English Grammar Rules PDF

Ways to express… 1. Indirect Questions We normally use indirect questions when we want to be more polite. What time is it? (direct question) Could you tell me what time it is? (indirect question) In indirect questions, the order is subject + verb. Can you tell me what time do the shop...

Ways to express… 1. Indirect Questions We normally use indirect questions when we want to be more polite. What time is it? (direct question) Could you tell me what time it is? (indirect question) In indirect questions, the order is subject + verb. Can you tell me what time do the shops close? Can you tell me what time the shops close? 1. Can you tell me …? Can you tell me where I can find a bank? 2. Could you tell me …? Could you tell me what you are afraid of? 3. Do you know …? Do you know if he's going to come? 4. Would you mind telling me …? Would you mind telling me what time it is? 5. Can I ask you …? Can I ask you how long you have been living here? 6. I was wondering… I was wondering where you found the recipe. 7. Do you have any idea …? Do you have any idea who the man in black is? Ways of expressing Future in English 1. using present continuous for plans or arrangements. We're having a tea party this afternoon. 2. using present simple for something scheduled. The train arrives at 6.30 in the morning. 3. using "will" to express beliefs about the future. I think Brazil will win the World Cup. 4. using " be going to" to talk about plans and intentions. I'm going to drive to work today. 5. using "should" if we think there's a good chance of something happening We should be home in time for tea. Ways of expressing Purpose 1. to I am saving money to buy a new car. 2. so as not to I'll take the taxi so as not to be late. 3. so that He whispered so that nobody would hear him. 4. in order to I am studying hard in order to pass the exam. 5. for + noun/gerund She is taking Spanish classes for her job. Uses of… 1. Present Simple 1. we use this tense to talk about things that are always/generally true or facts. Apples grow on trees. 2. we use this tense for giving directions or instructions. You walk for 200 meters, then you turn left. 3. we use this tense for short actions that are happening "now". The actions are so short that they are finished almost as soon as you've said the sentence. He kicks the ball and scores. 4. we use this tense to talk about habits or things we do regularly (repeated actions that continue for a long time). They wake up late on weekends. 5. we use this tense for future actions or events set by a timetable (scheduled events). The show starts in 30 minutes. 6. we use this tense for permanent situations that we feel will continue for a long time. My grandparents live in the countryside. 7. we use this tense in the first and zero conditionals. If it rains, we will cancel our picnic. 2. Present Progressive (Continuous) 1. we use this tense to talk about actions that are taking place at the moment of speaking. Liam is chatting with his friends. 2. we use this tense to talk about actions that are taking place around "now" but not at the exact moment of speech. Sarah is learning to drive. 3. we use this tense with words such as "always" or "constantly" to express the idea that something annoying or irritating happens very often. He is always complaining about everything. 4. we use this tense to talk about an action or event in the near future, which has already been planned. They are having a party next weekend to celebrate their anniversary. 5. we use this tense for temporary or new habits. He is eating a lot these days. 6. we use this tense to describe situations that are changing. Your English is improving. The climate is changing rapidly. 7. we use this tense to describe temporary situations I'm staying at my friends until I find an apartment. 3. Past Simple 1. we use this tense to talk about a completed action in the past We gave her a doll for her birthday. 2. we use this tense to talk about a series of completed actions in the past I got up, switched off the radio, and sat down again. 3. we use this tense for stories or lists of events in the past 4. we use this tense with the second conditional If I won the lottery, I would buy a house. 5. we use this tense to express habits in the past (actions that happened several times in the past) She always visited her grandparents in the summer. 4. Past Progressive (Continuous) 1. we use this tense to talk about actions in progress at a time in the past I was working in the garden at that time. 2. we use this tense to talk about an ongoing action in the past that was interrupted by another action in the past He took a picture of me while I was not looking. 3. we use this tense for the background in a story written in the past tense The restaurant was busy. The waiters were rushing around serving people, customers were ordering food and drinks and outside it was raining heavily. 4. we use this tense to express changing states They were growing up so fast. 5. we use this tense to express parallel actions in the past The monkeys were eating bananas while the tourists were taking pictures of them. 6. we use this tense with words such as "always" or "constantly" to express the idea that something annoying or irritating happened very often in the past They were always fighting over trivial matters. 5. Present Perfect Simple 1. we use this tense to talk about recently completed actions whose results are visible in the present John has broken his leg, and he is in hospital. 2. to talk about an actions which happened within a specific time period which is not over at the time of speaking She has read three books this week. 3. we use this tense to talk about past experiences He has been to the moon. He’s an astronaut. 