BAC: GRAMMAR RULES

Parallel structure: the repetition of a chosen grammatical form within a sentence.

Ellen likes hiking, attending the rodeo, and taking afternoon naps.
My best friend took me to a dance and a show.
My dog not only likes to play fetch, but he also likes to chase cars.
I would rather pay for my education than receive financial aid.
Used to + inf: past habits
I used to go swimming every Thursday when I was at school.
I used to smoke but I gave up a few years ago.
Modals (can, could, may, might, shall, should, will, would, must, have to) + bare inf
You should (went) …………… visit your grandparents more.
My teachers would always (supported) ……………………… us.
Comparative form: short adj + er + than – more + long adj + than
Superlative form: the + short adj + est – the + most + long adj
Irregular comparative and superlatives:
Good better the best
Bad worse the worse
Far farther/ further the farthest/ furthest
Many/ much more most
Little less least

A rock is (heavy) ……………. than a leaf.

I think golf is (boring) …………………….. than football.
This task is (difficult) ……………….. than the other tasks.
It is the (large) ……………………… shop in the town.
John is the (popular) ……………………kid in the class.
Prepositions
To depend on , to be independent of, to suffer from, to succeed in, to approve of, to be
deprived of, to prevent from, to be different from, to believe in, to result in, to focus on
Compound adjective: contains two words combined by a hyphen (-)
NUMBER - NOUN (singular): I have a three-week vacation
ADVERB - PAST PARTICIPLE: We live in a densely-populated city
NOUN - PAST PARTICIPLE: I love eating sun-dried raisins
NOUN - PRESENT PARTICIPLE: That was a record-breaking jump.
NOUN - ADJECTIVE: This is a smoke-free restaurant
ADJECTIVE - NOUN: It was a last-minute decision
ADJECTIVE - PAST PARTICIPLE: That is an old-fashioned dress
ADJECTIVE - PRESENT PARTICIPLE: She is a good-looking girl.
Express the following sentences differently using compound adjectives:
1. I have read a story of 100 pages.
…………………………………………………………………..
2. The mountain is covered with snow.
.………………………………………… ………………………..
3. The child is 10 years old.
……………………………………………………………………
4. The student works very hard.
……………………………………………………………………
5. The economy is based on farming.
……………………………………………………………………
6. Your dog behaves so well.
……………………………………………………………………
Exclamation
What + noun phrase! => eg : What a pity! / What a delicious dinner!
How + adjective! => eg: How silly! / How rude of him!
This beach is beautiful. => What a ………………………………….!
This man is very kind. => How ………………………………..……..!
He has an awful fever. => …….……………………………………… !

Reported Speech

Direct Speech Reported Speech

Subject Pronouns I He / She

We They

You He/ She/ They

Object Pronouns Me Him/ Her
Us Them
You Him/ Her/ Them
Possessive adjectives My His/ Her
Our Their
Your His/ Her/ Their
Possessive Pronouns Mine His/ Hers
Ours Theirs
Yours His/ Hers/ Theirs
Adverbs of Time / Today That day
Place
Now Then
Yesterday The day before
Tomorrow The next/ following day
 Here There
Tenses Present Simple Past Simple
Present Progressive Past Progressive
(are/ is / am + verb ing) (were/ was + verb ing)
Present Perfect Past Perfect
(have/ has + past participle) (had + past participle )
Past Simple
Modals Will Would
Can Could
Shall Should
May Might
Must/ Have to Had to

Direct speech: I like ice cream.

Reported speech: She says that she likes the ice cream
She said that she liked the ice cream.
 When the reporting verb is put in the simple present, we only change pronouns
(subject pronouns, object pronouns, possessive pronouns) and possessive
adjectives.
 When the reporting verb is in the simple past, we change pronouns, possessive
adjectives, tenses and adverbs of time and place.
Reported questions:
WH questions: Where are you doing? => She asked me what I was doing.
 When we report WH- Questions, the subject comes before the verb: affirmative
sentence.
Yes/ No questions: Do you love me? => He asked me if I loved him.
 We report yes/no questions with if or whether.
Report the following sentences/ questions:
“Whose coat is this?”
He asks ………………………………………………………………………………………
He asked………………………………………………………………………………………
“I am living in London.”
She says ………………………………………………………………………………………
She said………………………………………………………………………………………
“Why is he shouting?”
He asked me ……………………………………………………………………………………
“How much do you earn?”
I asked her ……………………………………………………………………………………
“Have you fed the dog?”
She asked the son ………………………………………………………………………………
“Was she a teacher?”
He asked………………………………………………………………………………………
“I was walking along the street.”
She said that …………………………………………………………………………………
“I had taken English lessons before.”
He said that ……………………………………………………………………………………
Active voice vs. Passive voice
She ate an apple. Active voice (subject + verb + object)

An apple was eaten (by her). Passive voice

➥ S + be + past participle + (by object).
Here is a list of objects and subjects: Here is a list of tenses for the verb “to be”:

I => me Present simple: am / are / is

You => you Present continuous: is being / are being
He / She => him/ her Present perfect: has been / have been
We => us Simple past: was / were
They => them Past continuous: was being / were being
Modals will, can etc: will be, can be etc.

