Special use of some words and phrases exercise

1. [has to, it is high time, would rather, as soon as, lest, let alone, what's it like, as though, unless, there]
(a) The bridge grew old. The villagers repaired it ---it might break down.
(b) There is a charitable dispensary in our village. No one---pay for the service.
(c) We must learn English as it is an international language.---we adopted proper steps for learning English.
(d) She has a great sense of morality. She--- fail in the exam than adopt unfair means.
(e) ---swimming in the sea? It seems to be very heroic to me.
(f) Rahman is a poor man. He cannot buy a shirt,---a car.
(g) Nobody likes Kulsum at all. She talks---she knew everything.
(h) Play is delayed due to rain. It will resume---the rain stops.
(i) Long ago,---lived a mighty warrior named Kubla Khan.
(j) Time is very important in our life. You cannot prosper in life--- you make proper use of time.

Answer: (a) lest; (b) has to; (c) It is high time; (d) would rather; (e) What's it like; (f) let alone; (g) as if; (h) as soon as; (i) there; (j) unless.

2. [there, What's it like, let alone, as soon as, was born, have to, What does ... look like, Would rather, as if, had better]
(a) A man was injured in the accident, but he didn't--- go to the hospital. It was not so serious.
(b) Once,---lived a lion in a cave. One day a mouse entered the cave. The lion wanted to kill it first but later on it let the mouse go.
(c) You don't have permission to stand here ---park your car.
(d) Somebody should stop David. He was talking about David Copperfield ---he had read the whole book.
(e) Sujana will really be angry if we do not invite her to the party. We --- invite her.
(f) It started raining ---we got out of the car. It was really an awkward situation.
(g) Baby: Mom, ---a fairy ---?
(h) ---having dinner with your favourite celebrity? It must be awesome.
(i) T.S Eliot was a great American modern poet. He ---in 1888. He wrote The Wasteland which was translated into many languages.
(j) I know that I will be rich soon if I become a police officer. Yet, I ---be a teacher, I like teaching.

Answer: (a) have to; (b) there; (c) let alone; (d) as if; (e) had better; (f) as soon as; (g) What does ... look like; (h) What's it like; (i) was born; (j) would rather.

Also Read: Special use of some Words and Phrases all board question with answer

3. [there, what's it like, have to, as if, was born, let alone, would you mind, would rather, as soon as, had better]
(a) — reading the novel I gave you? You seem to be very interested in reading it.
(b) You — not help your friend in the exam hall. It is, in other words, destroying his/her capabilities.
(c) I will stop writing — the bell rings. It is not a good practice to continue writing after the bell has rung.
(d) He writes — he were an author. Actually, he cannot write a single line.
(e) Many children — blind last year. It was a painful phenomenon.
(f) He — wake than sleep. He has to complete the home task as early as possible.
(g) — are a lot of fishes in the pond. This pond belongs to them.
(h) He has no money to buy food, — a fine cloth to wear. He spent all his money lavishly.
(i) You — write the essay correctly and precisely to get good marks. Otherwise, you cannot expect something good from it.
(j) — spending some blissful hours with the children? 1 think you won't.

Answer: (a) Would you mind; (b) had better; (c) as soon as; (d) as if; (e) was born; (f) would rather; (g) There; (h) let alone; (i) have to; (j) What's it like.

4. [as if, was born, as soon as, what does... look like, have to, there, let alone, would rather, had better, it]
(a) Manner makes a man. Students --- practice good manners in everyday life.
(b) Most of our students are weak in English. They ---follow the advice of their teachers.
(c) He tries to prove his skill in English. He speaks English ---he were an English man.
(d) Cox's Bazar is a popular tourist hub. ---are many nice motels for the tourists.
(e) An honest man told me that he ---pull a rickshaw than beg.
(f) A poor man struggles hard to survive. He can earn tk. 200 a day ---tk. 2000.
(g) In Dhaka city, traffic jam is very common. ---may occur anywhere at any time.
(h) ---a smoker stops smoking, he can avoid the risk of any danger.
(i) Shakespeare --- on 23rd April 1564.
(j) Tell me. ---an alien ---?

