Success IAS Grammar Exercises
Success IAS Grammar Exercises
Success IAS Grammar Exercises
SYNONYMS: https://youtu.be/L5Q_PhXNF-Y
ANTONYMS: https://youtu.be/JwUOYpgYaKU
PREPOSITIONS: https://youtu.be/eA4NHBFvAIg
CONJUNCTIONS: https://youtu.be/ffW2aWEZU2U
Exercise 1
Rearrange the words in correct order to make complete sentences.
e.g. the fat cat / a mouse / is chasing.
The fat cat is chasing a mouse.
Exercise 1
1. That thin girl is drinking milk now.
2. The police caught the robbers yesterday.
3. We like our teacher.
4. My mother is looking after my baby sister.
5. The tall man has just written a letter.
6. The students have solved some Mathematics problems.
7. Mary will visit her aunt tomorrow.
8. My boss reads newspapers every day.
9. The audience enjoyed the movie.
10. The cook has made some chocolate cakes.
Exercise 2
Rearrange the words in correct order to make complete sentences.
e.g. my sister / a birthday cake yesterday / me / baked
My sister baked me a birthday cake yesterday.
1. the short man / has bought / some crayons from the stationery shop / his son
2. the policeman / has just shown / the driver / his driving license
3. the patient / gave / some medicine / the nurse
4. brought / me / a bouquet of flowers last week / my uncle
5. the shopkeeper / the customer / is paying / two hundred dollars
6. he / his brother / the secret / has never told
7. a postcard from Japan / sent / her / her best friend
8. did not lend / his new model car / the child / his classmate
9. her mother / cooked / her / some congee
10. has ever given / any help / the blind woman / no one in the street
Exercise 2
1. The short man has bought his son some crayons from the stationery shop.
2. The driver has just shown the policeman his driving license.
3. The nurse gave the patient some medicine.
4. My uncle brought me a bouquet of flowers last week.
5. The customer is paying the shopkeeper two hundred dollars.
6. He has never told his brother the secret.
7. Her best friend sent her a postcard from Japan.
8. The child did not lend his classmate his new model car.
9. Her mother cooked her some congee.
10. No one in the street has ever given the blind woman any help.
Exercise 3
Rewrite each of the following sentences by placing the word in brackets before the
indirect object.
e.g. My brother showed me his new wallet. (to)
My brother showed his new wallet to me.
Exercise 3
1. The postman took a letter to her yesterday.
2. The dog owner gives a bone to his dog every day.
3. The students sent a present to their teacher.
4. The gardener handed some flowers to me.
5. My mother has already taken a cup of coffee to my father.
6. She found a seat for me in the concert last Sunday.
7. Betty has painted a beautiful picture for her best friend.
8. We bought a pair of gloves for our uncle on his birthday.
9. The tailor made a new dress for the princess.
10. Judy has baked some chocolate cookies for me.
Adverb it describes the adjective and / The children always talk loudly.
or verbs
Conjunction it joins sentences, clauses, Jimmy opened the door and went in.
phrases and single words
Exercise 1
Pick out the nouns in the following sentences. There may be more than one noun in
each sentence.
e.g. Terry told his friends many secrets.
Nouns: Terry, friends, secrets
Answers
Exercise 1
1. success, parents
2. cows, milk
3. train, station.
4. Paris, capital, France.
5. family, holiday, London.
6. coffee, milk, sugar
7. lead, iron.
8. health, wealth
9. swarm, rabbits, forest
10. brother, toothache, week
Exercise 2
1. him.
