Grammar and Writing Parctise Cambridge Secondary 1 Book
Grammar and Writing Parctise Cambridge Secondary 1 Book
Grammar and Writing Parctise Cambridge Secondary 1 Book
CAMBRIDGE
Cambridge Secondary 1 Stage 7–9 CHECKPOINT
Writing and Grammar Practice Book AND BEYOND
Complete English for Cambridge Secondary 1 Stage 7–9 WRITING AND GRAMMAR PRACTICE BOOK
Complete English for Cambridge Secondary 1 directly supports the Cambridge Secondary
1 English curriculum framework, enabling learners to tackle the Checkpoint test and rise to
the challenge of Cambridge IGCSE® with confidence.
This Writing and Grammar Practice Book supports the three stages of Cambridge
Secondary 1.
● Fully prepare for exams – comprehensive coverage of the course
Develop advanced skills – a fully integrated and engaging approach extends
Complete
●
performance
● Progress to the next stage – differentiated extension material eases the transition to
English for
14-16 study
Cambridge
Empowering every learner to succeed and progress
Mark Pedroz
Complete Complete Complete
English for English for English for
8
Cambridge
7 9
Cambridge Cambridge
Secondary 1 Secondary 1 Secondary 1
Series editor: Dean Roberts
Series editor: Dean Roberts Jane Arredondo
Series editor: Dean Roberts Annabel Charles Annabel Charles
Alan Jenkins Alan Jenkins Alan Jenkins
Tony Parkinson Tony Parkinson Tony Parkinson
Oxford excellence for Cambridge Secondary 1 Oxford excellence for Cambridge Secondary 1 Oxford excellence for Cambridge Secondary 1
837470 CS1 Complete English W_G PB cvr.indd All Pages 16/11/2016 16:14
Introduction
Contents
Introduction 2
1 Grammar 4
2 Punctuation 36
6 Pathways 106
Answers 114
Glossary 124
Index 126
Anjali and Paul approached the old farmhouse cautiously but they knew it was meant to be empty and they
opened the cobweb-covered barn door and something dark flew out straight towards them but they recovered
slowly from the shock then a man was standing in front of them and he was staring straight at them.
2. Turn these adjectives into adverbs then place the correct one into each sentence.
3. Rewrite this paragraph, turning each adjective in brackets into an adverb. How do the
adverbs make the apologies sound more sincere?
I am writing to apologise (full) for the mistake I made. I came into the classroom (noise) to fetch my bag.
I did not realise the class inside were (silent) working on a test. I behaved (selfish) and (irresponsible).
Compound sentences
Even with adjectives and adverbs, simple sentences can be
uninteresting because reading them is like reading a list.
Conjunctions (or connectives) such as or, and or but can be used
to join sentences together and make them more interesting.
1. Make compound sentences using the conjunctions (or connectives)
or, and or but.
a The sun was shining. Every one looked forward to a good day.
b They were all ready for the beach. They had to find the quickest way to get there.
c The fast train left later. They could take the slower bus.
3. In each group of sentences, choose the right conjunctions to make one compound sentence.
a The players played bravely to the end. They were defeated. The crowd did not forgive them.
b Shiv needed help with his homework. He could borrow someone else’s. He knew he would not
learn anything that way.
c Tracey wasn’t good at computer games. She could ask her brother to help her. She would take
forever to move to the next level.
2. Fill the gaps with a preposition or a conjunction. At the end of each sentence write whether
you have used a preposition or a conjunction.
a The road passed the tunnel as the trains travelled over it.
b it was already late, there was time to reach the post office before dark.
c We said we would not turn up four o’clock.
d Ugo sat the large man in the crowded train.
e Khaled raced up the stairs get to his interview on time.
In many examples a preposition is followed by an object pronoun (me, you, him, her, it, us or them). In
your writing you need to take care over the choice of prepositions.
2. Fill the gaps below with the correct conjunction or relative pronoun.
a many people think that Frankenstein is the name of a monster, this is not true.
b Frankenstein was the name of the inventor made the monster.
c In Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein has a happy childhood his mother’s
death makes him look for the secrets of life and death.
d He neglects his family trying to create life from dead parts.
e The creature is angry Frankenstein abandoned him in horror being his creator.
