Grammar for IELTS

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 Chapter 1

 Simple Present

1. To talk about regular habits and repeated actions

Ex: I use the internet just about every day.

2. To talk about facts or generally accepted truth

Ex: The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

3. To give directions and instructions

Ex: You go down to the traffic light, and then you turn left.

4. To tell stories and talk about films

Ex: In the film, the tea lady falls in love with her boss.

 Present Continuous

1. To talk about actions happening at the moment of speaking

Ex: I’m writing for my friend now.

2. Complaint

Ex: Our neighbor’s dog is barking all night long.

3. Arranged future plans

Ex: I’m going to London next week.

4. To talk about temporary situations

Ex: These days, I’m working on my project

 Simple Past

1. To talk about past completed actions (often the time is mentioned)

Ex: I watched TV yesterday.

2. To give a series of actions in the order they happened

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 Ex: The burglar came in through the front door, picked up the woman’s hand bag,

emptied it out, and stole her purse.

 Used to or Would

1. To talk about past repeated actions (period of time)

Ex: She used to keep the front door locked.

2. Would is unusual in negative form and yes/no questions

3. We do not use “used to” if we want to talk about how long the situation lasted

Ex: Bill used to work worked for police force for over 17 years.

4. Used to: period of time

Simple past: certain time in the past

Ex: I went to the cinema yesterday.

I used to go to the cinema when I was in my twenties.

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 Chapter 2

 Present Perfect Simple

1. To talk about something that happened in the past. We do not state when it

happened.

Ex: I’ve collected a plenty of information.

2. To talk about something that happened at an unstated time in the past but it is

connected to the present

Ex: I’ve read all the books on the reading list.

3. JEANY: Just Ever Already Never Yet

Ex: He has just eaten his dinner.

Have you ever eaten Chinese food? (Only question)

I’ve already eaten my lunch.

4. For: Duration of time & Since: Starting point

Ex: I have worked for this company for 10 years.

I have worked for this company since 2010.

 Present Perfect Continuous

1. We can use either the present perfect simple or present perfect continuous to say
how long a situation or activity has been going on (often with for or since)
Ex: I have felt tired for weeks.
I have been falling tired since I started this course.

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 Present Perfect vs. Past Simple

Present Perfect Simple Past

Links the past with the present
Ex: I’ve made quite a lot of notes.
Does not talk about a specific time in
the past
Ex: Have you read the leaflet?
Uses time expressions that show the
time period is unfinished
Ex: I’ve read 6 articles this week.
Only talks about the past
Ex: I’ve made notes on the most important things.
States a specific past time or the time is understood
Ex: I read the leaflet when I was in the library.
Uses time expressions that show the time is
finished
Ex: I read 5 books last week.

 Present Perfect Simple Vs. Present Perfect Continuous

Present Perfect Continuous Present Perfect

Emphasis how long
Says how many times
Ex: I’ve been reading for the past two
Ex: I’ve read 3 articles
weeks.
Focuses on the activity itself (it does
not show whether the activity is
completed or not) Focuses on the result or completion of the activity
Ex: I’ve been writing my essay. (we Ex: I’ve written my essay. (the essay is finished)
don’t know if the essay is finished or
not)

 Future Simple (Will)

1. To make predictions usually based on our opinions or past experiences

Ex: I think it will be extremely hot there.

2. To talk about future events we haven’t arranged yet

Ex: We’ll probably stay in some sort of mountain lodge.

3. To talk about future events or facts that are not personal

Ex: The prime minister will open the debate in parliament tomorrow.

The best player on the tour will get a special trophy.

4. To talk about something we decide to do at the time of speaking

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 Ex: Tell me all about it and I’ll pass on the information to the rest of the team.

5. We often use “will” to make offers, promises or suggestions

Ex: Don’t worry I’ll let everyone know. (A promise)

 To be going to

1. To talk about events in the future we have already thought about and intend to do

Ex: We are going to hire a bus.

2. To make predictions when there is present evidence

Ex: Well, we are certainly going to have a varied trip.

 Present Continuous vs. to be going to vs. will

Present Continuous To be going to

We’re going to hire a bus and then drive through
The manager is having a party when we
the mountains. (Less definite arrangement – we
get back. (Definite arrangement)
haven’t booked the bus yet.)
Will To be going to
I’m sure we’ll enjoy it. (Prediction We are going to have a very varied trip. (Prediction
based on my guess) based on what I know about the weather)

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 Chapter 3

 Past Continuous

1. To provide a background scene to an action. We often use words like when, while

and as.