2. mine
3. Who, her
4. He, himself, he
5. Which, you
6. nobody
7. them
8. She, it, me
9. I, they, yours
10. You, yourself
Exercise 3
1. These, sweet, expensive
2. Whose
3. some
4. highest
5. any, our
6. Which, blue, red
7. fatter
8. dangerous
9. interesting
10. honest
1. After the rain had stopped, the children went out to the playground.
2. My sister enjoys listening to classical music.
3. We will visit the museum tomorrow.
4. Who has finished doing the exercise?
5. The tiger was shot by the hunter.
6. The train is leaving soon.
7. Snakes are found in Sai Kung.
8. John occupies a very important position in the company.
9. I was bathing when the telephone rang.
10. That is the woman who knows my parents.
Exercise 4
1. had stopped, went
2. enjoys
3. will visit
4. has finished
5. was shot
6. is leaving
7. are found
8. occupies
9. was bathing, rang
10. is, knows
Exercise 5
1. sweetly, yesterday
2. here
3. seldom
4. more wisely
5. heavily, carefully
6. noisily
7. least
8. hard
9. ever
10. too
Exercise 6
1. off, into
2. for
3. over
4. along
5. in, under
6. against
7. of
8. at
9. on
10. from
Exercise 7
1. Although
2. before.
3. but
4. or
5. until
6. Since
7. because
8. for
9. so
10. Though
Exercise 8
1. Oh
2. Ah
3. Hush
4. How wonderful
5. Alas
6. Ha, Ha
7. Good heavens
8. Dear me
9. Well done
10. Hurrah
2. situations which are true at the time of speaking although they may change
e.g. He is in Paris at the moment.
Exercise 1
Fill in the blanks with the simple present form of the verbs in brackets.
e.g. He drinks a cup of coffee every morning. (drink)
Exercise 1
1. is
2. does
3. waters
4. get
5. fly
6. do not work
7. watches
8. visits
9. plays
10. Do you know
Exercise 2
1. boils
2. put
3. like
4. go
5. have
6. open
7. loses
8. need
9. Do you enjoy
10. makes
Fill in the blanks with the simple present form of the verbs in brackets.
e.g. A baby is helpless and needs parental care. (be, need)
6. Some factories __________ inflammable raw materials and may catch fire easily.
This __________ a very serious threat to buildings nearby. For example, the
factories in San Po Kong __________ very near to residential blocks. This
__________ an example of land use conflict. (use, be, be, be)
7. The buildings __________ often small and a lot of people __________ there.
Windows __________ not sufficient and so ventilation __________ poor. The
shops __________ a lot of rubbish and pollutants like waste gases from restaurant
kitchens. The dense traffic and slow-moving vehicles also __________ out a lot of
smoke and harmful gases. Living there __________ very unpleasant. (be, live, be,
be, produce, give, become)
Exercise 3
1. contains, are, are
2. takes, is, are
3. affect, go
4. have, prefer, like, like
5. is, creates, are
6. use, is, are, is
7. are, live, are, is, produce, give, becomes
Fill in the blanks with the simple present form of the verbs in brackets.
e.g. A baby is helpless and needs parental care. (be, need)
9. Some factories __________ their waste water properly. They just __________
them down the drain pipes. This waste water __________ toxic chemicals and
metals. These then __________ concentrated in seafood like oysters and
shrimps. (not treat, pour, contain, become)
10. Since the Second World War, the two cities __________ better sanitary conditions
and medical facilities. Now fewer babies __________ after birth and people
__________ a longer life. Therefore, as the number of deaths __________,
population __________. (have, die, live, drop, increase)
11. Some factory owners __________ their waste water into the drain pipes. Many
cars __________ black smoke but the drivers __________ them. People
__________ a lot of paper and plastic and therefore __________ a large amount
of solid waste. (pour, emit, not fix, use, produce)
13. Some countries, like the USA, __________ to protect their own industries. They
__________ up quotas to restrict the quantity of imported products. They also
__________ the price of imported goods by using tariffs on imports. (want, set,
increase)
Answers
Exercise 4
8. does not have, ride, slows, run, is
9. do not treat, pour, contains, become
10. have, die, live, drops, increases
11. pour, emit, do not fix, use, produce
12. move, encourages
13. want, set, increase
14. provides, want, are, receive
Fill in the blanks with the simple present form of the verbs in brackets.
e.g. A baby is helpless and needs parental care. (be, need)
2. Hong Kong __________ to Hong Kong Island, the Kowloon Peninsula and the
New Territories. It __________ in Guangdong province in south China. (refer, be)
3. Each walled village __________ an ancestral hall. The ancestral hall __________
the soul tablets of the clan’s founding ancestor. Clan members __________ their
ancestors, __________ celebrations and __________about clan affairs there.
