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Focus your efforts on grammar points that you can use again and again in your conversations. The most important are NOUNS,
VERBS and ASKING QUESTIONS.
Do not worry so much about English prepositions, transitive and intransitive verbs, phrasal verbs, etc. These are details that you
will master in time. You should focus first on sentence patterns that you can use over and over again.
1) Yes/No Questions - Listen carefully to these questions, then use the same question words when you answer.
1. Do or Did
Do you like pizza? Yes I do.
2. Can
Can you play the piano? No I can't.
3. Be(Is/Are/Was/Were)
Are you from Singapore?
Were you at home last night?
4. Will
Will you come here tomorrow?
5. Have + past participle
Have you seen any good movies lately?
2) Wh- Questions - use a Wh- question word with a Yes/No question word.
1. Who
Who is your favorite singer?
2. What
What kind of music do you like?
3. When
When will you finish your work?
4. Where
Where can I buy a good suit?
5. Why + past participle
Why didn't you call me last week?
6. How + past participle
How can we get to the supermarket from here?
How long does it take to get there?
How far is it from here?
4) Perfect Continuous had been walking have been walking will have been walking
Tenses
Sample Sentences:
1) Simple Tenses describe actions that are only one moment in time.
2) Continuous Tenses describe actions that continue, then another action happens more quickly.
He is walking to school now, but you can find him if you hurry.
I will be walking to school this time next week, so you will be able to find me easily.
3) Perfect Tenses describe TWO moments in time, with emphasis on the second one.
I had walked halfway to school before I remembered that I didn't have my books.
I have always walked to school. (Emphasis is not spoken! It is on the experience I have now - I
am a person NOW who walks, not drives or takes a bus or rides a bicycle.)
By the time the year is over, I will have walked a total of 300 kilometers!
4) Perfect Continuous Tenses describe actions that continue between TWO moments in time.
I had already been walking halfway to school when I remembered that I left my book at home.
When I finish high school, I will have been walking to school for 12 years!
a girl
a girl who likes basketball
a girl who is good at basketball
a girl who is quite good at basketball
a girl who is quite good at shooting a basketball
There are many kinds of noun phrases. By reading and listening to English as often as you can, you will learn to
use these kinds of phrases naturally and easily. Good luck!