Preliminary English Test Grammar Points Revision Part 1
PRELIMINARY ENGLISH TEST Grammar Part 1
Tenses
Tense
Simple Present
Usage • •
Present Continuous (future)
Present Perfect
Always Never Twice a week Every month
I/you/we/they + infinitive he/she/it + infinitive + s Auxiliaries: do/does
• •
Action now Temporary action
Now At this moment Currently
Am/is/are + verb -ing
•
Planned action in the future
Tomorrow In two weeks
•
For Since Already Yet Just Up to now So far
Has/have + 3rd column
• • •
Action up to the present Finished result Recent event Life event
•
Past action
Yesterday Last week In 1980
Was/were (no auxiliaries)
Yesterday Last week In 1980
Was/were + ing
Simple Past
• Past Continuous
Form
Habitual Action Permanent States Likes & dislikes
•
Present Continuous
Adverbs (clues)
•
Past action in progress Past action in progress interrupted
Regular Irregular verbs Auxiliary: (did)
Phrasal Verbs Look at
Look at those men. Don't they look suspicious?
Look for
John is looking for another job. He's not happy where he is.
Look after
In the afternoon, I have to look after my brother Danny.
Look up
If you don't understand a word, look it up in the dictionary.
Get on with
I need to get on with my work. I'm really delayed.
Turn down
Could you please, turn the volume down? I have a headache.
Call back
Could you please tell Susan to call me back?
Go out with
People usually go out with their friends at the weekends.
There is – There are / Have got – Has got There is
There's a modern freezer in the kitchen.
There are
There are two wardrobes in my bedroom.
Has got
Our new house has got three bedrooms.
Have got
I have got two wardrobes in my bedroom.
Have/Get something done Simple Present
I always have my car repaired by the same mechanic.
Simple Past
Yesterday I had my hair cut
Present Cont.
Angela is having her hair done.
Simple Future
We will get the family photo taken tomorrow.
Conditional Sentences Types 0; 1 and 2 Type 0
If + Simple Present + Simple Present
If dogs don't have regular walks, they get fat.
1
If + Simple Present + will/can/may
If you get a dog, you will take care of it.
2
If + Simple Past + would/could/might If I were better at maths, I would pass the exam
Reported Speech: Commands and Requests Affirmative
Mum asked me to buy some vegetables for dinner.
Negative
Mum asked me not to arrive home late today.
Much – Many – Too – Very Rather Much
How much sugar do you need for the dessert?
Many
How many oranges do you need for the cake?
Too
That bookcase is too tall to fit in my flat.
Very
My new kitchen is very big and well illuminated.
Rather
The flat is rather small but I live comfortably. Requests and Offers Request something in a polite way:
• • • • • •
Can I have a drink? Could I have something to eat? Can you pass me your plate? Could you open that bottle? Will you tell me if you want some more? Would you make me a sandwich?
Make offers: • • • • • •
Would you like some chocolate? Would you like me to get you some water? Will you have some more pizza? Shall I get you some ice for your soda? Can I get you a drink? Could I get you some more fruit?
Invitations Do you want to come to my party tomorrow? Can you come to my party tomorrow? I would like to invite you to my party tomorrow. Thank you, I would like to come OR Thank you, but I cannot come. Suggestions Why don't we go to the cinema? How about going to the cinema? What about going to the cinema? Shall we go to the cinema? Yes, let's go OR No, how about the pub instead? Offers Would you like some tea? Can I pour you some tea? May I offer you some tea? Yes, thank you. OR No, thank you.
Prepositions Fond
of
Interested in
Keen
on
Crazy
about
Fan
of
Good
at Patterns (verb + ing) (verb + noun)
like
I like getting up early when the weather is nice.
enjoy
We all enjoy going to the movies Saturday night.
don't like
I don't like driving at night.
love
I really love chocolate !
prefer + noun + to+ noun
I prefer apples to pears
prefer + ing + to + ing
I prefer going to the cinema to going shopping
I'd prefer + to infinitive
I'd prefer to go to the beach than stay at home
I'd rather + infinitive
I'd rather go to the beach than stay at home
Suggest
+noun
We wanted to go to the movies but Dad finally suggested the theatre.
+ ing
We all suggested travelling by plane. It's much faster.
Common Error Don't forget: I like watching movies on rainy days. So do I
I don't like chocolate. Neither do I
I went shopping yesterday So did my mum.
I didn't find what I wanted to buy. Neither did I.
Preliminary English Practice Writing Present Perfect 1. He became a dogwalker ten years ago. He ____________________________________________ten years. 2. They visited their uncle two months ago. They __________________________________________ two months. 3. She has been a vet for eight years. She____________________________________________ago. 4. Alex hasn’t scored a goal for 3 weeks. The last time ___________________________________3 weeks ago. 5. We have never been to Athens before. It’s the ________________________________________ Athens. 6. I have never watched such an exciting match. It’s ___________________________________________ever watched. 7. Roberto Carlos has never worked with such a friendly coach. He’s __________________________________________ever worked. 8. She’s never eaten such a delicious cake. ______________________________________________ever eaten. 9. I’ve never driven such a fast car. ______________________________________________ever driven. 10. I’ve never seen such a lazy student. ______________________________________________ever seen. Frequency Adverbs 1. Tim rarely goes to a football match. Tim does........................................ to a football match. 2. I meet my friend for lunch most Saturdays. I ........................................ my friend for lunch on Saturday. 3. Every time I call Mark he's out. Mark ........................................ in when I call. 4. This is the first time I have travelled by plane. I ........................................ by plane before. 5. On most days Sarah cycles to work. Sarah ........................................ work by bike. 6. The children never tidy their room unless I tell them to. I ........................................ tell the children to tidy their room.
