Mastering English Grammar: Key Concepts and Examples

Have/Get Something Done: Subject + have/get (in the appropriate tense) + object + past participle

Should Have Done: (have + past participle) It’s raining; I should have taken an umbrella.

The guest is very angry; the receptionist should have apologized.

The chambermaid shouldn’t have left the door unlocked.

The travel agent shouldn’t have recommended that package tour.

Should have been + past participle

The shuttle bus should have been repaired.

The carpet should have been vacuumed.

But (“pero”): The weather was awful, but the tourists went to the beach.

Although, Though, and Even Though: Although/Though the weather was awful, the tourists went to the beach.

The weather was awful. The tourists went to the beach, though.

Even though the weather was awful, the tourists went to the beach.

In Spite Of and Despite (“a pesar de”): The tourists went to the beach in spite of/despite the awful weather.

Despite feeling tired, he continued driving.

Although he felt tired, he continued driving.

On the Other Hand and However: The city is very lively in summer. On the other hand, it’s really boring in winter. The old town has lovely cafés; however, they’re very expensive.

Whereas/While: The south of the island has lots of apartments and hotels; the north only has hotels.

Just As: An airline will offer a better quality service to first-class passengers; we will provide a higher standard for our important guests.

Like: The British, the Australians speak British English.

Unlike: Two-star hotels usually lack satellite TV in all the rooms, while four-star hotels typically have it.

Clear and Bright: claro y brillante Mostly Cloudy: mayormente nublado Heavy Rain: lluvias fuertes, Showers: chubascos, Light Rain: lluvia ligera Light Winds: viento ligero, Overcast: nublado, Strong Wind: viento fuerte, Sunny: soleado Intervals: intervalos/Spells: Thundery Storm: tormenta eléctrica Fog: niebla Misty: brumoso

Relative Sentences: Peter, who is Polish, works as a bellboy.

Peter, who works as a bellboy, is Polish.

a. The village where I was born has changed a lot.

Burlington Town, where I was born, has changed a lot.

We use whose in relative clauses instead of his, her, their, etc., to talk about possession. For example:

The guests whose cases got lost were very angry.

The group whose tour leader is Mary should wait in the lobby at 8 p.m.

We very rarely use whom, especially in conversation. It can be used instead of who when it is the object of the verb in the relative clause. For example:

The Spanish guest whom I saw by the pool this morning has stayed here before.

Catch or Take un transporte

Leave--Arrive At (a la ciudad) in (en un lugar concreto) Italia

so + adjetivo/adverbio: We had such lovely weather.

such + (adjetivo) + noun: The weather was so warm.

- Isn’t there? - Have they? - Couldn't we? - Can she? - Shall we? - Will you? - Didn’t they? - Is he? - Haven’t you? - Can it? - Won’t you? / Can you? / Would you? - Had they? - Did they?