Present Tense Verb To Be Table

Positive Form

Question Form

Negative Form

Negative Question

I am smart.

Am I smart?

I am not smart.

Am I not smart?
Aren't I smart?

You are smart.

Are you smart?

You are not/aren't smart.

Are you not smart?

Aren't you smart?

He is smart.

Is he smart?

He is not/isn't smart.

Is he not smart?
Isn't he smart?

She is smart.

Is she smart?

She is not/isn't smart.

Is she not smart?

Isn't she smart?

It is smart.

Is it smart?

It is not/isn't smart.

Is it not smart?
Isn't it smart?

We are smart.

Are we smart?

We are not/aren't smart.

Are we not smart?

Aren't we smart?

You are smart.

Are you smart?

You are not/aren't smart.

Are you not smart?

Aren't you smart?

They are smart.

Are they smart?

They are not/aren't smart.

Are they not smart?

Aren't they smart?

Days and Months

Days
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday

Common misspelling: Wendesday

Directions

Months
1. January
2. February
3. March
4. April
5. May
6. June
7. July
8. August
9. September
10. October
11. November
12. December

Common Misspelling: Feburary

Did You Know?

1. The name July comes from the ancient Roman general Gaius Julius Caesar.
2. Also August was named in honor of the first Emperor ofAncient Rome Octavian
Augustus.

Seasons
Spring
Summer
Fall in American English / Autumn in British English
Winter

Spring

Summer

Fall / Autumn

Winter

March
April
May

June
July
August

September
October
November

December
January
February

January is the first month of the year.

February is the second month of the year.
March is the third month of the year.
April is the fourth month of the year.
May is the fifth month of the year.
June is the sixth month of the year.
July is the seventh month of the year.
August is the eighth month of the year.
September is the ninth month of the year.
October is the tenth month of the year.
November is the eleventh month of the year.
December is the twelfth month of the year.

Telling the Date in English

In American English
If you want to be formal, you write the month and the day, and then you add the year in
numerical format.
For example: May the twentieth, 1981
A less formal way of writing the date is writing only the month and then adding the day
and the year in numerical format.
For example: May 20th, 1981
The least formal way of writing the date is using all numerical formats.
05/20/1981
Note: you can use a dot (.) or a hyphen (-) instead of a slash (/).
For example: 05.20.1981 or 05-20-1981

In British English
The only difference between American and British English in writing the date is actually
the order of the month and the day. In American English month comes first, however;
in British English day comes first.

American English

British English

05/20/1981
05-22-1986

20/05/1981
22-05-1986

May the twentieth, 1981

May the twenty-second, 1986

the twentieth of May, 1981

the twenty-second of May, 1986

Note: In both American and British English months are written with an
initial capital.
For example: May, June, July

Ask and Give Directions

Similar Lessons:
How to tell the time
Polite requests
We can use various patterns in asking and giving directions. Look at the following
dialogues to get an idea of how to ask and give directions in a polite way.
1.
Excuse me. Can you tell me where the pharmacy is?
It is on first street. Walk down the first street and you will see the pharmacy on the
right, next to the gas station.
Thank you.
2.
Excuse me. Can you tell me how to get to the Public Library from here?
Sure. Walk up Bright Street and you'll see the public library' on the left, across from the
Laundromat.
Thanks a lot.
3.
Excuse me. Would you please tell me how to get to the hospital from here?
Certainly. Drive along First Avenue to Maple Street and turn right. Drive up Maple Street
and you will see the hospital on the left, between the museum and the park.
Thanks.
4.
Excuse me. What is the easiest way to get to the Grand hotel?
Take the Park Street bus and get off at second Avenue. Walk down Second Avenue and
you'll see the Grand Hotel on the left.
Thank you very much.
You're welcome.

Telling the Time

Similar Lessons:
Asking and Giving Directions
Polite Requests

TIME

WHAT TIME IS IT?

SHORT

04:30

It is half past four.

It is four thirty

07:00

It is seven o'clock.

It is seven o'clock.

09:15

It is a quarter past nine.

It is nine fifteen

01:45

It is a quarter to two.

It is one forty five

03:10

It is ten past three.

It is three ten.

03:50

It is ten to four.

It is three fifty.

05:40

It is twenty to six.

It is five forty

10:20

It is twenty past 10.

It is ten twenty.

AM vs PM
When 12 hour time is used we sometimes add am or pm to the time to distinguish the
first half of the day from the second half.

AM: Is from midnight to noon (Midnight...Morning...11:59 am)

PM: Is from noon to midnight (Noon...Evening...11:59 pm)

NOTE:
12:00 pm is noon
12:00 am is midnight

Subject Pronouns
Singular

Plural

I
You
He
She
It

We
You
They

He

Mr. Ken
Jake
Nicholas
My Father

They

She

Mrs. Flintstone
Miss Jackson
Cynthia
My Mother

It

The
The
The
The

book
cat
school
weather

Lily and Marshall

The cat and the dog
Jill and James
She and Barnie

Examples:
a. Tony and Timothy are basketball players.
They are basketball players.
b. Miss White is very clever.
She is very clever.
c. Richy is an English teacher.
He is an English teacher.
d. Lion is the king of the jungles.
It is the king of the jungle.
Exercise:
Use the appropriate subject pronouns to rewrite the following sentences.

1. Mrs. Chart is very beautiful.

.
She is very beautiful

2. Dr. Phil is a famous person.

.
He is a famous person

3. Fred and Barnie are good friends.

.

4. Is James good at basketball?

?

5. Maria plays tennis.

.

6. Andy and I are cousins.

.

7. Wendy and Robin are good at maths.

.

8. Mount Everest is very high.

.

9. Mrs. Rogala has 23 students.

.

10. Is the TV too loud?

?

11. How are Jessie and James?

?

12. The weather is very hot today.

.

13. Bruce, Arnold and I are good friends.

.

14. Are you and Mr. Parker related?

?

15. The cat looks very friendly.

.

Subject Verb Agreement

A singular subject must always be matched with a singular verb, and a plural subject
must always be matched with a plural verb. See details below for subject verb
agreement rules with examples.
The verb is affected only when in PRESENT tense, for the THIRD person.
Exercises:

Subject (noun)

Verb (action)

Singular

he / she / it

Learns

Plural

they

Learn

Base Form of Verb: learn , walk , like , have (irregular), do

Simple Present Singular

First Person:

like

have

Do

Second Person

you

like

have

Do

Third Person

he / she / it

likes

has

Does

Simple Present Plural

First Person

we

like

have

Do

Second Person

you

like

have

do

Third Person

they

like

have

do

In general, when the subject is singular, use the -s form of the verb.
Example: He walks
In general, when the subject is plural, use the base form of the verb.
Example: They walk
However
Be careful for irregular verbs, and for which the -s rule does not apply.
Example: He studies, She has, It does...

