Grammar bank

Unit 3
Countable nouns
(Sustantivos contables)
Countable nouns are the ones that can be easily counted, so they can take the plural
form.
(Los sustantivos contables son aquellos que pueden ser contados fácilmente y por eso
pueden pluralizarse.)

Apples can be counted so they can take the plural form: one apple, two apples, three
apples.
(Las manzanas pueden ser contabilizadas por lo que pueden llevar la forma en plural:
una manzana, dos manzanas, tres manzanas.)

If the object in the singular is near, we use “this”.

(Si el objeto en singular está cerca, usamos “this”.)

 This apple

If the object in the singular is far, we use “that”.

(Si el objeto en singular está lejos, usamos “that”.)

 That apple

If the object in the plural is near, we use “these”.

(Si el objeto en plural está cerca, usamos “these”.)

 These apples
If the object in the plural is far, we use “those”.
(Si el objeto en plural está lejos, usamos “those”.)

 Those apples

Expressions for Countable nouns

(Expresiones para sustantivos contables)
When we want to ask about the existence of something, we use “are there” in a
question. And if we want to ask about the number of things, products, people, etc., we
use “How many”.
(Cuando queremos preguntar sobre la existencia de algo, usamos “are there” en una
pregunta. Y si queremos preguntar sobre el número de cosas, productos, personas,
etc., usamos “How many”.)

 Are there bananas in the fridge? Yes, there are.

 How many friends are invited to the party? Around twenty or thirty.

To answer this last question without saying a specific number, we can use “some” or “a
lot of”. We use “some” when the number is not big, and we use “a lot of” when the
number is big.
(Para responder esta última pregunta sin decir un número específico, podemos usar
“some” o “a lot of”. Usamos “some” cuando el número no es grande, y usamos “a lot of”
cuando el número es grande.)

 We need some grapes.

 There are a lot of bananas.

Uncountable nouns
(Sustantivos incontables)
Uncountable nouns are the ones that you can’t count easily and, consequently, they
only take the singular form. Also, we use “some” in affirmative sentences when there is
a small quantity, and “a lot of” when the quantity is big.
(Los sustantivos incontables son aquellos que no podés contar fácilmente y, en
consecuencia, sólo llevan la forma singular. Además, usamos “some” en oraciones
afirmativas cuando la cantidad es pequeña, y “a lot of” cuando la cantidad es grande.)

 We can cook pasta.

  Let's buy some cheese too.
 We only need some rice.
 I think there is some flour.
 We have got a lot of milk.

To make negative and interrogative sentences, we use “any”.

(Para hacer oraciones negativas e interrogativas, usamos “any”.)

 There isn't any sugar. (No hay nada de azúcar.)

 Is there any fruit in the fridge? (¿Hay algo de fruta en la heladera?)

Expressions for Uncountable nouns

(Expresiones para sustantivos incontables)
Let’s review. When we want to ask about the existence of something that is
uncountable, we use “is there” in a question. And if we want to ask about the amount of
a certain product we use “How much”.
(Repasemos. Cuando queremos preguntar sobre la existencia de algo que es
incontable, usamos “is there” en una pregunta. Y si queremos preguntar sobre la
cantidad de un producto determinado usamos “How much”.)

 Is there any milk here?

 How much sugar do you need?

To answer this last question without saying a specific number, we can use “some” or “a
lot of”. We use “some” when the quantity is not big, and we use “a lot of” when the
quantity is big. If there is nothing, we use “any”.
(Para responder esta última pregunta sin decir un número específico, podemos usar
“some” o “a lot of”. Usamos “some” cuando la cantidad no es grande, y usamos “a lot
of” cuando la cantidad es grande. Si no hay nada, usamos “any”.)

 I need a lot of sugar.

 I want some flour.
 There isn’t any flour today.

Countable v. Uncountable nouns

(Sustantivos contables v. Sustantivos incontables)
There are some nouns that can be countable and uncountable depending on the
meaning. Let’s see some examples.
 (Hay algunos sustantivos que pueden ser contables e incontables dependiendo del
significado. Veamos algunos ejemplos.)

