Past Modals of Speculation

Silent Letters

Silent letters are letters that you can't hear when you say the word, but that are there when you write the word.

-Silent letters can distinguish between homophones, e.g. in/inn; be/bee; lent/leant. This is an aid to readers already familiar with both words.
-Silent letters may give an insight into the meaning or origin of a word, e.g. vineyard suggests vines more than the phonetic 'vinyard' would.
-Silent letters help to show long vowels e.g. rid/ride
-Silent letters help to show 'hard' consonants e.g. guest/gest
-They can help to connect different forms of the same word e.g. resign/resignation.

taken from:

http://languagelearningbase.com/88832/silent-letters-examples-and-spelling-rules

The Most Frequent Collocations in Spoken English

A collocation is two or more words that often go together. These combinations just sound "right" to native English speakers, who use them all the time. On the other hand, other combinations may be unnatural and just sound "wrong".

Why learn collocations?
-Your language will be more natural and more easily understood.
-You will have alternative and richer ways of expressing yourself.
-It is easier for our brains to remember and use language in chunks or blocks rather than as single words.

note: the collocations are written in bold blue letters. Their meaning is written in white

taken from:

http://languagelearningbase.com/88802/the-most-frequent-collocations-in-spoken-english

Reported Questions

Reported questions are one form of reported speech.

direct question	reported question
She said: "Are you cold?"	She asked me if I was cold.
He said: "Where's my pen?"	He asked where his pen was.

We usually introduce reported questions with the verb "ask":
He asked (me) if/whether... (YES/NO questions)
He asked (me) why/when/where/what/how... (question-word questions)

As with reported statements, we may need to change pronouns and tense (backshift) as well as time and place in reported questions.

But we also need to change the word order. After we report a question, it is no longer a question (and in writing there is no question mark). The word order is like that of a normal statement (subject-verb-object).

Reported YES/NO questions

We introduce reported YES/NO questions with ask + if:

direct question	She said,	"Do you like coffee?"
reported question	She asked	if I liked coffee.

Note that in the above example the reported question has no auxiliary "do". But there is pronoun change and backshift.

Note that we sometimes use "whether" instead of "if". The meaning is the same. "Whether" is a little more formal and more usual in writing:
They asked us if we wanted lunch.
They asked us whether we wanted lunch.

Reported question-word questions

We introduce reported question-word questions with ask + question word:

direct question	He said,	"Where	do you live?"
reported question	He asked me	where	I lived.

Note that in the above example the reported question has no auxiliary "do". But there is pronoun change and backshift.

Remember that there are basically three types of question:

1.-YES/NO questions: Do you want tea?
2.- Question Word questions: Where did you drink tea?
3.- Choice questions: Do you prefer tea or coffee?

Reported choice questions have the same structure as Reported YES/NO questions. Questions with the verb BE always have a different structure: Was the tea cold? Where is my tea? You can see all these differences in the examples below.

Look at these example sentences:

	direct question	reported question
YES/NO questions	I said: "Can I help you?"	I asked if I could help her.
	She said to us: "Did you feel cold?"	She asked if we had felt cold.
	He said: "Are your hands cold?"	He asked whether my hands were cold.
question-word questions	He said: "Where are you going?"	He asked me where I was going.
	He said: "Why didn't you say something?"	He asked me why I hadn't said anything.
	He said: "When will they come?"	He asked when they would come.
	He said: "Who has seen Avatar?"	He asked me who had seen Avatar.
	He said: "How much might it cost?"	He asked me how much it might cost.

taken from:

https://www.englishclub.com/grammar/reported-questions.htm

Indirect Questions

What are Indirect Questions?

Direct questions are the “normal” questions that we can ask to friends, family members, and people who we know well.

Example of a direct question:“Where’s the bathroom?”

Indirect questions are a little more formal and polite. We use them when talking to a person we don’t know very well, or in professional situations, and their form is a little different.

Example of an indirect question:

“Could you tell me where the bathroom is?”

