BASICS OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR

PRESENT TENSE BE, DEMONSTRATIVES,

POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES, PRESENT CONTINOUS, CAN,

PREPOSITIONSAlberto Fernández

PRESENT TENSE BE

� The verb BE has three forms: AM, IS, ARE, which we have to use according to the pronounor subject.

TO BE

Occupations Nouns Adjectives Places

AFFIRMATIVE SENTENCES

They are doctors. AREThey

We are friends. AREWe

It is a city. ISIt

She is my sister.ISShe

He is in the lab. ISHe

You are a student.AREYou

I am a teacher.AMI

ExampleVerb FormSubject

NEGATIVE SENTENCES

You can make negative sentences similar to the sentences before. The only different is to add NOT after am, is, are, as you can see in the followingchart.

She is not sad They are not in the school

NEGATIVE SENTENCES

We’re not = We aren’tYou’re not = You aren’tThey’re not = They aren’t

WeYou are notThey

He`s not = He isn’tShe’s not = She isn’tIt’s not = It isn’t

He She is notIt

I`m notI am not

YES / NO QUESTIONS

� In English we have two kind of questions: Yes/No questions and Wh-questions.

� The Yes / No Questions are called thatbecause the answers always start with Yes or No

� Remember to answer Yes/No questions you have to pay attention to the subject.

YES / NO QUESTIONS

Mary tall and thin.Mary tall and thin?

Yes, she is / No, she isn’tYes, she is tall and thin. / No, she is not tall and thin

Affirmative Statement:Yes / No question:Short Answers:Full /Complete Answers:

John and Peter students.John and Peter students?

Yes, they are / No, they aren’tYes, they are students. / No theyare not students.

Affirmative Statement:Yes / No question:Short Answers:Full /Complete Answers:

areAre

is

Is

WH - QUESTIONS

� The wh-questions look for informationaccoding to the question word.

� In this kind of questions you never answerYes or No, because they are asking for some information. The answer is a statement withthe information according to the questionword.

WH - QUESTIONS

How are you? I am sad.How is Loja? It is small.

StateForm / manner

How

Where is he? In the house.PlacesWhere

Who is the director of the school? Carlos Samaniego.

PeopleWho

What is this? It is a book.What is your name? Roberth.What do you do? I am a driver.What is he doing? He’s working

ThingsNameOccupationsActivities

What

ExampleInformationabout…

Wh-word

REVIEW

Are they doctors?

Are we friends?

Is it a city?

Is she my sister?

Is he in the lab?

Are you a student?

Am I a teacher?

Yes/No Question

They are notdoctors.

We are not friends.

It is not a city.

She is not my sister.

He is not in the lab.

You are not a student.

I am not a teacher.

Negative Statements

Yes, they are / No they are not

They aredoctors.

Yes, we are / No, we are not

We are friends.

Yes, it is / No, it is notIt is a city.

Yes, she is / No, she is not

She is my sister.

Yes, he is / No, he is notHe is in the lab.

Yes, I am / No, I am notYou are a student.

Yes, you are / No, you are not

I am a teacher.

Short AnswersStatement

DEMONSTRATIVES

We use THIS / THESE when the objects are near to the speaker.

This is a blackboard These are papers

THIS +Singular Nouns THESE + Plural Nouns

DEMONSTRATIVES

We use THAT / THOSE when the objects are far from the speakers.

That is a lake.

Those are mountainsTHAT + Singular Nouns

THOSE + Plural Nouns

DEMONSTRATIVES

Questions� What is that?That is an airplane.� Is that a bird? No, it is an airplane.

� What are those?Those are books� Are those books? Yes, they are books.

PLURAL NOUNS

cat - catsface - facesday – days

Add -smost others

fly - fliestry - tries

curry – curries

Change y to ithen

Add –es

consonant + y

boss - bossestax - taxes

bush - bushes

Add -ess, x, ch or sh

ExamplesForming the pluralNoun ending

IRREGULAR PLURAL

potato - potatoestomato - tomatoes

volcano -volcanoes

Add –esEnds with - o

half - halveswolf - wolvesloaf - loaves

Change f to vthen

Add –es

Ends with –f

knife - kniveslife - lives

wife - wives

Change f to vthen

Add –s

Ends with -fe

ExamplesForming the pluralNoun type

IRREGULAR PLURAL

sheepdeer

fish (sometimes)

Singular and pluralare the same

Unchanging

man - menfoot - feet

child - childrenperson - people

tooth - teethmouse - mice

Change the vowelor

Change the wordor

Add a different ending

ALL KINDS

ExamplesForming the pluralNoun type

POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES

I My

You YourHe His

She Her +It Its

We OurThey Their NOUN

POSSESSIVE ADJTECTIVES

This is our house

Her pants are blueHis shirt is new

This is her cat

POSSESSIVE FORM ‘S

Kevin’s wife is Rose.

His wife is Rose.Charlie’s book is black.

The Child’s mother is happy

PREPOSITION OF PLACE

At the bus station at homeAt the door at the topAt work at the end of

AT (lugar específico)

On a shelf on a wallOn a plate on the tableOn a balcony on a door

ON (sobre una superficie)

In the house in a shopIn a room in a townIn a car in a garden

IN (dentro de)

PRESENT CONTINOUS

� The present continoustense is used to describe activities that happen now, that means activities that are develop in the moment of speaking

SingingAreWeYouThey

SingingIsHeSheIt

SingingAmI

-ING FORM

BESubject

PRESENT CONTINOUS

They are not studying

We are not walking

It is not running

She is not reading

He is not sleeping

You are not eating

I am not dancing

NEGATIVE

Are they studying?They are studying

Are we walking?We are walking

Is it running?It is running

Is she reading?She is reading

Is he sleeping?He is sleeping

Are you eating?You are eating

Am I dancing?I am dancing

YES/NO QUESTIONSAFFIRMATIVE

RULES

cominglose - losinglive – living

Remove E, then add –INGcome

1 vowel + 1 consonant + E-

swim - swimminghit - hitting

get – getting

Double the consonant, then add –ING

1 vowel + 1 consonant

ExamplesHow to make the -ING

formVerb ending in...

say - sayinggo - going

walk - walking

Add –ING[anything else]

CAN / CAN’T

� Can is used to show ability

They can dance He can’t play the piano He can play football

He can swim He can skate

NEGATIVE AND QUESTIONS

Can they walk ?

Can we sing?

Can it run?

Can she swim?

Can he play?

Can you dance?

Can I cook?

YES/NO QUESTIONS

Yes, they can / No, they can’t

Yes, we can / No, we can’t

Yes, it can / No, it can’t

Yes, she can / No, she can’t

Yes, he can / No, he can`t

Yes I can / No I can’t

Yes, you can / No,you can´t

SHORT ANSWERS

They can not walk

We can not sing

It can not run

She can not swim

He can not play

You can not dance

I can not cook

NEGATIVE

They can walk

We can sing

It can run

She can swim

He can play

You can dance

I can cook

AFFIRMATIVE