English I Definitive Study Guide: Course Contract, Tenses, Relative Clauses, and Modal Verbs

Course Orientation and Syllabus (English I)

• Course Overview & Target Proficiency

  • Department: Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Diponegoro (UNDIP).

  • Level: English I (B1 / Pre-Intermediate level).

  • Target Skills: Comprehensive development of the four core language skills—Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing—to a B1 proficiency level. The course prepares students for both academic and practical English usage in academic settings.

• Semester Structure & Academic Calendar

  • Total Sessions: $16$ meetings in total.

  • Classroom Materials: $14$ material sessions supported by PowerPoint presentations, regular assignments, and the Modul SEU supplement.

  • Midterm Examination (UTS): Conducted during Meeting $8$, evaluating Level Test B1 competencies as scheduled in the official semester calendar.

  • Final Examination (UAS): Assesses Level Test B2 competencies as scheduled in the official academic calendar.

• Classroom Conduct & Policies

  • General Behavior: Students must maintain a respectful attitude towards peers and instructors at all times. Active engagement in class discussions, group activities, and tasks is a core requirement that directly impacts the final grade.

  • Punctuality: Students are expected to arrive on time and fully prepared for every session.

  • Mobile Devices: All mobile devices must be silenced and put away during instructional time. Phone usage is strictly restricted to designated learning activities on Learn Social as directed by the instructor.

  • Laptops: Permitted exclusively for course-related academic tasks.

  • Policy Enforcement: Repeated violations of conduct rules will negatively affect the Participation grade.

• Attendance Policy

  • Minimum Threshold: Students must maintain a minimum attendance rate of $75\,\%$.

  • Examination Eligibility: Students falling below the $75\,\%$ attendance threshold are ineligible to sit the Final Exam (UAS).

• Grading Scale (Curriculum 2024 UNDIP)

  • A: Final score above $85$

  • AB: Final score from $80$ to $84.99$

  • B: Final score from $75$ to $79.99$

  • BC: Final score from $70$ to $74.99$

  • C: Final score from $60$ to $69.99$

  • D: Final score from $40$ to $59.99$ (Unsatisfactory; course must be repeated)

  • E: Final score below $40$ (Unsatisfactory; course must be repeated)

• Assessment Components

  • All coursework and assessment modules are administered through the Modul SEU platform:

    1. Participation: Evaluated via attendance (minimum $75\,\%$) and active participation in Modul SEU exercises.

    2. Project: A Speaking (video) or Writing project that must be submitted prior to the Midterm Examination (UTS).

    3. Assignments: Measured by student activity and task completion within Modul SEU, focusing on reading comprehension, academic writing, and grammar exercises.

    4. Quizzes: Two formal quizzes during the semester:

       • Quiz 1: Covers B1 Unit 1 (Introduction).

       • Quiz 2: Covers Unit 4 (Expressions).

    5. Midterm Exam (UTS): Administered in Meeting $8$; tests B1 proficiency level.

    6. Final Exam (UAS): Administered at semester end; tests B2 proficiency level.

Simple Present Tense

• Core Uses

  1. Describing Feelings or Meanings: Expresses emotional states or interpretations that remain true and relevant in the present moment.

     • Example: "I always remember that special day."

  2. Stating Facts or General Information: Communicates objective facts or background information connected to a past or present experience.

     • Example: "My family lives in a small town where the event took place."

  3. Making Stories Come Alive ("Historical Present"): Uses the present tense in narrative storytelling to make past events feel vivid and immediate to the audience.

     • Example: "I arrive at the competition venue, and suddenly my name is announced as the winner."

• Sentence Structures and Structural Formulas

  • Positive Sentences:

    • For subjects I, You, They, We:             $\text{Subject} + \text{Verb 1}$

    • For third-person singular subjects He, She, It:             $\text{Subject} + \text{Verb 1} + \text{s/es}$

  • Negative Sentences:

    • For subjects I, You, They, We:             $\text{Subject} + \text{do not} + \text{Verb 1}$

    • For third-person singular subjects He, She, It:             $\text{Subject} + \text{does not} + \text{Verb 1}$

• Error Analysis & Subject-Verb Concord

  • Subject-Verb Agreement: Singular subjects require singular verb forms ($\text{Verb 1} + \text{s/es}$), while plural subjects require base verb forms ($\text{Verb 1}$).