Phrases for Indirect Questions
Could you tell me…
Do you know…
I was wondering…
Do you have any idea…
I’d like to know…
Would it be possible…
Is there any chance…

Direct and Indirect Questions in English: Examples
Direct: Where is Market Street?
Indirect: Could you tell me where Market Street is?

In indirect questions with is/are, the verb (is) comes after the subject (Market Street).

Direct What time does the bank open?
Indirect: Do you know what time the bank opens?

In indirect questions, we don’t use the auxiliary verbs do/does/did. Also, you can see that the verb is “open” in the direct question, and “opens” in the indirect question.

Direct: Why did you move to Europe?
Indirect: I was wondering why you moved to Europe.

Again, there is no auxiliary verb did in the indirect question. In fact, this indirect question isn’t even a question – it’s more of a statement that invites the other person to give more information.

Direct: How has he managed to get in shape so quickly?
Indirect: Do you have any idea how he’s managed to get in shape so quickly?

The auxiliary verbs have and has can be used in both the direct and indirect questions – but in the direct question, “has” comes before the subject (he), and in the indirect question, “has” comes after the subject.

Direct: How much does this motorcycle cost?
Indirect: I’d like to know how much this motorcycle costs.

To form the indirect question, remove does and change “cost” to “costs.”

Direct: Can you finish the project by tomorrow?
Indirect: Would it be possible for you to finish the project by tomorrow?

For direct questions with can, we can use the phrase “would it be possible…” to make it indirect.

Direct: Can we change the meeting to Thursday?
Indirect: Is there any chance we could change the meeting to Thursday?

“Is there any chance…” is another option for forming indirect questions with can.

Yes/No Direct Questions –> “If”/"Whether" in Indirect Questions
If the direct question is a “yes or no” question (it has no question word such as what, who, when, where, why, or how), then the indirect question will have if (informal) or whether (formal).

Direct: Does Tom like Italian food?
Indirect: Do you know if Tom likes Italian food?/ Do you know whether Tom likes Italian food?

Direct: Are your parents joining us for dinner?
Indirect: Could you tell me if your parents are joining us for dinner?
                Could you tell me whether your parents are joining us for dinner?

Direct: Do they speak English?
Indirect: I was wondering if they speak English./ I was wondering whether they speak English

taken from:

http://www.espressoenglish.net/direct-and-indirect-questions-in-english/

Noun Clauses with Whether and If

Future in the Past

Like Simple Future, Future in the Past has two different forms in English: "would" and "was going to." Although the two forms can sometimes be used interchangeably, they often express two different meanings.

They express future plans that were made in the past or to talk in the present time about predictions that were made in the past

FORM Would
[would + VERB]

Examples:
I knew you would help him.
I knew you would not help him.

FORM Was/Were Going To
[was/were + going to + VERB]

Examples:
I knew you were going to go to the party.
I knew you were not going to go to the party.

USE 1 Future in Past
Future in the Past is used to express the idea that in the past you thought something would happen in the future. It does not matter if you are correct or not. Future in the Past follows the same basic rules as the Simple Future. "Would" is used to volunteer or promise, and "was going to" is used to plan. Moreover, both forms can be used to make predictions about the future.

Examples:
I told you he was going to come to the party. plan
I knew Julie would make dinner. voluntary action
Jane said Sam was going to bring his sister with him, but he came alone. plan
I had a feeling that the vacation was going to be a disaster. prediction
He promised he would send a postcard from Egypt. promise
REMEMBER No Future in Time Clauses

Like all future forms, Future in the Past cannot be used in clauses beginning with time expressions such as: when, while, before, after, by the time, as soon as, if, unless, etc. Instead of using Future in the Past, you must use Simple Past.

Examples:
I already told Mark that when he would arrive, we would go out for dinner. Not Correct
I already told Mark that when he arrived, we would go out for dinner. Correct

ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
I knew John would finish the work by 5:00 PM. Active
I knew the work would be finished by 5:00 PM. Passive
I thought Sally was going to make a beautiful dinner. Active
I thought a beautiful dinner was going to be made by Sally. Passive

taken from:

http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/futureinpast.html

Future Perfect

The future perfect tense is only used in a few situations, but it's still good to know it. Here's how to make it.

