Tài liệu ôn thi công chức tiếng anh năm 2019 bao gồm ngữ pháp ( grammar topics) và bài tập ôn luyện theo chủ đề final

Common mistakes 1 Some students write adverbs of frequency in the wrong place.. Common mistakes 1 Don‟t use an adverb of time between the subject and the object of a sentence.. Adverbs

TÀI LIỆU THI CÔNG CHỨC

ENGLISH LEVEL 1 GRAMMAR TOPICS

1 Adjectives: common and demonstrative

C o m m o n A d j e c t i v e s

Common adjectives are not capitalized because they are words we use every day and are not rooted in the proper noun Here is a list of some common adjectives:

D e m o n s t r a t i v e A d j e c t i v e s

Demonstrative adjectives point out nouns They tell

us this car, that sofa, these socks, those shoes

Use this and that for singular nouns: this points to something close, while that points to

something further away

 This house has been here for over 100 years

 We will meet at that restaurant across the street

Use these and those for plural nouns: those is used to point to something further away,

while these points to something near

 Those Americans were asking for directions

 These cats are underfoot!

Task 1: Complete the sentences with this, that, these or those:

1 glass here is mine, but one over there is his

2 books here are hers, but over there are mine

3 She can't eat all of popcorn

4 A: (answering the phone) Hello?

5 B: Hi, Amy?

A: Yes, is Amy speaking Who is calling?

B: Hi, Amy, is Paul

6 I found earring in the bedroom Is it yours?

7 cupcakes are delicious, Shawn May I have another?

8 I can't finish contracts today I'll work on them tomorrow

9 picture here was taken in India mountains back there are the

Himalayas

10 I think woodpecker is back I hear it banging on the house

11 Cathy, could you please make delicious brownies again? You know, the ones you brought to my birthday party

Task 2: Correct the mistakes in the following sentences

1 Can you see these deer out in the field?

2 The robbery took place on May 19th This night, there was a big storm

3 This computers over there are old That computers here are the new ones

4 This movie ended four hours ago

5 These cake tastes funny I think you put too much salt in it

Adverbial phrases of frequency describe how often something happens

every morning, every afternoon

every day – daily

every week – weekly

every month – monthly

every year – annually

every Sunday – on Sundays – on Sunday afternoons

once a day

twice a day

three / four / five times a day

all the time

Form:

1) Adverbs of frequency often go in present simple sentences

I have toast for breakfast every day

We visit our grandparents twice a month

2) Note that „on Saturday‟ refers to one day „On Saturdays‟ means „every Saturday‟

Common mistakes

1) Some students write adverbs of frequency in the wrong place

We every day go the park => We go to the park every day

2) Some students use the plural form with every

John goes swimming every days => John goes swimming every day _

Use:

Use adverbs and adverbial phrases of time to talk about when you do something

Adverbs of time include:

today, tomorrow, tonight, yesterday, tomorrow, nowadays

now, first of all, beforehand

soon, afterwards, later, next, then

Form:

1) Adverbs of time usually go at the beginning or the end of a sentence or clause

Tomorrow, I’m going to the beach

I’m going to the beach tomorrow

First of all, we had a drink at a café

We had a drink at a café first of all

I’m going to the supermarket, and afterwards I’m going to the library

I’m going to the supermarket, and I’m going to the library afterwards

2) It is more common to use then at the beginning of a sentence or clause

Then we arrived at the castle

I’m going to finish my work and then I’m going to have a drink

It is more common to use soon and now at the end of a sentence

We’re going on holiday soon

I’m going home now

Common mistakes

1) Don‟t use an adverb of time between the subject and the object of a sentence

I went yesterday to the zoo => I went to the zoo yesterday / Yesterday I went to the zoo I‟m going now to the bank => I‟m going to the bank now

2) You must use a noun after After and Before Otherwise,

use afterwards or beforehand

I‟ll be late to class tomorrow I‟m going to the doctors before => I‟ll be late to class

tomorrow I‟m going to the doctors beforehand

I‟m going to my English class and I‟m going to the bar after => I‟m going to my English class and I‟m going to the bar afterwards

_

Use:

Use adverbs and adverbial phrases of place to talk about where something happens

Adverbs of place include:

outside, inside, indoors, upstairs, downstairs

(over) here, (over) there

abroad, overseas

Form:

1) Adverbs of place usually go after a verb

She lives abroad

Let’s go indoors

2) Adverbs of place can also go after the object of the sentence

Rachel works in the office upstairs

Your bag is on the table over there

3 Comparatives and superlatives

Comparatives

Use:

Use the comparative form to talk about how two things are different

I am taller than you

This book is thicker than that one

Form:

1) If an adjective has one syllable, add er to the end If it ends in e already, just add r

tall => taller nice => nicer

thick => thicker late => later

2) If an adjective ends in one vowel and one consonant, write the consonant again, then

write er But never write a w twice

big => bigger new => newer (NOT newwer) thin => thinner slow => slower (NOT slowwer) slim => slimmer

My brother is thinner than me

3) If an adjective has two syllables and ends in y, change the y to i and add er

funny => funnier silly => sillier

Which of these books is funnier?

5) Some adjectives have irregular superlative forms These are listed below

good => better

Use the superlative form to describe something that is greater than any other thing

The Amazon is the longest river in the world

Helen is the most intelligent student in the class

Form:

1) Write the before all superlatives

2) If an adjective is short and has one syllable, add est to the end If it ends in e already, just add st

tall => the tallest nice => thenicest

thick => the thickest late => the latest

2) If an adjective ends in one vowel and one consonant, write the consonant again, then write est But never write a w twice

big => the biggest new => thenewest (NOT

newwest)

thin => the thinnest slow => the slowest (NOT

slowwest)

slim => the slimmest

The biggest cat in the world is the lion

3) If an adjective has two syllables and ends in y, change the y to i and add est

funny => the funniest silly => thesilliest

It’s the silliest film I’ve ever seen!

