Category: Grammar

The past perfect tense tells us that an action was finished at some point in the past before something else happened.

Form:

subject + had + past participle = past perfect tense

Examples:

• She had met him before the event.
• I had sent the email before he talked to me.

Usage:

There are many situations where the past perfect tense can be used, such as the following:

• To show that an action happened before something else in the past:

Example: Anthony had met Ryan before you introduced him to us at the party.

• To show that an action happened before a specific time in the past:

Example: They had gotten engaged before last year.

Remember that past perfect tense makes it clear that one thing happened before another in the past and that the order of events doesn’t matter because the tense already makes it clear which event happened first.

We use Wish and ‘If only’ when we talk about regrets – these are the things that we would like to change about the past or the present.

Usage:
There are three types of  I wish / if only  sentences:

1. Wish – wanting to change something about the present or future with the simple past.
2. Regret – used with the past perfect.
3. Complaints – used with would + verb.

Examples:

In expressing a wish:

• If only I knew how to use a smartphone.
• I wish I were a millionaire!

In expressing regret:

• If only I had gotten to work early.
• I wish I hadn’t eaten all that candy.

In expressing a complain:

• I wish you wouldn’t borrow my stuff without asking first.
• I wish you’d give up smoking soon.

We use the passive voice to show whether the subject of the sentence performs or just receives the action. If the subject does the action, it is in the active voice. On the other hand, when the subject isn’t the one performing the action and only receiving it, then the verb is in the passive voice.

Forming Passive Voice

The verb is in passive voice when it uses a verb to be and a past participle. 

Subject + Verb To Be + Past Participle

Passive Voice in Different Tenses

For this part, we will be using the verb “to do” as example and see how it is formed in passive voice in different verb tenses.

Uses

• The most important thing to remember here is to use passive voice when the focus of the topic is on the action. Consequently, it is not important or not known who or what is performing the action.

My bike was stolen.

In this sentence, the focus is that someone stole my bike and I don’t know who did it.

• Generally, a statement in the passive voice is more polite than the active voice.

A mistake was made.

In this sentence, I focused on the fact that a mistake was made, but I don’t blame anyone. Rather than saying, “You have made a mistake.”.

• Remember the following points when you are rewriting active sentences into passive voice.

1. First, the subject of the passive sentence is the object of the active sentence.
2. Secondly, the main verb is changed to: to be + past participle.
3. Lastly, the subject of the active sentence becomes the object of the passive sentence or is not included anymore.

Converting Active Voice into Passive Voice

Take a look at some examples of active sentences that are converted into passive.

Active: Andy sings the song.
Passive: The song is sung by Andy.

Active: They washed the dishes.
Passive: The dishes were washed by them.

Active: Alfred has bought a car.
Passive: A car has been bought by Alfred.

Active: Tomas will be fishing.
Passive: Fish will be caught by Tomas.

Active: Mary can ride bicycles.
Passive: Bicycles can be ridden by Mary.

Passive Voice Exercise

Answer this exercise on passive voice.

1. I will ________ by my sister.

a. accompany

b. be accompanied

c. accompanied

2. My mother ____________ an award by her company.

a. has been given 

b. has given

c. gave

3. The employees are waiting to ____.

a. promote

b. be promoted

c. be promote

4. She ________ to the hospital.

a. took

b. was taken

c. has taken

5. The rat _______ for the experiment.

a. was used

b. used

c. uses

6. The newly-elected officials _______ on 22 November 2019.

a. sworn

b. swore

c. were sworn

7. Mistakes ________.

a. have made

b. were made

c. were make

8. The door _______. 

a. been repaired

b. is been repaired

c. is being repaired

9. Some animals _______ on this road every year.

a. are kill

b. are killed

c. was killed

10. The earth ______ in gases.

a. wraps

b. is wrapped

c. are wrapped

Find the answers to this exercise here.

See also: Passive (is done/was done) and Passive (be done/been done/being done).

For additional information on this topic, check out this Grammarly Lesson.

For other English grammar lessons, go to this page.

A conditional consists of two clauses: first, is the condition or the if-clause and the main or result clause.

Mixed conditional combine elements from different types (e.g., a past condition with a present result). It is also where the tense in the main clause is different from the tense in the conditional-clause (also called if-clause).

Usage:

1. Past to Present
If I had taken an aspirin, I wouldn’t have a headache now.

2. Past to Future
If I had known that you are going to come by tomorrow, I would be in then.

3. Present to Past
If she had enough money, she could have done this trip to Hawaii.

4. Present to Future
If I were you, I would be spending my vacation in Seattle.

5. Future to Past
If I weren’t flying to Detroit, I would have planned a trip to Vancouver.

6. Future to Present
If I were taking this exam next week, I would be high-strung.

We use adverbial phrases of time, place, and frequency to describe where, when, or how often an action takes place.

