Foundation grammar

Present9 lessons

am/is/are

Use am, is and are to say who people are, where they are and how they are, in the positive and the negative.

am/is/are (questions)

To make a question with am, is or are, put the verb before the subject. This unit also covers question words and short answers.

I am doing (present continuous)

Use am/is/are + -ing for something that is happening now, at the time of speaking.

are you doing? (present continuous questions)

To ask about something happening now, put am, is or are before the subject: Are you working? What is she doing?

I do/work/like etc. (present simple)

Use the present simple (I work, she works) for things that are true in general and things that happen regularly. After he, she and it the verb takes -s.

I don't ... (present simple negative)

The present simple negative is don't or doesn't + the verb: I don't eat meat. She doesn't drive.

Do you ... ? (present simple questions)

Make present simple questions with do or does + subject + the infinitive: Do you drive? Where does she work?

I am doing (present continuous) and I do (present simple)

Use the present continuous (I am doing) for something happening now, and the present simple (I do) for things in general or that happen regularly. Some verbs, such as like and know, are not normally used in the continuous.

I have ... and I've got ...

Use have or have got for possession, family, illness and appearance. Both mean the same. Negatives and questions work with got (I haven't got, have you got?) or with do (I don't have, do you have?).

Part review: PresentReview

Mixed questions from lessons 1 to 9. Do it once the part is done.

Past5 lessons

was/were

Was and were are the past of am, is and are: I, he, she and it take was; we, you and they take were. The negatives are wasn't and weren't.

worked/got/went etc. (past simple)

The past simple is the same for every person. Regular verbs add -ed (worked, stayed); irregular verbs have their own forms (got, went, saw), and they simply have to be learnt.

I didn't ... Did you ... ? (past simple negative and questions)

In the past simple, negatives use didn't + the base verb, and questions use did + subject + base verb: I didn't go, did you go?

I was doing (past continuous)

Use was/were + -ing for something that was in progress at a time in the past. It had started, and it had not yet finished.

I was doing (past continuous) and I did (past simple)

Use the past continuous (was/were + -ing) for the longer thing that was already in progress, and the past simple (did) for the complete action that happened in the middle of it or after it.

Part review: PastReview

Mixed questions from lessons 10 to 14. Do it once the part is done.

Present perfect6 lessons

I have done (present perfect 1)

Use have/has + past participle for an action in the past that has a result now.

I've just ... I've already ... I haven't ... yet (present perfect 2)

Use just, already and yet with the present perfect: just for a short time ago, already for sooner than expected, and yet for something expected that has not happened so far.

Have you ever ... ? (present perfect 3)

Use the present perfect, often with ever and never, to talk about experiences in a period from the past until now, such as a person's life. The unit also separates gone (still there) from been (there and back).

How long have you ... ? (present perfect 4)

Use the present perfect (have been, have lived, have known) or the present perfect continuous (have been + -ing) to say how long a situation has continued from the past until now.

for, since, ago

Use for with a period of time and since with the start of a period, usually with the present perfect. Use ago, with the past simple, for a time before now.

I have done (present perfect) and I did (past)

With a finished time (yesterday, last week, in 2015) use the past simple, never the present perfect. The present perfect is for time up to now; the past simple is for finished time.

Part review: Present perfectReview

Mixed questions from lessons 15 to 20. Do it once the part is done.

Passive2 lessons

is done, was done (passive 1)

Build the passive from am, is, are, was or were plus a past participle: the bins are emptied every week, the bins were emptied on Monday. Say I was born, and add by to name whoever did the action.

is being done, has been done (passive 2)

Is being done is the passive of the present continuous (happening now); has been done is the passive of the present perfect (a result now).

Part review: PassiveReview

Mixed questions from lessons 21 to 22. Do it once the part is done.

Verb forms2 lessons

be/have/do in present and past tenses

Be goes with -ing (continuous) and with the past participle (passive); have goes with the past participle (present perfect); do, does and did go with the base form (negatives and questions in the simple tenses).

Regular and irregular verbs

Regular verbs make the past simple and past participle with -ed. Irregular verbs do not: sometimes both forms are the same (made, made), sometimes they differ (broke, broken).

Part review: Verb formsReview

Mixed questions from lessons 23 to 24. Do it once the part is done.

Future4 lessons

What are you doing tomorrow?

Use am/is/are + -ing for plans you have already arranged, and the present simple for timetables.

I'm going to ...

Use am/is/are going to + verb for something you have already decided to do, and for something that is clearly about to happen.

will/shall 1

Use will + infinitive to talk about the future, often with I think. Use shall only with I and we, and do not use will for plans you have already made.

will/shall 2

Use I'll when you offer or decide to do something at the moment of speaking, and Shall I ... ? or Shall we ... ? to ask whether something is a good idea.

