Grammar
English grammar: choose a lesson and practice
You know the words, but which grammar topic will help? Start with what you want your sentence to mean.
Use the topic maps to choose what to study. Then practice word order and forms, including questions.
Try what you have learned
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English grammar ING-glish-GRAM-er
The sh sound at the end of English joins the g sound.
Nouns: names, things, ideas, and countability
A noun names a person, place, thing, animal, or idea. Some nouns are countable; others are uncountable.
Open lessonSimple present: habits, facts, questions, and negatives
The simple present describes daily routines, regular habits, and permanent facts.
Open lessonA and an: choose the right indefinite article
An hour can feel short, but a university course can last for months. Hour and university both start with a vowel letter, yet they take different articles. Let the first sound guide your choice.
Open lessonA, an, and the: choose an article
Use a or an with a singular countable noun. Use the when your listener knows which thing you mean. General statements often need no article.
Open lessonAdjectives: describe people and things clearly
An adjective describes the size, color, age, or quality of a person or thing.
Open lessonAdjectives: position and basic use
Compare a quiet room with The room is quiet. Quiet describes the same noun in both sentences, but its position changes with the sentence pattern.
Open lessonAdverbs of frequency: always, usually, and never
A friend asks about your morning routine. You can say, "I usually make coffee before work." Usually tells the listener how often the routine happens.
Open lessonAdverbs of manner: how actions happen
Your colleague asks how you finished a task so quickly. You can say, I worked carefully and followed the instructions closely. Adverbs of manner add that useful detail to an action.
Open lessonAdverbs: add information about actions and descriptions
An adverb adds information to an action or description and can also comment on a whole sentence.
Open lessonApostrophes: possession and contractions
Look at these two sentences: The students' room is upstairs. The students are upstairs. The apostrophe in the first sentence shows that the room belongs to the students. The second sentence only says where the students are.
Open lessonArticles with jobs, nationalities, and roles
Mina says, I am an architect. Her colleagues say, We are architects. One small word changes when the role changes from one person to a group.
Open lessonCapitalization in English: names, titles, and sentences
maria starts work on monday. Maria starts work on Monday. The words sound the same, but capital letters help readers see a name and a day of the week straight away.
Open lessonComparative adjectives: compare two things clearly
Two buses go to the same station. One is quicker, but the other is more comfortable. Comparative adjectives help you explain the difference.
Open lessonComparatives and superlatives: bigger, biggest, and more useful
A comparative shows how one person or thing differs from another. A superlative shows which person or thing has the highest or lowest degree in a group.
Open lessonConjunctions: connect ideas with and, but, and because
Conjunctions join words, phrases, or clauses. They can show addition, contrast, a choice, a reason, or a time relationship.
Open lessonCountable and uncountable nouns: a practical guide
You can count apples: one apple, two apples. You cannot usually count water in the same way. This difference helps you choose the words before a noun.
Open lessonDeterminers: choose the words before a noun
A determiner helps show which noun you mean or how much there is. It comes before the noun and any describing words.
Open lessonDynamic and stative verbs: actions or states?
Two sentences can describe the present, but they may need different verb forms. Compare She is eating lunch with She likes chocolate. Eating is an action in progress. Like describes a feeling.
Open lessonEnglish word order: build clear sentences
Compare Mia reads the notice and Reads Mia the notice. English usually starts a statement with the person or thing, then gives the action. That familiar order helps a listener understand the sentence quickly.
Open lessonFuture with will: decisions, predictions, and offers
The phone is ringing. I'll answer it. It is very cloudy. I think it will rain. In both sentences, will helps the speaker talk about the future.
Open lessonGoing to: plans and evidence-based predictions
Your friend has bought train tickets for Saturday. You can say, She is going to visit her sister. The plan already exists before you speak.
Open lessonGrammar rules: make clear choices in everyday English
A clear sentence often needs only a subject, a verb, and the right detail in the right place. Small checks can prevent many common mistakes.
Open lessonImperatives: instructions, requests, and warnings
Open the window. Please wait here. Do not step on the grass. Each sentence tells someone what to do or what not to do.
Open lessonIrregular verbs: a useful past-tense reference and practice method
Yesterday, I went to the market and bought fruit. Both verbs describe finished actions, but neither ends in -ed. English calls forms like went and bought irregular verbs.
Open lessonMuch, many, and a lot of
One shop has many apples. Another shop has a lot of fruit. At home, there is not much milk left. The amount may be similar, but the noun and the sentence shape change the words we use.
Open lessonObject pronouns: me, you, him, her, us, and them
Maya knows Leo. She knows him. The word him replaces Leo after the verb knows.
Open lessonPast continuous: actions in progress in the past
Use it for an activity around a past time. It can form the background to a short event. It can show two activities happening at the same time.
Open lessonPast simple: uses, form, and examples
A message arrived yesterday, a train left at six, and you visited a friend last weekend. The past simple helps you tell these completed parts of a story.
Open lessonPlural nouns: regular forms and common exceptions
One bag, two bags. Often, an extra letter is enough. Some everyday nouns need a different plural word, so learn the pattern and the word together.
Open lessonPossessive determiners: my, your, his, her, its, our, and their
You pick up a phone after class. Is it my phone, her phone, or their phone? One small word before phone tells the listener whose phone you mean.
Open lessonPossessive pronouns: mine, yours, ours, and theirs
Two coats are on a chair. You can say This coat is my coat, but English usually says This coat is mine. Mine tells us who owns the coat without saying coat again.
