Grammar

A , AN If the word that follows starts with a consonant sound , use a : a car / a brown egg / I bought a CD today. If the word that follows start with a vowel ( a , e ,i ,o ,u ) , use an : an apple / an orange sweater / I waited an hour . ANY Do not say Any parents love their children . Say All the parents love their children .

Do not say Any teacher must deal with these problems . Say See ANY ACCOMODATION Means : a place to live , stay , or work : The college provides accommodation for all new students In British English , tere is no plural form of accommodation . In American English , The plural accommodation is very common and the singular form is rare : The accommodations are plain but comfortable . AGO , FOR , SINCE Ago , For , since are all use to talk about time . Ago is used with the simple past tense to say how far back in the past something happened . it follows a length of time : My grandfather died two years ago . For is used with the present or simple prefect or simple past tense to say how long a situation or even has lasted . It is followed by a length of time : Shes been here for three days / The party lasted for five hours . Since is used with present perfect tense to an exact day , date or time : Hes been here since Sunday . / Ive been working here since 1998 . ALL Use all with a singular verb when you are using a U noun : All the wine is finished . Use all with plural verb when you are using a plural noun form : All my friends are coming to the party . See EVERY Every teacher must deal with these problems .

ALSO Use Also before a verb . Unless the verb is be . Ron also speaks Italian . / His wife is also a doctor . If there are two or more verbs together , also comes after the first one : Patty can also speak Italian . ALWAYS Use always before a verb , unless the verb is be : We always go on holiday in August . / Jeffs always late for school . If therere two or more verbs together , always comes after the first one : I have always lived in this town . ANY Use any with U nouns or plural noun forms : Do you have any money ? Use a with singular noun forms : Do you have a car ? ARRIVE IN , ARRIVE AT Use arrive in with the name of a country , city , town etc : He arrived in Australia on 24th July . / We arrived in Paris at four in the afternoon . Use arrive at with a building or place : Ian arrived at the hotel just before ten . / By the time she arrived at Victoria station , the train had already left . Baggage does not have a plural form . You can say some baggage, any baggage , or pieces of baggage : Do you have any baggage ? BOTH , BOTH OF Do not say The both men were killed . Say Both of the men were killed , Both men were killed , OR Both the men were killed . Do not say His both sisters . Say Both of his sisters OR Both his sisters .

CHURCH , COLLEGE Do not use a or the before church when you are talking about religious ceremonies : I didnt see him in church this morning . / She used to go to church every Sunday . Do not use a or the before college when you are talking about the time while someone is studying there : They met while they were at college together . TALKING ABOUT DAYS Use on to talk about a particular day in the week : Im going to a party on Saturday . Use next to talk about a day after the present one : Ill meet you nect Tuesday . Use last to talk about a day before the present one : He died last Friday . See TODAY , TOMORROW , YESTERDAY .

DIFFERENT FROM , DIFFERENT THAN , DIFFERENT TO You can use different from in both British and American English , but you can only use Different than in American English . In British English , some people also use different to , but many teachers think that this use is wrong . EITHER , EITHER OF Either is used with a singular noun form and a singular verb : I can meet you on Tuesday or Wednesday either day is good for me . Either of is used with a plural noun form or pronoun , and the verb can be singular or plural : Has / Have Either of them telephoned yet ? ENOUGH Use Enough after adjectives or adverbs or before nouns : These jeans arent big enough . / There isnt enough place in this office . EQUIPMENT Equipment doesnt have a plural fom . You can say some equipment , any equipment or pieces of equipment : We need to buy some extra equipment . EVER You use ever when you ask a question , but not when you answer a question : Have you ever been to America ? Yes , I have been there . EVERY , EVERY ONE , EVERYONE These are all followed by a singular verb : Almost every house has a computer nowdays . / Every one was different. / Everyone likes him . Every one is used to emphasize that you mean each person or thing in a group : Ive seen every one of his films . Everyone means all the people in a group : Hello , everyone , Id like to introduce Denice , your new teacher . See ALL EVIDENCE Evidence does not have plural form . You can say some evidences , any evidence , a piece of evidence : There is some evidence that fruits rich in vitamin C can give protection against cancer . FAR When you are talking about distances , you can use far in questions and negative sentences : How far is it to the sea ? / Its not very far . You can also use far after too , as , and so : Its too far to walk . / I ran as far as I could . / I wish he didnt live so far away . But do not use far in other kinds of sentence . For example do not say its far to London from here . Say Its a long way to London from here .

