exercise 30

Use (be) + one of the words below to complete the sentences.

Careful hungry exhausted thirsty

Long early funny late

Sleepy afraid old

1. I’m going to have a sandwich. I …………

2. I’m going to bed. I …………
3. I’m sorry I ………… The traffic was very bad.
4. Slow down! We ………… It doesn’t start for another 25 minutes.
5. I ……… I think I’ll have a coke.
6. Why ………… you …………? It’s isn’t dangerous.
7. It’s not very difficult. You can do it if you …………
8. He makes me laugh. He ………… very …………

216
 9. Last week I ………… very ………… I heard very bad news.

10. When we got to the top of the mountain, we ………… completely.

11. How ………… you, when you left school?

12. How ………… the journey from beginning to end?

Exercise 31

Put part of (have) in each of these sentences.

1. I ………… nothing to say. I don’t want to discuss it.

2. Let me buy you a drink. What will you …………?
3. Shall we have ………… something to drink with our lunch?
4. Fissehatsion isn’t at work today. He rang to say he ………… a heavy
load.
5. It’s a lovely afternoon. I’m going to ………… a walk.
6. I’m sorry he can’t come to the phone just now. He ………… bath.
7. We ………… a meeting tomorrow evening. I hope you will be there.
8. We ………… a party next Saturday. Would you like to come?
9. I ………… enough! Stop that noise at one!

10. What’s the use of ………… money if you don’t spend it?

11. I ………… the impression he was a bit upset about it?

12. You ………… no alternative; you’ll have to see the doctor.

13. I ………… a friend who I think will be able to help you.

217
14. I don’t want to ………… much to eat. I’ll just ………… a sandwich.

15. Do you ………… a single room with bath for two nights, please?

Exercise 32

Complete the following dialogues using (have to) and some part of
(do)

1. ……1…… you ……2…… get a visa to go to Asmara? No, you don’t, but
you ……3…… get one for Kenya.
2. ……4…… you ……5…… fill in a form before you get your money
back? Yes, we ……6…… but at least we …… 7…… wait long before we
got it.
3. How much ……8…… you ……9…… earn before you start paying tax in
your country? Every one ……10…… pay tax. It doesn’t matter how
little all earn!
4. When we flew to Dire-Dawa last year, Betelhem ……11…… pay full
fare and she’s only 6. Really, we only …… 12…… pay that fare for
Selam, but she was only 4 at the time.
5. What grades ……13…… you ……14…… get before you got into
university? They said I ……15…… get two A’s and a B, but they gave
me a place with one A and two B’s.

Exercise 33

218
Fill in parts of (do) in the spaces.

Quite simply, “do” is the most important word in English. This is very
interesting because on its own it ……1…… mean very much. Although it
……2…… have much meaning. It ……3…… play an important role in English
grammar. Without ……4…… you can’t ask your friend if he plays tennis.
Without ……5…… you can’t ask him if he played yesterday. And without
……6…… you can’t ask him if his friend plays. In short, asking questions
becomes impossible without a part of “do”.

When you want to talk about what you …… 7…… or what you ……8……
yesterday, this little word is important again. Of course, “don’t”and ……
9
…… mean exactly the same thing. The only difference is that …… 10…… is
used with he, she, and it. And in the past “did’ and …… 11…… are used
without changing.

You can agree with something by saying , so …… 12…… I in the present, or

so ……13…… I in the past. If someone says to you, “l love Ethiopia you
can respond to them,” ……14…… you! To show you’re surprised.

We could go on discussing all the uses of “do” for a very long time. The
lesson is clear if you ……15…… know how to use “do” in English, you
can’t begin to speak. But ……16…… worry if you make mistakes. It’s most
important to speak without worrying about making mistakes.

219
Exercise 34

Decide whether to use may, can or can’t.

1. You ………… come, but you ………… not want to.

2. Let’s talk now. I ………… not have time to phone you this evening.
3. Was that Fissehatsion? It ………… have been. I’m not sure.
4. ………… you show me the way out, please?
5. You ………… be hungry! Not after that huge meal!
6. Are there any job in your firm, Betelhem? There ………… be.
7. I’ll have to go back to the shops. I think I ………… have left my
purse in the supermarket.
8. If I were you, I’d take an umbrella. They said it ………… rain late.
9. ………… you pass the sugar, please?

Exercise 35

Fill in should or ought in the following situation.

1. What ………… we do about that window. We ………… to get someone

to mend it!
2. I think we ………… ask Helawit round for tea. I think we ………… to,
but I don’t want to!
3. The government ………… to do something about unemployment. I
agree. Somebody ………… to do something!

220
 4. You really ………… to go to the doctor, you know. Yes, perhaps I
………..
5. Who ………… to be the next prime minister? Well, I know who it
………… to be, but I don’t think he will win.
6. ………… we ring Soliana or can we just turn up? Well, I suppose we
………… to, but let’s just turn up!
7. What do you think I ………… do? Well, I know what you ………… to do,
but I’m not sure if you’ll agree!
8. You ………… to complain to your boss. Yes, I know I …………, but if I
do, I think I’ll lose my job. Then you ………… be working there!

Exercise 36

Complete the sentences with must, mustn’t or needn’t.

1. We haven’t go much time. We ………… hurry.

2. We’ve got plenty of time. We ………… hurry.
3. We have enough food at home so we ………… go shopping today.
4. Selam gave me a letter to post. I ………… forget to post it.
5. Fissehatsion gave me a letter to post. I ………… remember to post it.
6. There’s plenty of time for you to make up your mind. You …………
decide now.
7. You ………… wash those tomatoes. They’ve already been washed.

221
8. This is a valuable book. You ………… look after it carefully and you
………… lose it.
9. What sort of house do you want to buy? Something big? Well, it
………….. be big. That’s not important, but it ………….. have a nice
garden, that’s essential.

Exercise 37

A. Use can or could in the following sentences.

1. She ………… drive a car. She ………… drive when she was ten.
2. You ………… use my car whenever you liked.
3. I ………… not do this exercise now. I ………… do it when I was young.
4. You ………… go now.
5. Don’t wait for me. I ………… be late.
6. We ………… all be wrong sometimes.
7. They ………… not decide any issue in the meeting yesterday.

B. Use may or might in the following sentences.

1. ………… I come in?
2. He ………… not attend the office. He is slightly unwell.
3. ………… you succeed in life.
4. ………… I offer you some suggestions?
5. He said he ………… come, but he was not sure.

222
 6. The weather in the hills is very uncertain. It ………… rain any
moment.
7. It doesn’t rain here during these months, but it …………
8. I ………… be wrong but I don’t think I am.
9. We are getting late. But we ………… still reach the airport and see
them off.
C. Use must, have to, has to, and had to in the following sentences.
1. Children ………… cross the road carefully.
2. It is dark now. You ………… stay here for the night.
3. She ………… stay in bed throughout last week.
4. We ………… see this film. It’s been praised so much.
5. Women ………… work so much at home.
6. I was in a hurry. I ………… take a taxi.
7. You ………… write clearly.
8. He said that he ………… consult a doctor.
9. This is an age of competition. Every one ………… look smart.

10. She ………… leave home early every morning.

D. Use must not (mustn’t) or need not (needn’t) in the following

Sentences.

1. You ………… not disturb him. He is fast asleep.

2. He is all right now. He ………… take the medicine.

223
 3. You ………… take this medicine. It could harm you.
4. You ………… come yourself. You can send your son instead.
5. You ………… study all the time. You must also play.
6. He ………… drive so fast. There could be an accident.
7. You ………… drive so fast. We have enough time to reach there.
8. Must I go now? No, you …………

E. Use will or shall in the following sentences.

1. ………… we join the same college?

2. ………… you please hold this packet for a moment?

3. ………… we begin our program now?

4. ………… I write it on the blackboard?

5. I ………… help you.

6. Father ………… be forty nine next June.

7. Whois knocking? That ………… be the milkman.

8. We ………… not get much to eat on the way. Let’s take some biscuits

with us.

F. use would, should or ought to in the following sentences.

1. ………… you mind switching on the light?

2. I ………… like to meet your father.

3. They ………… be here any time.

224
4. ………… I give you more money?

5. I ………… not sell my car for anything.

6. Students ………… keep out of politics.

7. The old sailor or mariner ………… often tell us stories of his

adventures.

8. ………… not you be ashamed of your behavior?

9. I ………… not mind talking to him.

10. We ………… not kill animals for sport.

Answers

Exercise 24

1. A 2. A 3. A 4. D 5. C 6. B 7. A 8. D

Exercise 25

1. Should 2. Would 3. Would 4. Should 5. Should

6. Should 7. Would 8. Should 9. Would 10. Would

225
Exercise 26

1. Had better 2. Had better 3.Would rather 4. Had better

5. Had better 6. Would rather 7. Would rather, had better

8. Wouldn’t rather 9. Had better 10. Would rather

Exercise 27

1. D 2. C 3. C 4. C 5. D 6. A

7. A8. D 9. B 10. A 11. C 12. C

13. B 14. C 15. A 16. B 17. C 18. B

19. B 20. B 21. C

Exercise 28

1. Lie 2. Laid 3. Raised 4. Hung 5. Laid 6. Raise

7. Hung 8. Raises 9. Lend, borrowed10. Raised 11. Borrow

12. Rose 13. Rose 14. Raised 15. Raised 16. Borrowed

Exercise 29

1. Be 2. Is 3. Is 4. Are 5. Were 6. Be 7. Is

8. Is 9. Be 10. Is 11. Be

Exercise 30
226
 1. am hungry 2. am sleepy 3. am late 4. are early

5. am thirsty 6. are, afraid 7. are careful 8. is, funny

9. was, afraid 10. were exhausted 11. old were 12. long is

Exercise 31

1. Have 2. Have3. Have4. Has 5. Have

6. Is having 7. Are having 8. Are having 9. Have/had 10. Having

11. Have/had 12. Have13. Have14. Have, have 15. Have

Exercise 32

1. Do 2. Have to 3. Have to 4. Did 5. Have to

6. Did 7. Didn’t have to 8. Do 9. Have to 10. Has to

11. Had to 12. Had to 13. Did 14. Have to 15. Had to

Exercise 33

1. Doesn’t 2. Doesn’t 3. Does 4. Do 5. Did

6. Does 7. Did/do 8. Did 9. Doesn’t 10. Doesn’t

11. Didn’t 12. Do 13. Did14. Does 15. Don’t 16. Don’t

Exercise 34

227
 1. Can, may 2. May 3. May 4. Can 5. Can’t

6. May 7. May 8. May 9. Can

Exercise 35

1. Should, ought 2. Should, ought 3. Ought, ought

4. Ought, should 5. Ought, ought 6. Should, ought

7. Should, ought 8. Ought, should, shouldn’t

Exercise 36

1. Must 2. Needn’t 3. Needn’t 4. Mustn’t 5. Must

6. Needn’t 7. Needn’t 8. Must, mustn’t 9. Needn’t, must

Exercise 37

1. Can, could 2. Could 3. Can’t, could 4. Can

5. Can/could 6. Can/could 7. Couldn’t

1. May 2. May/might 3. May 4. May 5. Might

6. May 7. Might 8. Might 9. Might

228
 C

1. Must 2. Have to 3. Had to 4. Must 5. Have to

6. Had to 7. Must 8. Must 9. Has to 10. Has to

1. Must not 2. Need not 3. Must not 4. Need not

5. Must not 6. Must not 7. Need not 8. Need not

1. Shall 2. Will 3. Shall 4. Shall

5. Shall/will 6. Will 7. Will 8. Won’t

1. Would 2. Should/would 3. Should 4. Should

5. Would 6. Should/ought to 7. Would 8. Should/ought to

9. Would 10. Should/ ought to

229
 CHAPTER SIX
CONCORD
(SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT)

 Concord means an agreement between subject and verb.

 Thegeneral rule for subject-verb agreement is that a verb agrees
with its subjects not with its complement.
 Singular subjects take on or followed bysingular verbs whereas
plural subjects take on or followed byplural verbs.
 Only I and you are special subjects that take plural verbs.

230
Example

1. I walk to the market.

2. We live in Addis Ababa.
3. You walk to the market.
4. He walks to school.
5. She lives in Debre Birhan.
6. They have bought two new saws.
7. I have nothing to do now.
8. Fissehatsion and Eyobare brothers.
9. The boys run in the race.

10. They always wake up early in the morning.

11. This is a young student.

 The part of a subject that comes afterexcept, but, all except or

allbut does not change the form of a verb in a sentence.
Example
1. All boysexcept one of them have gone to the theater.
2. All teachersbut or except one of them live in our kebele.

 One of is followed by a singular verb.

Example
1. One of them is a doctor.
2. One of them is a biology teacher.
231
 3. One of the girls does not go to the stadium.
4. One of my class fellows lives near my house.
5. One of ushas to go.
6. One of your girls has brought a present.
7. One of your sisters has bought Holy Bible.

 If a subject contain both positive and negative words the

verbagrees with the positive subject.
Example
1. The teacher, not the students, has answered the question.
2. The students, not the teacher, have answered the question.

 Every or many a before a word or series of words is followed by a

singular verb.
Example
1. Every man, woman, and child was asked to contribute.
2. Many a college student wishes to return to the easy days in
high school.
3. Many a boy in these circumstances has hoped for a lucky

break.

 Nouns like troops, belongings, clothes, surroundings, riches,

thanks, congratulations, earnings, goods etc. are always plural.

232
 These nouns do not have a singular from. Thus, the verb should
be plural.
Example
1. The goodsare expensive.
2. Her earningsare very high this year.

 When two or more nounsor pronouns are joined by the

connector “and” or by the correlative connectors “both…….and”,
the verb is usually plural.
 If the nouns refer to different persons or things, the plural
form of the verb is used.

Example

1. Fissehatsion and Eyob are roommate this summer.

2. The pen and paper are on the desk.
3. Hana and Alemare good friends.
4. Both the husband and the wife were invited.
5. Helawit and Betelhem buy all kinds of books.
6. Paul Ries and Sons guarantee all products.
7. A lion and a tigereat meat.
8. Fissehatsion and Soliana study in this school.
9. He and I have finished our work.

10. His father and mother were against his marriage.

233
 11. An important politician and an administrator are dead.

12. My wife and my heir/successor/inheritor/offspringare here.

13. The secretary and the accountant of the company were

present.

 If the noun refers to the same person or onething or closely

related in thought, the singular form of the verb is used.
 If two nouns together express a single idea, the verb may be
in the singular.

Example

1. My old friend and colleague, kebede is in town. (one

person)
2. The author and lecturer is arriving tonight. (one person)
3. The principal and chairman of the Teachers’ Association,
Mr. Jacksonis a nice person. (one person)
4. A famous singer and actor is directing this film. (one
person)
5. An important politician and administrator has died.
6. Bread and butteris her main food.
7. Fish and chips is eaten always every day.
8. Time and tide waits for none.

234
 9. An important politician and administrator has died.

10. Hisstenographer and secretary is on leave.

11. The great saint and poet is here.

12. “Injera” and “dorowat” represents a favorite Ethiopian

national dish.

13. Two and two is four.

14. Spaghetti and chicken soup is his favorite dish.

15. Bacon and eggs is fired on for breakfast.

16. My son and heir is here.

17. Her case and grace is remarkable. (closely related thought)

18. The secretary and accountant of the company was present.

19. The administer and finance manager of the company is

good.

 The subject is a company name, book title, film title, novel

title,periodical, newspaper, etc. may contain words in plural but
it should take a singular verb.
 The title of a book, plays, paintings, musical composition or
other suck (draw) works is considered singular verb.

Example

235
 1. The Dialogue of Plato is a great classic.
2. The Web of The Rock was Thomas Wolfs third Novel.
3. “The Dogs of war” is the name of a book.
4. March of Timeis another book of history.
5. The New Times is published monthly.
6. The Three Musketeers is a classic novel.
7. Great Expectationsis still on sale in Ethiopia.
8. The Three Musketeers and Great Expectations are two titles of
novels.
9. The Arabian Nights contains interesting stories.

10. ”Modern painters” is one of Ruskin’s best known books.

 When two nouns or pronouns in the subject are linked by

“not…….but” or “not only…….but also”, the verb agrees with the
part of the subject that comes nearer to it.

Example

1. Not only the husband but also the wifewas sick.

2. Not only the horse but also the cowswere sold yesterday.
3. Not only the cows but also the horsewas sold yesterday.

236
  When two nouns or pronouns in the subject are linked by “or”,
“nor”, “either……or” or “neither……nor”, the verb agrees with
the part of the subject that comes nearer to it.
 When one noun is plural and the other singular, the verb
agrees with the nearer noun.
 Neither …… nor and none of have a negative meaning. So they
are “not” used in a negative sentence.
 Neither means “not one nor the other.”
 Either means “oneor the other.”

Example

1. Either several buildings or a large buildingis to be built.

2. Either the father or the sonhas taken the book.
3. Either Betelhem or her sistershave gone abroad.
4. Neither the eggs nor the chickensare very cheap.
5. Neither the boys nor the girlswere on time.
6. Either Dawit or his sisterswere able to have lunch with us.
7. Neither the students nor the teacheris in the classroom.
8. Either the mother or her daughterswill have received the
massage.
9. Neither a large building nor several buildingsare to be built.

10. Neither the manager nor his subordinatesarenot present. (Wrong)

237
11. Neither the manager nor his subordinatesare present. (Correct)

12. Neither she nor her brotheris at home.

13. Neither he nor his parentsare in town.

14. Either Fissehatsion or his friendsare responsible for this mistake.

15. Neither his parents nor heis in town.

16. Either the teacher or the studentsare to blame for the bad results.

 The subject consists of two different personal pronouns

connected by “or” and “nor”, the verb agrees with the nearer
pronoun.

Example

1. Either you or Iam mistaken.

2. Either you or heis mistaken.
3. Neither you nor Iam going to leave this room.
4. Neither he nor youare going to leave this room.
5. Neither he nor Iam responsible.

Neither heis responsible nor I (am).

6. Either she or youare wrong.

Either sheis wrong or you (are).
7. Either I or theytake books.
8. Neither you nor weleave this country.

238
  A noun or a pronounjoined to the main or principal subject by
“with, together with, along with, like, unlike, in additionto, as
well as, accompanied by, including, no less than” does not
change the form of a verb in a sentence.

Example

1. Fissehatsionalong with his sisterswas responsible for poor people.

2. The teachertogether with his students was invited.
3. Helawitalong with his two friends has gone to the cinema.
4. The catas well as her kittens is lying on the sofa.
5. Mame’s brothersas well as hersister were present at the meeting.
6. The boysas well as their fatherweredrinking milk.
7. The athleteunlike his colleaguesdrinks a lot of coffee.
8. Fissehatsiontogether with his sistersworks harder to help families.
9. The mother along with her children is waiting outside.
10. The presidentwith his party has landed.
11. This ruletogether with the four sub-rules is important.

12. Emebet, with her three brothers, is having dinner.

13. Betelhem, as well as our teachers, has gone to Gondar.

14. Mame, with her children, goes to church every Sunday.

15. Geremewincluding his families is work hard to improve life.

16. Eyobaccompanied by his friends is study very hard to pass exam.

239
  Itis always followed by a singular verb.

Example

1. It is time to go.
2. It was the Fissehatsion who called us.
3. It is Betelhem and her sister.
4. It is the manager’s children.

 Kind, sort, type and part are each singular or plural nouns in
form, verb will be used singular and kinds, sorts, types and parts
are each pluralnouns in form, verb will be used plural.
Example
1. This kind of text-bookis cheap.
2. This kind of text-booksis expensive.
3. That type of diamondis expensive.
4. Those kinds of text-booksare expensive.
5. These parts of housesare very attractive.

 Thereand here are used with a singular or plural form of the verb
depends on whether the subject of the sentence is singular or
plural. The subject will be found after the verb.
 There refers to nouns of units (singular), sum, quality and
amount the verb will usually be singular.

240
Example

1. There isa man at the door.

2. There areseveral people at the door.
3. There isa director who looks after this project.
4. There areseveral types of cars to choose from. Which one do you
want?
5. There isbread and butter for dinner.
6. Here isthe apple that Hana has bought.
7. Here arethe apples that Hana has bought.
8. There isten pound to pay.
9. There is another eight kilometer to go.

10. Therewasso much coming and going that most of us got confused.

11. Here arethe books for your son.

12. Here is your room.

13. Here is her father.

 Indefinite pronouns are usually followed by a singular verb. They

include “each, each one, every, everybody, everyone, everything,
any, anyone, anybody, anything, somebody, someone,
something, one, no one, none, nothing, nobody, either,
neitheranother”.

241
  These distributive adjectives are followed by a
singularcountable noun. These adjectives are not used
before uncountable nouns and plural countable nouns.
 Nouns preceded by each and every, though joined by and,
take a singular verb.

Example

1. Neither of the girls is a good swimmer.

2. Each of the students has his own pen.
3. Each arrives on time.
4. Everybody is having a good time.
5. Everyone wants to relax at weekends.
6. Yet another one has come to beg.
7. Nobody is going with you.
8. Everybodywas looking at the mad woman.
9. Nothing has happened.

10. We will buy neither car. (Correct)

11. We will buy neither cars. (Wrong)

12. Each of you is getting a prize.

13. Every one of them was absent.

14. Either of these two players is to be the captain.

15. Either of these books is interesting.

242
16. Each man and each woman has to work for this country.

17. Everybody and girl was given a prize.

18. Everyone wants to be a doctor.

19. Nobody exactly knows the cause of cancer.

 With fractions or percentages, the verb agrees with the noun that
comes after the preposition of. If the noun after of is
uncountable, use a singular verb. If the noun after of is plural,
use a plural verb.
Example
1. Fifty percent of the drivershave disagreed.
2. Fifty percent of her moneyis used to rent a house.
3. Sixty-six percent ofthe studentsare males.
4. Thirty-four percent of the studentsare females.
5. Ninety-two percent ofbeeris drunk in the evening.
6. Seventy percent of the teais drunk early in the morning.
7. One-third of the oilis consumed.
8. One-third of the graduatesare unemployed.
9. Three-fourth ofbread partis send to our family.

 Singular or plural Indefinite pronouns such as“All, none, anyand

some”that can betakesingular or plural verb.

243
  Plural indefinite pronoun such as “both, many, few and several”
that can be take plural verb.
 “None” is an abbreviation (short form) of “not one”. Often
regarded as singular when it refers to a mass noun, plural
when it refers to count nouns.
Example
1. Teacher: How many students are absent today?
Monitor:noneare absent, sir.
2. I looked for eggs in the market but there werenone.
3. They dug in the river-bed for water but there wasnone.
4. Some of the garden has been watered.
5. Some of the flowers are in full bloom.
6. Bothare interested in reading novels.
7. Ninety thousand students took E.S.L.C.E severalhave failed.
8. He wanted some food. But there wasnone in the house.
9. She wants some English book. But there arenone in this
library.

10. We have plenty of eggs. Unfortunately manyhave been

spoiled.

11. There aremanyteachers in this school, but feware highly

qualified.

12. There is plenty of sugar. Someis in the bag and some is in that
244
 dish.

13. We have plenty of eggs. Someare in the box some are on the

table.

14. They have plenty of crude oil. Allis imported from Arabia.

15. The students are lying down on the grass. Allare from grade ten.

 Some adjectives like rich, poor, accused, handicapped, old and

young take a plural verb when they are preceded by the.
 The poor all poor people
 The rich all rich people
 The handicapped all handicapped people etc.

Example

1. Thehandicappeddo not despair or desolation or misery.

2. Therichare not as happy as the poor.

 When the subject begins with the phrase “a number of”, it takes
a plural verb; but when it begins with “the number of”, it takes a
singular verb.

Example

1. The number of unemployed in the Ethiopia is high.

2. A number of them are blacks.

245
 3. The number of students in the music class is limited to five.
4. A number of books are on reserve in the library for this course.
5. A number of students have signed their names.
6. The number of absences it too great.
7. A number of candidates wereinterviewed.
8. The number of candidates was small.
9. The number of people in the meeting was not very large.

10. A large number of questions were asked.

 Phrases like “all of, most of, partof, half of, quarter of, more of,
each of,a lot of, a greatdeal of, some of, plenty of”, are singular
when they refer to uncountable nouns and plural when they refer
to countable nouns.

Example

1. All of bookshave been purchased.

2. All of the thieveshave been arrested (in prison).
3. All of the flourhas been sent to them.
4. Part of the blamelies on you.
5. Each of us has completed his duty.
6. Most of the studentshave come.
7. Most of the moneyhas been spent.

246
 8. A lot of moneyis needed.

9. A lot of bookshave been purchased.

10. Thereis a great deal of noise.

11. Thereareplenty of books on the subject.

12. Most of the moneyhas been spent.

13. Most of the studentshave come.

14. Half of the studentsare absent in the class.

 Collectives
 Class collective nouns like clothing, furniture, baggage, etc.
always take a singular verb.

Example

1. The furniture is very old.

 Distributive collectives like people, folk, cattle, poultry, public,

police, army, clergy, etc. always take a plural verb.

Example

1. The people were waiting for their leader to return from abroad.
2. The cattle are driven to the river.
3. The people of Ethiopia arecalled Ethiopian.
4. The police are making enquires about the murder.
247
 5. The public are requested not to leave litter or clutter or mess in
these woods.
6. The cattle are driven to the river.

 Words like committee, team, group, family, jury, choir, party,

government, commission, assembly and audience are called
group collectives. Most of these have plural forms and thus
take a plural verb when they are considered to refer to a
number of individuals; they take a singular verb when they
refer to a whole group as a single unit.

Example

1. The Kenyan football team has arrived. (whole, unit)

2. The teams were now on the field and about to take their places.
(each individual)
3. The audience is requested to be seated on time. (whole, unit)
4. The audiences are requested to be in their seats on time. (each
individual)
5. The committee submitted its report. (all the members considered
as one)
6. The committee has made its decision.
7. The committeeshavedisbanded and have left for their homes.

248
  The subject is referring to a fixed weight,amount ofmoney,
height, measurement, volume, time or distance, the verb is
usually takes singular.

Example

1. Three thousand meters is a big height to climb.

2. A hundred pound a month is rather a high rent to pay.
3. Ten minutes was the maximum time allotted for each question.
4. Fifty dollars is too much to pay for that coat.
5. Three weeks isa long time to wait to hear from him.
6. Forty miles is a long distance to cover on foot.
7. Thirty Birr is as much as I will pay.
8. Twenty-five kilos is not very heavy.
9. Five kilometers is a long distance.

10. Three-fourths of the money has been recovered.

 The relative pronouns “who, what, whom, which and that” a

singular subject takes a singular verb and a plural subject takes a
pluralverb.
 Verb with “one of those who”, one of those that” or “one
ofthose which”, the verb should agree with the antecedent of
the relative.

249
Example

1. Selam is one of those girls who have long hair.

2. Aster is one of those women who always commit a mistake.
3. That dog is one those animals which are hungry.
4. Radio is one of those instruments that need to be checked.
5. That is one of those books that were given to us for study.

Example

1. The woman who spoke to me is Abebe’s aunt.

2. He is the man that you should see.
3. The new books, which look a lot, like the old ones.
4. The groceries that I bought are on the table.
5. The magazine whichis on the table belongs to me.
6. I am the one thatis at fault.
7. They are the ones thatare at fault.
8. Students whohaven’t got the books must take a copy.
9. Every student whohasn’t got the book must take a copy.
10. Whichare the books to be given to the students?

11. Whichis the book recommended for the class?

12. I know the ones thathave come late.

13. Many school officials thathave visited Germany.

250
 14. The woman whom he sawis a teacher.

15. The man who comes here sometimes is my friend.

16. The cat whichis white is mine.

17. This is the radio which he wants to sell.

18. The dog thatwas ill died last week.

19. The house that he bought is very expensive.

20. I know the one thathas come late.

21. Fissehatsion is one of the students wholike mathematics.

22. What is happening?

23. Who loves Ethiopia?

24. What colors are preferred?

 Nouns which are always in a plural form like “scissors, trousers,

spectacles (eye-glasses), pliers, pyjamas, breeches,pincers,
binoculars, shoes, short trousers (pants), knickers, socks, twigs,
trunks, shorts,athletics, acoustics, gymnastics, tactics,etc.”
normally take plural verbs, but we can use them with the
expression “a pair of” in that case the verb is singular.

Example

1. A pair of new scissors has been found.

2. The scissors were broken.
251
 3. My trousers are torn.
4. My pair of trousers is torn.
5. His shoes have been polished.
6. A pair of shoes was stolen.
7. My spectacles are broken.
8. The beggar’s trousers were torn.
9. This pair of socks doesn’t match my suit; I need a blue pair.

10. These pliers are made in Germany.

11. This pair of pliers is made in Germany.

 Mass nouns and singular nouns having plural forms are followed
by a singular verb. Nouns such as “news, politics, advice,
Economics, mathematics, physics, chemistry, English, geography,
history, civics,United Nations, the United States, checkers,
rabies, Athens, linguistics, billiards, electronics,
Philippines,mumps, measles, equipment, information” and
others like “flour, milk, coal, and petrol”.

Example

1. Newshas reached us.

2. The advice he gives me is good.
3. Economicsis an interesting subject.

252
 4. Bad newstravels fast.
5. The news I heard yesterday was interesting.
6. Petrolis very expensive these days.
7. Physicsis an interesting subject.
8. Although mathematicsis not too difficult for him, he doesn’t
especially like it.
9. The United Statesis an influential country nowadays.

10. Mumpsisa disease.

11. Checkersis not a difficult game.

12. Philippinesis an island country.

13. English ruleswas always my best companion.

 Abstract nouns of quality such as “love,kindness,charity,

honesty, integrity, hate, dislike, disgust, morality, ethics,
affection,etc. take a singular verb.

Example

1. Honesty is the best policy.

2. Charity begins at home.
3. Love isvery important for life.
4. Kindness is giving us from God.
5. Integrity is the best way of existence.

253
6. Hate is very dangerous for survival.

 The words like “items”, “types”, “pieces” take plural verb.

Pieces of advice items of equipment
Items of news types of scenery (set)
Pieces of information pieces of luggage (baggage)
Bites of information pieces/items of furniture

 Parallelism or Balance
 This is a method by which a word or phrase in one part of a
sentence is balanced with a word or phrase elsewhere in the
same sentence.
 If the first part of sentence begins with an infinitive form of a
verb, the other part of the sentence should also be in the
infinitive form.
 If the verb in one part of a sentence is in a continuous tense,
the other partof a sentence should also be in the
continuoustense.
 If the verb in one part of a sentence is in a past tense, the
other partof a sentence should also be in the pasttense.
 If the verb in one part of a sentence is in a present tense, the
other partof a sentence should also be in the presenttense.

254
  If the verb in one part of a sentence is in a future tense, the
other partof a sentence should also be in the futuretense etc.

Example

1. She enjoys knitting and sewing clothes.

2. I saw not only the car but also the driver.
3. He spent those five years readingbooks and teaching his people.
4. You can come either on Saturday or on Sunday.
5. You must not either borrow or lend money.
6. Either you are late or I am early.
7. Fissehatsion has been outstanding not only in football but also in
his studies.
8. Betelhem and Helawit not only beautiful but also they’re
intelligent and hard working too.

Exercise 38

Underline the correct words in the brackets.

1. Nobody ………… to play tennis here. (like, likes)

2. The sun ………… in the east. (rise, rises)
3. All the children ..................... children’s day every year. (celebrate,
celebrates)
4. Fissehatsion ………… the clothes every Saturday. (washes, wash)

255
 5. Betelhem ………… a brilliant student of her class. (is, are)
6. I ………… television every night. (watch, watches)
7. Selam ………… a pair of beautiful kittens. (have, has)
8. Birds ………… on sunny days. (fly, flies)
9. Helawit and her friends ………… to school altogether. (walk, walks)
10. Fissehatsion and soliana ………… good English. (speak, speaks)
11. Your mother ……….. supermarket for daily needs. (visit, visits)
12. She ………… in a flat. (live, lives)
13. All students ………… present in the class yesterday. (was, were)
14. The dogs ………… at night. (bark, barks)
15. Mother ………… to bake bread. (love, loves)
16. The children ………… to library every week. (go, goes)
17. You always ………… to switch off the lights. (forget, forgets)
18. The maid ………… the floor daily. (clean, cleans)
19. Fissehatsion ………… the ball hard. (kick, kicks)

Exercise 39
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of verbs in the brackets.

1. Fissehatsion ………… (ride) a bicycle in the road.

2. Mother ………… (buy) five litres of milk in a day.
3. I ………… (brushes) my teeth every day.
4. The soldiers’ camps ………… (be) over there.

256
 5. We ………… (walks) to school every morning.
6. My father ………… (give) me 10 Birr every examination time.
7. Mother ………… (wash) clothes every Monday.
8. I ………… (does) my homework well in time.
9. Fissehatsion and Betelhem ………… (goes) to school by bus.

10. Helawit ………… (leave) to bed at 9 o’clock daily.

11. Betelhem ………… (have) two little puppies. The puppies ………. (be)

very cute or attractive or pretty. The puppies ………… (like) to eat

bread and drink milk. Betelhem ………… (feed) the puppies three

times in a day. She also ………… (clean) them when they ………… (be)

dirty. She ………. (train) her puppies to play with a ball. The puppies

often ………… (play) with each other.

12. Hana ………… (have) a lovely dress for the party.

13. Fissehatsion ………… (have) an aquarium in his house. He ……………
(keep) beautiful fish in it.
14. The children ………… (studys) silently inthe library.

Exercise 40

Choose the appropriate verb to complete each of the sentences.

1. The piano as well as the violins (is /are) expensive.

257
 2. The manager together with his two subordinates (agree/agrees)
with us.
3. There (are/is) a big box under the table.
4. Everybody in the class (attend/attends) my class attentively.
5. This boy like his friends (talk/talks) about football.
6. Neither the teacher nor the students (seem/seems) happy.
7. My father or my brothers (has/have) visited Solomon.
8. Fissehatsion (is/are) one of the clever students.
9. Some of the students (have/has) studied hard.

10. Some of the milk (has/have) spilt.

11. There (is/are) several reasons why a student is absent.

12. A few of the students (were/was) absent yesterday.

13. Inflation and salary increment (is/are) the current debatable issues.

14. Helawit and Betelhem (have/has) agreed to join our club.

15. The results of the election (was/were) not televised immediately.

16. Two-third of the students (is/are) happy about the new teacher.

17. Two-third of her money (was/were) stolen yesterday.

18. Who (has/have) seen him dancing with Soliana.

19. The number of employees (is/are) increasing.

20. All of the questions except one (is/are) difficult.

21. The old (is/are) not as happy as the young.

258
22. Not only the teacher but also the students (was/were) happy about

yesterday’s decision.

23. Every employee and employer (has/have) been glad about the new

policy.

24. The manager, not the secretaries, (have/has) raised the question

aboutthe scarcity of petrol.

25. A number of students (have/has) bought the books.

26. Who (is/are) knocking at the door?

27. There (was/were) six kettles and two pans in this room.

28. The teacher together with her students (are/is) punctual.

29. Each of the reports (contains/contain) useful information.

30. Mumps (is/are) not common among adults.

Exercise 41

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb given brackets at
the end of each sentence.

1. My mother and my sister ………… in the kitchen. (be)

2. Neither eggs nor meat ………… all the energy that a young boy or a
girl ………… (give, need)
3. Every one of you ………… been allotted a separate room. (have)
4. One of our teachers ………… retiring today. (be)
259
 5. There ………… about a thousand people at the meeting yesterday.
(be)
6. A number of doctors ………… our village every week. (visit)
7. But the number of patients ………… not very large. (be)
8. Two liters of milk ………… one thousand Birr here. (cost)

9. Twentypens ………… one hundred sixteen Birr. (cost)

10. Fifty pounds …………….. the minimum rent for a house in this street.

(be)

11. Around the World in Eighty Days …………………. a favorite book with

readers of all ages. (be)

12. One of the players ………… fallen ill. (have)

13. The Capitan along with his team-mates ………… entered the outdoor

play area or playground. (have)

14. The students of this class ………… very intelligent. (be)

15. ………… either of you seen my pen? (have)

16. The first pages of this book ………… been spoiled. (have)

17. The students as well as their class-teacher ………… taking part in the

program. (be)

18. Where ………… my pair of trousers? (be)

19. There ………… being wasted. (be)

260
 20. There ………… a lot of good players in the country. (be)

21. Corruption and favoritism ……… become common these days.

(have)

22. A well-known actress and dancer ………… come to town. (have)

23. There ………… many a slip between the cup and the lip. (be)

24. Neither of them ………… the way to the market. (know)

25. Every bush and every tree ………… blown off by the storm
yesterday.

(be)

26. There ………… always a lot of people outside the cinema house. (be)

27. It ………… twenty miles from here to my village. (be)

28. It ………… been very hot this summer. (have)

29. There ………… not seem to be any one inside. (do)

30. Neither he nor you ………… right. (be)

31. The wages of sin ………… death. (be)

32. The Dialogues of Plato ………… interesting reading. (make)

33. A stage actor and painter ………… among those who died in the
crash.

(be)

34. A stage actor and a painter ……… among those who died in the
crash.

261
 (be)

Exercise 42

Choose one of the two verbs in parentheses which agrees in number

with the subject.

