Conditional sentences are used to talk about situations and their consequences. In English, different types of conditionals are used depending on whether we are talking about facts that are always true or possible events in the future.
✅ Zero Conditional: Facts and Things That Always Happen
The zero conditional is used for situations that are always true. It shows a cause and effect relationship that does not change.
Examples:
If you heat water to 100°C, it boils. 💧
If it rains, the ground gets wet. 🌧️
If I am tired, I go to bed early. 🛏️
Key points:
Used for facts, routines, or general truths.
Both parts use the present simple tense.
✅ First Conditional: Real Possibilities in the Future
The first conditional is used for possible events in the future and their likely results. It is often used for predictions, warnings, promises, or advice.
Examples:
If it rains tomorrow, we will stay at home. 🌧️🏠
If I study hard, I will pass my exam. 📚
If she doesn’t hurry, she will miss the bus. 🚌
Key points:
Talks about possible future situations.
The if-part uses present simple, and the result uses will + base verb.
Sometimes we don’t know the facts, but we can make guesses or deductions about what’s true. In English, we use modal verbs like may, might, could, must, and can’t to do this. They help us show how sure or unsure we are about something.
Talking About Possibility
When we aren’t sure, but we think something is possible, we use may, might, or could + base form (the base form of the verb, without to).
These modals all mean “maybe”. They show that we’re guessing, not stating a fact.
💭 Examples of Possibility
💬 Sentence
💡 Meaning
She may be ill.
Maybe/ It’s possible she’s ill.
She might be lost.
Maybe/ It’s possible she’s lost.
She could be from another country.
Maybe/ It’s possible she’s is from another country.
She might not be here tomorrow.
Maybe/ It’s possible she won’t come tomorrow.
🎯 Quick Notes
may, might, and could all express the same level of possibility.
To make a negative, add not: might not / may not.
Example: He might not come to class today.
They’re followed by a base form verb
✅ She might be late. ✖️ She might to be late.
🌦 Think of it like this:
Modal
How sure are you?
Example
may / might / could
🤔 Maybe yes, maybe no
It might rain later.
They’re your “maybe modals”
These modals are perfect when you’re not 100% sure, but something is possible!
Talking About Strong Possibility
Sometimes things look or sound true, even if we aren’t completely certain. In this case, we use seem + to + verb to show a strong possibility or something that appears or feels true.
Think of it as saying:
“It looks like…” or “It sounds like…”
💭 Examples of Strong Possibility
💬 Sentence
💡 Meaning
She seems to be very cold.
It looks like she’s cold.
They seem to know each other well.
It appears they know each other.
This café seems to be popular.
It looks busy — probably true.
He seems to be tired.
It looks that way — I’m quite sure.
🧩 Grammar Pattern
seem + to + verb(base form)
✅ She seems to be tired. ✅ It seems to work well.
🌟 Remember
“Seem” is stronger than may, might, or could.
You use it when something looks or feels true, but you don’t have proof.
It’s a polite, soft way to make an observation.
🎯 Compare
Expression
Meaning
Example
may / might / could
possible, not sure
She might be cold.
seem (to)
strong possibility
She seems to be cold.
Talking About Certainty
When you feel quite certain about something or you have good evidence or a strong reason, use must + verb.
It means you are almost 100% sure something is true.
💭 Examples of Deduction (Strong Certainty)
💬 Sentence
💡 Meaning
She must work at McDonald’s.
I’m almost sure. She is wearing a uniform.
He must be tired after the trip.
I’m almost sure. He traveled all night.
You must know her.
I’m sure it’s true. You work in the same office!
That must be our bus.
I’m certain — it’s the right number.
🧩 Grammar Pattern
must + verb (base form)
✅ She must be at work. ✅ He must live nearby.
🧠 Remember
Use must when you see evidence or know facts that make something very likely.
It’s much stronger than may, might, or could.
Don’t use it for the past. This form talks about the present.
