Of and off: spelling, sound, and meaning
Use of to show a relationship, amount, material, or part. Use off for separation, removal, or movement away from something.
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On the grapevine: meaning and use in English
Use on the grapevine after hear or heard when you learned something through informal talk: 'I heard on the grapevine that Maya is moving.' It tells the listener that the news did not come from an official source. Check the person or organization involved before you act on important news.
One and ones: avoid repeating a noun
Use one to replace a singular countable noun and ones to replace a plural countable noun. Use them when the listener knows what noun you mean: the red one, the red ones.
One, another, other, and others
Use one for a singular noun already understood, another for one more or a different singular item, other before a noun, and others without a noun. First decide whether the noun is singular, plural, or omitted.
Online English tutoring: prepare questions and use feedback well
Before an online English lesson, choose one goal, bring short examples of language you want to use, and write two or three questions. During the session, ask the tutor to show the correction in a full sentence. Afterwards, practise the same point with a small task.
Opinion paragraphs: state and support a view
State your view in one clear sentence, then support it with a reason and a relevant example or explanation. End by returning to the same view.
Order of adjectives: describe nouns naturally in English
Before a noun, put a general opinion first, then details such as size, age, shape, colour, origin, material, and purpose. For example, say a lovely small old French table, not a French old small lovely table.
Ought to and must: understand the difference
Use ought to for advice and likely expectations. Use must for a strong obligation, an essential need, or a conclusion that seems certain.
Passive voice: basic form and purpose
For a basic passive sentence, choose the tense of be and add the past participle: The meal is prepared in the kitchen. The meal was prepared yesterday. Put the agent after by only when it adds useful information.
Past continuous: uses, form, and examples
Use was or were plus an -ing verb for an action that was in progress in the past. It can show what was happening at a particular time, provide background for another event, or link two actions that continued at the same time.
Past perfect tense: show which past action happened first
Use the past perfect for the earlier of two past actions: had + past participle. Put the later action in the simple past. For example, By the time we reached the station, the train had left.
Past perfect: form, meaning, and examples
Use had plus a past participle for the earlier of two past actions or for something complete before a past time. Use the simple past for the later event when that is the clearest choice.