American English Three Yellow - June 2008
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Transcript of American English Three Yellow - June 2008
Complete l essons in order
1 Questions with Did (past tense) 2 Have - Present & Past Tense3 The Present Perfect Tense 4 The Present Perfect Tense - Negative 5 The Present Perfect Tense - Questions 6 The Comparative Form 7 The Superlative Form 8 The Past Continuous Tense 9 The Past vs. The Past Continuous 10 Modal Verbs 11 Idiomatic Modal Verbs
12 Perfect Modals 13 The Present Perfect Continuous Tense 14 Perfect Modals Continuous 15 The Past Perfect Tense 16 Direct and Indirect Quotations 17 The Present & Past Perfect Continuous 18 Prepositional Phrases
Past Participles
Learn About Them!
Quiz #1 - The Present Perfect
Quiz #2 - Questions in the Present Perfect
Quiz#3 - Comparatives and
Superlatives Quiz #4 - The Past Continuous Tense
Quiz #5 - Auxiliary Verbs
Quiz #6 - Modal Verbs
Quiz #7 - Perfect Modal Verbs
19 The Future Continuous Tense 20 Height and Weight
Green Level
To return to previous lessons:
Blue Level
Red Level
Yellow Level Quiz #1 - The Present Perfect Part A.
Directions: Complete each statement with the verb in the present perfect tense. (10 points)
1. He _______ _____________ Mexico many times. (visit)
2. John and Emily ________ ____________ there also. (be)
3. It ________ ___________ twice this week. (snow)
4. I _________ ____________ a doctor about my backache. (see)
5. You ________ ___________ me a lot of help. (give)
6. She _______ __________ a beautiful cake. (make)
7. My car ________ ___________ over 160,000 miles. (go)
8. The students in the classroom _______ ___________ late several times this week. (come)
9. The teacher _________ ___________ to them about this problem. (speak)
10. They _________ ____________ all their homework. (do)
Part B.
Directions: Make each sentence negative in the present perfect tense. (10 points)
1. She __________ _________ any work yet today. (do)
2. I _________ ____________ any work today either. (do)
3. My cat __________ ___________ home since Tuesday. (be)
4. We _________ never ___________ before. (meet)
5. The computer __________ _____________ well lately. (work)
6. Sara and Ali _________ ___________ the house yet. (leave)
7. He _________ ____________ his bills on time. (pay)
8. You _________ __________ a dentist in several years. (see)
9. They _________ ___________ in Minnesota for very long. (live)
10. I ___________ __________ so much fun in a long time. (have) Part C.
Directions: Conjugate the verb "be" in the present perfect tense. (5 points)
singular plural
Conjugate the verb "do" in the present perfect tense negative . (5 points)
singular plural
Lesson Two
Have - Present and Past Tense
Present Tense
Past Tense
I have We have I had we had You have You have You had You had He has He had She has They have She had They had
It has It had
Examples:
I have a garden in my backyard.
You have a pencil in your hand.
You also have some schoolwork to do.
He has a beehive full of bees.
Do you have any interest in bees?
She has a fear of spiders.
Do you have a fear of anything?
They have fun playing in the water.
Questions
Present Tense Past Tense Do I have... Do we have... Did I have... Did we have...
Do you have... Do you have... Did you have... Did you have...
Does he have... Did he have...
Does she have... Do they have... Did she have... Did they have...
Does it have... Did it have...
Negatives
Present Tense - Negative
do / does + not + main verb
Past Tense - Negative
did + not + main verb I don't have We don't have I didn't have We didn't have
You don't have You don't have You didn't have You didn't have
He doesn't have He didn't have
She doesn't have They don't have She didn't have They didn't have
It doesn't It didn't have
It's important to understand in the examples above that the main verb is in the simple form. You can make any verb negative in the present and past tense with this method--but not the verb "be."
Below are examples of how to make the present and past tense negative with verbs other than "have."
simple pasthave had
eat ate
see saw
be was / were
Today I don't have any work to do. (present tense)
Yesterday I didn't have any work to do. (past tense)
I usually don't eat a big breakfast. (present tense)
Yesterday I didn't eat a big breakfast. (past tense)
I don't see movies very often. (present tense)
I didn't see that movie yet. (past tense)
The verb "have" is also used as an auxiliary verb (or you can call it a "helping verb") when making the present perfect tense.
To make the present perfect:
has or have + the past participle
You will learn more about this in Lesson Two.
He has finished his beer.
There isn't any beer left in the glass.
Lesson Three
The Present Perfect Tense
S + Has or Have + the Past Participle
Singular Plural
I have lived We have lived
You have lived You have lived
He has lived
She has lived They have lived
It has lived
(See the video at the bottom of the page.)
The present perfect is used for three reasons:
1. To describe an action that goes from the past up to the present moment.
2. To describe an action that occurred sometime in the past but the exact time is unknown.
3. To describe an action that was repeated many times in the past.
1. I have lived in Minnesota for 15 years. I have lived here since 1991.
2. You have heard this song before.
3. She has cleaned her bathroom twice this week.
Don't confuse the present perfect with the past tense. The present perfect is used with unspecified periods of time in the past or to show the passage of time. Here's an example of a mistake:
She has cleaned her bathroom yesterday.
This mistake specifies when she did something which you can only do with a past tense. Here's the correction:
She cleaned her bathroom yesterday.
Sometimes people learning English use the past tense when they should use the present perfect. Here's an example of three common mistakes.
I lived in Minnesota for 10 years.
(ok but it sounds like he is no longer there and lives in another place.)
I am living in Minnesota 10 years. (wrong)
I live in Minnesota 10 years. (wrong)
This person wants to say that he moved to Minnesota 10 years ago and is still there. In this case the present perfect is a good choice:
I have lived in Minnesota for 10 years. (correct!)
or...
