Good English Grammar

8/3/2019 Good English Grammar

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Simple Present Tense

1A. Explanation

Thesimple present tense takes one of two forms depending on the subject.Subject base form -s form

I, you eat

They, We goPlural nouns work

He, She, It eatsSingular nouns goes

Non count-nouns works

1B. Examples

Subjects followed by verb in base form: Subjects with verb ins form

I like rice. She makes toys.

You look nice. He rakes leaves.

They think twice. It takes time.We throw dice. Mom bakes pies.

Chefs use spice. Water slakes thirst.

The boys ring the doorbell. Jill loves dates.Children sing on special occasions. Mr. Smith fills crates.

Some people bring gifts to parties. Grandpa washes plates.

Bees sting when they are disturbed. The dog jumps gates.

1C. Exercises

1. Jerry (come/comes) to school on time.

2. Jerry and Linda (come/comes) to school on time.3. Ms. Jones (teach/teaches) geography.

4. The cat (sleep/sleeps) on the sofa every day.

5. Milk (cost/costs) two dollars a quart.

2A. ExplanationUse thesimple present tense to indicate:

1. Routine actions

2. Facts

2B. ExamplesRoutine actions Facts

John brushes his teeth every morning. Hawaii is in the Pacific Ocean.Carol usually drives to work. Some birds fly south for the winter.

The teacher grades homework on Fridays. Water consists of hydrogen and oxygen.

Note how thepresent tense is used in the following paragraph.Mr. Lee is a bus driver. Every day he gets up at 7:00 a.m. and prepares for his day. He showers, eats his

breakfast, and puts on his uniform. His wife drives him to the station where he checks in with his supervisor.

Then, he gets on Bus #405 and starts the engine. He pulls out of the parking lot and begins his route. At hisfirst stop, he picks up Mrs. Miller, who lives in a red house on the corner of Main Street and Seventh Avenue.

She works at the post office and has to be to work by 9:00. At the next stop, the Bartlett twins get on the bus.

They attend class at Bayside Elementary. More children get on at the next three stops, and they ride until the

bus reaches their school. Mr. Lee enjoys seeing the kids every day and is happy to see them again in theafternoon when he drives them safely back home.

2C. Exercises

1. To practice the present tense, reread the above paragraph, then try to repeat the main ideas in your ownwords. Be sure to use the -s form of the verb when the subject of a sentence is singular. Have a partner listen

to your speech and check for correct usage of verbs.


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2. Tell whether thepresent tense is appropriate in the following sentences.

1. Yesterday I go to Washington D.C.

2. Everyday, Mr. Johnson cleans his room.3. They usually take the bus to the office.

4. Right now Susan eats her breakfast.

5. Melinda and Harry work in the bank.Common Mistakes with the simple present tense

1. Not using the -s form with singular subjects:Jack likes Chinese food.Jack like Chinese food.

(Correct)

(Incorrect)

2. Using the simple present tense when another tense is required.

Last night I watched television for two hours.

Last night I watch television for two hours.

(Correct)(Incorrect

)

Present Progressive / Continuous

Thepresent progressive tense takes the form be + V ing.

The form of be is determined by the subject of the sentence.He is singing.

She is listening.

They are sleeping.

I am going home.In English, thepresent progressive is used to indicate actions happening at the time of speaking, or right now.

Jake is speaking to his mother right now.

Please keep quiet. The baby is sleeping.Thepresent progressive can also be used to indicate actions occurring over a period of time which includes

the present.

Im taking five classes at the university.

Grace is working at a chemical factory.What are you doing these days?

Thepresent progressive is sometimes used to indicate ongoing, developing, imminent or future actions.

Ongoing

Dont bother Mr. Grumpy while he is watching the football game.

Developing

Im beginning to like this place!

Imminent

A: Honey, where are you?

B: Im coming. Just let me put on my shoes.

Future (Note the presence of future time words.)

A: Are you going to the concert this weekend?

B: I wish I could, but Im meeting an important client from Oklahoma.Some non-action verbs do not occur in the present progressive tense. The simple present is sufficient.

Present Perfect Simple

Present Perfect Tense can be used in three situations:

1. To indicate something that has happened at an indefinite time in the past.

I have seen that movie already.

She has left for California.They have not eaten their dinner yet.


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2. To indicate something which started in the

past and continues until now.

I have lived in New York for nine years.We have been here since Friday.

He has played football since he was a child.

3. To indicate something which occurred recently.I have been sicklately.

She hasnt slept much recently.Notes:

When speaking about aspecific time, use past tense.A: I have seen that movie already. (Non-specific time)

B: Oh really? When did you see it?

A: I saw it last week with Bob. (Specific time)Some words should notbe used in situation 2 (above)

I have met John for five years. (INCORRECT)

I have known John for five years. (CORRECT)I met John five years ago. (CORRECT)

I have met John already. (CORRECT)

Sometimes, but not always,present perfect continuous can be used instead ofpresent perfect.I have lived there for ten years. (Okay)

I have been living there for ten years. (Okay)

I have exercised a lot recently. (Okay)

I have been exercising a lot recently. (Okay)I have seen that movie ten times. (Okay)

I have been seeing that movie ten times. (NOT Okay)

Present Perfect Progressive

Thepresent perfect progressive expresses the meaning until now and makes the connection between thepastandpresent. Since it is progressive, it usually connotes an idea of continuity. It is often used with

prepositional phrases:for + amount of time andsince + point in time.I have been livingin Minneapolissince 1999.