Part review: FutureReview

Mixed questions from lessons 25 to 28. Do it once the part is done.

Modals, imperative etc.8 lessons

might

Use might + infinitive when something is possible but not certain. The negative is might not; may works in the same way, and May I ... ? asks for permission.

can and could

Use can for ability and possibility now, could and couldn't for the past, and Can you ... ? Could you ... ? Can I ... ? Could I ... ? to ask for things politely.

must, mustn't, don't need to

Use must when something is necessary, had to for the past, mustn't when it is necessary not to do something, and don't need to when something is not necessary.

should

You should do something means it is a good idea or the right thing to do; you shouldn't means it isn't. I think and I don't think often come with should, must is stronger, and ought to means the same.

I have to ...

I have to do something means it is necessary; the past is had to. Questions and negatives use do, does and did. Don't have to means not necessary. Must gives your opinion; have to states a fact.

Would you like ... ? I'd like ...

Would you like ... ? offers things; Would you like to ... ? invites; I'd like is a polite I want. Do you like ... ? is different: it asks what somebody enjoys in general.

Do this! Don't do that! Let's do this!

The imperative is the base form on its own (Come here, Sit down) for telling or asking people to do things; don't + base form says not to; let's + base form makes a suggestion that includes you, and let's not is the negative.

I used to ...

I used to do something means I did it regularly in the past but I don't now. The negative is didn't use to, the question is did you use to, and there is no present form.

Part review: Modals, imperative etc.Review

Mixed questions from lessons 29 to 36. Do it once the part is done.

There and it3 lessons

there is, there are

Use there is and there are to say that something exists or is in a place. Use it is for a thing you have already mentioned.

there was/were, there has/have been, there will be

The there is pattern works in other tenses: there was and there were for the past, there has been and there have been for the present perfect, and there will be for the future.

It ...

Use it as the subject when you talk about the time, the day, distance and the weather, and in the pattern it's easy / nice / difficult to do something. English sentences need a subject, so it cannot be left out.

Part review: There and itReview

Mixed questions from lessons 37 to 39. Do it once the part is done.

Auxiliary verbs4 lessons

I am, I don't etc.

To avoid repeating a whole sentence, keep only the auxiliary verb: she isn't hungry but he is; he likes jazz but she doesn't. This unit covers those short forms and short answers with yes and no.

Have you? Are you? Don't you? etc.

Short questions such as have you? and is it? show interest or surprise at what somebody has just said. Question tags such as isn't it? and do you? go at the end of a sentence.

too/either, so am I / neither do I etc.

Use too after a positive and either after a negative. To agree in short, say so + auxiliary + I after a positive, neither + auxiliary + I after a negative.

isn't, haven't, don't etc. (negatives)

Make a negative by putting not (n't) after the auxiliary: isn't, haven't, can't, won't. In the present and past simple, add don't, doesn't or didn't before the base form.

Part review: Auxiliary verbsReview

Mixed questions from lessons 40 to 43. Do it once the part is done.

Questions6 lessons

is it ... ? have you ... ? do they ... ? etc. (questions 1)

In a question the auxiliary comes before the subject: is it, have you, can she. The present and past simple use do, does and did. Why isn't ... ? and Why don't ... ? keep the same order.

Who saw you? Who did you see? (questions 2)

When who or what is the object, use do, does or did: Who did you see? When who or what is the subject, there is no do: Who saw you? What happened?

Who is she talking to? What is it like? (questions 3)

In who and what questions, a preposition usually goes at the end: Who is she talking to? Which hotel did you stay at? What is it like? asks for a description, not about liking.

What ... ? Which ... ? How ... ? (questions 4)

What + noun for an open choice (what colour, what kind); which for a small, known set of options; how + adjective or adverb to ask about size, age, distance, frequency and so on.

How long does it take ... ?

How long does it take to get there? asks about time needed. Answer with It takes ... (to do something), and add the person: It took me two hours to walk home.

Do you know where ... ? I don't know what ... etc.

When a question sits inside a longer sentence, such as Do you know ... ? or I don't know ..., the words go back into normal order: subject first, then verb.

Part review: QuestionsReview

Mixed questions from lessons 44 to 49. Do it once the part is done.

Reported speech1 lessons

She said that ... He told me that ...

To report what somebody said earlier, use said (that) ... or told me (that) ..., and usually move the verb one step into the past: is becomes was, can becomes could, will becomes would.

Part review: Reported speechReview

Mixed questions from lessons 50 to 50. Do it once the part is done.

