BASIC & LEVEL I

LESSON #1

VERB BE: STATEMENTS

S FULL FORM
i a / an
Personal Pronoun Be CONTRACTIONS
n a + consonants
I am I’m
g e.g.: a teacher
You are You’re
u
l He is He’s an + vowels
a She is She’s e.g.: an engineer
r It is It’s

VERB BE: NEGATIVE STATEMENTS

S FULL FORM 1
i Personal Pronoun Be Not CONTRACTIONS
n I am not I’m not
g
You are not You’re not You aren’t
u
l He is not He’s not He isn’t
a She is not She’s not She isn’t
r It is not It’s not It isn’t

BE: Yes-No Questions and Short Answers – Singular

Questions Affirmative Answers Negative Answers
Are you a teacher? Yes, I am. (Yes, I’m.) No, I’m not.
Is he a student? Yes, he is. (Yes, he’s.) No, he isn’t. (or No, he isn’t.)
Is she an architect? Yes, she is. (Yes, she’s.) No, she isn’t. (or No, she isn’t.)

BE: STATEMENTS–Plural
P FULL FORM FULL FORM
l Personal CONTRACTIONS Personal CONTRACTIONS
u Pronoun Be Pronoun Be Not
r We I’m We not We’re not We aren’t
a You are You’re You are not You’re not You aren’t
l They He’s They not They’re not They aren’t

OCCUPATIONS Frequency Adverbs

Electrician Optician
Accountant
Engineer Painter
Actor /Actress Always 100%
Farmer Photographer
Architect Usually 90%
Fireman/Fire fighter Pilot
Astronomer Normally / Generally 80%
Fisherman Plumber
Baker Often / Frequently 70%
Florist Politician
Butcher Sometimes 50%
Hairdresser Policeman/Policewoman
Carpenter Occasionally 30%
Journalist Receptionist
Chef/Cook Seldom 10%
Judge Scientist
Cleaner Hardly ever / Rarely 5%
Lawyer Secretary
Dentist Never 0%
Librarian Soldier
Designer Lifeguard Tailor Frequency Adverbs are placed
Driver Mechanic Veterinary doctor (Vet) after the verb BE and are
Doctor Nurse Waiter/Waitress followed by an adjective.

She is always late. / They are never tired. / I am not usually bored in class.

Ana Castellin
 BASIC & LEVEL I
LESSON #2

Possessive VOCABULARY – The Family

Adjectives
My
Your
His
Her
Its
Our
Your
a grandfather a grandmother a father/dad a mother/mom a son a daughter
Their
2
a grandson
a granddaughter
an uncle
an aunt
a nephew
a niece
a husband a wife a brother a sister a son/daughter/brother/sister/father/mother in law

QUESTIONS with WHO

Who is she/he/it? Who are you/they?
e.g.: Who is she? Who are they? Who are you? Who is she?
She is my friend. They are my parents. I am Sara. She is her daughter.

DESCRIBING PEOPLE, ANIMALS AND OBJECTS

Fat Thin Short Tall

1. John is tall and thin.

2. Sam is short and fat.

John Sam
Big Small Young Old

QUESTIONS with WHAT

e.g.: What is she wearing?
She is wearing a beautiful pink sweater, a white skirt and brown boots.
Personal Pronouns Verb Article (A/AN) * Adjective Color Clothing
+ verb “be” (only if singular)
she is wearing a beautiful pink sweater

DEMONSTRATIVES DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUN + VERB + NOUN

DEMONSTRATIVE Singular This is a red pen.
SINGULAR PLURAL PRONOUNS Plural These are blue pens.
NEAR (here) This These DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVE + NOUN + VERB
FAR (there) That Those DEMONSTRATIVE Singular This pen is red.
ADJECTIVES Plural These pens are blue.
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 BASIC & LEVEL I
LESSON #3

QUESTIONS with WHERE

Turn / Go left Go straight Turn / Go right On In Under

Between Behind In front of Next to 3

e.g.: Where is the School? Where is the Pharmacy?

It’s next to the Park. It’s between the Bank and the Library

Bank Pharmacy Library Museum

Hotel Restaurant School

Mall Pool

 How can I get to the Pool?

Go straight, then turn right at the Restaurant, turn left at the mall and go straight. The Pool is on your
right.

VOCABULARY

SCHOOL HOSPITAL STADIUM POLICE STATION STORE/SHOP

BANK HOTEL MOVIE THEATER MALL COFFEE BAR/SHOP

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 BASIC & LEVEL I
LESSON #4

QUESTIONS with WHAT TIME

What time is it?
O’clock 5:45 = It’s a quarter to six (or)
Five to Five past It’s five forty-five.
6:15 = It’s a quarter past six (or)
It’s six fifteen.
Ten to Ten past 1:30 = It’s half past one (or)
It’s one thirty.
12:00 = It’s twelve o’clock.
Quarter to TO PAST Quarter past
Sample Conversation 4
Sara: Hi, Mary.
Twenty to Twenty past Mary: Hello.
Sara: What time is the movie?
Mary: At seven o’clock.
Twenty-five to Twenty-five past Sara: And what time is it?
Half past Mary: It’s six forty. Let’s go!

