bac 1 partie 1 prof 2011 2012

PRESENT
1. Simple
Faits, vérités générales
He speaks English very well.
The earth moves round the sun.
Habitudes, actions répétées.
Every morning I get up at 6.
Actions brèves, ponctuelles.
Commentaires sportifs, démonstrations, titres…
Présent historique
Récits, blagues…
Futur: faits connus, ex. horaires
The last train leaves at 11.

2. Progressif
Déroulement au moment même (en train de)
Durée limitée
I'm now living in Liège.
Futur qui découle d'un arrangement (+ cpl de temps !!)
I'm meeting them at 6.
Actions répétées qui dérangent (agacement)
He's always borrowing my pen!
Verbes qui ne s'emploient généralement pas à la forme progressive
verbes exprimant
un état:
to belong, to cost, to need…
un sentiment:
to like, love, hate…
opinion, état d'esprit: to know, believe, regret, think (= croire), understand,
imagine, want, agree...
une perception:
to feel, hear, see, smell, taste…
N.B. feel au progressif= état de santé.
- Pourtant on peut utiliser certains de ces verbes à la forme progressive quand on veut insister sur le
fait que la situation est temporaire
The children love having Jane stay with us.
The children are loving having Jane stay with us. (She is staying with us now)
- Certains verbes ont des sens différents suivant qu’ils décrivent une action (forme simple ou
continue) ou un état (forme simple)
EX: appear (state= seem ; action = take part); think (state = opinion; action: consider); fit: (state:
be suitable; action: add equipment); expect: (action: wait for; state: think it is right or reasonable
that sth should happen)
Do you think it’s a good idea? / I am thinking of going to Australia
N.B. to consider = to think carefully about (envisager de ) est toujours utilisé au present continu.
I’m considering buying a new car.

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Use the present simple or present continuous.
1. She is only just recovering......... (only just recover) from the operation and is still finding.....
(still/find) it difficult to move about. At the moment she ....is spending.........
(spend) most of her time in bed.
2. I ..promise........ (promise) I'll do everything I can to help you find a flat, although I ........
.........suggest..... (suggest) that you also advertise in the local newspaper. It can be difficult to find
accommodation, but I .....hope....... (hope) it won't be too long before you've got somewhere.
3. The game .is starting.......... (start) at two o'clock tomorrow. I hope you can be there.
4. "Shall I phone at six?" "No, we normally ...cook/ are normally cooking....... (cook) dinner at that
time.
(a) on commence à 6; b) on est en train à cette heure)
5. Alice ...sees/ is seeing...... (see) her mother in London most weekends.
6. I have to get up early tomorrow. I .......am teaching..... (teach) a physics class at 8.00 in the
morning.
7. I think I'll stay here after all." "You ...are continually changing......... (continually change) your
mind"
8. It .....is costing........ (cost) us a fortune at the moment to send our daughter to dance class.
9. It .....costs....................... (cost) a fortune to fly first class to Japan.
10. I .....enjoy..................... (enjoy) sitting down at the end of a long day and reading a book.
11. It's a wonderful book. I ..........am enjoying........................ (enjoy) every moment of it.
12. Fletcher .......passes................... (pass) to Coles who ..........shoots................... (shoot) just over
the bar. United ........are attacking...................... (attack) much more in this half...
13. Now that the rice ........is cooking....................... (cook) you .............chop up......... (chop up) the
carrots and tomatoes and you .........put....................(put) them in a dish.
14. "I can't read this." "You ...are always complaining.......... (always complain) about my
handwriting."
Translate
Ecoute! Elle tousse. .
Listen! She's coughing [ 
Où est-il? Je pense qu'il est dehors, en train de s'amuser.
Where is he? I think he is outside, enjoying himself. ( outdoors)
Elle achète généralement des vêtements affreux.
She usually buys horrible clothes. awful/ ghastly          
Il sait tout de moi.
He knows everything about me
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* Entrez et mettez vous à l’aise!
Come in and make yourself at home/ comfortable
make yourself at ease : non
expressions correctes: make sb feel at (their) ease / put sb at their ease
Elle m'énerve! Elle répète toujours ce que je dis.
She gets on my nerves!(irritates me/annoys me) She is always repeating what I say.
Ils n'aiment pas les hippies.
They don't like hippies.
Ecoute, tu prends 3 œufs et tu les bats.
Listen! You take three eggs and you beat / whip them.
Ils n'ont pas l'air de s'en faire.
They don't seem to worry.
Je le lui dirai dès qu'il saura où aller.
I'll tell him as soon as he knows where to go.
Ce qui m'énerve, c'est qu'il se ronge toujours les ongles. (bite the nails)
What gets on my nerves is that he is always biting his nails.
irritates/ annoys
(upset = vexer, faire de la peine, contrarier)
Le pull que tu m’as offert pour mon anniversaire est adorable. Il me va parfaitement.
The jumper you gave me for my birthday is lovely. It fits me perfectly
adorable OK plus fort       
Quel est ce bruit ? Le plombier installe une nouvelle douche.
What’s that noise? The plumber is fitting / installing             putting in a
new shower.
set up : ok (place in position/ make a piece of equipment ready for use)
Je pensais que ce travail serait facile, mais en fait je le trouve très difficile.
I thought this job would be easy but actually (in fact/ as a matter of fact) I find / am finding it very
difficult.
Je comprends beaucoup mieux maintenant que nous avons un nouveau prof.
I understand / am understanding much / a lot better now that we have a new teacher.
simple: un fait; ing: on est dans le processus, on vient de commencer à
*Je cherche un plan de Londres.
* Je suis désolée nous n’en avons plus pour le moment.
I’m looking for a map of London.(a London map)
I’m sorry we are out at the moment / don’t
have any left/ are sold out
Nous envisageons d’acheter une nouvelle voiture, la nôtre devient vraiment vieille.
We are considering/ thinking about buying a new car. / planning to buy...Ours is getting really old.
(to consider = think carefully about, toujours au present continu)
Je suis absolument d’accord avec toi sur le fait que les gens ne devraient pas boire et conduire.
I completely / certainly (absolutely) / totally agree with you that people shouldn’t drink and drive.
c’est un fait, pas un processus.
Je suis désolée de vous déranger (*), mais je ne trouve pas ce dossier.
I’m sorry to bother you / disturb you but I can’t find this file.
Je vais rester à la maison aujourd’hui, je ne me sens pas très bien.
I will stay at home today, I am not feeling/ don’t feel very well.
*Combien coûte cet appareil photo ? Il vaut 800€. Je vais le prendre, c’est exactement ce que je
cherche. Puis je vous donner un acompte et venir le chercher tout à l’heure?
How much is this camera? It’s worth eight hundred euros. I’ll take it; it’s exactly what I’m looking
for. Can I leave a deposit  dɪˈpɒzɪt   and pick it up later?
Je me demande si vous pourriez m’aider?
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I’m wondering whether you could help me.
-ing plus poli.
Le courrier est-il arrivé? J’attends une lettre importante.
Has the post come? I am expecting an important letter
Has the mail arrived (US)
expect = erwarten = espérer, prévoir
wait for = warten auf =attendre
Je pense qu’on devrait permettre aux gens de voter à 16 ans.
I think people should be allowed to vote at the age of 16./ at 16 / (at age 16) (rare: at 16 years old)
La police croit que les cambrioleurs ont déjà quitté le pays.
(The) police believe the robbers have already left the country.
J’ai appris que vous alliez vous marier. Félicitations!
I hear/ have heard you’re getting married. Congratulations!
I heard that you were getting….
*Viens faire la connaissance de John!
Come and meet John

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Prétérit simple
Action qui s'est passée à un moment précis du passé (complément de temps, contexte, complément
de lieu). C'est le temps de la narration.

Prétérit progressif
1. Action vue dans son déroulement, non achevée à ce moment-là. (cf imparfait français)
They were playing tennis when he arrived.
2. Description dans le passé.
He was wearing a grey suit.
3. Peut exprimer un futur dans le passé (cf. présent continu)
He told me he was taking an exam in June.
4. Peut exprimer un agacement.
He was always complaining.
5. pour insister sur la répétition d’une action durant une période limitée :
When he was in hospital we were visiting him every day.( visited est correct aussi)

Past perfect
1. Marque une antériorité par rapport à un temps du passé.
When he had finished his work he went for a walk.
2. Est utilisé dans le discours indirect
He said: "I have been working all day".
He said he had been working all day.
3. Comme le present perfect, il peut être accompagné de just
They had just gone out.
4. Comme le present perfect il s'emploie avec for, since…
They had been married for six years when I first met them.
5. Il s'emploie après l'expression "that was the fisrt (second…) time.
That was the first time I had travelled by plane (c'était la première fois que je
voyageais en avion.)
La forme progressive s'emploie pour spécifier que l’action n'était pas terminée au moment du passé
que l'on considère
I had been working hard, so I felt that I deserved a holiday.
I had worked hard, ….
Action terminée

