GRAMMAR

Conditional Sentences

Conditional sentences contain conditions regarding a supposition, imagination, or an event that has not yet happene. The if clause tells the condition and the main clause tells you the result. The order of the clauses does not change the meaning.

Example :

If you study hard, you will pass your exams.

You will pass your exams if you study hard.

Conditional sentences are often divided into different types.

1. Zero conditional

We use the zero conditional to talk/describes about things that are generally true, like a truth (general truth), scientific facts, laws and rules.

The structure : if/when+ simple present > simple present

Example:

• If I drink too much coffee, I can’t sleep at night.

• Ice melts if you heat it.

• When the sun goes down, it gets dark.

2. First conditional

We use the first conditional when we talk about future present or future situations we believe are real or possible.

The structure is usually: if/when + present simple >> will + infinitive

Example:

• If it doesn’t rain, we’ll go to the coffee shop.

• If i get 1st ranking in class, my parents will give me a new car.

• When I finish work, I’ll sleep in my room.

• If he gives her a dinner, she will be happy

It is also common to use this structure with unless, as long as, as soon as or in case instead of if.

• I don’t want to stay in Korea unless I get a well-paid job.

• I’ll give you the password in case I’m not at home.

• You can go to the party, as long as you’re back by midnight.

3. Second conditional

The second conditional is used to imagine present or future situations that are impossible or unlikely in reality. It can be said that this type of conditional sentence does not necessarily happen but can alsobecome a reality.

The structure is usually: if + past simple >> + would + infinitive

Example:

• If we had a garden, we could have a lot of flowers.

• If I had time, I would go with you.

• If I won a lot of money, I’d buy a car.

• I wouldn’t worry, if I were you.

When if is followed by the verb be, it is grammatically correct to say if I were, if he were, if she were and if it were. However, it is also common to hear these structures with was, especially in the he/she form.

Example:

• If I were you, I would tell him the truth.

• He would travel more, if he was younger.

4. Third conditionals

The third conditional is used to imagine a different past. We imagine a change in a past situation and the different result of that change.

The structure is usually: If + past perfect >> would have + past participle.

Example:

• If I had understood the material properly, I would have passed the exam.

• If it had rained, you would have gotten wet.

5. Mixed conditionals

We can use mixed conditionals when we imagine a past change with a result in the present or a present change with a result in the past.

1. Past/Present

Here’s a sentence imagining how a change in a past situation would have a result in the present.

The structure: If + past perfect/simple past > would + infinitive/ past participle.

Example:

• If I hadn’t got the job in Thailand, I wouldn’t be with my current partner.

• If i were not afraid of cockroach, i would have picked it up and put it outside

Phrasal Verb

Phrasal verbs are very common in English, generally used in informal contex. They are made up of a verb and a particle or two particle.

Example:

I called Jen to see how she was. (call = to telephone)

They’ve called off the meeting. (call off = to cancel)

In terms of word order, there are two main types of phrasal verb: separable and inseparable.

Separable

The verb and particle can be apart or together.

Example:

They’ve called the meeting off.

OR

They’ve called off the meeting.

However, separable phrasal verbs must be separated when you use a pronoun.

You have to pick me up at 4 p.m.

(pick up = collect someone in a car or other vehicle to take them somewhere)

Here are some common separable phrasal verbs:

I didn’t want to bring the situation up at the meeting.

(bring up = start talking about a particular subject)

Please can you fill this form in?

(fill in = write information in a form or document)

My boyfriend and I broke up before I moved to Jakarta.

(broke up= end a relationship)

Non-separable

Some phrasal verbs cannot be separated.

Who looks after the baby when you’re at work?

Even when there is a pronoun, the verb and particle remain together.

Who looks after her when you’re at work?

Here are some common non-separable phrasal verbs:

I came across these old photos when I was open a google photos.

(come across = to find something by chance)

The caterpillar turned into a beautiful butterfly.

(turn into = become)

We work so hard this week that we had to get away for 3 days

(go on vacation)

I am looking for a watches for the meeting.

(try to find)

With two particles

Phrasal verbs with two particles are also inseparable. Even if you use a pronoun, you put it after the particles.

Example:

I’m looking forward to the new year’s eve.