I have been livingin Minneapolisfor three years.

Thepresent perfect progressive tense is made by placing have been (or has been) immediately in front oftheingform of the main verb.

Thepresent perfect progressive can sometimes be interchanged with thepresent perfect tense with little or

no deviation in meaning.Estherhas workedthere for nine years.

Estherhas been workingthere for nine years.

However, in cases where thepresent perfect tense carries the meaning before now (non-specific time inthe past), thepresent perfect progressive cannotbe used.

I have been seeingthat movie five times already.I have seen that movie five times already.

(Incorrect!)

(Correct)

Past SimpleExplanation1. The simple past tense is expressed with thepast form of the verb and nothing else.

My grandfather died last year. (Correct)My grandfather was died last year. (Incorrect)

My grandfather has died last year. (Incorrect)


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2. Thesimple past tense refers to

a. action which occurred at a specific time in the past

b. completed actionc. past status

ExamplesSpecific past action Completed action Past status

I ate lunch at noon today.

He drove to work yesterday.

She finally mailed the letter.

Jan finished her report on time.

John was still single in 1995.

Jane was a movie star.

Note the usage of the past tense in the following story.

Yesterday Mrs. Hubbard had a very rough day. In the morning, she went to the kitchen and looked in the

cupboard for some food for her dog, but the cupboard was empty. Her poor dog stared up at her with its

hungry eyes, and she knew she had to do something quickly. She hurried to the grocery store to buy somedog food, but unfortunately the store was out of her dogs favorite brand, so she had to catch a bus

downtown. After buying the food, she waited for a half hour in the rain to get a taxi. When she finally got

home, her dog was sound asleep on the living room sofa.

Common problems with the past tense

1. Using the present tense when thepast tense is required.Last week, Tonya fix her neighbors car. (Incorrect)

Last week, Tonya fixed her neighbors car. (Correct)

2. Using was with verbs in thepast tense.

It was happened one night in September. (Incorrect)It happened one night in September. (Correct)

Past Progressive / ContinuousPast progressive tense is used to indicate that an action was in progress when another action occurred in the

past.Past progressive (was/were + Ving) refers to the action in progress, andsimple past tense refers to the

"interrupting" action.WhileI was eatingdinner, the telephone rang.

The telephone rang while I was eatingdinner.

When the telephone rang, I was eatingdinner.I was eatingdinner when the telephone rang.

Past continuous can also be used to indicate only one action which occurred in the past:

What was John doingyesterday?He was workingat the factory.

What were they doingyesterday afternoon?

They were playingsoccer.What were you doinglast night?

I was studyingEnglish.

Past PerfectPast perfect tense is used to indicate that one action occurred before another action in the past. In other

words,past perfect tense indicates thefirstof the two actions.*

For example,

When I woke up this morning, my roommate had leftalready.After I had eaten my dinner, I went to see a movie.

Before I arrived at the theater, the movie hadalready begun.

Sometimes, when the meaning is clear from context, thesimple past tense can be used.After I had gone shopping, I stopped at the health spa.

After I wentshopping, I stopped at the health spa.


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The most common error with thepast perfectis using it where it does not belong.

When I was young, I had been a cowboy.

When I was young, I was a cowboy.

(Incorrectno reference to other events)

(Correct)Yesterday the Johnsons had opened their new business.

Yesterday the Johnsons openedtheir new business.

(Incorrect)

(Correct)

*In some very unusualcases, thepast perfect tense can refer to thesecondpast action.

Before I had finished my homework, the telephone rang.(The telephone interrupted me before I finished my homework.)

Future SimpleIn English the Future Time is expressed in a number of ways. The most common are with willand be goingto. See examples from the following sentences.

I will finish my homework in an hour.Im going to finish my homework in an hour.

With be going to, make sure the verb be agrees with its subject. Im going to eat a whole watermelon.

Shes going to eat a whole watermelon.Actually, were going to eat a whole watermelon together.

In speech, the wordsgoing to are often pronounced gonna .

Dont forget the be verb.A: What are you gonna do this weekend?

B: Im gonna stay home and clean my carpet.

NOT: I gonna stay

NOT: Im gonna to stayWhats the difference between willand be going to?

Both can be used interchangeably in some cases. (Predictions and guesses)

My prints will be here tomorrow.My prints are going to be here tomorrow.

Be going to is preferable for strong intentions or for describing the inevitable.

Im going to give her a piece of my mind.

Theres no way they can score 21 points in 2 minutes. Were going to win!Willis the preferable form for making offers or expressing pop decisions.

A: Who will help me finish this chocolate cake?

B: I will.A: I have two tickets left for the front row.

B: Ill take them.

Sometimes future time can be expressed with either thepresentorpresent progressive tense. In such cases,time words must be expressed or clearly implied.

I fly to Beijing tomorrow.

Im flying to Beijing tomorrow.Sorry I cant attend the picnic on Saturday. Im flying to Beijing.

Future ProgressiveFuture progressive tense is used to indicate action which will be taking place at some time in the future.

For example,

I will be singingat Symphony Hall next month.

