grammar points

1 TARGET GRAMMAR POINTS FOR THE ENTRANCE EXAM

TENSESI. The present tenses

A. The present simple tense1. Habitual behavior in the present The present simple tense is used for habitual actions or permanent situations in the present.

I go for a run twice a week. She lives near the station.

Frequency adverbs are used to indicate how often and action occurs. They are usually placed:

- Before the main verb.I always go to bed before midnight.- After the verb to be or an auxiliary verb.She is often late for work.They have rarely been seen together.- Usually, normally, frequently, sometimes, (very/quite) often and occasionally can also be placed at the beginning of the sentence or clause.Occasionally we go out to the cinema, but usually we stay in and watch a video.* Always, rarely, seldom, hardly ever, and never cannot be used in the same way.

2. Referring to the futureThe present simple can be used to:

Talk about timetabled or scheduled events.

The film starts at 9.15, just after the news.

To refer to the future after time linkers such as when, before, after, until, by the time, as soon as.

Give me a call as soon as you arrive.

Referring to the facts or theories

The sun rises in the East.

Water boils at 100oC.

Compiled by Do Nguyen Dang Khoa


B. The present continuous tense

1. Continuous actions

2. Other usages The present continuous + always is used to talk about things with occur frequently and

which the speaker finds annoying.

He’s always complaining about something!

The present continuous is used to talk about future arrangements which have already been made.

Sue and Alan are getting married on June 21 st.

3. Present continuous for the future and be going to + infinitive (see the future tenses)

4. Present continuous and stative verbs Stative verbs describe unchanging states, rather than changing actions or events. Therefore,

they are not normally used in the Continuous.

The chart below shows some common stative verbs:

Appearances Emotions Mental States

Perception and the Senses

Possession Wants and Preferences

AppearBeConcernExistIndicateLookMeanParallelRepresentResembleSeemSignify

AbhorAdmireAdoreAppealAppreciateCareDesireDespiseDetestDislikeDoubtEmpathizeEnvyFearForgiveHateHopeLikeLovePityRegret

AgreeAmazeAmuseAssumeAstonishBelieveBoreCareConsiderDeemDenyDisagreeDisbelieveEntertain (amuse)EstimateExpectFancyForgetRememberRevere

FavorFeel (believe)Figure (assume)Find(believe)GuessHesitateHopeImagineImplyImpressInferKnowMeanMindPresumeRealizeRecognizeRecollect

AcheFeelHearHurtNoticeObservePerceiveSeeSenseSmartSmellSoundTaste

BelongConsistContainHaveOwnPertainPossess

DesireNeedPreferWantWish

OtherCostDependDeserveEqualFitIncludeIntendLackMatterMeasureOweRefuseSufficeWeigh



RespectSatisfySympathizeTrust

See (understand)SuitSuppose

SuspectThink (believe)Tire Understand Wonder

However, there are some stative verbs that can be used to refer to actions.

This cheese tastes good.

The chef is tasting the soup.

Thus, these verbs can be used in the Continuous.

The list below shows some common stative verbs which can be used in that way:

ache

admire

agree

amuse

annoy

anticipate

attract

assume

appeal

be

bore

consider

cost

deny

depend

disagree

doubt

empathize

entertain

expect

favor

feel

figure

find

guess

have

hear

hesitate

hope

hurt

imagine

imply

impress

include

indicate

lack

like

look

love

mean

mind

notice

observe

perceive

presume

realize

refuse

represent

see

sound

weigh

sense

smell

sympathize

taste

think

weigh

wonder

C. The present perfect tenseThe present perfect links past events and situations with the present.



The present perfect is used:

To give news of recent past events which have some relevance to the present.

Be careful! I’ve just dropped a glass on the floor.

To describe something that started in the past and continues to the present.

My wife and I have lived in the same house ever since we got married.

To describe events with occurred at some time between the past and the present. Exactly when they happened is not known or not important.

I’ve been to Poland three or four times.

Some time expressions that the present perfect tense is commonly used with: ever, never, just, recently, so far, still, yet, already, up to now, lately…

D. The present perfect continuousThe present perfect continuous shares the same usage with the present perfect. However, there is something to take notice of:

The continuous form is used to emphasize the duration of a situation or activity.

It’s been snowing all day.

To suggest that a situation is incomplete.

I’ve been painting the house – that’s why it’s in a mess.

To focus on the repetition of a situation or activity.

