English language

English is an international language which is poken internationaly in all over the

.world
English is the largest language by number of speakers, and it is the third-most-
.spoken native language after standard Chinese and spanish in the world
There are more than 7100 languages in the world. Each and every one of them
.make the world a diverse and beautiful place
Sadly, some of these languages are less widely spoken then others. Others are
.spoken by huge populations across different countries in the world
The top 12 most spoken languages in the world
English language ( 1,132 million speakers) :1
Mandarin Chinese ( 1,117 million speakers) :2
Hindi ( 615 million speakers) :3
Spanish ( 534 million speakers) :4
French ( 280 million speakers) :5
Arabic ( 274 million speakers) :6
Bangla/ Bengali ( 265 million speakers) :7
Russian ( 258 million speakers) :8
Portuguese ( 234 million speakers) :9
Indonesian ( 199 million speakers) :10
Urdo ( 170 million speakers) :11
Germen ( 132 million speakers) :12
It is not possible to answer exactly how many languages are there in the world,
. according to an estimate, the total number of languages in the world is about 6809
reasons why English is such an important language 10
English is one of the most dominating language of the world which is having its
.impact on every field of work
Undoubtedly, English play a much greater role in the world that it is inevitable for
people to ignore it fully. Here are 10 reasons why English is such an important
.language
It is the most commonly spoken language in the world. Approximately English :1
.language hs 400 millon native speakers in all over the world
It is the language of international business :2
.Most movies are in English :3
Hollywood is a powerhouse of global entertainment. So it’s natural that English
.would become the main language for movie making
.It is easy to learn :4
.It helps you understand other languages :5
English has a long and fascinating history that spans wars, invasions and influences
from around the globe. Cultures that have helped shape modern English include
Romans, Vikings and the French. For this reason it is hybrid language comprised
.of latin, Germanic and Romance elements
.You can say things in a hundred different ways :6
.it can be used around the world :7
.it is really flexible :8
.It is the language of internet :9
.It continues to change :10

benefits of learning English language 7

.memory improvement :1
.improve listening skills :2
education enhancement :3
.better employment opportunities :4
.increase travel opportunities :5
.broaden entertainment opportunities :6
.assist in learninig other lanuages :7

English alphabet
Alphabet is simply a collection of letters and sounds wich is almost used for the
.writing of each language. Each language has special alphabet letters
The modern English alphabet is a latin alphabet consisting of 26 letters, each
having an upper and lower case form. It is originated around the 7th century from
latin script. Since then, letters have been added or removed to give the corrent
modern English alphabet of 26 letters.the word alphabet is a compound f the first
.two letters of the greek alphabet, alpha and beta

?What is the importanc of English alphabet

Alphabet is the building block of literacy and so children must learn to recognize
and name the letters, both in and out of order, and the sounds associated with each
.letter
Catagories of English alphabet
English alphabet is divided in to five groups. Each group is started with a vowel
and the consonants immediately following that vowel are included in that group.
Thus the letters A,B,C,D will be the first group. The letters E,F,G,H,will be the
.second group and so on
There are two types of English alphabe according to writing style which are called
.upper case letters and lower case letters
There are three types of English alphabet according to sound or pronunciation,
.which are called vowel, semi vowel and consonant letters

Parts of speech
Every word is a part of speech. The term “part of speech” refers to the role a word
plays in a sentence. And like any workplace or TV show with an ensemble cast,
.these roles were designed to work together
in traditional grammar, a part of speech or part- of speech is a category of words
.that have similar grammatical properties
Or a part of speech is a term used in traditional grammar for one of the nine main
categories in to which words are classified according to their functions in
sentences, such as nouns or verbs also known word classes, these are the building
.blocks of grammar
Widely parts of speech are divided into two catagories which are called open and
.closed word classes
Open parts of speech are noun, adjective, verb and adverb. But close parts of
.speech are pronoun, preposition, conjunction, interjection and article

Noun

?What is noun
A noun is a word that names something, such as a person, place, thing, state, or
idea. In a sentence nouns can play the role of subject, direct object, indirect object,
.subject complement, object complement, oppositive or adjective
Nouns form a large proporation of English vocabulary and they come in a wide
:variety of types. Nouns can name a person
Example
Samimullah
Ali khan
Zubir Tanha
Jamalodeen
:Nouns can also name a place
Example
Afghanistan
Turkey
Russia
Canada
:Nouns can also name things
Example
Pen
Sotve
Airplane
Computer
Types of nouns
Proper and common nouns
A proper noun is a specific name of a person, place or thing, and is always
.capitalized in every place of the sentence
Example
America is a wide country. ( America is proper noun)
All afghans love with Afghanistan.( Afghanistan is a proper noun)
Me and Rohullah are good students. ( rohullah is a proper noun)
The opposite of proper noun is a common noun, sometimes known as a generic
noun. A common noun is the generic name of an item in a class or group and is not
.capitalized unless appearing at the beginning of a sentence or in a title
Example
The girls are very warm hearted. ( girls are common nouns)
She can not swim in rivers. ( rivers are common nouns)
Types of common noun
:Common or generic nouns can be broken down into three subtypes
concrete nouns :1
abstruct nouns :2
collective nouns :3
A concret noun is something that is precieved by the sense, something that is
.physical or real
Example
I heared the doorbell
My keyboard is stickly
In the first sentenece doorbell is a concrete noun that can be sensed and in the
.second sentence keboard is a concrete noun that is sensed
.Abstruct noun is something that can not be precieved by the sense
Example
.I donot have any courage to tell you reality
.She hasgot her education in first position
In the first sentence courage is an abstruct noun which can not be seen, heard, or
.sensed. But we know to exist
In the second sentence education is an abstruct noun which can not be seen but we
.know it
.Collective nouns denotes a group or collection of people or things
Example
.Army of Afghanistan is very brave
My family has 34 members
In the first sentence army is a collective noun, because army is made from more
people. And in the second sentence family is a collective noun because family is
.collection of more people
Material nouns
the definition of material noun is a grammar term that refers to the material or
.substance from which things are made
.Such as silver, gold, iron, cotton, diamond and plastic
In daily life the goldsmiths make differend things from gold. And the factory made
.different things from plastic, because they are material nouns
Compound nouns
A compound noun is a noun that is made with two or more words. A comound
noun is usually ( noun + noun) or ( adjective + noun), but there are also other
combinations. It is important to understand and recognize compound nouns. Each
compound noun acts as a single unit and can be modified by adjectives and other
.nouns
Types of compound nouns
.There are three forms for compound nouns
open or spaced compound nouns – space between words :1
Examples
Bus stop , family tree , door handle , etc
hyphenated compound nouns – hypen between words :2
Examples
.Father- in law, fire-fly, mother- in law etc
closed or solid compound nouns- no space or hypen between words :3
Example
Bedroom, shopkeeper , fisherman , spoksman
:Here are some examples of compound nouns
noun + noun :1
Bust stop , house wife , door keeper
adjective + noun :2
Full moon , blackboard , naice girl, beautiful car
verb ( ing) + noun :3
Washing maching. Swimming pool, running bicycle
noun + verb :4
Haircut, sunrise, sunset
verb + preposition :5
Check- out, come in get of
Countable and uncountable nouns
In English grammar, countable nouns are individual people, animal, places,
.things,or ideas which can be counted
.Anything that can be counted whether singular or plural is a countable noun
:Examples of countable nouns
.there are at least twenty Afghani restaurants in Kabul city :1
.Arzo took a lot of photographs when she went to the park :2
.your book is in your own bag :3
.Uncountable nouns are not individual objects, so they can not be counted
.Uncountable nouns do not have any plural forms and always be singular
:Examples of uncountable nouns
.I have some milk in my glass, but it is not enough for me
.She doesn’t need any water
.They always use oil in cooking
Rules of count nouns
1: We can pluralize them
  Table Tables
 Boy Boys
 Phone Phones
2: We can pluralize them by s/ es.

 Bench Benches
 Box Boxes
 Carpenter Carpenters
3: Article the is used before them:

 The girl
 The student
 The cat
4: Article (a) and (an) we can used before them.
 a book
 An apple.
 An egg.
5: We can ask them by how many.
 How many friends do you have?
 How many students are there in the class?

Rules of uncounted nouns

1: We cannot pluralize them:
2: We cannot pluralize them by s/ es.
3: Article (the) is cannot used before them.
4: Article (a) and (an) we cannot used before them.
5: We can ask them by how much.

:Examples
 How much water in the glass?
 How much sugar do you have?
 How much flour do we have in the bag?
 How much oil do we have in the bottle?

Noun in gender

.A noun is always considered according to being male, female or neauter

:Examples
Husband, wife, mother, sister, glass, pen, ruler, bay etc
What are the four genders of noun
In English language, the four genders of noun are masculine, feminine, common,
.and neuter gender
Masculine nouns or masculine genders refer to the words for a male figure or male
.member of a species
.Like man, brother, husband, lion, donkey etc
Feminine nouns or feminine genders refer to a female figures or female member of
.a species
.Like mother, sister, wife, daughter, ass, lioness etc
Common nouns or common genders refer to members of a species and don’t
.specify the genders
.Like teacher, student, carpenter, doctor, driver etc
.Neuter genders or neuter nouns refer to the things that have no gender
.Like pe, car, desk, ruler, door etc
:Note: the difference between common noun and common gender is
Every common noun is not a common gender but every common gender is a
common noun. For example teacher is a common gender and also a common noun
.but mother is a common noun but not a common gender
Singular and plural nouns
Singular nouns represent only one thing, but plural nouns represent more than one
things. If some one stands alone we call them a person ( singular) , but if there is
more than one person, we call them people ( plural)
Changing of singular nouns to plural

1: Noun is ending in (s, ss, ch, sh, x, z) take es in the plural form.
Box Boxes
Church Churches
Class Classes
Fish Fishes
Watch watches
Fox Foxes
.Note: when (ch) has the sound of (k) take only (s) in the plural form
Monarch Monarchs
Stomach Stomachs
Epoch Epochs
2: Nouns ending in (y) following a consonant change (y) into (i) and add
(es).

:Examples
Army Armies
Family Families
City Cities
Country Counties
3: Nouns ending in (y) following a vowel take only (s) in the plural forms.
Key Keys
Play Plays
Tray Trays
Day Days
4: Nouns ending in (o) following a consonant take (es) in the plural forms.
Mango Mangoes
Negro Negroes
Hero Heroes
5: Nouns ending in (o) following a vowel take only (s) without any change.
Radio Radios
Video Videos
Stereo stereos
Note: The following nouns are exceptional.
Kilo Kilos
Photo Photos
Piano Pianos