-ing and to ...4 lessons

work/working, go/going, do/doing

A verb can appear in three shapes: the infinitive (work), to + infinitive (to work) and the -ing form (working). The word before it decides which shape it takes.

to ... (I want to do) and -ing (I enjoy doing)

Some verbs are followed by to ... (want to go), some by -ing (enjoy going), and a few take either. Would like, would love and similar always take to ...

I want you to ... I told you to ...

Use want, ask, tell and similar verbs with a person and to ... (I want you to stay). After make and let, the verb follows without to (She made me laugh).

I went to the shop to ...

Use to + verb to say why somebody does something (I went to the shop to buy milk), for + noun for the thing they want (I went to the shop for milk), and learn the patterns with wait.

Part review: -ing and to ...Review

Mixed questions from lessons 51 to 54. Do it once the part is done.

Go, get, do, make and have4 lessons

go to ... go on ... go for ... go -ing

Go to a place or event; go on holiday, a trip or strike; go for a walk, a swim or a meal; and go + -ing for activities such as go swimming, go shopping.

get

Get + noun means receive, buy, find or fetch; get + adjective means become; get married, get dressed and get lost are fixed phrases; get to a place means arrive.

do and make

Do is the general word for actions and work (do homework, do the washing-up); make means produce or create (make a cake, make a mistake, make a noise).

have

Have and have got both mean possess; have (not have got) also means do or experience something: have breakfast, have a shower, have a good time. Questions and negatives with have use do, does, did.

Part review: Go, get, do, make and haveReview

Mixed questions from lessons 55 to 58. Do it once the part is done.

Pronouns and possessives6 lessons

I/me, he/him, they/them etc.

Use I, he, she, we, they as the subject, before the verb; use me, him, her, us, them as the object, after a verb or a preposition. You and it are the same in both places.

my/his/their etc.

My, our, your, his, her, their and its go before a noun to say whose it is. His is for a man, her for a woman, their for more than one, and its (no apostrophe) for a thing or an animal.

Whose is this? It's mine/yours/hers etc.

Use mine, yours, his, hers, ours and theirs in place of a possessive and a noun, and use whose to ask who something belongs to.

I/me/my/mine

Each person has four forms: I, me, my and mine. This unit puts all four side by side so that you can choose the right one.

myself/yourself/themselves etc.

Use myself, yourself, themselves and the rest when the subject and the object are the same person. Use by myself for alone, and each other when two people do the same thing to one another.

-'s (Kate's camera / my brother's car etc.)

Use -'s to say that something belongs to a person: Kate's camera, my brother's car. After a plural ending in -s, write only an apostrophe. For things and places, use of.

Part review: Pronouns and possessivesReview

Mixed questions from lessons 59 to 64. Do it once the part is done.

A and the9 lessons

a/an ...

Use a or an for one thing or one person. Use an before a vowel sound, and use a or an to say what something is and what somebody does for a living.

train(s), bus(es) (singular and plural)

Most nouns make the plural with -s or -es. A few do not: men, children, feet, people. Some things, such as trousers and scissors, are always plural in English.

a bottle / some water (countable/uncountable 1)

Countable nouns can be counted (a bottle, two bottles) and take a or an in the singular. Uncountable nouns (water, money, music) have no plural and never take a or an; to count them, use a bottle of, a piece of, a cup of.

a cake / some cake / some cakes (countable/uncountable 2)

Use a or an with singular countable nouns and some with plurals and uncountable nouns. Some nouns can be both (a cake, some cake). Information, advice, furniture, hair, news and weather are uncountable in English.

a/an and the

Use a or an when you say something for the first time or mean any one; use the when it is clear which one you mean, because it was mentioned before or there is only one in the situation.

the ...

Use the when there is only one (the sun, the capital), with superlatives and first or last (the best, the second floor), and in the same. Television, breakfast and lunch usually take no the; the radio does.

go to work, go home, go to the cinema

No the in go to work, go to school, go to bed, go home, be at university, go to hospital, go to prison, go to church. But go to the cinema, the bank, the station, the doctor and the airport.

I like music, I hate exams

To talk about things in general, use the noun without the: I like music, dogs are friendly, crime is a problem. Use the for a particular thing: the music at the party was loud.

the ... (names of places)

Most place names take no article, but some groups of names always take the. This unit sets out which is which: countries, plural names, seas and rivers, places in towns, and names with of.

Part review: A and theReview

Mixed questions from lessons 65 to 73. Do it once the part is done.

