English Grammar Notes for UPSR

Articles 冠词 1. There are 3 types of articles  ‘a’, ‘an’ and ‘the’. 2. ‘A’ and ‘an’  indefinite articles and only used with singular countable nouns. 2.1 ‘a’ is used before words that begin with consonants sounds or words which begin with the vowel ‘u’ but has a consonant sound (you). a) a boy e) a university b) a flower f) a unit c) a pineapple g) a unique school d) a zebra h) a one-way street 2.2 ‘an’ is used before words which begin with vowels (a, e, i, o, u) or words which begin with the silent ‘h’. a) an ant g) an umbrella b) an apple h) an hour c) an earring i) an honour d) an elephant j) an honest girl e) an insect f) an onion 2.3 ‘a’ and ‘an’ are not use before uncountable nouns. E.g: rice, sand, oil, etc. 3 ‘The’  definite article and is used with plural countable nouns and also 3.1 To show something that is special and one of its kinds in the world. a) The sun is setting in the west. b) The air is fresher in the countryside. 3.2 To refer to a particular person, animal, thing or place. a) The white cat is under the chair. b) That is the car which honked at me yesterday. 3.3 For the superlative form of an adjective. a) She is the tallest girl in her class. b) I bought the cheapest book. 3.4 With things which are already mentioned before. a) A pupil is in a library. The pupil is reading quietly.

Nouns 名词 Countable and Uncountable Nouns 可数名词和不可数名词 1. A noun is used to refer to a person, place, animal or thing. a) teacher (person) b) market (place) c) rabbit (animal) d) car (thing) 2. Nouns can be countable or uncountable. 1

Countable Nouns (can be counted) pen car boy bag house key cat plate

Uncountable Nouns (cannot be counted) oil water sand curry dust rice ink paper

3. Can be used in the following ways. Countable Nouns a lot of books many pencils a few houses plenty of cars a few bags several keys some books a large number of cows a small number of durians    

Uncountable Nouns a little oil a lot of water plenty of sand some rice much ink less butter more money a large amount of curry a small amount of petrol

a lot of  positive statements, negative statements, questions. some  positive statements, questions. any  negative statements, questions plenty of

Collective Nouns 集合名词  Used to refer to people, animals or things as a unit.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

a band of musicians a choir of singers a class of pupils a caravan of gypsies a batch of students a gang of prisoners a crew of sailors a crowd of people

an army of ants a brood of chickens a cloud of flies a nest of mice a gaggle of geese a flight of swallows

People 一群音乐家 9. a patrol of policemen 一队歌手 10. an army of soldiers 一班学生 11. a staff of servants 一群吉卜塞人 12. a team of players 一批学员 13. a tribe of natives 一群犯人 14. a troupe of artistes 一群水手 15. a panel of judges 一群人 16. a party of friends

Animal 一群蚂蚁 11. a plague of locusts 一窝小鸡 12. parliament of owls 一群苍蝇 13. a shoal of fish 一窝老鼠 14. a smack of jellyfish 一群鹅 15. a team of oxen 一群燕子 16. a swarm of bees

一队警员 一队士兵 一班雇员 一队运动员 一族土著 一群艺人 一组裁判 一群朋友

一群蝗虫 一群猫头鹰 一群鱼 一群水母 一群公牛 一群蜜蜂 2

7. a flock of birds 8. a troop of monkeys 9. a litter of kittens a litter of puppies

