NEED(N´T), DON´T HAVE TO AND MUSTN´T

Mustn´t and needn´t / don´t have to
We use mustn´t to say that something is not allowed and needn´t (or don´t need to) or don´t have to to say that something is not necessary:
* You mustn´t walk on the grass here.
* You mustn´t put anything on the shelves until the glue has set hard.
* They proved that watchig a chess match needn´t be boring.
* We needn´t go into details now, but we seem to agree on the general principles.

Need, needn´t, and don´t need to / don´t have to
Need can be used as a modal verb (before a bare infinitive) or as an ordinary verb. Compare:
* You needn´t speak so loudly. (= modal verb)
* She needn´t come with us if she doesn´t want to. (= modal verb)
* She´s thirsty. She needs a drink. (= ordinary verb)
* Jim and Bob are here. They say they need to see you urgently. (= ordinary verb)
When it is a modal verb need is most commonly used in negative sentences, although it is sometimes also used in questions:
* Need you go home so soon? (or, more commonly, Do you have to...?)
* Need I say more? (or, more commonly, Do I have to say...?)

We can use either needn´t or don´t have to when we say that is unnecessary to do something:
* It would be good to see you, but you needn´t (or don´t have to) come if you´re busy.
* You needn´t (or don´t have to) whisper. Nobody can hear us.

To give permission not to do something we can use either needn´t or don´t need to:
* You needn´t cut the grass, I´ll do it later.
* You don´t need to cut the grass, I´ll do it later.

To talk about a general necessity, we prefer don´t need to:
* You don´t need to be over 18 to get into a disco.

Didn´t need to / didn´t have to and need not have
When we say that it was not necessary to do something in the past, and it wasn´t done, we use didn´t need to or didn´t have to. To show that we think something that was done was not, in fact, necessary we use need not have:
* Chris and June phoned to say that they couldn´t come to eat, so I didn´t need/have to cook dinner. (= I didn´t cook dinner)
* I needn´t have cooked dinner. Just as it was ready, Chris and June phoned to say that they couldn´t come to eat. (= I did cook dinner)

Source: Advanced Grammar in Use - Martin Hewings - Cambridge.

NEED, NEEDN´T, DON´T NEED TO...

NEEDN´T (NEED NOT)

I needn´t (do something) = it is not necessary to do it, I don´t need to do it:
* I needn´t clean the windows. They aren´t very dirty.
* You needn´t go to the bank today. I can give you some money.

You can also say don´t need to... (= needn´t)
* I don´t need to clean the windows.
* You don´t need to go to the bank today.

Source: Essential Grammar in Use - Raymond Murphy - Cambridge




NEEDN´T
You needn´t do something" - it is not necessary that you do it, you don´t need to do it.
* You can come with me if you like, but you needn´t come if you don´t want to. (= it is not necessary for you to come.)
* We´ve got plenty of time. We needn´t hurry. (= it is not necessary to hurry)

Instead of needn´t, you can use don´t/doesn´t need to. So you can say:
* We needn´t hurry.     or      We don´t need to hurry.
Remember that we say "don´t need to do", but "needn´t do" (without to)

Needn´t and don´t need to are similar to don´t have to
* We´ve got plenty of time. We don´t have to hurry.


NEEDN´T HAVE (DONE)
* That shirt isn´t dirty. You needn´t wash it.
* Why did you wash that shirt? It wasn´t dirty. You needn´t have washed it.


Didn´t need to (do) and needn´t have (done)

I didn´t need to ... = it was not necessary for me to... (and I knew this at the time):
* I didn´t need to get up early, so I didn´t.
* I didn´t need to get up early, but it was a lovely morning, so I did.

I needn´t have (done) something = I did something but now I know that it was not necessary.
* I got up very early because I had to get ready to go away. But in fact it didn´t take me long to get ready. So, I needn´t have got up so early. I could have stayed in bed longer.

Source: English Grammar in Use - Raymond Murphy - Cambridge

2nd CONDITIONAL

2nd. Conditional: tentative, hypothetical, and unreal conditions (present or future time reference)


If we caught the 10 o´clock train, we would (could, might, etc) get there by lunchtime.
If I came into a fortune, I would give up working.
If I knew how it worked, I could tell you what to do.

Exercise: complete the sentences

If you explained the situation to your solicitor, he .............................................................................
Perhaps he ............................................................, if you spoke to him yourself.
If you changed your job, you............................................................................................................
If you went to see a doctor, he ........................................................................................................
If we bought a house in the country, we ...........................................................................................
If they came to see us in London, we ...............................................................................................
I´m sure he would take the job on if ................................................................................................
If you took the shoes back to the shop, they ....................................................................................
If you read the book a second time, you ..........................................................................................

Exercise: answer the questions with conditional statements (2nd)

What cities or other places of interest would you visit if you went to America?
What would you do (or not do) if you could live your life again?
What would you say or do if someone called you a fool?
If a visitor came to your town, what places would you advise him to see?
What famous person would you like to meet if you had the chance?
Which country would you choose if you decided to live abroad?
What changes would you make in your house, assuming you had the money?
What would you do if you saw a house on fire?
What would you do if you had something stolen?
Which books would you take with you if you went to live on a desert island?

Exercise: Turn the following sentences into 2nd conditional:
Example: We don´t have any wood, so we can´t light a fire. If we had some wood, we could light a fire.

Since she doesn´t love him, she won´t marry him.
Our teacher explains things clearly, so we understand his lessons.
As I haven´t a watch, I casn´t tell you the time.
Britain doesn´t export enough, so she has a constant balance of payments problem.
Since I know the meaning of the word, I don´t have to look it up.
This exercise is easy, so everyone will get the correct answers.
I know the answer so I can tell you.
We haven´t any matches so we can´t light the fire.

wish, would rather, It´s time + noun clause with past tense:
I wish I were rich (If only I were rich!)
I´d rather you told me frankly what you think.
It´s time (it´s about time, it´s high time) we left.
I wish you would hurry up.
I wish it would stop raining soon.

Source: Advanced English Practice - B.D. Graver - Oxford

WAYS OF EXPRESSING THE FUTURE

For plans and arrangements:

I´m doing something tomorrow. - I´ve arranged, I´ve planned to do it.
I´m going to a concert tomorrow.
Alice is going to the dentist on Friday. (She has an appointment)
We are having a party next weekend. (Everything has already been planned.)

Decision, intention to to something:

I´m going to do something. - I´ve decided to do it, my intention is to do it.
I´m going to buy some new books tomorrow.
Sarah is going to sell her car.
I´m not going to have breakfast this morning. I´m not hungry.

Something is going to happen; it´s clear now that it´s sure to happen:

Look at the sky! It´s going to rain!

will/shall - Simple future

Sue travels a lot. Today she´s in Madrid. Tomorrow she´ll be in Rome. Next week she´ll be in Tokyo.
You can phone me this evening. I´ll be at home.
We will probably go out tonight.
I won´t be here tomorrow.

Don´t drink coffee before you go to bed. You won´t sleep.
I think I will pass the exam.
I don´t think it will rain this afternoon.
Do you think the exam will be difficult?

Also used when you offer or decide to do something:

'My bag is very heavy.' - 'I´ll carry it for you.'
'Bye! I´ll phone you tomorow!'
(the phone rings) - 'I´ll answer it!'

Shall (you can say 'I shall' (= I will) and 'we shall' (= we will)

Do not use shall with you/they/he/she/it:
Tom will be late.


Shall I/we...? = Do you think this is a good thing to do? Do you think this is a good idea?
It´s warm in the room. Shall I open the window?
I´m going to a party tonight. What shall I wear?
It´s a nice day. Shall we go for a walk?
Where shall we go for our holidays this year?

Present Simple with a future meaning: we use the present simple when we talk about timetable, programmes, etc... (e.g. for public transport, cinema, etc...)
The train leaves Plymouth at 11:30 and arrives in London at 12:45.
What time does the film begin?
It´s Wednesday tomorrow.

