Download Unit 1 Present Tense of Be: Affirmative and Negative Statements

Unit 1
Present Tense of Be: Affirmative and Negative Statements, Contractions
The verb to be has different forms after different subjects:
Examples
 I am from Japan
 The students are late
 You are twins!
 The teacher is over there
Affirmative
Notes
 Use am with the pronoun I.
 Use are with plural nouns and these pronouns:
we, you, they, these or those.
 Use is with singular nouns and these singular
pronouns: he, she, it, this or that
Negative
Examples
 I am not late.
 She is not in this class.
Notes
 Use not after the verb be in negative sentences.
Contractions are short forms. They are used in conversation and informal writing. Full
forms are used in more formal writing
Affirmative
Full form
Contractions
 I am Mexican.
 I’m Mexican.
 He is/she is/it is over there.
 He´s/she´s/it’s over there.
 We are/you are/they are at home.
 We’re/you’re/they’re at home
Negative
Full form
Contractions
 I am not interested.
 I’m not interested.
 He/she/it is not here.
 He’s/she’s/it’s not here; he/she/it
isn’t here.
 We/you/they are not late.
 We’re/you’re/they’re not late;
we/you/they aren’t late.
The Simple Present Tense: Information question and answers
An information question begins with a question word and cannot be answered by yes or no.
when a form of do separates a question word from the subject, the main verb must appear in
its simple form.
Question word
Who
Questions
 Who are your teachers?
 Who is your adviser?
 Who helps you?
Possible answers
 Mr. Summers and
Ms. Lee
 Mr. Michaels
 Ben and Tom
Whom
What
Where
When
Why
How
Notes:

























Who/whom do you ask?
What interest you?
What is in the bag?
What does she teach?
Where is the snack bar?
Where do we go now?
When are our papers due?
When does class begin?
Why is the building closed?
Why does he come so late?












How is your math class?
How are you?
How do you get to school?




My tutor
Books and movies.
My lunch.
History.
In the student center.
To English class
On Wednesday
In five minutes.
Because it’s a
holiday.
He has a job after
school
Very hard.
Pretty good.
By bus and subway
Who refers to people.
Who can be the subject of a question.
Who is usually followed by a singular verb.
Who (or whom) is also used as an object.
Whom is used only in formal questions.
Who is used in informal speech.
What refers to things.
What can be the subject of a question.
What can also uded as an object.
Where is used to ask questions about places.
When is used to ask about time.
Why is used to ask questions about reasons.
How can refer to a degree (of something).
How can refer to a state or condition (for example, health).
How can be refer to a way or a method of doing something.
Note: contractions for questions words + be used in informal speech are: who + is = who´s;
what + is = what’s; where + is = where’s; when + is = when’s; why + is = why’s; how + is
= how’s.
The Simple Present Tense: Yes/No Questions and Short Answers
In simple present yes/no questions, a form of the verb do comes before the subject with
verbs other than be. Use does with he, she and it. Use do with I, you, we and they. In these
questions, the main verb always appears in the simple form. The appropriate form of do
appears in short answers.
Affirmative questions
Do I look like my mother?
Does he do work?
Do we need change?
Negative questions
Don’t I need a ticket?
Doesn’t she need change?
Doesn’t it bite?
Don’t we leave soon?
Affirmative answers
Yes, you do.
Yes he does.
Yes, we do.
Affirmative answers
Yes, you do.
Yes, she does.
Yes, it does.
Yes, we do.
Negative answers
No, you don’t.
No, he doesn’t.
No, we don’t.
Negative answers
No, you don’t
No, she doesn’t
No, it doesn’t
No, we don’t
Be: Yes/No Questions and Short Answers
Affirmative question
Am I early?
Is she Japanese?
Are you late?
Are they late?
Affirmative answer
Yes, you are
Yes, she is
Yes, you are
Yes, they are
Negative answer
No, you’re not/no, you aren’t
No, she’s not/no she isn’t
No, you’re not/no you aren’t
No, they’re not/no, they aren’t
Negative question
Aren’t you early?
Isn’t that woman a
professor?
Aren’t we late?
Aren’t they late?
Affirmative answer
Yes. I am
Yes, she is
Yes, we are
Yes, they are
Negative answer
No, I’m not
No, she’s not/no, she isn’t
No, we’re not/no, we aren’t
No, they’re not/no, they aren´t
Notes:
 In a yes/no question, the verb comes before the subject.
 Negative questions are used to express the speaker’s belief or expectation.
 Contractions are not used in affirmative short answers; they are used in negative
short answers.
The Simple Present Tense Affirmative and Negative Statement
The simple present tense is used to describe everyday activities and habits, to male general
statements of facts, and to express opinions with some verbs, the present simple shows an
existing condition. The first three notes in the examples below apply to each type of
affirmative and negative statements.
