ARTICLES

The indefinite article “a”, “an” is used:

a- When the noun is mentioned for the first time.
( He suffered an injury which made him partially deaf.)
b- with nouns, including professions, after the verbs “be” and “become” when the noun has indefinite reference (I’dliketobea pharmacist) (TV is an important invention)
c- In emphatic expressions after “what” and “such”
(What an important invention!) (He was such a hard-working person)
d- In expressions of ratio (price, speed, frequency, etc.) (5Dhs a kilo; 90km an hour; twice a day)
e- With certain numbers and expressions of quantity. (a dozen; a hundred; a thousand)
(a lot; a few; a little)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The definite article is used:

a- before a noun which has become definite because it has already been mentioned, or when the reference is obvious.
(He repaired it and the company gave him a good job)
(A toxicologist studies the effects of chemicals.)
( Would you pass the salt, please?)
b- before nouns which are defined by a phrase or clause.
(The people I met there were friendly)
(Do you like the food in this country?)
c- before inventions. (The computer has changed our way of life.)
d- before superlatives and ordinal numbers. (It’s the best news, holiday tomorrow)
e- before names of rivers, seas, and plural names of countries.
(The Nile, the Mediterranean, the Philippines, the British Isles)
f- before musical instruments. (He plays the guitar.)
g- with singular countable nouns to mean the whole species.
(The chimpanzee is an endangered species.)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Articles aren’t used:

a- before plural, uncountable and abstract nouns when they’re used in a general sense.
(Women are better language learners than men.)
(Milk contains lots of vitamins)
(Necessity is the mother of invention)
b- before the names of languages and subjects.
(I’m taking English and French)
(Students interested in agronomy study biology, chemistry, physics and maths)
c- before the names of most countries, towns and streets.
(Laarbi was born in Imouzzar, Morocco)
d- in certain idiomatic phrases, e.g. (He went to hospital (patient))
(He went to school (pupil))
(He went to university (student))
(Let’s have breakfast/ lunch/ dinner!)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For exercises go to: http://brushitup.blogspot.com

SOME USEFUL PHRASAL VERBS

Break down: collapse; stop working
Break into: enter by force
Break out : start, appear suddenly
Break up : disperse, come to an end

Bring about: cause to happen
Bring up: educate, rear; call attention to

Call off: cancel
Call on: make a short visit; invite a person to speak
Call up: phone; call people for military service

Carry on: continue
Carry out: execute (a plan, an order,etc.)

Catch up (with): reduce the distance between oneself
and those in front; do the work that has
not yet been done.

Come across: find or meet by chance
Come into: inherit money
Come around / to: regain consciousness

Cut down on: reduce consumption of
Cut off: stop or interrupt

Do way with: abolish; get rid of

Drop in: visit someone
Drop out: withdraw from

Fall out: quarrel with
Fall through: come to nothing

Fill in: complete (a form, etc.)

Find out about: discover (the truth, etc.)

Get along / get on with: be friendly with
Get away: escape
Get in; arrive; be elected
Get on with: continue
Get over: recover (from illness, etc.)
Get up: rise

Give away: reveal (a secret); give something
Without charge
Give up: abandon; stop

Go by: form an opinion or a judgment from
Go for: attack
Go into: investigate
Go off: explode
Go on: continue to happen
Go over: study, review carefully
Go with: be in harmony with (colours, etc.)

Hold up: delay; stop

Keep at: persist
Keep away: avoid going near
Keep off: avoid going on
Keep on: continue
Keep up: maintain (speed, etc.)

Knock out: eliminate; cause to be unconscious

Leave off: stop

Let down: fail to support
Let off: excuse

Look after: take care of
Look down on: despise; consider oneself superior to
Look for : search for
Look into: investigate
Look up: search for words, etc. in a dictionary

Make for: go in the direction of
Make out: write out; manage to see, read, etc.; pretend
Make up: use cosmetics; invent (a story, etc.)