Indefinite Articles - a / an

Also See:
Use 'A' before a word which begins with a consonant sound.

a
a
a
a

man
pen
boy
car

a
a
a
a

movie
star
bike
student

a
a
a
a

school
shoe
bottle
mouse

a
a
a
a

city
teacher
website
dollar

a fish
a house

a watch
a computer

a tiger
a camera

a machine
a game

Use 'AN' before a word which begins with a vowel sound

an
an
an
an

umbrella
elephant
actor
emergency

an
an
an
an

American
automobile
airplane
ant

an
an
an
an

ice-cream
ambulance
offer
equipment

Attention: Note that the pronunciation is what matters when choosing between a & an.
Examples:
an honor (h is silent)
an hour
a university (a before the 'y' sound)
a unit

Exercise: Fill in the blanks with A or An.

1. Ronaldo is

famous football player.

a

2. Jessica is

hardworking student.
a

3. Is Dr. Phil

4. A tiger is

5. Is that

6. Is Pepsi

smart man?

animal.

old book?

beneficial drink?

7. Mustang is

8. This is

American car.

eraser.

9. New York Times is

10. Derek is

11. It's

newspaper.

fisherman.

honor to meet you.

12. Angelina Jolie is

13. GrammarBank is

14. Bart Simpson is

15. Superman is

actress.

educational website.

child.

hero.

Possessive Adjectives
Possessive adjectives are used before nouns.

Singular

Plural

My
Your
His
Her
Its

Our
Your
Their

Also See:
Possessive Pronouns mine, yours..
All Pronouns Details
Examples:
a. It is Micheal's dictionary.
It is his dictionary.
b. They are Rafi and Cynthia's children.
They are their children.
c. Isn't John's motorcycle in the backyard?
Isn't his motorcycle in the backyard?
Exercise: Rewrite the sentences using possessive adjectives.

1. The first one is Brian's coat.

.
The first one is his coat

2. Gary is Linda's brother.

Gary is her brother

3. The big one is Alan's and my room.

.

4. Those are the girls' tables.

.

5. That is Henry's book.

.

6. They are Mimi's and my shoes.

.

7. My brother's wife is an engineer.

.

8. Kathie's children are very clever.

.

9. Is that Lori's computer?

?

10. Barbara's room is very tidy.

.

11. Are they your mother's students?

?

12. That is Ben's toy.

.

13. Are those Sara's and Betty's cars?

?

14. Is that your father's house?

?

15. The park is the government's property.

.

Singular and Plural

Read through the explanations and examples, do the exercise that follows.
Also See:
Plural Forms Exercise
Similar:
Countable / Uncountable

Singular Plural Examples

Singular

Plural

No Singular Form

No Plural Form

pencil
car
city
woman
book
dictionary
lesson
foot

pencils
cars
cities
women
books
dictionaries
lessons
feet

cattle
trousers
scissors
pliers
police
glasses
pants
shorts

news
information
measles
furniture
baggage
advice
knowledge
rubbish

Forming Plurals Table

Forming Plurals

Singular Plural

a. Most nouns take S at the end of their singular

forms.

camera
lesson

cameras
lessons

b. If the noun ends in S, Z, CH, SH, O, SS, or X, we

add ES.

potato
pass
tax

potatoes
passes
taxes

* EXCEPTIONS.

radio
photo

radios
photos

c. If the noun ends in F or Fe, change F or FE to V,

and add - ES.

knife
wife
thief
shelf

knives
wives
thieves
shelves

d. If the noun ends in Y preceded by a consonant,

change Y to I; and add -ES(ies)

fly
baby
country
city

flies
babies
countries
cities

e. Some nouns have irregular plural forms

child
foot
tooth
man
sheep

children
feet
teeth
men
sheep

Singular Plural Verb TO BE

a. A library is a useful building.
Libraries are useful buildings.
b. She is a clever girl.
They are clever girls.
c. Is it a new shelf?
Are they new shelves?
d. Are these boys hungry?
Is this boy hungry?
e. He isn't a worker.
They aren't workers.

Quick Exercise
Change the following sentences from singular to plural or from plural to
singular as in the examples.

1. She is a beautiful lady.

.
They are beautiful ladies

2. A book is a good friend.

.
Books are good friends

3. A car is a useful invention.

.
C

4. She is a tall girl.

.
T

5. It is an old church.
.

6. Is this man a worker?

?

7. Is he a famous person?
?

8. These pants belong to those women.

.

9. Are the students in the classroom?

?

10. These glasses aren't for those women.

.

11. Are the bottles on the table?

?

12. The brush is under the chair.

.

13. I am not a famous woman.

.

14. The pencils aren't in the boxes.

.

15. I like those barbies.

.

There Is / There Are

We use there is with singular nouns
We use there are with plural nouns
a. There is a spider on the table.
b. There is a guest at the lobby.
c. There is a book in the box.
d. There is a hospital in Berkeley.
e. There are some people outside.
f. There are candies in the basket.
g. There are some exercises below.
h. There are animals in the jungle.
Also see singular / plural
Affirmative
Form

Negative
Form

Question
Form

Negative Question
Form

THERE IS
THERE ARE

THERE ISN'T
THERE AREN'T

IS THERE?
ARE THERE

ISN'T THERE?
AREN'T THERE?

Quick Exercises
A. Fill in the blanks with there is or there are.

1.

four weeks in a month.

There are

2.

a mailbox downstairs.
T

3.

an English book in my backpack.

T

4.

teachers in the classroom.

T

5.

one bedroom upstairs.

T

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6.

clouds in the sky.

T

7.

some mistakes in your calculations.

T

8.

two lectures before the final.

T

B. Convert from one form to another as in the following examples.

a. There is milk in the bottle. (-)
There isn't milk in the bottle.
b. There are dishes in the kitchen. (?)
Are there dishes in the kitchen?
c. Is there a pool in the garden'? (+)
There is a pool in the garden.
9. Isn't there a couch near the outlet? (-)
.
There isn't a couch near the outlet

10. There aren't knives on the table. (+)

.

11. There is a tray on the floor. (?)

?

12. There is a kite in the sky. (-)

.

13. Are there workers in the office? (+)

.

14. There isn't a sink near the tub. (-?)

?

15. There are eggs in the basket. (-?)

?

This That These Those

This indicates that something is near us; that indicates that it is at a distance. We also
use these andt hose when talking about morethan one objects.

