English grammar guide for master’s students

Министерство науки и высшего образования Российской Федерации   

Федеральное государственное бюджетное образовательное  

учреждение высшего образования  

«Томский государственный университет систем управления  

и радиоэлектроники» 

 
 
 

E.N. Shilina, Y.G. Yechina 

 

ENGLISH GRAMMAR GUIDE  
FOR MASTER’S STUDENTS 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Tomsk 
TUSUR 

2019 

УДК 811.111(075.8) 
ББК 81.432.1-923 
 
Ш55 

 
 
 
 

Рецензенты: 

О.А. Обдалова, д-р пед. наук, проф.; 
А.В. Соболева, канд. пед. наук, доцент 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Шилина, Елена Николаевна 

 
 
English grammar guide for master’s students : учеб. по
собие / Е.Н. Шилина, Е.Г. Ечина. – Томск : Томск. гос. ун-т 
систем упр. и радиоэлектроники, 2019. – 92 с. 

ISBN 978-5-86889-846-4 
Рассматриваются основные темы по английской грамматике, изу
чаемые в современном вузе. Темы представлены по возрастанию слож- 
ности, что позволяет студентам с разным уровнем подготовки использовать пособие для последовательного совершенствования грамматических 
навыков, а также в качестве грамматического справочника.  

Предназначено для общеобразовательной подготовки по грамма
тике английского языка студентов магистратуры, обучающихся в технических вузах. 

 

 
УДК 811.111(075.8) 

 
ББК 81.432.1-923 

 

ISBN 978-5-86889-846-4  
 Шилина Е.Н, Ечина Е.Г., 2019 

 
 Томск. гос. ун-т систем упр. 

 
  и радиоэлектроники, 2019 

Ш55

Contents 

HOW TO INTRODUCE NOUNS / DETERMINERS ....................... 4 
ADJECTIVE AND ADVERB PATTERNS .................................... 11 
PRESENT FORMS OF ENGLISH VERBS .................................... 18 
PAST FORMS OF ENGLISH VERBS ........................................... 25 
FUTURE FORMS OF ENGLISH VERBS ...................................... 33 
СONDITIONALS .......................................................................... 39 
MODALS ....................................................................................... 46 
GERUND AND INFINITIVE ......................................................... 54 
PARTICIPLE 1, 2........................................................................... 62 
PASSIVE VOICE ........................................................................... 67 
THE LIST OF IRREGULAR VERBS............................................. 73 
THE PHONEMES OF ENGLISH ................................................... 76 
CONTROL TEST 1 ........................................................................ 78 
CONTROL TEST 2 ........................................................................ 82 
CONTROL TEST 3 ........................................................................ 87 
REFERENCES ................................................................................ 91 

 

 

 
 

HOW TO INTRODUCE NOUNS / DETERMINERS 

Determiners are used to introduce nouns. They include the 

articles a /an  and the; some /any /much /many /little few /each, 
and several. 

Use the indefinite article a /an:  
 when mentioning something for the first  time. 
A new gadget is sold in all malls nowadays. 
 before a singular countable noun used in a general 

sense. 

They made us an offer. 
Use the definite article the: 
 when mentioning something for the second time. 
There was a letter in her postbox. It was the letter with  

details of her appointment.  

● when referring to a particular thing.  
I'm still waiting for the reply from the bank.  
● for many, but not all, geographical names, titles, and 

names of organizations. 

the Amazon, the Managing Director, the United Nations 
● with adjectives to refer to a particular group or class.  
the jobless, the well-off  
● for some places and amenities. 
I'm going to the post office /the hospital.  

But: 

I’m going home/to work. (no article) 

Don't use articles: 
● for plural countable nouns in a general sense.  
I enjoy dealing with customers.  
● to refer to uncountable nouns.  

Money is the root of all evil.  
● with abstract nouns like information, help, and  

business. 

But: 

For specific nouns, the is used. 
I hated dealing with the customers who came in this  

morning. 

The money she stole proves the point. 

Use some: 
● with plural countable nouns [C] and uncountable  

nouns [U]. 

We went to some interesting presentations [C] at the conference. 

She gave me some useful advice [U]. 

● in making offers and requests.  
Would you like some more copies of our brochure?  
Could I have some information, please? 
● when we see what we want or when we expect the  

answer to be «yes». 

Could you pass me some milk please?  
Are there some of those nice biscuits left?  

Use any: 
● to express the idea of all or nothing.  
Any decision (= all decisions) must be approved by the 

union. 

There isn't any reason (= is no reason) to be worried. 
● to check whether something exists or is available.  
Are there any copies of last year's brochure left?  
 

Much and many, a lot of and lots of  

Use many with countable nouns, and much with  

uncountable nouns.  

Many business people have criticized the government's 

economic policies. 

The new regulations have caused much confusion. 

A lot of/lots of are used with countable and uncountable 

nouns and are commonly used instead of much and many in 
positive statements. 

