It’s October, which means it’s time for another Halloween-themed article!

This year, I’ve gone with a tenses/reading exercise again; you can enjoy this just for the reading practice, to see some Halloween English in use, or you can test yourself on the most appropriate tenses to complete the story.

The Brown House Ghoul – English Tenses Exercise

Complete the story by choosing the most appropriate tenses form for the verbs, in the spaces provided. The answers are given below.

They say that Brown House is haunted. It (1) __________ (to stand) on top of a tall hill at the edge of town. No one (2) __________ (to live) there for forty years. But last week, on Halloween, Timmy decided to go and see for himself.

Before going out, Timmy told his parents he (3) __________ (to go) trick or treating. He used a white sheet to dress up as a ghost. After going down the main street (where he did pick up some treats), he took a side street out of town. He quickly climbed the hill and observed the house.

Brown House (4) __________ (to look) very tall, with lots of broken windows and uneven turrets. The wind was blowing, so the trees nearby swayed against it. They (5) __________ (to make) scratching noises while he watched. Timmy was scared, but pretended not to be.

Timmy climbed over the small fence and found a window that had been boarded up long ago. Now, the boards were partly broken, so he could sneak in. He climbed through and found himself in a dark, dusty room with old furniture covered in cobwebs. There was a terrible smell of something rotten. Timmy (6) __________ (to think) maybe he should leave, as this was a bad idea, but before he could go a loud groan came from somewhere deep in the house. He jumped in fear.

When the groan came again, he paused and listened more carefully. (7) __________ (to be / it) just a pipe? He could not leave without more evidence of the supernatural.

Timmy continued through a chilly hallway to an open cellar doorway. He flinched at the sound of another groan, but continued. In the doorway, he looked down a tall flight of stairs which descended into darkness. Whatever was making the noise, it (8) __________ (to come) from down there.

He waited, to be sure it was quiet again, then trod down the stairs, cringing at the sound of the steps. He saw a flicker of light, deep in the cellar, and (9) __________ (to freeze). There was a figure, hunched over a fire, dark and knobbly. A ghoul!

“Ah!” Timmy cried in fear and the figure turned towards him. He saw a terrible gnarled face, old and warty, and he ran. He tripped over the steps but kept going. He charged through the house and threw himself through the boarded window. Outside, he sprinted towards the fence, and tried to jump it – but was stuck! His ghost outfit was caught and he couldn’t get free. He looked back and shrieked.

The big, creepy figure (10) __________ (to come) out of the house, very tall, very dark!

Timmy tore at his ghost costume, almost free, and fell off the fence with a bump. His knee hurt, so he was slow to get up, and suddenly a shadow swept over him. The ghoul was right there!

“Don’t eat me!” Timmy pleaded and the monster laughed. Not a mean laugh, nor monstrous. Timmy looked up again, uncertainly. The thing standing over him was not a monster but a man, he saw, wrapped in many layers of clothing. The person held out a hand, and in it was Timmy’s trick-or-treat bucket, which he (11) __________ (to drop). Timmy carefully took it back and the man smiled.

He understood then, that this person was merely living in the house, hidden, where no one went because they were scared it was haunted. But Timmy asked, quietly, “Why (12) __________ (you / to groan)? Are you hurt?”

The man shrugged and shook his head. “Just having a groan. (13) __________ (you / to tell) anyone I’m here?”

Timmy considered this. He (14) __________ (to brave) the haunted house and revealed its secret, but this man did not seem to be doing any harm. And it would be a better story if he told everyone there was a ghoul. He shook his head and held up his trick-or-treat bucket again, to offer a sweet. The man smiled and took a treat.

They still say that Brown House is haunted.

The Brown House Ghoul Answers

Below is the complete passage with the verbs in their correct forms. Some of these are flexible, but these are what I considered the most appropriate forms, considering the context and where verbs might be ongoing/interrupted.

They say that Brown House is haunted. It (1) stands on top of a tall hill at the edge of town. No one (2) has lived there for forty years. But last week, on Halloween, Timmy decided to go and see for himself.

Before going out, Timmy told his parents he (3) was going trick or treating. He used a white sheet to dress up as a ghost. After going down the main street (where he did pick up some treats), he took a side street out of town. He quickly climbed the hill and observed the house.

Brown House (4) looked very tall, with lots of broken windows and uneven turrets. The wind was blowing, so the trees nearby swayed against it. They (5) were making scratching noises while he watched. Timmy was scared, but pretended not to be.

Timmy climbed over the small fence and found a window that had been boarded up long ago. Now, the boards were partly broken, so he could sneak in. He climbed through and found himself in a dark, dusty room with old furniture covered in cobwebs. There was a terrible smell of something rotten. Timmy (6) thought maybe he should leave, as this was a bad idea, but before he could go a loud groan came from somewhere deep in the house. He jumped in fear.

When the groan came again, he paused and listened more carefully. (7) Was it just a pipe? He could not leave without more evidence of the supernatural.

Timmy continued through a chilly hallway to an open cellar doorway. He flinched at the sound of another groan, but continued. In the doorway, he looked down a tall flight of stairs which descended into darkness. Whatever was making the noise, it (8) was coming from down there.

He waited, to be sure it was quiet again, then trod down the stairs, cringing at the sound of the steps. He saw a flicker of light, deep in the cellar, and (9) froze. There was a figure, hunched over a fire, dark and knobbly. A ghoul!