Look at the chart below

Near Us

At a Distance

Singular

This

That

Plural

These

Those

Examples:
a. This book is in my hand.
b. That book is over there on the desk.
c. These coins are in my hand.
d. Those coins are over there on TV set.

Quick Exercise
Convert from singular form to plural or plural to singular as in the examples
below.
a. This exercise is easy.
These exercises are easy.
b. Those sucks are Sara's.
That suck is Sara's.
c. These flowers are on the floor.
That flower is on the floor.

1. Is this bed comfortable?

?
Are these beds comfortable

2. Is that Eleni's English book?

?

3. These are not my toys.

.

4. These boxes are Ana's.

.

5. Is that jacket Roy's?

?

6. Are these dictionaries Andre's?

?

7. Those are mine.

.

8. This building is very old.

.

9. This is a good exercise.

.

10. These are the old dresses.

.

Have Got / Has Got

Go through the table below, look at the examples to learn the different forms of have got
/ has got and the differences between them. You can test yourself with the quick
exercise on this page and also see:

I
You
We
Your Parents
My Friends
The Kids
George and I

He
She
It
Penny
Marshall
The boy
Your friend

Have Got

Affirmative Form

Has Got

Question Form

Subject + have got / has got + noun Have / Has + subject + got + noun?

Full Form: I have got / He has got / They have got / We have got
Short Form: I've got / He's got / They've got / Paul's got / We've got
a. I have got a brand-new computer.
b. My friends have got a new teacher.
c The workers have got enough shovels.
d. Paul has got a golden watch.
e. She has got a used car.
f. The man has got a problem.
g. We haven't got a big house.
h. The farmer hasnt got a truck.
I. Have you got a calculator?
J. Has Mr. Stone got two children?

Quick Exercise

Choose have got or has got.

1. Anthony

2. You and I

two siblings.

strong arms.

3. You

a kind heart.

4. Liza

an old watch.

5. The library

four entrances.

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6. Mrs. Anderson

7. Mr. Nelson

8. Your father

American clients.

a big house.

a Mitsubishi.

9. My math teacher

a villa.

10. Mr. and Mrs. Duncan

11. Kara

12. Jerry and I

a restaurant in Beverly Hills.

small feet.

a lot of MONEY .

Some and Any

Read through the rules explanations and examples, do the quick exercises that follow.

SOME:
It is used in affirmative sentences.
Sometimes it is also used in questions. (Who wants some tea?)

ANY
It is used in questions and negative sentences.

IN AFFIRMATIVE SENTENCES
some + uncountable nouns
milk
sugar

SOME

some + plural nouns

SOME

animals
cars

IN QUESTIONS AND NEGATIVE SENTENCES

any + uncountable nouns

ANY

Examples

water
pasta

any + plural nouns

ANY

clothes
cups

There are some chairs outside.

There is some juice in the fridge.
There aren't any apricots.
There isn't any chocolate.
Are there any apples?
Is there any butter?

Quick Exercise
A. Fill in the blanks with some or any.

1. There are

socks on the couch.

some

2. There is

3. Are there

coffee in the jar.

books for beginners?

4. There aren't

5. I want

English books.

tea.

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6. I haven't got

MONEY .

7. Has Alan got

friends?

B. Convert from one form to another as in the examples below.

a. There are some girls in the theater. (?)
Are there any girls in the theater?

b. Is there any water in the bottle? (+)

There is some water in the bottle.

8. Are there any beaches in Florida? (+)

.
There are some beaches in Florida

9. There are some plants in the garden. (?)

?

10. Have you got any MONEY ? (-)

.

11. Is there any rice on the plate? (+)

.

12. There is some sugar in the tea. (-?)

?

13. There aren't any books on the shelves. (+)

.

14. There are some candles on the cake. (?)

?

15. There is some dirt on the floor. (-)

.

Much / Many / A Lot Of

MUCH
We use much with uncountable nouns. It is used in question and negative forms.
Is there much water in your glass?
There isn't much milk in the bottle.

MANY
We use many with countable nouns. We usually use it in question and negative forms.
Are there many horses in the field?
There aren't many tomatoes in the bowl.

A LOT OF
We use a lot of with countable and uncountable nouns. It is used in affirmative
sentences.
There are a lot of eggs in the fridge.
There is a lot of milk in the pitcher.
Note: We also use 'lots of' instead of 'a lot of', especially in spoken English and that
there is no difference in their meanings.

Examples

1. There aren't many / much apples in the fridge.

2. Is there many / much snow on the mountains?
3. There are a lot of vegetables but there isn't much fruit.
4. There isn't much water in your cup.
4. I have got a lot of books in my library.

5. There isn't much sugar in her coffee.

6. Is there much pollution in Beijing?
7. There aren't many trees in the garden.
8. Loren has got a lot of MONEY in the bank.
9. Have you got many friends in Roma?
10. There are a lot of exercises in GrammarBank.
11. Is there much dirt in the hall?
12. Mike hasn't got much spare time.
13. There are a lot of plums on the tree.
14. Is there much dust on the table?
15. Have you got many magazines at home?
16. Is there much salt in the salad?
17. There aren't many students at school.
18. There is a lot of sand in my pockets.
19. There are a lot of writers but there aren't many readers.
20. Is there much ink the yellow bottle?

1. There aren't many / much apples in the fridge.

2. Is there many / much snow on the mountains?
3. There are a lot of vegetables but there isn't much fruit.
4. There isn't much water in your cup.
4. I have got a lot of books in my library.
5. There isn't much sugar in her coffee.
6. Is there much pollution in Beijing?
7. There aren't many trees in the garden.
8. Loren has got a lot of MONEY in the bank.
9. Have you got many friends in Roma?
10. There are a lot of exercises in GrammarBank.
11. Is there much dirt in the hall?
12. Mike hasn't got much spare time.
13. There are a lot of plums on the tree.
14. Is there much dust on the table?
15. Have you got many magazines at home?
16. Is there much salt in the salad?
17. There aren't many students at school.
18. There is a lot of sand in my pockets.
19. There are a lot of writers but there aren't many readers.
20. Is there much ink the yellow bottle?

How Much vs How Many

HOW MANY?

countable plural nouns

How many books?

How many chairs?
How many ideas?

HOW MUCH?

uncountable nouns

How much time?

How much sugar?
How much water?

Examples
a. How many bananas are there in the basket?
b. How many days are there in a year?
c. How much ink is there in the pen?
d. How much honey is there in the tin?

Exercise

Ask questions for the following statements using how much or how many.

1. There is some bread in the basket. (how much)

?
How much bread is there in the basket

2. We have got five kilos of cherries. (how many)

?
How many kilos of cherries have you got

3. Bill has got three bottles of fruit juice in the fridge. (how many)
?
How many bottles of juice has Bill got in the fridge

4. Andrew has got two pockets on his jacket. (how many)

?

