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Grammar Timesaver
Grammar Timesaver
Grammar Timesaver
This Timesaver has been created after some experecience with my students. I
hope it helps other teachers as much as it has helped me. Since it is photocopiable,
it will save time to busy teachers.
Each unit contains a brief and simple explanation of the Grammar point with
a set of exercises where students can show their knowledge.
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INDEX
Present Simple.......................................................................................... 3
Present Continuous................................................................................... 5
Exercises Present Simple-Present Continuous................. 8
Past Simple................................................................................................. 10
Irregular Verbs...................................................................... 13
Past Continuous........................................................................................ 15
Future with Going to................................................................................. 18
Future with Will........................................................................................ 20
Comparatives & Superlatives............................................................. ... 21
Present Perfect............................................................................................ 22
Past Perfect................................................................................................. 26
Conditionals............................................................................................... 27
Reported Speech....................................................................................... 29
Passive Voice............................................................................................. 33
Check-out Exercises................................................................................. 37
Verb Review............................................................................................... 40
Grammar Review...................................................................................... 41
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PRESENT SIMPLE
FORMS:
AFFIRMATIVE QUESTION NEGATIVE
I work Do I work? I don’t/do not work
You work Do you work? You don’t/do not work
He/she/it works Does he/she/it work? He/she/it doesn’t/does not
We work Do we work? work
You work Do you work? We don’t/do not work
They work Do they work? You don’t/… work
They don’t/… work
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EXERCISES:
Complete when it’s necessary with the correct form of the present simple:
I belive__ you.
She go__ to the beach.
Sarah _____ a lot of exams. (to have)
John frequently forget__ the key of the car.
He speak__ Japanese.
How much do__ it cost?
Peter watch__ TV during the night.
You never want__ to study.
Nina’s father smoke__.
She do__ not/ _____ like apples.
Where do__ they live?
This glue fix__ everything
What do__ you think?
He _______ more money. (not have)
Brian drive__ the car very fast.
You _____ a good student. (to be)
They go__ to Seville every year.
He push__ the glasses to open the window.
Mary always finish__ her homework.
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PRESENT CONTINUOUS
FORMS:
SPELLING:
Most of verbs: add –ing
work working go going
read reading play playing
Verbs ending in –P, –R, –L,-T, -M usually double the consonant before ing
swim swimming travel travelling
stop stopping sit sitting
USES:
To talk about a planned action that will take place in the near future.
Ex.:
We are meeting Paul tonight.
Mary is coming to the pub with us.
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EXERCISES:
NEG.:___________________________________________________________
QUEST.:________________________________________________________?
AFFIRM.:________________________________________________________
QUEST.:________________________________________________________?
NEG.:___________________________________________________________
QUEST.:________________________________________________________?
NEG.:___________________________________________________________
QUEST.:________________________________________________________?
NEG.:___________________________________________________________
QUEST.:________________________________________________________?
AFFIRM.:________________________________________________________
NEG.:__________________________________________________________?
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She is not coming to the concert next Monday.
AFFIRM.:________________________________________________________
QUEST.:________________________________________________________?
AFFIRM.:________________________________________________________
NEG.:__________________________________________________________?
NEG.: ___________________________________________________________
QUEST.:________________________________________________________?
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EXERCISES: PRESENT SIMPLE -PRESENT CONTINUOUS
Complete this chunk of a tour speech with the correct form of the verb
(present simple or present continuous) in the brackets.
_____________ (go) into Studio A. In this building on the left they ____________
(make) several TV drams, but they ______________ (not film) today, because the
workmen ______________ (build) the scenery for a new series of Harper Street. Over
_____________ (go) past the costume department. The people here _____________
(make) and ____________ (repair) the clothes for the actors and actresses. This room
Studio B, but we have to wait for the green light. The red light means that they
_____________ (shoot) a film. While we _____________ (wait) let me tell you some
things about Western TV. We _____________ (make) programmes for television and
normally _____________ (film) an episode of San Francisco Night. Well, now we’ve
Complete with the present simple or present continuous form of the verb
in the brackets:
She usually ______________ (eat) fish.
8
Mary ______________ (play) the piano at this moment.
exams.
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PAST SIMPLE
FORMS:
10
EXERCISES:
Write the requested form of the next sentences:
NEG.:___________________________________________________________
QUEST.:________________________________________________________?
AFFIRM.:________________________________________________________
QUEST.:________________________________________________________?
