Happy Christmas

Narrative Verbs

We use these when telling stories. (We sometimes use the formal verb to narrate with a story - he narrated a story)

We use the past continuous to set the scene and background information.

- It was a lovely sunny day, the sun was shining and the birds were singing.

We use the past simple to tell the main events in order

- I got up, had my breakfast and then had a shower.

We can use the past continuous with the past simple to show an action interrupted (broken) by another.

- I was having a shower when the phone rang / While I was having a shower, the phone rang

Note the use of when + past simple, while + past continuous quite common but not 100%!

We can use the Past Perfect Continuous to talk about an action taking place up to your point of time in the past.

- I was really tired because I had been working all day in the garden.

We use the Past Perfect Simple to look back at an action which took place before the time of the story.

- When I got to work I realised that I had left my mobile at home.

We also use this with the expression 'by the time' and use this to talk about our achievements at various points in our history.

By the time Bob was 25 he had had 3 jobs and was on his fourth!

Obligation and Permissions

Remember we use ''can'' and ''be able to'' to talk about ability or possibility.

''I can/am able to do what I like at work''

''be supposed to'' is to day what people expect you to do

''I am supposed to teach you all English''

''can'' and ''be allowed to'' means I have permission to do something.

''I can't use bad words in class but I am allowed to use a little Polish.''

''must'' and ''have to'' is used to say I have no choice.

''I must/have to start work at 4 oçlock'' 

''ought to'' and ''should'' are used to give advice

''You should/ought to go to bed early if you have an important meeting the next day''
We use ''mustn't'' to say something is not allowed

''You mustn't smoke in the school''

but ''don't have to'' to say you have a choice

''You don't have to dress smart for lesson'' (but you can if you want!)

Remember all these expressions are followed by the infinitive form of the verb.

Be used to and get used to

We use ''be used to'' when we talk about something which was strange or difficult for us in the past but is now not a problem.

Bob is used to living in Poland now but it was difficult at first.

We use ''get used to'' when we are talking about the process of change from something strange or difficult for us to something which isn't.

Bob will never get used to Polish grammar!

Bob is getting used to driving on the 'wrong' side of the road.

We use either a noun or a verb+ing after be/get used to. This is the main exception to using the infinitive form of a verb after ''to''.

Verb Patterns - verb + to/ verb + verb-ing

Some verbs are followed by the 2nd verb with a gerund (-ing form), some verbs are followed by to + infinitive (to + 1st form) and some can be followed by both!

Many verbs of preference - love, like, hate and others such as begin and prefer - can be followed by both with no change of meaning.

I like eating chocolate
I like to eat chocolate

Other verbs of preference - including enjoy, detest and others - have to be followed by a gerund (verb-ing)

I can't stand losing you ( A song by the Police - youtube it!)

Yet more different verbs - including refuse, hope, promise = must be followed by to + infinitive (to + 1st form)

I refuse to let you go home early

Stop, remember and try can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive but the meanings are different - this is  the part which caused problems!

Stop + verb-ing means to stop doing an action

I stopped drinking my coffee.

Stop + to + 1st form  means that you stop  doing one thing in order to do another

I was drinking my coffee when I stopped to eat my chocolate

Remember + verb-ing - means you remember the action itself

I remember drinking my tea, it was nice and hot and tasted wonderful

Remember + to + 1st form means that you did not forget to do it

I remembered to drink my tea this morning, yesterday I didn't and it got cold!

Try + to + 1st form means to try something but not be successful

I tried to open the window but I couldn't as it was stuck.

 Try + verb-ing means to try something as an experiment to see what will happen.

Cleft Sentences & Pseudo Cleft Sentences

Cleft sentences sound really horrible and complicated and scare the crap out of some students but it is really not so complicated.

Cleft sentences are used to emphasise a noun(thing)

Base sentence - Andrzej went to Amsterdam last weekend

1st version - It was Andrzej who went to Amsterdam last weekend - focus on who
2nd version - It was Amsterdam that Andrzej went to last weekend - focus on where
3rd version - It was last weekend that Andrzej went to Amsterdam - focus on when

The base structure is

It + 'BE' + focus(noun) + relative clause

This is often used to correct people in spoken English

Q. Did Kamil go to Amsterdam last weekend?
A. No, it was Andrzej who went to Amsterdam last weekend. Kamil went to Berlin.

NB 'It' can be replaced by a noun phrase in certain circumstances

The reason Kamil went to Berlin was to play chess

Psuedo cleft sentences sound even worse  but are just as easy. They emphasise an action.

Base sentence - Norbert washed his socks last weekend.

1st version - What Norbert did was wash his socks last weekend. - focus on action and time
2nd version - What Norbert did last weekend was (to) wash his socks - focus on action

The base structure is

What + noun + 'BE' + focus (action)


This structure is often used to clarify things

Three cubed is equal to twenty-seven. What I mean is three times three times three is twenty-seven

Or your likes and dislikes

What I really like is eating chocolate in front of the TV :)

Or to correct people

Did you say you would give me your car?
No, what I said was that I will lend you my car for the week!

The Passive

The passive is a technique which is used to make language sound more natural. There are many different explanations and reasons some of which are clearer than others.

1. The object is more important than the subject.
2. The person doing the action is obvious or unknown.
3. We have just been introduced to the object and wish to continue talking about the object. (also described as newer information being added to the end of sentences)

An easy way to tell if a sentence should be active or passive is to decide whether the thing/person at the front of the sentence is doing or receiving the verb

If the person/thing doing the verb is first then it is a normal active sentence

'The boy kicked the football'


If the person/thing receiving the verb is first then it is passive

'The football was kicked by the boy'


Note that if we want to say who did the action in a passive sentence we use 'by', if we want to say how we use 'with'.

'The nail was hit with a hammer'


If you want to make an active sentence passive then it is quite easy

'The boy kicked the football' 


In this sentence the (main) verb (kicked) is in the past simple tense. The main verb always goes to 3rd form (past participle)

And now the magic which makes it really really easy. The verb 'be' takes the form of the original verb. So whatever happened to the original verb happens to 'be'. Here it is easy 'kicked' is past simple so the past tense of 'be' is 'was' (were) So

'The football was kicked (by the boy)'


It doesn't matter how complicated the original sentence is - use the same formula.

This time next week the government will be increasing taxes

Taxes will be being increased by the government this time next week