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Grammar Reference

 Past Simple vs Past Progressive TIME EXPRESSIONS
Time clauses (when, while, as, as soon as)
for, since, already, just, yet, recently, lately, ever, never,
• We use the past progressive and the past simple in how long, once, twice, before, so far, etc.
the same sentence when one action interrupted another
in the past. We use the past progressive for the longer since/for
action and the past simple for the shorter action. In this
case we usually use while, when or as. • since + a point in time
As/While I was driving, I saw a boy in the street. It refers to the time when the action started.
I was sleeping when the telephone rang. I’ve had this collection since 1999.

NOTE We use as soon as with the past simple. • for + a period of time
As soon as they left, we started cleaning up the house. It refers to the duration of the action.
I’ve had this collection for six years.
Compounds of some, any, no and every
some any no every • present perfect simple + since + past simple
To indicate when an action which started in the past and
People someone anyone no one everyone continues up to the present started.
somebody anybody nobody everybody Sam has written five books since he became a writer.
Things something anything nothing everything
Places somewhere anywhere nowhere everywhere yet/already

• These compounds always go with singular verbs. • yet is used only with the question and negative form of
Someone is behind the door. verbs. It is placed at the end of the sentence.
Have you finished yet?
• We use the compounds of some, no and every He hasn’t arrived yet.
in affirmative sentences.
Everybody here works very hard. • already is used with the affirmative and question form
of verbs. It is placed between the auxiliary and the main
• We use the compounds of any in questions and verb, or at the end of the sentence for emphasis.
negative sentences. I’ve already seen that documentary.
I can't find my glasses anywhere. You’ve finished eating already!

Present Perfect Simple have/has gone, have/has been

Affirmative • have/has gone means that someone has gone somewhere
and is still there.
I have The Greens have gone to Rome. (= They are still in Rome.)

He/She/It has worked/brought • have/has been means that someone has visited a place,
but has come back.
We/You/They have Ian has been to the new shopping centre. (He visited the
new shopping centre at some point in the past, but he’s not
Negative there any more.)

I haven’t worked/brought Present Perfect Simple vs Past Simple
He/She/It hasn’t
We/You/They haven’t • We use the present perfect simple for actions that
happened at some time in the past, but the exact time
Questions is not mentioned.
I have heard this story before.
Have I
Has he/she/it worked/brought • We use the past simple for actions that happened at a
Have we/you/they definite time in the past and the time is mentioned.
I heard this story on the radio last night.
We use the present perfect simple:
• for an action which happened in the past, but we don’t Module 3
 can/could/may
mention when exactly.
I’ve travelled to the UAE twice. • We use Can I..?, Could I..?, May I..? to ask for
permission.
• to talk about a state which started in the past and Can/Could/May I go to the festival?
continues up to the present. Yes, you can/may.
I have lived in Athens since 1990. (I still live in Athens.) No, you can’t/may not.

• for an action which happened in the past and finished, • We use Can I..?, Could I..?, May I..? to offer help and
but the results are obvious in the present. make requests.
I’m tired. I’ve just finished studying. Can/Could/May I help you?
Look! Jerry has broken his leg! Can/Could/May I have some more cake?

NOTE Irregular verbs on page 89. • We use Can/Could you..? to make polite requests and
ask for a favour. Could is more polite.
Can/Could you help me open the door?

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