Open lessonPrepositions of place: describe position clearly in English
A phone can be on a table, in a bag, under a chair, or next to a notebook. The object is the same, but each preposition gives the reader a different picture.
Open lessonPrepositions of time: at, on, in, since, and by
A meeting can start at 9:30, happen on Tuesday, and take place in October. The time expressions look similar, but each preposition gives a different amount of detail. Once you sort the expression by type, the choice becomes easier.
Open lessonPresent continuous: actions happening now and temporary situations
The present continuous describes an action in progress right now, a temporary situation around the present time, or a planned arrangement.
Open lessonPresent continuous: uses, form, and examples
Your colleague calls while you are leaving the office. You can say, "I am walking to the station." The present continuous shows what is happening in that period of time.
Open lessonPresent simple: uses, form, and examples
I take the bus to work. My sister takes the train. These sentences describe usual actions, so they use the present simple.
Open lessonPronouns: choose the right form in a sentence
Pronouns replace names or nouns. One form can name an actor or receiver. Another can show ownership.
Open lessonProper and common nouns: capitalization and use
A teacher can be any teacher. Mr. Rivera is one particular teacher. Both words are nouns, but the name needs capital letters because it identifies a specific person.
Open lessonQuestion word order: form clear English questions
You need to ask a colleague about a meeting. You can say The meeting starts at nine. To ask for the time, move the helping verb: Does the meeting start at nine? Add a question word when you need more information: When does the meeting start?
Open lessonRegular and irregular verbs: how past forms change
Regular verbs use the -ed pattern for the past simple and past participle. Irregular verbs have at least one form outside that pattern.
Open lessonRegular verbs list: base form, past, and past participle
Regular verbs use the -ed ending for two past forms. Their spelling matches, but their jobs differ.
Open lessonRequests and permission: can, could, may, and would
You are at a library and need a seat near a power outlet. Can I sit here? asks permission. Could you help me find a seat? asks another person to do something.
Open lessonShort answers: agree, disagree, and respond naturally
Do you work on Saturdays? Yes, I do. The answer is short, but do carries the meaning of work. Listen for the first verb in the question, then use it again in your answer.
Open lessonSimple future tense: predictions, decisions, and promises
Your friend drops a bag of oranges. You decide at once: I will help you. Later, you say, I think the weather will improve tomorrow. Both sentences look to the future, but one is an immediate decision and the other is a prediction.
Open lessonSimple past: finished actions and past states
The simple past places an action or state before now. It can describe a single event or a past habit. Your listener may already know when it happened.
Open lessonSimple sentences: subjects, verbs, and complete ideas
You want to send a quick message: My train is late. It is short, but the person, the verb, and the message are clear.
Open lessonSome and any: make clear choices
At a picnic, Leo says, "I brought some sandwiches." Later, Priya asks, "Do we have any napkins?" Both speakers talk about an unknown quantity, but their sentences have different jobs.
Open lessonSubject pronouns: I, you, he, she, it, we, and they
Ravi starts the meeting. He starts the meeting. The name and the pronoun point to the same person, but the pronoun saves you from repeating the name.
Open lessonSubjects, verbs, and objects: build clear English sentences
In The chef prepared dinner, the chef does the action, prepared names the action, and dinner receives it. Finding those parts makes a long sentence easier to understand.
Open lessonSuperlative adjectives: describe the highest degree
You are choosing a café from five options. You can say, "This is the cheapest café on this street." Cheapest tells us that no other café in that group costs less.
Open lessonThe: when to use the definite article
I bought a lamp yesterday. The lamp is beside the sofa. The second sentence tells us which lamp the speaker means.
Open lessonThere is and there are: introduce people and things
You arrive at a new office and want to describe what you can see. Start with there is for one thing and there are for more than one. These short forms help your listener picture the place.
Open lessonThis, that, these, and those: choose by distance and number
When you point to something, English gives you two quick choices: is it one thing or more than one, and is it near or farther away? This, that, these, and those answer both questions.
Open lessonUsed to: past habits and states
You see an old photo of your street. You can say, "We used to live there." Used to connects a past situation with the different situation now.
Open lessonVerbs: actions, states, and sentence patterns
A verb can name an action, event, or state. A main verb carries the central meaning of its group.
Open lessonWh questions: ask for precise information
You need one detail, not a yes-or-no answer. Choose a wh word that asks for that detail, then build the rest of the question around it.
Open lessonYes no questions: form and intonation
You are waiting outside a room and need to know if anyone is inside. Ask, "Is anyone in there?" The answer can begin with yes or no.
Open lessonAdjective and preposition combinations
Asha is good at planning events and proud of the final result. Each small word belongs with the adjective before it, so the whole phrase is easier to remember together.
Open lessonAdverb order in English sentences
Compare these sentences: The team worked carefully in the studio yesterday. The team worked in the studio yesterday. The first sentence adds how the work happened before it adds place and time.
Open lessonAdverb placement: where to put often, already, and carefully
You may know every word in a sentence and still make it sound unusual by moving one small word. Compare I often check my calendar with I check often my calendar. The first sentence follows the usual pattern in English.
Open lessonAdverb position: put adverbs in natural places
Compare these sentences: I usually take the train. I am usually on the train by eight. Usually moves because the verb structure changes.
Open lessonAdverbs of degree: very, quite, too, and enough
The café was very busy, but not too busy to find a table. These small words change how strong your description is and whether a situation becomes a problem.
