would rather is used to express a preference in english.pdf

Would rather is used to express a preference in English. Would rather is the same in

meaning as would prefer. These two phrases are used interchangeably to express a

preference when making a choice. Here are some examples of short conversations that use

would rather to either state or ask for a preference.

Example Dialogues

John: Let's go out tonight.

Mary: That's a good idea.

John: How about going to a film? There's a new film out with Tom Hanks.

Mary: I'd rather go out for dinner. I'm hungry!

Sue: I'm not sure which topic to choose for my essay.

Debby: Well, what are your choices?

Sue: I can write about the economy or about a book.

Debby: Which would you rather write about?

Would Rather - Structure

The form would rather is a little strange because 'rather' is not a verb but is part of an

expression that means 'would prefer to'. 'Rather' is usually immediately followed by a verb

in base form (verb without 'to'). It's common to use would rather in the shortened 'd rather

form in positive statements. All subjects take 'would rather'. Would rather can be used to

refer to the present moment or a future moment in time.

Positive

Subject + would rather ('d rather) + base form of verb

Peter'd rather spend time on the beach.

I would rather learn a new language than study math.

Question

Would + subject + rather + base form of verb

Would you rather stay at home?

Would they rather do homework tomorrow morning?

Would Rather - Than

Would rather is often used with 'than' with two verbs or objects when making a choice

between two specific actions.

Would you rather work for Tom than for Mary?

She would rather play tennis than go horseback riding.

http://esl.about.com/od/grammarglossary/g/phrase.htmhttp://esl.about.com/od/grammarglossary/g/baseform.htmhttp://esl.about.com/od/grammarglossary/g/baseform.htm

Would Rather - For Other People

Would rather is also used to express what one person prefers another person to do. The

structure is unusual because it takes the past for the preferred action. Here are some

examples:

Tom would rather Mary bought a SUV.

Would you rather she stayed here with us?

Positive

Subject + would rather ('d rather) + object + past tense

I would rather my son worked in finance.

Susan would rather Peter took a plane.

Question

Would + subject + rather + object + past tense

Would she rather her sister flew home tomorrow?

Would you rather he came with us to the meeting?

Positive

Subject + would rather ('d rather) + object + negative past tense

I'd rather she didn't come with us today.

Tim would rather Peter didn't join the company.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

he future, like the past and present, has four different forms: Simple Future, Future

Continuous, Future Perfect, and Future Perfect Continuous. To this comes the use of 'going

to' as a future form. The following article takes a look at each of these forms, as well as

some variations in future tense usage with clear examples to help explain the use of each.

Listed below are examples, uses and formation of Future Forms followed by a quiz.

Will Verb (base form)

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English Grammar Help

English Grammar Structures and Forms Explained for ESL EFL

Tenses - Present, Past and Future

Future Forms

By Kenneth Beare

English as 2nd Language Expert

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The future, like the past and present, has four different forms: Simple Future, Future

Continuous, Future Perfect, and Future Perfect Continuous. To this comes the use of 'going

to' as a future form. The following article takes a look at each of these forms, as well as

some variations in future tense usage with clear examples to help explain the use of each.

Listed below are examples, uses and formation of Future Forms followed by a quiz.


Examples:

It will snow tomorrow.

She won't win the election.

Used for predictions


Examples:

The concert will begin at 8 o'clock.

When will the train leave?

Used for scheduled events


http://esl.about.com/od/beginningenglish/ig/Basic-English/Future-Forms.htmhttp://esl.about.com/od/popularculturelessons/a/2012-Lesson-Plan.htmhttp://esl.about.com/od/grammarstructures/ig/Tenses-Chart/presentc3.htm

Examples:

Will you marry me?

I'll help you with your homework after class

Used for promises


Examples:

I'll make you a sandwich.

They'll help you if you want.

Used for offers


Examples:

He will telephone as soon as he arrives.

Will you visit me when you come next week?

Used in combination with time clauses (as soon as, when, before, after)

Be going to Verb (base form)

Examples:

Frank is going to study Medicine.

Where are they going to stay when they come?

She isn't going to buy the new house afterall.

The future with 'going to' is used to express planned events or intentions. These events or

intentions are decided on before the moment of speaking.

NOTE

'Going to' or '-ing' are often both correct for planed events. 'Going to' should be used for

distant future intentions (example: He's going to study Law)

Be going to Verb (base form)

Examples:

http://grammar.about.com/od/basicsentencegrammar/a/sbadvclauses.htm

Oh no! Look at those clouds. It's going to rain.

Be careful! You're going to drop those dishes!

Used for future predictions based on physical (usually visual) evidence.

Present Continuous (be '-ing')

Examples:

He's coming tomorrow afternoon.

What are we having for dinner?

I'm not seeing the doctor until Friday.

Used for planned or personally scheduled events. Usually used with principle verbs such as:

come, go, begin, start, finish, have, etc.

NOTE

'Going to' or '-ing' are often both correct for planed events. 'Going to' should be used for

distant future intentions (example: He's going to study Law)

Simple Present

Examples:

The class begins at 11.30.

The plane leaves at 6 o'clock.

Used for scheduled public events such as train and plane schedules, course schedules, etc.

Common future time expressions include:

next (week, month, year), tomorrow, in X's time (amount of time, i.e. two week's time), in

year, time clauses (when, as soon as, before, after) simple present (example: I will

telephone as soon as I arrive.) soon, later

Structure of the Forms

Future with Will

S + will + verb (base form) = positve

Examples:

http://esl.about.com/od/grammarstructures/a/prescont.htmhttp://esl.about.com/od/grammarglossary/g/timeexpresion.htm

I'll make you a sandwich.

They'll visit soon.

It'll rain tomorrow.

S + will not (won't) + verb (base form) = negative

Examples:

She won't come next week.

It won't take a long time.

We won't sing that song.

Will + S + verb (base form) = question

Examples:

Will you give me a hand?

Where will she stay?

When will we leave?

Future with 'going to'

Conjugate the helping verb "be" 'going to' verb (base form).

Examples:

You are going to stay with them.

She is going to visit Paul.

They are going to move soon.

Conjugate the helping verb "be" not going to verb (base form)

Examples:

I'm not going to stay very long.

We aren't going to visit our friends in Paris.

They aren't going to get a new job.

Question word conjugate the helping verb 'be' subject going to verb (base form)

Examples:

What are you going to do?

Where is he going to stay?

When are they going to leave?

http://esl.about.com/od/tense-review/ht/How-To-Conjugate-Verbs.htmhttp://esl.about.com/od/grammarglossary/g/baseform.htm

Future with '-ing' (present continuous)

Conjugate the helping verb "be" and verb -ing.

Examples:

I'm meeting him tomorrow.

She's having lunch with Tom.

They're flying to Lisbon next week.

Conjugate the helping verb "be" not verb -ing.

Examples:

She isn't having a meeting tomorrow.

You aren't playing tennis this weekend.

They aren't going to the party.

Question word conjugate the helping verb 'be' subject verb -ing

Examples:

Are you attending the meeting on Friday?

Is he coming to the party?

Are they giving a presentation?

Test your knowledge of future forms by taking the Future Forms Quiz

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Future with Going to for Future Plans

The future with 'going to' is used to express future plans or scheduled events. It is often

used instead of the present continuous for future scheduled work events. Either form can be

used for this purpose.

This tense is often used with the following time expressions:

... next week / month

... tomorrow

... on Monday, Tuesday, etc.

Basic Construction

Positive

http://esl.about.com/library/quiz/blgrquiz_future.htm

Subject + be + going to + verb + object(s) + time Expression

Tom is going to fly to Los Angeles next on Tuesday.

Negative

Subject + be not (isn't, aren't) + going to + verb + object(s) + time Expression

They aren't going to attend the conference next month.

