Affirmative/Ne

tense gative/Questio Use Signal Words

n
action in the present taking
place once, never or several
times always, every ,
A: He speaks.
never, normally,
N: He does facts often, seldom,
Simple Present not speak.
actions taking place one after sometimes, usually
Q: Does he
another if sentences type I (If
speak?
I talk, )
action set by a timetable or
schedule
A: He is action taking place in the
speaking. moment of speaking
at the moment, just,
Present N: He is not
action taking place only for a just now, Listen!,
Progressive speaking.
limited period of time Look!, now, right now
Q: Is he
speaking? action arranged for the future
action in the past taking
place once, never or several
A: He spoke. yesterday, 2 minutes
times
N: He did not ago, in 1990, the
Simple Past speak. actions taking place one after other day, last Friday
Q: Did he another if sentence type II (If
speak? Italked, )
action taking place in the middle
of another action
action going on at a certain time
A: He was
in the past
speaking.
Past N: He was not actions taking place at the same when, while, as long
Progressive speaking. time as
Q: Was he
action in the past that is
speaking?
interrupted by another action
putting emphasis on the result
action that is still going on
A: He has
spoken. action that stopped recently
already, ever, just,
Present Perfect N: He has not
finished action that has an never, not yet, so far,
Simple spoken.
influence on the present till now, up to now
Q: Has he
spoken? action that has taken place once,
never or several times before the
moment of speaking
Present Perfect A: He has putting emphasis on the course all day, for 4 years,
Progressive been or duration(not the result) since 1993, how
speaking. long?, the whole
N: He has not action that recently stopped or is week
 been
speaking. still going on
Q: Has he finished action that influenced
been the present
speaking?
action taking place before a
A: He had
certain time in the past already, just, never,
spoken.
not yet, once, until
Past Perfect N: He had not sometimes interchangeable with
that day
Simple spoken. past perfect progressive
if sentence type III (If
Q: Had he
putting emphasis only on I had talked, )
spoken?
the fact (not the duration)
A: He had
action taking place before a
been
certain time in the past
speaking.
N: He had not sometimes interchangeable with
Past Perfect for, since, the whole
been past perfect simple
Progressive day, all day
speaking.
putting emphasis on
Q: Had he
the duration or courseof an
been
action
speaking?
in a year, next ,
A: He will action in the future that cannot
tomorrow
speak. be influenced
If-Satz Typ I (If you
N: He will not
Future I Simple spontaneous decision ask her, shewill
speak.
help you.)
Q: Will he assumption with regard to the
assumption: I think,
speak? future
probably, perhaps
A: He is going
to speak.
Future I Simple
N: He is not decision made for the future
in one year, next
going to conclusion with regard to the week, tomorrow
(going to) speak. future
Q: Is he going
to speak?
A: He will be
speaking. action that is going on at a
Future I N: He will not certain time in the future in one year, next
Progressive be speaking. action that is sure to happen in week, tomorrow
Q: Will he be the near future
speaking?
A: He will
have spoken.
Future II N: He will not action that will be finished at a by Monday, in a
Simple have spoken. certain time in the future week
Q: Will he
have spoken?
Future II A: He will action taking place before a for , the last couple
Progressive have been certain time in the future of hours, all day long
speaking.
 N: He will not
have been
speaking. putting emphasis on
Q: Will he the course of an action
have been
speaking?
A: He would
speak.
if sentences type II
Conditional I N: He would
action that might take place (If I were you,
Simple not speak.
I would gohome.)
Q: Would he
speak?
A: He would
be speaking. action that might take place
N: He would
Conditional I putting emphasis on
not be
Progressive the course / duration of the
speaking.
Q: Would he action
be speaking?
A: He would
have spoken.
if sentences type III
N: He would
Conditional II action that might have taken (If I had seen that,
not have
Simple place in the past I would have
spoken.
helped.)
Q: Would he
have spoken?
A: He would
have been
speaking. action that might have taken
N: He would place in the past
Conditional II
not have been puts emphasis on
Progressive
speaking. the course / duration of the
Q: Would he action
have been
speaking?

