English subject pronouns: I, you, she and they
Use English subject pronouns to refer to the speaker, listener, other people and things, with examples and guided practice.
Read and practiseAdventure journal
English grammar
Understand English sentence patterns and verb forms with examples, explanations and exercises you can use.
Adventure journal
English grammar
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The present of be: am, is and are
Choose am, is or are with a subject, make negative statements and ask simple questions using the present forms of be.
Read and practiseIndefinite articles: a and an
Choose a or an before a singular countable noun by listening to the next sound, including useful exceptions such as an hour.
Read and practiseThe definite article the in English
Use the to refer to a specific or identifiable thing, and compare it with a when introducing one item.
Read and practiseEnglish plural nouns: books, boxes and children
Form common English plural nouns with -s and -es, learn a spelling change and recognise irregular plurals.
Read and practiseThis, that, these and those
Point to one or several things with this, that, these and those, and compare nearby and more distant objects.
Read and practiseHave and has: possession in the present
Choose have or has in affirmative present simple sentences about possessions, relationships and characteristics.
Read and practisePossessive determiners: my, your, his and her
Use my, your, his, her, its, our and their before a noun to express ownership and relationships in English.
Read and practisePresent simple: habits and facts
Learn when to use the present simple and how the verb changes with he, she and it, with original examples and practice.
Read and practiseSubject, verb and object in statements
A simple English statement puts the person or thing doing an action before the verb and places its object after the verb.
Read and practiseEnglish object pronouns: me, him, her and them
Use English object pronouns after a verb or preposition and distinguish forms such as I and me, she and her.
Read and practiseFrequency adverbs: always, usually and often
Describe how often something happens and place always, usually, often, sometimes and never in simple sentences.
Read and practisePresent simple negatives: do not and does not
Make negative present simple sentences with do not and does not, and understand why the main verb remains in its base form.
Read and practisePresent simple questions: do and does
Ask yes-or-no questions in the present simple with do and does, and practise the order of subject and main verb.
Read and practiseAm, is and are: negatives and questions
Negative statements and yes-or-no questions with present be help you say where people are and ask how things are.
Read and practisePresent continuous: actions happening now
Build the present continuous with am, is or are and an -ing form, and use it to describe actions happening at the moment.
Read and practisePresent simple or present continuous?
Compare regular habits with actions in progress using the present simple and present continuous, with clear time cues.
Read and practiseCountable and uncountable nouns
Distinguish countable nouns such as tickets from uncountable nouns such as rice and information, and practise quantities.
Read and practiseSome and any: quantities and offers
Use some and any with plural and uncountable nouns in everyday statements, questions, negatives and offers.
Read and practiseMuch, many and a lot of
Ask about amounts and quantities using much, many and a lot of with countable and uncountable nouns.
Read and practiseThird-person singular endings in the present simple
With a third-person singular subject or thing, the present simple verb changes spelling: practise the common endings in short sentences.
Read and practiseCan and cannot: ability, permission and requests
Use can and cannot to talk about ability and ask for help or permission, with clear examples and short exercises.
Read and practiseAdding -ing to verbs: spelling rules
A final e, a short vowel or the ending ie can change how a verb is spelled before ing. See common patterns and practise them.
Read and practiseThere is and there are: saying what exists
Choose there is or there are for singular, plural and uncountable nouns, then practise questions about what is present.
Read and practisePlace prepositions: in, on, at and under
Describe where things are with in, on, at, under and next to. Compare an enclosed space, a surface and a place.
Read and practiseEnglish imperatives: clear instructions and requests
Give instructions with a base verb, form negatives with don't and choose a considerate way to address the listener.
Read and practiseAdding -ed to verbs: regular past spelling
Regular past forms change their spelling after final e, consonant plus y, or a short stressed vowel followed by a consonant.
Read and practiseSuggestions with let's and let's not
Invite someone to do something together with let's, suggest avoiding an action with let's not, and use the base verb.
Read and practiseEveryday English contractions
Apostrophes mark missing letters in common short forms used in everyday English writing and conversation.
Read and practiseAt, on and in for English time expressions
Match clock times, days and months with at, on and in, and recognise the British and American ways to talk about weekends.
Read and practiseJoining ideas with conjunctions
Addition, contrast and choice each need a different connector when you join simple English words or statements.
Read and practisePossessive apostrophes: a teacher's desk and parents' garden
Show who something belongs to with 's or a final apostrophe, including singular owners, regular plurals and irregular children.
Read and practiseAdjectives before English nouns
A descriptive adjective comes before its noun and keeps the same form with singular and plural nouns.
Read and practisePossessive pronouns: mine, yours, hers and ours
Replace repeated noun phrases with mine, yours, his, hers, ours and theirs. Practise choosing the owner and avoiding apostrophes.
Read and practiseOrdinal numbers for order and dates
First, second and other ordinal numbers express position in a sequence and appear in spoken and written dates.
Read and practiseWhose questions: asking who owns something
Ask about ownership with whose before a noun or on its own. Choose is or are and distinguish whose from who’s in practical questions.
Read and practiseHow many: questions about countable objects
Ask about the number of countable things, form questions with plural nouns and give short or complete answers.
Read and practiseHave got: possession, questions and negatives
Say what you have with have got and has got. Build questions, negatives and short answers, and avoid mixing this pattern with do you have.
Read and practiseAge in English: asking and answering
Ask someone’s age and give an answer using the present forms of be, with or without the phrase years old.
Read and practiseTransport phrases: by bus and on foot
Describe journeys by bus, train or bicycle, talk about walking and distinguish general transport from a particular vehicle.
Read and practiseSingular and plural subjects with is and are
Match the present form of be to a singular or plural noun subject, including irregular plurals such as children.
Read and practiseWho and what questions with be
Ask about the identity of a person or the name of an object using questions with the verb be.
