Grammar

**On this page you will find information and (interactive) practice exercises all to do with grammar. If an area of grammar is difficult for you, here is the page to look. You can test yourself because after doing an interactive task, you can click on the solutions and find out how well your did or look on the last page for the solutions (for non-interactive) tasks.**

**If there is an area of grammar which you need practice in but it is not here, let me know and I will prepare something for you.**

**Interactive and online material**
= = ++ [|http://www.ego4u.de] ++ [|http://www.homepage.bnv-bamberg.de] ++ [|http://www.usingenglish.com] ++ [] Good for tips/exercises about a) punctuation; b) writing tasks; c) grammar.

**Adjectives and Adverbs** What is an adjective? What is an adverb? What's the difference and when do I use which? How do I form an adverb? Find the answers here. ++ - basic info: recognising an adjective and an adverb ++ - the job of an adjective or an adverb - how to create an adverb from an adjective - tasks to practise using adjectives and adverbs ++ what do you do if you have 2, 3 or 4 adjectives which you want to put in front of something to describe it. Which one goes first, which should be the last one? There are some rules. To check these out, look below under **word order**.

**Comparing things** Somebody wants to know about your different products and which would be the best for him/her. This means you will have to compare the different features of these products and help the customer to make a decision. To do this, you need to know about how comparatives (2 things) and superlatives (3 or more things) are structured. This handout has the answers:

**Nouns** **~ uncountable and uncountable** ++

**Numbers** ++ see the Telephoning page (arrangements and appointments) for how to say numbers e.g. **dates, prices**, etc.

**Prepositions** **~ of time** ++ ++ ... //I'll call you// ... (//**at / before / by / in / on / until**//) tomorrow lunchtime. Which of these prepositions are possible? All of them, only one and if there are several options, what is the difference between each one? Check it out here.

**Pronouns** ++ ...When to use //**I / me / my / mine / myself**//? Not sure? This handout gives a quick overview (//subject pronoun - object pronoun - possessive adjective - possessive pronoun - reflexive pronoun//). ++ ... When to use //**all**// and when to use //**everybody**//? What's the difference between //**everybody / somebody / anybody / nobobdy**//? This handout has some of the answers!

**Punctuation** ++ ...English commas - above all - are rather strange as they do not follow the same rules as German ones! This handout gives an overview of the main rules for all the different types of punctuation you can put in a sentence: commas, full stops, semi-colons, colons, dashes and quotation marks. There is even an exercise at the end so you can practise your newly-found knowledge :-).

**Some and any** ++ ++

**Time** ++ see the Telephoning (arrangements and appointments) page for how to tell the time and understand the different ways of saying the same time (digital or analogue)

**Verbs, Tenses and Verb Structures** ++ ..This **diagram** shows how English tenses are used: all the main tenses are on one diagram. ++ ...a more complex handout with several diagrams. These show the **five main tenses** (present simple, present continuous, simple past, present perfect simple and present perfect continuous) and when/how to use them in context. ++ ...A handout showing the main **key words** which might help you to choose the right tense. ++ or  ...Not all verbs can be used in the //**-ing**// (progressive / continuous form). Here are two diagrams (they are different versions of the same thing) which show you the most common ones. ++ ..This page explains the basics of a system which explains how English verbs are conjugated - using **diagrams** only! Very simple to understand. ++ ...A clear **table** which shows how to conjugate all the main tenses in English - regular and irregular verbs. ++ ...Nearly every tense you learn has two forms: **active** and **passive**. This table gives you a basic **overview** of all the tenses. For more information about the passive, see below.

++ ++ ...The going to future and the diary future (present progressive with future meaning) are used in almost the same way and it is not easy to know when to use which. This handout gives examples and explanations which will hopefully make things clear. It is not 100% clear however - I admit this. Sorry.
 * FUTURE TIME**

++ ..The simple present in diagram form (all verbs except TO BE ) ++ ...The simple present in diagram form of the verb TO BE ++  ...The present progressive (continuous) of all verbs - in diagram form. ++ ...**Exercises** for practising the two present tenses together.
 * PRESENT TIME**

++ ..The **closed** (simple) **past** in diagram form
 * PAST TIME**

++ ..The **open pas**t (present perfect) in diagram form. ++ ..A time line which shows how the **open past** (present perfect) ++ ...When should I used the **open past** and when should I use the **closed past**? This simply explain handout has the answers to many of your questions. ++ ..How to form the ongoing past form (of the present perfect) ++ ...Shows how each of these words (//**already - still - yet**//), which are key expressions - and which commonly come together with the present perfect (**closed past**) - is used. The handout also offers practice in using them too. ++ ...A wide range of **exercises** for practising all the different past tenses that you know.


 * CONDITIONALS**
 * ~ [[file:bec-fire/conditionals 1-2.pdf|conditionals 1-2.pdf]]** ...Review of which verb structures you need for conditional 1 and **conditional 2**. How to **translate** the two structures --> when to use conditional 1 / conditional 2? Do I need "//**if**//" or do I need "//**when**//"**?**
 * ~ [[file:conditionals_0-3.pdf]]** ...All you need to know about conditionals: type 0, type 1, type 2, and type 3. Includes translations of basic examples into German as well.

++ ...Modal verbs change their meaning according to the situation. This handout shows the main ways in which //**can - could - should**// are used. ~ ...//**Must**// is a very strong modal. It is, however, very limited in its form --> //**have to**// is the alternative. This handout shows how to use //**must**// and //**have to**//. It also compares and reviews the strength of each of the modals for different situations (//**can - should - must - have to**//) e.g. for giving orders or advice: to explain something is for example possible - necessary - impossible.
 * MODALS**

~ ...Handout showing all the main passive structures --> how to transfer from active to passive. When to use the passive structure. With exercises. B1 level ~ ...Table showing in detail how each of the **main** tenses in the passive should be formed. **B1 level**. ~ ...Table showing the **main** tenses in passive and active format + German equivalents (= translations). B2 level ~ Advanced level of the above file with the extra forms which are needed for **B2 level**. ~ ...Advanced version of the above file which shows **all** tenses in the active form + German equivalents (= translations).
 * PASSIVE**

~ ...Clear examples of the basics of this structure. ~ ...More advanced structures ~ ...Advanced range of verbs and structures which you will typically find in newspaper articles.
 * REPORTED/INDIRECT SPEECH**

**Word Order** ++ It's not easy to "guess" where the words in an English sentence go. This handout gives you the basic rules about the subject, verb, object, as well as adverbs of frequency. ++ each type of **adjective** has its place in a sentence. This handout shows the main rules. An exercise with solutions is included: ++ **Inversion**. A limited number of words in English require word order to be changed (inverted) so that //**S+V+O**// does not happen. Practise directly ** here ** on this page where you will find some of the most useful ones!