Pass on / pass away: die

Pull down: demolish
Pull up: come to a stop

Put away: store; save
Put off: postpone
Put out: extinguish
Put up with: tolerate, bear patiently

Ring off: end a phone conversation
Ring up: telephone

Be run down: be in poor health
Run into: meet somebody by chance
Run out of: have no more supplies of
Run down: knock down (of a vehicle)

See about: deal with; arrange
See somebody across: help somebody to cross (a road, etc.)
See somebody off: accompany and say good bye to someone
See to: put right

Set off / set out: begin a journey, etc.
Set up: establish (a business, etc.)

Sit up: go to bed later than usual

Stand by somebody: give moral support to somebody
Stand for: represent

Take after: look like, resemble
Take in: deceive (by a trick)
Take off: leave the ground
Take over: acquire; take control (of a business, etc.)
Take to: come to like; get into a habit
Take up: begin doing (as a hobby)

Try on: see if it fits
Try out: use something so as to test it

Turn down: reject; reduce (volume, etc.)Turn up: arrive; increase the v

Future Conditionals

FORM
[If / When ...SIMPLE PRESENT..., ... SIMPLE FUTURE.]or[... SIMPLE FUTURE... if / when ... SIMPLE PRESENT...]
Notice that there is no future in the "If" or "When" clause.
USE
The Future Real Conditional describes what you think you will do in a specific situation in the future. It is different from other real conditional forms because, unlike the present or the past, you do not know what will happen in the future. Although this form is called a "real conditional," you are usually imagining or guessing about the future. It is called "real" because it is still possible that the action might occur in the future. Carefully study the following examples and compare them to the Future Unreal Conditional described below.
EXAMPLES:
If I go to my friend's house for dinner tonight, I will take a bottle of wine or some flowers.(I am still not sure if I will go to his house or not.)
When I have a day off from work, I am going to go to the beach.(I have to wait until I have a day off.)
If the weather is nice, she is going to walk to work.(It depends on the weather.)
Jerry will help me with my homework when he has time.(I have to wait until he has time.)
I am going to read if there is nothing on TV.(It depends on the TV schedule.)
What are you going to do if it rains? I am going to stay at home.
IMPORTANT If / When
Both "if" and "when" are used in the Future Real Conditional, but the use is different from other real conditionals. In the Future Real Conditional, "if" suggests that you do not know if something will happen or not. "When" suggests that something will definitely happen at some point; we are simply waiting for it to occur. Notice also that the Simple Future is not used in "if' clauses or "when" clauses.
EXAMPLES:
When you call me, I will give you the address.(You are going to call me later, and at that time, I will give you the address.)
If you call me, I will give you the address.(If you want the address, you can call me.)
Future Unreal Conditional
FORM 1
(MOST COMMON FORM) [If ... SIMPLE PAST ..., ... would + VERB ... ]or[... would + VERB ... if ... SIMPLE PAST ...]Notice the form looks the same as Present Unreal Conditional.
USE
The Future Unreal Conditional is used to talk about imaginary situations in the future. It is not as common as the Future Real Conditional because most English speakers leave open the possibility that anything MIGHT happen in the future. It is only used when a speaker needs to emphasize that something is impossible.
EXAMPLES:
If I had a day off from work next week, I would go to the beach.(I don't have a day off from work.)
I am busy next week. If I had time, I would come to your party.(I can't come.)
Jerry would help me with my homework tomorrow if he didn't have to work.(He does have to work tomorrow.)
FORM 2
(COMMON) [If ... were VERB+ing ..., ... would be + VERB+ing ... ]or[... would be + VERB+ing ... if ... were VERB+ing ...]
USE Form 2 of the Future Unreal Conditional is also used to talk about imaginary situations in the future. Native speakers use this form rather than Form 1 to emphasize that the Conditional form is a plan in the same way Present Continuous is used to indicate a plan in the future. To learn more about Present Continuous, visit Englishpage.com's Present Continuous Page. Also notice in the examples below that this form can be used in the "If" Clause, the Result, or both parts of the sentence.
EXAMPLES:
If I were going to Fiji next week, I would be taking my scuba diving gear with me. IN IF CLAUSE AND RESULT(I am not going to go to Fiji and I am not going to take my scuba gear with me.)
If I were not visiting my grandmother tomorrow, I would help you study. IF CLAUSE(I am going to visit my grandmother tomorrow.)
I am busy next week. If I had time, I would be coming to your party. RESULT(I am not going to come to your party.)
FORM 3
(COMMON) [If ... were going to VERB ..., ... would be + VERB+ing ... ]or[... would be + VERB+ing ... if ... were going to + VERB ...]
USE Form 3 of the Future Unreal Conditional is also used to talk about imaginary situations in the future. Native speakers use this form rather than Form 1 to emphasize that the Conditional form is a plan or prediction in the same way "Going To" is used to indicate a plan or prediction. To learn more about Going To, visit Englishpage.com's Simple Future Page. In many sentences, Form 2 and Form 3 are interchangeable. Also notice in the examples below that this form can be used in the If Clause, the Result, or both parts of the sentence.
NOTICE Form 3 is only different from Form 2 in the "If" Clause.
EXAMPLES:
If I were going to go to Fiji next week, I would be taking my scuba diving gear with me. IN IF CLAUSE AND RESULT(I am not going to go to Fiji and I am not going to take my scuba gear with me.)
If I were not going to visit my grandmother tomorrow, I would help you study. IF CLAUSE(I am going to visit my grandmother tomorrow.)
I am busy next week. If I had time, I would be coming to your party. RESULT(I am not going to come to your party.)
EXCEPTION Conditional with Modal VerbsThere are some special