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PAST TENSES
Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form, Past Simple or Past Continuous.
Last February I ........decided.............. (decide) to go on holiday to the island of Madeira. On the
morning I ............left..........( leave) England it ........was raining........... (rain), but when I
...............landed............ (land) in Funchal, the capital of Madeira, the sun .....was shining..............
(shine) and a lovely, warm breeze ...........was blowing............ (blow) from the sea. I .....took............
.............. (take) a taxi to my hotel. As I ...........was signing................. (sign) the register,
someone ....................tapped............ (tap) me on the shoulder. I ................couldn't.............. (not can)
believe my eyes! It was my old girlfriend. She .........was staying................. (stay) at the same hotel.
[h↔Υ’tel] The next day, we .................went...........(go).... for a walk together in the hills and we
...saw...................
(see) hundreds of beautiful flowers. It ................was getting................. (get) dark when
we ................returned.............. (return ) to our hotel after a very interesting day. We ....spent............
..................(spend) the rest of the week together; it was very romantic. We ..........felt........... (feel)
very sad when the holiday ..........ended................ (end)
Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form, Past Simple or Past Perfect.
It was ten o'clock in the evening. Peter ......sat........................ (sit down) on his sofa and thought
about the day. What a busy day it ...........had been................. (be)! This was the first night in his
own flat. He ...............had lived........... (live) his entire life in the family home, and now for the first
time, he ............was............ (be) on his own.
He sat surrounded by boxes that they .....hadn't managed.................... (not/manage) to unpack
during the day. It ............had taken................(take) months to get all his things together. His
mother ....................had been............... (be) very generous, buying him things like towels and mugs.
He ..............went.............. (go) into the kitchen and ........got.......... (get) a beer from the fridge. He
suddenly ..............felt...............(feel) very tired and ........yawned..............(yawn). No wonder
he ..............had been........... (be) up since six o'clock in the morning. He ...........decided........
(decide) to finish his beer and go to bed.
(New Headway intermediate, John and Liz Soar)
Put the verb between brackets into the correct form: past perfect continuous or past perfect simple
le continu donne info suplémentaire: durée et action non terminée
She took a bottle from the bag she ..had been carrying/had carried........... (carry) all the way home.
The avalanche ......had carried/ carried...... (carry) them 500 metres down the mountain but no-one
was hurt.
We .....had applied/ applied................ (apply) for visas well before our departure date, but still
hadn't heard anything by the day we were due to leave.
She ........had been applying/ had applied........ (apply) for jobs, without success, since leaving
university.
He ...........had flown/ flew............ (fly) all the way from New York to see me.
She .........had been working/ had worked.............. (work) for the same company since she qualified.
I ................had seen............... (see) the view many times before, but it never failed to impress me.
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The opposing sides in the war .............had been fighting/ had fought................. (fight) since the
president was overthrown.
I .............had known...................... (know) Megan since we were at school together.
For years we ...........had been talking/ had talked..................... (talk) about buying new carpets, and
last weekend we finally went out and ordered some.
My car was once again in the garage for repairs. This was the third time it .......had broken
down................. (break down) since I got it .
Before now we ......had always agreed....................... (always agree) on where to go on holiday.
Translate
J'ai allumé le feu à 6 heures et il flambait (burn brightly) quand Tom est arrivé à 7 heures.
I lit the fire at 6.00 and it was burning brightly when Tom arrived at 7.00
Quand je suis arrivée, la leçon avait déjà commencé et le professeur écrivait au tableau.
When I arrived the lecture had already started and the teacher was writing on the blackboard
lesson, class: fixed period of time when people are taught
course: series of lessons on a particular subject
already: sth has happened earlier than expected
before: déjà= une fois dans le passé
yet : ? et – sth that is expected
he hasn’t finished yet
he has already finished !
Is my coat dry yet? (open question)
Is my coat dry already (surprise)
Je faisais un gâteau quand la lumière s'est éteinte. J'ai dû finir dans le noir.
I was making a cake when the light went out / off. I had to finish in the dark.
shut down : factory, engine
extinguish: FORMAL to make a fire or cigarette stop burning.
Je ne voulais pas rencontrer Paul, donc quand il est entré dans la pièce je suis parti.
I didn't want to meet Paul, so when he entered the room I left.
encounter = rencontrer à l’improviste
Alors que je cherchais mon passeport j'ai trouvé cette vieille photo.
As I was looking/ searching for my passport I found this old photograph.
Seek: no : FORMAL to ask for something or try to get something:
seek advice/help
FORMAL to try to find something or someone that you need in your life:
To be eligible, you must show that you are actively seeking employment.
Many single people are seeking that special someone.
2a. MAINLY LITERARY to try to find something such as an answer or a reason:
I think he was seeking some meaning in his life.
We do not always find what we seek.

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J'étais toujours couché sur la route quand j'ai vu approcher un camion.
I was still lying on the road when I saw a lorry approaching.
a wagon: rare!!

route= the roads you follow to go from one place to another

Pendant que les invités dansaient, des voleurs se sont introduits dans la maison (to break into) et ont
volé beaucoup de manteaux de fourrure.
While the guests were dancing thieves broke into the house and stole a lot of fur coats.
to rob so ; a bank
Alors que je traversais la rue, j'ai marché sur une peau de banane et je suis tombé lourdement.
As I was crossing the street I stepped on a banana skin and fell heavily.
Il réalisa soudain qu'il voyageait dans la mauvaise direction.
He suddenly realized he was travelling in the wrong direction.
Le réalisateur n'a pas permis aux acteurs de voyager en avion pendant qu'ils travaillaient sur le film.
The director didn't allow the actors to travel by air while they were working on the film.
permit someone to do sth: formal
film-maker
Tom n'a rien mangé pour dîner car il fait un régime. Il a dit qu'il essayait de perdre 10 kilos.
Tom didn't eat anything for lunch because he is dieting. He said he was trying to lose 10 kilos.
Où habitait-il quand tu l'as vu pour la dernière fois?
Where was he living when you last saw him?
C'était une belle journée et les routes étaient encombrées car beaucoup de gens allaient à la mer.
It was a fine day and the roads were crowded because a lot of people were going to the seaside.
Congested / jammed OK
encumbered: prevented from making quick progress by having to carry heavy objects or deal with
important duties and responsibilities
clutter (up) verb [transitive often passive] to put too many things in a place so that it looks untidy:
Nous nous étions levés très tôt, nous étions fatigués, nous sommes allés nous coucher de bonne
heure.
We had got up very early, we were tired, we went to bed early. in good time= en avance
Il était né en Afrique, c'était la première fois qu'il venait en Europe. Il n'avait encore jamais vu de
neige.
He had been born in Africa. It was the first time he had come to Europe. He had never seen any
snow before. encore jamais : never before ; pas encore : not yet (si jamais = auparavant : before)
*Pour en revenir à ce que disait Peter…
Going back to what Peter was saying….
Nous venions de nous coucher quand nous avons entendu quelqu'un crier "au feu!".
We had just gone to bed when we heard someone shout "Fire!". shouting: pas toute l’action
scream et cry OK
Pendant que l'avion décollait, il réalisa que c'était la première fois qu'il allait à Londres en avion.
While the plane was taking off, he realized it was the first time he had flown to London.
Il venait de dépasser un camion quand l’accident s’est produit.
He had just overtaken a lorry when the accident happened (took place occurred)
8

Je les attendais depuis une heure quand le téléphone a sonné.
I had been waiting for them for an hour when the phone rang.
Il a dit qu’il avait perdu son passeport
He said he had lost his passport.

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Emploi modal du prétérit et du past perfect
Attention: verbe to be: were à toutes les personnes (dans la langue parlée , was se rencontre aux 1 ère
et 3ème personnes du singulier)
1. après if, if only, as if, even if:
irréel du présent:
If I were you I would refuse. Prétérit modal
Si j’étais toi je refuserais
Irréel du passé:
If he had come yesterday he would have known the truth.
S’il était venu hier il aurait su la vérité
Past Perfect modal
Supposition:
If he comes, we'll play tennis.
Présent.
S’il vient nous jouerons au tennis
2. Après le verbe to wish
Irrél du present = regret

I wish I had a larger house. Prétérit modal
Je regrette de ne pas avoir une plus grande maison. (cf si seulement

j’avais …)
Irréel du passé
= regret dans le passé

I wish he had brought his camera. Past perfect modal
Je regrette qu'il n'ait pas apporté son appareil photo. (cf. si seulement
j’avais apporté…)
Potentiel = souhait
I wish he would answer my letter at once
J'aimerais qu'il réponde à ma lettre immédiatement. (would, cela
dépend de sa volonté)
I wish he could understand my reasons for refusing.
J'aimerais qu'il comprenne pourquoi je refuse. (could, cela ne dépend pas de sa volonté)

3. Après I would rather.
Irréel du présent et potentiel:

We'd rather you came next week.

prétérit modal

Nous préférerions que vous veniez la semaine prochaine.
Irréel du passé:

N.B : I’d rather go by car
4.

I'd rather he hadn't come. past perfect modal
J'aurais préféré qu'il ne vienne pas.
: sujets identiques (attention pas de ‘to’)

Après it's time : simple past
It's (high) time we went home.
Il est grand temps que nous rentrions à la maison.
(It's time for you to go home)

N.B.
To prefer
prefer + ing ( en general) to + ing I prefer waiting for people to being waited for.
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prefer + to +inf (cas précis) rather than + inf sans to Would you prefer to stay rather than come
with us?
prefer + prop infinitive: I would prefer him not to stay with us.
To regret
regret + gérondif pour évoquer un souvenir ou subordonnée
I regret going there by car
I regret that I went there by car
+ infinitif pour exprimer une action qui reste à accomplir
I regret to tell you that …

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Emploi modal du simple past et past perfect
Si j'avais assez d'argent j'achèterais cette maison.
If I had enough money I would buy that house.
Il se conduit comme s'il était le patron.
He behaves as if he were the boss.
A votre place je refuserais.
If I were you I would refuse.
Si seulement j'étais en Angleterre!
If only I were in England! I wish I were …
S'il avait été là il t'aurait dit ce qu'il fallait faire.
If he had been there he would have told you what to do.
S'il était venu hier nous aurions joué au tennis.
If he had come yesterday we would have played tennis.
Je pourrais réparer le toit si j'avais une longue échelle.
I could repair the roof if I had a long ladder.
Il aurait été arrêté si il avait essayé de quitter le pays.
He would have been arrested if he had tried to leave the country.
J'aimerais que ce soit fini.
I wish it were over.
(irréel du présent).
Nous regrettons que vous ne soyez pas venus hier.
We wish you had come yesterday.
(irréel du passé)

(We regret you didn’t come …)

Je voudrais que vous me disiez la vérité.
I wish you would tell me the truth.
(potentiel)
Nous préférerions que vous veniez en juillet.
We'd rather you came in July.
(potentiel comme l'irréel du présent avec préterit)
We would prefer you to come in July
Je regrette de n'avoir pu venir avec vous.
I wish I could have come / had been able to come with you. I regret I couldn’t come with you. (I
regret not to have been able to ....)
Je regrette de n'avoir pas apporté mes lunettes de soleil.
I wish I had brought my sun-glasses. I regret I didn’t bring …./ (not to have brought)
Je préférerais que tu fasses ton travail d'abord.
I'd rather you did your work first. I would prefer you to do …
J'aimerais qu'il m'apprenne l'allemand.
I wish he would teach me German.
Nous regrettions qu'il ait oublié de nous prévenir.
We wished he hadn't forgotten to warn us. We regretted he had forgotten …
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Je regrette d'avoir brûlé ces papiers.
I wish I hadn't burnt these papers. I regret burning… / I regret I burned/ burnt
Si seulement j'avais su qu'il était à Paris!
If only I had known he was in Paris!
J'aurais préféré qu'il ne vienne pas.
I would rather he hadn't come ( I’d prefer him not to have come up)
Elle regrette qu'il soit si timide.
She wishes he weren't so shy.
She regrets that he is so shy.
J'aimerais que tu arrêtes de siffler.
I wish you would stop whistling.
Il regrette qu'elle lui en ait parlé.
He wishes she hadn't told him about it.
He regrets she told him about it.
Je regrette de ne pas avoir une plus grande maison.
I wish I had a larger house.
I regret not having a larger house.
*Si j’étais toi je donnerais ma démission sur le champ !
If I were you, I would resign right away/ immediately !
Hand in (tender; submit) my resignation [ˌrezɪgˈneɪʃn] Word routes: resign; hand in one’s
resignation)
Je regrette qu'ils ne nous aient pas attendus.
I wish they had waited for us.
I regret they didn't wait for us.
Je préfère que tu restes où tu es.
I'd rather you stayed where you are. I prefer you to stay where you are.You should stay (lg
soignée)
J'aurais préféré qu'il n'abandonne pas.
I would rather he hadn't given up
I 'd prefer him not to have given up. he shouldn't have given
up (abandoned)
Je regrettais qu'elle ait mal compris ma lettre
I wished she hadn't misunderstood my letter.
I regretted she had misunderstood my letter.
Je vais leur dire que vous savez jouer du piano. Je préférerais que vous vous absteniez.
I'll tell them you can play the piano. I'd rather you didn't. / refrained/ abstained
Je regrette qu'ils ne puissent pas vous entendre.
I wish they could hear you. I regret they can't hear you.
Si on m'offrait le boulot, je crois que je le prendrais.
If I was offered the job, I think I would take it.
Je voudrais pouvoir arrêter de fumer.
I wish I could give up smoking.
I'd like to be able to give up / quit smoking.
Si elle avait eu faim, elle aurait mangé quelque chose.
If she had been hungry, she would have eaten something.
Je regrette d'avoir tant mangé.
I wish I hadn't eaten so much.
I regret eating so much.
Si tu n'habitais pas si loin , nous te rendrions visite plus souvent.
If you didn't live so far, we would visit you more often.
Je regrette d'avoir peint la porte en rouge.
I wish I hadn't painted the door red.
I regret painting the door red.
Si j'avais su que tu étais malade la semaine passée, je serais allée te voir.
If I had known you were ill last week I would have gone to see you.
Je voudrais que tu ne conduises pas si vite.
I wish you wouldn't drive so fast.
*Si j’étais toi je ne ferais pas d’histoires
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If I were you I wouldn’t cause any trouble (make a fuss)(kick up a fuss )
Je t'aurais envoyé une carte postale si j'avais eu ton adresse.
I would have sent you a postcard if I had had your address.
Je préfèrerais que tu fasses le souper maintenant.
I'd rather you cooked / prepared the dinner now. (make: rare)
Je préfèrerais rester à la maison plutôt que d'aller au cinéma.
I'd prefer to stay at home rather than go to the cinema.
I'd rather stay at home than go…
Je n'aurais pas demandé si je n'avais pas voulu savoir.
I wouldn't have asked if I hadn't wanted to know.
Nous regrettons que tu ne sois pas venu plus tôt.
We wish you had come earlier.
We regret you didn't come earlier.

