CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH FIRST

Grammar & Vocabulary

Complete Study Guide

Units 1–14 · All Grammar Rules · Examples · Vocabulary

Based on Grammar and Vocabulary for Cambridge First (2nd ed.) — Luke Prodromou / Pearson
Contents
Unit 1 — Present & Past Tenses
Present simple/continuous · Past simple · Present perfect · Past perfect · Continuous forms

Unit 2 — Future Forms

will/going to · Present continuous for future · Future continuous & perfect

Unit 3 — Modal Verbs & Linking Words

Modals (1 & 2): obligation, possibility, deduction · Linking: reason & purpose

Unit 4 — Questions & Agreement

Question formation · Question tags · Expressing agreement

Unit 5 — Conditionals & Wish

Zero/1st/2nd conditional · 3rd conditional · Mixed · wish/if only

Unit 6 — Time Clauses & More Futures

Time clauses with future · More future forms · Time/preference expressions

Unit 7 — The Passive & Causative

Passive: form & use · Agent · Causative have/get

Unit 8 — Reported Speech & Verb Patterns

Reported statements/questions · Reporting verbs · -ing vs infinitive

Unit 9 — Adjectives
Comparative & superlative · Prepositions after adjectives · Order of adjectives

Unit 10 — Adverb Intensifiers & Comparisons

Comparisons · so/such/too/enough/very · quite/rather/linking verbs

Unit 11 — Adverbs
Adverbs: use, form, word order, comparison

Unit 12 — Articles, Determiners & Nouns

Articles (a/an/the/zero) · Determiners · Countable/uncountable nouns

Unit 13 — Relative Clauses & Contrast

Relative clauses · Participles · Linking words: contrast

Unit 14 — Prepositions
Prepositions of time/place/movement · After verbs & nouns · it/there
UNIT 1 — PRESENT & PAST TENSES

1a — Present Simple vs Present Continuous

Present Simple Present Continuous

Form: base form (+ -s 3rd p. sg.) Form: am/is/are + -ing

Permanent situations: She works for a bank. Temporary situations: I'm staying with a friend.

Habits/routines: I use my phone every day. Changing situations: Prices are getting higher.

General truths: Water boils at 100°C. Actions in progress now: I'm using John's mobile.

Stories/summaries: Our hero goes off to search… Annoying habits + always: You're always borrowing money!

always = all the time: I always complain…

State verbs — NOT used in continuous tenses (normally)

• Mental/thinking: agree, believe, disagree, doubt, expect, forget, imagine, know, notice, realise, remember, suppose, think,
understand
• Attitude: dislike, hate, like, love, need, prefer, want, wish
• Sense/perception: hear, see, smell, taste
• Appearance/qualities: appear, look, resemble, seem, sound
• Existence/possession: be, belong to, come (from), exist, have, lack, own, possess
• Other: consist of, contain, cost, depend, fit, include, matter, mean, need, owe, suit, weigh
• Exception: Some state verbs CAN be used continuously with a change of meaning: He is being friendly (= behaving) vs He is
friendly (= quality)

1b — Past Simple · Present Perfect Simple · Present Perfect Continuous

Past Simple Present Perfect Simple

Form: past simple (irregular: went, saw…) Form: have/has + past participle

Finished actions with time words: They arrived yesterday / ago / Unspecified time in past: They have arrived in Spain.
last week.

Past habits/states: Long ago, they built houses of wood. Past action, result obvious now: You've spilt the coffee!

Past period (no longer): We were neighbours for 25 years. Recently completed + just: The film's just started.

Period not finished: We've built 20 schools this year.

Experience + before/ever/never: Have you ever seen an

elephant?

With for/since (action still true): They have lived here for six
years.

With already/yet/recently/often/still

Present Perfect Continuous (have/has been + -ing)

• Emphasises the duration of an activity that started in the past and may still be continuing.
• Often used with for and since: I've been waiting for hours.
• Can suggest the activity is temporary or not yet complete: I've been reading that book.
• Tip: if the result matters → perfect simple; if the activity/duration matters → perfect continuous

1c — Past Continuous · Past Perfect Simple · Past Perfect Continuous

Tense Form Use Example

Past Continuous was/were + -ing Action in progress at a past I was watching TV when she
time; background to another called.
event
Tense Form Use Example

Past Perfect Simple had + past participle Action completed before By the time we arrived, the film
another past action; often with had started.
by the time, after, when

Past Perfect Continuous had been + -ing Duration of activity before a She had been waiting for two
past event hours when he finally arrived.

Vocabulary — for/since/during/yet/still/already + Suffixes (1)

Time expressions
for + period: I've lived here for six years / for a long time.
since + point in time: I've been here since 2015 / since Monday.
during + noun (not a period): I fell asleep during the film. (NOT during it was raining)
while + clause: I fell asleep while I was watching the film.
yet (negative/question, end of sentence): Have you finished yet? / I haven't finished yet.
already (positive, before main verb or end): I've already eaten.
still (positive/negative, before aux): She's still waiting. / He still hasn't called.
ago + past simple: I came here five years ago.
before/after/by/by the time: She had left before I arrived.

