Essential English Grammar and Verb Tense Reference

Verb Tenses and Time Expressions

• Past Perfect: Used for actions before another past action (by the time + past simple).
• Past Continuous: Used for actions in progress (during/while).
• Present Perfect: Used for duration (since/for/how long).
• Key Structures:
  • It is + time + since + past simple.
  • Present perfect negative + for + time.
  • Subject + last + past simple + time + ago.
  • The last time + past simple + was + time + ago.
  • "He has never smoked before" becomes "This is the first time he has smoked."

Connectors and Reported Speech

Connectors

Though, despite, and in spite of + the fact that.

Reported Speech

• Tense Shifts: Past continuous becomes past perfect continuous (had been + -ing); present perfect becomes past perfect.
• Time/Pronoun Shifts: Now to then, yesterday to the day before, 1st person to 3rd, 2nd to 1st/3rd, we to they.
• Interrogatives: Use asked or wondered; change anybody to nobody in negative contexts.
• Imperatives: Told me, ordered, advised + person + to (or not to + infinitive).
• Suggestions: Let's/shall/why don't we + suggest + -ing; why don't you + suggest + should + infinitive.
• Apologies: I'm sorry becomes apologised (to me) + for + -ing.

Infinitives and Gerunds

To + Infinitive

Used with: promise, agree, refuse, offer, and verbs followed by a person (advise, want, invite, persuade, hope, allow, prefer, recommend, ask, order).

Gerunds (-ing)

Used with: suggest, mind, deny, prevent from, proud of, interested in, insist on, apologised (to person) for, look forward to, be/get used to.

Special Verbs

• Remember/Forget/Regret: + to infinitive (future/task), + -ing (past memory).
• Stop: + to infinitive (to do something else), + -ing (cease an action).

Passive Voice and Conditionals

Passive Voice

Standard forms (is eaten, was eaten, is being eaten, etc.). For People think that..., use: It is thought that... or [Subject] is thought to be/to have + 3rd column.

Conditionals

• Type 1: If + present + will (use unless for negative).
• Type 2: If + past + would + infinitive (e.g., If I were you).
• Type 3: If + had + 3rd column + would have + 3rd column.

Additional Grammar Rules

• So/Such: So + adjective; Such a + adjective + singular noun.
• Preferences: Prefer -ing to -ing; would rather + infinitive (without to).
• Too/Enough: Too + adjective; adjective + enough.
• Comparatives/Superlatives: As-adj-as, less/more than, the most/the -est.
• Wishes: Present simple wish becomes past simple; past simple wish becomes past perfect.
• Modals: Can't (impossible), Could (managed), May (possibility), Must (certainty), Needn't (unnecessary).
• Appearance vs. Personality: What do you look like? (appearance) vs. What are you like? (personality).
• Purpose: In order to + infinitive; in order that + clause + modal.
• Conjunctions: Both-and, either-or, neither-nor.