Question

(Question Word) + be + subject + going to + verb + object(s) + time Expression

When are you going to meet Jack?

Take this future forms quiz to check your understanding.

If you are a teacher, use this guide on how to teach future forms for more help.

Present Simple

The present simple is used to express daily routines and habits. Adverbs of frequency such

as 'usually', 'sometimes', 'rarely', etc. are often used with the present simple.


always, usually, sometimes, etc.

... every day

... on Sundays, Tuesdays, etc.

Basic Construction

Positive

Subject + Present Tense + object(s) + time Expression

Frank usually takes a bus to work.

Negative

Subject + do / does + not (don't / doesn't) + verb + object(s) + time Expression

They don't often go to Chicago.

Question

http://esl.about.com/library/beginner/bl_bgfuture.htmhttp://esl.about.com/od/teaching_tenses/a/How-To-Teach-Future.htm

(Question Word) + do / does + subject + verb + object(s) + time Expression

How often do you play golf?

Test your understanding with this short quiz.

If you are a teacher, here is a guide on how to teach the present simple.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Teaching the present simple tense is one of the first, and most important tasks when

teaching beginners. It's a good idea to teach the present simple of the verb 'to be' to begin

with, and introduce simple adjectives to help students expand their understanding of the

verb 'to be'. After English learners are comfortable with the present and past forms of the

verb 'to be', teaching the present simple and past simple will be much easier.

Introducing the Present Simple

Start by Modeling the Present Simple

Most English learners are false beginners. In other words, they have already studied

English at some point. Begin teaching the present simple by stating some of your routines:

I get up at six thirty in the morning.

I teach at the Portland English School.

I have lunch at one o'clock.

etc.

Students will recognize most of these verbs. Model some questions for the students as well.

At this point, it's a good idea to ask yourself a question and provide the answer.

When do you have dinner? - I have dinner at six o'clock.

When do you come to school? - I come to school at two o'clock.

Where do you live? - I live in Portland.

etc.

Continue by asking students the same questions. Students will be able to follow your lead

and answer appropriately.

Introduce Third Person - S

Once the students are comfortable speaking about their own basic daily activities, introduce

the third person singular for 'he' and 'she' which will prove the most difficult for students.

Again, model the present simple third person 's' for the students.

http://esl.about.com/library/beginner/bl_bgpressimple.htmhttp://esl.about.com/od/verbtenses/a/How-To-Teach-Present-Simple.htmhttp://esl.about.com/od/grammarstructures/a/pres_simple.htmhttp://esl.about.com/library/beginner/blbe_quiz.htmhttp://esl.about.com/od/grammarforbeginners/a/adjective_use.htmhttp://esl.about.com/od/beginningenglish/ig/Basic-English/Present-Simple.htmhttp://grammar.about.com/od/correctingerrors/a/formstobe.htmhttp://esl.about.com/od/teaching_tenses/a/How-To-Teach-Past-Simple.htmhttp://esl.about.com/od/esleflteachingtechnique/a/t_afbeginners_3.htmhttp://esl.about.com/od/teachingintermediatelevel/a/Which-English-Language-School-Do-We-Choose.htm

When does Mary have dinner? - She has dinner at six o'clock.

When does John come to school? - He comes to school at two o'clock.

Where does she live? - He lives in Portland.

etc.

Ask each student a question and ask another for a reply, creating a chain of questions and

answers changing from 'you' to 'he' and 'she'. This will help students memorize this crucial

difference.

Where do you live? - (Student) I live in Portland.

Where does he live? - (Student) He lives in Portland.

etc.

Finally, introduce the negative form of the present simple in the same manner as above.

Remember to continually model the form to the students and immediately encourage a

similar answer.

Does Anne live in Seattle? - No, she doesn't live in Seattle. She lives in Portland.

Do you study French? - No, you don't study French. You study English.

etc.

Practicing the Present Simple

Explaining the Present Simple on the Board

Students will now recognize the present simple tense and be able to respond to simple

questions. It's time to introduce the grammar. Use a present simple tense timeline on the

board to stress the fact that this tense is used to express routines. I also like to use simple

charts showing the underlying structure of this tense.

Comprehension Activities

Once you have introduced the tense, and used the whiteboard to explain forms, continue

teaching the present simple tense through activities which use the present simple in context.

I suggest this reading comprehension about daily routines, or this interview listening

comprehension.

Continued Activity Practice

Students have learned to recognize the present simple, as well as understand the form in

comprehension activities. It's time to continue by having students use the present simple to

describe their own lives in both spoken and written form. This detailed lesson on daily

routines will help you continue the practice.

Expected Problems

http://esl.about.com/od/grammarstructures/ig/Tenses-Chart/spresent.htmhttp://esl.about.com/od/thebasics/a/beginner_present_simple.htmhttp://esl.about.com/library/listening/bllis_survey.htmhttp://esl.about.com/library/listening/bllis_survey.htmhttp://esl.about.com/od/teachingbeginners/a/ab_25beg.htmhttp://esl.about.com/od/teachingbeginners/a/ab_25beg.htm

Here are most common challenges for students when using the present simple:

Confusing with the present continuous for actions occurring at the moment of

speaking.

Use of 's' in the third person.

Auxiliary verb usage in the question and negative form, but NOT in the positive

form.

Placement of adverbs of frequency.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The present simple is used to express daily routines and habits. Adverbs of

frequency such as 'usually', 'sometimes', 'rarely', etc. are often used with the present simple.


always, usually, sometimes, etc.

... every day

... on Sundays, Tuesdays, etc.

Basic Construction

Positive

Subject + Present Tense + object(s) + time Expression

Frank usually takes a bus to work.

http://grammar.about.com/od/mo/g/negationterm.htmhttp://esl.about.com/od/teachingbeginners/a/ab_24beg.htm

Negative

Subject + do / does + not (don't / doesn't) + verb + object(s) + time Expression

They don't often go to Chicago.

Question

(Question Word) + do / does + subject + verb + object(s) + time Expression

How often do you play golf?

Test your understanding with this short quiz.

If you are a teacher, here is a guide on how to teach the present simple.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Teaching the present simple tense is one of the first, and most important tasks when

teaching beginners. It's a good idea to teach the present simple of the verb 'to be' to begin

with, and introduce simple adjectives to help students expand their understanding of the

verb 'to be'. After English learners are comfortable with the present and past forms of the

verb 'to be', teaching the present simple and past simple will be much easier.

Introducing the Present Simple

Start by Modeling the Present Simple

Most English learners are false beginners. In other words, they have already studied

English at some point. Begin teaching the present simple by stating some of your routines:

I get up at six thirty in the morning.

I teach at the Portland English School.

I have lunch at one o'clock.

etc.

Students will recognize most of these verbs. Model some questions for the students as well.

At this point, it's a good idea to ask yourself a question and provide the answer.

When do you have dinner? - I have dinner at six o'clock.

When do you come to school? - I come to school at two o'clock.

Where do you live? - I live in Portland.

etc.

http://esl.about.com/library/beginner/bl_bgpressimple.htmhttp://esl.about.com/od/verbtenses/a/How-To-Teach-Present-Simple.htmhttp://esl.about.com/od/grammarstructures/a/pres_simple.htmhttp://esl.about.com/library/beginner/blbe_quiz.htmhttp://esl.about.com/od/grammarforbeginners/a/adjective_use.htmhttp://esl.about.com/od/beginningenglish/ig/Basic-English/Present-Simple.htmhttp://grammar.about.com/od/correctingerrors/a/formstobe.htmhttp://esl.about.com/od/teaching_tenses/a/How-To-Teach-Past-Simple.htmhttp://esl.about.com/od/esleflteachingtechnique/a/t_afbeginners_3.htmhttp://esl.about.com/od/teachingintermediatelevel/a/Which-English-Language-School-Do-We-Choose.htm

Continue by asking students the same questions. Students will be able to follow your lead

and answer appropriately.

