GRAMMAR - CONTRAST OF VERB TENSES I

PRESENT SIMPLE: FORM	PRESENT CONTINUOUS: FORM
I / we / you / they speak he / she / it speaks I / we / you / they do not ( don’t) speak he / she / it does not (doesn’t) speak Do I / we / you / they speak? Does he / she / it speak?	I am speaking he / she / it is speaking We / you / they are speaking I am not (‘m not) speaking he / she / it is not (isn’t) speaking We / you / they are not (aren’t) speaking Am I speaking? Is he / she / it speaking? Are we / you / they are speaking?
EXCEPTIONS WHEN ADDING ‘S’                                    EXCEPTIONS WHEN ADDING ‘ING’
After o, ch, sh or s, add es. Example: do - he does, wash - she washes After a consonant, the final consonant y becomes ie. (but: not after a vowel) Example: worry - he worries but: play - he plays	Silent e is dropped. (but: does not apply for -ee) Example: come - coming but: agree - agreeing After a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled.  Example: sit - sitting After a vowel, the final consonant l is doubled in British English (but not in American English). Example: travel - travelling (British English) but: traveling (American English) Final ie becomes y. Example: lie - lying

USE	USE
- Habits and permanent situations - General or scientific facts - Timetables and programmes. - Stative verbs: Emotions and feelings: LOVE, LIKE, DISLIKE, HATE, HOPE, PREFER, WANT Thought and opinion: THINK, BELIEVE, FORGET, KNOW, REMEMBER, UNDERSTAND, (DIS)AGREE, MEAN, RECOGNISE, REALISE, SEEM, SUPPOSE Perception and senses: SEE, HEAR, FEEL, SMELL, TASTE, SOUND, TOUCH Possession: HAVE, OWN, BELONG Prices and measures: COST, MEASURE, WEIGH	- Actions at the moment of speaking - Progressive actions in an extended present - Temporary actions - A definite plan for a near future - Special cases: A stative verb which indicates action: “What are you thinking?” (It indicates activity, not state) With “ALWAYS” to complain about something: “You’re always leaving the door open!”
TIME EXPRESSIONS	TIME EXPRESSIONS
- Adverbs of frequency (after the main verb but before “to be”): Always/usually/often/sometimes/ occasionally/ seldom/rarely/ never - Time expressions (at the beginning or end of the sentence): every day / week / month / year once a day / week / month / year twice a day / week / month / year 3 times a day / week / month / year on + days of the week in the plural in the morning/afternoon/evening at night, at two o’clock How often …?	-now / right now / at the moment - today / tonight / tomorrow - this morning / week / month / year - these weeks /months / days -next day / week / year / Saturday - at present, nowadays, currently

PAST SIMPLE: FORM	PAST CONTINUOUS: FORM
Affirmative: Irregular verbs: 2nd column of irregular verbs (I spoke) Regular verbs: verb + ed (I talked) Negative: didn’t + infinitive Interrogative: Did + subject + infinitive?	I / he / she / it was + V-ing We / you / they were + V-ing  I / he / she / it was not (wasn’t) + V-ing We / you / they were not (weren’t) + V-ing Was I / he / she / it + V-ing? Were we / you / they + V-ing?
EXCEPTIONS WHEN ADDING 'ED' : when the final letter is e, only add d. Example: love - loved after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled. Example: admit - admitted final l is always doubled in British English (not in American English) Example: travel - travelled after a consonant, final y becomes i. (but: not after a vowel). Example: worry - he worried but: play - he played	EXCEPTIONS WHEN ADDING 'ING' : silent e is dropped (but: does not apply for -ee) Example: come - coming but: agree - agreeing after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled. Example: sit - sitting final l is always doubled in British English (not in American English) Example: travel - travelling final ie becomes y. Example: lie - lying