Conditional forms for modal verbs in English:
would + can = could would + shall = should would + may = might
The words "can," "shall" and "may" must be used in these special forms; they cannot be used with "would."
EXAMPLES:
If I went to Egypt next year, I would can learn Arabic. Unfortunately, that's not possible. NOT CORRECT If I went to Egypt next year, I could learn Arabic. Unfortunately, that's not possible. CORRECT
The words "could," should," "might" and "ought to" include conditional, so you cannot combine them with "would."
EXAMPLES:
If I didn't have to work tonight, I would could go to the fitness center. NOT CORRECT If I didn't have to work tonight, I could go to the fitness center. CORRECT
IMPORTANT Only use "If" Only the word "if" is used with the Past Unreal Conditional because you are discussing imaginary situations. "When" cannot be used.
EXAMPLES:
I would buy that computer tomorrow when it were cheaper. NOT CORRECTI would buy that computer tomorrow if it were cheaper. CORRECT
Compare Future Real Conditional and Future Unreal Conditional
To help you understand the difference between the Future Real Conditional and the Future Unreal Conditional, compare the examples below:
EXAMPLES:
If you help me move tomorrow, I will buy you dinner. FUTURE REAL CONDITIONAL(I don't know if you can help me.)
If you helped me move tomorrow, I would buy you dinner. FUTURE UNREAL CONDITIONAL(You can't help me, or you don't want to help me.)