Open lessonAll, both, either, and neither
Four lamps are on in a hallway. All the lamps are on. In a smaller room, there are two lamps: both lamps are on, either lamp can light the desk, but neither lamp works when its bulb is removed.
Open lessonAll, every, and whole
All the lights in the building are off. Every room is empty. The whole building is quiet. Each sentence describes completeness, but it looks at the situation in a different way.
Open lessonAnother and other: add or distinguish
You have finished one cup of tea, but you would like one more. You say, "Can I have another cup?" Later, you choose a different drink and say, "I will try the other drink." The words are close in meaning, but the noun after them tells you which one to choose.
Open lessonArticles for general and specific meaning
Compare these two notices: Bikes are not allowed in the hall. The bikes outside the hall belong to the staff. The first sentence gives a rule about bikes as a class. The second points to one visible group.
Open lessonArticles with geographical names
You can travel to Spain, sail on the Mediterranean, and hike in the Pyrenees. All three are place names, but they do not use the same article pattern. The useful first step is to notice what kind of name you are using.
Open lessonArticles with institutions and places
Compare these two messages: Maya is at school. Maya's father is at the school. The first can describe Maya as a student. The second tells us where her father is, at a particular school building.
Open lessonArticles with transport and media
You can go to work by bus, wait for the bus at your stop, listen to the radio, and watch television. The nouns are familiar, but each phrase follows its own article pattern.
Open lessonAuxiliary verbs: use be, do, and have
Be, do, and have are primary auxiliary verbs, often called helping verbs. They help form questions, negatives, tenses, and passives. Modal verbs such as can and should are auxiliaries too.
Open lessonBe used to and get used to
Rosa is used to working late on Thursdays. Her new colleague is still getting used to the same schedule. The work is familiar for Rosa, while her colleague is in the process of adapting.
Open lessonBoth, either, and neither
Two colleagues are choosing a train. Both trains stop near the office. Either train will get them there before nine, but neither train has a quiet carriage.
Open lessonCollective nouns: names for groups and verb agreement
A collective noun names a collection of people, animals, or objects as a single group or as separate members.
Open lessonColons: introduce lists and explanations
You want to give the reader more information after one clear statement. A colon tells the reader that a list, explanation, or example is coming next.
Open lessonCommas: separate ideas without overusing them
A comma can make a long sentence easier to read, but it cannot repair every pause you hear. Compare these sentences: After lunch, we reviewed the proposal. We reviewed the proposal after lunch. Both are clear because the comma follows an opening part, not an arbitrary pause.
Open lessonComparative and superlative adverbs
Two colleagues can work carefully, but one may work more carefully than the other. In a larger group, one person may work the most carefully. Comparative and superlative adverbs let you describe that difference.
Open lessonComplex sentences: clauses and logical links
The office was quiet because everyone had gone home. The first part gives the main message. The second part explains the reason.
Open lessonCompound nouns: spelling, stress, and use
A bus stop, a toothbrush, and a sister-in-law all name one thing or person, even though each has more than one part. Their spelling and pronunciation do not follow one simple pattern, so a dictionary is a useful final check.
Open lessonCompound sentences: join ideas clearly
Your message can say two useful things at once: The train was late, so I called the office. Each part is complete, and so shows the result.
Open lessonCoordinating conjunctions: join equal ideas
The train was delayed, so I called my manager. So joins two complete ideas and shows the result. A different conjunction would change the relationship between them.
Open lessonDeterminers: choose words before nouns
Imagine that several coats are on a chair. A coat means any suitable coat. My coat tells the listener whose coat to find. Those coats points to a particular group. The words before coat change the message.
Open lessonDirect and reported speech: say what someone said
A colleague says, "I will send the agenda tonight." Later, you tell the team what she said: "Nora said that she would send the agenda that evening." The second sentence is reported speech.
Open lessonDo, does, and did for emphasis
A colleague says you ignored their message, but you replied yesterday. You can say, "I did reply yesterday," to correct that idea. Did does not change the event. It makes your confirmation stronger.
Open lessonEach and every: understand the difference
Each chair has a number. Every chair in the room is ready. Both sentences include all the chairs, but they guide your attention in different ways.
Open lessonEd and ing adjectives: describe feelings and causes
The lecture was boring, so I was bored. One adjective describes the lecture. The other describes my reaction to it.
Open lessonEnglish conditionals: real possibilities, advice, and imagined results
If you heat ice, it melts. If it rains tomorrow, I will take the bus. If I had more time, I would learn Arabic. Each sentence connects a condition with a result, but the verb forms show a different kind of meaning.
Open lessonEnglish prepositions: choose natural words for relationships
A meeting can start at nine, happen on Tuesday, and take place in a small room. The event is the same, but each relationship needs a different preposition.
Open lessonEnglish tenses and time: choose a verb form
English verb forms express when an action happens and whether it is a habit, ongoing, or finished.
Open lessonEnough: quantity, degree, and position
You are packing for a weekend trip. You have enough clothes, but your suitcase is not large enough. The word enough can talk about an amount and about how much of a quality something has.
Open lessonFew, a few, little, and a little
A few people joined the workshop, so the group could begin. Few people joined the workshop suggests that the group was smaller than expected.
Open lessonForming adverbs from adjectives: spelling and sentence position
A colleague can give a clear explanation, but when you describe the action, you usually need an adverb: She explained the rule clearly.