VOCABULARY - THE NUMBERS: 1-1.000

ONE: 1 ELEVEN: 11 TWENTY-ONE: 21 FORTY: 40

TWO: 2 TWELVE: 12 TWENTY-TWO: 22 FIFTY: 50
THREE: 3 THIRTEEN: 13 TWENTY-THREE: 23 SIXTY: 60
FOUR: 4 FOURTEEN: 14 TWENTY-FOUR: 24 SEVENTY: 70
FIVE: 4 FIFTEEN: 15 TWENTY-FIVE: 25 EIGHTY: 80
SIX: 6 SIXTEEN: 16 TWENTY-SIX: 26 NINETY: 90
SEVEN: 7 SEVENTEEN: 17 TWENTY-SEVEN: 27 HUNDRED: 100
EIGHT: 8 EIGHTEEN: 18 TWENTY-EIGHT: 28 THOUSAND: 1.000
NINE: 9 NINETEEN: 19 TWENTY-NINE: 229
TEN: 10 TWENTY: 20 THIRTY: 30

QUESTIONS with WHEN

Time Place
Days of the week Months of the year Years Country Parts of the day
Monday January – February Months City (in the) Morning
IN
Tuesday March – April Parts of the Neighborhood (at) Noon/midday
Wednesday May – June day* (in the) Afternoon
Thursday July – August Days Avenues (in the) Evening
ON
Friday September – October Dates Streets (at) Night
Saturday November - December Hour Address (at) Midnight
AT
Sunday Specific time Specific location

e.g.: When is the concert? When’s the movie?

It’s on Saturday evening at 6. It’s in the afternoon, at 4.

is (singular) = e.g.: There is a party on Friday at 9.

There are (plural) = e.g.: There are two conferences today, one in the morning and one in the
afternoon.

Ana Castellin
 BASIC & LEVEL I
LESSON #5
PRESENT PROGRESSIVE/CONTINUOUS TENSE PRESENT PARTICIPLE = base form + ing

o Affirmative sentences:
She is reading a book.
(subject + verb (BE) + verb (present participle) + complement).

o Negative sentences:
He is not studying.
subject + verb (BE) + not + verb (present participle) + complement.

o Interrogative sentences: 5
 YES/NO Questions
Is he playing basketball?
(verb BE + subject + verb (present participle) + complement + ?)

(+) Yes, he is. [Short answer]

Yes, he is playing basketball [Full answer]

(-) No, he’s not. [Short answer]

No, he isn’t playing basketball. [Full answer]

 WH- Questions
What is she doing?
(WH- Word + verb (BE) + not + verb (present participle) + complement?)

She is listening to music.

Spelling Rules –ING: The general rule when changing a verb into its -ING form is just to add -ING
to the end of the verb.
The following exceptions exist when spelling words ending in ING:
1). If the verb ends in an E, remove the E and add ING. Make= making

2). If the verb ends in a consonant + vowel + consonant, double the final consonant and add ING.
Stop= stopping plan= planning get= getting swim= swimming

3). If a two-syllable verb ends in a consonant + vowel + consonant, do not double the final consonant
when the stress is on the first syllable. Happen= happening offer= offering

4). Do not double the final consonant when the verb ends in W, X or Y or when the final syllable is not
emphasized. Fix= fixing snow= snowing

5). If the verb ends in IE, change it to YING. Lie= lying die= dying

6). If the verb ends in consonant + vowel + L, we normally double the final L and add ING. (In the United
States (US) they do not double the L when the accent is on the first syllable) UK=travelling / US= traveling

7). If the verb ends in a stressed vowel + R, we double the final R and add ING. Refer= referring

8). If the verb ends in an unstressed vowel + R, do not double the final R and add ING.
Whisper= whispering
Ana Castellin
 BASIC & LEVEL I
LESSON #6
SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE
o Affirmative sentences:
I play basketball. / He plays basketball.
subject + verb (base form) / (3º person singular +s/es/ies) + complement.
o Negative sentences:
I do not play basketball. / he does not play basketball.
subject + DO/DOES + not + verb (base form) + complement.
I am not I’m not I amn’t
You are not You’re not You aren’t
He is not He’s not He isn’t
6
She is not She’s not She isn’t I DO He DOES
It is not It’s not It isn’t You She
We are not We’re not We aren’t We DO NOT It DOES NOT
They are not They’re not They aren’t They (DON’T) (DOESN’T)
o Interrogative sentences:
 Yes/No Questions
Do you dance ballet? / Does he dance ballet?
(Do/Does + subject + verb (base form) + complement + ?)
Don’t add -s
(+) Yes, I do. / Yes, he does. [Short answer] for the third
Yes, I dance ballet. / Yes, he dances ballet. [Full answer] person
singular in
(-) No, I don’t. / No, he doesn’t. [Short answer] negative
No, I don’t dance ballet. / No, he doesn’t dance ballet. [Full answer] answers.

