Grammar summary

Problem 1. Missing Verb

S	V
His brother and sister	sell	herbs product

EXAMPLES

INCORRECT  : She absent because of rain

CORRECT      : She is absent because of rain

Problem 2. Verbs that Require an Infinitive in the Complement

They are:          agree               decide              hesitate            need                 refuse

                        appear             demand           hope                offer                seem

                        arrange           deserve            intend              plan                 tend

                        ask                   expect              learn                prepare           threaten                       claim               fail                        manage           pretend            wait    

S	V	C (infinitive)	M
I	have decided	to move	since he came

                        consent            forget              mean               promise           want   

EXAMPLES

INCORRECT  : we promised keeping our secret

CORRECT      : we promised to keep our secret

Problem 3. Verbs that Require an –ing form in the Complement

They are:          admit               deny                 miss                 regret

                        appreciate       discuss             postpone          risk

                        avoid               enjoy               practice           stop

                        complete          finish               quit                  suggest

                        consider           keep                 recall               tolerate

                        delay                mention           recommend     understand

S	V	C(-ing)	M
I	finish	giving	some advice

EXAMPLES

INCORRECT  : My students stop the complaining their score

CORRECT      : My students stop complaining their score

Problem 4. Verbs Phrases that Require an –ing Form in the

Complement

They are:          approve of       count on          get through     look forward to

