Exercise 2 Choose the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
'Babyholic' mother's 15th child
A woman who has just given birth to her 15th child says she is now planning for number 16
Sue Povey, a self-confessed "babyholic" who (to live/ live/
lives) with her husband Ian and 13 of their children in a six-
bedroom house, first became a mother in 1980
Since then the couple, from Swindon in Wiltshire, have
never gone much longer than two years between babies.
Mrs Povey, 43, (be/ is/ are) now at home with the baby,
while father Ian - a supply analyst, (to say/ says/ say) his
excitement at the birth of his 15th child was the same as his
Mrs Povey is now hoping for
first.
twins
"We (are/ be/ is) really, really pleased. A new birth (be/ are/ is) always exciting."
The couple now have nine girls and six boys.
'Can't go on forever'
Sue (says/ to say/ say) it’s like a drug. She definitely (want/ wants/ to want) another one.
She (think/ thinks/ to think) having babies keeps her young.
Her 43-year-old husband (says/ to say/ say): "There's no stopping her now. But it's getting a
bit tight on room. I (don't know/ doesn’t know/ not know) if we will set a limit - it's a bit
early to say. But we can't go on forever. Nature will eventually take its course."
The couple's eldest daughter, Rebecca, 22, (has/ have) her own home and a daughter Caitlin,
two, while 20-year-old Hannah (be/ is/ am) at university.
But Charlotte, 18, Alex, 17, Christopher, 15, Michael, 13, Matthew, 12, Callum, 11, Thomas,
10, Katie, 8, Jessica, 6, Abigail, 4, Eleanor, 3, and Emily, 2, still (live/ lives) at home.
'Babyholic' mother's 15th child
A woman who has just given birth to her 15th child says she is now planning for number 16
Sue Povey, a self-confessed "babyholic" who (to live/ live/
lives) with her husband Ian and 13 of their children in a six-
bedroom house, first became a mother in 1980
Since then the couple, from Swindon in Wiltshire, have
never gone much longer than two years between babies.
Mrs Povey, 43, (be/ is/ are) now at home with the baby,
while father Ian - a supply analyst, (to say/ says/ say) his
excitement at the birth of his 15th child was the same as his
Mrs Povey is now hoping for
first.
twins
"We (are/ be/ is) really, really pleased. A new birth (be/ are/ is) always exciting."
The couple now have nine girls and six boys.
'Can't go on forever'
Sue (says/ to say/ say) it’s like a drug. She definitely (want/ wants/ to want) another one.
She (think/ thinks/ to think) having babies keeps her young.
Her 43-year-old husband (says/ to say/ say): "There's no stopping her now. But it's getting a
bit tight on room. I (don't know/ doesn’t know/ not know) if we will set a limit - it's a bit
early to say. But we can't go on forever. Nature will eventually take its course."
The couple's eldest daughter, Rebecca, 22, (has/ have) her own home and a daughter Caitlin,
two, while 20-year-old Hannah (be/ is/ am) at university.
But Charlotte, 18, Alex, 17, Christopher, 15, Michael, 13, Matthew, 12, Callum, 11, Thomas,
10, Katie, 8, Jessica, 6, Abigail, 4, Eleanor, 3, and Emily, 2, still (live/ lives) at home.
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lives with her husband Ian and 13 of their children in a six-bedroom house, first became a mother in 1980.
Mrs Povey, 43, is now at home with the baby, while father Ian - a supply analyst, said his excitement at the birth of his 15th child was the same as his first.
'Can't go on forever'
"It's like a drug. I definitely want another one. I think having babies keeps me young."
Her 43-year-old husband said: "There's no stopping her now. But it's getting a bit tight on room.
"I don't know if we will set a limit - it's a bit early to say. But we can't go on forever. Nature will eventually take its course."
Isabelle was the first of their children to be born at Swindon's new Great Western Hospital but at the one it replaced, the Princess Margaret Hospital, the maternity ward was nicknamed The Povey Unit.
The couple's eldest daughter, Rebecca, 22, has her own home and a daughter Caitlin, two, while 20-year-old Hannah is at university.
But Charlotte, 18, Alex, 17, Christopher, 15, Michael, 13, Matthew, 12, Callum, 11, Thomas, 10, Katie, eight, Jessica, six, Abigail, four, Eleanor, three, and Emily, two, are all still at home.
The UK record for the most children is held by Margaret McNaught, from Birmingham, born in 1923, who had 22 children.