Esay Level Grammar

Easy leval Grammar Reference
Question forms
Meaning and Use
In English, there are two basic types of question.
1. Yes/no questions often begin with the verb to be, but can also begin with
other auxiliary verbs, such as do. We ask these when we want a yes or no answer.
Dave: Are you hungry?

Mike: Yes, I’m starving.
Sarah: Did you get here on time?

Emily: No, I missed the bus!
2. Wh-questions start with a question word, such

as who, what, where, when, why or how. We ask this type of question when we
want different kinds of information. These questions cannot be answered with a yes
or no.
Dave: Why are you so hungry?

Mike: I didn’t eat breakfast.
Sarah: When did you get here?

Emily: About half an hour ago.
Form
Yes/no questions that begin with the verb to be are made with to be + subject.
Are you playing football tomorrow?
Was the weather nice yesterday?
If we start with an auxiliary verb, the order is auxiliary + subject + main verb.
Can Jenny speak Chinese?

Did you go to the cinema on Saturday?
Wh-questions can be used to ask about the subject or object of the verb. Compare
these questions:
Who loves Lucy?

Who does Lucy love?
For subject questions, the order is question word + verb + object.
Who wants ice cream for dessert?

Who broke the mirror in the dining room?
Who answered the phone?
The object question form is question word + auxiliary + subject + verb.

What did you do at the weekend?
Where does your brother work?
Who will you ask for help?
Take Note
Asking questions with ‘how’
The question word how is usually combined with other words when asking for
information, such as size, someone’s age, or the price of something.
How big is your apartment?

How old are your children now?
How much is the black dress in the window?
Spoken English
In formal situations, it is common to respond to a yes/no question by repeating the

auxiliary in a complete sentence.
Max: Can you use a computer?

Jill: Yes, I can.
In casual spoken English, we do not need to repeat the auxiliary. Answers do

not always contain 'yes' or 'no'.
Peter: Do you know the way to the train station?

William: Not really.
Lucy: Shall we order sushi?

Sally: Absolutely!
Practice
rearrange the words to make 'yes/no' and wh-questions.
1. anywhere did you weekend interesting last go?
2. grow up did you where?
3. did for your car new much how pay you?
4. into your when you did move new house?
5. listening to what you are?
6. the game basketball who won?
7. I borrow can your phone?
8. you do watch want movie a tonight to?

Answers
1. Did you go anywhere interesting last weekend?
[The order of yes/no questions is: auxiliary + subject + main verb.]
2. Where did you grow up?
[The order of object Wh-questions is: question word + auxiliary + subject + verb.]
3. How much did you pay for your new car?
[The order of object Wh-questions: question word + auxiliary + subject + verb.]
4. When did you move into your new house?
5. What are you listening to?
6. Who won the basketball game?
[The order of subject Wh-questions is: question word + verb + object.]
7. Can I borrow your phone?
8. Do you want to watch a movie tonight?
Grammar Reference
Present Simple and Present Continuous
Present simple and present continuous
Meaning and use
We use the present simple for:
• things that we do regularly

• facts and truths
• habits
• permanent situations
We often use adverbs of frequency and time expressions like every day, once a
week, on Fridays.
I check my email every day. (regular activity)
Sheryl works at the bank. (permanent situation)

• We use the present continuous for:
• things that are happening now – at the time we are speaking,
• temporary situations
• activities that are in progress
We often use time expressions like at the moment, today, this week.
Just a minute. I’m checking my email. (now)
She usually works in London, but she’s working from home this week. (temporary
situation)
I’m studying Economics (activity in progress)
Form - Positive
The present simple has the same form as the infinitive without 'to'’
for I, you, we and they. For he, she and it, we add -s or -es to the infinitive.
They live in Rome.

Julian starts work at nine o’clock and finishes at five.
The present continuous for I is subject + am + verb-

ing For you, we and they: subject + are + -verb-ing. For he, she, it: subject + is +
verb-ing. We usually use contractions (I’m, he’s, they’re, etc.) when we are speaking.
Can I call you back later? We’re having dinner right now.
Form - Negative
The negative present simple is subject + don’t (do not) + infinitive without
'to' for I, you, we and they, and subject + doesn’t (does not) + infinitive without
'to' for he, she and it.
I don’t eat meat.

It doesn’t usually snow in October.
The negative present continuous for I is I’m not + verb-

ing. For you, we and they: subject + aren’t + verb-
ing. For he, she, it: subject + isn’t + verb-ing.
He isn’t answering his mobile at the moment.
Form - questions
The present simple question form is do/does + subject + infinitive without ‘to’.
Do you read the news online every day?
Does the supermarket sell stamps?
The present continuous question form is am/is/are+ subject + verb-ing.
What are you doing?

Is it raining?
Take note: spelling changes
In the present simple, regular verbs end in -s or -es, but -y changes to -i.
marry – marries study – studies
In the present continuous, all verbs end in -ing, but sometimes the spelling changes.
make – making sit – sitting die – dying

Take note: spelling
In the present simple, regular verbs end in -s or -es, but -y changes to -i.
marry – marries
study – studies
In the present continuous, all main verbs end in -ing, but sometimes the spelling
changes.
make – making
sit – sitting
die – dying
Take note: verbs we don’t use in the present continuous
There are some verbs that we don’t usually use in the continuous form. They are often
verbs linked to the senses and thinking, for example: hear, see, smell, hate, know,
understand, believe, want, need.
Wrong: Could you explain that again? I’m not understanding.

Correct: Could you explain that again? I don’t understand.
Practice
Match questions 1-8 with answers a-h.
1. Does it snow in the UK? a. My home’s in Brazil.
2. Is it snowing in the UK? b. Yes, I’m the managing director.
3. Do you work here? c. No, I’ve got a day off.
4. Are you working today? d. Just coke, usually.
5. Where do you live? e. It’s water.
6. Where are you living? f. In a friend’s flat in London.
7. What do you drink? g. Not right now.
8. What are you drinking? h. Only in winter.
Answers
1. Does it snow in the UK? (h) Only in winter.
[Use the present simple for truths and facts.]
2. Is it snowing in the UK? (g) Not right now.
[Use the present continuous for things that are/aren’t happening now.]
3. Do you work here? (b) Yes, I’m the managing director.
[Use the present simple for permanent situations.]
4. Are you working today? (c) No, I’ve got a day off.
[Use the present continuous for temporary situations.]
5. Where do you live? (a) My home’s in Brazil.
[Use the present simple for permanent situations.]
6. Where are you living? (f) In a friend’s flat in London.
[Use the present continuous for temporary situations.]
7. What do you drink? (d) Usually just coke.
[Use the present simple for habits.]
8. What are you drinking? (e) It’s water.
[Use the present continuous for things happening now.]
Grammar Reference
'Like' for preference and description
Meaning and use
The word like can be used in a number of different ways. In this unit we look at two of
these:
1. Like can be used as a verb to express a preference or interest in a person, place or

thing.
I like your earrings. Where did you get them?
2. Like can also be used as a preposition to ask for a description of a person, place or
thing.
Emily: What’s your English teacher like?
Bob: She’s kind and intelligent.

Form (as verb)
We use like as a verb in this way: subject + like + object
Emily: I like sports. Do you like playing football?
Bob: Yes, I do. I also like fishing. Do you like fishing?
Emily: No, I don’t.

Positive
I like shopping.
Bob likes playing football.
Negative
I don’t like sports.
Emily doesn’t like reading.
Question
Do you like horror movies?
Does Bob like cartoons?
Form (as preposition)
We use like as a preposition in this set phrase:
what + to be + noun/noun phrase + like?
Andrea: What’s California like?
Jamie: It’s hot and sunny.
Take note: Is the question asking for preference or description?
When asking for preference, we use like with do or does in the question.
Do you like playing tennis?
What sports do you like?
We don’t use do or does when asking for a description. Instead, we start the question
with what and end with like.
What is she like?
What’s London like?
What was your weekend like?

Take note: Time and place
We can specify time and place when asking for a description by using a phrase at the
end of the question.
What will the weather be like next weekend?
What are the beaches like in Barcelona?
Spoken English
In formal speech (or writing), each word in a question usually appears separately.
What is your new house like?
However, we usually use contractions in informal speech (and writing).
What’s your new house like?
Practice
Match questions 1-8 with answers a-h.
1. What’s your new music teacher like? a. No, I don’t. They’re so scary!
2. What was your weekend like? b. They’re really friendly. I like them a lot.
3. Do you like watching horror movies? c. Yes, I do. I like them a lot!
4. What are your new neighbours like? d. It’s sunny and warm.
5. What movies do you like? e. He likes football and baseball.
6. What sports does your brother like? f. Horrible! He’s so strict.
7. Do you like your new shoes? g. I like action movies. They’re exciting!
8. What’s the weather like? h. It was fun! We went swimming.
Answers
1. What’s your new music teacher like? (f) Horrible! He’s so strict.
[This question is asking for a description (of a person). You can tell becuase it begins
with ‘What’ and ends with ‘like’.]
2. What was your weekend like? (h) It was fun! We went swimming.
[This question is asking for a description (of a time). You can tell becuase it begins with
‘What’ and ends with ‘like’.]
3. Do you like watching horror movies? (a) No, I don’t. They’re so scary!
[This question is asking about preference (of a thing). You can tell becuase it begins
with ‘Do’.]
4. What are your new neighbours like? (b) They’re really friendly. I like them a lot.
[This question is asking for a description (of people). You can tell because it begins
with ‘What’ and ends with ‘like’.]
5. What movies do you like? (g) I like action movies. They’re exciting!
[This question is asking about preference (of thing). as it begins with ‘Do’]
6. What sports does your brother like? (e) He likes football and baseball.
[This question is asking about preference (of thing). You can tell because it has ‘does’
in the question.]
7. Do you like your new shoes? (c) Yes, I do. I like them a lot!
[This question is asking about preference (of thing). You can tell because it begins with
‘Do’.]
8. What’s the weather like? (d) It’s sunny and warm.
[This question is asking for a description (of thing). You can tell because it begins with
‘What’ and ends with ‘like’.]
Grammar Reference
Adverbs of frequency
Adverbs of frequency
Meaning and use
Adverbs give us more information about a verb. Adverbs of frequency tell us how
often an activity happens. There are many adverbs to choose from. Here are some of the
most common ones, listed from most frequent to least frequent
I always walk to work..
They usually arrive late.
My father often forgets his birthday.
He sometimes wakes up early.
I rarely drink tea in the morning.
You hardly ever say you love me.
Jenny never drinks coffee in the evening.
We can use adverbs of frequency with the verb to be.
We are never unhappy.
This time of year is usually the coldest.