AFFIRM.:________________________________________________________
QUEST.:________________________________________________________?
AFFIRM.:________________________________________________________
NEG.:________________________________________________________?
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Put the words in the right order to make coherent sentences:
_______________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
PAST
How many verbs in the past tense can you find in this word square?
L I D I D N T C U M
A N Q B S X P T D B
D J W S A I D F R O
O F E A I E W A S U
S O T W E R E A B G
P U T H D P N V O H
Z N H A G O T W D T
E D I D E G J Y K O
R E K M H E A R D N
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IRREGULAR VERBS
INFINITIVE PAST SIMPLE PAST PARTICIPLE TRANSLATION
Be Was / were Been Ser, estar
Become Became Become Convertirse, llegar a ser
Begin Began Begun Empezar
Bite Bit Bitten Morder
Break Broke Broken Romper
Bring Brought Brought Traer
Build Built Built Construir
Buy Bought Bought Comprar
Choose Chose Chosen Escoger
Come Came Come Venir
Cut Cut Cut Cortar
Do Did Done Hacer
Draw Drew Drawn Dibujar
Drink Drank Drunk Beber
Drive Drove Driven Conducir
Eat Ate Eaten Comer
Feel Felt Felt Sentir
Find Found Found Encontrar
Forget Forgot Forgotten Olvidar
Forgive Forgave Forgiven Perdonar
Get Got Got Conseguir
Give Gave Given Dar
Go Went Gone Ir
Have Had Had Tener
Hear Heard Heard Oír
Hide Hid Hidden Esconder
Hit Hit Hit Golpear
Hold Held Held Sostener
Keep Kept Kept Guardar, mantener
Know Knew Known Saber
Leave Left Left Dejar, salir
Lose Lost Lost Perder
Make Made Made Hacer, fabricar
Meet Met Met Conocer, encontrarse
Pay Paid Paid Pagar
Put Put Put Poner
Read Read Read Leer
Run Ran Run Correr
Say Said Said Decir
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INFINITIVE PAST SIMPLE PAST PARTICIPLE TRANSLATION
See Saw Seen Ver
Sell Sold Sold Vender
Send Sent Sent Enviar, mandar
Sing Sang Sung Cantar
Sit Sat Sat Sentarse
Sleep Slept Slept Dormir
Speak Spoke Spoken Hablar
Spend Spent Spent Gastar
Steal Stole Stolen Robar
Swim Swam Swum Nadar
Take Took Taken Coger
Teach Taught Taught Enseñar (profesor)
Tell Told Told Contar (historias, etc.)
Think Thought Thought Pensar
Understand Understood Understood Entender
Win Won Won Ganar (juegos)
Write Wrote Written Escribir
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PAST CONTINUOUS
FORMS:
SPELLING:
Most of verbs: add –ing
work working go going
read reading play playing
Verbs ending in –P, –R, –L,-T, -M usually double the consonant before ing
swim swimming travel travelling
sit sitting stop stopping
USES:
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NOTE!! The Past Continuous refers to a longer action or situation; the Past Simple
refers to a shorter action or event that happened in the middle of the longer action.
Ex.:
The phone rang while I was having dinner.
He came into my room when I was studying
EXERCISES:
NEG.:___________________________________________________________
QUEST.:________________________________________________________?
AFFIRM.:________________________________________________________
NEG.:___________________________________________________________
They were walking down the road, so they saw him.
NEG.:___________________________________________________________
QUEST.:________________________________________________________?
AFFIRM.:________________________________________________________
QUEST.:________________________________________________________?
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Jack _______________ (play) happily with his toys when his big brother
___________ (hit) him on the head and ___________ (make) him cry.
(attack) us.
When I ____________ (come) back home I ______________ (find) that the water
wooden leg.
he____________ (skate).
work.
(come).
_____________ (lie) me when she _____________ (tell) him about her life.
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FUTURE WITH GOING TO
FORMS:
STRUCTURE:
Pronoun + be going to + verb (Infinitive)
USES:
To talk about plans and intentions
Ex.:
I’m going to buy a car next week.
John is going to paint the room next Saturday.
Mary’s going to have a baby in June.
To talk about things that we can see or feel about the future.
Ex.:
Look at those clouds! It’s going to rain.
Things are going to get better soon.
I feel terrible! I think I’m going to be sick.
EXERCISES:
Write the words in the correct order:
_____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________ ?
_____________________________________________________________
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tonight / you / see / I / to / am / going?