FEW , A FEW Use few when you mean not many or not enough : Very few people came to the meeting . Use a few when you mean some or a small number : There are still a few bottles of beer left . Few and a few are always used with plural nouns and forms . See LESS , LITTLE FURNITURE Furniture doesnt have plural form Some furniture / pieces of furniture / any furniture INFORMATION Information is a U noun and is never plural . Do not say an information or some informations . Say some information , a lot of information , or a piece / bit of information : Id like some information about train times, please . / Thats a useful bit of information . LESS , FEWER Use less before U nouns : Weve had less sunshine this year than last year . Use fewer before plural noun forms : In those days there were fewer cars on streets . LIKE , SUCH AS Many teachers think that using like to give an example is wrong . it is better to use such as : Games such as chess take a long time to learn . LIKE Do not say Im liking it or Im liking to do it . Say I like it or I like to do it . Do not say Im liking very much Anna say I like Anna very much . LITTLE , A LITTLE Use little when you mean not much : Ive got very little money left . Use a little when you mean a small amount ; Im afraid Ive spilt a little wine on the carpet . Little and a little are always used with U nouns . See FEW A LOT OF , MUCH , MANY In negative sentences you can use much or many instead of a lot of . Much is used with U nouns : There isnt much wine left . Many is used with plural noun forms : I didnt see many people there that I knew . A lot of can be used with both type of nouns : I dont have a lot of money . / she doesnt have a lot of friends .

LUGGAGE SAME WITH BAGGAGE . MANY , A LOT OF In sentences there are not negative and not questions , it is more usual to say a lot of rather than many , especially in spoke English : She has a lot of friends . See LOT MAY May is not used in questions about possible events or situations . Use might instead ; Might there be problems ? TALKING ABOUT MONTHS Use in to talk about a month but not about a particular date in a month but not about a particular date in that month : He was born in Feberuary . Use on to talk about a particular date in a month : He was born on February 20th . / She finishes school on the nineteenth of July . Use next to talk about a month after the present one : Theyre getting married next June . Use last to talk about a month before the present one : He died last October . MOST , MOST OF Use most immediately before a plural noun form or a U noun when you are talking about something in general : Inlike most animals . / He thought most poetry was boring . Use most of before the , this , my , etc and a noun when you are talking about a particular group or thing : I got most of the answers right . / He does most of his work at home . MUCH , A LOT OF In sentences that are not negative and not questions , use a lot of rather than much : There was a lot of traffic . Do not say There was much traffic . See LOT NEITHER , NEITHER OF Neither is used with a singular noun form and a singular verb : Neither answer is right . Neither of is used with a plural noun form or pronoun , and the verb can be singular or plural : Neither of us has / have ever been to America before . NEVER Use never before a verb , unless the verb is be : He never listens to me . / Her father was never angry . If there are two or more verbs together , never comes after the first one : I have never read any of her books .

