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Essential English Grammar Lesson 5

Maria English Society (Revised 2016)

Maria English Society

Essential English Grammar Teaching Notes - Unit 5

Table of Contents

Verb tenses

- The simple present tense

- The simple past tense

- The simple future tense

- The present continuous tense

- The past continuous tense

- The present perfect tense

- The present perfect continuous tense

- The past perfect tense

- The past perfect continuous tense

- The future continuous tense

- The future perfect tense

- The future perfect continuous tense

- A summary of the twelve tenses

Verb forms

- Finite verbs and non-finite verbs (Verbals)

- Auxiliary verbs

- Verbs of sensation

- Causative verbs

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Unit 5

Verb tenses

Sentence (A) is about present time: this year, today, this week.

Sentence (B) is about past time: last year, yesterday, last week.

Sentence (C) is about future time: next year, tomorrow, next week.

As you can see, the verbs have a different form to show these different times.

Present Past Future

am

have

do

was

had

did

will be

will have

will do

These different forms are called tenses.

The present tense is used for actions in present time.

The past tense is used for actions in past time.

The future tense is used for actions in future time.

was is will be

past present future

(A) This week the students do their lessons in Room 4.

(B) Last week they did them in Room 3.

(C) Next week they will (they’ll) do them in Room 5.

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Simple present tense

This week the students do their lessons in Room 4.

( ) now

Simple past tense Last week they did their lesson in Room 3. ( )

now

Simple future tense Next week they will do their lesson in Room 5.

( )

now

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Present continuous tense

now

I am writing on the blackboard.

You are learning grammar.

Tom is reading his book.

The present continuous tense expresses an action that is still going on now.

It is quite easy to make the present continuous. As you see, it has two parts. The first part is the

present tense of the verb be (am, is or are). The second part is the form of the verb that ends in -ing:

learning, reading, singing, etc.

The present continuous tense is made by using am, is, or are with the-ing form of the verb.

When you make the-ing form of a verb, notice these points of spelling:

1. Verbs that end in a silent -e, drop this -e when they add-ing: dance, dancing; write, writing; save,

saving.

2. Some verbs double the last letter: stop, stopping; get, getting; hit, hitting.

3. Verbs ending in-ie, change this to-y: lie, lying; die, dying; tie, tying.

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The present continuous tense with future meaning

The present continuous tense is also frequently used with future meaning. In this use it is

associated with adverbs of future time:

Soon, this evening, tomorrow, next week, tonight, in a few minutes, next summer, later this year (month,

week)

He intends to go to the cinema this evening.

= He is going to the cinema this evening.

Exercise

Change these sentences in the same way into the form with the present continuous tense:

1. The Jones family plan to go to Italy this summer.

2. Do you want to go to the concert tonight?

3. John plans to sell his car this week and to buy a new one.

4. I must leave immediately, I hope to catch a bus in a few minutes.

5. Please wait a moment! I promise to come soon.

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Past continuous tense

Sometimes we want to speak of an action that was going on or continuing in the past time. In that

case we use the past tense of the verb be with the –ing form of the verb.

Compare the present continuous and the past continuous.

We are looking at this grammar book now. (present continuous)

At 6:00pm yesterday, we were looking at this grammar book. (past continuous)

6:00pm now

The past continuous is very often used to show that an action was going on (or continuing) at a

time when something else happened. An example will make that clear. Let’s take an action that was

still continuing:

‘As I was coming to school this morning …’

Then something happened:

‘… I saw a car run into a bus. ’

now

Notice that the thing that suddenly happened is expressed by the simple past tense (saw).

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Here are some further examples:

Past Continuous (action going on) Simple Past (for new action)

The teacher was giving us a lesson when a little dog walked into the room.

While we were having supper, all the lights went out.

The fire was still burning when I passed the house the next day.

While the man was looking in the shop window, the thief picked his pocket.

