FIFTH GRADE GRAMMAR TUTORIAL

Learning Competencies
 Use the plural forms of regular nouns (Review)
 Use the plural forms of irregular nouns (Review)
 Identify and use personal pronouns in sentences (Review)
 Compose clear and coherent sentences using appropriate grammatical structures: Aspects of verbs
 Compose clear and coherent sentences using appropriate grammatical structures: Modals
 Identify subject and predicate (Review)
 Compose clear and coherent sentences using appropriate grammatical structures: Coordinating
Conjunctions
 Compose clear and coherent sentences using appropriate grammatical structures: Subject-Verb
Agreement
 Compose clear and coherent sentences using appropriate grammatical structures: Adjectives and
Degrees of Adjectives
I. COMMON RULES FOR FORMING PLURAL NOUNS
1. To make most nouns plural, add –s
bird birds
street streets
rose roses

2. Add –es to nouns ending in –sh, -ch, -ss, and –x

dish dishes
match matches
class classes
box boxes

3. If a noun ends in a consonant + -y, change the y to I and add –es, as in (c). If-y is preceded by a vowel, add
only –s, as in (d).
baby babies
city cities
toy toys
key keys

4. If a noun ends in –fe or –f, change the ending to –ves. Exceptions are beliefs, chiefs, roofs, cuffs, cliffs).
knife knives
loaf loaves
life lives
5. The plural form of nouns that end in –o is sometimes –oes and sometimes –os.

tomato tomatoes
potato potatoes
 zoo zoos

6. Some nouns have irregular forms.

child children
foot feet
goose geese
woman women
man men

7. Some nouns that English has borrowed from other languages have foreign plurals.
bacterium bacteria
cactus cacti
crisis crises
phenomenon phenomena

II. ASPECTS OF VERBS

A. THE SIMPLE ASPECT
The simple aspect includes all verbs in the simple tense (past, present, or future). It is the verb form
used to express a fact.
The simple present tense is used to express action that is true, normal, or regular. Some examples of
actions the present tense expresses include: habits, directions, general truths, and unchanging situations. For
regular verbs, add “-s” to the end of the verb to create its simple present form.
 I walk the dog.
 He plays music.
 We paint the house.

The simple past tense is used to express actions that are completed at any time (recent or distant past)
or for any duration (length of event). For regular verbs, add “-ed” to the end of the verb to create the simple past
tense.

 I walked the dog.

 He played music.
 We painted the house.

The simple future tense is used to express action that will certainly occur at any time later than now.
Add “will” or “shall” between the subject and the base/infinitive form of the verb to create the simple future
tense.

 I will walk the dog.

 He will play music.
 We will paint the house.

B. THE PROGRESSIVE/CONTINUOUS ASPECT

 The continuous aspect (also called the progressive aspect) refers to actions that are ongoing and in the
process of being completed.

 He is working on a project.

This is on ongoing action. He is “progressing towards” the completion of his project.

Forming the Progressive Aspect. The progressive aspect is formed using a form of the auxiliary verb to be and
the present participle.

For example:

Forming the Past Progressive Tense - was or were + present participle

 We were writing.

Forming the Present Progressive Tense - is or are + present participle
 She is diving.
 They are eating.

Forming the Future Progressive Tense – will be + present participle

 He will be flying.

C. THE PERFECT ASPECT

The perfect aspect (or complete aspect as it's sometimes called) is the aspect of a verb which expresses a
completed action.

In the Past Tense
 We had seen.
 I had cleaned.
 She had drunk.

In the Present Tense
 I have seen.
 She has taken.
 It has found.

In the Future Tense
 You will have finished.
 They will have eaten.
 She will have swum.

Forming the Perfect Aspect

The perfect aspect is formed using a form of the auxiliary verb have and the past participle. For example:

Forming the Past Perfect Tense – had + past participle

  They had played.

Forming the Present Perfect Tense – has/have + past participle

 He has played.
 We have played.

Forming the Future Perfect Tense – will have + past participle

 He will have played.

III. MODALS
Modal verbs or modal auxiliary verbs are a type of verbs that indicates modality, i.e., permission,
ability and obligation. Some of the common modal verbs are can, could, may, might and must.
A. MODALS EXPRESSING ABILITY
1. Can/Can’t talks about someone's skill or general abilities
She can speak several languages.
He can swim like a fish.
They can't dance very well.
2. Could/Couldn’t talks about the past.
She could speak several languages.
I couldn't see you.

B. MODALS EXPRESSING PERMISSION

B.1 ASKING PERMISSION
1. We use can to ask for permission to do something:
Can I ask a question, please?
Can we go home now?
2. Could is more formal and polite than can:
Could I ask a question, please?
Could we go home now?
3. May is another more formal and polite way of asking for permission:
May I ask a question, please?
May we go home now?
B.2 GIVING PERMISSION
1. We use can to give permission:
You can go home now.
You can borrow my pen if you like.
2. May is a more formal and polite way of giving permission:
You may go home now.
B.3 REFUSING PERMISSION
1. We use can't and may not to refuse permission or say that someone does not have permission:
2. You can't go home yet.
Students may not travel for free.

C. MODALS EXPRESSING OBLIGATION/RECOMMENDATION

1. We use should to give, or ask for, advice or an opinion in the present:

 "I have a terrible stomach ache." "You should go to the doctor's."

 "I haven’t heard from my father." "You should call him."
 "She's not happy with the salary offered." "She shouldn't accept the job."

2. Have to is used to show that a person is obliged to do something, usually by an outside force, have to can
also be used to give your opinion:

 You have to show your passport at passport control. 

(It’s the law.)
 Jenny has to do homework every evening. 
(Her parents told her to do her homework.)
 Tom had to work late last night. 
(He hadn't finished his work)

3. Must is also used to talk about obligation and is used in written rules and instructions:

 You must submit your proposal by noon on 12th July.

 You must not use a calculator during the exam.

Must is also used to give a strong recommendation:

 You must tell him before it's too late.

 You mustn't be late for work on your first day.

D. MODALS EXPRESSING POSSIBILITY

1. May shows possibility in the present or the future.

Present: Where are my keys? They may be in the car.

Future: I may go to the party tonight.

2. Might shows possibility in the present or future.

 Where are my keys? They might be in the car.

 I might go to the party tonight.
Might is less formal than may, and is more common in conversation.

3. Could expresses something is possible in the present or future.

Present: Where are my keys? They could be in the car.

Future: We could go to the party tonight.