Read and practiseWas and were: the past of be
Choose was or were to describe a past state or location, and form simple negatives and questions with be.
Read and practiseRegular past simple verbs in English
Form regular past simple verbs with -ed and common spelling changes, then describe completed events in the past.
Read and practiseCommon irregular past simple verbs
Learn useful irregular past simple forms such as went, took and ate, with examples and practice about past events.
Read and practisePast time expressions
Say when a completed past event happened using yesterday, last week and expressions with ago in English.
Read and practisePast simple questions and negatives with did
Form past simple questions and negatives with did and the base verb, including irregular verbs such as go and eat.
Read and practiseEnglish question words: where, when, what and who
Ask for information with question words and learn when who is the subject of a question without auxiliary do.
Read and practiseFuture plans with be going to
Form be going to with a base verb to talk about plans and intentions, and practise negatives and questions.
Read and practiseComparative adjectives in English
Compare two things with -er, more and than, including spelling changes and the irregular form better.
Read and practisePresent simple spelling: watches, studies and goes
Third-person present forms change their spelling according to the verb ending. Explore the patterns and complete four everyday sentences.
Read and practiseIrregular past spelling patterns
Some past verbs change their vowels, while others keep the same spelling. Notice useful patterns and choose the right form for a finished action.
Read and practiseReflexive pronouns: myself, herself and ourselves
Use reflexive pronouns when an action returns to its subject. Practise singular and plural forms, emphasis and by themselves for acting without help.
Read and practiseGoing to questions and negatives
Plans change, and questions help us find out what people intend to do. Form future questions and negative statements with the right form of be.
Read and practiseEach other and one another: mutual actions
Describe actions between people with each other and one another. Use possessive each other’s and distinguish mutual actions from reflexive ones.
Read and practisePolite wishes and offers
Express a wish or offer something politely with a noun or an infinitive, and practise questions and negative forms.
Read and practiseOne and ones: avoid repeating countable nouns
Replace a repeated countable noun with one or ones while keeping useful descriptions. Practise singular, plural and uncountable contrasts.
Read and practiseRequests with can and could
Ask someone to perform an action with a direct or more polite request, then accept or decline appropriately.
Read and practiseIndefinite pronouns: someone, anything and nobody
Refer to unnamed people, things and places with someone, anything and related forms. Practise singular agreement, adjective position and negatives.
Read and practiseQuestions about quantity and price
Ask about an amount of an uncountable substance or the price of an item, and practise forming questions.
Read and practiseBoth, either and neither: choices involving two
Talk about two items together, one acceptable option or no suitable option. Practise both with plurals and either or neither with singular nouns.
Read and practiseHow long: duration and length
Ask about the time an activity takes or the physical length of an object, and understand the different answers.
Read and practiseEach and every: individuals within a group
Focus on individual members with each or cover a complete group with every. Practise singular agreement, each of and almost every.
Read and practiseAsking about frequency
How frequently does something happen? Form everyday questions and answer with adverbs or expressions of frequency.
Read and practiseFew and little: small numbers and amounts
Choose few for countable plurals and little for uncountable amounts. See how adding a changes the emphasis from scarcity to some availability.
Read and practiseWhich and what in choice questions
A limited set or an open field of answers changes the question word: explore choices with nouns and with a phrase naming the options.
Read and practiseEnough: quantity, degree and word order
Place enough before a noun and after an adjective or adverb. Describe sufficient supplies, suitable qualities and results with for or to.
Read and practisePrepositions at the end of questions
Everyday questions often leave a preposition at the end. Ask about a person, a thing or a purpose while keeping the required word.
Read and practiseToo, too much and too many: more than suitable
Express excessive degree, amount or number with too, too much and too many. Choose the pattern by the following adjective, adverb or noun.
Read and practiseProhibition signs and negative instructions
Signs can prohibit an object or activity; negative instructions tell someone directly what not to do.
Read and practisePossession with of: parts and things
A door, a roof or the end of a film: an of phrase connects a thing or part to the whole it belongs to.
Read and practiseNo, none and none of in English
Empty seats, missing ingredients and unused tickets: learn where no, none and none of belong, with examples and three explained English exercises.
Read and practiseNoun modifiers: a coffee cup and a bus stop
A coffee cup and a bus stop show how one noun can name the type or purpose of another noun in everyday English.
Read and practiseAnother, other and others in English
An extra napkin, a different route or the remaining guests: choose another, other and others with six English examples and three explained exercises.
Read and practisePlural-only nouns: trousers, glasses and scissors
Some everyday objects have plural names even when there is only one. Count trousers, glasses and scissors with a pair of.
Read and practiseNo article for general meaning in English
Why say documentaries but the documentaries you recommended? Contrast general plural and uncountable nouns with identified groups in English.
Read and practiseA piece of and a cup of: measuring uncountable nouns
A glass of water or a piece of advice makes a quantity countable. Choose a suitable unit and make it plural when needed.
Read and practiseSuperlative adjectives: the highest degree in a group
Find the smallest suitcase or the most comfortable seat. Form English superlatives, define the comparison group and use one of the best correctly.
Read and practiseSomeone else and anything else
Another person or an additional thing: put else after an indefinite pronoun to express an alternative or something extra.
Read and practiseAs ... as: equal qualities and quantities
Compare length, comfort, speed and amounts with as ... as. Practise not as ... as, as many windows and as much water in clear English contexts.
Read and practiseEvery day or everyday: a useful difference
A daily routine and an ordinary object need different spellings. See how a time phrase differs from an adjective before a noun.
Read and practiseAdverbs of manner: how an action happens
Pack carefully, answer politely and play well. Form English manner adverbs, place them around verbs and objects, and distinguish hard from hardly.