Sometimes the sentences may be the other way round, with the verb in the simple past tense first,

and the verb in the past continuous tense second:

Simple past Past continuous

All the lights went out while we were having supper.

When I passed the house next day, the fire was still burning.

Harry did his homework while the other boys were playing football.

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Simple present tense and present continuous tense

Do you know when to use the simple present tense and when to use the present continuous tense?

Compare these sentences.

(A) Mary plays the piano every evening.

(B) Mary is playing the piano now.

(A) You often write on the blackboard.

(B) You are writing on the blackboard now.

What is the difference between sentences (A) and sentences (B)?

The present continuous tense truly expresses an action in the present time, an action that is

happening now. ‘Mary is playing the piano’ and ‘I am writing on the blackboard’ mean that these

actions are going on at this very moment. They haven’t ended when I say (or write) those sentences.

The simple present tense is generally used for an action that is done regularly, for an action that

happens, perhaps, every day. So you often find words like usually, generally, every day, sometimes, always

with it.

The present continuous tense is used for an action that is still continuing now.

The simple present tense is used for a repeated or habitual action.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

now

In the simple present tense the 3rd person singular ends in-s.

Examples

he sits she reads

he washes she goes

he tries she cries

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The present perfect tense

Look at these sentences.

aux past participle

I have opened the door.

I have written my name.

He has opened the door.

He has written his name.

We have closed our books.

You have asked me a question.

They have shaken hands.

Notice that all these verbs have two parts. The first is have (or has); the second is the past participle.

The form of a verb shows two things:

1. when an action happens;

2. whether the action is finished or not.

In the sentences that we have just written down, it is quite clear that the action is finished. But the

speaker's interest is in the result of the action:

1 2

now

Finished action Result of the action

I have opened the door. (Look. It’s open.)

I have written my name. (Look. There it is on the board.)

You have asked me a question. (And now I’m answering it.)

So the present perfect tense is used when we are thinking more about the present result than about

the past action.

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The present perfect tense is formed by using have/has and a past participle.

The present perfect tense forms its negative by putting not after have (or has). It forms its interrogative by changing the order of the subject and the verb have. (You would expect this of course, because have is one of the auxiliaries.) Here are some examples:

You have opened the door. (affirmative)

You haven’t opened the door. (negative)

Have you opened the door? (interrogative)

Comparison of the present perfect and simple past tenses

Let’s compare the present perfect tense and the simple past tense.

The following adverbs and adverb phrases of time are often used with the simple past tense.

an hour ago last month yesterday

ten minutes ago last year on Tuesday

two months ago last week in 1982

ten years ago last summer then

John opened the door yesterday.

After that, he wrote his name.

Then I asked a question.

John and Richard shook hands a few minutes after that.

Then you all closed your books.

The simple past tense is used when we are thinking of an action completed in the past.

Sometimes the context and the simple past tense tell the hearer or reader that our interest is in the

past.

The following adverbs and adverb phrases of time are often used with the present perfect tense.

just since yesterday

yet since last week

already or one hour

up to now for three years

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Example

Richard has just answered the question.

I have already opened the door.

Have you sent the Tower of London yet?

I haven’t finished lunch yet.

I have done English grammar for two years up to now.

I haven’t eaten anything since early this morning.

We haven’t had a letter from them for a year.

We have nearly finished supper.

The present perfect tense is used when we are thinking more of the present result ('up to now')

than about the past action.

Exercise

Supply either the present perfect tense or the simple past tense. Put the adverbs in the correct position in the sentence. 1. I just (tell) you the answer. 2. I (tell) you the answer yesterday. 3. George never (fly) to Japan up to the present. 4. John and Richard just (go) away. 5. She already (answer) the letter. 6. She (answer) it on Tuesday. 7. John and David (go) away five minutes ago. 8. I (read) that book in the summer holidays. 9. The baker (sell) all his cakes. 10. He (sell) the last one half an hour ago.

