Grammar

Question 1

Could have + past participle means that something was possible in the past, or you had the ability to do something in the past, but that you didn’t do it.

Answer 1

I could have stayed up late, but I decided to go to bed early.
They could have won the race, but they didn’t try hard enough.
Julie could have bought the book, but she borrowed it from the library instead.

Question 2

Couldn’t have + past participle means that something wasn’t possible in the past, even if you had wanted to do it.

Answer 2

I couldn’t have arrived any earlier. There was a terrible traffic jam (= it was impossible for me to have arrived any earlier).

Question 3

We use could have + past participle when we want to make a guess about something that happened in the past. In this case, we don’t know if what we’re saying is true or not true. We’re just talking about our opinion of what maybe happened

Answer 3

Why is John late?
He could have got stuck in traffic.
He could have forgotten that we were meeting today.
He could have overslept.

Question 4

Should have + past participle can mean something that would have been a good idea, but that you didn’t do it. It’s like giving advice about the past when you say it to someone else, or regretting what you did or didn’t do when you’re talking about yourself.

Answer 4

I should have studied harder! (= I didn’t study very hard and so I failed the exam. I’m sorry about this now.)
I should have gone to bed early (= I didn’t go to bed early and now I’m tired).

Question 5

Shouldn’t have + past participle means that something wasn’t a good idea, but you did it anyway.

Answer 5

I shouldn’t have eaten so much cake! (= I did eat a lot of cake and now I don’t feel good.)

Question 6

We can also use should have + past participle to talk about something that, if everything is normal and okay, we think has already happened. But we’re not certain that everything is fine, so we use ‘should have’ and not the present perfect or past simple. It’s often used with ‘by now

Answer 6

His plane should have arrived by now (= if everything is fine, the plane has arrived).
John should have finished work by now (= if everything is normal, John has finished work).

Question 7

Because ‘would’ (and will) can also be used to show if you want to do something or not (volition), we can also use would have + past participle to talk about something you wanted to do but didn’t.

Answer 7

I would have gone to the party, but I was really busy.
(= I wanted to go to the party, but I didn’t because I was busy. If I hadn’t been so busy, I would have gone to the party.)

Question 8

CAUSATIVE VERBS

LET = PERMIT SOMETHING TO HAPPEN
Grammatical structure:

LET + PERSON/THING + VERB (base form)

Answer 8

I don’t let my kids watch violent movies.
Mary’s father won’t let her adopt a puppy because he’s allergic to dogs.
Our boss doesn’t let us eat lunch at our desks; we have to eat in the cafeteria.
Oops! I wasn’t paying attention while cooking, and I let the food burn.
Don’t let the advertising expenses surpass $1000.
Remember: The past tense of let is also let; there is no change!
Note: The verbs allow and permit are more formal ways to say “let.” However, with allow and permit, we use to + verb:
I don’t allow my kids to watch violent movies.
Our boss doesn’t permit us to eat lunch at our desks.

Question 9

CAUSATIVE VERBS

MAKE = FORCE OR REQUIRE SOMEONE TO TAKE AN ACTION
Grammatical structure:

MAKE + PERSON + VERB (base form)

Answer 9

After Billy broke the neighbor’s window, his parents made him pay for it.
My ex-boyfriend loved sci-fi and made me watch every episode of his favorite show.
The teacher made all the students rewrite their papers, because the first drafts were not acceptable.
Note: When using the verbs force and require, we must use to + verb.
The school requires the students to wear uniforms.
“Require” often implies that there is a rule.
The hijacker forced the pilots to take the plane in a different direction.
“Force” often implies violence, threats, or extremely strong pressure

Question 10

CAUSATIVE VERBS

HAVE = GIVE SOMEONE ELSE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO DO SOMETHING
Grammatical structure:

HAVE + PERSON + VERB (base form)
HAVE + THING + PAST PARTICIPLE OF VERB

Answer 10

Examples of grammatical structure #1:

I’ll have my assistant call you to reschedule the appointment.
The businessman had his secretary make copies of the report.
Examples of grammatical structure #2:

I’m going to have my hair cut tomorrow.
We’re having our house painted this weekend.
Bob had his teeth whitened; his smile looks great!
My washing machine is broken; I need to have it repaired.
Note: In informal speech, we often use get in these cases:
I’m going to get my hair cut tomorrow.
We’re getting our house painted this weekend.
Bob got his teeth whitened; his smile looks great!
My washing machine is broken; I need to get it repaired.

Question 11

CAUSATIVE VERBS

GET = CONVINCE/ENCOURAGE SOMEONE TO DO SOMETHING
Grammatical structure:

GET + PERSON + TO + VERB

Answer 11

How can we get all the employees to arrive on time?
My husband hates housework; I can never get him to wash the dishes!
I was nervous about eating sushi, but my brother got me to try it at a Japanese restaurant.
The non-profit got a professional photographer to take photos at the event for free.

Question 12

CAUSATIVE VERBS

HELP = ASSIST SOMEONE IN DOING SOMETHING
Grammatical structure:

HELP + PERSON + VERB (base form)
HELP + PERSON + TO + VERB
After “help,” you can use “to” or not – both ways are correct. In general, the form without “to” is more common:

Answer 12

He helped me carry the boxes.
He helped me to carry the boxes.
Reading before bed helps me relax.
Reading before bed helps me to relax.

Question 13

What are the differences among Alike, Like and Similar? How to distinguish among Alike, Like and Similar. Let’s see the following examples.

Answer 13

Similar: (Adjective) Something is almost the same.
Alike: (Adjective) Very similar (people look or behave)
Like: (Preposition) Similar to someone or something.
My book is like yours
My book is similar to yours
Our books are alike.
Our books are similar.

Question 14

USING EVEN, EVEN IF, EVEN THOUGH

Answer 14

Even
We use even when we want to express a surprising extreme or when we want to say that something is more than we expect. For example,
“She’s rude to everyone. She’s even rude to me.“
“He gets up early even on Sundays.“

Even If
We use even if when we’re talking about an unreal situation. We use it when we’re speculating or when we don’t consider something as a fact.
“I’m going out tomorrow even if it’s raining.”
In this situation, I don’t know if it’s going to rain tomorrow or not, but I’m still going out.

Even Though
We use even though when we’re talking about a real situation. We use it to express a fact or when we think something is true.
Let’s look at how the meaning changes when we use even though instead of even if in the examples I used above:
“I’m going out right now, even though it’s raining.”
In this case, I know it’s raining and I don’t care. I’m going out anyway.

Question 15

Present simple use

Answer 15

We use present simple for habits or actions that we repeat regularly:
I wash my hair every day.
I never go to the library.
I go to the library on Saturdays.

Permanent situations or things that are always or often true
I don’t drink coffee.
She’s very tall.
I have two brothers.
Water boils at 100 degrees.
I like soup

Question 16

Can, can’t – use

Answer 16

Ability
We use can/can’t to talk about ability in the present (=things that we know how to do).
Laura can sing very well.
I can’t speak German.

Possibility
We use can/can’t to ask for permission or to say if something is possible or not.
Can I sit here?
You can’t vote if you aren’t 18 years old.
I’m sorry but I can’t come to the party.

