brupp_langreference.pdf

Unit 1

Language at work | Present simple and

continuous

Present simple

Use the present simple

1 to talk about routines

I usually arrive at work at about 8.30.

2 to talk about things we think of as permanent

I work for IBM.

3 to talk about states.

Paris lies on the River Seine.

4 (with future reference) to talk about timetabled events

The next train leaves at 11.15.

5 to talk about future time introduced by when , as soon as ,

after , if , etc.

When I see Margaret tomorrow, I’ll give you a ring.

Commonphrases used with the present simple are: as a rule ,

generally (speaking) , on the whole , once (a week / in a while) , every

(winter) , most of the time .

Present continuous

Use the present continuous

1 to talk about an action happening at the moment of speaking

Mr Takashi is waiting for you in Reception.

2 to talk about a project that is ongoing and uninished

I am writing a report on the takeover, and I should

inish in a few days.

3 to talk about things we think of as temporary

I am staying with my brother while my house is being

redecorated.

4 to talk about a gradual change or development

Because of global warming, sea levels are rising slowly.

5 (with future reference) to talk about an appointment or

arrangement

I am seeing Mrs Langer next Tuesday.

Common phrases used with the present continuous are

currently , for the moment , at the moment, for the time being ,

tomorrow (afternoon) , right now.

Stative verbs

Verbs that describe states rather than actions are normally

only used in the simple form, i.e. verbs of thinking (e.g. know ,

agree ), verbs of appearance ( look , seem ), feeling (e.g. prefer ,

want ), possession (e.g. own , belong ), the senses (e.g. taste ,

sound ). Some stative verbs can sometimes be used in the

continuous form, but with a change in meaning.

simple: I see the Eiffel Tower on my way to work .

continuous: I’m seeing Bob on Monday. (= I am meeting

Bob)

Unit 2

Language at work | Question form review

Making questions

1 With most verbs, make direct or Wh - questions with a

normal auxiliary verb ( be , do , have ) or a modal auxiliary

( may , will , shall , etc.). The auxiliary comes before the subject.

Do you know many people here?

How long has she been working for Hertz?

Should you send that form off today?

2 With a prepositional or phrasal verb, the preposition or

particle usually comes after the verb.

Where do you come from? (Not: From where do you come?)

Where did you grow up?

3 Who and what can be the subject or the object of a question,

with a difference in word order.

Who or what as subject (word order same as in a statement):

Who wants to come (Answer: Somebody wants to …)

Who or what as object (auxiliary precedes the subject):

What did you say? (Answer: I said something …)

4 Make an ordinary statement into a question by using rising

intonation.

A James is away, I’m afraid – he’s in Rome.

B He’s in Rome? What’s he doing there?

5 Use negative questions to check that something is true. Put

n’t after the auxiliary, and use them when the answer yes is

expected.

A Didn’t Amelie move to Marseilles a few months ago?

B Yes, that’s right – when the new branch was opened.

Question tags

1 If the main verb is positive, the question tag is negative.

• With the verb be , repeat the verb in the negative.

It’s hot, isn’t it?

• With verbs in the present simple, use don’t / doesn’t .

You work for Siemens, don’t you?

• With verbs in the past simple, use didn’t .

He left early yesterday, didn’t he?

• All other tenses that have auxiliaries (continuous tenses,

perfect tenses, etc.), reuse the irst auxiliary in the

negative.

He’s been to China, hasn’t he?

They would say that, wouldn’t they?

You will be there, won’t you?

2 If the main verb is negative, the question tag is positive.

You haven’t seen my keys anywhere, have you?

3 If the subject is a word like someone , no one , everybody ,

anyone , use they in the question tag.

Anyone can use the meeting room, can’t they?

Everybody knows that, don’t they?

Unit 3

Language at work | Present perfect and

past simple

Present perfect

Use the present perfect

1 to link a present situation with something that took place at

an unspeciied time in the past

Ana has sent the new brochure to all our clients.

The present situation is that all the clients have the new

brochure. The past event is that Ana sent the new brochure

(we don’t know when).

2 with yet and already to talk about tasks expected to be done

or which are done earlier than expected

A Have you inished that report yet?

B Yes. And I’ve already done most of the next one as well.

