English the American Way: A Fun ESL Guide to Language and Culture in the U.S. » Review: Units 13–15
Vocabulary
Fill in the missing letters to make the words needed in the sentences below.
- I don’t need a new car. My old one is very r_ l_ _ _ _ _ and never breaks down.
- Hey, Toby, I’ve got some GREAT _ _ss_ _ for you. Julie in the office is getting married to Bob! NO! I thought she hated him!
- Hey, Chris, I’m spending a lot of time on my new _ _ bb_. Bungee jumping? No! Stamp collecting. It’s really relaxing.
- Aaack! I drove too fast over a p_ t _ _ _ _ in the road, and now I’ve got a flat tire.
- My dog just had a _ _ tt _ _ of eight puppies!
- My husband is a really good golfer.
Is he a professional?
No, he’s just an a _ _ t _ u _. But he’s almost as good as a professional. - The worst thing about being famous is being followed everywhere by p _ _ _ _ _ zz_ trying to get photos of you on a bad hair day.
- I hate to be outside in the summer time. I get eaten alive by the _ u _ s.
- Be careful with that glass vase. It’s very old and f_ _ g _ _ _.
- Do you like my sweater? I’ve been learning to k _ _ _ , and I made it myself.
Informal Language
Can you explain these expressions? Try using them in a sentence.
- scope out: ___________
_____________ - give someone a hand: ___________
_____________ - grab a quick bite: ___________
_____________ - keep an eye on: ___________
_____________ - pricey: ___________
_____________ - catch up: ___________
_____________ - treat to: ___________
_____________ - dying to: ___________
_____________ - Plan B: ___________
_____________ - running behind: ___________
_____________
Grammar
Choose the correct preposition of place from above the map to complete the sentences below.

- There are a lot of restaurants ____ this neighborhood.
- a. near
- b. between
- c. on
- d. in
- The town hall is _______this block.
- a. near
- b. between
- c. on
- d. in
- The Mexican restaurant is ____ the middle of the block.
- a. near
- b. between
- c. on
- d. in
- The Chinese restaurant is _________ the movie theater.
- a. near
- b. between
- c. on
- d. in
Look at the following sentences.
V Put a check next to the sentences that are correct.
X Put an X next to the sentences that are incorrect. Can you highlight the error and explain why it’s wrong?
- ______ I’m not wanting fries with my burger. Could I have a side salad instead, please?
- ______ I meet some friends this afternoon.
- ______ We read a really good book at our book club this month.
- ______ You are meeting your friends this afternoon?
- ______ I’m not going shopping tonight; I’m too tired.
Answer Key
Vocabulary
- reliable
- gossip
- hobby
- pothole
- litter
- amateur
- paparazzi
- bugs
- fragile
- knit
Informal Language
- scope out: explore; find out about things
Before their camping trip, they scoped out places to put their tent. - give someone a hand: help someone
John gave the old lady a hand carrying her heavy bags to her car. - grab a quick bite: have a quick, casual small meal or snack
Sue grabbed a quick bite between classes. - keep an eye on: watch in a protective way
The mother kept an eye on her children at the park. - pricey: expensive
The designer bag was too pricey, so she didn’t buy it. - catch up: learn all the news from someone
They hadn’t seen each other in a long time, so it was great to catch up. - treat to: pay for as a special event or reward
The kid was so well behaved that his mom treated him to ice cream after dinner. - dying to: want to do something very much
They were dying to see the popular new movie on Saturday night. - Plan B: a second-choice plan
The movie was sold out, so they went to Plan B and saw a different film. - running behind: late The bus was late, so she was running behind for her meeting.
Grammar
Choose the correct preposition of place- between
- in
- on
- in
- near
Look at the following sentences.- X I’m not wanting fries with my burger.
Correct version: I don’t want fries with my burger. (Want is a stative verb and is not used in the continuous form.) - X I meet some friends this afternoon.
Correct version: I am meeting some friends this afternoon. (You need to use the present continuous tense to show something that will happen in the near future. You could also use going to here to show a plan. I am going to meet some friends this afternoon.) - X We read a really good book at our book club this month.
Correct version: We are reading a really good book at our book club this month. (You need to use the present continuous tense to show an action happening now.) - X You are meeting your friends this afternoon?
Correct version: Are you meeting your friends this afternoon? (You need to reverse the word order to show a question.) - V No errors.
Answer Key

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