Everyday problems and solutions – A2 English Vocabulary

Everyday problems and solutions

Exercise 3

Complete each gap using a word from the box. You can use each option ONLY ONCE.

bad mood – late – look for – lost – out of order – repair – spilt – stressed – was not working – wipe it up

Please wait...

Last Monday was a hard day. My problems started in the morning when I was leaving for work. As I walked to my car, I realised I'd 1 my car keys. I went back into the house to 2 them but I couldn't find them anywhere.

After half an hour, I decided to catch the bus. I walked to the bus stop and waited for a bus to come. By the time I got on the bus, I was feeling 3 . I was over an hour 4 for work.

As soon as I got off the bus, I ran towards my office building. I went inside and waited for the elevator to arrive. I waited for 10 minutes but nothing happened. Finally, a man told me that the elevator was 5 . This meant I had to take the stairs up to the office which was on the 12th floor.

When I finally walked into my office, I was in a very 6 . Luckily, my boss didn't see me, so I sat down and started to do some work.

At lunchtime, I got a cappuccino to drink at my desk. Unfortunately, as I was drinking, I 7 coffee on my computer. I tried to 8 , but it was too late. The screen went black, and it started making a strange noise.

Now that my computer 9 , I couldn't do any work. This meant I had no choice but to go and tell my boss.

When I told him about my accident, he got very angry. He said that it was my fault, so I would have to pay for someone to 10 it. I told him this wasn't fair, and he started shouting loudly. Things got worse after that, and ten minutes later I left my office for the last time.

Today is Friday and I am still in bed. I now have no job to go to, and I still haven't found my car keys.

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Everyday problems and solutions

In this Pre-intermediate Vocabulary Lesson about Everyday Problems and Solutions, you will learn useful phrases to talk about common problems in daily life and what you can do to solve them. The pictures, descriptions, and examples below will help you understand and remember the terms.

Problems and their solutions

If a machine (a television, a computer, etc.) 1 isn’t working, you need to 2 repair it (or fix it).

• My TV isn’t working; do you think you can repair it?

If something (a bicycle, a window, etc.) is 3 broken, you need to fix it (or repair it).

• My bicycle is broken, so I’m going to try and fix it.

If a room is 4 untidy, things are not in the correct place, or the room is messy, so you need to 5 tidy it (make it neat and clean).

• The living room is untidy. Could you please tidy it before the guests arrive?

If you 6 spill something (water, coffee, etc.), you need to 7 wipe it up (clean it with a towel or cloth).

• If you spill water on the floor, please wipe it up with a towel.

If you 8 lose something (keys, a book, etc.), you need to 9 look for it.

• I‘ve lost my wallet. Can you help me look for it?

Other problems

10 If a machine (an elevator, photocopier, etc.) is out of order, it isn’t working, and you can’t use it.

• The printer was out of order, so I couldn’t print my essay.

11 If you have an argument with someone, you don’t agree and may speak angrily to each other.

• I knew they were having an argument because I could hear shouting in the next room.

12 If you run out of something (bread, milk, etc.), you don’t have any left, so you need to get some more.

• We‘re running out of milk, so we need to go to the shop.

13 If you‘re late for work, you arrive after the correct time.

• If you don’t leave now, you‘ll be late for work.

14 If you‘re in a bad mood, you may feel angry or unhappy, perhaps because something bad has happened.

• I was in a bad mood because the neighbours were making too much noise.

15 If you feel stressed, you feel worried or nervous because you have to do too many things.

• I‘m feeling stressed because I’ve got too many exams to study for.

16 If you miss a train or a bus, you arrive too late at the station or stop, and the train or bus has already gone.

• She missed the bus and had to walk to school.

After completing the exercises in this lesson on Everyday Problems and Solutions, you can use the unit’s Vocabulary Flashcards to revise and help you memorize the terms.