English Grammar common mistakes | adjectives Tourism can be very benefit to poorer areas. [incorrect] Tourism can be very beneficia l to poorer areas. [correct] In my job, you need the confidence to address large groups of people. [correct] In my job, you need the confident to address large groups of people. [incorrect] Sometimes it is easy to confuse a noun with its adjective. Look at the following list of commonly confused nouns and adjectives: Noun danger age development difference education happiness health maturity nature noise responsibility significance silence sport truth value youth Adjective dangerous aged developed different educational happy healthy mature natural noisy responsible significant silent sports true valuable young Note that invaluable means very valuable ! Men and women can only be used as nouns: More men than women work here . Male and female are used as adjectives: The number offemale employee

English Grammar | how to use adjectives and adverbs This difference can be explained quite easy . [incorrect] This difference can be explained quite easily . [correct] It is clearly that people without money do not have as much freedom. [incorrect] It is clear that people without money do not have as much freedom. [correct] Adjectives are used to describe a noun: Today life is very complicated . (complicated describes the noun life ) To describe a whole idea or situation, we can use: It is + adjective + that-clause or It is + adjective + to + infinitive : It is essential that you bring back all of your books before the end of term. It is important to begin studying several weeks before the exam. Adverbs can be used to describe a verb: We must act quickly . (quickly describes the verb act ) or an adjective : This chart is significantly different . (not significant different) ( significantly is an adverb describing the adjective different ). We use adverbs such a

IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 Describing information in a graph IELTS Writing Task 1 Sample Answer The graph shows information regarding the income trends of four cafés over the previous 12-month period . There are two basic general trends: downward and upward. As regards the first, the earnings for the Tea Room were down over the year, falling significantly from almost $160,000 earnings a month to just under $50,000 in December. By contrast, the income for the other three cafes went up by varying amounts. There was a rise In Café Cool’s sales over the first ten months, followed by a sudden increase to $120,000. Furthermore, the income for both Internet Express and the Wi-Fi Café also ended the year up in December. The former experienced a steady fall to June, but after that, income rose steadily ending the year at approximately $130,000. Likewise, the trend for Wi-Fi was upward. Between January and July, earnings doubled from $50,000 to nearly $100,000, and t

English Grammar | how to use passive verbs Many people have been died because of this disease. [incorrect] Many people have died because of this disease. [correct] This data took from 1982 and 1992. [incorrect] This data was taken from 1982 and 1992. [correct] With active verbs we usually use the following order: subject + verb + object . We use the passive when we want to put the object of the verb first: object + verb . Compare: The teacher told the students to close their books. = active (subject + verb + object) The students were told to close their books. = passive (object + verb) We use the passive: • when we want to make the object the focus of the sentence: The books were sold for a small profit at the school. (the focus is on the books, not the person selling them) Note that the verb (were) agrees with the object (the books). • when the context tells us who carried out the action: A law was introduced to help protect people in this situation. (we k

English Grammar - Prepositions of time and place I will start my course on June .[incorrect] I will start my course in June . [correct] I am going in London next year. [incorrect] I am going to London next year. [correct] We use in with a year , month or part of the day , but on with a day or date : I came to Australia in 1988 . His birthday is in August . We'll have the meeting in the afternoon. We arrived on Thursday 1st October . Christmas Day is on December 25 . (= date) We use at with a time and with the weekend and night : Lets meet at the weekend . Are you free on Sunday at 8:00 ? I usually study late at night . We use for to talk about a length of time: I have lived in Australia for 18 years . The meeting lasted for 3 hours - it was too long. We use in with cities , countries and places to say where something is or happened: I met my husband in London . My best friend lives in Switzerland . We were in the park when the fire started. W

My brother is good at sport but he is very bad at English. (correct) My brother is good in sport but he is very bad in English. (incorrect) The percentage in women attending university is increasing. (incorrect) The percentage of women attending university is increasing. (correct) Some adjectives are always followed by a specific preposition. At . We say you are bad at , good at or surprised at something: I was surprised at the number of people who came. About and with . We say you are angry about or pleased about something but angry with or pleased with a person: I am pleased about your new job. I was really angry with John. After disappointed we use about or with ; after worried we only use about : She was pretty disappointed with / about her exam results. I am worried about John. They are worried about the test. Some nouns are always followed by a specific preposition. In . We say decrease in, drop in , fall in , increase in , rise in : The