I have lived in Minnesota since 1996.
Notice also that for and since are often used in the present perfect. For is used with numbers of days, weeks, months, years, centuries, etc., and since is used with specified days, months and years.
Click here to practice.
The Present Perfect
Directions: Complete each sentence with the correct form of the verb in the present perfect.
Exercise A - Affirmative Statements: S + has or have + past participle
1. I ______ __________ in this country all my life. (live)
2. She _______ _________ her homework. (do)
3. All of my friends ______ __________ away on vacation this week. (be)
4. It _____ ___________ the entire week. (rain)
5. We _________ _____________ a lot of grammar in this class. (study)
6. John ________ ____________ in the hospital for five days. (be)
7. I _______ _____________ as a teacher since 1989. (work)
8. Jennifer knows everyone in her town because she _______ _________ there since she was a baby. (live)
9. Mark and Louise _______ _________ about getting married. (talk)
10. A friend of mine _______ ___________ $20,000 in the bank to buy a house. (save)
Exercise B - Negative Statements: S + has or have + not + past participle
1. Martha ___________ _____________ her homework yet. (do)
2. We ___________ ______________ a movie in a very long time. (see)
3. The children ___________ _____________ breakfast and they're very hungry. (have)
4. You _________ ______________ eaten any breakfast yet either. (have)
5. It __________ _____________ in almost four weeks and the ground is too dry. (rain)
Lesson Four
The Present Perfect Tense - Negative
S + have or has + not + past participle
Singular Plural
I have not worked We have not worked
You have not worked You have not worked
He has not worked
She has not worked They have not worked
It has not worked
Notice the use of "has" for a man, a woman, or a thing.
Also, it's important to know the irregular past participles.
Most Americans use the contracted form:
have + not = haven't
or
has + not = hasn't
Singular Plural
I haven't work We haven't worked
You haven't worked You haven't worked
He hasn't worked
She hasn't worked They haven't worked
It hasn't worked
More Examples of the Present Perfect - Negative
I have not been to China.
(contraction: I haven't been to China.)
main verb: be
Your have not been to China, either.
(contraction: haven't been)
main verb: be
He has not played this game before. This is the first time.
(contraction: hasn't played)
main verb: play
She has not cleaned the bathroom in a week. Now she's cleaning it.
(contraction: hasn't cleaned)
main verb: clean
The banana has not turned brown yet. It's still yellow.
(contraction: hasn't turned)
main verb: turn
We have not visited China. Never in our lives have we been there.
(contraction: haven't visited)
main verb: visit and been.
Notice that you can also make the pressent perfect negative by using "never."
I + you = we
You have not finished your lunch yet.
(contraction: haven't finished)
main verb: finish
They have not marched in the Minnesota State Fair Parade before. This is their first time.
(contraction: haven't marched)
main verb: march
This is a video. Click here.
Lesson Five
The Present Perfect Tense - Questions
Have or Has + Subject + past participle
Singular Plural
Have I seen... Have we seen...
Have you seen... Have you seen...
Has he seen...
Has she seen... Have they seen...
Has it seen...
In the example above, the verb "see" is in the present perfect tense. "Seen" is the past participle for the verb "see."
When you begin a question with "have" or "has," the answer is usually yes or no.
examples:
Have I ever met you?
(Answer: Yes, you have.)
Have you lived in the United States long?
(Answer: No, I haven't.)
Has he had any coffee yet this morning?
(Answer: No, he hasn't.)
Has she ridden a bike before?
(Answer: Yes, she has.)
Has the goat eaten anything yet today?
(Answer: No, it hasn't.)
Have we known each other for a long time?
(Answer: No, we haven't. We've known each other for a short time.)
Have you ever traveled to China?
(Answer: No, we haven't.)
Have they marched in this parade before?
(Answer: No, they haven't, but they have marched in other parades.)
Lesson Six
Comparatives
A lion is more dangerous than a cat.
A lion is also bigger than a cat.
The children playing with the blocks are younger than the students going to school.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
In this video I practice making the comparative with my students:
The comparative form is used to show the difference between two things or two people, two groups of things, or two groups of people.
There are rules for using the comparative form. The table below will help you.
Comparatives
One-syllable words two syllable words
ending in y two syllables or more not
ending in y add er drop the y and ad ier use more / don't add er
big bigger noisy noisier dangerous more dangerous
old older busy busier expensive more expensive
nice nicer crazy crazier comfortable more comfortable
young younger lazy lazier humid more humid
fast faster funny funnier tired more tired
cheap cheaper dry drier acceptable more acceptable
There are some exceptions: good, bad, far, and fun are adjectives that don't follow the rules when making the comparative form.
good better bad worse far farther
fun more fun
Never use two comparatives together on an adjective:
more cheaper
more noisier
more older
Comparatives
Choose the correct form of the comparative in the blank spaces. These are all adjectives.
1. I am much __________ ____________ you are. (old)
2. This gold watch is _______ _______________ __________ the silver one. (expensive)
3. China is __________ __________ Japan. (big)
4. It's _____________ to eat a big breakfast in the morning _________ nothing at all. (good)
5. I felt ___________ today when I woke up _________ I did yesterday. (bad)
6. We have to wake up _____________ tomorrow _________ we ususally do. (early)
7. The air feels _________ ____________ today _______ it did yesterday. (humid)
8. A motorcycle is much ________ _______________ _________ a car. (dangerous)
9. I need a _____________ house because mine is too big. (small)
10. My old shoes are _______ _____________ ________ my new shoes. (comfortable
Lesson Seven
Superlatives
(differences in 3 + things or people)
The lion is the biggest animal. (There are three animals)
The lion is also the most dangerous of the three animals above.
The superlative form is used to show the difference among three or more things or people in a group.
There are rules for using the superlative form. The table below will help you.
