CAE USE OF ENGLISH PART 4

If it rains, they will hold the wedding reception indoors.
EVENT
The wedding reception will take ...... rain.

PLACE INDOORS IN THE EVENT OF

George has finally accepted that his marriage is over.
TERMS
George has ...... that his marriage is over.

COME TO TERMS WITH THE FACT THAT

Did the hockey team play any better last year?
IN
Was there any ...... team played last year?

IMPROVEMENT IN THE WAY THE HOCKEY

People usually find their first experience of bungee jumping rather sickening.
COMMON
It ...... find their first experience of bangee jumping rather sickening.

IS COMMON FOR PEOPLE TO

For all his faults, she agreed to marry him.
HAS
However ...... , she agreed to marry him.

MANY FAULTS HE HAS/MANY FAULTS HE HAS GOT

If I were you, I would throw the old shirt away.
DISPOSE
If I were in your ...... the old shirt.

SHOES (PLACE) I WOULD DISPOSE OF/SHOES(PLACE) I'D DISPOSE OF

She didn't stay long at the concert as it was extremely noisy.
SO
If ...... noise, she could have stayed longer at the concert.

THERE HAD NOT BEEN SO MUCH/THERE HADN'T BEEN SO MUCH

She had no idea whatsoever why Mr. Thompson left for Australia.
LOSS
She was ...... the reason why Mr. Thompson left for Australia.

AT A LOSS TO EXPLAIN (UNDERSTAND, KNOW)

Why didn't you ask me before you took my car?
RATHER
I ...... before you took my car.

WOULD RATHER YOU HAD ASKED ME/'D RATHER YOU HAD ASKED ME

Mr. Collins has been offended about some comments that couldn't possibly be directed at him.
EXCEPTION
Mr. Collins ...... some comments that couldn't possibly be directed at him.

HAS TAKEN EXCEPTION TO

What gave her the impression that Tony was going to get a promotion?
LED
What was it that ...... that Tony was going to get a promotion?

LED HER TO BELIEVE

She still sees her old boyfriend at times.
WHILES
he still sees her old boyfriend ...... .

ONCE IN A WHILE

It wasn't Lucy's duty to check the calculations.
OBLIGATION
Lucy wasn't ...... check the calculations.

UNDER AN OBLIGATION TO

David is proud of the fact that he is always very reliable.
PRIDES
David ...... very reliable.

PRIDES HIMSELF ON (ALWAYS) BEING

I will always regret not accepting the opportunity to work at IBM.
TURNED
I will always wish that ...... the opportunity to work at IBM.

I HADN'T (HAD NOT) TURNED DOWN

Jim wasn't able to work outdoors today because of the horrible storm.
IMPOSSIBLE
The horrible storm ...... Jim to work outdoors today.

MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR

Dick looks as if he were a very good person.
IMPRESSION
Dick ...... a very good person.

MAKES AN IMPRESSION OF/MAKES AN IMPRESSION OF BEING

Would it be possible to talk to her privately for a second?
HAVING
Is there any ...... word with her?

POSSIBILITY/LIKELIHOOD/CHANCE OF (ME, MY) HAVING A (PRIVATE)

She was driving so fast that the police wasn't able to catch up with her.
SUCH
She was driving ...... that the police wasn't able to catch up with her.

AT SUCH A SPEED

I can't believe it - I've just won the first prize!' Helen said.
LUCK
Helen couldn't ...... when she won the first prize.

BELIEVE HER LUCK

Nobody wanted to offer a helping hand to me.
DEVICES
I was ...... by everybody.

LEFT TO MY OWN DEVICES

Lisa really should make a decision about where to invest her money.
MIND
It's high time Lisa ...... about where to invest her money.

MADE UP HER MIND/MADE HER MIND UP

Apparently the plane did not sustain any damage.
HAVE
The plane ...... any damage.

APPEARS NOT TO HAVE SUSTAINED/DOESN'T (DOES NOT) APPEAR TO HAVE SUSTAINED

You ought to take into account that he is still very young.
ALLOWANCES
You ought to ...... his young age.

MAKE ALLOWANCES FOR

Things went wrong at once after his resignation.
HAD
Hardly ...... things went wrong.

HAD HE RESIGNED WHEN/HAD HE RESIGNED BEFORE

We shouldn't exaggerate the importance of finishing on time.
EMPHASIS
We shouldn't ...... the importance of finishing on time.

PUT (PLACE) TOO (MUCH) EMPHASIS ON

She's not much interested in outdoor sports.
GO
She doesn't really ...... outdoor sports.

GO IN FOR

She had never been so happy before.
THAN
She was ...... before.

HAPPIER THAN EVER/HAPPIER THAN SHE HAD (SHE'D) EVER BEEN

Isn't Julia similar to the women form the movie?
BEAR
Doesn't Julia ...... the woman from the movie?

