Instructions: Choose the correct option (a–c).

I don’t like looking for problems. I prefer to deal with them _____ they appear.

I don’t have a lot of valuable jewellery – just a few _____ of gold.

There are still a few details to work out but _____ the conference has been arranged.

Forget about coming back to work for the time being. What’s _____ is you getting your health back again.

Jeremy is a very dedicated writer and puts his _____ into every project he takes on.

Sorry, but there is no time now for _____. We must move into cheaper offices   immediately.

I’m surprised _____ to still find people who are not computer literate.

We’re going to an amazing fish restaurant. It’s a bit _____ – what they catch, they serve, but you will love it.

There has been fighting in the streets for five days now and nobody knows when _____ will be restored.

My life is so stressful at the moment. I am longing for a bit of _____ and time to myself.

Instructions: Complete the sentence with a suitable tense of the verb in brackets.

I think it’s true that some people never ____________________ from their mistakes, and continue doing the same stupid thing over and over again. (learn)

Currently police ____________________ the disappearance of a valuable archive from the Natural History museum. (investigate)

Our local politician ____________________ a speech last week saying he was retiring because of bad health. (make)

At the time of the earthquake, we ____________________ a lecture at the university on bioengineering. (attend)

I ____________________ my old school friends since the last reunion several years ago. (not see)

I’m so sorry, my train was late. How long ____________________ you ____________________? (wait)

I ____________________ just ____________________ to resign from my job when I was fired. (decide)

We ____________________ already ____________________ in a queue for tickets for over an hour when they announced that the concert was sold out. (stand)

On Friday I ____________________ my future husband’s parents for the first time. I’m a bit nervous. (meet)

It was good to see you again. I ____________________ you soon. Bye for now. (call)

Instructions: Complete the sentence with one of the words or phrases from the box.

chatterbox	drifter	free spirit	go-getter	outgoing

Unfortunately Simon has always been a bit of a ____________________, never sticking to a serious job or relationship for long.

We need a dynamic ____________________ for the team – someone who will bring in new customers and investors.

Mickey likes to think of himself as something of a ____________________, but in reality he’s just as restricted by rules and regulations as the rest of us.

I can’t get any work done with Carol next to me because she’s such a ____________________. I need someone who doesn’t talk so much.

You should think about going into PR or Sales. With your ____________________ personality you would be very good with people.

Instructions: Complete the sentence with one of the expressions from the box.

are neither here nor there	forgone conclusion	has seen better days	to heed the old man’s warning	wears his heart on his sleeve

It was unwise of you not ______________________________. Why didn’t you listen to what he had to say?

The exact words the director used ______________________________. What’s important is whether he offered you the job or not.

There is never any doubt as to how James is feeling because he ______________________________.

Adrianna is so bright and works so hard that it’s a ______________________________ she’ll get a first class degree.

The house ______________________________, but with a bit of imagination, hard work and of course some money, it will soon be back to its former glory.

Instructions: Choose the words that best complete the sentence.

I have made / have been making dinner already and it’s in the oven so whenever you’re hungry, we can eat.

We have looked / have been looking for a new house for a while now but there doesn’t seem to be anything suitable out there.

I had researched / had been researching the company’s politics thoroughly before I applied for the job.

I had sat / had been sitting on the bus for at least ten minutes before I realised I was actually on the wrong one.

By this time next year, I hope I will have learnt / will have been learning at least a few words of Chinese.

In three months’ time, I have been teaching / ’ll have been teaching at the university for five years.

We have been travelling / will have been travelling for weeks now. All I want is to stay in one place for a few days and have a rest.

I have practised / had practised what I would say in my job interview but when I got there it all went out of my head and I was lost for words.

Oliver and Lily have been / will have been just friends for years, but now they say they love each other and they’re getting married.

I have told / had told the children over and over again that they should tidy up their own rooms but they never do it.

Instructions: Put the sentences in order to make a conversation.

Order the sentences.

E.       Take your time, there’s no rush.
H.       Yes, of course you can. Use that glass there. Please don’t be nervous.
I.       That sounds interesting, Mr Cullen. Please continue.

Instructions: Listen to track 1.1 and write true or false.

Speaker 1 says the best advice he was ever given was when he was twenty-five years old.

Giles tried to change his approach when making a first design for clients.

Speaker 1’s relationship with Giles has improved recently.

Speaker 2 believes it’s wrong to fall out with people over insignificant problems.

When you’re angry or upset, Speaker 2 thinks it’s easy to think before you do something you’ll regret.

Instructions: Read the letter below and answer the questions. Write true, false or don’t know.

Dear Miss Rathbourne,

I am writing in response to your advertisement in last Friday’s London Gazette newspaper for volunteers to take part in your next trip to Sierra Leone and I enclose my CV. I am interested in the project for a number of reasons: firstly I believe I can offer a range of useful skills, secondly I would very much like to help out as a volunteer and thirdly, as a teacher with long holidays, I have the necessary time to devote.

I have a range of building skills and can turn my hand to most construction projects including rudimentary welding, plumbing and electric jobs. My father has a construction company and I spent more time with him on site than I ever did at home and I worked my way through my teenage years and then again at university as a labourer. I am used to working with basic equipment: wood, handsaws, hammer and nails, which I would be a requisite in somewhere that may not even have electricity or running water.

I have done other voluntary work in the past – see my CV for details – both as an individual and as part of a team, and more recently as a team leader, too. As I also mentioned above, being a teacher allows me to travel extensively.

I sincerely believe that I would be an asset in Sierra Leone and I am very keen to take part in the project. Please contact me anytime for an interview.

Yours sincerely,
Joe Hammond

The writer is a construction worker.

The people going on the trip to Sierra Leone will not be paid.

The organisation will only accept applicants who have long summer vacations.

There are no bathrooms where they are going.

The writer is an experienced volunteer.

Instructions: You have decided to apply for the job advertised below. Write a covering letter to accompany your CV.

BuildWell Property Agents is one of the country’s leading real estate firms with more than fifty years’ experience and we are looking for a dynamic self-motivated person to join our team of sales negotiators.
If you are a go-getting, outgoing, goal-oriented individual who is not afraid of a challenge, contact us now.