Introduce Third Person - S

Once the students are comfortable speaking about their own basic daily activities, introduce

the third person singular for 'he' and 'she' which will prove the most difficult for students.

Again, model the present simple third person 's' for the students.

When does Mary have dinner? - She has dinner at six o'clock.

When does John come to school? - He comes to school at two o'clock.

Where does she live? - He lives in Portland.

etc.

Ask each student a question and ask another for a reply, creating a chain of questions and

answers changing from 'you' to 'he' and 'she'. This will help students memorize this crucial

difference.

Where do you live? - (Student) I live in Portland.

Where does he live? - (Student) He lives in Portland.

etc.

Finally, introduce the negative form of the present simple in the same manner as above.

Remember to continually model the form to the students and immediately encourage a

similar answer.

Does Anne live in Seattle? - No, she doesn't live in Seattle. She lives in Portland.

Do you study French? - No, you don't study French. You study English.

etc.

Practicing the Present Simple

Explaining the Present Simple on the Board

Students will now recognize the present simple tense and be able to respond to simple

questions. It's time to introduce the grammar. Use a present simple tense timeline on the

board to stress the fact that this tense is used to express routines. I also like to use simple

charts showing the underlying structure of this tense.

Comprehension Activities

Once you have introduced the tense, and used the whiteboard to explain forms, continue

teaching the present simple tense through activities which use the present simple in context.

I suggest this reading comprehension about daily routines, or this interview listening

comprehension.

http://esl.about.com/od/grammarstructures/ig/Tenses-Chart/spresent.htmhttp://esl.about.com/od/thebasics/a/beginner_present_simple.htmhttp://esl.about.com/library/listening/bllis_survey.htmhttp://esl.about.com/library/listening/bllis_survey.htm

Continued Activity Practice

Students have learned to recognize the present simple, as well as understand the form in

comprehension activities. It's time to continue by having students use the present simple to

describe their own lives in both spoken and written form. This detailed lesson on daily

routines will help you continue the practice.

Expected Problems

Here are most common challenges for students when using the present simple:

Confusing with the present continuous for actions occurring at the moment of

speaking.

Use of 's' in the third person.

Auxiliary verb usage in the question and negative form, but NOT in the positive

form.

Placement of adverbs of frequency.

Definition:

A negative verb construction that ends in -'nt.

These are the negative contractions commonly used in speech and in informal writing:

aren't, isn't, wasn't, weren't can't, couldn't, mustn't, shouldn't, won't, wouldn't didn't, doesn't, don't hasn't, haven't, hadn't

Shan't (the contraction of shall not ) is extremely rare in American English , but it can still be heard

in British English . Contractions for

may not ( mayn't ) and might not ( mightn't ) occur infrequently in contemporary English. Except in

Hiberno-English (which uses amn't ), there is no negative contraction for am , though the

nonstandard form ain't is sometimes used in casual speech. See Examples and Observations

(below).

See also:

Contraction Double Negative Negation Negative Particle Notes on Contractions in English Polarity Sentence Negation

http://esl.about.com/od/teachingbeginners/a/ab_25beg.htmhttp://esl.about.com/od/teachingbeginners/a/ab_25beg.htmhttp://grammar.about.com/od/mo/g/negationterm.htmhttp://esl.about.com/od/teachingbeginners/a/ab_24beg.htmhttp://grammar.about.com/od/mo/g/negationterm.htmhttp://grammar.about.com/od/tz/g/verbterm.htmhttp://grammar.about.com/od/rs/g/speechterm.htmhttp://grammar.about.com/od/il/g/informalstyleterm.htmhttp://grammar.about.com/od/ab/g/American-English.htmhttp://grammar.about.com/od/ab/g/British-English.htmhttp://grammar.about.com/od/mo/g/nonstandterm.htmhttp://grammar.about.com/od/c/g/contracterm.htmhttp://grammar.about.com/od/d/g/doubnegterm.htmhttp://grammar.about.com/od/mo/g/negationterm.htmhttp://grammar.about.com/od/mo/g/negativeparticleterm.htmhttp://grammar.about.com/od/words/a/Notes-On-Contractions.htmhttp://grammar.about.com/od/pq/g/polarityterm.htmhttp://grammar.about.com/od/rs/g/Sentence-Negation.htm

Examples and Observations:

"'If you shouldn't be defendin' him, then why are you doin' it?' "'For a number of reasons,' said Atticus. 'The main one is, if I didn't I couldn't hold up my head in town, I couldn't represent this county in the legislature, I couldn't even tell you or Jem not to do something again.' "'You mean if you didn't defend that man, Jem and me wouldn't have to mind you any more?' "'That's about right.'" (Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird. J.B. Lippincott, 1960)

Stella: Oh, you can't describe someone you're in love with! Here's a picture of him Blanche: An officer? Stella: A Master Sergeant in the Engineers' Corps. Those are decorations! Blanche: He had those on when you met him? Stella: I assure you I wasn't just blinded by all the brass. (Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire, 1947)

"I'll say, 'It was an accident Mom . . . a mistake . . . it won't happen again.' "And Ralph will say, 'If you hadn't been thinking about that girl this never would have happened.'" (Judy Blume, Then Again, Maybe I Won't. Bradbury Press, 1971)

"I'm getting very deaf. I suppose I don't hear people. Emily's got a bad toe. We shan't be able to start for Wales till the end of the month." (John Galsworthy, The Forsyte Saga, 1922)

"'Don't go to any trouble on my account,' Paul D said. "'Bread ain't trouble. The rest I brought back from where I work.'" (Toni Morrison, Beloved. Alfred Knopf, 1987)

Negative Contraction and Auxiliary Contraction "[N]egative contraction is possible for a much wider range of verbs than auxiliary (or non-negative) contraction in standard English. Practically every verb (except am) has a form

http://grammar.about.com/od/rs/g/standengterm.htm

with a contracted negative, whereas auxiliary contraction is only possible for a smaller number of verbs. For this reason, speakers have a choice between negative vs auxiliary contraction for the following verb forms only: is, are; have, has, had; will, would; shall, should. Some of the auxiliary contracted forms are ambiguous: he's not is the contracted form of both he is not and he has not (although this use is relatively rare); I'd not can be derived from either I had not, I would not or I should not; and you'll not can--at least in principle--be the contracted form of you will not or you shall not. "In addition, however, one has to consider different syntactic environments. The distinction between auxiliary and negative contraction is only relevant for declarative sentences. Only here and for those verbs listed above do speakers have a choice between negative contraction, auxiliary contraction and completely uncontracted forms." (Lieselotte Anderwald, Negation in Non-Standard British English: Gaps, Regularizations and Asymmetries. Routledge, 2002)

Rogue Contractions: Aren't I and Ain't "Negative contraction is not a possibility with am not (*I amn't), and this causes a difficulty in questions (where inversion does not allow verb contraction). In colloquial English, aren't I is sometimes substituted for the non-existent *amn't I. (The full form am I not is generally avoided.)

I'm naughty aren't I? ( conv)

' Aren't I supposed to understand?' (fict)

"[Ain't] is a very versatile negative contraction, capable of substituting for all negative

contractions of be or the auxiliary have:

'There ain't nothing we can do.' (fict) isn't>

'I'm whispering now, ain't I?' (fict) aren't>

I ain't done nothing. (conv) haven't>

Ain't is common is the conversation of some dialects, and it occurs in representations of

speech in writing. However, ain't is widely felt to be nonstandard, and so it is generally

avoided in written language, as well as in careful speech."

