GRAMMAR NOTES

MODULE 1 单元一
Present Simple and Present Continuous – 现在式
We use present simple for:
 Facts and permanent states. 事实及永久性的事情
My mother works as an accountant in my grandfather’s company.
我妈妈在我外公的公司工作 。
(这是事实所以我们要用 present simple）
 General truths and laws of nature. 无法改变的事实
Italians drive on the right.
The sun rises in the east. (自然规律)
 Habits and routines 习惯 (with always, usually, etc).
I often play at school.
 Timetables and programmes (with future reference).
Our plane leaves at 10 o’clock.
 Sporting commentaries 运动节目, reviews and narrations.
He smashes the ball over the net and wins the point.
 Feelings and emotions.
My family loves getting together in the holiday.

The time words/phrases we use with the present simple

are: usually, often, always, every day/week/month/year etc,
in the morning/afternoon/evening, at night/the weekend, on
Fridays, etc.

We use the present continuous (to be + verb -ing):

 For actions taking place at or around the time of speaking.

 For temporary situations.

 For fixed arrangements in the near future.

 For currently changing and developing situations.

 With adverbs such as ‘always’ to express anger or irritation at a repeated action.

The time words/phrases we use with the present

continuous are: now, at the moment, at present, these days,
nowadays, still, today, tonight, etc.

Adverbs of Frequency
These include: always, frequently, often, once, twice, sometimes, never, usually, ever,
hardly ever, rarely, occasionally, etc.
 Adverbs of frequency are normally placed before the main verb.

 However, adverbs of frequency are placed after the verb be and auxiliary/modal verb
(if there is more than one modal/auxiliary verb, the adverb is generally placed after
the first).

Stative Verbs –状态动词

Stative verbs are verbs which describe a state rather than an action, and so do not usually
have a continuous tense. These verbs are:
 Verbs of the senses (see, hear, smell, taste, feel, look, sound, seem, appear, etc).

 Verbs of perception (know, believe, understand, realize, remember, forget, etc).

 Verbs which express feelings and emotions (like, love, hate, prefer, detest, want,
etc).

 And some other verbs (be, contain, include, belong, fit, need, matter, cost, own,
want, weigh, wish, have, keep, etc).

Some of these verbs can also be used in continuous tenses, but with a difference in meaning.
 Present Simple Present Continuous
THINK
I think he is a very good athlete 运动员. I’m thinking of going to the cinema. (= am
(= believe 我相信) considering 正在想着要不要去)
HAVE
He has a fabulous 很好的 cottage 小屋. I’m having a problem with my best friend.
(= own 拥有) (= am experiencing 正在体验)
He is having a nap 午觉.
(= is taking)
My sister is having breakfast.
(= is eating)
SEE
You can see the entire city 整个城市 from I’m seeing my friend this afternoon at the
the top of the tower 塔. mall.
(= it is visible 可以被看到的) (= am meeting 将会去见他)
Do you see what I’m talking about?你明白 *Use for future 未来 preference
我在说什么吗？ （这个下午是之后的事）
(= understand 明白)
TASTE
My mum’s pudding 果冻 tastes amazing! Dad is tasting the sauce to see if it is ready.
(= has the flavor 味道) (= is testing 正在尝着)
SMELL
The dish smells delicious. She is smelling the perfume.
(has the aroma 气味) (= is sniffing 正在嗅着)
APPEAR
The children appear to be having fun. He is appearing in a new film 电影.
(= seem 好像) (= is performing 正在表演)
FIT
That dress fits you perfectly. He is fitting a new carpet 地毯 in the living
(= it’s the right size 对的尺寸) room 客厅.
(= is attaching 正在铺地毯)
LOOK
This scarf looks expensive. (=appears to be She is looking at her photos.
看起来) (= is taking a look 正在看着)
FEEL
This shirt feels like silk 丝绸. (= it has the He is feeling his forehead 额头 to see if he is
texture of 有那份手感/感觉像) running a fever 发烧.
(= is touching 正在摸着)
BE
She is a good-natured 性情温和的 person. She is being very selfish.
(character 性格 - permanent 永久的 state) (= behaviour 行为 – temporary state)

NOTE:
 Although the verb enjoy expresses a feeling, it can be used in continuous tenses.

 The verbs look (when we refer to somebody’s appearance), feel (experience a

particular emotion), hurt and ache can be used in simple or continuous tenses with no
difference in meaning.

Present Perfect
We use the present perfect (have/has 已经 + past participle) for:
  An action that happened at an unstated time in the past. The emphasis 重点 is on the
action. The time when it happened is unimportant or unknown.
My boyfriend has painted a picture of me.
He has visited London three times.
 An action which started in the past and continues up to the present, especially with
stative verbs (see above) such as be, have, like, know, etc.

 A recently completed action.

 Personal experiences or changes.