____________________________________________________________ ?
____________________________________________________________ ?
The telephone is ringing. Can you get it? I’m going to / ‘ll have a shower.
Why are you polishing your car? We’re going to / will sell it.
Can you call him back? We are just going to / will just have lunch.
furious.
join you.
the car.
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FUTURE WITH WILL
FORMS:
AFFIRMATIVE QUESTION NEGATIVE
I ‘ll / will work Will I work? I won’t / will not work
You ‘ll / will work Will you work? You won’t / will not work
He/she/it ‘ll / will work Will he/she/it work? He/she/it won’t / will not work
We ‘ll / will work Will we work? We won’t / will not work
You ‘ll / will work Will you work? You won’t / will not work
They ‘ll / will work Will they work? They won’t / will not work
USES:
To make predictions or general statements about the future.
Ex.:
Soon everybody will have a computer at home.
All the people will be at the wedding.
In thirteen minutes the alarm will go off.
EXERCISES:
Complete using will and the verb between brackets:
Would you like to fly a plane?
ready for a flight in one of our planes. And you _______________________ (take)
(have) controls, too. You ___________________ (not belive) it until you try. In fact
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COMPARATIVES & SUPERLATIVES
FORMS:
ADJECTIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE
tall taller the tallest
ONE SYLLABLE
cold colder the coldest
ONE SYLLABLE: hot hotter the hottest
VOWEL + ONE thin thinner the thinnest
CONSONANT big bigger the biggest
TWO heavier the heaviest
heavy
SYLLABLES: prettier the prettiest
pretty
CONSONANT + Y
TWO or MORE modern more modern the most modern
SYLLABLES expensive more expensive the most expensive
good better the best
IRREGULAR
bad worse the worst
ADJECTIVES
far further the furthest
EXERCISES:
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Write the comparative and superlative of these adjectives:
ADJECTIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE
Interesting
Expensive
Thick
Friendly
Fine
Thin
Difficult
Easy
Wonderful
Sunny
Fat
Long
Warm
Wise
Old
Happy
Slim
Shot
Nice
Relaxed
Fit
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PRESENT PERFECT
FORMS:
STRUCTURE:
Pronoun + to have (present) + verb (past participle)
USES:
The Present Perfect links the “recent” past with the present:
PAST PRESENT
If we say that something has happened, we are thinking about the past and the
present at the same time.
Ex.:
Our dog has died. ( Our dog is dead now)
I have broken my leg. ( My leg is broken now)
Mary has have a baby. ( Mary has a baby now)
We have lived here for two years. ( We still live here now)
Note that the event starts in a “recent” past but it continues in the present.
EXERCISES:
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We use the _______________________ to talk about an action at an
indefinite time up to the present.
Find the past participle of the next verbs in the word square:
LEAVE – RUN – BE – THROW – PUT – TAKE – OPEN – NEED – WIN – WRITE –
LOSE - SEE – BREAK – WANT – GO – HAVE – DRIVE – LEAD – DROP – EAT –
STEAL – LIVE - DECIDE – CHANGE – DO – FORGET – RIDE – LAND - TELL
B U F T M D W I W O W A C
K L E F T F S E O W R U N
M O N B V B E E N S I S R
T S I B L V E W S F T K I
R T H R O W N E P U T A S
H I P O L A J G E G E E F
H T A K E N Y O P E N E D
C K S E D T H N P L M N E
H B N N E E D E D M H G C
A F F X Z D C Z O Y T L I
N B O N H I R P N M H A D
G M R Y D R I V E N I P E
E C G U I H D D A T L E D
D R O P P E D I J L A N S
A N T E L L E A T E N E E
E S T O L E N E O B D J P
I N E D O M A B L E E U H
K E N Y L I V E D U D O N
____________________________________________________________ ?
_____________________________________________________________
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be in Brazil/ go there last year.
____________________________________________________________ ?
_____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________ ?
_____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________ ?
_____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________ ?
_____________________________________________________________
Last February Bert and Emily Atkins won / have won 1 million $ on the lottery.
