ENGLISH GRAMMAR

Tenses
Past
Tenses
Simple Past
S + V2/was,were + O/C +Adv (time
expressions)
Past Continuous
S + was,were + Ving + O/C
+Adv(when,while,as)
Past Perfect
S + Had + V3 (before/after) S + V2
Past Perfect Continuous
S + Had + Been + Ving

I wrote a love letter

I was very rich in 1990
I was reading a book when you called me
(Long Process)
I had taken a bath before I went to school
(Report)
He had been studying English for six
years
(Duration)

Present
Tenses
Simple Present
S + V1/am,is,are + O/C + Adv
Present Continuous
S + am,is,are + Ving + O/C +Adv
(now,this)
Present Perfect (Finished)
S + Has/Have + V3 + O/C + Adv
(for, since,already,just)
Present Perfect Continuous
(unfinished)
S + Has/Have + Been + V3 (for,since)

Sun rises every morning

(regularly happens, scientific fact)
She is writing a novel now
(temporary action)
I have just finished my study in university
(emphasize the result)
He has been reading for 2 hours
(Temporary action)

Future
Tenses
Simple Future
S + Will/be going to (more certain)+
O/C + Adv
Future Continuous
S + will + be + Ving + when + S + V1
Future Perfect
S + will + Have + V3 + O (when) S +
V1
Future Perfect Continuous
S + will + Have + been + V3 + O
(when) S + V1

are you going to buy a car? (want to

know)
will you buy a car? (request)
I will be painting the door when you come
tomorrow
painting at 8-9am / come at 8.45am
I will have had an interview when you
come
interview at 10am / come at 10.30
I will have been painting the door for 2
hours when you come
painting will be at 8-11am / come at
10am

Non-Action verbs have no present continuous form:

emotions(hate,like,love,want,feel),mental
states(know,remember,believe,think,suppose,understand),possessio
n
(have,own,posses,belong),senses(hear,see,taste,smell,seem,notice,
sound)

Equatives,Comparatives,Superlatives
I didnt play as (hard/well/aggressively) as the champion (-/+)
I played (harder/better/more/less aggressively) than the champion
I play better and better as the season continues (show increasing/decreasing)
The harder I play, the better I perform (show cause-effect relationship)
You are the best / it is the most / the least expensive car

Factual & Unreal Conditionals

Use present and present continuous to talk about general truths, scientific
facts, habits, and recurring events : if Im travelling far, I always bring pillow

Use modals: if you practice hard, you can be the winner

Use imperative in the result clause to give instruction, commands, and

invitation. If you are afraid, tight your seat belt.

Use future factual condition to talk about what will happen under certain
condition.

If clause = simple present = the condition and result clause = future tense
with will/be going = to state probability. If you vote Obama, you wont regret
it.

Use unless to state negative condition. Unless Obama wins, Bush will take
control again.