Look in a dictionary, oil it, play loud music, rob a bank, stroke it, switch on the ignition, take an aspirin, use an extinguisher

1. How do you make a cat happy? – By stroking it.

2. How can you annoy your neighbours?

3. How can you get money fast?

4. How do you stop a door squeaking?

5. How do you find out what a word means?

6. How can you cure a headache?

7. How can you put a fire out?

8. How do you start a car?

NOTE 4: the gerund is used after the following expressions: It’s (no) good, It’s no use, There is no point in, It’s (not) worth, have difficulty, be busy, a waste of money / time, spend / waste time: e.g. It’s no good trying to persuade me. You won’t succeed. For more examples see Appendix 3.

1.6 Complete the sentences on the right:

1. Shall we get a taxi home? – No, it isn't far. It's not worth getting a taxi.

2. If you need help, why don't you ask Tom? – It's no use ____________. He won't be able to help us.

3. I don't really want to go out tonight. – Well, stay at home! There's no point ____________ if you don't want to.

4. Shall I phone Ann now? – No, it's no good _____________. She won't be at home.

5. Are you going to complain about what happened? – No, it's not worth ___________. Nobody will do anything about it.

6. Do you ever read newspapers? – No. I think it's a waste _______________.

1.7 Complete the sentences. Use only one word each time:

1. It's a waste of money buying things you don't need.

2. Every morning I spend about an hour ______ the newspaper.

3. 'What's Carol doing?' 'She's busy ______ letters.'

4. I think you waste too much time ______ television.

5. There's a beautiful view from that hill. It is worth ______ to the top.

NOTE 5: we use go + gerund for a number of activities (especially sports): e.g. I’d like to go skiing.

1.8 Complete these sentences with one of the following (with the verb in the correct form): go skiing, go shopping, go swimming, go sailing, go riding:

1. Barry lives by the sea and he's got a boat, so he often goes sailing.

2. There's plenty of snow in the mountains so we'll be able to ____________.

3. It was a very hot day, so we _________________ in the river.

4. Margaret has got two horses. She often ___________________.

5. The shops are shut now. It's too late to ____________________.

NOTE 6: do not confuse I am used to doing (be/get used to) and I used to do. They are different in structure and meaning: e.g. I’m used to driving on the left because I’ve lived in Britain for a long time. (It isn’t strange or new for me.) e.g. I used to drive to work every day, but these days I usually go by bike. (I did something regularly in the past but no longer do it.)

1.9 Read the situations and complete the sentences. Use (be/get) used to as in the example:

1. Jane is American. She came to Britain and at first she found driving on the left difficult. – When she arrived in Britain, she wasn’t used to driving on the left, but she soon got used to it. Now she has no problems. She is used to driving on the left.

2. Juan is Spanish and came to live in England. In Spain he always had dinner late in the evening, but in England dinner was at 6 o'clock. This was very early for him. – When Juan first came to England, he ______________ dinner so early, but after some time he ____________ it. Now he finds it quite normal. He ________________ at six o'clock.

3. Julia is a nurse. A year ago she started working nights. At first she found it hard. – At first Julia didn't like it. She ______________ nights and it took her a few months to _____________ it. Now, after a year, she's quite happy. She ________________ nights.

1.10 * Complete the sentences using only one word each time:

1. Jane had to get used to driving on the left.

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

3. Tom used to ______ a lot of coffee. Now he prefers tea.

4. I feel very full after that meal. I'm not used to ______ so much.

5. I wouldn't like to share an office. I'm used to ______ my own office.

6. I used to ______ a car but I sold it a few months ago.

7. When we were children, we used to ______ swimming every day.

8. There used to ______ a cinema here but it was knocked down a few years ago.

9. I'm the boss here! I'm not used to ______ told what to do.

NOTE 7: the gerund can be the subject of the sentence: e.g. Walking is a good exercise.

1.11 Rewrite these sentences, starting with a gerund. You may need to change some words:

e.g. A good way of keeping fit is to swim every day. – Swimming every day is a good way of keeping fit.

1. It takes a long time to learn a foreign language.

2. Clean the machine more often – that will solve your problems.

3. Grow your own food. It's less expensive.

4. Give up smoking: it will make you feel better.

5. It is cheaper to go by rail than by air.

6. You are not allowed to smoke here.

7. It's not very pleasant to be in hospital.

8. It's very difficult to windsurf properly.

9. It's more difficult to speak a foreign language than to read it.

10. It is forbidden to walk on the grass.

NOTE 8: In formal English, possessive + gerund can be used: e.g. I have no objection to your arriving late. In conversational English, the possessive is not used: the object form is used instead: e.g. I don’t mind him coming late.

1.12 Write both the possessive and object form of the words provided:

e.g. I don't like your / you asking him to stay. (you)

1. Do you mind ______ smoking? (I)

2. The shareholders agreed to ______ closing down the factory. (we)

3. They don't understand ______ leaving home when he did. (John)

4. I'm worried about ______ taking so much money, (she)

5. I didn't like ______ lending the car to him. (you)

6. The board objected to ______ resigning. (Mr Maslin)

7. I'm bored with ______ complaining. (they)

8. Do you know the reason for ______ stopping work? (they)

9. Who told you about ______ being sacked? (he)

10. What do you think of ______ leaving the country like that? (they)