How have their lives changed /did their lives change since then? Well, the simple
answer is their lives haven’t changed / didn’t change at all! They still live / have
lived in their little house. “We don’t want to move” says Emily. “We ‘ve lived / live
here since 1970, and all our friends are around here”. Bert didn’t give up / hasn’t
given up his job at the local factory. He works / has worked there for thirty years. So
what difference has the money made / did the money make to their lives? “Well, we
buy / have bought a car” says Emily. “And we have booked / booked a holiday in
Florida. We never went / ‘ve never been abroad and I ‘ve always wanted / always
wanted go to Florida. My sister’s family have gone / went last year. They have had /
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PAST PERFECT
FORMS:
STRUCTURE:
Pronoun + to have (past) + verb (past participle)
USES:
The Past Perfect describes an event that occurred before another event in the
past.
Ex.:
Mary went to the hospital because she had had an accident.
I thought that he had sent the letter last week.
When I arrived to the party, Lucy had already gone.
EXERCISES:
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CONDITIONALS
IF- CLAUSES:
FORMS: FORMS:
Ex.: Ex.:
If you study hard, you’ll pass the exam. If I had money, I’d buy a new car.
I’ll spend all my money if I don’t save it. I wouldn’t ask you if I knew the answer.
USES: USES:
First Conditionals predict the Second Conditionals describe
effects of a real or probable action or unreal, improbable or imaginary situations.
event.
Ex.: Ex.:
We won’t go out if it rains. If we won a lot of money, we would be
NOTE! First & Second Conditionals refer to present or future. The difference is how
probable the action is.
Ex.:
If I win the competition, I’ll be the champion. (I think it is possible that I win)
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EXERCISES:
A B
If I found a credit card, You won’t watch the football match.
I’ll play the guitar I’ll be very happy.
If it’s sunny tomorrow, I would call the police.
I’ll tell him your news If it rains tomorrow.
If I wasn’t at work, If I see him.
I’d go round the world I wouldn’t use it.
If the TV doesn’t work If you sing.
We won’t go to the beach She’d be very happy.
If Sarah got the job, If I was rich.
If someone tried to steal by bag, I’d go windsurfing.
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REPORTED SPEECH
FORMS:
DIRECT INDIRECT
PRESENT SIMPLE
He said, “ I write letters.” He said that he wrote letters.
He said, “ I don’t write letters.” He said that he didn’t write letters.
( Present Simple) ( Past Simple)
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
He said, “ I am writing letters.” He said that he was writing letters.
He said, “ I’m not writing letters.” He said that he wasn’t writing letters.
( Present Continuous) ( Past Continuous)
PRESENT PERFECT
He said, “ I have written letters.” He said that he had written letters.
He said, “ I haven’t written letters.” He said that he hadn’t written letters.
( Present Perfect) ( Past Perfect)
PAST SIMPLE
He said, “ I wrote letters.” He said that he had written letters.
He said, “ I didn’t write letters.” He said that he hadn’t written letters.
( Past Simple) ( Past Perfect)
PAST CONTINUOUS
He said, “ I was writing letters.” He said that he had been writing letters.
He said, “ I wasn’t writing letters.” He said that he hadn’t been writing letters.
( Past Continuous) ( Past Perfect Continuous)
PAST PERFECT
He said, “ I had written letters.” He said that he had written letters.
( Past Perfect) ( Past Perfect)
FUTURE with WILL
He said, “ I will write letters.” He said that he would write letters.
He said, “ I won’t write letters.” He said that he wouldn’t write letters.
( Future with WILL) ( Conditional: WOULD)
FUTURE with GOING TO
He said, “ I am going to write letters.” He said that he was going to write letters.
IMPERATIVE
He said, “ Write letters.” He said to write letters.
He said, “Don’t write letters.” He said not to write letters.
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NOTE!!
In Reported Speech we usually use the verbs tell, say and ask.
When we use tell or ask we have to specify who are you talking with.
Ex.:
The policeman told us that everything was right.
Mary asked him if he loved her.
She said that the exam was very difficult.
When we use tell or say, the indirect speech is introduced by that. Sometimes this
particle can be omitted. We don’t use that with the imperative.
Ex.:
John told us that he had been training hard last week.
You said (that) Helen had painted her house.
He said to shut up.
When we report questions, we use ask. In this case the indirect speech is introduced
by if.
Ex.:
I asked him if he wanted more coffee.
He asked me if I would go with him to the party.
but:
I asked them what did they want.
He asked me when had you left the country.
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The change in pronouns will depend on the person being referred to in the indirect speech.
Ex.:
“I give you my pen”, Sally said to Peter. Sally told Peter that she gave him her pen.
USES:
Reported Speech is used when someone say, tell or ask us something, and we want
to tell it to someone later.
