English Grammar Exercises for B2 – Verb patterns

1. Complete the personality quiz.

1   If you arrange …………………… (see) a show with a friend but the friend cancels, do you

     a   risk …………………… (go) on your own?

     b   invite a different friend …………………… (go) with you?

2   If you’re at the cinema with friends and you don’t like the film, do you

     a   walk out and agree …………………… (meet) them afterwards?

     b   decide …………………… (find) out what your friends think first?

3   If you need …………………… (go) shopping to buy a new outfit, do you

     a   go by yourself and expect …………………… (find) what you want?

     b   persuade a friend …………………… (go) with you and help you to choose?

4   If you’re with friends and they all fancy …………………… (watch) a DVD that you’ve already seen, do you

     a   encourage your friends …………………… (choose) something different?

     b   say nothing even though you don’t want …………………… (watch) it?

2. Choose the correct words to complete the sentences.

1   a   I couldn’t reach the top shelf so I tried to stand / standing on a stool.

     b   Please try to hand / handing your homework in on time.

2   a   I don’t remember to post / posting the letter.

     b   Remember to post / posting that letter for me.

3   a   We stopped to have / having lunch at a service station.

     b   Stop to criticise / criticizing me!

4   a   I regret to tell / telling you that you’ve lost your place in the football team.

     b   I regret not to revise / not revising much before my exams.

5   a   Jason studied French at university and went on to become / becoming a teacher.

     b   He went on to eat / eating even though he wasn’t hungry.

6   a   I’ll never forget to meet / meeting the Queen.

     b   I forgot to buy / buying bread on the way home.

7   a   As I looked out of the window I could see Fran walk / walking up the garden path.

     b   I saw Ben ride / riding down the road and fall / falling off his bike.

3. Complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first sentence. Use the correct form of the verb in brackets.

1   We are thinking about going away this Christmas. (consider)

     We ……………………………… this Christmas.

2   I finally succeeded in solving the Sudoku puzzle. (manage)

     I finally ……………………………… the Sudoku puzzle.

3   Martha told me that I should see a doctor. (advise)

     Martha ……………………………… see a doctor.

4   It wasn’t easy for me to do this calculation. (have difficulty)

     I ……………………………… this calculation.

5   I told Harry not to forget to text me when he got home. (remind)

     I ……………………………… when he got home.

6   I said I would help Julian with his homework. (agree)

     I ……………………………… Julian with his homework.

7   I think it’s really nice to do some sport at the weekend. (enjoy)

     I ……………………………… some sport at the weekend.

8   My parents said I couldn’t go to the music festival. (let)

     My parents ……………………………… the music festival.

9   They repaired my car at the garage down the road. (got)

      I ……………………………… at the garage down the road.