Intermediate Progress checklist
Verbs and tenses
Grammar
1 Present simple and
present continuous
2 Talking about the past
3 Present perfect
Oxford
Grammar in action Over to you
Forms, uses, and contexts Talking about where people live, study, and work, and things we do Write a letter about yourself
Present tenses with future frequently; explaining how we do things, or how things happen. to a penfriend and tell
meaning (Present simple) them about any future
Talking about things that have started but not finished. (Present arrangements you have.
continuous)
Talking about something in the future which is organized. (Present
simple)
Talking about things in the future that we have agreed to do. (Present
continuous)
Past simple and past Talking about completed actions in the past. (Past simple) Talk about some things that
continuous Talking about actions we were in the middle of at a particular time in you have done in your past
Used to the past. (Past continuous) and some things you did
Giving actions in a story (Past simple) and giving background when you were younger but
information about the situation (Past continuous). don’t do now.
Explaining past habits and situations to emphasize that things are
different now. (Used to)
Forms, uses, and contexts; Talking about people’s lives until now; the news; talking or asking Talk about some things you
time phrases about the result of a recent completed action. (Present perfect) have done in your life and
Present perfect continuous Talking about an action started in the past that we are still doing now some things that you are still
or have just completed; talking about a series of repeated actions; doing or have completed
explaining why we look or feel a certain way now. (Present perfect recently.
continuous)
 4 Past simple and present
perfect; past perfect
5 The future
Modal verbs
Grammar
6 Ability, permission, and
requests
7 Possibility and
probability; perfect
modals
8 Duty and obligation
Past simple and present
perfect
Past perfect
Going to
Will and shall
Ability: can, could, be able
to, managed to
Permission and requests:
can, could, may, will, and
would
Possibility and probability:
may, might, could, must,
and can’t
Perfect modals: must have
been, can’t have done
Should, ought to, have (got)
to
Must, need to
Talking about finished events in history (past simple) and recent Tell a friend about what had
events or situations that are still true in the present (present perfect). happened when you got
Talking about an earlier event in the past and saying what happened home yesterday.
before something else happened. (Past perfect)
Saying what happened around the time that something else
happened. (Past continuous)
Talking about things we plan to do or things we have decided to do. Write an email to your parents
(going to) detailing how you are going to
Making predictions about future events. (going to and will) help them around the house
Making offers, suggestions and informal requests. (will) this weekend.
Grammar in action Over to you
Talking about skills (can), general skills in the past (could), and Write a letter of application for a
one particular achievement in the past (be able to, managed to). job, detailing the things you can do,
Talking about the senses. (can) things you could do when you were
Asking permission and making requests in informal situations younger, and things you will be able
(can, will) and formal situations (could, may, would). to do when you finish your studies.
Talking about things we had permission to do in the past.
(could)
Drawing definite conclusions about present or past situations Write some suggestions about how
based on what we know. you think the Egyptians might have
Exploring options for the future. built the pyramids.
Making suggestions.
Guessing about a situation when we don’t know all the facts
(now or in the past).
Saying what we think is the best course of action. Describe the duties of a job that you
Talking about duties, official procedures, and rules. have had or a job that you would
like.
Verb forms and structures

Grammar Grammar in action Over to you

9 Infinitives and -ing forms
(1)
Verb + infinitive or verb +
-ing
I invited her to come.
Talking about arrangements. (verb + infinitive) Tell a friend what kind of parent you
Talking about intentions and decisions. (verb + infinitive) think you will be.
Describing our likes and dislikes. (verb + -ing form)
Talking about how one person influences another. (verb + obj
+ infinitive)
Explaining what is permitted and allowed. (verb + let + verb)

10 Infinitives and -ing forms I like to play tennis or I like Talking about activities. (-ing) Write an email to a penfriend about
(2) playing tennis Talking about our likes and dislikes, feelings and preferences. all the different activities that you
Painting is hard to do, etc. Talking about the order things happen in. do, how much you enjoy them and
Forbidding actions which are against the rules. (No + -ing) how good you are at them.
Describing people’s strengths and weaknesses. (adjective +
preposition + -ing)

11 The passive Present and past tenses Talking about processes. Research some buildings, inventions,
Future and modal passives; Writing in a formal and impersonal manner. works of art, novels, etc. and write
have something done Talking in a factual way about official plans and decisions. some sentences about each, using
Talking about professional services. the passive.

12 Phrasal and Phrasal verbs Talking in an informal way. Write an informal email to a
prepositional verbs Prepositional verbs friend using as many phrasal or
prepositional verbs as you can.

13 Indirect speech (1) Reporting statements Reporting in the media. Report something that you heard or
Reporting questions Telling someone else what we have heard or read. read in the news today to a friend.
Gossiping with friends, family and colleagues.
Summarizing conversations.

14 Indirect speech (2) Reported requests, orders, Reporting what someone has told us to do or what we have Imagine you have given someone
and advice told someone else to do. directions to your house. Report the
Advanced points Asking polite questions. instructions you gave to a friend.
Giving information.
 15 Conditional sentences Zero conditional and first
conditional
Second conditional
Giving facts; talking about the behaviour of people we Talk about an event in your future
know, when they react in the same way every time. (Zero that you are worried about, for
conditional) example an exam or test.
Talking about things that are possible in the future; making
likely predictions. (First conditional)
Imagining situations that are not true or are unlikely; talking
more politely about the future (Second conditional)

Nouns, pronouns, determiners

Grammar Grammar in action Over to you

16 Nouns Countable and uncountable Talking about separate, individual things we can count. Describe where you keep things at
nouns; articles (Countable nouns) home.
Noun + noun Talking about things that do not naturally divide into
separate units. (Uncountable nouns)
Referring to the material something is made from; talking
about an object’s purpose; saying what a book, film, etc. is
about; talking about a person or machine that does an action.
(Noun + noun)

17 Possessives Possessive adjectives and Talking about things we own; about relationships; about List the hobbies and possessions of
pronouns parts of the body; about thoughts, feelings, ideas, etc. that we a friend or member of your family
’s and s’; of mine have. and compare them with your own.

