Relative Pronouns This type of pronoun can be used as a way of giving additional information within a sentence, pronouns in this category are that, who, which, whom… ▪ This is my brother who lives in New Zealand. ▪ This is the ball that my dog likes best. A relative pronoun is a pronoun that relates to the word that it modifies and is not specific. In English, relative pronouns are who, whom, which, whose, and that. They refer back to people or things previously mentioned, and they are used in relative clauses. Relative pronoun list: who, whom, which, whose, that. Pronoun examples: ▪ The woman who called yesterday wants to buy the house. ▪ Now they were driving by the houses which Andy had described. ▪ She is an artist whose work I really admire. ▪ The author whom you criticized in your review has written a letter in reply. Intensive Pronouns The intensive pronoun is used as a reference to another pronoun or noun in the same sentence as a way of emphasising it. ▪ The dog caught the ball itself. ▪ Sarah cooks dinner herself. ▪ I eat my candy myself. Interrogative Pronouns An interrogative pronoun is used in a question, the words within the category are who, which, where, how and what. ▪ How many apples do you have? ▪ Which way is the hotel? ▪ Is that where the chair goes?
Reciprocal Pronouns The reciprocal pronoun is used to show an action or feeling which is reciprocated, words in this category are one another and each other. ▪ They are happy with each other. ▪ The two friends really care about one another. List of Pronouns Personal pronoun list Subject pronouns: I, you, he, she, it, we, they. Object pronouns: me, you, him, her, it, us, you, them. Demonstrative pronoun list: this, that, these, those. Reflexive pronoun list: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves. Intensive pronoun list: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves. Possessive pronoun list: mine, yours, his, hers, ours, yours, theirs. Relative pronoun list: who, whom, which, whose, that. Indefinite pronoun list: another, anybody/ anyone, anything, each, either, enough, everybody/ everyone, everything, less, little, much, neither, nobody/ no-one, nothing, one, other, somebody/ someone, something, both, few, fewer, many, others, several, all, any, more, most, none, some, such. Interrogative Pronoun List: who, whom, which, what, whose, whoever, whatever, whichever, whomever.
Pronoun Rules As with all types of grammar, there are rules surrounding the use of the pronoun. Let’s take a look at these now. If the pronoun is being used as a subject it is known as a subject pronoun and often appears at the beginning of a sentence, although this is not always the case. An example of this would be She went to the shop. The words he, I, she, we, whoever, they, it etc are all subject pronouns, Secondly a subject pronoun can be used if they are renaming the sentence subject, in this case they always come after to be verbs, these might be verbs such as were, am, are, is etc. An example of this would be That is she or This is him talking. Another rule is that if the word who is being used as a pronoun to refer to a person, it will take the form of the verb to which that person corresponds, this might sound strange as this rule is not always followed but an example might look like this It is I who am going to town. An object pronouns is used to refer to the object of a sentence. Object pronouns might include the words him, me, her, us, them etc. An example of this might be Sarah watched her. In this example. her is the object of the verb watched. When an possessive pronoun is used, the use of an apostrophe is never required. When using the pronouns which, that and who you should use either a singular or plural verb depending on what the pronoun is referring to. For example, look at the following sentence. ▪ John is one of those men who likes fishing. ▪ John and Bob are two of these men who like fishing. You can see that the verb like has been modified to become plural when the pronoun who refers to two people as opposed to one.
Conclusion Pronouns are words which are used as a replacement for a noun and are commonly seen throughout the English language. There are various types of pronoun and certain rules that must be followed in order to create a grammatically correct sentence. Adapted from https://7esl.com/english-pronouns/
Preposition: Definition, Rules and Examples Prepositions! What is a preposition? learn preposition definition and useful preposition examples in English. When you are studying English grammar, you have likely come across the idea of the preposition, but what is this and how does it function within a sentence? In this article, we are going to be looking in a little more depth at what a preposition is, how they are used and the rules surrounding them. We are also going to be looking at some examples in order to gain a greater understanding of their function. What is a Preposition? In the most simple terms, a preposition is a word which can link verbs, nouns and pronouns together. In many cases it might suggest location or any other type of relationship which occurs between the various words within a sentence. Many words can be classed as a preposition but that does not mean that they are one all the time. For example, let’s take the word ‘after’ as an example. On it’s own it is not a preposition, take a look at the following sentence. ▪ He didn’t meet her until after. In this case, the word after serves as an adverb, however by changing its location in the sentence and linking it to a noun, it then becomes a preposition. Take a look at this sentence: ▪ We will meet after lunch. The word after now has a relationship to the noun lunch, which turns it into a preposition. Generally, what is a preposition? In the English language, prepositions are words which connect nouns, pronouns and phrases to other words in a sentence. A preposition is used before a noun, pronoun, or gerund to show place (prepositions of place), time (prepositions of time), direction (prepositions of movement),… in a sentence. Preposition examples: After, along, above, except, from, near, of, before, since, between, upon, with, to, after, toward, in, on, at, about, apropos, according to,…
Examples ▪ In the morning ▪ In (the) summer ▪ In a moment ▪ On Thursday ▪ On the first day ▪ On time ▪ At 12 o’clock ▪ At present ▪ In Manhattan ▪ In a building ▪ On a wall ▪ At the corner ▪ Below the surface ▪ In front of the city hall ▪ During the conference ▪ Before dawn ▪ Within seven days ▪ Into her eyes ▪ Across the road ▪ Along the beach ▪ Down the hill Types of Prepositions There are five types of prepositions in English grammar. 1. Prepositions of time (ago, before, since…) 2. Prepositions of place (under, behind, between…) 3. Prepositions of movement/ Direction (up, down, over…) 4. Prepositions for agent, instruments, devices, machines…(by, with, on…) 5. Prepositional phrases (in time, on time, in love...)
