Simple Tenses English Grammar in Templates by Den Snowell All you need to speak English correctly Essential Grammar Guide in Templates Never be wrong Build you skills Sharpen your st
Trang 1Simple Tenses English Grammar in Templates
by Den Snowell
All you need
to speak English correctly
Essential Grammar Guide in Templates
Never be wrong Build you skills Sharpen your style
Book 1
Past, Present and Future Simple tenses
Trang 23 Verb TO DO and other verbs - forms and usage in statements and general questions, regular and irregular verbs
4 General Tag Questions
5 Indirect General Questions
6 Special Questions – Part 1
7 Special Questions – Part 2
8 Indirect Special Questions
9 Infinitive – Statements
10 Infinitive – Questions
11 Complex Object with Infinitive
12 Complex Object with Zero Infinitive and Participle 1
13 There is / There are
14 Degrees of Comparison – Adjectives
15 Degrees of Comparison – Adverbs
English Grammar in Templates
THE PRINCIPLE OF GRAMMAR TEMPLATES
Any language is based on 3 main parts:
2 The most frequently used verbs TO BE, TO HAVE, TO DO
and constructions based on them
The verbs TO BE and TO HAVE are the most commonly used
verbs in the English language and have specific features in
usage The verb TO DO represents all verbs (except modal)
of the English language and the rules for their use
Therefore, in each topic of grammar, we consider these 3
verbs and their constructions For convenience of visual
perception, these structures are highlighted in color:
1 TO BE and adjectives – green
2 TO HAVE and nouns – brown
3 TO DO (and other verbs) – blue
Complementary colors:
• Adverbs – yellow
• Question words – black
• Time markers – orange
NO MORE GRAMMAR RULES AND THICK
BOOKS!
English grammar is presented in the Grammar
Templates which visually illustrate the correct
construction of English sentences on any topic of
grammar
In order to compose any English sentence, you just
need to read the template from left to right Each
template provides multiple options for constructing
sentences and sufficient vocabulary to use English for
everyday communication
Each template is provided with a short explanation
and has a "key" - variants of sentences that can be
constructed with this template (see Appendices)
In the Book 1, we only consider the Simple tenses
(Past Simple, Present Simple and Future Simple) in the
active voice Simple tenses are used in 85% of
conversations The other types of tenses, as well as the
passive voice and all grammar topics related to other
types of tenses, will be presented in the second part of
this book
green brown blue
yellow black orange
Trang 3am not
are not
Past Pres Future +QUESTION
It everybody nobody
Were Are
we you they
It everybody
Weren’t Aren’t
we you they
be
very too rather somewhat
a bit quite
in here
short slim pretty
beautiful slender bald
tall thin pale
born young deaf divorced (from) strong
healthy hungry (for) late (for) hot worried (about) disappointed drunk mistaken
in trouble
in a hurry
new (to) old dumb married (to) weak ill/insane thirsty (for) tired (of) cold exited (about) satisfied (with) lucky
wrong
in power
in safety
sure poor pregnant
a bachelor happy (with) crazy (at) angry (with) busy (with) lonely annoyed (with) nervous afraid (of) right
in love (with)
in despair
sleepy rich blind single famous (of) sick (with) upset (with) free sad scared (of) bored (with) sober ready (for)
in debt
in danger
well-bred polite (to) merry prudent sincere careful educated
clever generous cheerful patient sociable earnest faithful (to)
honest (with) kind (to) witty cultured reliable enterprising emotional
modest decent frank calm brave wise proud (of)
ill-bred frivolous fussy jealous (of) moody
silly naughty greedy selfish nosy
stupid lazy impudent tiresome cross
rude (to) mean sly boring shy
Age Ordinals
Nationality Colors
Profession Occupation
?