Well be leavingnext Monday.

When you arrive, Ill be cookingdinner.Thefuture progressive tense is formed by adding will be to theingform of the main verb.

She will be comingaround the mountain in a few minutes.

Shell be ridinga white horse into town.


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Thefuture progressive tense is not as common as other tenses, and it can some-times be replaced by simple

future, present progressive or evensimple present.

Ill be leaving in a few minutes.Ill leave in a few minutes.

Im going to leave in a few minutes.

Im leaving in a few minutes.I leave in a few minutes.

Future PerfectThefuture perfect tense is not commonly used in English. It indicates that an action will be completed in

the future (usually before some other action or event).I will finish my Russian course in June. In July, I will begin studying Chinese.

By the time I begin studying Chinese, I will have finishedmy Russian course.

When I finish this race, I will have run a total of five miles.Before they leave for Miami, they will have visitedHouston and New Orleans.

The important thing to remember is the time ofcompletion. (Beginning time may vary.)

I started studying last year. I will have passedmy exams when I graduate next June.I am studying right now. I will have passedmy exams when I graduate next June.

I will start studying next month. I will have passedmy exams when I graduate next June.

Regular Verbs(see Complete list ofIrregular Verbs)

base -s form past past participle -ing form notes

call calls called called callingclean cleans cleaned cleaned cleaning

look looks looked looked looking 1talk talks talked talked talking 1

end ends ended ended ending 2

wait waits waited waited waiting 2

kiss kisses kissed kissed kissing 3

wash washes washed washed washing 3

live lives lived lived living 4

love loves loved loved loving 4

beg begs begged begged begging 5

sin sins sinned sinned sinning 5

play plays played played playing

stay stays stayed stayed staying

cry cries cried cried crying 6

study studies studied studied studying 6

die dies died died dyingtie ties tied tied tying

Notes:1. Pronunciation differences in past/past participle after /p, s, k, f/ sounds

2. Pronunciation differences in past/past participle after /t, d/ sounds
http://free-english-study.com/grammar/irregular-verbs.htmlhttp://free-english-study.com/grammar/irregular-verbs.html


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3. Spelling and pronunciation differences in s form after /s, sh, ch, z/ sounds

4. Dropping of silent e with ing endings

5. Doubled consonants after short vowel sounds6. Spelling differences when y is preceded by a consonant

Irregular Verbs

Infinitive Simple Past Past Participle

Aarise arose arisen

awake awakened / awoke awakened / awoken

B

backslide backslid backslidden / backslid

be was, were been

bear bore born / bornebeat beat beaten / beat

become became become

begin began begunbend bent bent

bet bet / betted bet / bettedbid bid / bade biddenbid bid bid

bind bound bound

bite bit bittenbleed bled bled

blow blew blown

break broke broken

breed bred bredbring brought brought

broadcast broadcast / broadcasted broadcast / broadcasted

build built built burn burned / burnt burned / burnt

burst burst burst

bust busted / bust busted / bustbuy bought bought

C

cast cast cast

catch caught caughtchoose chose chosen

cling clung clung

clothe clothed / clad clothed / clad

come came comecost cost cost

creep crept crept

cut cut cut

D

daydream daydreamed / daydreamtdaydreamed / daydreamt

deal dealt dealtdig dug dug

disprove disproved disproved / disproven

dive dove / dived dived


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dive dived / dove dived

do did done

draw drew drawndream dreamed / dreamt dreamed / dreamt

drink drank drunk

drive drove drivendwell dwelt / dwelled dwelt / dwelled

Eeat ate eaten

F

fall fell fallen

feed fed fed

feel felt felt

fight fought foughtfind found found

fit (tailor, change size)fitted / fit fitted / fit

fit (be right size) fit /fitted fit /fittedflee fled fled

fling flung flungfly flew flownforbid forbade forbidden

forecast forecast forecast

forego forewent foregoneforesee foresaw foreseen

foretell foretold foretold

forget forgot forgotten /forgot

forgive forgave forgivenforsake forsook forsaken

freeze froze frozen

Gget got gotten /got

give gave given

go went gone

grind ground groundgrow grew grown

H

hang hung hunghave had had

hear heard heard

hew hewed hewn / hewed

hide hid hiddenhit hit hit

hold held held

hurt hurt hurt

K

keep kept kept

kneel knelt / kneeled knelt / kneeled

knit knitted / knit knitted / knitknow knew known

L


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lay laid laid

lead led led

lean leaned / leant leaned / leantleap leaped / leapt leaped / leapt

learn learned / learnt learned / learnt

leave left leftlend lent lent

let let letlie lay lain

lie (not tell truth) lied liedlight lit / lighted lit / lighted

lose lost lost

M

make made made

mean meant meant

meet met metmisunderstand misunderstood misunderstood

mow mowed mowed / mown

Ppartake partook partakenpay paid paid

plead pleaded / pled pleaded / pled

proofread proofread proofreadprove proved proven / proved

put put put

Q

quick-freeze quick-froze quick-frozenquit quit / quitted quit / quitted

R

read read (sounds like "red") read (sounds like "red")

