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1-Languague.com’s Online English Courses

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ENGLISH GRAMMAR
Composed by: Binh Duong, Tran
Email: tran.binhduong@gmail.com
“Patience is the art of hoping” – By Vauvernargues
Course 1 – Starter
(Unit 1 to 12)
Unit 1: Present Simple "to be" - Subject Pronouns
Grammar Point:
1. Personal Pronouns
Personal pronouns tell which person or thing we are speaking about.

The personal pronouns in English are:
Singular Plural
I We
You You
He They
She
It
2. Verb "to be"
The verb "be" means to exist.

It is a linking verb, it links a subject and a thing connected with that subject.
The present simple forms of "to be" are as follow:
Singular Plural
I am We are
You are You are
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He is They are
She is
It is
3. First Sentences
English is a Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) language - meaning that sentences are made with the
subject first, then the verb, and finally the object. Using the above grammar, we can now make
Basic English sentences, for example:
- I am a teacher
- She is happy
- They are students
Languages like French and Chinese are also SVO languages, but other languages are different. For
example, Japanese, Korean and Persian are Subject-Object-Verb languages, so you wouldn't say
"She is happy", you'd say "She happy is"!

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Unit 2: Verb “to be” Present Simple
Grammar Point:
1. Present Simple Negatives - Verb "to be"
Present Simple negatives and questions using the verb "to be" are formed differently from other
questions. To make negatives you simply insert "not" before the verb "to be".
- Statement: You are a doctor.
- Negative: You are not a doctor.
- Statement: They are cats.
- Negative: They are not cats.
Here is the negative form of the verb "to be" in the Simple Present:
Singular Plural
I am not We are not
You are not You are not
He is not They are not
She is not
It is not
2. Present Simple Questions
To make questions you simply invert the subject and the verb.
- Statement: You are a doctor.

- Question: Are you a doctor?
- Statement: They are cats.
- Question: Are they cats?
Simple Present Question verbs are as follows:
Singular Plural
Am I (a teacher) ? Are we ...?
Are you ...? Are you ...?
Is he ...? Are they ...?

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Is she ...?
Is it ...?
3. Short Answers
We can often answer these questions with a short answer using the verb "to be". For example:
- Are you a teacher?
- Yes, I am / No, I am not.
- Is he a student?
- Yes, he is. / No, he is not.
Note that in spoken English we usually use contractions with the negative form. For example:
- No, I am not = No, I'm not.
These contractions will be studied in a later Unit.

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Unit 3: Present Simple
Grammar Point:
1. Present Simple
The Simple Present is used to make statements about the present time. It is used in the
following ways.
- Permanent facts: These sentences give facts that are always true.
e.g: It is cold in winter. - The sun shines. - Fish live in water.
- Present facts: These sentences are true now.

e.g: I work at home. - She plays the piano.
"I work at home" doesn't mean I am working right now, but it does mean that in my present
condition I work at home.
- Habitual actions: I get up at 8.00. - They come here every day.

These actions are repeated regularly, so they are considered a present reality and are expressed in
the Simple Present.
Here is the verb "to give in the Simple Present:
Singular Plural
I give We give
You give You give
He gives They give
She gives
It gives
2. Spelling Rules for the Present Simple
If you look above you'll see the spelling doesn't change, except for the third person singular (He,
She, It) which adds an "s" to the verb. For example "I eat - He eats".
Sometimes other spelling rules also apply to He, She and It. All the following verbs add "es"
instead of "s":

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The short forms for the negative verb "to be" are as follows:
Verb Endings Spelling Examples
Verbs ending in -o add -es do - does, go - goes
Verbs ending in -s add -es pass - passes, kiss - kisses
Verbs ending in -x add -es fix - fixes, mix - mixes
Verbs ending in -ch add -es match - matches, catch - catches
Verbs ending in -sh add -es push - pushes, rush - rushes
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Verbs ending in a consonant and -y often try - tries, cry - cries

change the -y to -ies:
Verbs such as "buy" have no consonant before buy - buys, pay - pays.
the "y", so you simply add –s as usual.

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Unit 4: Present Simple – Negatives and Questions
Grammar Point:
1. Simple Present Negatives
Simple Present negatives and questions are used in the same situations as Simple Present
statements: for permanent facts, present fact, and habitual actions.
- Permanent facts: I do not speak Japanese. - Fish do not live in water.
- Present facts: I do not work at home. - She does not play the piano.
- Habitual actions: I do not get up at 8.00. - They do not come here every day.
To make a negative sentence we put do or does after the subject. Because of this, the verb that
follows do/does + not is always in the bare infinitive form.
For example:
"I do not like pizza." is correct, but
"I do not likes pizza is incorrect" - you don't need to add an "s" to the verb "like".
Do and does come from the verb "to do", which is often used as an auxiliary verb in English.
Here is the negative form of the verb "to give" in the Simple Present:
Singular Plural
I do not give We do not give
You do not give You do not give
He does not give They do not give
She does not give
It does not give
2. Simple Present Questions
To make a Simple Present Questions you put do or does before the subject. For example:
- Statement: I speak Japanese.

- Questions: Do I speak Japanese?
- Statement: She likes pizza.
- Questions: Does she like pizza?

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As with negatives, the verb after do or does (and the subject) is always in the bare infinitive form.
It is the auxiliary verb "to do", do or does, which changes.
Simple Present Question verbs are as follows:
Singular Plural
Do I like (pizza) ? Do we like ...?
Do you like ...? Do you like ...?
Does he like ...? Do they like ...?
Does she like ...?
Does it like ...?
Negative questions are also possible but are used for several more advanced ways. We'll deal with
them later!

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Unit 5: Contractions
Grammar Point:
1. Contractions
Many verbs have short forms that are used particularly in spoken English. For example:
"I am happy today" = "I'm happy today". The short forms of the verb "to be" are as follows:
Singular Plural
I am = I'm We are = We're
You are = You're You are= You're
He is = He's They are = They're
She is = She's
It is = It's
Note: Be careful not to confuse it's with its. It's means "it is", but its is a possessive form we'll
study later.
2. Negative Contractions - Simple Present Verb "to be"
There are two main short forms for the negative of the verb "to be": "You are" becomes "You're
not" or "you aren't". For example:
- She is not happy = She isn't happy = She's not happy.

- We are not singers = We aren't singers = We're not singers
The short forms for the negative verb "to be" are as follows:
Singular Plural
I am not = I'm not = I amn't* We are not = We're not = We aren't
You are not = You're not = You aren't You are not = You're not = You aren't
He is not = He's not = He isn't They are not = They're not = They aren't
She is not = She's not = She isn't
It is not = It's not = It isn't

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* "I am" Negative Contraction
You can say "I am not", and you can say "I'm not", but you can't say "I amn't".
3. Negative Contractions - Simple Present
Simple Present negatives contract in two ways: "do not" becomes "don't" and "does not" becomes
"doesn't". For example:
- Statement: I do not like pizza = I don't like pizza.

- Questions: He does not drive a car = He doesn't drive a car.
And just in case you need it, here's a table of Simple Present contractions.
Singular Plural
I do not = I don't We do not = We don't
You do not = You don't You do not = You don't
He does not = He doesn't They do not = They don't
She does not = She doesn't
It does not = It doesn't
Now give some exercises a try!

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Unit 6: Prepositions of Place
Grammar Point:
1. Prepositions of Place
Prepositions show spatial or time relationships between things or events.
For example: "The lamp is on the table" contains the preposition "on". This word shows the
spatial relationship between the lamp, and the table.
The most common prepositions of place are: in, on, under, next to, in front of, behind, at.
Look at the following pictures to learn their meaning:
In, on, under, in front of, and behind are clear from the pictures above. Example sentences are:
- The dog is in the box.
- The cat is under the table
- The man is next to the building.
At however is a more abstract concept - it is used to refer to a point in space, usually a point on a
line. See below for more explanation.
2. In, On, At
In is used to show something that surrounds or encloses us. For example:
- I sleep in my bedroom.
- The desk is in the room.
In is also used for geographical areas such as cities and countries, for example: "I live in
London" or "I live in England".
On is used to show something that is on a surface. For example:
- I sleep on my bed.
- The paper is on the desk.
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On is also used for street names, for example: "I live on Orchard Road".
At is used to show something that is at a particular point, often as part of a line. For example:
- He is at the bus stop.

The bus stop is one point in a line of bus stops.
- John is at the bank.
John is at a particular place or point, the bank. The bank is part of his journey and also part of a
street, both of which can be seen as lines.
At is also used for complete addresses, for example:
"I live at 22 Orchard Road, London, England."
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So why do we live "on a street" but "in a city"? And how can you know for sure when to use in,
on, or at? It depends on the perspective of the speaker, and what is considered acceptable in
English. These are questions that all English learners encounter and they cannot be completely
answered through rote memorization or lists of rules. As your exposure to English grows you will
gain enough experience to be able to decide for yourself which is correct. Simply keep trying to
understand, and eventually you will.
Now give some exercises a try!

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Unit 7: Question Words
Grammar Point:
1. Question Words
Question words are used to ask what we are talking about.
Questions using question words follow this order: Question word - Auxiliary verb - Subject.
Here are some question words and example sentences:
Question Word Usage Example
What To ask about the nature of What color do you like?

things and substances. What time is it?
Where To ask about location. Where are you?
Who To ask about identity Who is he?
Whose Top ask about possession Whose pen is this?
Why To ask about reason and Why are you happy?

purpose
When To ask about time When do you get up?
Which To ask about a set of choices. Which one do you want?
How How has several usages, How do you make coffee?

including asking about process
and method.
To make a question with question words in the Simple Present, you simply make a normal
question, and then put a question word in front. For example:
With the verb "to be":

- Statement: His name is Tyler.
- Question: Is his name Tyler?
- With a Question Word: What is his name?
With other verbs:

- Statement: I like flowers.
- Question: Do you like flowers?
- With a Question Word: Why do you like flowers?
-----

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Unit 8: Object Pronouns
Grammar Point:
1. Object Pronouns
Subjects are what a sentence is about. For example:

- I like rice.
In this sentence I is the subject - I is what the sentence is about.
Objects are what are affected by the action of the subject. For example:
- I want a table.
- I am reading a book.
Object pronouns are used instead of object nouns, usually because we already know what the
object is.
- My friend's name is Hyun Ju. I really like her.

- I like this book. I read it every day.
The Subject and Object Pronouns are as follows:
Singular Plural
I - Me We - Us
You - You You - You
He - Him They - Them
She - Her
It - It
Subject pronouns are not normally used on their own in short answers. We use object pronouns,
for example:
- Who want some candy? Me! / Not me! (OK).

- Who wants some candy? I / Not I! This is very unusual.
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Unit 9: Countable and Uncountable Nouns
Grammar Point:
1. Countable Nouns
All nouns are countable or uncountable. Countable nouns have the following properties.
- They can be counted, for example 1 apple, 2 apples, ...etc.

- They can be made plural.
- They can take the indefinite article “a/an”.
2. Uncountable Nouns
Uncountable nouns have the following properties.
- They usually can't be counted, for example 1 money, 2 money, ...etc.

- They usually can't be made plural.
- They usually don't take the indefinite article “a/an”.
Some is often used for plural nouns. For example:

- I have some apples.
- I have some food.
This is covered later in more detail.
Here are some common countable and uncountable nouns.
Countable Uncountable
apple time
tree rice
person beef
dog money
kilo information
liter help
Countable nouns often refer to individual things, and physical things. For example: a person, a
tree, a kilo.
Uncountable nouns often refer to non-individual things, and abstract things. For example rice is
not an individual thing, it's seen as group of hundreds of small grains. Love and sadness are
abstract, not physical things.

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3. Countable and Uncountable Nouns
Some nouns can be countable and uncountable, depending on how they are used. For example:
- Countable: A glass of milk. Here glass refers to one container made of glass.
- Uncountable: You can see through glass. Here glass doesn't refer to one thing, it refers to glass
as a substance.
- Countable: He has many papers. Here papers refer to some of individual documents.
- Uncountable: Paper is made from wood. Here paper is not an individual thing, but a general
substance.
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Notes:
Whether something is countable or uncountable takes time to learn and can only be achieved
through long-term exposure to English. Also, what may seem logical in your own language may
seem completely illogical in English! Learning a language involves learning another culture's point
of view, and as always, the guidelines above should be used to help your own understanding rather
than as hard and fast grammar rules. Good luck!

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Unit 10: Articles
Grammar Point:
1. Articles
Articles are a kind of adjective; they show how particular or how general a noun is.
There are three kinds of article: the, a/an, and having no article, zero articles.
2. A/An - Indefinite Article
A is used for indefinite things. For example:
- I have a book. I don't have a specific book, just any book in general.
- She lives in a house. Again, the house is just a general house, not a particular house.
A is also used only for singular countable nouns. For example:
- A book, a chair, a person, a building, etc.
An has the same meaning as a.

A is used in front of words starting with a consonant sound, such as b, c, d, g, p.
An is used in front of words that start with a vowel sound such as a, e, i, o, or u.
For example:
- a bear, a fox, a newspaper.
- an apple, an egg, an umbrella.
An can also be used before words starting with "h".

Sometimes this is optional, for example: a hotel, or "an hotel". Here the "h" sound in hotel is
pronounced.
Occasionally this is not optional, for example: an honor, not a honor. The "h" sound in honor is not
pronounced, so this word actually starts with the vowel sound "o". As a result, we need to use an.
2. The - Definite Article
The is used for particular, definite things. For example:
The is used for something already mentioned, particular, definite thing. For example:
The is used for a particular, definite thing. For example:
3. Zero Article
Zero article is generally for when something is seen as neither definite or indefinite, it simply
exists.

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Zero article is used in front of plural countable nouns. For example:
I like eggs. I like an eggs.
Flowers are beautiful. A flowers are beautiful.
Zero article is used in front of singular uncountable nouns. For example:

I like milk. I like a milk.
Soccer is fun. The soccer is fun.
Zero article is used in front of proper nouns. For example:

My name is Jeremy. My name is a Jeremy.
I live in London. I live in a London.
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Note:
These are guidelines not rules, and usage of all articles depends entirely on the current context and
perspective of the speaker. Articles take a long time to master, especially if your native language
does not have articles such as in Korean or Japanese. Try to understand what things are definite
and what things are not from an English perspective and as you experience more English your
confidence and ability with articles will grow. Good luck!