(have, houses, worship, hold, talk)
4. Damiao __________ the oldest and largest of all the Tianhou temples in Hong
Kong. Some 30000 worshippers __________ there on Tinahou’s birthday. At
Damiao, they __________ incense, and __________ fruit and roasted pigs to
Tianhou. (be, go, burn, offer)
Exercise 5
15. learn, make
16. refers, is
17. has, houses, worship, hold, talk
18. is, go, burn, offer
19. means, use, live
Fill in the blanks with the simple present form of the verbs in brackets.
e.g. A baby is helpless and needs parental care. (be, need)
2. Most of the time a detective _____________some materials from the scene and
_____________them to the laboratory for analysis. (collect, send)
6. The lining of the uterus ____________down and a small amount of blood and
cells _____________out through the vagina. (break, pass)
Exercise 6
1. carry, provides
2. collects, sends
3. knows, exist
4. begins, meets, swim
5. reaches, reaches
6. breaks, pass
7. occurs, stays, does not break
8. is, varies
9. choose, get, do you know
10. take, do not pay
Fill in the blanks with the simple present form of the verbs in brackets.
e.g. A baby is helpless and needs parental care. (be, need)
1. When two objects __________ the same speed, which one __________ more
kinetic energy, the heavier one or the lighter one? (have, have)
3. When acid rain __________ into stream and lakes, it __________ them acidic
and this __________ most of the fish. (fall, make, kill)
4. As the tide __________, seawater __________ through the dam tunnels into the
river and __________ the turbines. When the tide __________ out, the turbines
__________ in the opposite direction. (rise, flow, turn, flow turn)
5. Every day the sun __________, the wind __________, the rain __________ and
the tide __________ in. (shine, blow, fall, come)
6. Water pollution not only __________ our health, but also __________ nature.
(affect, harm)
7. When you __________ onto cold glass, the water vapour breathed out
__________ into liquid water. (breathe, condense)
8. Atoms of the same matter __________ the same and __________ the same size.
Atoms of different elements __________ different sizes (be, have, have)
9. The difference between steel and wood __________ that steel __________
denser than wood. (be, be)
10. When an electric iron __________ the required temperature, the bimetallic strip
__________, breaking the circuit and switching off the heater. (reach, bend)
Exercise 7
20. have, has
21. supplies
22. falls, makes, kills
23. rises, flows, turns, flows, turn
24. shines, blows, falls, comes
25. affects, harms
26. breathe, condenses
27. are, have, have
28. is, is
29. reaches, bends
The Simple Past Tense is used to talk about actions that are completed in the
past.
e.g. Sam’s father died last Sunday.
Exercise 1
Fill in the blanks with the simple past form of the verbs in brackets.
e.g. I slept early last night. (sleep)
4. Some men ___________ a hole under the fence last week. (dig)
7. The boys ___________ into the house when it ___________ to rain. (go, start)
8. Eve ___________ the apples into halves and ___________ them to the guests.
(cut, give)
10. We ___________ money, so we _________ our car last week. (need, sell)
Exercise 1
1. broke
2. took
3. had
4. dug
5. did not drink, was
6. fell
7. went, started
8. cut, gave
9. was
10. needed, sold
7. The clerk ____________ the letter this morning. I am sure the client will get it
tomorrow.
