Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 What is grammar?
1.2 Do we need to study grammar to learn a language?
1.3 Why do you / I study English grammar?
2. Verbs
2.1 What are Verbs?
2.2.1 16 Helping Verbs
2.2.1.1 3 Primary Helping Verbs
2.2.1.1.1 be
2.2.1.1.2 have
2.2.1.1.3 do
2.2.1.2 10 Modal Verbs
can, could
may, might
will, would
shall, should
must
ought to
2.2.1.3 3 Semi-modal Verbs
2.2.1.3.3 used to
2.2.1.4 2 expressions that look similar to used to but are distinct from it
2.2.1.4.1 be used to
2.2.1.4.2 get used to
2.2.2 Main verbs
2.2.2.1 Dynamic verbs and Stative verbs
2.2.2.1.1 Dynamic verbs examples
2.2.2.1.2 Stative verbs examples
2.2.2.1.3 Some verbs may be used as dynamic or stative verbs with a different meaning
2.2.2.2 Linking verbs
2.2.2.2.1 Verbs of sensation
2.2.2.2.2 Verbs of existence
2.2.2.2.3 A verb that is used as a linking verb may also be used as a verb that describes actions, and not as a linking verb.
2.2.2.2.4 How does one tell when a verb is an action verb and when it is a linking verb?
2.2.2.2.5 Verbs that can exist as either action verbs or linking verbs
2.2.2.2.6 The most common linking verbs
2.2.2.3 Transitive verbs and Intransitive verbs
2.2.2.3.1 Transitive verbs
2.2.2.3.1.1 Complete transitive verbs
2.2.2.3.1.2 Incomplete transitive verbs
2.2.2.3.1.3 Dative verbs
2.2.2.3.2 Intransitive verbs
2.2.2.3.2.1 Complete intransitive verbs
2.2.2.3.2.2 Incomplete intransitive verbs
2.2.2.3.2.3 Intransitive verb + preposition + object (some grammarians call this “preposition + object” as “supplement”)
2.2.2.4 Regular verbs and Irregular verbs
2.2.2.4.1 Regular verbs examples
2.2.2.4.2 Irregular verbs examples
2.3 A List of Verbs
3.1 What is Tense?
3.2 The 12 English Tenses
Simple Present Tense (I do do, I do)
Present Continuous Tense (I am doing)
Present Perfect Tense (I have done)
Present Perfect Continuous Tense (I have been doing)
Simple Past Tense (I did do, I did)
Past Continuous Tense (I was doing)
Past Perfect Tense (I had done)
Past Perfect Continuous Tense (I had been doing)
Simple Future Tense (I will do)
Future Continuous Tense (I will be doing)
Future Perfect Tense (I will have done)
Future Perfect Continuous Tense (I will have been doing)
3.3 Conditional Tenses
3.3.1 Present conditional tense (would + base form verb)
3.3.2 Perfect conditional tense (would have + past participle)
3.3.3 Use Present conditional tense and Perfect conditional tense to refer to the present or future (not the past) situations
