INGLESE GRAMMATICA

1. WISH/IF ONLY + PAST : when we want a present situation to be different

Ex: If only I were richer (but Im poor)
I wish I had more time
2. WISH + WOULD : wish for something to change now or in the future
Ex: I wish he would stop calling
Cannot be used to speak about youself
would)

I wish I could speak English (not

Cannot be used for an impossible change

(not we would live)

If only we lived on the moon

3. WISH/ IF ONLY + PAST PERFECT: to express regret about a past situation

Ex: I wish I had study more at school
If only he had met 10 years ago!
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WISH/HOPE
I hope they come tomorrow want/likely
I wish they come tomorrow unlikely

ITS TIME : used to say something isnt happening when it should be

Ex: Its time you went to bed
WOULD RATHER/ SOONER/ WOULD PREFER
Ex: Id rather you come next week
But if speaker is the same subject of the preference, use an infinitive (non past)
Ex: Id rather watch a film
I would prefer to play tennis
AS IF/ AS THOUGH + PAST: to say a situation that is unlike/unusual
He acts as if he were a film star
AS IF/ AS THOUGH + PRESENT : for situations that are likely
He looks as though he wants to go home
SUPPOSE/SUPPOSING/WHAT IF: use to talk about something imaginary pres or
future

COMPARISONS
DEGREE:
beautiful than .

THAN

EQUALLY/ AS, AS
good as my sister

Pavia is smaller than

Im as good as my sister

She is more
Im equally

NOT AS/ NOT SUCH A

Im not as tall as you; its not such a

good idea
MODIFYING COMPARISONS
Big difference : MUCH + COMPARATIVE

Hes much taller than you

BY FAR/EASLY + SUPERLATIVE

Its by far the best pizza Ive

ever eat
NOTHING LIKE/NOT NEARLY/ NOWHERE NEAR + AS + ADJ. +
AS
Hes not nearly as tall as
you
JUST ABOUT + SUPERLATIVE

This is just about the biggest

museum
SO/ SUCH ; TO/ENOUGH
SO + ADJ + THAT CLAUSE
windows

It was so hot that I close the

SUCH A + ADJ + NOUN + THAT -CLAUSE

bought a new car

It was such a good year that I

TOO + ADJ (+FOR) + TO INFINITIVE

outside

It was too cold (for me) to play

(NOT) ADJ + ENOUGH (+ FOR) + TO ING

It was (not) enough (for me) to eat

REPETITION
COMPARATIVE + AND + COMPARATIVE

Its getting colder and colder

THE THE
better I play

The more I practice the

MORE + ADJ + THAN + ADJ

annoyed

He was more angry than

AS/ LIKE
LIKE + NOUN : something similar to
AS + JOB
(=commercialista)

The man looks like an elephant

He worked as an accountant

REPORTED SPEECH
Were going away they said (that) they were going away
I watched TV He/she said that she/he had watched TV

1. When reporting something using PRES She says were going on holiday
2. When reporting an event from the same point of view They were happy that
I passed my exam
3. Modals (should, might, could, ought to, would) She/he says I ought to study
more
PLACE/PERSON/TIME
I will meet you here tomorrow
SAME DAY: He said that he would/will meet me later
3 DAYS LATER: He said that he would have met me the day after