Grammar World Context 4. Negation

Have a look at the dialogue and explore any unfamiliar words . Press the word of your interest. The selected word appears with a black background. Click on the word to look it up in an online dictionary that you have to choose in the window on the right. Choose the languages to translate (from-to) and the dictionary. Remember, you may switch the dictionaries at any time, you may click on the listening icon next to the word and listen to how it is pronounced.

Task 1. Picture the following situation: Two teachers who are working at the same school are trying to establish a closer contact between each other, discussing their walks of life. Logically complete the missing utterances in the dialogue, using n-negators, broad negators, words with negative prefixes and intensifiers, given in the brackets. 

Sheba: Must be exhausting – running a family and teaching as well. 

Julia: Oh, I can’t wait for term to end. ... (not, in the least bit) I shouldn’t have kidded myself I could teach. It’s just that I- I've spent the last 10 years looking after Ben... and I’m so desperate to get out and do something. ... (hardly, unimportant). and I'm free to work, and… ‘

Sheba: You’re gonna be a terrific teacher. 

Julia: Thanks. But I’m bloody hopeless, and everyone knows it. ... (not, whatsoever).

Sheba: Children are feral. Don’t let them sense your anxiety. ... (scarcely, harmless)

Julia: How do you cope? 

Sheba: Oh, I’m just a battle-ax. I’m not popular, but they respect me. ... (anyone, at all)

Julia: Well, you’re popular with me.

Sheba: That's so nice to hear that. ... (no one, ever).