Essential English Grammar Reference: Tenses, Conditionals, Modals, and Vocabulary

Direct and Reported Speech

Tense Changes

• Present Simple → Past Simple
• Present Continuous → Past Continuous
• Present Perfect → Past Perfect
• Present Perfect Continuous → Past Perfect Continuous
• Past Simple → Past Perfect
• Future (will, shall be) → Conditional (would)
• Future Continuous (will be doing) → Conditional Continuous (would be doing)
• Must or Have to → Had to

Time and Place Expressions

• last week → the week before
• yesterday → the day before
• today → that day
• tomorrow → the next day / the following day
• this evening → that evening
• tonight → that night
• now → then
• next month → the following month
• here → there

Conditionals

• Type 1 (Real Present/Future): If + Present Simple, ... will + base verb
• Type 2 (Unreal Present/Future): If + Past Simple, ... would + base verb
• Type 3 (Unreal Past): If + Past Perfect, ... would have + past participle

Note: Types 1 and 2 refer to present and future situations; Type 3 refers to past situations.

Future Forms

• Future Continuous: will be + -ing (e.g., will be cleaning)
• Future Simple: will + base verb
• Future Perfect: will have + past participle (e.g., will have finished)
• Future Perfect Continuous: will have been + -ing (e.g., will have been playing)
• Going to: be going to + base verb

Modal Verbs

Common modal verbs include:

• Should
• Must
• Can
• Could
• Have to
• May
• Might
• Need to
• Be able to

Relative Clauses

Used to connect clauses with relative pronouns:

• Which: For things
• That: For things or people (defining clauses mainly)
• Who: For people
• Whose: For possession
• Where: For places
• When: For times

Note: Non-defining relative clauses use commas and provide extra information.

Perfect Tenses

• Present Perfect Simple: have/has + past participle (e.g., have/has talked)
• Present Perfect Continuous: have/has + been + -ing (e.g., have/has been living)
• Past Perfect Simple: had + past participle (e.g., had eaten)
• Past Perfect Continuous: had + been + -ing (e.g., had been living)

Vocabulary

Phrasal Verbs

• Break into: dar el salto a, entrar utilizando la fuerza
• Come out: salir
• Take off: despegar, quitarse
• Take up: empezar a, llevar, ocupar
• Turn down: rechazar, bajar
• Make up: hacer las paces, maquillarse, inventarse, compensar
• Take on: asumir o aceptar, adquirir, contratar
• Catch up with: alcanzar
• Fill in: rellenar
• Give out: repartir
• Go over: Repetir
• Go through: repasar
• Hand in: entregar
• Pick up: aprender
• Call off: cancelar
• Join in: unirse a, participar en
• Sell out: agotarse
• Set up: montar
• Sign up: fichar, contratar
• Turn up: subir
• Warm up: ensayar antes del concierto

Other Vocabulary

• Misbehave: portarse mal
• Oversleep: dormir por la mañana (dormir de más)
• Beg: suplicar
• Apologize: disculparse
• Easy-going: relajado
• Undercharge: cobrar demasiado poco