ADJECTIVES

• Definition
• Adjectives are words that describe or
modify another person or thing in the
sentence. The Articles — a, an, and the
— are adjectives.
• the tall professor
• the lugubrious lieutenant
• a solid commitment
• a month's pay
• a six-year-old child
• the unhappiest, richest man
 Position of Adjectives
• Unlike Adverbs, which often seem capable of
popping up almost anywhere in a sentence,
adjectives nearly always appear immediately
before the noun or noun phrase that they modify.
Sometimes they appear in a string of adjectives,
and when they do, they appear in a set order
according to category. (See Below.) When
indefinite pronouns — such as something,
someone, anybody — are modified by an
adjective, the adjective comes after the pronoun:
• Anyone capable of doing something horrible to
someone nice should be punished.
Something wicked this way comes.
 Degrees of Adjectives

• Adjectives can express degrees of modification:

• Gladys is a rich woman, but Josie is richer than Gladys, and
Sadie is the richest woman in town.
• The degrees of comparison are known as the positive, the
comparative, and the superlative. (Actually, only the
comparative and superlative show degrees.) We use the
comparative for comparing two things and the superlative
for comparing three or more things. Notice that the word
than frequently accompanies the comparative and the word
the precedes the superlative. The inflected suffixes -er and
-est suffice to form most comparatives and superlatives,
although we need -ier and -iest when a two-syllable
adjective ends in y (happier and happiest); otherwise we
use more and most when an adjective has more than one
syllable.
 Formation of Comparative
Adjectives

• There are two ways to make or form

a comparative adjective:
• short adjectives: add "-er"
• long adjectives: use "more"
Some examples of short adjectives
• 1-syllable adjectives
• old, fast
• 2-syllable adjectives ending in -y; -ly; -ow; -le
• happy, easy, readysilly, hilly, holyhollow, shallow, mellowable,
simple, ripeNormal rule: add "-er"old > olderVariation: if the
adjective ends in -e, just add -rlate > laterVariation: if the
adjective ends in consonant, vowel, consonant, double the last
consonantbig > biggerVariation: if the adjective ends in -y,
change the y to ihappy > happierLong adjectives
• other 2-syllable adjectives
• modern, pleasant
• all adjectives of 3 or more syllables
• expensive, intellectualNormal rule: use "more" or “less”modern
> more modern
expensive > more expensiveinteresting > less interesting
 The following are some of the
adjectives with irregular forms
• good > better
• well (healthy) > better
• bad > worse
• far > farther/further

With some 2-syllable adjectives, we can use either

'-er' or 'more':
• quiet > quieter/more quiet
• clever > cleverer/more clever
• narrow > narrower/more narrow
• simple > simpler/more simple
 Use of Comparative Adjectives

• Comparative adjectives are used to compare

(only) 2 things. If both items of comparison are
mentioned in the sentence, the comparative
adjective is followed by "than".
• Examples:
• John is 1m 85. He is tall. But Chris is 1m 90. He
is taller than John.
• China is big, but Russia is bigger.
• I want to have a more powerful computer.
• Is Croatian more difficult than English?
• NOTE1: Although we use comparative adjectives
when talking about two things (not three or
more things), in fact one or both of the things
may be a group of things.
• Mt Everest is higher than all other mountains.
• There are hundreds of mountains, but we are still
comparing one thing (Mt Everest) to one other
thing (all other mountains).
• NOTE2: When we compare one thing with itself,
we do not use "the":
• England is coldest in winter. (not the coldest)
• My boss is most generous when we get a big
order. (not the most generous)
 Use of Superlative Adjectives

• We can use superlative adjectives when talking

about three or more things (not two things).
• John is 1m75. David is 1m80. Chris is 1m85.
Chris is the tallest.
• Canada, China and Russia are big countries. But
Russia is the biggest.
• Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the
world.
ADVERBS
z An adverb is a word that tells us more about a verb. It "qualifies" or
"modifies" a verb (The man ran quickly). In the following examples,
the adverb is in bold and the verb that it modifies is in italics.
z John speaks loudly. (How does John speak?)
z Afterwards she smoked a cigarette. (When did she smoke?)
z Mary lives locally. (Where does Mary live?)
z But adverbs can also modify adjectives (Tara is really beautiful), or
even other adverbs (It works very well). Look at these examples:
z Modify an adjective:
- He is really handsome. (How handsome is he?)
- That was extremely kind of you.
z Modify another adverb:
- She drives incredibly slowly. (How slowly does she drive?)
- He drives extremely fast.
ADVERB FORM
z We make many adverbs by adding -ly to an adjective, for example:
z quick (adjective) > quickly (adverb)
z careful (adjective) > carefully (adverb)
z beautiful (adjective) > beautifully (adverb)
z There are some basic rules about spelling for -ly adverbs. See the
table below:
z Adjective ending do this adjective adverb
z most adjectives add – ly quick quickly
-able or –ible change -e to –y regrettable regrettably
-y change -y to –il happy happily
-ic change -ic to –ically economic economically
Kinds of Adverbs
Here you can see the basic kinds of adverbs

z Adverbs of Manner
z Adverbs of Manner tell us the manner or way in which
something happens. They answer the question "how?".
Adverbs of Manner mainly modify verbs.
z He speaks slowly. (How does he speak?)
z They helped us cheerfully. (How did they help us?)
z James Bond drives his cars fast. (How does James Bond drive
his cars?)
z Adverbs of Place
z Adverbs of Place tell us the place where something happens.
They answer the question "where?". Adverbs of Place mainly
modify verbs.
z Please sit here. (Where should I sit?)
z They looked everywhere. (Where did they look?)
z Two cars were parked outside. (Where were two cars parked?)
z Adverbs of Time
z Adverbs of Time tell us something about the time that
something happens. Adverbs of Time mainly modify verbs.
z They can answer the question "when?":
z He came yesterday. (When did he come?)
z I want it now. (When do I want it?)
z Or they can answer the question "how often?":
z They deliver the newspaper daily. (How often do they deliver
the newspaper?)
z We sometimes watch a movie. (How often do we watch a
movie?)
z Adverbs of Degree
z Adverbs of Degree tell us the degree or extent to which
something happens. They answer the question "how much?" or
"to what degree?". Adverbs of Degree can modify verbs,
adjectives and other adverbs.
z She entirely agrees with him. (How much does she agree with
him?)
z Mary is very beautiful. (To what degree is Mary beautiful? How
beautiful is Mary?)
z He drove quite dangerously. (To what degree did he drive
dangerously? How dangerously did he drive?)
ADVERB POSITION