5. There are forty teachers in the teachers room. (how many)

?

6. There is little ink in the big bottle. (how much)

?

7. There is a little OIL

in the small bottle. (how much)

?

8. Mary has got four pairs of shoes. (how many)

?

9. Helen has got a little sugar in her coffee. (how much)

?

10. There are seven days in a week. (how many)

?

11. There are four seasons in a year. (how many)

?

12. There is a lot of tea in the teapot. (how much)

?

13. There is a little tea in Susan's glass. (how much)

?

14. There are fifty girls at the party. (how many)

?

15. They have got two cars. (how many)

?

Countable Uncountable Nouns

Nouns are divided into two groups. Countable nouns and uncountable nouns.
Countable nouns are also called count nouns.
Uncountable nouns are called mass nouns.
Countable : The toys are in the box.
Uncountable : The water is cold.
Nouns Exercise
Nouns Details
Some Countable Nouns:

idea
mistake
city
car

worker
teacher
star
sister

bear
bottle
room
coin

Examples:
He has got a lot of books.
There aren't many cars outside.

Some Uncountable Nouns:

water
ice
juice
rice

sand
butter
information
science

hair
soap
time
money

Examples:
There is little meat in the kitchen.
We haven't got much time.
Adam loves science.
Ali doesn't like milk.

Quantifiers that are used with countable and uncountable nouns.

With Countable
Nouns

With Uncountable
Nouns

Both With Countable and

Uncountable

many
a great number of
a large number of
a great many
(a)few
a number of

much
(a) little
a great deal of
a great amount of

some
any
a lot of
lots of
plenty of

Hints:
A few is more than few and a little is more than little.
He has little MONEY . I have a little money(I have more money)
Tim has few friends. I have a few friends. (I have more friends)

Some terms used with uncountable nouns:

a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a

cup of coffee
box of tea
loaf of bread
piece of chalk
slice of bread
bottle of perfume
dish of fresh fruit
pound of cheese
bar of soap
can of coke
head of lettuce
tube of toothpaste
kind of shaving cream
jar of honey

two slices of bread

three pieces of chalk
three loaves of bread
two bottles of perfume
five boxes of tea
two cups of coffee
two dishes of fresh fruit
a few pounds of cheese
two bars of soap
two cans of coke
three heads of lettuce
five tubes of toothpaste
two kinds of shaving cream>
three jars of honey

Possessive Pronouns
We use possessive pronouns as subject or object of a verb. Notice that "its" usually
used as possessive pronoun.

Singular

Plural

mine
yours
hers
his
its

ours
yours
theirs

Examples
a. This is my tie - This is mine.
b. Her umbrella is beautiful. - Hers is beautiful.
c. These are his shoes. - These are his.
d. These are their wallets. - These are theirs.
e. It is my book. - It is mine.
f. That is our school. - That is ours.
g. This is our house. - This is ours.
h. That is my radio. - That is mine.
i. Those tickets are Kimberley's. - Those are hers.
j. This is Henry's suitcase. - This is his.
k. They are my mother's keys. - They are hers.
l. It's Lucy's chocolate. - It's hers.
m. My cousins' grades are better. - Theirs are better.
n. Elizabeth's cakes are delicious. - Hers are delicious.

NOTES:
It's in example 'l' is short form of It is and should not be confused with its.
My cousins' grades in 'm' is not the same as my cousin's grades. In fact it
means grades of my cousins and it is plural so we use the plural possessive
pronoun theirs.

Apostrophe in It's and Possession

1. It's beautiful = It is beautiful (With Apostrophe ('))

2. Its color is blue = Color of its is blue (Without Apostrophe)
Its in the first sentence is a possessive adjective (Its color)
Its in the second sentence is a possessive pronoun (color of its)
3. My cousins' grades = Grades of my cousins (2 or more cousins)
4. My cousin's grades = Grades of a particular cousin (1 cousin)
See apostrophe details

Quick Exercise

Fill in the blanks using mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs.

1. Your cat isn't black,

is white.
yours

2. I know Lily, she is a friend of

3. This isn't Britney's bike,

is at the garage.

4. Where are my shoes? These are not

5. Which one is the kids' bed? The small one is

6. That's Jackie's and my house. That brown one is

7. We are waiting for the train. Alex has got a ticket. He has

but I can't find

English Prepositions
Prepositions are words which show the relationship between a noun or a pronoun
object and some other words in the sentence. They are always followed by nouns or
pronouns. They are called "the biggest little words in English because they have very
important functions.

Three Groups of Prepositions:

a. Prepositions of place, position and direction.
b. Prepositions of time.
c. Prepositions for other relationships.

SOME COMMON PREPOSITIONS

PLACE

POSITION

DIRECTION

TIME

OTHER

above
across
along
among
at
away from
behind
below
beside
between

beyond
by
down
from
in
in front of
inside
into
near
off

on
opposite
out (of)
outside
over
around
through
to
towards
under
up

after
before
at
by
for
during
from
in

except
as
like
about
with
without
by
for

Although prepositions are hard to generalize with separate rules, there is one simple rule
about them. And, unlike most rules, this rule has no exceptions.

Rule:
They are always followed by a "noun", never followed by a verb.
By "noun" we include:

Noun (dog, MONEY , love)

Proper Noun (name) (London, Mary)

Pronoun (you,him,us)

Noun Group (my first car)

Gerund (swimming)

If we want to follow with a verb, we must use the "-ing" form which is really a gerund or
verb in noun form.

Subject + Verb

Prepositio
n

"noun"

The pen is

on

the table.

He lives

in

England.

Henry is looking

for

you.

The newspaper
is

under

your green
book.

Pascal is used

to

English people.

She isn't used

to

working.

We ate

before

coming.

Prepositions of Time / Place at, in, on

At for a PRECISE TIME

In for MONTHS, YEARS, CENTURIES and LONG PERIODS

On for DAYS and Dates

At

In

On

At 4:30 pm

in March

on Monday

At 3 o'clock

In Winter

On 6 March

At noon

In the summer

On 22 Dec.2012

At dinnertime

In 1990

On Christmas Day

At bedtime

In the next century

On your birthday

At the moment

In the future

On New Year's Eve

Notice that use of the prepositions of time in and on in these common expressions:

In the morning /On Monday morning

In the mornings / On Sunday mornings

In the afternoon(s) / On Sunday afternoons

In the evening(s) / On Friday evenings

When we say next, last, this, every we do not use at,in,on.