3. Here is a set of notes for a speech. Rewrite them using compound sentences to make the
speech fluent.
Subordinating conjunctions
In a complex sentence, the part that makes sense on its own is
called the main clause. The subordinate clause depends on the Remember
main clause for its meaning. A relative pronoun
The subordinate clause can come before or after the main clause. (which, that, whom,
When the subordinating clause comes first, it needs to be separated whose, when, where or
from the main clause by a comma. who) separates the relative
A subordinating conjunction always belongs at the beginning of a clause from the main
subordinate clause. Examples are: after, although, as, because, before, even clause. The relative clause
though, if, since, unless, until, when, whenever, whereas, wherever, while. always appears after the
main clause.
1. Add the comma in the correct place in these sentences.
a Although food is essential for our good health we need to be careful what we eat.
b We need a balanced diet which consists of carbohydrate, proteins and unsaturated fats.
c While the main food types are all essential they do need to be kept in the right balance as an
excess of any one type can lead to health problems.
g
h
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3. Improve this report by adding pronouns instead of repeating the same names.
Rick is making good progress in English. Rick’s comprehension skills have improved. Rick can write good stories.
However, spelling and punctuation need to improve and I have given Rick extra exercises to help Rick with this.
Rick’s class also visited the theatre where Rick’s class enjoyed the play and meeting the actors. The class’s
reviews of the performance were lively and Rick’s was the best of all.
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1. Circle the correct option from the paired words in these sentences.
a One of the students presented her/their findings to the rest of the class.
b Members of the government made their/its decision.
c Dominating the forest were/was the tall oak trees which had been there for hundreds of years.
2. Fill the gaps by choosing the correct form of the verb. Use the context of the sentence to
make sure you have the right tense.
a One of her favourite tracks (to be) the next one on the album.
b They (to run) quickly down the street to catch their bus.
c Dogs (to be) loyal animals and quite easy to train.
d We (to want) to win, and to do it now!
e The number of successful appeals against results (to have) increased.
3. Rewrite the paragraph below correcting the errors. Pay particular attention to the verbs.
Travelling to unusual countries give you a host of interesting stories as well as striking photographs. If you get
talking, different people tells you the stories of their lives. Wandering off the tourist trail let you visit the shops
and markets used by ordinary people. The sights and sounds is unusual and you will want to remember the
smells and the taste of the food. Try anything once, is what I always says, and don’t be afraid of the unfamiliar.
For example, many believes different types of tea has health-given properties, and the experience are memorable,
even if the taste can be unpalatable. Strong spices has the effect of turning a meal into an explosion of flavours,
and I have experienced many meals which was cooked to perfection and impossible to imitate at home. Most
cultures welcome tourists and brings you their tradition of hospitality to strangers, especially in the East.
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2. Fill the gap with the correct relative pronoun to complete the adjectival clause.
a I was confronted with a ravening beast was terrifying to look at.
b The city, had towered over the plain for many centuries, was still many miles away.
c Julian, had always been a good actor, made the most powerful impact on his audience.
d Mari, to the lead part had been given, was very nervous.
e The members of the orchestra, playing was normally so disciplined and harmonious,
responded even more sensitively to her fine conducting.
3. Read this descriptive piece of writing. In each sentence, underline the compound adjectives,
circle adjectival clauses, and highlight comparatives and superlatives.
As the tsunami wave burst through the streets leading to the coast, people fled faster and more urgently. The
destructive force of the water, advancing with terrifying speed, consumed everything in its path. Foamy-white
water reared like horses threatening all in their wake. It was the scariest experience Arun had ever had. He
clung to the concrete post, which gave him hope, and lashed a rope around both of them.
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3. Join these simple sentences using adverbial phrases. The result should be four sentences.
Treasure Island was written by Robert Louis Stevenson. It gives children the thrill of adult adventure. He chose Jack, a
boy narrator. You feel Jack’s terror and his growing confidence. He doesn’t get much help from other adults. He finds a
way to outwit the pirates. They fight among themselves. He thinks quickly and decisively. He can exploit this situation.