6: Nouns ending in (f) or (fe) change (f) or (fe) to v than add (es).
Wife wives
Leaf leaves
Exceptions
Proof Proofs
Chief Chiefs
Roof Roofs
7: Nouns ending in (man), we change man in men in the plural form.
 Man Men
Fisherman Fishermen
Englishman Englishmen
Dairyman Dairymen
Policeman Policemen
Spokesman Spokesmen
8: The compound nouns are usually pluralized in last noun.
Book store Bookstores
Drugstore Drugstores
Farming land Farming lands
Housewife Housewives
Candy shop Candy shops
9: Compound nouns separated by preposition, are usually pluralized in the
main noun.
Father in law Fathers in law
Sister in law Sisters in law
Daughter in law Daughters in law
Brother in law Brothers in law
10: Eight nouns form their plural by a vowel change.
Goose Geese
Man Men
Woman women
Tooth Teeth
Foot Feet
Mouse Mice
Door mouse Door mice
 Louse Lice
11: Some nouns are irregularly pluralized because they are originally Latin.
Ox Oxen
Child Children
Datum Data
Phenomenon Phone mina
Criterion Criteria
12: The letters, numbers and other symbols are pluralized by adding (‘s)
8 8’s
X X’s
P p’s
1. Proper nouns can be pluralized by numbers.
Ahmad Four Ahmad
Cases of noun
Cases of noun is an interesting topic which comes under noun. The case of noun
tells us about the position of thant noun in a sentence. In English language there
.are five cases f noun
Subjective case ( nominative case) :1
Objective case ( accusative case) :2
Possessive case ( genitive case) :3
Dative case :4
Vocative case :5
.A noun is said to be in a subjective case if it is the subject of the verb :1
:Examples
.Ali is an intellinget boy
.The boy helpls with people
.I am going to school now. ( i) is pronoun in subjective case
nouns or pronouns are used to be an objective cases if they are the direct object :2
.of the verbs or direct object of propositions
:Examples
.I met your younger sister
.Ahmad plays cricket
.the book is on table
a noun said to be in a dative case if it is the indirect object of the verb. There :3
should not be a preposition before the indirect object, because in that case it will be
.the object of that preposition
:Examples
.The teacher gave the students few exercises
.The postman brought me a letter
.Get him a pen
.a noun is said to be in a possessive case, if it denotes possession or ownership :4
.A noun or pronoun in the possessive case is governed by the noun that follows it
:Examples
.This is Ahmad’s pen
.They are Ali’s brothers
.It is Sajid and wahabs’ house
a noun or a pronoun is said to be in a vocative case if it is used to call ( or to get :5
.the attention of) a person or persons
:Examples
.Boys! Learn your lessons all times
.Students! Don’t waste your time
.Father! Is is your good work
 Pronoun
?What is a pronoun
A pronoun is a word that can replace a noun in a sentensce. The noun that is
.replaced by a pronoun is called antecedent
Or a pronoun is a word or that part of speech that is used in the place of a noun. A
.pronoun is used to avoid the repetition of a noun in the sentence
.He , she , they, it, her etc are pronouns used
For example
.Samsoor khan has a big dog
.He has much attention on it
In above sentence (he) is used replace of Samsoor khan and (it) is used replace of
.dog
Note: there for pronoun is used instead of a noun, pronoun summarize the sentence
.and avoid us from wasting of time
Types of pronoun
.There are ten types of pronoun that are as follow
personal pronouns :1
demonstrative pronouns :2
possessive pronoun :3
reciprocal pronouns :4
interrogative pronouns :5
indefinite pronouns :6
reflexive pronouns :7
relative pronouns :8
emphasizing pronouns :9
relative pronouns :10
They are the types of pronoun we usually use. Let us now learn these definations
:and examples
personal pronouns :1
In the grammatical sense a pronoun that is associated with a particular person
.primary is called personal pronoun
Each of the personal pronoun show the grammatical person, number, gender and
.case of the noun it replaces
:types of persons are used in personal pronoun 3
.first- person : I, We, Us :1
second person: You :2
.third person: He, She, It, Her, Him, They, Them :3
Personal pronouns can be in various forms, e.g singular, plural (depending on
.number). They can be in various forms depending on the case, gender or formality
.There are two types of personal pronouns
subject pronouns :1
object pronouns :2
The first type is the subject pronoun. This gets its name from the fact that the
subject pronouns are pronouns that take the place of the subject of the sentence.
.Remember that a subject is the main noun doing the action in the sentence
.Not all pronouns can take the place of a subject
:Examples
?Can you say? Me drove to the store
In the first sentence can is not a subject pronoun and in the second sentence me is
.not a subject pronoun but both are used in the beginning of the sentences
Subject pronouns are as follow: ( I, You, we, They, He, She, It)
.In a sentence, a personal pronoun can be used either as a subject or an object
When a personal pronoun is used as a subjective or nominative case in a sentence
.is called a subject pronoun
:Examples
.I like to watch movies, but she does not
He is my sweet friend
They are all muslims
:object pronouns :2
One other type of pronoun is the object pronoun. An object pronoun is a word
that stands in for a noun that is the object of a sentence. So what is an object? An
object in a sentence is any noun that receives the action. This means objects
.usually fall within the predicate of the sentence
Remember, the predicate includes the verb and all the words that follow it. Simply
.put, the predicate is any thing not attached to the subject
Object pronouns are as follow: ( me, us, them, him, her, it, you, )
When a personal pronoun is used as an objective case in a sentence is called object
.pronoun
:Examples
.My friend meet me
.Ali saw her
.They punished us
.Note: object is the word to talk about the person or thing that the action is done to
Types of object
.There are two types of object in a sentence
direct object :1
indirect object :2
Direct objects are the results of action. A subject does something, and the product
.is the object itself
Examples
.He sold his car. She helps with her husband. They drive a picture
.Indirect objects receives or respond to the outcome of an action
Examples
.The man gives his wife a necklace. She sent me a gift
Demonstrative pronouns
Demonstrative pronouns point out to specific objects. They take the place of a
noun, noun phrase, activity or situation. They always consist of this, that, these,
.those and some include none, neither and such
Examples
Give me that blue water bottles. This is your wonderful shirt. These are my
.classmates
Possessive pronouns
Possessive pronoun is a pronoun that is used to express possession or ownership.
.Possessive pronoun can be also used to expresses origion or a specific relationship
List of possessive pronouns
There are a buch f different possessive pronouns that you can use, which can be
.either singular or plural if they are referring to one person or multiple people
singular possessive pronouns :1
Possessive pronouns are singular if they only refer to only one person or thing.
:Singular possessive pronouns include
Mine, yours, hers, its, his
Examples
.That wallet is mine. These shoes are hers. That computer is yours
plural possessive pronouns :2
a possessive pronoun is plural if it refers to more than one person or thing. Plural
:possessive pronouns include
ours , theirs, yours
examples
.these apples are ours. The banana over there is theirs. This telephone is yours
Distributive pronouns
Distributive pronouns are used when there are more than one persons or things are
.taken separately. Each, every, either and neither are distributive pronouns
.These words are always singular and followed by singular verbs
? How to use distributive pronouns
Each:1
Each is used to refer to every one of two or more people or things of a group.
Occurring in the thought. It is used when the group ( number) is definite and small.
Examples
.Each car is custom manufactured. (Here we are thinking of every car individually)
.Access cards will be given to each resident of the eastate
Every :2
Every is used with singular nouns to refer to all the numbers of a group of things or
.people collectively
Examples
.Every applicant for the job was interviewed
.Here we are thinking about all the people tha applied for the job
.I enjoyed every minute of our honeymoon in paris city
Either and neither
Either and neither should be used only in speaking of two persons or things.
When more than two persons or things are spoken of, anyn no one or none should
.be used
Examples
.No of the three answers is correct
.We visited several friends but none came
Summary and key points
When the number in a group is definite and small we use each to refer to every
.member of the group
When the number in a group is indefinite we use every to refer to all the members
.of the collectively
Note
.Each and every is used for emphasis and takes singular verb
Example
.Each and every member of the resident has collected his/her (their) access cards
General examples of distributive pronouns
.Each of the students has participated in the drama act
.I may buy neither of these tow gifts
.Either of you can help me in this matter
.Each new day is different
.Either girl can do that
.Neither answer is correct
:Interrogative pronouns
?What is an interrogative pronoun
An interrogative pronoun is a pronoun used to ask a question. Usually, an
interrogative pronoun is the first word in an interrogative sentence, which always
.ends in a question mark
List of interrogative pronouns
The five most commonly used interrogative pronouns are who, whom, whose,
.what and which
These pronouns are used less commonly, longer forms of these words ending in-
ever are also used. Whoever, whomever, whatever, whosever and which ever. As
interrogative pronouns, these variants may be used for emphasis or to express
surprise. All of these pronouns can act as singular or plural words depending on
.what they are referring to
Who and whom
Who and whom are used to ask questions where the answer is expected to be a
.person. Whis us used as a subject, and whom is used as an object
Whose
.Whose is used to ask questions about possessions, ownership or a relationship
What
What is used to ask a question where the answer is expected to be an object or
.abstract concept
Which
Whis is used to ask questions where there are multiple choices or possibilities as to
.what the answer is could be
Examples of interrogative pronouns
?Who took the towel
?Who will win the championship
?I found this pruse. Whose is this
?There are sheos by the door. Whose are they
?What is love
?What are we going to do
?Which of these cookies do you want
?She either cleaned her room or she didn’t. which sounds mor fun
Note
The mentioned above interrogative pronouns are also used as relative pronouns in
.the sentences
Indefinite pronouns
?What are indefinite pronouns
An indefinite pronoun is a pronoun that refers to a person or a thing without being
.specific
The most commonly ones are all, any, anyone, anything, each, everybody,
everyone, everything, few, many, something, nobody, none, several, and
.someone
Remember most indefinite pronouns are either singular or plural. However, some
.of them can be singular in one context and plural in another
Be careful to the following points
.In negative clauses, we use pronouns with no- not pronoun with any :1
Example
Nobody came to the party. ( not any body came to the party)
.We donot use another negative in a clause with no body, no one or no thing
Example
No body told me lie. ( not no body didn’t tell me lie.)
.we can add ‘s to an indefinite pronoun to make a possessive :2
Examples
.They were standing in somebody’s house
?Is this anybody’s coat
.we use else after indefinite pronouns to refer to other people or things :3
Examples
.All the family came, but no one else
.If she can’t come, we will ask somebody else
.I think this is somebody’s else coat
Some examples of indefinite pronouns
A classic is something that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to
.read
.Of those who sat nothing, few are slilent
.Everything is funny as long as it is happening to somebody else
.Everybody likes a kidder, but nobody lends him money
.I don’t know anything about music
Reflexive pronouns
?What are reflexive pronouns
Reflexive pronouns are words ending in- self or – selves that are used when the
.subject and the object of the sentences are the same
.Reflexive pronouns act as either direct objects or indirect objects
a reflexive pronoun can be a direct object in a sentence when the subject and the
.direct object in a sentence are one and the same
Example
.Ali decided to reward Shabo with a dinner out
.Ali decided to reward himself with a dinner out
In the first sentence, Shabo is object of the reward. Ali, the subject, is the object of
.reward in the second sentence, so we use the pronoun himself
.Reflexive pronouns can also play the indirect object role in the sentence
Example
.He kitted himself a new sweater
.Zahida pours herself a cup of tea every morning
Reflexive pronouns as intensive pronouns
Intensive pronouns are reflexive pronouns that are used to emphasize the subject or
antecedent a sentence, often in the sense of and not someone else. You can tell
when a word ending in- self or – selves is being used as an intensive pronoun
because the sentence it is part of will not change in meaning significantly if you
.remove it
Example
Jack made his super himself. ( no one else did it for him)
I closed the store on Saturday myself. ( I did not have any employee to do it)
The nine English reflexive pronouns are myself, yourself, himself, herself,
.oneself, itself, ourselves, yourselves and themselves
Examples of reflexive prounons
.She hides herself from me
.They work themselves hard for ever
.I study myself every morning
Emphasizing pronouns
Emphasizing pronouns or emphatic pronouns
Emphatic pronouns are pronouns that refer back to the subject in a sentence, which
shows an action taken by or for itself and lay emphasis on it. In simple words,
these are words that emphasize the subject doing something all by itself or doing it
to itself and that there is no effect on others. In short we can say, Emphasizing
.Pronouns are used to make the noun or pronoun more emphatic
: Singular Emphasizing Pronouns
Myself
Yourself
Himself
Herself
Itself
: Plural Emphasizing Pronouns
Ourselves
Yourselves
Themselves
: Examples
.Ali himself was ill
.He himself could not read it although he had written it
.I told Ahmad himself that he must go
.I told Ahmad that he must go himself
He did it all by himself.
She herself told me to do it.
You yourself need to go and check.
The teacher himself told us to sit according to our roll numbers.
How is it different from reflexive pronoun?
So we have noticed that emphatic pronouns and reflexive pronouns are the same.
But as mentioned earlier, they differ because of their intentions.

Reflexive pronouns are words used to refer back to the subject and indicate that the
object and the subject are the same in a sentence. They can be either direct or
indirect objects of prepositions. Their main aim lies in the verb.

For example;

He hurt himself while cutting the woods.

She always brings herself some flowers from the garden.
Here, reflexive pronouns are simply acting as direct and indirect objects.

While emphatic pronouns are used when we refer back to the subject and lay
emphasis on it. Here, the main aim is not the verb but the subject. Emphatic
pronouns strongly indicate that the noun did something by itself.

For example;

He himself cut his fingers.

She herself brought all the books from the staffroom.
 Relative pronouns
A relative pronoun is a word that introduces a dependent (or relative) clause and
connects it to an independent clause. A clause beginning with a relative
pronoun is poised to answer questions such as Which one? How many? or What
kind? Who, whom, what, which, and that are all relative pronouns.

Relative clauses are also sometimes referred to as adjective clauses, because they
identify or give us additional information about the subject of the independent
clause they relate to. Like adjectives, these clauses in some way describe that
subject. Relative pronouns, like conjunctions, are words that join clauses—in this
case, a relative clause to its main clause. The type of relative pronoun used
depends on what kind of noun is being described.

Who: Refers to a person (as the verb’s subject)

Whom: Refers to a person (as the verb’s object)

Which: Refers to an animal or thing

What: Refers to a nonliving thing

That: Refers to a person, animal, or thing

Examples

The woman who came to the door left flowers for you.
I am not sure whom this book belongs to.
Interpretative dance, which I find a bit disconcerting, is all the rage.
Is this what you were talking about?
She finally visited the coffee shop that had such great reviews.
Kinds of relative pronouns
1: possessive relative pronouns

It surprises some people to learn that both who and which can take the possessive
form whose. Some will argue that of which is a better construction when talking
about things rather than people, but this results in unnecessary awkwardness. The
truth is that whose has been widely and correctly applied to nonhumans for
hundreds of years.

She apologized to the boy whose glasses got broken.

The house whose owner is on vacation has an unsightly garden.
The house, the owner of which is on vacation, has an unsightly garden. (This is
correct but cumbersome.)
2: compound relative pronouns
The term compound relative pronoun sounds complex, but it really isn’t. Simply
put, compound relative pronouns apply universally to a number of people or
things. They include whoever, whomever, whichever, and whatever.

Please tell whoever may call that I am not available.

Whomever you hire will be fine with me.
Whichever train you take from here, you will end at Charing Cross station.
Carly will be successful at whatever she chooses to do in life.
exercise of noun and pronoun with answerkey
Directions:

In the following questions choose the correct options to fill the blanks.

1. Your ………. proved false.

A – statement

B. state
C- status

D. None of these

2. The ………. of nouns should be done carefully.

A. classification

B. classifies

C- class

D. None of these

3. The way he treats us is an …… ………. of discrimination.

A. act

B -action

C. active

D. None of these

4. ……. of water should be checked.

A – Leak

B. Leakage

C- Leaking

D. None of these

5. To save iron from rusting, it must be ………

A – galvanisation
B. galvanised

C. galvanising

D. None of these

6 – ……. is the time when everyone feels courageous and vigorous.

A. Boy

B – Boyhood

C. Boyish

D. None of these

7 – ……… begets enmity.

A – Enemy

B. Enmity

C – Enema

D. None of these

8. About a dozen old men were admitted to the ……… asylum.

A. lunatic

B. lunacy

C – lunar

D. None of these

9. Being ……. he could not mix up with the common people.

A. arrogant

B. arrogance

C – arrogantly

D. None of these

10. She was………. to know the reality.

A – curious

B. curiosity

C – curiously

D. None of these

11. ……… is the key to happiness.

A – Innocent

B. Innocence

C – Innocency

D. None of these

12. The king was liked by the people for his ………….

A. decent

B. decency

C – decently

D. None of these
.The boy who was ……… minded could not follow the teacher .13

A. absent

B. absence

C. absently

D. None of these

14 – ………. brings about a lot of problems in the end.

A. Listless

B. Listlessness

C – Listlessly

D. None of these

15. A ………. girl is full of vim and vigor.

A. vivacious

B. vivacity

C – vivace

D. None of these

.must do one’s duty honestly ..……… .16

А. Не

B – One

C. You
D – None of these

17. She cried but ………. heard her.

A – nobody

B. anybody

C – somebody

D. None of these

18. ……… can solve this difficult sum.

A. All

B – Everyone

C. No one

D. None of these

19. ……. like the size of a cat jumped over his head.

A. Something

B. Anything

C – Nothing

D. None of these

20. ……… wants to be rich.

A – Nobody

B. Everybody
C – Anybody

D. None of these

21. ……... likes to live a miserable life.

A – Nobody

B. Anybody

C – Everybody

D. None of these

22. He is not choosy. He will eat ……... you give him.

A. nothing

B. something

C – everything

D. None of these

23. Is there ……… home?

A – somebody

B. anybody

C. everybody

D – None of these

24. I think there is ………. at home.

A – nobody
B. anybody

C. all

D – None of these

25 – ……… were happy at the child’s birthday celebrations.

A. Everyone

B. Everybody

C. All

D – None of these

26. The boy ……. broke the chair was punished.

A. whose

B. whom

C – who

D. None of these

27. This is the girl ……... father is a scientist.

A. whose

B. whom

C – who

D. None of these

28. He ………. nobody ever loved became a saint later.

A. who

B – whose

C. whom

D. None of these

29. The snake ………. we saw in the forest was a cobra.

A. who

B. which

C – whom

D. None of these

30. The books ……. you gave me are interesting.

A. which

B. whom

C – who

D. None of these

Answers
A – statement .1
A. classification .2
A. act .3
B. Leakage .4
B. galvanized .5
B – Boyhood .6
B. Enmity .7
A. lunatic .8
A. arrogant .9
A – curious .10
B. Innocence .11
B. decency .12
A. absent .13
B. Listlessness .14
A. vivacious .15
B – One .16
A – nobody .17
C. No one .18
A. Something .19
B. Everybody .20
A – Nobody .20
C – everything .22
B. anybody .23
A – nobody .24
C. All .25
C – who .26
A. whose .27
C. whom .28
B. which .29
A. which .30

Adjective
an adjective is to describe a noun or pronoun and provide more information about
it. Adjectives provide answers to questions such as “What kind?” “Which one?”
and “Whose is it?”

To demonstrate how adjectives work, let’s look at two example sentences. The first
sentence has no adjectives, and the second sentence has two adjectives.

 Leslie bought shoes at the store.

 Leslie bought new shoes at the busy store.
Both of these sentences are perfectly fine. However, the second sentence gives
more information than the first one does. The second sentence tells us the shoes
that Leslie bought haven’t been used before and that the store that she went to had
a lot of customers in it.

There are two ways that adjectives are used in sentences and clauses:

1: The adjective is right next to the noun/pronoun that it modifies. Most of the
time, adjectives come before the nouns/pronouns they modify, but they can
sometimes come after them:
Examples
 The blue birds built a nest. (The adjective blue modifies the noun birds.)
 I was looking for someone else. (The adjective else modifies the
pronoun someone.)
2: The adjective follows a linking verb and functions as a subject complement.
Examples
 The house is old. (The adjective old follows the linking
verb is. Old modifies the noun house as the subject complement of the
sentence.)
In either case, it is possible to use multiple adjectives to modify the same noun or
pronoun:

 It was a dark and stormy night.

 My big, goofy dog is named Buddy.
 The mirror was crooked, cracked, and dirty.
When multiple adjectives are used before a noun/pronoun, they typically follow a
specific adjective order.

List of adjectives
There are tons and tons of adjectives. The following list gives a tiny sample of the
many, many adjectives that exist:

 happy
 embarrassing
 tall
 delicious
 uncomfortable
 clumsy
 suspicious
Examples of adjectives in a sentence
The following sentences give examples of how we use adjectives:

 Gavin is a smart guy.

