The structure of a sentence in the past is the same as in the present. The only difference is that the verb to be is in the past instead of being in the present.
PRESENT
PAST
I
am
was
you
are
were
he
is
was
she
is
was
it
is
was
we
are
were
you
are
were
they
are
were
Present: She is a very happy girl Past: She was a very happy girl Present: They aren't in Newcastle Past: They weren't in Newcastle Present: Are you interested in Maths? Past: Were you interested in Maths?
To talk about what we like or we don't like we use the verbs love, enjoy, likeandhate. After these verbs we can use a noun
She loves chocolate
They don't like football
Does he hate the beach?
But we can also use a verb. When we use a verb it usually takes the form of the gerund, that is, we add -ing to the verb.
He loves going to the cinema
She doesn't like dancing
Do they enjoy playing chess?
Remember that there are some rules to add -ing:
* most of the times we just add -ing directly to the verb go ---> goingwork ---> working study --->studyingplay--->playing
* but when the verb ends in a silent final e preceded by a consonant, we drop the -e and add -ing
live ---> living write ---> writing
* when the verb ends in a consonant and it is a strong one syllable verb then we double the final consonant. Also when the verb has two or more syllables but the stress is on the last syllable.
stop ---> stoppingbegin ---> beginning
This video might help you
And of course, nothing better than some practice!!!
A pronoun is the word that takes the place of the noun. The subject pronouns are the pronouns that are the subject of a sentence (I, you, he, she, it, we, they)
Mary has a car ------> She has a car Peter and I are happy -----> We are happy
The 'Object Pronouns' or complement pronouns are the pronouns used as a complement of the verb or after a preposition (me, you, him, her, it, us, them)
Peter buys flowers for Lorraine -----> Peter buys flowers for her I like those shoes -----> I like them
Don't confuse them with the possessive adjectives. The possessive adjectives are adjectives, so they come before a noun. The pronoun substitutes the noun, so they come alone.
Possessive adjective: Tom and Bob live with their parents
Object pronoun: Tom and Bob live with them
This is a picture for you to understand when to use the present simple or the present continuous and clue words to help you. If you right-click on the picture you can save it to your device. If you want to have it as a PDF document, go to GRAMMAR - Unit 5
We have studied the present simple and the present continuous separatedly, but what about using them together? Do you really know when to use one and when to use the other? Let's have a look at them.
Present simple
It is used to speak about routines, hobbies, things that are always true.
Present continuous
It is used to speak about what is happening now or around now, temporal things or situations.
REMEMBER: there are some verbs which are not used in the continuous: believe, want, love, hate ...
Watch this video where both the present simple and continuous are explained
And now let's see if you understood. Do the following exercises and check your knowledge!!!
Use the Present Continuous with normal verbs to express the idea that something is happening now, at this very moment. It can also be used to show that something is not happening now.
Example:I am watching TV now. he is not reading a newspaper now.
To make a statement in the present continuous we need the present of verb to be (AM/IS/ARE) + the -ing form of the verb we want to use
I AM READING a book She IS DRIVING a red car They ARE HAVING a shower
To make negative sentences we just add NOT after verb to be.
I amnotreading a book She isnotdriving a red car They arenothaving a shower
To make questions we just place the verb to be before the subject.
Are you reading a book? Why is she driving a red car? Are they having a shower?
With this video you can practise negative and questions in the present continuous
Let's see if you have understood, let's practise with these exercises Exercise 1 Exercise 2 Exercise 3 Exercise 4 Exercise 5 Watch the video and make full sentences, You can check the answers if you have a look at the comments to this post.