 An action which happened within a specific time period which is not over at the time
of speaking (with time words/phrases such as: today, this
week/morning/evening/month/year etc).

NOTE:

The time words/phrases we use with the present perfect

are: for, since, already, always, just, ever, never, so far,
today, this week/month etc, how long, lately, recently, still
(in negations), etc.

Present Perfect Continuous

We use the present perfect continuous (have been + verb -ing):
  To put emphasis on the duration of an action which started in the past and continues
up to the present.

 For an action which started in the past and lasted for some time. It may still be
continuing or has finished already, with the result visible in the present.

 To express anger, irritation or annoyance.

 For repeated actions in the past continuing up to the present.

The time words/phrases we use with the present perfect

continuous are: for, since, How long…?, all
day/morning/month etc, lately, recently, etc.

NOTE:
With verbs live, work, teach and feel we can use the present perfect or the present perfect
continuous with no difference in meaning.

Past Simple
We use the past simple:
 For an action that happened at a definite time (stated or implied) in the past.

 For actions that happened immediately one after the other in the past.

 For habits or states which are now finished.

NOTE:
Used to can be used instead of the past simple for habits/repeated actions in the past.

The time words/phrases we use with the past simple are:

yesterday, then, when, How long ago…?, last night/week/
month/year/Friday/October etc, three days/weeks etc ago, in
1999,etc.

Past Continuous
We use the past continuous (was/were + verb -ing):
  For an which was in progress when another action interrupted it. We use the past
continuous for the action in progress (longer action) and the past simple for the
action which interrupted it (shorter action).

 For two or more simultaneous actions in the past.

 For an action which was in progress at a stated time in the past. We don’t mention
when the action started or finished.

 To describe the atmosphere, setting, etc and to give background information about a
story.

NOTE:
When there are two past continuous forms in a sentence with the same subject, we can avoid
repetition by just using (-ing form), and leave out the verb was/were.

The time words/phrases we use with the past continuous

are: while, when, as, all morning/evening/day/week, etc.

Past Perfect
We use the past perfect (had + past participle):
 For an action which happened before another past action or before a stated time in the
past.
Todd had met Amy by three o’clock.
 For an action which finished in the past and whose result was visible at a later point in
the past.

The time words/phrases we use with the past perfect are:

before, after, already, just, for, since, till/until, when, by the
time, never, etc.

Past Perfect Continuous

We use the past perfect continuous (had been + verb -ing):
  To put emphasis on the duration of an action which started and finished in the past,
before another action or stated time in the past, usually with for or since.

 For an action which lasted for some time in the past and whose result was visible in
the past.

The time words/phrases we use with the past perfect are:

for, since, how long, before, until, etc.

Used to – Would – Past Simple – Be/get used to

 We use used to/would/past simple to talk about past habits, routines and repeated
past actions that no longer happen.

 We use used to/past simple (NOT ‘would’) for past states. Would cannot be used
with stative verbs.

 We use the past simple for an action that happened at a definite time in the past.

 We use be used to + noun /pronoun/-ing form to talk about habits.

(= to be accustomed to/be in the habit of)

 We use get used to + noun/pronoun/-ing form to talk about habits.

(= become accustomed to)

Time words to talk about the past:

Ago (= back in time from now) is used with the past simple.

Since (= from a starting point in the past) is used with the present and
past perfect (simple and continuous)

For (= over a period of time) is used with the present and past perfect
(simple and continuous).

Already is used in statements and questions in the present and past perfect
to show surprise.

Yet is used with the present and past perfect in questions and
Comparisons negations.
Comparative – 比较一个人或一个事物
Superlative – 在一个群体之中的之最
We often use than after a comparative and the before a superlative.

Formation of comparatives and superlatives of adjectives and adverbs:

 To one-syllable 只有一个音节 adjectives we add –(e)r to form the comparative and –
(e)st to form the superlative.
Bright – Brighter – The Brightest

NOTE:
In one-syllable adjectives ending in a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) + a consonant (辅音), we
double the consonant.
Big – Bigger – Biggest

 In adjectives ending in a consonant +y, we replace the -y with an -i.

Happy – Happier – Happiest
 Other two-syllable adjectives, or adjectives with more than two-syllables, form
comparatives and superlatives with more/most.
Beautiful – More beautiful – Most beautiful
 Two-syllable or compound adverbs (-ly) take more/most.
Quickly – More quickly – Most quickly

NOTE:
Clever, common, cruel, friendly, gentle, pleasant, polite, shallow, simple, quiet,
can form their comparatives and superlatives either with -er/-est or with more/most.

