Tài liệu ôn thi công chức tiếng anh năm 2019 bao gồm ngữ pháp ( grammar topics) và bài tập ôn luyện theo chủ đề final

TÀI LIỆU THI CÔNG CHỨC

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Tài liệu ôn thi công chức
Môn : Tiếng anh năm 2019
1. ngữ pháp ( grammar topics)
2. bài tập ôn luyện theo chủ đề

Ha Noi, tháng 11 năm 2019


ENGLISH LEVEL 1 GRAMMAR TOPICS
1. Adjectives: common and demonstrative
Common Adjectives
Common adjectives are not capitalized because they are words we use every day and are not
rooted in the proper noun. Here is a list of some common adjectives:
good

bad

famous

great

big

little

important

small

low

high

healthy

large

old

young

wet

able

other

right

dry

wrong

public

private

poor

open

closed

beautiful

rich

ugly

Demonstrative Adjectives
Demonstrative adjectives point out nouns. They tell
us this car, that sofa, these socks, those shoes.
Use this and that for singular nouns: this points to something close, while that points to
something further away
 This house has been here for over 100 years.
 We will meet at that restaurant across the street.
Use these and those for plural nouns: those is used to point to something further away,
while these points to something near.
 Those Americans were asking for directions.
 These cats are underfoot!
Task 1: Complete the sentences with this, that, these or those:
1. ________ glass here is mine, but ________ one over there is his.
2. ________ books here are hers, but ________ over there are mine.
3. She can't eat all of ________ popcorn.
4. A: (answering the phone) Hello?
5. B: Hi, Amy?
A: Yes, ________ is Amy speaking. Who is calling?

B: Hi, Amy, ________ is Paul.
6. I found ________ earring in the bedroom. Is it yours?
7. ________ cupcakes are delicious, Shawn. May I have another?
8. I can't finish ________ contracts today. I'll work on them tomorrow.
9. ________ picture here was taken in India. ________ mountains back there are the
Himalayas.
10. I think ________ woodpecker is back. I hear it banging on the house.
11. Cathy, could you please make ________ delicious brownies again? You know, the ones you
brought to my birthday party.
Task 2: Correct the mistakes in the following sentences.
1. Can you see these deer out in the field?
2. The robbery took place on May 19th. This night, there was a big storm.


3. This computers over there are old. That computers here are the new ones.
4. This movie ended four hours ago.
5. These cake tastes funny. I think you put too much salt in it.
2. Adverbs of frequency
Adverbial phrases of frequency, time and place
Use:
An adverbial phrase is a group of words which always go together. they describe where, when or
how often something happens.
Adverbial phrases of frequency describe how often something happens.
every morning, every afternoon
every day – daily
every week – weekly
every month – monthly
every year – annually
every Sunday – on Sundays – on Sunday afternoons
once a day

twice a day
three / four / five times a day
all the time
Form:
1) Adverbs of frequency often go in present simple sentences.
I have toast for breakfast every day.
We visit our grandparents twice a month.
2) Note that „on Saturday‟ refers to one day. „On Saturdays‟ means „every Saturday‟.
Common mistakes
1)
Some students write adverbs of frequency in the wrong place.
We every day go the park.
=>
We go to the park every day.
2)
Some students use the plural form with every.
John goes swimming every days.
=>
John goes swimming every day.
_____________________________________________________________________
Use:
Use adverbs and adverbial phrases of time to talk about when you do something.
Adverbs of time include:
today, tomorrow, tonight, yesterday, tomorrow, nowadays
now, first of all, beforehand
soon, afterwards, later, next, then
Form:
1) Adverbs of time usually go at the beginning or the end of a sentence or clause.
Tomorrow, I’m going to the beach.
I’m going to the beach tomorrow.

First of all, we had a drink at a café.
We had a drink at a café first of all.
I’m going to the supermarket, and afterwards I’m going to the library.
I’m going to the supermarket, and I’m going to the library afterwards.
2) It is more common to use then at the beginning of a sentence or clause.
Then we arrived at the castle.
I’m going to finish my work and then I’m going to have a drink.


It is more common to use soon and now at the end of a sentence.
We’re going on holiday soon.
I’m going home now.
Common mistakes
1)
Don‟t use an adverb of time between the subject and the object of a sentence.
I went yesterday to the zoo.
=>
I went to the zoo yesterday. / Yesterday I went to the zoo.
I‟m going now to the bank.
=>
I‟m going to the bank now.
2)
You must use a noun after After and Before. Otherwise,
use afterwards or beforehand.
I‟ll be late to class tomorrow. I‟m going to the doctors before. =>
I‟ll be late to class
tomorrow. I‟m going to the doctors beforehand.
I‟m going to my English class and I‟m going to the bar after.
=>
I‟m going to my

