GRAMMAR SUMMARY
SIMPLE PRESENT
(a) Water consists of hydrogen and oxygen.
(b) The world is round
The simple present says that something was true in the past, is true in the present, and will be true in the future. It is used for general statements of fact.

(c) I study for two hours every night.
(d) He always eats a sandwich for lunch.
The simple present is used to express habitual or everyday activity.

(e)I have only a dollar right now.
(f) I don’t recognize that man.
Certain verbs are not used in the progressive tenses. They indicate a situation that exists right now.


INFINITIVES AND GERUNDS
Some common verbs followed by infinitives
agree
determine
manage
promise

appear
forget
mean
refuse

prepare
happen
offer
remember

learn
hope
plan
seem

decide
learn
pretend
try


Some common verbs followed by gerunds
admit
fancy
imagine
object (to)

avoid
finish
keep
risk

deny
mind
forgive
excuse

dislike
suggest
save
stop

enjoy
prevent
practise
miss


Some common verbs followed by either gerunds or infinitives
advise
like
intend
stop

allow
love
start
try

begin
permit
regret
mean

continue
propose
remember
agree

hate
recommend
prefer
want


PAST PERFECT
(a) My parents had already eaten by the time I got home.
(b) Until yesterday, I had never heard about it.
The past perfect expresses an activity that was completed before another activity or time in the past.

(c) Sam had already left when we got there.
(d) Sam left before we got there.
(e)After the guests had left, I went to bed.
(f) After the guests left, I went to bed.
If either before or after is used, the past perfect is often not necessary because the time relationship is clear. The past tense may be used then.


USED TO
(a) Jack used to live in Chicago

Used to expresses a habit, activity, or situation that existed in the past but which no longer exists.

Using which to modify a whole sentence
(a) Tom was late. That surprised me.
(b) Tom was late, which surprised me.

The pronoun that refers to the idea of a whole sentence which comes before. Similarly, which modifies the idea of a whole sentence.


PRESENT PERFECT
(a) They have moved into a new apartment.
(b) Have you ever visited Mexico?
The present perfect expresses the idea that something happened before now, at an unspecified time in the past.

(c) We have had four tests so far this semester.
(d) I have met many people since I came here in June.
The present perfect also expresses the repetition of an activity before now. The exact time of each repetition is not important.


(e) I have been here since 7 o’clock.
(f) We have been here for 2 weeks.
The present perfect also, when used with for for or since, expresses a situation that began in the past and continues to the present.



PRESENT PROGRESSIVE (PP)
TO EXPRESS FUTURE
(a) My wife has an appointment with a doctor. She is seeing Dr. North next Tuesday.

b) Sam has already made his plan. He is leaving at noon tomorrow.

The present progressive may be used to express future time when the idea of the sentence concerns a planned event or definite intention.


c) A: What are you going to do this afternoon?
B: After lunch I am going shopping with a friend of mine.
The future meaning for PP is indicated either by future time words in the sentence or by the context.


BECAUSE OF and INSTEAD OF
(a) We were late because of the rain.

b) I’m happy because of you.
Because of is used as a preposition to show cause. It is used before a noun or a pronoun.


c) We went out in spite of the rain. (=…although it was raining.)
d) In spite of having a headache, I enjoyed the film.
In spite of is used as a preposition which have the same meaning as although. It can be followed by a noun or an –ing form.

e) She passed the exam in spite of her teacher. (She had a bad teacher.)

f) She passed the exam because of her teacher. (She had a good teacher.)
In spite of is