Rules Of The Preposition As with all areas of grammar, there are rules when it comes to the use of the preposition. Let’s dive a little deeper here and take a look at the rules in order to enable us to use the preposition correctly. Rule #1: As a rule of thumb, the preposition should go before the pronoun or noun to which is has a relationship. However, this is not always the case and there are some exceptions to this rule. Many people are of the belief that a preposition does not belong at the end of a sentence, but by taking a look at the following example, we can see that this is not true. ▪ This is something I do not agree with. As you can see, the preposition ‘with’ has ended the sentence, however, this should only be done if the preposition provides relevant information to the sentence. If you were to add the phrase ‘with which’ into the middle of this sentence, the final preposition would not be necessary, let’s take a look at this: ▪ This is something with which I do not agree (with) We are now going to look at some further examples of times when a preposition might come at the end of a sentence. ▪ Where did the man come from? ▪ How many of these people can he depend on? ▪ Who are you going on holiday with? Rule #2: When using the preposition ‘like’ which means similar, you should follow it with an object of preposition, this is either a noun phrase, noun or pronoun and not with a subject and verb. In order to help you to remember this, you should always avoid the use of like when a using a verb. Let’s take a look at some examples of this. ▪ She looks like her father ▪ She looks like her father does. The first sentence is correct as the preposition ‘like’ is referring to the noun ‘father.’ However, the following sentence does not make sense since the preposition ‘like’ now leads us to believe that she looks (with her eyes) in the same manner that her father looks with his eyes. When making a comparison using a subject and verb, you should use the word ‘as’ rather than ‘like’ because this will make much more sense. For example: ▪ He looks like he’s laughing. ▪ He looks as though he’s laughing.
The second sentence in the above example is correct. It is important to remember to only use like when you are saying that something is similar. If the word like cannot be reasonably replaced with similar, then ‘as’ should be used in its place. To make this clearer, let’s look at an example. ▪ Do like the teacher asks. ▪ Do as the teacher asks. The first sentence could also be worded as ‘do similarly as the teacher asks’ and this would not make sense, therefore the second sentence is grammatically correct. The best way of choosing between like and as is to remember that like should be used when there is no verb, and as should be used when there is a verb. Rule #3: When using the verb ‘to have’ you should never replace it with the preposition ‘of.’ This is not grammatically correct. Look at the following examples: ▪ He should not have done that. ▪ He should not of done that. The first sentence is correct, although many English speakers may incorrectly us the preposition of, this is not how it should be done. Rule #4: If you are going to use the word ‘different’ then it is usual to follow it with the preposition ‘from.’ In some cases, you will notice that the term ‘different than’ may be used and whilst this is not entirely grammatically incorrect, it polarises the statement rather than making it unchallengeable. ▪ He is different than she is. ▪ He is different from her. Rule #5: If you wish to refer to a motion towards something then you should use the preposition ‘into’ instead of ‘in.’ Let’s take a look at some examples of this. ▪ She walked into the room. ▪ She walked in the room. The above example shows that into makes more sense and is grammatically correct rather than the use of the word in. Let’s see another example of this. ▪ They dived into the sea. ▪ They dived in the sea.
If you are talking about something already being in something and not going towards it, then you would use the word ‘in’ and not ‘into.’ Take a look at the following two sentences and see which one sounds correct. ▪ She swam in the ocean. ▪ She swam into the ocean. Preposition List with Examples Here is a list of prepositions classified by different categories with example sentences. Prepositional Phrases A prepositional phrase is a group of words that begins with a preposition. ▪ Under construction A new railroad is under construction. ▪ For real After two trial runs we did it for real. ▪ At the same time All speak at the same time. ▪ By the time By the time I got there he’d gone. ▪ By the way By the way, how is John? ▪ On paper Could you put your ideas down on paper? ▪ With regret Do not waste time with regret. ▪ At a discount Employees can buy books at a discount.
▪ Without a hitch Everything had gone without a hitch. ▪ Under treatment He is under treatment for malaria. ▪ By force He took the purse from her by force. ▪ On board He tried to jump back on board. ▪ At risk He was putting himself at risk. ▪ By nature He was by nature a philosophical person. ▪ In vain Her efforts were in vain. ▪ On trial He’s on trial for his life. ▪ In debt I am in debt to the bank for my car loan. ▪ With regard to I am writing with regard to your recent order. ▪ With respect I ask for her hand with all respect. ▪ For life I believe marriage is for life.