 The big basket is full of red apples.
 The cocky rabbit lost the race to the careful tortoise.
 The old clock was broken.
 The masked villain’s plot was stopped by the brave, groovy teenagers and
their goofy, cowardly dog.
Common types of adjectives
We are going to briefly examine 17 different types of adjectives. If you’d like to
learn about each type of adjective in more detail, you can check out all of our
amazing guides to the different kinds of adjectives!

1: Comparative adjectives
2: Superlative adjectives
3: Predicate adjectives
4: Compound adjectives
5: Possessive adjectives
6: Demonstrative adjectives
7: Proper adjectives
8: Participial adjectives
9: Limiting adjectives
10: Descriptive adjectives
11: Interrogative adjectives
12: Attributive adjectives
13: Distributive adjectives
14: coordinate adjectives
15: number adjectives
16: indefinite adjectives
17: quantitive adjectives
1. Comparative adjectives
Comparative adjectives are used to compare two different people or things to each
other. Some examples of comparative adjectives include words such
as smaller, faster, more expensive, and less reasonable.
Comparative adjective examples
1. Whale is larger animal than dolphin.
2. We moved to a cheaper apartment.
.The sequel was even more incredible than the first movie .3
 2. Superlative adjectives
Superlative adjectives are used to compare more than two people or things by
indicating which one is the most supreme or extreme. Some examples of
superlative adjectives include words such as smartest, loudest, most impressive,
and least valuable.
Superlative adjective examples
 Adrian is the fastest member of our team.
 Out of all of my books, this one is the oldest.
 We are trying to figure out the least confusing way to explain the lesson to
the new students.
3. Predicate adjectives
Predicate adjectives are adjectives that appear in the predicate of a sentence as
a subject complement rather than directly next to the nouns or pronouns that they
modify. Predicate adjectives follow linking verbs in sentences and clauses.
Predicate adjective examples
 Andrea is tall.
 Freddy became angry.
 The steak looks delicious.
4. Compound adjectives
Compound adjectives are adjectives that are formed from multiple words, which
are usually connected by hyphens. Some examples of compound adjectives
include never-ending, cross-eyed, and run-of-the-mill.
Compound adjective examples
 She had enough of the double-dealing salesman.
 My happy-go-lucky daughter loved our trip to Disneyland.
 The better-off members of the city live by the river.
5. Possessive adjectives
Possessive adjectives are often used to express possession or ownership. The most
commonly used possessive adjectives are my, your, its, her, his, our, their,
and whose.
Possessive adjective examples
 My favorite food is pizza.
 Sydney spent the day with her parents.
 Canadians celebrated their team’s victory at the Olympics.
6. Demonstrative adjectives
Demonstrative adjectives are used to express relative positions in space and time.
The most commonly used demonstrative adjectives are this, that, these, and those.
 Demonstrative adjective examples
 This watch is cheaper than that one.
 This weekend is going to be really fun.
 Watch out for those prickly rose bushes next to you.
7. Proper adjectives
Proper adjectives are adjectives formed from proper nouns. In general, proper
adjectives are commonly used to say that something is related to a specific person
or place. Proper adjectives include words such as African, Napoleonic,
and Shakespearian.
Proper adjective examples
 He was reading a Russian newspaper.
 I think Haitian food is tasty.
 We studied the history of Victorian England in school today.
8. Participial adjectives
Participial adjectives are adjectives that are based on participles, which are words
that usually end in -ed or -ing and derive from verbs. Participial adjectives include
words like amazing, impressed, and fascinating.
Participial adjective examples
 Travis was late for his swimming lessons.
 Please hand me my reading glasses.
 The silly clown cheered up the bored children.
What is a participle?
A participle is a type of word derived from a verb that is used for a variety of
purposes, such as an adjective or to construct verb tenses. Participles themselves
are considered to be a different part of speech than verbs, but they look a lot like
the verbs they come from. For example, the verb walk can be turned into the
participles walked and walking. If you are a verb expert, you’ll notice that those
two words look identical to the past and present tense forms of walk. And you’d be
right! We told you participles often look a lot like verbs. However, participles can
do a bunch of jobs that verbs can’t and can help a verb express some complicated
actions.
Participle examples
Before we get to the nitty-gritty, let’s look at some examples of participles used in
sentences.

 The shelf was full of tantalizing treats.

 She has a backpack covered in stickers.
 He has been staring at that painting for hours.
 The Easter Bunny had hidden lots of eggs.
 Having reviewed the evidence previously, the detective was unconvinced of
the suspect’s guilt.
Types of participles
According to most grammar resources, there are two major types of
participles: present participles and past participles. A third “type” of participle,
the perfect participle, is actually a combination of one specific present participle
and a past participle. Let’s take a look at each of these types of participles to
understand how we use them.
Past participles
Right off the bat, past participles can get pretty tricky depending on the verb you
are dealing with. For regular verbs, a past participle is typically formed by adding -
ed to the end of the root form of the verb, the form you’ll find if you look up a verb
in our dictionary. For example, the past participle of kick is kicked. Even
with regular verbs, though, there are often exceptions to this general rule, which
you can learn more about in our detailed guide to past participles. Irregular
verbs don’t follow this rule at all—for example, the past participle of eat is eaten.
So, what are past participles used for? In general, there are three major uses for
past participles:

1. Adjectives: You can use a past participle as an adjective to modify a noun (or
noun equivalent).
 We were exhausted after cleaning up the shed.
2. Participle phrases: A participle phrase is a longer adjectival phrase that uses
a participle and other parts of speech to modify a noun (or noun equivalent).
Past participle examples
The following two lists give examples of past participles.

 Regular verbs: acted, borrowed, hopped, mumbled, paused, studied,

wandered
 Irregular verbs: caught, done, gotten, had, ridden, seen, understood,
worn
Present participles
For the most part, present participles are easier to handle than past participles. To
form the present participle of most verbs, you simply add -ing to the root form of
the verb. For example, the present participle of show is showing. Of course, there
are some exceptions to this general rule, which we explain in our guide to present
participles. However, even irregular verbs play by the rules when it comes to
present participles. For example, the present participle of the notoriously
uncooperative verb be is being.
Present participles can do many of the same jobs that perfect participles can:

Present participle examples

The following list gives many examples of present participles.

 arriving, biting, carrying, doing, entertaining, flying, guessing, hoping,

inching, jutting, kissing, learning, mixing, napping, opening, putting, quieting,
running, seeing, talking, uncovering, visiting, waiting, xeroxing, yelling,
zipping
Perfect participles
The term perfect participle doesn’t refer to a unique third type of participle, but a
grammatical phrase formed by combining the word having with a past
participle. Perfect participles are used to indicate that one event happened before
another. For example:
 Having studied birds for years (happened first), Julie knew how to safely
remove the owls from the attic (happened second).
Often, perfect participles are used to indicate that one action ended almost
immediately before another started. For example,
 Having finished his homework, Benny ran outside to play with his friends.
Perfect participle examples
Perfect participles are formed by combining any past participle—including had—
with the word having.
 having asked, having broken, having grown, having placed, having told,
having worn
9. Limiting adjectives
Limiting adjectives are adjectives that restrict a noun or pronoun rather than
describe any of its characteristics or qualities. Limiting adjectives overlap with
other types of adjectives such as demonstrative adjectives and possessive
adjectives. Limiting adjectives include words such as these, your, and some.
Limiting adjective examples
 I bought some eggs at the store.
 She found three pennies under the couch cushions.
 Take a look at that house over there.
10. Descriptive adjectives
Descriptive adjectives are adjectives that describe the characteristics, traits, or
qualities of a noun or pronoun. Most adjectives are descriptive adjectives. Words
such as purple, friendly, and attractive are examples of descriptive adjectives.
Descriptive adjective examples
 A lot of interesting people visit this park.
 She told a scary story.
 The leaves turned orange and red.

11. Interrogative adjectives

Interrogative adjectives are adjectives that are used to ask questions. The
interrogative adjectives are what, which, and whose.
Interrogative adjective examples
 What color is your favorite?
 Which button turns off the lights?
 Whose turn is it to wash the cat?
12. Attributive adjectives
Attributive adjectives are adjectives that are directly next to the noun and pronoun
that they modify. Usually, attributive adjectives come directly before nouns and
pronouns but they modify. But they can sometimes appear after them.
Attributive adjective examples
 She has beautiful handwriting.
 The hungry gorilla ate the fresh mangoes.
 Keith gave his dad something special for his birthday.
13. Distributive adjectives
Distributive adjectives are used to refer to members of a group individually.
Examples of distributive adjectives include each, every, either, and neither.
Distributive adjective examples
 Each puppy got their own little doghouse.
 Every member of the team scored a goal.
 I’ll be happy if either candidate wins the election.
14. Coordinate Adjectives
Coordinate adjectives are separated with commas or the word and, and appear one
after another to modify the same noun. The adjectives in the phrase bright,
sunny day and long and dark night are coordinate adjectives. In phrases with more
than two coordinate adjectives, the word and always appears before the last one;
for example: The sign had big, bold, and bright letters.
Be careful, because some adjectives that appear in a series are not coordinate. In
the phrase green delivery truck, the words green and delivery are not separated by
 a comma because green modifies the phrase delivery truck. To eliminate confusion
when determining whether a pair or group of adjectives is coordinate, just insert
the word and between them. If and works, then the adjectives are coordinate and
need to be separated with a comma.
15. Numbers Adjectives
When they’re used in sentences, numbers are almost always adjectives. You can
tell that a number is an adjective when it answers the question “How many?”
 The stagecoach was pulled by a team of six
 He ate 23 hotdogs during the contest and was sick afterwards.
16. Indefinite Adjectives
Like the articles a and an, indefinite adjectives are used to discuss non-specific
things. You might recognize them, since they’re formed from indefinite pronouns.
The most common indefinite adjectives are any, many, no, several, and few.
 Do we have any peanut butter?
 Grandfather has been retired for many
 There are no bananas in the fruit bowl.
 I usually read the first few pages of a book before I buy it.
 We looked at several cars before deciding on the best one for our family.
17. Quantitative Adjectives:
Adjectives that describe the quantity in reference to show how much it is of
something.

Examples:

1. She completed her assignment in 3 days.

2. This dress costs 25 dollars.

Here 3 and 25 are showing quantity thus denote quantitative adjectives.

Adjective Exercises
Find the adjective or adjectives that fit in each of the blanks best.

1. We visited the museum, where we saw ____________ artifacts.

A. A lot of
B. Ancient
C. John’s
D. A room filled with
2. I received ______________ awards at the ceremony today.
A. The manager’s
B. Two
C. Information about
D. Motivation at the
3. Please get me a bag of ____________ apples.
A. Interesting
B. Ripe red
C. Oranges and
D. Real
4. The president sat in a _______________ chair.
A. Important
B. Barber’s
C. Funny
D. Leather
5. ________________ weather is the norm in San Francisco.
A. Blue
B. Big
C. Foggy
D. The best
Answer Key:

1. A – We visited the museum, where we saw ancient artifacts.

2. B – I received two awards at the ceremony today.
3. B – Please get me a bag of ripe red apples.
4. D – The president sat in a leather chair.
5. C – Foggy weather is the norm in San Francisco.
MCQ on Proper Adjectives
Which one is the adjective in the following sentences?

1. They are proud to be Indian

a. Proud
b. Be
c. They
d. Indian

2. These are Indian toys.

a. These
b. Are
c. Indian
d. Toys

3. Japanese cars are best.

a. Japanese
b. Cars
c. Are
d. None of these

4. Indian sweets are famous.

a. Indian
b. Sweets
c. Are
d. None of these

5. American helicopters are awesome in design.

a. Helicopters
b. Are
c. American
d. None of these

MCQ on Participial Adjective

6. Don’t jump from a running train.

The adjective is ____.

a. Don’t
b. Jump
c. From
d. Running

7. Give this chocolate to the crying baby.

The adjective is ____.

a. Chocolate
b. Baby
c. Crying
d. Give

8. The flying airplanes look very beautiful from our roof.

The adjective is ____.

a. Airplanes
b. Roof
c. Look
d. Flying

9. There is boiling water in the pan.

The adjective is ____.

a. Boiling
b. Water
c. Oven
d. Is

10.Don’t put your hand on the pieces of broken glasses.

The adjective is ____.

a. Put
b. Hand
c. Broken
d. None of thes

11.You should take advice from a mature person.

The adjective is ____.

a. Take
b. Advice
c. Person
d. Mature

12.She should eat a boiled egg every day.

The adjective here is ____.

a. She
b. Should
c. Boiled
d. Eat

13.My father is a retired teacher.

The adjective is ____.

a. Father
b. Retired
c. Is
d. Teacher

14.He is an experienced painter.

____ is the adjective.

a. He
b. Painter
c. Experienced
d. Is

15.Look at the standing person. He is a popular singer.

____ is the adjective.

a. Look
b. Standing
c. He
d. Singer

MCQ on Numeral Adjectives

Select the correct adjective from the options:

16.There are thirty students in each section of class two.

a. thirty
b. students
c. section
d. two

17.I used to get a hundred marks in Mathematics.

a. Used
b. Get
c. Hundred
d. Marks

18.Ishita is the first girl in the class

a. Ishita
b. First
c. Girl
d. Class

19.My brother is in the tenth position now in this queue.

a. Brother
b. Tenth
c. Queue
d. None of these

MCQ on Colour Adjectives

20.The young man has grey hair.

a. Has
b. Man
c. Grey
d. Hair

21.Her eyes are brown.

a. Eyes
b. Her
c. Brown
d. Are

22.My father used to wear a white shirt in his school.

a. Father
b. My
c. Wear
d. White

23.She is wearing a golden necklace.

a. She
b. Wearing
c. Golden
d. Necklace

MCQ on Possessive Adjectives

24.This is my pen.

a. This
b. My
c. Pen
d. Is
 25.It is his pet.

a. It
b. His
c. Is
d. Pet

26.Show me your photo.

a. Show
b. Photo
c. Your
d. None of these

27.Their house is at Bankura.

a. Their
b. House
c. Is
d. Bankura

28.This book belongs to me.

a. Book
b. Belongs
c. To
d. Me

MCQ on Demonstrative Adjective

29.These grapes are sour.

a. These
b. Grapes
c. Are
d. None of these

30.Those books are read by me.

a. Books
b. Those
c. Read
d. By

31.This chair is broken.

a. Broken
b. Is
c. Chair
d. This

32.We will take that child with us.

a. We
b. Take
c. That
d. Child

MCQ on Distributive Adjective

33.None of the boys attended the class.

a. boys
b. attended
c. None
d. class

34.Sweets will be given to each student.

a. Sweets
b. Will
c. Given
d. Each

35.Every child should stop watching cartoon programs.

a. Every
b. Child
c. Stop
d. Programs

36.You may go either side of the road.

a. You
b. May
c. Go
d. Either

MCQ on Interrogative adjectives

37.Whose pet is this?

a. Whose
b. Pet
c. This
d. Is

38.Which program did you watch on television?

a. Program
b. Watch
c. Television
d. Which

39.What type of books do you like?

a. What
b. Books
c. You
d. Like

MCQ on Adjectives of Comparison

40.This garden is more beautiful.

a. Garden
b. More beautiful
c. Is
d. None of these

41.She is the most intelligent in her class.

a. She
b. Most intelligent
c. Class
d. Is

42.Dona is more polite than Kyra.

a. Dona
b. Kyra
c. More polite
d. Is

43.London is the best city in the world.

a. London
b. Best
c. City
d. World

Answer Key:

1. D – they are proud to be Indian.

2. C – they are Indian toys.
3. A –Japanese cars are best.
4. A– Indian sweets are famous.
5. C- American helicopters are awesome in design.
6. D- don’t jump from a running train.
7. C- give this chocolate to the crying boy.
8. D- the flying airplanes look very beautiful from our roof.
9. A- there is boiling water in the pan.
10. C don’t put your hand on the pieces of broken glasses.
11. D you should take advice from mature person
12. C you should eat a boiled egg everday.
13. B my father is a retired teacher.
14. C here is an experienced painter.
15. B look at the standing person, he is a popular singer.
16. A there are thirty students in each section of class two.
17. C I used to get a hundred marks in mathematics.
18. B Ishita is the first girl in the class.
19. B my brother is in the tenth position now in this quenue.
20. C the young man has gray hair.
21. C her eyes are brown.
22. D my father used to wear a white shirt in this school.
23. C she is wearing a golden necklace.
24. B this is my pen.
25. B it is his pet.
26. C show me your photo.
27. A their house is at Bankura.
28. D this book is belongs to me.
29. A these grapes are sour.
30. B those books are read by me.
31. D this chair is broken
32. C We will take that child with us.
33. C none of the boys attended the class.
34. D sweets will be given to each student.
35.A Every child should stop watching cartoon programs.
36. D you may go either side of the road.
37. A whose pet is this?
38. D which program did you watch on television?
39. A what type of books do you like?
40. B this garden is more beautiful.
41.B she is the most intelligent in her class
42. B dona is more polite than kyra.
 43. B b London is the best city in the world.

