English Grammar with Kudjo. Part 3. Понятная и забавная грамматика для детей и взрослых.

It’s time… —

If … —

4 Luna has agreed to follow the bats but only in the morning.

«d rather… —

It’s time… —

If … —

5 The first problem is how to explain it to the bats.

«d rather… —

It’s time… —

If … —

6 The next problem is that bats are nocturnal animals.

«d rather… —

It’s time… —

If … —

7 Kudjo can see only one option now- he’ll follow the bats alone.

«d rather… —

It’s time… —

If … —

8 Luna doesn’t want to let him go without her.

«d rather… —

It’s time… —

If … —

9 Finally, Kudjo has made up his mind to go there on his own.

«d rather… —

It’s time… —

If … —

⠀

EXERCISE 8

Fill the gaps in the story with missing words:

Kudjo said ***** to Luna and gestured for the bats to start flying. They flew up immediately and moved very slowly and so low that nearly parted Kudjo’s hair. It looked uncanny. A cloud of ***** and a running ***** under the screen of night. Kudjo had been following the bats for ***** minutes when suddenly he felt somebody else running behind him. He stopped, turned around and sighed with relief. It was Luna. She got scared stiff when she was ***** alone and decided that she would be safer with Kudjo in the middle of nowhere than running alone to her *****.

Kudjo felt relieved of a great weight to see Luna. If she had run on her own to her parents’ house, he’d have worried a lot.

The cloud of bats was circling around impatiently over their *****. Their screeching sounds were getting louder and louder and their ***** were fluttering faster and faster. The dogs realised that they were very ***** to the place the bats wanted them to see. The bats were gesturing for them «It’s high time we continued». Kudjo and Luna yipped with agreement and ***** after the cloud of bats.

(to be continued)

EXERCISE 9

Find and correct 17 mistakes in the sentences:

1 Ten minutes later they ran to a weird place. If they wouldn’t have seen it with their own eyes they wouldn’t believed that such a place could be so close to their country house.

2 It looked as if spring didn’t come there yet. They could still see snow here while everywhere around the trees and grass are turning green.

3 Suddenly the dogs felt that something changed. Luna and Kudjo turned around and didn’t see any bats. They vanished into thin air.

4 Kudjo and Luna turned out to be in the middle of nowhere without any help and support. If they wouldn’t have believed the bats, they would have already came home.

5 What would you done if you had been them? Would you had tried to find the way home or would you continued exploring the place?

6 Of course, Luna would rather Kudjo find the way back home, but Kudjo thinks it’s about time they find the answers to all their questions in this particular place.

7 They checked every stone, every bush and every tree, but hadn’t found anything special.

8 They couldn’t understand why the bats wanted them to come here.

9 If the bats can speak Doggish or Kudjo and Luna can speak Battish, everything would be much simpler.

EXERCISE 10

Choose the correct option:

1 It’s high time they ***** back home.

a come

b came

c would come

2 Luna’s parents would rather Luna and Kudjo ***** at home now.

a were

b are

c would be

3 They ***** more worried if they ***** where Luna is now.

a will be / know

b would be / would know

c would be / knew

4 Luna would rather ***** at home in her bed now, But not in this weird place.

a be

b would be

c is

5 If they ***** those bats, ***** them, they ***** this night in their warm and soft beds.

a wouldn’t have believed / wouldn’t have followed / had spent

b hadn’t believed / hadn’t followed / would have spent

c didn’t believe / didn’t follow / would spend

6 Luna started whimpering and Kudjo decided to go back home. But he didn’t remember the way they ***** here.

a had come

b came

c have come

7 If he ***** the bats but had run on his own, he would definitely ***** the way here.

a wouldn’t have followed / had remembered

b hadn’t followed / remembered

c hadn’t followed / have remembered

8 While Kudjo ***** to find the way back, Luna ***** and running around him.

a had been trying / had been still whining

b was trying / was still whining

c tried / was still whining

9 Suddenly she ***** whining and started digging out something very fast.

a stopped

b had stopped

c would stop

EXERCISE 11

Translate the story:

Куджо подбежал к ней и увидел, что она раскапывает какой-то небольшой холмик, покрытый зеленой травой и желтыми цветочками мать-и-мачехи. Это было так удивительно видеть кусочек весны посреди зимы. Странно, почему они раньше не заметили этот бугорок? Если было бы светлее, когда они прибежали на это место, они бы, наверное, его сразу увидели. Давно было бы им пора вернуться домой и они не стали терять время на раздумья и оба принялись раскапывать этот холмик. Если он отличается так сильно от всего этого места, значит, там что-то есть особенное. Что-то, что привело их сюда. Что-то, что летучие мыши хотели, чтобы они нашли.