18 Demonstratives This, that, these, and those Talking about our activities in the present or future (this, Have a conversation with a friend,
This is what was said … these) and in the past (that, those). imagining you are in a shop
Pointing to something we are going to do or say next (this) comparing items.
and something that has just happened or that we have
already said (that).
Introducing people.

19 Quantifiers Some, any, no; much, many, Talking about the amount or number of something without Describe the people in your class
a lot of being exact. using everyone, somebody, no one,
Pronouns: somebody, Making offers and requests (some) etc.
everything, etc. Saying something is against the rules (no)
Referring to people, things, ideas, and places in general.
Adjectives and adverbs

Grammar Grammar in action Over to you

20 Comparative and Adjectives: tall, taller, tallest Comparing one person or thing to another to say how they Think about some people, places or
superlative forms Adverbs: early, earlier, are different. things that are world record holders
earliest Comparing actions; comparing the way people do things. and write something about them.

21 (Not) as … as, enough, They ran as fast as they Comparing two things when we are making a choice. (as ... as) Talk about a party that you went to
too could, but not fast enough. Emphasizing an adjective in a description. (as ... as) that wasn’t as good as you thought it
He’s too young. Checking we have the right amount of something (enough). would be.
Saying we have more of something than we need (too).

22 Adverbs Adverbs of frequency, time,
place, and manner
Adverbs of probability,
degree, and completeness
Talking about habits and processes. Think of your favourite recipe and
Talking about progress over a period of time. write instructions, using adverbs.
Describing where something or somebody is.
Talking about how certain, or uncertain, our plans and
arrangements are.
Comparing people or things.

23 Connecting adverbs So, too, either, neither
First, next, then, etc.;
actually, fortunately, etc.;
only, even
Adding more information to a conversation without Write a dialogue in which you and
repeating a sentence. your friends are on a camping trip
Agreeing with what someone is saying, or saying that our discussing where to set up camp, put
experience is the same. up your tent, cook some food, etc.,
Comparing the things we own with someone else’s. using connecting adverbs.
Giving instructions.
Explaining the order of events in a story.
Making judgements and giving opinions, expressing feelings
or explaining our thoughts.
Prepositions

Grammar Grammar in action Over to you

24 Prepositions (1) Preposition + noun/
adjective: for sale, in love,
etc.
Noun/adjective +
preposition
Talking about where people and things are. Summarize the plot of a film that
Describing movement. you have seen recently, using
Giving directions. prepositions.
Talking about means of transport.
Explaining a sequence of events.
Describing a person’s features and clothes.
Talking about feelings, attitudes, and opinions.
Talking about the connection or relation between two things.

25 Prepositions (2) Preposition + noun + Saying where things are. Think of someone you know who
preposition Describing the order that things happen. has changed his or her lifestyle.
Preposition in linking Writing formal letters. Describe the changes he or she
phrases Giving extra information to support what we are saying. has made and explain why, using
Giving a summary or conclusion about what we have said prepositional phrases.
before.
Explaining or giving reasons for things.

Building sentences

Grammar Grammar in action Over to you

26 Linking words Either … or, neither … nor,
both … and, because, for
In order to, so that, such a
Talking about alternatives. (Either … or) Write an advertisement for a new
Explaining that a negative statement is true of two things. gadget that has two uses. Explain
(Neither … nor) why you need it and what it does.
Emphasizing that two things or two ideas go together.
(Both … and)
Explaining the cause or reason for something. (because)
Talking about why we do something and explaining the
purpose of something (for)
Explaining a particular reason for an action. (in order to, so that)
27 Linking sentences If … not, unless, in case,
etc.
But, though, however
28 Relative clauses Defining relative clauses
with who, which, that or
whose
Non-defining relative
clauses with who, which
or whose
29 Expressions of time, When, while, until, before,
place, and reason after, as soon as
When, where, why,
whenever, wherever
30 Leaving out words Emma sings and dances.
Leaving out words in
defining relative clauses.
Saying what will happen if we don’t do something. (If … not, Suggest some changes we could
unless) make to help the environment and
Explaining the reason for doing something, or when we want to describe what will happen if we
avoid a possible problem later. (in case) don’t make those changes.
Connecting two statements in formal letters or speeches.
(moreover, furthermore, what’s more)
Expressing a contrast between two statements or ideas. (but,
although, however, on the other hand)
Identifying which person, place or thing we are talking about. Think of some famous people and
Giving more information about a person, place or thing. explain briefly who they are and
Giving a reaction to, or commenting on, facts. why they are famous.
Explaining events and the order they happen in, in a story about Talk to a friend about the things
the past, a recipe or instructions. you did together when you were
Explaining which times, places, and reasons we are talking younger.
about.
Saying the exact time or place is not important.
Leaving out words when everyone understands what we are Write about some things which
talking about and the meaning is clear. were true when you were younger
Making what we say more concise in formal writing. but which are different now,
Sounding more natural in spoken English. leaving out any unnecessary
repetition of words.