English Grammar and Vocabulary: Tenses, Phrasal Verbs, Prepositions

English Grammar: Verb Tenses

Present Simple

• Used for actions that happen regularly (but are not happening at this moment).
• Examples: schedules, calendars

Present Continuous

• Used for actions happening now.
• Examples: fixed and sure plans, orders

Past Simple

• Used for actions that were completed in the past.
• Regular verbs: Verb + -ed
• Irregular verbs: second column of the irregular verb list
• Negative: didn't + subject + verb
• Interrogative: did + subject + verb

Past Continuous

• Used for actions that lasted for a long time in the past (often with specific times or dates).
• Affirmative: subject + was/were + verb + -ing
• Negative: subject + wasn't/weren't + verb + -ing
• Interrogative: was/were + subject + verb + -ing

Past Perfect Simple

• Used for an action that happened before another action in the past.
• Structure: subject + had + verb + -ed

Present Perfect Simple

• Structure: subject + have/has + verb + -ed

Future: Will

• Used for spontaneous decisions, promises, predictions, offers, and hopes.

Future Continuous

• Structure: will + be + gerund

Future Perfect

• Structure: will + have + past participle

Common English Mistakes: False Friends

Be careful with these words that look similar to Spanish words but have different meanings:

• Carpet - alfombra
• Suburbs - afueras
• Quiet - silencio
• Ordinary - vulgar
• Qualifications - títulos
• Assistance - ayuda
• Confident - seguro
• Agony - dolor
• Miserable - muy triste
• Sensible - razonable
• Advised - aconsejado

Example Dialogue

A: Hi! Are you feeling okay?

B: No, I have a little problem.

A: What's up?

B: I don't have money to go out tonight. Can you help me?

A: Okay, don't worry. Why don't you come out with me? I will pay for everything tonight.

B: That's a good idea. Thank you!

A: About twelve at the disco. See you later.

B: Bye.

Common Phrasal Verbs

• Carry out (hacer)
• Draw up (redactar)
• Log on (iniciar)
• Throw away (tirar)
• Turn on (encender)

Prepositions of Time

• At: specific moments and holidays (e.g., 6:30, the weekend, Christmas, night)
• In: periods of time (e.g., the morning, winter, September)
• On: days and dates (e.g., Saturday, 4 July, my birthday)

Prepositions of Place

• At: specific points, parts of a place, public places (e.g., the bus stop, the station)
• In: areas (e.g., Mexico, Dublin, a restaurant)
• On: surfaces or lines (e.g., my desk, the east coast, the river)

Already, Just, Still, Yet

We _1_ have _2_ .... _3_?

1. Still, 2. Just/Already, 3. Yet

Quantifiers

• Countable nouns: many, a few
• Uncountable nouns: much, a little

Adjectives with Prepositions

Afraid of, amazed at, angry with, ashamed of, bad/good at/with, important for/to, interested in, keen on, proud of, rude of

Prefixes

• il-: legible, legal, logical
• im-: polite, possible, mobile
• ir-: regular, responsible, relevant
• in-: direct, secure, visible
• non-: essential, member, stop
• un-: common, healthy, pack
• dis-: advantage, honest, order

Intensifying Adjectives

• Hot - boiling
• Cold - freezing
• Tired - exhausted
• Good - wonderful
• Bad - terrible
• Angry - furious