Asking for Permission

🔹 Can + Subject + Base Verb + (optional complement)?

• Used in informal situations to request permission.

Giving Permission

🔹 Subject + can + Base Verb + (optional complement).

• Used to allow someone to do something.

Refusing Permission

🔹 Subject + can't + Base Verb + (optional complement).

• Used to deny permission.

2. Examples

✅ Asking for permission:

• Can I go to the bathroom?

• Can we leave early today?

• Can I borrow your pen?

✅ Giving permission:

• Yes, you can go now.

• Sure, you can take my book.

• Of course, you can sit here.

❌ Refusing permission:

• No, you can't go outside.

• Sorry, you can't use my laptop.

• You can't stay out too late.

3. Alternative Ways to Ask for Permission

If you want to sound more polite or formal, use "Could" or "May":

• Could I leave early? (More polite than "Can I leave early?")

• May I borrow your notebook? (More formal than "Can I borrow your notebook?")

4. Common Mistakes

❌ Using "Can" when talking about ability instead of permission:

• "I can go to the party" (This means you are able to go, not that you have permission).

• ✅ "I can go to the party, right?" (If asking for permission).

❌ Using "Can" in very formal situations:

• "Can I speak to the manager?" (Too informal for a professional setting).

• ✅ "May I speak to the manager?" (More appropriate in formal situations).

Comparatives are used to compare two things. We usually add "-er" to short adjectives or use "more" with longer adjectives.

Structure:

🔹 Adjective + -er + than (for short adjectives)
🔹 More + adjective + than (for long adjectives)

Examples:

✅ Short adjectives (one syllable):

• My car is faster than yours.

• This book is cheaper than that one.

✅ Long adjectives (two or more syllables):

• This movie is more interesting than the last one.

• English is more difficult than Spanish.

✅ Irregular adjectives:

• Good → better than → "This restaurant is better than that one."

• Bad → worse than → "My test score was worse than yours."

• Far → farther/further than → "The beach is farther than the mall."

2. Superlatives

Superlatives are used to compare three or more things, indicating the highest degree of something. We add "-est" to short adjectives or use "most" with longer adjectives.

Structure:

🔹 The + adjective + -est (for short adjectives)
🔹 The most + adjective (for long adjectives)

Examples:

✅ Short adjectives:

• This is the fastest car in the world.

• He is the tallest person in the class.

✅ Long adjectives:

• That was the most exciting movie I've ever seen.

• She is the most intelligent student in the group.

✅ Irregular adjectives:

• Good → the best → "This is the best pizza in town."

• Bad → the worst → "That was the worst day of my life."

• Far → the farthest/furthest → "This is the farthest I've traveled."

3. Common Mistakes

❌ Using "more" with short adjectives:

• "This house is more big than mine." (Incorrect)

• ✅ "This house is bigger than mine." (Correct)

❌ Forgetting "the" in superlatives:

• "She is smartest in the class." (Incorrect)

• ✅ "She is the smartest in the class." (Correct)

❌ Double comparisons:

• "This book is more easier than that one." (Incorrect)

• ✅ "This book is easier than that one." (Correct)

🔹 Subject + should + base verb → General advice
🔹 Subject + ought to + base verb → Formal advice
🔹 You could + base verb → Soft suggestion
🔹 Why don’t you + base verb? → Friendly suggestion
🔹 You might want to + base verb → Polite suggestion
🔹 Try + (verb + -ing) → Encouragement

2. Examples

✅ Using "should" (strong recommendation):

• You should drink more water.

• He should study harder for the test.

✅ Using "ought to" (formal recommendation):

• You ought to apologize to her.

• They ought to be more careful.

✅ Using "could" (soft suggestion):

• You could take a break if you're tired.

• She could try yoga to relax.

✅ Using "Why don’t you…?" (friendly suggestion):

• Why don’t you watch that new movie?

• Why don’t we go for a walk?

✅ Using "You might want to…" (polite suggestion):

• You might want to check the weather before leaving.

• You might want to talk to your teacher about it.

✅ Using "Try + -ing" (encouragement to do something new):

• Try reading this book, it's amazing!

• Try practicing English every day.

3. Common Mistakes

❌ Using "should to" (incorrect structure)

• "You should to go to bed early." (Incorrect ❌)

• ✅ "You should go to bed early." (Correct ✅)

❌ Using "try to" when suggesting experiences

• "Try to watching this movie." (Incorrect ❌)

• ✅ "Try watching this movie." (Correct ✅)

A review is a type of writing where you give your opinion about something, such as a book, movie, restaurant, product, or experience. A good review includes a description, an evaluation, and a recommendation.