rid rid ridride rode ridden

ring rang rung

rise rose risenrun ran run

S

saw sawed sawed / sawn

say said saidsee saw seen

seek sought soughtsell sold soldsend sent sent

set set set

sew sewed sewn / sewedshake shook shaken

shave shaved shaved / shaven

shear sheared sheared / shorn

shed shed shedshine shined / shone shined / shone

shit shit /shat/ shitted shit/shat/ shitted


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shoot shot shot

show showed shown / showed

shrink shrank / shrunk shrunk shut shut shut

sing sang sung

sink sank / sunk sunk sit sat sat

slay (kill) slew / slayed slain / slayedslay (amuse) slayed slayed

sleep slept sleptslide slid slid

sling slung slung

slink slinked / slunk slinked / slunk slit slit slit

smell smelled / smelt smelled / smelt

sneak sneaked / snuck sneaked / snuck sow sowed sown / sowed

speak spoke spoken

speed sped / speeded sped / speededspell spelled / spelt spelled / spelt

spend spent spent

spill spilled / spilt spilled / spilt

spin spun spunspit spit /spat spit /spat

split split split

spoil spoiled / spoilt spoiled / spoiltspread spread spread

spring sprang / sprung sprung

stand stood stood

steal stole stolenstick stuck stuck

sting stung stung

stink stunk / stank stunk strew strewed strewn / strewed

stride strode stridden

strike (delete) struck strickenstrike (hit) struck struck / stricken

string strung strung

strive strove / strived striven / strivedsublet sublet sublet

sunburn sunburned / sunburnt sunburned / sunburnt

swear swore swornsweat sweat / sweated sweat / sweated

sweep swept swept

swell swelled swollen / swelled

swim swam swumswing swung swung

T

take took takenteach taught taught

tear tore torn


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telecast telecast telecast

tell told told

test-drive test-drove test-driventest-fly test-flew test-flown

think thought thought

throw threw thrownthrust thrust thrust

tread trod trodden / trodU

understand understood understoodundertake undertook undertaken

undo undid undone

W

wake woke / waked woken / waked

waylay waylaid waylaid

wear wore wornweave wove / weaved woven / weaved

wed wed / wedded wed / wedded

weep wept weptwet wet / wetted wet / wettedwhet whetted whetted

win won won

wind wound woundwithdraw withdrew withdrawn

withhold withheld withheld

withstand withstood withstoodwring wrung wrung

write wrote written

Choosing the Correct Verb Tense1. Does Tense = Time ?

Not Always

2. Situation and Time Words determine Time

3. Time chooses Tense (not the other way around)

4. Present Time (Now)

Present Continuous TenseI am eating my dinner right now.

Present Tense for non-action verbs

I want some chocolate ice cream.

5. Future Time

Future with willI will leave tomorrow

Future with be going toI am going to leave tomorrow.

Future Continuous tense

I will be leaving tomorrow.Future with Present Continuous tense

I am leaving tomorrow

Future with Present tenseI leave tomorrow.

6. Past Time


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Facts: Use Simple Past Tense only

I ate my breakfast at 7:00 this morning.

Relationship between two times.I had eaten my breakfast when my roommate left.

Relationship between events.

I was eating my breakfast when the telephone rang.Less Common Tenses

Thepast perfect progressive andfuture perfect progressive are not commonly used in English. Theyindicate action which occurs continuously over a period of time, when another action or event intervenes.

Some examples are included here for your reference.

Past Perfect Progressive

We had been playingbaseball for two hours yesterday when it started to rain.

I had been sendingout applications for months. Finally, I got a phone call.Future Perfect Progressive

We will have been flyingfor two hours when we cross the Mississippi River.

In August, I will have been studyinghere for three years.Often thepast perfect progressive andfuture perfect progressive can be replaced by their counterparts:past

perfectorfuture perfect.

I had been drivingfor hours when I stopped to rest.I had driven for hours when I stopped to rest.

By the time I get to Tempe, I will have been travelingall day.

By the time I get to Tempe, I will have traveledall day.

Subject-Verb Agreement

Third person singular -s

Use thes form of a verb in thepresent tense when the subject is third person singular.

For all other subjects, use the base form in the present tense.Example:

base form

I live in Athens.They live in Crete.

The Smiths live in Rome.-s form

He lives in Cyprus.

She lives in Malta.Tim lives in Naples.Ms. Conner lives in Milan.

The verb have

The s form of the verb have is has.

We have a winner.

He has a trophy.The verb be

Thes form (present tense) forbe is is. For the past tense, it is was.Was is also used with firstperson singular subjects (I) in the past tense.

(Am is used in the present tense.Are is used with other subjects in the present, and wereis used in the past.)

She is here.

He is not here.I am here too.

You are right.

They are wrong.


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She was home yesterday.

Ron wasnt home yesterday.

I was here yesterday.We were here too.

Auxiliary verbs

When auxiliary verbs are used, only the firstverb carries the third person singular s.Jean does not like spaghetti. (Correct)

Jean does not likes spaghetti. (Wrong!)Jean do not likes spaghetti. (Wrong!)

Elsa is eating her dinner. (Correct)Elsa is eats her dinner. (Wrong!)

Leo is going to eat later.

Frank has eaten lunch already. (Correct)Frank have eaten lunch already. (Wrong!)

Modals

Do not use thes form of the verb with modals, regardless of the subject.Ian can eat twelve bowls of rice. (Correct)

Ian can eats twelve bowls of rice. (Wrong!)

