Riassunto esame inglese, prof. Brambilla Marina Marzia, accertamento per B1/B2

N.b.

Mustn’t don’t have to

and are completely different

mustn’t don’t have to

You do something = it is necessary that You do = you don’t need to do it (but

you do not do it you can if you want)

mustn’t be don’t have to be

- I late - I at the meeting

Must Mustn’t Needn’t

must mustn’t do needn’t

You do something = it is You something = it is You do something = you

necessary that you do it. necessary that you do not do it. don’t need to do it (but you can

if you can).

Should

should do should go

You something = it is a good thing to do or the right thing to do (you look tired. You to

bed). should think/I don’t think/… think should do

We often use with (I the government more to reduce crime).

shouldn’t shouldn’t believe

You do something = it isn’t a good thing to do (You everything you read in the

newspaper).

should should be

You can use when something is not right or what you expect (I wonder where Tina is. She

here now). should

We also use to say what we expect something happen (She’s been studying hard for the exam, she

should pass).

should have done

You something = you didn’t do it, but it would have been the right thing to do (You

should have come).

missed a great party last night. You

shouldn’t have done shouldn’t have eaten

You something = you did it, but it was the wrong thing to do (I

so much). If should should phone

You can say something happen … (If Tom while I’m out, tell him I’ll call him back

later).

N.b. ought to should ought to have come).

You can use instead of (It was a great party. You

Had better (I’d better/You’d better/…)

I’d better do something = it is advisable to do it. If I don’t do it, there will be a problem or a danger (We’d

better stop for petrol soon. The tank is almost empty).

I’d better not You’d better not go

The negative is (You don’t look very well. to work today).

N.b. Had better should had better

is similar to but not exactly the same. We use only for specific situations:

should go had better go).

- You’re always at home. You out more often (in general – not

It’s time It’s time to time to go

You can say (for somebody) … (It’s home).

N.b. It’s time we went

You can also use the past (went) with a present meaning (It’s late. home).

It’s time you did time were

something = You should have already done it or started it (It’s the children in

It’s about time

bed). You can say … . This make the criticism stronger.

Would would would be

We use (‘d)/wouldn’t when we imagine a situation or action (It nice to buy a new car, but

we can’t afford it).

would have have

We use (done) when we imagine situations or actions in the past (I don’t know what we’d

done without their help).

wouldn’t do wouldn’t to start).

Somebody something = He/she refuse to do something (The car

Can/Could/Would you … ? (requests, offers, permission and invitations)

Asking people to do things (requests):

Can could you Could you

- or (Can wait a moment, please? or wait a moment, please?)

Will would would you can/could

- or (Liz, do me a favour? – but is more usual)

N.b. Do you think could can)

We say you … ? (not

Asking for things

- Can/Could I have I have

… ? (Can these postcards, please?)

May I have I have

- … ? (May these postcards, please?)

Asking to do things

Can, could may I May

- or (Could use your phone? – is more formal)

Do you mind if I Is it all right/Is it OK if I

- … ? or … ?

Offering to do things

Can I I

- … ? (Can help you?)

Offering and inviting

Would you like you like

- … ? (Would a cup of coffee?)

I’d like like

- (I’d to try on this jacket – It’s a polite way of saying what you want)

If I do … and If I did

Compare:

Lisa: I’ve lost my watch. Have you seen it In this exemple, Sue feels there is a real possibility

anywhere? that she will find the watch

if I’ll find

Sue: No, but it, I’ll tell you

If I found

Joe: a wallet in the street, I’d take it to Here, Joe doesn’t expect to find a wallet in the

the police station. street. He is imagining a situation that will

probably not happen (the meaning is not past)

would If-part If would

We do not normally use in the of the sentence. But you can use … when you ask

if would

somebody to do something (I would grateful you let me know your decision as soon as possible).

If I knew … I wish I knew … I knew would phone

Sarah wants to phone Paul: “If his number, I him”. When you imagine a situation like

I knew/were/…).

this, you use If + past (If wish wish I knew

We use the past in the same way after (I Paul’s phone number).

If I were If I was

/

if wish were was wish Carol were I wish Carol was

After and you can use instead of (I here or here).

If I had known … I wish I had known …

if + had if I hadn’t been

We use … to talk about the past (I would have gone out so tired).

