Grammar in a Nutshell

Present Simple
Form
Affirmative: V (short infinitive)
I speak English. / He speaks English.
Negative: Do/Does + not + V (dont)
I dont speak English. / He doesnt speak English.
Interrogative: Do/Does + S + V
Do you speak English? / Does he speak English?
Negative-Interrogative: Do/Does + not + S + V
Dont you speak English? / Doesnt he speak English?
Time exressions that are used with present simple: usually, often, always,
every day/week/year, in the morning/afternoon/evening, at night, at the
weekend, on Sunday.
Se!!ing for the third erson sing"!ar:
1. Verbs ending in consonant + y => i + es : to try he tries but to play he
plays
!. Verbs ending in s" #$" #%" #sh" #ch => + #es ending : pass passes" watch
watches" bu$$ bu$$es" wa% wa%es
&. Verbs '( )( and '( G*' => + #es ending : do does" go goes
#se
1. +or repeated actions and daily routines
He drives to work every morning.
!. +or general truths.
he sun sets in the west.
&. +or o,,icial timetables and programmes -,uture e.ents/
he plane from imisoara arrives at !."#.
0. +or sport commentaries" re.iews or narrations
Hagi takes the $all, he shoots and he scores.
1. +or instructions or directions
%ou cut the sli&es of tomato and you put them on the $read.
2. 3nstead o, ,uture in subordinate clause o, time and condition.
'any will $e angry if you dont call her.
4. 3nstead o, present per,ect with .erbs li5e to hear, to know, to forget, to
win, to tell.
I hear she is ill. / hey tell me om is $a&k.
Present 6ontinuous
Form
Affirmative: S + To $e (resent sim!e) + V + ing
I am listening to musi& now.
Negative: S + To $e + not + V + ing
I am not listening to musi& now.
Interrogative: To $e + S + V + ing
(re you listening to musi& now?
Negative-Interrogative: To $e + not + S + V + ing
(rent you listening to musi& now?
Time exressions that are used with present continuous: now, at the moment,
at present, these days, still, nowadays, today, tonight.
#se
1. +or actions which ta5e place at the moment o, spea5ing
I am reading (tonement at the moment. / )hat are you doing now?
!. +or temporary actions or e%ceptions
I am looking for a *o$ these days. / I usually go to s&hool $y $us $ut
today I am going $y &ar.
&. +or actions which e%press irritation" annoyance and anger -usually
accompanied by ad.erbs such as: always, &onstantly, &ontinually/
He is always picking on me. / She is always coming home late.
0. +or personal plans that will ta5e place in the near ,uture
)hat are you doing tonight? / +e,t week were leaving for Spain.
1. +or changing or de.eloping situations -usually with .erbs such as to get"
to become/
It is getting late. / -randma is becoming older and older.
1
Present Per,ect Simple
Form
Affirmative: S + %ave / %as + &
rd
form of the V
I have written my homework today.
Negative: S + %ave / %as + not + &
rd
form of the V
I havent written my homework today.
Interrogative: %ave / %as + S + &
rd
form of the V
Have you written your homework today?
Negative-Interrogative: %ave/%as + not + S + &
rd
form of the V
Havent you written your homework yet?
Time exressions: for, sin&e, already, *ust, ever, never, so far, today, this
week/month/year et&., how long, lately, re&ently
#se
1. 'o e%press the present result o, a past action
I have seen this movie. -3 5now what it is about/
!. 7ctions completed in the near past -with ad.erbs o, time/
om has just left the room.
&. 8ith ad.erbs o, ,re9uency -ever, never, yet/
Have you ever been to .ondon?
0. 8ith un,inished periods o, time -today, in the afternoon, this week,
this term et&./
I have met om this week.
1. 8ith for -a period o, time up to the present/ and since -the point when
the acti.ity starts/
I have known 'ary for ten years.
I have been a tea&her of English sin&e /01".