Read and practiseThis one and those ones: choosing without repeating a noun
A choice between objects can be clear without repeating their name. Point out one item or several, nearby or farther away.
Read and practisePast continuous: an action in progress then
Use was or were with an -ing verb to show what was happening at a past moment. Practise statements, negatives and questions without adding did.
Read and practiseShared and separate possession with apostrophes
One shared kitchen or two separate kitchens? Apostrophe placement shows whether people own something together or separately.
Read and practisePast simple or continuous: events and background
Tell a past story with completed events and activities already in progress. Compare put on with was putting on and avoid choosing tense by duration alone.
Read and practiseAt or in for places: points and enclosed spaces
A bus stop is a meeting point, while a drawer has an inside. See how the choice of preposition changes the way a place is described.
Read and practisePresent perfect for life experience: ever and never
Discuss experiences with have or has plus a past participle. Ask with ever, answer with never, and switch to past simple when you give a finished past time.
Read and practiseBetween and among: places and groups
Separate landmarks or a surrounding group? Choose the right preposition for positions and relationships without counting a fixed number.
Read and practiseJust, already, yet and still with the present perfect
Distinguish a recent action, earlier completion, an expected event and a continuing delay. Learn natural positions for just, already, yet and still.
Read and practiseNear and next to: distances between places
A café can be close to a station without being right beside it. Distinguish general proximity from a position immediately alongside.
Read and practisePresent perfect with for and since: time continuing now
Connect a past beginning to the present with for and since. Distinguish a duration from a starting point and ask how long a continuing state has lasted.
Read and practiseAbove and over: position and movement
A picture above a sofa or a cyclist crossing a bridge: choose the right word for higher positions, movement and covering.
Read and practiseWill and won't: predictions, decisions, offers and promises
Build will with a base verb for predictions, immediate decisions, offers and promises. Practise won't, questions and the difference between a forecast and a guarantee.
Read and practiseLower positions: below and under
A village on a hillside or shoes beneath a bed? Compare lower levels with positions directly beneath something.
Read and practisePresent continuous for future arrangements
Use am, is or are with -ing to describe arranged future activities. Add a clear time, form questions and distinguish an arrangement from an action happening now.
Read and practiseStarting points and end limits
A journey between two places or a period ending at noon: mark where movement begins and when an activity stops.
Read and practisePresent simple for future timetables and scheduled events
State future departures, opening times and course dates with the present simple. Keep subject agreement and use does with a base verb in timetable questions.
Read and practisePunctual or early enough?
A scheduled start or a ferry you can still catch? Distinguish punctuality from being early enough for an event.
Read and practiseUsed to: former habits and states
Describe a routine or state that belonged to the past with used to and a base verb. Form did you use to and didn't use to, and distinguish a single past event.
Read and practiseOrdering events with time clauses
Two actions can happen in either order. Connect them with time clauses and work out which event comes first.
Read and practiseCould: past ability and particular successes
Talk about earlier abilities with could, a failed attempt with couldn’t, and a particular achievement with was able to or managed to. Practise the verb patterns.
Read and practiseMust and have to: obligation, questions and past forms
Explain what is necessary with must and have to. Practise has to, questions with do and does, past had to and future will have to without treating usage tendencies as rules.
Read and practisePast events and background activities
A sudden noise can interrupt an activity in progress. Connect past events and their background with time words.
Read and practiseMustn’t or don’t have to: forbidden or optional?
Distinguish prohibition from no obligation. Learn must not, mustn’t, don’t and doesn’t have to, and past didn’t have to through clear rules and optional arrangements.
Read and practiseReasons and results with because and so
A closed shop or a late bus can explain a result. Connect the two ideas and choose the word that introduces each part.
Read and practiseShould and ought to: advice and reasonable expectations
Give advice with should and ought to, make negative suggestions with shouldn’t, and recognize expected outcomes. Practise the different verb patterns and question order.
Read and practiseCan I, could I or may I: asking permission politely
Ask permission with can, could and may, and give or refuse it with can and can’t. Distinguish asking to do something yourself from asking another person to act.
Read and practiseAlso, too and either: adding similar information
A friend shares an experience and you have something similar to say. Place also, too or either naturally in affirmative and negative sentences.
Read and practiseZero conditional: regular results, routines and instructions
Explain what regularly happens under a condition using if or when and the present simple. Practise clause order, third-person forms and instructions after a condition.
Read and practiseFirst conditional: realistic future conditions and results
Plan possible future outcomes with if plus the present simple and will in the result. Include negative conditions, permissions, questions and conditional instructions.
Read and practiseBut and however: contrasting statements
Two ideas can contrast within one sentence or across sentences. Compare the punctuation for but and however in everyday contexts.
Read and practisePresent simple passive: is made, are checked and isn't served
Describe regular services and processes with am, is or are plus a past participle. Form negatives and questions, and add by when the person doing the action matters.
Read and practisePast existence with singular and plural
Describe things that existed in the past, ask questions and make negatives using singular and plural patterns.
Read and practiseIng after prepositions: before sending, without taking
Use ing after prepositions in thanks, interests, methods and actions before another action. Recognise prepositional to in look forward to hearing your ideas.
Read and practiseInfinitives of purpose: explain why you do something
Answer why with to plus a base verb, including explanations of past actions. Compare intentions with an object's function expressed by for plus ing.
Read and practisePast possession and present possession
Talk about things someone possessed in the past and distinguish that form from a common way to express possession now.
Read and practiseSubject questions: who moved it and who did you meet?
Ask who or what performs an action with subject questions. Compare who moved with who did you meet, and keep tense and agreement in the verb.
Read and practiseShort answers with auxiliaries: yes, I am and no, they didn't
Answer English yes/no questions with a subject and the matching auxiliary. Practise be, do, can and have, adjust pronouns and avoid unfinished positive contractions.