▪ Out of place I felt out of place among foreigners. ▪ For ages I haven’t seen you for ages. ▪ By mistake I’ve paid this bill twice by mistake. ▪ Out of stock I’m afraid we’re temporarily out of stock. ▪ Within limits I’m willing to help, within limits. ▪ Under repair Is the bridge still under repair? ▪ In theory It sounds fine in theory, but will it work? ▪ At least It will cost at least $200. ▪ Out of school Never tell tales out of school. ▪ By now Perhaps they are already there by now. ▪ For a while Please sit down for a while.
▪ With abandon She danced with abandon. ▪ In detail She described the accident in detail. ▪ For sale She has put her house up for sale. ▪ By far She is the best by far. ▪ At the age of She went blind at the age of ten. ▪ On leave She’s on leave until the end of the month. ▪ In case Took an umbrella, just in case. ▪ In full The apple trees are in full bearing. ▪ On the move The army is on the move. ▪ In terms of The book is well organized in terms of plot. ▪ Out of order The boy put the telephone out of order. ▪ To date The car is a beauty and quite up to date.
▪ On fire The car was now on fire. ▪ Out of control The fire is burning out of control. ▪ Under review The matter is still under review. ▪ On sale The new model goes on sale next month. ▪ On show The paintings are on show until April. ▪ Within walking The shops are within walking distance. ▪ Under stress The silver was deformed under stress. ▪ At peace The two countries were at peace. ▪ Out of fashion Their music will never go out of fashion. ▪ Under the stairs There’s a broom cupboard under the stairs. ▪ For hire They have boats for hire. ▪ Out of hand
Unemployment is getting out of hand. ▪ Within reach We live within reach of the station. ▪ For nothing We went all that way for nothing. ▪ With a view of We’d like a room with a view of the sea. ▪ In doubt When in doubt, call the doctor. ▪ Without respect Without respect, love cannot go far. ▪ At once You have to call her at once.
Prepositions of Time A preposition of time is a preposition that allows you to discuss a specific time period. Here is a list of Prepositions of Time with examples. ▪ During We stayed at a student hostel during the conference. ▪ For I’m just going to bed for two hours or so. ▪ Until/Till We wait till/until half past six for you. ▪ Since Forty years have passed away since they met. ▪ From…to Her visit will extend from Monday to Thursday. ▪ Ago He left the house over an hour ago. ▪ Before She’s always up before dawn. ▪ By He had promised to be back by five o’clock. ▪ After I felt fairly easy after taking the medicine. ▪ To It’s only two weeks to Christmas.
▪ Past It’s five past ten. ▪ Between…and They lived in New York between 1998 and 2004. ▪ Within You should receive a reply within seven days. ▪ In In the afternoon ▪ On On 1st January 2013 ▪ At At the same time
Prepositions of Place A preposition of place is a preposition which is used to refer to a place where something or someone is located. Here is a list of Prepositions of Place with examples. ▪ On On a table ▪ Under We slept under the open sky. ▪ Next to The hotel is situated next to the lively bustling port. ▪ Between There is a gulf between the two cities. ▪ Among I enjoy being among my friends. ▪ In front of They massed in front of the city hall. ▪ Behind The horse fell behind in the race. ▪ By The bank is by the hotel. ▪ Above Our friends in the apartment above us are really noisy. ▪ Below He dived below the surface of the water.
▪ Near There is a bush near the school playground. ▪ At At The Empire State Building
Prepositions of Movement Prepositions of movement or direction are used to show movement from one place to another. These prepositions are most often used with verbs of motion and are found after the verb. Here’s a list of Prepositions of Movement with examples. ▪ Down It’s easier to run down the hill than go up. ▪ Up She doesn’t like riding her bike up these hills. ▪ Into Don’t put new wine into old bottles. ▪ Toward She was carrying a suitcase and walking towards. ▪ Over The hotel is over the bridge. ▪ Onto I slipped as I stepped onto the platform. ▪ Around Her hair whipped around her face in the wind. ▪ Along We went for a walk along the beach at twilight. ▪ Across The boys swam across the lake. ▪ Through The Charles River flows through Boston.
▪ To Many people travel to work by car. ▪ From What time does the flight from Amsterdam arrive? ▪ Out of If you can’t stand the heat get out of the kitchen.
