WORD ORDER IN QUESTIONS

In questions, the word order subject-verbs-object is the same as in affirmative

sentences. The only thing that’s different is that you usually have to put the auxiliary
verb (or the main verb “be”) before the subject. Interrogatives are put at the beginning
of the sentences:

auxiliary other indirect direct

interrogative subject place Time
verb verb(s) object object

What would you like to tell me      

  Did you have   a party in your yesterday?

flat

When Were you       here?  

You don’t use an auxiliary verb if you ask for the subject. In this case the interrogative
simply takes the place of the subject.[ CITATION ano19 \l 12298 ]

interrogative verb(s) Object

Who asked you?

SIMPLE PRESENT AND PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE

The present continuous tense is commonly used with the time adverbs: now, at the
moment, today, this morning, evening, afternoon etc.

We have learned that the present continuous tense is used to talk about actions that are
going on at the moment of speaking. It can also be used to talk about a plan in the near
future. For example, you can use the present continuous tense to describe what you are
doing this evening or tomorrow.
  What are you doing in the evening? I am washing my car.
 What are you doing tomorrow? I am visiting my children tomorrow.

FORMATION OF THE NEGATIVES

Forming the negatives is easy. You just need to put not after the auxiliary verb.

What are you doing?

 I am working. I am not playing.

 Where are you going?
 I am going to school. I am not going to the cinema.
 What is she doing?
 She is playing. She is not studying.

The present continuous tense is also used to talk about things that are happening around this
time.

READ THE EXAMPLE SENTENCES GIVEN BELOW.

I’m working on a new project. (I am not working on the project at this particular
moment, but around this time.)

 I’m reading ‘Oliver Twist’ this week.

 I’m doing a diploma course in computer science.
 What classes are you taking this year / semester?
 We’re studying chemistry and molecular biology this semester.

Notes

There is an important difference between the simple present and present continuous
tenses.

The simple present tense is used to talk about things that we do all the time. For
example, we use this tense to talk about our jobs, hobbies, habits etc. The present
continuous tense is used to talk about things that are happening at the moment of
speaking.[ CITATION jua15 \l 12298 ]

PRESENT PERFECT FOR EXPERIENCE FOR AND SINCE QUESTIONS

WITH HOW LONG
Using the "perfect present" we can define a period of time prior to the present moment,
determine its duration well, in which case we use "for" + time period, or its start or
starting point, case in which we use " from "+ specific moment. "For" and "since" can
be used with the "perfect past." "Since" admits perfect verb specific tenses. "For" can
also be used with the "simple past."[ CITATION Mel12 \l 12298 ]

"FOR" + PERIODO DE TIEMPO

 for six years, for a week, for a month, for hours, for two hours

 I have worked here for five years.

"SINCE" + MOMENTO CONCRETO

 since this morning, since last week, since yesterday

 since I was a child, since Wednesday, since 2 o'clock
 I have worked here since 1990.

"PRESENT PERFECT" CON "FOR"

 She has lived here for twenty years.

 We have taught at this school for a long time.
 Alice has been married for three months.
 They have been at the hotel for a week.

"PRESENT PERFECT" CON "SINCE"

 She has lived here since 1980.

 We have taught at this school since 1965.
 Alice has been married since March 2nd.
 They have been at the hotel since last Tuesday.

The question words how long? and since when?, and the prepositions for and since are

used with the present perfect continuous tense to express events that started in the past
and are still in progress in the present.[ CITATION Mel12 \l 12298 ]

PRESENT PERFECT WITH ALREADY, JUST, YET

They use the adverbs "already", "just ", "still" and "yet" more often in the present
perfect, although we can use them in other tenses. These adverbs are used in reference
to time and their position within the sentence depends on the names of them we are
using.

ALREADY

It refers to something that has happened before or sooner than expected and is translated
as “already” in Spanish. "Already" generally goes between the auxiliary verb and the
verb.

EXAMPLES:

 They have already finished their homework.

 Jacob has already left work.
 The train has already arrived.

JUST

"Just" is used for actions that have occurred recently and is translated as "end of" or
"fair." As with "already", "just" goes before the verb or between the auxiliary and the
verb in the sentence.