Common noun suffixes (1)

-ment: employ→employment, achieve→achievement, disappoint→disappointment
-tion/-ation: educate→education, communicate→communication, inform→information
-ness: happy→happiness, sad→sadness, kind→kindness
-ity: electric→electricity, possible→possibility, similar→similarity
-er/-or/-ist: teach→teacher, act→actor, art→artist
UNIT 2 — FUTURE FORMS

2a/2b/2c — Ways to Talk About the Future

Form Use Example Contrast/Note

will + infinitive Spontaneous decisions; I'll call you later. / I think it will NOT for pre-arranged plans
predictions based on rain.
opinion/belief; promises; offers

be going to + infinitive Plans already decided; I'm going to visit Rome next Evidence = something visible
predictions based on evidence month. / Look at those clouds now
— it's going to rain.

Present continuous (am/is/are Fixed arrangements in the I'm meeting Sarah at 8. Usually with a time/place
+ -ing) near future (diary)

Present simple Timetabled events; official The train leaves at 7:30. Very fixed events only
schedules

Future continuous (will be + Action in progress at a future This time tomorrow I'll be flying
-ing) time; polite enquiry to New York.

Future perfect (will have + pp) Action completed before a By next June I'll have finished Often with by + time
future time my exams.

Future perfect continuous (will Duration up to a future point By 2030 she'll have been
have been + -ing) teaching for 40 years.

Future: Key distinctions

• will vs going to: will = decision made NOW; going to = decision made BEFORE: "The phone is ringing — I'll get it" vs "I'm going
to get a new phone" (decided earlier).
• Present continuous vs going to: both can express future plans, but present continuous implies a fixed social arrangement.
• After time conjunctions (when, after, before, until, as soon as, by the time) → use PRESENT tense, NOT will: I'll call you when I
arrive. (NOT when I will arrive)

Vocabulary — Phrasal verbs: time & change; Prefixes (1)

Phrasal verbs – time/change: break out (start suddenly), carry on (continue), come up (arise), cut down on (reduce), die out (become
extinct), grow up (become adult), run out of (finish supply), set off/out (begin journey), take off (increase rapidly / plane leaves), turn up
(arrive)
Prefixes (1): dis- (disagree, disappear, dislike) · mis- (misunderstand, mistake, misuse) · over- (overwork, overeat, overlook) · re- (rebuild,
recycle, redo, rewrite) · under- (underestimate, underpay, underuse) · un- (unhappy, unkind, unusual, unlock)
Tip: some prefixes change meaning (re- = again), others create negatives (un-, dis-, mis-).
UNIT 3 — MODAL VERBS & LINKING WORDS

3a — Modal Verbs (1): Obligation, Necessity, Advice

Modal Meaning Present/Future Past

must obligation/necessity You must be home by 10. had to (no past of must for
obligation)

mustn't prohibition You mustn't smoke here. —

have to / have got to necessity (external) I have to wear a uniform. / I've I had to wear a uniform.
got to go.

don't have to / needn't no necessity We don't have to hurry. We didn't have to hurry.

should / ought to advice/criticism You should see a doctor. You should have worked
harder.

shall suggestions/offers Shall I open the window? —

3b — Modal Verbs (2): Possibility, Certainty, Deduction

Modal Meaning Present/Future Past (+ have + pp)

can general possibility/ability It can be very cold here in —

winter.

could past ability; present possibility She could be at home. I could have helped. (but
(weaker) didn't)

may / might possibility (present/future) It may/might rain tomorrow. He may/might have left
already.

must near-certainty (deduction +) You've been running — you They must have gone home.
must be tired.

can't / couldn't near-certainty (deduction −) She can't be at work — it's He can't have heard you.
Sunday!

would typical behaviour; conditional She would always smile when —

nervous.

Modal Verbs — Key Rules

• NO -s in 3rd person: She must go. (NOT She musts go.)
• Bare infinitive after modal: You should arrive early.
• Questions: invert modal + subject: Can he swim? / Must I go?
• Negatives: modal + not: I cannot (can't) go. / You shouldn't do that.
• Perfect modal = modal + have + past participle: You could have told me!
• Two modals cannot follow each other: use be able to instead: You will be able to go.

3c — Linking Words: Reason & Purpose

Reason Purpose

REASON (why something happened) PURPOSE (what something is for)

because + clause: I stayed in because it was raining. to / in order to / so as to + infinitive: I study to pass my exams.

because of / due to / owing to + noun: Due to bad weather, the so that + clause: I wrote it down so that I wouldn't forget.
flight was delayed.

as / since + clause: As I was tired, I went home early. in order not to / so as not to (negative): She tiptoed so as not to
wake him.

As a result (of) / Therefore / Consequently: He missed the bus; for + noun/gerund: This is used for cutting bread.
as a result, he was late.
Reason Purpose

Thanks to (+ positive cause): Thanks to your help, we

succeeded.

Vocabulary — have/take/bring; Suffixes (2)

have: have a look/swim/rest/go/try/break/argument/conversation/party/shower/meal/dream/effect/influence
take: take a seat/photo/exam/risk/taxi/breath/note/step/shower, take part in, take care of, take place, take turns
bring: bring about (cause), bring up (raise a child / mention), bring back (return / remind), bring out (publish), bring round (convince)
Suffixes (2): -ful (careful, hopeful, painful) · -less (careless, hopeless, painless) · -ous (dangerous, famous, poisonous) · -al (logical, national,
personal) · -ic (comic, electric, historic) · -ive (active, creative, protective)
UNIT 4 — QUESTIONS, TAGS & AGREEMENT

4a — Questions & Question Words

Question Formation
• With be/have/modals: invert subject + verb: Is she here? / Can you help?
• With other verbs: use do/does/did: Do you like coffee? / Did she go?
• Subject questions (WHO/WHAT as subject): no inversion/do: Who called? / What happened?
• With prepositions: put preposition at end (informal): Who did you talk to? or before wh-word (formal): To whom did you speak?
• Indirect questions (in clauses): normal word order: Could you tell me where the station is?

