Tenses

1. Present Simple
Usage: To express habits, general truths, repeated actions, and fixed arrangements.
Form: Subject + base form of the verb (add 's' or 'es' for third person singular)
Examples:
 Habits: She reads every night.
 General truths: The sun rises in the east.
 Repeated actions: They play tennis on Sundays.
 Fixed arrangements: The train leaves at 6 PM.
Negative Form: Subject + do/does not + base form of the verb
 I do not (don’t) like coffee.
 He does not (doesn’t) play soccer.
Question Form: Do/Does + subject + base form of the verb
 Do you like pizza?
 Does she work here?

2. Past Simple
Usage: To describe completed actions that happened at a specific time in the past.
Form: Subject + past form of the verb (regular verbs add '-ed'; irregular verbs have
unique forms)
Examples:
 Completed actions: I visited Paris last year.
 Series of completed actions: She watched a movie, cooked dinner, and
went to bed.
Negative Form: Subject + did not + base form of the verb
 I did not (didn’t) go to the party.
  He did not (didn’t) finish his homework.
Question Form: Did + subject + base form of the verb
 Did you see the movie?
 Did she call you?

3. Present Continuous
Usage: To express actions happening right now or around the current time, and for
future arrangements.
Form: Subject + am/is/are + present participle (verb+ing)
Examples:
 Actions happening now: She is reading a book.
 Actions happening around now: They are studying for exams.
 Future arrangements: I am meeting John tomorrow.
Negative Form: Subject + am/is/are + not + present participle (verb+ing)
 I am not eating now.
 They are not coming to the party.
Question Form: Am/Is/Are + subject + present participle (verb+ing)
 Are you watching TV?
 Is he working today?

4. Past Continuous
Usage: The past continuous tense is used to describe actions that were in progress
at a specific moment in the past. It often sets the scene for another action that
interrupts it or occurs simultaneously. It can also describe two actions happening at
the same time in the past.
Form: Subject + was/were + present participle (verb+ing)
Examples and Explanations:
1. Action in Progress at a Specific Time:
o Example: At 8 PM, she was watching TV.
o Explanation: The action of watching TV was in progress at 8 PM.
2. Interrupted Action:
o Example: I was reading a book when the phone rang.
o Explanation: The action of reading was in progress when another
action (the phone rang) interrupted it.
3. Simultaneous Actions:
o Example: While he was cooking, she was setting the table.
o Explanation: Both actions (cooking and setting the table) were
happening at the same time.
4. Background Actions:
o Example: The children were playing outside while their parents were
talking inside.
o Explanation: The actions of playing and talking provide background
information for the scene.
5. Repeated Actions or Habits in the Past:
o Example: When I was young, I was always losing my keys.
o Explanation: Indicates a habitual action in the past.
Negative Form:
Form: Subject + was/were + not + present participle (verb+ing)
Examples:
 He was not (wasn’t) sleeping when I called.
 They were not (weren’t) studying at 9 PM.
Question Form:
Form: Was/Were + subject + present participle (verb+ing)
Examples:
 Was she working when you arrived?
 Were you listening to music?
More Examples:
1. Action in Progress:
o The cat was sleeping on the sofa.
o We were watching a movie at that time.
2. Interrupted Action:
o He was talking on the phone when the doorbell rang.
o They were eating dinner when the lights went out.
3. Simultaneous Actions:
o She was writing an email while he was reading the newspaper.
o The kids were playing in the park while their parents were jogging.
4. Background Action:
o The sun was setting as we were driving home.
o It was raining heavily, and the wind was blowing.