Prepositions of Time and Place (IN, ON, AT) For describing time and place, the prepositions in, on, and at go from general to specific. Prepositions of Time IN, ON, AT Learn how to use prepositions of time in, on, at correctly with following useful rules and preposition examples. IN ▪ In + Years ▪ In + Seasons ▪ In + Decades ▪ In + Centuries ▪ In + Weeks ▪ In + Periods of time ▪ In + Holidays ON ▪ On + Days ▪ On + Dates ▪ On + Holidays with “day”
▪ On + Specific days ▪ On + Time ▪ On + Day + Part of day AT ▪ At + Hours ▪ At + Parts of the day ▪ At + Holidays without “day” ▪ At + Time
Prepositions of Place IN, ON, AT Learn useful rules to use Prepositions of Place IN – ON – AT with preposition examples. IN ▪ In + Countries ▪ In + Cities ▪ In + Neighborhood ▪ In + Enclosed Space ON ▪ On + Means of transport ▪ On + Communications ▪ On + Surfaces AT ▪ At + Exact Addresses or Intersections ▪ At + Specific Locations/ Points
Adjective & Preposition Combination Example sentences of prepositions with adjectives: ▪ I don’t feel comfortable in high heels. ▪ He’s very experienced in looking after animals. ▪ He is interested in molecular biology. ▪ They were successful in winning the contract. ▪ Some among us were talented in hunting. ▪ I was amazed by what she told me. ▪ We were all impressed by her enthusiasm. ▪ The book was inspired by a real person. ▪ The teacher was surprised by the student’s question. ▪ Are you acquainted with your classmate? ▪ You are blessed with many talents. ▪ The kids are busy with their homework. ▪ Her job is something concerned with computers. ▪ Are you familiar with the computer software they use? ▪ He’s fed up with his job. He wants to quit. ▪ Are you happy with that arrangement? ▪ Be careful with the glasses. ▪ She’s never satisfied with what she’s got. ▪ He’s been accused of robbery. ▪ Are you afraid of the dark? ▪ I’m not ashamed of what I did. ▪ Were you aware of the risks at the time? ▪ What are you frightened of? ▪ You are in danger of being robbed. ▪ She’s jealous of my success. ▪ He was proud of himself for not giving up. ▪ I’m sick of the way you’ve treated me. ▪ It was unkind of you to take his toy away. ▪ I’d be absolutely delighted to come. ▪ I feel very proud to be a part of the team. ▪ It’s good to see you again. ▪ It’s nice to know you. ▪ She had grown accustomed to his long absences. ▪ I’ve never seen two people so attached to each other. ▪ He was disappointed to see she wasn’t at the party. ▪ John was very keen to help. ▪ She’s married to John. ▪ I’m not qualified to give advice on such matters. ▪ I was sad to hear that they’d split up. ▪ I was thankful to see they’d all arrived safely. ▪ She is eager for her parents’ approval. ▪ You’ll be late for your flight if you don’t hurry up. ▪ What makes you think that you are qualified for this job? ▪ It is difficult for me to hear you.
▪ She is so grateful for your help. ▪ The army are said to be ready for action. ▪ This programme is not suitable for children. ▪ I’m sorry for arriving so late to dinner. ▪ She’s famous for her watercolor paintings. ▪ He’s angry at his friend for cheating on the test. ▪ I’m awful at names. ▪ Jack is really bad at keeping his promises. ▪ They are excellent at planning fun parties. ▪ She is good at solving problems. ▪ The teacher was surprised at the student’s question. ▪ Dustin is terrible at texting. ▪ He could be very careless about his future. ▪ He was quite certain about his attacker’s identity. ▪ I’m a bit concerned about your health. ▪ I’m not crazy about Chinese food. ▪ She felt very depressed about the future. ▪ The boss was furious about the past quarter’s losses. ▪ He’s very sensitive about his weight. ▪ Is she serious about wanting to sell the house? ▪ I’m very sorry about losing your book. ▪ Are you sure about that? ▪ He’s not worried about his upcoming examinations. Noun & Preposition Combination Examples of prepositions with nouns. ▪ There is a steep fall in profits this year. ▪ She has lost her belief in God. ▪ We apologize for the delay in answering your letter. ▪ We measured the difference in temperature. ▪ I had no difficulty in making myself understood. ▪ The novel is based on his experiences in the war. ▪ Do your parents take an interest in your friends? ▪ There is the rapid growth in violent crime. ▪ The club encourages participation in sporting activities. ▪ There was no change in the patient’s condition overnight. ▪ I’d like to do a course in computer programming. ▪ I need some lessons in how to set up a website. ▪ He had a lot of success in his career. ▪ He took a photograph of the mountains. ▪ He has the advantage of speaking English fluently. ▪ We went to see an exhibition of Viking jewellery. ▪ His fear of flying made travel difficult. ▪ He was the first to see the possibilities of the plan.
