Spoken English: phrases to use when you get stuck
When you get stuck, use a short, clear phrase. Ask the other person to repeat or explain, then say what you want to say.
Find your next lesson
Search for a phrase or choose a level. The time filter describes the sample recording, not the whole lesson.
Sign in to save phrases and report a problem
Subject pronouns: I, you, he, she, it, we, and they
Use I, you, he, she, it, we, or they before a verb for the person or thing doing the action. Choose the form that matches one person, a group, or a thing.
Subject, verb, and object: build simple English sentences
Find the subject and verb first. Put the subject before the verb in most simple statements. After an action verb, add a direct object only when the action happens to a person or thing.
Subjects, verbs, and objects: build clear English sentences
Find the verb first. Then ask who or what performs that action or is in that state. That word or group of words is the subject. If the action happens to someone or something, ask what or whom after the verb to find the direct object.
Superlative adjectives: describe the highest degree
Use the + adjective ending in -est for many short adjectives, or the most + adjective for many longer adjectives. Name the group when it helps: the tallest student in the class or the most useful app on my phone.
Synonyms and antonyms: what is the difference?
Synonyms have the same or a similar meaning, while antonyms have opposite meanings. Choose by reading the whole sentence: happy and glad can often replace each other, but happy and sad create a contrast.
Telling the time in English: hours, minutes, and everyday phrases
Say o'clock for an exact hour. Use past for minutes after the hour and to for minutes before the next hour. You can also read a digital time directly, especially for schedules: ‘The train leaves at seven forty-five.’
Telling the time in English: past, to, and digital times
Use o'clock for an exact hour. Use past for minutes after an hour and to for minutes before the next hour. Quarter means 15 minutes, and half past means 30 minutes after the named hour. You can also say the hour and minutes directly, such as eight twenty.
The: when to use the definite article
Use the for a known or specific noun. The listener can identify it from earlier information, the shared situation, or a description that names which one.
Then or than: time, sequence, or comparison?
Use then for time and order, but use than to compare two things. For example, you cook first and then eat.
There is and there are: introduce people and things
Use there is with a singular or uncountable noun. Use there are with a plural noun. Put the place after the noun when you want to say where the person or thing is.
There, their, and they're: understand the difference
There refers to a place or introduces something. Their shows that something belongs to people. They're means they are.