(looking forward to= be exited about the future)

Ever since we cheated in exam, the teacher has looked down on our.

(looked down on think less of, consider enferior)

She needs a new dress because she as grown out of her old ones.

(get too big for)

Question Tags

Question tags are more common in speaking than writing.

We often use question tags when we expect the listener to agree with our statement.

In this case, when the statement is positive, we use a negative question tag and If the statement is negative, we use a positive question tag..

Example:

§ She’s a teacher, isn’t she? (the statement is positive, the question tag is negative)

§ Yesterday was so much fun, wasn’t it? (the statement is positive, the question tag is negative)

§ The bus are never on time, are they? (the statement is negative, the question tagpositive)

§ Nobody has called for me, have they? (the statement is negative, the question tagpositive)

Formation

If there is an auxiliary verb in the statement, we use it to form the question tag.

Example:

§ I don’t need to finish this today, do I?

§ James is working on that, isn’t he?

§ Your parents have retired, haven’t they?

§ The phone didn’t ring, did it?

§ It was raining that day, wasn’t it?

§ Your mum hadn’t met him before, had she?

Sometimes there is no auxiliary verb already in the statement. For example, when:

a. The verb in the statement is present simple or past simple and is positive. Here we use don’t, doesn’t or didn’t:

§ Haruto eats banana, doesn’t he?

§ I said that already, didn’t I?

b. the verb in the statement is to be in the present simple or past simple. In this case we use to be to make the question tag:

§ The train stop’s over there, isn’t it?

§ None of those children were happy, were they?

c. The verb in the statement is a modal verb.

§ They could hear me, couldn’t they?

§ You won’t tell anyone, will you?

d. If the main verb or auxiliary verb in the statement is am, the positive question tag is am I? but the negative question tag is usually aren’t I?:

§ I’m never on time, am I?

§ I’m going to get an email with the details, aren’t I?

Stative Verbs

Stative verbs describe a state rather than an action. They aren’t usually used in the present continuous form.

§ I don’t know the rule. I’m not knowing the rule.

§ She really likes you. She’s really liking you.

§ He seems sad at the moment. He’s seeming sad at the moment.

Stative verbs often relate to:

▪ Thoughts and opinions: agree, believe, doubt, guess, imagine, know, mean, recognise, remember, suspect, think, understand

▪ Feelings and emotions: dislike, hate, like, love, prefer, want, wish

▪ 999Senses and perceptions: appear, be, feel, hear, look, see, seem, smell, taste

▪ Possession and measurement: belong, have, measure, own, possess, weigh.

Verbs that are sometimes stative

A number of verbs can refer to states or actions, depending on the context.

§ I think it’s a good idea.

§ Wait a moment! I’m thinking.

The first sentence expresses an opinion. It is a mental state, so we use present simple. In the second example the speaker is actively processing thoughts about something. It is an action in progress, so we use present continuous.

Some other examples are:

Have

I have a crown. (stative/state – possession)

I’m having birthday party. (dynamic /action – having a birthday party)

See

I see what you mean (state)

We’re seeing an elephant in the zoo tomorrow afternoon. (action)

Be

He’s so amazing! (state – his permanent quality)

He’s being very unhelpful. (action – he is temporarily behaving this way)

Taste

This cake tastes delicious. (state – our perception of the cake)

Look! The teacher is teaching the children. (action – teaching the children is an activity)

Other verbs like this include: agree, appear, doubt, feel, guess, hear, imagine, look, measure, remember, smell, weigh, wish.

The future – degrees of certainty

We can show how certain we are about the future by using modal verbs and other expressions.

Use Modal verbs and adverbs

We can use modal verbs (such as will, might, may or could) and adverbs (such as probably and definitely) to show how sure we are.

Very sure

People will definitely work from home more in the future.

Robots definitely won’t replace all human jobs.

Sure

Lea will really enjoy this movie.

They won’t regret it.

Almost sure

We’ll probably finish the project by tomorrow.

He probably won’t have enough time to study

Not sure

She might be at home, but but he usually goes shopping on Sunday evening

He hasn’t studied much, so he might not pass the exam.

When you are not sure, we can also use may, could and may not. However, we don’t usually use could not to talk about the future.

Other expressions

We can also use other expressions such as be bound to and be likely to, or verbs such as think and doubt.