C – Foggy weather is the norm in San Francisco.

What is an article?
An article is a word that is used to indicate that a noun is a noun without describing
it. For example, in the sentence Nick bought a dog, the article a indicates that the
word dog is a noun. Articles can also modify anything that acts as a noun, such as a
pronoun or a noun phrase.
Often, a sentence needs an article before a noun in order to make grammatical
sense. For example,

❌ Incorrect: I have box.

✅ Correct: I have a box.

❌ Incorrect: She opened door.

✅ Correct: She opened the door.

❌ Incorrect: French is spoken by French.

✅ Correct: French is spoken by the French

Article examples
In English, there are only three articles. They are:

 the
 a
 an

The following sentences show examples of how we use articles in sentences:

 The zoo has an elephant enclosure.

 I have a younger brother and an older sister.
 The ancient Romans built the Coliseum.
 Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?
 Types of articles
We can separate the articles into two different types.

Definite articles
In English, the only definite article is the word the. A definite article has several
roles that it performs.

1. A definite article is used to refer to unique things or groups. A definite article

can indicate that something is unique and only one of it exists.

 She gazed at the moon. (The Earth only has one moon)
 We sailed on the Pacific Ocean. (There is only one body of water
named Pacific Ocean.)

2. A definite article is used to refer to specific things that both the speaker and the
listener know the identity of.

 Harold went to the store. (Both the speaker and the listener know
specifically which store Harold went to.)
 The kids are playing outside. (Both the speaker and listener know the
identity of the kids.)

In writing and speech, the word the is typically used after the speaker or writer first
introduces a thing that they are talking about. The word the then references back to
this same thing. For example,

 We saw birds by the lake. The birds were building nests. (The word the
indicates that the birds in the second sentence are the same birds
mentioned in the first sentence.)

Indefinite articles
In English, there are two indefinite articles: a and an. A is used before consonants
or consonant sounds, and an is used before vowels or vowel sounds. Indefinite
articles are basically the reverse of definite articles and have several different roles.
1. Indefinite articles are used to refer to things that aren’t unique.
 Raquel is a doctor. (Raquel is just one of the many doctors in the
world.)
 France is a country. (France is one of many countries.)
2. Indefinite articles are used to refer to nonspecific things.
 I am looking for a job. (I am not looking for a specific job.)
 Please hand me an envelope. (You can hand me any envelope you can
find.)
In this same sense, indefinite articles are often used to refer to something as an idea
or concept.

Going camping is a fun experience. (This sentence says that the act of
“going camping” is an example of something that can be described as
“fun experience.”)

3. Indefinite articles are used to refer to things that the speaker and listener don’t
know the identity of.
 Vick has a dog. (We know Vick owns a dog, but we don’t know
anything about it.)
 A woman is standing outside. (We don’t know who the woman is.)
In writing and speech, indefinite articles are often used to introduce the first
mention of a noun. Once the noun has been introduced, it is then possible to use a
definite article.

 A truck drove past. The truck was huge. (The noun truck is introduced
with the definite article a. After it is introduced, we can use the to refer
back to the same truck.)
Unlike definite articles, it is considered grammatically incorrect to use indefinite
articles with plural nouns.

Correct: I have a cat.

Incorrect: I have a cats.

Nouns that don’t take articles

Some nouns do not take articles. Unfortunately, there is no general rule for when
this happens, and you’ll just need to learn these instances as you encounter them.
Some common types of nouns that don’t typically use articles include:

 Languages: I studied Russian. She speaks Spanish and Portuguese.

 Sports: He plays football. We watched basketball on TV.
 School subjects: She loves math. He is bad at chemistry.
  Names: Meghan lives with Ken. I gave a biscuit to Princess, my
poodle.
 Abstract nouns: She has impressive speed. The professor gave a
lecture on communism.

All articles are determiners, but what is exactly determiner?

What is a determiner?
A determiner is a member of a class of words used to modify nouns or noun
equivalents. Determiners help clarify what a noun is referring to and are typically
placed before descriptive adjectives. For example, in the sentence Would you like
to buy this new book? the word this is a determiner. It tells us more about the book
we are talking about: this book. It’s also placed before the descriptive adjective
new.

But wait—isn’t this also a demonstrative adjective? Yes! It is important to note

that adjectives have a lot of overlap with determiners. And which words are and
aren’t considered determiners varies depending on which grammar resource or
style guide you use. Some style guides will note that, in general, any word that
modifies a noun but cannot be used as a superlative or comparative adjective is
typically labeled as a determiner.

For example, the word happy is not typically considered a determiner because it
can be used to create the comparative happier and superlative happiest. On the
other hand, the word some would be considered a determiner (if modifying a noun)
because it doesn’t have a comparative or superlative form. Something can’t be
“somer” than something else, nor can something be “the somest.” So, with this
trick, you can identify many of the determiners we use, but more explanation is
still needed.

Determiner examples
Before we explore the different types of determiners, let’s look at some specific
examples.

List of determiners
The following list contains some examples of words that may be considered to be
determiners. As we’ve noted, it is okay if you consider some of these words to be
adjectives.
  a
 an
 the
 this
 our
 seven
 any
Determiners in a sentence
The following sentences show how determiners are used in sentences.

 A stray cat walked across my porch.

 I bought three shirts at the store.
 This clock is older than that one.
 Each child needs to bring their own lunch.

Here are the MCQ questions on Indefinite article (a and an)

1. There is __ cat in __ garden

2. A, the
3. An,the
4. The,a
5. The, an

Ans: (1)

2. setting sun gives a beautiful sight.

1. A
2. An
3. The
4. None of these

Ans: (3)

3. Swimming is __good exercise.

1. A
2. An
3. The
Ans: (1)

4. Our state covers __ area of 88,752 sq kms.

1. A
2. An
3. The

Ans: (2)

5. West Bengal is in __ eastern part of India.

1. A
2. An
3. The

Ans: (3)

6. Many shops were set up in __ enclosed area.

1. A
2. An
3. The

Ans: (2)

7. young boy was roaming here and there.

1. A
2. An
3. The

Ans: (1)

8. Shopping is __ important work during the Puja.

1. A
2. An
3. The

Ans: (2)
 9. West Bengal is __ land of festivals.

1. A
2. An
3. The

Ans: (1)

10.Spring is __ beautiful season.

1. A
2. An
3. The

Ans: (1)

11.Summer is __ hottest season of the year.

1. A
2. An
3. The

Ans: (3)

12.You must have __ aim in life.

1. A
2. An
3. The

Ans: (2)

13.I have __ early launch today.

1. A
2. An
3. The

Ans: (2)

14.She is wearing __ yellow dress.

 1. The
2. An
3. A

Ans: (3)

15.Honesty is __ best policy

1. A
2. An
3. The

Ans: (3)

16.Kolkata is __ capital of our state.

1. A
2. An
3. The

Ans: (3)

MCQ questions on Exceptional Articles

17.Which animal is __ ewe?

1. A
2. An
3. The

Ans: (1)

18.Can you describe __ unicorn?

1. A
2. An
3. The

Ans: (1)

19.I have __ European friend.

 1. The
2. An
3. A

Ans: (3)

20.Our school maintains __ uniform for __ students.

1. An,the
2. The,the
3. A,the
4. An,a

Ans: (3)

21.We are having __one-day tour in this week.

1. An
2. A
3. The
4. None of these

Ans: (2)

22.He is __ M.B.B.S doctor.

1. A
2. An
3. The
4. None of these

Ans: (2)

23.She graduated with __LLB degree in Law.

1. An
2. A
3. The

Ans: (1)
 24.He is __ honest man.

1. A
2. An
3. The

Ans: (2)

25.She possesses __ honorary post in her company.

1. A
2. An
3. The

Ans: (2)

26.She should visit the clinic for __ X-ray.

1. A
2. The
3. An

Ans: (3)

27.You should adopt __ orphan as __ heir.

1. A,a
2. The,the
3. An,a
4. An,an

Ans: (4)

28.MLA can help you in this regard.

 A
 An
 The

Ans: (2)
 Adverb
An adverb is a word/a set of words that modifies verbs, adjectives, and other
adverbs. It tells when, where, and how an action is performed or indicates the
quality or degree of the action.
Many adverbs end in -ly but some words which end in -ly (such as friendly) are not
adverbs. Many words can be both adverbs and adjectives according to their activity
in the sentence.
Example:
o Robin is always hungry for success.
o I love her very much.
o He is running fast.
o Alex works hard.
o He wrote that willingly.
Adverb Clauses and Adverb Phrases are clauses and phrases that modify the
verbs, adjectives or other adverbs in the sentence.
Example:
o He ran toward the bus until he was tired . (Adverb Clause)
o He came carrying his box with two hands . (Adverb Phrase)

Types of Adverbs:
 Conjunctive Adverbs
 Sentence Adverbs
 Adverbs of Time/Frequency (When?)
 Adverbs of Place/Direction (Where?)
 Adverbs of Degree (How Much?)
 Adverbs of Manner (How?)

Conjunctive Adverbs:
A conjunctive adverb connects phrases or independent clauses. It provides
transitions between ideas and shows relationships.
Conjunctive adverbs are also called connectors.
Example:
It rained last night. Nonetheless, the final match has not been canceled.
We are still confused, however, if the umpires will come.
Last season there was a great drought; consequently, we could not grow crops.

Sentence Adverbs:
A sentence adverb starts the sentence and modifies the whole sentence.
Example:
o Hopefully, we will win the match.
o Apparently, the sky is getting cloudy.
o Certainly, I did not think of coming here.

Adverbs of Time/Frequency (When?)

Adverbs of time/frequency indicate time or frequency of the action in the
sentence. They answer the question ‘when/how frequently is the action
performed?’.
Always, never, often, eventually, now, frequently, occasionally, once, forever,
seldom, before, Sunday, Monday, 10 AM, 12 PM, etc. are common adverbs of
time/frequency.
Example:
o I went to school a little late yesterday.
o He always gets a good result.
o I will leave Monday.
o He smokes occasionally.

Adverbs of Place/Direction (Where?)

Adverbs of place/direction that indicate place/direction of the action in the
sentence. They answer the question ‘where is the action performed?’.
Across, over, under, in, out, though, backward, there, around, here, sideways,
upstairs, in the park, in the field, in that place, etc. are some common adverbs of
place/direction.
Example:
o I went through the jungle .
o He plays in the field.
o Alex is going to school.
o He is staying at my home.

Adverbs of Degree (How Much?)

Adverbs that express the importance/degree/level of the action in the sentence are
called adverbs of degree. They answer the question ‘how much is the action
performed?’.
Completely, nearly, entirely, less, mildly, most, thoroughly, somewhat, excessively,
much, etc. are common adverbs of degree.
Example:
 o She completely forgot about her anniversary.
o I read the newspaper thoroughly.
o I am so excited about the new job.
o Robin hardly studies

Adverbs of Manner (How?)

Adverbs that express the manner/approach/process of the action in the sentence are
called adverbs of manner. They answer the question ‘how is the action
performed?’.
Beautifully, equally, thankfully, carefully, handily, quickly, coldly, hotly,
resentfully, earnestly, nicely, tirelessly, etc. are common adverbs of manner. These
adverbs usually end in ly.
Example:
o Let's divide the prizes equally.
o Please, handle the camera carefully.
o Mike is walking slowly.
o He is running fast.
Adverbs of time
Adverbs of time detail when the action took place. Although many prepositions
can also indicate when something happened, they are always followed by objects,
so you can easily tell when a word is an adverb of time.

Adverbs of time include

 already
 earlier
 immediately
 lately
 later
 now
 recently

Adverbs of time examples

We usually see these kinds of adverbs placed at the beginning or end of a sentence,
although some (such as recently or immediately) can come right before a verb. For
example:
  You already went to the post office. (When did you go to the post office?)
 They recently relocated to Santa Fe. (When did they relocate?)
 The morning newspaper arrives earlier. (When does it arrive?)
 We'll take a trip to Yosemite later. (When will we take a trip?)
 I'll finish my project tomorrow. (When will you finish it?)

Adverbs of Quantity
Adverbs can tell you how something is done, for example, speak nicely or
work hard. Adverbs can also tell you how much or how many of something you
have.

Every noun is either countable (cat- cats, dog- dogs, elf- elves, fairy- fairies etc.)
or uncountable (time, information, magic, happiness, witchcraft etc.) and this is
something you need to consider when choosing an adverb to go together with a
noun.

Adverb Clause

Usually, an adverb is just one word which modifies or describes, a verb.

An adverb clause, on the other hand, is an entire clause which functions as an
adverb. This clause is a group of words, or an entire sentence, which modifies a
verb.

One adverb adds some detail to the verb. An adverb clause adds more detail to
the verb and describes precisely. An adverb clause can answer questions like:

How? What? When? Where? How much? And others.

Like any clause, an adverb clause has to have a subject and predicate in order to
be complete. An adverb clause can appear in the beginning, middle, or end of the
sentence. The adverb clause is always divided by a comma if it’s in the beginning
or middle of the sentence.

 Since I work from home, I don’t have to eat in restaurants often.

The adverb phrase is in the first sentence. The subject is “I” and the predicate
“work,” so the clause is complete. This adverb clause answers the
question: where?

 Whether you like it or not, you have to pay taxes.

Here the subject is “you” and the predicate is “like it or not.” There are different
ways to form an adverb clause. This adverb clause answers the
questions: how? and why?

 Whales, although they are large, don’t eat anything but plankton.

This adverb phrase is in the middle of the sentence, and it’s divided by commas.
The subject is “they” and the predicate is “are large.” This adverb clause
answers the question: how? (Big are they / do they look)

 Because he missed the first bus, he ran like his life depended on it.

Since the adverb phrase is at the end of the sentence is does not always need to be
divided with a comma. The subject is “he” and the predicate “ran.” This adverb
clause answers the questions: how? and why?

 I’m going to look for a new job when I get back from my trip.

Here the subject is “I” and the predicate is “get back.” This adverb clause
answers the question: when?

Adverb Phrase
An adverb phrase is a group of words that function as an adverb. Unlike the
adverb clause, an adverb phrase does not need a subject and predicate. An
adverb phrase is two or more words that modify the verb.

Adverb phrases are used to describe the verb in more detail than just one adverb
would. Since they are composed of more than one word, they can answer a
different set of questions. Adverb phrases often answer the questions:
How? Where? Why? and when?

These questions need more than one adverb to be answered completely. An

adverb phrase can appear anywhere in the sentence, and they don’t need to be
divided by commas.

They are, however, mostly at the end of the sentence, and sometimes
the beginning.

 Because the boss is late the meeting will start later than usual.

This adverb phrase is used to answer the question: when? It is at the end of the
sentence and gives more details about why the meeting is not happening when it
usually does.