Answer: (a) have to; (b) had better; (c) as if; (d) There; (e) would rather; (f) let alone; (g) It; (h) As soon as; (i) was born; (j) What does ... look like.

5. [was born. would you mind? there. would rather, what does...look like. as if let alone, had better, have to, as soon as]

(a) He cannot tell my name, — my address. He is lying.
(b) The Bangladeshi cricketers have done well in the World Cup. They — struggle more to with the World Cup.
(c) — the earth —? It's not completely round.
(d) I — walk than get on the bus. This time the bus is very crowded.
(e) — I reached the station, the train left. Really I was lucky.
(f) Dr Muhammad Shahidullah was a great linguist. He — in 1885 A.D.
(g) He acts — he were rich. So nobody likes him.
(h) You look sick. You — go home immediately.
(i) — was a boy at the door. He wanted to talk to me.
(j) — eating sea fish? I think you will enjoy a lot.

Answer: (a) let alone; (b) have to; (c) What does......look like; (d) would rather; (e) As soon as; (f) was born; (g) as if; (h) had better; (i) There; (j) Would you mind.

6. [there, let alone, what does---look like, what if, as soon as, was born, as if, would rather, had better, have to]
(a) Silvia is generally a gentle girl. But yesterday she behaved — she had lost her sense.
(b) The boy is very week. He cannot run five miles — ten miles.
(c) It was raining cats and dogs. So they — wait until the rain stopped.
(d) The man coming from the city thinks that he — die than beg.
(e) — an elephant's trunk —? It is a snake-shaped organ doing the work of a nose and even a hand.
(f) — he entered the castle, the door automatically closed behind.
(g) It is the shortest way from my home to DU. I — not go another way.
(h) — the road ends over there? We have to walk the whole campus to find the exit.
(i) Barack Obama was the President of the USA. But his father — in Kenya.
(j) — was a time when people used to use camels and animals for crossing the distant path.

Answer: (a) as if; (b) let alone; (c) had to; (d) would rather; (e) What does ..... look like; (f) As soon as; (g) had better; (h) What if; (i) was born; (j) There.

7. [there, what's it like, let alone, as soon as, was born, so that, how ... doing, would rather. as if. had better]
(a) — the thief saw the police, he started running but he was caught shortly.
(b) You want to come to our house. I'll draw a map for you — you can easily find it.
(c) We went to the theatre yesterday. Today I — go to the cinema. What about you?
(d) I knew — would not be any examination. So, I did not study seriously.
(e) David has gone through major knee surgery. He'll never walk again, — play football.
(f) On my way to college I was stopped by an old man. The old man behaved — he had met me before. (g) — working in a call centre? You don't seem to be very happy with your job.
(h) You — tell her everything now. She might get you wrong.
(i) Mamun: Salam, have you met Mr Kabir recently? — is he —?
(j) Jalal Uddin Muhammad Akbar was a great Mughal Emperor. He — in 1542. He introduced Bengali year.

Answer: (a) As soon as; (b) so that; (c) had better; (d) there; (e) let alone; (f) as if; (g) What's it like; (h) would rather; (i) How... doing; (j) was born.

8. [Nothing but, What if, Would you mind, Let alone, Lest, As if, Had better, There, More than, Was born, What's ....... like, No sooner than]

(a) The boy does not read carefully. — he fails in the exam?
(b) Socrates has been declared innocent by the Greek court recently. This unparallel philosopher — in 470 BC, in Athens.
(c) Our life is very short in comparison with eternity. It is — sum total of days, months and years.
(d) I feel sick. — taking me to a hospital?
(e) The moon is attractive to all. — the sun —?
(f) The man was more than eighty. He walked slowly — he should stumble on the street.
(g) Though he was a quack, he behaved — he had been an M.B.B.S doctor.
(h) You are getting bulky day by day. You — take physical exercise.
(i) The boy is only twenty years old. But his behaviour shows he is — fifty.
(j) The presence of students in the class is less than sixty today. — were about 100 students present in the last class.

