Fill in the gaps/blanks:

1. As far as we can ..tell...., the accident was caused by human error.

2. Could you keep an ..eye.... on my bag while I go to the toilet? (watch it)

3. The teacher ....turned..... a blind eye to the students who were whispering at the
back of the class.

4. I need to ..brush....... up on my German before my trip to Berlin next month. (practice,

refresh)

5. I’m on holiday next week but please keep me in the picture....... about how the project is
going. (keep me informed)

6. She .....can’t.... have been pleased to see her ex-boyfriend sitting at the bar when she
came in. (she definitely wasn't)

7. Steve hardly ..ever...... gets to work on time.

8. I didn’t recognise the number that was calling me but it ....turned...... out to be my brother
on his new phone.

9. In accordance ..with.... his last will and testament, the majority of his fortune was
donated to charity.

10. Never before .have..... ...I... seen such a beautiful display of dance. (2 words, subject = I)

11. It took her a while to come to terms....... with the death of her parents. (accept and
recover from)

12. If it hadn’t been ..for..... Charlie, I would still be working in that dead-end job.

13. Investigators are trying to piece together......... what happened after they lost
contact with the pilot of the plane. (deduce/investigate)

14. The match has been ...called..... off due to unforeseen circumstances. (cancelled)

15. ..Contrary........ to popular opinion, not all Mexican food is spicy.

16. Since getting promoted, I’ve struggled to .get/come.... to grips with my new
responsibilities. (understand and master

17. Can you give me a ..lift.... to the airport in the morning? (take me there in a car)

18. His love of jazz music dates ..back..... to his visit to New Orleans 20 years ago.

19. We could meet at 9am Thursday morning, I hope that this suggestion ...meets..... with
your approval.

20. His son’s failure to get into a good college was a ....source..... of great disappointment to
him.

21. The president is widely.......... expected to lose the upcoming election. (lots of people
think)
22. In all likelyhood............, there will be job losses at the company due to a drop in sales.
(probability)

Version 2
Try to recall the expressions using the key word in brackets to help you.

1. Based on the evidence we have we think the accident was caused by human error.
(TELL)

As far as we can tell, the accident was caused by human error

2. Could you watch my bag while I go to the toilet? (EYE)

Could you keep an eye on my bag while I go to the toilet?

3. The teacher pretended not to see the students who were whispering at the back of the
class. (EYE)

The teacher turned a blind eye to who were whispering at the back of the class

4. I need to refresh and revise my German before my trip to Berlin next month. (BRUSH)

I need to brush up on my German before my trip to Berlin next month

5. I’m on holiday next week but please give me regular updates on how the project is
going. (PICTURE)

I’m on holiday next week but please keep me in the picture about how the project is going.

6. She definitely wasn’t pleased to see her ex-boyfriend sitting at the bar when she came
in. (HAVE)

She can’t have been pleased to see her ex-boyfriend sitting at the bar when she came in.

7. Steve is almost always late for work. (HARDLY)

Steve hardly ever gets to work on time.

8. I didn’t recognise the number that was calling me but in the end it was my brother on
his new phone. (TURNED)

I didn’t recognise the number that was calling me but it turned out to be my brother on his new
phone.

9. Based on his last will and testament, the majority of his fortune was donated to charity.
(ACCORDANCE)

In accordance with his last will and testament, the majority of his fortune was donated to charity

10. It was the first time I had seen such a beautiful display of dance. (NEVER)

Never before have I seen such a beautiful display of dance

11. It took her a while to understand and accept the death of her parents. (TERMS)

It took her a while to come to terms with the death of her parents
 12. Without Charlie, I would still be working in that dead-end job. (BEEN)

If it hadn’t been for Charlie, I would still be working in that dead-end job

13. Investigators are trying to deduce what happened after they lost contact with the pilot of
the plane. (PIECE)

Investigators are trying to piece together what happened after they lost contact with the pilot of
the plane.

14. The match has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. (CALLED)

The match has been called off to unforeseen circumstances

15. Despite what most people think, not all Mexican food is spicy. (CONTRARY)

Contrary to popular opinion, not all Mexican food is spicy

16. Since getting promoted, I’ve struggled to deal with/understand my new responsibilities.
(GRIPS)

Since getting promoted, I’ve struggled to get to grips with my new responsibilities

17. Can you drive me to the airport in the morning? (LIFT)

Can you give me a lift to the airport in the morning?