English class and I‟m going to the bar afterwards.
_____________________________________________________________________
Use:
Use adverbs and adverbial phrases of place to talk about where something happens.
Adverbs of place include:
outside, inside, indoors, upstairs, downstairs
(over) here, (over) there
abroad, overseas
Form:
1) Adverbs of place usually go after a verb.
She lives abroad.
Let’s go indoors.
2) Adverbs of place can also go after the object of the sentence.
Rachel works in the office upstairs.
Your bag is on the table over there.
3. Comparatives and superlatives
Comparatives
Use:
Use the comparative form to talk about how two things are different.
I am taller than you.
This book is thicker than that one.
Form:
1) If an adjective has one syllable, add er to the end. If it ends in e already, just add r.
tall => taller nice => nicer
thick => thicker late => later
2) If an adjective ends in one vowel and one consonant, write the consonant again, then
write er. But never write a w twice.
big => bigger new => newer (NOT newwer) thin => thinner slow => slower (NOT
slowwer) slim => slimmer
My brother is thinner than me.

3) If an adjective has two syllables and ends in y, change the y to i and add er.
funny => funnier silly => sillier
Which of these books is funnier?
5) Some adjectives have irregular superlative forms. These are listed below.
good => better


bad => worse
far => further
Add than after a comparative adjective to compare one thing with another. However, this is not
always necessary.
My house is smaller than yours.
Superlatives
Use:
Use the superlative form to describe something that is greater than any other thing.
The Amazon is the longest river in the world.
Helen is the most intelligent student in the class.
Form:
1)
Write the before all superlatives.
2)
If an adjective is short and has one syllable, add est to the end. If it ends in e already,
just add st.
tall
=>
the tallest
nice
=>
thenicest
thick

=>
the thickest
late
=>
the latest
2)
If an adjective ends in one vowel and one consonant, write the consonant again, then
write est. But never write a w twice.
big
=>
the biggest
new
=>
thenewest (NOT
newwest)
thin
=>
the thinnest
slow
=>
the slowest (NOT
slowwest)
slim
=>
the slimmest
The biggest cat in the world is the lion.
3)
If an adjective has two syllables and ends in y, change the y to i and add est.
funny =>
the funniest

silly
=>
thesilliest
It’s the silliest film I’ve ever seen!
4)
For other adjectives with two or more syllables, DON‟T add est. Write most before the
adjective.
interesting
=> the most interesting
surprising => the most surprising
It’s the most interesting book I’ve ever read.
5)
Some adjectives have irregular superlative forms. These are listed below.
good
=>
the best
bad
=>
the worst
far
=>
the furthest
6)
a) In is often (but not always) used after a superlative adjective to describe where this
statement is true.
London is the biggest city in England.
Everest is the highest mountain in the world.
My brother is the tallest person in my family.
3. Going to
Use:

Use be going to to talk about your personal plans for the future.
I‟m going to see my sister at the weekend.
Are you going to marry Paul?


Form:
1) The form of the positive and negative sentences and questions is shown below.
Positive
am / „m
I
going to
verb (infinitive form)
you
are / „re
he / she / it
is / „s
we
are / „re
they
are / „re
Negative
„m not
I
going to
verb (infinitive form)
you
aren‟t OR „re not
he / she / it
isn‟t OR „s not
we

aren‟t OR „re not
they
aren‟t OR „re not
Questions
I
Am
going to
verb (infinitive form) ?
Are
you
Is
he / she / it
Are
we
Are
they
2) The short reply to a „be going to‟ question is „Yes, I am‟, „Yes, she is‟ etc. You cannot
contract these short sentences.
Yes, he‟s. => Yes, he is.
The short negative replies are:
No, I‟m not.
No, you‟re not / No, you aren‟t.
No, he‟s not / No he isn‟t. No, she‟s not / No she isn‟t. No, it‟s not / no it isn‟t.
No, we‟re not / No, we aren‟t.
No, they‟re not / No, they aren‟t.
Common mistakes:
1) Some students forget to add the verb ‟be‟ before „going to‟.
I going to see my friends tonight. => I‟m going to see my friends tonight.
2) Some students forget to invert the subject and be in questions.
What time you are going to leave? => What time are you going to leave?

5. How much/how many and very
Much
Much is used with uncountable nouns in questions and negative sentences:
 How much petrol does the tank hold?
 There is not much money left.
Much is also used in informal conversation to mean „very often‟:
 Do you see Peter much?
 I haven‟t seen Peter much.


Many
Many is used with plural countable nouns in questions and negative sentences:
 How many jelly babies are in the jar?
 I don‟t know many people here. We are new to the neighborhood.
We can also use many with „not‟ to mean a small number:
 There are not many people here at this hour.
 Not many people will understand the concept.
You may also hear people say „a lot‟ or „lots of‟ in informal conversation when they mean
„many‟:
 We served a lot of food at the event.
 There were lots of sweets and refreshments.
Very
Very is meant for emphasis. When we add very to much, or many, it strengthens the
comparative adjective:
 My pet fish doesn‟t need very much care (compared to cats or dogs).
 There weren‟t very many prizes left (compared to an hour ago).
6. common uncountable nouns
Uncountable Nouns
Use:
Some nouns are countable – you can count them. These include:

apples, books, cars, trees
Some nouns are uncountable – you cannot count them. These include:
water, oil, rice, fruit, bread, information, money
Uncountable nouns have different grammar rules from countable nouns.
countable singular nouns
countable plural nouns
uncountable nouns
e.g. apple
e.g. apples
e.g. fruit
Singular countable nouns
always need a determiner:
a, this, that, my, the etc.
Look at that cat!
Can I have an apple?
Is this your bag?

