Tag: English grammar

Reporting Verbs

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Reporting verbs are verbs which are used to tell someone what another person said. They are used in reported speech.

Say and tell are the most common reporting verbs. However, there are other reporting verbs that we can use instead of say and tell to communicate our ideas more clearly.

Example:

He said that he would drive me to the airport (this sentence is correct but long)

We can say instead:

He offered to drive me to the airport (this sentence is shorter and absolutely clear)

Common reporting verbs patterns

NOTES:

recommend and suggest are special verbs that can be followed by a “that clause” when we want or need to mention who is the recommendation/ suggestion for.

recommend/ suggest + that + someone + base form

Example:

I suggested watching a horror movie. (suggest + gerund)

If you want to be more specific and want to add information about who is the recommendation for, you can use a “that clause” (noun clause)

I suggested that my friends watch a horror movie.

My friends suggested that I study for the English test tonight.

My teacher recommended that Maria practice speaking with me.

Practice time

Level of difficulty: ⭐

 Speaking Practice

Level of difficulty: ⭐⭐

Student A:

  1. Choose one box
  2. Read the sentence out loud.
  3. Tell your partner the hint.

Student B:

  1. Close your eyes
  2. Listen to your partner
  3. Complete the following sentence: My friend __________________

Example:

Student A: If you stay in a hostel it will be cheaper (Hint: explain)

Student B: My friend explained to me that staying in a hostel would be cheaper.

Past Modal Verbs

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Modal verbs or modals are special words that give extra meaning to verbs. They go before the main verb.

Examples of modal verbs: can, will, should, must, may, might, have to, used to, etc.

Some past modals are used to express certainty, possibility/ impossibility and advisability, in the past.

Modals of Speculation and deduction

If you are still confused, you can find an easy explanation in your first language 🇪🇸 🇵🇹 🇨🇳 🇷🇺 🇺🇦 🇹🇷 🇯🇵 👇

Past Modals of Speculation & Deduction

Modal of advisability

The past modal of advisability is “should have” and it is used to talk about past actions or events that didn’t happen, but would have been a good idea if they had.

If you are still confused, you can find an easy explanation in your first language 🇪🇸 🇵🇹 🇨🇳 🇷🇺 🇺🇦 🇹🇷 🇯🇵 👇

Past Modal of Advisability

Grammar Practice

Do you want to try a more challenging activity? Check this out! 👇

Speaking practice

  1. Open a box
  2. What could have happened? (speculating)
  3. If possible give some advice

Example:

used to/ get used to/ be used to

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1 Used to

We use used to/ didn’t use to + base form to talk about past habits or repeated actions or situations that have changed.

  • Attention!!!!! used to DOES NOT exist in the simple present (I use to study at night XXXXX). For present habits, we use usually + simple present (I usually study at night)
  • For action verbs, we can replace used to with the word would.

Example:

When I was a child I used to play video games every day = When I was a child I would play video games every day.

If you are still confused, you can find an easy explanation in your first language 🇪🇸 🇵🇹 🇨🇳 🇷🇺 🇺🇦 🇹🇷 🇯🇵👇

Used to

2 Get used to

We use get used to + gerund to talk about a new situation that is becoming familiar or less strange.

Example: I’m getting used to studying after work. It’s not easy because after work I’m very tired.

If you are still confused, you can find an easy explanation in your first language 🇪🇸 🇵🇹 🇨🇳 🇷🇺 🇺🇦 🇹🇷 🇯🇵👇

Get used to

3 Be used to

We use be used to + gerund to talk about a situation that is NOT new because it is familiar or less strange.

Example: I’m used to studying after work. I’ve been doing it for almost one year.

If you are still confused, you can find an easy explanation in your first language 🇪🇸 🇵🇹 🇨🇳 🇷🇺 🇺🇦 🇹🇷 🇯🇵👇

Be used to

Grammar Practice

Level of difficulty: ⭐

Put the words in the correct order.

Level of difficulty: ⭐⭐

Choose the correct answer.

 Speaking Practice

✍️ Writing Practice

Pick a card. Write a comment (reply) below 👇 with your opinion.

How to express wishes

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This mini lesson includes a review of verb wish.

Verb wish is used to express our desire for something different from how it is now. Wish expresses a desire that is impossible or almost impossible to happen.

In this mini lesson you'll learn how to express desires in English

Differences between I would like and I wish

I would like vs. I wish

 Grammar Practice

Level of difficulty: ⭐

Wishes about present situations

Put the words in the correct order

 Speaking Practice

  1. Get into pairs or small groups.
  2. Take turns being the speaker and the listener.
  3. Choose a topic card.

You are going to make wishes about things that are or will be impossible.

You will need to use the I wish + simple past/ would to explain the things that you wanted to be real but you know they are not real

Give examples and reasons

Another speaking game

Level of difficulty: ⭐⭐

Wishes about past situations

Student A:

  1. Choose one box
  2. Read the sentence out loud

Student B:

  1. Close your eyes
  2. Listen to your partner
  3. Make a wish (I wish + past perfect)

Student C:

Write the sentence on a piece of paper

Switch roles <>

QUIZ

The Position of Adverbs

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Adverbs are words that describe an action (e.g. She speaks slowly) or modify adjectives (e.g. This car is incredibly expensive) or other adverbs (e.g. He works very hard). They can be one word (e.g. often) or a phrase (every now and then).

Common types of adverbs:

  1. Adverbs of manner describe how somebody does something.
  • They usually go after the verb or verb phrase
  • With passive verbs they usually go in mid-position
  • Examples: beautifully, slowly, happily, thoroughly, fast, quickly, cheaply, etc.