Use
Everyday activities and
habits
Examples
Andres and Ricardo often
study math together
Notes
An object sometimes
follows the verb
Statements of fact
Opinions
Existing conditions
Lu speaks three languages.
Dave runs quickly
I don’t like the instructor.
He doesn’t teach math very
well
I hear music.
He doesn’t understand your
question.
With third person singular
subjects, the verb ends in –s.
In negative statements, do or
does comes before not. The
contractions are don’t and
doesn’t. The main verb
always appears in the simple
form.
Other verbs that describe an
existing condition include
like, need, want, seen,
know, and believe.
Notes:
1. Most verbs add –s to the simple form to make the third person singular: she works
at the library.
2. For verbs ending in –y after a consonant, change the y to i and add –es:
carry/carries; try/tries.
3. For verbs ending in –s, -z, -sh, -ch, -x or o (after a consonant), add –es:
teach/teaches; pass/passes; go/goes.
4. Two verbs are irregular: be/is; have/has.
Unit 2
Using articles: a/an and the
A, an and the are articles. They appear before nouns; a and are are indefinite articles, they
describe general nouns. The is a definite article, it describes specific nouns.
Indefinite articles
Definite articles
Examples
A: I can drive a car, but I
can’t fly an airplane
B: Really? I can do both
A: Are you finished writing
the reports yet?
B: Not yet. Do you want to
use the computer?
A: That’s all right. I can
wait.
Notes
The speakers are talking
about cars and airplanes in
general – any cars or
airplanes-.
The speakers are talking
about specific reports and a
specific computer – the
reports that B is writing and
the computer that B is
using-.
Usually a or an comes before a noun when the noun appears for the first time, after that, the
appears before the noun.
Examples
This is a painting of an island near Paris
The painting is very famous
Notes
It is one painting of one island.
It is the specific painting described in the
first sentence.
There is/there are
Statements and questions can be formed with there is/there are. There is is used to show
that something exist or is in a place. There is is used when the noun that follows is it
singular; there are is used when the noun that follows is plural.
Affirmative statements
Examples
There is a bee on the flower.
There are meadows on the
way.
Negative statements
There is no water in my
canteen.
There are no rocks on the
trial.
Affirmative questions
Is there a river near the trial?
Are there any sleeping bag?
Negative question
Isn’t there a map of the
park?
Aren’t there hills on the
bike?
Affirmative answer
Yes, there is
Yes, they are
Affirmative answer
Yes, there is
Yes, there are
Notes
The contraction for there is
is there’s.
There is no contraction for
there are.
There are two contractions
for there is no: there isn’t
AND there’s not. The
contraction for there are no
is there aren’t.
Negative answer
No, there isn’t
No there aren’t
Negative answer
No, there isn’t
No, there aren’t
Possessive nouns
Singular nouns Carlos
Hiroshi
Tomorrow
The boy
The lady
Carlos’s or Carlos’ (car)
Hiroshis’s (boots)
Tomorrow’s (weather)
The boy’s (pencil)
The lady’s (ring)
Notes: if a singular noun ends in –s, add ‘s or ‘ for the possessive form. If a singular noun
does not end in –s, add ‘s.
Plural nouns
The boys
The ladies
The men
The children
People
The boy’s (bicycles)
The ladies’ (coats)
The men’s (team)
The children’s (toys)
The lady’s (ring)
The Present Continuous Tense
The present continuous tense is formed with the present tense of the verb be + the ing form
of a verb. This tense is used to talk about an action happening at the moment of speaking,
or an action currently in progress.
Affirmative examples
She’s carrying a heavy bag.
They’re relaxing by the lake.
We’re learning Italian this semester.
She’s majoring in biology
Negative examples
Hiroshi isn’t wearing boots.
They aren’t going on the hike.
She isn’t keeping a journal.
Affirmative examples
Is Carlos carrying her backpack?
Are they picking flowers?
Negative examples
Isn’t he walking on the trial?
Aren’t you getting tired?
Statements
Notes
In the first two examples, the action is
happening at the moment of speaking.
In the other two examples, the action is
currently in progress.
Notes
Form the negative by placing not between
the form of be and the verb in the ing form.
Yes/no questions
Possible answers
Yes, he is/no, he isn’t
Yes, they are/no, they aren’t
Possible answers
Yes, he is/no he isn’t
Yes, I am/no, I’m not
Information questions
Affirmative questions
Possible answer
When are we leaving?
We’re leaving at noon.
Why are you sneezing?
I´m getting a cold.
Negative questions
Possible answer
Who isn’t carrying a canteen?
Anita and Paul aren’t.
Why aren’t they wearing shoes?
Their feet are hurting them.
Modal Auxiliaries: Can, May, Might and Will
Can, May, might and will are all modal auxiliaries. There are special verb forms. Modals
do not change forms: they do not take –s or –ed. Modals are followed immediately by the
simple form of a verb.
Statements
Affirmative examples
I can swim.
The rain may stop soon.
The tents might fall down.