“Ah!” Timmy cried in fear and the figure turned towards him. He saw a terrible gnarled face, old and warty, and he ran. He tripped over the steps but kept going. He charged through the house and threw himself through the boarded window. Outside, he sprinted towards the fence, and tried to jump it – but was stuck! His ghost outfit was caught and he couldn’t get free. He looked back and shrieked.

The big, creepy figure (10) was coming out of the house, very tall, very dark!

Timmy tore at his ghost costume, almost free, and fell off the fence with a bump. His knee hurt, so he was slow to get up, and suddenly a shadow swept over him. The ghoul was right there!

“Don’t eat me!” Timmy pleaded and the monster laughed. Not a mean laugh, nor monstrous. Timmy looked up again, uncertainly. The thing standing over him was not a monster but a man, he saw, wrapped in many layers of clothing. The person held out a hand, and in it was Timmy’s trick-or-treat bucket, which he (11) had dropped. Timmy carefully took it back and the man smiled.

He understood then, that this person was merely living in the house, hidden, where no one went because they were scared it was haunted. But Timmy asked, quietly, “Why (12) were you groaning? Are you hurt?”

The man shrugged and shook his head. “Just having a groan. (13) Are you going to tell anyone I’m here?”

Timmy considered this. He (14) had braved the haunted house and revealed its secret, but this man did not seem to be doing any harm. And it would be a better story if he told everyone there was a ghoul. He shook his head and held up his trick-or-treat bucket again, to offer a sweet. The man smiled and took a treat.

They still say that Brown House is haunted.

As always let me know if you have any thoughts or questions!

I’ve been mostly editing books lately, so a lot of my focus has been on little details of English in written work. A frequent topic for inconsistencies or complications is commas, hence I have produced a full group of articles about them on this site.

I was going to expand on some details about them again, but realised I have already covered most of the rules. Instead, I thought it might be useful to show some comma considerations in use, through an exercise. So today I’ve got a short exercise to help identify issues with commas in English.

What are the rules for commas?

There are lot of different ways that commas can be applied in English, which can be flexible or nuanced. The exercise below will test a variety of these. You can either study the rules first or have a go at the exercise and to learn from the answers. To revise the information I’ve shared before, have a look at these articles:

• How to Master Commas in Use (a summary of all the content)
• Using Commas with Adverbials
• Using Commas with Additional Information
• Using Commas to Separate Clauses
• Using Commas with Lists and the Serial Comma

Common Comma Rules and Mistakes Exercise

Consider the following ten sentences. Some include commas and some do not. Decide if each sentence is Acceptable, Requires Commas or is Incorrect. (Note I say Acceptable and not Correct because sometimes a comma may be optionable; they are not necessary right or wrong, but the question is if it works.)

1. The girl who served me coffee, was very nice.
2. Do you want ice cream, chocolate, biscuits, or cake?
3. However, it got here I want that stain cleaned off.
4. I want to go out but I don’t have any nice clothes.
5. He jumped on the train, as it passed under the bridge.
6. Jill travelled to Prague with Erin, her mother and her cousin.
7. I ran up the stairs too fast, and tripped on the top step.
8. She returned the food as there was a hair in it.
9. “Oh, no!” he cried in surprise.
10. If you want to go to the beach, don’t forget to bring a towel.

Answers

I’ve tried to explain my thinking in full below, to give a complete understanding of how I approach comma use. If you have any questions, or disagree, do feel free to comment below!

1. The girl who served me coffee, was very nice. – Incorrect; “who served me coffee” is either defining (no commas) or non-defining and needs an extra comma ( “, who served me coffee,”)
2. Do you want ice cream, chocolate, biscuits, or cake? – Acceptable; this is an example or a list with an Oxford/serial comma which is not strictly necessary but does not cause any confusion to include.
3. However, it got here I want that stain cleaned off. – Incorrect; the comma should come at the end of the complete adverbial phrase, “However it got here,” (and we can tell it is an adverbial phrase and not a separate clause because there is no conjunction).
4. I want to go out but I don’t have any nice clothes. – Acceptable; the sentence is short and easily understood, so a comma before “but” isn’t necessary.
5. He jumped on the train, as it passed under the bridge. – Incorrect; the comma separates the “as” clause as additional/incidental information, shifting the meaning to “because”, whereas without a comma the sentence flows together with “as” meaning the clauses occur at the same time.
6. Jill travelled to Prague with Erin, her mother and her cousin. – Incorrect; this may be unlikely to be misunderstood, but this is an example of where an Oxford/serial comma could avoid awkward confusion by clearly showing this is a list and not defining information (“Erin, her mother, and her cousin”). This doesn’t completely solve the problem, however, as we don’t know if the list is two or three people (reordering it so Erin is not first would solve this), but it is clearer with a comma than without!
7. I ran up the stairs too fast, and tripped on the top step. – Acceptable; this isn’t incorrect, as the comma can be used here to slow down the sentence or give the second clause the feeling of an after-thought/sequential action. However, without a particular reason for it, I would advise removing this comma as the sentence is short and flows better without a comma.
8. She returned the food as there was a hair in it. – Acceptable; a comma could separate the “as” clause as additional information, but is not required to clarify the sentence.
9. “Oh, no!” he cried in surprise. – Incorrect; this is a complete phrasal expression, which shouldn’t be separated by a comma, unless deliberately showing hesitation. (Consider the difference in response to a question: “Oh, no, that’s not what I meant.”)
10. If you want to go to the beach, don’t forget to bring a towel. – Acceptable; generally in conditional sentences when the “if” clause comes first, a comma between the clauses helps add clarity.