1. Fissehatsion and Eyob ………… (look, looks) alike.

2. The walls and the ceiling ………… (is, are) beautifully decorated.
3. “Injera” and “Wot” …………… (is, are) the cafeteria special on
Wednesday and Friday.
4. The theme and substance of the speech ……………. (was, were)
anticorruption.
5. Neither my mother nor my father ………… (is, are) a college graduate.
6. Either Soliana or selam ………… (has, have) a dress like that.
7. Neither Hana nor Alem ………… (wants, want) that job.
8. Either the director or the teachers ………… (is, are) wrong.
9. Neither the milk nor the groceries ………… (have, has) been
delivered.

10. Speaking and writing ………… (involves, involve) different skills.

11. The signs at the top of the building ………… (was, were) barely
visible.

12. Everything but the eggs ………… (were, was) in the same box.

13. His answers to our question ………… (changes, change) everything.

262
14. The leaders of the party ……….. (are, is) looking for a strong
candidate.

15. Helawit’s stories of mystery and imagination ………… (appeals,

appeal)

most to me.

16. The winner of both races ………… (were, was) from Ethiopia.

17. Clearness in writing and speaking ………… (are, is) essential to

success.

18. The wing span of these planes ………….. (are, is) small that the planes

must be launched from bombers.

19. Her shyness among strangers ………… (is, are) appalling or awful or

dreadful or horrible or unspeakable.

20. The time for courage and decision ………… (are, is) here.

21. His objections to our proposal ………… (seems, seem) trivial.

22. The depth of some of these lakes …………… (has, have) never been

measured.

23. Working under these conditions ………… (is, are) exasperating or

infuriating or tiresome or frustrating or annoying or irritating or

maddening or irksome or tedious or bothersome.

24. The demand for doctors ………… (has, have) not been met.

25. The performance of the three actors ………… (was, were) very funny.

263
26. One of my best friends ………… (were, was) playing against me.

27. Mega, as well as Brana and Artistic printing enterprise, …………

(were,

was) willing to compromise or cooperation or concession or give

and

take or negotiation or conciliation.

28. The loss of his parents ……….. (was, were) a cruel blow or upset or
sad

distressed or disappointed .

29. A porpoise, like whales and sharks, …………… (swim, swims) near the

surface.

30. Tickets for the entire season ………… (is, are) now on sale.

31. Her struggle to overcome the waves and the tides ………… (was,
were)

not successful.

32. Geremew, together with his wife and children, ………… (is, are) going

to Debre Libanos.

33.As a pinch hitter, Helawit, like the other players, ……… (strike,
strikes)

out.

34. The sky, as well as the wind and water, ………… (look, looks)
favorable.
264
35. The result of her efforts ………… (seem, seems) uncertain.

36. Every planet, including the earth, ………….. (revolve, revolves)

around

the sun.

37. The doctor, as well as his patients, ………… (was, were) nervous
during

the president’s visit.

38. The Prime Minister, accompanied by his colleagues and secretaries,

………… (is, are) returning to Ethiopia.

39. A teacher, as well as a student, ………… (is, are) allowed to watch this

Film.

40. The ship, with its entire crew and cargo, ………… (was, were) lost.

Exercise 43

Choose one of the two verbs in parentheses, which agrees in number

with the subject.

1. Each ………… (has, have) a car.

2. Everyone ………… (want, wants) more money.
3. Some of the money ………… (was, were) stolen.
4. Some of the dimes ………… (was, were) stolen.
5. All of the fruit ………… (look, looks) ripe.

265
6. All of the cherries ………… (look, looks) ripe.
7. Most of the book ………… (was, were) interesting.
8. Most of the books ………… (were, was) interesting.
9. Several of the club members ………… (was, were) absent.

10. Few of my family ………… (look, looks) like me.

11. Both of these rules ………… (have, has) been broken more than once.

12. Several of our boys ………… (were, was) unfairly treated.

13. A few of the guard ………… (was, were) left behind.

14. Some of these errors ………… (is, are) preventable.

15. All of our study periods ………… (are, is) spent in the library.

16. Every one of the buildings ………… (were, was) damaged.

17. Every classroom in the new buildings ……………… (has, have) been

equipped with computers.

18. Neither of the jobs ………………. (requires, require) much technical

knowledge.

19. The number of B’s grade ………… (was, were) disappointing.

20. One of the army planes ………… (is, are) missing.

21. Every one of his sons ………… (have, has) been successful.

22. Ten minutes ………… (is, are) enough time for this task.

23. There ………… (seem, seems) to be many arguments on both sides.

266
24. It ………… (don’t, doesn’t) matter to me where you go.

25. ………… (there are, there’s) not many selfish people in the world.

26. Two weeks ………… (are, is) enough for a trip of that length.

27. The mumps ………… (is, are) not exclusively a children’s disease.

28. The acoustics in this room ………… (have, has) always been bad.

29. Five dollars ………… (is, are) more than I can afford.

30. There ………… (was, were) seven of us in the car.

31. World economics ………… (has, have) a direct bearing on world

peace.

32. Many a player ………… (lose, loses) the game through impatience.

33. There ………… (was, were), I suppose, good reasons for her refusal.

34. Civics ………….. (give, gives) Fissehatsion more trouble than any
other

subject.

35. Fifty cents ………… (make, makes) my little daughter feel wealthy.

36. Tonight’s crowd ………… (is, are) larger than last night’s.

37. Two thirds of a cup of milk ………… (is, are) all you need for this
recipe

or formula or method or technique or way or procedure.

267
Exercise 44

Choose the correct form of the verbs in parenthesis.

1. A ream of duplicating paper and a tube of ink ………… (cost, costs)

was forty Birr.
2. The citizens enthusiastically or wholeheartedly or passionately or
committedly or unreservedly or totally or heartily or willingly or
devotedly ………… (support, supports) the president.
3. There ………… (appear, appears) to be one bottle of milk and two cup
of tea.
4. The nomads’ cattle ………… (was, were) grazing on the hill side.
5. Cheese and milk ………… (contain, contains) a lot of protein.
6. The youth ………… (has, have) made unforgettable contribution to
the country’s literacy campaign.
7. An African, an Asian and a European ………… (is, are) quite different
in appearance.
8. The news of the war in western part of the country …………
(has,have) got much worse.
9. A yellow and a red flag ………… (fly, flies) from the mast or pole or
flagpole.

10. The archives of our school ………… (is, are) kept downstairs or down

or downward or below.

268
11. These types of wood ………… (make, makes) good furniture.

12. ………… (do, does) your parents always believe what you say?

13. That huge crate of oranges ………… (look, looks) heavy to carry.

14. Every one of us ………… (have, has) (his, their) own work to do.

15. Steaming hot bowls of hot, nourishing chicken soup ..................

(was,

were) to the tired travelers.

16. It is on each individual effort that the safety and happiness of the

whole enterprise ………… (depend, depends)

17. A pair of dirty green football shorts ………… (is, are) hanging from the

back of that chair.

18. Geez as well as French ………… (is, are) taught at our school.

19. That pair of dark glasses ………… (help, helps) to protect his eyes
from

the sun.

20. The employment of children under sixteen ………… (is, are)

forbidden.

21. Neither box ………… (contain, contains) sugar.

22. Either of those knives ………… (cut, cuts) well.

23. Your handwriting and your brother’s ………………… (is, are) very much

similar.

269
24. Either the meat on the table of the fish on the plate …… (smell,
smells)

bad.

25. Either the teacher or one of the students ………… (have, has) cleaned

the blackboard.

26. Neither Fissehatsion nor his sisters ………… (want, wants) to go to

the

movies.

27. Each boy ………… (has, have) a pencil on ………… (his, their) desk.

28. Everyman, woman, and child ………… (was, were) rescued or saved
or

freed from the burning house.

29. The brightness of these flowers ……… (is, are) remarkable or

amazing

Incredible or astonishing or notable.

30. One half of the money collected ………… (go, goes) to the Relief and

Rehabilitation Commission.

31. One half of the children ………… (attend, attends) preschool

education

in the city.

32. Neither of these coats ………… (fit, fits) you properly.

270
33. Three quarters of the students ………… (study, studies) science.

34. Fifty percent of that materials ………… (come,comes) from Japan.

35. The mother of those twins, Rahel and Lemlem ………… (is, are) liked

by all members of the community.

36. His weight ………… (is, are) sixty kilos.

37. The price of these books ………… (is, are) thirty Birr.

38. Three hours …….. (is, are) not enough for such a difficult
examination.

39. The …………. (number, amount) of students in this class ………… (is,
are)

forty.

40. The ………. (number, amount) of money in my purse or prize or

reward

………… (is, are) fifty Birr.

41. Onlythe reading of good novels will ………… (improve, improves)

your

language.

42. The director accompanied by two guards ………… (has, have) gone
out

of the compound.

43. The pilot along with two hostesses ………… (sit, sits) in the front of
the
271
 plane.

44. You should know that cheap purchases …………… (does, do) not last

long.

45. The tomatoes as well as the cabbage …………… (look, looks) old and

stale or decayed or decomposed or spoiled or putrid or rotten.

46. You as well as he ………… (is, are) in the wrong class.

47. Look at this water! Some of it ………… (are, is) on my book.

48. All the books except one ………… (has, have) been returned.

49. All but one of the guests ………… (has, have) arrived.

50. Not only ha but also you ………… (need, needs) a hair cut.

51. Not only the vegetables but also the fruit ………… (look, looks)
rotten.

52. Not only the old but also the young ………… (need, needs) good
health.

53. Not only my furniture but also yours ………… (need, needs) replacing.

54. The team ………… (has, have) taken up ………… (its, their) positions on

the field.

55. Our team ………… (is, are) the finest team in the league.

56. The crowed ……………. (is, are) stamping ……………. (its, their) feet and

waving …………(its, their) hats in the air with delight.

272
57. The crowd ………… (is, are) standing in complete silence.

58. The class ………… (has, have) handed in ………… (its, their) not books.

59. Half a million pounds ………… (is, are) a lot of win.

60. The scissors ………… (was, were) in the kitchen.

Answers

Exercise 38

1. Likes 2. Rises 3. Celebrate 4. Washes 5. Is

6. Watch 7. Has 8. Fly 9. Walk 10. Speak

11. Visits 12. Lives 13. Were 14. Bark 15. Loves

16. Go 17. Forget 18. Cleans 19. Kicks

273
Exercise 39

1. Rides 2. Buys 3. Brush 4. Are 5. Walk

6. Gives 7. Washes 8. Do 9. Go 10. Leaves

11. Has, are, like, feeds, cleans, are, trains, ply 12. Has

13. Has, keeps 14. Study

Exercise 40

1. Is 2. Agrees 3. Is 4. Attends 5. Talks 6. Seem

7. Have 8. Is 9. Have10. Has11. Are 12. Were

13. Are14. Has 15. Were 16. Are 17. Was 18. Has

19. Is 20. Are 21. Are 22. Were 23. Has 24. Has

25. Have 26. Is 27. Were 28. Is 29. Contains 30. Is

Exercise 41

1. Are 2. Gives, needs 3. Has 4. Is 5. Were 6. Visit

7. Is 8. Costs 9. Cost 10. Is 11. Is 12. Has

13.Has 14. Are 15. Has 16. Have 17. Are 18. Is

19. Is 20. Are21. Has 22. Has 23. Is 24. Knows

274
 25. Was 26. Are 27. Is 28. Has 29. Does 30. Are

31. Is 32. Makes 33. Is/was 34. Are/were

Exercise 42

1. Look 2. Are 3. Is 4. Was 5. Is 6. Has

7. Wants 8. Are 9. Have10. Involve11. Were 12. Was

13. Change 14. Are 15. Appeal16. Was17. Is 18. Is

19. Is 20. Is 21. Seem 22. Has 23. Is 24. Has

25. Was 26. Was 27. Was 28. Was 29. Swims 30. Are

31. Was 32. Is 33. Strikes 34. Looks 35. Seems 36.
Revolves

37. Was38. Is 39. Is 40. Was

Exercise 43

1. Has 2. Wants 3. Was 4. Were 5. Looks 6. Look

7. Was8. Were 9. Were 10. Look 11. Have 12. Were

13. Were 14. Are 15. Are 16. Was 17. Has 18.
Requires

19. Was 20. Is 21. Has 22. Is 23. Seem 24. Doesn’t

275
25. There are 26. Is 27. Is 28. Have 29. Is

30. Were 31. Has 32. Loses 33. Were 34. Gives 35. Makes

36. Is37. Is

Exercise 44

1. Cost 2. Support 3. Appear 4. Were 5. Contain 6. Have

7. Are8. Has 9. Fly 10. Are 11. Make 12. Do

13. Looks14. Has, his 15. Were 16. Depends 17. Is 18. Is

19. Helps20. Is 21. Contains 22. Cuts 23. Are

24. Smells25. Has 26. Want 27. Has, his28. Was

29. Is 30. Goes 31. Attend 32. Fits 33. Study 34. Comes

35. Is 36. Is 37. Is 38. Is 39. Number, are

40. Amount, is41. Improves 42. Has 43. Sits 44. Do

45. Look 46. Are 47. Is 48. Have 49. Have 50. Need

51. Looks 52. Needs 53. Needs 54. Have, their 55. Is

56. Are, their 57. Is 58. Have, their 59. Is 60. Were

276
 CHAPTER SEVEN
TENSES

 Tense means the form of a verbthat shows the time of action.

 Tenses classified into three parts.
1. Present tense
2. Past tense

277
 3. Future tense

Example

1. I visit my grandmother house every day.

2. I am visiting my grandma house now.
3. I visited my granny house yesterday.
4. I was visiting my gran house all evening.
5. I shall visit my grannie house tomorrow.
6. I have visited my nana house for an hour.
7. The sick man had not been speaking slowly.

1. Present Tense

 Present tense shows an action takes place in the present time.

 Present tense included: - 1. Simple present tense
2. Present continuous tense

3. Present perfect tense

4. Present perfect continuous tense

(Present perfect progressive tense)

Simple present tense

 When an action takes place in the present time, though the time
of action is uncertain or indefinite, then the action is expressed
in the simple present tense.
278
  The form of simple present tense is affirmative(positive),
negative and interrogative(question)
 Simple present tenseis used:-
 To show habitual or usual actions, i.e. to express actions
that we do repeatedly or on a regular basis or permanent.

Example

1. I read newspaper every day.

2. Mother walks to market daily.
3. She always gets up at 6 o’clock.
4. Mother feeds her baby four times a day.
5. Iwash face and hands every morning.
6. Shegoes to school 8 o’clock.
7. Wego to church each Sunday.
8. I sometimes stay up till midnight.
9. Wehave meeting on Mondays.

10. Ethiopians eat injera.

11. Fissehatsion has a modern bicycle. He goes to his school

daily by bicycle. He studies a subject every day. He drinks

tea every morning. He does not like football. He likes see

film.

12. Our parents go to Jerusalem yearly.

279
 13. Heoftenwatches a film.

14. The two friends go to the stadium every Sunday.

15. Betelhem takes a cold bath twice a week.

16. The boys play basketball every day.

17. Helawit usuallywalks in the street with her friends.

18. Soliana goesto school every morning.

19. I do not like football.

20. Do she speaks English?

 Adverbs of frequency like always, often, seldom, frequently,

normally, usually, sometimes, never,occasionally, daily, nightly,
monthly, yearly, annually, rarely, hardly, barely, every day,
everyMonday, every Tuesday, every week, twice a day, once in a
day, once in a week, once in a month can be used with the
simple present tense to express habitualactions.
 To express a timeless statement or universal (general)
truth or fact.
 Universal truth is a fact which is always true.

Example

1. The stars twinkle in night.

2. The earthrotates round the sun.
3. The earth rotateson its orbit or axis.
280
 4. The plants need sunlight to prepare its food.
5. The school starts at 8 o’clock in the morning.
6. The moon revolvesaround the earth.
7. The snow falls in winter season.
8. Human beings die the end of age.
9. Water boils at 1000c.
10. Ice creates below 00c.

11. The sun rises in the east andsets in the west.

12. Oil floats on water.

13. Sunlight kills germs.

14. Rain always falls from the clouds.

15. A magnet attract iron.

 To show events or actions taking place at the time of

speaking or the situation at present.
 State verbs are not generally used
withcontinuous tenses. State verbs include
consist, understand, remember, forget, know,
realize, belong, contain, seem, appear,
possess, see, hate, need, wish, want, desire,
doubt, taste,love, prefer, like, own, hear,

281
 believe,agree, disagree, suppose, mean,
depend, etc.

Example

1. You look very tired.

2. Betelhem’s dress is new and beautiful.
3. I observe your child creep.
4. I do my homework when you come.
5. My sister is a lawyer.
6. My brother works in hospital.
7. They want to be artists.
8. The employer believes you.
9. We hear his voice.

10. Eyob knows the manager.

11. Look! Do you see that big bird on the tree?

12. Look! Can you see that big bird on the tree?

13. Theyare wanting to be artists. (wrong)

They want to be artists. (correct)

14. The employer is believing you. (wrong)

The employer believes you. (correct)

15. Weare hearing his voice. (wrong)

282
 We hear his voice. (correct)

16. Eyob is knowing the manager. (wrong)

Eyob knows the manager. (correct)

17. Look! Are you seeing that big bird on the tree? (wrong)

Look! Are you see that big bird on the tree? (correct)

18. He is wanting to live in Addis Ababa. (wrong)

He wants to live in Addis Ababa. (correct)

19. This modern car is belonging to Fissehatsion. (wrong)

This modern car belongs to Fissehatsion. (correct)

20. I am seeing the manager tomorrow morning.

(I am seeing the meaning is “having a meeting with” in

the

future).

 For future reference (timetabled or scheduled or planned

or programmed or booked or reserved events)
 The simple present tense is used to
expressfuture plans.
Example
1. The concert begins at 7:30 next Friday evening.
2. The coach leaves at 12 this evening.
3. The film finishes at 1:30 in the night.
283
 4. The president leaves for china tomorrow morning.
5. We leave for Eritrea tomorrow.
6. The mid-exam beginsnext Monday.
7. He leavestomorrow and comes back next week.

 To describe events that happens one after another.

Example
1. Fissehatsion passes to Kidus, Kidus passes to Eyob, Eyob
shoots and itis goal.
 To replace the future tense after when, whenever, until,
till, as soon as, before, after, as long as, if, unless in
subordinateclauses of time or condition.
Example
1. As soon as the guest enters our class, we will stand up.
2. When Fissehatsion arrives at the home, we will greet
him.
3. If you study hard. You will pass the exam.
4. IfEyob comes tomorrow, we will play football.
5. If you don’t arrive early, you will not get a seat.
6. I will wait here until father comes back.

 The simple present tense can be used with imperatives.

Example

284
 1. Please call when you are ready.
2. Let’s wait for them.
3. Please tellhim to stop nagging or irritating or
troublesome or irksome or annoying or bothersome or
worrisome her.

 When reference is made to an author’s writings, the

simplepresent is often the tense used, whether the author
is livings or dead.
Example
1. Milton says in paradise lost that …...

 Simple present is of the used in scientific and

similardemonstrations. The actions referred to occurat
thetime ofspeaking and are usually visible.
Example
1. I take the test-tube, transfer the liquid in it to the flask,
hold it up to the light, and observe the sudden change of
color.
 Simple present is used for radio commentaries on, for
example football matches.
Example

285
 1. Fissehatsion passes the ball to Eyob, dashes or sprints or
rushes or runs forward, passes again, gets it back again,
kicks it up the field.
 Do and does is used in the simple present tense to
expressquestions and negatives.

Example

1. He does not study at night.

2. She does not read a newspaper.
3. Our teacher does not punish a student.
4. Does Helawit see a movie?
5. Does the boy fetch water?
6. Selam does not drink alcohol.
7. Fissehatsion does not chew chat.
8. Do they admire you?
9. Do all students talk about football?

10. Wheredo they go in the evenings?

11. Youdo not think about the future.

12. Theydo not advice their children.

13. Our teachers do not play football.

286
  If the verb ends in consonant + y, changes y into i and add - es
with a singular subject.
Example
Fly flies
Hurry harries
Try tries
Fry fries
Carry carries etc.
 Verb ending in - s, - ch, - sh, or - x add - es to the verb. Consonant
+ o (e.g. do and go) also add - es.

Example

Wash washes

Teach teaches

Pass passes

Do does

Mix mixes etc.

 Singular nouns (e.g. baby, cow, child etc.) and third person
singularpronouns (he, she and it) add - s, - es, or - ies to the verb
in affirmative statements.
Example
1. Fissehatsion reads a fiction every Saturday.
287
 2. The guest speaks Arabic.
3. The donkey carries a quintal of teff.
4. Betelhem goes to school.

 When plural nouns(e.g. boys, children etc.) and plural pronouns

(we, you, they) and I is the subject of a sentence, the verb does
notadd, - s, - es, or - ies.
Example
1. They supervise the employees daily.
2. The children play hide-and-seek.
3. You watch football.
4. We move to recreational area.
5. I go to school.

Exercise 45

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of verbs given in the brackets.

1. She ………… to school every morning. (go, goes)

2. You ………… to granny’s house every day. (walk, walks)
3. It ………... a lot in July. (rain, rains)
4. Fissehatsion ………… up at 6 o’clock in the morning. (get, gets)
5. We always ………… at 9 o’clock in the evening. (sleep, sleeps)
6. Soliana, Selam, Betelhem and Helawit ………… their grandfather
every day. (visit, visits)

288
 7. My father ………… T.V for an hour every day. (watch, watches)
8. I ……….. for an hour daily. (walks, walk)
9. Our New Year generally …… in the month of September. (falls, fall)
10. Fissehatsion ………… beautiful pictures. (Paint, paints)
11. The boy ………… (be) hurt. Take him to the doctor.
12. The big, black dog ………… at every stranger. (bark, barks)
13. The flowers ………… especially in this month. (bloom, blooms)
14. The selfish woman ………… her little servant. (ill-treat, ill-treats)
15. Thousands of people ……… in road accidents every year. (die, dies)
16. The sun ………… in the east. (rises, rise)
17. The sun ………… in the west. (set, sets)
18. She ………… her prayers every morning. (offer, offers)
19. Betelhem ……….. (be) a very good dancer. She ……….. (play) once a
month on the stage. Many people come to ……….. (sees) her act or
performance. They ………… (buys) tickets at the auditorium or hall
much before time. She ……….. (dance) gracefully on the rhythm or
beat or tempo of the various instruments. She never …………. (feel)
tired after the show. People …………….. (admires) her dance acts or
performances very much. She ……………. (earn) a lot of money from
these shows. She also ………… (visit) many countries every now and
then.
20. Fissehatsion ………… to study computer science. (like, likes)

289
21. Helawit never ………… many mistakes in spelling. (make, makes)
22. Soliana ………… her homework very carefully. (do, does)
23. My sons ………… the piano. (play, plays)
24. Betelhem ………… attention in class. (pays, pay)
25. Selam ………… from Mondays to Saturdays. (work, works)
26. Most mornings we ………… by bus. (go, goes)
27. Geremew and his children ………… television every night. (watch,
watches)
28. Loud voice ………… me a headache. (gives, give)
29. Jet engines ………… a lot of noise. (make, makes)
30. The sea ………… two thirds of the world. (cover, covers)
31. We ………… in the same class. (study, study)
32. Rain always ………… from the clouds. (falls, fall)

Present continuous (progressive) tense

 Form :- Subject + be (is/am/are) + Ving

 Present continuous tense shows the continuity of an actionat
thepresent, at the moment, now or currently.
 Continuous tense shows an action that is still going on or not
finishedyet or until now or up till now.
 The form of present continuous tense is affirmative(positive),
negative and interrogative (question).

290
  Present continuous tenseis used:-
 To express actionsor events taking place or happening at
the timeof speaking orat the moment of speaking.
Example
1. I am studying English.
2. The students are not playing football.
3. Betelhem is not crying for milk.
4. The baby is cryingloudly.
5. The aeroplane is flying in the sky.
6. The cat is chasing the mouse or rat.
7. The dog is barking at the thief.
8. The birds are sitting on the tree.
9. I am washing my clothes.
10. The birds are chirping early in the morning.
11. The students are decorating the class room.
12. The children are making a sandcastle.
13. The stars are looking brighter today.
14. Betelhem is helping her mother to bake injera.
15. The girl is skipping with a rope.
16. Fissehatsion is sweeping the floor with a mop.
17. Look! Who is coming over there?
18. Don’t disturb me! I am studying for the exam.

291
 19. Are they reading books?
20. Am I learning English?
 For a temporary action or situation, not necessarily in
progress at the moment of speaking (may not be
happening longer)
We are not looking at the action happening at the time
of speaking.

Example

1. It is raining heavily outside.

2. The sun is shining behind the clouds.
3. The winter is boring this year.
4. My sister is studying law at Addis Ababa University.
5. What is Fissehatsion doing nowadays?
6. He is riding for the Ethiopian cycle team.

 For an activity or event which is to take place in the near

future.
 If the future time is not mentioned, there will
be a confusion between its present and future
meanings. Thus, a future time expression
should be mentioned (e.g. tomorrow, in the

292
 afternoon, next week, tonight, a few minutes
etc.) with this tense for a definite arrangement.

Example

1. My cousin is arrivingtonight.
2. Fissehatsion is expecting his mother next week.
3. The show is going to start in a few minutes.
4. My father is reaching Addis Ababa next month.
5. The annual function of our school is beginning from
inthe afternoon.
6. We are spendingnext winter in Gondar.
7. They are leavingtomorrow at 12 o’clock. They’ve got
tickets.
8. I am arriving at Dire Dawa next week.
9. I am meeting my old friend tonight.

 To express frequently repeated actions. The adverbs like

“always, often, forever, constantly,continuously,
perpetually, repeatedlyetc.”are used in this case.
Example
1. Betelhem isalways helping the poor.
2. Fissehatsion is often supporting people by asking him.
3. Helawit is constantly asking to support poor people.

293
 4. You are constantly panicking or freaking, aren’t you?
5. Children are always watching a film.
6. You are always asking me a silly question.
7. Fissehatsion is continuously studying mathematics.
8. We are perpetually counting the inventory.
9. I am repeatedly making gymnastic.

10. Betelhem is often reading Holy Bible.

 The difference between the simple present tense and present

continuoustenseis not as easy as many people think. It depends
on the point of view of the speaker or writer. Many ideas in the
simple presentcan also be expressed in the present continuous
form.
Example
1. a) I live in Awassa
b) I am living in Awassa.

2. a) What do you think?

b) What are you thinking?

3. a) We leave tomorrow.

b) We are leaving tomorrow.

4. a) I don’t eat much.

b) I am not eating much.

294
  From these examples you can see that sometimes the
differencein meaning is very small and sometimes very large. We
could re-write these sentences in the following way:
1. a) I see Awassa as my permanent home.
b) I am in Awassa for a limited time, for example as a student.

2. a) Summarize your opinion.

b) What is in your mind at the moment?

3. a) I see our departure as a fact; perhaps it is a holiday with a

fixed

departure time.

b) We have a plan; probably arranged by bus, not decided by

for

example, the airline or the tour company.

4. a) Usually I don’t eat much.

b) At present I am not very well, so I don’t want much to eat.

 Simple present tense looks objectively at facts, actions or events

that happen repeatedly.
Example
1. It doesn’t rain very much in summer.
2. I always go to bed before midnight.
3. Most people learn to swim when they are children.

295
 4. Geremew always catches the first bus.
5. Mame never takes the bus.

 By using the present continuous tense, the speaker draws

specialattention to the limited period or time interval or time
gap of a particular fact, action or event.

Exercise 46

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of verbs given in the box.

am is are

swimming cooking licking selling sitting

watering running dancing stitching playing

watching riding rowing mending reading

1. I ………… a story book.

2. The cobbler ………… shoes.
3. The men ……….. a boat.
4. Fissehatsion ………… a bicycle or bike or motorcycle or motorbike.
5. The women ………… a circus shows.
6. Betelhem ………… with a toy or puppet or doll car.
7. The tailor ………… clothes.

296
 8. The girls ………… on the stage.
9. The train ………… on the track or railway or path or route or
pathway.

10. The gardener or grower or planter or farmer or cultivator or tiller

………… the plants.
11. The students ………… in the class.
12. The fruit-seller ………… fruits.
13. The cat and dog ………… milk.
14. I ………… in the kitchen.
15. I ………… in the pool or pond or river or lake or sea or ocean.

Exercise 47

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of verbs given in the box.

barking shining flying whistling swimming

croaking twittering baking eating reading

watching watering driving playing riding

1. I like ………… bike.

2. They enjoy ………… football.
3. I prefer ………… car slowly.
4. Fissehatsion loves ………… plants.
297
 5. My father enjoys ………… television.
6. Betelhem and Helawit enjoy ………… story books.
7. Soliana and selam love ………… chocolates.
8. My mother likes ………… breads.
9. I hear birds …………
10. We hear a frog …………
11. I see ducks …………
12. You hear a boy …………
13. I see birds …………
14. We see sun …………
15. I hear a dog …………

Exercise 48

Fill in the blanks with the correct, present continuous or simple

present

1. Let’s go out. It ………… (not rain)

2. Fissehatsion is very good at languages. He ………… (speak) four
languages very well.
3. ………… (you/listen) to the radio every day? No, just occasionally?
4. Look at the river. It ………… (flow) very fast today much faster
than usual.
5. My parents ………… (live) in Fiche. They were born there and have
never lived anywhere else. Where ………… (your/parents/live?)
298
 6. We usually ………… (grow) vegetables in our garden but this year
we ………… (not grow) any.
7. She is in Arba-Minch at the moment. She ………… (stay) at the
Abaya Hotel. She ………… (always/stay) there when she’s in Arba-
Minch.
8. Normally I ………… (finish) work at 5.00, but this week. I …………
(work) until 6.00 to earn a bit more money.
9. Helawit ………… (look) for a place to live. She ………… (stay) with
her sister until she finds somewhere.

10.………… (you/listen) to the radio? No, you can turn it off.

11. How is your English? Not bad. It ………… (improve) slowly.

12. Hurry up! Everyday ………… (wait) for you.

13. The River Nile ………… (flow) into the Mediterranean.

14. Can we stop walking soon? I ………… (start) to feel tired.

15. Can you drive? I ………… (learn). My father ………… (teach) me.

16. The wallet ………… (be) very old and it is full of money.

17. Betelhem usually ………….. (wear) blue dress but now she ……………

(wear) a red skirt and a white blouse.

18. She ………… (carry) an umbrella because it ………… (rain)

19. You ………… (understand) what the teacher is saying?

299
 20. I ………… (think) it is a pity; your son doesn’t take more exercise.
He

………… (get) fat.

21. Look at those people. I ………… (wonder) what they ………… (wait)

for.

22. The boy never ………… (listen) to what the teacher ways. He often

………… (think) about what he’ll do after school.

23. Fissehatsion: why selam ………… (walk) so fast today? She usually

.………… (walk) slowly.

Soliana: she ………… (hurry) because she ………… (meet) her father

at 5 o’clock and he ………… (not like) to be kept waiting.

Present perfect tense

 Forms:- Subject + has/have + V3(past participle)

 Present perfect tense is also known as pre-present tense.
 Present perfect mostly for finished actions.
 Present perfect tense introduces the action before present.
 We use the present perfect to take about past actions with some
importance now.
 The form of present perfect tense is affirmative(positive),
negative and interrogative (question)

300
  Present perfectconnects the past and the present orwe think the
past and the present together.
 Present perfect always goes with simple present tense.

Example
1. I have received the original receipt.
2. I can’t walk I have hurt my leg.
3. Look he hasn’t drunk his tea.
4. Have you heard? He has arrived.
5. I have made coffee. Would you like a cup?
6. Who I that? I have never seenhim before.
7. Have you heard from him recently?
8. I haven’t seen Yared this morning.
9. Have youseen my friend?

10. The prime minister has arrived in Washington for talks with

the president.

11. Fissehatsion has bought the latest car.

12. A plane has crashed on the mountain.

13. This is the first time that I have heard her sing.

14. This is the second time you have asked me the same question.

15. That is the fifth cake she has eaten this morning.

16. It is one of the best books I have ever read.

301
17. I have cut my finger with knife.

18. Dawit has not paid the bill.

19. You have not read this poem.

20. The little girl has done the shopping for her grandmother. (do)

21. My friends have visited the museum. (visit)

22. I have been at her home since morning. (be)

23. Girma and Tesfaye have given up chewing chat. (give up)

24. Desta has had an accident recently. (has)

25. I have been studying for three hours. (study)

26. All families have visited the historical places. (visit)

 The present perfect tense is used:-

 It can be used with a time expression.
I. Toexpress an actionbeginning in the pastand
stillcontinuing.
Example
1. I have lived in Bahir-Dar for three years.
(Meaning: I still live in Bahir-Dar.)
II. To express an action which began in the past and
finishes at the moment of speaking.
Example

302
 1. I haven’t seen you for ages. (but, I see you now)
 Since/for + definite past time expressions may
be used with the present perfect tense or the
present perfect continuous tense.
 For is used with a length of time.
Example
For two months for two days
For 6 years for five hour
For three weeks for nine minutes
For all day for all his life etc.
 Since is used with beginning of time or a point
of time. It is used with days, months, dates,
years, o’clock etc.
Example
Since midday since Monday
Since 2011 since July
Since Thursday since 6 o’clock etc.
 Since is also used with morning, midday,
yesterday, last week, etc. It can also followed
by the simple past tense to indicate a point of
time.
Example

303
 1. Fissehatsion has studiedsince 8 o’clock.
(Meaning: Fissehatsion is still studying.)
2. My motherhas lived in Addis Ababa for 50 years.
(Meaning: My mother is still living in Addis Ababa.)
3. I have studied physics since 8 o’clock.
(Meaning: I am still studying physics.)
4. Selam has studiedbiology since yesterday.
5. They have worked here since last year.
6. She has sung a song since midday.
7. The boy has played table tennis since 7 o’clock.
8. Fissehatsion has studied English hard since he took the
first test.
9. Geremew has lived in Debre Libanos since he retired
from his work.

Exercise 49

Use the verb in brackets in the correct form present perfect or present
continuous and use since or for to fill in the blanks.

1. He has been teaching English ………… the past 15 years.

2. He has taught medicine ………… 2019
3. She has been ill ………… last week.
4. I haven’t met him ………… the beginning of the year.

304
5. I have been waiting for you ……….. an hour and a half.
6. It has been raining ………… morning.
7. I ………… (write) eight letters ………… breakfast.
8. He ………… (not wash) his face ………… some time.
9. I ………… (not hear) from you ………… quite some time.

10. He ………… (lecture) ………… an hour now.

11. We ………… (wait) for you ………… long.

12. I ………… (not buy) a new pair of trousers ………… six months.

13. I ………… (not see) you ………… a long time.

14. He ………… (try) to learn English ………… so many years but he …………

(not succeed) yet.

15. She ………… (rest) in the garden ………… morning.

 Use with “just” to express a recently completed action.

 Activities completed in the immediate past.
Example
1. Betelhem hasjustarrived.
(Meaning: Betelhem arrived a few minutes ago.)
2. I havejustcalled Helawit.
(Meaning: I called Helawit a few minutes ago.)
3. He hasjustgone out.
(Meaning: he went out a few minutes ago.)
305
 4. The man hasjustcome.
(Meaning: the man came a few minutes ago.)
 To express completed actions whose effect or resulting
state is still present.
Example
1. I have eaten my super.
(Meaning: I am still satisfied. I don’t need any more food
now.)
2. She has cut her finger with a knife.
(Meaning: her finger is bleeding now.)
3. I have lost my pen; I am unable to do my exercise.
4. He has unlocked the door; there is nothing to prevent
you from going out.
 We often use the present perfectto give new information
or to announce a recent happening.
Example
1. Ow! I have cut my finger.
2. The road is closed. There has been an accident.
3. The police have arrested two men in connection with
robbery.
4. The firemen have gone to the village because of the
village catch by fire.

306
 The present perfect is also used for repeated and habitual
actions. This use is associated with frequency adverbs like
often, frequently, regularly etc. and expressions like three,
four, several times etc.
Example
1. I have watched her on TV several times. (i.e. I expect to
watch her again.)
2. He has attended classes regularly. He is always worked
hard.
3. I have gone to church frequently.
4. I have read book of Sememen for three times.
 We can use the present perfect with “already” and “yet”.
 We use “already” to say that something
happenedsooner than expected.
Example
1. “Don’t forget to post the letter, will you!” I
havealreadyposted it.
2. What time is Fissehatsion leaving? He
hasalreadygone.
 “Yet”means “until now” and shows that the
speaker is expecting something to happen.

307
 Use“yet” only in questions and negative
sentences.
Example
1. Has it stopped raining yet?
2. I have written the letter but I haven’t
posted it yet.
 We use the present perfect with today, this morning,
thisevening, this term etc. when these periods are not
finishes atthe time of speaking.
Example
1. I have drunk four cups of coffee today.
2. Betelhem has worked very hard this term.

 Definite past time expressions like last time, two days ago,
yesterday are not used with the present perfect tense.
Example
1. Soliana has finished her assignment yesterday. (wrong)
Soliana has finished her assignment. (correct)
Soliana finished her assignment yesterday. (correct)
Simple past tense
2. He has lived in Debre Brhan last year. (wrong)
He lived in Debre Brhan last year. (correct) simple
past tense
308
  Have got is not present perfect in this use. It means exactly the
same as have. Have can be used to talk about possession,
relationship, characteristics and similar ideas.
 Do and got are not used together.
Example
1. I have got a headache.
I have a headache.
2. Have you got a credit card with?
Have you a credit card?
3. We haven’t got much time.
We haven’t much time.
4. Do you have any children? (correct)
Have you got any children? (correct)
Do you have got any children? (incorrect)
5. Do you havemy keys? (correct)
Have you got my keys? (correct)
Do you have got my keys? (incorrect)

Exercise 50

Fill in the blanks with the correct verbs in parentheses.