I went to New York last June (not in last June)
She is coming back next Monday. (not on next Monday)
I go home every Easter . (not at every Easter)
We'll call you this afternoon. (not in this afternoon)

Place: at, in, on

In General:

At for a POINT (dog, MONEY , love)

In for an ENCLOSED SPACE

On for a SURFACE

At

In

On

At the bus stop

In London

On the wall

At the corner

In the garden

On the ceiling

At the entrance

In a box

On the floor

At the crossroads

In a building

On the carpet

At the top of the page

In a car

On a page

Some other common uses of at / on / in

At

In

On

At home

In a car

On a bus

At work

In a taxi

On a train

At school

In a helicopter

On a plane

At university

In an elevator

On a bicycle

At the top

In the sky

On the radio

At the bottom

In the street

On the left

At the side

In a row

On a horse

At reception

In a boat

On a boat

Notice how we can use on a boat or in a boat depending on the type and the size of the
particular boat/ship.

More Prepositions
Preposition
s

use

Example

during

while in

during the film,during the war,

during my stay

for

for two days, for an hour

from / to

from Saturday to Monday, from

5 to 9

between

the time period

from one to
another

between 1986 and 2012,

between Saturday and Monday

until/till

before a certain
time

until/till Sunday,5 o'clock

by

at the least

by Tuesday, by next month, by

tomorrow

to

movement
towards

to school, to work, to the station

into

movement
towards inside
something

into the cinema, into the car

out of

to leave a place/a
thing

out of the cinema,out of the car

by

near/next
to/beside

LINK stand by me, by the lake

through the tunnel, through the

room

through

across

opposite ends

across the river, across the street

against

into

against the wall, against the door

movement
towards inside
something

into the cinema, into the car

Also / Too / Either

Also and too are used in affirmative sentences.
Mrs. Rogala is an English teacher.
Mr. Barber is also a teacher.
Henry is a student.
Alicia is a student, too.
Either is used in negative sentences.
I don't like video games.
Sofia doesn't like video games, either.
Related Pages:
Also/Too/Either Exercise
Too / As Well / Also
Conjunctions

More Examples
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

My car isn't fast. - His car isn't fast, either.

They go to Hawaii in summer. - We also go to Hawaii in summer.
Carla is a smart woman. - I am a smart woman, too.
Juan has got a new barbecue. Victor has also got a new barbecue.
I like America. - Mandy likes America, too.
The teachers aren't at school. - The students aren't at school, either.
Ronaldo isn't an actor. - Micheal Phelps isn't an actor, either.

Quick Exercise

A. Change the following sentences from affirmative to negative.

1. Victoria has got a new dictionary. Sam has got a new dictionary, too.
.
Victoria hasn't got a new dictionary. Sam hasn't got a new dictionary, either

2. Gaby has got a diamond ring. Maria has also got a diamond ring.
.

3. Mr. Gerard is from England. Mr. Terry is from England, too.

.

4. I like chocolate. Margaret likes chocolate, too.

B. Change the following sentences from negative to affirmative.

5. Paul hasn't got an English book. Dan hasn't got an English book, either.
.

6. Pam cannot swim. Brian can't swim either.

7. Davis isn't a big city. Berkeley isn't a big city either.

8. Coffee isn't my favorite drink. Coffee isn't his favorite drink, either.
.

Imperatives Lesson Notes

We use Imperatives to tell someone to do something or to give instructions,
orders, warnings or directions.

Imperatives are divided into two groups:

a) Positive Imperatives
b) Negative Imperatives

Positive Imperatives
To form a positive imperative we use the base form of the verb. The base form is the
form in the dictionary.
Some verbs:
read Listen Put Go Do Work
Listen!
Raise your hands
Do your homework
Speak English
Come here
Be quiet

We can also use positive imperatives by using always.

Always put on your safety belt.
Always remember my advice.

Negative Imperatives

To form a negative imperative we use:

Do not + the base form of the verb

Examples: Do not come here

Do not put your hat on the chair

Do not drink it
Do not park your car here

NOTE: The contraction for do not is dont.

Do
Do
Do
Do

not
not
not
not

come here = Dont come here.

speak Spanish in the class = Dont speak Spanish in the class.
sit there = Dont sit there.
lean out of the window = Dont lean out of the window.

We can also form negative imperatives by using never.

Examples:
Never go there again.
Never leave your keys in your car.

The imperative does not usually have a subject, but we can use a noun or pronoun to
make it clear who we are speaking to.
Examples:
Mary come here
Somebody answer the phone
Nobody move
Relax, everybody

You before an imperative can suggest an emphatic persuasion or anger.

You stay home. You just sit down and relax for a bit.
You take your hands off me.

We can make an emphatic imperative with do + Infinitive. This is common in polite

requests, complaints and apologies.
Examples:
Do
Do
Do
Do

sit down
listen to your father
forgive me
have some wine

Can - Can't
CAN / CAN'T shows ability, inability, request, permission, possibility, and
inappropriateness.
Examples:
a. I can speak English.
b. You can leave early today.
c. Can I come in, please?
Formation:
Positive: Subject + CAN + Verb1
Negative: Subject + CAN'T + Verb1
POSITIVE STATEMENT

NEGATIVE STATEMENT

can speak English

can't speak English

He

can run

very vest

You

can't Run

very fast

He

can sit

in the garden

He

can't Sit

in the garden

She

can come

with us

She

can't come

with us

It

can jump

to the other side It

can't jump

to the other side

We

can make

delicious cakes

We

can't make

delicious cakes

You

can pass

the exam

You

can't pass

the exam

pictures

They can't draw

They can draw

Pictures

NOTE: Negative form of CAN is either cannot or can not and its negative contraction
is Cant. In British English, it is pronounced /ka:nt/ but in American English, it is
/kent/.
NOTE: Negative YES/NO QUESTIONS are formed in two ways:

1. Can you not come today? Can he read fast?

2. Cant you come today? Cant he read fast?

USE:
We use CAN to express
1. Ability
Sarven can ride a bike.
He can speak Japanese.
I can play table tennis.
We can cook.
They can eat with chop sticks.
Paul and Ingrid can ski.
2. Inability
He cant ride a horse.
I cant type very fast.
We cant lift 100 kilos.
Jan can not run fast.
Alicia cannot drive a car.
3. Request
Can you help me?
Can you tell me the way to the museum?
Can you come here a minute please?
4. Permissions
Can
Can
Can
Can

I
I
I
I

use your cell phone?

take a day off?
smoke here?
go out?

Typical responses: Certainly. Yes, certainly. Of course. Of course you can. Sure (informal)
etc
5. Possibility
The florist can deliver the bouquet early.
My friend can visit me this week
Note: can is not normal used to describe future possibility in the positive form.
INCORRECT: It can rain tomorrow.
6. Inappropriateness
You cant wear that dress! It is indecent.
You cant smoke in this building. It is illegal.
You cant ask for information here. This is not information desk.