We can use modal verbs with adverbs of frequency. For example, we can use the
auxiliary verbs can, should and might, which express ability (can), obligation
(should), and possibility (might).
Laura can sometimes hold her breath for over a minute.
You should always put on suncream when it’s very sunny.
We might never see each other again.
Form
Adverbs of frequency go before the main verb.
subject + adverb + main verb
I always eat breakfast.
They sometimes take a taxi.
They go after the verb ‘to be’.
subject + to be + adverb + main verb
I am always late for work.
He is often ready for work at 6 am.
We aren’t usually hungry in the morning.
They go between a modal and the main verb.
subject + modal + adverb + main verb
You should always wear a helmet.
I can sometimes hear my neighbour’s TV.
Positive
I always take the bus into town.
Jenny is often late for work.
Negative
The adverb of frequency goes between the auxiliary and the main verb.
We don’t usually watch TV after lunch.
They can’t always wait for you.
It goes after ‘to be’.
I am not always this organised.
They aren’t usually late.

Question
For questions, the order is auxiliary + subject + adverb of frequency + verb.
Do you always eat here?
Does he usually do that?
Take note: negative adverbs
Negative adverbs such as never, seldom, rarely and hardly evercannot be used in
negative sentences. The following sentence is incorrect, because it has a double
negative.
WRONG: The weather isn’t never sunny.
CORRECT: The weather is never sunny.
Take note: sometimes
Sometimes can go before the subject, before the main verb, and after the main verb.
Sometimes we go fishing.
We sometimes go fishing.
We go fishing sometimes.
Take note: adverbs of frequency and the present continuous
We usually use adverbs of frequency with the present simple, but they can also be used
with the present continuous. The adverb comes between the auxiliary and the main verb.
She’s always losing her phone.
Spoken English
Some people pronounce the /t/ sound in often; other people pronounce often with a
'silent t'. Both are acceptable.
Grammar Reference
Unit 5 - ‘Have to’ and ‘must’ (obligation)
Meaning and use
If you have to do something, it is necessary for you to do it. It’s a law, an obligation or a
fact.
You have to get a visa if you want to go to Russia.

According to our agreement, we have to send these orders to our client today.
I have to go to the doctor later today.
If you must do something, it is necessary for you to do it, but this is often your opinion or a
rule that you have made yourself.
I must remember to buy a birthday card for Alice today.
We see must (not have to) in formal written notices or rules that an organization has made
itself.
All students must be at the examination hall fifteen minutes before the exam.
We can often use either have to or must in a sentence. But be careful! There a big
difference in meaning between don’t have to and mustn’t.If you don’t have to
do something, it isn’t necessary to do it, but you can if you want.
You don’t have to finish the spreadsheet today. Tomorrow will be fine.
If you mustn’t do something, it means ‘don’t do it’. It is necessary not to do it.
Employees mustn’t send passwords by email.
I mustn’t make any mistakes this time.
Form
We use have to / must + infinitive without ‘to’. Must is the same form for all persons (I,
you, he, she, etc.). Have to changes to has to in the third person singular (he, she, it).
Positive
Karen has to get up at six every day in order to get to work on time.
You must drive more carefully or you will have an accident.
Negative
You don’t have to take a towel. The swimming pool provides them.
They’re expecting us to call so we mustn’t forget.
Questions
It is possible to ask questions with Must + subject...? but it is much more common to
use Do/Does + subject + have to...?
Do I have to come to the meeting tomorrow? (Must I come to the meeting tomorrow?)
Take note: the future and the past
There is no future or past form of must. We use will have to (future)and had to (past).
It’s too late now. You’ll have to talk toher tomorrow.

All the trains were cancelled, so we had to get a taxi.
Did you have to write it all again?
Take note: have got to
In informal British English, we sometimes use have got to instead of have to. They
mean the same.
You’ve got to get a visa if you want to go to Russia.
Have we got to send these orders today?

Spoken English
Have to and must are modal verbs. When we say modal verbs, we usually say them
quickly and often without emphasis. So have to sounds like ‘hafta’(haf tə). Must sounds
like ‘mus’ (məs). You don’t hear the final /t/ sound in must.
Grammar Reference
Past simple - Meaning and use
We use the past simple when an action or situation happens and finishes in the past. We
usually say or know when it happened.
She called me at the office yesterday.
I worked in London in 2010.
Steve went to the US three times last year.
We often use the past simple in stories, when one thing happens after another in the past.
I stopped working in London and I looked for another job.
Past simple positive
For regular verbs, the past simple ends in -ed. Irregular verbs have a different past form.
The past simple form is the same for all persons (I, you, he, she, etc.)
I finished university in 2010 and I started a job in a bank.
Then he left that job and went to live in Japan.
We lived there for a year.
Past simple negative
We make the negative form with didn’t (did not) + infinitive without ‘to’.
I didn’t like working in a bank.
He didn’t go to the US. He went to Japan.
Past simple questions
Past simple wh-word questions are made from question word + did + subject +
infinitive.
Where did you go last night?
The question word how is usually combined with other words when asking for
information, such as size, time, or the price of something.
How long did it take to cook dinner?
Past simple yes/no questions are made from did + subject + infinitive without ‘to’.
Did you like living in Japan?
What did your children do there?
We can use short answers:
Did you go to Anjali’s party last night? Yes, I did. / No, I didn’t.
Some regular verbs end in -ed, but have some spelling changes in the past simple.
stop – stopped
travel – travelled
marry – married
study - studied
Take note: time expressions
We often use the past simple with time expressions like yesterday, last month, six
years ago, when I was a child.
Did you travel a lot when you were young?
He married Sonya three years ago.
Irregular verbs
Infinitive - Past simple - Past participle
fall - fell - fallen
feel - felt - felt
get - got - got
go - went - gone/been
have - had - had
hurt - hurt - hurt
keep - kept - kept
put - put - put
run - ran - run
take - took - taken
tell - told - told

Grammar Reference
Past simple and past continuous
Meaning and use
We use the past simple for something that happened and finished in the past. We use it
when we say or know the time when something happened. It is often used in stories,
when one thing happened after another.
Last year, we travelled by jeep across the Sahara.
When the car stopped, we all got out.
We use the past continuous for something that happened in the past but was not finished
at a particular time. This can be an exact time in the past (12 o’clock, etc.) or the time
when another thing happened.
It was 12 o’clock and we were standing in the midday sun.
Mick was checking the engine when the rescue helicopter arrived.
We also use the past continuous to describe a scene or situation in the past or for an
action that continued for some time.
The stars were beginning to come out.
The dog was barking loudly.
Form
Past simple: positive
For regular verbs, the past simple ends in -ed. Irregular verbs have different forms. The
past simple form is the same for all persons (I, you, he, she, etc).
Suddenly the jeep skidded and stopped.
Jake thought that we had a puncture.
Past continuous: positive
The past continuous is subject + was/were + -ing form. There are no short forms
of was/were.
Fortunately, we were carrying a toolkit.
Past simple: negative

We make the negative past simple with didn’t + infinitive.
We didn’t stay inside the jeep because that was even hotter.
Past continuous: negative

We make the negative past continuous with wasn’t/weren’t + -ing form
Despite the heat, Jess and Debs weren’t wearing hats.
Past simple: question
The past simple question form is did + subject + infinitive for all persons. The short
answers are Yes, I did. / No, I didn’t.
Did the helicopter land in the desert? Yes it did.
Past continuous: question
The past continuous question form is was/were + subject + -ing form. The short
answers are Yes, I was. / No, I wasn’t.
How were you feeling when it arrived?
In the past continuous, all verbs end in -ing, but sometimes the spelling changes:
take – taking hit – hitting die – dying
Take note: verbs we don’t use in the past continuous
There are some verbs that we don’t usually use in the continuous form. They are often
verbs related to the senses and thinking, for example: hear, see, smell, hate, know,
understand, believe, notice, want, need, seem, wish.
WRONG: Were you knowing Jess when you were living in Madrid?
CORRECT: Did you know Jess when you were living in Madrid?
Spoken English
In the past simple and the past continuous, we usually use a contraction with the
negative auxiliary verb:
didn’t (= did not) wasn’t (= was not)
We usually say the positive and negative auxiliary verbs quickly and without emphasis.
We don’t usually pronounce the final ‘t’ in ‘didn’t’, ‘wasn’t’ or ‘weren’t’ in the flow of
speech.
He wasn’t looking when his team scored a goal.
/hi wɒzn ˈlʊkɪŋ wɛn hɪz tiːm skɔːd ə gəʊl/
But when the word following the contraction begins with a vowel sound, we pronounce
the final ‘t’:
They were delayed, so they didn’t arrive on time.
/ðeɪ wə dɪˈleɪd, səʊ ðeɪ dɪdnt əˈraɪv ɒn taɪm/

