Gramar Book

ARTICLES A, AN & THE

THE TEACHERS EXPLANATION Articles make nouns be identified easier. The articles a, an, the.
A & an have the same meaning nevertheless the difference is that an is used before words beginning with a vowel sound and a is used before words beginning with

consonant sound they both are used for expressing something that is no specific. But the is used for specific things which could be plural or singular. In some cases either a/ an or the is omitted.

STUDENT S EXPLANATION

In English there are articles as in Spanish, they are the ones that help us identify things but there are rules for using each article.

A & AN
We use a or an before things that are not specific, the closest meaning of a and an is one.
Helen took a pencil.

In this case, we are not specifying the pencil that she took so we use a. The difference between a and an is only the use, we use a before words beginning with a consonant or a vowel with a consonant sound.
She bought a dog. He is studying in a University.

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And we use an before words beginning with a vowel, a mute h or individual letters spoken with a vowel sound.
Its an insect. Hes an heir. She made an SOS call.

In the next cases we must not use a or an. 1. Before plural nouns (bananas, computers, people, coins, dollars, etc). 2. Before uncountable nouns (milk, money, lunch) . 3. Before names of meals (break-fast, dinner, lunch) unless these are preceded by an adjective (a good lunch, an elegant dinner, etc).

THE
We can use the article the before things that are specific.
Henry is driving the black car.

As you can notice, the article the is used for both singular and plural. But in the case of a/an we do not use the in some cases: 1. Before a name of an individual person place or unspecific feelings (Peter, Mary, Mexico, England, love, life, etc). 2. Before names of meals (break-fast, dinner, lunch, etc). 3. Before a word with a number (room 3, classroom 7, group 9, etc). 4. Before generalizations of objects into plural form (children are very sweet). 5. Before abbreviations (Dr. Newman, Mr. Wyatt, etc). 6. Before school subjects (Math, English, History). 7. Before days of the week or hours (Saturday, Tuesday, 6:00pm, 20:00). 8. Before an indication of possession (this are mine, those are yours).

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NOUNS
TEACHERS EXPLANATION A noun is a word or phrase that refers to a person, place, thing, event, substance or quality. Like articles, nouns are parts of speech and can be classified in different ways: proper, common, uncountable and countable nouns. Nouns have some characteristics like singular or plural form. The endings: ity, tion , ment, ism, or, Ist, etc.

STUDENTS EXPLANATIONS A noun is a word that refers to people or abstract ideas.

PROPER NOUNS
Richard American phoebe Holland Matthew Rose Leonard Jane Mexico French Katherine Rome

Words as the previous examples are known as proper nouns. This kind of nouns is distinguished because they are referred to a person, country city or nationality language or the post of a person. These words must be always written with capital letters at its beginning.

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COMMON NOUNS coin mountain career bed fruit animal dollar computer adjective book city dedicatory movie pet

The common nouns are words which make reference to anything that is not a name of person this kind of nouns is always written with small letter (excepting if it is placed at the beginning of a sentence).

COUNTABLE AND UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS

coin mountain career bed frit animal dollar computer adjective book city dedicatory movie teacher country

The previous examples of the nouns are named countable nouns; the characteristic of this nouns is that they can be counted (one adjective, two books three cities, four boysetc.) And the nouns that can be not counted are named uncountable nouns. As the following examples: money love faith sugar

CHARACTERISTIC OF NOUNS
All nouns have characteristics like the singular and plural form and the ending.

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SIGULAR AND PLURAL FORMS

car-cars

apple-apples

These nouns are known as regular nouns which in plural in the form are formed by an s at the end of the singular form car- cars. The irregular ones in plural form change partially or completely form their singular form: person- people woman-women alumnus-alumni

THE ENDINGS
tion er Ism ment ist ity or organization motivation quotation. writer, painter, character, manager. altruism, magnetism. employment development, management. scientist, artist, socialist. morality, facility, activity. motivator, actor, administrator.

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ADJECTIVES
TEACHERS EXPLANATION

An adjective modifies a noun or a pronoun by describing, identifying, or qualifying them. An adjective usually precedes the word which is modified and its plural and singular form is the same. Nouns, pronouns and some participle forms, can be used as adjectives.

