Utter the Speech Reflexes below 4–5 times aloud. 

Guidelines to practice:

1. Hear all speech reflexes in general way
2. Pick speech reflexes and utter it aloud 4 to 5 times.
3. Use correct pronunciation of word
4. Use weak form while pronouncing function word.
5. Apply word linking technique
6. Apply rhythm exercise technique. (Applicable for advanced learners only)

Group 1:

I could have been the one they had in mind.

We could have been the people they were talking about.

You could have been the person they were after.

He could have been an imposter.

She could have been his wife.

It could have been a mistake.

They could have been his employees.

Note: Group 1 to Group 4 indicate ‘possibility’ while talking about the past.

Group 2:

I could have been mistaken about it.

We could have been frank with them.

You could have been honest with us.

He could have been patient with them.

She could have been a little more polite to them.

It could have been wrong.

They could have been right.

Group 3:

I could have been there.

We could have been here.

You could have been outside.

He could have been inside.

She could have been away.

It could have been downstairs.

They could have been upstairs.

Group 4:

I could have been in one of the rooms upstairs then.

We could have been in politics too.

You could have been in a hurry.

He could have been in uniform.

She could have been out of town.

It could have been in the box itself.

They could have been at the party.

Group 5:

I used to be a close friend of his.

We used to be their neighbours.

You used to be a nuisance.

He used to be a regular visitor here.

She used to be their favourite.

It used to be the general practice there.

They used to be a proud lot.

Group 6:

I used to be very cautious about these things.

We used to be punctual.

You used to be mean to them.

He used to be nasty to us.

She used to be very arrogant.

It used to be thin.

They used to be good-humoured and friendly.

Group 7:

I used to be there quite often.

We used to be away on all holidays.

You used to be here at weekends.

He used to be out most of the time.

She used to be downstairs most of the time.

It used to be outside all the time.

They used to be abroad at month-ends.

Group 8:

I used to be at the street-corner on most evenings.

We used to be in the floor below during those days.

You used to be in business then.

He used to be in his room most of the time.

She used to be in a temper most of the days.

It used to be in her purse.

They used to be in politics.

Group 9:

I had better ring him up at once.

I had better not keep them waiting.

We had better ask for his permission.

We had better not makes this powder with water.

You had better consult a lawyer.

You had better not change places with him.

He had better hurry.

He had better not take the first turnings.

She had better keep quiet about it.

She had better not put everything together.

It had a better be quiet.

They had better not order replacements now.

Note: This structure is used to give advice or to tell somebody (including oneself) what to do or to warn or threaten somebody.

Group 10:

I am to meet him at twelve.

We are to make the reservation.

You are to ask him the same question.

He is to put all this in a box.

He is to put the money in the bank.

They are to leave a message.

I was to force them to come.

We were to go there after lunch.

You were to return in a few minutes.

He was to take the machine to pieces.

She was to get rid of this rubbish.

They were to catch the 12:20 train.

Note: This structure implies some kind of an arrangement.

Group 11:

I was to have got a confirmation.

We were to have put up a barrier.

You were to have stood in the middle.

He was to have taken a few pictures.

She was to have taken that bus.

They were to have booked a return ticket for me.

Group 12:

Let me do it this way.

Let us take it easy.

Let us not allow it here.

Let him ask for their views.

Let him not think that way.

Let her push that button.

Let her not fool you.

Let it cool your mouth.

Let it not burn your finger.

Let them decide about the holiday.

Let them not go away.

Note: “Let us” is shortened to “Let’s” in non-formal speech – when you’re making a suggestion that involves both you and the hearer. The shortened form “Let’s” is also used while responding to a selection or giving an instruction. But if what you’re saying involves only you, and not the hearer, don’t shorten “Let us” to “Let’s”.

Group 13:

Now I am able to run faster.

I am not able to remember it.

We are able to knock it down within an hour.

We are not able to pay for it.

He is able to lift it easily.

She is not able to open it.

You are able to stand on your head, aren’t you?

You are not able to understand all this, are you?

They are able to speak English.

They are not able to find time to do it.

I was able to give some information,

I was not able to satisfy the boss.

We were able to make it fit a little more tightly.

We were not able to swallow it whole.

You were able to tell the difference, weren’t you?

You were not able to explain your reasons.

He was able to make a short speech in French.

He was not able to point out the mistake.

She was able to clear the pathway.

She was not able to solve the puzzle in no time.

They were able to sort out the problem quickly.

They were not able to cope with the situation.

Note: Here the stress is on the speaker’s capacity or ability to do things. In place of ‘am able to’, ‘is able to’ and ‘are able to’, you can also use ‘can’. But in place of ‘was able to’ and ‘were able to’, you must not use ‘could’ (except when you are quoting others). The word ‘could’ can be used to mean ‘had the power to’, but not to express past achievements (through ability or capacity). You can use ‘could’ also to express ‘conditional past’, ‘possibility in the past’ and ‘permission in the past’. But you can only use ‘could’ to express capacity or ability in indirect speech (that is, when you quote others). What you actually do then is to use ‘could’ as a past tense of ‘can’. As far as ‘can’ is concerned, you can use it not only to express capacity or ability, but also to express permission.