Very sure

He’s bound to feel nervous before his exam.

He’s certain to get the number of his crush!

There’s no way that my mom will give permission to go outside at night.

Sure

I’m sure that you’ll get high score in your exam.

Are you sure that you won’t be available?

Almost sure

Grace’s unlikely to be invited to the party.

There’s a good chance that it’ll rain this week.

There’s not much chance that I’ll finish my task tonight.

She thinks he’ll be able to help.

I doubt they’ll have any trouble finding the answer of the question..

Not sure

There’s a chance that she’ll reply your message.

There’s a chance that he might go to a vacation next week.

I’m not sure that I’ll be able to pick you up at the airport.

Modifying comparisons

There are several different ways to compare things in English. We can also modify comparisons to show big or small differences.

Comparing:

a. use comparative adjectives to compare different things.

• My mom is more patient than I am .

• She is older than her private’s teacher.

• His first book is less interesting than his second.

b. use as … as with an adjective to say that two things are the same, or not as … as to say that one thing is less than another.

• Her bag is as big as mine.

• It’s not as sunny as yesterday.

c. use expressions like different from, similar to and the same as.

• England is different from the United Kingdom.

• His phoone case is similar to mine.

Showing big differences

a. use much, so much, a lot, even or far with comparative adjectives.

• I am a whole lot happier now.

• He was far less experienced than the other applicant.

b. use nowhere near with as … as.

The interview was nowhere near as difficult as the written exam.

c. use very, really, completely or totally with different from.

They may be twins, but they’re completely different from each other.

Showing small differences

a. We can use slightly, a little, a bit, a little bit or not much with comparative adjectives.

• The number of registrations has been slightly lower than we expected.

• Houses in my city are not much more expensive than flats.

b. We can use almost, nearly, not quite, roughly, more or less or about with as … as and the same as.

He’s almost as old as I am.

c. use very or really with similar to.

My daughter looks really similar to my mother when he was that age.

Showing there is no difference

Use exactly the same as or just as … as to emphasise that there is no difference.

• My grandma’s cakes still taste exactly the same as when I was a child!

• A new phone can be just as expensive as a new computer these days.

Reported speech 1 – statements

Reported speech is when we tell/report what another person said. To do this, we can use direct speech or indirect speech.

Direct speech : ‘I work in a school,’ said Sarah.

Indirect speech : Sarah said that she worked in a school.

In indirect speech, we often use a tense which is ‘further back’ in the past than the tense originally used . This is called ‘backshift’. We also need to change other words that were used, for example pronouns.

• Present simple, present continuous and present perfect

When we backshift, present simple changes to past simple, present continuous changes to past continuous and present perfect changes to past perfect.

• ‘I travel a lot in last month.’

Rona said that she travelled a lot in last month.

• ‘I know you go to the party this morning’

Claira said that David went to the party this morning

.

• Past simple and past continuous

When we backshift, past simple usually changes to past perfect simple, and past continuous usually changes to past perfect continuous.

• ‘We lived in Indonesia for seven years.’

She told me they’d lived in Indonesia for seven years.

• ‘It was raining all day.’

He told me it had been raining all day.

• Past perfect

The past perfect doesn’t change.

• ‘I’d tried everything without success, but this new medicine is great.’

He said he’d tried everything without success, but the new medicine was great.

• No backshift

If what the speaker has said is still true or relevant, it’s not always necessary to change the tense. This might happen when the speaker has used a present tense.

• ‘I go to the gym next to your house.’

Rose told me that she goes to the swimming pool next to my house. I’m thinking about going with her.

• ‘I’m working in Dubai for the next three months.’

He told me he’s working in Dubai for the next three months. Maybe I should visit him!

• ‘I’ve broken my leg!’

She said she’s broken her leg, so she won’t be at competition this week..

• Pronouns, demonstratives and adverbs of time and place

Pronouns also usually change in indirect speech.

• ‘I enjoy working in my room,’ said Bob.

Bob said that he enjoyed working in his room.

• ‘We played basketball for our school,’ said Karina.

Karina told me they’d played basketball for their school.

However, if you are the person or one of the people who spoke, then the pronouns don’t change.

• ‘I’m working on my thesis,’ I said.

