Adjectives

Adjectives are used to describe nouns. They give more details or information about the
nouns they are associated with.

A: Tell me about your boyfriend

B: Well, he is tall, dark, and handsome.

A: Sounds like mine.

Adjectives can be used to answer the questions What kind (of) or Which one?

A: Hi. I'm calling about the car you're selling?

B: It's a great car. (It's) in excellent condition.

A: What kind of seats does it have?

B: They're very comfortable seats, (soft, plush, just like a sofa.)

A: Uh. I think I'll sleep on it.

A: Hand me a book.

B: Which one do you want?

A: The red book. The red one.

Adjectives come before the nouns they modify (not after).

Three happy hippies lived in the Heartquake Hotel.

WRONG: Three hippies happy lived in the Heartquake Hotel.

Adjectives can also be used with linking verbs to describe the subject of a sentence.

When used in this manner, the adjective(s) come after the linking verb.

My mother is tall and slender.

WRONG: My mother tall and slender. (No linking verb.)

Seem, become, appear, and verbs of perceptioncan also be used as linking verbs. Note
how they are used with adjectives in the following. Can you identify the linking verbs and
the adjectives?
 The journey seemed long. (It appeared strenuous and boring.)

You smell nice today. What kind of cologne are you wearing?

A: What do you want to do this weekend? Bowling? Shopping? A movie?

B: Bowling sounds good.

CAUTION/BE CAREFUL:

Tom looked greedy. (He appeared to be a greedy person.)

The adjective greedy is used to describe Tom.

Tom looked greedily at the pie on the table.

(He saw it and wanted it for himself.)

The adverb greedily is used to describe Tom's action.

Adjectives are the same for all nouns. They do not change for plurals.

Example: Three tired tigers tried to tie a triangular tie.

Not: Not three tireds tigers.

Adverbs
Adverbs are used to describe actions. They may come before or
after a verb, but not between a verb and its object.

Mrs.Jenner softly sang. (Most common word order.)

Mrs. Jenner softly sang. (Also possible.)

Mrs. Jenner softly sang a lullaby.

Mrs. Jenner sang a lullaby softly.

Mrs. Jenner sang softly a lullaby. (Not correct.)

Adverbs may come between a main verb and its auxiliaries.

Mrs. Jenner is softly singing a lullaby.

Mrs. Jenner softly is singing a lullaby. (Not correct.)

Mrs. Jenner has been softly singing that lullaby for a long time.
Some time and frequency adverbs are "movable." That is, they
can be placed at various points in a sentence.

Yesterday I visited the dentist.

I visited the dentist yesterday.

Jack Prompt is here already.

Jack Prompt is already here.

Caution: Even though some adverbs can be used in certain

sentence positions, others can not.

I yesterday visited the dentist. (Not okay.)

I already visited the dentist. (Okay.)

Already I visited the dentist. (Not okay.)

Adverbs such asquite, very, really, extremely, and absolutely are

used to modify adjectives and other adverbs.
They come directly before the words they describe.

Greg is quite happy with his new boss.

Sue eats very slowly.

You're absolutely right!

Many adverbs can be formed by adding –ly to adjectives:

Carl is a quick runner.

Carl runs quickly.

Some adverbs are identical to adjectives in form. Others are

completely different.
Carl is a fast runner. (Adjective) Jill is a good student. (Adjective)

Carl runs fast. (Adverb) Jill studies well. (Adverb)

Be careful with words like hardlyandlately, which have no relation to the

adjectives/adverbshardandlate.

Adverbs and Prepositions

Adverbs are words or groups of words which tell time, place, frequency or manner.

I ate my lunch yesterday. She went there.

I ate at that restaurant last week. She went downtown.

Prepositions are usually followed by objects in prepositional phrases. They can also be
used to indicate time, place, frequency, duration, reason, manner, or to show contrast.
I ate my lunch at noon. She went to the store.

I ate in the cafeteria. She walked into the house.

*Do not use adverbs as objects of prepositions.
Incorrect: Correct:

I went to somewhere. I went somewhere.

I was busy at last night. I was busy last night.

John works in downtown. John works downtown.

She came to home on yesterday. She came home yesterday

Be careful with words such as home, downtown, today, next/last week, etc. which are
sometimes used as adverbs and sometimes used as nouns.
As adverbs As nouns

I will go back tomorrow. Tomorrow is another day.

She went home last night. They built a home in Oregon.

Next week I will travel to Iowa. Next week is my vacation.

Basic Modals
Modal auxiliary verbs are used to moderate the main verb, that is to enhance or restrict the
verb to a certain context.

The most common modal auxiliaries in English are:

can may might must
could should will would

Notice the usage of modals in the following sentences:

I pay my taxes. General declaration of fact. Paying taxes is something I normally do.
I can pay my taxes. Expresses ability. I have the means (funds) to pay.
I might pay my Expresses possibility, but not certainty. Maybe I will pay; maybe I
taxes. won't.
I will pay my Expresses future intent. I resolve to do it at some later time.
taxes.
I should pay my Expresses mild obligation. It is required, and I expect to comply.
taxes.
I could pay my Expresses possibility. If I have nothing else to do with the money, I
taxes. might pay taxes.
I would pay my (In this case), expresses reservation. If I had the money (but I don't). .
taxes. .
I must pay my Expresses strong obligation. I am required and have to comply.
taxes.

Modals are followed by only the base form of the verb and are
not used alone unless there is a clear connection to a main
verb.
He must to finish his homework. WRONG

He must finish his homework. RIGHT

Jack could heard the bell. WRONG

Jack could hear the bell. RIGHT

Penny will going to the movie. WRONG

Penny will go to the movie. RIGHT

There are many ways to make requests in English. The most common involves using the
imperative and modals. See the examples below:

Using the Imperative

The imperative is the simple form of the verb. The

subject of an imperative sentence is understood as "you" although it is usually not spoken.

Open the door. (You) open the door.

Will you help me? Yes, I will (help you).

Pick up your toys. (You) pick up your toys.

Please help me. (You) please help me.