    • Incorrect: "My best friend always support me…"

    • Correct: "My best friend always supports me…"

    • Incorrect: "The experience of winning the competition motivate me…"

    • Correct: "The experience of winning the competition motivates me…"

    • Incorrect: "…happy moments we shares together…"

    • Correct: "…happy moments we share together…"

    • Incorrect: "…people from different backgrounds who values friendship…"

    • Correct: "…people from different backgrounds who value friendship…"

  • Adverbial Modification Rule: Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. Adjectives cannot modify verbs directly.

    • Incorrect: "…continues to motivate me strong."

    • Correct: "…continues to motivate me strongly."

Present Perfect Tense

• Definition & Conceptual Role

  • The Present Perfect Tense acts as a linguistic bridge connecting past events directly to the current time. It does not exist in isolation; it always implies an active link to the present moment.

• Three Primary Communicative Purposes

  1. Life Experiences: Expresses actions that occurred at an unspecified point during a person's lifetime. The exact date or time is unknown or irrelevant; the emphasis is entirely on whether the experience occurred.

  2. Recent Actions with Present Results: Refers to a completed past action that produces a direct, observable outcome or consequence in the present.

  3. Lasting/Unfinished States: Describes situations or states that initiated in the past and continue to remain true in the present moment.

• Structural Formulas

  • Positive Form:         $\text{Subject} + \text{have/has} + \text{Past Participle (V3)}$

    • Example: "I have finished the report."

  • Negative Form:         $\text{Subject} + \text{have/has} + \text{not} + \text{Past Participle (V3)}$

    • Example: "I haven't finished the report."

  • Question Form:         $\text{Have/Has} + \text{Subject} + \text{Past Participle (V3)}?$

    • Example: "Have you finished the report?"

• Subject-Auxiliary Concord

  • Use HAVE with subjects: I, You, We, They

    • Example: "They have completed the task."

    • Example: "We have reviewed the data."

  • Use HAS with subjects: He, She, It

    • Example: "She has submitted the form."

    • Example: "It has been three days."

• Verb Forms: Past Participles

  • The past participle is the third principal form of a verb ($\text{V3}$).

  • Regular Verbs: Formed by adding -ed to the base form (e.g., finish $\rightarrow$ finished, visit $\rightarrow$ visited).

  • Irregular Verbs: Formed irregularly and must be memorized individually:

    • eat $\rightarrow$ ate $\rightarrow$ eaten

    • write $\rightarrow$ wrote $\rightarrow$ written

    • go $\rightarrow$ went $\rightarrow$ gone

• Present Implication & Evidence Focus

  • Result-Oriented Usage: Captures cause-and-effect relationships.

    • Example: "The door is open because I have opened it." (The action of opening is finished, but the resulting state is the open door visible now).

  • Present Observable Evidence: Directs attention to present, tangible proof.

    • Example: "I have cleaned the car. It is spotless now." (The spotless condition serves as living proof of the completed action).

• Prepositions of Duration and Origin: FOR vs. SINCE

  • FOR — Duration: Used to specify a length or quantity of time. It answers the question "How long?"

    • Pairs naturally with numbers and time units (e.g., five years, two hours, a decade).

    • Examples: "I have lived here for five years."; "She has worked there for a decade."; "We have waited for two hours."

  • SINCE — Starting Point: Used to identify a specific moment or calendar point when a situation began. It answers the question "When did it start?"

    • Pairs naturally with dates, named days, or specific historical events (e.g., 2010, Monday, childhood, graduation, last June).

    • Examples: "I have been a teacher since 2010."; "He has known her since childhood."; "They have been married since last June."

• Crucial Distinction: 'Been to' vs. 'Gone to'

  • Been to: Indicates that a person visited a location and has returned.

    • Example: "I have been to Paris." (I traveled there, and I am now back home).

  • Gone to: Indicates that a person went to a location and has not yet returned.

    • Example: "He has gone to Paris." (He traveled there, is currently there, and has not returned).