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The difference between Simple Past Tense and Present Perfect Tense

1. We use past tense when the action occurred in the past. In other words we stress on the action

that happened in the past.

I made friend with Alice three years ago.

(We didn’t have much contact since then.)

But, with the same past action, when we stress on its result or effect, we use Present Perfect Tense:

I have made friend with Alice for three years.

(We are very closed now.)

To put the case in simple words, we notice the time of the past action, and we use past

tense. If we notice the result or effect of the same past action, we use present perfect tense.

2. We use the present perfect tense to show the speaker’s feeling or emotion towards the past

action.

Compare:

I have taken care of my sick old friend for two years.

I took care of my sick old friend two years ago.

(There is no feeling of the speaker shown.)

3. We use the present perfect tense when we can’t identify the time of the past action.

Examples:

They have moved into a new apartment.

I have already seen that movie.

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The Present Perfect Continuous Tense

The present perfect continuous tense is used to express an action that began in the past and is still

continuing.

I have been learning English grammar for two years.

1 2 3

……

now

It means ‘up to now’ and so it is present perfect continuous.

Here are some more examples. As you see this tense is made by using the-ing form of the verb

(learning) with have (has) been.

Mr. Thomas has been teaching in this school for twenty years.

Have you seen Richard? We’ve been looking for him all the afternoon.

I’ve been working on this model engine for six weeks. It’s nearly finished now.

It’s been raining for two days. Do you think it will ever stop?

George is a hard worker. He’s been digging in the garden all morning.

Exercise

Change the following from the present tense into the present perfect continuous tense by putting in

the adverb phrase given in the box.

1. I am learning English grammar.

2. The teacher is teaching in this school.

3. We are looking for Richard.

4. Fred is working on his radio set.

5. It is raining hard.

all day, all the afternoon, since breakfast time,

since last June, for two years

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The past perfect tense

Suppose we want to say that before he came to England, Ali learned English. Then we use the past

perfect tense for the action that happened first, and we use the simple past tense for the other

action. We say:

Ali had learned English before he came to England.

1 2

now

or

Ali came to England after he had learned English.

For another example, we are going to a football match, but we are late. When we arrive at the

football field, the teams are already playing. Then when we tell somebody about it afterwards, we

say:

When we reached the field, the game had started.

(Before)

One action (the game starting) happened before the other action (our arrival on the football field).

The earlier action is in the past perfect tense (had started): the later action (reached) is in the simple

past tense.

Here are some further examples.

Before the fire-engines arrived, the fire had destroyed the house.

When Margaret had finished her homework, she turned on the radio.

(After)

I had already got home before it began to rain.

The past perfect tense is used to show that one action happened before another action in the past.

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The past perfect continuous tense

We use the Past Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up

until another time in the past. "For five minutes" and "for two weeks" are both durations which can

be used with the Past Perfect Continuous. Notice that this is related to the Present Perfect

Continuous; however, the duration does not continue until now, it stops before something else in

the past.

1 2

now

Examples:

They had been talking for over an hour before Tony arrived.

She had been working at that company for three years when it went out of business.

How long had you been waiting to get on the bus?

Mike wanted to sit down because he had been standing all day at work.

James had been teaching at the university for more than a year before he left for Asia.

A: How long had you been studying Turkish before you moved to Ankara?

B: I had not been studying Turkish very long.

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The Simple Future Tense

( )

now

The future 1: will

In an earlier lesson you saw how we use will and the base form of the verb for the future tense.

I will

You will

He will

We will

They will

be twelve years old next year.

The negative is formed by adding not (will is one of the ‘peculiars’). Will not is often shortened to

won’t.

I will not (won’t)

You will not (won’t)

He will not (won’t)

We will not (won’t)

They will not (won’t)

be twelve until next year.

The interrogative is formed by inversion.

Will you

Will he

Will they

be twelve years old next year?