4b — Question Tags
Rule Notes

Positive statement → NEGATIVE tag: She's here, isn't she? Use the same auxiliary as in the statement

Negative statement → POSITIVE tag: He won't come, will he? Falling intonation = checking; rising intonation = genuine
question

Imperative → will/won't you: Open the door, will you? There → there: There's a problem, isn't there?

Let's go, shall we? Nothing/nobody (negative) → positive: Nobody called, did they?

I am → aren't I: I'm right, aren't I?

4c — Expressing Agreement
Agreement Disagreement / Short Answers

Agreeing with positive statements: Short answers:

So + aux + subject: "I love pizza." "So do I." Yes, + subject + aux: Yes, I do. / Yes, she is.

Neither + aux + subject: "I don't like rain." "Neither do I." No, + subject + aux + n't: No, I don't. / No, she isn't.

Me too / Me neither (informal) Disagreeing: Actually / In fact + correct information

Vocabulary — do/make; Suffixes (3)

do: do your homework/the housework/exercise/sport/a favour/damage/harm/business/well
make: make a mistake/noise/decision/effort/progress/suggestion/appointment/impression/fortune/friends
Fixed phrases: do without, make sure, make do with, do up (fasten/decorate), make up (invent/reconcile)
Suffixes (3): -ance/-ence (appearance, difference, performance) · -ure (failure, pleasure, pressure) · -y (difficulty, discovery, injury) · -ist
(artist, biologist, journalist) · -ian (musician, politician, technician)
 UNIT 5 — CONDITIONALS & WISH

5a — Zero, First & Second Conditionals

Type Structure Use Example

Zero if + present simple → present General truths; things always If you heat water to 100°C, it
simple true boils.

First if + present simple → will + Real/possible future situations If it rains, we'll stay at home.
infinitive

Second if + past simple → would + Unlikely/hypothetical present If I had more money, I would
infinitive or future; advice travel more.

First conditional variations

• if + present simple → modal verb: If you promise to behave, you can come.
• if + present simple → be going to: If you don't work hard, you're going to fail.
• if + present continuous → will: If you're leaving, I'll come with you.
• if + present perfect → will/modal: If you've finished, you can go.
• unless = if…not: Unless you leave now, you'll be late.
• provided/providing (that) = on condition that: Provided you rest, you'll feel better.
• as long as = on condition that: You can come as long as you behave.
• in case (precaution): Take a coat in case it gets cold.

5b — Third Conditional & Mixed Conditionals

Type Structure Use Example

Third if + past perfect → would have Imaginary situation in the past; If she had studied, she would
+ pp things that didn't happen have passed.

Mixed (past → now) if + past perfect → would + Past condition with present If he hadn't missed the train,
infinitive result he would be here now.

Mixed (now → past) if + past simple → would have Present condition with past If I were braver, I would have
+ pp result spoken to her.

5c — wish / if only
Structure Use Example

wish/if only + past simple Regret about present situation I wish I lived in a bigger house. / If only I
could drive.

wish/if only + past perfect Regret about past event I wish I had studied harder. / If only she
hadn't said that!

wish/if only + would + inf Complaint about sb else's behaviour I wish it would stop raining. / I wish you
(wanting change) would listen!

Vocabulary — want/expect/love/can't bear + Prefixes (2)

Verbs + to-infinitive: want, expect, hope, agree, decide, manage, offer, promise, refuse, seem, tend
Verbs + -ing: enjoy, finish, mind, avoid, consider, deny, imagine, involve, miss, practise, risk, suggest
Verbs + both (different meaning): remember to do (future action) / remember doing (past memory); try to do (attempt) / try doing
(experiment); stop to do (pause) / stop doing (cease)
Prefixes (2): pre- (pre-arrange, preview, prepay) · post- (postpone) · pro- (pro-active) · anti- (antibiotic, anti-social) · inter- (international,
interview) · semi- (semi-final) · bi- (bilingual, bicycle)
UNIT 6 — TIME CLAUSES, MORE FUTURES & TIME EXPRESSIONS

6a — Time Clauses with Future Reference

After time conjunctions → use present tense (NOT will)
• Conjunctions: when, after, before, until/till, as soon as, by the time, once, while, whenever
• I'll phone you when I arrive. (NOT when I will arrive)
• We'll eat after she comes home.
• By the time you read this, I will have left.
• He'll be happy once he hears the news.
• If the time clause refers to something before a future moment → use present perfect: I'll go out once I've finished this report.

6b — More Future Forms

Expressing near future/plans Expressing certainty/unfulfilled plans

be about to + inf = very near future: She's about to leave. be bound/sure/certain to + inf = certainty: He's bound to pass.

be due to = scheduled: The train is due to arrive at 3. was/were going to = planned but didn't happen: I was going to
call but forgot.

be on the point of + -ing: We were on the point of giving up. was/were about to = just before it happened: I was about to
leave when she called.