一群鸟 一群猴子 一窝小猫 一窝小狗

10. a school of dolphins a school of whales

一群海豚 一群鲸鱼

17. a pack of wolves 18. a pride of lions 19. a flock of birds

一群狼 一群狮子 一群小鸟

a flock of sheep 20. a herd of buffaloes a herd of elephants

一群绵羊 一群水牛 一群大象

Things / Plants 1. a string of pearls 一串珍珠 11. a garland of flowers 一环花朵 2. a bale of cotton 一大包棉花 12. a layer of dirt 一层污垢 3. a bowl of rice 一碗饭 13. a queue of vehicles 一列车辆 4. a bunch of keys 一串钥匙 14. a pack of cards 一副纸牌 5. a cluster of coconuts 一嘟噜椰子 15. a bouquet of flowers 一束鲜花 6. a column of smoke 一缕烟 16. a tuft of grass 一丛草 7. a bundle of sticks 一捆柴枝 17. a wad of currency 一叠纸币 8. a suit of clothes 一套衣服 18. a cloud of dust 一团尘雾 9. a clutch of eggs 一窝蛋 19. a comb of bananas 一把香蕉 10. a crate of fruits 一箱水果 20. a set of tools 一套工具 Singular and Plural Nouns 单数和复数名词  A singular noun  1 person, animal, place or thing.  A plural noun  more than 1 person, animal, place or thing. 2) The letter ‘s’ is usually added to form a plural noun. a) fruit – fruits b) girl – girls c) lamp – lamps d) song – songs 3) For nouns which end with ‘s’, ‘x’, ‘sh’ and ‘ch’, the plural is formed by adding ‘es’. a) class – classes b) box – boxes c) dish – dishes d) match – matches 4) For a noun which ends with ‘y’ preceded by a consonant, the letter ‘y’ is changed into ‘ies’ to form the plural. a) activity – activities b) berry – berries c) lorry – lorries d) puppy - puppies 5) For a noun which ends with ‘y’ preceded by a vowel (ay, ey, oy, uy), the letter ‘s’ is added to form the plural. a) boy – boys b) day – days c) key – keys d) guy - guys

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6) For a noun which ends with the letter ‘o’ preceded by a vowel, the letter ‘s’ is added to form the plural. a) radio – radios b) studio – studios c) bamboo – bamboos d) piano – pianos e) zoo – zoos

7) For a noun which ends with the letter ‘o’ preceded by a consonant, ‘s’ or ‘es’ is added to form the plural. a) photo – photos b) potato – potatoes c) hero – heroes 8) For a noun which ends with the letter ‘f’ or ‘fe’, the plural form is made by either adding the letter ‘s’ or by changing ‘f’/ ‘fe’ to ‘ves’. a) leaf – leaves b) knife – knives c) half – halves d) thief - thieves e) roof - roofs f) safe – safes g) chef - chefs 9) Some nouns are called irregular as their plural form is spelt very differently from the singular form. a) ox – oxen e) goose – geese b) child – children f) mouse – mice c) foot – feet g) man – men d) tooth – teeth h) woman – women 10)A few irregular nouns maintain the same spelling and pronunciation for both singular and plural forms. a) deer – deer b) sheep – sheep c) salmon – salmon d) furniture – furniture 11) Some nouns occur only in the plural form: binoculars, glasses, scissors, spectacles, pants, pyjamas, shorts, tights, trousers, clothes, stairs, goods 12)Some nouns have no plural: news, work, homework, rubbish

Pronouns 代词 4

Singular I You He / She / It

First Second Third

Singula r

Plural

Subject of the verb I like to play badminton. You are late. He is an engineer. She is an only child. It is a Persian cat. We visited the museum. They won the singing competition.

Plural We You They

Object of the verb My parents took me out. I called you last night. The teacher scolded him. They found her in the room. The car knocked it down. They are waiting for us. The teacher praised them.

Personal

Possessive

Possessive

Reflexive Pronouns

Pronouns

Adjectives

Pronouns

I

my

mine

myself

You

your

yours

yourself

He

his

his

himself

She

her

hers

herself

It

its

its

itself

We

our

ours

ourselves

They

their

theirs

themselves

This is my bag.

The bag is mine.

I paint the picture myself.

This is your book.

The book is yours.

You have to do it yourself.

This is his pen.

The pen is his.

He writes the poem himself.

This is her pencil.

The pencil is hers.

She cut the fruit herself.

This is its kennel.

The kennel is its.

