GRAMMAR

1. Verb tenses review

1.-INTRODUCCIN

In this lesson we are reviewing some of the different verb tenses that we have in
English, such as simple present, present progressive, simple past, past progressive and
simple present perfect.
Regarding verb tenses, we have to take into account that, in many cases, they will not
have a direct translation into Spanish, so we better learn to think like a native speaker,
rather than translate from one language into the other.
Finally, there are some words which require a certain verb tense, we call them signal
words and they will indicate us the right verb tense to use.

2.-EXPLICACIN
Simple present:
Signal words
Every day, usually, sometimes, seldom, always, never, often, firstthen

Use:

Something happens repeatedly.

How often something happens.
One action follows another.
When something is generally true
Future meaning: timetable, programmes

Form:

Infinitive he/she/ it

verb+-s

Examples:

Examples affirmatives
I work/ he works
I go/ he goes

Example negatives:
I dont work/He doesnt work
I dont go/ He doesnt go

Example interrogative:
Do I work?/ Does he work?
Do I go?/ Does he go?

Present progressive:
Signal words:
Now, at the moment, look, listen

Use:

Something is happening at the same time of speaking or around it

Future meaning: when you have already decided and arranged to do it ( a fixed plan, a date)

Form:

To be (am/are/is) + infinitive + -ing

Examples:

Examples affirmative:
Im working/ hes working
Im going/ hes going

Example negative:
Im not working/ he isnt working
Im not going/ he isnt going

Example interrogative:
Am I working?/Is he working?
Am I going?/Is he going?
Incluid pginas de la 1 a la 5 del siguiente enlace:

Simple past:
Signal words:
Last, ago, in 1990, yesterday.

Use:

The action took place in the past. It is normally followed by a expression of time (no
connection to the present).

Form:

Regular: Infinitive + -ed

Irregular: (second column of the list of irregular verbs)

Examples:

Examples affirmative:
I worked/He worked
I went/ he went

Example negative:
I didnt work/ he didnt work
I didngo/ he didnt go

Example interrogative:
Did I work?/ Did he work?
Did I go?/ Did he go?

Past progressive:
Signal words:
While

Use:

An action happened in the middle of another action

Someone was doing something at a certain time (in the past) you dont know whether it was
finished or not.

Form:

Was/were + infinitive + -ing

Examples:
Examples affirmative:
I was working/He was working
I was going/ he was going
Example negative:
I wasnt working/ he wasnt working
I wasnt going/ he wasnt going
Example interrogative:
Was I working?/ Was he working?
Was I going? / Was he going?

Simple present perfect

Signal words:
Just, already, for, yet, so far, recently, never, up to now, ever, since.

Use:

Something has happened in the past and it has a connection to the present

Action started in the past and continues up to the present.

Form:

Have/has +past participle*

*(infinitive + -ed) or (3rd column of the table of irregular verbs)

Examples:
Examples affirmative:
I have worked/ he has worked
I have gone/ he has gone
Example negative:
I havent worked/ he hasnt worked
I havent gone/ he hasnt gone
Example interrogative:
Have I worked? / Has he worked?
Have I gone?/ Has he gone?

2. Indefinite pronouns

1.-INTRODUCCIN

Indefinite pronouns are those pronouns which do not refer to a specific definitething, person or amount.
In this lesson, we are going to study those indefinite pronouns which are compound
words of some, any and no, which follow the same grammatical rules as these ones,
plus others.

Examples:

Somebody has knocked the door

You cant do anything for him

I went nowhere on Friday

Finally, we have to take into account that some of these indefinite pronouns are
singular, others are plural, and some of them can be singular or plural depending on
the context.

2.-EXPLICACIN
One type of indefinite pronouns is formed by two elements, one of which is some, any or no,
so in general they behave the same way as they do. Pay attention to the meaning of these
compound words, which varies depending on the use of them in affirmative, negative or
interrogative sentences.

Compound words of some

Somebody/ Someone (Alguien)

Somebodys at the door
Someone called you last night
Something (algo)
Theres something for you
Ive got something you want
Somewhere (En algn lugar):
We will go somewhere nice this summer
Shed like to go somewhere quiet
-

Compound words of any

Anyone/ Anybody (nadie en frases negativas) (alguien en frases interrogativas):

I couldnt see anybody in the dark
She doesnt know anyone here
Anything (nada en frases negativas) (algo en frases interrogativas)
They dont want anything
Did she like anything?
Anywhere (En ningn lugar en frases negativas) (en algn lugar en frases interrogativas)
Did you go anywhere in vacation?
We dont want to go anywhere.
- Compound words of no
Nobody/ No one (nadie):
Nobody came
No one is here

Nothing (nada):
Theres nothing to do
Nothings arrived

Nowhere (En ningn lugar):

Nowhere is good enough for him.
Theres nowhere she wants to go.

