English Learning

Grammar, Culture, and Shakespeare

October 22, 2025

REVIEW QUESTIONS

  1. Compound ordinal numbers are formed with a hyphen: twenty-first, thirty-second.
  2. The comparative degree of adjectives shows a higher or stronger quality.
  3. Anybody and everybody have possessive forms: anybody’s, everybody’s.
  4. Add –er / –est to short adjectives; use more / most with long ones.
  5. Few – fewer – fewest, little – less – least are their comparison forms.
  6. Modal verbs express ability, permission, or necessity (can, must, may, might, should).
  7. The word than is used for comparison.
  8. A lot of means “many / much” – used with countable and uncountable nouns.
  9. Cuckoo Day is April Fools’ Day in Scotland.
  10. Auld Lang Syne was written by Robert Burns.
  11. The first St. Valentine was a Christian martyr of the 3rd century.
  12. In England Christmas is celebrated with trees, presents, and carols.
  13. British vs American: colour – color, lift – elevator, lorry – truck.
  14. The Easter custom in one English village: food and money are given to old people.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (1564–1616)

William Shakespeare is the world’s greatest poet and dramatist.
He was born in Stratford by the River Avon on April 23, 1564.
His father was rich and his mother Mary Arden was a farmer’s daughter.

He studied at the Grammar School in the same town.
At 18, he married Anne Hathaway and had three children.

At 21, he left Stratford for London, became an actor, and wrote plays for The Globe Theatre.
Queen Elizabeth liked his plays very much.

He wrote 154 sonnets and 37 plays — tragedies, comedies, and historical dramas.
He died on April 23, 1616, and was buried in Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon.

VOCABULARY

English Pronunciation Lithuanian
dramatist /ˈdræmətɪst/ dramaturgas
Stratford-upon-Avon /ˈstrætfəd əˈpɒn ˈeɪvən/ Stratfordas prie Eivono
to get married /ˈmærid/ vesti
actor /ˈæktə/ aktorius
play /pleɪ/ pjesė
to act /ækt/ vaidinti
globe /ɡləʊb/ gaublys
queen /kwiːn/ karalienė
sonnet /ˈsɒnɪt/ sonetas
tragedy /ˈtrædʒədi/ tragedija
comedy /ˈkɒmədi/ komedija
drama /ˈdrɑːmə/ drama
to bury /ˈberi/ laidoti
Holy Trinity Church /ˈhəʊli ˈtrɪnɪti tʃɜːtʃ/ Šv. Trejybės bažnyčia

Exercises

Exercise 1Grammar Review – Choose the Correct Answer

  1. The comparative form of small is:
    a) smallier b) smaller c) most small

  2. The word used to compare two things is:
    a) as b) than c) so

  3. A lot of can be used with:
    a) only countable nouns b) both countable and uncountable nouns

  4. The superlative of good is:
    a) more good b) goodest c) best

  5. Modal verbs show:
    a) time b) ability or necessity c) place

Exercise 2Fill in with the Correct Form

Complete the sentences.

  1. There are ___ people in the park. (many / much)
  2. Emily has ___ apples than Ted. (fewer / less)
  3. It is ___ today than yesterday. (colder / coldest)
  4. I have ___ work to do. (a lot of / many)
  5. This book is ___ interesting than that one. (more / most)

Exercise 3British or American English

Match the words.

British English American English
lorry ___
holiday ___
colour ___
lift ___
biscuit ___

Exercise 4Indefinite Pronouns

Fill in with some, any, somebody, or anything.

  1. I didn’t buy ___ today.
  2. There is ___ at the door.
  3. Have you got ___ milk?
  4. I need ___ help with this text.
  5. Don’t tell ___ about it!

Exercise 5Culture and Holidays

Answer shortly.

  1. Who wrote Auld Lang Syne?
  2. How are Christmas holidays celebrated in England?
  3. What is Cuckoo Day?
  4. What do people give to old villagers on Easter Monday?
  5. Who was St. Valentine?

Exercise 6Shakespeare Reading Comprehension

Answer the questions.

  1. Where was William Shakespeare born?
  2. Who was his wife?
  3. How many plays did he write?
  4. What was the name of his theatre?
  5. When did he die?

Exercise 7Translate Vocabulary

Translate into English.

  1. dramaturgas
  2. aktorius
  3. karalienė
  4. laidoti
  5. sonetas

Exercise 8Fill in the Blanks – Shakespeare Facts

Complete the sentences.

  1. William Shakespeare was born in the town of ___.
  2. He studied at a ___ School.
  3. His theatre was called ___.
  4. He wrote ___ sonnets and ___ plays.
  5. He was buried in ___ Church.

Exercise 9Comparison Practice

Use the correct form of adjectives.

  1. This test is ___ (easy) than the last one.
  2. Ted is ___ (tall) than his brother.
  3. Today is the ___ (cold) day of the week.
  4. That story is ___ (interesting) than the movie.
  5. This book is the ___ (good).

Exercise 10Write Short Answers

Answer in full sentences.

  1. What do modal verbs express?
  2. How is a lot of used?
  3. What does few / little mean?
  4. What is Indian Summer?
  5. Why is Shakespeare important?
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