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Put each of the following verbs into either the present perfect or present perfect continuous.
1. Why are your hands dirty? - Oh I (work) in the garden.
2. It's nine o'clock. Jack (teach) for 4 hours tonight.
3. I (work) at this company for a long time.
4. Brad (think) poorly of Marsha for a long time.
5. Why are you shaking so? What (you/do)?
6. Lucky Susan she (visit) so many different countries!
7. I (live) in Seattle for 5 years.
8. (you/finish) your homework yet?
9. He (arrive) from Tokyo.
10. I (think) for a long time and I (decide) that you need to give up your job.
11. Nick (buy) a new house!
12. Some of my students (study) English for over 5 years.
13. It's a quarter to nine! I (wait) for over three hours!
14. (ever/drive) a Rolls Royce?
15. I would like to help you but I (just/eat) and I need to take a nap.
Past Perfect:
There are two past tenses used to describe things that happen before another
point in time in the past. Use the past perfect to talk about an event which
had happened at some point in time before something took place.
o Tom had interviewed five times before he got his first job.
o She had already eaten by the time they arrived.
Past Perfect Continuous:
The past perfect continuous is used to express how long something had been
going on before something important happened in the past.
o Jane had been studying for four hours when he came home.
o Jack had been driving four over six hours when he finally pulled over to
have lunch.
Past Perfect Structure:
Positive
Subject + had + past participle
I, You, He, She, We, They had finished before I arrived.
Negative
Subject + had + not (hadn't) + past participle
I, You, He, She, We, They hadn't eaten before he finished the job.
Questions
Question word + had + subject + past participle
What -> had he, she, you, we, they thought before I asked the question?
Past Perfect Continuous Structure:
Positive
Subject + had + been + verb + ing
I, You, He, She, We, They had been working for two hours when she telephoned.
Negative
Subject + had + not (hadn't) + been + verb + ing
I, You, He, She, We, They hadn't been paying attention for long when he asked
the question.
Questions
Question word (often 'How long') + had + been + subject + verb + ing
How long -> had he, she, you, we, they been working before he arrived?
English tutorial by Ny.Tjoet
Present Simple Every day - When do you get up? / Tom usually eats lunch at home.
Present Continuous Now - She's watching TV at the moment. / I'm not working, I'm
reading a newspaper.
Past Simple Yesterday - They went on vacation last July. / Where did you meet Tim?
Past Continuous Yesterday, at X o'clock They were watching TV at 5 o'clock
yesterday. / What were you doing when he came home?
Present Perfect Since / For - I've lived here a long time. / Have you ever seen that film?
Past Simple vs. Present Perfect I've lived here for many years. vs. I lived there before I
moved to New York.
Present Perfect Continuous Since / For + Time - We've been working since 8 this
morning. / What has she been doing recently?
Past Perfect Already - They had already eaten when she arrived. / Had you finished the
report by the time he asked for it?
Future with Will Tomorrow, Next week - We'll get together next week. / Will you be
able to come tomorrow?
Future with Going to Tomorrow, Next year, semester, etc. - They're going to study
Russian next semester. / Where are you going to stay?
Future Perfect By, By the time - I'll have finished by the time he arrives. / Will you have
done the work by six?
Future Continuous At X o'clock, This time next year, month, week / What will you be
doing this time next year? - She'll be working tomorrow at 10 o'clock.
Conditional Forms If questions - What would you do if you had enough time? / If she is
in town, she'll come to the meeting.
Alternate Conditional Forms
Modal Forms Asking Permission, Giving Advice, etc. - May I help you? / He should see a
doctor.
Modal Verbs of Probability Stating guesses - He must have stayed at home today. / She might
be downstairs.
IRREGULAR VERBS
be - was/were
become - became
begin - began
break - broke
bring - brought
build - built
buy - bought
come - came
cost - cost
cut - cut
do - did
drink - drank
eat - ate
find - found
fly - flew
get - got
give - gave
go - went
have - had
keep - kept
know - knew
leave - left
make - made
meet - met
pay - paid
put - put
read - read
say - said
see - saw
sell - sold
send - sent
speak - spoke
spend - spent
take - took
teach - taught
tell - told
think - thought
PRONOUNS
Subject Pronouns - I, you, he, she, it, we, you, they function as the subject of a sentence:
Object Pronouns - me, you, him, her, it, us, you, them serve as the object of a verb.