STUDENTS EXPLANATION

Adjectives are words that modify a noun by describing or qualifying it. Some of the nouns, pronouns or participle verbs can function as adjectives.
The child is safely in a hidden place. There were surrounded voices. The exercise is tiring. The girl is blinded. The video game is boring. The boy is tired.

In English, adjectives have the same form for plural, singular, female or male nouns.
This is an excellent alarm. She is an intelligent girl. They are intelligent girls. Those are excellent alarms. He is an intelligent boy. They are intelligent boys.

DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVES

Demonstrative adjective denote distance of things that normally are pointed by the person who is speaking with the purpose of describing it.

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SINGULAR DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVES
This That

Now notice the use of each one.

This rabbit is cute.

That rabbit is cute.

PLURAL DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVES

These Those

Now notice the use of each one.

These rabbits are cute.

Those rabbits are cute.

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INTERROGATIVE ADJECTIVES

This kind of adjectives modifies the noun in an interrogative way. The interrogative adjectives are what and which.
What boy was the one to blame? Which answer is the correct one?

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PRONOUNS
TEACHERS EXPLANATION A pronoun is a word that substitutes for a noun or a noun phrase. English pronouns differ from nouns in sometimes having an objective from, her for she and me for
I.

There are:
1. Personal Pronouns: The ones that substitute the name of the subject: I, you, he, she, it, we, and they. 2. Object Pronouns: The ones that substitute the name of the noun which receives the action: me, you, him, her, its, us, and them. 3. Possessive Adjectives: The ones that refer to the possessor: my, your, his, her, its, our, their. 4. Possessive Pronouns: The ones that indicate that something is a property: mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs. 5. Reflexive Pronouns: The ones that make reference that the action returns to the doer: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves. 6. Indefinite Pronouns: When the name or gender is not clear: anything, anybody, anyone, something, somebody, everything, everybody, someone, nothing, nobody, none, no one, every one. 7. Reciprocal Pronouns: When there is an interaction among the doers: each other, one other.

STUDENTS EXPLANATION

Pronouns are words that replace nouns, noun phrases, adjectives, etc. in a sentence.

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PERSONAL PRONOUNS

The personal pronouns substitute the name of the person, animal or thing that is doing the action. These pronouns are: Singular personal pronouns I You He She it Plural personal pronouns We You They

He and She are the ones personal pronouns that have a specific gender, in the case of he, the gender is male, meanwhile in the case of she the gender is female. The other personal pronouns I, you, it, we, they take the gender of the person (people)

animal (s) or thing (s).

He is a boy. She is a girl.

I, take the gender of the person who at the moment of the speaking or writing is

referring
I am a Mexican.

to

himself
I write this book.

or

herself.
I speak with Mario.

You, in singular form, refer to the direct person whom is referring the one that is

talking; and in plural form takes the genders of the people whom the speaker or the writer is referring directly.
You are one person. You are a lot of people.

It, refers to the animal or thing whom the speaker is talking about but in indirectly way. It is only used for singular nouns.
It is my dog. It is the winter. It is running. It is my day. It is summer. It is my favorite food.

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We, refers to a group of people, which includes the speaker, whom the speaker is referring in an indirectly way but the people in the group are the doers of the action.

We need to improve.

We are the winners.

We are a lot of people.

They refers to a group of people, animal or things whom the speaker or the writer is referring in indirectly way. They is used only for substituting plural noun.

They are my employees.

They were printed in USA.

They are made in Japan.

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OBJECT PRONOUNS

The object pronouns are the ones who indicate that the person, object, place, time, or whatever is receiving the action made by the doer. Singular object pronouns Me You Him Her It Plural object pronouns Us You Them

As in the personal pronouns , Him and Her are the ones object pronouns that have an specific gender, in the case of him (which corresponds to he), the gender is male meanwhile in the case of her(corresponds to she), the gender is female.
I know him, he is my best friend. I love her, she is my girlfriend.

Me is used when the person who receives the action is: i.

Dont hit me. You love me. They dont understand me.

You, refers that the personal pronoun which is receiving the action is the personal pronoun with the same name, you.
I teach you. We need you. She called you.

It, indicates that the action is received by the personal pronoun with the same name, it.
I hate it. You eat it. They wrote it.

Us indicates that the action is received by the personal pronoun , we.

You miss us. She needs us. They prefer to us.

Them refers that the action is received by, they.

I teach them. I love them all.