Plural countable nouns do not
need a determiner.
I like apples.
Dogs are friendly.
But they can be used with
determiners:
Where are my shoes?
Are those pens yours?

Uncountable nouns do not need
a determiner.
I like fruit.
But they can use singular

determiners:
This fruit is nice.

You can count countable
You cannot count uncountable
nouns.
nouns.
Can I have five apples please? Can I have five breads please?
Use singular verbs and
determiners.
This apple is nice.

Use plural verbs and
Use singular verbs and
determiners.
determiners.
These apples are nice.
This bread is nice.
Some determiners can be used with both countable and
uncountable nouns.
some, a lot of, lots of, loads of, plenty of, any


We‟ve got some potatoes. We need some bread.
We don‟t have any potatoes. We don‟t have any bread.
Some determiners can only be Some determiners can only be
used with countable nouns:
used with uncountable nouns:
several, various, a few, many much, a bit of, a little
7. I‟d like

Would like/ like
Use:
1)
Would like means want, but it is more polite.
You can use it in sentences and questions.
I’d like a biscuit.
Would you like some tea?
2)
You can also use it to talk about your dreams and ambitions.
I’d like to go to Japan.
I wouldn’t like to live here!
You can also use I‟d love and I‟d hate to talk about dreams.
I’d hate to live in the countryside.
I’d love to work with Simon.
Form:
1)
Would like is the same for all persons.
I would like some tea.
You would like some tea.
He / she / James would like some tea.
We would like some tea.
They / our clients would like some tea.
2)
To make questions, invert the subject and would.
Would you / James / your clients like some tea?
3)
Use wouldn‟t to make the negative form.
I wouldn’t like to work there.
4)
Would like can be followed by a noun or to + verb.

noun: Would you like a biscuit?
verb: Would you like to go to Malaysia?
5)
In positive sentences, you can contract would to „d.
I would like to go to the USA.
=>
I’d like to go to the USA.
But NOT in negative sentences:
I’dn’t like to work in a factory. =>
I wouldn’t like to work in a factory.
And NOT in short answers:
Would you like to have a horse?
Yes, I’d. =>
Yes, I would.
6)
Be careful not to confuse would like and like.
Use like to talk about things you like all the time.
I like chocolate cake. It’s my favourite food.
Use would like to talk about things you want now, or at some time in the future.
I’d like a cup of coffee please.
I’d like to work in a chocolate factory.
Choose the best answer.
1.Would you like ……. with him?


1. to traveling
B.to travel
2. travel
D. traveling
2.Would you like something …….?

1. to eat
B. to eating
2. eat
D. eating
3.How …… your coffee?
1. would like
B.you would like
2. would you like to
D.would you like
4.Who …….. come with me?
1. likes
B. would you like
2. would like to
D. would like
5.Where would you ……?
1. like to stay
B.liking to stay
2. like to staying
D.like stay
6.Would you like …….?
1. have some orange juice
B. some orange juice
2. having some orange juice
D. to having some orange juice
8. Imperatives (+/-)
Use:
Use the imperative form to give instructions, orders and warnings.
Must is often used in signs and notices to give instructions.
Form:
1)

Do not use a subject when giving orders.
You wash your hands. =>
Wash your hands.
Always use the infinitive form of the verb, without to.
To sit down please.
=>
Sit down please.
Use Don‟t to make the negative form.
Don’t sit there!
2)
Written instructions on signs often use Do not, not Don‟t.
Do not cross this line.
3)
When giving instructions to a friend, you can soften the order by using „you‟.
However, this is usually only done in spoken English.
First you put the mixture into a bowl, and then you add two eggs. Then you whisk it.
4)
Some written signs use Must / Must not.
All visitors must wear a badge.
Passengers must not talk to the driver.
Notice how plural nouns (visitors / passengers) are generally used in signs.
Common mistakes:
1)
Some students use to after Don‟t / Must
Don‟t to go in that door.
=>
Don’t go in that door.
9. Intensifiers - very basic
Grammar: So, such, too, enough
Too

Use:
Too means there is a lot of something. It shows a negative opinion.
It‟s too hot = It is very hot and I don‟t like it.


Form:
You can use too before an adjective.
It‟s too cold. My trousers are too small.
You can also use it before an adverb,
You walk too fast. James speaks too quietly.
Before a noun, use too much (uncountable nouns) or many (countable nouns).
I ate too much food.
I ate too many sandwiches.
You can also use too much after a verb.
I ate too much.
Paul drinks too much.
Enough
Use:
Enough means you have what you need.
We have enough food for everyone = everyone has some food.
We don’t have enough chairs for everyone = some people don‟t have chairs.
Form:
Write enough before a noun.
We have enough chairs.
But write it after an adjective or verb.
Are you warm enough? He’s qualified enough. She isn’t tall enough to be a model.
You don’t work hard enough. Are you sleeping enough?
Sentences with enough are sometimes followed by to + verb infinitive.
I’m not tall enough to reach the book.
I haven’t got enough money to buy that coat.