USE	USE
- Completed actions in the past. - Actions that took place at a specific time in the past (i.e. description of a past event). - Consecutive actions in the past (i.e. the main events in a story).	- Long actions which were in progress when a short action happened. -  Actions which were in progress at a concrete moment in the past. - Various actions which happened simultaneously in the past
TIME EXPRESSIONS	TIME EXPRESSIONS
- ago - yesterday, the day before yesterday - last day / week / month / year -in + year (in the past) - then - when + time clause (in the past)	- while + time clause (in the past) - as + time clause (in the past) - yesterday morning / afternoon / evening - at + hour (past time) - all day (yesterday)

GRAMMAR - ADJECTIVES: TOO ..., (NOT) ... ENOUGH: THEORY & PRACTICE

TOO + ADJECTIVE: DEMASIADO + ADJETIVO

Use:To indicate that the number or quantity of something is excessive.

Examples:

Too dangerous, too small, too risky.

ADJECTIVE + ENOUGH: (LO) BASTANTE + ADJETIVO

Use: To indicate that the number or quantity of something is adequate.

Examples:

Good enough, clean enough, fair enough. (But:  ENOUGH + NOUN: enough money, enough tools).

Pay attention to the contrast between "too..." and "(not) ... enough":

- It is too noisy at this library. I can't study for the exam. = It is not silent enough at this library. I can't study for the exam.

- He is too small. He can’t be a policeman. = He is not tall enough. He can’t be a policeman.

- Your exam is too bad. You have failed it. = Your exam is not good enough. You have failed it.

EXERCISE - Complete the sentences, using "too..." or "(not) ... enough:

1. I can’t go to the cinema because I’m ............................. (busy) helping Jane with her homework.

2. There are seven people in my family, so it is ................................ (noisy) to study at home.

3. This dress is beautiful but it is ………………………………. (expensive) and I can’t afford to buy it.

4. She is hard-working, but she is ……………………………….. (intelligent) to pass all the exams.

5. Tim is fourteen years old. He is …………………………… (old) to look after his 6-year-old brother.

GRAMMAR - COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE FORMS OF ADJECTIVES: PRACTICE

1. Complete with the COMPARATIVE FORM of the adjectives in brackets. Then rewrite the sentences into negative comparisons, making all the necessary changes:

a. Cars are faster than (fast) horses. Horses are less fast than cars.

b. Comics are ________________________ (funny) History books.

c. Vegetables are _________________________ (healthy) hamburgers.

d. Cars are ______________________________ (expensive) bicycles.

e. Football is ________________________ (popular) volleyball.

f. That pullover is _______________________ (large) yours.

2. Complete with the SUPERLATIVE FORM of the adjectives in brackets, using the positive or negative comparison as necessary:

a. New York is the biggest (big) city in USA.  

b. The Vatican is ____________________________ (big) country in the world.

c. In my opinion, cycling is ___________________________ (exciting) sport.

d. Messi is _________________________ (good) football player in the world.

e. Cartagena is ___________________________ (old) city in Spain.
f. Summer is ___________________________ (cold) season.

GRAMMAR - COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE FORMS OF ADJECTIVES: THEORY

1. ADJECTIVES - COMPARATIVE OF SUPERIORITY: 

ADJECTIVES	EXAMPLES	COMPARATIVE FORM (más + adjetivo + que)
SHORT ADJECTIVES ONE-SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES TWO-SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES ENDING IN "Y"	LONG, NICE, BIG LAZY, EASY	ADJECTIVE + -ER +   THAN
		LONGER   THAN, NICER THAN, BIGGER THAN LAZIER   THAN, EASIER THAN
LONG ADJECTIVES TWO OR MORE SYLLABLES	BORING, INTERESTING	MORE  +  ADJECTIVE  +   THAN
		MORE   BORING   THAN MORE  INTERESTING THAN

Spelling rules:

1. Adjectives ending with a silent e → Add –r: NICE  –  NICER THAN

2. One-syllable adjectives ending with one vowel + one consonant (exceptions: w, x, y) → Double the final consonant: BIG  -  BIGGER THAN 

