THE ENGLISH LEARNING LIBRARY
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YOUR GRAMMAR LIBRARY
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The rule
Find the head of the subject before choosing the verb. The price of the tickets is high; each of us has a role. The number of students is singular, while a number of students usually takes a plural verb. Collective-noun agreement depends on meaning and variety of English.
The price of the tickets is high.
The rule
Sentence forms serve different purposes: declaratives usually state something, interrogatives ask questions, imperatives give commands or requests, and exclamatives express an exclamation. Purpose and form can overlap: “Could you help?” is a question used as a request.
I enjoy long walks. — statement
The rule
Pronouns can refer to people or things without repeating a noun phrase: Maya arrived; she sat down. Choose the right role and form: I/me, she/her, mine and herself. My and your come before nouns as possessive determiners; mine and yours stand alone.
Maya arrived. She sat down.
The rule
Adjectives describe nouns or pronouns: a red bag; the bag is heavy. Several adjectives usually follow a conventional order. Use a comparative to compare two things (heavier) and a superlative for an extreme within a group (the heaviest).
She has a red dress.
The rule
Adverbs can modify a verb, an adjective, another adverb or a whole clause. They can tell us how, when, where, how often or to what degree. Many end in -ly, but fast and well are also adverbs; friendly is normally an adjective.
He speaks fluently. — manner
The rule
Prepositions link a noun phrase to another part of a sentence. They can express place (under the table), time (on Monday) or direction (towards the door). Learn the whole phrase, because more than one preposition may be grammatical with a different meaning.
The cat is resting on the sofa cushion.
The rule
Conjunctions connect words, phrases or clauses. And, but and or coordinate; because and although introduce subordinate clauses; either…or and both…and work in pairs. Choose the connector that expresses the relationship you mean.
I like tea and coffee.
PUT IT INTO PRACTICE
Use what you have learned in a short daily activity or a language game.