Open lessonFuture continuous: actions in progress at a future time
At 8 tomorrow morning, I will be taking the train. The journey has not started yet, but it will be in progress at that future time.
Open lessonGerunds in English: form and common patterns
Reading on the train can turn a long commute into useful time. Here, reading names the activity itself.
Open lessonHad better: give strong advice
You should take an umbrella is friendly advice. You'd better take an umbrella suggests that a problem may follow if you do not.
Open lessonIndefinite pronouns: someone, anything, and nobody
Someone left a message. Did anyone call? Nobody answered. One small beginning changes what the sentence says about the person.
Open lessonIndirect questions: polite and accurate forms
Where is the station? is a direct question. Could you tell me where the station is? asks for the same information more politely. After where, the words follow normal statement order.
Open lessonInfinitives in English: form and common patterns
I want to leave early. I can leave early. Both sentences use leave, but want is followed by to and can is followed by the base verb without to.
Open lessonInseparable phrasal verbs: keep the phrase together
You want to say that you care for a friend's dog. The natural order is look after the dog. The words look and after stay together before the object.
Open lessonInterjections: oh, wow, ouch, and other reactions
Interjections are words or sounds that express reactions such as surprise, pain, relief, or delight. They can stand apart from the main sentence.
Open lessonLinking verbs: connect a subject to information
The soup tastes salty. In that sentence, tastes does not describe an action. It connects the soup to salty.
Open lessonLinking words for addition and examples
The course is practical. In addition, it includes short practice tasks. The phrase in addition connects a second useful point to the first one. Linking words help readers follow that relationship.
Open lessonLinking words for cause, result, and purpose
Nadia charged her phone because she needed a map. She needed a map, so she charged her phone. The events are the same, but the linking word changes the direction of the explanation.
Open lessonMake, let, and help: causative patterns
Your manager says you must stay late, a neighbor allows you to use her driveway, and a colleague works with you on a task. English can describe those three situations with make, let, and help.
Open lessonModal passive voice: form and meaning
A notice can say, "The form must be signed today." The person who signs it may be clear from the situation, so the sentence keeps attention on the form and the required action.
Open lessonModal verbs for advice and recommendations
A friend is leaving for the airport late. You can say, "You should leave now," but "You'd better leave now" gives a stronger warning.
Open lessonModal verbs for obligation: must, have to, and need to
You must turn off your phone. You have to turn off your phone. You need to turn off your phone. Each sentence points to an obligation, but the reason and tone can change.
Open lessonModal verbs for permission
At a shared office, one colleague says, Can I use this desk? Another asks, Could I borrow your charger? A notice on the wall says, Visitors may enter after 9:00. Each sentence deals with permission, but its setting affects the modal verb.
Open lessonModal verbs: can, could, should, must, and might
A short change can alter the whole message: You can leave says it is possible; You must leave says it is necessary.
Open lessonNo and none: talk about zero quantity
Mia asks whether there is any milk for coffee. Her flatmate says, “There's no milk left.” Later, Mia points at several cartons and says, “None of them is milk.” Both answers mean zero, but the word after them changes.
Open lessonNouns as adjectives: singular and plural choices
A shoe shop sells many shoes, but English usually calls it a shoe shop, not a shoes shop.
Open lessonOne and ones: avoid repeating a noun
There are two coats on the chair. Instead of saying I will take the blue coat, you can say I will take the blue one. One replaces the repeated noun coat, while blue tells the listener which coat you mean.
Open lessonOne, another, other, and others
A shop has two notebooks left. You choose one, then ask for another. Your friend looks at the other notebook, while other customers choose different ones.
Open lessonOrder of adjectives: describe nouns naturally in English
You may see a red bag, a small red bag, or a beautiful small red bag. The details all describe bag, but English listeners expect them in a familiar sequence.
Open lessonPassive voice: basic form and purpose
The café opens at eight. At eight, the doors are opened. The first sentence tells you who acts. The second sentence focuses on what happens to the doors.
Open lessonPast continuous: uses, form, and examples
At nine, the kitchen was busy. Sam was chopping vegetables while Lina was setting the table.
Open lessonPast perfect tense: show which past action happened first
You arrived at the cinema and found that the film had started. Both events are in the past, but had started tells your listener that the film began before you arrived.
Open lessonPast perfect: form, meaning, and examples
When Lara reached the station, the train had left. Both events are in the past, but the past perfect takes you to the earlier one first.
Open lessonPhrasal verbs: learn the basic patterns
A light can go off, you can pick up a parcel, and you can find out some news. The small word after the verb helps create the meaning, so read the whole phrase together.
Open lessonPlace and time in sentence order
You need to tell a colleague where and when to meet. The sentence We will meet at the station at six gives both details, but it puts the place before the time. That order helps the listener follow the plan without stopping to rearrange the information.
Open lessonPossessive nouns: show ownership with apostrophes and of
Whose key is this? The answer can be Mia's key, the guests' key, or the key of the storage room. Possessive forms make that relationship clear.
Open lessonPrefer and would prefer
I prefer tea. I'd prefer tea, please. Both sentences talk about choice, but the second sounds more connected to this moment.
Open lessonPrepositional phrases: meaning and sentence position
Compare these details: The keys are in the drawer. The keys are on the drawer. One small word changes where the listener should look.
Open lessonPrepositions after adjectives: use natural adjective patterns
The adjective may be clear, but the small word after it can make a sentence sound natural or unusual. Learn both words together.
