The basic rule for asking questions in English is straightforward: Invert the order of the subject and the first auxiliary verb.
It is snowing. = Is it snowing?
He can speak German. = Can he speak German?
They have lived here a long time. = Have they lived here a long time?
She will arrive at ten o'clock. = Will she arrive at ten o'clock?
He was driving fast. = Was he driving fast?
You have been smoking. = Have you been smoking?
Used to do
We use 'used to' for something that happened regularly in the past but no longer happens.
I used to smoke a packet a day but I stopped two years ago.
Ben used to travel a lot in his job but now, since his promotion, he doesn't.
I used to drive to work but now I take the bus.
We also use it for something that was true but no longer is.
We use “had better” plus the infinitive without “to” to give advice. Although “had” is the past form of “have”, we use “had better” to give advice about the present or future.
You'd better tell her everything.
I'd better get back to work.
We'd better meet early.
The negative form is “had better not”.
You'd better not say anything.
I'd better not come.
We'd better not miss the start of his presentation.
Let's start off with the easy part. ' I wish to' can mean the same as 'I want to' but it is much, much more formal and much, much less common.
I wish to make a complaint.
I wish to see the manager.
You can also use 'wish' with a noun to 'offer good wishes'.
I wish you all the best in your new job.
We wish you a merry Christmas.
Notice that when you want to offer good wishes using a verb, you must use 'hope ' and not 'wish'.
We wish you the best of luck.
We can use the Third Conditional to talk about 'impossible' conditions, impossible because they are in the past and we cannot change what has happened.
If I had worked harder at school, I would have got better grades.
If I had had time, I would have gone to see him. But I didn't have time.
If we had bought that house, we would have had to rebuild the kitchen.
If we had caught the earlier train, we would have got there on time but we were late.
Notice that the main clause can contain 'would', 'could' or 'might.
The Second Conditional is used to talk about 'impossible' situations.
If we were in London today, we would be able to go to the concert in Hyde Park.
If I had millions dollars, I'd give a lot to charity.
If there were no hungry people in this world, it would be a much better place.
If everyone had clean water to drink, there would be a lot less disease.
Note that after I / he/ she /it we often use the subjunctive form 'were' and not 'was'. (Some people think that 'were' is the only 'correct' form but other people think 'was' is equally 'correct' .)
If she were happy in her job, she wouldn't be looking for another one.
If I lived in Japan, I'd have sushi every day.
If they were to enter our market, we'd have big problems.
We use the First Conditional to talk about future events that are likely to happen.
If we take John, he'll be really pleased.
If you give me some money, I'll pay you back tomorrow.
If they tell us they want it, we'll have to give it to them.
If Mary comes, she'll want to drive.
The 'if' clause can be used with different present forms.
If I go to New York again, I'll buy you a souvenir from the Empire State Building.
If he's feeling better, he'll come.
If she hasn't heard the bad news yet, I'll tell her.
When we talk about things that are generally or always true, we can use:
If/When/Unless plus a present form PLUS present simple or imperative
If he gets there before me, ask him to wait.
When you fly budget airline, you have to pay for your drinks and snacks.
Unless you need more space, a small car is big enough for one person.
Note that we are not talking about a specific event but something which is generally true.
We can use 'must' to show that we are certain something is true. We are making a logical deduction based upon some clear evidence or reason.
There's no heating on. You must be freezing.
You must be worried that she is so late coming home.
I can't remember what I did with it. I must be getting old.
It must be nice to live in Florida.
We also use 'must' to express a strong obligation. When we use 'must' this usually means that some personal circumstance makes the obligation necessary (and the speaker almost certainly agrees with the obligation.)
We can use 'should' after 'reporting verbs' such as demand insist propose recommend suggest
He demanded that we should pay for the repair.
She insisted that she should pay for the meal.
I have proposed that he should take charge of the organization.
The committee recommends that Jane should be appointed.
We have suggested that Michael should be given a reward for his hard work.
However, it is also possible to say exactly the same thing by omitting the 'should' and just using the infinitive form without 'to'. Some people call this the 'subjunctive' form.
He demanded that we pay for the repair.
We use 'should' for giving advice.
You should speak to him about it.
He should see a doctor.
We should ask a lawyer.
We use 'should' to give an opinion or a recommendation.
He should resign now.
We should invest more in Asia.
They should do something about this terrible train service.
may
We can use 'may' to ask for permission. However this is rather formal and not used very often in modern spoken English
May I borrow your pen?
May we think about it?
May I go now?
We use 'may' to suggest something is possible
It may rain later today.
I may not have time to do it today.
Pete may come with us
'Could' can be used to talk about the past, the present or the future.
'Could' is a past form of 'can'
When I was living in Boston, I could walk to work.
He phoned to say he couldn't come.
I could see him clearly but I couldn't hear him and then the videoconference line went dead.
'Could' is used to make polite requests. We can also use 'can' for these but 'could' is more polite.
We use 'can' to talk about 'possibility'.
Can you do that?
I can't manage to do that.
You can leave your car in that parking space.
You cannot smoke in here.
Notice that there are two negative forms: 'can't' and 'cannot'. These mean exactly the same thing. When we are speaking, we usually say 'can't'.
We use 'can' to talk about 'ability'.
I can speak French.
I can't drive.
The –ing form can be used like a noun, like an adjective or like a verb.
Smoking is forbidden.
I have a long working day.
I don't like dancing.
When it is used like a noun it may or may not have an article before it.
Marketing is a very inexact science.
The marketing of the product will continue for a few months yet.
It can also be part of a 'noun phrase'.
Speaking to an audience is always stressful.
Swimming after work is very relaxing.
We use the active form to say what the subject does. For example:
I speak English every day at work.
I repaired the flat tire on the car.
We use the passive form to say what happens to people and things, to say what is done to them. For example:
English is spoken here.
The car is being repaired.
We use the passive form when we don't know who did the action. For example:
The car was damaged while it was parked on the street.
The shirts were made in Turkey.
We can use the imperative to give a direct order.
Take that chewing gum out of your mouth.
Stand up straight.
Give me the details.
We can use the imperative to give instructions.
Open your book.
Take two tablets every evening.
Take a left and then a right.
We don't use 'Shall' very frequently in modern English, particularly in American English.
It is used to make offers and suggestions and to ask for advice.
What time shall we meet?
Shall we vote on it now?
What dress shall I wear?
Shall I open the window?
You only really need to know that about 'shall' in modern English. Read the rest of this only if you want to know more about how some older speakers still use 'shall'.
Older textbooks often refer to 'will' as 'the future tense' and this has confused a lot of learners.
It is important to remember that when we talk about the future we cannot always use 'will' and that when we use 'will' we are not always talking about the future.
Here 'will' is clearly referring to the future.
If I speak to her, I'll tell her about it.
I'll probably visit Sue when I go to Oxford.
Next birthday she'll be 32. Or so she says.
In these examples, however, 'will' is referring to events happening at the present.
We use the present continuous to talk about things that we have already arranged to do in the future.
I've got my ticket. I'm leaving on Thursday.
I'm seeing Julie at 5 and then I'm having dinner with Simon.
He's picking me up at the airport.
The company is giving everyone a bonus for Christmas.
In many situations when we talk about future plans we can use either the present continuous or the 'going to' future. However, when we use the present continuous, there is more of a suggestion that an arrangement has already been made.