Ex: It happened at 5 in the afternoon while she was watching the news on TV.

2. An action was in progress in the past

Ex: Last night, I was studying my favorite novel.

3. Emphasize on action without focusing on its completion

Ex: For a while last year I was working at the cinema and studying my degree.

(We don’t know if the actions were completed or not)

Past Continuous Simple Past

An action was in progress in the past. However, it was suddenly cut by another action.
While + past continuous, simple past.
While I was laughing at my teacher, he arrived.

 Past Perfect

1. To talk about something that happened in the past we sometimes want to refer

back to something that happened before that time

Ex: Mary rang John’s doorbell at 8:30 yesterday but he had already left the house.

Ex: When he opened the washing machine, she realized she had washed the coat.

Past Perfect Simple Past

Before + simple past, past perfect.
Before I arrived, she had gone.

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 Modal Verbs

1. Ability

1.1. can/could more common than be able to

Ex: Can you remember much about it?

1.2. To talk about ability on one specific occasion in the past: could, was/were

able to

Ex: He couldn’t remember who he was.

1.3. To show something is difficult to achieve: “managed to”

Ex: I’ve finally managed to give up smoking after all these years!

1.4. “Be able to” or “manage to” with present perfect or future forms

Ex: Apparently, he’s been able to find his family.

Ex: Within a year he’ll probably be able to remember quite a lot.

1.5. We use “can” to mean sometimes:

Ex: People can (sometimes) do funny things when they experienced something

terrible.

1.6. We also use “can” to ask for and give permission

Ex: Can I borrow the car this afternoon?

2. Possibility

1.1. We use must, may, might, could, couldn’t and can’t when there is some

evidence, information, belief that something is probably or possibly true (or not

true)

Ex: He may remember something already. (Present)

Ex: They must be having a difficult time adjusting to it all. (Continuous)

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 Ex: The phone is engaged, she might be talking on the phone. (Continuous)

Ex: He must have hit his head. (Past) (Strong evidence) (Must have+pp)

Ex: He could have had a child. (Past) (Possible situation) (Could have+pp)

Ex: He can’t have been married. (Past) (Strong evidence) (Can’t have been+pp)

1.2. We can use may (not), might (not), could (n’t), must, can’t + have been + ing

to talk about things possibly happening or in progress in the past

Ex: He might have been trying to run away from his past.

3. Obligation and necessity

3.1. Must, have to, have got to, and need to

Ex: You need to allow a bit of extra time to get over jet lag

Ex: You have to get a work permit before you go.

Ex: You mustn’t dress too casually for work.

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 Chapter 4

 Relative Clauses

1. Give information about a noun

Defining (give relevant info.) Non-defining (give extra info.)

People: Who / that People: Who
Things: Which / that Things: Which
Place: Where Place: Where
Time: When Time: When
Possession: Whose Possession: Whose
Reason: Why Reason: Why

2. Relative Pronouns:

Ex: Please welcome Mike Bowers, who is going to talk to us about how to look

after your home.

Ex: These are dangerous if you live in a flat which is in a large high-rise building.

Ex: Find someone that can check on your home while you are away.

Ex: This is your home, the place where you keep your most treasured

possessions.

Ex: Program them to come on at times when you would normally be home.

Ex: You’re a person whose job involves a lot of travel.

He lives in an old house, whose roof needs repairing.

Ex: There are often very good reasons why one house is burgled and another is

not.

3. Defining Relative Clauses

3.1. We can leave out relative pronoun when it refers back to the object of the

defining relative clause

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 Ex: Maybe there’s a neighbor (that) you can ask. (Neighbor=object)

Ex: In the evening, a house that’s very dark can really stand out. (House=subject)

4. Non-defining clauses add extra; non-essential information about something (more

common in written form of language)

Ex: I applied to the university, which is located in the center of the city.

**With non-defining relative clauses we do not use the relative pronoun “that”

Ex: The burglars got in through the kitchen window, which that the owners had

forgotten to shut.