 Irregular forms:
Good – Better – Best; Bad – Worse – Worst; Much – More – Most;
Little – Less – Least; Far – Farther/Further – Farthest/Furthest;
Much/Many/Lots – More – Most

Types of comparisons:
 As + Adjective + As (to show that two people or things are similar or different in
some way). In negative sentences we use not as/so…as.
This computer is as reliable as 可靠 that one.
 We can use just as + adjective + as instead of as + adjective + as when we want to
put more emphasis 强调.
Laura is as kind as her sister. Laura is just as kind as her sister.
 To show that two people or things are almost similar, we can use almost or just
about as + adjective + as.
He is almost as friendly as his brother.
 Instead of not as/so…as, we can use not quite as…as or not nearly as…as.
He is not quite as friendly as his brother.

NOTE:
 In informal English 日常用语, we can use the comparative phrase nowhere near + as
+ adjective + as instead of not as/so…as.
Norman is nowhere near as creative as his brother. (Norman 不像他哥哥一样有创意.）

 Twice/three times etc/half + as + adjective + as

She paid three times as much as I did for the same mobile phone.
He is only half as smart as his brother.
 Less + Adjective + Than (expresses the difference between two people or things).
The opposite is more…than.

 The least + Adjective + Of/In (compares one person or thing with two or more
people or things of the same group). The opposite is the most…of/in.

 By far + The + Superlative (to emphasize a superlative adjective or adverb).

 Any + Comparative (used in negations and questions).

 Too + Adjective/Adverb + To-infinitive

Too + Adjective + A + Noun + To-infinitive
(to show that something is more than necessary, or at a higher degree than possible).

 Adjective/Adverb + Enough + To-infinitive

(to show that there is as much of something as needed, or at the necessary degree).

 The same as

 Much/Even/A lot/Far/A little/A bit/Slightly + Comparative

(expresses the degree of difference between two people or things).

 Comparative + And + Comparative

(shows that something is increasing or decreasing).

 The + Comparative…, the + Comparative

(shows that two things change together, or that one thing depends on another thing).

A / An
A/An are used for singular countable nouns. A is used for consonants 辅音.
An is often used in front of the vowels (a,e,i,o,u).

1. An Umbrella
2. A Unicorn
3. An Hour
4. An apple
5. A pen
6. An honest boy

THE
 当我们说到特定的东西（sth specific）
I bought a new car. The car is mine.
 特别的名词 ( Unique nouns)
The sun, The moon
 (Specific name of countries)
Exp: The United States of America, The Republic of China
*基本后面都会跟着 Republic / United
 乐器名字 （Instrument names/dances）
The piano, the trumpet, the waltz 华尔兹
 家族名字 （Family names- basically surname）
The Peters, The Potters, The Dutch
 Superlative adjectives 形容词 (最)
The most expensive, The coolest, The hottest…..
 With the words (morning, afternoon, evening, day…)
In the morning, In the afternoon….
(at the night, at the noon, at the midnight,
 历史性事件 (Historical events)
The founding of New China 新中国成立 ，The Korean War
*World War II
 发明 (With Inventions)
The bulb, The steam engine 蒸气机
 With adj used as nouns to describe groups of people
Exp: The elderly, The rich, The unemployed 无业游民, The poor
 当作 adj 来使用 （Words like first, last, only）
The first one, The last person, The only one

IRREGULAR VERBS
 Infinitive Past Simple Past Participle

be (is, am, are) was, were been

beat beat beaten

become became become

begin began begun

bend bent bent

bet bet bet

bid bid bid

bite bit bitten

blow blew blown

break broke broken

bring brought brought

build built built

burn burned/burnt burned/burnt

buy bought bought

catch caught caught

choose chose chosen

come came come

cost cost cost

cut cut cut

dig dug dug

dive dove dived

do did done

draw drew Drawn

dream dreamed/dreamt dreamed/dreamt

drive drove driven

 Infinitive Past Simple Past Participle

drink drank drunk

eat ate eaten

fall fell fallen

feel felt felt

fight fought fought

find found found

fly flew flown

forget forgot forgotten

forgive forgave forgiven

freeze froze frozen

get got gotten

give gave given

go went gone

grow grew grown

hang hung hung

have had had

hear heard heard

hide hid hidden

hit hit hit

hold held held

hurt hurt hurt

keep kept kept

know knew known

lay laid laid

lead led led

 Infinitive Past Simple Past Participle

leave left left

lend lent lent

let let let

lie lay lain

lose lost lost

make made made

mean meant meant

meet met met

pay paid paid

put put put

read read read

ride rode ridden

ring rang rung

rise rose risen

run ran run

say said said

see saw seen

sell sold sold

send sent sent

show showed shown

shut shut shut

sing sang sung

sit sat sat

sleep slept slept

speak spoke spoken

 Infinitive Past Simple Past Participle

spend spent spent

stand stood stood

swim swam swum

take took taken

teach taught taught

tear tore torn

tell told told

think thought thought

throw threw thrown

understand understood understood

wake woke woken

wear wore worn

win won won

write wrote written

* Present: Has/Have + Past Participle

Past: Had + Past Participle 已经