6c — Expressions of Time & Preference

Time expressions
afterwards/after that: (later) I had lunch; afterwards I went for a walk.
after: conjunction/preposition — after + noun/gerund/clause
until/till: up to a point in time — Wait until/till I get back.
as far as: up to a certain distance/extent — As far as I know, he's fine.
as long as: for the entire time that; also = provided that
as soon as: immediately when — Call me as soon as you arrive.
Preference: prefer (+ noun/-ing), would prefer (+ to-inf), would rather (+ bare inf), would sooner (+ bare inf) — I'd rather stay home. / I'd
prefer to leave early.

Vocabulary — afterwards/after/until/as far as; Phrases with time

on time (punctually), in time (with time to spare), at the time (at that moment), for the time being (temporarily), from time to time
(occasionally), in no time (very quickly), once upon a time (long ago — stories), take your time (don't hurry), waste of time, it's about/high
time (+ past simple): It's high time you tidied your room.
Phrasal verbs (afterwards/after): get and have (got) — see Unit 7
UNIT 7 — THE PASSIVE & CAUSATIVE

7a — The Passive: Form

Tense Passive Pattern Example (passive) Active equivalent

Present simple am/is/are + pp Champagne is made in They make champagne in

France. France.

Present continuous am/is/are being + pp The matter is still being They are still considering the
considered. matter.

Past simple was/were + pp The date was announced They announced the date
yesterday. yesterday.

Past continuous was/were being + pp Every effort was being made to They were making every
end the strike. effort…

Present perfect have/has been + pp A new stadium has been built They've built a new stadium.
in London.

Past perfect had been + pp The work had been finished by They had finished the work by
2011. 2011.

Future simple will be + pp You will be examined by Mr Mr Roberts will examine you.
Roberts.

Future perfect will have been + pp The project will have been They will have completed the
completed by June. project.

be going to am/is/are going to be + pp A new hospital is going to be They're going to build a new
built here. hospital.

Modal modal + be + pp The house must be cleaned. They must clean the house.

7b — The Passive: Use & Agent

When to use the passive
• When the DOER of the action is unknown, unimportant, or obvious: My bike was stolen.
• When we want to focus on the RECEIVER of the action (object of active sentence): Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet →
Romeo and Juliet was written by Shakespeare.
• In formal writing, news, reports, scientific writing (impersonal tone).
• When the agent is mentioned → use by: The play was written by Shakespeare.
• When the instrument/tool is mentioned → use with: The letter was written with a quill.
• Adverbs of frequency/time go after the first auxiliary: It is usually made of wood. / They have just been found.

7c — The Causative (have/get something done)

have + object + pp get + object + pp

have + object + past participle get + object + past participle

We arranged for someone else to do something for us. Similar to have + obj + pp but more informal/colloquial.

I had my hair cut. / She had her car repaired. I'm going to get my eyes tested.

Also: have + object + infinitive (more formal): The manager had Also: get + object + to-infinitive (arrange/persuade): I'll get my
his assistant book the tickets. sister to help you.

Negative experience (no arrangement): I had my bag stolen! / get = manage/persuade someone to do: Can you get John to fix
They had their house destroyed. the printer?
Vocabulary — get/have (got); Compound nouns
get (meanings): receive (get a letter), obtain (get a job), become (get tired/ill), arrive (get home), persuade (get sb to do sth), fetch (go and
get), understand (I don't get it)
have (got) (meanings): possess (I've got a new car), experience (have a problem), suffer (have an accident)
Compound nouns: two nouns together: traffic light, bus stop, door bell, heart attack, washing machine, car park, waste bin. Usually the
FIRST noun acts as an adjective and is singular. Stress usually on first word: BUS stop, DOOR bell
UNIT 8 — REPORTED SPEECH & VERB PATTERNS

8a — Reported Speech (1): Statements

Direct speech Reported speech Tense change

present simple → past simple "I want to go." → He said he wanted to go.

present continuous → past continuous "I'm leaving." → She said she was leaving.

past simple → past perfect simple "I saw her." → He said he had seen her.

past continuous → past perfect continuous "I was working." → She said she had been
working.

present perfect → past perfect "I've finished." → He said he had finished.

will → would "I'll help." → She said she would help.

can → could "I can do it." → He said he could do it.

may → might "I may go." → She said she might go.

must → had to "I must go." → He said he had to go.

am/is/are going to → was/were going to "I'm going to stay." → She said she was
going to stay.

Reported speech: other changes

• Pronouns: I → he/she, we → they, my → his/her, etc.
• Time expressions: now → then, today → that day, yesterday → the day before, tomorrow → the following day, last week → the
week before, next week → the following week, here → there, this → that
• Tense backshift NOT required when: reporting verb is present tense, reported information is still true, with modal verbs
could/would/should/might/ought to

8b — Reported Speech (2): Questions & Reporting Verbs

Reported questions
• Use if/whether for Yes/No questions: "Are you tired?" → He asked if/whether I was tired.
• Use wh-word for wh-questions: "Where do you live?" → She asked where I lived.
• IMPORTANT: in reported questions use NORMAL word order (no inversion, no do/does/did): He asked what time it was. (NOT
what time was it)

Reporting verb Pattern Example

say, tell say (that) / tell sb (that) She said she was tired. / He told me he
was ready.

ask ask sb (to do) / ask if/whether She asked me to help. / He asked if I was
ready.

advise, warn, invite, encourage, remind verb + sb + to-infinitive She warned me not to go out late.

suggest, recommend verb + -ing OR verb + that + subj + should He suggested going to the cinema. / She
suggested that we should leave.

admit, deny, refuse, insist verb + -ing / verb + (that) clause He admitted taking the money. / She
denied being there.

offer, promise, agree, threaten verb + to-infinitive She offered to help. / He promised to
come.