The imperative is often used by persons of authority when speaking to subordinates, e.g.
parent to child.

Using Modals

To show respect and politeness, most people use modal

expressions when making requests. For example:

Will you...? Will you open the door for me?

Would you...? Would you open the door for me?

Would you please...? Would you please open the door (for me)?

Could you (please)...? Could you (please)...? Could you (please) open the door?

Could you possibly...? Could you possibly open the door?

Would you kindly...? Would you kindly open the door?

Would you mind (Ving )...? Would you mind opening the door?

Would you be so kind as to...? Would you be so kind as to open the door?

Common Problems with Modals

1. Using "to" unnecessarily:

Incorrect Correct

They going to meet us at the theater. They are going to meet us at the theater.

He should to eat his dinner. He should eat his dinner.

I had better to go now. I had better go now.

You must not to use that pencil. You must not use that pencil.

2. Using anything but the base form after a modal:

John could heard the bell. John could hear the bell.

Penny will going to the movie. Penny will go to the movie.

3. Using double modals:

You should ought to speak English. You ought to speak English. /should speak

She might can help me. She might be able to help me.

4. Omitting "be" in certain modal expressions:

They going to meet us at the theater. They are going to meet us at the theater.

Jack supposed to take his medicine. Jack is supposed to take his medicine.

5. Using wrong word order in questions:

How I can help you? How can I help you?

 Where I should go for the meeting? Where should I go for the meeting?

Basic Sentence Structure

There are five basic patterns around which most English
sentences are built.* They are as follows:
S-V Subject-Verb John sleeps.
Jill is eating.
Jack will arrive next
week.
S-V-O Subject-Verb-Object I like rice.
She loves her job.
He's eating an orange.

S-V-Adj Subject-Verb-Adjective He is funny.

The workers are lazy.
Karen seems angry.

S-V-Adv Subject-Verb-Adverb Jim is here.

Flowers are everywhere.
No one was there.

S-V-N Subject-Verb-Noun She is my mom.

The men are doctors.
Mr. Jones is the teacher.

At the heart of every English sentence is the Subject-Verb relationship. Other elements
can be added to make a sentence more interesting, but they are not essential to its
formation.

The following sentences are examples of the S-V pattern.

She sleeps. Core sentence

She sleeps soundly. An adverb is added to describe how she sleeps.

She sleeps on the sofa. A prepositional phrase is added to tell where she
sleeps.
She sleeps every afternoon. A time expression is added to tell when she sleeps.

She is sleeping right now. Verb tense is changed, but S-V relationship remains
the same.
Mary will sleep later. Subject is named and another tense is used.

The dogs are sleeping in the New subject may require a different form of the verb.
garage.

Note: Any action verb can be used with this sentence pattern.

The following sentences are examples of the S-V-O pattern.

They like rice. Core sentence

The people like rice. Specific subject

The friendly people like rice. Subject modified with an adjective

The people in the restaurant like Subject modified with an adjective

rice.
The people like boiled rice. Object modified with an adjective

The people like hot, white rice. Object modified with more than one adjective

Note: Only transitive action verbs can be used with this sentence pattern.

The following sentences are examples of the S-V-Adj pattern.

He is fine. Basic sentence with "be" verb

He seems happy. Basic sentence with another linking verb

Jordan is tall, dark and Series of adjectives

handsome.
He appears very comfortable. Adverb or intensifier added

George became sick last night. Different tense and linking verb

Note: Only linking verbs can be used with this sentence pattern.

The following sentences are examples of the S-V-Adv pattern.

The teacher is here. Basic sentence

The teacher is over there. Using an adverb phrase

Teachers are everywhere. Plural noun and verb used

The teachers are in the lobby. Prepositional phrase functioning as adverb

Note: Only linking verbs can be used with this sentence pattern.
The following sentences are examples of the S-V-N pattern.
The man is a doctor. Basic sentence

The women are doctors. Using plural noun and verb

My father is a nice guy. Modified subject and complement

My grandparents are senior Modified plural subject and complement

citizens.

Building Sentences
Remember, the S - V relationship is at the "heart" of every sentence. All sentences are
built around this core.

To give a sentence more substance, you may enhance the subject or verb:

(VERB enhancements)

1. Change the verb in tense or aspect or a combination of the

two.
He eats. (simple present)
He will eat. (future/modal)
He is eating. (continuous)
He has eaten. (perfect)
He has been eating. (combination)
He should have been eating. (combination)

2. Add an adverb or adverb phrase, or prepositional phrase.

He should have eaten already/ by now. He was eating in the kitchen.

3. Add an adverbial clause.

He was eating when the bus arrived.

4. Add a participial phrase.

Having finished his homework, he ate.

(SUBJECT enhancements)

5. Change the noun to a pronoun or vice versa.

He eats.
John eats.
6. Add an article, demonstrative, or possessive.

The man eats.

This man eats.
His father eats.

Note: Subjects and Objects may be enhanced in similar ways.

7. Add an object.
Subject Object
John eats rice.
The man eats an apple.

8. Add an adjective or adjectives.

The handsome man eats. The man eats the big, red apple.

9. Add a prepositional phrase.

The man in the kitchen eats. The man eats an apple from the bowl.

10. Add a relative (adjective) clause.

The man who lives next door eats. The man ate the apple that I bought.

11. Use quantifiers.

Some of the men eat. They eat some of the apples.

12. Use a noun clause.

Whoever gets here first can eat. He eats whichever apple he chooses.

Enhance both the subject and the verb to make sentences more interesting.

The man who lives on the corner is eating his lunch now.

The men from the health club eat every day after working out.

The tall, green men from Mars are eating tuna sandwiches.

Some of the men ate the apples (that) I left on the table.

Whenever he feels like exercising, the fat man eats a huge meal instead.

Basic Sentence Structures

S-V He sleeps. S-LV-N He is a doctor.

S-V-O She eats rice. S-LV-Adj The doctor is sick.
S-V-IO-DO She told him a lie. S-LV-Adv The doctor is here.

