Imran Online English Academy

A/an

We use a/an with countable nouns in singular:
1. When we say what somebody does and what something is.
He works as an engineer who invents new household robots.

2. When we mention a thing/person for the first time.
She took a wonderful photo yesterday.

3. In exclamations with What a…!
What a useful device!

4. In phrases that mean how often something happens.
Sara vacuums her flat twice a week.

The

We use the:
1. When we talk about something we’ve already mentioned.
There is a new household device in his house. The device dries wet shoes.

2. When it is clear from the context what we are talking about.
The robot vacuum which I bought yesterday has already broken down.

3. With a unique object.
Smartphones are used to control your house from any place in the world.

4. With places in a town, e.g. theatre.
Shams can’t afford to go to the park, as he doesn’t have enough time because there is a lot of housework to do.

5. With a superlative.
It is the best book I’ve ever read.

No article
We don’t use any articles (a/an/the):
1. When we are talking about something in general (plural and uncountable nouns).
Robots will soon be able to do all household tasks.
This machine is very expensive. Money doesn't grow on trees.

2. With nouns such as home, school, work, and church after the prepositions at/to/from.
Sami can now go to work.
Arya Mehar isn't at home today.

3. Before days, meals, and months.
I had breakfast and loaded the dishwasher.

4. Before last/next + week, month, year.
We spent a lot of money on a new device last week.

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HAVE TO

we use have to when something is necessary.

You have to cook the food that is on the menu.

What else do I have to do?

We use do/does to make negative and questions with have to.

Forms
Subject+have to/has to + infiniitive+phrase.

I/we/you/they have to come on time

He/she/it has to come on time

I/we/you/they don't have to work.

He/she/it doesn't have to work.

YES/NO QUESTION: Do/Does+sub+have to+ verb-1 +rest of the sentence+?

Does she have to wear an ID card?
Do you have to answer all the questions?

WH QUESTION: Wh word+do/does+sub+have to+ verb-1+ rest of the sentence+?

Where do we have to stay?
What does he have to cancel?

We use have to + infinitive when something is necessary. We use it for rules, and we can’t choose to do or not to do something in these situations.

I have to be at work at 8 o’clock.
He has to clean the office before he goes home.

We use don’t have to + infinitive when something isn’t necessary to do. We can choose whether to do something or not to do it.

I don’t have to wear a suit to work.
She doesn’t have to wake up early on weekends.

We don’t make have to short.

They have to be at the meeting. (NOT They’ve to be at the meeting.)

There are two ways to tell the time:

1. Say the hour first and then the minutes.
8:25 - It's eight twenty-five.
6:05 - It's six O-five (the O is said like the letter O).
9:18 - It's nine eighteen.
9:31 - It's nine thirty-one.

2. Say the minutes first and then the hour.
• For minutes 1-30 we use PAST after the minutes.
• For minutes 31-59 we use TO after the minutes.

2:35 - It's twenty-five to three.
11:20 - It's twenty past eleven.
4:18 - It's eighteen past four.
8:51 - It's nine to nine.
2:59 - It's one to three.

• a quarter past = 15 minutes past
7:15 - It's (a) quarter past seven.
• a quarter to = 15 minutes before
12:45 - It's (a) quarter to one.
• 30 minutes past = half past
3:30 - It's half past three.

• We use a.m. (am) for the morning and p.m. (pm) for the afternoon, evening, and night.

3 a.m. = Three o'clock in the morning.
3 p.m. = Three o'clock in the afternoon.

Can you tell me about the time?

SHOULD
We use should / shouldn’t + infinitive to give advice.

STRUCTURE/FORMULA: SUB+SHOULD+ BASE FORM OF A VERB(VERB-1) OR INFINITIVE+OBJECT/PHRASE

You should sleep 8 hours.
They shouldn't wake up late.

Yes/No Question: Should+Sub+Verb-1+ Phrase+?
Should I give you advice?
Should we come back?

WH Question: WH Word+ Should+ Sub+ Verb-1+ Phrase+?

Where should they stay?
What should I tell him?

SHORT ANSWERS
Yes, you should.
No, you sholdn't.

COMMON ENGLISH PHRASES

We can use these phrases to invite people:

Would you like to come for (lunch/coffee)?
Would you like to come to my party?

We can use these phrases to answer positively:

I’d love to come.
I’d love to.

We can use these phrases to answer negatively:

I’m sorry, I can’t.
I’m busy (on the weekends, on Friday).

We can use these phrases to make offers.

Can I get you something to drink?
Let me get your jacket.
Would you like a coffee?

We can use the phrases to answer the offers positively:

Yes, please.
Thanks. / Thank you.
How nice of you.
I’d love (some / one), thanks.
That’s kind of you.

We can use the phrases to answer the offers negatively:

No, thanks. I’m fine.
That’s alright. I’m fine.
I’m fine, thanks.

