Learn one useful grammar pattern at a time. Read the explanation, study the examples, and try the mini practice.
Choose the tense that matches the time and meaning: present simple, present continuous, past simple or future.
They ___ football every Saturday.
Use was/were + verb-ing for an action in progress in the past.
What ___ you doing at eight?
Use have/has + past participle for life experiences when no finished time is given.
Have you ever ___ a mountain?
Use present perfect for an unfinished time or experience and past simple with a finished past time.
I ___ him yesterday.
Use for with a period of time and since with the starting point.
We have known each other ___ 2019.
Use If + present simple, will + base verb for real or possible future situations.
If I finish early, I ___ call you.
Use If + past simple, would + base verb for imaginary or unlikely situations.
If she had a car, she ___ drive to school.
Use am/is/are + past participle for present facts and was/were + past participle for past events.
The museum ___ built in 2010.
Use reporting verbs such as said and told to report what someone said. Tenses often move back in time.
Lan said that she ___ busy.
Use who for people and which/that for things to add information about a noun.
The teacher ___ teaches us is kind.
Some verbs are followed by -ing and others by to + verb. Learn common patterns.
She wants ___ English abroad.
Use too + adjective and adjective + enough to describe limits.
The box is too heavy ___ carry.
Use short tags at the end of statements to check information or invite agreement.
She is your sister, ___?
A phrasal verb combines a verb with one or more particles and often has a special meaning.
Please ___ the light.
Use linking words to show contrast and result clearly in speaking and writing.
It was raining. ___, we went for a walk.
Build accurate sentences and check word order, tense, subject-verb agreement and punctuation.
usually / she / breakfast / has / at 7