🎯 Compare
Expression
Meaning
Example
may / might / could
possible
He might be tired.
seem (to)
strong possibility
He seems to be tired.
must
sure, strong evidence
He must be tired.
Talking About Something is Impossible
When you are certain something is impossible, use can’t + verb. It shows you are sure that your guess or idea is not true.
Think of it like saying:
“That’s impossible!” or “No way!”
💭 Examples of Deduction (Strong Negation)
💬 Sentence
💡 Meaning
She can’t be at work
I’m sure she isn’t. Her car is still here.
That can’t be his house.
Impossible. It’s too big!
He can’t know the answer
I’m certain he doesn’t. He didn’t come to class.
You can’t be serious!
I don’t believe it. It’s not true.
🧩 Grammar Pattern
can’t + verb (base form)
✅ He can’t be at school — it’s Sunday. ✅ That can’t be real!
🧠 Remember
Use can’t when you are sure something isn’t true.
It’s the opposite of must.
Both talk about deduction in the present — what we think now.
⚖️ Compare
Expression
Meaning
Example
must
sure it’s true
She must be tired. (I’m almost sure she is tired)
can’t
sure it’s not true. It’s impossible
She can’t be tired. She just woke up! (It’s impossible she is tired)
🧠 Grammar Focus
Here’s a complete overview of the modals and expressions we use to talk about possibility, certainty, and impossibility:
When we speak or write in English, we often need to give extra information about a person, a place, or a thing. For example:
I met a woman. She works at the museum. → I met a woman who works at the museum.
We combine the two sentences using a relative clause.
Defining relative clauses help us identify exactly who or what we are talking about — they define the noun. Without this information, the sentence would be unclear.
What Is a Defining Relative Clause?
A defining relative clause gives essential information about a noun. It tells us which person, thing, or place we mean.
Without relative clause
With defining relative clause
The man is my teacher.
The man who is wearing a blue jacket is my teacher.
I read the book.
I read the book that you recommended.
The café is closed.
The café where we had breakfast is closed.
🟢 The information in the relative clause is necessary to understand the sentence. If we remove it, the meaning changes.
Relative Pronouns
We use relative pronouns to connect the main clause and the relative clause.
Relative Pronoun
Refers to
Example
who
people
She’s the student who won the prize.
that
people / things
This is the song that I like.
which
things
That’s the laptop which I bought yesterday.
where
places
This is the park where I go running.
whose
possession/ relationship
I met a man whose car was stolen. I met a woman whose husband is an actor.
when
time
Do you remember the day when we met?
🟡 Tip: In defining relative clauses, we don’t use commas because the information is essential.
When Can We Omit the Relative Pronoun?
We can leave out “who,” “which,” or “that” when it’s the object of the clause (not the subject).
✅ The book that I read was interesting. → The book I read was interesting. ❌ The teacher teaches English is great. → (cannot omit — “who” is the subject)
We can omit
We cannot omit
The film (that I watched) was amazing.
The film that won the award was amazing.
The man (who I met) is from Spain.
The man who lives next door is from Spain.
Examples in Context
She’s the woman who teaches our English class.
That’s the shop where I bought my shoes.
He’s the actor whose movies are very popular in Asia.
This is the place where we met for the first time.
Each clause gives key information that helps the listener understand exactly who or what we’re talking about.
When we describe the world around us, we often talk about how things are similar or different. We compare people, places, animals, objects, and even situations, sometimes without thinking about it!
In English, there are several ways to make comparisons. You might already know the basic forms:
But English allows us to go further. We can make stronger comparisons to emphasize big differences, and we can use adverbs to compare actions. For example, how people speak, drive, or work.
Comparing with Adjectives and Adverbs
A. Short adjectives and adverbs
Add -er / -ier to short adjectives or adverbs. Use than to compare.
Type
Form
Example
Short adjectives (1 syllable)
adjective + -er + than
“Millennials cook more at home, their food is healthier than before.”
Adjectives ending in -y
change -y → -ier
“Fresh food is tastier than fast food.”