8c — -ing Forms vs Infinitives After Verbs

to-infinitive -ing form

Verb + to-infinitive: Verb + -ing:

to-infinitive -ing form

agree, appear, arrange, choose, decide, expect, fail, happen, admit, avoid, can't help, consider, deny, dislike, enjoy, fancy,
hope, learn, manage, offer, plan, pretend, promise, refuse, finish, give up, imagine, involve, keep, look forward to, mind,
seem, tend, want, wish miss, practise, put off, risk, suggest

She decided to leave early. I enjoy reading in the evenings.

Verbs with BOTH forms (different meanings)

• remember to do = don't forget to do (future action); remember doing = recall a past action
• forget to do = not do; forget doing = not remember having done
• try to do = attempt; try doing = experiment to see if it works
• stop to do = pause in order to do sth; stop doing = cease an activity
• go on to do = do next; go on doing = continue the same thing
• regret to do = sorry to announce; regret doing = feel sorry about a past action

Vocabulary — say/tell/talk/speak; -ed and -ing adjectives

say: say sth (to sb): She said goodbye to me. (NOT said me)
tell: tell sb sth / tell sb to do sth: He told me the truth.
talk: talk to/with sb / talk about sth: We talked about our plans.
speak: speak to sb / speak a language / speak up: Do you speak French?
-ed adjectives: how someone feels: I was bored / tired / frightened.
-ing adjectives: description of the thing causing the feeling: The film was boring / tiring / frightening.
UNIT 9 — ADJECTIVES

9a — Comparative & Superlative Adjectives

Type Comparative Superlative Examples

Short (1 syl) adj + -er the + adj + -est tall→taller→tallest;

big→bigger→biggest

Long (2+ syl) more + adj the most + adj beautiful→more beautiful→the
most beautiful

2-syl adj ending -y adj + -ier the + adj + -iest happy→happier→happiest

Irregular good→better; bad→worse; good→best; bad→worst;

far→farther/further far→farthest/furthest

Comparative structures
• as…as (equality): She's as tall as her brother.
• not as/so…as (inequality): It's not as cold as yesterday.
• much/far/a lot + comparative: This is much better than before.
• a bit/a little/slightly + comparative: She's a bit older than me.
• comparative + and + comparative (increasing degree): It's getting hotter and hotter.
• the + comparative…, the + comparative (one change causes another): The older I get, the wiser I become.

9b — Adjectives Followed by Prepositions

Common adjective + preposition combinations
about: excited, happy, nervous, optimistic, pessimistic, sorry, worried, upset, enthusiastic about
at: bad, brilliant, clever, good, surprised at/by
by: amazed, astonished, confused, disappointed, impressed, shocked, surprised by
for: famous, grateful, ready, responsible, sorry for
from: different, free from
in: interested, involved in
of: afraid, aware, fond, proud, tired, typical, capable, jealous of
to: close, connected, devoted, kind, married, related, similar, used to
with: angry, bored, fed up, friendly, patient, pleased, satisfied with

9c — Order of Adjectives
Adjective order before a noun
• 1. Determiner/number: a, the, two, some, my…
• 2. Opinion/general: beautiful, horrible, lovely, nice
• 3. Size: big, enormous, large, little, small, tall, tiny
• 4. Age: ancient, new, old, young
• 5. Shape: circular, flat, round, square
• 6. Colour: black, blue, golden, red
• 7. Origin/nationality: American, British, French, Italian
• 8. Material: cotton, leather, metallic, stone, wooden
• 9. Noun (used as adjective): dining (table), kitchen (knife)
• Example: a lovely small old rectangular green French silver whittling knife

Vocabulary — Easily confused adjectives; Compound adjectives

Confused pairs: economic (relating to economy) vs economical (not wasteful) · historic (important/famous) vs historical (related to history) ·
sensible (showing good sense) vs sensitive (easily hurt/aware) · imaginative (having good imagination) vs imaginary (not real) · exhausted
(very tired) vs exhausting (making you tired)
Compound adjectives: adj/adv/noun + past participle: well-known, well-paid, old-fashioned, hand-made, home-grown · adj/noun + present
participle: good-looking, easy-going, long-lasting · noun + adjective: world-famous, life-long, snow-white · number + noun: a ten-minute walk,
a five-year-old child
UNIT 10 — COMPARISONS, INTENSIFIERS & LINKING VERBS

10a — Comparisons
Comparative expressions
• similar to / different from (NOT different than in British English)
• the same as: Your bag is the same as mine.
• like (= similar to): She sings like a professional. vs as (= in the role of): She works as a teacher.
• unlike (= in contrast to): Unlike her sister, she loves sport.
• compared to/with: Compared to/with last year, sales are better.
• twice/three times as + adj + as: It's twice as expensive as before.
• twice/three times the size/price/amount of: It's twice the price of the other one.

