English Grammar Step by Step

   Transform the following sentences into the negative and the interrogative.


1  Example: (See unit 22.)
   I can dance.
   I can't dance/I cannot dance.
   Can I dance?

a  She can swim.
b  They can help you.
c  We can ride a horse.
d  He can drive a lorry.
e  It can fly.


2  Example: (I am; he, she, it is; we, you, they are; see unit 6, part 1, section 1.)
   He's happy/He is happy.
   He isn't happy/He is not happy.
   Is he happy?

a  It's snowing.
b  They're working.
c  It's spitting with rain.
d  She's worried.
e  You're watching television.


3  Example: (he, she, it has; other persons, have; see unit 6, part 4, section 1.)
   It's got five doors/It has got five doors.
   It hasn't got five doors/It has not got five doors.
   Has it got five doors?

a  I've got a farm.
b  He's got a lot of friends.
c  They've got my help.
d  It's got three eyes.
e  We've got everything.


4  Example: (all the persons, but he, she, it; see unit 7, part 1.)
   I hate running.
   I don't hate running/I do not hate running.
   Do I hate running?

a  His sisters dust every single day.
b  My friends wish to go abroad.
c  I live in London.
d  They like singing.
e  We need more dancers.


5  Example: (third person singular: he, she, it; see unit 7, part 1.)
   He works hard.
   He doesn't work (infinitive) hard/He does not work hard.
   Does he work (infinitive) hard?

a  She pays them a short visit from time to time. (infinitive: pay)
b  He looks like his father. (infinitive: look)
c  It dries soon. (infinitive: dry)
d  It flies. (infinitive: fly)
e  She washes down the kitchen walls once a month. (infinitive: wash)


6  Revision exercise.
a  It takes time.
b  He's got three parrots.
c  My car is being repaired.
d  You can mend my watch.
e  She loves talking to friends.
f  It worries him.
g  There's a man in the street.
h  They've got all she wishes.
i  They look tired.
j  There are two old ladies at the door.
k  We need a teacher.
l  She can speak five languages.
m  I work in Bristol.
n  You can play tennis.
o  They swim very well.
p  She buys everything.
q  He always pays everything for her.
r  They want to stay at home.
s  Margaret is very fond of classical music.
t  There is a lot of bread.
u  They keep on talking all the time.
v  I can speak and write German.
w  They've got a bad reputation.
x  She plays chess every week.
y  We hate drinking whisky.
z  She feels very lonely.


7  Example: (irregular verbs; see the list provided in unit 8, and unit 7, part 3.)
   I had to do it. (infinitive: have; simple past: had)
   I didn't have (infinitive) to do it/I did not have to do it.
   Did I have (infinitive) to do it?

a  Mary went to the ball.
b  They made coffee.
c  I saw you yesterday.
d  My computer broke down.
e  They overslept yesterday morning.


8  Example: (regular verbs; see unit unit 7, part 3.)
   It killed (simple past) the fly.
   It didn't kill (infinitive) the fly/It did not kill the fly.
   Did it kill (infinitive) the fly?

a  John and Margaret enjoyed Tom's speeches.
b  It rained cats and dogs yesterday.
c  They opened the window.
d  She passed her examinations.
e  He used to knock his children about.


9  Example: (I, he, she, it was; you, we, they were; see unit 6, part 1, section 2.)
   I was exhausted.
   I wasn't exhausted/I was not exhausted.
   Was I exhausted?

a  There were two rivers.
b  There was a cup of tea on the table.
c  He was my best friend.
d  They were dancing when I saw them.
e  You were very cruel to animals.


10 Revision exercise.
a  Tim broke the window.
b  Jane listens to music every evening.
c  It's bucketing down.
d  We can park here.
e  She's got a black eye.
f  He denies it.
g  They got married last year.
h  They came here yesterday.
i  She fried two eggs.
j  He helped her with her homework.
k  They wanted to beat him up.
l  They robbed me yesterday.
m  They take care of Jennifer.
n  There was an armchair.
o  They look down on him.
p  I was fast asleep.
q  His grandmother was wide awake when he came home last night.
r  I ran into Peter last Monday.
s  She always looks ahead.
t  They steal cassette-players from cars.
u  They are looking into the matter carefully.
v  I came across these documents yesterday.
w  We ran out of petrol.
x  She slept very well.
y  It fell to pieces.
z  There were plenty of mines in the area.


11 Example: (he, she it has; other persons, have; see unit 6, part 4, section 9, and unit 7, parts 5 and 6.)
   They've been ill/They have been ill since the day before yesterday.
   They haven't been ill/They have not been ill since the day before yesterday.
   Have they been ill since the day before yesterday?

a  She has been living here since she was born.
b  You've made a mistake.
c  He has arrived.
d  It's gone sour.
e  We've been longing to get divorced for the last few months.