Trang 4don’t have
won’t have
Past Pres Future QUESTION
I
we you they
Does
-
Doesn’t
he she
it everybody nobody
have
no
work time news glory love courage happiness progress experience patience success power strength freedom money fun joy pity mercy shame currency wine water food fruit milk meat fish sugar salt bread butter coal oil cotton wool wood cattle poultry petrol iron
Count Non-count
a lot of | enough | some few
a few (too) many
little
a little (too) much
SIMPLE NEGATIVE
friend enemy relative brother sister niece nephew uncle aunt family husband wife daughter son fiancé fiancée lover kid neighbor car house umbrella book ticket idea date thing problem fault asset duty right debt doubt answer question holiday impression illusion suggestion suit shirt hat coat skirt dress
word meal trip party ball feast argue dream bath shower
nap shave snack break baby day off swim run sleep wash
toothache headache head cold cold fever cough wedding honeymoon cup of tee cup of coffee
breakfast lunch Dinner
(without a(n))
2 TO HAVE – Statements And General Questions
?
Trang 5I
we you they
Does
-
Doesn’t
he she
it everybody nobody
always never often usually seldom
always never often usually seldom
love need marry believe praise rob offend kill arrest warn amuse
cure envy bother admire spoil hire help respect invite owe cook
pour promise deceive answer refuse show hate miss divorce scold rape
tease betray punish obey annoy adore join treat call charm blame
fire receive offer greet invite order follow save ask respect kiss
smile look arrive work wait borrow live die return listen complain describe propose dedicate reply apologize talk travel dance quarrel
lough shout stay play look conceal study cure cry toast lie explain prove belong repeat save boast agree smoke argue
at
at
at / in / with
at / for for from
regular with prepositions
+ ed
say said it / something
to
pay give lend bring
read write sell send sing tell get
paid gave lent brought
read wrote sold sent sang told got
me her him
us you them
letter ticket song story flower
built bought found made drew got
me her him
us you them a
house job dress flower ticket
go run sit sleep swim dream think speak
took did drank ate learnt lost spent chose wore won caught became forgot knew saw fed left met taught came stood went ran sat slept swam dreamt thought spoke
SOMETHING NOTHING
ANYTHING
(- / ?)
SOMEONE NO-ONE
ANYONE
(- / ?)
SOMEWHERE NOWHERE
ANYWHERE
(- / ?)
V2
me her him
us you them everybody nobody each of us none of us
my friend her father his wife our parents your kids your sister their friends Jack
don’t
3 TO DO – Statements And General Questions
Trang 6Simple Tenses
Grammar Templates’ Keys
We can talk about Location, Appearance,
Conditions, Positive and Negative
features
We can add Adjectives for emotional
enhancement and Time markers to
indicate the time of the action
These Time markers indicate Simple
Tenses If you say or mean one of the
listed Time marker, you should use
Simple tenses (Past, Present or Future)
We can use contractions (Affirmative: am
= I’m, she is = she’s And negative: he is
not = he isn’t, we are not = we aren’t) in
everyday speech and informal writing
Contractions are usually not appropriate
in formal writing
We use contractors in Negative
Questions
DESCRIBE A PERSON
• She is Lily She is 25 (years old)
• Lily is American She is an artist
• She is a dress designer Her dress is yellow
• It is 4 P.M
+ STATEMENTS (positive)
• I am at home
• She is at school today
• They are at work now
• He was very handsome two years ago
• You were too short
• We will be in London next week
- STATEMENTS (negative)
• I am not rather young
• Everybody is not quite sure
• We are not very rich
• She wasn’t polite to me yesterday
• We were not happy 2 days ago
• You won’t be worried about me in 2 weeks
+ QUESTIONS (positive)
• Am I right?
• Is he very silly?
• Are we too nosy?
• Was she divorced from him last year?
• Were we ready for the new job last week?
• Will they be ready tomorrow at 5?
- QUESTIONS (negative)
• Aren’t I stupid?
• Isn’t she pregnant?
• Aren’t you busy now?
• Wasn’t he rather careful?
• Weren’t they somewhat sad?
• Won’t he be mistaken tomorrow?
