English Grammar

Absolute Beginner

• my and your Saying whose something is.
• Plural nouns with -s One thing and more than one.
• Questions with what and where The two question words that open a conversation.
• this and that Pointing at what is near and what is not.
• Verb be — he, she, and it Talking about a third person.
• Yes/no questions and short answers with be Are you…? Yes, I am. No, I'm not.

Beginner

• a and an Choosing a or an from the sound the next word starts with.
• Adjectives before nouns Where an adjective goes, and why it never takes a plural -s.
• Adverbs of frequency always, usually, sometimes, never, and where they sit in a sentence.
• can and can't Saying what you are and are not able to do.
• Imperatives Telling someone to do something, and telling them not to.
• like, love, and hate + verb + -ing Talking about what you enjoy doing.
• Object pronouns me, you, him, her, it, us, them after a verb or preposition.
• Past simple — irregular verbs get, go, have, do Four everyday verbs that do not take -ed.
• Past simple — regular and irregular together Telling a short story with both kinds of verb.
• Past simple — regular verbs The -ed ending, and did not for negatives.
• Past simple of be — was and were Talking about where people and things were.
• Possessive adjectives my, your, his, her, its, our, their before a noun.
• Possessive s Showing who something belongs to by adding 's to a name.
• Present continuous am, is, are plus -ing for what is happening right now.
• Present continuous or present simple? Choosing between what is happening now and what happens usually.
• Present simple — he, she, it The -s that only the third person takes, and doesn't for negatives.
• Present simple — I, you, we, they affirmative and negative Everyday statements, and making them negative with don't.
• Present simple — I, you, we, they questions Asking with do, and answering short.
• Question words with be — what, where, who, how old Putting a question word in front of a be question.
• Singular and plural nouns Adding -s and -es, and the common nouns that change shape instead.
• there's a and there are some Saying what exists in a place.
• this, that, these, those Pointing at things near you and further away, one and many.
• Verb be — he, she, it Is in affirmative statements about one other person or thing.
• Verb be — I and you Am and are in affirmative statements about yourself and the person you are talking to.
• Verb be — negatives and yes/no questions Making be negative with not, and turning it round to ask.
• Verb be — we, you, they Are in affirmative statements about more than one person.
• Word order in questions with be and present simple One pattern for both: question word, auxiliary, subject, verb.

Elementary

• Adjectives — position and modifiers Where an adjective goes, with very, really, and quite.
• Adverbs of manner and modifiers How something is done, and how much.
• Articles — a vs. an Choosing 'a' or 'an' before a noun based on its first sound.
• Articles — a/an vs. the Choosing between 'a/an' (first mention) and 'the' (something already known or unique).
• be going to — plans Talking about what you have decided to do.
• be going to — predictions Saying what you think will happen.
• Common irregular plural nouns Memorizing common irregular plural forms that do not follow the -s/-es rule.
• Countable and uncountable nouns Which nouns can be counted, and what that changes.
• Imperatives and let's Telling, warning, and suggesting.
• like + verb + -ing Talking about what you enjoy.
• Past simple — irregular verbs The common verbs that do not take -ed.
• Position of adverbs and expressions of frequency Where always, usually, and once a week sit.
• Possessive adjectives — my/your/his/her/our/their Matching possessive adjectives to their subject pronouns.
• Possessive s and Whose…? Marking who something belongs to, and asking.
• Prepositions of place — at, in, to Being somewhere against going somewhere.
• Prepositions of time — at, in, on Which preposition a clock time, a day, and a month take.
• Present perfect have plus the past participle for experience.
• Present perfect or past simple? Experience against a finished time.
• Present Simple — affirmative statements Forming affirmative present-simple sentences (I/you/we/they vs. he/she/it verb agreement).
• Present Simple — questions and negatives Forming present-simple questions and negatives with do/does.
• Quantifiers — how much, how many, a lot of Asking about and describing amounts.
• Question formation review Pulling every question pattern in the level together.
• Regular plural nouns (-s/-es) Forming plurals by adding -s or -es to regular nouns.
• some and any with plural nouns Which one a statement, a question, and a negative take.
• Subject pronouns I, you, he, she, it, we, they, and why English never drops them.
• The definite article — the or no the When a noun takes the and when it takes nothing.
• There is / there are — affirmative Using 'there is' with singular nouns and 'there are' with plural nouns.
• There is / there are — questions and negatives Forming questions and negatives with 'there is/are'.
• there was and there were Saying what existed in a place in the past.
• To Be — affirmative statements Using am/is/are correctly with I/you/he/she/it/we/they in statements.
• To Be — questions and negatives Forming yes/no questions and negatives with am/is/are.
• Verb + to + infinitive want to, need to, decide to, and the rest.
• Verb be — negatives and questions Making be negative, and inverting it to ask.
• Word order in questions Question word, auxiliary, subject, verb — one pattern.