The dog scratched itself.

That is our house.

The house is ours.

We saw it ourselves.

These are their chairs.

The chairs are theirs. They helped themselves.

Adjectives 形容词 Comparison of Adjectives (Regular)

1 2 3

Positive 原级 big 大 brave 勇敢 bright 光亮

Comparative 比较级 bigger than braver than brighter than

Superlative 最高级 the biggest the bravest the brightest 5

4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0 11 1 2 1 3 1 4 1 5 1 6 1 7 1 8 1 9 2 0 2 1 2 2 2 3 2 4 2 5 2 6 2 7 2 8 2 9 3 0 3 1 3 2

busy cheap clean clear clever cold cool

忙碌 便宜 清洁 清晰 聪明 冷 凉快

busier than cheaper than cleaner than clearer than cleverer than colder than cooler than

the busiest the cheapest the cleanest the clearest the cleverest the coldest the coolest

cruel dark

残忍 黑暗

crueler than darker than

the cruelest the darkest

deep

深

deeper than

the deepest

dirty

肮脏

dirtier than

the dirtiest

fat

胖

fatter than

the fattest

friend

友善

friendlier than

the friendliest

great

美妙的

greater than

the greatest

happy

快乐

happier than

the happiest

hard

硬

harder than

the hardest

healthy

健康

healthier than

the healthiest

heavy

重

heavier than

the heaviest

high

高

higher than

the highest

hot

热

hotter than

the hottest

large

大

larger than

the largest

lazy

懒惰

lazier than

the laziest

light

轻

lighter than

the lightest

long

长

longer than

the longest

low

低

lower than

the lowest

near

靠近

nearer than

the nearest

neat

整洁

neater than

the neatest

nice

美好

nicer than

the nicest

noisy

吵闹

noisier than

the noisiest 6

3 3 3 4 3 5 3 6 3 7 3 8 3 9 4 0 4 1 4 2 4 3 4 4

pretty

漂亮

prettier than

the prettiest

poor

穷

poorer than

the poorest

quiet

安静

quieter than

the quietest

rich

富有

richer than

the richest

strong

强壮

stronger than

the strongest

tall

高

taller than

the tallest

thick

厚

thicker than

the thickest

thin

薄/瘦

thinner than

the thinnest

weak

弱

weaker than

the weakest

warm

温

warmer than

the warmest

wise

聪明

wiser than

the wisest

young

年轻

younger than

the youngest

Comparison of Adjectives (By adding ‘more’ and ‘most’)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0 11 1 2 1 3

Positive 原级 beautiful 美丽 careful 小心 comfortable 舒适 dangerous 危险 difficult 困难 exciting 兴奋 expensive 昂贵 famous 著名 helpful 有帮助的 intelligent 有智慧的

Comparative 比较级 more beautiful more careful more comfortable more dangerous more difficult more exciting more expensive more famous more helpful more intelligent

Superlative 最高级 most beautiful most careful most comfortable most dangerous most difficult most exciting most expensive most famous most helpful most intelligent

joyful obedient

快乐的 听话的

more joyful more obedient

most joyful most obedient

peaceful

和平的

more peaceful

most peaceful

Comparison of Adjective (Irregular) Positive 原级

bad good

坏 好

Comparative 比较级

worse better

Superlative 最高级

worst best 7

little many much far    

少 许多 许多/大量 遥远

less more more further/farther

least most most furthest/farthest

There is no comparison for positive The comparative is used to compare two things The superlative is used to compare three or more things The suffixes ‘-er’ and ‘-est’ are added to the positive adjectives to form most comparatives and superlatives. However, ‘-ier’ and ‘-iest’ are needed when a two-

syllable adjective ends in ‘y’.  When an adjective of one syllable ends in a single consonant, double the consonant for the comparative and superlatives forms. However, letters ‘-w’ and ‘-x’ are not doubled.

Conjunctions 连词 Conjunctio n and

but

Usage

Example

To join two sentences with

- Sandy likes singing.

the same or similar ideas

- Sandy likes dancing.

