Grammar Flashcards
Simple Present
Daily habits, usual activities, fact
Used for events or situations that exist always, usually or habitually in the past, present and future
Ann takes a shower every day
Babies cry. Birds fly
It doesn’t snow in São Paulo
Does the teacher speak slowly?
Present Progressive
Activity that is in progress, it’s happening right now
The event is in progress at the time the speaker is saying the sentence.
I am reading my flashcards right now.
The babies are crying.
It isn’t snowing right now.
Is the teacher speaking right now?
Simple Past
Used to talk about activities or situations that began and ended in the past.
Most of them are formed by adding -Ed to a verb.
Simple past of past forms of be are was and were.
Mary walked downtown yesterday.
I slept for eight hours last night.
I was busy yesterday.
They were at home last night.
Simple Past and Past Progressive
Express an activity that was in progress at a point of time in the past or at the time of another action.
I was sleeping when the phone rang.
I was eating dinner when Tom came.
While Robert was sleeping, his cell phone rang.
When Robert cell phone rang he was sleeping.
Time clauses
After
Before
Until
As soon as
While
When
Expressing past time using time clauses
After I finished my work, I went to bed.
I went to bed after I finished my work.
Before I went to bed, i finished my work.
I finished my work before I went to bed.
As soon as I finished my work, I went to bed.
I went to bed as soon as I finished my work.
Expressing past habit: Used to
Used to express a past situation or habit that no longer exists at present.
Either
ANY
I have a blue pen and a black pen. You can have either one.
I’m free on Tuesday or Wednesday. Either day is great for me.
OR
I think he’s either Italian or Greek.
We can either have dinner here or we can go out.
Do either of you have any gum?
Neither
NONE
Neither of these pens are working.
Did you see Tom or Mike at the meeting? No neither of them were there.
NOR
She is vegan. She eats neither meat nor dairy.
NOT + EITHER
I tried to learn French and Italian but I couldn’t learn either.
I tried to learn French and Italian but I learned neither.
Used to
Used to expresses a past situation or habit that no longer exists at present.
I used to live with my parents. Now I live in my own apartment.
Did you use(d) to live in Paris?
I never used to drink coffee at breakfast, but now I always have coffee in the morning.
Sleep in
Sleep late; not wake up early in the morning.
I’m not going to sleep in tomorrow morning.
Be going to
We are going to be late.
She’s going to come tomorrow.
Am I going to be late?
Are they going to be late?
He is not going to be late.
They are not going to be late.
We’re gonna be late!
Certainty about the future
100% sure
I will be in class tomorrow
I’m going to be in class tomorrow.
90% sure
Alex will probably be in class tomorrow.
Alex probably won’t be in class tomorrow.
- affirmative: helping verb + probably
negative: probably + helping verb
50% sure
Alex may come to class tomorrow.
Maybe Alex will come to class
**
Maybe comes at the beginning of a sentence
Be going to vs. will
Predictions: Will or be going to
She is going to succeed because she works hard.
She will succeed because she works hard.
Prior plan: Be going to
I bought some wood because I am going to build a bookcase for my apartment.
Decision made at the moment: Will
This chair is too heavy for you to carry alone. I’ll help you.
Future in time clauses and if-clauses
Before
After
When
As soon as
Until
While
+ subject + verb = a time clause
Use simple present
After he finishes high school, he will go to college.
Before I go to class tomorrow, I’m going to eat breakfast
I’m going to eat breakfast before I go to class tomorrow.
I’ll give Rita your message when I see her.
I’ll stay home until the rain stops.
If it rains tomorrow, I’m going to stay home.
