Unit 1

Present Tense of Be: Affirmative and Negative Statements, Contractions

The verb to be has different forms after different subjects:

Affirmative

Examples Notes

I am from Japan

The students are late

You are twins!

The teacher is over there

Use am with the pronoun I.

Use are with plural nouns and these pronouns:

we, you, they, these or those.

Use is with singular nouns and these singular

pronouns: he, she, it, this or that

Negative

Examples Notes

I am not late.

She is not in this class.

Use not after the verb be in negative sentences.

Contractions are short forms. They are used in conversation and informal writing. Full

forms are used in more formal writing

Affirmative

Full form Contractions

I am Mexican.

He is/she is/it is over there.

We are/you are/they are at home.

I’m Mexican.

He´s/she´s/it’s over there.

We’re/you’re/they’re at home

Negative

Full form Contractions

I am not interested.

He/she/it is not here.

We/you/they are not late.

I’m not interested.

He’s/she’s/it’s not here; he/she/it

isn’t here.

We’re/you’re/they’re not late;

we/you/they aren’t late.

The Simple Present Tense: Information question and answers

An information question begins with a question word and cannot be answered by yes or no.

when a form of do separates a question word from the subject, the main verb must appear in

its simple form.

Question word Questions Possible answers

Who Who are your teachers?

Who is your adviser?

Who helps you?

Mr. Summers and

Ms. Lee

Mr. Michaels

Ben and Tom

Whom Who/whom do you ask? My tutor

What What interest you?

What is in the bag?

What does she teach?

Books and movies.

My lunch.

History.

Where Where is the snack bar?

Where do we go now?

In the student center.

To English class

When When are our papers due?

When does class begin?

On Wednesday

In five minutes.

Why Why is the building closed?

Why does he come so late?

Because it’s a

holiday.

He has a job after

school

How How is your math class?

How are you?

How do you get to school?

Very hard.

Pretty good.

By bus and subway

Notes:

Who refers to people.

Who can be the subject of a question.

Who is usually followed by a singular verb.

Who (or whom) is also used as an object.

Whom is used only in formal questions.

Who is used in informal speech.

What refers to things.

What can be the subject of a question.

What can also uded as an object.

Where is used to ask questions about places.

When is used to ask about time.

Why is used to ask questions about reasons.

How can refer to a degree (of something).

How can refer to a state or condition (for example, health).

How can be refer to a way or a method of doing something.

Note: contractions for questions words + be used in informal speech are: who + is = who´s;

what + is = what’s; where + is = where’s; when + is = when’s; why + is = why’s; how + is

= how’s.

The Simple Present Tense: Yes/No Questions and Short Answers

In simple present yes/no questions, a form of the verb do comes before the subject with

verbs other than be. Use does with he, she and it. Use do with I, you, we and they. In these

questions, the main verb always appears in the simple form. The appropriate form of do

appears in short answers.

Affirmative questions Affirmative answers Negative answers

Do I look like my mother?

Does he do work?

Do we need change?

Yes, you do.

Yes he does.

Yes, we do.

No, you don’t.

No, he doesn’t.

No, we don’t.

Negative questions Affirmative answers Negative answers

Don’t I need a ticket?

Doesn’t she need change?

Doesn’t it bite?

Don’t we leave soon?

Yes, you do.

Yes, she does.

Yes, it does.

Yes, we do.

No, you don’t

No, she doesn’t

No, it doesn’t

No, we don’t

Be: Yes/No Questions and Short Answers

Affirmative question Affirmative answer Negative answer

Am I early?

Is she Japanese?

Are you late?

Are they late?

Yes, you are

Yes, she is

Yes, you are

Yes, they are

No, you’re not/no, you aren’t

No, she’s not/no she isn’t

No, you’re not/no you aren’t

No, they’re not/no, they aren’t

Negative question Affirmative answer Negative answer

Aren’t you early?

Isn’t that woman a

professor?

Aren’t we late?

Aren’t they late?

Yes. I am

Yes, she is

Yes, we are

Yes, they are

No, I’m not

No, she’s not/no, she isn’t

No, we’re not/no, we aren’t

No, they’re not/no, they aren´t

Notes:

In a yes/no question, the verb comes before the subject.

Negative questions are used to express the speaker’s belief or expectation.

Contractions are not used in affirmative short answers; they are used in negative

short answers.

The Simple Present Tense Affirmative and Negative Statement

The simple present tense is used to describe everyday activities and habits, to male general

statements of facts, and to express opinions with some verbs, the present simple shows an

existing condition. The first three notes in the examples below apply to each type of

affirmative and negative statements.

Use Examples Notes

Everyday activities and

habits

Andres and Ricardo often

study math together

An object sometimes

follows the verb

Statements of fact Lu speaks three languages.