A lot of/ lots of business people take the 7.30 train. 
The mistake caused a lot of/ lots of confusion. 

Remember:  

Lots of is more informal than a lot of. 
I've got lots of ideas.  
He put made a lot of suggestions at the meeting. 

Much and many are more commonly used in questions 

and negative statements.  

How much time do we have before the others arrive? 
We don't have much time left. 
How many people do we expect at the meeting? 
We're not expecting many people at the meeting.  

Few and a few, little and a little  

Use few / a few with countable nouns and little / a little 

with uncountable nouns. A few and a little mean 'something 
while few and little mean 'not much / many, or 'less than usual". 

A few (= some) managers know how to inspire trust and 

loyalty from their employees. 

Few (= not very many) managers know how to inspire 

trust and loyalty from their employees.  

There's a little (= same) time left, so let's go through the 

figures again.  

There's little (= not much) time left, so we'll have to go 

through the figures when we next meet. 

Note that some adjectives and adverbs have different 

meanings despite their similarity of form. 

Note: 
not on time = lately, recently 
short = not tall; shortly soon 
hard = difficult, not soft; hardly almost none 

Use adverbs 
 with verbs to show how, or to what extent an action is 

performed. 

I completely agree with everything you've said. 
She apologized profusely. 
All our ingredients are organically grown. 
 to modify or emphasize adjectives or other adverbs. 
I was absolutely furious when I heard the news. 
He drives really quickly. 
 at the beginning of phrases or sentences to comment  

on what comes next. They are often used in more formal speech 
or writing. 

Hopefully, your car should be ready by this evening.  

(= if there are no problems) 

Clearly, we need to reconsider our credit terms,  

(= it's obvious) 

Regrettably, your order was damaged in transit. (= I'm 

sorry to say) 

Adverbs such as incidentally, consequently, under
standably are often used in this way. 

 

Exercises 

1.  Match examples 1–8 to the descriptions a-h of when we 

use the definite article (the). 

1. Puma was a loser, Jochen had a vision he could  

revitalize the brand.  

2. the U. S.  
3. the world, the centre of the universe  
4. the latest fashion  
5. the armchair athlete  
6. the Mostro  
7. the fourth chief executive in four years  
8. he cut the workforce 

a) with superlatives 
b) the name of a particular brand or model 
c) when something is mentioned for the second time 
d) some place names  
e) with ordinal numbers 
f) when it is clear what we are referring to 
g) where there is only one of something  
h) with a singular noun for a general type (the old, the  

unemployed, etc.)  

 
 

2. Complete sentences 1-10 with a, the, or (nothing).  

1. ___best place to buy luxury items is ___ famous  

department store like___ Harrods. 

2. After ___ product recall ___ company acquired ___  

terrible reputation for ___ unreliability.  

3. My father always said that ___ fashion was ___ waste 

of ___ time.  

4. Was ___ meeting you went to yesterday ___ success?  
5. ____ new product is ___ small hand-held device for 

___ businessman in ___ hurry.  

6. It's ___ amazing opportunity. In fact, it's ___ best we've 

ever had.  

7. ____ launch was total ___ disaster. ____ public didn't 

like ____ advertising campaign at all.  

8. ____ first time she went to ___ Swiss branch she 

met____ Managing Director.  

9. It takes ____ long time to build____ reputation, but 

you can lose it through single mistake. 

 

3. Underline the correct word. 

1. She's got some/a good number of furniture. 
2. There are several/much bottles of milk in the fridge. 
3. Could you put many/a little sugar in my tea, please? 
4. You need to put plenty of/many oil in the pan. 
5. A large number of/much people suffer from food  

allergies. 

6. Sprinkle hardly any/plenty of cheese on my pasta, 

please. 

7. There were only a few/a little biscuits left, so we 

bought some more. 

8. I need a couple of/a great deal of onions for this  

recipe. 

 
4. Fill in than, of,  in  or the. 

1. You'll get …………… best prices of all at Fresco's — 

it's cheaper ……...… anywhere else I know. 

2. Ben Nevis is higher ………… Snowdon but it's not the 

highest mountain ……………… the world. 

3. Tom's car is faster …………… mine but Mike's is the 

fastest ………….. all. 

4. Michael Jackson is one of the most popular singers 

……………. the world; in fact, he sells more records 
…………… any other singer in my country. 

5. Sally has got ………….. most beautiful garden of all in 

my neighborhood; it has more flowers …….. anyone else’s. 

 
5.  Underline the correct word. 

1. Can I have something/anything to eat? I'm starving. 
2. This recipe is very easy; someone/anyone can make 

this dish. 

3. Would you like some/no more tea? 
4. Please don't put any/some sugar in my coffee. 
5. He rarely does nothing/anything on Sundays. 
6. She's so rich she can go anywhere/somewhere she 

wants on holiday. 

7. It's too late; nothing/something can be done about it 

now. 

8. There's some/no point in asking her; she won't come. 
9. Shall we ask anyone/someone for directions?