Short adverbs
adverb + -er + than
“He runs faster than his brother.”
B. Long adjectives and adverbs
Use more / less + adjective/adverb + than for longer words.
Type
Form
Example
Long adjectives (2+ syllables)
more + adjective + than
“This café is more comfortable than that one.”
Adverbs ending in -ly
more + adverb + than
“Millennials exercise more regularly than older generations.”
Opposite idea
less + adjective/adverb + than
“Fresh food is less fattening than fast food.”
Stronger Comparisons
We can make comparisons stronger using words like much, far, or a lot before the adjective.
Form
Example
much / far / a lot + comparative
“This city is much bigger than my hometown.”
much / far + more + adjective
“Electric cars are far more expensive than gas cars.”
🟢 Tip: These words make the difference sound stronger or more surprising.
Irregular Comparatives
Some adjectives and adverbs don’t follow normal rules.
Adjective/Adverb
Comparative
Example
good / well
better
“She cooks better than her brother.”
bad / badly
worse
“Their diet is worse than before.”
Non-Equatives and Equatives
Non-Equatives → Use not as + adjective/adverb + as to show difference (in a polite or softer way).
“Millennials are not as hard-working as their parents.”
“This café isn’t as quiet as the one downtown.”
Equatives → Use as + adjective/adverb + as to show equality.
“My town is as peaceful as yours.” → Add emphasis with just as or almost as.
“This park is just as beautiful as the beach.”
“This phone is almost as fast as my laptop.”
Comparing Nouns
We can also compare how many or how much people or things there are.
Form
Example
more + noun
“More millennials are happy to pay a higher price for eco products.”
fewer + plural noun (countable)
“Fewer adults own their homes today.”
less + uncountable noun
“Millennials earn less money than their parents.”
🧠 Grammar Focus
Type
Form
Example
Short adjectives
adjective + -er + than
“New York is bigger than Boston.”
Long adjectives/adverbs
more / less + adj/adv + than
“Tokyo is more crowded than Seoul.”
Stronger comparisons
much / far / a lot + comparative
“London is far bigger than Oxford.”
Irregular adjectives
better / worse/ further
“This café is better than that one.”
Irregular adverbs
well/ badly/ fast/ hard
“John runs faster than Mike”.
Non-equatives
not as + adj/adv + as
“This hotel isn’t as clean as that one.”
Equatives
(just/almost) as + adj/adv + as
“The park is just as nice as the beach.”
Nouns
more / fewer / less + noun
“Fewer people drive to work now.”
✨ Remember:
Use -er or more to show differences.
Use as … as to show similarities.
Add much / far / a lot to make your comparison stronger.
Use not as … as to sound polite.
Use more / fewer / less to compare amounts.
Let’s Practice!
Practice 1
Practice 2
Speaking
Look at the prompts in the cards and make sentences using comparatives.
Articles are small but powerful words in English! We use them before nouns to show if we are talking about something general or specific.
Let’s review how and when to use a, an, the, and no article in clear steps.
The Definite Article – the
We use the when the listener knows exactly what we’re talking about — something specific, unique, or already mentioned.
✅ Use “the” for:
Something both people know about: → I’m going back to the city tomorrow.
Famous buildings or landmarks: → We visited the Empire State Building.
Something unique (only one): → People all over the world love music.
🟡 Example:
I saw the movie you told me about. (It’s clear which movie.)
The Indefinite Articles – a / an
We use a or an when we talk about one thing for the first time, or something not specific.
✅ Use “a / an” for:
When you mention something new: → I bought a book yesterday.
When you mean “one” of something: → I had an idea this morning.
When you talk generally (not a specific one): → Would you like a coffee?
💡 Tip:
Use a before consonant sounds → a dog, a student, a car
Use an before vowel sounds → an apple, an hour, an umbrella
Zero Article – no article (Ø)
Sometimes, we don’t use a, an, or the at all! This is called the zero article (Ø).
✅ Use no article for:
People or things in general: → Tourists love visiting New York. → Dogs are friendly animals.