Ask for something
We use can/can’t to ask for something and to order in bars, restaurants, shops, etc.
Can you lend me some money?
Can I have some water, please?
Can I have a burger and a soda?

Question 17

Present continuous

Answer 17

Actions happening now
We use the present continuous for things happening now, at the moment of speaking.
‘What are you doing?’ ‘I‘m watching TV.’

Actions happening around now
We use the present continuous for temporary things that are happening around now (=not at the moment of speaking but these days, or weeks, etc.)
I‘m reading a very good book at the moment. (=I’m not reading it at the moment I’m speaking, but I’m reading it these days.)

Now, these days, at the moment, etc.
We use the present continuous with time expressions that mean ‘now’ or ‘around now’: now, at the moment, at present, today, these days, this week, etc.

Question 18

Present simple or continuous?

Answer 18

Usually or now?
We use the present simple for things that we usually do, and we use the present continuous for things that we are doing now.
I listen to the radio. (=I usually listen to the radio; it’s a habit.)
I‘m listening to the radio. (=I’m doing it now.)
I don’t usually watch documentaries, but I’m watching a documentary now.

Temporary or permanent?
We use present simple when a situation is permanent or present continuous when a situation is temporary.
I work in an office. (=Permanent situation.)
I‘m working in an office. (=Temporary situation.)
I live in Edinburgh. (=Permanent situation.)
I‘m living in Edinburgh. (=Temporary situation.)

What do you do?/What are you doing?
What does Erik do? (=What is his job?)
What is Erik doing? (=What is he doing now, at the moment of speaking?)

Question 19

The imperative

Answer 19

Give instructions
Open the package carefully.
Connect the cable into the plug.

Give orders
Fasten your seatbelt.
Stop talking!
Run!

Offer something or invite someone to something
Have some cookies.
Come and sit with us.

Give advice
Get some sleep.
Tell her how you feel.
Go and have fun.

Give warnings
Don’t touch that cable.
Please, Stopthe car!

You can use let’s + verb to:
Make suggestions
(+) It’s very hot today. Let’s go to the swimming pool.
(-) Let’s not go out today. I’m very tired.

Question 20

Past simple – use

Answer 20

Past finished actions or states
We can use the past simple to talk about past finished actions or states. We know and we often mention when these actions happened with a past time expression: yesterday, yesterday morning, last night, last week, two days ago, five years ago, etc.
Jessica called me last night.
Rachel was a very good writer.

Past repeated actions
We can use the past simple to talk about habits or repeated actions that happened in the past but don’t happen in the present. We often use adverbs or expressions of frequency (often, always, every day, etc.).

When I was a child, I ate sweets every day.
In school, I always played football during break time.

Question 21

Verb + verb(ing)

Answer 21

Verbs + -ing

Some verbs in English are followed by another verb in the -ing form. The most common of these verbs are verbs of liking and disliking: love, like, enjoy, don’t mind, don’t like, hate. And keep, avoid, miss, understand, finish. If we use another verb after these verbs, it often takes the -ing form.

I love going to the gym.
I like reading.
I enjoy travelling.
I don’t mind cooking.
I don’t like doing homework.
I hate getting up early.
The second verb is in the -ing form in the past too.

When I was a child I hated going to school. (NOT I hated went to school.)

Using the verbs “to hate”, “to like”, and “to love”

The verbs hate, love, like, & prefer are usually followed by a gerund when the meaning is general, and by the infinitive when they refer to a particular time or situation. You must always use the infinitive with the expressions would love to, would hate to, etc. These verbs can also be followed by a that-clause or by a noun.

I love dancing.
I love to dance at the jazz club.

Question 22

Verbs + to + infinitive

Answer 22

Many verbs in English are followed by to + infinitive. Some of these verbs are: forget, hope, learn, need, offer, plan, seem, manage, wait, help, ask, agree, remember, start, want and would like.

I forgot to turn off the light.
I hope to see you soon.
I‘m learning to drive.
We need to arrive early.
She offered to help us.
We are planning to go to France.
Remember to lock the door.
I want to go home.
I would like to buy a new computer.

The second verb takes the to + infinitive form in the past too.
I wanted to go home. (NOT I wanted to went home.)

would like
The verb would like (or ‘d like) is different from like. We use would like + to + infinitive and we normally use like + -ing verb to talk about general preference.

I‘d like to study English.
I like studying English.
The meaning is also different.

I‘d like to study English. (=I want to do it.)
I like studying English. (=I enjoy it.)
We use the question would you like… when we offer or suggest something.

Would you like a cup of coffee?
Would you like to dance with me?

Question 23

There VS it

Answer 23

There
We use there to say when or where something is.
There are some dirty cups on the table.
There is a party tomorrow.

We use there to say that something exists or is happening.
There is a problem.
There was an accident.
Note that we use there the first time we mention something.

If we talk about the same thing again, we use it or they.
There are some cups on the table. But they are dirty.
There was an accident. It was horrible.

It
We use it to talk about something again in the conversation.
There is a party tomorrow. It will be fantastic!
We saw a snake in the forest. It was very big.

We use it to talk about times and dates.
It‘s my mum’s birthday today.
Let’s go home. It‘s very late.
It‘s four o’clock.

We use it to talk about the weather.
It‘s very windy.
It‘s a nice day.
It rained a lot yesterday.
It‘s four degrees.

We use it to talk about distance.
How far is it?
It‘s not very far.
It‘s a long way to the nearest petrol station.
It‘s 2 kilometres from the hotel to the station.

Note that we use far in negative sentences and questions, and we use a long way in affirmative sentences.

We use it’s + adjective + to + infinitive.

It’s nice to see you again.
It was difficult to find the hotel.

Question 24

Some - any - a- an

Answer 24

A/an
We use a/an + singular countable noun.
I have a new car.
She has a brother and a sister.

We cannot use a/an before a plural noun or an uncountable noun.

I need to buy sugar. (NOT a sugar.)
We saw very beautiful places. (NOT a very beautiful places.)

Some/any
We use some and any before countable plural nouns or singular uncountable nouns.

He gave me some coins.
He didn’t give me any coins.
He gave me some money.

Some
We use some in positive sentences.
We cooked some cookies.

Any
We use any in negative sentences and questions.
She didn’t send me any messages.
Have you got any brothers or sisters?

But we use some in questions when we are asking for something or we are offering something.

Can I have some tea? (=I’m asking for some tea.)
Would you like some tea? (=I’m offering you some tea.)

Question 25

much, many, a lot of, a little, a few, no, any, none

Answer 25

Many/much

Many for countable, much for uncountable in (?) (-)

We use many before plural (countable) nouns and much before uncountable nouns. We use them in negative sentences and questions. We don’t normally use them in affirmative sentences.

There isn’t much coffee in the jar.
Were there many people in the party?
Too much/too many

Note that we don’t normally use much/many in affirmative sentences, but we can use too much and too many in affirmative sentences.

There’s too much salt in the soup.
You eat too many biscuits.
How much/how many

We use how many and how much to ask about quantity.

How many concerts have you ever been to?
How much coffee have you had today?

A lot of/lots of

Before both countable and uncountable

We use a lot of or lots of (more informal) before both plural (countable) and uncountable nouns. We normally use them in positive sentences.