z When an adverb modifies a verb, there are usually 3 possible

positions within the sentence or clause:
z 1. FRONT - before subject Now I will read a book
z 2. MID - between subject + verb I often read books.
z 3. END - after verb/object I read books carefully.
z When an adverb modifies an adjective or
another adverb, it usually goes in front of the
word that it modifies, for example:
z She gave him a really dirty look.
z We quite often study English.
Adverbs of Frequency

z Adverbs of Frequency are Adverbs of Time that answer the

question "How frequently?" or "How often?". They tell us how
often something happens. Here are some examples:
z daily, weekly, yearly
z often, sometimes, rarely
z You probably see a difference between a) and b) above. With
words like daily we know exactly how often. The words in a)
describe definite frequency. On the other hand, words like
often give us an idea about frequency but they don't tell us
exactly. The words in b) describe indefinite frequency.
ARTICLES
z What is an article? Basically, an article is an adjective.
Like adjectives, articles modify nouns.
z English has two articles: the and a/an. The is used to
refer to specific or particular nouns; a/an is used to
modify non-specific or non-particular nouns. We call
the the definite article and a/an the indefinite article.
z the = definite article
z a/an = indefinite article
z For example, if I say, "Let's read the book," I mean a
specific book. If I say, "Let's read a book," I mean any
book rather than a specific book.
z Here's another way to explain it: The is used to refer to
a specific or particular member of a group. For
example, "I just saw the most popular movie of the
year." There are many movies, but only one particular
movie is the most popular. Therefore, we use the.
z "A/an" is used to refer to a non-specific or non-
particular member of the group. For example, "I would
like to go see a movie." Here, we're not talking about a
specific movie. We're talking about any movie. There
are many movies, and I want to see any movie. I don't
have a specific one in mind.
z Let's look at each kind of article a little more closely.
Indefinite Articles: a and an

z "A" and "an" signal that the noun modified is indefinite,

referring to any member of a group. For example:
z "My daughter really wants a dog for Christmas." This
refers to any dog. We don't know which dog because
we haven't found the dog yet.
z "Somebody call a policeman!" This refers to any
policeman. We don't need a specific policeman; we
need any policeman who is available.
z "When I was at the zoo, I saw an elephant!" Here,
we're talking about a single, non-specific thing, in this
case an elephant. There are probably several
elephants at the zoo, but there's only one we're talking
about here.
Remember, using a or an depends on the sound that begins
the next word. So...

z a + singular noun beginning with a consonant: a boy; a car; a

bike; a zoo; a dog
z an + singular noun beginning with a vowel: an elephant; an
egg; an apple; an idiot; an orphan
z a + singular noun beginning with a consonant sound: a user
(sounds like 'yoo-zer,' i.e. begins with a consonant 'y' sound,
so 'a' is used); a university; a unicycle
z an + nouns starting with silent "h": an hour
z a + nouns starting with a pronounced "h": a horse

z In some cases where "h" is pronounced, such as "historical,"

you can use an. However, a is more commonly used and
preferred.
z A historical event is worth recording.
z If the noun is modified by an adjective, the choice
between a and an depends on the initial sound of the
adjective that immediately follows the article:
z a broken egg
z an unusual problem
z a European country (sounds like 'yer-o-pi-an,' i.e.
begins with consonant 'y' sound)
z Remember, too, that in English, the indefinite articles
are used to indicate membership in a group:
z I am a teacher. (I am a member of a large group
known as teachers.)
z Brian is an Irishman. (Brian is a member of the people
known as Irish.)
z Seiko is a practicing Buddhist. (Seiko is a member of
the group of people known as Buddhists.)
The definite article
z The definite article is used before singular and plural
nouns when the noun is specific or particular. The
signals that the noun is definite, that it refers to a
particular member of a group. For example:
z "The dog that bit me ran away." Here, we're talking
about a specific dog, the dog that bit me.
z "I was happy to see the policeman who saved my cat!"
Here, we're talking about a particular policeman. Even
if we don't know the policeman's name, it's still a
particular policeman because it is the one who saved
the cat.
z "I saw the elephant at the zoo." Here, we're talking
about a specific noun. Probably there is only one
elephant at the zoo.
OMISSION OF ARTICLES
z Some common types of nouns that don't take an
article are:
z Names of languages and nationalities: Chinese,
English, Spanish, Russian (unless you are referring to
the population of the nation: "The Spanish are known
for their warm hospitality.")

z Names of sports: volleyball, hockey, baseball

z Names of academic subjects: mathematics, biology,
history, computer science
Excersize:
z Directions: Fill in the blank with the appropriate article, a, an, or the, or leave the
space blank if no article is needed.
z 1. I want ____ apple from that basket.
z 2. ____ church on the corner is progressive.
z 3. Miss Lin speaks ____ Chinese.
z 4. I borrowed ____ pencil from your pile of pencils and pens.
z 5. One of the students said, "____ professor is late today."
z 6 Eli likes to play ____ volleyball.
z 7. I bought ____ umbrella to go out in the rain.
z 8. My daughter is learning to play ____ violin at her school.
z 9. Please give me ____ cake that is on the counter.
z 10. I lived on ____ Main Street when I first came to town.
z 11. Albany is the capital of ____ New York State.
z 12. My husband's family speaks ____ Polish.
z 13. ____ apple a day keeps the doctor away.
z 14. ____ ink in my pen is red.
z 15. Our neighbors have ____ cat and ____ dog.
Answers
z 1. I want an apple from that basket.
z 2. The church on the corner is progressive.
z 3. Miss Lin speaks Chinese. (no article needed)
z 4. I borrowed a pencil from your pile of pencils and pens.
z 5. One of the students said, "The professor is late today."
z 6. Eli likes to play volleyball. (no article needed)
z 7. I bought an umbrella to go out in the rain.
z 8. My daughter is learning to play the violin at her school.
z 9. Please give me the cake that is on the counter.
z 10. I lived on Main Street when I first came to town. (no article needed)
z 11. Albany is the capital of New York State. (no article needed)
z 12. My husband's family speaks Polish. (no article needed)
z 13. An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
z 14. The ink in my pen is red.
z 15. Our neighbors have a cat and a dog.
Uncountable nouns

z Some nouns in English are uncountable. In

other words, they are not used with a or an
and do not have plural forms. For example, the
word information, as in the phrase I need
some information.
z In order to refer to a particular number of an
uncountable noun, especially one, you can join
the noun to a word that is itself countable, or
use a countable synonym instead.
z music, art, love, happiness
z advice, information, news
z furniture, luggage
z rice, sugar, butter, water
z electricity, gas, power
z money, currency

z We usually treat uncountable nouns as singular. We use a singular verb.

