Mastering English Basics: Tenses, Vocabulary, and Grammar Rules

Present Simple (Do or Does, Don't or Doesn't)

Interrogative Form

(Question word) + Auxiliary (do, does) + Subject + Verb (base form) + Complement?

Time Expressions and Adverbs of Frequency Examples

• Every day
• At the weekend
• Once a week
• On Sundays
• Twice a month
• Always
• Sometimes
• Often
• Usually
• Never

Present Continuous (Is or Are, Isn't or Aren't, and the verb -ing)

Time Expressions

• Now
• Right now
• At the moment
• Today
• This week

Can or Can't

Can means 'to be able to' and Can't means 'to not be able to do something'.

Essential English Vocabulary

Professions and Actions

• Dentist => Dentista
• Magician => Mago
• Waiter => Camarero
• Juggler => Malabarista
• Singer => Cantante
• Actor => Actor
• Plumber => Fontanero
• Musician => Músico
• Secretary => Secretario
• Acrobat => Acróbata
• Reporter => Reportero
• Mime artist => Mimo
• Dancer => Bailarín
• Play a musical instrument => Tocar instrumento musical
• Carpenter => Carpintero
• Draw a picture => Pintar una imagen
• Police officer => Policía
• Tell jokes => Contar chistes
• Do card tricks => Trucos de cartas

My Hobbies

My name is Paula. I can go dancing and go to parties at weekends. I go out with my friends. My social life is the internet, my mobile phone, and going out with my friends. On Fridays, I start dancing at six o'clock, and finally, at half past seven, I go out with my friend.

Comparatives and Superlatives

Comparative of Equality

As + adjective + as (tan + adjetivo + como)

Example: My grandmother is as fat as my dad.

Comparative of Superiority

For adjectives with 1 or 2 syllables, add the ending -er + than.

Example: We are funnier than my cousins.

For adjectives with more than 2 syllables: More + adjective + than.

Example: More expensive than.

Superlative

For adjectives with 1 or 2 syllables: the + adjective + -est.

For adjectives with 3+ syllables: the most + adjective.

LIKE + Gerund

To express likes or preferences:

• Like (gustar)
• Love (encantar)
• Don't mind (no importar)
• Dislike (no gustar)
• Hate (odiar)
• Can't stand (no soportar)
• Prefer (preferir)

... followed by a verb ending in -ing.

Adjectives (Personality and Appearance)

• Lazy => Perezoso
• Selfish => Egoísta
• Bald => Calvo
• Blonde => Rubia
• Curly => Rizado
• Wavy => Ondulado

Past Simple

Negative: Didn't + Verb (base form)

Interrogative: Did + Subject + Verb (base form)?

There was: Había

Places in a Town/Village

• Post office => Oficina de correos
• Chemist's => Farmacia
• Cottage => Casa de campo
• Church => Iglesia
• Graveyard => Cementerio

Prepositions of Place

• Opposite => Enfrente de
• On the left of => A la izquierda de
• On the right of => A la derecha de
• In front of => Delante de
• Behind => Detrás de
• Between => Entre dos cosas
• Next to => Junto a
• At the end of => Al final de
• Near => Cerca de