Verbal Periphrasis – Free Exercise

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Exercises

Choose the correct word to complete each verbal periphrasis.

  1. Estoy subirme al autobús. Te llamo luego.estar por + infinitive
    = something just about to happen    I’m about to get on the bus. I’ll call you later.
  2. Después de preguntarle mil veces, mi hermano acabó contar la verdad.acabar por + infinitive
    = result    After asking him a thousand times, my brother ended up telling the truth.
  3. El perro comenzó ladrar cuando sonó el timbre.comenzar a + infinitive
    = beginning of an action    The dog started to bark when the bell rang.
  4. Tenéis llamar a la profesora para cancelar la clase.tener que + infinitive
    = obligation    You have to call the teacher to cancel the class.
  5. Las clases dejaron ser aburridas cuando cambiaron al profesor.dejar de + infinitive
    = end of an action    The classes stopped being boring when they changed the teacher.
  6. Estás a punto conseguir tu sueño.estar a punto de + infinitive
    = something just about to happen    You are about to achieve your dream.
  7. Mañana nos pondremos pintar la casa.ponerse a + infinitive
    = start of an action    Tomorrow we are going to get to painting the house.
  8. El mes pasado nos dio ir a clases de baile.dar (a alguien) por + infinitive
    = sudden start of an action    Last month, we felt like going to dance classes.
  9. He escribir un texto para mañana.haber de + infinitive
    = obligation    I have to write a text for tomorrow.
  10. No volveré llegar tarde, lo prometo.volver a + infinitive
    = repeated action    I won’t be late again, I promise.

Participle or gerund? Choose the correct options to complete the sentences.

  1. Las habitaciones del hotel aún no están .estar + participle = resultant stateThe hotel rooms aren’t ready yet.
  2. El cine de mi barrio lleva películas antiguas todo el verano.llevar + gerund
    = action that started in the past and is ongoing at the moment of speaking    The cinema in my neighbourhood has been showing old films all summer.
  3. El precio de la gasolina va cada día.ir + gerund
    = gradual progression of a situation    The price of petrol is going up by the day.
  4. Si llevas todos los temas, con seguridad aprobarás el examen.llevar + participle
    = accumulated quantity of something (in this case, knowledge)    If you’ve learned all the topics, you’ll definitely pass the exam.
  5. Tengo todas las fotos del viaje a Canarias en el disco duro.tener + participle
    = final state    I’ve saved all the photos from my trip to the Canary Islands on a hard drive.
  6. Esta imagen quedará en nuestra memoria para siempre.quedar + participle
    = final state    This image will be engraved into our memories forever.
  7. ¿Qué andas tanto tiempo en el ordenador?andar + gerund
    = action in progress    What are you looking at on the computer for so long?
  8. La profesora venía de un posible examen desde hacía semanas.venir + gerund
    = action that started in the past and is still ongoing at the moment of speaking    The teacher had been warning of a possible exam for weeks.
  9. La entrenadora de spinning dio por la clase diez minutos antes.dar por + participle
    = final state    The spinning instructor ended the class ten minutes early.
  10. Me he pasado toda la tarde los cristales de las ventanas.pasarse + gerund
    = spend time doing something    I spent all afternoon cleaning the windows.

Complete the sentences with the correct impersonal form of the verb (infinitive, participle or gerund).

  1. Los bomberos siguieron el bosque después de extinguir el incendio.seguir + gerund
    = ongoing/repeated action    The firefighters continued to drench the forest after extinguishing the fire.
  2. Todos los invitados quedaron tras el discurso.quedar + participle
    = final state    All the guests were petrified after the speech.
  3. Mi abuela solía después de cenar.soler + infinitive
    = habit    My grandmother used to sew after dinner.
  4. Cuando termine la fiesta, hay que todo.hay que + infinitive
    = obligation    When the party is over, you have to tidy everything.
  5. Mi gato se ha pasado la noche de un lado a otro.pasarse + gerund
    = spend time doing something    My cat has spent the night running around.
  6. Los perros no paran de cuando están en el jardín.parar de + infinitive
    = to (not) stop doing something    The dogs don’t stop barking when they’re in the garden.
  7. Tengo que mi cuarto si quiero salir con mis amigos.tener que + infinitive
    = obligation    I have to tidy my room if I want to go out with my friends.
  8. Mi hermano anda tréboles de cuatro hojas en el patio de atrás.andar + gerund
    = action in progress    My brother is looking for four-leaf clovers in the backyard.
  9. El año pasado me dio por chino.dar (a alguien) por + infinitive
    = sudden start of an aciton    Last year, I took up learning Chinese.
  10. Ya tengo todos los elementos de la tabla periódica.tener + participle
    = final state    I’ve already memorised all the elements of the periodic table.