Making Basic Grammar Work

Grammar in Context for ESL Students

Samples

Simple, clear explanations of grammar concepts:

UNDERSTANDING PARTS OF SPEECH

Nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, and conjunctions are parts of speech.

Nouns and pronouns

Nouns and pronouns name people, animals, places, things, and ideas.

Mark likes his neighbors. [nouns]
He likes them. [pronouns]

The children see the car. [nouns]
They see it. [pronouns]

A noun is a word that gives the real name of a person or thing. A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun.

Does Mary have the book?
Yes, she has it.

"She," a pronoun, takes the place of the noun "Mary." The pronoun "it" takes the place of the noun "book."

A AND AN

A and an are close to the idea of one. We use the word one when we want to tell how many.

He uses one book in class. [he does not use two or three books but only one book]

John has one umbrella, but his sister has two umbrellas.

In other cases, we use a or an.

Each student sits at a desk. [each student sits at one of the desks in the class]

Mike eats an apple every day.

We use a or an only with a singular noun or pronoun. There is no plural for the article a or an.

A dog has a tail. [singular]
Dogs have tails. [plural]

A rat is a small animal, but a horse is a big one. [singular]
Rats are small animals, but horses are big ones. [plural]

From "Tag Questions"

Notice that the answer agrees with the real situation, not with the speaker's question:

Mary doesn't drive a sports car, does she?

Possible answers:

Yes, she does. = Yes, she drives a sports car.
No, she doesn't. = No, she doesn't drive a sports car.

PAST TIME

We use the past tense to talk about time in the past. The time period is finished.

Yesterday, he worked all day.

The time is "yesterday." "Yesterday" is finished time--it is today now. As a result, the verb is in the past tense.

My mother called me an hour ago.

"An hour ago" is finished time in the past. Consequently, the verb is in the past tense.

From "MODAL AUXILIARIES AND RELATED FORMS"

Do the following sentences say the same thing?

José is reading a book in English.
José can read a book in English.

In the first sentence, we see what José is doing at the moment. In the second sentence, the writer is saying what is possible for José to do; we do not know what he is doing at the moment. Consequently, the two sentences are different. Words such as can, should, must, have to, and may are sometimes used with verbs. They give sentences different meanings. These words are called modal auxiliaries.

WAYS OF EXPRESSING POSSIBILITY OR CAPABILITY

Can

We use can to talk about possibility in the present.

People can buy many kinds of food at a supermarket. = It is possible for people to buy many kinds of food at a supermarket.

Cindy can take Fridays off from work. = It is possible for Cindy to take Fridays off from work.

We use can also to talk about possibility in the near future.

He can use his father's car next Saturday. = It will be possible for him to use his father's car next Saturday.

The students can register for classes next week. = It will be possible for the students to register for classes next week.

Innovative strategies that enable students to understand and apply grammar principles:

Verbs

A verb makes a statement about someone or something.

Mary drives fast.
Mary is tall.
Mary has a dog.

In each sentence, the writer is making a statement about Mary.

What is the writer saying about Tom in each of the following sentences?

Tom swims well.
Tom plays soccer.
Tom likes chocolate.
Tom is hungry.
Tom has a lot of money.

In the first two sentences, the writer is saying that Tom does something: Tom swims, and Tom plays soccer. In the next sentence, the writer is saying that Tom likes something. In the next one, the writer is saying that Tom is something. In the last one, the writer is saying that Tom has something.

USE OF THE SIMPLE PAST

We use the simple past to say what happened during a period of time that is entirely in the past:

We walked to the store this morning.
They looked for a hotel room yesterday evening.

or to say what situation existed during a period of time that is entirely in the past:

They needed money when they enrolled in college.
He seemed tired when he arrived home.

The time period can be very recent:

The instructor just arrived. [a minute ago]

or very distant:

People constructed temples and pyramids several thousand years ago.

The time period can be very short:

A bomb just exploded in that building! [a fraction of a second]

or very long:

Dinosaurs lived on Earth for millions of years.

We can use the past for a single action:

Joe combed his hair this morning.

or for repeated actions:

Mike cleaned the floor in the family store every week when he was a child.

From "VERBS: THE PRESENT PERFECT TENSE"

Do the following sentences say the same thing?

Mike is playing soccer.
Mike has been playing soccer for several years.

The first sentence tells what Mike is doing now. The time is present time. The time in the second sentence is different. Mike started to play soccer several years ago. He is still playing soccer. In the second sentence, the time goes from several years ago up to now. The time started in the past, but it is not finished. Compare the following sentences.

Tom is here now.
Nancy has been here for one hour.

Which person was here an hour ago? Do you know where the other person was an hour ago? We do not know where Tom was an hour ago. The sentence tells us only where he is at the present time. In Nancy's case, we know where she is now and where she was one hour ago. The sentence shows the time starting one hour ago and continuing up to now.

