THE FLATMATES

Quiz:
Obligation and permission

BBC Learning English The Flatmates

The Flatmates Quiz Obligation and permission
You can try the quiz online at:
http://www.bbclearningenglish.com/flatmates/episode101/quiz.shtml
For each of the six questions choose the correct answer.
1.
a.
b.
c.
d.

You must quiet! This is a library.

be
to be
being
are

2.

You her a present for her birthday, if you don't want to. She'll be just as happy
with a card.
aren't allowed to buy
let me buy
don't have to buy
must buy

a.
b.
c.
d.
3.
a.
b.
c.
d.

When we were kids, we a little bit of wine with Sunday lunch. It was such a treat
to do something we weren't usually allowed to do.
had to drink
were let to drink
must drink
were allowed to drink

4.
a.
b.
c.
d.

When we were young we our homework.

must did
had to do
musted to do
had to doing

5.
a.
b.
c.
d.

Her dad even though it's against the law for under 16s.
lets her smoking
lets her smoke
lets smoke
let her smoked

6.

I'm sorry sir, can't you see the signs? You in the restaurant. You outside if you
want a cigarette.
a. have to smoke /will have to go
b. aren't allowed to smoke / will have to go
c. aren't allowed to smoke / will have to going
d. are allowed to smoke / don't have to go

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BBC Learning English The Flatmates

The Flatmates Quiz Obligation and permission
Answers
1.
a.
b.
c.
d.

You must quiet! This is a library.

be Correct This means the library has a rule about silence.
to be Wrong You need the base form, not the full infinitive of the verb here.
being Wrong You need the base form of the verb here, not the gerund (ing).
are Wrong You need the base form of the verb here, not 'are'.

2.

You her a present for her birthday, if you don't want to. She'll be just as happy
with a card.
a. aren't allowed to buy Wrong You have a choice about whether to buy her a gift
or not. 'Aren't allowed to buy' means it's against the rules.
b. let me buy Wrong It is your choice whether or not you buy a present not
somebody elses.
c. don't have to buy Correct This means you have a choice about whether
to buy her a gift or not.
d. must buy Wrong You have a choice about whether to buy her a gift or not.
'Must buy' means it's a rule that you are obliged to buy her a present.
3.
a.
b.
c.
d.
4.
a.
b.
c.
d.

When we were kids, we a little bit of wine with Sunday lunch. It was such a treat
to do something we weren't usually allowed to do.
had to drink Wrong 'Had to drink' means having no choice about it. In this
example, these children were given permission to drink alcohol.
were let to drink Wrong you need a different word instead of 'let'.
must drink Wrong 'Must drink' means having no choice about something. In
this
example, these children were given permission to drink alcohol.
were allowed to drink Correct This means these children were given
permission to drink alcohol.
When we were young we our homework.
must did Wrong You need the base form not the past simple after 'had to'.
had to do Correct This is the correct past tense form.
musted to do Wrong There is no past tense form of 'must'.
had to doing Wrong You need the base form not the gerund (ing) after 'had to'.

5. Her dad even though it's against the law for under 16s.
a. lets her smoking Wrong You need the base form not the gerund (ing) after
'lets'.
b. lets her smoke Correct This means her father allows her to smoke (what
a bad dad!).
c. lets smoke Wrong There is a word (an object) missing here.
d. let her smoked Wrong You need the bare infinitive of the main verb, not the
past simple of it.

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BBC Learning English The Flatmates

6.

I'm sorry sir, can't you see the signs? You in the restaurant. You outside if you
want a cigarette.
a. have to smoke /will have to go Wrong the second answer is correct but the first
one is wrong.
b. aren't allowed to smoke/ will have to go Correct both answers are right.
c. aren't allowed to smoke / will have to going Wrong the first answer is correct
but
the second one is wrong.
d. are allowed to smoke / don't have to go Wrong both answers are wrong.

Would you like to look at the language point that this quiz was based on? Go to:
http://www.bbclearningenglish.com/flatmates/episode101/languagepoint.shtml
Or you can download the language point from:

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flatmates/episode101/fm_languagepoint_070710.pdf

More quizzes on this topic:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/apps/ifl/worldservice/quiznet/quizengine?ContentType=text/html;quiz=1616_school_rules

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