viernes, 2 de enero de 2009

Modified words


We can sometimes add prefixes to change, or modify, the main meaning of a verb, noun or
adjective without making it into an opposite (e.g., pay - overpay - underpay)
The prefixes we use to do this are:

For verbs: over- , under- , pre-, fore-

For adjectives: over- , under- , pre- , fore- , pro- , anti- .

For nouns: pre- , post- , anti- , pro-, under-

Complete the sentences below with a combination of a prefix from box A and a word from box B.

A

anti- / over- /   under-/ pro- / fore- / pre- / post- 

B

armed • Christmas • climax
clockwise • due • estimate
estimated • European
graduates • holiday • mined
see • social • warned

1. Everybody told us the film was fantastic, so we were quite excited about seeing it. Unfortunately, it wasn't very good. It really was quite an ________.
2. Do you ________ any problems with the visa? I need to know as soon as possible if we're likely to have difficulties.
3. Everyone's suffering from ________ depression. After such a nice break in Spain, the gloomy weather back here in England is making us all miserable.
4. The figure of £50,000 was a bit of an ________ . It actually cost us almost £70,000.
5. She's ________ and believes that the country should remain part of the European Union.
6. He's very ________, and ignores all our attempts to talk to him or make him feel part of the group.
7. A lot of ________ from the university are trying to get holiday jobs so that they have some spending money next term.
8. She was ________ with good advice before she went into the interview.
9. He was driving ________ round the ring road when the accident took place. If he had been going the other way, he would have been all right.
10. We were ________ of trouble by our spies and took guns to the meeting.
11. I always read my horoscope so that I can ________ what will happen to me during the week.
12. Her library books were ________ by four weeks, so she had to pay a fine of almost £8.
13. He ________ my confidence by telling me that everyone hated me.
14. Last December we had so many ________ parties that by the time the big day arrived I couldn't eat or drink another thing.
15. He ________ the amount of time needed to decorate the house; he thought it would take five days but it only took three.

'Forewarned is forearmed' is an English expression which means that if you know about something before it happens, you will be better prepared.

Person A. 'Mr Jenkins wants to see me in his office.'
Person B. 'Be careful. He's in a really bad mood this morning'
Person A. 'Thanks. Forewarned is forearmed!'

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