To join two sentences with

Sandy likes singing and dancing. - I want to go Singapore by bus.

different ideas

- He insists on taking the plane. I want to go Singapore by bus but he

because

To give reason

insists on taking the plane. - Danny was punished. - He did not do his homework. Danny was punished because he did not

so

To show cause and effect

do his homework. - The children are tired. - They go to bed early. The children are tired so they go to bed

or

if

To show a choice or

early. - Would you prefer tea?

possibility can be made

- Would you prefer coffee?

To show a condition

Would you prefer tea or coffee? - You work harder. - You will pass your examination. If you work harder, you will pass your 8

although

To show contrast

examination. - It is raining heavily.

(beginning / middle)

- They continue with the climb. Although it is raining heavily, they continue with the climb. - Nobody wants to live in that mansion. - It is beautiful. Nobody wants to live in that mansion although it is beautiful.

Wh-question Words 疑问句用词 Wh-question Word Who

Usage

Example

To ask about people

Who are you? Who is the man? Who is your mother? Who is your best friend?

To ask about things or something general.

What is this? What is in your bag? What are they doing? What does he want? What did you do yesterday?

Choices between a few possibilities (people, things / places)

Which is your pen? Which is the capital? Which book is better? Which shirt should I wear?

To ask the reason for something

Why are you here? Why is the bag wet? Why is he going out? Why do you want to be a singer?

To ask about who the owner of something is / belong to (possessives)

Whose pencil is this? Whose ruler is this? Whose car is that? Whose books are these?

What

Which

Why

Whose

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Where To ask about places

Where are you? Where is the ruler? Where do you live? Where is the car key?

To ask about the time something happens

When is your brother’s birthday? When are we going home? When did you come? When will you leave?

To ask about the way how something is done / quality, quantity

How are you? How was your trip? How do you cook the fish? How do you get to London?

When

How

* 7 W, 1 H  used to ask questions.

Verbs ‘to be’, ‘to have’ and ‘to do’ 动词

Verb to be

to have to do

Present Tense

Past Tense

is am

was

are

were

has have

had

does do

did

Example He is the head prefect. I am a boy. She was in Langkawi yesterday. These boys are my nephews. We were there last month. She has a yellow raincoat. You have a dictionary. He had a football practice yesterday. She does the housework every day. We do our work quietly. They did their homework just now.

Subject-Verb Agreement 主语与动词一致 The verb must agree with its subject. If the subject is singular, the verb must be singular. If the subject is plural, the verb must be plural as well. Singular The pupil sings during the music class. He / She prepares some food for

Plural The pupils sing during the music class. They prepare some food for supper.

supper. The child runs around in the field. The dog does not like its new owner. The backpacker has no place to sleep

The children run around in the field. The dogs do not like their new owner. The backpackers have no place to

tonight. He is a friend of mine

sleep tonight. They are friends of mine. 10

Singular is has does

Plural are have do

Simple Present Tense 现在时式 1) Facts, things that are always or generally true.         

The sky is blue. The moon is round. A hen lays eggs. A dog has four legs. The sun rises in the east. Tropical fish are beautiful. Water boils at 100 degrees. Plants die without water. My birthday is in September.

2) For situations that are (more / less) permanent.      

I live in Malaysia. She likes drawing. They love coffee. My father works in a bank. She has three children. The boy studies in SJK(C) Kundang.

3) Things that we do regularly / often à routines, habits. (every day, once a week, twice a month, every Sunday, four times a year) (always, often, usually, sometimes, rarely, never)

    

I go to school by car. He always wakes up at 6 a.m. Mei Ling often listens to music. Carol brushes her teeth twice a day. I drink a cup of coffee every morning.

4) Short actions.   

He looks at his watch. She opens the door. I switch on the computer. 11

5) Imperatives à statements / order    

Do not litter! Keep off the grass! Do not feed the animals. Go to your bedroom now.