Grammar Reference
Articles
A and an
A or an means one person or thing. We use a or an:
1) before singular nouns: I've been to a concert. We had a great day and we saw an
elephant.
2) before the name of a job:
My sister wants to be an engineer.
A or an?
Use a before consonant sounds: a chair, a horse, a laptop
This includes letters u or eu when they are pronounced y (/j/): a university, a euro
Use an before vowel sounds. These words usually start with a, e, i, o, u: an architect, an
idea, an umbrella
Also use an with words that start with the letter h when the h is not pronounced: an
hour, an honour
The
We use the:
1) before singular nouns that we have already mentioned with a/an:
We saw an elephant. The elephant was standing under some trees.
2) before singular, plural or uncountable nouns when we say exactly which person or thing
we mean:
The people who live next door are really nice.
Where's the brown sugar?
Note that we don't use the before plural and uncountable nouns when we are talking
about things in general:
Children need plenty of exercise and fresh air. (children in general)
Sugar isn't good for you. (sugar in general)
3) We also use the before singular, plural or uncountable nouns when it is clear which
person or thing we mean:
I'm going to the supermarket. (the one we always go to)
The children are upstairs. (our children)

Could you shut the door? (the door of this room)
4) We use the before nouns when there is only one:
The sun is shining and there aren't any clouds in the sky.
5) We use the with superlatives:
You're the best dad ever!
6) We use the in many expressions with 'of'
In the middle of the night
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
At the end of my holiday
The or zero article?
Here are some rules:
Use the with
• Countries with plural names or with Republic or Kingdom in the name: The United Arab
Emirates, The Netherlands, The United Kingdom
• Geographical areas in noun phrases: I live in the north-west of Egypt, in the east
• The names of rivers, seas, oceans and mountain ranges: The Mississippi, The Black Sea,
The Atlantic, The Urals
• Parts of the day: in the morning/afternoon/evening
• Most prepositional phrases of position and place: at the top, on the left, at the
office/bank/cinema
Use zero article (-) with
• The names of most countries, cities and continents: Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Warsaw,
Beijing, Europe, Asia
• Geographical areas in adjective phrases: I live in (-) north-west Egypt, (-) eastern France
• The names of single mountains and lakes: Mount Kilimanjaro, Lake Titicaca
• Exact days, months and times: on (-) Friday, in (-) March, at (-) 7 o’clock
• Some prepositional phrases of place: at (-) home, at (-) work, in (-) bed, at (-) sea
Take note: school/university, etc.
There is a special rule for these places: school, university, college, hospital, prison,
church. Compare these examples:
The children go to school by bus. I go to the school to help twice a week.
Ben's studying maths at university. He works in the canteen at the university.
She was in hospital for three weeks. Is there a shop in the hospital?
If someone is at the place because they are a student / are sick / a prisoner, etc, we don't
use the. If they are there for another reason, or we are talking about the building, we
use the.
Articles and adjectives
Adjectives go between articles and nouns: What a great place this is! I went on an
amazing trip. We went to the famous Bondi beach.
Pronouncing articles
We usually pronounce a/an with a weak vowel sound /ə/ ('uh'). It sounds like the vowel
sound in fun, and not the vowel sound in cat.
Before consonants and the letters u or eu when they are pronounced y (/j/), we
pronounce the with this weak sound /ə/, too.
the doctor, the party, the uniform
But when the is before a vowel sound, we pronounce the with the long ee sound in see.
the afternoon, the ice, the open door, the upstairs rooms
Grammar Reference
Present continuous and ‘be going to’ for talking about the future
Meaning and use
We can use the present continuous to talk about the future when we have already
arranged to do something. It's definite, not just an idea. Perhaps we have put the
arrangement in our diaries.
'Are you free at 2 o'clock on Tuesday?' 'No, I'm meeting a client.'
We can use be going to to talk about something that we have decided to do in the future,
but not arranged yet. It's possible that the plan might change.
When I finish at college, I'm going to spend a year travelling.
The uses of the present continuous and 'be going to' with future meaning are very similar
and it is often possible to use either of them, with little or no change in meaning.
We also use be going to for something that we expect to happen because we can see
from the present situation that it is very likely. We can't use the present continuous in this
way.
It's so cold. I'm sure it's going to snow soon.
Oh no! That car's going to hit the tree.
Form
Present continuous
Subject + am/is/are + -ing form
Be going to
Subject + am/is/are + going to + infinitive
For both tenses, we usually use contractions, or short forms (I'm, he's, we're, etc.) when we
are speaking.
Positive
I'm spending the day on the beach tomorrow with Zach.
We're going to look for a nice restaurant with a view of the sea.
Negative
We're not visiting the museum on Saturday.
They're not going to visit the Taj Mahal.
Question
What are you doing at the weekend? (= what have you arranged?)
What are you going to do at the weekend? (= what is your plan?)
Are they going to get married in the summer?
For both the present continuous for arrangements and 'be going to' for plans, we often
use time expressions like at half-past ten, next Thursday, at the weekend, soon.
Are you coming home soon?
I'm going to send out all the invitations next week.
Take note: arrangements and timetables
Use the present continuous and NOT the present simple for things that you have
arranged to do. Use the present simple for future events on timetables and programmes.
We're going by train tomorrow morning.
The train leaves at 7.45.
Spoken English
We often pronounce going to as ‘gonna’, especially in informal conversation.

Grammar Reference
Verb patterns: gerunds and infinitives
M Grammar Reference
Verb patterns: gerunds and infinitives
Meaning and use
Gerunds are the -ing form of a verb, and infinitives are the to + base form. These words can
be confusing; they combine the meaning of a verb with the grammar of a noun.
• My father asked me to phone him. I enjoy talking with my father.
So, how is ‘to phone’ like a noun? Imagine the first sentence said: My father asked me a
question. You can see how a question and to phone have the same grammatical role.
Similarly, you could replace ‘talking’ with the noun conversation.
Using gerunds and infinitives correctly with verbs can be difficult because some verbs go with
only the infinitive or only the gerund, and others can go with either one.
• I enjoy going to the movies. (enjoy + -ing form only)

• Jason wants to visit a museum on Friday. (want + infinitive form only)
• Tony likes eating at restaurants. Tony likes to eat at restaurants. (like + either -ing or infinitive
form)
Another difficulty is that sometimes choosing the infinitive or the gerund will change the
meaning of the sentence.
• Mary stopped eating at six.

(Mary was eating, and at six o’clock, she stopped.)
• Mary stopped to eat at six.
(Mary was walking home, and at six o’clock she stopped walking and went into a café to eat.)
The best way to learn which verbs take infinitives, gerunds, or both, is to notice them in
context when you read, or to consult grammar references. Here are some of the most
common verbs:
eaning and use
Gerunds are the -ing form of a verb, and infinitives are the to + base form. These words
can be confusing; they combine the meaning of a verb with the grammar of a noun.
• My father asked me to phone him. I enjoy talking with my father.
So, how is ‘to phone’ like a noun? Imagine the first sentence said: My father asked me a
question. You can see how a question and to phone have the same grammatical role.
Similarly, you could replace ‘talking’ with the noun conversation.
Using gerunds and infinitives correctly with verbs can be difficult because some verbs go
with only the infinitive or only the gerund, and others can go with either one.
• I enjoy going to the movies. (enjoy + -ing form only)
• Jason wants to visit a museum on Friday. (want + infinitive form only)
• Tony likes eating at restaurants. Tony likes to eat at restaurants. (like + either -ing or
infinitive form)
Another difficulty is that sometimes choosing the infinitive or the gerund will change the
meaning of the sentence.
• Mary stopped eating at six.

(Mary was eating, and at six o’clock, she stopped.)
• Mary stopped to eat at six.
(Mary was walking home, and at six o’clock she stopped walking and went into a café to
eat.)
The best way to learn which verbs take infinitives, gerunds, or both, is to notice them in
context when you read, or to consult grammar references. Here are some of the most
common verbs:
Followed by a gerund (-ing form)
admit, advise, consider, discuss, dislike, dread, enjoy, finish, mind, practise, recommend,
suggest
Followed by an infinitive
agree, appear, choose, decide, expect, fail, hope, learn, need, refuse, seem, wait, want
Followed by either, usually with no change in meaning
begin, continue, hate, like, love, prefer, start
Followed by either, with a change in meaning
forget, regret, remember, stop, try
Form
Gerunds and infinitives can follow verbs in the form verb + -ing form of the verb or verb
+ infinitive (to + base form of the verb).
Positive
• Theresa suggested going to the park.

• Ross decided to go home instead.
Negative
The negative form is verb + not + gerund/infinitive.
• My grandparents have retired and enjoy not working.

• Frank hopes not to travel over the holidays.
Question
• What did the doctor advise taking for your cold?
• Do you need to do your laundry this weekend?
Take note: ‘split’ infinitives
A ‘split infinitive’ has an adverb between to and the verb.
• It is important to thoroughly study for an examination.

• His sister seems to really want a cat.
Some people think split infinitives are ungrammatical. If you are writing formal English, it
is best to avoid using them in your writing.
Take note: possessives
Remember that gerunds are types of nouns, so you can use possessive adjectives
like my, your, his, her, etc.
• Do you mind my going out for a while?

