Basic
grammar
points

REVIEW OF STRUCTURE
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A/ ADVERBIAL CLAUSES :
I/ Clause Of Concession: Though, Although, Even Though, Even If
+ But , Despite , In Spite Of ( Adj + Noun , V-Ing , Possessive + Noun, The + Noun)
+ Whatever ( Adj/ Object, Subject), However, Adj + As + S + V.
a/ S
1
+ V But + S
2
+ V
-> S
1
+ V + , S
2
+ V
Ex: They live in poverty but they dont feel unhappy. ( although)
-> They live in poverty, they dont feel unhappy.
b/ Although +S
1
+ V + S
2
+ V ( S
1
= S
2
)

e/ Although + S + V + NOUN = Whatever + NOUN + S + V,
Ex: We must study well though we have any kinds of difficulties. ( whatever)
-> Whatever ( kinds of ) difficulties we have, we must study well .
f/ Whatever + NOUN + S + V = No Matter What + NOUN + S + V,
Ex: No matter what experience he has , he cant repair that machine.
-> Whatever experience he has , he cant repair that machine.
II/ Clause Of Reason (Cause): Because , As , Since
+ Because Of + Noun Phrase = Because + Clause( gioỏng nhử Although & in spite of)
+ So, So That, If, To Inf
+ S + Stop / Prevent + O + From + V-ing = Because of
Ex: The teacher is sick, so we have no class tomorrow. (because)
-> Because the teacher is sick. We have no class tomorrow.
Ex: That restaurant is so dirty that nobody wants to eat there. (because)
-> Because that restaurant is dirty, nobody wants to eat there.
Ex: She went to the post office to send a letter.
-> Because she wanted to send a letter, she went to the post office.
Ex: The fog prevented us from going out.
-> Because of the fog, we didnt / couldnt go out.
III/ Adverb Of Result : So / Such That
2
+ Because, Too, Enough……
1/ S + V + So + Adj / Adv + That ………………
+ Uses of Adj & Adv ( Verb followed by adj )
+ The ending letters of adjective.(-ful/ tive/ ous )
+ Use of “ So many & so much”
Ex: He has so much work to do that he can’t go to the cinema with us.
2/ S + V + Such + (a/ an) + Adj + Noun + That ………………
+ Use of “a / an”.
Ex: It is such a difficult lesson that we can’t understand it.
Ex: Mary is too young to get married > Mary isn’t old enough to get married.

-> Unless we take a taxi, we will be late.
Ex: Without rain, we couldn’t stop the forest fire completely.
-> If there were no rain, we couldn’t stop the forest fire completely.
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5/ But for + Noun = If it were not for/ hadn’t been for + Noun
Ex: But for the storm, we would have had a good crop.
-> If it hadn’t been for the storm, we would have had a good crop.
* Notes:
Ex: He gave me a lift to the station, otherwise I might have missed the train.
-> If he hadn’t given me a lift to the station, I might have missed the train.
Ex: But for your help, I couldn’t have finished the work.
-> If you hadn’t helped me, I couldn’t have finished the work.
V/ Clause Of Comparison: As….As, Not So/As……As, More/ less ……Than, The Most……
1/ Positive degree:
a/ Equality: S + V + ……… + As + Adj / Adv + As + S + Va.
Ex: She works as hard as her friend does. ( Caâu cho saún coù “Too”)
Ex: This table is one meters long. That one is two meters long.
-> That table is twice as long as this one.
b/ Unequality: S + Verb + Not + As / So + Adj / Adv + As + S + Va.
-> S + Verb + Less + Adj / Adv + Than + S + Va.
Ex: The market is less crowded than usual today.
-> The market is not so / as crowded as usual today.
2/ Comparative degree:
a/ S + Verb + More + Long-Adj / Adv + Than + S + Va.
+ Short-Adj/ Adv+ ER + Than + S + Va.
Ex: Mr.Phan doesn’t drive as carefully as he used to.
-> Mr. Phan drives more carelessly than he used to.
Ex: Hung is not good at Chemistry as Minh.
-> Minh is better at Chemistry than Hung.
b/ S + Verb + The most + Long-Adj / Adv + ( Noun) + Place