Pre-Intermediate

• as … as for saying things are the same Using as + adjective + as, and not as … as, to compare two things equally.
• Auxiliary verbs in short answers Answering with the matching auxiliary instead of repeating the whole verb.
• be going to — plans and intentions Talking about decisions already made, with am, is, or are going to plus the infinitive.
• be going to — predictions from present evidence Predicting what will happen because of something you can already see.
• Choosing between present, past, and future verb forms Deciding which verb form a sentence needs from the time it refers to.
• Comparative adjectives Comparing two things with -er than and more … than, including the irregular forms.
• Comparative adverbs Comparing how people do things, with more slowly, better, worse, and faster.
• Connectors — because, so, but, and although Joining ideas to give reasons, results, and contrasts.
• Defining relative clauses with who, which, that, and where Adding essential information about a person, a thing, or a place.
• First conditional — if + present simple, will + infinitive Talking about the likely future result of a possible situation.
• Gerund after certain verbs and after prepositions Following enjoy, hate, don't mind, and any preposition with the -ing form.
• Gerund as the subject of a sentence Starting a sentence with the -ing form, as in Running is good for you.
• have to and don't have to — obligation and no obligation Saying what is necessary and what is not necessary.
• How long questions with the present perfect Asking about the duration of a situation that has not finished.
• Indefinite pronouns for people and places — someone, anywhere, nobody Extending the some, any, no, and every pattern to -one, -body, and -where.
• Indefinite pronouns for things — something, anything, nothing Choosing between some-, any-, no-, and every- combined with -thing.
• Infinitive of purpose — saying why you do something Giving a reason with to plus the verb instead of for plus a noun.
• Infinitive with to after verbs and adjectives Following want, need, and decide, and adjectives such as easy or important, with to plus the verb.
• might and might not for future possibility Saying that something is possible but not certain.
• must and mustn't — rules and prohibition Stating a rule and saying what is not allowed.
• Past continuous — setting the scene in the past Using was or were plus the -ing form to describe what was already happening.
• Past continuous or past simple? Using while and when to show a longer background action interrupted by a shorter one.
• Past perfect — the earlier of two past actions Using had plus the past participle to show which action happened first.
• Past simple — questions and negatives with did Forming past questions and negatives with did and didn't followed by the infinitive.
• Possessive pronouns — mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs Replacing a possessive adjective plus a noun with a single word.
• Present continuous for actions in progress Using am, is, or are plus the -ing form for what is happening now or around now.
• Present continuous for future arrangements Using the present continuous with a future time expression for arrangements already fixed.
• Present perfect or past simple? — experience then details Opening with an experience in the present perfect and switching to the past simple for the details.
• Present perfect or past simple? — unfinished and finished time Choosing the present perfect for time up to now and the past simple for a finished period.
• Present perfect with for and since Saying how long a situation that is still true has lasted.
• Present perfect with yet, just, and already Talking about very recent actions and about things still to do.
• Present simple or present continuous? Choosing between a repeated habit and an action in progress, including verbs rarely used in the continuous.
• Quantifiers — how much and how many Counting and measuring with countable and uncountable nouns.
• Questions ending with a preposition Leaving with, about, to, or for at the end of a question rather than moving it to the front.
• Questions without auxiliaries — who and what as the subject Dropping do, does, and did when the question word is the subject of the verb.
• Reported speech — reporting what someone said Shifting verb forms, pronouns, and time words when you report a statement.
• Second conditional — if + past simple, would + infinitive Talking about an imaginary or unlikely situation and its result.
• should and shouldn't for advice Giving advice and asking for it.
• so and neither with auxiliaries for agreeing Agreeing with someone using So do I and Neither do I.
• Spelling of the -ing form Dropping a final -e, doubling a final consonant, and changing -ie to -y when adding -ing.
• Superlative adjectives Marking the top or the bottom of a group with the -est and the most.
• Superlatives with ever and the present perfect Saying that something is the best or worst you have ever done.
• The passive with by and the agent Adding by plus the doer when it is worth mentioning.
• The past simple passive Using was or were plus the past participle for finished actions.
• The present simple passive Using am, is, or are plus the past participle when the action matters more than the doer.
• Time sequencers — first, then, after that, finally Ordering the events of a story so a listener can follow them.
• too, too much, too many, and (not) enough Saying there is more or less of something than you want.
• used to — questions and negatives Forming did … use to …? and didn't use to.
• used to for past habits and states Describing something that was regularly true in the past but is not true now.
• Verbs of movement with prepositions of direction Describing movement with into, out of, across, along, over, and through.
• when, as soon as, and until with the present simple for future time Using the present simple after time words even when the meaning is future.
• whose and the possessive s Asking who something belongs to and marking possession on a noun.
• will and won't for offers, promises, and decisions Using will for instant decisions, offers, and promises, and Should I…? and Let's… for suggestions.
• will and won't for predictions Predicting the future and giving opinions about it with will and won't.
• Word order in questions with auxiliaries Question word first, then the auxiliary (do, does, did, be, can), then the subject, then the main verb.
• Word order with phrasal verbs — separable and inseparable Deciding where the object goes, and where a pronoun object has to go.