• Associated Signal Words

  • already: Indicates an action occurred sooner than expected. Typically placed between the auxiliary verb and past participle (e.g., "I have already eaten.").

  • yet: Used in questions and negative statements to signal an expected action. Positioned at the end of the sentence (e.g., "Have you finished yet?").

  • just: Refers to an action completed a very short time ago (e.g., "He has just arrived.").

  • ever / never: Used to discuss life experiences. ever appears in questions, while never expresses negative experience (e.g., "Have you ever been to Rome?"; "She has never tried sushi.").

  • so far: Expresses achievements or progress up to the present moment (e.g., "We have completed three tasks so far.").

Present Perfect Continuous Tense

• Definition & Structural Formula

  • The Present Perfect Continuous Tense emphasizes ongoing duration, continuous process, and the activity itself rather than a completed result.

  • Formula:         $\text{Subject} + \text{have/has} + \text{been} + \text{Verb-ing}$

  • Three Mandatory Components:

    1. The auxiliary verb have or has (agrees with the subject).

    2. The fixed auxiliary word been (never changes regardless of subject).

    3. The present participle form ($\text{Verb-ing}$).

  • Examples:

    • "I have been studying for two hours." (Duration of continuous activity up to now).

    • "He has been working here since 2019." (Ongoing situation with a stated start point).

    • "It has been raining all morning." (Activity continuing up to the present moment).

• Three Primary Uses

  1. Ongoing Situations: An activity that began in the past and continues without interruption into the present moment. Duration is the critical information, almost always marked by for or since (e.g., "She has been learning French for a year.").

  2. Emphasis on Process: Focuses on the activity taking up time and effort, regardless of whether the task is complete (e.g., "I have been writing this essay all day.").

  3. Recently Stopped Actions with Visible Evidence: The physical activity ended moments ago, but its immediate consequences remain visible in the present (e.g., "You look tired, have you been running?" — where heavy breathing or sweat is the present evidence).

• Associated Signal Words

  • for: Specifies the length of time an activity has been in progress (e.g., "for an hour").

  • since: Marks the exact start time of an ongoing activity (e.g., "since 8 a.m.").

  • lately / recently: Denotes an activity occurring repeatedly or continuously over a recent timeframe (e.g., "lately", "recently").

  • all day / all week: Emphasizes continuous, uninterrupted activity throughout an entire timeframe (e.g., "all day").

  • how long...?: Standard interrogative structure used to ask about duration (e.g., "How long have you been living here?").

Present Perfect vs. Present Perfect Continuous

• Core Communicative Comparison

  • Present Perfect (Focus on RESULT):

    • Example: "I have painted the wall."

    • Meaning: The action is completely finished. The primary message is the outcome or achievement (the wall is now painted). The product is visible.

    • Key traits: Completed action, visible result, paired with specific quantities or total achievements.

  • Present Perfect Continuous (Focus on PROCESS):

    • Example: "I have been painting the wall."

    • Meaning: Emphasizes the duration and effort spent on the activity itself. The task may or may not be finished.

    • Key traits: Ongoing or recently stopped activity, duration emphasized, evidence of physical effort present.

• Quick Diagnostic Test

  • Ask: "Am I communicating WHAT WAS ACHIEVED?" $\rightarrow$ Use Present Perfect.

  • Ask: "Am I communicating HOW LONG SOMETHING HAS BEEN HAPPENING?" $\rightarrow$ Use Present Perfect Continuous.

• Critical Grammar Pitfalls & Common Mistakes

  1. Using Stative Verbs in Continuous Form:

     • Stative verbs describe non-action states (mental states, emotions, possession, perception). They cannot be used in continuous tenses.

     • Common Stative Verbs: know, believe, want, love, hate, own, seem, understand, need, prefer.

     • Incorrect: "I have been knowing him for years."

     • Correct: "I have known him for years."

  2. Omitting -ing After 'Been':

     • The present participle ($\text{Verb-ing}$) is obligatory in continuous structures.

     • Incorrect: "She has been live in Jakarta since 2015."

     • Correct: "She has been living in Jakarta since 2015."