3.4 Usage of the 12 Tenses
3.4.1 Simple present tense
3.4.2 Present continuous tense
3.4.3 Present prefect tense
3.4.4 Present perfect continuous tense
3.4.5 Simple past tense
3.4.6 Past continuous tense
3.4.7 Past perfect tense
3.4.8 Past perfect continuous tense
3.4.9 Simple future tense
3.4.10 Future continuous tense
3.4.11 Future perfect tense
3.4.12 Future perfect continuous tense
3.5 Differences between Simple Past Tense and Present Perfect Tense
3.6 Common Confusions
3.6.1 I got, I have, I've got, I've gotten
4.1 Phrasal Verbs and other Multi-word Verbs
4.2 3 types of multi-word verbs
4.2.1 Phrasal verbs (verb + adverb)
4.2.2 Prepositional verbs (verb + preposition)
4.2.3 Phrasal-prepositional verbs (verb + adverb + preposition)
4.3 2 differences between the 3 types of multi-word verbs
4.3.1 Transitive and Intransitive
4.3.2 Separable and Inseparable
4.4 Verb Phrases
4.4.1 May be or Maybe? (see also 10.7.7)
4.5 Conditionals
4.5.1 First Conditional: real possibility
4.5.2 Second Conditional: unreal possibility or dream
4.5.3 Third Conditional: no possibility
4.5.4 Zero Conditional: certainty
4.5.5 Summary of the 4 Conditionals
5.1 Definitions and Functions
5.1.1 Gerunds
5.1.2 Infinitives
5.1.3 Participles
5.2 Usage of Gerunds
5.2.1 Gerunds as subject
5.2.2 Gerunds as direct object
5.2.3 Gerunds as subject complement
5.2.4 Gerunds after preposition
5.2.5 Gerund Phrases
5.2.6 Gerunds after certain verbs
5.2.7 Use of nouns vs use of gerunds (see also 8.5.7.1)
5.3 Usage of Infinitives
5.3.1 Infinitives as noun (subject)
5.3.2 Infinitives as noun (direct object)
5.3.3 Infinitives as subject complement (noun, pronoun, or adjective)
5.3.4 Infinitives as adjective
5.3.5 Infinitives as adverb
5.3.6 Infinitive Phrases
5.3.7 Infinitives after certain verbs
5.3.8 Infinitives and Prepositional Phrases
5.4 To do or to doing?
5.5 Usage of Participles
6.1 Active Voice and Passive Voice
6.1.1 Active voice
6.1.2 Passive voice
6.1.2.1 Changes from active voice to passive voice
6.1.2.2 Construction of the passive voice
6.1.2.3 Usage of the passive voice
6.1.2.4 Conjugation for the passive voice
6.2 Direct Speech and Indirect Speech
6.2.1 Direct Speech / Quoted Speech
6.2.2 Indirect Speech / Reported Speech
6.2.2.1 No quotation marks in indirect / reported speech
6.2.2.2 Tense changes in indirect / reported speech
6.2.2.3 Changes of expression of time in indirect / reported speech
6.2.2.4 Changes of expression of place in indirect / reported speech
6.2.2.5 Changes of pronouns in indirect / reported speech
6.2.2.6 Reporting verbs used in indirect / reported speech
6.2.2.7 Use of that in indirect / reported speech
6.2.2.8 When reporting questions, the word that is never used; instead, we often use the word “if.”
7.1 Definition
Be is the base form of the verb be
Being is the present participle of the verb be
Been is the past participle of the verb be
7.2 Usage of Be, Being, Been
7.2.1 Usage of Be
7.2.2 Usage of Being
7.2.3 Usage of Been
7.2.4 Being and Been cannot be used as adjectives by themselves
7.2.5 Being as part of a participial phrase can be used as adjective modifying a noun or a pronoun, but been
cannot
7.3 Basic tenses with the verb be
8. Nouns
8.1 Definition
8.2 Position
8.3 Noun phrases
8.4 Functions of a noun in a sentence
8.5 Classification
8.5.1 A noun can be concrete or abstract
8.5.2 A noun can be proper or common
8.5.3 A noun can be countable or uncountable
8.5.4 Compound nouns
8.5.5 Two or more nouns together – noun as adjective (see also 9.2.5 Noun as Adjective)
8.5.6 Collective nouns
8.5.7 Verbs acted as nouns (see also 5. Verbals – Gerunds, Infinitives, and Participles)