(Douglas Biber, Susan Conrad , and Geoffrey Leech, Longman Student Grammar of Spoken

English. Pearson, 2002)

Usage: The Case Against Ain't "Long a shibboleth for 20th-century Americans, the negative contraction ain't continues to be Substandard when used unconsciously or unintentionally. It is a word, though, and in Vulgar and some Common use, it replaces are not, is not, am not, has not, and have not in

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statements. Standard English replaces I ain't with I'm not and the interrogative ain't I (which is often added to statements, e.g., I'm safe, ain't I?) with a choice of somewhat clumsy locutions: am I not? aren't I? or an even more roundabout Isn't that so? . . . The firm rejection of ain't in Standard use is hard to explain, but clearly Americans have come down hardest on it, and they have made the rejection stick in Standard American English. Consciously jocular uses are acceptable, but using ain't in circumstances that do not suggest deliberate choice may brand you as a speaker of Vulgar English." (Kenneth G. Wilson, The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. Columbia University Press, 1993)

Negative Contraction and Be Contraction "Whereas for all auxiliary verbs negative contraction (e.g. haven't, hasn't, won't) is vastly preferred over auxiliary contraction (e.g. 've not, 'd not, 'll not), we get the reverse picture for be. Even isn't (12.5%) and aren't (3.5%) are used very rarely in the British Isles, so that the near absence of amn't in standard as well as non-standard varieties is not a striking exception, but simply the tip of the iceberg. "The motivation for this striking preference of be-contraction over negative contraction for all other auxiliaries is most likely a cognitive one, namely the extremely low semantic content of be." (Bernd Kortmann, Tanja Herrmann, Lukas Pietsch, and Susanne Wagner, Agreement, Gender, Relative Clauses. Walter de Gruyter, 2005)

Negative Contractions and Language Acquisition "[C]hildren will use some of the negative contractions prior to their acquisition of the rules for not in the verb phrase. The negative contractions don't, won't, and can't are acquired early and may be used prior to the acquisition of the particular auxiliaries which they represent. Children appear to learn these negative contractions as single morphemes and use them to negate prior to learning the auxiliary plus not." (Virginia A. Heidinger, Analyzing Syntax and Semantics: A Self-Instructional Approach for Teachers and Clinicians. Gallaudet University Press, 1984)

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Use the present perfect to express a state or repeated action that began in the past and

continues into the moment of speaking. The present perfect or the present perfect

continuous can often be interchanged. The main difference between these two forms is that

the present perfect continuous is generally used to express the length of the current activity

up to the present moment in time.


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... for + amount of time

... since + specific point in time

Basic Construction

Positive

Subject + have / has + past participle + object(s) + time Expression

I have lived in Portland for four years.

Negative

Subject + have / has not (haven't, hasn't) + past participle + object(s) + time Expression

Max hasn't played tennis since 1999.

Question

(Question Word) + have / has + subject + past participle + object(s) + time Expression

Where have you worked since 2002?

Take this present perfect quiz to check your understanding.

If you are a teacher, use this guide on how to teach the present perfect tense for mor

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Here are the rules for using would rather, would prefer and prefer correctly. The first table

looks at how we can express specific preference; the second shows us how to express

general preference.

Would prefer, would rather:

expressing specific preference

When we speak about a specific preference,

would rather and would prefer have the

same meaning and are interchangeable.

We went to the theatre yesterday. Today I

would rather go to the cinema.


would prefer to go to the cinema.

Would rather can be abbreviated to 'd

rather.

Would prefer can be abbreviated to 'd

prefer.

I'd rather go to the cinema.

I'd prefer to go to the cinema.

Would rather is followed by the bare

infinitive.

I'd rather have fruit juice.

I'd prefer to have fruit juice.

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Would prefer is followed by to + infinitive

or a noun.

I'd prefer fruit juice.

We use a past tense after would rather when

we speak about the actions of other people,

even though that action may be in the present

or future.

I'd rather you took a taxi (instead of

walking) it's not safe on the streets at night.

The film is quite violent. I'd rather our

children didn't watch it.

We say:

would rather . . . than

It's such nice weather I'd rather sit in the

garden than watch TV.

We say:

would prefer . . . rather than / instead of

It's such nice weather I'd prefer to sit in the

garden rather than watch TV.

Prefer, would rather:

expressing general preference

When we talk about general preferences, we

can use prefer or would rather. The

meaning is the same.

I prefer walking to cycling.

I would rather walk than cycle.

After prefer we use the verb in the -ing

form.

After would rather we use the infinitive

without to.

I prefer using a keyboard to writing with a

pen.

Id rather use a keyboard than write with a

pen.

(Id = I would)

We say: prefer . . . to . . .

We say: would rather . . . than . . .

I prefer walking to driving.

Id rather walk than drive.

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Been, gone: difference

Home > English resources > Grammar rules > Other grammar rules >

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Been is the past participle of the verb be:

The verb "be"

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I am

you are

he is, etc.

I was

you were

he was, etc.

I have been

you have been

he has been, etc.

Been can also mean come or gone:

Been (meaning come or gone)

We sometimes use been as the past participle of come and go.

present simple past simple present perfect

I go to the cinema a lot. I went to the cinema yesterday.

I haven't been to the cinema for

years.

I haven't gone

Do you often go to London? Did you go to London last

weekend?

Have you ever been to London?

have you ever gone

She comes here a lot. She came here yesterday. She's been here twice today.

She's come here twice today.

Been or gone?

Been, gone: difference

gone = She went there and she is still there.

Liz has gone to the bank.

(She's at the bank now.)

been = She went there but now she's back.

Liz has been to the bank.

(She's back at home now.)

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Be used to, get used to, used to


inShare

How to use be used to, get used to and used to correctly.

Be used to

If you are used to something, you have often

done or experienced it; it is not strange, new

or difficult for you.

Structure: Be used to + noun phrase or verb

(-ing form)

I am used to getting up early in the morning.

I don't mind it.

He didn't complain about the neighbours

loud party he was used to the noise.

We can also say be used to someone. I dont think Toms strange Im used to

him.

Negative: be not used to. I don't understand him: I'm not used to his

accent yet.

Get used to

Structure:

Get used to + something / someone

Get used to + verb (-ing form)

I got used to his Scottish accent after a while

.

I got used to waking up early in the morning.

If you get used to something, you become

accustomed to it; it is no longer unusual or

strange.

Get used to is the process of becoming used

to something.

After a while he didn't mind the noise in the

office; he got used to it.

Used to

Used to + verb infinitive refers to a habit or state in the past. It is used only in the past

simple tense.

Past habits If you used to do something, you did it for a

period of time in the past, but you don't do it

any more.

We used to live there when I was a child.

I used to walk to school every day when I

was a child.

Past states We also say used to to express a state that

existed in the past but doesn't exist now.

States are NOT actions. We express states

I used to like The Beatles, but now I never

listen to them.

He used to have long hair, but now its very

short.

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with stative verbs such as have, believe,

know and like.

I used to believe in magic when I was a

child.

Structure of questions:

did(n't) + subject + use to be Did(n't) he use to work in your office?

Structure of negative:

subject + didn't + use to be. I didn't use to like wine, but now I love it.

Practice exercise (intermediate) used to, be used to and get used

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Short forms (contractions): Im, hes,

shes, dont, lets, etc.


inShare

We often use short forms (called contractions) in spoken English. For instance, instead of

saying I am here, we often say Im here. Instead of he is late, we say hes late.

When we write a short form, we replace the missing letter with (called an apostrophe).

Short forms (contractions):

Im, hes, were, etc.