Notice that in English there cannot be two negations in the same sentence. In this way, in
Spanish you can say: No tengo nada que decir, but in English it would be: I dont have
anything to say or I have nothing to say

See that with somebody/someone/everybody/everyone we have a special feature: in general,

they are usually followed by a verb in singular form:

Nobody has come

Someone is here

However, when we have to use an object pronoun to substitute one of these indefinite
pronouns, we have to use a plural object pronoun, them, and not a singular pronoun such as
him, her or it, as you can see in the following example:

Someone has called.

Tell them Ill be up in five minutes.

On the other hand, we have the following indefinite pronouns: Everyone, everybody,
everything and everywhere. We use them to refer to a total number of people, things and
places. Notice that they are written as one single word and they are singular pronouns.

Examples:

Everybody Todo el mundo

Everybody calls me Ann.

LOCUTAR

Everyone Todo el mundo

Everyone wants to go to the cinema

LOCUTAR

Everything todo

I have bought everything we need.

LOCUTAR

Everywhere todas partes

I would like to go everywhere

LOCUTAR

Finally, other indefinite pronouns are:

1. Indefinite pronouns used in singular:

another otro

That cake was delicious. May I have another?

each cada

This is not your bed. Each has his own.

either cualquiera (de los dos), ninguno (de los dos)(in negative sentences)
Would you like wine or beer? Either is good for me
enough suficiente

Enough is enough

less menos

The cook used too much oil. Id have used less

little poco

Little is known about the crime

much mucho Much must be explained about that issue

neither ninguno

Neither is good for me.

One uno

One never knows what to say in that situation

Other otro

This is a long film, the other is shorter

You* t

You never know how to react

* In this case it refers to an unidentified person

2. Indefinite pronouns used in plural:

Both ambos

I love the sea and the mountain. Both are fantastic.

Few pocos

Few have agreed with the manager on that issue.

Many muchos

Many voted for the conservative candidate

Others otros

Im sure that others have arrived in the island before

Several varios

Politicians started to shout and several left the room

They* ellos

They say that too much sugar is harmful

*In this case they refer to unidentified people.

3. Indefinite pronouns used in singular or plural:

All todo(s)

All is forgotten /
All have arrived

Any algo/alguno

Is any left?
Are any coming?

More ms

There is more on that table

More are coming

Most la mayora/ la mayor parte

Most is lost

Most have refused

None nada, ninguno
There is not any coffee, why havent you bought none?
I invited ten people but none have come
Such tal

He is a native and he must be paid as such

They are guests and they must be treated as such.

3. First and second conditionals

1.-INTRODUCCIN
If I were you, I would study English.

The conditionals are those structures in English in which, if a certain situation,

condition or circumstance is true, then a specific result occurs.
In English, there exist four types of conditionals, called zero conditional, first
conditional, second conditional, and third conditional.
In this lesson we are going to study the First and Second conditional, which structure
you can see in the following examples:

If I save enough money, I will travel to London for New Years Eve. (first conditional)
If you studied harder, you would pass the exams (second conditional)

2.-EXPLICACIN

1st Conditional

It is used to express a situation which is very probable that happens as the result of another
action.
If+ Present simple + Future simple
If you study English you will have more job offers
trabajo

If she comes, we will enjoy ourselves

Si estudias ingles tendrs ms ofertas de

Si ella viene nos lo pasaremos muy bien

2nd Conditional

If + past simple + would sentence

It is used when a situation is hypothetical or it is not very probable that it occurs.
If the students had a dictionary, they would look up all these words Si los alumnos tuvieran
diccionario buscaran todas estas palabras
If I won the lottery, I would travel around the world
del mundo

Si me tocara la lotera viajara alrededor

Were can be used with the first and third person singular of the verb to be, although
was is more frequent.
If were/ was ill, I would be at home

Si estuviera enfermo estara en casa

But in the expression If I were you, you can only use were.
If I were you I would buy this car and not that.--> si yo fuera tu comprara este coche y no
aquel.