EXERCISE: Looking at grammar.
Complete the sentences. Use the simple present or the present progressive of the verbs in
parentheses.
1. a. Kristin is in the shower. She (wash) ______________ her hair.
b. Kristin (wash) ______________ her hair every other day or so.
2. a. Tony usually (sit) ___________ in the front row during class.
b. Today he (sit) _________ in the last row.
3. a. Lars (work) __________ the night shift on weekends.
b. He's not home now. He (work) ________ a double shift.
EXERCISE: Looking at grammar.
Complete the sentences with the correct simple past form of the verb.
An Online Order
1. Anders (order) _______ printer ink online last Monday.
2. The next morning he (realize) _________ he (need) __________ coloured ink too.
3. He (try) ___________ to call the company to add more, but no one (answer) _________
and there (be) ____________ no voicemail.
4. Anders (worry) ________ that the website (be) fake ___________.
5. He (email) _____________ the company and (explain) _______________ his situation.
6. The manager (respond) ___________ a few hours later and (fix) ____________ the order
quickly.
7. Anders (relax) __________ when he (receive) __________ a confirmation email from the
company.
EXERCISE: Looking at grammar.
Complete the sentences. Use the simple past or the past progressive of the verbs in
parentheses.
Last Night
1. Between 5:00 and 7:00 P.M, I (sit) ______________ in class. I had a lot of things on
my mind. I (think) ____________ about some family issues. I (listen, not) __________
to the lecturer.
2. It was a beautiful evening when I walked home. The moon (shine) _____________
over the water, and a warm breeze (blow) ________________.
3. I (stop) ____________ by a friend's apartment, but he (be, not) _____________.
home. He (sit) _________in heavy traffic. He (get, not) home until 10:00.
4. My neighbors (argue) __________ about something when I (walk) __________ by
them outside my apartment building.
5. A package (wait) __________ for me at home. I (open) ___________ it and (find)
_____________ an early birthday present.
6. While I (read) ___________ to my nephew, he (fall) ___________ asleep, so I (cover)
___________ him up and (sneak) ___________ out of the room.
EXERCISE: Looking at grammar.
Complete the sentences. Use the simple past or the present perfect form of the verbs in
parentheses.
1. Noor is from a hot, dry country. She (see, never) ____________ snow. Last January, I
(see) _____________ snow for the first time in my life.
2. Last night my friend and I (have) _______________ some free time, so we (go)
__________ to a show. Since classes began, I (have, not) ____________________
much free time.
3. Ming Won (be) _______________ in this class for three months. His English is getting
better and better. He plans to take this class until the end of May. Mrs. Perez (be)
________ in our class for three months, but then she left school to get a job.
4. Late-breaking news! A major earthquake (occur, just) ____________________ in
southern California. It (occur) at 9:25 A.M.
5. A: Greg Adams? Yes, I know him. I (know) _________________ him since college.
B: Did Natalie just say Joe North passed away? I'm sorry to hear that.
I (know) __________________ him well when we were in college together.
I admit that I (get) _____________older since I last (see) ______________ you, but with
any luck at all, I (get, also) ____________________ wiser.
Cohesive Devices
Using linking words within and between sentences and paragraphs helps to make your writing
flow logically. These words act as signposts, assisting your reader to move easily from one
idea to the next, and to see relationships between sentences or paragraphs. Linking words
are particularly useful for indicating that you are going to explain something, to give an
example or to use a time sequence, or to offer a contrasting view.