1. Structure of a Review

A well-written review typically follows this structure:

1️⃣ Introduction

• Mention what you are reviewing (movie, book, restaurant, etc.).

• Give basic details (title, director, author, location, etc.).

• Include a hook (something interesting to engage the reader).

✅ Example:
"Have you ever watched a movie that left you speechless? Well, ‘Inception’ is one of those films. Directed by Christopher Nolan, this mind-bending sci-fi thriller is a must-watch!"

2️⃣ Summary (Optional, for books/movies/series)

• Briefly describe what it is about (no spoilers!).

• Mention the main characters or plot.

✅ Example:
"The movie follows Dom Cobb, a skilled thief who enters people's dreams to steal secrets. But when he is given an impossible mission, things take a dramatic turn."

3️⃣ Opinion / Evaluation

• What did you like or dislike?

• Talk about different aspects: plot, acting, writing, design, music, etc.

• Use adjectives and comparatives to describe your feelings.

✅ Example:
"The cinematography is stunning, and the soundtrack by Hans Zimmer adds intensity to every scene. The acting, especially Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance, is outstanding."

4️⃣ Recommendation & Conclusion

• Who would enjoy it?

• Would you recommend it?

• Give a final opinion.

✅ Example:
"I highly recommend this movie to anyone who loves psychological thrillers. If you enjoy movies that make you think, this is definitely for you!"

2. Useful Phrases for Writing a Review

✅ Introducing the review:

• This book/movie/restaurant is about…

• Have you ever tried/watched/read…?

• I recently tried/watched/read…

✅ Giving an opinion:

• I really enjoyed…

• What I liked the most was…

• One thing I didn’t like was…

• The best/worst part was…

✅ Recommending:

• I highly recommend it to…

• It’s perfect for people who…

• If you like (genre), you’ll love this.

• I wouldn’t recommend it because…

3. Common Mistakes

❌ Being too general (without details)

• “The movie was good.” (Too simple ❌)

• ✅ “The movie had an exciting plot with unexpected twists.” (Better ✅)

❌ Writing spoilers

• Avoid revealing major plot points.

❌ Not giving reasons for opinions

• “I didn’t like it.” (Why? ❌)

• ✅ “I didn’t like it because the story was too slow.” (Better ✅)

1️⃣ Statements (Direct → Reported)

• Direct Speech: "I am going to the store."

• Reported Speech: He said (that) he was going to the store.

🔹 Structure:
Reporting Verb + (that) + subject + verb (backshift)

• Example: He said that he was tired.

• Backshift means changing the tense from direct speech to an earlier tense.

  • Present Simple → Past Simple

  • Present Continuous → Past Continuous

  • Present Perfect → Past Perfect

  • Will → Would

2️⃣ Questions (Direct → Reported)

• Direct Speech: "What time is it?"

• Reported Speech: She asked what time it was.

🔹 Structure (Yes/No Questions):
Reporting Verb + (that) + subject + verb + (if/whether)

• Example: He asked if I was coming.

🔹 Structure (Wh- Questions):
Reporting Verb + (that) + subject + verb + question word

• Example: She asked where I lived.

3️⃣ Commands/Requests (Direct → Reported)

• Direct Speech: "Please close the door."

• Reported Speech: He asked me to close the door.

🔹 Structure:
Reporting Verb (ask, tell, etc.) + object + to + base verb

• Example: She told him to wait outside.

2. Changes in Reported Speech

Tense Changes

• Present Simple → Past Simple

  • Direct: "I like pizza."

  • Reported: He said he liked pizza.

• Present Continuous → Past Continuous

  • Direct: "I am studying."

  • Reported: She said she was studying.

• Present Perfect → Past Perfect

  • Direct: "I have seen that movie."

  • Reported: He said he had seen that movie.

• Will → Would

  • Direct: "I will go to the party."

  • Reported: She said she would go to the party.

Pronoun Changes

• I → He/She

• You → I/He/She

• We → They

Example:

• Direct: "I am going with you."

• Reported: She said she was going with me.

3. Common Reporting Verbs

• Said (most common)

• Told (usually with an object: "He told me...")

• Asked

• Advised

• Explained

• Suggested

4. Common Mistakes in Reported Speech

❌ Not shifting the tense:

• Direct: "I am happy."

• Reported: He said he is happy. (Incorrect)

• ✅ Reported: He said he was happy. (Correct)

❌ Using "that" unnecessarily in questions:

• Direct: "Where is the book?"

• Reported: She asked that where the book was. (Incorrect)

• ✅ Reported: She asked where the book was. (Correct)