GRAMMAR

1. Verb tenses review

1.-INTRODUCCIÓN

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.-EXPLICACIÓN

Simple present:

Signal words

Every day, usually, sometimes, seldom, always, never, often, first…then

• 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 don’t work/He doesn’t work

I don’t go/ He doesn’t 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:

I’m working/ he’s working

I’m going/ he’s going

Example negative:

I’m not working/ he isn’t working

I’m not going/ he isn’t going

Example interrogative:

Am I working?/Is he working?

Am I going?/Is he going?

Incluid páginas 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 didn’t work/ he didn’t work

I didn’go/ he didn’t 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 don’t 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 wasn’t working/ he wasn’t working
I wasn’t going/ he wasn’t 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 haven’t worked/ he hasn’t worked
I haven’t gone/ he hasn’t gone

Example interrogative:
Have I worked? / Has he worked?
Have I gone?/ Has he gone?

2. Indefinite pronouns

1.-INTRODUCCIÓN

Indefinite pronouns are those pronouns which do not refer to a specific –definite-
thing, 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 can’t 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.-EXPLICACIÓN

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)

Somebody’s at the door
Someone called you last night

Something (algo)
There’s something for you
I’ve got something you want

Somewhere (En algún lugar):

We will go somewhere nice this summer
She’d like to go somewhere quiet

- Compound words of any

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

I couldn’t see anybody in the dark
She doesn’t know anyone here

Anything (nada en frases negativas) (algo en frases interrogativas)

They don’t want anything
Did she like anything?

Anywhere (En ningún lugar en frases negativas) (en algún lugar en frases interrogativas)

Did you go anywhere in vacation?

We don’t want to go anywhere.

- Compound words of no
Nobody/ No one (nadie):
Nobody came
No one is here
Nothing (nada):

There’s nothing to do

Nothing’s arrived

Nowhere (En ningún lugar):

Nowhere is good enough for him.

There’s 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 don’t 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 I’ll 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. I’d 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* “tú” 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” I’m 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 “más” There is more on that table

More are coming

Most “la mayoría/ la mayor parte” Most is lost

Most have refused

None “nada, ninguno”

There is not any coffee, why haven’t 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.-INTRODUCCIÓN

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 Year’s Eve. (first conditional)

If you studied harder, you would pass the exams (second conditional)

2.-EXPLICACIÓN

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 Si estudias ingles tendrás más ofertas de
trabajo

If she comes, we will enjoy ourselves 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 buscarían todas estas palabras

If I won the lottery, I would travel around the world Si me tocara la lotería viajaría alrededor
del mundo

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 estaría 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 compraría este coche y no
aquel.