We can use the present simple for people if their plans are fixed like a timetable:
I start my new job on Monday.
What time do you finish work tomorrow?

Source: Essential Grammar in Use - Raymond Murphy - Cambridge

TOO AND ENOUGH

TOO: used before adjectives and adverbs; to a higher degree or more than it´s allowed, desirable, good, necessary, etc...

Don´t drive too fast.
It´s too good to be true!
These shoes are too small for me.
The journey is too long, we will get tired.

ENOUGH: usually used in front of plural or uncountable nouns; as many or as much of something as necessary or desirable; sufficient.

Have you made enough copies?
There are twenty students and only 12 chairs.There aren´t enough chairs for all the students.
Surely 15 minutes is enough time for you to have a bath.
Is there enough room for me in the car?
He hasn´t got enough money to buy a sandwich.

ENOUGH + NOUN
- Is there enough sugar in your coffee?
- We wanted to play football but we didn´t have enough players.
- Don´t you have enough money to buy a car?

ADJECTIVE + ENOUGH
- It isn´t warm enough to stay outside.
- Is the radio loude enough for you?
- That coat isn´t long enough.
- He isn´t tall enough to reach the shelf.

ENOUGH WITHOUT A NOUN
- I´ve got some money, but not enough to buy a car.
- I don´t want anything else. I´ve had enough.
- I don´t go out enough.

SO AND SUCH

SO (THAT) + adjectives / adverbs

I was so well this morning that I stayed longer in bed.
I was so tired this morning that I stayed longer in bed.

SO + little / few / much / many

There was so little money left that I decided not to travel.
There were so few passengers that the flight was cancelled.

There was so much problem with the computer that the company bought a new one.
There were so many songs in the MP3 that it was difficult to listen to all of them.


SUCH + plural nouns and uncountable nouns

They were such nice people!
We have such beautiful weather in Limeira!
He wears such nice clothes.
He writes such interesting books!

SUCH A / AN + singular nouns

We`ve had such a nice meal.
Ann is such a nice person!
It was such an unusual scene!
It´s such an ugly city.
I´ve got such a lot of things to do.

I didn´t enjoy the book. The story was so stupid.
I didn´t enjoy the book. It was such a stupid story!

FIRST CONDITIONAL - OPEN CONDITIONS

Ex: If we catch the 10 o´clock train, we shall (can, may, etc...) get there by lunchtime.
      If you wake up before me, give me a call.

In the above sentences, the conditional clauses represent "open" conditions; that is, conditions that may or may not be fulfilled. We make such statements when the action or event mentioned in the conditional clause is being actively considered, or is under discussion or appears likely to happen. Such statements can enen be comments or decisions already taken.

Conditions of this sort are sometimes labelled "probable", but it is important to note that the probability of the condition being fulfilled often exists only in the mind of the speaker. If, for example, it seems likely that someone is going to do something foolish or dangerous, we give a warning: "If you touch that plate, you´ll burn your hand." Only a fool would fulfill the condition in these circumstances.

The commonest sequence of tenses in this type of sentence is:
(If) present tense, (Main) future or modal verb or imperative.

Exercise: write conditional sentences like the ones above, using the given fact, and adding a suitable completion, eg. If he goes to England, he will have to learn English.

It looks as if those shoes in the window are my size.
Don´t drop the vase!
It looks like being fine tomorrow.
My father has suggested that I change my job.
It seems that we´ll be late for the cinema.
Don´t lose my library book!
You may meet some friends of mine in London.
He expects to pass his exam.
They´re hoping it will be a baby boy.
I anticipate getting a rise in salary next year.

Exercise: complete the sentences, following one of the patterns for contditionals of type 1:
We will just manage to catch the train if............................................................................
If I see him again, I .........................................................................................................
I will accept your explanation only if ...............................................................................
If my bank manager will lend me the money, ...................................................................
What will happen if ........................................................................................................
If you don´t hear from me by next Friday, ......................................................................
If your work continues to improve, ................................................................................
................................................................. only if you will promise not to tell anyone else.
Look up the answeer in the key only id...........................................................................
What will he say if .........................................................................................................
If the worst should come to the worst, ...........................................................................
Give me time and ..........................................................................................................

Source: Advanced English Practice - B.D. Graver - Oxford.

Some more examples:
If she can´t come to see us, then we´ll have to go and see her.
If we go by bus, it will be cheaper. (It will be cheaper if we go by bus.)
If you don´t hurry, we will miss the train. (We will miss the train if you don´t hurry.)
If I don´t feel well tomorrow, I will stay home.
If you pass the exam, you will get a certificate.

If you get a high paying job, you won´t have to work as hard.
If you get a high paying job, you´ll be able to travel first class.
If you get a high paying job, you might have to pay higher taxes.
If you get a high paying job, you´ll be able to donate more to charities.
If you get a high paying job, you´ll be able to buy things you want.
If you get a high paying job, you might be on TV or in the newspapers.
If you get a high paying job, people will ask you for a loan.
If you get a high paying job, you will have more free time.
If you get a high paying job, you´ll be able to buy your parents a new car.

If you don´t have to work as hard, you´ll have a lot more free time.
If you eat less sugar, you may feel more relaxed.
If you eat less sugar, you might feel healthier.
If you walk to work everyday, you might feel healthier.
If you walk to work everyday, you may feel more relaxed.
If you wak to work everyday, you´ll stay in shape without joining a gym.
If you don´t get enough sleep, you won´t be able to stay awake in class.
If you own a pet, you may feel more relaxed.
If you don´t get married, you will have more money to spend on yourself.
If you eat less sugar, you´ll lose weight.

If you buy a large dog, you´ll have to take it out for walks everyday.
If you take it out for walks everyday, you might have an accident.
If you have an accident, you may have to go to the hospital.
If you go to the hospital, you won´t be able to take care of your dog,
If you aren´t able to take care of your dog, you´ll probably have to give it away.

If yo fall in love, you´ll feel jealous sometimes.
If you fall in love, you will feel better about yourself.
If you go on a diet, you´ll feel hungry a lot.
If you go on a diet, you´ll have to give up your favourite snack.
If you inherit a lot of money, you´ll be able to buy expensive clothes.
If you inherit a lot of money, you´ll get requests for loans.
If you move to a foreign country, you´ll have to learn a new lnaguage.
If you move to a foreign country, you´ll lose touch with old friends.

Sources> several books.

ZERO CONDITIONAL - CAUSE AND EFFECT

Ex.: If you heat ice, it melts.
      If I make a promise, I keep it.

These sentences are statements of universal truth or general validity, and in this type of sentencem "if" corresponds closely in meaning to "when(ever)". Statements in this form appear in factual discussions or explanatory (Particularly scientific and technical) material. The tenses in both the conditional and the main clause are the same. The sentence "If I make a promise may be written in the past tense with a similar correspondence between the verb forms in the two clauses: "If I made a promise, I kept it."

Exercise: answer the questions like in the examples above.

What happens if flowers don´t get any water?
What must a motorist do if the traffic lights are at red?
What materials do you need if you want to write a letter?
What do you like to drink if you are very thirsty?
Who do business men go to see if they want to borrow money?
What do you expect a teacher to do if you make a mistake?
What must one have if one wants to visit a foreign country?
Who do people go to see if they feel ill?
What happens if there is a power failure?
How do people dress in your country if they work in an office?

(Advanced English Practice - B.D. Graver - Oxford)

Some more examples:
If you get there before eight, we can catch the early train.
If you get there before eight, we catch the early train.
If I´m earning well, I pay lunch for my friends.
If you´re hungry, have something to eat.
If the phone rings, can you answer it, please?
Do you mind if I use your phone?
I´m going to the concert if I can get a ticket.

If you get a high paying job, you pay dinner for us.
If you get a high paying job, you can travel first class.
If you get a high paying job, you pay higher taxes.
If you get a high paying job, you make more friends.
If you get a high paying job, you buy what you want.