3 with how long, for and since to talk about duration of states

and activities (see page 121)

4 with just to talk about things that have happened very

recently

I’ve just seen Tom in the cafeteria .

5 with uninished time periods: since, so far this week , up to

now , recently , this month , today

You’ve been late three times this month – please be on time for

the rest of the month.

Past simple

Use the past simple

1 when referring to (or thinking of) a inished time period like

yesterday , last week, at 5.30 , on 11 May , at Christmas , in 2002 ,

etc.

I went to the sales conference last week.

2 for questions like When? What time? How long ago? etc.

because the expected answer is a inished time period

A When did you see Mr Li? (Not: When have you seen Mr

Li? )

B I saw him yesterday. (Not: I have seen him yesterday. )

3 with many present time expressions usually used with the

present perfect, like this week, today, just , if they refer to a

time period that is about to inish or has just inished

We’ve made a lot of progress this week . (said on Wednesday

– the time period is still in progress)

We made a lot of progress this week . (said at 4.30 p.m. on

Friday – the time period is about to inish)

Unit 4

Language at work | Present, past and

future ability

Use can or (be) able to to talk about ability. Can has only two

forms: can (present) and could (past). Use be able to when an

ininitive is needed.

Present ability

1 Use can to talk about general or present ability.

I can speak French, but I can’t speak German very well.

Could you speak louder – I can’t hear you.

2 Is / are able to is possible instead of can but can is more

common.

Are you able to hear me at the back of the room?

Past ability

1 Use could to talk about general ability in the past and with

verbs of perception ( feel , see , hear , etc.).

Anna could speak four languages when she was six.

I could see that she was upset.

2 For a single speciic action in the past (as opposed to general

ability), to mean ‘tried and succeeded’, use was able to .

I was able to run fast enough to catch the bus.

I could run fast when I was young.

However, if the speciic action is negative, use couldn’t or

wasn’t able to .

I called customer services again and again, but I couldn’t /

wasn’t able to get through.

3 To talk about a speciic action in the past, especially when

we succeed in doing something dificult after trying hard,

use managed to . It can be used in the positive or negative.

They didn’t want to give us the discount at irst, but we

managed to persuade them.

4 To refer to past ability with a connection to the present, use

the present perfect form of be able to .

I have always been able to learn languages quite easily.

Future ability

Since can has no ininitive form, use be able to to talk about

future ability

1 after will and going to

Perhaps Jane will be able to help you.

I’m afraid I’m not going to be able to do anything for you.

2 after modals

I may / might be able to help you.

3 after verbs like would like to and want to

I would like to be able to help you.

Unit 5

Language at work | Direct and indirect

questions

Direct and indirect questions

1 In a direct question, the normal word order is verb – subject .

In an indirect question, starting with a phrase like Do you

know … , the positive form is used and the order becomes

subject – verb .

Direct: When is Mr Patel leaving?

Indirect: Do you know when Mr Patel is leaving?

These differences are most noticeable in the present simple

and past simple. In the indirect question, the auxiliaries do /

does or did are not needed .

Direct: Where does Mr Elmore work ?

Indirect: Could you tell me where Mr Elmore works?

Direct: When did Cassie call ?

Indirect: Could you tell me when Cassie called?

2 For Wh - ? and How? questions, we repeat the question word.

Direct: Who * is Jan seeing tomorrow?

Indirect: Do you know who Jan is seeing tomorrow?

Direct: How much does it cost?

Indirect: Do you know how much it costs?

Direct: Why did Mr Peters leave?

Indirect: Do you know why Mr Peters left?

*When who or what is the subject of the question (see Unit 2),

there is no difference in word order.

Direct: Who is coming to the meeting?

Indirect: Do you know who is coming to the meeting?

3 For Yes / No questions, use if or whether (or not) .

Direct: Is it going to rain tomorrow?

Indirect: Do you know if it’s going to rain tomorrow?

Direct: Have you decided to go ahead?

Indirect: Could you tell me whether or not you’ve decided to

go ahead?

4 The most common phrases to introduce indirect questions

are

Could you tell me … / Do you know … / Could you let me

know … .

Language tip

Other common phrases that follow the same pattern are

these reported thought phrases.

I wonder … / I’ll try and ind out … / I have no idea … /

I don’t know … / I’m not sure … / I doubt whether …

I wonder when our order will arrive.

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