So
Use:
So means very.
It’s so hot!
Form:
So is generally used before an adjective or an adverb.
He’s so funny! He plays the piano so well!
However, in modern English, it is increasingly being used before nouns and verbs.
That dress is so last year! (= That dress is last year‟s fashion)
I’m so going to shout at him when I see him! (so = really)
So can be used with a that clause, to show a result of the first clause.
I was so hot that I couldn’t sleep.
Such
Use:
Such also means very. Such is used before an adjective and noun.
They are such nice children.
Form:
A / an, if necessary, go after such, not before.
That‟s a such pretty dress. => That‟s such a pretty dress!
Like So, Such can be used with a that clause, to show a result of the first clause.
I was such a nice day that we decided to go to the park.


Common mistakes
1) Some students use too with a positive meaning. But use so or very here
It’s too hot! I love the summer! => It’s so hot! I love the summer!
2) Some students write enough in the wrong place.
Do we have sugar enough? => Do we have enough sugar?
3) Some students use so / such…that incorrectly.
It was so hot that the sun was shining.

This sentence is not correct because „the sun was shining‟ is not a direct result of „It was so hot‟.
The hot day did not cause the sun to shine.
10. Modals: can/can‟t/could/couldn‟t
Can / Could
Use:
1) Use can / can‟t to talk about your abilities now.
I can speak English.
I can’t speak German.
Use could / couldn‟t to talk about abilities in the past.
I could speak French when I was a child, but I can't now.
I couldn’t speak English when I was a child, but I can now.
2) Use can and could to make requests. Could is more polite.
Can you cook this evening please?
Could you pass me the salt?
Use can to reply to requests.
Can I sit here?
=>
Yes, you can.
Sorry, you can’t.
Can you cook this evening please?
=>
Yes, I can.
Sorry, I can’t.
DON‟T use could in replies to requests.
Could you lend me some money?
Yes, I could.
=>
Yes, sure! Sorry, I can’t.
Form:
1) Can and could are the same for all persons.

I
can/could
speak English
you can/could
speak English
he / she / it
can/could
speak English
we can/could
speak English
they
can/could
speak English.
2) The negative form of can is cannot, or can‟t. The negative form of could is couldn‟t.
3) There is always a verb after can and could, and the verb is always in the infinitive
form (without to).
Sally can help you. NOT Sally can helps you. / Sally can to help you.
4) Make questions by inverting can and the subject.
I can see you this afternoon.
=> Can I see you this afternoon?
You could help me. => Could you help me?
5) Use can/can‟t and could/couldn‟t in short answers.
Can your brother swim?
=> Yes, he can. No, he can’t.
Could you do the test?
=> Yes, I could. No, I couldn’t.
Common mistakes:
1) Some students make questions incorrectly.

You can speak English?
=> Can you speak English?
I could sit here?
=> Could I sit here?
11. Past simple of “to be”
Grammar Rule
Examples
I was at my Gran's house yesterday.
You were late for school this morning.
She was with her friends last Saturday.
We were tired yesterday.
Remember!
I was
you were
She was
He was
It was
We were
They were
Be careful!
For negatives add 'n't' or ‘not’.
I wasn’t late for school this morning.
I was not late for school this morning.
She wasn’t with her friends last Saturday.
She was not with her friends last Saturday.
We weren’t tired yesterday.
We were not tired yesterday.
We say... We don‟t say...
Were you late for school today? Yes, I was. (NOT You were late for school today? Yes I was.)
Was she with her friends last Saturday? No, she wasn’t. (NOT She was with her friends last

Saturday? No, she wasn’t.)
Was he tired yesterday? Yes, he was. (NOT He was tired yesterday? Yes, he was.)
(For a normal question we use was + pronoun. To show surprise you can use pronoun + was.)
12. Past Simple
Past simple
Use:
Use the past simple to talk about finished events in the past. Use it to tell stories, jokes and
anecdotes.
Form:
1)
Many past tense verbs are formed by adding -ed to the end of the verb.
want
=>
wanted
start
=>
started
If a verb ends in e, just add d (liked, hoped).
If a verb ends in y, delete y and add ied (studied, carried). But don‟t do this if the verb ends in
a vowel + y (played, NOT plaied. stayed, NOT staied)
But a lot of past tense verbs are irregular. You need to learn each one separately. Here are some
examples.
have =>
had
make =>
made


take
=>

took
sit
=>
sat
get
=>
got
feel
=>
felt
Past simple verbs are the same for all persons.
I went; you went; he went; she went; they went; we went...
2)
Form negatives this way:
I, you, he , she, we, they...
didn‟t

infinitive verb
know, see, go

Don‟t use the past verb in negative sentences.
I didn‟t had dinner.
=>
I didn‟t have dinner.
3) Form questions this way:
I, you, he , she, we, they...
infinitive verb
Did
know, see, go
Common mistakes:

Some students use the past verb in questions.
Did you saw the film? =>
Did you see the film?
13. Possessive adjectives
Subject







Object

Possessive adjective

I

me

my

you

you

your

he

him

his

she

her

her

it

it

its

we

us

our

they

them

their

We use possessive adjectives:
to show something belongs to somebody:

That's our house.
My car is very old.
for relations and friends:
My mother is a doctor.
How old is your sister?
for parts of the body:
He's broken his arm.
She's washing her hair.
I need to clean my teeth.
14. Possessive‟s
Possessive „s
Use:
Possessive adjectives after a name and before a noun.
They tell you who owns something.
This is John‟s coat.
Is this Tina‟s bag?


Don‟t use „s after things.
I clean the garden‟s pond every week. =>
I clean the pond in the gardenevery week.
What‟s the book‟s name?
=>
What‟s the name of the book?
You can usually use „s after organisations and groups of people.
It‟s the government‟s decision. OR
It‟s the decision of the government.
Tom is the company‟s new director.
OR
Tom is the new director of the company.

You can use „s after time expressions.
What time is tomorrow‟s meeting?
You can sometimes use „s after countries and cities.
India‟s population is rising.
But you cannot do this if it refers to a person.
I met London‟s mayor last week.
=>
I met the mayor of London last week.
England‟s Queen is well-known. =>
The Queen of England is well-known.
Form:
 To make the possessive form, add ‟s to the end of the name.
Is that Jack’s bag?
 With two names, only add „s to the second name.
That’s Jane and Harry’s house.
NOT
That’s Jane’s and Harry’s house.
 If something belongs to two or more people, put the apostrophe(„) after the plural s. Do
not write a second s.
My parents’ house is really big. NOT
My parents’s house is really big.
However, if the plural noun is irregular, write the apostrophe („) before the S.
The children’s party was great. NOT
The childrens’ party was great.
15. Prepositions, common
 Preposition is word that establishes relation between the subject and the object in the
sentence.
 A preposition usually precedes a noun or a pronoun.
 Here is a list of commonly used prepositions: above, across, against, along, among,
around, at, before, behind, below, beneath, beside, between, by, down, from, in, into,

near, of, off, on, to, toward, under, upon, with and within.
1. In front of: This is used to denote that something/someone is standing in front of
other person/object.
For instance: The lecturer stands in front of the students.
2. Behind: It is used to express opposite connotation of In front of. It means at the back
(part) of something/someone.
For instance: The car was parked behind the gate.
3. Between/Among/Amidst
Often, we get confused while using these words and end up using the wrong word.
Between is used for two objects or things (or places).
For instance: There are mountains between Chile and Argentina.
Among is used for more than two persons / things.
For instance: The chief guest distributed prizes among the top performers.
Amid or Amidst is used for more than two persons / things (groups)
For instance: Amid her team members
4. Across From / Opposite


Across from/opposite is similar to conveying that someone (or a place) is on the other side of
something.
For instance: The girl lives across from a temple.
5. Next to / Beside
Next to and beside refer to an object or a person that is at the side of another thing.
For instance: A security personnel stands next to the entrance gate.
6. Near / Close to
Near and close to carry same connotation as next to / beside. The only difference is the distance.
„Next to‟ is used to express a short distance, while „near‟ is used to highlight a longer distance.
For instance: The bus stop is near the bank.
7. On
 On is used a preposition of time, place and position.

 This means it indicates „days of the week‟.
 „On‟ is used to point out the position of a person or an object.
For instance: The bottle is kept on the table. (Indicates position)
The office will be open on Saturday. (This indicates time.)
8. Above / Over
Above and over mean position higher than a reference point. In other words, „above‟ or „over‟
mean at a higher position than other object or person.
For instance: They put an umbrella over the table to avoid heat from the sun rays.
Over can also mean „covering the surface of something‟
For instance: The mud is spread all over the floor.
9. Under / Below
Under and below mean at a lower level w.r.t someone/something.
For instance: The boxes are under the table.
A river flows under a bridge.
Sometimes we use the word underneath instead of under and beneath instead of below. There is
no difference in meaning those they are less common nowadays.
10. Of/Off
„Of‟ denotes origin or cause, while „off‟ denotes separation.
11. To
After the verbs “Say / suggest / propose / speak / explain / reply / complain / talk / listen / write”,
„to‟ should be used if any object is present.
12. No preposition
Verbs such as „discuss/describe/order/tell/demand‟ do not require any preposition. The verbs
directly take an object.
Complete the sentences with suitable prepositions.
1. He quickly glanced ………………………… the book to find what it said about the
Indian economy.
2. What is the time ………………………… your watch?
2. My father will retire from service ………………………… a year.
3. Most of us eat ………………………… a spoon.

