2022-08-25 08:11
Kick the bucket Idiom meaning: to die (very informal, humorous, euphemistic). Origin We do not like the explanation usually given that the phrase evolved from the action of a suici… Read More
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English Grammar Blog
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English Grammar Online is intended for the general reader who wishes to familiarize himself with the basic elements of English grammar and improve his English language skills.
2022-08-24 15:53
Kick the bucket Idiom meaning: to die (very informal, humorous, euphemistic). Origin We do not like the explanation usually given that the phrase evolved from the action of a suici… Read More
2022-08-24 15:51
To be sent to Coventry Meaning: to be banned, greeted with a chilly silence. Origin The popular story is that the people of Coventry were at one time so hostile to soldiers that an… Read More
2022-04-17 00:52
Before doing grammar exercises it’s useful to repeat the basics. Short Review of the Complex SubjectComplex Subject is a combination of a noun/pronoun and an infinitive. The predi… Read More
2022-03-21 03:54
The rules of the sequence of tenses are mainly observed in subordinate object clauses. Read more » Read More
2022-03-06 17:11
The rules of the sequence of tenses are not observed in the following two cases: 1) when the verb of the object clause expresses a universal truth or facts that hold true always (see di… Read More
2022-01-10 00:25
The rules of the sequence of tenses are not compulsory (may be observed or not) when reference is made to:Read more » Read More
2021-12-14 20:52
Not enough room to swing a cat in | You cannot swing a cat (here, there, etc.). Idiom meaning: have very little physical room to move about / very little space available / the place is… Read More
2021-09-05 13:23
By hook or by crook means do something using any method possible.Read more » Read More
2021-04-26 17:53
GrogThe spirit, usually rum, served on board Naval ships. The name comes in a roundabout way from Admiral Edward Vernon (1864-1757). He was nicknamed Old Grog by his men from his habit of wa… Read More
2021-04-26 17:43
A husband has somewhat declined in social standing from the original. In Anglo-Saxon days hus was a house, and bondi was Norse for a freeholder or yeoman. Read more » Read More
2021-03-28 22:44
Eureka [juə'riːkə]From the Greek heureka "I have found it". It was, it is well known, the exclamation of Archimedes* [ˌɑːkɪˈmiːdiːz], the Sy… Read More
2021-03-28 22:06
Era ['ɪərə] A series of years beginning from some starting point, which is usually an epoch. The origin of the word is in some doubt. It has been suggested that it i… Read More
2020-11-07 05:27
This page contains exercises about reported speech with answer keys. Read more » Read More
2020-09-02 02:22
‘Told someone to do something’ is an indirect imperative. Read more » Read More
2020-03-22 14:58
Garret: though the top room of a house is now little more than a lumber room, garret in Mediaeval English meant a look-out, or a watch-tower. Read more » Read More
2020-03-22 14:48
Gate: in place-names it meant just what it says – a gate to the town or city, from the period when most cities were walled round for defense.Read more » Read More
2020-03-01 07:52
Word "field" meaning: piece of land with a fence or hedge round it, where crops grow or animals feed. Read more » Read More
2020-03-01 07:25
Fiasco (meaning): something that does not do well; a complete failure.Examples:Read more » Read More
2020-02-09 11:30
Observe and remember indirect speech and sequence of tenses: general and special questions.The general rules are as follows:Normal word order is used in reported questions: ‘subject +… Read More
2020-02-03 01:58
Observe and remember indirect speech and sequence of tenses: reported statements.Key examples:I live in London. → He said (that) he lived in London.I am not feeling well. → Sam tol… Read More
2020-01-12 23:30
Fare. From the Anglo-Saxon word faran 'to go'. It meant originally a trip for which passage money was paid; it has come to mean the money paid for the passage, and the passenger paying the m… Read More
2020-01-12 23:26
Fee. This is another of those words which, like so many purely British manes, spring from the soil which, in olden times, all commerce in Britain was bound up.Read more » Read More
2020-01-04 21:07