Conjunctions and Linking Words

Coordinators

Coordinators connect elements of equal importance.

S + V , but S + V (and, but, so, or, nor, for*, yet)

S + V and V

S and S + V

N and N

Adj. and Adj.

Phrase and Phrase

Can be used in a series: A, B, C, or D

Subordinators

Subordinators connect elements of unequal importance. One clause is not as

strong as the other.

S + V although S + V (although, even though, because, since*,

when, while, before*, after*, whenever,
wherever*, if, unless, whether?[or not]
as, as [adjective] as, so that, whereas
anywhere*, anytime*)
Although S + V , S + V

Sentence Connectors

Sentence Connectors connect paragraphs or show relationship between very

different ideas.

S + V . However, S +
(however, therefore, thus, moreover,
V
nevertheless, first*, then*, next*, still*
S + V ; however, S + V besides, consequently, furthermore)

Prepositions

Prepositions show relationship among elements of a sentence. They are followed

by noun phrases only and cannot take on a S + V.

S + V (prep. phrase) (during, after*, before*, in, on, at

despite, in spite of, for*, since*, by
(Prep. phrase), S + V like, except, but*, about, to*, from
between [A and B], among, with
 (Prep. phrase) V + S
within, without, beside, near, next to)
(unusual)

* These words have more than one function.

Everyday vs. Every Day

Explanation

Everyday is an adjective meaning "daily."

Every day is a time expression meaning "each day" or "regularly."

Examples

Note the difference in the following sentences:

1. Jane goes to class every day (each day)

2. Jane has an everyday class. (a daily class)

Common Errors

The most common error is writing "every day" as one word (everyday) as in the following
sentences:

1. I used to jog three miles everyday (Incorrect)

2. I used to jog three miles every day. (Correct)

Frequency Adverbs
The most common frequency adverbs in English are:
Always 100% of the time

Frequently about 90% of the time

Usually about 80% of the time

Often about 70% of the time

Sometimes about 50% of the time

Occasionally about 40% of the time

Seldom about 20% of the time

 Rarely about 10% of the time

Never about 00% of the time

Note: The percentages here are rough estimates only.

Frequency adverbs can be placed at various points in the sentence, but are most
commonly used before the main verbs and after be verbs.

I always come to work on time.

They are seldom home when we call.

He's usually eating breakfast at this time.

She's never been to Maine.

A: Do you come here often?

B: Yes. I'm here occasionally.

A: What do you usually do here?

B: Sometimes I just sit and ponder the meaning of life.

Note: The adverbs seldom, rarely, never and hardly ever are considered negative.

A: Do you always carry a briefcase?

B: (Yes,) I usually do.

No, I usually don't.

No, I rarely do.

No, I hardly ever do.

Other frequency adverbs and expressions are as follows:

Every day/week/month

Every other day/week

Once a week/month/year

Twice a year/day, etc.

 (Every) once in a while

Every so often

These expressions are used at the beginning and end of sentences, not before main verbs.

Every once in a while I visit my grandmother in Minnesota.

I visit my grandmother in Minnesota every once in a while.

I every once in a while visit my grandmother in Minnesota. (Incorrect)

Regularly (according to schedule)

Normally (commonly nowadays)

Traditionally (commonly in the past)

These words can come at various points in the sentence.

I regularly floss my teeth.

I floss my teeth regularly.

Traditionally, that was considered child's play.

I normally get up around 6 o'clock.

Normally, I get up around 6 o'clock.

Non-Action Verbs
Some verbs cannot be used in the progressive tenses. They are called non-action verbs.

Non-action verbs indicate state, sense, desire, possession, or opinion. The most common
non-action verbs are:

be* seem appear* (existence)

look* sound* smell* taste* feel* (senses)

like want prefer love* (desire)

have* own possess (possession)

think* believe consider* (opinion)

Note the usage in the following sentences:

 Mr. Tactful is seeming like a nice guy. (Wrong!)
Mr. Tactful seems like a nice guy. (Correct)

This salad is tasting delicious. (Wrong!)

This salad tastes delicious. (Correct)

I am liking banana cream pie. (Wrong!)

I like banana cream pie. (Correct)

Some verbs have both action and non-action meanings. They are indicated by an asterisk*
in the table above. The situation determines whether the action or non-action form of the
verb is used.

Those flowers look beautiful. (Non-action)

Flora is looking out the window. (Action)

I think that's a great idea. (Non-action)

I am thinking about my upcoming speech. (Action)

We have a brand new car. (Non-action)

We are having a party this weekend. (Action)

Craig is a real estate agent. (Non-action)

Billy is being naughty today. (Action)

Noun and Verb Phrases

Noun Phrases

Noun Phrases are groups of words that can function as subjects or objects in sentences.
They may take on various forms:

Water is important for survival. (Single words)

Mr. Jones spoke to Dr. James. (Proper names)
The boy ate an apple. (Nouns and articles)
My friend works with her father. (Nouns and possessives)
The young girl wore a long, white dress. (Nouns and adjectives)
Some of the kids ate all of the cake. (Nouns and quantifiers)
The man with the gun frightened the people in the bank. (Nouns and prep. phrases)
The woman who lives there is my aunt. (Nouns and relative clauses)
The dogs sleeping on the deck should be left alone. (Nouns and phrases)
Whoever wrote this is in trouble. (Noun clauses)

Pronouns and similar words can also function as subjects and objects:

He gave the money to us.

Someone left this.
Give me one of each.
Verb Phrases

Verb phrases are groups of words that express action or state of being. They take on
various forms.

