THE ENGLISH LEARNING LIBRARY
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YOUR GRAMMAR LIBRARY
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The rule
Learning materials often group verb phrases into 12 tense-and-aspect patterns. Compare the time of the event with its aspect: simple, continuous, perfect or perfect continuous. English expresses future time in several ways, including will and be going to.
I eat dinner at eight. — present simple
The rule
In the usual passive pattern, the receiver of an action becomes the subject. Use the appropriate form of be + past participle: the meal was cooked. Add a by-phrase if the doer matters. Some verbs do not normally form a passive.
They built the house. → The house was built.
The rule
Reported speech tells someone what was said without quoting the exact words. Adjust pronouns and time references to the new situation. A past reporting verb often leads to backshift, but an unchanged tense can be appropriate when the information is still true or relevant.
Direct: “I am tired.” Backshifted report: She said she was tired.
The rule
A conditional links a condition with a result. Common patterns describe general facts (zero), real future possibilities (first), imagined present or future situations (second), and unreal past situations (third). Mixed conditionals connect different times.
If it rains, we will stay home. — real future possibility
The rule
Core modal verbs such as can, may, might, should and must come before a base verb: she can swim. They express meanings such as ability, permission, possibility, advice and obligation. Related expressions have different patterns: ought to go and need to go.
Can I use your phone? — permission
The rule
Match the verb to the subject, not to a nearby noun: the list of items is ready. Everyone and each normally take singular verbs. Collective nouns such as team can take singular or plural agreement depending on meaning and variety of English.
The list of items is on the desk.
The rule
For standard yes/no questions, put be, an auxiliary or a modal before the subject. Use do/does/did with ordinary present/past simple verbs. WH- questions ask for details; subject questions have a different pattern. Usual confirmation tags reverse positive/negative polarity.
Yes/no: Does the class start at six? WH-: When does the class start? Subject: Who called Arun? Tag: The class starts at six, doesn’t it? Indirect: Can you tell me where the class starts?
The rule
Choose the second verb form from the whole pattern: enjoy reading, refuse to answer, consider moving and can explain. Some verbs allow more than one form; stop, remember and try can change meaning with -ing or a to-infinitive.
Refuse + to-infinitive: Mira refused to sign the form. Consider + -ing: We are considering changing the timetable. After a preposition: He left without asking. Prepositional to: I look forward to meeting you. Bare infinitive: She can explain the instructions. Active and passive make: They made us wait. We were made to wait.
The rule
Multi-word verbs combine a verb with a particle or preposition. Learn the meaning and the pattern together: turn off the light / turn the light off, but look after the baby. With a pronoun, a separable verb needs turn it off, not turn off it.
Please turn off the light. / Please turn it off.
The rule
A typical finite clause has a subject and a tensed verb phrase. An independent clause can form a complete sentence; a subordinate clause is linked to another clause. Relative, noun and adverbial labels describe different jobs that subordinate clauses can do.
Independent clause: The bus arrived. Dependent adverbial clause: because the bus was late — We waited because the bus was late. Relative clause: who sits near the window — The student who sits near the window is absent. Subject (noun) clause: What you said — What you said surprised me. Non-finite clause: Waiting outside — Waiting outside, Anita checked her messages.
PUT IT INTO PRACTICE
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