10. We ____________ this apple tree when we ____________ in this house last year.
Exercise 2
1. knocked
2. heard
3. got
4. dropped
5. went
6. Were
7. posted
8. stopped
9. gave
10. planted, moved
Exercise 3
The following sentences are taken from Living Geography Book 1A published by
Addison Wesley Longman China Limited.
Fill in the blanks with the simple past form of the verbs in brackets.
e.g. He did not go to school yesterday because he was sick. (not go, be)
2. Compared with the market towns in the New Territories, Central _____________
more accessible. At that time, business people ______________ and __________
their goods mainly by sea. They _______________ sea transport _____________
convenient in this area. So, they _______________ their offices and warehouses
around Victoria Harbour. It ________________ the most accessible part of the
city. (be, import, export, find, be, build, become)
3. As more and more offices and houses were built, land was not enough. The CBD
therefore _______________ to Wan Chai and across the harbour to Tsim Sha Tsui
on the Kowloon Peninsula. Also, the government _______________ to reclaim
4. To help solve these problems, the Hong Kong government in 1988 ____________
the Hong Kong Land Development Corporation. (establish)
Exercise 3
1. came, wanted, found, was, began
2. was, imported, exported, found, was, built, became
3. expanded, began
4. established
5. became, started, was
Fill in the blanks with the simple past form of the verbs in brackets.
e.g. He did not go to school yesterday because he was sick. (not go, be)
.
1. In the past, land use planning __________ less important. There ___________ no
control over land use. (be, be)
4. In the past, Hong Kong products __________ popular in the overseas market
because they __________ cheaper. (be, be)
7. In 1997, the average daily traffic figures at the three crossing points __________
about 1,900 at Sha Tau Kok, 8,400 at Man Kam To and 15,700 at Lok Ma Chau.
(be)
10. In the 1960s and 1970s, Hong Kong __________ steady rural-urban migration
and urbanization.
Answers
Exercise 4
1. was, was
2. started
3. produced
4. were, were
5. was, were, gave, polluted, were, began
6. remained, created
7. were
8. was, reached, rose
9. left, moved, worked, caused, was, occurred
10. experienced
Fill in the blanks with the simple past form of the verbs in brackets.
e.g. He did not go to school yesterday because he was sick. (not go, be)
1. History __________ when people first __________ written records in about 4000
BC (or 6000 years old). (begin, make)
2. The Stone Age __________ from about 2500000-4000BC. During this prehistoric
period, people mainly __________ stone to make tools and weapons. They
__________ no written records. (last, use, leave)
3. Early Old Stone Age people __________ probably apemen. They __________
any clothes. They __________ only 1.5 metres tall. They __________ how to talk.
They __________ate uncooked food. They __________ in caves to keep warm.
(be, not wear, be, not know, eat, live)
5. In 221 BC, Hong Kong __________ a part of the Qin Dynasty. Yet there
__________ few official records about Hong Kong. (become, be)
6. One or two hundred years ago, Hong Kong’s rural life __________ quiet. People
at that time __________ few entertainments. Rural people __________ the
custom of worshipping their ancestors. Ancestor worship __________ a part of the
religious life in a rural community. Its main purpose __________ to show filial
piety to ancestors. (be, have, have, form, be)
9. Ancient Greeks __________ democratic rule. They __________ many gods and
goddesses. Each god or goddess __________ its own myth. (start, worship, have)
11. Feudalism __________ people into the aristocracy. Nobles and their families
__________ the aristocracy. They __________ great landowners. (divide, form,
be)
12. Craftsmen and traders in medieval Europe __________ to group themselves into
guilds. The guilds __________ rules for their trade and craft. They __________
prices, wages and the quality of goods. (like, make, fix)
Answers
Exercise 5
1. began, made
2. lasted, used, left
3. were, did not wear, were, did not know, ate, lived
4. heard, got, was, knew, called, mistook
5. became, were
6. was, had, had, formed, was
7. built, lasted
8. began, developed, lived, learned, began, ended, conquered
9. started, worshipped
10. did not go, fell, started, hate, want, leave
11. divided, formed, were
12. liked, made, fixed
Fill in the blanks with the simple past form of the verbs in brackets.