I have finally completed my Idioms and Sayings series with a third exercise covering some common expressions in English. Sorry it’s taken me a couple of years to get back to this – it’s mostly because I forgot, but also the rest of the list went missing!

As a reminder, I’ve created a list of 45 popular sayings which I’ve split into 3 short exercises, and this is the final one. The first idioms exercise includes a more detailed introduction to idioms and sayings, and you can see the second exercise here.

Otherwise, let’s get going!

Idioms, Sayings and Proverbs Exercise 3

This is a simple exercise to try and get you thinking creatively about idioms and sayings. Below are 15 idioms and sayings, with example sentences. Can you guess their meanings? You may know the answers to some of these, but if not try and consider the possible message of the saying, then consider its purpose in the example sentence.

1. Beat around the bush

He seems to want something but he keeps talking about the weather; I wish he would stop beating around the bush and let me know what he really wants.

2. Cut corners

The bridge was unstable because the builders cut corners when they bought cheap materials.

3. Hit the sack

I’m too tired to watch TV tonight, I think I’ll just hit the sack.

4. No pain, no gain

My gym instructor never lets me take a break when things get hard, she just reminds me no pain, no gain!

5. The last straw

Our noisy neighbours are always playing music, but last night they didn’t stop until 2 a.m. It is the last straw – I am going to complain!

6. Speak of the Devil

“Howard is wearing the brightest pink shirt today, have you seen it? Oh, speak of the Devil, here he comes!”

7. Time flies when you’re having fun

We didn’t realise how long we had been playing board games until the clock struck midnight. Time flies when you’re having fun!

8. Back to the drawing board

Shirley tried to fix her cake by adding more sugar, but when it became too sweet she decided to go back to the drawing board and start a new one.

9. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it

It’s possible that there won’t be a taxi waiting for us outside the station, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.

10. Wrap your head around something

I find it hard to wrap my head around some of the ideas in science fiction novels, but I still really enjoy the adventures!

11. Bite the bullet

Frederick had been hesitating for months, but he finally decided to bite the bullet and asked her to marry him.

12. You can say that again

“This is the best coffee I’ve ever tasted!”

“You can say that again, I love it!”

13. To make matters worse

Tim was already late for the meeting, and to make matters worse the elevators weren’t working.

14. So far so good

Only one more idiom left to learn, so far so good…

15. Call it a day

And now we’ve reached the end of my 45 sayings, we can call it a day!

Answers (Idiom and Saying Definitions)

Below are suggested definitions for the idioms and sayings; you may find some are slightly nuanced, and can carry extra meaning depending on how people use them. Many of these have slightly longer phrasing which me be adapted or shortened, and note that some will mostly be used in the negative.

1. Beat around the bush: to avoid doing/saying something; typically used in the negative (e.g. “Don’t/stop beating around the bush.”)
2. Cut corners: to do something badly/incompletely, usually to save time
3. Hit the sack: to go to bed (similarly “hit the hay”)
4. No pain, no gain: it takes hard work/effort/sacrifice to succeed/improve
5. The last straw: something that breaks your patience, i.e. the final problem in a number of them that leads to action
6. Speak of the Devil: said when someone appears who is being talked about
7. Time flies when you’re having fun: time seems to go quicker when you are enjoying yourself
8. Back to the drawing board: start again from the beginning
9. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it: suggestion to leave a problem for later
10. Wrap your head around something: try to understand something
11. Bite the bullet: to do something you don’t want to
12. You can say that again: said to demonstrate agreement
13. To make matters worse: something that makes a bad situation even worse
14. So far so good: said when things are progressing well
15. Call it a day: to decide to stop doing something

That’s it then, the full 45 at last! Do check out the other exercises if you haven’t and come back to these expressions as they’ll help you sound natural. Any questions, do ask below.

It’s October, so Halloween is coming and it’s Spooky Season, which we are a fan of here on ELB. I’ve got lots of seasonal articles on the website, and you can find all my Halloween features here. Today I’m going to share a new mixed tenses exercise using Halloween-themed language, so we can combine a bit of vocabulary and grammar! You might particularly want to look at the nasty nouns and abysmal adjectives lists for reference.

This is quite a tricky exercise, combining and contrasting the different tenses, but I’ve given explanations with the answers.

Spooky Halloween Mixed Tenses Exercise

Complete the creepy sentences below by filling in the gaps with the correct English tense form, using the verb in brackets. I went for a broad range, testing all the main aspects of the English tenses, so we have the past, present and future listed below. This can lead to some flexibility but I’ve tried to provide sentences that make one answer most appropriate. (Note some sentences have additional words in brackets to indicate negatives or question forms.)

