English Grammar 3 Grammar Book

ENGLISH G R A M M A R 3

by
Edward R. Rosset

Editorial Stanley


Written by / Escrito por:
Edward R. Rosset
Member of the Bachelor of Arts Association of
Euskadi.
Miembro del Colegio de Licenciados de Filosofia
y Letras de Euskadi
Revised by / Revisado por:
Beryl Aguado Lait
Principal of Apsley School of English.
Portsmouth - England
Published by / Editado por:
Editorial Stanley
Layout / Diseno y Maquetacion:
Angela Gomez Martin
Front page design / Diseno portada:
Esquema
© Editorial Stanley
www.libross.com
Apdo. 207 - 20302 IRUN - SPAIN
Telf. (943) 64 04 12 - Fax. (943) 64 38 63
ISBN: 84-7873-195-4
Dep. Leg.: BI-1193-01

Second edition / Segunda edicion 1999
Reprint / Reimpresion 2001
Printers / Imprime:
Imprenta RGM


INDEX
Unit
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22

23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52

53

Contents
Present simple and present continuous
Look, sound, seem, appear
Modifiers: Quite, fairly, rather, pretty
Phrasal verbs
Must, can't + infinitive
Should, ought to, could + infinitive
Such, so
Gerunds after prepositions -keep, try
Comparison of adjectives
Comparison of adverbs
Adverbs of manner
Order of adjectives
Adjectives ending in ing/ed
The present perfect simple
Present perfect with ever, just, since, for
If, when, as soon as, until, clauses
Infinitives after adjectives
Linking words and phrases
Have to - must - need to
Uses of the article, the
Use of the article, a/an
Since, as, because, so, so that
Infinitive of purpose
Conditionals: type 1, 2 and 3
May, might and could + infinitive
Clauses of reason, purpose and result
Need

Ability can, know how to + infinitive
Gerunds after prepositions - worth
Present perfect (ever, just, already, for, since)
Present perfect (with for and since)
Present perfect continuous
I would rather - prefer to
Had better + infinitive - it's time
Past continuous
The past perfect
I wish - if only
Quantifiers
Quantifiers (cont.)
Links -however, whichever, whenever, etc
Too and enough + infinitive
Need and want + gerund -help
Causative verbs: have and get
Indirect speech
Indirect speech (cont.)
The passive -prepositions:
Before, after, as soon as, until
Indirect and embedded questions
Infinitives after adjectives
Participles (ing -ed) in clauses
The participle (ing -ed) (cont.)
Bare infinitives, after make and verbs of perception
Future continuous, future perfect continuous
Appendix

Page
2 - 3

4 - 5
6 - 7
8 - 9
10- 11
12 - 13
14- 15
16 - 17
18- 19
20 - 21
22 - 23
24 - 25
26 - 27
28 - 29
30 - 31
32 - 33
34 - 35
36 - 37
38 - 39
40 - 41
42 - 43
44 - 45
46 - 47
48 - 49
50 - 51
52 - 53
54 - 55
56 - 57
58 - 59
60 - 61
62 - 63

64 - 65
66 - 67
68 - 69
70 - 71
72 - 73
74 - 75
76 - 77
78 - 79
80 - 81
82 - 83
84 - 85
86 - 87
88 - 89
90 - 91
92 - 93
94 - 95
96 - 97
98 - 99
100 -101
102 -103
104 -105
106-107


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ENGLISH G R A M M A R 3

STANLEY

2

UNIT 1

Present simple and present continuous
Uses of the simple present tense.
1. Usamos el presente simple en verdades permanentes.
• The moon goes round the Earth.
• Spring always follows the hardest winter.
2. Para situaciones o acontecimientos que pueden continuar indefinidamente.
• My father goes to work by car.

• My sister works in the library.

3. Usamos el presente simple para describir acciones habituales, cosas que
suceden repetidamente.
• Your brother smokes a lot.

• I start work at nine.

A menudo usamos adverbios de tiempo o frases adverbiales.
• We sometimes work till very late.

• They come here every day.

Usamos el presente simple con How often o Do you ever.
• 'How often do you come here?' 'I come here every day.'
• 'Do you ever go to America?' 'No, I never go there.'

