Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Basic
English Grammar
for ESL Students
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Table of Contents
Present Simple: To Be
Possessives
Present Simple
Past Simple: To Be
Present Continuous
Comparative Adjectives
Superlative Adjectives
Adverbs
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Welcome!
Shayna Oliveira
EspressoEnglish.net
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Present Simple: Be
Positive:
I am Im from Japan.
Negative:
Question:
Am I beautiful?
Is he / she / it tall?
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Present Simple: Be
Name:
Im Joanna.
Hes Paulo.
Theyre Aki and Yuta.
Country / Nationality:
Age:
Im 27 years old.
How old are you?
Shes 15.
My mother is 65 years old.
Emotions:
Im sad.
Shes excited.
Youre angry.
Were happy.
Jobs:
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A. am
B. isnt
C. arent
A. am
B. are
C. is
3) I___ tired.
A. 'm
B. 're
C. 's
A. is
B. am
C. are
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A. Am
B. Are
C. Is
A. 'm not
B. 're not
C. 's not
A. am
B. are
C. is
A. Am
B. Is
C. Are
A. is
B. am
C. are
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A. I arent
B. Im not
C. youre not
A. arent
B. isnt
C. not
A. is
B. not
C. re
A. are
B. is
C. am
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A. m
B. re
C. s
A. am not
B. arent
C. isnt
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1) C - aren't
2) B - are
3) A - 'm
4) C - are
5) C - is
6) C - 's not
7) B - are
8) B - is
9) A - is
11) C - not
12) C - 're
13) A - are
14) C - 's
15) B - aren't
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(+) Theres a bed in the room. There are two pillows on the
bed.
(-) There isnt a mirror in the There arent any windows in the
bathroom. bedroom.
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Possessives
NOUN POSSESSIVE EXAMPLE
I my My name is Sandra.
you your Whats your name?
he his His name is John.
she her Her computer is fast.
it its My car is old, so its engine isnt powerful.
we our Our apartment is in the city center.
they their My parents sold their house.
Mary Marys Marys phone number is 555-4321.
Joe Joes Joes favorite color is green.
the boy the boys The boys clothes are dirty.
friends friends My friends names are Patrick and Gloria.
cat cats My cats name is Ginger.
country countrys My countrys flag is red, white, and blue.
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Quiz Possessives
1) Dan and Benny were late to _______ first high school class.
A. his
B. its
C. their
A. its
B. Marias
C. Johns
A. his
B. her
C. your
A. my
B. its
C. their
A. Is
B. Its
C. Its
A. Im
B. my
C. your
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A. its
B. our
C. their
A. its
B. his
C. your
A. Jesus
B. Jesus
C. Jesuss
A. childrens
B. childrens
C. childrenss
A. Februarys
B. Februaries
C. Februarys
A. his
B. her
C. your
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A. computers
B. computers
C. computerss
A. you
B. your
C. youre
A. his
B. our
C. their
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1) C - their
2) B - Maria's
3) A - his
4) C - their
5) B - It's
6) B - my
7) B - our
8) A - its
9) B - Jesus'
10) A - children's
11) C - February's
12) B - her
13) B - computers'
14) B - your
15) C - their
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Im reading a book.
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an apple
an egg
an ice cream shop
an open door
an umbrella
an hour (the h is silent)
Use a if the word starts with the sound of any other sound:
a ball
a jacket
a hat
a tree
a uniform (the u is pronounced like yu)
a water bottle
a yellow shirt
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A. a
B. an
C. the
D. ----
A. a
B. an
C. the
D. ---
A. a
B. an
C. the
D. ---
A. a
B. an
C. the
D. ---
A. a
B. an
C. the
D. ---
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A. a
B. an
C. the
D. ---
A. a
B. an
C. the
D. ---
A. A
B. An
C. The
D. ---
A. a
B. an
C. the
D. ---
A. a
B. an
C. the
D. ---
A. a
B. an
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C. the
D. ---
A. a
B. an
C. the
D. ---
A. a
B. an
C. the
D. ---
A. a
B. an
C. the
D. ---
A. a / ---
B. the / a
C. a / the
D. the / ---
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1) B - an
2) D
3) A - a
4) A - a
5) C - the
6) B - an
7) D
8) C - the
9) D
10) C - the
11) B - an
12) A - a
13) B - an
14) C - the
15) C - a/the
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he / she / it works
Examples:
I work in a bank.
Special Case #1
Special Case #2
For verbs that end in -o, -sh, -s, -ss, -ch, -x, we add -es.