14

Present perfect
Temps qui lie le présent et le passé.
1. Action non déterminée dans le passé dont on considère le résultat présent.
I've been to the cinema. je suis allée au cinéma
lorsque l’action est déterminée dans le temps par un complément de temps, le contexte, un
complément de lieu ou un mot interrogatif demandant des précisions quant aux circonstances d’une
action, on emploie le simple past
I went to the cinema yesterday. Je suis allée au cinéma hier.
I met him in London. Je l’ai rencontré à Londres.
Where did you find my glove ? Où as tu trouvé ce gant?
2. Action qui se déroule pendant une période non terminée.
It has been very cold this year. Il a fait très froid cette année.
N.B.
What did you do today? Qu’as-tu fait aujourd’hui? Il est sous entendu que la
journée est considérée comme terminée, qu'il est trop tard pour faire encore quelque chose.
3. Action lointaine dans le passé mais qui peut encore se répéter.
I've met Queen Fabiola. J’ai rencontré la Reine Fabiola. (elle est encore en vie.)
I met King Baudoin. J’ai rencontré le Roi Baudoin. (l'action ne peut plus se répéter,
il est mort.)
4. Utilisé avec just ( pas en anglais US) pour exprimer un passé proche.
He has just come in. Il vient d’entrer.
5. Utilisé avec since, for et how long lorsqu'ils signifient depuis.
a. for + complément de temps indiquant une période qui arrive jusqu'au moment présent (cf. il y a)
He has been ill for days. Il est malade depuis des jours (He is still ill) = depuis.
Attention : He was ill for days. Il a été malade pendant des jours.
(he is better now) =
pendant.
b. since + complément de temps qui indique le début d'une période.
I have lived here since 1985. J’habite ici depuis 1985.
Remarques: 1. since peut introduire une proposition de temps qui peut être soit au prétérit, soit au
present perfect.
I've been living here since I left Belgium. (action terminée)
I haven't seen him since I've been living here. (action non terminée)
2. since = vu que, étant donné que. Pas de temps particulier.
Since you've spent all your money, you won't be able to buy this car.
Since you refuse to cooperate, I shall be forced to take legal advice.
6. Utilisé avec never, ever,always et yet
I've never been to England.
He hasn't come yet.
Remarque: on peut rencontrer le prétérit quand on veut indiquer qu'il est peu vraisemblable que
l'action se passe dans l'avenir. (= jugement définitif)
I never saw such a fool. = il est peut vraisemblable que j'en voie un autre à l'avenir.

15

7. Utilisé avec certaines expressions:
This/ that/ it is the first time, second...
That's the seventeenth beer you’ve drunk this evening.
This is the first time I've drunk champagne.
This/ that/ it is the only...
This is the only party I've ever really enjoyed in my life.
This/ that / it + superlatif
It's the most interesting book I've ever read.
Remarque: have been et have gone.
He has been to London = il en est revenu.
He has gone to London = il y est toujours.
8. dans les subordonnées de temps (when, after, as soon as …)
L’utilisation du present perfect fait référence à un fait futur ; il correspond à un futur antérieur en
français.
ex : I’ll contact you as soon as I have seen her.

Present perfect continu
1. L'action est temporaire
My parents have lived in B. all their lives.
I've been living in Sally's flat for the last month.
2. L'action n'est pas nécessairement terminée, il insiste sur la continuité, insiste plus sur l'action que
sur le résultat.
I've been reading your book (I haven't finished yet)
I've read your book.
I've been cutting firewoood. (probablement pendant des heures)
I've cut my finger. (action brève, le résultat est le plus important)
3. les effets secondaires de l'action sont toujours visibles
You've been drinking again!
N.B. La forme continue est rarement employée à la forme négative.
It hasn't snowed this year.

16

Present Perfect and Simple Past.
Use the present perfect or simple past.
How long ........have you known................. (you know) your new assistant?
I ........have known........... (know) him for two years.
What ............did he do.............................. (he do) before he ............came............... (come) here?
I think he ........was................. (be) in prison.
I ...haven't seen..................... (not see) your aunt recently.
She .................hasn't been....................... (not be)
.................bought..................... (buy) her colour TV.

out

of

her

house

since

she

.......has he been...................................(The plumber be)here yet?
Yes, but he only .................stayed................. (stay) for an hour.
What .............did he do.............................. (he do) in that time?
He ......turned........................... (turn) off the water and ........emptied................... (empty) the tank.
I .......have just been............... (just be) to the film War and Peace.......have you
seen.................................... (you see) it?
No, I .haven't................ Is it like the book?
I .......haven't read............................. (not read the book).
I .................read............. (read) it when I ...........was............ (be) at school.
When .....did T write............................................ (Tolstoy write) it?
He .............wrote..................... (write) it in 1868.
.............did he write.............................. (he write) anything else?
How long ........have you been.................................. (you be ) out of work?
I'm not out of work now. I ....have just started ............................ (just start) a new job.
How ........................did you find............... (you find) the job?
I .........answered.............................. (answer) an advertisement in the paper.
He ........lost...... (lose) his job last month and since then he ......has been..................(be) out of work.
Why .........did he lose........................... (he lose) his job?
He ..................was............... (be) very rude to Mr Pitt.
Maria hasn't wanted to drive since she ................crashed............................. (crash) her car.
I .......have worked../ have been working............................ (work) really hard this morning. Another
two shelves to put up and then I think I'll have lunch.
Since the eruption .........started......................... (start), all the villages on the slopes of the
volcano ........have been evacuated............................................... (be evacuated).
So far this week there .....have been.......................... (be) three burglaries in our street.
It was so hot today that I ..........wore......................... (wear) short and T -shirt at work.
17

Has been or has gone??
Hello! I've just ........been................... to the shops. Look! I've bought lots of things.
Jim isn't here at the moment. He's .........gone.............. to the shops.
Are you going to the bank? No, I've already ........been............ to the bank.
Where's Ann? She's on holiday. She has ..........gone............... to Italy.
Translate
Je viens d'acheter un enregistreur. Où avez-vous acheté le vôtre? Je l'ai acheté en Allemagne.
I've just bought a (tape) recorder. Where did you buy yours? I bought it in Germany.
Je n'ai jamais vu ce film. Moi bien, je l'ai vu à Londres.
I've never seen this film. I have. I saw it in London.
As for me = quant à moi, selon mon opinion
Regarde, je t'ai apporté un cadeau. C'est la première fois que tu me fais un cadeau.
Look, I've brought you a present. It's the first time that you've given me a present.
Avez-vous lu Alice au pays des merveilles? Oui, je l'ai lu plusieurs fois. Moi j'avais huit ans
quand je l'ai lu et je ne l'ai jamais relu depuis.
Have you read Alice in Wonderland? Yes, I have read it several times. I read it when I was
eight/ I was eight when I read it, and I've never read it again since.
J'ai enfin réussi à le persuader de venir avec nous.
Comment avez-vous réussi?
I've finally succeeded in persuading/ convincing him to come with us. How did you manage?
Est-ce que le dîner est prêt? Je meurs de faim, je n'ai pas déjeuné aujourd'hui.
Is dinner ready? I'm starving; I didn't have any lunch today. I’m absolutely famished (informal)
Avez-vous déjà vu la Reine? Non, je n'en ai pas encore eu l'occasion. Mais j'ai vu le roi George
VI, qui est venu dans ma rue en 1943.
Have you ever seen the Queen? No (I haven't), I haven’t had a / the chance // an / the
opportunity to yet. (an occasion to : rare)But I saw King George VI, who came to/ in my street in
1943.
Je suis allé à Londres cette année et mes amis m'ont encore invité pour Noël. J'ai reçu leur invitation
ce matin, je n'ai pas encore répondu.
I've been to London this year, and my friends have invited me again for Christmas. I received their
invitation this morning, I haven't replied yet.
John a-t-il enfin téléphoné? Oui, il nous a appelé pendant que nous prenions le thé. Vous a-t-il dit
quand il rentrait? Il ne s'est pas encore décidé.
Has John phoned then/ finally? Yes (he has). He rang us (up) while we were having tea. Did he
tell you when he was coming/ would come (possible car pas sub de temps mais COD) back? He
hasn't made up his mind yet.
Set your mind to sth / on doing sth = be determined to do sth; to decide to do something and try
very hard to achieve it: You can do anything if you put your mind to it.

