Grammar
What tense do we use for actions in the past that are still relevant to now?
The present perfect
(e.g. “I have lived here for 5 years”)
What does “sensible” mean in English?
Reasonable/practical — NOT sensitive.
Sensible in Spanish = sensitive in English
Put these adjectives in the correct order: leather / old / brown / small
“a ___ bag”
A small old brown leather bag
(size → age → colour → material)
When writing a formal letter, do you write in full sentences or can you use contractions like “don’t” and “can’t”?
Full sentences only
no contractions in formal writing. Instead of “don’t” write “do not,” instead of “can’t” write “cannot”
“I can’t believe you didn’t ___ me ___ in the argument!”
what phrasal verb means to support someone?
Back someone UP
“You didn’t back me up!”
Complete the sentence:
“When I ___ home, I’ll call you.”
Do we use “will arrive” or “arrive”?
Arrive
we use present simple after “when” in future clauses, never “will”
Which word means food that has gone bad and is no longer safe to eat
“the milk has ___ off”?
Gone
“the milk has gone off”
What preposition follows “obsessed”? “He’s obsessed ___ football.”
With
obsessed WITH (Spanish speakers often say “obsessed of”)
Look at these two sentences. Which one is correct for a formal letter of complaint?
A) “I’m really angry about this and it’s just not good enough!!!”
• B) “I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with the service I received.”
B — formal writing avoids exclamation marks, contractions, and emotional language
He asked her to dinner but she said no.
Which phrasal verb means to reject an offer or invitation?
Turn someone DOWN
“She turned him down”
She said “I am tired.”
How do we report this in the past?
“She told me that she was tired.”
Which prefix makes the opposite of “estimate” — as in
“Don’t ___ me, I’m very capable”?
underestimate
What is the British English equivalent of the American word “pants”?
Trousers
A for-and-against essay has THREE main parts. What are they?
Introduction, main body (arguments for AND against), and conclusion
“I paid £300 for these boots — what a ___!”
What noun (from a phrasal verb) means being overcharged?
A rip-off
from the phrasal verb “rip off”
Fill in the gap:
“By the time we arrived, she ___ already ___ home.”
By the time we arrived, she _had__ already _left__ home.
What is the difference between “exhausted” and “tired”?
Which one is stronger?
Exhausted is stronger
it is an extreme adjective meaning completely tired. You can’t say “very exhausted,” only “absolutely exhausted”
Where does the adverb “always” go in this sentence?
“She ___ is late / She is ___ late”
She is ALWAYS late
adverbs of frequency go before the main verb but AFTER “to be”
You are writing a story for an exam. Which of these openings is more engaging and why?
• A) “One day I went to the shops.”
• B) “It was a dark, stormy night when everything changed.”
B
good story openings create atmosphere, tension, or curiosity to hook the reader
Which TWO phrasal verbs from Unit 5 describe ending a relationship
one for breaking up generally, one for ending an engagement specifically?
Split up (with someone) = break up generally
Break off = end something specific like an engagement
What is the error in this sentence:
“If I would have studied more, I would have passed”?
The if-clause must use past perfect:
“If I HAD studied more, I would have passed”
“She’s been ___ fit lately — she goes to the gym every day and runs 10km on weekends.”
Which idiom from the fitness unit means to be in excellent physical condition?
Fighting fit
“she’s been fighting fit”
“She’s wealthy but very ___ with her money”
which compound adjective means unwilling to spend?
Tight-fisted
(also: stingy or thrifty)
What are TWO differences between a blog post and a formal essay in terms of language and structure?
Any two of:
a blog uses informal language / contractions / personal tone / shorter paragraphs / can address the reader directly (“you”)
an essay is formal, impersonal, and structured with full paragraphs
“I ___ his quick recovery ___ his positive attitude.”
Which phrasal verb means to explain something as being caused by something else?
Put something DOWN TO
“I put his recovery down to his positive attitude”