Complete the 12 sentences below. Choose the best answer for each one.
1I’m sorry if I sounded harsh; I didn’t mean ............... your report.
Wrong!
Use "to criticise" after mean when it refers to intention: she did not intend to criticise the report.
2If the client moves the deadline to Friday, it will mean ............... late for everyone.
Wrong!
Use "working" after mean when it refers to what a situation involves: the new deadline involves working late.
3I ............... call you yesterday, but the meeting ran until nine.
Wrong!
Use "meant to" before a verb to express an intended but possibly unrealised action: "meant to" call means intended to call.
4He waited until she had finished because he never meant ...............
Wrong!
Use "to interrupt" when mean refers to intention: he is saying that interrupting was not deliberate.
5Pressing that button now means ............... half our data.
Wrong!
Use "losing" when mean refers to a consequence: pressing that button means losing the data.
6The organisers didn’t mean ............... remote staff from the invitation.
Wrong!
Use "to exclude" when mean refers to intention: the organisers did not intend to exclude remote staff.
7Accepting the post might mean ............... to Berlin for two years.
Wrong!
Use "moving" after mean for what a change involves: accepting the post might mean moving to Berlin.
8This entrance is meant ............... for museum staff only.
Wrong!
Use "to be" in the passive pattern be meant to + verb, meaning be intended or supposed to be.
9Publishing the figures without permission would mean ............... our confidentiality agreement.
Wrong!
Use "breaking" when mean describes an unavoidable implication: publishing the figures would mean breaking the agreement.
10His email was friendly in purpose, but he didn’t mean ............... so formal.
Wrong!
Use "to sound" after mean for intention: he did not intend to sound so formal.
11Choosing that structure means ............... the introduction completely.
Wrong!
Use "rewriting" when mean describes what a decision involves: choosing that structure means rewriting the introduction.
12The manager meant ............... the message before it went out.
Wrong!
Use "us to review" in the pattern mean + object + to-infinitive when someone intends other people to do something.
Answers
- I’m sorry if I sounded harsh; I didn’t mean to criticise your report.
- If the client moves the deadline to Friday, it will mean working late for everyone.
- I meant to call you yesterday, but the meeting ran until nine.
- He waited until she had finished because he never meant to interrupt.
- Pressing that button now means losing half our data.
- The organisers didn’t mean to exclude remote staff from the invitation.
- Accepting the post might mean moving to Berlin for two years.
- This entrance is meant to be for museum staff only.
- Publishing the figures without permission would mean breaking our confidentiality agreement.
- His email was friendly in purpose, but he didn’t mean to sound so formal.
- Choosing that structure means rewriting the introduction completely.
- The manager meant us to review the message before it went out.
