First Certificate Language Checklist
Grammar Structure
Past simple/Present
perfect
2nd conditional
3rd conditional
The passive voice
Wish/If only
Linkers: Despite/in spite of
-> Although/even though
Reported speech
Reported questions
Phrasal verbs
Causative have/get:
have/get something done
Comparatives/superlatives
Past modal verbs:
Must have
Could/might/may have
Should have etc.
So/such
Gerund/infinitive
Examples
I haven’t seen John for 5 years.
The last time I saw John was 5 years ago.
If I won the lottery, I would buy a mansion.
If I didn’t work in construction, I would be an actor.
If I hadn’t slipped on that banana, I wouldn’t have broken my arm.
If I had known you were coming, I would have baked a cake.
Active: The police arrested the man.
Passive: The man was arrested by the police.
Other example: It is said that cigarettes give you cancer.
Cigarettes are said to give you cancer
I regret eating so much -> I wish I hadn’t eaten so much.
It was a bad idea to drink that wine -> If only I hadn’t drunk that
wine.
Despite the rain, the party was great -> The party was great even
though it was raining.
Although he felt ill, he still went to school. -> He still went to school
in spite of his illness.
“I went there last year.” -> He said that he had gone there last year.
“I will call him tomorrow.” -> She said that she would call him the
following day.
“Have you been to Paris?” -> He asked me if I had been to Paris.
“Where is the train station?” -> He asked me where the train station
was.
He wants to cancel the meeting -> he wants to call off the meeting.
He won’t tolerate bad behaviour -> he won’t put up with bad
behaviour.
I need to get my hair cut.
I need to have my computer repaired.
This restaurant is better than that one -> That restaurant isn’t as
good as this one.
He’s not nearly as tall as me.
My brother is slightly younger than me.
No one is as good at football as Messi -> Messi is the best football
player.
The butler must have murdered him, there’s blood on his shirt.
It can’t have been Sarah you saw at the mall, she’s on holiday in
Dubai.
I shouldn’t have drunk so much last night.
It was so hot that we couldn’t leave the hotel -> It was such a hot
day that we had to stay in the hotel.
It rained so much that the house flooded. ->It was such a rainy day
that the house flooded.
I’m a big fan of playing water sports.
I’m interested in studying history.
I have decided to study biology.
He spent 10 minutes knocking on my door.
Self-assessment