She spends a lot of time watching TV.
We had lots of good moments together.
Of before noun; no of at the end of sentence

We must always use a lot of or lots of including of before a noun. However, we can use the expressions a lot or lots (without of) at the end of a sentence.

‘How many beers did you have?’ ‘I don’t know; I had lots/a lot.’
I like her a lot.

A) few/(a) little/a bit of

Few for countable; little for uncountable

We use (a) few before plural (countable) nouns and (a) little or a bit of (more informal) before uncountable nouns.

I have to do a few things this afternoon.
He always gets good results with very little effort.
Can you put a bit of sugar in the tea?
Few or a few? little or a little?

A few means ‘some but not many; enough’, and a little means ‘some but not much; enough’ .

Few/little mean ‘almost none; not enough’.

Normally, the difference between a few/little (WITH a) and few/little (WITHOUT a) is that a few/little is positive in meaning, and few/little is negative. Compare:

There’s little milk in the fridge; we have to buy more. (Not enough; we need more)
‘Shall I buy some beers?’ ‘No, it’s OK, there are a few in the fridge.’ (=Enough; we don’t need more)
‘Do you speak English?’ ‘No, I speak very little English.’ (=Negative)
‘Do you speak English?’ ‘Yes, I speak a little English.’ (=Positive)

We can also use not many + plural countable or not much + uncountable nouns. The meaning is similar.

I don’t have to do many things this afternoon.
I don’t put much milk in my tea.
No/not…any/none

When we want to talk about zero quantity, we can use no + noun or not…any + noun. The meaning is the same.

I have no time today.
I don’t have any time today.
In short answers we use none.

‘How much time do you have?’ ‘None.’

Some/any

Some in (+); any in (?) (-)

We use some in affirmative sentences and any in negative sentences and questions.

Is there any sugar in the cupboard?
Have you got any new friends?
I have some questions to ask you.
With both countable (plural) and uncountable

Both some and any can be used before countable and uncountable nouns. But if we use them before a countable noun, the noun must be in the plural form.

Are there any students in the classroom? (NOT Is there any student in the classroom?)
Some for offers and requests

We use some (NOT any) in interrogative sentences when we are offering or requesting (=asking for) something.

Would you like some help?
Can I have some tea, please?

Question 26

Will – Use

Answer 26

We use will to talk about things that we think will happen in the future.

He will love your new coat.
They won’t win this match.
Note that it’s common to use will with the expressions I think, I don’t think, I hope, etc. or also with I’m sure, I’m not sure, perhaps, etc.

I hope they will arrive soon.
I don’t think they‘ll win.
I’m sure you‘ll be fine.
Perhaps I‘ll be late.
We use will for promises or refusals.

I will lend her the money.
I won’t help you.
We use will when we make decisions at the moment of speaking (instant decisions).

A: There’s no milk in the fridge. B: I’ll go to the shop to buy some more.
A: This box is very heavy. B: Don’t worry. I’ll help you.

Question 27

Be going to – use

Answer 27

Predictions

We use be going to to talk about something that we see is going to happen (there is present evidence).

Don’t drive like a crazy man. We’re going to have an accident!
The doctor said I’m going to have a girl.
Look at those clouds. It’s going to rain.
Intentions or plans

We use be going to for intentions or plans (decisions taken before the moment of speaking).

‘Why are you undressing?’ ‘Because I’m going to go for a swim.’
We are going to have a drink after work. Do you want to come?
Future time expressions

We often use be going to with future time expressions (tomorrow, next week, etc.).

We are going to play cards tonight.
She’s going to study biology next year.

Question 28

Adverbs of manner vs adjectives

Answer 28

We use adjectives to describe a noun (before a noun or after the verb be), and we use adverbs of manner to describe a verb (after the verb or verb + object). Compare:

Robert plays the guitar well. (=We are describing the verb, i.e. how Robert plays the guitar.)
Robert is a good guitar player. (=We are describing the noun, Robert.)
Sara eats slowly.
Sara is a slow eater.
Adjectives ending in -ly

Some words end in -ly, but they are adjectives, NOT adverbs: friendly, lovely, silly. We CANNOT transform these adjectives into adverbs of manner.

Question 29

A/an, the, no article

Answer 29

Use a/an

First mention

We use a/an when we mention something for the first time.

I saw an old woman with a dog in the park.
Jobs and descriptions

We use a/an to talk about people’s jobs or to say what kind of person or thing something/somebody is.

Paula is a teacher.
Paris is an interesting city.
When I was a teenager, I enjoyed sleeping.
Note that you cannot use singular countable nouns alone (without a, the, my etc.)

I don’t have a driving license (NOT I don’t have driving license)
This hotel doesn’t have a spa. (NOT This hotel doesn’t have spa.)

Use the

Second mention

We use the when we mention something for the second time.

A man and a woman sat in front of me. The man was British, but I think the woman wasn’t.
Specific things

We use the to talk about specific things or people; when it’s clear which things or people we are talking about.

‘Where are the kids?’ ‘They’re in the garden.’ (=We know which kids and which garden.)
Can you open the door? (=We know which door.)
There is only one

We use the when there’s only one of something.

This company is very profitable. The manager must be really good.
I’d like to live in this country, but not in the capital.
The moon looks beautiful today.
Common places in town

With places in a town where we commonly go (the park, the cinema, the doctor, etc.)

I’m going to the bank.
I found Peter at the station.
I’m at the library.
Superlatives

We use the before superlative adjectives.

This is the best restaurant in town.
Musical instruments

We use the before names of musical instruments.

Margaret plays the guitar and I play the flute.

Use no article

General meaning

We do not use an article before plural or uncountable nouns to talk about something in general.

I don’t drink milk.
Women drive more cautiously than men.
Compare:

I love music. (=Music in general.)
I loved the music at the party. (=Specific music.)
Children are often difficult. (=Children in general.)
They are a nice family. The children are very funny. (=The children in that family.)
Meals

We do not use an article before names of meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Dinner is served at 8.
I always have breakfast with my children.
Years, months and days

We do not use an article before names of years, months and days of the week.

Friday is my favourite day of the week.
I think 2020 will be an excellent year.
TV

We do not use an article with TV (when used as a broadcasting service, NOT as an appliance)

I saw it on TV.
I don’t watch TV.
But: Turn off the TV. I’ve bought a new TV.

Names of languages and school subjects

We do not use an article before names of languages and school subjects.

He doesn’t speak English.
I study biology.
Next, last

We do not use an article before next and last + time expression (when they mean before or after now).

The meeting is next Thursday.
I saw him last week.
Compare:

Last year we spent one week in London (Last year= the year before now).
We really loved London. The last day we were really sad. (The last day= the last day of that trip. NOT the day before now)

Question 30

Past simple – Use

Answer 30

Completed actions in the past

We use the past simple to talk about actions or events that happened in the past. We know or we say when the events happened.

I saw Jim yesterday.
We didn’t go out last Saturday. We stayed at home.
She moved to Chester three years ago.
Past habits

We use the past simple to talk about past habits (things that we did more or less often).

She washed her hair every day.
She worked as a nurse.
I often played in the park when we were children.
Situations that were true in the past

We also use the past simple to talk about things that were true in the past.

My grandfather had two brothers.
He lived with my grandparents as a child.
Events in chronological order

We use the past simple to describe the main events of a story in chronological order.

