USE OF ENGLISH PART 4

RULES EXAMPLES
1-TO BE LIKELY OR TO BE UNLIKELY TO -It is probable that he comes to the party.
LIKELY
Ser probable o improbable que algo suceda. He IS LIKELY TO COME to the party.
-The band probably won’t do another tour this year.
UNLIKELY
The band IS UNLIKELY TO DO another tour this year.
2-GENERAL RULE; -She is very excited about going to NY.
LOOKING
After preposition “ing” (gerund) She IS LOOKING FORWARD TO GOING to NY.
-I normally wake up after 9.00 at the weekend.
To+ infinitive USED
Exceptions; I AM NOT USED TO WAKING up before 9.00 at the weekend.
- To be looking forward to +ing
-To be/get used to +ing

3-ALTHOUGH/ IN SPITE OF / DESPITE -Although they are rich, they never give money to the poor.
IN SPITE OF / DESPITE
although (though or even though)+ subject + verb In spite of / Despite THEIR WEALTH, they never give money
In spite of /Despite +gerund to the poor.
In spite of /Despite + (the/his…) +noun In spite of / Despite BEING WEALTHY, they never give money
In spite of /Despite + the fact that +subject +verb to the poor.
In spite of / Despite the FACT THAT THEY ARE WEALTHY,
they never give money to the poor.
-Grace knows a lot about Web design, even though she has
never studied it.
HAVING
Despite NEVER HAVING STUDIED IT, Grace knows a lot
about Web design.

4-SO /SUCH (A/AN) -He is such a clever boy that it’s a pleasure to be teaching him.
SO
so + adjective / adverb (that) The boy IS SO CLEVER THAT IT is a pleasure to be teaching
So good/ So quickly him.
-Her English is so good that she sounds like a native.
such (a / an) (+ adjective) + noun (+that) SUCH
Such a good writer She SPEAKS SUCH GOOD ENGLISH THAT she sounds like
Such an adventurous woman a native.
Such good food
Such good English
5-TOO / ENOUGH -The coffee is too hot for me to drink
ENOUGH
Too+ adjective/adverb The coffee ISN’T HOT ENOUGH FOR me to drink
Too cold / too quickly -He is not tall enough to play basketball.
TOO
too much sugar/too many people He IS TOO SHORT TO play basketball.
Adjective/adverb + Enough -The computer is too expensive for him to buy.
Tall enough / quickly enough ENOUGH
He does NOT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO buy the computer.
Enough + noun -We didn’t go swimming because of the cold weather.
Enough money/ enough sugar WARM
The weather WASN’T WARM ENOUGH FOR us to go
swimming.
6-GIVING ADVICE -I advised Kylie to enroll at a gym, which she did.
ADVICE
 Why don’t you go to the dentist? Kylie FOLLOWED/ TOOK MY ADVICE and enrolled the
 If I were you, I would go to the dentist. gym.
 You'd better brush your teeth regularly. -Why don’t you call him and apologise for your mistake?
 You ought to/should avoid eating sweets. WERE
 If you take my advice, you'll go to the dentist.
 It might be a good idea to brush your teeth on If I WERE YOU I WOULD CALL him and apologise for my
a regular basis. mistake.
 I advise you to brush your teeth on a regular
basis. Collocations with advice
 Have you thought about seeing a dentist?
give (some, a piece of advice)
take, follow my advice.

7-YOU’D BETTER- YOU HAD BETTER -”It’s getting late, so I ought to go home “said Zoe.
Será mejor que BETTER
Zoe said it was getting late and that SHE HAD BETTER GO
You’d/ had better not drink any more coffee. home.
-Don’t tell your mum where we’ve been.
BETTER
You HAD BETTER NOT TELL your mum where we’ve been.
8--I LIKE IT WHEN/ I DON’T LIKE IT WHEN -The singer dislikes people asking him for his autograph in the
street.
LIKE
The singer DOES NOT LIKE IT WHEN /IF people ask him for
his autograph in the street.

9-IT CAME AS A SURPRISE/ AS A SHOCK/ AS -I was very surprised to know that Paul was getting married.
A DISAPPOINTMENT TO CAME
It came as no surprise to me to hear that… It CAME AS A SURPRISE TO me to know that Paul was
getting married.
-Ursula was disappointed not to win the competition
CAME
Not winning the competition CAME AS A
DISAPPOINTMENT TO Ursula.