2. Adverbs of frequency tell us how often an action is performed.

  • They go before the main verb but after verb be
  • If there are two auxiliary verbs, the adverb goes after the first one
  • Some adverbs can be put at the beginning of the phrase or sentence for emphasis (sometimes, usually, and normally)
  • Examples: always, never, usually, sometimes, usually, normally, etc.

3. Adverbs of time and place tell us when and where an action is performed

  • Time adverbs usually go at the end of a sentence or clause
  • Place adverbs usually go before time adverbs
  • Examples: in the morning, at night, at the airport, in half an hour, here, there, etc.

4. Adverbs of degree describe how much something is done, or modify the adjective

  • Some adverbs of degree are used with adjectives and adverbs and they go before them (e.g. extremely, incredibly, very, a little, a little bit, etc.)
  • Some adverbs are often used with verbs and go before the verb or the verb phrase (e.g. a lot and much)

5. Comment adverbs give the speaker’s opinion about a particular topic.

  • They usually go at the beginning of a sentence or clause
  • Examples: luckily, basically, clearly, obviously, apparently, eventually, etc.

More examples:

Watch the following videos to find more examples and exercises

Grammar Practice

Level of difficulty: ⭐

Level of difficulty: ⭐⭐

 Speaking Practice

Level of difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐

  • Choose a type adverb of frequency
  • Flip the tile
  • Discuss the question with your classmates

Articles (part 2)

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In a previous post we discussed the basic differences between the indefinite articles (a/an) and the definite article (the).

As you can see in the Introduction to articles some of the patterns for the usage of articles in English are easy to remember. However, the use of articles in English is very complex.

Using articles in English can be very challenging for speakers of other languages because:

  • In some languages speakers use articles before almost every noun
  • In some languages speakers never use articles before nouns.

In this post you can find more specific rules and exceptions of article usage in English.

Using articles in English
Using articles in English

Practice Time

Articles (Part 1)

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Articles are tiny words that go before nouns. There are 3 common articles in English: a, an and the.

A and an are indefinite articles. It means that we use them to talk about things in general = one of many.

The is a definite article. It means that we use it to talk about specific things = only one.

Basic rules:

  1. We use a/ an to mention a noun for the first time or say who or what somebody or something is.
  2. We use a/an when the reader/ listener has not seen the person, animal or thing we are talking about.
  3. We use the when it’s clear who or what somebody or something is.
  4. We use the to talk about things or places that are unique.
  5. Don’t use an article to speak in general with plural and uncountable nouns.
  6. We don’t use an article in some phrases like at home, at work, go home, go to work, go to bed, next …, last …, etc.

Watch the following video for more examples

Gerunds and Infinitives

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Gerund

(+) verbing

(-) not verbing

We use the gerund (verb + ing)

  1. After prepositions and phrasal verbs
  2. As the subject of the sentence
  3. After some verbs:

admit, avoid, deny, dislike, enjoy, feel like, finish, hate, keep, like, love, mind, miss, practice, prefer, recommend, spend time/money, stop, suggest, give up, go on, etc.

The infinitive (to + base form)

(+) to + verb

(-) not to + verb

We use the infinitive

  1. After adjectives
  2. To express a reason or purpose
  3. after some verbs:

(can’t) afford, agree, decide, expect, forget, help, hope, learn, need, offer, plan, pretend, promise, refuse, remember, seem, try, want, would like, etc.

More verbs take the infinitive than the gerund.

The base form

We use the base form

  1. after most modal verbs and auxiliary verbs
  2. After make and let

Watch the following video for examples

Gerunds and Infinitives: Change of meanings

 Grammar Review

Level of difficulty: ⭐

 Grammar Practice

Complete the sentences using the correct form of the verb

Flip the tile to check your answer.

Quiz

 Speaking Practice

Level of difficulty: ⭐⭐

Ask and answer the following questions

Useful Phrases for New Year’s Resolutions

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A New Year, new opportunities to improve your English! It’s time to start thinking about New Year resolutions.

A resolution is a firm decision to do or not to do something in the future. In English there are different ways to talk about our resolutions depending on how determined we are to accomplish them.

There are different websites with useful information about how to make and keep New Year’s resolutions. However, here I’m going to talk about the grammar behind talking about our resolutions in English.

In the table below you can find some useful sentence starters that you can use to talk about your New Year’s resolutions.

Sentence starterMeaningExample
(+) I’m going to + base form
(-) I’m not going to + base form		It’s a plan or
intention for the future		I’m going to practice English every day.
I’m not going to eat junk food.
(+) I‘m planning to + base formThings that you are almost definitely going to do.
Things that you have already scheduled or made some preparations for.		I’m planning to take English classes during the summer.
I hope to + base form
I‘d like to + base form		Things you want to do but you it’s not a definite planI hope to travel more.
I’d like to lose weight.
I might + base form
I may + base form
I‘m thinking about + gerund		Things you are considering, but you’re not sure if you will do it or not.I might travel to Brazil.
I may apply to grad school.
I’m thinking about changing careers.

Practice time

  1. Choose 1 item per column.
  2. Write the names of each item in order. For example: hamburger, wine, mountain, Whatsapp.
  3. Repeat step 2 two more times.
  4. Swipe left to find out your resolution.
  5. Use the sentence starters in the chart below and the words in the New Year’s resolution generator to make your sentences.

Examples:

I’m going to stop taking selfies after zumba.

I’m not going to stop taking selfies after zumba.

I hope to stop taking selfies after zumba.

I‘m thinking about stopping taking selfies after zumba.

Share your resolutions with us.

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