4. Tambien usamos el presente simple como referenda futura.
• The play begins at 8 and ends at 10.30.
• The Art Gallery opens on July 5th and closes on August 30th.
5. Para observaciones y declaraciones tambien usamos el presente simple.
• I suppose they'll be here in time for the meeting.
• I certainly agree with you.

Uses of the progressive present.
1. La accion esta en progreso en el momento de hablar.
• Someone is waiting to see you.
• Your father is working at the moment.
2. Situaciones temporales.
• What's your son doing these days?
• He's reading History at London University.

• Don't take that away I'm using it.

3. Acciones planeadas: referencia futura..
• Next Sunday we're spending the day in the country.
• Your father is arriving tonight.
• Hurry up. The train's leaving.
4. Acciones repetidas: A menudo usamos adverbios en este tipo de frases.
• She's always talking about the same things.
• He's continually telling us what to do.


STANLEY

3

EXERCISES

1. En este ejercicio tienes que poner el verbo en presente continuo o simple.
Example: Stop shouting. I am listening to the radio.
What do you do for a living?
1. That man says he's 90, but I

(believe) him.

2. My father is in New York. He

(stay) at the Palace Hotel.

He always

(stay) at the Palace.

3. We usually

(not/go) to see the new films but we
(not/see) this one.

4. You can take my car. I

(not/use) it tonight.

5. 'Can Ann drive?' 'No, but she

(learn). Her father

(teach) her.'
6. They always

(grow) carnations but this year they
(grow) geraniums.

7. The Tagus River

(flow) into the Atlantic.

8. The river

(flow) fast today after the rains.

9. Come on! The train
miss it.
10.1

(come). I

(not/want) to

(belong) to any trade union or political party.

11.This girl
(not/live) with them. She
(stay) with them for a few months.
12. 'What

(Mr Brown/ do)?' 'He's an engineer, but he

(not/work) at the moment.'

2. Tu amigo va a ir de vacaciones a Espana. Escribe sobre sus planes de vacaciones.
Example: (go / Benidorm) He is going to Benidorm.
1. (stay / Hotel Tropical) He
2. (go / by plane)
3. (leave / tomorrow)
4. (go / with his friend Tom) .
5. (stay / three weeks)
3. Ahora tienes unas frases de presente simple con sentido de future.
Example: At what time do they open the Museum?
1. We
2. Tomorrow
3. The tennis match

(leave) at 9 and

(arrive) at 11.30.

(be) Sunday.
(start) at four.

4. The exhibition
(close) in September.

(open) in June and

5. What time

(begin) the show

?


STANLEY

UNIT 2

4

Look, sound, seem, appear.
For regla general con verbos usamos adverbios, pero con ciertos verbos (como
SEEM, LOOK, SOUND, APPEAR, TASTE, ETC.) se pueden usar adjetivos.
Podemos hacer esto cuando describimos el sujeto de la frase, no la accion del
verbo.
• It sounds nice.
• It looks good.
• It tastes delicious. • It seems difficult.
Sin embargo, alguno de estos verbos tiene doble significado:
• The agreement appeared difficult.
• Mrs Cohn suddenly appeared behind us.
En la primera frase, appeared, significa 'parecia', y se usa con un adjetivo; pero
en la segunda frase, appeared significa 'aparecer ante la vista,'(accion) asi que
se usa con un adverbio. Comparemos:
•
•
•
•

The little girl looks sad. (adjective)

The little girl looked at him sadly, (adverb)
This wine tastes delicious, (adjective)
He tasted the wine thoughtfully, (adverb)

LOOK tiene dos significados:
• She looks tired.
• He looked sad.
Aqui significa 'tiene el aspecto, parece' y va seguido de adjetivos.
El otro significado de look se relaciona con 'ver', y a menudo Neva detras particulas adverbiales o preposiciones.
• Don't look at me like that.
• I'll look into the matter.

SOUND es uno de los verbos que no se usan en formas
progresivas.
Es tambien uno de los verbos que se usan con adjetivos, no con adverbios.
• That piano sounds terrible.
• She sounded depressed on the phone.