- purposes /metal ( reading, walking, steel, nylon, cotton…)
- head noun( book, car…)
* Question with “HOW”
- how old: ( số + tuổi / at the age of + số)
- how tall / high : ( số + tall / high , the height of)
- how far : ( số + mile / kilometer )
- how fast : (số + mile / kilometer + per hour)
- how deep ( số + deep, the depth of )
- how long ( số + meter/ mile long , the length of, for + số + tgian)
- how wide ( số + wide, in width)
- how often ( once/ twice + a + time)
- how many / much + noun : ( số + noun)
- how much : ( số + money, số + pound )
VI/ Clause Of Time:
When, As, ( On + Ving), While, As Soon As, Before, After, Since, Until, By The Time.
1/ Time in the sentence is in the past ( yesterday, last , ago, in pat time) or verb in past tenses
a/ After / as soon as + S + Had + V
3
, S + V
2
-> After + V-Ing = After + S + Had + V
3
Ex: After finishing our work ,we went home.
-> After we had finished our work ,we went home.
b/ Before / by the time + S + V
2
, S + Had + V
3
-> Before + V-Ing = Before + S + V
2

-> It is / was + Time + since + S + Verb in simple past …………………………….
Ex: He lost his job three months ago.
-> It is three months since he lost his job.
e2/ S + Have / has Not + V3 ……………………+ For + Time.
-> It is + Time + Since + S +( Last) + Verb in simple past.
-> The last time ( when)+ S + Verbs in simple past ……… + Was + Time + Ago.
Ex: We haven’t seen Minh for two years.
-> It is / has been two years since I last saw Minh.
-> The last time we saw Minh was two years ago.
e3/ Uses of “For” and “Since”.
f/ S + Verb in simple past + Not …………………….Until + Clause in simple past / Phrase of time
-> It was not until + Clause / Phrase + That+ S + Verb in simple past.( mãi cho đến khi)
Ex: Tom didn’t begin to read until he was ten.
-> It was not until Tom was ten that he began to read.
Ex: The noise next door did not stop until midnight.
-> It was not until midnight that the noise next door stopped.
2/ Time in the sentence is in the future ( tomorrow, next ) or verb in the future
S + Verb in the future ………………+ Conj + S + Verb in the present.
Ex : When I meet him tomorrow, I will give him your letter.
Ex: You will fell better after you have something to eat.
Ex: You will have something to eat. You will feel better.
-> After you have something to eat, you will feel better.
3/ Notes on tenses
a/ The simple past tense:
+ Formula: S + V2 – Did not + V1 – Did + S + V1?
+ Usage: “yesterday , last , ago, in + time in the past”
: From …………to …………. ( from 1990 to 1995)
Ex: Jane ……………………just a few minutes ago.
a. leaves b. has left c. had left d. left
Ex: My uncle lived in Hanoi since 1990 to 1998, but he is now living in Hue.

a. are meeting b. will meet c. are going to meet
d. all are correct.
* To express the near future, we can use the present continuous, “Be going to”
d/ The present continuous:
+ Formula: S + Am / Is / Are + V-Ing:
+ Usage: now, at present, at the moment, right now ,but today, but tonight
: Look, Listen, Don’t …………
Ex: They ………… on the field now.
a. worked b. are working c. have worked d. will work
Ex: Don’t talk while the teacher …………….the lesson.
a. is explaining b. was explaining c. explained d. explains
Ex: She often goes to school by bicycle but today she …………….to school.
a. walks b. walked c. is walking d. will walk
Ex : We ………… her sing on the radio now.
a. hear b. are hearing c. heard d. will hear
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* Verbs are not used the continuous tenses:
- Giaực quan: see, hear, smell, taste, sound, be.
- Tỡnh caỷm : like, love , hate, dislike, want, envy, need
- Sụỷ hửừu : have = own = possess, belong, cost, exist
- Tinh than : know, realize, recognize, think, remember, forget
* Verbs are often used in the simple present although there is Now in the sentence: Live,
teach, work, learn , study
e/ The past continuous:
- Formula: S + Was / Were + V-Ing
- Usage: At + Hour / At this time + Time ( Yesterday, last)
- When / while / as
Ex: Tom . the news on TV at this time (at 7 oclock) last night.
a. was watching b. watched c. watch d. had watched
Ex: Tom .the news on TV last night.

