ENGLISH GRAMMAR

Present Simple: -s (3 pers. sg.); question & negation: DO & DOES;

It shows generic truths, states, characteristics, sometimes future plans; Adverbs: always-never,
often-rarely, seldom, usually-generally; in the morning, at night, every+...
Ex: Trains to Paris leave every day. I never go fishing. Its boring. Do you swim? No, I dont.
Present Continuous: present of be and V-ing;
It shows action at the moment of speaking or a limited action, including the moment of
speaking; Adverbs: now, this+..., these+...
Verbs not used in continuous: smell, like, want, mean, cost, believe;
Ex: Shush, Im trying to concentrate now. Were having a French course these weeks. Are you
dreaming? Shes not helping me.

Past Simple: -ed or irregular form (V2); question & negation: DID & DIDNT
It shows past completed action; Adverbs: yesterday, last+..., in 79, . . .+ago
Ex: I went to Greece last year. Did she enjoy the party? I didnt like the new teacher.
Past Continuous: past of be and V-ing;
Past action in development; it usually interrupts a past simple action; used in narration;
Ex: She was walking in the garden, when the rain started to fall. What did you do at 7 last
night? I was watching a movie. Was he trying to seduce me?

Present perfect simple: have/has and V3 (-ed, -en)

It shows (a) past experience (dont say when), (b) just finished action, (c) cause-effect relation,
or (d) action started in the past and continued in the present.
Adverbs: ever-never, lately, already, just, yet; for & since;
Ex: (a) Have you ever seen the rain? Ive been to India. (b) Ive just spoken to John. (c) Why are
your hands dirty?Ive repaired my bike. (d) She has waited for you for 2 hours.
Present Perfect Continuous: present perfect of be and V-ing
No difference in meaning, just stresses the action of the verb;
Ex: Ive been waiting for you for too long. Hes been trying to persuade me to come with him.
Future: will and infinitive; negation: wont; or going to/present continuous! present simple;
Future plan with going to and immediate decision for future with will.
Ex: The phones ringing. Mother is tired. The child says: Ill answer it, mum. Im going to learn
Chinese next month. Johns leaving L.A. tonight.

Past Perfect Simple: had and V3 (-ed, -en)

Past action before another past action; also used in if clauses;
Ex: I went shopping after I had eaten my breakfast. If you had been wiser, youd have gone. Past
Perfect Continuous: past perfect of be and V-ing
No difference in meaning, just stresses the action of the verb:
Ex: I had been waiting for her at the airport, but she didnt come.

If Clauses
O conditional: present/future + IF present (never if + will)
Ex: If you touch hot water, you gj burnt. I will help you if you tell me the whole truth.
1 conditional: WOULD + IF past tense
Ex: I would if I could. If I were you, I would never trust a man like him.
2 conditional: WOULD HAVE + IF past perfect
Ex: She would have never married him if she had known he drinks so much.
Other expressions: suppose, otherwise, but for, if so, if not, if only, unless, were to, happen to, if it
were not, if it hadnt been for, it (high) time, Id rather, Id sooner, Id prefer; wish, hope