Луна вдруг взвизгнула, потому что ее лапа наткнулась на что-то твердое и теплое. Она расчистила это место получше и собаки увидели квадратную кожаную коробку, которая, действительно, была очень теплой на ощупь. Как только Луна положила на нее свою лапу, коробка медленно открылась сама. Внутри ничего не было. Только какая-то квадратная выемка на самом дне. Куджо и Луна вздохнули разочарованно, закрыли коробку и побежали домой со всех лап. Самое странное было то, что сейчас они четко знали, куда бежать и где их дом. Им давно бы уже пора сидеть дома и получать нагоняй от родителей Луны.

(продолжение следует)

Unit 6

If only and Wish Sentences

We use

Subject + wish + somebody + Past Simple or Past Continuous or

If only + somebody + Past Simple or Past Continuous

to talk about things we would like to be different in the present/future (but which are impossible or unlikely)

Kudjo wishes he knew the truth. (= He doesn’t know it and he regrets this)

If only Kudjo knew the truth!

After wish and if only, you can use were instead of was (I wish it were etc.). It sounds more formal.

I wish it was is also possible. So you can say:

Kudjo wishes Luna were (was) here now.

There is no big substantial difference between wish and if only, apart from the fact that if only gives more emphasis to what we are saying.

EXERCISE 1

What do they wish? Write sentences with I wish or If only:

For example,

Kudjo: I love horses but I can’t ride. — If only I could ride horses!

1 Luna: I love dancing but I don’t have anybody to dance with.

2 Kudjo: I love spending time with Luna. I enjoy doing puzzles. But Luna isn’t allowed to do jigsaw puzzles.

3 Luna’s parents: We know that we must tell Luna all our family secrets but we don’t know how to do it.

4 Luna: I have fallen in love with Chilly and am looking forward to his coming.

5 Kudjo: I’d like to live in the country all year round but we have to live in the city almost all the time.

6 Kudjo: I’m fed up with dry food. Why can’t I eat raw meat instead?

7 Kudjo: I hate washing paws after every walk. If I lived in the country, I wouldn’t do it.

8 Luna’s parents: We should spend more time with Luna but we are so busy.

9 Luna: I hate learning but Kudjo wants me to read more and learn something useful.

10 Kudjo: I don’t know how to open this box but it is very important.

We use

Subject + wish + somebody + Past Perfect

or

if only + somebody + Past Perfect

to talk about things that happened or didn’t happen in the past and which we now regret.

Kudjo and Luna wish they had come home in time. (but they didn’t)

EXERCISE 2

Rewrite the sentences beginning with I wish (or If only) + Past Perfect:

For example,

Kudjo regrets having a row with Lina. – If only they hadn’t had a row.

1 Luna regrets not telling her parents that they might be late.

2 Luna’s parents regret taking Kudjo and Luna to the country.

3 They also believe that it was a bad idea to agree to help the pup.

4 They shouldn’t have let Kudjo and Luna follow the bats.

5 They should have started looking for them a long ago.

6 They regret not telling Luna the family skeleton.

7 Kudjo regrets that Chilly hasn’t come yet.

8 Kudjo regrets that he couldn’t open the box.

9 Luna regrets that the parents have bought her an old-fashioned collar.

10 Kudjo regrets that he hasn’t learnt the Battish language.

EXERCISE 3

Put the verb in brackets in the correct form of unreal wish of the past or unreal wish of the present:

1 Kudjo wishes he /can/ do his favourite jigsaw puzzles together with Luna.

2 Luna wishes her parents /not ground/ her for a month.

3 Luna’s parents wish their distant relatives /not come/ with a visit next weekend.

4 Luna’s parents wish they /can/ spend weekends without any guests.

5 Luna wishes she /choose/ a new collar herself yesterday.

6 Luna wishes her parents /not punish/ them for coming home so late.

7 Kudjo and Luna wish they /find/ out the secret of the new box.

8 Kudjo and Luna wish the bats /explain/ to them what to do with this box.

9 Kudjo wishes Chilly and he /can/ go to the boarding house again.

10 Kudjo wishes Luna /not join/ them in their trip to the boarding house.

We often use

Subject + wish + somebody + would or

if only + somebody + would

to complain, to talk about things we want to happen or stop happening, because they are annoying us.

Luna wishes her parents wouldn’t be so strict.