• I like his planning our holidays for us.
Grammar Reference
Present Perfect
Meaning and use
Positive
The present perfect is made with subject + have/has + past participle.
I've taught English in Italy and in Russia.
Johnny Depp has starred in lots of brilliant films.
Negative
The negative present perfect is made with subject + have/has not + past participle.
I haven't seen the first Bond film.
I haven't seen the first Bond film.
Questions
Present perfect yes/no questions are made from have/has + subject + past participle?
Present perfect question word questions are made from question word + have/has +
subject + past participle?
Ever and never

We often use the present perfect with the words ever or never. Ever mean at any time in
someone's life. We usually use ever in questions.
'Has he ever worked in China?' 'No, he hasn't.'
Never means not at any time in someone's life.

I've never seen the first Bond film.
Sometimes we ask questions with never. Often we do this to express surprise:
Have you never eaten a banana?
Past participles
The past participle is the third form of the verb. For example, with the verb to see, the
three forms are: see, saw, seen.
We use the past participle in present perfect sentences with ever and never.
Have you ever eaten sushi?
I've never seen the first Bond film.
Regular and irregular verbs

Many verbs are regular. The past participle ends with -ed
look - looked - looked

climb - climbed - climbed
want - wanted - wanted
Some verbs are irregular. Here are some of them:
become - became - become

eat - ate - eaten
forget - forgot - forgotten
give - gave - given
go - went - gone / been
have - had - had
know - knew - known
meet - met - met
read - read - read
ride - rode - ridden
run - ran - run
say - said - said
see - saw - seen
sell - sold - sold
sing - sang - sung
win - won - won
write - wrote - written
Grammar Reference
Present perfect and ‘for’/’since’
Meaning and use
The present perfect is often used to talk about situations that started in the past and are
continuing now. We sometimes use the present perfect in a question with how long to ask
about how long a present situation has continued.
How long have Sasha and Tanya been married?
We talk about how long using the words for and since.
For = throughout (a period of time).
They’ve been married for six months.
Since = from (an exact point in time) until now.
They’ve been married since March.
We can also use present perfect + since + past simple.
I haven’t seen Tanya since we graduated.
Form
The present perfect is made with subject + have/has (positive) or haven’t/hasn’t

(negative) + past participle.
For is used with a length of time.
Since is used with a specific point in the past.
for: ten minutes, one hour, two days, a week, three years, a long time
since: 10 o'clock, Friday, November, 2013, Easter
Positive
I’ve lived here since 2012.
I’ve worked for this company for20 years.
Negative
We haven’t seen her for ages.
She hasn’t been back to the UK since 2009.
Question
Have you known Sasha since last year?
Have you lived here for more than two years?
How long have you known him?
Have you known Sasha a long time?
Take note: present simple and present continuous
We cannot use the present simple or present continuous with for and since.
WRONG: I know him for ten years.
CORRECT: I’ve known him for ten years.
WRONGFUL: I’m living here since 2002.
CORRECT: I’ve lived here since 2002.
Take note: present perfect / present perfect continuous
With verbs like work and live, which can describe permanent or temporary situations, we
usually use the present perfect + ‘for’ / ‘since’ for a long period of time. For a short period,
we use the present perfect continuous.
I’ve worked for this company for 20 years. (present perfect)
I’ve been working here for a week. (present perfect continuous)
Take note: present perfect / past simple

If a situation is finished, we use the past simple + ‘for’, not the present perfect:
I worked for that company for 20 years and then I retired.
Spoken English
In informal writing and in speech, we often use a contraction with the auxiliary verb.
I’ve lived in Amsterdam for twelve years.
When you listen to someone using a sentence with for +a period of time, listen carefully
to the verb. It is sometimes difficult to hear the difference between, for example, I’ve
lived in New York for five years and I lived in New York for five years, but it makes a
big difference in meaning. It tells us whether the speaker still lives there or not.
Grammar Reference
Comparatives and Superlatives
Meaning and Use
Comparatives
Meaning and use
We use comparatives to compare one person or thing with another person or thing.
My new phone is smaller than my old phone.
The film is more exciting than the book.
He’s better than me at tennis.
We use superlatives to compare one person or thing with several other people or things of
the same kind. Superlatives tell us which thing or person is the greatest in some way.
It’s the smallest room in the house.
We’ve got the cutest dog in the world.
Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth.
Form
Comparatives
We make comparatives in two ways: by adding -er to an adjective or by putting more in

front of the adjective. We often use the word than after the comparative, but not always.
David is older than Juan.
Who is more famous – Brad Pitt or Benedict Cumberbatch?
We add –er to adjectives with one syllable, but if the adjective ends in -e, just add
-r.
old – older
small – smaller
nice – nicer
wide – wider
If an adjective ends in one vowel and one consonant, double the consonant and add
-er (except when the final consonant is ‘w’).
hot – hotter
big – bigger
new – newer
few –fewer
If an adjective has two syllables and ends in -y, change the y to i and add -ier.
happy – happier
noisy – noisier
easy – easier
We put more before other adjectives with two or more syllables.
Sit in the chair – it’s more comfortable than the sofa.
A tablet is more useful than a desktop.
Take note: (not) as … as

To say that two things or people are similar in some way, use as + adjective + as.
I think that skiing is as dangerous as snowboarding.
We can use not as + adjective + as to say that two things or people are not equal in
some way.
Isabel is not as successful as her sister.
Superlatives
We make superlatives in two ways: by adding -est to an adjective or by putting most in

front of the adjective. We usually use the before the superlative.
Usain Bolt is probably the fastest man in the world.
It’s the cheapest restaurant in town.
If an adjective has one syllable, add -est to form the superlative, but if the adjective
already ends in -e, just add –st.
high – highest
small – smallest
nice – nicest
wide – widest
If an adjective ends in one vowel and one consonant, double the consonant and add
-est (except when it ends in –w)
hot – hottest
big – biggest
new – newest
If an adjective has two syllables and ends in -y, change the ‘y’ to ‘i’ and add -est
happy – happiest funny – funniest
We put mostbefore adjectives with two or more syllables.
It’s the most beautiful painting I’ve ever seen.
Take note: superlative and present perfect
We often use the superlative with the present perfect.
It’s the most delicious meal I’ve ever had.
Anna is the friendliest girl he’s ever met.
Remember!
After superlative adjectives, we usually use in, not of.
He was the tallest person in his family.
Take note: irregular comparatives and superlatives
Some adjectives have irregular comparative and superlative forms.
good – better – best
bad – worse – worst
It’s the best film I’ve seen in a long time.
It’s the worst winter in history.
Grammar Reference
Present perfect with just, already and yet
Meaning and use
The present perfect is often used to say whether an action has happened or not at the
present time. The action might be necessary or expected by someone, and we want to say
if it is complete or not.
• I’ve done the washing up, so come and sit down.
The words just, already and yet are very common with this use of the present perfect.
• Nell’s just phoned with her exam results.

• ‘Can you lock the back door?’ ‘I’ve already locked it.’
• We can still catch the bus. It hasn’t left yet.
Just = a very short time ago
Already = before now or earlier than you/I expected
Yet = before now / until now
We use just and already mainly in positive sentences.
• She’s just finished her second year at university.

• ‘I've already done that module.’ ‘Wow, that’s quick!’
We use yet in negative sentences and in questions.
• Steve hasn’t decided which course to apply for yet.

• Has your tutor approved your research topic yet?
Form
The present perfect is made with subject + have/has/haven’t/hasn’t + past

participle. We put just and already between have/has and the past participle.
We usually put yet at the end of a negative sentence or question.
Positive
• ‘I think the lecture has just started so we haven’t missed much.’

• ‘No, it’s already finished. It was an hour earlier than usual.’
Negative
• I haven’t started the final assignment yet.
Question
• Have you handed in your end-of-year assignment yet?
Take note: already
It is possible to put already at the end of a positive sentence. This is more common in
American English.
• The lecture has already finished!

• The lecture has finished already.
Spoken English
In sentences with just and already, there is usually no stress on has/have or

on just/already. The stress is on the subject and the past participle.
• The lecture has already finished.

• Nell has just phoned.
But we can put stress on just/already if we want to emphasise how recently or early
something happened.
• ‘Has Nell phoned?’ ‘Yes, you’ve just missed her.’

• ‘Call me back when the lecture finishes.’ ‘It’s already finished.’
We can also put already at the end of a question and stress it to show surprise.
• Wow! Has the lecture finished already?
In sentences and questions with yet, there is stress on the past participle and also some
stress on yet.
• I haven’t missed a lecture yet this year.

• Have you handed in your end-of-year assignment yet?
Grammar Reference
Defining relative clauses
Meaning and use
Defining relative clauses give us important information about

the person, thing or place that we are talking about. When making a relative clause, we
can use the following relative pronouns: who for people, that and which for things,
and where for places.
The police officer arrested the man who robbed the bank.
In this example, ‘who robbed the bank’ tells us which man the police officer arrested.
Without this information, we do not know which man was arrested.
David visited the place where we first met.
Again, ‘where we first met’ tells us which place David visited.
These are the shoes that I bought in Tokyo.
Summer is the season which I enjoy the most.
‘That I bought in Tokyo’ adds information about the shoes, and ‘which I enjoy the
most’ adds information about the season.
Form
A defining relative clause is made with noun + relative pronoun + rest of clause.
Positive
My father is the man who owns this restaurant.
The restaurant where we met closed down last year.
Negative
This isn’t the sandwich that I ordered.
David didn’t recognise the woman who waved at him.
Question
Are you the person who called earlier?
Is this the cafe where you left your handbag?