GLASS

“Glass” is countable when it refers to the container, and it is uncountable when it

refers to the material.
(“Glass” es contable cuando se refiere al contenedor, y es incontable cuando hace
referencia al material.)

a glass of water a window made of glass

(vaso de agua) (una ventana hecha de vidrio)

IRON

“Iron” is countable when it refers to the object we use for clothes, and it is
uncountable when it refers to the material.
(“Iron” es contable cuando se refiere al objeto que utilizamos para planchar la ropa, y es
incontable cuando hace referencia al material.)

an iron a table made of iron

(una plancha) (una mesa hecha de hierro)

WOOD

“Wood” is countable when it refers to the natural place, and it is uncountable when it
refers to the material.
(“Wood” es contable cuando se refiere al lugar en la naturaleza, y es incontable cuando
hace referencia al material.)

a wood full of trees a house made of wood

(un bosque lleno de árboles) (una casa hecha de madera)

Partitives
(Partitivos)
Partitives are words used to refer to an amount or number of something. We add
partitives to uncountable nouns and then we can quantify them.
(Los partitivos se usan para hacer referencia a la cantidad o el número de algo.
Agregamos los partitivos a los sustantivos incontables y, entonces, podemos
cuantificarlos.)

 a bag of sugar
(un paquete de azúcar)
 a bottle of water
(una botella de agua)
 a cup of coffee
(una taza de café)
 a carton of milk
(una caja de leche)
 a piece of cake
(una porción de torta)
 a glass of lemonade
(un vaso de limonada)

Unit 4
Affirmative form of the verb “to be” in the past
(Forma afirmativa del verbo “to be” en el pasado)
When we want to express an action in the past with the verb “to be” in the affirmative
form, we use “was” or “were” depending on the person.
(Cuando queremos expresar una acción en pasado con el verbo “to be” en la forma
afirmativa, usamos “was” o “were” dependiendo de la persona.)

Examples

I I was at my parents’ house.

He My brother was there too.

was
She Grandma Marta was extremely happy.

It Last Saturday was a really beautiful day.

We We were at my parents’ house.

You You were at the table on time.

were
They They were very excited about pasta.
 Time expressions for the past
(Expresiones de tiempo para el pasado)
There are many time expressions to talk about past events.
(hay muchas expresiones de tiempo para hablar de eventos pasados.

 I was so busy last week.

(Estuve muy ocupada la semana pasada.)
 It was my son’s birthday 6 days ago.
(Fue el cumpleaños de mi hijo hace 2 días.)
 In 2022 we organised a big party for him.
(En el 2022 organizamos una fiesta grande para él.)
 Yesterday evening it was my husband’s birthday.
(Ayer por la tarde fue el cumpleaños de mi marido.)

last night (anoche)

Monday (el lunes pasado)

week (la semana pasada)

month (el mes pasado)

year (el año pasado)

yesterda morning (ayer por la

y mañana)

afternoon (ayer por la siesta)

evening (ayer por la tarde)

in 2022 (en el año 2022)

6 days ago (hace 6 días)

6 weeks (hace 6 semanas)

2 months (hace 2 meses)

3 years (hace 3 años)

Negative form of the verb “to be” in the past

(Forma negativa del verbo “to be” en el pasado)
When we want to express an action in the past with the verb “to be” in the negative
form, we use “wasn’t” or “weren’t” depending on the person.
(Cuando queremos expresar una acción en pasado con el verbo “to be” en la forma
negativa, usamos “wasn’t” o “weren’t” dependiendo de la persona.)

Examples

I I wasn’t in Barcelona in 2020.

He My brother wasn’t there

wasn’t either.

She Susi wasn’t happy in Madrid.

It His life wasn't easy there.

We We weren’t together at school.

You You weren’t in the class photo.

weren’t
They They weren’t happy there.

Interrogative form of the verb “to be” in the past

(Forma interrogativa del verbo “to be” en el pasado)
When we ask a question with the verb “to be” in the past, we use “was” or “were” before
the subject. We can add a “wh-” word at the beginning.
(Cuando hacemos una pregunta con el verbo “to be” en el pasado, usamos “was” o
“were” antes del sujeto. Podemos agregar una palabra interrogativa al inicio.)

Examples

I Was I good when I was a child?

 Yes, you were.

Was he Was Esteban happy with the results?

 Yes, he was.

she Was Marta at the party?

 Yes, she was.

it How was your day?

 It was OK.

you Were you in Madrid last year?

 Yes, I was.
 we Were we friends some years ago?
Wer  No, we weren’t.
e
they Where were the boys?
 They were at the match.