1. Betelhem ………… law since 2019. (study)

309
2. Eyob and I are good friends. In fact, we ………… good friends for
more than twenty years. (be)
3. Jemila who is in the hospital, ………… there for almost three months.
(be)
4. My tutor is Tigist. I ………… with her for more than two years. (study)
5. Fissehatsion ………… our doctor ever since we moved to this town.
(be)
6. Selam ………… tennis for nearly an hour. (play)
7. I ………… her before somewhere. (see)
8. Soliana ………… just ………… the letter. (mail)
9. Helawit ………… at Mekodenia Social Center every Saturday for three
months. (work)

10. Alem ………… to Nazareth for a long stay with her sister. (go)

Present perfect progressive (continuous) tense

 Form:- Subject + has/have + been + Ving

 Present perfect progressivemostly for unfinished
actionscontinuing up to now.
 The form of present perfect continuous tense is
affirmative(positive), negative and interrogative (question)
 State verbs are not used in this present perfect continuous tense.

310
 The present perfect continuous tense is used to express an action
that began in the past and is still continuing or has just finished
and has present results.
 To express actionsbeginning in the past and
continuing upto now or present moment.
 Present perfect progressive tense to say how longthings have
been continuing up to now.
 Since/for + definite past time expressions may be used with
the present perfect tense or the present perfect continuous
tense.
 We can say how long with since and for. We use since when
we give the beginning of the time and we use for when we
give the length of the time.
Example
1. I have been learning English foreleven years.
2. It has been snowingsinceWednesday.
3. Haveyou been waitinglong?
4. We have been working here sincelast week.
5. He has been waitingsince2 o’clock.
6. She has been readingfora long time.
7. They have been standing there forhours.
8. You have been working in the bank forthree years.

311
 9. We have been living here sinceNovember 2018.
10. I have been reading your book. I enjoy it.
11. The children have been drawing pictures all day.

12. The students have been decorating the classroom.

13. Betelhem has been helping her mother.

14. They have been seeing the film for two hours. (wrong)

They have seen the film for two hours. (correct)

15. I have been knowing him since last year. (wrong)

16. I have known him since last year. (correct)

17. The students have not been decorating the classroom.

18. Has Betelhem been helping her mother?

19. Have you been waiting for us?

 The present perfect continuous tense is used:-

 To indicate an activity or state which started in the past
and still continuing.
Example
1. We have been working on the farm fortwo hours.
2. I have been writingsinceone o’clock.
 To indicate that a past activity or state, connected with the
present, but now ended, has an important result which is
now being experienced.
312
 Example
1. He has been throwing away his money on drinking, and
now he is a bankrupt.
2. You have been arguing with me for a long time, and you
must stop now.
3. Politician have been debating about political issue for a
long time, and they must halt now.
4. She has been cheating her husband for several times,
and now she is stop.
 Present perfect continuous forms are often usedto show
that we have come to a conclusion based on direct or
indirect evidence.
Example
1. Your eyes are red. You have been crying.

Exercise 51

Fill in the blanks with the correct verbs in parentheses.

1. I ………… in this home since last July. (live)

2. Elsa ………… that some old car for at least five years. (drive)
3. He ………… much better recently. (feel)
4. We ………… on that bench for several hours. (sit)
5. She ………… on the telephone for over an hours. (talk)

313
 6. They naturally speak English well because they ………… it all their
life. (speak)
7. Fessehatsion ………… Addis Ababa University for many years.
(teach)
8. Soliana and Selam ………… together for almost a year. (go)
9. I ………… here for them for almost half an hour. (wait)

10. She ………… that same dress for more than three years. (wear)

Exercise 52

Put the verbs into more suitable for, present perfect or present
perfect continuous.

1. Look! Somebody ………… that window. (break)

2. Where have you been? ………… tennis? (you/play)
3. You look tired. ………… hard? (you/work)
4. ………… in a factory? No, never. (you/ever/work)
5. Betelhem is away on holiday. Oh, is she? Where …………? (she/go)
6. My friend is an actor. He ………… in several films. (appear)
7. Sorry I’m late. That all right. I ………… long. (not/wait)
8. Is it still raining? No, it ………… (stop)
9. I ………… my address book. ………… it anywhere? (lose) (you/see)

10. I ………… the book you lent me but I ………… it yet. (read) (not/finish)

11. I ………… the book you lent me, so you can have it back now. (read)
314
 2. Past tense

 Past tense shows an action that is already done or completed or

finished.
 Past tense included: - 1. Simple past tense
2. Past continuous (progressive) tense

3. Past perfect tense

4. Past perfect progressive tense

(Past perfect continuous tense)

Simple past tense

 Simple past tense shows an action already done or completed.

 The form of simple past tense is affirmative(positive), negative
and interrogative (question)
 Simple past tense is used:-
 To express an action that began and completed in the past.
 A definite past time expression such as last
week, two days ago, yesterday etc. may or
may not be used.

Example

1. I went to cinema yesterday.

2. Mother washed clothes last Saturday.

315
 3. We played game last evening.
4. The dog barked loudly last night.
5. Mother baked a delicious cake yesterday.
6. Father left to Debre Libanos last night.
7. They visited the zoo on last Sunday.
8. We watched television last night.
9. Our teacher checked last week.

10. He was a teacher in this school before.

11. Mother had many dresses when she was young.

12. Fissehatsion left this school on last Monday.

13. The great ship sank after colliding with an iceberg.

14. The little babybroke the glass tumbler.

15. The membersselected him at their captain or chief or

head or boss or leader or commander.

16. The plane flew towards the west after it took off.

17. The teachers provided the pupils with their own answer

sheets.

18. The teacher praised or admired Fissehatsion for doing

well in the examination.

19. The chief guest planted a tree in the school garden.

316
20. Selam borrowed her sister’s new dress for the party or

get-together.

21. Fissehatsionearned a lot of money when he had a job.

22. The train started from station at right time.

23. The great sage or wise or learned forgave his disciple or

follower or student or pupil or learner or supporter or

fan for his misdeed or transgression or fault or wrong or

error or crime or misbehaviour.

24. The boys did not play chess yesterday.

25. He did not call me early in the morning

26. Did she appear to be satisfied with the work I did?

27. When did you meet her?

28. Ashenafi lived in Awassa for a long time. (but he is not

living there now.)

29. I bought this book in Addis Ababa.

30. He worked in Debre-Birhan College for ten years. (but

he

doesn’t work there now.)

 Simple past tense isused for unfulfilled wish.

317
  The verb were is commonly used instead
ofwasafter wish with both singular and plural
subjects.
Example
1. I wishI were a doctor.
(Meaning: I have a desire to be a doctor, but I’m not a
doctor.)
2. I wish I were in Addis Ababa now.
(Meaning: I am sorry I am not in Addis Ababa.)
3. I wish I had a million dollars.
(Meaning: I have a desire a million dollars, but I don’t
have this.)
4. I enjoy my job, but I wish it were a little closer to my
home.
(Meaning: I enjoy my job, but it is not close to my home.)

 For conditional sentences.

Example

1. If I were his mother, I would control him better.

2. If he played well, we would not have been defeated.
3. If she studied very hard, she would not fail the exam

 For showing or to express a past habit.

318
  Used toonly simple past for to express a past habit.
 If you want to talk about repeated events in the
past that do not happen now, you can use used to.
 In this situation, adverbs of frequency like often,
always, every day, usually, never, weekly etc.
should be used.

Example

1. She used to dance well when she was in school.

2. I alwaystravelled by bus before I bought a car.
3. Fissehatsion waited at the bus stop for half an hour before
taking a taxi.
4. I played football well when I was young.
5. Soliana wasted a lot of time before the examination.
6. She used to live in Addis Ababa, didn’t she?
7. I used to collect stamps when I was a child.
8. I used to eat a large breakfast, but I don’t any longer.
9. Our father used to play football when he was young.

(Meaning: our father played football as a habit in the past, but

he does not play it now or our father doesn’t play football

any

more.)

319
 10. He used to smoke cigarettes daily.

(Meaning: he smoked cigarettes daily in the past, but now he

doesn’t or he does not smoke cigarettes any more.)

11. Fissehatsion watched a film every evening.

(Meaning: Fissehatsion had a habit of watching a film every

evening, but now he doesn’t watch it.)

12. Helawit went to the nearby market yesterday, and bought a

Jacket. She saw a leopard near the river before she reached

the market. The leopard was hungry. It wanted to eat the

monkey. The monkey was afraid of the leopard. Helawit was

amazed at the hungry leopard. All sentences about

Helawit are in the simple past tense.

 Be (Am/is/are) + used to+ Ving means be(am/is/are)+accustomed

to + Ving.
Example
1. He is used to working for 10 hours a day.
He is accustomed to working for 10 hours a day.
(Meaning: working for 10 hours a day is not new for him;
it does not bother him.)
2. He is used to the hot weather.

320
 He is accustomed to the hot weather.
(Meaning: the hot weather is not new to him, so it does
not trouble him.)
3. I am used to rising early in the morning.
I am accustomed to rising early in the morning.
(Meaning: I have the experience of rising early in the
morning, so this act does not worry me. I do not mind it.)

 The auxiliary verbdid is used in the simple past tense to form

questions and negatives.
 Did is not usedwith the past tense form of the
main verb in questions and negatives.
Example
1. Did he look through the window?
2. Did she appear to be satisfied with the work I did?
3. When didthey replace the receiver?
4. Did she agreed with you? (wrong)
Did she agree with you? (correct)
5. I did not woke up early today. (wrong)
I did not wake up early today. (correct)

Exercise 53

321
Underline the correct words in the brackets.

1. My cousin ………… (arrives, arrived) yesterday from Debrebirhan.

2. I ………… (received, receive) a parcel from my father last month.
3. She ………… (leaves, left) this office last year to join a better
company.
4. Fissehatsion ………… (finishes, finished) his work this morning.
5. It ………… (rained, rains) heavily last week.
6. She ………… (sleep, slept) more than nine hours last night.
7. Mame ………… (bring, brought) her son to school last week.
8. They ………… (sit, sat) in the first row at the theatre last evening.
9. The dog put his tail between his legs and ………… (creep, crept) out
of the room.

10. The lightning ………… (strike, stroke) two huts last summer.

Past continuous (progressive) tense

 Forms: subject + was/were + Ving

 Past continuous tense shows the continuity of an action in the
past. We may or may not know the time of the action.
 The form of past continuous tense is affirmative(positive),
negative and interrogative (question)

322
  Continuous tense shows an action that is still going on or not
finishedyet or until now or up till now or unfinished at a past
time.
Example
1. The dog was not barking loudly last night.
2. The birds were chirping early in the morning.
3. They were playing in the garden all evening.
4. It was raining since morning.
5. The teacher walked in the classroom while the students
weremaking a noise.
6. I was playing basketball.
7. The sailor was sailing in a boat on the rough sea.
8. We were sleeping when there was a loud bang or knock on the
door.
9. They were shouting when the headmaster caught them.
10. The cake was burning while she was talking to the neighbor.
11. Betelhem was helping her mother before the guests arrived.
12. The dancers were not following the instructions carefully.
13. The boys were complaining to their father about entertaining
or recreational area.
14. Fissehatsion was buying a shirt when he met friends.

15. What were you doing at 10 o’clock last night?

323
16. When Fissehatsion came home, Betelhem was watching film.

17. When I walkedin, I found the water was running down the wall.

18. Betelhem and Selam were dancing yesterday.

19. Was she cleaning the room?

20. Were they walking to the nearby river?

 The past continuous tenseis used:-

 To express a long action that was happening for some time
in the past.
 Past time expressions like last year, two
daysago, yesterday etc. may or may not be
used with this tense.
Example
1. They were walking to the beach yesterday.
2. The women were discussing the issue of divorce
3. The little children were singing a song in the morning.
4. Fissehatsion was studying physics all last year.
5. It was raining all last night.
 This tense is commonlyusedwith the simple past tense.
 When the simple past and the past continuous
tenses are used together, the short action is
expressed in the simple past tense and the

324
 longaction is expressed in the past continuous
tense.
Example
1. Fissehatsion called me while I was eating my lunch.
2. When the child opened the box, I was sleeping on the
sofa.
3. A guest knocked at the door while they were having tea.
4. Betelhem was reading a book when Fissehatsion
knocked at her door.
5. Mame was cooking dinner while Betelhem washed dish.
6. When my father read Holy Bible, I was doing my
assignment.
 This tense is used to talk about two long actions happening
at the same time in the past.
Example
1. While Betelhem was listening to music, Fissehatsion
was watching a film.
Fissehatsion was watching a film while Betelhem was
listening to music.
2. While the children were singing a song, the teacher
waslistening to them.

325
 The teacher was listening to children while they
weresinging a song.
3. Helawitwas running while it was raining.
4. Soliana was reading a book while Selam was writing a
report.
 We see a different situation in simple past and past continuous.
Example
1. I watched the film on TV.
2. I was watching the film on TV.
 The first gives us the simple facts. It gives an overview of
“what happened”. The second gives us the same facts
but with an extra focus on the continuing or extended
process of watching.

Exercise 54
Fill in each blank with the past continuous tense of the verb in the
brackets.
1. I ………… (stay) in the same house two years ago.
2. Marta ………… (teach) us English in the last period.
3. The parents ………… (complain) about the misbehavior of bus
driver.
4. The instructor ………… (shout) at the pupils when they did wrong.

326
 5. Fissehatsion ………… (drive) the motorcycle rashly or quickly during
the peak hours.
6. Helawit ………… (look) for the meaning in the dictionary.
7. The children ………… (collect) the shells on the seashore or seaside
or beach or coast or bank or seaboard or coastline or shoreline.
8. The boys ………… (whistle) out a popular tune or melody or song
altogether.
9. The old couple ………… (stroll or amble or walk) in the park
yesterday morning.

10. The teacher ………… (shout) angrily at the naughty boy.

11. It ………… (rain) heavily when the students left for school.

12. I ………… (study) for the test when my friend called at my place.

13. Mother ………… (choppy) vegetables when she cut her finger.

14. The teacher ………… (advise) the students to study hard.

15. Betelhem ………… (wear) a beautiful dress on her birthday party.

16. The boys ………… (sneeze) continuously because of a severe cold.

17. The bus ………… (wait) for the last passenger who got late.

18. The children ………… (enjoy) themselves at the amusement park.

19. The teacher ………… (teach) the class, though the period was over.

20. The learners or pupils ………… (borrow) the books from the library

327
 in a queue or file or row or column.

21. The boy ………… (carry) a big load, however he was small.

Exercise 55

Put the verbs in parentheses into the correct form of the past
continuous or the simple past.

1. I ………… (sleep) when you telephoned.

2. The sun ………… (shine) brightly when I got up this morning.
3. It ………… (rain) hard when I left home.
4. You probably dropped your key while you ………… (get) off the bus.
5. My children ………… (sleep) when I went into the room.
6. I ………… (sleep) well last night.
7. I ………… (sleep) when the telephone rang.
8. He ………… (play) in the field all afternoon.
9. He fell while he ………… (play) in the field.

10. They ………… (see) the chairman at the meeting yesterday.

11. When Betelhem ………… (come) in the room I ………… (listen) to the

radio.

12. When my car ………… (break down) I ………… (phone) a garage.

13. The accident happened while she ………… (drive) to Kaliti.

14. She ………… (write) several books.

328
15. She ………… (read) a book when I called her.

Past perfect tense

 Form:- Subject + had + V3(past participle)

 The form of past perfect tense is affirmative(positive), negative
and interrogative (question)
 We use the past perfect to refer to an earlier past that is to
describe the first of two or more actions.
 We often use the past perfect with when and after to show that
something was completely finished before something
elsehappened.
 Past perfect should be followed by simple past.
 Past perfecttense is used for the first happened action or
event and simplepast tense is for the second happened
action or event.
 Past perfect always goes with simple past tense.
 Presentperfect always goes with simple present tense.
Example
1. The patient had died when the doctor arrived.
2. I bought a ticket and went up to the platform (stage or phase
or step), but the train had already left.

329
 3. When he had painted the kitchen and bathroom, he decided
to have a rest.
4. I went on a trip round Sodare after I had taken my exams.
5. By the time we arrived, the party had finished.
6. They locked/had locked the gates before I got there.
7. When she rang (resonated or vibrated or reverberated or
resounded or shook or shaken or shivered) the office this
morning, I had already gone out.
8. The girl had not washed her skirt.
9. The goalkeeper had not kicked the ball hard.

10. She had not watched television.

11. Had the girl washed her skirt?

12. Had the goalkeeper kicked the ball hard?

13. Had she watched television?

14. Had the boy gone school?

15. Had you done homework?

16. By the time I reached, Fissehatsion had left.

 The past perfect tenseis used:-

 The past perfect tense is used to express an action which
happened in the pastbefore another action began.
Example
330
 1. When Helawit had booked an airline ticket, her father
told her to cancel the journey.
(Meaning: Helawit booked an airline ticket before her
father told her to cancel the journey.)
2. Fissehatsion had written his biography when he won a
lottery.
(Meaning: Fissehatsion wrote his biography before he
won a lottery.)
3. When Betelhem reached the station, the train had just
left.
 To express unfulfilled wish in the past.
 It is possible to use the simple past tense form of a
verb or the past form of modals like might, would and
couldafter wish to say that something is not as you
would like it to be.
Example
1. I wish I had joined Addis Ababa University.
(Meaning: I am sorry I did not join Addis Ababa
University. or I had a desire to join Addis Ababa
University but I didn’t.)
2. I wish I had joined their club.

331
 (Meaning: I am sorry I did not join their club. Or I had a
desire to join their club but I didn’t join it.)
3. I wish I had my own bicycle.
(Meaning:I don’t have my own bicycle and I regret this.
Or I’m sorry I don’t have my own bicycle.)
4. I wishI could play football well.
(Meaning: I cannot play football and I regret this. Or I’m
sorry I can’t play football well.)
5. I’m lonely in this town. I wish I knew some people.
(Meaning: it is a pity that I do not know any people in
this town. Or I’m sorry I do not know any people in this
town.)
 We normally use the past perfect with conjunctions like no
sooner …. than or hardly/scarcely/barely …. when:
Example
1. Ato Banjaw hadno soonerleft the room than began to
gossip about him.
2. Selam hadhardly/scarcely/barelybegun her speech
when Soliana was interrupted.

Exercise 56

332
Put the verbs in the simple past, past perfect or past continuous
tense.

1. By the time the doctor ………… (arrive) at the clinic, the patient ………..

(die).

2. Betelhem ………… (hear) the news, and she immediately ………… (call)

her brother.

3.When Fissehatison ……… (wake up), his sister ……… (already prepare)

breakfast.

4. Geremew ……… (go) to Gondar because his friends ……… (invite) him.

5. When Eyob ………… (start) learning English, he ………… (already/learn)

Amharic.

6. Rakeb ……… (know) Fissehatsion a long time before she ………. (meet)

his family.

7. They ………… (arrive) in Ethiopia two days ago.

8. While Mame ………… (prepare) dinner, her child ………… (jump) rope.

9. The girls ………… (swim) while we ………… (play) football.

10. My mother …….. (come) in and ……… (tell) me to clean my bedroom.

11. While my younger sister …….. (have) breakfast. I …….. (watch) a film.

12. The receptionist ………… (welcome) the guests and ……….. (ask) them

to fill in the form.

333
13. The two brothers …………. (play) cards when they ………… (hear) their

father’s step. They quickly ………… (hide) the cards and ………… (start)

to read their books.

14. Helawit didn’t want to meet Rahel. When he entered the room, she

………… (leave) immediately.

15. I …………. (watch) TV when the phone rang. I ………… (turn) down the

Sound immediately and ………… (answer) the phone.

16. Almaz suddenly ………… (realize) that she ………. (travel) in the wrong

direction.

17. While Fissehatsion ………… (play) the guitar outside his house, some

somebody ………… (open) the window and ………… (throw) out a jar

of water.

Past perfect progressive (continuous) tense

 Form:- Subject + had + been + Ving(present participle)

 The form of past perfect progressive tense is
affirmative(positive), negative and interrogative (question)
 The past perfect continuous tense is used to talk about
longeractions or situations that had continued up to the past
moment which we are talking about or stopped just before it.

334
  The continuous form of the past perfect emphasizes that a past
perfect action was continuous or repeated up to that time.
 Past prefect continuoustense to talk about earlier
situations which had continued up to that time.
 The past perfect continuous tense is not used with state verbs
like hear, realize, forget, love, know, etc.
Example
1. All the roads were blocked. I had been snowing all night
long.
2. After I had been walking for an hour. I decided to have a
rest.
3. The woman could see that the child had been crying for
some time.
4. She was very tired. She had been typing all day.
5. The sick man had not been speaking loudly.
6. The committee had not been discussing the proposal.
7. He had not been walking around the park.
8. Had the committee been discussing the proposal?

9. His brothers had been working in the field until father

arrived.

10. The boys were very tired because they had been working in

the garage since morning.

335
 11. He had been loving mother. (wrong)

He had been loved mother. (correct)

12. Had she been singing a song?

13. Had they been working in the field?

 The past perfect continuous tenseis used:-

 When the action began before the time of speaking in the
past, and continued up to that time or stopped just before
it, we can often use either past perfect or continuous one.
Example
1. It was now six and he was tired because he had worked
since down.
It was now six and he was tired because he had
beenworking since down.
 A repeated action in the past perfect can sometimes be
expressed as a continuous action by the past
perfectcontinuous.
Example
1. He had tried five times to get her on the phone.
He had been trying to get her on the phone.
2. I had donesketch several times to be perfect.
I had been doingsketch to be perfect.
336
  A difference between a single action in the past perfect and
an action in the past perfect continuous.
Example
1. He had repaired the car. This job had been
completed.
Hehad been repairing the car. It doesn’t tell us
whether or not the job was completed.
 Like present perfect progressive, the past perfect
progressive is also used to show that we have come to a
conclusion based on direct or indirect evidence.
Example
1. Her eyes were red. It was obvious she had been crying.
2. His legs were injury. It was clear he had been suffering.

Exercise 57

Put the verbs into the most suitable formsimple past, past continuous,
past perfect and past perfect continuous.

1. It was noisy next door. Our neighbors ………… (have) a party.

2. We were good friends. We ………… (know) each other for a long
time.
3. Eyob and I went for a walk. I had difficulty in keeping up with him
because he ………… (walk) so fast.

337
 4. Helawit was sitting on the ground. She was out of breath. She
………… (run).
5. When I arrived, everybody was sitting round the table with their
mouths full. They ………… (eat).
6. When I arrived, everybody was sitting round the table and talking.
Their mouths were empty but their stomachs were full. They
………… (eat)
7. Fissehatsion was on his hands and knees on the floor. He …………
(look) for his contact lens.
8. When I arrived, Betelhem ………… (wait) for me. She was rather
annoyed with me because I was late and she ………… (wait for) a
very long time.
9. I was sad when I sold my car. I ………… (have) it for a very long
time.

10. We were extremely tired at the end of the journey. We ……..

(travel)

for more than 24 hours.

11. I ………… (be) sound asleep when a friend of mine ………… (knock)
at

the door. I ………….. (dream) of Siam and white elephants. I …………..

(plan) to take a ride on the one of them. But my friend’s knock ………

(bring) me back to earth.

338
 12. It ………. (be) 5 a.m. we ………. (be) tried as we ………… (study) all
right.

we ………… (be) also hungry because we ………… (not have) anything

since dinner. Usually we …………… (drink) coffee around twelve. But

the coffee ………… (grow) cold so we ………… (not drink) it.

13. I ………… (think) the bus …………. (be) to leave at 10 a.m. I,

therefore,

……… (come) to the bus stand full thirty minutes before. But I ……..

(be) disappointed when I ………… (learn) that the bus already

…………

(leave). Obviously, someone ………….. (give) me wrong

information.

14. I …………. (drive) for several hours. Then I suddenly ………….. (stop).
I

………… (realize) that someone ………… (follow) us. There …………

(be)

many of us in the car. But obviously no one else ………… (notice) it.

15. I ………… (hear) a sound outside. So I ………. (get) up and ……….

(look)

out of the window. These ………… (be) a stranger outside. I ……………

(ask) him what he ………… (do) there. He ………… (say) that he …………

(drop) the key to his room and …………. (search) for it.

339
 3. Future tense

 Future tense shows an action takes place in the future time.

 Future tense included: - 1. Simple future tense
2. Future continuous tense
3. Future perfect tense
4. Future perfect progressive
 We can sometimes use the simple present to talk about the
future.
Example
1. Her plane arrives at 3:30.
2. I’ll see you tomorrow if I have a chance.
3. I’ll phone you when I know something.
 We often use the present progressive to talk about
futurepersonal arrangements and plans that are already fixed
now, especially when we give the time, date or place.
Example
1. What are you doing this evening?
2. He is playing football on Sunday morning.
3. We are flying to Awassa on Tuesday.
4. Fissehatsion is meeting his best friend tonight.

1. Simple future tense

340
 Forms:- subject + will/shall + bare infinitive(infinitives without
to)
 The form of simple future tense is affirmative(positive) and
interrogative (question)
Example
1. I will arrange a meeting for next week. (more common)
I shall arrange a meeting for next week. (less common)
2. He will continue to act as our director.
3. We shalldecide to buy a car.
4. I will go to the cinema tomorrow.
5. Will he continue to act as our director?
6. Shall I buy this laptop?
7. Shall we decide to buy a car?

 Shall can be used instead ofwill with first person pronouns (I and
we) in statements without any meaning differences in most
situations. However, shall is less usual thanwill in modern English.
 In modern English, shall is used withI and wein questionsonly to
express suggestions.
 It is not common to usewill with I and we in questions to
expresssuggestions.
 Shall is notgenerally used in American English.

341
 Will is used with second person pronoun (you) and third
personpronouns (they, he, she, and it) in questions, negatives
and affirmative statements.
 Future time expressions like next time, next day, next week,
nextmonth, next year, tomorrow may be used with the simple
future tense.
 Simple future tense is used:-
 Simple future tense is used to talk about future actions.
Example
1. He will learn a technique of doing things easily.
2. We shall work together next year.
3. Shall we all go the theatre tonight?
4. Whenwill you be in Asmara again?
5. When shall I see you again?
6. Next year Christmas day will be on Tuesday.
7. Next Sunday I will come.

 This tense is used in the main clauses of probable

conditions and time clauses.
Example
1. If they agree about it, they will pay the money.
2. Fissehatsion will come before they arrive in our city.

342
 3. We shall accept the decisions when the representatives
agree.
 Uses of “shall” and “will”
 Shall with the first person may express determination
or resolution.
Example
1. I shall do what I like. I shall go there if I want to.
2. We shall defend our motherland, whatever the cost
may be.
3. I shall protect my family, whatever get problems.
 Shall with the second person and third person denote
determination or promise or threat on the part of she
speaker.
Example
1. If you work hard, you shall have a holiday on
Saturday. (promise)
2. If you children won’t do as I tell you, you shan’t go
to the party. (threat)
3. The enemy shallnot pass. (determination)
 Will is used to express willingness, promise or
determination and it is with this meaning that will the
first person is most commonly used.

343
 Example
1. All right; I will pay you at the rate you ask.
(willingness)
2. I won’t forget your birthday. I will send you a
present or gift. (promise)
3. I will make this radio work even if I have to stay up
all night. (determination)
 Will is also used to express possibility or assumption.

Exercise 58

Select the forms correct for very formal usage.

1. I ………… (shall/will) call for you at three o’clock.

2. At what time ………… (will/shall) we reach our home?

3. I ………… (shall/will) be glad to accompany you to the performance.

4. She ………… (will/shall) go with us if you prefer.

5. ………… (shall/will) I take the basket to home for you?

6. We ………… (will/shall) be happy to have you go with us.

7. No doubt he ………… (shall/will) accept your invitation.

8. I ………… (will/shall) go in spite of anything you tell me.

2. Future progressive (continuous) tense

344
 Forms:- Subject +will/shall+ be + Ving
 The form of future progressive tense is affirmative(positive),
negative and interrogative (question).
Example
1. Betelhem will be working in the field tomorrow.
2. Helawit will be making tea for us in the afternoon.
3. We shall be arranging the seats.
4. WillBetelhem be working in the field tomorrow?
5. WillHelawit be making tea for us in the afternoon?
6. Shall we be arranging the seats?
7. Betelhem will not be working in the field tomorrow.
8. Helawit will not be making tea for us in the afternoon.
9. We shall not be arranging the seats.

10. I or we will/shall be reading.

11. You/he/she/it/they will be reading.

 Future progressive to say that something will be going on at a

certain time in the future.
 This tense is used to express an action that will be
happening at some time in the future.
Example
1. This time tomorrow I will be moving.

345
 2. .we will be thinking of you on Saturday.
3. At 2:00 he will be having breakfast.
4. This time tomorrow I shall be eating lunch.
5. Between 7:00 and 8:00, we will be taking English test.
6. Next Friday, the president will be celebrating ten years in
power.
7. Betelhem: Is it all right if I come at about 2:30?
Fissehatsion: No I will be watching the football then.
Betelhem: Well, what about 3:30?
Fissehatsion: Fine. The match will have finished the then.
 Future progressive is also to indicate future plans that have
already been decided on.
Example
1. Fissehatsion will be staying with us again this year.

3. Future perfect tense

 Forms:- Subject + will/shall + have + V3(past participle)

 The future perfect tense is commonly used with timeexpressions
like by the time he arrives, by next week, bytomorrow etc. This
tense is used for a future action that will be completed by the
time mentioned.

346
  Usedto indicate that an anticipated event will be
completed or perfectedbefore some act or time in the
future.
 The form of future perfect tense is affirmative(positive), negative
and interrogative (question).
Example
1. Fissehatsion will have finished his homework by 8 o’clock.
2. They will have cleaned the room by the time we arrive.
3. Fissehatsion will not have finished his homework by 8 o’clock.
4. They will not have cleaned the room by the time we arrive.
5. Will Fissehatsion have finished his homework by 8 o’clock?
6. Will they have cleaned the room by the time we arrive?
7. I shall have finished my lesson at ten o’clock.
8. He will have left home before you arrive.
 Future perfect to say that something will have been completed by
a certain time in the future.
Example
1. In six years’ time, (i.e. six years from now) I shall have taken
my degree.
2. By the end of the week, we shall have finished discussing the
thesis.

347
 3. When I leave the school next week, I shall have taught this
class for five years.
 Future perfect to say that something will be ended or completed
or achieved by a particular point in the future.
Example
1. I will have finished painting the kitchen by bed time.
2. If we beat united, we will have won all our matches this
season.
3. I or we will/shall have worked.
4. You/he/she/it/they will have finished.
5. Will you have worked?
6. She will not have worked.
7. Let’s hope volcanic eruption will have finished before we
arrive on the island.
8. By the time you get home, I will have cleaned the house from
top to bottom.
9. By the time you get to the class, he will already have started.

10. By the time he finishes his studies, he will have spent eight
years on it.
11. Nextyear this time, we will have completedour first year
university course.
348
 4. Future perfect progressive (continuous) tense

 Forms:- Subject + shall/will + have + been + Ving

 Future perfect progressive to say “how long”.
 Future perfect progressive so say something will have continued
by a certain time in the further.
Example
1. Next Christmas, I will have been teaching for twenty years.
2. By next summer, I will have been living in my house for ten
years.
3. On Saturday, we will have been working this company for a
year.
4. Next year, she will have been working in the company for 15
years.
5. On Monday, we will have been living in this house for five
years.
6. Next New Year, I will have been working for seven years.
7. Next month I will have been knowing Betelhem for three
years.
8. On May 10, 2019, we shall have been living in this house
exactly five years.
9. I or we will/shall have been living here for 10 years by the
end of the year.
349
 10. You/he/she/it/they will have been living here for 10 years
by

the end of the year.

 The “going to” future:-

 The going to future is formed with am/is/are going to
+ root of any verb.
Example
1. I am going toleave tomorrow.
2. We are going toleave tomorrow.
3. You are going toleave tomorrow.
4. He is going toleave tomorrow.
5. It is going toleave tomorrow.
6. She is going toleave tomorrow.
7. They are going toleave tomorrow.
 “going to” is used to express:-
 Intention/purpose/intent/plan/goal/objective/aim/target
Example
1. I am going towrite to Betelhem this evening.
2. Fissehatsion says he is going tobuy a new car next year.
 Strong probability/likelihood/chance/possibility
Example

350
 1. I think it is going to rain. I think it is very probable
that it will rain.
 The speaker’s certainty
Example
1. Look out! That milk is going toboil over.
2. My wife is going tohave a baby.
 The “going to” construction cannot be used for pure futurity and
futurity is contingent on a condition. You cannot say:
Example
1. I am going to be 47 years old in June.
2. Today is the 9th of May 2019; tomorrow is going to be the 10th.
3. If you are going to France you will like the food there.

Exercise 59

Complete the sentences using will or going to.

1. A) Why are you turning on the television?

B) ………… the news. (I/watch)

2. A) Oh. I’ve just realized. I haven’t got any money

B) Haven’t you? Well, don’t worry ………… you some. (I/lend)

3. A) I’ve got a headache.

B) Have you? Wait there and ………… an Aspirin for you, (I/get)

351
4. A) Why are you filling that bucket or container or vessel with water?

B) ………… the car. (I/wash)

5. A) I’ve decided to repaint this room.

B) Oh, have you? What color. ………… it? (you/paint)

6. A) Where are you going? Are you going shopping?

B) Yes, ………… something for dinner. (I/buy)

7. A) I don’t know how to use this camera.

B) It’s quite easy ………… you. (I/show)

8. A) What would you like to eat?

B) ………… a sandwich, please. (I/have)

9. A) Did you post that letter for me?

B) Oh, I’m sorry. I completely forgot ………… in now. (I/do)

10. A) The ceiling in this room doesn’t look very safe, does it?

B) No, it looks as if ………… down. (it/fall)

11. A) Has Fissehatsion decided what to do when he leaves school?

B) Oh, yes. Everything is planned …………… a holiday for a few weeks

and then …….. a computer programming course. (he/have, he/do)

 Parallelism or Balance

352
 This is a method by which a word or phrase in one part of a
sentence is balanced with a word or phrase elsewhere in the
same sentence.
 If the first part of sentence begins with an infinitive form of a
verb, the other part of the sentence should also be in the
infinitive form.
 If the verb in one part of a sentence is in a simplepresent
tense, the other partof a sentence should also be in the
simplepresenttense.
 If the verb in one part of a sentence is in a simple present
tense, the other partof a sentence should also be in the
presentperfect continuoustense.
 If the verb in one part of a sentence is in a presentperfect
continuous tense, the other partof a sentence should also be
in the simplepresenttense.
 If the verb in one part of a sentence is in a presentperfect
tense, the other partof a sentence should also be in the
simplepresenttense.
 If the verb in one part of a sentence is in a simplepast tense,
the other partof a sentence should also be in the
simplepasttense.

353
  If the verb in one part of a sentence is in a simplepast tense,
the other partof a sentence should also be in the
pastcontinuoustense.
 If the verb in one part of a sentence is in a pastcontinuous
tense, the other partof a sentence should also be in the simple
pasttense.
 If the verb in one part of a sentence is in a simplepast tense,
the other partof a sentence should also be in the pastperfect
tense.
 If the verb in one part of a sentence is in a pastperfect tense,
the other partof a sentence should also be in the
simplepasttense.
 If the verb in one part of a sentence is in a continuous tense,
the other partof a sentence should also be in the
continuoustense.
 If the verb in one part of a sentence is in a simplefuture tense,
the other partof a sentence should also be in the
simplefuturetense etc.

Exercise 60

Choose the correct answer.

354
 1. I cannot do anything to help him, but I wish …………
A. I can B. I do C. I couldn’t D. I could
2. My brother was working in the garden while I …………
A. am playing B. playing C. was playing D. were playing
3. Betelhem: why did you miss last week’s meeting? We had a good
time.
Fissehatsion: I was sick. I wish I ………… it.
A. have attended B. could attend
C. had attended D. attended
4. While my mother was cooking, I ………… a movie.
A. was watching B. is watching
C. are watching D. am watching
5. The farmers have cultivated the land ………… 2011 E.C. They have
stayed here ………… five years.
A. for/for B. since/for
C. for/since D. since/since
6. I have taught English ………… twenty years.
A. since B. for C. at D. from
7. Eyob: oh no! What is wrong with this car, Fissehatsion?
Fissehatsion: I ………… an accident.
A. had B. have had C. had had D. was had
8. I wish I ………… my homework.

355
 A. does B. had done C. doing D. have done
9. By the time he finishes his studies, he ………. spent eight years on
it.
A. will have B. has had C. could have D. might have
10. His relatives ………… in Jimma for six years before they moved to
Dessie.
A. have lived B. have been living
C. were live D. had lived
11. When I saw him yesterday, …………
A. he was very well B. he will be well
C. he is very nice D. he is feeling better
12. Soliana ate her breakfast and ………… to school.
A. goes B. is going C. had gone D. went
13. Look at those black clouds! I think, it …………
A. may rain B. will rain C. is raining D. is going to rain
14. I don’t like hot weather, but he …………

A. do B. has C. does D. did

15. He has taught Mathematics ………… seven years.

A. since B. before C. for D. about

16. Selam: have you finished your assignment?

Betelhem: Yes, …………

356
 A. I did B. I was C. I am D. I have

17. ………… Helawit working when the baby fell down?