Uncountable nouns: → I love music and coffee.
🟡 Example:
I enjoy listening to music. (We’re not talking about specific music.)
🧩 Comparative Table: Articles in English
Type
Form
Use
Example
Definite article
the
Specific or known person/thing; unique items; landmarks
We went to the beach. / The moon is bright.
Indefinite article
a / an
One, first mention, not specific
I saw a movie. / She has an umbrella.
Zero article (Ø)
—
General ideas, plural or uncountable nouns
Music is relaxing. / People are friendly.
🧠 Grammar Tip
🔹 Use a/an when you mention something for the first time. 🔹 Use the when both people know what you’re talking about. 🔹 Use no article (Ø) for things in general or uncountable nouns.
Have you ever wondered whether to say “I went” or “I’ve been”? Both talk about the past — but they don’t mean the same thing.
In English, we use the Simple Past to describe actions in a finished time and the Present Perfect to describe experiences or actions that are connected to now.
The Simple Past — Finished Time
We use the Simple Past to talk about completed actions or situations that happened in the past. The time is specific and finished.
✅ Structure:
Subject + past form of the verb
Example
Meaning
I visited New York in 2018.
The trip is finished.
She studied English last year.
That time is over.
We didn’t go to the party yesterday.
The event is finished.
🕓 Common Time Expressions:
yesterday
last week / last year
in 2010
two days ago
when I was a child
💡 Tip: If you say when something happened → use the Simple Past.
The Present Perfect — Experience and Connection to Now
We use the Present Perfect to talk about past actions or experiences that are still relevant now. The focus is on the result or the experience, not on when it happened.
✅ Structure:
Subject + have/has + past participle
Example
Meaning
I have visited New York.
I know that city — the experience is relevant now.
She has lived here for ten years.
She still lives here.
We haven’t finished our homework yet.
It’s not done now.
🕓 Common Time Expressions:
ever / never
just / already / yet
for / since
recently / lately / so far
💡 Tip: Don’t say when with Present Perfect. The exact time is not important.
Comparing the Two
Simple Past
Present Perfect
Focus on finished time
Focus on experience or result
Time is known or completed
Time is not mentioned or still continuing
“I saw that movie last week.”
“I have seen that movie before.”
“She worked in Spain in 2019.”
“She has worked in Spain.”
“We met in high school.”
“We have met before.”
💬 Think like this:
Simple Past = WHEN it happened
Present Perfect = IF it has happened (and still matters)
Real-Life Examples
🗣️ Everyday English:
“I’ve lost my keys!” (They’re still lost — problem now!) “I lost my keys yesterday.” (Problem finished — I found them later.)
💼 At work:
“I’ve already sent the email.” (It’s done now — result matters.) “I sent the email this morning.” (It happened earlier, time finished.)
💬Talking about experiences:
“Have you ever been to Italy?” “Yes, I went there two years ago.”
🧠 Quick Review
✅ Simple Past:
finished time
“When?” is clear
used with: yesterday, last week, in 2010
✅ Present Perfect:
experience or result
“When?” is not important
used with: ever, never, for, since, already, yet
💡 Remember: If the time is finished → Simple Past If the time connects to now → Present Perfect
Let’s Practice
Practice 1
Practice 2
Speaking
Practice 1
Practice 2
Complete the questions and discuss the topics with your classmates
We use used to + base verb to talk about: ✅ things we did regularly in the past, but don’t do now ✅ situations that were true in the past, but aren’t true now
“I used to take the bus to school.” (I don’t take it now.) “There used to be a park here.” (The park isn’t here anymore.)
⚙️ Structure of used to
Form
Structure
Example
✅ Affirmative
Subject + used to + base verb
I used to play tennis.
❌ Negative
Subject + didn’t use to + base verb
I didn’t use to like vegetables.
❓ Question
Did + subject + use to + base verb?
Did you use to live near the beach?
🟡 Notice: After did, we write use to (without “d”). 🟡 The verb after “used to” never changes — it’s always the base form!