Polite Requests
Asking people to do things:
Can you wait a moment, please?
Could you tell me how to get to the library?
Do you think you could post my letter?
I wonder if you could sign the paper?
Do you mind helping me with my project?

Asking for and giving permission:

May I come in? "yes, please do."
Could I use your calculator? "yes. sure'
Can I speak to Mr. Drill, please?

For offering an invitation:

Would you like a cup of tea?
Would you like to play chess with me?

Informally to a friend
Do you think you could turn the volume of the TV down?
Do you think you could give me a lift to the station?
Do you think I could borrow your car?

Formally to a Stranger
Could you tell me where the nearest ATM is, please?
Would you mind if I sit here?
Would you mind lending me your book, please?
Would you like to sit here?
Would you mind giving me a hand with my suitcase?
Note:
We can add the phrase by any chance at the end of our request to make it more polite.
(More for information requests)
Do you know what time it is by any chance? (friends / strangers)
Excuse me, do you know how I can get to the theater by any chance? (strangers)

Present Continuous Tense

Formation of Present Progressive Tense
Subject + am / is / are + Verb (ing) + Complement
Affirmative Form
I am learning English right now.

Negative Form

Subject + am not / isn't / aren't + Verb (ing) +

Complement
I am not learning French right now.
Am / is / are + Subject + Verb (ing) + Complement

Question Form
Is he going to work?

Negative
Question

Am...not / isn't / aren't + Subject + Verb (ing) +

Complement
Am I not coming with you to the mall?

Verb (ing)
The most common state of the verb(ing) is just simply the verb itself + letters "ing"
walk - walking
talk - talking
turn - turning
learn - learning...
However, this rule does not always apply. See present progressive tense spelling rules for
details.

Quick Exercise
Fill in the blanks using present progressive tense.

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1. Look! it

(rain)
is raining

2. They

(watch) the news on TV.

3. The birds

(fly) to South.

4. Matt

(wait) for the bus.

5. The chef

6. What

(not cook)anything today.

Helen

(do) at the moment?

Object Pronouns

SUBJEC
T
PRONO
UN
SINGUL
AR
I
You
He
She
It

PLURA
L

We
You
They

OBJECT
PRONO
UN

Me
You
Him
Her
It
Us
You
Them

Also See:
Subject Pronouns (I, You, He...)
Possessive Pronouns (Mine, Your, His...)
We use Object Pronoun as directobjects, indirect objects, and objects of prepositions.

Me

Tell me the truth, please!

You

Your daughter can help you in the kitchen.

Him

I want to play soccer with him

Her

I can take her out to dinner.

It

Oh, what a nice car! Look at it.

You

Your mother can take you to the park tomorrow.

Us

Please show us your new game.

Them

Ted can teach them English.

Quick Exercise

Rewrite the sentences using object pronouns

1. Look at those people in the street.

.
Look at them

2. My sister is writing an essay now.

.
M

3. I am listening to my favorite song.

.
I

4. Don't forget to bring your girlfriend along.

.
D

5. They are waiting for my mother and me.

.

6. Can you pass the water to your sister?

?

7. His father asked Jake a difficult question.

.

8. Jenny is helping her mother.

.

9. Can someone help my brothers with their homework?

?

10. The boys are trying to climb that tree.

.

Simple Present Tense

We use The Simple Present Tensefor an action which goes on everyday or all the
time.

Frequency Adverbs
always
frequently
often
usually
everyday
occasionally

generally
sometimes
rarely
seldom
once / twice
on Sundays

Also See:
Present Continuous Tense
Simple Present vs Continuous

Formation of Simple Present Tense

Subject + Verb + Complement

Affirmative Form
I speak English.

Negative Form

Subject + Don't / Doesn't + Verb +

Complement
I don't speak English.
Do / Does + Subject + Verb + Complement ?

Question Form
Do you speak English?

Negative Question
Form

Don't / Doesn't + Subject + Verb +

Complement ?
Don't you speak English?

The third person singular (he, she, it) is usually formed by adding -S to the root of the
verb. Sometimes -ES is added. -S, -ESand IES are added in positive sentences.

a. Hamid listens to music every night.

Affirmative
I walk
You walk
He walks
She walks
It walks

We walk
You walk
They walk

b. He rarely watches TV.

c. She usually takes the train to work.

Uses of Simple Present Tense

1. To show a habit
We drink coffee every morning.
2. To express a general truth
Water boils at 100 degrees.
3. To express an action with a future time expression
I leave tomorrow.

Negative
I don't cry
You don't cry
He doesn't cry
She doesn't cry
It doesn't cry

We don't cry
You don't cry
They don't cry

Example Sentences
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

We buy a newspaper every Sunday.

He doesn't visit his father.
Does she lie to her mother?
My sister works at the theater.
The boss gives us a lot of work to do.

6. Marry and Lucas don't play fairly.

7. Do you like to read comic books?
8. They spend a lot of money.

Daily Routine Verbs

Daily Activities In The Morning:
On Weekdays I usually wake up at 8am.
I stay in bed about 10 minutes before I get up.
I wash my face and take a shower.
Then I dry and comb my hair
I have a breakfast at around 8.30.
After breakfast I brush my teeth.
I put on make up.
I get dressed
I leave home at around 8.50.

Daily Activities Outside:

I take a bus to work.
I arrive work at around 9.30.
I have a cup of coffee while Iread the newspaper.
Then I check my emails and file my papers.
I usually make some telephone calls.
Then I report to my boss.
At around 1pm I have lunch.I usually work on the computer
I have afternoon tea at around 4pm and eat some snacks
See How to ask and give directions

Daily Activities After work:

I
I
I
I

leave work at 5.30.

take a train and go to the gym before I go home.
work out for almost an hour.
arrive home at around 7.30.

Daily Activities In The Evening:

I get undressed.
I take a bath.
I get into my pyjamas and take the rubbish out.
If I don't feel so tired I cook dinner.

I have dinner at around 9.

I relax on my couchand watch TV.
I wash the dishes and feed my dog.
I lock the door and brush my teeth.
At around 11.30 I set the alarm and read a book for about 30 minutes.
Then Finally at around 12pm I turn off the lights and go to bed.

Daily Activities At The Weekends:

On Saturdays, I usually go grocery shopping early in the morning.
I do the washing and hang the clothes out to dry.
I water the garden and wash my car.
Then Ido the ironing.
At night, I go out with my friends and have some fun .
On sundays I go to church in the morning.
Then In the afternoon, I go to the mall by my car and do some shopping
Then I usually hire a movie and watch a movie
Before I go to bed I make sure that I recharge my cellphone andmeditate to reduce the
stress I get during the week.