  3. Using 'Since' with Single Completed Actions:

     • since denotes the starting point of an ongoing span. It creates a contradiction when paired with a one-time finished event.

     • Incorrect: "He has finished the project since Monday."

     • Correct: "He has finished the project." OR "He has been working on it since Monday."

  4. Temporal Conflict (Pairing Present Perfect with Specific Past Time Markers):

     • Present Perfect cannot co-occur with specific finished time markers like yesterday, in 2018, or last week.

     • Incorrect: "I have went to the store yesterday."

     • Correct (Past Simple): "I went to the store yesterday."

     • Correct (Present Perfect): "I have gone to the store."

Relative Clauses

• Definition & Fundamental Structure

  • A Relative Clause is a dependent clause that modifies or provides specific detail about a preceding noun or pronoun (known as the antecedent).

  • Basic Pattern:         $\text{Antecedent} + \text{Relative Pronoun} + \text{Clause}$

    • Example: "The book that I borrowed is on the table." (The clause "that I borrowed" specifies which book is meant).

• Two Grammatical Roles of Relative Pronouns

  1. Subject Role (S): The relative pronoun acts as the subject performing the action inside the relative clause.

     • Example: "The scientist who discovered the new species received an award."

  2. Object Role (O): The relative pronoun acts as the object receiving the action inside the relative clause.

     • Example: "The athlete whom the coach praised became the champion."

     • Omission Rule: When the relative pronoun functions as an object, it can frequently be omitted in informal English (e.g., "The book I borrowed is on the table").

• Breakdown of Relative Pronouns

• Three Key Functions of Relative Clauses

  1. Identifying People or Things: Unambiguously specifies which person or item is being discussed.

     • Example: "The teacher who inspired me the most just retired."

  2. Combining Sentences: Merges two separate ideas into a single, cohesive sentence to eliminate redundancy.

     • Sentence 1: "The doctor treated the patient."

     • Sentence 2: "The doctor works at a public hospital."

     • Combined: "The doctor who treated the patient works at a public hospital."

  3. Formal and Academic Writing:

     • Non-restrictive Clauses: Provide extra, non-essential detail and are set off by commas.

       • Example: "The athlete, whom the coach highly praised, became the champion."

     • Restrictive Clauses: Provide essential identification information and do not use commas.

       • Example: "Students who study consistently tend to achieve better results."

• Step-by-Step Practical Guidelines

  1. Identify the antecedent (the noun/pronoun being modified).

  2. Select the appropriate relative pronoun (who/whom for human antecedents; which for non-human antecedents; that for both in restrictive clauses).

  3. Determine whether the relative pronoun functions as Subject or Object.

  4. Apply commas for non-essential, extra information (non-restrictive clauses).

  5. Omit the relative pronoun if it functions as an object in informal contexts.

Modal Verbs: Advice and Obligation

• Definition & Basic Sentence Pattern

  • Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs used to express concepts such as advice, recommendation, obligation, ability, permission, or necessity.

  • Basic Pattern:         $\text{Subject} + \text{Modal Verb} + \text{Verb 1} + \text{Object}$

    • Example: "You should see a doctor about that cough."

• Advice vs. Obligation: Functional Difference

  • Advice: Expresses suggestions, recommendations, or non-binding opinions. It leaves flexibility for the recipient.

  • Obligation: Expresses formal duties, strict legal requirements, or compelling necessities. Obligation carries stronger urgency and far less flexibility.

• Modal Verbs for Advice

  1. Should: Used to give general advice, recommendations, or opinions on what is good or desirable to do.

     • Formula: $\text{Subject} + \text{should} + \text{Verb 1} + \text{Object}$

     • Example: "You should go to the dentist."

     • Example: "The student should join the ceremony."

  2. Ought to: Expresses advice or suggests actions considered morally right. It is close in meaning to should, but slightly more formal.

     • Formula: $\text{Subject} + \text{ought to} + \text{Verb 1} + \text{Object}$

     • Example: "You ought to drink more water every day."

     • Example: "Parents ought to encourage their children to read regularly."

  3. Had better: Expresses strong advice or warnings. It implies that a negative consequence will occur if the advice is ignored.