A. is B. did C. was D. had

18. Fissehatsion is a clever student, …………?

A. isn’t he B. wasn’t he C. is he D. does not he

19. Soliana: …………?

Selam: I’ve been to the market.

A. did you go to the marketC. where have you been

B. where is the market D. where did you go

20. I know he ………… to South Africa a couple of times, but not to

Kenya.

A. was B. been C. has been D. had been

21. I wish my brother had been with me. This means …………

A. I am sorry my brother was not here with me.

B. I am happy that my brother was with me.

C. my brother will be with me and I’m happy about that.

D. by brother wishes to be here with me.

22. The man ………… his name.

A. does not writes B. does not write

C. do not write D. do not writing

357
 23. Fissehatsion: when did you come back from Addis?

Eyob: ………… the day before yesterday.

A. You come back B. I came back

C. I’m coming back D. I’ll come back

24. I wish I’d visited Helawit before she went abroad. This means
………..

A. I visited Helawit before she went abroad.

B. I visited Helawit after she went abroad.

C. I didn’t visit Helawit before she went abroad.

D. I went abroad before I visited Helawit.

25. The question form of “she drank a cup of coffee yesterday.”

A. does she drink a cup of coffee yesterday?

B. did she drink a cup of coffee yesterday?

C. will she drink a cup of coffee yesterday?

D. did she drank a cup of coffee yesterday?

26. He’s very funny. He …………

A. makes us laughing B. makes us to laugh

C. makes us laugh D. makes us laughed

27. Priest: how often do you go to church?

Betelhem: …………

358
 A. No, I do B. Yes, I do C. No, I don’t D. once a
week

28. The manager of this bank will visit his old friends when he
……………

to Addis Ababa next week.

A. will go B. had gone C. went D. goes

29. Father: did you go to class yesterday?

Son: …………. I stayed home because I didn’t feel good.

A. No, I didn’t B. Yes, I did

C. No, I don’t D. Yes, I do

30. There was no food left when I returned. They ………… everything.

A. had eaten B. were eating

C. have eaten D. ate

359
 Answers

Exercise 45

1. Goes 2. Walk 3. Rains 4. Gets 5. Sleep6. Visit

7. Watches 8. Walk 9. Falls 10. Paints 11. Is12. Barks

13.Bloom 14. ill-treats 15. Die 16. Rises 17. Sets

18. Offers 19. Is, plays, see, buy, dances,feels, admire, earns, visits

20. Likes 21. Makes 22. Does 23. Play 24. Pays

25. Works26. Go 27. Watch 28. Gives 29. Makes

30. Covers 31. Study 32. Falls

Exercise 46

1. Am reading 2. Is mending 3. Are rowing 4. Is riding

5. Are watching 6. Is playing 7. Is stitching 8. Are dancing

9. Is running 10. Is watering 11. Are sitting 12. Is selling

13. Are licking 14. Am cooking 15. Am swimming

Exercise 47

360
 1. Riding 2. Playing 3. Driving 4. Watering 5. Watching

6. Reading 7. Eating 8. Baking 9. Twittering 10. Croaking

11. Swimming 12. Whistling 13. Flying 14. Shining 15. Barking

Exercise 48

1. Is not raining 2. Speaks 3. Do you listen 4. Is flowing

5. Live, do your parents live 6. Grow, do not grow

7. Is staying, stays 8. Finish, am working 9. Is looking, is staying

10. Are you listening 11. Is improving 12. Is waiting 13. Flows

14. Am starting 15. Am learning, is teaching 16. Is

17. Wears, is wearing 18. Is carrying, is raining

19. Do you understand 20. Think, is getting

21. Wonder, are waiting 22. Listens, thinks

23. Why is Selam walking, walks, is hurrying, is meeting, doesn’t like

Exercise 49

1. For 2. Since 3.Since 4. Since 5. For 6. Since

7. Have written, since 8. Has not washed, for

361
 9. Have not heard, for 10. Has been lecturing, for

11. Have been waiting, since12. Have not bought, for

13. Haven’t seen, for 14. Has been trying, for, has not succeeded

15. Has been resting, since

Exercise 50

1. Has studied 2. Have been 3. Has been 4. Have studied

5. Has been 6. Has played 7. Have seen 8. Has, mailed

9. Has worked 10. Has gone

Exercise 51

1. Have been living 2. Has been driving 3. Has been feeling

4. Have been sitting 5. Has been talking 6. Have been speaking

7. Has been teaching 8. Have been going 9. Have been waiting

10. Has been wearing

Exercise 52

1. Has broken 2. Have you been playing 3. You have been working

4. Have you ever worked 5. Has she gone 6. Has been appearing

362
 7. Have not been waiting 8. Has stopped

9. Have lost, have you seen 10. Have been reading, haven’t finished

11. Have read

Exercise 53

1. Arrived 2. Received 3. Left 4. Finished 5. Rained

6. Slept 7. Brought 8. Sat 9. Crept 10. Stroke

Exercise 54

1. Was staying 2. Was teaching 3. Were complaining

4. Was shouting 5. Was driving 6. Was looking

7. Were collecting 8. Were whistling 9. Were strolling

10. Was shouting 11. Was raining 12. Was studying

13. Was chopping 14. Was advising 15. Was wearing

16. Were sneezing 17. Was waiting 18. Were enjoying

19. Was teaching 20. Were borrowing 21. Was carrying

Exercise 55

1. Was sleeping 2. Was shining 3. Was raining

363
 4. Were getting 5. Were sleeping 6. Slept

7. Was sleeping 8. Was playing 9. Was playing

10. Saw 11. Came, was listening 12. Broke down, phoned

13. Was driving 14. Wrote 15. Was reading

Exercise 56

1. Arrived, had died 2. Heard, called

3. Woke up, had already prepared 4. Went, had invited

5. Started, had already learned 6. Had known, met 7. Arrived

8. Was preparing, was jumping 9. Were swimming, were playing

10. Came, told 11. Was having, was watching

12. Welcomed, asked 13. Were playing, heard, hid, started

14. Left15. Was watching, turned, answered

16. Realized, was traveling 17. Was playing, opened, threw

Exercise 57

1. Had had 2. Had known 3. Had been walking

4. Had been running 5. Had been eating 6. Had eaten

364
 7. Hadbeen looking 8. Was waiting, had been waiting

9. Had had 10. Had been traveling

11. Was, knocked, had been dreaming, had been planning, brought

12. Was, were, had been studying, were, had not had, drank, had

grown, did not drink/ hadn’t drunk

13. Thought, was, came, was, learnt, had already left, had given

14. Had been driving, stopped, realized, had been following, were,

had noticed

15. Heard, got, looked, was, asked, was doing, said, had dropped,

was searching

Exercise 58

1. Shall 2. Shall 3. Shall 4. Will

5. Shall 6. Shall 7. Will 8. Shall

Exercise 59

1. I am going to watch 2. I will lend 3. I will get

4. I am going to wash 5. Are you going to paint

365
 6. I am going to buy 7. I will show 8. I will have

9. I will do 10. It is going to fail

11. He is going to have, he is going to do

Exercise 60

1. D 2. C 3. C 4. A 5. B 6. B

7. B 8. B 9. A 10. D 11. A 12. D

13. D 14. C 15. C 16. D 17. C 18. A

19. C 20. C 21. A 22. B 23. B 24. C

25. B 26. C 27. D 28. D 29. A 30. A

366
 CHAPTER EIGHT
TYPES OF QUESTIONS
1. General Questions/Yes or No Questions

 It is also known as “Yes or No questions” because a short answer

“Yes” or “No” is expected.
 “Yes” and “No” should be written with capital letters.
 This kind of question is formed by putting an auxiliary verb before
the subject.
 General questions most often start with Do, Did, Does, Have, Has,
Had, Am, Is, Are, Was, Were, Can, Could, Will, Would,
Shall,Should, mustetc.

Example

1. Are you from Ethiopia? Yes, I am. Or No, I am not.

2. Did you meet our school director? Yes, I did. Or No, I didn’t.
3. Was Miss Elsa at home yesterday? Yes, she was. Or No, she
wasn’t.
4. Is the teacher coming? Yes, he is. Or No, he isn’t.
5. Are all the students at school? Yes, they are. Or No, they aren’t.
6. Can you play football or soccer? Yes, I can. Or No, I can’t.
7. Have you eaten the fruit? Yes, I have. Or No, I haven’t.
367
 8. Do they live in flat or regular? Yes, they have. Or No, they haven’t.
9. Did it rain yesterday? Yes, it did. Or No, it didn’t.

10. Will we arrive on time? Yes, we will. Or No, we won’t.

11. Do you enjoy learning English? Yes, I do. Or No, I don’t.

12. Did she realize what had happened? Yes, she did. Or No, she
didn’t.

13. Can your father drive a car? Yes, he can. Or No, he can’t.

14. Are your children at home? Yes, they are. Or No, they aren’t.

15. Can you repair my radio? Yes, I can. Or No, I can’t.

Exercise 61

1. Does your mother like living in Addis Ababa? …………………………………

2. Did you love football or soccer? …………………………………
3. Do you hate boxing? ...………………………………
4. Have you eaten your lunch? …………………………………
5. Does your friend have a car? …………………………………
6. Did the teacher give homework?
…………………………………
7. Will the children come tomorrow? …………………………………
8. Could you help me? …………………………………
9. Are you a smart student? .
………………………………..

368
10. Is your school popular? .………………………………..
11. Did you watch TV last night? …………………………………
12. Will it take us long to cross the channel? .
………………………………..
13. Have they been waiting for long? …………………………………
14. Will she write me a letter? …………………………………
15. Was he running to the bus stop when the accident happened? ……..
16. Are Fissehatsion and Soliana going to school today? ……………………..
17. Does Fissehatsion speak English? …………………………………..
18. Had you locked the door before you left the house? ………………………
19. Must we come tomorrow morning? ……………………………………
20. Were they lazy on Sunday? …………………………………….
21. Would you like to be a doctor? …………………………………….
22. Do you think doctors are important? …………………………………….
23. Is it better to see a doctor in a hospital? …………………………………….
24. Have you ever visited a specialist doctor? …………………………………….
25. Do you know anyone who is a doctor? ……………………………………..
26. Can you give me some medicine? ……………………………………..
27. Do you take aspirin to reduce the fever? ……………………………………..
28. Are sport games good for health? ………………………………………
29. Would you like to be an engineer? ………………………………………
30. Does she want to go shopping this afternoon? ………………………………

369
2. Special Questions/Wh-questions

 Special questions are those questions that ask for details.

 Special questions include: -What, Which, When, Where, Why,
Whose, Who, whom, How, How often, How long, How far,How
many, How much.
 When, where, and why are interrogative adverbs.
 Whois used only for personsor people, one or many. It
is notused for animals or things.
 Whom is used as an objective case for people. In fact,
whom is old-fashioned nowadays, and it is very formal.
Therefore, who is more common and frequentlyused
in everyday speech instead of whom.
Example
1. Whom does Betelhem love? (less common)
Who does Betelhem love? (more common)
2. Whom do you like most? (less common)
Who do you like most? (more common)
 Whose is used to show belongings of persons.
 What is used for things,one or many.What …. like can
be used for opinions about a person’s behavior or
about the quality ofthings.What ….. look like is used to
ask about a person’s physicalappearance.
370
Example
1. Whatis your manager like? (about general behavior)
2. What is your friend like? (about general behaviour)
3. What was the get-together like? (about quality)
4. What does your brother look like?

 Which is used forboth persons orpeople and things, one

or many.
 When is used to ask about time. The answer to when may
be yesterday, today, tomorrow, two days ago, next week,
last year, two hours ago, after three minutes, before an
hour etc.
Example

1. Fissehatsion:Whendid you visit the castles ofFasiledes?

Father: fifteen years ago.
2. Betelhem: when will your father come to Addis Ababa?
Fissehatsion: next week.

 Where is used to indicate the placeor location of persons

or things. The answer to where in Addis Ababa, on the
table, in the box, in Ethiopia etc.
Example
1. Eyob: Where did your sister go?

371
 Fissehatsion: to Shiro Meda.
2. Selam: where is your book?
Soliana: on the shelf.
 Why is used to ask about reasons.
 How
 Howisused before an adjective/adverb to ask about
degree or extent.
Example
1. Howfar is the school? (two kilometers)
2. Howlong is her hair? (seventy cm)
3. Howfast does he drive? (60 km/hr.)
4. Howhigh is the mountain? (1600 km above sea
level)
5. Howold is your father? (70 years)
 Far, long, high and old are adjectives and fast is
an adverb.
 How is used to ask about means or manner.
Example
1. How did they solve the problem?
2. How did she make the coffee?
3. How does your teacher behave?
4. How did she come from Debre Birhan?

372
  How is used to ask about a person’s well-being.
Example
1. How are you?
2. How is health?
 How do you like is used to ask for opinions about
somebody or something.
Example
1. Fissehatsion:how do you like the film?
Betelhem: it is great or very good.
2. Soliana:how do you like the book?
Selam: it is interesting.
 How long is used to ask about how long action or a
situationhas continued up to now. The answer to how long
may be fortwo days, for six years ago, for five minutes, since
last year, since yesterday etc.
Example
1. Fissehatsion: how long have you lived in Addis Ababa?
Father: for 49 years.
2. Eyob: How long hasyour brother worked in field.
Betelhem: since 2 o’clock.
 How far is used to ask about distances.
Example

373
 1. Selam: How far is the school from your home?
Soliana: it is about two kilometers.
 How often is used toaskabout the frequently of events.The
answers to how often may be every day, once a week, daily,
frequently, twice a week, always, sometimes, yearly,
seldom, rarely etc.
Example
1. Eyob:how often do you go to theatre?
Fissehatsion: once a week.
2. Betelhem:how often do you go the church?
Mame: every Sunday.
 How many is used with a countable noun. Student, teacher,
horse, book, bench, brother etc. are countable nouns.
 How much is used with uncountable nouns. Water, bread,
oil, milk, money, furniture, equipment, etc. are uncountable
nouns.

Example

1. Where are you from?

2. What are you wearing on your head?
3. How much money do you have?
4. How old are you?

374
 5. What time does Helawit always get up?
6. What does Fissehatsion usually eat for breakfast?
7. When does he usually have dinner?
8. What does Soliana do after lunch?
9. What do Selam and Betelhem usually eat and drink for snack?
10. What time does he usually go to bed?
11. What do you learn from the story?
12. Where did you play your game?
13. How many students in this class?
14. Which sport game is the most dangerous game?
15. Which sport do you like?
16. When do you play football?
17. Why do you play sports?
18. How do you manage your game not to affect your study?
19. Where do you work?
20. What can I help you?
21. How do you do?
22. Which one is it?
23. What is wrong?
24. Why you are doing?
25. How long have you had the symptoms?
26. How often do you visit the doctor?

375
27. What should happen when a doctor makes a mistake?
28. How long do doctors have to train for perfect performance?
29. What do you do to keep yourself healthy?
30. Which option is the best?
31. Who is coming with me to the party?
32. Who asked you to go there?
33. Who are helping us?
34. Whose house is this?
35. Whose sister is that?
36. Whose book is on the table?
37. What is that in your hand?
38. What is the name of that game?
39. What are you doing with a knife?
40. Which show is going on television?
41. Which girl has won the contest or competition or tournament or
or game or match or race?
42. Which game do you like to play?
43. When are you going to the swimming pool?
44. When is he coming back from Harrar?
45. When do puppies feed on?
46. Where did you visit yesterday?
47. Where do you go every morning?
376
 48. Where are you going to place the computer?
49. Who told you about them?
50. Who is the best actor?
51. What time is it now?
52. Which is your friend, Eyob or Fissehatsion?

Exercise 62
Underline and fill the most suitable words in the blanks and brackets.
1. (what, when, which) ………… are your exams commencing or
beginning or starting or inauguration?
2. (what, which, who) ………… is donating or giving or contributing or
offering or providing blood?
3. (what, which, when) ………… are you hiding from me?
4. (what, who, when) ………… are they going for picnic or eat
outside?
5. (who, where, whose) ………… sister is that girl?
6. (what, whose, where) ………… is the Lalibela?
7. (what, who, which) ………… brought this dirty dog here?
8. (what, who, which) ………… car do you like to drive?
9. (what, who, which) ………… is Fissehatsion doing in the park?
10. (what, whose, which) ………… is the most beautiful city of
Ethiopia?
11. ……………………. is your name?

377
 My name is Betelhem.
………………………….. do you live?
I live as Adwa Avenue.
………………….. have you lost?
I have lost my little puppy.
………………….. did you loose or unfastened or free or unattached
or slack It?
While strolling or walking or ambling in the garden.
……………………. do you suspect or doubtful or questionable or odd
or dubious or unsure or uncertain or suspicious?
My neighbor always had an eye on it.
……………………. is your neighbor now?
He is out of station.
…………………… is he coming back?
Afetr a week.
…………………. else is there in his family?
His wife and son
…………………. does his wife do?
She is a waitress.
………………… time does she come home?
Late at night.
12. ……………………. are you going, Fissehatsion?
378
 To a show, mother.
…………………… kind of show?
A musical show.
………………….. is the show held?
At Ras Theater.
………………….. is coming with you?
My sisters Soliana, Selam, Betelhem and Helawit.
…………………. are your sisters coming here?
Anytime now.
…………………. shirt will you wear?
The blue one.

Exercise 63
1. Who told you? ………………………………………………………………….
2. Who is brother? …………………………………………………………………
3. Who is sister? …………………………………………………………………
4. Who is coming? ………………………………………………………………….
5. Who is doing? ………………………………………………………………….
6. Who is leaving? ………………………………………………………………….
7. Who is eating?
…………………………………………….......................
8. Who is siting? …………………………………………………………………
9. Who is drinking? …………………………………………………………………
379
 10. Who ask me? ………………………………………………………………….
11. Who are you? ………………………………………………………………….
12. Who is she? …………………………………………………………………
13. Who are they? …………………………………………………………………
14. Who is he? .………………………………………………………………..
15. Who am I? ..……………………………………………………............
16. Who are we? …………………………………………………………………
17. Who is it?…………………………………………………………………
18. Where are you? .………………………………………
19. Where is your sister? ……………………………………….
20. Where is a book? ……………………………………….
21. Where is she born? ……………………………………….
22. Where is a country? ……………………………………….
23. Where is his birth place? ….....……………………………….
24. What should I do? ……………………………………….
25. What is this? ……………………………………….
26. What is this that you have done? ……………………………………….
27. What are you doing? ……………………………………….
28. What have you done? ……………………………………….
29. What is your name? ……………………………………….
30. What is that? ……………………………………….
31. What are those? ……………………………………….
380
32. What are these? ……………………………………….
33. What are you eating? ……………………………………….
34. What are they drinking? ……………………………………….
35. When you are eating? ……………………………………….
36. When you are leaving? ……………………………………….
37. When you are drinking? ……………………………………….
38. When you are doing? ……………………………………….
39. When you are going? ……………………………………….
40. When you are walking? ……………………………………………….
41. When she was eating? ……………………………………………….
42. When he was leaving? ……………………………………………….
43. When we were drinking? ……………………………………………….
44. When they were doing? ………………………………………………………

45. When I was going? ………………………………………………

46. When you were walking? ……………………………………………….
47. When she ate? ……………………………………………….
48. When he drunk? ……………………………………………….
49. When we went? ……………………………………………….
50. When they did? ……………………………………………….
51. When I leaved? ……………………………………………….
52. When you done? ……………………………………………….
53. Why are you angry? ……………………………………………….
381
 54. Why is upset? ……………………………………………….
55. Which is a pen? ……………………………………………….
56. Which is your book? ………………………………………………..
57. Which is his friend? ……………………………………………….
58. Which is her father? ……………………………………………….
59. Which are our uncles? ……………………………………………….
60. How are you? ………………………………………………
61. How old are you? ……………………………………………….
62. How is health? ……………………………………………….
63. How is life? ……………………………………………….
3. Question-tagsor tag-questions

 Question-tags are mini-questions or short questions that

appear at the end ofsentence.
 Youuse question-tags just for confirmation or approval or
authentication or verification because you have already some
about what you are asking.
 The subject of a question-tag is always a pronoun, not a
noun.
Example
1. Betelhem refused to accept his invitation, didn’t
Betelhem? (wrong)

382
 Betelhem refused to accept his invitation, didn’t she?
(correct)
2. Fissehatsion is a doctor, isn’t Fissehatsion? (wrong)
Fissehatsion is a doctor, isn’t he? (correct)
3. Eyob hasn’t brought his jacket, has Eyob? (wrong)
Eyob hasn’t brought his jacket, has he? (correct)
 There are five important principlesor rules concerning tag
questions.
A. If the statement is positive (affirmative), the tag-
question is negative, positive reply.
B. If the statement is negative, the tag-question is positive,
negative reply or answer or response or reaction or
feedback.
C. The questions-tag of let’s is “shall we?”
Example
1. Let’s clean the floor, shall we?
2. Let’s enjoy life, shall we?
3. Let’s decide to end our discussion, shall we?
4. Let’s happy for your decision, shall we?
D. The question-tag form of I am is aren’t I andthe
question-tag form of I am not is am I.
Example

383
 1. I’m running in the rain, aren’t I?Yes, you are.
2. I am lying on the sofa now, aren’t I?Yes, you are.
3. I am not happy about your decision, am I?No,
youaren’t.
4. I am not annoy about your lie, am I? No, you aren’t.
5. I am a good hunter or predator or chaser or pursuer,
aren’t I? Yes, you are.
6. I am a student, aren’t I? Yes, you are.
7. I am not a guilty, am I? No, you aren’t.
8. I am not a silly (foolish), am I? No, you aren’t.

E. A comma should be used between the statement and its

question-tag. In addition, there should be a question
mark at the end of the sentence.
 Don’t forget the comma between the statement
and the tag.

Example
1. You are student, aren’t you? Yes, I am.
2. Our English teacher is very clever, isn’t she or he? Yes, she or he is.
3. The girl takes the pen, doesn’t she? Yes, she does.
4. The students ate their lunch, didn’t they? Yes, they did.
5. He is here, isn’t he? Yes, he is.

384
 6. He can speak English, can’t he? Yes, he can.
7. She will come, won’t she? Yes, she will.
8. You like dancing, don’t you? Yes, I do.
9. I am a student, aren’t I? Yes, you are.
10. We used to play with mud when we were children, didn’t we? Yes,
we did.
11. He came yesterday, didn’t he? Yes, he did.
12. They’ve come, haven’t they? Yes, they have.
13. You are dusting or wiping or cleaning or brushing or sweeping the
floor, aren’t you? Yes, I am.
14. You are wasting your father’s money, aren’t you? Yes, I am.
15. He isn’t here, is he? No, he isn’t.
16. They sing in the class room, don’t they? Yes, they do.
17. We walk to the market, don’t we? Yes, we do.
18. You pay the money every month, don’t you? Yes, I do.
19. They don’t study English, do they? No, they don’t.
20. You don’t solve problems properly, do you? No, I don’t.
21. He plays the piano nicely, doesn’t he? Yes, he does.
22. She washes her clothes, doesn’t she? Yes, she does.
23. The man doesn’t eat raw meat, does he? No, he does.
24. The lady doesn’t walk fast, does she? No, she does.
25. They went home last week, didn’t they? Yes, they did.

385
26. You paid the money, didn’t you? Yes, I did.
27. The director didn’t punish the students, did he? No, he didn’t.
28. The pupils did not do their home works, did they? No, they didn’t.
29. His speech wasn’t interesting, was it? No, it wasn’t.

 The question-tag for the simple past tense begins with did or
didn’t if was or were is not used as a main verb.
Example
1. Helawit baked some loaves of bread, didn’t she?
2. We bought an ox and a goat, didn’t we?
3. They jumped over the fence, didn’t they?
4. She ate it all, didn’t she?

 The question-tag in the simple present tense begins withdo,

don’t or does, doesn’t if is, are, or am is not used as a
mainverb.
Example
1. The plane fly low over our houses, don’t they?
2. Betelhem buys shirts for her father, doesn’t she?
3. Fissehatsion likes pineapples, doesn’t he?
4. We read newspapers, don’t we?
5. You hate fish, don’t you?
6. The helicopter crash on the mountain, doesn’t it?

386
 Tag questions of conditional sentences. The tag of any
conditionalstatement depends up on the main clause part.
Example
1. If you invite him, he will come, won’t he? Yes, he will.
2. I shall come if I have time, shan’t I? Yes, you will.
3. He would buy a car if he had money, wouldn’t he? Yes,
hewould.
4. If they had had a car, they could have gone home,
couldn’tthey? Yes, they could.
5. If I had had a house, I would have rented neighbor of parents,
wouldn’t I? Yes, you would.

 The word “there” as a subject of a tag.

Example
1. There are dangerous crocodiles here, aren’t there?
2. There are many people in the carnival, aren’t there?
3. There isn’t a dog in her compound, is there?
4. There aren’t good teacher in your school, are there?

 “This, that, these and those” cannot be the subject of a question-

tag. The pronoun“they” is used instead of “these and those”, and
the pronoun“it” is used instead of“that and this”.
Example

387
 1. That isn’t good, is it?
2. This is her scarf, isn’t it?
3. These aren’t pointless suggestions, are they?
4. Those are hopeless gangsters, aren’t they?
5. That is enough, isn’t it?
6. Those are colorful shirts, aren’t they?

 The perfect tenses containing “been”, omit the “been” and

auxiliary verbs like would, should, could, must, ought and might
+have +V3, omit“have + V3”only used the auxiliary verb on tag
questions.

Example

1. You have been told, haven’t you? Yes, I have.

2. You haven’t been told, have you? No, I haven’t.
3. She hasn’t been here for long, has she? No, she hasn’t.
4. You hadn’t been told before, had you? No, I had.
5. They should have driven the car, shouldn’t they? Yes,
theyshould.
6. You should have gone home, shouldn’t you? Yes, I should.
7. We ought to have paid the money, oughtn’t we? Yes, we
ought.

388
 8. They must have cleaned the house, mustn’t they? Yes, they
must.
9. He needn’t have bought the bag, need he? No, he needn’t.

 “Hardly, scarcely, barely, rarely, little, few, never, no one,

nobody, nothing, neither, none, no and seldom” are negative
words.A sentence with one of this word is a negative sentence.
The tag-question form is positive.
Example
1. He can hardly speak Amharic, can he? No, he can’t.
2. She scarcely drinks milk, does she? No, she doesn’t.
3. You hardly like driving, do you? No, I don’t.
4. Helawit rarely speaks French, does she? No, she doesn’t.
5. Fissehatsion seldom went to theater, did he? No, he didn’t.
6. He never smokes any cigarettes, does he? No, he doesn’t.
7. We hardly ever played football, did we? No, we didn’t.
8. No one supported her ideas, did they? No, they didn’t.

 Indefinite pronouns in a question-tag when the subject of

astatement is no body, no one, anyone, anybody, none, neither,
everybody, someone, somebody and everyone, the
pronoun“they” is used as the subject of the tag.
Example

389
 1. None of them were thieves, were they? No, they weren’t.
2. Somebody bought a car last year, didn’t they? Yes, they did.
3. Nobody admires her, do they? No, they don’t.
4. Everybody knew her, didn’t they? Yes, they did.
5. Everyone is available today, aren’t they? Yes, they are.

 The pronoun it is used as a subject of a question-tag for nothing

and everything.
Example
1. Nothing was attractive, was it? No, it wasn’t.
2. Everything is expensive, isn’t it? Yes, it is.
3. Everything wasn’t enough good, was it? No, it was.

 Imperative sentence are sentence of command or order or

instruction or directive.
 Imperatives are orders like stand up, open the door,
don’tdisturb me etc. the question-tag for both negative
and positive imperatives is normally “will you.”
A. The tag is in the positive or negative form.
B. The tense is future.
 Would/can/could may sometimes be used to begin a
question-tag for imperatives. These modal auxiliary
verbssoften imperative into a request.

390
Example

1. Stop that noise, will you?

2. Let us go for a walk, shall we?
3. Don’t disturb or annoy or bother or trouble, will you?
4. Let’s go home, shall we?
5. Please leave me alone, will you?
6. Put that pistol or gun or weapon or firearm or handgun or
shooter or revolver or cannon or mortar down, will you?
7. Let us eat lunch, shall we?
8. Open the door, will you?
9. Listen to me, would you?
(Meaning: please listen to me. Or will you listen to me?)

10. Help your parents, can you?

(Meaning: please help your parents. Or will you help your

parents?)

11. Clean this room, could you?

(Meaning: please clean the room. Or will you clean the room?)

 Tag question with used to.

Example

1. You used to live in Addis Ababa, didn’t you? Yes, I did.

391
 2. I used to work for him before the war, didn’t I? Yes, you did.
 Do not shorten the “verb to have” or “verb to be” in the positive
reply.

Example

1. Yes, I’ve Yes, I have

2. Yes, he’s Yes, he has
3. Yes, they’ve wrong Yes, they have correct
4. Yes, we’re Yes, we are
5. Yes, she’s Yes, she is

 Right? and ok? are commonly usedas question-tags in

AmericanEnglish.
Example
1. We’ll meet at the meeting, right?
We’ll meet at the meeting, ok?
2. You’ll do it tomorrow, right?
You’ll do it tomorrow, ok?

Exercise 64

Add tag questions and response for the following statements.

1. He is an Ethiopian, …………………..? ………………………

2. You will go home, …………………….? ……………………..
392
3. They need to bring their exercise books, …………………..? ………………
4. She teaches at an elementary school, …………………….? ………………….
5. I can’t speak French, ………………….? …………………..
6. She hasn’t been to the states, ………………………? …………………
7. Your girl-friend used to come here, …………………….? ……………….
8. You should have gone yourself, ……………………….? ………………….
9. I had brought the book, ……………………..? ……………………..
10. I am in time, ………………………? ………………….
11. It is a noisy class, ……………………….? …………………
12. The hotel rooms were dirty, ……………………..? …………………
13. Fissehatsion lives here, …………………………? ………………….
14. They speak English at home, …………………………? ………………….
15. You ate a lot, …………………? …………………..
16. We shall reach there by tomorrow, ………………….? ………………..
17. We must give more time to English, …………………? …………………
18. We ought to work for our country, ………………………? ……………..
19. I am not at fault, …………………….? …………………..
20. The book isn’t very interesting, ……………………? ………………….
21. The women at the party weren’t quiet, ……………………? …………………
22. There weren’t many people at the function, ……………..? ……………….
23. He hasn’t much commonsense, …………………? ………………….
23. The car hadn’t much petrol, ……………………….? ……………………

393
 25. They didn’t play well, ………………………..? …………………….
26. She doesn’t love you, ………………………? ………………………
27. They may not leave without permission, …………………? …………………
28. You mustn’t delay marriage, ………………………? ………………………..
29. You needn’t be in such a hurry, …………………………..? ……………………..
30. He oughtn’t to betray or deceive his friend, ……………….? ………………
Exercise 65
Give the most likely answer for the following tag endings.
1. They went abroad, didn’t they? …………………..
2. You haven’t finished this book, have you? ……………………
3. That last goal pleased the spectators yesterday, didn’t it? ………………
4. You have been to the states, haven’t you? ………………………
5. If I hadn’t given them all I had, the thieves could have killed me,
couldn’t they? ……………………..
6. I am strict, aren’t I? ………………………
7. She must take this medicine, mustn’t she? …………………….
8. The tiger is hunting the deer, isn’t it? …………………………
9. The boat has reached the other side, hasn’t it? ………………………
10. She ought to come here, oughtn’t she? ………………………
11. Betelhem likes milk, doesn’t she? …………………….
12. They read English well, don’t they? ………………………
13. The sky looks blue during the day, doesn’t it? …………………….

394
14. I sing well, don’t I? ……………………..
15. The players hit the ball with force, don’t they? ……………………….
16. The monkeys pushed the door open, didn’t they? ……………………..
17. He will give you permission to study there, won’t he? …………………..
18. He brought his wife to the party, didn’t he? ………………………….
19. Helawit lives near my home, doesn’t she? …………………………..
20. I go to their village in summer, don’t I? ………………………….
21. She isn’t very punctual (on time), is she? ……………………
22. I needn’t come with you, need I? …………………….
23. We didn’t use to swim daily, did we? ……………………..
24. The roof won’t leak again, will it? ………………………..
25. She wouldn’t come here, would she? ……………………….
26. I am not the only one invited, am I? ………………………
27. There weren’t many animals in the zoo, were there? ………………….
28. They hadn’t much to sell, had they? …………………………
29. You aren’t take my message to her, are you? …………………..
30. I may not take it with me, may I? ………………………….
31. You ought not to speak to your teacher like this, ought you? …………
32. All of them didn’t die, did they? ……………………..
Exercise 66

395
Choose the appropriate question word from the list below and fill in
the blank spaces.

What how much where when which

How how often why who

1. ………… are my keys? They’re in the drawer.

2. ………… is the problem? I can’t tell you.
3. ………… is your favourite singer?
4. ………… is your birthday? On April 01.
5. ………… old are you? I’m ten years old.
6. ………… is your telephone number? It’s 0912 107407
7. ………… are you from? From Debre Birhan.
8. ………… does she go to the theater? Sometimes.
9. ………… did you visit your father? Two days ago.
10. …………. Are your parents? They’re fine, thanks.
11. ………… is your graduation? Next week.
12. ………… is she crying? Because she is sad.
13. ………… is your name? Helawit.
14. ………… long have you worked in Ethiopia? For two years.
15. ………… old is your sister? Four years old.
16. ………… are you excited? Because I have birthday today.
17. ………… are you today? I’m fine, thank you.

396
18. …………is your coat? In the bedroom.
19. …………is she at the moment? At home.
20. ………… far is the stadium from here? About 10 kilometers.
21. ………… one is your biology teacher? The young man between them.
22. ………… are they working? In the book shop.
23. ………… books do you have? Three books.
24. ………… are the children doing? They are swimming.
25. ………… did father come? By bus.
26. …………does her dress cost? 350 Birr.
27. ………… time is it? It is ten pass nine.
28. …………are the kids sad? Because they are not allowed to play game.
29. ………… time was the party? It is quarter to twelve.
30. ………… friends do you have? Only two.
31. ………… do they go to school? On foot.
32. ………… were you doing at lunch time? I was reading a fiction.
33. ………… is that on the desk? A small candle.
34. ………… is in the kitchen? My little sister.
35. ………… is she so happy? Because she’s getting married.
36. ………… were they late? Because of the traffic jam..
37. ………… is your grandfather? He is still sick.
38. ………… is sugar? It is 16 birr a killo.
39. ………… is her best friend? Eyob.
397
40. ………… do you go to church? Every Sunday.
41. ………. do you make coffee? First, I wash the coffee and roast it.
Then,
I grind it with a mortar and a pestle (crusher). After that it boil.
42. ……………. did you decide to improve your academic performance? I
decided to study with a friend.

Exercise 67

Write the question-tag forms of the following statements.

1. We were working on the project, …………?

2. This isn’t my fault, …………?
3. I’m responsible for the project, …………?
4. He hasn’t little money, …………?
5. Fissehatison can’t leave her alone, …………?
6. Raise your hand, …………?
7. You should apologize soon, …………?
8. We never start at two o’clock, …………?
9. They seldom go to the stadium, …………?

10. She doesn’t play football, …………?

11. I’m clever, …………?

12. Fissehatsion didn’t do his assignment last week, …………?

13. Betelhem has informed you about it, …………?

398
14.He could drive a car, …………?

15. She can’t understand you, …………?

16. They should not be absent, …………?

17. They are not accountable, …………?

18. He will not obey you, …………?

19. Helawit is not an actress, …………?

20. We did not quarrel or dispute or argument yesterday, …………?

21. He has an expensive cap, …………?

22. We cannot avoid it, …………?

23. I shall apply for the post, …………?

24. It is a nice laptop, …………?

25. She can solve her own problems, …………?

26. Let’s paint the walls, …………?

27. You can swim deep to the bottom of the pool, …………?

28. Soliana is a well-known film-maker, …………?

29. We didn’t see a butterfly in the garden yesterday, …………?

30. I’m searching for my lost book, …………?

31. Honey is essential to health, …………?

32. The people do not know what is happening, …………?

33. Nothing annoyed my uncle, …………?

399
34. She rarely drinks alcohol, …………?