Present Per,ect 6ontinuous
Form
Affirmative: S + %ave / %as + $een + V + ing
I have $een learning English for five years.
Negative: S + %ave / %as + not + $een + V + ing
He hasnt $een learning English for five years.
Interrogative: S + %ave / %as + S + $een + V + ing
Have you $een learning English for five years?
Negative-Interrogative: S + %ave / %as + not + S + $een + V + ing
Havent you $een learning English for five years?
Time exressions: for, sin&e, how long, lately, re&ently.
#se
1. 'o e%press an acti.ity begun in the past and still in progress.
I have been cleaning my room sin&e yesterday.
!. 'o e%press an acti.ity begun in the past which has only :ust ,inished.
I am sorry Im late2 Have you been waiting long?
&. 'o emphasise duration.
I have been waiting all morning.
0. 7 repeated acti.ity.
Ive been taking 3ren&h lessons this year.
1. 7 recently ,inished acti.ity.
Ive been running. hats why I look like this.
!
Past Simple
Form
Affirmative: for reg"!ar ver's ( S + V + -ed
for irreg"!ar ver's ( S + )
nd
form of the V
I played with the &at yesterday.
I went to s&hool yesterday.
Negative: S + did + not + V
3 did not go to school yesterday.
Interrogative: did + S + V
Did you go to s&hool yesterday?
Negative-Interrogative: did + S + not + V / didnt + S + V
Did you go to s&hool yesterday? / Didnt you go to s&hool yesterday?
Time exressions: yesterday, then, when, how long ago4?, last
night/week/month/year/'onday et&., three/two/ten et&. days ago, in /0!0
#se :
1. +or an action which happened at a de,inite time in the past.
)e went to the seaside last (ugust.
!. +or actions which happened one a,ter the other in the past descriptions.
he lady paid the driver, then she got off the ta,i and ran towards the yellow
house.
&. +or past habits or states which are now ,inished.
5uildings were very different two hundred years ago.
0. 7,ter the .erb to wish" a,ter as if, as though, if only, would rather -*hen
the s"'+e,ts are different/" its 6high7 time
I wish I were there.
He speaks as if he knew everything.
Its 6high7 time you began to $e serious a$out this.
I would rather you went there 6$ut I would rather go there7.
;S*) '( < =* ;S*) '( < G*' ;S*) '( < 8(;>)
1. #S-D T. ? ,or past habits or states that no longer e%ist
)e used to travel a lot when we were younger. 6we dont anymore7
!. DID N.T #S- T. ? ,or habits that did not e%ist in the past but they do
e%ist now
I didnt use to like travelling. 6$ut now I do7
&. #S-D T. / /.#0D ? ,or repeated actions in the past
Past 6ontinuous
Form
Affirmative: S + T. $- in ast sim!e (/AS//-1-) + V + -ing
I was writing a letter at two o&lo&k.
Negative: S + /AS//-1- + not + V + -ing
I was not 6wasnt7 writing a letter at two o&lo&k.
Interrogative: /AS//-1- + S + V + -ing
)as he writing a letter at two o&lo&k?
Negative-Interrogative: /AS//-1- + not + S + V + -ing /
/AS//-1- + S + not + V + -ing
)asnt he writing a letter at two o&lo&k? / )erent you writing a letter at
two o&lo&k?
Time exressions: while, when, as, all morning/evening/day/night, yesterday,
two/ three 6et&.7 days/months/years ago
#se:
1. +or an action which was in progress at a certain time in the past:
(t eight o&lo&k yesterday they were having dinner.
!. +or reported speech as an e9ui.alent o, present continuous:
8I am studying in .ondon. ? He said he was studying in .ondon.
&. +or a long action -in progress/ interrupted by another short action:
I was taking a $ath when the phone rang.
0. +or two simultaneous actions -being being in progress/:
She was talking on her mo$ile phone while she was driving.
1. 'o describe the atmosphere or the setting in a story:
)hen we met the $irds were singing, the wind was blowing softly and the sun
was slowly setting.