Action Vs. StatusSome English action verbs refer to events or actions that happen at a specific time, usually only once.

These verbs cannotbe used with how long or expressions of duration. Status verbs must be used to

indicate conditions which exist over periods of time.

Some common action/status pairs are as follows:

Action/Event (one time occurrence)

(present or past)become

get married

get engaged

get divorcedgraduate

diemeet

learn

find outbuy/purchase

get/aquire

fall asleep

fall in love

Status/Condition (long

time)

(present or present perfect)

be

be married

be engagedbe divorced

be out of school

be deadknow

know

knowhave

have/own

be asleepbe in love

For example,


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Problems with Verbs

1. Subject Verb Agreement

Third person singular -s

That man live in California. (wrong)

That man lives in California. (correct)

2. Wrong tenseWatch for key time words and phrases

Yesterday I go to the dance. (wrong)Yesterday I wentto the dance. (correct)

3. Passive and non-passive expressions

Extra be

What was happened last night? (wrong)What happenedlast night? (correct)

Omitted be

I concerned about my grades. (wrong)I am concerned about my grades. (correct)

4. Modal usageInsertion of toI had better to go. (wrong)

I had better go. (correct)

Non-base form after modalI could played basketball. (wrong)

I couldplay basketball. (correct)

5. Wrong word choice

I have met Johanna for five years. (wrong)I have known Johanna for five years. (correct)

Igotmarried last May.I was single last April.

I am married now.

How long have you gotten married?How long have you been married?

I metMr. Carter last week.

I have met Mr. Carter for one week.I have known Mr. Carter for one week.

Nathan became a doctor in 1998.

Nathan has become a doctor for two years.Nathan has been a doctor for two years.

Igraduatedlast August.

How long have you graduated?

How long have you been out of school?The babyfellasleep two hours ago.

The baby has fallen asleep for two hours.

The baby has been asleep for two hours

I found out the news yesterday.I have found out the news since yesterday.

I have known the news since yesterday.

(The ceremony occurred last May.)(Status previous to last May)

(Current status)

(Wrong!)(Correct)

(We saw each other the first time.)

(Wrong! I only met him once.)(Correct)

(Thats when he received his degree.)

(Wrong!)(Correct)

(Thats when the ceremony occurred.)

(Wrong!)

(Correct)(Changed from awake to asleep)

(Wrong!)

(Correct)

(Specific time)(Wrong!)

(Correct)


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Real Conditionals

Conditional sentences express a choice and the possible consequences of that choice.

There are three types of conditional sentences:Real, Unrealand Unreal Past. The first type is the easiest tolearn. It involves apresent choice and afuture consequence.

If you drive north for three miles, you will getto Columbus.

If he doesnt exercise, Fred willgain weight.If youpurchase a raffle ticket, you might win a car.

Real conditionalsentences contain two parts, the if clause, and the result clause.The if clause indicates the choice and is expressed inpresent tense. It indicates a choice and can be either

positive or negative. If statements can also imply the opposite choice and result.If you study hard you will pass the test.

If you dont study hard, you could fail.

(Choice and possible result)

(Implied opposite choice and result)

The result clause indicates the consequence orpossible consequence, and is expressed infuture tense or

with modals can, couldormight.If clauseIf you eat your spinach,

If I quit my job,

If Troy moves to Hollywood,

Result clauseyou will grow stronger.

I can spend more time with the kids.

he might become a movie star.Present unreal conditionals

Present unreal conditionals indicate a situation which is only imaginedor in some-one's mind. For

instance:

I wish I had a pony.If I had a pony, I would ride it every day.

(I dont really have a pony.)(I imagine what I would do.)

To formpresent unreal conditionals, usepast tense in the if clause and would + verb in the main clause.

A: What would you do if you hada million dollars?B: If I hada million dollars, I would investit in the stock market.

A: What would you do if you didnt have to come to school today?

B: If I didnt have to come to school, I would go to the amusement park.

Forpresent unreal conditionals, it is common to use were in place of all forms of be in the ifclause

(regardless of the subject).

If I were you, I would get a lawyer.If I were a lawyer, I would not charge you.

If she were a lawyer, Sheila would be rich.

Sometimes couldcan be used in place ofwouldin the main clause:

If I had more free time, I could travelaround the world.

Past ConditionalsPast conditionals are used when talking about decisions or actions that you wish had been different. They

indicate hypothetical situations from the past using if statements.

To form the past conditional, usepast perfectin the if clause. Verbs in the main clause will depend onwhether you are referring to the present or the past.

For example*

I wish I hadnt drunkso much last night. Now Ifeelterrible.

If I hadnt drunkso much last night, I wouldnt feelso terrible now.(past action and present consequence)

I wish I hadnt drunkso much last night. Ifeltterrible then.

If I hadnt drunkso much last night, I wouldnt have feltso terrible.(past action and past consequence)


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I wish I had lefthome sooner. I was late for the party last night.

If I had lefthome sooner, I wouldnt have been late for the party.

(past action and past consequence)I wish I had lefthome sooner. Now I am stuck in traffic.

If I had lefthome sooner, I wouldnt be stuck in traffic.

