TOP NOTCH 3

UNIT 1

Lesson1. TAG QUESTION: USE AND FORM

Use tag question to confirm information you already think is true or to encourage someone to make small talk
with you. It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?

When the statement is affirmative, the tag is negative.

When the statement is negative, the tag is affirmative.

Use the same verb tense modal in the tag question as in the main statement.

You last name is Gómez, isn’t it?

r
Object Always be Object
contracted

Imperative: Denoting the mood of a verb that expresses a command or exhortation. Use will and won’t.
Do it now, won’t you?

 You’re Lee, aren’t you?  You’re not Amy, are you?

 She speaks Thai, doesn’t she?
 She was there, wasn’t she?
 They’ll be here later, won’t they?
 There are a lot of rules, aren’t there?
 I’m on time, aren’t I?
 Ann would like Quito, wouldn’t she?
 He can hear me, can’t he?
 It’s been a great day, hasn’t it?
 They left, didn’t they?
 Take you pills, won’t you?
 You haven’t been studying, have you?
 I don’t know you, do I?
 You weren’t there, were you?
 It won’t be long, will it?
 There aren’t a lot of rules, are there?
 I’m not late, am I?
 You wouldn’t do that, would you?
 He can’t speak Japanese, can he?
 She hasn’t been here long, has she?
 We didn’t know, did we?
 Don’t come back late, will you?
 You have been studying, haven’t you?

Lesson2. THE PAST PERFECT: STATEMENTS

Use the past perfect to describe an action that occurred before a specific time in the past. Had + Past participle
The meeting had ended before we arrived.
The meeting ended at 11:00......................................................................... We arrived at 12:00.

Time makers by, already, and yet are often used with the past perfect.

 By four o’clock the tour had begun.

 They had already eaten when their friends called.
 When the flight took off, the storm hadn’t started yet. (hadn’t yet started)

Use the part perfect with the simple past tense or the past of be to clarify which of two past actions occurred
first.

The meeting had begun late, so we didn’t have lunch until 2:00.
(First the meeting began; then we had lunch)

By the time the tour was over, Ann had already met Kazuko.
(First Ann and Kazuko met; then the tour was over)

In informant speech, you can use the simple past instead of the past perfect when the words by, before,
and after make the order of events clear.

GRAMMAR BOOSTER:

LESSON2. VERB USAGE: PRESENT AND PAST (OVERVIEW)

Use the simple present tense (but NOT the present continuous):

 For facts and regular occurrences.

 I study English.
 Class meets every day.
 Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
 With frequency adverbs and time expressions.
 They never eat before 6:00 on weekdays.
 With stative (“non-action”) verbs.
 I remember her now.
 For future actions, especially those indicating schedules.
 Flight 100 usually leaves at 2:00, but tomorrow it leaves at 1:30.

Use the present continuous (but NOT simple present tense):

 For actions happening now (but not whit stative or non-action verbs).
 They’re talking on the phone.
 For actions occurring during a time period in the present.
 This year I’m studying English.
 For some future actions, especially those already planned.
 Thursday I’m going to the theater.

Use the present perfect or the present perfect continuous:

  For unfinished or continuous actions:
 I’ve lived here since 2012. Or I’ve been living here since 2012.
 We’ve lived here for five years. Or We’ve been living here for five years.

Use the present perfect (but NOT the present perfect continuous):

 For completed or non-continuing actions.

 I’ve eaten there three times.
 I’ve never read that book.
 I’ve already seen him.

Use the simple past tense:

 For actions completed at a specified time in the past.

 I ate there in 2020. NOT I’ve eaten there in 2010.

Use the past continuous:

 For one or more actions in progress at a time in the past.

 At 7:00, we were eating dinner.
 They were swimming, and we were sitting on the beach.

Use the past continuous and the simple past tense:

 For a continuing action in the past that was interrupted.

 I was eating when my sister called.

Use use to and used to:

 For past situations and habits that no longer exist.

 I used to smoke, but I stopped.
 They didn’t use to require a visa, but now they do.

Use the past perfect:

 To indicate that one past action preceded another past action.

 When I arrived, they had finished lunch.

UNIT 2

Lesson1. DRAWING CONCLUSIONS WITH MUST

Use the modal must + the base form of a verb to draw a conclusion and indicate that you think something is
probably true.

A. I think I just broke my tooth!

B. Oh no. That must hurt.
 A. The doctor said I should come in next week.
B. That’s good. It must not be an emergency.

Remember: Can, could, should, will, and must are modals. Modals don’t change form. Always follow modals
with a base form.

Lesson2. WILL BE ABLE TO; MODALS MAY AND MIGHT

Will (won’t) be able to + base form: future ability

 The doctor will be able to see you tomorrow. (= The doctor can see you tomorrow)
 She won’t be able to come to work this week. (= She can’t come to work this week)

May/ might (may not/ might not) + base form: possibility

 The dentist may (might) arrive at the office a little late this morning.
 You may not (= might not) need to come in right away.

May = 50% Might = 30%

Note: You can use be able to with may and might for possibility or with must for drawing conclusions.

 The doctor may be able to see you today.

 I might not be able to get there till 6:00.
 We must be able to park here. See the sign?
 They must not be able to cancel the appointment.

GRAMMAR BOOSTER:

Lesson1. DRAW CONCLUSIONS WITH PROBABLY AND MOST LIKELY

You can draw conclusions with less certainty than must by using probably or most likely.

Probably and most likely frequently occur after the verb be or when be is part of a verb phrase.