18

Connais-tu cette femme qui vient de quitter le magasin? Oui, c'est Madame T. Est-elle une de tes
clientes?
Pas exactement, elles est venue quelques fois mais n'a jamais rien acheté.
Do you know that lady who has just left the shop? Yes, it's Mrs T. Is she a customer of yours? Not
exactly, she has been here several times but has never bought anything.
As-tu vu Mary lundi?
Did you see Mary on Monday?
Laisse moi te présenter à Mary (*). Elle est ma meilleure amie, nous nous connaissons depuis
l’enfance.
Bonjour Mary, ravie de faire votre connaissance.(*)
Let me introduce you to Mary. She is my best friend, we have known each other since childhood.
Hello Mary, nice to meet you. (delighted / pleased to meet you)
Où est Tom? Je ne l'ai pas vu aujourd'hui mais il a dit à Mary qu'il serait là pour dîner.
Where is Tom? I haven't seen him today but he told Mary he would be there for dinner.
J'ai acheté ceci dans Bond Street. Combien l'as-tu payé?
Je l'ai payé 100 livres.
I bought this in Bond Street. How much did you pay for it? I paid £100 for it
*Je viens rechercher ma robe. Puis-je payer par carte de crédit ?
I have come to collect my dress. Can I pay by credit card?
Où as-tu trouvé ce couteau?
Je l'ai trouvé dans le jardin.
Where did you find that knife? I found it in the garden.
Je ne savais pas que tu connaissais Monsieur P. Depuis combien de temps le connais-tu? Je le
connais depuis 10 ans.
I didn't know that you knew Mr P. How long have you known him? I've known him for ten years.
* Je n’ai pas eu l’emploi finalement. Oh, je suis désolée, j’espère que tu n’as pas été trop déçu.
I didn’t get the job, after all. oh, I’m sorry, I hope it wasn’t too much of a disappointment for you
Je ne savais pas que tu étais ici. Es-tu ici depuis longtemps?
Oui, je suis ici depuis deux mois.
Es-tu allé à la cathédrale?
Oui, j'y suis allé samedi passé.
I didn't know that you were here. Have you been here long/ for long/ (for) a long time? Yes, I've
been here for two months. Have you been to the cathedral? Yes, I went there last Saturday.
*La semaine dernière j’ai rencontré la sœur de John. J’ai été stupéfait de sa beauté.
Last week I met John’s sister. I was stunned [     by/ at her beauty. / astonished at/
astouned at (amazed at )
As-tu jamais essayé d'arrêter de fumer?
Oui, j'ai essayé l'année passée mais j'ai trouvé que je
grossissais donc j'ai recommencé.
Have you ever tried to give up smoking? Yes, I tried last year but I found that I was getting fat so I
started again. / took it up again
Swell: [intransitive] to become larger than normal, usually because of liquid collecting inside:
19

My ankles tend to swell when I travel by air. = gonfler
*Elle est sans aucun doute le meilleur capitaine que nous ayons jamais eu.
She is without doubt/ undoubtedly [       ] the best captain we have ever had.
As-tu vu le journal d'aujourd'hui? Non, s'est-il passé quelque chose d'intéressant?
Oui,
plusieurs patients se sont échappés de l'hôpital psychiatrique.
Have you seen today's paper? No, has anything interesting happened? Yes, several patients have
escaped from the mental hospital./ asylum [əˈsaɪləm]
Quand tu es parti tu as oublié de fermer la porte de derrière (*)
When you left, you forgot to close the back door./ rear door (car or house) [rɪə]
Mary a-t-elle nourri le chat? Oui, elle l'a nourri avant le dîner.
Que lui a-t-elle donné?
Elle
lui a donné du poisson.
Has Mary fed the cat? Yes, she fed him before lunch. What did she give him? She gave him some
fish.
* J’ai été vraiment navré d’apprendre ce qui est arrivé à votre père.
I was terribly sorry to hear about your father.
*Nous nous sommes rencontrés deux fois auparavant.
twice before

We’ve met on two previous occasions./

Je rangerai ma chambre quand j’aurai terminé mes devoirs.
I’ll tidy my room up when I have finished my homework. / (finished up OK: to eat, drink, or use all
of something so that there is none left)
J’ai vu trois films cette semaine, donc je ne veux pas particulièrement en voir un samedi aussi.
I’ve seen three films this week, so I don’t particularly want to see one on Saturday as well. (too as
well) also pas en fin de phrase.
Mary n’a pas réussi son examen la semaine passée. Quel dommage !(*)
Mary didn’t pass her exam last week. What a shame!
What a bummer : quelle poisse autre niveau de langue
*Je suis sûre que nous nous sommes déjà rencontrés.
I’m sure we have met before.
Je n’ai jamais entendu Peter critiquer qui que ce soit depuis que je le connais.
I have never heard Peter criticise (criticize: US) anyone since I have known him.
Connais-tu l’Ecosse? Pas vraiment, je n’y suis allé qu’une fois.
Do you know Scotland ? Not really, I’ve only been there once.
*J’ai été profondément attristé en apprenant la mauvaise nouvelle.
I was terribly/ so sorry to hear the sad news.
touched hearing: faux = feeling happy or emotional
20

Nous sommes allés en Ecosse une fois et il n’a pas arrêté de pleuvoir !
We went to Scotland once and it didn’t stop raining!
Ici once= cette fois là, pas une fois, deux fois, trois fois!
* Je suis beaucoup resté à la maison ces derniers temps.
I’ve been staying in (at home) a lot lately.
Present Perfect continuous and Present Perfect Simple.
Read the situation and then write two sentences, one with the present perfect simple and one with
the continuous.
1. Linda is from Australia. Now she is travelling round Europe. She began her tour three months
ago.
(She / travel / around Europe for three months)
......................has been travelling...........................................................................
(She / visit / six countries so far)
.....................................has visited.............................................................................................
2. Jimmy is a tennis champion. He began playing tennis when he was 11 years old. Now he has just
won the national championship for the fourth time.
(He / play / tennis since he was 11)
..........................has been playing / has played (on insiste sur le fait que ça dure depuis très
longtemps ex: he has been living in London since January, mais he has always lived in London).......
(He / win / the national championship four times)
.....................................has won.........................................................................
3. Bill and Ann make films. They started making films together when they left college.
(They / make / films since they left college)
....................have been
making.....................................................................................................................................
( They / make / ten films since they left college)
...........have made...........................................................................................................................
Choose the most appropriate present perfect.
An important file ( disappear)...has disappeared....................................... from my office.
Plants and vegetables (disappear)......have been disappearing / have disappeared................................
from my garden since we had new neighbours.
Look! Somebody .........has broken.................................. (break) that window.
I ....................have been reading............. (read) the book you gave me but I ..haven't
finished ............... (finish) it yet.
Hello! I .......have been cleaning................ (clean) the windows. So far I .....have cleaned.............
(clean) five of them and there are two more to do.
21

There's a strange smell in here. .............have you been cooking........................................ (you cook)
something? (effets secondaires toujours "visibles")
My brother is an actor. He ..........has appeared.............................. (appear) in several films.
It ..............has been snowing / has snowed.................... (snow) heavily since this morning.
As house prices in the cities have risen, people ...have been moving / have
moved................................ (move) into the countryside.
For years he ..........has been claiming............... (claim) that he is related to the royal family.
The earthquake ...........has claimed.................. (claim) 5000 lives.
All day, the police ......have been stopping / have stopped........................... (stop) motorists to
question them about the accident.
Good, the noise .......has stopped............................ (stop). I can concentrate on my work again.
Translate
Quelqu'un a mangé les chocolats! Ils sont presque tous partis!
Someone has been eating the chocolates! They're nearly/ almost all gone.
are gone : have disappeared ; is finished
have gone: on pense movement, direction, destination
almost et nearly sont synonymes mais nearly ne peut pas être utilisé quand pas concret, uncountable
(ex : our cat is almost human/ it’s almost incredible)
hardly = almost not (à peine)
J'ai perdu mon passeport. L' as-tu vu quelque part?
I've lost my passport. Have you seen it anywhere?
Je t'attends depuis des heures! Où es-tu allé?
I've been waiting for you for hours! Where have you been?
J'ai démoli ta voiture, je suis vraiment désolé.
I've crashed your car. I'm awfully sorry. (wrecked = very badly damaged / demolished/ smashed up
(fam))
Combien d'exercices as-tu fait aujourd'hui?
How many exercises have you done today?
Pourquoi es-tu rouge? J'ai couru.
Why are you red? I've been running.
Je n'ai jamais lu un meilleur livre de ma vie.
I've never read a better book in my life.
22

Depuis combien de temps connais-tu Ann et John?
How long have you known Ann and John?
Je peins le salon depuis une semaine. Il sera bientôt fini.
I've been painting the living room for a week. It will be finished soon.
J'ai peint le salon. J'ai terminé hier soir.
I've painted the living room. I finished last night.
Je ne sais pas ce que nos voisins font. Ils se sont disputés toute la journée.
I don't know what our neighbours are doing. They've been having a row[ raʊ  all day.
[rəʊ] ramer file queue quarrelling quarrel
Je suis exténué! J'ai travaillé toute la journée et je n'ai pas encore terminé.
I'm exhausted!/ tired out I've been working all day, and I haven't finished yet./ am not finished yet/ I
still haven’t finished (to be finished= have completed the job that you were doing
knackered adjective BRITISH VERY INFORMAL
1
very tired
2
hurt, damaged, or destroyed
(c) Macmillan Publishers Ltd. 2002
J'ai visité beaucoup de pays ces dernières années.
I have visited many countries over the past years.
over the last years
for the last years
these last years
loads of : informal
Quelqu'un a pris mes livres. Je les cherche depuis des siècles mais je ne les ai pas encore trouvés.
Someone has taken my books. I've been looking for them for ages, but I haven't found them yet.
J'ai fait des courses toute la matinée mais je n'ai rien acheté.
I've been shopping all morning, but I haven't bought anything.
Do some shopping = faire qq couses donc ici non
C'est un des meilleurs livres que j'aie jamais lu.
It's one of the best books I've ever read.
Tu es crasseux (filthy)! Qu'as-tu fait?
J'ai travaillé dans le jardin.
You are filthy! What have you been doing? I've been working in the garden.
Les rues sont toutes mouillées. Il a plu.
The streets are all wet / damp . It has been raining.
Je t'écoute depuis une ½ heure mais je suis désolée, je n'ai pas compris un traître mot.
I have been listening to you for half an hour but I'm afraid I haven't understood a single word.
Qu'est-ce qui ne va pas?
Je lis dans ma chambre depuis des heures et j'ai mal à la tête.
What's the matter? I've been reading in my room for hours, and I've got a headache.
23

J'essaie de perdre du poids depuis des siècles. J'ai perdu 10 livres jusqu'à présent.
I've been trying to lose weight for ages. I've lost 10 pounds so far./ until now / up to now
Pourquoi tes cheveux sont-ils mouillés?
J'ai nagé.
Why is your hair wet? I've been swimming.

24

LE FUTUR
1. Forme du présent continu.
Activités ou événements futurs qui découlent d'un arrangement. Actions projetées qui doivent se
passer sauf imprévu. Le complément de temps est exprimé.
We're having a party on Sunday.
On n'emploiera pas cette tournure:
a. quand il s'agit de situations futures permanentes.
Her new house will have three floors.
b. avec to be
John's going to be a doctor in the school play next week.
On s'efforce d'éviter to be going to + to go, on emploie donc to be going.
I'm going to town on Saturday.

2. Forme du présent simple.
a. horaires, programmes
The plane arrives at 2 o'clock in the morning.
b. dans des propositions de temps introduites par after, before, when, until…
When you see D., tell him…quand tu verras D., dis lui….
N.B. pas si when est un adverbe interrogatif ou un pronom relatif (the day when)
I don’t know when they will arrive. (when peut dans ce cas être remplacé par “at what time”)
c.

style impersonnel ou officiel
Today the Prime Minister goes to Scotland….