3. Adjectives ending in l → Double the final l: CRUEL  -  CRUELLER THAN

4. Adjectives ending in consonant + y → Change y to i: HAPPY  -  HAPPIER THAN

IRREGULAR ADJECTIVES
                                                                  

ADJECTIVES	COMPARATIVE FORM (más + adjetivo + que)
GOOD  BAD  FAR  LITTLE	BETTER   THAN WORSE   THAN FA/URTHER  THAN LESS THAN

2. ADJECTIVES - SUPERLATIVE OF SUPERIORITY:

ADJECTIVES	EXAMPLES	SUPERLATIVE FORM (el/la más + adjetivo)
SHORT ADJECTIVES ONE-SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES TWO-SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES ENDING IN "Y"	LONG, NICE, BIG LAZY, EASY	THE + ADJECTIVE + -EST
		THE   LONGEST, THE NICEST, THE BIGGEST THE   LAZIEST, THE EASIEST
LONG ADJECTIVES TWO OR MORE SYLLABLES	BORING INTERESTING	THE  +  MOST  +  ADJECTIVE
		THE   MOST   BORING THE   MOST   INTERESTING

Spelling rules:

1. Adjectives ending with a silent e → Add –st: NICE  –  THE NICEST

2. One-syllable adjectives ending with one vowel + one consonant (exceptions: w, x, y) → Double the final consonant: BIG  -  THE BIGGEST

3. Adjectives ending in l → Double the final l: CRUEL  -  THE CRUELLEST

4. Adjectives ending in consonant + y → Change the y to i: HAPPY  -  THE HAPPIEST

IRREGULAR ADJECTIVES
                                                                  

ADJECTIVES	SUPERLATIVE FORM (el/la más + adjetivo)
GOOD  BAD  FAR  LITTLE	THE BEST THE WORST THE FA/URTHEST THE LEAST

3. ADJECTIVES - COMPARATIVE OF EQUALITY:  

AS ... AS (“TAN … COMO”)

AS RICH AS, AS LAZY AS, AS NICE AS, AS BORING AS, AS BAD AS, AS INTERESTING AS.

4. ADJECTIVES - COMPARATIVE OF INFERIORITY:  

LESS ... THAN (“MENOS … QUE”)

LESS RICH THAN, LESS LAZY THAN, LESS NICE THAN, LESS BORING THAN, LESS 
BAD THAN, LESS INTERESTING THAN.


5. ADJECTIVES - SUPERLATIVE OF INFERIORITY:  

THE LEAST ... ("EL/LA MENOS ...")

THE LEAST RICH, THE LEAST LAZY, THE LEAST NICE, THE LEAST BORING, THE LEAST BAD, THE LEAST INTERESTING.

VOCABULARY - MAKING AND RESPONDING TO SUGGESTIONS

MAKING SUGGESTIONS HACER SUGERENCIAS	ACCEPTANCE ACEPTACIÓN	REFUSAL RECHAZO
Let’s + V. Vamos a + verbo en infinitivo.	That’s a good idea. Esa es una buena idea.	That’s a bad idea. Esa es una mala idea.
Shall we + V? ¿Verbo en 1ª p.pl.?	Yes, I’d love to. Sí, me encantaría.	I’m afraid I can’t. Me temo que no puedo.
Why don’t we + V? ¿Por qué no + verbo en 1ª p.pl.?	That’s interesting. Eso es interesante.	Sorry, I am not free. Lo siento, no estoy libre.
What about + V-ing? ¿Qué tal + verbo en infinitivo?	OK. Why not? De acuerdo. ¿Por qué no?	I don’t feel like it. No me apetece.
How about + V-ing? ¿Qué tal si + verbo en 1ª p.pl.?	That sounds great. Eso suena genial.	Not now. I’m busy. Ahora no. Estoy ocupado/a.

SPEAKING SKILL - TALKING ABOUT EVERYDAY TOPICS

CLICK HERE TO SEE USEFUL VOCABULARY AND EXPRESSIONS TO TALK ABOUT EVERYDAY TOPICS IN ENGLISH:

1. Food.

2. Towns, cities and the countryside.

3. Holidays.

4. People.

5. Daily routine.

6. Sports.

7. TV and movies.
8. Clothes.
9. Lying.
10. Fears and Phobias.