I he, she, it we, you, they

am = m Im

is = s

hes, she's, it's

are = re

were, youre, theyre

have = ve I've

we've, you've, they've

has = s

he's, she's, it's

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would = d I'd he'd, she'd, it'd we'd, you'd, they'd

will = ll I'll he'll, she'll, it'll we'll, you'll, they'll

Short forms (contractions) of negatives:

don't, doesn't, haven't, etc.

isnt (= is not) hasnt (= has not) dont (= do not) cant (= cannot)

arent (= are not) havent (= have not) doesnt (= does not) couldnt (= could not)

wasnt (= was not) hadnt (= had not) didnt (= did not) wont (= will not)

werent (= were not)

wouldnt (= would not)

shouldnt (= should not)

mustnt (= must not)

neednt (= need not)

mightnt (= might not)

darent (= dare not)

The contraction s can mean is or has

Hes going to the cinema. (= he is going) Hes gone to the cinema. (= he has gone) Its getting dark. (= it is getting) Its got dark. (= it has got)

See a further explanation and more examples: Its = it is or it has. How to tell the

difference.

The contraction d can mean would or had

Id = I would or I had Youd = you would or you had Hed = he would or he had Shed = she would or she had Itd = it would or it had Wed = we would or we had Theyd = they would or they had

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See a full explanation with more examples: Id = would or I had.

Lets = let us

Its sunny lets go to the park for a picnic. (= let us go) Its raining lets watch a film at home. (= let us watch)

Hows, whats, etc.

We often use some short forms with question words (how, which, what, etc.) in spoken

English:

Short forms (contractions) of question words:

how, who, what, etc.

who whos = who is Whos that man over there?

who whod = who would Whod like some tea?

who wholl = who will Wholl be here tomorrow?

what whats = what is Whats for dinner?

what whatll = what will Whatll happen if . . . ?

how hows = how is Hows your father?

where wheres = where is Wheres the nearest shop?

when whens = when is Whens your birthday?

Heres, theres, thats

We can also use some short forms with here, there, and that:

Short forms (contractions):

here, there, that

here heres = here is Heres the kitchen and heres the

bathroom.

there theres = there is Theres a great pub in the village.

http://speakspeak.com/resources/english-grammar-rules/various-grammar-rules/apostrophe-d-had-or-would

there thered = there would If people drove less, thered be less

pollution.

there therell = there will If you come early, therell be more

time to talk.

that thats = that is Thats my house over there.

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Few, a few, little, a little


inShare

Few / a few, little / a little are quantifiers. Here is how to use them correctly:

Few, a few

A few is more than few.

We use a few and few + a plural

countable noun.

few people, few books, few letters

a few people, a few books, a few letters

A few is a positive idea. Fortunately, our financial situation is good: we

still have a few good customers.

Few is a negative idea. It means 'almost

none'. We can also use very few.

I'm very sad: I have few good friends.

I'm very sad: I have very few good friends.

(Both these sentences mean I don't have many

good friends I would like to have more.)

A few and few have irregular

comparative and superlative forms.

few fewer the fewest a few more the most

Little, a little

A little is more than little.

We use a little and little + an uncountable

noun.

a little time, a little food, a little money,

little time, little food, little money

A little is a positive idea. It means 'not much,

but some'. I can help you: I speak a little English.

Little is a negative idea. It means 'nearly

none, nearly nothing'. We can also use very

I can't help you. I speak little English.

I can't help you. I speak very little English.

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little.

Both these sentences mean My English

isnt good; I would like to speak English

better.

A little and little have irregular comparative

and superlative forms.

little less the least a little more the most

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d = had or would


inShare

The contraction Id can mean I would or I had.

Here are some similar examples:

Youd = you would or you had

Hed = he would or he had

Shed = she would or she had

Itd = it would or it had

Wed = we would or we had

Theyd = they would or they had

We can often tell if Id means I would or I had simply by looking at the context of the

sentence. However, if were not sure, we must look at the grammatical form which follows

the contraction d.

Take a look at this table for an explanation with examples:

'd = "had" or "would"

The contraction 'd can mean would or had.

To tell the difference we need to look at what follows 'd:

Would is followed by the bare infinitive

(infinitive without to).

I'd like some tea. ('d = would)

He'd go if he had some money. ('d = would)

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would be, would go, etc. It'd be a good idea. ('d = would)

Would can also be followed by the perfect

infinitive (have + past participle).

would have been, would have gone, etc.

I'd have gone if I had had time. ('d = would)

He'd have been 70 today. ('d = would)

Had is followed by a past participle

had gone, had had, had been, had spoken,

etc..

He'd gone home. ('d = had)

He'd been married a year. ('d = had)

She'd just spoken to her. ('d = had)

I wish I'd waited longer. ('d = had)

I'd better do something ('d = had)

(used for giving advice or warnings)

You'd better be careful it might be

dangerous. ('d = had)

We'd better ask someone else because I'm

not sure. ('d = had)

I'd rather

('d = would)

I'd rather live in Paris than in Rome. ('d =

would)

I'm tired so I'd rather not go out. ('d =

would)

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Would rather, would prefer, prefer


inShare

Here are the rules for using would rather, would prefer and prefer correctly. The first table

looks at how we can express specific preference; the second shows us how to express

general preference.

Would prefer, would rather:

expressing specific preference

When we speak about a specific preference,

would rather and would prefer have the

same meaning and are interchangeable.


would rather go to the cinema.


would prefer to go to the cinema.

Would rather can be abbreviated to 'd

rather.

Would prefer can be abbreviated to 'd

prefer.

I'd rather go to the cinema.

I'd prefer to go to the cinema.

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Would rather is followed by the bare

infinitive.

Would prefer is followed by to + infinitive

or a noun.

I'd rather have fruit juice.

I'd prefer to have fruit juice.

I'd prefer fruit juice.

We use a past tense after would rather when

we speak about the actions of other people,

even though that action may be in the present

or future.

I'd rather you took a taxi (instead of

walking) it's not safe on the streets at night.

The film is quite violent. I'd rather our

children didn't watch it.

We say:

would rather . . . than

It's such nice weather I'd rather sit in the

garden than watch TV.

We say:

would prefer . . . rather than / instead of

It's such nice weather I'd prefer to sit in the

garden rather than watch TV.

Prefer, would rather:

expressing general preference

When we talk about general preferences, we

can use prefer or would rather. The

meaning is the same.

I prefer walking to cycling.

I would rather walk than cycle.

After prefer we use the verb in the -ing

form.

After would rather we use the infinitive

without to.

I prefer using a keyboard to writing with a

pen.

Id rather use a keyboard than write with a

pen.

(Id = I would)

We say: prefer . . . to . . .

We say: would rather . . . than . . .

I prefer walking to driving.

Id rather walk than drive.

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Confusing words: so, such

Stuart Cook May 4, 2012 Confusing words 6

inShare

In this post well look at so and such, two more words that often cause problems for

students of English.

http://speakspeak.com/author/stuartcookhttp://speakspeak.com/confusing-wordshttp://speakspeak.com/confusing-words/so-such-difference#commentsjavascript:void(0);

Well see a simple rule that tells us whether we need so or such in a sentence. You can then

test yourself with the quick exercise below.

Meaning

So and such both show an extreme state:

Hes so tall. Its so cold today. Its such a big country. Shes such a nice lady.

Rule

Heres the simple rule:

We use so if we follow with just an adjective or adverb.

We use such if we follow with a noun.

Here are some examples to illustrate the rule:

Chinese is so difficult to learn. *so + adjective+ He always drives so quickly. *so + adverb+

Chinese is such a difficult language to learn. *Here we used such because we followed with a noun, language.+

The weather is so nice today. *The noun weather comes at the start of the sentence. We therefore used so.+

Its such nice weather today. *Here we used such because the noun weather comes later in the sentence.]

! Compare the following two sentences, which mean the same:

The room was so cold that I had to put my coat on. It was such a cold room that I had to put my coat on.

So that / such that

When we want to express that the extreme thing or situation has a consequence, we can say

so that and

such that.