Here are some more examples of the use of the future tense.

I hope it won’t rain; if it does, we’ll have to stay in.

You won’t need an umbrella.

Will you come with us on our walk?

No, I’ll stay at home and get the tea ready.

The future tense is used for actions expected to happen in the future.

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The Future Continuous Tense

At a point of time in future an action is happening.

I will be eating my lunch at 1 p.m. tomorrow.

We give our attention to the point of time (1 p.m. tomorrow).

The Future Perfect Tense

An action will be completed before another action or time in future.

I will graduate in May. I will see you in June.

By the time I see you in June, I will have graduated.

We give our attention to the individual action (not point of time).

The Future Perfect Continuous Tense

The duration of an activity will be in progress

before another time or another action in future.

I will go to bed at 10 p.m.

Ted will get home at 12 midnight.

At 12 midnight I will be sleeping.

So I will have been sleeping for 2 hours by the time Ted gets home.

The future perfect continuous tense = the future continuous tense + the future perfect tense.

Now (May) June

Now 1:00p.m.

….

Now (10:00) 12:00

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A summary of the twelve tenses

Here is a table of the verb walk used in different tenses.

Past Present Future

Simple

a. I walked

a. I walk

a. I will walk

Continuous

b. I was walking

b. I am walking

b. I will be walking

Perfect

c. I had walked

c. I have walked

c. I will have walked

Perfect

continuous

d. I had been walking

d. I have been walking

d. I will have been walking

Here are examples of all the twelve tenses.

Present tense

1. a. I walk five kilometers every day. It takes one hour.

b. I am walking now, and I’ll end my work at 4 o’clock.

c. It’s 4 o’clock, and I have walked five kilometers.

d. It’s 3:30, and I have been walking since 3 o’clock.

Past Tense

2. a. I walked five kilometers yesterday. I started at 3 o’clock.

b. I was walking when you saw me at 3:30.

c. At 4 o’clock I had walked five kilometers, and I stopped.

d. At 3:30 yesterday I had been walking for half an hour.

Future tense

3. a. I’ll walk five kilometers as usual tomorrow. I’ll start at 3 o’clock.

b. I’ll still be walking at 3:30.

c. I’ll have walked my usual five kilometers by 4 o’clock tomorrow.

d. By 3:30 tomorrow I’ll have been walking for half an hour.

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Exercise

Suppose you are an author. You write one thousand words every day. You start at 8 o’clock and

you stop at 12 noon. Can you make examples like the examples of the 12 tenses above? Your

first example might be:

1. a. I write 1000 words everyday. It takes 4 hours.

b. ______________________________________________________________

c. ______________________________________________________________

d. ______________________________________________________________

2. a. ______________________________________________________________

b. ______________________________________________________________

c. ______________________________________________________________

d. ______________________________________________________________

3. a. ______________________________________________________________

b. ______________________________________________________________

c. ______________________________________________________________

d. ______________________________________________________________

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Exercise

Fill in each blank with the correct form of the verb in parentheses.

In every presidential election since 1952, voters across the nation (have) _have__ (be)

_been____ (ask) __asked___, “Generally speaking, do you usually (think)

__________ of yourself as a Republican, a Democrat, and independent, or what?”

Most voters (think) __________ of themselves as either Republicans or Democrats,

but the proportion of those who think of themselves as independents has (increasing)

__________ over time. The size of the Democratic Party’s majority has also (shrink)

___________. Nevertheless, most Americans today still (identify) __________ with

one of the two major parties, and Democrats still (outnumber) _________

republicans. The question on many politicians’ minds is whether this situation will

(continue) __________ or not.

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Exercise

Choose the correct answer for each of the sentence below.

1. My co-worker always _______ a cup of coffee as soon as he gets to work.

( A ) drinking ( B ) drink ( C ) are drunk ( D ) drinks

2. Since the development of advanced technology, weathermen _____ the weather forecast with

greater precision.