                        Be better of     do not mind     insist on           object to

                        Cant help        forget about    keep on            think about/of

S	V Ph	C(-ing)	M
We	don’t mind	lending	our van

EXAMPLES

INCORRECT  : He will not think about get married soon

CORRECT      : He will not think about getting married soon

Problem 5. Irregular Past Forms

Verb words                 Past Form                   Participle

Be                                was/were                     been

Begin                           began                          begun

Come                           came                            come

S	V (Past)	M
The lecturer	came	late

EXAMPLES

INCORRECT  : yesterday the lecturer is sick

CORRECT      : yesterday the lecturer was sick

Problem 6. Modal + Verb Word

S	Modal	Verb Word
I	can	change	the world

EXAMPLES

INCORRECT  : you should going to the hospital because you look so pale

CORRECT      : you should go to the hospital because you look so pale

Problem 7. logical conclusion---Events in the Past

S	Must Have	Participle	Past Times
You	must have	dropped the key	this morning

EXAMPLES

INCORRECT  : This shirt is dirty; my son must spill out the coffee

CORRECT      : This shirt is dirty; my son must have spilled out the coffee

Problem 8. logical Conclusion---Events in the Present

S	Must be	-ing	Present time
My cousin	must be	cooking	now

S	Must be	Adjective	Present time
He	Must be	Happy	Now

EXAMPLES

INCORRECT  : he is sad; he must have had a problem with his fiancée now

CORRECT      : he is sad; he must be having a problem with his fiancée now

Problem 9. logical conclusion---Events that Repeat

S	Must	Verb word	Repeated time
My friend	Must	Exercise	Every weekend

EXAMPLES

INCORRECT  : her cat is so fat; she must be feeding it three times a day

CORRECT      : her cat is so fat; she must feed it three times a day

Problem 10. Knowledge and Ability---Know and Know How

S	Know	Noun
I	know	the rules

S	Know	How	Infinitive
I	know	how	to control	the class

EXAMPLES

INCORRECT  : it’s time to go, I know how to finding him

CORRECT      : it’s time to go; I know how to find him

Problem 11. Past Custom---Used to and Be Used to

S	Used to	Verb word
He	Used to	work	In the restaurant

S	Be	Used to	-ing form
He	was	used to	working	in the restaurant

EXAMPLES

INCORRECT  : She used to learning piano very often

CORRECT      : She used to learn piano very often

                                                or

                          She was used to learning piano very often

Problem 12. Advisability---Had Better

S	Had better	Verb word
You	had better	watch	discovery channel

S	Had better	Not	Verb word
You	had better	not	watch	discovery channel

EXAMPLES

INCORRECT  : You had not better drink alcohol

CORRECT      : You had better not drink alcohol

Problem 13. Preference---Would Rather

S	Would rather	Verb word
She	would rather	walk

S	Would rather	not	Verb word
She	would rather	not	walk

EXAMPLES

INCORRECT  : I’d rather giving my email address than phone number

CORRECT      : I’d rather give my email address than phone number

Problems 14. Preference for Another---Would rather that

S	Would rather	That	S	V(past)
I	would rather	that	you	slept

S	Would rather	That	S	Didn’t	Verb word
I	would rather	that	you	didn’t	sleep

EXAMPLES

INCORRECT  : I’d rather that you go with me

CORRECT      : I’d rather that you went with me

Problem 15. Negative Imperative

Please don’t	Verb word
Please don’t	take	him

Would you please not	Verb word
Would you please not	take	him

EXAMPLES

INCORRECT  : please don’t making any mistakes

CORRECT      : please don’t make any mistakes

                                                Or

                          Would you please not make any mistakes

Problem 16. Causative MAKE

S	MAKE	Someone	Verb word
I	made	him	know	about love

S	MAKE	Something	Verb word
I	made	the cell phone	ring

EXAMPLES

INCORRECT  : did you make your boss to give you a day-off?

CORRECT      : did you make your boss give you a day-off?

Problem 17. Causative GET

S	GET	Someone	Infinitive
Let’s	get	Ocha	to join	us

S	GET	Something	Participle
Lets	get	this cell phone	checked	first

EXAMPLES

INCORRECT  : we will get the paper to score tomorrow

CORRECT      : we will get the paper scored tomorrow

Problems 18. Causative HAVE

S	Have	Someone	Verb word
They	have	Mr.Gaban	treat	HokBen

S	HAVE	Something	Participle
They	have	the CD	played	in studio

EXAMPLES

INCORRECT  : I like the way you had the designer made your gown

CORRECT      : I like the way you had the designer make your gown

Problem 19. Causative LET

S	Let	Someone	Verb word
He	let	me	know	his ex-girlfriend

S	LET	Something	Verb word
He	let	his motor	fall

EXAMPLES

INCORRECT  : Anyun let him selling the ring

CORRECT      : Anyun let him sell the ring

Problem 20. Causative HELP

S	HELP	Someone	Verb word infinitive
I I	help help	him him	get to get	inspiration inspiration

EXAMPLES

INCORRECT  : could you help me distributes the papers? 

CORRECT      : could you help me distribute the paper?

                                                            or

                          could you help me to distribute the papers?

Problem 21. Factual Conditionals---Absolute, Scientific Results

CONDITION				RESULT
If	S	V (Present )	,	S	V (Present)
If	a catalyst	is used	,	the reaction	occurs	more rapidly

CONDITION				RESULT
If	S	V (present)	,	S	Will	Verb word
If	a catalyst	is used	,	the reaction	will	occur	more rapidly

EXAMPLES

INCORRECT  : If ice melts, it has became liquid  

CORRECT      : If ice melts, it becomes liquid or  If ice melts, it will become a liquid

Problem 22. factual Condition---Probable Result for the Future

If	S	V (present)		,	S	Will Can may	Verb word
If	we	find	her house	,	we	will	visit	her

S	Will Can May	V word		If	S	V (present)
We	will	visit	her	if	we	find	her house

EXAMPLES

INCORRECT  : if you propose me, I will accepted it happily  

CORRECT      : if you propose me, I will accept it happily

                                                            or

                          I will accept it happily, if you propose me

Problem 23. Factual Conditionals---Possible Results

If	S	V (past)	,	s	Would/Could /might	Verb word
If	we	found	her car’s key	we	would	drive	her car

EXAMPLES

INCORRECT  : if I study hard, I would get the scholarship

CORRECT      : if I studied hard, I would get the scholarship

Problem 24. Factual Conditions---Probable Changes in Past Result

If	S	Had	Participle	,		Would have Could have Might have	Participle
If	I	had	met	him	I	would have	told	him

