Structure drills 1 Auxiliary verbs: short answers (01)

The two groups of exercises could be worked through separately, or they could be combined with students working in pairs. e.g.

A: Have you decided when to go?

FIRST STUDENT: Yes, we're going on Tuesday.

A: What did he say about going?

SECOND STUDENT: He said they were going on Tuesday.

1. 
   A: The hall must be cleaned.
   

2. 
   A: What about the hall? (Peter)
   

(Replace noun objects by pronouns. Be careful with numbers 2, 3, 18 and 19 as here the combinations require a change of word order, e.g.

1. 
   A: You washed the car, didn't you?
   

2. 
   A: She washed the car, didn't she?
   

B: No, I'm going to sell it.

1. 
   applying for the job?
   
2. 
   telling the police?
   
3. 
   complaining about the delay?
   
4. 
   reporting Smith?
   
5. 
   buying a car? (Use one.)
   
6. 
   hiring a television set? (Use one.)
   
7. 
   recording the conversation?
   
8. 
   paying the fine?
   
9. 
   raising his salary?
   
10. 
    employing her?
    
11. 
    warning them?
    
12. 
    writing to Brian?
    
13. 
    repairing the car?
    
14. 
    inviting the Smiths?
    
15. 
    sending Tom?
    
16. 
    selling your yacht?
    
17. 
    accepting his offer?
    
18. 
    having the party at home?
    
19. 
    building a garage? (Use one.)
    
20. 
    letting the top flat?
    

WIFE: You brought me tea in bed yesterday. (Keep tea and bed.)

HUSBAND: Yes, but I'm not going to bring you tea in bed tomorrow.
WIFE: You cooked the breakfast yesterday.

HUSBAND: Yes, but I'm not going to cook it tomorrow.

1. 
   got up first
   
2. 
   ground the coffee
   
3. 
   made the toast
   
4. 
   washed up
   
5. 
   left the car at home
   
6. 
   let me drive
   
7. 
   rang me from the office (Omit from the office.)
   
8. 
   came straight home after work (Omit after work.)
   
9. 
   brought me flowers (Keep flowers.)
   
10. 
    did the shopping for me
    
11. 
    bathed the baby
    
12. 
    played with the children
    
13. 
    repaired Ann's bicycle
    
14. 
    blew up Tom's football (Watch the word order.)
    
15. 
    read to the children
    
16. 
    mowed the grass
    
17. 
    watered the roses
    
18. 
    helped me wash up
    
19. 
    invited my mother round for a drink (Omit for a drink.)
    
20. 
    babysat while I went with my mother (Omit while ... mother.)
    

B: He hasn't said anything, but I suppose he'll bring them.

1. 
   Are you inviting Ann?
   
2. 
   Is Peter paying for dinner?
   
3. 
   Is Hugh applying for the job?
   
4. 
   Is Arthur having the operation?
   
5. 
   Are the Smiths selling their car?
   
6. 
   Are the Joneses letting their top flat?
   
7. 
   Is Peter resigning?
   
8. 
   Is the company taking on more staff? (Leave more staff unchanged.)
   
9. 
   Is Ann flying?
   
10. 
    Are your students re-enrolling?
    
11. 
    Is your brother going abroad?
    
12. 
    Is Peter entering for the exam?
    
13. 
    Are your sisters speaking (at next week's debate?) (Omit the words in brackets.)
    
14. 
    Is Paul playing (in the tournament next month)? (Omit the words in brackets.)
    
15. 
    Are your parents staying (abroad) for some time? (Omit the words in brackets.)
    
16. 
    Is Hugo coming back (to England)? (Omit the words in brackets.)
    
17. 
    Is Vera going on with her course?
    
18. 
    Are they getting married soon?
    
19. 
    Is Tom taking his wife with him?
    
20. 
    Are they celebrating their silver wedding?
    

This exercise could also be done with: I expect he'll / I hope he'll / he'll probably /

B: This time next week I'll be having a marvellous time too. (stress on I'll)

1. 
   sunbathing.
   
2. 
   having breakfast in bed.
   
3. 
   drinking fresh grapejuice.
   
4. 
   winning money at the casino.
   
5. 
   surf-riding.
   
6. 
   skin-diving.
   
7. 
   tunny-fishing.
   
8. 
   taking photos under water.
   
9. 
   relaxing in a deck chair.
   
10. 
    swinging in a hammock.
    
11. 
    water skiing.
    
12. 
    meeting all sorts of exciting people.
    
13. 
    eating exotic dishes.
    
14. 
    going for moonlight bathes.
    
15. 
    bargaining for souvenirs.
    
16. 
    riding across the desert.
    
17. 
    camping under the palm trees.
    
18. 
    sleeping under the stars.
    
19. 
    buying presents for everybody.
    
20. 
    wishing he hadn't come home. (stress on the second 'I')
    

B: Will you be seeing her next Monday? (stress on next)

1. 
   let my house in August.
   
2. 
   lunch with Bill on Monday.
   
3. 
   leave early on Friday.
   
4. 
   go camping in summer.
   
5. 
   have a drink with Jack on Tuesday. (Keep drink.)
   
6. 
   give Mary a lift home on Wednesday. (Keep a lift home.)
   
7. 
   play golf on Saturday.
   
8. 
   ring Sam on Saturday.
   
9. 
   take Ann out on Monday.
   
10. 
    sail on Saturday.
    
11. 
    watch television on Sunday evening. (Keep television.)
    
12. 
    take the dogs for a walk at the weekend.
    
