English Grammar Review: Tenses, Conditionals, Reported Speech & Vocabulary

Posted on May 9, 2024 in Spanish

Unit 1: Present Perfect Simple

Form

Have/has + past participle

Uses

  • Action that started in the past and continues to the present: e.g., We have been friends since July.
  • Action that happened at an indefinite time in the past and is relevant to the present: e.g., We have stayed in this hotel.

Time Expressions

never, ever, already, just, yet, recently, lately, in recent years, for, since, How long…?

Past Perfect Simple

Form

Had + past participle

Use

Action that took place before a specific time in the past: e.g., When we got to the airport, the plane had already landed.

Time Expressions

already, by the time, after, before, until, never, just, when, as soon as

Present Perfect Continuous

Form

Have/has + been + verb + -ing

Use

Action that started in the past and continues in the present, or whose results are still evident: e.g., We’re tired. We have been hiking all day.

Time Expressions

for a month/year, since 2004, all night/morning/day/week, How long…?

Past Perfect Continuous

Form

Had + been + verb + -ing

Use

Action that continued for some time up to another action in the past: e.g., We had been driving for three hours before we stopped.

Time Expressions

for hours, since last March, when, until, before, all night/morning/day/week

Unit 2: Conditional Sentences

Zero Conditional

Condition: If/Unless/When + Present Simple
Result: Present Simple

Use: A general truth or fact. e.g., If you exercise, you keep fit.

First Conditional

Condition: If/Unless + Present Simple
Result: Will/modal + base form of the verb, imperative

Uses:
– Future possibility: e.g., If we inform people, it will help.
– Advice or suggestion in the form of an order: e.g., If you go hiking, wear comfortable shoes.

Second Conditional

Condition: If/Unless + Past Simple
Result: Would/modal + base form of the verb

Use: An imaginary or hypothetical situation. e.g., If we bought a bike, we would/could save money. / If I were you, I would buy organic vegetables.

Third Conditional

Condition: If + Past Perfect Simple
Result: Would/modal + base form of the verb

Use: An impossible or unfulfilled situation in the past. e.g., If you had gone on the tour, you would/could have visited a recycling plant.

Time Clauses

Time clauses are often used in zero and first conditional sentences, where they replace the if clause. Words and expressions like when, as soon as, the moment (that), etc. are followed by the present simple. e.g., I take flowers when I visit a friend. / I will take my medicine as soon as I wake up.

Unit 6: Reported Speech

Statements and Questions

  1. In reported statements and questions, we shift the verb back in time when the reporting verb is in the past. e.g., “My project will help bring back the balance of nature,” said Zimov. / Zimov said that his project would help bring back the balance of nature.
  2. In reported statements, the word that is often added. e.g., “I’m writing a report,” said Kelly. / Kelly said that she was writing a report.
  3. In reported statements and questions, we usually change personal pronouns and expressions of time and place, as well as demonstrative and possessive adjectives and pronouns. e.g., “These protesters were here yesterday,” said Amy. / Amy said that those protesters had been there the day before.
  4. In Yes/No and Wh- questions, the reported question is transformed into an affirmative sentence, so there is no subject-verb inversion. e.g., “Why is the permafrost melting?” asked the scientist. / The scientist asked why the permafrost was melting.
  5. In Yes/No questions, we start the question with the words if or whether. e.g., “Is it possible to recreate the woolly mammoth?” asked the reporter. / The reporter asked if/whether it was possible to recreate the woolly mammoth.

Orders and Requests

  1. In reported orders and requests, we use the infinitive. e.g., “Stop dumping rubbish on the beach,” ordered the mayor. / The mayor ordered people to stop dumping rubbish on the beach.
  2. In negative reported orders, we use not + infinitive. e.g., “Don’t use plastic bottles,” she said. / She asked/told us not to use plastic bottles.

Vocabulary

Unit 1

Nouns: aim, backpacker, budget airline, deal, freedom, high season, lifestyle, rate, spot, stall, tourist trap, youth hostel
Verbs: approach, bargain, bring about, hop on, set off, wander, force, fund, get around
Adjectives: best-selling, breathtaking, full-time, lifelong, trustworthy, unspoilt, upbeat, upcoming, well-known, widespread
Prepositions: toward
Expressions: (a) clever move, dirt cheap, get started, go with the flow, hooked (on), off season
Prepositional Phrases: ahead of time, at a glance, at some point, at the same time, by heart, by mistake, for a change, in case, in time, on foot, on purpose, (be) on the move, on the whole, out of date, out of the question

Unit 2

Nouns: crash diet, disorder, dosage, relapse, side effect, stage, well-being, workout
Verbs: adjust, boost, overcome, overreact, quit, recover, swap, vanish
Adjectives: drowsy, incurable, life-threatening, overweight
Expressions: ban on, demand for, feast on, gain weight, go beyond, impact on, quick fix, revolution in, slim down, solution(s), use of, increase in, on the verge of, out of breath, out of shape, play a role in, protection from
Phrasal Verbs: break out, come down with, kick in, look after, pass away, pass out, pull through, wipe out