EXAMPLES

INCORRECT  : If we had have the opportunity, we would have joined it

CORRECT      : If we had had the opportunity, we would have joined it

Problem 25. Contrary-to-Fact Conditional---Imposible Results

   Were

If	S	Were
If	I	Were	You, I could refuse

EXAMPLES

INCORRECT  : if I was Power Puff girl, I would kill Mojo Jojo

CORRECT      : if I were power Puff girl, I would kill Mojo Jojo

Problem 26. Contrary-to-Fact Conditional—Change in

  Conditions Unless

		Unless
Anyun	cant cook	unless	she	takes	cooking course

EXAMPLES

INCORRECT  : KD wouldn’t come back to Anang unless Anang is richer

CORRECT      : KD won’t come back to Anang unless Anang is richer

Problem 27. Importance ---Subjunctive Verbs

They are :         ask                   insist                recommend     suggest

                        Demand           prefer              require             urge    

                        Desire              propose           request           

S	V	That	S	Verb word
My doctor	suggests	that	my father	drink	oralit

EXAMPLES

INCORRECT  : the listeners request that I should not stop presenting the show

CORRECT      : the listener request that I not stop presenting the show

Problem 28. Importance--- Nouns Derived from Subjunctive

   Verbs:

They are:          demand            preference        recommendation           requirement

                        Insistence         proposal           request                         suggestion

Noun	That	S	Verbs word
The proposal	that	I	be	made is good

Problem 29. Importance---Impersonal Expression

They are:          essential          imperative       important        necessary

It is	Adjective	infinitive
It is	Necessary	To call	The plumber

It is	Adjective	That	S	Verb word
It is	Necessary	That	The plumber	Be	called

           

Problem 30. Purpose---Infinitive

S	V	C	Infinitive(purpose)
I	sleep	soundly	to refresh	my body and soul

Problem 31. Passives---Word Order

S	BE	Participle
The novel	is	written	in France

 Avoid using a participle without a form of the BE

Problem 32. Passives---Agent

	By	Agent
The novel is written	by	John F. Kennedy

Avoid using for or from instead of by

Problem 33. Passives---Infinitives

S	BE (present)	To be	Participle	Future time
The novel	is	to be	finished	by 2010

S	BE	To be	Participle	Past time
The novel	was	to be	finished	by 2000

Problem 34. necessity for Repair or Improvement---NEED

Remember that need may express necessity for repair or improvement

S	NEED	-ing form
This novel	needs	editing

Avoid using an infinitive or a participle instead of an –ing

S	NEED	to be	Participle
This novel	needs	to be	edited

Avoid using an –ing form instead of a participle

Problem 35. Belief and Knowledge---Anticipatory It

It is believed                it is known       it is thought     it is written

It is hypnotized            it is said           it is true

           

Anticipatory it	That	S	V
It is written	that	cinderella	meets	her prince

Avoid using an –ing form, a noun, or an infinitive instead of a subject and verb after an anticipatory it clause.

Problem 36. Duration---HAVE +Participle

S	HAVE	Participle	(duration)
Gaban	has	changed	since he met me

Problem 37. Duration---HAVE + Been + Participle

S	HAVE	Been	Participle
Gaban	has	been	accepted	to my family

Problem 38. Prediction---WILL have + Participle

Adverb future	S	Will	Have	Participle
By the year 2010	the astronauts	will	have	Found	planet 51