▪ She is the cause of all his problems. ▪ It is a perfect example of a medieval castle. ▪ I’m not happy with this way of working. ▪ Mark gave me a check for $100. ▪ There is no known cure for this type of snake bite. ▪ I have a fondness for expensive chocolate. ▪ There is a real need for discipline in this class. ▪ Is there enough room for us in the car? ▪ I have no particular reason for doubting him. ▪ At least give her credit for trying. ▪ She felt a surge of love and desire for him. ▪ I couldn’t hide my love for her any longer. ▪ He felt nothing but hatred for his attacker. ▪ His plans are a recipe for disaster. ▪ I have a deep respect for my grandmother. ▪ I’m aware of John’s reputation for being late. ▪ I did an Internet search for free music sites. ▪ His talent for singing was impressive. ▪ I had an argument with the waiter about the bill. ▪ She has no concern with my question. ▪ Dave has close connection with my family. ▪ Have you had any contact with Anna? ▪ I’ve got a dinner date with Tommy on Saturday. ▪ I’m having difficulty with the steering. ▪ I’ve got a meeting with Mr Thomas this afternoon. ▪ Tony left after a quarrel with his wife. ▪ My relationship with John is wonderful. ▪ We have every sympathy with his family. ▪ Students must have access to good resources. ▪ Mark is now fighting his addiction to alcohol. ▪ I have an open invitation to visit my friend in Korea. ▪ I really admire Sarah for her dedication to her family. ▪ I have no desire to discuss the matter further. ▪ His reaction to his behavior was quite funny. ▪ The book is full of references to growing up in India. ▪ You have no reason to change the schedule like that. ▪ There is no solution to this problem. ▪ It’s my first visit to Tokyo. ▪ The flood caused damage to property estimated at $6 million. ▪ There has been a lot of resistance to this new law. ▪ I’d like to make a small contribution to the cost of the holiday.
Verb & Preposition Combination Examples of prepositions with verbs in English. ▪ He asked about her family. ▪ The boys argued about which bus to take. ▪ He always cares about me. ▪ Anna decided about her goals. ▪ Sarah dreams about becoming a ballet dancer. ▪ Don’t forget about the party you promised. ▪ You will laugh about this later on. ▪ What did you think about the idea? ▪ Don’t worry about me. I’ll be all right. ▪ We always agree on the best course of action. ▪ I don’t feel I can comment on their decision. ▪ I congratulate you on your new job! ▪ You can count on me anytime. ▪ We depend on our customers’ suggestions. ▪ Can you elaborate on the process? ▪ I insist on Peter’s studying every day for two hours. ▪ Advertisements often play on people’s fears. ▪ Can we rely on this old car to get us there? ▪ She is working on a new novel. ▪ He admitted to being late three times. ▪ I answer to Ms Smith. ▪ She had to apologize to the whole family. ▪ Let me appeal to you for your help in this matter. ▪ She asked to see Professor Fenton. ▪ Chris attended to the grocery shopping. ▪ She committed herself to finding a new job. ▪ I’m going to complain to the manager about this. ▪ The boy confessed to stealing the apple. ▪ Please contribute to the fund for the needy. ▪ Can you explain Andrew to me? ▪ Something awful happened to your car. ▪ Allow me to introduce myself to you. ▪ Have you been invited to their party? ▪ I prefer roast potatoes to French fries. ▪ He reacted poorly to the news. ▪ I travel to work by train. ▪ That accounts for his success. ▪ I really admire you for your courage. ▪ I want to apologize for my mistakes. ▪ He doesn’t care for playing golf. ▪ I can’t excuse myself for not doing it. ▪ He works for an engineering company. ▪ He always agrees with my opinion. ▪ Susan associates chocolate with childhood.
▪ The officer charged Mr. Smith with blackmail. ▪ He complies with each and every order. ▪ I’m afraid I confused you with someone else. ▪ I can’t deal with so much overtime. ▪ Can I borrow a hammer from you? ▪ You can choose from a wide range of vehicles. ▪ The swimmer emerged from the lake. ▪ Don’t expect sympathy from me! ▪ The cover protects the machine from dust. ▪ He will suffer from studying too little. ▪ The entire group arrived in force. ▪ She seemed totally absorbed in her book. ▪ John believes in oat bran. ▪ Please don’t involve me in this mess. ▪ John succeeded in getting a new job. ▪ I specialize in tropical medicine. Common Errors with Prepositions Learn common errors in the use of prepositions in English with examples. Incorrect: Sophia invests her money on the stock market. Correct: Sophia invests her money in the stock market. Incorrect: He is a student of Oxford University. Correct: He is a student at Oxford University. Incorrect: I saw that news on the newspapers. Correct: I saw that news in the newspapers. Incorrect: Open page 45 of your books. Correct: Open your books to page 45. Incorrect: The cat is sleeping in the sofa. Correct: The cat is sleeping on the sofa. Incorrect: My birthday is on October. Correct: My birthday is in October. Incorrect: John has been absent from Friday? Correct: John has been absent since Friday ? Incorrect: Sophia’s married with a doctor. Correct: Sophia’s married to a doctor.
Incorrect: Divide it between the children in class. Correct: Divide it among the children in class. Incorrect: It has been snowing from Monday. Correct: It has been snowing since Monday. Incorrect: The key of happiness is having dreams. Correct: The key to happiness is having dreams. Incorrect: What do you see when looking the mirror? Correct: What do you see when looking in the mirror? Incorrect: She met with old friends on her holiday. Correct: She met old friends on her holiday. Incorrect: He insisted to carry his own bag. Correct: He insisted on carrying his own bag. Incorrect: Lunch consisted from sandwiches and fruit. Correct: Lunch consisted of sandwiches and fruit. Incorrect: It depends from you. Correct: It depends on you.
