Key English Modals, Phrasal Verbs, and Grammar

Modal Verbs: Usage and Meaning

Ability and Permission

• Can: Expresses ability in the present.
• Could: Expresses ability in the past.
• Be able to: Used for other tenses (e.g., future, perfect).
• Be allowed to: Indicates that permission is given.

Possibility and Deduction

• May, Might, Could: Express present or future possibility.
• May not, Might not: Express negative possibility.
• Can't: Used to state something is impossible.
• Must, Can't: Used for logical deductions.

Obligation and Necessity

• Must, Have to: Express obligation.
• Needn't, Don't have to: Express lack of obligation.
• Need: Primarily used in negative and interrogative sentences.
• Need to: Used in affirmative sentences to express a necessity.
• Ought to, Should, Shouldn't: Used for recommendations or advice.

Essential English Vocabulary

Education and Life Stages

Key Terms for Learning

• Pay attention: To focus on something.
• Take (an exam/a course): To participate in or enroll in.
• Work hard: To put a lot of effort into something.
• Take breaks: To pause from work or study.
• Test: An assessment of knowledge or ability.
• Revise exams: To study again for tests.
• Practise: To perform an activity repeatedly to improve.
• Concentrate: To focus all one's attention on something.
• Organize: To arrange or put in order.
• Remember: To recall information or events.

Common Phrasal Verbs

• Back up: To support or make a copy of data.
• Bring about: To cause something to happen.
• Bring up: To educate a child or to mention a topic.
• Carry on: To continue doing something.
• Carry out: To perform or complete a task.
• Cheer up: To become happier or make someone happier.
• Die out: To become extinct or disappear.
• Drift apart: To gradually become less close to someone.
• Find out: To discover information.
• Get away: To escape.
• Get away with: To avoid punishment or consequences for something.
• Get over: To recover from an illness or difficult experience.
• Get rid of: To eliminate or dispose of something.
• Get through: To pass through or complete something difficult.
• Give away: To give something for free or reveal a secret.
• Give up: To stop trying or abandon a habit.
• Knock down: To demolish a building or hit someone with a vehicle.
• Look into: To investigate or examine something.
• Put up with: To tolerate something or someone.
• Take after: To resemble a parent or older relative.
• Catch up on: To do something that should have been done earlier.
• Check through: To examine something carefully.
• Keep up: To maintain the same pace or level.
• Come across: To find something by chance or make a particular impression.
• Get on with: To continue doing something or have a good relationship with someone.
• Leave out: To omit or exclude something.
• Turn down: To refuse an offer, reject a person, or reduce volume/heat.

Film and Book Terminology

Adjectives

• Action-adventure
• Animated
• Classic
• Crime
• Fantasy
• Horror
• Romantic
• Science fiction
• Dark

Genres (Nouns)

• Comedy
• Musical
• Period drama
• Realistic drama
• Thriller

Strong and Weak Adjectives

• Good (Weak) - Fantastic (Strong)
• Interesting (Weak) - Fascinating (Strong)
• Funny (Weak) - Hilarious (Strong)
• Boring (Weak) - Mind-numbing (Strong)
• Attractive (Weak) - Stunning (Strong)
• Bad (Weak) - Terrible (Strong)
• Frightening (Weak) - Terrifying (Strong)
• Surprising (Weak) - Shocking (Strong)

Common Collocations: Take, Make, Do

• Take a... (e.g., take a break, take a photo, take a shower)
• Make a... (e.g., make a decision, make a mistake, make a noise)
• Do... (e.g., do homework, do business, do the dishes)

Grammar Essentials

Relative Pronouns

• Who: Used for people.
• Which: Used for animals and objects.
• That: Used for people, animals, and objects.
• Whose: Indicates possession.
• Where: Refers to places.
• When: Refers to time.
• Why: Refers to reasons.
• What: Refers to things or ideas.

Defining and Non-Defining Relative Clauses

• Non-Defining Clauses: Provide extra information and are separated by commas.
• Defining Clauses: Provide essential information and are not separated by commas.