( A ) have report ( B ) had reported ( C ) are reporting ( D ) have reported

3. Most people _________ TV that night when the earthquake suddenly hit the aim.

( A ) were watching ( C ) have watched

( B ) watched ( D ) have been watching

4. He _______ a travel agency, since he was only twenty.

(A) owned (B) is owning (C) has owned (D) has been

5. Although the factory doesn't provide day care service for the employees, a care center

_________ nearby.

(A) is built (B) is being built (C) has built (D) had been

6. Ricardo's boss is still _______ for his explanation for not coming to the conference held on

Monday morning.

( A ) waited ( B ) wait ( C ) waits ( D ) waiting

7. Based on the latest census, the population of N. Y. _______ in the past five years.

( A ) have increasing ( C) is increasing

( B ) has increased ( D ) has been increased

8. The consulting firm _________ borrow more funds from the bank until it pays off all its

previous debt.

(A) doesn't (B) don't (C) won't (D) hasn't

9. Mr. Legesse cannot come to the phone right now since he _________ in a meeting.

(A ) was ( B ) has been (C) is (D) will be

10. While the secretary _________ for the delivered package, she was answering the phone.

(A ) is signing ( B ) was signing ( C ) signed ( D ) had signed

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Past tense and past participle:

Regular verbs

Form their past tense and past participle by adding -ed, or -d to the base. These are the regular verbs.

Here are some of them.

Base Simple past tense and past

participle

walk walked

open opened

play played

want wanted

dance danced

hope hoped

dream dreamed (or dreamt)

burn burned (or burnt)

Note that with some verbs we double the last consonant : stop – stopped. Some verbs that end in –y change the –y to –ied : cry – cried. The following sentences will show how we use the simple past tense and the past participle. The past participle is used with the auxiliary verb have to form the present perfect tense. I walk (simple present tense) to school every day. I walked (simple past tense) to school yesterday. I have walked (past participle) to school today, and here I am. As you can see from these examples, the simple past tense and the past participle have the same form (walked). All regular verbs are like this.

Irregular verbs

You have learned that a number of verbs (the regular verbs) make their simple past tense and past

participle by adding –d, -ed or –t to their base. But there are a number of verbs that don’t make their

simple past tense and past participle like this. Instead, some of them change their vowel sound.

They are the irregular verbs.

Here are a few of the commonest irregular verbs.

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Base Simple past tense Past participle

become became become begin began begun bite bit bit / bitten blow blew blown break broke broken bring brought brought catch caught caught choose chose chosen come came come dig dug dug draw drew drawn drink drank drunk drive drove driven eat ate eaten fall fell fallen fight fought fought find found found fly flew flown forget forgot forgotten forgive forgave forgiven freeze froze frozen get got got give gave given grow grew grown hang hung hung hold held held know knew known lie lay lain mistake mistook mistaken ride rode ridden ring rang rung rise rose risen run ran run see saw seen sell sold sold shake shook shaken shine shone shone sing sang sung sink sank sunk sit sat sat speak spoke spoken spring sprang sprung stand stood stood steal stole stolen stick stuck stuck swim swam swum teach taught taught take took taken 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

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Verb form : Finite verbs and non-finite verbs (Verbals) When we speak of a verb we don’t always mean just one word. A verb is rather like a family; it has several members. For example, the verb be has eight forms. It is a big family, the biggest of all. Most verbs have only six members. Give is an example: A B C D E F give gives gave given giving to give Let’s look at two other verbs and name the forms.

