Start with short recordings, then work through longer phrases. Listen once for the situation and again for the words.
Use the present continuous, am, is, or are plus a verb ending in -ing, for something in progress now or around now. Use the present perfect, have or has plus a past participle, for a past action with a present result, experience, or unfinished time period.
Use have or has been plus an -ing verb when an activity began earlier and continues now, or when a recent activity explains a result you can notice now.
Choose the present perfect for a past experience, a recent result, a change, or a situation in an unfinished time period when it connects to now. Use have with I, you, we, and they; use has with he, she, it, and singular nouns. Add the past participle after have or has.
Use have or has plus a past participle when a past event is relevant now, or when the time period continues to now. For example, I have lost my keys means I do not have them now.
Use have or has plus a past participle when the past action matters now and you do not name a finished past time.
A principle is a rule or belief, as in a matter of principle. A principal is a leading person or thing, such as a school principal or the principal reason. In finance, principal is the original amount of money before interest.
First check the message and its purpose. Then check sentences, words, punctuation, and layout one at a time. Read slowly, because your eyes often see the sentence you meant to write instead of the sentence on the page.
Use pull someone's leg when you are playfully trying to make someone believe something that is not true: 'Are you pulling my leg?' It describes a harmless joke, not a physical action. Say you were joking when you need to make the meaning clear.
Use to or in order to before a base verb when the subject stays the same. Use so that before a clause with a subject and verb, especially when you need can, could, will, or would.
A useful English teacher makes the lesson goal clear, gives you chances to use English, notices specific points to improve, and helps you decide what to practise next. Choose a teacher whose class fits your goal and gives you enough active practice.
Match the quantifier to the noun first. Use countable-noun forms with separate items, uncountable-noun forms with substances and ideas, and shared forms such as some, any, enough, and all when their meaning fits the sentence.
Use many, few, and a few with countable plural nouns. Use much, little, and a little with uncountable nouns. Use enough with both when the amount meets a need.