 Like in every fairy tale they must kiss before sunset to break the curse.

This adverb phrase also answers the question: when? Here it describes the exact
time when something must happen.

 Put the flowers on the kitchen table.

This adverb phrase answers the question: where? The person speaking wants the
flowers to be put at a specific place.

 We used to have a holiday house right by the beach.

Here it is also answering the questions: where? It describes specifically where the
house is, and how close to the beach it actually is.

 There were so many cars that they were moving frustratingly slowly.

This adverb phrase answered the question: how? It describes how slow

This adverb phrase answered the question: how? It describes how slow the cars
were going, and how the person feels about it. They are frustrated because
of how slow they are going.
  She always completes her tasks without care.

The question answered is: how? It describes how careless the person is when
completing her tasks.

 To understand better how to do the job she read some books.

This adverb phrase is at the beginning of the sentence and answered the
question: why? It describes why the person has to read some books.

 He went online and searched all day for more information.

The question answered is: why? Here it describes why the person went online
and had to search all day. Because they need more information they need to
complete the search.

Use of Adverbs with Adjectives

When adverbs are used to modify adjectives they add a degree of intensity.

Examples:

The test was extremely difficult.

Matt was incredibly sorry about what he did.

The woman is very pretty.

The bolded words modified the adjectives and added a degree to them. Like- How
difficult was the test? Extremely difficult. How sorry was Matt? Incredibly sorry.
How pretty was the woman? Very pretty.

Use with Other Adverbs

Adverbs can also be used to describe another adverb. They add a degree to the existing adverb.

Example:
The cheetah runs incredibly quickly.

Monica talks very loudly.

In the above examples, there are two adverbs in each sentence. The adverb
‘incredibly’ is modifying the adverb ‘quickly’, and they’re both modifying the verb
‘run’. And the adverb ‘very’ is modifying the adverb ‘loudly’, and they’re both
modifying the verb ‘loudly’.

Use of Adverbs with a Sentence

Some words can also modify entire sentences or clauses. In such cases, these are
called sentence adverbs.

Examples:

Fortunately, we didn’t miss our train.

Hopefully, I will get selected for the program.

Placement
As a general rule, adverbs can be placed in the beginning, middle or end of a
sentence. However, the placement is important as it can entirely change the
meaning of the sentence.

Example:

Fortunately, it rained and the crops were saved. (Beginning)

The painting was very pretty. (Middle)

She left the room and ran downstairs. (End)

Comparative and Superlative Adverbs

Like adjectives, adverbs too have positive, comparative and superlative forms.

Examples:

He runs fast. (Positive)

He runs faster than all other students in his class. (Comparative)

He runs the fastest among everyone in the school. (Superlative)

Common Errors with Adverbs

Here are some common mistakes that students make while using adverbs

1. Students confuse the use of adjectives and adverbs. while using linking
verbs (like feel, smell, sound, seem, and appear). Common examples of this
are:

Incorrect – He behaved very bad on the field trip.

Correct – He behaved very badly on the field trip.

The first sentence is incorrect as an adjective is used to describe a verb, changing it

to an adverb makes the sentence grammatically correct.

Incorrect – I feel badly about canceling our date.

Correct- I feel bad about canceling our date.

While using linking verbs (like feel, smell, sound, seem, and appear) typically
adjectives are used. That’s because linking verbs doesn’t describe the action of the
sentence; they simply link the subject of the sentence (“I”) to the subject
complement (“bad”). This is why the first sentence is incorrect as it uses an adverb
in place of an adjective.

2. Confusion between the words ‘good’ and ‘well’

You’re very good at painting

You paint really well.

‘Good’ in the first is an adjective as it describes a noun (you). ‘Well’ in the second
sentence is an adverb as it describes a verb (paint).

Exercises
Now that you have a general idea about adverbs, go through these MCQs to test
your knowledge:

1. You play the guitar very ___.

  good
 well
 nice
 goodly

2. I ____ go to bed at 10 o’clock.

 once
 ever
 Usually

3. ___, I don’t think this is a good idea.

 Tomorrow
 Carefully
 Exceptionally
 Personally

4. She will plant her garden ____.

 Here
 There
 nearby

5. I feel _____ about ruining your birthday.

 Badly
 Bad
 Sadly

Answers

1. Well
2. Usually
3. Personally
4. Here
5. Bad

Preposition
A preposition is a word that helps connect nouns and pronouns with a verb or
adjective in a sentence.

Or Prepositions are the words which are used to connect the different nouns,
pronouns, and phrases in a sentence. It functions to introduce or precede the word
or phrase to be connected, called the object of the preposition.

The preposition usually indicates the relation between the words it is connecting. It
tells whether the words are connected in actual space or a place, or related through
time or are they part of a thought or process.

Example: He found the book on the table.

 Here the preposition is ‘on’ as it shows the relation in place between

the book and the table.
 The prepositional phrase is ‘on the table’ which is acting as an Adverb
telling where the book was found.
Example: She went to sleep early.

 In this sentence the preposition is ‘to’ which is introducing where or

in what state had the noun gone into.
Example: Her house was beside a steep hill.

 The preposition here is beside which is telling the place where the
house was.
 The prepositional phrase is ‘beside a steep hill’ which is acting as an
adverb.
What Exactly are called Prepositions?
A preposition is a tiny, common word that indicates direction (to in "a letter to
you"), location (at in "at the door"), or time (in "by noon"), or that introduces an
item (or in "a basket of apples"). The object of a preposition is usually a noun
(noon), a noun phrase (the door), or a pronoun (you).
Prepositions show how other words in a sentence are related. Many prepositions
indicate the location of something or the time it occurred. Because most
prepositions have many definitions, their meaning varies greatly depending on the
context. It is not a grammatical error to end a sentence with a preposition.
Prepositions describe the location or timing of something in relation to something
else. It's useful to have these specific words to tell us where monsters are while
they're approaching. Are they in front of us or behind us? Will they show there in
three seconds or at 12 a.m.?
Prepositions are frequently used to indicate the location of one noun in relation to
another (e.g., The coffee is on the table beside you). However, they can also be
used to convey more abstract concepts like purpose or contrast (e.g., We went for a
walk despite the rain)
Prepositions Come in a Variety of Forms
Direction, time, location, and geographical linkages, as well as other abstract sorts
of relationships, are all indicated by prepositions.

Directions: Our destination can be found to the left.

Time: Since this morning, we've been working.
Location: We went to the theater to see a movie.
Example: Tonight, we'll be cooking for ten people.
Space: The dog hid beneath the table.
Example: Dan shared a meal with his boss.
How do prepositions help us?
Prepositions are known as the "largest small words" in English because, despite
their modest length, they are crucial to the meaning of the phrase. A misplaced
preposition can make all the difference between a well-written phrase and a tangle
of words. Prepositions, on the other hand, provide the glue between elements of a
sentence, allowing you to present your scientific findings more precisely and
professionally when employed correctly.

Prepositions connect nouns, pronouns, or phrases (known as the preposition's

object) to other words in a sentence. They show how their item is related to another
word or component of the sentence in terms of time, space, or logic.
Examples:
1. The airplane flew over our house.
2. She sat on the chair.
3. The cups are kept above the plates.
4. The book belongs to Muskaan.
5. They were sitting by the pool.
6. The dog jumped off the counter.
 7. There is some curd in the fridge.
8. The napkin is placed beside the plate.
9. His house is across the street.
10.My book is next to the laptop.
11.The gas station is by the medical store.
12.I always go to work by bus.
13.Is the tea too hot for you?
14.The cat is hiding underneath the chair.
15.They have a discussion about cricket.

Preposition - An Explanation of Examples

1. Seema went to the mal
“To” is a preposition which shows direction.
2. What is the time on your watch?
“By” is a preposition which shows manners.
3. They arrived at the airport.
“At” is a preposition which shows time.
4. The bag is under the table.
“Under” is a preposition which shows place.
Types of Prepositions
There are different types of prepositions in English language.
1: Simple Prepositions
These prepositions are constructed by only one word like: On, at, about, with,
after, for, etc.

Example: He found the book about dogs on the table, in the bedroom.
Here is a list of common simple prepositions (preposition examples):

 For
 By
 At
 On
 Of
 Off
 To

Examples of Simple Prepositions Used in Sentences

The dog jumped out while the car was moving.

Car is the object of the preposition out.
Dorothy came upon the Tin Man.
Upon is the preposition. Tin Man is the object.
She came home without her homework.

2: Double Prepositions
These prepositions are formed by combining two words or two Simple
Prepositions: Into, within, upon, onto, etc.

Example: The dog jumped onto the bed and left marks upon the sheets.

Here is a list of common double prepositions (preposition examples):

 Into
 Onto
 Up to
 From Behind
 From Beneath
 Out Of
 Upon

Examples of Double Prepositions in Sentences

The dog jumped out of the moving car.
The child hid inside of the cabinet.

3: Compound Prepositions
These prepositions are two-word prepositions.

According to, because of, next to, due to, etc.

Example: He was upset because of his son’s behavior.

Here is a list of common compound prepositions (preposition examples):

 Across
 Along
 Beside
 Behind
 Before
 Without
 Inside
4: Participle Prepositions
Participles are actually verbs that end with ‘-en’ or ‘-ing’. As these verbs were
commonly and very popularly used as prepositions by the people, these verbs have
been given special status as prepositions.

Considering, during, given, including, etc.

Example: Considering what he had to work with, he did a pretty good job.

Here is a list of common participle prepositions (preposition examples):

 Concerning
 Notwithstanding
 Pending
 During
 Given
 Failing
  Excluding
5: Phrase Prepositions
These prepositions are a combination of the preposition + a modifier (optional) +
the object. They are used to modify the nouns, verbs or sentences and also
complete clauses.

At home, in time, with me, from my father, under the blanket, etc.

Example: The clothes left on the bed have been ironed and kept back.
Here is a list of common phrase prepositions (preposition examples):

 At high speed
 By all means
 For a change
 In accordance with
 On a journey
 Out of curiosity
 To the best of
Prepositions can only be learnt by memory; unfortunately, there is no method or
particular way to recognize and learn them.

6: Prepositions of Direction

If you ask “Where?”, this type of preposition is usually part of the answer.
Prepositions of Direction let you know where something is going. They indicate
which direction something is moving. There are dozens of examples, but the most
common examples of Prepositions of Direction are:
above, across, along, among, around, at, behind, below, besides, over, though,
toward, up, down, between, by, inside, in, near, past, under

Preposition on the Basis of Functionality

These classifications above are based on the construction of the prepositions
themselves. Apart from this, prepositions are also categorized based on their use or
functionality in a sentence as:

1: Prepositions of Place
What are prepositions of place?

Prepositions of place refer to those prepositions that can be used to show where
something is located. There are three basic prepositions of place: in, on, at.

For example:

 At college
 At home
 At reception
 In a taxi
 In the sky
 In the building
 On the way
 On the radio
 On the page
Prepositions of place examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy
identification.
 The cat is on the table.
 The dogs are in the kennel.
 We can meet at the crossroads.
The guidelines can be broken down as follows:
On is used when referring to something with a surface:
 The sculpture hangs on the wall.
 The images are on the page.
 The specials are on the menu, which is on the table.
In is used when referring to something that is inside or within confined boundaries.
This could be anything, even a country:
1. Jim is in France, visiting his aunt in the hospital.
2. The whiskey is in the jar in the fridge.
 3. The girls play in the garden.
At is used when referring to something at a specific point:
1. The boys are at the entrance at the movie theater.
2. He stood at the bus stop at the corner of Water and High streets.
3. We will meet at the airport.
Lots of other prepositions of place, such as under, over, inside, outside, above and
below are used in English. There is, however, a lot less confusion as they refer to
rigid positions rather than abstract ones.
 The cat is under the table.
 Put the sandwich over there.
 The key is locked inside the car.
 They stepped outside the house.
 Major is ranked above corporal.
 He is waving at you from below the stairs.
2: Prepositions of Time
What are prepositions of time?

The prepositions are often used to refer to times and dates. There are three basic
prepositions of time: at, in, on

For examples:

 At 10.30am
 At 8 o’clock
 At bedtime
 At breakfast
 In 16 years’, time
 In 1991.
 In December
 On Christmas
 On Friday
 On holiday
Examples
 I was born on July 4th, 1982.
 I was born in 1982.
 I was born at exactly 2am.
  I was born two minutes before my twin brother.
 I was born after the Great War ended.
The above makes it seem quite difficult, with five different prepositions used to
indicate when something happened. However, there is a set of guidelines that can
help decide which preposition to use:
For years, months, seasons, centuries and times of day, use the preposition in:
 I first met John in 1987.
 It’s always cold in January
 Easter falls in spring each year.
th
 The Second World War occurred in the 20 century.
 We eat breakfast in the morning.
For days, dates and specific holiday days, use the preposition on.
1. We go to school on Mondays, but not on Sunday
2. Christmas is on December 25th.
3. Buy me a present on my birthday.
For times, indicators of exception and festivals, use the preposition at:
 Families often argue at Christmas time.
 I work faster at night.
 Her shift finished at 7pm.
Before and after should be much easier to understand than the other examples of
prepositions of time. Both are used to explain when something happened, happens
or will happen, but specifically in relation to another thing.
 Before I discovered this bar, I used to go straight home after work.
 We will not leave before 3pm.
 David comes before Bryan in the line, but after Louise.
Other prepositions of time could include: During, about, around, until and
throughout.
 The concert will be staged throughout the month of May.
 I learned how to ski during the holidays.
 He usually arrives around 3pm.
 It was about six in the morning when we made it to bed.
 The store is open until midnight.
3: Prepositions of Movement
What are prepositions of movement?
Prepositions of movement show movement from one place to another. There are 9
basic prepositions that pertain to movement: To, Towards, Through, Into, Across,
Over, Along, In, On

For example:

 I’m going to the doctor.

 Can you direct me to the nearest post office?
 He was walking menacingly towards me.
 The train went through the tunnel.
 He walked across the road.
Prepositions of movement examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy
identification.
 He has gone on vacation to France.
 She went to the bowling alley every Friday last summer.
 I will go to bed when I am tired.
 They will go to the zoo if they finish their errands.
Other more specific prepositions of movement include: through, across, off, down
and into. These prepositions can sometimes get mixed up with others. While they
are similar, they have individual meanings that add context to the movement.
Across refers to moving from one side to another.
 Mike travelled across America on his motorcycle.
 Rebecca and Judi are swimming across the lake.
Through refers to moving directly inside something and out the other end.
 The bullet Ben shot went through the window.
 The train passes through the tunnel.
Into refers to entering or looking inside something.
 James went into the room.
 They stare into the darkness.
Up, over, down, past and around indicate directions of movement:
1. Jack went up the hill.
2. Jill came tumbling down after.
3. We will travel over rough terrain on our way to Grandma’s house.
4. The horse runs around the track all morning.
5. A car zoomed past a truck on the highway

4: Prepositions of Manner
 These prepositions describe the way anything happens or any means by
which it happens. Few such prepositions are by, like, in with and on.
Examples:
 Children go to school by bus.
 We went to a movie in a taxi.
 He played football like champions.
5: Prepositions of Measure
These kinds of prepositions show the quantity of something with someone or
something.
Two main prepositions are by and of.
Examples:
 The Shopkeeper sells the cloth by meters.
Richard bought four kilos of tomatoes for soup.

6: Preposition of Source
Preposition of source demonstrates the source of something or someone.
Examples:
 She was paid a scholarship by her college for all her semesters.
 All the love the child received was straight from his mother’s heart.
7: Preposition of Possession
This preposition shows that something or someone belongs to something or
someone. Such as off, with and to.
Some Examples
 I saw her with a black dress.
 This burger joint is of a well-known political leader.
 These are the kinds of prepositions and practicing more exercises will make
you the master of Prepositions.
8: Preposition for Agent or Instrument
Prepositions for Agent are used to show a relationship between a noun, perhaps
noun as a doer in case of agency and an instrument as in instrumentality and an
action. For example, at, by, with, using etc.
Take a look at sentences to see how they are used.

