← Back to C1 General contentsWorkbook · 9A. Pet hates
Home practice · ellipsis · animals & idioms · answer key included
1 · Ellipsis — choose the best short form
'Has anyone fed the cat?' — 'Sarah ______, I think.'
'He said he'd help, but he ______.' (didn't help)
'She's more patient with the dog than I ______.' (am patient)
'I don't fancy a walk.' — 'I ______ , actually — I'll come.'
'You can bring the dog if you want ______.'
'She hasn't fed the cat.' — 'She ______ , actually.' (contradict)
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2 · Complete with an animal term from the box
- The neighbours took in a drop kitten from the street.
- By law, dogs must be drop in the park after 8 p.m.
- The mountain gorilla remains critically drop .
- Cats are drop but never fully tamed.
- The fox is a small drop that hunts almost anything.
- It's a rescue mongrel, not a drop .
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3 · Rewrite using ellipsis
'I've finished the report and Anna has finished the report.' → (ellipsis)
'She said she would come, but she did not come.' → (ellipsis)
'He isn't allergic to cats and I'm not allergic either.' → (nor + inversion)
'Would you like some tea? — I would like tea, thanks.' → (short answer)
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4 · Match the animal idiom to its meaning
- a pet hatedrop or tap here…
- let the cat out of the bagdrop or tap here…
- the elephant in the roomdrop or tap here…
- kill two birds with one stonedrop or tap here…
- hold your horsesdrop or tap here…
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5 · Podcast · Who really runs the house?
Listen to a first-person podcast monologue from a small-animal vet reflecting on what actually happens when an animal moves in.
📄 Show transcript
Speaker: So, I often have clients, first-time owners especially, come in with their new puppy or kitten, full of excitement, full of plans. And what they consistently underestimate, I find, is just how much their whole household will quietly, imperceptibly, rearrange itself around this new furry dictator. They still think they're in control. Oh, if only they knew! I do try to gently, but firmly, ‘let the cat out of the bag,’ so to speak, during those first few visits. You know, I’ll offer my one golden piece of vet advice: ‘Don’t feed him from the table. If you do, he will, forever.’
And it always comes back to me eventually, a few months later. One client recently said, with a wry smile, ‘He runs the flat. He does. I don’t, apparently, any more.’ Exactly. It’s never them, is it? It’s always the animal. They just take over.
- What does she say first-time owners consistently underestimate?
- Which idiom does she use about telling the truth to a client?
- What is her one piece of vet advice?
- What ellipsis pattern does the client use at the end?
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6 · A short reflection (180–220 words)
Write a short first-person reflection titled: "The animal that quietly rearranged my life." Use at least three instances of ellipsis (varied), two animal terms and one idiom. End with an honest, unromantic conclusion.
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