Read and practisePreferences with two verb patterns
A preference for an activity can be expressed with two patterns. Compare their forms and practise talking about what you enjoy.
Read and practiseBecause or because of: explain reasons with the right structure
Explain a reason with because plus a clause or because of plus a noun phrase. Move a reason to the start, punctuate it and give a natural answer to why.
Read and practiseWhile or during: connect actions or name a time period
Choose while before a clause and during before a noun phrase. Distinguish a time period from a duration, using for twenty minutes during our walk.
Read and practiseManner adverbs after verbs and objects
The position of a word such as slowly depends on whether the verb has a direct object. See natural word order in everyday sentences.
Read and practiseMovement prepositions: into, onto, through, across, past and along
Describe entering, crossing and following a route with six movement prepositions. Use clear directions and distinguish walking along a canal from crossing it.
Read and practiseNot any or no: expressing zero quantity
An empty fridge or a lack of time calls for a clear negative. Compare two ways to say that there is none.
Read and practiseToo + adjective + infinitive
A degree can prevent an action: see how to describe something that is too hot, heavy or difficult for someone to do.
Read and practiseAdjectives with enough to
A room can be quiet enough to study in, or a child old enough to travel alone. Express a sufficient quality for an action.
Read and practiseVery, quite and rather with adjectives
A hot soup and a rather late bus show how degree adverbs change the strength and tone of everyday descriptions.
Read and practiseIrregular comparisons of good, bad and far
Better weather, the worst meal and a farther walk: compare two things or identify an extreme with irregular English forms.
Read and practiseWith and without before nouns
A bag with pockets or a drink without sugar: describe what accompanies something and what is absent.
Read and practiseGeneral possibility with can and cannot
Free internet, a closed tunnel or hot weather: describe what is generally possible or impossible in a situation.
Read and practiseAll, most and some: general groups or specific sets
Distinguish most gardens from most of the gardens. Use all, most and some with general nouns, defined groups, uncountable amounts and pronouns.
Read and practiseStative verbs and simple forms
Knowing an answer, owning a bakery or needing water: recognise state meanings and choose simple rather than continuous forms.
Read and practiseWhole and all: complete units and entire groups
A whole afternoon, all the pages, all the glue: learn how English distinguishes complete units, every member and entire amounts, with three exercises.
Read and practiseState or activity: verbs that change meaning
An opinion, a meal or an appointment? Choose a simple or continuous form according to what the verb means.
Read and practisePresent simple in stories and commentary
Stories, live sports and step-by-step demonstrations often put events in the present, even when a plot was written long ago.
Read and practiseArticles with English geographical names
Paris or the Paris? Learn article patterns for countries, rivers, seas, mountain ranges, lakes and peaks, including the Netherlands and Mount Fuji.
Read and practisePresent perfect in unfinished time
A day or week may still be in progress when you count events. Compare that perspective with a completed period and choose a suitable tense.
Read and practiseCompleted visits and current absence
A completed visit or a trip still in progress? Distinguish experience from absence with two present perfect forms.
Read and practiseDuration, starting point and time before now
Compare expressions for a length of time, its starting point and a finished event measured back from now.
Read and practiseSchool or the school? Purpose and place in English
Going to school differs from visiting the school. Explore article choices for education, hospital care and bed, including British and American usage.
Read and practisePast perfect or past simple: event order
Two past events can be placed in order with the past perfect, while a clear sequence often needs only the past simple.
Read and practisePresent perfect in future time clauses
A future action can follow a completed event: see how when and once connect the two, and practise the present perfect in time clauses.
Read and practiseAdjective order: describing things naturally
Arrange English descriptions such as a beautiful old wooden chair. Learn usual adjective order, material and purpose modifiers, and when and belongs.
Read and practiseFuture arrangements and plans: present continuous or going to?
A booked appointment and a personal intention can call for different future forms, though both forms can describe some plans.
Read and practiseA practical choice with may or might as well
Suggest a reasonable action when no better option is apparent, using two informal expressions followed by a base verb.
Read and practiseExpectations and arrangements with supposed to
A bus due at noon or a rule about helmets can be described as an expectation, even when events turn out differently.
Read and practiseAdjectives in -ed and -ing: feelings and their causes
Was the talk fascinating, or were you fascinated? Distinguish English emotion adjectives in -ed and -ing, including people who cause a reaction.
Read and practiseBe allowed to: permission across tenses
Permission can change with time: describe what people may do now, what they could do before and what they will be permitted to do later.
Read and practiseBe likely to: express probability
A delayed train or an early closing can be probable without being certain. Express expectations with likely to and likely that.
Read and practiseComparative adverbs: faster, more carefully and better
Compare how actions are performed with faster, more carefully and better. Learn English adverb forms, than phrases and lower degrees with less.
Read and practisePresent and past inability with negative modals
A high shelf today and a locked gate yesterday call for different negative modals when describing inability.
Read and practiseModal continuous: possibility in progress
A light is on or a person is missing: describe what may be happening now and distinguish a possibility from a strong deduction.
Read and practiseAdjectives after look, feel, sound, smell and taste
Why does soup smell delicious, while a chef tastes carefully? Choose English adjectives for a subject's qualities and adverbs for performed actions.
Read and practiseShould I and should we: asking for advice
A decision can prompt a question with should. Ask for guidance about your own actions or a choice shared with others.
Read and practiseWhy don’t we and how about: making suggestions
A shared plan can begin with a friendly question. Compare two common suggestion patterns and choose the right verb form.
Read and practiseGerund clauses as subjects
An activity can be the subject of a sentence: form a clause with a verb ending in ing and give it singular agreement.
Read and practisePresent perfect or past simple: choose the time frame
Compare a present result or experience up to now with an event in a finished past period. Practise last month, so far and follow-up questions with when.