35. Everybody has come to school today, …………?

36. Everybody enjoys it, …………?

37. Selam will light the candles, …………?

38. Nobody likes him, …………?

39. Eyob seldom swims in a pool, …………?

40. They are rarely absent, …………?

41. I’m flying a plane, …………?

42. Those are unpleasant, …………?

43. This is incredible, …………?

44. Let’s go to the edge of the lake, …………?

45. I am not an official, …………?

Exercise 68

1. Teacher Alemu taught us mathematics last year, …………?

A. didn’t he B. did he C. doesn’t he D. does he

2. Let’s enjoy it, …………?

A. isn’t it B. don’t we C. do we D. shall we

3. That is really terrible, …………?

A. isn’t it B. isn’t that C. is it D. is that

4. His son scored the best result, …………?

400
 A. isn’t he B. didn’t he C. doesn’t he D. wasn’t he

5. Danait rarely goes to the cinema, …………?

A. does she B. wasn’t she C. doesn’t she D. does Danait

6. Momina never plays football, …………?

A. did she B. does she C. didn’t she D. doesn’t she

7. You won’t forget to bring my book, …………?

A. are you B. do you C. can you D. will you

8. Listen to me, …………?

A. don’t you B. aren’t you C. do you D. would you

9. Nobody talked to him about theft, …………?

A. aren’t they B. did they C. did he D. didn’t they

10. Abel has accepted my suggestion, …………?

A. hasn’t Abel B. hasn’t he C. has Abel D. has he

11. Fasika hardly ever goes to the stadium, …………?

A. isn’t she B. didn’t she C. doesn’t she D. does she

12. I’m a teacher, …………?

A. aren’t I B. don’t I C. are I D. am I

Exercise 69

Turn the following into questions using question words and do, does,
did.
401
Example

A. He is waiting for a bus.

What is he waiting for?
B. He wanted the money for books.
What did he want the money for?
C. Your father is an accountant.
What is your father?
D. He is here to receive you.
Where is he?
E. He is our neighbor.
Who is he?
F. She was angry because the tea was bad.
Why was she angry?
1. She lives near my home.
2. He sent his application by post.
3. They reached here in the morning.
4. Fissehatsion walks slowly.
5. His uncle gave him a watch.
6. Betelhem wants to be the manager.
7. He bought a blue pen.
8. He goes there for swimming.
9. The servant broke a cup.
402
10. They go to their village in summer.

11. She paid a Birr for this pen.

12. Samson wants a transfer for health reasons.

13. Fissehatsion brushes his teeth twice a day.

14. She told the police the whole story.

15. They go to their village in summer.

Answers

Exercise 61

1. Yes, she does. Or No, she doesn’t. 2. Yes, I did. Or No, I

didn’t.

3. Yes, I do. Or No, I don’t. 4. Yes, I have. Or No, I

haven’t.

5. Yes, he does. Or No, he doesn’t. 6. Yes, he did. Or No, he

didn’t.

403
 7. Yes, they will. Or No, they won’t. 8. Yes, I could. Or No, I
couldn’t.

9. Yes, I am. Or No, I am not. 10. Yes, it is. Or No, it

isn’t.

11. Yes, I did. Or No, I didn’t. 12. Yes, it will. Or No, it

won’t.

13. Yes, they have. Or No, they haven’t.

14. Yes, she will. Or No, she won’t. 15. Yes, he was. Or No, he
wasn’t.

16. Yes, they are. Or No, they aren’t.

17. Yes, he does. Or No, he doesn’t.

18. Yes, I had. Or No, I hadn’t. 19. Yes, we must. Or No, we

mustn’t.

20. Yes, they were. Or No, they weren’t.

21. Yes, I would. Or No I wouldn’t. 22. Yes, I do. Or No, I

don’t.

23. Yes, it is. Or No, it isn’t. 24. Yes, I have. Or No, I

haven’t.

404
25. Yes, I do. Or No, I don’t. 26. Yes, I can. Or No, I
can’t.

27. Yes, I do. Or No, I don’t. 28. Yes, they are. Or No, they
aren’t.

29. Yes, I would. Or No, I wouldn’t.

30. Yes, she does. Or No, she doesn’t.

Exercise 62

1. When2. Who 3. What 4. When 5. Whose

6. Where 7. Who 8. Which 9. What 10. Which

11. What, where, what, where, who, where, when, who, what, when

12. Where, what, where, who, when, which

Exercise 64

1. Isn’t he. Yes, he is.2. Won’t you. Yes, I will.

3. Needn’t they. Yes, they need.4. Doesn’t she. Yes, she does.

5. Can I. No, you can’t.6. Has she. No, she hasn’t.

7. Didn’t she. Yes, she did. 8. Shouldn’t you. Yes, I should.

9. Hadn’t I. Yes, you had.10. Aren’t I. Yes, you are.

405
 11. Isn’t it. Yes, it is.12. Weren’t they. Yes, they were.

13. Doesn’t he. Yes, he does.14. Don’t they. Yes, they do.

15. Didn’t you. Yes, I did.16. Shan’t we. Yes, we shall.

17. Mustn’t we. Yes, we must.18. Oughtn’t we. Yes, we ought.

19. Am I. No, you aren’t.20. Is it. No, it isn’t.

21. Were they. No, they weren’t. 22. Were there. Yes, they were.

23. Has he. No, he hasn’t.24. Had it. No, it hadn’t.

25. Did they. No, they didn’t. 26. Does she. No, she doesn’t.

27. May they. No, they may not. 28. Must you. No, I mustn’t.

29. Need you. No, I needn’t. 30. Ought he. No, he oughtn’t.

Exercise 65

1. Yes, they did2. No, I haven’t3. Yes, it did4. Yes, I have

5. Yes, they could6. Yes, you are7. Yes, she must8. Yes, it is

9. Yes, it has 10. Yes, she ought11. Yes, she does 12. Yes, they do

13. Yes, it does 14. Yes, you do 15. Yes, they do 16. Yes, they
did

17. Yes, he will 18. Yes, he did 19. Yes, she does 20. Yes, you do

406
21. No, she isn’t 22. No, you needn’t 23. No, we
didn’t

24. No, it won’t 25. No, she wouldn’t 26. No, you
aren’t

27. No, there weren’t 28. No, they hadn’t 29. No, I am not

30. No, you may not31. No, I oughtn’t 32. No, they didn’t

Exercise 66

1. Where 2. What 3. Who 4. When 5. How

6. What7. Where 8. How often 9. When 10. How

11.When12. Why 13. What 14. How 15. How

16. Why17. How 18. Where 19. Where 20. How

21. Which22. Where 23. How many24. What 25. How

26. How much27. What28. Why 29. What 30. How many

31. How32. What 33. What 34. Who 35. Why

36. Why 37. How 38. How much 39. Who 40. How
often

41.How 42. What

407
Exercise 67

1. Weren’t we 2. Is it 3. Aren’t I 4. Has/does he 5. Can he

6. Will/would/can/could you 7. Shouldn’t you 8. Do we

9. Do they 10. Does she 11. Aren’t I 12. Did he 13. Hasn’t she

14. Couldn’t he 15. Can she 16. Should they 17. Are they

18. Will he 19. Is she 20. Did we 21. Hasn’t/doesn’t he

22. Can we 23. Shan’t I 24. Isn’t it 25. Can’t she 26. Shall
we

27. Can’t you 28. Isn’t she 29. Did we 30. Aren’t I 31. Isn’t it

32. Do they 33. Did it 34. Does she 35. Haven’t they 36. Don’t
they

37. Won’t she 38. Do they 39. Does he 40. Are they 41. Aren’t
I

42. Aren’t they 43. Isn’t it 44. Shall we 45. Am I

Exercise 68

1. A 2. D 3. A 4. B 5. A 6. B

7. D 8. D 9. B 10. B 11. D 12. A

408
Exercise 69

1. Where does she lives?

2. How did he sent his application?
3. When did they reached here?
4. HowFissehatsion does walks?
5. What did his uncle gave him?
6. What does Betelhem wants to be?
7. Which pen did he bought?
8. Why does he goes there?
9. What did the servant broke?
10. When do they go to their village?
11. How much did/what did she paid for this pen?
12. Why does Samson wants a transfer?
13.How often does Fissehatsion brushes his teeth?
14. What did she told the police?
15. Where do they go?

409
 CHAPTER NINE

GERUNDS, PARTICIPLES AND INFINITIVES

 The gerund has a similar form as the present participle.

Formula:verb + ing (Ving)
 A gerund is the –ing form of a verb and it is usedor functionas a
noun.
 A gerund virtually or almost or nearly or practically never
requiresany punctuation with it.
 The gerund can be used in the following ways.

1. Gerund as a subject of a sentence.

Example

1.Gamblingis a bad habit.

2.Drinkingaffects the liver.

410
 3.Smoking and drinking are hazardous to health.

4.Smoking is a bad habit.

5.Reading broadens or widens knowledge.

6.Gossiping is useless.

7.Listening is better than talking.

8.Drinking affects the liver.

9.Riding is an enjoyable hobby.

10. Dancing is a good exercise.

11. Travelling might satisfy your desire for new

experiences.

2. Gerund as an adjective of a sentence.

Example

1. A screaming (shouting)woman disturbed the kids.

2. He jumped from the burninghouse.
3. I like readingnovels.
4. I dislike drinkinghot coffee.
5. I like eatingspicy foods.
6. My parents love watchingTV.
7. Readingbooks can be an interesting hobby
8. Bringing up children is not an easy job.

411
 9. I dislike chewing “chat” because it is not good
forhealth.

3. Gerund as an object of a sentence.

Example

1. Betelhem dislikes wandering or travelling.

2. Zinet denied shouting at night.
3. Fissehatsion enjoys reading.
4. I like swimming.
5. She loves singing.
6. My father hates getting up late.
7. I like watching TV
8. My parents dislike drinking hot coffee.
9. We hate eating spicy foods.
10. They do not appreciate my singing.

4. After preposition (can be used after the following verbs and

preposition combinations)

Insist on accused of chance of

Touch without charge with look forward at
Good at capable of believe in
Used to interested in fond of

412
 Care for give up apologize for
Keep on go on leave of
Tired of succeed in object to
Afraid of etc.

Example

1. She succeeded inpassing the examination.

2. He insisted onvisiting Gondar.
3. He was accused ofstealing money.
4. I am interested inseeing your camera.
5. The police charged him with rush driving.
6. My parents objected to my playing with him.
7. She is interested incollecting old coins.
8. Everybody must go ontrying.
9. I want to give upsmoking.
10. She has to keep onworking.

11. I am fond (loving or affectionate) ofreading novels.

12. I am tired oflistening to their face-to-face dialogue.

13. His sister is afraid ofgoing alone in the jungle.

14. Betelhem is highly interested inreading Holy Bible.

15. Fissehatsion is fond ofswimming in a pond.

16. He insisted on my going with him.

413
5. Agerund form is used after possessive adjectives.

My his
Our your her
its
their

Example

1. Theiraccepting much is wrong.

2. Hisrunning away is mistake.
3. He doesn’t remember my doing that before.
4. Does he mind youropening the window?

6. Agerund form is used after possessive nouns.

Example

1. Father agreed to Fissehatsion’sbecoming a doctor.

2. Mame decided to Betelhem’sbecoming a midwife.
3. Helawit’schoosing to be a nurse.
4. Eyob’swriting is very clear.

7. Some adjectives like“busy” and “worth” are followed by

the gerund.
Example

414
 1. The day worthremembering.
2. He was busywriting a book.
3. The book is worthreading.
4. The students are busystudying and doing
assignment.
5. I am busywatching TV.

8. Gerund form is used after the following prepositions.

On since after
Instead of by before
In without besides
With for of
To etc.
Example

1. Onpassing his examination, he was awarded a diploma.

2. Sincebreaking a new record, he hasn’t run a race.
3. Besidesworking in the garage, he learns in the night school.

9. Certain gerunds functionlike adjectives to form compound

nouns in combination with other nouns.

Example

Walking-stick looking-glass

415
 Dining-table writing-desk

Dining-room reading-room

Frying-pan

 These verbs except“smell and recognize” can be followed by the

“gerund” or “infinitive” form. We use the gerund form when we
want to show that the result of the action continues even after
the time of the condition stated. The infinitive implies that the
action of the verb is not yetcomplete.
 Certain sense verbs take an object followed by either a
gerund or a simple verb (infinitive without to).
 The use of gerund indicates continuous action while
the use of the simple verb indicates a one-time action.
Sometimes the simple verb can indicate
continuousaction if one-time action wouldn’t make
sense in thecontext.

Smell perceive see watch

Recognize taste notice listen to

Feel hear observe look at

Example

1. I heard the bomb dropping. (continuous action)

416
 I heard the bomb drop. (one-time action)
2. He feels the house shocking. (continuous action)
He feels the house shock. (one-time action)
3. I saw her working in the garden. (continuous action)
I saw her work in the garden. (continuous action)
4. We watched him playing basketball. (continuous
action)
We watched him play basketball. (continuous action)
5. I felt my heart pumping vigorously. (continuous action)
I feltmy heart pump vigorously. (continuous action)
6. She saw them jumping on the bed. (continuous action)
She saw them jump on the bed. (one-time action)
7. He heard the victim shouting for help. (continuous
action)
He heard the victim shout for help. (one-time action)
8. The detective noticed the suspect biting his nails.
(continuous action)
The detective noticed the suspect bite his nails. (one-
time action)
9. We could smell the pie baking in the kitchen.
(continuous action)

417
 We could smell the pie bake in the kitchen.
(continuous action)

 Some verbs take only gerunds after them and not infinitive.
Finish imagine avoid give up keep
Pardon excuse fancy dislike consider
Miss understand suggest enjoy resent
Detest involve mind admit go on
Prevent escape resist forgive deny
Stop practice loath postpone delay
Risk quit put off tolerate regret
Keep on recall appreciaterecommend
Example
1. He finishedwriting an hour ago. (correct)
He finished towrite an hour ago. (incorrect)
2. I dislikeseeing late-night (evening) movies. (correct)
I dislike tosee late-night movies. (incorrect)
3. The thief admitted (confessed or disclosed or known or
acknowledge or allow) stealing the purse (takings or
prize or rewards). (correct)
The thief admitted tosteal the purse. (incorrect)
4. She deniedhaving seen him on that day. (correct)

418
 She denied tohave seen him on that day. (incorrect)
5. He has avoidedmeeting us. (correct)
He has avoided tomeet us. (incorrect)
6. Our teacher admittedmaking a grammar mistake.
7. We finishedreading the books.
8. Girma never deniesborrowing money but he does not
return it on time.
9. The two friends enjoyplaying billiards and chess.

10. Irecallasking her that question. (correct)

I recall toask her that question. (incorrect)

11. Sheput offbuying a new jacket. (correct)

She put off tobuy a new jacket. (incorrect)

12. Hekeepscalling her. (correct)

He keeps tocall her. (incorrect)

 The verb mind is used mainly in negative and

interrogative sentences.
 The interrogative here are really
politerequests.
Example
1. You don’t mind waiting, do you?
2. We don’t mind delaying our program.

419
 3. Do you mind helping me?
4. Would you mind passing the salt?

 Some verbs take both gerunds and infinitive without change of

meaning.
Begin cease forget hate
Like adviseofferfail
Omit remember love go on
Prefer start regret stop
Wish refuseafter continue
Mean manage feararrange
Permit allowrecommend try
Commence

Example

1. Beginwriting from the next page.

Begin towrite from the next page.
2. He continued talking.
He continued totalk.
3. I loveeating mangoes.
I love toeat mangoes.
4. She likesgoing out to dances.
She likes togo out to dances.

420
 5. We like toread newspapers.
We likereading newspapers.
6. We’ll start todiscuss the questions.
We’ll startdiscussing the questions.
7. I loveeating shiro wot.
I love toeat shiro wot.
8. My father allow towatch film.
My father allowwatching film.
9. He offer tomarry her.
He offermarrying her

10. You stop todrink alcohol.

You stopdrinking alcohol.

11. I wish tobe a doctor.

I wishbeing a doctor.

 From these verbs, “forget, intend, mean, regret, remember, and

try” often show a slight difference of meaning between the
“gerund” and the “infinitive” forms.
Try + to + V1to attempt or to make effortstarting.
(future)

Try + Vingmake an experiment. (past)

Remember + to +V1 indicates a future action with

421
the meaning not forget.

Remember + Ving indicates a past action which is

at the stage of memory at present.

Forget + to + V1fail to remember. (future)

Forget + Vinglose memory. (past)

Example

1. I forgetgoing there. (I didn’t remember whether or not I had been

there).
I forget togo there. (I should have gone there but I forget to do so).
2. They triedgrowing tea here. (They made an experiment to grow tea
here).
They tried togrow tea here. (They did their best to grow tea but
failed).
3. I remembergoing there. (I went there before and I still remember
having done so).
I must remember togo there. (I must not forget to go there).
I remember togo there. (I didn’t forget to go there).
4. I rememberspending so much money.
Meaning: a)I spent much money.
b) I recall spending much money.

422
 5. Please, remember tobring your books. (please, don’t forget to bring
your book.
6. He forgets totake out the cat. (He regularly forgets)
He forgetstaking out the cat. (He did it, but he doesn’t remember
now.)
7. He forgot totake out the cat. (He never did it)
He forgottaking out the cat. (He did it, but he didn’t remember
sometime later)
8. He remembers totake out the cat. (he regularly remembers)
He rememberstaking out the cat. (He did it, and he remembers
now)
9. He remembered totake out the cat. (he did it)
He rememberedtaking out the cat. (He did it, and he remembered
sometime later)

Exercise 70

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb given in brackets. It
could be a gerund or an infinitive and sometimes both.

1. He started ………… (smoke)

2. I can’t imagine you ………… (behave) like that.
3. My uncle has promised ………… (get) me a job.
4. Do you like ………… (watch) the TV?

423
 5. Have you finished ………… (write) the application? I want …………
(send) it today.
6. He is practicing ………… (sing) these days. He hopes ………… (become)
a good singer.
7. We don’t miss ………… (see) any picture on the television.
8. I would love ………… (come) here.
9. She stopped ………… (say) hello to me on her way to the office.

10. I suggest ………… (go) to the river for boating.

11. No one can claim ………… (know) everything.

12. Some people love ………… (boast) about their knowledge.

13. He has offered ………… (make) me his partner. But I don’t intend
………

(accept) it. I would prefer ………… (start) and independent business.

14. Will you remember ………… (ring) him up?

15. When will you begin ………… (study) seriously?

16. My grandfather enjoys ………… (sleep) in the open.

17. I can’t help ………… (wonder) why he should avoid …………. (meet)
us.

18. Children fear ………… (go) in the dark.

19. He is not interested in ………… (open) a chemist shop.

20. My father does not object to my ………… (bring) friends home.

424
 Participles

 A participle is a verbal that is used as an adjective and most often

ends in –ing or –ed.
 Participles and participial phrases must be placed as close to the
nouns or pronouns they modify as possible and those nouns or
pronouns must be clearly stated.
 When a participial phrase begins a sentence, a comma should
beplaced after the phrase.
Example
1. Arriving at the store, I found that it was closed.
2. Washing and polishing the car, Fasil developed strong
muscles.
3. Locking the class room, students left to home.
4. Going to theatre, we got that it was full.

 If the participle or participial phrase comes in the middle of

asentence, it should be set off with commas only if the
information is not essential to the meaning of the sentence.
Example
1. Fissehatsion, watching an old movie, drifted in and out of
sleep.
2. The historical palace, destroyed by a fire, was never rebuilt.

425
 If the participial phrase is essential to the meaning of the
sentence, no commas should be used.
Example
1. The student earning the highest grade point average will
receive a special award.
2. The guy wearing the chicken costume or dress is my cousin.

 There are three kinds of participles: -1. Present participle

2. Past participle
3.Perfect participle

Present participle (Ving)

 Present participles end in -ing (present) that functions as an

adjective, modifying a noun or pronoun.
 Present participle is also known as active participle.
 Form:- infinitive/verb + Ving
 Present participle replaces subject + active verb.
 Present participle is used:-
 Present participle is used as an adjective.
Example
Running water, leaking pipes
Speaking object welcoming cup of tea
Floating wreckages dripping taps

426
Losing ticket parking zone
Rising sun falling rain
Walking stick running nose
Boring meeting disgusting speech
Amusing story leaking roof
Sleeping lady interesting video etc.
 Present participle is used as a subject complement.
Example
1. The story was very thrilling or exciting or inspiring or
electrifying or stimulating or rousing.
2. The journey was quite exciting.
3. Your reply is rather amusing.
4. The lecture was boring.
 The participles herecomplete the meaning of the
subjects. Hence we call the subject complements
here.
 Present participle phrase joins two sentences that have the
same subject. The sentences are joined when one action is
immediatelyfollowed by another. The first action is
oftenexpressed by the present participle phrase. In this
case, the participle phrase should be placed at the
beginning of the sentence.

427
Example
1. Helawit bought a good book.
Helawit started to read it happily.
 Buying a good book or starting to read it happily,
Buying a good book is the first action that expressed
by the present participle phrase. Therefore these
sentences can be joined as.
These two sentences can be combined as:
Buying a good book, Helawit started to read it happily.
 Buying a good book is a present
participlephrase. The sentence generally
means “Helawit bought a good book and she
immediately started to read it happily.” In the
above example, Helawit is the subject of the
mainclause.
 Since the subject of the two sentences is the
same we don’t need to mention the subject of
the participle.
2. Fissehatsion switched on the light. (active voice)
Fissehatsion entered his room.
These two sentences can be combined as:
Switching on the light, Fissehatsion entered his room.

428
 (Meaning: Fissehatsion switched on the light and he
immediately entered his room.)
3. Betelhem made coffee after school. (active voice)
Betelhem served it to the guests.
These two sentences can be combined as:
Making coffee after school, Betelhem served it to the
guests.
(Meaning: Betelhem made coffee after school and she
immediately served it to the guests.)
4. He opened the door. He went out.
These two sentences can be combined as:
Opening the door, he went out.
5. I switched off the lights. I went to sleep.
These two sentences can be combined as:
Switching off the lights, I went to sleep.
 To join two sentences when the actions are
donesimultaneously or at the same time by the same
subject. Here, the participle phrase can be placedeither at
the beginning or end of the sentence.
Example

1. The men drank milk.

The men discussed the problems.
429
 These two sentences can be combined as:
Drinking milk, the men discussed the problems. (more
usual)
The men discussed the problem drinking milk. (less
usual)
(Meaning: the men were drinking milk and discussing
the problem at the same time.)
 The subjects of the two sentences are different here. We
must therefore mention both in the combine sentences.
Example

1. It was a fine day. We went out for a picnic or eat

outside.
These two sentences can be combined as:
It being a fine day, we went out for a picnic.
2. The teacher was absent. The students made a lot of
noise.
These two sentences can be combined as:
The teacher being absent, the students made a lot of
noise.
3. The road was completely dark. We could not find our
way.
These two sentences can be combined as:
430
 The road being completely dark, we could not find
ourway.
 In negative participle phrase, not and never come at the
beginning.
Example
1. Not understanding the question, she asked her friend for
help.
2. Not earning enough money, the merchant was unhappy.
3. Never coming again, you are not request apologize.

 To replace adverbial clauses of reason.

 Adverbial clauses of reason are introduced by
because, since or as. You can use the present
participle phraseinstead of a reason clause.
Example
1. Being a visitor, Fissehatsion needs permission to
enter the park.
(Meaning:As Fissehatsion is a visitor, he needs
permission to enter the park.)
2. Being a lazy student, Ribka couldn’t do her
homework.
(Meaning:since Ribka was a lazy student, she
couldn’t do her homework.)
431
 3. Being the weather fine, they wanted to go to the
beach.
(Meaning:since the weather was fine, the wanted
to go to the beach. Or they wanted to go to beach
because the weather was fine.)
 When beingcomes at the beginning, it usually
means because, since or as.
 Present participle after have + object.
Example
1. He has meswimming in a week.
2. We have people standing on our steps all day.
 Present participle can sometimes replace a relative pronoun +
verb.
Example
1. A map thatmarks/marked political boundaries.
A map marking political boundaries.
2. People whowish/wished to visit the caves.
People wishing to visit the caves.
3. Children whoneed/needed medical attention.
Children needing medical attention.
4. Parentswhowish to the offspring be good person.
Parents wishing to the offspring be good person.

432
 Past participle(V3)

 Past participles end in -ed, -en, -d, -t, or -n (past)that functions

as an adjective, modifying a noun or pronoun.
Example
Asked, eaten, saved, dealt, seen, known etc.
 Past participle is also known as passive.
 The past participle phrase replaces subject + passive verb.
 Past participlecombine or join two sentenceswith thesame
subjects.
Example
1. Yonas was advised by his classmates. (was advised
passive)
Yonas started to do his homework regularly.
These two sentences can be combined as:
Advised by his classmates, Yonas started to do his homework
regularly.
2. The lazy student was punished by the director. (was punished
Passive verb)
The lazy student promised to improve his conduct.
These two sentences can be combined as:
Punished by the director, the lazy student promised
toimprove his conduct.

433
 3. He was hit by a truck. He was badly injured.
These two sentences can be combined as:
Hit by a truck, he was badly injured.
4. The child was allowed to leave. He ran home quickly.
These two sentences can be combined as:
Allowed to leave, the child ran home quickly.

 Past participle used as an adjective.

Example

Stolen money fallen trees beheaded criminal

Broken glass shaded box spoken English

Tired driver blocked roads populated area

Written report suggested answer darken place

Torn pages televised speech painted wall

Lent money finished goodsborne fruit etc.

 Past participle is always used with the third form of a

verbwithout an object.
Example

1. She enters. She is accompanied by her mother.

She enters, accompanied by her mother.
2. He was aroused by the crash; he leapt (jumped) to his feet.

434
 Aroused(provoked) by the crash, he leapt to his feet.
3. The bridge had been weakened by successive storms and
was no longer safe.
Weakenedby successive storms, the bridge was no longer
safe.
Having been weakenedby successive storms, the bridge was
no longer sage.
4. As he was convinced that they were trying to poison him, he
refused to eat anything.
Convinced that they were trying to poison him, he refused to
eat anything.
5. He was blinded by the dust, he stopped driving soon.
Blinded by the dust, he stopped driving soon.

 The past participle phrase can be usedinstead of a reason clause

introduced by because, as or since.
Example
1. Fissehatison was told to study science hard. (passive)
He bought several science books.
These two sentences can be combined as:
Told to study science hard, Fissehatsion bought several
science books. Or

435
 As Fissehatsion was told to study science hard, he
boughtseveral science books.

Perfect participle

 The perfect participle phrase has two forms. These are

having+past participle (active) and having+ bee + past participle
(passive). This participle phrase is used to join two sentences
when there is a time gap between the two actions, i.e. when the
two eventsoccur at different times.
 Perfect participle (active) is to express a sequence of
actions, i.e. when one action happens before another.
Here, the firstaction is expressed by the perfect participle
phrase(having+ V3).
 The perfect participle is used to show that the
first action is complete before the second
starts.

 Having + past participle (active perfect participle

phrase) replaces subject + active verb.

Example

1. Mame washed her family clothes. (first action)

(washed
436
 active verb)
Mame went to the church. (second action)
These two sentences can be combined as:
Having washed her family clothes, Mame went to the
church.
(Meaning: Mamefinished her work and then she went
to the church.)
2. Betelhem finished her assignment. (first action)
(finished active verb)
Betelhem played ground tennis with Selam. (second
action)
These two sentences can be combined as:
Having finished her assignment, Betelhem
playedground tennis with Selam.
(Meaning: Betelhem finished her assignment and then
played ground tennis with Selam.)
3. He had read the book. He returned it to the library.
These two sentences can be combined as:
Having read the book, he returned it to the library.
4. She has failed four times already. She doesn’t want to
appear in the examination again.
These two sentences can be combined as:

437
 Having failed four times, she doesn’t want to appear
inthe examination again.
5. He has lost a lot of money in business. He doesn’t want
to risk his money any more.
These two sentences can be combined as:
Having lost a lot of money in business, he doesn’t
want to risk his money any more.
 Perfect participle (passive)
 Having + been + past participle (passive perfect
participle phrase) replacesubject + passive verb.

Example

1. Fissehatsion was helped by his elder parents. (passive)

Fissehatsion improved his results in all subjects.
These two sentences can be combined as:
Having been helped by his elder parents, Fissehatsion
improved his results in all subjects.
(Meaning: First, Fissehatsion was helped and then he
improved his results in all subjects.)
 The past participle or the present participle can be used in
compound adjectives.

Example

438
Ready-made clothes money-making enterprise
Home-made drink longest-serving employee
Long-lasting good-looking
Brick-built easy-going
Small-scalepeace-keeping
Far-reachingsour-testing
Sweet-smelling well-behaved
Fast-growingParis-born etc.

Infinitive

 Infinitive is a form of a verb which is generally precededor

headed or lead by to.
 Infinitive isa verbal consisting of the word toplus a verb and
functioning as a subject, direct object, subject complement,
adjective or adverbin a sentence.
Example
1. To wait seemed foolish when decisive action was required.
(subject)
2. Everyone wanted to go. (direct object)
3. His ambition is to fly. (subject complement)
4. He lacked the strength to resist. (adjective)
5. We must study to learn. (adverb)

439
6. We agreedtoparticipate in the meeting.
7. My father promisedtobuy me a bicycle.
8. We wanttovisit Awash National Park.
9. I liketoswim.

10. Ihopeto see you soon.

11. He has learnttospeak English.

12. We have decidedtohave a party.

13. They have to educateto prosper.

 In the above example, agree, promise,want, like,

hope, learn and decide arefollowed by the infinitive
form of a verb. To participate, to buy,to visit, to swim,
to see, to speak and to have are infinitives. But
sometimes, the infinitive appears without to. The
infinitive without to is called a bare infinitive. A bare
infinitive is used after a modal auxiliary.
Example
1. He canplay football.
2. She mightmarry him.
3. We maycome today.
4. They shoulddid homework

440
  Can,might, mayand shouldare modal auxiliary
verbs and play,marry, come and didare bare
infinitives.
 Infinitives without to (bare infinitives)
 Modal auxiliary verbs (may, might, can, could, must,
will, would, dare, need, should) are followed by
aninfinitive without to.
Example
1. Helawit maycomes today. (wrong)
Helawit maycame today. (wrong)
Helawit mayto come today. (wrong)
Helawit maycoming today. (wrong)
Helawit maycome today. (correct)
2. You shoulddid your assignment on time. (wrong)
You shouldto do your assignment on time. (wrong)
You shoulddoing your assignment on time. (wrong)
You shoulddo your assignment on time. (correct)
3. He willspeak to him.
4. He wouldgo there.
5. I willcome when I have time.
6. I couldwrite to her.
7. You cannot leave before eight.

441
 8. We mustdo it that.
9. He dare not do it himself.
10. They need not speak their parents.
11. He shouldhelp his brother.
12. She mightdo it herself.

 The past tense form of a verb, the –ing form

ofa verb, verb + s/es, to + verb are not used
aftermodal auxiliary verbs.
 To+ infinitivefollows certain auxiliaries such as
oughtto and used to.
Example
1. He ought toreach here by now.
2. We used togo out for long walks on Sundays.
3. You ought tohelp him.
4. We used towrite to them.
5. You ought togo to her.
6. We used tohelp her.

 An infinitive phrase requires a comma only if it is used as an

adverb at the beginning of a sentence.
Example

442
 1. To buy a basket of flowers, Fissehatsion had to spend his last
Birr.
2. To improve your writing, you must consider your purpose
and audience.
3. To improve her reading, she has to practice continuously.

 Some verbs take only infinitives.

Agree decide expect hesitate
Learn need promise neglect
Hope want plan attempt
Propose intend pretend long
Proveappear claim seem
Refuse demand choose tend
Wish manage deserve determine
Proceed afford
Example
1. I hope togo on a vacation soon. (correct)
I hopegoing on a vacation soon. (wrong)
2. He promised togo on a diet. (correct)
He promisedgoing on a diet. (wrong)
3. They agreed tosign the treaty. (correct)
They agreedsigning the treaty. (wrong)
4. Because she was nervous, she hesitated tospeak. (correct)
443
 Because she was nervous, she hesitatedspeaking. (wrong)
5. They will attempt toresuscitate (save/give artificial
respiration to/revive) the victim. (correct)
They will attemptresuscitating the victim. (wrong)

 Uses of infinitive
 The infinitive is used to express purpose.
Example
1. Fissehatsion has studied hard to pass the exam.
2. Mame went to the nearby market to buy some fruits.
3. Betelhem has gone to school to learn education.
4. He went to get some milk.
5. I stopped to ask about the way to the theatre.
6. She has come here to look for a job.
7. He will go there to meetsome school friend.
8. I am staying here to learn some training.
9. I am willing to learn new things.
10. He was ready to start immediately.
11. She is eager to talk about it.

 The infinitive as a subject.

 The infinitive may be used as a subject of a sentence
though the gerund is more common as a subject.

444
Example

1. To listen the radio broadens knowledge.

2. To ride a bike is good for health.
3. To know him is to like him.
4. To preach (speak, speech, talk, discourse, address,
dialogue, conversation)is easy.
5. To be able to speak like him is my ambition.
6. Never to admit defeat is my motto (slogan).

 The infinitive as an object or object complement of a

sentence.
Example
1. We went to visit Saint Lalibela.
2. Eyob agreed to pay the money.object
3. I promised to accompany them.
4. He told me to come again.
5. I asked him to behave properly.
6. We advised her to use a dictionary
7. I encouraged him to learn all the difficult words.
 Me, him, her are object and to come again,
tobehave properly, to use a dictionary, to

445
 learn allthe difficult words are complement or
infinitivephrase.
 The infinitive as complement (infinitive phrase) of the verb.
Example
1. His aim is to earn money.
2. His ambition was to go round the world.
3. Her ambition is to enjoy life.
4. Her aim is to own a big firm.
5. Her goal was to be popular actress.

 Infinitive with the dummy “it”

 The infinitive has been used as the subject of a
sentence. But such sentences are often better written
with “it” as the dummy subject.

Example

Infinitive as subject

1. Never to admit defeat is my motto.

2. To err (make a mistake, get something wrong) is human.
3. To be your students has been my greatest desire.
4. To preach is easy.
5. To speak like him has been my ambition.

446
Infinitive with dummy “it”

1. It is my motto never to admit defeat.

2. It is human to err.
3. It has been my greatest desire to be your student.
4. It is easy to preach.
5. It has been my ambition to speak like him.
 It + be + adjective +infinitive phrase
Example
1. It is dangerousto playwith fire.
2. It is foolishto tryto catch a running bus.
3. It is not safeto wear gold ornaments.
4. It is not wiseto keep a lot of money with you.
 It + be + noun + infinitive phrase
Example
1. It is great funto watch birds.
2. It is a joyto go to a zoo.
3. It is a pleasureto travel in the mountains.
4. It is delightto sail in the open seas.
 It + be + noun/adjective + for + noun/pronoun +
infinitive phrase
Example
1. It will be a mistake for usto go there alone.
447
 2. It will be difficult forthemto contact him.
3. It will be dangerous for meto travel in this.
4. It will be risky for anyoneto go by ship.
 It + be + adjective + of + pronoun + infinitive phrase
Example
1. It is kind of youto help you.
2. It was nice of youto offer money.
3. It is good of youto let us stay here.
4. It was generous of youto spare your valuable
time.
5. It is nice of youto come and talk to us.
6. It isrude of himto interrupt the speaker.
7. It was improper of themto talk like that.
8. It iswrong of herto disturb/distract/bother the
meeting/seminar/assembly/session/conference.
9. It is rude of meto talk like that.

10. It is improper of us to annoy the meeting/forum.

 Infinitives with question words.

Example
1. I know how to make omelets.
2. Tell me where to look for him.

448
 3. I don’t know that to do now.
4. I don’t what to ask you.
5. He doesn’t know when to stop.
6. He doesn’t know which dress to wear.

Example

1. Tadesse cannot affordto go by plane.

2. Fissehatsion proceededto do his business.
3. Asnaku refusedto accept his proposal.

Make, let and do

 Verbs like make, let, have, bid (try, attempt, effort, offer,
proposal, tender, auction) are also followed by the
infinitivewithout to.
 In this structure make means to
causesomebody or something to do
somethingor to force someone to do.
 Pattern: make + object + infinitive without to
 Let/allow means permit.
 Pattern: let + object + infinitive without to
: allow + to
 We can’t use make instead of let and allow.
Example
449
 1. You make me laugh. (cause)
You cause me to laugh.
2. Her parents made her help with the house work. (forced)
Her parents forced her help with the house work.
3. The film made me cry, it was so sad. (caused)
The film caused me to cry, it was so sad.
4. The rain made the grass wet. (caused)
The rain caused the grass wet.
5. She made us get up at six every day.
6. I had him clean my room.
7. He bade (tried, attempted, endeavored, strived, strove,
undertook) me carry his suit-case.
8. I let him use my table.
9. Fissehatsion doesn’t make a maid to wash his socks.
(wrong)
Fissehatsion doesn’t make a maid wash his socks. (correct)

10. Her mother lets Betelhem to watch a funny film. (wrong)

Her mother lets Betelhem watch a funny film. (correct)

11. I am letting my hair grow.

I am allowing my hair grow.

12. Don’tlet me forget to phone Emebet.

450
Don’t allow me to forget to phone Emebet.

13. His father lets him do what he likes.

His father allows him to do what he likes.

14. Theydon’t let us park here.

They don’t allow us to park here.

 Make is followed by infinitive with to in a

passivesentence.
Example
1. The maid was madeto wash his socks. (passive)
2. The students were madeto do the exercise twice.
(passive)
3. I was madeto move my car. (passive)
4. Hana was madeto open her case. (passive)

 It is unusual to uselet in a passive sentence. Allow

tobeused instead oflet in a passive structure. If it is
used in a passive sentence, it is followed by a bare
infinitive.
Example

1. She was letto participate in the committee

meeting.(wrong)

451
 She was let participate in the committee meeting.
(less common)
She was allowed toparticipate in the committee
meeting. (more common)
2. I was allowed toknow the case. (passive)

 “Make” and “do” are very similar, but there are some
differences.
 We use do when we don’t say exactly what activity we
are talking about with something, nothing, anything,
everything, what.
 To do means to accomplish a thing.
Example
1. Dosomething.
2. What shall we do?
3. I like doingnothing.
4. Then he did a very strange thing.
 We use do when we talk about work and in structure
doing.
Example
1. I am going to do any work today.
2. I am going to do some reading.
3. I dislike doing house work.
452
 4. I hate doing the cooking and shopping.
5. Would you like to do my job?
 We often use make to talk about constructing,
manufacturing,building, creating etc.
 To make primarily means to construct or
tomanufacture something.
Example
1. I have just made a cake.
2. My father and I once madea house.
3. Let’s make a plan.
Do business make a difference
Do nothing make a mess
Do someone a favor make a mistake
Do the cooking make a noise
Do the house work make an effort
Do the shopping up make furniture
Do your best make money
Do your hair make progress
Do your homework make trouble

Too … to

 “Too …to is used to express something impossible to do.