4) For other adjectives with two or more syllables, DON‟T add est Write most before the

adjective

interesting => the most interesting surprising => the most surprising

It’s the most interesting book I’ve ever read

5) Some adjectives have irregular superlative forms These are listed below

good => the best

bad => the worst

far => the furthest

6) a) In is often (but not always) used after a superlative adjective to describe where this

statement is true

London is the biggest city in England

Everest is the highest mountain in the world

My brother is the tallest person in my family

3 Going to

Use:

Use be going to to talk about your personal plans for the future

I‟m going to see my sister at the weekend

Are you going to marry Paul?

he / she / it isn‟t OR „s not

we aren‟t OR „re not

they aren‟t OR „re not

Yes, he‟s => Yes, he is

The short negative replies are:

No, I‟m not

No, you‟re not / No, you aren‟t

No, he‟s not / No he isn‟t No, she‟s not / No she isn‟t No, it‟s not / no it isn‟t

No, we‟re not / No, we aren‟t

No, they‟re not / No, they aren‟t

Common mistakes:

1) Some students forget to add the verb ‟be‟ before „going to‟

I going to see my friends tonight => I‟m going to see my friends tonight

2) Some students forget to invert the subject and be in questions

What time you are going to leave? => What time are you going to leave?

5 How much/how many and very

M u c h

Much is used with uncountable nouns in questions and negative sentences:

 How much petrol does the tank hold?

 There is not much money left

Much is also used in informal conversation to mean „very often‟:

 Do you see Peter much?

 I haven‟t seen Peter much

M a n y

Many is used with plural countable nouns in questions and negative sentences:

 How many jelly babies are in the jar?

 I don‟t know many people here We are new to the neighborhood

We can also use many with „not‟ to mean a small number:

 There are not many people here at this hour

 Not many people will understand the concept

You may also hear people say „a lot‟ or „lots of‟ in informal conversation when they mean

„many‟:

 We served a lot of food at the event

 There were lots of sweets and refreshments

V e r y

Very is meant for emphasis When we add very to much, or many, it strengthens the

comparative adjective:

 My pet fish doesn‟t need very much care (compared to cats or dogs)

 There weren‟t very many prizes left (compared to an hour ago)

6 common uncountable nouns

Uncountable Nouns

Use:

Some nouns are countable – you can count them These include:

apples, books, cars, trees

Some nouns are uncountable – you cannot count them These include:

water, oil, rice, fruit, bread, information, money

Uncountable nouns have different grammar rules from countable nouns

countable singular nouns

Singular countable nouns

always need a determiner:

a, this, that, my, the etc

Look at that cat!

Can I have an apple?

Is this your bag?

Plural countable nouns do not need a determiner

I like apples

Dogs are friendly

But they can be used with determiners:

Where are my shoes?

Are those pens yours?

Uncountable nouns do not need

Can I have five apples please?

You cannot count uncountable nouns

Can I have five breads please?

Use singular verbs and

determiners

This apple is nice

Use plural verbs and determiners

These apples are nice

Use singular verbs and determiners

This bread is nice

Some determiners can be used with both countable and

uncountable nouns

some, a lot of, lots of, loads of, plenty of, any

We‟ve got some potatoes We need some bread

We don‟t have any potatoes We don‟t have any bread

used with countable nouns:

several, various, a few, many

Some determiners can only be used with uncountable nouns:

much, a bit of, a little

7 I‟d like

Would like/ like

Use:

1) Would like means want, but it is more polite

You can use it in sentences and questions

I’d like a biscuit

Would you like some tea?

2) You can also use it to talk about your dreams and ambitions

I’d like to go to Japan

I wouldn’t like to live here!

You can also use I‟d love and I‟d hate to talk about dreams

I’d hate to live in the countryside

I’d love to work with Simon

Form:

1) Would like is the same for all persons

I would like some tea

You would like some tea

He / she / James would like some tea

We would like some tea

They / our clients would like some tea

2) To make questions, invert the subject and would

Would you / James / your clients like some tea?

3) Use wouldn‟t to make the negative form

I wouldn’t like to work there

4) Would like can be followed by a noun or to + verb

noun: Would you like a biscuit?

verb: Would you like to go to Malaysia?

5) In positive sentences, you can contract would to „d

I would like to go to the USA => I’d like to go to the USA

But NOT in negative sentences:

I’dn’t like to work in a factory => I wouldn’t like to work in a factory

And NOT in short answers:

Would you like to have a horse?

Yes, I’d => Yes, I would

6) Be careful not to confuse would like and like

Use like to talk about things you like all the time

I like chocolate cake It’s my favourite food

Use would like to talk about things you want now, or at some time in the future

I’d like a cup of coffee please

I’d like to work in a chocolate factory

Choose the best answer

1.Would you like …… with him?

1 to traveling B.to travel

2 travel D traveling

2.Would you like something …….?

1 to eat B to eating

2 eat D eating

3.How …… your coffee?

1 would like B.you would like

2 would you like to D.would you like

4.Who …… come with me?

1 likes B would you like

2 would like to D would like

5.Where would you ……?

1 like to stay B.liking to stay

2 like to staying D.like stay

6.Would you like …….?

1 have some orange juice B some orange juice

2 having some orange juice D to having some orange juice

8 Imperatives (+/-)

Use:

Use the imperative form to give instructions, orders and warnings

Must is often used in signs and notices to give instructions

Form:

1) Do not use a subject when giving orders

You wash your hands => Wash your hands

Always use the infinitive form of the verb, without to

To sit down please => Sit down please

Use Don‟t to make the negative form

Don’t sit there!