10- IT IS NOT WORTH IT.-No merece la pena -it isn’t really worth trying to fly the kite when there is no wind.
It’s hardly worth trying HARDLY
I can’t see any/ much/ the point (in /of) It IS HARDLY WORTH TRYING to fly the kite when there’s
It is useless no wind.
It is a waste of time Learning to sew seemed a waste of time to Lisa.
There is no point in asking POINT
Lisa couldn't SEE ANY/ MUCH /THE POINT IN learning to
All of them + “ing” sew.
-It’s a waste of time asking Peter to help because he’s too busy.
NO
There is NO POINT (IN) ASKING Peter to help because he’s
too busy.

11- I CAN’T HELP + ing– No puedo evitar -We couldn’t stop laughing when your brother fell down.
HELP
We COULDN’T HELP LAUGHING when your brother fell
down.
12- I CAN’T STAND + ing- No puedo soportar -I hate it when I am ill.
I can’t bear+ ing STAND
I can’t put up with+ ing I CAN’T STAND BEING ill.
I can’t take it any more -I can’t stand him because he is so rude.
PUT
I can’t PUT UP WITH HIS RUDENESS any more
13- I CAN’T AFFORD to- no puedo permitirme el -Although the house was not too expensive We didn’t buy it
lujo de because we did not have the money.
AFFORD
I cannot afford to have my house painted. Despite the fact that the house was not very expensive, we didn’t
buy it because WE COULD NOT AFFORD IT.

14-PREFER/ RATHER -I love the local food, but prefer having pizza when I go out with
friends.
PREFER + “ING”+TO+”ING” WOULD
PREFER+TO+INFINITIVE Although I love the local food, I WOULD PREFER TO HAVE /
WOULD PREFER+TO +INFINITIVE WOULD RATHER HAVE a pizza when I go out with friends.
-She prefers reading books to watching films.
RATHER +INFINITIVE RATHER
WOULD RATHER + INFINITIVE She prefers to READ BOOKS RATHER THAN WATCH films.
(same subject- present) -I’d prefer to leave later if you don’t mind.
I’d rather stay at home than go out tonight. YET
I’d rather not go out tonight. I’d rather NOT LEAVE YET if you don’t mind.
(different subject-past)
I’d rather you stayed at home tonight.
I’d rather you didn’t go out tonight.

15- COMPARATIVE -Brad speaks English better than his parents do.
AS WELL AS AS
NOT AS STRONG AS Brad’s parents don’t SPEAK ENGLISH AS WELL AS he does.
NOT SO STRONG AS -My brother isn’t quite as tall as me.
Opposites SLIGHTLY
Much/little My brother IS SLIGHTLY SHORTER THAN ME.
Many/few -James earns more than me.
More than/ less than AS
The most/ the least I do NOT EARN AS MUCH AS James does.
16- SUPPOSED TO -Cycling is not allowed in the park
SUPPOSED
You ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO CYCLE in the park.
-What’s their expected time of arrival?
SUPPOSED
What time ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO arrive?

17-APOLOGISED TO (SOMEBODY) FOR -“I ‘m sorry I didn’t let you know I was going to be late, Ann”
DOING(SOMETHING) said Jamie.
APOLOGISED
Jamie APOLOGISED FOR NOT LETTING Ann know that he
was going to be late.