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Unit 11: Plural Nouns
Grammar Point:
1. Plural Nouns
-s ending - Plurals are generally made by adding -s to the noun. For example:
Cat - cats, tree - trees, building - buildings.
There are a number of exceptions to this rule; here are some of the most common ones.
-es ending: Nouns ending with -o, -s, -x, -z, -ch, and -sh usually add -es to the noun. For example:
tomatoes, dresses, foxes, quizzes, watches, stashes.
- ies ending: Nouns ending with a consonant + -y usually replace the -y with -ies. For example:
country - countries, party - parties.
- ves ending: Some nouns ending in –f, replace the -f with -ves. For example:
wife - wives, knife - knives, elf - elves.
More always, memorizing these rules is probably less helpful and much less interesting than
exposing yourself to real English usage and learning them at the same time. Time for some more
exercises!

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Unit 12: Demonstratives – This/That/These/Those
Grammar Point:
1. Demonstratives - this, that, these, those.
This/that/these/those show the relative distance between the speaker and a noun.
This refers to something near to the speaker; that to something further away.
These is the plural of this, and those is the plural of that.
Sometimes demonstratives are pronouns, for example:

- "This is my Mom." Mom is near to the speaker
- "These are my books." The books are near the speaker.
- "I don't like that." He doesn't like something that is further away.
Sometimes demonstratives can also be adjectives, for example:

- That man is a doctor.
- I like those jackets.
- I don't like that movie.
Now try some exercises.

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Course 2 – Elementary
(Unit 13 to 25)
“Success is based on knowledge, not chance”
Unit 13: Quantifiers - Some/Any
Grammar Point:
1. Quantifiers - Some / Any
Quantifiers are words that show how much there is of something - they show quantity. Numbers
for example are also quantifiers.
Some
Some is used to show an indefinite quantity, the exact number is not important. It is used in
affirmative statements, for example:
- I have some books.
- She wants some apples.
Some is also in questions, but only when you think the answer wil be "Yes". For example:
- Do you have some paper? (I hope the answer is "Yes")
- Would you like some French fries? (I expect the answer is "Yes")
Any
Any is used in negative statements. For example:

- I don't have any money.
- There aren't any taxis near here.
Any is also generally used in questions, especially when we expect the answer to be "No". For
example:
- Do you have any paper? (I expect the answer will probably be "No")
- Is there any time to go to the doctor's? (I think there probably isn't time).
This can however look and sound awkward, so you can sometimes just use ' instead. For example
with names:
Thomas's book, Tess's house can also be Thomas' book, Tess' house.
Some and any are often used like articles for plural nouns.
A/an is used for singular countable nouns, and some/any can be used for plural noun,
countable or uncountable.

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For example:
I have a newspaper, some newspapers, and some money.
"A newspaper" is a singular countable noun so uses a, "newspapers" is a plural countable nouns so
uses some, and money is an uncountable noun so also uses some.
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As always it seems complicated especially the first time, but when you use grammar rather than
just read about it makes much more sense, and as you grow in experience and confidence you'll
soon be learning to use English grammar well. On with the exercises!

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Unit 14: Quantifiers - Much/Many/A Lot of
Grammar Point:
1. Quantifiers - Much / Many / A Lot of
Quantifiers are words that show how much there is of something - they show quantity. Much,
many, and a lot of indicate a large quantity of something, for example "I have a lot of milk"
means I have a large quantity of milk.
Much
Much is used with uncountable nouns, and is generally used in negative statements and
questions. It's uncommon to use much in positive statements. For example:
- I don't have much money.
- Do you have much time?
- "I have much time." This sounds unusual.
Many
Many is used with plural countable nouns, and is often used in negative statements and
questions. It is also used in positive statements however. For example:
- I don't have many apples.
- Do you have many friends?
- Many people come here in summer. (OK).
Much and many can be used in affirmative statements, but give a more formal meaning. For
example:
- He has many good friends from Harvard University.
Much and many often appear in short answers. For example:

- Do you see your family much?
- No, not much.
A lot of
A lot of is used with uncountable and countable nouns, and is generally used for affirmative
statements. For example:
- I have a lot of friends.
- I have a lot of time.
A lot of is also used in questions, especially when you expect a positive response. Although it is
often said that much and many are used for questions, we usually use them for questions which
expect a negative response. For example:
- Do you want a lot of pizza?
(I expect you want to eat a lot).
- Do you want much pizza?
(These sounds unusual, as though I expect you don't want to eat much).
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Lots of can be used in the same way as a lot of, often in informal speech. For example:
- I have lots of time.
- I have a lot of time.
How much / many?
How much is used to ask about the price of something. For example:
- How much is it?
- How much is that dog in the window?
How much and How many are used to ask about quantity. For example:
- How much money do you have?
- How many apples does he have?
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Now try some exercises with much, many, and a lot of!

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Unit 15: Quantifiers - A Few / A Little
Grammar Point:
1. Quantifiers - Few / Little / A Few / A Little
These quantifiers are used to show a small quantity of something, for example "I have a few
books" means I have a small quantity of books.
A Few
A few is used with countable nouns to show a small quantity. It is used in affirmative
statements, but not negatives. We generally use any or questions. For example:
- I have a few books.
- I don't have a few books.
This is incorrect.
- I don't have any books.
This is correct.
- Do you have a few books?
Sometimes this is possible, but generally speaking we use “any” for questions, for example "Do
you have any books?"
Few
There is an important difference between a few and few. Few without a is used to mean we don't
have enough of something. For example:
- She has few apples in the refrigerator. (She doesn't have enough apples).
- She has a few apples in the refrigerator. (She has a small quantity of apples)
Put another way, "a few" means "a small quantity", but "few" means "not a big quantity" For
example:
- A few friends came to my party. This is a positive idea, I'm happy a few people came./
- Few friends came to my party. This is a negative idea, I'm not happy because not many people
came.
Notice how "a few" focuses on how many people did come, but "few" focuses on how many didn't
come.
In sum, A few means a small quantity - few means not a big quantity
A Little
A little is used with uncountable nouns to show a small quantity. Again, it is generally used in
affirmative statements, not negatives or questions. For example:
- I have a little orange juice.
Negatives and Questions use "any" as usual.
- I don't have a little orange juice.
This is incorrect.
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- I don't have any orange juice. This is correct.
- Do you have a little orange juice? This is incorrect.
Again, we generally use any for questions, for example "Do you have any orange juice?"
Little
As with few, there is also the same difference between a little and little. Little without a is used to
mean we don't have enough of something. For example:
- She has little for breakfast. (She doesn't eat enough for breakfast).
- She has a little for breakfast. (She has a small quantity of food for breakfast).
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Now try some exercises with few, a few, little, and a little!

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Unit 16: Possessives
Grammar Point:
1. Possessives
Possessives show who or what something belongs to - they show possession.
Most nouns can be made possessive simply by adding 's. For example:
- The restaurant's food is very good.
- David Beckham's right foot is excellent.
- You can eat an apple's skin.
Note: If the noun is plural and ends in "s", you add just '. For example:
girls is plural and ends in "s" so:'

- The girls' books are interesting. (The girls's books are interesting)
children is plural but doesn't end in "s" so we just add 's as normal:
- The children's books are interesting.
boss ends in "s" but is not plural, so again just add 's.
- The boss's office is very big.
This can however look and sound awkward, so you can sometimes just use ' instead. For example
with names:
Thomas's book, Tess's house can also be Thomas' book, Tess' house.
The basic rule is: if the noun is plural and ends in "s" add ' - otherwise just add 's.
2. Possessive Adjectives
Here are the possessive adjectives with example sentences. Notice that possessive adjectives come
before the noun.
Possessive Adjective Uncountable
My This is my book
Your (singular) Your car looks great.
Her Her watch is expensive.
His His house is on Chamber Street.
Our Our dog is cute.
Your (plural) Your friends are nice.
Their This is their ball.
Its The cat likes its food.

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3. Possessive Pronouns
Here are the possessive pronouns with example sentences. Notice they never come before nouns.
Possessive Pronoun Uncountable
My This book is mine.

Your (singular) That car is yours.
Her The expensive watch is hers.
His The house on Chamber Street is his.
Our The cute dog is ours.
Your (plural) Those friends are yours.
Their This ball is theirs.
Its --
There is no possessive pronoun for its, so you cannot say "The book is its". Also possessive
pronouns often come at the end of sentences and are usually stressed. "This is my book" can be
have a fairly factual meaning, but "This book is mine" stresses more strongly whose book it is.
Now try and put it all into practice!

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Unit 17 - There is / There are
Grammar Point:
There is / there are
"There" is a kind of pronoun used to show something you know exists.
Compare these two sentences:

- "A fly is in my soup."
- "There is a fly in my soup!"
The first sentence is factual and impersonal. The fly is the subject, and the soup is the object. In the
second sentence the object is "a fly in my soup", so the subject is "There". "There" functions as a
kind of dummy subject (chủ ngữ giả) that represents a more personal perspective, rather than a
factual statement.
Note: Especially in spoken English we usually use the contraction "there's", rather than "there is".
Here are the forms of "there" in the Simple Present.
Statements Questions
There's a tree in my garden. Is there a restaurant here?

There are books on the desk. Yes, there is. / No, there isn't
Negatives
There isn't a computer in my bedroom.

There aren't any cinemas here.
There is usually subject-verb agreement when using there is/there are. For example:
- There are ten students in my class.
- There is ten students in my class.
Sometimes however we can use "there is" with compound subjects, for example:
There's a bank and a post office near my house.
Click below for exercises!

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Unit 18 - Modal Verbs - Can / Can't
Grammar Point:
Can
Can is a kind of auxiliary verb called a modal verb. Modal verbs express a particular
character or mood of a verb.
Ability
Can is often used to show ability. For example: "We can speak English", or "He can sing well."
Here are the Simple Present forms of can for ability.
I can play the piano. Can you play the piano?

She can drive a car. Can she drive a car?
Negatives
I cannot play the piano.

She cannot drive a car.
Contractions
Cannot and can't are the same. For example:

- I cannot cook well.
- I can't cook well.
Note: Can't is much more common in spoken English.
Permission
Can is also used to show permission. For example: "You can go home after class". Here are the
Simple Present forms of can for permission.
You can meet her tomorrow. - (You have Can we go to the movies? - (Please give us
permission to meet her). permission to watch a movie).
Negatives
She can't come to our house. - (She doesn't have

permission to visit us).

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Unit 19 - Have / Have got
Grammar Point:
1. Have - have got
"Have" and "have got" are both used to show possession. For example: "I have a pen", and "I
have got a pen" have the same meaning. Here are the main points when choosing which one to use.
Have
The Simple Present forms of have are as follows.
Singular Plural
Affirmative Affirmative
I have a pen We have a lot of pens

You have a pen You have a lot of pens
She has a pen They have a lot of pens
He has a pen
It has a pen
Negative Negative
I do not have a pen = I don't have a pen We do not have a pen = We don't have any pen
You do not have a pen = You don't have a pen You do not have a pen = You don't have a pen
She does not have a pen = She doesn't have a pen They do not have a pen = They don't have a pen
He does not have a pen = He doesn't have a pen
It does not have a pen = It doesn't have a pen
Questions Questions
Do I have a pen? Do we have any pen?

Do you have a pen? Do you have any pen?
Does she has a pen? Do they have any pen?
Does he has a pen?
Does it have a pen?
You make questions with have as normal by using the auxiliary verb "to do". For example:
- Statement: You have a pen.
- Question: Do you have a pen?
- Have you a pen? This is generally incorrect, although occasionally found in British English.
The verb have is often contracted in English, but when have is used for possession you cannot
use a contraction, you should use have got instead (see below). For example:
- I've a pen, He's a pen. These are incorrect.

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Do not and does not can of course still be contracted to don't and doesn't. For example:
- He doesn't have a pen = He does not have a pen.
The Simple Present forms of have got are as follows.
Have got
Singular Plural
Affirmative
I have got a pen = I've got a pen We have got a pen = We've got a pen
You have got a pen = You've got a pen You have got a pen = You've got a pen
She has got a pen = She's got a pen They have got a pen = They've got a pen
He has got a pen = He's got a pen
It has got a pen = It's got a pen
Negative
I have not got a pen = I haven't got a pen We have not got a pen = We haven't got a pen
You have not got a pen = You haven't got a pen You have not got a pen = You haven't got a pen
She has not got a pen = She hasn't got a pen They have not got a pen = They haven't got a pen
He has not got a pen = He hasn't got a pen
It has not got a pen = It hasn't got a pen
Questions
Have I got a pen? Have we got a pen?

Have you got a pen? Have you got a pen?
Has he got a pen? Have they got a pen?
Has she got a pen?
Has it got a pen?
Affirmative statements can contract have got, for example:

- I have got some food = I've got some food.
- He has got some food = He's got some food.
Negatives contract as follows:

- I haven't got any food = I have not got any food.
- She hasn't got any food = She has not got any food.
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Have got is a slightly unusual form because it is a perfect tense form, something which we haven't
learnt yet and which will be covered later. Also, remember that the verb have is used in many

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ways, but the above is only for its use for possession. The lists above may seem rather laborious,
but you will quickly learn to use these verbs when you apply them to some real English usage.
So, on to the exercises!

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Unit 20 – Conjunctions
Grammar Point:
1. Conjunctions
Conjunctions are words that conjoin things - they connect sentences and parts of a sentence. This
unit deals with five conjunctions: and, but, or, so and because.
And
And is often used to join nouns or adjectives, for example:

- I like spaghetti and pizza. (Join two nouns).
- I like a black and white T-Shirts. (Join two adjectives).
And is also used to show time sequence, for example:

- I ate spaghetti for lunch and pizza for dinner.
But
But is used to show an exception or conflict. For example:

- I like spaghetti, but I don't like hamburgers.
Or
Or is used to show choice, for example:

- You can eat spaghetti or pizza for dinner.
So
So is used to show the result of something. For example:

- I like all Italian food, so I like pizza.
So can also be used give additional information, for example:
- I like Italian food, and so does my brother.
Because
Because is used to show the cause of something. For example:

- I eat a lot of pizza because I like it.
- I study English because I want a good job.
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There are many other specific usages of the above conjunctions, but they usually center around the
main concepts outlined here. Now try using some conjunctions with the following exercises.