The men live in the dormitory. (Single verbs)

He stayed at the Hi Hat Hotel. (Past tense verbs)
I am learning many new things. (Progressive verbs)
She has been there before. (Perfect verbs)
They have been working here five years. (Perfect progressive verbs)
I could use some assistance. (Verbs and modals)
The trip was approved by the professor. (Passive verbs)
Do you want some more pie? (Verbs in questions)

Other words can be added to enhance verb phrases:

The mayor works here. (adverbs)

Neil is not a candidate. (negatives)
They live in the suburbs. (prepositional phrases)
She'll leave whenever she wants. (adverbial clauses)
Don't talk while eating. (phrases)

Prepositions: In, On, and At

Prepositions: In, On, and At (with specific times and places)

The prepositions in, on, and at can be used to indicate time and place. Notice how they
are used in the following situations:

Preposition Time Place

In Year, Month, In 1999, In Country, State, City In Japan, In Utah,
December InTaipei
On Day, Date On Saturday, On Street On Main Street, On 1st Ave.
May 1
At Time At 8:00, At 7:30 Address At 815 East Main Street

In many languages, there is only one preposition for the above situations. In English there
are three. Just remember that in usually indicates the "largest" time or place, and at
usually indicates the "smallest" time or place.

Examples:

A: Where's your office?

B: In Taipei, Taiwan.

A: Really? What part of Taipei?

 B: It's on Chung Shan North Road.

A: I know that area. Where exactly is it?

B: It's at 105 Chung Shan North Road, next to the bookstore.

C: When is the wedding?

D: It's in June.

C: What day?

D: It's on Saturday, the 25th.

C: What time?

D: It starts at 6:00.

Prepositions with articles and locations

When talking about locations, use at to indicate the general vicinity or area, and in to
indicate inside the building, enclosed area, etc. For example:

in the swimming pool (in the pool itself i.e. in the

at the swimming pool (on site)
water)
at the post office/bank (general) in the post office/bank (inside the building)
at the zoo (visitors, general
in the zoo (animals in their cages)
area)
at school in the classroom

Sample sentences:

I met my wife at the theater. (while watching a movie)

I spilled my drink in the theater (on the floor of the building)

She works at the library on Wednesdays.

She found a rare coin in the library (building).

Dr. Jones works at the hospital every day.

John was in the hospital for a week with a broken leg.

For school, prison, and church, the is used to indicate the building. No article indicates the
general situation. Note the following:

"practice"/situation building
in school (studying, listening to teacher, etc.) in the school (building)
 in jail/prison (staying there as a criminal) in the jail/prison (temporary)
in church (praying, listening to a sermon, etc.) in the church (building)

Where's Dad?

in church (attending services) in the church (fixing the windows)

at church at the church
in prison (He committed a crime.) at the prison (visiting his friend)

Prepositions of Location
The most common prepositions of location are

in

on

at

(See: In, On, At)

by

near

nearby

above

below

over

under

up

down

around

through

inside

outside (of)

between
beside

beyond

in front of

in back of

behind

next to

on top of

within

beneath

underneath

among

along

against

These prepositions are most commonly followed by "the" and a noun.

Both the speaker and the listener likely know which object is being referred to.

Examples,

The keys are on the table. (We both know which table.)

The post office is next to the bakery. (Not: next to bakery)

Occasionally, prepositions can be used with "a/an."

This usually indicates that the speaker knows of the place, but the listener does not.

For example,

I live by a river. (You probably don't know which one.)

I live by the river. (You know the river I'm talking about.)

Present Progressive Tense

The present progressive tense takes the form be + V ing.

The form of be is determined by the subject of the sentence.

He is singing.

She is listening.

They are sleeping.

I am going home.

In English, the present progressive is used to indicate actions happening at the time of
speaking, or right now.

Jake is speaking to his mother right now.

Please keep quiet. The baby is sleeping.

The present progressive can also be used to indicate actions occurring over a period of
time which includes the present.

I'm taking five classes at the university.

Grace is working at a chemical factory.

What are you doing these days?

The present progressive is sometimes used to indicate ongoing, developing, imminent or

future actions.

Ongoing

Don't bother Mr. Grumpy while he is watching the football game.

Developing

I'm beginning to like this place!

Imminent

A: Honey, where are you?

B: I'm coming. Just let me put on my shoes.

Future (Note the presence of future time words.)

A: Are you going to the concert this weekend?

 B: I wish I could, but I'm meeting an important client from Oklahoma.

Some non-action verbs do not occur in the present progressive tense. The simple present
is sufficient.

Pronouns
Pronouns are used in place of nouns. They enable speakers to refer to something or
someone without having to repeat its name.

Example:

Mr. Jones lives in Kentucky. He frequently travels to Memphis to see his wife.
She is a lawyer and only sees him on weekends.

The subject and object pronouns in English are as follows:

Subject Object

I Me

You You

He Him

She Her

It It

We Us

They Them

Use subject pronouns when the pronoun refers to the doer of the action or the main topic
(subject) of the sentence.

Henry hit a baseball over the fence.

He didn't know where it would land.

It went right through Mrs. Crabby's window.

She was furious. She called Henry's parents and told them what happened.

Henry had to pay for the window with his hard-earned money.

He wasn't too happy about that, but he learned a lesson.

 Now, he only plays baseball at the ball park.

Use object pronouns when the pronoun refers to the receiver of the action or is the object
of a prepositional phrase.

Ms. Lindon met her husband in a gold mine.

The first time she saw him, she was in love.

He also liked everything about her.

He asked her to marry him the next day.

Many friends joined them in the wedding celebration.

Reminders:

Do not use subject pronouns in the object position or vice versa.

WRONG: Give the balloon to he.

Correct: Give the balloon to him.

WRONG: Her is the one I want to see.

Correct: She is the one I want to see.

Remember to use he/him when referring to males and she/her when referring to
females!

WRONG: Mary lived on a farm. He had a little lamb.

Correct: Mary lived on a farm. She had a little lamb.

WRONG: Mr. Smith has gone to Washington. I'll give her the message.

Correct: Mr. Smith has gone to Washington. I'll give him the message.

Sentence Subjects
What can be the subject of a sentence?

A noun:

Jonathan loves chocolates.

Mrs. Smith lives next door to the barber shop.

 The yellow dog makes me nervous.

Crocodiles are very dangerous.

A pronoun:

It isn't time yet.

They went to sleep at 9:00.

Are you coming to the dance?

Words like everyone, everybody, everything, something, anybody, nothing, no one

Everything is ready.

