English Grammar Rules and Phrasal Verbs for ESL Students

It's Time for Past Simple

We use the past simple to say that something should have happened now, to criticize behavior. It's time the British woke up to reality.

The Passive Voice

1. Put the object of the verb at the beginning of the sentence. 2. Conjugate the verb 'to be' in the same tense as the active sentence. 3. Put the main verb in the past participle form.

Verb Tenses

• Present simple: I do it - It is done
• Past simple: I did it - It was done
• Future simple: I will do it - It will be done
• Present continuous: I am doing it - It is being done
• Past continuous: I was doing it - It was being done
• Future continuous: I will be doing it - It will be being done
• Present perfect: I have done it - It has been done
• Past perfect: I had done it - It had been done
• Future perfect: I will have done it - It will have been done

Passive Infinitive

Use 'to be' + the third column. She's beginning to be recognized as a brilliant alumna.

Do: Be Done

Be going to: I am going to do it - It is going to be done. Have to: I have to do it - It has to be done. Used to: I used to do it - It used to be done. Modals (can, may, etc.): I can do it - It can be done. Expressions with gerund: Avoid - I avoid seeing him. He avoids being seen. Don't mind - I don't mind teaching her. She doesn't mind being taught.

Comparative Adjectives

Well + (dressed, paid, balanced, done, behaved, off, known). Either...or / Both...and: Either...or (meaning 1 or the other to talk about 2 possibilities). Both...and (to emphasize, it means 2 together). Phrasal Verbs: Verb + adverb with no object. Verb + adverb with direct object. Verb + preposition with direct object. Prefix re-: Re + (write, build, create, discover, paint, place, play, tell, write). False Friends: Actually (de hecho), demand (a strong statement of what you want), eventually (at the end), library (place where you can borrow books), sensible (sensato, reasonable and practical), sympathetic (empático, willing to understand someone's problems).

Past Ability

Could (couldn't): Podía / no podía (general ability, something that you have learned to do and can do whenever you want). Was (wasn't) able to: Era o no capaz de (we're talking about a specific ability, something that you can or cannot do in a particular situation). Managed to: Logró (similar to 'be able to'). We don't use 'could' to talk about a particular occasion. Expressions of Purpose: In order to (para), so that (para que). Modal Expressions in the Past: Had to / didn't have to (obligation), was (wasn't) able to / were (weren't) (personal ability), needed to / didn't need to / needn't have (necessity). Modal Expressions in the Future: Will / won't be able to (personal ability), will / won't have to (obligation), will / won't need to (necessity). Make and Let: Make (obligation), let (permission). Suffix -ness: (weight, polite, sad, careful, thoughtful, fit, clever, useful, happy) + ness.

Phrasal Verbs

Break into (get into something by force), look into (investigate), fill in (complete in writing), take in (understand and think about), give in (accept you can't win), turn into (become). Phrasal Verbs: Come down (descend), go on (depart), put up (to build, go up (to increase), ring up (to call), kick off (to start / to begin), cut off (disconnected), find out (discover), pick up (receive), speed up (hurry). Idioms: Caught red-handed, down to earth (realistic), touch wood, face to face, learn by heart, given the sack (lose your job), keep it up, know the ropes (show someone the ropes), concretely, jumbo (very big).