Group 14:

I have been able to close the deal at last.

I haven’t been able to catch up with the class-work.

We have been able to persuade them.

We haven’t been able to see the back of it.

You have been able to convince them, haven’t you?.

You haven’t been able to describe your house.

He has been able to get it done.

He hasn’t been able to get near it.

He has been able to get hold of all the information she needs.

She hasn’t been able to do the job properly.

They have been able to contact him at last.

They haven’t been able to come over for the party.

I had been able to have a look at it.

I hadn’t been able to say anything.

We had been able to keep the whole thing a secret.

We hadn’t been able to put the things away.

You had been able to cancel the order in time, hadn’t you?.

You hadn’t been able to get that bandage off.

They had been able to hand him over to the police.

There hadn’t been able to trace the missing child by then.

Group 15:

I’ll be able to come.

I won’t be able to attend the meeting.

We’ll be able to win the match.

We won’t be able to find out these details from there.

You will be able to cope with it, I’m sure.

You won’t be able to organize it.

He will be able to find his way.

He won’t be able to have a try.

She will be able to handle the situation without any difficulty.

She won’t be able to invite most of them this time.

They will be able to work out a solution themselves.

They won’t be able to leave early today.

Group 16:

He might have been able to keep the promise.

He might not have been able to watch the speed-limit.

They might have been able to stop by the hospital.

They might not have been able to complete the job in time.

They might have been able to help her.

He might not have been able to repair it.

They might have been able to put him up for the night.

He might not have been able to book a flight.

She might not have been able to stop the car quickly.

They might have been able to borrow enough money.

He might not have been able to operate the TV.

Note: This structure indicates a ‘possibility’ while talking about the past. You can also use ‘may’ in place of ‘might’.

Group 17:

He must have been able to reach an agreement with them.

She mustn’t have been able to prove them wrong.

He must have been able to get their support.

She mustn’t have been able to justify her action.

He must have been able to get their permission.

He mustn’t have been able to notice anyone.

He must have been able to pass that note to her.

He mustn’t have been able to warn her.

She must have been able to escape from there.

She mustn’t have been able to think of an alternative plan.

They must have been able to settle the dispute.

They mustn’t have been able to guess her age.

Note: This structure indicates that the speaker believes that something is the case – or that something is likely or logical.

Group 18:

I ought to be able to make it a success.

We want to be able to make our views known.

He ought to be able to improve his work by then.

You ought to be able to persuade her.

She ought to be able to do us a favour.

They ought to be able to cooperate with one another.

Note: this structure indicates that, according to the speaker, the current situation is not desirable – or that something desirable is expected to happen. It also indicates what, according to the speaker, is the desired or expected state.

Group 19:

I would like to know what you think about it.

We’d love to hear her sing.

I would like to know what you think about it.

We’d love to hear her sing.

I wouldn’t like to get myself dirty.

I would hate to see her sad.

I wouldn’t like to make dancing my career.

I would prefer to let the matter rest here.

I wouldn’t like to get my tooth filled.

I would like to meet him.

I would like a coffee.

I would like some cake/some information.

I wouldn’t expect you to pay, of course.

I would hate you to think that I am against the proposal.

I would be happy to vote him over representative.

I would be delighted to welcome them.

I would be glad to help.

Note: These are polite ways of expressing one’s intonations, discriminations, etc. Thus, “I would like to sit there” means “I want to sit there”. But “I want to sit there” is a little abrupt, and a little too assertive.

Group 20:

I would think that he’s not going to support this plan.

I would suppose that they hate this idea.

I would imagine that he’ll accept our offer.

I would feel that this is your last chance.

Note: These are polite ways of expressing one’s opinions or feelings without sounding too definite or certain.

Group 21:

I am going to throw it away.

I am not going to mention my qualifications.

We are going to let this happen.

We are not going to ask anyone else.

You are going to accept this offer, (aren’t you)?

You are not going to wait for his reply, (are you)?

He is going to report against you.

He is not going to answer your questions.

She is going to give him another chance.

She is not going to agree to it.

They are going to check it later.

They are not going to go to the meeting.

Note: This structure helps you say that you are somebody else intends to do something in the future.

Group 22:

He is going to pass his exams this time.

She is not going to get that job.

You are going to face this challenge one day.

You are going to have a wonderful time.

He’s going to forget.

We’re going to have an answer by tomorrow.

Note: Group 22 to Group 26 help you say that something is certain or expected to happen in the future.

Group 23:

He’s going to be our next CEO.