Take note: using ‘whom’ instead of ‘who’
In formal speech and written English, whom replaces who when the relative pronoun
refers to the object of the relative clause.
The person who called me was my father. (who = subject)
The person whom I called was my father. (who = object)
Spoken English
In informal speech, the pronoun that can replace who, which and where.
Jennifer is the woman that I love.
The library is the place that I feel the most relaxed.
If the relative pronoun functions as the object of the relative clause, the relative pronoun
can be left out completely.
Kelly is the woman whom I love. = Kelly is the woman I love.
This is the bag that I bought. = This is the bag I bought.
However, if the relative pronoun is the subject of the relative clause, it cannot be left out.
Here, who refers to the subject.
He’s the man. He found my wallet.
He’s the man who found my wallet.
Therefore, the following sentence is incorrect:
He’s the man found my wallet.
Grammar Reference
‘Might’, ‘may’ and ‘could’ for possibility
Meaning and use
We use might + verb, may + verb or could + verb to talk about the possibility of
something in the present or the future, when we are making a guess about a present
situation, or we aren’t sure if something will happen in the future.
I might go to the exhibition at the Tate this afternoon. (future)
He’s travelling in Eastern Europe. He may be in Ukraine by now. (present)
We could have some problems later this year. (future)

There is almost no difference in meaning between might, may and could.
We use might not/mightn’t and may not to talk about negative possibility. We don’t
usually use a contraction for may not. We cannot use could not/couldn’t for possibility in
the same way as might not and may not (see Take note below).
We might not move into the new offices until the New Year.
Our client may not agree with our suggestions.
Form
We use might/may/could + infinitive without ‘to’ or might not/mightn’t/may

not + infinitive without ‘to’. They are the same for all persons (I, you, he, she, etc.).
Positive
They are warning that storms could hit most of the country later today.
There might be some delays on the railways as a result.
Negative
Many people may not be able to get to work at all.
It mightn’t affect us as badly as they say.
Question
It is possible to ask questions with Might/May/Could + subject + infinitive without ‘to’,

but it is more common to form a question with Do you think + subject +
might/may/could + infinitive without ‘to’.
Do you think he might/may/could be in Ukraine by now?
(Might/May/Could he be in Ukraine by now?)
Take note: couldn’t
We don’t use couldn’t in the same way as might not/mightn’t/may not. ‘Couldn’t’
means that something is impossible.
WRONG: I think there couldn’t be any trains today, so I’m going by bus.
CORRECT: I think there mightn’t be any trains today, so I’m going by bus.
Take note: ‘might’, ‘may’ and ‘could’ for permission
Might, may and could for permission are different from might, may and could for
possibility. For permission with might, may and could, the question form
is Might/May/Could I + infinitive without ‘to’. Might for permission is very formal.
Could/May/Might I come with you to the exhibition?
Spoken English
Might, may and could are modal verbs. When we say modal verbs, we usually say them
quicklyhout emphasis. We don’t pronounce the ‘t’ or ‘d’ in might and could or the ‘t’ at
the end of mightn’t and couldn’t.
They might get here late.

We mightn’t watch the whole film.
It couldn’t be Pete you saw because he’s in Greece.
Grammar Reference
‘Used to’
Meaning and use
We use the phrase used to when we want to talk about something we did regularly in the
past, but we don’t do now. We also use it to talk about a past fact which is no longer true.
I used to work at a restaurant, but now I work at a library.
Shari didn’t use to take the bus to school, but now she does.
NOT: I used to eat some cake last Saturday night. (‘Saturday night’ was just one time, so it
was not something done regularly.)
Used to can help us to compare activities in the past and now.
I used to work at a restaurant in the past, and now I work at a library.
When we say used to, we do not do something now.
I used to work at a restaurant. I quit that job, and then got a new job at a library.
Form
The different forms of this phrase are used to or did/did not/didn’t + use to.
Used to is used in positive sentences. Use to is used in negative and question forms.
Positive
Alan used to wear his hat every day until he left it on the bus.
My aunt used to have a dog called Charlie.
Negative
Marsha didn’t use to enjoy skiing, but now she loves it.
I was surprised that you didn’t use to live in Shanghai.
Question
Which road did you use to take to the village before they built the new one?
Did Martin use to have a flat in this building?
Negative question
Didn’t Paula use to study French?

Didn’t William use to work at night?
Take note: adverbs
Used to already means that something happened regularly in the past. You don’t need to add
adverbs most of the time. However, if you want to stress a time period, you can add an
adverb.
John didn’t use to go shopping often, but now he does.

We used tovisit Mexico yearly, but lately, we’ve been going to Chile.
Spoken English
In conversation, used to is sometimes pronounced as /juːstə/. And you don’t say the ‘d’
and ‘t’ as separate sounds.
In fact, it is nearly impossible to hear the difference between used to and use to. Even if
you can’t hear it, you can still pronounce this phrase correctly by saying /juːzd tə/ for
both use to and used to. However, when you are writing, it is important to write the
correct form. Remember, if there is a did or didn’t in the phrase, write use to. Otherwise,
write used to.
Grammar Reference
Subject-object questions
Meaning and use
A simple way of asking questions in English is by using interrogatives, or question

words, such as who or what. These questions are called wh-questions and are used
when asking for information.
What time is it?

Who ate the biscuits?
Look at this sentence:
Sally met David Beckham.
We can ask about the subject or object of this sentence:
Asking about the subject: Who met David Beckham? Sally met David Beckham.
Asking about the object: Who did Sally meet? Sally met David Beckham.
The first question is a subject question because who refers to the subject. There is no
auxiliary. The second question is an object question because who refers to
the object and comes before the auxiliary did.
Form
Subject questionswith no auxiliary are formed with: question word + verb + object, where
the verb agrees with the subject.
‘Who speaks Japanese?’ ‘Kento speaks Japanese.’
‘Who rang the doorbell?’ ‘The milkman rang the doorbell.’
‘What caused the accident?’ ‘Bad weather caused the accident.’
Whose and which ask about possession and choice,and can be used in subject
questions like this:
Whose horse finished the race first?

Which painting cost the most?
Take note: using ‘what’ or ‘which’
As well as which, what is also used to ask about choices. If the choice is limited, we
use which and this is usually followed by a noun.
What social networks do you use?

What happenedto your shirt?
Which chair is yours?
Which of these restaurants has the best service?
Which hand do you write with?
Spoken English
In casual speech, who is or who has often becomes who's. This can cause problems
for the listener because it sounds the same as the question word whose, which is used
to show possession. Whose usually comes before a noun.
Who’s coming for dinner?

Whose bike got stolen?
Whose hat cost over £100?
Whose mobile phone still has a signal?
Grammar Reference
Too much / too many / enough / not enough / very
Meaning and use
In English, we can use too, enough and very with adjectives to

indicate degree. Too describes something negative or unwanted, enough describes the
right amount of something, and very makes the adjective stronger.
Matthew: Those shoes were very nice. Did you buy them?
Simon: No, I didn’t. They were too expensive.
Jenny: Did you buy that dress?

Sally: No, I didn’t. It wasn’t big enough.
We can also use too with much and many to talk about an amount or number of
something which is more or less than what we want or need. For countable nouns, such as
‘apples’ or ‘people’, we use many. For uncountable nouns, like ‘rice’ or ‘water’, we
use much.
There are too many people on the bus.
There is too much salt in this soup.
Form
For degree, we use too + adjective.
For amount or number, the order is too + many/much + noun.
It’s too hot in here.

James ate too much pizza.
Too many people came to the theatre.
Enough comes after an adjective or before a noun:
adjective + enough
enough + noun
My handwriting is good enough.

His car isn’t fast enough.
We have enough food.
I don’t have enough money.
Very comes before adjectives and makes them stronger:
very + adjective
not very + adjective
That test was very difficult.

The weather’s not very nice today.
Positive
There are too many people in the pool.

We have enough money to buy a house.
Negative
There aren’t enough tickets for the show.

That meal wasn’t too expensive.
Question
Are you comfortable enough?

Are there enough chairs for everyone?
Take note: strong adjectives

We do not use very if the adjective is already strong. These examples are wrong:
The pianist was very excellent.

The Grand Canyon is very enormous.
Her response was very correct.
These are correct:
That movie was incredible.

Her performance was dreadful.
The weather’s perfect.
Spoken English
The word enough is pronounced with the short vowel sound /ʌ/ (as in cup) and the
voiceless sound /f/ (as in fat) at the end.
I don’t have enough /ɪnʌf/money.
Grammar Reference
Mixed tenses
Present simple and present continuous:
We use the present continuous for things that are happening now and for temporary
situations. We often use time expressions like at the moment, this week, these days.
We're staying in a fantastic hotel in Goa this week.
What are you doing these days?
I hope you aren't working too hard.
We use the present simple for things that we do regularly and for permanent situations.
We often use adverbs of frequency and time expressions like every day, on Saturdays.
I swim every day before breakfast.
Jake doesn't get up that early though.
It usually begins around June.
Past simple and present perfect:
We use the past simple tense when an action or situation happens and finishes in the
past. We usually say or know when it happens.
We arrived two days ago.
I didn't realise before that it usually begins around June.
Did you manage to book that hotel while there was a cheap offer?
We use the present perfect in several ways.
1) to talk about our experiences in the past. We don't say when these happened because
we are interested in the experience, not the time or date. We often use the
words ever and never.
Have you ever been here?
I've never been to Goa.
2) to talk about situations that started in the past and are continuing now. We sometimes
ask a question with how long + the present perfect and we answer it with the
words for or since.
How long has Mia been in Goa?
She's been there for two days. / She's been there since Wednesday.
It's been really hot since then.
3) to say whether an action has happened or not at the present time. The
words just, already and yet are very common with this use of the present perfect.
I've already done some sunbathing.
We haven't seen much yet.
The sun's just disappeared!
Present continuous and be going to for future
We use the present continuous to talk about the future when we have made an
arrangement to do something. Perhaps we have already booked tickets for something.
We’re coming home next Wednesday.
We use be going to + infinitive for future plans.
We’re going to visit the Saturday Night Market tomorrow.

