Unit 6 (Mijbil the Otter)
Words as verbs and nouns; participles and past habits
Use words as verbs and nouns and choose correct participle and past-habit forms.
Odd one out. In each set, four words mean nearly the same and one is the opposite: serious, grave, stern, solemn — but ridiculous; suitable, right, proper — but unfitting; hostile, unfriendly — but agreeable; peaceful, serene — but violent; appalling, awful — but wonderful.
One word, verb and noun.
- book: book a table / a good book;
- mail: mail the letter / today's mail;
- head: she heads the club / he hurt his head;
- lead: lead the team / the police have a new lead;
- sack: a sack of rice (a large bag) / the company sacked him (dismissed him from his job);
- also cable, end, colour.
Adjectives before the noun. Join short sentences by packing the describing words in front:
- a sporty blue Maruti car;
- a short, interesting speech;
- a beautifully decorated house;
- a frightfully expensive designer dress;
- the quickly prepared food was tasty.
-ing or -ed? -ing describes what causes the feeling; -ed describes how a person feels.
- The news was shocking; we were shocked.
- An interesting person; he was interested in every dish.
- This weather is disgusting; I am disgusted.
So 'the weather is disgusted' is wrong: weather has no feelings.
Would or used to? Both work for actions repeated in the past: 'Every day she would / used to bring her mother a rose.' But for a state (believe, be, have, like), only used to works: 'When I was a child, I used to believe fireflies were small balls of fire.'
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