We use the present perfect tense for time that started in the past but is not finished.

The present perfect tense is different from the past tense: we use the past tense for time that is finished.

Joe was watching television at this time last night. [last night is finished time]
Tom has been watching television for an hour. [for an hour (up to now) is time not finished]

Maria started to study English three months ago. At that time, she enrolled in an English class. She has been studying English for three months.

Like the other verb tenses, the present perfect in English has two forms: the simple present perfect and present perfect progressive. We use the progressive form for an action or situation in progress. We do not use the simple form for an action or situation in progress.

We have been eating for half an hour. [something in progress]
We have eaten once today. [not something in progress]

Martin has been studying for an hour. [something in progress]
Martin has taken five quizzes in English so far. [not something in progress]

In the negative, have to and must are different.

If we do not have to do something, it is not necessary that we do it.

Most people do not have to buy a cell phone. = It is not necessary that most people buy a cell phone.

Parents do not have to buy expensive clothes for their children. = It is not necessary that parents buy expensive clothes for their children.

Drivers do not have to stop if the light is yellow. = It is not necessary that drivers stop if the light is yellow.

If we must not do something, it is necessary that we not do it.

People must not let cell phones ring in movie theaters. = It is necessary that people not let cell phones ring in movie theaters.

Parents must not leave young children home alone. = It is necessary that parents not leave young children home alone.

Drivers must not go if the light is red. It is necessary that drivers not go if the light is red.

Practice material which goes from simple to the complex:

2-15.
Add an article where necessary.

1. _____ horse has _____ tail.
2. _____ horses have _____ tails.
3. _____ pan has _____ handle.
4. _____ pans have _____ handles.
5. _____ student by the door has _____ red hair.
6. _____ doctor takes care of _____ sick people.
7. _____ people need _____ money to buy _____ house.
8. He uses _____ money that his mother gives him every day to buy _____ lunch.
9. He eats _____ eggs and _____ toast for _____ breakfast, and he drinks _____ tea.
10. _____ students use _____ pens to write _____ words on _____ pieces of _____ paper.

2-16.
Add a noun in each blank. Make the noun plural if necessary. Add an article if necessary.

1. __________ do most of the housework in most homes.
2. People keep __________ and other animals as pets.
3. __________ are intelligent animals.
4. __________ need gas to run on.
5. __________ usually have to buy textbooks.
6. Many people now carry __________ in order to communicate with other people.

2-17.
Add an article where necessary.

1. _____ teacher needs _____ briefcase or _____ large bag. _____teachers need _____ briefcases or _____ bags to carry their supplies. _____teachers usually carry _____ books, _____ papers, _____ chalk, _____markers for _____ white boards, _____ blank paper to write on, and _____ grade books in _____ bag. It is difficult for _____ teacher to carry _____ supplies without _____ bag.
2. _____ home repair person uses _____ ladder to reach high places. He or she also carries _____ hammer, _____ nails, _____ screw driver, and _____ other tools. He or she usually needs _____ tape measure. _____ home repair people can save _____ money. But they can also make _____ mistakes. They do not always know how to do _____ job that they want to do.

2-18.
Write sentences about what you take when you go somewhere overnight. Tell what you do with each thing you take. Remember to use a or an before each singular count noun when you are talking about something for the first time. Then use the before the word when you use it again.

2-19.
Write sentences about what you usually get at the grocery store.

2-20.
Write sentences about what you have in a particular area of your home. Then tell what you use each item for.

1. in your living room
2. in your kitchen
3. in another room
4. on your porch or balcony

2-21.
Tell what you keep in your car. Then explain what you use each item for. Include what you have in the trunk of your car.

3-9.
Answer each question. Tell the truth if possible.

1. Do you have a job?
2. Do you speak three languages?
3. Do you ski?
4. Do you have a dog?
5. Do you like baseball?
6. Do you smoke?
7. Do you study at home?
8. Do you stay up late in the evening?

3-10.
Repeat Exercise 3-9 with the teacher as the subject. Do the questions and the answers. If necessary, ask the teacher about the information you need.

3-11.
Add the correct form of the verb.

Mary __________ (wake) up early in the morning. She __________ (take) a shower. She __________ (get) dressed. She __________ (eat) breakfast. She __________ (make) lunch to take to work. She __________ (go) to work at 8 o'clock.

3-12.
In Exercise 3-11, change the subject to we. Make the necessary changes in the verbs.

3-13.
In Exercise 3-11, change the subject to I. Make the necessary changes in the verbs. Use the negative if the sentence is not correct for you. Then give the correct information. Tell the truth if possible.

Example:

I do not get up early in the morning. I get up at 8 o'clock. I do not take a shower. I take a bath. I get dressed.