Is everyone here?

Is anybody home?

Quantifiers with nouns/pronouns Without nouns/pronouns.

Some of the pie was gone.
Some of the pies were gone.
Both of them are in the foyer.
Neither of them is in the foyer.
None of those people are nice.
None of those people is my friend.
Some (count) are here. Some (non-count) is not.
All is well. All are watching.
Both are correct. (as a group)
Neither is correct. (separately)
(all of them are not nice)
(not any individual)

Noun clauses

Whoever left the food on the table is in trouble.

What you say is not important.

How you do it is up to you.

"Dummy" subjects

There are five people in the room.

There is some milk in the refrigerator.

Be careful

In most cases, the words before the verb are the subject of the sentence.

It is just the three of us.

The three of us are going to be there.

Prepositional phrases cannot be subjects, even if they come at the beginning of a
sentence.

On the table was a red hat.

On the table were a red hat, white gloves and a blue scarf.

Some words look plural but are actually singular:

Physics is my favorite subject.

The news was good.

Scotch and soda is my favorite drink. (This is very uncommon usage.)

My faithful friend and companion is Terry.

Mass or "group" nouns may be singular or plural, depending on focus.

The family is more important than the individual.

The family are going in separate directions.

With either/neither...or/nor, the subject closest to the verb determines agreement.

Neither John nor Jane was the winner.

Either the men or the women are going to take the cake.

Neither Mr. Jones nor his sons have a car.

Neither the boys nor their father has a car.

Some can sometimes be used to indicate an unidentified person.

Some woman was here to see you.

Some guy keeps calling you.

Relative clauses do not affect the main subject-verb relationship; however, S-V
agreement within the relative clause may be different, depending on the meaning.

The people who live there are my friends.

The house that the Jacksons built needs to be remodeled.

One of the men who live there is deranged. He is the only one who lives there.

Simple Future Tense

In English the Future Time is expressed in a number of ways. The most common are with
will and be going to. See examples from the following sentences.

I will finish my homework in an hour.

I'm going to finish my homework in an hour.

With be going to, make sure the verb be agrees with its subject.

I'm going to eat a whole watermelon.

She's going to eat a whole watermelon.

Actually, we're going to eat a whole watermelon together.

In speech, the words going to are often pronounced ? gonna .?

Don't forget the be verb.

A: What are you gonna do this weekend?

B: I'm gonna stay home and clean my carpet.

NOT: I gonna stay?

NOT: I'm gonna to stay?

What's the difference between will and be going to?

Both can be used interchangeably in some cases. (Predictions and guesses)

My prints will be here tomorrow.

My prints are going to be here tomorrow.

Be going to is preferable for strong intentions or for describing the inevitable.

I'm going to give her a piece of my mind.

There's no way they can score 21 points in 2 minutes. We're going to win!

Will is the preferable form for making offers or expressing pop decisions.

A: Who will help me finish this chocolate cake?

B: I will.

A: I have two tickets left for the front row.

B: I'll take them.

 Sometimes future time can be expressed with either the present or present
progressive tense. In such cases, time words must be expressed or clearly implied.

I fly to Beijing tomorrow.

I'm flying to Beijing tomorrow.

Sorry I can't attend the picnic on Saturday. I'm flying to Beijing .

Simple Past Tense

Explanation

1. The simple past tense is expressed with the past form of the verb and nothing else.

My grandfather died last year. (Correct)

My grandfather was died last year. (Incorrect)

My grandfather has died last year. (Incorrect)

2. The simple past tense refers to

a. action which occurred at a specific time in the past

b. completed action

c. past status

Examples

Specific past action Completed action Past status

I ate lunch at noon today. She finally mailed the letter. John was still single in 1995.

He drove to work yesterday. Jan finished her report on time. Jane was a movie star.

Note the usage of the past tense in the following story.

Yesterday Mrs. Hubbard had a very rough day. In the morning, she went to the kitchen
and looked in the cupboard for some food for her dog, but the cupboard was empty. Her
poor dog stared up at her with its hungry eyes, and she knew she had to do something
quickly. She hurried to the grocery store to buy some dog food, but unfortunately the store
was out of her dog's favorite brand, so she had to catch a bus downtown. After buying the
food, she waited for a half hour in the rain to get a taxi. When she finally got home, her
dog was sound asleep on the living room sofa.
Common problems with the past tense

1. Using the present tense when the past tense is required.

Last week, Tonya fix her neighbor's car. (Incorrect)

Last week, Tonya fixed her neighbor's car. (Correct)

2. Using "was" with verbs in the past tense.

It was happened one night in September. (Incorrect)

It happened one night in September. (Correct)

Exercises

Change the verbs in the following sentence into past tense.

1. Yesterday, I go to the restaurant with a client.

2. We drive around the parking lot for 20 minutes in order to find a parking space.

3. When we arrive at the restaurant, the place is full.

4. The waitress asks us if we have reservations.

5. I say, "No, my secretary forgets to make them."

6. The waitress tells us to come back in two hours.

7. My client and I slowly walk back to the car.

8. Then we see a small grocery store.

9. We stop in the grocery store and buy some sandwiches.

10. That is better than waiting for two hours.

Correct the mistakes in the following sentences:

1. Last night, Samantha have pizza for supper.

2. My pet lizard was died last month.

3. Yesterday I spend two hours cleaning my living room.

4. This morning before coming to class, Jack eats two bowls of cereal.
5. What was happened to your leg?

Simple Present Tense

1A. Explanation

The simple present tense takes one of two forms depending on the subject.

Subject base form -s form

I, you eat eats

They, We go goes

Plural nouns work works

He, She, It

Singular nouns

Non count-nouns

1B. Examples
Subjects followed by verb in base form: Subjects with verb in ?s form:

I like rice. She makes toys.

You look nice. He rakes leaves.

They think twice. It takes time.

We throw dice. Mom bakes pies.

Chefs use spice. Water slakes thirst.

The boys ring the doorbell. Jill loves dates.