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POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES The possessive adjectives refer to the possessor (the person whose is the described thing). Singular possessive adjectives My You His Her Its Plural possessive adjectives Our Their Your

My, refers that the possessor is i.

It is my book. I have my diploma. I dont find my pen.

Your, refers that the possessor (s) is (are) you.

This is your soda. You dont find your shoes.

His, indicates that the possessor is he.

Those are his photos. He is preparing his party. His girlfriend is beautiful.

Her, refers that the possessor is she.

It is her dress. She doesnt find her socks. This is her new car.

Its, refers that the possessor is it.

The dog is biting its tail. The cat is eating its food.

Our, indicates that the possessor is we.

He is our teacher. We are waiting for our mother. Our dog is very smart.

Their, refers that the possessor is they.

They love their house. They hate their names. Their brother is a good guy.

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POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS

The possessive pronouns are the ones that commonly indicate that the object is property of someone or something. Singular possessive pronouns Plural possessive pronouns

Mine Yours His Hers Its

Our Their Your

Mine is used for marking reference that the object (s) is (are) property of the personal pronoun i.
My book is red. This red book is mine. Those are my dogs. Those dogs are mine.

Your is using for making reference that the object (s) is (are) property of either the singular form or the plural form of the personal pronoun you.
It is your book. Your dog is so cute. This book is yours. The cute dog is yours.

His and hers refer the property of he or she respectively so these are the ones that have a gender.
This is his new pen. She bought a new car. The new pen is his. The new car is hers.

Ours refers that the property is of we.

We have a new company. This is our house. The new company is ours. This house is ours.

Theirs refers that the object is property of they.

They bought new clothes. The new clothes are theirs. Their cats are having fun. The cats that are having fun are theirs. 18

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REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS The reflexive pronouns are used as objects of a verb when the action of the verb returns to the doer, when the subject or object is the same one. Singular reflexive pronouns Plural reflexive pronouns

Myself Yourself Himself Herself Itself

Ourselves Yourselves Themselves

As in the personal pronouns, himself and herself are ones reflexive pronouns that have a specific gender, in case of himself (which corresponds to he), the gender is male meanwhile in the case of herself (which corresponds to she), the gender is female.
Myself takes the gender of the person who is talking or writing: I. I know myself. I write by myself. I do it for myself.

Yourself refers to you in singular form meanwhile yourselves refers to the plural form

of this personal pronoun.

You are yourself in the performance. You all must do it for yourselves.

Itself refers to it, so itself is only used for singular nouns. The dog is biting itself. The snake shakes its bell for protecting itself

Ourselves refer to we. We love ourselves. Anne, Maria and I know ourselves.

Themselves refers to they and is used only for substituting plural nouns. They are working by themselves. The book couldnt be read by themselves. 19

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INDEFINITE PRONOUNS
The indefinite pronouns are named this way due to we do not know the gender or name of the person, thing or animal. These pronouns are: Anything Anybody Anyone Something Somebody Everything Everybody Every time Someone Nothing Nobody None No one Every one

The use of all these pronouns is like the use of he, she or it; nevertheless some of them do not have a singular meaning because they are referring to a group of things, people or animal. The ones that begin with every mean all, the pronoun that begin with no reflect that there is not existence in this group , any and some reflect that only some members are included in the action.
Nobody is here. (We are saying that the space or place is empty of people). Something bites me. (I am saying that an animal bit me without specifying which animal). Everybody is here. (We are saying that all the people are in the place).

As you can notice in this example we use always the third person even though not all of them referred to one thing, person or animal. But it refers to a group.

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RECIPROCAL PRONOUNS

These pronouns reveal that there is a relationship among the doers and receivers of the action in a sentence. These pronouns are only used for expressing interaction between plural pronouns, and they are: Each other One other

Now notice how we use them.

Cole and Caleb are talking each other.

We are specifying that Cole talks to Caleb and Caleb talks to Cole.
Mary and Paul are meeting one another.

In this case Mary is meeting to Paul and Paul to Mary.

Something very important to take into consideration is that reciprocal pronouns differ from plural reflexive pronouns in the fact that the first one always indicate an interaction among the doers and the reflexive do not indicate it.
Marta and Kevin hates themselves.

We are saying that Marta hates herself and Kevin hate himself may be Marta does not hate Kevin neither Kevin to Marta.
Marta and Kevin hates each other.