Intermediate

• Ability and possibility — can, could, be able to Present, past, and the forms modals cannot make.
• Articles — a, an, the, and no article The three-way choice, including the zero article.
• Choosing between comparatives and superlatives Two things or a whole group.
• Choosing between conditionals Which conditional the situation actually calls for.
• Choosing between gerunds and infinitives Which form a verb takes after it, and when both work.
• First conditional and future time clauses if, when, until, as soon as, with a present verb.
• Future forms — present continuous, be going to, will and won't Arrangements, intentions, and decisions made as you speak.
• Modals of deduction — might, can't, must How certain you are about a conclusion.
• Obligation and prohibition — have to, must, should What is required, forbidden, and advisable.
• Past and present habits and states used to, would, and the present simple.
• Past tenses — simple, continuous, and perfect together Ordering events inside a narrative.
• Present perfect continuous Duration and its visible result.
• Present perfect or past simple — finished and unfinished time Which one a time reference forces.
• Present simple or present continuous — action and non-action verbs Choosing between the two, and the verbs that resist the continuous.
• Quantifiers too much, enough, a few, plenty of, and the rest.
• Question tags Turning a statement into a check, with the right auxiliary.
• Relative clauses — defining and non-defining Essential information, and information added in passing.
• Reported speech — statements and questions Shifting verb forms, pronouns, and word order.
• Second conditional Imagining a situation that is not the case.
• The passive in all tenses Moving the focus off the doer, at any point in time.
• Third conditional Imagining a past that did not happen.

Intermediate Plus

• Adjectives — order, gradability, and comparison Stacking adjectives, and which ones cannot be graded.
• Adverbs — form and position Where an adverb goes, and what moving it changes.
• be, do, and have as auxiliary and main verbs The same word doing two different jobs.
• can, could, and be able to Ability across time, including where a modal will not go.
• First and second conditionals A likely condition and an imagined one, side by side.
• Future forms — will and be going to Offers, predictions, and plans.
• have something done Arranging for someone else to do it.
• Obligation, necessity, prohibition, and advice must, have to, need to, should, and their negatives.
• Past simple, past continuous, or used to? Three ways of talking about the past, and which fits.
• Phrasal verbs — types and word order Separable, inseparable, and where a pronoun must sit.
• Possessives Possessive s, of, and possessive pronouns.
• Prepositions of place, time, and movement The three families, and the fixed pairings.
• Present perfect simple Experience, recent events, and unfinished time.
• Present tenses reviewed Simple, continuous, and the perfect, chosen deliberately.
• Pronouns — personal, reflexive, and indefinite The full set, and the ones learners drop or double.
• Reported speech Shifting tense, pronoun, and time reference.
• The passive, with defining and non-defining relative clauses Two ways of packing information into one sentence.
• Third conditional and other uses of the past perfect Regret, and the earlier of two past events.
• Verb form review Choosing among everything the level has covered.
• Verb patterns Which verbs take an infinitive, a gerund, or an object first.

