English Grammar Basics Guide
English Grammar Basics Guide
GRAMMAR FOLDER
Future plans Spelling
We use the present continuous: • Verbs ending in e (e.g. arrive):
I'm meeting Sally on Wednesday. add d (arrived).
They're arriving next week. • Verbs ending in one consonant (e.g. stop):
We're not using the car at the weekend. double the consonant and add ed (e.g. stopped ).
He's leaving tomorrow morning. • Verbs ending in consonant + y (e.g. study):
change y to i and add ed (e.g. studied ).
• Verbs ending in two or more consonants (e.g. help ) or
Unit 5 vowel + y (e.g. stay):
add ed (e.g. helped, stayed).
need + noun
Irregular verbs
+ 1/you/we/t hey need a drin k.
These verbs have different forms, e.g.
He/she/ it needs a drink.
buy - bought, go - went, make - made
1/you/we/they don't need any food. (See irregular verb list on page 216.)
He/she/it doesn't need any food .
+ 1/he/ she/it/you/we/they bought a bike.
? Do 1/you/we/they need a ticket?
Does he/she/it need a ticket? 1/he/she/it/you/we/they did not (didn't) buy a bike.
? Did 1/he/she/it/you/we/they buy a bike?
need + verb to be
+ 1/you/we/they need to go out. + 1/he/she/it was there.
He/she/it needs to go out. You / we/they were th ere.
1/you/we/they don't need to go out. 1/he/she/it was not (wasn't) there.
He/she/it doesn't need to go out. You/we/they were not (weren't) there.
OR 1/you/he/she/it/we/they needn't go out.
? Was 1/he/she/it th ere?
? Do 1/you/we/they need to go out? Were you/we/they there?
Does he/she/it need to go out?
Prepositions of movement
Unit 6
up clown across off along around
Adjectives ending in -ing and -ed through over
-ing adjectives describe a thing/person which gives you a
Comparative adjectives
feeling:
Thís is an amusing film. Regular adjectives
He was an interesting teacher. • One-syllable adjective:
The lessons were interesting. add er (e.g. kind - kinder)
• One-syllable adjective ending in e:
-ed adjectives describe the person who has the feeling: add r (e.g. nice - nicer)
A tired student needs a holiday. • One-syllable adjective ending in vowel + consonant:
The girls were interested in the story. do uble consonant and add er ( e.g. hot - hotter)
• Adjective ending in consonant+y:
Past simple
change y to i and add er (e.g. fu nny - fu nnier)
Regular verbs • Adjective with more than one syllable:
+ 1/ he/she/it/you/we/they wanted a bike. more + adjective (e.g. poli te - more polite, confi dent -
1/he/she/it/you/we/they did not (didn't) want a bike. more confide nt)
-'UU \ G RAM M A R Fo L D E R
• One-syllable adjective endi ng in vowel + consonant: That must be John's brother. [He looks exactly like John, so I
do uble consonant and add est (e.g. hot- hottest) feel certain.]
• Adjective ending in consonant+y: That might/could be John 's brother. [He looks a bit like John,
change y to i and add est (e.g. funny - funniest ) so I think it's possible they are brothers. ]
• Adjective with more than one syllable: They can't be John's brothers. [They look completely different
the most + adjective (e.g. poli te - the most fro m John, so I don't believe it's possible that they are his
polite, confident- the most confident) brothers.]
Irregular adjectives
good - the best Unit 14
bad - the worst used to
fa r - the farthest/fu rthest
+ 1/he/she/it/you/we/they used to eat chocolate.
Present passive
1/he/she/it/you/we/they did not (didn't) use to eat
to be + past participle chocolate.
The passive uses the same past participles as the present
? Oíd 1/he/she/it/you/we/they use to eat chocolate?
perfect. (For past participles see Unit 8 and irregular verb list
on page 216.) Used to shows something was true in the past but is not true
Active The students / They admire the actor/ him. now:
Passive The actor/ He is admired by the students / them. I used to watch westerns. [I don't watch them now.]
We used to see horses in th e field. [We don't see them now.]
+ 1 am ('m) admired.
There didn't use to be a sports centre in the city. [There is now.]