1. I did not sleep well because a wolf __________ at the moon. (to howl)
2. Sandy always __________ that there is a bogeyman under her bed. (to worry)
3. We __________ a pumpkin into a jack-o’-lantern next week. (to carve)
4. She had a dreadful feeling that she __________ to lock the cellar door. (to forget)
5. Tony __________ a poltergeist has been moving his furniture every night. (to suspect)
6. The witch __________ in that eerie shed for almost sixteen years now. (to live)
7. When she saw her own name on a gravestone, Janice __________. (to faint)
8. I __________ in vampires, but that man looks like one. (to believe / not)
9. The children found a grisly corpse while they __________ in the park. (to play)
10. Many bizarre things __________ at the lake recently. (to happen)
11. Rupert shrieked when the clock __________ on the floor. (to fall)
12. The police __________ the otherworldly goo tomorrow morning. (to investigate)
13. Hilary and Erin are not coming to the party because they __________ two nights in a haunted house for charity. (to spend)
14. Can you close the curtains? The moonlight __________ an unnerving shadow on the wall. (to cast)
15. My biggest fear is that zombies __________ my home. (to attack)
16. Denny opened the door, thinking the pizza __________. It hadn’t. (to arrive)
17. She said she __________ afraid of spiders, but she gave a bloodcurdling scream when the tarantula appeared. (to be / not)
18. Wendy keeps waking me up; she __________ nightmares about fairies again. (to have)
19. Please take this box outside. Whatever you do, __________ inside. (to look / not)
20. I don’t remember inviting that creepy tall man. __________ him before? (to see / you)

Answers

1. I did not sleep well because a wolf was howling at the moon. (continuously)
2. Sandy always worries that there is a bogeyman under her bed. (a general rule)
3. We are going to carve / will carve a pumpkin into a jack-o’-lantern next week. (a future determination; “are carving” could also work as a scheduled plan)
4. She had a dreadful feeling that she had forgotten to lock the cellar door. (a past action that happened before the feeling)
5. Tony suspects a poltergeist has been moving his furniture every night. (a current feeling)
6. The witch has been living in that eerie shed for almost sixteen years now. (an ongoing state with a start point in the past; “has lived” can also work but the continuous is more appropriate for a duration)
7. When she saw her own name on a gravestone, Janice fainted. (simple past action)
8. I don’t / do not believe in vampires, but that man looks like one. (simple present belief)
9. The children found a grisly corpse while they were playing in the park. (interrupted continuous past action)
10. Many bizarre things have happened / have been happening at the lake recently. (ongoing current events which started in the past)
11. Rupert shrieked when the clock fell on the floor. (simple complete past)
12. The police will investigate / are going to investigate the otherworldly goo tomorrow morning. (future determined action)
13. Hilary and Erin are not coming to the party because they are spending two nights in a haunted house for charity. (ongoing present action)
14. Can you close the curtains? The moonlight is casting an unnerving shadow on the wall. (ongoing present action)
15. My biggest fear is that zombies will attack my home. (future/imagined fear)
16. Denny opened the door, thinking the pizza had arrived. It hadn’t. (past event complete before he “opened” the door)
17. She said she wasn’t / was not afraid of spiders, but she gave a bloodcurdling scream when the tarantula appeared. (reported past speech)
18. Wendy keeps waking me up; she is having nightmares about fairies again. (ongoing current action)
19. Please take this box outside. Whatever you do, do not look (present rule)
20. I don’t remember inviting that creepy tall man. Have you seen him before? (past experience with present impact)

Continuing from last month, today I’ve got another gap-fill exercise to share, this time looking at the past perfect in use. Again, this is an exercise adapted from The English Tenses Exercise Book, where you can find many more. For the simple tenses exercise, check out Felix and the Umbrella, and you can also take a look at the present continuous uses exercise here.

Again, the idea is simple: here, the verbs need to be put into the correct past perfect form. In doing so, the text demonstrates the different uses of the past perfect. 

Mixed Past Perfect in Use Exercise

Complete the text below by putting the information in brackets into the most appropriate past perfect or past perfect continuous form, without contractions.

The Mystery of the Missing Sandwich

Lunch was approaching. Xavier (1) _______________ (to look) forward to his sandwich all morning. He (2) _______________ (to prepare) a special sandwich today: halloumi, salad with hummus that his wife (3) _______________ (to make). She (4) _______________ (to make) her own hummus for years, and it (5) _______________ (to reach) perfection.

But when Xavier opened the fridge, the sandwich (6) _______________ (to disappear). He stared in disbelief: he (7) _______________ (to put) it there last night. His wife (8) _______________ (to comment) on it at 9 a.m., when she took milk for her tea, “That looks nice!” Where (9) _______________ (it / to go)?

Xavier was alone that morning. His wife (10) _______________ (to take) the train to York for the day. (11) _______________ (someone / to sneak) in while he (12) _______________ (to watch) TV? He (13) _______________ (to hear / not) anything, but he (14) _______________ (to listen / not) carefully.

Xavier searched the house for signs of an intruder – or clues to what (15) _______________ (to become) of the missing sandwich. His daughter’s room was locked, because she (16) _______________ (to leave) for university a week ago. The other bedroom and the living room (17) _______________ (to disturb / not).

The garden door was open, because Xavier (18) _______________ (to want) some fresh air. He stood checking the trees. (19) _______________ (a squirrel / to come) inside and opened the fridge? (20) _______________ (he / to notice / not) a genius thief?

After searching the garden for crumbs, Xavier returned to the kitchen. He (21) _______________ (to find / not) any evidence of an intruder or the sandwich’s fate. Why (22) _______________ (he / to play) the TV so loud? His distraction (23) _______________ (to let) some terrible person steal his amazing sandwich.