The structures are as follows:

so + adjective + that

so + adverb + that

such + adjective + noun + that

Here are some examples:

Hes so tall that he cant find clothes to fit him. *Hes extremely tall; the consequence is that he cant find clothes to fit him.+

It was so cold that I needed three sweaters and a jacket. [The consequence of the cold is that he needed three sweaters.]

Its such a big country that it takes the train three days to cross it. [The consequence of the extreme distance is that the journey takes a long time.]

So many / so much / so few / so little

We can also use so with many, much, few and little:

There were so many people in the shopping centre. It was horrible. Hes got so much money. There are so few teachers in the area that the school has to employ unqualified people. I had so little time for lunch that I only managed to finish the soup before I had to leave.

Now try this quick quiz to see how well you can use so and such':

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Confusing words: theyre, their, there

Stuart Cook February 26, 2013 Confusing words 0

inShare

English learners often have a problem with theyre, their and there because these words

have the same pronunciation despite having different spellings and meanings.

We call words like this homophones.

Here are some typical mistakes with theyre, their and there:

http://speakspeak.com/author/stuartcookhttp://speakspeak.com/confusing-wordshttp://speakspeak.com/confusing-words/theyre-their-there#respondjavascript:void(0);http://speakspeak.com/about-english/homophone-quiz

I saw there daughter yesterday. I saw their daughter yesterday.

The children were ill last week but their fine now.

Theyre fine now.

Please wait their for me.

Please wait there for me.

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Example sentences

Do you live in London? How long have you lived there? Jack and Jill are quite wealthy. Their kids go to a private school. Pete and Liz have two kids; theyre eleven and nine. Can you see that sign over there? Tigers are carnivores. Their food includes deer and antelope.

Want to test yourself? You can see a theyre, their, there exercise here.

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Be used to, get used to, used to


inShare

How to use be used to, get used to and used to correctly.

Be used to

If you are used to something, you have often

done or experienced it; it is not strange, new

or difficult for you.

Structure: Be used to + noun phrase or verb

(-ing form)

I am used to getting up early in the morning.

I don't mind it.

He didn't complain about the neighbours

loud party he was used to the noise.

We can also say be used to someone. I dont think Toms strange Im used to

him.

Negative: be not used to. I don't understand him: I'm not used to his

accent yet.

Get used to

Structure:

Get used to + something / someone

Get used to + verb (-ing form)

I got used to his Scottish accent after a while

.

I got used to waking up early in the morning.

If you get used to something, you become

accustomed to it; it is no longer unusual or

strange.

Get used to is the process of becoming used

to something.

After a while he didn't mind the noise in the

office; he got used to it.

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Used to

Used to + verb infinitive refers to a habit or state in the past. It is used only in the past

simple tense.

Past habits If you used to do something, you did it for a

period of time in the past, but you don't do it

any more.

We used to live there when I was a child.

I used to walk to school every day when I

was a child.

Past states We also say used to to express a state that

existed in the past but doesn't exist now.

States are NOT actions. We express states

with stative verbs such as have, believe,

know and like.

I used to like The Beatles, but now I never

listen to them.

He used to have long hair, but now its very

short.

I used to believe in magic when I was a

child.

Structure of questions:

did(n't) + subject + use to be Did(n't) he use to work in your office?

Structure of negative:

subject + didn't + use to be. I didn't use to like wine, but now I love it.

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List of question words

Home > English resources > Grammar rules > Questions >

inShare

Question words

Question word Asking for / about Example

What? information, type Whats your name?

What is an oak a tree or a plant?

When? time, day, year, etc. When were you born?

When are you coming today or tomorrow?

Why? reason Why are you so tired?

Why dont you go to bed?

Which? choice We have fruit tea and green tea which

would you like?

Who? a person, a name Who wrote War and Peace was it Tolstoy?

How? method, quality, How do you travel to work by car?

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condition How was the soup?

How are you today?

Whose? possession, owner Whose is this pen? Is it yours?

Whom? (formal) a person, name Whom did you see? (formal, less common)

Who did you see? (more common)

Whom is very formal and is not often used in spoken English. Most native speakers use

who:

Whom did you see? [formal written, formal spoken English]

Who did you see? [standard spoken English]

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Very - Too - Enough

English Grammar Rules

The following grammar notes show the difference uses (and word order) of Very, Too and

Enough.

Very and Too + adjective

1. The exam is very difficult, but Jim can complete it.

2. The exam is too difficult. Jim can't complete it.

Very difficult = it is difficult but possible for Jim to complete the exam.

Too difficult = It is impossible for Jim to complete the exam.

Remember that Too implies a negative result.

http://speakspeak.com/resources/english-grammar-rules/various-grammar-rules

Too + adjective + infinitive

Alex couldn't play basketball because he was too short. Alex was too short to play basketball. We are too tired to go to the gym. Mary was too ill to finish her food.

Too + adjective + for (someone) + infinitive

I can't walk to Valparaiso because it is too far. Valparaiso is too far for me to walk. It is too late for me to go out. The soup is too cold for Tim to eat. The price of the ticket is too expensive for Mike to fly to Europe.

Enough + noun

Enough (pronounced "enuf")

There was sufficient food for everybody at the party.

There was enough food for everybody at the party. I had enough money to pay for dinner with my girlfriend. Is there enough time to finish the test?

Adjective + Enough

Everybody notices her because she is very pretty.

She is pretty enough for everybody to notice her. My friend lives close enough to my house to walk. Last summer it was hot enough to go swimming every day.

Enough + infinitive

When she lost her dog, it was enough to make her cry. He was sick enough to stay home from work today. I arrived at the airport early enough to make my flight to New York.

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Mon, 10/04/2010 - 07:53 Chris McCarthy

Confusing Words Grammar Vocabulary

How to use enough with adjectives and nouns Pre-intermediate

I have 10 and I want to buy this car:

Unfortunately this car costs 100,000

I dont have enough money. The car is very expensive and I will never be rich enough to

buy it.

http://www.ecenglish.com/learnenglish/http://www.ecenglish.com/learnenglish/lessons/how-use-enough#20http://www.ecenglish.com/learnenglish/lessons/how-use-enough#40http://www.ecenglish.com/learnenglish/lessons/how-use-enough#60http://www.ecenglish.com/learnenglish/lessons/how-use-enough#80http://www.ecenglish.com/learnenglish/lessons/how-use-enough#100http://www.ecenglish.com/learnenglish/category/subjects/vocabulary/confusing-wordshttp://www.ecenglish.com/learnenglish/subject/Grammarhttp://www.ecenglish.com/learnenglish/category/language-analysis/vocabularyhttp://www.ecenglish.com/http://www.ecenglish.com/

Look at the sentence above, it uses enough in two different ways. Can you see them? What

is different about the way we use enough?

There are two examples in the sentence. Lets look at them separately:

1. "I dont have enough money."

Money is a noun, so it comes after enough.

2. "I will never be rich enough."

Rich is an adjective so it comes before enough.

Lets look at the two rules:

1. Enough + noun e.g. "There is not enough food for everybody, go and buy some more."

2. Adjective + enough e.g. "He is not tall enough to play basketball."

Remember! Adjective before, noun after.

Complete the sentences with enough/not enough or not ___ enough and words from

the box.

fast

big

time

hot

beds

water

xxxxxxxxx xxxxxx

Grammar: teaching the modals 'ought to',

'should', 'must' and 'have to'.

By Tim Bowen

Level: Starter/beginner, Elementary, Pre-intermediate, Intermediate, Upper intermediate,

Advanced Type: Reference material, Teaching notes

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Suggestions for teaching the modals 'ought to', 'should', 'must' and 'have to' when talking

about suggestion or advice.

I have recently started teaching English in the sultanate of Oman. Please give me some

ideas on how to teach the modal verbs ought to, should, must and have to. I dont

find these easy and am having great difficulty in planning a teaching lesson.

How do I teach should and shouldnt to indicate suggestion/advice?