Dave runs quickly

With third person singular

subjects, the verb ends in –s.

Opinions I don’t like the instructor.

He doesn’t teach math very

well

In negative statements, do or

does comes before not. The

contractions are don’t and

doesn’t. The main verb

always appears in the simple

form.

Existing conditions I hear music.

He doesn’t understand your

question.

Other verbs that describe an

existing condition include

like, need, want, seen,

know, and believe.

Notes:

1. Most verbs add –s to the simple form to make the third person singular: she works

at the library.

2. For verbs ending in –y after a consonant, change the y to i and add –es:

carry/carries; try/tries.

3. For verbs ending in –s, -z, -sh, -ch, -x or o (after a consonant), add –es:

teach/teaches; pass/passes; go/goes.

4. Two verbs are irregular: be/is; have/has.

Unit 2

Using articles: a/an and the

A, an and the are articles. They appear before nouns; a and are are indefinite articles, they

describe general nouns. The is a definite article, it describes specific nouns.

Examples Notes

Indefinite articles A: I can drive a car, but I

can’t fly an airplane

B: Really? I can do both

The speakers are talking

about cars and airplanes in

general – any cars or

airplanes-.

Definite articles A: Are you finished writing

the reports yet?

B: Not yet. Do you want to

use the computer?

A: That’s all right. I can

wait.

The speakers are talking

about specific reports and a

specific computer – the

reports that B is writing and

the computer that B is

using-.

Usually a or an comes before a noun when the noun appears for the first time, after that, the

appears before the noun.

Examples Notes

This is a painting of an island near Paris It is one painting of one island.

The painting is very famous It is the specific painting described in the

first sentence.

There is/there are

Statements and questions can be formed with there is/there are. There is is used to show

that something exist or is in a place. There is is used when the noun that follows is it

singular; there are is used when the noun that follows is plural.

Examples Notes

Affirmative statements There is a bee on the flower.

There are meadows on the

way.

The contraction for there is

is there’s.

There is no contraction for

there are.

Negative statements There is no water in my

canteen.

There are no rocks on the

trial.

There are two contractions

for there is no: there isn’t

AND there’s not. The

contraction for there are no

is there aren’t.

Affirmative questions Affirmative answer Negative answer

Is there a river near the trial?

Are there any sleeping bag?

Yes, there is

Yes, they are

No, there isn’t

No there aren’t

Negative question Affirmative answer Negative answer

Isn’t there a map of the

park?

Aren’t there hills on the

bike?

Yes, there is

Yes, there are

No, there isn’t

No, there aren’t

Possessive nouns

Singular nouns Carlos Carlos’s or Carlos’ (car)

Hiroshi Hiroshis’s (boots)

Tomorrow Tomorrow’s (weather)

The boy The boy’s (pencil)

The lady The lady’s (ring)

Notes: if a singular noun ends in –s, add ‘s or ‘ for the possessive form. If a singular noun

does not end in –s, add ‘s.

Plural nouns The boys The boy’s (bicycles)

The ladies The ladies’ (coats)

The men The men’s (team)

The children The children’s (toys)

People The lady’s (ring)

The Present Continuous Tense

The present continuous tense is formed with the present tense of the verb be + the ing form

of a verb. This tense is used to talk about an action happening at the moment of speaking,

or an action currently in progress.

Statements

Affirmative examples Notes

She’s carrying a heavy bag.

They’re relaxing by the lake.

We’re learning Italian this semester.

She’s majoring in biology

In the first two examples, the action is

happening at the moment of speaking.

In the other two examples, the action is

currently in progress.

Negative examples Notes

Hiroshi isn’t wearing boots.

They aren’t going on the hike.

She isn’t keeping a journal.

Form the negative by placing not between

the form of be and the verb in the ing form.

Yes/no questions

Affirmative examples Possible answers

Is Carlos carrying her backpack?

Are they picking flowers?

Yes, he is/no, he isn’t

Yes, they are/no, they aren’t

Negative examples Possible answers

Isn’t he walking on the trial?

Aren’t you getting tired?

Yes, he is/no he isn’t

Yes, I am/no, I’m not

Information questions

Affirmative questions Possible answer

When are we leaving?

Why are you sneezing?

We’re leaving at noon.

I´m getting a cold.

Negative questions Possible answer

Who isn’t carrying a canteen?

Why aren’t they wearing shoes?

Anita and Paul aren’t.

Their feet are hurting them.

Modal Auxiliaries: Can, May, Might and Will

Can, May, might and will are all modal auxiliaries. There are special verb forms. Modals

do not change forms: they do not take –s or –ed. Modals are followed immediately by the

simple form of a verb.

Statements

Affirmative examples Notes

I can swim.

The rain may stop soon.

The tents might fall down.

We will call you tonight.

She’ll go to the store.

In statements, modals come before the

simple form of a verb.

