GRAMMAR.- Exclamations

Exclamations are often constructed with how and what or with so and such. Negative question forms are also common.

Exclamations with how

Form: how + adjective/adverb + subject + verb
How cold it is! (NOT How it is cold!)
How beautifully she sings!

The structure how + subject + verb is also possible.
How you have grown!

Exclamations with what

Form: what a/an (+ adjective) + singular countable noun
What a lovely song! (NOT What lovely song!)
What a surprise! (NOT What surprise!)

We use what + adjective before an uncountable or plural noun.
What lovely flowers! (NOT What a lovely flowers!)
What fools! (NOT What a fools!)
What beautiful weather! (NOT What a beautiful weather!)

What + object + subject + verb
What a beautiful smile you have! (NOT What a beautiful smile have you!)

Exclamations with So and Such

Different structures are possible.

Form: so + adjective
You are so sweet!

Form: such a/an (+ adjective) + singular countable noun
He is such a nice boy!

Form: such (+ adjective) + uncountable/plural noun
They are such kind people!
They talk such rubbish!

GRAMMAR.-Like/As

 As and like are often confused since they are both used to compare actions or situations. There are, however, important differences.

As

We use as to talk about job or function. 

I worked as a shop assistant for 2 years when I was a student.

He used his shoe as a hammer to hang the picture up.

In comparisons, the structure ‘as adjective as’ is often used.

He’s not as tall as his brother

She ran as fast as she could.

In the following comparisons as is a conjunction – it’s followed by a clause with a subject and a verb.

He went to Cambridge University, as his father had before him.

She’s a talented writer, as most of her family are.

Like

In the following comparisons, like is a preposition and it’s followed by a noun or a pronoun.

I’ve been working like a dog all afternoon.

None of my brothers are much like me.

She looks just like her mother.

Like and As if/As though

Like, as if and as though can all be used to make comparisons. There is no difference in meaning among the 3 forms.

You look as if you’ve seen a ghost.

You talk as though we’re never going to see each other again.

It looks like it’s going to rain.

Expressions with ‘as’

The following expressions all use as.

As you know, classes restart on January 15th.

I tried using salt as you suggested but the stain still didn’t come out.

As we agreed the company will be split 50/50 between us.

Their house is the same as ours.

GRAMMAR.- Present Perfect Simple

Form of Present Perfect

	Positive	Negative	Question
I / you / we / they	I have spoken.	I have not spoken.	Have I spoken?
he / she / it	He has spoken.	He has not spoken.	Has he spoken?

For irregular verbs, use the participle form. For regular verbs, just add “ed”.

Exceptions in Spelling when Adding ‘ed’

Exceptions in spelling when adding ed	Example
after a final e only add d	love – loved
final consonant after a short, stressed vowel or l as final consonant after a vowel is doubled	admit – admitted travel – travelled
final y after a consonant becomes i	hurry – hurried

Use of Present Perfect

• puts emphasis on the result
  Example: She has written five letters.
• action that is still going on
  Example: School has not started yet.
• action that stopped recently
  Example: She has cooked dinner.
• finished action that has an influence on the present
  Example: I have lost my key.
• action that has taken place once, never or several times before the moment of speaking
  Example: I have never been to Australia.

Signal Words of Present Perfect

• already, ever, just, never, not yet, so far, till now, up to now

So/Such

So is used before an adjective or an adverb :

• So big
• So carefully

Such followed by 'a' or 'an', is used before an adjective + a singular noun : 

• Such a long time
• Such an incredible story

Such is used alone (without a, an) before plural nouns, mass nouns and abstract nouns (information, advice, furniture, courage, generosity, interest, kindness ... )

Compare the following sentences:

• This book is so interesting.
• This is such an interesting book.
• Such interesting books are difficult to find.

• I was amazed that the crowd was so big.
• I was amazed that there was such a big crowd.
• The story was so complicated.
• It was such a complicated story.

• You are so intelligent.
• You are such an intelligent person.
• A person of such intelligence is a pleasure to meet.

