EXAM NIGHT PREP 3
EXAM NIGHT PREP 3
English Grammar & Vocabulary Revision | Units 7–12
Third Secondary · English with Saad
A complete guide to mastering the grammar structures, literary themes, and vocabulary of Units 7–12 — designed for your final exam revision. Each section covers core structure, formula, worked examples, and the distinctions that examiners love to test.
Unit 7 — Used To: Habits That No Longer Exist
The structure used to expresses a past habit or state that no longer exists in the present. It belongs only in the past — you cannot say "I use to…" in the present tense.
AFFIRMATIVE
AFFIRMATIVE Subject + used to + infinitive |
| I used to play in the park when I was 10. |
NEGATIVE
NEGATIVE Subject + didn't use to + infinitive |
| She didn't use to drink coffee in the past. |
YES / NO QUESTION
YES / NO QUESTION Did + Subject + use to + infinitive ? |
| Did they use to live in Aswan? |
WH- QUESTION
WH- QUESTION Q.W + did + Subject + use to + infinitive ? |
| Where did they use to live? |
Unit 8 — Relative Clauses: Connecting with Who, Which & Where
Relative clauses give additional information about a noun. The pronoun you choose depends on whether the noun refers to a person, thing, place, time, or shows possession.
Pronoun | Used For | Example |
|---|---|---|
| who | People | The engineer who built the loom was clever. |
| which | Things | The chair which is made of wood. |
| whose | Possession (+ noun) | The child whose toy is missing. |
| that | Replaces who / which | The story that she told is funny. |
| where | Places | This is the park where we play every day. |
| when | Time | Summer is the season when we travel to Alex. |
Unit 9 — Infinitive vs. Gerund: Which Form Follows?
One of the most common sources of errors is knowing whether a verb takes to + infinitive or a gerund (-ing) after it. Memorise both lists — then master the four verbs that change meaning depending on the form.
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SPECIAL CASE — LIKE / LOVE / PREFER / WOULD LIKE
like / love / prefer + -ing → general preference: I like playing games. would like / love / prefer + to + inf → specific occasion: I'd like to play games. |
MEANING-SHIFT VERBS — FOUR CRITICAL CASES
Four verbs carry a meaning shift depending on which form follows. Learn these well — they are guaranteed exam material.
| remember | |
| remember + -ing | He remembered paying — (past event recalled) |
| remember + to inf | Remember to pay — (future obligation) |
| forget | |
| forget + -ing | He forgot telling her — (the event did happen) |
| forget + to inf | He forgot to tell her — (the event did not happen) |
| stop | |
| stop + -ing | She stopped smoking — (permanently ended) |
| stop + to inf | She stopped to smoke — (paused in order to smoke) |
| try | |
| try + -ing | Try pressing the button — (experiment to see what happens) |
| try + to inf | He tried to lift it — (attempted but struggled or failed) |
Unit 10 — Reported Speech: Yes/No & Wh- Questions
When reporting a yes/no question in indirect speech, drop the question mark and use if or whether. When reporting a wh- question, keep the question word. In both cases, the verb tense shifts back in time.
REPORTING A YES/NO QUESTION Reporter + asked/wondered/wanted to know + if/whether + subject + verb (backshifted) |
| She wanted to know if they lived in Cairo. |
REPORTING A WH- QUESTION Reporter + asked/wondered/wanted to know + Q.W + subject + verb |
| Ali asked why she had arrived home late. |
TIME & PLACE SHIFTS
Direct Speech |
| Reported Speech |
|---|---|---|
| now | → | then |
| today | → | that day |
| yesterday | → | the day before |
| tomorrow | → | the following day |
| here | → | there |
TENSE BACKSHIFT
Direct Tense |
| Reported Tense |
|---|---|---|
| Present simple | → | Past simple |
| Present continuous | → | Past continuous |
| Present perfect | → | Past perfect |
| Past simple | → | Past perfect |
Unit 11 — Past Perfect: The Earlier of Two Past Events
The past perfect describes an action that was completed before another past action. Think of it as the 'further past' — the event that happened first gets the past perfect; the event that came second takes the past simple.
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PAST PERFECT SIGNALS (first event) after · as soon as · because · as · until | PAST SIMPLE SIGNALS (second event) before · by the time · when · so · that's why |
FULL EXAMPLES
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| After she had done her homework, she went out. |
| We had had dinner before we watched TV. |
| Before watching TV, he had studied his lessons. [no subject → -ing after Before/After] |
Unit 12 — Reported Orders: Telling Someone What to Do
When reporting a command or instruction in indirect speech, use told / asked / ordered followed by the person and to or not to + infinitive.
STRUCTURE Reporter + told/asked/ordered + object + to / not to + infinitive |
| She told Salma to get up early. |
| Dad ordered me to study hard. |
| She asked him not to make noise. |
Set Text — Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
Jules Verne's classic follows Professor Aronnax, his servant Conseil, and the harpooner Ned Land as they are taken captive aboard the mysterious submarine Nautilus, commanded by the enigmatic Captain Nemo.
| "For Aronnax, it was a school of wonder. For Nemo, it was a battlefield. For Ned Land, it was a prison." |
NARRATIVE TIMELINE
Sailors report a strange creature in the oceans — believed to be a sea monster smashing ships.
Professor Aronnax, Conseil, and Ned Land join a voyage to capture or destroy the beast.
The 'monster' turns out to be the Nautilus — a man-made submarine of extraordinary design.
They are brought aboard through an iron door and meet Captain Nemo: a man of strong will and deep knowledge.
They discover they can never return to land. Life on the Nautilus resembles a palace — library, museum, and wide ocean windows.
Nemo shows them treasures: pearls, gold, and ancient artifacts. They feel half-prisoners, half-guests.
A giant squid attacks the submarine. Ned Land, fearless, kills the creature.
The Nautilus becomes trapped under thick ice at the South Pole — the crew forces it free.
When warships appear, Nemo attacks without mercy, revealing the sorrow beneath his calm exterior.
During a fierce storm near the European coast, the companions escape in a small boat and reach shore exhausted but free.
The fate of the Nautilus — and of Nemo — remains unknown.
CHARACTERS & THEMES
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Vocabulary — Sports, Traditions, Nature & Travel
The vocabulary across Units 7–12 covers sports culture, social customs, festivals, wildlife, and travel. The most exam-relevant terms are listed below with their Arabic translations.
| knight فارس | battle معركة | champion بطل |
| admiration اعجاب | victory انتصار | sportsmanship الروح الرياضية |
| fair play اللعب النظيف | athlete لاعب رياضى | wrestling المصارعة |
| archery الرماية | fencing المبارزة | judo الجودو |
| tournament بطولة | competition منافسة | opponent منافس |
| inspiration الهام | excellence تفوق | achievement انجازات |
| traditions تقاليد | ceremony مراسم | harmony تناغم |
| hospitality كرم الضيافة | generosity كرم | belonging الأنتماء |
| wisdom حكمة | courage شجاعة | leadership القيادة |
| loyalty وفاء - ولاء | curiosity فضول | knowledge معرفة |
| endangered معرض للانقراض | habitat موطن | migration هجرة |
| camouflage تمويه | predator مفترس | hibernate يدخل في بيات شتوى |
| remarkable رائع | heritage تراث | civilization حضارة |
| empathy تعاطف | adaptable قابل للتكيف | unforgettable لا ينسى |
| landmark مكان مشهور | scenery منظر طبيعى | pharaohs الفراعنة |
Exam Night Prep 3 · English with Saad · Third Secondary | All grammar structures, story points, and vocabulary compiled for exam revision.