18-TO BE ABLE TO / TO PREVENT FROM -A heavy fall of snow prevented them from getting home that
night.
ABLE
They WERE NOT ABLE TO GET home that night because of a
heavy fall of snow.
19-PHRASAL VERBS -We’ll have to stop at a service station because there’s very little
PAY ATTENTION TO THE VERB TENSE!!!! petrol left in the car.
(present, past, future) OUT
The car has ALMOST /NEARLY RUN OUT OF PETROL so
Run out of (careful if they say there is very little or we’ll have to stop at a service station.
there is nothing) -I went to the dentist because I couldn’t stand the toothache any
longer.
Turn out to be/put up/ tell apart/ come across/ come up UP
with an idea/give up/set up/make up/ I COULDN’T PUT UP WITH the toothache any longer, so I
Take up=start a new hobby or activity, take up space or went to the dentist.
time. -Heidi stayed with a friend when she went to London
Split up=break a relationship PUT
look into=investigate A friend PUT HEIDI UP when she went to London.
look after=take care of -The fact that bus travel is so cheap compensates for the lack of
look up to=admire comfort.
let down= disappoint MAKES
make up for= compensate The low cost of travelling BY BUS MAKES UP FOR the lack
get on (well)= get along with= llevarse bien of comfort.
put off=postpone -Their relationship seems very good.
CAN’T PUT UP WITH, CAN’T BEAR, CAN’T GET
STAND +”ING” It looks as IF THEY GET ON very well with each other.
20-CONDITIONALS AND WISH -Samantha would love to have long blonde hair.
WISHES
REMEMBER; THE ONLY CONDITIONAL OR Samantha WISHES (THAT) SHE HAD/COULD HAVE long
WISH ABOUT THE PAST IS THE THIRD ONE. blonde hair.
I WISH I (Dreamer, 2nd conditional, she wishes to have long hair now.
HE WISHES HE Even when we use past simple the second conditional is about
SHE WISHES SHE the present)
IF ONLY I
IF ONLY HE -I wasn’t invited to the party and feel sad about that.
WISH
Using other words instead of if; I WISH I HAD BEEN invited to the party.
As long as/ unless/ provided that/ when
-Students may use the library, but they must not disturb other
SECOND CONDITIONAL users.
GIVING ADVICE- If I were you, I would buy a new LONG
car. Students may use the library AS LONG AS THEY DO not
Would you mind if I turned the TV off? disturb other users.
21-PRESENT PERFECT / PAST SIMPLE -Tania hasn’t played volleyball for three years.
FOR/ SINCE/ AGO SINCE
THE FIRST TIME It IS /HAS BEEN THREE YEARS SINCE Tania last played
volleyball.
-I’ve never seen this group play live before.
TIME
This is the FIRST TIME I’VE SEEN this group play live before
22- EXCEPT/ BUT/ APART FROM -The only thing Carl forgot to buy was a new battery for his
watch.
EVERYTHING
Carl remembered to BUY EVERYTHING BUT/EXCEPT a new
battery for his watch.
-Simon was the only student to apply for a scholarship.
NONE
Apart FROM SIMON, NONE OF the students applied for a
scholarship.
23- EARLY/ LATE/ IN TIME/ ON TIME/ JUST IN -Declan was angry because Claire arrived late.
TIME. TIME
If Claire HAD ARRIVED ON TIME, Declan would not have
been angry.
24-PREPOSITIONS -Rob said to Jennifer:” You broke the strap on my new camera”
REMEMBER; AFTER PREPOSITION “ING” ACCUSED
Rob ACCUSED JENNIFER OF BREAKING the strap on his
ACCUSED OF/ SUCCEED IN/ RESPONSIBLE new camera.
FOR / KEEN ON/ FOND OF / GOOD AT/ BAD AT/ -Rod finally managed to cycle to the top of the hill.
CAPABLE OF/SUCCEEDED IN /MANAGED TO/ SUCCEEDED
(study photocopy prepositions) Rod finally SUCCEEDED IN CYCLING to the top of the hill.
-They can’t prove he’s guilty.
NO
They have NO PROOF OF his guilt.
25-COMPOUND WORDS -It will only take three hours to fly to Sicily.
It was a three-hour flight FLIGHT
She was a 38-year-old woman It is only A THREE-HOUR FLIGHT to Sicily
It was a 200-page book
It is a two-litre bottle.
It was a six-mile walk
It was a second-hand car
26-IT TAKES -We set off 2 o’clock and arrived at half past 6.We were
How long does it take you to get to school every day? travelling for 4 hours and a half.
It takes me fifteen minutes to get to school. TOOK
How long will it take you/ did it take you…? It TOOK US 4 hours and a half to reach our destination.
It will take me/ It took me. -How long did it take you to write the essay?
It took me ages to finish my project. SPEND
It takes two hours to go from… to …. How long DID YOU SPEND WRITING the essay?

27- FIND IT DIFFICULT TO / FIND IT EASY TO -It is very hard for Alex to get up in the morning.
TROUBLE
HAVE (GREAT) TROUBLE +”ING” Alex HAS (GREAT) TROUBLE GETTING UP in the morning.
HAVE DIFFICULTY DOING SOMETHING
28-PASSIVE -One of us ought to go and meet the visitor at the airport.
SHOULD
The visitor SHOULD BE MET BY ONE of us at the airport.
-Someone entered our house last night.
BROKEN
We HAD OUR HOUSE BROKEN INTO last night.
-No one gave me any help with the homework.
NOT
I WASN’T GIVEN ANY HELP with the homework.
-People believe he won a lot of money on the lottery.
BELIEVED
He IS BELIEVED TO HAVE won a lot of money on the lottery
-According to the gossip, the actress will be getting married
soon
RUMOURED
The actress IS RUMOURED TO BE GETTING married soon.
-The college rejected Pascual’s application.
TURNED
Pascual had HIS APPLICATION TURNED DOWN by the
college.
29-BE AWARE OF/ BE UNAWARE OF THE -I had no idea that a famous film star was born in the town.
FACT THAT UNAWARE
I WAS UNAWARE OF THE FACT that a famous film star was
born in the town.