If you go out, you must take and umbrella.
                           should
                           ought to
                           needn´t
                           may
                           can

Source: several books!

UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS

Uncountable nouns are those you cannot say "one, two, three..."

Examples: water, air, rice, salt, plastic, money, music, tennis, luggage, baggage, accomodation, equipment, information, soap, toothpaste, washing powder, washing-up liquid, polish, paper, sugar, spaghetti, butter, flour, soup, advice, knowledge, progress, research, work, cloth, leather, wool, wood, concrete, coal, oil, petrol, gas, weather, hair, news, furniture, patience, courage, determination, goodwill, charm, stamina, reliabilty, loyalty, energy, experience, commitment, talent, creativity, intelligence, training, behaviour, damage, permission, scenery. traffic...

We can use SOME to express quantity of water, air, rice, money, accomodation, news, etc...

How to make these nouns plural:

a glass of water,
a breath of fresh air,
a bowl of rice, sugar, flour, spaghetti
a pinch of salt,
a piece of music,
a game of tennis.
three pieces of luggage (baggage),
pieces of equipment,
pieces (bits) of information,
a bar of soap,
a tube of toothpaste,
a box of washing powder,
a bottle of (liquid),
a can of polish,
pieces of paper,
a bar of butter,
a dish of soup,
a piece of advice,
a piece of cheese,
a can of oil,
a cup of coffee,
a bar of chocolate
a loaf of bread,
pieces of furniture
a slice of cake, toast, bread, meat, cheese
cartons of milk
a bunch of flowers
a pair of shoes, gloves, pants (trousers), socks, scissors

How many pieces of luggage have you got with you?
I heard a really useful bit of information yesterday.
We have certainly had a good spell (period, season) of summer weather this year.
Did you hear that rumble (noise) of thunder?
Yes, I did. It came almost immediately after the flash of lightning.
I heard a sharp clap (noise) of thunder, then a few rumbles in the distance.
A sudden gust of wind turned my umbrella inside out.
There was a sudden shower of rain this morning.
Did you feel a spot of rain?

Look at the ladybird on that blade of grass!
What happened? Look at that cloud of smoke hanging over the town!
She blew little puffs of smoke out of her cigarette straight into my face.
Put another lump of coal on the fire, please. (lump can also be used with sugar)

I had an amazing stroke of luck this morning.
I´ve never seen him do a stroke of work. (only in negative sentences)
I´ve never seen him in such a fit of temper before.
The donkey is the basic means of transport on the island.
Tights must be the most useful article/ item of clothing ever invented.
There was an interesting item of news about France on TV last night.

The phrase a state of can serve to make uncountable nown singular. The nouns used with state are usually abstract and include chaos, emergency, tension, confusion, health, uncertainty, poverty, agitation, etc...

Source: English Vocabulary in Use - Cambridge

INDIRECT REQUESTS

Used to soften requests, to ask politely.

Is it OK if I use your phone?
Do you mind if I use your CD burner?
Do you mind my using your CD burner?
Do you mind me using your CD burner?
Would it be OK if I picked it up on Friday night?
Would you mind letting me use your laptop?
I wonder if I could borrow some money
I was wondering if you´d mind lending me your car.

Open the door! (Imperative, direct request)
Please open the door.
Open the door, will you?
Could you open the door?
Would you open the door?
Will you open the door?
Can you open the door?

Would you turn on the TV, please?
Could you pay attention, please?
Could you tell me the time?
Would you (please) be kind enough as to open the window?
Would you (please) be so kind as to open the window?
Would you like to come to my party?
Would you like a cup of tea?

Can you tell me how long you have worked for Carrefour?
I´d like you to tell me when you graduated from university.
Do you know if your present employer would be prepared to give you a reference?
I would be most grateful if you could give me the directions to your company.
Could you also tell me what time I am expected to be there?
I´d be interested to know when the final date for applications is.

Direct question: Is there a language school or university in your town which runs classes during the summer?
Indirect question: Do you know if there os a language school or university in your town which runs classes during the summer?

Direct question: Where is the nearest airport?
Indirect question: Could you tell me where the nearest airport is?

Direct question: How much would it cost to rent a flat?
Indirect question: Can you give me an idea of how much it would cost to rent a flat?

Direct question: When do you expect to go to the mountains?
Indirect question: Let me know when you expect to go to the mountains.

Where is the bank?                                       Could you tell me where the bank is?
What timedoes the bank open?                     Do you know what time it opens?
How often do the buses leave for the city?     Can you tell me how often the buses leave for the city?
Where are the restrooms?                             Do you know where the restrooms are?


Sources: English Structure Practice - Gordon Drummond
              Cambridge Business Benchmark - Guy Brook-Hart
              Interchange 3rd Edition - Jack C. Richards - Cambridge
              Complete First Certificate - Guy Brook-Hart - Cambridge

CONDITIONALS - SUMMARY/INTRODUCTION

PRESENT AND FUTURE

if + PRESENT SIMPLE + will, shall
unless + PRESENT SIMPLE + will, shall
even if + PRESENT SIMPLE + will, shall
if + PRESENT SIMPLE + may, might, must, needn´t, ought to, should, can, be able to

if + PRESENT SIMPLE + PRESENT SIMPLE
unless + PRESENT SIMPLE + PRESENT SIMPLE
even if + PRESENT SIMPLE + PRESENT SIMPLE

if + will (STRESSED)
if + will (UNSTRESSED)
if + should
unless + should
even if + should




Examples: 
If I go out tomorrow, I´ll post the letters for you.
If John goes, he will pay the bill.
Bob will learn English if he goes to class.
If Peter goes to New York next week, he will go by air.
If I find your wallet, I´ll let you know
If you don´t forget me, I shan´t forget you.
You won´t catch the bus if you don´t hurry.
If dad doesn´t go out, I´ll talk to him.
If you hurry, we won´t be late for school.

I´ll miss the bus unless I run. = I´ll miss the bus if I don´t run.
I´ll work only if he pays me. = I won´t work unless he pays me.
I´ll come only if he calls me. = I won´t come unless he calls me.

Peter won´t catch the bus even if he runs.
(He will not catch the bus)
Peter won´t catch the bus unless he runs.
(He will catch the bus - if he runs.)
Even if you give me a hundred pounds I won´t tell you.
Even if they hurt me I won´t help them.
Even if they put me in prison I won´t help them.

If you drop this football (this stone/this log) it won´t break.
If you drop this glass (this radio/this camera) it will break.
If you drop this pen it may break.
If you drop this box it might break.

If you go out tonight, you should put a coat on.
If you go out tonight, you must put a coat on.
If you go out tonight, you ought to put a coat on.

If you go out tonight, you may (permission) wear my coat.
If you go out tonight, you can (permission) wear my coat.

If you don´t go out tonight, you needn´t wear a coat.

Can (ability) becomes will be able to
If you study hard, you will be able to speak English very well soon.

If you go out, you must take the umbrella.
If you go out, you should take the umbrella.
If you go out, you ought to take the umbrella.
If you go out, you needn´t take the umbrella.
If you go out, you may take the umbrella.
If you go out, you can take the umbrella.



PAST

if + PAST PERFECT + would have PAST PARTICIPLE
                                     should have PAST PARTICIPLE
                                     could have PAST PARTICIPLE
                                     might have PAST PARTICIPLE

if only + PAST PERFECT + would have PAST PARTICIPLE
if only + PAST PERFECT (exclamation)
even if + PAST PERFECT + would have PAST PARTICIPLE
unless + PAST PERFECT + would have PAST PARTICIPLE
if + PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS + would have PAST PARTICIPLE
if it hadn´t been for (the fact that)
but for (the fact that)
if + PAST SIMPLE + PAST SIMPLE


NON-PAST

if + PAST + would
if + were + would
if + were to + would
if only + PAST + would
if only + PAST (exclamation)
even if + PAST + would
if it weren´t for (the fact that)
but for (the fact that)


MISCELLANEOUS

as if
suppose / supposing / what if / say

a. if = if it is a fact that
b. if = althought, whereas
c. if in modifying clauses
d. if in short phrases
e. if in fixed expressions 


Source: CONDITIONALS - Longman Elements of English Series - by G. Abbott

At / On / In (time)

Compare at, on and in:
- They arrived at 5 o´clock.
- They arrived on Friday.
- They arrived in October.
- They arrived in 1968.