🕰️ Used to vs. Past Simple
Both talk about the past, but there’s a difference 👇
Used to
Past Simple
repeated habits or states that are not true now
one specific past action
“I used to go jogging every morning.”
“I went jogging yesterday.”
“We used to live in Paris.”
“We moved to Paris in 2015.”
💡 Tip: If it happened regularly and it’s not true now → use used to. If it happened once → use Past Simple.
💬 Pronunciation & Speaking Tip
When speaking quickly, used to often sounds like /ˈjuːstə/.
“I used to go to the gym” → sounds like “I yoosta go to the gym.”
✅ Practice saying:
I used to watch cartoons.
Did you use to play an instrument?
We didn’t use to eat sushi.
🧠 Quick Review
✅ Used to + base verb → past habits or states that are not true now ✅ Didn’t use to / Did you use to… → questions and negatives ✅ Past Simple → specific actions in the past ✅ Use used to to talk about change over time
Let’s practice
Speaking
Practice 1
Complete the sentences about your past habits.
Practice 2
Look at the pictures in the cards and make a sentence about your past habits.
Example: When I was a child, I didn’t use to have a mobile phone.
Understanding the difference between them is essential for choosing the correct tense.
We use action verbs to describe things we do — activities, movements, and processes. We use stative verbs to describe what we think, feel, have, or are. These verbs talk about a state rather than an action.
This difference explains why we say:
I’m eating dinner. ✅ (an action happening now) but I know the answer. ✅ (a state — not an action)
⚡ Action Verbs
Action verbs describe things that happen — physical or mental actions. They can be temporary or in progress, so we often use them with the Present Continuous.
Action Verb
Example in Present Simple
Example in Present Continuous
work
I work in an office.
I’m working late today.
eat
She eats breakfast at 8.
She’s eating right now.
study
They study English.
They’re studying for the test.
play
He plays football every weekend.
He’s playing now.
🧠 Use the Present Continuous for actions happening now or around now.
I’m cooking dinner. They’re studying this week.
🕒 Use the Present Simple for routines or facts.
I cook dinner every day. They study every Tuesday.
🧘 Stative Verbs
Stative verbs describe states — not actions. They tell us about feelings, thoughts, senses, possession, or relationships. We don’t usually use them in continuous form (-ing).
Category
Common Stative Verbs
Examples (Present Simple)
Feelings
love, like, hate, prefer
I love this song. / She doesn’t like coffee.
Thinking / Opinion
know, believe, remember, understand, think*
I know the answer. / I believe you.
Senses
see, hear, smell, taste
I hear some music. / This soup tastes good.
Possession
have, own, belong
I have a car. / This book belongs to me.
Being / Appearance
be, seem, look (adj.)
You are nice. / It seems difficult.
⚠️ We don’t usually say:
❌ I’m knowing the answer. ✅ I know the answer. ❌ She’s liking pizza. ✅ She likes pizza.
💡 Verbs with Both Meanings
Some verbs can be action or stative, depending on the situation and meaning.
Verb
Stative Meaning (not -ing)
Action Meaning (-ing OK)
think
I think it’s a good idea. (= have an opinion)
I’m thinking about my plans. (= considering)
have
I have a car. (= possess)
I’m having lunch. (= eating)
see
I see what you mean. (= understand)
I’m seeing the doctor tomorrow. (= meeting)
be
He is nice. (= characteristic)
He’s being rude. (= behaving temporarily)
look
You look tired. (= appear)
You’re looking at the screen. (= action)
🪄 Tip: When a verb describes a temporary action, you can usually use the -ing form.
🧩 Grammar Summary
Use
Tense
Form
Example
Habit / fact
Present Simple
Subject + base verb (+s/es)
I play tennis.
Now / temporary
Present Continuous
Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing
I’m playing tennis.
State (feeling, thought, possession)
Present Simple
Subject + stative verb
I believe you.
✅ We don’t use stative verbs in continuous tenses.