You/we/they are ('re) admired. Did there use to be less traffic? [I know there's a lot of traffic
He/she/it is ('s) admired.
now, I want to know if it has increased.]
1 am ('m) not admired.
GRAMMAR FOLDER
Past Present tense following when, until, after in
+ 1/you/he/she/it/we/they had to dance. future time
1/you/he/she/it/we/they didn't have to dance. After I leave school I'm going to get a job.
? Did 1/you/he/she/it/we/they have to dance? He isn't going to get up until we phone him.
Are you going to travel by bus when you visit Australia?
Permission
can, can't + verb The time
You can sit here. [This chair is free, yo u are allowed to sit here.]
You can't sit here. [This chair isn't free, yo u aren't allowed to sit five, ten, twenty-five, etc. one, two ...
to
here.] (a) quarter twelve, etc.
past
three, nine, sixteen, etc. minutes midday.
lt's
Obligation half past midnight .
At
(don't) have to + verb
midday/midnight.
You have to sit here. [You aren't allowed to sit in any other chair.]
You don't have to sit here. [You are allowed to choose your chair.] one, two ... twelve, etc. o'clock.
Adverbs
Regular adverbs Unit 17
• Most adjectives add ly: wi/1 future
quiet _.. quietly, strange _.. strangely,
beautiful _.. beautifully + 1/you/he/she/it/we/they will ('11) be successful.
• Adjectives ending in le: 1/you/he/she/it/we/they will not (won't) be successful.
drop e an d add y ( e.g. sensible_.. sensibly)
? Will 1/you/he/she/it/we/they be successful?
• Adjectives ending in y:
change y to i + ly (e.g. lazy - laz ily)
wi/1 and going to
Irregular adverbs
Both talk about the future. (See also Unit 16.)
Sorne adverbs are the sam e as their adjectives:
Will is used to say what we believe, but are not certain about
f ast, hard, late, early
the fu tu re:
She's a fast nmner. She runs fast.
I'm going to join a tennis club because I'll meet sorne good
I had an early phone cal/. He phoned me early.
players there. [I believe they have sorne good players.]
Well is the adverb from good.
Why are you going to watch that DVD? You won't enjoy it.
They're good dancers. They dance well.
[I don't think it's yo ur kind of film .]
They're going to arrive late. Will they be hungry?
Unit 16 [I want to know your opinion.]
GRAMMAR FOLDER
Past perfect and past simple with when / by Irregular adverbs
adverbs which are the same as adjectives:
the time
fast,faster, (the) fastest
She had eaten the chocolate when / by the time we carne home. hard, harder, (the) hardest
OR When / By the time we carne home, she had eaten the late, later, (the) latest
chocolate. [She ate it befare we arrived.] early, earlier, (the) earliest
She runs faster than him.
Past simple and past simple with when
I run (the) fastest.
She ate the chocolate when we carne home. They get up earlier than us.
OR When we came home, she ate the chocolate. He gets up (the) earliest.
[She didn't eat it until we arrived home.]
we/1, badly
well, better, (the) best
Unit 19 badly, worse, (the) worst
David played better than Michael.
Verbs and expressions + to and -ing
John played (the) best.
+to Donna played worse than Mandy.
agree allow arrange begin* continue* Jill played (the) worst.
decide expect hope learn like need
offer plan promise refuse seem start* Comparative sentences
stop** try** want would like more ... than
+-ing less ... than
be afraid of begin* be fed up with be good at not as/so ... as
be interested in continue* don't mind enjoy Alan worked more carefully than Judy.
like look forward to !ove prefer start* = Judy worked less carefully than Alan.
stop** try** = Judy didn't work as carefully as Alan.
*These verbs can be followed by to or -ing without changing
the meaning.
so and such
** These verbs can be followed by to or -ing with a change in so+ adjective or adverb (that)
the meaning. so + adjective:
He stopped eating chocolate. [He didn't eat chocolate after that The work was so easy ( that) we finished in ten minutes.
time.] so + adverb:
He stopped to eat chocolate. [He stopped working/walking etc. He worked so slowly (that) he didn't finish until midnight.
because he wanted to eat sorne chocolate.] such a+ (adjective) noun (that)
He tried joining a sports club. [He joined a sports club to find
• such a + countable noun:
out if it was useful.] He drove at such a speed (that) I felt frightened.