e.g. He did not go to school yesterday because he was sick. (not go, be)
1. In 1912, the big ocean liner Titanic ___________ across the Altantic Ocean from
England to New York. (sail)
3. Around 3000 B.C., the Chinese ____________a ‘fire clock’. It was a rod. (invent)
5. Robert Hooke ____________ the first one to use a microscope to observe ‘cells’
in 1665. (be)
Exercise 6
1. sailed
2. was, made
3. invented, was
4. were
5. was
Fill in the blanks with the simple past form of the verbs in brackets.
e.g. He did not go to school yesterday because he was sick. (not go, be)
1. In the past, most people in Hong Kong __________ kerosene for cooking. (use)
3. In the past, we __________ heavily on collected rain water which was stored in
reservoirs. (depend)
Exercise 7
1. used
2. required
3. depended
Exercsie 1
Fill in the blanks with the present perfect form of the verbs in brackets.
Example: We have known each other for a long time. (know)
9. The old man ____________________ in that little hut for ten years. (live)
Exercise 1
1. have seen
2. Have you ever been
3. Has not stopped
4. Have never ridden
5. has worked
6. have broken
7. have just caught
8. has cooked
9. has lived
10. has arrived
him.
Fill in the blanks with the present perfect form of the verbs in brackets.
e.g. Have you ever observed any plant cells under the microscope? (observe)
4. There are more and more people living in the old urban areas. The land value
________ thus ______________ too high for factories, so many factories
______________________ out to the New Territories. (become, move)
Exercise 3
1. has become
2. has brought
3. has made
4. has thus become, have moved
5. have earned
Fill in the blanks with the present perfect form of the verbs in brackets.
e.g. Have you ever observed any plant cells under the microscope? (observe)
3. In 1994, the government started a sewage disposal scheme. Under the scheme, all
of Hong Kong’s coastal waters _____________________ water control zones.
(become)
10. The unpleasant living environment in the old urban areas ___________________
people to leave. Over the last twenty years, many Hong Kong people _________
___________ to the New Territories. (cause, move)
Answers
Exercise 4
1. have experienced
2. has started
3. have become
4. has planed
5. has caused, have moved
6. has changed
7. has begun
8. has been
9. has caused
10. has affected
The Simple Future Tense is used to talk about an action which will happen in
future
e.g. He will move to a new flat very soon.
Exercise 1
Fill in the blanks with the simple future form of the verbs in brackets.
e.g. Tony will join us for lunch tomorrow. (join)
Exercise 1
1. will help
2. will come
3. will finish
4. will visit
5. will forget
6. will see
7. will close
8. will celebrate
9. will take
10. will not go
1. The boys _____________________ the gate and the wall next weekend.
5. There is no need for you to tell him what to do. He __________________ out the
answer soon.
Exercise 1
1. will paint
2. will return
3. will drop
4. will deliver
5. will find
6. will take off
7. will hear
8. will leave
9. will bake
10. will organise
Fill in the blanks with the simple future form of the verbs in brackets.
e.g. Within the next two years, the government will build many new car parks in the
city. (build)
1. The West Rail ____________________ Yuen Long and Tseun Wan. The railway
____________________ to Tuen Mun through the existing Light Rail Transit
System. (link, connect)
Exercise 3
1. will link, will connect
2. will reclaim, will become, will become
Fill in the blanks with the simple future form of the verbs in brackets.
e.g. Within the next two years, the government will build many new car parks in the
city. (build)
1. You ____________ burnt easily if you are not careful enough. (get)
3. The golf course and residential development at Sha Lo Tung ____________ Hong
Kong’s best dragonfly habitat. (destroy)
Exercise 4
1. will get
2. will see
3. will destroy
4. will divide
5. will happen
Fill in the blanks with the simple future form of the verbs in brackets.