10b — so/such; too/enough/very

so / such too / enough / very

so + adjective/adverb: It was so cold (that) I couldn't feel my too + adjective/adverb (= more than needed, negative): It's too
fingers. hot to work.

so + many/few + pl. noun: There were so many people! too + many/much: There's too much noise.

so + much/little + uncountable: There's so much traffic. adj/adv + enough (= as much as needed): She's old enough to
drive.

such + a/an + adj + singular noun: It was such a beautiful day! enough + noun: Have we got enough food?

such + adj + plural/uncountable noun: They're such intelligent very (simply intensifies, no negative meaning): She's very
students. clever.

10c — quite/rather/fairly; Linking Verbs

Degree adverbs
• quite (BrE) = fairly / somewhat: The film was quite good. BUT with absolute adj: quite = completely: quite perfect / quite
exhausted
• fairly = moderately (generally positive): The food was fairly good.
• rather = somewhat more than expected (often slightly negative or for emphasis): The exam was rather difficult.
• pretty (informal) ≈ quite/fairly: She's pretty talented.
• Order: quite < fairly < rather (in terms of degree)

Linking verbs (take adjective, not adverb)

• be, seem, appear, look, sound, taste, smell, feel, become, get, grow, turn, stay, remain, keep
• She looks tired. (NOT tiredly) · It smells wonderful. · He became angry.
• Tip: test → can you replace with "be"? If yes → adjective: The music sounds beautiful → The music is beautiful.

Vocabulary — Similar adjectives; Suffixes (4)

Similar adjective pairs: alone (physical state) vs lonely (emotional feeling) · hard (difficult/firm) vs hardly (scarcely) · late (not on time) vs
lately (recently) · near (not far) vs nearly (almost) · high (altitude) vs highly (very, to a high degree)
Suffixes (4): -able/-ible (comfortable, possible, responsible, reliable, flexible) · -ible vs -able: most new words take -able
UNIT 11 — ADVERBS

11a — Adverbs: Use & Form

Form Types

Regular: adj + -ly: slow→slowly, careful→carefully, Types of adverbs:

happy→happily

Adjective ends in -ic: + -ally: dramatic→dramatically Manner: speak quickly, work hard, sing well

Adjective ends in -le: replace -le with -ly: gentle→gently Frequency: always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, never

Adjective ends in -ll: + -y: full→fully Time: yesterday, soon, still, already, yet, recently

Irregular: good→well; fast→fast; hard→hard; late→late; Place: here, there, abroad, outside, upstairs
early→early; high→high

Watch out: hardly (= scarcely) ≠ hard · lately (= recently) ≠ late · Degree: very, too, quite, rather, fairly, extremely, absolutely
nearly (= almost) ≠ near · highly (= very) ≠ high · deeply ≠ deep ·
shortly (= soon) ≠ short

Sentence: unfortunately, obviously, hopefully, frankly

11b — Adverb Word Order

Position rules
• Manner adverbs → after verb/object: She played the piano beautifully.
• Frequency adverbs → before main verb, after be/aux: She always arrives late. / He is often late. / I have never been there.
• Time adverbs → end of sentence (or beginning for emphasis): I called him yesterday. / Yesterday, I called him.
• Place adverbs → end of sentence: She left the keys here.
• Multiple adverbs order: manner → place → time: She drove carefully to school this morning.
• never/seldom/rarely/hardly ever at start → subject-verb inversion: Never have I seen such a thing!

11c — Adverb Comparison

Comparing adverbs
• Most adverbs ending in -ly: more + adverb / the most + adverb: She drives more carefully than I do.
• Short adverbs (fast, hard, late, etc.): adj pattern + -er/-est: He works harder than anyone.
• Irregular: well→better/best; badly→worse/worst; far→farther(further)/farthest(furthest); little→less/least; much→more/most

Vocabulary — Adverbs of different forms and meanings; Seeing and hearing verbs
Adverb pairs: deep/deeply (deep = to a great depth physically; deeply = very much/profoundly: I dug deep / I was deeply moved.) ·
hard/hardly · high/highly · late/lately · near/nearly · short/shortly · wide/widely
Seeing verbs: see (perceive involuntarily), look at (direct gaze), watch (observe movement), notice (become aware), observe (carefully),
stare at (fix gaze), glance at (quick look), glimpse (brief sight)
Hearing verbs: hear (perceive involuntarily), listen to (pay attention), overhear (accidentally), sound (seems by sound)
 UNIT 12 — ARTICLES, DETERMINERS & NOUNS

12a — Articles: a/an, the, zero article

Article Use Examples Exceptions/Notes

a / an Singular countable noun, I saw a dog. / She's a doctor. / a + consonant sound; an +

mentioned for the first time; a hundred vowel sound: a unit, an hour
one of many; jobs/nationalities;
certain numbers

the Specific noun (listener knows The dog I saw was brown. / the the + adjective = group of
which); second mention; Sun / the best film / the first people: the poor, the elderly
unique things; superlatives; time
ordinal numbers

Zero (∅) Plural/uncountable nouns in I love music. / Life is hard. / the with: rivers (the Nile),
general; abstract nouns; She speaks French. / We had mountain ranges (the Alps),
names of most countries, lunch. oceans, plural countries (the
languages, meals, sports USA), newspapers, hotels

12b — Determiners
Determiner Used with Meaning Example

some positive sentences; a certain amount/number I've got some milk. / Would you
offers/requests (expected yes) like some tea?

any negative/question sentences; it doesn't matter which I haven't got any sugar. / Have
conditions you got any brothers?

much negative/question + a large amount (formal) Not much time left.

uncountable

many negative/question + plural a large number How many students are there?

a lot of / lots of positive + plural/uncountable a large amount/number There are a lot of people here.
(informal)

few / a few plural few = almost none (negative); Few people know. / I have a
a few = some (positive) few friends.

little / a little uncountable little = almost none; a little = Little time remains. / There's a
some little milk.

each / every singular nouns each = individual; every = all in Each student got a book. /
a group Every child needs love.

both / either / neither two things both = the two; either = one or Both are good. / Either will do.
the other; neither = not one, / Neither is right.
not the other

all / no / none of plural/uncountable All students passed. / No

students failed.