5. Future
The future tense can be expressed in several ways in English: with "will," "going
to," Present Continuous, and simple Present Tense.
Future with "Will"
Usage: For spontaneous decisions, promises, offers, and predictions.
Form: Subject + will + base form of the verb
Examples:
 Spontaneous decisions: I will help you with that.
  Promises: She will always love you.
 Offers: Will you have some tea?
 Predictions: It will rain tomorrow.
Negative Form: Subject + will not (won’t) + base form of the verb
 I will not (won’t) go to the party.
 He will not (won’t) be late.
Question Form: Will + subject + base form of the verb
 Will you come to the meeting?
 Will it be sunny tomorrow?
Future with "Going to"
Usage: For plans, intentions, and predictions based on present evidence.
Form: Subject + am/is/are + going to + base form of the verb
Examples:
 Plans/Intentions: I am going to start a new job next week.
 Predictions based on evidence: Look at those clouds! It is going to rain.
Negative Form: Subject + am/is/are + not + going to + base form of the verb
 I am not going to attend the party.
 They are not going to win.
Question Form: Am/Is/Are + subject + going to + base form of the verb
 Are you going to travel this summer?
 Is she going to call you?
Future with Present Continuous
Usage: For fixed future arrangements and plans.
Form: Subject + am/is/are + present participle (verb+ing)
Examples:
  I am meeting my friend tomorrow.
 They are traveling next week.
Future with Simple Present
Usage: For scheduled events (typically related to timetables).
Examples:
 The train leaves at 6 PM.
 The show starts at 8 PM.
 Conditional Sentences
Zero Conditional
Usage: To describe general truths, scientific facts, or things that always happen
under certain conditions.
Form: If + present simple, present simple
Examples:
 If you heat water, it boils.
 If it rains, the ground gets wet.
 If you mix red and blue, you get purple.
First Conditional
Usage: To describe real or possible situations in the future and their likely results.
Form: If + present simple, will + base form of the verb
Examples:
 If it rains, I will stay home.
 If she studies, she will pass the exam.
 If they arrive early, we will have dinner together.
Second Conditional
Usage: To describe hypothetical or unreal situations in the present or future and
their possible results.
Form: If + past simple, would + base form of the verb
Examples:
 If I won the lottery, I would travel the world.
 If he were taller, he would be a basketball player.
 If we had more time, we would visit the museum.
Third Conditional
Usage: To describe hypothetical situations in the past and their possible results,
often expressing regret or a missed opportunity.
Form: If + past perfect, would have + past participle
Examples:
 If I had known, I would have helped you.
 If she had studied, she would have passed the exam.
 If they had left earlier, they would have caught the train.
Summary with Examples:
1. Zero Conditional:
o If you heat ice, it melts.
o If you don’t water plants, they die.
2. First Conditional:
o If it gets cold, we will light a fire.
o If she finishes her work, she will come to the party.
3. Second Conditional:
o If I had a million dollars, I would buy a mansion.
o If she were here, she would help us.
4. Third Conditional:
o If he had asked, I would have told him.
o If we had seen the sign, we would have stopped.
 Collocations
Definition: Collocations are combinations of words that are commonly used
together in English. These word pairings sound natural to native speakers and are
essential for fluency.
Categories and Examples:
1. Verb + Noun:
o Make a decision
o Do homework
o Take a break
o Give advice
o Have a party
o Catch a cold
2. Adjective + Noun:
o Strong coffee
o Heavy rain
o Deep sleep
o Bright future
o Fast food
o High expectations
3. Noun + Noun:
o Coffee shop
o School bus
o Data analysis
o Traffic jam
o Family member
o Security guard
 4. Verb + Adverb:
o Speak fluently
o Work hard
o Drive carefully
o Wait patiently
o Run quickly
o Sing beautifully
5. Adverb + Adjective:
o Extremely important
o Highly effective
o Bitterly cold
o Completely different
o Terribly sorry
o Absolutely amazing
6. Verb + Preposition:
o Depend on
o Believe in
o Focus on
o Agree with
o Apply for
o Succeed in
Examples in Sentences:
1. Verb + Noun:
o I need to make a decision about my career soon.
o She has to do her homework before watching TV.
 o Let's take a break and have some coffee.
o He always gives good advice.
2. Adjective + Noun:
o I need a cup of strong coffee to wake up.
o The weather forecast predicts heavy rain tomorrow.
o After the long hike, he fell into a deep sleep.
3. Noun + Noun:
o We met at a coffee shop downtown.
o The school bus arrives at 8 AM.
o They conducted a thorough data analysis.
