The Communicative Grammar of English Workbook - Edward Woods, Rudy Coppieters 2002

17.9. Organising information - Avoiding intransitive verbs
Unit seventeen. Focusing

Sections 433-434

We tend to avoid predicates consisting of just a single verb as there is a feeling that the predicate of a clause should be longer or grammatically more complex than the subject. This is connected with the principle of end-weight.

Task **

In the following comment, Lionel is talking about himself to Miriam. Rewrite the text by using a more complex predicate: replacing drank by had a drink.

“You must excuse my chatting away like this, my dear. It’s so long since anyone called round, especially an old friend like you. The children have all gone away now. I know I could visit, but I don’t like to travel much now. Christine is living in the south of Portugal. I visited her. I suppose it’s a lovely spot. Nice beach. Every day at ten o’clock, Christine swims. Then in the afternoon from two to four, she rests. I got bored being there. It’s like that really, I suppose. We older folk always had to work hard. They work very little. They’ve got the money. I don’t know how. Don’t like to ask. And they’re so organised. Everything has to be in its place. You won’t believe this, but one day, Tom ... He’s her husband, partner ... I don’t know what they call them now. Well, Tom was showering. Suddenly he shouted. We rushed upstairs. Couldn’t get in. The door was locked. I kicked the door hard. It didn’t give. Christine called out, asking what was wrong. You really won’t believe this. They have a lot of plants in the bathroom. He’d noticed two were out of place. I couldn’t live there. They have different standards from us. But then we knew hard times. We did, didn’t we? Will you dine with me tonight? Please do. It’s been such a long time. We’ll have my best wine.”