3. to be going to.
a. futur avec intention préméditée.
There's a film on TV tonight. Are you going to watch it?
I'm cold. OK I'll shut the window. (on réagit directement à une situation)
b. pour exprimer une quasi certitude. (prédiction )(la situation présente le montre)
Look at these clouds! It's going to rain.
Look at that man, he's going to fall into the hole.
Ann will probably arrive at about 8. (on le pense mais rien ne le montre)
c. futur très proche + just
The train is just going to leave = est sur le point de partir

25

4. Will / Shall

'll

simple futur sans autre nuance dans ce cas, will est utilisé à toutes les personnes dans la langue
parlée (GB) mais dans une langue plus soignée shall est utilisé aux 1ères personnes si il n'y a pas de
nuance de volonté.
We shall have to walk.
We shall miss you when you have gone.
Will est souvent utilisé dans ces situations:
Proposition
That bag is heavy. I'll help you.
Will you come with us?
Acceptation ou refus.
Can I have my bag back? Of course I'll bring it back this afternoon.
The car won't start. (= refuses to start)
Demande polie
Will you shut the door, please?
Dans la principale d'une phrase de condition (going to est aussi possible)
You'll break it if you're not careful.
Avec les expressions: probably, (I'm) sure, (I) think, (I) expect.
You must meet Ann, I'm sure you'll like her.

5. Futur continu
a. nous serons en train de
This time next week I'll be on holiday. I'll be lying on the beach.
b. souvent utilisé afin d'éviter toute ambiguité ( idée de vouloir)
When will you come? Quand veux-tu venir?
When will you be coming? Simple information.
She won't sing because you've offended her. Elle refuse de…
She won't be singing, she has a sore throat.

6. Futur antérieur
The film will have started by the time you arrive.
N.B dans une subordonnée de temps: present perfect
I'll be able to go with you when I have finished. Je pourrai t’accompagner quand j’aurai fini

26

BE TO (= devoir)
Exprime une idée de futur, l'idée que l'action doit se produire
a. arrangement officiel
The Prime Minister is to visit Liège.
They are to be married in June. (ils doivent se marier en juin).
b. obligation, ordre
You are to obey at once
You are not to smoke in this room.
c. action qu'il convient de faire (surtout forme interrogative)
What am I to tell them?
What is to be done?
d. la destinée, la fatalité
He was to die in an accident
Be due to: exprime ce qui doit normalement arriver sauf imprévu à un moment précis
She is due to arrive on July 21st. elle doit arriver le 21 juillet

BE LIKELY, BE SURE, BE BOUND TO
Ces trois périphrases permettent au locuteur de dire ce qu'il pense du degré de vraisemblance de
l'action.
Be likely to : l'action semble probable, vraisemblable
Be sure to:
à peu près certaine
Be bound to:
absolument inévitable
They are likely to be at home il est vraisemblable qu'ils sont chez eux
The trip is sure to be very pleasant le voyage promet d'être très agréable
It's bound to be a failure ce sera inévitablement un échec

27

Future forms
1. I hope that you (have).............'ll have.......................................................a good time tomorrow.
2.

His

speech

(be)..............is

going

to

be

(is

being

peu

courant)

/

will

be.............................................broadcast tonight.
3. What you (do)...................are you going to do...............................................when you grow up ?
I (be)......................'m going to be......................................a pavement artist.
4. Why are you taking out all your dresses ?
I (shorten)................'m going to shorten.........................................the skirts.
5. Will you lend me your season ticket ?
No, I (not lend)..................won't lend...................................................it to you. It is against the law.
6. That tree makes the house very dark.
Very well, I (cut) ....................'ll cut....................................................it down.
7. The sweep chimney sweep : ramoneur(come)...............is coming.......................................at eight
tomorrow.
8. Where you (meet)...................are you meeting ..........................................them ?
I (meet)....................'m meeting..................................them at midnight in the middle of the wood.
9. What horse you (ride).....are you riding.........................................tomorrow ?
10. Look ! I've broken the teapot. What Mrs Pitt (say)......will she say........................................
She (not mind)................won't mind.................................;she never liked that one.
11.

I've

just

enrolled

at

the

local

technical

college.

I

(attend)......'m

attend........................................ pottery classes next winter.
12. How do I get from here to London Bridge ?
I don't know, but I (ask)....'ll ask............................................that policeman.
13. Why are you carrying a corkscrew ?
28

going

to

I (open)..................'m going to open....................................a bottle of wine.
14. I've left the light on . It (matter)......will it matter........................................................?
15. He (not forget ).............won't forget...........................................to come.
16. He (leave) ........is leaving..................................in a few days.
17. I (remember)............'ll remember......................................it.
18. My brother has just returned from Africa.
Oh good, we (ask)...................'ll ask................................him to our next party.
19. Why have you set your alarm clock to go off at five-thirty?
Because I (get)...............'m going to get ............................................up then. I've got a lot to do.
20. I hear that you have decided to go on a diet. When you (start)....are you going to
start................................................?
I (start).......'m going to start...........................................on Monday.
21.You (study).....are you going to/ will you be studying..(info).................................science at the
university ?
22.You (speak).............will you be speaking.....will you speak impliquerait une idée de
volonté................to Tom at the meeting tomorrow, do you think?
23.You (turn)..........will you turn............................................off the wireless ,please? It is making a
horrible noise.
24.You (take)...............will you take (pas encore décidé et on lui demande ce qu'il veut)....... will you be
taking (simple demande d'information).................................................... your exam now or in
December?
25.You (listen).........will you be listening/ are you going to listen.........................................................to
the concert this evening ?
26. You (help).................will you help................................................me with this, please ? I can't open
it.
29

27.I'm going to Brussels next week in my own plane

. You (come)........will you come......

(invitation)......are you coming (est-ce prévu?)....................................with me ?
28.You (lend).........will you lend (demande)...................................................me your typewriter for an
hour ? I want to type a letter.
29.You

(meet)....are

you

meeting/

going

to

meet

/

will

you

be

meeting......................................................him at the station ?
No, we never meet him. He doesn't like being met.
30. You (come).....will you come (invitation)......................................................sailing with me this
afternoon ?
No, thank you, I don't like sailing.
Will you? Invitation, demande même ordre
will you be -ing: demande d'information polie
Translate
Le temps restera froid et il y aura de la neige sur les hauteurs.
It will remain cold and there will be snow on the hills.
Ne téléphone pas à 8 heures car je mangerai.
Don't phone at 8 because I'll be eating.
Il a l'air pâle, je crois qu'il va s'évanouir.
He looks pale. I think he's going to faint. collapse= s’effondrer, tomber ; faint = pass out = malaise
Que fais-tu cette après-midi?
What are you doing this afternoon?
Ils vont abattre ce vieux bâtiment. N'est-ce pas une honte?
They are going to knock down that old building. Isn't it a shame? shame : sth one is sorry about;
disgrace: déshonneur
Ne t'inquiète pas du désordre. Je rangerai.
Don't worry about the mess. I'll tidy up. clean up : ordre + nettoyage
Le prochain trimestre commence le 1 er octobre.
Next term begins on October 1.term: scolaire; US: trimester; ,quarter: esp finances, loyer, salaire
“October the first, the first of October”
30

Quand crois-tu que tu auras terminé?
When do you think you'll have finished? end, rarement transitif
Je crois que je vais rentrer en traversant le parc. C'est une bonne idée.
I think I'll walk ( décision immediate, après think) across/ through the park. That's a good idea.
Ne t'assieds pas sur ce banc, je vais le peindre.
Don't sit on that bench [tʃ] , I'm going to paint it.
Pouvons-nous nous rencontrer à 10 h à la gare? OK. Je te verrai là.
Can we meet at 10.00 at the station? Okay. I'll see you there. (décision spontanée)
Je ne traverserais pas sur ce vieux pont si j'étais toi. Il a l'air de vouloir s'effondrer.
I wouldn't walk across that old bridge if I were you. It looks like it is going to collapse. (prédiction,
évidence) to cave in OK pour floor, building mais pas pour bridge ; slump pour les prix
Il est déjà sept heures ! Je crois que je ferais mieux d’y aller maintenant (*). Dis à P ; que je le
verrai quand il sera à Paris.
It’s seven alreédy ! I think I’d better go now. Tell P. I’ll see him when he is in Paris.
Si tu es prêt, je t'expliquerai comment le matériel (equipment) fonctionne.
If you are ready I'll explain to you how the equipment operates./works, functions
Si tu restes dans la pluie plus longtemps, tu vas prendre froid.
If you stand in the rain longer, you'll(prediction) / 're going to catch cold.
to get a cold= to catch a cold =: attraper un rhume
to take cold= to catch cold = attraper froid
Elle ne viendra pas au bord de la mer avec nous parce que son fils est malade.
She won't be coming to the sea-side with us because her son is ill. simple fait
seashore : bord de la mer, plage ; seaside + vague, aller à la mer
Elle ne viendra pas avec nous parce qu'elle n'aime pas la mer.
She won't come with us because she doesn't like the sea. (sa volonté)
J'ai vu la pièce, maintenant je vais lire le livre.
I've seen the play now I'm going to read the book.
Il ne va pas savoir quoi faire.
He won't know what to do.
Je ne lui présenterai pas d'excuses même si c'est vous qui me le demandez.
I won't apologize/se(BE) to him even if you ask me (to) = refus, promesse négative
I'm not going to ….
Intention
to present my apologies ; (sorries n’est pas un nom donc faux) ; excuse= prétexte, justification
*Je croise les doigts pour ton examen.
I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you for your exam. cross my fingers: pas au sens figuré
31

Si mon fils ne réussit pas son examen, je serai furieux.
If my son doesn't pass his exam, I shall be furious. Langue soignée, pas d'idée de choix, de volonté,
de consentement.
I will
autre niveau de langue.
to sit an exam= to take an exam : passer un examen
cross = angry (souvent utilise pour des enfants (I am cross with her for lying)
Il faudra que nous attendions. Moi je n'attendrai pas plus de 10 minutes, j'ai horreur d'attendre.
We shall have to wait. (pas de volonté) I won't wait (volonté) more than ten minutes, I hate/
detest / loathe [ləʊð] waiting.
am not going to wait…..
Fermez la porte quand vous sortirez.
Lock the door when you go out.
Je me demande quand il recevra ma lettre
I wonder when he will receive my letter.
Il a dit que quand il rentrerait il irait au lit tout de suite.
He said that when he came back he would go to bed at once./ right away Futur dans le passé dans
sub de temps: prétérit.
in a row= à la suite
Quand sera-t-elle de retour? Téléphonez nous dès qu'elle sera de retour.
When will she be back? Phone us / ring us up as soon as she is back.
Je vais écrire aux Morgan pendant que tu feras le thé.
I'm going to write to the Morgans while you're making the tea.
Il sera certainement furieux quand il apprendra cela.
He is sure to be furious when he hears that.learns of / about
gets to know of it (to know about sth= être au courant, un état)
*J’espère que tout se passera bien pour toi.
I hope everything turns out well for you.
Je devinai ce qu'il allait répondre.
I guessed what he was going to answer .to respond = answer especially in writing (ici non)
foresee = predict
Une fois que vous les connaîtrez mieux je suis sûr que vous vous entendrez bien avec eux.
Once you know them better, I'm sure you'll get on/ along well with them.
get along with= be in good terms
keep in with = rester en bons termes
keep well = rester en bonne santé
Il va inévitablement se rendre compte qu’il a fait une erreur.
He is bound to realize that he has made a mistake.