Fake: to defraud.Despite the evidence of several dictionaries, the word has nothing to do with the Indian fakir. The Indian word means 'poor'. Read more » Read More
2020-01-04 20:46
Encore - "Do it once more" in the sense in which we use it; again.For some curious reason is regarded as a French word for "again". It is nothing of the sort. Read more » Read More
2020-01-02 22:50
A split infinitive is a sentence with an adverb or other words interposed between the to and the verbal.Read more » Read More
2019-12-15 02:01
Chess: a game for two players in which each player moves sixteen pieces according to fixed rules across a checkerboard and tries to place the opponent's king in a position from which it cann… Read More
2019-12-08 21:53
The old custom of sending "Valentines" on 14th February has nothing whatever to do with St. Valentine. Read more » Read More
2019-12-08 21:34
On the site of the present London police headquarters stood an ancient palace, appropriated to the use of the Scottish Kings who came to London once a year to pay homage to the English sover… Read More
2019-11-29 18:57
This page contains 4 easy texts for reading and 11 dialogues. I hope this worksheet will help students to see how to use Present Simple (Present Indefinite) Tense in the right ways and put g… Read More
2019-11-06 03:10
These drills are designed to practise the Present Simple (also known as 'the Present Indefinite'): 3rd person, positive and negative sentences, general and special questions.Exercise I Fill… Read More
2019-10-23 20:12
A verb is Transitive, if the action does not stop with the doer, but passes from the doer to something else.Read more » Read More
2019-10-08 04:24
Three exercises on Past Simple (past indefinite) based on proverbs, common sayings and quotations. Read more » Read More
2019-09-22 07:28
Seven exercises on Present Simple (Present Indefinite) based on proverbs and sayings. Key included if necessary.Exercise 1Read these proverbs and sayings. Memorize them. Pay attention… Read More
2019-09-18 08:52
Some verbs are not normally used in the progressive (also known as the 'continuous') forms.Verbs describing mental states: believe, doubt, expect, feel (=think or have an opinion), forget, g… Read More
2019-09-16 06:08
Contents → Grammar in Dialogues → Past Perfect Continuous in Dialogues Grammar explanation I:Past Perfect Continuous (also known as the Past Perfect Progressive Tense) is used to d… Read More
2019-08-25 21:47
Contents → Grammar in Dialogues → Present Perfect Continuous UsingLearn how to use the Present Perfect Continuous Tense in English. Read on for detailed descriptions and examples f… Read More
2018-10-13 10:00
Contents → Grammar in Dialogues → Future Continuous Tense: Dialogues Read and understand the following explanations on the usage of the Future Continuous Tense (Future Progres… Read More
2018-08-30 23:34
Contents → Grammar in Dialogues → Past Continuous Tense: DialoguesRead and understand the following explanations on usage of the Past Continuous Tense (Past Progressive) and then e… Read More
2018-05-18 02:10
Contents → Grammar in Dialogues → Dialogues Using Present Continuous TenseRead and understand the following explanations on usage of the Present Continuous Tense and then examine i… Read More
2016-03-21 10:08
Contents → Grammar in Dialogues → How to Use Past PerfectRead and understand the following explanations on usage of Future Perfect tense and then examine illustrative examples from… Read More
2016-03-21 09:25
Stative Verb. A stative verb is one that is not normally used in progressive (or continuous) tenses. Most stative verbs refer to states, not to actions or events.Examples: remember… Read More
2015-07-23 12:55
Contents → Grammar in Dialogues → Present Perfect (When to Use)Present Perfect Tense Explanation and Illustrative Examples from Classics Present Perfect is used to express an accom… Read More
2015-07-23 12:43
Contents → Grammar in Dialogues → Past Perfect (When to Use)In this page we examine the Past Perfect Tense in a detail: what it actually means and how it is used. Some illustrative… Read More
2015-02-21 15:42
Contents → To Be Going to + InfinitiveTo Be Going To + Infinitive form for a future action I amHe isShe isIt isWe areYou areThey aregoing to do something. We often use the present… Read More
2015-02-21 15:37
Contents → Grammar in Dialogues → Going to UsageAnother way of expressing a future action is the construction "to be going to + infinitive". It is mainly found with dynamic verbs;… Read More
