Key English Grammar Rules for Effective Communication

Reported Speech

Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, is used to convey what someone else said without directly quoting them. The tense of the verb usually shifts back in time.

Statements

Direct: "Many customers have requested puppy's breath," he explained.
Reported: He explained that many customers had requested puppy's breath.

Questions

Direct: "Can you create nasty smells?" they asked Fred.
Reported: They asked Fred if he could create nasty smells.

Direct: "What perfume are you buying today?" Laura asked me.
Reported: Laura asked me what perfume I was buying that day.

Orders

Direct: "Turn on the aroma generator," the boss told her.
Reported: Her boss told her to turn on the aroma generator.

Direct: "Don't tell anyone my secret formula," ordered Fred.
Reported: Fred ordered me not to tell anyone his secret formula.

Suggestions

Direct: "You should try our famous rain fragrance," suggested the shop assistant.
Reported: The shop assistant suggested that I try their fragrance.

Active to Passive Voice

The passive voice is used when the focus is on the action rather than the doer of the action. The structure typically involves a form of 'to be' + past participle.

• Simple Present: is/are + participle
• Present Continuous: is/are + being + participle
• Simple Past: was/were + participle
• Past Continuous: was/were + being + participle
• Present Perfect: have/has been + participle
• Past Perfect: had been + past participle
• Future Perfect: will + have + been + participle
• Future Simple: will/going to + be + participle
• Modals: modal + be + participle

Impersonal Passive

The impersonal passive is commonly used to report general beliefs or opinions without specifying who holds them. There are two main structures:

1. It + verb in passive + that-clause.
2. Subject + verb in passive + infinitive.

Example: They believe that he is having an affair with a model.

• 1. It is believed that he is having an affair with a model.
• 2. He is believed to be having an affair with a model.

Have Something Done (Causative)

This structure is used when you arrange for someone else to do something for you.

Structure: have (in various tenses: have, had, will have) + something + past participle.

Example: His teeth are checked twice a year. → He has his teeth checked twice a year.

Passives with Direct and Indirect Objects

When a verb has both a direct and an indirect object, either can become the subject of a passive sentence.

Example: Rachel will give you some advice.

• You will be given some advice by Rachel. (Indirect object as subject)
• Some advice will be given to you by Rachel. (Direct object as subject)

Conditional Sentences

Conditional sentences express a condition and its result. There are four main types:

• Type 0: General Truth (If + Present Simple, Present Simple)
• Type 1: Future Possibility (If + Present Simple, Will + Base Verb)
• Type 2: Imaginary Situation in Present (If + Past Simple, Would + Base Verb)
• Type 3: Unreal Situation in Past (If + Past Perfect, Would Have + Past Participle)

Time Clauses

Time clauses indicate when something happens. They often use conjunctions like 'as soon as', 'by the time', 'until', and 'when'.

Structure: Time Expression (e.g., when, as soon as) + Present Simple, Will + Base Verb (for future events).

Wish Clauses

Wish clauses express desires or regrets.

• 1. Present Situation: Wish + Past Simple (to express a wish about a present situation that is not true)
• 2. Regret about Past Action: Wish + Past Perfect (to express regret about something that happened or didn't happen in the past)
• 3. Something to Happen in Future: Wish + Could/Would + Base Verb (to express a desire for a future change, often about someone else's action)

Connectors and Linking Words

Connectors are words or phrases that link ideas, sentences, or paragraphs, making the text flow smoothly.

Contrast

• In spite of, Despite (a pesar de) - followed by a noun or gerund.
• Although, Though, Even though (aunque) - followed by a sentence.
• Still, Yet, However (de todas maneras) - followed by a sentence.
• On the one hand... on the other hand... (por una banda... por otra banda...) - used to present contrasting points.
• While, Whereas (mientras que) - followed by a sentence, used for direct contrast.
• In contrast to, Contrary to, Unlike (al contrario de) - followed by a noun.
• On the contrary (al contrario) - followed by a sentence, used to contradict a previous statement.

Addition

• Besides (además) - followed by a sentence.
• Moreover, Furthermore, In addition (además) - followed by a sentence.
• As well as (así como también) - followed by a noun or gerund.
• Besides, In addition to (además de) - followed by a noun or gerund.
• Both... and... - connects two similar elements.
• Not only... but also... - emphasizes two elements, the second being more surprising.

Cause and Effect

• Because, As, Since (ya que) - followed by a sentence (cause).
• Because of, Due to (debido a) - followed by a noun (cause).
• Therefore, Thus (por tanto) - followed by a sentence (effect).
• As a result (of) (como resultado de) - 'of' is used before a noun, without 'of' before a sentence.

Purpose

• In order to, So as to (para) - followed by a base verb.
• So that, In order that (para que) - followed by a sentence (often with a modal verb like 'can' or 'may').

Example and Similarity

• For example, For instance (por ejemplo) - can introduce a sentence or a list.
• Such as, Like (tal como) - followed by a noun, used to introduce examples.
• Similarly (similarmente) - followed by a sentence.
• Like, Just like (como, igual que) - followed by a noun.

Conclusion and Opinion

• In conclusion, To sum up (resumiendo) - followed by a sentence.
• Apart from, Except (for) (aparte de, excepto) - followed by a noun.
• I believe that (creo que) - followed by a sentence.
• I'm against (estoy en contra de) - followed by a noun or gerund.
• In my opinion, Obviously (en mi opinión, obviamente) - followed by a sentence.