6) We also use it to talk about the future after words like ‘ when’, ‘ until’, ‘ after’, ‘ before’, ‘as soon as’ in a future sentence.     

I will call you when I have time. I won't go out until it stops raining. She'll come as soon as her babysitter arrives. I'm going to make dinner after I watch the news. I'll give you the book before you go.

***Spelling: In general, for single subject we add ‘s’ in the verb. However... a) For verbs that end in -o, -ch, -sh, -ss, -x, or -z we add -es. o o o o o o

go – goes catch – catches wash – washes kiss – kisses fix – fixes buzz – buzzes

b) For verbs that end in a consonant + y, we remove the y and add -ies. o o o o

marry – marries study – studies carry – carries worry – worries

c) For verbs that end in a vowel + y, we just add -s. o play – plays o enjoy – enjoys o say – says Present Continuous Tense 现在进行时式 1) Used to show something which is happening now. a. I am cutting the grass now. b. The waiter is serving the customers now. 12

c. We are waiting for him at the bus stop. 2) Used to express the future. a. I am going camping next week. b. She is going for a holiday soon. c. We are going to China tomorrow. 3) Used to express developing and changing situations. a. The wind is getting stronger and the temperature is dropping faster. b. More people are buying organic products nowadays.

***Spelling: Verbs when adding -ing. a) Consonant after a short, stressed vowel at the end of the word.  Double the consonant: sit – he is sitting



put – he is putting travel – they are travelling If the consonant is not stressed, we do not double it:

benefit - benefiting (we stress the first 'e', not the 'i'.) b) One -e at the end of the word  Leave out the –e: write – he is writing 

take – he is taking BUT double –e add –ing:

see – he is seeing c) Verbs ending in –ie  Change 'ie' to 'y': lie - he is lying d) Verbs ending in –c  Change 'c' to 'ck': picnic - he is picnicking Simple Past Tense 过去时式 1) Something has happened in the past (specific time) and has finished.  I took her home just now.  They were at his birthday party last night.  The cleaned the house last weekend.  He knew the answer yesterday. 2) Telling stories or past events.  Once upon a time, a lord lived in the castle.  There was an ugly witch living in the middle of the forest.  In the past, the knights travelled on strong horses. 3) Indicate a time in the past. 13



I lived in Johor in 1994.

4) Express habit in the pass.  I collected stamps when I was a child.

*** Spelling: Verbs in the Past Simple Tense Regular Verb -d, -ed, -ied live à lived want à wanted carry à carried stop à stopped plan à planned panic à panicked

Irregular Verb

sell à sold drink à drank buy à bought

Verb remaining same cut à cut put à put let à let

Positive and Negative Statements 肯定句和否定句 Positive statement in the Present Tense I You We They He She It

go to the town’s library on weekends. goes Negative statement in the Present Tense

I You We They He She It

I

do not go to the town’s library on weekends. does not go

Positive statement in the Past Tense went to the zoo last Saturday. 14

You We They He She It Negative statement in the Past Tense I You We They He She It

did not go

to the zoo last Saturday.

Prepositions of Time

Prepositions

in

at

on after by during

Use     

month year season part of the day (morning, afternoon, evening) duration

        

specific time of day (noon, midnight) part of the day (night) celebrations days of the week dates special days something will happen later a deadline in the future through the whole of a period of time

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Prepositions

Examples -

My birthday is in December. Jenny was born in 1990. Tom wakes up early in the morning. Mr Siew will be here in three minutes. The van will be here in ten minutes.

-

Lunch is at noon. Dinner is at 6 o’clock. Tuition is at 2.30 p.m.

-

Ali is going to Ipoh on Friday. I am going to visit my grandmother on Saturday. My birthday is on the 25th of June. We are going to the party on my birthday.

after

-

I will see you after school. After the holidays, I will start studying French.

by

-

I expect rain by noon. I want to have those papers by Friday.

-

during the holidays

in

at

on

during

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