Be Going To Future
Be going to is used to express near future or an intention to perform a certain action.
Time Expressions:

tomorrow
next week
later
soon
in a few
minutes
in three days

tomorrow
night
next month
next year
when he
returns
next July
at 5 o'clock

Forming Be Going To Future

Subject + am / is / are + going to + verb + complement
Affirmative Form
She is going to sell her house.
Subject + am not / isn't / aren't + going to + verb + complement
Negative Form
She is not going to sell her house.
Am / is / are + Subject + going to + verb + complement ?
Question Form
Is she going to sell her house?

Negative Question
Form

Am...not / isn't / aren't + subject + going to + verb +

complement?
Isn't she going to sell her house?

Be Going To Exercise
Use be going to in the following sentences.

1. Are you

(watch) the ceremony tomorrow?

2. Gary

3. I

(not visit) his cousin today because he is tired.

(paint) my room on Sunday.

4. The guests

(bring) their own food.

5. There are no clouds in the sky. It

6. My mother

7. I'd better sleep. I

8. Am I

9. Your friends

(not rain) today.

(cook) dinner for us later.

(get up) early in the morning.

(come) with you tomorrow?

(not do) your homework for you.

Must vs Have To / Has To

Must and have to express obligation or necessity:
The main differences between must and have to are:
Must expresses an obligationforced by the speaker.
Have / Has to expresses general obligations. When we are talking about another
person's obligation we use have to, too. We use have to when the obligation comes from
outside. See the Exercise.

Examples Sentences
Teacher : You must listen to me carefully.
Father : You must stop smoking.
You have to put on uniform at school.
She has to buy new dictionaryfor school.
You have to give your report by 5 p.m. tomorrow.
They have to wake up early in the morning.

MUST

Subject + must + verb + complement

Affirmative Form
You must come home before 8 o'clock.
Subject + mustn't + verb + complement
Negative Form
You mustn't come home before 8 o'clock.
Must + subject + verb + complement ?
Question Form
Must you come home before 8 o'clock?
Mustn't + subject + verb + complement ?
Negative Question Form
Mustn't you come home before 8 o'clock?

HAVE TO / HAS TO
Affirmative
Form

Negative Form

Subject + has to / have to + verb + complement

He has to take his medicine.
Subject + don't have to / doesn't have to + verb +
complement.
He doesn't have to take his medicine.
Does / Do + subject + have to + verb + complement ?

Question Form
Does he have to take his medicine?

Negative
Question

Doesn't / Don't + subject + have to + verb +

complement ?
Doesn't he have to take his medicine?

Note:
When we say he doesn't have to take his medicine, we mean that he is not obligated to
take his medicine. (Lack of necessity)
We say he mustn't take his medicine to give it a negative obligation meaning.
Note:
Must is only used in present and future meanings. Have to can be used in any tenses.
Note:
Must also has a probability meaning.
He missed the class for the first time, he must be ill.

Tense Agreement
When writing a sentence, it is important to think about when the action in your
statement occurred. You should keep the tense uniform throughout the sentence when
discussing things that happened at the same time. When referring to separate events,
the tenses might differ, but it is important to recognize the difference. Here are
some examples of tense agreement and disagreement.
Talking about the same event:
Tense Agreement
When I went to the coffee house, I bought two cookies.
Both 'went' and 'bought' are in past tense.
Tense Disagreement
When I went to the coffee house, I buy two cookies.
'Went' is in past tense, but 'buy' is in present tense. They do not match.
Talking about different events at different times:
Tense Agreement:
I biked to class last Monday, but today I am taking the bus.
'Biked' is past tense because it happened in the past. 'Taking' is present or future
because this is happening or will happen today.
Tense Disagreement:
I bike to class last Monday, but today I am taking the bus.
Because it happened in the past, 'bike' should not be in present tense.

Tense Agreement Exercise

Here are some examples of sentences with tense disagreement. Correct them so that the
tenses match.
1. My father

2. When I

3. I

to Harvard and

in USA, I always

to the gym and

biology.

dinner at Cheesecake Factory.

every Saturday.

4. I

always

Fred.

grades and

transcripts at the student center. 5. I

the Flintstones, and my favorite character

Question Types in English

There are a number of question types in English:

Yes / No questions (general questions)

Most of them start with an auxiliary verb and expect an answer Yes or No.

Yes / No Questions

Do you like your new teacher?

Can you help me?
Have you ever been here
before?
Did you visit your aunt
yesterday?

Answers

Yes / No (Yes I do / No I dont)

Yes / No (Yes I can / No I cant)
Yes / No (Yes I have / No I
havent)
Yes / No (Yes I did / No I didn't)

Note: you can ask a yes / no question using the verb "to be" as a full verb (not an
auxiliary) as well.
See Auxiliary Verbs
Are you from The United States?
Yes / No (Yes I am / No I am not)

Wh-questions (special questions)

As you can understand from its name, most of them start with a question word such as:
What / Where / Why / Who / Whose / When / Which

Wh-questions

What is your name?

Answers

My name is Allen.

When did you come?

I came yesterday.

Who is your teacher?

Mr. Jack is my teacher.

Whose book is that?

Thats mine.

Note: there are other question words that dont start with "wh" as well.
How / how many / how often / how far / how much / how long / how old etc.
Examples:

How are you?

I am fine.

How old are you?

I am fifteen.

How much is it?

It is $5.

Tag questions (disjunctive or tail questions)

They are mini-questions asked at the end of a statement to confirm it.

Examples:
You love her, dont you?
She has seen it, hasn't she?
Nobody knew the answer, did they?
Lets go, shall we?

Choice Questions
We use choice questions when we offer choices.

Choice questions

Answers

Would you like a house or a flat?

A house, of course.

Do you with your family or alone?

With my family.

Are you a little nervous or excited?

A little nervous.

Hypothetical Questions
We ask hypothetical questions to have a general idea of a certain situation (like a
questionnaire).
Examples
What would you do if you won the lottery?
Would you leave your country and your relatives behind to study abroad?
If you had a superpower, what would it be?

Embedded questions (indirect questions)

We use them in reported speech or in polite questions.
Examples:
She asked me if she could borrow my dictionary.
She asked me where the nearest train station was.
(not where was the nearest train station)
Note: notice that the word order is affirmative.
Could you tell me how I can go to The Central Park?
See reported speech examples
See indirect speech grammar

Leading questions
We ask leading questions when we want to get the answer we desire.

Examples:
What do you think of the terrible side effects of drugs?
Were you with your family at the time of the crime?