The future perfect is made with the future simple of 'have' (will have) and the past participle. For regular past participles add 'ed' to the verb ('play' becomes 'played').

Here's the positive:
By six pm tonight: I will have finished this book. You will have studied the English tenses and
She will have cooked dinner

For the short form, we change will to 'll. But, when we are speaking, we also make 'have' shorter, so it sounds like I'll've finished (don't write this!).

I'll have finished this book
You'll have studied the English tenses
Here's the negative:

By next week,
I will not have finished this book. You will not have studied the English tenses. She will not have cooked dinner

Here's the short form.
I won't have finished this book
You won't have studied the English tenses
To make the question, just put 'will' before the subject:

'Yes / no' questions:
By next year,
Will I have finished writing this book?
Will you have studied all the English verb tenses?
Will she have graduated?
'Wh' questions:
When will I have finished writing this book?
Why will you have studied all the English verb tenses by tomorrow?
When will she have been here three weeks?

taken from:
http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/future-perfect.html

Future Continuous (or Progressive)

Future Continuous has two different forms: "will be doing" and "be going to be doing." Unlike Simple Future forms, Future Continuous forms are usually interchangeable.

FORM Future Continuous with "Will"
[will be + present participle]

Examples:
You will be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight.
Will you be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight?

FORM Future Continuous with "Be Going To "
[am/is/are + going to be + present participle]

Examples:
You are going to be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight.
Are you going to be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight?

REMEMBER: It is possible to use either "will" or "be going to" to create the Future Continuous with little difference in meaning.

USE 1 Interrupted Action in the Future
Use the Future Continuous to indicate that a longer action in the future will be interrupted by a shorter action in the future. Remember this can be a real interruption or just an interruption in time.

Examples:
I will be watching TV when she arrives tonight.
I will be waiting for you when your bus arrives.

Notice in the examples above that the interruptions (marked in italics) are in Simple Present rather than Simple Future. This is because the interruptions are in time clauses, and you cannot use future tenses in time clauses.

USE 2 Specific Time as an Interruption in the Future
In USE 1, described above, the Future Continuous is interrupted by a short action in the future. In addition to using short actions as interruptions, you can also use a specific time as an interruption.

Examples:
Tonight at 6 PM, I am going to be eating dinner.
I will be in the process of eating dinner.

REMEMBER
In the Simple Future, a specific time is used to show the time an action will begin or end. In the Future Continuous, a specific time interrupts the action.

USE 3 Parallel Actions in the Future
When you use the Future Continuous with two actions in the same sentence, it expresses the idea that both actions will be happening at the same time. The actions are parallel.

Examples:
I am going to be studying and he is going to be making dinner.
Tonight, they will be eating dinner, discussing their plans, and having a good time.

taken from:

http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/futurecontinuous.html

Modals of Possibility

Several modal verbs show possibility. They are Might, May, Could, and Must. All of these are different ways to say maybe.

STRUCTURE

Modal Verb + Base Verb
May/Might/Could/Must + Base Verb

Examples:
I may eat dinner at 7:00pm.
She might work late tonight.
They must be tired.

May
May shows possibility in the present or the future.

Present: Where are my keys? They may be in the car.
Future: I may go to the party tonight.

May is formal and is often found in writing.
Side effects of this medication may include upset stomach and fever.

Might
Possibility in the present or future.

Where are my keys? They might be in the car.
I might go to the party tonight.

Might is less formal than may, and is more common in conversation

Could
Something is possible in the present or future.

Present: Where are my keys? They could be in the car.
Future: We could go to the party tonight.

Could shows options, or possibility.

Must
Certainty, or the belief of certainty, from the speaker.

Certain:
Everyone is wearing a jacket. It must be cold.

Belief of certainty:
He was running for 2 hours. He must be tired.
(Although it seems obvious, it is not a fact that the runner is tired.)

Have to
Certainty, or the belief of certainty, from the speaker.