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Unit 21 – Imperatives
Grammar Point:
1. Imperatives
Imperatives are used to give orders or suggestions. For example: "Come here!" or "Have a
cookie".
Imperatives almost always have no subject, and the second person is usually implied as the
subject instead. For example "Come here!" implies the subject "(you) Come here!".
Here are some of the situations you can use imperatives.
Orders (Ra lệnh):
Close the door! - Stand up! - Sit down! - Open your books!
Instructions (Hướng dẫn):
To make a cup of coffee:

- Boil some water
- Put some coffee in a cup
- Add some water
- Drink the coffee.
Directions (Chỉ dẫn đường đi):
To go to the bank
Turn left at Orchard Street, and then go straight.
Offers and Invitations (Mời mọc):
- Have some tea

- Come over to our house sometime.
Let's or Let
The verb let is often used as an imperative to give strong suggestions. Let's is a contraction of let
us. For example:
- Let's go home!
- Let's watch a movie!
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Now let's do some exercises using imperatives!

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Unit 22 - Present Continuous
Grammar Point:
1. Present Continuous
The Present Continuous is used for actions that are happening around the present time. For
example, "I am studying English" means that I am in the process of studying English now.
Form
The Present Continuous is formed by adding the verb "to be" and the -ing form
Singular Plural
Affirmative Affirmative
I am studying We are studying

You are studying You are studying
She is studying They are studying
He is studying
It is studying
Negative Negative
I am not studying We do not have a pen = We don't have a pen

You are not studying You do not have a pen = You don't have a pen
She is not studying They do not have a pen = They don't have a pen
He is not studying
It is not studying
Questions Questions
Are you studying? Are we studying?

Is she studying? Are you studying?
Is he studying? Are they studying?
Is it falling?
For negatives we simply add not after the auxiliary verb "to be", for example:
- I am playing - I am not playing.
For questions we invert the subject and auxiliary verb to be, for example:
- You are playing - Are you playing?

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Usage
The Present Continuous is used for actions happening at the present time. For example:
- We are studying English.
- You are using a computer.
The Present Continuous is also used for processes happening around the present time. For
example:
- It is raining today.
- I am working in Paris this month.
- The world is turning.
The time period of the first sentence is today, the second sentence one month, and the third
sentence forever, but all of these sentences are about processes that happen around the present.
They started before the present, are happening now, and will continue after the present. This
is a key idea of the Present Continuous.
The Present Continuous is also used for repeated actions or habits. Such repetition is seen as one
continuing process. For example:
- I am getting up early this week.
Obviously I'm not getting up just one time for a whole week, but during one week I will get up
early every day, so this can be seen as one process.
The Present Continuous is also used for future arrangements at a particular time. For example:
- I'm going to Rome at 10.30 tomorrow.
- She's coming to my apartment this evening.
Spelling
To make the -ing form, also known as the present participle, we usually add -ing to the verb. For
example:
- study - studying
- eat - eating
- jump - jumping
For verbs ending in -e, we leave out the -e and add -ing. For example:
- write - writing: not writeing
- skate - skating: not skateing.
For verbs ending in a vowel and a consonant, we usually double the last consonant and add -ing.
For example:
- run - running: not runing
- cut - cutting: not cuting
For verbs ending in -ie we change the -ie to -y and add -ing. For example:
- lie - lying: not lieing
Try these exercises using the Present Continuous.

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Unit 23 - Adverbs of Frequency
Grammar Point:
Adverbs of Frequency
Adverbs of frequency show how often something happens. For example: "I always brush my
teeth" means I brush my teeth every day.
Here are some common adverbs of frequency.
Adverb Frequency
Always - He always eats breakfast. 100%

Usually - He usually eats breakfast. 80%
Often - He often eats breakfast. 60%
Sometimes - He sometimes eats breakfast. 40%-50%
Never - He never eats breakfast. 0%
For infrequent events we can use:
Don't usually - He doesn't usually eat breakfast. 20%
Affirmative/Negative Frequency Adverbs
Affirmative frequency adverbs can be made negative, for example:

- I don't always eat rice for breakfast.
- He doesn't usually come home late.
But the negative frequency adverbs can't be made negative: for example:
- I don't never eat rice for breakfast - This is incorrect
Adverb Position
Adverb position varies greatly in English. However as a general rule, adverbs of frequency come
before the main verb. For example:
These are correct: "sometimes" comes before the main verb "play"
- We sometimes play sports.
- We don't often play sports.
These are incorrect:

- We play sometimes sports.
- We don't play often sports.
Other positions are also possible, for example:

- We play sports sometimes. This is accepted. Here the adverb is in the end position.

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- Sometimes we come home late. This is correct. The beginning position is possible, especially
when adding emphasis.
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Unit 24: Prepositions of Time
Grammar Point:
Prepositions of Time
Prepositions of time show the time something happens. For example: "I get up at 7.00" shows the
time I get up.
Some of the most common prepositions of time are: in, on, at, from, to.
In
In is used for morning, afternoon, and evening. For example:

- I study Japanese in the afternoon.
- He gets up early in the morning.
In is also used for other periods of time, including months, seasons, years, centuries, and ages.
For example:
- My birthday is in March.
- The Portuguese came to Japan in 1542.
- Flowers grow in spring.
On
On is almost always used for some kind of day. For example:

- My birthday is on March 29th.
- I go to church on Sunday.
- We visit my family on New Year's Day.
Compare: He gets up early in the morning.
But: He gets up early on Monday morning.
At
At is used for a particular time. For example:

- I study Spanish at 2.00.
- He gets up at 7.30.
- I come home at lunchtime.
At is also used for used for night.

Compare: I sleep in the afternoon.
But: I sleep at night.
From - to
From and to are used to show the start and end of a defined period of time. For example:
- I work from 9.00 to 5.00.
- Our vacation is from January 5th to February 1st.
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Unit 25 - Comparatives / Superlatives
Grammar Point:
Comparatives and Superlatives
Comparatives show more or less of a particular attribute, they compare things.
Comparatives are generally used for comparing two things, and

Superlatives are used for comparing three or more things.
If it's clear what we are comparing to, then we can just use the comparative form on its own.
For example:
- I am faster.
- She is older.
Otherwise we use than before the thing we are comparing to. For example:
I am faster than John.
She is taller than me.
Superlative forms don't use “than” and are always preceded by the definite article “the”. For
example:
- I am the tallest student in my school.
Comparatives
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One-Syllable Adjectives
To make a comparative from an adjective with one syllable, we add -er to the adjective, for
example:
- slow - slower
- fast - faster
- tall - taller
- short - shorter
To make a comparative from a one syllable adjective ending in -e, we just add -r. For example:
- nice - nicer
- large - larger
If the one syllable adjective ends in a vowel and a consonant, we double the consonant. For
example:
- big - bigger
- hot - hotter
- thin - thinner

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Two-Syllable Adjectives
If the adjective has two or more syllables, we add more before the adjective.
For example:
This book is more expensive than that book.
This picture is more beautiful.
Note: However, there are many exceptions to this one/two-syllable rule.

Some two-syllable words behave like one-syllable ones: For example:
This is easier - Correct
This is more easy - Incorrect.
This is simpler - Correct
This is more simple - Incorrect
And some adjectives can use both comparatives forms: For example
- clever - cleverer - more clever: These are all correct.
- quiet - quieter - more quiet: These are all correct.
Exceptions cannot be learnt through rules, the best way to learn them is simply to pick them up
case by case.
Superlatives
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One-Syllable Adjectives
To make a superlative from an adjective with one syllable, we add -est to the adjective, for
example:
- slow - slowest
- fast - fastest
- tall - tallest
- short - shortest
To make a superlative from a one syllable adjective ending in -e, we just add -st. For example:
- nice - nicest
- large - largest
If the one syllable adjective ends in a vowel and a consonant, we double the consonant. For
example:
- big - biggest
- hot - hottest
- thin - thinnest
Two-Syllable Adjectives
If the adjective has two or more syllables, we add most before the adjective.
For example:
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This book is the most expensive book.
This picture is the most beautiful picture in the museum.
Irregular Forms
There are a few irregular forms. Below gives the adjective, comparative, and superlative forms.
good - better - best
bad - worse - worst
far - farther - farthest
far - further - furthest
little - less - least
much/many - more - most
For example:
You are the best student in the world!
I am far from home, he is further from home, but he is the furthest from home.
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As usual, what looks complicated in a list of rules will become simpler with practice and
experience. Good luck!
Click below for exercises using comparatives and superlatives.

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Course 3 – Pre-Intermediate
(Unit 26 to 47)
“The important thing is not to stop questioning.

Curiosity has its on own reason for existing.”
- Albert Einstein.
Unit 26 - Past Simple - Verb "to be"
Grammar Point:
Past Simple - Verb "to be"
The Past Simple is used for facts and events that existed in the past. For example:
- I was with my grandmother yesterday.
- They were at home last week.
The verb "to be" is irregular, it's past form is as follows:
Singular Plural
I was We were
You were You were
He was They were
She was
It was
Some examples of past simple sentences with the verb "to be" are:
- I was happy yesterday.
- We were teachers for 20 years.
- There was a lot of rain yesterday.
Note: Past Simple sentences are always associated with a certain time which is either stated or
implied. For example:
I was really busy yesterday. (The time is stated)
I was really busy. (The time isn't stated, but in a conversation the time would be understood.)
Negatives
Past Simple negative sentences are made by adding not after the verb "to be". For example:
- It was not sunny yesterday.
- They were not in the library.

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We often contract negatives, especially in spoken English:
- She was not hungry. -> She wasn't hungry.
- They were not abroad last year. -> They weren't abroad last year.
Questions
Questions are made by inverting the subject and verb. For example:
- He was a teacher.
- Was he a teacher?
- We were happy to see your family.
- Were you happy to see my family?
-----
Click below for exercises using the Past Simple form of the verb "to be".

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Unit 27 - Past Simple
Grammar Point:
Past Simple
The Past Simple is used for facts and events that existed in the past. For example:
- I played tennis with some guys from work yesterday.
- We stayed in Shanghai for five days.
Regular past simple verbs are formed by adding "-ed" to the verb. For example:
- jump -> jumped: The dog jumped over the fence.
- walk -> walked: I walked 22 kilometers yesterday.
- work -> worked: We worked together as lawyers for 15 years.
Usage
The past simple is used for a completed action. For example:

- We watched a movie at the last weekend.
- She arrived on Thursday.
A specific time must be given or implied. For example:

- I walked to work this morning. - A specific time is given.
- I walked to work. - A specific time is not given, but in context we would understand what time is
being referred to.
Negatives
Past simple negatives are made with did and not. Did is the past form of the verb “to do”. Did and
not are often contracted to didn't. For example:
- I arrived in London on Monday. I didn't arrive on Sunday.
- They stayed at the Vivaldi Hotel. They didn't stay at the Carlton Hotel.
Note: Because "did" is a past form, the main verb does not change. For example:
- We didn't live in Italy. Did is a past form so live is unchanged.
- We didn't lived in Italy. Incorrect
Questions
Questions are made by putting did before the subject. For example:
- You lived in Japan. Did you live in Japan?
- They stayed at the Vivaldi Hotel. Did they stay at the Vivaldi Hotel?
Again the main verb doesn't change, for example:

- You lived in Japan. Did you lived in Japan? Incorrect
- You lived in Japan. Did you live in Japan? Correct

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Irregular Verbs
There are many irregular past simple verbs in English, these do not add -ed. Below are some of the
most common ones but there are many more.
be - was/were make - made

become - became meet - met
begin - began pay - paid
break - broke read - read
bring - brought ride - rode
build - built run - run
buy - bought say - said
catch - caught sell - sold
choose - chose send - sent
come - came shut - shut
do - did sing - sang
draw -drew sit - sat
eat - ate sleep - slept
feel - felt smell - smelt/smelled
fight - fought speak - spoke
find - found stand - stood
fly - flew swim - swam
forget - forgot take - took
get - got teach - taught
give - gave tell - told
go - went think - thought
have - had understand - understood
hear - heard wear - wore
hit - hit win - won
know - knew write - wrote
learn - learnt/learned
leave - left
lose - lost
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Unit 28 - Past Continuous
Past Continuous
The Past Continuous is used for actions or situations that happened over a period of time. For
example:
- We were playing tennis with some friends from work.
- The sun was shining this morning.
The Past Continuous is made with the past form of to be and the -ing form.
Singular Plural
I was walking We were walking
You were walking You were walking
He was walking They were walking
She was walking
It was walking
Usage
The Past Continuous is used for actions, which are taking progress in the past. We are in the
middle of these actions, they have started but not yet finished. For example:
- We were playing tennis yesterday afternoon.
- What were you doing? I was having lunch with my sister.
The Past Continuous and Past Simple are often used together to show that one situation
happened during another one. The Past Continuous is used for a background event that has
already started, and the Past Simple is used to introduce a new event. For example:
- I was walking in the park when it started to rain. - "Walking in the park" is a background
situation, and "it started to rain" is the new event of interest.
- It was raining so I ran back home.
- While I was running, the rain stopped.
- It wasn't raining, so I walked in the park again.
Note that if we want to show that one situation happened after another one, we usually use the Past
Simple. For example:
- Yesterday I walked in the park, it started to rain, I ran back home, and the rain stopped.
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Click below for exercises using the Past Continuous.

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Unit 29 - Future - Will / Shall
Future - Will/Shall
Will is a modal verb used to indicate future time. For example:

- It will be sunny tomorrow.
- The new restaurant will open next week.
Will comes after the subject and before the main verb, and in questions the subject and will invert.
Will often contracts to 'll, for example he'll, they'll, and in negatives will not often contracts to
won't.
Affirmative Question
He will / He'll stay at home tomorrow. Will he stay at home tomorrwo?

They will / They'll be very busy. Will they be busy?
Negative
I will not / won't stay at home tomorrow.