18. His love of jazz music started when he visited New Orleans 20 years ago. (DATES)

His love of jazz music dates back to his visit to New Orleans 20 year ago

19. We could meet at 9am Thursday morning, I hope that this suggestion is acceptable to
you. (MEETS)

We could meet at 9am Thursday morning, I hope that this suggestion meets with your approval

20. His son’s failure to get into a good college was disappointing for him. (SOURCE)

His son’s failure to get into a good college was a source of disappointment to him

21. Most people expect the president to lose the upcoming election. (WIDELY)

The President is widely expected to lose the upcoming election

22. There will probably be job losses at the company due to a drop in sales.
(LIKELIHOOD)

In all likelihood, there will be losses at the company due to a drop in sales
Complete the sentences with 1 word.

1. Hardly anybody uses fax machines anymore, they’re basically obsolete.

2. The houses on my street, all of which were built over 200 years ago, are painted in a range of
colours.
3. Get her a present, some chocolates or flowers, to say sorry.
4. The government has cut spending on education. What this means is that class sizes will
increase.
5. This part of the building is in the process of _being_____ repaired.
6. _AS____ there were so many people at the concert, there wasn’t much room to dance.
7. I’m still not sure _whether_ or not I want to go to the barbecue.
8. Texting has become the most common means by _which_____ people communicate with each
other.
9. Most parents encourage their children to study _something________ that really interests them.
10. _Having_ seen most of the director’s films before, I knew what to expect when I took my seat in
the cinema.
11. Being_ a bit scared of flying, I normally take a sleeping tablet before a long-haul flight.
12. I struggled to understand the film, _even_____ with the English subtitles.
13. Even though I’m not a big fan of foreign food, I have to say I enjoyed the meal.
14. The weather forecast for the weekend looks perfect. Even _ so_, I’m going to bring an umbrella
just in case.
15. After __what_____ seemed like ages, the bus finally arrived.
16. __So____ excited were the children to see the beach that they left their bags on the train.
17. Whenever I go to see a horror film, I find myself____ wondering why I put myself in these
situations.
18. You should come to the shops with us rather than sitting in the house all day.
19. They serve mainly American food such as burgers, hotdogs and _so_____ on.

Fixed Expressions
Complete the sentences with 1 word.

1. Don’t throw all that cardboard away, I’m sure we can _make_ use of it in some way.
2. It normally takes me an hour or so____ to get home from school. (approx)
3. Sometimes as _many____ as 50 people come to the free dance classes.
4. To be honest, I don’t think he has/stands a chance of getting the job.
5. I had __no___ idea anyone was listening to my phone calls.
6. I’ve had enough of being taken _for___ granted, I’m leaving you!
7. I am _in____ no doubt about my decision.
8. I still can’t _make____ up my mind about where to have the party.
9. You need to _take____ responsibility for your own actions.
10. What really makes this model _stand_____ out from the crowd is how easy it is to use.
11. It’s _high_____ time you found yourself a job.
12. __Little_____ did we know how long the process would take.

Missing Prepositions
Complete the sentences with 1 word.

1. Police think they got into the building _by_______ forcing the bathroom window open.
2. I try to do at least a little exercise _on___ a daily basis.
3. The problems associated _with___ shooting the film underwater were a real headache for the
director.
4. They were __on__ the point of calling off the search when they found the missing dog sleeping
under a tree.
5. He has written well _over____ a thousand songs in his career. (much more than)
 6. More and more people are deciding to opt _for_____ smaller, more intimate wedding
ceremonies.
7. The course consists _of____ three weeks of intensive classes followed by a final exam.
8. They’ve formed a new band made __up___ of most of the members of the old one.
9. We’re thinking about having our house done _up___ this summer, but it might be too expensive.
10. I’m not happy with the script, I’m going to work _on___ it over the weekend.
11. The study was carried _out____ by a group of scientists from Harvard.
12. Coming __up____ with new ideas for Halloween parties every year is getting difficult.
13. The development of smaller, hand-held cameras led __to__ photography becoming a popular
hobby.
14. If it hadn’t been _for__ my sister’s advice, I probably wouldn’t have gone to college.

Sentence Completion
Complete the sentences with the key words from the box.

