PRESENT

CONTINUOUS

The present continuous is used to talk about something that is

happening at the moment in which we speak. Time
expressions such as "now "," right now "and" at the
moment "indicate the present continuous.

Subject + auxiliary verb ("to be") + gerund

I am
He is Example:
She is I'm studying now.
It is I he's eating at the moment
We are
You are
They are

(+) I 'm talking

(-) I 'm not talking
(?) Are you talking?
 PRESENT PERFECT

The present perfect for actions that occurred in a non-

specific time before now used. The specific time is not
important. Therefore, we do not usually use specific time
expressions (This Morning, yesterday, and last year with
this perfect). You can use the present perfect with no
specific time expressions (never, ever, many times, for,
since, Already, yet).

Subject + auxiliary
verb ("to have") +
past participle.

I have
He has EXAMPLE:
She has I have never flown in a plane.
It has He has worked in many different museums.
We have
You have
They have

(+) I've talked to Peter.

(-) I haven't talked to Peter.
(?) Have you talked to Peter?
 FOR AND SINCE
For: indicates duration or period of time and can be translated as "for" in Spanish. Cannot be
used with "any" to mean "all day" or "all the time". You can use "for" in all tenses.

One minute, a few hours, two weeks, five months, 12 years, a long time.

1. We always run for at Least one hour every day.

2. Heather will be practicing the piano for a couple of hours This Afternoon.
Since: is used to indicate the beginning of a period of time following the present. As such, it
can be translated "from" in Spanish and is used with a specific point of time in the past. As this
period of time is the present, we usually use "since" the perfect tenses.

10 o'clock, Monday, March, 2005 this morning, the beginning of the year, you called.

1. I have lived in Spain since April 2010

2. My brother has-been sick since Friday
 NOUNS WITH PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES
Recognize a prepositional phrase when you see one.
At the minimum, a prepositional phrase will begin with a preposition and end with a noun,
pronoun, gerund, or clause, the "object" of the preposition.
The object of the preposition will often have one or more modifiers to describe it. These are
the patterns for a prepositional phrase:

PREPOSITION + NOUN, PRONOUN, GERUND, OR CLAUSE

PREPOSITION + MODIFIER(S) + NOUN, PRONOUN , GERUND , OR CLAUSE

Here are some examples of the most basic prepositional phrase:

At home
At = preposition; home = noun.
In time
In = preposition; time = noun.
From Richie
From = preposition; Richie = noun.
With me
With =By singing
By = preposition; singing = gerund.
About what we need
About = preposition; what we need = noun clause.
EXAMPLE:
1. Churrasco is grilled meat with salt and garlic.
2. This is Rajeev, my friend from work.
 PAST CONTINUOUS

We use the past continuous for a long action and in the past
was interrupted. The action is constantly interrupted past and
the action that is causing disruption in the past
simple. "When "and" while "point to the use of simple and
past continuous. In general, we use the past simple right after
When "and continued past after" while.

Subject + auxiliary
I was verb ("to be past") +
He was gerund
She was
It was
We were EXAMPLE:
You were Jose called while I was watching the news.
They were I was walking to work when I fell..

(+) I was talking

(-) I was not talking
(?) Were you
talking?
 CAN

Can "means skill or

ability. In these cases it
can be translated as
"power" in Spanish. In interrogative sentences, using
"can" can apply for permission or to
EXAMPLE:: inquire about possibilities.

EXAMPLE:
I can speak five languages Can I have a glass of water?
We can work late tonight if Can you help me?
you need us. Can they ' work late tonight?
Bill and Tom can not
help you.
The restaurant can
be expensive if you drink a
lot of wine.
It can be dangerous to
drive if you are tired.
 MAY

As " Could "," used May "to indicate In interrogative sentences, the use of "May" is
future possibilities. more polite than" can "or" Could ".

You May leave if you like.

May I have a glass of water?
You may use your cell phones
now May I leave now?
 MIGHT

"Use it might "to indicate possibilities in the present or the future. In these cases, it is a
synonym for "May".
1. I would bring an umbrella, it might rain later.
2. It might be better to finish this now, rather than wait until tomorrow
It can also be used, like "May", to ask permission or make polite requests, although this use is
much more common in the UK than in the United States.
 WILL

As we have seen, "is used will "to form the future tense .
We also use "will "means will or determination.
1. I will help you.
2. We will learn English.
"It is used will "in interrogative sentences to ask for information, a favor or options.
1. Will they ' find a cure for cancer?
2. Will you help me move?
3. Will I go to Paris by car or train?
 PASSIVE VOICE

Passive with the auxiliary verb "is formed to be "and the past participle of the verb.

Subject + auxiliary verb ("to be") + past participle.

1. The speech is written for the president.

2. The house was built in 1975.

To transform an active sentence to passive we consider the following points:

The object of the active sentence becomes the subject of passive.
The main by the auxiliary verb "shall be replaced to be "at the same time along the main
verb participle.
The subject of the main clause complement agent becomes passive.
If we mention in the sentence the subject performs the action (subject agent), this will
normally preceded by the preposition "by".

EXAMPLE:
1. Mark Twain wrote the book. the book was written by Mark Twain.
2. The housekeeper will clean the room. the room will be cleaned by the housekeeper
 WOULD

Use it would "to declare a preference and to ask for something politely.

1. She would like to go to New York someday.

2. I would like a beer and my wife would like a glass of wine Please.
3. Would you like some coffee?
4. Would you help me please?
5. When would you like to go to the movies?

Note: "Use it would "in conditional sentences. See the lesson on conditional sentences for
more information on the use of would ".
 USED TO

When "is used to used "as an adjective means" be accustomed to. It is used for things that are
familiar, normal or common and can be used in any tense. When to be used to "is followed by
a verb, the verb must be in gerund (ing).

Subject + "used to" + verb (ING)

1. Shes used to living alone.

2. We were not used to traveling a lot.
3. I ' m not used to cold weather this.

(+) We used to go to the beach every summer when i was young.

(-) I did not use to like mushrooms, but now I do.
(?) Did not I use to smoke a lot?