2) Written instructions on signs often use Do not, not Don‟t

Do not cross this line

3) When giving instructions to a friend, you can soften the order by using „you‟ However, this is usually only done in spoken English

First you put the mixture into a bowl, and then you add two eggs Then you whisk it

4) Some written signs use Must / Must not

All visitors must wear a badge

Passengers must not talk to the driver

Notice how plural nouns (visitors / passengers) are generally used in signs

Common mistakes:

1) Some students use to after Don‟t / Must

Don‟t to go in that door => Don’t go in that door

9 Intensifiers - very basic

Grammar: So, such, too, enough

Too

Use:

Too means there is a lot of something It shows a negative opinion

It‟s too hot = It is very hot and I don‟t like it

Form:

You can use too before an adjective

It‟s too cold My trousers are too small

You can also use it before an adverb,

You walk too fast James speaks too quietly

Before a noun, use too much (uncountable nouns) or many (countable nouns)

I ate too much food

I ate too many sandwiches

You can also use too much after a verb

I ate too much

Paul drinks too much

Enough

Use:

Enough means you have what you need

We have enough food for everyone = everyone has some food

We don’t have enough chairs for everyone = some people don‟t have chairs

Form:

Write enough before a noun

We have enough chairs

But write it after an adjective or verb

Are you warm enough? He’s qualified enough She isn’t tall enough to be a model You don’t work hard enough Are you sleeping enough?

Sentences with enough are sometimes followed by to + verb infinitive

I’m not tall enough to reach the book

I haven’t got enough money to buy that coat

So is generally used before an adjective or an adverb

He’s so funny! He plays the piano so well!

However, in modern English, it is increasingly being used before nouns and verbs

That dress is so last year! (= That dress is last year‟s fashion)

I’m so going to shout at him when I see him! (so = really)

So can be used with a that clause, to show a result of the first clause

I was so hot that I couldn’t sleep

Such

Use:

Such also means very Such is used before an adjective and noun

They are such nice children

Form:

A / an, if necessary, go after such, not before

That‟s a such pretty dress => That‟s such a pretty dress!

Like So, Such can be used with a that clause, to show a result of the first clause

I was such a nice day that we decided to go to the park

Common mistakes

1) Some students use too with a positive meaning But use so or very here

It’s too hot! I love the summer! => It’s so hot! I love the summer!

2) Some students write enough in the wrong place

Do we have sugar enough? => Do we have enough sugar?

3) Some students use so / such…that incorrectly

It was so hot that the sun was shining

This sentence is not correct because „the sun was shining‟ is not a direct result of „It was so hot‟ The hot day did not cause the sun to shine

10 Modals: can/can‟t/could/couldn‟t

Can / Could

Use:

1) Use can / can‟t to talk about your abilities now

I can speak English I can’t speak German

Use could / couldn‟t to talk about abilities in the past

I could speak French when I was a child, but I can't now

I couldn’t speak English when I was a child, but I can now

2) Use can and could to make requests Could is more polite

Can you cook this evening please?

Could you pass me the salt?

Use can to reply to requests

Can I sit here? => Yes, you can Sorry, you can’t

Can you cook this evening please? => Yes, I can Sorry, I can’t

DON‟T use could in replies to requests

Could you lend me some money?

Yes, I could => Yes, sure! Sorry, I can’t

Form:

1) Can and could are the same for all persons

I can/could speak English

you can/could speak English

he / she / it can/could speak English

we can/could speak English

they can/could speak English

2) The negative form of can is cannot, or can‟t The negative form of could is couldn‟t

3) There is always a verb after can and could, and the verb is always in the infinitive

form (without to)

Sally can help you NOT Sally can helps you / Sally can to help you

4) Make questions by inverting can and the subject

I can see you this afternoon => Can I see you this afternoon?

You could help me => Could you help me?

5) Use can/can‟t and could/couldn‟t in short answers

Can your brother swim? => Yes, he can No, he can’t

Could you do the test? => Yes, I could No, I couldn’t

Common mistakes:

1) Some students make questions incorrectly

You can speak English? => Can you speak English?

I could sit here? => Could I sit here?

11 Past simple of “to be”

Grammar Rule

Examples

I was at my Gran's house yesterday

You were late for school this morning

She was with her friends last Saturday

We were tired yesterday

For negatives add 'n't' or ‘not’

I wasn’t late for school this morning

I was not late for school this morning

She wasn’t with her friends last Saturday

She was not with her friends last Saturday

We weren’t tired yesterday

We were not tired yesterday

We say We don‟t say

Were you late for school today? Yes, I was (NOT You were late for school today? Yes I was.) Was she with her friends last Saturday? No, she wasn’t (NOT She was with her friends last Saturday? No, she wasn’t.)

Was he tired yesterday? Yes, he was (NOT He was tired yesterday? Yes, he was.)

(For a normal question we use was + pronoun To show surprise you can use pronoun + was.)

If a verb ends in e, just add d (liked, hoped)

If a verb ends in y, delete y and add ied (studied, carried) But don‟t do this if the verb ends in

a vowel + y (played, NOT plaied stayed, NOT staied)

But a lot of past tense verbs are irregular You need to learn each one separately Here are some examples

have => had make => made

take => took sit => sat

get => got feel => felt

Past simple verbs are the same for all persons

I went; you went; he went; she went; they went; we went

2) Form negatives this way:

I, you, he , she, we, they didn‟t infinitive verb

know, see, go

Don‟t use the past verb in negative sentences

I didn‟t had dinner => I didn‟t have dinner

3) Form questions this way:

Did

I, you, he , she, we, they infinitive verb

know, see, go Common mistakes:

Some students use the past verb in questions

Did you saw the film? => Did you see the film?

