SO AND TOO

Special sentence structure with so:

So + adjective + that clause

This sentence structure is used to talk about a result (that clause) that occurs because of  so +adjective. That can be left out of the sentence.

The children were so quiet (that) I didn’t even know they were in the room!

The cake was so good (that) we couldn’t stop eating it!

 *Adverbs can also be used in this sentence structure:

She ran so fast she won the race!

 Special sentence structure with too:

too + adjective + infintive (to do something)

This structure is used to explain why someone can’t do something.

I’m too tired to go out tonight.

This soup is too hot to eat.

She is too young to drive a car!

This box is too heavy to carry.

I don’t want to go to bed yet! It’s too early (to go to bed).

We’re far too young to get married.

It’s too dangerous to walk around this neighbourhood at night.

There’s no use getting upset. It’s too late to do anything about it now.

It’s too good to be true!

I can’t go to her party tonight, I have too much work to do!

The house was too expensive to buy.

Her offer was too good to refuse.

*Adverbs can also be used:

She drove too slowly to arrive on time.

Another special sentence structurewith too:

too + adjective + for someone/something (+ infinitive)

This sweater is too big for me to wear.

We can’t go on this roller coaster. Alice is too short for this ride!

I’m too old for dolls! = I’m too old to play with dolls!

This box is too heavy for me to carry.

Quiz:

1. The soup was ______ hot that I couldn’t eat it.

2. The soup was ______ hot to eat.

3. It’s _______ cold to go outside.

4. There were far ________ people at the party for me to meet them all!

5. Susan Boyle’s CD was _____ good that I rushed out and bought it right away!

6. “Did you buy that new car?”
~ “No, I didn’t. It cost _______.”

7. He’s _______ a nice guy!

8. We are _______ far away that I don’t think we’re going to be on time for the concert.

9. I can’t stand spending time with her – she is ______ rude!

10. He’s _______ intelligent for his class – he’s not learning anything.

Answers below!

Quiz (Click here to try a quiz)

Vocabulary 3 --- Dieting

 
                                       Vocabulary exercise on dieting by clicking on the image.

Vocabulary 2 --- The Internet

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Vocabulary 1 --- ALCOHOL

Click on the image to try a vocabulary exercise related to alcihol and health.

a or an ?

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Essay

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As long as, provided, providing, unless

As long as, provided and providing are subordinating conjunctions. They express condition and are used at the beginning of a subordinate clause.

As long as
We use as long as to express a condition, i.e. to say that something will happen only on condition that something else happens.	I'll lend you the book as long as you promise to give me it back next week. (= If you don't promise to give the book back next week, I will not lend you it.)
As long as expresses that one thing depends on another.	You can go to the party as long as you come back before midnight. (= You can go to the party, but you must promise to be back before midnight.)
As long as has the same meaning asproviding or UNLESSUnless is followed by an affirmative verb to express "if ... not": My leg's broken. I can't stand up unless you help me. (I can't stand up if you don't help me.) provided.	You can go to the party providing /provided you come back before midnight. We're going skiing next week providing /provided there's enough snow.

Exercise

Modal Perfect - Modal verbs 7

All modal perfect auxiliary verbs refer to the past.

FORM: Modal + Have (Infinitive) + Past Participle

1. must have done = we are almost sure something happened in the past

• Jane wasn't feeling well yesterday. She must have caught a cold.
• Bill didn't answer the phone when I called him. He must have fallen asleep.

2. can't have done = we are almost sure something did not happen in the past

• She can't have forgotten to send you an invitation. I gave her your address.
• They can't have gone to bed late. They were very tired.

3. may / might / could have done = it is possible that something happened in the past but we aren't sure.

• Laura hasn't arrived yet. She may/might/could have missed the bus.
• I didn't see Paul at work. He may/might/could have been ill.

4. could have done = we had the ability to do something in the past but did not do it.

• You could have told us about the new project!
• She could have called me when she arrived but she forgot.

5. should have / ought to have done = (a) it was the right thing to do but we didn't do it. (b) we expected something to happen but it didn't.

• You should have told him the truth.
• They ought to have received the cheque by now.

6. would have done = we wanted to do something but we didn't do it in the end.

• They would have emailed you but the Internet was down yesterday.
• I would have bought that DVD but I didn't have enough money.

7. needn't have done = it wasn't necessary to do something but we did it.

• You needn't have gone to the supermarket. I've already done the shopping.
• The weather was warm and sunny. I needn't have taken an umbrella.

Modal Perfect Quiz

Lack of necessity - Modal verbs 6

Necessity Quiz

Prohibition and Permission - Modal verbs 5

Permission, prohibition and obligation Quiz

Deduction and possibility - Modal verbs 4

Possibility/ Probability Quiz

Obligation and advice- Modal verbs 3

Obligation and advice

Ability - Modal verbs 2

Can, could and be able to Quiz

in spite of / despite / although

in spite of / despite / although

In spite of, despite and although are all used to show a contrast but there are differences in the structures used with them.

In spite of / despite

After in spite of and despite we use a noun or a pronoun.

• We enjoyed our camping holiday in spite of the rain.
• Despite the pain in his leg he completed the marathon.
• Despite having all the necessary qualifications, they didn’t offer me the job.

Remember that the gerund (‘-ing’ form) is the ‘noun’ form of a verb.

The only difference between in spite of and despite is the ‘of’.

• Despite of the bad weather, there was a large crowd at the match.

Although

After although we use a subject and a verb.

• We enjoyed our camping holiday although it rained every day.
• Although he worked very hard, he didn’t manage to pass the exam.
• The holiday was great although the hotel wasn’t very nice.

We can use in spite of and despite with a subject and verb if we include the expression ‘the fact that’.

• In spite of the fact that he worked very hard, he didn’t manage to pass the exam.
• Despite the fact that he worked very hard, he didn’t manage to pass the exam.

Even though

Even though is a slightly stronger form of although.

• We decided to buy the house even though we didn’t really have enough money.
• You keep making that stupid noise even though I’ve asked you to stop three times.

Like although, even though is followed by a subject and a verb.

EXERCISE
EXERCISE 2

The auxiliary verb TO DO

Defining relative clauses

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This, that, these or those

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Stative Verbs

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Possessive adjectives

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                                                    Here and here  you'll find more.

Word order in questions

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