 Sell goods at an auction.

  Sent the parcel by the post.
 Cut it with a knife.
 Was destroyed by the fire.
9: Preposition for Cause, Reason, Purpose
These are the prepositions that in show the reason of something happening or being
in a sentence.

These help us to know why something is happening. Examples of these types of

prepositions are of, for, with etc.

Following sentences will tell you how they are used.

 Died of fever.
 A man of means.
 The place for a picnic.
 Shivers with fever.
 Took medicine for cold.
 Did it for our good.

How to Recognize a Preposition?

Recognizing prepositions can be challenging as they do not always follow a
consistent pattern in terms of their position in a sentence, nor do they have a
discernible structure or spelling. We do know, however, that prepositions are
almost always short words, with the majority having less than six letters. One
technique people use to identify a preposition is to think of a preposition as
anywhere a mouse can go. Above, below, next to, between, beyond, though, by,
with…It won’t cover them all, but it can be a useful question to ask when trying to
identify and recognize a preposition. While there are over 100 prepositions, there
are around 500,00-700,000 nouns in English! It is unlikely anyone will learn so
many nouns, but recognizing and then mastering prepositions might be a
worthwhile and attainable goal.

Prepositions with Nouns

There are lots of different nouns that carry specific prepositions to consolidate their
meaning. These are called dependent prepositions. Again, there isn’t a set rule that
says a particular type of noun will take a dependent preposition, although they
normally follow the noun. Moreover, there are many possible combinations.
Essentially, it’s case of familiarizing yourself with the different possibilities of
nouns and dependent prepositions. Examples:
 He displayed cruelty towards his dog.
 She had knowledge of physics.
 The trouble with Jack.
 21 is the age at which you are allowed to drink.
 Bolt made another attempt at the world record.
 The police held an inquiry into the murder.

Prepositions with Verbs

Prepositional verbs – the phrasal combinations of verbs and prepositions – are
important parts of speech. The prepositions again act as links between the verb and
noun or gerund, giving extra meaning to the sentence. The prepositions most
commonly used with verbs are: to, for, about, of, in, at and from. The good news is
that these will always come after the verb in the sentence. However, it should also
be noted that the prepositional verbs can have slightly different meaning compared
to the original verb. For example, to relate a story simply means to tell a story, to
relate to a story means you identify with it, find some personally meaning in that
story.
Verb + to:
 He admitted to the charge.
 I go to Vancouver on vacation twice a year.
 William can relate to the character in the play.
Verb + for:
 He must apologize for his actions.
 We searched for ages before we found the perfect apartment.
 I provide for my family by working two jobs.
Verb + with:
 I don’t agree with your claim.
 The lawyer said he will meet with your representatives.
 They began with a quick warm-up.
Verb + of:
 I dream of a better life.
 Have you heard of Shakespeare?
 The bread consists of dough, raisins and a little honey.
Verb + in:
  Does Rick believe in miracles?
 Fallon lives in New York.
 The bus accident resulted in my being late to work.
Verb + at

1. We arrived at our destination.

2. Ilene excels at singing.
3. Will the baby smile at her mother?
Verb + on:
 We should really concentrate on our studies now.
 Helen insisted on Brenda’s company.
 Morris experimented on some canvas.
Verb + from:
 Since turning 80, she suffers from lapses in concentration.
 Dad retired from the navy in the 1970s.
 Billy Bob, please refrain from doing that.

Prepositions with Adjectives

Prepositions can form phrases with adjectives to give further context to the action,
emotion or thing the adjective is describing. Like verbs and nouns, adjectives can
be followed by: to, about, In, for, with, at and by.
 I am happily married to David.
 Ellie is crazy about this movie.
 Michelle is interested in politics.
 We are sorry for your loss.
 Jane will be delighted with her results.
 Is he still angry at the world?
 The entire room was astonished by the election results.
There can sometimes be a pattern in deciding which prepositions go with
adjectives, for example, when adjectives have the same or very similar meaning to
each other, they might take the same preposition:
 Frightened of, afraid of, scared of, terrified of
Indeed, when adjectives have opposite meant they might also take the same
preposition:
 Good at, great at, superb at, wonderful at
 Bad at, terrible at, woeful at, inept at
  consistency when adjectives have the same meaning or opposite meaning.
 Nevertheless, perhaps a more general rule is that English speakers simply
need to learn which prepositions go with which adjectives, as meaning can
change significantly by using a different preposition.
 I am good at sports means I have some athletic talent.
 The nurse was good to my mother means she took care of her and was nice,
kind, and helpful.
 I am good with animals means I get along with them and handle them well.
 Swimming is good for your health.
 That was good of you to come means you were begin nice and good to visit.
 My little brother is good inside (his body) means even though you can’t see
how he thinks and feels, he is good. Even if his behavior is bad.
 The blueberry jam will be good on toast.
Preposition Exercises with Answers (100+ MCQs)

1- Children are——-school.

A- At B-In C- of D-On

2-My brother works ——a bank.

A- At B-On C-With D-From

3-The Mishra family live—— 14 links road, BBSR.

A- in B-At C-on D- From

4- Candidates have to write their names—– the top of the page.

A- in B-on C-At D-With

5-Father hung a calendar —- the fireplace.

A- on B-over C-under D-at

6- The lady curried her handbag—– her arm.

A- in B-over C-ON D-Under

7-Children—-the age of five can’t be admitted to this school.

A- under B-AT C-In D-With

8-The girl had her face—– bedclothes.

A-in B-AT C-Under D-From

Identify Main and Subordinate Clause Exercise

9-There is a temple —- the house.

A-Over B-Above C-on D-Across

10-The old man was sitting —– the corner of the room.

A-at B-in C-on D-across

11-You can find the phone booth—- the corner of the street.

A-at B-above C-in D-along

12-The girl is leaning—- the wall.

A-on B-above C-With D-against

13-Draw a line—- the page

A-on B-across C-above D-along

14-He walked—- the road.

A-on B-with C-over D-along

15-The Mahanadi flows—- Odisha

A-in B-along C-on D- through

16-The children leave beds—- daybreak.

A-on B-at C-in D-from

17-Come to my house—–half-past ten.

A-in B-On C-at D-over

18- The Muslims attend prayers in the mosque—Friday.

A-at B-in C-on D-from

19-You can see the doctor—- 8 am and 12 noon.

A- At B-in C-between D-on

20-The old man is walking—- a stick.

A-in B-of C-with D-by

21-We saw the live cricket —- the T.V

A- at B-on C-with D-above

22-We pay the bills—cash

A-in B-at C-by D-with

23-The girl goes to her school—- bicycle.

A-on B-By C-with D-in

Types of sentences MCQ with answer

24- Mother has been il —-last month.

A- from B-on C-in D-since

25-He dug the pit—- a shovel.

A-with B-by C-in D-from

26-The house is—-fire.

A-in B-at C-on D-by

27-The apples are sold—-100 rupees a kilo.

A-by B-at C-in D-with

28- Radios work—–electricity.

A-with B-By C-at D-with

29-Come and sit —-me.

A-with B-by C-at D-in

30-London is —– the Thames.

A-by B-at C-on D-Above

31-I saw a girl—-golden hair.

A-in B-by C-with D-of

32-The ring is made —-gold.

A-from B-with C-of D-in

33-The teacher all agreed —- the date of examination.

A- for B-on C-at D-in

34-The old man died—- overeating.

A- of B-with C-from D-in

Letter Writing Template for Kids

35-Hari agreed —-me on this point.

A-with B-for C-about D-at

36-They reminded me of —— the meeting.

A-from B-on C-about D-of

37-The poet compared the girl’s face—- the moon.

A-of B-to C-with D-about

38- You are eligible —- the post.

A-for B-about C-at D-in

39- I was shocked —– her behavior.

A-at B-by C-with D-in

40- I am not short—-funds.

A-of B-with C-from D-by

41- The girl is round —–her knowledge.

A-in B-with C-of D-by

42- I have a good relationship— my neighbors.

A-in B-with C-of D-from

43-You shouldn’t be rude—- them.

A- with B-at C-to D-for

44- I assure you—–my help.

A-with B-in C-to D-for

MCQ on Determiners

45-I believe—ghost.

A-of B-on C-at D-in

46-He warmed me—- danger.

A-about

B-of

C-in

D-from

47- cats are ------------ the table.

A- In B- under C- on D- over

48-Concentrate —-your studies.

A-with B-in C-on D-about

49- The boy is ill —–fever.

A- with B-at C-in D-about

50-The garden is full —flowers.

A- of B-about C-with D-in

51- The situation is —–control.

A-in B-above C-under D-with

52-Bats travel —-night.

A-in B-by C-at D-for

53-I love all the batsmen, Yuvraj—- particular.

A-at B-with C-about D-in

54- Be polite—-your juniors.

A-to B-form C-to D-against

55-The house owner complained —-the police.

A-with B-from C-to D-against

56-The girl was absent—-school yesterday.

A-in B-at C-from D-for

57-We congratulated the team—-winning the match.

A-for B-from C-Of D-on

58-He invited me—- his house.

A-with B-to C-into D-from

59- The Children went—- a picnic.

A- in B-on C-for D-with

60- He warned me—-swimming in the sea.

A-for B-against C-from D-in

61- It rained—-days together.

A-in B-for C-of D-from

62-The children were freed—– the danger.

A-of B-from C-with D-in

63- The girl was dressed—-silk.

A-of B-in C-from D-at

64-I fed up —-the work.

A-in B-with C-at D-from

65-What do you mean —-democracy?

A-in B-from C-by D-at

66- Birbal was famous —– his uncommon wit.

A- at B-on C-for D-with

67- Mother filled the bucket—–water.

A-for B-with C-in D-by

68-India lost—-Pakistan in the finals.

A-from B-in C-TO D-with

69-The girl gazed—–the sight.

A-with B-in C-by D-at

70- Man doesn’t live—–bread only.

A-in B-on C-with D-by

71-The Boy was sad —–heart.

A- for B-in C-at D-by

72-When the sun sets, it goes—–the horizon.

A-above B-Down C-below D-in

73- The old man died—over eating.

A-by B-for C-from D-all

74-There is a bridge —-the river.

A-over B-on C-across D-to

75-A beggar is standing—–the corner of the road.

A-on B-by C-at D-for

76-India, Pakistan, and China have border problems—-them.

A-among B-between C-in D-non

77- I reached—–the airport in time.

A-at B-in C-on D-for

78-Make your payment—-cash.

A-by B-for C-in D-at

79-Children remain—-school between ten and four.

A-to B-at C-in D-from

80-Keep—-the barbed wires.

A-next to B-up to C-on to D-away from

81- Come and sit—–me.

A-all over B-along with C-in between D-away from

82-His whole life is —him.

A-on front of B-in from of C-in between D-up front of

83- Take your books—-you.

A-as far as B-along with C-all over D-in front of

84- In there a good reason—- all this noise?

A- of B-for C-from D-with

85- I’m still fond—–my teddy bear.

A-of B-to C-for D-at

86-I am not used —- large meals.

A-of B-to C-for D-with

87-The meeting starts—-two O’clock.

A-at B-on C-in D-over

88-Our company remains closed——Sundays.

A-in B-at C-on D-during

89-We visited Kashmir—–the summer vacations.

A-in B-during C-after D-on

90-Sally never sleeps—–midnight as she has some sleeping problem.

A-at B-during C-after D-Before

91-I have not seen him —–last Sunday.

A-since B-Before C-from D-about

92-Mother is—–home.

A-at B-in C-on D-of

93-I was talking —-my friend.

A-for B-to C-of D-from

94-She is proud—–her beauty.

A-to B-for C-from D-of

95-I warned him—–his learning.

A-of B-from C-for D-from

96-He is famous—–his learning.

A-of B-from C-for D-with

97-I am no good——dancing.

A-on B-to C-in D-at

98-Could I borrow your book—–a week next month?

A-after B-around C-at D-during

99-He is sitting—–the park.

A-in B-on C-at D-after

100-The keys fell—-the pool of water.

A-in B-into C-on D-to

Answers
1. at
2. in
3. at
4. at
5. over
6. under
7. under
8. under
9. above
10.in
11.at
12.against
13.across
14.along
15.through
16.at
17.at
18.on
19.between
20.with
21.on
22.in
23.by
24.since
25.with
26.on
27.at
28.by
29.by
30.on
31.with
32.of
33.on
34.from
35.with
36.of
37.to
38.for
39.by
40.of
41.of
42.with
43.to
44.of
45.in
46.of
47.under
48.by
49.in
50.to
51.to
52.from
53.on
54.to
55.on
56.against
57.for
58.from
59.with
60.by
61.for
62.with
63.to
64.at
65.on
66.at
67.on
68.at
69.against
70.on
71.for
72.from
73.above
74.in
75.at
76.on
77.above
78.against
79.on
80.to
81.to
82.for
83.from
84.into
85.by
86.by
87.to
88.from
89.for
90.to
91.form
92.on
 93.at
94.in
95.for
96.from
97.for
98.at
99.in
11. on

Conjunction
What is a Conjunction?
A conjunction is a word used to join words, dependent or independent clauses, or phrases.
Three of the most common ones include and, but, and or. A conjunction is one of
.the eight parts of speech in the English language

:Examples

.Mario and Beverly went to the movies ·

.Elissa was going to go, but she had too much homework ·
.Do you want popcorn or nachos?” he asked “·
.She didn’t bring her umbrella because she didn’t know it was going to rain ·
.I’m not going if Craig isn’t going ·

In English grammar, a conjunction is a part of speech that links words, phrases,

and clauses. Conjunctions will help you form elegant and flowing prose while
avoiding the incoherence of single idea sentences.

Something to keep in mind when using conjunctions is that the phrases, you're
joining must have the same parallel structure. The definition of “parallel
structure” means using the same pattern of words to show that two or more words
or ideas have equal grammatical importance.

To illustrate:

 Correct → John likes hiking, camping, and riding a bike.

 Incorrect → John likes hiking, camping, and to ride a bike.

What Does a Conjunction Do?

As previously mentioned, conjunctions connect two sentences, clauses, or words.
In speech, we tend to use conjunctions without even realizing it. In writing, we will
often incorporate a conjunction when connecting ideas (i.e., rather than begin a
new sentence).

Once you have mastered the proper use of conjunctions, one of the many benefits
is that your blog writing will become much more natural with respect to rhythm
and flow. Conversely, the improper use of conjunctions has the potential to turn
your blog content into a choppy and disjointed mess.

Types of Conjunctions
Conjunctions are mainly divided into two types.

1. Co-ordinating Conjunctions
2. Subordinating Conjunctions

1. Co-ordinating Conjunctions
A coordinating conjunction connects grammatically equal or similar parts of a
phrase (for example, words or separate clauses). A coordinating conjunction
indicates that the components it connects have a similar priority and structure.

Co-ordinating conjunctions are in different types.

(1) Cumulative or Copulative

(2) Adversative

(3) Alternative

(4) Illative

(1) Cumulative or Copulative Conjunctions

Definition: The conjunctions that combine one statement with another statement
are called Cumulative or Copulative Conjunctions.
And, both …. and, as well as, no less than, not only … but also etc. are
examples of Cumulative Conjunction.

 And: The king died and his son became the next king.

 Both….and: I both love and respect all my teachers.

 As well as: He as well as his parents were invited to this ceremony.

 Not only… but also: Women not only like dresses but also jewelry.

 No less than: Tom, no less than his father, is an intelligent man.

Note: Learn two different uses of and in the first two sentences. Notice in the
fourth and sixth sentences that the Number and Person of the Verb should be
determined according to the Number and Person of the Subject before as well as, no
less than.