1 TO BE The most often used verb, has different forms for present and past tenses
We use it when we talk about what we have
or don’t have
And in some cases it means actions (to have a
break = to make a break) or conditions (to
have a headache = to feel pain in your head)
Is used with countable (can be count) nouns
and uncountable (can’t be count) nouns
QUANTITY
In positive sentences we use universal
adjectives (a lot of, some, enough) to talk
about quantity And:
• few, many - for countable
• little, much - for uncountable
In negative sentences and questions we use
universal adjectives (any, enough) And:
• many - for countable
• much - for uncountable
“Have got” is used in British English and not
described in this book
SINGULAR vs PLURAL
Singular countable: add article “a(n)” or “the”
Plural countable: add ending “s”
+ STATEMENTS (positive)
• She has a friend
• I had a lot of success
• She has few enemies
• We will have too much freedom
• They have too many ideas
SIMPLE NEGATIVE
Just add particle “no” after the verb ”have”
(have no, has no, had no, will have no) In this case we don’t use article
• I have no dog
• They will have no families
• She had no time
CONJUNCTIONS
She has both many friends and much money
I will have either few friends or lot of money
We had neither time nor glory
Use auxiliary verb “to do” (modal verb
“will” for future tense) to create
negative sentences and questions
- STATEMENTS (negative)
• He does not have much money
• She won’t have many assets
• I don’t have any time
• I do not have fame
• She didn’t have any problems
• We didn’t have enough glory
+ QUESTIONS (positive)
• Do you have a job?
• Does he have much strength?
• Did we have many duties?
• Will they have any questions?
• Does she have a rest?
- QUESTIONS (negative)
• Don’t you have enough time?
• Doesn’t he have much wine?
• Didn’t we have many books?
• Didn’t you have breakfast?
2 TO HAVE The second most often used verb, can create simple negative sentences with “no”
REGULAR vs IRREGULAR VERBS
Regular – create past form with ending “ed”
• love - loved
Irregular – with 2-nd form (V2)
• go – went
HOW TO USE TEMPLATE
Put any verb into the grammar table – it will
show you the correct way to use verbs in
sentences
Use auxiliary verb “to do” to create
questions
+ STATEMENTS (positive)
• I always believe you
• She never loved me
• He respects his parents
• They will come tomorrow
• We spent all money yesterday
• He built me another house
- STATEMENTS (negative)
• He didn’t usually pay me
• She doesn’t give some money to him
• We didn’t invite them
• I won’t send you a letter
• I don’t meet anyone here
+ QUESTIONS (positive)
• Did he drink anything?
• Do you believe me?
• Will you find a job for me?
• Will he find me a job next week?
• Does she know someone in the city?
• Does he usually borrow money from you?
- QUESTIONS (negative)
• Don’t you always teach her English?
• Doesn’t she betray him?
• Didn’t they catch anything?
• Didn’t he tell us a wonderful story?
2 TO DO And all other verbs (excluding modals)
Trang 7he she
It weren’t aren’t
we you they
It were are
we you they
very too rather somewhat
a bit quite
hasn’t
he she
it
enough some any
(a) few (too) many
(a) little (too) much
has
he she
it
joy shame courage pity power strength water wine
won’t
He
She
It
doesn’t
he she
it
respect praise answer dance marry play study divorce
teach taught sell sold tell told feed fed eat ate wear wore sing sang
go went regular irregular V2
lazy kind pretty ugly strong generous frank modest mean cheerful weak greedy
relative husband son illusion ticket duty suit fault
Trang 8Simple Tenses
< = >
I
We You
He She
It Everybody Nobody
Could you tell me
It Everybody Nobody
is
We You They
were are
< = >
I
We You They
had
have
will have
He She
It Everybody Nobody
very too rather somewhat
a bit quite
enough some any
(a) few (too) many
(a) little (too) much
always never often usually seldom
luck progress success freedom sugar love work
house fault problem idea thought job choice
break talk
walk party
drink argue
quarrel dream (with)
breakfast lunch dinner tea coffee
a (n)+
a (n)+ +s
wait (for) refuse treat marry cure envy die
smoke divorce respect call (up)(on) smile (at) look (at) laugh (at)
teach learn lose drink find swim think
taught learnt lost drank found swam thought
regular
irregular V2
+ ed
If whether
Trang 9Simple Tenses
TO BE (+)
• I am wrong, aren’t I?
• Sheisvery pretty, isn’t she?
• They area bit ugly, aren’tthey?
• He was at work, wasn’t he?
• They were lazy, weren’t they?
• We will be happy, won’twe?