We use possessive adjectives:

 to show something belongs to somebody:

That's our house

My car is very old

 for relations and friends:

My mother is a doctor

How old is your sister?

 for parts of the body:

He's broken his arm

She's washing her hair

I need to clean my teeth

14 Possessive‟s

Possessive „s

Use:

Possessive adjectives after a name and before a noun

They tell you who owns something

This is John‟s coat

Is this Tina‟s bag?

Don‟t use „s after things

I clean the garden‟s pond every week => I clean the pond in the gardenevery week What‟s the book‟s name? => What‟s the name of the book?

You can usually use „s after organisations and groups of people

It‟s the government‟s decision OR It‟s the decision of the government

Tom is the company‟s new director OR Tom is the new director of the company

You can use „s after time expressions

What time is tomorrow‟s meeting?

You can sometimes use „s after countries and cities

India‟s population is rising

But you cannot do this if it refers to a person

I met London‟s mayor last week => I met the mayor of London last week England‟s Queen is well-known => The Queen of England is well-known

Form:

 To make the possessive form, add ‟s to the end of the name

Is that Jack’s bag?

 With two names, only add „s to the second name

That’s Jane and Harry’s house NOT That’s Jane’s and Harry’s house

 If something belongs to two or more people, put the apostrophe(„) after the plural s Do not write a second s

My parents’ house is really big NOT My parents’s house is really big

However, if the plural noun is irregular, write the apostrophe („) before the S

The children’s party was great NOT The childrens’ party was great

15 Prepositions, common

 Preposition is word that establishes relation between the subject and the object in the sentence

 A preposition usually precedes a noun or a pronoun

 Here is a list of commonly used prepositions: above, across, against, along, among, around, at, before, behind, below, beneath, beside, between, by, down, from, in, into, near, of, off, on, to, toward, under, upon, with and within

1 In front of: This is used to denote that something/someone is standing in front of

other person/object

For instance: The lecturer stands in front of the students

2 Behind: It is used to express opposite connotation of In front of It means at the back

(part) of something/someone

For instance: The car was parked behind the gate

3 Between/Among/Amidst

Often, we get confused while using these words and end up using the wrong word

Between is used for two objects or things (or places)

For instance: There are mountains between Chile and Argentina

Among is used for more than two persons / things

For instance: The chief guest distributed prizes among the top performers

Amid or Amidst is used for more than two persons / things (groups)

For instance: Amid her team members

4 Across From / Opposite

Across from/opposite is similar to conveying that someone (or a place) is on the other side of

something

For instance: The girl lives across from a temple

5 Next to / Beside

Next to and beside refer to an object or a person that is at the side of another thing

For instance: A security personnel stands next to the entrance gate

6 Near / Close to

Near and close to carry same connotation as next to / beside The only difference is the distance

„Next to‟ is used to express a short distance, while „near‟ is used to highlight a longer distance

For instance: The bus stop is near the bank

7 On

 On is used a preposition of time, place and position

 This means it indicates „days of the week‟

 „On‟ is used to point out the position of a person or an object

For instance: The bottle is kept on the table (Indicates position)

The office will be open on Saturday (This indicates time.)

8 Above / Over

Above and over mean position higher than a reference point In other words, „above‟ or „over‟

mean at a higher position than other object or person

For instance: They put an umbrella over the table to avoid heat from the sun rays

Over can also mean „covering the surface of something‟

For instance: The mud is spread all over the floor

9 Under / Below

Under and below mean at a lower level w.r.t someone/something

For instance: The boxes are under the table

A river flows under a bridge

Sometimes we use the word underneath instead of under and beneath instead of below There is

no difference in meaning those they are less common nowadays

10 Of/Off

„Of‟ denotes origin or cause, while „off‟ denotes separation

11 To

After the verbs “Say / suggest / propose / speak / explain / reply / complain / talk / listen / write”,

„to‟ should be used if any object is present

12 No preposition

Verbs such as „discuss/describe/order/tell/demand‟ do not require any preposition The verbs directly take an object

Complete the sentences with suitable prepositions

1 He quickly glanced ……… the book to find what it said about the Indian economy

2 What is the time ……… your watch?

2 My father will retire from service ……… a year

3 Most of us eat ……… a spoon

4 Whom are you talking ………?

5 Don‟t look ……… on him

6 We are pleased ……… your visit

7 She is good ……… English

8 There is some dispute ……… the property as the owner died

without making a will

9 Do you take pride ……… your appearance?

16 Prepositions of place

Prepositions of time

The preposition at is used in the following descriptions of time:

With clock times

 My last train leaves at 10:30

 We left at midnight

 The meeting starts at two thirty

With specific times of day, or mealtimes

 He doesn‟t like driving at night

 I‟ll go shopping at lunchtime

 I like to read the children a story at bedtime

With festivals

 Are you going home at Christmas/Easter?

In certain fixed expressions which refer to specific points in time

 Are you leaving at the weekend?*

 She‟s working at the moment

 He‟s unavailable at present

 I finish the course at the end of April

 We arrived at the same time

*Note that in American English, on the weekend is the correct form

The preposition in is used in the following descriptions of time:

With months, years, seasons, and longer periods of time

 I was born in 1965

 We‟re going to visit them in May

 The pool is closed in winter

 He was famous in the 1980‟s

 The play is set in the Middle Ages

 They‟ve done work for me in the past

With periods of time during the day

 He‟s leaving in the morning

 She usually has a sleep in the afternoon

 I tried to work in the evening

To describe the amount of time needed to do something

 They managed to finish the job in two weeks

 You can travel there and back in a day

To indicate when something will happen in the future:

 She‟ll be ready in a few minutes

 He‟s gone away but he‟ll be back in a couple of days

The preposition on is used in the following descriptions of time:

With days of the week, and parts of days of the week

 I‟ll see you on Friday

 She usually works on Mondays

 We‟re going to the theatre on Wednesday evening

Note that in spoken English, on is often omitted in this context, e.g I‟ll see you Friday