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A. go
B. goes
C. gos
A. like
B. likes
C. likes
A. walk
B. walks
C. walkes
A. listen
B. listens
C. listens
A. studies
B. study
C. studys
A. cries
B. cry
C. cryes
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A. look
B. looks
C. looks
A. clean
B. cleans
C. cleanes
A. has
B. have
C. haves
A. watch
B. watchs
C. watches
A. feel
B. feels
C. feeles
A. has
B. have
C. haves
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1) B - goes
2) A - like
3) A - walk
4) B - listens
5) B - study
6) A - cries
7) C - looks
8) A - clean
9) A - has
10) C - watches
11) A - feel
12) B have
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Examples:
Common Errors
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A. doesnt understand
B. dont understand
C. no understand
A. doesnt know
B. dont know
C. not know
A. dont has
B. dont have
C. doesnt have
A. doesnt speak
B. dont speak
C. no speaks
5) We _______________ in Europe.
A. doesnt lives
B. doesnt live
C. dont live
A. doesnt be
B. isnt
C. not
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A. doesnt wake up
B. dont wake up
C. doesnt wakes up
A. isnt go
B. not go
C. dont go
A. does studies
B. dont studies
C. dont study
A. doesnt watches
B. doesnt watch
C. isnt watch
A. not think
B. doesnt thinks
C. dont think
A. doesnt drive
B. dont drives
C. dont drive
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1) B - don't understand
2) A - doesn't know
3) B - don't have
4) A - doesn't speak
5) C - don't live
6) B - isn't
7) A - doesn't wake up
8) C - don't go
9) C - don't study
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Examples:
Common Errors
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1) Do
2) Do
3) Do
4) Does
5) Does
6) Do
7) Does
8) Does
9) Do
10) Does
11) Do
12) Do
13) Does
14) Does
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You can ride your bike here. You cant smoke here.
You mustnt smoke here.
FREE
FOOD!
You have to stop here. You dont have to pay
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TIME PLACE
Cities and countries
Months
IN In January In Tokyo
In October In Japan
(exception: at night)
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TIME PLACE
Dates and days Transportation
ON On Monday On the bus
On February 14th On a bike
On the train
(exception: in a car)
Surfaces
On the table
On the wall
TIME PLACE
Times Contexts / Events
AT At 6:00 At school
At half past three At work
At noon At a party
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1. at
2. in
3. in
4. in
5. on
6. on
7. at
8. on
9. on
10. in
11. on
12. at
13. in
14. at
15. in
16. in
17. at
18. on
19. on
20. in
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Past Simple: To Be
Positive:
Negative:
Questions:
Yesterday
Last Sunday / last week / last month /
last November / last year
1 hour ago / 5 days ago / 3 months ago / 10 years ago
When I was a child / When we were in college
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A. was
B. wasn't
C. were
D. weren't
A. was
B. wasn't
C. were
D. weren't
A. was
B. wasn't
C. were
D. weren't
A. was
B. wasn't
C. were
D. weren't
A. weren't / was
B. wasn't / was
C. weren't / were
D. were / was
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A. was
B. were
C. wasn't
D. weren't
A. wasn't / was
B. weren't / were
C. was / weren't
D. were / wasn't
A. was
B. wasn't
C. were
D. weren't
A. were / wasn't
B. was / weren't
C. wasn't / were
D. weren't / was
A. was
B. wasn't
C. were
D. weren't
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1) C - were
2) A - was
3) B - wasn't
4) D - weren't
5) A - weren't / was
6) A - was
7) D - were / wasn't
8) C - were
9) B - was / weren't
10) B - wasn't
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Negative:
Question:
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Examples:
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1. Did the teacher ask you any questions in class this morning?
2. We tryed to talk to the manager, but he was busy.
3. Did you remembered to pay the electric bill?
4. Gabi and Sandy didn't walk to the beach because it was too far.
5. How long you waited for the bus last night?
6. I did start piano lessons last week.
7. What time did the plane land?
8. My brother didn't helped me carry my books.
9. She no called me yesterday.
10. We rented an apartment on our vacation last year.
11. I didn't need to use a calculator for my math homework.
12. Were you want to be a dancer when you were a child?
13. When they arrived at the airport, they checked their bags.
14. Where did you lived when you were a child?
15. Did you pass the test?
No, I didn't.
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1. Correct
4. Correct
7. Correct
10. Correct
11. Correct
13. Correct
15. Correct
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go went didnt go
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A. bought
B. broke
C. built
A. sleeped
B. slept
C. slipt
A. learned
B. taught
C. thought
A. said
B. sent
C. spent
A. wan
B. wore
C. won
A. ate
B. eat
C. eated
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A. did
B. put
C. went
A. didn't get
B. didn't got
C. weren't get
A. wasn't
B. didn't can
C. couldn't
A. didn't go
B. didn't gone
C. didn't went
A. didn't had
B. didn't have
C. hadn't
A. didn't
B. didn't did
C. didn't do
A. didn't let
B. didn't letted
C. weren't let
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A. did it take
B. did it told
C. did it took
18) What _________ your girlfriend for her birthday last year?