e.g. Within the next two years, the government will build many new car parks in the
city. (build)
6. Even the sources of nuclear fuels, such as uranium, are also limited and _______
finally _____ out. (run)
10. When an electricity company installs overhead wires in the summer, they should
be slack enough because they _____________ in the winter. (contract)
Exercise 5
1. will finally run
2. will take
3. will not dissolve
4. will happen
5. will contract
Exercise 1
Fill in the blanks with the passive verb form in simple present tense:
Example: Singapore is known to be an industrialised country.
Exercise 1
1. is made
2. are imported
3. is published
4. is used
5. is cleaned
6. is spoken
7. are baked
8. are eaten
9. is guarded
10. is given
Exercise 2
1. are delivered
2. are caught
3. is drunk
4. are fed
5. is needed
6. are liked
7. is read
8. is sent
9. is switched
10. are watered
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
e.g. Large shopping areas are usually found in the commercial centre of a city. (find)
3. The old buildings ______then ______________ down and the small pieces of
land ____________________ together to form a larger piece. Streets
__________________ wider, new facilities like drain pipes ________________,
and new buildings of different uses _____ then _______________. The land uses
_____ carefully _______________ to avoid the problem of land use conflict. (pull,
group, make, build, construct, plan)
5. Government and community land use means those places where services
__________________ to the public. (provide)
Exercise 3
1. are measured
2. are found, is covered
3. are then pulled down, are grouped, are made, are built, are then construct, are
carefully planned
4. are named
6. are provided
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
e.g. Large shopping areas are usually found in the commercial centre of a city. (find)
2. Some solid wastes like metals and paper ____________________, but most of
them ____________________ into landfills. (recycle, dump)
Exercise 4
5. is not treated, is discharged
6. are recycled, are dumped
7. are found
8. are separated
7. are built, are provided
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
e.g. Large shopping areas are usually found in the commercial centre of a city. (find)
3. How many wind turbines __________ to match the output of a 600 megawatt
coal-fired station? (need)
Exercise 5
1. is converted
2. is produced
3. are needed
4. are formed
5. are suspended
Exercise 1
Fill in the blanks with the passive verb form in simple past tense:
Example: The thief was caught by the police this morning. (catch)
8. My hat _________________ off by the wind when I was crossing the road.
(blow)
Exercise 1
1. was won
2. were bought
3. was published
4. was completed
5. was stolen
6. was planted
7. was elected
8. was blown
9. were killed
10. was painted
9. The naughty boys ____________________ for not doing their homework last
week.
Exercise 2
1. was attacked
2. were built
3. were trapped
4. were eaten
5. was saved
6. was given
7. was broken
8. was checked
9. were punished
10. was written
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
e.g. Were vitamins discovered long time ago? (discover)
2. The streets in the inner city ____________________ many years ago when there
were very few cars. (build)
Exercise 3
1. were built
2. were built
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
e.g. Were vitamins discovered long time ago? (discover)
Exercise 4
3. were found, were built
4. were developed
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
e.g. Were vitamins discovered long time ago? (discover)
7. At first, ancient Egypt ________________ into Upper and Lower Egypt. (divide)
Exercise 5
5. was ruled
6. was started
7. was divided
8. was made
9. was conquered
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
e.g. Were vitamins discovered long time ago? (discover)
2. The Bunsen burner ________ first ___________by a British physicist and chemist
called Michael Faraday in the early 19th century. It___________ then
____________by a famous German chemist called Robert Bunsen in 1850.
(invent, improve)
4. During the construction of the new airport at Chek Lap Kok, a huge area of the
sea ___________ into land. (turn)
Exercise 6
1. were sent
2. was invented, was improved
3. was invented
4. was turned
5. were invented
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
e.g. Were vitamins discovered long time ago? (discover)
Exercise 7
1. was stored
2. were formed
3. was discovered
Exercise 1
Decide whether the verb should be singular or plural. Then fill in each blank with is
or are.
e.g. There is a lot of money in the box.