453
 Example
1. The boy is too short to reach the ceiling.
(Meaning: the boy is so short that he can’t reach the ceiling.)
2. It is too heavy to lift.
(Meaning: it is so heavy that it cannot be lifted.)
3. The meal is too much for me to finish.
(Meaning: there is so much meal that I can’t finish it.)
4. Betelhem is too young to go to school.
(Meaning: Betelhem is so young that he can’t go to school.)
5. A helicopter is too expensive to buy.
6. He is too tired to go out.
7. She is too lazy to do any physical work.

 Notice the following changes in “too … to”

a. Since the subjects of the two sentences are different,
bothof them are mentioned in the answer.
b. “For” is used to link the two sentences. It
comesimmediately before the subject of the second
sentence.
c. The object of the second sentence has been dropped
because it is the same as the subject of the first sentence.
d. The subject of the infinitive is changed from:-
He to him
454
 Sheto her
I to me
Theyto them
We to us
You remains you

Example

1. Heis too young. You shouldn’t employ him.

He is too young for youto employ.
2. He is too fast. I can’t overtake him.
He is too fast for meto overtake.
3. It is too dark. We shouldn’t go out.
It is too dark for usto go out.
4. This book is too difficult. You can’t understand it.
This book is too difficult for youto understand.
5. The milk is too hot. She can’t drink it.
The milk is too hot for herto drink.
6. The tiger is too swift. The deer can’t escape it.
The tiger is too swift for the deer to escape.
7. It too early. I can’t say anything about the case.
It too early for meto say anything about the case.
8. He is too rude. She shouldn’t talk to him.

455
 He is too rude for herto talk to him.
9. The river is too deep. We shouldn’t try to cross it.
The river is too deep for usto try to cross.

10. The hill is too high. They can’t climb it.

The hill is too high for themto climb.

Enough

 Enough is an adverb when it comes after an adjective/adverb.

Example
1. This woman is strongenough to sweep the floor.
2. Betelhem is wiseenough to do things by herself.
3. He runs fastenough to win a race.
4. Fissehatsion has a lot of money. He is richenough to buy a
car.
5. He is matureenough to do it himself.
6. He is oldenough to decide things for himself.
7. She is wiseenough to analysis things for future happen.

 Enough is an adjective when it comes before a noun.

Example
1. We have enoughtime to go for a walk.
2. There are enoughcomputers in our school.
3. She has enoughmoneyto buy the book.

456
 The verb help can take an infinitive with or without to.
Example
1. Please help me pack my luggage.
2. She helped me to complete the work in time.

As and Like

 “As” and “like” are used to say that things are similar or they
expresssimilarity between people, things or actions.
 Used of “as”
Pattern I:as + noun
 “As” to talk about afunction or a job. (To mean in the
capacity/position of)
Example
1. Taye worked as a bus ticketer.
(Meaning: his job was bus ticketer)
2. She works as a waitress.
(Meaning: her job is waitress)
3. My father used to work as an accounting.
(Meaning: he was an accountant)
4. His career is as a professional footballer.
(Meaning: he is a professional footballer)
5. He is working as a waiter.

457
 (Meaning: he is a waiter or his job is a waiter)
6. Sara works in here. She uses this room as her study
room.
 When defining the purpose of something. (to mean
for this purpose)
Example
1. This room is used as a hall.
2. They use the garage as a workshop.
3. During the war this hotel was used as a hospital.
4. Who has used this knife as a screw-driver?
5. She used her umbrella as a weapon.
6. During displacement those schools used asshelter.
 We can use “as” at the beginning to express
somebody’s position or the role of them.
Example
1. As the manager, she has to make many important
decision.
2. As a teacher, you would help the student.
3. As a lawyer, I would advise caution.
4. As your brother, I must warn you.
5. As the oldest child, she has a lot of responsibilities.
6. As you know, I don’t have much money.

458
 “As” before adverbs “usual”, always to
expressfrequency of an event.
Example
1. You are late asusual.
2. I’ll phone you tomorrow asusual.
3. A few weeks ago, I woke in the mornings asusual.
 “As” after verbs like describe, regard etc.
Example
1. I regarded her as my best friend.
2. It is true that we disagree about something but I
don’t regard this as a problem.
3. She described the picture as it is.
4. Don’t regard this as a problem.

 We also use “as” with expressions of certainty and

agreement.
Example

1. As you know, the term finishes in three weeks.

(certainty)
2. As we expected, the rains are early this year.
(certainty)

459
 3. As we agreed last week, being late is forbidden.
(agreement)
Pattern II: as + Clause (subject + verb)

 “As” is used as a “conjunction” and to say “in the

waythat”.
Example

1. Do as you are told! (in the way that)

2. Nobody understands me as my mother does. (in the
way that)
3. Your idea is good. We’ll do as you suggest.
4. The government did as it promised and built a new
school.
5. You should have done it as I showed.
Pattern III: as + preposition

 We can also use“as”before preposition phrase.

Example
1. In Paris, asin Rome, traffic is heavy.
2. On Friday, ason Wednesday, the meeting will
be at 9:30.
3. In 1939, asin 1914, everybody wanted war.
4. On Saturday, as on Monday, I don’t feel well.

460
 “As” used to introduce reason/cause to mean
“because”/ “since”.
Example
1. As it was raining, I took a taxi.
Because/since it was raining, I took a taxi.
2. As the last bus had left, we walked home.
Because/since the last bus had left, we
walkedhome.
3. As it was raining, we stayed at home.
Because/since it was raining, we stayed at home.

 “As” used to express things happening at the same

time.
 “as” is to mean “while”
Example
1. As I was walking down the street, I saw him
driving.
2. As we were watching TV, the power cut off.

 “As” used to give examples with such or such as.

 Such as is to mean for example
Example
1. I like games such as tennis and chess.

461
 2. Some sports such as motor racing, can be
dangerous.
 We can also use “as” before words say, know, expect,
thought, told, see, suggest, promised, etc.
Example
1. As I said, you are late.
2. Betelhem arrived late, as we expected.
3. I haven’t much money, as you known.
4. They did as they promised.
5. He did as he promised me.
6. Tsion failed her driving test, as she expected.

 Used of “like”
Pattern: like + noun/pronoun

 To say similar to or the same to after verb to be


Example
1. It islike a dream.
2. What a beautiful house! It islike a palace.
3. He is more like his father than his mother.
4. Your smile is like your sister.

 To say similar to or the same to after main verbs


Example

462
 1. He runslike the wind.
2. He actslike a king.
3. She swimslike a fish.
4. You spend money like a millionaire.

 To say similar to or the same to after just and


look
Example
1. He works too hard just like his father.
2. You are just like your brother.
3. It looks like rain.
4. The garden looks like a jungle.

 “Like” used to give examples.

Example
1. I always wear bright colors like red and yellow.
I always wear bright colors such as red and yellow.
2. Some parts of the country, like the south-west,
receive a lot of rain.
Some parts of the country, such as the south-west,
receive a lot of rain.
3. Imports goods like videos and cars are quite
expensive.

463
 Imports goods such as videos and cars are quite
expensive.

 Look the difference between “like” and “as”.

Example

1. As your teacher, I advise you to study hard.

(meaning: I am your teacher.)
Like your teacher, I advise you to study hard.
(meaning: we both advise your.)

As if and As though

 “As if” and “as though” mean the same.

 We use them to say what a situation seems like.
 They introduce adverbial clause of manner.
 Pattern:as if/as though + subject + present/past verb
as if/as though + past verb with present meaning
 To indicate unreality/improbability/doubt in present. But,
we use a past verb.
Example

1. Hana is only 20. Why do you talk about her as if/as

though she was an old woman?
Meaning:she is not an old.
464
 2. I don’t appreciate her. She talks as if/as though she
knew everything.
Meaning: she doesn’t knew everything.
3. He orders me about as if/as though I were his wife.
Meaning:I am not his wife.
4. He always behaves as if/as though he were rich.
Meaning: he is not rich.
 After any verbs describing behavior.
Example

1. Hana was trembling as if/as though she had been a

ghost.
2. She acted as if/as though she was mad.

 To describe a past situation using past perfect. (to refer to a

real or imaginary action in the past)
Example
1. He talked about Paris as if/as though he had been
there.
Meaning: he hasn’t or probably hasn’t or we don’t
know whether he has or not.

465
  The verb preceding as if/as though can be put into a
past/present without changing the tense of the
subjunctive.
Example
1. He looks/looked as if/as though he hadn’t had a
decent (wearing clothes) meal for a month.
 As if/as though after linking verbsbe, seem, sound, look,
smell, taste, feel etc.
Example
1. I feelas if/as though I am floating on air.
2. Fissehatsion looks very tired. He looksas if/as though he
needs a good rest.
3. It soundsas if/as though the situation will get worse.
4. It smellsas if/as though someone has been smoking in
here.
5. A feelas if/as though I am getting cold.
6. It looksas if/asthough it is going to rain.
 As if/ as though construction with the pronoun “it”.
Example
1. It sounds as if/as though the situation will get worse.
2. It feels as if/as though it’s going to rain. (I feel that this
is going to happen)

466
 As if/as though with exclamation.
Example

1. As if/as though I care whether she is offended!

Meaning: I don’t care.
2. As if/as though it matters/ mattered!
Meaning: it doesn’t matter.

 We can use were instead of was when we express unreal/

imaginaryideas after as if/as though.
Example

1. She talks as if/as though she were rich. (but she isn’t)
2. They treats me as if/as though I were their son. (but I
am not)
3. Why do you talk about him as if/as though he were an
old man? (but he is not)
4. He looks as if he is rich. (but he is rich)
5. He looked at me as though I were mad. (but I am not a
mad)
 We can use as if/as though with verbs to say how
somebodydoes something.
Example
1. He ran as if/as though he was running his life.

467
 2. When I told them my plan, they looked at me as
if/asthough I was mad.

In case

 “In case” meaning because.

 In case + present tenseto say that you do something nowin
case/becausesomething happens latter (last, final, end, later).
 “If” is not allowed in this case.

Example

1. I am taking my umbrella with me in case it rains.

Meaning: I am taking my umbrella with me because it might
rain later.
2. Write down his address in case we forget it.
Meaning: write down his address because we might forget.
3. I am buying some food now in case I am hungry later.
Meaning: I am buying some food now because I might
hungry later.
 In case + past tenseto say why somebody did something.
Example
1. I wrote my address for Ermias in case he couldn’t remember.
Meaning: it was possible that he could forget.
2. They rang the bell again in case they hadn’t heard it first.
468
 Meaning: because perhaps they didn’t hear.
 After in case we don’t usewill. Instead, we use present tense with
a future meaning.
Example
1. Take an umbrella with you. It might rain.
Take an umbrella in case it will rain. (wrong)
Take an umbrella in case it rain. (right)
 We can also use should + infinitive.
 In this structure should means might.
 Should is more common afterin case in the past.
Example
1. Go buy train in case there should/might be a lot of
traffic on the roads.
 In case to give advice and warnings.
Example
1. Don’t touch an acid in case it harms you. (warning)
2. Don’t go out without a coat in case you get a cold. (warning)
3. Study hard in case the exam should be difficult. (advice)
 “In case of” is not the same as “in case”.
 In case of = if there is

Example

469
 1. In case of the fire, please leave the building as quickly as
possible.
If there is the fire, please leave the building as quickly as
possible.
2. In case of emergency, phone this number.
If there is emergency, phone this number.

Exercise 71

Combine the following pairs of sentences using the perfect participle

phrase.

1. Ayele was cheated once. He became more conscious.

2. The boy was beaten twice. He hated the teacher.
3. Seble failed twice. She didn’t want to try again.
4. Fissehatsion won a lottery. He bought a car.
5. Betelhem finished his breakfast. She went to school by bus.
6. Eyob saw the film once. He doesn’t want to see it again.
7. Helawit studied hard. She scored the best result.
8. Soliana lost her book. She reported it to the teacher.
9. He ate his dinner. He began to read a book.

10. It had rained heavily. The roads were slippery.

11. He had gone there in search of a job. He did not want to come back
empty-handed.
470
12. You have already tried twice. You won’t get another chance.

13. The play had ended very late. We couldn’t get any bus.

Exercise 72

Combine the following pairs of sentences using the present participle

phrase.

1. Selam placed the book on the table. She ran away.

2. The students saw the headmaster. They ran away.
3. Winta felt hungry. She went on eating.
4. I left my car on the left. I went into the supermarket.
5. He took a bath. He whistled.
6. Hilena heard the news. She burst into tears.
7. Fissehatsion handed over the book to me. He went out.
8. The woman closed the door. She left the room.
9. She locked the house. She left.

10. He was walking on the road. He found a lady’s purse or prize.

11. He opened the door. He saw his friend standing there.

12. She got up suddenly. She found a stranger in the room.

13. There was no light in the room. I could not find my spectacles.

14. It was very hot. We couldn’t go out anywhere.

15. The play was very dull. Everyone went to sleep.

471
16. They went from door to door. They collected money for the school.

17. I know you well. I will give you money.

18. I did not find him at home. I left a message.

Exercise 73

Combine the following sentences using either the present participle or

the past participle.

1. The man was suspected by the police. The man was taken to prison.
2. The policeman suspected the man. The policeman took the man to
prison.
3. Chuchu closed his eyes. He began to cry.
4. Betelhem completed her book. She had a holiday.
5. The house was built of wood. The house was a fire risk.
6. I was guided by your information. I reached there easily.
7. The police were led by their dog. The police caught the culprit or
criminal or offender or wrongdoer or lawbreaker or perpetrator.
8. He was awakened or wakened or woke or woken or wake up or get
up by a long knock. He rushed to the door.
9. He was caught copying. He was asked to leave the examination hall.

Exercise 74

1. Fissehatsion enjoys ………… (watch) a movie.

472
 2. They are afraid of ………… (swim) in a lake.
3. You should give up ………… (smoke).
4. He agreed ………… (buy) a new car.
5. The questions were difficult ………… (answer)
6. Do you mind ………… (work) on Sundays?
7. Betelhem insisted on ………… (swim) in the pool daily.
8. The guest asked me how ………… (get) to the airport.
9. The decided ………… (visit) the zoo.
10. My parents wanted me ………… (study) physics and mathematics.
11. I look forward to ………… (meet) him next week.
13. You should avoid ………… (chew) chat. It’s a harmful drug.
14. I know Helawit is busy ………… (do) his assignment.
15. Soliana likes ………… (read) exercise books daily.
16. My sister is learning how ………… (drive) a vehicle this year.
17. ………. (swim) is a kind of sport that makes people strong and
healthy.
18. Selam tries ………… (make) his homework every evening.
19. Unless you keep on ………… (read) you won’t improve your
language.
20. The boys is interested in ………… (play) football.
21. He must ………… (play) the money soon. If not, he’ll be arrested.
22. Today’s exam is very difficult ………… (answer)
23. The child denied ………… (break) the bottles yesterday.
473
24. Betelhem: what do you advise me?
Fissehatsion: I advise you to stop ………… (deceive)
25. His daughter wants ………… (watch) a tennis match.
26. He made the guard ………… (clean) the compound daily.
27. Would you mind ………… (open) the windows, please?

Exercise 75

Combine each of the following pairs of sentences using an infinitive.

1. He has come here. He will see you.

2. Fissehatsion studied hard. He will pass the exam.
3. He was very weak. He could not go up the stairs.
4. She is coming to Addis Ababa. She will see you.
5. We go to the library. We study there.
6. My son went to the boutique. He bought a jacket.
7. I shall go to the stadium. I shall watch the football match.
8. He works hard. He has to feed his large family.
9. I sat late at night. I had to finish my work.

10. I don’t have much money. I can’t buy meat.

11. The girls went to the restaurant. They would have coffee there.

Exercise 76

474
Combine the following pairs of sentences into one sentence using
“too” with infinitive.

1. He is very weak. He can’t walk.

2. He is very young. He cannot understand.
3. The milk is very hot. It cannot be drunk.
4. This book is very heavy. It cannot be lifted.
5. My friend is very dishonest. He cannot tell you the truth.
6. It was very dark outside. We could not see anyone.
7. He drives very fast. He can reach earlier.
8. She is too proud. She won’t talk to anyone.
9. You are too late. You can’t take the examination now.
10. She is too pretty. She won’t marry a person like you.
11. The news is too good. It couldn’t be true.
12. He is too young. He shouldn’t see this adult movie.

Exercise 77

Combine the following pairs of sentences into one sentences using

“enough” with infinitive.

1. Fissehatsion does not earn much money. He cannot buy this book.
2. Helawit is intelligent. She can understand it easily.
3. The policeman was kind. He listened to me patiently.
4. The room is not very large. We all cannot sleep in it.
475
 5. Betelhem is very wise. She can advise you on it.
6. He drove the bus very fast. He reached Axum in time.
7. I had much time. I finished the job.
8. He is very strong. He can carry a hundred kilo of teff.
9. He hit the thief hard. He could knock him down.
10. Soliana has a lot of money. She can buy a car.
11. The light was not strong. We could not read a newspaper.

Exercise 78

Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form of gerund or infinitive.

1. I arranged ………… (meet) them here.

2. He urged (instructed/advised) us ………… (work) faster.
3. It’s no use ………… (wait).
4. He warned (cautioned/advised/counseled/informed/notified) her
………… (not touch) the wire.
5. Don’t forget ………… (lock) the door before ............(go) to bed.
6. My mother told me ………… (not speak) to anyone about it.
7. I can’t understand her ………… (behave) like that.
8. He tried ………… (explain) but she refused ………… (listen).
9. You are expected ………… (know) the safety regulations of the
college.

476
 10. He decided ………… (disguise ) himself by ………… (dress) as a
woman.

11. Would you mind ………… (show) me how ………… (work) the lift?

12. After ………… (walk) for three hours we stopped to let the other
……

(catch up) with us.

13. I am beginning ………… (understand) what you mean.

14. He was fined (penalized/charged/punished) for........... (exceed)

the

speed limit.

15. The boys like ………… (play) games but hate ………… (do) lessons.

16. I regret ………… (inform) you that your application has been
refused.

17. He surprised us all by ……… (go) away without ……… (say) Good-
bye.

18. Before ……… (give) evidence you must swear ……… (speak) the
truth.

19. I tried ………… (persuade) him ………… (agree) with you proposal.

20. Your windows need ………… (clean); would you like me ………… (do)

them for you?

21. Would you mind ………… (shut) the window? I hate …………. (sit) in
a

477
draught.

22. I can’t help ………… (sneeze); I caught a cold yesterday from …………

(sit) in a draught.

23. Do stop ………… (talk); I am trying ………… (finish) a letter.

24. Without ………… (realize) it, he hindered us instead of ………… (help)

us.

25. People used ………… (make) fire by ………… (rub) two sticks
together.

26. He hates ………… (answer) the phone, and very often just lets it
………

(ring)

27. If you go on ……….. (let) you do ……… (chase) cars, he’ll end by
………

(be) run over.

28. ………….. (lie) on this beach is much more pleasant than ………...
(sit)

in the office.

29. By ………… (neglect) (take) ordinary precautions he endangered the

life of his crew.

30. I suggest ………… (telephone) the hospitals before ………… (ask) the

police ………… (look) for him.

478
 31. After ……… (hear) the conditions, I decided ………….. (not enter) for

the completion.

32. Some people seem ………… (have) a passion for ………… (write) to
the

newspapers.

33. He postponed ………. (make) a decision till it was too late …………
(do)

anything.

34. Imagine ………… (have) (get up) at five a.m. every day!

35. Try ………… (forget) it; it isn’t worth ………… (worry) about.

36. At first I enjoyed ………… (listen) to him but after a while I got tired

of ………… (hear) the same story again and again.

37. It is usually easier ………… (learn) a subject by ………… (read) books

than by ………… (listen) to lectures.

38. After …………………. (discuss) the matter for an hour, the committee

adjourned (suspended/delayed/postponed/deferred/put off/late)

without ………… (have reached) and decision.

39. Please forgive me for ………… (interrupt) you but would you mind

………… (repeat) that last sentence?

40. I know my hair wants ………… (cut) but I never have time …………
(go)

479
 to the hairdresser’s.

Exercise 79

Put the verbs in brackets into a correct form. When more than one
form is possible it will be noted in the key.

1. He offered ………… (lend) me the money. I didn’t like ………… (take) it

but I had no alternative.
2. Try ………… (avoid) (be) late. He hates ………… (be) kept …………
(wait).
3. I didn’t know how ………… (get) to your house so I stopped …………
(ask) the way.
4. I wish my refrigerator would stop ………… (make) that horrible
noise.
5. This book tells you how ………… (win) at games without actually
………… (cheat).
6. He heard the clock ………… (strike) six and knew that it was time for
him ………… (get) up.
7. I can hear the bell ………… (ring) but nobody seems ………… (be)
(come) (open) the door.
8. It is easy ………… (see) animals on the road in daylight but
sometimes at night it is very difficult ………… (avoid) (hit) them.

480
 9. I caught him ………… (climb) over my wall. I asked him …………
(explain) but he refused ………… (say) anything, so in the end I had
………… (let) him ………… (go).

10. It is pleasant ………….. (sit) by the fire at night and …………… (hear)
the

wind ………… (howl) outside.

11. I knew I wasn’t the first ………… (arrive), for I saw smoke …………
(rise)

from the chimney (funnel/smokestack/pipe/conduit/tube/flue).

12. We watched the men ………… (saw) the tree and as we were
walking

away heard it ………… (fall) with a tremendous crash.

13. I hate ………… (see) a child ………… (cry).

14. It is very unpleasant …………… (wake) up and …………..(hear) the rain

(beat) on the windows.

15. He saw the lorry …………… (begin) (roll) forwards but he was too far

away ………… (do) anything ………… (stop) it.

16. There are people who can’t help ……………….. (laugh) when they see

someone ………… (slip) on a banana skin.

Exercise 80

481
 1. She works as a fashion model. This sentence is to mean.
A. she is a model. B. she seems to be a model.
C. she might be a model. D. she will be a model.

2. On Friday, ………… on Monday, we meet at night.

A. like B as if C. as D. when

3. ………… I explained, it’s a public holiday today.

A. as if B. like C. if D. as

4. She dresses like a fashion model. This is the same as:

A. her dress is as fashion model B. she works as a fashion

model.

C. she is a model D. her clothes are similar to a

model’s.

5. He regarded me his best friend.

A. as B. like C. because D. as if

6. Do you mind using this saucer a plate?

A. like B. as though C. as D. as like

7. The body sanka stone to the bottom of the river.

A. as B. as the same C. as if D. like

8. Like your father, I wish you have a wonderful results. This is the
same

as:

482
A. both your father and I wish you have a wonderful results.

B. your father wishes you have a wonderful results and so do I.

C. you and your father will have a wonderful results.

D. A and B

9. I enjoy sports ………… swimming and jumping.

A. as B. like C. as if D. all

10. As we missed the bus, we had to go on foot. In this sentence as is

used:

A. to give example B. to express similarity

C. to present reason D. to talk about a job

11. As a said before, I am sorry.

A. I am sorry, and I said so before.

B. I am sorry, before I said so.

C. before I am sorry, a said something.

D. ambiguous

12. It looks ………… rain.

A. like B. as C. as if D. as though

13. It looks ………… it is going to rain.

A. as B. like C. as if D. the same

14. You met your friend. She has a black eye and some plasters on her

483
 face.

You say to her: …………………………………………………………….

A. you look as if you have been in a fight.

B. you look as though you have been in a fight.

C. you look like brave.

D. A and B

15. The sky is full of black clouds. You say: ………………………………..

A. it is going to rain.

B. it looks as if it is going to rain.

C. it looks like going to rain.

D. it will rain soon.

16. Getu is a terrible driver. He drives ………… the only driver on the
road.

A. like he was B. as though he was

C. as if he were D. that he were

17. Fissehatsion spends money ………… it grows on trees.

A. as though B. as C. like D. because

18. The examiner ………… me sit quietly until everyone had finished.

A. made B. let C. did D. allowed

19. Fissehatsion didn’t ………… me get my back.

484
 A. make B. leave C. let D. take

20. The carpenter ………… a large table.

A. let B. allow C. did D. made

21. You must ………… your work carefully.

A. let B. do C. make D. allow

22. I ………… a shower every morning.

A. take B. have C. make D. A and B

23. Please………… me help you.

A. make B. let C. leave D. make to

24. Selam: what are you …………?

Betelhem:a cake.

A. doing B. making C. performing D. all

25. You should always try to ………… your best.

A. make B. let C. do D. allow

26. Glasses ………… him look older.

A. let B. make C. to make D. leave

27. ………… him do what he wants.

A. let B. make C. to let D. to make

28. Her parents made her ………… her homework.

A. to do B. doing C. do D. to doing

485
 29. Betelhem sings ………… she has a lovely voice.

A. as a bird B. like a bird C. the same bird D. if she is a

bird

30. Why is there no one in the stadium? It looks ………… the match has

been cancelled.

A. as B. if C. as if D. like as if

31. My brother can ………… almost any broken car work.

A. let B. make C. lets D. makes

32. Please ………… me laugh when the teacher is in the class.

A. don’t make B. don’t let C. don’t making D. not make

33. She talks ………… she were rich.

A. as if B. as though C. like D. A and B

34. I don’t ………… anybody to talk to me like that.

A. allow B. let C. make D. all

35. Her parents ………… her stay up late.

A. allow B. let C. like D. make

36. Fissehatsion talks ………… he knew everything.

A. as B. like C. when D. as if

37. ………… usual, he left his pen at home.

A. as B. as if C. when D. like

486
 38. She doesn’t look ………… her mother.

A. like as if B. like C. as D. similar

39. He looked at me ………… I were mad.

A. as if B. as though C. like D. A and B

Exercise 81

Put in “like, as, as if/as though, in case, let” where necessary.

1. I feel ………… I am floating on air.

2. From what Emma said, it sounds ………… she and Miki are going to
get married.
3. You need to click on the box, ………… I showed you.
4. They say she drinks ………… a fish.
5. She got the job, ………… I thought she would.
6. He works ………… a dog.
7. He was treated ………… a king when he won the lottery. Nothing.
8. She behaved ………… nothing happened.
9. ………… I explained, it is a public holiday today.

10. You are just ………… your father.

11. He acts ………… a king.

12. It was a long time ago that we first met but if it ………… yesterday.

13. I am 20 years old, so please don’t talk to me ………… a child.

14. You have just run one kilometer. You are absolutely exhausted.
487
You say to a friend: I feel ………… run a marathon.

15. I am taking umbrella with me ………… it rains.

16. People insure their houses ………… they catch fire.

17. We have a burglar alarm ………… somebody tries to break in.

18. I’ll take my mobile phone ………… I need to phone you.

19. I am taking a drink ………… I get thirsty.

20. Hold it in both hands ………… she does.

21. He treats her ………… she were his own wife.

22. It looks ………… they are having a serious argument.

23. Take your coat ………… it gets cold.

24. I felt ………… I was dying.

25. I am writing down her address ………… me know I forget it.

26. ………… me know what you really want.

27. I have bought a chicken ………… your mother should stay to lunch.

28. ………… you know, I won’t come tomorrow.

29. Do you hear that music next door? It sounds ………… they are having

a party.

30. He drives ………… if he were the only driver on the road.

Exercise 82

Put “do, make, let/allow” in front of these words or sentence.

488
1. ………… one’s best.
2. ………… an appointment.
3. ………… business with someone.
4. ………… an experiment.
5. ………… an arrangement.
6. ………… research.
7. ………… one’s hair.
8. ………… an attempt.
9. ………… a noise.

10. ………… something for a living.

11. ………… progress.

12. ………… an impression.

13. ………… somebody a service.

14. ………… a journey.

15. ………… a fortune.

16. ………… war.

17. My parents often ………… me clean up the room.

18. Her mother ………… her read what she likes.

19. My father doesn’t ………… me drink beer.

20. They didn’t ………… us to look at the house.

21. His white hair ………… him look older than he is.
489
 22. Please ………… me forget to give you back the money I owe you.

Answers

Exercise 70

1. Smoking/ to smoke 2. Behaving 3. To get

490
 4. Watching/to watch 5. Writing, to send 6. Singing, to
become

7. Seeing8. To come 9. To say

10. Going 11. To know 12. Boasting/to boast

13. To make, accepting/to accept, starting/to start14. To ring

15. Studying/to study 16. Sleeping 17. Wondering, meeting

18. Going/to go 19. Opening 20. Bringing

Exercise 71

1. Having been cheated once, Ayele became more conscious.

2. Having been beaten twice, the boy hated the teacher.
3. Having failed twice,Seble didn’t want to try again.
4. Having won a lottery, Fissehatsion bought a car.
5. Having finished his breakfast, Betelhem went to school by bus.
6. Having seen the film once, Eyob doesn’t want to see it again.
7. Having studied hard, Helawit scored the best result.
8. Having lost her book, Soliana reported it to the teacher.
9. Having eaten his dinner, he began to read a book.

10. It having rained heavily, the roads were slippery.

11. Having gone there in search of a job, he did not want to come
back
491
 empty-handed.

12. Having already tried twice, you won’t get another chance.

13. The play having ended very late, we couldn’t get any bus.

Exercise 72

1. Placing the book on the table, Selam ran away.

2. Seeing the headmaster, the students ran away.
3. Feeling hungry, Winta went on eating.
4. Leaving my car on the left, I went into the supermarket.
5. Taking a bath, he whistled.
6. Hearing the news, Hilena burst into tears.
7. Handing over the book to me, Fissehatsion went out.
8. Closing the door, the woman left the room.
9. Locking the house, she left.

10. Walking on the road, he found a lady’s purse.

11. Opening the door, he saw his friend standing there.

12. Getting up suddenly, she found a stranger in the room.

13. There being no light in the room, I could not find my spectacles.

14. It being very hot, we couldn’t go out anywhere.

15. The play being very dull, everyone went to sleep.

16. Going from door to door, the collected money for the school.

492
17. Knowing you well, I will give you money.

18. Not finding him at home, I left a message.

Exercise 73

1. Suspected by the police, the man was taken to prison.

2. Suspecting the man, the policeman took him to prison.
3. Closing his eyes, Chuchu began to cry.
4. Completing her book, Betelhem had a holiday.
5. Built of wood, the house was a fire risk.
6. Guided by your information, I reached there easily.
7. Led by their dog, the police caught the culprit.
8. Awakened by a loud knock, he rushed to the door.
9. Caught copying, he was asked to leave the examination hall.

Exercise 74

1. Watching 2. Swimming 3. Smoking 4. To buy

5. To answer 6. Working 7. Swimming 8. To get

9. To visit 10. To study 11. Meeting 12. To fly

13. Chewing 14. Doing 15. To read/reading 16. To drive

17. Swimming 18. To make 19. Reading 20. Playing

21. Pay22. To answer 23. Breaking 24. Deceiving

493
25. To watch 26. Clean27. Opening

Exercise 75

1. He has come here to see you.

2. Fissehatsion studied hard to pass the exam.
3. He was too weak to go up the stairs.
4. She is coming to AddisAbabato see you.
5. We go to the library to study there.
6. My son went to the boutique to buy a jacket.
7. I shall go to the stadium to watch the football match.
8. He works hard to feed his large family.
9. I sat late at night to finish my work.

10. I do not have much money to buy meat.

11. The girls went to the restaurant to have coffee.

Exercise 76

1. He is too weak to walk.

2. He is too young to understand it.
3. The milk is too hot to be drunk.
4. This box is too heavy to be lifted.
5. My friend is too dishonest totell you the truth.
6. It was too dark outside to see anyone.

494
 7. He drives too fast to reach earlier.
8. She is too proud to talk to anyone.
9. You are too late to take the examination now.
10. She is too pretty to marry a person like you.
11. The news is too good to be true.
12. He is too young to see this adult movie.

Exercise 77

1. Fissehatsion does not earn enoughmoney to buy this book.

2. Helawit is intelligentenough to understand it easily.
3. The policeman was kindenough to listen to me patiently.
4. The room is not largeenough for us to sleep in it.
5. Betelhem is wiseenough to advise you.
6. He drove the bus fastenough to reach Axum in time.
7. I had enough time to finish the job.
8. He is strongenough to carry a hundred kilo of teff.
9. He hit the thief hardenough to knock him down.
10. Soliana has enoughmoney to buy a car.
11. The light was not strongenough for us to read a newspaper.

Exercise 78

495
1. To meet 2. To work 3. Waiting 4. Not to touch

5. To lock, going6. Not to speak 7. Behaving

8. To explain, to listen9. To know 10. To disguise, dressing

11. Showing, to work12. Walking, catch up 13. To understand

14. Exceeding15. Playing, doing 16. To inform

17. Going, saying18. Giving, to speak 19. To persuade, to agree

20. Cleaning/to be cleaned, to do21. Shutting, sitting

22. Sneezing, sitting23. Talking, to finish 24. Realizing, helping

25. To make, rubbing 26. Answering, ring 27. Letting, chase,

being

28. Lying, sitting29. Neglecting to take

30. Telephoning, asking, to look 31. Hearing, not to enter

32. To have, writing33. Making, to do 34. Having to get up

35. To forget, worrying 36. Listening, hearing

37. To learn, reading, listening 38. Discussing, having

reached

39. Interrupting, repeating 40. Cutting, to go

496
Exercise 79

1. To lend, taking 2. To avoid being, being/to be,

waiting

3. To get, to ask 4. Making, speak/speaking 5. To win,

cheating

6. Strike/striking, to get7. Ringing/ring, to be coming to open

8. To see, to avoid hitting 9. Climbing, to explain, to say, to let,

go

10. To sit, hear/to hear, howling 11. To arrive, rising

12. Sawing, fall/falling 13. To see, crying/cry

14. To wake, hear/ to hear, beating

15. Beginning to roll/ begin to roll, to do, to stop

16. Laughing, slipping/slip

Exercise 80

1. A 2. C 3. D 4. D 5. A 6. C 7. D

8. A 9. B 10. C 11. A 12. A 13. C 14.

D

15. B 16. C 17. A 18. A 19. C 20.D 21. B

497
 22. D 23. B 24. B 25. C 26. B 27. A 28. C

29. B 30. C 31. B 32. A 33. D 34. A 35.

B

36. D 37. A 38. B 39. D

Exercise 81

1. As if/as though 2. As if/as though 3. As 4. Like

5. As 6. Like 7. Like 8. As if/as though

9. As 10. Like 11. Like 12. As if/as

though

13. Like 14. As if/as though 15. In case 16. In case

17. In case 18. In case 19. In case 20. As

21. As though 22. As if 23. In case 24. As if

25. In case 26. Let 27. In case 28. As

29. As if 30. As

Exercise 82

1. Do 2. Make 3. Do 4. Do 5. Make 6. Do

498
7. Do 8. Make 9. Make 10. Make 11. Make 12.
Make

13. Do 14. Make 15. Make 16. Make 17. Make 18. Lets

19. Let 20. Allow 21. Makes 22. Don’t let

CHAPTER TEN

ARTICLSE

 Articles are words that are used before nouns.

 There are two types or kinds of articles.
1. Indefinite articles
2. Definite articles

Indefinite articles

 “a” and “an” are the definite articles.

 They are used with nouns that have an indefinite or general
sense.
 “a” is used before singular countable nouns beginning with a
consonant sound.
Example
1. He saw a cow.

499
 2. She is wearing a shirt.
3. Have you seen a zebra?
4. Are youa student of this school?
5. They are going to a movie today.
6. A good hospital is always clean.
7. Have you seen a prison from inside?
 “a” is used before names of professions or occupations.
Example
1. Fissehatsion, Soliana and Helawit want to be a doctor.
2. Betelhem is a professor of Addis Ababa University.
3. Selam is a pilot of Airlines.
4. They want to be a driver.
5. I am a college lecturer.
6. She is a soldier.
7. I ama student.
 “a”is used some phrases expressing number or quantity.
2. a dozen, a score, a hundred, a hundred thousand, a
lot of, a great deal of, a little, a few, a great many, a
pair of, and so on.

Example

1. He purchased a dozen bananas.

500
 2. There are about a hundred trees in the garden.
3. The students made a lot of noise in the class.
4. You need a great deal of money to buy this house.
5. Mother bought a pair of new sandals.
6. The guests are arriving in a few hours.
 “a” is may come after many, such, quite, rather and long.
Example
1. Many a boy will like to marry a pretty girl like her.
2. I am not such a fool as to give you money.
3. The function was quite a success.
4. It is rather a pity he has failed.
5. Many a successful man has started his life poor.
 “a” shows we don’t know particular noun.
Example
1. A man is very long.
2. This isa boy.
3. She is a beautiful girl.
4. A woman is fat.
5. There is a picture on the wall.
 “a” shows one.
Example
1. I have a sister.

