On Screen p 27. Letter From a Headteacher. Gerund or Infinitive

Read this letter from a headteacher to a parent and fill in the gaps with the correct form of the verbs in brackets. 
Dear Mr Marriott,
I am writing with regard to Melissa's progress this term, which I regret (1)________ (say) has been extremely disappointing. It appears she would sooner (2)___________ (spend) time (3)__________ (go) to town with her friends than (4)_________ (attend) classes, and her prolonged absences have made her (5)__________ (fall) behind with her coursework despite (6)_________(make) (7)__________(stay) for detention after school on several occasions (8)_________ (make) up for lost time. Furthermore in these past few weeks she seems (9)__________ (make) no effort (10)____________ (do) her homework, even though she has been reminded on several occasions (11)____________ (hand) this on time. Whenever she is confronted by the teacher about it, she keeps (12)___________ (say) she did not remember (13)__________ (do) it. It's no use (14)_________ (remind) her, for no apparent reason she avoids (15)________ (do) it. Research shows that students who try (16)_____________ (get) good marks try (17)__________ (do) their homework on a regular basis. In class, her apparent inability (18)____________ (stop) chatting has meant she has failed (19)___________ (take in) anything that has been going on. (20)____________ (Make) more effort (21)___________ (listen) to her teacher might enable her (22)____________(make) some progress and (23)_________ (help) her (24)___________ (improve) her powers of concentration. As I am sure you will appreciate, we cannot let students (25)______________ (get away with) this kind of behaviour and she has been told in no uncertain terms that she had better (26)__________ (change) her ways radically.
Yours sincerely,
John Smith
Waterford High School Headteacher

KEY
1. to say



2. spend



3. going



4. attend



5. fall



6. having been made



7. to stay



8. to make



9. to have made 



10. to do



11. to hand



12. saying



13. to do



14. reminding



15. doing



16. to get



17. doing



18. to stop



19. to take in (understand)



20. Making



21. to listen



22. to make



23. help



24. (to) improve



25. get away with (to do something wrong and not be punished for it)


in no uncertain terms: clearly and strongly. E.g. I told him what I thought of him in no uncertain terms.


26. change