Ability

Infinitive
without to
 After ‘Auxiliaries/Modals’
can He can run very fast.
could As a boy he could run very fast.
may I may fly to Africa this summer.
might I might fly to Africa this summer.
must I must go now.
mustn’t You mustn't smoke here.
needn’t You needn't go.

shall We shall sing a song.

should We should sing a song.

will She will cook a meal for his birthday.

would She would cook a meal for his birthday.

 After ‘Do’
do I don’t know.
 After the Following
Expressions:
had better You had better clean up your room.

would rather Susan would rather study for her

exam tomorrow.
would sooner I would sooner read a book than
watch this film.
why not Why not ask your neighbour for
help?
why should we Why should we go by car?

why should we not Why should we not go by car?

 After Verbs of Perception +
Object (Action has Finished):
feel She feels the rain fall on her
face.
hear I heard Peter sing a song.
notice Mandy noticed the boy climb
the tree.
see They saw him climb up the
roof.
watch He watched the thieves steal a
car.
 After Let + Object:
let Sandy let her child go out
alone.
Mother let her daughter decide
on her own.

let’s Let's go for a walk through the

park.
 After Make + Object:

make She made Peggy and

Samantha clean the room.
Infinitive
with to
 After:
the first Gagarin was the first to fly in a
spaceship.
the last Peter was the last to watch the film.

the next He is the next to get his passport.

After Adjectives:
I am be able to use washing machine.

You weren’t able to speak Spanish.

It is better not to smoke.

We are happy to help you.

 After Certain Verbs:
manage, I usually manage to find what
agree, choose, I want.
forget, hope,
learn, promise,
regret, want,…
 After Question Words:
what, when, I have no idea how to fix the
where, how,… computer.

I haven’t got a clue how to

download software into your
computer.

I know how to buy the cheap

airline ticket.
After Want/ Would Like:
I want to help you.

I would like to visit Paris.

 After Verb + Object +
to Infinitive:
find something I find this assignment quite easy
quite/ very/really to do.
easy to do

find something I find the English final exam

quite/ very/really difficult to do.
difficult to do

I helped my dad to clean the

car.
at + V-ing
 We use the Gerund after the
following phrases:
be useless at I’m still useless at cooking
be quite/ very/ I’m quite good at designing
really good at fashionable clothes.
be no good at I’m no good at driving.
clever at He is clever at skateboarding.
bad at John is good at working in the
garden
good at
Second Conditional
The second conditional (also called
conditional type 2) is a structure
used for talking about unreal
situations in the present or in the
future.
 Structure

If Clause: If + Subject+ Past Tense

Main Clause: Subject + would/ could/

might + Simple Present Verb

Note:
could  ability
might  would perhaps
 Two clause

If clause Main clause

I would pass the exam.

If I studied,
I could pass the exam.
I might pass the exam.
Note: If the "if" clause comes first, a comma is
usually used. If the "if" clause comes second,
there is no need for a comma:

Two clause

Main clause If clause

I would buy economy

if I were you.
class ticket
Third Conditional
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.
 Structure
If Clause: If + Subject+ had +
Past Participle

Main Clause: Subject + would/ could/

might + Past Participle
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.
Example
If I had paid more attention in
class, I would have understood the
lesson.
If I had seen him at the meeting, I
could have asked him.
If I had seen him at the meeting, I
might have asked him.
Explanation
But I didn't.
But he wasn't there so it
wasn't possible.
But I'm not sure. Perhaps if
the opportunity had arisen.
Also notice that sometimes the 'if
clause' is implied rather than spoken.
Example Explanation

I'd have done it. “if you had asked me

but you didn't."
I wouldn't have said that. "if I'd been there."

He wouldn't have let him get "if he had tried that

away with that. with me."