501
 2. She has a pen.
3. They have a brother.
4. He has a book.
5. Betelhem has a glass of milk everyday.
6. There is a church across the river.
7. There is a good school in our area.
 “a” is used “each” or “every”.
Example
1. She works five hours a day.
2. We paid sixty birr a litre.
3. Twice a month he goes to his grandmother house.
4. She earns ten thousand birr a month.
 “an” is used before singular countable nouns beginning with
vowel sound (a, e, I, o, u).
Example
1. Anelephant is a big animal.
2. There is anegg in the basket.
3. My father works in anoffice.
4. Can you fly anaeroplane?
5. He gave me anapple.
6. Fissehatsion loves to eat anapple everyday.
7. They buy a bottle of anink.

502
 8. She is anugly.
9. Betelhem bought anumbrella for her mother.
 “an” use before words beginning with “h”or “u”when it is not
sounded or silent “h”or “u”.
An heir an ugly a ubiquitous
An heiress an ulcera uxorious
An honest an ulteriora unanimity
An honoran ultimatea unification
An honorablean uddera uniform
An honorariuman uglinessa unify
An honoraryan ultraa unilateral
An hour an ultrasounda union
an ultramarinea unionist
an ultravioleta unionize
an umbilicala uniparous
an umbraa unique
an umbrellaa unisex
an unclea unison
an unctiona unit
an underagea unite
an underestimatea united
an underfeda unity

503
an underfoota universal
an undergoa universe
an ululationa university
a urinal
a urinalysis
a urinate
a urine
a usage
a useful
a usual
a usufruct
a usurp
a utensil
a uterus
a heroa utile
a hotela utilitarian
a Europeana utilities
a utility
a utilizable
a utilization
a utilize
a utopian

504
 a uxorial
a uxoricide

 “an” is used before names of professions or occupations.

Example

1. Fissehatsion does not want to be an accountant.

2. Betelhem want to be an engineer.
3. They were an employee of Orchid Business Group.
 “an” is used “each” or “every”.

Example

1. This car can go a hundred miles an hour.

 “an” shows one.
Example
1. I have an exercise book.
2. He has an apple.
3. She has an ass.

Definite articles

 “The” is definite article.

 Definite articles used before singular or plural countable nouns
and before uncountable nouns.

505
 Definite article is used beforedefinite or particular sense or
specifically known or identifiable nouns.
Example
1. The water in the jug is unclear.
2. The sugar in the pot is mixed with sand.
3. The atom is the smallest particle of matter.
4. The bus is the cheapest means of transportation or travel.
5. The monkey is always full of mischief.
6. You can easily see the church from here.
7. We all gave money for the construction of the school.
8. The hospital is located outside the city.
9. The tables which you bought are beautiful.

10.The shop where you bought the apples is closed.

11. The courage that he showed was remarkable.

 “The” used before names of mountains ranges (chains), rivers,

lakes, seas, oceans, ponds, bays, canals, deserts, group of islands
and countries.
 No article is used before the names of single lake,
singlemountain and single island. For example, “the” is not
used before Lake Victoria, Lake Tana, Mount Everest,
MountKilimanjaro, Mount Ras Dashen, etc.
the Grand Union Canal the Red Sea the Sahara desert
506
 the Alps the bay of Biscaythe Blue Nile
the Indian Ocean the Pacific Ocean the Canaries
the Omo River the Abayata Lake the Italy
the Sudanthe Ethiopiathe Kenya
the Egyptthe Europethe United States
the United Kingdom the North Pole the South Pole
the East the West the South
the North the Norththe Kalahari Desert
the Semien Mountains the Awash River the Atlantic
Oceanthe Suez Canal the Bale Mountains
Example
1. The Mediterranean Sea lies between Europe and Africa.
2. The Himalayas are the highest mountains in the world.
3. Does the Nile flow through Ethiopia?
4. The Dal Lake is one of the most famous lakes in the
world.
5. The Suez Canal joins two seas.
6. I have seen neither the U.S.A nor the Europe.
7. We swim in Lake Tana. (correct)
We swim in theLake Tana. (wrong)
 “the” is also used before nationalities like.
the Sudanese the Chinese the British

507
 the French the poles the English
the Dutch the Irish the Turks
the Portuguese the Congolese the Israelis
 You should use a plural verb with the above
nationalities because they represent the
wholepeople in the country.

Example

1. TheEnglishdoes not worry about a second language. (wrong)

TheEnglishdo not worry about a second language. (correct)
o TheEnglish means all people of England.
 Some other countriesadd –s to make the plural
noun nationality.
Example
The Ethiopians the Kenyans the
Americans
The Nigerians the Egyptians the Italians
 “The” used before the names of government department,
ministries, organizations, ships, famous building, aeroplans,
boats etc.
Example
1. My friend works in the Ministry of Education.

508
 2. The UNESCO is doing very useful work.
3. The United Nations Organization has an office in every
member country.
 “The” used for known objector before unique nouns.

The earth the moon the stars the galaxy

The sky the sun the wind the planet

The equator the North Pole the South Pole the world
The Universe,etc.

Example

1. How far is theNorth Pole from theSouth Pole?

2. Theearth rotates on its axis.

3. Themoon revolves around theearth.

 “The” used before superlative degree including “first”, “last”,

“next”, “best”or “best”.

Example

1. Thenext time I see you.

2. Thefirst time I saw him.
3. Thebest musician in the world is Michael Jackson.
4. Thelast time I saw her.
5. Maradona is thebest football player in the world.

509
 6. Monaliza is themost beautiful picture in our globe.
 “The” used beforenames of recreation center such as hotels,
theatres, cinemas, parks etc. and newspaper.

The Hilton hotel the Ethiopian national theatre

The Ras hotel the city hall theatre

The Sheraton Addis hotel the ambassador cinema
The Ghion hotel the empire cinema
The Radisson blue hotel the bora amusing park etc.
The Ethiopian Herald the reporter etc.
 “The” is used before musical instruments like piano, trumpet,
guitar, violin, etc.
Example
1. He is playing the guitar.
2. Where is the trumpet?
 “The” is used before holy books.
The Bible the Gita the Koran the Ramayana,
etc.
Example
1. Fissehatsion reads the Bible daily. (correct)
Fissehatsion reads Bible daily. (wrong)
 “The” is used before some adjectivesto make a plural noun.
The rich the poor the young the old
510
 The blind the disabled the sick, etc.
o The blind means all blind people, the young means
allyoung people, the old means all old people, etc.

Example

1.The oldlikes to talk about the past. (wrong)

The oldlike to talk about the past. (correct)

2. The blindhas complained about the scarcity of brails. (wrong)

The blindhave complained about the scarcity of brails. (correct)

 1. They were carrying a green and red flag.

2. They were carrying a green and a red flag.
 The first sentence means they were carrying one flag
which has two colors green and red.
 The second sentence means they were carrying
twoflags, one of which is green and the other red.
 1. The captain and crew-leader has come. (one person)
2. Thecaptain and the crew-leader have come. (two person)

Exercise 83

Fill in the blanks with the suitable articles “a”, “an”, or “the”.

1. If you look up at ………… sky on ………… clear night, you will see
………… ribbon of white crossing in it. In this ribbon, stars lie so
511
 close to each other that they form ………… single band of light. You
are looking at ………… small part of ………… Milky Way. …………
Milky Way is ………… name of our galaxy. It is ………… average-sized
galaxy. ………… Milky Way is ………… tiny part of ………… universe.
2. ……… year is ……… length of time. ……… year has 365 days. …......
days are divided into twelve months. Every four years …………
extra day is added. This is called ………… leap year. Celebrations
take place all over ………… world, through out ………… year. Each
year, you have ………… birthday party to celebrate ……… day you
were born.
3. Most of ……… world is covered by water. Only one third is covered
by land. There are seven large areas of land called continents. Asia
is ……… biggest continent. ……… smallest continent is Australia.
………… coldest is Antarctica. On globe, ………… made up line called
………… Equator divides the world in two halves. Countries nearest
to ………… Equator are ………… hottest.
4. ………… handkerchief is made of cloth.
5. Let us take ………… bus.
6. He is ………… honest man.
7. They went to ………… holy place.
8. ………… humble man is not always good.
9. Samuel will join ………… university after high school.

512
 10. ………… European came to our school.
11. There was …………Indian with him.
12. The train took ………… hour to reach here.
13. Let us from ………… union.
14. Teaching is ………… good profession.
15. It is ………… honorable profession, too.
16. German is ………… easy language to learn.
17. ……… child can learn ……… language more easily than………… adult.
18. He bought ………… umbrella ………… year ago.
19. Man has reached ………… moon.
20. There is ………… woman on ………… moon.
21. I saw ………… bus on ……… road. Suddenly ……… small boy ran across
………… road. There was ………… accident ………… bus ran over …………
………… boy.
22. She is ………… prettiest girl in ………… class.
23. …… proposal to start ………… new bus route was discussed by ……..
Staff.
24. I know ………… man sitting in ………… corner.
25. ………… plane going to London developed engine trouble.
26. If ………… night is cold, use ………… blankets.
27. Let’s meet ………… headmaster.
28. ………… eagle has very sharp eyes.
513
29. His visit is ………… honor for us.
30. Don’t carry such ………. heavy load, ………. heavier ………. load ……….
more difficult it is to carry.
31. ………… elephant never to gets.
32. ………… children have came back from ………… school.
33. ………… school is quite far from here.
34. I like ………… lot of ………… sugar in ………… cup of ………… coffee.
35. ………… gold is ………… metal.
36. ………… gold that we use comes from ………… Uganda.
37. ………… uncle of mine speaks ………… French.
38. What ………… beautiful music!
39. What ………… fine performance!
40. What ………… ugly sight!
41. There was ………… long bridge on ………… river kwaiin Japan ………...
bridge was destroyed during ………… last war.
42. I don’t like these sorts of ………… stories.
43. ………… ship comes once ………… month.
44. We have ………… flight to Nairobi once ………… week.
45. He is studying to be ………… engineer.
46. I can’t listen to you all at ………… time.
47. Today …………. country requires …………. efficient government more
than ever before.
514
48. ………… year ago ………… apples were very cheap.
49. Draw ………… map of ………… Ethiopia.
50. I seldom get ………… good news.
51. We will go on tour of ……… west Ethiopia during ………… Christmas
holidays.
52. ………… waiter brought ………… tea and ………… biscuits.
53. I don’t have ………… courage to fight him.
54. …………. courage is of various kinds …………. soldier shows ………….
physical courage. But ………… best kind is ………… moral courage.
55. Throw him out of ………… window.
56. Arrange ………… books on ………… table.
57. Many ………… candidate come for ………… interview.
58. My father goes to ………… office at 8 a.m.
59. We have opened ………… new office in ………… capital.
60. ……… office opens at ten but there is ………… long queue or column
or line or row already.
61. ………… I have not sailed through ………… Atlantic Ocean.
62. There is always snow on ………… Alps.
63. I read ………… bible every morning.
64. ………… sky if full of ………… stars at night.
65. ………… rich are getting richer, ………… poor poorer.
66. ………… bus had left. So we came by ………… taxi.
515
67. It is nice to play ………….. game of badminton on ………….. summer
evening.
68. ………… war brings sorrows.
69. This is one of ………… best stores in ………… city.
70. France is ………… European country.
71. ………… European climate does not suit me.
72. He gave ………… example to prove his point. But ……… example was
not very good.
73.I will give you ………… better example.
74. I met …………. interesting stranger on ………….. train ………….. man
seemed to know about ………… future of everyone.
75. ………… they are coming over to us for ………… dinner on Sunday and
we are going over to ………… Debrebrhan ………… day after.
76. What ………… horrible woman!
77. I have never read such ………… well-written book.
78. What ………… wonderful music he is playing!
79. His passing the examination to quite ………… achievement.
80. What ………… happy news!
81. What ………… awful piece at news!
82. What ………… idiot you are!
83. What ………… long nose!
84. That is rather ………… foolish remark to make.
516
85. I am not such ………… big fool as to marry you.
86. She has ………… high fever.
87. He is suffering from ………… pneumonia.
88. My sister has ………… bad cold. She has ………… toothache too.
89. Do you have ………… headache? No, I have.
90. On ………… afternoon on that day, ………… potter arrived home after
…….. honest day’s work. He was tired and thirsty. He asked his wife
for some palm wine ……… more than he drank ……… better he felt.
When he had drunk all ……… wine he no longer felt tired. Soon ……..
storm started blowing. He suddenly remembered that he had left
his donkey tied under ………… tree. He rushed out of his hut to take
………… animal into ………… stable. You can imagine has anger when
he discovered that ………… donkey was not there any more …………
only thing left was its chain.
91. My father always helps ………… poor.
92. Although my friend studies very hard, he can still find time to play
………… football.
93. That was ………… book. I lost in the bus.
94. The letter in that envelope is ………… interesting one.
95. There are two bottles of ………… milk on the table.
96. Everybody wants to be ………… engineer.
97. ………… ox usually has horns.
517
98. ………… Awash River is used for irrigation.
99. I like ………… beef they serve in that hotel.
100. They spent half ………… hour in the hostel or motel.
101. Give me ………… book which I gave you last week.
102. Next month, she will buy ………… radio from the shop in the piassa.
103. Fissehatsion was ………… honor student when he was at the Addis
Ababa University.
104. They don’t want to accept ………… one sided decision.
105. He has never engaged ………… European girl.
106. …………Ethiopian Herald is one of the English language papers in
Addis.
107. The fleet has been in ………… Indian Ocean since last month.
108. Have you heard about the naval exercises in ………… Red sea?
109. Betelhem has been ………… honor student since her first year.
110. Rich people sometimes take pity on ………… poor.

518
 CHAPTERELEVEN
ADJECTIVE

 Adjectives are the describingnouns or pronouns.

 Adjectives tell us about the Kind or quality,amount or quantity,
number, color, size, shape or anything else of a noun or a
pronoun.
 Adjective could beexpress in terms of many and much, few and
little, a few and a little, some and any, and a lot of.
 Demonstrative adjective are this, that, these or those.
 “This” and “that” are used with singular nouns and
“these” and “those” are used with plural nouns.

519
  “This” and “these” are used for pointing at persons or
things which are near.
 “That” and “those” are used for pointing at persons or
things which are distant or far.

Comparison of adjectives

There are three degrees of comparison of adjectives. They are positive

degree, comparative degree and superlative degree.

 Positive degree of an adjective is the simplest form of

anadjective. This degree is used when there is no comparison or
when there is a comparison of two equal things.
Example
1. The lion has sharp teeth.
2. These grapes are sweet.
3. The text book is asexpensiveas the story book.
4. The boy is astallas the girl.
5. The knife is aslongas fork.
6. Betelhem is asshortas Selem.
7. Although Fissehatsion is a rich man but he is kind.
8. The rabbit is asfastas the deer.
9. The cabbage is asbigas the cauliflower.

520
  Comparative degree of an adjective is used for the comparison
of two unequal persons or things.

Example

1. The girl is taller than the boy.

2. The shirt is cleaner than the trousers.
3. The pumpkin is heavier than the cauliflower.
4. The ruler is longer than the pencil.
5. The dictionary is thicker than the story book.
6. The skirt is more expensive than the frock or dress.
7. Fissehatsion is stronger than Eyob.
8. The boy is thinner than the girl.
 Superlative degree of an adjective is used to make comparison
of more than two persons or things.
Example
1. The packet of flour is the heaviest.
2. Helawit is the tallest girl.
3. These fruits are sweet. Pineapple is the sweetest one.
4. These flowers are beautiful. The rose is the most beautiful.
5. Among the four girls. Betelhem is the shortest.
6. The pitcher or jug has the widest mouth.
7. Fissehatsion has the highest marks.

521
 8. The watch is costliest.

Adjectives of kind or quality

 Old, young, tall, big, short, small, new, soft, pretty, sweet,
sour, wet, dry, intelligent, stupid, wide, narrow, hard, cold,
hot, wealthy, poor, tiny, huge, honest, dishonest, gentle,
lovely, wonderful, comfortable etc.

Adjectives of amount and quantity

 Many and few is used to describe countable nouns.

 Much and little is used to describe uncountable nouns.
 Some means a few or a little.
 Someis used with both countable and uncountable nouns.
 Someis used with affirmative or positive sentences.
 Someis often replaced by any when we ask a question.
 Any is used with negative or interrogative or questioning or
enquiring or inquiring or probing sentences.
 Any is used with both countable and uncountable nouns
Example
I there any jam in the bottle?
I want some jam on my bread.
I am looking for some safety pins.
Do you have any with you?
522
 I had some biscuits for breakfast.
She took some photographs.
You drank some milk.
I haven’t any books.
We haven’t any money.
I’m going to buy some eggs.
I can’t pay. I don’t have any money.
There are some beautiful flowers in my school.
There aren’t any shops near our school.

I want to buy a pen but they don’t have any in that shop.

 Some is also replaced by any when we want to say that

there is nothing left.
Example
1. There is not any ink in the bottle.
2. There is notany book in the shelf.
3. Do you have any extra books?
Yes, we have some.
4. Do you want to eat any oranges?
Yes, bring me some please.
5. They want to borrow some chairs.
But we don’t have any.

523
 6. Have you borrowed any books?
Yes, I have borrowed some grammar books.
 Some, any, much, many, little, a little, few, a few, a lot,
several, enormous, numerous, a number of, abundant,
plenty, enough, sufficient, adequate, bulkyetc.

Exercise 40

Fill in each blank space with the correct response.

1. Go buy ………… milk.

A. some B. any
2. I didn’t see ………… that I knew at the party.
A. someone B. anyone
3. ………… told me that she had a boyfriend.
A. Someone B. Anyone
4. I wonder if ………… will show up at the meeting
A. someone B. anyone
5. I met her ………… time last summer.
A. some B. any
6. ………… reason why you’re so upset?
A. some B. any
7. I don’t feel like going …………
A. somewhere B. anywhere

524
 8. It’s difficult to live without …………money whatsoever.
A. some B. any
9. I ran into ………… that I didn’t want to see.
A. someone B. anyone
10. This test is so easy that ………… can pass it.
A. someone B. anyone

Exercise 41

Use some or any to complete the following sentences.

1. Will you give me ………… meat if you have ………… to spare?

2. I haven’t ………… beef, but you can have ………… fish if you like.
3. There’s ………… milk in this bottle; there isn’t ………… in that one.
4. I’m afraid there isn’t …………coffee left; will you take ………… tea.
5. I would like to buy ………… new clothes but I haven’t ………… money.
6. Have you ………… idea who would win the match?
7. There is ………… milk, unfortunately, there aren’t ………… glasses.
8. Are there ………… letters for me?
9. She wanted ………… bread but there wasn’t any in the shop.

10. She has hardly ………… time these days because of the exams.

11. Is there ………… one here who speaks French?

12. …….. on whom I know told me …….. of the details about the crisis.

525
13. You were absent yesterday, is there ………… thing troubling you?

14. Hardly ………… one was wearing a tie.

15. Is there ………… one in there? I heard ………… thing moving.

16. He lives ………… where in Addis Ababa, I think.

17. I can’t find her ………… where.

18. Don’t let ………… one come in, we’re doing an inventory.

19. if he had ………… information he would have telephoned.

20. Did you find students?

No, there weren’t ………….

21. I couldn’t find all the materials; only ………… were available.

It’s good to find ………… I was afraid there wouldn’t be ………….

22. Have you eaten ………… thing since morning?

No, nothing

23. Would you like to have ………… dessert?

Yes, thank you, I’ll have fruit punch.

24. Which of the chairs do you want me to bring you?

You may bring ………… I won’t sit along.

Adjectives of number

 Adjectives of number can tell us the exact number of persons or

things.

526
  Zero, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten,
eleven, twelve etc.

Adjectives of colour

 white, blue, blue black, black, bluish, brown, buff, red,

reddish, yellow, yellowy, rose, gray or grey, green, greenish,
garnet, pink, purple, crimson, indigo, ivory, lavender, beige,
etc.

Adjective of size

 Long, small, short, tall, big, large, huge, giant, tiny, high,
great, fat, thin, slender,slim, slight, massive, oversize,
gigantic, heavy, minor, etc.

Adjectives of shape

 Oval, cylinder, square, rectangle, parallelogram, rhombus,

quadrilateral, circle, cube, trapezium, triangle, cone etc.

Example

1. There is some milk in the bowl.

2. There isenough sugar in the sack.
3. There is not any tea in the mug.
4. The poor girl did not have any money.

527
 5. They have a little time before the show stars.
6. There is not enough sugar in the pudding.
7. Our class has only a few brilliant students.
8. There is enough time to study before the examination.
9. There is little butter in the jar.

10. She has much faith in God.

Exercise 42

Fill in each blank with the right adjective of quantity from the box.

Many much some any little a little a few few a lot

1. Betelhem filled the kettle with so ………… tea that it overflowed.

2. There are ………… books lying on the table.
3. There is a ……… coffee in the pot, please arrange for …….. more.
4. Only a ………… pieces of the puzzle are left to be fixed.
5. The little boy did not find ………… soup in the bowl.
6. Fissehatsion wanted ………… pens. Are there ………… in the
drawer?
7. I have so ………… games. Shall we play with …………?
8. The cat drank so ………… milk that there was not ………… left in
the vessel.

528
 9. There is so ………… coffee in the pot, but there are not …………
cups on the table.

10. Helawit has ………… cassettes at home, but she has not …………

time to listen to them.

11. There is so ………… food on the dining table, but there are not

………… people to eat it.

12. How ………… toffees do you eat everyday?

13. Why is there so ………… noise?

How ………… people are there in the hall?

14. Soliana puts too ………… sugar in the tea.

15. ………… students of our school are participating in the match.

16. Selam does not have ………… money to buy new clothes.

17. Eyob has so ………… work to do every day.

18. There is ………… milk in the bowl for the cat.

19. The baby does not have ………… toys to play with.

20. The library has so ………… story books on the shelves.

21. I have ………… loaves of bread. Do you have …………? No, I do not

have ………… bread, but I have ………… cheese. Do you want …………

cheese? No, I do not want ………… cheese. Do you have ……… butter?

I like ………… butter on bread. No, I do not have ………… butter. But, I

529
 have ………. Jam too.

22. Do you want ………… noodles? There are ………… noodles in the plate.

23. Fissehatsion needs ………… glue to paste the envelope. Do you have

………… glue in the bottle?

24. Hanna is looking for ………… story books. Do you have .…… with you?

25. Is there …………. Butter left in the pot? I want ………… butter on the

bread.

26. Is there ………… apple in the refrigerator? No, but there are …………

bananas.

27. Helawit wants to eat ………… biscuits. But, there is not ………… left in

the box.

28. I have so ………… coins. Do you like to have …………?

29. Is there ………… rice left in the pot? Yes, there is ……… rice in the pot.

30. The children do not want ………… milk. So, there is so ………. milk left.

31. How ………… students are attending concert? Do you know ………… of
them?
32. Betelhem does not have ………… writing paper. Her mother will buy
………… for her.
33. There are ………… people in the hall attending my birthday party. I
Know ………… of them. Do you know …………?

530
34. Your mother bought so ………… fruits from the market. But she did
not buy ………… apple.
35. Fissehatsion wants to read ………… stories. Do you have …………story
books?
Exercise 43

Fill in the blanks with adjectives of number in the following sentences.

1. There are ………… months in a year.

2. We all have ………… eyes.
3. Most animals have ………… nose.
4. There are ………… days in a week.
5. All human beings have ………… hands.
6. We walk with our ………… legs.
7. Every adult has ………… teeth.
8. Both our hands have ………… fingers.
9. Every human being has ………… kidneys.
10. There are ………… weeks in a month.
11. There are ………… weeks in a year.
12. There are ………… days in a month.
13. There are ………… days in a year.

Exercise 44

Fill in the blanks with the correct words given in the brackets.

531
 1. Fissehatsion’s book has two hundred pages. Eyob’s book has two
hundred pages too. Eyob’s book is as ………… (thick, thin) as
Fissehatsion’s.
2. Fissehatsion is nine years old. Eyob is nine years old too. Eyob is as
………… (old, young) as Fissehatsion.
3. The packet of rice is weight 2kg. The packet of wheat is 2kg. The
packet of wheat is as ………… (heavy, light) as the packet of rice.
4. Baby Betelhem has five toys. Baby Selam has five toys too. Baby
selam is as (happy, sad) as baby Betelhem.
5. Helawit is 1m and 80cm tall. Soliana is 1m and 80cm tall too.
Helwit is as ………… (short, tall) as Soliana.
6. The boys are never able to finish their work. The girls are never
able to finish their work either. The girls are as ………… (lazy,
hardworking) as the boys.
7. Yesterday’s temperature was 360c. Today’s temperature is also
360c . Today is as ………… (high, hot) as yesterday.
8. The engineer has a lot of money. The doctor has a lot of money
too. The doctor is as ………… (rich, poor) as the engineer.

Exercise 45

Fill in the blanks with the words given in the box.

weaker fatter costlier longer

532
 higher sweeter brighter older

more beautiful smaller

1. The sun is ………… than the moon.

2. Lion is ………… than the hyena.
3. Selam is ………… than Betelhem.
4. The neck of giraffe is ………… than that of camel.
5. Gold watch is ………… than normal watch.
6. The mango is ………… than the apple.
7. Eyob is ………… than Fissehatsion.
8. Any person does not make physical exercise ………… than done
physical exercise.
9. Van is ………… than the bus.

10. The kite is flying ………… than the bird.

Exercise 46

Fill in the blanks with the correct words given in the brackets.

1. This is the ………… (largest, larger) part of our body.

2. She is the ………… (shorter, shortest) girl in the class.
3. Mount Ras Dashen is the ………… (higher, highest) peak in the
Ethiopia.
4. Lion is the ………… (strongest, stronger) animal of jungle.

533
 5. Addis Ababa is the ………… (biggest, bigger) city of Ethiopia.
6. Betelhem is the ………… (more pretty, prettiest) girl of the school.
7. Peacocks have the ………… (more beautiful, most beautiful)
feathers.
8. My father is the ………… (older, oldest) member in my family.

9. This is the ………… (more interesting, most interesting) book I have

ever read.

10.Among the animals, cheetah is the ………… (faster, fastest) runner.

Adjective of anything else

Abnormal - irregular Absolute - total

-unusual- complete

-strange- entire
- nonstandard - utter
- odd- whole

Absent-minded - forgetfulAcceptable - satisfactory

-scatterbrained- suitable

-distracted - adequate

-dreamy- agreeable

Accessible - nearbyAccidental - unintentional

534
 - available- unintended
- reachable - unplanned
- handy- fortuitous
- easy to get- not deliberate
- easily reached - inadvertent
- obtainable - careless
- attainable

Accountable - answerable Actual - real

- held responsible - factual

- liable - genuine
- blamed - authentic
- blamable - tangible
- legally responsible - concrete

Active - livelyAdjacent - neighboring

- energetic- contiguous
- vigorous- nearby
- dynamic - adjoining

Adjustable - adaptableAdmirable - commendable

-modifiable -venerable

-changeable-praiseworthy

535
 -amendable -creditable
-flexible -laudable
-bendable -honorable
-respectable
- reputable

Admissible - allowable Advisable - suitable

- Permissible - desirable
- allowedAged - old
- permitted - elderly

Ageless - timeless - matured

- eternal- ripened
-everlastingAlarming - disturbing
-unending-upsetting
-endless -frightening
-ceaseless -distressing
-perpetual -shocking
-interminable-startling
-never-ending -worrying
-nonstop-disquieting
- undying - troubling

Allied - associated Ambiguous - vague

536
 - linked-unclear
- related-equivocal
- joined -uncertain
- connected -indefinite
- inexplicit

Ambitious - determined Ample - plenty

-aspiring - plentiful
-striving - abundant
-pushy- generous
-motivated - plenteous

Anxious - nervous Apologetic - sorry

-worried - remorseful
-apprehensive - repentant
-bothered - regretful
-troubled - rueful
-disturbed - contrite
-uneasy

Apparent - seeming Appropriate - suitable

-obvious -proper
-clear -fitting
-evident -apposite
537
 -noticeable -apt

Aquatic - water Artificial - synthetic

Arbitrary - random - imitation

- casual - fake

Artistic - arty Attentive - concentrating

Assumed - expected - focused

- presumed- paying attention

- supposed - alert
- anticipated - aware
- imaginary - conscious

Attractive - beautiful Autonomous - independent

-good-looking -sovereign
-nice-looking -free
-gorgeous -self-directed
-eye-catching -self-governing
-smart -self-ruling
-pretty -self-sufficient
-lovely-self-regulating
-fine-looking -self-determining
-handsome -liberated