BEAR RESEMBLANCE TO

I spent many sleepless nights in the lab trying to do everything we can before he left.
NIGHT
I spent ...... in the lab trying to do everything we can before he left.

MANY A SLEEPLESS NIGHT

Unfortunately, she's not lucky these days.
OUT
Unfortunately, she's ...... these days.

OUT OF LUCK

John is not accustomed to sleeping after meals.
HABIT
John is not ...... after meals.

IN THE HABIT OF SLEEPING

Although Mr. Rogers was over sixty, he continued to smoke forty cigarettes a day.
SPITE
In ...... over sixty, Mr. Rogers continued to smoke forty cigarettes a day.

SPITE OF BEING

Martha persuaded John not to go out tonight.
TALKED
Martha ...... out tonight.

TALKED JOHN OUT OF GOING

I didn't believe in the explanation he gave.
WAS
The explanation he gave ...... belief.

WAS BEYOND MY

Raul said he was grateful for all the help he received.
EXPRESSED
Raul ...... all the help he received.

EXPRESSED HIS GRATITUDE FOR

Martin isn't the one who knows the secret.
LET
Martin hasn't ...... the secret.

BEEN LET IN ON

Donald bought this big building because he wanted to open a warehouse.
VIEW
Donald bought this big building ...... a warehouse.

WITH A VIEW TO OPENING

My BMW was parked eight hundred metres away from the city centre.
DISTANCE
My BMW was parked ...... eight hundred metres away from the city centre.

AT A DISTANCE OF

You must do it, which is a pity.
HAVE
If ..... do it.

ONLY YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO/ONLY YOU DID NOT HAVE TO

Unless you have a camping permit, you can't stay overnight.
POSSESSION
Unless ...... a camping permit, you can't stay overnight.

YOU ARE IN POSSESSION OF

She knew nothing about the party that they were planning.
DARK
She was ...... the party that they were planning.

IN THE DARK ABOUT

We don't expect that the missing passengers have survived.
HOPE
We don't hold ...... the missing passengers.

OUT MUCH HOPE FOR

In my opinion she is sure the win the contest.
CONFIDENT
I am ...... the contest.

CONFIDENT OF HER WINNING/CONFIDENT THAT SHE WILL WIN

If Sue hadn't refused to work overtime, she would have got a promotion.
FOR
Had ...... to work overtime, she would have got a promotion.

IT NOT BEEN FOR SUE'S REFUSAL

Susan couldn't get to the date because of the heavy rain.
PREVENTED
The heavy rain ...... getting to the date.

PREVENTED SUSAN FROM

The service at the hotel wasn't as good as I expected.
COME
The service at the hotel ...... my expectations.

DIDN'T COME UP TO/DID NOT COME UP TO

She has taken it upon herself to take care of her mother.
COMMITTED
She has ...... care of her mother.

COMMITTED HERSELF TO TAKING

The deaths of almost sixty people were caused by the tornado.
RESULTED
The tornado ...... almost sixty people.

RESULTED IN THE DEATHS OF

It's very kind of you to help me with the suitcase.
APPRECIATE
I really ...... me with the suitcase.

APPRECIATE YOUR HELPING

The flight will probably be cancelled.
PROBABILITY
In ...... will be cancelled.

ALL PROBABILITY THE FLIGHT

We have given the tools to all the workers.
PROVIDED
All the workers ...... the tools.

HAVE BEEN PROVIDED WITH

I'm going to reveal the truth somehow or other.
ANOTHER
In ...... I'm going to reveal the truth.

ONE WAY OR ANOTHER

George demands that the project should be finished now.
INSISTENT
George ...... the project.

IS INSISTENT ON FINISHING/'S INSISTENT ON FINISHING

I think a good meal would do you good.
BENEFIT
I think you would ...... meal.

BENEFIT FROM A GOOD

Although I like him very much, I don't want to socialize with him.
LIKE
Much ...... , I don't want to socialize with him.

AS I LIKE HIM

She had four daughters. The youngest of them was her favourite.
APPLE
She had four daughters the youngest ...... her eye.

OF WHOM WAS THE APPLE OF

It was raining heavily, so I didn't go to school at all.
FOR
If it ...... rain, I would have gone to school.

HADN'T BEEN FOR THE HEAVY/HAD NOT BEEN FOR THE HEAVY

Everybody knows that the president died in a plane crash.
KNOWLEDGE
It is ...... the president died in a plane crash.

COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT/PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE THAT

The first pilot refused to endanger the safety of the passengers of the plane.
PUT
The first pilot refused to ...... the safety of the passengers of the plane.

PUT AT RISK

She informed the police because she assumed he was guilty of rape.
ASSUMPTION
She informed the police ...... he was guilty of rape.

ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT

I've just noticed that the car has almost run out of petrol.
HARDLY
I've just noticed that ...... left in the car.

there's (is/was) hardly any petrol

I didn't know that cars were so expensive in this country.
IDEA
I ...... so much in this country.

had no idea (that) cars cost

Don't get depressed because of such a small problem.
LET
It's such a small problem that you shouldn't ...... down.

let it get you

It is reported that he is now recovering in hospital.
RECOVERY
He is reported ...... in hospital now.

to be making a recovery

Laura's teacher says that she doesn't have a serious enough attitude to her work.
SERIOUSLY
Laura doesn't ...... to her teacher.

take her work seriously enough according

What's confusing you so much?
LOT
What is it that's ...... confusion?

causing you such a lot of

There's no point arguing about this small detail, in my opinion.
WORTH
This small detail ......, in my opinion.

isn't /is not worth arguing about

If your order is delayed, we will contact you.
DELAY
Should ...... to your order, we will contact you.

there be any/a delay

The two situations are completely different.
COMMON
The two situations don't ...... each other.

have anything in common with

I was amazed because there were no problems throughout the holiday.
WENT
To ...... wrong throughout the holiday.

my amazement, nothing went

I have no intention of doing another kind of job.
DREAM
I ...... other kind of job.

wouldn't/would not dream of doing any

I've been too busy to answer my emails, but I'll do it soon.
ROUND
I ...... my emails yet, but I'll do it soon

haven't/have not got round to answering

The ambulance came within minutes.
MATTER
It ...... before the ambulance came

was a matter of minutes

Experts say that things are bound to improve.
DOUBT
Experts say that there is ...... better

no doubt (that) things will get

Jake was the person who started my interest in collecting pottery.
GOT
It ...... in collecting pottery

was Jake who/that got me interested

He really wanted to impress the interviewers.
DESPERATE
He ...... the interviewers a good impression

was desperate to give

Because he was injured he couldn't play in the next game.
PREVENTED
His ...... in the next game

injury prevented him from playing

Can anyone solve this problem?
COME
Can anyone ...... to this problem?

come up with a solution

He made a very quick decision and he didn't think about the matter enough.
WITHOUT
He made a very quick decision ...... to the matter.

without giving enough thought

Recently, the number of people who are out of work has gone down.
DECREASE
Recently, ...... the number of people who are out of work

there has been a decrease in

It doesn't matter how badly he behaved, you shouldn't have been so rude to him.
HOWEVER
You shouldn't have been so rude to him, ...... was

however bad his behaviour / however badly(-)behaved he

My sister was totally shocked when she won the lottery.
CAME
Winning the lottery ...... my sister.

came as a total/complete shock to

It was heavy snow on the line that delayed the train.
HELD
The train would have arrived on time if it ...... heavy snow on the line.

had not been held up by

My study is full of papers - I can't get another thing on the desk!
ROOM
There is ...... on my desk!

no room for anything else

It's the first time I've seen such a beautiful painting!
BEFORE
Never ...... such a beautiful painting!

before have I seen

She didn't listen to my idea at all and refused to consider it.
DISMISSIVE
She ...... my idea and refused to consider it.

was dismissive of

I understand what you are saying but I can't agree.
POINT
I can't agree, although ...... .

I take your point

I am confident that he will be successful in his career.
CHANCES
I am confident ...... in his career

of/about his chances of success

I am really bad at remembering people's names when I meet them.
MEMORY
I ...... people's names when I meet them

have a really/very bad memory for

I'm sorry that I didn't help him.
REGRET
I ...... him

regret not helping

He is so ambitious - he's determined that he'll be successful in the company.
MARK
He is determined ...... in the company.

to make his mark

Can you suggest a way of turning dreams into reality for ambitious people?
TRUE
Can you suggest how ...... for ambitious people?

to make dreams come true

I don't want to take part in the project.
RATHER
I ...... part in the project.

would rather not take

This milk is bad - it smells terrible!
OFF
This milk ...... - it smells terrible!

has gone off

It's difficult for a poorly performing company to make a profit.
TURN
If a company is performing poorly, it's difficult ...... one.

to turn it into a profitable

The failure of the company was incredibly disappointing.
BITTERLY
I ...... the failure of the company.

was bitterly disappointed by

The village shop is now being managed by a national supermarket chain.
TAKEN
A national supermarket chain ...... of the village shop.

has taken over the management

As long as he could see, Kevin really didn't mind where he sat in the stadium.
DIFFERENCE
As long as he could see, ...... where he sat in the stadium.

it made no difference to Kevin

This door is an emergency exit and must never be locked for any reason.
ACCOUNT
On ...... be locked because it is an emergency exit.

no account must this door ever