12c/12d — Countable & Uncountable Nouns

Uncountable nouns (no plural, no a/an)
Abstract: advice, information, knowledge, news, progress, research, work, fun, luck, health
Materials: bread, butter, cheese, coffee, flour, hair, milk, music, rice, soap, sugar, water, wood
Collections: luggage/baggage, furniture, equipment, money, traffic, rubbish
Common mistakes: We say a piece of advice/information/furniture/luggage/news. NOT an advice.
Plural nouns (no singular, used with plural verb): trousers, scissors, glasses, jeans, shorts, tights, pyjamas
Collective nouns (group → singular or plural): the team is/are, the government has/have
Vocabulary — Uncountable nouns ending -s; Suffixes (5)
Nouns ending -s but uncountable/singular: news (The news is good.), physics, mathematics, economics, athletics, gymnastics — all
singular!
Suffixes (5): -age (storage, shortage, luggage, package) · -ing (building, cooking, learning) · -ship (friendship, leadership, membership) ·
-hood (childhood, neighbourhood) · -dom (freedom, kingdom, boredom)
UNIT 13 — RELATIVE CLAUSES, PARTICIPLES & CONTRAST

13a — Relative Clauses

Pronoun Refers to Defining? Notes

who / that people both who = preferred in

non-defining; that = common in
defining

which / that things both which = used in non-defining;

that = only defining

whose possession (people/things) both The girl whose bag was stolen
called the police.

where place both The hotel where we stayed

was beautiful.

when time both The day when we met was

rainy.

why reason defining That's the reason why I left.

Defining Non-defining

Defining relative clauses: essential to identify the noun; no Non-defining relative clauses: add extra info; not essential;
commas; can use that; can omit pronoun if it is the object always use commas; CANNOT use that; CANNOT omit the
pronoun

The woman [who/that] I met was very kind. (object → can omit) My sister, who lives in Paris, is a chef.

The man who called is my boss. (subject → cannot omit) The Eiffel Tower, which was built in 1889, attracts millions.

13b — Participles
Present participle Past participle

Present participle (-ing) Past participle (-ed/irregular)

Replaces an active relative clause or adds info about Replaces a passive relative clause; gives a completed action
simultaneous actions

The man standing by the door = the man who is/was standing by The letters written by Napoleon = the letters that were written by
the door Napoleon

Walking home, I saw an accident. (= while I was walking) Shocked by the news, she sat down. (= because she was
shocked)

Note: the subject of both clauses must be the same! Perfect participle: Having finished his work, he went home. (=
After he had finished)

13c — Linking Words: Contrast

Contrast connectors
• although / even though / though + clause: Although it was raining, we went out.
• however / nevertheless / nonetheless + independent clause (with comma or semicolon): It was raining; however, we went out.
• despite / in spite of + noun/-ing/the fact that: Despite the rain, we went out. / In spite of feeling tired, she worked.
• whereas / while (direct contrast): Whereas she loves sport, her brother hates it.
• on the other hand: French is difficult; on the other hand, it's a beautiful language.
• yet / but / still (informal contrast): He's rich yet unhappy.
Vocabulary — Phrasal verbs with get; Suffixes (6)
Phrasal verbs with get: get away (escape/holiday), get away with (not be punished), get back (return), get by (manage with little), get down
to (start working seriously), get into (enter/become interested in), get off (leave transport), get on with (have good relationship/continue), get
out of (avoid doing), get over (recover from), get round to (find time for), get through (contact by phone/finish)
Suffixes (6): -eer (engineer, volunteer, pioneer) · -ess (actress, waitress, hostess — now often avoided as sexist) · -ette (kitchenette,
cigarette — small) · -ling (duckling, darling — small/young/affectionate)
 UNIT 14 — PREPOSITIONS

14a — Prepositions of Time, Place & Movement

Category Preposition Use Example

TIME at specific time; fixed expressions at 3pm / at night / at Christmas

/ at the moment

TIME on days; dates on Monday / on 5th June / on

New Year's Day

TIME in months; years; seasons; in January / in 2023 / in

periods of day summer / in the morning

TIME for duration I've been here for three hours.

TIME since point in time She's lived here since 2010.

TIME by deadline (not later than) The report must be ready by

Friday.

TIME until/till up to a point in time I'll wait until you come back.

