SHORT CONVERSATIONS
What should you focus on in short conversations?
Answer: The second speaker (restatement).
_____ was late to class.
A) The student
B) Because
C) When
D) Although
Answer: A) The student
Each of the students have a book. What's wrong?
Answer: 'have' → should be 'has'.
If the man says, “I thought the exam was today.” and the woman replies, “It was moved to Friday.”
What skill are you using?
Answer: Identify restatements and implied meaning (Skill 1: focus on second speaker)
“_____ was late to class.”
(A) The student
(B) Because
(C) When
(D) Although
Answer: A (Skill 1: subject + verb)
Be careful of repeated words like 'bank'. Why?
Answer: They may have different meanings (homonyms).
_____ finished the exam, she left.
A) After she
B) She
C) The
D) While
Answer: A) After she
The woman which lives next door is a doctor. Error?
Answer: 'which' → should be 'who'.
When both speakers repeat a word like “bank”, what should you be careful about?
Answer: Homonyms / words with multiple meanings (Skill 2)
“_____ finished the exam, she left.”
(A) After she
(B) She
(C) The
(D) While
Answer: A (Skill 3: adverb clause)
Answer: A (Skill 3: adverb clause)
Does 'I don't think that's good' show agreement?
Answer: No, it shows disagreement.
The books _____ on the table.
A) is
B) are
C) was
D) be
Answer: B) are
She is interested on biology. Error?
Answer: 'on' → should be 'in'.
If the woman says, “I don’t think that’s such a great idea.”
Is she agreeing?
Answer: No — she is expressing a negative opinion (Skill 5: negative expressions)
“The books _____ on the table.”
(A) is
(B) are
(C) was
(D) be
Answer: B (Skill 4: subject-verb agreement)
What does 'hardly' indicate?
Answer: A negative meaning.
The report _____ by the committee.
A) prepared
B) was prepared
C) preparing
D) prepares
Answer: B) was prepared
The more harder you study, the better you do. Error?
Answer: 'more harder' → should be 'harder'.
A speaker says, “I could hardly hear him.”
Does that mean she heard him well?
Answer: No — “hardly” is a negative expression (Skill 5)
“The report _____ by the committee.”
(A) prepared
(B) was prepared
(C) preparing
(D) prepares
Answer: B (Skill 6: passive voice)
'Do you mind?' 'Not at all.' What does it mean?
Answer: Permission is given.
John is taller _____ his brother.
A) than
B) that
C) from
D) of
Answer: A) than
He stopped to smoke (meaning problem). Correct?
Answer: He stopped smoking.
The man says, “Do you mind if I open the window?”
The woman says, “Not at all.”
Should he open it?
Answer: Yes — she is giving permission (Skill 8: idiomatic responses)
“John is taller _____ his brother.”
(A) than
(B) that
(C) from
(D) of
Answer: A (Skill 9: comparisons)