A B C D E F Base -s form 3rd person

singular present tense

Past tense Past participle -ing form present participle

to +v infinitive

give begin come

gives begins comes

gave began came

given begun come

giving beginning coming

to give to begin to come

Finite Verbs and Non-finite Verbs

A B C D E F

give gives gave given giving to give

A, B, and C are finite verbs. They form sentences. A finite verb can change for tense and voice : Jane gives him some money. (Present tense) Jane will give him some money. (Future tense) Some money will be given by Jane. (Passive voice) ‘Will give’ is a two-part finite verb. ‘will be given’ is a three-part finite verb. D, E, and F are non-finite verbs. They form phrases. Examples:

S V C

This is the money (given by Jane). – past participle phrase

S V C

The girl (giving out the money) is Jane. -- present participle phrase

S V C

It is kind (to give to the poor). -- infinitive phrase

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Exercise

Choose the correct answer for each of the sentences below.

1. ________ hundreds of technical specialists at the convention in Zurich last month.

(A) Several (B) Many of the (C) Having had (D) There were

2. Desktop publishing software ________ produce documents cheaply and quickly.

(A) helps (B) to help (C) helping (D) helper

3. The merchandise ________ from the warehouse on Wednesday.

(A) shipment (B) shipping (C) to be shipped (D) will be shipped

4. Stock prices ________ moderately yesterday, spurred by future-related buying about an

hour before the market closed.

(A) to rise (B) risen (C) rising (D) rose

5. The comptroller ________ to extend the lease for the warehouse through the next fiscal

year.

(A) intends (B) intending (C) intention (D) to intend

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Auxiliary verbs

An auxiliary (also called auxiliary verb, or helping verb) is a verb whose function is to give further

information about the main verb following it. It is often used together with the main verb to form

tenses.

First kind of auxiliary verbs: form tenses

aux V

I do not speak English.

She does not speak English.

He did not speak English.

We will have a lesson tomorrow.

Second kind of auxiliary verbs: give further information

aux V

She can speak English.

You may have another cake.

You must write in your book.

Tom ought to do his own work.

Negative forms

The auxiliaries form their negative simply by adding not.

Affirmative Negative

We will have a lesson tomorrow. We will not have a lesson tomorrow.

She can speak English. She cannot speak English.

You may have another cake. You may not have another cake.

You must write in your book. Yon must not write on the wall.

Tom ought to do his own work. He ought not to ask Lloyd to do it for him.

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Contracted forms

These negatives are often shortened, especially in conversation. Here are the contracted (shortened)

forms :

Negative Contracted form Negative Contracted form

is not isn’t cannot can’t

are not aren’t will not won’t

have not haven’t must not mustn’t

has not hasn’t ought not oughtn’t

Notice that the apostrophe (’) takes the place of the o of not.

Interrogative of verbs:

Inversion of the subject and the auxiliary verb also happens when the auxiliary verb help to make a tense. Method 1

Statement

Question

Simple present

I like ice-cream.

She likes ice-cream.

Do you like ice-cream?

Does she like ice-cream.

Present continuous

He is working hard.

They are working hard.

Is he working hard?

Are they working hard?

Simple past

He liked ice-cream.

Did he like ice-cream?

Past continuous

He was working hard.

They were working hard.

Was he working hard?

Were they working hard?

Future

She will help us.

Will she help us?

Present perfect

She has finished the exercise.

They have finished the exercise.

Has she finished the exercise?

Have they finished the exercise?

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Method 2

Statement

Question

He can speak English.

Can he speak English?

They can’t understand the lesson.

Can’t they understand the lesson?

They must go home now.

Must they go home now?

He mustn’t open the box.

Mustn’t he open the box?

John could swim when he was six years old.

Could John swim when he was six years old?

John couldn’t swim when he was six years old.

Couldn’t John swim when he was six years old?

. How to sort out the auxiliary verb

Statement Question

I like ice-cream. Do I like ice-cream?

do + like (aux)

She likes ice-cream. Does she like ice-cream?

does + like (aux)

He liked ice-cream. Did he like ice-cream?

did + like (aux)

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Modal auxiliaries

Auxiliary Uses Present / Future Past

may

(1) polite request

(only with I or we)

May I borrow your pen?