13. 
    listen to the radio on Sunday morning.
    
14. 
    write to my father on Thursday.
    
15. 
    type the reports on Friday.
    
16. 
    do my accounts on Saturday.
    
17. 
    change my library book on Thursday.
    
18. 
    meet Arthur on Tuesday.
    
19. 
    dine out on Friday.
    
20. 
    visit my mother-in-law on Wednesday.
    

B: She won't be arranging the flowers tomorrow; she's just been given the day off.

1. 
   opens the mail.
   
2. 
   dusts the boss's desk.
   
3. 
   answers the phone.
   
4. 
   does the translating.
   
5. 
   deals with dissatisfied customers.
   
6. 
   receives new clients.
   
7. 
   takes shorthand notes.
   
8. 
   writes the minutes.
   
9. 
   types the reports.
   
10. 
    files the copies.
    
11. 
    makes the tea.
    
12. 
    brings the tea round.
    
13. 
    addresses the letters.
    
14. 
    arranges the boss's interviews.
    
15. 
    checks the petty cash.
    
16. 
    programmes the computer.
    
17. 
    pays the staff.
    
18. 
    works out the tax.
    
19. 
    operates the photocopier.
    
20. 
    tuns out the lights.
    

B: No, she'll have dressed him by now. (will here is used for assumption.)

1. 
   8.15 ... cooking breakfast
   
2. 
   8.45 ... having breakfast
   
3. 
   9.15 ... taking the children to school (Omit to school.)
   
4. 
   11.45 ... doing the housework
   
5. 
   2.45 ... writing letters
   
6. 
   3.45 ... walking the dogs
   
7. 
   4.15 ... collecting the children from school (Omit from school.)
   
8. 
   4.45 ... giving the children their tea (Watch the word order.)
   
9. 
   5.45 ... helping the children with their homework
   
10. 
    6.15 ... picking up her husband (Watch the word order.)
    
11. 
    6.45 ... reading to the children
    
12. 
    7.15 ... putting the baby to bed
    
13. 
    8.15 ... cooking supper
    
14. 
    9.15 ... washing up
    
15. 
    11.45 ... going to bed
    

B: No, I'll have painted them all by the end of the week.

1. 
   paint all the doors
   
2. 
   change all the fuses
   
3. 
   rewire all the flats
   
4. 
   lay all the new carpets
   
5. 
   wash all the curtains
   
6. 
   hang all these pictures
   
7. 
   repaper the top rooms
   
8. 
   clear all the blocked drains
   
9. 
   vanish all the woodwork
   
10. 
    weed the flower beds
    
11. 
    mow all the grass
    
12. 
    patch all these pillow cases
    
13. 
    iron all these sheets
    
14. 
    plant all these bulbs
    
15. 
    sow all these seeds
    
16. 
    replace all these tiles
    
17. 
    scrub all these stairs
    
18. 
    polish all this silver
    
19. 
    pick all these apples
    
20. 
    bottle all this wine
    

B: Oh, no. By the end of the month I'll have been chicken farming for five years.

1. 
   collecting stamps
   
2. 
   bird-watching
   
3. 
   keeping hens
   
4. 
   painting
   
5. 
   playing the violin
   
6. 
   sailing
   
7. 
   complaining
   
8. 
   looking for gold
   
9. 
   going to meetings
   
10. 
    writing to the papers
    
11. 
    growing roses
    
12. 
    selling perches
    
13. 
    translating documents
    
14. 
    telling fortunes
    
15. 
    flying jets
    
16. 
    reading The Times
    
17. 
    making jam
    
18. 
    going to work by boat
    
19. 
    working for Bill
    
20. 
    riding a motorbike
    

(a) B: Well, if I see him, I'll tell him.

A: What did you say?

2. 
   B: I said if I saw him, I'd tell him.
   

Alternatively time clause can be used:

A: You'll tell Tom, won't you?

3. 
   B: Yes, I'll tell him as soon as he comes in.
   

4. 
   B: I said I'd tell him as soon as he came in.
   

1. 
   ask Peter
   
2. 
   thank John
   
3. 
   pay Ann
   
4. 
   remind Mary
   
5. 
   warn the children
   
6. 
   tell them
   
7. 
   apologize to George
   
8. 
   kiss him
   
9. 
   congratulate them
   
10. 
    invite her
    
11. 
    discuss it with George
    
12. 
    explain the situation to Mary
    
13. 
    show Peter the photographs (See note above.)
    
14. 
    give Ann the money (See note.)
    
15. 
    recommend it to Alec
    
16. 
    suggest it to Peter
    
17. 
    offer Bill the money (See note.)
    
18. 
    point it out to Bob
    
19. 
    speak to Mary
    
20. 
    hang Hugo this letter (See note.)
    

B: Well, if he refuse please let me know.

1. 
   complain.
   
2. 
   ask for more money.
   
3. 
   go on strike.
   
4. 
   object.
   
5. 
   make a fuss.
   
6. 
   threaten me.
   
7. 
   demand an explanation.
   
8. 
   try to bribe me.
   
9. 
   accuse me.
   
10. 
    blame me.
    
11. 
    refuse to co-operate.
    
12. 
    want proof.
    
13. 
    report me to the police.
    
14. 
    take my passport away.
    
15. 
    make conditions.
    
16. 
    argue.
    
17. 
    insist on a written agreement.
    
18. 
    hi-jack my plane.
    
19. 
    kidnap me.
    
20. 
    shoot at me.