Question 1
I suggest _____ Bratislava while you're on your tour of Europe.
The verb suggest is followed by a gerund (-ing form): I suggest visiting Bratislava. Not to visit, because suggest is never followed by to + verb.
Question 2
If you're on a diet, I recommend _____ canola oil instead of butter when baking.
Recommend is followed by a gerund: I recommend using canola oil. Not to use: recommend to do is a common learner mistake.
Question 3
Did you manage _____ a plumber to fix your sink on Saturday?
Manage is followed by to + verb (infinitive): Did you manage to find a plumber? It means you succeeded in doing something difficult.
Question 4
On the weekends, Ed enjoys _____ novels and watching videos.
Enjoy is always followed by a gerund: enjoys reading. The second verb in the sentence, watching, is also in the -ing form.
Question 5
I promised Erica I'd get a drink with her after work, and now I don't feel like _____.
Feel like (= want to do) is followed by a gerund because like here is a preposition: I don't feel like going.
Question 6
Do you promise _____ me when I'm working abroad in London?
Promise is followed by to + verb: Do you promise to visit me? Verbs about future plans, like promise, want and expect, usually take the infinitive.
Question 7
When do you expect _____ the repair work on my car?
Expect is followed by to + verb: When do you expect to finish the repair work?
Question 8
We want _____ to New York next year.
Want is followed by to + verb: We want to move to New York. Not moving, because want never takes the -ing form.
Question 9
Do you mind _____ Jesse from the airport on Saturday?
Mind is followed by a gerund: Do you mind picking up Jesse? This is a polite way to ask someone for a favour.
Question 10
I think _____ a night in Santa Barbara on our way to Los Angeles is a good idea.
Here the verb is the subject of the clause (spending a night ... is a good idea). A gerund is the natural form for a subject. To spend as a subject sounds very formal and unnatural in everyday speech.
Question 11
Choose the most appropriate response to the following:
Did you know that Sara and her husband are splitting up?
Split up means to end a marriage or relationship. The natural reply shows surprise and asks for details: No, do you know what happened? Not "this good news", because a divorce is usually sad news.
Question 12
If you get a chance, stop by over the weekend.
Stop by means to visit someone for a short time, so Okay, I'll come over is the right reply. Stop it means to end an action, and stop by doesn't mean spending the whole weekend together.
Question 13
Nick was sick for months, but now he's on the road to recovery.
On the road to recovery means getting better after an illness. It has nothing to do with travelling, even though it contains the word road.
Question 14
Your son has dropped out of Harvard and joined the military? I'm speechless!
I'm speechless means I'm so surprised that I don't know what to say. The natural reply agrees with the surprise: We were very surprised too.
Question 15
Ron just lost his job after 25 years at the same company. He's beside himself.
Beside himself means extremely upset or emotional. The fitting reply is I can understand why he's upset. Not "he isn't too upset", which means the opposite of the idiom.
Question 16
Brenda just found out that her husband has been cheating on her for years with his secretary.
Cheating on someone means being unfaithful to your husband, wife or partner. Brenda will be hurt and angry, so a natural question is whether she will leave him. The other replies don't fit how she would feel.
Question 17
Grace has been a basket case since losing her job.
A basket case is an informal expression for someone who is very nervous, stressed or unable to cope. A kind reply is I hope she'll start feeling better soon. Not "she's doing well", which means the opposite.
Question 18
I was hoping I'd win the big lottery jackpot, but no such luck.
No such luck means that the hoped-for thing didn't happen, so the speaker didn't win. The reply Oh well. There's always next time! comforts them. Losing the lottery is normal, so "That's surprising" doesn't fit.
Question 19
You've been sick all week? Sorry to hear that.
When someone says Sorry to hear that to show sympathy, the polite reply is simply Thanks.
Question 20
I've been going through a rough patch lately.
Going through a rough patch means having a difficult time. The caring reply is Sorry to hear that. What's going on? Not "I'm glad to hear it", because the news is bad.
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Free worksheets for class or home
LESSON 25 – Reacting to Bad News
REACTING TO BAD NEWS
Jenny runs into her friend Carol in the supermarket. Jenny asks. Carol how she’s been and Carol tells her all her bad news. Jenny responds with sympathy and offers her support.
Jenny: Hi, Carol. How’s life been treating you?
Carol: I’ve been better. I’m going through a rough patch.
Jenny: Sorry to hear that. What’s going on?
