Summary of Everyday English: Grammar and Vocabulary Basics

## Introduction In this guide, you'll find resources and explanations to practice basic English structures useful in secondary school classes. We'll focus on how to ask and answer questions about ongoing actions, the use of adverbs of frequency, vocabulary for routines, and describing the weather. You'll find examples, exercises, and comparative tables to consolidate your understanding. > Definition: The present continuous is used to talk about actions happening right now or near-future plans. ## 1. Present Continuous: Short Questions and Answers ### Basic Structure - Question: auxiliary verb + subject + main verb + -ing - Example: Are Peter and Paula having breakfast? - Short Answer: Yes/No + subject + auxiliary verb - Example: Yes, they are. / No, they aren't. > Definition: Short answers avoid repeating the entire phrase and use the auxiliary verb (am/is/are). Comparison Table: Question and Answer Formation | Type | Example (English) | Translation (Spanish) | |---|---:|---| | Positive Question | Are they swimming in the pool? | ¿Están nadando en la piscina? | | Affirmative Answer | Yes, they are. | Sí, lo están. | | Negative Answer | No, they aren't. | No, no lo están. | ### Practical Examples - Are Rita and Rachel shopping in town? — Yes, they are. - Are Frank and Felix listening to music? — No, they aren't. Fun fact: Did you know that in English, contractions like "aren't" and "isn't" are very common in everyday speech and allow for more natural short answers? ## 2. Common Wh- Questions and Their Answers ### Key Questions and Typical Answers - Where are you? — I'm in Paris. - What are you doing at the moment? — We're having lunch. - What's the weather like? — It's cold and windy. - Who are you staying with? — Our aunt and uncle. - What are you wearing? — Boots, trousers and a big jumper. - Where are your parents? — They're shopping in town. > Definition: Wh- questions (where, what, who) require a more complete answer than yes/no questions. ## 3. Phone Conversation (Practice Building Questions) Example Dialogue and Implied Questions: - Billy: Hi, Liz. It's Billy. *Where are you?* - Liz: Hi, Billy. I'm in Milan with my parents. - Billy: *Who are you staying with?* - Liz: We're staying with my grandparents. - Billy: *What's the weather like there?* - Liz: It's great. It's hot and sunny. - Billy: Is it raining in the UK? - Liz: Yes, it is. *What are you doing?* - Billy: I'm playing cards with my grandparents. - Liz: They're shopping in town. ### Tips for Asking Questions on the Phone - Start with "Where are you?" if you need to know the location. - Use "What are you doing?" to find out the current activity. - To ask about the weather, ask "What's the weather like?". ## 4. Articles and Fixed Expressions ### Use of a / an / the / to / no article - play football — no article: play football - have a shower — with "a": have a shower - go to bed — with "to": go to bed - listen to music — with "to": listen to music - wash the car — with "the": wash the car - have a snack — with "a": have a snack - take a photo — with "a": take a photo - talk to Toby — with "to": talk to Toby - go home — no article: go home - write an email — with "an": write an email > Definition: The choice of article depends on whether the activity is countable, general, or followed by a specific preposition. Did you know that in English, some actions are expressed without an article (for example: "play football"), while others require "a" or "the" depending on whether we're referring to a general or specific action? ## 5. Adverbs of frequency: position in a sentence - always, usually, sometimes, often, never Quick rules: - With simple verbs, the adverb goes before the main verb: I always read in bed. - With the verb 'to be', the adverb goes after: I am often bored. Example table | Adverb | Position with simple verbs | Position with 'to be' | |---|---:|---:| | always | He always reads in bed. | — | | usually | She usually does her homework at