They will not / won't be very busy.
Usage
Will is used for future predictions and facts. For example:

- We'll finish it by tonight.
- We have a lot of time. We won't be late.
- "Where will you go next year?" "I'll go to America."
Will is also used to make a spontaneous response. For example:

Offer: - "The telephone's ringing." "I'll answer it."
Promise: - "I'll never leave you" - "I'll give it to you tomorrow morning."
Request: - "Will you wait for me this evening?"
Will for requests is quite strong and often used when the expected answer is "Yes". Otherwise
can is more polite: "Can you wait for me this evening?"
Threat: - "You'll be sorry!"
Order: - "You will not eat my chocolate-chip cookies!"
Shall
Shall is used with only I and we to make questions. For example:

"Shall I open the window?"
It can also be used to make statements, but this is formal and old-fashioned.
"We shall arrive at 6.00."
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Unit 30 - Future - Going to
Future - Going to
Going to is used to show a future intention. For example:

- I'm going to go on vacation next summer.
- We're going to start our own business.
Going to future sentences are made as follows:

Subject - verb "to be" - going to - infinitive verb - object.
For example: They are going to have dinner.
Usage
Going to is used for future plans. For example:

- I'm going to see my friends this evening.
- He's going to write a book.
- What are you going to do?
Going to is also used to make a prediction based on present evidence. For example:
- He's going to fall over! (I can see he's in danger now.)
- She's going to win. (I can see she's winning now.)
Will and going to are both used for predictions and sometimes there is little difference in
meaning. Compare:
- It will be sunny this afternoon. (A general prediction)
- It's going to be sunny this afternoon. (because it's getting warmer now)
Going to with the Past Simple of "to be" is often used for an intention or plan that wasn't
actually done. For example:
- I was going to meet my friends but I didn't have time.
- We were going to take a vacation but it was too expensive.
Going to is often contracted to gonna in spoken English. For example:

- "I'm gonna buy a new computer." (Gonna = going to).
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Click below for exercises using the future with going to.

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Unit 31 - Future - Present Simple / Present Continuous
Grammar Point:
Future - Present Simple and Continuous
The Present Continuous is used for future arrangements. For example:

- I'm playing tennis with John tomorrow.
The Present Simple is used for scheduled events in the future. For example:
- He has a doctor's appointment tomorrow. (It's part of his schedule)
Present Continuous
The Present Continuous is used for future arrangements. For example:

- I'm going to see my friends this evening.
- He's going to write a book.
- What are you going to do?
Note: The use of the Present Continuous often stresses the involvement of other people in
these arrangements.
Compare the future with going to, the Present Continuous and will:
- I'm going to visit my family this summer. - A future plan
- I'm meeting my family at 6.00. - A fixed arrangement involving other people.
Note: Fixed arrangements can also use going to, but the Present Continuous is more common.
- I'll meet my family tomorrow. - Will is usually not used with arrangements and this sounds
unusual.
Present Simple
The Present Simple is used for events that are part of a timetable or schedule. While the events
are in the future, their existence is already established in the present so we use the Present Simple.
For example:
- The train arrives at 8.00 this evening.
- There's a good concert on next week.
Compare the difference between the factual Present Simple, and the more personal Present
Continuous:
- We're having a party this weekend.
- The party starts at 6.00.
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Click below for exercises using the Present Simple and Continuous for the future.

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Unit 32 - Adjectives and Adverbs
Grammar Point:
Adjectives and Adverbs
Adjectives give information about nouns. For example:

- She's an excellent dancer.
- I've got a new apartment.
Adverbs modify verbs, they tell how something is done. For example:
- She learns quickly.
- You can speak English well.
Adjectives
Adjectives come before the noun. For example:

- This is a beautiful bird.
"This is a bird beautiful." is incorrect.
They provide information such as size (big, small), shape (round, square), color (yellow, green),
nationality (Chinese, Polish), and opinion (good, bad).
Adjectives do not change depending on number. For example:

She has a cute puppy.
She has three cute puppies.
Note that the adjective doesn't change with number.
Adjectives also come after certain verbs such as be, feel, look, and taste. For example:
- I'm really happy today.
- She's got a new job so she feels great.
- You look wonderful!
- This chicken tastes delicious.
Adverbs
Adverbs are often formed by adding -ly to an adjective. For example:

- quick (adjective) - He's quick at learning new things.
- quickly (adverb) - He learns quickly.
- bad (adjective) - He didn't get a bad test score.
- badly (adverb) - He didn't do badly in his test.
For adverbs made from adjectives ending in "-y" - change "-y" to "-i" and add "-ly". For
example:
- easy (adjective) - He thinks math is easy.
- easily (adverb) - He can do math easily.
- happy (adjective) - He's a happy man.
- happily (adverb) - He works happily every day.

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For adverbs made from adjectives ending in "-le" - change "-le" to "-ly". For example:
- simple (adjective) - The teacher makes difficult things simple.
- simply (adverb) - He teaches simply and clearly.
Some adverbs are the same as adjectives. For example:

- He runs fast (adverb) - He's a fast runner. (adjective)
- He studies hard. (adverb) - It's a hard life. (adjective)
The adverb of "good" is "well". For example:

- She's a good pianist.
- She plays the piano well.
Adverbs can also modify adjectives and other adverbs. For example:
- That's a good book.
- That's a very good book.
- She's a talented girl.
- She's an incredibly talented girl.
- You're right!
- You're absolutely right!
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Click below for exercises using adjectives and adverbs below.

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Unit 33 - Adjectives: -ed/-ing forms
Grammar Point:
Adjectives: -ed / -ing Forms
Many adjectives can end in -ed or -ing. For example:

- I'm excited about tomorrow.
- This is an exciting book.
Usage:
When the adjective ends in -ed, it describes the feeling of something. For example:
- I'm interested in modern art. (This is my personal feeling)
- I was really bored yesterday.
When the adjective ends in -ing, it describes the feeling given by something. For example:
- Modern art is interesting. ("Modern art" can't feel, but it makes me feel interested.).
- The news was shocking. (The "news" gives us a shocking feeling)
Compare:
- He's bored. - He has nothing to do, he's not enjoying himself. This describes his feeling.
- He's boring. - He's not an interesting person. This describes the feeling he gives to other
people.
Below are some common adjective pairs using -ed/-ing.

Note that the adjective doesn't change with number.
-ed Adjective -ing Adjective
annoyed - I don't get annoyed easily. annoying - Noisy mobile phones can be annoying.
amazed - I'm amazed by hers artistic talent. amazing - The concert last might was amazing.
confused - I asked the teacher, but we were confusing - This textbook is really confusing.
still confused.
disappointed - They were disappointed the disappointing - Yesterday's weather was
weather was not good. disappointing.
surprised - I was surprised to see you. surprising - I heard some surprising news.
amused amusing
thrilled thrilling
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Click below for exercises using adjectives with -ed and -ing forms.

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Unit 34 - Adjective Order
Grammar Point:
Adjective Order
When we use more than one adjective they should be used in the correct order. Adjective
order is not entirely fixed but the general sequence is:
-- Determiner - Opinion - Size - Age - Shape - Color - Origin - Material --> Noun
Note: Determiners are words such as a, an , the, this, that. These words are also kinds of
adjectives.
For example:
- a famous, old painting
- a big, round table
- an American, cotton shirt
Adjectives of opinion come before adjectives of fact, for example:

- a beautiful, white flower.
"A white, beautiful flower" sounds unusual.
With two or more adjectives commas are optional. For example:

- "A long, dark tunnel" or "A long dark tunnel" are both acceptable.
With two or more color adjectives use “and” to link them. For example:
- She's got a black and white kitten.
Adjectives other than colors don't use and. For example:
- She's got a little, black kitten. This is correct.
"She's got a little and black kitten" is incorrect.
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Click below for exercises on adjective order.

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Unit 35 - Comparatives - as...as
Grammar point:
Comparatives - As...As
The structure "as...as" is used to compare things that are equal. For example:
- Jennifer is 163cm and Tony is 163cm. Jennifer is as tall as Tony.
- This house is 40 years old, that house is also 40 years old. This house is as old as that house.
- Bach's music is as good as Mozart's.
- Spring is as warm as fall.
"as...as" can also be used in negatives and questions. For example:

The Amazon isn't as long as the Nile.
The second movie wasn't as good as the first.
Is Japan as expensive as England?
"as...as" can also be used to show an extreme amount.

- "Eat as much as you want." The amount you eat is "equal" to the amount you want.
- Hurry! Run as fast as you can!
- Study as hard as possible.
Multiple quantities are expressed with "as...as". For example:

- I'm 22. My friend is twice as old as me. She's 44 years old.
- My aunt is three times as old as me. She's 66.
- And my grandmother is four times as old as me. She's 88 years old.
- Jenny is also 22 years old. She's the same as me.
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Click below for exercises using the structure as...as.

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Unit 36 - Comparatives – Quantity
Grammar point:
Comparatives: Quantity
Quantifiers, or adjectives that show quantity, also have comparative and superlative forms.
Quantifier Comparative Superlative
much/many/a lot of more most

I have a lot of apples. I have more apples than you. He has the most apples.
I don't have many apples. I don't have more apples than you. I don't have the most apples.
I don't have much time. I don't have more time than you. I don't have the most time.
few - They have a few potatoes. fewer - We've got fewer potatoes. fewest -You've got the fewest
potatoes.
little - We've got a little rice. less - They've got less rice. least - I've got the least rice.
Remember that:
- many and few are used with countable nouns.
- much and less are used with uncountable nouns.
- a lot of / lots of can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns.
You can also use the "as...as" structure to show equality. For example:
- We have as many candies as you.
- There are as few people in this town as that one.
- She's got as much water as we do.
- I've got as little time as you do.
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Click below for exercises on comparisons of quantity.

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Unit 37 - Gerunds and Infinitives - Verb + Gerund / Verb + Infinitive
Grammar point:
A gerund is a verb that functions as noun. For example:

- I enjoy playing tennis. I enjoy play tennis" is incorrect.
- We practice speaking English every day.
- They just bought a new swimming pool.
In English the infinitive is made of to and the verb. For example:

- I want to learn a new language.
- You forgot to close the door.
Note: Verbs are often followed by infinitives or gerunds and choosing which to use has few fixed
rules, it depends mainly on the individual verb.
Verb + Gerund
Here are some common verbs that can be followed by gerunds, but not infinitives.
admit - He admitted taking the money.

celebrate - We celebrated winning the competition.
deny - The government denied spending too little on education.
dislike - I dislike complaining.
enjoy - She enjoys meeting her friends.
finish - I finished working there last month.
imagine - I imagine being a waitress is a difficult job.
keep - Where are my keys? I keep losing them.
mind - I don't mind waiting, we've got time.
miss - I miss talking with my sisters.
remember - Do you remember going to Italy?
risk - Jeff's always late. He risks losing his job.
stop - Don't stop singing, it's really nice.
suggest - I suggest having lunch first.
Gerunds are also used after some phrasal verbs. For example:
- If you keep on doing the same thing, you'll get the same results.
- She wants to give up drinking coffee.
Verb + Infinitive
Below are some common verbs that can be followed by infinitives, but not usually gerunds.
aim - I'm aiming to finish this book by the end of March.

afford - I can't afford to buy new clothes.
agree - My boss agreed to give me a reference.
decide - We decided to have a baby.
deserve - You deserve to have a better score.
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forget - Don't forget to lock the door.
hope - I hope to go to Harvard Business School.
learn - I learnt to read when I was 3 years old.
mean - I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you angry.
need - You don't need to study a lot, you need to study a little for a long time.
offer - He offered to help me carry these bags.
plan - They plan to go abroad next year.
pretend - He's pretending to be sick.
promise - She promised to be here on time.
refuse - Why do they always refuse to listen?
seem - She seems to be really intelligent.
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Click below for exercises on gerunds and infinitives.

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Unit 38 - Gerunds and Infinitives - Verb + Gerund or Infinitive 1
Grammar point:
Some verbs can be followed by an infinitive or a gerund. These verbs in turn can be subdivided
into two groups, verbs with little difference in meaning, and verbs with a distinct change in
meaning.
Verb + Gerund or Infinitive: Little difference in meaning.
Here are some common verbs that can be followed by gerunds or infinitives with little change in
meaning. A change of meaning may still exist however, as there are almost limitless combinations
of verbs and gerunds/infinitives.
begin - She began to sing. - He began working here last year.

bother - Don't bother to wash the dishes. I'll do it. - Don't bother washing the dishes. I'll do it.
continue - You can continue to live here for 6 months. - You can continue living here for 6
months.
start - I started to learn the clarinet when I was 8. I started learning the clarinet when I was 8.
love / like / hate /prefer
These four verbs use the gerund for situations or actions in progress. The infinitive is used for
factual information.
hate
- I hate working at my new job (I'm working there now.)
- I hate to work on Sundays. (Specific time and situation)
like
- I like playing the piano. (I like the process and feeling of playing the piano.)
- I like to play the piano. (It's a fact I like to play the piano.)
love
- I love living in the country. (I'm probably living there now.)
- I love to live in the country. (Generally speaking I like the country, maybe I'm not living there
now.)
prefer
- I prefer to study by myself. (Sounds factual)
- I prefer studying by myself. (Sounds more personal, perhaps I'm studying now.)
These verbs are also often used with would and the infinitive, and refer to specific situations.
For example:
- I would love to go to China.
- We would prefer to meet at 7.00.

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Allow / permit
Allow and permit have one pattern for gerunds and another for infinitives.
allow + gerund - My teacher doesn't allow eating in class.
allow + object + infinitive - My teacher doesn't allow us to eat in class.
permit + gerund - My teacher doesn't permit eating in class.
permit + object + infinitive - My teacher doesn't permit us to eat in class.
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Click below for exercises on gerunds and infinitives.

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Unit 39 - Gerunds and Infinitives - Verb + Gerund or Infinitive 2
Grammar point:
These verbs can be followed by gerunds or infinitives but with a change in meaning.
forget / regret / remember
When these verbs are used with a gerund they refer to something that happened before a certain
time. When they are used with an infinitive they refer to something that happens at or after a
certain time.
forget
Forget with the gerund is often used with never for a memorable previous action.
- I'll never forget going to Japan.
Forget with the infinitive means something happens at or after a certain time.
- Don't forget to meet me at 5.00.
regret
Regret with the gerund refers to a previous action.

- I don't regret leaving my job.
Regret with the infinitive is used to give bad news in a formal, polite way. It's often used with the
verbs to say, to announce, to tell you and to inform you.
- We regret to inform you the interview is cancelled.
remember
Remember with the gerund refers to a previous action.