SEEM es tambien uno de los verbos que se usan con
adjetivos, no con adverbios.
• She seemed a bit angry yesterday.
A menudo usamos to be despues de seem.
• She seems to be very nice.
• He seemed to be tired.


STANLEY

5

EXERCISES

1. Detras de estos verbos a veces se pone un adjetivo y a veces un adverbio.
Example: The soup tastes wonderful.
He tasted the soup suspiciously.
1. The old woman

appeared in the doorway (sudden).

2. The doctor felt his arm

(careful).

3. My skin feels very
4. He looked at her

(rough).
(angry).

5. Your father looked very

(angry) last night.

6. The problem appeared

(impossible).

7. She appeared

(sudden) in front of them.

8. That guitar sounds

(terrible).

9. The cheese smells

(awful).

10. This wine tastes a bit
11.That rock looks

(strange).
(impressive).

12. She looked at me
13.The situation seemed
14.The piano sounds

(sudden).
(complicate).
(cheap).

2. A continuacion tienes unas frases. Una bien y otra mal. Tienes que tachar la que
esta mal.
Example: He appeared to be very angry./
1. He seemed quite normal. / He seemed quite normally.
2. He looked awful. / He looked awfully.
3. That sounded cheaply. / That sounded cheap.
4. It looked expensive. / It looked expensively.

5. It seemed decisive. / It seemed decisively.
6. You look sick. / You looked sickly.
7. It tastes wonderful. / It tastes wonderfully.
8. He felt his way around careful. / He felt his way around carefully.
9. A blue car appeared sudden. / A blue car appeared suddenly.
10.That thing smells awful. / That thing smells awfully.
11. This soup tastes strangely. / This soup tastes strange.
12.That music sounds beautifully. / That music sounds beautiful.


STANLEY

UNIT

3

6

Modifiers: quite, fairly, rather, pretty.
Estas cuatro palabras se usan para modificar la fuerza de los adjetivos o adverbios. Pero no significan exactamente lo mismo.

FAIRLY es la mas debil de las cuatro.
Tiene un sentido de 'bastante', pero no 'mucho'.
Una peli'cula 'fairly good' es una peli'cula bastante buena, pero que no merece la
pena ir a verla.
• He speaks English fairly well, (bastante bien, pero no muy bien)

QUITE es un poco mas fuerte que FAIRLY.
Si dices que una peli'cula es 'quite good', la estas recomendando; quiza no sea la
mejor pelfcula de la historia, pero merece la pena ver.

• He speaks English quite well, (se las arregla muy bien)

RATHER es todavi'a mas fuerte.
A menudo significa mas de lo normal. Si dices que una peli'cula es 'rather good',
es ciertamente mejor que la mayorfa.
• He speaks English rather well, (es un buen linguista)

PRETTY es bastante parecido a RATHER,
pero se usa en un estilo bastante informal, generalmente en ingles coloquial.
• I'm getting pretty fed up. (hasta la coronilla)

RECUERDA
Solo rather se puede usar con comparatives.
• It's getting rather warmer.

O con too.
• It's rather too late.
Quite tiene tambien el significado de 'completamente', segun con que palabra
se use.
• It's all quite finished.
• She was quite alone.
Tanto quite como rather se pueden usar delante de un artfculo, y con un verbo
• It's quite a nice day.
• I rather like that girl.


STANLEY

7

EXERCISES

1. En este ejercicio tienes que anadir fairly, quite, rather, o pretty, a las frases que
se te dan.
Example: He is a pretty good fellow.
1 . This exercise is not too bad. It could be better. It's
good.

...........................

2. Carmen speaks English
...............................
manage a difficult discussion in English.
3. Twenty is

.............................

4. The new art gallery is
recommend going to see it.

old to take up swimming.

.................................

5. I was pleasantly surprised. She's
6. I was
bad at all.

well. She can even

good. I certainly would

...................................

...................................

impressed by her singing. It wasn't

7. There's something
.................................
behaves. I don't feel comfortable with her.
8. His new book is
his best.
9. He's a
10. It's

................................
.....................................

