English the American Way: A Fun ESL Guide to Language and Culture in the U.S. » Review: Units 4–6
Vocabulary
Fill in the blanks. Use the words below.
- cashier
- gourmet
- sunburn
- sunscreen
- dawn
- gadget
- couch potato
- spotless
- vegetarian
- party
- I don’t eat meat. I’m a(n) _____ .
- Can you see where the is _____ ? I need to pay for this.
- I’d like to invite Tom over for a meal but he’s a _____ chef. I’d be embarrassed by my simple cooking style.
- Welcome to The Happy Apple Restaurant. How many people are in your _____ ?
- My husband has a for everything! His little devices help him do just about everything, _____ from cooking to fixing things. (I just wish he’d put them away when he’s finished!)
- I see you’ve cleaned the house for our visitors tomorrow. It is _____ . Great job!
- I’m a real _____ . I hate exercising but I love watching it on TV.
- I’m the total opposite. I get up at _____ every morning to go for a run.
- Don’t forget to put on _____ if you are going out in this hot sun!
- If you lie on the beach without suntan lotion, you could get a bad _____ .
Informal Language
Match the expressions to their meanings. Try using them in a sentence.
______ 1. break the bank | a. content with a situation |
______ 2. beef about something | b. watch a game |
______ 3. catch a game | c. do something independently, without a group |
______ 4. a piece of cake | d. cost too much for your budget |
______ 5. dig in | e. pack very few things when you travel |
______ 6. stay in shape | f. really easy |
______ 7. do your own thing | g. maintain a healthy body through diet and exercise |
______ 8. keep an eye open | h. be alert |
______ 9. a happy camper | i. complain |
______ 10. travel light | j. eat and enjoy |
Grammar
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 not correct. Can you highlight the error and explain why it’s wrong?
- ______ Wow, this burger is smelling great.
- ______ What would you like: tea or coffee? I like coffee.
- ______ Do you like coffee? Yes, I really like coffee, but the caffeine keeps me awake.
- ______ Wine is expensive.
- ______ Two glasses of wine is very expensive.
- ______ A rice is a good choice with seafood.
- ______ He cans swim well.
- ______ I can played soccer well when I was younger.
- ______ It was cloudy all day yesterday, and then it poured last night.
- ______ I loved my teacher in first grade. She teached me many wonderful things.
Answer Key
Vocabulary
- vegetarian
- cashier
- gourmet
- party
- gadget
- spotless
- couch potato
- dawn
- sunscreen
- sunburn
Informal Language
- d
I’d love to buy a new TV to watch the game, but my wife would be angry because it would break the bank at the moment. - i
My boss always has something to beef about. I wish he’d just let me get on with my job in peace. - b
Sorry, I can’t stop and talk. I want to get home to catch a game on TV. - f
This new computer program is really easy. It makes writing this report a piece of cake. - j
Morning, everyone! I’ve brought doughnuts to the office for breakfast. Don’t be shy. Dig in! - g
I like to stay in shape, so I make sure I exercise regularly and eat lots of fruit and vegetables. - c
It’s fun to play a game of soccer with friends, but sometimes I like to do my own thing and go for a jog alone. - h
If you must go jogging alone, make sure you run in a public place, and keep an eye open at all times for problems. - a
I’m so glad I got my new job. I’m a happy camper now! - e
I hate carrying heavy suitcases. When I go away, I try to travel light and take as few things as possible.
Grammar
- X Wow, this burger is smelling great.
Correct version: This burger smells great. (Smell is a stative verb.) - X What would you like: tea or coffee? I like coffee.
Correct version: I’d like coffee. (The question is asking which you would like to drink at the moment.) - V This is correct.
(The question is asking what you like in general.) - V This is correct.
(Wine is a noncount noun.) - V Two glasses of wine is very expensive.
Correct version: Two glasses of wine are very expensive. (Wine is a noncount noun, but here the wine has been poured into two glasses. Therefore, the word acts as a count noun.) - X A rice is a good choice with seafood.
Correct version: Rice is a good choice with seafood. (Rice is a noncount noun, which does not need the indefinite article a.) - X He cans swim well.
Correct version: He can swim well. (Can is a modal verb and is followed by a verb in its base form.) - X I can played soccer well when I was younger.
Correct version: I could play soccer well when I was young. (The past of can is could, followed by a verb in the base form.) - V This is correct.
(Pour is a regular verb, so it takes ed as its ending.) - X I loved my teacher in first grade. She teached me many wonderful things.
Correct version: I loved my teacher in first grade. She taught me many wonderful things. (The verb to teach is an irregular verb; the past tense is taught.)
Answer Key

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