Finally, Xavier decided to call his wife and tell her about this tragedy. But first, he saw he (24) _______________ (to receive) a message from her already.

“Thank you for preparing that lovely sandwich – it was everything I (25) _______________ (to dream) of all morning!”

Xavier stared in horror. His wife (26) _______________ (to think) the sandwich was for her. She (27) _______________ (to take) it with her when she left! But he could only blame himself. Why (28) _______________ (he / to prepare / not) one for her, too?

Mixed Past Perfect in Use Exercise – Answers

The complete correct text follows the numbered answers below.

1. had been looking
2. had prepared
3. had made
4. had been making
5. had reached
6. had disappeared
7. had put
8. had commented
9. had it gone
10. had taken
11. Had someone sneaked
12. had been watching
13. had not heard
14. had not been listening
15. had become
16. had left
17. had not been disturbed
18. had wanted
19. Had a squirrel come
20. Had he not noticed
21. had not found
22. had he been playing
23. had let
24. had received
25. had been dreaming
26. had thought
27. had taken
28. had he not prepared

The Mystery of the Missing Sandwich

Lunch was approaching. Xavier (1) had been looking forward to his sandwich all morning. He (2) had prepared a special sandwich today: halloumi, salad and hummus that his wife (3) had made. She (4) had been making her own hummus for years, and now it (5) had reached perfection.

But when Xavier opened the fridge, the sandwich (6) had disappeared. He stared in disbelief: he (7) had put it there last night. His wife (8) had commented on it at 9 a.m., when she took milk for her tea, “That looks nice!” Where (9) had it gone?

Xavier was alone that morning. His wife (10) had taken the train to York for the day. (11) Had someone sneaked in while he (12) had been watching TV? He (13) had not heard anything, but he (14) had not been listening carefully.

Xavier searched the house for signs of an intruder – or clues to what (15) had become of the missing sandwich. His daughter’s room was locked, because she (16) had left for university a week ago. The other bedroom and the living room (17) had not been disturbed.

The garden door was open, because Xavier (18) had wanted some fresh air. He stood checking the trees. (19) Had a squirrel come inside and opened the fridge? (20) Had he not noticed a genius thief?

After searching the garden for crumbs, Xavier returned to the kitchen. He (21) had not found any evidence of an intruder or the sandwich’s fate. Why (22) had he been playing the TV so loud? His distraction (23) had let some terrible person steal his amazing sandwich.

Finally, Xavier decided to call his wife and tell her about this tragedy. But first, he saw he (24) had received a message from her already.

“Thank you for preparing that lovely sandwich – it was everything I (25) had been dreaming of all morning!”

Xavier stared in horror. His wife (26) had thought the sandwich was for her. She (27) had taken it with her when she left! But he could only blame himself. Why (28) had he not prepared one for her, too?

It’s been a while since I’ve shared any exercises, and as I’m a bit busy for the next few months I thought this would be a good time to do some lighter articles with material taken from the ELB books. So, today I’ve got a mixed past continuous uses exercise, a gap-fill combined with a reading exercise.

This exercise actually continues a series first started with my past simple tense uses exercise, Felix and the Umbrella, and features in The English Tenses Exercise Book.

The idea is simple: the verbs need to be put into the correct past continuous form. But in doing so, the text demonstrates the different uses of the past continuous. 

Mixed Past Continuous Uses Exercise

Complete the text below by putting the information in brackets into the most appropriate past continuous form, without contractions.

An Unsatisfactory Restaurant

When I (1) _______________ (to search) for a new restaurant, I discovered Calbini’s had opened in the town centre. They (2) _______________ (to run) a promotion that week: three courses for £12.95. Very cheap, as others nearby (3) _______________ (to provide) a main course for £18! (4) _______________ (the place / to sell) itself short? Or (5) _______________ (it / to offer) a worse service?

I visited on a Wednesday night with my colleague Gunther. He (6) _______________ (to try) to decide what to eat on the way, from the online menu, but he (7) _______________ (to discuss / not) it with me. Gunther is a quiet man.

On our arrival to the restaurant, the building (8) _______________ (to bustle) with people. Very busy for a Wednesday night! And the staff                  (9) _______________ (to handle / not) it well: waiters (10) _______________ (to run) around, hot-faced, and the man who welcomed us was tired and (11) _______________ (to smile / not). Moreover, what (12) _______________ (he / to wear)? Not a smart uniform, but brightly patterned rags covered in stains. Why (13) _______________ (the managers / dressing) their staff like clowns?

Our table was at the back of the room, next to the kitchen. The door (14) _______________ (to open / and / to close) constantly. Even worse, we (15) _______________ (to wait) for fifteen minutes before a waiter gave us a menu. The writing was badly printed: (16) _______________ (how / they / to expect) anyone to read this?

We used Gunther’s online menu instead. By then, my stomach (17) _______________ (to rumble). We had to give our orders twice because the waiter (18) _______________ (to listen / not). He                                    (19) _______________ (to watch) the other tables; with so many people there, (20) _______________ (to plan / he) a route of attack?

Eventually, our order was placed: for the main course, I (21) _______________ (to have) the calzone and Gunther chose tortellini.

Our starters arrived – prawns for both of us. The prawns (22) _______________ (to swim) in brine. Undercooked. I stood and demanded to know if they (23) _______________ (to serve) us garbage.