Determiners and pronouns11 lessons

this/that/these/those

Use this and these for things near you, and that and those for things further away. This unit also covers that for something just said or done, and this is ... on the phone and for introductions.

one/ones

Use one instead of repeating a singular noun, and ones instead of repeating a plural noun: a clean one, the blue ones, the one by the door.

some and any

Use some in positive sentences and any in negative sentences and most questions. Offers and requests take some. The same pattern runs through something, somebody, anything and anybody.

not + any, no, none

There are two ways to say zero: a negative verb with any (there aren't any), or a positive verb with no (there are no). Use none on its own, without a noun, as a short answer.

not + anybody/anyone/anything, nobody/no-one/nothing

not + anybody or anyone is the same as nobody or no-one; not + anything is the same as nothing. Use nobody, no-one and nothing at the start of a sentence or as a one-word answer, and never put two negatives together.

somebody/anything/nowhere etc.

somebody or someone is a person we cannot name, something is a thing, somewhere is a place. The same pattern runs through any- and no-. These words can take an adjective after them (somewhere quiet) or to + verb (something to eat).

every and all

every takes a singular noun and a singular verb (every room has a view). every day means on all days; all day means the whole of one day. everybody, everything and everywhere also take a singular verb.

all, most, some, any, no/none

most, some, all and the rest go straight before a noun when you mean things in general (most people). Add of before the, this, my and so on (most of the people), and before it, them and us (some of them). all the and all my usually drop the of.

both, either, neither

both, either and neither are for two things or people. both takes a plural noun; either and neither take a singular noun. Before the, my, these and so on, use both (of), either of, neither of; before them and us, always use of.

a lot, much, many

much goes with uncountable nouns, many with plurals, and a lot of with both. much belongs in questions and negatives; in positive sentences use a lot of. much and a lot can also stand alone (I don't go out much, we eat out a lot).

(a) little, (a) few

a little goes with uncountable nouns and a few with plurals; both mean some, but not much or many. Without a, little and few mean almost none, so a little and a few sound positive while little and few sound negative.

Part review: Determiners and pronounsReview

Mixed questions from lessons 74 to 84. Do it once the part is done.

Adjectives and adverbs8 lessons

old/nice/interesting etc. (adjectives)

Adjectives describe nouns. They go before a noun, after be, and after look, feel, smell, taste and sound.

quickly/badly/suddenly etc. (adverbs)

Adverbs such as quickly, badly and suddenly tell you how something happens. Most are an adjective + -ly, with a few exceptions: hard, fast, late, early and well.

old/older, expensive / more expensive

The comparative compares two things. Short words add -er (older, cheaper); longer words take more (more expensive). Good and bad are irregular: better and worse.

older than ... more expensive than ...

Use than after a comparative to say what you are comparing with: older than, more expensive than. Use a bit or much before a comparative to say how big the difference is.

not as ... as

Use not as ... as to say that one thing is less than another: Rome is not as old as Athens. Use the same as for things that do not differ at all.

the oldest, the most expensive

Superlatives compare one thing with all the others. Short adjectives add -est (the cheapest), adjectives ending in -y change to -iest (the easiest), and long adjectives take the most (the most careful). good and bad become the best and the worst. Superlatives take the, and often go with I've ever ...

enough

enough goes before a noun (enough money) but after an adjective (warm enough). It can stand alone (I've had enough), and it takes for + person or thing and to + verb (old enough to vote, enough chairs for everyone to sit down).

too

too + adjective or adverb means more than you want (too loud, too fast). too much goes with uncountable nouns and too many with plurals. too big is the opposite of not big enough. Say too ... for somebody and too ... to do something.

Part review: Adjectives and adverbsReview

Mixed questions from lessons 85 to 92. Do it once the part is done.

Word order4 lessons

He speaks English very well. (word order 1)

The verb and its object stay side by side: She plays the piano beautifully, not She plays beautifully the piano. With a place and a time in one sentence, the place normally comes first: We went to the beach on Sunday.

always/usually/often etc. (word order 2)

Words like always, never, often, also, still and all sit in the middle of the sentence. They go before an ordinary verb (I always walk), after am/is/are/was/were (She's always late), and between two verbs (I can never find my keys).

still, yet, already

still means nothing has changed (it's still raining). yet means up to now, in negatives and questions, and usually comes at the end (he hasn't arrived yet). already means sooner than expected (she's already here).

Give me that book! Give it to me!

give, lend, pass, send and show take two patterns: give something to somebody, or give somebody something. buy and get work the same way. When the thing is it or them, use the first pattern: give it to me, not give me it.

Part review: Word orderReview

Mixed questions from lessons 93 to 96. Do it once the part is done.

Conjunctions and clauses6 lessons

and, but, or, so, because

and, but, or, so and because join two sentences into one. In a list, and goes before the last item. so gives the result and because gives the reason; because can also start the sentence.

