* 'Do you think it's going to rain?' J hope so./I hope not.' (not 'I don't hope so')
EXERCISES
50.1 Complete the sentences with an auxiliary verb (do/was/could/should etc.). Sometimes the verb must be negative (don't/wasn't etc.).
1. I wasn't tired but my friends _were._
2. I like hot weather but Ann ---
3. 'Is Colin here?' 'He --- five minutes ago but I think he's gone home now.'
4. She might phone later this evening but I don't think she ---.
5. 'Are you and Chris coming to the party?' 'I --- but Chris ---.'
6. I don't know whether to apply for the job or not. Do you think I ---?
7. 'Please don't tell anybody what I said.' 'Don't worry. I ---.'
8. 'You never listen to me.' 'Yes, I ---!'
9. 'Can you play a musical instrument?' 'No, but I wish I ---.'
10. 'Please help me.' 'I'm sorry. I --- if I --- but I ---.'
50.2 You never agree with Sue. Answer in the way shown.
1. I'm hungry. _Are you? I'm not._
2. I'm not tired. _Aren't you? I am._
3. I like football. ---
4. I didn't enjoy the film. ---
5. I've never been to South America. ---
6. I thought the exam was quite easy. ---
50.3 You are talking to Tina. Write true sentences about Yourself. Reply with So ... or Neither... if suitable. Study the two examples carefully.
1. I feel really tired. _So do I_
2. I'm working hard. _Are you? I'm not._
3. I watched television last week. ---
4. I won't be in London next week. ---
5. I live in a small town. ---
6. I'd like to go to the moon. ---
7. I can't play the trumpet. ---
50.4 In these conversations, you are B. Read the information in brackets and then answer with I think so, I hope not etc.
1. (You don't like rain.)
A: Is it going to rain?
B: (hope) _I hope not._
2. (You need more money quickly.)
A: Do you think you'll get a pay rise soon?
B: (hope) ---
3. (You think Diane will probably get the job that she applied for.)
A: I wonder if Diane will get the job.
B: (expect) ---
4. (You're not sure whether Jill is married--probably not.)
A: Is Jill married?
B: (think) ---
5. (You are the receptionist at a hotel. The hotel is full.)
A: Have you got a room for tonight?
B: (afraid) ---
6. (You're at a party. You have to leave early.)
A: Do you have to leave already?
B: (afraid) ---
7. (Ann normally works every day, Monday to Friday. Tomorrow is Wednesday.)
A: Is Ann working tomorrow?
B: (suppose) ---
8. (You are going to a party. You can't stand John.)
A: Do you think John will be at the party?
B: (hope) ---
9. (You're not sure what time the concert is--probably 7.30.)
A: Is the concert at 7.30?
B: (think) ---
UNIT 51. Question tags (do you? isn't it? etc.)
A. Study these examples:
You haven't seen Mary today, have you?
No, I'm afraid not.
It was a good film, wasn't it?
Yes. I really enjoyed it.
Have you? and wasn't it? are question tags (= mini-questions that we often put on the end of a sentence in spoken English). In question tags, we use an auxiliary verb (have/was/will etc.).
We use do/does/did for the present and past simple (see also Unit 50):
* 'Karen plays the piano, doesn't she?' 'Well, yes, but not very well.'
* 'You didn't lock the door, did you?' 'No, I forgot.'
B. Normally we use a negative question tag after a positive sentence:
positive sentence + negative tag
Mary will be here soon, won't she?
There was a lot of traffic, wasn't there?
Jim should pass the exam, shouldn't he?
... and a positive question tag after a negative sentence:
negative sentence + positive tag
Mary won't be late, will she?
They don't like us, do they?
You haven't got a car, have you?
Notice the meaning of yes and no in answer to a negative sentence:
* You're not going out today, are you? Yes. (Yes, I am going out)
* You're not going out today, are you? No. (No, I am not going out)
C. The meaning of a question tag depends on how you say it. If your voice goes down, you aren't really asking a question; you are only inviting the listener to agree with you:
* 'It's a nice day, isn't it?' 'Yes, lovely.'
* 'Tim doesn't look well today, dose he? 'No, he looks very tired.'
* She's very pretty. She's got beautiful eyes, hasn't she?
But if the voice goes up, it is a real question:
* 'You haven't seen Mary today, have you?' 'No, I'm afraid not.'
(= Have you seen Mary today by any chance?)
We often use a negative sentence + positive tag to ask for things or information, or to ask somebody to do something. The voice goes up at the end of the tag in sentences like these:
* 'You haven't got a pen, have you?' 'Yes, here you are.'
* 'You couldn't do me a favour, could you?' 'It depends what it is.'
* 'You don't know where Karen is, do you?'Sorry, I've no idea.'
D. After Let's... the question tag is ... shall we?:
Let's go for a walk, shall we?