Past Unreal Conditional + Continuous

USE
Past Unreal Conditional + Continuous is used to discuss imaginary situations happening at a very specific time in the past or over a period of time in the past.
NOTICE
As in the examples above, sometimes the continuous form is in the "If" Clause and sometimes it is in the Result. The sentences below have been labelled to help remind you where the continuous form is being used.
EXAMPLES:
If I had been talking to him when he said that, I would have punched him in the face. IF CLAUSE(But I wasn't talking to him when he said that.)
If he had been standing near the house when the wall collapsed, it would have killed him. IF CLAUSE(Luckily he moved away before the wall fell.)
If you had gone to his house last night, he would have been sitting on his couch in front of the TV. RESULT(But you didn't go to his house, so you didn't see what he was doing.)
If she had missed her train, he would have been waiting for her at the station for hours. RESULT(Luckily, she caught her train and he didn't have to wait.)
NOTICE
Past Unreal Conditional + Continuous can be used like the Past Continuous in imaginary situations to emphasize interruptions or parallel actions in the past.
EXAMPLES:
If James had been crossing the street when the car ran the red light, it would have hit him. IF CLAUSE
If Tom had been studying while Becky was making dinner, he would have finished his homework early and they could have gone to the movie. IF CLAUSE
If James hadn't stopped to tie his shoe, he would have been crossing the street when the car ran the red light. RESULT
If you had gone to their house last night, Bob would have been reading the news paper, Nancy would have been talking on the phone and the kids would have been watching TV. They always do the same things. RESULT
NOTICE
Past Unreal Conditional + Continuous can be used like Present Perfect Continuous or Past Perfect Continuous in imaginary situations to emphasize a duration of time.
EXAMPLES:
Scott said he had been studying Greek for more than five years. If he had been studying the language that long, I think he would have been able to interpret for us at the airport. IF CLAUSE
Sarah claimed she had been waiting in the rain for more than twenty minutes by the time we arrived, but she wasn't even wet. If she had been waiting that long, I think she would have been totally drenched by the time we arrived. IF CLAUSE
Terry's plane arrived ahead of schedule. If I hadn't decided to go to the airport early, she would have been waiting there for more than twenty minutes before I arrived. RESULT
At the travel agency yesterday, I waited for more than an hour for somebody to help me. Finally, I got up and left. If I hadn't decided to leave, I would have been sitting there forever. RESULT
Imagining About the Future + Continuous
USE
Future Unreal Conditional + Continuous can be used like the Future Continuous in imaginary situations to emphasize interruptions or parallel actions in the future.
NOTICE The future form looks the same as the present form. The future is indicated with words such as "tomorrow," "next week" or "in a couple of days."
EXAMPLES:
If I were waiting there next week when he gets off the plane, he would be totally surprised. IF CLAUSE(But I will not be waiting there, so he won't be surprised.)
If he were staying in that hotel next week while the conference is being held, he might be able to meet some of the key speakers and tell them about our new product. IF CLAUSE(I don't think he will be able to stay at the hotel, so he won't be able to meet anybody there.)
If I were able to go to the train station tonight to meet Sandra, I would be standing on the platform waiting for her when she arrives. RESULT(I won't be able to go to the train station so I will not be standing there when she arrives.)
If you went over to Paul's house after work, he would probably be sitting there at his computer surfing the internet. RESULT

Capitalization

How do you know when to use a capital letter? Here are some rules.
1. The beginning of sentences-
Where is he? He's at the store.
2. When you talk about yourself use capital I, not i.
3. Names-
Nancy Smith
4. Cities, States, Provinces, Countries, Continents and Geographical Areas-
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, North America, Pacific Ocean, Amazon River
5. Titles-
Mr. Johnson, Miss Lee, Dr. Jones, Ambassador Jung
6. Languages and Nationalities-
Mexican, French, Russian
7. Days and Months-
Thursday, March 13
8. Schools-
Boise High School, Colorado State University (CSU)
Also capitalize names of religions, school courses (History,) streets, buildings, and parks.


Now you try...
Rewrite the following paragraph using capital letters where they are needed. See the answers below.

i want to tell you about my professor, dr. lawrence cochran. he lives in los angeles and works at ucla. on monday, june 13 he will fly to cairo, egypt and visit the nile river. he can speak arabic and his wife is egyptian.

Answers to Paragraph
I want to tell you about my professor, Dr. Lawrence Cochran. He lives in Los Angeles and works at UCLA. On Monday, June 13 he will fly to Cairo, Egypt and visit the Nile River. He can speak Arabic and his wife is Egyptian.