.....................................

1 1 . She speaks
her.

....................................

nice.

strange about the way she
interesting, but certainly not

good fellow. We all like him.

hot. I feel all sticky.
well. It's very pleasant to hear

12. That girl is
though.

...............................

intelligent. Nothing out of this world

13. This film is
I've seen.

..............................

good. Better than most of the films

2. A continuacion tienes dos frases. Tacha la que te parezca que esta mal.
Example: He was rather old for her /
1. She is a fairly nice girl. / She is a very nice girl. I love her.
2. It's quite an impressive show. / It's pretty an impressive show.
3. She has a rather strange way of speaking. / She has a fairly strange way to speak.
4. Aren't we driving rather fast? / Aren't we driving quite fast?
5. That boy is quite good at tennis. / That boy is very good at tennis. Of course he's
still got a lot to learn.
6. She's got a rather good voice. / She's got quite a good voice.
7. His wife is rather older than he is. / His wife is quite older than he is.
8. We've invited rather too many people. / We've invited fairly too many people.

9. It's quite too difficult for us. / It's rather too difficult for us.
10. It's a very good idea. / It's a fairly good idea. I love it!


STANLEY

8

UNIT 4

Phrasal Verbs
En ingles moderno es muy corriente colocar las preposiciones o los adverbios
detras de ciertos verbos, cambiando de esta manera su significado.
• turn up (aparecer)

- look for (buscar) - give up (abandonar)

Es importante saber si la combinacion es transitiva o intransitiva. Es decir si Neva
o no complemento directo.
Look for es transitive:
• I'm looking for my daughter.
Look out es intransitive:
• Look out! A car is coming!

RECUERDA
A veces un verbo compuesto puede tener un significado y ser transitive y
separable.:
• He took off his jacket.
• He took his jacket off.
Y otras veces es intransitive, con otro significado, e inseparable.

• The plane took off, (despeg6)

Expresiones transitivas
El objeto se coloca generalmente al final de estas frases:
• I'm looking for my passport.
Sin embargo, muchas veces se puede poner opcionalmente o bien al final o
inmediatamente despues del verbo:
• He took off his gloves o He took his gloves off.
Cuando el complemento directo es un pronombre a veces se coloca al final de la
expresion:
• She is looking for her.
Pero mas a menudo se coloca inmediatamente detras del verbo:
• She took them off.
Esta posicion es muy corriente con palabras como:
in, on, out, down, up, off, away.
• She's giving money away.
• Give it away!

• Put it down!

Si el complemento directo es una frase larga, la particula se prefiere poner
inmediatamente despues del verbo:
• They turned down many perfectly good suggestions.
• She's likely to turn down any suggestions I make.
Con verbos compuestos intransitivos, la particula viene despues del verbo:
• The meeting broke up as I came into the room.
Los verbos compuestos de preposicion no tienen problema, pues la preposicion
siempre se pone detras del verbo:
• That girl takes after her mother.

STANLEY

9

EXERCISES

1. En este ejercicio tienes que completar las frases con uno de los verbos compuestos que
se te dan: look down, fill in, turn up, keep down, bring up, grow up, fall off, close down.
Example: The nuns brought up the child in the convent.
1. The boy has
2. That girl is going to

quite a lot since last year.
that horse.

3. These rich people

on you.

4. Industries have to

their expenses.

5. I don't know when he is going to
6. In this exercise you have to
7. This firm is going to

the gaps.
due to the recession.

2. Completa estas frases tal como se muestra en el ejemplo.
Example: He told me to turn off the heating, so I turned it off.
1. He asked me to try out the shampoo, so I
2. He asked me to give up drinking, so I
3. He asked me to ring Mr Jones up, so I
4. He told me to take up learning French, so I
5. He asked me to give up my job, so I
6. He told me to put on my coat, so I
7. He asked me to fold the paper up, so I
3. Completa estas frases usando el verbo compuesto apropiado, en el tiempo que
corresponda:
try on, turn down, cross out, take off, look up, break off, make up, go out, put on.
Example: I have never heard this word before. /'// look it up in the dictionary.
1. That's a nice sweater
2. It's cold,
3. Tomorrow we'll
4. We have to

, will you!
your coat.
to the theatre.
for the time lost.