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 Chapter 5

 Conditional Sentences

Real Conditional Unreal Conditional

Type Zero (Fact)
If you heat water, it boils.
Type One (Possible Future Action)
If you study, you will pass the exam.
Type Two (Imaginary or hypothetical situation)
If I had one million dollars, I would help the poor people.
If I were was you, I would mention it.
Type Three (Regret)
If I had seen you, I would have said hello to you.

 Type Zero

1. “If + Present Tense, Present Tense”

Ex: If you heat water to 100°C, it boils.

2. “Present Tense + if+ Present Tense”

Ex: Water boils if you heat it to 100°C.

3. To talk about general truth or fact (If has a similar meaning to every time)

Ex: If you own a car, you also have to pay for insurance and registration every

year.

 Type One (First Conditional)

1. “If + Present Tense, will/won’t (might/could/going to) + verb”

Ex: If I invest my money, it will grow.

2. “will/won’t (might/could/going to) + verb + if + Present Tense”

Ex: My money will grow if I invest it.

3. To talk about something we feel is a probable future result

Ex: If you leave your money in the bank, you won’t enjoy interest and it may lose

value over time.

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 4. We can use might, could or may instead of will to suggest something is less

probable

Ex: If I invest it, I might lose it all.

5. Can means sometimes

Ex: If you travel at rush hour, the trains can be very crowded.

 Type Two (Second Conditional)

1. To talk about imaginary, impossible or unlikely situations in the present or future

(The past tense does not refer to past time)

 Type Three (Third Conditional)

1. “If + Past Perfect, would (not) have +Past Participle”

Ex: If you’d asked me, I’d have done it.

2. “Would (not) have + Past Participle + if + Past Perfect”

Ex: I’d have done it if you’d asked me.

3. To talk about the result of something that did not happen

Ex: If I’d bought a second-hand car, I wouldn’t have taken out this big bank loan.

(=He bought a new car so he did take out a bank loan.)

4. We can use might or could instead of would to say that something was less certain

Ex: If I’d saved more money, I might have gone on that college trip last week.

 Question

1. What will happen if I miss the bus?

What would you do if you had one million dollars?

What would you do if you could edit your past?

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 Wishes and regrets

1. We use “wish + Past Verb” to talk about situation that we would like to be

different

Ex: I wish I could help you. (I can’t help you I am sorry about that)

Ex: I wish my father wasn’t always right. (He is always right and I find that

annoying)

2. We use “wish + something/someone + would + infinitive without to” to show that

we want something to happen or someone to change their behavior. We do not

use this with state verbs

Ex: I wish they would stop talking so loudly.

Ex: I wish this holiday would go on forever.

3. We use “wish + past perfect” to talk about past situation that we regret

Ex: I wish I’d thought about the other costs before I bought it.

Ex: I wish I had studied more.

4. We can use never for emphasis with a negative verb

Ex: I wish I’d never bought the car.

5. We can use if only in palace of wish with the same meaning. It is a little more

formal.

Ex: If only I had listened to my father.

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 Used to, to be used to and get used to

1. We use “used to/didn’t use to” to talk about past habits or repeated actions or

situations

Ex: I used to sleep for eight hours every night, but now I only sleep for six hours.

Ex: I didn’t recognize him. He didn’t used to have a beard.

2. We use “to be used to + gerund” to talk about a new situation that is now familiar

or less strange

Ex: I am not used to sleeping with a comforter. I’ve always slept with blankets.

Ex: I am used to sleeping in a dark room.

3. We use “get used to + gerund” to talk about a new situation that is becoming

familiar or less strange

Ex: Don’t worry, you will get used to it fast.

Ex: I can get used to working at night. I feel tired all the time.

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 Chapter 6

 Gerund

1. We use our verbs as a subject or an object

Ex: Watching TV sound great.

2. After prepositions

Ex: I’m good at speaking.

3. After some special verbs: like, love, hate, start, continue, suggest, avoid, enjoy

and etc.

Ex: I enjoy listening to music.

 Infinitive

1. After some verbs: need, want afford

Ex: I need to listen to his song carefully.

2. After adjectives

Ex: It’s nice to meet you.

Ex: I’m happy to see you.

3. To mention why we do something

Ex: I study English to improve my speaking

 Gerund and Infinitive

1. Like, love, hate and prefer are usually used with gerund (when we talk generally)

but can be used with infinitive (when we talk specifically)

Ex: I like swimming.