2. 'o show annoyance or irritation in the past
9aul was always picking on me2
4. +or ,uture plans<arrangements as seen ,rom the past
)e left home at eight, we were meeting om at nine and we were going to the
movies at nine thirty.
&
)e used to / would have lun&h in the family on Sundays.
Past Per,ect Simple
Form
Affirmative: S + %ad + the &
rd
form of the V
I had finished dinner $efore I went out.
Negative: S + %ad + not + the &
rd
form of the V
I hadnt finished dinner $efore I went out.
Interrogative: %ad + S + the &
rd
form of the V
Had you finished dinner $efore you went out?
Negative-Interrogative: %ad + not + S + the &
rd
form of the V
Hadnt you finished dinner $efore you went out?
Time exressions: $efore, after, never, already, *ust, for, sin&e, until, when, $y
the time
#se
1. 'o re,er to an action completed be,ore another action in the past.
5y the time I got to the station the train had already left.
!. +or an action which began be,ore another action in the past and
continued up to that time.
He had lived in this house sin&e he was $orn.
&. 3n reported speech -as an e9ui.alent o, Present Per,ect Simple/.
He told us he had visited .ondon.
Past Per,ect 6ontinuous
Form
Affirmative: S + %ad + $een + V + ing
I had been speaking for : minutes when you &alled.
Negative: S + %ad + not + $een + V + ing
I hadnt been speaking for : minutes when you &alled.
Interrogative: S + %ad + S + $een + V + ing
Had you been speaking for : minutes when I &alled?
Negative-Interrogative: S + %ad + not + S + $een + V + ing
Hadnt you been speaking for : minutes when I &alled?
Time exressions: for, sin&e, how long, $efore, until
#se
1. 'o describe an action in progress in the past" begun and completed
be,ore another action in the past.
'ary had been washing the dishes $efore her other arrived.
!. 'o re,er to an action in the past begun be,ore the time o, spea5ing in
the past and still going on that time or possibly a,ter
5y that time I had been writing the novel for a year.
0
+uture Simple
Form
Affirmative: S + /i!! / Sha!! + V
I will visit you tomorrow.
Negative: S + /i!! / Sha!! + not + V (*ont + V)
I will not (wont) visit you tomorrow.
Interrogative: /i!! / Sha!! + S + V
Will you not (wont you) visit me tomorrow?
Negative-Interrogative: /i!! / Sha!! + S + not + V
Will you not (wont you) visit me tomorrow?
Time exressions : tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, tonight, soon, ne,t
week / month / year, in a week / month et&.
#se
1. +or predictions with: to be sure" to be a,raid" to thin5" to belie.e.
Im afraid I wont be there.
!. +or decisions ta5en on the spot.
Ill take the &heese$urger please.
&. +or promises" o,,ers" re9uests" hopes" warnings or threats.
Will you help me with this e,er&ise please?
0. +or ,uture e.ents or actions that cannot be 5ept under control.
he temperature will reach ;: degree <elsius tomorrow in the South
of Italy.
+uture 6ontinuous
Form
Affirmative: S + /i!! / Sha!! + $e + V + ing
his time tomorrow Ill be dancing at the party.
Negative: S + /i!! / Sha!! + not (*ont) + $e + V + ing
his time tomorrow I wont be dancing at the party.
Interrogative: /i!! / Sha!! + S + $e + V + ing
Will you be dancing at the party this time tomorrow?
Negative-Interrogative: /i!! / Sha!! + S + not (*ont) + $e + V + ing
Wont you be dancing at the party this time tomorrow?
#se
1. +or an action which is in progress in a ,uture moment.
Ill be travelling to the Islands this time ne,t month.
!. +or an action which will happen in the ,uture as a result o, an arrangement.
Ill be seeing the 9resident tomorrow at : o&lo&k.
&. 8hen you as5 politely about somebody@s plans ,or the near ,uture.
Will you be using the hair dryer for long?
1