Check the verb structure
Identify the subject, time reference and any auxiliary before choosing the verb form.
We are ready, but Ana is still at home.
A2
A weekend helping out
About this lesson
A weekend helping out · A2. Identify the subject, time reference and any auxiliary before choosing the verb form.
Read the whole passage before filling each gap. Use the surrounding grammar and meaning together.
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Use of EnglishA2
A weekend helping out
Read the whole passage before filling each gap. Use the surrounding grammar and meaning together.
Last Saturday, I [1] _____ to help our neighbours before their trip. [2] _____ I was waiting outside, my phone rang. The neighbours were still upstairs, looking for [3] _____ keys. I wanted [4] _____ a box to their car. The blue box was lighter [5] _____ the red one, so I chose it. We had [6] _____ time to check everything before the taxi arrived. Then it began to rain, [7] _____ we moved the plants inside. During their trip, I am looking [8] _____ their cat: I give it food and check its water every day. They will come home on Friday.
A little clarity first
Check the word pattern
Read the words on both sides of a gap. Check articles, pronouns, prepositions and fixed expressions as a complete pattern.
Please give the books to them.
Check the logical connection
Decide whether the surrounding ideas show cause, contrast, condition or reference. Then check the grammar required by the connector.
It was cold, so I closed the window.
Learning material
Use of EnglishA2
A weekend helping out
Read the whole passage before filling each gap. Use the surrounding grammar and meaning together.
Last Saturday, I [1] _____ to help our neighbours before their trip. [2] _____ I was waiting outside, my phone rang. The neighbours were still upstairs, looking for [3] _____ keys. I wanted [4] _____ a box to their car. The blue box was lighter [5] _____ the red one, so I chose it. We had [6] _____ time to check everything before the taxi arrived. Then it began to rain, [7] _____ we moved the plants inside. During their trip, I am looking [8] _____ their cat: I give it food and check its water every day. They will come home on Friday.
01 / 8D01Save it to find it in My collection.
A weekend helping out — gap 1
Choose the word or phrase for gap [1].
Your learning route
01
Step 1 · Warm-up
0/2Warm-up
02
Step 2 · Build the skill
0/4Check the word pattern
Read the words on both sides of a gap. Check articles, pronouns, prepositions and fixed expressions as a complete pattern.
Please give the books to them.03
Step 3 · Build the skill
0/1Check the verb structure
Identify the subject, time reference and any auxiliary before choosing the verb form.
We are ready, but Ana is still at home.04
Step 4 · New contexts
0/1New contexts
Practice notes in this unit
0Make mistakes useful.
Keep the first try. Understand the change. Check it in a fresh situation.
No practice notes yet. Try a short warm-up.
Lesson map
A2A weekend helping out
Lesson points
Check the verb structure
Identify the subject, time reference and any auxiliary before choosing the verb form.
We are ready, but Ana is still at home.Check the word pattern
Read the words on both sides of a gap. Check articles, pronouns, prepositions and fixed expressions as a complete pattern.
Please give the books to them.Check the logical connection
Decide whether the surrounding ideas show cause, contrast, condition or reference. Then check the grammar required by the connector.
It was cold, so I closed the window.Questions & answers
Opening an answer records help for that question.
A weekend helping out — gap 1
Choose the word or phrase for gap [1].
- went
- go
- going
- gone
Answer & explanation
went
Completed sentence: “Last Saturday, I went to help our neighbours before their trip.” “Last Saturday” places the event in the finished past. The past form of “go” is “went”.
A weekend helping out — gap 2
Choose the word or phrase for gap [2].
- While
- During
- Despite
- Because of
Answer & explanation
While
Completed sentence: “While I was waiting outside, my phone rang.” “While” introduces the action already in progress when the phone rang. The ringing happened during the wait.
A weekend helping out — gap 3
Choose the word or phrase for gap [3].
- them
- they
- theirs
- their
Answer & explanation
their
Completed sentence: “The neighbours were still upstairs, looking for their keys.” The keys belong to the neighbours. Use possessive “their” directly before “keys”, not a subject or object pronoun.
A weekend helping out — gap 4
Choose the word or phrase for gap [4].
- carrying
- carry
- carried
- to carry
Answer & explanation
to carry
Completed sentence: “I wanted to carry a box to their car.” “Wanted” is followed by a to-infinitive: “wanted to carry”.
A weekend helping out — gap 5
Choose the word or phrase for gap [5].
- as
- than
- to
- from
Answer & explanation
than
Completed sentence: “The blue box was lighter than the red one, so I chose it.” “Lighter” compares two boxes. Introduce the second box with “than”.
A weekend helping out — gap 6
Choose the word or phrase for gap [6].
- a few
- too
- enough
- many
Answer & explanation
enough
Completed sentence: “We had enough time to check everything before the taxi arrived.” Before the noun “time”, “enough” means the amount was sufficient. “Too” cannot directly modify this noun.
A weekend helping out — gap 7
Choose the word or phrase for gap [7].
- although
- unless
- because
- so
Answer & explanation
so
Completed sentence: “Then it began to rain, so we moved the plants inside.” The rain is the cause; moving the plants inside is the result. “So” introduces the result.
A weekend helping out — gap 8
Choose the word or phrase for gap [8].
- after
- for
- into
- at
Answer & explanation
after
Completed sentence: “During their trip, I am looking after their cat: I give it food and check its water every day.” “Look after” means take care of. Feeding the cat and checking its water are care tasks, not searching for it.