Certain:
Everyone is wearing a jacket. It has to be cold.

Belief of certainty:
He was running for 2 hours. He has to be tired.
(Although it seems obvious, it is not a fact that the runner is tired.)

Have to is much less formal than must, and is common in conversation.

Past Possibility
May, Might, and Could are all used to show possibility in the past.

Modal Verb + Have + Past Participle

He might have brought the cake.
She may have gone home early.
They could have worked late.

Must can be used in the same way to show certainty in the past.
He must have won the game.

Might Not vs. Could Not
Although Might and Could express possibility in a similar way, the negative forms of Might and Could are different.

Might not shows that something probably is not true.
These books might not be the teachers.

Might not shows that something probably will not happen in the future.
I might not go to the party tonight.

Could not shows that something is impossible.
This could not be the only book available.
She could not know who my friend is. They have never met.

taken from:

http://www.learnenglish-online.com/grammar/modals/possibility.html

Meet vs Get Together

The difference between Meet and Get Together

It’s Friday night and you have plans to have a drink with your friends.
So what expression do we use in English to explain that you will join with your friends at the bar at 10pm?

A. I will meet my friends at the bar.
B. I will get together with my friends at the bar.
C. I will meet up with my friends at the bar.
Correct answer: we use all three!

However there is a difference between sentence A and the other two (B and C).

Meet is normally used to say the place or the time you will get together with another person (or people).
Let’s meet at the library.
Let’s meet at 5 o’clock.

The other two (get together with and meet up with) both mean the same thing and expresses that you will spend some time with your friends in person.

Will you call your friends? No
Will you chat with your friends online? No
You will get together with your friends.
Many times, English learners say that they meet their friends on Friday night, which sounds like they are meeting (or knowing them) for the first time. (Not possible, you already know them otherwise they wouldn’t be your friends)

When you meet someone, it is usually for the first time.
That is why we say “Nice to meet you” the first time you are presented to someone.

You can meet a person for the first time OR
You can meet a person at a place
You can meet a person at a specific time

What they want to say is that they meet up with / get together with their friends.

Look at the response to this question: What do you normally do on the weekend?
I meet my family (incorrect – you already know them)
I get together with my family (correct – you plan to spend some time with them)

To meet = to reunite in a specific place (at a specific time)
I can’t leave work early, so I’ll just meet you at the bar.
To meet = to be introduced to someone for the first time.
Jack doesn’t want us to meet his girlfriend, so we don’t know if she’s real or imaginary.

To meet up = to make plans to be with someone in person
Can we meet up tomorrow to go over the new contract?

To get together = to make plans to be with someone and to spend time with them
I haven’t seen you for months! Let’s get together for coffee.
Olivia and Paul get together with their children every Thanksgiving.

There is also a noun form of To get together:

Get-together = (noun) a small informal meeting or social gathering
Let’s have a get-together at my place tonight.

taken from:
http://www.woodwardenglish.com/meet-get-together-difference/

Prepositions in Expressions of Time

Time phrases are words that show the verb tense we need to use

Note: We say at night when we are talking about all of the night:
Example: He sleeps during the day and works at night.

But we say in the night when we are talking about a short time during the night:
Example: He woke up twice in the night.

taken from:

http://languagelearningbase.com/88672/prepositions-in-expression-of-time-in-at-on-ago

Difference Between TO and FOR

To

Used to indicate the place, person, or thing that someone or something moves toward, or the direction of something, used to indicate relationship, used to indicate a limit or an ending point

For

Used to indicate the use of something, used to mean because of, used to indicate time or duration.

taken from:

http://languagelearningbase.com/87694/to-vs-for-a-very-simple-explanation

Future Perfect Progressive

Prepositions after Adjectives

Here is a list of some commonly used adjectives and the prepositions that are normally used with them.

taken from:
http://languagelearningbase.com/82944/prepositions-after-adjectives

Prefixes

 taken from:
http://languagelearningbase.com/87780/formation-english-interpreting-meaning-prefixes-suffixes

When Not to Use an Article

Punctuation marks