When I arrived home, I took off my shoes and then I relaxed on the sofa

Question 31

Expressing purpose with to and for

Answer 31

We can use to + infinitive and for + noun to say what is the purpose of an action, or the reason why we do something.

To + infinitive

I went to the grocery store to buy some vegetables.
I studied hard to pass the exam.

For + noun

Let’s go to the pub for a drink.
We climbed to the top for the views.
Compare to vs for:

I went to the shop to buy some milk.
I went to the shop for some milk.

For + -ing

Don’t use for + -ing to talk about why we do something

We don’t use for + -ing to say what is the purpose of our actions, why we do something.

I work hard to improve my English.

Turn the TV on to watch the news.

Use for + -ing to talk about the purpose or function of an object

We use for + ing to talk about the purpose or function of a thing, what an object is used for.

This machine is used for cleaning cars.
This is a special camera for photographing small objects.

Question 32

Words used with the Gerund

Answer 32

Verbs with Prepositions followed by the Gerund
Example: I’m looking forward to seeing you again soon.

accuse of
adjust to
agree with
apologize for
approve of
ask about
ask for
begin by
believe in
be used to
blame for
care for
carry on
complain about
concentrate on
congratulate on
consist of
cope with
decide against
decide for
depend on
die of
dream about / of
escape from
feel like
forgive for
give up
insist on
keep on
look forward to
object to
pay for
prevent sb. from
protect from
put off
rely on
spend money on
spend time on
succeed in
suspect of
take part in
talk about / of
thank for
think of
use for
warn against
worry about

Question 33

​Verb + Prep​osition ​​

Answer 33

​Verb + Prep​osition ​​
complain about ​
He complains about working in these bad conditions.
​concentrate on ​
You should concentrate on having good grades.
​depend on ​
His livelihood​ depends on receiving this money. ​​
​disapprove of
I disapprove of dancing in the rain.​
​dream about
She dreams about writing a book.​
​feel like ​
We feel like shopping.
​forget about
They need to forget about going to New York.​
​talk about ​
We were talking about visiting your mom.
​think about
Will you think about training with me?​
​succeed in ​
She was the first to succeed in crossing the Atlantic.

Question 34

Adjective​​ + Preposition ​

Answer 34

Adjective​​ + Preposition ​
​afraid of
He is afraid of telling her the truth.​
​excited about ​
We are excited about seeing the show.
​happy about ​
I am happy about being part of the team.
​interested in ​
She is interested in helping others.
​tired of ​
They are tired of listening to that kind of music.
​worried about ​
You are worried about walking alone.
​good at ​
He is good at making people laugh.
​bad at ​
We are bad at drawing.
​famous for ​
She is famous for inventing a new machine.

Question 35

Will vs be going to

Answer 35

Predictions

Use will to talk about something that you think will happen.

I think he’ll win the election.
He will be a good doctor.
Use be going to to talk about something that you see is going to happen (there is present evidence).

Don’t drive like a crazy man. We’re going to have an accident!
The doctor said I’m going to have a girl.
Sometimes there’s little difference between will and be going to for predictions. Compare:

The conference starts in 10 minutes. We are going to be late. (=I can see that we cannot be at the conference in 10 minutes)
We need to hurry up. We’ll be late for the conference. (=I think we will be late)

Decisions

Use will for decisions that you take at the moment of speaking (instant decisions).

‘Oh, we don’t have sugar.’ ‘Don’t worry, I’ll buy some.’
Use be going to for decisions that you have already taken at the moment of speaking (intentions or plans).

‘Why are you undressing?’ ‘Because I’m going to go for a swim.’
Compare these two sentences:

‘Sarah said she needs to talk to you.’ ‘Oh, I didn’t know. I’ll call her in a minute.’ (=I took the decision while having this conversation.)
‘Sarah said she needs to talk to you.’ ‘Yes, I know. I’m going to call her in a minute.‘ (=I took the decision before having this conversation.)

Question 36

Superlative adjectives

Answer 36

Three or more things

We use the superlative form of an adjective or adverb to compare three or more things.

John and his two brothers all play football, but John is the best.

The best in
After the superlative we use in before names of places or before singular words referring to groups of people (class, school, team, family, etc.)

The Everest is the highest mountain in the world. (NOT of the world)
She is the best student in the class.
He’s the tallest in the family.
The / my / John’s

Before the superlative we always use the or a possessive adjective (my, your, his, etc.) or noun + possessive ‘s (Paul’s, Elisabeth’s, etc.)

He is the best.
This is my most expensive jacket.
This is Paul’s best friend.

Question 37

Present perfect – Form

Answer 37

Present perfect – Use

We normally use the present perfect to talk about past events that have a connection with the present; for example, news or past experiences. We can also use the present perfect to talk about situations that started in the past, but which are still true in the present.

Recent events and news

We use the present perfect to talk about recent events or news. We don’t say when these events happened.

I’ve passed the test!
She’s broken her arm.
The president has travelled to Cuba.
⇒ Just, yet, already

We often use the present perfect with the words just, yet, already.

We use just in (+) sentences to say that something happened very recently (like minutes ago).

I’ve just seen Peter in the street.
He looks happy because he’s just got married.
We use yet in (-) and (?) sentences. We put it at the end of the sentence.

Have you washed the dishes yet?
I haven’t called him yet.
She hasn’t arrived yet.
We use already in (+) sentences to say that something happened before now (usually, earlier than we expected).

I have already finished.
We have already arrived.

Life experiences

We often use the present perfect to talk about past experiences in our lives. We don’t say when these experiences happened.

I’ve run the Boston Marathon twice.
She’s never been on a cruise.
I’ve been here before.
⇒ Never, ever, before

When we ask about someone’s life experiences we often use the word ever.

Have you ever read this book?
Have you ever been to India?
When we talk about life experiences, we often use the words never or before.

She has never been late.
I think I have seen this film before.

Unfinished actions

⇒ How long, for, since

We use the present perfect with the words how long, for, since to talk about actions or situations that started in the past and still continue or are still true now.

I’ve lived in Oslo since I was born. (=I was born in Oslo and I still live in Oslo)
They have been married for 25 years. (=They got married 25 years ago and they are still married)
We use how long in questions to ask about the duration of an action or situation.

How long has she been a teacher?
How long has she had her car?
We use for + a period of time, e.g. for two weeks, for ten years, for ten days, for a few hours, etc.

We’ve been here for a few hours.
They’ve been married for 10 years.
We use since + a moment in the past (the beginning of a period of time), e.g. since I was born, since 10 o’clock, since last Wednesday, etc.

We’ve been here since 4 o’clock.
They’ve been married since 2010.

Be careful with these common mistakes!

We use present perfect, and not present simple for actions or situations that started in the past and are still true now.

We’ve been friends since first grade. (NOT We are friends since first grade.)
We don’t use the word ago with the present perfect.

They’ve been married for 10 years. (NOT They are married since 10 years ago.)

Question 38

The Gerund – English Grammar

Answer 38

Gerund as Subject:
Going to parties is fun.

Gerund as Object:
I enjoy reading.