He’s been getting into trouble at school a lot recently.

Just like the present continuous tense (and any other continuous forms of tense), it can’t be used with stative verbs.

MODAL VERBS



I. Modal verbs of speculation

1. CertaintyIf we are fairly certain about something, must, can’t and couldn’t can be used to express this.

A. For present situations: modal verbs +bare infinitive“I haven’t slept for two days.” “You must be exhausted!”

Everyone here is wearing a football scarf, so we can’t be very far from the stadium.

The continuous infinitive can also be used.

Why is he wearing his uniform? He couldn’t be going to school – it’s Saturday today.

B. For past situations: modal verbs + have +past participle

I can’t find my book. I must have left it at school.

This composition isn’t very good. You can’t have spent very long on it.

The continuous form can also be used.

“And then I lost control of the car.” “You must have been driving too fast,”

2. Possibility

If we are not certain about something but think it is possible, we use may (not), might (not) or could.

A. For present situations: modal verbs + bare infinitive

“Ed’s not answering my emails.” “He might be on holiday,”

The continuous infinitive is also possible.

He could be telling the truth, but it’s hard to believe.



B. For past situations: modal verbs + have + past participle

I think we may have taken the wrong road. This doesn’t look familiar.

The continuous form is possible.

“Sean looked a little sad.” “He might not have been feeling very well.”

II. Permission and concession: MIGHT, MAY, CAN, COULD

1. Permission

A. Can and may (more formal) can be used to: give or refuse permission

You may/can borrow up to three videos at any one time from the library.

You can’t /may not go until you have finished.

make offers

May I be of assistance?

Can I carry that for you?

B. Can and could can be used to: make requests

Can/could you give me a hand, please?

ask for permission

Can/Could I open the window?

The more formal “may” can also be used.

May I ask a personal question?

2. Concession

Might and may can be used to express concession:

He might have failed his degree, but he’s earning much more than me.



(Although he failed his degree, he’s earning much more than me.)

She may be very famous, but that doesn’t give her the right to behave like that in public.

may and might can also be used to suggest what one should do when there is no better alternative (notice the phrase “as well”).

I might as well go shopping with my parents – I’ve got nothing else to do.

You’ll find out the truth sooner or later, so I may as well tell you now that what happened.

III. Giving advice: SHOULD and OUGHT TO

Should and ought to + infinitive are used to give advice or express opinions about what is right and wrong.

You shouldn’t play/oughtn’t to play with matches – it’s dangerous.

Should have and ought to have + past participle can be used to criticize past actions, express regret or talk about things which were supposed to happen but didn’t.

You really shouldn’t have shouted at him like that.

You ought to have asked Jill if she wanted to come.

Where’s Bob? He should have been here ages ago.

IV.Expressing ability: CAN, COULD vs BE ABLE TO

Can and am/is/are able to can be used to express ability or inability in the present.

She can/ is able to speak three languages fluently.

When we talk about general ability in the past, both could and was/were able to are possible.

She could sing really well when she was a child.

My grandfather could play the trumpet when he was 90.



When we talk about ability to do something on one occasion in the past, could is NOT possible. Instead, was/were able to, managed to + infinitive or succeeded in + gerund have to be used.

I managed to/was able to speak to Frank last night.

Firefighters succeeded in controlling the flames.

When we talk about inability to do something on one occasion in the past, couldn’t, weren’t/wasn’t able to, didn’t manage to and didn’t succeed in are all possible.

I couldn’t do the homework; it was too difficult.

I didn’t manage to/wasn’t able to repair the washing machine.

V. Habitual behavior in the past: WOULD and USED TO Used to + infinitive is used to refer to past habits and situations which no longer occur or

exist now.

We used to have a cat, but he died last year.

I always used to walk to work until I bought a car.

Note the negative and question forms:

I didn’t use to like cheese. Where did you use to live?

Would + infinitive is used to refer to past habits, but not past situations.

Habit: My dad would often read to me when I was a young boy.

Situation: I used to (NOT would) have a bicycle.

(Stative verbs are not used with would)

VI.Obligation and necessity

1. Obligation: MUST and HAVE TOMust + infinitive is used to give orders or strong advice, or to tell oneself what is necessary. The authority comes from the speaker.

All questions must be answered.

You really must see Russell Crowe’s new film.



I must remember to get some bread.

Have to + infinitive is also used to talk about obligations. The authority comes from someone other than the speaker.

