Grammar for B1 Preliminary
Brief rules and examples of the grammar you need for this level.
| Grammar point | Rule | Example | En español |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present perfect vs past simple | Present perfect: no finished time (ever, since, for, just). Past simple: finished time. | I've lived here since 2020. I moved in May. | Present perfect sin tiempo terminado; pasado con tiempo terminado. |
| Past perfect | The earlier of two past actions. | When I arrived, the film had started. | La acción anterior de dos pasadas. |
| Future forms | will, going to, present continuous for arrangements. | I'm flying to Lima on Friday. | Will, going to y presente continuo. |
| Conditionals 0, 1, 2 | If + present, will. If + past, would. | If I had time, I'd help you. | Condicionales 0, 1 y 2. |
| Passive voice | be + past participle in different tenses. | The museum was built in 1910. | Be + participio. |
| Relative clauses | who, which, that, where, whose. | The man who lives next door is a pilot. | Pronombres relativos. |
| Reported speech | Backshift tenses; say vs tell. | She said she was tired. | Retroceso de tiempos; say vs tell. |
| Gerund vs infinitive | enjoy/avoid + -ing; want/decide + to. | I enjoy cooking. I decided to stay. | Verbos con -ing o con to. |
| Used to | Past habits that are finished. | I used to walk to school. | Hábitos pasados. |
| Modals of obligation and advice | must, have to, don't have to, should. | You don't have to pay. It's free. | Obligación y consejo. |
| Quantifiers and articles | few/little, a few/a little, the vs zero article. | Few people came. I have a little time. | Cuantificadores y artículos. |
| Linking words | although, however, unless, so that, in order to. | Although it rained, we went out. | Conectores de contraste y propósito. |
Errores típicos
I saw him yesterday.
Tiempo terminado → pasado.
If I see her, I'll tell her.
Sin will tras if.
She told me that...
Tell + persona.
I enjoy swimming.
Enjoy + -ing.
The man who...
Personas → who.
Although it rained...
Despite + sustantivo.