Joanna West

Modal verbs present specific problems for both teachers and learners. Quite apart from the

numerous difficulties associated with meaning, their use also differs from other verbs in a

number of ways, notably:

1. Forming the interrogative through inversion rather than the use of the auxiliary verb do (so Can I? rather than *Do I can?)

2. Forming the negative by adding not to the modal verb rather than using the auxiliary verb do (You mustnt and not *You dont must)

3. No s ending in the third person singular 4. No consistent past forms in some cases. 5. Have to, however, is different, forming interrogatives and negatives using do and

having a normal past form.

In terms of teaching the modal verbs, the list of verbs in the first question suggests that the

distinction between ought to and should and must and have to respectively is the key

point, which also suggests that the learners in question have reached a fair degree of

proficiency in English.

1) Must and have to

A key distinction between must and have to can be found in the negative forms.

Whereas You must go and You have to go can be regarded as broadly the same in terms

of meaning, You mustnt go and You dont have to go are quite different, the first

indicating that going is prohibited in some way, or even dangerous, while the second

implies an absence of obligation or need.

Another difference between must and have to in the sense of obligation can be found in

the nature of the obligation. It is possible to say Im sorry. I cant come to the meeting

tomorrow because I have to go to the dentist at 3 oclock but not I cant come to the

meeting tomorrow because I must go the dentist at 3 oclock. On the other hand, if you

have a raging toothache, you would probably say I really must go to the dentist, although

have to could replace must in this sentence. A generalized distinction would be that

must refers to an internal need or obligation while have to is used to refer to an external

need or obligation. It is probably true to say, however, that must can generally be replaced

by have to but have to often cannot be replaced by must so in terms of teaching, it is

probably a good idea to teach have to for obligation because it is nearly always correct

whereas must is often inappropriate. Must and must not are useful for official notices

and instructions, e.g. You must carry your passport at all times and You must not smoke

in the toilets.

2) Should and ought to

Should and ought to are basically the same, although should is much more widely used

than ought to. The negative and interrogative forms of ought to are becoming

increasingly rare. Both should and ought to are used to talk about obligation and duty

and to give advice. One way of getting the meaning of should across to learners is to

contrast its meaning with that of must and have to as the degree of obligation is

considerably less, e.g. I have to go to the doctor as compared to I should go to the

doctor.

It is probably a good idea to practise the above verbs using a generative context, i.e a

simple context that can generate lots of examples. In the case of should and shouldnt,

you might ask your learners to think of things they should and should do if they want to

improve their English. Answers might include You should read a lot in English, You

should learn vocabulary in context, You should talk to English people, You shouldnt

talk Arabic in class and You shouldnt translate everything. Other simple contexts where

you give advice might include how to lose weight, what to do if you have a bad cold, how

to give up smoking, how to be successful at an interview and so on.

At higher levels, it is more appropriate to contrast different modal verbs and to concentrate

on nuances of meaning. At lower levels it is probably best to concentrate on the main

meaning of each modal verb rather than to confuse learners by introducing too many

meanings at once. In the case of must, for example, its use for expressing deduction or

concluding that something is certain, as in The keys must be on the kitchen table, is a

useful one but is arguably confusing for learners at lower levels, particularly as the negative

form is cant and not mustnt.

Many coursebooks introduce the most important modal verbs first and concentrate on their

main meanings initially. Make full use of the way coursebooks present and practise the key

modal verbs. You dont need to reinvent the wheel. Contrasting some of the verbs (e.g.

have to and should) can help to consolidate the meaning and giving plenty of relevant

practice in generative situations should help your learners to understand and use these verbs

correctly.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Should and Ought to

Modal verbs: Should and Ought There is hardly any difference in meaning between should and ought. Both express duty,

obligation, advice. It must be remembered that ought is always followed by to + infinitive.

Patterns. Read and memorize!

1. John should study English hard. 2. John should read English books loudly. 3. John should work on his pronunciation. 4. John should write dictations regularly. 5. John ought to practise oral drills. 6. John ought to drill the patterns. 7. John ought to recite English poems. 8. John ought to listen to good records.

Should and ought in interrogative sentences.

Key examples:

1. Should John read English books loudly? 2. Should John read the patterns? 3. Ought John to listen to English records? 4. Ought John to recite English poems?

Should and ought in negative sentences.

Key examples:

1. John should not talk at the lessons. 2. John should not give up studying French. 3. John ought not to (1) prompt at the lessons. 4. John ought not to neglect his spelling.

(1) In negative sentences, not comes before to.

E. g. : You ought not to go. You oughtnt to go.

Should, ought + Perfect Infinitive express an unfulfilled action considered desirable.

Key examples:

1. You should have learned the words last night. Now it is too late. You wrote the test badly.

2. You should have been studying hard the whole term. Now it is difficult for you to catch up with the group.

3. Jack should have come to see us but he didnt come. He was at the cinema. 4. Jack ought to have telephoned, but he didnt call up. 5. Jack ought to have warned us about his decision. We didnt know anything.

Should and ought to: difference in meanings.

In general modal verbs should and ought to are used to say what we think it is right or good for

people to do. In most cases, both should and ought to can be used with the same meaning. There

is, however, a very slight difference. When we use should, we give our own subjective opinion;

ought to has a rather more objective force, and is used when we are talking about laws, duties and

regulations.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Modal Phrases (Had Better and Would Rather)

Semi-modal multi-word constructions 'had better' and 'would rather' are followed by the

infinitive without to.

Examples:

We had better go into the house because it is raining. I can come today but I would rather come tomorrow.

Had Better 'Had better' expresses advice and means 'would find it wiser or more suitable'.

E.g.: You had better go now (=it would be good, wise or suitable for you to go now).

Synonyms: ought to do something / should do something.

In negative structures, better comes before not.

E.g.: You had better not go now.


1. We had better take an umbrella. It may rain. (Wed (1) better) 2. Hed better stop and have a rest if he feels tired. 3. Youd better go on the excursion. 4. You had better not eat so much. (Youd better) 5. Hadnt you better hurry if you want to catch the eight oclock train? (2)

http://englishstandarts.blogspot.com/2012/09/should-and-ought-to.htmlhttp://englishstandarts.blogspot.com/2012/09/should-and-ought-to.html

6. What had I better put on for the party?

Note 1: - The contracted form d is very common.

Note 2: - The negative form 'hadn't better' is used mainly in questions: Hadn't we better try again

later?

'Had' is sometimes dropped in very informal speech.

E. g. : You better go now.

I better try again later.

Would Rather 'Would rather' expresses choice and means 'would prefer to do something'.

E.g.: I would rather you didn't help them (=I would prefer it if you didn't help them).


I would rather stay at home than go to the cinema. Its raining. 'How about a drink?' 'Id (1) rather have something to eat.' Id rather take a taxi than walk home (its too late). The children would rather play in the garden than go to bed. Would you rather write a composition or a dictation? Would he rather read J. Galsworthy or W. Faulkner?


'Would rather' can be used with different subjects before and after it, to say that one person

would prefer another to do something. In this case, a past tense is generally used with a present or

future meaning.

E. g. : Id rather you went home now.

Dont come tomorrow. Id rather you came next weekend.

To talk about past actions, past perfect tense is used.

E. g. : Id rather you hadnt done that.

Go to the 'Modal Verbs: Must' page

Should and Ought to

http://englishstandarts.blogspot.com/2012/01/perfect-tenses.html#2http://englishstandarts.blogspot.com/2012/07/modal-verbs-must.html

Modal verbs: Should and Ought There is hardly any difference in meaning between should and ought. Both express duty,

obligation, advice. It must be remembered that ought is always followed by to + infinitive.