4-5.
Create a new sentence with each new element. Make all necessary changes. Practice both orally and in writing.

1. Chris speaks English at home. Tom, I, we, Tom's parents
2. I work in a factory. Mary, we, you, Mary's parents
3. Tom drives a sports car. Joe, she, you, I
4. Mary locks the car when she parks it. I, you, he, we, they
5. Tom is driving to work now. I, you, Mary, we, they
6. Mike is studying right now. Alice, you, Alice and Mike, we
7. I am making dinner right now. Mary, we, he, Mary's parents
8. We are taking a test now. I, you, he, the students, she

4-6.
Put the sentences in Exercise 4-5 into the question form. Practice both orally and in writing

4-7.
Answer each of the following questions. Use the progressive form for something going on now. Give additional information if possible. Practice both orally and in writing.

6-7.
Choose the correct singular or plural form.

1. Many/much oranges are in the basket.
2. Not many/much bread is on the table.
3. Few/little people are at the party.
4. People have few/little information about that problem.
5. He wants fewer/less advice from his parents.
6. Fewer/less mail is in the box today.
7. Senior citizens eat the fewest/the least meat.
8. The first graders at that school read the fewest/the least books.
9. Many/much of the equipment is broken.
10. There are few/little animals in that circus..

6-8.
Answer each of the following questions.

1. Do you eat less beef or less chicken?
2. Do you eat apples, oranges, and pears? Of which do you eat the fewest?
3. Do you eat rice, beans, and pasta? Of which do you eat the least?
4. Do you spend much money on unimportant things?
5. Do you spend little money on clothes?
6. What do you spend little money on? What do you spend more money on?

6-9.
Working in groups of three people, make comparisons about the following:

1. how much money/how many dollars you have with you
2. how much you eat of certain foods
3. how many chairs (tables/other pieces of furniture) you have at home
4. how many television sets you have at home
5. other things that you can compare

Extensive practice with grammar forms in context:

3-30.
Add the correct form of the verb in parentheses.

1. My sister __________ (buy) books all the time. She __________ (read) about a lot of different things. She __________ (like) to travel, so she __________ (get) books about different countries. She __________ (enjoy) reading about people around the world. She __________ (know) two foreign languages. She often __________ (find) books in other languages. She __________ (have) a large collection of books at home. She sometimes __________ (spend) the evening reading something interesting. She __________ (go) to a bookstore every month. She usually __________ (come) home with something interesting to read.
2. Tom always __________ (spend) all of his paycheck. He often __________ (eats) in restaurants with friends. He sometimes __________ (give) money to his friends. He often __________ (send) money to his grandmother. He __________ (order) things off the Internet. He __________ (play) the lottery. He __________ (shop) in several stores. Fortunately, he __________ (make) good money.

3-31.
Put each sentence in Exercise 3-30 into the question form.

3-32.
In Exercise 3-30, item 1, ask the question for the subject you for each sentence. Then answer each question with the new subject I. Use the negative if the sentence is not correct for you. Then give the correct information. Tell the truth if possible.

4-8.
Add the correct present tense form of the verb in parentheses. Practice both orally and in writing.

1. Bob __________ (attend) high school every day from Monday through Friday. He __________ (go) to work for three hours on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. He __________ (practice) soccer with the school team after school on Tuesdays. He __________ (play) the trumpet in the school band every Thursday afternoon. He __________ (help) make dinner when he gets home. After dinner, he __________ (do) homework. After that, he __________ (relax).
2. Mary __________ (make) dinner right now. She __________ also __________ (watch) the children. She __________ (help) the little one color a picture. She __________ (answer) questions from the bigger children. She always __________ (enjoy) spending time with the children.

4-9.
Put the sentences in Exercise 4-9 into the question form. Practice both orally and in writing.

4-10.
Substitute you, Mary, we, Mike and Joe, and I for Bob in Exercise 4-8. Practice both orally and in writing.

10-25.
Add the correct form of the verb in parentheses.

1. Ron __________ (study) for his Spanish test right now. He __________ (practice) irregular verbs at the moment. He __________ (start) to study at 7 o'clock, and he __________ (study) for almost three hours. So far, he __________ (learn) the forms for about fifteen irregular verbs.
2. Sally __________ (do) math problems now. She __________ (work) on her math for over an hour. So far, she __________ (do) five problems. She __________ (work) on her math for another hour.
3. Liz usually __________ (take) her lunch to work. This week, she __________ (take) her lunch with her three times. Last week, she __________ (take) her lunch with her five times. Next week, she __________ (take) her lunch every day.

