Gramática - Inglês

Concurso IFSP
 Present Continuous
• Talk about something that is happening at the
time of speaking;
– I’m studying
• Something happening around the time of
speaking;
– Maria is studying English at a language school
• Talk about a period around the present;
– You’re working hard today
• Talk about changing situations.
– Is your English getting better?
 Simple Present

• Talk about things in general; routines and

universal truths;
– The earth goes around the sun
• Use do/does to make questions;
– Do you speak English?
• Use the SP to express how often things happen;
– Ann doesn’t go out very often.
 Simple Present X Present Continuous

• We use Present Cont. for a temporary situation

– I’m living with some friends until I find a flat
• Use the Simple Pres. for a permanent situation
– My parents live in Boston
• We use some verbs just in simple present
– Want, need, prefer, like, love, hate, belong, see,
hear, know, realize, believe, suppose, mean,
understand, remember, forget, seem
 Present tenses – future meaning
• Things you have already arranged to do
– What are you doing tomorrow evening?
– I’m going to the theater
• Talk about timetables, schedules, etc.
– The football game starts at 2:00
– Tomorrow is Wednesday.
 Going to (I am going to do)
• To say what we have already decided or what we
intend to do in the future.
– I’ve heard she is going to travel
• We prefer to use the PC to say what is arranged
– I’m leaving to Europe tomorrow
• We use going to when we say what we think will
happen
– He can’t see the hole. He is going to fall into the hole.
 Will
• Use will when we decide something at the time of speaking;
– I left the door opened. I’ll go and close it
• To offer something;
– The bag is heavy. I’ll help you
• Agreeing or refusing something;
– The car won’t start
• Promising to do something;
– I won’t tell him anything
• Asking someone to do something
– Will you shut the door please
 Will - 2
• Use will to make predictions
• I’m worried with the test, but I’ll pass
• I bet Carol will get the job
• Will and shall
– Will is more common
• I’ll probably go to Europe
– We use Shall in questions
• Shall we go?
 Will be doing and Will have done
• Use will be doing to say what will be in the middle
of doing something;
– This time next week I’ll be on vacation. I’ll probably be
wearing a yellow hat.
• To talk about things that are already planned;
– I’ll be going downtown later.
• Use will have done to say that sthg will already have
happened;
– We’re late. I guess the movie will already have started by
the time we get to the theater.
 Simple Past (I did)
• Use SP to talk about situations in the past;
– I enjoyed the party very much
• In questions and negatives we use did/didn’t;
– Did you go out yesterday?
– I didn’t have enough money to buy anything to eat
 Past continuous
• Use PC to say somebody was in the middle of
doing sthg at a certain time.
– This time last year I was living in Brazil
• PC doesn’t tell if a situation is finished or not;
– Dan was cooking dinner
• Often use SP and PC together;
– When Helen arrived, we were having dinner
 Present perfect (I have done) 1
• There is a connection with the present
– I’ve lost my key (I don’t have it now)
• Give new information or to announce a recent
happening;
– He has just arrived
 Present Perfect - 2
• Ever / never
– Have you ever eaten caviar?
– We have never had a car
• This is the first time, It’s the first time;
– This is the first time I’ve been here
• To say you have never done something;
– I have never smoked
 Present Perfect - 3
• Yet;
– Has it stopped raining yet?
• This morning, today, this week, etc
– I haven’t seen him this morning.
• Pres. Perfect Continuous to talk about a period
of time continuing up to present.
– I haven’t been feeling very well lately.
 Pres. Perfect Continuous
• To talk about an action that began in the past
and has recently or just stopped;
– I’ve been talking to Tom about you
• To ask or say how long something has been
happening;
– How long have you been studying English?
• For actions repeated over a period of time.
– She has been playing tennis since she was eight.
 Pres. Perfect Continuous X Simple
• Finished actions – PPS
– She has painted the wall
• Unfinished action – PPC
– She has been painting the wall
• To say how long things are happening
– Ann has been writing letters all day
• To say how much we have done, how many.
– Ann has written ten letters today
 Present Perfect X Simple past
• SP – to ask or say when something happened
– When did it start raining?
• PP – to ask or say how long something has
been happening (up to present)
– How long has it be raining?
• Since / For
– I’ve been waiting for you since 8 o’clock
– I’ve been waiting for you for two hours
 Present Perfect – Simple Past
• PP and SP can be equal
– I lost my key = I have lost my key
• Do not use PP to say when something happened; use
SP;
– I lost my key yesterday (not I have lost)
• Do not use PP with actions not related to present;
– The Chinese invented printing (not have invented)
• PP has always a connection with present;
– Dan has been sick this year
• SP tells us only about the past.
– Dan wasn’t sick last year.
 Past Perfect
• To talk about things that happened before a
time in the past;
– I arrived at the party. When I arrived at the party,
Tom had already gone home.
• Past Perfect is the past of Present Perfect
– I’m not hungry. I’ve just had lunch.
– I wasn’t hungry. I’d just had lunch.
 Past Perfect Continuous
• PPC to say how long something had been
happening before something else happened;
– Ken had been smoking for 30 years when he
finally gave it up.
 Used to
• Use used to to say that something happened
regularly in the past but it no longer happens
– I used to play tennis, but now I’m too lazy
– Sue used to travel a lot. These days she doesn’t go
away so often
 Can, could, be able to
• Can – something is possible or ability
– I can play the guitar
• Be able to – formal
– Are you able to speak English?
• Could – past of can
– My father could speak four languages
• Was able to – someone managed to do something
– Bob played very well, but in the end Jack was able to
beat him
 Must (have) and Can’t (have)
• Must – we are sure something is true;
– Bill must be a very good player. (he won the game)
• Can’t – something is impossible;
– You’ve just had lunch. You can’t be hungry.
 May and Might
• May or might to say something is possible.
– He may be in his office
– He might be in his office
• To say what was possible in the past, use may
have or might have
– He might have been working
• Could mean a smaller possibility.
– Jack could be in his office, but I’m not sure.
 May and Might (future)
• May and might – possibilities
– The weather forecast is not good. It might rain
• Continuous form – may/might be doing
– I may be going to Puerto Rico in July (possible)
– I’m going to Puerto Rico in July (for sure)
 Can, could, may and would
• To ask for something;
– Can you wait a moment, please?
• Asking and giving permission;
– Could I use your telephone?
• To offer;
– Can I get you a cup of tea?
• For offering and invite;
– Would you like a cup of tea?
 Have to and Must
• To say something is necessary;
– You must see a doctor;
– You have to work
• With have to there is no feelings. Just facts;
– I have to pay my bills
• Mustn’t and don’t have to are different.
– You mustn’t smoke in hospitals (forbidden)
– You don’t have to use uniforms here (it’s not
obligated)
 Should
• To give advice;
– You should stop smoking
• To ask for opinion;
– Do you think I should go there?
• To say something isn’t right;
– The kids shouldn’t be playing
• For past – should have;
– I shouldn’t have eaten so much
• To say something will probably happen;
– This evening I should be at home
• Ought to instead of should in this case:
– It’s a good movie. You ought to see it.
– She’s been studying hard, so she ought to pass the exam.