She’s not going to be a tremendous success or anything.

You’re going to be a great musician.

They’re going to be real nuisance.

Group 24:

He’s going to be very helpful to us.

She’s not going to be co-operative.

They’re going to be nasty to us.

Group 25:

He’s going to be there tomorrow.

She’s going to be away for some time.

They are not going to be here on that day.

Group 26:

He’s going to be inside that room for a while.

She’s going to be out of town for a week.

Group 27:

There is a book on the table.

There is no better idea.

There are some people to see you.

There are no restaurants by the station.

There was an awful lot of money with him.

There was no fun in that game.

There were two windows in that room.

There were no pictures of their family.

There is a little left, but not much.

There isn’t much free time for them.

There are three large tables.

There are several weeks to go.

There was nobody who spoke French.

There was no time for all that.

There were crowds of people at the gate.

There were several things to do.

There will be enough time for that.

There won’t be much free time.

There would be many people at the meeting.

There wouldn’t be many such cases.

There can be no arguing about it.

There can’t be any doubt about it.

There could be something wrong with this.

There couldn’t be much fun in that.

There may be good reasons for it.

There may not be any more attempts now.

There might be a tendency to exaggerate it.

There might not be any question about that.

There must be somewhere for us to sleep.

There mustn’t be any trouble of this kind next time.

There ought to be no occasion for complaints.

They oughtn’t to be any difficulty making a phone call.

There has been plenty of opportunity to do it.

There have been proposals to build the bridge even earlier.

There hadn’t been any time for it.

There can’t have been any hurry to start it.

There could have been a fault on the line.

There couldn’t have been any urgency to finish it.

There may have been every reason to suspect him.

There may not have been anywhere for him to go.

There might have been a great deal of anxiety.

There might not have been any necessity to do it.

There must have been enough temptation.

There mustn’t have been any need for it.

There ought to have been some cause.

There oughtn’t to have been any such unpleasantness.

There seems nowhere for us to sit down.

There seems to be some misunderstanding.

There appears to be no excuse for the delay.

There remains one more chance.

There is going to be a good programme today.

There are going to be examinations and tests.

There’s going to be trouble if she complains about it.

Group 28:

It is a pity to spend money so carelessly.

It is a shame to live in such a house as this.

It is a delight to get to know them.

It is relief to get away from here.

It will be a strain for you to speak for such a long time.

It will be a luxury for them to wear suits.

It will be a nuisance to get phone calls like this.

It will be a treat to go to their party.

It will be a scandal to let others know of it.

It can be a pleasure for her to be in their company.

It can be an abuse to send the office car for a private purpose like this.

It can be a bore to watch it for a long time.

It can be a disgrace to lose that match.

It can be a comfort to be with your friends.

It may be a consolation for her to know it.

It may be an inspiration for all to hear of it.

It may be a shock to learn the truth.

It may be an offense to park the car there.

It must be an insult to take it back.

It must be an honor for them to receive you.

It must be a blessing to get out of this stuffy room.

It must be a joy for him to help you with this.

Group 29:

It shocks me to listen to him saying things like these.

It doesn’t frighten them to think about her future.

It excited us to go fishing.

It didn’t inspire them to read that book.

It will hurt me to watch them beating him.

It won’t surprise him to hear her talk like that.

It may terrify them to go against your wish.

It might not disappoint them to find him gone.

It has bored him to watch the film.

It hasn’t annoyed them to find us doing it.

It will have disgusted him to hear the news.

It couldn’t have delighted them to question his honesty.

It may have tired her to walk so far.

It may not have bothered her to leave the work half-finished.

It must have pleased everybody to welcome them.

It has been worrying to wait for the result.

Don’t tell me it hasn’t been distressing to sit up all night like that.

It hadn’t been flattering to face that audience.

It would have been horrifying to walk twenty miles.

It wouldn’t have been satisfying to listen to his explanation.

It could have been amusing to sing at school.

It couldn’t have been tempting to try that again.

It may have been astonishing to watch her climb.

It may have been interesting to practice everyday.

It must have been sickening to watch the operation.

Group 30:

It is nice to be with you like this.

It isn’t difficult to swim far into the sea.

It’s good to see you again so soon, Prasad.

It will be useless to make another attempt.

It won’t be normal for a dog to eat grass.

It can be ridiculous to ask for more now.

It can’t be too wide for her to swim across.

It may be necessary for us to do it.

It may not be easy to teach them English.

It must be foolish to refuse it.

It must be sensible to accept it.

It ought to be helpful to dress decently.

It ought to be impossible for them to break it open.

It has been childish to cry before them.

It hasn’t been reasonable to keep them out.

It can’t have been easy to complete that job in such a short time.

It could have been too early to say anything about the patient’s condition.

It may have been a little embarrassing for him to ask her for a loan.

It must have been too late to do anything by then.