5.

be supposed to
break down
effect forget
intend to
let look for
run out of
thank

Alice __________ follow the examiner's advice and drive safely. But the first time she drove alone, she had problems. She __________ stop at a stop sign, but she missed it. She also forgot to __________ pedestrians, so she almost hit someone. It was rush hour, and the heavy traffic had an __________ on her. She __________ another driver move into her lane. That driver __________ her for letting him in by gesturing with his hand. But the people behind her honked at her. She was so busy driving that she __________ to look at her gas gauge, so she __________ gas. Soon after that, to make things worse, her car __________.

Periodic review of constructions previously presented:

6-3.
Write new sentences making everything plural.

Example:

I am doing this exercise. Plural: We are doing these exercises.

1. I am buying this book.
2. You like that apple.
3. He wants this battery.
4. She knows that man.
5. I understand this problem.
6. He sees that dog.
7. He hears that noise.
8. I agree with that decision.
9. You have a copy of this book.
10. This choice is good.

6-19.
Put into the plural everything that can be made plural.

1. I am taking another cherry.
2. You are looking at the other picture.
3. He speaks another language well.
4. She sees a movie every week.
5. I have a dictionary, but I want another.
6. She always does all the work herself.

10-18.
Answer each question. Then give additional information if possible.

Examples:

Are you still taking classes?
Yes, I am still taking classes.

Do you still have your baby teeth?
No, I no longer have my baby teeth. (No, I do not have my baby teeth any more.) I lost them when I was a child.

1. Are you still going to elementary school?
2. Do secretaries still type most documents on a typewriter?
3. Are cell phones still heavy?
4. Are we still working on Chapter 1?
5. Are you still working where you were working two years ago?
6. Are you still living in the same place where you were living three years ago?

10-22.
Complete the following sentences according to the example. Use the future tense of the verb and the correct form of other.

Example:

I saw a movie yesterday. I will see another movie tomorrow.

1. I caught a bus this morning. I __________ __________ bus tomorrow.
2. I found one of my gloves this morning. Maybe I __________ __________ glove too.
3. We saw an interesting movie last weekend. Maybe we __________ __________ good movie next weekend.
4. We saw interesting movies last month. We __________ __________ good movies next month.
5. They ate at a restaurant last Saturday. They __________ at __________ next Saturday.
6. He watched many baseball games on television last year. He __________ __________ next year.

10-26.
Put each of the following sentences into the question form.

1. Pilots on international flights speak English.
2. Many people do their grocery shopping on Saturdays.
3. Chris does her shopping on Sundays.
4. Joe got up early yesterday.
5. The sun was coming up when Joe got up.
6. The members of the committee made some important changes in the document.
7. The students will finish their homework when they get home.
8. The students have been working on verbs for several weeks.
9. That group has performed in several cities this year.
10. The people in the next room are waiting to see the doctor.
11. Jack has flown to Hawaii three times.
12. Lisa has been playing soccer since she was a child.
13. Most of the students in that class have taken other classes at this school.
14. People in many parts of the world have begun to be concerned about the environment.
15. All of the students in this class are working on their English.
16. Many of the cars in this country are Japanese.

10-33.
Put each sentence into the negative form. Make any other necessary changes.

1. There is somebody in the next room.
2. There was something on the roof.
3. There have been some problems with our equipment recently.
4. There will be a holiday next week.
5. There were some foreign visitors at work yesterday.
6. There has been a lot of hot weather recently.

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2-18.	Write sentences about what you take when you go somewhere overnight. Tell what you do with each thing you take. Remember to use a or an before each singular count noun when you are talking about something for the first time. Then use the before the word when you use it again.

2-19.	Write sentences about what you usually get at the grocery store.

2-20.	Write sentences about what you have in a particular area of your home. Then tell what you use each item for.

3-10.	Repeat Exercise 3-9 with the teacher as the subject. Do the questions and the answers. If necessary, ask the teacher about the information you need.

3-11.	Add the correct form of the verb.

3-12.	In Exercise 3-11, change the subject to we. Make the necessary changes in the verbs.

3-13.	In Exercise 3-11, change the subject to I. Make the necessary changes in the verbs. Use the negative if the sentence is not correct for you. Then give the correct information. Tell the truth if possible.

4-6.	Put the sentences in Exercise 4-5 into the question form. Practice both orally and in writing

4-7.	Answer each of the following questions. Use the progressive form for something going on now. Give additional information if possible. Practice both orally and in writing.

3-31.	Put each sentence in Exercise 3-30 into the question form.

3-32.	In Exercise 3-30, item 1, ask the question for the subject you for each sentence. Then answer each question with the new subject I. Use the negative if the sentence is not correct for you. Then give the correct information. Tell the truth if possible.

4-9.	Put the sentences in Exercise 4-9 into the question form. Practice both orally and in writing.

4-10.	Substitute you, Mary, we, Mike and Joe, and I for Bob in Exercise 4-8. Practice both orally and in writing.