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• 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
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
[will + verb]
Examples:
You will help him later.
Will you help him later?
You will not help him later
FORM “Be Going To”
Examples:
You are going to meet Jane tonight.
Are you going to meet Jane tonight?
You are not going to meet Jane tonight.
USE 1 "Will" to Express a Voluntary
Action
Examples:
I will send you the information when I get it.
I will translate the email, so Mr. Smith can read it.
Will you help me move this heavy table?
USE 2 "Be going to" to Express a Plan
Examples:
He is going to spend his vacation in Hawaii.
She is not going to spend her vacation in Hawaii.
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
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.
Examples:
The year 2222 will be a very interesting year.
The year 2222 is going to be a very interesting year.
John Smith will be the next President.
John Smith is going to be the next President.
Use 4 Present Continuous
Example:
We are going out with Jenny tonight.
I m having my hair cut.
No Future in Time Clauses
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.
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.
• 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.
• 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.
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
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"
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.
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.