     • Formula: $\text{Subject} + \text{had better} + \text{Verb 1} + \text{Object}$

     • Example: "My sister had better save some money for emergencies."

     • Example: "Dito had better wear a helmet while riding his motorcycle."

• Modal Verbs for Obligation

  1. Must: Expresses strong obligation stemming from the speaker's own authority, personal judgment, or a vital rule.

     • Formula: $\text{Subject} + \text{must} + \text{Verb 1} + \text{Object}$

     • Example: "Everyone must follow the school rules."

     • Example: "She must study harder."

  2. Have to: Expresses obligation originating from external rules, organizational regulations, laws, or circumstances outside the speaker's control.

     • Formula: $\text{Subject} + \text{have to} + \text{Verb 1} + \text{Object}$

     • Example: "We have to submit the report on Friday."

     • Example: "They have to attend the meeting tomorrow."

  3. Need to: Expresses a necessity required to achieve a desired practical outcome or personal requirement.

     • Formula: $\text{Subject} + \text{need(s) to} + \text{Verb 1} + \text{Object}$

     • Example: "Suzila needs to drink more plain water every day."

     • Example: "The worker needs to wear safety equipment at work."

• Comparison Across Contextual Domains

• Practical Decision Rules for Modal Selection

  1. Determine Context: Decide whether the sentence expresses a recommendation (Advice) or a requirement (Obligation).

  2. Select Function Category:

     • Advice: should, ought to, had better.

     • Obligation: must, have to, need to.

  3. Gauge Urgency/Strength: had better and must convey greater urgency than should or need to.

  4. Identify Authority Source: Use must for internal authority/speaker judgment; use have to for external laws, institutional rules, or regulations.

  5. Follow with Base Verb: Ensure the modal is followed immediately by the base verb form ($\text{Verb 1}$).

Comprehensive Practice Exercises and Answer Key

• Simple Present Tense Practice

  • Multiple Choice Questions:

    1. The academic advisor always ______ students through the course registration process.

       • Answer: B. provides (Singular subject "advisor" requires $\text{Verb 1} + \text{s}$).

    2. One of my most memorable experiences ______ when my team achieves victory in a major competition.

       • Answer: A. happens

    3. Whenever I see old photographs, I ______ joyful moments from my school days.

       • Answer: A. remember

    4. I draw great inspiration from the graduation story my father often ______.

       • Answer: D. shares

    5. The ceremony leaves a lasting impression on everyone who ______.

       • Answer: D. attends

    6. The committee ______ each applicant's proficiency in line with standards.

       • Answer: B. Evaluates

    7. Students ______ their placement results through the online portal…

       • Answer: B. Access

    8. The handbook ______ students an overview of academic policies…

       • Answer: C. Gives

    9. The orientation program, together with academic workshops, ______ students valuable guidance…

       • Answer: A. Offers

    10. Students frequently ______ questions about registering for courses…

        • Answer: B. Ask

• Present Perfect & Continuous Practice

  • Sentence Completion (Present Perfect):

    1. She has finished (finish) her project already.

    2. They have not seen (not / see) this movie before.

    3. Have you written (write) the essay yet?

    4. He has traveled (travel) abroad several times.

    5. We have just received (just / receive) the results.

  • Since vs. For Selection:

    1. "I have known him since 2015." (2015 = specific point in time).

    2. "We have waited for two hours." (two hours = duration).

    3. "She has lived in London since she graduated." (graduation = starting event).

    4. "They have been partners for a decade." (a decade = duration).

    5. "He has not slept since Monday." (Monday = named day).

  • Tense Choice (Present Perfect vs. Present Perfect Continuous):

    1. "I have already finished my homework, so I can watch TV now." (Focus on completed result).

    2. "She has been studying English for three years, but she still makes mistakes." (Focus on ongoing process/duration).

    3. "They have never visited Europe before." (Focus on life experience).

    4. "Look! The kids have been playing outside all afternoon; that's why they're so dirty." (Focus on recently stopped activity with visible evidence).

    5. "He has just received an email from his boss." (Focus on recent completed event).

    6. "We have been waiting for the bus for twenty minutes, and it still hasn't arrived." (Focus on ongoing unfinished duration).