The waiters, of course, were too busy to notice. The other customers     (24) _______________ (to become) noisier as the restaurant only got busier. And now, as I (25) _______________ (to stand), I saw the food on other tables. All as bad as ours.

I told Gunther we (26) _______________ (to leave) at once, only to discover he (27) _______________ (to eat) the vile prawns!

“It’s not bad,” he told me. Clearly he (28) _______________ (to come / not) with me.

He wasn’t the only one happy. Other people (29) _______________ (to laugh). They (30) _______________ (to enjoy) this cheap, busy restaurant! (31) _______________ (the chefs / to put) something special in the food? Or (32) _______________ (everyone / to question / not) the quality because it was so cheap?

Either way, it (33) _______________ (to fool / not) me. I gathered my things and left. The last time I saw him, Gunther (34) _______________ (to devour) my meal, too.

Mixed Past Continuous Uses Exercise – Answers

The complete correct text follows the numbered answers below.

1. was searching
2. were running
3. were providing
4. Was the place selling
5. was it offering
6. was trying
7. was not discussing
8. was bustling
9. were not handling
10. were running
11. was not smiling
12. was he wearing
13. were the managers dressing
14. was opening and closing
15. were waiting
16. how were they expecting
17. was rumbling
18. was not listening
19. was watching
20. was he planning
21. was having
22. were swimming
23. were serving
24. were becoming
25. was standing
26. were leaving
27. was eating
28. was not coming
29. were laughing
30. were enjoying
31. Were the chefs putting
32. was everyone not questioning
33. was not fooling
34. was devouring

An Unsatisfactory Restaurant

When I (1) was searching for a new restaurant, I discovered Calbini’s had opened in the town centre. They (2) were running a promotion that week: three courses for £12.95. Very cheap, as others nearby (3) were providing a main course for £18! (4) Was the place selling itself short? Or (5) was it offering a worse service?

I visited on a Wednesday night with my colleague Gunther. He (6) was trying to decide what to eat on the way, from the online menu, but he (7) was not discussing it with me. Gunther is a quiet man.

On our arrival to the restaurant, the building (8) was bustling with people. Very busy for a Wednesday night! And the staff (9) were not handling it well: waiters (10) were running around, hot-faced, and the man who welcomed us was tired and (11) was not smiling. Moreover, what (12) was he wearing? Not a smart uniform, but brightly patterned rags covered in stains. Why (13) were the managers dressing their staff like clowns?

Our table was at the back of the room, next to the kitchen. The door (14) was opening and closing constantly. Even worse, we (15) were waiting for fifteen minutes before a waiter gave us a menu. The writing was badly printed: (16) how were they expecting anyone to read this?

We used Gunther’s online menu instead. By then, my stomach (17) was rumbling. We had to give our orders twice because the waiter (18) was not listening. He (19) was watching the other tables; with so many people there, (20) was he planning a route of attack?

Eventually, our order was placed: for the main course, I (21) was having the calzone and Gunther chose tortellini.

Our starters arrived – prawns for both of us. The prawns (22) were swimming in brine. Undercooked. I stood and demanded to know if they (23) were serving us garbage.

The waiters, of course, were too busy to notice. The other customers (24) were becoming noisier as the restaurant only got busier. And now, as I (25) was standing, I saw the food on other tables. All as bad as ours.

I told Gunther we (26) were leaving at once, only to discover he (27) was eating the vile prawns!

“It’s not bad,” he told me. Clearly he (28) was not coming with me.

He wasn’t the only one happy. Other people (29) were laughing. They (30) were enjoying this cheap, busy restaurant! (31) Were the chefs putting something special in the food? Or (32) was everyone not questioning the quality because it was so cheap?

Either way, it (33) was not fooling me. I gathered my things and left. The last time I saw him, Gunther (34) was devouring my meal, too.

Christmas is nearly upon us again, so it’s time for another holiday-themed exercise to get you in the merry spirit. I’ve decided to revisit the same style of exercise I produced for Christmas last year: a short story gap-fill exercise to test your understanding of phrasal verbs (check out the first Christmas phrasal verbs exercise here!).

These exercises complement the master list that I was slowly developing here, which is something I aim to get back to in the New Year. It also uses seasonal Christmas language which you can find a list of here.

 This exercise tests understanding of 17 phrasal verbs, which are given in alphabetical order at the start with short definitions. To complete the exercise, choose the right phrasal verb for each gap in the story, and put it in the right form. The text is written in the past tense, so you’ll mostly have to use the past simple and past perfect tenses.

The answers are given both as a list and in the text below. Note: some of the phrasal verbs are quite similar, and might be used in similar places. 

Phrasal Verbs Exercise

Put the following phrasal verbs into the text below in their correct form.

to knock over – make something fall over

to make for – go towards something

to pick up – collect

to put up – erect/construct or raise something for display

to slow down – do something slower

to start out – begin a trip or venture to somewhere

to take up – begin doing/learning something (usually regularly)

Kate Skates at Christmas

Kate was determined to (1) __________ ice skating this Christmas.

Her town (2) __________ an ice rink every December, but her mother said she couldn’t go. It was too dangerous, her mother said. What if she (3) __________ and hurt her wrist? Besides, her mother was too busy with work to take her, even going out on Saturdays now.

Kate was sure if she went for lots of lessons and (4) __________ her skating practice it would be safe. And her mother was at work so much lately, she could not watch Kate all winter.