We use

at for the time of day:

at 5 o´clock     at 11.45     at midnight     at lunchtime     at sunset etc

on for days and dates:

on Friday / on Fridays     on 12 March 1991     on Christmas Day     on my birthday


in for longer periods (for example, months, years, seasons):

in October     in 1968     in the 18th century     in the past     in (the) winter     in the 1970s
in the Middle Ages     in the future


We use at in these expressions:

at night                                                       I don´t like going out at night.
at the weekend / at weekends                  Will you be here at the weekend?
at Christmas / at Easter                            Do you give each other presents at Christmas?
at the moment / at present                        Mr Benn is busy at the moment / at present.
at the same time                                        Liz and I arrived at the same time.


Note that we usually ask "What time....?" (not usually "At what time...?")
* What time are you going out this evening?

We say:
in the morning(s)     in the afternoon(s)     in the evening(s)
I´ll see you in the morning.                            Do you work in the evenings?

but on Friday morning(s)      on Sunday afternoon(s)     on Monday evening(s) etc
I´ll be at home on Friday morning
Do you usually go out on Saturday evenings?


We do not use at / on / in before last / next / this / every
I´ll see you next Friday.
They got married last March.


In a few minutes / in six months etc = a time in the future
The train will be leaving in a few minutes. (from now)
Jack has gone away. He´ll be back in a week.
She´ll be here in a moment.


You can also say in six months´ time, in a week´s time etc
- They are getting married in six months´ time. (or ... in six months.)

We also use in... to say how long it takes to do something:
- I learnt to drive in four weeks. (it took me four weeks to learn)

Source: English Grammar in Use - Raymond Murphy

MEETINGS - USEFUL LANGUAGE

CHAIRPERSON
Beginning the meeting
Can we start please?
Right, let´s begin.

Stating the aim
The main aim of the meeting is to...
The purpose of this meeting is to...

Asking for comments
What do you think?
How do you feel about this?

Changing the subject
Let´s move on now to...
The next item on the agenda is...

Clarifying
What do you mean by...?
Sorry, I don´t quite understand.

Summarising
OK, let´s summarise.
Right, let´s recap...

PARTICIPANTS
Giving opinions
I think...
I´m in favour of...

Making suggestions
Perhaps we should...
We could...

Agreeing 
I think you´re right.
I (totally) agree.

Disagreeing
I don´t know about that.
(I´m afraid) I don´t agree.

Interrupting
Hold on (a moment).
Can I say something?


Interrupting and Clarifying
Interrupting
Could I say something?
Could I just comment on that?
Hold on a minute.
Sorry to interrupt but...

Clarifying
How do you mean exactly?
What exactly do you mean by...?
Are you saying...?
So what you´re saying is that...


Taking part in meetings
Interrupting
Hold on...
Could I just say something?
Sorry, but...

Asking for opinions
How do you feel about...?
What do you think?
What´s your opinion?

Giving opinions
I think...
In my opinion...

Agreeing
That´s true
I agree

Disagreeing
I´m sorry, I don´t agree.
I´m afraid I don´t agree.
Maybe, but...

Making suggestions
I think we should...
How about...?
Why don´t we...?

Rejecting suggestions
I don´t think it´s a good idea.
I´m not keen on it.


Managing meetings
Starting
OK, let´s go down to business.
Right, can we start please?

Asking for reaction
How do you feel about...?
What do you think?

Dealing with interruptions
Could you let her finish please?
Could you just hang on a moment please?

Keeping to the point
I´m not sure that´s relevant.
Perhaps we could get back to the point.
Let´s leave that aside for the moment.

Speeding up
I think we should move on now.
Can we come back to that?

Slowing down
Hold on, we need to look at this in more detail.
I think we should discuss this a bit more.

Summarising
OK, let´s go over what we´ve agreed.
Right, to sum up then...


Stating aims
Our main purpose will be to explore your views.
The aim of this meeting is...

Disagreeing
I don´t agree.
Point taken, but surely... is an important factor?
I really can´t agree with you there.

Asking for opinions
Stefan, what do you think?
Stefan?

Agreeing
I agree with Max.
I think so too.

Deawling with interruptions
Can I finish the point?
Let Stefan finish please, Max.

Giving opinions
I really think we need a report.
Shouldn´t we have more information?
We feel... is the best way to...

Requesting action
Can you arrange a meeting?
Would you prepare a short report please?

Asking for clarification
Can you explain it a bit more clearly?
What exactly do you mean?
Can I get this clear?

Stating objectives
The purpose of the meeting this morning is...

Encouraging contributions
Anything goes...

Making suggestions
I think we could send out glossy brochures...

Agreeing
Yes, that´s a good idea.

Expressing enthusiasm
That´s great!

Source: MARKET LEADER - Longman

NEGOTIATING - USEFUL LANGUAGE

Negotiating - Dealing with problems
EMPLOYEE                                                    MANAGER
Describing the problem                                   Responding
There´s too much...                                            I´m sorry, but...
There isn´t enough...                                           I understand but...

Emphasising the problem                                Explaining the reasons
It´s really important...                                          The problem is...
We need to...                                                      The reason is...

Making suggestions                                         Responding
Why don´t you...?                                               OK. I´ll think about it.
We could...                                                         All right. I´ll get back to you.


Negotiating - reaching agreement
Stating aims
We´d like to have it in a month´s time.
We must have delivery by the end of next week.

Making concessions
If I have to finish in one month, I´ll need to have an extra designer.
That could be all right - as long as I get some money in advance.

Rejecting suggestions
We´d prefer to pay you a fixed amount.

Bargaining
How about paying me half when I start the work?

Focussing the discussion
Let´s talk about the time for setting up the website.


Negotiating - dealing with conflict
Calming down
I understand what you´re saying.
I can see your point of view.
Well, I know/see what you mean.
Why don´t we come back to that later?
Let´s have a break and come back with some fresh ideas.
You don´t have to worry about...

Creating solutions
A compromise could be to...
How about if...
What if...
Let´s look at this another way.
Another possibility is...

Closing a negotiation
Let´s see what we´ve got.
Can I go over what we´ve agreed?
Let´s go over the main points again.
OK, I think that covers everything.
We´ve got a deal.
Fine. Right. That´s it then.


Negotiating techniques
Starting
Could we begin now please?
OK, let´s get started, shall we?

Exploring positions
What do you have in mind?
How would you feel about a bigger discount?

Making offers and concessions
If you order now, we´ll give you a discount.
We´d be prepared to offer you a better price if you increased your order.

Checking understanding
When you say there are delivery problems, what do you mean?
Have I got this right? You said a discount on an order of 1000.
If I understand you correctly...

Refusing an offer
I´m sorry, we can´t accept that.
I´m not sure about that.

Accepting an offer
I think we can agree to that.
That sounds reasonable.

Playing for time
I´d like to think about it.
I´m sorry, but I´ll have to consult my colleagues about that.

Closing the deal
That´s it, then. I think we´ve covered everything.
Great! We´ve got a deal.

Diplomatic way to express yourself in negotiations
I think we should talk about price first.
I´m afraid we can´t give you any credit.
Could you give me a discount?
Unfortunately, I can´t lower my price.
I wonder if you could alter the specifications.
Your price seems rather high.


Signalling
I´d like to make a suggestion. I think we should leave this point and come back to it later.
I want to ask a question. How are we going to pay for this?

Checking understanding
Sorry, could you repeat that?
Are you saying you don´t have that quantity in stock?
So what you´re saying is you will...