Question 39

Gerund after the following verbs

Answer 39

admit
He admitted having driven too fast.

avoid
They avoid going on holiday on Saturdays.

carry on
If we carry on sleeping so badly, we may need help.

consider
Ralph is considering buying a new house.

delay
I delayed telling Max the news.

deny
She denies reading the book.

dislike
We dislike reading poems.

can’t/couldn’t help
He couldn’t help falling in love with her.

enjoy
I enjoy playing chess.

finish
They finished working in the garden.

give up
Susan gives up playing ice-hockey.

imagine
He imagined driving a new car.

include
Your responsibility includes taking reservations on the phone.

involve
The project will involve growing plants.

justify
I cannot justify paying $100 for this ticket.

keep (on)
They keep on running.

mention
Did Alex ever mention playing baseball?

mind
I don’t mind sleeping on the couch.

miss
They miss playing with their friends.

practise
She practised playing hockey.

regret*
Do you regret having mentioned it?

risk
You risk catching a cold.

suggest
She suggested flying to Cairo.

• After regret the to-infinitive is used when announcing bad news: We regret to inform you that the flight to Munich has been cancelled.

Question 40

Gerund after special phrases

Answer 40

to be busy
He is busy reading the paper.

don’t mind
I don’t mind telling them my opinion.

feel like
We feel like having a cup of tea.

how about
How about walking home instead of taking the car?

it’s (no) good
It’s no good talking to this girl.

it’s no use
It’s no use talking to the headmaster.

spend one’s time
They spend their time reading.

there’s no
There’s no cheating anymore.

there’s no point
There’s no point in complaining further.

what about
What about going to the zoo?

worth
The book is worth reading.

Question 41

Gerund after prepositions that stand alone

Answer 41

after
After having a shower, I waited for Steven.

before
The tablet must not be taken before getting up in the morning.

by
I manage it by working much longer than 40-hour weeks.

in spite of
In spite of studying a lot he didn’t pass the exams.

on
What was her reaction on hearing the news?

without
He told the joke without laughing.

Question 42

Gerund after Adjective + Preposition

Answer 42

afraid of
They are afraid of losing the match.

angry about/at
Pat is angry about walking in the rain.

bad at/good at
John is good at working in the garden.

crazy about
The girl is crazy about playing tennis.

disappointed about/at
He is disappointed about seeing such a bad report.

excited about
We are excited about making our own film.

famous for
Sandy is famous for singing songs.

fed up with
I’m fed up with being treated as a child.

fond of
Hannah is fond of going to parties.

glad about
She is glad about getting married again.

happy about/at
The children are not happy about seeing a doctor.

interested in
Are you interested in writing poems?

keen on
Joe is keen on drawing.

proud of
She is proud of speaking English.

sick of
We’re sick of sitting around like this.

sorry about/for
He’s sorry for eating in the lesson.

tired of
I’m tired of waiting for you.

used to
She is used to smoking.

worried about
I’m worried about making mistakes.

Question 43

Gerund after Noun + Preposition

Answer 43

advantage of
What is the advantage of farming over hunting?

chance of
There’s a chance of catching a cold these days.

choice between
There’s a choice between flying to London Heathrow or Stansted.

danger of
Peggy is in danger of making a mistake.

difficulty in
He has difficulty in texting.

doubt about
He is in doubt about buying the correct software for his computer system.

hope of
There’s little hope of catching the new Corvette.

idea of
I like the idea of setting up a new email account.

interest in
There’s no interest in writing letters.

method of
This is a simple method of finding solutions.

opportunity of
There’s some opportunity of bringing her parents together again.

possibility of
These wheels offer the possibility of riding tubeless.

problem of
He has the problem of swimming too slow.

reason for
There’s a real reason for winning the contest.

risk of
There’s a risk of digging too deep.

trouble for
He was in trouble for stealing.

way of
This is a new way of building a wall.

Question 44

Gerund after Verb + Preposition

Answer 44

accuse of
They were accused of breaking into a shop.

agree with
I agree with playing darts.

apologize for
They apologize for being late.

believe in
She doesn’t believe in getting lost in the wood.

blame for
The reporter is blamed for writing bad stories.

complain about
She complains about bullying.

concentrate on
Do you concentrate on reading or writing?

congratulate sb. on
I wanted to congratulate you on making such a good speech.

cope with
He is not sure how to cope with getting older.

decide against
They decided against stealing the car.

depend on
Success may depend on becoming more patient.

dream about/of
Sue dreams of being a pop star.

feel like
They feel like going to bed.

get used to
You must get used to working long hours.

insist on
The girls insisted on going out with Mark.

look forward to
I’m looking forward to seeing you soon.

prevent sb. from sth.
How can I prevent Kate from working in this shop?

rely on sth.
He doesn’t rely on winning in the casino.

succeed in
How then can I succeed in studying chemistry?

specialize in
The firm specialized in designing websites.

stop sb. from
I stopped Andrew from smoking.

talk about/of
They often talk about travel(l)ing to New Zealand.

think about/of
Frank thinks of playing chess.

warn sb. against
We warned them against using this computer.

worry about
The patient worries about having the ch

Question 45

Gerund and infinitive with to – no difference in meaning

Answer 45

begin
He began talking.
He began to talk.

continue
They continue smoking.
They continue to smoke.

hate
Do you hate working on Saturdays?
Do you hate to work on Saturdays?

like
I like swimming.
I like to swim.

love
She loves painting.
She loves to paint.

prefer
Pat prefers walking home.
Pat prefers to walk home.

start
They start singing.
They start to sing.

These verbs can also be followed by a Gerund or an Infinitive without changing their meaning. Mind the structure with the infinitive:

Gerund: Verb + -ing
Infinitive: Verb + Person (as object) + infinitive with to
Verb
Examples

advise
They advise walking to town.
They advise us to walk to town.

allow
They do not allow smoking here.
They do not allow us to smoke here.

encourage
They encourage doing the test.
They encourage us to do the test.

permit
They do not permit smoking here.
They do not permit us to smoke here.

When recommend is not followed by a Gerund, put that after recommend. The form walk is a subjunctive.

recommend
They recommend walking.
They recommend that we walk.

Question 46

Gerund and infinitive – different meaning

Answer 46

https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/grammar/gerund_infinitive_difference.htm

Question 47

Infinitive with to – English Grammar

Answer 47

1. after the first
   Gagarin was the first to fly in a spaceship.
2. after the last
   Peter was the last to watch the film.
3. after the next
   He is the next to get his passport.
4. after adjectives
   I’m happy to be here.
   It’s better not to smoke.
5. after special verbs (agree, choose, forget, hope, learn, promise, regret*, want, …)
   I am learning to drive a car.
   * After regret the to-infinitive is used when announcing bad news: We regret to inform you that the flight to Munich has been cancelled.
6. after question words
   I don’t know what to say.
   Can you tell me how to get to the bus stop?
7. after want/would like
   I want you to help me.
8. after Verb + Object
   I helped my dad to clean the car.
   Attention!
   I want to help you. (I help you.)
   I want you to help me. (You help me.)

Question 48

Infinitive without to

Answer 48

1. after auxiliaries/modals
2. after the auxiliary do
3. after the following structures

had better
You had better clean up your room.

would rather
Susan would rather study for her exam tomorrow.

would sooner
I would sooner read a book than watch this film.

why not
Why not ask your neighbour for help?

why should we
Why should we go by car?

why should we not
Why should we not go by car?