- I remember meeting you last year. (I met you before now).
Remember with the infinitive is used for something that happens at or after a certain time.
- Please remember to close the door. (in the future please close the door.)
go on
Go on with the gerund means to continue an action in progress. For example:

- I want to go on studying here. (I am studying and want to go on this)
Go on with the infinitive means to do something new. For example:

- After university, he went on to study law. (Now he is in the non-law university, but after that he
will go on to study law)

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mean
mean with the gerund shows negative consequence. For example:

- You can buy a new car, but it means spending a lot of money.
mean with the infinitive shows intention.

- He means to leave his job next month.
- I didn't mean to make you angry.
try
Try with the gerund is used for suggestions.

- "I need to lose weight." "Try exercising and eating healthy food".
- "I'm really hot." "Try sitting here, it's much cooler."
Try with the infinitive means to attempt something.

- I tried to lift it but I can't.
- I'll try to finish this by tomorrow morning.
stop
stop with the gerund means to end an action.

- I stopped eating fast food last year.
- I can't stop loving you.
- Stop being so annoying!
stop with the infinitive means to interrupt an action.

- I was walking to the subway station, and I stopped to say "Hi" to my friends.
- I was working at home, and I stopped to answer the 'phone.
come
come with the gerund means movement with a sense of surprise or excitement.
- The ball came flying toward me - it almost hit me on the head!
- Don't come running to me! (this means don't expect sympathy)
come with the infinitive means a change in perception.

- I thought he wasn't smart, but I came to realize he's very talented.
- I didn't like teaching, but I came to like it.
come with the infinitive can also mean just reason.
- Why did you come? - I came to watch a movie.
help
help is often used with an infinitive.

- I helped to make dinner.
help is also used without to, especially in American conversational English.
- I helped make the dinner.
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help is also used with with and the gerund.
- I helped with making the dinner.
These three usages have similar meanings.
Help with the gerund is also used with can't to mean a reaction beyond the subject's control.
- I can't help laughing. (không nhịn được cười)
- Those kids are noisy, but I can't help liking them. (không thể không thích)
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Click below for exercises on verbs followed by gerunds or infinitives.

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Unit 40 - Conditionals – Zero
Conditionals
English conditional statements are grouped into four main types - zero, first, second, and third
conditional.
Zero Conditional
Zero conditional is used for statements and facts which are perceived to be true.
Zero conditional has the form if + present simple + present simple. For example:
- If you need any help just call me.
- If you run fast you get tired.
All conditionals have two clauses, the if clause

- "If you have time, ..."
and the main clause
- "...come and visit us".
Either of these two clauses can come first:

- "If it rains take an umbrella" - or also:
- "Take an umbrella if it rains."
The zero conditional is often used with imperatives. For example:

- If you feel sick, see a doctor.
- If you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen.
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Click below for exercises on the zero conditional.

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Unit 41: - First Conditional
First Conditional
First conditional is used for statements and facts which will be true, if a certain condition is
met.
First conditional has the form if + present simple + will + base verb. For example:
- If it's sunny, we'll go to the beach.
- If I have time, I will meet you at work.
- If we do not go now, we will be late.
As with all conditionals the first conditional has two clauses, the if clause
- "If you help us, ..."
and the main clause
- "...we'll help you.".
Either of these two clauses can come first:

- "If he gets a new job we'll move to London." - or also:
- "We'll move to London if he gets a new job."
In the first conditional will is a modal verb expressing certainty. Other modal verbs can also be
used to show various degrees of certainty. For example:
- If you like Asian food, you will love this restaurant. (There is a 100% chance you'll love the
restaurant.)
- If you like Asian food, you should like this restaurant. (80%)
- If you like Asian food, you might like this restaurant. (50%)
- If you like Asian food, you probably won't like this restaurant. (20%)
- If you like Asian food, you won't like this restaurant. (0%)
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Click below for exercises on the first conditional.

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Unit 42 - Indefinite Pronouns
Indefinite Pronouns
Indefinite pronouns replace specific things with general, non-specific concepts. For example:
- I want to live abroad in Italy.
- I want to live abroad somewhere.
Note: This unit covers indefinite pronouns made with some, any, no, and every.
Some / any
Some and any can be combined with "-thing" to refer to an undefined object. For example:
- There's something outside the door.
- There isn't anything in the box.
Some and any can be combined with "-where" to refer to an undefined location. For example:
- I'm looking for somewhere to live.
- We don't want to live anywhere near here.
Some and any can be combined with "-body" or "-one" to refer to an undefined person. There is
very little difference in meaning between "-body" and "-one". For example:
- If you have a problem, someone/somebody will help you.
- Do you know anyone/anybody who can help?
These compound nouns follow the same rules as some and any, that is some is used in affirmative
statements, and any is used in negative statements and questions. For example:
- I need something from the supermarket.
- I don't need anything from the supermarket.
- Do you need anything from the supermarket?
No
No can be combined with various nouns to mean an absence of something. For example:
- "Did you find your wallet? No, there's nothing here."
- "Did anything happen?" "No, nothing happened."
- This job is going nowhere. (It's not getting better.)

- Nowhere is as good as here. (I like here the best.) – Không đâu tốt như ở đây!
- Is anybody here? No, there's nobody here.

- I waited for an hour but nobody came.
Sometimes words with no- can have more emphasis than words with any. For example:
- I didn't tell anyone what happened.
- I told nobody what happened. (Emphasis)

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Every
Every can be used to mean a group or total of individual things. For example:
- Everything in this house is simple and useful.
- Jane was sick last night, but everything is OK now.
- Everyone was at Michael's birthday party last night.
- Baseball caps come from America, but people wear them everywhere.
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Click below for exercises on indefinite pronouns with some, any, no, and every.

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Unit 43 - Modal Verbs - Must / Have to
Must and Have to - Necessity
Must and have to are modal verbs often used to convey necessity.
- I have to go home now.
- I must arrive by 12.00.
Compare:
Have to is used for general necessity. For example:
- I have to finish this before 12.00. (I have a general obligation to finish this by 12.00)
Must is used for necessity which we feel personally.
- I must finish this before 12.00. (I have a sense of strong personal responsibility to finish this.)
Note: Must does not have a past form, we have to use have to for the past.
- I had to get up early this morning.
- I must got up early this morning. This is incorrect.
Note that have to inflects like a normal verb, it can have different tenses and uses auxiliary verbs
for questions and negatives. For example:
- Do we have to go out tonight?
- You don't have to come with us.
Must doesn't use auxiliary verbs or different tenses.

- Must we go out tonight? (This sounds rather British, I really don't want to go out tonight.)
- We mustn't forget the tickets. (No auxiliary verb "to do", just add not.)
Negative Forms
Don't have to means that something is not necessary, but possible.

- You don't have to come, but you can if you want to.
- We don't have to leave today.
Must not is strong and means that something is prohibited.

- You must not push the red button. (Bạn không được phép nhấn vào cái nút đỏ).
- We mustn't be late. (Chúng ta không được đến muộn).
Must and have to - Certainty
Must and have to can also express certainty.

- This must be the right way.
- This has to be the right way.
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Click below for exercises using must and have to.

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Unit 44 - Modal Verbs - Should / Ought to
Should / Ought to
Should is a modal verb used to give advice and recommendation.

- You should see a doctor.
- You should keep your promises.
- Should we buy her a present?
Should can also be used for obligation (trách nhiệm). For example:
- I should call my Mum tomorrow.
- He should apologize to Mary.
Should is also used for when something is expected.

- Tony should arrive here at 12.00.
- It's 12.30, and Tony should be here.
- This book is wrong, tha answer should be "A".
Ought to
Ought to can be used instead of should. It is less common than should and sounds rather British.
- You ought to say thank you for the present. (You should say thank you for the present)
Negatives and questions are less common and even more British.
- We ought not to be late for the meeting.
Questions are often made with "Do you think.."
- Do you think I ought to get up earlier?
Questions with just ought to are rare.

- Ought I to get up earlier?
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Click below for exercises using should and ought to.

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Unit 45 - Modal Verbs - Would (1)
Would
Would is a modal verb expressing some kind of imaginary or hypothetical situation.
Would is often contracted to 'd, for example

- I would love to learn Spanish.
- I'd love to learn Spanish.
Offers and Requests
Would is used to make offers and show willingness. For example:

- Would you like a cookie with your coffee?
- Would you like to go out this evening?
- Would you like some help?
Would can also be used to make requests.

- Would you open the door for me?
This has a slightly commanding tone, perhaps like a teacher to a student.
Note: Could is less assertive.

- Could you open the door please?
Hypothetical Situations
Would is used to show hypothetical situations. For example:

- I would love to go abroad. (But I'm not abroad now.)
- You would be a great lawyer. (You're not a lawyer now - being a lawyer is an imaginary
situation)
Would is often used in the main clause of conditional statements.

- If I had time, I would visit my family. (Two condition).
- I'd go to the beach if it was sunny.
For more information see the units on Conditionals.
Will - Past form
Would is used as the past form of will, it's used for future predictions made in the past. For
example:
- He'll call you tomorrow. (A future prediction made now.)
- He said he'd call you tomorrow. (A prediction made in the past)
- They'll arrive at 7.00. (prediction made now)
- They told me they would arrive at 7.00. (prediction made in the past)

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Past Habit
Would can be used for a past habit, an action that happened regularly in the past. For
example:
- I would often play soccer when I was young.
- My grandfather would always give us candy.
Note that would cannot be used for a past state, for example:
- "He would be handsome when he was younger." Incorrect
- "He was handsome when he was younger." Correct
Would is used only for past habits - something that happened many times.
For past states, you can use "used to":

- He used to be handsome when he was younger.
For more information see the Unit on "Used to".
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Click below for exercises using would.

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Unit 46 - Modal Verbs - Would (2)
Would – (2)
Would is a modal verb expressing some kind of imaginary or hypothetical situation. Here are some
more uses of would continuing from the previous unit.
Wish ... Would
Wish...would is used when the speaker wants a present situation to be different. The speaker is
dissatisfied with the situation and believes that the thing wished for is unlikely to actually happen.
For example:
- I wish Jane would call me.
- I wish they would stop fighting.
- I wish the dog would stop barking.
- I wish the dog wouldn't keep barking.
Because wish...would is often used to complain, it's unusual to use this structure to talk about
yourself. For example:
- "I wish I'd study more." This is unusual though not incorrect.
Wish...would is used for actions, but not normally for states.

- I wish I had more time. To "have" something is a state not an action, so we use the past tense
"had".
- I wish I would have more time. Incorrect
- I wish I knew the answer.
- I wish I would know the answer. Incorrect
Would rather
Would rather + verb (base form) is used to express a preference. It often implies that we don't
like other available choices. For example:
- "Let's go shopping this evening". "Oh, I'd rather go tomorrow." (And I don't want to go this
evening)
- "Which book would you rather buy?" "I'd rather buy this one. That one isn't so good."
Would rather is also used with the past simple when giving a strong request, usually with some
authority.
- Can I meet John after lunch, Mom?" "Yes, but I'd rather you did your homework first".
- "I'd rather you didn't tell anyone about the party. It's going to be a surprise."
Note: All structures with would rather are more often found in British English.
Would mind
Would mind is used to make a polite request. For example:

- "Would you mind closing the window?"

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- "Would you mind waiting a few minutes? I need to buy some stamps."
- "Would you mind if we didn't come tonight? We're just really tired, that's all."
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Click below for exercises using would.

- Vauvernargues -
Unit 47 - Preposition and Conjunctions of Time - for / during / while / when
For
For shows how long something happened. It is used to refer to a period of time. For example:
- We're going to live in Malta for 6 months.
- She's in New York for a few days.
- We went to Saudi Arabia for a week.
See also the related unit on the Present Perfect and since.
While / During
Both during and while refer to a period of time in which something happens. For example:
- My phone rang while I was in a meeting. (After while is a clause).
- My phone rang during the meeting. (After during is a noun or noun phrase).
During is used with a noun or noun phrase. For example:

- We were busy during the weekend.
- During the night the cat woke me up.
- The Athenians suffered heavy losses during the battle of Salamis.
While is used with a subject and verb. For example:

- We went shopping while you were sleeping.
- You shouldn't eat while you are in the library.
- While I was working I got an email from Tamara.
When / While
When and while can both be used when two things happen at the same time.
When two continuous actions happen at the same time, we usually use while. For example:
- "While you were studying I went out shopping." Studying and shopping are actions.
When two short events happen at the same time, we use when. For example:
- "When I saw you I didn't recognize you." I saw you and I didn't recognize you are individual
events.
- I heard you when you opened the door.
In this situation while is incorrect. For example:
"While I saw you I didn't recognize you."
When one continuous background situation occurs and one shorter event occurs at the same
time, when and while can both be used. For example:
- "When I was in Rome I met my wife." - "While I was in Rome I met my wife."
- "I cut myself while I was cooking dinner." - "I cut myself when I was cooking dinner."

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The position of while and when clauses is interchangeable with usually little difference in
meaning.
- Don't forget to lock the door when you go out. - When you go out don't forget to lock the door.
- We're still growing while other businesses are losing clients. - While other businesses are losing
clients, we're still growing.
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Click below for exercises using for / during / while / when.

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Course 4 - Upper Intermediate
(Unit 48 to 70)
“Success in life is a matter not so much of talent or opportunity as of concentration and

perseverance.”
- C.W. Wendte -
Unit 48 - Preposition and Conjunctions of Time (1) - by / from / until
By
By shows a time limit for something to happen - an event must occur before a certain time is
reached. For example:
- You need to finish this report by Monday.
- I'll be back by six o'clock.
- Our business will be making a profit by next March.
Note: There are three common phrases used with by:
By the time (trước khi).

I want to be a successful businessman by the time I'm 30.
By the time we arrive at the station, the train will be gone.
By then (đến lúc đó).

They have four months to prepare for the soccer game, so by then they should be a strong team.
The deadline for giving your essay is next Monday at 4.00. If I don't receive your essay by then, it
won't be marked.
By that time (lúc đó).

We finished work at 9.00, but by that time it was too late to go out.
I hope to go abroad next year, and by that time I'll have enough money.
Until
Until means an action or situation continues up to a certain time. For example:

- We were working last night until 2.30.
- You can stay at home until you feel better.
- Can you wait until I'm ready?
Compare until and by:

- "I'll work here until September." This means I keep working here to September, then I stop.
- "I'll work here by September." This means that I'm not working here now, but sometime between
now and September I will start.