(2) Adversative Conjunctions

Definition: The conjunctions that express the opposite inherent between two
sentences are called Adversative Conjunctions.

The conjunctions – but, only, whereas, nevertheless, on the

contrary, however, still, yet are the examples of Adversative Conjunctions.

 But: He tried hard to recover but he failed.

 Only: I would help you, only I am too busy.

 Whereas: The rich are wasting money for luxury, whereas the poor
are dying of hunger.
 Nevertheless: Everybody insulted me, nevertheless, I did not lose hope.

 On the contrary: The king did not run away from the battlefield, on
the contrary, he fought it out to the end.

 However: He was very much poor however he helped the beggar.

  Still: The incident was very shocking, still he did not complain.

 Yet: India played well yet they were defeated.

Note: Sometimes Conjunctions are used as Pronouns. Such as – but

(3) Alternative Conjunctions

Definition: The conjunctions that express a choice between two statements are
called Alternative Conjunctions.

Or, either… or, nor, neither… nor, else, otherwise are examples of such
kind of conjunctions.

 Or: Do or die.

 Either… or: Either my sister or I must join the party.

 Nor: I shall not talk to him, nor even his father.

 Neither… nor: She could neither protest nor say anything.

 Else: Run, else you will lose the game.

 Otherwise: Hurry up, otherwise you will be late.

(4) Correlative Conjunctions

Correlative conjunction uses a set of words in a parallel sentence structure to
show a contrast or to compare the equal parts of a sentence. The words of
correlative conjunctions have a special connection between them.
The correlative conjunctions are not only - but also, either- or, neither - nor,
both - and, not - but, whether - or etc.
Example:
o Neither Alex nor Robin can play baseball.
o I want both ice cream and cereal
o He ate not only the ice cream but also the chocolate.
o Rina is both the CEO and Managing Director of the company.
o She didn’t know whether to call in or wait her turn.
(5) Compound Conjunction
These are conjunctions that have two or three parts. Each and every part of these
does not have to be conjunctions themselves. The parts become inseparable in the
sense that they tend to pop up next to one another more often and not.
Examples:
o We love to go skinny dipping as well as busking in the sun.
o He acted as if it were his first time under the sun.
o I made a deal to see them provided that I was assured police
protection.
o I hurried out of the room so that I didn’t have to listen to her
anymore.
(6) Adverbial Conjunction
They help bring together two complete thoughts like some of the other
Conjunctions while also being Adverbs themselves. They are also called
Conjunctive Adverbs.
List of Adverbial Conjunctions
To compare To contrast Time To emphasize

Similarly, But Lately Undoubtedly

Like However Since Definitely
As Instead Now Certainly
Likewise Rather Meanwhile Of course
In spite of Before Indeed

To summarize To exemplify Effect Sequence

Briefly For example, Accordingly, First

Merely For instance Consequently Next
Quickly Namely Hence Finally
In conclusion Typically Therefore Furthermore
In summary Representatively Then In addition
Moreover
Examples:
o I was looking for a tea stall; additionally, I needed a salon for a
complete makeover.
o Tim was banking on his skills as a salesman. Meanwhile, he should
have researched the clients.
 o I shouted my discomfort out, that is, I didn’t like the stares I was
getting.
o Mila was on her way back home, therefore, the world she left behind
her didn’t bother her as much.
(7) Copulative Conjunction
A Conjunction which addresses one statement or fact to the other one is called a
Copulative Conjunction.
Example:
She was both a cheat and a traitor.
Sita as well as Ram has to go to the forest.
Trust in God and speak the truth.

(8) Illative Conjunctions

Conjunctions that take a statement from one statement to another are called Illative
Conjunctions.

The conjunctions – for, so, therefore, then are the examples of Illative
Conjunctions.

 For: The weather is cool now, for it is raining.

 So: Mr. Sen is physically fit, so he does not feel laziness.

 Therefore: The man is not honest; therefore, you should not deal with him.

 Then: I see, then, we should start at once.

Smart obey TIP: If the sentence is long, you have to place a comma or semicolon
before for.

2. Subordinating Conjunctions
To understand the Subordinating Conjunction at first, look at the following
sentence:

We eat that we may live.

The above sentence is formed by joining two sentences:

(a) We eat, (b) that we may live.

The first sentence alone can reveal its full meaning. Such an independent sentence
within a sentence is called the principal clause. But the second sentence ‘that we
may live’ can’t express it’s meaning alone, it has to depend on the first sentence
for meaning. The second sentence is added to the first sentence only to describe the
first sentence in more detail. That means the second sentence helps the first one
depending on it. The phrase under such a basic phrase is called a Subordinate
Clause. In this case, the word ‘that’ has joined the Subordinate Clause with the
Principal Clause. So, ‘that’ is called here ‘Subordinating Conjunction’.

Definition: The word that join Principal Clause with Subordinate Clause is called
Subordinating Conjunction.

There are 10 types of Subordinating Conjunction according to their meaning:

1. Time Indicator Conjunctions

Till, until, before, as, after, when, since, as long as, as soon as are the
Subordinating conjunctions that indicate time. But since can be a cause indicator
sometimes.

 Till: Wait till he arrives.

 Until: I shall read the story until it is complete.

 Before: I lived in this village from before she was born.

 As: Jack trembled as he spoke.

 After: The police came after the robbers had escaped.

 When: I left for college when he returned.

 Since: What have you been doing since the last three months?

 As long as: Stay here as long as you like.

  As soon as: The journey started as soon as I reached there.

2. Cause Indicator Conjunctions

The conjunctions – because, since, as etc. are used to indicate any reason or cause.

 Since: I dislike him since he is not good.

 As: As it is raining, I shall not go out to play.

 Because: I didn’t go to school because I was sick.

3. Purpose Indicator Conjunctions

The following Subordinating Conjunctions are used to indicate any purpose of

work.

 That: I work that I may earn a living.

 So that: I study regularly so that I can score better.

 In order that: Anjali took medicine in order that he might get well.

 Lest: I ran away lest I should fall into danger.

Note: Lest is usually followed by should.

4. Result Indicator Conjunctions

 That: You lie so often that nobody believes you.

In the above sentence, ‘that’ is Result Indicator Subordinating Conjunction.

5. Condition Indicator Conjunctions

The following Subordinating Conjunctions are used to indicate any condition.

 Unless: You will fail unless you study regularly.

  If: You will die if you take poison.

 Whether: Ask her whether she

loves me or not.

 Provided/provided that: He was allowed to go out provided (or, provided

that) he would return.

6. Manner or extent Indicator Conjunctions

The conjunctions – as, so far as, according as etc. are used to indicate a manner or
extent.

 As: It happened exactly as (=in what manner) I told you.

 So far as: This is not true, so far as (=to that) I can see.

 According as: You will be praised or criticized according as (=to extent

that) your work is good or bad.

7. Comparison Indicator Conjunctions

As….as, so….as, then are the Subordinating Conjunctions that indicate

comparison.

 As….as: The ripe mango is as sweet as sugar.

 So….as: This mango is not so sweet as sugar.

 Than: You are taller than me.

8. Contrast Indicator Conjunctions

Though, although, as, however, notwithstanding are the Subordinating

Conjunctions that indicate a contrast between two statements.

 Though: He finished first though he began late.

 Although: Although it was raining, the man went out without an umbrella.
  As: Rich as he is, he is not happy.

 However: He will never recover, however he gets treatment.

 Notwithstanding: I was not refreshed, notwithstanding (the fact that) I

slept long.

9. Concession Indicator Conjunctions

 Though: You are intelligent, though not hard-working.

 Although: Although he is honest, he is happy.

10. Apposition Indicator Conjunctions

 That: Nick promised me that he would help me.

In the about sentence, the Subordinate Conjunction is indicating the next

Subordinate clause.

Correlatives

Both….and

 He was both flogged and fined.

 Both money and peace of mind are necessary for human life.

Either…. or

 Either my father or my mother will go to the market tomorrow.

 The man is either a monk or a devil.

Neither…. nor

 The dress is neither red nor pink.

 Diana is neither educated nor a good housekeeper.

Though…. yet

 Though he is poor, yet he is very honest.

 Though Sourav Gangly is mainly a batsman, yet he can bowl well.

Whether…. or

 I do not know whether she loves me or not.

 You must do it whether you like it or not.

Not only…. but (or, but also)

 She is not only intelligent but also brave.

 Not only, you but all the people love their motherland.

The same….as

 This is the same pencil box as I lost the other day.

 Your dress is the same kind as mine.

Other…. then, else…. than (or, but)

 I have no other friend than you.

 I have none else than (or, but) you to call my own.

Rather…. than

 He would rather die of hunger than beg.

 My father would rather resign than act against his morals.

So….as

 The movie was not so m as I thought it would be.

  He was so kind as to invite me to his house.

Such….as

 Jeet is not such a fool as he seems to be.

 His injury was such as to cause death.

So…. that, such…. that

 He was so weak that he could not walk.

 Such was his bad luck that even his family left him.

As….so

 As you sow, so shall you reap.

 As you are tired, you had better rest a while.

Note: If as means ‘because’ then so is not used.

 No sooner had I started than it began to rain.

 Hardly (scarcely) had we reached home before (or, when) it began to rain.

Smart obey TIP: (I) The meaning of the four phrases – no sooner….
then, hardly…. before or when, scarcely…. when, scarcely…. before is the
same.
(ii) In those sentences that contain Hardly … before, no sooner … than, scarcely
… when, etc., their subjects are placed after the auxiliary verb to emphasize the
sentence.

Punctuations with Conjunctions

Two independent clauses in a sentence must be separated by a comma and that
goes for no matter what conjunction is used. If the clauses attached by the
conjunction can stand as complete sentences, a comma must be used between
them.
Examples:
o I'm doing fine, but I have my own struggles.
o You were running the marathon, and I was cheering you on.
o My father was unsure of the result, though he was keeping it
together.
While using the Subordinating Conjunctions to attach Dependent and Independent
Clauses in a sentence, there are two ways to construct these complex sentences and
one of them requires a comma separating the two clauses. The comma becomes an
integral part of the sentence when the Subordinating Conjunctions are placed at the
start of the sentence.
Examples:
o (Comma) If you are going for gold, I'll come with you.
o (No comma) I'll come with you if you are going for gold.
o (Comma) Though we are running late, we can help you install your
home theatre.
o (No comma) We can help you install your home theatre though we
are running late.
In the case of Adverbial Conjunctions joining two independent clauses, the most
common punctuational practice is to use a semicolon before It and a comma after
that while the two complete thoughts are situated on either side. Some opt for two
commas on both sides of the conjunction and there is another practice to separate
the two clauses with a period while the capitalized conjunction starts the next
sentence followed by a comma.
Examples:
o Sam was worried about the rain; therefore, she didn’t do her laundry
today.
o I was there with her 24/7. Moreover, I kept a close eye on her every
move.
o Matt was agitated, however, the rest of us were trying to convince
him to stay.

Conjunctions Exercises with Answers

Directions (Qs. 1-30): In the following questions choose the correct options to fill
in the blanks.

1. Hardly had he left ………. his brother came.

A. then

B – than

C. when

D. that

2. I would rather have a copy ………a book.

A. then

B – than

C. when

D – that

3. He is no other ……… my friend.

A. then

B – than

C. when

D – but

4. He saw a snake ………he awoke.

A – then

B. when

C. than

D – No word needed
5. Ten years have passed ……… my grandmother died.

A. since

B – when

C. then

D – than

6. She is ………. good ………. bad.

A – either, not

B. neither, or

C. neither, nor

D – neither, than

7. The cellphone is both cheap ………. best.

A – than

B – and

C – then

D. or

8. No sooner did the rogue see the police ……… he disappeared.

A. then

B – than

C – SO
D. because

9 -Srishti will go ………. Sanju goes.

A – if

B – than

C. then

D – although

10. She is wise………. timid.

A. and

B – yet

C. but

D – however

11. Neither he ……… his friend is good.

A. or

B – and

C. but

D – nor

12. The officer asked the peon ………………. why he was late.

A. that

B. if
C. but

D – No word needed

13. Both Ajay………. Vijay is intelligent.

A. or

B. nor

C. and

D – No word needed

14. No Sooner did the thief see the public ………. he ran away.

A. then

B – and

C. but

D – than

15. Abhinav ……… his brothers were going to Mumbai.

A. but

B. yet

C. together with

D – No word needed

16. He behaves ………. he was the captain of the team.

A. as if
B. as

C. that

D. No word needed

17 – Either Rupali……… Sonali is going to attend the meeting.

A. and

B – but

C – nor

D. or

18 – Neither Nirmal ………. Ashine is going to listen the speech.

A. and

B – but

C. nor

F – or

19. Ravi ……… Prakash is going to Kolkata.

A. or

B – nor

C. but

D- and

20. Rice ……. curry is my usual breakfast.

A. and

B – but

C. then

D. than

21. Make hay ……… the sun shines.

A – though

B. while

C. after

D – before

22. He is so weak ……… he cannot walk.

A. but

B – that

C. then

D – SO

23. Although he is rich, ……… he is unhappy.

A. but

B – yet

C. so

D – still
24. Wait here ……. I come back.

A. till

B – until

C. before

D. after

25. He is my friend ………. I shall help him.

A. SO

B – hence

C. that is why

D. therefore

26. He must go away …………. he will be beaten.

A. otherwise

B. and

C. or

D – else

27. God loves good men love God.……. good

A – and

B – or

C. that
D – those

28. He was late …………. he was not punished.

A. but

B – yet

C. still

D – therefore

29. Walk slowly ……. You May fall,

A. and

B.FOR

C. SO

D – otherwise

30. Work hard, ………… you will fail.

A. and

B – or

C. otherwise

D. else

Directions (Qs. 31-50): In each of the following questions a sentence is given

which may or may not be correct. Select the option which is the correct form of the
sentence. If you think none of the options is correct, your answer is ‘D.

31. Although he is poor but he is honest.

A. Although he is a poor but he is a honest.

B. Although he is poor yet he is. honest.

C. Although he is the poor yet he is the honest.

D – None of these

32. No sooner I step out of the house when it started raining.

A. No sooner did I step out of the house than it started raining.

B. No sooner did I step out of the house when it started raining.

C. No sooner did I stepped out of the house than it started raining

D – None of these

33. Hardly had I step out of the house there it started raining.

A. Hardly had I stepped out of the house when it started raining.

B – Hardly had I stepped out of the house then it started raining.

C. Hardly had I step out of the house when it started raining.

D – None of these

.
34. I had scarcely opened the door then a cool breeze rushed in.

A. I had scarcely opened the door when a cool breeze rushed in.

B. Scarcely had I opened the door when a cool breeze rushed in.

C. Scarcely had I open the door. then a cool breeze rushed in.
D – None of these

35. Tony is not only wise but honest.

A – Tony is not only a wise boy but an honest boy.

B. Tony is not only a wise boy but honest boy.

C. Tony is not only wise but honest also.

D – None of these

36. I and you am to blame

A – I as well as you are to blame.

B. I as well as you are to blame.

C. I as well as you are to blame.

D – None of these

37. Mohan is rich. Mohan helps the poor.

A. Mohan is rich yet he helps the poor.

B. Mohan is rich and he helps the poor.

C. Mohan is rich because he helps the poor.

D. None of these

38. Unless you do not disclose the secret, I shall not let you go.

A – Unless you do not disclose the secret, yet I shall not let you

B. Unless you disclose the secret, I shall not let you go.
C. Unless you disclose the secret yet I shall not let you go.

D – None of these

39. She is as happy like you.

A – She is as happy as you (are).

