English Grammar and Vocabulary Reference Sheet

Posted on Dec 7, 2025 in English

English Grammar and Vocabulary Reference

Verb Tenses Summary

  • Present Simple: Don’t/Doesn’t + base verb (e.g., *work/works*). Questions: Do/Does?
  • Past Simple: Didn’t + base verb; Verb + -ed/-irregular (e.g., *worked/went*). Question: Did?
  • Future Simple: I will work / won’t + base verb. Question: Will? + subject + base verb (e.g., *Will you work?*).
  • Present Continuous: I am/is/are + verb-ing. Negative: I’m not/isn’t/aren’t + verb-ing. Question: Am/Is/Are + subject + verb-ing?
  • Past Continuous: I was/were + verb-ing. Negative: Wasn’t/Weren’t + verb-ing. Question: Was/Were + subject + verb-ing?
  • Future Continuous: Will be + verb-ing. Negative: Won’t be + verb-ing. Question: Will + subject + be + verb-ing?
  • Present Perfect: Have/Has + past participle (e.g., *worked/gone*). Questions: Have/Has + subject + past participle?
  • Past Perfect: Had/Hadn’t + past participle (e.g., *worked/gone*). Question: Had + subject + past participle?
  • Future Perfect: Will have + past participle (e.g., *worked/gone*). Negative: Won’t have + past participle. Question: Will + subject + have + past participle?

Question Words

What (qué), Who (quién), When (cuándo), Where (dónde), Which (cuál), How (cómo), How long (cuánto tiempo), How much/many (cuántos – contables y no contables).

Conjunctions and Conditionals

  • Unless: A no ser que (Presente).
  • As long as: Mientras (Presente).
  • Provided: Siempre que (Presente).

Zero Conditional

If + Present Simple, Present Simple. (Acciones verdaderas, científicas. E.g., *If you stand [in the sun], you get [sunburnt]*).

First Conditional (1st Cond)

If + Present Simple, Will + base verb. (Cuando algo puede pasar en el futuro. E.g., *If it rains, we will cancel the trip*).

Second Conditional (2nd Cond)

If + Past Simple, Would + base verb. (Cuando la situación es irreal. E.g., *If I won the lottery, I would travel a lot*).

Third Conditional (3rd Cond)

If + Past Perfect, Would have + past participle. (Cuando la situación es imposible en el pasado. E.g., *If you had studied, you would have passed the exam*).

Verbs Related to Education

  • Attend: classes, a private language school, university.
  • Cheat: in an exam.
  • Do: a degree in, research into, Maths, history, an exercise.
  • Gain: a good degree, a good education, experience.
  • Have: (English) lessons, good knowledge of, private lessons.
  • Get: a good education, into university, a grant, good/bad marks, a degree/a certificate, a good report.
  • Give: a lecture/a talk.
  • Go: to university/college.
  • Learn: by heart.
  • Make: progress, a mistake.
  • Sit: an exam.
  • Study: Mathematics, notes, for a test/exam/a degree.
  • Take: a course, an exam, notes, a break, a year off.
  • Teach: a lesson/a class, English/Literature/Psychology at a school/college.

The Education System Terminology

British System:

Nursery school (2-5), Primary school (5-11), Secondary school (11-18) + 18: University.

American System:

Preschool, Elementary school, High school, and College.

Vocabulary Differences:

  • Depend on: En adelante.
  • Intend: Intención de.
  • A levels: Selectividad.
  • Majors: Cursar (especialidad).
  • Principal (US): Director.
  • Public (UK): Privado (UK).
  • Private (UK): Público (UK).
  • Head Master (US): Director.
  • Come up: Aparecer.
  • Go off out a stroll: Dar un paseo.
  • Anxious: Estresado.
  • Actually: Actualmente (en realidad).
  • Plenty of: Mucho.

Places in a School

Classroom, cafeteria, library, playground, common room, assembly hall, science lab, gym.

Sports Places

  • Pitch: Campo de fútbol.
  • Tennis court: Campo de tenis.
  • Basketball pitch: Campo de baloncesto.
  • Swimming pool: Piscina (indoor, outdoor).

School Idioms and Related Terms

  • School of thought: Manera de estudiar/pensar.
  • Cut class: Faltar a clase (no asistir).
  • Drop out: Abandonar (estudios).
  • Pull off: Lograr (corregido de *prop out*).
  • By heart: De memoria.
  • Score: Nota/Resultado.
  • Behaviour: Comportamiento.
  • In order to: Con el fin de.
  • Facilities: Instalaciones.
  • Idioms: Frases hechas.
  • To ground: Castigar (en casa).
  • Punish: Castigar (con agresividad).
  • Hoodie: Sudadera con capucha.
  • Manner: Manera.
  • The teacher’s pet: Ojito derecho del profe.
  • Thinking cap: Reflexionar.
  • Tricky: Difícil/Complicado (corregido de *loco*).
  • Employ: Contratar.
  • Cheerful: Alegre.
  • Through: A lo largo de.
  • Energetic: Activo.
  • Moody: Temperamental.
  • Reliably: De confianza.
  • Switch: Interruptor.
  • Bloody: Insulto (británico).
  • Brits: Británicos.
  • Zooming: Ampliar.
  • Hate: Odiar.
  • Enjoy: Disfrutar.
  • Itself: En sí.
  • Nerd: Friki.
  • Jokes: Chistes.
  • Blamed: Culpar (corregido de *aupar*).
  • Poor: Pobre.
  • Bully: Matón.
  • Spend: Gastar.
  • Pants: Pantalones (corregido de *parits*).
  • Weirdo: Rarito.
  • Shoplifting: Robar en tiendas.
  • Snitch: Chivarse.

Classroom Materials

  • Rubber: Goma de borrar.
  • Stapler: Grapadora.
  • Crayons: Plastidecor.
  • Whiteboard: Pizarra blanca.
  • Sharpener: Sacapuntas.
  • Scissors: Tijeras.
  • Pens: Bolígrafos.
  • Fiber-tip pens: Bolígrafos de punta de fibra.
  • Set square: Escuadra (corregido de *resaltador*).
  • Pencil case: Estuche (corregido de *lápiz cuadrado*).
  • Staples: Grapas.
  • Noticeboard: Tablón de anuncios.
  • Chalkboard: Pizarra (de tiza).
  • Hole punch: Perforadora (corregido de *zocalo*).

General Education Terms

  • Trendy: Molones.
  • Extracurricular: Extraescolar.
  • Scholarship: Beca.
  • Visitor: Visitante.
  • Per class: Por clase.
  • Eager to learn: Entusiasmado por aprender.
  • Hidden curriculum: Currículo oculto.
  • Sixth form: Tipo de bachillerato (UK).
  • Weekly: Semanal (corregido de *reunión*).
  • Rejecting: Rechazar.
  • Develop: Desarrollar.
  • Be kept: Mantenerse.
  • Feels: Pensar/Sentir.
  • Encourage: Animar.
  • Boarding school: Internado.
  • Set: Localizado/Fijado.
  • Countryside: En el campo.
  • Founded: Fundado.
  • Aims: Objetivos (corregido de *clims*).
  • Poor: Pobres (corregido de *por*).
  • Blackboards: Pizarras (corregido de *pupitres*).
  • Outings: Salidas.
  • Charity: Caridad.