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Till
Till is another form of until, the meaning is generally the same although until is usually used at
the beginning of a sentence.
From ... to/until
From ... to/until is used to mark the beginning and end of a period of time. For example:
- Western people often work from Monday to Friday, but Oriental people often work from
Monday to Saturday.
- I'm staying in Saudi Arabia from the beginning of March until the end of August.
Note: From ... to is slightly more informal than from ... until.
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Click below for exercises using by / until / till / from...to/until.

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Unit 49 - Preposition and Conjunctions of Time (2) - before / after / as / as soon as
Before
Before is used for something that occurs before a certain time. For example:
- We should finish this exercise before 4.00.
- I need to buy a present before James comes.
- Before starting any business, it's a good idea to write a business plan.
Note that when a preposition is followed by a verb, the verb ends in -ing. So for example:
- Where did you live before coming to America? Correct
- Where did you live before to come to America? Incorrect
After
After is used for something that occurs after a certain time. For example:
- I'll see you after work.
- Camilla won't be home until after midnight.
- David got promoted after just two years with the company.
As – Time (cùng lúc).
As is used when two shorter actions happen together. For example:

- I dropped my keys as I left my apartment.
As is also used when two longer actions happen together. For example:
- His health improved as he exercised more.
- As time went by his English got better.
As is also used when an action happens during a background situation.

- I woke up as the sun was rising.
- She arrived as you were leaving.
As – Reason (=because).
As is often used to show one thing is the cause of another, like the word "because". For example:
- I'm going to bed early as I have to get up early tomorrow.
- As we're not busy, let's meet this afternoon for lunch.
As soon as (ngay sau khi)
As soon as is used when something happens immediately after something else. For example:
- I'll give you a call as soon as I'm finished.
- As soon as they go out let's eat lunch.
- We'll send payment as soon as you fax the signed contract.
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Unit 50 - Adverbs of Degree - enough / too / very
Adverbs of Degree
Adverbs of degree show how much or to what degree something happened. For example:
- Mike is a very good student.
- I'm quite excited about my interview tomorrow.
There are many adverbs of degree. Some common ones include:

almost, completely, enough, extremely, hardly, just, nearly, pretty, quite, too, scarcely, so,
such, very.
Adverbs of degree usually go before the adjective, adverb, or noun being modified. For
example:
- That test was extremely difficult.
- You did pretty well in that test.
- I almost got an 'A' in our test.
Enough
Enough means a satisfactory amount or degree. For example:

- I'm so busy, I haven't got enough time.
- Do you have enough potatoes?
Enough comes after adjectives and adverbs:

- This jacket isn't big enough for me.
- She speaks English well enough to go to an American university.
Enough usually comes before nouns:

- We have enough money to buy our own apartment.
We often use enough...for, especially with people and things. For example:
- This job isn't good enough for her.
- We have enough time for a quick lunch.
Enough...to infinitive is also a common structure. For example:

- She's old enough to drive a car.
- We have enough time to eat some lunch.
Too
Too means more than enough, an excessive amount or degree. For example:
- This room is too hot.
- He eats too quickly.
Too is also used with for: For example:

- This book is too simple for me
- Our apartment is too small for us.
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Too...to infinitive is also a common structure. For example:
- This book is too easy to study.
- Our apartment is too small to live in.
Too and Very
Very means something is done to a high degree, it is usually factual. For example:
- He finishes his work very quickly.
Too means something is done to an excessive degree, it is often a criticism.
- He finishes his work too quickly.
Very is a common word, so if you'd like to use something different to spice up your vocabulary try
one of these:
absolutely, acutely, amply, astonishingly, awfully, certainly, considerably, cruel, dearly,

decidedly, deeply, eminently, emphatically, exaggeratedly, exceedingly, excessively,
extensively, extraordinarily, extremely, greatly, highly, incredibly, indispensably, largely,
notably, noticeably, particularly, positively, powerfully, pressingly, pretty, prodigiously,
profoundly, really, remarkably, substantially, superlatively, surpassingly, surprisingly,
terribly, truly, uncommonly, unusually, vastly, wonderfully.
(Quoted from Roget's New Millennium a Thesaurus, First Edition)
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Unit 51 - Present Perfect 1 - Form and Usage
Present Perfect (1)
The Present Perfect is used to connect the past and the present. It's core purpose is to show the
present relevancy of a past action or situation. For example:
- John has gone home.
John went home in the past, but our real interest is where he is now. This sentence gives past
information to inform a present situation.
Form
The Present Perfect is made with have/has (the auxiliary verb "to have") and the past participle.
For example:
- I have worked in London.
- She has worked in a bank.
Regular past participles are made by adding -ed to the verb, for example work - worked, play -
played. There are however many irregular past participles which you can see at the Irregular Verb
Page.
Here are the Present Perfect forms of the verb to work.
Singular Plural
Affirmative I have worked We have worked
You have worked You have worked
He has worked They have worked
She has worked
It has worked
Negative I haven't worked (haven't = have not) We haven't worked
You haven't worked You haven't worked
He hasn't worked They haven't worked
She hasn't worked
It hasn't worked
Interrogative Have I worked? Have I worked?
Have you worked? Have you worked?
Has he worked? Have they worked?
Has she worked?
Has it worked?
Usage:
Here are some of the many usages of the Present Perfect. Bear in mind that for all these individual
cases the main purpose of connecting past and present is essentially the same.

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A. Past informing Present
1. The Present Perfect is used to give past information that is relevant to the present. For
example:
- Have you been shopping? Yes, I went this morning.
The question "Have you been shopping?" asks about a past fact - did you go shopping or not.
However, this question is asked because of a present need - If you have been shopping, we don't
need to go now - If you haven't been shopping we need to go now. This question is about a
present need, not a past fact.
2. The Present Perfect is used to relate past experience. For example:

- Have you been to Italy?
- No, I haven't been there.
Again the question "Have you been to Italy?" asks about a past fact, but the past time or
circumstances are not so important. Instead we want this information for a present need - perhaps
we are having a conversation about travel abroad, or maybe I'm interested in Italy. We can't tell
from just one sentence, but the focus here is on a present need, not a past fact.
3. The Present Perfect is used for achievements. For example:

- James has won first prize for math.
James won the prize in the past, but the focus is on his present achievement.
B. Past Time - Present Time
1. The Present Perfect is used to show change from the past to the present.
- John's English wasn't very good, but he's got much better.
Between a past time and the present, John's English has improved. The focus is less on how poor
John was in the past, but rather how much better he is now.
2. The Present Perfect is used for a situation or action that started in the past and continues to
the present. It's common to use for and since in these situations. For example:
- John's lived in Boston for 5 years.
John came to Boston 5 years ago, and he still lives there.
- He's been a lawyer for 12 years or since 1998. (Now is 2010 and he is still lawyer).
3. The Present Perfect is used for repeated actions that started in the past and continue to the
present. For example:
- We've been to England 4 times.
We went to England several times the past, and it's possible we could go there again in the future.
4. The Present Perfect is used for a period of time that started in the past but still continues in
the present.
- I've studied at the library every day this week.
This week started in the past, but it's still going on, it isn't finished yet.

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Indefinite and Definite Time
One convenient rule about the Present Perfect is it cannot be used with definite time. For
example:
- I've been on vacation. OK
- I went on vacation last month. OK
- I've been on vacation last month. Incorrect.
Note: We cannot use definite time with the Present Perfect. By definition the Present Perfect
uses past information to focus on the present time, so introducing a past time as well is non-
sensual.
As a general rule: If the exact past time is important use the Past Simple - If the exact past
time is not important use the Present Perfect. For example:
- I went to Paris last year. - Focus is on the past time.
- I've been to Paris. - Focus is how our past experience affects the present.
The Present Perfect can be used with time adverbs. For example:
- I haven't had a vacation recently.
Note the Present Perfect can be used with time periods that haven't finished yet. For example:
I haven't had a vacation this year. OK - This year isn't finished yet, so the Present Perfect is
used for a time that continues from past to present.
I haven't had a vacation last year. Incorrect, Last year is the time that is finished.
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Click below for exercises using the Present Perfect.

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Unit 52 - Present Perfect (2) - Have you ever...? / ever / never
Have you ever...?
Have you ever...? is a common structure used to ask about past experience. For example:
- Have you ever met a famous person?
This roughly means: Do you have a past experience of meeting a famous person / Did you meet a
famous person at any time in the past?
- Have you ever flown in a plane?
- Have you ever won a competition?
- Haven't you ever done this before?
Ever
Ever means "at any time", the specific time is unknown or unnecessary.
Ever is used in questions, see "Have you ever..?" above.
Ever is also used with nothing, nobody and so on for things that haven't happened before. For
example:
- Nobody has ever travelled through time.
- That window's been broken for months, but nothing has ever been done about it.
Ever is also used with "the first time" for first experiences. For example:
- This is the first time I've been abroad.
- Is this your first time on a plane?
- This is the first time I have ever eaten dog soup.
Ever can be used in affirmative sentences though it is more unusual and often old-fashioned.
For more info you can check out: http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=ever
Never
Never is originally a contraction of "not ever". Used with the Present Perfect it means the
subject hasn't had a certain experience before. For example:
- Have you ever been abroad? No, I've never been abroad.
I've never had that experience before.
- Have you ever been on a plane before? No, I've never been on a plane.
Never in negative questions are also possible. For example:

- Have you never eaten this before?
This shows surprise that you've never had a certain experience before.
- Have you never played soccer?
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Click below for exercises using the Present Perfect with ever and never.

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Unit 53 - Present Perfect (3) - for / since
Since and for are both used for situations and actions that start in the past and continue to the
present. For example:
- I've been at home for 4 hours.
- I've been at home since 12.00.
Since
Since is used with a point of time. For example:

- I've lived here since March.
- I've been here since 9.00 this morning.
Since is only used with perfect forms such as the Present Perfect, Past Perfect and so on - it
cannot be used with other forms. For example:
- I've studied English since last year - Correct
- I studied / I am studying / I will study English since last year - Incorrect
Since is also used with time clauses. For example:

- I've studied English since I was at university.
- We haven't seen my family since we got married.
Note that the main clause uses the Present Perfect, whereas the other clause uses the Past Simple.
For
For is used with a period of time. For example:

- I've lived here for 9 months.
- She's been here for 5 hours.
Unlike since, for can be used with tenses other than perfect tenses. For example:
- I lived here for 9 months - This period of time started and ended in the past, it is now finished.
- I will live here for a year - This period of time will start and end in the future, it hasn't started
yet.
- I have lived here for a long time - This period of time started in the past and continues to the
present. It isn't finished yet.
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Click below for exercises using the Present Perfect with for and since.

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Unit 54: - Present Perfect (4) - Past Simple or Present Perfect?
Choosing whether to use the Present Perfect or Past Simple usually depends on whether a
definite or indefinite time is used. If a definite past time is used, use the Past Simple, and if
there is no time given use the Present Perfect. Examples below are split into two groups, single
events and multiple events.
Single Events
- I went to America in March. - This sentence has a definite past time, so the Past Simple is used.
- I've been to America. - Here the time is not important, what is important is the fact I went.
- I read this book last week. - Last week I started and finished this book.
- I've read this book. - Here also the time is not important, what is important is the fact I've already
read the book.
The Present Perfect can however be used with a period of time that isn't finished yet. For
example:
- I've been to the doctor today. - Today is not finished, so this is correct.
- I went to the doctor today. - This is also correct, a statement about a past action.
- I've been to the doctor yesterday. - This is incorrect, yesterday is a finished period of time that
does not continue into the present so we cannot use the present perfect here.
Multiple Events
The Past Simple and Present Perfect can similarly be used for multiple events. For example:
- I went to America three times last year. - Here the time is important.
- I've been to America three times. - Here the time is not important, it's the fact I've been that is
important.
As above, you can also use the present perfect for multiple events when the time is not finished.
For example:
- I've been to America three times this year. - This year isn't finished yet, so this is correct.
- I've been to America three times last year. - Incorrect, last year is a finished time period, so you
can't use the Present Perfect.
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Click below for exercises using the Present Perfect and Past Simple.

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Unit 55 - Adverbs of Time - already / just / yet / still / ago / anymore
Grammar point:
These adverbs give additional information about when something happens.
Ago (is only used with the Past Simple)
Ago simply means in the past. For example:

- I graduated university 3 years ago.
- We moved to Canada just 2 months ago.
Already (is used with the Present Perfect and the Present Simple).
Already is used when something happens before it is expected. For example:

- He's only 13 years old, but he already speaks three languages.
- Can you finish this by tomorrow? Sure, it's already finished.
- You don't need to feed the dog, I've already done it.
Anymore
Anymore is used when something has changed from what we expect. For example:
- I want to email her, but her address isn't working anymore. (It worked before, but not now)
- My friend used to live here, but she doesn't live here anymore.
- I don't want to work here anymore. (I wanted to work here, but now I don't like working here.)
Just
Just is used for something that happened very recently. For example:
- I just found out my test score, I got an A!
- What was that noise? - Sorry, I just broke a glass.
You can also use Just about for something that will happen very soon.
- Are you finished? - Yes, I'm just about to go home.
- I'm hungry. - If you wait 5 minutes, I'm just about to make some lunch.
Still
Still is used when something happens for longer than expected. For example:
- Did you get a new job? No, I'm still working at my old one.
- She's 65 years old, but she still exercises 3 times a week.
Still is also used to confirm that an activity or situation is continuing and that nothing has
changed. For example:
- Are you still studying English? Yes, I still study a little every day.
- Do you still want to go abroad? Of course, I'd love to!

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Yet
Yet is used when something hasn't happened that is expected. It is used negative sentences and
questions. For example:
- Are you finished? No, I'm not finished yet.
- Has the mail come yet? No, it's not here yet.
Still can be used with a similar meaning. For example:

- My parents haven't arrived yet.
- My parents still haven't arrived.
Note: Still in negative sentences and questions often shows impatience or that something is
unexpected.
Note that yet is usually at the end of the sentence, whereas still comes before the negative form.
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Click below for exercises using adverbs of time.