 WH- Questions
What do they do at night? / What does she do every evening?
(WH- Word + Do/Does + subject + verb (base form) + complement + ?)

They watch TV at night. / She watches television every evening.

Use WHAT Use WHERE Use WHY Use WHO Use HOW
to ask about to ask about to ask about a to ask about to ask about
things. place. reason. people. manner.

Spelling Rules – s/es/ies: For the vast majority of verbs, the third person singular in the simple
present is formed by adding –s to the main form. However, there are a few spelling rules and irregular
verbs to be aware of.
1. Add –es instead of –s if the base form ends in -s, -z, -x, -sh, -ch, or the vowel o: miss + es = misses
2. If the base form ends in consonant + y, remove the -y and add –ies: worry = worries
3. The modal verbs, such as can, must, should, may and might, do not take -s in the third person
singular present. (modal verbs do not take endings at all) She can speak three languages.
He must like football a lot.

Frequency Adverbs are placed BEEFORE the verb.

She always plays golf. / They never study. / I don’t usually watch TV.
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 BASIC & LEVEL I
LESSON #7
POSSESSIVE NOUNS

 Add 's to singular nouns to show possession:

e.g.: We are having a party at John's house. / Michael drove his friend's car.
 Add ' to plural nouns ending in -s:  Use a possessive instead of a full noun
e.g.: This is my parents' house. phrase to avoid repeating words:
e.g.: Those are ladies' shoes. e.g.: Is that John's car?
No, it's Mary's. (NOT No, it's Mary's [car].)
 Use 's with irregular plural nouns:
men women children people Whose coat is this?
e.g.: These are men's shoes. It's my wife's. (NOT It's my wife's [coat].) 7
e.g.: Children's clothes are very expensive.

SUBJECT PRONOUNS AND OBJECT PRONOUNS

Subject Pronoun Object Pronoun The personal pronouns I, you, he, she, it, we
First Person Singular I Me and they are used as the subject of a verb in a
Second Person Singular You You sentence, while me, you, him, her, it, us and
He Him them take the object of the sentence.
Third Person Singular She Her
It It e.g.: She is very friendly. Everyone likes her.
First Person Plural We Us Subject Pronoun
Second Person Plural You You
Third Person Plural They Them Object Pronoun

LESSON #8
THE SIMPLE PAST TENSE

o Affirmative sentences: I We
She was happy. / She danced Salsa. He You WERE
WAS
(subject + verb (PAST form) + complement.) She They
It
o Negative sentences:
She wasn’t happy. / She did not dance salsa.
(subject + verb (BE PAST form) + not +complement.)
(subject + DID + not + verb (BASE form) + complement.)

The Negative Form

FULL FORM CONTRACTIONS FULL FORM CONTRACTIONS
I was not I wasn’t I I
You were not You weren’t You You
He He He He
She was not She wasn’t She DID not She didn’t
It It It It
We We We We
were not weren’t
They They They They

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 BASIC & LEVEL I
o Interrogative sentences:
 Yes/No Questions
Is he hungry?
(verb (BE) + subject + complement + ?)
The pronoun
(+) Yes, he is. [Short answer] (Yes, he’s.) and the verb (or
Yes, he is hungry. [Full answer] auxiliary) are
not contracted
(-) No, he is not. / No, he’s not. / No, she isn’t. [Short answer] in positive short
No, he isn’t hungry. [Full answer] answers.

Did she dance salsa? 8

(Did + subject + verb (base form) + complement + ?) Write the verb
in base form for
(+) Yes, she DID. [Short answer] negative answer.
Yes, she danced salsa. [Full answer] The past is
expressed with
(-) No, she DID not / No, she didn’t. [Short answer] the auxiliary
No, she DID not dance salsa. [Full answer] DID.

 WH- Questions
What did she do last night?
(WH- Word + Did + subject + verb (base form) + complement + ?)

She played baseball last night.

How to form the Simple Past?

 Regular past simple forms are formed by adding -ed to the verb.
start → started kill → killed jump → jumped
There are some spelling rules.
 If a verb ends in -e, you add -d.
agree → agreed like → liked escape → escaped
 If a verb ends in a vowel and a consonant, the consonant is usually doubled before -ed.
stop → stopped plan → planned
 If a verb ends in consonant and -y, you take off the y and add -ied.
try → tried carry → carried
Irregular Verbs
 But if the word ends in a vowel and -y, you add -ed. do NOT follow
play → played enjoy → enjoyed these rules.