Superlatives
One-syllable words two syllable words
ending in y two syllables or more not
ending in y
add est drop the y and ad iest use most / don't add est
big biggest noisy noisiest dangerous most dangerous
old oldest busy busiest expensive most expensive
nicer nicest crazy craziest comfortable most comfortable
young youngest lazy laziest humid most humid
fast fastest funny funniest tired most tired
cheap cheapest dry driest acceptable most acceptable
There are some exceptions: good, bad, far, and fun are adjectives that don't follow the rules when making the comparative form.
good best bad worst far farthest
fun most fun
Never use two superlatives together on an adjective:
most cheapest
most noisiest
It's often necessary to use "the" in front of the superlative:
Apples picked directly from a tree taste the best.
I had the most fun at the state fair when I rode on the ferris wheel.
Giraffes have the longest necks of any animal.
(Sometimes an article such as "the" isn't necessary. Instead, you can use the possessive form in front of the superlative.
Examples:
A dog is a man's best friend.
This dog is her best friend.
His best friend is his dog.
Click here for a quiz on comparatives and superlatives
Yellow Level Quiz #3 - Comparatives and Superlatives
Part A.
Directions: Complete each sentence with the comparative form. The words in parentheses are adjectives or adverbs. (10 points)
1. She is ___________ ___________ I am. (old)
2. These shoes are _________ ___________ ________those shoes. (expensive)
3. I think this pizza tastes ___________ ___________ the one we ordered from them the last time. (good)
4. The weather today is _____________ ____________ it was yesterday. (bad)
5. Jorge got home much ___________ last night ___________ he ever has. (late)
6. The state of Minnesota is a lot _____________ ___________ the state of Delaware. (big)
7. I wake up much ____________ now ____________ I did when I was younger. (early)
8. The sun is ______________ away from the earth ___________ the moon. (far)
9. Spanish is an ______________ language to learn _____________ English. (easy)
10. Riding a motorcycle is ___________ _________________ ____________ riding a bike. (dangerous)
Part B.
Directions: Complete each sentence in the superlative form. The words in parentheses are adjectives. (10 points)
1. This is ________ ____________ ________________ car I have every owned. (expensive)
2. Maria is one of ________ ______________ players on the team. (good)
3. ________ _____________ month of the year in Minnesota is January. (cold)
4. He is __________ ______________ working employee in the company. (hard)
5. Who has __________ ______________ solution for fixing economic problems in the U.S.? (good)
6. Many Americans think George Bush has been _________ _____________ President we have ever had. (bad)
7. We had ______ __________ ____________ on our vacation last year. (fun)
8. A good education is ________ ___________ _______________ experience for a young person. (important)
9. That was ___________ ________________ story that I have ever heard. (funny)
10. Which country has ________ _______________ building? (tall)
Lesson Eight
The Past Continuous Tense
S + (be) + _____ing
The verb "be" is in the past tense: was or were
examples:
I was relaxing outside when this picture was taken
You were sitting in the classroom when this picture was taken.
He was shaving this morning when he cut himself.
She was spinning around and around before she fell down.
This elephant was out looking for food yesterday.
We were talking together last week.
(Now we're in two separate locations.)
You were thinking about taking another English class this year.
They were riding on a big seven-person bicycle last week.
Lesson Nine
The Past Tense vs. the Past Continuous Tense
Past tense: I went to work yesterday. (main verb: go)
Past tense negative: I didn't go to work on Sunday. (main verb: go)
Past continuous tense: I was eating my breakfast when the phone rang. (main verb: eat)
Past continuous tense negative: I wasn't eating anything when the phone rang. (main verb: eat)
The past continuous tense is often used to show one or more two past actions.
examples:
What was the boy doing at the park?
He was making sand castles.
The boy was making sand castles while playing in the sand.
This boy made sand castles while he was playing in the sand.
As you can see, there are many possibilities when using this tense.
I was drinking coffee while I was working on my computer.
sounds better than...
I drank my coffee when I worked on my computer
....because there's some activity.
You were taking English classes when you visited the United States.
or
You took English classes when you visited the United States.
(Both verb tenses are okay)
He was talking on his cell phone while he was walking to work.
or
While he was walking to work, he was talking on his cell phone.
(Many sentences that use "while" are continuous)
Past tense:
He talked on the phone an hour ago.
She was talking on the phone while she was drinking coffee.
or
She was talking on the phone while drinking coffee.
(Notice "she" is missing from the second sentence. That's okay.)
It was snowing when this man went out to shovel his driveway.
("It" refers to the weather.)
We were standing in my classroom when this picture was taken.
("was taken" is passive voice--not continuous. Notice the difference?)
You were riding on the bus.
They were riding their bikes through downtown Minneapolis.
Lesson Ten
Modal Verbs
Modal Verb
Meaning Picture Example in a sentence
can
possibility and ability
Click here for a
YouTube video
This baby can crawl.
I can crawl We can crawl
You can crawl You can crawl
He can crawl
She can crawl They can crawl
It can crawl
negative contraction: can't crawl
will future
He will go to the beach later today.
I will go We will go
You will go You will go
He will go
She will go They will go
It will go
negative contraction: won't go
shall possibility and future possibility
This sounds so formal I'm going to recommend that you not use it. Shall is not popular. (One less word to remember!)
Your teacher recommends that you don't use shall. 98 % of the American public doesn't use it. It sounds very formal. In fact,
it sounds too formal.
may1. possibiity ...or 2. permission
1. (future possibility) They may walk their dogs this afternoon.
2. (Asking permission)
A: May I walk your dog?
B: Yes, you may.
I may walk We may walk
You may walk You may walk
He may walk
She may walk They may walk
It may walk
negative: may not walk (don't contract this one!)
could
1. past tense of can--usually negative. *
2. possibility and ability
When I went out to eat last night, I couldn't read the signs because they were in Chinese.