With dates

 The interview is on 29th April

 He was born on February 14th, 1995

With special days

 She was born on Valentine‟s Day

 We move house on Christmas Eve

 I have an exam on my birthday

If we examine these different aspects of usage for the three prepositions, a general pattern

emerges At is generally used in reference to specific times on the clock or points of time in the day In generally refers to longer periods of time, several hours or more On is used with dates

and named days of the week

Prepositions of place

The preposition at is used in the following descriptions of place/position:

With specific places/points in space

 She kept the horse at a nearby farm

 I had a cup of coffee at Helen‟s (house/flat)

 Angie‟s still at home

 I‟ll meet you at reception

 There‟s a man at the door

 I saw her standing at the bus stop

 Turn right at the traffic lights

 The index is at the back of the book

 Write your name at the top of each page

With public places and shops

 Jane‟s at the dentist/hairdresser

 I studied German at college/school/university

 Shall I meet you at the station?

 We bought some bread at the supermarket

With addresses

 They live at 70, Duncombe Place

With events

 I met her at last year‟s conference She wasn‟t at Simon‟s party

The preposition on is used in the following descriptions of place/position:

With surfaces, or things that can be thought of as surfaces

 The letter is on my desk

 There was a beautiful painting on the wall

 The toy department is on the first floor

 Write the number down on a piece of paper

 You‟ve got a dirty mark on your jumper

 He had a large spot on his nose

 She placed her hand on my shoulder

With roads/streets, or other things that can be thought of as a line, e.g rivers

 The bank is on the corner of King‟s Street

 Koblenz is on the Rhine

 Bournemouth is on the south coast

 It‟s the second turning on the left

The preposition in is used in the following descriptions of place/position:

With geographical regions

 Driving in France is very straightforward

 Orgiva is a very small village in the mountains

With cities, towns and larger areas

 Do you like living in Nottingham?

 They were having a picnic in the park

 She works somewhere in the toy department

With buildings/rooms and places that can be thought of as surrounding a person or object

on all sides

 Can you take a seat in the waiting room, please?

 I‟ve left my bag in the office

 There‟s a wedding in the church this afternoon

 Lots of people were swimming in the lake

With containers

 There‟s fresh milk in the fridge

 I think I‟ve got a tissue in my pocket

 The money is in the top drawer of my desk

With liquids and other substances, to show what they contain

 Do you take milk in your coffee?

 I can taste garlic in this sauce

 There‟s a lot of fat in cheese and butter

A general pattern again emerges if we consider these different aspects of usage We can think

of at as one-dimensional, referring to a specific place or position in space On is

two-dimensional, referring to the position of something in relation to a surface In is by contrast

three-dimensional, referring to the position of something in relation to the things that surround it

Thinking of the prepositions in these terms helps us explain certain facts For instance, in is generally used for larger places and at for smaller, more specific places, so we say:

We arrived in Inverness two hours ago

But:

We arrived at the campsite two hours ago

However, if we think of a city or larger place as a specific point in space, we can use at, e.g The train stops at Birmingham and Bristol

Or if we think of a smaller place as three-dimensional, we can use in, e.g

We‟ve lived in this little village for many years

Prepositions at/in/on – extended meanings

A systematic analysis of the occurrence of the prepositions at, in and on in their core usage as

indicators of time and place, helps us establish some key meaning concepts which will aid us in identifying and explaining their extended meanings:

at – is a mechanism for denoting the specific, it usually refers to fixed points in time (e.g clock times) and specific points in space

on – is a mechanism which usually describes something in relation to a second, often linear dimension, hence it relates to the calendar (days and dates) and surfaces or lines

in – is a mechanism for describing something in relation to the things that surround it in time or space, hence it relates to periods of time and three-dimensional spaces or containers

Extended meaning of at

At is used for showing specific temperatures, prices and speeds:

Tickets are now on sale at £15 each

He denied driving at 110 miles per hour

And more generally to talk about the level or rate of something:

Interest rates have stayed at this level for several months

The loan repayments are going up at an alarming rate

At is used to show when someone is a particular age:

He began composing at the age of 5

She chose not to retire at 65

At is used to show that an activity is directed specifically towards someone or something:

He‟s always shouting at the children

Jamie threw the ball at the wall

Why are you staring at her like that?

At is used to show the specific cause of a feeling or reaction:

Audiences still laugh at her jokes

We were rather surprised at the news

Extended meanings of on

On is used to show movement in the direction of a surface:

We could hear the rain falling on the roof

I dropped my bags on the floor

On is used to show when the surface of something accidentally hits or touches a part of the body:

I cut my finger on a sharp knife

She banged her head on the cupboard door

On is used to show that a part of someone‟s body is supporting their weight:

She was balancing on one leg

He was on his hands and knees under the table

On is used to show that something is included in a list:

He‟s not on the list of suspects

How many items are on the agenda?

Extended meanings of in

In is used to show movement towards the inside of a container, place or area:

She put the letter back in her briefcase

The farmer fired a few shots in the air

In is used to show when something is part of something else:

I‟ve found one or two spelling mistakes in your essay

Who‟s the little girl in the photograph?

There are several valuable paintings in the collection

In is used to show that someone is wearing something:

Do you know that girl in the black dress?

A man in a brown suit was walking towards her

In is used to show how things are arranged, expressed or written:

We gathered round in a circle

Their names are given in alphabetical order

Complete the form in block capitals

She spoke to me in Spanish

17 Present continuous

Use:

1) Use the present continuous to talk about actions which are happening now

Ellen is having a bath at the moment

Right now, Mark is talking to her manager

He / She / It isn‟t / „s not

We / They aren‟t / „re not

If a verb ends in e, delete the e before you add –ing

come => I‟m coming

have => He‟s having lunch

Common mistakes

1) Some students forget the verb be

I watching television => I‟m watching television

She not coming => She‟s not coming

2) Some students make questions incorrectly

She is working? => Is she working?