30-IN CASE, EVEN IF, EVEN -Debbie wore a jumper because she thought it might be cold in
the mountains.
CASE
Debbie wore a jumper IN CASE IT GOT/WAS COLD in the
mountains.
31- MODALS -You shouldn’t have been so impatient.
OUGHT
PERFECT MODALS You OUGHT TO HAVE BEEN more patient.
-It’s possible that the neighbours saw someone leaving the
MODALS OF PROBABILITY IN THE PAST house.
MUST/MAY/MIGHT/COULD/CAN’T MIGHT
The neighbours MIGHT HAVE SEEN someone leaving the
SHOULD/ OUGHT TO / NEEDN’T house.
-I am sure Jane wasn’t in London all weekend.
+HAVE+PAST PARTICIPLE HAVE
Jane CAN’T HAVE BEEN IN London the whole weekend.

32- TO INTEND -Emily does not intend to answer any of the interviewer’s
questions.
HAVE NO INTENTION OF DOING SOMETHING
ANSWERING
TO DO SOMETHING ON PURPOSE
Emily HAS NO INTENTION OF ANSWERING any of the
MEAN OR DON’T MEAN TO DO SOMETHING. interviewer’s questions.

33- ON MY OWN/ BY MYSELF/ ALONE -Tim likes to spend time alone just before a race.

HIMSELF/OWN

-Tim likes to spend time BY HIMSELF / ON HIS OWN just

before a race.

34- PAY NO/ ANY ATTENTION/ TAKE NO -Susan warned Michael about the broken guitar string, but he
NOTICE didn’t listen to her.

. NOTICE

Michael TOOK NO NOTICE when Susan told him about the

broken guitar string.

35- SO THAT/ SO AS TO/ SO AS NOT TO/ IN -He wore an extra jumper because he didn’t want to get cold.
ORDER TO SO
He wore an extra jumper SO AS NOT TO/ SO THAT HE
-The tour bus stopped frequently to let people admire WOULDN’T get cold
the view. -The tour bus stopped frequently to let people admire the view.
The tour bus stopped frequently SO THAT PEOPLE THAT
COULD admire the view
 The tour bus stopped frequently SO THAT PEOPLE COULD
admire the view

36- MAKE, LET + infinitive without to(ACTIVE) -I’m not allowed to stay out later than 10 o’clock.
ALLOWED, MADE TO ( PASSIVE) LET
My parents DON’T/WON’T LET ME STAY out later than 10
o’clock.
-I have to tidy up my room on Saturday morning.
MAKE
My parents MAKE ME TIDY MY ROOM on Saturday morning
--The science teacher made me clean all the test tubes.
MADE
I WAS MADE TO CLEAN all the test tubes by my science
teacher.
-Speaking is forbidden during the exam.
ALLOWED
You ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK during the exam.
37-ON ACCOUNT OF, BECAUSE OF, DUE TO, -The train is delayed because of an accident
OWING TO- debido a ACCOUNT
The train is DELAYED ON ACCOUNT OF an accident.
38-RELATIVE CLAUSES -I have a great deal of respect for Susie, so I asked her.
WHOM
Preposition + who= preposition +whom I asked Susie, FOR WHOM I HAVE a great deal of respect.
-I rescued the woman’s cat but she never thanked me.
RESCUED
The woman WHOSE CAT I RESCUED never thanked me.
-
39-REPORTED SPEECH -“We were trying to phone you” they said.
BEEN
They said THEY HAD BEEN TRYING to phone me.
-“Don’t swim too far out” she warned him
WARNED
She WARNED HIM NOT TO SWIM too far out.
-Where did you buy those shoes, Sally?” asked Peter
HAD
Peter asked Sally WHERE SHE HAD BOUGHT THOSE shoes.
-Sean said I ought to lie down for a while.
LIE
Sean suggested (THAT) I SHOULD LIE DOWN for a while.

40-REPORTED QUESTIONS VS INDIRECT -“What time does the film start this evening?”
QUESTIONS. FILM
Do you know what TIME THE FILM STARTS this evening?
Mary asked her mother: “Where is my jacket?” -“Are you coming with us?” She asked me
Reported question GOING
Mary asked her mother where her jacket WAS. She asked me IF I WAS GOING WITH them.
Indirect question
Mum, Do you know where my jacket IS?
41-MAKE A DECISION -We have decided where we’re going on holiday.
MAKE A CHOICE UP
MAKE UP YOUR MIND We’ve MADE UP OUR MINDS where we’re going on holiday.
CHANGE YOUR MIND -We found it difficult to choose.
WAS
It WAS A DIFFICULT CHOICE for us to make
42- BE IN TOUCH/KEEP IN TOUCH / STAY IN -Please, contact me if you ever come to London.
TOUCH/ GET IN TOUCH/ LOSE TOUCH WITH. TOUCH
Please, GET IN TOUCH WITH ME if you ever come to
London.