Hi there,
This week we have started looking at the PAST PERFECT, TIME LINKERS and we revised COMPARATIVES; SUPERLATIVES.
HERE’S THE GRAMMAR.
PAST PERFECT SIMPLE
FORM
| AFFIRMATIVE Subject | Aux. had | Past participle |
| We | had | been |
| NEGATIVE Subject | Aux. had + NOT | Past participle |
| They | Hadn’t | Seen |
| QUESTION : HAD | SUBJECT | PAST PARTICIPLE |
| What had | she | done? |
USE
Completed actions in the PAST that happened BEFORE other actions!
When Mark arrived, Ann HAD (already) MADE THE COFFEE.
Ann was making the coffee.
Ann made the coffee.
(1. Ann made the coffee.
(2. THEN Mark arrived.)
Cp HE HAD (ALREADY) GRADUATED WHEN HE GOT MARRIED.
(1. HE GRADUATED 2. THEN HE GOT MARRIED.
HE HAD GOT MARRIED WHEN HEGRADUATED.
(1. HE GOT MARRIED 2. THEN HE GRADUATED)
TIME LINKERS
WHILE / AS /WHEN : THINGS HAPPEN AT THE SAME TIME
| I WAS HAVING A SHOWER |
10.00 longer action 10.30
| The phone rang (10.15) |
shorter (interrupting)
While/As/When I was having a shower, the phone rang.
The phone rang while/as/when I was having a shower.
—————————————————————————
THE MOMENT / AS SOON AS/WHEN (similar to AFTER!)
ONE ACTION FOLLOWS ANOTHER
| I went to bed. | I fell asleep. |
10.00 10.05
The second action immediately FOLLOWS the first.
The moment /As soon as/When (after) I went to bed, I fell asleep!
I fell asleep the moment /as soon as/when (after) I went to bed!
_______________————————————————-
BY THE TIME (before) : ONE ACTION HAPPENS BEFORE ANOTHER
| JOHN HAD ARRIVED (6pm) | I GOT HOME .(6.15) |
By the time (Before) I got home, John had arrived.
John had arrived by the time (Before) I got home.
The focus point is “getting home” the other events are described in the Past Perfect.
COMPARATIVES (COMPARE 2 THINGS/PEOPLE)
SHORT ADJECTIVES (1 SYLLABLE) + ER
Old – older sweet – sweeter tall –taller
Spelling big- bigger hot –hotter
Adjectives in –y ( usually, two syllables – ier
Happy – happier lucky –luckier
Longer adjectives with MORE
Interesting – more interesting
beautiful – more beautiful
MODERN MORE MODERN
SUPERLATIVES (MORE THAN TWO THINGS/PEOPLE)
SHORT ADJECTIVES (1 SYLLABLE) the + EST
Old – oldest sweet – sweetest tall –tallest
Spelling big- biggest hot –hottest
Adjectives in –y ( usually, two syllables; the – iest
Happy – happiest lucky –luckiest
Longer adjectives with the MOST
Interesting – the most interesting
beautiful – the most beautiful
Irregulars
Good – better- the best bad – worse- the worst
Far- further- the furthest
AFTER COMPARATIVES WE USE “THAN”
John is OLDER THAN Mike.
English is MORE DIFFICULT THAN French.
AFTER SUPERLATIVES USE “in”
He’s the oldest student in the class.
Which is the longest river in the world?
NEGATIVE COMPARISONS
LESS + ADJ. + THAN
This book is LESS DIFFICULT THAN THAT ONE.
MODFIYING COMPARATIVES
BIG DIFFERENCES MUCH/ A LOT/ FAR
This wine is MUCH/A LOT /FAR MORE EXPENSIVE than that one.
WINE a = £ 5 WINE B = £30
SMALL DIFFERENCES A LITTLE/SLIGHTLY / A BIT
This wine is A LITTLE/SLIGHTLY /A BIT MORE EXPENSIVE than that one.
WINE a = £ 5 WINE B = £6
Remember that we were looking at telling stories backwards!! Mr Bean, Jack and the Beanstalk! Why don’t you try to tell a story the wrong way round!!!
See you on Tuesday!
SallyD