Grammatical competence in context: tense, aspect, voice, modality and syntax
This domain covers the grammar items and the rewriting (rephrasing) task, where you must express the same meaning using a given opening or a required structure. Marking is binary: the transformation either preserves the original meaning exactly or it does not. Accuracy of form matters less than semantic equivalence plus grammatical correctness.
Tense and aspect contrasts
- Past simple versus present perfect: finished time expressions (yesterday, in 2019, last week) force the past simple; for, since, just, already, yet, ever, so far point to the present perfect.
- Past perfect for the earlier of two past events; had been -ing for duration up to a past point.
- Used to and would for past habits - would cannot describe past states.
- Future forms: will for prediction and instant decisions, be going to for plans and visible evidence, present continuous for arrangements, present simple for timetables.
Voice
Passive: move the object to subject position, use be + past participle, add the agent only if it carries information. Double-object verbs allow two passives: They gave him a prize → He was given a prize / A prize was given to him. Impersonal passives: It is said that…, He is said to…. After passive make, see, hear, restore to; let becomes be allowed to.
Modality
- Deduction: must / can't (present), must have / can't have (past).
- Needn't have done = it was done but unnecessary; didn't need to do = it was not necessary.
- Should have done = criticism or regret; may/might have done = past possibility.
Syntax for rewriting
Inversion after negative adverbials (Never have I seen…), inverted conditionals (Had I known…), so/such, too…to versus not…enough, comparatives, wish/if only + past or past perfect, reported speech backshift, defining versus non-defining relative clauses.
Worked example
I regret not applying for the grant. → I wish ______.
Regret about a past action requires wish + past perfect. The original is negative, so the affirmative appears in the wish: I wish I had applied for the grant. Using I wish I applied shifts to an unreal present and changes the time reference.
Traps that cost marks
- Copying the original wording into the new structure and leaving both halves.
- Dropping to after passive make, or keeping it after let.
- Would inside an if-clause; If I was where were is expected in formal writing.
- Reported questions with do-support or question word order.
- Forgetting to backshift time expressions in reported speech.