Hello, English learners! 😊
If you’re at the B1 (intermediate) or B2 (high-intermediate) level, this is the perfect place to practice your grammar. Here you can find easy-to-follow lessons to help you understand English grammar better.
These topics will help you understand English better and use it more confidently. Plus, they’re especially useful if you’re preparing for the Cambridge PET test. We’ll go over each one step by step, so you can follow along easily.
Pick a grammar topic and start improving your skills today. Good luck!
Introduction to Noun Phrases
A noun phrase is a group of words that work together to function as a noun in a sentence. It typically includes a noun or pronoun and any modifiers or determiners that describe or clarify the noun. Noun phrases are important in the English language because they allow us to express complex ideas and add…
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Modifying comparatives
First, let’s review what comparatives are. Comparatives are used to compare two things and show the difference between them. For example: The blue car is faster than the red car. Now, let’s talk about how to modify comparatives. Modifying comparatives means adding words that change or emphasize the comparison being made. Here are some common…
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Relative Clauses
Relative clauses can be essential (defining) or nonessential (non-defining) to the meaning of a sentence. Essential relative clauses (defining relative clauses) provide information that is necessary to the meaning of the sentence. Nonessential relative clauses (Non-defining relative clauses) provide additional information that is not necessary to the meaning of the sentence. Here are some examples…
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Simple Present vs. Present Continuous
Present simple: The simple present tense is used to describe actions that are habitual or routine, as well as facts that are always true. We use the simple present tense to talk about things that happen regularly, frequently or all the time. Habits and routines Facts Stative verbs Stative verbs are a specific type of…
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Present habits
In English, there are many ways to talk about actions that happen in the present. From habits to routines, we use different words and phrases to describe how often or how regularly something occurs. Here there is a list of different expressions to say how often things happen. Phrase Definition Example Tend to do something(tend…
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Past habits
There are several ways to talk about past habits in English: Tense Use Example Simple past Talk about a single action that happened in the past. I went to the park yesterday.She played tennis last week. Adverb of frequency + simple past Talk about a past habit or state that is no longer true. It…
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Have you ever…?
We use the present perfect (Have you ever + past participle) to ask about life experiences. We can answer these questions using a range of structures. Grammar Practice Unjumble the questions. Write the correct sentences in your notebook. Speaking Practice Take turns asking questions starting with “Have you ever …?” Answer each question using any…
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Present Perfect vs. Present Perfect Continuous
We use the present perfect: We use the present perfect continuous: Grammar Practice Level of difficulty: Speaking Practice Level of difficulty: Student A -> Complete the question Student B -> Answer the question Flip the tile to check if your dialogue was correct Repeat the dialogue and ask follow-up questions to get more details Level…
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Obligation and permission
Modal verbs are important for expressing obligation and permission in English. Here is a summary of some common modal verbs and phrases that are used to express obligation and permission: Modal Verb/Phrase Meaning Example Grammar Pattern needn’t no obligation You needn’t come to the party if you don’t want to. need not + base verb…
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Past Simple vs. Past Continuous
The simple past and past continuous are both verb tenses used to describe actions or events that occurred in the past. Here’s a table that explains the differences between the two tenses and provides examples of each: Verb Tense Grammar Pattern Explanation Examples Simple Past [Base Form + -ed / Irregular Verb Past Form] Used…
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Past Perfect Simple
The past perfect simple is used to describe an action that was completed before another action in the past. Grammar Pattern Meaning Examples Subject + had + past participle (3rd form) Expresses an action completed before another action or time in the past. I had already eaten when he arrived. She had studied English before…
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Reported Speech
Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, is used to report what someone else said. It’s different from direct speech, which is when we repeat the exact words that someone else said. In reported speech, we need to change the tense and pronouns to match the new speaker and the time of reporting. Here’s a…
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Future Forms
For High-Intermediate English learners There are different ways of talking about the future in English. While one structure may be preferred for certain meanings, in many cases more than one structure can be used with little or no change of meaning. Future Form Grammar Pattern Meaning Explanation Examples be going to subject + be +…
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Present Perfect and Adverbs
Present Perfect Review The present perfect tense is a verb form used to connect past actions or events to the present. It indicates that something started in the past and has a relevance or connection to the present moment. In other words, it emphasizes the relationship between past actions and their impact on the current…
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Comment Adverbs
Adverbs are a type of word that provide more information about verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs in a sentence. They describe how an action is done, when it happens, where it takes place, or to what extent. This lesson will focus on a specific group of adverbs called “comment adverbs.” These adverbs express the speaker’s…
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Passive Voice
The passive voice is a grammatical construction used in English to emphasize the object of an action rather than the subject. In a passive sentence, the subject is being acted upon or is receiving the action, while the doer of the action is often placed in a prepositional phrase or omitted altogether. Points Explanation Formation…
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Have/Get Something Done
“Have/get something done” is a useful English construction that we use when we want to talk about arranging for someone else to do something for us. It’s a way to emphasize that we didn’t do the action ourselves, but rather someone else did it for us. This English pattern is called the passive causative. Usage…
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Future Probability
When you ask for opinions about future probability, you usually use will + base form or be going to + base form. However, there are other alternatives that are also common in spoken English. We use some expressions to talk about how sure we are about something in the future.Some expressions show high certainty, and…
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Gerunds and Infinitives
Gerund (+) verbing (-) not verbing We use the gerund (verb + ing) 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…
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Gerunds and Infinitives: Change of meanings
There are some verbs that change their meaning if they are followed by a gerund or an infinitive. The best way to learn them is by organizing them in a chart to visualize the differences. Grammar Practice Complete the sentences using the correct form of the verb. You can use the Random Spinner, so the…
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Verbs Followed by a Clause
