Review of tenses and structures

• Present simple
• Present progressive
• Past simple
• Past progressive
• Used to / would
• Present perfect
• Future with will
• Future with going to
• First conditional
• Some / any / no / every and compounds
• Past perfect
• Present perfect continuous
• Second conditional
• Relative clauses
• Passive voice
• Gerund vs. infinitive
• Phrasal verbs

Present simple

Habits, routines, facts.

I work every day. She speaks three languages. Water boils at 100 degrees.

Present progressive

Actions happening right now. Confirmed future plans.

I am reading right now. She is flying to London tomorrow.

Past simple

Completed actions at a specific time in the past.

Yesterday I went to the gym. She called me last Monday.

Past progressive

Descriptions in the past. Interrupted actions. Simultaneous actions.

It was raining. I was eating when she called. I was reading while she was cooking.

Used to / would

Past habits. Would for repeated actions only (not states).

I used to live in Madrid. She would always cook on Sundays.

Present perfect

Life experiences (no specific time). Recent actions with present results. Duration with for/since.

I have visited Paris. She has lost her keys. I have lived here for five years.

Key words: ever, never, already, yet, just, for, since.

Future with will

Predictions, spontaneous decisions, promises.

It will rain tomorrow. I'll help you. I'll call you later.

Future with going to

Plans already decided. Predictions with evidence.

I'm going to visit my parents. Look at those clouds: it's going to rain.

First conditional

If + present simple, will + infinitive. For possible or probable situations.

If it rains, I'll stay home. If you study, you'll pass.

Some / any / no / every and compounds

Some for affirmative, any for questions and negatives, no as a determiner. Compounds: something, anything, nothing, everything, someone, anyone, no one, everyone, somewhere, anywhere, nowhere, everywhere.

Someone called me. I don't know anyone here. Nobody came. Is there anything in the box?

Past perfect

Had + past participle. An action before another past action.

When I arrived, she had already left. By the time we got to the cinema, the movie had started.

Present perfect continuous

Have/has been + verb-ing. Duration from the past to the present, with emphasis on the ongoing process.

I have been studying English for two years. It has been raining all day.

The present perfect emphasizes the result: I have read three books. The present perfect continuous emphasizes the ongoing nature of the activity: I have been reading all day.

Second conditional

If + past simple, would + infinitive. For imaginary or hypothetical situations.

If I had more money, I would travel the world. If I were you, I would accept the offer.

Relative clauses

Who (people), which (things), that (people or things), whose (possession), where (places).

The man who lives next door is a doctor. That's the restaurant where we had dinner.

Passive voice

Be + past participle. We use it when the action is more important than who does it, or when the agent is unknown.

Hamlet was written by Shakespeare. English is spoken in many countries.

Gerund vs. infinitive

In English, two conjugated verbs cannot go together. The second verb must be either a gerund (verb + -ing) or an infinitive (to + verb), depending on the first verb.

Verbs that take the gerund: enjoy, finish, avoid, suggest, keep, mind, consider, imagine, practice.

Verbs that take the infinitive: want, decide, plan, hope, expect, offer, agree, refuse, learn, seem, promise.

After prepositions, we always use the gerund: interested in reading, good at cooking, tired of waiting.

Phrasal verbs

Verb + particle with a new meaning. They can be separable or inseparable.

Turn off the TV. = Turn the TV off. = Turn it off. (separable)

I'm looking for my keys. (inseparable. Cannot say looking my keys for)

Common phrasal verbs:

turn on / turn off - start / stop a device or light
pick up - lift; collect someone or something
give up - stop trying; stop doing something
look for - try to find
find out - discover; learn information
get up - leave your bed in the morning
put on / take off - start / stop wearing (clothes)
look after - take care of
go on - continue
come back - return