5. The meeting is going to

any time.

6. This is our plane. We'll

in half an hour.

7. This answer is not correct

8. The volume is too loud

it

it


STANLEY

UNIT

10

5

Must, can't + infinitive.
Usamos must para afirmar o sacar una conclusion de la mas probable interpretacion de una situacion o acontecimiento:
• She must be about fifty.
No conocemos la verdad con exactitud, pero creemos que debe de ser asf. En
este sentido !o opuesto de must es can't.
• She must be about fifty.
• Oh no! She can't be more than forty.
En forma indirecta, este dialogo seria:
• Jim said that she must be about fifty, but Tom thought that she couldn't be
more than forty.
Usamos must para decir que estamos seguros de que algo es verdad:

• You've been working all day. You must be tired.
• You're taking the driving test next week. You must be practising a lot.
• She knows a lot about books. She must read a great deal.
Usamos can't para decir que creemos que algo es imposible:
• You've just drunk a pint of beer. You can't be thirsty already.
• He's not doing that, is he? He can't be so stupid.
r must be clever/stupid/tired etc.
I/you/he (etc) J cgn,t be pract j s i n g/ stud yj ng etc.

RECUERDA
Si nos referimos a un tiempo pasado, usamos must y can't (o couldn't) con el
infinitive perfecto.
• It must have been terrible for her.
• She didn't hear me coming. She must have been asleep.
• He started five minutes ago. He can't (o couldn't) have finished already.
• She can't (o couldn't) have done it so quickly.
I/you/he (etc) J

must have been drunk/tired etc.
can't have been watching/waiting, etc

En este tipo de frases el can't have (done) se puede sustituir por el couldn't
have (done).
• He can't have been there. = He couldn't have been there.


STANLEY

11

EXERCISES

1. Completa estas frases con must o can't + un verbo apropiado.
Example: She has been working all day. She must be tired.
1. He drives a Rolls-Royce and his wife a Mercedes. They

rich.

2. 'She says she won't marry for money.' 'She

so silly!'

3. That was the doorbell. That
4. That's the doorbell. It

your uncle Tom.
your brother. He's got a key.

5. That girls knows a lot about films. She

to the cinema quite a lot.

2. Completa estas frases usando must (have) o can't (have).
Example: 'Were they married?' 'Yes, they must have been'.
'Did they hear you?' 'No, they can't have heard me'.
1. She said she'd phone him. So she

him by now.

2. I know she married the old man, but she

for love.

him

3. The train's already gone. It

earlier than I thought.

4. He has no idea what the book is about. He
5. I can't find my key. I

it.
it.

6. In the village they all know about the project. He
everybody.
7. He was starting a few seconds ago. He

already.

3. Ahora lee esta situacion y escribe una frase con must have o can't have.
Example: She didn't say 'hello', (see/us) She can't/couldn't have seen us.
1. She married that old man. (desperate/for/money)
2. 'She finished reading the book.' (she/can't/finish).
'Impossible, she
3. I don't understand how the two cars crashed, (the driver/this car/can't/see/the
other car coming)
4. I don't know how you did it. (must/be/very difficult)
5. I lost my briefcase. I (must/leave/train)
6. He walked into a lamppost, (couldn't/be/look)

7. She did the exact opposite of what I told her. (couldn't/understand/tell her)

'


STANLEY

UNIT

6

12

Should, ought to, could + infinitive.
RECUERDA
Should es un verbo defective, se puede usar para presente, future y pasado
cuando va precedido de un verbo en pasado. Al igual que los demas verbos
defectives (excepto el ought) no admite el to detras. Es decir va seguido de
un bare infinitive:
• You should paint the bedroom.
• It was a good play. You should go and see it.
A menudo usamos should cuando creemos que una cosa es buena de hacer, o es
la cosa apropiada. Es decir: (deberfan).
• They should do something about unemployment.
• 'Should we ask him to come?' 'Yes, I think we should.'
Usamos shouldn't con el sentido de no deben'as.
• You shouldn't drink so much.

