Overview
This lecture provides an overview of English grammar topics covered in "English Grammar in Use," focusing on key verb tenses, forms, and important grammar points for intermediate learners.
Present & Past Tenses
- Present continuous: am/is/are + -ing for actions happening now or around now (e.g., I am studying).
- Present simple: base verb (add -s for he/she/it) for routines, facts, or general truths (e.g., She works, The sun rises).
- Use present continuous for temporary actions and changes; present simple for permanent situations and repeated actions.
- Past simple: verb + -ed for regular verbs; irregular verbs change form (e.g., went, saw, wrote).
- Past continuous: was/were + -ing for ongoing past actions (e.g., I was reading at 8 PM).
- Present perfect: have/has + past participle for experiences and results connected to the present (e.g., I have finished).
- Present perfect continuous: have/has been + -ing for actions continuing up to now or recently stopped.
Verb Patterns & Modals
- Some verbs take -ing (enjoy doing, avoid doing); others take to + infinitive (want to go, decide to leave).
- Modal verbs (can, could, must, should, may, might, would, will, etc.) express ability, permission, obligation, advice, requests, predictions, etc.
Nouns, Articles, and Quantifiers
- Countable nouns: can be singular or plural (a book, books); uncountable nouns do not have plural forms (water, advice).
- Use a/an for singular countable nouns when mentioning for the first time.
- The for specific or previously mentioned items or when there is only one (the sun, the city center).
- Use some/any, much/many, a lot, few/little, for expressing quantity.
Pronouns & Determiners
- Myself, yourself, themselves, etc.: reflexive forms.
- Each other/one another: reciprocal actions.
- Possessives: my own, your own, a friend of mine.
- Use all, every, each, none, both, either, neither with appropriate noun forms.
Relative Clauses
- Who, which, that, whose, where introduce extra or identifying information about nouns (the man who called, the book that I read).
- Use commas for extra (non-defining) clauses; none for identifying (defining) clauses.
Adjectives, Adverbs, Comparisons
- Adjective order: opinion before fact (a beautiful old house).
- Use -ing for something causing a feeling (boring), -ed for feeling (bored).
- Adverbs often end with -ly (quickly), but some adjectives/adverbs look the same (fast, hard).
- Comparative: -er/more, Superlative: -est/most.
- Use as ... as for equality; not as ... as for difference.
Prepositions & Phrasal Verbs
- Use at/on/in for time and place (at 5 o'clock, in London, on Monday).
- Common prepositions after verbs and adjectives (afraid of, think about, listen to).
- Phrasal verbs: verb + particle (look after, turn on, take off), often with special meanings.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review Study Guide (p. 326) to identify units to focus on.
- Complete exercises following each unit for practice.
- Use the Answer Key to check understanding.
- Refer to Appendices for irregular verbs, spelling, and American/British differences.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Present Simple — verb tense for habits and facts.
- Present Continuous — verb tense for ongoing actions.
- Past Simple — verb tense for completed past actions.
- Present Perfect — tense connecting past actions to present.
- Modal Verbs — verbs expressing ability, permission, advice, necessity, etc.
- Countable Nouns — nouns with singular/plural forms.
- Uncountable Nouns — nouns without plural form.
- Relative Clause — clause giving additional information about a noun.
- Reflexive Pronoun — pronoun ending in -self/-selves referring back to the subject.
- Comparative/Superlative — forms showing comparison (bigger, the biggest).
- Phrasal Verb — verb plus preposition/adverb with special meaning.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Use the study guide to select relevant units for review.
- Practice with provided exercises and check answers.
- Explore appendices for verb forms and common grammar issues.