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So That , In Order That, In Case………
+ To – Inf, In Order To- Inf, So As Not To – Inf.
Ex: David signed the paper. He wanted to work at the construction company.
-> David signed the paper so that he wanted to work at the construction company.
-> David signed the paper ( in order to ) to work at the construction company.
1/ S
1
+ V ………………………. S
2
+ want / hope + To-V
1
-> S
1
+ V ……………………….So That + S
2
+ can / could + V
1
-> S
1
+ V ………………………. + To/ In order to-V
1
-> S
1
+ V ……………………….So As Not + To-V
1
( Khi mđề sau ở phủ đònh)
* Nếu mđề sau ở phủ đònh ta có thể viết lại bằng:
-> S
1

VIII/ Clause Of Place : Where
Ex: I don’t know where I should go now.
IX/ Clause Of Manner: As, As If , As Though,……
Ex: You didn’t see a ghost. -> You look as if you had seen a ghost.
Ex: He isn’t my brother. -> He talks as if he was / were my brother.
B/ NOUN CLAUSES :
1/ Passive Voice: Basic Structures, Noun Clauses.
• Noun clause:
S
1
+ V + THAT + S
2
+ V ……………
-> S
2
+ TO BE + V
3
+ TO INFINITIVE
Ex : Many years ago people believed the earth was flat.
-> Many years ago the earth was believed to be flat.
-> Many years ago it was believed that the earth was flat.
* Basic structures:
Ex: They are going to build a new hospital near our school.
-> A new hospital is going to be built near our school.
Ex: People have to keep dangerous chemicals in a safe place.
-> Dangerous chemicals have to be kept in a safe place.
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Ex: Paul Mc. Cartney wrote the famous song called “Yesterday”.
-> The famous song called “Yesterday” was written by Paul Mc. Cartney
2/ Wish Clauses: Three Types:

+ Modal Verbs ( Can, May, Must, Shall, Will)+ Bare Inf
* Be Able To, Be Likely To, Have To, Ought To, Be Going To, Be About To) + Bare inf
+ Perception Verbs + 0 ( See, Notice, Observe, Watch, Hear, Listen To, Bid)+ Bare Inf
+ Other Verbs + 0 ( Let, Help, Make) + Bare inf
+ Can’t But, Than, Except, Why Not, Would Rather, Let’s + Bare inf
+ Causative Forms.( S + Have + Someone + Bare inf)
2/ Full Infinitive / To Infinitive ( V
5
):
+ It + Be + Adj + To Inf
+ V-Ing / To Inf……….+ Be + Adj
+ Wh / There Is Nobody/ Anybody Somebody( Thing/ One) + To- Inf……
+ Too / Enough + For – O + To Inf
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+ It Cost / Take + O + Time / Money + To Inf ……
+ Verbs +(O+) To - inf ( Afford, Agree, Appear, Ask, Arrange, Attempt, Beg, Decide, Demand,
Enable, Expect, Fail, Hope, Intend, Manage, Invite, Offer, Promise, Prepare, Pretend, Plan,
Persuade, Require, Refuse, Want, Wish, Tell, Seem).
3/ Gerund( V
4
):
+ Preposition: At, After, About, Before, By, For, From, In, Of, Off, On, With, Without, Up.
+ Be / Get Used ( Accustomed ) To,
+ Look Forward To, Be Opposed To, Object To, Take To
+ Adj ( Near, Busy, Worth, Worthwhile) +V-ing
+ Adj + Gerund / Inf ( Nice , Lovely, Great, Happy, Wonderful, Horrible, Foolish) +V-ing
+ It Is No Use / Good
+ There Is No / Much/ Little +V-ing .
+ Go /No / The / Do The +V-ing
+ Have Fun / Difficulty / Time/ Trouble +V-ing

