EXERCISE 1: Complete the sentences by using gerunds. Add a preposition after the gerund if necessary.
1. (EXAMPLE): It was cold and rainy yesterday, so we postponed going to/visiting the zoo.
2. (EXAMPLE): The Porter's house is too small. They're considering buying/moving into/renting a bigger house.
3. We discussed_______________Colorado for our vacation.
4. When Martha finished_______________the floor, she dusted the furniture.
5. Sometimes students put off________________their homework.
6. We had a blizzard yesterday, but it finally stopped________________ around ten p.m.
7. I quit______________________________comic books when I was twelve years old.
8. I'm thinking about_______________________a biology course next semester.
9. Beth doesn't like her job. She's talking about_______________ a different job.
10. I enjoy___________________sports.
11. I'm considering_____________________________New York City.
12. "Are you listening to me?" -- "Yes. Keep_____________________________I'm listening."
(p. 145)
EXERCISE 2: Complete the sentences in the dialogues. Use the expressions
in the list or your own words. Be sure to use a gerund in each sentence.
buy a new car tap your fingernails on the table go to the zoo on Saturday try help him |
get a Toyota rain do my homework read a good book smoke do things |
1. (EXAMPLE)
| " Would you like to go for a walk?" |
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"Has it stopped raining?" |
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"Yes." |
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"Let's go." |
2.
| "I've been having a lot of trouble with my old Volkswagen the last |
|
couple of months. It's slowly falling apart. I'm thinking about |
|
________________________________" |
|
"Do you think you'll get another Volkswagen?" |
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"No. I'm considering_______________________________" |
3.
| " What do you usually do in your free time in the evening?" |
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" I enjoy______________________________" |
4.
| "Good news! I feel great. I don't cough any more, and I don't run out of breath when I walk up a hill." |
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"Oh?" |
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"I quit_____________________________________" |
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"That's wonderful!" |
| "I've been working on this math problem for the last half hour, and I |
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still don't understand it." |
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"Well, don't give up. Keep __________________________ If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." |
| "Could you please stop doing that?" |
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"Doing what?" |
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"Stop____________________________________. It's driving me crazy." |
2. "I've been having a lot of trouble with my old Volkswagen the last couple of months. It's slowly falling apart. I'm thinking about buying a new car."
"Do you think you'll get another Volkswagen?"
"No. I'm considering getting a Toyota."
3. "What do you usually do in your free time in the evening?"
"I enjoy reading a good book."
"Why is that?"
"Oh? I quit smoking."
"That's wonderful!"
5. "I've been working on this math problem for the last half hour, and I still don't understand it." "Well, don't give up. Keep trying. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again."
6. "Could you please stop doing that?"
"Doing what?"
"Stop tapping your fingers on the table. It's driving me crazy."
Answers 1 & 2
| 1. It was cold and rainy yesterday, so we postponed going to the zoo. |
| 2. The Porter's house is too small. They're considering moving into a bigger house. |
Answers 3-6
| 3. We discussed visiting Colorado for our vacation. |
| 4. When Martha finished waxing the floor, she dusted the furniture. |
| 5. Sometimes students put off doing their homework. |
| 6. We had a blizzard yesterday, but it finally stopped snowing around ten p.m. |
Answers 7-12
| 7. I quit reading comic books when I was twelve years old. |
| 8. I'm thinking about taking a biology course next semester. |
| 9. Beth doesn't like her job. She's talking about finding a different job. |
| 10. I enjoy playing sports. |
| 11. I'm considering looking in New York City. |
| 12. A: Are you listening to me? B: Yes. Keep talking. I'm listening. |