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Negative verbs 1 gapfill Bookmark and Share

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This exercise practises verbs which have negative connotations and which have positive meanings when used with negative words. Put one of these verbs in each space. Make sure you put them in the correct form.

abhor, contradict, err, mind, prevent, prohibit, regret, veto, waste, worsen

1. Jacob's disabilities did not (1) him from becoming one of the most important politicians of his generation.

2. At the committee meeting the managing director simply (2) every proposal to reorganise the company, so nothing was decided.

3. When police questioned the two suspects about the bank robbery, their accounts of what happened (3) each other.



4. Janet was quite ill when she was admitted to hospital, but her condition (4) overnight and she died on the morning.

5. It's a real pity about Jimmy Best. He was such a talented sportsman when he was young, but he (5) all his talent when he started drinking and taking drugs.

6. I received a letter from the tax office yesterday. They said that they had (6) when they calculated my tax, and I had paid too much money, so they refunded £500 to me!



7. My mother (7) smoking. She won't allow it in her house and she never goes anywhere where it's allowed.

8. I'm afraid you can't bring that beer into the stadium. All alcohol is (8) .

9. Everyone makes mistakes sometimes, and John is no exception. What I really (9) is that he won't admit that he's wrong.

10. The judge asked the convicted woman if she had anything to say about her crime, but she said that she didn't (10) killing her husband for a moment because he had deserved it.