4. Verb + Adverb:
o She can speak fluently in three languages.
o You need to work hard to achieve your goals.
o Please drive carefully in the rain.
5. Adverb + Adjective:
o It is extremely important to arrive on time.
o The new product is highly effective.
o It was bitterly cold outside last night.
6. Verb + Preposition:
o I always depend on my friends for support.
o Do you believe in ghosts?
o She needs to focus on her studies.
 Adverbs of Frequency
Definition: Adverbs of frequency describe how often an action occurs. They can
indicate the exact frequency (like "daily" or "annually") or a general frequency
(like "often" or "rarely").
Common Adverbs of Frequency and Their Meanings:
1. Always - 100% of the time
2. Usually - Around 80-90% of the time
3. Often - Around 60-70% of the time
4. Sometimes - Around 40-50% of the time
5. Occasionally - Around 20-30% of the time
6. Rarely - Around 10-20% of the time
7. Seldom - Around 10-20% of the time, similar to "rarely"
8. Hardly ever - Very rarely, almost never
9. Never - 0% of the time
Position in a Sentence:
1. Before the Main Verb: In most cases, adverbs of frequency are placed
before the main verb in a sentence.
o Example: She always eats breakfast.
2. After the Verb "To Be": When using the verb "to be" (am, is, are, was,
were), the adverb of frequency follows the verb.
o Example: He is usually late.
3. After Auxiliary Verbs: When using auxiliary verbs (such as "have," "will,"
"can"), the adverb of frequency comes after the auxiliary and before the
main verb.
o Example: They have often visited us.
Examples in Sentences:
1. Always:
 o She always reads before going to bed.
o He is always punctual.
2. Usually:
o I usually take a walk in the morning.
o They are usually very busy on Mondays.
3. Often:
o We often go to the park on weekends.
o She is often tired after work.
4. Sometimes:
o He sometimes forgets to lock the door.
o They are sometimes late for class.
5. Occasionally:
o We occasionally go out for dinner.
o She is occasionally absent from meetings.
6. Rarely:
o He rarely drinks coffee.
o They are rarely on time.
7. Seldom:
o She seldom watches TV.
o He is seldom seen without a hat.
8. Hardly ever:
o They hardly ever eat out.
o She is hardly ever sick.
9. Never:
o I never smoke.
o He is never late.
 Phrasal Verbs
Definition: Phrasal verbs are phrases that consist of a verb and one or more
particles (prepositions or adverbs) that, together, create a meaning different from
the original verb. They are commonly used in English and can be quite idiomatic,
which means their meanings are not always clear from the individual words.
Common Phrasal Verbs and Their Meanings:
1. Break down - to stop functioning (a machine), to become very upset
o Example: The car broke down on the way to work. / She broke down in tears
when she heard the news.
2. Bring up - to mention, to raise (a child)
o Example: He brought up an interesting point during the meeting. / They
brought up three children.
3. Call off - to cancel
o Example: The match was called off due to rain.
4. Carry on - to continue
o Example: Please carry on with your work.
5. Come across - to find or meet by chance
o Example: I came across an old friend in the market.
6. Find out - to discover
o Example: She found out the truth about her friend.
7. Get along (with) - to have a good relationship (with)
o Example: She gets along with all her colleagues.
8. Give up - to stop trying, to surrender
o Example: He gave up smoking last year.
9. Look after - to take care of
o Example: Can you look after my cat while I'm away?
10. Look forward to - to await eagerly
o Example: I look forward to seeing you soon.
11. Make up - to invent (a story, an excuse), to reconcile after an argument
 o Example: She made up an excuse for being late. / They made up after the
argument.
12. Pick up - to collect, to lift
o Example: Can you pick up the kids from school? / He picked up the book from
the table.
13. Put off - to postpone
o Example: The meeting was put off until next week.
14. Run into - to meet by chance
o Example: I ran into an old friend at the store.
15. Set up - to arrange, to start a business
o Example: They set up a new company. / He set up a meeting with the client.
16. Take off - to remove (clothing), to leave the ground (an airplane)
o Example: He took off his coat. / The plane took off on time.
17. Turn down - to refuse, to lower the volume
o Example: She turned down the job offer. / Please turn down the music.
18. Turn up - to arrive, to increase the volume
o Example: He finally turned up at the party. / Can you turn up the TV?
19. Wake up - to stop sleeping
o Example: I wake up at 7 AM every day.
20. Work out - to exercise, to find a solution
o Example: She works out at the gym every day. / They finally worked out their
differences.