EXAMPLES:

 I just ate, but I’m already hungry again.

 Where’s Jacob? He’s just left.
 Beth has just moved to New York.

STILL

We use “still” for actions or events that have not yet happened, especially when we
hope they had already happened. It translates as "still" or "still." It is often also used
with other tenses, but "still" always goes before the verb, regardless of the tense we use.

EXAMPLES:

 I took two pills, but my head still hurts.

 Is Jacob still working in the hospital?
 They have not finished their homework yet.

YET
 "yet" is used for something we expected to have happened, but has not yet happened.
We tend to use it in negative and interrogative phrases. In negative sentences it can be
translated as "still" or "still" and in questions like "already". In contrast to the other
adverbs of this lesson, "still" goes to the end of the sentence. [CITATION ano17 \l 12298 ]

EXAMPLES:

 I'm really hungry. I haven't eaten yet.

 Jacob hasn’t left his job at the hospital yet.
 Have they finished their homework yet?
 Has the train arrived yet?

EVERY/ SOME/ ANY/NO+BODY/ONE/THING/WHERE

Undefined pronouns are: something, someone, anything, anyone, everything, everyone,

nothing, nobody. They are used to specify an amount indefinitely or to speak in general
terms without specifying any specific person, place or thing.

Learn to differentiate and use indefinite pronouns in English correctly and safely. We
will help you improve your level of English and give your conversations a more
distinguished touch. Practice in the exercise section and strengthen your grammar
knowledge.

DIFERENCIAS ENTRE EVERY-, SOME-, ANY-, NO-

Pronombre
Uso Ejemplo
indefinido

EVERYTHING

todos los integrantes de un grupo Everything looks different.

EVERYBODY
It seems that everyone has
EVERYONE disappeared.

SOMETHING

algo o alguien cuya naturaleza o I would really like to ask someone.

SOMEBODY
identidad se desconoce I think I heard something.
SOMEONE
Pronombre
Uso Ejemplo
indefinido

ANYTHING I am sure anyone could help me to

get back to the city centre.
ANYBODY una cosa o persona cualquiera de un
I would do anything to get back to
grupo,
the city centre.
ANYONE

en oraciones negativas,

en el sentido de nada o nadie But there isn’t anyone here I could

ask.

en oraciones interrogativas, en el sentido

de algo o alguien
Is there anyone there?

NOTHING

Nothing looks familiar.
NOBODY
nada o nadie en absoluto There is nobody in the street.
NO ONE

SOMEBODY

Carlos begins talking about the pronunciation of this word, somebody pronounced
something like / sambáre /. Also important to comment that we have the word someone
who is a total synonym for somebody. So it depends on your taste or what is easier for
you to use in real life, you choose. The same would happen with anyone, not one, etc.

IT MEANS SOMEONE.

 Somebody is at the door.                         

 There is somebody there.
It is usually used in affirmative, or also in interrogative when an affirmative answer is
expected.

 Is there somebody there? 

ANYBODY
Anyone means, it has that connotation of being less specific than somebody that as we
have said above means someone.
In affirmative has that connotation of anyone
 Anybody can see it
The function of anybody, or any in general is its use in negative and interrogative. In
this case, it means again someone, something, etc. It would be like somebody,
something, someone, but that is transformed for questions and denial although meaning
the same.

 Is anybody coming?
 There isn't anybody.
EVERYBODY AND NOBODY

Everybody means everybody and nobody means nobody.

Look closely at this compilation of all these compound words and you will see that you
understand it much better.

 Nobody is here

 Nobody can do it          
 Everybody can do it                              
 Anybody can do it
 Somebody can do it
SOMETHING, NOTHING, NOTHING

The same formula seen above for people we will use for things.

 Something would be something.

Anything would be anything (or something for interrogative and negative)

 Nothing, it would be nothing.

 There is nothing here 
 There isn’t anything here
 Nothing can change that 
 I want everything
  Anything can happen
 There is something weird

WE ALSO HAVE TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN ALL AND EVERY.

