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BusinessSpotlight 6/2014
Grammar basics – to take away
Hildegard rudolpH hat für Sie auf acht Seiten die wichtigsten Grammatik-Regeln der englischen
Sprache zusammengestellt. Zum Heraustrennen und Aufbewahren.
TABLE 1: Nouns
There are two types of noun: countable and uncountable.
Countable nouns
Singular
Plural
For regular plurals, add -s
employer
employers
For nouns ending in -ch, -s, -sh, -x, add -es
switch
boss
crash
box
switches
bosses
crashes
boxes
For nouns ending in -y, change y to i and add -es
currency
currencies
For nouns ending in -f or -fe, change these to -ves
shelf
life
shelves
lives
Some irregular plurals
businessman/-woman
analysis
businessmen/-women
analyses
Uncountable nouns
Singular
Plural
Some nouns have only a singular form.
Use “pieces of” or “bits of” for the plural
advice
information
three pieces of advice
two bits of information
Some nouns have only a plural form.
Use “pairs of” for the plural
(a pair of) trousers
two pairs of trousers
TABLE 2: Personal pronouns
These can be used alone or with prepositions.
You and
me!
Subject
Direct object
Indirect object
I
you
he
she
it
we
they
me
you
him
her
it
us
them
(to)
(to)
(to)
(to)
(to)
(to)
(to)
me
you
him
her
it
us
them
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TABLE 3: Verbs — present simple
The present simple expresses actions and states in the present. Negations are formed using “do” / “does” + “not” + infinitive
Regular verbs
I / you / we / they
he / she / it
work
works
do not work (don’t work)
does not work (doesn’t work)
Use the present simple:
l
Third-person singular (he / she / it)
to talk about states and facts
She is a wonderful student, and she speaks
French fluently
to talk about habits and actions that are repeated
(often with adverbs such as “always”, “never”)
He never arrives on time.
For most verbs, add -s
work → works [w§:ks]
live → lives [lIvz]
produce → produces [prE(dju:sIz]
l
For verbs ending in -ch, -sh,
-ss and -x, add -es
catch → catches [(kÄtSIz]
wash → washes [(wQSIz]
pass → passes [(pA:sIz]
fix → fixes [(fIksIz]
l
Irregular verb “be”
Irregular verbs
do → does [dVz]
go → goes [gEUz]
have → has
I
he / she / it
we / you / they
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to talk about schedules and timetables (also
scheduled future actions)
The meeting starts at 10 a.m.
am
is
are
am not
is not
are not
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BusinessSpotlight 6/2014
Grammar basics – to take away
TABLE 4: Contractions
Contractions are shortened forms. The apostrophe shows that one or more letters have been dropped.
The auxiliary verbs “be” and “have” are often shortened
I am
he / she / it is
you / we / they are
I / you / we / they have
he / she / it has
I’m
he / she / it’s
you / we / they’re
I / you / we / they’ve
he / she / it’s
I am not
he / she / it is not
you / we / they are not
I / you / we / they have not
he / she / it has not
I’m not
he / she / it isn’t
you / we / they aren’t
I / you / we / they haven’t
he / she / it hasn’t
The auxiliary forms “do” and “did” are often shortened when used with “not”
I / you / we / they do not
he / she / it does not
I / you / we / they / he / she / it
did not
I / you / we / they don’t
he / she / it doesn’t
I / you / we / they / he / she / it didn’t
TABLE 5: Verbs — modal verbs
These often accompany a main verb. They do not take -s or -es in the 3rd person. Negations are formed
using the modal + “not” + infinitive
I / you / we / they /
he / she / it
can
could
may
might
must
should
would
work
cannot (can’t)
could not (couldn’t)
may not
might not (mightn’t)
must not (mustn’t)
should not (shouldn’t)
would not (wouldn’t)
work
Note:
l
l
Could is the past simple of “can”. It is
also used in polite requests.
Could you help me, please?
Would is also used for polite statements and questions.
Would you mind closing the window,
please?
I would like to leave earlier today.
TABLE 6: Verbs — past simple
The past simple expresses actions and states in the past. Negations are formed using “did” + “not” + infinitive
Regular verbs
I / you / we / they / he / she / it
The importance
of time
worked
did not work (didn’t work)
Forming the past simple
For most verbs, add -ed
work → worked [w§:kt]
For verbs ending in -e, just add -d
invite → invited [In(vaItId]
raise → raised [reIzd]
For some verbs, double
the final consonant and add -ed
stop → stopped [stQpt]
travel → travelled (traveled US) [(trÄv&ld]
Irregular verbs
do → did
have → had
(see the list of irregular verbs in Table 20)
Use the past simple:
to talk about completed actions and states in the past (often with expressions of time, such as “last year”)
Last year, profits increased by 35 per cent.
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