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Unit 56 - Determiners: each / every
Grammar point:
Each and every are used to refer to individual things and groups of things.
Each
Each is used to refer to individual items of a group. The emphasis is on the individual aspect of
each item. For example:
- Give each student some candy. (Give to each individual person)
- Make each day better than its yesterday, and each tomorrow better than today.
Each is often used for members of a smaller group. For example:

- Our team won and we each got a prize. (mỗi chúng tôi).
The position of each can be at the front, middle, or at the end of a sentence. For example:
- Each of these shirts are only $20.
- These shirts are only $20 each.
- These shirts each cost $20. (This structure is slightly more unusual.)
Each one
Each can be used with the indefinite pronoun one. For example:
- Twins can look the same, but each one has their own personality.
However using one is often not necessary:
- Twins can look the same, but each has their own personality.
Each of...
Each of... is used for a selection of individual items. For example:

- Each of these books is interesting.
- Each of the top five employees will receive a bonus. (Nhóm 5 nhân viên đứng đầu…)
- We've won each of our last four games. (bốn vòng chơi cuối cùng).
Every
Every is used to refer to a group of individual items. The emphasis is on the group. For example:
- Learn something new every day.
- Every student got a candy. (Everyone in the group got some candy.)
Every is used for how often something happens. For example:

- He plays soccer every Saturday.
- They go abroad every year.
- I don't want to work here anymore. (I wanted to work here, but no I don't like working here.)

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Every one / Every one of
Every can be used with the indefinite pronoun one. For example:
- Did you eat the strawberries? Yes, I ate every one.
- Did you finish these questions? Yes, I got every one right.
Note that every one refers to things, but everyone is a completely different word used for
people.
Every can't be used alone. For example:

- Did you finish these questions? Yes, I got every right. - This is incorrect.
- Did you finish these questions? Yes, I got every one right. - This is correct.
Every one of can be used when we want to specify what group we are referring to. For
example:
- You must read every one of these books by next week.
- Did you finish these questions? Yes, I got every one of them right.
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Click below for exercises using each and every.

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Unit 57 - Questions Tags
Grammar point:
Question tags are small questions "tagged" on to the end of a sentence to make a question. For
example:
Sentence:- She speaks English.
Question:- Does she speak English?
Question Tag:- She speaks English, doesn't she?
Form
Question tags are made from an auxiliary verb and the subject.
If the sentence is affirmative, we usually use a negative tag, for example:
- That's a great song, isn't it?
- She's a lawyer, isn't she?
If the sentence is negative, the tag is positive. For example:

- You're not busy, are you?
- This way isn't right, is it?
The auxiliary verb and subject in the question tag match those in the main sentence. Only the
positive and negative past changes. For example:
- He can play the trumpet, can't he?
- You haven't finished yet, have you?
Here the subject is in blue, and the auxiliary verb in green. It's just whether each part of the
question is positive or negative that changes.
Function
Question tags have two main purposes: to confirm expected information and to question
unexpected information. You can tell which function is being used by the voice - when the voice
goes down it's checking expected information - when the voice goes up it's really asking a
question. For example:
- Intonation going down - You haven't finished yet, have you?

I expect you haven't finished, I'm just checking.
- Intonation going up - You haven't finished yet, have you?
I'm really asking if you're finished or not. If you are finished it's earlier than I expected, so I'm
surprised.
- You're really busy now, aren't you? - Yes, I've got to finish this by Monday.
I'm confirming you're busy now, possibly showing sympathy as well.
- Why are you watching TV? You're really busy now, aren't you? - Not really, I did most of it last
night.
I think you're busy but I'm surprised, you should be working not watching TV, so I'm asking about
an unexpected situation.

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Negative sentences with positive tags are often used for requests, for example:
- You don't have a pencil, do you?
- You couldn't change a $5 bill, could you?
Imperative questions tags usually use will, for example:

- Open the door for me, will you?
- Hang on a minute, will you?
Unless used with informal language, question tags with imperatives can often sound impatient.
Question tags are an important part of natural speech and are particularly useful in small talk, as
they help to confirm and affirm key information in a sympathetic way.
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Click below for exercises using question tags.

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Unit 58 - Passive Voice
There are two voices in English, the active and the passive. The active tells us what the subject
does, for example:
- The secretary wrote a letter.
The passive tells us what is done to the subject. For example:
- The letter was written by the secretary.
Form
The passive voice is made with the verb "to be" and the past participle. Here are the main
English tenses used in the passive voice.
Tense Subject Verb "to be" Past Participle
Simple present: Flowers are planted every year
Present continuous: Flowers are being planted now.
Simple past: Flowers were planted last year
Past continuous: Flowers were being planted last summer.
Present perfect: Flowers have been planted here for 10 years.
Past perfect: Flowers had been planted until last year.
Future: Flowers will be planted next year.
Future continuous: Flowers will be being planted during the summer.
Present conditional: Flowers would be planted if we had seeds.
Past conditional: Flowers would have been planted if we had had seeds.
By
To state what the cause of a passive action is, you can use by. For example:
- This photo was taken by my friend.
- I was given this by my brother.
It is often not necessary to state the cause of a passive action, especially when clearly understood
or irrelevant. For example:
- The meeting was cancelled. (The meeting's cancellation is what is important, not who cancelled
it.)

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- These boots were made in Italy. (The fact they were made in Italy is what's important, not who
made them.)
Born
When talking about the birth of specific people of things we use the passive form "to be born". For
example:
- I was born in Iran.
- The twins were born just last year.
Get
Get can be used instead of to be in situations where something happens. For example:
- Our flight got cancelled = Our flight was cancelled.
- I got paid today = I was paid today.
Get can't be used with general situations and state verbs (verbs that express a state, not an
action). For example:
- He is liked by a lot of people. – OK (A lot of people like him).
- He gets liked by a lot of people. - Incorrect.
- She is known to be a hard-working employee. - OK
- She gets known to be a hard-working employee.- Incorrect
Get is used more often in informal English.
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Click below for exercises using the passive voice.

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Unit 59 - Reported Speech (1)
Sometimes we need to say what another person said. There are two ways to do this in English,
direct speech and reported speech.
Direct Speech
Direct speech restates exactly what another person said. For example:
- Jane said, "I'm so happy today".
- The president said, "I need a vacation".
Reported Speech
Reported speech reports indirectly what another person said. For example:
- Jane said she was so happy today.
- The president said he needed a vacation.
Reported speech usually uses the past form of direct speech. So if the direct speech is in the
present, the reported speech is in the past. For example:
Direct Speech - I said, "She is in her office."
Reported Speech - I said she was in her office.
Also if the direct speech is in the past, the reported speech uses the past perfect.
Direct Speech - I said, "She was in her office at lunchtime."
Reported Speech - I said she had been in her office at lunchtime. OR
- I said she was in her office at lunchtime.
Note: In modern English the past perfect is often not necessary for past reported speech, you
can simply use the past simple instead.
Here are some common verb forms in direct and reported speech.
Tense Direct / Reported Speech
Simple present: I said, "She is busy". - I said she was busy.
Present continuous: I said, "I am working now". - I said I was working now
Simple past: I said, "She was here this morning". - I said she was here this morning.
OR
I said she had been here this morning.
Past continuous: I said "She was studying all yesterday" - I said she was studying all
yesterday. OR
I said she had been studying all yesterday

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Present perfect: I said, "She has worked here for 5 years." - I said she had worked here
for 5 years.
Past perfect: I said, "She had worked here for 5 years." - I said she had worked here
for 5 years.
Future: I said, "She will work here from July." - I said she would work here from
July.
Future continuous: I said, "We'll be living here for 6 months." - I said we would be living
here for 6 months.
Can/May/Might: I said, "She can play the piano well." - I said she could play the piano
well.
That
Reported speech is often given as part of a that-clause, especially in written or more formal
language. For example:
- He said that he would arrive at 10.00.
- He said he would arrive at 10.00.
These two mean the same thing, and that can be omitted without any change in meaning.
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Click below for exercises using reported speech.

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Unit 60 - Used to
Used to is used for a past habit that doesn't happen anymore. For example:
- I used to play soccer at weekends. (But not now)
- He used to get up at 5.30, but now he gets up at 8.00.
Used to is also used for past situations and facts. For example:
- People used to think the world was square.
- He used to be a film director.
Used to is used only in the past simple. For example:

- We used to work together. OK
- We use to work together. Incorrect
Used to can be used in questions and negatives like any other verb. For example:
- I didn't use to exercise regularly.
- Did you use to work here?
Note that the use of did and the base verb use (without a "d" at the end) is the same as normal
question and negative formation.
Used to / be used to
Used to is a completely different structure from be used to.
Used to is for past habit, whereas be used to means to get accustomed to something.
Note:
Used to = đã từng (mô tả một thói quen trong quá khứ, bây giờ thì không)
Be used to = đã quen với (nghĩa là bây giờ vẫn còn có thói quen đó).
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Click below for exercises using "used to".

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Unit 61 - Get / Be used to
Be used to (đã quen với)
Be used to is used to show previous experience and familiarity with a certain situation. For
example:
- I am used to living abroad. - I have previous experience living abroad, so it's not difficult for me.
- Jane isn't used to living abroad. - She doesn't have much experience living abroad, or if she does
it is still difficult for her.
- Paul is used to learning languages. - Paul has learnt languages before, so he's good at it.
- Carol has never studied a foreign language, so she's not used to it. - Carol doesn't have previous
experience learning a foreign language.
Get used to (tạo thói quen, cố làm quen với)
Get used to is used for the process of acquiring experience and ability. In the beginning we are
less experienced, then we get used to something - we go through a process of gaining experience.
For example:
- I wasn't used to living abroad, but I got used to it. - I didn't have experience living abroad, but I
grew in experience until I was happy living abroad.
- I didn't like bananas, but I got used to them. - In the beginning I didn't like bananas, but after a
while I learnt to like them.
To
In the structure be / get used to, to is a preposition, not part of the to-infinitive. For example:
- I'm used to cooking for myself. OK – Note that after a preposition is a V-ing!
- I'm used to cook for myself. Incorrect - "to cook" is a to-infinitive and can't be used here.
Used to - be/get used to
Used to is a completely different structure from be / get used to. Used to is for past habit, be used
to means to get accustomed to something.
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Click below for exercises using be / get used to.

- Vauvernargues -
Unit 62 – Wish
Wish
Although wish is generally associated with hope, it is actually used mainly for regrets (sự tiếc
nuối). For example:
- I wish I had a better job. (I don't have the job I want now)
- I wish my kids could have a better education.
Wish is used with unreal situations, so like all unreal situations in English the sentence goes one
tense back in time.
If the sentence is about the present then, we use wish with the Past Pimple. For example:
- I want more time now => I wish I had more time.
- It's too hot now => I wish it wasn't so hot.
And if the sentence is about the past, we use wish with the Past Perfect. For example:
- I wanted more time => I wish I had had more time.
- It's too hot now => I wish it hadn't been so hot.
Wish ... would
Wish ... would is used to complain about a present situation. For example:
- I wish he would speak louder..
- Don't you wish countries could stop fighting?
- I wish it would stop raining.
Wish .. would is used only for actions, not states or situations. For example:
- I wish I would be at home. - Incorrect.
- I wish I was at home / I wish I were at home. - OK
Subjunctive (Cầu khẩn, ước mong).
The subjunctive is a little used mood now found mainly in a few stock English phrases. Simply put
it means that with if and wish, you can use were with I/he/she/it. It's particularly common with the
pronoun "I", for example:
- I wish I was a rich man. OK
- I wish I were a rich man. OK
- If I was a rich man... OK
- If I were a rich man... OK
As with most older English, this is found mainly in British English.
-----
Click below for exercises using wish.

- Vauvernargues -
Unit 63 - Preposition and Conjunctions - like / as
Like
Like can be used as a preposition, it means something is similar to or resembles something else.
For example:
- She looks like my friend Mona. (She looks similar to Mona)
- She sings like a bird. (Her voice reminds me of a bird)
As
As can be used as a conjunction to show similarity, it means to do something in the same way as
something else. For example:
- Do as your teacher says. (Do the same as what your teacher says.)
- I called John as you asked. (I called John, which is the same as what you asked me to do.)
As can also be used as a preposition, it is used to refer to a particular event or situation. For
example:
- I used to work as a teacher.
- He's younger than his friends, but they treat him as an equal.
- He started as a one-man business, but now he employs over 200 people.
Like or As?
Like and as (conjunction) can have similar meanings. Here's where you use each one:
Like is used with any kind of noun, for example:

- She's like an angel.
- My brother is like me.
- Reading a book is like having a conversation with the world's greatest thinkers.
As (conjunction) comes before a subject + verb (a clause), for example:

- Don't change anything, I like it as it is.
- Do as you like.
- We left early as you suggested.
-----
Click below for exercises using like and as.

- Vauvernargues -
Unit 64 - Adverbs – Comparative
Adverbs have comparative forms similar to adjectives. For example:

- She runs more quickly than me.
For adverbs ending in -ly, add more in front of the adverb. For example:
- Jake works slowly >> Jake works more slowly than Mark, but he doesn't make many mistakes.
- He understands easily. >> He understands more easily than before.
Irregular Adverbs
Irregular adjectives and adverbs usually have the same comparative form. Here's some common
adjectives and adverbs with the same comparative form.
-
Adjective Adverb Comparative

Adverb/Adjective
good well better

fast fast faster
bad badly worse
far far farther or further
hard hard harder
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Click below for exercises using comparative adverbs.

- Vauvernargues -
Unit 65 - Relative Clauses (1)
Relative clauses give extra information to help define something. For example:
- I work for a company. >> I work for a company that sells computer software.
The clause "that sells computer software" gives extra information about the company.
- She likes people. >> She likes people who are kind and generous.
The first sentence is too general, whereas the second sentence gives more information about who
she likes.
Who
Who clauses give information about people. For example:

- There are many people (who) want to learn English.
- A doctor is a person who helps sick people.
Sometimes you can use that as well as who. For example:

- I like the man that lives next to us.
- I like the man who lives next to us.
This is possible in Essential Relative Clauses, but not in Non-essential Relative Clauses. For more
information see later units on Relative Clauses.
Which
Which clauses give information about things. For example:

- Where's the pencil which was on my desk?
- He's moved to an apartment which has a nice view.
That can be used instead of which especially in informal speech. For example:
- I'd like a job that has a higher salary. - OK
- I'd like a job which has a higher salary. - OK
- This is the book that I borrowed from Lisa. - OK

- This is the book which I borrowed from Lisa. - OK
As above, which and that can both be used in Essential Relative Clauses, but only which can be in
Non-essential Relative Clauses. For more information, see later Units on Relative Clauses.
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Click below for exercises using relative clauses.