I could read We could read
You could read You could read
He could read
She could read They could read
It could read
negative contraction: couldn't read
would past tense of "will"
She wouldn't touch the spider she saw earlier this morning because she's afraid of them.
I would touch We would touch
You would touch You would touch
He would touch
She would touch They would touch
It would touch
negative contraction: wouldn't touch
should
recommendation and good idea.
(Related to "shall" but much better and easier
to use.)
He should be careful on those rollerskates because he could fall.
I should be We should be
You should be You should be
He should be
She should be They should be
They should be
negative contraction: shouldn't be
mightpossibility
(use instead of "may" in some cases)
These eggs might break when they hit the ground. In fact, they'll probably break unless they land on something soft.
I might break We might break
You might break You might break
He might break
She might break They might break
It might break
negative: might not break (don't contract!)
must necessary and
important
They must attend this important meeting.
I must attend We must attend
You must attend You must attend
He must attend
She must attend They must attend
It must attend
negative: must not attend (a contraction here is okay, but it sounds formal and it sounds British. Most Americans try not to sound like they have a British accent, but you may use the contraction if you want to)
Remember: Modal verbs are followed by the main verb in the simple form.
I must go
He must be
They should eat
NOW TAKE A QUIZ
Here are the answers for the quiz on video.
Yellow Level Quiz #6 - Modal Verbs
Part A.
Directions: Complete each question or sentence with a modal verb and a main verb. The modal verb goes first. The main verb goes second. (10 points)
Modal verbs: can / may / should / must / will / might / could (use more than once)
Main verbs: see / live / bring / eat / find / do / help / play / pay / rain (use only once) 1. My teacher ________ __________ some cookies to class today. We don't know yet.
2. You really _________ __________ a doctor about your illness.
3. __________ I ___________ you?
4. When Jeff graduates from college, he ________ definitely ____________ in New York.
5. Tatania ________ __________ the piano really well.
6. We __________ ____________ our taxes before April 15.
7. The weatherman said that it __________ __________ later tonight.
8. You _________ ___________ less meat because it's not good for your health to eat too much.
9. They _________ probably ___________ good jobs in Minnesota if they decide to move there.
10. __________ you __________ me a favor, please?
Part B.
Directions: Choose the correct modal verb and main verb to complete each sentence. (5 points)
1. The doctor told me that I ______________ smoking.
A. will like B. should stop C. must try
2. My girlfriend ______________ to the party this weekend because she is scheduled to work.
A. can't go B. shouldn't drive C. will go
3. This computer ______________ better if it has more memory.
A. can't move B. should go C. will work
4. If I don't stop at a gas station soon, I ____________ out of gas.
A. might run B. can be C. will do
5. The young woman called her boss to tell him that she _____________ late to work this morning.
A. can be B. must be C. will be
Answers: Part A. 1. might bring; 2. should see; 3. May help; 4. will live; 5. can play; 6. must pay; 7. might or will rain; 8. should eat; 9. can or could or will find; 10. can or will do. Part B. 1. B; 2. A; 3. C;
4. A; 5. C
Lesson Eleven
Idiomatic Modal Verbs
These verb phrases are a little unusual and sometimes hard to use:
Idiomatic Modal
Meaning Picture Example in a sentence
(be) going to
future
(similar to "will")
(scroll down for video lessons)
They're going to do some work in their garden.
Main verb is in the simple form
S + (be) going to _______
I am going to do
We are going to do
You are going to do
You are going to do
He is going to do
She is going to do
They are going to do
It is going to do
negative: am not/isn't/aren't going to
(be) able to
possibility
(similar to "can")
A penguin is a bird that is also able to swim.
Main verb = simple form
S + (be) able to _________
I am able to swim
We are able to swim
You are able to swim
You are able to swim
He is able to swim
She is able to swiim
They are able to swim
It is able to swim
negative: am not/isn't/aren't going to
have to necessity
(similar to "must")
She has to clean the bathroom. She also has to do some other chores around the house.
Main verb = simple form
S + has or have to ________
I have to clean
We have to clean
You have to clean
You have to clean
He has to clean
She has to clean
They have to clean
It has to clean
Negative: don't/doesn't have to
Notice the negative requires the verb "do"
will = (be) going to
can = (be) able to
must = have to
Lesson Twelve
Perfect Modals
modal verb + have + past participle
Perfect Modal meaning Picture sentence
could have _____
couldn't have _____
past ability
The boy could have done the dishes himself, but his father decided to help.
should have _____
shouldn't have _____
You did or didn't do something that was a good idea.
The girl shouldn't have spun around so many times. She fell down.
(spin: turn around many times. spin / spun /spun)
would have _____
wouldn't have _____
past condition / past situation
This house of cards would have fallen over if the person who built it hadn't been so careful.
may have _____
may not have _____
past possibility
My grandfather may have used this camera when he was a young man, but I'm not sure.
might have ______
might not have _____
past possibility
Her mother might have put mustard on her sandwich. She hopes not.
must have _____
must not have _____
past probability.
This indicates that something probably happened in the past.
They must have practiced a lot because they're very good musicians.
Let's not forget...
The Future Perfect Tense
Unlike all the other modals above, will is used for the future:
Subject + will + have + past participle
Singular Plural
I will have lived We will have lived
You will have lived You will have lived
He will have lived
She will have lived They will have lived
It will have lived
This is a difficult tense to use. It describes an action that will be completed in the future.
For example:
I moved to Minnesota in 1991. The year now is 2007.
By 2011, I will have lived in Minnesota for 20 years.
Click here for a quiz
Yellow Level Quiz #7 - Perfect Modal Verbs
Part A.