(past action and present consequence)Present Wishes

Present wishes indicate something that is contrary to fact. That is, wishes are something that is untrue butdesired. For example,

I wish that I had a sports car.I wish that I were a doctor.

(The truth is I dont have a sports car.)(Im really not a doctor.)

For present wishes, thepast tense is used in the that clause, because it indicates a situation that is only

imagined. Sometimes the word thatis omitted.She wishes (that) she had a diamond ring.

He wishes (that) he were rich.

To express possibility (can) and future intention (will), use the modals couldand wouldrespectively.She wishes that she could sing.

They wish that she would stop.

When a be verb is required, the word were is used, regardless of the subject.We wish you were here.

I wish (that) I were taller.

Past WishesPast wishes indicate things we imagine would have been different in the past, although we cannot changethem. For past wishes, use thepast perfectin the thatclause.

I wish (that) I had gone to Cincinnati

He wishes that he had been elected chairman.They wish they had won the lottery.

(I really didnt go.)

(He wasnt elected.)(They didnt win.)

Hope vs. Wish

Wish is most commonly used in hypothetical (or imagined) situations:

I wish that I had a dog. (I don't really have a dog, but if I did, I would be happy.)I wish (that) you were here. (Unfortunately, you're not, and I miss you.)

Sometimes wish is used in greeting and expressions of goodwill:

We wish you a "Merry Christmas."They wished him "Happy Birthday."

Wish me luck.

(S V IO DO)

Hope can also be used in expressions of goodwill, but the grammar is slightly different:I hope (that) you have a Merry Christmas.

I hope (that) you hada nice Birthday.

(some time in the future)

(some time in the past)Hope can be used to specify a desired outcome. Forfuture hopes, the possibilities remain open, but forpast

hopes, the outcome has usually been determined already.

I hope you can come to the party on Saturday.

I was hoping that you would come to the party.I had hoped to see you at the party on Saturday.

I hope to get an A on the exam.

I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow.

He hopes to be elected President.She hoped you wouldn't find her.

(future possibility)

(but you didn't make it)(but I didn't)

(it is still possible)

(although it might)

(it could happen)(but you probably did)

Wish and hope are also used in certain types of requests and pleasantries. In such situations, wish carries a

more definite and formal tone.I wish to see the doctor.

I hope to see you again.

(right now)

(anytime in the future)


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Prepositions of Location

The most common prepositions of location are

in outside (of)

on between

at beside

by beyond

near in front of nearby in back of

above behind

below next to

over on top of

under within

up beneath

down underneath

around among

through along

inside against

These prepositions are most commonly followed by "the" and a noun. Both the speaker and the listener

likely know which object is being referred to.

Examples,The keys are on the table. (We both know which table.)

The post office is next to the bakery. (Not: next to bakery)

Occasionally, prepositions can be used with "a/an." This usually indicates that the speaker knows of the

place, but the listener does not.For example,

I live by a river. (You probably don't know which one.)I live by the river. (You know the river I'm talking about.)

Prepositions: In, On, and At

Prepositions: In, On, and At (with specific times and places)

The prepositions in, on, and atcan be used to indicate time andplace. Notice how they are used in thefollowing situations:

Preposition Time Place

In Year, Month, (In 1999, In December) Country, State, (City In Japan, In Utah, In Taipei)

On Day, Date (On Saturday, On May 1) Street (On Main Street, On 1st Ave.)

At Time (At 8:00, At 7:30) Address (At 815 East Main Street)

In many languages, there is only one preposition for the above situations. In English there are three. Just

remember that in usually indicates the largest time or place, and atusually indicates the smallest time or

place.Examples:

A: Wheres your office? B:In Taipei, Taiwan.

A: Really? What part of Taipei? B: Its on Chung Shan North Road.A: I know that area. Where exactly is it?

B: Its at105 Chung Shan North Road, next to the bookstore.

C: When is the wedding? D: Its in June.


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C: What day? D: Its on Saturday, the 25th.

C: What time? D: It starts at6:00.

Preposition Collocations with Bebe absent from be absolved of be accepted as/to

be according to be accused of be accustomed to

be acquainted with be adamant about be addicted tobe affected by be afraid of be after

be alarmed at be aligned with be (all) set for be amazed at/by be an authority on be angry about/at/with

be annoyed at/with be anxious about be appropriate for be armed with be around be arrested for

be ashamed of be associated with be astonished at/by

be at it (again) be attached to be attracted tobe aware of be away from

be back (from) be bad at be bad for be banned from be based (up)on be behind (schedule)

be bent on be biased about be big on

be blamed for be blessed with be bored withbe bound for

be capable of be carried away about/withbe caught up in

be centered around be certain of be charged withbe classified as be clear about be clear to

be clever at be close to be cluttered (up) with

be a combination of be compared to be compensated for be composed of be comprised of be concerned about/with

be confident of be confused about be congratulated for/on

be connected to/with be conned into be considerate of

be considered for be content with be contrary tobe convenient for/to be convinced of be convicted of/for

be coordinated with be covered with be crammed into

be crazy about be credited with be criticized for/asbe crowded with

be dedicated to be delighted with be dependent (up)onbe devoted to be different from/than be disappointed about/at/in/with

be discouraged about be discriminated against be disgusted with

be disillusioned with be disqualified for be disposed of be distinguished from be divided into be divorced (from)