We have to wear a swimming cap in the indoor pool.

* However, mustn’t express prohibition; don’t have to expresses lack of obligation or necessity.

You mustn’t touch this, darling – it’s very hot.

You don’t have to come if you don’t want to.

must have + past participle is used to speculate about past situations (SEE I-B), had to + infinitive expresses past obligation or necessity.

Sean’s late – he must have got stuck in a traffic jam.

The bus broke down so I had to walk.

2. Necessity: NEED and NEED TOA. Need + infinitive is not used in ordinary statements; need to + infinitive is much more

common for expressing necessity.

I need to get some new shoes. (NOT I need get…)What do we need to take with us?*Usually, there is no difference in meaning between needn’t + infinitive and don’t need to + infinitive. They both indicate a lack of obligation to do something.

B. Needn’t have + past participle and didn’t need to + infinitive needn’t have + past participle is used to talk about an action which was performed but

which was unnecessary.

You needn’t have bought those batteries – we’ve got plenty in the drawer.didn’t need to + infinitive is used to talk about an action which was unnecessary. It usually indicates that the subject DID NOT perform the action.I didn’t need to spend very long on my homework last night – it was quite easy.

SUBJECT – VERB AGREEMENT



1.

INSTANCES VERB FORMNOUN/PRONOUN

FORMEXAMPLES

S1 + together with/ along with/ accompanied by/ as well as + S2

Following S1

- Mary, along with her manager and some friends, is going to a party tonight.- Mr. Robbins, accompanied by her wife and children, is arriving tonight.

S1 + or + S2 Following S2- The serving bowl or the plates go on that shelf.

Either + S1… or S2…

Neither + S1… nor S2…Following S2

- Neither John nor his friends are going to the beach today.

- Neither the boys nor Carmen has seen this movie before.

S1 + and + S2 Plural

- Mary and her manager are going to a party tonight.

S1 + and + S2 used as a single item

Singular

- This gin and tonic isn’t very strong.

(Some phrases like this: fish and chips, bread and butter, salt and pepper, meat pie and peas, research and development…)



One of

Each of

Either of

Neither of

Singular

- One of my friends is a doctor.

- Each of the students needs to do it.

Every-

Some-

Any-

No-

Singular

- Everybody who wants to buy a ticket should be in this line.Something is in my eye.- Anybody who has lost his ticket should report to the desk.

Any of

None of

The majority of

A lot of

Plenty of

All (of)

Some (of)

Depending on nouns uncountable/plural

- None of the counterfeit money has been found.- None of the students have finished the exam yet.

A number of Plural PluralA number of refugees have been turned back at the border.

The number of Singular PluralThe number of books in the library has risen to over five millon.



2. Other instances

A. If a subject is a clause, we usually use a singular verb:

- To keep these young people in prison is inhuman.

- Having overall responsibility for the course means that I have a lot of meetings.

- Whoever took them remains a mystery.

- That Rangers won both matches was a great achievement.

B. Some nouns with a singular for, referring to groups of some kind, can be used with either a singular or plural form of the verb. The usage depends on what we focus on:

+ If the focus is on the institution or organization as a whole unit: singular verb.

+ If the focus is on a collection of individuals: plural verb.

These words are: army, association, audience, class, club, college, committee, community, company, crew, crowd, department, electorate, enemy, family, generation, government, group, jury, opposition, orchestra, population, press, public, school, team, university and the names of specific organizations such as the Bank of England, the BBC, IBM, Sony, the United Nations.

C. When names and titles ending in –s refer to a single unit, we use a singular verb.

At this time of the year the Netherlands is one hour ahead of UK.

The Los Angeles Times lists Derek Jones as the fifth richest man in the world.

The Machine Gunners was one of Robert Westall’s most successful books.

“Daps” is the word used in the south west of the country for sports shoes.



D. Some nouns are usually plural and take a plural verb.

These include belongings, clothes, congratulations, earnings, goods, outskirts, overheads, particulars (information), premises (building), riches, savings, stairs, surroundings, thanks, police, people, and staff.

The company’s earnings have increased for the last five years.

Police believe that Thomas is in Brazil.

Staff say that the new computer system has led to greater levels of stress in their work.

E. Some nouns always end in –s and look as if they are plural, but when we use them as the subject they have a singular verb.