Read and practiseEvaluating actions with introductory it
An adjective can evaluate an action before the action is named. See how introductory it and an infinitive work together, including patterns with people.
Read and practiseAdjectives with prepositions and ing forms
An adjective and its preposition can introduce an activity: explore patterns such as interested in learning and good at making things.
Read and practisePresent perfect continuous: activity up to now
Form have or has been plus -ing for ongoing or recent activity. Describe duration, repeated routines and visible evidence without claiming a task is finished.
Read and practiseVerb plus preposition and -ing
Some verbs take a particular preposition before an action. See how the following verb takes the -ing form in everyday sentences.
Read and practiseWho performs an ing action?
Possessive and object forms before an ing clause identify its actor, with a difference in formality and sentence position.
Read and practisePerfect simple or continuous: result, activity and state
Choose a completed total, an activity in progress or a continuing state. Compare repaired with been repairing and learn why lived can work in either form.
Read and practiseAllow and permit with infinitives and gerunds
Permission can name the person involved or describe an activity in general. See how the verb pattern changes in each case.
Read and practisePrefer and rather than: comparing preferences
From drinks to daily activities, compare two choices with matching forms and express what you would rather do in a particular situation.
Read and practisePast perfect: look back from a past moment
Use had plus a past participle to connect an earlier event or state to a later past moment. Practise questions, time order and before with an unfinished action.
Read and practiseWould like or like: wishes and preferences
A cup offered now and a favourite drink express different ideas. Compare specific wishes and offers with general preferences.
Read and practiseWill or going to: intention, evidence and a decision now
Compare an existing intention with a decision made while speaking. Use going to for a prediction grounded in present evidence and recognise overlap with will.
Read and practiseQuestions and negatives with used to
Former habits and states come into focus through questions and negatives, including the spelling used after did and the less common alternative.
Read and practiseMyself and yourself for emphasis: doing it personally
A reflexive pronoun can highlight who did something personally, while by plus a reflexive pronoun can show that someone acted alone.
Read and practiseFuture continuous: an activity in progress later
Use will be plus -ing to picture an activity at a future moment or a temporary future routine. Practise negatives, plan questions and ongoing versus finished meaning.
Read and practiseSingular they: referring to one person
A person’s gender may be unknown, or their pronouns may be they and them. See how these forms work with singular reference.
Read and practiseIt, one and that: referring back to a noun
A lost key, a replacement cup or a comparison: the choice of pronoun shows whether the referent is the same item or another.
Read and practiseWould for past habits: repeated actions in a story
Use would and a base verb for recurring actions within an established past setting. Contrast those memories with a continuing past state and a single completed event.
Read and practiseGeneric you and formal one
Everyday speech and formal writing have different ways to talk about a general experience or rule that applies to people.
Read and practiseBe used to and get used to: familiarity and adjustment
Distinguish being accustomed to something from becoming accustomed to it. Follow be or get used to with a noun, pronoun or -ing form, not an infinitive.
Read and practiseDeterminer order: all my friends and the first two days
Words before a noun follow a useful order: quantity words, articles or possessives, and then position words and numbers.
Read and practiseA few, few, a little and little
A small amount can be welcome or insufficient: choose the phrase that matches the noun and the meaning you want to convey.
Read and practiseBe able to: ability across different verb forms
Express ability with will be able to, have been able to, to be able to and being able to. Learn where can cannot fit and keep to before the main verb.
Read and practiseLess or fewer: amounts and numbers
A smaller number of objects or a smaller amount of something calls for a choice between fewer and less, with useful exceptions for measurements.
Read and practiseHad better: strong advice for a specific situation
Use had better and had better not for advice when an unwanted consequence is possible. Decode ’d as had, keep the base verb and distinguish this form from past time.
Read and practiseMay and might: expressing uncertain possibilities
Describe uncertain present and future situations with may and might. Form negatives and may be doing, and avoid assigning fixed probability percentages to these modals.
Read and practiseA number of and the number of: verb agreement
Several people or a single count? The article before number helps you choose a plural or singular verb in these common phrases.
Read and practisePresent deductions: must, might and can’t
Draw conclusions from clues with must, express an uncertain explanation with might, may or could, and reject an explanation with can’t. Separate inference from obligation.
Read and practiseShould have: looking back on choices and expectations
Reflect on earlier choices with should have and shouldn’t have, ask what was advisable, and recognize an expected completed event. Practise have plus a past participle.
Read and practiseWould rather: preferences, alternatives and another person’s action
State preferences with would rather, compare alternatives with than and place not correctly. Learn why I’d rather you kept uses a past form for a present or future preference.
Read and practiseIndefinite pronouns and singular verbs
Everyone and nobody refer to people without naming them. Match these pronoun subjects with singular verbs in statements about people and things.
Read and practiseSecond conditional: imagining a different present or future
Explore imagined situations with if plus a past form and would in the result. Give advice with if I were you, use could for possibility and distinguish form from past time.
Read and practiseUnless and if not: state an exception clearly
Use unless to name an exception to a plan or rule. Compare it with if not, place the comma, and avoid adding a negative that reverses your meaning.
Read and practiseCollective nouns: the team is or are
A team can act as one unit or as individual members. Agreement also varies between British and American English.
Read and practiseIn case: prepare for a possibility, then distinguish if
Explain precautions with in case and compare a response introduced by if. Practise present and past situations, just in case, and in case of before a noun.
Read and practiseWish and if only: imagine a different present
Express present wishes with past forms after wish and if only. Practise states, habits, ongoing actions and could, then contrast a wish with a realistic hope.
Read and practisePast simple passive: report what was done
Report completed events with was or were plus a past participle. Practise questions, negatives and irregular forms, while choosing whether the agent matters.
Read and practiseCompound subjects: bread and butter is or are?