Pictionary (Period III)

Smile
Push
Scream
Giant
Buffet
Sprinkle
Washing Instructions
Reader`s Card
Unplug
Put on a Concert
Evil ghost
In jail

Grammar: Simple Past vs Past Progressive

Form

Simple Past	Past Progressive
irregular verbs: see 2nd column of irregular verbs I spoke regular verbs: verb + ed I worked	past form of 'be' + ing form of verb   I was speaking you were speaking he / she / it was speaking we were speaking they were speaking
Exceptions
Exceptions when adding 'ed' : when the final letter is e, only add d. Example: love - loved after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled Example: admit - admitted final l is always doubled in British English (not in American English) Example: travel - travelled after a consonant, final y becomes i. (but: not after a vowel) Example: worry - he worried but: play - he played	Exceptions when adding 'ing' : silent e is dropped (but: does not apply for -ee) Example: come - coming but: agree - agreeing after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled Example: sit - sitting final l is always doubled in British English (not in American English) Example: travel - travelling final ie becomes y. Example: lie - lying

See also explanations on Simple Past and Past Progressive

Use

After another or at the same time?

Do you want to express that the actions in the past happened one after another or at the same time?

Simple Past	Past Progressive
after another She came home, switched on the computer and checked her e-mails.	at the same time Simon was playing on the computer while his brother was watching TV.

New action or already in progress?

If you want to express that a new action happened in the middle of another action, you need both tenses: Simple Past the new action and Past Progressive for the action already in progress.

Simple Past	Past Progressive
new action My mobile rang (when I was sitting in a meeting.)	action already in progress While I was sitting in a meeting, (my mobile suddenly rang.)

Only mentioning or emphasising progress?

Do you just want to mention that an action took place in the past (also used for short actions)? Or do you want to put emphasis on the progress, e.g. that an action was taking place at a certain time?

Simple Past	Past Progressive
just mentioning Colin played football yesterday.	emphasising progress Yesterday at six o'clock, Colin was playing football.

Certain Verbs

The following verbs are usually only used in Simple Past (not in the progressive form).

• State: be, cost, fit, mean, suit
  Example: We were on holiday.
• Possession: belong, have
  Example: Sam had a cat.
• Senses: feel, hear, see, smell, taste, touch
  Example: He felt the cold.
• Feelings: hate, hope, like, love, prefer, regret, want, wish
  Example: Jane loved pizza.
• Brain work: believe, know, think, understand
  Example: I did not understand him.
• Introductory clauses for direct speech: answer, ask, reply, say
  Example: “I am watching TV,“ he said.

Signal words

Simple Past	Past Progressive
first then If-Satz Typ II (If I talked, …)	when while as long as

Grammar: The Past Progressive

The Past Progressive indicates continuing action, something that was happening, going on, at some point in the past. This tense is formed with the helping "to be" verb, in the past tense, plus the present participle of the verb (with an -ing ending):

• I was riding my bike all day yesterday.
• Joel was being a terrible role model for his younger brother.

The past progressive indicates a limited duration of time and is thus a convenient way to indicate that something took place (in the simple past) while something else was happening:

• Carlos lost his watch while he was running.

Form

	Positive	Negative	Question
I / he / she / it	I was speaking.	I was not speaking.	Was I speaking?
you / we / they	You were speaking.	You were not speaking.	Were you speaking?

Exceptions in Spelling

Exceptions in spelling when adding ing	Example
final e is dropped (but: ee is not changed)	come – coming (but: agree – agreeing)
after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled	sit – sitting
l as final consonant after a vowel is doubled (in British English)	travel – travelling
final ie becomes y	lie – lying

Use of Past Progressive

§  Puts emphasis on the course of an action in the past

Example: He was playing football.

§  Two actions happening at the same time (in the past)

Example: While she was preparing dinner, he was washing the dishes.

§  Action going on at a certain time in the past

Example: When I was having breakfast, the phone suddenly rang.