To be determined = There + be determination
C/ SUBJECT AND VERB AGREEMENT
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1/ Singular noun takes singular verb ( is, has, Vs)
- V-ing / to. Inf
- Clause ( that / what)
Ex: What he said to us is not true.
- Time of money: dollar, dong
- Time of distance : mile, meter, kilometer
- Time of measure : kilo, ton
- Time of time : day, month…
- Subjects : mathematics, physics, news…
- The number of…
- The title of book
Some / any / no / every + one / body / thing
2/ Plural noun takes plural verb ( are / have / V
1
)
- Books, pupils…
- Children, women, feet ( irregular nouns)
- The + Adj ( old, rich. English ) : Chæ ñoàng
loïai
Ex: The rich are to help the poor.
- police, people, cattle, poultry
- A number of …………
Notes :
a/ S
1
+ prepositional phrase + S
2

e/ Noun + Adj- clause (who, whom…) + Verb agrees with Noun
Ex: You are the person who is wanted by the police.
f/ Noun of collection :
+ team, audience, committee + Verb depends on meaning.
+ class, family, council, army, couple, majority, public
Ex: The team are playing well today.( The team consists of ten persons)
g/ The determiners such as :
+ all, enough, some, none, plenty + Of + Phrase + Verb ( depends on meaning)
+ half, part, more, most, the rest + Of + Phrase + Verb
Ex: All is ready. Let us begin. ( All = everything)
Ex: All were satisfied with the exam results. ( all = students, candidates)
D/ PART OF SPEECH
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Adjectives:
- S + Linking verbs (be , feel, look, seem, appear, become, get, turn, prove, smell, sound, taste) + Adj
Ex: She looks beautiful in her long dress.
- S + Verbs (make, find, think, keep ) + Objective + Adj.
Ex: Your new dress makes you more beautiful.
- Adjective + Noun.
Ex: She has got a beautiful long dress.
- Indefinite pronouns + Adj ( I have something new to tell you)
- Noun of quantity + Adj ( The table is two meters long)
- Noun + Adj + prep ( He wrote a book useful to all students)
- Noun + Adj “alone, alive, afloat ”( I have never seen a tiger alive)
- How /As/ So / Too + adj + A/ An + Noun ( It was so warm a day that we decided to go out)
* Adjective Formation:
1/ Noun + y : rainy, foggy, healthy, speedy, windy, snowy, stormy, cloudy
2/ Noun + ly : friendly, weekly, lovely, likely, yearly, monthly, daily
3/ Noun + en : golden, woolen, wooden
4/ Noun + al: national, natural, cultural

tion ( pollute, attract, suggest, invent)
4/ Verb +ment ( develop, enrich, encourage, enjoy, amuse, employ, excite, agree, disappoint, treat,)
5/ Verb +ing ( dirtying/ safeguarding, garden, shop, fish, train, mean, )
6/ Verb +al ( arrival , approval)
7/ Verb +y ( discovery/ recovery)
8/ Verb/ Adj +th ( growth / strength/ width/ warmth , youth, depth, death, health, speech)
9/ Verb + age : ( pack, marry, store, pass, break, short)
10/ Verb = Noun ( visit, interview, influence, recycle, interest, force, change, display)
11/ Verb + Er/ Or/ Ar/ Ee/ ant / ist ( driver, actor, beggar, liar, employee, trainee, assistant, typist)
• Noun + hood : thời kỳ ( childhood, neighborhood )
• Adj + dom : lãnh vực, trạng thái ( freedom, wisdom, kingdom)
• Noun / Adj + ism : chủ nghóa ( socialism, patriotism, capitalism, modernism, criticism )
Adverbs:
- S + Intransitive verbs (ngoại trừ “Linking verbs”) + Adv
Ex: He works very carefully.
- S +Transitive Verbs (ngoại trừ “make, find, think, keep”) + Objective + Adv.
Ex: He did his exercises very carefully.
- Adv + verbs / adj / adv/ sentence.
Ex: He will surely die if nobody sends him for a doctor.
Ex: I’m truly grateful to you for your help.
Ex: He works extremely carefully.
Ex: Luckily, nobody was hurt in the accident.
* Adverb formation ( Adj + ly)
* Adjective = Adverb
( hard, fast, early, late, back, deep, direct, enough, far, high, ill, just, left, long,
short, well, wrong, much , near, right, low, cheap)
Verbs :
- Modal verbs( can, may, must, shall, will) + Bare Inf
Ex: We can enrich our vocabulary by reading books.
- Prep + V-ing ( Và các động từ theo sau là V-ing)