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2. Write the correct form of the past tense. (Not all the answers are above.)
a I (dig) a large hole in the ground to hide the treasure.
b In order to win, they (hold) onto their lead with strong defence.
c We (stick) it out despite the cold, so we earned a warm drink when we got back.
d We (bring) lots of presents so that our hosts would feel appreciated.
3. Rewrite this paragraph, changing the verbs from the present tense to the past tense.
We keep the fishing rods in the shed and bring them out when we have a spare weekend. Many fish swim along
this stretch of the river. We cast out our lines. The rods bend as the fish bite the bait. When we catch them, we
slide them off the hook and place them back in the river. We leave when the sun goes down.
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Passive voice:
Object Verb Subject
A bright light was by both
in the sky seen children
In the example above, changing from the active to the passive puts the
emphasis on the mysterious object (a bright light in the sky) and the
fact that there were two witnesses (both children). Is the object or the
subject more important?
1. Decide if each sentence below is active or passive, by writing ‘A’ or ‘P’ next to each one.
a The new film was released in many cinemas last night.
b The car crashed into the barrier.
c The class were congratulated on another fine set of essays.
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d The manager did not give a satisfactory reason for the team’s performance.
e The laboratory technician observed a white precipitate as the silver nitrate was added.
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3. Add interest to this account of a school trip by adding adverbial and adjectival phrases.
They can add more of your emotions to your report. Fill the gaps with more than one word.
Despite heavy rain and growing darkness, the minibus was driven (a)
We (f) turned the house into our home for the next four days, and
gathered round the fire to tell each other different kinds of (g)
you get the chance, take this ( j) opportunity to get away from school
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3. In this report, the wrong auxiliaries have been used. Can you correct them?
Anil (a) should be a good student of English but has done little work to show this. He (b) shall improve his
writing by paying more attention to punctuation and grammar. I (c) may give him some extra exercises for
practice over the vacation. These (d) might be completed before the next term. More systematic reading (e)
need develop his lively imagination in a more disciplined way, and (f) shall improve his creative writing. If he
(g) ought to work harder on basic skills, and if he develops a more sophisticated vocabulary, he (h) might
be capable of higher grades as he (i) may give intelligent responses in class discussion. It ( j) may give us all
pleasure to see him succeed.
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
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There are many more prefixes, such as: sub–, under–, over–, re–, pre–,
super–, fore–, ex–, extra–, with–. Recognising the prefix in
a word can help you to
There are also many suffixes other than –ed and –ing, such as: –ion,
remember that you must
–ation, –ful, –ment, –ance, –ence, –ive, –less, –ly, –ally, –ous, –eous, –able.
double the consonants.
3. Use the correct prefixes and suffixes to fill the gaps in the sentences.
a Women have been outrag ly represented at executive level.
b He had conscious intuit that this situation would be danger .
c She travelled as a numerary passenger on the impress tanker.
d The disappear of the Marie Celeste’s crew was ordinary.
e The disgrace coward shown by the guards made them trusted.
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1. Write ‘S’ or ‘A’ alongside these pairs of words to indicate whether they are synonyms or
antonyms.
a bulletin report
b prudent reckless
c shop emporium
2. Underline the word that means the same or nearly the same as the word in bold.
a courageous fortunate supine bold wild
b mislead deceive deceitful deceptive disingenuous
c melody harmony music discord tune
d forage forward promote hit hunt
e consolation prize condolence pity conference
3. Underline the word or words which mean the opposite, or nearly the opposite, of the word
in bold.
a content unhappy delighted tragic uncontent
b disparage talk down talk up discount page
c intuitive instinctive tuition tutor taught
d impassive fortunate exciting active emotional
e exceptional frequent ordinary friendly outstanding
f inconsolable happy competent fashionable indignant
g ecstatic high static miserable understandable
h prominent hollow empty important unobtrusive
i vain lazy kind humble careless
j excessive too strong too little too successful too much
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b Animatedly waving their arms in the air marching across old battlefields explained the history
behind them dully-dressed experts.
c Seizing the controller asked my mother briskly walking across the living room “Can’t we watch
something else”.