32

Elle devait partir pour les Etats Unis le 2 juin mais elle a dû annuler son voyage car sa fille était
malade.
She was due to leave for the USA on June 2nd but she had to cancel / call off her trip because her
daughter was ill.
to cry off (= se décommander)
Le premier ministre doit parler à la radio ce soir
The Prime Minister is (due) to speak on the radio this evening
Il y a des chances pour qu’ils aient renoncé à leur pique-nique
They are likely to have given up / abandoned the idea of their picnic. There is a chance they have…
renounce = renoncer très officiellement
Ils doivent passer leurs vacances en Ecosse.
They are to spend their holidays in Scotland. (due to : demande un moment précis)
Il fera certainement froid demain.
It's sure to be cold tomorrow.
Y a-t-il des chances pour qu'il accepte notre offre?
Is he likely to accept our offer? Is there any chance (count but usually sg) he will accept our offer
Tu rateras certainement si tu t'y prends ainsi.
You are sure to fail if you set/go about it that way.
Le voyage promet d'être très agréable.
The trip is sure to be very pleasant.
Il est inévitable qu'elle soit un peu inquiète.
She is bound to be a bit worried.
anxious : OK
1
worried because you think something bad might happen (about sth)
2
wanting something very much, especially when this makes you nervous, excited, or impatient:
anxious to do something: We're anxious to hear from anyone who can help.
anxious (that): They are anxious that the food should be of the best quality.
anxious for: We were all anxious for peace.
(c) Macmillan Publishers Ltd. 2002
J'ai cru que j'allais m'évanouir.
I thought I was going to faint.
Il va probablement venir
He is likely to come.
Il devait mourir dans un accident.
He was to die in an accident.

33

Emploi des temps : exercices récapitulatifs
Il y a 14 ans, le touriste espagnol G.S. a laissé tomber son portefeuille dans les eaux du Loch Ness
en Ecosse. Son passeport, ses clés de voiture, et son argent furent perdus dans 150 m d'eau. Cette
semaine le téléphone a sonné dans son appartement de Barcelone et un policier écossais lui a dit, "
Monsieur, votre portefeuille a été retrouvé! Il a été découvert dimanche dernier sur le fond du Loch
Ness par des scientifiques qui cherchaient le monstre du Loch Ness dans un sous marin."
Monsieur S. dit," toute l'histoire est absolument extraordinaire. Apparemment mon portefeuille et
son contenu m'ont déjà été renvoyés par la poste. Je devrais les recevoir demain. Je ne peux y
croire."
14 years ago Spanish tourist (pas d’article, car comme un titre)G.S. dropped his wallet into the
waters of Loch Ness(pas d’article car nom géographique sauf mers, chaînes de montagnes ou
quand of) in Scotland. His passport, his car keys and his money were lost in 150m of water. This
week the phone rang in his Barcelona flat and a Scottish policeman told him, "Sir, your wallet has
been found! It was discovered last Sunday on the bed/ bottom of Loch Ness by some scientists who
were looking for the Loch Ness monster in a submarine!" Mr S. said," The whole thing is absolutely
amazing. Apparently my wallet and its contents have already been sent to me by post. I should get
them tomorrow. I can't believe it.
• contents : contenu d’une boîte (pl) [ ˈkɒntents]
content : sujet d’un livre, d’une pièce…
contents : table des matières ou contenu d’un livre
• apartment :US
• track down = retrouver = to find someone or something after a long search
C'est la deuxième fois que tu casses une tasse. Tu en a cassé une hier. La dernière fille n'a jamais
rien cassé, mais tu as cassé presque la moitié des chose dans la maison.
This is the second time you have broken a cup; you broke one yesterday. The last girl never broke
anything, but you have broken nearly half the things in the house.
• latest= most recent
• half + nom avec ou sans of (half (of) the things)
+ pronom avec of (half of them)
mesure, quantité sans of: half a mile / half a bottle
pas the half!!! il n’est utilisé avec the que lorsqu’on précise quelle moitié on prend I gave her half
and kept the other half for myself.
Après avoir quitté l'école, il a étudié le français à Paris pendant deux ans ensuite il est allé aux US,
où il habite maintenant. Il a visité l'Angleterre une ou deux fois et connaît bien l'anglais, mais il n'a
pas encore eu l'occasion de visiter des pays européens.
After leaving school he studied French in Paris for two years then moved to America, where he is
now living. He has visited England once or twice and knows English well, but hasn't had yet the
opportunity (of visiting) /to visit European countries.
• chance (conjuncture favourable) occasion : circonstance, à l’occasion de (on the
occasion…)
• by now = à l’heure qu’il est
• pendant :
during répond à la question when
for
how long
Il a été si bon pour moi quand j'étais un gamin que jusqu'à ce jour je n'ai pas oublié sa gentillesse et
j'espère que je ne l'oublierai jamais.
34

He was so good to me when I was a boy, that to this day( till,until, up to now, up to this day (until
this day)) I haven't forgotten his kindness, and I hope that I'll never forge it..
Pas that day c’est ce jour –ci
Je suis né à Londres mais j'ai passé la plus grande partie de mon enfance à la campagne.
Nous habitions toujours là quand mon père est mort.
I was born in London but I spent most of my childhood in the country. We were still living there
when my father died.

Il y a quelques années ils ont abattu quelques vieilles maisons dans cette rue. L'année passée ils ont
commencé à construire un nouveau building. Dans ma ville ils n'arrêtent pas de détruire de vieilles
maisons et d'en construire de nouvelles. La ville a complètement changé d'aspect depuis 1968.
A few years ago they pulled down/ demolished some old houses in that street. Last year they began
to build/ building a new block of flats/ tower block / tenement (poor area). In my town they are
continually / don’t stop pulling down old houses and putting up/ building new ones. The town has
changed (its appearance) completely since 1968.
• utterly = completely, souvent dans un contexte négatif (you’re being utterly unreasonable)
• high-rise block / high-rise flats / high-rise building
• aspect est faux ici: a particular part or quality of sth.
Prête moi ta gomme. J'ai fait une faute et je veux l'effacer.
Lend me your rubber. I have made a mistake and I want to rub it out.
• to erase; an eraser: US
• fault : 1 [count or uncount] the fact of being responsible for a bad or unpleasant situation: It's
not my fault that we're late
2
[count] a feature of something that makes it less good: défaut
Je t'ai vu hier. Tu buvais de la bière dans un café mais tu ne m'as pas vu.
I saw you yesterday. You were drinking beer at a café, but you didn't see me.
Je suis allé au Portugal il y a 5 ans. Depuis je n'ai plus parlé portugais et j'ai oublié presque tout ce
que j'avais appris là.
I went to Portugal five years ago. Since then I haven't spoken Portuguese again / anymore, and I
have forgotten almost everything I learnt there. [ ˈpɔːtjʊgɪːz]
• anymore / any more : From Merriam-Webster dictionary: Although both anymore and any
more are found in written use, in the 20th century anymore is the more common styling
From Collins Dictionary: In British English, the spelling anymore is sometimes considered
incorrect, and any more is used instead.
mais attention: We don’t have any more work.
• Had learnt: on est un cran trop loin dans le passé par rapport au present perfect
"As-tu lu 'Pickwick Papers'?" "J'ai commencé le livre la semaine passée et je viens de le finir."
Have you read P.P.? I began the book last week and have just finished it. (Dickens 1837)
Je vais au Zoo demain. Y es-tu déjà allé?" " Oui, j'y suis allé dimanche dernier. J'y vais presque
tous les week-ends."
35

I am going to the zoo [zuː] tomorrow. Have you ever been there? Yes, I went last Sunday. I go
nearly every weekend.
each : every thing or person in a group but considered separately
J'apprends que tu viens de te marier. Quand la cérémonie a-t-elle eu lieu?
I hear you have just got married. When did the ceremony/ wedding take place? [ˈserəməni]
Nous sommes allés à la Vallée des Rochers la semaine passée. Pendant que nous dînions là, un
homme est tombé des rochers et s'est blessé à la tête. Nous l'avons emmené à l'hôpital dans notre
voiture et sommes allés le voir deux fois depuis. Il commence à aller mieux.
We went to the Valley of Rocks last week. While we were eating our lunch there a man fell from the
rocks and hurt/ injured his head. We took him to the hospital in our car, and have been to see him
twice since then. He is getting better now. (wound blesser, pas se blesser, he was wounded in the
leg)
Harm : faire du tort à, faire du mal à
To lunch : formal
" Salut, qui as-tu amené avec toi? A-t-il déjà soupé?" "Non" "Nous soupons d'habitude à 8h. mais
Mary n'a pas encore fini. Elle mange toujours dans la salle à manger. Il n'a pas encore rencontré
Mary et elle ne le connaît pas, donc conduis-le, présente-le et donne-lui quelque chose à manger."
Hello, who have you brought with you? Has he had supper yet? No, he hasn't. We usually have
supper at eight, but Mary hasn't finished yet. She is still eating in the dining room. He hasn't met
Mary yet, and she doesn't know him, so take him in, introduce him and give him something to eat.
supper n’est pas un verbe; lunch existe mais très formel
"Que cherches-tu?" "J'ai perdu mon porte-monnaie près d'ici et je veux le retrouver avant qu'il ne
fasse noir" "Quand l'as-tu perdu?" "Je crois que je l'ai laissé tomber quand j'allais à l'école ce
matin."
What are you looking for? I have lost my purse near here/ nearby and I want to find it before it gets
dark. When did you lose it? I think I dropped it when I was going to school this morning.
"Je regardais les photos pendant que tu étais dehors" "Les as-tu aimées? Elles ne sont pas très
bonnes."
I was looking at the photographs while you were out. Did you like them? They're not very good.
Have / take a look OK
Comme il courait pour sauter par-dessus le fossé, il est tombé et s'est tordu la cheville. Nous avons
dû le porter à la maison. Maintenant il est couché sur le divan et il lisait un livre jusqu'il y a
quelques minutes. Le médecin vient de partir et a dit alors qu'il sortait qu'il devait se reposer une
semaine.
As he was running to jump over the ditch/ trench, he fell and twisted his ankle. We had to carry him
home. He is now lying on the sofa / couch, and was reading a book until a few minutes ago. The
doctor has just left and said as he was going out/ while going out that he must/ had to rest for a
week.
• sprain: fouler wrench his ankle (OK)
• to spring: mainly literary
• divan [     ]: a bed consisting of a MATTRESS on a solid base
a. a long comfortable seat with no back or arms for two or more people
(c) Macmillan Publishers Ltd. 2002
36

