Set an Alarm, Set a Goal
Explore how to use “set” and “reset” for alarms, limits, deadlines, and personal goals.
Preview
Questions with solutions-
1. Välj rätt svar.
What will the alarm do?
I set my alarm for 7 a.m.
- Ring for seven minutes.
- Ring at 7 a.m.
- Ring seven times.
The speaker has chosen a time of day.
Show solution
- Ring at 7 a.m.
Setting an alarm means choosing when it will ring, not how long it will ring.
-
2. Fyll i luckan.
Last night, I ___ my alarm before going to sleep.
- set
- setted
- setting
This action happened in the past, but the verb does not take “-ed.”
Show solution
Last night, I set my alarm before going to sleep.
The past tense of “set” is also “set”: “I set it last night.”
-
3. Fyll i luckan.
Maya ___ a spending limit at the start of every month.
- setting
- set
- sets
This is Maya’s regular habit.
Show solution
Maya sets a spending limit at the start of every month.
Use “sets” with “she,” “he,” or a person’s name for a regular action in the present.
-
4. Fyll i luckan.
I've set a goal ___ myself: walk for twenty minutes every day.
- at
- for
- by
The goal belongs to the speaker’s own plan.
Show solution
I've set a goal for myself: walk for twenty minutes every day.
“Set a goal for myself” means decide what I personally want to achieve.
-
5. Välj rätt svar.
What is the most the speaker plans to spend on lunch?
I've set a limit of $30 for lunch this week.
- $30 for the whole week.
- $30 each day.
- $30 for each meal.
Notice the period covered by the limit.
Show solution
- $30 for the whole week.
A spending limit is the highest amount allowed, not an amount you must spend.
-
6. Fyll i luckan.
My alarm is set for 8 a.m. Tomorrow I need it to ring at 6 a.m., so I'll ___ it.
- cancel
- ignore
- reset
The alarm should still ring, but at a new time.
Show solution
My alarm is set for 8 a.m. Tomorrow I need it to ring at 6 a.m., so I'll reset it.
“Reset” means set again. Here, the speaker changes an alarm that already has a time.
-
7. Fyll i luckan.
I've set a goal of ___ one book a month.
- read
- reading
- reads
The action comes directly after “of.”
Show solution
I've set a goal of reading one book a month.
Use an “-ing” form after “a goal of”: “a goal of reading,” “a goal of saving.”
-
8. Fyll i luckan.
Friday is the final day to send the report. I've set Friday ___ the deadline.
- as
- at
- by
Friday and “the deadline” name the same day.
Show solution
Friday is the final day to send the report. I've set Friday as the deadline.
“Set Friday as the deadline” gives Friday a role: it becomes the last day allowed.
-
9. Fyll i luckan.
After my ankle injury, I had to ___ my exercise goal to make it easier.
- resets
- resetting
- reset
“Had to” is followed by the basic form of a verb.
Show solution
After my ankle injury, I had to reset my exercise goal to make it easier.
Use “reset” after “had to,” even though the sentence describes the past.
-
10. Fyll i luckan.
I've reset my daily screen-time limit ___ two hours to one hour.
- by
- from
- at
The two-hour limit was the starting point.
Show solution
I've reset my daily screen-time limit from two hours to one hour.
Use “from” for the old setting and “to” for the new one.
-
11. Välj rätt svar.
What does the new deadline do?
We won't finish by Friday. Let's reset the deadline to Sunday.
- It allows more time to finish.
- It cancels the work completely.
- It asks everyone to finish earlier.
Sunday comes after Friday.
Show solution
- It allows more time to finish.
Resetting a deadline changes the finishing date; it does not remove the need to finish.
-
12. Välj rätt svar.
How does the goal compare with what the speaker can do now?
I can run for ten minutes. I've set a goal of running for twelve minutes by next month.
- It describes what the speaker can already do.
- It asks the speaker to run for less time than now.
- It aims for a little more than the speaker can do now.
Compare the current running time with the planned running time.
Show solution
- It aims for a little more than the speaker can do now.
A goal can be a small step forward; it does not have to be a huge change.
-
13. Välj rätt svar.
A coworker asks to call at 7 p.m. Which reply keeps the speaker’s limit?
I've set a firm limit on evening work: no work calls after 6 p.m.
- Seven is fine if the call is short.
- Let's talk tomorrow morning instead.
- I'll make an exception and call you at seven.
A short call is still a work call.
Show solution
- Let's talk tomorrow morning instead.
A “firm limit” is a clear boundary that the speaker intends to keep.
-
14. Välj rätt svar.
What does resetting the goal mean here?
I reset my weekly reading goal from five books to two so I could keep reading during a busy month.
- Keeping the habit but making the target smaller.
- Giving up reading for the whole month.
- Keeping the same target but delaying the start.
The speaker still plans to read.
Show solution
- Keeping the habit but making the target smaller.
Resetting a goal can help you continue when your situation changes.
-
15. Välj rätt svar.
Which statement describes the change?
I set a goal of cycling to work three days a week. When I missed a day, I kept the same goal and changed my route instead.
- The speaker reset the goal to fewer days.
- The speaker stopped cycling to work.
- The goal stayed the same; the way to reach it changed.
Separate the target from the way the speaker tries to achieve it.
Show solution
- The goal stayed the same; the way to reach it changed.
Trying a different way to reach a goal is not the same as resetting the goal itself.