Two subjects joined by and can name separate things or one unit. Choose the verb by considering what the subject means.
Read and practiseModal passives: can be done, must be done and must not be done
Combine modal verbs with be and a participle to express options, advice and requirements. Distinguish a forbidden action from one that is simply unnecessary.
Read and practiseBy or with in the passive: agent, cause and tool
Name who did an action with by, distinguish a tool introduced by with, and decide when an agent can be omitted. Include nonhuman causes and the phrase by hand.
Read and practiseThe rich and the elderly: groups of people
A simple adjective can name a whole group of people after the. See why the verb is plural and how to refer to one person.
Read and practiseHave something done: arrange repairs, cleaning and translation
Describe a service with have plus object and past participle. Change the tense of have, preserve word order, and recognise an unwanted experience in the same pattern.
Read and practiseReported statements: said, told and context-sensitive backshift
Report statements with say or tell, change pronouns to match the speaker, and practise backshift without assuming every tense and time word must change.
Read and practiseReported questions: if, whether and statement word order
Retell questions with if, whether or a question word. Practise subject–verb order, recognise subject questions and choose tense changes from context.
Read and practiseAdjectives followed by that-clauses
Feelings and certainty can introduce a complete situation: connect an adjective to a clause with that, or sometimes leave it out.
Read and practiseReporting requests and instructions with ask and tell
Describe what someone asked or told another person to do. Use object plus to-infinitive, form negative instructions and distinguish requests from questions.
Read and practiseDefining relative clauses: identify people and things
Identify the neighbour, bag or coat you mean with who, which or that. Build defining relative clauses without commas or repeated subject and object pronouns.
Read and practiseInterested in and interesting to: describing reactions
A person can be interested in a subject, while that subject may be interesting to them. Choose the form and complement that fit.
Read and practiseWhen can you omit a relative pronoun?
Shorten defining relative clauses by omitting object who, which or that. Keep subject relatives, preserve stranded prepositions and avoid doubled objects.
Read and practiseWhose in relative clauses: belongings, family and connections
Connect a person or thing to its bicycle, father, rooms or cover with whose plus a noun. Distinguish whose from who's and match verbs to the correct subject.
Read and practiseWhere and when in relative clauses: place or time, not an object
Describe where an event happens or when it occurs with relative where and when. Contrast these with which or that when the noun is the clause's subject or object.
Read and practiseToo or very: degree and excess
A room can be very warm without being too warm. Compare strong descriptions with degrees that cause a problem.
Read and practiseVerbs followed by ing: enjoy, avoid, consider, finish and mind
Build natural verb patterns with enjoy doing, avoid doing and consider doing. Use finish, mind and miss with ing, including future possibilities and polite requests.
Read and practiseVerbs followed by to-infinitives: decide, hope, agree and manage
Express decisions, hopes, plans, agreements, refusals and achievements with to-infinitives. Keep the base verb and distinguish intended actions from successful ones.
Read and practiseEven with comparative forms
A difference can be surprising in its size: put even before a comparative to emphasize a greater or smaller degree.
Read and practiseVerb, object and to-infinitive: say who should do something
Name who should act with want, ask, advise, encourage, remind and expect plus an object and to-infinitive. Practise object pronouns and negative infinitives.
Read and practiseRemember and forget: a memory of doing or a task to do?
Distinguish remember doing from remember to do, and forgetting an experience from forgetting a task. Use context rather than a simple past-versus-future shortcut.
Read and practiseStop and try: how ing and to change the meaning
Contrast stop doing with stop to do, and trying a method with trying to achieve a result. Learn why an attempt can succeed and a tested method can fail.
Read and practiseAs if and as though: appearance and comparison
A dark sky can look as if rain is coming. Describe appearances and imaginary comparisons, and choose a tense that fits the meaning.
Read and practiseLet, make and help: when the infinitive has no to
Use let and make with an object and bare infinitive, restore to in passive be made to, and recognise both help someone do and help someone to do as correct.
Read and practiseNegative infinitives: decided not to or did not decide?
Place not with the action you mean to negate. Compare decided not to with have not decided, practise reminders and express a negative purpose with so as not to.
Read and practiseWhether or not: alternatives and uncertainty
A decision may be uncertain, or an action may happen in either case. See how this expression introduces both possibilities.
Read and practiseQuestion tags: isn't it, didn't she and aren't I?
Check information with English question tags. Match the auxiliary and subject, handle nobody and never, and practise the special tag after I am.
Read and practisePolite indirect questions: could you tell me where it is?
Ask for information with could you tell me, do you know and I'd like to know. Use statement word order inside the question and choose suitable punctuation.
Read and practiseNegative questions: didn't you and clear yes/no answers
Understand expectations in negative questions and answer with yes plus an affirmative verb or no plus a negative verb. Practise contracted and full not forms.
Read and practiseOtherwise as a sentence adverb
A warning, a precaution or a past action can lead to a different result; otherwise introduces that alternative outcome.
Read and practiseSo do I and neither do I: sharing the same situation
Say that an affirmative or negative statement also applies to you. Choose so or neither, match the auxiliary and distinguish so do I from so I do.
Read and practiseAlthough and despite: contrast an obstacle with the outcome
Express an unexpected contrast with although, even though, despite and in spite of. Choose a full clause or a noun/ing phrase and avoid despite of.
Read and practiseDespite and in spite of with -ing
A missed train or a surprising result: express contrast between an action and what happens using an -ing phrase.
Read and practiseSo and such with that: degree leading to a result
Connect a strong degree to its result using so icy that, such a tight knot that, so many and so much. Choose the structure that matches the following words.
Read and practiseSo that for purpose: explain what an action is meant to achieve
Explain an intended outcome with so that plus a subject and verb. Use can, could, will or would where appropriate, and recognise purpose without a modal.