Children sing on special occasions. Mr. Smith fills crates.

Some people bring gifts to parties. Grandpa washes plates.

Bees sting when they are disturbed. The dog jumps gates.

1C. Exercises

1. Jerry (come/comes) to school on time.

2. Jerry and Linda (come/comes) to school on time.

 3. Ms. Jones (teach/teaches) geography.

4. The cat (sleep/sleeps) on the sofa every day.

5. Milk (cost/costs) two dollars a quart.

2A. Explanation

Use the simple present tense to indicate:

1. Routine actions

2. Facts

2B. Examples
Routine actions Facts

John brushes his teeth every morning. Hawaii is in the Pacific Ocean.

Carol usually drives to work. Some birds fly south for the winter.

The teacher grades homework on Fridays. Water consists of hydrogen and oxygen.

Note how the present tense is used in the following paragraph.

Mr. Lee is a bus driver. Every day he gets up at 7:00 a.m. and prepares for his day.
He showers, eats his breakfast, and puts on his uniform. His wife drives him to the
station where he checks in with his supervisor. Then, he gets on Bus #405 and
starts the engine. He pulls out of the parking lot and begins his route. At his first
stop, he picks up Mrs. Miller, who lives in a red house on the corner of Main
Street and Seventh Avenue. She works at the post office and has to be to work by
9:00. At the next stop, the Bartlett twins get on the bus. They attend class at
Bayside Elementary. More children get on at the next three stops, and they ride
until the bus reaches their school. Mr. Lee enjoys seeing the kids every day and is
happy to see them again in the afternoon when he drives them safely back home.

2C. Exercises

1. To practice the present tense, reread the above paragraph, then try to repeat the
main ideas in your own words. Be sure to use the -s form of the verb when the
subject of a sentence is singular. Have a partner listen to your speech and check
for correct usage of verbs.

2. Tell whether the present tense is appropriate in the following sentences.

1. Yesterday I go to Washington D.C. Correct Incorrect

2. Every day, Mr. Johnson cleans his living room. Correct Incorrect
 3. They usually take the bus to the office. Correct Incorrect

4. Right now Susan eats her breakfast. Correct Incorrect

5. Melinda and Harry work in the bank. Correct Incorrect

Common Mistakes with the simple present tense

1. Not using the -s form with singular subjects:

Jack likes Chinese food. (Correct)

Jack like Chinese food. (Incorrect)

2. Using the simple present tense when another tense is required.

(Correct)
Last night I watched television for two hours.
(Incorrect
Last night I watch television for two hours.
)

Singular vs. Plural

English nouns can be classified as count (singular and plural) and non-count.

The singular form is used when considering the noun as a single item (count) or entity
(non-count).

brick dog airplane person foot water sugar truth education

The plural form is used when considering more than one of the same item. Non-count
nouns do not have a plural form.

bricks dogs airplanes people feet

Things to be aware of:

Regular plurals

Most plurals are formed by adding -s or -es to the singular noun:

boys cars pens pills pronounce /z/

cats rocks tips chiefs pronounce /s/
kisses watches boxes dishes pronounce /Iz/

In some cases, there are special spelling rules that need to be considered
when forming the plural.
 knives hobbies quizzes

Irregular plurals

Some nouns take on a different form in the plural:

women teeth mice children people

Non-count nouns

Non-count nouns do not have a plural form; however, some nouns can be used in
both the count and non-count sense:

I have a lot of experience. I have a lot of experiences.

Third-person singular "-s"

Singular and non-count nouns (in the third person) require the "-s" form of
the verb in the present tense.

The girl loves painting.

My dog likes to eat meat.

Johnny lives next door to Jenny.

Milk contains nutrients.

Tommy has two hobbies.

Jerry is from Colorado.

Singular count nouns require an article (the, a, an) unless

they are "proper" nouns

Mr. Jones went to Arizona.

they are preceded by a possessive

My mother loves my father.

they are preceded by this, that, each, every, either, neither, or one.

Each man contributed one dollar.

(Wrong: Apple is on table. [Articles are required.])

The/An apple is on the table.

 Plural nouns and singular non-count nouns do not require an article in the
"generic" sense:

Water is important for plants.

However, they require articles (the, some) in most other cases.

Please put some wine in the glasses.

Subject-Verb Agreement
Third person singular -s

Use the -s form of a verb in the present tense when the subject is third person singular.
For all other subjects, use the base form in the present tense.

Example:

base form

I live in Athens.

They live in Crete.

The Smiths live in Rome.

-s form

He lives in Cyprus.

She lives in Malta.

Tim lives in Naples.

Ms. Conner lives in Milan.

The verb have

The -s form of the verb have is has.

We have a winner.

He has a trophy.

The verb be

The -s form (present tense) for be is is. For the past tense, it is was.
Was is also used with first person singular subjects (I) in the past tense.

(Am is used in the present tense. Are is used with other subjects in the present, and were
is used in the past.)

She is here.

He is not here.

I am here too.

You are right.

They are wrong.

She was home yesterday.

Ron wasn't home yesterday.

I was here yesterday.

We were here too.

Auxiliary verbs

When auxiliary verbs are used, only the first verb carries the third person singular -s.

Jean does not like spaghetti. (Correct)

Jean does not likes spaghetti. (Wrong!)

Jean do not likes spaghetti. (Wrong!)

Elsa is eating her dinner. (Correct)

Elsa is eats her dinner. (Wrong!)

Leo is going to eat later.

Frank has eaten lunch already. (Correct)

Frank have eaten lunch already. (Wrong!)

Modals

Do not use the -s form of the verb with modals, regardless of the subject.

Ian can eat twelve bowls of rice. (Correct)

Ian can eats twelve bowls of rice. (Wrong!)

The Verb Be
The verb be takes on different forms in the present and past.

Present Contraction Past

I am 'm was

He is 's was

She is 's was

It is 's was

You are 're were

They are 're were

we are 're were

The verb be indicates existence, temporary condition or permanent status.

It is really hot today.

Grady's not here right now.

Greg and Tim are engineers.