Ex: I like to swim in the morning when there aren’t many people there.

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 Future Continuous

1. To describe or predict events or situations continuing at a particular point in the

future or over a period of time in the future

Ex: I’ll be working on the report all next week.

2. To talk about events that are planned or already decided (like Present Continuous)

Ex: I’ll be seeing Sarah at lunch.

 Future Perfect Simple

1. To talk about a future event that will finish before a specified time in the future,

often with before, by + fixed time or in + amount of time

Ex: I’ll have finished it by next Friday.

Ex: In a week’s time, I’ll have written the report.

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 Chapter 7

 Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

1. We use comparative adjectives to compare two to more things, people and etc.

Ex: English is more interesting than French.

Ex: Older athletes are faster and fitter (than in the past).

2. We use superlative adjectives to compare one thing in a group with all others in

that group

Ex: The Olympic is probably the most exciting sport events in the sports calendar.

3. We can compare how things are by using more/most + adverb

Ex: Women aged 60 to 68 improves the most markedly.

4. Comparing adverbs: adverbs that have the same form as adjective (hard, fast,

straight, late, early, quick) add er/est

Ex: Women aged 60 to 68 runs on average four minutes faster each year.

5. Irregular adverbs: well, better, best; badly, worse, worst; far, further, furthest;

little, less, least

Ex: I did worse than I has expected in the exam, so I was disappointed.

6. Less/the least # more/the most

Ex: That was probably the least enjoyable meal I’ve ever had.

7. We can add emphasis: even, far, a great deal, a little, a lot, much + comparative

Formally: considerably, significantly + comparative

Ex: Older women show much greater enthusiasm for this plan than expected.

Ex: The figure for 2003 were significantly higher than those for the year 2008.

Note: very + comparative is wrong: very lower

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8. (Not) As + adjective/adverb + as

Ex: My car is as old as yours.

Ex: Older athletes are as likely to achieve their peak fitness as younger athletes.

Ex: While they may not be as fast as their counterparts …

9. We can add to the meaning by using: just, almost, nearly, half, twice, three times

Ex: In 2005, our team was almost as successful as in 2003.

Ex: He can run twice as fast as others in his team.

10. We can show that a change is happening over time by “repeating the

comparative”

Ex: Our atmosphere is gradually becoming more and more polluted.

Ex: It seems less and less likely that there will be a general election this year.

11. “the comparative + the comparative” to show two things vary or change at the

same time

Ex: The sooner the better.

Ex: The colder the weather is the more clothes you should wear.

12. For plural or uncountable nouns, we can compare quantities with “more” or

“most”

Ex: Today’s top sportspeople receive a lot more money than in the past.

13. We can add emphasis with “a lot/many + more/fewer + plural countable noun”

Ex: Increased sponsorship has given today’s athletes many more opportunities to

succeed.

14. We can add emphasis with “a lot/much + more/less + uncountable noun”

Ex: Today’s athletes need to do much more training than in the past.

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15. By repeating more/less/fewer:

Ex: So much in our society is about making more and more money.

16. We can say something is the same or different using “(not) as many/much +

plural/uncountable noun + (as)

Ex: There aren’t as many people doing sports at school (as there used to be).

17. “half, twice, three times etc. with as many/much … as”

Ex: In 2014 China won nearly twice as many silver medals as the US.

18. Grammar extra: comparing nouns

We can compare how similar things are using like, the same (as), similar to:

Ex: Older athletes can achieve the same degree of physical improvement as those

in their twenties and thirties.

Ex: He swims like a fish.

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 Chapter 8

 Passive

Active Tense Passive form: be + P.P.

Present Simple To be + p.p.
Present Continuous To be + being + p.p.
Past Simple Was/were + p.p.
Past Continuous Was/were + being + p.p.
Present Perfect Have/has + been + p.p.
Past Perfect Had + been + p.p.
Going to Going to + be +p.p.
Will Will + be + p.p.

 Causative

1. “sub + have/get + obj. + p.p.”: someone has done something on behalf of you

Ex: I got my hair cut.

Ex: I had my car washed.

2. “sub + have + an agent + bare infinitive + obj.”

Ex: I had Ali fix my car.

Ex: I’m going to have Ali fix my car.

3. “sub + get + an agent+ infinitive + obj.”

Ex: I got Ali to fix my car.