1. Turn these sentences into the passive (underline and write the tense in front of each
sentence):
a) My mother prepared an apple pie. ➤ ---------------
……………………………………………………………………………………
b) The teachers help the new student. ➤ ----------------
……………………………………………………………………………………
c) The students have carried out the exam. ➤ ----------------
……………………………………………………………………………………
d) I am writing a letter to my friend Amy. ➤ ----------------
……………………………………………………………………………………
e) Koussay will clean his room. ➤ ---------------
……………………………………………………………………………………
Use of base subjunctive
1. suggest-verb (or noun) + that
Verbs: advise, ask, command, demand, desire, insist, order, prefer, propose, recommend,
request, suggest
nouns: command, demand, order, proposal, recommendation, request, suggestion
main clause (suggest-verb) that clause (with subjunctive)
He suggests that you be present at the meeting.
The board recommend that he join the company.
He requested that the car park not be locked at night.

main clause (suggest-noun) that clause (with subjunctive)

They made a suggestion that we be early
He made proposal that the buy more land.
company
The president has issued order that the resign next month.
an secretary

2. advisable-adjective + that
Adjectives: advisable, best, crucial, desirable, essential, imperative, important, necessary,
unthinkable, urgent, vital
Main clause (advisable-adjective) That clause (with subjunctive)
It is advisable that she rest for a week.
It was essential that the army advance rapidly.
After the landing, it will vital that every soldier not use a radio.
be

Choose the correct alternative:

1. It is essential that she (be/ is) at the meeting.
2. It is necessary that every student (wear/ wears) a uniform.
3. I hope that he (finish/ finishes) his homework on time.

So + adjective + that + clause (Subject + verb + object) => express cause/result

relationship

Eg: I was so sleepy that I couldn't keep my eyes open.

 Use so+adj+that with the following sentences:

I couldn’t see her face because it was so dark.

 It was so dark that I couldn’t see her face.

Everybody went to the beach because it was so hot.

 The day was ………………………………………..……..……………………………

I didn’t need to check my answers because the test was so easy.

 The test was ……………………………………………………………………………

So that + clause is used to express purpose.

Eg: I’ll go by car so that I can take more luggage.

I didn’t want to be late for my appointment so I took a cab.

 I had to take a cab ………………………………………..……..……………………

I wanted to take some photos during the trip therefore I took my camera.

 I took my camera………………………………….......................................................
Conditional
Conditional sentences consist of two parts:
The if-clause (which is a condition) and the main clause (which is a result)
Eg: If it rains, we will cancel the trip.

The Zero Conditional: present simple + present simple

 Express facts and general truths
Eg: If you stand in the rain, you get wet. (This is generally true)
If you heat ice, it melts. (This is a fact)

The First Conditional: present simple + Future (will + verb)

 Express possible situation in the future.
Eg: If it rains, we will cancel the trip.
If you study, you will pass the exam.

The Second Conditional: past simple + would + verb

 Express hypothetical or unlikely situations.
Eg: If I won the lottery, I would travel a lot.
If they sold their house, they would be rich.

The Third Conditional: past perfect + would have + past participle

 Express imaginary situations that did not happen in the past.
Eg: If you had studied, you would have passed the exam.
If I hadn’t been sick, I would have gone to your party.
 Complete the following sentences with the right tense/ form:

If it rains, I (not/go)…………………… to the park.

The company would have survived if there (not/ be) ………………………………. a
recession.
If I (meet) ……………………… the Queen of England, I would say hello.
She ( passed) …………………… the exam if she ever studied.
If it hadn't been snowing heavily, we (carry)………………………… on skiing.
If I (had) ………………………… enough money, I'll buy some new shoes.
He (get)…………………………. the job if he hadn't been so nervous in the interview.

Contrast

In spite of/ despite + noun/ verb ing/ pronoun

Eg: - In spite of the pain in his leg, he completed the marathon.

Despite having a headache, I had a great birthday.

The train was cancelled. In spite of that, we arrived on time.

although / even though / though + subject + verb

I enjoyed the course, although I would have liked more grammar practice.

Although we saw each other every day, we didn't really know each other.

Even though she spoke very quietly, he understood every word.

Choose despite or although to complete the sentences:

1. his sickness he attended the class yesterday.

2. he didn't feel well, he went fishing.
3. We arrived at the meeting on time heavy traffic.
4. I failed in my chemistry exam I studied all night.
5. all my effort, I couldn't convince my parents to let me go out.

6. his anger, he apologized to his friend for shouting.