Exercises

59.1 Complete the sentences so that they mean the same as the sentence(s) in brackets.

1. (Why is it useful to have a car?)

What are the advantages of _having a car_?

2. (I don't intend to lend you any money.)

I have no intention of ---

3. (Helen has a good memory for names.)

Helen is good at ---

4. (Mark won't pass the exam. He has no chance.)

Mark has no chance of ---

5. (Did you get into trouble because you were late?)

Did you get into trouble for ---

6. (We didn't eat at home. We went to a restaurant instead.)

Instead of ---

7. (Tom thinks that working is better than doing nothing.)

Tom prefers working to ---

8. (They got married. They didn't tell any of their friends.)

They got married without ---

9. (Our team played well but we lost the game.)

Our team lost the game in spite of ---

59.2 Complete the sentences using by ~ing. Use one of the following (with the verb in the correct form): borrow too much money break a window drive too fast put some posters up on the walls stand on a chair turn a key

1. The burglars got into the house _by breaking a window._

2. I was able to reach the top shelf ---

3. You start the engine of a car ---

4. Kevin got himself into financial difficulty ---

5. You can put people's lives in danger ---

6. We made the room look nicer ---

59.3 Complete the sentences with a suitable word. Use only one word each time.

1. I ran ten kilometers without _stopping._

2. He left the hotel without --- his bill.

3. It's a nice morning. How about --- for a walk?

4. I was surprised that she left without --- goodbye to anyone.

5. Before --- to bed, I like to have a hot drink.

6. We were able to translate the letter into English without --- a dictionary.

7. It was a very long journey. I was very tired after --- on a train for 36 hours.

8. I was annoyed because the decision was made without anybody --- me.

9. After --- the same job for ten years, I felt I needed a change.

59.4 For each, situation write a sentence with I'm (not) looking forward to.

1. You are going on holiday next week. How do you feel about this?

_I'm looking forward to going on holiday._

2. Diane is a good friend of yours and she is coming to visit you soon. So you will see her again soon. How do you feel about this?

I'm ---

3. You are going to the dentist tomorrow. You don't like visits to the dentist. How do you feet about this?

I'm not ---

4. Carol is a student at school. She hates it but she is leaving school next summer. How does she feel about this? ---

5. You've arranged to play tennis tomorrow. You like tennis. How do you feel about this? ---

UNIT 60. Be/get used to something (I'm used to...)

A. Study this example situation:

Jane is American but she has lived in Britain for three years. When she first drove a car in Britain, she found it very difficult because she had to drive on the left instead of on the right. Driving on the left was strange and difficult for her because:

She wasn't used to it.

She wasn't used to driving on the left.

But after a lot of practice, driving on the left became less strange. So:

She got used to driving on the left.

Now after three years, it's no problem for Jane:

She is used to driving on the left.

I'm used to something = it is not new or strange for me:

* Frank lives alone. He doesn't mind this because he has lived alone for 15 years. It is not strange for him. He is used to it. He is used to living alone.

* I bought some new shoes. They felt a bit strange at first because I wasn't used to them.

* Our new flat is on a very busy street. I expect we'll get used to the noise, but at the moment it's very disturbing.

* Diane has a new job. She has to get up much earlier now than before - at 6.30. She finds this difficult because she isn't used to getting up so early.

* Brenda's husband is often away from home. She doesn't mind this. She is used to him being away.

B. After be/get used you cannot use the infinitive.(to do/to drive etc.). We say:

* She is used to driving on the left. (not 'she is used to drive')

When we say 'I am used to...', 'to' is a preposition, not a part of the infinitive (see Unit 59C). So we say:

* Frank is used to living alone. (not 'Frank is used to live')

* Jane had to get used to driving on the left. (not 'get used to drive')

C. Do not confuse I am used to doing (be/get used to) and I used to do. They are different in structure and meaning.

I am used to (doing) something = something isn't strange or new for me:

* I am used to the weather in this country.

* I am used to driving on the left because I've lived in Britain for a long time.

I used to do something = I did something regularly in the past but no longer do it (see Unit 18). You can use this structure only for the past, not for the present. The structure is 'I used to do' (not 'I am used to do'):

* I used to drive to work every day, but these days I usually go by bike.

* We used to live in a small village, but now we live in London.