Student and Non Students Can

Understand English Grammar Like an

English Professor!

Present Simple Tense

The Present Simple Tense is used in the following situations:

1. The present simple tense is used, when the action is permanent.

Example:

We live in London.
I am a teacher.
They work at the local high school.

2. The present simple tense is used, when action happens on a regular

basis.

The teacher always gives us a lot of homework.

We work in a high school.
Mary never comes late to English class.

3. The present simple tense is used, when the statement is always true.
Example:

My teacher is tall.
The English books are heavy.

4. The present simple tense is used, to state something exists.

Examples:
The book is great.
The school uniforms are black and green.
Our school books are heavy.

5. The present simple tense is used, to state feelings.

Examples:
I am not happy.
The children are excited.
My teacher is angry.

6. The present simple tense is used, to state fixed or permanent schedules also used
as a future tense, such as television schedules, train schedules etc.
Note: The present simple tense isn't usually used for personal schedules, unless it is
an activity that happens on a permanent basis.
Examples:
I go to my ESL class every Monday night.
The teacher comes at 4:00 PM.
The teacher arrives at 6:00 PM
Present Continuous Tense
We use the simple present tense when:
The present progressive tense (also called present continuous tense) is used in the
following situations:

1. The Situation is temporary, the length of time is not important.

Example:

I am eating dinner.
Mary is living in England while going to college.
Tammy is studying for her final exams.

2. The action is going to happen in the near future.

Example:

I am going to work in 10 minutes.

My sister is going to the Far East in a few days.
We are going to start our project soon.

3. Actions that repeat themselves. It is possible to use words like "all the time" and "
always", to clarify that the action repeats itself.
Example:

My teacher is always giving us too much homework.

The landlord is always giving us trouble.
Jane is always coming to work late.

Present Progressive to in the future.

The present progressive tense (going to) is used for the future, when an action is
preplanned, or planned at the time of speaking. To use the present progressive, it
must be used with a word that defines the future such as tomorrow, later, next week,
soon, next month etc.

Present Perfect Continuous

Tense
When do we use the present perfect continuous tense?
The present perfect continuous tense , is used to state an action in the
following situations:
1. The present perfect continuous tense states an action that started in
the past, but the action is still happening at the time of speaking.
Examples:

I have been waiting for my teacher for 1 hour. I hope the English teacher
comes soon.
We have been learning English since the age of 3.
Nobody has been living in that house for years.

2. The present perfect continuous tense states an action that has just
finished or has just finished recently.
Examples:

I have been studying all day. Finally I can rest.

The students have been working all day.
It has been raining all week, I am glad it finally stopped.
Present Perfect Verb Tense
The present perfect tense is used when:
1. The present perfect tense is used if there is a connection with the
past.
2. The present perfect tense is used if, the exact time of the action is
not important
3. The present perfect tense is used if, the duration (length of time)
of an activity is allowed to be stated with the use of "for" or "since".
4. The present perfect tense is used if, the action is not completed at
the time of speaking.
5. The present perfect tense is used when you expect that
something has already happened.

Situations when the Present Perfect Tense is

Used.
Note: These situations are only an example; the present perfect tense
can be used in other situations.
1. The present perfect tense is used to state an experience that had
happened, without stating when it happened.
Examples:
I have eaten at the school cafeteria.
I have learned in a private English school for 10 years.
I have learned English since 1956.

2. The present perfect tense is used to state changes in a situation that is related to
the present.
Examples:
I have broken my arm. Now I can't do my homework.
I have spent all my money. Now I don't have any money to go to school.
I have brought a new car. Now I can drive you to school.

3. The present perfect tense is used to state a situation that is stated in the past and
is still happening now and can continue into the future. Usually" for" and" since" are
used.
Example:
I have studied English for 5 years.
I have known her teacher for 5 years.
We have taken English lessons for 3 years.

4. The present perfect tense is used to state an action that has happened multiple
times in the past and can still happen again.
Examples:
She has been to English courses many times.
Tom has studied English since I have known him.
My mother has been a singer since 1995.
 Past Simple Verb Tense
The Past Simple Verb Tense is used when:

1. The action happened in the past

2. The action/event is completed /finished at the time of speaking.
3. The time or/and place is stated or understood.
4. The length of the event/action is not important.