(2) formal

permission

You may leave the room.

(3) less than 50%

certainty

- Where’s John?

He may be at the library.

He may have been at the

library.

might (1) less than 50%

certainty

- Where’s John?

He might be at the library.

He might have been at the

library.

(2) polite request

(rare)

Might I borrow your pen?

should (1) advisability I should study tonight. I should have studied last

night, but I didn’t.

(2) 90% certainty

(expectation)

She should do well on the

test. (future only, not

present)

She should have done well on

the test.

ought to (1) advisability I ought to study tonight. I ought to have studied last

night, but I didn’t.

(2) 90% certainty

(expectation)

She ought to do well on the

test. (future only, not

present)

She ought to have done well

on the test.

had

better

(1) advisability with

threat of bad result

You had better be on time,

or we will leave without you.

(past form uncommon)

be

supposed

to

(1) expectation Class is supposed to begin at

10:00.

(2) unfulfilled

expectation

Class was supposed to begin at

10:00, but it didn’t begin until

10:15.

must (1) strong necessity I must go to class today. (I had to go to class yesterday.)

(2) prohibition

(negative)

You must not open that

door.

(3) 95% certainty Mary isn’t in class. She must

be sick. (present only)

Mary must have been sick

yesterday.

have to (1) necessity I have to go to class today. I had to go to class yesterday.

(2) lack of necessity

(negative)

I don’t have to go to class

today.

I didn’t have to go to class

yesterday.

have got

to

(1) necessity I have got to go to class

today.

(I had to go to class yesterday.)

will (1) 100% certainty

He will be here at 6:00.

(future only)

(2) willingness

- The phone’s ringing.

I’ll get it.

(3) polite request

Will you please pass the salt?

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be going

to

(1) 100% certainty

(prediction)

He is going to be here at

6:00 (future only)

(2) definite plan

(intention)

I’m going to paint my

bedroom. (future only)

(3) unfulfilled

intention

I was going to paint my room.

But I didn’t have time.

can (1) ability/possibility I can run fast. I could run fast when I was a

child, but now I can’t.

(2) informal

permission

You can use my car

tomorrow.

(3) informal polite

request

Can I borrow your pen?

(4) impossibility That can’t be true! That can have been true!

could (1) past ability I could run fast when I was a

child.

(2) polite request Could I borrow your pen?

Could you help me?

(3) suggestion

(affirmative only)

- I need help in math.

You could talk to your

teacher.

You could have talked to your

teacher.

(4) less than 50%

certainty

- Where’s John?

He could be at home.

He could have been at home.

(5)impossibility

(negative only)

That couldn’t be true! That couldn’t have been true!

be able

to

(1) ability I am able to help you. I will

be able to help you.

I was able to help him.

would (1) polite request Would you please pass the

salt?

Would you mind if I left

early?

(2) preference I would rather go to the park

than stay home.

I would rather have gone to

the park.

(3) repeated action

in the past

When I was a child, I would

visit my grandparents every

weekend.

(4)polite for “want”

(with like)

I would like an apple, please.

(5) unfulfilled wish I would have liked a cookie,

but there were none in the

house.

used to (1) repeated action

in the past

I used to visit my grandparents

every weekend.

(2) past situation

that no longer exists

I used to live in Spain. Now I

live in Korea.

shall (1) polite question

to make a

suggestion

Shall I open the window?

(2) future with “I”

or “we” as subject

I shall arrive at nine.

(will – more common)

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Verbs of Sensation

These seven verbs must be memorized to be followed by an infinitive without 'to', or by an -ing

form (present participle);

See, watch, notice, observe (eye).

hear (ear).

smell (nose).

feel (skin).

(a) I saw my friend run down the street.

(b) I saw my friend running down the street.

(c) I heard the rain fall on the roof.

(d) I heard the rain falling on the roof.

