Modern Italian Grammar Workbook

Anna Proudfoot

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2005
• ISBN:
  9781134322800
• Edition: 2
• Topic: Languages & Linguistics
• Subtopic: Languages
• Index: Languages & Linguistics

This is an innovative book of exercises and language tasks for all learners of Italian, which can be used independently or alongside Modern Italian Grammar. Divided into three sections, this highly useful text includes:

• exercises based on essential grammatical structures
• everyday functions practice such as making introductions and expressing needs
• realistic role plays in short scenes, set in a range of different contexts.

Implementing feedback from its predecessor, this updated second edition features exercises graded on a three-point scale according to their level of difficulty and cross-referencing to the Modern Italian Grammar for each.

Also containing a comprehensive answer key for checking progress, this is a complete reference work suitable for both class-use and self-study.

Section 1

Structures

I

Nouns, articles and adjectives – MIG Chapter 1

Nouns and articles

Un, una, uno, un?

MIG 1.3.2 Indefinite article

Add the correct form of the indefinite article un, una, uno or un’. The words have been grouped into categories:

Example: macchina – una macchina

At the café

1 caffè

2 aranciata

3 toast

4 bibita

5 bicchiere di vino

6 spremuta

7 spuntino

8 aperitivo

The family

9 cugina

10 zio

11 zia

12 nipote

13 fratello

Work

14 dentista

15 medico

16 insegnante

17 studente

18 psichiatra

19 professore

20 professoressa

Not one but two!

MIG 1.2.2–1.2.4 Nouns: regular plurals

Change the nouns shown into the plural form using due:

Example: una cassetta – due cassette

At school

1 un insegnante

2 uno studente

3 un corso

4 una classe

5 un’aula

6 uno sbaglio

Free time

7 un giornale

8 un’automobile

9 un viaggio

10 un ristorante

Home and family

11 una casa

12 uno specchio

13 una camera

14 un divano

15 uno studio

16 un salotto

17 uno zio

18 uno scaffale

19 un televisore

20 un impianto stereo

Yet more plurals

MIG 1.2.5 Nouns: irregular plurals

Change the nouns shown into the plural form using due:

1. una serie
2. una moglie
3. un bar
4. un cinema
5. un greco
6. un’amica
7. una radio
8. una città
9. un tema
10. un artista
11. un’artista
12. uno psichiatra
13. una psichiatra
14. una crisi
15. un uomo
16. una moto
17. una tesi
18. un amico
19. una greca
20. un film

Il, la, lo, l’?

MIG 1.3.4 Definite article: singular forms

Add the correct form of definite article il, la, lo, l’. All these examples are singular.

Example: specchio – lo specchio

At school

1 agenda

2 orario

3 studente

4 studentessa

5 modulo

6 sbaglio

At the seaside

7 ombrellone

8 spiaggia

9 sedia a sdraio

10 mare

11 costume

Other

12 automobile

13 psichiatra (m.)

14 psichiatra (f.)

15 artista (m.)

16 pneumatico

17 yogurt

18 ionio (Ionian sea)

19 zio

20 zia

I, le or gli?

MIG 1.3.4 Definite article: plural forms

For each of these plural nouns, choose the correct form of definite article i, gli, le:

Example: macchine – le macchine

Clothes

1 occhiali

2 calzini

3 scarpe

4 sandali

5 calze

In town

6 autobus

7 vigili

8 automobili

9 semafori

10 alberghi

People

11 insegnanti (m.)

12 insegnanti (f.)

13 psichiatri

14 artiste

15 artisti

16 psichiatre

17 zie

18 studenti

19 zii

20 mogli

More of the same

MIG 1.3.4 Definite article: singular and plural

Now here are some singular and plural nouns mixed up. Add the correct definite article. You may have to check in the dictionary whether a word is masculine or feminine, singular or plural. Watch out for pesce and pesche!

Example: ristorante – il ristorante

At the restaurant

1 carne

2 pesche

3 aranciata

4 pesce

5 spaghetti

Daily life

6 chiavi

7 maglia

8 orologi

9 scarpe

10 automobile

11 scaffale

12 giornale

Miscellaneous

13 alberghi

14 autostrada

15 fiori

16 sedie

17 studente

18 studentesse

19 vigile

20 insegnante

Some coffee . . . and some biscuits

MIG 1.3.3 Partitive article del, dei, etc.

Here are lots of food items you might want to order in a shop or restaurant. Some are singular, some are plural. Add the correct partitive article del, dei, etc. You may want to check in the dictionary whether a word is masculine or feminine, singular or plural.

Example: burro – del burro

1. carne
2. biscotti
3. tè
4. zucchero
5. paste
6. pasta
7. tagliatelle
8. carciofini
9. pane
10. panna
11. panini
12. sfogliatelle
13. sfusilli
14. porcini
15. risotto
16. lasagne
17. asparagi
18. gnocchi
19. marmellata
20. ormaggio

A shopping list

MIG 1.3.3, 11.6 Partitive article del, dei, etc.

Marco, one of the English students, is staying with an Italian family while on placement. Since he doesn’t have to be at work until 10.00 on his first day, his landlady, signora Giuliani, gives him a shopping list and asks him to get some shopping for her at the fruttivendolo and the salumeria, before he goes to work. Marco leaves her a message telling her what he managed to get.

Here is the original shopping list on which Marco has crossed off the items he has managed to buy:

DA COMPRARE

Spinaci

fontina 2 etti

melanzane

parmigiano 300 gr

pomodori

yogurt

carciofi

prosciutto di Parma 100gr

asparagi

zucchine

peperoni rossi

insalata

Here is the beginning of the message that Marco leaves his landlady. Complete the message listing the items crossed off the shopping list. Make sure you include the correct form of dei, delle, etc.

Cara signora Giuliani,

Vado in ufficio. Ho comprato quasi tutto, mancano i pomodori (non erano buoni) e i peperoni rossi (c’erano solo quelli verdi). Alla salumeria non c’era il prosciutto di Parma, ma ho preso tutto il resto cioè delle melanzane, . . .
. . .

Il, la – to use or not to use?

MIG 1.3.5 Definite article

Often Italian uses the definite article (il, la, etc.) where English doesn’t put it in. In these exercises try and decide whether to use it or omit it. We have left some spaces just in case! (In the last few sentences 15–20, you will also need a preposition and may have to make some changes.)

1. Preferisci __________ pasta o __________ riso?
2. Faccio __________ insegnante.
3. Sono __________ insegnante.
4. __________ Italia è famosa per i suoi monumenti.
5. __________ mie sorelle sono più magre di me.
6. __________ mia sorella è più bella di me.
7. Qual è __________ Suo cognome?
8. Esistono __________ fantasmi o no?
9. Andiamo in centro con __________ macchina.
10. Vado a sciare con __________ mio fidanzato.
11. La lingua più bella è __________ italiano.
12. Non parlo __________ inglese.
13. Rossana è vegetariana. Non mangia __________ carne.
14. Fa freddo. Mettiti __________ guanti.
15. Ci troviamo __________ casa di Gianni.
16. Siamo venuti in Inghilterra __________ 1981.
17. Abbiamo passato le vacanze __________ Messico.
18. La mia amica ha comprato una casa __________ Toscana.
19. Andiamo a scuola __________ autobus.
20. Fanno un bellissimo film __________ cinema in centro.

Adjectives

Describing things and people

MIG 1.4 Adjectives o...