Are you going to go to Egypt in September?
We also use be going to for something that we expect to happen because we know that it
is very likely. We can’t use the present continuous in this way.
They say that the rainy season is going to start soon.
Examples of form
Present simple
• I/We/You/They swim.
• He/She/It swims.
• I/We/You/They do not swim.
• He/She/It does not swim.
Present simple questions
• Do I/we/you/they swim?
• Does he/she/it swim?
Present continuous
• I am swimming.
• He/She/It is swimming.
• We/You/They are swimming.
• I am not swimming.
• He/She/It is not swimming.
• We/You/They are not swimming.
Present continuous questions
• Am I swimming?
• Is he/she/it swimming?
• Are we/you/they swimming?
Past simple
• I/He/She/It/We/You/They started.
• I/He/She/It/We/You/They did not start.
Past simple questions
• Did I/he/she/it/we/you/they start?
Present perfect
• I/We/You/They have started.
• He/She/It has started
• I/We/You/They have not started.
• He/She/It has not started.
Present perfect questions
• Have I/we/you/they started?
Going to + infinitive
• I am going to stay.
• He/She/It is going to stay.
• We/You/They are going to stay.
• I am am not going to stay.

• He/She/It is not going to stay.
• We/You/They are not going to stay.
Going to questions
• Am I going to stay?
• Is he/she/it going to stay?
• Are we/you/they going to stay?
Grammar Reference
Indirect questions
Meaning and use
There are two ways to ask questions in English – directly and indirectly. Both have the
same meaning, but we use indirect questions if we want to sound more formal or polite,
especially when we are talking to people we don’t know.
(direct question) What time is it?
(indirect question) Could you tell me what time it is?
When we create indirect questions, the thing we are asking about becomes part of a longer
question. And we use introductory phrases such as:
Can/could you tell/show me …?
Do you know …?
Would you mind telling/showing me …?
Have you any idea …?
I wonder …
I wonder if you would mind telling/showing me …?
This is followed by either a question word, such as what, who, when, where, how, or
by if/whether, and then the information we want to know. The word order changes from the
order of a direct question. Indirect questions have the same word order as statements.
(direct question) Where is the photocopier?
(indirect question) Do you know where the photocopier is?
If we are making an indirect question from a direct question which already contains a
question word, like what, who, when, where or how, we keep that same question word.
(Direct question) - What is the dress code in the office?
(Indirect question) - Could you tell me what the dress code is in the office?
If the direct question doesn’t have a question word, then we use if or whether in the
indirect question. We can use these interchangeably, although if is a little more informal.
(Direct question) - Is the coffee for everyone?
(Indirect question) - Could you tell me if the coffee is for everyone?
Form
Indirect questions have the same word order as statements:
introductory phrase + if or whether/question word + subject + verb
Look at the following:
(statement) - The meeting is at two.
(direct question) - When is the meeting?
(indirect question) - Do you know when the meeting is?
(indirect question) - Do you know if the meeting is at two?
Notice that the subject and verb in indirect questions after the question
word when or if/whether are in the same order as in statements, i.e. subject + verb
(subject) (verb)
The meeting is …
… the meeting is
In the direct question, however, the order is: verb + subject after the question word.
When is the meeting ?
Take note: do, does and did
In the present and past simple, we use do/does or did to make direct questions. When
we make indirect questions in the present and past simple, we don’t use these
auxiliaries.
(direct question) - What time does the meeting start?
(indirect question) - Can you tell me what time the meeting starts?
(direct question) - Why did you leave your last job?
(indirect question) - Can you tell me why you left your last job?
(direct question) - Did Mr Yenko ring yesterday?
(indirect question) - Do you know if Mr Yenko rang yesterday?

Grammar Reference
Present and past passive
Meaning and use
In English, we can talk about the present and past in both the active voice and passive
voice.The active voice focuses on the agent or person or thing doing the action.
Alice sent Mary a birthday card.
Many people listen to pop music.
The passive voice focuses on the receiver of the action.
Mary was sent a birthday card by Alice.
Pop music is listened to by many people.
We use the passive for a number of reasons. We may be more interested in the
action than the person or thing (agent) performing the action. In this case, it may be left
out completely.
First, the onion was washed and then sliced.
Next, it was fried and mixed with red peppers.
Finally, it was added to the beef and cooked for fifteen yesterda
We may also leave the agent out if it is unimportant, unknown or obvious to the listener.
The bank robbers were arrested.
David’s bike was stolen last week.
No survivors were discovered at the crash site.
Form
The passive is made with subject + to be + past participle. Note that the active voice
object becomes the passive voice subject. The verb to be is used to express both present
tense and past tense.
Positive
Millions of photographs are taken every day.
The internet is used by people all over the world.
My sister was bitten by a dog.
Negative
Japanese isn’t widely spoken outside Japan.
We weren’t seated until well after nine o’clock.

Our new washing machine wasn’t delivered on time.
Question
Were you given a name tag when you arrived?
Is your form filled out correctly?
Are these fish caught locally?
Take note: identifying the passive
Unlike in the active voice, the main verb in the passive is always the past participle.
In the passive, the agent or doer of a verb is always introduced with by.
Take note: past participle as adjective
In passive sentences, the past participle sometimes acts as an adjective.
The restaurant was closed all day.
Spoken English
While the passive is commonly used in formal or academic written English, it is more
common to hear the active voice in spoken English.
Grammar Reference
First conditional
Meaning and use
We use the first conditional to talk about possible future situations (or ‘conditions’) and their
results.We use if for things we think are likely to happen, and when for things we think are
certain to happen.
If I visit London, I’ll stay with friends.
It is’t certain that I will go to London.
When I visit London, I’ll stay with friends.
It’s certain that I will go to London.
Form
A conditional sentence usually has two parts: the if/when part and the result (main) part.
For the first conditional we use the present simple in the if/when part, and will +
infinitive (without ‘to’) in the main part.
Conditional clause (if/when part) + Main clause (main part)

If/When + present simple - will + infinitive without to
The two parts can be in any order. When we write, when the if part comes first, we put a
comma between the if/when part and the main part. We don’t use a comma when the main
part comes first.
If I visit London, I’ll stay with my friends.

I’ll stay with my friends if I visit London.
When she gets home tonight, she’ll give you a call.

She’ll give you a call when she gets home tonight.
Positive
If you’re late, we’ll wait for you.

When I get home, I’ll call you.
They’ll go to the beach if it’s sunny.
Negative
When I get home, I won’t watch TV.

If we don’t hurry, we’ll miss the train.
They won’t go to the beach if it isn’t sunny.
Question
When you finish school, what will you do?

How will he feel if he doesn’t get the job?
If you pass your exams, will you go to university?
Short answer Yes, I will. / No, I won’t.
Take Note: modals

We can use modals such as may, might, can or should in first conditional
sentences. May and might show we are less certain than when we use will.
We might be late if the shops are busy.

If I feel unwell tomorrow, I may stay at home.
You shouldn’t use the kettle if it isn’t working properly.
If you can’t finish your homework tonight, you can’t go out tomorrow.
When you can smell the cake, you’ll know that it’s cooked.
Take note: going to and present continuous with future meaning
We can use going to or the present continuous with future meaning in the if/when part
or the main part.
If we don’t leave right now, we’re going to be late.

If you’re playing tennis later, you’ll need to take your racket.
Take note: as long as and unless
We can use as long as and unless with the same meaning as if and if not:
As long as we leave now, we won’t be late. (= If we leave now, we won’t be late.)
Unless we leave now, we’ll be late. (= If we don’t leave now, we’ll be late.)
Spoken English
The will in the first conditional can be shortened to ’ll in both speaking and informal
writing. In the negative form, will not can be shortened to won’t.
If I lose my umbrella, I’ll buy another one.

We won’t be pleased if we miss our flight.
It is sometimes difficult to hear the shortened form ’ll before the infinitive. But it’s
important to remember it!
Grammar Reference
Second conditional
We use the second conditional in English when we want to talk about unreal situations
or things we don’t think will happen. We use it to talk about the possible results of
these situations. It is made like this:
if + past simple, … would + infinitive
Here are some examples:
If we all recycled more, there would be a lot less waste in the world.
If I lived by the sea, I’d go swimming every day.
A conditional sentence has two parts. The if part tells us about the unreal or unlikely
situation. The would part tells us the possible results of this situation.
If I lived by the sea, … (This is the imaginary situation.)

… I’d go swimming every day. (This is the result of the imaginary situation.)
The two parts can come in any order. When the if part comes first in the sentence, we put a
comma between the if part and the would part. You don’t use a comma when
the would part comes first.
If I had more free time, I would be more relaxed.