He tried to join a sports club. [He wanted to join a sports club
• such + uncountable noun:
but he couldn't.] He talked such nonsense (that) they laughed.
make and Jet • such a + adjective + countable noun:
It was such an easy exercise (that) we finished in ten
These verbs are followed by another verb without to or -ing:
minutes.
The teacher let the students go home early.
• such + adjective + plural noun:
[The teacher allowed the students to go home early.] They were such slow workers ( that) they didn't finish until
The teacher made the students go home early.
midnight.
[The teacher forced the students to go home early.] • such + adjective + uncountable noun:
It was such easy work (that) we finished in ten minutes.
Unit 20
Connectives
Comparison of adverbs so, because/as, but, although, either ... or
Regular adverbs • the result of an event or action:
adverbs ending -ly: I was hungry so I ate the chocolate.
carefully, more carefully, most carefully • the reason for an event or action:
Alan worked more carefully than Judy. I ate the chocolate because/as I was hungry.
Hazel worked the most carefully. • contrasting or comparing:
The chocolate was expensive but it wasn't good.
Although the chocolate was expensive, it wasn't good.
• giving two alternatives:
She can either eat the chocolate or give it to her mother.
GRAMMAR FOLDER
Unit 21 • would + verb - will future:
He said he'd (would) have coffee.
have something done - 'I'll have coffee.'
1/you/he/she/it/we/they + tense of have + noun + past He said he wouldn't have tea there.
participle: - 'I won't have tea here.'
J'm having my hair coloured tomorrow. • Past perfect - Present perfect:
He doesn't have his hair coloured. She said she'd (had) already made coffee.
Did you have your hair coloured? - '!'ve already made coffee.'
She said she hadn't made tea.
Reported speech
- 'I haven't made tea.'
Reported requests
• Past perfect - Past simple:
Ask someone (not) to do something
She said she'd (had) bought it the day before I the previous
Direct speech Reported speech
day.
Please shut the door. He asked her to shut
- 'J bought it yesterday.'
the door.
She said she hadn't bought tea that day.
Please don't open the door. He asked her not to
- 'I didn't huy tea today.'
open the door.
Reported commands
Tell someone (not) to do something
Unit 23
Direct speech Reported speech Relative clauses
Shut the door! He told her to shut the door.
• Subject of relative clause: person/people
Don't open the door! He told her not to open the door. I saw a student. He was in my class.
Possessive pronouns and adjectives - I saw a student who/that was in my class.
GRAMMAR FOLDER
Unit 24 too much, too many, not enough
• too much + uncountable noun:
Past passive We've got too much homework.
Past simple of to be + past participle
• too many + plural countable noun:
(For past participles see Unit 8 and irregular verb list on page
You ask too many questions.
216.)
Active The students admired the actor/ him. • not enough + plural countable/uncountable noun:
The students admired the singers / them. There aren't enough chocolates far everyone.
Passive The actor/ He was admired by the students. I haven't had enough time to learn these rules.
The singers / They were admired by the students.
Verbs with two objects
+ 1/he/she/it was admired.
give + person + object - give + object + to person
You/we/they were admired.
The teacher gave the boy extra homework.
1/he/she/it was not (wasn't) admired. - The teacher gave extra homework to the boy.
You/we/they were not (weren't) ad mi red. Annie sent mean ernail.
? Was 1/he/she/it admired? - Annie sent an email to me.
Were you/we/they ad mi red?
Unit 26
Future passive
will be + past participle First conditional
(Por past participles see Unit 8 and irregular verb list on page Used for possible conditions.
216.) Condition: iflunless + present tense
Active The students will admire the actor/him. Result: future tense
The students will admire the singers/them. Either the condition or the result can be first in the sentence.
Passive The actor/He will be admired by the students. If the condition clause is firs t, there is a comma after it.
The singerslthey will be adrnired by the students. There is no comma if the result clause is first.
If you leave the party early, you'll miss the fireworks.
+ 1/he/she/it/you/we/they will be ad mi red. = You'll miss the fireworks if you leave early.