- Vauvernargues -
Unit 66 - Indirect Questions
Indirect questions are polite, longer forms of normal questions. For example:
- Where's the department store? - Direct question
- Could you tell me where the department store is, please? - Indirect question
- What's his name? - Direct question
- Do you know what his name is? - Indirect question
Form
Indirect questions are formed of two parts: a polite expression, and a question which has no
subject/verb inversion like a normal question . For example:
- What's his name? >>
- Do you know what his name is? - Indirect question
Here the polite expression is "Do you know...", and the question part is "...what his name is?".
Note that the subject and verb have not changed place in the question part. So if you said "Do you
know what is his name?", this would be incorrect.
Another example:
- What's the time? >>
- Do you have any idea what the time is? - Indirect question
The polite expression is "Do you have any idea...?", and the question is "...what the time is?".
The question is not "...what is the time?" - you don't invert the subject and verb kike a normal
question.
Auxiliary Verb "To do"
The auxiliary verb "to do" is used in questions when there is no other auxiliary verb. For
example:
- You like Chinese food. >>
- Do you like Chinese food?
Indirect questions do not use the auxiliary verb "to do" in the main question. For example:
- When does the next train arrive? - Direct question
- Do you know when the next train arrives? - Indirect question
- Do you know when does the next train arrive? - Incorrect
Another example:
- When does the restaurant close? - Direct question
- Could you tell me when the restaurant closes? - Indirect question
- Could you tell me when does the restaurant close? - Incorrect
There are infinite ways to make indirect questions. Not all indirect questions are questions at all;
rather they are polite statements, which encourage some kind of response. Some common polite
expressions include:
- I wonder if/whether...?
- I can't remember if/whether...?
- Vauvernargues -
- Could you tell me if/whether...?
- Would you mind telling me if/whether...?
- Would it be possible for you to...?
- Is there any chance you could...?
- I don't suppose you could...
- I'd like to know if/whether...
- I can't remember...
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Click below for exercises using indirect questions.

- Vauvernargues -
Unit 67 - Past Perfect
The Past Perfect is used to connect two past times: a previous past time with a later one. In
practice, it is used to talk about events that happened before a certain past time. For example:
- When I arrived, the plane had left. - Before I arrived (past time), the plane left (previous past
time)
- Before I went to Canada, I hadn't been abroad. - I went to France (past time), and before that
time I never went abroad (previous past time).
Form
The Past Perfect is made with had and the past participle. For example:
- I had eaten
- She had played
- They had flown
and so on.
Usage
As mentioned the Past Perfect connects two past times: a past situation and another one before it.
There are few rules, so here are some examples to help you see how it's used.
- I wasn't busy yesterday. I had already finished my work.
I wasn't busy in one past time, because previously I had finished my work.
- I ate a small lunch, because I'd already eaten a big breakfast.
I ate lunch at one past time, and I ate breakfast at a previous past time.
- When I arrived, the concert had just started.
I arrived in the past, and the concert started sometime before.
Past Perfect - Present Perfect
The Present Perfect connects the past and the present, for example:
- I haven't eaten today, so I want some food.
The Past Perfect connects two past times, for example:

- I hadn't eaten yesterday, so I wanted some food.
Similarly:
- We don't need an umbrella because the rain has stopped.
- We didn't need an umbrella, because the rain had stopped.
-----
Click below for exercises using the Past Perfect.

- Vauvernargues -
Unit 68 - Future Continuous
The Future Continuous is used for an activity that happens in a future period of time. For
example:
- This week I'm working in Boston, but next week I'll be working in Los Angeles.
- Where will you be staying? I'll be staying at the Warwick Hotel.
Form
The Future Continuous is made with the will + the verb "to be" + the -ing form. For example:
- I will be arriving at 4.00.
- They will be staying for a few days.
- She will be going to America.
Negatives add not, for example:

- I won't be arriving at 4.00.
- We won't be staying for a few days.
- She won't be going to America.
- Will you be studying late tonight?
Questions invert will and the subject, for example:

- Will you be arriving at 4.00?
- Will they be staying for a few days?
- Will she be going to America?
Usage
The Future Continuous is used for an activity that happens during a future period of time. For
example:
- I'll be having a meeting from 3.00 to 4.00
- She'll be eating dinner with her friends this evening.
The Future Continuous is also used for an activity that happens around a certain time in the
future. For example:
- I'll be arriving at 7.00. (I'll be arriving around the time of 7.00)
- I'll be seeing you at Mike's birthday party.
- What time will you be leaving? I'll be leaving at 10.00. (I can't leave at exactly 10.00, but the
process of leaving happens around 10.00.)
The Future Continuous is sometimes used for formal offers, for example:
- "Will you be needing a cab home, sir?"
The Future Continuous is often used to check information, for example:

- Will you be having lunch with us?
Compare with the Future Simple, which sounds more like an offer, for example:
- Will you have lunch with us?
- Vauvernargues -
The Future Continuous is also used to make sympathetic predictions about people's feelings,
for example:
- You'll be feeling hungry after a hard day's work.
- You'll be needing some rest before you go.
-----
Click below for exercises using the Future Continuous.

- Vauvernargues -
Unit 69 - Future Perfect
The Future Perfect is used to show the time by which something finishes. For example:
- I will have finished by 4.00. - By 4.00 I will finish a certain activity.
Form
The Future Continuous is made with will + have + the past participle. For example:
- I will have arrived by 4.00.
- They will have left by next week.
- He will have gone to America by the end of the month.
Negatives add not, for example:

- I won't have arrived by 4.00.
- They won't have left by next week.
- He won't have gone to America until next month.
Questions invert will and the subject, for example:

- Will you have arrived by 4.00?
- Will they have left by next week?
- Will he have gone to America by next month?
Usage
The Future Perfect shows the time before which something will finish. For example:
- Next Friday, I'll have worked here for 5 years.
When next Friday comes, it will be 5 years since I started working here.
We often use “by” to show the time before which something is completed, for example:
- Can I borrow you book? - You can have it tomorrow, I'll have read it by then.
- I'll have left by the time you arrive.
-----
Click below for exercises using the Future Perfect.

- Vauvernargues -
Unit 70 - Causative Verbs - get / have / let / make
Causative verbs show that somebody/something is indirectly responsible for an action. The
subject doesn't perform the action itself, but causes someone/something else to do it instead. For
example:
- Yesterday I had my hair cut.
I didn't cut my own hair, but I made someone else do it for me instead - I "caused" them to cut my
hair.
Have
Have is a common causative verb. Instead of doing something ourselves, we "have" someone else
do it instead. It has the following form:
The verb "to have" + object + past participle. For example:
- I had my jacket cleaned yesterday.
- Did you have your computer fixed?
Sometimes we use have as a causative verb when we intend to perform the action ourselves. For
example:
- When will the report be ready? I'll do it by tomorrow morning. >>
- When will the report be ready? I'll have it done by tomorrow morning.
By using the causative, the second sentence takes attention away from the doer of the action, and
gives more attention to the action being done. It sounds polite and professional.
Get
Get is often used instead of have. For example:

- I got my computer fixed - I had my computer fixed. These two sentences mean the same thing.
- I got my jacket cleaned. - I had my jacket cleaned. These two sentences mean the same thing.
Causative verbs are often used with negative experiences. In these situations it's more common
to use have. For example:
- I had my wallet stolen. (I didn't actually cause my wallet to be stolen - someone stole my wallet
from me)
- She had her window smashed.
For more information on Causative verbs see:

- http://my.netian.com/~scorpius/englishgrammar/verb/causative.htm
- http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/verbs.htm#causative
- http://www.englishpage.com/minitutorials/let.html
-----
Click below for exercises using causative verbs.

- Vauvernargues -
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents: Page
Course 1 - Starter
Unit 1 - Present Simple "to be" - Subject Pronouns 1
Unit 2 - Present Simple "to be": Negatives and Questions 3
Unit 3 - Present Simple 5
Unit 4 - Present Simple: Negatives and Questions 7
Unit 5 - Contractions 9
Unit 6 - Prepositions of Place 11
Unit 7 - Question Words 13
Unit 8 - Object Pronouns 14
Unit 9 - Countable / Uncountable Nouns 15
Unit 10 - Articles 17
Unit 11 - Plural Nouns 19
Unit 12 - Demonstratives - this / that / these / those 20
Course 2 - Elementary
Unit 13 - Quantifiers: Some / Any 21
Unit 14 - Quantifiers: Much / Many / A Lot of 23
Unit 15 - Quantifiers: A Few / A Little 25
Unit 16 - Possessives 27
Unit 17 - There is / There are 29
Unit 18 - Modal Verbs - Can / Can't 30
Unit 19 - Have / Have got 31

- Vauvernargues -
Unit 20 - Conjunctions 34
Unit 21 - Imperatives 35
Unit 22 - Present Continuous 36
Unit 23 - Adverbs of Frequency 38
Unit 24 - Prepositions of Time 40
Unit 25 - Comparatives / Superlatives 41
Course 3 - Pre-Intermediate
Unit 26 - Past Simple - Verb "to be" 44
Unit 27 - Past Simple 46
Unit 28 - Past Continuous 48
Unit 29 - Future - Will / Shall 49
Unit 30 - Future - Going to 50
Unit 31 - Future - Present Simple / Present Continuous 51
Unit 32 - Adjectives and Adverbs 52
Unit 33 - Adjectives: -ed/-ing forms 54
Unit 34 - Adjective Order 55
Unit 35 - Comparatives - as...as 56
Unit 36 - Comparatives - Quantity 57
Unit 37 - Gerunds and Infinitives - Verb + Gerund / Verb + Infinitive 58
Unit 38 - Gerunds and Infinitives - Verb + Gerund or Infinitive 1 60
Unit 39 - Gerunds and Infinitives - Verb + Gerund or Infinitive 2 62
Unit 40 - Conditionals - Zero 65

- Vauvernargues -
Unit 41 - Conditionals - One 66
Unit 42 - Indefinite Pronouns 67
Unit 43 - Modal Verbs - Must / Have to 69
Unit 44 - Modal Verbs - Should / Ought to 70
Unit 45 - Modal Verbs - Would 1 71
Unit 46 - Modal Verbs - Would 2 73
Unit 47 - Preposition and Conjunctions of Time - for / during / while / when 75
Course 4 - Upper Intermediate
Unit 48 - Preposition and Conjunctions of Time - by / from / until 77
Unit 49 - Preposition and Conjunctions of Time 2- before / after / as / as soon as 79
Unit 50 - Adverbs of Degree - enough / too / very 80
Unit 51 - Present Perfect 1 - Form and Usage 82
Unit 52 - Present Perfect 2 - Have you ever...? / ever / never 85
Unit 53 - Present Perfect 3 - for / since 86
Unit 54 - Present Perfect 4 - Past Simple or Present Perfect? 87
Unit 55 - Adverbs of Time - already / just / yet / still / ago / anymore 88
Unit 56 - Determiners: each / every 90
Unit 57 - Questions Tags 92
Unit 58 - Passive Voice 94
Unit 59 - Reported Speech 1 96
Unit 60 - Used to 98

- Vauvernargues -
Unit 61 - Get / Be used to 99
Unit 62 - Wish 100
Unit 63 - Preposition and Conjunctions - like / as 101
Unit 64 - Adverbs - Comparative 102
Unit 65 - Relative Clauses 1 103
Unit 66 - Indirect Questions 104
Unit 67 - Past Perfect 106
Unit 68 - Future Continuous 107
Unit 69 - Future Perfect 109
Unit 70 - Causative Verbs - get / have / let / make 110

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“Patience is the art of hoping”

1-Languague.com’s Online English Courses

“Patience is the art of hoping” – By Vauvernargues

Unit 1: Present Simple "to be" - Subject Pronouns

Personal pronouns tell which person or thing we are speaking about.

2. Verb "to be"

The verb "be" means to exist.

You are You are

1-Language.com’s Online English Courses 1

1-Language.com’s Online English Courses 2

1. Present Simple Negatives - Verb "to be"

I am not We are not

You are not You are not

He is not They are not

2. Present Simple Questions

- Statement: You are a doctor.

Simple Present Question verbs are as follows:

Am I (a teacher) ? Are we ...?

Are you ...? Are you ...?

Is he ...? Are they ...?

1-Language.com’s Online English Courses 3

These contractions will be studied in a later Unit.

1-Language.com’s Online English Courses 4

- Present facts: These sentences are true now.

- Habitual actions: I get up at 8.00. - They come here every day.

Here is the verb "to give in the Simple Present:

You give You give

He gives They give

2. Spelling Rules for the Present Simple

1-Language.com’s Online English Courses 5

Verb Endings Spelling Examples

Verbs ending in -o add -es do - does, go - goes

Verbs ending in -s add -es pass - passes, kiss - kisses

Verbs ending in -x add -es fix - fixes, mix - mixes

Verbs ending in -ch add -es match - matches, catch - catches

Verbs ending in -sh add -es push - pushes, rush - rushes

Verbs ending in a consonant and -y often try - tries, cry - cries

1-Language.com’s Online English Courses 6

Unit 4: Present Simple – Negatives and Questions

1. Simple Present Negatives

- Permanent facts: I do not speak Japanese. - Fish do not live in water.

I do not give We do not give

You do not give You do not give

He does not give They do not give

She does not give

It does not give

2. Simple Present Questions

- Statement: I speak Japanese.

1-Language.com’s Online English Courses 7

Simple Present Question verbs are as follows:

Do I like (pizza) ? Do we like ...?

Do you like ...? Do you like ...?

Does he like ...? Do they like ...?

Does she like ...?

Does it like ...?

1-Language.com’s Online English Courses 8

I am = I'm We are = We're

You are = You're You are= You're

He is = He's They are = They're

2. Negative Contractions - Simple Present Verb "to be"

- She is not happy = She isn't happy = She's not happy.

I am not = I'm not = I amn't* We are not = We're not = We aren't

She is not = She's not = She isn't