Read and practiseFuture time clauses: when, until, once and as soon as
Use present forms for future events after time conjunctions. Practise when, until, once and as soon as, and distinguish a time clause from a direct question.
Read and practiseSo that with can and could: purpose and ability
A receipt, a slow explanation or an early departure can make an intended action possible. Express that purpose with a modal clause.
Read and practiseUntil or by: continuing to a time versus meeting a deadline
Distinguish until for a continuing situation from by for a latest completion time. Interpret return deadlines, staffed hours and instructions with not until.
Read and practiseBefore and after with ing: shorter time clauses with clear subjects
Shorten before and after clauses with ing when the same person performs both actions. Keep a full clause when the subjects differ and preserve the event order.
Read and practiseWhat as a fused relative
A clause with what can name the thing or things involved without a separate noun. See how it works as a subject or object.
Read and practiseSo and therefore: results, decisions and conclusions
Explain results with so and therefore. Practise cause-before-result order, sentence punctuation and the difference between a reason and a conclusion.
Read and practiseEmphatic do, does and did: confirm what is true
Add emphasis with do, does and did plus a base verb. Practise correcting an assumption, confirming past actions and making a warm invitation.
Read and practiseMuch, far and slightly: say how big a difference is
Modify comparisons with much, far, a lot, slightly and a bit. Describe large or small differences, understand even more and avoid very before a comparative.
Read and practiseThat or which in defining relative clauses
A defining clause identifies the thing you mean. Both relative words are possible, although preferences differ across varieties of English.
Read and practiseTwo object patterns: give someone something, buy something for someone
Compare person-first and thing-first patterns with give and buy. Practise to for a recipient, for for a beneficiary, and explain something to someone.
Read and practiseDependent prepositions: interested in, good at and depend on
Learn adjective and verb combinations such as interested in, proud of and depend on. Practise prepositions with nouns and ing forms in useful sentences.
Read and practiseIt and there: subjects for weather, opinions and existence
Choose it or there for weather, time, opinions and things that exist. Practise it's important to and there are, without treating every it as an object reference.
Read and practisePast perfect continuous: activity before a past point
Describe an activity leading up to a past moment with had been and -ing. Explain duration, repeated preparation and past evidence while distinguishing state verbs.
Read and practiseFormal conditional inversion
In formal conditions, had, were and should can move before the subject when if is omitted. Explore past, hypothetical and possible situations.
Read and practiseIf it were not for: a decisive condition
A person or circumstance can change an imagined outcome: contrast present situations with alternative past events.
Read and practiseIf only for: a limited reason
A single reason can be enough to justify an action, even when other reasons may exist. Explore purpose, cause and noun phrases.
Read and practiseEven if and even though: condition or fact?
A possible obstacle and a known fact call for different connectors. Compare their meanings and choose the right one in context.
Read and practiseFuture perfect: completed by a future deadline
Look back from a future point with will have and a past participle. Set completion deadlines with by, form negatives and questions, and describe states lasting until then.
Read and practiseAssuming and supposing in conditions
A proposed situation can serve as the starting point for a prediction or question about what follows.
Read and practiseOn condition that: formal agreements
An offer or agreement can depend on a specific requirement. Explore this formal expression and the verb forms that follow it.
Read and practiseDespite the fact that: full-clause contrast
A surprising result can follow a full clause introduced by despite the fact that; compare this formal phrase with the shorter although.
Read and practiseNot only but also: add emphasis with parallel structure
Two linked ideas gain emphasis when their forms match. Explore paired elements and the inversion used at the start of a clause.
Read and practiseFuture perfect continuous: duration measured in the future
Count how long an activity will have lasted at a future point using will have been and -ing. Distinguish duration from completion and keep the full auxiliary sequence.
Read and practiseAlternatives in dependent clauses
A decision, an indirect question or an outcome can involve alternatives. Compare balanced clauses and infinitive phrases in formal and everyday English.
Read and practiseWhereas and while for contrast
Two facts can point in different directions: connect contrasting characteristics clearly and distinguish comparison from a time meaning.
Read and practiseIn order that: formal purpose clauses
Formal purpose clauses explain an intended result and connect an action to what someone can, could or may do.
Read and practiseLest and for fear that: unwanted outcomes
Formal clauses can describe an outcome someone wants to prevent, from losing a file to waking a sleeping child.
Read and practiseWhatever and whichever: choices without knowing which
An open choice or a choice from a known set can both be expressed in a clause. Distinguish the two forms and use them with or without a noun.
Read and practiseFuture in the past: would, was going to and arrangements
Describe plans and expectations viewed from an earlier moment. Use would, was or were going to and past continuous without assuming every plan failed.
Read and practiseWhoever and whomever in embedded clauses
A person can be the subject or object inside a clause, even when the whole clause plays a different role in the sentence.
Read and practiseNo matter what, where and who
A result can stay the same despite an unknown person, place or choice. Explore concessive clauses and their word order.
Read and practisePast deductions: must have, might have and can’t have
Infer earlier events with modal plus have and a past participle. Distinguish confident conclusions, uncertain possibilities and negative deductions, including may not have.
Read and practiseReduced relative clauses with past participles
A passive relative clause can often be shortened after a noun: discover when a past participle preserves the intended meaning.
Read and practiseReduced relative clauses with -ing
A person carrying a bag or a bridge connecting villages: an active -ing phrase can identify a noun without a full relative clause.
Read and practiseCould have: unused opportunities and uncertain explanations
Distinguish an available option that was not taken from a possible explanation of a past event. Use could have plus a participle and interpret the surrounding evidence.
Read and practiseQuantifiers in relative clauses: subsets
A group can be followed by extra information about some or all of its members, using a quantifier and a relative pronoun.
Read and practiseWhich referring to a whole clause
A whole event can be followed by a comment about its result or effect. See how a comma and a relative clause connect the two ideas.
