Future Future with 'Will' the future with 'will' is used to make a future prediction or express a decision about the future made at the moment. Examples: It will be sunny tomorrow. I think the government will help the poor. I'm hungry. I'll buy something to eat. The future with 'will' is used to make future predictions and promises. Often the precise moment the action will occur is unknown or not defined. This tense is often used with the following time expressions: soon next month / year / week Basic Construction Positive Subject + will + verb + object(s) + time Expression The government will increase taxes soon. Negative Subject + will not (won't) + verb + object(s) + time Expression She won't help us much with the project. Question (Question Word) + will + subject + verb + object(s) + time Expression Why will they reduce taxes?

Present Perfect Continuous The present perfect continuous is used to express how long a current activity has been going on. It is often used in context to provide a reason for a present result. Remember that continuous forms can only be used with action verbs.  This tense is often used with the following time expressions: since + specific point in time for + amount of time Basic Construction Positive Subject + has / have + been + verb + ing + object(s) + time expression Example He's been cleaning house for two hours. Negative Subject + has / have not (hasn't / haven't) + been + verb + ing + object(s) + time expression Example Janice hasn't been studying for too long. Question (Question Word) + has / have + subject + been + verb + ing + object(s) + (time expression) Example How long have you been working in the garden?

English grammar | Present Perfect The present perfect is used to say what has happened recently and has an effect on the present moment. We often use 'just', 'yet' and 'already' to express the relationship to the present moment. Examples Have you seen Mary yet? They've already had dinner. She's just been to the dentist's. The present perfect is also used to express something which has happened up to the present moment of time. Examples Have you worked here for a long time? Peter's lived here since 1987. She hasn't had much fun this week. Positive Form Subject + have + past participle + object(s) Examples Peter's lived here since 1987. We've been very busy today. Negative Form Subject + have + not + past participle + object(s) Examples I haven't been to class very often this month. She hasn't had much fun this week. Question Form (Wh?) + have + subject + past participle? Examples

Past Perfect Simple They had lived in New York for 3 years before they moved to Seattle. (up to the time they moved to Seattle) Past Perfect Continuous She had been studying for 4 hours when he arrived. (The four hours directly before he arrived) Now, let's take a look at the specific differences between the two forms: Past Perfect Simple is used to express finished activity before a specific point of time in the past. Example: He had already eaten when his wife came home. Past Perfect Continuous is used to express continuous/progressive activity up to a specific point of time in the past. Example: They had been waiting for 2 hours before their friends finally arrived.

Past Perfect Continuous Listed below are uses with examples, and the structure of the past perfect continuous tense. Something that had been happening before something else took place I had been working for three hours when you arrived. Susan had been thinking about the idea for a while when Bob made the suggestion.   Something that had been happening over a period of time in the past up until another point in the of past I had been playing tennis for two hours when I sprained my ankle. Jack had been studying for two years when he was drafted into the army.   Something that had been happening in preparation for something else I had been practicing for three days and was ready for the concert. Tom had been studying hard and felt good about the test he was about to take.   In the third conditional to express imagined conditions If I had been working on that project, we would have been successful. She would have been ready for the test if she had been prep

Past Perfect There are two past tenses used to describe things that happen before another point in time in the past. Use the past perfect to talk about an event which had happened at some point in time before something took place. Tom had interviewed five times before he got his first job. She had already eaten by the time they arrived. Past Perfect Structure Positive Subject + had + past participle I, You, He, She, We, They had finished before I arrived. Negative Subject + had + not (hadn't) + past participle I, You, He, She, We, They hadn't eaten before he finished the job. Questions Question word + had + subject + past participle What - had he, she, you, we, they thought before I asked the question? Past Perfect Listed below are uses with examples, and the structure of the past perfect tense. Something that had happened before something else took place I had eaten lunch before they arrived. Susan had already finished the pro

Past Continuous Listed below are uses with examples, and the structure of the past continuous tense. Something happening at a specific point of time in the past I was watching TV at 9 o'clock last night. They were working on the report at six. Something that was happening during a period of time in the past We were studying during the recess. Peter was sleeping during class. Something that was happening when something important took place She was speaking on the phone when he arrived. When he won the game, I was cooking. Something that was happening while something else was happening She was working on her homework while I was preparing dinner. They were finishing the project while we were putting together the proposal. Common time expressions used with the past continuous: at six, nine o'clock, etc. during, while, when Structure   Positive Subject + conjugate the helping verb "be" + verb + -ing. I was, You were

Past Simple Use the past simple to talk about activities or routines which take place at a specified time in the past. Notice that all subjects take the same conjugation of the verb. Regular verbs end in '-ed'. visit - visited enjoy - enjoyed Irregular verbs have various forms and each verb needs to be learned. see - saw think - thought The past simple is used to express a finished past action which occurs at a specific moment in the past. Examples She visited Iran last month. They didn't go to Tom's party last weekend. Where did you go on vacation last summer? The following time signifiers often indicate a specific point in time. last ago in ... (plus a year or month) yesterday when ... (plus a phrase) Examples They had lunch at home last week. He left the company many years ago. Susan bought a new car in May. He telephoned his friend in Rome yesterday. I played golf when I was a teenager. Positive Form Subject + past