Adverbial Phrases of Frequency

• In describing how often something happens, you need an adverbial phrase of frequency.

Form

• Adverbial phrases of frequency often go in present simple sentences.

He hunts rabbits every weekend.

They train every other day.

She takes classes five times a month.

Adverbial Phrases of Time

• To talk about when something happens, you need an adverbial phrase of time.

today; tomorrow; tonight; yesterday; nowadays; now; first of all; beforehand; soon; afterwards; later; next; then

Forms

• Adverbial phrases of time usually go either at the beginning or the end of a sentence or clause.

Tomorrow afternoon, I’m going to the free cities.

I’m going to the free cities tomorrow afternoon.

First of all, let’s have ale at an inn.

Let’s have ale at an inn first of all.

I’m going to the flea market and afterwards, I’m going to the citadel.

I’m going to the flea market and I’m going to the citadel afterwards.

• Use then at the beginning of a sentence or clause.

Then, we saw the pier.

She’s going to finish cooking and then she’s going to sew some dresses.

• Use soon and now at the end of a sentence.

She’s going to quit her job soon.

Arya is calling home now.

Adverbial Phrases of Place

• To describe where something happens, you need an adverbial phrase of place.

outside; inside; indoors; outdoors; upstairs; downstairs; (over) here; (over) there; abroad; overseas

Forms

• Adverbial phrases of place usually go after a verb.

They were exiled in another country.

Let’s keep them under this desk.

• They also go after the object of the sentence.

The maester works in the library upstairs.

Your horse is on the stable over there.

Adverbial Phrases Exercise

Answer this exercise on adverbial phrases.

1. She sees him ______.

a. always

b. once in a while

c. hardly

2. Jake plays football ______.

a. every week

b. all the days

c. Saturdays

3. His family lives ______.

a. in the flat upstairs

b. in the upstairs flat

c. in the above flat

4. Mrs. Jones ______ late for lessons.
a. never is

b. is never
c. always are

5. I hardly ever go shopping _______.

a. soon

b. these days

c. today

6. I _____ my homework on time. 
a. do always

b. always do

c. do never

7. She ______ her mobile phone.

a. almost always leaves

b. always almost leaves

c. leaves always

8. Tim always goes cycling ___ Sundays.

a. every

b. all the

c. on

9. I’m going to visit my family ______.

a. tomorrow tomorrow

b. the day after tomorrow
c. next next day

10. They only go out ______.

a. during occasions

b. on occasions

c. on special occasions

Find the answers to this exercise here.

See also: Adverbial Phrases of frequency, time and place and Inversion with Negative Adverbials.

For additional information on this topic, check out this Cambridge Grammar Lesson.

For other English grammar lessons, go to this page.

• who and whom for people
• which for things.
• that for people or things

Usage

• after a noun:

– The chapel that Baelor built.

– The person who discovered the prisoner’s secret .

– An eighth-grader who attempted to skip school.

• to tell more about a person or thing:

– My sister, who studied abroad, has always been insightful.

– Lord Frey, who was 98, has just died.

– We had lemon cakes, which are Sansa’s favorite.

• do not use that as a subject:

• whose as the possessive form of who:

– This is Gregor, whose brother went to war with me.

• whom / who as the object of a verb or preposition:

– This is Robb, whom you met at my daughter’s wedding. / This is Robb, who you met at my daughter’s wedding.

• whom or which after a preposition:

– I had an uncle in Westeros, from who[m] I inherited a castle.

– We brought an axe, with which we cut up all the firewood.

or

• preposition at the end of the clause:

– I had an uncle in Westeros who[m] I inherited a castle from.

– We brought an axe, which we cut all the firewood up with.

or

• that at the beginning of the clause:

– I had an uncle in Westeros that I inherited a castle from.

– We brought an axe that we cut all the firewood up with.

Usage:

• for statements that are true all the time

I come from Spain.

Maria lives in Madrid.

They have two dogs.

Forms:

• positive

I/You drink coffee at breakfast.

He/She/It drinks coffee at breakfast.

We/They drink coffee at breakfast.

• Negative

I/You don’t drink coffee at breakfast.

He/She/It doesn’t drink coffee at breakfast.

We/They don’t drink coffee at breakfast.

• Questions

Do I/you drink coffee at breakfast?

Does he/she/it drink coffee at breakfast?

Do we/they drink coffee at breakfast?

• Short Answers

Yes, I/you do drink coffee at breakfast.