1/he/she/it/you/we/they will not (won't) be admired. = You'll see the fireworks if you stay until midnight.
? Will 1/he/she/it/you/we/they be admired? = You'll miss the fireworks unless you stay till rnidnight.
= If you don't stay till midnight, you'll miss the fireworks.
if and when
Unit 25 When means the speaker is certain that something will happen:
Reported questions I'll be very nervous when I take the exam. [I'm certain that I'm
Wh- questions going to take the exam.]
I asked what the problem was. If means the speaker is not certain that something will happen:
I'll be very happy if I pass the exam. [Perhaps I'll pass the exam.]
- What is the problem?
She asked which book I wanted. I'll be very sad if I fail the exarn. [Perhaps I'll fail the exam.]
- Which book do you want?
He asked how much I had ('d) paid far it. Unit 27
- How much did you pay far it?
They asked her where she had hidden the chocolate. Verb/preposition + reflexive pronouns
- Where have you hidden the chocolate? myself, y ourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, y ourselves,
We asked her when she would explain. themselves
- When will you explain? The subject of the verb/preposition is the same as its object:
A boy of fifteen should know how to look after himself.
Yes/no questions + if or whether
Rernernber to give yourself plenty of time to reach the airport.
I asked them whether they liked chocolate.
They never care about other people, only about themselves.
- Do you like chocolate?
He asked me if I was going to sing. each, every, al/+ noun
- Are you going to sing?
eachlevery + singular countable noun
She asked me if I would make coffee.
each of + a plural countable noun
- Will you make coffee?
ali + plural countable/uncountable noun
I asked them if they'd seen my mobile.
Every student had sorne chocolate.
- Have you seen my mobile?
Each student had sorne chocolate.
Each of my friends hada different sweet.
Ali the students had sorne chocolate.
Ali the chocolate was eaten.
-------
GRAMMAR FOLDER
everyla/1 + morninglnightlweek/month etc. They haven't bought tickets yet. Nor!Neither have I!we!they.
Nor!Neither has he!she.
Every morning = more than one morning
I caught the train yesterday. So did I!he!she!we!they.
All morning = the whole of one morning
She didn't come to school. Nor/Neither did I!he/she/
He visits his grandmother every week, usual/y on Sundays.
we!they.
!'ve been ill ali week and couldn't go to work.
I'll phone her later. So will I!he!she/we/they.
We live in Poland but we spend the summer in Spain every year.
I won't forget. Nor/Neither will I/ he!she!
The storm con tinued all night and no one could sleep.
we!they.
They're going to get off the bus. So am I.
Unit 28 So are we!they.
So is he!she.
Second conditional I must hurry. So must I!he!she!we/they.
Used far nearly or completely impossible conditions (compare We hadn't noticed the time. Nor!Neither had I!he!she!
Unit 26). we/they.
Condition: if /unless + past tense
Result: would verb Polite questions
Either the condition or the result can be first in the sentence.
Can you te ll me ... ?
If the condition clause is first, there is a comma after it. Can you remember ... ?
There is no comma if the result clause is first. Do you know ... ?
+ reported question.
Nearly impossible: l'd like to know ... .
If you left the party early, you'd miss the fireworks. [But I don't Can you find out ... ?
believe you will leave early.] etc.
= You'd miss the fi reworks if you left early. Por reported questions see Unit 25.
= You 'd see the fireworks if you stayed until midnight.
= You 'd miss the fi reworks unless you stayed till midnight.
= If you didn't stay till midnight, you'd miss the fireworks. Unit 30
Completely imposssible: hardly
If I was a film star, I would ('d) live in Los Angeles. [I'm not a Hardly means almost not. We don't use not with hardly.
film star, so I don't live there.]
= I would ('d) live in Los Angeles if I was a film star. hardly any (oj) I anyone, anybody etc.+ noun
= I wouldn't live here if I was a film star. I have hardly any homework. [almost non e]
I wouldn't act in a film unless I liked the director. Hardly anyone enjoys homework. [almost no one]
= If I didn't like the director, I would ('d) refuse to act in a film. Hardly any of my fri ends are older than me. [almost non e of
them]
GR AMMAR FO LDE R