Grammar
Quantifiers
some, any and no
We usually use some in positive statements and any in negatives and questions:
There are some nice views from the hotel.
He doesn't have any good music.
We can also use no in positive sentences to talk about zero quantity:
There's no crime around here.
To talk about zero quantity, we can use none of+ plural or none:
None of my friends could help.
A How many holidays have you been on this year?
B None at all.
Large quantities
We use lots of/ a lot of in positive sentences, not many/ not much / not a lot of in negative sentences and many/ much / a lot of in questions:
There are quite a lot of cars on the roads today.
I haven't got much money with me.
Did many people come to the concert?
We don't need a lot of time to finish this work.
In positive sentences, we can use plenty of to show we are happy with the amount:
Don't worry – we've got plenty of food.
Small quantities
We use a few I a little to talk about an amount. We use few / little to talk about a negative amount (i.e. there is not a lot):
We have a little time before the show starts.
There are a few things I need from the shops.
I have very little time to finish this work.
This dish has very few ingredients.
We can say quite a few / very few / very little to increase / decrease the amount.
too / not enough
We use too much / too many + noun to say there is more than the right amount. We use not enough to say that there is less than the right amount:
I have too much furniture. There isn't enough room for all of it!
I couldn't move at the concert because there were too many people.
We also use too + adjective / adverb and not + adjective / adverb enough:
This suitcase is too heavy. They won't let you on the plane.
You're walking too quickly, I can't keep up!
The meeting room isn't big enough for all of us. There aren't enough chairs.
You're not walking fast enough. Hurry up!
Vocabulary
Verbs and prepositions
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apologise for something
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to tell someone that you are sorry about something you have done
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The bank apologized for the error.
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apologise to someone
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The pilot apologized to passengers for the delay.
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argue with someone
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to speak angrily to someone, telling them that you disagree with them
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Kids, will you stop arguing with each other?
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believe in something
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to be certain that something exists
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Do you believe in ghosts?
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belong to someone
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to be someone’s property
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This necklace belonged to my grandmother.
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care about something
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to think that something is important and to feel interested in it or worried about it
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He cares deeply about the environment.
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complain about something
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to say that something is wrong or that you are annoyed about something
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Lots of people have complained about the noise.
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cope with something
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to deal quite successfully with a difficult situation
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How do you cope with stress?
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depend on someone/something
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to be influenced by someone/something, or change because of them
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The choice depends on what you're willing to spend.
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pay for something
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to give money to someone because you are buying something from them, or because you owe them money
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We paid them 1000 euros for the work.
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rely on someone/something
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to need someone or something in order to be successful, work correctly, etc
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Families rely more on wives' earnings than before.
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succeed in doing something
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to achieve what you are trying to achieve
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He has finally succeeded in passing his exams.
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think about something
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to consider an idea or a problem
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You should think about where you want to live.
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wait for something
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to stay in a place until someone or something arrives or someone or something is ready for you
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How long did you wait for a taxi?
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worry about something
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to think about problems or unpleasant things that might happen in a way that makes you feel anxious
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He'd spent a sleepless night worrying about his exam.
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Writing skills
Offering choices
Use these words and phrases to offer a choice:
There are lots of good restaurants at Miami Beach. Apart from that, you can try the restaurants at South Beach.
To go to the West Coast you can get an inter-city bus. Alternatively, you can hire a car for a few days.
You can drive through the Everglades and stop to look at the birds and alligators. Another possibility is to go round them by boat.
The Sunshine Center has got a few good places to eat. Otherwise, there's a good place for burgers a bit further down the road.
The nearest one is Golden Beach, about 15 minutes' drive away. Another option is Ocean Beach, about 30 minutes further north.