Upper-Intermediate

• Adjectives as nouns, and adjective order the rich, the unemployed — and stacking adjectives correctly.
• Articles The full system, including the zero article in abstractions.
• Auxiliary verbs in echoes, agreement, and emphasis Using the auxiliary alone to reply, agree, or insist.
• Clauses of contrast and purpose although, despite, so that, in order to.
• Future perfect and future continuous What will have happened, and what will be going on.
• Gerunds and infinitives Which form follows which verb, and where the meaning changes.
• Narrative tenses, including past perfect continuous Layering a story across four past forms.
• Past modals — must have, might have, should have Deduction and regret about the past.
• Present perfect simple and continuous Completion against duration, and where either works.
• Quantifiers — all, every, both, and the rest Precise amounts and proportions.
• Question formation — direct, indirect, and subject questions Every question pattern, including the one with no auxiliary.
• Reporting verbs The patterns each reporting verb demands.
• so and such … that Result clauses.
• The passive in all its forms Including have something done and impersonal reporting.
• The position of adverbs and adverbial phrases Where they go, and what moving them changes.
• the… the… with comparatives Linking two changes that move together.
• Uncountable and plural nouns Nouns that resist counting, and those that are always plural.
• Unreal conditionals Second and third, mixed, and the past that did not happen.
• used to, be used to, and get used to A past habit, a present familiarity, and the process between.
• Verbs of the senses look, sound, feel, taste, smell — and what follows them.
• wish for past regrets Wishing something in the past had been otherwise.
• wish for present and future Regret about now, and about what will not change.
• would rather Stating a preference, for yourself and for others.
• Zero and first conditionals, and future time clauses Facts, likely futures, and the clauses that carry them.

Advanced

• Adding emphasis — cleft sentences It was… that… and What… is… for focus.
• Adding emphasis — inversion Fronting a negative or restrictive phrase and inverting after it.
• Advanced gerunds and infinitives Perfect, passive, and continuous forms of both.
• Conditional sentences — full range Mixed, inverted, and with alternatives to if.
• Discourse markers — adverbs and adverbial expressions Signalling stance, sequence, and contrast.
• Discourse markers — linkers Joining clauses and sentences so an argument holds.
• Distancing apparently, is said to, would appear to — reporting without owning.
• Ellipsis and substitution Leaving words out without losing the meaning.
• Expressing future plans and arrangements The full future repertoire, including future in the past.
• get — its range of meanings and structures Receive, become, arrange, and the passive with get.
• have — lexical and grammatical uses The auxiliary, the main verb, and the causative, told apart.
• Nouns — compound and possessive forms Which combination the meaning requires.
• Perception and sensation verbs The structures that follow see, hear, feel, and notice.
• Permission, obligation, and necessity The full modal and semi-modal range, including past forms.
• Pronouns — reference and substitution Keeping reference clear across a long stretch of text.
• Relative clauses — advanced Reduced, nominal, and prepositional relatives.
• Speculation and deduction Modal and non-modal ways of saying how sure you are.
• The past — habitual events and specific incidents would and used to against the past simple.
• Unreal uses of past tenses it's time, I'd rather, as if, suppose.
• Verb + object + infinitive or gerund Which pattern a verb takes with an object.

Advanced Plus

• Adjective order The sequence English requires, and where it bends.
• Advanced structures for comparing and contrasting Beyond -er and more: the full comparative repertoire.
• Aspect — perfect and continuous tenses What aspect adds, independent of time.
• Cause and effect The structures that link a reason to a result.
• Complex passive forms Passives with modals, perfect aspect, and reporting.
• Determiners — articles and quantifiers The full determiner system, used exactly.
• Expressing conditionality Conditionals without if, and the alternatives to them.
• Modal verbs — can, could, be able to, may, and might Ability and possibility, hedged precisely.
• Modal verbs — will, would, and should Prediction, habit, hypothesis, and expectation.
• Noun phrases Building and unpacking a heavily modified noun.
• Participle clauses Compressing a clause into a participle.
• Prepositions and sentence patterns The patterns a preposition locks a sentence into.
• Singular and plural agreement Collective nouns, coordinated subjects, and notional agreement.
• Special uses of tenses Historic present, future in the past, and narrative shifts.
• The position of adverbs Where an adverb may go, and what each position means.
• Word order Fronting, end-weight, and what English will not permit.

Proficiency

• Cleft sentences It was… / What I mean is… — splitting a sentence to point at one part.
• Concessive and contrastive structures Granting a point without conceding the argument.
• Discourse markers in extended argument The words that hold a long turn together.
• Hedging and boosting Softening and strengthening a claim on purpose.
• Inversion and fronting for emphasis Moving a phrase forward, and the inversion it forces.
• Marked and unmarked word order in writing Standard order, and the effect of departing from it.
• Nominalization Turning processes into nouns, and the cost of doing it.
• Nuances of modality The difference between must, will, and is bound to.
• The subjunctive and its formulaic remnants Were I to… , be that as it may, and where they still live.

Questions

• All questions in this subject

Teachers

• Christopher Huntley
• Robert Salo
• Andrie Oberholzer
• Maria Ferreira
• Minnette Oberholzer
• Raphael Ninja Turtle

Start learning