For example:
z This news is very important.
z Your luggage looks heavy.
z We do not usually use the indefinite article a/an with uncountable
nouns. We cannot say "an information" or "a music". But we can
say a something of:
z a piece of news
z a bottle of water
z a grain of rice
z We can use some and any with uncountable nouns:
z I've got some money.
z Have you got any rice?
z We can use a little and much with uncountable nouns:
z I've got a little money.
z I haven't got much rice.
Conditional sentences
„ There are three types of the if-clauses.
„ Type - condition
„ I condition possible to fulfill
„ II condition in theory possible to fulfill
„ III condition not possible to fulfill (too late)
„ Type if clause main clause
„ I Simple Present will-future (or
Modal + infinitive)

„ II Simple Past would /might/could+

infinitive

„ III Past Perfect would + have +

past participle
 Examples (if-clause at the beginning)

„ Type if clause main clause

„ I If I study, I will pass the exam.

„ II If I studied, I would pass the

exam.
„ III If I had studied, I would have passed
the exam.
 Examples (if-clause at the end)

„ Type main clause if-clause

„ I I will pass the exam if I study.

„ II I would pass the exam if I

studied.

„ III I would have passed the exam if I had

studied.
 Exercise
1) If I (go) to Leipzig, I'll visit the zoo.
2) If it (rain), we'd be in the garden.
3) If you (wear) a lighter jacket, the car driver
would have seen you earlier.
4) We (watch) TV tonight if Peter hadn't bought
the theatre tickets.
5) She wouldn't have had (sign)two laptops if she
the contract.
„ 6) If I was/were a millionaire, I (live)in Beverly Hills.
„ 7) You would save energy if you (switch off) the
lights more often.
„ 8) If we had read the book, we (understand) the film.
„ 9) My sister could score better on the test if the
teacher (explain) the grammar once more.
„ 10) They (arrive) on time if they hadn't missed the
train.
 Answers
„ 1) If I go to Leipzig, I'll visit the zoo.2) If it didn't
rain, we'd be in the garden.3) If you had worn a
lighter jacket, the car driver would have seen you
earlier.4) We would have watched TV tonight if
Peter hadn't bought the theatre tickets.5) She wouldn't
have had two laptops if she had not signed the
contract.6) If I was/were a millionaire, I would live in
Beverly Hills.7) You would save energy if you
switched off the lights more often.8) If we had read
the book, we would have understood the film.9) My
sister could score better on the test if the teacher
explained the grammar once more.10) They might
have arrived on time if they hadn't missed the train.
FUTURE FORMS
 FORM “Will”

ƒ [will + verb]
ƒ Examples:
ƒ You will help him later.
ƒ Will you help him later?
ƒ You will not help him later
 FORM “Be Going To”

ƒ [am/is/are + going to + verb]

ƒ Examples:
ƒ You are going to meet Jane tonight.
ƒ Are you going to meet Jane tonight?
ƒ You are not going to meet Jane tonight.
 USE 1 "Will" to Express a Voluntary
Action

ƒ "Will" often suggests that a speaker will do something

voluntarily. It is used to express a decision, intention,
offer or promise made at the moment of speaking.
ƒ Similarly, we use "will not" or "won't" when we refuse to
voluntarily do something.

ƒ Examples:
ƒ I will send you the information when I get it.
ƒ I will translate the email, so Mr. Smith can read it.
ƒ Will you help me move this heavy table?
 USE 2 "Be going to" to Express a Plan

ƒ “Be going to" expresses that something is a plan made

before the moment of speaking. It expresses the idea
that a person intends to do something in the future. It
does not matter whether the plan is realistic or not.

ƒ Examples:
ƒ He is going to spend his vacation in Hawaii.
ƒ She is not going to spend her vacation in Hawaii.
ƒ A: When are we going to meet each other tonight?
B: We are going to meet at 6 PM.
 USE 3 "Will" or "Be Going to" to Express a
Prediction

ƒ Both "will" and "be going to" can express the idea of a
general prediction about the future. Predictions are
guesses about what might happen in the future. In
"prediction" sentences, the subject usually has little
control over the future and therefore USES 1-2 do not
apply. In the following examples, there is no difference in
meaning.
ƒ Examples:
ƒ The year 2222 will be a very interesting year.
ƒ The year 2222 is going to be a very interesting year.
ƒ John Smith will be the next President.
ƒ John Smith is going to be the next President.
 Use 4 Present Continuous

ƒ We use the present continuous to express a

future arangement (refers to near future)

Example:
We are going out with Jenny tonight.
I m having my hair cut.
 No Future in Time Clauses

ƒ Like all future forms, the Simple Future cannot

be used in clauses beginning with time
expressions such as: when, while, before, after,
by the time, as soon as, if, unless, etc. Instead of
Simple Future, Simple Present is used.
ƒ Examples:
ƒ When you will arrive tonight, we will go out for
dinner. Not Correct
ƒ When you arrive tonight, we will go out for
dinner. Correct
 ADVERB PLACEMENT

ƒ The examples below show the placement for

grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never,
ever, still, just, etc.
ƒ Examples:
ƒ You will never help him.
ƒ Will you ever help him?
ƒ You are never going to meet Jane.
ƒ Are you ever going to meet Jane?
 EXERCISE
1.
Michael: Do you think the Republicans or the Democrats
(win) the next election?
Jane: I think the Republicans (win) the next election.
John: No way! The Democrats (win) .

2.
Susan: We (go) camping this weekend. Would you like
to come along?
Sam: That sounds great, but I don't have a sleeping bag.
Susan: No problem. I (lend) you one. My family has tons
of camping gear.
ƒ Barbara: I (buy) a new car this weekend, but I'm
a little worried because I don't really know much
about cars. I'm afraid the salesman (try) to take
advantage of me when he sees how little I know.

ƒ Dave: I used to work for a mechanic in high

school and I know a lot about cars. I (go) with
you to make sure you are not cheated.
ƒ Gina: Fred and I (visit) Santa Fe next summer.
Have you ever been there?

ƒ Margaret: My family lives in Santa Fe! I (give)

you my parents' phone number. When you get to
Santa Fe, just call them and they (give) you a
little tour of the town. They can show you some
of the sights that most tourists never see.
ƒ Pam: Can you see my future in the crystal ball?
What (happen) next year?