Possessive Pronouns - mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, yours, theirs show that something
belongs to someone. That house is mine.
This is yours.
I'm sorry, that's his.
Those books are hers.
Those students are ours.
Look over there, those seats are yours.
Theirs will be green.
Demonstrative Pronouns - this, that, these, those refer to things. 'this' and 'these' refer to
something that is near. 'that' and 'those' refer to things that are farther away.
This is my house.
That is our car over there.
These are my colleagues in this room.
Those are beautiful flowers in the next field.
Possessive adjectives - my, your, his, her, its, our, your, their are often confused with
possessive pronouns. The possessive adjective modifies the noun following it in order to
show possession.
I'll get my books.
Is that your car over there?
That is his teacher, Mr Jones.
I want to go to her store.
Its color is red.
Can we bring our children?
You are welcome to invite your husbands.
PREPOSITIONS OF TIME ( IN / AT / ON )
IN
Use 'in' months and years and periods of time:
in January
in 1978
in the twenties
in a few weeks
in a couple of days
AT
Use 'at' with precise time:
at six o'clock
at 10.30
at two p.m.
ON
Use 'on' with days of the week:
on Monday
on Fridays
on Christmas day
on October 22nd
IMPORTANT NOTES
in the morning / afternoon / evening - at night
We say in the morning, afternoon or evening BUT we say 'at night'
GERUNDS VS INFINITIVE
Verb + 'ing' OR Verb + Infinitive
When two verbs are used together, the second verb is often in the gerund form (-ing) or the
infinitive. There are no specific rules concerning which verbs take which form. Like irregular
verbs, you will need to learn which form a verb takes.
Common Verbs + 'ing'
go
enjoy
quit
discuss
mind
can't stand
suggest
Examples:
They go jogging on Saturdays.
I don't mind helping you.
They can't stand driving in traffic jams.
Common Verbs + Infinitive
promise
plan
refuse
want
need
decide
hope
Examples:
I promised to help him.
Alice needs to start that task.
He decided to quit his job.
Negative
Subject + Modal + Not + Base Form of Verb + Objects
Examples
Question
Modal + Subject + Base Form of Verb + Objects
Examples
Examples
Examples
NOTE: In spoken English, 'Can I ...?' is often used instead of 'May I ...?'
Countable
Use the plural form of the verb with countable nouns. Use both 'some' and 'any' with
countable nouns when speaking about specific objects.
Examples
If you are speaking in general, use the plural form of the noun.
Examples
most
much, lots of, a lot of
some
a little, little
Examples
There is lots of interest in the project.
She's got some money left in the bank.
There's little time to finish.
Use the following expressions with countable nouns.
Examples
COMPARATIVE
One Syllable Adjectives
add '-er' to end of the adjective (Note: double the final consonant if preceded by a vowel)
remove the 'y' from the adjective and add 'ier'
Example: cheap - cheaper / hot - hotter / high - higher
Example Sentences
Yesterday was hotter than today.
This book is cheaper than that book.
Two Syllable Adjectives Ending in '-y'
Example: happy - happier / funny - funnier
Example Sentences
I am happier than you.
That joke was funnier than his joke.
Two, Three or More Syllable Adjectives
place 'more' before the adjective
Example: interesting - more interesting / difficult - more difficult
Example Sentences
London is more expensive than Madrid.
This test is more difficult than the last test.
IMPORTANT EXCEPTIONS
There are some important exceptions to these rules. Here are two of the most important
exceptions:
good
good - adjective
bad
better - comparative
bad - adjective
Example Sentences
worse - comparative
Example Sentences
His French is worse than mine.
His singing is worse than Tom's.
Writing Storms
The best thing to happen to me today
The worst thing to happen to me today
Something funny that happened to me this week
What I really hate!
What I really like!
My favorite thing
A surprise I had
A landscape
A building
A monument
A museum
A memory from childhood
My best friend
My boss
What is friendship?