Read and practiseNeedn’t have: an unnecessary action that was completed
Contrast needn’t have with didn’t need to. Identify an unnecessary completed action, use have plus a participle, and read context before deciding whether an action happened.
Read and practiseReporting claims with the passive
A claim can be reported without naming its source: compare an impersonal clause with a subject followed by a passive reporting verb.
Read and practiseThird conditional: imagining a different past and its result
Reconstruct an alternative past with if plus past perfect and would have plus a participle. Decode ’d, use could or might for different meanings, and recover the actual events.
Read and practiseReporting an earlier event with a perfect infinitive
A passive reporting verb and a perfect infinitive let you report a claim about an event that happened before the reporting.
Read and practiseMixed conditionals: past causes, present results and lasting traits
Connect an imagined past change to a present result, or a continuing trait to a past result. Choose the verb forms from the timeline instead of memorising one fixed pair.
Read and practiseReported speech: time and place changes
Reporting someone’s words later or elsewhere can change expressions of time and place while preserving the original reference.
Read and practiseProvided and as long as: attach a condition to an agreement
Set conditions with provided, providing, as long as and on condition that. Practise permissions, arrangements, optional that and the difference from duration.
Read and practiseWish and if only for the past: express regret accurately
Describe a past you would like to change with wish or if only plus past perfect. Practise negative regrets, had been doing and hope when the outcome is unknown.
Read and practiseReported speech without backshift
A past reporting verb can introduce a present form when a fact remains true or a situation is relevant now.
Read and practiseWish with would: ask for a change without confusing states
Use wish plus would for a desired change, repeated annoyance or lack of response. Contrast a wish about knowledge and notice when your wording sounds critical.
Read and practiseModal perfect continuous: may have been working
A light left on or a wet road can suggest an activity in progress earlier. Express possibility and deductions about a past situation.
Read and practisePerfect and continuous passives: been or being?
Distinguish has been repaired from is being repaired. Build past perfect and continuous passives, ask questions, and recognise a state that continues in the perfect.
Read and practiseWould have for unreal past outcomes
An earlier choice or missing opportunity can lead to an imagined past result; express outcomes and willingness that never became reality.
Read and practiseGet passive: got approved, got damaged and did it get sent?
Use get plus a past participle for events affecting people or things, especially in conversation. Form questions and negatives without assuming every event is bad.
Read and practiseWas to have done: plans that did not happen
A past arrangement can be described from a later point when it is clear that the expected event did not take place.
Read and practiseReporting verb patterns: admit, deny, suggest and persuade
Choose ing, to-infinitive or object plus infinitive after common reporting verbs. Report admissions, denials, suggestions and persuasion accurately.
Read and practiseActions on the point of happening
An imminent departure or an interrupted intention can be described from either a present or a past reference point.
Read and practiseNon-defining relative clauses: extra information and commas
Add information about an identified person or thing with who, which or whose. Use commas, retain the relative pronoun and recognise whole-clause which.
Read and practiseStrong expectations about an outcome
A crowded road or a question may seem very likely without being guaranteed; express that expectation with a compact verb pattern.
Read and practisePrepositions in relative clauses: with whom or who ... with?
Compare everyday relative clauses ending in a preposition with formal preposition-plus-whom or which. Keep the required preposition and choose the right register.
Read and practiseMandative subjunctive after demands
Formal requests and essential conditions can take a base verb in a that-clause. See how the pattern works with negation and passive forms.
Read and practisePerception verbs: see someone do or doing something
Describe a whole observed event or an action noticed in progress with see, hear and watch. Use bare infinitives actively and recognise passive was seen to leave.
Read and practiseWhether or if: choices inside indirect questions
Choose whether before an infinitive, after a preposition and directly before or not. Learn where if is also valid in an indirect yes/no question.
Read and practiseIt's time with a past form
An overdue action can be expressed with a past form after it's time; explore the added urgency of high time and practise present meaning.
Read and practiseParticiple clauses: connect actions and identify their subjects
Connect actions with walking, damaged and having checked. Practise active and passive participle clauses, earlier actions and clear subject references.
Read and practiseWould sooner: preferences about actions
Express a preference for your own action or someone else's, and see why the second pattern uses a past form for a present choice.
Read and practiseHowever and whereas: contrasts with clear sentence structure
Compare however, whereas, while and but. Practise contrasts between facts, sentence boundaries and punctuation without joining complete sentences by a comma alone.
Read and practisePlace expressions and subject–verb inversion
Front a place expression to introduce a noun subject after the verb, and compare the normal order retained with a pronoun.
Read and practiseIt-cleft sentences: focus on the person, thing or time
Use it was and it is to highlight one part of a message. Compare person, object and time focus, ask a focused question and avoid repeated pronouns.
Read and practiseAuxiliary ellipsis: leaving out a repeated verb phrase
A repeated action can disappear after an auxiliary. Practise short answers, contrasts and agreement without losing the intended meaning.
Read and practiseWhat-clefts: highlight a need, action or important point
Build sentences with what I need is and what we did was. Practise statement word order, action focus and identifying the information after is or was.
Read and practiseReplacing an action with do so or do it
An earlier action need not be repeated. Compare a formal substitute with an everyday alternative and practise their verb forms in context.
Read and practiseNegative adverbial inversion: never have I and rarely does
Recognise formal emphasis with never, rarely and only after. Practise auxiliary-before-subject order and learn which clause changes after not until.
Read and practiseParallel structure in lists and comparisons
Matching grammatical forms make linked ideas easier to follow. Practise balanced lists, paired connectors and coordinated verb phrases.
Read and practiseThe more…, the less…: describe linked changes
Link changes with the longer, the more and the less. Practise comparative adjectives, adverbs and quantities, including changes in opposite directions.
Read and practise