Exercise 1
1. is
2. is
3. are
4. is
5. are
6. is
7. is
8. is
9. is
10. is
11. is
12. is
13. are
14. is
15. is
3. The police _____________________ (has caught, have caught) the thief recently.
5. All his luggage ______________________ (has been stolen, have been stolen).
6. One of the islands near Hong Kong __________________ (is called, are called)
Cheung Chau.
10. All the fish in this pond _____________________ (has died, have died).
Exercise 2
1. has finished
2. has been obtained
3. has caught
4. have gone
5. has been stolen
6. is called
7. is made
8. are made
9. is used
10. have died
Decide whether the verb should be singular or plural. Then fill in each blank with the
correct verb given in brackets.
e.g. There are (is, are) twenty-two country parks in Hong Kong.
1. Each square __________ (is, are) the intersection of a particular column and a
particular row.
2. There __________ (is, are) different types of maps, for example, street maps,
tourist maps and atlas maps.
3. There __________ (is, are) a number of special signs or symbols on maps and
street plans.
5. In large urban parks like Victoria Park, there __________ (is, are) more facilities
such as swimming pools, tennis courts and indoor games halls.
Exercise 3
1. is
2. are
3. are
4. is
5. are
Decide whether the verb should be singular or plural. Then fill in each blank with the
correct verb given in brackets.
e.g. There are (is, are) twenty-two country parks in Hong Kong.
7. The air quality of Hong Kong is becoming worse. Most of the pollutants
__________ from traffic, industries and construction works. Air pollution
__________ serious because many vehicles such as buses and lorries __________
diesel fuel. Diesel fuel __________ particulates and nitrogen oxides which
__________ people’s health. Factories also __________ a large amount of air
pollutants. People living in industrial areas like Kwun Tong __________ a high
chance of getting respiratory disease. (come, be, use, produce, affect, produce,
have)
8. Each of us __________ at least a kilogram of solid waste every day. The whole
Hong Kong __________ over 6,400 tonnes every day. (produce, produce)
9. Today almost half of the population __________ in these new towns. To prepare
for further population growth, the government __________ to develop other rural
areas such as northern Lantau and northern New Territories. (live, plan)
10. Changing our lifestyles __________ the most important step towards creating a
green city. (be)
Answers
Exercise 4
6. come, are, disturbs, is, is, affects
7. come, is, use, produce, affect, produce, have
8. produces, produces
9. lives, plans
10. is,
11. are, transport
12. are, make
Decide whether the verb should be singular or plural. Then fill in each blank with the
correct verb given in brackets.
e.g. There are (is, are) twenty-two country parks in Hong Kong.
5. There _______________ about 350 000 different kinds of plants found in the
world.
Exercise 5
1. is
2. records, analyses, thinks, discuss, try
3. are
4. are
5. are
Decide whether the verb should be singular or plural. Then fill in each blank with the
correct verb given in brackets.
e.g. There are (is, are) twenty-two country parks in Hong Kong.
2. There __________ (is, are) about 17000 wind turbines in Clifornia in the USA.
4. In Hong Kong, there __________ (is, are) no natural lakes or big rivers.
Exercise 6
1. are
2. are
3. are
4. are
5. are
A preposition is a word used with a noun or pronoun to show its relation to some
other words in a sentence.
e.g. Joe has been suffering from influenza.
Exercise 1
Fill in the blanks with at, on, in, from, or of.
e.g. A party will be held on Christmas Eve.
Exercise 1
1. on
2. in
3. in
4. at
5. from
6. of
7. from
8. on
9. at
10. on
11. at
12. on
13. of
14. from
15. from
16. of
17. in
18. at
19. in
20. on
1. Maps tell us where places are and how far they are __________ each other.
2. Things drawn __________ maps are smaller than the real things which they
show.