TO BE (-)
• I am not greedy, am I?
• She isn’t strong, is she?
• We aren’tvery modest,are we?
• He wasn’tgreedy, was he?
• They weren’t cheerful, were they?
• He won’t be rather kind, will he?
TO HAVE (+)
• I have enough duties, haven’t I?
• He has many friends, hasn’t he?
• We have a little pity, haven’t we?
• They had much wine, hadn’t they?
• She will have some water, won’t she?
TO HAVE (-)
• You don’t have any relatives, have you?
• She doesn’t have much joy, has she?
• You didn’t have many faults, had you?
• He won’t have much courage, will he?
TO DO (+)
• I study well, don’t I?
• She always answers you, doesn’t she?
• He divorced her, didn’t he?
• They sang poorly, didn’t they?
• We will eat some fish, won’t we?
TO DO (-)
• I don’t praise them, do I?
• He doesn’t dance a lot, does she?
• We didn’t wear jeans, did we?
• You won’t go , will you?
Attention!
The adverbs never, rarely, seldom, hardly, barely and scarcely have a negative sense We
treat statements with these words like negative statements, so the question tag is normally positive:
• He never saw you, did he?
• She seldom comes in time, does she?
Answering tag questions
Answer a tag question according to
the truth of the situation Your answer
reflects the real facts, not the question
• Sugar is sweet, isn’t it? - Yes (it is)
• Sugar isn’t sweet, is it? - Yes it is!
• Sugar is bitter, isn’t it? - No it isn’t!
• Sugar isn’t bitter, is it? - No (it isn’t)
Specific cases:
The basic structure of tag questions is positive-negative or negative-positive
Sometimes it is possible to use a positive-positive or negative-negative structure to express interest, surprise, anger etc, and not to make real questions:
• She is really wonderful, is she?
4 GENERAL TAG QUESTIONS A special construction in English - it is a statement followed by a mini-question
Grammar Templates’ Keys
TO BE
• I wonder if he is at home now
• They ask if you are in London
• We ask whether they were busy
yesterday
• She asks if we will be very greedy
• Everybody wonders whether you are
away
• He asks if she was at work last night
• Could you tell me if she is single
TO BE (-)
• He doesn’t ask if you are busy
• She asks whether they are not rich
• Could you tell me whether they are not
in a hurry
TO HAVE
• Everybody asks if you have many ideas
• We wonder if he has enough freedom
• She asks whether you had a job last
year
• They wonder whether we will have
much work next month
• I wonder whether he had a house
• Do you know whether she has a
husband
TO HAVE (-)
• We don’t wonder whether they have
little progress
• I’d like to know if she has no job
• She asks whether he doesn’t have any
shame
TO DO
• They ask if you smoke much
• We wonder if she envies us
• He asks whether she will marry him
• She wonders if he drank much
yesterday
• They wander if he often smiles at me
• I wonder if you learnt English at school
• Could you tell me if she found a new
job
TO DO (-)
• She doesn’t wonder if you love her
• They ask whether you don’t love her
• I am not wondering whether she lost her mind
Attention!
There is no question mark at the end of the
indirect question
“if” and “whether” have the same meaning
"Whether" is a little more formal and more
usual in writing
Reported (Indirect) Questions in the Past
We need to change tense:
• She said: “Is he free?” - She asked if he was free
• They said: “Does he like tea?” - They wondered if he liked tea
• He said:” Will you be happy?” - He asked if you would be happy
• He said: ”Does she love him?” – He wondered if she loved him
wonders
Trang 10Simple Tenses
Past Pres Future
Was - Wasn’t
Am Aren’t
Will Won’t
I
Is - Isn’t
he she
It everybody nobody
Were - Weren’t
Are - Aren’t
we you they
be
Past Pres Future
did - didn’t
do - don’t
will - won’t
I
we you they
does - doesn’t
he she
it everybody nobody
have
Past Pres Future
did - didn’t
do - don’t
will - won’t
I
we you they
does - doesn’t
he she
it everybody nobody
no
very too rather
a bit quite
enough some any few many little much
always never often seldom usually
live study work love hate earn ask warn dance kiss
help play invite promise borrow travel wait (for) refuse treat marry
do
go come meet see eat drink speak sing sleep
did went came met saw ate drank spoke sang slept
money time power desire glory future joy hatred hope
luck progress success freedom wine bread sugar love work
car asset kid answer doubt friend thing debt right
house fault problem question idea enemy thought job choice
patient calm lonely hungry cheerful right ready cross wise bald thirsty moody wrong young
lazy kind pretty strong generous frank modest sly afraid (of) jealous (of) weak greedy mean impudent
walk party
drink argue
quarrel dream (with)
breakfast lunch dinner tea coffee
a (n)+
?