Directions: Complete each question or sentence with should have or could have, and a main verb. (10 points)
For example: You ________ ________ __________ (be) more helpful to that elderly woman. (advice)
* should have = past advice, capability, or responsibility / * could have = past possibility
1. I _________ _________ _________ (help) you last weekend if you had asked. (possibility)
2. He _________ ________ ___________ (talk) to the doctor about his stomach pains. (advice)
3. _____________ they _________ ____________(do) all that work already? (possibility)
4. Maria __________ ___________ ____________ (eat) that whole pizza by herself--she was so hungry! (possibility)
5. My students ___________ __________ __________ (finish) their assignment by now. (capability)
6. ____________n't that company __________ ____________ (pay) their employees on time? (responsibility)
7. Why ___________n't you __________ ___________ (meet) my earlier? Now we don't have any time. (possibility)
8. There ___________ ___________ ___________(be) a disaster if the country hadn't prepared properly. (possibility)
9. President Bush __________ __________ ___________(tell) the American people they needed to make more personal sacrifices once the Iraq War began. (responsibility)
10. You __________ __________ __________(be) able to complete the test within 60 minutes. (capability -- in this sentence, "complete" is the main verb. That means there are seven words in the verb phrase!)
Part B.
Directions: Complete each sentence or question with would have or should have and a main verb. (10 points)
* would have = past tense of will / * should have = past advice, capability, or responsibility
1. If I had known you were coming, I _________ ___________ ____________ (make) extra cookies.
2. We __________ _________ __________ (fix) the leak in the roof before the storm made it worse.
3. You _________n't _________ __________ (go) into that strange house if it was empty.
4. It __________ _________ __________ (take) longer to get dinner made without your help.
5. Before going to the beach, they _________ __________ __________(check) the weather because it rained.
6. The doctor told her she __________ __________ ___________ (be) on a diet the last few years.
7. The party _________ __________ ____________ (be) more fun if you were there.
8. My friend __________ _________ _________ (make) a lot of money if he had sold his stock in the company earlier.
9. I __________ __________ ____________ (do) anything just to spend a few more hours with you.
10. They really ___________n't ___________ gotten _____________ (marry) so fast.
Lesson 13
Present Perfect Continuous Tense
This is similar to the present perfect tense except that the action is continuous. It describes something that starts in the past and continues into the present.
Subject + has / have + been + _______ing
I have been teaching English for almost 20 years.
You have been studying English.
How long have you been studying?
He's been playing the guitar for about an hour.
(He's = He has)
She's been talking on the phone with her mother for 40 minutes.
The cat has been singing all night.
We've been working together.
(We've = We have)
You've been riding on the bus since 10 a.m. It's now 10:40 a.m. and you're still traveling to your destination.
(You've = You have)
These apples have been growing all summer and now they're ripe and ready to be picked. They look delicious.
The present continuous tense is very easy to use and often preferred over the present perfect tense when there is some kind of action. You can go back to the present perfect tense here to compare the two.
Lesson Fourteen
Perfect Modals + ing
could should would might
+ have been ______ing
I could have been living in Los Angeles if I hadn't moved to Chicago.
They should have been doing their homework at the time that I called.
We would have been working at that company for 20 years if we hadn't quit.
You might have been thinking I was much older.
This is a diffficult modal form for beginning and intermediate level students. In this case, you're describing something that was possible in the past; however; another event emerged and forever altered the past. Don't worry about mastering this right now, but listen to how Americans use it--whether correctly or not.
This penquin could have been swimming in Antarctica today if he hadn't been captured there two years ago.
They should have been taking a test but instead they skipped school and went to a malt shop.
He would have been working in a bank if he hadn't decided to become a beekeeper.
He might have been thinking it was earlier. Now he realizes he's late for a meeting.
(This helps describe problems with perception of time.)
To make the negative, add "not" to the modal:
I shouldn't have been working so late last night. (but I did)
Lesson Fifteen
The Past Perfect Tense
The past perfect tense is usually used with two past actions. The verb in the past perfect shows the first past action.
I had seen that movie before but I forgot what happened in it.
First verb: see; Second verb: forget
The word order can be changed but it doesn't change the meaning:
I forgot that I had seen that movie.
NOTE: Many Americans don't use this tense properly.
Singular Plural
I had seen We had seen
You had seen You had seen
He had seen
She had seen They had seen
It had seen
examples
He had already started to make breakfast before his wife woke up.
(already is frequently used with perfect tenses. It usually appears between the auxiliary verb and the main verb:
had already started
This house had been painted yellow before they changed it to pink.
Notice that the past perfect tense here is in the passive voice. The past tense form like this: The house was painted yellow before they changed it to pink. Often using the past tense instead of the past perfect tense is acceptable.
past perfect passive:
had + been + (past participle)
They had worked and saved a lot of money before they retired last year.
They'd had no idea how much they'd enjoy their retirement.
NOTE: When the verb "have" is in the past perfect it looks like had had which is a little confusing)
(they'd = they would)
Lesson Sixteen
Direct & Indirect Quotations
A "quotation" is the exact word or words that a person speaks. It's good to understand the difference between a direct quotation, the words you hear from someone speaking, and an indirect quotation, which are the words that someone else uses to describe another speaker. Confused? When you're confused it helps look at an example.
Direct Quotation Indirect Quotation
"I need to go to the store," said my wife. My wife said that she needed to go to the store.
Notice that "said" is in the past tense, so the verb "need" also becomes past tense.
There's something called the "sequence of tenses" which is useful to look at now:
The Sequence of Tenses
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
Present Past
Present Continuous Past Continuous
Past Past Perfect
Present Perfect Past Perfect
will would
can could
may might
There are others that can be added, but this is a good start in learning that tenses change their form when using indirect speech. See the examples below.
examples
"I am a beekeeper."
What did he say?
He said he was a beekeeper.