Adapted from https://7esl.com/prepositions/
Determiner: Definition, Rules and Examples Determiners are words such as the, my, this, some, twenty, each, any, which are used before nouns: the countryside some paper this old sofa my father five green chairs each person Determiners include the following common types: • Articles: a/an, the • Demonstratives: this, that, these, those • Possessives: my, your, his, her, its, our, their, x’s (possessive ’s) • Quantifiers: (a) few, fewer, (a) little, many, much, more, most, some, any, etc. • Numbers: one, two, three, etc. Here is a list of the determiners. Many of them have individual entries: (a) few, fewer, fewest every most that (a) little half much the (an)other her my their a/an his neither these all its no this any Jim’s, Anna’s, etc. one, two, three, etc. those both least our what each less several which either many some whose
enough more such your Sometimes we don’t use a determiner before the noun. We call this ‘zero determiner’: Dogs love biscuits. What do determiners do? Determiners have two main functions: referring and quantifying. Referring Referring means showing us who or what the noun is pointing to or talking about. The most common types of determiners which we use for referring are articles, possessives and demonstratives: A: Where’s the newspaper? B: It’s on the sofa. (the means the noun refers to something the speaker and listener both know or are familiar with) A: Have you seen my MP3 player anywhere? B: Yes. It’s on the kitchen table. (my refers to something which belongs to the speaker; the refers to something the speaker and listener can both identify because they both know or share knowledge about it.) Do you want this bag or are you going to put it in that box? (this refers to something near the speaker; that refers to something further away.) Charles is looking for his dictionary. Have you got it? (his means the noun refers to something belonging to a male, in this case, Charles.) Quantifying ‘Quantifying’ means showing how much of something there is, or how many: Five people were arrested during an anti-war demonstration in London today. There are some letters here for you. (some means a non-specific, small number or quantity of something.) Do you have enough flour to make the bread. (enough means a quantity that is sufficient or adequate for something). Sourced from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/determiners-themy-some-this
Present Simple Tense (Simple Present): Definition, Rules and Useful Examples Present Simple! In this section, we will be taking a look at the present simple tense in much more detail. This will not only give you a clearer understanding of this aspect of grammar but will also enable you to form more concise sentences. Learn useful grammar rules to use the Simple Present Tense in English with example sentences. What is the Simple Present Tense? If you want to talk about an action which is happening in the present moment, you will be using the present simple tense. This is a tense commonly used within the English language and comes with its own set of grammar rules. It is important to understand these rules and know how to use them so that your speech is clear and comprehensive. The simple present tense of English language verbs is more complicated than the name suggests. In English grammar, the simple present tense is one of the verb forms associated with the present tense. The simple present tense is typically used for the following four general cases: 1. To express facts, general statements of truth, and common-sense ideas that everybody knows. 2. To state habits, customs, and events that happen periodically. 3. To describe future plans and events. 4. To tell jokes, stories, and relate sporting events in real-time. The key thing that simple present tense verbs ARE NOT used for is to talk about an action that subject is performing in the present. That usage is more geared towards present participles. The first person, second person, and third person plural regular verbs are straightforward and are just like the infinitive form of the verb most of the time. The third person singular has a couple rules associated with it that may take a bit of memorization at first but will become second nature through repetition. ▪ To most regular verbs, add an s’ at the end. ▪ To verbs that end in s’, ss’, sh’, ch’, th’, x’, z’, or o’, add an es’. ▪ To verbs that end in y’, drop the y’ and add ies’.
Examples: ▪ Infinitive: To Go ▪ First Person: I go/We go ▪ Second Person: You go ▪ Third Person: He goes/They go ▪ Infinitive: To study ▪ First Person: I study/We study ▪ Second Person: You study ▪ Third Person: She studies/They study ▪ Infinitive: To Mix ▪ First Person: I Mix/We Mix ▪ Second Person: You Mix ▪ Third Person: He mixes/They mix The simple present tense can be combined with several expressions to indicate the time when an action occurs periodically, such as “every Tuesday”, “always”, “usually”, “twice a month”, etc…Additionally, this form can be made negative or can be used in the interrogative form as well. There is a lot of flexibility to this so-called simple tense to express complex ideas. In the next section are ten examples to demonstrate the different spellings and the various use cases described above. After that are several exercises to provide practice identifying the different forms of the simple present tense verb. As always, a good way to continually reinforce this information is to try and identify this type of verb while reading and always, always, always keep a dictionary or google search window handy. Simple Present Tense Structure Present Simple Tense with “TO BE” (am/is/are) Affirmative sentence: S + am/is/are + predicate… Example: He is a doctor. Negative Sentence: S + am/is/are + not + predicate… Example: He isn’t a doctor.
