ENGLISH PRIVATE SESSION BY-ADITI TIWARI

ICSE-2023-24- Grammar
Prepositions Exercise 1
Fill in the blanks with appropriate words (answers below)

1. She has acted _______ my advice.

2. The children started to act _______ the whole incident.
3. The medicine will act _______ the patient after some time.
4. Raul backed _______ of his commitment.
5. I backed him _______ in the election.
6. Seeing his intense anger, she backed _______.
7. She broke _______ at the news of her friend’s death.
8. The burglar broke _______ the shop last night.
9. She broke _______ tears when she heard that she had failed.

Prepositions Exercise 2

Fill in the blanks with appropriate words :

1. Jacqueline Sharma was born ___ the 11th ___ June 1980.
2. She baked her first cake, a red velvet, ___ August 1996.
3. ___ 1997, she founded the Great Shake and Bake Company.
4. The process ___ flour free baking ___ cakes was developed ___ her ___ 2013.
5. These cakes could be baked ___ just 27 minutes.
6. By 2015, 3 thousand flour free cakes had been baked ___ the Great Shake and Bake
Company.
7. She became one ___ the most famous bakers ___ the world.
8. However somewhere ___ 2016 and 2017, her world came crashing down.
9. It was revealed that she slipped ___ flour ___ all her cakes just before putting them ___ the
oven.
10. The ensuing scandal swallowed ___ her business.
11. She was forced to declare bankruptcy ___ unpaid legal bills.

Prepositions Exercise 3
Fill in the blanks with appropriate words:
1. Juan is passionate about cricket. ____ example, he saves for 4 years to go and watch every
world-cup.
2. George and Georg have a lot ____ common with each other, starting with their names.
3. I think the wall is ____ danger of falling down.
4. Bobba paid for the lunch ____ advance, so they don’t need to bother about it later.
5. Please make sure that you’re ____ time for the train.
6. I was walking to the park and ____ chance saw the poster with the job listing.
7. Do you think Leia forgot about the invite ____ purpose so she wouldn’t have to meet
Ford?
8. Jenny lifted the vase and ____ her surprise the bottom fell away.
9. Fett went to the old house ____ mistake.
10. When the summer season is over, remember to bring the plants indoors ____ once.
11. The shop is just a few meters away. Why don’t you go ____ foot ?

Transformation Exercise 1
Re-write the following sentences according to the instructions given after each. Make other
changes that may be necessary, but do not change the meaning of each sentence.

1. Ronaldo is the best cricketer in the world.

(Use: ….better….)
2. It is better to help than to give advice.
(Begin: Instead ….)
3. Italy is the prettiest country I have been to.
(Use: …..pretty…..)
4. It is a crazy way to lose one’s wicket.
(Begin: What ….)
5. “John went to Jim’s house last Sunday”, said Jack.
(Begin: Jack said that ….)
6. Jenny will receive a medal for her performance.
(Begin: A medal ….)
7. Students with a valid ticket will be allowed to stay.
(Use: …..without…..)
8. No sooner did the sun come out than the birds began to sing.
(Begin: As soon ….)
9. The door was jammed too hard for us to open.
(Use: ….. so…..)
10. If the weather is bright and warm tomorrow, we will go for a picnic.
(Begin: If the weather is not …)

Transformation Exercise 2
Re-write the following sentences according to the instructions given after each. Make
other changes that may be necessary, but do not change the meaning of each sentence.

1. This summer has been the warmest in the last ten years.
(Rewrite using “warm”)
2. The taxi driver said, “He opened the door and jumped out before i could say a word.”
(Begin: The taxi driver said that…)
3. Robinson gave his companion Friday, a gift every Friday.
(Begin: Robinson’s companion Friday…)
4. As soon as the game was over, the chess pieces were put in the box.
(Begin: Hardly…)
5. The hike was so hard, that Joan had to turn back just an hour into it.
(Rewrite using “too” in place of “so”)
6. Unless the rain stops, the game will not resume.
(Begin: If..)
7. Jonas would rather stay at home than go out and play in the rain.
(Begin: Jonas prefers…)
8. Despite the best efforts by the Police, the money could not be retrieved.
(Begin: Inspite…)
9. The new machine did a good job of compressing the garments.
(Rewrite using “compress”)
10. A lot of people are capable of leading a team.
(Rewrite using “capability”)
11. As soon as the gates opened, the shoppers rushed in.
(Begin: No sooner…)
12. The clock struck twelve and the children ran out.
(End: … children)
13. Tomas drove into the wall with his car.
(Begin: The wall…)
14. If you do not eat fish, you will not become intelligent.
(Begin: Only…)
15. James was barely able to stand straight.
(End: … straight ?)

Transformation Exercise 3
Re-write the following sentences according to the instructions given after each. Make
other changes that may be necessary, but do not change the meaning of each sentence.