Examples:

1. I went to the school.

2. We did not go have our English class today.
3. They did eat lunch at school.

Note:In English the following phrases are often used with the past simple
verb tense to define time:
yesterday last year
last night two years ago
last month a long time ago
many years ago a while ago

Past Continuous Tense

The past continuous tense is used in the following situations:

1. The past continuous tense is used when actions that happened at a

specific time in the past.
Example:

I was eating dinner at 7:00 last night.

The cook was working hard last week.
My boss was traveling a lot last month.

2. The past continuous tense is used when actions that were happening
before an interruption occurred.
Example:

I was cooking dinner when the phone rang.

We were eating dinner when my wife came home.
My sister was studying when I came home.

3. The past continuous tense is used when there are two actions were happening at
the same time.
Example:
I was sleeping while my husband was watching T. V.
The children were playing, while I was taking a shower.
My roommate was listening to the radio while we were trying to study.

4. The past continuous tense is used to state a changes in a situations.

Example:
The kids were getting hungry, we had to find a restaurant.
The weather wasgetting worse, we had to hurry home.
The ceiling was collapsing, we had to run out of there.
 Past Perfect Tense
The past perfect tense is used when:

1. Two actions occurred in the past.

2. The actions did not happen at the same time.

Note: The past perfect tense is used to state the 1st action.
The past simple tense is used to state the 2nd action.
Examples:

I had gone to school when my friends came to visit.

Mary had seen that English teacher before, but she could not remember
her hame.
I had waited one hour for the teacher , before I decided to go to call her.

Already - already is used with the past perfect tense to emphasize the
first action.
Examples:

I had already left for work, when the school called to tell me not to come to
the school.
I had already left for school , when I found out that the my English class
was cancelled.
They had already left for school, when I came to pick them up.

Already - is used to state an action happened, before expected or planned.

Just - is used to state an action that happen a short time ago.
Example:

I had just missed the bus, I saw it leave.

They had just gotten home, when it started to snow.
My sister had just left the house, when I tried to call.

Present Perfect Verb vs.

Present Perfect Continuous
Verb Tense
The difference between in English between the present perfect verb and the present
perfect continuous verb tense (sometimes called the present perfect progressive verb
tense).

Note: It is common the Simple Present Perfect or the Present Perfect Continuous
Verb Tense can be used interchangeably.

The Simple Present Perfect or the Present Perfect Continuous Verb

Tenses
The Simple Present Perfect Present Perfect Continuous Verb
Verb Tense Tense
to state an action that
to state an action that is
was not continuous or
continuations
was interpreted
 to state the amount of to state the length of time or
times an action took to state "how long" the
place action took place.

to emphasis the period of

time the action took place

Future SimpleTense
Future Simple tense is used when:
1. The actions is unplanned at the time of speaking.

Examples:

I will go to the store today.

We will clean your room this week.
I wont do my homework today, I will do it tomorrow.

2. A action that is predicted

Examples:

I think it will rain this afternoon.

I hope I will win the lottery.
I know my daughter will come home late.

3. To request something.
Example

Will you come with me to the store?

You will do your homework now.
I will not work overtime today.

4. Definite plans in formal English

Example

I will go to the store tomorrow.

Will you help me with my homework
My sister will not go to England with us next week.

Present progressive/going to -is used when:

1. Activities are planned at the time of speaking.
Examples:

I am going to work on the new project.

We are not going to go move to the city.
They are going to buy a new computer.

2. Activies are going to happen in the near future.

Examples:

I am going to school tomorrow.

We are going to the city next week.
My brother is not coming to the party tonight.

3. To make a predection if something is very likey to happen.

Example:

My teacher is going to be happy, the whole class passed the test.

 The phone bill is very very high, my father is going to be very upset.
I am not going to win the lottery.

Future Progressive Verb

Tense
The future progressive verb tense used in the following situation:

1. The future progressive verb tense used, for an activity that will be happening at a
specific time.

I will be going out tomorrow night at 8:00 with my friends.