Summarising
Can we just summarise the points we´ve agreed so far?
OK, so we´re agreed. You´ll pay for delivery and get everything to us by the end of June.


Reaching agreement
Asking for opínions
Does sanybody have any strong feelings about...?

Giving opinions
Well, unfortunately, I think we´ll probably have to...

Disagreeing
Well hold on...

Agreeing
I think I´d agree with you there...

Making suggestions
What about if we...?

Emphasising
I keep going on about this, but...

Summarising
Can I just clarify that...


Resolving conflict
Expressing your feelings
My main concern is...

Making suggestions
One thing you could do is...

Expressing satisfaction
Yes, that would be very helpful...

Expressing dissatisfaction
I don´t think that would do much good.

Agreeing action
OK, this is what we´ll do.

Showing sympathy
I know how you feel.

Stating common goals
We´ve got the same objective.

Identifying the real problem
What´s really bothering you?

Resolving the conflict
How do you think we should deal with this?

Reviewing the situation
Let´s meet next week and see how things are going.


Open questions
Why do you need a loan.

Closed questions
Do you have any other backers?

Softening phrases
I´m sorry we can´t go that high.

Signalling phrases
I´d like to make a proposal. I think we should...

Summarising
Let´s see what we´ve got so far.


Source: MARKET LEADER - Longman

PRESENTATIONS - USEFUL LANGUAGE

Presenting a product


Buyer
Asking for information
Can you tell me about...?
I´d like some information about...

Target Market
Who is it for?

Colours
What about colours?

Features
Does it have any special features?

Price
How much is it / are they?

Delivery
What about delivery?

Seller
Of course. What would you like to know?
Our most popular model is...
It´s for people with / who...
It comes in four colours.
It has an unusual design.
It´s easy to use.
The trade price is...
We can deliver within three days.


Starting a presentation
Greeting
Good morning / afternoon. I´m...
Hello, everyone. Nice to see you again.

Topic
My subject today is...
I´d like to talk to you about...
I´m going to talk about...

Plan
There are three parts to my presentation.
My presentation is in three sections.
Firstly,...
Secondly,...
Finally....


Presenting your company
Outlining the presentation
First, I´ll give you some basic information.
Secondly, I´ll talk about our stores in other countries.
Next, I´ll talk about career opportunities.
Last of all, I want to look at our future plans.

Introducing new information
Here´s some basic information.
Let me add a few figures.
Let´s have a look at some statistics.
What are our strengths?

Ending the presentation
To conclude, I want to tell you about our future plans.
Finally, a few words about our new project.
Thanks very much for listening to my talk.
Thanks for coming to my presentation.


Presenting a product
Introducing the product
This is our new product.
I´m going to tell you about our new product.

Describing the product
Let me tell you about its special features.
It´s made of leather / wood / steel / aluminium.
It weighs just 2.3 kilos.
Ot comes in a wide range of colours.

Stating the product´s uses
It´s ideal for travelling.
It´s designed to be used with any type of material.

Mentioning selling points
It has several special features.
A very useful feature is the energy-saving design.
Another advantage is its very small size.

Inviting questions
Does anyone have any questions?
Would anyone like to ask a question?


Starting presentations
Introducing yourself
- On behalf of myself and Focus Advertising, I´d like to welcome you. My name´s Sven Larsen.
- Hi, I´m Dominique Lagrange. Good to see you all.
- Good morning everyone.
- Let me introduce myself. My name is...
- I´m a specialist in...

Structuring the presentation
I´m going to divide my talk into four parts.
First I´ll give you...; after that...; finally...

Introducing the topic
- This morning, I´d like to outline the campaign concept we´ve developed for you.
- I´m going to tell you about the ideas we´ve come up with for the ad campaign.

Changing the topic
Right, let´s now move on to...
OK, I´ll now look at....

Giving background information
- I´ll give you the background and talk you through the results of the market study.
- I´ve divided my presentation into three parts.
- Let´s start with the background.

Referring to the audience´s knowledge
As you know...
As you are aware...

Inviting questions
- If you have any questions, please don´t hesitate to interrupt me.
- If you´re not clear about anything, go ahead and ask any questions you want.
- If you have any questions, don´t hesitate to ask.
- I´ll be glad to answer any questions (at the end of my talk).

Concluding
To sum up...
So to summarise...

Referring to visuals
If you look at the graph...
Could I draw your attention to the chart?
If you take a look at the first year, you´ll see.

Ending
Thanks very much. Any questions?
Well, that´s all I have to say. Thank you for listening.

Commenting
I think that´s interesting because...

Emphasising
I´d just like to highlight...

Involving the audience
OK, what is Smarterwork?


Summarising in presentations
Referring back
As I mentioned earlier in my presentation...
So as you were saying a few minutes ago...

Making points in threes
You really have to plan carefully, be rigorous in your analysis and be flexible...
It´s a long process. It´s expensive. It can also be very profitable.

Asking rhetorical questions
What are the advantages of the merger?
But what are the sort of things that the experts forget generally?

Ordering
Firstly..., the..., finally...
There are three things in my mind and the first thing is...

Using emotive language
Beware of the sycophants in your organisations...
It is a commercial suicide...

Repetition
They´re going to be sayng Yes! Yes! Yes!
It won´t work. It just won´t work.

Exemplifying
For instance...
.... for example, caring as their primary task.

Asking for feedback
Is there any area I haven´t covered?
What´s missing?

Source> MARKET LEADER - Longman

TELEPHONING - USEFUL LANGUAGE

Answering
Hello. This is Carl Fischer.
Good morning. Marta Gomez speaking.
Hello. Datatech Ltd.

Apologising
I´m very sorry about that.
I´m sorry to hear that.

Getting details
Can you give me some more information?
Which model is it?

Finding solutions
We can give you a refund.
I can talk to the manager.
We can send you a new one.

Getting through
Can I speak to Janet Porter, please?
Can he call me back, please?

Stating the problem
I´ve got a problem with...
There are some problems with...

Giving details
The invoice is incorrect.
There´s a piece missing.
It´s the wrong part / model / item.

Finishing a conversation
Thank you.
Thanks for your help.
Thanks for calling.


Making contact
Making calls
Could I speak to Laurie Thompson, please?
Yes, this is Ernesto Badia from KMV.
I´m calling about...
Could you tell him/her that I rang?
Could you ask him/her to call me back?
May I ask your name?
Could I have the sales department, please?
My name is Julio Blanco.

Receiving calls
Who´s calling, please?
Could you tell me what it´s about?
May I ask the purpose of the call?
I´ll put you through.
Can you hold?
I´m afraid there´s no answer. Can I take a message?

Making excuses
I´m sorry, he´s in a meeting.
I´m afraid she´s not available.

Stating your purpose
I´m calling about your invoice.
I´m returning his call.
The reason I´m calling is...

Messages
Would you like to leave a message?
Can I leave a message?

Checking
Could you spell that?
Can I read that back to you?

Asking for information
Could I have your name?
Can I take your number?

Showing understand
Right.
OK. That´s fine.

Promising action
I´ll make sure he gets the message.
I´ll tell her when she gets back.


Exchanging information
Checking information
Sorry, did you say...?
Sorry, I didn´t catch that.
Could you repeat that, please?
Let me read that back to you.

Asking for information
Could you give me a few details?
What about the new range? (of shampoo)
Did she say when she´d like to meet?

Finishing a conversation
OK, that´s it.
Thanks very much. That was very helpful.
I must go now.
I think that´s everything.


Making arrangements on the telephone
Making arrangements
Could we meet on Monday at 10.30?
Are you free sometime next week?
How about next Friday?
What about April 10th?
Would Wednesday at 2pm suit you?
Is 11.15 convenient?

Responding
That´ll be fine.
That´s OK.
No sorry, I can´t make it then.
My diary´s rather full that day / week.
Sorry, I´ve already got an appointment at that time.