Wish I wish hope

You can say you luck/every success/… but you cannot “wish that something happens. We use in

this situation:

I wish you every success

- in the future

I hope have

- you a pleasant stay here

wish wish

We also use to say that we regret something. When we use it in this way, we use the past (I you

didn’t have to go so soon – You have to go). Wish + had + known/said/… wish I’d known

To say that we regret something in the past, we use (I about

the party).

I wish I could wish I could stay

(do something) = I regret that I cannot do it (I more)

I wish I could have wish I could have gone)

(done something) = I regret that I could not do it (I

I wish would

You can say (somebody) (do something):

I wish would stop

- it raining

Passive 1 (is done/was done) built

When we use an active verb, we say what the subject does (He this house in 1935)

house was built

When we use a passive verb, we say what happens to the subject (The in 1935).

When we use the passive, who or what causes the action is often unknown or unimportant (but if we want

by was built by my grandfather)

to say it we use … - This house

be

The passive is (is/was/…) + past participle (done/cleaned/…)

Passive 2 (be done/been done/being done)

Infinitive: do/clean/see will clean

- active = (to) etc - Somebody the room later

be + done/cleaned will be cleaned

- passive = (to) etc - The room later

Perfect infinitive:

have + done/cleaned should have cleaned

- active = (to) etc - Somebody the room

have been + done/cleaned should have been cleaned

- passive = (to) etc - The room

Present perfect:

have/has + done has cleaned it

- active = etc - The room looks nice. Somebody

have/has been + done should have been cleaned

- passive = etc - The room

Present continuos:

am/is/are + is cleaning

- active = (do)ing - Somebody the room at the moment

am/is/are + being is being cleaned

- passive = (done) - The room at the moment

Past continuos:

was/were + was cleaning

- active = (do)ing - Somebody the room when I arrived

was/were + being was being cleaned

- passive = (done) - The room when I arrived

Passive 3

I was offered… we were given …

/ etc Some verbs can have two objects (give =

the police the information).

Somebody gave So, it

police

possible to make two passive sentences (the

the information

were given the information or was

given to the police).

I don’t like being… people telling me

- active = I don’t like what to do

being told

- passive = I don’t like what to do

I was born… was born

We say I and not I am born

Get get be

You can use instead of in the passive only

when things happen (it is used mainly in informal

English). didn’t get offered

- I’m surprised Liz the job ( = Liz

wasn’t offered the job)

is liked

- Jill by everybody (not gets liked – this is

not a “happening”)

It is said that… / he is said to…

“Henry is very old. Nobody knows exactly haw old he is, but:

It is said that

- he is 108 years old

is said to be

- He 108 years old

Both these sentences mean: “People say that he is 108 years old”.

These structures are often used in news reports.

He is supposed to…

is) supposed to

Sometimes (it = (it is) said to

supposed to be

- I want to see that film. It’s good

supposed to

But sometimes has a different meaning (intended, arranged or expected).

is supposed to be

- The plan a secret, but everybody seems to know about it (= The plan is intended to…)

Have something done

have something done

We use to say that we arrange for somebody else to do something for us:

repaired

- Lisa the roof (= herself)

had repaired

- Lisa the roof (= she arranged for somebody else to do it)

N.b. Sometimes it has a different meaning:

had all their money stolen

- Paul and Karen while they were on holiday

This does not mean that they arranged for somebody to steal their money.

Reported speech 1 (he said that…)

Paul: I’m feeling ill.

You want to tell somebody what Paul said. There are two ways of doing this:

I’m feeling ill”

- You can repeat Paul’s words (direct speech): “Paul said,

that he was feeling ill”

- Or you can use reported speech: “Paul said

N.b. said

when we use reported speech, the main verb of sentence is usually past (Paul …). The rest of the

sentence is usually past too.

Reported speech 2

It is not always necessary to change the verb in reported speech. If you report something and the situation

hasn’t changed, you do not need to change the verb to the past:

is

- direct = Paul said, “My new job very interesting”

is is

- reported = Paul said that his new job very interesting (His job still interesting)

Say tell

and tell:

If you say who somebody is talking to, use

tell the police? say

- What did you (not the police)

Questions Tom

In questions we usually put the subject after the first verb (Will be here tomorrow)

do/does live

In present simple questions, we use (Do you near here?)

did sell

In past simple questions, we use (Did you your car?)

N.b. do/does/did who/what/etc telephoned

Do not use if is the subject of the sentence (Who Emma)

Auxiliary verbs

have lost

- I my keys