"I'm reading a book."
What did he say?
He said that he was reading a book.
"I was afraid of spiders when I was a little girl."
What did she say?
She said she had been afraid of spiders when she was a little girl.
"I have been in this same spot for an hour and I haven't caught a thing."
He said that he'd been in that same spot for an hour and he hadn't caught anything.
(he'd been = had been)
"We enjoy making breakfast together."
The said that they enjoyed making breakfast together.
"I'll help you pick them up."
He said he would
help her pick up the apples.
"He can eat an entire watermelon," his wife said.
His wife said that he could eat an entire watermelon.
"This radio may be over 70 years old," said the owner of the antique shop.
The owner of the antique shop said that the radio might be
over 70 years old.
Here's a good website for learning about indirect quotations. This is an important skill!
We often have to give information about what people say or think. In order to do this you can use direct or quoted speech, or indirect or reported speech.
Direct Speech
Saying exactly what someone has said is called direct speech (sometimes called quoted speech)
Here what a person says appears within quotation marks ("...") and should be word for word.
For example:
She said, "Today's lesson is on presentations."
or
"Today's lesson is on presentations," she said.
Indirect Speech
Indirect speech (sometimes called reported speech), doesn't use quotation marks to enclose what the person said and it doesn't have to be word for word.
When reporting speech the tense usually changes. This is because when we use reported speech, we are usually talking about a time in the past (because obviously the person who spoke originally spoke in the past). The verbs therefore usually have to be in the past too.
For example:
Direct speech Indirect speech "I'm going to the cinema", he said. He said he was going to the cinema.
Tense change
As a rule when you report something someone has said you go back a tense: (the tense on the left changes to the tense on the right):
Direct speech Indirect speech Present simple She said, "It's cold." › Past simple
She said it was cold. Present continuous She said, "I'm teaching English online." › Past continuous
She said she was teaching English online. Present perfect simple She said, "I've been on the web since 1999."
› Past perfect simple She said she had been on the web since 1999.
Present perfect continuous She said, "I've been teaching English for seven years."
›Past perfect continuous She said she had been teaching English for seven years.
Past simple She said, "I taught online yesterday." › Past perfect
She said she had taught online yesterday. Past continuous She said, "I was teaching earlier." › Past perfect continuous
She said she had been teaching earlier. Past perfect She said, "The lesson had already started when he arrived."
›Past perfect NO CHANGE - She said the lesson had already started when he arrived.
Past perfect continuousShe said, "I'd already been teaching for five minutes."
›Past perfect continuous NO CHANGE - She said she'd already been teaching for five minutes.
Modal verb forms also sometimes change:
Direct speech Indirect speech will › would
She said, "I'll teach English online tomorrow."
She said she would teach English online tomorrow.
can She said, "I can teach English online." › could
She said she could teach English online. must She said, "I must have a computer to teach English online."
›had to She said she had to have a computer to teach English online.
shall She said, "What shall we learn today?" › should
She asked what we should learn today. may She said, "May I open a new browser?" › might
She asked if she might open a new browser.
!Note - There is no change to; could, would, should, might and ought to.
Direct speech Indirect speech "I'm might go to the cinema", he said.
He said he might go to the cinema.
You can use the present tense in reported speech if you want to say that something is still true i.e. my name has always been and will always be Lynne so:-
Direct speech Indirect speech
"My name is Lynne", she said.
She said her name was Lynne.
or
She said her name is Lynne.
You can also use the present tense if you are talking about a future event.
Direct speech (exact quote) Indirect speech (not exact) "Next week's lesson is on reported speech ", she said.
She said next week's lesson is on reported speech.
Time change
If the reported sentence contains an expression of time, you must change it to fit in with the time of reporting.
For example we need to change words like here and yesterday if they have different meanings at the time and place of reporting.
Today + 24 hours - Indirect speech
"Today's lesson is on presentations." She said yesterday's lesson was on presentations.
Expressions of time if reported on a different day
this (evening) › that (evening)
today › yesterday ...
these (days) › those (days)
now › then
(a week) ago › (a week) before
last weekend › the weekend before last / the previous weekend
here › there
next (week) › the following (week)
tomorrow › the next/following day
In addition if you report something that someone said in a different place to where you heard it you must change the place (here) to the place (there).
For example:-
At work At home"How long have you worked here?" She asked me how long I'd worked there.
Pronoun change
In reported speech, the pronoun often changes.
For example:
Me You "I teach English online." She said she teaches English online.
Reporting Verbs
Said, told and asked are the most common verbs used in indirect speech.
We use asked to report questions:-
For example: I asked Lynne what time the lesson started.
We use told with an object.
For example: Lynne told me she felt tired.
!Note - Here me is the object.
We usually use said without an object.
For example: Lynne said she was going to teach online.
If said is used with an object we must include to ;
For example: Lynne said to me that she'd never been to China.
!Note - We usually use told.
For example: Lynne told me that she'd never been to China.
There are many other verbs we can use apart from said, told and asked.
These include:-
accused, admitted, advised, alleged, agreed, apologised, begged, boasted, complained, denied, explained, implied, invited, offered, ordered, promised,
replied, suggested and thought.
Using them properly can make what you say much more interesting and informative.
For example:
He asked me to come to the party:-
He invited me to the party. He begged me to come to the party. He ordered me to come to the party. He advised me to come to the party. He suggested I should come to the party.
Use of 'That' in reported speech
In reported speech, the word that is often used.
For example: He told me that he lived in Greenwich.
However, that is optional.
For example: He told me he lived in Greenwich.
!Note - That is never used in questions, instead we often use if.
For example: He asked me if I would come to the party.
Past Participles
There are three main uses for past participles in English:
1. Perfect Tenses - I have broken my
arm.