Telephone complaints
COMPLAINING
Making the complaint
I´m ringing to complaing about...
I´m sorry, but I´m not satisfied with...
Unfortunately there´s a problem with...

Explaining the problem
The CD player doesn´t work.
There seems to be a problem...
We haven´t received the...

Insisting
It really isn´t good enough.
I´d like to know why...

Threatening
If you don´t replace the product, I´ll complain to the manager.
If you don´t deliver on time, we´ll have to contact other suppliers.

DEALING WITH COMPLAINTS
Showing understanding
Oh, dear! Sorry to hear that.
Mmm, I see what you mean.
I´m sorry about the problem / delay.

Getting the facts
Could you give me some details please?
What happened exactly?
What´s the problem exactly?

Making excuses
It´s not our policy to replace items.
It´s not our fault that it hasn´t arrived.
I´m afraid that´s not quite right.

Promising action
OK, I´ll look into it right away.
I promise you I´ll check the details and get back to you.


Problem solving on the phone
Stating the problem
I wonder if you can help me. I´ve got a problem...
There seems to be a problem. We haven´t received...

Offering to help
How can I help?
I´ll look into it right now and get back to you.

Apologising / showing understanding
I´m really sorry about that. I do apoolise...
I understand how you feel.

Making suggestions
Perhaps we could...
Would it be possible to...?

Requesting action
Could you look into the matter?
Please can you check with...

Source: MARKET LEADER - Longman

USEFUL LANGUAGE - MISCELLANEOUS

Making bookings and checking arrangements
Receptionist: Hello. Capri Hotel. How can I help you?
                                  Caller:            I´d like to book a room from Tuesday 4th to Thursday 6th.
Receptionist: I can give you a single / double on the first floor.
                                  Caller:            How much is it per night?
Receptionist: Would you like smoking or non-smoking?
                                  Caller:            Is there a restaurant in the hotel?
Receptionist: So, that´s single room for two nights, the 4th and 5th.
                                 Caller:            Is there a car park?
Receptionist: Can I have your credit card details, please?
                                 Caller:            Can I pay with American Express / Mastercard / Visa?
Receptionist: What time do you expect to arrive?
                                 Caller:            It´s a Visa card. The number is... The expiry date is...
Receptionist: Could you repeat that, please?


Making arrangements
Asking
What time is good for you?
What´s a good day for you?
What time / day suits you?

Agreeing
I can make (time / day)
I can do (time / date)
(Day / time) is fine for me

Suggesting a different time / day
How about (time / day)?
Is (date / time) OK for you?

Declining
I´m afraid I can´t make (time / day)
I´m sorry I can´t do (time / date)

Apologising
I´m sorry I missed our meeting at / on (time / date)
Sorry I didn´t make it on time.

Giving an excuse
My flight was late.
The traffic was very bad.
I was ill.

Identifying problems and agreeing action
Identifying the problem
There´s a problem with...
The problem is ...

Suggesting action
We could / should / shouldn´t...
I think / don´t think we should...

Agreeing action
So, we´re going to...
I agree. We´ll...

Problem-solving
Stating options
We have a number of options.
There are several ways we could deal with this.

Balancing arguments
Let´s look at the pros and cons...
Let´s discuss the advantages and disadvantages.
On the one hand... On the other hand...

Changing your approach
Let´s look at this way.
Let´s look at this from a different angle.

Considering less obvious options
We could try...
It might be worth...

Discussing possible effects
Let´s think about the consequences of...
If we do this then...

Making a decision
The solution then is to...
The best way forward is to...

Stating future action
What we´ve got to do now is...
So the next thing to do is...


Interview skills
Interviewer
Experience
What did you learm from your last job?
What didn´t you like about your last job?

Candidate
I learned to...
Well, I had a problem with...

Interviewer
Skills
What are you good at?
Do you have any special skills?

Candidate
People say that I´m good at...
My main strengths are...

Interviewer
Future plans
What do you want to do in the future?
Where do you want to be in ten years´ time?

Candidate
My main aim is to...
I plan to be...
I hope to have...

Interviewer
Interests
What do you do in your free time?
What are your main interests?

Candidate
I really enjoy...
I spend a lot of time...


Participating in discusssions
Agreeing
You´re right.
I really like the idea.
Yes, that´s right.
I think I agree with you.
Exactly.
Good / excellent idea.

Disagreeing
(Sorry) I don´t agree with you.
I´m afraid I don´t agree.
Yes, but what about the cost?
I´m not sure I agree.
I really don´t agree. (strong disagreement)

Asking for an opinion
What do you think?
How do you feel about this?

Giving an opinion
I think...
In my opinion...
I think that we should ask the staff.
I feel that we have to consider the cost.
I´m sure / convinced / positive that people would like it.

Making a suggestion
Let´s...
How about...
We could offer staff a wider choice of food.
Why don´t we change the menus?
How about offering healthier meals?
What about having a no-smoking policy?
I think we should send out a questionnarire. (strong suggestion)


Decision-making
Asking for the facts
Can you bring us up to date?
Can you give us the background?
Where do we stand with...?

Making a suggestion
We should sell out as soon as possible.
Why don´t we sell out?

Disagreeing
I don´t agree with that at all.
I totally disagree.

Identifying needs
We´ve got to get more information.
We need more information about where we´re going wrong.

Agreeing
You´re absolutely right.
I totally agree with you.

Expressing doubt
I am worried about the store´s location.
I´m not sure about it.

Making a decision
The solution, then, is to keep the store going.
I think on balance we feel we should keep the store going.

Stating future action
So, the next thing to do is...
What we´ve got to do now is...

Leading a team
Stating goals
Our main objective is to...
Our aims will be to...

Highlighting factors for success
If we´re going to be successful, we ned to act quickly.
To succeed, we´ll have to take into account several factors.

Indicating priorities
Our first priority will be to contact our customers.
It´s also essential that we brief our suppliers.

Defining roles and delegating
I´d like you to prepare a report.
Could you please liaise with Sales and Marketing?

Motivating the team
It´s a challenge, but it´s also an opportunty to develop the business.
We´ll all benefit because new orders will follow.

Reporting back
I´d like you to keep me up-to-date by email.
I´d like to have your report by Tuesday.
I suggest we set up another meeting in two weeks´ time.


Networking
Mentioning people you know
Harry Kaufman suggested I gave you a call.
I was given your name by Joh Stuart.

Asking for help /comtacts
Can I mention your name when I call him?
He mentioned that you might be able to help me.
You haven´t got his phone number by any chance?
Is this a convenient time or shall I call back later?

Giving advice
I suggest you give her a call.
You could try to track him down through our New York office.

Referring to previous meetings
Haven´t we met somewhere before?
We both went to that presentation...

Establishing common interests
Maybe we could help you out there.
Are you in sales or product development?



Handling difficult situations
Saying 'no' politely
It´s very kind / nice of you, but...
I´m very sorry, but...
I´m sorry, I really can´t.

Apologising
I must apologise...
I´m terribly sorry, but...
I´m really sorry.

Showing sympathy
I quite understand...
I know how you feel...
I know what you mean.

Ending a conversation
Sorry, I really must be off...
Please excuse me, I really have to leave...
Look! Sorry, but can we talk about this later?


Active listening
Showing interest
Really?
That´s interesting.
Right / OK / Mmm
Yes / No

Showing empathy
I know what you mean.
How awful!

Asking for details
So what happened?
What did you do?

Clarifying
Are you saying...?
What (exactly) do you mean by...?
Could you be more specific please?

Summarising
(So) you think...
(So) what you´re saying is...

Repetition / Question tags
A: We´ve reduced customer complaints by 30%.
B: 30%? / Have you?


Getting the right information
Making contact
Could you put me through to Mr Li Wang please?
You seem to have got the wrong extension.
Can you transfer me to his extension?

Asking for information
Could you give me a few details?
When did you give us the order?
Can you tell me what the order number is?

Asking for repetition
Sorry, I didn´t hear what you said.
I´m sorry, I didn´t catch that.
What did you say the reference number was?