(not)
Trang 11Simple Tenses
Past Pres Future
It everybody nobody
were are
we you they
does
he she
it everybody nobody
have
How
old wide late free pretty busy silly cold exited lucky drunk hungry ill happy
young long poor new rich tired clever hot lonely famous scared sure nervous angry
hungry thirsty merry calm kind polite careful shy sly greedy stupid silly fussy nosy
future joy hatred hope
luck progress success freedom
wine sugar love work
car asset answer doubt
friend thing debt right
house fault problem question
enemy thought job choice
earn spend waist buy solve build
were are
our yours their
desk ball bike pants boots glasses
were are
they these those
be
+s
+s
son daughter kid parents relatives children
were are
car house room things papers books
at 6 o’clock
2 days ago next week last year
Trang 12Simple Tenses
Grammar Templates’ Keys
TO BE
• Why am I too lonely?
• Where is she now?
• When will they be on pension?
• What was cold?
• What is it?
• How were they?
• How are you?
• Whom were you in prison with?
• Whom is she in love with?
TO BE (-)
• Why is he not wise?
• Why aren’t they on duty?
• When won’t she be wrong?
TO HAVE
• Why do they have a problem?
• Where does she have a house?
• When will he have many friends?
• When did she have much money?
• When do you have free time?
• What did you have?
• What does he have?
• Whom did they have a break with?
TO HAVE (-)
• Why didn’t we have lunch together?
• When won’t she have much hatred?
• What won’t I have in my life?
• Whom doesn’t she have an argue with?
TO DO
• Why do you learn English?
• Why does he never earn enough money?
• Where does he live?
• When did they meet you?
• When will I see you?
• What do you usually drink?
• What did she often ask?
• How does she kiss?
• How do you treat your dog?
TO DO (-)
• Why didn’t we travel much?
• Where doesn’t she dance?
• When doesn’t he work?
• What won’t you ask me?
• Whom don’t you wait for?
TO BE (Who)
• Who was young?
• Who is very busy today?
• Who will be too hungry soon?
TO HAVE (Who)
• Who had a break 2 hour ago?
• Who has much freedom?
• Who will have many thoughts?
TO DO (Who)
• Who loved you so much?
• Who saw me in the hospital?
• Who works with you?
• Who will travel abroad next week?
TO BE (How)
• How old are you?
• How cold is it?
• How hungry was he?
• How lucky were they?
• How drunk is she?
• How angry will everybody be?
TO HAVE (How much/many)
• How much time does she have?
• How much hope do they have?
• How much joy will we have?
• How many enemies did they have?
• How many cars does he have?
• What kind of car do you have?
• What question does she have?
TO DO
• How much money did you spend?
• How much time did we waist?
• How many houses will you build?
• How many problems did she solve?
• What car will you buy?
• What kind of house will you build?
• Where is my desk?
• Where was his home?
• Where are her glasses?
• Where were our boots?
• Where will their pants be?
• Whose son is he?
• Whose sons are they?
• Whose car is it?
• Whose house was this?
• Whose kids were these?
• Whose parents are they?
• Whose children were these?
• Whose relatives will they be?
We use this, that, these and those to point to people and things This and that are singular These and those are plural
Singular
it this that
Plural
they these those
- object is near
- object is far
• Which car is mine?
• Which things are his?
• Which book was hers?
• Which houses were yours?
• Which friends are ours?
• Which papers will be theirs?
