Mastering English Grammar: Modal Verbs, Tenses, Passive Voice, Reported Speech, and More

English Grammar Essentials

Modal Verbs

He isn't here. Perhaps he went out - He must have gone out.

I'm sure the decision was difficult to accept - The decision must be difficult to accept.

I told you to slow down, but you didn't - You should have slowed down.

The police are stopping drivers on the road - There may be stopping drivers on the road.

It's possible that she has already told him - She may have told him.

Verbal Tenses

We haven't seen this show for two months - The last time we saw this show was in February.

I first met Dan in 1980 and we are still good friends - Dan and I have known each other for 37 years and we are still good friends.

When did you first get to know her? - How long have you known her?

When did Sue start learning Chinese? - How long has Sue been learning Chinese?

Passive Voice

My father will sell those tables - Those tables will be sold by my father.

Gaby has given me these pens - I have been given these pens.

Does she do her homework? - Is her homework done by her?

Ben didn't trim the lawn - The lawn wasn't trimmed by Ben.

The show amazed me - I was amazed by the show.

Reported Speech

"I am having dinner now," Tammy said - Tammy said that she was having dinner then.

"Will the test be difficult?" - I wanted to know if the test would be difficult.

"How much does the ring cost?" - Helen asked how much the ring cost.

"Helen won't be at the meeting today," Bob explained - Bob explained that Helen wouldn't be at the meeting that day.

Relative Clauses

The river is very deep. The river runs by my house - The river which/that runs by my house is very deep.

Conditionals

1st Conditional: if + present simple, future result.

2nd Conditional: if + past simple, would + base form of verb (unlikely to happen).

3rd Conditional: if + past perfect, would have + past participle (impossible condition).

Example: Sarah would have learnt French if she had taken lessons.

Too / Enough

He speaks too quickly for me to understand - He doesn't speak slowly enough for me to understand.

The bridge is too narrow for trucks to pass - The bridge isn't wide enough for trucks to pass. (Too = demasiado, Enough = suficiente)

Use to

Use to has no present form. Requires 'did' in negative and interrogative forms, loses the 'd'.

Be used to: to be accustomed to. Get used to: process of becoming accustomed to. Both followed by a noun or gerund after 'to'.

Gerunds and Infinitives

Gerunds (-ing): Used as the object of some verbs, after prepositions, after some verbal forms, as the subject of a sentence, when talking about general actions.

Infinitives (to + verb): Used when talking about a specific fact, after verbs like agree, appear, choose, after some adjectives and adverbs, as the object of verbs like advise, help.