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English Grammar Mastery

Passive Voice Transformations

Passive Voice:

• It breaks = It is broken
• It is breaking = It is being broken
• It broke = It was broken
• It was breaking = It was being broken
• Have/Has broken = Has/Have been broken
• Had broken = Had been broken
• Will break = Will be broken

Reported Speech and Tense Shifts

In Reported Speech, tenses shift: Present Simple becomes Past Simple; Present Continuous becomes Past Continuous.

Using So and Such

• So + adjective + that
• Such + a/an + adjective + singular noun
• Such + adjective + plural noun
• So many/much

Sentence Inversion Structures

Inversion: Not until / Only when + normal clause + inversion; Not only / Never / No sooner / Hardly + inversion + normal clause (auxiliary + subject + verb).

Conditional Sentences

• Zero

Key Vocabulary and Their Meanings

• Rented: Tenant.
• Settle: A wooden seat.
• Harm: *Faire mal* (French).
• Bleak: *Ombrívol* (Catalan).
• Farmyard: Corral.
• Realize: To start to understand something.
• Haunt someone: To come back after death to visit someone; ghosts haunt people or places.
• Trembling: Shaking.
• Mistress: The woman in charge of the house.
• Cheated: Something dishonest or unfair.
• Treating: To behave in a certain way towards someone.
• Became lame: *Ser coix* (Catalan).
• Punish: To make somebody suffer because they have done something wrong.
• Swore: To speak very rudely and unpleasantly to someone.
• Ashamed: To feel unhappy or uncomfortable because you think you are not as good as other people.
• Revenge: To harm someone because they have harmed you.
• Pinched: To

About to (+ verb)

A punto de (+ a verb)

According to (PREP)

Según lo que dice (referencing a source)

Actually (S)

Realmente, de hecho, por cierto

After all (BOTH)

Al fin y al cabo - (like “the bottom line”)

All in all (S)

En resumen / tomando todo en cuenta

All over (PREP)

Por todo (mundo, país), en todo

On the Contrary (S)

Todo lo contrario

Although (S)

Aunque

Anyway (S)

En todo caso, de todas maneras, de todas formas

As (BOTH)

Como, mientras, Dado que

As far as (S)

Hasta lo que ---- this expression is essentially just used with AS FAR AS I KNOW and AS FAR AS I’M CONCERNED

As for (PREP)

Referente a, en relación a, con respecto a

As a matter of fact (S)

De hecho, en realidad

As to (PREP)

Referente a, respecto a

As well (AT THE END)

También (use only at the end

TEMA2 VOCABULARY

• adopt an approach to
• analyse
• conduct
• demonstrate the possibility that
• field of study
• major breakthrough
• observe
• procedure
• process data
• provide evidence
• test a theory
• variety of sources
• guinea pig
• light years ahead
• quantum leap
• rocket science
• side effects
• trial and error
• come about
• come to light
• discomfort
• distinguish
• make out
• mutation
• personal hygiene
• pick up
• treatment
• widespread
• bring up
• go over
• hook up
• look at
• plug in
• rely on
• show off
• take after
• take away
• take in

TEMA 3 VOCABULARY

• influence
• make advances in
• make improvements to
• make the world of difference
• overcome difficulties
• remarkable achievement
• seek ways to improve
• transform
• turning point
• considerable change
• dramatic change
• far-reaching change
• refreshing change
• subtle change
• unexpected change
• city-dwelling
• complex
• doorstep
• expand
• go

Narrative Tenses

• Past Simple

  I did (yo hice)

  Used with specific past time markers: last summer, three years ago, in 1998, when I was twelve.

• Present Perfect Simple

  I have done (he hecho)

  Used with: for five years, since March, since 1998, how long?, yet, just, already, ever, never.

• Present Perfect Continuous

  I have been doing (he estado haciendo / llevo haciendo)

• Past Perfect Simple

  I had done (había hecho)

• Past Perfect Continuous

  I had been doing (había estado haciendo)

Gerunds

The Gerund (Verb + -ing) is used:

1. After Prepositions

   Examples: think of, interested in, tired of, talk about.