PLACE at specific point/location at the bus stop / at school / at

the top

PLACE on surface; floor; transport on the table / on the 3rd floor /

(bus/train) on the bus

PLACE in enclosed space; city/country in the box / in London / in the

water

MOVEMENT to direction toward destination go to school / travel to France

MOVEMENT into/onto movement entering/to surface jump into the pool / climb onto
the roof

MOVEMENT through from one side to another drive through the tunnel

MOVEMENT across from one side to another swim across the river
(surface)

MOVEMENT along in line with walk along the path

MOVEMENT past go beyond drive past the school

14b — Prepositions After Verbs & Nouns; 14c — it/there

Common verb + preposition
accuse of, apologise for, apply for, approve of, belong to, concentrate on, congratulate on, consist of, depend on, insist on, laugh
at, listen to, look after/at/for/forward to, participate in, rely on, result in, specialise in, succeed in, suffer from, take part in, wait for,
worry about

Common noun + preposition

advantage/disadvantage of, attitude to/towards, belief in, demand for, difficulty in/with, effect on, example of, increase/decrease in,
interest in, lack of, need for, opinion of/about, problem with, reason for, solution to, success in

it there

it — personal/specific pronoun; also used for weather, time, there — introduces new/unknown information; existence:
distance, temperature:

It's raining. / It's 5 o'clock. / It's 10km from here. There is a problem. / There are three reasons.

it + be + adj + (for sb) + to-infinitive: It's important to sleep well. there + passive: There has been an accident.

it + takes + time + to-infinitive: It takes 2 hours to drive there. Compare: There is a park here (existence) vs It is a beautiful
park (describing specific thing)
Vocabulary — Prepositional phrases; Phrasal verbs with put
Prepositional phrases: at least/last/first/once, at the moment/same time/end of the day, by chance/mistake/accident/heart, in
advance/fact/general/order to/spite of/the end, on purpose/time/average/condition that/the other hand, out of order/date/work/the question,
under pressure/control/arrest
Phrasal verbs with put: put away (tidy), put back (postpone/return), put down (criticise/write/put animal to sleep), put off
(postpone/discourage), put on (clothing/weight/a show), put out (extinguish), put up with (tolerate), put sb up (give accommodation)
Cambridge English First (B2) — Exam Guide

Paper Time Parts What to test

Reading & Use of English 1h 15min 7 parts (52 questions) Multiple choice, open cloze,
word formation, key word
transformation, gapped text,
multiple matching

Writing 1h 20min 2 tasks Part 1: Essay (compulsory,

140-190 words); Part 2:
Choose from email/letter,
report, review, article (140-190
words)

Listening 40 min (approx) 4 parts (30 questions) Multiple choice, sentence

completion, multiple matching

Speaking 14 min (per pair) 4 parts Interview, individual long turn

with photos, collaborative task,
discussion

Key Word Transformation Tips (Part 4 — Use of English)

Strategy for Part 4
• You must use 2–5 words including the KEY WORD (in capitals) — do NOT change the key word!
• The meaning of the rewritten sentence must be the SAME as the original.
• Watch for: passive ↔ active · direct ↔ reported speech · phrasal verb ↔ standard verb · comparative structures · modal verbs ·
conditionals · gerund ↔ infinitive
• Common patterns: although → despite/in spite of · because → due to/owing to · too…to → so…that · managed to → was able to
· it's not necessary → you don't have to / needn't
• Contractions count as TWO words: don't = do + not

Open Cloze Tips (Part 2 — Use of English)

Strategy for Part 2
• One word per gap — usually a function word (preposition, article, auxiliary, pronoun, conjunction)
• Read the whole text first for context
• Check: prepositions after verbs/adjectives · articles · phrasal verbs · linking words · modal auxiliaries · relative pronouns
• Common answers: at/in/on/to/for/with/of/by · the/a · that/which/who/where · so/such · although/despite · have/has/had (perfect
tenses)

Word Formation Tips (Part 3 — Use of English)

Strategy for Part 3
• Use the correct word FORM (noun, verb, adjective, adverb)
• Check: Do you need a negative? (un-, dis-, in-, ir-) · plural? · adverb (-ly)?
• Read around the gap for context clues: "The _____ of the film was impressive" → needs a NOUN
• Practise common word families: success/succeed/successful/successfully; beauty/beautify/beautiful/beautifully

Writing Tips
Essay tips Other task types

Essay (Part 1): Informal email/letter (Part 2):

• Introduction: restate the question/topic • Greeting: Dear [Name],

• 2-3 body paragraphs, each with one clear point + example • Informal language, contractions fine

• Conclusion: summary + your opinion • Address all bullet points

Essay tips Other task types

• Use linking words: Furthermore, However, In addition, On the • Closing: Best wishes / Looking forward to hearing from you
other hand, Although, In conclusion

• Formal/neutral register; avoid contractions • Report/Review: clear headings; describe + evaluate;

formal/semi-formal

Common FCE Grammar Points to Master

High-frequency exam topics
• 1. Passive constructions (especially present/past perfect passive)
• 2. Reported speech tense shifts + reporting verbs
• 3. Conditional sentences (all types) + wish/if only
• 4. Modal verbs with perfect infinitive (should have done, must have been, etc.)
• 5. Articles (a/the/zero) — especially with abstract and proper nouns
• 6. Relative clauses (defining vs non-defining, correct relative pronoun)
• 7. Adjective/adverb order and comparison
• 8. Prepositions after verbs and adjectives (learn these in chunks!)
• 9. Phrasal verbs — especially with get, put, take, come, go
• 10. Word formation: key suffixes and prefixes

Good luck with your Cambridge First exam! Study consistently and practise all four skills every day.