Should
Se usa para dar consejos y no es tan fuerte como must.

Your doctor: • 'You must stop smoking!'
Your friend: • 'You should stop smoking.'
Para el pasado usamos should have been (deben'as haber estado).
• 'I feel terrible today.' 'You shouldn't have drunk so much last night.'
• 'My motorbike slipped on the ice.' 'You shouldn't have been going so fast.'

Ought to (deberfa)
Tambien es un verbo defective que se puede usar para el presente, future y
pasado, y es el unico verbo defective que va seguido del infinitive con to (full
infinitive).
• You ought to put central heating.
• She ought to have written a letter.
• You ought to have passed the examination easily.
La forma negativa del ought es oughtn't.
• You oughtn't to have written to him.
Mientras que la forma interrogativa es ought you?
• Ought you to do it alone?
Coloquialmente se tiende a usar should en vez de ought to debido a que es mas
facil de pronunciar.


STANLEY

13

EXERCISES

1. En este ejercicio usa should para decir que algo deberia suceder.
Example: 'Do you think he'll pass his driving test?' 'He should pass it. He
can drive very well.'

1. 'Do you think he'll arrive in time?' 'Well, he
left very early.'

He

2. 'Do you think he'll help you?' 'He
a lot of favours.'

me. I've done him

3. 'Do you think the film is worth seeing?' 'Yes, you
it. It's a very good picture'.

see

4. 'Do you think I could leave without telling them?' 'No, you
without saying goodbye.'
2. Rellena estas frases usando should have.
Example: 'I can't see very well.' 'You should have gone to the optician before.'
1. 'I left very early.' 'You

(stay) a little longer.'

2. 'I'm going to post the letter.' 'What! You haven't posted it yet? You
(post) it yesterday.'
3. You insulted him, you know. I think you

(apologize)

for what you said.

4. They arrived late.' They

(leave) earlier.'

5. 'He was angry because I lied.' 'You

(tell) him the truth'.

6. 'She was annoyed because I hadn't cleaned my room.' 'You
(clean) it before you left.'
3. Gambia should por ought y viceversa.
Example:! think you should apologize to that lady.
/ think you ought to apologize to that lady.
1. He ought to have come earlier
2. You should have bought a better car.
3. We ought to have gone out for dinner.
4. You should stop smoking
5. You ought to have told her
6. They should work harder
7. I ought to have spoken to her
8. I should have gone to bed earlier. . ..


STANLEY

U NIT

7

n

Such, so
Such
Es un adjetivo y se usa delante de 'adjetivo + sustantivo'.
• She is such a nice girl that everyone loves her.
• They were such big dogs that everybody was afraid.

So
Es un adverbio y se usa delante de adverbios y adjetivos:

•
•
•
•

She is so big!
Those girls are so pretty!
He spoke so fast that I couldn't understand him.
The dog was so big that nobody dared get near .

Nunca se usa such delante de much y many:
• It was such a nice day that we went out for a picnic.
Mientras que so se utiliza con ambos, incluso cuando el much y el many van
seguidos de sustantivos:
• There were so many people in the room that we couldn't get in.
• He poured so much water that the glass overflowed.
So y such hacen que el significado del adjetivo sea mas fuerte.
• She is very pretty, but so silly.
• She enjoyed the party. She had such a good time.
Comparemos so y such:

• I like those people. They are so nice/They are such nice people.

so ... that ... y such ... that ...
• The book was so interesting that I read it in one day.
• It was such an interesting book that I couldn't put it down.
Fijate que such + a + adjetivo + sustantivo, es igual a so + adjetivo + a + sustantivo:
• Such a nice girl. = So nice a girl.
Esta ultima expresion aunque no es muy coloquial se suele ver en literatura.

RECUERDA
Que such a se usa con sustantivos en singular:
• Such a girl!

• Such a nice girl!

Mientras que such se usa con plurales e incontables:
• Such girls!
• Such weather!
Las expresiones

• Such nice girls!
• Such nice weather!

so long
so far

equivalen a
"

such a long time.

such a long way.