Types of Sentences
In order to discuss sentence types, you must be able to distinguish between two kinds of
clauses, groups of words that have a subject and a verb.
An independent clause (main clause) has a subject and a verb and expresses a
complete thought. It is a sentence.
A dependent clause (subordinate clause) also has a subject and a verb but it does
not express a complete thought. It is not a sentence.
There are four main types of sentences:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Simple sentences (independent clause)

Compound sentences
Complex Sentences
Compound-Complex Sentence

Simple Sentences
Contain one independent clause.
Examples:
I ate my lunch quickly.
My brother visited his uncle last week.
Daniel and Sarven play basketball every day.
Note: Above example contains a compound subject but it is still a simple sentence.
Birds sing

S/V

Birds sing beautifully

S/V/Adverb

Sally dropped her books.

S/V/Direct Object

I made a cake for my mother.

S/V/D.O/Indirect Object

He painted his house red.

S/V/D.O/Adjective

Bill is a student.

S/Linking Verb/N

Bill seemed tired.

S/LV/Adjective

Compound Sentences
Contain two or more independent clauses joined together in one of the three ways:
1. With a coma (,) and a coordinating conjunction FANBOYS (for / and / nor / but / or /
yet / so) to show the relationship between the clauses.
Ex.

The students were tired, for they had studied all night without sleeping.
Chris is playing the piano, and Jan is playing the guitar.
The baby cannot be blamed for crying, nor can we blame its parents.
Juan wanted to leave, but Gary did not.
He must pass the final exam, or he will have to repeat the course.
They were happy to escape the danger in their country, yet they knew they would miss
their homeland.
We were hurrying to prepare for the party, so everyone helped.

2. With a semicolon (;) when the ideas expressed are closely related.
Ex.
They were glad to leave the country; their lives were in danger.
The students were exhausted; they had studied all night for their finals.
We need to hurry; the plane leaves in an hour.
3. With a semicolon (;) and an adverbial conjunction.
consequently, moreover, nevertheless, therefore, however
Ex.
She was unhappy with her grade; consequently, she found a tutor.
Her thesis needed work; moreover, her paragraphs lacked focus.
She worked hard all semester; therefore, her grades improved.
She worked hard all semester; nevertheless, she did not get an "A".

Complex Sentences
Contain one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses
A dependent clause may be joined by or begin with one of the following subordinating
conjunctions that expresses the relationship between the clauses.

contrast:

although, even though, while, though

cause:

because, since, as

condition:

if, when, unless

time:

whenever, once, before, after, until, as soon as

place:

where, wherever

Examples:
Although the girl spoke no English, she found her way to the HOTEL .
The children stayed in the house all day since it was raining so hard.
If you want to do well in school, you must study regularly.
Our neighbor, who married last year, is expecting a baby.
Although the weather was bad, we went out.
Before my father arrived home, I finished all my homework.
Note:
Notice that you use a comma when the subordinator begins a sentence but not when it
joins clauses.

Compound-complex Sentences
Contain two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.
Examples:
When he listens to the radio, he turns the volume up, and the neighbors complain.
Although the power was out all over the city, Mr. Griffin got to work on time; therefore,
he was able to attend an important meeting with his boss.
Our new manager, who took over the position last month, was a complete
disappointment, so he resigned yesterday.
The car that was stolen yesterday was found, but it was damaged considerably.

See vs Watch vs Look

Many people may easily confuse these three verbs as they are all related with
our eyesight; however there are certain differences between them.

See
We start to see unintentionally when we open our eyes, It may not be deliberate, we just
see without any effort.
For example:
Can you see my house over the cliff?
Bats can see very well in the dark.
See you tomorrow.
You may not see much in dim light.

Look
Different from the action see we make a special effort when we try to see something.
Its and active verb.
For example:
Don't look at the sun with the naked eye.
Look at me while I am speaking.
He looked at his watch to tell me the time.
Dont look at me like that, I am so embarrassed.

Watch
The verb watch is used when we look at something that move or change for a longer
period of time. So it`s a continuous action.
For example:
All day long I just watched TV yesterday.
Watching the sun rise and set every day is astonishing.
Please be quiet, I am trying to watch the world cup series.
Do you like watching talk shows?

Watch a Movie vs See a Movie

We watched a movie yesterday.

This would imply we watched a movie at home (TV/DVD...)
We saw a movie yesterday.
This would imply that we did so by going to a movie theater. We can also explicitly say
that we went to the movie theater and watched Ice Age.

Quick Exercise
Select from see / watch / look.

1. I couldn't

2. I don't

3. I am

4.

5. You need to

anything in the dark.

soap operas.

every single move you make.

me very carefully.

in order to see.

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6. Did you

how he kicked the ball?

7. Did you

him kick the ball?

8. Did you

at him in the eyes?

9. Can you

the traffic sign from here?

10. How far can you

without glasses?

11. I don't want to play. I will just

12. There is nothing to

13.

you.

on TV.

under the carpet and you will see how dirty it is.

14. He just stood there and

15. I don't want to

me fall.

any dust on the kitchen counter.

Affect or Effect
These two words are so much confused with each other that many users believe there
is no difference between them though there is.

Effect
It is a noun meaning outcome or result.
For example:
The effects of the earthquake were overwhelming.
Before you make an important decision, always think about the possible effects of it.
Your advice had a tremendous effect on my decision.

Affect
It is a verb meaning to change or to have an effect on.
For example:

His success in management will affect our standing among the other departments.
The way she affected other students was admirable.
Your remarks have affected me a lot.

Quick Exercise
Select from effect / affect.

1. What are the possible

of these actions?

2. I don't think there will be any negative

3. His actions will positively

your reputation at school.

4. The crisis is not going to

our country.

5. The hurricane had no significant

on wildlife.

Accept vs Except vs Expect

These words sound/look similar, except, as you would expect, they have different
meanings.

Accept
It means "to be in agreement" or "to admit to do something".
For example:
He accepted to sign the contract.

Having studied hard, Rebecca was accepted to the university.

The professor accepted to do a lecture about global development.
He accepted our invitation. (he said "yes" to our invitation offer)

Except
It means "to exclude something" not to include.
For example:
We all passed our class except Tom.
Everybody was willing to join the competition except Mary.
The teacher excepted the new student. (she didn't include him)

Expect
It means "to anticipate" or "to wait for something".

For Example:
Dont expect miracles and do something!
I didn't expect to see you so soon.
They were expected to leave soon.

Quick Exercise
Select from see / watch / look.

1. I

2. I don't

your generous offer.

him to understand me.

3. I am

someone for dinner.

4. Everybody had breakfast

5. Jenna

for Diana.

to merry me.