Yes, he/she/it does drink coffee at breakfast.

Yes, we/they do drink coffee at breakfast.

No, I/you don’t drink coffee at breakfast.

No, he/she/it doesn’t drink coffee at breakfast.

No, we/they don’t drink coffee at breakfast.

Spelling Rules: 3rd Person Singular Pronouns

• verb ending in a consonant + y → i + es

marry → He marries Lucy today.

• verbs ending in tch, ss, x, sh or z → + es.

pitch → He pitches his tent far from the river.

discuss → The teacher discusses climate change to 4th graders.

mix → The gardener mixes the soil with fertilizer.

blush → She blushes when complimented.

• irregular verbs

I am → he/she/it is

I don’t → he/she/it doesn’t

I haven’t  →  he/she/it hasn’t

Intensifiers are modifiers that function to give force or emphasize emotional context to the word used with them. Some of the most common intensifiers are:

so, such, too, enough

Intensifier So

• The intensifier so functions like “very”.

This car is so old.

I am so scared.

They are so sweet.

Forms of Intensifier So

• Use so before an adjective or an adverb.

Madrid is so crowded!

He finished the exam so quickly!

It’s so amazing.

• Place the intensifier so before nouns and verbs.

That is so Spanish of you.

It is so Catholic of them to believe this.

• Lastly, it can also be used with a that-clause.

He was so impatient that he left without me.

They were so in a hurry that they didn’t say goodbye.

It was so touching that I cried.

Intensifier Such

• Like so, the intensifier such also means very. Use it before an adjective and noun.

They are such good people.

You have been such a sport.

She is such a sweetheart.

Forms of Intensifier Such

• Use a / an after such, not before it.

It was such a lovely afternoon.

They are such a generous couple.

She is in such a hurry.

• Such is also used with a that-clause.

It was such a warm night that we decided to sleep outside the house.

The project was such a failure that it was discontinued.

He spoke with such conviction that everyone believed him.

Intensifier Too

• Use the intensifier too to show a negative opinion or mean ‘a lot of something’.

It’s too windy outside.

I am too scared.

The restaurant is too full of people.

Forms of Intensifier Too

• Put the intensifier too before an adjective that expresses a negative meaning.

My vacation is too short.

This place is too noisy.

Kevin’s bag is too heavy.

• It is also found before an adverb.

The teacher speaks too fast.

My friend reacted to the news too loudly.

She is walking too slowly.

• The intensifier too is also placed before a noun.

I had too much alcohol.

She ate too many cookies.

You ask too many questions.

• Finally, put too after a verb.

I eat too much.

He arrived too early.

She talks too fast.

Intensifier Enough

• Use the intensifier enough if you mean ‘having what is needed‘.

We have enough supplies to last winter.

We don’t have enough men to patrol the place.

Forms of Intensifier Enough

• The intensifier enough is placed before a noun.

We have enough food for the party.

Mark had enough money.

Did you get enough sleep?

• Place enough after an adjective or verb.

Are the children comfortable enough?  

It is never good enough.

Is she practicing enough?

• Follow the intensifier enough with a to-infinitive.

Robin is not good enough to win the contest.

We haven’t got enough to accuse him of this crime.

Intensifiers So Such Too Enough Exercise

Answer this exercise on Intensifiers So Such Too Enough.

1. She brought far ___ clothes.

a. too much

b. so many

c. too many

2. Carrie is ____ pretty. She’s the cutest baby.

a. too

b. very

c. such

3. Don’t wear those shoes. They’re ____ dirty.

a. too

b. very

c. enough

4. Do we have _____?

a. money enough

b. enough money

c. too money

5. It’s ______ cold! I love the winter!

a. too

b. so

c. enough

6. Everyone in their group ______.

a. drinks too much

b.  too much drinks

c. enough drinks

7. She’s _____. Everyone loves her.

a. so charming

b. charming enough

c. too charming

8. Peter is ______ to go on a rollercoaster. 

a. enough tall

b. tall enough

c. too tall

9. The soup was _____ hot that I couldn’t eat it right away.

a. so 

b. such

c. enough

10. Allan doesn’t get ______.

a. sleep enough

b. enough sleep

c. too sleep

Find the answers to this exercise here.

See also: Adjectives and Adverbs and Mitigators

For additional information on this topic, check out this BBC Learning English Lesson.

For other English grammar lessons, go to this page.

Connectors are used to combine ideas in writing – and thus ensure that ideas within sentences and paragraphs are elegantly connected – for the benefit of the reader. They help the reader to progress from one idea to the next idea. Thus, they help to build up coherent relationships within the text.

