1. Negative expressions.

his family hardly know him
he seldom gets to lectures

Words like hardly and seldom make a statement almost totally negative:

His family hardly know him is almost the same as His family don't know him.
He seldom gets to lectures is almost the same as He never gets to lectures.
Other words of this type are:

barely
rarely
scarcely


Rewrite these sentences, using the word in brackets, so that the meaning is the same or similar. Remember to include punctuation.

For example:

His family don't know him, almost. (hardly)
 
His family hardly know him.
He almost never gets to lectures. (seldom)
 
He seldom gets to lectures.
or
He seldom ever gets to lectures.

2. Practice: Negative expressions.

Can you remember the sentences from the previous exercise? Rephrase each sentence using the word in brackets. Say and record the sentences.

3. Verb pattern: verb + -ing.

She recommends keeping an egg timer by the computer.

Two other verbs with similar meaning that take this pattern are:

advise
suggest

She advises keeping an egg timer by the computer.
She suggests keeping an egg timer by the computer.

Note how the pattern changes if the person who is receiving the recommendation is mentioned:

She recommends (that) addicts keep an egg timer by the computer.
or
Addicts are recommended to keep an egg timer by the computer.
but She advises addicts to keep an egg timer by the computer.
NOT She advises that addicts keep an egg timer by the computer.
and Addicts are advised to keep an egg timer by the computer.
and only She suggests (that) addicts keep an egg timer by the computer.
NEVER She suggests addicts to keep an egg timer by the computer.
or Addicts are suggested to keep an egg timer by the computer.

Decide which of the following sentences are correct:

For more information about the verb pattern verb + -ing see the Grammar Reference.

4. Verb pattern: Verb + -ing.

Change the sentences using the word in brackets, so that the sentence keeps the meaning of the original.

Remember how the pattern changes if the person who is receiving the recommendation is mentioned.

5. Will for habitual behavior.

He will spend hours at a time on the Internet.

This is another way of saying:

He habitually spends hours at a time on the Internet.

Rewrite the sentences using will. Remember to include punctuation.

For more information about will for habitual behaviour see the Grammar Reference.

6. Can you remember?

Can you remember the original sentences in exercise 5? Try and complete them.