be done with be down be down on/with

be dragged into be dressed (up) in be drunk with/on

be east of be elected as/to be eligible for

be embarrassed about/at be encouraged by be entailed in

be engaged to/in be entrusted with be envious of be equal/equivalent to be equipped with be estranged from

be evicted from be excited about be expelled from

be faithful to be faced with be familiar with/to

be famous for be fanatic(al) about be fascinated with


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be fed up with be filled with be finished with

be fired for/from be followed by be fond of

be for the sake of be fraught with be free from/of be friendly to/with be frightened by/at be full of

be furnished with

be glad to be good at be good to

be gone to/with be grateful for/to be guilty of

be half-hearted about be hailed as be happy about/withbe hard on be headed for/to/toward be hired as/for

be hitched to

be immersed in be imposed (up)on be impressed by/with

be in be in accordance with be in agreement with

be an indication of be an issue of be in back of be in bed with be in cahoots with be in charge of

be in common with be in conjunction with be in contact with

be in control of be in danger of be in exchange for be in favor of be in front of be in honor of

be in hope(s) of be in love with be in need of

be in on be in place of be in possession of

be in proximity to be in reference to be in regard tobe in response to be in return for be in search of

be in store for be in sync with be in tandem with

be in the habit of be in the middle of be in the midst of be in the vicinity of be in time for be in touch with

be in trouble with/for be in tune with be incensed with

be inducted into be inferior to be infested with

be informed about be innocent of be insecure aboutbe insistent (up)on be interested in be into

be involved in be irritated at/with be isolated from

be jealous of

be kind of be kind to be knowledgeable aboutbe known as/for

be labeled as be leery of be left of/withbe less than be limited to be located at/near

be lower than

be mad at/about be made of/from be married to

be a matter of be the matter with be mean to

be meant to be a measure of be mindful of

be more than

be named as/after be next to be nice to

be notorious for be north of be nuts about

be obedient to be oblivious about/to be obsessed with


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be obvious to be off be okay with

be on be on behalf of be on the brink of

be on the edge of be on the verge of be on time for be on to be on top of be open about/for/to

be opposed to be opposite from be oppressed by

be out be out of be out of concern for be out of contact with be out of sync with be out of touch with

be outraged about be outspoken about be over with

be parallel to be partial to be patient withbe a pattern of be pegged as be perturbed at/about

be pleased with be polite to be popular with

be praised for/about be precious to be preoccupied withbe prepared for be prohibited from be promoted to

be provided with be proud of be psyched about

be punished for be put off by

be qualified for be a question of

be ready for be regarded as be related to

be relevant to be relieved of be remembered for

be rescued from be reserved for be responsible for

be retired from be rid of be rife withbe right to be riled up (about) be roped into

be rude to

be satisfied with be saved from be scared of

be selected as/for be sensible about be separated from

be set on be shocked at be short of

be sick of/about be a sign of be similar tobe soft on be sorry about/for be sort of

be south of be specialized in be spoken for

be startled at be strange to be a stranger tobe stressed out about be stuck on/with be stunned at

be subject to be sufficient for be suitable for

be superior to be sure of be surprised at/aboutbe suspected of be suspended from be a symbol of

be taken aback by/at be taken in by be tantamount tobe tapped as/by be terrified of/with be there for

be a threat to be through with be ticked off about

be tired of be tuned (in)to be to the left of be to the right of

be uncalled for be under arrest be under fire for

be under investigation forbe up against be up front withbe up in arms about be up on be up to

be upset about/with be uptight about be used for

be used to be useful to

be valued as/at be vindicated of


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be wary of/about be west of be whipped into

be wiped out be with it be with reference tobe with respect to be worked up about be worried about

be wrapped up in be wrong with

Basic ModalsModal auxiliary verbs are used to moderate the main verb, that is to enhance or restrict the verb to a certain

context.The most common modal auxiliaries in English are:

can may might mustcould should will would

Notice the usage of modals in the following sentences:

I pay my taxes. General declaration of fact. Paying taxes is something I normally do.I can pay my taxes. Expresses ability. I have the means (funds) to pay.

I might pay my taxes. Expresses possibility, but not certainty. Maybe I will pay; maybe I won't.

I will pay my taxes. Expresses future intent. I resolve to do it at some later time.I should pay my taxes.Expresses mild obligation. It is required, and I expect to comply.

I could pay my taxes. Expresses possibility. If I have nothing else to do with the money, I might pay taxes.

I would pay my taxes. (In this case), expresses reservation. If I had the money (but I don't). . .I must pay my taxes. Expresses strong obligation. I am required and have to comply.

Modals are followed by only the base form of the verb and are not used alone unless there is a clear

connection to a main verb.

He must to finish his homework.He must finish his homework.

Jack could heard the bell.

Jack could hear the bell.Penny will going to the movie.

Penny will go to the movie.

WRONGRIGHT

WRONG

RIGHTWRONG

RIGHT

There are many ways to make requests in English. The most common involves using the imperative andmodals. See the examples below:

Using the ImperativeThe imperative is the simple form of the verb. The

subject of an imperative sentence is understood as "you" although it is usually not spoken.

Open the door.Will you help me?

Pick up your toys.

Please help me.

(You) open the door.Yes, I will (help you).