ACROSS LOSS RESULT LIKELY TRACK UP LOOKOUT MUCH RATHER LET PART
SUCH

1. You need to be ON THE __LOOKOUT__ FOR pickpockets in this area.

2. Plans ARE BEING DRAWN __UP_______ for a new shopping centre on the
outskirts of the city.

3. _MUCH__TO OUR HORROR, when we got back to the hotel all our stuff had been
stolen.

4. Would YOU __RATHER___ I HAD NOT told them about the party?

5. __LET__ME KNOW if you can come to the party, I need to buy the food tonight.

6. Andrés WAS AT A _LOSS_ TO EXPLAIN why he was late for class again.

7. Failure to show a valid ticket is LIKELY TO _RESULT_ IN you having to pay a fine.

8. It is HIGHLY _LIKELY__ THAT THE FILM WILL win several awards.

9. Quick ACTION ON THE __PART______ OF the ambulance crew saved the little
girl’s life.

10. How can I GET IT _ACROSS__ TO HIM that I’m just not that into him.

11. Don’t be silly, there IS NO ____SUCH_____ THING as vampires.

12. I’m so sorry I’m late, I (COMPLETELY) LOST ___TRACK_______ OF TIME!

 Missing Words
Complete the expressions with a missing preposition.

1. I was __on___ the point _of___ leaving the house when the phone rang.

2. He insisted __on___ carrying my bag for me.

3. He objected __to___ being treated in such a rude way.

4. They accused him __of___ being careless and irresponsible

5. Failure to arrive on time for your flight could result _in___ you being unable to travel.

6. You can always count _on____ Jill to have a clear plan in situations like this.

7. The headmaster’s speech will be followed __by__ a performance by the school orchestra.

8. They congratulated me __on__ passing my driving test.

9. It’s time for you to make __up__ your mind about the course you want to study.

10. Everything is going according _to___ plan.

11. The company is highly spoken _of___ in the local area.

12. The job offer came __as__ a big surprise __to__ me.

13. I was taken __aback__ by the size of the phone bill. (surprised)

14. I’m not going to put up _with___ your rudeness anymore! (tolerate)

15. Don’t hesitate _to___ call if you have any questions or doubts.

16. I sometimes feel that my children take me _for___ granted.

17. They have put him in charge _of___ the marketing department.

18. I applied __to__ Apple _for___ a job in sales.

19. I am _in___ no doubt that the show will be a big success.

20. The little boys took no notice __of__ what their mothers were saying.
Key Word Transformations - Mega Test

1. You must never let anyone use your Identity Card

SHOULD

Under no circumstances should you let anyone else use your identity card.

2. The football club is now being run by an experienced accountant

TAKEN

An experienced accountant has taken over the running of the football club.

3. If he doesn't get that job, who knows what he'll do!

KNOWING

If he doesn't get that job, there is no knowing what he'll do!

4. It's possible that the burglars got into the building by forcing open a fire exit.

GAINED

The burglars may have gained entry/access by forcing open a fire exit.

5. Many people believe that Edison has the ability to become world judo champion.

CAPABLE

Many people believe that Edison is capable of winning the world championship in judo.

6. I was disappointed to hear that Leo had decided not to play basketball any more.

UP

Leo's decision to give up basketball came as a disappointment to me.

7. He thinks his friends do not appreciate him.

GRANTED
 He dislikes being taken for granted by his friends.

8. My passport needs renewing because I´m going abroad this summer.

GET

I need to get my passport renewed because I´m going abroad this summer.

9. Could I ask you if you'd mind looking after my dog while I'm away on holiday?

WONDERING

I was wondering if you were willing to look after my dog while I'm away on holiday?

10. Repairing that old computer is pointless in my view.

POINT

I can see no the point in that old computer being repaired.

11. Playing drums is fun, but so is singing in a choir.

JUST

It's just as much fun singing in a choir as it is playing the drums.

12. Clara said that she had not seen the missing letter.

HAVING

Clara denied having seen the missing letter.

13. It's important to consider everyone's opinion before a final decision is made.

ACCOUNT

Everyone's opinion must be taken into account before a final decision is made.

14. “The company benefits from looking after its customers,” said the chairman.

INTEREST

According to the chairman, it is in the company’s interest to look after its customers.

15. Kelvin should call in a builder to repair those broken roof tiles.
 GET

Kelvin should get those broken roof tiles repaired by a builder.

16. Lucy was very pleased to be given an award.

DELIGHT

Much to her delight Lucy was given the award.

