A.
When these expressions are followed by a verb, the verb ends in ~ing:
It's no
use .../It's no good ...:
*
There's nothing you can do about the situation, so it's no use worrying about
it.
* It's
no good trying to persuade me. You won't succeed.
There's
no point in ...:
*
There's no point in having a car if you never use it.
* There
was no point in waiting any longer, so we went.
It's
(not) worth ...:
* I live
only a short walk from here, so it's not worth taking a taxi.
* It was
so late when we got home, it wasn't worth going to bed.
You can
say 'a film is worth seeing', 'a book is worth reading', etc.
* What
was the film like? Was it worth seeing?
* I
don't think newspapers are worth reading.
B.
(Have) difficulty ~ing
We say
'have difficulty doing something' (not 'to do'):
* I had
difficulty finding a place to live. (not 'I had difficulty to find')
* Did
you have any difficulty getting a visa?
* People
often have great difficulty reading my writing.
We
usually say 'have difficulty' (not 'have difficulties'):
* I'm
sure you'll have no difficulty passing the exam. (not 'have no difficulties')
C. We
use ~ing after:
a waste
of money .../a waste of time ... (to ... is also possible):
* It was
a waste of time reading that book. It was rubbish.
* It's a
waste of money buying things you don't need.
spend/waste (time) ...
* He
spent hours trying to repair the clock.
* I
waste a lot of time daydreaming.
(be)
busy ...:
* She
said she couldn't see me. She was too busy doing other things.
D. Go
swimming/go fishing etc.
We use
go ~ing for a number of activities (especially sports). For example, you can
say:
go
swimming/go sailing/go fishing/go climbing/go skiing/go jogging etc.
also: go
shopping/go sightseeing.
* I'd
like to go skiing.
* When
did you last go shopping?
* I've
never been sailing. (For been and gone, see Unit 7D.)
You can
also say 'come swimming/come skiing' etc.:
* Why
don't you come swimming with us?
EXERCISES
62.1
Complete the sentences on the right.
1. Shall
we get a taxi home?
No, it
isn't far. It's not worth _getting a taxi._
2. If
you need help, why don't you ask Tom?
It's no
use ---. He won't be able to help us.
3. I
don't really want to go out tonight.
Well,
stay at home! There's no point --- if you don't want to.
4. Shall
I phone Ann now?
No, it's
no good ---. She won't be at home.
5. Are
you going to complain about what happened?
No, it's
not worth ---. Nobody will do anything about it.
6. Do
you ever read newspapers?
No. I
think it's a waste ---
62.2
Make sentences with worth ~ing or not worth ~ing. Choose one of these verbs:
consider keep read
repair see visit
1. The
film isn't very good. _It's not worth seeing._
2. It
would cost too much to repair this watch. It's not worth ---
3. If
you have time, you should go to the museum. It's worth ---
4. It's
quite an interesting suggestion ---
5.
There's an interesting article in the paper today. ---
6. We
can throw these old clothes away. They ---
62.3
Make sentences beginning There's no point... .
1. Why
have a car if you never use it? There's no point in having a car if you never
use it.
2. Don't
eat if you're not hungry.
There's
no ---
3. Why
work if you don't need money?
4. Don't
study if you feet tired.
62.4
Write sentences using difficulty.
1. I
managed to get a visa but it was difficult.
_I had
difficulty getting a visa._
2. I
can't remember people's names.
I have
difficulty ---
3. Lucy
managed to get a job without difficulty.
She had
no ---
4. Do
you find it difficult to understand him?
Do you
have ---
5. It
won't be difficult to get a ticket for the concert.
You
won't have any ---
62.5
Complete the sentences. Use only one word each time.
1. It's
a waste of money buying things you don't need.
2. Every
morning I spend about an hour --- the newspaper.
3.
'What's Carol doing?' 'She's busy --- letters.'
4. I
think you waste too much time --- television.
5.
There's a beautiful view from that hill. It is worth --- to the top.
62.6
Complete these sentences with one of the following (with the verb in the
correct form):
go
skiing go shopping go swimming
go sailing go riding
1. Barry
lives by the sea and he's got a boat, so he often _goes sailing._
2.
There's plenty of snow in the mountains so we'll be able to ---
3. It
was a very hot day, so we --- in the river.
4.
Margaret has got two horses. She often ---
5. The
shops are shut now. It's too late to ---
Answer
62.1
2 It's
no use asking Tom.
3
There's no point in going out
4 it's
no good phoning her now
5 it's
not worth complaining (about what happened)
6 I
think it's a waste of time reading newspapers.
62.2
2
repairing.
3
visiting.
4 It's
worth considering.
5 It's
worth reading.
6 They
aren't/They're not worth keeping.
62.3
2
There's no point in eating if you're not hungry.
3
There's no point in working if you don't need money.
4
There's no point in studying if you feel tired.
62.4
2 I have
difficulty remembering people's names.
3 She
had no difficulty getting a job.
4 Do you
have difficulty understanding him?
5 You
won't have any difficulty getting a ticket for the concert.
62.5
2
reading
3
writing
4
watching
5
climbing/going/walking
62.6
2 go
skiing
3 went
swimming
4 goes
riding
5 go
shopping
