FCE Common structures in Use of English
Since / ago
A month ago... Is a month since...
Due to ...
As a result of Because it snowed heavily during the night the motorway is closed. The motorway is closed ........................................ that there was heavy snow the night before.
As soon as
As soon as I got home, I had a shower
No sooner had .... than
As soon as his plan landed he was arrested No sooner had the plane landed than he was arrested
Currently
At present
But for
Because it was raining heavily (RAIN) But for the heavy rain
Call off
Cancel
Concentrate
Concentrate on...
Carry out
Do exactly what the teacher say Carry out the teacher instrucctions
Try my hardest
Do my best
Interest in + v ing
Fame doesn't interest me I'm not interested in being famous
Have talent
Have a talent for doing something
Carry on
He carried on walking even thought started to rain
Deny
He denied having stolen the bag
Hardly ever...
He doesn't go out often He hardly ever goes out
Make up his mind...
He finally made up his mind to get married
Had something done
He had his hair cut
Has the habbit of + v ing
He has the habbit of saying things that are not true
To get used to + v ing
He is not accustomed to travelling abroad He can't get used to travelling abroad
Work out
He must work out how much weight a particular rock will support
Prevent sb from + verb -ing
He prevented her from falling down
Took up
He took up golf at the age of 12
In which
Here's the house where I lived as a child (IN) Heres's the house in which i lived in as a child
Enought to..
I cannot get all the clothes in the suitcase (BIG) The suitcase is not big enought to take all my clothes
Would rather than
I enjoy watching football more than reading I would rather watch football than read
Lend something
I lend her a dictionary
Prefer to / ing
I prefer buying online = I prefer to buy online
Prefer to
I prefer eating macarroni to drinking whisky
I wish I had...
I regret not telling the truth I wish I had told the truth
In order to
I study hard in order to enter a good Uni
Should be able
I think I can I should be able to
I used to...
I used to go to summer camp every summer
Made lose my temper
I was angry when Sandra was rude to me this morning Sandra's rudeness made me lose my temper this morning
Come up with
I was not able to come up with the correct answer
Would rather than
I'd rather eat macarroni than drink whisky
Feel like going...
I'd rather not go out I don't feel like going out
There is no doubt in mind
I'm absolutely sure
Be keen on
I'm not all that keen on grapes He's keen on fishing
Apologise to somebody for something / v ing
I'm sorry I forgot to phone I apologise for forgetting to phone
Can't have
I'm sure he hasn't forgotten about the meeting He can't have forgotten about the meeting
I'm used to
I'm used to waking up early (my habit now)
To be on the point of doing something...
If he hadn't arrived at that moment, I would have gone home a few seconds later I was on the point of going home when he arrived
In case...
In case your flight is delayed
In spite of + v ing
In spite of felling sick Although he is small for his age, he is very strong
In spite of the fact that
In spite of the fact that he was sick
Be out of order
It hasn't worked for 3 days It has been out of order for 3 days
Make sense to somebody...
It make sense to me
As .... As
It was cheaper It was not as cheap as..
There was no point in staying at the party
It was no worth staying
Since / For
It' been ages since I last saw David I haven't seen David for ages
If only I had...
It's a pity we won't have a bigger house! If only we had a bigger house!
Higher and higher
It's getting higher and higher
Get on my nerves
It's irritating It gets on my nerves
No point in + v ing
It's no worth inviting her There is no point in inviting her
Might not have
It's possible I didn't take the early train (MIGHT) I might not have taken the early train
Can't afford...
It's too expensive I can't afford to buy it I can't afford such an expensive....
Make an attempt to
Laura didn't try to be friendly with us (MADE) Laura made no attempt to be friendly to us
The same as...
Mark and Tony are equally tall (HEIGHT) Mark is the the same height as Tony
Accuse somebody of + v ing
Mary accused Pierra of having left the door unlocked
Difficulty in doing something
Mary didn't find it difficult to pass the exam Mary had no difficulty in passing the exam
To take advantage of...
Mustn't miss the opportunity (ADVANTAGE) Must take advantage of this opportunity
Get by
My English isn't perfect yet, but I manage! Although my English isn't perfect yet, I get by!
Take care of some one
My elder sister likes to look after small children My elder children enjoys taking care of children
Apart from...
Naomy is the only person who wants to go to the cinema Apart from Naomy nobody is interested in going to the cinema
Object to
Nobody like having a new factory in the area Everybody objected to having a new factory in the area
By yourself
On your own
It's not like
Patrich doesn't usually forget his keys It's not like Patrick to forget his keys
Let somebody down
Please don't dissapoint me this time I'd rather you didn't let me down this time
Is likely to/ Is unlikely to
Probable/Improbable It, therefore, seems unlikely that the date of 17 December can be maintained.
Get over
Recover from an illness He gets over his illness
Cut down on
Reduce the amount of sugar To cut down on the amount of sugar
Reminds me...
Reminds me of
It was the first time...
Robert has never been to Turkey (FIRST) It was the first time that Robert had ever been to Turkey
Borrow something from
She borrowed a dictionary from me
By far
She is by far the most beautiful girl
Refused to...
She refused to eat
Succed in + v ing
Succeded in getting
Such a...
Such a silly story! The silliest story I have ever heard!
Set off
The bus set off at 10 o'clock
Resulted from...
The landslides are belived to have resulted from
Put off
The match had to be put off until next week
It's no worth doing
There's no point going! There's no worth going
Run out off
There's no tea left Run out of tea at home
Tell apart
They are identical twins so they look exactly the same You can't tell them apart
Put an advert for...
They decided to advertise (PUT) They decided to put an advert for...
It is said to be...
They say is getting dark It's said to be getting dark
Like/Unlike
Unlike his father, she doesn't like potatoes
Do you fancy going...?
Would you like to go anywhere?
Would you mind...
Would you mind speaking up?
Hardly anybody...
Yesterday the theatre was almost empty (ANYBODY) There was hardly anybody in the theatre yesterday
Had better not...
You had better not buy this car
It's time ...
You have got to decide It's time you decided
It's about time...
You should learn how to read It's about time you learn how to read
Should not have to...
You should not have to bring that coat
Provided that
__________you have a passport, you can leave the country
Dislike
to not like