ƒ Fortune Teller: You (meet) a man from the East

Coast, perhaps New York or maybe Boston. You
(marry) that mystery man.
Pam: Forget the man! I want to know if I (get) a
new job.
 ANSWERS
ƒ Michael: Do you think the Republicans or the Democrats (win) will
win the next election?
Jane: I think the Republicans (win) will win the next election.
John: No way! The Democrats (win) are going to win.
2.
Susan: We (go) are going to go camping this weekend. Would you
like to come along?
Sam: That sounds great, but I don't have a sleeping bag.
Susan: No problem. I (lend) will lend you one. My family has tons of
camping gear.
3.
Barbara: I (buy) am going to buy a new car this weekend, but I'm a
little worried because I don't really know much about cars. I'm afraid
the salesman (try) will try to take advantage of me when he sees
how little I know.
Dave: I used to work for a mechanic in high school and I know a lot
about cars. I (go) will go with you to make sure you are not cheated.
ƒ 4.
Gina: Fred and I (visit) are going to visit Santa Fe next summer.
Have you ever been there?
Margaret: My family lives in Santa Fe! I (give) will give you my
parents' phone number. When you get to Santa Fe, just call them
and they (give) will give you a little tour of the town. They can show
you some of the sights that most tourists never see.
5.
Pam: Can you see my future in the crystal ball? What (happen) will
happen next year?
Fortune Teller: You (meet) are going to meet a man from the East
Coast, perhaps New York or maybe Boston. You (marry) will marry
that mystery man.
Pam: Forget the man! I want to know if I (get) will get a new job.
PASSIVE VOICE
 USE OF PASSIVE
• Passive voice is used when the focus is on
the action. It is not important or not known,
however, who or what is performing the
action.
• Example: My bike was stolen.
• In the example above, the focus is on the
fact that my bike was stolen. I do not
know, however, who did it.
 HOW TO REWRITE AN ACTIVE
SENTENCE
• When rewriting active sentences in passive
voice, note the following:

• the object of the active sentence becomes the

subject of the passive sentence
• the finite form of the verb is changed (to be +
past participle)
• the subject of the active sentence becomes the
object of the passive sentence (or is dropped)
 Form of Passive

• Simple Present
• Active:Rita writes a letter.
• Passive:A letter is written by Rita.

• Simple Past
• Active: Rita wrote a letter.
• Passive: A letter was written by Rita.
• Present Continuous
• Active: Rita is writing a letter.
• Passive: A letter is being writen by Rita.

• Past Continuous
• Active: Rita was writing a letter.
• Passive: A letter was being written by Rita.
• Present Perfect
• Active: Rita has written a letter.
• Passive: A letter has been written by Rita.

• Past Perfect (Pluperfect)

• Active: Rita had written a letter.
• Passive:A letter had been written by Rita.
• Future
• Active: Rita will write a letter.
• Passive: A letter wil be written by Rita.
 Passive Sentences with Two Objects

• Rewriting an active sentence with two objects in passive

voice means that one of the two objects becomes the
subject, the other one remains an object. Which object to
transform into a subject depends on what you want to
put the focus on.

Subject Verb Object 1 Object2

• Active: Rita wrote a letter to me.
• Passive: A letter was written to me by Rita.
• Passive: I was written a letter by Rita.
 Exercise
• You do not write the letter.
• A thief stole my car.
• They didn't let him go.
• I have opened the present.
• They have not read the book.
• I was repairing their bikes.
• They were not eating dinner.
• I am writing a poem.
• We are not playing football.
 Passive with 2 objects

• Rachel will give you some advice.

• I sent him a letter .
• The police officer showed us the way.
• We have asked him a favour.
• The waiter has not brought us the coffee.
• They did not offer her a seat.
• They have written her a postcard.
• She told me a lie.
PASSIVE VOICE
 USE OF PASSIVE
• Passive voice is used when the focus is on the
action. It is not important or not known, however,
who or what is performing the action.
• Example: My bike was stolen.
• In the example above, the focus is on the fact
that my bike was stolen. I do not know, however,
who did it.
 HOW TO REWRITE AN ACTIVE
SENTENCE
• When rewriting active sentences in passive voice, note the
following:
• the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive
sentence
• the finite form of the verb is changed (to be + past participle)
• the subject of the active sentence becomes the object of the passive
sentence (or is dropped)

Subject doing a. verb object receiving a.

The professor teaches the students.
Subject receiving a. passive v. doing a.
The students are taught by the professor
 Form of Passive

The passive voice is formed by using the appropriate

form of the verb to be (for example, is) and a past
participle (for example, formed).

• Simple Present
• Active: Rita writes a letter.
• Passive: A letter is written by Rita.

• Simple Past
• Active: Rita wrote a letter.
• Passive: A letter was written by Rita.
• Present Continuous
• Active: Rita is writing a letter.
• Passive: A letter is being written by Rita.

• Past Continuous
• Active: Rita was writing a letter.
• Passive: A letter was being written by Rita.
• Present Perfect
• Active: Rita has written a letter.
• Passive: A letter has been written by Rita.

• Past Perfect (Pluperfect)

• Active: Rita had written a letter.
• Passive:A letter had been written by Rita.
• Conditional I
• Active: Rita would write a letter.
• Passive:A letter would be written by Rita.
• Conditional II
• Active:Rita would have written a letter.
• Passive: A letter would have been written by Rita.
• Future
• Active: Rita will write a letter.
• Passive: A letter will be written by Rita.
 Passive Sentences with Two Objects

• Rewriting an active sentence with two objects in passive

voice means that one of the two objects becomes the
subject, the other one remains an object. Which object to
transform into a subject depends on what you want to
put the focus on.

Subject Verb Object 1 Object2

• Active: Rita wrote a letter to me.
• Passive: A letter was written to me by Rita.
• Passive: I was written a letter by Rita.
 Exercise
• You do not write the letter.
• A thief stole my car.
• They didn't let him go.
• I have opened the present.
• They have not read the book.
• I was repairing their bikes.
• They were not eating dinner.
• I am writing a poem.
• We are not playing football.
 Passive with 2 objects

• Rachel will give you some advice.

• I sent him a letter .
• The police officer showed us the way.
• We have asked him a favour.
• The waiter has not brought us the coffee.
• They did not offer her a seat.
• They have written her a postcard.
• She told me a lie.
PAST PERFECT TENSE
„ The past perfect refers to a time earlier than a past time.
„ It is used to make it clear that one event happened before
another in the past. It does not matter which event is
mentioned first - the tense makes it clear which one
happened first.

John had gone out when I arrived in the office.