Certain verbs of perception are followed by either the simple

form* or the -ing form ** of a verb. There is often little

difference in meaning between the two forms, except that the -ing

form usually gives the idea of "while." In (b): I saw my friend

while she was running down the street.

(e) When I walked into the apartment,

I heard my roommate singing in the

shower.

(f) I heard a famous opera star sing at the

concert last night.

Sometimes (not always) there is a clear difference between using

the simple form or the -ing form. The use of the -ing form gives

the idea that an activity is already in progress when it is

perceived, as in (e): The singing was in progress when I first

heard it. In (f): I heard the singing from beginning to end. It was

not in progress when I first heard it.

More examples:

1. Have you ever seen her eat Chinese food?

2. Please watch me start the car.

3. Did you notice her leave the party?

4. Now you can observe the liquid turn blue.

5. She heard the baby cry.

6. The cat smell a rat hide under the table.

7. I felt the rain run down my neck.

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Using the simple form after let and help

(a) My father lets me drive his car.

(b) I let my friend borrow my bicycle.

(c) Let's go to a movie.

Let is followed by the simple form of a verb, not an

infinitive

INCORRECT: My father lets me to drive his car.

(d) My brother helped me wash my car.

(e) My brother helped me to wash my car.

Help is often followed by the simple form of a verb as in

(d).

An infinitive is also possible, as in (e). Both (d) and (e)

are correct.

Causative verbs

When someone makes something happen, you use a causative verb to show this. Look carefully at

the form of the verb in the clause that follows the causative verb. Some causative verbs are get, make,

have, order, want.

Active (perform the action)

INCORRECT [I had my coworker helped me.]

CORRECT I had my coworker help me.

Passive (receive the action)

INCORRECT [Mr. Watson will want the report will be returned soon.]

CORRECT Mr. Watson will want the report returned soon.

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More about causative verbs

Causative make (active)

- Mrs. Lee made her son clean his room.

- Sad movies make me cry.

Causative have (active)

- I had the plumber repair the leak.

- Jane had the waiter bring her some tea.

Causative get, want, order (active) + to

- The students got the teacher to dismiss class early.

- Jack wants his friends to play soccer with him after school.

Passive causative

- I had my watch repaired (by someone).

- I got my watch repaired (by someone).

Exercise

Select the answer that is appropriate in the context.

1. In the future, the company will not let its employees _____ .

(A) to work (C) worked

(B) be working (D) work

2. The sudden recession made the partnership ____ .

(A) fail (C) failed

(B) to fail (D) to be failed

3. The firm wants its products ____ safely.

(A) package (C) packaged

(B) be packaged (D) packaging

4. All employees were able to get their paychecks _____ .

(A) deposits (C) depositing

(B) deposited (D) be deposited

5. Personnel has had all the references _____ .

(A) checking (C) check

(B) checked (D) checks

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6. They said they had the equipment ________ yesterday.

(A) shipped (C) was shipped

(B) ship (D) was being shipped

7. She had Ms. Brunellji ____ the new clerk around yesterday.

(A) show (C) showing

(B) showed (D) was showed

8. The manager ordered the conference room _____ .

(A) repainting (C) repaint

(B) be repainted (D) repainted

9. What business will make its employees ____ on that holiday?

(A) will be working (C) be working

(B) worked (D) work

10. A smart consumer gets his or her phone order ____ in writing on.

(A) confirming (C) confirmed

(B) confirms (D) confirm

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Proofreading: Causative verbs

When I was a teenager, my parents never let me to play until I had finished all my

homework. They even made me helping my brothers with their homework before I

could have any fun. On the one hand, they certainly got me learn a lot. On the

other hand, they made me became too serious. I wish they had let me to have a

little more fun. When I become a parent, I want to have my child learns

responsibility, but at the same time I would want to let he or she to have fun. As

Ben Franklin said, “All work and no play makes Jack become a dull boy.” I want to

avoid that mistake.

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