Modifiers notes

Parameter Essssential NM
Description Provides essential information
Can be dropped No
Use of punctuations Put NO COMMAS between ESSENTIAL modifiers
and their nouns.
Example The mansion PAINTED RED is owned by the Lees.

If choice is there between which Use THAT (and no commas) if the modifier is
and that - Follow this general rule essential.

Use of 'Who' Can be used

 Non - Essssential NM
Provides extra information
Yes
Put COMMAS between NON-ESSENTIAL modifiers and their
nouns.
This mansion, RECENTLY PAINTED RED, is owned by the
Lees.
Use WHICH (and commas) if the modifier is non-essential.

Can be used
Category Principle
Simple Present Express eternal states or frequent events
Simple past Express action in the past
Simple Future Express action in the future
Past perfect 2 actions occurred at different times in the
past, use past perfect for the earlier action
and simple past for the later action.

HAD+PAST PARTICIPLE

Present Perfect - Used for action that started in the past and
Bridging past continue into the present.
and present
Action over but effect is still relevant to the
present moment

Present Perfect = HAVE/ HAS+Past Participle

With SINCE, use the present perfect to

indicate an action or effect that continues to
the present time. SImilarly, this can be used
with phrases "within the past..." or " "....in the
last..."
Example
Sandy PLAYS well with her friends
Sandy PLAYED well with her friends yesterday
Sandy WILL PLAY well with her friends tomorrow
BY 1945, the US HAD BEEN at war for several years

They have known each other since 1987

The child has drawn a square in the sand.

Exceptions

Eg1: Laura LOCKED the dead bolt BEFORE she LEFT for work

The word before indicates the sequence of events clearly - No need to

use past perfect to convey the meaning.

EG2: The band U2 WAS just one of many new groups on the rock music
scene in the early 1980s, but less than 10 years later, U2 HAD fully
ECLIPSED its early rivals in the pantheon of popular music.

The 1st independent clause uses simple past. The 2nd indp clause (after
the word but) contains a time marker (ten years later) and then
mentions another action (had eclipsed) that occurs b4 the time marker.
Even thoogh HAD ECLIPSED is not the earliest action in the entire
sentence, it is earlier of the 2 actions in its independent clause. THis is
correct.