Verb tenses

Now we are studying English.

At this time yesterday we were swimming.

(a esta hora)
By this time yesterday we had finished our exam.
(para esta hora=antes)
By the time we arrived, all the guests had left.
(para cuando)

At this time tomorrow we will be lying on the beach.

By this time tomorrow we will have heard the news
By the time we arrive, all the guests will have left.
(subjuntivo)

Relative clauses

Defining:
1) The man who/that is dancing on the table is my cousin
2) The picture which/that is hanging on the wall is hers
3) The woman (who/that) you are looking at is my wife –
the woman at whom you are looking is my wife
4) The picture (that) you are talking about is a piece of art –
the picture about which you are talking is a piece of art

Omission is possible if right after the relative pronoun there is a

subject.
Whom can never be omitted.

5) The boy whose parents are British can’t speak English

Whose can never be omitted.
 6) The place (where) you were born is lovely –
***The place you were born in is lovely –
The place in which you were born is lovely
7) The day (when) we met was special for me

Modals and semi modals

OBLIGATION:

Present:
- must (the obligation comes from the speaker),
- have to (the obligation comes from the outside)
Past: had to
Future: Will have to

LACK OF OBLIGATION:

Present:
- Needn´t + infinitive *la negativa de must
- Don´t have to / don´t need to
Past:
- Didn´t need to
- Needn´t have + past participle (no hacía falta hacerlo)

Future: won´t have to / won´t need to

PROHIBITION
present: mustn´t + to inf
 past: was/were forbidden to + inf
future: will be forbidden to + inf

POSSIBILITY: puede que…

Present:

- May + to inf.
- Could + to inf.
- might + to inf.

past:

- may+ have + past participle

- might + have + past participle
- could + have + past participle

ADVICE
Present: SHOULD / OURGHT TO + TO INF.
Informal formal
Past: SHOULD / OUGHT TO + have + past participle

ABILITY

Present: can
Past: could
Future: will be able to
PERMISSION
present: can (most informal) / could / may (most formal)
past: Could / was / were allowed to
future: will be allowed to

DEDUCTION: debe de…

Present Past
+ Must + to inf. Must + have + past
participle
- Can´t + to inf. Can´t+ have + past
participle

He must earn a lot of money as he spends his holidays in

luxurious hotels
He can’t be a pilot because he hates flying
She must have broken her leg; she can’t walk
They can’t have won the prize; they have been crying for hours

(A) FEW (Pocos/as) + countable noun in plural

(A) LITTLE (Poco/a) + uncountable noun in singular
FEWER (Menos) + countable nouns
LESS (Menos) + uncountable nouns
LOTS OF + contable or uncontable nouns
To steal sth from somebody/a place
· He stole 1000€ from me
· He stole 1000€ from the bank

To rob somebody/a place of sth

· He robbed me of 1000€
· He robbed the bank of 1000€