Essential English Grammar: Modals, Clauses, and Tenses

Modal Verbs

Common modal verbs include: 1. Can, 2. Don’t have to, 3. Could, 4. Mustn’t, 5. Must, 6. Have to, 7. May, 8. Couldn’t, 9. Oughtn’t.

Relative Clauses

• Linda, who is going to be a secretary, studies at college with me.
• A hurricane hit the east coast where I was on holiday last year.
• Beethoven, who wrote nine symphonies, was a famous composer.
• The woman, who has a very unusual hairstyle, is a hairdresser.
• This is the place where I lost my dog.
• Steven Spielberg, whose films have all been successful, is a film director.

Causative and Passive Structures

1. We had Sarah’s birthday cake made at the bakery.
2. I’m having my scooter repaired.
3. The children were entertained by a professional magician at Christmas.
4. John had his hair dyed green last week.

Relative Pronouns (Omission)

1. Whose, 2. (that), 3. Which, 4. Where, 5. (who).

Reported Speech

• He said that he was exhausted.
• She wanted to know if I was leaving on Friday.
• They asked what time the plane had taken off.
• He told me to sit down and be quiet.
• She told me not to be frightened.
• He asked me if I was the king.

Conditional Sentences

1. Would you go?
2. Would go out.
3. Will go.
4. Would have + past participle.
5. Will pass.
6. Was.

Verb Tenses

Exercise 1: Had just gone, was reading, heard, got, didn’t see, went.

Exercise 2: Missed, was standing, realized, had left, had, got.