We are specifying that Marta hates Kevin and Kevin hates Marta.

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ADVERBS
TEACHERS EXPLANATION Adverbs modify a verb, adjective, (other) adverb, phrase or clause. Adverbs indicate manner, time, place, cause, and degree. They work as amplifiers, downtoners and give emphasis and degree. Adjectives can be used as adverbs if we use the adjective in order to indicate how the action is done: my boy swims beautiful. And we also use comparative and superlative structures for adverbs: my girl runs
more quickly than yours.

STUDENTS EXPLANATION Adverbs describe or modify verbs, adjectives, phrases or other adverbs. They can be placed in different places of a sentence and they normally answer the question how? Some of the adjectives can be used as adverbs for example. Adjective A fast runner. A straight outline. A back street. The right way. Adverb The runner is fast. The outline is straight. He comes back soon. Helen turns right there.

In the left column we see that the bold words are saying how the person, place or thing is, so they are qualifying the noun and in the right column the same words are describing how the action is done so they are giving the verb an extra meaning. Some adverbs can be distinguished by their suffix: ly even though it must be reserved for casual situations. For example:
He works quickly.

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In adverbs, we also use comparative or superlative forms. He works more quickly than Maria. It is less likely than this one. Her dog cant barks as strong as mine That was the least carefully trained lion in the circus. This movie has the most romantically acted scenes Ive ever seen.

FUNCTION OF ADVERBS. Adverbs can emphasize.

She really doesnt care. For sure, Leo isnt there. Piper literally made the car to fly.

Adverbs can also exaggerate or add detail.

This thing was completely wrong. Your idea is absolutely correct. Im so fine. We met each other well.

Adverbs also give a lower and polite sound.

Its a kind of. The homework is almost finished.

Adverbs express level or range:

They know the country very well. Astrid worked all night long.

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PREPOSITIONS
TEACHERS EXPLANATION Prepositions link nouns, pronouns or other words in the sentence. The book is on my
bed, the airplane where the people traveled flew over my house, My aunt is the one beside this boy.

STUDENTS EXPLANATION A preposition is a part of the speech that joins different nouns or pronouns. It also indicates the kind of relationship (time or space) between the object and the rest of the sentence. The most common prepositions are: About Above Across After Against Along Among Around At Before Behind Below Beneath Beside Besides Betwee n Beyond But By Despite Down During Except For From In Inside Into Like Near Of Off On Out Outside Over Past Since Throug h Throug hout Till To Toward Under Undern eath Until Up Upon With Within Without

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Now notice how we use the prepositions. Her son was jumping on the bed. I am from Mexico City. We will walk around. Ill always be with you. Satan was sent below by god. I saw through the microscope my cells. We tried to do it but we couldnt. They are going to travel without me. The keys are in the bathroom. The airplane is going to Los Angeles. It had been amazing until it finished. He is behind you. Please, hold on for a second. The mall is near here. Over the past years, she had been studying. Thank you for accepting our present. Its the car of the principal. Marian was swimming under the sea. The students are at the school. They had played before I arrived.

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CONJUNCTIONS
TEACHERS EXPLANATION A conjunction is a word that links sentences, phrases, clauses or others words. There are: 1. Subordinating conjunctions: indicate that the kind of relationship between two clauses. 2. Co-coordinating conjunctions: indicate that a pair of clauses, nouns or sentences have (or not) something in common. STUDENTS EXPLANATION Conjunctions are words that join sentences or words.

SUBORDINATIN CONJUNCTIONS
A subordinating conjunction indicates the kind of relationship among the two different clauses that are linked. Each subordinating conjunction has its own meaning but their function is the same. These conjunctions are: After As Because of Even though If Since Than Though When Where While Although Because Before How Once That Till Unless Until Whereas Whether

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Now notice how we use them: They started after I left. Ill rest until I finish. I think its because we did our best. Youll fail unless you work harder. Shell miss you if she still loves you. Its is more than that. The team lost even though theyd trained. We are afraid of since it happened. I like listening to music while Im studying. Whether she wants it or not, shell do it.

CO-ORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS
These conjunctions join pairs of nouns, phrases, clauses or adjectives that have or not something in common. But these conjunctions are: But For And So Or

Notice how we use them: She works slow but well. Lewis doesnt smoke or drink alcohol. I play videogames and read nooks. Theyll go with Diana or Paul.

