Mastering English Grammar: Conditionals, Preferences, Modals, Passives & More

Posted on Jan 4, 2025 in English

English Grammar Practice

Conditionals

  1. First Conditional: If you see her, you will ask her about the book. He won’t pass his exams unless he works hard. Provided we buy the tickets now, we will be able to fly to Paris.
  2. Second Conditional: If I were you, I would invite her to the cinema. We could play outside if it didn’t rain. If I had money, I would give you some.
  3. Third Conditional: What would you have done if he had called you? If they had been here, they would have enjoyed the meal. If he had gone to Paris last year, he would have learnt French.

Prepositions

What are you afraid of? I deal with people from all over the world. Do you believe in life after death? We can rely on him. How did you pay for the new car? I am waiting for the bus. What’s the matter with you? He’s laughing at you. I often dream of winning the lottery. He can’t forget about the accident. Tell me about what you did yesterday.

Wishes and Regrets

  1. I wish they were quiet. She wishes she weren’t so short.
  2. The film was really good. I wish you had seen it.
  3. If only she didn’t spend so much time playing video games! If only they had told us before!

Preferences

  1. Your brother wants to borrow your best jeans. You don’t want him to. I would rather you didn’t borrow my best jeans.
  2. You can eat at an Italian or a Chinese restaurant. You prefer Italian. I would rather eat at an Italian restaurant.
  3. Your parents left you in charge of your brother. You didn’t like that. I would rather my parents hadn’t left me in charge of my brother.

Had Better

  1. Jane looks thirsty. You think she needs some water. Jane had better drink some water.
  2. John wants to speak English better. You think that requires practice. John had better practice English.
  3. It is late. You think you should be leaving the party. I had better be leaving the party.

Spanish to English Translations

Si yo fuera rico me compraría un Ferrari. If I were rich, I would buy a Ferrari. Yo en tu lugar hablaría con ella. If I were you, I would speak with her. Si hubieras venido antes, habrías visto a John. If you had come earlier, you would have seen John. No habría cocinado si hubiera sabido que no iba a venir. I wouldn’t have cooked if I had known that they weren’t coming. Si James no se hubiera ido cinco minutos antes de lo habitual, no habría tenido el accidente. If James hadn’t gone five minutes earlier, he wouldn’t have had the accident. Preferiría hacerlo yo mismo. I would rather do it myself. Ojalá Jane me hubiera escuchado cuando le previne. If only Jane had listened to me when I warned her. Preferiría que no me lo hubieras contado. I would rather you hadn’t told me. ¡Si al menos dejara de llover! If only it would stop raining. Sería mejor que fueras al médico. You had better go to the doctor.

Modal Verbs

  1. Our daughter should be home by now. Where can she be?
  2. I think your arm is broken. You must go to the hospital.
  3. We won’t be able to come too early. We won’t leave before ten o’clock.
  4. Pupils must be accompanied by teachers on all school trips.
  5. You mustn’t talk during exams. It’s forbidden.
  6. It’s hot in here. Could you open the window?
  7. Can you please help me with my homework?
  8. She shouldn’t bite her nails.
  9. He shouldn’t lie in the sun for so long. He’ll get a headache.
  10. I had to take an earlier train. There were no tickets for the one I wanted.

More Modal Verbs and Expressions

  1. ¿Me prestas tu boli? Could you lend me your pen?
  2. Le llamaré a las cinco. Debería estar en casa para entonces. I will call him at five o’clock. He should be at home by then.
  3. ¿Vamos al cine? Shall we go to the cinema?
  4. Estoy acostumbrada a tomar una taza de té para el desayuno. I’m used to having a cup of tea for breakfast.
  5. Se acostumbrará a trabajar por la noche en su nuevo trabajo. He will get used to working at night in his new job.

Reported Speech

  1. I’ll bring the wine for the party. He promised to bring the wine for the party.
  2. Let’s go to Luigi’s, shall we? She suggested going to Luigi’s.
  3. I’ll go with you to talk to her. She agreed to come with us to talk to her.

Commands in Reported Speech

  1. My mother told me to close the door.
  2. James told us not to tell anyone.
  3. The teacher told him to close the door.