Checking information
Fine. Shall I just read that back to you?
Let me just check. What you need is... Is that right?
Could you spell that please?

Clarifying
What exactly do you mean by...?
Sorry I don´t follow you.
Are you saying that...?

Confirming understand
Right, I´ve got that.
Fine; / OK. / Right.

Confirming action
I´ll check it out right away.
I´ll get on to it immediately.
I´ll call you back as soon as I can.

Source:  MARKET LEADER  (LONGMAN)

INTRODUCTIONS, SOCIALIZING, ETC - USEFUL LANGUAGE

Introducing people
I´m...
My name´s...
This is...
He´s / She´s in sales.
He´s / She´s with Nokia

Asking about business
How´s business?

Replying
Not bad, thanks.
Fine. / OK. / Not too good.

Offering a drink
Would you like a drink?
How about a coffee?
Another drink?

Replying
Thanks very much. I´d love one.
Yes, please. / No, thanks.

Greetings
Pleased to meet you.
Nice to meet you.
Good to see you again.
You, too.

Saying goodbye
See you later
Nice talking to you.
Goodbye. See you soon.

Talking about work and leisure
Asking questions
What to you do in your free time?
                        at the weekend?
                        after work?
                        in the evening?

How often do you...?
Do you like....?                                  Yes, I do. / No, I don´t.

Expressing feelings
I like / love....                                 I don´t like....
I´m keen on...                                He isn´t really keen on...
I really enjoy...                               She doesn´t enjoy....
I´m interested in...                          We aren´t interested in...

Entertaining
Suggesting
Why don´t we...?
Shall I....?
How about....?

Giving opinions
I think.... is the best restaurant. The food is good.
We need to go to .... restaurant. It´s close to the office.

Agreeing                                            Disagreeing
Yes, because...                                    I see what you mean, but...
I agree because...                                I don´t know about that. I think...
That´s right.                                         That´s right, but...

Introducing people
Jurgen, this is Lisa.
Anita, do you know Dr Olafson?
Have you met Nigel?
Peter, I´d like you to meet Steve Jones.
Anne, have you met Maria?
Can I introduce you to Mark Barnard our Finance Director?
Are you Ms Valdez by any chance?
You must be Larry Koplan.

Requests
Could I use your phone, please?
Do you mind if I take one of your brochures?

Offers
Can I give you one of my cards?
Would you like to have dinner with us tomorrow night?

Making small talk
'How´s business?' - 'We are having a great year.'
'How are things? - 'It´s really busy at the moment.'

Responding
Pleased to meet you.
Nice to meet you.
Good to see you again.
It´s a pleasure.

Making excuses
It´s very kind of you, but...
I´d like to take it easy / relax if you don´t mind.
It´s very kind of you, but another time perhaps.

Making conversation
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Where are you going for your holiday this year?
Can you tell me about any interesting places to visit?
What / How about you?

Showing interest
Interesting!
Really?

Saying goodbye / Thanking your host
Thanks very much for your hospitality.
I really enjoyed the meal.
Thanks for showing me round the city / town.
I´ll be in touch soon.
Goodbye. All the best.

Mentioning common interests
I think you both know Iwona.
                 both like skiing.
                 are both interested in the new project.

I know you have both been to Brazil.
                                  worked in R&D.

Leaving
Well, I really must be going.
Anyway, I´ll see you soon.
Hope to see you again soon.
It was nice meeting you.
It was good to see you again.

USED TO

Dave worked in a factory from 2000 to 2010. He´s been working in a supermarket since 2010.

Dave says: I used to work in a factory, but now I work in a supermarket.

I used to work / she used to have / they used to be etc.

When I was a child, I used to like chocolate.
I used to read a lot of books but I don´t read much these days.
Liz has got short hair now but it used to be very long.
They used to live in the same street as us, so we often used to see them. But we don´t see them very often these days.
Ann used to have a piano but she sold it a few years ago.

The negative is I didn´t use to...


When I was a child I didn´t use to like tomatoes.
They didn´t use to travel very much in the past.
He usually went to work by car. He didn´t use to walk.
Lamartine Babo used to write songs for Carnival.

The question is did you use to...?


Did you use to play tennis when you lived in that condo?
Where did you use to live before you came here?
How did you use to commute before having a car?


We use used to... only for the past. You cannot say 'I use to...' (present)

I used to play tennis. These days I play golf.
We usually get up early.


(From the book ESSENTIAL GRAMMAR IN USE  - by Raymond Murphy)

PREPOSITIONS: IN - AT - ON - TO (PLACES)

IN


Closed places: in a room, in a shop, in a car, in the water
Open places: in a garden, in a town, in the city centre, in France

Where´s David? - In the kitchen / In the garden / In London.
What´s in that box / in that bag / in that cupboard?
Angela works in a shop / in a bank / in a factory.
I had a swim in the river / in the sea.
Milan is in the north of Italy.
I live in a town but I want to live in the country.

in bed                                                       Where´s Kate? She´s in bed.
in hospital / in prison                                David´s father is ill. He´s in hospital
in a street                                                 I live in a small street near the station.
in the sky                                                 I like to look at the stars in the sky at night.
in the world                                              What´s the largest city in the world?
in a newspaper / in a book                       I read about the accident in the newspaper.
in a photograph / in a picture                    You look sad in this photograph.
in a car / in a taxi                                      Did you come here in your car?
in the middle (of...)                                   There´s a big tree in the middle of the garden.


AT


at the bus stop / at the door / at the traffic light / at the desk (standing or sitting close to something)

There´s somebody at the bus stop / at the door.
The car´s waiting at the traffic light.
We met at the newsstand.
Julia is working at her desk.
The plane lands at the airport.
The train stops at the station.

at the top / at the bottom / at the end (of...)

Write your name at the top of the page.
My house is at the end of the street.
I live at 4A Arlington Road.

at home                                                 Will you be at home this evening?
at work / at school                                 Where´s Kate? She´s at work.
at university / at college                          Helen is studying at university.
at Jane´s house / at my sister´s house / at the doctor´s / at the hairdresser´s etc.
                                                             Where were you yesterday? At my sister´s.
                                                             I saw Tom at the doctor´s.
at a concert / at a party / at a football match etc.
                                                             There weren´t many people at the party.

Note: Often it is possible to use in or at for buildings (hotels, restaurants, etc.):
          We stayed at a nice hotel.        or        We stayed in a nice hotel.



ON


on a shelf / on a plate / on a balcony / on the floor etc...
on a wall / on a door / on the ceiling etc...

There are some books on the shelf and some pictures on the wall.
There are a lot of apples on those trees.
Don´t sit on the grass. It´s wet.
There is a stamp on the envelope.

also on a horse / on a bicycle / on a motorbike:

Who´s that man on the motorbike?

She´s sitting on that old chair.
He´s lying on the sofa.
But: The grandma likes to sit in the armchair.

on a bus / on the first floor / on the way from A to B

on a bus / on a train / on a plane / on a ship
                                                       Did you come here on this bus?
on the ground floor / on the first floor etc.
                                                       The office is on the first floor.
on the way (to...) / on the way home
                                                       I met Ann on the way to work / on the way home.


IN / AT 


be / stay / do something (etc.) in...


Piccadilly Circus is in London.
My brother lives in Italy.
The main shops are in the city centre.

I like reading in bed.

be / stay / do something (etc.) at


The bus is at the airport.
Ann wasn´t at work yesterday.
I met her at a party.
Ann stayed at her borther´s house.


Home


go / come / walk (etc.) home (without 'to')
I´m tired. I´m going home.
Did you walk home?

be / stay / do something (etc.) at home
I´m staying at home this evening.
Where´s Ann? 'At home'


Arrive / get


arrive in a country or town (arrive in Italy / arrive in Paris etc.):
They arrived in England last week.

arrive at other places (arrive at the station / arrive at work etc.)
What time did you arrive at the hotel?

get to (a place)
What time did you get to the hotel?
What time did you get to Paris?

get home / arrive home (no preposition)
I was tired when I got home.    or    I was tired when I arrived home.