4. we use this tense to talk about how much of something we have done or how many times we have done something up to now I’ve seen this film three times. This shop has been robbed four times. 5. we use this tense with stative verbs, like be, know, have, etc., to talk about situations that started in the past and still continue. We normally use expressions like for , since, lately, all day, etc. We’ve known each other since we were kids. 6. Present Perfect Continuous 1. we use this tense with dynamic verbs to talk about situations that started in the past and still continue or have just finished, and often have present results He has been washing his car for an hour. 2. we use this tense with dynamic verbs to describe situations that started in the past and still continue when we want to emphasize how long the situation has lasted I have been waiting for hours! Present perfect simple or continuous? Situations that started in the past and still continue We can use either the present perfect simple or continuous for situations that started in the past and still continue. But we must use the present perfect simple with stative verbs, and we normally use the present perfect continuous with dynamic verbs (although the present perfect simple is also possible.) We’ve had this car for years. I haven’t been sleeping well lately. Finished and unfinished situations We use the present perfect simple to talk about finished actions in the past and the present perfect continuous to describe situations (happening from the past till now) that may or may not have finished. Who has eaten my cookies? (=We would say this if there are no cookies left) Who has been eating my cookies? (=We would say this if there are some cookies left) I’ve been watching the series you recommended. I’ll tell you about it when I finish watching it. I’ve watched the series you recommended. I watched the last episode yesterday. Actions with present results We can use both present perfect simple or continuous for recent actions with a present result, but we use the present perfect simple when the present results come from having finished the action, and we use the present perfect continuous when the present results come from the process of performing the action (which may or may not have finished). Look how nice my car looks. I’ve washed it. Sorry, I’m so sweaty. I’ve been washing my car. Uses of the Conditional We use the Conditional: 1. to talk about things that are generally true, especially for laws or rules. When the sun goes down, it gets dark. 2. to talk about future situations we believe are real or possible. If it doesn't rain tomorrow, we'll go to the beach. 3. to imagine present or future situations that are impossible or unlikely in reality. If I won a lot of money, I'd buy a big house in the country. 4. to imagine a different past, where something did or did not happen, and to imagine a different result. If I had cleaned the house, I could have gone to the movies. Uses of the Passive We use the Passive: 1. when who or what causes the action is unknown or unimportant. My bike has been stolen. 2. when is obvious to the listener or reader who the agent is. The murderer has been arrested. 3. when we want to change the focus from the agent to the recipient of the action. The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci. 4. to focus on objective or factual information, like in scientific writing. Samples were collected from six countries. 5. with a generalised agent (people in general are the agents). Smart phones are used for many different things. 6. in describing processes, when the emphasis is on the actions and not on the people who perform them. After they had been picked, the grapes were crushed with bare feet. Uses of the definite article "the" We use the definite article (the): 1. with a superlative adjective. Max is the tallest boy in his class. 2. with adjectives like rich, poor, elderly to talk about groups of people. Life can be very hard for the poor. 3. with countries whose names include words like kingdom, states or republic. She sent me a postcard from the United States. 4. with nouns that refer to something or someone that is unique. We are going to see the Statue of Liberty this weekend. 5. when a particular noun has already been mentioned previously. I ate an apple yesterday. The apple was juicy and delicious. State verbs which change their meaning when in the continuous form 1. have. I'm having breakfast now. = I am eating breakfast now. 2. be. Johnny is being silly again. = Johnny is behaving in a silly way again. 3. see. We are seeing our friends tonight. = We are meeting our friends tonight. 4. think. She is thinking about her future. = She is considering her future. 5. weigh. The man is weighing the fruit. = The man is measuring the weight of the fruit. Five categories of verbs that are not normally used in progressive forms: 1. verbs of feeling: I love rain. 2. verbs of thinking: She didn't believe him at first. 3. verbs used for the senses: I often see her crying. 4. verbs of measurement: The red dress fits me perfectly. 5. verbs of possession: Does this book belong to you? Uses of could 1. to express possibility in the present and the future. Let's get inside. The storm could get worse. 2. to make suggestions. Could you get an earlier plane? 3. to ask for permission. Could I borrow your pencil? 4. to talk about past ability. When she was little, she could easily touch her toes. 5. as a conditional If you're not working tomorrow, we could go on a picnic. Uses of would: 1. to make polite requests or offers. Would you please give me a glass of water? 