I had saved my document before the computer crashed.
He was very tired because he hadn't slept well.
USE 1 Completed Action Before Something in
the Past

„ The Past Perfect expresses the idea that

something occurred before another action
in the past. Examples:
„ I had never seen such a beautiful beach
before I went to Kauai.
„ I did not have any money because I had
lost my wallet.
 USE 2 Duration Before Something in the Past

„ We use the Past Perfect to show that something

started in the past and continued up until
another action in the past.
„ Examples:
„ We had had that car for ten years before it
broke down.
„ By the time Alex finished his studies, he had
been in London for over eight years.
 ADVERB PLACEMENT

„ The examples below show the placement for

grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never,
ever, still, just, etc.
„ Examples:
„ You had previously studied English before you
moved to New York.
„ Had you previously studied English before you
moved to New York?
 Form
Positive: “had”+ past participle of the main verb (or –ed)
„ She had written the letter before I came home.

Negative : “had” + not + participle of the main verb (or

–ed)
„ She had not written the letter before I came home.
Question: “had” + subject+ past participle of the main
verb (or –ed)
„ Had she written the book before I came home ?
 Exercise
Present or Past perfect?
„ 1. I never get up from the table before others ----
(finish).

„ 2. I ---- (see) many pictures of the pyramids before I

went to Egypt last summer. Pictures of the monuments
are very misleading. The pyramids are actually quite
small.

„ 3. Sarah ---- (climb) Mount Everest, ---- (sail) around the

world, and ---- (go) on safari in Kenya. She is such an
adventurous person.
„ 4. Susan ---- (climb) Mount Everest, ---- (sail) around
the world, and ---- (go) on safari in Kenya by the time
she was twenty-five. She ---- (experience) more by that
age than most people do in their entire lives.

„ 5. Before my trip lo Paris two years ago, I ---- (never be)

to France.

„ 6. When we finally stopped him, the squirrel ---- (already

eat) five cookies.
1.After Fred (to spend) his holiday in Italy he (to want)
to learn Italian.
2) Jill (to phone) Dad at work before she (to leave) for
her trip.
3) Susan (to turn on) the radio after she (to wash) the
dishes.
4) When she (to arrive) the match already (to start).
5) After the man (to come) home he (to feed) the cat.
„ 6) Before he (to sing) a song he (to play) the
guitar.
„ 7) She (to watch) a video after the children
(to go) to bed.
„ 8) After Eric (to make) breakfast he (to
phone) his friend.
„ 9) I (to be) very tired because I (to study) too
much.
„ 10) They (to ride) their bikes before they (to
meet) their friends.
„ 1.After Fred had spent his holiday in Italy he
wanted to learn Italian.2) Jill had phoned Dad
at work before she left for her trip.3) Susan
turned on the radio after she had washed the
dishes.4) When she arrived the match had
already started.5) After the man had come
home he fed the cat.6) Before he sang a song
he had played the guitar.7) She watched a
video after the children had gone to bed.8)
After Eric had made breakfast he phoned his
friend.9) I was very tired because I had
studied too much.10) They had ridden their
bikes before they met their friends.
1. have finished
2 had seen
3. has climbed, has sailed, has gone
4. had climbed, had sailed, had gone, had
experienced
5. had never been
6. had already eaten
 PAST PROGRESSIVE
Use of Past Progressive

puts emphasis on the course of an action in the past

Example: He was playing football.

two actions happening at the same time (in the past)

Example: While she was preparing dinner, he was washing the dishes.

action going on at a certain time in the past

Example: When I was having breakfast, the phone suddenly rang.

Signal Words of Past Progressive

when, while, as long as
 FORM

Positive I / he / she / it was speaking.

You/we/they/ were speaking.
Negative I/ he/she /it was not speaking.
You/we/they were not speaking
Question Was I speaking?
Were you/we/they speaking?
 Exceptions in Spelling

„ final e is dropped (but: ee is not changed)come – coming

(but: agree – agreeing)

„ after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is

doubled sit – sitting

„ L as final consonant after a vowel is doubled (in British

English) travel – travelling

„ final ie becomes y lie – lying

 Exceptions in Spelling when Adding ing

Write down the ing form of the following words.Mind the

exceptions in spelling.
„ live →
„ run →
„ give →
„ swim →
„ lie →
„ sit →
„ travel →
 Was or Were

„ Boris_____ learning English.

„ They____ swimming in the lake.
„ Your father ____repairing the car.
„ I ___reading a magazine.
„ You___ packing your bag.
„ My friends ___watching the match on TV.
„ It___ raining.
„ The dog___ barking.
„ The children ____brushing their teeth.
„ Anne and Maureen____singing a song
 Positive Sentences

Yesterday at 3 pm the following people were in the

middle of an action.
Write positive sentences in past progressive.
„ you / play / cards
„ Alice / walk / around the lake
„ Caron / listen / to the radio
„ we / read / a book about Australia
 Negative Sentences

Somebody believes that yesterday at 3 pm the following

people were in the middle of an action. That cannot be,
however, as yesterday at 3 pm these people were not
doing those things.
Write negative sentences in past progressive.
„ Sarah and Luke / not / work
„ Mister Miller / not / teach / chemistry
„ Barry / not / drive / a lorry
„ Mandy / not / have / lunch
 Questions

You want to know whether the following people

were in the middle of an action at a certain time
in the past.
Write questions in past progressive.
„ Rachel / feed / the cat

„ the children / paint / a picture

„ Clark / repair / his computer

„ Hazel / swim / in the pool

 Put the verbs into the correct form
(past progressive).
„ When I phoned my friends, they (play) monopoly.
„ Yesterday at six I (prepare) dinner.
„ The kids (play) in the garden when it suddenly began to rain.
„ I (practise) the guitar when he came home.
„ We (not / cycle) all day.
„ While Aaron (work) in his room, his friends (swim) in the pool.
„ I tried to tell them the truth but they (listen / not) .
„ What (you / do) yesterday?
„ Most of the time we (sit) in the park.
PAST SIMPLE

The simple past expresses an

action in the past taking place once,
never, several times. It can also be
used for actions taking place one
after another or in the middle of
another action.
Form of Simple Past

Positive I/you/he/we/you/they spoke.

Negative I/you/he/we/you/they did not
speak.
Question Did I/you/he/we/you/they speak.
For irregular verbs, use the past form (see
list of irregular verbs, 2nd column). For
regular verbs, just add “ed”
Exceptions in Spelling when Adding
‘ed’

ƒ after a final e only add d love – loved

ƒ final consonant after a short, stressed
vowel or l as final consonant after a
vowel is doubled admit – admitted, travel
– travelled
ƒ final y after a consonant becomes i hurry
– hurried
Use of Simple Past
ƒ action in the past taking place once, never or several times
Example: He visited his parents every weekend.
ƒ actions in the past taking place one after the other
Example: He came in, took off his coat and sat down.
ƒ action in the past taking place in the middle of another action
Example: When I was having breakfast, the phone suddenly rang.
ƒ if sentences type II (If I talked, …)
Example: If I had a lot of money, I would share it with you.