8.5.7.1 Use of nouns vs use of gerunds (see also 5.2.7)
8.6 The possessive form
8.7 Noun endings
8.8 Singular Nouns and Plural Nouns
8.9 The Gender of Nouns
8.10 Plural or Singular noun after “No”
8.11 Common confusions of the use of nouns
8.11.1 Art vs Arts (see also 9.6.7)
8.11.2 Sport vs Sports
8.11.3 Vehicles
8.11.4 the + singular countable noun to refer to those things or people in general
8.11.5 Sometimes, a + singular countable noun can also refer to things or people in general
8.12 List of nouns
9. Adjectives
9.1 Definition
9.2 Kinds of Adjectives
9.2.1 Determiners
9.2.1.1 Articles (a / an or the)
9.2.1.1.1 Usage of the indefinite article a / an
9.2.1.1.2 Usage of the definite article the
9.2.1.1.3 Usage of a, an, the for singular countable nouns
9.2.1.1.4 Usage of the for plural countable nouns
9.2.1.1.5 Usage of the for non-count nouns
9.2.1.1.6 When one shouldn't use any article
9.2.1.1.7 Geographical use of the
9.2.1.1.8 Pronunciation
9.2.1.2 Possessive Adjectives / Possessive Determiners
9.2.1.3 Other determiners / Indefinite Adjectives
9.2.2 Demonstrative Adjectives
9.2.3 Proper Adjectives
9.2.4 Common Adjectives
9.2.4.1 Comparative Adjectives
9.2.4.1.1 Formation of comparative adjectives
9.2.4.1.2 Usage of Comparative Adjectives
9.2.4.2 Superlative Adjectives
9.2.4.2.1 Formation of superlative adjectives
9.2.4.2.2 Usage of superlative adjectives
9.2.4.3 Incomparable Adjectives
9.2.5 Noun as Adjective (see also 8.5.5 Two or more nouns together – noun as adjective)
9.3 Position of Adjectives
9.4 Order of Adjectives
9.5 Adjective Phrase
9.6 Common confusions between adverbs, adjectives and some expressions (see also 10.7)
9.6.1 Bad or Badly?
9.6.2 Good or Well?
9.6.3 Double-negatives
9.6.4 Sure or Surely?
9.6.5 Real or Really?
9.6.6 Near or Nearly?
9.6.7 Art vs Arts (see also 8.11.1)
9.6.8 Few vs A few
9.7 List of Adjectives
10. Adverbs
10.1 Definition
10.2 Forms of Adverbs
10.2.1 Many adverbs end in -ly. We form such adverbs by adding -ly to the adjectives
10.2.2 Some adverbs have no particular form
10.3 Position of Adverbs
10.3.1 Front (before the subject)
10.3.2 Middle (between the subject and the main verb)
10.3.3 End (after the verb or object)
10.4 Kinds of Adverbs
10.4.1 Adverbs of Frequency (How often?)
10.4.2 Adverbs of Time (When?)
10.4.3 Adverbs of Place (Where?)
10.4.4 Adverbs of Manner (How?)
10.4.5 Adverbs of Purpose (Why?)
10.5 Adverbial phrase
10.6 Comparative Adverbs and Superlative Adverbs
10.6.1 Comparative Adverbs
10.6.1.1 What is a comparative adverb?
10.6.1.2 Forming comparative adverbs
10.6.2 Superlative Adverbs
10.6.2.1 What is a superlative adverb?
10.6.2.2 Forming Superlative Adverbs
10.7 Common confusions among adverbs, adjectives and some expressions (see also 9.6)
10.7.1 Bad or Badly?
10.7.2 Good or Well?
10.7.3 Double-negatives
10.7.4 Sure or Surely?
10.7.5 Real or Really?
10.7.6 Near or Nearly?
10.7.7 Maybe or May be? (see also 4.4.1)
10.8 List of Adverbs
11. Pronouns
11.1 Definition
11.2 Types of Pronouns
11.2.1 Personal Pronouns
11.2.2 Possessive Pronouns
11.2.3 Demonstrative Pronouns
11.2.4 Indefinite Pronouns
11.2.5 Relative Pronouns
11.2.6 Interrogative Pronouns
11.2.7 Reflexive Pronouns
11.2.8 Reciprocal Pronouns
11.3 Pronouns and determiners
11.4 Pronoun Case
11.5 Some confusions of pronouns and pronoun cases
11.5.1 Mary and I or Mary and me?
11.5.2 In comparisons
11.5.3 In formal and semi-formal writing
11.5.4 Everybody, anybody, everyone, anyone, each, neither, either, neither of, either of, neither…nor,
either…or, nobody, someone, a person, etc.
