Word Formation Prepositions Verb Tenses

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Writing practice

Grammar quiz

Formal vs informal

Elocution:  the art of careful public speaking, using clear pronunciation and good breathing to control the voice:

Let's Practice Writing...

Write a short paragraph in which you describe an artist (e.g. painter, writer, musician) that you admire, explaining why you admire him/her.

A bit o' grammar is good for the soul...

Quiz about:

5 Word formations

5 Prepositions

5 Verb tenses

WORD FORMATIONS
_______ (count) commuters in Tokyo pour into the world's largest city in the world, 24 hours every day!

1. Countless
2. Uncounted
3. Countable
4. Countified

The commuters pour into the world's largest city via an ______ (extend) network of bullet and overground trains.

1. extensively
2. extensif
3. extension
4. extensive

These commuter trains all operate with impeccable _____ (rely).

1. reliance
2. relialability
3. reliability
4. realisation

As trains pull into the station, people force themselves on board and get the ____ (assist) of the white-gloved 'pushers'.

1. assisters
2. assistions
3. assistance
4. assistence

VERB TENSES
"Treasure Island," a book published by Robert L. Stevenson in 1883, remains popular to this day. Recent research _______ the true origin of this thrilling tales of pirates and hidden treasure.

1. have uncovered
2. is uncovered
3. has uncovered
4. will uncovering

"Treasure Island's" author was a Scotsman born in Edinburgh in 1850. Although he _____ in Scotland, he did, however, return to the land of his birth for a holiday in 1881.

1. stayed
2. will be staying
3. was staying
4. did not stay

Accompanying Stevenson on his trip was his American wife, Fanny, whom he ______ five years earlier in France, and his stepchildren from Fanny's first marriage

1. has met
2. had met
3. met
4. had been meeting

The family soon settled into a relaxing routine. Each morning Stevenson _____ early and take the family out for long walks over the hills.

1. would get up
2. did got up
3. were getting up
4. used to get up

The family _____ this for several days when the weather suddenly took a turn for the worse and they were trapped indoors for the next week.

1. enjoyed
2. were enjoying
3. had been enjoying
4. had enjoying

PREPOSITIONS
It was late afternoon when we drove into the little town. We had driven for _____ 400 km that day and most of it had been ______ thick fog.

1. about / about
2. over / on
3. under / under
4. over / through

Eventually we parked, got ____ the car and stretched - a walk would be very welcome, we thought.

1. into about
2. outside of
3. in about
4. out of

We left our luggage _____ the car boot and walked _____ the already empty car park to a narrow but fast-flowing stream of water.

1. in / across
2. at / across
3. for / inside
4. on / inside

A five-minute stroll _____ a tree-lined avenue _____ the stream took us into the beautiful town square.

1. along / into
2. by / into
3. to / into
4. along / next to

It was a beautiful old square with a fountain ____ the middle and arcades ____ three sides.

1. on / in
2. in / on
3. above / around
4. around / above

In a nutshell

• Formal language is less personal than informal language. It is used when writing for professional or academic purposes like university assignments. Formal language does not use colloquialisms, contractions, or first-person pronouns such as ‘I’ or ‘We’.
• Informal language is more casual and spontaneous. It is used when communicating with friends or family either in writing or in conversation. It is used when writing personal emails, text messages, and in some business correspondence. The tone of informal language is more personal than formal language

The tone, the choice of words and the way the words are put together vary between the two styles.

COLLOQUIALISMS = SPREEKTAAL IN NL.

Formal vs. Informal:  What do you know...

Formal

Informal 

 The crowd was very rowdy during the protest against the cuts to university funding.

 The mob was very rowdy during the protest against cuts to university funding.

Slang/Colloquialisms = informal

Formal 

Informal 

It was raining cats and dogs.

It was raining heavily.

Slang/Colloquialisms = informal

Formal 

Informal 

Lecturers expect students to use correct grammar and punctuation in essays.

 Lecturers still count on students to use correct grammar and punctuation in essays.

Slang/Colloquialisms = informal

Informal

Formal 

The improvements canʼt be introduced due to funding restrictions.

Improvements cannot be introduced due to funding restrictions.

Contractions = formal speech

Formal 

Informal 

The research project wonʼt continue next year.

 The research project will not continue next year.

Contractions = formal speech

Formal 

Informal 

The balloon was inflated for the experiment.

The balloon was blown up for the experiment.

Phrasal verbs = informal

Formal 

Informal 

The patient got over his illness.

 The patient recovered from his illness.

Phrasal verbs = informal 

Formal 

Informal 

The results of the study were mixed up.

The results of the study were confused.

Phrasal verbs = informal

Formal 

Informal 

During the interview, students were asked about their experiences.

During the interview, I asked students about their experiences.

Pronouns.

were asked = passive

i asked = formal 

Formal 

Informal 

We believe the practice is unsustainable.

 

It is believed the practice is unsustainable.

Pronouns.  

IT is = formal

we = informal

Talk on Spending Leisure Time

You have attended a talk on how people could spend their leisure time more profitably. You have made the notes below:

• Profitable ways of spending leisure time: helping others; learning; physical activities
• Some opinions expressed in the talk: 
• "At work, we lose touch with family, friends, and the community."
• "Passive entertainment makes us intellectually lazy."
• "We spend so long in front of screens, we are physically unfit."

Write a FORMAL essay discussing two of the profitable ways in your notes. You should explain which way is more important, giving reasons in support of your answer. You may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed in the talk, but you should use your own words as far as possible.