4. after verbs of perception + object (action has finished)

feel
She feels the rain fall on her face

hear
I heard Peter sing a song.

notice
Mandy noticed the boy climb the tree.

see
They saw him climb up the roof.

watch
He watched the thieves steal a car.

5. after let
   let + object

Sandy let her child go out alone.
The mother let her daughter decide on her own.

let’s
Let’s go for a walk through the park.

6. after make + object

make
She made Peggy and Samantha clean the room.

Question 49

some of the most common verbs that are usually followed by the gerund.

Answer 49

enjoy: I enjoyed living in France.
fancy: I fancy seeing a film tonight.
discuss: We discussed going on holiday together.
dislike: I dislike waiting for buses.
finish: We’ve finished preparing for the meeting.
mind: I don’t mind coming early.
suggest: He suggested staying at the Grand Hotel.
recommend: They recommended meeting earlier.
keep: He kept working, although he felt ill.
avoid: She avoided talking to her boss.
miss: She misses living near the beach.
appreciate: I appreciated her helping me.
delay: He delayed doing his taxes.
postpone: He postponed returning to Paris
practise: She practised singing the song.
consider: She considered moving to New York.
can’t stand: He can’t stand her smoking in the office.
can’t help: He can’t help talking so loudly.
risk: He risked being caught.
admit: He admitted cheating on the test.
deny: He denied committing the crime.
mention: He mentioned going to that college.
imagine: He imagines working there one day.
tolerate: I tolerated her talking.
understand: I understand his quitting.
involve: The job involves travelling to Japan once a month.
complete: He completed renovating the house.
report: He reported her stealing the money.
anticipate: I anticipated arriving late.
recall: Tom recalled using his credit card at the store.

Question 50

some common verbs followed by ‘to’ and the infinitive.

Answer 50

agree: She agreed to give a presentation at the meeting.
ask: I asked to leave early / I asked him to leave early.
decide: We decided to go out for dinner.
help: He helped to clean the kitchen / he helped his flatmate to clean the kitchen.
plan: She plans to buy a new flat next year.
hope: I hope to pass the exam.
learn: They are learning to sing.
want: I want to come to the party / I want him to come to the party.
would like: I would like to see her tonight / I would like you to see her tonight.
promise: We promised not to be late.
*We can use an object before the infinitive with these verbs.

(Note that ‘help’ can also be followed by the infinitive without ‘to’ with no difference in meaning: ‘I helped to carry it’ = ‘I helped carry it’.)

can afford: We can’t afford to go on holiday.
manage: He managed to open the door without the key.
prepare: They prepared to take the test /
the teachers prepared the students to take the test.
demand: He demanded to speak to Mr. Harris.
choose: I chose to help.
offer: Frank offered to drive us to the supermarket.
wait: She waited to buy a movie ticket.
would hate: I’d hate to be late / I’d hate you to be late.
would love*: I’d love to come / I’d love him to come.
seem: Nancy seemed to be disappointed.

expect: They expect to arrive early / they expect Julie to arrive early
intend: We intend to visit you next spring.
pretend: The child pretended to be a monster.
refuse: The guard refused to let them enter the building.
tend: He tends to be a little shy.
would prefer: I’d prefer to do it / I’d prefer him to do it.
deserve: He deserves to go to jail.
appear: His health appeared to be better.
arrange: Naomi arranged to stay with her cousin in Miami.
claim: She claimed to be a princess.
*We can use an object before the infinitive with these verbs.

Question 51

These verbs can be followed by either the gerund or the infinitive with a change in meaning.

Answer 51

Remember + gerund

This is when you remember something that has happened in the past. You have a memory of it, like being able to see a movie of it in your head.
I remember going to the beach when I was a child. (= I have a memory of going to the beach).
He remembers closing the door. (= He has a memory of closing the door).
Remember + to + infinitive

This is when you think of something that you need to do. (And usually, you then do the thing).
I remembered to buy milk. (= I was walking home and the idea that I needed milk came into my head, so I bought some).
She remembered to send a card to her grandmother.
Forget + gerund

This is the opposite of remember + gerund. It’s when you forget about a memory, something that you’ve done in the past.
Have we really studied this topic before? I forget reading about it.
I told my brother that we’d spent Christmas at Granny’s house in 1985, but he’d forgotten going there.
Forget + to + infinitive

This is the opposite of remember + to + infinitive. It’s when you want to do something, but you forget about it.
I forgot to call my mother. (= I wanted to call my mother, but when it was a good time to call her, I forgot. I was thinking about something else, and the idea to call my mother didn’t come into my head).
She keeps forgetting to bring his book back.
Try + gerund

This is when you do something as an experiment. The thing you do is not difficult, but you want to see if doing it will have the result that you want.
I wanted to stop smoking, so I tried using nicotine patches. (= Using nicotine patches was easy, but I wanted to know if it would help me stop smoking).
She tried giving up chocolate, but it didn’t help her lose weight. (It was easy for her to give up chocolate. She gave it up to see if it would help her lose weight, but it didn’t).
Try + to + infinitive

This is when the thing you do itself is difficult. In the present tense or future tense, this means you might not succeed in doing it. In the past tense, it means that you made an effort to do the thing, but you did not succeed.
I’ll try to carry the suitcase, but it looks too heavy for me.
She tried to catch the bus, but she couldn’t run fast enough.
Look at the difference:
I tried giving up chocolate (it was no problem to stop eating chocolate) but it didn’t make me feel more healthy.
I tried to give up chocolate, but it was too hard. I always ate some when my friends offered it to me.
It was too hot in the room. I tried opening the window (it was easy to open the window). It didn’t help though, because it was very hot outside too.
I tried to open the window, but I couldn’t because it was stuck.
Stop + gerund

When we stop doing something it means the verb in the gerund is the thing that we stop. It can mean ‘stop forever’ or ‘stop at that moment’.
I stopped working when I was expecting a baby. (Working is the thing I stopped).
My grandmother stopped driving when she was 85. (Driving is the thing she stopped).
My boss came into the room, so I stopped browsing the internet.
There was a fire alarm, so I stopped eating and went outside.
Stop + to + infinitive

In this case, we stop something else in order to do the verb in the infinitive.
I stopped to eat lunch. (I stopped something else, maybe working or studying, because I wanted to eat lunch.
She was shopping and she stopped to get a cup of coffee. (She stopped shopping because she wanted to get a cup of coffee).
Look at the difference:
I stopped smoking. (I gave up cigarettes OR I threw away my cigarette at that moment).
I stopped to smoke. (I stopped doing something else because I wanted to have a cigarette).
Regret + gerund

This is when you are sorry about something you did in the past and you wish you hadn’t done it.
I regret going to bed so late. I’m really tired today.
She regrets leaving school when she was sixteen. She wishes that she had studied more and then gone to university.
Regret + to + infinitive

We use this construction when we are giving someone bad news, in quite a formal way. The verb is almost always something like ‘say’ or ‘tell’ or ‘inform’.
I regret to tell you that the train has been delayed.
The company regrets to inform employees that the London office will close next year.

Question 52

PRESENT PERFECT OR PAST SIMPLE?

Answer 52

Past events or experiences

Present perfect: it’s not important when something happened

We use the present perfect to talk about recent events or about people’s experiences when the time when these events happened is not important and we don’t mention it.