2015-02-20 16:16
Contents → Grammar in Dialogues → Using Future Indefinite This page shows different ways of using the Future Indefinite Tense (or Simple Future) through dialogues from English lite… Read More
2015-01-31 23:33
Contents → Grammar in Dialogues → Using Present Indefinite This page shows different ways of using the Present Indefinite through dialogues from English literature.T… Read More
2015-01-31 23:27
Contents → Grammar in Dialogues → Using Past Indefinite This page shows different ways of using the Past Indefinite (or Simple Past) through dialogues from English litera… Read More
2014-03-30 21:08
Conditional and Subjunctive Mood Examples in Proverbs, Quotations and Rhymes1. Comment on the use of the Conditional Mood in complex sentences expressing unreal condition in the follow… Read More
2014-03-30 21:07
The Conditional Mood is used to the principal clauses of complex sentences expressing unreal condition.Read more » Read More
2014-02-08 20:13
The Formation of the Oblique MoodsSubjunctive I Synthetical form (1)Analytical form PresentI (he, she, we, you, they) be, have, speak I (he, she, we, you, they) should be, should have… Read More
2013-12-10 07:41
Definition The Forms of the Gerund Functions of Gerunds in Sentences Gerund or Infinitive? Gerundial Complex The gerund is a non-finite form of the verb with some no… Read More
2013-12-10 07:39
Grammar exercises and activities for teaching the Gerund to English language learners. Some exercises include answer keys.I. Define the forms of the gerund .Skiing is my favourite sport.&nbs&hell…Read More
2013-11-23 20:54
1. Point out participle I and participle II in the following proverbs.United we stand, divided we fall.Better untaught than ill taught.One volunteer is worth two pressed men.Fear the Greeks… Read More
2013-10-17 01:52
The Forms of the Participle Active Passive Indefinite writing being written Perfect having written having been written Note : - Those are the forms of Participle I which is formed… Read More
2013-10-17 01:19
The Nominative Absolute Construction is a construction in which the participle stands in predicative relation to a noun in the Common Case or a pronoun in the Nominative Case; the nou… Read More
2013-09-24 21:32
Similar to the Infinitive Participle I may form part of a Complex Object or Subject when combined with a noun (pronoun) to which it stands in predicate relation. Compare:I saw him run along… Read More
2013-06-12 22:52
Proverbs and Sayings 1. Comment on the use of the gerund in the following proverbs and sayings. Memorize them.Be slow in choosing a friend, slower in changing him. He who likes bor… Read More
2013-06-11 21:10
Semi-modal multi-word constructions 'had better' and 'would rather' are followed by the infinitive without to.Examples: We had better go into the house because it is raining. I can… Read More
2013-06-11 21:08
The Forms of the Infinitive Active Passive Indefinite to teach to be taught Continuous to be teaching to be being taughtPerfectto have taught to have been taught Perfect Continuoust… Read More
2013-06-11 21:07
Complex Object Subject + Predicate + Complex Object (Noun/Pronoun + Infinitive)The combination of a noun in the common case or a pronoun in the objective case and an infinitive used af… Read More
2013-06-11 21:06
Complex Subject Noun/Pronoun + Predicate + InfinitiveThe combination of a noun in the common case (or a pronoun in the nominative case) and an infinitive forms a complex subject (1).The pre… Read More
2013-06-11 21:02
English grammar exercises and activities for teaching Complex object to English language learners. Some exercises include answer keys.Exercise 1 Make up as many sentences as you can usi… Read More
2013-02-28 23:10
The forms and functions of the Infinitive: free exercises and answers to check your result.Exercise 1Define the forms of the Infinitive (Passive or Active; Indefinite, Continuous, Perf… Read More
2013-02-09 01:59
There are examples of the use of modal verb MAY in proverbs, sayings and quotations.ProverbsINote the use of the verb 'may / might' in the following proverbs and sayings. Memorize them.A cat… Read More
2012-11-27 22:21
'There is - There are' construction through real life dialogues and proverbsI hope this page will enable the English learner to see how to use There is/are rules in the right ways and put gr… Read More
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