11.5.5 For a single person, sometimes we don't know whether to use he or she
11.5.6 Should none take a singular or a plural verb?
11.5.7 When referring to people, both that and who can be used
11.6 List of Pronouns (totaling 73)
12. Preposition
12.1 Definition
12.2 Function
12.3 2 Rules of using prepositions
12.4 Common Prepositions (there are about 185 English prepositions)
12.5 Simple and Compound Prepositions
12.6 Prepositions of Place
12.6.1 at, in, on
12.6.2 over, above
12.6.3 under, underneath, beneath, below
12.6.4 near, by, close to, next to, between, among, opposite
12.6.5 in front of, behind
12.6.6 Use at to introduce objects of the verbs: glance, laugh, look, rejoice, smile, stare
12.6.7 Use of to introduce objects of the verbs: approve, consist, smell
12.6.8 Use of or about to introduce objects of the verbs: dream, think
12.6.9 Use for to introduce objects of the verbs: call, hope, look, wait, watch, wish
12.6.10 Use into to denote motion towards
12.7 Prepositions of Time
12.7.1 at, in, on
12.7.2 Use since, for, by, from…to, from…until, during, within to express extended time
12.7.3 before, after
12.7.4 to, past
12.7.5 In the future vs in future
12.8 Prepositional Phrases
12.9 Common Prepositional Errors
12.9.1 Verbs of motion — to vs. in
12.9.2 Stative verbs — at vs. to
12.9.3 Possession and access — to vs. of
12.9.4 Different media — in vs. on
12.9.5 Containment and nativity — in vs. of
12.9.6 Performance — in vs. at
12.9.7 Over, on, and at the weekend
12.9.8 Transitive and intransitive verbs
12.9.8.1 Prepositions with transitive verbs
12.9.8.2 Prepositions with intransitive verbs
12.9.9 Verbs that take both to and at
12.9.9.1 Shout to vs. Shout at
12.9.9.2 Throw to vs. Throw at
12.9.9.3 Point to vs. Point at
12.10 List of Prepositions (totaling 185)
13.1 Conjunctions
13.1.1 Definition
13.1.2 Types of Conjunctions
13.1.2.1 Coordinating Conjunctions
13.1.2.2 Subordinating Conjunctions
13.1.2.3 Correlative Conjunctions
13.1.3 When, while, as
13.1.4 List of Conjunctions
13.2 Interjections
13.2.1 Definition
13.2.2 Interjections and examples
13.2.3 List of Interjections
14. Punctuation
14.1 Period (Full stop) .
14.2 Comma ,
14.3 Colon :
14.4 Semi-colon ;
14.5 Question mark ?
14.6 Exclamation mark !
14.7 Dash —
14.8 Hyphen -
14.9 Brackets / Parentheses ( )
14.10 Square brackets [ ]
14.11 Braces { }
14.12 Apostrophe '
14.12.1 Possessives
14.12.1.1 In singular nouns
14.12.1.2 In plural nouns
14.12.1.3 In compound nouns
14.12.1.4 In geographic names
14.12.1.5 In names of organizations
14.12.1.6 In business names
14.12.2 Showing omission of one or more letters
14.12.2.1 Used in contractions
14.12.2.2 Used in abbreviations
14.12.3 In forming certain plural nouns
14.12.3.1 For abbreviations
14.12.3.2 For years
14.12.3.3 For letters
14.12.3.4 For symbols
14.13 Ellipsis …
14.14 Quotation marks “ ”
14.15 Slant /
14.16 Italics Italics
14.17 Underline _____
14.18 Capitalization C
15.1 4 Types of Sentence Patterns
15.1.1 Simple sentence
15.1.2 Compound sentence
15.1.3 Complex sentence
15.1.4 Compound-complex sentence
15.2 4 Types of Sentences by Function
15.2.1 Declarative Sentence
15.2.2 Interrogative Sentence
15.2.3 Imperative Sentence
15.2.4 Exclamatory Sentence
15.3 The Elements of a Sentence
15.3.1 Essential Elements
15.3.1.1 Subject
15.3.1.2 Verb
15.3.1.3 Object
15.3.1.4 Complement
15.3.2 Dependent Elements
15.3.2.1 Modifier
15.3.2.2 Connective
15.3.3 Independent Elements
15.4 Phrases
15.4.1 Kinds of Phrases
15.4.2 Various functions of the same phrase
15.5 Clauses
15.5.1 Noun Clauses
15.5.2 Adjective Clauses
15.5.3 Adverbial Clauses