Answer: (a) What if; (b) was born; (c) nothing but; (d) Would you mind; (e) What's ...... like; (f) lest; (g) as if; (h) had better; (i) more than; (j) There

9. [it like, Had better, would rather, was born, what does — look like, let alone, there]

(a) An illiterate man can’t do anything. He can’t think of himself — of the country.
(b) He broke the axe handle. He — repair it at his own cost than take money from her.
(c) Many well off people live in this place. But — is no good school here.
(d) If you want to go abroad, you — get a passport. It won’t take enough time.
(e) It was raining, — the rain stopped than they started their journey.
(f) The setting sun looks very nice. It is — it were a golden plate.
(g) It is getting dark, You — leave this place as soon as possible.
(h) A: — visiting a place of historic interest?
(i) Wordsworth is a poet of nature. He — in England.
(j) A: — a moonlit night —? B: It looks bright with soft light.

Answer: (a) let alone; (b) would rather; (c) there; (d) have to; (e) No sooner had; (f) as if; (g) had better; (h) What's it like; (i) was born; (j) What does... look like.

10. [there, would rather, let alone, as soon as, was born, what does ..look like, have to, as if, had better, would you mind]
(a) — an alien —? Is it like a human being?
(b) You are praising yourself — you were a scholar. Empty vessels sound much.
(c) You — eat vegetables than fast food. They are helpful for digestion.
(d) He cannot tell my name, — my address. He is lying.
(e) The Bangladesh cricketers have done well in the Champions Trophy. They — struggle more to win the World Cup.
(f) Dr Muhammad Shahidullah was a great linguist. He — in 1885 A.D.
(g) You look sick. You — go home immediately.
(h) — eating sea fish? I think you will enjoy a lot.
(i) — I reached the station, the train left. Really I was lucky.
(j) — was a boy at the door. He wanted to talk to me.

Answer: (a) What does...... look like; (b) as if; (c) would rather; (d) let alone; (e) have to; (f) was born; (g) had better; (h) Would you mind; (i) As soon as; (j) There.

Special use of words and phrases HSC pdf

1. Complete the sentences with suitable phrases/words given in the box.
[as soon as, cannot but, it is high time, there, does look like, as it were, what if, let alone, cannot help, had better, was born, no sooner had]
(a) The man talked---nothing had happened in his life.
(b) Karl Max, a German philosopher, economist, historian and sociologist,---on 5 May 1818.
(c) Corruption has grasped our morality.---we freed ourselves from this vice.
(d) ---the fog dispersed, the team started their journey for new discoveries in the forest.
(e) You are financially gifted. You --- spend money for humanitarian work than wasting it for attaining illegal something.
(f) Have you ever visited any mountain area? What ---it ---?
(g) --- he fails in the exam? He will take part next year.
(h) ---are few people having courage withstanding against immorality.
(i) You have wasted much time. Now you ---studying hard to cover the loss.
(j) He has done so much offence. He cannot get the sympathy of his parents---his neighbours.

2. [as if, what does---look like, have to, let alone, there, was born, what's it like, as soon as, would rather, had better]
(a) Health is wealth, so we all — follow the rules of health in order to live a sound life.
(b) — was a king named Lear. He had three daughters whom he loved very cordially.
(c) I cannot even remember his name, — his address.
(d) — eating an unboiled egg? This must be injurious to health.
(e) I — avoid him earlier. My parents repeatedly warned me about his misconduct.
(f) We — help him than walk home. He really needed our help.
(g) It may rain at any moment. We should start — we can.
(h) The child was blind when he —. Since then he has been a blind child.
(i) Behave yourself. Don't cross your limit and don't pretend — you did not know anything about the incident.
(j) — a deer —? Really it is really very beautiful.

