1. (to phone) the agency, he left (to say) he would be back in two hours. 2. (to write) in very bad handwriting, the letter was difficult to read. 3. (to write) his first book, he could not help worrying about the reaction of the critics. 4. (to spend) twenty years abroad, he was happy to be coming home. 5. (to be) so far away from home, he still felt himself part of the family. 6. She looked at the enormous bunch of roses with a happy smile, never before (to give) such a wonderful present. 7. (not to wish) to discuss that difficult and painful problem, he changed the conversation. 8. (to translate) by a good specialist, the story preserved all the sparkling humour of the original. 9. (to approve) by the critics, the young author's story was accepted by a thick magazine. 10. (to wait) for some time in the hall, he was invited into the drawing room. 11. (to wait) in the hall, he thought over the problem he was planning to discuss with the old lady. 12. They reached the oasis at last, (to walk) across the endless desert the whole day. 13. (to lie) down on the soft couch, the exhausted child fell asleep at once. 14. She went to work, (to leave) the child with the nurse.