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There are some other conjunctions that are always used in pairs. These ones are: Bothand Neithernor Eitheror Not onlybut also

Now notice how we use these conjunctions: He plays both soccer and baseball My dog can neither mew nor fly. Chris doesnt like either pool or chess. Not only is she intelligent but also crazy.

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CONNECTORS
TEACHERS EXPLANATION

The words known as wh question words and some others also work as connectors which are words that permit that permit us to link a dependent sentence with an independent.

There are different kinds of connectors: 1. Cause: we join a cause and effect using connectors such as: because, due to, since, as, etc. 2. Comparison: we compare two sentences using connectors like: than, as, etc. 3. Conditional: we connect two different ideas for indicating that something is a condition using connector like: if, unless, even if. 4. Contrast: we make contradictions using connectors like: though, but, whereas, etc. 5. Place: we use a connector for indicating place like: where or wherever. 6. Result: we express results connecting by using: so, such that etc. 7. Time: we use time connectors for indicating when something occurs like: before, when, once, while, as long as, etc.

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STUDENTS EXPLANATION

Connectors are words that we can use for joining two different sentences that are talking about the same thing, person, animal, time or place. These connectors are for:

For describing

Connectors

Cause

Than, as if, as, as though. Unless, if, even if.

Comparison Condition Contrast Place Purpose Result Time

Though, even though, although, but, whereas, while, what, whatever. Where, wherever. That, so that, in order to, in order that. So, so that, such that. When, once, whenever, until, before, after, as soon as, till, while, as long as, since.

Since, because, as, because of, due to, why.

Sometimes people get confused specially with those that are the wh question words and they write or say: I know what am I going to do; the last example is a common mistake so we have to remember that in this case as we are joining two sentences we must say: I know what I am going to do.

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CONNECTORS OF CAUSE

We use these kinds of connectors for joining a sentence which is the cause of the other on. Sentence 1: I dont remember. Sentence 2: I dont write it on my agenda. Joined sentence: i dont remember because I didnt write it on my agenda.

CONNECTORS OF COMPARISON

We use these kinds of connectors for joining a sentence which is begging compared to the other one. Sentence1: The blue jacket is cheap. Sentence2: the red jacket is expensive. Joined sentence: The red jacket is more expensive than the blue one. Notice how sometimes it is necessary to change the statements for making a joined one to be logical. CONNECTOR OF CONDITION

We use these kinds of connectors for making reference that a condition exists for one of the sentences.
Sentence1: Ill buy an expensive motorbike. Sentence2: I need to win the lotto. Joined sentence: Ill buy an expensive motor bike if I win the lotto.

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CONECTORS OF CONTRAST

We use these connectors for contrasting sentences, what means that we are going to make a contradiction.
Sentence1: Im very impatient. Sentence2: I didnt get upset with the children. Joined sentence: I didnt get upset with the children though I am very impatient.

CONNECTORS OF PLACE

We use these kinds of connectors for making reference of a place.

Sentence1: I go with you. Sentence2: youll go. Joined sentence: I go where ever you will go.

CONNECTORS OF PURPOSE

We use these kinds of connectors for expressing a purpose.

Sentence1: I will go to Bright Talk. Sentence2: I want to learn English. Joined sentence: I will go to Bright Talk because I want to learn English.

CONNECTORS OF RESULT

We can use these connectors for expressing the result of the other sentence.
Sentence1: you dont like cakes. Sentences2: I wont cook one. Joined sentence: you dont like cakes so I wont cook one. 32

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CONNECTORS OF TIME

We use these connectors for giving expressions about time.

Sentence 1: you were living in Canada. Sentences 2: I was here waiting for you. Joined sentence: I was here waiting for you while you were living in Canada.

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INTERJECTIONS
TEACHERS EXPLANATION

An interjection is a word which expresses an emotion: Surprise or excitement in a sentence. It is often used at the begging of a sentence and should be used with an exclamation mark or a comma. STUDENTS EXPLANATION

Interjections show excitement or surprise and they are commonly used with a comma (when the feeling denotes a surprise or emotion) or an exclamation mark (when it denotes a big surprise or excitement). It is very important to know that interjections are not very common either in formal documents or formal conversations, excepting direct quotations.

Wow, Its amazing. Oh my goodness! Ouch, it hurts. Hey

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