These words are: means (“method” or “money”), some academic subjects, e.g. economics, linguistics, mathematics, phonetics, physics, politics, statistics; some sports, e.g. athletics, gymnastics; and some diseases, e.g. diabetes, measles, rabies. However, compare:



F. With a phrase referring to a measurement, amount or quantity we usually use a singular verb.

A hundred thousand dollars is a big sum of money.Five minutes is not enough for me to do it.Twenty kilometers is too far to ride.

After per cent (percent or %) (of) we use a singular verb if the per cent phrase refers to a singular or uncountable noun and a plural verb if it refers to a plural noun.

An inflation rate of only 2 per cent makes a big difference to export.I would say that about 50 per cent of the houses need major repairs.

INVERSION AND EMPHASISPART 1

I. Creating emphasis

If you want to give particular importance to a person, a thing or a clause in a sentence, we can use these structures: It is/was… that or What … is/was…

It was Norman’s incredible sense of humour that first attracted me to him.

What I find strange is (the fact) that he never talks about his father.

In each case, the underlined part of the sentence is being emphasized.

1. It is/was… that… can be used: With (only) when, while, or not until to emphasize a (period of) time.

It was while he was in Spain that Lennon wrote “Strawberry Fields Forever”.



It wasn’t until he took off his hat that I recognized him.

With because to emphasize reasons

Perhaps it’s because I’m a chef that people never invite me to their dinner parties.

To emphasize prepositional phrases

It was on the radio that I first heard the news.

To emphasize a thing or a person . “Who” can be used in place of “that” if we are referring to a person.

It was Gary who broke the chair.

It’s his left arm that’s broken, not his right one.

Modal verbs + be can be used instead of is and was.

It can’t be my mobile phone that’s ringing – it’s switched off.

It might have been the fish that made me ill.

2. What…is/was… can be used to emphasize:

A noun

What I most wanted to see in the Louvre was the Mona Lisa.

An action or series of actions

What you do then is (to) add the flour and stir it in thoroughly.

What happened was (that) I left my wallet in the café and had to go back.

All can be used instead of what to mean “the only thing that”.

All he (ever) did during the school holiday was (to) play on his computer.

All I really want is a little house in the countryside.



II. Inversion Certain adverbs and adverbial phrases with a negative or restrictive meaning can be placed at the beginning of a sentence for emphasis. In this case, the position of the subject and verb is reversed, as in question forms. This occurs mainly in written English or more formal speech.

1. Inversion after negative adverbialsInversion is used after negative adverbials. The following list shows some negative words and phrases:

A. Never/seldom/barely/scarcely/hardly (ever)/little: almost notNever did he fail any exams during his schooldays.

Seldom do we have goods returned to us because they are faulty.

B. Some negative phrases:at no time

in no way

on no account

under/in no circumstances

Never before

Nowhere

on no condition

Under no circumstances should you take that offer.

In no way will we give in to their demands.

At no time were you in any danger.



C. Certain phrases with “not”(not since, not until, not only… but also, not a + noun)

Not until August did the government order an inquiry into the accident.

Not until we got to my parents’ house did we realize we’d left all the Christmas presents at home.

Not a word had she written since the exam had started.

Not since I was little have I enjoyed myself so much.

Not only did he leave dirty footprints all over our carpet, but he also sat on my glasses.

2. Inversion with time adverbials: No sooner…than… and Hardly/Barely/Scarcely…when…

These phrases mean “as soon as”, “immediately after” or “soon after”. We use the past perfect in this case. Look at the examples:

No sooner had I got into the shower than the phone rang. (As soon as I got into the shower…)

Hardly had everybody taken their seats when Dr. Smith began his lecture.

*We can use “no sooner…than” with The simple past tense:

No sooner was the team back on the pitch than it started raining.

3. Inversion with only + time expression/prepositional phrases (only after, only later, only if, only once, only then, only when, only by…, only in…, only with…, etc.)

Only by chance had Jameson discovered where the birds were nesting.

Only in this way was she able to complete the report by the deadline.

Only when she apologises will I speak to her again.

Only later did she realize that she’d been given the wrong change.

*Notice that inversion can occur after a clause beginning only after/if/when or not until :

Only when the famine gets worse will world governments begin to act.

Not until the train pulled into Euston Station did Jim find that his coat had gone.


grammar points

Documents

nguyen dang khoa

target grammar points

modal verbs

past participle

common stative verbs

present perfect tense

stative verbs

infinitive