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Grammar

Using Parallel Verbs

Average: 4 (81 votes)

In English we can use more than one verb to describe what's happening.

This sentence shows three things Donna (the subject of the sentence) did yesterday.

Yesterday Donna watched a movie, cleaned her apartment and was making lunch.

When two or more verbs have the same subject the verbs must be parallel. Parallel verbs mean the verbs used in a sentence should all be the same tense.

Read the sentence about Donna again. Is it grammatically correct? If not, why not?

Indicative, imperative, subjunctive and infinitive verb moods

Average: 3.7 (84 votes)

Indicative, imperative, subjunctiveand infinitive are the four moods of English verbs. All manners and moods are expressed through these four verbs.

While verb tenses (present, past and future) are used to talk about time, the four mood verbs show states, attitudes and reality.

Indicative Mood

We use the indicative mood to express:

Assertion - Heathrow is the world's busiest airport.

Denial - Oliver cannot speak English.

The Gerund

Average: 4 (86 votes)

Gerunds are nouns made from verbs by adding -ing.

We enjoyed learning about London's history

The dogs kept barking at night.

I started walking to work.

The gerund can be a subject

Running has been life since she was teenager.

Smoking is a terrible habit.

Gerund with prepositions

He is good at swimming

Gerund with phrasal verbs and to

We ended up watching a movie.

Oscar Winners

Average: 3.7 (42 votes)

The Academy Awards or The Oscars were held last night in Los Angeles. The ceremony, now in its 87th year, celebrates the best in cinema over the last twelve months.

What's the best film you have seen recently? Recommend a good movie and why we should watch it. Leave your suggestions in the comments below.

Here are some sentences describing some of last night's events, but don't have to be a film buff (expert) to take this quiz. Read through the sentences and choose the correct missing word.

Uses of prepositions

Average: 3.8 (88 votes)

Prepositions show the relationship between nouns or pronouns.

They are used in a variety of situations, here are five circumstances:

Prepositions of place examples

My text book is on the desk.

Did you learn English in London?

Prepositions of time examples

We go camping in summer.

I'll call you on Friday.

Prepositions of direction examples

We not allowed into the kitchen.

What are conjunctions?

Average: 3.9 (28 votes)

Conjunctions are words that connect/join parts of a sentence. Today we look at five: and, or, so, because and but.

And

And is used to join words especially nouns and groups of words:

I have a brother and sister.

And is also used to describe actions that occur at the same time or after each other:

We watched a movie and ate popcorn.

She stopped walking and talked to me.

Nouns and their verb forms

Average: 3.6 (200 votes)

Today we look at some nouns, how they change into verbs and examples of use. English learners often confuse the noun form for the verb form when speaking, let's see if we can fix that problem for these words!

advice and advise

Advice (noun): My grandmother gave me some good advice.
Advise (verb): I advise you to travel abroad while you can.

Be and Have verbs

Average: 3.8 (56 votes)

As a main verb “to have” implies the meaning of possession.

What's the difference between is and has in this sentence:

Sophia is an English teacher, she has brown eyes.

Be verb

Is is used to say something about a person, thing, or state, to show a permanent or temporary quality, state, job, etc:

n/a

Subject Pronouns and Possessive Adjectives

Average: 3.5 (41 votes)

Subject Pronouns

Subject pronouns are used when the pronoun is the subject of the sentence.

Singular Subject Pronouns
I - I bought a new bike.
You - You told me you would be busy.
He - James is intelligent and he is funny.
She - She wears a uniform to school.
It - The dog is big but it is friendly.