(You) pick up your toys.

(You) please help me.The imperative is often used by persons of authority when speaking to subordinates, e.g. parent to child.

Using Modals

To show respect and politeness, most people use modal expressions when making requests. For example:Will you...?

Would you...?

Would you please...?

Could you (please)...?Could you possibly...?

Would you kindly...?

Would you mind (Ving )...?Would you be so kind as to...?

Will you open the door for me?

Would you open the door for me?

Would you please open the door (for me)?

Could you (please)...? Could you (please) open the door?Could you possibly open the door?

Would you kindly open the door?

Would you mind opening the door?Would you be so kind as to open the door?


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Common Problems with Modals1. Using "to" unnecessarily:

IncorrectThey going to meet us at the

theater.He should to eat his dinner.

I had better to go now.

You must not to use that pencil.

Correct

They are going to meet us at the theater.

He should eat his dinner.

I had better go now.You must not use that pencil.

2. Using anything but the base form after a modal:John could heard the bell.

Penny will going to themovie.

John could hear the bell.

Penny will go to the movie.

3. Using double modals:You should ought to speak

English.She might can help me.

You ought to speak English. /should speak

She might be able to help me.

4. Omitting "be" in certain modal expressions:

They going to meet us at the

theater.Jack supposed to take his medicine.

They are going to meet us at the theater.

Jack is supposed to take his medicine.

5. Using wrong word order in questions:How I can help you?

Where I should go for the

meeting?

How can I help you?Where should I go for the meeting?

Past ModalsPast modals come in two forms. The first type is the easiest and usually requires only a simple wordchange:

I can drive. (present ability)

I coulddrive when I was 16. (past ability)

I have to go to California. (present obligation)I hadto go to California. (past obligation)

Lenny will pay tomorrow. (future intention)

Lenny said he wouldpay tomorrow.(future reported from thepast)

Past modals with "have"

Somepast modals can be formed by using have + the past participle of the main verb immediately after themodal. (should have, could have, would have, etc.)

However, since modals expresspossibility, intention, obligation, etc., they do not always indicate a definite

tense. Therefore, when usingpast modals with have, special meanings need to be considered.I should go to the funeral. (I feel an obligation to go later.)

Ishould have gone to the funeral. (I didn't go. Now I regret it.)

Lex might take Karen to the airport. (It's a future possibility.)Lex might have taken Karen to the airport. (He may be on his way there now.)

Lex could have taken Karen to the airport. (Most likely he didn't.)

Lex would have taken Karen to the airport. (He didn't. He had an excuse.)

Otis didn't come to work yesterday. (past fact)He had to take care ofhis children. (past obligation)

His children must have been sick. (conjecture about the past)

Using Modals in various situations

Requesting Asking

Permission

Possibility Hinting Other


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Can you help me? Can I help you? I can use some

help.

I can help you.

Could you helpme?

Could I help you? I could use somehelp.

I could helpyou.

May I help you? I may need some

help. (probably)

I may help you.

I might needsome

help. (probably)

I might helpyou

Will you help me? I will need some

help. (most likely)

I will help you.

Would you help

me?

I would need

some help.

I would help

you.

(I guess I

probably cant

do it by myself.)

Would you mind Would you mind

ifhelping me? I helped you?

Necessity or Obligation

Sample sentences from the article:Each of us has to finish two thick books.

he was expectedto complete

Have to / Has to / Had to

Be expected to

These words express necessity or obligation. They usually indicate that someone else has imposedconditions on us. For example:

I have to take out the garbage. (Its something I must do now. My mother told me to do it.)

I am expected to take out the garbage. (Its a regular responsibility, a daily chore that my parents have givenme.)

A related expression is be supposed to.

I am supposed to clean my room. (Im required to do it.)

In the negative, these expressions have different meanings. For example:I dont have to go to the dance this weekend. (There is no obligation. I can choose to go or not.)

Im not expected to go to the dance this weekend. (There is no expectation. People will be surprised if I do

go.)Im not supposed to go to the dance this weekend. (Im prohibited from going. It would probably be rude for

me to go.)

Modals Chart

Modal Past Modal Negative Negative Past

Can Could Can'tCannot

Couldn'tCould not

Could Could have Could not Couldn't have

Could not have


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Will Would Won't

Will not

Wouldn't

Would not

Would Would have Wouldn't

Would not

Wouldn't have

Would not have

May May have May not May not have

Might Might have Might not Might not have

Should Should have Should not Should not have

Must Had toMust have

Must notMustn't

Must not have

Ought to Ought to have Ought not to Ought not to have

Have to

Has to

Had to Don't have to

Doesn't have to

Didn't have to

Did not have to

Have got to

Has got to

Be going toBe supposed to Was/were Is/are/am/not going toIsn't/aren't/am not supposed to Wasn't/weren't going toWasn't/weren't supposed to

Be able to Was/were able to Isn't/aren't able to Wasn't/weren't able to

Be to Was/were to Is/are/am/not to Wasn't/weren't to

Need to

Needs to

Needed to Doesn't need to Didn't need to

Needn't

Had better Had better not

Used to Didn't use to

Be about to Was/were about to Is/are/am not about to Wasn't/weren't about to

Would rather Would rather have Would rather not Would rather not have

Good English Grammar

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