 Future Perfect Continuous

1. We use future perfect continuous to show how long an activity or situation has

been in progress before a specified time in the future. We usually mention the

length of time. (will have been + verb + ing)

Ex: By the end of the month I’ll have been working here for three years.

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 Chapter 9

 Adverbial Clauses

1. Sentence connector …, ….

2. … sentence connector …

Connector
When / While / Whilst / Whenever
As soon as / soon after
Time By the time / as long as
Till / Until
Before / After / since
Place Where / Wherever
Because / Due to the fact that / Point to the fact that / On account of the fact that / In virtue of
Reason the fact that / As long as / Because of the fact that / In view of the fact that / Owing to the fact
that / In that / Now that
Though / Even though / Even if /Even / Although / Nevertheless / Nonetheless
In spite of the fact that / Despite of the fact that / Regardless of the fact that + noun/noun clause
Contrast
Irrespective of the fact that / Not with standing of the fact that
While / whereas
Purpose So that / In order that/ In the hope that / For the purpose that + clause
If / As long as / Provided that / Providing that / Unless / On condition that / In case / In case
Condition
that
As / As if (speaking)
Manner
As although / In that (writing)

Ex: I’ve been living in the house since I was born.

Ex: I never forget your father by the time I’m alive.
Ex: I like to live where the road crosses river.
Ex: Since inflation in increasing in Iran, the young have to work harder to keep up with
economic changes.
Ex: Although the weather is good today, I don’t go on the picnic.
Ex: In spite of my severe headache, I go to work today.
Ex: My mother is so stingy while my father is so generous.
Ex: You do not behave as a gentleman must behave.
Ex: Much money is devoted to this project providing that it is rationally spent.
Ex: I have to work so hard so that I can save money for rainy days. (so that + modal verb)

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 Noun Clause

1. There are a variety of noun clauses

1.1.Statement (that)
Ex: That telling lie can lead to grave consequences in everyone’s life is
completely proved by experience.
1.2. Yes/no question (if/whether)
Ex: Whether you can manage this company alone is the matter of discussion
by board members.
1.3. wh words
Ex: Why history and civilization can, in turn, help the identity is a matter
under consideration.
 Inversion

1. After negative, emphatic and restrictive initials

Ex: I have never had Sashimi.

Never have I had Sashimi. “negative initial + verb + sub”

Ex: I can speak neither French nor German.

Neither do I speak French, nor do I speak German.

Ex: I rarely go to stadium.

Rarely do I go to stadium.

Ex: Not only …, but also ….

Not only is he gorgeous, but also he is kind.

Ex: This door shouldn’t be opened under any circumstances.

Under no circumstances should this door be opened.

Ex: Her eyes were so gorgeous that I couldn’t get my eyes off them

So gorgeous were her eyes that I couldn’t get my eyes off them.

2. Inversion in conditional sentences

Zero Type:

Ex: If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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 “Inversion: we should omit if and add should”

Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Type one:

Ex: If you do not leave now, you will miss the bus.

“Omit If and auxiliary verb, add should”

Ex: Should you not leave now; you will miss the bus.

 Complex, Compound Sentences

1. Sentences types: Simple, Complex, Compound, Compound-Complex

2. Clause: A phrase which contains a subject and a verb

Ex: The cat meowed.

3. Independent Clause: Must have a subject and a verb and must express a complete

idea

4. Every complete sentence must contain at least one independent clause. If it

doesn’t have it is a sentence fragment

5. Subordinate clause: Also has a subject and a verb but doesn’t express a complete

idea

Subordinating Conjunctions: If, when, while, before, since, until, even though,

whenever, whereas

6. Simple Sentence: independent clause

Ex: The cat meowed at the window.

7. Compound sentence: Two independent clauses joined by a coordinating

conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so = FANBOYS)

Ex: The cat meowed at the window but nobody heard him.

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 Ex: The cat meowed at the window but nobody heard him so he jumped down.

8. Complex Sentence: At least one independent clause and at least one subordinate

clause “Subordinate clause + independent clause”

Ex: Since nobody heard him, the cat jumped down from the window.

9. Compound Complex Sentence: Two independent clauses joined by coordinating

conjunction and at least one subordinate clause that begins with subordinating

conjunction

Ex: The cat meowed at the window but since nobody heard him, he jumped down

the window.

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