ƒ Signal Words of Simple Past

ƒ yesterday, 2 minutes ago, in 1990, the other day, last Friday
ƒ If-Satz Typ II (If I talked, …)
Was or Were?
Complete the sentences with was or were.
ƒ I___ happy.
ƒ You____angry.
ƒ She____in London last week.
ƒ He ___on holiday.
ƒ It___ cold.
ƒ We___at school.
ƒ You___ at the cinema.
ƒ They___ at home.
ƒ The cat___ on the roof.
ƒ The children___ in the garden
Write positive sentences
in simple past
ƒ he / the question / answer
ƒ you / a question / ask
ƒ the dog / bark
ƒ they / us / call
ƒ we / a mountain / climb
Exercise on negative
sentences

Rewrite the sentences in the negative.

ƒ They collected postcards. →
ƒ You jumped high. →
ƒ Albert played squash. →
ƒ The teacher tested our English. →
ƒ Fiona visited her grandma. →
Exercise on questions

Write questions in simple past.

ƒ Anna / the window / open
ƒ she / home / walk
ƒ you / in the garden / work
ƒ you / a song / sing
ƒ she / on a chair / sit
ƒ you / the castle / visit
ƒ Jenny / the door / lock
ƒ she / happy / be
ƒ Greg / the ball / kick
ƒ the car / at the corner / stop
Put the verbs into the correct tense
(Simple Past or Past Progressive).

ƒ While Tom (read)____ , Amely (watch)____ a

documentary on TV.
ƒ Marvin (come)___ home, (switch)____ on the
computer and (check)______ his emails.
ƒ We wait)___for Jane, when suddenly Louis
(come)___ around the corner.
ƒ I (cycle)_____ through the park, when
(hear)___I a strange noise.
ƒ He (pass)____ her a message when the
teacher (not look)____ .
ƒ Two days ago, a murder (happen)___ in
Market Street at about seven pm.
ƒ Yesterday, Sherlock Holmes (arrive)____ at
the crime scene to investigate.
ƒ He (ask)____ one of the tenants in the house.
ƒ »What (do/you)___ yesterday at seven?«
ƒ »I (watch)___ a football match on TV.«
ƒ » (Be)____ you alone?«
ƒ »Yes, I( be)____ .«
ƒ » (hear /you/____ anything
suspicious?«
ƒ »Yes, about seven o'clock, two people
(argue)_____ in the hallway. But the
football match (be)_____ so interesting.
So I just (turn)____ up the telly and
then (hear not) anything anymore.«
Put the verbs into the correct tense
(simple past or past progressive)

ƒ When I (do) the washing-up, I (braek) a plate.

ƒ While Tom (play) the piano, his mother (do) the washing-up.
ƒ He (drinki) some juice and then he (eat) a few chips.
ƒ I (have) dinner when I suddenly (hear) a loud bang.
ƒ When my father (work) in the garden, an old friend (pass) by to
see him.
ƒ She (go) to school, (take) out her textbook and (begin)to learn.
ƒ When it (start) to rain, our dog (want) to come inside.
ƒ When Jane (do) a language course in Ireland, she (visit) Blarney
Castle.
ƒ When I (be) on my way home, I (see) an accident.
ƒ I (not understand) what they (talk) about.
Present Perfect Tense
 USE 1 Unspecified Time Before Now

„ We use the Present Perfect to say that an action

happened at an unspecified time before now.
„ The exact time is not important.
„ You CANNOT use the Present Perfect with specific
time expressions such as: yesterday, one year ago, last
week, when I was a child, when I lived in Japan, at that
moment, that day, one day, etc.
„ We CAN use the Present Perfect with unspecific expressions
such as: ever, never, once, many times, several times, before, so
far, already, yet, etc.
„ Examples:
„ I have seen that movie twenty times.
„ I think I have met him once before.
„ There have been many earthquakes in California.
„ People have traveled to the Moon.
 USE 2 Duration From the Past Until Now (Non-
Continuous Verbs)

„ With Non-Continuous Verbs and non-continuous uses

of Mixed Verbs, we use the Present Perfect to show
that something started in the past and has continued up
until now.
„ "For five minutes," "for two weeks," and "since
Tuesday" are all durations which can be used with the
Present Perfect.
„ Examples:
„ I have had a cold for two weeks.
„ She has been in England for six months.
„ Mary has loved chocolate since she was a little girl.

„ Although the above use of Present Perfect is normally limited to

Non-Continuous Verbs and non-continuous uses of Mixed
Verbs, the words "live," "work," "teach," and "study" are
sometimes used in this way even though they are NOT Non-
Continuous Verbs.
 ADVERB PLACEMENT

„ The examples below show the placement for

grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never,
ever, still, just, etc.
„ Examples:
„ You have only seen that movie one time.
„ Have you only seen that movie one time?
 Exercise
„ I (not / work) today.
„ We (buy) a new lamp.
„ We (not / plan) our holiday yet.
„ Where (be / you) ?
„ He (write) five letters.
„ She (not / see) him for a long time.
„ (be / you) at school?
„ School (not / start) yet.
„ (speak / he) to his boss?
„ No, he (have / not) the time yet.
PRESENT SIMPLE
FORM
VERB + s/es in third person
Examples:
You speak English.
Do you speak English?
You do not speak English?

He/she /it speaks English.

Does he/she/it speak English?
He/she/it does not speak English
USE 1 Repeated Actions

Use the Simple Present to express the idea that

an action is repeated or usual. The action can be a
habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or
something that often happens. It can also be
something a person often forgets or usually does
not do.
Examples:
I play tennis.
The train leaves every morning at 8 AM.
The train does not leave at 9 AM.
She always forgets her purse.
He never forgets his wallet.
Every twelve months, the Earth circles the Sun.
Does the Sun circle the Earth?
USE 2 Facts or Generalizations

The Simple Present can also indicate the speaker

believes that a fact was true before, is true now,
and will be true in the future. It is not important
if the speaker is correct about the fact. It is also
used to make generalizations about people or
things.
Examples:
Cats like milk.
California is in America.
California is not in the United Kingdom.
Windows are made of glass.
Windows are not made of wood.
USE 3 Scheduled Events in the Near
Future

Speakers occasionally use Simple Present

to talk about scheduled events in the near
future. This is most commonly done when
talking about public transportation, but it
can be used with other scheduled events
as well.
Examples:
• The train leaves tonight at 6 PM.
• The bus does not arrive at 11 AM, it arrives at 11 PM.
• When do we board the plane?
• The party starts at 8 o'clock.
• When does class begin tomorrow?
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar
adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just,
etc.