I would be more relaxed if I had more free time.
We use the past simple in the if part – but second conditional sentences aren’t about the
past. We use the past form to show that the situation isn’t real. The would part tells us the
result of this imaginary situation.
We sometimes use were instead of was in the if part of a second conditional sentence. It
means the same, but when we use were, the sentence sounds more formal.
If it were time to leave, I’d go.

We’d have lunch outside if it weren’t raining.
Grammar Reference
State verbs and action verbs
Form, meaning and use
Action verbs describe things we do or things that happen.
Ted is playing football.

The sun rose at six this morning.
We use state verbs to talk about attitudes, thoughts, senses or belonging. Sometimes,
state verbs can also describe actions. Most state verbs are not used in the continuous (-ing)
form.
The children love ice cream.

I believe in angels.
Form
Action verbs can be used in all tenses. State verbs can not be used in continuous forms.
The new baby weighed 3 kg.

NOT: The new baby was weighing 3 kg.
Maria has a piano.

NOT: Maria is having a piano.
My father likes cream in his coffee.

NOT: My father is liking cream in his coffee.
Ms. Thomas owns three small dogs and a cat.

NOT: Ms. Thomas is owning three small dogs and a cat.
Mr. Thomas belongs to a football club.

NOT: Mr. Thomas is belonging to a football club.
Here are some common state verbs:
• appear
• believe
• belong
• consider
• consist
• contain
• cost
• doubt
• exist
• fit
• hate
• hear
• have
• know
• like
• love
• matter
• mean
• need
• owe
• own
• prefer
• remember
• resemble
• seem
• suppose
• think
• understand
• want
• wish
Verbs with two meanings
Some state verbs can be used in the continuous form to talk about a temporary action or
an action happening in the present. However, some state verbs can be used as action
verbs in the present continuous form with a change of meaning. Here are some
examples:
Bernard looks healthy. (his appearance now)

I was looking out the window at the rain. (watching the rain)
Does Maria have a piano? (own)

They are having lunch with their mother today. (eating)
I don't hear the music playing. (hear with my ears)

Our manager will be hearing our presentation today. (will be listening to)
Lola feels that we were rude. (thinks)

How has your father been feeling? (how is his health)
That perfume smells good. (has a good scent)

The boy is smelling the flowers. (sniffing at)
The new baby weighs 3 kg. (her weight is 3 kg)

The woman is weighing the apples. (measuring their weight)
They are good writers. (it's a fact)

Bob is being crazy. (behaving in a crazy way)
What do you see on the wall? (notice with your eyes)

They are seeing their cousins tomorrow. (will visit)
Informal English
In very informal English, the continuous form is sometimes used with state verbs. An
example is the restaurant advertisement that says, ‘I’m loving it!’ You might also hear
someone say, ‘I’m hating this movie.’ The -ing form of the verbs in these examples
have a sense of being temporary.
(Right now) I’m hating this movie.
(General opinion) I like the move I saw last week.
Grammar Reference
Present perfect and past simple
Life experiences
When talking about a life experience, we can use the present perfect. We don't say when
it happened because we're more interested in the experience, than the time or date.
My wife has seen both Sex and the City movies.
If we want to say when the experience happened in the past, we use the past simple.
She watched the newest Sex and the City movie last week.
We often use the present perfect with the words ever and never.
Have you ever fallen in love? No, sadly I've never been in love.
We can answer these questions with Yes, I have. or No, I haven't.
If we want to say how many times we have done something, we can use the present
perfect, or we can add a past simple sentence with an expression of time or place.
'Have you ever fallen in love?' 'Yes. I've actually been in love twice.'
'Have you ever fallen in love?' 'Yes, I have. I fell in love twice with different women when I
was in Japan.'
Recent past actions that are important now
We use the present perfect when things that happened in the recent past are important
now.
Oh no! I've lost my wedding ring... My wife will kill me!
We use the past simple to say when the action happened.
I lost my wedding ring last night...
Past situations that are still happening now
We use the present perfect for situations that started in the past and are still happening
now.
I haven't seen my husband this morning. (It is still this morning.)
We use the past simple for situations that started and finished in the past.
I didn't see my husband this morning. (It is this afternoon or evening now.)
How long... questions
We sometimes use the present perfect in these questions.
How long have you lived with your boyfriend?
We talk about how long with the words for (meaning throughout a period of time)
and since (meaning from a point of time to now - this can be a date or a past simple
phrase).
We have lived together for three years.

We've been in a relationship since 2002.
I've known him since we were children.
If we know it is a completed event, we can ask a how long question with the past simple.
'How long did you live with your ex-husband?' 'We lived together for about six years. I
moved out when I found out he was cheating!'
With just, already and yet
We use the present perfect with just, already and yet to talk about recent events in the
past. The exact time is not important. We use just and already mostly in positive
sentences. We use yet in negative sentences and questions.
I've just met the most gorgeous man! I wonder if he's single...
'Let's go to the movies tonight, James.' 'We've already been three times this week. I think
your movie mad, Jane!'
He hasn't asked me out yet.
Have you decided when to have your wedding yet?
Completed actions in the past
We usually talk about these actions and events using the past simple. We often include a
time reference in these sentences.
I met my wife on 3 July 1990 and we got married in August.

We went on holiday three times together in 1997.
We celebrated our 14th anniversary last August.
Our close friends moved to France three months ago.
Form
Present perfect
We have lived together for six years.
The present perfect is made of two parts: the present form of the verb have and
the past participle of the main verb.
Here is how it works in positive, negative and question forms.
Positive
subject + have + past participle
I have lived here for two years. I've lived here for two years.
We have lived together for one year. We've lived together for one year.
You have started dating that guy. You've started dating that guy.
They have been together much longer. They've been together much longer.
He has started seeing that girl. He's started seeing that girl.
She has forgiven him again. She's forgiven him again.
Negative
subject + haven't/hasn't + past participle
I haven't been in a relationship for years.

We haven't lived together very long.
You haven't moved in together yet.
They haven't been on holiday together.
He hasn't dated anyone else.

She hasn't been married before.
It hasn't been a great time for them.
Questions
Have/Has + subject + past participle
Have you asked her out?

Have they started dating?
Have we been married twenty-five years already?
Has he really dated her sister as well?

Has she seen anyone else lately?
Has it been long since you called her?
Past simple
With the past simple the form doesn't change for each person (I/you/he/she/it/we/they).
Remember the regular verbs end -ed but irregular verbs don't follow this riule and have
their own form.
Positive
I met my wife in France.

You arrived early.
He dated three women before meeting his wife.
She thought he was the one.
It seemed like a perfect relationship.
We wanted to go to the movies together.
They organised a special holiday for their anniversary.
Negative
subject + did not / didn't + verb

I did not / didn't meet her in Spain.
You did not /didn't see him again.
He did not / didn't get anything for their anniversary.
She did not / didn't tell him about her problem.
It did not / didn't end well.
We did not / didn't want to move in with his parents.
They did not / didn't want a flashy wedding ceremony.
Questions
Did + subject + verb
Did you ask him out then?

Did he propose on holiday?
Did she like her ring?
Did we book that band for the wedding reception?
Did they really run away together?
We use the past simple, but not the present perfect, with past time expressions
like yesterday, last month, six years ago, when I was a child.
CORRECT: What did you do when you finished college?
WRONG: What have you done when you finished college?
CORRECT: I left that company three years ago.
WRONG: I have left that company three years ago.
Take note: writing and speech
We often use the past simple (not the present perfect) to describe events in stories, when
one thing happens after another in the past. We use the present perfect more in speech
than in writing.
Spoken English
In everyday speech and writing, it’s common to use a contraction with the auxiliary verb in
the present perfect and the past simple.
I’ve just been to the supermarket.
We haven’t ever tried eating snails.
He didn’t answer his phone when I called.

Grammar Reference
Question tags
What do question tags mean and what do we use them for?
Basically, question tags work by turning a statement into a question by adding a tag at the
end. The tag is a short yes or no question, and we use different tags depending on the
statement. Here are a couple of examples:
You’re here for the interview today, aren’t you? (Compare with: Are you here for the
interview?)
You haven’t filled all the vacancies yet, have you? (Compare with: Have you filled all the
vacancies yet?)
The tag asks if the statement is true and makes it into a question. We use question tags more
often when we are speaking than when we are writing.
How do we make question tags?
We can see that question tags are either positive or negative. If the statement part is positive,
the tag is negative. If the statement is negative, then the question tag part is postitive. The
subject of the statement always appears as a pronoun in the tag.
You can fill out the application form without any problems, can’t you? (Positive statement,
negative question tag.)
You haven’t finished interviewing all the candidates, have you? (Negative statement, positive
question tag.)
If the main statement has an auxiliary verb, then the question tag is made with the same
auxiliary verb.
Positive statements with question tags
We are meeting this afternoon, aren’t we?

You have prepared the spreadsheet, haven’t you?
You will be on time for the workshop, won’t you?
You can join us for the business lunch, can’t you?
This is going to change our products forever, isn’t it?
For positive statements without auxiliary verbs, we use do to make the question tag:
The new bosses like the idea, don’t they?

He always gives a good presentation, doesn’t he?
All the interviewees arrived on time, didn’t they?
Negative statements with question tags
The job situation isn’t getting any better, is it?

We haven’t had so many candidates interested before, have we?
Our new boss doesn’t like to have fun, does she?
I just can’t get this presentation right, can I?
When a form of be is the main verb in the statement, we use the matching form in the tag.
She is qualified, isn’t she?
They were impressed by the sales figures, weren’t they?
It isn’t that difficult to understand, is it?
We weren’t ready for the tax increase, were we?
There is a special case if the pronoun is I and we use be in the statement. The tag is made
with am when the statement is negative - but when the statement is positive, the tag is
made with aren't.
I'm not the right person for the job, am I?