We will be leaving next week for a few days. We are going on holiday.
Tomorrow my sister will be working all day.
Will you be at the meeting on Sunday?

Future Perfect Verb Tense

The future perfect verb tense is used:

1. The future perfect verb tense is used to state an action that that starts or will
start in the future and finish at a different time in the future.

Examples:

1. On Tuesday, I will have been in France one week.

2. One more hour, and I will have worked 24 hour straight. I have to get some
sleep.
3. On Sunday I have to work late. When I get home I will already have eaten
dinner.
4. I hope when I get to the train station, the train will not have already left.
5. I will not have this dress for next year, because you will haven grown by then.

Future Perfect Progressive

Tense
The Future Perfect Progressive Tense is used:

The future perfect progressive tense is used for actions/events that will have been in
progress for a specific amount of time in the future. In English, the future perfect
progressive verb tense stresses/emphasize the length of time.

Example:

1. In the fall I will have been studying here for 2 years.

2. Next month my son will have been in teaching for 10 years.
3. The teacher will have been teaching my children for 5 years next month.
 Adjectives
What are adjectives?
1. Adjectives are used to clarify nouns.
2. Adjectives can me one word or a group of words.
3. Adjectives are sometimes used with certain verbs (such as the verb "to be").
Adjectives are used to clarify the subject that is doing the action.
4. Adjectives are used to describe color, material, shape, size, amount, price,
quality, origin, personality, weight, temperature, weight, age, direction, etc.

Adjectives usage
1. Adjectives are placed before the noun.
2. Adjectives can be used with all forms of nouns (see nouns).

Examples:
Adjectives with nouns:

My teacher is really nice.

My was teaching in a really big high school, while I was going working on my
masters degree.
The university that my oldest brother is going to is really nice.
The English teacher gave us a hard project.

Adjective with verbs:

The teacher is tall and thin.

Our proffessor is a really nice man.

Adverbs
What are adverbs?
An adverb is a word or a group of words that are used to
help define the action of the verb. Adverbs can also be
used to define adjectives, or other adverbs.

How to tell if a word is an adverb?

A word is an adverb if it answers one of the three questions
, when, where or how.

Examples:
Examples of English Adverbs that state when, where and how
When Where How
I like to read under the I should exercise
I have to study today.
trees in the park. carefully.
Our teacher rarely gives My brother studies
My mother always
us a lot of worksheets to very hard for all his
listens to the radio.
do. exams.
We learned to play the The students and
Our teacher is really
piano quickly. We had a teachers work closely
good this year.
really good teacher. on the project.
 Preposition
How to use prepositions in English?

1. The preposition comes before the noun.

2. Prepositions can be used with all forms of nouns (e.g. collective nouns, pronouns
etc).

3. Prepositions can't come after a verb, but can be used before a gerund or verb in
noun form.

4. The rules above do not change and there are no exceptions to the rules.

Prepositions of time are used to clarity what time an event happened or will happen.
Time prepositions are used with all grammar tenses. To see a list of all prepositions
of time click here!

At On In
a specific time days and dates period of time - years, months,
seasons Future Times
at 2:00 on my birthday in a few days
on the first day of the
at lunchtime in a couple of months
school year
at 4:00 AM on 11/10/90 in the summer

IMPORTANT: In English we say

o in the morning -because it is considered a period of time

o in the afternoon
o in the evening
o at night -

Note: We say in the morning, in the afternoon or in the evening BUT we say 'at night'

Nouns
Common Nouns in English
A common noun is a noun that refers to a person, thing, place.
Examples of common nouns: dog, house, picture, computer.

Common nouns are represented in the singular and plural form.

Common nouns are represented by lower case letters.