Some common irregular verbs

say said come came give gave leave left keep kept eat ate
make made see saw find found feel felt buy bought meet met
go went know knew think thought drive drove write wrote run ran
take took get got tell told read read hear heard speak spoke

Ana Castellin
 BASIC & LEVEL I
LESSON #9
THE FUTURE TENSE

o Affirmative sentences:
They will go to school. / They are going to go to school.
(subject + WILL / BE GOING TO + verb (BASE form) + complement.)

I am going to I’ll I’m going to FUTURE “BE GOING TO”

You are going to You’ll You’re going to
He He’ll He’s going to We use be going to + base form of the verb.
She WILL is going to She’ll She’s going to
It It’ll Its’ going to BE refers to the verb be. Use the correct form 9
We We’ll We’re going to of the verb according to the subject.
are going to
They They’ll They’re going to

o Negative sentences:
She will not go to school.
(subject + WILL + not + verb (BASE form) + complement.)

She is not going to go to school.

(subject + BE + not + GOING TO + verb (BASE form) + complement.)

I am not going to I I’m

You are not going to You You’re You aren't going to
He He He’s He
She WILL not is not going to She WON’T She’s not going to She isn’t going to
or
It It It’s It
We We We’re We
are not going to aren’t going to
They They They’re They
o Interrogative sentences:
 Yes/No Questions
e.g.: Will he write a novel?
(+) Yes, he WILL. [Short answer] (-) No, he won’t. [Short answer]
Yes, he WILL write a novel. [Full answer] No, he won’t write a novel. [Full answer]

e.g.: Is he going to write a novel?

(+) Yes, he is. [Short answer] (-) No, he isn’t. [Short answer]
Yes, he is GOING TO write a novel. [Full answer] No, he isn’t GOING TO write a novel. [Full answer]

 WH- Question
e.g.: What will you do? What are you going to do this weekend?
I will go home. I’m going to go shopping with my sister.

WILL is most commonly used to GOING TO is most commonly used to BOTH can
express decisions made at the talk about decisions that were made be used to
moment, offers, promises, threats, and before the moment of speaking. make
refusal. predictions
.

Ana Castellin
 BASIC & LEVEL I
LESSON #10

COUNTABLE AND UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS

o A count noun is one that can be expressed in plural form, usually with an "s." For example,
"cat—cats," "season—seasons," "student—students."
o A non-count noun is one that usually cannot be expressed in a plural form. For example, "milk,"
"water," "air," "money," "food."

QUANTIFIERS
COUNTABLE UNCOUNTABLE COUNTABLE UNCOUNTABLE
Some (+) (?)/ Any (-) (?) e.g.: I have some nice jackets. e.g.: I don’t have any sugar.
(can be used for questions) Do you have some jackets? Do you have some sugar? 10
many (+)(?) Much (-)(?) e.g.: many chairs e.g.: the car doesn’t use much gas.
(a) few (a) little e.g.: (a) few books e.g.: (a) little
a lot of / lots of e.g.: A lot of / lots of people e.g.: A lot of / lots of homework
*number a little bit of e.g.: 1 car / 20 cars e.g.: a little bit of milk
enough e.g.: enough pencils e.g.: enough money
any e.g.: Do you need any umbrellas? e.g.: Do you need any help?
ONE and ONES
Use one to replace a singular count noun.
Which shirt do you like? I like that one.
Use ones to replace a plural count noun.
What about the shoes? I like the black ones.

HAVE TO / HAS TO FOR OBLIGATION

To express obligation, use have to or has to + the base form of the verb. Remember that have
e.g.: I have to study tonight. I have a test tomorrow. (without to) is used to show
base form possession!
She has to study tonight. She has a test tomorrow. e.g.: I have a job.
base form
CAN FOR ABILITY
To express ability, use can + the base form of the verb. Never use to immediately
e.g.: I can write the letter tonight. She can speak Italian. after can!
base form base form Like has to, Can doesn’t
have –s in the third person
Negative form: I cannot go. I can’t go.
singular form.
*cannot= can not * can’t= can not

POSSESSIVE
PRONOUNS
Mine e.g.: That’s mine! Don’t confuse possessive adjectives and
Yours e.g.: This pen is yours. possessive pronouns!
His e.g.: That’s not your bicycle! It’s his!
Hers e.g.: The toy belongs to her. It’s hers. Those are my shoes. Those are mine.
Ours e.g.: Our mom bought that! It’s ours. possessive possessive
Theirs e.g.: This is theirs. They made it. adjective pronoun

Ana Castellin