STANLEY

15

EXERCISES

1. En este ejercicio tienes que poner so o such.
Example: Don't eat so fast! I've never seen such a boring film.
1. It's incredible that she should be

fit at eighty.

2. That man has

lot of problems that he can't sleep.

3. The sun was

hot that I got sunburnt.

4. I've never tasted

horrible food.

5. I've never had

wonderful meal.

6. She's got

beautiful eyes! Her eyes are
beautiful!

7. She buys
expensive nowadays!
8. Some people have got
how to spend it.

expensive things! Things are
lot of money that they don't know

2. Gambia such por so y viceversa.
Example: The film was so exciting that everyone was quiet.
It was such an exciting film that everyone was quiet.
1. The weather was so good that we went for a picnic.

2. It was such a good motorway that we drove very fast.

3. The problem was so difficult that nobody could solve it.

4. He had such a big head that he couldn't find a hat big enough.

3. Gambia estas frases por otras con el mismo significado.
Example:! didn't know that he had lived here for so long.
/ didn't know that he had lived here for such a long time.
1. We've got so much food that we don't know what to do with it.

2. They lived so far from the centre that they had to take a bus.

3. I've been doing this for so long that I couldn't do anything else.


STANLEY

UNITS

16

Gerunds after prepositions. Keep, try.
Los verbos que se colocan inmediatamente despues de las preposiciones van en
gerundio:
Are you good
at
learning
languages?
Is he interested
in
working
for you?
I am in favour
of
giving
everyone a day off.
There's no point
in
taking
your car.

She insisted
on
paying
for herself.
He left
without
paying
the bill.
This knife is
for
carving
meat.
I'm fed up
with
doing
always the same.
Despues de before y after se pone gerundio:
• Before doing anything ask your father.
• What are you going to do after leaving college?
Tambien se puede poner un sujeto:
• Before he left he said goodbye to everybody.
• What are you going to do after you leave college?
Without y by van tambien seguidos de gerundio:
• He left without saying goodbye.
• They got into the car by breaking the back window.
Las unicas excepciones a la regla del gerundio son except y but (preposicion),
los cuales van seguidos del infinitivo sin to (bare infinitive).
• I could do nothing except swallow my pride.
• He did nothing but complain.
TO es generalmente parte del infinitivo:

• I want to come with you.
Sin embargo, to tambien puede ser una preposicion:
• My brother went to South America.
• He passed the sugar to his sister.
Por lo tanto en las frases en las que el to sea preposicion y vaya seguido de un
verbo, este verbo ira en gerundio.
• I prefer running to walking.
• I look forward to hearing from you.


STANLEY

EXERCISES

17

1. En este ejercicio tienes que escribir una frase con el mismo significado que la primera.
Example:! finished my letter and then I went to the cinema.
After finishing my letter I went to the cinema.
1. We went to the cinema but first we had a meal.
2. Tom can solve difficult problems. He is very good at
3. First he went for a swim in the sea, and then he had a shower.
4. He is thinking. He would like to emigrate to Australia.
5. We didn't watch television. We went to the cinema instead.
Instead
6. He fell in the second lap, but he managed to win the race.
In spite
7. This gadget open tins. It's a gadget for

2. Ahora vuelve a escribir estas frases con without o by.

Example: She left the house. She didn't say goodbye.
She left the house without saying goodbye.
1. He found a parking place. He didn't look for it.
2. He went out in the rain. He didn't take his umbrella.
3. The burglar got into the house. He broke the garage window.
4. He got away with it. He accused his accomplice.

3. Escribe las mismas frases con look forward to.
Example: I'm meeting you next week. I'm looking forward to it.
I'm looking forward to meeting you.
1. Old Grumbler is coming to see me. I'm not looking forward to that.
2. I'm going home for Christmas. I'm looking forward to it.
3. After three months you're going to see your girlfriend. What do you say to her?