  • Error Correction Analysis:

    1. Incorrect: "I have been knowing my neighbor for ten years."

       • Correction: "I have known my neighbor for ten years." (know is a stative verb).

    2. Incorrect: "She has went to the gym three times this week."

       • Correction: "She has gone to the gym three times this week." (Past participle of go is gone).

    3. Incorrect: "They have been discuss the project since Monday."

       • Correction: "They have been discussing the project since Monday." (Requires $\text{Verb-ing}$ after been).

    4. Incorrect: "He has finish his report, but he hasn't sent it yet."

       • Correction: "He has finished his report, but he hasn't sent it yet."

    5. Incorrect: "We have been live in this apartment since 2020."

       • Correction: "We have been living in this apartment since 2020."

  • Contextual Response Exercises:

    1. Scenario 1: Maria's hands are covered in flour, and there is a cake in the oven.

       • Response: "She has been baking a cake."

    2. Scenario 2: Andi finally paid off his student loan after eight years.

       • Response: "He has paid off his student loan."

    3. Scenario 3: A: "Why are you so out of breath?" B: "______ (run)."

       • Response: "I have been running."

    4. Scenario 4: A: "Have you read the new novel yet?" B: "Yes, ______."

       • Response: "Yes, I have already read it."

• Relative Clause Practice

  • Identification: Subject or Object Role:

    1. "The teacher who explains clearly is popular among students." $\rightarrow$ Subject (S)

    2. "The book which she recommended became a bestseller." $\rightarrow$ Object (O)

    3. "The professor whom the students admire is retiring this year." $\rightarrow$ Object (O)

    4. "The university that offers this program is highly ranked." $\rightarrow$ Subject (S)

    5. "The award which he received motivated him to keep studying." $\rightarrow$ Object (O)

    6. "The student who won the scholarship studies engineering." $\rightarrow$ Subject (S)

  • Sentence Combination:

    1. "The teacher works at this school. The teacher won an award."

       • Combined: "The teacher who works at this school won an award."

    2. "The book is on the table. I borrowed the book yesterday."

       • Combined: "The book which I borrowed yesterday is on the table."

    3. "The student passed the exam. The student studied every day."

       • Combined: "The student who studied every day passed the exam."

    4. "The laptop stopped working. My brother bought the laptop."

       • Combined: "The laptop which my brother bought stopped working."

    5. "The lecturer teaches grammar. The lecturer wrote this textbook."

       • Combined: "The lecturer who wrote this textbook teaches grammar."

  • Multiple Choice Questions:

    1. The teacher ______ taught me English moved to another school.

       • Answer: a) who

    2. The car ______ he bought last year is already broken.

       • Answer: b) which

    3. The scientist ______ the university awarded is famous worldwide.

       • Answer: b) whom

    4. The student ______ essay won the competition is my classmate.

       • Answer: c) whose

• Modal Verbs Practice

  • Identification: Advice or Obligation:

    1. "You should drink more water every day." $\rightarrow$ Advice

    2. "Students must submit their assignments on time." $\rightarrow$ Obligation

    3. "Workers have to wear helmets at the construction site." $\rightarrow$ Obligation

    4. "Parents ought to spend more time with their children." $\rightarrow$ Advice

    5. "She needs to see a doctor about her cough." $\rightarrow$ Obligation / Necessity

    6. "Dito had better finish his homework before dinner." $\rightarrow$ Advice (Strong Advice)

  • Sentence Completion:

    1. "You should / ought to apologize to your friend for being late."

    2. "Employees must / have to follow the safety regulations at all times."

    3. "The patient must / has to take this medicine twice a day."

    4. "You should / had better see a doctor if the symptoms continue."

    5. "Visitors must / have to wear a mask inside the hospital."

  • Multiple Choice Questions:

    1. If you have a bad headache, you ______ take some rest.

       • Answer: b) should

    2. According to hospital regulations, all staff ______ wash their hands before entering the ward.

       • Answer: c) must

    3. You haven't eaten all day, you ______ get something to eat soon.

       • Answer: a) had better

    4. Patients with diabetes ______ monitor their blood sugar levels regularly.

       • Answer: b) need to