 I’ve been here all day 
 I come here every day

SOMEWHERE, ANYWHERE, EVERYWHERE, NOWHERE

 It can be anywhere
 Somewhere in Spain  
 It’s everywhere  
 In the middle of nowhere 

VERBS WITH TWO OBJECTS

Many English verbs take two objects  – one direct object and one indirect object. The
direct object usually refers to an object. The indirect object usually refers to a person
and comes first.

 He gave his daugther a camera for Christmas. (Indirect object – his daughter,
direct object – camera)
 Could you lend me some money? (Indirect object – me, direct object – money)
 Let me get you a cup of coffee. (Indirect object – you, direct object – a cup of
coffee)

Some common verbs which can be followed by two objects are given below:

Bring, buy, cost, get, give, leave, lend, make, offer, owe, pass, pay, play, promise, read,
refuse, send, show, sing, take, teach, tell, wish, write

POSITION OF THE DIRECT AND INDIRECT OBJECTS

The indirect object usually comes before the direct object. We can also put the indirect
object after the direct object. When the indirect object comes after the direct object, it
usually has the preposition to or for before it.
  She sent the flowers for me, not for you.
 I handed my credit card to the salesman.

WHEN BOTH OBJECTS ARE PRONOUNS

When both objects are pronouns, it is common to put the indirect object last. In informal
style, to is occasionally dropped after it.

 Lend them to her.

 Send some to him.

It is also possible to put the indirect object first.

 Send him some.

THE VERBS EXPLAIN, SUGGEST AND DESCRIBE

The verbs explain, suggest and describe are not used with the structure indirect object +

direct object.

 Please explain your decision to us.

 Can you suggest a good cardiologist to me? (NOT Can you suggest me a good
cardiologist?)

ONE OBJECT OR TWO

Some verbs can be followed by either a direct object, or an indirect object, or both.

 I asked him.
 I asked a question.
 I asked him a question.

PRESENT PERFECT OR PAST SIMPLE

This lesson was requested by khoukha and is a quick review of how we use the present
perfect and the past simple.

PAST SIMPLE

We use this tense for things that happened at a definite time in the past.
E.g. "I met my best friend when I was fifteen."

 Did you eat breakfast this morning

 I had three exams this week
 It is formed by adding '-ed' to regular verbs.

PRESENT PERFECTT

his tense describes something that happened in the past, but that is related to something
in the present.

 E.g. "I have read three books by Charles Dickens."

 “Have you ever taken dance classes?”
 “Yes, I have. I took 6 weeks of lessons before my wedding!”
 “Has your brother ever been to India?”
 “Have your friends ever helped you move to a new apartment?”
 Don’t use ever in the answer. Only use it in questions.
 If you want, you can use before in the answer:
 Yes, I’ve ever taken dance classes.
 Yes, I’ve taken dance classes before.
 I’ve never failed a test. I’ve always gotten 80% or more.
 He’s never heard of Michael Jackson. I can’t believe he doesn’t know the King
of Pop!
 Samantha has never been surfing. She’s afraid of the ocean.
 We’ve never studied Italian. We studied French and Spanish in school, but
Italian wasn’t available.
 They’ve never told a lie. I know we can trust them.
It is also used to talk about life experiences, recent events or states or things that started
in the past and hasn't changed.

E.g:
I have been to America.

 I have just finished my dinner.

 I've worked for EC since 2008.

The important thing to remember is that the present perfect is related to the present in
some way. Whereas, the past simple happened at a specific time in the past and is a
finished action.

Bibliografía

anonimo. (06 de julio de 2017). Obtenido de https://www.curso-

ingles.com/aprender/cursos/nivel-avanzado/verb-tenses-present-perfect/already-
just-still-yet

anonimo. (23 de diciembre de 2019). Obtenido de grammar/word-order/questions:

https://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/word-order/questions

juan. (20 de noviembre de 2015). Obtenido de simple-present-present-continuous-tense:

https://www.englishgrammar.org/simple-present-present-continuous-tense-
differences/

Melanie. (28 de mayo de 2012). Obtenido de /present-perfect-con-for-since:

https://www.ef.com.ec/recursos-aprender-ingles/gramatica-inglesa/present-
perfect-con-for-since/