Mastering English Grammar: Tenses, Comparisons, and Conditionals
English Grammar Essentials
1. Present Simple
Particles: always, every day, every week, sometimes, ever, never, usually, often.
2. Present Continuous
Particles: at the moment, now, right now, today, these days.
3. Past Simple
Particles: last year/week/night, in the past, yesterday.
4. Past Continuous
Particles: last night, at + a specific time.
When + past simple, while + past continuous.
5. Future Tense
Will: Actions that are certain to occur.
Be going to: Future intention (later, tomorrow).
6. Present Perfect
Used for past actions that continue into the present or have just finished.
Particles:
- Since: From + a date or a particular time (before present).
- For: Followed by a duration of time.
- Yet: Still or even in negative and interrogative sentences.
- Already: At the end of the sentence.
- Recently: At the end of the sentence.
- Rarely: At the end of the sentence.
- Just: Between ‘have’ and the past participle in affirmative sentences.
- Already: Between ‘have’ and the past participle in affirmative sentences.
- Never: Between ‘have’ and the past participle.
- Ever: In interrogative and negative sentences (between ‘have’ and the past participle).
7. Uses of the Gerund
- Subject: Smoking is bad for you.
- After verbs: like, hate, love.
- After verbs: finish, mind.
- After verbs: need.
- After verbs: can’t stand.
- After verbs: feel like (prefer).
- After prepositions (except TO).
8. Comparatives and Superlatives
Comparison:
- For adjectives with one or two syllables, add -er.
- For adjectives with more than two syllables, use more.
- More than: more + adj + than
- Less than: less + adj + than
- As…as: as + adj + as
Superlative:
- For adjectives with one or two syllables, add -est.
- For adjectives with more than two syllables, use most.
- Less than: the least + adj
- Too: Too goes before the adjective
- Sufficient: Enough goes after the adjective
Irregular Adjectives:
- Good (well) – better – the best
- Bad – worse – the worst
- Little (slightly) – less – the least
9. Conditionals
Conditional 0:
- a) if + present
- b) present
- Example: If you come, I will go.
Conditional 1:
- a) if + present
- b) verb will
- Negative: a) unless + present b) verb will not
Conditional 2:
- a) if + past tense
- b) verb would
- Negative: a) if + did + verb in the present b) verb would not
- Interrogative: a) Did + if + verb in the present b) verb would
10. Adverbs
- Before: before
- Until: until
- The moment: in that / at a time
- After: after
- As soon as: as soon as
- Once: once
11. Quantifiers
- A/An: a thing without specifying which.
- Some: with plural countable nouns and non-countable nouns.
- Any: with countable and non-countable nouns in negative and interrogative sentences.
- A lot of: with countable and non-countable nouns.
- Many: with plural countable nouns.
- Much: with non-countable nouns.
- Few: with plural countable nouns (negative meaning).
- Little: with non-countable nouns (negative meaning).
- A few: with plural countable nouns.
- A little: with non-countable nouns.
12. Modal Verbs
- Can/Can’t: ability or skill (e.g., I can sing). Permit or favor.
- Could/Couldn’t: past ability (e.g., I knew I could…).
- Should/Shouldn’t: advice (conditional on duty).
- Must/Mustn’t: duty or obligation (e.g., You must study more).
- Have to/Has to: obligation.