General Revision 1.He prefers using the car to walking.
1. He would rather..........................................................
2. Whose is this mobile phone?
2. Who does ..............................................................................
3. Technology confuses some people.
3. Some people ...............................................................................
4. I came here a year ago.
4. I have been..............................................................................................
5. The film was called 'Iris'
5. The name...................................................................................................
6. Arsenal won the match on Saturday.
6. The match........................................................on Saturday.
7. The teacher told them they could break a window .
7. The teacher said "You .............................................."
8. There are two cafeterias on the HCT campus.
8. The HCT campus .......................................................................
9. She has been a teacher there for five years.
9. She started to teach there........................................
10. Manchester United won more matches than Chelsea
10. Chelsea won..........................................................................
11. Can I talk to you for a minute Jim?
11. I'd ...................................................
12. Can children go into the Fitness Centre alone?
12. Are.......................................................
13. You don't need a passport to travel to Scotland.
13. A................................................................
14.I'll help you with that suitcase.
14. Let.............................................................. 15. On Friday, the main meal is usually cooked by my mother.
15. On Friday, my mother…………………………………………………………………. 16. My mother told me not to burn the rice.
16. My mother said “Don’t…………………………………………………………… 17. Mary suggested having pizza.
17. Mary said “Let’s ………………………………………….” 18. In the restaurant, Sue asked for burger with chips.
18. In the restaurant, Sue said “Can ………………………………………………. 19. He went shopping because he wanted rice. 19. He went shopping to ….............................................................................. Writing Samples Note Write a note to your friend including: • • •
say how you usually get to school. Ask your friend if you can travel to school with him. Ask him what time the bus leaves.
Dear Hugh, I usually cycle to school but my bike is broken. Can I come to school with you in the morning? You usually take the bus, don't you? What time does it leave? Speak to you later! You want to ask some friends to come for lunch on Sunday for your birthday. Write a note to an Englishspeaking friend. In your note you should include: • • •
say what you usually do at the weekend. Tell your friend when your birthday lunch is. tell your friend what time to arrive on Sunday.
Tom, At the weekend I usually do my homework or visit my grandparents, but this Saturday is my birthday. Can you come to my birthday lunch? It's at my house at one o'clock on Sunday. Please come at 12.30, for drinks before lunch.
Email
Write an email to your cousin. Tell your cousin: • • •
what you are doing right now. What another person in your family is doing. What you're doing this week and this evening.
Hi! Right now I'm lying on the sofa listening to my favorite band. Dad's making me a sandwich. We're all relaxing this week because it's Easter and school's closed. This evening I'm going to the cinema with some friends.
Postcard You are on holiday with some friends in a hotel. An Englishspeaking relative, Liz, sends you an email asking for a postcard. Write a postcard to Liz. On it you should • • •
say where you are and when you arrived. Describe the hotel and say if you like it. Say what you did yesterday and what your plans are for tomorrow.
Dear Liz, We arrived here in Argentina yesterday afternoon. Our hotel is small but friendly and comfortable, and we're really enjoying it here. Yesterday, we spent some time on the beach. Tomorrow we're hiring a car to drive around the island. Love to all, Mark Letter An English speaking friend wants to go out for food. Here is part of Jim's letter: In your next letter, suggest somewhere for us to eat out – your favourite restaurant. Why is it so good? Make notes for the main paragraph of your letter: Where is your favourite restaurant, what is it like and what is your favourite dish there? Write a letter to Jim in about 80 words. Dear Jim, You asked me about my favourite restaurant. Well, I'm very fond of a place called “Maguire's”, which is near the market. It has a very friendly atmosphere, and a lot of students go there, because
you get good value for money. My favourite dish there is a chicken salad with avocado and mixed leaves. It comes with bread, There are lots of tasty hot dishes on the men. Would you like to try it? I hope you like my suggestion. Best wishes Marina Tips: • • • • •
Include all the information required. Write simple sentences. Divide your writing in clearlydefined paragraphs. Do not include irrelevant information. Use the grammar and vocabulary seen in class. Story
Choose one of these titles and write your story in about 100 words. An Amazing Experience. A Frightening Experience. An Amusing Experience. An Amazing Experience The experience I want to write about happened a few years ago at school. It began like a normal day but when it ended my life had change. One afternoon someone came to talk to my class. He was an old man, dressed in a very oldfashioned suit, and we expected him to be boring. But he was amazing! He was a doctor and he had travelled all over the world. He had worked in hospitals in Africa, Asia, and in South America. He told us wonderful stories about his experiences. Some of them were sad but many were very happy and he made us laugh a lot too. From that day on, I knew what I wanted to be. I was, without any doubt, going to become a doctor. Tips: • • • • • • •
Write simple sentences. Divide your writing in clearlydefined paragraphs. Do not include irrelevant information. Use the grammar learnt. Use the vocabulary seen in class. Include connectives. Make your ending attractive.