I’ve been to Malaysia. (When is not important. The important thing is that I have this experience now.)
She’s won three gold medals.
I’ve broken my arm.
Past simple: we say or ask when something happened

We use past simple to talk about completed actions in the past. We often say or ask when these actions happened.

We went to Malaysia last year. (NOT We have been to Malaysia last year.)
She won three gold medals at the last Olympic Games.
When did you break your arm?
In conversation

We often start a conversation about recent events or people’s experiences using the present perfect, but if we continue talking or asking about the details of that event, we use the past simple.

John: I’ve been to the cinema.
Patrick: What did you see?
John: I saw a very good film by…
Sarah: Oh, you’ve broken your arm!
Rachel: Yes, I have.
Sarah: How did it happen?
Rachel: It happened yesterday while I was riding my bike.
I do judo and I’ve won some competitions. In fact, I’ve won two medals. I got the first one in Singapore in 2002. The second one was different. It was in Tokyo and I was older.

Duration with how long, for and since

We use the present perfect with how long, for, since to talk about actions or situations that started in the past and still continue or are still true now.

We use the past simple with how long, for, since to talk about actions or situations that started and finished in the past. Compare:

He‘s lived in New York for ten years. (=He lives in New York now)
He lived in New York for ten years. (=He does NOT live in New York now)
How long have you worked in the bank? (=You work in the bank now)
How long did you work in the bank? (=You do NOT work in the bank now)

Question 53

Something, anything, nothing, etc.

Answer 53

Some- in affirmative sentences

We normally use something, somebody/someone, somewhere in affirmative sentences.

Look! There’s something under that chair.
Somebody called you yesterday.

Any- in negative and interrogative sentences

We use anything, anybody/anyone, anywhere in negative sentences and questions.

There isn’t anybody in the house.
Is there anybody here?
But we often use something, somebody/someone, somewhere in requests and in offers, i.e. when we ask for something or offer something to someone.

Can somebody help me?
Would you like something to eat?

No- with affirmative verbs

We use nobody/no one, nothing, nowhere in sentences with an affirmative verb.

The sun was in my eyes and I could see nobody. (NOT I couldn’t see nobody.)
‘Where have you been?’ ‘Nowhere.’

Every- means ‘all’

We use everybody/everyone, everything, everywhere when we mean ‘all the people’, ‘all the things’ or ‘(in) all the places’.

‘Everybody in my class has passed the exam.’
‘From the top of the mountain, we could see everything.’
‘There were insects everywhere.’

Singular verbs

We use singular verbs with all these words.

Everything is expensive nowadays.
Everyone was tired.
Has someone seen my glasses

Something, anyone, nowhere, etc. + adjective

We can use an adjective (nice, wrong, etc.) after something, anything, etc.

Can’t we go somewhere quiet?
I didn’t do anything wrong.

Something, anyone, nowhere, etc. + to infinitive

We can use to + infinitive after something, anything, etc.

We didn’t have anywhere to go.
I need something to do. I’m bored.

Question 54

Must vs have to
Mustn’t vs don’t have to

Answer 54

Must

Obligation from the speaker

We normally use must when to talk about obligations that come from the opinion of the speaker. The speaker thinks it’s necessary or important to do something.

MANAGER: You must get up early tomorrow. The meeting is at nine. (=The obligation comes from the manager. The manager thinks it’s necessary.)
DOCTOR: You must stop smoking. (=It’s the doctor’s opinion. The doctor thinks it’s necessary.)
SMOKER: I must stop smoking. (=It’s the smoker’s opinion. The smoker thinks it’s necessary to stop smoking.)
Have to

External obligation

We normally use have to when there’s an external obligation. The obligation doesn’t come from the speaker’s opinion; another person thinks it’s necessary.

WORKER: We have to get up early tomorrow. The meeting is at nine. (=The obligation comes from the manager, not from the worker.)
SMOKER: I have to stop smoking. (=It’s the doctor’s opinion, not the smoker’s opinion. The doctor thinks it’s necessary.)

Mustn’t vs don’t have to

Don’t have to

You don’t need to do it; not necessary; no obligation

Don’t have to and mustn’t have opposite meanings. We say that we don’t have to do something when we don’t need to do something; we can do it, but it’s not necessary.

You don’t have to wait here. (=You can do it, but it’s not necessary)
Mustn’t

Prohibition; it’s necessary that you don’t do it

We say that we mustn’t do something when we cannot do something; it is necessary that we don’t do something.

You mustn’t wait here. (=You cannot do it; it’s against the rules)

Have to
Rules and obligations
We use have to to talk about rules and obligations, something that is necessary.

I have to get to work before 7 tomorrow.
The car broke down and we had to call a taxi.

Must
Rules and obligations

Must is very similar to have to. We use must + infinitive (without to) to talk about rules and obligations.

I must go to the doctor.
I must get up early tomorrow.

Don’t have to

Don’t need to – not necessary

If you don’t have to do something, it means that you ‘don’t need to’ do something (there is no obligation). You can do it but you don’t need to do it if you don’t want to do it.

You don’t have to pick me up at the station. I can take a taxi. (=You can pick me up, but you don’t need to do it).

Mustn’t

Prohibition

Use mustn’t to talk about something that you can’t do. It’s necessary that you don’t do it.

You mustn’t call me before 8. (=You can’t call me before 8.)
I mustn’t lose my concentration now.

Question 55

Should, shouldn’t

Answer 55

Should, shouldn’t – Use

Giving advice

We use should or shouldn’t to give somebody advice and to say what is or isn’t the right thing to do.

You look tired. You should have some rest.
He shouldn’t drive so fast. He’ll have an accident one day.
I think you should …

We often say I think … should … to give somebody advice.

I think you should buy a new pair of shoes for the party.
I think we should go home; it’s very late.
Note that in a negative sentence, we often say I don’t think … should … (NOT I think … shouldn’t …)

I don’t think you should call her now; she’s very upset. (NOT I think you shouldn’t call her)
We often say Do you think … should … to ask for advice.

Do you think I should look for another apartment?
Ought to, ought not to

We can also use ought to instead of should, and ought not to instead of shouldn’t.

You ought to have some rest.
He ought not to drive so fast.

Question 56

First conditional

Answer 56

If clause and main clause

All conditional sentences have two parts: the if clause and the main clause. It doesn’t matter which clause comes first, but when the if clause comes first, we should put a comma after it.

If it rains, we’ll stay home
We’ll stay home if it rains.
If + present, future

In the first conditional, the verb in the if clause is present and the verb in the main clause is future.

If you don’t go to sleep, you’ll be very tired tomorrow.
The if clause may have a present or a future meaning, but the verb is always in present (NOT future)

If you are a good boy tomorrow, mummy will buy you a present. (NOT If you will be a good boy)
Main clause: will, modal verb, imperative

In the main clause, we can also use may, might, can, must, should instead of will.

If he doesn’t train harder, he may/might lose the championship.
If your room is tidy, you can leave.
If you want to lose weight, you must/should eat less sugary things.
We can also use an imperative instead of will.

If you arrive after midnight, ring me on my mobile.

When, as soon as, before, after, until

When we use a verb after when, as soon as, before, afteror until to talk about the future, we have to use this verb in present tense (NOT future). We use the future in the other part of the sentence.