You can’t use this structure for a wish about yourself, i.e. NOT

I wish I would…, I wish we would…

EXERCISE 4

Put the verbs in brackets in the correct form and guess who is saying it: Kudjo (K), Luna (L), Luna’s parents (P) or Chilly (C):

1 Oh no! You have turned over my bowl with food. I wish you /not be/ so clumsy! (K)

2 You are always asking us a lot of stupid questions! We wish you /not be/ such a chatter-box! (P)

3 You are so bossy! If only you /stop/ telling me what to do every time! (L)

4 They have had so many adventures without me. I wish I /be/ with them. (C)

5 Her paws are filthy again! We wish she /mind/ her step and /not get/ in every puddle! (P)

6 My parents don’t allow me to do a lot of things! I wish they /not be/ so strict! (L)

7 If only it /stop/ raining! I am fed with staying at home. (L) or (K)

8 If only I /come/ sooner. I’m looking forward to seeing Kudjo and Luna. (C)

9 I was so scared in the forest last night. I wished I /stay/ at home with my parents. (L)

10 I wish my dad /give/ me some pocket money! (L)

EXERCISE 5

Put the verb in brackets in the correct form and answer the questions with I wish and If only:

1 What foreign language do you wish you /can/ speak?

2 What is something very expensive that you wish you /have/?

3 What do you wish you /not do/ lately?

4 What activity do you wish you /have/ more time for?

5 What do you wish you /receive/ for your last birthday?

6 What bad habit do you wish you /can/ stop?

7 Who do you wish you /see/ next weekend?

8 Where do you wish you /live/?

9 What do you wish you /look/ like?

10 What do you wish you /can/ do perfectly without learning it?

EXERCISE 6

Write sentences with I wish or If only for the following situations:

For example,

Luna scratched the floor with the saw when she was carrying it to the box room. — If only I had been more careful with that saw!

1 Luna’s dad ran out of petrol on the way home and they had to push the car to the nearest petrol station.

2 It’s pouring with rain and Kudjo can’t stand puddles and mud.

3 Kudjo has had a fight with a bulldog and now his jaw is bleeding a bit.

4 Kudjo is eating his dry food and dreaming about some rare steaks.

5 Kudjo has run out of jigsaw puzzles and is looking forward to getting a new one.

6 Kudjo hates it when people won’t clean up after their dogs.

7 Luna had a stupid fight with a poodle about the colour of her hair.

8 Kudjo lost his torch in the forest last night. It was his favourite one.

9 Luna stayed up late last night and now she is very sleepy and moody.

10 Luna’s parents have decided to spend all the summer in the country but Luna loves city life more.

EXERCISE 7

Put the verb in brackets in the correct form and guess the last word of the sentence:

1 Kudjo and Luna wished they /can/ understand what was so special about this *****.

2 They smelt it, licked it, turned it, opened it and closed it again. No clue. If only the bats /tell/ them what to do with *****.

3 One day Kudjo /do/ his jigsaw puzzle when suddenly it /dawn/ on him. The little box that they found in the attic might fit the hollow in the box that they found in the *****.

4 If he /do/ puzzles, he never /come/ with the idea of fitting two *****.

5 He wished he /fathom/ it out long *****.

6 He rushed to Luna’s place, where the little box /keep/ in a toolbox, grasped it and put it in the *****.

7 Luna and Kudjo /hear/ a little click and the little box opened *****.

8 To their great amazement they saw… a little piece of puzzle. They wished they /see/ something more *****.

9 When they came to themselves, they burst into laughter. If they /know/ what was there before, they never /follow/ the *****.

10 They wished they /spend/ that night in the forest looking for such *****.

EXERCISE 8

Enlarge the sentences by using the constructions in brackets:

For example,

Kudjo doesn’t want to get up. (wish) – Kudjo wishes he didn’t have to get up to go for a walk.

1 Kudjo and Luna don’t know what to do with this piece of puzzle. («d rather)

2 Luna is furious because she faced the music because of this piece of cardboard) that night. (wish)

3 She is so angry that she wants to throw it away. («d rather)

4 Kudjo wants her to calm down. (wish)

5 He is pulling his wits together and wants Luna to do the same. (it’s time)

6 Luna and Kudjo have even had a row because of it. (if only)

7 Kudjo suggests putting this piece of the puzzle aside. («d rather)

8 Luna still can’t calm down. (wish)

9 Suddenly they receive a message from Chilly that he is coming tomorrow. (if)

10 Luna is looking forward to seeing Chilly. (it’s time)

EXERCISE 9

Fill the gaps in the story with missing words:

Kudjo and Luna got ***** when they learnt the Chilly was coming the following day. They started ***** the room for him, found a nice soft ***** and sparkling bowls. They had been doing it for the whole ***** when it dawned on them that Cuba was coming too. If only they had realised it a bit earlier. They didn’t have any ***** to prepare the room for her. If they ***** thought about it before, they would ***** bought another mat and some more bowls.Luna suggested putting Cuba up in her *****. Kudjo wished all the dogs ***** together but he decided to agree with Luna this time.

