MULTIMEDIA-ENGLISH
ACTIVITY SHEET (created by the user: Profe)

Before doing this activity you may need to read the text you will find at the end


  SmartMemo
How to express purpose
Focus Grammar
Description Practise how to express purpose in different circumstances.
Instructions 1- Look at the sentences and try to express the same idea in English 2- Move your mouse over the black button to check your answer. 3- If you were right, click on the green button, if wrong, click on the red.
 
Item Match Comments
Dame 6 euros para comprar leche Give me 6 euros to buy some milk
Abre la puerta que entre tu hermana Open the door so that your sister can enter also: will, may
Los abrelatas son para abrir latas Tin-openers are for opening tins
Una llave es una cosa para abrir puertas A key is something for opening doors
Abre la puerta para que entre tu hermana (colloquial) Open the door for your sister to enter
No compré nada para no gastarme dinero I didn't buy anything so as not to spend money
Ella se compró un perro para sentirse segura She bought a dog to feel safe
Te traeré un libro para que leas algo I'll bring you a book so that you can read something also: will, may
Sally no quiere comer para no engordar Sally doesn't want to eat so as not to get fat
Comenzó a beber para olvidar He started drinking to forget
Ahora tenemos un descanso para comer Now we have a break to have lunch
Utilizó una tarjeta de crédito para abrir la puerta He used a credit card to open the door
Lo explicaré para que lo entiendas (colloquial) I'll explain it for you to understand
Necesito mis llaves para abrir la puerta I need my keys to open the door
Necesito parar un minuto para pensar I need to stop for a minute to think
Las sillas son para sentarse Chairs are for sitting
Me dieron una llave para poder abrir la puerta cuando voy allí They gave me a key so that I can open the door when I go there
Cómo se llama esa cosa para hablar con gente desde lejos? What's the name of that thing for talking to people from a distance?
Megan cerró los ojos para no llorar Megan closed her eyes so as not to cry
Tomaré un taxi para no llegar tarde I'll take a taxi so as not to be late
Se fueron a Madrid a ver El Prado They went to Madrid to visit El Prado
Se marchó para no encontrarse conmigo He went away so as not to meet me
Fui en coche para no cansarme I went by car so as not to get tired
Mike le compró flores a ella para que estuviera contenta Mike bought her flowers so that she would be happy also: could, might
Necesito cinco libras para comprarme un libro I need five pounds to buy a book
Necesito un abrelatas para abrir esta lata I need a tin-opener to open this tin
Trae una silla para que se siente (colloquial) Bring a chair for him to sit
Tomó un taxi para no conducir He took a taxi so as not to drive
Mike cerró los ojos para no mirarla Mike closed his eyes so as not to see her also: ...so as not to look at her
Ella trajo un abrigo para que su marido no tuviera frío (colloquial) She brought a coat for her husband not to be cold
Él explicó todo para que nosotros comprendiéramos He explained everything so that we might understand also: could, would
Te traeré una silla para que puedas sentarte I'll bring you a chair so that you can sit also: will, may
Cerré la puerta (con llave) para que no entraran I locked the door so that they couldn't enter also: wouldn't, mightn't
Cierra la puerta que no se escape el gato Close the door so that the cat won't get out also: can't, may not
Me fui a casa a echarme la siesta I went home to have a siesta
Te daré una foto mía para que te acuerdes de mí I'll give you my photo so that you may remember me also: can, will
Una nevera es una máquina para mantener las cosas frías A fridge is a machine for keeping things cold
Él apagó la luz para que ella se durmiera He turned the light off so that she could sleep also: she turned off the light
also: would, might
Trabajó mucho para no ser pobre He worked hard so as not to be poor
Las tijeras se usan para cortar cosas Scissors are used for cutting things
Total number of items: 40
This is an activity from Multimedia-English www.multimedia-english.com
 

AFFIRMATIVE   to + infinitive

- He started drinking to forget
- I need a chair to sit
 
NEGATIVE   so as not to + infinitive

- I'll take a taxi so as not to be late
- Take your shoes off so as not to wake them up
 
DIFFERENT SUBJECTS    so that + subject + can

- I'll open the door so that he can enter
- She covered the hole so that water couldn't come in
 
NOTE: we use could when the main clause is in the past. instead of can/could you may also find: may/might, will/would/should
 
More colloquial  for + subject + to

(+)  I'll open the door for you to enter
(-)   I'll close the door for you not to go out

 

GENERAL PURPOSE (DEFINITIONS)   for + -ing

      A tin opener is something for opening tins
      That's for peeling potatoes    

(remember that after prepositions and conjunctions we use -ing)
 
but if we are talking of a particular use of something we can't use "for"

      I need a tin-opener to open this tin

 

You can never say FOR TO !

She went home to have dinner  (not: She went home for to have dinner)