Talking about Future

Predictions
Use going to + verb if a prediction is based on evidence. (It's cloudy) It's going to rain.
Use will + verb if a prediction is based on your opinion and not based on evidence. I believe they will win.
Plans and arrangements
Use be going to + verb for future plans. He's going to study tonight. We aren't going to take a taxi.
Use be + verb + ing (Present Continuous) for future arrangements (similar to going to). I'm coming next month.
Present Continuous is typically used with a time reference. They are getting married in June.
Use will for:
promises. I'll call you later.
offers. I'll open the window.
decisions made quickly: I'll order a cup of tea.
Use shall for:
offers: Shall I help you?
suggestions: Shall we take a photo together?
Shall in this meaning is used only with the first person (I, we) and in questions.

Choosing between Comparatives and Superlatives

Comparing two people/things/places
We use the comparative form of an adjective + than to compare 2 people, things, and places.
We form regular comparative adjectives by adding - er (for short adjectives) or more (for more than two-syllable adjectives).

Planes are safer than taxis.
Trains are more comfortable than buses.

Spelling rules
small - smaller
fat - fatter
dirty - dirtier
safe - safer
expensive - more expensive

Planes are much faster than cars.

One-syllable adjectives in -ed form comparatives with more: stressed - more stressed, bored - more bored

I was more tired in this journey than in the previous one.

Irregular comparative forms
good - better
bad - worse
far - farther/further

My trip was worse than I expected.

We can also make a comparison with the construction (not) as + adjective + as.

Taxis are not as safe as planes.

Object pronouns (me, them, him) after than and as.
After than and as in comparisons we can put an object pronoun (me, you, him, etc.) or a subject pronoun + auxiliary.

I can run faster than him. or I can run faster than he can.

Comparing the two actions
To compare two actions we use comparative adverbs.

Spelling rules
fast - faster
late - later
conveniently - more conveniently

You can travel more comfortably by car than by bus.
Taxi drivers drive much faster than usual drivers.

Irregular comparative forms
badly - worse
well - better

We travelled much better by bus than by train last year.

We can also make a comparison with the construction (not) as + adverb + as.

We reached the city not as fast as we could.

Superlatives
We use superlative adjectives and adverbs to compare people, things, places, and actions to all others in their group.
We form superlative forms like comparative ones, but instead of -er we use -est and we use the most/least instead of more/less.

The fastest public transport for me is the train.
Bikes are the least comfortable way of travelling.

We can use the before superlatives, as well as possessive pronouns (his fastest car).

Private jets are the most expensive type of transport.
Who usually arrives the latest in your office?

We often use superlative forms with present perfect + ever.

It’s the most comfortable plane I’ve ever travelled by.

Simple Past vs Present Perfect

Past Simple

Side notes
We use Past Simple to talk about an action that finished in the past.

They had a 50% discount on it yesterday.
Did you buy it yesterday?
We didn't take a loan to buy this car.

Present Perfect

Side notes
We use Present Perfect to talk about past actions, when we don't know exactly when they happened.

I've borrowed some money from my friend.
We haven't saved enough money this month!
Have you ever lost anything?

We use Present Perfect with words ever, never, just, already, yet.

I've never paid for myself at a restaurant.
He has already earned more money than he ever thought possible.
I have just received a bonus from my employer.
I haven't spent any of my money yet.
Have you ever saved up money for a vacation?

Present Perfect vs. Present Perfect Continuous

Side notes
We use Present Perfect to talk about recent past actions, while Present Perfect Continuous is used to talk about actions which started in the past and are still true now.

We use for to talk about the period of time:
I've been testing this program for one week.
He's worked as a teacher for 20 years, and now he's retired.

We use since to say about a point of time:
I haven't met him since 2008.
I have been cleaning my apartment since morning.

Note! We can use the verbs live and work both in Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous tenses.
I've lived here since my childhood. = I've been living here since my childhood.
He's worked as a manager for 5 years. = He's been working as a manager for 5 years.
Present Perfect Continuous formation

Side notes
Affirmative sentences
I / you / we / they have been solving these problems for too long.
He / she / it has been living here since last year.

Negative sentences
I / you / we / they haven't been traveling all these years.
He / she / it hasn't been sitting in this car.

Questions
How long have I / you / we / they been trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle?
Has he / she / it been staying here for 3 years?

Short answers
Yes, I / you / we / they have. No, I / you / we / they haven't.
Yes, he / she / it has. No, he / she / it hasn't.

Action and non-action verbs
📌 Verbs that express actions: cook, run, learn, etc. can be used with both Present Simple and Continuous. For example, He's cooking now. She cooks every day.
📌 Verbs that describe feelings and states: need, love, like, know, etc. are not normally used with Present Continuous. For example, Are you knowing him?(Incorrect) Do you know him?(correct) You are needing this.(incorrect) You need this.(correct)
📌 Some non-action verbs include:
agree, be, believe, belong, depend, forget, hate, hear, know, like, love, matter, mean, need, prefer, realize, recognize, remember, seem, suppose, want.
📌 Some verbs that can be both action and non-action.
Shams can't talk now. He's having a shower. = action (have a shower)
I have a new a bike now. = non-action (possession)
What are you thinking about? = action (think about something)
I think this test is stupid. = non-action (opinion)