Questions in Reported Speech

  1. I asked my mother if I could watch TV.
  2. He asked us if I played for them.
  3. I asked them who was playing.

Vocabulary

Oil slick, starvation, waste, famine, rainforest, harmful.

Passive Voice

  1. They sell nice clothes in that shop. Nice clothes are sold in the shop.
  2. Has anybody brought food? Has food been brought?
  3. Will they build the shopping center here? Will the shopping center be built here?

More Passive Voice Examples

  1. They are going to send her a box of chocolates. She is going to be sent a box of chocolates.
  2. Someone told me a beautiful story. I was told a beautiful story.
  3. They didn’t lend me any money. I wasn’t lent any money.

Passive Voice with ‘to be’

  1. That book is believed to have belonged to Sir Winston Churchill.
  2. Japanese people are known to live long.
  3. Spain is expected to win the World Cup.

Passive Voice with Modal Verbs

  1. We mustn’t leave the fish outside the fridge. The fish mustn’t be left outside the fridge.
  2. He has to translate this document into French. This document has to be translated into French.
  3. We should tell the police immediately. The police should be told immediately.

Phrasal Verbs in Passive Voice

  1. They picked up flowers. Flowers were picked up.
  2. They will turn down your offer. Your offer will be turned down.
  3. The firemen are putting out the fire. The fire is being put out by the firemen.

Causative ‘Have’

  1. We had our house painted blue last month.
  2. She had her arm broken in a car accident last week.
  3. They had their car repaired yesterday.

Mixed Examples

  1. Me pregunto quién habrá hecho los deberes. I wonder who will have done the homework.
  2. Se dice que este libro fue escrito por Cervantes. It is said that this book was written by Cervantes.
  3. El profesor nos dijo que saliéramos de la clase. The teacher told us to get out of the class.
  4. Se espera que él limpie su habitación. He is expected to clean his room.
  5. La leche no debe dejarse fuera de la nevera. Milk should not be left out of the refrigerator.

Relative Clauses

We didn’t like the film we saw last night. Is that the computer you wanted to buy? The woman who came yesterday is ninety years old. Where is the book I bought yesterday? That is the restaurant which was recommended to us. The town where I was born is in ruins. The photo you are holding was taken by my father. A professor is someone who teaches in a university. This is the shop which is very expensive. This is the book I read last month. This is the restaurant where we ate last Sunday. Is this the shirt which was taken from your suitcase? The chair on which he was sitting collapsed. The text for which you are studying will be easy. Here is the magazine for which you have been looking. The painting at which you are looking is an original Picasso. The girl with whom you are going out is very attractive. The boss for whom I work is very demanding. The boy attacked by a dog was taken to hospital. Hamlet, written by Shakespeare in 1601, is my favorite. The building standing opposite our house is the oldest in town. The man coming towards us is my father. He is the best athlete. She was the youngest girl to win the prize.

Relative Pronouns

Whom, who, who, whom, who, who, who, who.

Opposites

Reverent-irreverent. Dependent-independent. Tidy-untidy. Ambitious-unambitious. Spiritual-materialistic. Tolerant-intolerant. Informed-ignorant. Generous-selfish. Peaceful-violent. Appreciative-spoilt. Obedient-rebellious. Tactful-outspoken.

Personality Adjectives

Children are really… spoilt, outspoken, irreverent, selfish, untidy, ignorant. You have to be… tactful, appreciative, materialistic, spiritual, independent, ambitious, tolerant. . obedient, disobedient dependent, peaceful, intolerant, tidy.

False Friends

Actually – en realidad. Argument – discusión. Assist – ayudar. Attend – asistir a. Avocado – aguacate. Career – carrera profesional. Carpet – alfombra. Casual – informal. Constipated – estreñido. Disgust – asco. Embarrassed – avergonzado. Exit – salida. Idiom – frase hecha. Large – grande. Parents – padres. Presume – suponer. Pretend – fingir. Quiet – callado. Remove – eliminar. Sensible – sensato. Success – éxito. Sympathy – compasión.

Pronunciation

-i- posible. –a- woman. –u- suppose. –or- doctor. –our- colour. –e- gentlemen. –o- oblige. –er- mother. –ou- famous. –ure- figure.