17. Fernanda refused to wear her sister's old dress.

NOT

Fernanda said that she would not wear her sister´s old dress.

18. “Remember to write or phone.” Marta said as she waved goodbye to her friend.

TOUCH

“Don’t forget to keep in touch. “ Marta said as she waved goodbye to her friend.

19. Police are warning people to check for forged notes which are currently in circulation.

LOOKOUT

Police are warning people to be on the lookout for forged notes which are currently in
circulation.

20. Apparently, they’re planning on rerouting the traffic to reduce congestion.

DRAWN

Plans are being drawn up to reroute the traffic to reduce congestion.

21. We were horrified to see smoke coming out of the bedroom windows.

COULD

Much to our horror we could see smoke coming out of the bedroom windows.

22. Didn't you want me to tell the staff about your resignation?

RATHER
 Would you rather I had not let the staff know about your resignation?

23. Brian couldn't explain how the stolen computer got into the boot of his car.

LOSS

Brian _was at a loss to explain___________ how the stolen computer got into the boot
of his car.

24. Some loss of support for the government is a likely consequence of these drastic
measures.

RESULT

These drastic measures are likely to result in the government losing some support.

25. This film stands a very good chance of winning an award.

HIGHLY

It is highly likely that this film will win an award.

26. The ban on parking in the city centre is probably going to be very unpopular.

LIKELY

It is likely that the parking ban in the city centre will be a very unpopular move.

27. The police acted quickly and prevented a fight between rival groups developing.

PART

Quick action on the part of the police prevented a fight between rival groups developing.

28. How can I make him understand that I don't want to see him any more?

ACROSS

How can I get it across to him that I don't want to see him any more?

29. Team spirit no longer exists after one member of a team makes a mistake.
 SUCH

Once one member of a team makes a mistake there is no such thing as team spirit.

30. I’m sorry, I didn't realise it was so late.

TRACK

Sorry, I lost track of time.

31. It's not likely to happen but if you're not satisfied with the product we'll refund your
money.

EVENT

In unlikely event_______________ that you are not satisfied with the product your
money will be refunded.

32. They put Roger in charge of health and safety at the factory.

MADE

Roger was made responsible for health and safety in the factory.

33. I wasn't expecting my colleagues to organise a farewell party on my last day at the
company.

TAKEN

I was taken aback when my colleagues organised a farewell party on my last day.

34. He's likely to lose his job if he keeps disagreeing with his boss.

DANGER

If he keeps disagreeing with his boss, he's in danger of getting sacked from his job.

35. The Government recently said our problems are the fault of the worldwide economic
slowdown.

PLACED

The Government have placed the blame on the worldwide economic slowdown for our
problems.
36. You led me to believe the job was mine if I wanted it.

IMPRESSION

I had the impression/was under the impression that the job was mine if I wanted it.

37. Hilary was asked to give an explanation for making the mistake.

WHY

Hilary was asked to explain why she had made the mistake.

38. There is no way Lisa will give up her independence to get married.

OF

Lisa has no intention of giving up her independence to get married.

39. If you don't pay on time, your booking will be cancelled.

RESULT

Failure to pay on time will result in your booking being cancelled.

40. It's so difficult to create new ideas for the festival every year!

COME

How difficult it is to come up with new ideas for the festival every year!

41. The company is almost certain to get the contract.

EVERY

The company stands every chance of getting the contract.

42. A short meeting of the cast will take place after today's rehearsal.

BY

Today's rehearsal will be followed by a short meeting of the cast.

43. To help run the exhibition next month, we need at least six people.
 REQUIRED

No fewer (because countable) than six people are required to help us run the exhibition
next month.

Less money, less water – uncountable

44. Feel free to telephone if you have any further problems.

CALL

Do not hesitate to call if you have any further problems.

45. A common belief is that British people cannot speak foreign languages very well.

WEAK

British people are commonly believed to be weak at speaking foreign languages.

46. It is important to be well prepared for an interview because if you make a mistake, you
may not get the job.

COST

A mistake in an interview may cost you the job so it is important to be well prepared.

47. It took Layla five minutes to find her car keys.

SPENT

Layla spent five minutes looking for her car keys.

48. Phoebe was surprised to be offered a place on the course.

CAME

The offer of a place on the course came as a surprise to Phoebe.

49. I can't deny that I was embarrassed to be given the award.

NO

There's _____________________ embarrassment at being given the award.