Carol: My husband and I are splitting up. I found out he’s been cheating on me for years with his receptionist.
Jenny: I’m speechless!
Carol: Fortunately, I wasn’t speechless when I found out. I gave him a piece of my mind!
Jenny: Good! And how’s your son John doing? Did he manage to find a job since we last spoke?
Carol: No such luck. Poor John fell off the roof a couple weeks ago while doing some repairs and broke both his legs!
Jenny: You must’ve been beside yourself!
Carol: I was a basket case for several days. Now he’s on the road to recovery, but it’s going to take a while.
Jenny: If you ever want to talk, just give me a call.
Carol: I would enjoy getting together.
Jenny: Okay. I’ll stop by later this week.
Language Lens: When Two Verbs Are Together
When there are two verbs in a row (one after the other), the second verb is sometimes in the infinitive form (“to” form) and sometimes in the gerund form ( ending in -ing). The first verb determines (Verb 1) the form of the second verb (Verb 2). Study these two tables with common verbs.
|
Verb 1 + Verb 2 in the Infinitive (“to” form) |
|
|
Verb 1 |
Verb 2 is in the infinitive |
|
agree |
I agreed to pick Sue up from the airport. |
|
cause |
What caused Nick to break out in a rash? |
|
deserve |
We deserve to know why the company is closing. |
|
expect |
When does your son expect to graduate? |
|
hope |
We hope to visit some castles on our trip to Ireland. |
|
learn |
Lisa learned to ski on her vacation. |
|
offer |
Please offer to help bake cookies for the bake sale. |
|
manage |
Did you manage to get to the airport on time? |
|
promise |
I promise to call you as soon as we arrive in Paris. |
|
want |
What do you want to do this weekend? |
|
Verb 1 + Verb 2 in the Gerund (-ing form) |
|
|
Verb 1 |
Verb 2 is a gerund |
|
appreciate |
We appreciated having a great tour guide in China. |
|
avoid |
Let’s avoid getting food poisoning on our trip. |
|
consider |
We considered renting instead of buying a house. |
|
enjoy |
John enjoys surfing in Big Sur . |
|
feel like |
What do you feel like doing today? |
|
finish |
When you finish watching the movie, let me know. |
|
mind |
Do you mind going to the store? |
|
recommend |
I recommend exploring Chicago by foot. |
|
suggest |
I suggest building a new website. |
|
think |
You think getting a medical degree is easy? |
IDIOMS
- basket case
→ an emotional and/or physical mess
Example: After her house burned down, Donna was a basket case.
- beside oneself
→ very upset
Example: When Tracy’s boss told her she wasn’t doing a good job, she was beside herself.
- (to) cheat on someone
→ to have romantic relations on the side, with somebody other than one’s partner
Example: After Nancy read the text messages on her husband’s cell phone, she realized he was cheating on her.
- (to) find out
→ to discover facts about someone or something
Example: I just found out that Tanya is pregnant.
- (to) get together
→ to meet with someone (usually socially)
Example: I’d love to get together on Saturday if you have time.
- (to) give someone a piece of one’s mind
→ to tell someone what one really thinks
Example: Our waiter has been really slow all evening. I’m going to give him a piece of my mind!
- (to) go through a rough patch
→ to have a lot of problems during a time period; to experience a period of bad luck
Example: Joe lost his job last week and this week his girlfriend broke up with him. He’s going through a rough patch.
- How’s life been treating you?
→ How are you?; How’ve you been?
Example: “How’s life been treating you?” – “Can’t complain.”
- I’ve been better
→ things are not going well for me
Example: “How are you doing?” – “I’ve been better.“
- no such luck
→ we haven’t had good fortune in that area; we haven’t been so lucky
Example: “Did your boss let you out early for the holiday weekend?” – “No such luck.“
- (I’m) sorry to hear that
→ that’s too bad; I feel bad for you
Example: “I got fired yesterday.” – “Sorry to hear that.“
- speechless
→ unable to speak due to surprise; shocked
Example: After being fined $300 for a speeding ticket, Wendy was speechless.
- (to) split up
→ to break up; to end a marriage or other intimate relationship
Example: After years of fighting, Irene and her husband finally split up.
- (to) stop by
→ come over (often for a short visit)
Example: If you’re in my neighborhood on Saturday, please stop by.
- on the road to recovery
→ starting to get better
Example: Stephanie was sick with the flu for a week, but now she’s on the road to recovery.