Grammer Flashcards
Present perfect
- We use the present perfect:
.for something that started in the past and continues in the present:
*They’ve been married for nearly fifty years.
*She has lived in Liverpool all her life.
.when we are talking about our experience up to the present:
*I’ve seen that film before.
*I’ve played the guitar ever since I was a teenager.
-We often use the adverb (ever) to talk about experience up to the present:
*My last birthday was the worst day I have ever had.
-and we use (never) for the negative form:
*Have you ever met George? Yes, but I’ve never met his wife.
-for something that happened in the past but is important in the present:
*I can’t get in the house. I’ve lost my keys.
*Teresa isn’t at home. I think she has gone shopping.
(The present perfect simple usually focuses on the result of the activity in some way)
Present perfect
(have been and have gone)
-We use have/has been when someone has gone to a place and returned:
*A: Where have you been?
B: I’ve just been out to the supermarket.
*A: Have you ever been to San Francisco?
B: No, but I’ve been to Los Angeles.
-But when someone has not returned, we use have/has gone:
*A: Where’s Maria? I haven’t seen her for weeks.
B: She’s gone to Paris for a week. She’ll be back tomorrow.
Present perfect
(Present perfect with time adverbials)
-We often use the present perfect with adverbials which refer to the recent past:
recently /just/only just
*Scientists have recently discovered a new breed of monkey.
*We have just got back from our holidays.
-or adverbials which include the present:
so far (تاکنون) / until now / up to now
ever (in questions)
yet (in questions and negatives)
*Have you ever seen a ghost?
*Where have you been up to now?
*A: Have you finished your homework yet?
B: No, so far I’ve only done my history.
-After a clause with the present perfect we often use a clause with since to show when something started in the past:
*I’ve worked here since I left school.
*I’ve been watching that programme every week since it started.
Be careful!
-We do not use the present perfect with adverbials which refer to a finished past time:
yesterday/
last week/month/year
in 2017/when I was younger/etc.
*I have seen that film (yesterday).
-but we can use the present perfect with adverbials which refer to a time which is not yet finished:
today
this week/month/year
now that I am 18/etc.
*Have you seen Helen today?
*We have bought a new car this week.
Present perfect continuous
-The present perfect continuous is formed with have/has been and the -ing form of the verb.
We normally use the present perfect continuous to emphasise that something is still continuing in the present:
*She has been living in Liverpool all her life.
*It’s been raining for hours.
*I’m tired out. I’ve been working all day.
-We do not normally use the present perfect continuous with stative verbs. We use the present perfect simple instead:
I’ve always (been liking) liked John.
(the present perfect continuous usually focuses on the activity itself in some way. )
Present perfect for future
We normally use the present simple to talk about the future in clauses with before, after, until, etc.:
*I’ll keep looking until I find my book.
*We’ll begin when everyone arrives.
-but we can also use the present perfect:
*I’ll keep looking until I have found my book.
*We’ll begin when everyone has arrived.
Present perfect simple and continuous
- We use both the present perfect simple (have or has + past participle) and the present perfect continuous (have or has + been + -ing form) to talk about past actions or states which are still connected to the present.
-The present perfect simple usually focuses on the result of the activity in some way, and the present perfect continuous usually focuses on the activity itself in some way.
Present perfect simple/Present perfect continuous
Focuses on the result / Focuses on the activity
You’ve cleaned the bathroom! It looks lovely!/ I’ve been gardening. It’s so nice out there.
Says ‘how many’ / Says ‘how long’
She’s read ten books this summer. /
She’s been reading that book all day.
Describes a completed action /
Describes an activity which may continue.
I’ve written you an email. /
I’ve been writing emails.
—/When we can see evidence(شواهد و مدارک) of recent activity.
—/The grass looks wet. Has it been raining?
(Ongoing(در دست اقدام) states and actions)
-We often use for, since and how long with the present perfect simple to talk about ongoing states.
*How long have you known each other?
*We’ve known each other since we were at school.
-We often use for, since and how long with the present perfect continuous to talk about ongoing single or repeated actions.
*How long have they been playing tennis?
*They’ve been playing tennis for an hour.
*They’ve been playing tennis every Sunday for years.
-Sometimes the present perfect continuous can emphasise(تایید کردن) that a situation is temporary.
*I usually go to the gym on the High Street, but it’s closed for repairs at the moment so I’ve been going to the one in the shopping centre.
past perfect
-We use the past perfect simple (had + past participle) to talk about time up to a certain point in the past.
*She’d published her first poem by the time she was eight.
((Past perfect for the earlier of two past actions))
-We can use the past perfect to show the order of two past events. The past perfect shows the earlier action and the past simple shows the later action.
*When the police arrived, the thief had escaped.
-It doesn’t matter in which order we say the two events. The following sentence has the same meaning.
*The thief had escaped when the police arrived.
-Note that if there’s only a single event, we don’t use the past perfect, even if it happened a long time ago.
*The Romans spoke Latin. (NOT The Romans had spoken Latin.)