Trudy was sick yesterday.

Hawaii is in the Pacific Ocean.

The base form is be, the past participle is been, and the -ing form is being.

I'll be back tomorrow.

He has been a doctor since 1998.

She is being nice today.

The verb be is also used in progressive tenses, passives and prepositional collocations:

Progressive tenses:

He is writing a letter to his brother.

 Jeff was cleaning the house this morning.

The Holleys have been living there since April.

Passive voice:

The people were surprised by the news.

Craig was stopped by the policeman.

Prepositional collocations:

Tracy is fond of chocolates.

Cassie is not afraid of snakes.

I'm interested in making money.

This, That, These, Those

Demonstratives are used to point out a particular item. They are as follows:

This (indicates something close to the speaker)

That (indicates something away from the speaker)

These (indicates some things close to the speaker)

Those (indicates some things away from the speaker)

Example:

A: What is this? (pointing to something held in the speaker's hand or near the speaker)

B: A pencil.

A: What is that? (pointing to something at a distance from the speaker)

B: A tree.

Remember that demonstratives are used in reference to the speaker. (What is near "you"
may not be near "me" and vice versa.)

A: What's that you're holding?

B: This is an egg. Here, catch!

A: Oops.
 B: That's a mess.

A: What are these (holding up a pair of slippers)

B: Those are slippers.

Be sure to use this/that with singular and non-count nouns and these/those with count
nouns.

This orange is sour. These oranges are sweet.

That truck is full. Those trucks are empty.
This milk is fresh.

Sometimes demonstratives can be used as pronouns (to refer to a particular noun.)

Give me that! Whose are these?

Give me that (spoon). Whose are these (socks)?

This and that can also be used with one. However, these and those are more commonly
used alone.

I want this one. I want these. (not these ones)

I'll take that one. I'll take those.

On the telephone, this and that are used differently in British and American English to
identify callers.

Example:
Receiver: Hello.
Caller: I was wondering if you would be interested in buying . . .
Receiver: Who is this? (American)
Who is that? (British)
(Both expressions are used to ask the caller to identify himself/herself.)
Caller: This is Mr. Fuller from the Acme Brush Company.
(Same for both British and American English)
Caller: Hi Jack. Long time no see!
Receiver: Is this Bob? What a surprise! (American)
Is that Bob? What a surprise! (British)

Verb List
Regular Verbs
base -s form past past participle -ing form notes

call calls called called calling

clean cleans cleaned cleaned cleaning

look looks looked looked looking 1

talk talks talked talked talking 1

end ends ended ended ending 2

wait waits waited waited waiting 2

kiss kisses kissed kissed kissing 3

wash washes washed washed washing 3

live lives lived lived living 4

love loves loved loved loving 4

beg begs begged begged begging 5

sin sins sinned sinned sinning 5

play plays played played playing

stay stays stayed stayed staying

cry cries cried cried crying 6

studies studied studied studying 6

die dies died died dying

tie ties tied tied tying

Notes:

1. Pronunciation differences in past/past participle after /p, s, k, f/ sounds

2. Pronunciation differences in past/past participle after /t, d/ sounds

3. Spelling and pronunciation differences in -s form after /s, sh, ch, z/ sounds

4. Dropping of "silent e" with -ing endings

5. Doubled consonants after "short" vowel sounds

6. Spelling differences when "y" is preceded by a consonant

Irregular Verbs
base -s form past past participle -ing form

cut cuts cut cut cutting

fit fits fit fit fitting
hit hits hit hit hitting
let lets let let letting
put puts put put putting
quit quits quit quit quitting
set sets set set setting
shut shuts shut shut shutting
split splits split split splitting
upset upsets upset upset upsetting
burst bursts burst burst bursting
cast casts cast cast casting
cost costs cost cost costing*
hurt hurts hurt hurt hurting

spread spreads spread spread spreading

knit knits knit/knitted knit/knitted knitting

sit sits sat sat sitting

spit spits spat/spit spat/spit spitting

begin begins began begun beginning

swim swims swam swum swimming

ring rings rang rung ringing

sing sings sang sung singing
spring springs sprang sprung springing

cling clings clung clung clinging

fling flings flung flung flinging
sling slings slung slung slinging
sting stings stung stung stinging
swing swings swung swung swinging
wring wrings wrung wrung wringing

hang hangs hung/hanged** hung/hanged hanging

drink drinks drank drunk sinking

shrink shrinks shrank shrunk shrinking
stink stinks stank stunk stinking

think thinks thought thought thinking

bring brings brought brought bringing

buy buys bought bought buying

seek seeks sought sought seeking
fight fights fought fought fighting

catch catches caught caught catching

teach teaches taught taught teaching

creep creeps crept crept creeping

keep keeps kept kept keeping
sleep sleeps slept slept sleeping
sweep sweeps swept swept sweeping
weep weeps wept wept weeping

bleed bleeds bled bled bleeding

breed breeds bred bred breeding
feed feeds fed fed feeding
flee flees fled fled fleeing
lead leads led led leading
speed speeds sped/speeded sped/speeded speeding

meet meets met met meeting

bend bends bent bent bending

lend lends lent lent lending
send sends sent sent sending
spend spends spent spent spending

deal deals dealt dealt dealing

feel feels felt felt feeling
kneel kneels knelt knelt kneeling

dream dreams dreamt/dreamed dreamt/dreamed dreaming

mean means meant meant meaning

spill spills spilt/spilled spilt/spilled spilling

build builds built built building

burn burns burnt/burned burnt/burned burning

hold holds held held holding

sell sells sold sold selling

tell tells told told telling

find finds found found finding

grind grinds ground ground grinding
wind winds wound wound winding

break breaks broke broken breaking

choose chooses chose chosen choosing
freeze freezes froze frozen freezing
speak speaks spoke spoken speaking
steal steals stole stolen stealing
wake wakes woke woken waking
weave weaves wove woven weaving

arise arises arose arisen arising

drive drives drove driven driving
ride rides rode ridden riding
rise rises rose risen rising
write writes wrote written writing