Present Simple Here are some typical uses and examples showing how we form the present simple tense in English grammar. Present Simple for permanent or long-lasting situations The IELTS exam has four different sections. Over 1.5 million people take the IELTS exam every year. IELTS is administered by the British Council, IDP Australia and Cambridge University. Present Simple for regular habits and daily routines IELTS exams are usually on Saturdays, in the morning. She studies for her IELTS exam every evening after work. When are the IELTS test results available? Present Simple for facts You need IELTS to study at a University in the UK. What does 'Band 9' mean in IELTS? There isn't any extra time to transfer answers at the end of the IELTS Reading exam. Present Simple for feelings I hate having to prepare for IELTS. She loves learning new expressions she can use in her IELTS writing. Why are you worried? I don't want to fail my IELTS exam! Present Sim

English grammar mistakes | using nouns: appearance, outlook, looks Public art can have a considerable effect on the outlook of public spaces. [incorrect] Public art can have a considerable effect on the appearance of public spaces. [correct] The appearance of something is the way it looks and a person's appearance is the way the person looks [their face, body, hair etc.] and the way they dress: Artificial ingredients are sometimes added to enhance the taste or appearance of food . Many young women spend a lot of time on their appearance . [not their appearances ] A person's looks refers to how attractive they are - their face, etc. but not their clothes: She had gone grey and lost her looks . [= she was not as attractive as before]. A person's outlook is the way they think about their life and the future: The accident completely changed her outlook on life. She enjoys each day more now . How to use English modal verbs English Grammar

English grammar common mistakes | using time words The effects will only be seen over a long duration . [incorrect] The effects will only be seen over a long period of time. [correct] Managers are expected to work for a long time . [incorrect] Manageres are expected to work long hours . [correct] We use hours to talk about the time during the day or week when something usually happens, especially the time when someone works or when something is open: working hours , office hours , opening hours Most nannies work long hours for low pay . [=they work many hours a day] We use period or period of time to talk about a particular length of time: Sales rose by 20% over a six month period / over a period of six months . Sportsmen can earn a lot of money, but only for a relatively short period of time . We use duration in formal writing to talk about how long something lasts: Make sure that your visa is valid for the duration of your stay . The timing of some

English grammar | confusing nouns Changes to the exam format could have a serious influence on candidates. [incorrect] Changes to the exam format could have a serious effect on candidates. [correct] It is difficult to assess the impact of the disaster on tourism. It is difficult to assess the extent of the disaster on tourism. An influence is something which causes people to think or behave in a different way: We need to learn more about the influence of violent computer games on young people . Our experiences have a huge influence on our personality . An effect is what happens to someone or something as a result of something else: Research has shown the harmful effects of stress on mothers and unborn babies . The new resort has had a beneficial effect on local businesses . [not effect to ] * Remember, effect is a noun. The verb form is affect: Homes on the west coast were seriously affected by the hurricane . An impact is a powerful effect of something,

As a tourist, you should show respect for local behaviour . [incorrect] As a tourist, you should show respect for local customs . [correct] They encourage the practice of teachers reading aloud to young children. [correct] They encourage the habit of teachers reading aloud to young children. [incorrect] A habit is something a person does regularly in a particular way as part of their everyday life, often without thinking about it: After a while, seperating rubbish for recycling just becomes a habit . People's habits have changed. Families no longer eat meals together . A custom is something people in a particular country or of a particular religious or ethnic group do because it has been part of their culture or way of life for many years: He studied Maori culture and customs . The custom of decorat ing a tree at Christmas goes back hundreds of years . A practice is a method of doing something which is usually used, especially in a particular country,

Of course, there are some students being more willing to study than others. [incorrect] Of course, there are some students who are more willing to study than others. [correct] In the West, we are used to having clean water which comes out of the tap. [correct] In the West, we are used to have clean water which comes out of the tap. [incorrect] The verbs be and have are not usually used in continuous forms [ being and having] when they are a main verb with their basic meaning - be = to exist , have = to possess : These people are among the the most disadvantaged in society . [not are being ] They have a loving family to look after them . [not are having ] They are sometimes used as main verb with a different meaning in a continuous form to emphasise a temporary state or action: She's having a shower at the moment . [= showering ] We're having a great time here in New York . [= enjoying our visit] My boss is being awkward about giving me time o

English Grammar | how to describe the number of / amount of something The internet is becoming accessible to a growing amount of people. [incorrect] The internet is becoming accessible to a growing number of people. [correct] The table shows the number of people who visited the gallery each day. [correct] The table shows number of people who visited the gallery each day. [incorrect] We use number of before a plural countable noun: The chart shows the number of hours students spend on assignments. The table shows the number of passengers who use the airline every month. The information shows the number of people who have more than one child. The graph shows how the number of schools in the area has grown in recent years. The table shows the number of times per day the website was accessed. We use amount of before an uncountable noun: If we look at the amount of energy consumed each month. The amount of food purchased per family has increased in the last 10 years.

English Grammar | how to use verbs to describe statistics The birth rate has reduced over the past ten years. [incorrect] The birth rate has dropped over the past ten years. [correct] The graph shows a rise in the number of accidents involving cyclists. [correct] The graph represents a rise in the number of accidents involving cyclists. [incorrect] Common verbs used to describe graphs, charts and diagrams include: The chart/graph shows levels of post-school education in four countries. The diagram illustrates/represents the structure of the political system. The chart/graph compares average working hours in the USA and Europe. We can see from the chart/graph that the number of visitors peaks in August. Common verbs to describe figures and statistics include: The statistics/figures suggest that people in rural areas are healthier. The figure will increase further, reaching 6 million in 2020. Demand rose by 48% in just 2 years. [not raised by 48%] Time spe

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

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