STANLEY

UNIT 9

Comparison of adjectives.
La comparacion se hace entre dos, bien sea, personas, cosas o grupos:
• Peter is taller than John.
• Peter is taller than the other boys.
A veces el segundo termino de la comparacion se da por sobreentendido.
• Which is (the) bigger? (of the two classes)
Mas ejemplos de comparativos + than.
•
•
•
•

•

Our house is better/worse/bigger than our neighbour's.
Walking is less tiring than running.
A leather coat is more expensive than a plastic one.
It's more pleasant today than it was yesterday.
She feels less tired today than she felt yesterday.

Tambien se pueden dar comparaciones con frases hechas tal como:
• She is taller than average.
• Today it's less expensive than usual.

RECUERDA
Que cuando juntamos dos adjetivos (o adverbios) en grado comparative,
damos la idea de aumento o disminucion:
• He is getting taller and taller.
• Things are getting more and more difficult.
• Videos and computers are getting less and less expensive.

The + comparative + the
Esta construccion se puede hacer con adjetivos y con adverbios para mostrar
causa y efecto:
• The more money you have, the more you want.
• The more expensive things are, the less people buy.

Modification de los adjetivos.
Para dar intensidad a la comparacion usamos palabras tales como: a bit, a lot,
lots, a little, rather, very much, far, even, hardly any, etc.
• Things are much more expensive nowadays.
• It's much colder this year than it was last year.

• There have been many more crimes this month.

1*


STANLEY

19

EXERCISES

1. Completa las frases usando a little, a lot, much, many etc. Usa than cuando sea
necesario.
1. It's

to learn things with a good teacher, (a lot/easy)

2. The car is too small for us. We need something
(much/big)
3. She looked sad yesterday but this morning she looks
(a bit/happy)
4. I prefer this hotel. It's (much/comfortable) than that one

5. 'Did you enjoy your stay?' 'Yes, it was
(far/interesting).'

I expected

2. En este ejercicio tienes que usar la estructura more and more.
Example: The weather is getting warmer and warmer.

Things are getting more and more difficult.
1. Restaurants are becoming

(expensive).

2. She's only been here for two months and her English is already getting
(good).
3. As days passed she became

(nervous).

4. That crack on the wall is getting

(big).

5. This suitcase seems to get
6. It's becoming
7. That woman is getting

(heavy).
(difficult) to find a job.
(grumpy) as she gets older.

8. The little girl is becoming

(beautiful) as she grows up.

3. Junta las frases de la izquierda con las de la derecha.
1. The more you have

A the more you learn.

2. The more expensive it is

B the quicker you get there.

3. The longer he waits

C the more dangerous it becomes.

4. The shorter the way

D the more you want.

5. The higher you climb

E the more impatient he becomes.

6. The better the teacher is

F the less it sells.

7. The longer the phone call

G the more you have to pay.


STANLEY

U N I T 10

20

Comparison of adverbs.
Solamente algunos de los adverbios pueden usarse en grades comparativo y
superlative:

adverb

comparative

superlative

fast
easily
rarely
badly
far
late
little
much
well

faster
more easily
more rarely
worse
farther/further
later
less

more
better

fastest
most easily
most rarely
worst
farthest/furthest
latest
least
most
best

RECUERDA
Muchos adverbios como fast y early forman sus comparativos y superlatives
de la misma forma que los adjetivos cortos (faster, fastest).
Como la mayoria de los adverbios de modo tienen dos d mas silabas, estos
forman sus comparativos y superlatives con more/less y most/least: more
quickly, less clearly, least briefly.

Algunos adverbios de frecuencia forman el grade comparativo y superlative con
more/less, most/least (more seldom, most seldom).
Often tiene dos formas de comparativo: more often y oftener, siendo la primera
mas corriente: I go there more often than you.
Last y latest pueden ser adjetivos:
• This is the latest news (las mas recientes).
• This is the last news bulletin for today.
Pero generalmente last se usa como adverbio:
• We went to the Wax Museum last.

• I last saw him two months ago.

Ejemplos de comparacion de adverbios:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

I run as fast as my brother.
I can't sing as well as my sister.
She can't jump as high as her brother.
The clouds disappeared more quickly than we expected.
The faster he talks the more difficult it is to understand him.
It was snowing more and more heavily.
This man runs faster than anyone else in the world.
My daughter works harder than anybody else in the office.