Explain, Build & Feel
Grammar & vocabulary practice for B1–B2 learners
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Five short exercises targeting common mistakes English learners make at this level: the “explain to” preposition, building adjectives from nouns, avoiding double negatives, choosing the right tense for general truths vs specific events, and emotion vocabulary. Work through each section, check your answers, and see where you stand.
1 · “Explain to” — Fix the Preposition
Choose the correct version. “Explain” always needs “to” before a person.
a) Can you ___ how this app works?
explain me
explain to me
b) She ___ the rules of the game.
explained us
explained to us
c) I don’t understand. Could you ___ again?
explain me it
explain it to me
d) The teacher ___ why the experiment failed.
explained to the class
explained the class
e) He tried to ___ his decision, but I still disagreed.
explain me
explain to me
2 · Word Building — Noun → Adjective
Type the adjective form of each noun. Use the correct suffix (-ful, -ous, -ive, -ed).
Suffix bank: -ful -ous -ive -ed (some words change form without a suffix)
| Noun (thing) | Adjective (describing) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| purpose | done with intention | |
| hostility | unfriendly, aggressive | |
| provocation | causing anger or reaction | |
| resentment | feeling bitter anger | |
| danger | not safe | |
| relief | feeling glad worry is over | |
| remorse | feeling guilty and regretful | |
| fury | extremely angry |
3 · Negative Sentences — Logic & Form
In negative sentences, use “or” (not “and”). No double negatives. Choose the correct version.
a) She doesn’t want to discuss ___ the cost ___ the delay. She’s done talking about it.
— … and
— … or
neither … nor
b) Nobody ___ control their hormones.
can’t
can
c) She doesn’t want to talk about ___ the accident ___ the lawsuit.
— … and
— … or
neither … nor
d) There isn’t ___ at the door.
somebody
anybody
nobody
e) We don’t have ___ to lose.
something
anything
nothing
4 · General Truth or Specific Event?
Read each sentence. Is it a general truth (present simple) or a specific past event (past simple)? Choose the correct verb form.
a) When I am angry, I usually ___ for a walk to calm down.
go
went
b) Yesterday she ___ her phone and had to buy a new one.
breaks
broke
c) After I ___ angry, I always feel tired. It’s a pattern.
get
got
d) Last summer, we ___ to Portugal for two weeks.
go
went
e) The brain constantly ___ predictions about what will happen next. That’s how it works.
makes
made
f) During the argument, he ___ something he immediately regretted.
says
said
g) People who ___ in big cities often report higher stress levels.
live
lived
5 · Emotion Vocabulary — Fill the Blanks
Complete each sentence with a word from the bank. Click “Check” when done.
Word bank: resentment remorse preposterous relieved overwhelmed primal trigger righteous furious contradicted
a) He couldn’t hide his ___ — for years he had been passed over for promotions while less qualified colleagues advanced.
b) The idea that emotions are hardwired from birth seemed ___ to her after watching the TED talk.
c) He felt ___ after admitting he had lied to his best friend.
d) When the exam was over, she felt so ___ — the stress was finally gone.
e) A sudden loud noise can ___ a fear response in almost anyone.
f) The scientist’s findings ___ what most people believed about human behavior.
g) She was ___ when her phone broke — she had just bought it last week.
h) Some researchers argue that aggression is a ___ instinct, not a learned behavior.
i) He spoke with ___ anger, as if he had been morally wronged.
j) With work, family, and health problems all at once, she felt completely ___.
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