538
 -charming - self-reliant
- bonny-self-contained

Averse - opposed Awful - terrible

-antagonistic - horrible

- unfavorable - dreadful

Awkward - difficult Bad - evil

- problematic Bare - naked

- challenging - nude

- hard - unclothed

Bald - bold Baseless - untrue

- uncovered - groundless

- revealed - unjustifiable

Bearable-manageable Beloved - adored

- tolerable - cherished

- endurable - darling

- acceptable - much-loved

- sufferable - adorable

- supportable - loveable

Big - large Blameless - innocent

-giant -virtuous
539
 -immense -righteous

-vast -faultless

-great -guiltless

-gigantic -honest

-huge -spotless

Blameworthy - guilty Blowy - windy

-blamable - breezy
-chargeable - blustery

-culpable - gusty

-liable - stormy

Boastful - arrogant Bold - brave

-bigheaded -courageous

-conceited -valiant

-immodest -heroic
-self-centered -daring
-egotistical -fearless

Bothersome- troublesome Boyish - youthful

-inconvenient -childlike

-worrisome -young

-difficult -adolescent

540
 -annoying -childish

Brainless - unintelligent Brainy - intelligent

-mindless -intellectual
-stupid -knowledgeable
-foolish -educated

Breakable - fragile Brilliant - excellent

- delicate - wonderful

- brittle - dazzling

- frail - outstanding

Bulky - massive Bygone - past

-colossal -former

-huge -previous

-immense -departed

-large -long-ago

-enormous -olden

-titanic -aged

-gigantic -ancient

-giant -earlier

-oversize -dead

541
Capable - accomplished Captive - imprisoned

- talented -in prison

- proficient -incarcerated

- skilled -confined

- skillful -caged

- gifted -enslaved

Careful - cautious Carnivorous - flesh-eating

-wary - meat-eating

-vigilant - predatory

-chary - scavenging

-alert

Casual - unpremeditated Certain - sure

- unplanned -definite

- unintentional -assured

- unintended Cheap - inexpensive

- unexpected - low-priced

- spontaneous - low-cost

- accidental - cut-rate

- inadvertent - cut-price

Clever - ingenious Comfortable- suitable

542
 -cunning Commensurate - balanced

-sly - proportionate

-wise - corresponding

-crafty - matching

Common - sharedCompetent - capable

-mutual- knowledgeable

-joint- experienced

-communal - expert

-collective - skilled

- conjoint - qualified

Complaint - grievanceCompliant - obedient

- criticism - acquiescent

- protest- submissive

- objection - dutiful

- gripe- biddable

- grumble

Complicated - complex Comprehensive - all-inclusive

-intricate - all-embracing

543
 -sophisticated - all-encompassing

- multifaceted -all in

Compulsory - obligatory Conditional - provisional

- mandatory -restricted

- requisite -restrictive

- enforced -unconfirmed

Congruent - corresponding Consecutive - successive

- matching -sequential

- compatible -following

- alike -succeeding

Considerable - substantial -next

- large-serial

- extensive -subsequent

- significant -consequent

- important Consistent - steady

- sizeable - continuous

- great - sustainable

- huge - stable

- weighty - constant

Contextual - background Contrary - opposing

544
 - related - different

- appropriate - differing

- circumstantial - divergent

Costly - expensive - contrasting

- overpriced - dissimilar

- high-priced - diverse

Controversial - debated Courteous - polite

-debatable -well-mannered

-argued -good-mannered

- disputable -well-bred

-arguable -mannerly

-dubious -decent

- disputed -well-behaved

- questionable -respectful

Courtesy - politeness - gallant

-courteousness - gentlemanly

-good manners - genteel

-gentility - courtly

-gallantry

Crazy- foolish Credible - trustworthy

545
 - unwise -reliable

- silly -sincere

- senseless -dependable

- irrational -believable

- ridiculous Creepy - disturbing

- stupid - strange

Critical - main Crucial - vital

-chief -critical

-dangerous -central

-perilous -key

-serious -essential

-precarious -fundamental

Cruel -unkind-important

-harsh-chief

Crux -core-significant

- heart-principal

Cumulative - collective -main

-accumulative -basic

- aggregate -necessary

- amassed -major

546
 - summative - core

- comprehensive- primary

Curious -inquisitive Deadly - fatal

- inquiring - terminal

- enquiring - mortal

- probing - boring

Dank - damp Deathly - deadly

-chilly - deathlike

-moist - tomblike

-humid Deceased - dead

-soggy-late

-wet -departed

-squelchy -lifeless

-frosty -extinct

-clammy -gone

-muggy -passed on

-mushy - nonexistent

-waterlogged - inexistent

Deceitful - dishonest Decided -obvious

- deceiving - definite

547
 - fraudulent - certain

- untrustworthy - absolute

- deceptive - unquestionable

- lying - unambiguous

- devious - unequivocal

- cheating

Decisive - conclusive Dedicated - devoted

- pivotal - committed

- key - keen

- critical - enthusiastic

- crucial - fanatical

- significant - zealous

- vital - wholehearted

Deep - profound Defenseless - unprotected

Defective - faulty -vulnerable

- imperfect -helpless

- flawed -weak

- substandard -unarmed

- deficient -insecure

- lacking -exposed

548
Defensible - defendable Defensive - self-protective

-impregnable Deformed - misshapen

- unbeatable - distorted

-invulnerable - malformed

-secure - warped

-invincible - crooked

Dejected - sad Delicious - delightful

- unhappy -lovely

- disappointed -wonderful

- miserable -pleasant

- depressed -enjoyable

- disconsolate - charming

- gloomy - nice

- disheartened - amusing

Delighted - pleased Demonstrable - obvious

-happy -palpable

-charmed -evident

-enchanted -patent

-glad -noticeable

-joyful -apparent

549
 -cheerful -perceptible

-thrilled -traceable

-excited -observable

Derisive - mocking Descriptive - evocative

-scornful - expressive

-contemptuous - suggestive

Desirable - wanted Destructive - negative

-needed -damaging

-required -harmful

-desired - bad

-sought - deleterious

-preferred -hurtful

-chosen - adverse

Digestible - edible Dignified - honorable

- palatable -decorous

- eatable -respectable

- comestible -noble

Diligent - hardworking Dirty - junk

- industrious -trash

- attentive -rubbish

550
 - assiduous -garbage

- tireless -waste

- indefatigable -scrap

- untiring -jumble

Disaffected - dissatisfied Discourage - disappoint

- disgruntled - frustrate

Disagreeable - displeasingDisastrous - calamitous

-distasteful -catastrophic

-nasty -devastating

-unpleasant -tragic

-dislikable -dreadful

-unlikable -ruinous

-repulsive Disconnected - detached

-objectionable -separated

-disgusting -disengaged

-odious -isolated

Discourteous - rude-divided

-ill-mannered -disjointed

-impolite-parted

-insolent-split

551
 - unmannerly - discrete

- disrespectful - distinct

- bad-manneredDiscreditable - disreputable

-ill-bred - dishonorable

- cheeky- disgraceful

- naughty - shameful

Diseased - unhealthy Disinterested - fair-minded

- unwell -unbiased

- sickly -impartial

- ill -neutral

- sick -dispassionate

- ailing -unprejudiced

- contaminated -fair

- injured -nondiscriminatory

- wounded -evenhanded

- hurt -equitable

Disloyal - unfaithful Disobedient - naughty

- untrue -badly behaved

- false -wayward

- untrustworthy -noncompliant

552
 - faithless -ill-disciplined

- treacherous - mischievous

Dispirited - disheartened Dismayed - demoralized

-discouraged -downcast

-downhearted -disappointed

-saddened -disheartened

Disposable - throwaway Disproportionate - uneven

- nonrefundable - unequal

- not reusable - unbalanced

Disrespectable - dishonorable- disparate

-disreputable Dissatisfied - disgruntled

-unpopular - displeased

-infamous - discontented

-notorious - disappointed

-ignoble - unhappy

-disgraceful - disillusioned

-shameful - disenchanted

-scandalous Distinctive - distinct

-despicable -distinguishing

-reprehensible -unique

553
 -discreditable -different

Distrustful - mistrustful Divisible - isolatable

- wary -detachable

- suspicious -separable

- disbelieving -dividable

- skeptical -distinguishable

Dominant - leadingDouble - dual

- main -twice

- central -twofold

- overriding -binary

- principal -paired

- prevailing - dualistic

Doubtful - unsure- two times

-uncertain Dramatic - theatrical

-hesitant Drizzly - rainy

-undecided - wet

-disbelieving - misty

-unconvinced - showery

-suspicious - pouring

-unreliable Drowsy - sleepy

554
 -ambiguous -tired

-dubious -exhausted

Dry - thirsty-fatigued

-dehydrated -drained

- waterless-lethargic

- arid -weary

Durable - lifelong Eager - keen

- long-lasting - enthusiastic

- enduring - excited

- lasting - zealous

Earliest - first Early - initial

-primary- first

-initial - primary

-original - timely

-most basic - prompt

Earnest - serious Earthen - clay

- deep - stone

- sincere - mud

- genuine - sand

- honest Earlier - previous

555
 - heartfelt - former

- deepest - prior

Earthly - worldly- preceding

- at all- foregoing

- whatsoever Easygoing - tolerant

- possible - even-tempered

Edgy - nervousEffective - effectual

-jumpy Efficient - competent

-worried -capable

-uneasy -proficient

-anxious -skillful

-troubled -skilled

-bothered Effort - strive

-apprehensive -struggle

-disturbed -endeavor

Egocentric - selfish-attempt

-egoistical -try

- conceited -exertion

-vain Emotional - emotive

-egoistic -sensitive

556
 -egotistic -passionate

-self-interested -impassioned

-self-seeking -heated

-self-regarding Enclosed - surrounded

-self-absorbed - fenced

- self-centered - encircled

Empirical - experiential Endemic - widespread

- experimental -prevalent

- pragmatic -rife

- practical -rampant

- realistic -pervasive

Engaging - attractive - epidemic

- appealing Enigmatic - mysterious

- charming -unknowable

- pleasing-puzzling

- likable-inscrutable

Enthusiasm - eagerness-inexplicable

- passion Epigrammatic - concise

- gusto-succinct

- keenness -abridged

557
 - interest-shortened

- zeal -summarized

- zest-to the point

Equality- parity-condensed

- impartiality-abbreviated

- equivalence-pithy

Equidistant - intermediate Erratic - unpredictable

-middle -unreliable

-in between -changeable

-halfway -irregular

-central -inconsistent

-midwayErroneous - mistaken

-mid -flawed

-medium -wrong

-median -inaccurate

-middling -incorrect

Especial - special -invalid

-unusual -untrue

- exceptional -imperfect

- extraordinary -imprecise

558
Ethnic - tribal-inexact

Evenly - equally-false

Eventual - ultimate-fallacious

-final-fictitious

-last-fictional

-concluding-unreal

Every - eachException - exclusion

Exactly - correctly - omission

-accurately - exemption

-justExceptional - unique

-precisely -extraordinary

-perfectly -special

-indeed -incomparable

-surely -outstanding

-certainly -brilliant

-definitely - excellent

-absolutely - admirable

Excessive - too much Excusable - forgivable

Exclusively - merely - pardonable

-solelyExistent -surviving

559
 - only -living

-entirely -alive

-fully -extant

-totally -existing

- utterly -incarnate

- absolutely

Expansive - extensive Expeditious - speedy

- spread-out -quick

- wide -prompt

- vast -swift

- broad -hasty

- widespread-fast

Expendable - dispensable -rapid

- disposable-hurried

Explanatory - descriptive-instant

-clarifying -rushed

-instructive Explicable - understandable

-illustrative -explainable

-illuminating -reasonable

-demonstrative -justifiable

560
 -expressive -rational

-informative -comprehensible Exterior - external-logical

- outside-plausible

- outdoor-intelligible

- outward -coherent

Explicit - clear Extraneous - inessential

-obvious -unimportant

-overt -unnecessary

-unambiguous -minor

-unequivocal -irrelevant

-open-unneeded

-apparent-insignificant

-evident -trivial

-unconcealed -unwanted

-blatant -inconsequential

-patent - trifling

-transparent - superfluous

Extraordinary - strange Extravagant - profligate

-odd -spendthrift

-unusual -wasteful
561
 -unexpected - uneconomic

-peculiar -prodigal

-unanticipated -improvident

-unpredicted -overgenerous

-unforeseen -exaggerated

Fabulous - excellent Facetious - flippant

-wonderful - silly

-tremendous - foolish

-marvelous - imprudent

-magnificent - unwise

-incredible - impulsive

-fantastic Factitious - synthetic

-amazing -artificial

-stunning -simulated

-unbelievable -mock

-inconceivable -false

-unconceivable -fake

-implausible -unreal

-unthinkable -pretend

-unimaginable Faithful - realistic

562
 -indescribable - truthful

-unspeakable - correct

-inexpressible - true

-indefinable - authentic

-imperceptible - genuine

Fallen - dropped Famed - well-known

- collapsed -famous

- fall over -celebrated

- fall down -renowned

- tumbled -eminent

- fell -prominent

- throw down -illustrious

Familiar - accustomed -legendary

-adapted -notable

-acquainted -popular

-conversant Fashionable - chic

-knowledgeable -stylish

-informed -smart

-familiarized -designer

-habituated -well-dressed

563
Fat - overweight-well-groomed

- heavy-modish

- weighty-elegant

- big-glamorous

- bulky-classy

Favorable - promising Favored - preferred

- satisfactory- favorite

- advantageous - chosen

- auspicious - preferential

- suitable - desired

Feasible - practicable Feeble - weak

-viable - frail

-achievable - infirm

-workable - puny

-doableFeebleminded - unintelligent

-attainable - foolish

-reachable - stupid

-realizable - silly

Fellowship - friendship Fertile - fruitful

- friendliness - productive

564
 - partnership Fewer - less

- companionship - small amount

Festive - celebratory - small number

- cheerful - small quantity

- joyful - not as much of

Fierce - violent Figurative - symbolic

- ferocious -metaphoric

- aggressive - emblematic

- angry - illustrative

Finer - better Finest - best

-greater - supreme

-bigger - highest

-improved - greatest

-superior - utmost

-larger - superlative

-higher - paramount

Finished - over Finite - limited

-completed -determinate

-done-fixed

-ended -restricted

565
 -concluded -predetermined

-finalized - delimited

Firmer - strongerFlat - level

- solider - smooth

- tougher - plane

Fireproof - incombustible Fixed - immovable

-flameproof -immobile

-fire-resistant -static

-flame-resistant -motionless

-fire-retardant -stationary

-flame-retardant -stable

-nonflammable -permanent

-noninflammable -steady

Flammable - combustible Flawless - perfect

-incendiary - faultless

-inflammable - spotless

-ignitable - unblemished

-burnable - ideal

Focal - principal Forced - forcible

- pivotal -compulsory

566
 - central -obligatory

- main -enforced

- crucial -mandatory

- critical - imposed

- important - binding

Forceful - powerful Foreseeable - predictable

- strong - anticipatable

- influential - estimated

Foremost - leading - expectable

- primary - expected

- prime - anticipated

- chief - projected

- principal Formal - official

- main - proper

Forgiveness - clemency - certified

-mercy - approved

-compassion - authorized

-kindness - lawful

-pardon - legal

Formless - shapeless Fortunate - lucky

567
 -amorphous Fragmentary - fragmented

-unformed - broken

-unshaped Fragrant - perfumed

-unstructured - aromatic

- sweet-smelling

Frank - honest Fraternal - sibling

- open - brotherly

- candid Frequent - repeated

- truthful -recurrent

- sincere -periodic

- genuine - repetitive

Frightened - afraid - recurring

- scared Fruitless - unproductive

- fearful -futile

- terrified -ineffective

- horrified -infertile

Frightful - appalling -unfertile

- terrible -unsuccessful

- fearsome -unfruitful

- horrible Fulfilled - achieved

568
 - awful - completed

Frustrated - hopeless - satisfied

- miserable Full - complete

- irritated -filled

- unsatisfied -whole

Functional - practical Funny - comic

- applied -comical

- workable -laughable

- practicable -ridiculous

- operable -humorous

- doable -jokey

Furry - hairy Fresh - new

- woollyGenerative - reproductive

General - overall - multiplicative

- universal Gilded - gold-plated

- total - make golden

- whole- paint gold

- entire Glittering - sparkling

Glib - persuasive -twinkling

- fluent -shiny

569
Gloomy - depressed - glossy

-miserable - sparkly

-unhappy - reflective

-disheartened - glittery

-sad - reflecting

Glorious - magnificent Goodbye - cheerio

- wonderful - see you

- superb - see you later

- splendid - bye

Good-natured - pleasant Goodly - large

- cheerful - substantial

- happy - considerable

- joyful - sizeable

- glad - fair

Good-tempered - tolerance Graceless - clumsy

- patience - inelegant

Graceful - elegant Gracious - kind

- smart - polite

- beautiful - courteous

Gradual - slow - diplomatic

570
 - step by step - amiable

Grateful - thankful Grimy - dirty

- appreciative - grubby

- gratifying - soiled

- gratified - not clean

Grizzled - gray Grizzly - fractious

- grey - irritable

- grayish - peevish

- greyish - crying

Grumpy - cranky Habitable - livable

- bad-tempered - inhabitable

- ill-tempered - residential

- irritable - housing

Habitual - customary Hair-raising - terrifying

- accustomed - horrifying

- usual - dismaying

- characteristic - depressing

- typical - disappointing

- ordinary - frightening

- normal - alarming

571
 - common - worrying

Haphazard - random Hapless - unfortunate

- chaotic - unlucky

- arbitrary - luckless

- unsystematic - ill-fated

Hardhearted - insensitive Harmless - inoffensive

-unfeeling - innocuous

-unsympathetic Harmonious - melodious

-unemotional - sweet

-uncaring - pleasant

-unresponsive - symphonic

-callous - melodic

-cruel - agreeable

-dispassionate - tuneful

-inexpressive Harsh - punitive

-emotionless - cruel

-impassive - severe

-expressionless Hateful - horrible

-pokerfaced - detestable

-reactionless - vile

572
 -heartless - odious

-merciless - terrible

-pitiless - horrific

-ruthless - revolting

-insensible - repellent

Haughty - proud Hazardous - dangerous

- arrogant -risky

- conceited -perilous

- self-important-unsafe

- overconfident -precarious

- overoptimistic -insecure

Hazy - misty Healthful - healthy

-foggy -wholesome

-cloudy -nutritious

-smoky -nourishing

-steamy Heartbreaking - distressing

-dewy - upsetting

-murky - pitiful

-muggy - painful

-muddy - sad

573
Heartbroken - inconsolable Hearty - enthusiastic

-despairing - wholehearted

-disconsolate - sincere

-grief-stricken - emphatic

-anguished - vigorous

Heavenly - wonderful Heedless - neglectful

- blissful - oblivious

- delightful - rash

- lovely - reckless

- fantastic - careless

Helpful - supportive Hideous - ugly

- useful - revolting

- caring - repugnant

Heredity - inheritance - unpleasant

- genetics - unsightly

High-class - high-quality- unattractive

- high-grade - uninviting

- first-class High - tall

- superior - great

- fine - big

574
 - excellent - giant

- best - large

- first-rate - huge

- good - gigantic

- greater - outsized

Highly - extremely High-ranking - important

- exceedingly - worthy

- vastly - notable

- greatly - eminent

- very much - prominent

High-spirited - exuberant Historical - ancient

- cheerful - historic

- excited - antique

- lively - bygone

- vivacious Holy - righteous

Holistic - full -saintly

-complete -consecrated

-general -sacred

-universal -sanctified

-whole -hallowed

575
Homeless - vagrant-virtuous

- poor-angelic

- nomadic Homely - ugly

- itinerant -uninviting

- wandering - unattractive

Homogeneous - same Hopeful - confident

-similar -expectant

-identical -optimistic

-uniform -positive

-alike Hopeless - desperate

-like - despairing

-resembling - disheartened

-analogous - downhearted

-indistinguishable - worried

- undistinguishable - miserable

Heterogeneous - varied Horrid - unkind

-mixed - nasty

-various - callous

-dissimilar - vile

-diverse - unpleasant

576
 -assorted Hostile - antagonistic

-unrelated - aggressive

-different - unfriendly

-unlike - inimical

-unalike - unwelcoming

Hot-tempered - irritable Humble - modest

- impatient - shy

- irritated - meek

- intolerant - timid

Horizon - skyline - timorous

Hungry - starving - unpretentious

-famished Hygienic - clean

-starved -sterile

-unfed-disinfected

-have nothing to eat -sanitary

-without eating-sanitized

-without food -germ-free

-on an empty belly/stomach/abdomen/tummy

Hypothetical - theoretical-uninfected

-imaginary-sterilized

577
-supposed -antiseptic

-proposed -decontaminated

-assumed-uncontaminated

-speculative -unpolluted

-conjectural-pasteurized

Icy - freezing Idiomatic - fluent

-frozen - colloquial

-ice-cold - conversational

-subzero - vernacular

-cold Ill-advised - misguided

-arctic - foolish

-chillyIll-considered - reckless

-frosty -careless

-wintry -irresponsible

Ill-defined - imprecise -negligent

- vague -inattentive

- hazyIllegal - unlawful

-unclear-prohibited

-inaccurate-banned

-inexact -illegitimate

578
Illegible - unreadable-illicit

- indecipherable-forbidden

-impossible to read - criminal

-incomprehensible - unauthorized

- unintelligible- outlawed

Illiterate - uneducated Illogical - irrational

- unschooled - unreasoned

- unlearned - unscientific

- unlettered- unreasonable

Ill-judged - injudicious - unempirical

- ill-advisedIll-tempered - bad-tempered

- imprudent - short-tempered

- misguided - irritable

- unwise - irascible

Illusive - illusoryImaginable - conceivable

- deceptive -thinkable

- false - supposable

- imagined - presumable

- unreal - comprehendible

- misleading - possible

579
 - imaginary Immature - young

- Fantasy - undeveloped

- pretend - unripe

- fictitious - juvenile

- fictional - infantile

Immeasurable - incalculable Immediate - instant

- inestimable - direct

- innumerable - instantaneous

- untold - fast

- indescribable - speedy

- inexpressible - prompt

- indefinable - on the spot

- unspeakable - rapid

Immemorial - ancient Immoral - depraved

- old - dissolute

- longstanding - dissipated

- age-old - degenerate

Impending-imminent Impassable - blocked

- forthcoming - impenetrable

- pending - closed

580
- awaiting - obstructed

- future - jammed

- looming- congested

- upcoming- crowded

- coming up - locked

Imperishable - enduring Impermanent - temporary

- eternal - transitory

- everlasting - short-lived

- permanent - momentary

- immortal - transient

- durable - tentative

Impermeable - resistant Implicit - hidden

- waterproof -concealed

- impervious -unseen

- rainproof -unknown

- watertight -secret

- showerproof -buried

- water-resistant -implied

Impossible - difficult Impressive - imposing

- awkward - inspiring

581
Impracticable - unviable - striking

- unworkable - rousing

- unfeasible - provoking

- unpractical - stirring

- impractical - exciting

Improbable - unlikely Improper - inappropriate

-doubtful - unsuitable

-implausible - unfitting

-not likely - untimely

-dubious - inconvenient

-questionable - inopportune

Impure - contaminated Inaccessible - unreachable

-adulterated - unapproachable

-mixed - remote

-dirty - distant

-polluted - faraway

-tainted - far-off

-unclean Inadmissible - prohibited

- unhygienic - precluded

Inadequate - insufficient - barred

582
 -scarce - disallowed

- unsatisfactory - forbidden

- deficient Inadvisable - ill-advised

- lacking - misguided

- not enough - foolish

Inanimate - lifelessInaudible - quiet

- nonliving - silent

- inorganic- noiseless

- dead - soundless

- extinct - speechless

- nonexistent- muted

Incapable - unable- calm

-incompetent Incidental - related

- unqualified - accompanying
- inept -secondary
- inexpert -subsidiary
- not capable -supplementary
- inexperienced -complementary

Inclusive -comprehensive Incompatible - mismatched

- all-encompassing - unharmonious

583
 - all-embracing - irreconcilable
- whole - discordant

Incoherent - disjointed Incomplete - imperfect

-confused - unfinished
- rambling - uncompleted
- fragmented - half-done

Incongruous - odd Inconsiderate - unthinking

- strange - careless
- incompatible - thoughtless
- inappropriate - insensitive

Inconsiderable - negligible - unconcerned

- insignificant Inconstant - changeable

- tiny -variable
- small -fluctuating
- minor -varying
- unimportant -unstable

Incontrovertible - undeniable-instable

-unquestionable-unfixed
-irrefutable Indecent - rude
-incontestable - impolite
-indisputable - offensive

584
 -undisputable - aggressive
-indubitable - discourteous
-inarguable Indecisive - undecided

Indecency - rudeness - irresolute

- impoliteness - undetermined
- offensiveness - vacillating

Indefensible - vulnerable Indeterminate - unknown

-undefended -unspecified
-defenseless-unstipulated
-unprotected -unstated
-exposed -unclassified
-in danger -uncategorized
-unguarded -uncertain
-unfortified -unidentified
-unshielded -not mentioned

Indifferent - uncaring-unmentioned
- uninterested-unrevealed
- unresponsive-undisclosed
- unconcerned-indefinite

Indigenous - native-undefined
-original -undetermined

585
 - aboriginal-unexpressed
- homegrown-unspoken
- local-undecided
- domestic -unsaid
- homemade-unarticulated
- home-based -undeclared
- home-produced -unsure

Indigestible - incomprehensible Indissoluble - unbreakable

- unreadable -firm
- complex -permanent
Indiscipline - unruliness Indistinct - inarticulate
- naughtiness - unclear
- disruptiveness - uncertain
- disorderliness - vague
- rowdiness - elusive
Individualistic - unusualIndivisible - inseparable
- distinctive - undividable
- personalIndulgent - permissive
- unique - generous
- peculiar - tolerant
Indoor - inside - nonjudgmental
- interior - lenient

586
Inedible - uneatable Inefficient - incompetent
-unpalatable - unproductive
-indigestible - ineffective
-disgusting - fruitless
Ineffectual - incompetent - unfruitful
- unproductive - unsuccessful
-unsuccessful - abortive

Inelastic - inflexible Inelegant - unstylish

-rigid - unpolished
-unbendable - unsophisticated
-unbending - unfashionable
-hard - simple
-unyielding - outdated
-firm Inequitable - unfair
-stiff -unbalanced
Ineligible - unentitled -unequal
- unqualified-unjust
- disqualified - undemocratic
- disallowed -imbalanced
- barred -prejudiced
- banned -discriminatory
- not qualified Inevitable -unstoppable
587
Ineradicable - indelible - unavoidable
- ineffaceable -predictable
- permanent -expected
- impossible to remove -foreseeable
Inescapable -inevitable-certain
- unavoidable-inescapable
- unpreventable -inexorable

Inexcusable - unforgiveable Inflated - exaggerated

- unpardonable -overstated
Inexhaustible - infinite -magnified
-unlimited -extravagant
-endless -overestimated
-limitless -swollen
-boundless -overelaborate
-interminable -overblown
-ceaseless -overemphasized
-uninterrupted Infinite - immeasurable
-illimitable - countless
-never-ending - inestimable
-nonstop - incalculable
-continuous - uncountable
- perpetual - innumerable
588
 - unrestricted - endless
- unrestrained Infrequent - rare
- unconstrained -uncommon
- indefinite -occasional
- bottomless -sporadic
- unending -intermittent
- unbounded -unusual

Inglorious - shameful Ingoing - inward

-dishonorable -incoming
-humiliating -arriving
-disgraceful -inbound
-ignoble- entering

Inharmonious - discordant Inherent - innate

-unpleasant -inborn
-harsh -intrinsic
-unmusical -characteristic
-unmelodious -in-built
-clashing -natural
-jarring -intuitive
-conflicting -instinctive
-disagreeing -inbred

589
Inhuman - unfeeling Inimitable - unique

-coldhearted -matchless
-insensitive -unmatched
-heartless -incomparable
-merciless -one and only
-hardhearted -peerless

-callous -unsurpassed

- inhumane -irreplaceable

Injustice – unfairness inner - internal

- prejudice - inside

- bias - inward

- inequality - interior

Innermost - inmost Inoperable - impracticable

- deepest - unworkable

- private - impractical

- secret - unfeasible

- inner - unachievable

Inoperative - out of action Insane - foolish

-out of order - silly

-out of use - crazy

590
 -broken down - mad

-not working - stupid

Insanitary - unhygienic Inseparable - always together

-unsanitary - attached

-uncleanInsincere - dishonest

-contaminated - twofaced

-polluted - deceitful

-dirty - hypocritical

Insolvent - bankruptInsubstantial - flimsy

- in debt - weak

- ruined - fragile

- bust - slight

Insubordinate - disobedientInsufferable - unbearable

- defiant -intolerable

- insolent -insupportable

- rebellious -unendurable

- unruly -unspeakable

- naughty -excruciating

Intact - complete Integral - essential

- whole -vital
591
- unbroken -important

- undamaged -basic

- together -fundamental

- unharmed -central

Integrated - combined Integrity - honesty

-united - truth

-joined - truthfulness

-unified Intemperate - self-indulgent

-cohesive -uncontrolled

-assimilated -unrestrained

-incorporated -inordinate

-amalgamated -immoderate

-interconnected Intent - determined

-interrelated - committed

Intense - strong- resolved

- powerful- decided

- forcefulInterchangeable - substitutable

- passionate -identical

Intentional - deliberate -similar

-planned -compatible

592
 -intended -transposable

-premeditated -exchangeable

-calculated -switchable

-purposeful - the same

Interconnecting - connecting Interdependent - symbiotic

- be linked-codependent

- be integrated -dependent

- joining -reliant

Interactive - collaborating -mutually dependent

- cooperating -mutually supporting

- work together -mutually beneficial

- communicating -inter-reliant

Interested - attentiveInterim - temporary

- concerned -short term

- attracted -provisional

- fascinated -impermanent

- concentrating -momentary

Interpersonal - relationalIntersecting - crossing

- social - crisscrossing

- collaborative - traversing

593
 - interactive - meeting

Intimacy - familiarityIntroductory - preliminary

-closeness - initial

-understanding - opening

-caring - inaugural

-affection - first

-relationship Introspective - thoughtful

-friendship -meditative

-nearness -reflective

-companionship -contemplative

-bond -insightful

-attachment - pensive

Introverted - introvert Intrusive - invasive

- shy - disturbing

- timid - indiscreet

- reclusive - meddling

- afraid - interfering

Invalid - illegal Invaluable - priceless

-unacceptable - precious

-inacceptable - irreplaceable

594
 -unenforceable - incomparable

-worthless - valuable

-unsound - incalculable

-void Invariable - constant

-unlawful - unchanging

-annulled - inflexible

-cancelled - uniform

-negated - unvarying

Inventive - creativeInverse - opposite

-innovative -converse

-imaginative -reverse

-ingenious -contrary

Inviolable - unbreakable Inviolate - unaltered

-unchallengeable -unchanged

-uninfringeable -unbroken

-sacrosanct -infrangible

-untouchable -untouched

- unalterable - unaffected

Invisible - imperceptible Irrecoverable - gone

-unseen -lost

595
 -indistinguishable -irretrievable

-undistinguishable -irreparable

-undetectable -irreversible

-untraceable -irredeemable

-indiscernible -irrevocable

-unnoticeable -irremediable

-unrevealed Irreducible - complex

-undisclosed - complicated

-unobserved - involved

-hidden - intricate

-concealed - difficult

-unidentified - sophisticated

Irreligious - ungodlyIrreproachable - blameless

-unspiritual -faultless

-unbelieving -flawless

-nonreligious -immaculate

-sacrilegious -perfect

-profane -irreprehensible

-godless -spotless

-earthly -impeccable

596
 -worldly -unimpeachable

-blasphemous -innocent

Irresistible - tempting Jaded - tired

-desirable -worn-out

-appealing -fed-up

-enticing -exhausted

-seductive -fatigued

-attractive -weary

-alluring -drained

-inviting -shattered

-engaging -somnolent

-tantalizing -drowsy

Jaunty - cheerful Jerky - irregular

-cheery - spasmodic

-happy - erratic

-joyful - sporadic

-jolly - fitful

-smiling Jointed - attached

-chirpy - interconnected

-carefree - linked

597
 -merry - connected

-joyous Jollity - cheerfulness

-jovial -joviality

-glad -jolliness

-pleased -jauntiness

-delighted -happiness

-jubilant -joyfulness

Joyless -miserable -cheeriness

-cheerless -chirpiness

-unhappy -gladness

-depressing -pleasure

-sad -joy

Judicial - legalJudicious - attentive

- court -careful

- justice -cautious

- jurisdictional -thoughtful

- jurisdictive -watchful

- official Killing - bloodbath

Justified - right - murder

- correct -assassination

598
 - acceptable -butchery

- vindicated -slaughter

- on the right side -carnage

Killjoy - spoilsport -homicide

-wet blanket -massacre

-misery -slaying

-sadness -manslaughter

-unhappiness -bloodshed

-sorrow Kingdom - territory

-grief - realm

-mourning -empire

-lamentation -monarchy

Kind - caring Kinetic - moving

-sympathetic -dynamic

- kindhearted -mobile

-generous -moveable

-gentle-portable

-compassionate -transportable

-type-travelling

-sort -transferable

599
 -category -movable

-form Kingly - regal

-nature -majestic

-variety -royal

-classification -imperial

-grouping -stately

Kinship - relationship -lordly

- attachment Knotty - difficult

- membership -awkward

-affiliation -tricky

- correlation -complicated

- bond -problematic

Known - recognized Laden - loaded

-identified - burdened

-acknowledged - overloaded

-branded - encumbered

- famed - weighted down

-famous Lanky - gangling

-celebrated - gangly

- legendary - long-limbed

600
Languid - unenergetic - long-legged

-unhurried - leggy

-lazy Largest - biggest

-indolent - main

-languorous - major

-lethargic - chief

-leisurely - principal

- idle - leading

- listless- prime

Latent - dormantLateral - horizontal

- hidden - on the side

- covert - adjacent

- buried - side

Latter - last Laudatory - admiring

- later -praising

- final -congratulatory

- concluding -sycophantic

- end -adulatory

Lawful - legal Lawless - unlegislated

-legalized -ungovernable

601
 -legitimate -unruly

-official -outside the law

-allowed -anarchist

-permitted - anarchic

-endorsed - uncontrollable

-indorsed - incontrollable

-permissible Lax - negligent

-authorized -slack

-valid -careless

-certified -slipshod

-approved -shoddy

-validated -sloppy

-authenticated -laidback

Learned - erudite Legible - readable

-educated - intelligible

-scholarly - decipherable

-well-read - comprehensible

-well-informed - understandable

-knowledgeable Lengthy - long

-learnt -extensive

602
 -intellectual - lingering

- literate -prolonged

Legislative - lawmaking -protracted

-statutory -extended

-parliamentary -overlong

-legislatorial -elongated

-legislation -stretched

-lawgiving -lengthened

-legislature -expanded

Lesser - smaller Limitless - unlimited

-slighter -boundless

-minor -infinite

-reduced -unbounded

-slenderer -unrestricted

Little-slight - immeasurable

-petite - indefinite

-small Lone - only

-tiny - sole

-elfin - one and only

-slender Long-range -long-term

603
Lonely - isolated - durable

-solitary Long-suffering - forgiving

-lonesome -resigned

-alone -tolerant

-desolate -accommodating

-deserted -patient

Low - little Lower - inferior

- small -subordinate

- tiny -lesser

- petite -minor

- bantam -junior

- slight -smaller

Lowermost - lowest Lucid - articulate

- bottommost -well-spoken

- bottom -smooth-tongue

- foot -fluent

Loyal - faithful Lucky - fortunate

- trustworthy - blessed

- reliable - fluky

- dependable - chance

604
 - trusty Maladjusted - disturbed

Luxurious - comfortable - unstable

- deluxe - instable

- comfy - neurotic

Magnanimous - generous Malicious - hateful

-high-minded -spiteful

-noble -malevolent

-big -nasty

-upright-mischievous

-worthy-cruel

-benevolent -vindictive

-large - vicious

Malnourished - underfed Malpractice - misconduct

-undernourished -negligence

-underweight -abuse

-starving -mismanagement

-famished -misuse

-hungry -dereliction

-starved -mistreatment

-have nothing to eat -mishandling

605
 -go short of food -maladministration

Managerial - decision-making Manifold - various

- executive -diverse

- administrative -many

- supervisory -multiple

- policymaking -multifarious

Man-made - artificial Many-sided - multifaceted

- synthetic - many-layered

- non-natural - many-dimensional

- faux - multilayered

Manual - guidebookMarginal - bordering

- handbook -peripheral

- reference -borderline

- booklet-on the edge

- labor-intensive -minimal

Marital - married -low

-matrimonial -least

-nuptial Marked - noticeable

-spousal - patent

-wedded - manifest

606
Maritime - naval - clear

-sailing - obvious

-marine - evident

-nautical - apparent

-seafaring - visible

Manner - way Manners - behaviors

-method -conducts

- routine -comportments

- mode -deportments

- approach -demeanors

Marketable - wanted - characters

-sought-after Marriageable - adult

-in demand - grownup

-vendible - mature

-saleable - eligible

-merchantable Maternal - motherly

-merchandisable - parental

Marshy - muddy Mature - developed

-boggy- ripe

-soggy- grownup

607
 -swampy- adult

Mawkish - mushy Meaningful - expressive

-maudlin - evocative

-overemotional - telling

-weepy - eloquent

-oversentimental - well-expressed

Meaningless - worthless Measurable - quantifiable

-throwaway - assessable

-pointless - computable

-futile - calculable

-fruitless - determinate

-useless - reckonable

-valueless - countable

Meddlesome - interfering Medicated - medicinal

- intrusive -antiseptic

- snoopy -antibacterial

- meddling -antiviral

- nosy -analgesic

- prying -therapeutic

Memorable - unforgettable Messy - disordered

608
Mental - cerebral -untidy

- brainy -chaotic

Merciful - compassionate -muddled

- kind -disorganized

- kindhearted -disarrayed

- generous -cluttered

Methodical - systematic Mighty - huge

- logical - enormous

- disciplined - vast

Meticulous - careful - massive

- thorough - immense

Minimum - least Miraculous - amazing

- smallest -astounding

- lowest -astonishing

- tiniest -incredible

- slightest -unbelievable

- littlest -marvelous

- minutest -fabulous

Miscellaneous - variousMisleading - deceptive

- varied - confusing

609
 - sundry - disingenuous

Mischievously - naughtily - distorted

- disobediently Momentous - important

- badly - significant

- impishly - crucial

- wickedly - vital

Molten - melted Mournful - sad

- smelted -sorrowful

- heated -grief-stricken

Motionless - stationary -grieving

-immobile -heartbroken

-static -inconsolable

-unmoving -sorrowing

-immovable Multitudinous - countless

Multitude - mass - innumerable

- gathering - infinite

- assembly - without number

- crowed Murderous - homicidal

- bulk -destructive

- horde -killer

610
 - host -bloodthirsty

Municipal - civic -murderer

-public -slaughterer

-community -slayer

-urban -assassin

-metropolitan -butcher

Nameless - anonymous Narrative - story

-unknown - tale

-unidentified - description

-unnamed - explanation

-unspecified - legend

-indefinite - fiction

Narrow - thin Natal - birth

- slim - biological

- slender - genetic

- slight - natural

Natural - usual Needful - requiring

- normal -necessitating

- ordinary -demanding

- accepted -needing

611
 - expected -wanting

- regular Negligible - insignificant

Needless - unnecessary -unimportant

- pointless -trivial

- useless -tiny

- unneeded -small

- unwanted -minor

- inessential -slight

- unrequired -trifling

Neighborly - friendly -irrelevant

- hospitable -immaterial

- sociable -silly

Nether - posterior Never-ending - endless

- next -everlasting

- following -nonstop

- later -continual

- latter -interminable

- after -incessant

- subsequent -ceaseless

New - fresh Nimble - dexterous

612
 - firsthand - agile

- original - sprightly

Nicely - attractively - alert

-pleasantly - quick

-charmingly Nippy - cold

-prettily - cool

-appealingly - chilly

-interestingly - freezing

-delightfully - biting

Noisy - loud Noisome - disgusting

- deafening -repulsive

- earsplitting -repellent

- piercing -revolting

- high-pitched Northern - northerly

Normal - usualNoted - renowned

-standard - famous

-regular - well-known

-ordinary - eminent

-common - prominent

-typical - illustrious

613
 -customary - celebrated

Noxious - harmful - noteworthy

-toxic Null - worthless

-poisonous - valueless

-venomous - useless

-deleterious - unimportant

-lethal - empty

Numberless - countless Obscure - incomprehensible

- innumerable - unclear

- numerous - vague

- endless - ambiguous

- plentiful - imprecise

Observant - watchful Obsolescent - antiquated

- sharp-eyed - out-of-dated

- vigilant - outmoded

- wide-awake - old-fashioned

- sharp-sighted - unfashionable

Obstructive - disruptive - outdated

- uncooperative - obsolete

- unhelpful Offensive - attacking

614
 - awkward Oily - greasy

- unsupportive Oncoming - approaching

Odorous - scented - looming

- aromatic - nearing

- redolent Ongoing - continuing

- fragrant - unending

- malodorous - never-ending

- perfumed Operational - working

Onward - forward - operative

-ahead - operating

-frontward - functional

-headfirst - functioning

Opportune - fitting Optimum - best

- appropriate - finest

- favorable - optimal

- apt - ideal

- suitable - top

- right - peak

- timely - most favorable

Optional - elective Oral - spoken

615
 -noncompulsory - verbal

-voluntary - vocal

-nonobligatory - voiced

-discretionary - uttered

Option - choice Orderly - organized

- selection -arranged

- preference -tidy

- alternative -systematic

Other - additional - systematized

- extra - methodical

- supplementary - structured

- further - ordered

- added Outgoing - outbound

- auxiliary -outward

- more - departing

Outdoor - outside - leaving

-open-air - retiring

-out-of-doors - resigning

-outer Outlying - remote

-outward - out-of-the-way

616
Outgoings - expenses - distant

- expenditures - faraway

- costs - far-off

- outlays - far

- disbursements Outspread - outstretched

- payouts -stretched

- payments -spread-out

- overheads -stretched out

- outflows -unfolded

Outright - absolute -extended

- complete -prolonged

- utter -elongated

- total Overhead - above

- entire - upstairs

- consummate - above your head

Outstanding -unresolved - in the air

- unsettled - in the clouds

- unpaid Overjoyed - delighted

- remaining -joyful

- owing -jubilant

617
 - due -elated

- overdue -excited

- exceptional -ecstatic

- excellent -pleased

- brilliant -thrilled

- special -euphoric

Overnight - instant Pacific - peaceful

- immediate - quiet

- instantaneous Painless - unproblematic

- on the spot -trouble-free

- rapid -easy

- prompt -simple

Pandemic - epidemic Paradoxical - inconsistent

- endemic -absurd

- plague -ironic

- contagion -contradictory

- sickness -illogical

- disease -irrational

- illness - clashing

- infection - conflicting

618
Partial - half Passive - inert

- incomplete - inactive

- fractional - unreceptive

Particular - specific - impassive

Passable - drivable - submissive

-travelable Past - historical

-traversable -previous

-crossable -earlier

-penetrable -former

-navigable -ancient

Paternal - fatherly - bygone

-paternalistic - preceding

- patriarchal Payable - owed

- paternal -billed

Pathetic - wretched -to be paid

- pitiful -due

- sad - outstanding

- worthless - unsettled

Peaceable - peace-loving Pending - awaiting

- unwarlike -undecided

619
 - amiable -impending

Peevish - irritable -pendant

- crabby -suspended

- cranky -pendent

- spiteful -overhanging

Penniless - poorPerceptive - sensitive

-impoverished - insightful

-needy - understanding

-impecunious - aware

-destitute - observant

-penurious - discerning

-indigent - thoughtful

Perishable - unpreserved Personable - amiable

Permitting - allowing - friendly

-passing - affable

-authorizing - sociable

-letting - companionable

-okaying Persuasive - convincing

-give permission - swaying

Persistent - insistent - influential

620
 -determined Pertinent - relevant

- tenacious -related

- firm -relatable

- adamant -apposite

Petty - trivial -germane

Phenomenal - extraordinary - appropriate

- remarkable - suitable

- impressive - apt

Phlegmatic - calm Pictorial - graphic

-unemotional -symbolic

-apathetic -illustrative

-unconcerned -figurative

Piteous - pathetic Playful - lively

- pitiful - active

- wretched - energetic

- sad - spirited

- pitiable Plucky - brave

Pleasurable - enjoyable -courageous

- delightful - fearless

- gratifying - bold

621
 - entertaining - heroic

Pointed - sharp - daring

-piercing - audacious

-pointy - valiant

Pompous - arrogant Positive - optimistic

-self-important - affirmative

-haughty - constructive

-proud Possessive - selfish

-conceited - greedy

-egotistical - grasping

-self-opinionated - tightfisted

-bumptious - ungenerous

Possibility - option Potable - drinkable

-likelihood - fit to drink

-opportunity - safe to drink

-chance - filtered

-probability Powdered - ground

Prospect - view - milled

- viewpoint - crushed

- point of view - pulverized

622
 - vision - minced

- outlook - pounded

- scene Practiced - skillful

- panorama - experienced

- vista - trained

Powerless - weak - expert

- feeble - proficient

- helpless - competent

- defenseless Pragmatic - practical

- incapable -realistic

- toothless -hardheaded

- immobilized - matter-of-fact

Precious - expensive Preconceived - rigid

- priceless - inflexible

- costly - predetermined

Precise - exact - fixed

- accurate Preemptive - preventive

- perfect -preventative

Predominant - main -proactive

- major -anticipatory

623
- chief -protective

- principal -blocking

- prime -defensive

- biggest -precautionary

- largest

624
625
626
627
628
629
630
a b c d e f g h i j
k l m n o p q r s t
u v w x y z
ab c d e f g h i j
k l m n o p k r s t
u v wx y z
a b c d e f g h i j
k l m n o p q r s
t u v w x y z
631
abcdefghijklm
nopqrstuvwxyz
A B C D E F G
H I J K L M N
O P Q R S T U
V W X Y Z

A B C D E F G
H I J K L M N O
632
P Q R S T U V
W X Y Z

A B CDE F G H I
J K L M N O
P Q R S T U V
W X Y Z

633