Unit 4bc Book: Grammar Revision: Verb Tenses, Comparatives, and Comparison and Contrast Phrases

7. Grammar Revision: Verb Tenses, Comparatives, and Comparison and Contrast Phrases

When doing the previous task in Section 6, you may have noticed that the text contained several grammar points. If you left the task from Section 6 open, you can now see the grammar points in context. Fortunately, you have come across with all of them before, so the following quick revision should be sufficient to brush off your knowledge. Later, you will then use the grammar points in some other contexts.

Revision of Some Verb Tenses:

What have you invented so far?

One of my recent inventions has been a phonograph.

Present Perfect for:

actions that happened at an unspecified time
actions that started in the past are still continuing
repeated completed actions that happened at unspecified past times before the present

I wanted to call it a “voice writer”,

but my assistants finally decided to call it a phonograph.

Past Simple for:

actions that happened at a specified time in the past
actions that are finished (do not continue up to now)

I am currently working on a movie camera.

Present Continuous for:

action happening at the moment
planned future
action over a period of time which includes the present moment

I develop new things on a daily basis.

Present Simple for:

repeated actions
facts that are always true/remain unchanged

I guess it will be widely used in the modern era.

I think H. J. Round will modify the bulb.

Future Simple for:

predictions
polite requests
making promises

I´m going to improve another invention of mine.

I´m sure it´s going to be in 1907.

“Going-to” future for:

intentions and planned activities
talking about future events we are convinced about based on some present evidence

Comparatives and Superlatives for Comparing Things

Comparatives of long adjectives	Superlatives of long adjectives
The bulb is more durable than a candle. The bulb is much more expensive than… It´s less dangerous.	You seem to forget to mention one of your most significant inventions.
Comparatives of short adjectives	Superlatives of short adjectives
smaller, bigger, faster, heavier	the smallest, biggest, fastest, heaviest
Irregular comparatives	Irregular superlatives
better, worse, further, less, more	the best, worst, furthest, least, most

Other Comparison and Contrast Expressions

Comparison

Contrast

Both are simply used if you need light.

The dimensions are also similar.

My bulb is as big as a mid-sized candle.

The shape is different, though.

While/Whereas a candle is usually cylindrical, the bulb is pear-shaped.

The two really differ from each other.

Other Phrases for Describing Shapes and Dimensions

Shape

Dimensions

While a candle is usually cylindrical, the bulb is pear-shaped.

Whereas a candle is usually cylindrical in shape, the bulb is a pear.

mid-sized candle

It´s about the size of a candle.

It´s just a few millimetres in diameter.

It´s pretty narrow.

More on Shapes

What shape is the traffic cone? It´s conical.

Adjective	Example	Noun
Circular	CD	Circle
Rectangular	A4 sheet of paper	Rectangle
Square	Floppy disk	Square
Cubical	Dice	Cube
Semi-circular	Protractor	Semi-circle
Cylindrical	tin of peas	Cylinder
Triangular	GIVE WAY traffic sign	Triangular
Oval	rugby ball	Oval
Conical	Traffic cone	Cone
Spherical	Ball	Sphere

Some Other Shapes

Straight line – rovná čára

Curved line – zakřivená/zahnutá čára

Parallel lines – rovnoběžky

Right angle – pravý úhel

Acute angle (less than 90 degrees) – ostrý úhel

Obtuse angle (angle between 90 and 180 degrees) – tupý úhel

Quadrilateral (any 4-sided shape) – čtyřstěn

Parallelogram (2 opposite sides are paralell lines) – rovnoběžník

Pentagon – pětiúhelník

Hexagon – šestiúhelník

Diameter – průměr

Radius – poloměr