A. gave you
B. did you give
C. you gave
A. was you
B. were you
C. did you
A. did meet
B. met
C. was met
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1) B - broke
2) B - slept
3) B - taught
4) B - sent
5) C - won
6) A - ate
7) B - put
8) A - didn't get
9) C - couldn't
10) A - didn't go
12) C - didn't do
20) B - met
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I am watching
he / she / it is watching
Examples:
Im believing in God.
I believe in God.
Shes wanting a soda.
She wants a soda.
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1) Correct
3) Correct
6) Correct
8) Correct
10) Correct
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Examples:
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2. He no making dinner.
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4. Correct
5. Correct
6. Correct
8. Correct
10. Correct
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Is he / she / it working?
Examples:
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4. Is it raining now?
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1. Correct
2. Correct
4. Correct
6. Correct
9. Correct
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They always talk to their boss in Its 9:00 AM. Theyre talking to
the morning. him now.
Words that are often used with the present simple or continuous:
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1. go
4. do you clean
6. eat
7. do you have
8. plays
9. I'm trying
10. is running
15. gives
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Countable Uncountable
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We can use some, any, and no with both uncountable nouns and
plural countable nouns:
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A. a lot of questions.
B. many question.
C. a little question.
A. A lot of person
B. Many people
C. Much people
A. A few boxes
B. Any boxes
C. Some box
A. a lot of problems
B. many problem
C. much problems
A. some desk
B. so much desks
C. twenty desks
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A. lots of tea
B. many tea
C. much tea
A. a lot of works
B. many work
C. some work
A. a few songs
B. some musics
C. many music
A. a few violence
B. a lot of violence
C. many violences
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1) A - a lot of questions
2) B - Many people
3) A - A few boxes
4) A - a lot of problems
5) C - twenty desks
6) C - much tea
7) C - some work
9) A - a few songs
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Positive:
I am Im
You are Youre
going to take a test
He / she / it is Hes / Shes / Its
tomorrow.
We are Were
They are Theyre
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Question:
Am I
Are you
going to take a test tomorrow?
Is he / she / it
Are we
Are they
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semester.
December.
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4. Correct
6. Correct
8. Correct
10) Correct
11) Correct
12) Correct
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Comparative Adjectives
Use comparatives to compare two things:
Tall Taller
Old Older
Fast Faster
Long Longer
New Newer
Big Bigger
Hot Hotter
Thin Thinner
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Easy Easier
Happy Happier
Busy Busier
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Bad Worse
Far Farther
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10. The new movie is more bad than the original movie.
15. The movie was much more interesting than the book.
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4. Correct
7. Correct
8. Correct
12. Correct
13. Correct
14. Correct
15. Correct
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Superlative Adjectives
Use superlatives to compare three or more things:
Adjective Superlative
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Examples:
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A. funniest
B. the funnier
C. the funniest
A. coldest
B. the coldest
C. the most cold
A. the baddest
B. the worse
C. the worst
A. romanticest
B. more romantic
C. the most romantic
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A. The earlier
B. The earliest
C. The most early
A. The expensivest
B. The worst expensive
C. The least expensive
A. the better
B. the best
C. the most good
A. fastest
B. most fast
C. faster
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1) C - the funniest
3) B - the coldest
4) C - the longest
5) C - the worst
7) B - The earliest
9) B - the best
10 A - fastest
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Adverbs
Use adjectives to describe nouns (things or people).
Common adverbs:
Adjective Adverb
slow slowly
quiet quietly
bad badly
beautiful beautifully
dangerous dangerously
careful carefully
easy easily
healthy healthily
good well
fast fast
hard hard
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Examples:
My grandfather drives slowly, but I drive fast.
The teacher spoke so quietly that I couldnt hear her.
I can read English well, but I speak badly.
Evan lives dangerously. He loves radical sports.
We wrote the letter carefully so as not to make a mistake.
I opened the jar easily.
Soccer players need to eat healthily to stay in good shape.
Janet works very hard. She arrives at work early and leaves late.
Adjectives often go before the noun or after a form of the verb be.
Adverbs usually go after the verb:
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culinary course.
hardly decision.
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1. generously
2. stylish
3. perfect
4. well
5. bad
6. loud
7. hard
8. safe
9. beautifully
10. carefully
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Examples:
Examples:
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I have Ive
You have Youve
been to Paris.
We have Weve
They have Theyve
Negative
Question
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Irregular verbs
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3. Correct
5. Correct
6. Correct
7. Correct
9. Correct
12. Correct
15. Correct
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Ive lived in Brazil for three years. (and I live in Brazil now)
I lived in Brazil for three years. (and I dont live in Brazil now)
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1. didn't see
2. has had
3. 's known
4. called
6. have lived
7. Did / like
8. walked
9. hasn't met
13. started
16. had
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