Unit 3

Nouns: boom, box-office hit, cast, character, figure, filmgoer, gender, leading role, plot, script, set, stunt
Verbs: dub, look on, outnumber, reflect, release, sell out, stand out
Adjectives: awesome, fast-paced, outrageous, predictable, wise
Expressions: appeal to, behind the scenes, by leaps and bounds, move with the times, (be) worth seeing
Collocations: make a choice, make a suggestion, make an appointment, make money, make progress, make sense, raise a question, raise awareness, raise children, raise issues, raise money, raise one’s voice, take a risk, take action, take part, take place, take responsibility, take one’s time

Unit 6

Nouns: beast, carbon footprint, crop, flooding, fossil fuel, greenhouse effect, landfill, layer, moisture, plain, soil, waste
Verbs: dump, insulate, leak, lean, melt, revive, sink, thaw, trample
Adjectives: average, eco-friendly, large-scale, vast, endangered, hazardous
Verbs and Prepositions: benefit from, consist of, disappear from, expose to, face with, get rid of, knock down, name after, slow down
Binomial Expressions: black and white, give or take, loud and clear, now and then, now or never, plain and simple, pros and cons, rain or shine, safe and sound, sick and tired, sink or swim, sooner or later, tried and tested

Wishes

  1. I regret studying politics at university (STUDIED) – I wish I hadn’t studied politics at university.
  2. I didn’t pay attention in class and I failed (WISH) – I wish I had paid attention in class.
  3. They regretted not installing solar panels (HAD) – They wished they had installed solar panels.
  4. If I had contacted Jon when I was in Rochester, I would have had a better stay (WISH) – I wish I had contacted Jon when I was in Rochester.
  5. She wants to become a doctor (BE) – She thought, “If only I could be a good doctor.”
  6. “Oh, now I don’t have toilet paper” (ONLY) – “If only I had some toilet paper!”
  7. They have opened a new restaurant in Barcelona (THEY) – I wish they would be successful in their new enterprise.
  8. She is so unlucky… (ONLY) – If only she were luckier.
  9. I’m so thirsty now (WISH) – If only I had some water to drink.
  10. There is an English test next week (CANCEL) – I wish we could cancel the exam.

Conditionals

  1. Roberto arrived late this morning because his train was delayed (TIME) – If the train had arrived on time, Roberto would not have arrived late this morning.
  2. He was angry because he broke his phone (ANGRY) – He wouldn’t have been angry if he had not broken his phone.
  3. I won’t help you unless you try harder (TRY) – I will only help you if you try harder.
  4. I couldn’t have found my keys without her help (KEYS) – I couldn’t have found my keys if she had not helped me.
  5. She invited you because she thought you wanted to go (IF) – She wouldn’t have invited you if she hadn’t thought you wanted to go.
  6. You should look after your things better (WOULD) – If I were you, I would look after my things better.
  7. You can use my bicycle as long as you promise to look after it (PROMISE) – I’ll let you use my bike if you promise to look after it.
  8. He doesn’t understand because he never listens (IF) – He would understand if he listened.
  9. She got lost because she didn’t have a map (IF) – She wouldn’t have got lost if she had had a map.
  10. Whenever it’s really hot, I go to the beach (UNLESS) – I won’t go to the beach unless it’s hot.

Passive Voice

  1. The examiner tells candidates the regulations at the beginning of the exam (TOLD) – At the beginning of the exam, candidates are told the regulations.
  2. Did we send that letter to Mr Thomas? (WAS) – Do you know if that letter was sent to Mr Thomas?
  3. We haven’t arranged a date for the wedding yet (BEEN) – A date for the wedding hasn’t been arranged yet.
  4. They will have given him the news by now (TOLD) – He will have been told the news by now.
  5. Experts estimate that most people now have access to the Internet (IS) – It is estimated that most people now have access to the Internet.
  6. The garage on the corner usually repairs my car (HAVE) – I have my car repaired at the garage on the corner.
  7. Steve definitely didn’t write that essay (GOT) – Steve didn’t get that essay written.
  8. The police have cancelled the demonstration (HAS) – The demonstration has been cancelled by the police.
  9. Her hairdresser has cut her hair really short (HAD) – She had her hair cut really short.
  10. The actress didn’t need any stunt to perform her dangerous scene (GET) – The actress didn’t get the scene performed by a stunt double.
  11. I pay someone to wash my car every week (HAVE) – I have my car washed every week.
  12. The surgeon is not going to remove your appendix (GET) – You are not going to get your appendix removed.
  13. My cat loves it when I scratch its head (HAVING) – My cat loves having its head scratched.
  14. I’m having my son taught English by a native speaker (TEACHING) – A native teacher is teaching my son English.
  15. Not many people know that Rose Watson’s role in Titanic was for Claire Danes, not Kate Winslet (IS) – It is not known that Rose Watson’s role in Titanic was for Claire Danes, not Kate Winslet. / Rose Watson’s role in Titanic isn’t known to have been for Claire Danes rather than Kate Winslet.
  16. Most people believe that Robert Pattinson was not suitable for the Twilight saga leading role (IS) – It is believed that Robert Pattinson was not suitable for the Twilight saga leading role. / Robert Pattinson is believed not to have been suitable for the Twilight saga leading role.