A problem I have
My favorite TV show
My son
My daughter
English tutorial by Ny.Tjoet
My favorite grandparent
Use of the Passive
The passive voice is used when focusing on the person or thing affected by an
action. Generally, more emphasis is given to the beginning of a sentence. By
using a passive sentence, we emphasize by showing what happens to something
rather than who or what does something.
Example:
Reports are expected by the end of the week.
In this example, attention is called to what is expected of students (reports).
Inversion
Invert the word order by placing a prepositional phrase or other expression (at
no time, suddenly into, little, seldom, never, etc.) at the beginning of the
sentence followed by inverted word order.
Examples:
At no time did I say you couldn't come.
Hardly had I arrived when he started complaining.
Little did I understand what was happening.
Seldom have I felt so alone.
Note that the auxiliary verb is placed before the subject which is followed by
the main verb.
Expressing Annoyance
Use the continuous form modified by 'always', 'forever', etc. to express
annoyance at another person's action. This form is considered an exception as it
used to express a routine rather than an action occurring at a particular moment
in time.
Examples:
Martha is always getting into trouble.
Peter is forever asking tricky questions.
George was always being reprimanded by his teachers.
Note that this form is generally used with the present or past continuous (he is
always doing, they were always doing).
Cleft Sentences: It
Sentences introduced by 'It is' or 'It was' are often used to emphasize a specific
subject or object. The introductory clause is then followed by a relative
pronoun.
Examples:
It was I who received the promotion.
It is the awful weather that drives him crazy.
Cleft Sentences: What
Sentences introduced by a clause beginning with 'What' are also used to
emphasize a specific subject or object. The clause introduced by 'What' is
employed as the subject of the sentence as is followed by the verb 'to be'.
Examples:
What we need is a good long shower.
What he thinks isn't necessarily true.
Exceptional Use of 'Do' or 'Did'
You have probably learned that the auxiliary verbs 'do' and 'did' are not used in
positive sentences - for example: He went to the store. NOT He did go to the
store. However, in order to emphasize something we feel strongly these
auxiliary verbs can be used as an exception to the rule.
Examples:
No that's not true. John did speak to Mary.
I do believe that you should think twice about this situation.
Note this form is often used to express something contrary to what another
person believes.
43. Alice loves walking in the countryside, and she ____________ (like) going to the
gym.
doesn't like
like
likes
44. At the moment she ____________ (listen) to some music.
listens
is listening
has listened
45. ____________ he always ____________ (play) tennis on Saturdays?
Do he always play
Does he always plays
Does he always play
46. Mary isn't at work at the moment. She ____________ (be) at home.
is
will be
has been
47. What ____________ he ____________ (do)? He's washing up.
does he do
is he doing
has she done
48. They ____________ (fly) to Mexico last summer.
has flown
flew
did fly
49. She ____________ (ask) her husband to help her yesterday evening.
asked
did ask
has asked
50. Next Saturday my friend ____________ (come) to have lunch with us.
is coming
comes
will comes
Tense
Present
Subject
Helping Verb
Main Verb
(String)
eat
You
He
She
It
We
You
They
I
am
eat
eats
eats
eats
eat
eat
eat
learning
You
He
She
It
We
You
They
I
You
He
She
It
We
You
They
I
are
is
is
is
are
are
are
was
learning
learning
learning
learning
learning
learning
learning
went
went
went
went
went
went
went
went
cooking
cooking
yesterday.
dinner when you came home
cooking
yesterday.
dinner when you came home
cooking
yesterday.
dinner when you came home
Simple
Present
Continuous
Past Simple
Past
Continuous
You
He
She
were
was
was
It
was
cooking
yesterday.
dinner when you came home
We
were
cooking
yesterday.
dinner when you came home
You
were
cooking
yesterday.
dinner when you came home
yesterday.
Future with
They
were
cooking
will
come
yesterday.
to class tomorrow
You
He
She
It
We
You
They
I
will
will
will
will
will
will
will
am going to
come
come
come
come
come
come
come
fly
to class tomorrow
to class tomorrow
to class tomorrow
to class tomorrow
to class tomorrow
to class tomorrow
to class tomorrow
to New York next week.