6-7 SPECIAL QUESTIONS A questions with question words at the beginning of the General Questions
Trang 13Simple Tenses
< = >
I
We You
He She
It Everybody Nobody
Could you tell me
It Everybody Nobody
is
We You They
were are
< = >
I
We You They
had
have
will have
He She
It Everybody Nobody
very too rather somewhat
a bit quite
enough some any
(a) few (too) many
(a) little (too) much
always never often usually seldom
luck progress success freedom sugar love work
house fault problem idea thought job choice
break talk
walk party
drink argue
quarrel dream (with)
breakfast lunch dinner tea coffee
a (n)+
a (n)+ +s
wait (for) refuse treat marry cure envy bother
smoke divorce (from) respect call (up)(on) smile (at) look (at) laugh (at)
teach learn lose drink find bring think
taught learnt lost drank found brought thought
regular
irregular V2
+ ed
why where when what how whom
who
what
…+ed / v2 …+s will …
where
whose
which
your car is car it is car is yours*
Trang 14Simple Tenses
Grammar Templates’ Keys
TO BE
• I wonder why he is on duty
• They ask where she was 2 days ago
• We ask when they were in prison
• She asks what it is
• Everybody wonders whom you are
jealous of
• Could you tell me why she is in despair
TO BE (-)
• He doesn’t ask when you will be in Paris
• She asks why they are not rich
• Could you tell me whom she was in love
with
TO HAVE
• Everybody asks why she has much luck
• We wonder where he had a house
• She asks when you will have some
progress
• They wonder what we will have
tomorrow
• I wonder whom he had a talk with
• Do you know when she had a problem
• They ask why you always drink much
• We wonder where she met you last week
• He asks when she lost money
• She wonders how he dances
• They wander whom I told the truth
• I wonder what you learn English for
• Could you tell me when she bought a
car
TO DO (-)
• She doesn’t wonder why he hates her
• They ask when you didn’t miss a train
• I am not wondering where they live
TO BE(Who, What)
• They wonder who was at home last
week
• He asks who is very impudent
• Do you know who will be quite silly
• She asks what is very hot
• They wonder what will be there
TO HAVE (Who, What)
• I wonder who has too many doubts
• He asks who had much money
• Could you tell me who will have some
success
• She wonders what he has
• They ask what you will have
TO DO (Who, What)
• He asks who will teach him English
• They wonder who looked at us
• We ask who sleeps well
• She ask who drinks a lot
• I wonder what brings you here
• She asks what bothers you
TO BE(Where, Whose, Which)
• Nobody wanders where your car is
• He asks where my parents are
• They wonder whose house it is
• He asks whose children they are
• I wonder which clothes were hers.*
• She wonders which room will be theirs.*
TO HAVE (How much/many)
• He wonders how much time she has
• He asks how many friends they had
• We ask how much work they have
• She asks how many thoughts I will have
TO DO (How much/many)
• They ask how much money you waste
• She wonders how many goods he sold
• He asks how much freedom we deserve
• I wonder how many ideas you have
Attention!
There is no question mark at the end of the
indirect question
* no change in words order compared to
Direct Special Questions (7)
Reported (Indirect) Special Questions in the Past
We need to change tense:
• She said: “When Is he free?” - She asked when he was free
• They said: “Why does he like tea?” - They wondered why he liked tea
• He said:” When will you be happy?” - He asked when you would be happy
• He said: ”Who loves him?” – He wondered who loved him
(Part 5)
Trang 15am not
will be - won’t be
He
She
is - isn’t
-have have will
won’t
-have
able glad/sad happy proud sorry surprised
will be - won’t be
difficult easy simple possible (un)real nice
chance desire wish opportunity attempt
a+
(no)
something nothing someone
no one
anything anyone
have
to
like want agree decide learn manage fail hope plan pretend refuse try forget know how
(a) little (too) much money time power desire glory future joy luck progress success freedom wine bread sugar love
car asset kid house fault problem question doubt friend thing debt idea enemy thought job
a lot of enough some
right married ready busy here new sad
play invite promise borrow travel wait (for) refuse
smoke divorce respect cure envy look (at) laugh (at)
do
go come meet see eat leave
drink speak sing sleep teach learn lose
sell pay spend lend feed read write
won’t
-He
She
It
+s - doesn’t
would (not) like
+
- enough some any
a (n) +s