• A pit= une fosse, un trou
• up to/until/till now = jusqu’à présent
"Aimes-tu les échecs?" " Oui, mais je n'ai plus joué depuis plusieurs années. J'ai vécu avec un bon
joueur d'échecs ces six derniers mois mais il joue extrêmement bien et je ne souhaite pas jouer avec
lui."
Do you like chess? Yes, but I haven't played for many years. I have been living with a good chess
player for the last six months / these last six months / over the last six months but he plays
extremely well and I don't wish to play with him.
"Nous attendons ici depuis une demi-heure maintenant, donc je ne crois pas qu'elle viendra. Elle
arrive toujours en retard ou crois-tu que quelque chose lui est arrivé?" "Je ne sais pas mais je crois
que nous avons attendu suffisamment."
We have been waiting here for half an hour now, so I don't think she will come. Does she always
arrive late or do you think something has happened to her? I don't know, but I think we have
waited long enough.
Te souviens-tu de mon nom ou l'as-tu oublié?
Do you remember my name, or have you forgotten it?
Un homme dont le chat avait été mordu par un chien cherchait une boîte dans laquelle transporter le
chat chez le vétérinaire.
A man whose cat had been bitten by a dog was looking for a box in which to take the cat to the vet.
(veterinary surgeon)
Je me demandais quelle heure il était quand l’horloge sonna quatre heures
I was wondering what time it was when the clock struck four. (srtike, struck, struck/ stricken)
Etes-vous allé en Nouvelle Zélande? J’y suis né.
Have you been to New-Zealand? I was born there.
Graham est très heureux, il vient de réussir son examen.
Graham is very happy, he has just passed his exam.
Je venais de doubler un camion quand l’accident s’est produit.
I had just overtaken/ passed a lorry when the accident happened. (occured)
Qu’avez-vous fait dimanche? Nous sommes allés à la campagne. Nous avons toujours aimé la
campagne.
What did you do on Sunday ? We went to the country. We’ve always liked the country.
Quand nous sommes arrives sur le quai, le train allait partir.
When we arrived on (got to )the platform, the train was about to leave. (was just going to leave/ on
the point of leaving)
• quay: nautique
• to be ready to = être prêt à faire qch
La cérémonie sera terminée quand nous arriverons.
The ceremony will be over when we get there (arrive)
37

Je me demande quand il s’arrêtera de pleuvoir. Nous irons nous promener quand il s’arrêtera de
pleuvoir.
I wonder when it will stop raining. We’ll go for a walk // take / have a walk when it stops raining.
Je viens d’acheter une nouvelle veste. Elle est lignée (rayée) à l’extérieur mais unie à l’intérieur.(*)
I’ve just bought a new jacket. It is striped [       on the outside but plain on the
inside.
À pois: spotted
Dotted = pointillé (a dotted line) on le trouve aussi dans le sens “à pois”
N’avez-vous pas vu une jeune fille avec des cheveux noirs bouclés ? (*)
Haven’t you seen a young girl with black curly hair ?/ curly black hair
Je suis désolée de ne pas être venue à la réunion. Cela m’est complètement sorti de la tête !(*)
I’m sorry I didn’t come to the meeting. It completely slipped my mind. / went right out of my head/
mind
(sorry not to have come/ for not coming)

38

CAN
Formes exitantes :
present: can, neg: cannot / can't; past: could, neg: couldn't
Can est un verbe défectif qui n'existe pas à tous les temps. Il existe au présent, au prétérit (could) et
au conditionnel (could). Pour les autres temps on emploie une forme de remplacement.
1. capacité
Dans ce sens la forme de remplacement est “to be able to”
On évitera l’emploi de ‘be able to’ au présent
Différence d'emploi entre could et was able to
I was able to = I succeeded in, I managed to. = j’ai réussi à
When I was young I could swim very well.
Yesterday I was able to swim one kilometre.
N.B. : Dans des phrases négatives, could est souvent utilisé dans ce sens
I tried to open the door but I couldn't.
2. Dans la langue parlée can et could sont souvent employés pour exprimer la permission.
Pour demander une permission, could est plus poli que can. (forme de remplacement pour les autres
temps : to be allowed to)
3. can et could sont employés avec des verbes de perception. Dans ce cas ils ne se traduisent pas en
français.
I can see a bird in the tree. Je vois un oiseau dans l'arbre
I can understand
Je comprends.
4. Can et could peuvent exprimer la probabilité
(could exprime un doute plus grand)
The news can be true.

Il est possible que les nouvelles soient vraies.

La probabilité dans le passé est exprimée par can + inf passé (have + P.P.)
He can have missed the train.
Il a peut-être raté le train.
5. on utilise can't ou couldn't pour exprimer l'idée que qch n'est pas possible, n'est pas vrai
I'm seeing Dr Evans next week. That can't be right. He is on holiday then.
He wasn't there at the time; This couldn't have been his fault
She passed me in the street without speaking. She can't have seen me.
6. can est utilisé pour une offre
Can I help you?
You can borrow my car if you want.
39

CAN /TO BE ABLE TO

1. Tom ............can..................................drive but he hasn't got a car.
2.

I

can't

understand

Martin.

I've

never

...................been

able

to..................................................understand him.
3.I used to ...................be able........................................to stand on my head but I can't do it now.
4. Ask Ann about your problem. She should ..................be able to.........................................help you.
5. He can't play golf very well but he ...........could.................................... quite well when he was
younger.
6.After a few more lessons you .................'ll be able to..............................fly a plane.
7. A few years ago she ................could............................play the piano.
8. When he comes home my father ..........'ll be able to........................................help me.
9. In 1960 they ........................could.........................................build better houses.
10. (He never)..........has never been able to.................................... ......................climb that mountain.
11. ................can.............................................you stand on your head ?
I ...................could.......................when I was at school but I ...................can't...............now (2nd verb
neg.)
12. When I've passed my driving test I .............'ll be able.............................hire a car from our local
garage.
13. At the end of the month the Post Office will send him an enormous bill which he ...won't be able
to.................................pay. (neg.)
14. I ...........can't...............................remember the address. (neg.)
...............can't..........................you even remember the street ? (neg.)
40

15. When the fog lifts we ..................'ll be able to................................see where we are.
16.You've

put

too

much

in

your

rucksack;you

never

...............'ll

never

be

able

to.......................................carry all that.
17. I used to .................be able to............................. stand on my head.
18. I'm really hungry. I ...................could........................................ eat a horse.
19. Napoleon ……….. couldn’t ………swim.

COULD /WAS ABLE TO

1. He was very strong; he...............could........................hunt all day and dance all night.
2. The car plunged into the river. The driver .......was able to...........................get out but the passengers
were drowned.
3. I was a long way from the stage. I ...............could (vb de perception)...............see all right but
I ..................couldn't........hear very well. (2nd verb neg.)
4. ..............were you able to / could..........................you walk or did they have to carry you?
5. I had no key so I ...........couldn't / wasn't able to...pas de diff au négatif........................lock the door.
(neg.)
6. I knew the town so I ..............was able to../(could)...................advise him where to go.
7. When the garage had repaired our car we ............were able to.../ (could)..................... continue our
journey.
8.At five years old he .....could..................................read quite well.
9. When I arrived everyone was asleep. Fortunately I .....was able to....................................wake my
sister and she let me in.
10. Although the fire spread quickly, everybody..........was able to................................ escape .
11. A girl fell into the river but we ..............were able to............... rescue her.

41

J'ai eu un peu de temps libre hier et j'ai pu écrire quelques lettres.
I had some free time yesterday and I was able to write a few letters
a litlle free time/ a bit of free time some spare time / a little time to spare
Mon professeur m'a donné une traduction à faire comme devoir mais je ne la comprends pas.
My teacher has given me a translation to do for homework, but I can't understand it.
As homework: moins courant
Quand est-ce l'anniversaire de Megan? Pour autant que je m'en souvienne, c'est en juin.
When is Megan's birthday? As far as /( in so far as = ds la mesure où) I can remember, it's in June.
• provided = à condition que
• for all that = pour autant (pas pour autant que)
pour autant :for all that
vous l'avez aidé mais il ne vous remerciera pas pour autant :you helped him but you won't get any thanks from

him for all that

il a gagné, cela ne signifie pas pour autant qu'il est le meilleur :he won, but that doesn't mean that he's the

best
•

(pour) autant que
(pour) autant que je (ou qu'il etc) sache :as far as I know (ou he etc knows) | to the best of my (ou his etc) knowledge

• for all I know: used for emphasizing that you do not know something:
He could be a murderer for all I know.
Malgré les chutes de neige de hier nous avons pu rentrer à la maison en moins d'une heure.
Despite yesterday's snowfalls, we were able to drive home in less than an hour.
*Pourriez-vous me garder ma place, s’il vous plait ?
Could you keep an eye on my seat for me please ?
Watch: faux
J'habitais seulement à un mile du bureau et je pouvais aller au travail en moins d'une heure.
I lived only a mile from the office and could/ was able to drive to work in less than an hour.
J'ai été très occupé au bureau, mais j'ai pu prendre de courtes vacances pour Noël.
I was very busy at the office but I was able to take a short holiday over Christmas
.
Nous ne semblons pas pouvoir trouver votre lettre dans nos dossiers.
We don't seem to be able to find your letter in our files. (don’t seem able: parlé)
It seems that we can’t ... : ok
It doesn’t seem like that ... : parlé
*Je voudrais des conseils concernant la location d’une maison. Peux-tu m’aider ?
I’d like some advice about renting a house. Can you help me ?
Tu peux compter sur moi pour aider pour la soirée.
42

You can count / lean on / rely on / depend on, upon me to help with the party. (look to me)
Je doute qu'il puisse retravailler. Ses blessures sont si graves.
I doubt that he will be able to work again His injuries/ wounds [u:] are so severe./ serious
J'ai téléphoné au plombier car je sentais le gaz.
I phoned the plumber because I could smell gas. (phone so / phone so up)(pas to so)
Jane et John ont épargné, épargné et finalement ils ont pu acheter la maison de leurs rêves.
Jane and John saved and saved, and finally they were able to buy the house of their dreams.
spare: épargner qch à quelqu’un, épargner quelqu’un ou quelque chose, + spare time
dream hpuse : ok
Parle plus haut, je ne t'entends pas.
Speak louder/ speak up, I can't hear you.
*Pourrions nous nous voir pour discuter du problème?
Etes-vous libre mardi ?
Mardi, ça me convient parfaitement.
Could we meet (up) to discuss the problem? / matter
Are you available / free on Tuesday?
Tuesday suits me fine.
Le docteur dit que je pourrai remarcher dans deux semaines.
The doctor says I'll be able to walk again in two weeks' time
• composés de re- : pas à nouveau mais encore une fois pour améliorer ex: rewrite
• in : période ou délai ds l’avenir
within : ds les limites de
Les voisins se disputaient et j'entendais tout ce qu'ils disaient.
The neighbours were having a row     and I could hear every word they said.
quarrelling/ quarreling(US) [    
Mon grand-père parlait trois langues.
My grandfather could speak three languages.
La police a pu attraper l'homme qui avait volé la voiture.
The police were able to catch the man who had stolen the car.
Regarde la hauteur de l'herbe dans le jardin de Bill. Il n'est pas possible qu'il l'ait coupée depuis
longtemps.
Look at the length (height [haɪt]) of the grass in Bill's garden. He can't have cut it for ages./ long
Ce n'est pas possible qu'ils soient partis sans moi.
They can't have gone without me.
*Pourriez-vous par hasard changer ce billet de 10 euros ? J’ai besoin de monnaie pour le parcmètre.
Could you change this €10(ten euro note) note by any chance ? I need some small change foir the
parking meter
43

Ce n'est pas possible qu'il soit encore au bureau, il est plus de huit heures.
He can't still be in the office, it's after eight o'clock./ past eight
more than et over eight : faux
*Pourrions nous nous rencontrer un de ces jours ? Vendredi ?
Could we arrange to meet sometime / some time? What about Friday?