Examples:
• You only speak English.
• Do you only speak English?
PRESENT CONTINUOUS

FORM
• [am/is/are + present participle]
Examples:
• You are watching TV.
• Are you watching TV?
• You are not watching TV.
 USE 1 Now
Use the Present Continuous with Normal Verbs (Most verbs
are "Normal Verbs." These verbs are usually physical
actions which you can see somebody doing. These verbs can
be used in all tenses.) to express the idea that something is
happening now, at this very moment. It can also be used to
show that something is not happening now.
(Normal Verbs to run, to walk, to eat, to fly, to go, to say, to touch, etc.)

• Examples:
• You are learning English now.
• You are not swimming now.
• Are you sleeping?
• I am sitting.
• Is he sitting or standing?
• They are reading their books.
• What are you doing?
• Why aren't you doing your homework?
USE 2 Longer Actions in Progress Now
In English, "now" can mean: this second, today,
this month, this year, this century, and so on.
Sometimes, we use the Present Continuous to say
that we are in the process of doing a longer action
which is in progress; however, we might not be
doing it at this exact second.
• Examples: (All of these sentences can be said while eating dinner in
a restaurant.)
• I am studying to become a doctor.
• I am not studying to become a dentist.
• I am reading the book Tom Sawyer.
• I am not reading any books right now.
• Are you working on any special projects at work?
• Aren't you teaching at the university now?
USE 3 Near Future

Sometimes, speakers use the Present Continuous

to indicate that something will or will not happen
in the near future.

Examples:
• I am meeting some friends after work.
• I am not going to the party tonight.
• Is he visiting his parents next weekend?
• Isn't he coming with us tonight?
USE 4 Repetition and Irritation with
"Always"

The Present Continuous with words such as

"always" or "constantly" expresses the idea that
something irritating or shocking often happens.
Notice that the meaning is like Simple Present,
but with negative emotion. Remember to put the
words "always" or "constantly" between "be" and
"verb+ing."
• Examples:
• She is always coming to class late.
• He is constantly talking. I wish he would shut up.
• I don't like them because they are always
complaining.
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for
grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never,
ever, still, just, etc.
• Examples:
• You are still watching TV.
• Are you still watching TV?
EXERCISES
1.Every Monday, Sally (drive) her kids to football practice.
2. Usually, I (work) as a secretary at ABT, but this summer I (study) French at a language school
in Paris. That is why I am in Paris.
3. Shhhhh! Be quiet! John (sleep) .
4. Don't forget to take your umbrella. It (rain) .
5. I hate living in Seattle because it (rain, always) .
6. I'm sorry I can't hear what you (say) because everybody (talk) so loudly.
7. Justin (write, currently) a book about his adventures in Tibet. I hope he can find a good
publisher when he is finished.
8. Jim: Do you want to come over for dinner tonight?
Denise: Oh, I'm sorry, I can't. I (go) to a movie tonight with some friends.
9. The business cards (be, normally ) printed by a company in New York. Their prices (be)
inexpensive, yet the quality of their work is quite good.
10. This delicious chocolate (be) made by a small chocolatier in Zurich, Switzerland.
A Trekking Journal

November 12, 2011

Today (be) the second day of my trek around Mount Annapurna. I am exhausted and my legs
(shake) ; I just hope I am able to complete the trek. My feet (kill, really) me and my toes (bleed)
, but I (want, still) to continue.
Nepal is a fascinating country, but I have a great deal to learn. Everything (be) so different, and I
(try) to adapt to the new way of life here. I (learn) a little bit of the language to make
communication easier; unfortunately, I (learn, not) foreign languages quickly. Although I
(understand, not) much yet, I believe that I (improve, gradually) .
I (travel, currently) with Liam, a student from Leeds University in England. He (be) a nice guy,
but impatient. He (walk, always) ahead of me and (complain) that I am too slow. I (do) my best
to keep up with him, but he is younger and stronger than I am. Maybe, I am just feeling sorry for
myself because I am getting old.
Right now, Liam (sit) with the owner of the inn. They (discuss) the differences between life in
England and life in Nepal. I (know, not) the real name of the owner, but everybody (call, just)
him Tam. Tam (speak) English very well and he (try) to teach Liam some words in Nepali. Every
time Tam (say) a new word, Liam (try) to repeat it. Unfortunately, Liam (seem, also) to have
difficulty learning foreign languages. I just hope we don't get lost and have to ask for directions.
 Relative clauses

What is a relative clause?

z We can use relative clauses to join two English
sentences, or to give more information about something.

z I bought a new car. It is very fast.

→ I bought a new car that is very fast.

z She lives in New York. She likes living in New York.

→ She lives in New York, which she likes.
Defining and Non-defining

z A defining relative clause tells which noun we are talking about:

z I like the woman who lives next door.
(If I don’t say ‘who lives next door’, then we don’t know which
woman I mean)
z A non-defining relative clause gives us extra information about
something. We don’t need this information to understand the
sentence.
z I live in London, which has some fantastic parks.
(Everybody knows where London is, ‘which has some fantastic
parks’ is extra information)
1: The relative pronoun is the subject:

z First, let’s consider when the relative pronoun is the subject of a

defining relative clause.
z We can use ‘who’, ‘which’ or ‘that’. We use ‘who’ for people and
‘which’ for things. We can use ‘that’ for people or things.
z The relative clause can come after the subject or the object of the
sentence. We can’t drop the relative pronoun.
z For example (clause after the object of the sentence):
z I’m looking for a secretary who / that can use a computer well.
z More examples (clause after the subject of the sentence):
z The people who / that live on the island are very friendly.
z The man who / that phoned is my brother.
z The camera which / that costs £100 is over there.
2: The relative pronoun is the object
z Next, let’s talk about when the relative pronoun is the object of the
clause. In this case we can drop the relative pronoun if we want to.
Again, the clause can come after the subject or the object of the
sentence. Here are some examples:
z (clause after the object)
z She loves the chocolate (which / that) I bought.
z We went to the village (which / that) Lucy recommended.