2. Adjectives: My window is broken.
3. The Passive Voice: My window was broken by that boy with the rock.
Don't confuse the past participle with the present participle or continuous form: breaking
Understanding how the past participle works and remembering how to conjugate irregular verbs will improve your English.
Regular verbs are easy to remember. Just add "ed"
work / worked / worked
Remember that the past tense and the past participle for regular verbs are the same: worked / worked
Irregular verbs must be remembered. See the table below. Click here for a printer friendly verstion.
Irregular Verbs
Simple Past Past Participle
be was/were been
become became become
begin began begun
blow blew blown
break broke broken
build built built
buy bought bought
catch caught caught
come came come
cost cost cost
cut cut cut
do did done
drink drank drunk
drive drove driven
eat ate eaten
feel felt felt
find found found
fly flew flown
forget forgot forgotten
freeze froze frozen
get got gotten
give gave given
go went gone
have had had
hear heard heard
hit hit hit
hold held held
hurt hurt hurt
keep kept kept
know knew known
lay laid laid
lead led led
leave left left
lend lent lent
let let let
lie lied lied
lose lost lost
make made made
meet met met
pay paid paid
put put put
read read read
ride rode ridden
ring rang rung
run ran run
say said said
see saw seen
sell sold sold
send sent sent
show showed shown
sit sat sat
sleep slept slept
speak spoke spoken
spend spent spent
stand stood stood
swim swam swum
take took taken
teach taught taught
tell told told
think thought thought
throw threw thrown
understand understood understood
wear wore worn
win won won
write wrote written
Here's a video I made for past participles. Pronunciation practice here is important.
Lesson Eighteen
Prepositional Phrases
The woman in the blue coat is looking for her dog.
The above sentence contains two prepositional phrases: in the blue coat and for her dog. A prepositional phrase begins with a preposition such as "in" or "for" and ends with a noun. There are hundreds of different prepositions so they are very commonly used and very important to understand.
Why are prepositional phrases important? They provide important information on location, descriptions of people and things, relationships, time, and ideas. The best way to learn how to use prepositional phrases is to read English. Over time you will learn how they are used and which ones to use. Below are some examples.
She spilled coffee on her report for class.
prepositional phrases: on her report and for class
In this example the prepositional phrases provide important information about where something happened and the reason for her concern.
There are two children on a sled.
In this garden there are many strawberries.
She likes to spend a lot of time with her baby.
He's standing behind a tree.
Lesson Nineteen
Weight
To learn the weight of a thing or things:
Singular Plural
How much does this weigh?
How much do these weigh?
What does this weigh? What do these weigh?
How heavy is this? How heavy are these?
To learn the weight of a person:
Singular Plural
How much do you weigh?
How much does he/she weigh?
How much do they weigh?
What's your weight? What's their weight?
Don't say:
How much pounds?
What weight is it?
It's possible to ask, "How much do I weigh?" or "What's my weight?" But in most situations it isn't necessary unless you are repeating another person's question. The examples below might help:
Q: How much do I weigh?
A: I don't know. Why don't you weigh yourself?
I ask a question
You give an answer.
Q: How much do you weigh?
A: I weigh 191 pounds.
You ask a question.
I give an answer.
Q: What does he weigh?
A: He weighs about 175 pounds.
Q: How much does she weigh?
A: She doesn't know. She has to weigh herself.
Q: How heavy is this?
A: It's about 10 pounds.
Q: How heavy are these stones?
A: They're very heavy.
Q: How much do these apples weigh?
A: They're almost four pounds.
Lesson Twenty
Height and Weight
To learn the height of a thing or things:
Singular Plural
How tall is it? How tall are they?
What's the height? How high are they?
How many stories is it? (for one building)
---
To learn the height of a person:
Singular Plural
How tall are you? How tall are they?
What's your height? ---
Height is not as sensitive a topic as weight in the U.S. It's okay to ask about a person's height but not a person's weight.
Q: What's your height?
A: I'm 5 feet, 4 inches tall.
I ask a question
You give an answer.
Q: How tall are you?
A: I'm 5 feet, 11 inches tall.
or...
A: I'm 5' 11"
You ask a question.
I give an answer.
Q: What's his height?
A: He's six one. (It's possible to eliminate the use of "feet" or "inches" completely.
Q: How tall is she?
A: She doesn't know. She has to measure herself.
Q: How tall is that apartment building?
A: It's three stories tall.
Q: How tall are these stones?
A: They're about 15 feet high.
Q: How tall are those skyscrapers?
A: They're over 40 stories tall.
Weight
To learn the weight of a thing or things:
Singular Plural
How much does this weigh?
How much do these weigh?
What does this weigh? What do these weigh?
How heavy is this? How heavy are these?
To learn the weight of a person:
Singular Plural
How much do you weigh?
How much does he/she weigh?
How much do they weigh?
What's your weight? What's their weight?
Don't say:
How much pounds?
What weight is it?
It's possible to ask, "How much do I weigh?" or "What's my weight?" But in most situations it isn't necessary unless you are repeating another person's question. The examples below might help:
Q: How much do I weigh?
A: I don't know. Why don't you weigh yourself?
I ask a question
You give an answer.
Q: How much do you weigh?
A: I weigh 191 pounds.
You ask a question.
I give an answer.
Q: What does he weigh?
A: He weighs about 175 pounds.
Q: How much does she weigh?
A: She doesn't know. She has to weigh herself.
Q: How heavy is this?
A: It's about 10 pounds.
Q: How heavy are these stones?
A: They're very heavy.
Q: How much do these apples weigh?
A: They're almost four pounds.
Quiezz
Yellow Level Quiz #2 - Questions in the Present Perfect Tense
Part A.
Directions: Complete each question with the verb in the present perfect tense. (20 points)
1. _________ he _____________ his dinner yet? (finish)
2. _________ they _____________ this movie before? (see)
3. ________ the plane already _____________? (land)
4. __________ I ____________ to you about this? (talk)
Part C.