One foggy day Saturday in Advent, Kate waited until her mother had (5) __________ to work, then quickly (6) __________ to her friends and persuaded them to come to the skating ring. Billy’s dad agreed to drive and came to (7) __________ Kate ten minutes later.

They were away!

Kate marvelled at the ice rink, sitting on the grassy town common. It was a big white building with two huge Christmas trees standing by the entrance, covered in glittering lights and tinsel. She and her friends raced inside and (8) __________ at the counter to hire some skates. It was very busy. They had to squeeze through the crowd, and the music was loud with carols playing.

Kate started to worry, as they reached the ice. There were so many people she might get (9) __________. She was clumsy and unsteady with the skates, and when she (10) __________ the rink her feet almost skidded away. She clung to the side, scared, as her friends (11) __________ the centre of the ice.

Her friends called her out, waving their hands and urging her to (12) __________ with them. If she did not move soon, they would all (13) __________ to the crowd and she would lose them. Gritting her teeth, Kate pushed the wall and (14) __________ onto the ice, moving fast, really skating! Then she slipped. Each foot went a different way! She was going to hit the ice.

“(15) __________!” someone cried, and a hand caught her, Kate looked up with surprise to see it was her mother who (16) __________ (her). Her mother was dressed in skates!

“You’re not supposed to be here,” Kate’s mother said, but she didn’t sound angry. Before Kate could apologise, her mother smiled. “Not until next week. I’ve been taking lessons so I could teach you myself. But now you’re here, let’s get started.”

Kate was (17) __________ by the surprise and grinned from ear to ear. Her mother took her hand and led her onto the ice, saying, “Merry Christmas!”

Answers

Kate was determined to (1) take up ice skating this Christmas.

Her town (2) put up an ice rink every December, but her mother said she couldn’t go. It was too dangerous, her mother said. What if she (3) fell over and hurt her wrist? Besides, her mother was too busy with work to take her, even going out on Saturdays now.

Kate was sure if she went for lots of lessons and (4) kept at her skating practice it would be safe. And her mother was at work so much lately, she could not watch Kate all winter.

One foggy day Saturday in Advent, Kate waited until her mother had (5) gone out to work, then quickly (6) called around to her friends and persuaded them to come to the skating ring. Billy’s dad agreed to drive and came to (7) pick up Kate ten minutes later.

They were away!

Kate marvelled at the ice rink, sitting on the grassy town common. It was a big white building with two huge Christmas trees standing by the entrance, covered in glittering lights and tinsel. She and her friends raced inside and (8) checked in at the counter to hire some skates. It was very busy. They had to squeeze through the crowd, and the music was loud with carols playing.

Kate started to worry, as they reached the ice. There were so many people she might get (9) knocked over. She was clumsy and unsteady with the skates, and when she (10) got in the rink her feet almost skidded away. She clung to the side, scared, as her friends (11) made for the centre of the ice.

Her friends called her out, waving their hands and urging her to (12) catch up with them. If she did not move soon, they would all (13) blend in to the crowd and she would lose them. Gritting her teeth, Kate pushed the wall and (14) started out onto the ice, moving fast, really skating! Then she slipped. Each foot went a different way! She was going to hit the ice.

“(15) Slow down!” someone cried, and a hand caught her, Kate looked up with surprise to see it was her mother who (16) held her up. Her mother was dressed in skates!

“You’re not supposed to be here,” Kate’s mother said, but she didn’t sound angry. Before Kate could apologise, her mother smiled. “Not until next week. I’ve been taking lessons so I could teach you myself. But now you’re here, let’s get started.”

Kate was (17) blown away by the surprise and grinned from ear to ear. Her mother took her hand and led her onto the ice, saying, “Merry Christmas!”

I hope you enjoyed this exercise – if you’d like more Christmas-themed English learning articles, go here. And otherwise, happy holidays!

It’s October which means it’s Spooky Season, and time for another themed article. Today, we’re going to practice relative clauses with a Halloween theme.

For a quick introduction, relative clauses are clauses that add additional detail to nouns. They are connected by relative pronouns such as who, which, that, whose and whom. They can also be connected by relative adverbs such as where, when, why and how.

Halloween Relative Clauses Exercise

The task today is to combine these creepy sentences by using relative clauses. There may be various options to do this, particularly as it’s often possible to reverse the sentences depending on which subject you wish to use. As a little writing tip, creepy sentences work well with sinister nouns at the front or surprising/shocking information at the end!

For example:

• Q. The house was haunted. It sat on the top of a dark hill.
• A. The house which sat on the top of a dark hill was haunted.

Exercise

1. Some wolves lived on the mountain. The wolves howled at the moon.
2. A cat whispered in Latin. He was scared by it.
3. Something is hiding under the bed. It is making strange noises.
4. The witches are flying away on broomsticks. They stole our sweets.
5. Some strangers have faces covered by masks. Beware of opening the door to them.
6. It’s not safe to walk through the park. They found the old tomb there.
7. The man escaped the party before the police arrived. He had no face.
8. We were startled by a church bell. It rang at three in the morning.
9. The town was covered in mist. Our car broke down there.
10. We stayed in a vampire’s castle. The vampire was actually very friendly.
11. I wasn’t sure why the man owned a chainsaw. He lived in the basement.
12. Our ghosts appear every full moon. They always sing the same lullaby.
13. We’d better not touch that box. It is marked “Don’t Open”.
14. A clown kept appearing by the side of the road. No one could identify it.
15. She was hiding behind a gravestone. It started to move.