I told her that I was working on my thesis.

Reported speech 2 – Questions

A reported question is when we tell someone what another person asked. To do this, we can use direct speech or indirect speech.

Direct speech : ‘Do you like working in outdoor?’ he asked.

Indirect speech : He asked me if I liked working in outdoor.

In indirect speech, we change the question structure (e.g. Do you like) to a statement structure (e.g. I like).

Yes/no questions

In yes/no questions, we use if or whether to report the question. If is more common.

• ‘Are you going to the Lawu mountain?’

She asked me if I was going to the Lawu mountain.

• ‘Have you finished the project yet?’

He asked us whether we’d finished the project yet.

Questions with a question word

We use the question word to report the question.

• ‘What time does the bus leave?’

He asked me what time the bus left.

• ‘Where did you go?’

She asked where i went.

Reporting verbs

The most common reporting verb for questions is ask, but we can also use verbs like enquire, want to know or wonder.

• ‘Did you bring your smartphone?’

She wanted to know if they’d brought their smartphone.

• ‘When could you get this done by?’

He wondered when we could get it done by.

Offers, requests and suggestions

If the question is making an offer, request or suggestion, we can use a specific verb pattern instead, for example offer + infinitive, ask + infinitive or suggest + ing.

• ‘Would you like me to help you?’

He offered to help me.

• ‘Can you hold this for me, please?’

She asked me to hold it.

Reported speech 3 – reporting verbs

Look at these examples.

Direct speech : 'Wait here,' he said.

Indirect speech : He told us to wait there.

Reporting verb + infinitive

Verbs like advise, agree, challenge, claim, decide, demand, encourage, invite, offer, persuade, promise, refuse and remind can follow an infinitive pattern.

• ‘Let’s see. I’ll have the pizza, please.’

He decided to have the pizza.

• ‘I’ll finish the task by Tuesday, for sure.’

She promised to finish the task by Tuesday.

We can also use an infinitive to report imperatives, with a reporting verb like tell, order, instruct, direct or warn.

• ‘Please wait for me.’

The guide told us to wait for her .

• ‘Don’t go in there!’

The police officer warned us not to go in there.

Reporting verb + -ing form

Verbs like admit, apologise for, complain about, deny, insist on, mention and suggest can follow an -ing form pattern.

• ‘I broke the vase.’

She admitted breaking the vase.

• ‘I’m really sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner.’

He apologised for not getting back to me sooner.

• ‘Let’s take a nap.’

She suggested taking a nap.

The word ‘enough’ in English

Enough is a word that signifies a sufficient quantity or a sufficient degree. It can be used either as an adjective, or as a pronoun, or as an adverb.

The different uses of enough:

1. Enough as a adjective

Used as a quantifier adjective, enough is not really a problem word. However it can only be used as an attributive adjective (one that stands before the noun it qualifies); it cannot be used as a predicative adjective (after the verb to be or similar verbs). When enough stands alone following the verb to be, or other verbs, it is being used as a pronoun.

Enough can qualify count nouns in the plural, or non count nouns. Enough cannot normally be used to qualify a count noun in the singular.

Example:

• We have quite enough work to keep us busy until midnight !

• We have more than enough work to keep us busy all day !

• There’s hardly enough room for everyone in this meeting.

2. Enough as a pronoun

When enough stands on its own, it functions as an indefinite pronoun. It means enough things or enough people

Examples :

• I think you've said enough.

• I think you've said quite enough.

• Enough is enough.

• Enough were against the project for it to be rejected.

• Do you want some more ice-cream, or have you had enough

3. Enough as a adverb

Enough is an adverb of degree that can qualify adjectives or other adverbs, normally in predicative position (after to be, etc;) ; it cannot qualify verbs. And unlike almost all other adverbs that qualify adjectives or adverbs, enough follows the word that it qualifies; it never precedes it. When enough in this case is modified by hardly or by quite, this adverb of degree stands before the adjective or adverb,

i.e. {quite + adjective/adverb + enough} or {hardly + adjective/adverb + enough}.

Example

• Luckily enough we were able to get a ticket for the show..

• If you work quickly enough, you’ll be able to make two of them by lunchtime.

• Funnily enough, I heard the same story.

• The children were all walking happily enough until it started to rain.

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