Interrogative Sentence: Am/Is/ Are + S + predicate? Example: Is he a doctor? Simple Present Tense with Other Verbs Affirmative sentence: S + verb + object… Example: We like tea. Negative sentence: S + don’t/doesn’t + verb + object… Example: We don’t like tea. Interrogative sentence: Do/ Does + S + verb + object? Example: Do you like tea? Examples of the Simple Present Tense 1. In the United States, Daylight Saving Time begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November. 2. My wife and I drink a toast to the New Year every January 1st. 3. So, a horse walks into a bar and the bartender says “Why the long face?”…. 4. My company issues promotions and raises next week. 5. The human body maintains a temperature of 98.6 degrees. 6. Do you like my cat? 7. Does my dog wake you up when he barks at night? 8. I always feed my kids before sending them off to school. 9. The best student in the class studies twice as much as anyone. 10.The chef mixes fish shrimp with steak to make the best surf’ n turf’ in town.
How to Use the Simple Present The Present Simple Tense Usage The Present Simple tense is used to express: General Truth Example: Habits Example: I play badminton every Tuesday. Future Timetables Example: Our train leaves at 9 am. Future after “When”, “Until”… Example: I won’t go out until it stops raining. Permanent Situations Example: He works in a bank. For Newspaper Headlines Example: Man enters space. With Non-progressive Example: I believe that you are innocent.
When Telling Stories Example: Suddenly, the window opens and a masked man enters. For Giving Directions and Instructions Example: First of all, you break the eggs and whisk with sugar. Notes for the Present Simple The basic form of the simple present is the same as the base form of the verb, unless the subject is third person singular, in which case a form with the addition of - (e)s is used. ▪ For pronouns I, you, we, they, there is no modification for verbs. ▪ For pronouns he, she, it, a suffix is added following these rules: For verbs that end in –o, –ch, –sh, –s, –x, or –z, the suffix –es is added Examples: Do – Does Touch – Touches Fix – Fixes For verbs that end in a consonant + y, the letter y is replaced by the suffix –ies. Example: Try – Tries Study – Studies Carry – Carries In other cases, the suffix –s is added. Examples: Cook – Cooks Say – Says Laugh – laughs Time Expressions in the Present Simple Tense ▪ This evening ▪ At 10 am ▪ When ▪ Until ▪ As soon as ▪ After ▪ Before ▪ Twice a month ▪ Every Tuesday
▪ Often ▪ Sometimes ▪ … Present Simple Tense Chart Adapted from https://7esl.com/present-simple-tense/
Present Continuous Tense: Definition, Useful Rules and Examples Present Continuous Tense! In this section, we are going to be looking at the present continuous tense much more closely and this will enable us to further understand its use as well as the grammar rules which surround it. As a result of this, you will be able to form much more complex sentences and improve your fluency of the language. Learn how and when to use the Present Continuous Tense in English with useful grammar rules and example sentences. Present Continuous Tense What Is the Present Continuous Tense? The present continuous tense is one which is commonly used within the English language and often uses the -ing form of a verb, for example ‘she is running.’ We can see that the sentence is happening continuously in the present moment. The present continuous verb tense, also known as the present progressive, is used to describe an action that is currently happening or may happen in the future. The present continuous tense is typically used for the following four general cases: 1. To describe events that are happening at the current time 2. To discuss an event that is temporary in nature, will continue into the future, but end at a particular time 3. To list future plans 4. To describe a new pattern or a habit This verb tense is formed with a variant of the verb to be + the present participle (verb form ending in -ing). These verbs can also take adverb modifiers to talk about an activity that is continuing into some future time (e.g. in one hour’, this Fall’). Additionally, present continuous verb forms are most commonly going to be found in the wild using dynamic verbs’ that describe: ▪ an activity (e.g. learn, listen, read) ▪ a process (e.g. change, grow, shrink) ▪ a bodily sensation (e.g. ache, feel, hurt) ▪ a transitional event (e.g. arrive, leave) ▪ a momentary occurrence (e.g. hit, jump, kick).
The other type of verb, which is not generally seen with present continuous verb forms, is known as stative, and the reason it is not used here is that stative verbs describe actions that are done and over with and do not continue into the future at all (e.g. astonish, see, smell). In the next section are ten examples to demonstrate the various use cases described above. After that are several exercises to provide practice identifying the different forms of the present continuous verb tense. As always, a good way to continually reinforce this information is to try and identify this type of verb while reading and always, always, always keep a dictionary or google search window handy. Present Continuous Tense Structure The present continuous (also the present progressive) is one of the present tenses used in modern English. Basically, the Present Continuous Tense is formed by adding -ing to the base verb. The structure of the Present Continuous Tense is: S + am/is/are (not) + V-ing +…. Examples: ▪ He is playing. ▪ She isn’t cooking. Am/is/are + S + V-ing +…? Example: ▪ Am I annoying you? (which is to ask whether I am annoying you.) Examples of the Present Continuous Tense 1. My daughter’s class is currently attending a lecture on the solar system at the planetarium. 2. The driver is stopping at the gas station for a moment to fill up the tank and then will proceed to the next town for lunch. 3. You need to prepare an agenda before your next class because you are keeping the students two minutes late every time lately. 4. My company is holding face to face meetings a lot less than they used to in favor of video calls. 5. When my vacation starts, my family and I are flying to Hawaii to relax on the beach. 6. The movie is starting in the next thirty minutes so we have to leave very shortly. 7. Whenever the cat is playing with a ribbon, she starts jumping back and forth like her hunter forbears. 8. I am going to fly back and forth between Detroit and Atlanta twice a month from now on as part of my promotion.