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d Vacuous celebrities the screen suddenly was filled with exchanging movie stars gossip about.
e Going upstairs I said I was where waiting for me my laptop was from my friends full of messages
and pictures glowing.
3. Change the word order of the extract below so that it reads correctly. Your answer should
have three clauses.
The victorious powers ensured peace treaties were signed, despite their humiliating terms of surrender, by
forcing defeated nations to the conference.
4. How does changing the order of words in exercise 3 change the meaning?
Sentence variation
Remember
You have learnt ways of constructing longer sentences, but it is also
important to remember to end them. Short, simple sentences have If there are two main verbs
a powerful effect. They highlight what is most important. Students in a sentence you need
often make the mistake of not stopping a sentence, and using commas either a full stop or a
instead of full stops. This is sometimes called the ‘comma splice’. connective that turns the
second part into an
adjectival clause.
1. Correct sentence separation is essential. For each sentence below, place a tick if the
punctuation is correct, or a cross if it is wrong.
a They passed through the portal, it was a gateway to an entirely different world.
b They passed through the portal. It was a gateway to an entirely different world.
c They passed through the portal, as it was a gateway to an entirely different world.
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b Ben preferred to have a light on when he went to bed he was afraid of the dark.
c He woke up to find his body distending and his arms and legs shrunken he had become a giant
beetle.
d As the Lilliputians thought about the huge size of the giant they realized how they could make
him useful he could help them win their war against the Blefuscans their old enemies.
e Digging further beneath the surface they discovered the traces of a much older city there were
ancient bricks and curious fragments of pottery and metal.
3. Which form of punctuation could also divide these main clauses while still showing that
they are linked?
1. Look at the list below. Rank these pieces of writing in order of formality, where 1 is the
most formal.
a A speech to your classmates
b A letter to a friend
c A report to a committee of teachers and other adults.
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2. Decide if the register used in each example below is formal (F) or informal (I).
a I regret to inform you that this account is now overdrawn and I must request that this receive
your serious attention.
b It was an amazing day! Thanks so much and let’s do it again.
c “I dinna ken,” said the Scotsman, and if he didn’t know the way, we certainly didn’t.
d Our perambulation concluded with a detailed inspection of the works.
e You’ll want to be on the winning side of this argument, won’t you?
3. Decide if these elements of grammar and vocabulary are most likely to appear in a formal
(F) or informal (I) piece of writing.
a abbreviation f dialogue
b slang or dialect g complex sentences
c synonyms with many syllables h parenthetical phrases
d the passive voice i modal verbs
e exclamations and rhetorical questions j indirect or reported speech
Looking back, you will see that many of the grammar skills you
have been practising are especially important for formal writing.
However, informal writing also requires correct punctuation and
grammatical structure, even though the vocabulary and sentence
structures will probably be less complex.
Abbreviation
You will want to use abbreviations in dialogue and less formal writing
so that your language fits your audience and purpose. It’s important
to use abbreviation correctly. We usually signal abbreviation
through full stops: e.g., i.e., M.A., Prof.. Nevertheless, some common
abbreviations do not need full stops: Mr, Mrs, Dr, for example.
We signal missing letters in a word by using an apostrophe, but
the apostrophe is also used to indicate possession and the plurals
of letters and numbers. For further guidance, turn to Chapter 2
on punctuation, but knowledge of grammar can help to avoid
common errors.
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1. In the following sentences, replace the text in brackets with a pronoun to avoid
unnecessary repetition.
a That’s Darsh’s exercise book. (Indira’s) exercise book is on the teacher’s desk.
b It’s time for us to have our turn. You’ve had (your turn).
c Our train still hasn’t arrived. (Their train) is already waiting at its platform.
Other forms of pronoun are relative pronouns and demonstrative
pronouns. Like possessive pronouns, these are used a lot in informal
writing but they mustn’t be muddled with abbreviations.
Relative pronouns are: who, whom, whose, that, which.
Demonstrative pronouns are: that, this, those, these.
2. Choose the correct relative or demonstrative pronoun to complete these sentences.
a Tife asked to the tickets belonged.
b The nurses, bravery had been obvious in dealing with the epidemic, were given awards.
c are sad-looking flowers!
d He made a discovery has made a difference by saving many lives.
e is the best time we’ve had for ages!