4. Whom are you talking ………………?
5. Don‟t look ………………………… on him.
6. We are pleased ………………………… your visit.
7. She is good ………………………… English.
8. There is some dispute ………………………… the property as the owner died
without making a will.


9. Do you take pride ………………………… your appearance?
16. Prepositions of place
Prepositions of time

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The preposition at is used in the following descriptions of time:
With clock times
My last train leaves at 10:30.
We left at midnight.
The meeting starts at two thirty.
With specific times of day, or mealtimes
He doesn‟t like driving at night.
I‟ll go shopping at lunchtime.
I like to read the children a story at bedtime.
With festivals
Are you going home at Christmas/Easter?
In certain fixed expressions which refer to specific points in time
Are you leaving at the weekend?*
She‟s working at the moment.
He‟s unavailable at present.
I finish the course at the end of April.
We arrived at the same time.

*Note that in American English, on the weekend is the correct form.
The preposition in is used in the following descriptions of time:
With months, years, seasons, and longer periods of time
I was born in 1965.
We‟re going to visit them in May.
The pool is closed in winter.
He was famous in the 1980‟s.
The play is set in the Middle Ages.
They‟ve done work for me in the past.
With periods of time during the day
He‟s leaving in the morning.
She usually has a sleep in the afternoon.
I tried to work in the evening.
To describe the amount of time needed to do something
They managed to finish the job in two weeks.
You can travel there and back in a day.
To indicate when something will happen in the future:
She‟ll be ready in a few minutes.
He‟s gone away but he‟ll be back in a couple of days.
The preposition on is used in the following descriptions of time:
With days of the week, and parts of days of the week
I‟ll see you on Friday.
She usually works on Mondays.
We‟re going to the theatre on Wednesday evening.
Note that in spoken English, on is often omitted in this context, e.g. I‟ll see you Friday.


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With dates
The interview is on 29th April.
He was born on February 14th, 1995.
With special days
She was born on Valentine‟s Day.
We move house on Christmas Eve.
I have an exam on my birthday.
If we examine these different aspects of usage for the three prepositions, a general pattern
emerges. At is generally used in reference to specific times on the clock or points of time in the
day. In generally refers to longer periods of time, several hours or more. On is used with dates
and named days of the week.
Prepositions of place
The preposition at is used in the following descriptions of place/position:
With specific places/points in space
She kept the horse at a nearby farm.
I had a cup of coffee at Helen‟s (house/flat).
Angie‟s still at home.
I‟ll meet you at reception.
There‟s a man at the door.
I saw her standing at the bus stop.
Turn right at the traffic lights.
The index is at the back of the book.
Write your name at the top of each page.
With public places and shops
Jane‟s at the dentist/hairdresser.
I studied German at college/school/university.
Shall I meet you at the station?
We bought some bread at the supermarket.
With addresses

They live at 70, Duncombe Place.
With events
I met her at last year‟s conference. She wasn‟t at Simon‟s party.
The preposition on is used in the following descriptions of place/position:
With surfaces, or things that can be thought of as surfaces
The letter is on my desk.
There was a beautiful painting on the wall.
The toy department is on the first floor.
Write the number down on a piece of paper.
You‟ve got a dirty mark on your jumper.
He had a large spot on his nose.
She placed her hand on my shoulder.
With roads/streets, or other things that can be thought of as a line, e.g. rivers
The bank is on the corner of King‟s Street.
Koblenz is on the Rhine.
Bournemouth is on the south coast.
It‟s the second turning on the left.


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The preposition in is used in the following descriptions of place/position:
With geographical regions
Driving in France is very straightforward.
Orgiva is a very small village in the mountains.
With cities, towns and larger areas
Do you like living in Nottingham?
They were having a picnic in the park.
She works somewhere in the toy department.
With buildings/rooms and places that can be thought of as surrounding a person or object
on all sides
Can you take a seat in the waiting room, please?
I‟ve left my bag in the office.
There‟s a wedding in the church this afternoon.
Lots of people were swimming in the lake
With containers
There‟s fresh milk in the fridge.
I think I‟ve got a tissue in my pocket.
The money is in the top drawer of my desk.
With liquids and other substances, to show what they contain
Do you take milk in your coffee?
I can taste garlic in this sauce.
There‟s a lot of fat in cheese and butter.
A general pattern again emerges if we consider these different aspects of usage. We can think
of at as one-dimensional, referring to a specific place or position in space. On is twodimensional, referring to the position of something in relation to a surface. In is by contrast

three-dimensional, referring to the position of something in relation to the things that surround it.
Thinking of the prepositions in these terms helps us explain certain facts. For instance, in is
generally used for larger places and at for smaller, more specific places, so we say:
We arrived in Inverness two hours ago.
But:
We arrived at the campsite two hours ago.
However, if we think of a city or larger place as a specific point in space, we can use at, e.g.
The train stops at Birmingham and Bristol.
Or if we think of a smaller place as three-dimensional, we can use in, e.g.
We‟ve lived in this little village for many years.
Prepositions at/in/on – extended meanings
A systematic analysis of the occurrence of the prepositions at, in and on in their core usage as
indicators of time and place, helps us establish some key meaning concepts which will aid us in
identifying and explaining their extended meanings:
at – is a mechanism for denoting the specific, it usually refers to fixed points in time (e.g. clock
times) and specific points in space.
on – is a mechanism which usually describes something in relation to a second, often linear
dimension, hence it relates to the calendar (days and dates) and surfaces or lines.
in – is a mechanism for describing something in relation to the things that surround it in time or
space, hence it relates to periods of time and three-dimensional spaces or containers.
Extended meaning of at
At is used for showing specific temperatures, prices and speeds:


Tickets are now on sale at £15 each.
He denied driving at 110 miles per hour.
And more generally to talk about the level or rate of something:
Interest rates have stayed at this level for several months.
The loan repayments are going up at an alarming rate.
At is used to show when someone is a particular age:

He began composing at the age of 5.
She chose not to retire at 65.
At is used to show that an activity is directed specifically towards someone or something:
He‟s always shouting at the children.
Jamie threw the ball at the wall.
Why are you staring at her like that?
At is used to show the specific cause of a feeling or reaction:
Audiences still laugh at her jokes.
We were rather surprised at the news.
Extended meanings of on
On is used to show movement in the direction of a surface:
We could hear the rain falling on the roof.
I dropped my bags on the floor.
On is used to show when the surface of something accidentally hits or touches a part of the body:
I cut my finger on a sharp knife.
She banged her head on the cupboard door.
On is used to show that a part of someone‟s body is supporting their weight:
She was balancing on one leg.
He was on his hands and knees under the table.
On is used to show that something is included in a list:
He‟s not on the list of suspects.
How many items are on the agenda?
Extended meanings of in
In is used to show movement towards the inside of a container, place or area:
She put the letter back in her briefcase.
The farmer fired a few shots in the air.
In is used to show when something is part of something else:
I‟ve found one or two spelling mistakes in your essay.
Who‟s the little girl in the photograph?
There are several valuable paintings in the collection.

In is used to show that someone is wearing something:
Do you know that girl in the black dress?
A man in a brown suit was walking towards her.
In is used to show how things are arranged, expressed or written:
We gathered round in a circle.
Their names are given in alphabetical order.
Complete the form in block capitals.
She spoke to me in Spanish.
17. Present continuous


Use:
1)

Use the present continuous to talk about actions which are happening now.
Ellen is having a bath at the moment.
Right now, Mark is talking to her manager.

Form:
Positive
am / „m
I
You
He / She / It
We / They
Negative

verb+ing
are / „re
is / „s

are / „re
„m not

I
You
He / She / It
We / They
Question

verb+ing
aren‟t / „re not
isn‟t / „s not
aren‟t / „re not
I

Am
verb+ing
Are
you
Is
he / she / it
Are
we / they
Spelling Rules:
If a verb ends in e, delete the e before you add –ing.
come =>
I‟m coming.
have =>
He‟s having lunch.
Common mistakes

1)
Some students forget the verb be.
I watching television.
=>
I‟m watching television.
She not coming.
=>
She‟s not coming.
2)
Some students make questions incorrectly.
She is working?
=>
Is she working?
3)
Some students make spelling mistakes.
I‟m studing law. =>
I‟m studying law.
18. Present simple
Use:
Sentences in the present simple tense are true all the time.
 I come from Japan.
 I live in Paris.
 I like animals.
 I have three sisters.
Form:
1) Form the present simple this way:
Positive
like

I
you
he
she
it
we
they
Negative

animals
likes
like

don‟t
I
you
he
she
it
we
they
Questions
Do
Does
Do

like

animals

doesn‟t
don‟t

I
you
he
she
it
we
they

like

animals?

Short answers
I
do
you
Yes,
No,
he
does
she
it
we
do
they
Spelling Rules for 3rd person (he / she / it)
 If a verb ends in consonant + y, change y to i and add es.

I study English. He studies English.
 If a verb ends in tch, ss, x, sh or z, add es.
She watches television.
Susan misses her family.
He fixes the television.
My dad washes the car on Sundays.
 Some verbs have irregular spellings:
I go
→
he / she / it goes
I do
→
he / she / it does
I have →
he / she / it has

I
you
he
she
it
we
they

don‟t

doesn‟t
don‟t

Common mistakes
1)
Some students forget to add s for he/she/it.
My mother like chocolate.
→
My mother likes chocolate.
2)
Some students make the negative form incorrectly.
Tom no work here.
→
Tom doesn‟t work here.
Tom isn‟t work here.
Tom don‟t work here.
3)
Some students forget to use Do and Does to make questions.
You like this song?
→
Do you like this song?
Is your father work here?
→
Does your father work here?
19. Pronouns: simple, personal
Here are the personal pronouns, followed by some example sentences:
number

singular

plural

person

gender

personal pronouns
subject

object

1st

male/ female

I

me

2nd

male/ female

you

you

3rd

male

he

him

female

she

her

neuter

it

it

1st

male/ female

we

us

2nd

male/ female

you

you

3rd

male/ female/ neuter

they

them

Examples (in each pair, the first sentence shows a subject pronoun, the second an object
pronoun):
 I like coffee. / John helped me.
 Do you like coffee? / John loves you.
 He runs fast. / Did Ram beat him?
 She is clever. / Does Mary know her?
 It doesn't work. / Can the man fix it?
 We went home. / Anthony drove us.
 Do you need a table for three? / Did John and Mary beat you at doubles?
 They played doubles. / John and Mary beat them.
20. Questions
Use:
Whenever you use an introductory phrase before a question, you must change the word order in
the question.