Open lessonPrepositions of movement: into, through, across, and toward
A cyclist can ride along a river, across a bridge, through a tunnel, and into a car park. The route changes at each point, so the preposition changes too.
Open lessonPresent perfect continuous: form and use
Your friend arrives with wet hair and says, "I have been walking in the rain." The walk began before this moment, and the wet hair helps explain what is happening now.
Open lessonPresent perfect tense: connect past events to now
Your colleague asks whether you can join a meeting. You say, "I've sent the report, so I can join now." The sending happened earlier, but the useful result matters at this moment.
Open lessonPresent perfect: uses, form, and examples
I have lost my keys, so I cannot open the door. The loss happened before now, but the problem matters now.
Open lessonQuantifiers overview: choose words for amount and number
Before you ask for supplies, decide what you are counting. You can ask how many notebooks are left, how much paper you need, or whether there are any pens at all.
Open lessonQuantifiers: choosing much, many, few, little, and enough
At a cafe, you can ask for a few napkins but a little water. Both mean a small amount, yet the noun after them changes the choice.
Open lessonQuestion tags: check and invite agreement
Your train leaves from platform six, doesn't it? The short question at the end checks a detail while keeping the statement easy to follow.
Open lessonQuotation marks: punctuate direct speech and titles
If you repeat a person's exact words, show the reader where those words begin and end. Maya said, "Please wait here." The quotation marks separate Maya's words from the rest of the sentence.
Open lessonReflexive pronouns: myself, yourself, and themselves
After a long walk, Maya made herself a cup of tea. The word herself points back to Maya, so the listener knows who received the tea.
Open lessonRelative pronouns: who, which, that, and whose
The neighbor who owns the blue bicycle is moving away. The bicycle that he uses every day is staying with his sister. Relative pronouns join the extra information to the noun without starting a separate sentence.
Open lessonRun on sentences: repair joined sentences
The doors opened everyone hurried inside. Each part is a complete idea, but the sentence does not show how the parts connect. It is a run-on sentence.
Open lessonSentence fragments: find and repair incomplete sentences
After the meeting ended. The team went for coffee. The first group of words leaves you waiting for the main message. It is a sentence fragment.
Open lessonSeparable phrasal verbs: place the object
You are leaving a room and want to ask a colleague about the lamp. Do you say turn off the lamp or turn the lamp off? Both can work. The choice changes when the object is a short word such as it.
Open lessonStative verbs: when English verbs do not take -ing
You want to say that a red bag belongs to you. My red bag is belonging to me sounds strange because belong describes a relationship, not an action in progress.
Open lessonSubject and object questions: understand the difference
Ask who does the action first. If who is the subject, the question keeps statement order: Who sent the message? If who receives the action, use normal question order: Who did you message?
Open lessonSubject verb agreement: make subjects and verbs match
A long subject can make a simple sentence feel difficult. Find who or what does the action first, then choose the verb that matches that word.
Open lessonSubordinating conjunctions: show relationships between ideas
I took the bus because it was raining. Although it was raining, my neighbour walked. The weather is the same, but because gives a reason and although gives an unexpected contrast.
Open lessonSuggestions and advice: should, could, and why not
Your friend has missed the last bus. You can say, ‘You should call a taxi,’ or ‘Why not call a taxi?’ Both sentences offer help, but they sound a little different.
Open lessonThe bare infinitive: use the verb without to
You can leave now, but you do not have to leave now. Both sentences use the base verb leave. The first follows can, while the second uses the fixed phrase have to.
Open lessonToo, too much, and too many
Your suitcase is too heavy, it contains too much clothing, and you packed too many pairs of shoes. These forms all show excess, but the noun after them determines which form you need.
Open lessonVerb and preposition combinations
Mina depends on the bus, listens to a podcast, and thinks about her next course. The small word after each verb is part of the phrase, so learn the words together.
Open lessonWish and if only: talking about unreal situations
Your train leaves in ten minutes, but your ticket is at home. You might say, I wish I had my ticket with me. Wish lets you talk about a situation you want to be different.
Open lessonWould rather: state a preference
The cafe is full, and you want to sit outside. You can say, I'd rather sit on the patio.
Open lessonZero and first conditionals: facts and likely results
If you leave bread in the oven too long, it burns. If the oven is free later, I will bake a loaf. Both sentences use if, but one describes what normally happens and the other looks ahead to one possible situation.
Open lessonZero article: when English uses no article
We usually say Music helps me focus, not The music helps me focus, when we mean music in general. English can leave the article out. This choice is called the zero article.
Open lessonAdjective clauses: add precise information
The colleague who organized the meeting sent the notes. The clause who organized the meeting tells us which colleague sent them.
Open lessonAdverb clauses: show time, reason, condition, and contrast
When the meeting ends, I will send the notes. The clause when the meeting ends tells us when the speaker will send them.
Open lessonCleft sentences: add focus to an idea
Someone says the whole team changed the plan, but one person suggested it. You can say, "It was Rina who suggested the change." The cleft sentence puts Rina in focus.
Open lessonCorrelative conjunctions: both and, either or, neither nor
Both the schedule and the budget need approval. The pair both and makes the two things feel connected. If you write both the schedule and we need approval, the sentence loses that balance because the two parts are not the same kind of structure.