A lot of verbs are often followed by a clause. Especially verbs connected to speech and thought. But what is a clause? Here you have a list of verbs related to speech and thought 👇 Speaking Practice Example: Student A: “I think it will rain tomorrow.” Student B: “Why do you think that?” Student A:…
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Indirect Questions
We use indirect questions when we want to ask a question in a more polite way. Let’s compare direct questions and indirect questions: Learn more about Direct questions Subject questions Grammar Practice Level of difficulty: Speaking Practice Level of difficulty: Change the direct question into an indirect one Discuss the question with your group. Give…
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Compound Nouns
What is a noun? A noun is a person, a thing, a place or an idea. Let’s Review In English, you can modify or add more information to nouns in different ways: Let’s practice Match up Match up
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First Conditional
We use the first conditional to talk about something that will probably happen in the future. You can use any present form in the if – clause ( simple present, present continuous or present perfect) and any future form ( will going to, future perfect, future continuous) or an imperative or a modal verb (might,…
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Conditionals and Future Time Clauses
We use the zero conditional to talk about something that is always true or always happens as a result of something else. You can use the simple present, present continuous or present perfect in either clause. We use the first conditional to talk about something that will probably happen in the future. You can use…
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How to express wishes
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. Differences between I would like and I wish Grammar Practice Level of difficulty: Wishes about present situations Put…
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I would like vs. I wish
The difference between “I would like” and “I wish” + simple past can be confusing for English language learners. Both expressions express a desire, but they are used in different ways. “I would like” is used to express a future hope or request, while “I wish” + simple past is used to express a desire…
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Difference between if I was and if I were
I was We use “I was” or “If I was” when we talk about real things that actually happened in the past. The conjugation for the verb be in the past form is I was You were He/ She/ It was We were They were Simple past verb be Examples: When I was 10 years…
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Second Conditional
We use the second conditional to talk about hypothetical or imaginary situations in the present or future. In the if-clause we use simple past or past continuous. In the other clause (consequence/result), we can use would, could or might. For the verb be we usually start our sentence with If + subject + were For…
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Difference between ‘Would’ and ‘Could’ in the Second Conditional
The English language can be sometimes confusing. One specific topic that may be confusing is knowing the difference between “would” and “could” in the second conditional. In this mini-lesson, I will explain what these words mean and how they are used so that you can feel more confident when using them. What is the Second…
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Past Modals of Speculation & Deduction 🕵️
💡 The modals of speculation and deduction “must have,” “may have,” “might have,” “could have,” and “couldn’t have” are used to express different degrees of possibility or probability about something that happened in the past. Here are some explanations of each modal and how they are used: Modal Grammar Pattern Explanation Example Must have Subject…
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Third Conditional
We use third conditional sentences to talk about unreal (imaginary or hypothetical) past situations and their consequences. We use the past perfect or the past perfect continuous in the if- clause (condition) We use would have + past participle or could have + past participle or might have + past participle in the other clause…
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Difference between “Would have” and “Could have” – Third Conditional
The third conditional is a complex grammar structure used in English to talk about hypothetical or imaginary situations that could have happened in the past. Grammar pattern: if + past perfect, would/could + have + past participle Understanding the differences between “would have” and “could have” in the third conditional can be very challenging for…
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Should have
Board Game Level of difficulty: ⭐ 🎲 Instructions: Speaking Practice Level of difficulty: ⭐⭐
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Past 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. For example, if someone says “I should have gone to bed earlier last night,” it means that they did not go to bed…
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Would rather
Rather is an adverb that we can use to express a specific preference. It goes after the modal verb would and before a verb in the base form. We use would rather with the base form as an alternative to would prefer. Remember that would prefer is followed by a verb in the infinitive form.…
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So, neither + auxiliary/modal verbs
In English there are different ways of saying that you have something in common with somebody. We use me too to tell someone that you are in a similar situation. We use it to respond to positive statements. We use me neither to tell someone that you are also in a similar situation. We use…
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Sense verbs
A sense verb or a verb of sense is a verb that describes one of the five senses: sight, smell, taste, feel, and hearing. There are three different patterns that we can use to describe how people and things look, smell, taste, feel or sound. In the table below you can find the grammar patterns…
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Conditionals
Understanding conditionals is crucial for expressing ideas about possibilities, hypothetical situations, and real-life scenarios. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to deepen your knowledge, this table will help you compare zero, first, second, and third conditionals. Get ready to enhance your language skills and gain confidence in using English conditionals effectively! Conditional Type Structure…
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Double comparatives
In English, we can use double comparatives to express cause and effect, or increasing or decreasing returns in parallel structures. There are three basic patterns to use double comparatives with nouns, actions, and adjectives/adverbs. Fun activities and playing games are great ways to improve your fluency. Here you can find 3 different activities to review…
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Clauses of Contrast
Although, though, even though, in spite of, and despite are words that help us connect contrasting ideas clearly and fluently. We use them to introduce a clause in a sentence which is in contrast to another clause in the same sentence. You already know how to use basic connectors such as so and but. In…
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Clauses of Purpose
To, in order to , as to, for, and so that are words that help us talk about purposes or goals clearly and fluently. Time to practice The best way to improve your English is by practicing. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Remember that practice makes progress.
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Tag questions
Tag questions are indirect questions that we often use to check something that we think is true. A question tag has two parts: Example: Tag question: Your name is Mike, isn’t it? Direct question: Is your name Mike? A question tag is a short question we add at the end of a sentence to check…
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Articles (Part 1)
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…
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Articles (part 2)
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…
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Practice time