TO


go / come / return / walk (etc.) to...


We´re going to London next weekend.
I want to go to Italy.
We walked from my house to the city centre.
What time did you go to bed?
The bus is going to the airport.
Sally didn´t go to work yesterday.
You must come to our house.

(From the book ESSENTIAL GRAMMAR IN USE by Raymond Murphy)

FUTURE TENSE

I´m doing something tomorrow. (For plans and arrangements - I´ve arranged, I´ve planned to do it.)

I´m going to a concert tomorrow. (I´ve even got the tickets already!)
Alice is going to the dentist on Friday. (She has an appointment.)
We´re having a party next weekend. (Everything is prepared!)

I´m going to do something. (I have decided to do it, my intention is to do it.)

I´m going to buy some new books tomorrow.
Sarah is going to sell her car.
I´m not going to have breakfast this morning. I´m not hungry.

Look at the sky! It´s going to rain. (Something is going to happen: it´s clear now that it´s sure to happen.)

will/shall


- Sue travels a lot. Today she´s in Madrid. Tomorrow she will be in Rome. Next week she will be in Tokyo.
- You can phone me this evening. I will be at home.
- We will probably go out tonight. (You aren´t sure yet.)
- I won´t be here tomorrow.
- Don´t drink coffee before you go to bed. You won´t sleep.
- I think I will pass the exam.
- Do you think the exam will be difficult?

* will - when you offer or decide to to something
- My bag is very heavy! - I will carry it for you.
- Bye! I will phone you tomorrow!
- I think we shall win. (Do not use shall with you/they/he/she/it.)
- Tom will be late.

Shall I.../ Shall we...? (Do you think this is a good thing to do? Do you think this is a good idea?)
- It´s warm in this room. Shall I open the window?
- I´m going to a party tonight. What shall I wear?
- It´s a nice day. Shall we go for a walk?
- Where shall we go for our holidays this year?

Present Simple with a Future Meaning

We use the present simple when we talk about timetable, programmes, etc (e.g., for public transport, cinemas, etc.)

- The train leaves Plymouth at 11:30 and arrives in London at 12:45.
- What time does the film begin?
- It´s Wednesday tomorrow.

You can use the present simple for people if their plans are fixed like a timetable:

- I start my new job on Monday.
- What time do you finish work tomorrow?

(Summarized from ESSENTIAL GRAMMAR IN USE by Raymond Murphy)

SOME VERB TENSES

PRESENT SIMPLE (do)


Things that happen all the time or regularly, that are true in general:

- The sun rises in the East.
- We live in Limeira.

How often: We go home every weekend.
                  I play basketball on Sundays.
                  She brings work home every day.


PRESENT CONTINUOUS ( be + -ing)


Something that is happening at or around the time of speaking

- We are learning English.
- I´m teaching.
- He´s reading a very interesting book.


PAST SIMPLE (did)


something that happened in the past and has no consequence now (is finished.)

- Mozart died in 1791.
- Shakespeare wrote many plays.
- I went to the cinema last night.


PAST CONTINUOUS (be + -ing)


Used to say that somebody was in the middle of doing something at a certain time:

I started doing. (past) - I was doing. (past) - I finished doing. (past) - now (0)

- This time last year I was living in Britain.
- What were you doing at 7 p.m. yesterday?
- I was studying for my test when my mom called me.


PRESENT PERFECT (have + past participle)


Used when the action in the past has a result now:

- I´ve lost my keys. (I don´t know when I lost them, but I can´t find them now.)
- Is Sally here? - No, she´s gone out.
- Chico Buarque has written many songs.

Something that has just happened:

- Ouch! I´ve cut my finger!

Something that started in the past and continues until now:

- Have you ever been to Paris?
- Have you seen "Star Wars"?
- Have you heard from George recently?
- Why hasn´t Tom come to school lately?
- She hasn´t come to work for the past (last) few days.
- I haven´t eaten anything since breakfast.
- He hasn´t shown up today.
- Have you had a holiday this year?

- (in the morning):                    Sue has called you this morning.
- (in the afternoon):                  Sue called you this morning.

- It´s the first time I´ve driven a car.
- It´s the second time she has won this prize.

- Have you heard the news yet?
- Yes, Mary has already told me.
- No, I haven´t heard the news yet.


PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS (have + been + -ing)


When something started in the past, continuous in the present and has the probability of conitnuing in the future:

- It has been raining for hours.

For something that has just finished:
- Have you been running?

- How long have you been studying English?
- She´s been playing tennis since she was 8.


PAST PERFECT (had + past participle)


The past before the past:

(She left at 11 pm. I arrived at 11:30 pm.) She had already left when I arrived.

- When we got home, we realised that someone had broken into the house.
- I didn´t know who she was. I had never met her.


PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS (had + been + -ing)


- I saw the floor was wet. It had been raining.
- He was very tired. He had been working hard all day long.
- We had been playing for one hour when it started raining.

(Present Perfect Continuous) I hope the bus comes soon. I´ve been waiting for 20 minutes.
(Past Perfect Continuous)     At last the bus came. I had been waiting for 20 minutes.

(Present Perfect Continuous) He is out of breath. He has been running.
(Past Perfect Continuous)      He was out of breath. He had been running.

(Summarized from the book ESSENTIAL GRAMMAR IN USE by Raymond Murphy)

APOLOGIES, EXCUSES, AND THANKS

Apologies (= saying sorry)


We can apologise (= say sorry) in different ways in different situations:

(I´m) sorry, I beg your pardon (fml). - A general apology, e.g., you close the door in someone´s face, interrupt someone, etc...

I´m very/terribly/so/awfully sorry. - A stronger apology, e.g. you step on someone´s foot or take their coat by mistake.

I´m very/really sorry I´m late. - When you are late for an appointment.

Sorry to keep you waiting. I won´t be long. (= I will talk to you soon) - Someone is waiting to see you and you are busy, e.g. with someone else.

Note: In formal situations (especially in writing), we often use apologise and apology:

I must apologise for (being late.)
I would like to apologise for (the delay. Unfortunately...)
Please accept our apologies for the mistake in your order. We tried to...


Excuses and promises


If the situation is quite important we usually add an explanation or excuse after the apology. An excuse is the reason for the apology, which may or may not be true. (If it is not true, it should still be a reason that people will believe.) Here are some common excuses:

I´m sorry I´m late but I was delayed/held up at the airport.
I´m sorry I´m late, but my train was cancelled.

Note: To be/get delayed or be/get held up (informal) both mean to be late because of a problem that is out of your control.

If you are responsible for the problem, you can offer or promise to do something about it.

I´m sorry about the mess in here. I´ll clear it up. (= I´ll tidy it up.)
I´m sorry about the confusion, but I´ll sort it out. (I´ll solve the problem.)


Reassuring people


When people apologise to us, it is very common to say something to reassure them (= tell them that 'everything is OK'), and that we are not angry. These are all common expressions. Note that we often use two of them to emphasise the fact that 'it´s OK'.

A: I´m sorry I´m late.         B: That´s OK. Don´t worry. or Never mind. It doesn´t matter, or That´s OK. No problem.
                                           


Thanks


These are the most common ways of thanking people in everyday situations:

A: Here´s your pen.                   B: Oh, thank you / thanks (very much).
A: I´ll answer that.                     B: Oh, thanks a lot. (informal)
A: I´ll post those letters for you.       B: Oh, thank you. That´s very kind of you.

If you go to someone´s house for dinner, or stay with people in an English-speaking country, you will need to thank them for their hospitality (= when people are kind and friendly towards their guests). You could say something like this:

Thank you very much for inviting me. It´s been a lovely evening.
Thank you very much for everything. You´ve been very kind.

(from the book English Vocabulary in Use by Stuart Redman - Cambridge University Press)