I’ll retire when I’m 70. (NOT: when I’ll be)
I won’t call you until I arrive. (NOT: will arrive.)
Similar to first conditional

Future time clauses are similar to the first conditional. There’s a main clause and a when/after/etc. clause. We use the verbs in these clauses like in the first conditional.

We use a comma when the when/after/etc. clause is at the beginning of the sentence. But we don’t use a comma if the when/after/etc. clause is at the end of the sentence.

I’ll retire when I’m 70.
When I’m 70, I’ll retire.
We use present in the when/after/etc. clause and we use future in the main clause.

Before you go to sleep, daddy will tell you a story.
In the main clause, we can also use may, might, can, must, should or an imperative instead of will.

As soon as you finish, you can leave.
After you arrive, call me.

Question 57

Second conditional

Answer 57

If clause and main clause

We use if + past to talk about an imaginary present or future situation (although the verb is in past, the meaning is present or future). And we use would + infinitive to talk about the result or consequence of that imaginary situation.

If we had a mansion in the country, we’d go there every weekend.
Would you travel around the world if you won the lottery?

Comma

When the if clause comes first, we normally put a comma after it. We don’t use a comma when the main clause comes first and the if clause comes second.

If I won the lottery, I’d buy a mansion.
I’d buy a mansion if I won the lottery.

Would

Would/wouldn’t is the same for all persons.

I/you/he/she/it/we/they would/wouldn’t do that if it was possible.
Contracted forms are wouldn’t= would not and ‘d= would

I‘d never tell anyone if you told me your secret.
I wouldn’t tell anyone if you told me your secret.

Could

We can often use could + infinitive instead of would + infinitive in the main clause.

If you spoke English, you could get a better job.

Was or were?

In the second conditional we can use if I/he/she/it were (more formal) instead of if I/he/she/it was (spoken English).

If I were/was fit, I would run a marathon.
We wouldn’t have any problems if he were/was more reasonable.
But we use were (NOT was) when we give advice with the expression if I were you.

If I were you, I would stay home and rest.
I wouldn’t pay any attention to what he says if I were you.

Question 58

First conditional vs second conditional

Answer 58

We use the first conditional to talk about possible future situations and we use the second conditional to talk about hypothetical or imaginary future situations.

If I don’t have a meeting tomorrow morning, I’ll have lunch with you. (It’s possible. Maybe I don’t have a meeting.)
If I didn’t have a meeting tomorrow morning, I’d have lunch with you. (It’s hypothetical. I have a meeting tomorrow, so I won’t be able to have lunch with you.)

Question 59

Present and past simple passive – grammar chart

Answer 59

Active sentences vs passive sentences

When A does B, we have two possible ways of talking about it: active or passive. In active sentences A is the subject (before the verb). In passive sentences B is the subject. Check the following examples:

Present simple

Somebody cleans the classroom every day. (Active)
The classroom is cleaned every day. (Passive)
Past simple

Somebody cleaned the classroom yesterday. (Active)
The classroom was cleaned yesterday. (Passive)
As you can see, the object of an active sentence is the subject of a passive sentence. In an active sentence, the subject is the ‘doer’ of the action and the object is the ‘receiver’ of the action. And in a passive sentence, the subject is the receiver of the action, NOT the doer. Compare:

A) Somebody broke the window.
B) The window was broken (by someone).
In sentence A, ‘somebody’ is the doer of the breaking, and in sentence B, ‘the window’ is the receiver of the breaking.

When do we use the passive?

The passive is more formal than the active and it is more common in written language. We often use the passive when we don’t know, when it is obvious, or when we don’t want so say who or what is responsible for the action.

A bank was robbed yesterday. (We don’t know who robbed the bank.)
The robber was arrested last night. (It’s obvious that the police arrested the robber.)
I was told that you insulted my brother. (I don’t want to say who told me.)
Jurassic Park was filmed by Spielberg in 1993. (I’m talking about Jurassic Park and not about Spielberg.)

Passive voice + by

We can use by to say who or what is responsible for the action.

The painting was bought by a very rich American.
Penicillin was invented by Alexander Fleming.

Question 60

Used to

Answer 60

We use used to for past habits or things that happened repeatedly in the past, but they don’t happen any more.

I used to play chess every day, but now I don’t play very often.
When the economy was better, we used to eat out every week.
Past states

We use used to with non-action verbs (be, have, etc.) for past states: things that were true in the past, but they are not true any more.

She used to be very shy when she was a child.
I used to like her music, but now I hate it.
Didn’t use to, did you use to?

We use did/didn’t + use to for negatives and questions.

He didn’t use to travel a lot.
‘Did he use to live here?’ ‘Yes, he did.’
We can also use never for negatives

We never used to argue.

Past simple vs used to

Past simple + always, usually, often, etc.

We can also use the past simple tense + frequency adverbs for past habits.

I always met her at the bar down the street. (= I used to meet …)
I usually had a big salad for dinner. (= I used to have …)
Past simple (NOT used to)

But we use the past simple (NOT used to) for actions that happened once or when we mention when they happened.

Last week I met her at the bar down the street. (NOT I used to meet …)
I had a big salad for dinner last Sunday. (NOT I used to have …)

Usually or used to?

Used to is only used in the past. For present habits, we must use the present simple tense with usually or normally.

I usually get up very early at weekends. (NOT I use to get up …)
We don’t usually play on Sunday. (NOT We don’t use to play)

Question 61

MIGHT, MIGHT NOT – POSSIBILITY

Answer 61

When do we use might and might not?

Might (not)= Maybe it is (not) true

We use might, might not when we think something is (not) or will (not) be true, but we aren’t sure.

‘Suzan isn’t answering the phone.’ ‘She might be in the garden.’
The sky is clearing up. It might not rain this afternoon.
They might win the competition.
I might (not)= It is possible that I will (not)

We say that someone might do something to mean that ‘it is possible that someone will do something‘.

I might go for a run this afternoon. (=It’s possible that I will go for a run.)
She might come to the conference.
We say that someone might not do something to mean that ‘it is possible that someone won’t do something‘.

I might not come to the party. (=It’s possible that I won’t come to the party.)
He might not go to work tomorrow.

May, may not

May= might

We can use may and may not instead of might and might not.

She may be late for class this morning.
They may not like your decision.
May I…?

We don’t often use might or may in questions. However, we can use may I in questions to ask for permission.

May I sit here? (=Can I sit here?)
May I come in?

Question 62

Get on/off the bus or train, get into/out of the car

Answer 62

Get on/off the bus or train, get into/out of the car

We say get in and get out of for a car, taxi, or van, but we say get on or get off for motorbikes and bicycles and for public means of transport, such as a bus, a train or a plane.

I have to get off the bus at the next stop.
He stopped and got out of the car.

Go to work by car= drive to work

When we want to talk about how we go from place A to place B, we can do it in two different ways:

➪ Using by + means of transport (car, taxi, plane, bike, etc.) or using on + foot.

I go to school on foot.
I go to work by car.
I went to Zurich by plane.
I went to the airport by taxi.
➪ Using a verb of movement (walk, drive, fly, cycle, etc.) or for public transport, using take + means of transport.

I walk to school
I drive to work.
I flew to Zurich.
I took a taxi/a bus/a train/etc. to the airport