Ex.:
Yesterday your friend came to you and said:
Excuse me, can you lend me some money until next Friday?
Talking about this later, you simply say:
My friend asked me if I could lend him/her some money until next Friday.
EXERCISES:
Write the following sentences in indirect speech:
_____________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
“ Did you watch MTV last night?” asked Alex.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
“ Are you going to buy some food for tomorrow?”, Susan asked them.
Ian said that he had been playing tennis the night before.
_____________________________________________________________
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Simon asked me if I bought the red sweater.
_______________________________________________________________
My mother told me not to shout at her.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
The teacher said that pupils had to complete all the questionnaire.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Report the next dialogue: Imagine you spoke with a policeman yesterday.
I said ___________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
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PASSIVE VOICE
FORMS:
ACTIVE PASSIVE
PRESENT SIMPLE
People from Brazil speak Portuguese. Portuguese is spoken by people from
Brazil.
Pupils hear teachers. Teachers are heard by pupils.
These cars are made in France.
Are these cars made in France?
( I am
( You are + past participle)
(He/she/it is ...
PAST SIMPLE
A burglar stole my bag. My bag was stolen by a burglar.
She wasn’t invited to the party.
Was your bag stolen?
( I was
( You were + past participle)
( He/she/it was
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
Peter is repairing the roof. The roof is being repaired by Peter.
Is the roof being repaired?
Those houses are being painted.
( I’m being
( You are being + past participle)
(He/she/it is being
PAST CONTINUOUS
People were following the guide. The guide was being followed by
people.
Was the guide being followed?
( I was being
( You were being + past participle)
( He/she/it was being
PRESENT PERFECT
The police has trapped Charles. Charles has been trapped by the police.
His effort hasn’t been rewarded.
Has the burglar been captured?
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( I have been
( You have been + past participle)
(He/she/it has been
PAST PERFECT
This book had changed his life His life had been changed by this book.
I knew why he hadn’t been chosen.
( I had been
( You had been + past participle)
( He/she/it had been
FUTURE with WILL
This exam will affect to your mark Your mark will be affected by this exam.
The house will be sold soon.
Will the school be opened?
( I / You / … will be + past participle)
FUTURE with GOING TO
Mary is going to buy a new car. A new car is going to be bought by Mary.
Who is going to be invited?
( I’m going to be
( You are going to be + past participle)
( He/she/it is going to be
NOTE!!
If we want to show who or what does the action, we use by.
Ex.:
The murderer was captured by the police.
The evidences will be examined by forensic sciencist.
USES:
When we say what happens to people or things, -what is done-, we use passive
verb forms like is built, was spoken, is being repaired, will be changed, etc.
EXERCISES:
34
Volvos __________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
We moved out of our house while they were building the road.
She ____________________________________________________________
Computers _______________________________________________________
Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense, active or passive:
35
___________________ (see) La Bohème next Saturday.
When I ________________ (wake up) this morning, the world looked like
36
CHECK-OUT EXERCISES
Verb Checking:
Our team ____________ ( not play) really well. We _____________ (win) at half a
I ___________ (met) an old school friend last week. I ________________ (not see)
her for years.
Mary _____________ (have) a baby.
You _______________ (not pass) the exam if you _________________ (not study)
hard.
37
Comparatives & superlatives:
Easy
Wonderful
Fat
Long
Old
Happy
Slim
Relaxed
Strong
Fit
Conditionals:
38
Passive Voice:
_______________________________________________________________
_________________ ______________________________________________
__________________ _____________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Reported Speech:
_____________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
“ Did you watch the film last night?” asked Alex.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
39
VERB REVIEW
Our baby ___________________ (walk) now. He’s just twelve months old.
My sister earns a good salary. She _________________ (sell) life insurance policies.
hotel.
______________ (break) a leg and on Saturday his wife ______________ (leave) him.
semester.
40
GRAMMAR REVIEW
Complete these rules with the correct name of the tenses and give an example:
use_________________________.
Ex.: ___________________________________________________________ .
Ex.: ___________________________________________________________ .
_______________________ .
Ex.: ___________________________________________________________ .
_______________________.
Ex.:____________________________________________________________.
To talk about things that we can see or feel about the future we use
________________________.
Ex._____________________________________________________________.
To talk about a planned action that will take place in the near future we use
________________________.
Ex.: ____________________________________________________________.
Ex.: ____________________________________________________________.
Ex.: ____________________________________________________________.
use____________________.
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