I'm in the right building for the interview, aren't I?
Spoken English
In some ways, question tags are not real questions; that is, the speaker is not asking for
new information. Instead, the speaker may be asking for agreement, or trying to start a
conversation or keep one going.
The intonation of a tag in a question is important. When someone uses falling intonation in
a tag, they think that the statement is true. They use the question tag to invite conversation.
When someone uses rising intonation in a question tag, he is less certain that the statement
before the question tag is correct. The question tag here is a real question – the speaker
wants to find out if the statement is really true.
Grammar Reference
Will, going to, be likely to and might
Form - will and might
For will and might, the form is subject + will / might + infinitive.
We use the same form for all persons (I, you, he, she, and so on). You can
contract will to 'll in the positive form - we normally do this in spoken language.
Positive
• The new smartphone will have all sorts of special features.

• We'll be connected 24/7 when everywhere has free wifi.
• I've ordered a new phone for the office. It might arrive today.
Negative
• This video call will not last long - we only have one thing to discuss.
• We won't see much change in keyboard layouts for the next few years.
• There might not be any announcements about the new technology room today - don't count
on it!
We can use the contracted form won't for all persons (I, you, he, she, and so on).
Sometimes we contract might not to mightn't, especially in speaking.
Form - going to and be likely to
For going to and likely to, the form is subject + am/are/is + going to/likely to +
infinitive. We can contract I am (I'm), you are/we are/they are (you're/we're/they're)
and he is/she is (he's/she's).
Positive
• They're going to announce a new line of laptops soon.

• The line is going to come out in September. It's going to be all over the news.
• It's likely to be a major advance in computing technology.
Negative
• Some people say technology isn't going to change our lives that much.
• We aren't going to see the smartring any time soon.
The negative of likely is unlikely.
• The new smartwatches are unlikely to be a big revolution in technology.
Questions
To form questions with will, going to and likely, it's auxiliary (Will/Am/Is/Are) + subject
+ verb. We often use short answers.
• Will this new smartwatch change my life? No, it won't.

• Are they going to announce the software release today? Yes, they are.
• Is it likely to be any better than the previous version? No, it isn't.
We can also make questions with question words.
• When will they sort out the computers at work?

• Who will win the tech race?
• Where are they going to release the new phone first?
It is possible to ask a question with Might + subject + infinitive, but it's more common to
form a question with Do you think + subject + might + infinitive.
• Do you think this might change computing as we know it?
Important note: Will and might
Remember that will and might are modal verbs, so we use the infinitive without to after
them.
WRONG:
• People will to go on holiday to the moon within 50 years.

• They might to make a computer that is really small.
CORRECT:
• People will go on holiday to the moon within 50 years.
• They might make a computer that is really small.
Grammar Reference
'Used to' and 'would'
Meaning and use
We can use used to and would to talk about things we did regularly in the past, but we
don’t do now. We use used to for either habits or states in the past. Would is used only for
past habits, not for past states.
• Elena used to visit her grandson on Saturdays, but now she visits him on Sundays. (past
habit)
• On Fridays, we would take a long walk after lunch. (past habit)
• The weather didn’t use to be so cold in May. (past state)
NOT: The weather wouldn’t be so cold in May.
Used to and would often have the idea of comparison or change over time.
• Elena used to visit her grandson on Saturdays but now she visits him on Sundays.
• We would take a long walk after lunch (but now we do not.)
• The weather didn’t use to be so cold in May. (now, it is cold in May)
Form
The different forms of these phrases are used to + infinitive (without ‘to’) or did / did not
/ didn’t + use to + infinitive (without ‘to’), and would / would not / wouldn’t + infinitive
(without ‘to’).
Used to is the simple past. Use to is used in negative and question forms. It is used for
both habits and states.
Used to - Habit
• Isabel used to sing in a band.

• Pablo didn’t use to drive to work.
• Did John use to study with you?
Used to - State
• Bob used to be much shorter.

• I didn’t use to like art.
• Did Wayne use to belong to the debate team?
• Didn’t Margaret use to hate flying?
Would - Habit (not for states)
• Since I always had that day free, I would shop for groceries every Monday.
• Since we were always in a hurry, we wouldn’t stop for tea on Fridays.
• Would you often stay for lunch?
Take note: adverbs
Used to and would already show that something happened in the past. We don’t usually
add adverbs. But, if you want to stress a time period, you can add an adverb.
• I didn’t use to travel frequently, but now I do.

• Nancy would go for a jog every day, but now she doesn’t have enough time.
Grammar Reference
Present and past modals of ability
Meaning and use
We use can or be able to for saying that somebody or something has the ability to do
something. Can and be able to mean the same, but we often use be able to when
something is surprising or unusual.
Camels can carry up to 600 pounds on their backs.

They are able to close their noses to keep out the sand.
To talk about ability in the past, we use could or be able to.
20 years ago, the Kalahari bushmen could make fire without matches.
They were able to survive without fresh water for three weeks.
For a single event in the past, we use be able to (not could)in positive statements.
Our guide was able to show us the caves where the bushmen lived.
NOT: Our guide couldshow us the caves where the bushmen lived.
However, in negative statements and questions about single events, we can

use could or be able to.
Could you talk to the bushmen? Were you able to talk to the bushmen?
We couldn't talk to them. We weren't able to talk to them.
If something is very difficult to do or is very successful, we often use the verb manage
to instead of a modal verb.
The bushmen managed to live happily in their natural environment for at least 20,000
years.
Form
After can/can't and could/couldn't we use the infinitive without to. We also use the same
form for all persons: I, you, he, she, it, we, they. After be able to we use the infinitive
without to as well, but the form of be changes: am/are/is able to for the present
and was/were able to for the past.
Positive
In Yakutia, the people can speak both Yakut and Russian.

They are able to survive in temperatures of -70.
Negative
They can’t grow vegetables in winter, so they eat a lot of meat and fish.
Most people aren’t able to travel in winter because of the freezing weather.
Questions
In questions with can, could and be able to, we change the word order. We don’t
use Do/Does. Can, could or the verb be come before the subject or subject pronoun.
How can the people survive in temperatures of -70?

Why aren’t they able to travel in winter?
Could they leave the area by April?
Take note: 'be able to' with infinitives and present perfect
Can has no infinitive form or present perfect form. So in some sentences, we have to
use be able to.
I’d like to be able to speak Russian. (infinitive)

We haven’t been able to contact them by phone yet. (present perfect)
Take note: form of 'manage to'
Manage to is a regular verb in the positive form. But in the negative form we say can’t
manage to in the present and couldn’t or didn’t manage to in the past. We also
use did for questions.
I can’t manage to eat all that!

They couldn’t/didn’t manage to finish the race.
Did you really manage to swim across the Channel?
Take note: sense verbs and verbs of thinking
We usually use can and not be able to with sense verbs and verbs of thinking such
as see, hear, smell, believe, remember.
I can see the Lena River from here.

I can’t believe that it gets so cold there.
The bushmen could remember their way around the desert from day to day.

Esay Level Grammar

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Esay Level Grammar

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Esay Level Grammar

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Easy leval Grammar Reference

In English, there are two basic types of question.

Dave: Are you hungry?

Sarah: Did you get here on time?

2. Wh-questions start with a question word, such

Dave: Why are you so hungry?

Sarah: When did you get here?

Are you playing football tomorrow?

Was the weather nice yesterday?

Can Jenny speak Chinese?

Who loves Lucy?

For subject questions, the order is question word + verb + object.

Who wants ice cream for dessert?

The object question form is question word + auxiliary + subject + verb.

Asking questions with ‘how’

How big is your apartment?

In formal situations, it is common to respond to a yes/no question by repeating the

Max: Can you use a computer?

In casual spoken English, we do not need to repeat the auxiliary. Answers do

Peter: Do you know the way to the train station?

Lucy: Shall we order sushi?

rearrange the words to make 'yes/no' and wh-questions.

1. anywhere did you weekend interesting last go?

2. grow up did you where?

3. did for your car new much how pay you?

4. into your when you did move new house?

5. listening to what you are?

6. the game basketball who won?

7. I borrow can your phone?

8. you do watch want movie a tonight to?

1. Did you go anywhere interesting last weekend?

[The order of yes/no questions is: auxiliary + subject + main verb.]

2. Where did you grow up?

3. How much did you pay for your new car?

[The order of object Wh-questions: question word + auxiliary + subject + verb.]

4. When did you move into your new house?

5. What are you listening to?

6. Who won the basketball game?

[The order of subject Wh-questions is: question word + verb + object.]

7. Can I borrow your phone?

[The order of yes/no questions is: auxiliary + subject + main verb.]

8. Do you want to watch a movie tonight?

[The order of yes/no questions is: auxiliary + subject + main verb.]

Meaning and use

We use the present simple for:

• things that we do regularly

I check my email every day. (regular activity)

Sheryl works at the bank. (permanent situation)

Just a minute. I’m checking my email. (now)

I’m studying Economics (activity in progress)

They live in Rome.

The present continuous for I is subject + am + verb-

I don’t eat meat.

The negative present continuous for I is I’m not + verb-

He isn’t answering his mobile at the moment.

Do you read the news online every day?

Does the supermarket sell stamps?

The present continuous question form is am/is/are+ subject + verb-ing.

What are you doing?