((Past perfect after before))
-We can also use before + past perfect to show that an action was not done or was incomplete when the past simple action happened.
*They left before I’d spoken to them.
*Sadly, the author died before he’d finished the series.
((Adverbs))
-We often use the adverbs already (= ‘before the specified time’), still (= as previously), just (= ‘a very short time before the specified time’), ever (= ‘at any time before the specified time’) or never (= ‘at no time before the specified time’) with the past perfect.
I called his office but he’d already left.
It still hadn’t rained at the beginning of May.
I went to visit her when she’d just moved to Berlin.
It was the most beautiful photo I’d ever seen.
Had you ever visited London when you moved there?
I’d never met anyone from California before I met Jim
Passives
-We use the passive voice to change the focus of the sentence.
*My bike was stolen. (passive – focus on my bike)
*Someone stole my bike. (active – focus on someone)
-We often use the passive:
. when we prefer not to mention who or what does the action (for example, it’s not known, it’s obvious or we don’t want to say)
. so that we can start a sentence with the most important or most logical information
. in more formal or scientific writing.
passive
((How we make the passive))
-We make the passive using the verb be + past participle. We start the sentence with the object.
*Avatar was directed by James Cameron.
↓ ↓ ↓
Object + be + past participle
-It is not always necessary to add who or what did the action.
*My flight is cancelled.
↓ ↓ ↓
Object + be + past participle
-Only the form of be changes to make the tense. The past participle stays the same. Here are examples of the passive in its most common tenses.
*Present simple: Alioli is made from oil, garlic and salt. (is/are + past participle)
*Present continuous: The hall is being painted this week. (is/are being + past participle)
- Past simple: John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. (was/were + past participle)
*Past continuous: The signs were being put up last week.(was/were being + past participle)
*Present perfect: Oranges have been grown here for centuries.(has/have been + past participle)
*Past perfect: When he got home, he found that his flat had been burgled. (had been + past participle)
*Future simple:The work will be finished next week. (will be + past participle)
First conditional
(real conditional)
[If + simple present, will(won’t, might/could/going to + base verb]
-The first conditional shows a likely or possible outcome that will probably happen if a certain condition id met.
*If it’s sunny tomorrow, they will go to the beach.
*They will go to the beach if it’s sunny tomorrow.
—
Negative verbs:
*If I don’t pass this test, my parents will be very angry.
*If I forget to water the plants, they won’t ( will not) survive.
*If I’m not late for work again, I won’t have to look for another job.
—
all have same meaning:
* If it doesn’t rain, we will go for a walk. (will+ V)
*If it doesn’t rain, we are going to go for a walk. (be going to+ V)
*If it doesn’t rain, we are going for a walk. ( be+ -ing V)
—
Second conditional
(Unreal conditional)
[If + past , would(wouldn’t, might, could)+ verb]
-Use this conditional to show an unlikely or impossible outcome that probably wouldn’t happen (unless a specific condition were met.)
Unlikely situation:
*If he won the lottery, he would quit his job.
*He would quit his job if he won the lottery.
—
Impossible situation :
*If I had wings, I would fly to Antarctica .
*I would fly to Antarctica If I had wings.
Other words to introduce a condition:
We can use other words such as [When , provided that, in case , so/as long as and unless] instead of if in zero , first and second conditional sentences.
[When ; as soon as]
-We use When and As soon as instead of if to show that something is more likely:
*I’ll give you a lift into town if I finish my work in time.( =I am not sure if I will be able to give you a lift.)
*I’ll give you a lift into town when/as soon as I finish this work.(= I will give you a lift)
[unless]
-We use unless to show a negative condition, with a similar meaning to if…not :
*You won’t earn much interest unless you invest it properly.
[Provided / providing that ; so/ as long as]:
These phrases can be used instead of if for emphasis. Provided/providing that are more common in written than spoken English:
*You won’t lose any money provided that you think of it as a long-term investment.( = if you think)
* As long as you get a second-hand car, you should still be able to invest some money. (= if you get)
[in case]:
We use in case to talk about precaution. Compare:
* You should keep this reference number in case there are any problem. ( = keep the reference number because there might be problem later.)
* You should quote this reference number if there are any problems. ( = quote this reference number at the time of any problems)
!! We don’t usually start a sentence with in case.
Third conditional
If + had + p.p , would + have + p.p
-Use this conditional to show a past regret or different outcome that would have happened if specific condition had been met.
- If I had remembered to call my friend last night, she wouldn’t have sent me an angry text message .
*My friend wouldn’t have sent me an angry text message if I had remembered to call her last night.
Present Simple
-Used for habits, general truths, and current states.
Structure
subject + base verb (e.g., I walk, she sings) or subject + do/does + base verb (e.g., Do you walk? Does she sing?)
Present Continuous
-Used for actions happening now, temporary situations, and future plans.
Structure:
subject + be + base verb + -ing (e.g., I am walking, she is singing) or subject + be + not + base verb + -ing (e.g., I am not walking, she is not singing)