3. [What does ..., look like, has to, There, as soon as, it, was born, had better, let alone, what's it like, would rather]

A. Milton father is a low paid service holder. He has no ability to buy a bicycle for his son --- a motor bike.
B. I've never travelled by train, --- in the train?
C. Let's go to the cinema, --- is not worth waiting any longer.
D. I am tired. I --- stay at home than go outside.
E. You look very anxious. And you cannot continue your study any longer. You --- take rest.
F. Martin feels pain in his chest. He --- go back to the hospital for a scan next week.
G. Tagore --- in 1861. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1913.
H. went there to meet with him. --- I saw him, I rushed to talk to him.
I. --- is no fish here. It is a swimming pool.
J. --- a spear --- ? It is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of a spear wood, with a pointed head.

4. [What does --- look like, What's it like, would rather, There, As soon as, was born, It, had better, have to, let alone]
A. Guava is cheaper than apple. I --- eat guava than apple.
B. This car is not running well. I --- buy a new one.
C. William Blake, poet and artist --- in London in 1757.
D. ---- was no light in the forest. We all became frightened.
E. --- to have a duplex flat? I wish I could afford one.
F. Do not wait for me. --- they call you, you should get going.
G. --- a salmon ---? There are many types of salmon are commonly found in Thailand.
H. --- was for your courage, we all were saved. Otherwise, the consequences of our foolishness could have been worse.
I. I have not been in good condition since that typhoid. I can hardly walk --- lift a weight.
J. Man is a social being. You -- start mixing with people.


5. [there, had better, was born, It, would rather, what does --- look like, What's it like, had to, let alone, as soon as]

A. The baby cannot walk --- run in the field.
B. Mr. Pet is a renowned teacher. He --- in 1960.
C. Parents --- work hard to take care of their children.
D. Father, ---a ghost ----?
E. ----- swimming in the river? For the first time, it seems new experience for all.
F. You have a bus to catch early in the morning. You --- sleep now.
G. Munna loves watching football match. We --- watch TV than read a book.
H. We are tired looking for the bus. Look, --- is the bus.
I. ---- is said that time and tide wait for none. Once gone, nobody can regain lost time.
J. Please, wait here for us. We will be back --- we are done with our tasks.

6. [It, what does --- look like, let alone, was born, There, as soon as, have to, had better, What's it like, would rather]

A. Our spring is very charming. During spring various kinds of flowers bloom --- seems that everything has got a new life.
B. (b) Baby : Mom, ---- an owl ----?
C. Don't disturb me, you --- leave me alone at this moment.
D. The poor man ------ starve than beg.
E. ---- exists no life on Mars.
F. Sir Walter Scott was both a poet and a novelist. He --- in 1771.
G. ---- we reached the station, the train started.
H. He did not even see a hill ---- a mountain.
I. Keep going. We --- to cross the mountain to reach the town.
J. Radif: --- to visit any foreign country?

7. [What does --- look like, would rather, let alone, What's it like, would rather, There, had better, as soon as, have to, was born]
A. --- was a king named Robert Bruce. He was very famous.
B. I --- and brought up in Bangladesh. This is a very beautiful country.
C. Bangladesh is an emerging power in the world cricket. But we --- struggle more and more to win the world cup.
D. He cannot tell my name, --- my address. He is really a liar.
E. --- the earth ---? It is not completely round.
F. We --- walk fast than got on the train. The train is very crowded.
G. The class started --- I reached my college. I was really lucky.
H. You look so weak. You --- go home as early as possible.
I. I am very tired. I --- walk than run.
J. --- to be a super hero? One needs to be committed to do good for the people as well as to the country.