3) Some students make spelling mistakes

I‟m studing law => I‟m studying law

18 Present simple

Use:

Sentences in the present simple tense are true all the time

 I come from Japan

I

animals you

animals you

doesn‟t she

animals?

you

Does

he she

it

they Short answers

Spelling Rules for 3rd person (he / she / it)

 If a verb ends in consonant + y, change y to i and add es

I study English He studies English

 If a verb ends in tch, ss, x, sh or z, add es

She watches television

Susan misses her family

He fixes the television

My dad washes the car on Sundays

 Some verbs have irregular spellings:

I go → he / she / it goes

I do → he / she / it does

I have → he / she / it has

Common mistakes

1) Some students forget to add s for he/she/it

My mother like chocolate → My mother likes chocolate

2) Some students make the negative form incorrectly

Tom no work here → Tom doesn‟t work here

Tom isn‟t work here

Tom don‟t work here

3) Some students forget to use Do and Does to make questions

You like this song? → Do you like this song?

Is your father work here? → Does your father work here?

19 Pronouns: simple, personal

Here are the personal pronouns, followed by some example sentences:

subject object

3rd male/ female/ neuter they them

Examples (in each pair, the first sentence shows a subject pronoun, the second an object pronoun):

 I like coffee / John helped me

 Do you like coffee? / John loves you

 He runs fast / Did Ram beat him?

 She is clever / Does Mary know her?

 It doesn't work / Can the man fix it?

 We went home / Anthony drove us

 Do you need a table for three? / Did John and Mary beat you at doubles?

 They played doubles / John and Mary beat them

20 Questions

Use:

Whenever you use an introductory phrase before a question, you must change the word order in the question

Introductions include:

Can you tell me ? Do you know ? I don’t know I’m not sure I wonder I can’t

remember

What‟s the time? =>Can you tell me what the time is?

Where did he go? =>I don‟t know where he went

Form:

1) If the question has an auxiliary verb, swap the positions of the auxiliary verb and the subject

You can also do this in sentences with the verb to be

Example: When can you get here?

Can is the auxiliary verb and you is the subject Swap their positions when you add an

introduction

Do you know when you can get here?

Other examples:

Where has he gone? =>I don’t know where he has gone

What are they doing? =>I don’t know what they’re doing

What time is it? =>Have you any idea what time it is?

You cannot contract the verb if it is the last word in the sentence

Do you know what time it’s? =>Do you know what time it is?

2) If the question is in the present or past simple, remove do / does / did from the question Change the verb ending so that the verb is in the correct tense

Example:

Where did he go? =>Did you see where he went?

What time do you get up? =>Can you tell me what time you get up?

Where does she work? =>I wonder where she works

3) If a question does not have a question word (Where, What, Why etc.)

use if or whether before the question

Example:

Does he live here? =>Do you know if he lives here?

Are they coming to the party? =>Do you know whether they are coming to the party?

21 There is/are

The structure of there is/there are is very simple:

verb be subject

there is singular subject

there are plural subject

Notice that normal word order (subject-verb) is reversed or inverted (verb-subject) The

word there is not the subject It is important to identify the subject and make sure that the verb

agrees with it

Look at these examples with singular subject and singular verb:

there verb be not singular

subject

+ There is still a problem

there verb be not singular

subject

There 's some milk in the fridge

- There is n't any money in the bank

? Is there a G in "Bangkok"?

Here are examples with plural subject and plural verb:

there verb be not plural

subject

+ There are two boys in the garden

There are many questions to answer

- There are n't any students in class

? Are there any taxis waiting?

Notice that we can use the there is/are construction in other tenses, and the same agreement is

needed, for example:

 There was a noise in the night

 There were lots of people at the party

 There have been complaints about you recently

 There will have been lots of people at the party so you'll need to tidy the room in the morning

22 To be, including question+negatives

Here are the question forms and negative forms for be in the present simple and past simple:

I am (I'm) Am I? I am not (I'm not)

He is (he's) Is he? He is not (He's not/He isn't)

She is (she's) Is she? She is not (She's not/She isn't)

It is (it's) Is it? It is not (It's not/It isn't)

You are (you're) Are you? You are not (You're not/You aren't)

They are (they're) Are they? They are not (They're not/They aren't)

Positives Questions Negatives

I was Was I? I was not (I wasn't)

He was Was he? He was not (He wasn't)

She was Was she? She was not (She wasn't)

It was Was it? It was not (It wasn't)

Positives Questions Negatives

You were Were you? You were not (You weren't)

They were Were they? They were not (They weren't)

23 Verb + ing: like/hate/love

Verbs of Preference + gerunds

After these words you can use a noun or a verb in the –ing form

I like water I like swimming

I love sports I love running

We enjoy good food We enjoy eating out

I don’t mind housework I don’t mind cooking

I dislike buses I dislike waiting

I hate housework I hate cleaning

I can’t stand planes I can’t stand flying

Spelling rules

Remember the spelling rules when you make the –ing form

 If a verb ends in e, delete the e before you add –ing

have => I love having breakfast in bed

 If a verb ends one vowel and one consonant, double the consonant

swim => I don’t like swimming

Exceptions: words that end in w or y

row => I love rowing

sew => I don’t like sewing

play => I like playing football

Other exceptions:

iron => My mum hates ironing

open => I don’t mind opening the window for you

ENGLISH LEVEL 2 GRAMMAR TOPICS

1 Adjectives – comparative – use of than and definite article

Use:

Use the comparative form to talk about how two things are different

I am taller than you

This book is thicker than that one

Form:

1) If an adjective has one syllable, add er to the end If it ends in e already, just add r

tall => taller nice => nicer

thick => thicker late => later

2) If an adjective ends in one vowel and one consonant, write the consonant again, then write er But never write a w twice

big => bigger new => newer (NOT newwer) thin => thinner slow => slower (NOT slowwer) slim => slimmer

My brother is thinner than me

3) If an adjective has two syllables and ends in y, change the y to i and add er

funny => funnier silly => sillier

Which of these books is funnier?

