English Grammar and Vocabulary: A Comprehensive Review
Item 5: Conditionals and Wish Clauses
Conditionals
- Zero Conditional: If + present simple, present simple. (Used for situations that are always true)
- First Conditional: If + present simple, future simple (will). (Used for situations that may occur easily)
- Second Conditional: If + past simple, conditional simple (would). (Used for unlikely situations) Note: "were" is typically used instead of "was" in the if-clause.
- Third Conditional: If + past perfect, perfect conditional (would + have + past participle). (Used for situations that never happened)
Wish Clauses
- Wish + past simple (for a possibility of change in the present or future). Note: "were" is typically used instead of "was".
- Wish + subject + would + verb (when we want someone or something to change their action)
- Wish + past perfect (for a situation that cannot be changed, expressing regret about the past)
Phrasal Verbs
- Take on: To agree to do something
- Go through: To cross or experience something
- Sort out: To find a solution
- Go ahead: To proceed or continue
- Come up: To encounter problems
- Run out of: To exhaust a supply of something
- Turn up: To appear or arrive
Discursive Essay Connectors
- In addition
- Moreover
- Furthermore
- As well as: (Note: After a preposition, use a gerund)
Item 6: Reported Speech and Reporting Verbs
Reporting Verbs
- Admit
- Apologize
- Offer
- Explain
- Add
- Beg
- Promise
- Protest
Reported Speech
Tense changes in reported speech:
- Present simple becomes past simple
- Present continuous becomes past continuous
- Past simple becomes past perfect
- Present perfect becomes past perfect
- Past continuous becomes past perfect continuous
- Will becomes would
- May becomes might
- Must becomes had to
Other changes in reported speech:
- Today becomes that day
- Tomorrow becomes the next day or the following day
- Yesterday becomes the previous day or the day before
- Now becomes then
- Here becomes there
- This becomes that
- These becomes those
- My becomes his/her
Item 7: False Friends and Phrasal Verbs
False Friends
- Educated/Polite: Cultured/Educated
- Friendly/Sympathetic: Nice/Sympathetic
- Stranger/Foreigner: Stranger/Foreigner
- Argument/Discussion: Discussion/Debate
- Actually/At the moment: Now/At this moment
- May/Major: Mayor/Large
- Ultimate/Last: The final, best/Last
- Casually/Accidentally: Casual/By chance
Phrasal Verbs for a Journey
- Set out: To start a journey
- Break down: To stop working (for a vehicle)
- Head for: To move in a certain direction
- Stop off: To make a short stop during a journey
- Carry on: To continue
- Turn back: To return in the opposite direction
Descriptive Adjectives
- Bustling: Noisy and full of life
- Crowded: Full of people
- Ugly: Unpleasant to look at
- Modern: Contemporary, new
- Run-down: In poor condition
- Quiet: Tranquil, peaceful
- Threatening: Menacing, intimidating
Item 8: Phrasal Verbs Related to Relationships
- Bring up: To raise a child
- Take after: To resemble a family member
- Look after: To take care of someone
- Get on with: To have a good relationship
- Grow up: To become an adult
- Get back: To return
- Tell someone off: To reprimand or scold someone
- Put up with: To tolerate or endure something unpleasant