Suggested Answers

These are suggested answers; in some cases there may be a few different ways to combine the sentences. I’ve offered a few alternatives or bits to think about. Note that we can replace who or which with defining clauses, particularly in informal settings. You might also consider how we can combine the sentence with alternatives to relative clauses!

1. The wolves that lived on the mountain howled at the moon.
2. He was scared by a black cat which whispered in Latin. (Or who. Depending on our active subject, this could be revered to A cat which whispered in Latin scared him.)
3. Something that is making strange noises is hiding under the bed. (Or Something hiding under the bed is making strange noises. – this example might benefit from trimming, though, e.g. Something is making strange noises under the bed.)
4. The witches who stole our sweets are flying away on broomsticks.
5. Beware of opening the door to strangers whose faces are covered by masks.
6. It’s not safe to walk through the park where they found the old tomb.
7. The man who had no face escaped the party before the police arrived.
8. We were startled by the church bell that rang at three in the morning.
9. The town where our car broke down was covered in mist.
10. The vampire whose castle we stayed in was actually very friendly. (Note that this format is preferable as the reverse option, We stayed in a vampire who was actually very friendly’s castle. makes the whole clause possessive, which is a little cumbersome.)
11. I wasn’t sure why the man who lived in the basement owned a chainsaw.
12. Our ghosts which appear every full moon always sing the same lullaby. (or who)
13. We’d better not touch the box that’s marked “Don’t Open”. (or which is / that is)
14. No one could identify the clown who kept appearing by the side of the road. (A reverse of this is possible if we change the wording slightly: The clown who kept appearing by the side of the road could not be identified. / could be identified by no one.)
15. The gravestone which she was hiding behind started to move. (Or She was hiding behind a gravestone which started to move. – but leading with the gravestone sounds scarier!)

That’s everything; let me know if you have any questions or alternatives below!

Following on from my recent writing exercise for a letter of local investment, I’ve got another exercise today covering a topic that affects everyone at some point: a letter of complaint.

The task here specifically concerns something ordered online, which we all do these days. The details of the letter may be changeable, but the general structure and language we use can be applied to almost any purchasing situation – including when complaining about a service provided, for example.

Again, I’ve provided a model answer which you can imitate, or use to compare to your own attempts. But again, this task could be completed in many ways, so see if you can express the same points in your own style. Just bear in mind that in this situation the aim is to be more clear and precise than creative.

Writing Exercise: Letter of Complaint

You ordered an item of clothing online but it does not fit the description. It is of a lower quality than expected. Write a message to the supplier to complain and suggest how they can resolve the situation.

Suggested Content:

• Introduction: Briefly state who you are and why you are writing (tip: include details such as an order reference number and the date of your order)
• Point 1: Describe what you ordered, and your expectations (e.g. a blue shirt from a designer brand, a pack of six socks, a high-quality pair of shoes)
• Point 2: Describe your problems with the order (e.g. the size, colour or style is not as described, the material is poor quality, there is something wrong with the stitching)
• Bonus Point: Comment on your expectations and your disappointment
• Point 3: What do you want the store to do about it? (e.g. request a refund, an exchange, a partial refund)
• Valediction: Provide a parting comment and your name (e.g. Thanks for your help, Kind regards)

Tips:

• Try to be polite, and generally avoid overly emotional or overly personal language, but do not be afraid to add a few strong adjectives to enforce your opinion and point.
• Be as specific as you can; be clear and factual with your details.
• When highlighting a problem, try to predict possible responses and address them, too (e.g. make it clear why the product is at fault, and not you)
• As this is a complaint, the key things to consider are what was promised/expected and what was delivered. If you are clear on why you feel disappointed, you can also be clear on how this can be addressed.

Model Answer

Dear Clothing Direct,

My name is Oscar Smith and I recently purchased a pair of blue jeans from your website. The order was placed on 02/05/21, Reference Number: 0753209.

The jeans were described as slim fit and brand new. However, I found the legs to be loose rather than slim. I am an average build, so I do not think these could be considered slim for most people. Also, the material around one trouser cuff is frayed, so it has either been damaged in transit or has been worn before.

I was really looking forward to this pair of jeans and the pictures on your website made them look much nicer than they are in person. As it is, I cannot wear these, and feel that I did not the product I paid for.

Please can you check if there was a mistake with the order? If I have been sent the wrong jeans, I can happily send these back for a new pair, but I expect you to pay for the postage. If you cannot replace them, I would like a full refund, including the cost of return postage.

Thank you for your help.

Kind regards,

Oscar Smith

This model is quite specific but you’ll note that if you simply change certain nouns it could be reused in almost the exact same structure for a wide variety of situations. It is fairly long, to demonstrate a developed letter of complaint, but bear it could also be much shorter. We do not need to go into so much detail (or necessarily express our personal disappointment) when the problem is clearer, for example if the jeans were simply the wrong size. On the other hand, this letter is specific to an ordered product. A letter of complaint for other matters might look a bit different, for example a noise complaint could require a lot more detail to explain your situation.

Hopefully this gives some pointers to help you starting out or improving, either way, and as always let me know if you have any questions.