Examples of the usage of common nouns: (The common nouns are

highlighted in red)
The red book is on the table.
The black dog is in my yard.
The computers are new.
 Independent Clauses and
Dependent/Subordinate
Clauses
Independent clauses and
dependent/Subordinate clauses made easy so
everyone can understand!
Independent and Dependent /Subordinate Clauses
Independent Clauses Dependent/Subordinate Clauses
1. A complete thought 1. not a complete thought
2. contains a subject and a 2. contains a subject and a
predicate(object). predicate(object).
3. is a complete sentence 3. is not a complete sentence

Examples: Examples:

I like to go to the store. I like to go

We are going to the We are going
movies. The teacher at school
The teachers at schools
are really nice.

Comparative Adjectives
When is a comparative adjective used?
Comparative adjectives are used when:

Two things are being compared.

To point out the difference in two things.

Note: Comparative adjectives are only used to compare 2 things. In English,

comparative adjectives are not used to compare 3 or more things.
Examples:

The black dog is older than the white dog.

My house is bigger than my sister's house.
The yellow hat is more expansive than the green hat.

Superlative Adjective
What are superlative adjectives?
Superlative adjectives are used to define the highest degree of a noun. Superlative
adjectives are used only if 3 or more things or people are being compared.
 Examples:

The black dog is the biggest.

The house at the end of the street is the nicest.
My mother's pizza is the best.

Countable Nouns
What are countable nouns:
1. in English, nouns that can be represented in the singular form
and the plural form.
2. In English, nouns that can be represented by a number.
3. In English, Countable nouns are nouns that are countable.

Rules For Using Singular Rules For Using Plural

Countable Nouns Countable Nouns
1. A determiner must be used before
1.A determiner is optional before
noun(or adverb if adjectives are used,
noun(or adverb if adjectives are used.
such as a, the, this, one, ours, his etc.
2. The article a or an can be used. 2. The article a or an can't be used.
3.Only the number one can be used to 3. Any number bigger then 2 can be used
state the amount. to state an amount.
4. Possessive Adjective my be used 4.Possessive adjectives my be used such
such as my, his, our etc. as his, our, etc.
5. Quantifiers can be used, such as some,
5. Quantifiers can't be used.
any, many, a lot etc.
6. Demonstrative Adjective can be 6.Demonstrative Adjective can be used
used such as this, those etc. such as this, those etc.

Examples of Countable Nouns in English:

Nouns In The Nouns In The Nouns Represented By

Nouns
Singular Form Plural Form A Number
The dogs are There are six dogs in
Dog The dog is big.
big. the room.
The boys are There are three tall
Boy The boy is tall.
tall. boys in my class.
All the cars at
Our car is There are six cars
Car work are
green. parked on my street.
white.
The window is The windows The room has three
window
big. are clean. windows.

Uncountable Nouns
What are Uncountable nouns?
Uncountable nouns are:

1. Nouns that can can not be represented in the

singular form or the plural form, such as water, air,
 coffee, tea are some examples of nouns that can
only be represented in the singular form.
2. Nouns that can not be represented by a number. It is
not possible to say I need 4 air, or 6 sugar.
3. Uncountable nouns are nouns that can not be
counted. Examples of uncountable nouns are: water,
air, grass, paint, oil etc.

Rules For Using Uncountable Nouns:

1. Uncountable nouns only used in the singular tense.

2. A or an can not be used with uncountable nouns. "The" can be used with
uncountable nouns.
3. Certain quantifiers can be used with uncountable nouns, such as some, any,
much, a lot are some examples of the quantifiers that can be used with uncountable
nouns.
4. Quaintly of uncountable nouns is expressed by the expression "a. ....of......."
(example: a bag of sugar, a bottle of oil.

"Some - Any"
When to use some and any?
Some and any are used to state the quantity, amount of something. When using
some or any the exact number is not stated. Some and any are quantifiers.

Some and any can be used when:

The exact number is not known.

The exact number is not important or relevant.
Some and any are used with countable nouns and uncountable nouns.

Any - Any is used when: Some - Some is used when:

- Negative sentences - Positive sentences.
- Questions if the answer is
- Questions
excepted to be positive
Examples:
- positive sentences that have a
negative meaning. o The children have
Examples: so free time.

o Do you have any ice cream o Please buy some

left? bananas.

o I don't have any money o Can I have a glass

today. I am getting paid on of tea?
Friday.
o My brother never does any
thing good.