Pronouns can be used in questioning (who, whose, which and to/for whom) and reflexive statements
(myself, yourself, his, her, itself and ourselves, yourselves, themselves).
3. Underline the pronouns in this sentence, and then explain the use of each.
Which of you will prove yourselves women by standing up for those who aren’t allowed to
speak out?
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1. Add the correct pronoun to each gap. The first one is done for you.
Antecedent Pronoun
Nelson Mandela pardoned those who which showed his commitment to peace
imprisoned him, and reconciliation.
Thousands of people have benefited from the that have cured (a) of infection.
discovery of antibiotics
As opponents to change who want to protect your (b) are not going to convince
own income and security, me we shouldn’t do something to help
refugees.
I am telling you many others feel as and that should make you want to join
passionate about our (c) campaign for all our futures.
planet as I do,
2. Sometimes the antecedent to a pronoun is another pronoun. Cross out the incorrect
pronoun in these sentences and write the correct one alongside.
a Bo told us to say that the work had been done by I and you.
b Whenever I tried to tell them off, them wouldn’t listen to me.
c We wanted to play outside but it rained all day so their games had to be indoor ones.
d Between you and me, them don’t have any chance of winning it.
e I’m not going to tell you what to do, that’s for us to decide.
3. Make sure you don’t confuse the reader by using too many pronouns. There are six errors in
the following paragraph. Can you find them?
Juan and Angela were playing outside. Their father Adolfo was indoors reading a book. He put it
down and asked him if he would like some sandwiches. He said that was just what he needed, so he
made some sandwiches. When he came back, he and Angela were using badminton rackets. When
they finished, they packed them up and he gave them them.
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3. Topic sentences establish your subject, the genre you have chosen and the content of what
follows. Decide if the following are topic sentences, by writing ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ next to each one.
a His characters were popular because of their larger-than-life qualities.
b Dickens was an enormously successful writer in his lifetime.
c It was a dark, gloomy night and wind whistled down the chimney.
d Out of the darkness glimmered a pale light, and they heard a sound.
e We can, alternatively, consider some of the benefits of wind turbines.
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Time / by the time Repetition above all Exception With the exception
sequence that of
at last in other words other than
in the past/ as a matter of fact except for the fact
future that
last but not as was said earlier outside of
least
Reason/ in order that/to Concession granted that Compare/ in the same way
purpose contrast
for this it may be true in a similar way
purpose/reason that
to this end and yet despite the fact that
that being the of course for all that
case
3. You are preparing a debating speech to your class, presenting your own reasons and
evidence for supporting or opposing a proposition (a ‘motion’). Choose your motion,
and then (in your notebook) organise your ideas into short paragraphs, using phrasal
connectives. If you can, work with a partner who can present the counter argument, using
the same techniques.
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b The old man sat next to the boy. He was smoking a pipe.
c The police questioned the youths about the incidents the previous evening. They were very
embarrassed.
b The best time to see animals gathering around the waterhole is sunrise.
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3. Analyse each of the ten different kinds of sentence in this extract and explain their effect.
Safari is unique. We all enjoy the opportunity to see wild and dangerous animals close up. Wouldn’t you
appreciate this more, if they were on their native soil, rather than a zoo? Lions, leopards and cheetahs are just
some of the animals you can find in Nairobi safari park, even though it is only just outside the busy city. There
are rhinoceros and elephants too. Nearby you will find an elephant sanctuary, where orphaned elephants are
cared for. Other abandoned and orphaned animals, who can therefore never return to the wild, are looked
after in a part of the park dedicated to them. They live in their natural habit, but can be supervised – and you
can visit them easily. More adventurous and exciting is the chance to see animals truly wild. For this, however,
you will need to be up early and it is best to have a guide who will find the locations which will be safe, yet give
you a good chance to spot the big beasts.
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We were totally and utterly unanimous in agreeing that this was outrageous. We had seen it with our own eyes
and knew her self-defence of herself was over-exaggerated and her excuse was not sufficient enough to justify
what she did.
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