1. The last time I spoke to her was in May

(Begin: I …)
2. As one grows older, one grows wiser.
(Begin: The older …)
3. If I had known what to expect earlier, I would have done better.
(Begin: Had I …)
4. If you don’t leave now I’ll call the police.
(Begin: Unless …)
5. The doctor is examining the patient now.
(Begin: The patient …)
6. Only a very rich man can expect to live such a luxurious life like Tom.
(Begin: None …)
7. No sooner did the sun set than the firing began.
(Begin: As soon …)
8. In spite of her fever, Sridevi went for her film shoot.
(Begin: Despite …)
9. We had no extra battery so we couldn’t start the car.
(Begin: If we had …)
10. It is a pity that I didn’t take my doctor’s advice.
(Begin: I wish …)

Verbs Exercise 1
In the following passage, fill in each of the numbered blanks with the correct form of the
word given in brackets. Do not copy the passage, but write in correct serial order the word or
phrase appropriate to the blank space.

Example:

(0) disappeared
The sun (0)_______ (disappear) behind the clouds and the sky turned grey. The wind
(1)____(pick) up and a few drops of rain fell on the old tin roof. Jose (2)_____(run) inside
and (3)_____(close) the door and all the windows. Using what little light that
(4)______(come) in through the cracks in the door and the windows, he (5)_____(fumble)
around until he found the lamp and (6)_____(place) it on the table. With (7)_____(shake)
hands, he (8)_____(light) a match and held it against the wick. It took a moment to light up,
but finally (9)_____(catch) on. The wind (10)______(blow) in through the cracks caused the
flame and the shadows it created, to jump all around. Jose looked around the small room and
then at the roof. The rain had (11)_____(grow) stronger and together with the wind, made it
sound as though it was about to blow off.

Verbs Exercise 2
In the following passage, fill in each of the numbered blanks with the correct form of the
word given in brackets. Do not copy the passage, but write in correct serial order the word or
phrase appropriate to the blank space (answers below).

Example:

(0) called

The man (0)______(to call) Boone, (1)______(to wake) up at the crack of dawn and
(2)______(to make) his way to the pier. His assistant was already (3)______(to pack) the
fishing net as the boat gently (4)______(to bob) in the calm waters.
“What (5)______(to do) it look like Jon?”, (6)______(to ask) Boone.
“The forecast (7)______(to mention) a quiet start to the day with a spell of rain (8)______(to
come) later on in the afternoon.”
“Well then, let’s set off then as soon as you are done.”
“Sure. How do you think Mrs. Boone (9)______(to react) to the news once you tell her this
evening?”
“She (10)______(to be) not be happy, but then she always (11)______(to react) that way to
any change.”
“OK – so do you want to put it off by another day?”
Boone did not answer.
Jon started the engine and Boone (12)______(to climb) into the boat and cast off the line. The
two men (13)______(to nod) to each other and then started out.

Conjunctions Exercise 1
Join the following sentences to make one complete sentence without using and, but or so.
(Check your answers below)

1. Bart had to ask for some money for the coffee. He had finished all his money on the
taxi.
2. The sun began to dip over the horizon. The birds started to chirp.
3. Homer was the shortest person in the basketball team. He scored the maximum
number of points in every game.
4. Lisa continued to play. She felt pain in her right arm.
5. We have to wade through the flooded lane. Alternately, we have to take a long detour.
 6. Joining the Indian army has a precondition. You have to live in India.
7. Bart has to complete his homework. He has to do this before going out to play.
8. The Indian economy has become more capitalistic. India opened its economy in 1992.
9. The payment to the vendor was delayed. The invoices were not approved in time.
10. He prepared hard all through the year. He barely secured the pass marks in the exam.

Conjunctions Exercise 2
Join the following sentences to make one complete sentence without using and, but or so.
(Check your answers below)

1. The sun was setting. We managed to take a couple of photographs.

2. The crew put in their best effort. The ship sank before dawn.
3. The match was cancelled. It rained all day.
4. Nora had not been to Meghalaya. Bora had not been to Meghalaya.
5. The sun is shining. The weather is sweet too.
6. This is the same hotel. We spent a night the last time we visited.
7. Hombhi will visit the Ajanta and Ellora caves. He reaches Aurangabad.
8. Kooma does not know swimming. She likes to go on boat rides.
9. Practice grammar frequently. You make fewer mistakes.
10. Ragul does not know how to drive. She rides her cycle everywhere.
11. Saila brought his raincoat. He did not get wet.
12. Malcolm wanted to eat some doughnuts. He ended up having sushi.
13. The chess game ends. The king and the pawn are put in the same box.
14. Shiela likes chicken curry. Shiela likes lamb curry.
15. Shiela likes chicken curry. Her husband likes lamb curry.

Conjunctions Exercise 3
Join the following sentences to make one complete sentence without using and, but or so.
(Check your answers below)

Tip 1: Remember to not use synonyms like ‘As well as’, ‘therefore’, ‘hence’, ‘or’, ‘or else’,
‘else’, ‘otherwise’, ‘yet’, ‘nor’, ‘however’ and any others.

Tip 2: Never begin a sentence with ‘since’ or ‘because’. These words always appear in the
middle of the sentence.

1. He went out without a raincoat. It had started to rain.

2. We trekked very slowly. It was raining very hard.
3. You must say the truth. You will be punished.
4. He was tired. He had not slept all night.
5. She was sleepy. She went out to play.
6. It is raining very hard. We cannot go out.
7. Romuli was watching the television. A spider landed on her ear.
8. It had not rained in days. The earth was parched.
9. Tombui asked Stromby a favour. Stromby could not oblige.
10. She heard him fall down the stairs. She was distraught.