Exercise 1

Choose the TRUE statement(s) from the list below.

Be careful, there may be more than one correct answer!

Bob and Icarus haven't been working across the hall from each other for a long time.

Bob claims to be unaware about the incongruities on his expense account.

Bruno, Bob and Icarus celebrate the resolution of the problem over a drink.

Bob's son had a mild illness.

Choose the TRUE statement(s) from the list below.

Be careful, there may be more than one correct answer!

Bob and Icarus haven't been working across the hall from each other for a long time.

Bob says that he and Icarus have been working across the hall from each other for "over" 13 years which indicates that they have been working across the hall for "more than" thirteen years. This is a long period of time.

Bob claims to be unaware about the incongruities on his expense account.

Bob refers to the charges by saying, "Well, I can't imagine what they might be". This is Bob's way of saying that he doesn't know anything about the charges. The verb "to claim" describes the act of declaring or stating something which may or may not be true. Example: The president claimed he didn't know anything about the tax deficit.

Bruno, Bob and Icarus celebrate the resolution of the problem over a drink.

This is incorrect. Bruno, Bob and Icarus discuss the problem of Bob's expense account, but they haven't resolved the problem yet. To "resolve (a problem)" is to "answer" or "fix" it. The drinks served at the end of the dialogue are to accompany the meeting.

Bob's son had a mild illness.

Bob says that his son "just had a minor case of the flu", which means that he had a minor viral infection (usually with the following symptoms: fever, sore throat, muscle pains, and a headache). A "mild illness" refers to a sickness which is moderate or not serious.

Exercise 2

Stephen asks Bob for his case number.

Select the sentences below which use the term "case" correctly.

There may be more than 1!

I'm sorry Madam, but this bull has a severe case of mad cow disease.

The worst case scenario is that you come to the Christmas party without a nice gift.

It seems we've finally solved the case of the missing underwear.

I've been in a case of rush all week, and that's why I didn't return your phone call yesterday.

Stephen asks Bob for his case number.

Select the sentences below which use the term "case" correctly.

There may be more than 1!

I'm sorry Madam, but this bull has a severe case of mad cow disease.

A "case" is frequently used in a medical context, doctors often refer to the "cases" of their patients, and conditions, diseases and sicknesses are referred to as "cases". For example: Your son has a case of amnesia, or a slight case of the flu. "A case of mad cow disease".

The worst case scenario is that you come to the Christmas party without a nice gift.

This is a legitimate use of the term "case". The idiom "the worst case scenario" refers to a potential situation or scenario in which the worst possible circumstances are imagined or anticipated.

It seems we've finally solved the case of the missing underwear.

A "case" is frequently used in a legal or law enforcement context. Sherlock Holmes was famous for "solving" or "cracking" cases, which refers to mysteries or police investigations.

I've been in a case of rush all week, and that's why I didn't return your phone call yesterday.

This is the only sentence which uses "case" incorrectly. A "case" cannot be used in this sense. We would simply say: "I've been in a rush all week".

Severe case of meaning in English

Definition

Examples

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