Problem 39. unfulfilled Desires in the Past---Had Hoped

S	Had hoped	That	S	Would	Verb word
I	had hoped	that	he	would	be	more patient

Problem 40. Missing Auxilary Verb---Active

S	Be	-ing
Nuniek	is	thinking of	someone

S	HAVE	Participle
Nuniek	has	thought of	someone

S	MODAL	Verb word
Nuniek	should	thinkof	someone

Problem 41. Missing Auxiliary verb---Passive

S	BE	Participle
The bike The bike The bike	Is has been should	fixed fixed fixed

Problem 42. subject Pronouns

	Pronoun (subject)	V
Before going to the school	they	should prepare	the lunch box

Problem 43. Subject pronouns in Complement Position

It	BE	Pronoun (subject)
it	is	he	whom really loves me

Problem 44. Objects pronouns

S	V	Pronoun (object)
He	asked	me	to have a dinner

Let	Pronoun (object)	V
Let	me	finish	this stuff

Problem 45. object Pronouns after Preposition

They are           :           among             for                   of         with

                                    Between           from                to        

	Preposition	Pronoun (object)
I’m so happy having dinner	with	him

Problem 46. Possessive Pronouns before –ing Forms

They are           :           my       her       its        your

                                    Your     his        our       their

S	V/V Ph	Pronoun (possessive)	-ing form (noun)
He He	can find out Finds out	my my	feeling feeling	about him about him

Problem 47. Possesive pronouns Before Parts of the Body

Remember that possessive pronouns are used before nouns that identify a part of the body

		Pronoun (possessive)	Noun (part of the body)
I	cut	his	hair

Avoid using the instead of a possessive pronoun

Problem 48. Relatives Pronouns that refer to Persons and Things

	Someone	Who
He is	The artist	Who	Plays in Avatar

	Something	Which
That is	The house	Which	He sold

Problem 49.Relatives Pronouns that Refers to Persons

	Who	V
The man	who	likes	me giving me a stalk of rose

Avoid using whom as the subject of a verb

	Whom	S	V
I see the man	whom	I	know	at the college

Problem 50. Reflexives Pronouns

They are           :           myself               himself              itself                 yourselves

                                    Yourself           herself              ourselves          themselves

S	V	Pronoun (reflexives)
I	believe	myself

Problem 51. Reciprocal Pronouns

S	V	Pronoun (reciprocal)
We	have to know	each other	deeper

Problem 52. Count Nouns

Number (plural)	Noun (count-plural)
Three	hours

Avoid using a singular count noun with a plural number

Problem 53. Noncount Nouns

Noun (noncount)	Verb (singular)
Love	is	blind

Avoid using the before a non count noun. Avoid using a plural verb with a non count noun.

Problem 54. nouns with Count and Noncount meanings

	A blank
I need	A space	To write a note

	The universe
I wish I can see	The space	From the rocket

Problem 55. Count and Nouncount Nouns with Similar Meanings

	a	Noun (count)
There is	a	Machines	To cut the grass

Avoid using a with a noncount noun instead of a singular count noun.

Problem 56. Noncount nouns that are Count Nouns in other

            Languages

Remember many nouns that are count nouns in other languages may be non count nouns in English.

They are           :           advice              fun                   leisure              patience

Anger              homework       luck                 permission

                                    Courage          ignorance        money              poetry

                                    Damage           information     music               poverty

                                    Equipment       knowledge       news                progress

	ø	Noun (uncount)
I like listening to                                                                        music

Problem 57. Singular and Plural Expressions of Ouncount Nouns

	A	Singular	Of	Noun(nouncount)
I order	a	bowl	of	salad

	number	Plural	Of	Noun (nouncount)
I’d like to have	two	cups	of	hot chocolate

Problem 58. Classification---Kind and Type

	Kinds/types	Of	Noun (plural count) (nouncount)
There are many	kinds	Of	clothes

One	Kind/type	Of	Noun (singular count) (noncount)
one	type	of	house	is shown

Problem 59. Infinitive and –ing Subjects

S (infinitive)	V
To get a good score	needs	hard work

S (-ing)	V
Getting older	makes	sad

Problem 60. Qualifying Phrases with –ing Nouns

The	-ing	Qualifying phrase
		of                    Noun
The	writing	of                 dinosaurs	is the most attracting story for children

source: Barron's TOEFL