Directions: Conjugate the verb "go" in the present perfect tense and in the form of a question. (5 points)
singular plural
5. _________ the girl with the limp__________ to the doctor? (be)
6. __________ the team ever ___________ a game? (win)
7. How long _________ you _____________ each other? (know)
8. Where __________ he ___________? (be)
9. What ___________ they _____________? (do)
10. How many voters _______ the candidate __________ to? (talk)
Part B.
Directions: Complete each question in the present perfect tense. Some are affirmative and some are negative. (10 points)
1. Why __________ he ___________ his work yet? (do - negative)
2. ___________ you ____________ the dishes? (do)
3. ___________ I ___________ you enough to eat? (give - negative)
4. Wow! Where __________ the time __________? (go)
5. Who __________ _____________ their work yet? (complete - negative)
6. ___________the dog ___________ all his food? (eat)
7. How much money __________ he ___________? (pay)
8. _____________ this ____________ fun? (be - negative)
9. Why ___________ Jorge and Martha ____________ us? (call - negative)
10. ____________ you ever ____________ in love before? (be)
Conjugate the verb "give" in the present perfect tense negative and in the form of a question. (5 points)
singular plural
Yellow Level Quiz #4 - the Past Continuous Tense
Part A. Part C.
Directions: Complete each sentence in the past continuous tense. (10 points)
1. She _______ ____________ on the phone five minutes ago. (talk)
2. I _________ _______________ to the radio this morning when I heard the news. (listen)
3. They _________ ____________ in Mexico last year. (live - negative)
4. You _________ ________________ last weekend. (work)
5. We _________ ______________ when the telephone rang. (sleep)
6. Bob bumped his head as he ________ ___________ into the car. (get)
7. It ___________ _____________ when we left home, but now it is. (rain - negative)
8. I ________ ____________ dinner while talking on the phone.(make)
9. The students ____________ ______________ very much last week, so they forgot what they had learned. (study - negative)
10. Maria _________ ____________ what she had to do to get the job done. (do - negative)
Part B.
Directions: Make questions in the past continuous tense. (10 points)
1. What _________ she ____________ last weekend? (do)
2. __________ you _______________ yesterday? (work)
3. Why _________ they ______________ so angry? (get)
4. __________ the sun ______________ earlier? (shine)
5. When __________ Ted _____________ on the phone? (talk)
6. __________ I _________________ last night? (snore)
7. How _________ he ___________ his bills when he lost his job?
Conjugate the verb "go" in the past continuous tense (5 points)
singular plural
Conjugate the verb "talk" in the past continuous tense negative (5 points)
singular plural
(pay)
8. _____________ the baby ______________ just now? (cry)
9. How much money __________ you ____________ at that company? (make)
10. ___________ we _________________ too loudly? (laugh)
Yellow Level Quiz #5 - Auxiliary Verbs
Part A.
Directions: Complete the second part of each sentence with the correct auxiliary verb. (10 points)
1. He wanted to go to the movies, and so _________ she.
2. I like to eat Vietnamese food, and you _________ too.
3. Martha knows how to make a really good pizza, and Robert _________ too.
4. We have had the same car for over 10 years, and so ____________ they.
5. You can play guitar really well, and so ___________ I.
6. They decided to barbeque outside last night, and we ___________ too.
7. She had been to that restaurant before, and so __________ he.
8. Sara and Oscar might get married next year, and Oscar's brother ___________ too.
9. The teacher was late to class this morning, and so ____________ the students.
10. Tigist is going to be at the party, and so __________ Roger.
Part B.
Directions: Complete the second part of each sentence with the correct auxiliary verb. Notice that these sentences are all negative (10 points)
1. Her children don't like to eat that kind of food, and mine ___________ either.
2. I have never been to Montanta, and neither ____________ you.
3. Jim isn't going to get a new bike this year, and his friend Bill __________ either.
4. He can't play the piano very well, and neither __________ his sister.
5. You never do the dishes, and neither ____________ your roommate.
6. We didn't go to the party Saturday night, and they ______________ either.
7. His car doesn't work anymore, and neither _____________ his motorcycle.
8. I don't have to go to work tomorrow, and you ______________ either.
9. Jennifer doesn't want him to leave right now, and neither ___________ he.
10. They had never seen a shooting star before, and their neighbors _______________ either.
Answers: Part A - 1. does; 2. do; 3. does; 4. have; 5. can; 6. did; 7. had; 8. might; 9. were; 10. is; Part B - 1. don't; 2. have; 3. isn't; 4. can; 5. does; 6. didn't; 7. does; 8. don't; 9. does; 10. hadn't
Irregular Past Tense Verbs
Simple Past Past Participle
be was/were been
become became become
begin began begun
blow blew blown
break broke broken
build built built
buy bought bought
catch caught caught
come came come
cost cost cost
cut cut cut
do did done
drink drank drunk
drive drove driven
eat ate eaten
feel felt felt
find found found
fly flew flown
forget forgot forgotten
freeze froze frozen
get got gotten
give gave given
go went gone
have had had
hear heard heard
hit hit hit
hold held held
hurt hurt hurt
keep kept kept
know knew known
lay laid laid
lead led led
leave left left
lend lent lent
let let let
lie lied lied
lose lost lost
make made made
meet met met
pay paid paid
put put put
read read read
ride rode ridden
ring rang rung
run ran run
say said said
see saw seen
sell sold sold
send sent sent
show showed shown
sit sat sat
sleep slept slept
speak spoke spoken
spend spent spent
stand stood stood
swim swam swum
take took taken
teach taught taught
tell told told
think thought thought
throw threw thrown
understand understood understood
wear wore worn
win won won
write wrote written