Exercises

Ex. 1. Change the verb in the principal clause into a past tense and make the necessary changes in the subordinate clause.

1. She always tells people that she is good at languages. 2. Everybody knows that Susan is strict about keeping things tidy. 3. I forget that she is always letting people down. 4. They do not realise how nervous she may be. 5. What he is saying is not true. 6. She knows for sure that honesty is the best policy. 7. Mary complains that she is bored with the same old routine day after day. 8. Max is sure that we all need a holiday. 9. He knows that his grandparents always go to church on Sundays. 10. It‘s remarkable that she thinks of Gerald as the black sheep of the family. 11. He wants us to see that he is not hostile. 12. We know that the bridge is unsafe. 13. She can‘t understand why they are trying to talk her into taking a dance course. 14. My sister agrees that she needs a shoulder to cry on. 15. I can tell from her face that she is lying. 16. We know that the company is reorganizing its departments.

Ex. 2. Open the brackets using the correct tense-form.

1. My daughter wanted to see the new film. She found out that many good actors (star) in it. 2. She complained that Jack always (get) on her nerves. 3. We were not sure that Paul would find Mary. We were afraid he (not/know) her address. 4. I didn‘t introduce Jack to Helen. I was sure they (know) each other, but it appeared they didn‘t. 5. It was a pity he no longer (care) in the least about Pat. 6. He proved to everyone‘s satisfaction that the drug (be) effective and harmless. 7. I knew she usually (get) in such a fuss before people (come) to dinner. 8. The Johnsons were away. We learnt that they (travel) about Canada. 9. She stayed in the whole evening. We were sure she (expect) guests. 10. I met Judy in the department store the other day. She explained that she (look) for a nice T-shirt for herself. 11. She mentioned to her colleagues that she (think) of retiring. 12. The teacher asked why we (not/read) up for our seminar. 13. She complained that she (have) a memory like a sieve. She constantly (forget) something. 14. The Prime Minister declared yesterday that the country (do) well. Things would get better soon. 15. No one could guess that she (be) Russian by birth and British by marriage. 16. Steve‘s parents were convinced that a lot of people (envy) his good looks and easy-going charm.

Ex. 3. Open the brackets using the correct tense-form in the subordinate clause.

1. When I came to the station I saw my cousin. I understood that she (miss) the 8 o‘clock train. 2. Everybody praised the film. Mary was sorry she (not/see) it. 3. It was raining hard. Mrs Parker regretted she (not/take) an umbrella. 4. My friend called on me yesterday. He boasted he (get) two tickets for the match. 5. Harry didn‘t come to the party. We thought he (not/receive) our invitation. 6. We wanted to know where she (be) all that time. 7. I found out that a professional singer (be engaged) for the concert some days before. 8. Jack was happy to have got a ticket. He didn‘t complain he (stand) in a queue for 2 hours. 9. The meeting was over at last. I looked at my watch and saw that we (discuss) the production plan for 3 hours. 10. We knew they (have) the house since they (move) there. 11. He explained that when he was born his parents (be married) for 12 years already. 12. We heard on the radio that only a minority of people (vote) for him, so he (lose) the election finally. 13. The family rejoiced that John and Helen officially (announce) their engagement. 14. I was sure it was the first time she (lie) to us. 15. Liz told me she (have) a really weird dream the previous night. 16. The Cribbs complained they (have) dreadful weather lately. 17. She couldn‘t tell us what she (spend) all her money on. 18. Ann said she (try) to phone me since she (arrive) home. 19. It suddenly crossed her mind that she (promise) to meet a friend that night. 20. She remarked that John always (have) a tendency to exaggerate the importance of minor problems. 21. He thought that I (interpret) his words wrongly. 22. I realized that the police (not/reveal) the full details of the case.

Ex. 4. Choose the right adverbial.

1. A few days (before, ago) we celebrated my mother‘s birthday. She was sorry her cousin wasn‘t present. He had gone away on business (yesterday, the day before). 2. I gave my friend my pocket dictionary (last week, the week before) and he promised he would return it (tomorrow, the next day). He kept his promise. 3. (Last month, the previous month) I saw John. He looked sunburnt. He had returned from the South (last week, the previous week). 4. Dick spent last Sunday in the country. We were sure he had had a good time (this day, that day). 5. When I was at Mary‘s some days (ago, before) she showed me a good pronouncing dictionary. She explained she had bought (this, that) dictionary in London 3 weeks (ago, before). 6. I‘ve just phoned Bill and found out that he is leaving (tonight, that night). 7. I saw Mary at 5 (yesterday, the day before). She regretted she was very busy (now, at that moment) and couldn‘t help me. 8. He explained that he had rented the house 2 years (ago, before). 9. They seemed to be working from dawn till dusk (this, that) summer. 10. They informed us that the company had sent us all the details by express post three months (ago, before). 11. We were sure that it was quite possible to buy (this, that) house on credit (last, the previous) year. 12. Diana said (yesterday, the day before) that the last time she had seen Jean was 2 months (ago, before). 13. Tony‘s father told us that his son had been practising the clarinet (the previous night, the night ago). 14. We learnt that Alex and Sally had ended their relationship about months (before, ago). 15. He was sorry that he had made such a fool of himself (yesterday morning, the morning before).

Ex. 5. Use the verbs in brackets in the correct tense-form.

1. Nick didn‘t want to stay at his relatives. He explained he (put up) at a hotel. 2. He predicted that he (discover) the tiny particle when he conducted his next experiment. 3. I was not sure I (be able) to remember the exact details. 4. I hoped that she (mature) as the years went by. 5. I had always believed that one day I (see) him. 6. The company promised that they (reimburse) our expenses. 7. We decided that we (travel) to New York by sea rather than go by air. 8. He insisted that the reforms (save) the system, not destroy it. 9. Mrs Johnson was sure that she (still, work up) for that company the whole of next year. 10. John explained that he (wait) for his A-level exam results until next week. 11. We agreed to go to the pictures yesterday evening. My friend promised he (wait) for me outside the cinema at 6. 12. She was sure that her kids (like) a light breakfast. 13. He was told that if he (want) to continue working for the company he (have to) smarten up his appearance. 14. There was no doubt the government (make) every effort to avert an economic crisis. 15. When she said she (not/give) me my money back I got furious.

Ex. 6. Open the brackets using the right adverbials.

1. A couple of weeks ago my son asked me to take him to the circus. I promised that we would go there (next week, the next week). 2. I ran into Mike last Sunday in a fast-food restaurant. It was a surprise to us that he was leaving (tomorrow, the next day) for Paris to participate in a forum. 3. John promised me yesterday that he will drop in on my parents (next, the following) Sunday and will tell them I‘m O.K.51. 4. They‘ve just announced that the exam on Linguistics will be put off till the end of (next, the next) term. 5. There was very strong hope that the wounded man would survive by (next, the next) morning. 6. Clare told Alan that they were allowed to pay the bills (in two days, two days later). 7. I had intended to visit Helen in hospital last Friday, but her husband phoned me on Thursday and said that the doctors would discharge her from hospital (the day after tomorrow, in two days time). 8. Last year he definitely promised his wife that (next, the next) summer they would spend at the seaside. 9. We arrived in Turin on Monday. (Next, the following) day we left for Rome. 10. That summer was very wet. (Next, the next) summer was even wetter. 11. I quite forgot that (the day after tomorrow, in two days time) we were leaving for the South. 12. The students understood they didn‘t have to leave until (the next day, tomorrow).