Fill in the blanks.
1. It was such a comic state of affairs ……………………….. we had to laugh.
The correlative conjunction used in this structure is such...that.
2. The negotiations collapsed …………………………. no agreement could be reached.
All of the above can be used here with slightly different meanings.
3. I like you better …………………………… I like him.
In comparative expressions we use than.
4. I will need the car …………………………….. you will have to hire a taxi.
We cannot use then to connect two ideas spoken by the same speaker.
5. ‘I will be busy in the morning’. ‘………………………. I will come in the afternoon.’
Then is used when one speaker replies to another.
6. Many things have happened ………………………….. we last met.
Since can indicate time. It is mainly used with perfect tenses.
7. Janet can sing beautifully and …………………………… can her sister.
This structure with so is used to add to the sentence before.
8. I scored good marks, …………………………….. I had not prepared for the exam.
Even though has a past reference. It is an emphatic form of though and although.
9. She says that she will come …………………………….. there is a bus strike next week.
Even if has a future reference.
10. Grievances cannot be addressed …………………………………. they are spoken about.
12. She would rather dance ………………………… sing.
Answers
1. It was such a comic state of affairs that we had to laugh.
2. The negotiations collapsed when/as / since no agreement could be reached.
3. I like you better than I like him.
4. I will need the car so you will have to hire a taxi.
5. ‘I will be busy in the morning’. ‘Then I will come in the afternoon.’
6. Many things have happened since we last met.
7. Janet can sing beautifully and so can her sister.
8. I scored good marks, even though I had not prepared for the exam.
9. She says that she will come even if there is a bus strike next week.
10. Grievances cannot be addressed unless they are spoken about.
12. She would rather dance than sing.