44

WILL (en général idée de volonté)
1. auxiliaire du futur à toutes les personnes.
2. exprime une forte probabilité ( sens proche de must)
Somebody's knocking at the door, that will be Mrs Jones.
3. will et would expriment l'habitude, des vérités générales
He will spend whole hours in playing chess.
Oil will float on water.
She would often come back very tired.
Dans certains cas, will exprime l'irritation de la personne qui parle.(langue parlée)
He will comb his hair in public.
4. will et would fortement accentués aux trois personnes expriment la volonté du sujet (+/- =
vouloir)
I will go whatever you may say.
Will you please help me?
Would ..... : plus poli.
5. will est utilisé dans les question tags pour atténuer un ordre
Open the door, will you?

WOULD
1. auxiliaire du conditionnel.
2. utilisé après 'I wish'
exprime un souhait:

I wish he would answer my letter.

Pour exprimer un regret on utilise le prétérit modal:
I wish he were with us. Je regrette qu'il ne soit pas avec nous
un regret dans le passé:
I wish he had brought ...
je regrette qu'il n'ait pas apporté son appareil photo..
3. would have + P.P.
exprime un irréel du passé
I would have been happy to see him but I didn’t have time.
4.Would peut être synonyme de ‘used to’ mais ‘would’ ne sera utilisé que lorsque l’action est
clairement précisée dans le passé. Il insiste sur la répétition habituelle d’une action dans le passé et
il est sous entendu que cette action n’appartient qu’au passé.
We used to play in the garden
Whenever we went to my uncle’s house, we would /used to play in the garden
would ne sera utilisé que pour des actions, pas des états
There used to be a theatre in our little town.
We used to trust him. (pas d’insistance sur la répétition)
45

SHALL
1. auxiliaire du futur à la 1

ère

personne ; le plus souvent will est utilisé

2. shall I, shall we?
S'emploient pour s'enquérir du désir de la personne à laquelle on parle, sont souvent utilisés pour
proposer une aide, ou une activité partagée.
Shall I help you? Voulez-vous que je vous aide
Shall we go to the cinema?Si nous allions au cinema?
Le même emploi est possible à la 3 ième personne, mais il est rare. Plus courant est : should he?
Should he come back later? Voulez-vous qu’il revienne plus tard/ faut-il qu’il…
3.Shall utilisé aux formes affirmatives et négatives aux 2ième et 3ième personnes
a) faiblement accentué il exprime une promesse
If you are a good boy you shall have a candy.
b) fortement accentué il exprime le commandement, la menace.
He shall do it! (je veux qu'il le fasse)
4. Utilisé à la 3ième personne dans des textes légaux, des règlements...
The headmaster expects that the boys shall wear their school uniforms (le directeur
entend que les élèves portent leur uniforme scolaire)

SHOULD
1. = devrait : recommandations et conseils (= ought to) , probabilités
should have + p.p. = aurait dû
You broke John’s pencil, you should buy him a new one (conseil)
I posted the letter on Monday. They should have it by now. (probabilité)
N.B.
If we missed the bus we would have to walk: si nous rations le bus nous devrions aller à pied
dans ce cas ‘devrions’ n’exprime ni un conseil ni une probabilité mais est un simple conditionnel
après une « if sentence »
2. Utilisé dans dans des subordonnées introduites par 'that' après une principale exprimant
un sentiment, une opinion. (subjonctif français)
I'm anxious that they should come. Je tiens beaucoup à ce qu'ils viennent.
It was necessary that he should attend the meeting. Il était nécessaire qu'il assistât à
la réunion.
It's important that the truth should be known. Il est important que l'on sache la
vérité.
N.B. souvent un subjonctif présent est employé (cf ind présent mais pas de s à la 3 pers) ou même
un indicatif présent
46

on emploie aussi fréquemment une proposition infinitive avec les expressions impersonnelles et to
order, command, expect, prefer : It’s natural for her to feel proud
3. employé dans des exclamations ou des questions rhétoriques pour exprimer la surprise,
l'indignation.
How should I know?

Pas étudiants
should s’emploie
•

dans une langue soignée après des verbes ou expressions comportant une idée de suggestion,
commandement , nécessité : to suggest, to propose, to insist, to determine, to order, to
command, to be anxious that, it’s necessary , it’s imperative, it’s important…

US souvent subjonctif présent : we had insisted that she should come / that she come (pas de s à la 3
pers)
de plus en plus en Angleterre on emploie un indicatif présent avec les expressions « it’s necessary
that…. »
on emploie aussi fréquemment une proposition infinitive avec les expressions impersonnelles et to
order, command, expect, prefer
•

après expressions exprimant un jugement critique, réaction du locuteur : it’s unlikely, it’s
extraordinary, incredible,not to be expected, to be surprised, there’s no reason why, I don’t
see why…
• emotion vive, ce qui paraît normal, anorùmal, souhaitable regrettable… it’s natural,
right,advisable,wrong, it is a pity
dans la langue parlée les expressions commençant par « it is » sont fréquemment construites avec
prop inf. It’s natural for her to feel proud.

47

HAD BETTER+ infinitif seul
conseil très ferme, recommandation
You'd better not tell anybody about it (tu ferais mieux de n'en parler à personne.)
La forme interrogative permet de consulter l'interlocuteur sur ce qu'il convient de faire.
Hadn't we better phone the police? (ne ferions-nous pas mieux de ...)
passé : you had better not have told anybody : tu aurais mieux fait de ne le dire à personne

WOULD RATHER
a) + infinitif seul (meme sujet)
exprime une préférence
I'd rather stay where I am. (je préfère rester où je suis.)
They'd rather have gone by plane than by train ( ils auraient préféré y aller en avion
plutôt que par le train)
b) + prétérit modal
exprime un irréel du présent, un potentiel (voir emploi modal du simple past)
We’d rather you came next week (nous préfèrerions que vous veniez la semaine
prochaine)
c) + past perfect
exprime un irréel du passé
I’d rather he hadn’t come. (J’aurais préféré qu’il ne vienne pas)

48

SHALL WILL
1. Where .........shall.................. we go now ?
2. .............will................... you be here when we get back ?
3. Next time I go ,you ..............shall........................... come with me. (promise)
4. ...........................will........you have a cigarette ?
5. Where .....................shall...............we meet ?
6. I .................'ll (shall pas de volonté)..................... have to think it over.
7. 'If you want it you ..................shall.................. have it,' said his father. (a promise)
8. ...........will.................... customers please count their change as mistakes cannot be rectified
afterwards.
9. Who will go to the shops for me ?
I ...............will................................
10. You can go to sleep; I promise you ....................shall not / shan't.................... be disturbed.
11. We ..........will............................ know the result in a week's time.
12. If you press this button the engine ...............will........................ start.
13. I've got a hole in my shoe. I ......'ll............................. have to have it repaired.
14. 'If there's any cake left you ..........shall............................. have it,' promised his aunt.
15......................shall...................... I write my address on the back?
WOULD SHOULD
1. .............would.................... you mind opening the door ?
2. ..............would.................. you like another cup of tea ?
3. He insisted that the newspaper ........should............................. print an apology.
4. The old admiral ....................would................ sit for hours watching the ships.
5. ..................would....................you be so good as to keep an eye on my house while I'm away ?
6. I .........................would......... say nothing if I were you.
7. That hat doesn't suit you. You ..........should................... buy another one.
8. If you pulled the communication cord the train ..............would................ stop and you
..................would............. be fined 5 pounds.
9. They went to the cinema at 2.30 so they ..........should........................ ....be back here by 6.0.
10. ....................would............... you please help me with this ?
11. It's very strange that he ...............should................... think that .
12. I wish he ...........would.................. not play his wireless so loudly.
13. .............would..................... you be kind and lend me your typewriter ?
14. I ....................would........... like to know where you have been .
15. It was decided that the matter ...........should....................... be referred to a special committee.

TRANSLATE
D'après les sondages d'opinion, je gagnerai les élections.
According to the opinion polls/ soundings, I shall (will) win the election. (prédiction)
• Exit polls: sondage à la sortie du bureau de vote
• In regard to = en ce qui concerne
Je te recontacterai bientôt.
I shall (will) soon be in touch with/ contact you again. (prediction)
49

Voulez-vous me prêter votre voiture?
Will you lend me your car? (volonté, consentement)
Voulez-vous que j'ouvre la fenêtre?
Shall I open the window?
Je vous promets que vous aurez votre argent pour samedi.
You shall have your money back by Saturday. for est faux
Ouvrez-moi la porte, voulez-vous?
Open the door for me, will you? Open me the door (parlé)
Voulez-vous que nous y allions maintenant?
Shall we go there now?
Tu feras comme on te le dit.
You shall do as you are told. (ordre)
Nous irons demain si tu veux.
We'll go there tomorrow if you like.
Il passe des heures devant la TV.
He will spend hours in front of the TV. (habitude)
before : en général dans le temps (formal : in front of sth)
On obéira à vos ordres (j'y veillerai)
Your orders shall be obeyed
(promesse)
Faut-il qu'il apporte son appareil photo?
Should he bring his camera? (cf shall I...)
Je viens d'entendre sonner : c'est sûrement le facteur.
I've just heard the doorbell ring: that'll be the postman. (forte probabilité))
Je vous interdis d'ouvrir cette porte.
You shan't /(= mustn’t) open that door. (ordre)
I forbid you to open ….
Cette bagnole stupide ne va pas encore démarrer.
That silly car won’t start again.
(habitude)volonté
Bagnole: banger [ˈbæŋə] jalopy [dʒəˈlɒpi]
Veux-tu bien m'aider à écrire les adresses sur ces lettres? Oui.
Will you help me to address these letters? Yes, I will.
(volonté)
Je crois que je devrais y aller aussi. I think I should go there too.
Voulez-vous bien revenir demain?
Would you come back tomorrow ? (demande polie)
Tu aurais dû l'aider. You should have helped him.
Pourquoi n'aurais-je pas dû acheter une nouvelle voiture?
Why shouldn't I have bought a new car?
Tu n'aurais pas le temps de lui téléphoner maintenant, n'est-ce pas?
You wouldn't have the time to phone him now, would you?
Il est impératif que j’y aille.
It's imperative that I should go there (opinion) that I go there (simple present)
C'est assez surprenant qu'il ait dit cela.
It is rather surprising / surprising enough that he should have said that. (opinion)for him to have said
that he said ….
J'aimerais qu'il vienne demain.
I wish he would come tomorrow. (souhait)
Ils l'ont enfermé pour qu'il ne s'échappe pas. De peur qu'il ne s'échappe.
They locked him in so that he shouldn't escape lest he should escape
50