learning english

Active and passive forms in English

Active We use an active sentence when the subject of the verb is doing the action. The active is used in most English speech and writing, because we usually want to inform our listener or our reader who or what carried out the action of the verb. In the following… Read More

Using the passive in English

We use the passive to direct our listener’s attention to the important part of our message. The passive can be used when we do not know who carries out the action expressed by the verb, or when it is not important that we should know. It is sometimes much more… Read More

Forming the passive in English

Passive verbs are made from a form of be + the past participle of a main verb. In the passive, the form of the auxiliary verb be indicates the tense. They sell cheap computer games here. Cheap computer games are sold here. They took him to the police station for questioning. He was taken to the police station for questioning. Some verbs are only… Read More

Phrasal verbs: verb + adverb + preposition

Some phrasal verbs are a combination of the verb + adverb and verb + preposition phrasal verbs. All the parts of this type of phrasal verb come BEFORE the object. We are looking forward to our holiday. Don’t put up with it! You must look out for the warning signs. I’m so fed up with city life. Phrasal verbs with… Read More

Phrasal verbs: verb + preposition

Some verb + preposition phrasal verbs always have an object. This is because prepositions always have an object. He asked for his bill. She listened to him. They referred to our conversation. Some phrasal verbs with prepositions are: add to, agree with, approve of, ask for, believe in, care for, hope for, laugh at, look for, refer to,… Read More

Phrasal verbs: verb + adverb

Some verb + adverb phrasal verbs have no object, i.e. they are intransitive, for example, get up, go away, hold on: Mary went away. Helen sat down. The students came back. Others do require an object, i.e. they are transitive, for example, blow something up, close something down, pick someone up: We could make out a figure in the distance. Read More

Modal verbs

The most common modal verbs in English are: can, could, shall, should, will, would, may, might, and must. Modal verbs are a particular kind of auxiliary. Look, I can do it! – Oh yes! So you can. Can I use your phone? – Of course you can. Do you think she will come? – I’m sure she will. I must get… Read More

Parts of speech

A verb tells us about an action or a state of being. Ordinary verbs are called main verbs. A main verb is sometimes called a ‘doing word’. come go think want economize believe  A special group of verbs are called auxiliary verbs. These can be put together with main verbs to form different tenses. I am thinking. She has seen the film already. Read More

‘and I’ or ‘and me’?

When two pronouns or a personal noun and a personal pronoun are the joint subject of a verb, the subject form of the pronouns must be used. Avoid the common mistake of saying, for example, ‘Jerry and me are…’ or ‘Me and Jerry are…’ Jerry and I are going to paint the… Read More