2. as a conditional to describe what we would do in imaginary situations. If I had more free time, I would read more. 3. to talk about repeated actions in the past. When we were young, we would get up early every morning to go to school. 4. to describe past beliefs about the future. When I broke my leg, I thought I would never dance again. 5. as the past form of "will" in reported speech. He promised he would be there. Uses of the pronoun "it" 1. SINGULAR NOUN ( a thing/ place/ organization/ animal/ abstract) : Have you listened the concert? It was fabulous. 2. TO REPRESENT A YOUNG BABY OF EITHER SEX : Her baby is sick, it caught a cold. 3. TO "ANTICIPATE" SOMETHING WHICH APPEARS LATER IN THE SENTENCE: It's a pity you can't come to my party. 4. TO REFER TO AN ALREADY STATED ACTION OR INFORMATION: It all happened a long time ago. 5. WEATHER/ CLOCK/ DATE: It's Saturday. Uses of shall/should 1. to make promises: You shall have a bicycle for your birthday if you’re good. 2.to make offers: Shall I take your coat? 3. to make suggestions: Shall we meet at the theatre? 4. to give advice: You should sleep more. 5. to make a deduction: He should be here by now. 6. to express opinion: They should rent a car for the weekend. Uses of must 1. to express obligation: You must be back before ten o’clock. 2. to express necessity : We must see what can be done about it. 3. to make deductions: Dinosaurs were very big, they must have eaten a lot. 4. for estimating statements: He must be over sixty. 5. to express prohibition: Visitors must not feed the animals. 6. to give strong advice: You must not speak like that to your parents. Uses of may/might 1. to grant/refuse permission : They may go. 2. to express having permission: We may go! 3.to request permission: May I come in ? 4. to express possibility in the present/ future: They may/ might come today/ tomorrow. 5. to speculate about the past: He might have left earlier than usual. 6. to make offers: May I bring you a cup of tea? 7. to make suggestions: You might try adding a little more sparkle. 8. to give advice: You might want to keep your voice down. Uses of the indefinite article 1. to introduce something new to the reader or listener There is an elephant behind us. 2. to refer to a general thing, not something specific I'm thinking about buying a car. 3. with singular nouns that can be counted Would you like a cup of coffee? 4. to talk about someone’s job or occupation He is a scientist. 5. with some expressions describing time and quantity Once a week I visit my grandparents. Uses of the zero article 1. with proper nouns: Her name is Penelope. 2. with abstract nouns: We seldom see courage like that. 3. with days of the week and months: I was born in June. 4. with means of transport: We went to the festival by car. 5. with places: I have always wanted to go on safari in Africa. Uses of the to infinitive 1. after certain verbs particularly verbs of thinking , feeling and saying: Promise to call me every day. 2. to express purpose: He bought some flowers to give to his wife. 3. with the adverbs too and enough to express the reasoning behind our satisfaction or insatisfaction: It's too expensive to eat there. 4. after adjectives of emotion such as: angry, happy, glad, sad, sorry, surprised, to express the reason for the emotion: I’m glad to see you. 5. after a WH- word such as: how, what, where, whether, which, who, whom: We have no idea what to get for Tim’s birthday. Uses of bare infinitive(short infinitive) A bare infinitive is an infinitive that does not need the particle to. 1. after modal verbs: He can speak five languages. 2. after the interrogative word 'why' , to make suggestions: Why wait outside? We can wait inside the house till the taxi gets here. 3. after the expressions 'had better' and 'would rather': I would rather stop now. 4. after the prepositions 'except,' 'but,' and 'than: He had nothing left to do except wait for the rain to stop. 5. after verbs of perception (see, watch, notice, observe, feel, hear…): I heard him sing in the bathroom. Uses of the gerund A gerund is a word like “swimming” in the sentence “I have always enjoyed swimming.” The term refers to the “-ing” form of a verb when it functions as a noun. 1. in compound nouns: They have a swimming pool in their back yard. 2. after the expressions can't help, can't stand, to be worth, & it's no use: It's nouse crying. 3. Verbs followed by gerund/infinitive 1. love : Children love playing with their friends./ Children love to play. 2. prefer: She prefers eating a light dinner./ She prefers to eat a light dinner. 3. remember: I remember locking the door. / I remembered to lock the door. 4. forget: She forgot calling her friend./ She forgot to call her friend. 5. like: They like skiing. / They like to ski. Uses of inversion 1. when a sentence starts with a negative adverb: Rarely does she lose her temper. Hardly, scarcely and barely are followed by when in the contrasting clause, and no sooner is followed by than. 2. when 'here' and 'there' are used as adverbs of place at the beginning of a sentence: Here's your coffee, sir. 3. after 'so + adjective...that' : So beautiful was the girl that nobody could talk of anything else. 4. prepositional phrases with no( under no circumstances, on no account, at no time, in no way, on no condition…): Under no circumstances are you to walk home alone at night. 5. Only + time expression: Only later did they discover they hadn't been told the truth. 6. expressions beginning with 'not'(not only, not for one moment, not since, not until): Not for one moment did I think he would do such a thing.