50. I think Anita must have gone on a diet recently because she's quite slim now.
 HAS

It looks as if Anita has been dieting because she's quite slim now.

51. Delia said that she would no longer tolerate her colleagues being rude.

PUT

'I am not willing to put up with the rudeness from my colleagues any longer, ' said Delia.

52. It's difficult to know what my reaction would have been in that situation.

HOW

I'm not sure how I would have reacted in that situation.

53. At the beginning of the programme the panel of experts discussed the media and its
importance in education.

DISCUSSION

The panel of experts started the programme with a discussion about the media and its
importance in education.

54. Sarah cried her eyes out immediately when she was told she'd failed her driving test.

BROKE

Sarah broke down in tears as soon as she heard she'd failed her driving test.

55. Do you mind if I come over to see you later?

OBJECTION

Do you have any objection to me coming over to see you later?

56. Given that he has no experience, will Glyn be able to do this job?

AFFECT

Will Glyn's lack of experience affect his ability to do this job?

57. At no time did we think that Pedro might be planning to leave the country.
 OCCURRED

It never occurred to us that Pedro might be planning to leave the country.

58. I'm sure we went the wrong way at the last junction.

TAKEN

We must have taken a wrong turn at the junction.

59. We wanted to continue our mountain trek but the weather was too bad.

LIKE

We would like to have carried on with our mountain trek but the weather was too bad.

60. No changes will be made to this project.

AHEAD

This project will go ahead according to plan.

61. Simon really ought to make a decision about his future.

MIND

It's high time Simon made up his mind about his future.

62. The company has a good reputation in the local area.

HIGHLY

The company is highly spoken of in the local area.

63. Nadia's friend arrived just as she was about to leave the restaurant.

POINT

Nadia was just on the point of leaving the restaurant when her friend arrived.

64. I don't expect the company to make profit this year, given the economic climate.

SURPRISED

Given the economic climate, I would be surprised if the company made a profit this year.
65. Barbara’s parents were certain that she would be a great tennis player.

DOUBT

Barbara's parents were in no doubt that she would be a great tennis player.

66. My grandfather had completely forgotten that he phoned me last night.

RECOLLECTION

My grandfather didn't have any recollection of phoning me last night.

67. Pay claims must be submitted before the end of the month.

PUT

You have to _put in_ your pay claims before the end of the month.

68. It's very unlikely that Martin will win the 100 metres, as he's out of training.

CHANCE

Martin has almost no chance of winning the 100 metres, as he's out of training.

69. Most of the children ignored what the teacher had told them.

NOTICE

Few of the children took notice of what the teacher had told them.

70. The company is unable to guarantee an allocated car-parking space to all employees.

COUNT

The company's employees shouldn´t count on being allocated a car-parking space.

71. He no longer thinks he can find a job before the end of the year.

HOPE

He has given up hope of finding a job before the end of the year.

72. I'm sure Jemma is going to become a famous model one day.
 MATTER

I think it's only a matter of time before/until Jemma becomes a famous model.

73. I think learning to use a typewriter is a waste of time.

POINT

I can’t see a/any/the point in/of learning how to use a typewriter.

74. Darius soon recovered after the operation on his knee and was able to rejoin the team.

MADE

After the operation on his knee, Darius made a fast/quick recovery and was able to
rejoin the team.

75. I always hated pasta when I was a child but now I cook it regularly.

USE

I didn’t use to like pasta when I was a child but now I cook it regularly.

76. It was a mistake not to write the telephone number down.

POINT

I should have made a point of writing down the telephone number.

77. If Marc hadn’t taken up politics, he might have become a famous art historian.

NAME

If Marc hadn't taken up politics, he might have made a name for himself as an art
historian.

78. This holiday is within our price range, provided we don't go to the expensive restaurants
in the tourist centre.

AFFORD

We can afford this holiday as long as we avoid the expensive restaurants in the tourist
centre.
79. Yesterday I informed my boss in writing that I would be leaving the company.

NOTICE

I _handed in my notice _ to my boss yesterday.

80. He answered the judge's questions as accurately as he could.

ACCURATE

He gave as accurate an answer as he could to the judge's question.

81. Davina can't even boil an egg and so she certainly couldn't cook a whole meal.

ALONE

Davina can't even boil an egg_let alone cook_ a whole meal.

She doesn’t like looking at water let alone swimming

So much for having friends – вот тебе и друзья