Core grammar for higher education − 4e druk 2017
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A
1 Is he a friend of yours?
2 She invited some friends of hers.
3 A classmate of mine lost her parents in an aircrash.
4 We met a colleague of yours.
5 I was introduced to two colleagues of his.
6 He went to Paris with three friends of his.
7 We were helped by some neighbours of ours.
B
1 This key is mine.
2 Their house is bigger than ours.
3 Our sales figures are better than theirs.
4 Is this mobile yours?
5 His English is better than hers.
6 This bike is his.
C
1 mine, 2 ours, 3 its, 4 his, 5 ours, 6 their, 7 hers, 8 yours, 9 its, 10 theirs
D
1 Those glasses / spectacles are hers. / Those are her spectacles / glasses.
2 Whose bicycles are these? They are theirs.
3 That dictionary is not mine. / That is not my dictionary, but Charles’s / Charles’.
4 Is that pencil yours or his? / Is that your pencil or his pencil?
5 She wants to start her own business / a business of her own.
6 He scored an own goal.
7 She has had her own production company / a production company of her own for two years.
8 Many / A lot of children have no room of their own. / do not have their own room / a room of their own. / … have not got their own room / a room of their own.
9 Is this your own house? / Is this house your own?
10 Are these your car keys? Are these car keys yours? No, they are Paul’s (keys).
11 Is this your bag? / Is this bag yours?Yes, it’s mine. / it’s my bag.
12 Where are my boots? I put / have put them in the garage.
13 Each flat had its own entrance.
14 We have (got) our own service department. / a service department of our own.
15 This company / firm pays its employees well.
16 The management has its own responsibility. / … have their own …
17 Last week Germany closed its borders to Dutch beef. / Germany … last week.
18 We stayed with an aunt of hers.
19 We have been to London with a few / some friends of ours.
20 Friends of theirs had organised / organized a surprise party.
21 Cindy’s brother is a colleague of yours.
22 Those people are neighbours of ours.
23 That dog of his bit / has bitten me.
24 Mr Watson is a business contact of ours.
25 Can / Could I borrow your bike / bicycle? Mine has (got) a flat tyre / a puncture.
26 Our turnover was lower than theirs.
27 Is this car yours? Yes, it’s mine.
28 Yesterday I got / received an e-mail from him but I have not answered it yet. / … I have not yet answered it …
E
1 of mine: If a noun is followed by o (Dutch ‘van’) the independent possessive pronoun is used: mine, yours, hers, his, ours, theirs.
2 correct
3 of hers: If a noun is followed by of (Dutch ‘van’) the independent possessive pronoun is used: mine, your, hers, his, ours, theirs.
4 of yours: this is a spelling mistake.
5 its / their: for things we use its for singular nouns. For collective nouns like ‘committee’ also their can be used.
6 of his: If a noun is followed by of (Dutch ‘van’) the independent possessive pronoun is used: mine, yours, hers, his, ours, theirs.
7 an own goal: Own cannot be preceded by a(n) except in an own goal.
8 correct
9 of ours: If a noun is followed by of (Dutch ‘van’) the independent possessive pronoun is used: mine, yours, hers, his, ours, theirs.
10 her own business / a business of her own: Own must be preceded by a possessive pronoun.
11 its / her: a spelling mistake (it’s = it is); the possessive pronoun for things is its, for ships ‘her’ is also possible.
12 These are my bags. Yours are …: The independent possessive pronoun is used to replace a preceding possessive pronoun + noun (my bags).
F
Ahold sells its Brazilian chain.
Ahold has sold / sold its Brazilian supermarket chain, Bompreco, to its former competitor WalMart. Yesterday Ahold also sold its Brazilian credit card activities, Hipercard, to Unibanco. Together, both / the two enterprises / companies are worth four hundred million euro(s).
Bompreco mainly operates / operates mainly in one / a hundred and eighteen stores / shops in the north-east of Brazil. The buyer, (the) American WalMart, has been present in Brazil since 1995, especially / particularly in the south of the country.
Seven years ago Ahold bought fifty per cent of the Bompreco shares. It was agreed / They agreed (that) the turnover of the company / the company’s turnover would completely / entirely count in the turnover figures of Ahold / Ahold’s turnover figures. A document with this confidential information was signed / has been signed by members of the board of directors and was kept secret / has been kept secret from the accountants. Ahold had paid between 450 and 500 million euro(s) for Bompreco. Last year the chain had a turnover of 843 million euro(s).
The Latin-American activities have been on offer for (quite) some time (now). By selling them Ahold wants to reduce / decrease its debts of around / approximately / about ten billion euro(s). Also in the US / U.S. / USA / U.S.A. and Europe Ahold wants to sell store chains. In Spain, for example / for instance, Ahold is trying to get rid of its ailing Spanish subsidiaries. In the US / U.S. / USA / U.S.A. new owners / proprietors are being approached for the chains Bi-Lo and Bruno’s / Bi-Lo and Bruno’s chains.