Open lessonDiscourse markers: guide a conversation naturally
A clear conversation has signposts. If you say, "Well, the train was late. Anyway, I made it to the meeting.", well prepares the listener for your answer, and anyway brings the conversation back to the main point.
Open lessonEllipsis and substitution: avoiding repetition
Mira chose the blue notebook, and Sam chose the red one. The word one saves us from saying notebook twice, but it still points to a notebook. English often works this way: it removes repeated material only when the missing meaning is easy to find.
Open lessonEnglish verb patterns: verbs followed by objects and clauses
Maya suggested meeting after work. Maya persuaded Leo to meet after work. The ideas are close, but the verb pattern changes what the sentence can say.
Open lessonFinite and non-finite verbs: find what changes
A finite verb can show tense or subject agreement. Non-finite forms, including infinitives and participles, do not mark tense, person or number. A base form or core modal can also be finite.
Open lessonFronting: move information for emphasis
At the end of the lane stood a small cafe. The place comes first, so the reader sees the setting before the action.
Open lessonFuture continuous: form and practical use
At 4 p.m. tomorrow, I will be speaking with the landlord. The conversation has not begun yet, but it will be underway at that future time.
Open lessonFuture perfect continuous: describe duration before a future time
Next June, Amina will have been working at the clinic for five years. The sentence looks ahead to June and measures the time that her work will have continued by then.
Open lessonFuture perfect tense: actions completed before a future time
A project has a deadline next Friday. If you say, "By Friday, I will have finished the report," you are looking forward from that deadline and seeing the report as complete.
Open lessonFuture perfect: form and practical use
By the time the doors open, the technicians will have checked every microphone. The checking happens in the future, but it finishes before another future event: the doors opening.
Open lessonGerunds and infinitives: choose the right verb form
You may know both forms of a verb, but the verb before them often decides which one belongs in the sentence.
Open lessonGerunds and participles: how to tell them apart
Reading, reading, and read can all come from the same verb, but each one can have a different place in a sentence.
Open lessonHave and get something done: the causative
Your laptop stops working before a deadline. You take it to a technician, then later say: I had my laptop repaired.
Open lessonIndependent and dependent clauses: connect complete ideas
When the lights went out is a clause, but it leaves a reader waiting for the rest of the idea. The lights went out can stand on its own. That difference helps you decide where a sentence needs support and punctuation.
Open lessonInversion after negative adverbials
You are writing about a difficult project. We have never faced a delay like this is neutral. Never have we faced a delay like this puts the rare experience first and gives the sentence more weight. The word order changes because never begins the main clause.
Open lessonLinking words for contrast and concession
A report can be useful and incomplete at the same time. Linking words help you show that relationship clearly: Although the report was useful, it did not answer every question. The two facts do not cancel each other; one fact changes how the reader understands the other.
Open lessonMixed conditionals: connect past causes and present results
If I had accepted the job in Dublin, I would live there now. The cause belongs to the past, but the result describes life now. That change of time is the point of a mixed conditional.
Open lessonModal perfects: reflect on past possibilities
The lights are off and the door is locked. They must have left already. Modal perfects help you reason about an earlier situation when you did not see it happen.
Open lessonModal verbs for certainty and possibility
The office is dark, but one desk lamp is on. You might say, 'Someone must be working late.' You are not reporting a rule. You are drawing a strong conclusion from what you can see.
Open lessonModal verbs for deduction: must, might, and can't
The lights are off, the door is locked, and no one answers. The office must be empty. You are not reporting a fact; you are reaching a conclusion from the clues.
Open lessonNegative questions: meaning, tone, and word order
Your colleague has worked here for three years, but they do not know where the staff room is. You might ask, Don't you know where the staff room is? The question asks for information, but it also shows that the answer surprises you.
Open lessonNoun clauses: use a clause as a subject or object
I know that the office is closed. What the manager said surprised me. The clauses after know and before surprised contain a subject and a verb, but they fill a noun-like place in the larger sentence.
Open lessonParallel structure: keep lists and comparisons balanced
A project role may involve planning meetings, writing reports, and speaking to clients. The three activities are easy to scan because they follow the same pattern.
Open lessonPassive voice: advanced patterns and reporting verbs
The committee is reviewing the proposal. The proposal is being reviewed by the committee. The same event is described from two different starting points.
Open lessonPast perfect continuous: show an activity before another past event
When I arrived at the library, Noor had been studying for three hours. The studying began before I arrived and was still in progress or had just ended at that past moment.
Open lessonPresent perfect continuous: duration, recent activity, and now
You arrive late and say, "I have been waiting for the delayed bus for forty minutes." You started waiting before this moment, and the wait still matters now. The present perfect continuous lets you connect that earlier start to the present.
Open lessonReported questions: change word order and tense
A colleague asks, "Where is the training room?" Later, you can report the question: "She asked where the training room was." The question word stays, but the word order changes.
Open lessonSecond and third conditionals: unreal situations and regret
You miss a train and think about an earlier choice. If I had left sooner, I would have caught it. Later, you imagine a different job: If I worked closer to home, I would walk there.
Open lessonSubordinate clauses: form, function, and punctuation
Because the bus was delayed, we arrived late. The first part gives a reason, but it needs the main clause to make a complete sentence.
Open lessonThe English subjunctive: formal recommendations and wishes
The committee recommended that the report be published. Why be rather than is? The sentence is not describing a present fact. It gives a formal recommendation about what should happen.