You
He
She
It
We
You
They
I
are going to
is going to
is going to
is going to
are going to
are going to
are going to
will be
fly
fly
fly
fly
fly
fly
fly
working
You
He
She
It
We
You
They
I
will be
will be
will be
will be
will be
will be
will be
have
working
working
working
working
working
working
working
taught
at 5 pm tomorrow evening.
at 5 pm tomorrow evening.
at 5 pm tomorrow evening.
at 5 pm tomorrow evening.
at 5 pm tomorrow evening.
at 5 pm tomorrow evening.
at 5 pm tomorrow evening.
English for many years.
You
He
She
It
We
You
They
I
have
has
has
has
have
have
have
have been
taught
taught
taught
taught
taught
taught
taught
watching
You
He
She
have been
has been
has been
watching
watching
watching
Will
Future with
Going to
Future
Continuous
Present
Perfect
Present
Perfect
Continuous
Past Perfect
It
We
You
They
I
has been
have been
have been
have been
had
watching
watching
watching
watching
eaten
You
had
eaten
yesterday.
lunch before you came home
eaten
yesterday.
lunch before you came home
eaten
yesterday.
lunch before you came home
eaten
yesterday.
lunch before you came home
eaten
yesterday.
lunch before you came home
He
She
It
We
Past Perfect
had
had
had
had
You
had
eaten
yesterday.
lunch before you came home
They
had
eaten
yesterday.
lunch before you came home
had been
working
yesterday.
for three hours before he
You
had been
working
arrived.
for three hours before he
working
arrived.
for three hours before he
working
arrived.
for three hours before he
working
arrived.
for three hours before he
working
arrived.
for three hours before he
Continuous
He
She
It
We
Future
had been
had been
had been
had been
You
had been
working
arrived.
for three hours before he
They
had been
working
arrived.
for three hours before he
will have
finished
arrived.
the report by three o'clock
You
will have
finished
tomorrow afternoon.
the report by three o'clock
Perfect
He
She
It
We
You
They
Future
will have
will have
will have
will have
will have
will have
will have been
finished
tomorrow afternoon.
the report by three o'clock
finished
tomorrow afternoon.
the report by three o'clock
finished
tomorrow afternoon.
the report by three o'clock
finished
tomorrow afternoon.
the report by three o'clock
finished
tomorrow afternoon.
the report by three o'clock
finished
tomorrow afternoon.
the report by three o'clock
studying
tomorrow afternoon.
English for five hours by four
Perfect
Continuous
You
studying
He
studying
She
studying
studying
studying
studying
studying
It
We
You
They
Over
Used to indicate movement from one place to another:
By
Used to indicate proximity:
Used to indicate the person that does something in a passive voice sentence:
It's important to study the passive voice to place the focus on the object of an action, rather
than than the person doing that action. English students should learn how to use the passive
voice for explaining processes and for business situations. Here are some examples:
Somebody made my car in Detroit. -> My car was made in Detroit.
Somebody painted this beautiful picture. -> This picture was painted by George Smith.
A number of people in company ZYZ have designed this recorder. -> This recorder was
designed by the ZYZ Company.
Study the passive voice below and then practice your writing skills by changing active
sentences to passive sentences. Teachers can use this lesson plan on recognizing the
differences between active and passive sentences.
Passive Voice Grammar
The passive voice is used when focusing on the person or thing affected by an action.
The Passive is formed: Passive Subject + To Be + Past Particple
The house was built in 1989.
It is often used in business when the object of the action is more important than those who
perform the action.
For Example:
We have produced over 20 different models in the past two years. Changes to: Over 20
different models have been produced in the past two years.
If the agent is important (the person, company or thing that does the action) , use "by"
For Example: Tim Wilson wrote "The Flight to Brunnswick" in 1987. Changes to:"The Flight
to Brunnswick" was written in 1987 by Tim Wilson.
Only verbs that take an object can be used in the passive voice.
Passive Voice StructureActive Voice Passive Voice
They make Fords in Cologne.Fords are made in Cologne.
Present Simple
Susan is cooking dinner.
Present Continuous
James Joyce wrote "Dubliners".
Past Simple
They were painting the house when I arrived.
arrived.
Past Continuous
They have produced over 20 models in the past two years. Over 20 models have been
produced in the past two years.
Present Perfect
They are going to build a new factory in Portland.
Portland.
Future Intention with Going to
I will finish it tomorrow.
Future Simple