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Level B2 • Grammar in Context

⚡ Word partners: demand for, dependent on, worried about -ing, increase in/of

Learn which small word goes with which word, like demand for and dependent on. Use them to talk about electric transport.

⏱️ 12 Minutes

📌 How to use this lesson

👩‍🏫 For the Teacher

Guide students through the four cards and run the 12 practice items in 12 minutes. Check answers with the short teacher notes at the end of each task.

🎯 For the Learner

Read the four pattern cards first and notice which partner words go together. Solve the 12 challenges from top to bottom without checking outside notes.

🔋 Target Topic Words In This Lesson

engine motor tyre socket insurance mileage install silent accelerate carbon

📖 4 Word Partner Rules

Read each rule and its two examples before you start the tasks.

A word and its fixed partner: demand for, solution to

Some words need one fixed small word right after them. We say demand for and solution to. Learn each pair as one piece. Say "a solution to the problem", not "a solution of the problem".

• There is a growing demand for cheap electric cars.

• Engineers found a solution to the noise problem.

Describing words have fixed partners too: dependent on, responsible for

Some describing words need one fixed small word too. We say dependent on and responsible for. Learn each pair as one piece. Say "dependent on", not "dependent with".

• Many drivers are still dependent on petrol stations.

• The motor is responsible for turning the wheels.

After a small word, add -ing: worried about running

After a small word, an action word needs the -ing ending. This works after words like about, of and in. It also works after the small word to in phrases like look forward to. Say "worried about running", not "worried about run".

• Many drivers are worried about running out of power on long trips.

• We look forward to riding the new electric bus.

One word, two partners: increase in / increase of

The word increase has two different partners. Use in before the thing that grew: an increase in prices. Use of before the size of the change: an increase of ten percent. Do not mix them up.

• Last year there was an increase of five percent in the number of charging points.

• There was an increase in the price of petrol.

✍️ Practice Challenges (12 Items)

Work through the 4 challenge types from easy to hard.

12 Tasks

Part 1 • Choose the correct sentence

Pick the only sentence where the words fit together correctly.

1. Which sentence about home charging is correct? (change)

Rule 1

____ Our family made a switch on an outdoor wall socket last week ____ Our family made a switch to an outdoor wall socket last week ____ Our family made a switch of an outdoor wall socket last week

2. Which sentence about electric motors is correct? (need)

Rule 2

____ A clean electric motor is totally dependent on battery cells ____ A clean electric motor is totally dependent with battery cells ____ A clean electric motor is totally dependent to battery cells

3. Which sentence about city transport is correct? (duty)

Rule 2

____ City councils are responsible with cutting carbon fumes ____ City councils are responsible about cutting carbon fumes ____ City councils are responsible for cutting carbon fumes

Part 2 • Fill the gaps

Type the missing connecting word into the blank space.

Rule 3

4. Fill the gap with the missing connecting word.

(fear)

Taxi drivers are afraid ____ damaging a tyre on sharp stones.

Why this works (open after you answer)

Afraid goes with of. Then add -ing: afraid of damaging.

Rule 3

5. Fill the gap with the missing connecting word.

(habit)

New electric car owners are not used ____ accelerating so quickly and quietly.

Why this works (open after you answer)

Be used to means you are not surprised by it now. The action word after it ends in -ing.

Rule 4

6. Fill the gap with the right partner word before the thing that changed.

(area)

Newer battery technology brought an increase of thirty miles ____ total mileage per full charge.

Why this works (open after you answer)

In comes before the thing that grew. Here it is the total mileage.

Part 3 • Rewrite the sentence

Rewrite each sentence using the exact word pair given in the instruction.

Rule 1

7. Rewrite using: a solution to

(fix)

Original sentence: "Sound engineers created a way to fix the risk of a silent engine for pedestrians."

Type the completed sentence:

____ Why this works (open after you answer)

Solution goes with to, not of.

Rule 2

8. Rewrite using: responsible for

(duty)

Original sentence: "The delivery company pays the extra insurance on electric vans."

Type the completed sentence (use: The delivery company is responsible for...):

____ Why this works (open after you answer)

Responsible goes with for when you name a job or a cost.

Rule 1

9. Rewrite using: a demand for

(need)

Original sentence: "There is a strong public need to install street chargers."

Type the completed sentence (use: There is a strong demand for...):

____ Why this works (open after you answer)

Demand goes with for. An action word after for ends in -ing.

Part 4 • Correct the error in text messages

Find the broken partner word in each short message and type the correct phrase.

Rule 3

10. Fix the error in Alex's message to Sam.

(action)

💬 Alex:

"Hey Sam, my neighbour is interested in install a high-speed garage socket this weekend."

What is the correct form of the underlined word?

____ Why this works (open after you answer)

After in, the action word ends in -ing.

Rule 4

11. Fix the error in Leo's update to his driver team.

(amount)

💬 Leo:

"Good news team: this quarter we recorded an increase in fifteen percent in our fleet mileage."

What word should replace the underlined word before the percentage?

____ Why this works (open after you answer)

Of comes before a number or a percent.

Rule 1

12. Fix the error in Maya's workshop memo.

(pair)

💬 Maya:

"The technicians found a reliable solution of the electric engine overheating issue."

What word should replace the underlined word after solution?

____ Why this works (open after you answer)

We say a solution to a problem, not of.

Dependent Prepositions After Nouns and Adjectives

⚡ Word partners: demand for, dependent on, worried about -ing, increase in/of

📌 How to use this lesson

📖 4 Word Partner Rules

A word and its fixed partner: demand for, solution to

Describing words have fixed partners too: dependent on, responsible for

After a small word, add -ing: worried about running

One word, two partners: increase in / increase of

✍️ Practice Challenges (12 Items)

Part 1 • Choose the correct sentence

Part 2 • Fill the gaps

Part 3 • Rewrite the sentence

Part 4 • Correct the error in text messages

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