Intermediate Level Grammar Review

References http://esl.about.com/od/beginningenglish/ig/Basic-English/ http://esl.about.com/od/beginningenglish/ig/Basic-English/ http://esl.about.com/od/beginningenglish/ig/Basic-English/

Prepositions-of-Place.htm http://esl.about.com/od/beginningenglish/ig/Basic-English/

Articles.htm http://esl.about.com/od/beginningenglish/ig/Basic-English/

Like.htm http://esl.about.com/od/beginningenglish/ig/Basic-English/

Irregular-Verbs.htm http://esl.about.com/od/beginningenglish/ig/Basic-English/

Pronouns.htm

Any / Some

Use "some" in positive sentences. We use some for both countable and uncountable nouns.

Example: I have some friends. Use "any" in negative sentences or

questions. We use any for both countable and uncountable nouns.

Example: Do you have any cheese? - He doesn't have any friends in Chicago.

Any / Some

Use "some" in questions when offering or requesting something that is there.

Example: Would you like some bread? (offer) - Could I have some water? (request)

Use "any" in negative sentences or questions. We use any for both countable and uncountable nouns.

Example: Do you have any cheese? - He doesn't have any friends in Chicago.

Any / Some

Use "some" words - somebody, someone, somewhere and something - in positive sentences.

Example: He lives somewhere near here. Use "any" words - anybody, anyone,

anywhere and anything - in negative sentences or questions.

Example: Do you know anything about that boy? - She doesn't have anywhere to go.

In / To / On / AtFor Place

IN Use 'in' with spaces:

in a room / in a building in a garden / in a park

Use 'in' with bodies of water: in the water in the sea in a river

Use 'in' with lines: in a row / in a line in a queue

In / To / On / AtFor Place

AT Use 'at' with places:

at the bus-stop at the door at the cinema at the end of the street

In / To / On / AtFor Place

ON Use 'on' with surfaces:

on the ceiling / on the wall / on the floor on the table

Use 'on' with small islands: I stayed on Maui.

Use 'on' with directions: on the left on the right straight on

In / To / On / AtFor Place

TO Use 'to' with movement from one place to

another: I went to school. Did you go to work? Let's go to the shopping mall.

DO NOT Use 'to' with 'home'

A / An / The

a = indefinite article (not a specific object, one of a number of the same objects) with consonantsShe has a dog.I work in a factory.

an = indefinite article (not a specific object, one of a number of the same objects) with vowels (a,e,i,o,u)Can I have an apple?She is an English teacher.

A / An / The

the = definite article (a specific object that both the person speaking and the listener know)The car over there is fast.The teacher is very good, isn't he?

A / An / The

The first time you speak of something use "a or an", the next time you repeat that object use "the". 

I live in a house. The house is quite old and has four bedrooms.I ate in a Chinese restaurant. The restaurant was very good.

A / An / The

DO NOT use an article with countries, states, counties or provinces, lakes and mountains except when the country is a collection of states such as "The United States".

He lives in Washington near Mount Rainier.They live in northern British Columbia.

A / An / The

Use an article with bodies of water, oceans and seas - My country borders on the Pacific Ocean

DO NOT use an article when you are speaking about things in general I like Russian tea.She likes reading books.

A / An / The

DO NOT use an article when you are speaking about meals, places, and transport

He has breakfast at home.I go to university.He comes to work by taxi.

Like

'Like' can be used as a verb or as a preposition. There are a number of common questions with 'like' that are easy to confuse.

What's he like? - 'What … like?' is used to ask about a person's or object's character and is general in nature.

What does he like? - This use of the verb 'like' is for general preferences. 'Like' as a verb is generally followed by the 'ing' form of the verb (I like playing tennis).

Like

What does she look like? - 'Like' is used as a preposition to express physical appearance. In this case, 'like' can also mean 'similar to' if you are making a comparison to other people.

What would you like to drink? - Another common use of 'like' is in 'would like' to express wishes. Note that 'would like' is followed by the infinite form of the verb NOT the '-ing' form.

Past Tense Irregular Verbs

The past form of regular verbs ends in 'ed'. Irregular verbs must be studied individually.

In the following page is a list of past forms of some of the most common irregular verbs.

Past Tense Irregular Verbs

build - builtbuy - bought come - came cost - cost cut - cut do - did drink - drank eat - ate find - found fly - flew get - got give - gave go - went 

have - had keep - kept know - knew leave - left make - made meet - met pay - paid put - put read - read say - said see - saw sell - sold send - sent 

speak - spoke spend - spent take - took teach - taught tell - told think – thoughtbe - was/werebecome - becamebegin - beganbreak - brokebring - brought 

Pronouns – He, Him, Their, Ours, etc.

There are four types of pronouns: Subject Pronouns, Object Pronouns, Possessive Pronouns and Demonstrative Pronouns.

The next page shows a list and explanation showing the different types of pronouns:

Pronouns – He, Him, Their, Ours, etc.

Subject Pronouns - I, you, he, she, it, we, you, they function as the subject of a sentence:I live in New York.Do you like playing tennis?He doesn't want to come this evening.She works in London.It won't be easy.We are studying pronouns at the moment.You went to Paris last year, didn't you?They bought a new car last month.

Pronouns – He, Him, Their, Ours, etc.

Object Pronouns - me, you, him, her, it, us, you, them serve as the object of a verb.

Give me the book.He told you to come tonight.She asked him to help.They visited her when they came to New York.She bought it at the store.He picked us up at the airport.The teacher asked you to finish your homework.I invited them to a party.

Pronouns – He, Him, Their, Ours, etc.

Possessive Pronouns - mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, yours, theirs show that something belongs to someone. That house is mine. This is yours.I'm sorry, that's his.Those books are hers.Those students are ours.Look over there, those seats are yours.Theirs will be green.

Pronouns – He, Him, Their, Ours, etc.

Demonstrative Pronouns - this, that, these, those refer to things. 'this' and 'these' refer to something that is near. 'that' and 'those' refer to things that are farther away.

This is my house.That is our car over there.These are my colleagues in this room.Those are beautiful flowers in the next field.

Pronouns – He, Him, Their, Ours, etc.

Possessive adjectives - my, your, his, her, its, our, your, their are often confused with possessive pronouns. The possessive adjective modifies the noun following it in order to show possession.I'll get my books.Is that your car over there?That is his teacher, Mr Jones.I want to go to her store.Its color is red.Can we bring our children?You are welcome to invite your husbands.