bite bites bit bitten biting

hide hides hid hidden hiding
slide slides slid slid sliding

get gets got gotten getting

forget forgets forgot forgotten forgetting

give gives gave given giving

forgive forgives forgave forgiven forgiving
forbid forbids forbade/forbad forbidden forbidding

fall falls fell fallen falling

swell swells swelled swollen swelling

dive dives dove/dived dived diving

blow blows blew blown blowing

fly flies flew flown flying
grow grows grew grown growing
know knows knew known knowing
throw throws threw thrown throwing

draw draws drew drawn drawing

withdraw withdraws withdrew withdrawn withdrawing

show shows showed shown showing

eat eats ate eaten eating

beat beats beat beaten beating

take takes took taken taking

forsake forsakes forsook forsaken forsaking
mistake mistakes mistook mistaken mistaking
shake shakes shook shaken shaking

make makes making

swear swears swore sworn swearing

wear wears wore worn wearing
tear tears tore torn tearing
bear bears bore born bearing

stand stands stood stood standing

understand understands understood understood understanding

become becomes became become becoming

come comes came come coming
run runs ran run running

dig digs dug dug digging

spin spins spun spun spinning
stick sticks stuck stuck sticking

strike strikes struck struck/stricken striking

do does did done doing

go goes went gone going

have has had had having

hear hears heard heard hearing

lay lays laid laid laying

pay pays paid paid paying
say says said said saying

lie lies lay lain lying

light lights lit/lighted lit/lighted lighting

lose loses lost lost losing

leave leaves left left leaving

prove proves proved proven/proved proving

read reads read read reading

see sees saw seen seeing

sew sews sewed sewn/sewed sewing

shave shaves shaved shaven/shaved shaving

shine shines shined/shone shined/shone shining

shoot shoots shot shooting

win wins won won winning

be is/are/am was/were been being

* "Cost" does not usually occur in the -ing form.

** "hang" has two different meanings and thus two usages in past/past participle

Wh - Questions
Wh- Questions allow a speaker to find out more information
about topics. They are as follows:
When? Time

Where? Place

Who? Person
 Why? Reason

How? Manner

What? Object/Idea/Action

Other words can also be used to inquire about specific

information:
Which (one)? Choice of alternatives

Whose? Possession

Whom? Person (objective formal)

How much? Price, amount (non-count)

How many? Quantity (count)

How long? Duration

How often? Frequency

How far? Distance

What kind (of)? Description

The "grammar" used with wh- questions depends on whether the topic being asked about
is the "subject" or "predicate" of a sentence. For the subject pattern, simply replace the
person or thing being asked about with the appropriate wh-word.

(Someone has my baseball.) Who has my baseball?

(Something is bothering you.) What is bothering you?

For the predicate pattern, wh- question formation depends on whether there is an
"auxiliary" verb in the original sentence. Auxiliary or "helping" verbs are verbs that
precede main verbs. Auxiliary verbs are italicized in the following sentences.

I can do it.

They are leaving.

I have eaten my lunch.

I should have finished my homework.

To make a question using the predicate pattern, first form a yes/no question by inverting
the subject and (first) auxiliary verb. Then, add the appropriate wh- word to the beginning
of the sentence.

(You will leave some time.) ? will you leave

When will you leave?
(He is doing something.) ? is he doing
What is he doing?
(They have been somewhere.) ? have they been
Where have they been?

If there is no auxiliary and the verb is "be," invert the subject and verb, then add the
appropriate wh- word to the beginning of the sentence.

(He is someone.) ? is he
Who is he?
(The meeting was some time.) ? was the meeting
When was the meeting?

If there is no auxiliary and the verb is not "be," add do to the beginning of the sentence.
Then add the appropriate wh-question word. Be sure to "transfer" the tense and number
from the main verb to the word do.

(You want something.) ? do you want

What do you want?
(You went somewhere.) ? did you go (past tense)
Where did you go?

(She likes something.) ? does she like (third person -s)

What does she like?

Yes/No Questions
There are many types of questions in English. The easiest are questions that can be
answered "yes" or "no."

A: Are you from around here?

B: Yes, I am.

A: Do you come here often?

B: Yes, I do.

A: Can I buy you a drink?

B: No, thanks.

A: Are you married?

 B: Yes, I am.

To form a question from a statement, first count the number of verbs.

John is a doctor. One verb: is (be)

Jane drives a sports car. One verb: drives
Joan played basketball last night. One verb: played
Jan is eating her dinner. Two verbs: is eating
June has rented an apartment. Two verbs: has rented
Jen has been living there since 1969. Three verbs: has been living

If there is one verb in the statement and the verb is a form of be, simply switch the
positions of the subject and verb.

Statement Question
John is a doctor. Is John a doctor?
The Jensens are here. Are the Jensens here?

If there are two verbs, simply switch the positions of the subject and first verb.

Statement Question
Jan is eating dinner. Is Jan eating dinner?
June has rented an apartment. Has June rented an apartment?
Jen has been living here since 1969. Has Jen been living here since 1969?

If there is one verb, and the verb is not a form of be, the process is more complex.

1. Add Do to the beginning of the sentence.

The Johnsons live in that house. Do the Johnsons live in that house?

2. If the main verb "carries" a third person singular s, move the s to Do, making it Does.

Jane drives a car. Do Jane drives a car? (Not finished yet!)

Does Jane drive a car? (Good question!)

3. If the main verb "carries" past tense, move the past tense to Do, making it Did.

Joan played basketball last night. Do Joan played basketball? (Not finished yet!)
Did Joan play basketball? (Good question!)

In conversation, most questions are asked of the second person (you) and answered in
the first (I).

A: Are you from California?

B: No, I'm from Oregon. Are you?

A: Yes, I'm from Hollywood.

 B: Do you know any movie stars?

A: No, I don't go out at night.

In British English, the main verb have sometimes functions like be in questions. This is
not common in American English.

Statement Question
You have a pet ferret. Have you a pet ferret? (British)
Do you have a pet ferret? (American)