8. [There, as soon as, Would rather, was born, had better, What does --- look like, have to, It, What's it like, let alone]
A. It is raining outside. You -- take an umbrella.
B. He cannot read newspaper, --- edit a newspaper.
C. --- lived a wise man but he was not well known to all.
D. You look tired. --- appears to me that you have worked hard.
E. Ismail is a symbol of versatile genius. He --- in a needy family.
F. --- a dinosaur --- ? Have you ever seen it?
G. He proceeded ---- he had never seen me. His defiant behaviour offended me.
H. Though I am in dire need of money, I --- die than seek any financial help from him.
I. --- to raise some domestic animals? Raising domestic animals proves to be profitable.
J. I am going to college. While returning, I --- stop at the store to buy some grocery goods.

9. [What does -- look like, would rather, There, has to, was born, let alone, What's -- like, had better, As soon as, It]

(a) A dump cannot talk, --- sing.
(b)--- are six seasons in Bangladesh. Each season has its own feature.
(c) There is not any house help in their house. She--- help her mother in a domestic chores at her free time.
(d) Charlotte: ----- the food -----? Isabella: It's tasty but I'd prefer less salt.
(e) Robert Herrick was a famous English poet. He--- in London in 1591.
(f) ---- was the month of Ashar. The sky remained cloudy with ceaseless drizzle all the time.
(g) ----a volleyball ----? I have never had one.
(h) His mother died the other day. --- he heard the news, he came home from Birmingham.
(i) Crimes in Caracas city have increased alarmingly. You ------ be careful when you step outside.
(j) Dowry is a social evil. I ------ remain a bachelor than take dowry from the bride's family.


10. [What's it like, have to, as soon as, it, was born, let alone, would rather, there, had better, What does --- look like]

(a) We --- pay a visit to Cox's Bazar than the Sundarban. We have already visited the Sundarbans.
(b) The storm was raging violently. We got out --- it abated.
(c) --- a railway station --- ? It is a very busy and crowded place.
(d) My college is far away from our house. I --- walk a long way to go to my college.
(e) Jasim Uddin is a rural poet. He --- in 1903 in a village named Tambulkhana in Faridpur.
(f) ---is very hot today. Load shedding is aggravating the situation.
(g) Maruf cannot earn 40 marks ---80 marks. He is a student of average standard.
(h) --- are many mango trees around our home. They give us very sweet mangoes.
(i) Faisu seems to be weak. He--- consult an experienced doctor.
(j) --- possess an industry? If I had one, I would employ a number of people there.

11. [was born, as soon as, What's it like, let alone, had better, it, would rather, there, What does --- look like, have to]
(a) No effort sees the light of success of it is carried out by one. We --- be united to reach out goals.
(b) --- to drink honey? Unlike raw honey, regular honey undergoes a pasteurization process.
(c) Katherine can't afford to buy a cellphone, --- a laptop. Actually, she is very poor.
(d) It may rain today. You --- leave earlier.
(e) ---- the Moon ---? The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite.
(f) ---is many years since we first met. How time does fly!
(g) His mother being sick, he needs to go home --- possible.
(h) We ---- develop our humanity than observe hartal and strike. Let us change our destructive culture.
(i) There started a heavy storm when I was about to go out --- I had been out there?
(j) John Milton was an English poet and intellectual. He ---- in Bread Street, Cheapside, London, England.


12. [would rather, It, have to, as soon as, what does look like, was born, let alone, There, had better, What's it like]

(a) Deforestation is a matter of great concern. We --- take immediate steps against cutting down trees at random.

(b) To tell a lie is a great sin. We --- die than tell a lie. Otherwise, none will believe us.

(c) --- swimming in the sea? It seems to be very heroic to me.

(d) ---- mother heard the news, she cried loudly. She lost her child in a car accident.

(e) Rome was not built in a day. --- took a longtime and hard labour to build this city.

(f) Rahman is a poor man. He cannot buy a shirt, --- a car.

(g) Kazi Nazrul Islam is our rebel poet. He ---in Churulia of West Bengal.

(h) Rina's dress looks very dirty. It is old enough. She ---buy a new dress.

(i) Rana: Hi, Robi --- a Pea-cock ---? Robi: It's a very nice bird. It knows how to dance.

(j) --- is a saying, “Health is wealth.” So, we all should keep fit and healthy.