NEWS News is always followed by a singular verb : The news was very exciting . You can say some news , any news etc , or a piece of news : Is there any interesting news in the paper ? NONE When you use none with a U noun, the verb is singular ; None of the food was left . When you use none with a plural noun form , the verb can be singular or plural : None of my friends was / were there . OFTEN , VERY OFTEN Use often before a verb , unless the verb is be : Dad often gets home late . / This is often not possible . If there are two or more verbs together , often comes after the first one : I dont often go to the cinema . Very often is used at the end of a negative sentence : He doesnt telephone very often . ONE OF One off is followed by a plural noun form and a singular verb : One of the computers isnt working . OTHER Do not use other after an . Use another way of doing it. PLAY Do not use a preposition or the after play when you are talking about playing a game or sport . Say theyre playing football . Do not say Theyre playing at football or Theyre playing the football . Always use the after the verb play and before the names of musical instruments : Anna plays the piano . SAME Do not say a same . Say the same sort of : Id like the same sort of car as that . SCHOOL Do not use the before school when you are talking about someone studying or teaching there : What time do you leave for school in the morning ? Use the before school if someone goes there for some other reason , not to study or teach : We all went to see the play at the school . You must also use the if you describe exactly which school you are talking about : the local school .

SOME Use some in questions when you think the answer wil be yes : Would you like some coffee ? Use any when you do not know what the answer will be : Were there any letters for me? SOMEONE , ANYONE In questions and negative sentences , we usually use anyone and not someone : Have you told anyone about this ? / I didnt see anyone there . SOMETHING , ANYTHING In questions and negative sentences , we usually use anything and not something , but if you are offering someone some food , a drink etc , it sounds more polite to use something : Would you like something to eat ? SOMEWHRE , ANYWHRE In questions and negative sentences , we usually use anywhere and not somewhere : I havent seen it anywhere . STILL Use still before a verb unless the verb is be : She still calls me regularly . / It was still dark outside . If there are two or more verbs together , still comes after the first one : I can still remember them . Still usually comes before any negative word : She still isnt ready . SUCH , SO Use such and so to emphasize a quality that someone or something has . Use so before an adjective or an adverb : Your dress is so pretty . / Some people are so rude . / He talks so loudly . Use such before a noun , or before an adjective and noun : It was such a shock . / Mark is such a good swimmer . / She has such beautifull eyes . THAT The relative pronoun that is often left out when it is the object of a verb Shes the woman ( that ) I love . You can use that instead of which or who when you are saying which thing or person you mean : This is the man that / who told the police . You cannot use that instead of which or who if you are simply adding information : This is my father , who lives in Dublin . She owns an old Rolls Royce , which she bought in 1954 .

THE Do not use the when you are talking about something in general using a U noun or a plural noun form : I like ice cream . / Cats often hunt at night . Use the when you are talking about a particular thing : I like the ice cream you bought. / The cats on our street make a lot of noise . Do not use the before the names of airports, railways stations , or streets : We arrived at Gatwick Airport . / She lives in Spencer Road . Use the when you are talking about a particular airport , station or street without naming it : We arrived at the airport . / The train was just leaving the station . / She lives in the same street as me . UNIVERSITY In British English , do not use a or the before university when you are talking about the time when someone is studying there : His daughter is away at university . WHICH , WHAT Which and what are both used when you are asking about one thing out of a number of possible things . Use which when there is a small number of possibilities : Which house does Tom live in ? Use what when there is a very large number of possibilities : What name have they given the baby ? What is the answer to question 12 ? Which can be followed by of but what cannot which of these dresses do you like best ?

- TENSES IN ENGLISH 1. Present Simple - I play 2. Present Continuous - I am playing 3. Present Perfect - I have played 4. Present Perfect Continuous - I have been playing 5. Past Simple - I played 6. Past Continuous - I was playing 7. Past Perfect - I had played 8. Past Perfect Continuous - I had been playing 9. Future Simple - I will play (including "be going to + infinitive" form) I am going to play 10. Future Continuous - I will be playing 11. Future Perfect - I will have played 12. Future Perfect Continuous - I will have been playing 13. Future Simple in the past - I would play (including the "was/were going to + infinitive" form) 14. Future Continuous in the past - I would be bathing 15. Future Perfect in the past - I would have played 16. Future Perfect Continuous in the past - I would have been playing