P R O N O U N S
I. Explain the ambiguity
1. I didn’t drink coffee because it was too hot.
2. We must go and see John.
3. She doesn’t see the children more than me.
4. When the doctor had examined the patient, she picked up the telephone.
II. Correct the following sentences if necessary
1. Nearly everybody thinks they are middle class.
2. Nobody was late, were they?
3. If you marry someone, you marry them for better or worse.
4. I was going to stay with a friend, but they were ill.
5. Between you and I, there was some cheating.
6. Me and my friend are leaving.
7. Me and my friend Bob, we’d been to a game.
8. We’re blue with the cold, Terry and I.
9. It’s me that’s responsible.
10. Nobody except she objected.
11. My sister is taller than I.
12. Poor she!
13. It’s time for you children to go to bed.
14. They who want to jump out should jump out now.
15. I hate it when you talk like that.
16. I hate that you can swim so well and I can’t.
17. I can’t help it if you think I’m odd.
18. I would prefer it that you did not mention my name.
19. I take that you won’t be working tomorrow.
20. It makes you wonder, all this unemployment.
21. Terry can’t get a job, but it doesn’t seem to bother him.
22. The dog hurt it’s paw.
23. To work one must have time to oneself.
24. I gave Mary the message herself.
25. The manager of the hotel was courtesy itself.
26. You should get in touch either with Peter or myself.
27. A wealthy man like yourself is bound to make an enemy or two along the way.
28. He’s recovering well from the accident and he is now able to dress.
29. Theirs was an unenviable job.
30. We compared each others’ notes after the lecture.
31. The twins wanted to know what each other was doing.
32. Which do you like best - your father or your mother?
33. ‘Is that yours?’‘Yes, that is.’
34. This is Mr and Mrs Baker.
35. ‘What did you buy?’‘This and that, nothing special.’
36. Listen to that: a boy in London has died of rabies.
37. New machines are of course more expensive and this is also something one has to consider.
38. Some cars go rusty rather quickly and that’s something we need to think about.
39. ‘I told him I never wanted to see him again.’‘That was foolish of you.’
40. Those plastic cakes look good enough to eat them.
41. Traffic is light in most of the city but there is heavy one near the stadium.
42. I thought my memory stick was in my trouser pocket but it was in my coat one
43 Many people are happy about the new road being built, hut there are some angry ones, too.
44 ‘Was it these earrings you wanted?’ ‘No, the ones on the left of those, please.’
III. Underline the correct forms.
1 A: We need new curtains B: Okay, let’s buy some/ones.
2 Most of the trees in our garden are less than 10 years old but ones/some are much older than that.
3 He used to work for a finance company, but he’s moved to an insurance company/one.
4 I’d really like a watch like yours/like your one.
5 I think I’ll take the blue one/the blue/the expensive one/the expensive/the most expensive/these ones/both ones.
IV. Complete these sentences with a verb in an appropriate form. If necessary, add it. Use each verb once only.
admit / bear / discover / emphasizeenjoy / predict / prefer / remember
1 She……………………………………when people criticize her work, and she gets very upset.
2 If you……………………………………that you can’t get to the meeting on the 16th I’ll try to rearrange it.
3I ……………………………………that the camera was on the table when I left the house.
4 I really …………………………………when the weather’s hot like this, I’d hate to live in a cold climate.
5 I can’t stop you dismantling your motorbike in the kitchen, but I’d …………………………………… if you didn’t.
6 I ……………………………………that Jean will withdraw from the course within a month.
7She ……………………………………that their plan would mean sacrifices and hard work.
8He ……………………………………that he was guilty.
V. Underline the correct answer. If both answers are possible, notice the difference in meaning.
1 Can you post this letter for myself/me, please?
2 All my friends were away, I was bored, and I just didn’t know what to do with myself/me.
3 We put the voice recorder on the table between ourselves/us.
4 They dragged the tree behind themselves/them all the way to the trailer.
5 Now that you’re a well-known novelist, you must hear a lot about yourself/you in the media.
6 I opened the window in front of myself/me and took a deep breath of fresh air.
7 The Romans eventually had enemies all about themselves/them.
8 If we look around ourselves/us, we see that we are just as other men are.
9 Alexander always kept a faithful friend beside himself/him.
10 When he found that he had been betrayed, he was beside himself/him with fury.
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Verb itthat/when/if vs verb that
Source: Collins Cobuild Grammar Patterns 1: Verbs
Pattern group 1: V it clause
There are two patterns in this group, each consisting of the verb, it, and a type of clause:
1.1 V it that: I loved it that he cared enough to ask.
1.2 V it when/if: I hate it when she’s away.
1.1 V it that
The verb is followed by it and a that-clause.
Verbs with this pattern belong to the following meaning groups:
1 THE ‘LOVE’ AND ‘HATE’ GROUP
2 THE ‘ARRANGE’ GROUP
3 VERBS WITH OTHER MEANINGS
1 THE ‘LOVE’ AND ‘HATE’ GROUP
appreciate / like / (cannot) stand(cannot) bear / love
hate / resent
These verbs indicate how a situation makes someone feel. These verbs have no equivalent passive pattern.
- I really appreciate it that you raised me in such a warm and happy family.
- I hate it that you can paint contentedly while I’m feeling restless and bored.
- One of his major attractions was that he took charge. She loved it that he made all the decisions.
- I can’t stand it that he wears a Sea World tee shirt!
2 THE ‘ARRANGE’ GROUP
arrange (usu passive) / plan (usu passive)These verbs are concerned with plans and arrangements. They are usually used in the passive. The passive pattern is it be V-ed that, where it is the Subject of the clause.
- It was arranged that I should go along to the inn to see him.
- It is planned that these hostages will be released in phases over three months up to late March.
The verb arrange also has the pattern V it so that.
- The League have arranged it so that all games are played before the Cup final.
3 VERBS WITH OTHER MEANINGS
There are three other verbs with this pattern.
have / takeput about
- Rumour has it that Britain’s universities are jam-packed full of bright ideas struggling to escape from those ivory towers.
- You have a reputation for extreme discretion. Can I take it that what I am going to reveal will remain strictly between the two of us?
One of the verbs is a phrasal verb. Its pattern is V it P that.
- Then she undermined him, destroyed his confidence in his own talent, put it about that he was unreliable, a troublemaker.
In the case of put about, there is a passive pattern it be V-ed P that, where it is the Subject of the clause.
- When the introduction of charges for directory inquiries was suggested, it was put about by BT that this was the only way of dealing with ‘misuse’ of the facility.
1.2 V it when/if
The verb is followed by it and a clause beginning with when or if.
Most of the verbs with this pattern indicate how a situation or possible situation makes someone feel or react.
- ‘You can’t bear it if I know things that you don’t,’ she said.
- I couldn’t believe it when she said I should do something about my appearance and wear more make-up.
- ‘I really hate it when you cry like that,’ Oliver said.
- How would you like it if your ninety-year-old self came walking through the door?
- Frankly, we’d prefer it if you could find an adequate excuse to leave the country for the time being.
- He was so easy and friendly I didn’t resent it when he asked me straight out the purpose of my trip.
In the case of appreciate, there is a passive pattern it be V-ed when/if, where it is the Subject of the clause.
- It would be appreciated if those who can, would stay on here for another night or so.
accept / (cannot) endure / love / (cannot) take
adore / enjoy / (not) mind / understand
appreciate / handle / prefer / welcome
(cannot) bear / hate / regret
(cannot) believe / like / resent
dislike / loathe / (cannot) stand
There is one other verb with this pattern.
- I can’t help it if you think I’m odd.
(cannot) help
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