English Grammar | verb use: stop / try / forget / remember People should stop spending their money on the latest fashions. [correct] People should stop to spend their money on the latest fashions. [incorrect] The government tried stopping this plan but was not successful. [incorrect] The government tried to stop this plan but was not successful. [corrcet] Some verbs have a different meaning when they are followed by - ing or to + infinitive , Stop + -ing = to stop an activity. Stop + to + infinitive = to stop a previously mentioned activity in order to do something else. Compare: The boys stopped playing . The boys were playing and they stopped to watch a large truck go past. (= they stopped playing in order to watch the truck) Try + -ing = to attempt to solve a problem by doing something. Try + to + infinitive = to attempt and fail to do something. Compare: I tried turning the tap but the water still poured out. (I managed to turn the tap) I tried to turn

Gerund or infinitive after verbs My school does not allow us taking holidays during term. [incorrect] My school does not allow us to take holidays daring term. [correct] Our teacher suggested me to buy a good dictionary. [incorrect] Our teacher suggested I buy a good dictionary. [correct] Some verbs are followed by - ing if there is no object and by to + infinitive if there is a direct object - advise , allow , forbid , permit : The teacher allowed talking as long as it was in English. (no direct object) The teacher allowed us to talk as long as it was in English. ( us is the direct object) Make is followed by the infinitive without to : My boss made me wear a horrible uniform. (not made me to wear ) Note that the direct object must come between the verb and the infinitive: She allowed her dog to sit in the front of her car. (not She allowed to sit her dog ) In the passive, these verbs are followed by to + infinitive : be advised , be allowed , be for

Verbs after adjectives and prepositions Young children often feel shy to talk to adults. (incorrect) Young children often feel shy talking to adults. (correct) It is easy to understand why. (correct) It is easy understanding why. (incorrect) With feel + adjective we use the -ing form of the verb: New students do not always feel comfortable speaking English to other people. After be + adjective , too + adjective and adjective + enough , we use to + infinitive : I was happy to see her when she arrived. (not I was happy seeing her ) The lecture was easy enough to understand . (not enough easy or easy understanding ) After all prepositions ( about , by , from , for , in , of , without , etc.) we use the - ing form of the verb; we cannot use a clause (subject + verb): They celebrated their anniversary by organising a big party. Thank you for helping me so much with my studies. He opened the door without thinking about what would happen next. (not without he

I just managed to avoid hitting the car in front of me. (correct) I just managed to avoid to hit the car in front of me. (incorrect) I want telling you a little about myself. (incorrect) I want to tell you a little about myself. (correct) We use to + infinitive after the following verbs: ask , afford , decide , deserve , help , hope , learn , offer , prepare , promise , refuse , seem , want , would like : Summer seems to arrive later and later these days. Nowadays most people would like to have more money. Learn how is also followed by to + infinitive : I want to learn how to drive before I go to university. After some verbs, we use - ing : avoid , carry on , consider , deny , enjoy , finish , give up , imagine , involve , keep , like , mind , practise , recommend , resist , suggest : I really enjoy watching movies at the cinema. (not enjoy to watch ) Look forward to is also followed by - ing : I look forward to hearing your reply. (not look forward to

How to use auxiliary verbs correctly in English Why they think this? [incorrect] Why do they think this? [correct] I not agree with this idea. [incorrect I do not agree with this idea. [correct] Do , be and have are called auxiliary verbs . This means that they help to change the main verb. Do is used with the infinitive to make negatives or questions: I don't agree. (not I not agree ) Do you agree? (not Are you agree? ) Do can be used with other question words: Why do you agree? (not Why you agree? ) Be is used with -ing verb forms to make the continuous tenses: I am studying English in Cambridge. (not I studying English ) Have is used with the past participle of the verb to make the perfect tenses: I have been here for three months. (not I am been here or I been here ) The auxiliary verb must agree with the subject of the verb: Does your mother drink tea? (not Do your mother drink tea? ) We make questions and negatives without do if anothe