English Grammar, Morphology, and Vocabulary Essentials

Posted on Nov 28, 2024 in English

Grammar

Future Tense

  • Will: Subject + will/won’t + infinitive
    • Medium/long-term expressions, decisions at the time of speaking, offers, predictions based on opinion.
    • Appears with: I think, I hope, I’m afraid, I promise, I expect…
  • Going to: Subject + am/is/are + going to + infinitive
    • Almost certain events, plans or intentions decided before speaking, immediate actions with clear evidence.
  • Present Continuous: Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing
    • Definite plans (e.g., Thursday 26 February, we are going to Barcelona).
    • Appears with: Data such as name, time, place, date…
  • Future Continuous: Subject + will/won’t + be + verb-ing
    • Developing action at a future time (e.g., at 6 will be studying English).
    • Appears with: Later, tonight, tomorrow, soon, next week…
  • Future Perfect: Subject + will/won’t + have + past participle
    • Action completed in the future (e.g., at 6 I will have finished studying English).
    • Appears with: By the time, before, by then, by 3:00 AM…

Past Tense

  • Past Simple: Subject + verb [past-ed] / Subject + did + verb [present]?
    • Finished actions, consecutive actions, finishing time.
    • Appears with: Ago, yesterday, then, in 1995, before, last night/week/month…
  • Past Continuous: Subject + was/were + verb-ing
    • Action in progress at a past time, interrupted action, simultaneous actions, scene setting.
    • Appears with: When, while, all morning/day/week/summer…
  • Past Perfect: Subject + had + past participle
    • Action before another past action.

Present Tense

  • Present Perfect Simple: Subject + have/has + past participle
    • Connection between past and present, experiences or changes, unspecified past time, result of past actions, action from past to present.
    • Appears with: For, since, already, just, ever, never, so far, up to now, today, this week/month/season, lately, recently, all day, all morning, yet (questions), still (negatives)…
  • Present Perfect Continuous: Subject + have/has + been + verb-ing
    • Continuous actions lasting to the present, temporary activities, actions with present consequences.

Used to

  • Used to: Subject + used to + infinitive (affirmative), Subject + did not use to + infinitive (negative), Did + subject + use to + infinitive (question)
  • Get used to: Get used to + verb-ing (adapting)
  • Be used to: Be used to + verb-ing (accustomed)

Morphology

Noun Suffixes

  • -tion: (determine – determination) Action, resulting state
  • -er, -or: (teach – teacher) Person or thing that does something
  • -ment: (develop – development) Condition/result
  • -ence, -ance: (prefer – preference) Action/result of

Adjective Suffixes

  • -able, -ible: (avoid – avoidable) Value/ability
  • -ful: (care – careful) Having/giving
  • -ive, -ative: (effect – effective) Having the quality of
  • -less: (care – careless) Without/missing
  • -ous, -eous, -ious: (danger – dangerous) Relating to
  • -ed, -ing: (bore – bored/boring) Change verb to adjective

Vocabulary

  • Allow to: Permits
  • Apply: Implement
  • Ecological Footprint: Environmental impact
  • Raise: Increase
  • Amount: Quantity
  • Avoid: Evade
  • Fit: Suit
  • Luckycharm: Amulet
  • To fit: Be suitable
  • To suit: Be appropriate
  • Investment: Financial input
  • Part of speech: Word class