2/ Past subjunctive:
a). S + Would rather / sooner + S + Verb in simple past tense ( thích hơn………….)
Ex: I would rather you paid the book next Sunday.
( = I want you to pay the book next Sunday.)
b). It + Be + (high) time + S + Verb in simple past tense ( Đã đến lúc………….)
Ex: It is high time we went to school. (= it is high time for us to go to school)
c). S + Wish = If only ( Ước gì…………….)
Ex: I wish we had met earlier ( = If only we had met earlier)
3/ Inversion:
a). When a negative or semi- negative adverb begins the sentence:( never, seldom, rarely, no longer,
no sooner……….than, hardly……. when, little, in no account, in no circumstances… )
Ex: Seldom did he give his wife a present.( = he seldom gave his wife a present.)
b). When “ There, here, first , last or an adverb of place+ verbs as ( be, exist, live, lie, stand, sit, go
come” begins the sentence.
Ex: There comes the bus we are looking for. ( = The bus we are looking for comes there.)
* If the subjects are pronouns, there is no inversion.
Ex: Here they lie, cold and forgotten.
c). In the structure “ So…………… that” -> “ So + Adj/ Adv + Verb + S + that………….”
Ex: So sick was he that he had to be taken to hospital.
d). When “ Only when / after/ by/ with/ in ….” begins the sentence. If the sentence is complex, the
inversion takes place in the main clause.
Ex: Only at night do I have chance to read.
Ex: Only when he is here, does he speak English.
e). When “If” is omitted from a conditional sentence.
Ex: Had I been there, I would have spoken to him.( = If I had been there, I would have spoken to him)
Ex: Were I rich , I would travel around the world.( = If I were rich , I would travel around the world.)
4/ S + Be + Adj + To- Inf……… = It + Be + Adj + Of + O + To- Inf = How+ Adj + Of + O + To- Inf !
Ex: You are very kind to say so.
= It is very kind of you to say so = How kind of you to say so!
5/ The emphatic form of verbs.

1/ Noun + Wh + Verb -> Noun +V-Ing
Ex: The man who took me to the airport was friendly. -> The man taking me to the airport was friendly.
2/ The + first, last, next + Noun + Wh + Verb -> Noun +To-Inf
Ex: The first man who left the ship is my father. -> The first man to leave the ship is my father.
3/ Noun + Wh + To Be + P.P -> Noun +P.P
Ex: Have you read the plays which were written by Shakespeare?
-> Have you read the plays written by Shakespeare?
4/ Noun + Wh +S + Verb -> Noun +To- Inf
Ex: You should get a dictionary which / that you can look up these difficult words in.
-> You should get a dictionary to look up these difficult words in.
III/ Multiple choice
1/ Noun of person + Who + verb / Whom + S + Verb / Whose + Noun
2/ Noun of thing + Which + Verb / S + Verb
3/ Noun of place + Where + S + Verb ( Note of the use of which and where)
4/ Noun of time + When + S + Verb
5/ Noun of reason + Why + S + Verb
• “That” = “who, whom, which” ( Nếu câu có dấu phẩy hoặc có giới từ không được dùng “that”)
• Prep + Which / whom
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