We will call you tonight.
She’ll go to the store.
Negative examples
I cannot find my watch.
We may not need the compass.
I might not come back.
He will not go with us
Modal
Can
Meaning
Ability
May/might Future possibility
Will
Intentions/predictions
Notes
In statements, modals come before the
simple form of a verb.
Don’t use to before the verb.
Will is the only of these modals that can
appear as a contraction.
Notes
May not and might not cannot appear as a
contraction. The contraction for cannot is
can’t, the contraction for will not is won’t.
Examples
I can speak English (I am able to speak English)
He can’t swim (he isn’t able to swim)
Can you dance? (Are you able to dance?)
It may rain (maybe it will rain; maybe it won’t)
I might not go. (maybe I won’t go; maybe I will)
I’ll see you tomorrow (I intent to see you tomorrow)
The movie won’t be crowed (I predict the movie
won’t be crowed)
Will you buy a tent? (Do you intend to buy a tent?)
Unit 3
Count and Noncount Nouns
There are two basic types of nous – count nouns and Noncount Nouns. Count nouns are
thing you can count, such as books and pens. Noncounts nouns are things you can’t count,
such as paper and ink.
Count nouns (singular)
A meal
An egg
One waiter
A chair
One restaurant
Count nouns (plural)
Three meals
Some eggs
Waiters
Some chairs
Restaurants
Notes:
 Count nouns have both singular and plural forms.
 Singular count nouns can have a/an before them.
 Most plural count takes an –s/-es ending.
Noncount nouns examples
Butter, some juice, electricity, salt, some jewelry, traffic, freedom, anger, some luck.
Notes:
 Noncount nouns are always singular and have no plural form, they do not take –s or
–es endings.
 Most Noncount nouns refer to a whole that is made up of smaller o different parts.
 Some Noncount nouns describe abstract things, such as ideas, feelings and
concepts.
Some and any
Some and any refers to an unspecified number or amount. Some and any may appear before
both count and Noncount nouns.
Some
Any
Examples
Please buy some napkins
There’s some milk in the cup
There aren´t any plates on the table
I don’t use any salt
Do you have any pots in your kitchen
Notes
Some expresses an indefinite amount.
Some is used in affirmative statements
and questions.
Any is used in negative statements and
in affirmative and negative questions.
Note: no + any before Noncount and plural count nouns means no. for example: there
aren´t any hot dogs = there are not hot dogs.
A lot of/Many/Much
A lot of, many, and much are used to express a large quantity of something. A lot of may
appear before both Noncount and plural count nouns. Many appear only before plural
nouns. Much appears only before Noncount nouns.
A lot of
Many
Much
Examples
She doesn’t eat a lot of hamburgers.
Isn’t there a lot of alt in this soup?
Are there a lot of apples at home?
Many fast food restaurants serve hamburgers.
I don’t like many kind of vegetables.
Do many people have a poor diet?
They don’t eat much red meat.
We don’t drink much tea or coffee.
Does chicken have much cholesterol?
Don’t they eat much fish?
Notes
A lot of is used in
affirmative and negative
statements and questions.
Many is used in affirmative
and negative statements and
questions.
Much is used mainly in
negative statements and
affirmative and negative
questions. Much usually
isn’t used in affirmative
statements.
Asking Questions with How many and How much
How many is used in questions before plural count nouns. How much is used in questions
before Noncount nouns.
How many
How much
Examples
How many eggs do you
want?
How many cakes are you
making?
How much coffee does he
drink?
How much rice do we need?
Answers
Two
Only one
Three cups
Ten pounds
Note: if a unit of measurement is used with a Noncount noun, how many should be used.
For example: how much coffee does he drink? Can also be expressed as How many cups of
coffee does he drink?
Modal Auxiliaries: Request, Offers, and Permission
The modals may, can, could, will or would can be used with the simple form of a verb to
make requests, offers, and to request permission. In questions, the modal appears before the
subject.
Examples
Could you please bring a
fork?
Making request
Possible answer
Of course
Would you suggest a
I´d be glad to.
dessert?
Will you pass the salt
Certainly
please?
Can we have a menu please? Sure
Notes
In these cases, we are asking
someone else to do
something.
Could and would are used in
both informal and formal
situations.
Can and will are informal.
Note: please make any request more polite.
Examples
May I help you?
Can I get you something to
drink?
Making offers
Possible answers
Yes. Can I get the menu?
I’d like an iced tea please.
Notes
In these cases, we are
offering to do something for
someone.
May is considered formal
and can is less formal.
Examples
May we join you?
Could I borrow some
money?
Can I use a credit card?
Requesting permission
Possible answers
Notes
No, you may not.
In these cases, we want something or
Yes, you can.
want to do something and are asking
for someone’s help or permission.
No. you can’t
May is considered formal.
Could is used in formal and informal
requests.
Can is the least formal.
Notes: May is not used in questions in which the subject is you.
Spelling Rules for s, ed, er, est and ing Endings