Open lessonTransitive and intransitive verbs
A sentence can feel unfinished for a simple reason: some verbs need something after them, while others already give a complete idea. Compare The courier delivered the parcel with The courier arrived. The parcel receives the action. Arrived does not need an object.
Open lessonUnreal past forms: polite distance and imagination
I wish I knew the answer. The verb knew looks past, but the speaker means that they do not know the answer now.
Open lessonVerb complements: what can follow a verb?
I stopped the printer. I stopped to check the printer. I stopped checking the printer. The words after stopped tell the listener three different things.
Open lessonVerb particles: how small words change meaning
A light can go off, a meeting can be called off, and a friend can turn up unexpectedly. The short word after the verb may point to movement, completion, removal, or a meaning that you need to learn as a whole phrase.
Open lessonSearch by title, topic, or level
The short answer
Start with the choice you need to make. Use the maps for time, word forms or sentence structure.
She drinks hot coffee every morning before work.
Why it works: For word order, put the object hot coffee after drinks. The time details follow.
3 more examples
-
Talking about morning routines
I don't eat breakfast at home every day.
Keep the action verb and its object together.
Not this:I don't eat
at home breakfastevery day. What changes: The place phrase separates eat from its object breakfast. -
Describing a coworker
He doesn't speak very quietly in meetings.
Use quietly to describe an action.
Not this:He doesn't
speak very quietin meetings. What changes: Quiet is an adjective; this pattern needs the form quietly. -
Asking why your friend dislikes morning tea
Why don't you like tea in the morning?
Like takes do in this present-simple question.
Not this:Why
aren't you liketea in the morning? What changes: Aren't cannot be the helper for like in this question.
Quick check
Which sentence keeps speak and English together, followed by very well?
Talking about language skills
Answer: I don't speak English very well.
Show the answer
Answer: I don't speak English very well.
In this pattern, English follows speak. The words very well come after the object.
Read the full guide
Try the listening exerciseA question about time needs a different rule from a question about word order. Use the maps to find the part you need. The later sections practice three starting patterns.
Choose by your sentence problem
The problem: I do not know which grammar topic to study.
Find the choice you need to make. Each row names a topic and shows one example. The labels help you choose what to study.
| Topic | Choose it for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Nouns and plurals | One thing or several | Two chairs are empty. |
| Articles and determiners | Which thing you mean | I bought a coat. |
| Quantity words | How much or how many | We need some rice. |
| Pronouns (name replacements) and ownership | Replacing names or showing whose | I gave her my key. |
| Adjectives; manner adverbs (how words) | A quality or how something happens | The dog walked slowly. |
| Comparisons | Comparing people or things | This route is shorter. |
| Prepositions (relationship words) | Place, time or other relationships | The cup is beside the sink. |
| Word order | Where words go | Lena reads magazines at night. |
| Linking words | Connecting ideas | I stayed because it rained. |
Choose by time and meaning
The problem: I know my meaning but cannot choose a sentence form.
Match your meaning to a starting pattern.
| Topic | Choose it for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present simple | Habits, states or facts | Omar likes chess. |
| Present continuous | Actions in progress; temporary situations | I'm painting the gate. |
| Past forms | Finished events; past actions in progress | It was raining when she called. |
| Present perfect | Past connected to now | I've lost my glasses. |
| Future forms | Plans or predictions | We're going to paint tomorrow. |
| Questions and negatives | Asking or saying not | Do you need a pen? |
| Modal verbs | Ability, advice or possibility | You should rest. |
| Conditionals | A condition and its result | If it rains, we'll stay. |
| Relative clauses | Extra detail with who or that | The bus that stops here is late. |
| Passive forms | What happens to something | The window was repaired. |
| Reported speech | Telling what someone said | Ana said she was tired. |
| Verb patterns | Choosing to or -ing | I enjoy drawing. |
With you, present-simple questions using drink start with do.
Your turn
Type the present-simple helper for this question with you and drink.
Meeting a new neighbor
Answer: Do you drink coffee when you're tired?
Show the answer
Answer: Do
Drink is the main verb. Use do before you in this present-simple question.
Put your words in order
The problem: I can name the words but cannot decide where they go.
A simple statement usually starts with its subject: who or what it is about. The verb follows. With an object, keep that object after the verb in this pattern.
-
Not this:
She doesn't drink every day black coffee.Say: She doesn't drink black coffee every day.
Keep drink and black coffee together here. Put every day after the object.
-
We didn't buy the tickets yesterday.
Why it works: The object tickets comes right after the verb.
-
They didn't watch a movie at home last night.
Why it works: At home comes before last night, the usual end-position order.
-
The baby sleeps.
Why it works: This statement needs no object.
Your turn
Start with I. Put the drink after the verb and the time phrase last.
Arranging a daily habit
Answer: I don't drink green tea every morning.
Show the answer
Answer: I don't drink green tea every morning.
The object green tea follows drink here. Every morning gives the time at the end.
Pick the right word type
The problem: I am choosing between careful and carefully.
Adjectives describe qualities of people or things. Manner adverbs (words that tell us how) describe actions. Many take -ly, but some have other forms.
Be links the subject to a description. This use of be is called a linking verb.
The train isn't quick today.
Quickly describes how the train moves. Here the -ly form goes with move.
The train doesn't move quickly today.
-
Not this:
He doesn't drive careful on wet roads.Say: He doesn't drive carefully on wet roads.
Carefully tells us how someone drives. Careful describes a person or thing.