5) Some adjectives have irregular superlative forms These are listed below

My house is smaller than yours

2 Adjectives – superlative – use of definite article

Use:

Use the superlative form to describe something that is greater than any other thing

The Amazon is the longest river in the world

Helen is the most intelligent student in the class

Form:

1) Write the before all superlatives

2) If an adjective is short and has one syllable, add est to the end If it ends

in e already, just add st

tall => the tallest nice => the nicest

thick => the thickest late => the latest

2) If an adjective ends in one vowel and one consonant, write the consonant again, then write est But never write a w twice

big => the biggest new => the newest (NOT newwest) thin => the thinnest slow => the slowest (NOT slowwest) slim => the slimmest

The biggest cat in the world is the lion

3) If an adjective has two syllables and ends in y, change the y to i and add est

funny => the funniest silly => the silliest

It’s the silliest film I’ve ever seen!

4) For other adjectives with two or more syllables, DON’T add est Write most before

the adjective

interesting => the most interesting surprising => the most surprising

It’s the most interesting book I’ve ever read

5) Some adjectives have irregular superlative forms These are listed below

good => the best

bad => the worst

far => the furthest

6) a) In is often (but not always) used after a superlative adjective to describe where

this statement is true

London is the biggest city in England

Everest is the highest mountain in the world

My brother is the tallest person in my family

3 Adverbial phrases of time, place and frequency – including word order

Use:

An adverbial phrase is a group of words which always go together they describe where, when or how often something happens

Adverbial phrases of frequency describe how often something happens

every morning, every afternoon

every day – daily

every week – weekly

every month – monthly

every year – annually

every Sunday – on Sundays – on Sunday afternoons

once a day

twice a day

three / four / five times a day

all the time

Form:

1) Adverbs of frequency often go in present simple sentences

I have toast for breakfast every day

We visit our grandparents twice a month

2) Note that ‘on Saturday’ refers to one day ‘On Saturdays’ means ‘every Saturday’

Common mistakes

1) Some students write adverbs of frequency in the wrong place

We every day go the park => We go to the park every day

2) Some students use the plural form with every

John goes swimming every days => John goes swimming every day

_

Use:

Use adverbs and adverbial phrases of time to talk about when you do something

Adverbs of time include:

today, tomorrow, tonight, yesterday, tomorrow, nowadays

now, first of all, beforehand

soon, afterwards, later, next, then

Form:

1) Adverbs of time usually go at the beginning or the end of a sentence or clause

Tomorrow, I’m going to the beach

I’m going to the beach tomorrow

First of all, we had a drink at a café

We had a drink at a café first of all

I’m going to the supermarket, and afterwards I’m going to the library

I’m going to the supermarket, and I’m going to the library afterwards

2) It is more common to use then at the beginning of a sentence or clause

Then we arrived at the castle

I’m going to finish my work and then I’m going to have a drink

It is more common to use soon and now at the end of a sentence

We’re going on holiday soon

I’m going home now

Common mistakes

1) Don’t use an adverb of time between the subject and the object of a sentence

I went yesterday to the zoo => I went to the zoo yesterday / Yesterday I went to the zoo

I’m going now to the bank => I’m going to the bank now

2) You must use a noun after After and Before Otherwise,

use afterwards or beforehand

I’ll be late to class tomorrow I’m going to the doctors before => I’ll be late to class tomorrow I’m going to the doctors beforehand

I’m going to my English class and I’m going to the bar after => I’m going to my English class and I’m going to the bar afterwards

_

Use:

Use adverbs and adverbial phrases of place to talk about where something happens

Adverbs of place include:

outside, inside, indoors, upstairs, downstairs

(over) here, (over) there

abroad, overseas

Form:

1) Adverbs of place usually go after a verb

She lives abroad

Let’s go indoors

2) Adverbs of place can also go after the object of the sentence

Rachel works in the office upstairs

Your bag is on the table over there

4 Adverbs of frequency

With the present simple, we often use adverbs of frequency to say 'how often' we do

something Here's a list of common adverbs:

Frequency Adverb of Frequency Example Sentence

100% always I always go to bed before 11 p.m

90% usually I usually have cereal for breakfast

80% normally / generally I normally go to the gym

70% often* / frequently I often surf the internet

50% sometimes I sometimes forget my wife's birthday

30% occasionally I occasionally eat junk food

10% seldom I seldom read the newspaper

5% hardly ever / rarely I hardly ever drink alcohol

We usually put these adverbs in the middle of the sentence, between the subject and the verb:

 I often go to the cinema

 She sometimes visits me at home

 We usually drink coffee

We can also put them at the very beginning or end of the sentence This makes them stronger:

 Often I go to the cinema

 I go to the cinema often

 But never: I go often to the cinema

Here are some other expressions we can use to say 'how often' All of these longer phrases go

at the beginning or the end of the sentence but not in the middle

 once in a while: I go to the cinema once in a while

 every now and again: She drinks wine every now and again

 from time to time: From time to time I visit my mother

To say how often something happens, you can use a number or 'several' or 'many', followed

by 'times'.( If the number is one, use 'once' instead of 'one time' If the number is two use 'twice,' instead of 'two times') Then add 'a' and a period of time:

 I go to the cinema twice a week

 She takes these tablets three times a day

 I change the sheets once a fortnight (fortnight = two weeks)