1. John should study English hard. 2. John should read English books loudly. 3. John should work on his pronunciation. 4. John should write dictations regularly. 5. John ought to practise oral drills. 6. John ought to drill the patterns. 7. John ought to recite English poems. 8. John ought to listen to good records.

Should and ought in interrogative sentences.

Key examples:

1. Should John read English books loudly? 2. Should John read the patterns? 3. Ought John to listen to English records? 4. Ought John to recite English poems?

Should and ought in negative sentences.

Key examples:

1. John should not talk at the lessons. 2. John should not give up studying French. 3. John ought not to (1) prompt at the lessons. 4. John ought not to neglect his spelling.

(1) In negative sentences, not comes before to.

E. g. : You ought not to go. You oughtnt to go.

Should, ought + Perfect Infinitive express an unfulfilled action considered desirable.

Key examples:

1. You should have learned the words last night. Now it is too late. You wrote the test badly. 2. You should have been studying hard the whole term. Now it is difficult for you to catch up

with the group. 3. Jack should have come to see us but he didnt come. He was at the cinema. 4. Jack ought to have telephoned, but he didnt call up.

5. Jack ought to have warned us about his decision. We didnt know anything.

Should and ought to: difference in meanings.

In general modal verbs should and ought to are used to say what we think it is right or good for

people to do. In most cases, both should and ought to can be used with the same meaning. There

is, however, a very slight difference. When we use should, we give our own subjective opinion;

ought to has a rather more objective force, and is used when we are talking about laws, duties and

regulations.

The Perfect Continuous Tenses

The Perfect Continuous Tenses: grammar rules, examples and using.

(In English, the perfect continuous tenses can also be called the perfect progressive tenses.)

present perfect continuous

past perfect continuous

future perfect continuous

The Present Perfect Continuous

The Formation of the Present Perfect Continuous

auxiliary verb to have (have/has ) been + Participle I

(the present perfect tense of the verb to be + the present participle of the main verb.)

Affirmative Interrogative Negative

I have been studying.

He has been studying.

She has been studying.

It has been studying.

We have been studying.

You have been studying.

They have been studying.

Have I been studying?

Has he been studying?

Has she been studying?

Has it been studying?

Have we been studying?

Have you been studying?

Have they been studying?

I have not been studying.

He has not been studying.

She has not been studying.

It has not been studying.

We have not been studying.

You have not been studying.

They have not been studying.

(Verb Contractions: I have = Ive; he has = hes; she has = shes; it has = its; we have = weve; you

have = youve; they have = theyve; have not = haven't; has not = hasn't)

http://englishstandarts.blogspot.com/2012/02/perfect-continuous-tenses.html#1http://englishstandarts.blogspot.com/2012/02/perfect-continuous-tenses.html#2http://englishstandarts.blogspot.com/2012/02/perfect-continuous-tenses.html#3http://englishstandarts.blogspot.com/2012/02/perfect-continuous-tenses.html

The Present Perfect Continuous denotes an action which began in the past, has been going on up

to the present and may be still going on.

Note: - The Present Perfect denote a complete action while with the Present Perfect Continuous

there is no implication of completeness.

Key examples:

I have been living here for three years.

The members of Parachute (rock band from Charlottesville, Virginia) graduated from college in

May 2008 and since then have been touring and promoting their debut album Losing Sleep and

sophomore album The Way It Was full-time. For study:

1. I have been studying English for 5 years. I have studied English. I know it.

2. I have been reading English books all these years. I have read David Copperfield. I can speak about it.

3. We have been practising at the language laboratory for 3 years. I have practised this sound thoroughly.

4. We have been working all the time. I have worked hard on my composition. I like it.

The Past Perfect Continuous

The Formation of the Past Perfect Continuous

auxiliary verb had been + Participle I

(the past perfect tense of the verb to be + the present participle of the main verb.)


I had been studying.

He had been studying.

She had been studying.

It had been studying.

We had been studying.

You had been studying.

Had I been studying?

Had he been studying?

Had she been studying?

Had it been studying?

Had we been studying?

Had you been studying?

I had not been studying.

He had not been studying.

She had not been studying.

It had not been studying.

We had not been studying.

You had not been studying.

http://englishstandarts.blogspot.com/2012/02/perfect-continuous-tenses.html

They had been studying. Had they been studying? They had not been studying.

The Past Perfect Continuous expresses an action which began before a given past moment and

continued into it or up to it. Also the Past Perfect Continuous denotes an action which was in

progress just before a given past moment and its effect tells on the past situation in some way.

Key example:

He said that he had been studying English for three years.

For study:

1. They had been sailing for ten days when at last they saw land. 2. They said that they had been working in this laboratory since they graduated from the

University.

The Future Perfect Continuous

The Formation of the Future Perfect Continuous

auxiliary verb shall/will have been + Participle I

(the future perfect tense of the verb to be + the present participle of the main verb.)


I shall have been studying.

He will have been studying.

She will have been studying.

It will have been studying.

We shall have been studying.

You shall have been studying.

They will have been studying.

Shall I have been studying?

Will he have been studying?

Will she have been studying?

Will it have been studying?

Shall we have been studying?

Shall you have been studying?

Will they have been studying?

I shall not have been studying.

He will not have been studying.

She will not have been

studying.

It will not have been studying.

We shall not have been

studying.

You shall not have been

studying.

They shall not have been

http://englishstandarts.blogspot.com/2012/02/perfect-continuous-tenses.html

studying.

(Verb Contractions: I shall = Ill; he will = hell)

This construction is used for an event that will still be in progress at a certain point in the future.

Key example:

By the 1-st of June he will have been working here for 10 years.

He will have been working in the garden for an hour before you come to help him.

Modal Phrases (Had Better and Would Rather)

Semi-modal multi-word constructions 'had better' and 'would rather' are followed by the

infinitive without to.

Examples:

We had better go into the house because it is raining. I can come today but I would rather come tomorrow.

Had Better 'Had better' expresses advice and means 'would find it wiser or more suitable'.

E.g.: You had better go now (=it would be good, wise or suitable for you to go now).

Synonyms: ought to do something / should do something.

In negative structures, better comes before not.

E.g.: You had better not go now.


1. We had better take an umbrella. It may rain. (Wed (1) better) 2. Hed better stop and have a rest if he feels tired. 3. Youd better go on the excursion. 4. You had better not eat so much. (Youd better) 5. Hadnt you better hurry if you want to catch the eight oclock train? (2) 6. What had I better put on for the party?


Note 2: - The negative form 'hadn't better' is used mainly in questions: Hadn't we better try again

later?

http://englishstandarts.blogspot.com/2012/09/should-and-ought-to.htmlhttp://englishstandarts.blogspot.com/2012/09/should-and-ought-to.html

'Had' is sometimes dropped in very informal speech.

E. g. : You better go now.

I better try again later.

Would Rather 'Would rather' expresses choice and means 'would prefer to do something'.

E.g.: I would rather you didn't help them (=I would prefer it if you didn't help them).


I would rather stay at home than go to the cinema. Its raining. 'How about a drink?' 'Id (1) rather have something to eat.' Id rather take a taxi than walk home (its too late). The children would rather play in the garden than go to bed. Would you rather write a composition or a dictation? Would he rather read J. Galsworthy or W. Faulkner?


'Would rather' can be used with different subjects before and after it, to say that one person

would prefer another to do something. In this case, a past tense is generally used with a present or

future meaning.

E. g. : Id rather you went home now.

Dont come tomorrow. Id rather you came next weekend.

To talk about past actions, past perfect tense is used.

E. g. : Id rather you hadnt done that.

Conditional Mood Examples in Proverbs and Quotations

Conditional and Subjunctive Mood Examples in Proverbs, Quotations and Rhymes

1. Comment on the use of the Conditional Mood in complex sentences expressing unreal

condition in the following proverbs and sayings.

would rather is used to express a preference in english.pdf

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