z (clause after the subject)

z The bike (which / that) I loved was stolen.
z The university (which / that) she likes is famous.
Non-defining relative clauses
z We don’t use ‘that’ in non-defining relative clauses, so we need to
use ‘which’ if the pronoun refers to a thing, and ‘who’ if it refers to a
person. We can’t drop the relative pronoun in this kind of clause,
even if the relative pronoun is the subject of the clause.

z (clause comes after the subject)

z My boss, who is very nice, lives in Manchester.
z My sister, who I live with, knows a lot about cars.

z (clause comes after the object)

z Yesterday I called our friend Julie, who lives in New York.
z The photographer called to the Queen, who looked annoyed.
Prepositions and relative clauses

If the verb in the relative clause needs a preposition, we put it at the end of the clause:
z For example:
z listen to
z The music is good. Julie listens to the music.
→ The music (which / that) Julie listens to is good.
z work with
z My brother met a woman. I used to work with the woman.
→ My brother met a woman (who / that) I used to work with.
z go to
z The country is very hot. He went to the country.
→ The country (which / that) he went to is very hot.
z come from
z I visited the city. John comes from the city.
→ I visited the city (that / which) John comes from.
z apply for
z The job is well paid. She applied for the job.
→ The job (which / that) she applied for is well paid.
z Whose
z ‘Whose’ is always the subject of the relative clause and
can’t be left out. It replaces a possessive. It can be used
for people and things.
z The dog is over there. The dog’s / its owner lives next
door.
→ The dog whose owner lives next door is over there.
z The little girl is sad. The little girl’s / her doll was lost.
→ The little girl whose doll was lost is sad.
z The woman is coming tonight. Her car is a BMW.
→ The woman whose car is a BMW is coming tonight.
z The house belongs to me. Its roof is very old.
→ The house whose roof is old belongs to me.
z Where / when / why
z We can sometimes use these question words instead of relative
pronouns and prepositions.
z I live in a city. I study in the city.
→ I live in the city where I study.
→ I live in the city that / which I study in.
→ I live in the city in which I study.
z The bar in Barcelona is still there. I met my wife in that bar.
→ The bar in Barcelona where I met my wife is still there.
→ The bar in Barcelona that / which I met my wife in is still there.
→ The bar in Barcelona in which I met my wife is still t
z The summer was long and hot. I graduated from
university in the summer.

→ The summer when I graduated from university was

long and hot.
→ The summer that / which I graduated from university
in was long and hot.
→ The summer in which I graduated was long and hot.
Exercise:
z Combine the sentences with relative clauses. (Decide whether
to use commas or not.)
z A monk is a man. The man has devoted his life to God.
A monk
z I have one black cat. His name is Blacky.
I have
z A herbivore is an animal. The animal feeds upon vegetation.
A herbivore
z Carol plays the piano brilliantly. She is only 9 years old.
Carol
z Sydney is the largest Australian city. It is not the capital of Australia.
Sydney
Combine the sentences using relative
clauses
Samuel Johnson was the son of a bookseller. Samuel Johnson was
born in 1709.
Samuel Johnson
z In 1728, he went to Oxford. He studied at Pembroke College in
Oxford.
In 1728, he went
z Johnson had to leave Oxford without a degree. He was too poor to
pay the fees.
Johnson
z In 1737, Johnson moved to London. There he wrote poetry, essays
and biographies.
In 1737, Johnson
z In 1746, Johnson started to write his dictionary. It took him nine
years to complete.
In 1746, Johnson started
Study the situations and then decide whether the following
relative clauses are defining or non-defining

z defining – no commas
non-defining – commas
z I have three brothers.
My brother who lives in Sidney came to see me last month.
My brother, who lives in Sidney, came to see me last month.

z I have one sister.

My sister who is 25 years old spent her holiday in France.
My sister, who is 25 years old, spent her holiday in France.

z Bob's mum has lost her keys.

Bob's mum who is a musician has lost her car keys.
Bob's mum, who is a musician, has lost her car keys.
 REPORTED SPEECH

If we report what another person has said, we usually do

not use the speaker’s exact words (direct speech), but
reported (indirect) speech. Therefore, you need to learn
how to transform direct speech into reported speech. The
structure is a little different depending on whether you want
to transform a statement, question or request.
Statements

„ When transforming statements, check

whether you have to change:
„ pronouns
„ present tense verbs (3rd person singular)
„ place and time expressions
„ tenses (backshift)
„ Type Example
„ Direct speech “ I speak English.”
„ reported speech
(no backshift) He says that he speaks
English.
„ reported speech
„ (backshift) He said that he spoke English.
Questions

„ When transforming questions, check whether

you have to change:
„ pronouns
„ present tense verbs (3rd person singular)
„ place and time expressions
„ tenses (backshift)
„ Type Example
„ with interrogative direct speech“Why
don’t you speak
English?”
reported speech He
asked me why I didn’t speak English.
„ without interrogative direct speech“Do you
speak English?
ƒ reported speech
ƒ He asked me whether / if I spoke English
Requests

„ When transforming questions, check whether you have to

change:
„ pronouns
„ place and time expressions
Type Example
direct speech “Carol, speak English.“
reported speech He told Carol to speak English
Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note the change of pronouns
and tenses.

„ "What's the time?" he asked.

→ He wanted to know
„ "When will we meet again?" she asked me.
→ She asked me
„ "Are you crazy?" she asked him.
→ She asked him
„ "Where did they live?" he asked.
→ He wanted to know
„ "Will you be at the party?" he asked her.
→ He asked her
„ "Can you meet me at the station?" she asked me.
→ She asked me
„ "Who knows the answer?" the teacher asked.
→ The teacher wanted to know
„ "Why don't you help me?" she asked him.
→ She wanted to know
„ "Did you see that car?" he asked me.
→ He asked me
„ "Have you tidied up your room?" the mother asked the twins.
→ The mother asked the twins
Answers
„ "What's the time?" he asked.
→ He wanted to know what the time was.
„ "When will we meet again?" she asked me.
→ She asked me when we would meet again.
„ "Are you crazy?" she asked him.
→ She asked him if he was crazy.
„ "Where did they live?" he asked.
→ He wanted to know where they had lived.
„ "Will you be at the party?" he asked her.
→ He asked her if she would be at the party.
„ "Can you meet me at the station?" she asked me.
→ She asked me if I could meet her at the station.
„ "Who knows the answer?" the teacher asked.
→ The teacher wanted to know who knew the answer.
„ "Why don't you help me?" she asked him.
→ She wanted to know why he didn't help her.
„ "Did you see that car?" he asked me.
→ He asked me if I had seen that car.
„ "Have you tidied up your room?" the mother asked the twins.
→ The mother asked the twins if they had tidied up their room.