1. SIMILARITY

likewise    similarly     correspondingly    by the same token    in the same way

• He failed the test in the same way he did before.
• She was late and I similarly was delayed.
• Public transportation is accessible in this country; likewise, its hospitals are also user-friendly.

2. CONTRAST

On the other hand       in contrast  however    nevertheless

• Dan worked hard. On the other hand/In contrast/ However, Ken hardly did any work at all.
• Greg is an optimist. In contrast/However/, Billy is a pessimist.
• She studied diligently for several months. Nevertheless/However, she failed.

3. RESULT

Therefore   thus  consequently      as a result  hence

• He passed his exams. Therefore/Thus/Hence/Consequently, he had some good news to tell his parents.
• Professor Barry is an outstanding scientist. Hence, he is highly respected.
• He has been studying hard for a long time. Thus, he has made a lot of progress.
• The demand has increased sharply and as a result the prices are higher now.

4. ADDITION AND LISTING

In addition  moreover   furthermore        also   besides      additionally

First/first of all/firstly/to begin with         secondly    thirdly

• Tom plays football. Moreover/ Besides/ Also, he runs a restaurant.
• Mary writes short stories, in addition, she writes articles for a newspaper.
• Living in a big city offers good job opportunities. Also, it provides good educa­tional opportunities.
• Owning a car has some advantages. First (First of all/Firstly/ To begin with), it gives you comfort. Secondly, it saves you a lot of time. Thirdly, it gives you great freedom of movement.

5. TIME

at first      afterwards     later      then   in the meantime     meanwhile

• I read the morning papers for a while. Afterwards, I took a shower.
• First pick up the receiver and then insert a coin into the coin-box.
• At first, I had great difficulty with grammar Later, however , I was able to overcome these difficulties by studying hard.
• The party is Tuesday, but in the meantime I have to shop and prepare the food.
• They’ll be here soon. Meanwhile, let’s have coffee.

6. EXEMPLIFICATION

for instance     for example    to illustrate

• Women generally live longer than men. For instance, in the United States life expectancy for women is 75, while it is 73 for men.
• Earthquakes can be highly destructive. To illustrate, the earthquake which occurred in Japan in 1939 devastated the whole town, killing more than 35,000 people.

7. PARTICULARIZATION

in particular      particularly      specifically

• Shopping in small markets is quite advantageous. In particular, one can find specialty items that larger stores do not contain.
• We still needed to arrange several details for the trip. Specifically, we had to make plane and train reservations as well as decide on the final itinerary.

8. EXPLANATION

that is       namely        in other words     that is

• The brochure dealt with travelling in Morocco. That is/In other words/ Namely, it discussed transportation, currency, and language.
• The machinery was not impaired; that is, it wasn’t damaged.
• Good readers should be able to read between the lines; that is, they should be able to make inferences (=to draw conclusions) about information that is conveyed indirectly or given only partially.
• There is only one topic to discuss, namely, the question of discipline.

9. EMPHASIS

in fact    indeed    as a matter of fact    actually

• He is quite wealthy. In fact, he is one of the richest men in Turkey.
• I like reading. As a matter of fact, it is my favorite pastime.
• Mural is a highly talented musician. Indeed, he has an extraordinary gift for music.

10.REFUTATION 

on the contrary

• She is not ugly. On the contrary, she is a good-looking girl.
• I don’t hate classical music. On the contrary, I’m very fond of it.

12. REFORMULATION

in other words           to put it in a different way,   put differently

• He is a conservative. In other words, he favors the preservation of old institutions in their original form.
• Is there a cheaper solution? In other words, can you make a cheaper device?

13. CORRECTION

rather   to be more precise

• He is enjoying himself. Rather, he seems to be enjoying himself.
• This system must be improved. Rather, it must be thoroughly changed.
• Her name is not Margeret. Rather, it is Margot.

14. TRANSITION

as for                         as to                     with regard to                         with respect to

as regards                 regarding                as far as X is concerned

• Both Patrick and Owen are my friends. Patrick studies law at Ankara University. As for Owen, he studies mechanical engineering at METU.
• As far as comfort is concerned, a car is definitely much better than a bicycle. On the other hand, with respect to convenience, it is difficult to say the same thing.

15. NEGATIVE CONDITION

or else           otherwise

• I must leave now, or else I’ll be late.
• You must study hard. Otherwise, you may fail.

16. SUMMATION/CONCLUSION

in summary       in brief        in short        in conclusion to be brief        to sum up     all in all

• This is our most disastrous and embarrassing defeat ever; in short, it is a fiasco.
• The system lacked originality, efficiency and ingenuity. In conclusion, it was a complete failure.