-
She didn't finish the test easily.
Why it works: The -ly ending tells us how she finished.
-
Leila cooks well.
Why it works: The manner adverb (how word) for good is well.
-
That horse runs fast.
Why it works: Fast keeps the same form when it describes running.
Your turn
Which word finishes the sentence correctly?
Talking about someone's driving
My brother doesn't drive ___ when the road's wet.
Answer: carefully
Show the answer
Answer: carefully
Carefully says how your brother drives. The stem uses drive after doesn't.
Ask questions with the right helper
The problem: I cannot decide whether a question needs do or be.
Find the verb in the statement. With be, move am, is or are before the subject. Other present-simple main verbs, including like and know, take do or does.
Put the helper before the subject. Keep the main verb in its base form.
Does Maya know the way?
Ready describes Maya. Move is before her name.
Is Maya ready?
-
Are the children playing outside?
Why it works: Are is the helper for playing.
-
Who lives above the bakery?
Why it works: Who is the subject. No do is needed here.
-
Don't you live in London?
Why it works: Negative yes-no questions often check a belief. You thought this person lived in London.
Before you go
Question 1 of 2
Choose the question with the helper before you and know in its base form.
You expected your coworker to know the time
Answer: Don't you know what time the meeting starts?
Show the answer
Answer: Don't you know what time the meeting starts?
Don't comes before you. The third option is also a spoken question, but keeps statement order.
Question 2 of 2 · One new sentence
Choose the taught order: verb + object + method (online) + time (every morning).
At a station cafe with a coworker
Answer: I order my coffee online every morning because it's faster.
Show the answer
Answer: I order my coffee online every morning because it's faster.
The method online precedes the time phrase. The third option is grammatical but uses a different order.
Remember this
Choose a topic by what your sentence needs. For the short checks, match the stated pattern before choosing an answer.
Listen first
Listen and write
Listen, type what you hear, then choose Check my answer. Use a hint when you get stuck.
0 of 3 done
Listening 1 of 3
Listen, then type what you hear. Replay as often as you need.
0:00
Read the transcript
She doesn't drink coffee before work in the morning.
The contraction doesn't links she to the base verb drink.
Listening 2 of 3
Listen, then type what you hear. Replay as often as you need.
0:00
Read the transcript
They don't live in this city anymore.
Use don't with they to form a simple negative statement.
Try a longer clip. Listen once, then replay the part you missed.
Listening 3 of 3
Listen, then type what you hear. Replay as often as you need.
0:00
Read the transcript
We didn't take the early train to the office this morning. It's always crowded, so we caught the bus and arrived on time.
Past events use didn't and simple past forms like caught.
Practice complete
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Save my progressTest
Test yourself
Listen to a new clip and write what you hear. You can replay it, but hints stay off and the transcript opens after you check your answer.
0 of 4 done
Listening 1 of 4
Listen, then type what you hear. Replay as often as you need.
Looking for tickets at the platform
0:00
Read the transcript
We can't find our train tickets anywhere today.
Can't means unable to here. It comes before the base form find.
Listening 2 of 4
Listen, then type what you hear. Replay as often as you need.
Describing how someone speaks
0:00
Read the transcript
He doesn't speak very loudly during meetings.
Loudly is an adverb (a how word). Very adds degree.
Listening 3 of 4
Listen, then type what you hear. Replay as often as you need.
Talking about a family member's new job
0:00
Read the transcript
My sister doesn't work at the local health clinic anymore. She's very happy at the main hospital because her new team is great.
Doesn't takes work in its base form. She's means she is before happy.
Listening 4 of 4
Listen, then type the missing words. The rest of the text is already there.
Grabbing a quick lunch near the workplace
0:00
Read the transcript
I didn't have much time for lunch at work today. I quickly walked to the small sandwich shop down the street. They don't make warm meals after two o'clock in the afternoon. Luckily, there was still one fresh chicken salad left on the shelf. It didn't cost very much, so I'm completely satisfied with my quick lunch.
Quickly describes walking. Luckily comments on the situation. Both are adverbs (words adding detail).
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Save my progressQuestions about "English grammar: choose a lesson and practice"
What is the usual word order in an English sentence?
A simple statement usually starts with its subject, followed by the verb. If that verb has an object, the object normally follows it. Place or time details often come later. Some statements need no object.
My colleague reads the report after lunch.
We booked a table near the window.
When do I use an adjective and when do I use an adverb?
An adjective describes a quality of a person or thing. A manner adverb says how an action happens. Many manner adverbs end in -ly, but well and fast do not. Be can link a person or thing to an adjective description.
The room is quiet.
Please speak quietly.
How do I choose between do and be in a question?
Check the verb in the statement. For present-simple questions with be, move am, is or are before the subject. Other main verbs, including like and know, use do or does with the base form. In a continuous form such as is working, move the existing be. Questions with who as the subject usually keep statement order.
Do you work from home on Fridays?
Are you busy this afternoon?
What is a helper verb?
A helper works with a main verb to make forms such as questions or negatives. It can also help show time or how an event unfolds. Do is the helper in the first example. Are helps form the continuous action in the second.
Does Omar enjoy cooking?
They are waiting outside.
How can I practice English grammar without memorizing every rule?
Choose one sentence you need and find its topic in the maps. Study an example, then write your own message using that pattern. Compare the two forms and check the part you changed. Work at a pace that suits you.
I usually take the bus after work.
Do they need any help today?