After the imperative (Do.../Don't do... etc.), the tag is usually ... will you?:
Open the door, will you?
Don't be late, will you?
Note that we say ... aren't I? (= am I not?):
I'm late, aren't I?
EXERCISES
51.1 Put a question tag on the end of these sentences.
1. Tom won't be late, will her? No, he's never late.
2. You're tired, aren't you? Yes, a little.
3. You've got a camera, ---? Yes, why? Do you want to borrow it?
4. You weren't listening, ---? Yes, I was!
5. Sue doesn't know Ann, ---? No, they've never met.
6. Jack's on holiday, ---? Yes, he's in Portugal.
7. Ann's applied for the job, ---? Yes, but she won't get it.
8. You can speak German, ---? Yes, but not very fluently.
9. He won't mind if I use his phone, ---? No, of course he won't.
10. There are a lot of people here, ---? Yes, more than I expected.
11. Let's go out tonight, ---? Yes, let's.
12. This isn't very interesting, ---? No, not very.
13. I'm too impatient, ---? Yes, you are sometimes.
14. You wouldn't tell anyone ---?No, of course not.
15. Listen, ---? OK, I'm listening.
16. I shouldn't have lost my temper, ---? No, but never mind.
17. Don't drop that vase, ---? No, don't worry.
18. He'd never met her before, ---?, No, that was the first time.
51.2 Read the situation and write a sentence with a question tag. In each situation you are asking your friend to agree with you.
1. You look out of the window. The sky is blue and the sun is shining. What do you say to your friend? (beautiful day)
_It's a beautiful day, isn't_
2. You're with a friend outside a restaurant. You're looking at the prices, which are very high. What do you say? (expensive)
It ---
3. You've just come out of the cinema with a friend'. You really enjoyed the film. What do you say to your friend? (great)
The film ---
4. You and a friend are listening to a woman singing. You like her voice very much. What do you say to your friend? (a lovely voice)
She ---
5. You are trying on a jacket. You look in the mirror and you don't like what you see. What do you say to your friend? (not/took/very good)
It ---
6. Your friend's hair is much shorter than when you last met. What do you say to her/him? (have/your hair/cut)
You ---
7. You and a friend are walking over a wooden bridge. It is very old and some parts are broken. What do you say? (not/very safe)
This bridge ---
51.3 In these situations you are asking for information and asking people to do things. Make sentences like those in Section C.
1. You need a pen. Perhaps Jane has got one. Ask her.
Jane, you haven't got a pen. have you?
2. Jack is just going out. You want him to get you some stamps. Ask him.
Jack, you ---
3. You're looking for Ann. Perhaps Kate knows where she is. Ask her.
Kate, you ---
4. You need a bicycle pump. Perhaps Helen has got one. Ask her.
Helen ---
5. You're looking for your keys. Perhaps Robin has seen them. Ask him.
UNIT 52. Verb + ~ing (enjoy doing/stop doing etc.)
A. Look at these examples:
* I enjoy dancing. (not 'I enjoy to dance')
* Would you mind closing the door? (not 'mind to close')
* Ian suggested going to the cinema. (not 'suggested to go')
After enjoy, mind and suggest, we use ~ing (not to ...).
Here are some more verbs that are followed by ~ing:
stop delay fancy consider admit miss involve finish postpone imagine avoid deny risk practise
* Suddenly everybody stopped talking. There was silence.
* I'll do the shopping when I've finished cleaning the flat.
* He tried to avoid answering my question.
* I don't fancy going out this evening.
* Have you ever considered going to live in another country?
Note the negative form not ~ing:
* When I'm on holiday, I enjoy not having to get up early.
B. We also use ~ing after:
give up (= stop)
put off (= postpone)
carry on/go on (= continue)
keep or keep on (= do something continuously or repeatedly)
* Paula has given up smoking.
* We must do something. We can't go on living like this! (or ... carry on living ...)
* Don't keep interrupting me while I'm speaking. (or Don't keep on interrupting ...)
C. With some verbs you can use the structure verb + somebody + ~ing-
* I can't imagine George riding a motorbike.
* You can't stop me doing what I want.
* 'Sorry to keep you waiting so long.' 'That's all right.'
Note the passive form (being done/seen/kept etc.):
* I don't mind being kept waiting. (= I don't mind people keeping me ...)
D. When you are talking about finished actions, you can say having done/stolen/said etc.:
* She admitted having stolen the money.
But it is not necessary to use having (done). You can also use the simple ~ing form for finished actions:
* She admitted stealing the money.
* I now regret saying (or having said) what I said.
For regret, see Unit 55B.
E. After some of the verbs on this page (especially admit/deny/suggest) you can use that ...
* She denied that she had stolen the money. (or She denied stealing ...)
* Ian suggested that we went to the cinema. (or Ian suggested going ...)