While they were waiting ***** Cuba and Chilly to come, they completely forgot about that little ***** of a puzzle. If ***** they hadn’t done that! Later Kudjo wished he ***** remembered the place where they had put it.

Next morning Cuba and Chilly *****. It was a great day. The dogs were joyful to meet up because they hadn’t ***** each other for a couple of years.

Cuba and Chilly brought a lot of ***** from France, including tinned frogs’ legs for Kudjo and perfume for Luna. Kudjo wished they ***** brought something more delicious but he didn’t say anything. So polite of him!

After breakfast Luna and Kudjo told their French guests about all their ***** in detail.

EXERCISE 10

Find and correct 12 mistakes in the sentences:

1 If Cuba and Chilly didn’t come, Kudjo would have been very upset.

2 Kudjo wishes Chilly were with him since the adventures started.

3 Luna wishes Cuba gave her a bigger bottle of perfume. This little bottle is not enough. Kudjo wishes she didn’t give Luna any perfume at all.

4 Chilly and Cuba was so impressed by the story that they got keen to go to the boarding house as soon as possible.

5 They wish they can go to the abandoned camp too to investigate that house with that mirror.

6 It’s high time our special group of «private detectives’ start working again.

7 Cuba and Chilly wish they wouldn’t leave such an exciting place for France.

8 When Kudjo told them the story about Dradjo, Cuba started weeping and said she would never let the dragon leave her if she had been in Kudjo’s shoes.

9 The dogs have just decided to start a new wave of investigations tomorrow because today they are too tired. If they hadn’t been so exhausted after the flight, they will start immediately.

10 Now Cuba and Chilly are kipping in their new cosy places while Kudjo and Luna were making a delicious lunch for them (without any frogs’ legs).

EXERCISE 11

Choose the correct option:

1 When Chilly and Cuba *****, they ***** surprised to see such lunch.

a wake up / will be

b will wake up / will be

c wake up / are

2 Kudjo wishes Chully and Cuba ***** longer.

a will stay

b can stay

c could stay

3 Kudjo wishes Luna ***** so much perfume.

a hadn’t used

b wouldn’t use

c won’t use

4 If Kudjo ***** about that little piece of a puzzle, the investigation ***** differently.

a didn’t forget / would have gone

b hadn’t forgotten / would go

c hadn’t forgotten / would have gone

5 Kudjo and Chilly have decided to start from the boarding house and they wish Luna and Cuba ***** at home.

a had stayed

b stayed

c will stay

6 Luna and Cuba wish the boys ***** them what to do and what not to do.

a wouldn’t tell

b haven’t told

c won’t tell

7 It’s time the dogs ***** arguing because of it.

a stop

b would stop

c stopped

8 While Kudjo is sleeping, Chilly can hardly wait for him in the rain. He’d rather Kudjo ***** as soon as possible.

a woke up

b would wake up

c wake up

9 It is drizzling and chilly. Chilly wishes it ***** drizzling.

a didn’t stop

b had stopped

c would stop

10 It’s high time Kudjo *****!

a would get up

b got up

c will get up

EXERCISE 12

Translate the story:

Куджо и Чилли решили не брать девчонок с собой на разведку в пансионат. Если бы они их взяли, то Луна и Куба всю дорогу бы болтали о пустяках и отвлекали их от серьезных мужских разговоров. И вообще, Куджо и Чилли приняли решение разузнать все самим, так как история с пансионатом казалась им какой-то мутной и подозрительной. Лучше будет, если девочки будут находиться как можно дальше от подобных расследований. Куджо и Чилли отправились в путь на рассвете, когда девчонки еще спали. Если бы Луна и Куба узнали о их планах, они бы точно увязались за ними. Если они будут потом ругаться и обижаться (а они точно будут), Чилли придумает какое-нибудь оправдание. Что-нибудь гениальное и простое, как например: «Ой, совсем забыли разбудить.» или «Погода была такая мерзкая, а вы так сладко спали, что мы решили съездить без вас.»

Как бы там ни было, Луна и Куба еще крепко спали в теплой комнате, а Куджо и Чилли уже месили лапами грязь по дороге к пансионату.

Куджо был абсолютно уверен, что он прекрасно помнит туда дорогу, но они шли и шли вот уже несколько часов, но ни озера, ни дома видно не было. Если бы Куджо не был там сам два раза до этого дня, он бы подумал, что пансионат ему просто приснился.

(продолжение следует)

Unit 7

The Gerund

There are three non-finite verb forms (verbals): the infinitive, the gerund and the participle.