When ...

A when sentence has two parts and either can come first; put a comma after the when part if it comes first. The same goes for before, while and after. When the meaning is future, use the present after when, before, while, after and until: when I get home, not when I will get home.

If we go ... If you see ... etc.

The if part can start the sentence (with a comma) or sit in the middle. After if, use the present for the future: if it rains, not if it will rain. if means maybe; when means it will certainly happen.

100

If I had ... If we went ... etc.

Use if + past (if I had, if we went) with would or could for a situation that is not real now. The past form does not mean past time. If I were you and if I was you are both correct. Compare if I have (it may happen) with if I had (it is not happening).

101

a person who ... a thing that/which ... (relative clauses 1)

A relative clause tells you which person or thing you mean. Use who for people, which for things, and that for either. Never use which for a person.

102

the people we met, the hotel you stayed at (relative clauses 2)

When who, that or which is the object of the clause, you can leave it out: the photos (that) Kim took. A preposition stays at the end (the hotel we stayed at), and where can replace it for places. When who, that or which is the subject, you must keep it.

Part review: Conjunctions and clausesReview

Mixed questions from lessons 97 to 102. Do it once the part is done.

Prepositions11 lessons

103

at 8 o'clock, on Monday, in April

at for clock times, on for days and dates, in for months, years and seasons. Also at the weekend, at night, at Christmas; in the morning but on Monday morning. No preposition before this, last, next and every. in five minutes means five minutes from now.

104

from ... to, until, since, for

from ... to gives the start and end of a period. until gives the end. since gives a start point in the past, up to now, and goes with the present perfect. for gives a length of time (for three days, never since three days).

105

before, after, during, while

before, during and after go with a noun (during the film); while goes with a verb (while I was eating). Use for, not during, with a length of time. before and after can also take -ing (after eating), never to + verb.

106

in, at, on (places 1)

in means inside something (in the kitchen, in a town, in the sea). at means at a point (at the door, at the bus stop, at the top of the page). on means on a surface (on the table, on the wall, on the ceiling), and also on a bike or a horse.

107

in, at, on (places 2)

Fixed phrases: in bed, in hospital, in the sky, in a newspaper, in a car; at home, at work, at the station, at Jo's, at a party; on the first floor, on the way home, on a bus or train. For hotels and restaurants, in and at are both fine.

108

to, in, at (places 3)

Use to for movement (go to Rome, come to the party) and in or at for being somewhere (live in Rome, be at the party). Say go home and be at home, never go to home. Arrive in a country or town, arrive at other places, and get to anywhere; get home and arrive home take no preposition.

109

under, behind, opposite etc.

Prepositions of position: next to (or beside), between, in front of, behind, on the left, on the right, in the middle, opposite, by, under, above and below. in front of means facing the same way; opposite means facing each other.

110

up, over, through etc.

Prepositions of movement come in pairs and sets: to and from, into and out of, on and off, up and down, over and under, through, round, along, across and past. We usually say put something in, not into.

111

on, at, by, with, about

Fixed uses: on holiday, on TV, on the radio, on the phone, on fire, on time; at an age, a speed or a temperature; by car, by train, but on foot; a book by an author; with and without; a man with a beard; talk, know or a programme about something.

112

afraid of ..., good at ... etc. of/at/for etc. (prepositions) + -ing

Many adjectives take a fixed preposition: afraid of, angry with someone, angry about something, different from, fed up with, full of, good at, interested in, married to, kind of someone to, kind to someone, sorry about, sorry for. After any preposition, a verb takes -ing: good at cooking, without saying goodbye.

113

listen to ..., look at ... etc. (verb + preposition)

Many verbs take a fixed preposition: ask for, belong to, happen to, listen to, speak to, thank for, think about or of, wait for, write to; but phone somebody with no preposition. look at, look for and look after mean different things. It depends on ... (never depends of).

Part review: PrepositionsReview

Mixed questions from lessons 103 to 113. Do it once the part is done.

Phrasal verbs2 lessons

114

go in, fall off, run away etc. (phrasal verbs 1)

A phrasal verb is a verb plus a small word such as in, out, on, off, up, down, away, back, over or round. The small word often shows direction: get in, get out, fall off, stand up, sit down, run away, come back, climb over, look round.

115

put on your shoes, put your shoes on (phrasal verbs 2)

When a phrasal verb has an object, the object can go after the small word or before it: put on your coat, or put your coat on. But it and them always go before it: put it on, never put on it.

Part review: Phrasal verbsReview

Mixed questions from lessons 114 to 115. Do it once the part is done.