2. As a Subject

   Example: Working is necessary.

3. After Certain Verbs and Expressions

   Verbs: appreciate, like, imagine, postpone, resent, delay, enjoy, keep, practise, risk, discuss,

Mastering English Grammar Essentials

Understanding Punctuation Marks

• Colon (:): Used before explanations, lists, or direct speech.
• Comma (,):
  • To separate items in a list.
  • To set off parenthetical expressions or words/phrases placed in unusual positions. For example: "My father, however, did not agree."
  • To separate a subordinate clause from the main clause when the subordinate clause comes first.
• Dash (-): Can be used in a similar way to colons, semicolons, or brackets. It can also introduce something unexpected or surprising.
• Full Stop (.): Used to mark the end of a sentence or a complete idea.
• Quotation Marks ("): Used to enclose direct speech or titles of short works.
• Semicolon (;): Used instead of a full stop in cases where sentences are grammatically

Essay Structure and Useful Phrases

Introduction

Nowadays, in our society...

Development

1. Examples
2. Data: As recent surveys show...
3. Advantages and Disadvantages:
   • On the one hand, on the positive side...
   • On the other hand, on the negative side...

   I can show some advantages such as: / But also there are some disadvantages such as:

Connectors:

• And (y): In addition (además), Besides (además de), Apart from.
• Also (también): Too (demasiado, también - at the end), as well as (así como).
• But (pero): However (sin embargo).
• Because (porque): Due to (debido a) + noun.

Conclusion

To conclude (para concluir). In conclusion (en conclusión). According to what was said before (de acuerdo con lo dicho anteriormente).

Personal Opinion

As far as (en cuanto a) I'm concerned... Continue reading "Essay Structure: Introduction, Development, Conclusion" »

Modal Verbs

1. Ability

• Present: Can/Can't (e.g., I can speak 3 languages)
• Past: Could/Couldn't (e.g., I could play tennis when I was ten)

2. Advice

Should/Shouldn't (e.g., You should go to the doctor)

3. Obligation

• Have to (has, had...): The obligation does not come from the subject. (e.g., She has to do it)
• Must: The obligation comes from the subject. (e.g., You must study)

4. Lack of Obligation

Don't have to/Doesn't have to (e.g., You don't have to come, it's not necessary.)

5. Prohibition

Mustn't

• You mustn't exceed the speed limit when you drive.
• You mustn't insult your classmates.

6. Certainty

• If I am sure it is true: Must (e.g., He must be rich)
• If I am sure it is not true: Can't (e.g., He can't be your teacher, he's 19)
• If I am not sure it

VOCABULARY

TYPES OF FAMILIES

• The Extended Family: This family is composed of parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and other family members who live in the same household.
• The Stepfamily: In this type of family, also known as a blended family, the children are not biologically related to one of the parents. The parents have a new partner or spouse due to divorce or death.
• The Single-Parent Family: Also known as a lone-parent family, it is made up of one parent who is raising one or more children by him or herself.
• The Childless Family: This family includes a husband and wife but doesn't include children.
• The Nuclear Family: This is the traditional type of family, which consists of two parents and an only child or siblings. The parents are usually

Modal Verbs

• Necessity: When something is needed (e.g., need to)
• Obligation: When something is obligatory (e.g., must, have to)
• Lack of Obligation: When something is not necessary (e.g., don't have to, needn't)
• Prohibition: When something is not allowed (e.g., mustn't, can't)
• Advice: Giving a suggestion (e.g., should(n't), ought (not) to)

Talking About Habits

Structures used for present and past habits:

• Used to (past habits)
• Always (present or past habits)
• Present Simple (present habits/routines)
• Present Continuous (annoying present habits, often with always)
• Past Simple (past habits/routines)

Using Be/Get Used To

• Used to + base verb: Refers to a past habit or state that no longer exists.
• Be used to + -ing/noun: Means to be accustomed to something.
• Get used