Grammar term Meaning

Adjective (adj.) An adjective is word used to describe a noun (e.g. good, bad, enjoyable, tedious.)
Adverb (adv.) An adverb is a word that describes how the verb is performed (e.g. quickly,
slowly, carefully).
Clause A clause is a minimal group of words that makes sense in English. A clause
often, though not always, contains asubject. It will generally contain a verb, and
often it contains an object or another structure as well. A clause can be
independent (this is known as a 'main clause') or dependent on the other part of
the sentence (known as a 'subordinate caluse').
Countable Noun A countable noun is a noun that can be counted in terms of number (e.g. a table,
(N. Count) a chair).
Definite article The definite article ('the') is used together with a noun when the reference is
specific.
Gerund This is the 'ing' form of the verb that is used after certain prepositions (e.g. by)
and after certain verbs (e.g. to enjoy).
Indefinite article The indefinite article ('a', 'an') is used together with a noun when the reference is
not specific. 'A' or 'An' cannot be used before an uncountable noun.
Infinitive (inf.) This is the basic form of the verb that has not been changed to indicate the
person (e.g. (to) play, to enjoy).
Intransitive verb (v.i.) This is a verb that has no object after it (e.g. to die).
Modal verb A modal verb is a special kind of verb (known as an auxiliary verb) which
describes the way a speaker feels about a situation (e.g. whether the speaker
thinks that the situation is possible or impossible, advisable or inadvisable).
Common examples are 'can', 'could', 'may', 'might'. 'must', 'have to', 'should',
'will', 'would', etc.
Noun (n.) A noun is the name of a person, place, thing or abstract quality (e.g. kindness).
Object (o.) An object is a person or thing that 'receives' the action.
Passive voice This is a type of sentence where the focus is on the object that 'receives' the
action, and the action itself (not the subject, as is usually the case).
Phrasal verb This is a verb that contains one or two particles after it (e.g. to get on with, to put
up with, etc). The meaning is often idiomatic.
Preposition This is a small word which is used with place (e.g. 'at home'), time (e.g. 'in the
afternoon'), after certain verbs (e.g. it depends on) and with particular
expressions (e.g. let's getdown to business)
Relative word This a word like 'who', 'whom', 'which' and 'whose' which indicates relationships
and belonging.
Sentence A sentence is a group of words with at least one main (independent) clause. The
shortest sentence must contain at least a subject and verb (e.g. 'He arrived').
Subject A subject is a person or thing that 'does' the action.
Tense Tenses are used to refer to different time frames (past, present and future). There
is no simple relationship between tense and time in English.
Transitive verb (v.t) This is a verb that is followed by an object (e.g. to watch).
Uncountable Noun An uncountable noun is a noun that cannot be counted in terms of number (e.g.
(N. Uncount.) water, oil).
Verb (v.) A verb generally indicates an action (e.g. play, happen) but can also refer to
mental processes (e.g. 'think', 'consider', 'imagine') and verbal processes (e.g.
'write', 'conclude', 'emphasise').

How to use the Passive

The passive voice is used to show interest in the person or object that experiences an action rather than
the person or object that performs the action, e.g.

The passive is used ...:

We are interested in the passive, not who uses it.
The house was built in 1654:
We are interested in the house, not the builder.
The road is being repaired:
We are interested in the road, not the people repairing it.
In other words, the most important thing or person becomes the subject of the sentence.
Sometimes we use the passive voice because we don't know or cannot express who or what performed
the action:

I noticed that a window had been left open

Every year people are killed on our roads.
If we want to say who or what performs the action, we use the preposition by:

"A Hard Day's Night" was written by the Beatles

ET was directed by Spielberg
The passive voice is often used in formal or scientific texts:

A great deal of meaning is conveyed by a few well-chosen words.

Our planet is wrapped in a mass of gases.
Waste materials are disposed of in a variety of ways.