9. I hate to say it, but my kids are giving me the worst migraine right now with all their screaming! 10.The fog is slowly lifting which will make my drive to work much less dangerous. How to Use the Present Continuous Tense The present continuous tense is used: 1. To describe something which is happening at the exact moment of speech. Example: ▪ Jim is watching television at the moment. 2. To describe an action that is taking place now but not at the exact moment of speech. Example: ▪ John is working in London. 3. To describe an event planned in the future. Example: ▪ I’m taking my French class on Tuesday. 4. To describe a temporary situation. Example: ▪ I’m staying with a friend for a few days. 5. To emphasize the frequency of an action. Example: ▪ That child is always crying for no good reason. 6. To describe changing situations. Example: ▪ Her health is improving by leaps and bounds.
Present Continuous Tense Chart Adapted from https://7esl.com/present-continuous-tense/
Present Perfect Tense: Definition, Rules and Useful Examples Present Perfect Tense! In this section, we are going to be explaining exactly what the present perfect tense and how we can use it, allowing you to be able to speak much more clearly about certain actions and the times they are occurring. Learn how and when to use the Present Perfect Tense in English with useful grammar rules dan example sentences. Present Perfect Tense What Is the Present Perfect Tense? The present perfect tense is something which might seem complicated at first glance, but once you understand the basic rules, it becomes much more simple. This tense is used to talk about an action which began in the past but has continued into the present moment and is something that we see often when using the English language. The present perfect tense is used to describe: 1. an action or situation that began sometime in the past and continues into the present time. 2. an action performed during a period that has not yet completed. 3. a repeated activity in an unspecified time period between the past and the current time period. 4. an action that finished in the very recent past, expressed by ‘just’. 5. an action when the time is not important. It is formed with a variant of the verb to have + the present participle (verb form ending in -ed). The part that may confuse some readers is whether to use this present perfect verb tense (e.g. have walked) or to use the simple past (e.g. walked). Simple Past ▪ Used with adverbs that describe a time already past (e.g. I studied for the test on Sunday). ▪ Used with an adverb that marks a specific point in time (e.g. I have studied today).
Present Perfect ▪ Used with adverbs describing a time that started in the past and continues right up to the present time (e.g. I have studied every day this week). ▪ Used with an adverb that marks a specific point in time (e.g. I have studied today). ▪ Used when speaking about an event that happened in the recent past (e.g. I have studied night after night for this test). In the next section are ten examples to demonstrate the various use cases described above. After that are several exercises to provide practice identifying the different forms of the present perfect verb tense. As always, a good way to continually reinforce this information is to try and identify this type of verb while reading and always, always, always keep a dictionary or google search window handy. Present Perfect Tense Structure In English grammar, the present perfect is a combination of the present tense and perfect aspect that is used to express a past event that has present consequences. The structure of the Present Perfect (formula): ▪ Affirmative Sentence Subject + have/has + past participle Example: I have tried sushi before. ▪ Negative Sentence Subject + have not (haven’t)/has not (hasn’t) + past participle Example: I have not tried sushi before. ▪ Interrogative Sentence Have/Has + subject + past participle? Example: Have you tried sushi before? Examples of the Present Perfect Tense 1. My daughter has completed her math and reading homework assignments. 2. The gardener has planted all the seeds he is going to for the tomato season. 3. We have finished watching Star Wars and now we can start watching The Empire Strikes Back. 4. My company has banned remote work-from-home and now we all have to drive into the office every day. 5. For the last two weeks, I have read a book a day and reviewed it for my website.
6. I have traveled back and forth to Japan once a month for the last year. 7. The cat has played with the ribbon for too long and now she just looks silly! 8. I have listened to all the PMP podcasts, and now I am ready to take the exam. 9. The trick-or-treaters have visited my house three times tonight and I’m not sure I can stay hidden any longer. 10.My son has performed the same piano exercises for the last hour and I can’t get the sounds out of my head! How to Use the Present Perfect Tense? The Present Perfect Tense Usage The Present Perfect is used: ▪ To express things you have done in your life Examples: I’ve been to England. She has never studied Japanese. ▪ To express the number of times you have done something Examples: I’ve been to Paris three times. How many times have you tried to call her? ▪ To describe recently completed actions which are important now Examples: I have some bad news. I’ve lost my job. I can’t play football tonight – I’ve hurt my leg. ▪ To express situations that started in the past and are still true Examples: I’ve known James for 4 or 5 years. She’s been the director of that company since 2007. ▪ To describe unfinished actions or situations Examples: I’ve known Julie for ten years. (I met her ten years ago and I still know her) We have lived here since 2004.