Introductions include:
Can you tell me...? Do you know...? I don’t know... I’m not sure... I wonder... I can’t
remember...
What‟s the time? =>Can you tell me what the time is?
Where did he go? =>I don‟t know where he went.
Form:

1) If the question has an auxiliary verb, swap the positions of the auxiliary verb and the subject.
You can also do this in sentences with the verb to be.
Example: When can you get here?
Can is the auxiliary verb and you is the subject. Swap their positions when you add an
introduction.
Do you know when you can get here?
Other examples:
Where has he gone?
=>I don’t know where he has gone.
What are they doing? =>I don’t know what they’re doing.
What time is it? =>Have you any idea what time it is?
You cannot contract the verb if it is the last word in the sentence.
Do you know what time it’s?
=>Do you know what time it is?
2) If the question is in the present or past simple, remove do / does / did from the question.
Change the verb ending so that the verb is in the correct tense.
Example:
Where did he go? =>Did you see where he went?
What time do you get up? =>Can you tell me what time you get up?
Where does she work? =>I wonder where she works.
3) If a question does not have a question word (Where, What, Why etc.)
use if or whether before the question.
Example:
Does he live here? =>Do you know if he lives here?
Are they coming to the party? =>Do you know whether they are coming to the party?
21. There is/are
The structure of there is/there are is very simple:
verb be

subject

there

is

singular subject

there

are

plural subject

Notice that normal word order (subject-verb) is reversed or inverted (verb-subject). The
word there is not the subject. It is important to identify the subject and make sure that the verb
agrees with it.
Look at these examples with singular subject and singular verb:

+

there

verb be

There

is

not

singular
subject
still a

problem.


there

verb be

There

's

-

There

is

?

Is

there

not

n't

singular
subject
some

milk

in the fridge.

any

money

in the bank.

a

G

in "Bangkok"?

Here are examples with plural subject and plural verb:
there

verb be

There

are

two

boys

in the garden.

There

are

many

questions

to answer.

-

There

are

any

students

in class.

?

Are

there

any

taxis

waiting?

+

not

n't

plural
subject

Notice that we can use the there is/are construction in other tenses, and the same agreement is
needed, for example:
 There was a noise in the night.
 There were lots of people at the party.
 There have been complaints about you recently.
 There will have been lots of people at the party so you'll need to tidy the room in the
morning.
22. To be, including question+negatives
Here are the question forms and negative forms for be in the present simple and past simple:
Positives

Questions

Negatives

I am (I'm)

Am I?

I am not (I'm not)

He is (he's)

Is he?

He is not (He's not/He isn't)

She is (she's)

Is she?

She is not (She's not/She isn't)

It is (it's)

Is it?

It is not (It's not/It isn't)

You are (you're)

Are you? You are not (You're not/You aren't)

They are (they're) Are they? They are not (They're not/They aren't)
Positives

Questions

Negatives

I was

Was I?

I was not (I wasn't)

He was

Was he?

He was not (He wasn't)

She was

Was she?

She was not (She wasn't)

It was

Was it?

It was not (It wasn't)


Positives

Questions

Negatives

You were

Were you? You were not (You weren't)

They were Were they? They were not (They weren't)
23 . Verb + ing: like/hate/love
Verbs of Preference + gerunds
Use:
We can use several different words and phrases in English to talk about things we like and
dislike.
 like
love
enjoy
 don‟t mind
 dislike
hate
can‟t stand
Form:
After these words you can use a noun or a verb in the –ing form.
I like water.

I like swimming.
I love sports.
I love running.
We enjoy good food.
We enjoy eating out.
I don’t mind housework.
I don’t mind cooking.
I dislike buses.
I dislike waiting.
I hate housework
I hate cleaning.
I can’t stand planes.
I can’t stand flying.
Spelling rules
Remember the spelling rules when you make the –ing form.
 If a verb ends in e, delete the e before you add –ing.
have
=>
I love having breakfast in bed.
 If a verb ends one vowel and one consonant, double the consonant.
swim
=>
I don’t like swimming.
Exceptions: words that end in w or y.
row
=>
I love rowing.
sew
=>
I don’t like sewing.

play
=>
I like playing football.
Other exceptions:
iron
=>
My mum hates ironing.
open
=>
I don’t mind opening the window for you.