3. The scale __________ a map tells the relationship between distances __________
the map and distances __________ real life. It is also ratio __________ map
distance to actual distance.
4. The main urban areas are __________ the northern and south-western parts
__________ Hong Kong Island, Kowloon Peninsula and __________ the new
towns __________ New Territories such as Sha Tin and Tai Po.
5. The Central Business District (CBD) is the commercial centre __________ a city.
There we can find large shopping areas. It is usually located __________ the city
centre.
6. A lot of tourists and business people stay __________ the hotels of the CBD, so
the shops there usually can attract a large number of customers. It is also easier
for customers __________ other places to reach them as the transport is
convenient __________ the CBD.
7. As there are so many business people and customers moving around __________
the CBD, traffic is always congested. Congestion is especially serious
__________ the rush hours.
Exercise 2
1. from
2. on
3. of, on, in, of
4. on, of, in, of
5. of, in
6. in, of, from
7. in, in
8. The buildings __________ the old city core __________ Hong Kong are very old.
Many __________ them are over 50 years old.
10. The government has begun to reduce the pollutants ___________ cars.
11. The government has also set up monitoring stations ___________ Central,
Causeway Bay and Mong Kok to check the air quality ___________ ground level
there.
12. New industrial area are found __________ the new towns __________ the New
Territories.
14. Many people __________ rural areas cannot find a proper place to live
__________ the cities.
Exercise 3
8. in, of, of
9. in
10. from
11. in, at
12. in, of
13. in, of, of, in, of, in
14. from, in
15. The Nile flooded __________ July. The floods left thick mud __________ both
sides __________ the river. Egyptians farmed __________ this fertile black mud
16. The Nile Valley was protected by deserts and the sea. People living there were
free ___________ outside attacks. So civilization began _________ the Nile
Valley __________ about 4000BC.
17. When Alexander conquered Egypt, he built the city __________ Alexandria
__________ the Nile Delta.
18. The Church played an important role __________ Medieval Europe. It spread
education and the Christian ideas __________ love, justice and charity.
19. By the 13th century, some peasants had become rich. They bought back their
freedom __________ the lord.
Exercise 4
15. in, on, of, on
16. from, in, from
17. of, at
18. on, of
19. from
1. Science aims ______________ finding out, discovering and inventing. With the
rapid progress ________________ science, the living standard of human beings is
greatly improved.
5. ___________ the Centigrade or Celsius scale the boiling point __________ water
is 100 degrees.
6. Press three fingers ___________ the wrist __________ your other hand and find
the pulse.
8. Collect three leaves ____________ the same plant __________ your school.
9. Measure the length, width and the number ___________ large veins
____________ each leaf.
10. Use a pair __________ forceps to peel a piece __________ skin ___________ the
inside ____________the leaf.
Answers
Exercise 5
1. at, of , of
2. in ,of
3. at, to
4. of, from
5. in, of
6. on, of
7. of, in
8. from
9. of, of
10. of, of, from
11. of, of, in
12. in of ,at
1. Electricity is generated __________ power stations from coal, oil or natural gas.
3. Solar panels can be installed __________ the roof __________ some houses.
4. Fossils are the remains __________ ancient plants or animals that are found
__________ rocks. Fossil fuels, such as coal, crude oil and natural gas, are
produced __________ the remains of dead plants and animals buried millions
__________ years ago.
5. Nowadays, fossil fuels are our major source __________ energy. Almost 90%
__________ the world’s energy comes __________ the burning __________
fossil fuels.
8. Can the oil stain __________ a piece __________ cloth be removed by water?
10. The temperature __________ which a substance freezes is called its freezing
point.
Exercise 6
1. in, from
2. from, of
3. on, of
4. of, in, from, of, of
5. of, of, from, of
6. In, of, in
7. in, in
8. on, of
9. on, of
10. at