Grammar booklet

ContenidoSIMPLE PRESENT2PRESENT PROGRESSIVE3PRESENT PERFECT4PRESENT PERFECT PROGRESSIVE5SIMPLE PAST6PAST PROGRESSIVE8PAST PERFECT9

SIMPLE PRESENTDEFINITIONThis tense can be used when talking about permanent situations, or about things that happen regularly or all the time (not just around now).

Simple present is also often used to talk about series of completed actions and events. For example, in demonstrations, commentaries, instructions and present-tense stories.STUDENTS EXPLANATIONRegular situations.Permanent situations.EXAMPLES1. Regular situations1. I play soccer every Sunday.1. They dont have breakfast every morning.1. Does she always visit her family in November?1. Permanent situations1. Bill works at the pharmcy.1. Water doesnt boil at 35C.1. What do fish eat?

PRESENT PROGRESSIVEDEFINITIONPresent progressive is used to talk about temporary actions and situations that are going on now or 'around now': before, during and after the moment of speaking.Present progressive is often used to talk about the future (when an activity as already been planned), as well as about developments and changes.STUDENTS EXPLANATIONSituations in progress.Planned activities.Changes.EXAMPLES1. Situations in progress.1. We are waiting for her.1. She isnt working at the moment.1. Why are you walking on the roof?1. Planned activities.1. Im visiting my parents next week.1. Shes not going out with us tomorrow.1. What are you doing Saturday night?1. Changes.1. My sister is getting taller every day.1. Gasoline prices are not going down.1. Am I getting bald?

PRESENT PERFECTDEFINITIONWe use the present perfect especially to say that a finished action or event is connected with the present in some way. Its also normally used to announce news of recent events.STUDENTS EXPLANATIONFinished actions connected with present.Recent Events.EXAMPLES1. Finished actions (connected with the past).1. I have broken my leg. (I cant go on holiday)1. I havent learned anything from that teacher. (I dont know anything)1. Have you taken my umbrella? (Do you have my umbrella?)1. Recent events.1. Andy has won a big prize!1. We havent seen Sara recently.1. Have you heard about that car accident?

PRESENT PERFECT PROGRESSIVEDEFINITIONUse the present perfect progressive to look back over actions and situations which started in the past and are still going on. We also use the present perfect progressive for actions and situations which have just stopped, but which have present results, and for repeated as well as continuous activity.STUDENTS EXPLANATIONContinuing past events.Recently stopped actions.Repeated actions.EXAMPLES1. Continuing past events.1. Ive been working very hard recently.1. What have you been doing all this time?1. Recently stopped actions.1. I feel hot. Ive been running.1. I havent been studying, Ive been watching TV.1. Have you been waiting long?1. Repeated actions.1. Sellers have been calling me all day.1. I havent been waking up at night a lot.1. Have you been checking the results of your last tests?1.

SIMPLE PASTDEFINITIONUse the simple past for many kinds of past events: short, quickly finished actions and happenings, longer situations, and repeated events. Its common in stories and descriptions of past events, as well as with words referring to finished times.STUDENTS EXPLANATIONPast events.Finished situations.EXAMPLES1. One day, the King decided1. I didnt know Sara before.1. Did you take a shower?

PAST PROGRESSIVEDEFINITIONUse the past progressive to say that something was in progress (going on) around a particular past time.STUDENTS EXPLANATIONSituations in progress in the past.Background situations and actions.EXAMPLES1. I was working.1. She wasnt trying.1. Were you listening to me?

PAST PERFECTDEFINITIONThe basic meaning of the past perfect is earlier past. A common use is to go back' for a moment when we are already talking about the past, to make it clear that something had already happened at the time we are talking about.STUDENTS EXPLANATIONEarlier past.Reporting past events.EXAMPLES1. When I arrived at the party, Lucy had already gone home.1. I told Jim that I hadnt finished my project at that time.1. Had they gone far when you reached them?

Conditionals FUTURE REAL.DEFINITIONUse the future real conditional to say that something is a logical consequence of an action.STUDENTS EXPLANATIONConsequences.Strong possibilities.EXAMPLES1. Its raining. If I dont use my umbrella, I will get wet.1. If you dont stop drinking so much soda, you wont lose weight.1. If I dont know how to dance, will I look silly?

Conditionals PRESENT UNREAL.DEFINITIONUse the present unreal conditional to express what could be happening in the present, as a consequence of doing something that never was done.STUDENTS EXPLANATIONChanging the past.Imagining other present.EXAMPLES1. If I didnt study that much, I would see an F in this paper.1. If I knew they were here, I wouldnt be surprised.1. If you took your medicine, would you be that sick?Conditionals PAST UNREAL.DEFINITIONUse the past unreal conditional to express what could have happened in the past, as a consequence of doing something that never was done.STUDENTS EXPLANATIONImpossible past.Regrets.EXAMPLES1. If I had played with your team, we wouldve won.1. If you hadnt slept that long, I wouldnt have become so angry.1. Would americans have used the atomic bomb against Germany if they had had the possiblity?

PASIVE VOICE

Use passive voice if, for example, A does something to B, and we want B (receiver of the action) to be the subject. To refer to the doer (the agent), use by.PRESENTSimple presentam/is/are + past participle form

Present progressiveam/is/are being + past participle form

Present perfecthave/has been + past participle formSTUDENTS EXPLANATIONObject.What receives the action?EXAMPLES1. Sorry for this mess, the house is being cleaned.1. The dog isnt petted by my sister.1. Has that car been repaired?

PASTSimple pastwas/were + past participle form

Present progressivewas/were being + past participle form

Present perfecthad been + past participle formSTUDENTS EXPLANATIONObject.What received the action?EXAMPLES1. Myriam went to the party, because she was invited.1. The invitations were being printed when I arrived.1. I saw the Johnsons at the party. Had they been invited?

CAUSATIVE

The causative form is used when we don't do something ourselves, instead we arrange for someone else to do it for us. There are two different causative forms: active and passive.ACTIVEVerbs that take active forms of causative are let, make, have and get.

let/make/have + agent + verb in infinitiveget + agent + to + verb in infinitiveSTUDENTS EXPLANATIONAsking for favors.Professional help.Asking friends or family for help.Borrowing things.Asking for permission.EXAMPLES1. Susy lets me use her car, but she makes me wash it when I return.1. I dont have anybody fix my computer, and I dont get a professional to repair my washing machine.1. Do you get a stylist to cut your hair?

PASSIVEThere is usually no agent in this form. The action verb is in the past participle, and the object comes before it. The verbs in this form are generally have and come.

subject + have/get + object + past participle form.STUDENTS EXPLANATIONServices and professional help.Asking somebody to do things.Things done by others.EXAMPLES1. Ill have my car fixed next week.1. She didnt get the plate washed, she washed it by herself.1. Are you going to have your hair cut this weekend?1