 I meet him several times a year

 I visit my parents once a month

We can also use 'every' + period of time:

5 Articles – with countable and uncountable nouns

Use:

1) Use a before a singular noun

I've got a brother and a sister

Use an if the noun begins with a vowel

I've got an aunt in Texas

2) Use plural nouns or uncountable nouns to talk about things in general Don't use an article here

I like cats

Dolphins are very intelligent

Crime is increasing

3) Use the to talk about one particular thing, or a particular group of things

Books are interesting The book on the table is interesting

Children are noisy The children in this class are noisy

4) Use a to introduce a new thing or person Use the when you already know this person or

thing

There is a restaurant near my house The restaurant serves good food

5) Use the when there is only one of these things

The moon is very big tonight

My dad is the only doctor in our village

Joe is the best student in the class

6) Use the when there are many things, but it is clear which one you mean

Let's go to the pub! We need to go to the supermarket

7) Most 'general' nouns do not use an article

Life is not the same as it used to be NOT: The life…

Health is important to everyone NOT: The health…

We're worried about pollution NOT: The pollution…

But some general nouns use the:

the environment People are increasingly worried about the environment

the weather What's the weather like today?

the countryside I love walking in the countryside

the sea / ocean I'd love to live near the sea

the radio There's an interesting programme on the radio

the theatre / cinema We went to the theatre last night

the economy The economy is affecting everyone

Common mistakes:

1) Some students use the when they talk about things in general

I love the romantic films! => I love romantic films!

2) Some students use singular nouns without a or the

I want book about the weather => I want a book about the weather

3) Some students use the when they talk about things in general

I want the book about the weather => I want a book about the weather

6 Countables and Uncountables: much/many

7 Future Time (will and going to)

Phrasal verbs consist of a verb and one or more prepositions They are often used, especially

in informal spoken English The meaning of phrasal verbs is often completely different from the meaning of the verb alone

Form:

1) Some phrasal verbs never use an object

get up = get out of bed

I get up at seven o’clock every morning

take off = leave the ground

The plane took off on time

look out = beware! be careful!

Look out! That car is going to hit you!

get on = be good friends

My dad and my brother don’t get on

break down = stop working (for vehicles)

Our car broke down on the way home from Scotland

make up = become friends again after an argument

The kids often fight but they always make up afterwards

2) Some phrasal verbs need an object

get on / off something = exit transport

Get off the bus at the next stop

look after someone / something = take care of someone / something

Please can you look after our cats while we’re on holiday?

see to something = do, arrange, prepare, organise

Don’t worry about dinner I’ll see to it

look into something = investigate

There has been a burglary at the school Police are looking into it

get to = arrive at

When you get to the end of the street, turn right

3) Some phrasal verbs contain three words and an object

look up to someone = respect someone

I look up to my teachers

look forward to something = be excited about (a future event)

I’m looking forward to the party

get on with someone = be good friends with someone

I don’t get on with Karen

get on with something = continue doing something

Please be quiet and get on with your work

put up with something = tolerate

I can’t put up with that noise any longer!

Common Phrasal Verbs

TURN ON / TURN OFF

 Turn on the TV, I want to watch a program

 Turn off the TV – it’s time to go to bed

PUT ON / TAKE OFF

 I was cold, so I put on a jacket

 When I get home, I always take off my shoes

You can use put on / take off with clothes, shoes, hats, watches, and jewelry

FIND OUT

To discover or learn information

 Can you find out what time the first train to London arrives?

 I just found out that my coworkers are going to have a surprise birthday party for me Find out can be used to discover information on purpose (first example) or by accident

(second example)

GIVE UP

To stop doing something

 I need to give up smoking

 The book was so difficult that I gave up I didn’t finish the book

 My doctor says I need to give up fast food

You can use give up with an activity (smoking) or a thing (fast food)

PUT AWAY

To put something in its place

 Your clothes are all over the floor Please put them away

 I put away all the toys, then cleaned the house

THROW AWAY (THROW OUT)

To put something in the garbage/trash

 The bananas were rotten, so I threw them away

 I accidentally threw out some important documents!

FILL IN

To give missing information

 Please fill in the missing word in this sentence: My brother _ 12 years old

 To get a passport, I filled in two forms and paid $200

GET ALONG (+ WITH)

To have a good relationship

 My parents get along very well They’ve been married for 35 years

 We get along with our boss We enjoy working for her

 I don’t get along with my brother We fight all the time

17 Possessives – use of ‘s, s’

18 Prepositional phrases (place, time and movement)

19 Prepositions of time: on/in/at

20 Present continuous

Use:

1) Use the present continuous to talk about actions which are happening now

Ellen is having a bath at the moment

Right now, Mark is talking to her manager

He / She / It isn’t / ‘s not

We / They aren’t / ‘re not

If a verb ends in e, delete the e before you add –ing

come => I’m coming

have => He’s having lunch

Common mistakes

1) Some students forget the verb be

I watching television => I’m watching television

She not coming => She’s not coming

2) Some students make questions incorrectly

She is working? => Is she working?

3) Some students make spelling mistakes

I’m studing law => I’m studying law

21 Present continuous for future

Use:

The present continuous tense has two uses:

1) Use it to describe what is happening at the moment

‘Where’s dad?’

‘He’s watching TV in the living room’

2) Use it to describe plans and arrangements in the future

‘Tom is arriving on the three o’clock train tomorrow’

The present perfect is used for several reasons:

1) Use it to describe events that happened in the past and are still true now because you can see the result

I’ve broken my leg!

David has painted his house

2) Use it to describe experiences in your life

I’ve been to New York three times in my life

However, you cannot use the present perfect to describe experiences in someone’s life if that person has died

Michael Jackson performed in Britain many times

NOT

Michael Jackson has performed in Britain many times