Don’t use to before the verb.

Will is the only of these modals that can

appear as a contraction.

Negative examples Notes

I cannot find my watch.

We may not need the compass.

I might not come back.

He will not go with us

May not and might not cannot appear as a

contraction. The contraction for cannot is

can’t, the contraction for will not is won’t.

Modal Meaning Examples

Can Ability I can speak English (I am able to speak English)

He can’t swim (he isn’t able to swim)

Can you dance? (Are you able to dance?)

May/might Future possibility It may rain (maybe it will rain; maybe it won’t)

I might not go. (maybe I won’t go; maybe I will)

Will Intentions/predictions I’ll see you tomorrow (I intent to see you tomorrow)

The movie won’t be crowed (I predict the movie

won’t be crowed)

Will you buy a tent? (Do you intend to buy a tent?)

Unit 3

Count and Noncount Nouns

There are two basic types of nous – count nouns and Noncount Nouns. Count nouns are

thing you can count, such as books and pens. Noncounts nouns are things you can’t count,

such as paper and ink.

Count nouns (singular) Count nouns (plural)

A meal

An egg

One waiter

A chair

One restaurant

Three meals

Some eggs

Waiters

Some chairs

Restaurants

Notes:

Count nouns have both singular and plural forms.

Singular count nouns can have a/an before them.

Most plural count takes an –s/-es ending.

Noncount nouns examples

Butter, some juice, electricity, salt, some jewelry, traffic, freedom, anger, some luck.

Notes:

Noncount nouns are always singular and have no plural form, they do not take –s or

–es endings.

Most Noncount nouns refer to a whole that is made up of smaller o different parts.

Some Noncount nouns describe abstract things, such as ideas, feelings and

concepts.

Some and any

Some and any refers to an unspecified number or amount. Some and any may appear before

both count and Noncount nouns.

Examples Notes

Some Please buy some napkins

There’s some milk in the cup

Some expresses an indefinite amount.

Some is used in affirmative statements

and questions.

Any There aren´t any plates on the table

I don’t use any salt

Do you have any pots in your kitchen

Any is used in negative statements and

in affirmative and negative questions.

Note: no + any before Noncount and plural count nouns means no. for example: there

aren´t any hot dogs = there are not hot dogs.

A lot of/Many/Much

A lot of, many, and much are used to express a large quantity of something. A lot of may

appear before both Noncount and plural count nouns. Many appear only before plural

nouns. Much appears only before Noncount nouns.

Examples Notes

A lot of She doesn’t eat a lot of hamburgers.

Isn’t there a lot of alt in this soup?

Are there a lot of apples at home?

A lot of is used in

affirmative and negative

statements and questions.

Many Many fast food restaurants serve hamburgers.

I don’t like many kind of vegetables.

Do many people have a poor diet?

Many is used in affirmative

and negative statements and

questions.

Much They don’t eat much red meat.

We don’t drink much tea or coffee.

Does chicken have much cholesterol?

Don’t they eat much fish?

Much is used mainly in

negative statements and

affirmative and negative

questions. Much usually

isn’t used in affirmative

statements.

Asking Questions with How many and How much

How many is used in questions before plural count nouns. How much is used in questions

before Noncount nouns.

Examples Answers

How many How many eggs do you

want?

How many cakes are you

making?

Two

Only one

How much How much coffee does he

drink?

How much rice do we need?

Three cups

Ten pounds

Note: if a unit of measurement is used with a Noncount noun, how many should be used.

For example: how much coffee does he drink? Can also be expressed as How many cups of

coffee does he drink?

Modal Auxiliaries: Request, Offers, and Permission

The modals may, can, could, will or would can be used with the simple form of a verb to

make requests, offers, and to request permission. In questions, the modal appears before the

subject.

Making request

Examples Possible answer Notes

Could you please bring a

fork?

Of course In these cases, we are asking

someone else to do

something.

Would you suggest a

dessert?

Will you pass the salt

please?

I´d be glad to.

Certainly

Could and would are used in

both informal and formal

situations.

Can we have a menu please? Sure Can and will are informal.

Note: please make any request more polite.

Making offers

Examples Possible answers Notes

May I help you?

Can I get you something to

drink?

Yes. Can I get the menu?

I’d like an iced tea please.

In these cases, we are

offering to do something for

someone.

May is considered formal

and can is less formal.

Requesting permission

Examples Possible answers Notes

May we join you?

Could I borrow some

money?

Can I use a credit card?

No, you may not.

Yes, you can.

No. you can’t

In these cases, we want something or

want to do something and are asking

for someone’s help or permission.

May is considered formal.

Could is used in formal and informal

requests.

Can is the least formal.

Notes: May is not used in questions in which the subject is you.

Spelling Rules for s, ed, er, est and ing Endings