English Grammar and Vocabulary
Will/Won’t + Infinitive (Predictions)
I will have the chance to do some work experience.
Tendré la oportunidad de adquirir alguna experiencia laboral.
Will | |
| Affirmative: Will | Gary thinks he’ll go to university. |
| Negative: Won’t | He won’t study maths. |
| Interrogative: Will + Subject + Infinitive | Will he travel in the future? |
Be Going To (Future Plans and Intentions)
I’m going to be a plumber!
Seré lampista!
Be Going To | |
| Affirmative: Verb ‘to be’ + Going to | Sam’s going to do an e2e course. |
| Negative: Verb ‘to be’ + Not + Going to | He isn’t going to do a job. |
| Interrogative: Verb ‘to be’ + Subject + Going to | Is he going to do work experience? |
Present Continuous as Future (Fixed Plans)
Subject + Verb ‘to be’ + Verb ending in -ing
I’m starting an apprenticeship next month.
El mes que viene comienzo un curso de formación.
Present Continuous | |
| Affirmative: Verb ‘to be’ + Verb ending in -ing | Alison is starting an apprenticeship next month. |
| Negative: Verb ‘to be’ + Not + Verb ending in -ing | She isn’t staying at school next year. |
| Interrogative: Verb ‘to be’ + Subject + Verb ending in -ing | Are her friends staying at school? |
Gerunds
Uses:
- After verbs of likes/dislikes: love, enjoy, like, hate, can’t stand.
Example: I enjoy being with people. - After other verbs such as: avoid, practise.
Example: I usually avoid singing! - After prepositions:
about, above, across, after, against, along, among, around, at, before, behind, below, beneath, beside, between, by, during, except, for, from, in, in front of, inside, instead of, into, like, near, of, on, outside, over, since, through, to, toward/towards, under/underneath, until, with, within, without.
Example: I’m not very good at drawing.
Infinitives
Uses:
- To explain the purpose of an action:
Example: She took the job to make some money. (Aceptó la faena para ganar algo de dinero.) - After verbs such as: want, help, plan, decide, learn.
Example: I want to learn French. (Quiero aprender francés.) - After adjectives:
Example: It’s easy to get rich when you’re famous!
First Conditional (Possible Situations and Consequences)
If + Subject + Present Simple (Situation)
Subject + Will/Won’t + Infinitive (Consequence)
Example: If global warming continues, the consequences will be very serious.
Second Conditional (Hypothetical Situations)
If + Subject + Past Simple (Situation)
Subject + Would/Wouldn’t + Infinitive (Consequence)
Example: If the Thames Barrier failed, it would be a real disaster.
Third Conditional (Past Situations That Cannot Be Changed)
If + Subject + Past Perfect (Situation)
Subject + Would have/Wouldn’t have + Past Participle (Consequence)
Example: If he had studied more, he wouldn’t have failed his exam.
Passive Voice
Object (acting as Subject) + Verb ‘to be’ (conjugated) + Past Participle + Complements
Active Voice | Passive Voice |
| Present | Subject + Is/Are + Past Participle Example: The walls are painted white. |
| Past | Subject + Was/Were + Past Participle Example: The castle was painted by the artists. |
| Future | Subject + Will/Won’t + Be + Past Participle Example: The graffiti will be removed next year. |
Passive Questions
| Present | Subject + Is/Are + Past Participle Example: How much money are the winners given? |
| Past | Subject + Was/Were + Past Participle Example: Why was the man arrested? |
| Future | Subject + Will/Won’t + Be + Past Participle Example: When will the next winner be announced? |
Have/Has/Get/Got + Object + Past Participle
Example: I had my hair cut.
Ability
| Use | Modal | Example |
| Present Ability | Can | Can you use a fax machine? |
| Past Ability | Could Be able to | Tom could read when he was two years old. |
Permission
| Use | Modal | Example |
| Asking for permission | Can/Could/May | Can/Could/May I use the phone? |
| Giving permission | Can/May | You can/may send the fax when you like. |
Advice
| Use | Modal | Example |
| Asking for and giving advice | Should/Ought to | Liam should/ought to watch less TV. |
Obligation
| Use | Modal | Example |
| Present/Future Obligation (+) | Must/Have to/Need to | All visitors must turn off their mobile phones. You have to/need to press ‘send’. |
| No Present/Future Obligation (-) | Don’t have to/Don’t need to/Needn’t | You don’t have to/don’t need to/needn’t pay to send an email. |
| Past Obligation (+) | Had to | Yesterday, Sam had to buy more stamps. |
| No Past Obligation (-) | Didn’t have to/Didn’t need to | I learned a little Italian, but everyone spoke English, so I didn’t have to/didn’t need to use it. |
Probability and Possibility
| Use | Modal | Example |
| Strong probability (present) | Must/Can’t/Couldn’t | The phone is ringing – it must be Simon. This letter can’t/couldn’t be from Japan because it’s got a French stamp. |
| Probability (present/future) | Should/Ought to | We should/ought to hear from Cheryl this weekend. |
| Possibility (present/future) | Could/May/Might | I’m not sure what language it is – it could/may/might be Polish. |
Semi-Modals
- Ought to (ought not to)
- Have to (don’t have to)
- Need to (don’t need to/needn’t)
Wish
| Use | Tense/Modal | Example |
| Present wishes | Wish + Past Simple | Carl wishes he had a telescope. I wish I wasn’t scared of spiders. |
| Past wishes | Wish + Past Perfect | Tracy wishes she’d seen that programme about the moon last night. I wish they hadn’t cut down so many trees. |
| Criticism/Complaints | Wish + Would + Bare Infinitive | I wish people would throw their litter in the bin and not on the ground. I wish you wouldn’t smoke in here. |
| Wishes about ability/permission (present/future) | Wish + Could + Bare Infinitive | I wish I could travel through time! David wishes he could come with us, but his parents won’t let him. |
Panic and Phobias
- Heights
- Flying
- The dark
- Germs
- Public speaking
- Open spaces
- Confined spaces
- Snakes
- Spiders
- Foreigners
- Being alone
- Strangers
The Five Senses
- Smell
- Taste
- Touch
- Hearing
- Sight