For suggest, see also Unit 34.
EXERCISES
52.1 Complete each sentence with one of these verbs:
answer apply be be listen make see try use wash work write
1. He tried to avoid _answering_ my question.
2. Could you please stop --- so much noise?
3. I enjoy --- to music.
4. I considered --- for the job but in the end I decided against it.
5. Have you finished --- your hair yet?
6. If you walk into the road without looking, you risk --- knocked down.
7. Jim is 65 but he isn't going to retire yet. He wants to carry on ---.
8. I don't mind you --- the phone as long as you pay for all your calls.
9. Hello! Fancy --- you here! What a surprise!
10. I've put off --- the letter so many times. I really must do it today.
11. What a stupid thing to do! Can you imagine anybody --- so stupid?
12. Sarah gave up ---to find a job in this country and decided to go abroad.
52,2 Complete the sentences for each situation using ~ing.
1. What shall we do? We could go to the cinema.
She suggested going to the cinema.
2. Do you want to play tennis? No, not really.
He didn't fancy ---
3. You were driving too fast. Yes, it's true. Sorry!
She admitted ---
4. Why don't we go for a swim? Good idea!
She suggested ---
5. You broke into the shop. No, I didn't!
He denied ---
6. Can you wait a few minutes?. Sure, no problem.
They didn't mind ---
52.3 Complete the sentences so that they mean the same as the first sentence. Use ~ing.
1. I can do what I want and you can't stop me.
You can't stop me doing what I want.
2. It's not a good idea to travel during the rush hour.
It's better to avoid ---
3. Shall we go away tomorrow instead of today?
Shall we postpone --- until ---?
4. The driver of the car said it was true that he didn't have a licence.
The driver of the car admitted ---
5. Could you turn the radio down, please?
Would you mind ---?
6. Please don't interrupt me all the time.
Would you mind?
52.4 Use your own ideas to complete these sentences. Use ~ing.
1. She's a very interesting person. I always enjoy _talking to her._
2. I'm not feeling very well. I don't fancy ---
3. I'm afraid there aren't any chairs. I hope you don't mind ---
4. It was a lovely day, so I suggested ---
5. It was very funny. I couldn't stop ---
6. My car isn't very reliable. It keeps ---
UNIT 53. Verb + to... (decide to do/forget to do etc.)
A. offer decide hope deserve attempt promise agree plan aim afford manage threaten refuse arrange learn forget fail
If these verbs are followed by another verb, the structure is usually verb + to ... (infinitive):
* It was late, so we decided to take a taxi home.
* Simon was in a difficult situation, so I agreed to lend him some money.
* How old were you when you learnt to drive? (or 'learnt how to drive')
* I waved to Karen but failed to attract her attention.
Note these examples with the negative not to ...:
* We decided not to go out because of the weather.
* I promised not to be late.
With many verbs you cannot normally use to... . For example, enjoy/think/suggest:
* I enjoy dancing. (not 'enjoy to dance')
* Ian suggested going to the cinema. (not 'suggested to go')
* Are you thinking of buying a car? (not 'thinking to buy')
For verb + ~ing, see Unit 52. For verb + preposition + ~ing, see Unit 61.
B. We also use to... after: seem appear tend pretend claim. For example:
* They seem to have plenty of money,
* I like George but I think he tends to talk too much.
* Ann pretended not to see me as she passed me in the street.
There is also a continuous infinitive (to be doing) and a perfect infinitive (to have done):
* I pretended to be reading the newspaper. (= I pretended that I was reading)
* You seem to have lost weight. (= it seems that you have lost weight)
C. We say 'decide to do something', 'promise to do something' etc. In the same way, we say 'a decision to do something', 'a promise to do something' etc. (noun + to..).
* I think his decision to give up his Job was stupid.
* George has a tendency to talk too much.
D. After dare you can use the infinitive with or without to:
* I wouldn't dare to tell him. or I wouldn't dare tell him.
But after daren't (or dare not), you must use the infinitive without to:
* I daren't tell him what happened. (not 'I daren't to tell him')
E. After the following verbs you can use a question word (what/whether/how etc.) + to ...
ask decide know remember forget explain learn understand wonder
We asked how to get to the station.
Have you decided where to go for your holidays?
I don't know whether to apply for the job or not.
Do you understand what to do?
Also: show/tell/ask/advise/teach somebody what/how/where to do something:
* Can somebody show me how to change the film in this camera?
* Ask Jack. He'll tell you what to do.
EXERCISES
53.1 Complete the sentences for each situation.
1. Shall we get married? Yes, let's.
They decided _to get married._
2. Please help me. OK.
She agreed ---
3. Can I carry your bag for you? No, thanks. I can manage.
He offered ---
4. Let's meet at 8 o'clock. OK, fine.
They arranged ---
5. What's your name? I'm not going to tell you.