Chris Cacciari

What’s grammar?

Chris Cacciari

Grammar = Structural foundation

Grammar is the structural foundation of our ability to express ourselves.

Chris Cacciari

Grammar provides you with the structure you need in order to organize and put your messages and ideas across.

Chris Cacciari

Grammar provides you with the structure you need in order to organize and put your messages and ideas across.

Chris Cacciari

Grammar provides you with the structure you need in order to organize and put your messages and ideas across.

Chris Cacciari

But, a good command of the english grammar doesn’t mean that you are able to communicate effectively.

Chris Cacciari

Focus on the usage of grammar

When to use?What for?How?

Chris Cacciari

We use the Present Perfect Simple: We use the Past Simple:

With since or for, about a period of time which is still continuing:

I’ve lived there for 4 years.

(= and I still live there)

With for, about a period of time which is finished:

I lived there for 4 years. (= but I don’t live there

now)

Present Perfect Simple or Past Simple?

I moved there. I live there. I moved there.I moved out. I don’t live there.

Chris Cacciari

We use the Present Perfect Simple: We use the Past Simple:

With questions asking how long for situations that still happen:

How long have you lived there?

(I know you still live there)

With questions asking how long/ when for finished situations :

How long did you live there?

When did you live there?

(I know you don’t live there anymore)

Present Perfect Simple or Past Simple?

Chris Cacciari

We use the Present Perfect Simple: We use the Past Simple:

A. Ongoing at the present

Howlong have you been in Florida?

I arrived here in May.I am still here.I have been here since

May.

B. Wholly in the past

How long were you in Florida.

I arrived there in May.I left there in July.I was there for two

months.

Present Perfect Simple or Past Simple?

Chris Cacciari

We use the Present Perfect Simple: We use the Past Simple:

With questions asking how long:

(How long indicates a period or length of time, with a beginning and ending point.)

How long have you lived in Arizona?

I have lived here since 1997. (Asks for length of time.)

With questions asking when: (When usually indicates a specific point in time, or something that is considered as a specific point.)

When did you move to Arizona?

I moved here in 1997.(Asks for specific time)

When and How Long indicate different things.  

Chris Cacciari

We use the Present Perfect Simple: We use the Past Simple:

Status/condition/possession/awareness

(How long have you . . .?)

known your best friend

had that new watchbeen a lawyer

Action(When did you . . .?)meet your best friendget/buy that new

watchbecome a lawyer

"Actions" usually happen at a point in time, whereas things such as "possession,"status" "condition"

"awareness" refer to something that continues over a period of time.  

Chris Cacciari

We use the Present Perfect Simple: We use the Past Simple:

For unfinished actions and events, often with still or yet:

I still haven’t finished it.

I haven’t finished it yet.

For completed actions and events in the past, often with ago:

I finished it half na hour ago.

Present Perfect Simple or Past Simple?

Chris Cacciari

We use the Present Perfect Simple: We use the Past Simple:

To talk about experiences you’ve been through during your life:

I’ve been to Los Angeles but not New York. (= in my life up to now)

To talk about when you had an experience:

I went to Los Angeles last month.

I went to Los Angeles but not to New York (= on a particular trip which is the past)

Present Perfect Simple or Past Simple?

Chris Cacciari

We use the Present Perfect Simple: We use the Past Simple:

To focus on the result of na activity or event which is complete:

I’ve read the newspapers.

Teacher,I’ve done my homework, may I hand it in?

To talk about past events which are not connected to the present:

The Chinese invented printing.

Present Perfect Simple or Past Simple?