B. She is as happy like you are.

C. She is as happy so like you.

D-None of these

40. This horse runs as fast like the tiger

A. This horse runs as fast as the tiger.

B. This horse runs as fast as like the tiger

C. This horse runs as fast like as the tiger.

D- None of these

41. Tony met no other but his fast friend Lucky

A. Tony met no other but than his fast friend Lucky.

B. Tony met no other than his fast friend Lucky.

C. Tony met no other than his fast friend but Lucky.

D – None of these

42. My father likes such boys who are honest.

A. My father likes such boys as are honest.

B. My father likes such boys who as are honest.

C. My father likes such boys those are honest.

D. None of these

43 – Work hard lest you may not fail.

A – Work hard lest you might not fail.

B. Work hard lest you are not failed.

C. Work hard lest you should fail.

D – None of these

44. Wait until I do not return.

A – Wait until I return.

B. Wait until I am not return.

C. Wait until I not return.

D – None of these

45. Both Raju as well as Ravi are intelligent boys.

A. Both Raju and Ravi are intelligent boys.

B. Both Raju or Ravi are intelligent boys.

C – Both Raju as well as Ravi are intelligent.

D – None of these

46. Neither did Rakhi attend the meeting nor Mohan attend.
A. Neither did Rakhi attend the meeting nor did Mohan attend

B. Neither did Rakhi attend the meeting nor Mohan did attend.

C. Neither did Rakhi attend the meeting nor do Mohan.

D – None of these

47. Neither did Sohan open the window nor his sister opened.

A – Neither did Sohan open the window nor did his sister open it.

B. Neither did Sohan open the window nor his sister did open.

C. Neither did Sohan open the window nor his sister open it.

D – None of these

48. My shirt is as good if not better than yours.

A. My shirt is as good as if not better than yours.

B. My shirt is as good as not better than yours.

C. My shirt is as good if as not better than yours.

D – None of these

49. Both of them not go there.

A – Both of them was not go there.

B. Neither of them or of the two went there.

C. Neither of them did not go there.

D. None of these
50 – Immediately the car started I came back.

A. At once the car started, I came back.

B. As soon as the car started, I came back

C. Instantaneously the car started I came back.

D. None of these

Conjunctions Exercises with Answers – Worksheet: Complete the

following worksheet on conjunctions.
Use the following conjunctions to complete the exercises.

(And, but, or, yet, therefore, otherwise, either …. or, neither …. nor, not only ….
but also, so … that, as …. as, both …. and, as if, while, as soon as, before, though,
although, after, when, where, why, how, still, till, unless, until, if, because, since)

51. ______ he is a busy, he spends time with his family.

52. She is ______ intelligent ______ hard working.

53. Raju will play today ______ he gets a chance.

54. You can’t succeed ______ you work hard.

55. We must reach there _______ anyone else.

56. Sam is ______ a fool _____ a stupid.

57. I fell asleep _______ I was watching TV.

58. He is ______ intelligent ______ hard working.

59. Samuel was eating food ______ the postman arrived.

60. I was very angry, ______ I didn’t argue.

61. She was unhappy, ______ she was rich.

62. I like him very much ______ he is my best friend.

63. I can’t believe you ______ speak the truth.

64. Leola is _____ tall _____ Sweety.

65. We don’t know ______ Suma failed in the examination.

66. Suresh is clever _______ proud.

67. I can’t attend the meeting ______ I am suffering from fever.

68. This is the village ______ I lived in my childhood.

69. Veda is _____ kind ______ humble.

70. You better keep quiet _______ you will be sent outside.

Select the appropriate conjunctions to complete the sentences.

71. The Vaal River is one of the major rivers in South Africa but the runoff is not
constant which means that large dams have to be built ---- store water for use.

notwithstanding
regardless of
so as to
thanks to
with the aim of

72. Due to ---- a lack of production ---- increasing housing prices, Liverpool is
now ranked as one of the least affordable cities countrywide.

neither / nor
no sooner / than
scarcely / before
 both / and
hardly / when

73. Mike has been told he will have to pay the fine ---- his high rank in the
military.

even if
furthermore
on grounds that
despite
on purpose that

74. Some people believe vaccines overload our immune system, making it less
able to react to other diseases ---- meningitis or AIDS, which are now
threatening our health.

but for
lest
with the aim of
whereas
such as

75. Continued high-blood pressure is dangerous ---- it can increase the risk of
heart disease and stroke.

however
so that
as
no matter although
for instance
76. They like to keep their old houses rather than building the new ones ---- it
is very hard and expensive to maintain them.

because
even though
on the contrary
on account of
for example

77. The inhabitants of our village claim that pedestrians have no choice but to
risk their lives crossing the dangerous road as there is ---- a pedestrian bridge
---- a crosswalk.

not only / but also

both / and
neither / nor
no sooner / than
hardly / when

78. ---- the Oscar Reward, the Cannes Film Festival is the biggest event which
takes place in May in the South of France.

Except for
Such as
Lest
Unless
But
79. ---- vaccination has eliminated naturally occurring polio in North and
South America, rare cases continue to occur in developing countries of Africa.

However
Although
As a result of
Hence
Moreover

80. The economy in China is booming; ---- many foreign investors are
planning to enter China's market.

nonetheless
even if
so as to
in addition to
that's why
Answers
1. C when
2. B than
3. B than
4. B when
5. A since
6. C neither, nor
7. B and
8. B than
9. A if
10.C but
11.D nor
12.D no word needed
13.C and
14.D than
15.C together with
16.A as if
17.D or
18.C nor
19.D and
20.A and
21.B while
22.B that
23.B yet
24.A till
25.B hence
26.C or
27.A and
28.C still
29.D otherwise
30.D else
31.B. Although he is poor yet he is. honest.
32.A. No sooner did I step out of the house than it started raining.
33.A. Hardly had I stepped out of the house when it started raining
34.B. Scarcely had I opened the door when a cool breeze rushed in.
35.C. Tony is not only wise but honest also.
36.B. I as well as you are to blame.
37.B. Mohan is rich and he helps the poor.
38.B. Unless you disclose the secret, I shall not let you go.
39.A - She is as happy as you (are).
40.A. This horse runs as fast as the tiger.
41.B. Tony met no other than his fast friend Lucky.
42.A. My father likes such boys as are honest.
43.C. Work hard lest you should fail.
44.A - Wait until I return.
45.A. Both Raju and Ravi are intelligent boys.
46.A. Neither did Rakhi attend the meeting nor did Mohan attend
47.A - Neither did Sohan open the window nor did his sister open it.
48.A. My shirt is as good as if not better than yours.
49.B. Neither of them or of the two went there.
50.B. As soon as the car started, I came back
51.01. Though he is a busy, he spends time with his family.
52.02. She is neither intelligent nor hard working.
 53.03. Raju will play today if he gets a chance.
54.04. You can’t succeed unless you work hard.
55.05. We must reach there before anyone else.
56.06. Sam is either a fool or a stupid.
57.07. I fell asleep while I was watching TV.
58.08. He is not only intelligent but also hard working.
59.09. Samuel was eating food when the postman arrived.
60.10. I was very angry, still I didn’t argue.
61.11. She was unhappy, although she was rich.
62.12. I like him very much since he is my best friend.
63.13. I can’t believe you until you speak the truth.
64.14. Leola is as tall as Sweety.
65.15. We don’t know why Suma failed in the examination.
66.16. Suresh is clever but proud.
67.17. I can’t attend the meeting because I am suffering from fever.
68.18. This is the village where I lived in my childhood.
69.19. Veda is both kind and humble.
70.20. You better keep quiet otherwise you will be sent outside.
71.so as to
72.both / and
73.despite
74.such as
75.as
76.even though
77.neither / nor
78.Except for
79.Although
80.that's why
interjection
What is Interjection
An interjection is a kind of exclamation inserted into regular speech. Actually, it
is a brief and abrupt pause in speech for expressing emotions.
They are unique and have some interesting features:
 o Interjections don’t have a grammatical function
in sentence construction.
o They usually cannot be modified or inflected.
o They do not have to have a relation to the other parts of the sentence.
o They are highly context-sensitive.
In spoken language, interjections are the words we instantly use to show our
reaction to something which influences our emotion. They are the initial reaction
and sometimes do not even make sense. However, for formal speech or writing,
.using interjections is not appropriate
:Interjections mainly have four roles
Rule 1: Interjections express a sudden mood, emotions, and feeling with emphasis.
There are also many taboo words that are usually used in everyday conversation
but not in formal aspects. These words fall into the category of interjections.
Example:
o Wow! That’s an amazing scene.
o Aw, I did not want him to come.
o What? You never told me that!
Rule 2: Some interjections interrupt a conversation or a thought or hold someone’s
attention for a moment. These are just sounds, not words because these sounds do
not make any sense.
Example:
o Your, um, shirt has a stain on the back.
o I want to, uh, ask you out on a date.
Rule 3: Some interjections express only yes or no.
Example:
o Yes! I will most definitely do it.
o Nah, we are not going.
Rule 4: Some are used to get someone’s attention.
Example:
o Yo, Alex! Get in the car!
o Hey! Will you give me that ball?
o Yoo-hoo! Is there anyone?

?What is the Function of an Interjection

An interjection is always used to express an emotion related to the main idea of an
adjacent clause or sentence. As a general rule, interjections should be used
sparingly and with a specific purpose, or else they tend to overshadow the meaning
of one's writing.
There are six main functional uses of interjections:
 Greeting: Hey! I haven't seen you in forever.
 Joy: Oh my gosh! I cannot believe this is actually happening!
 Surprise: Ah! You got the job!
 Approval: Yes! I will marry you!
 Attention: Listen, I don't want to get into an argument.
 Sorrow: Oh dear, I really wanted her to stay.

Some example sentences of interjections

 Hurrah! We have won the match.
 Alas! I have failed the exam.
 Hey! How are you?
 Ah! The baby is so cute.
 Yes! I do it.
 Wow! That’s an amazing place.
 Oh! What a nice view.
 Hi! Good morning.

How to Punctuate Interjections

Mild interjections may be punctuated with commas. These include words such as:
um, well, uh, er.
 I, um, don’t know what you mean.
Forceful interjections are punctuated with exclamation points or commas. These
include words such as: duh, wow, shoot.
 Wow! That was impressive.
 Now, the classmate is sprinting out of the park, but the writer has
caught her and wrestled her to the ground — wow, that’s a double
nelson, impressive! — and is demanding her classmate’s email to
keep her informed of all her public appearances. –The New York
Times
Some interjections are punctuated with question marks. These include words such
as: huh; oh, really; seriously
 Oh, really? I don’t agree.
 Oh, what could have been. Sugar’s best days were ahead, in Jersey,
but he showed enough with the Knicks that he could electrify the
Garden at a time when the power was mostly off. –New York Post
Remember, interjections interrupt the flow of speaking or writing and express an
emotion. Their punctuation depends on tone and context.
 When to Avoid Interjections
When are interjections appropriate? Interjections are most often
used in informal (everyday) speech or writing. In literature, they are
used in dialogue or narration to represent typical conversation.
By nature, interjections are informal. As a result, they should be
avoided in formal language. This means that they should not appear in
professional or scholarly speech or writing.

Types of interjection
There are some main types of interjection.

1. Interjection for greeting.

2. Interjection for joy.
3. Interjection for attention.
4. Interjection for approval.
5. Interjection for sorrow.
6. Interjection for a surprise.
Interjection for greeting:
This type of interjection is used to show the emotion of warmth to the person.

Examples
 Hi! How are you?
 Hello! Good to see you.
 Hey! I am Ali.
In the above sentences, all the underlined words are interjections.

Interjection for joy

This type of interjection shows the emotions of joy and happiness. It shows the
happiness of the subject.

Examples
 Hurrah! We have won the match.
 Yes! I do it.
In the above sentences, all the underlined words are interjections of joy or
.happiness
Interjection for attention
This type of interjection is used for getting the attention of someone. It is used for
attention

Examples
 Look! She is looking so beautiful.
 Listen! I am talking to you.
 Shih! Keep quiet.
.In the above sentences, all the underlined words are interjections
Interjection for approval
This type of interjection is used in the sentence of approval. The interjection of
approval shows the approval or appreciation of anything.

Examples
 Well done! You complete your job in time.
 Brilliant! You did an amazing job.
.In the above sentences, all the underlined words are injections of approval
Interjection for a surprise
This type of interjection is used in the sentence of surprise. An interjection of
surprise shows the strong emotion of surprise.

Examples
 What! Ali died.
 Ah! I get a thousand rupee note.
In the above sentences, all the underlined words are interjection of surprise.

Interjection of sorrow
This type of interjection is used in the sentence of sorrow. An interjection of
sorrow shows the strong emotion of sadness or sorrow.
Example:
 Alas! She broke her leg.
 Oops! It was my mistake.
In the above sentences, all the underlined words are interjection of sorrow.

There are basically two types of interjections in English language

Primary Interjection .1
The words that are exclusively interjections and cannot be classified as any
other Parts of Speech are called Primary Interjections.
Examples:
List of Primary Interjections

Phew Wow Oh Blah

Huh Aw God Oops

Hurray Yuck Gee Ugh

Ouch Alas Geez Meh

o Oops, My bad.
o Wow! You had time to join us.
o Alas! I couldn’t be there on time.
Secondary Interjection .2
The Nouns, Adjectives, and other Parts of Speech that act as interjections on
occasions are called Secondary Interjections.
Examples:
o Indeed, I was waiting for your premonitions.
o Goodness! How did you go through all these books in a day?
o Holy cow! You're the last person I expected.

Based on the severity of the expressions, Interjections are categorized into two
types
Mild Interjection .1
The relatively mild expression of feelings and emotions is usually called Mild
Interjections. These types are typically separated from the rest of the sentence by
commas.
Examples:
o Oh, I was looking for you.
o Well, it wasn't very easy.
o Hmm, I'm doing well.
Strong Interjection .2
The strong outbursts of expression are determined as Strong Interjections. These
types are typically separated from the rest of the sentence by exclamation marks.
Examples:
o Yay! I finally passed.
o Bingo! Found it.
o Ouch! That hurt.

Based on the kind of emotions conveyed, Interjections are divided into three
categories

Volitive Interjection .1
Commands, requests, and wishes are usually expressed with Volitive
Interjections. In the speech, "I want" expressions are replaced with Volitive
Interjections.
"Enough" expresses the wish to stop listening to someone and maybe put forward a
contesting statement. "Shoo" tends to express the speaker's wish to drive someone
away.
Examples:
o Shh (I want you to be quiet) - Shh! We have to keep it quiet.
o Ahem (I request your attention) - Ahem! I was looking at another
problem.
o Psst (I want to attract attention in secrecy) - Psst! I've started
working out.
Emotive Interjection .2
The words to express sudden spur of emotions like surprise, delight, sorrow,
disgust and fear are Emotive Interjections. These types usually replace the "I
feel" expressions in speech.
"Eww" means to convey - "I feel disgusted" and "Phew" means to express - "I feel
relieved".
Examples:
o Ugh (I feel disgusted) - Ugh! What is that filthy smell?
o Ouch (I feel hurt) - Ouch! These ants sting.
o Yippee (I feel elated) - Yippee! We ended the year victorious.
Cognitive Interjection .3
Words that are born off cognition and used as exclamations are called Cognitive
Interjections. These types are used to convey the feelings and emotions that
people come across and understand through experience.
Examples:
o Well, I'll try harder.
o Bravo! What a performance!
o Gosh, you're so fast.

Interjection exercises
Part A: Identify the Interjection
Direction:
In the following sentences, identify the interjection and circle it.
1. Hi, I'm glad that you could make it to my party.
2. Wow! You look great tonight.
3. That was the best performance that I have ever seen, bravo!
4. I can't believe you broke my favorite toy, bah.
5. Hmm, I wonder where I put my keys and wallet?
6. Eureka, I've struck gold!
7. "Shoo, go away!" shouted the woman when she saw the cat licking milk
from her cereal bowl.
8. I guess that's the end of the movie, darn.
9. Stop! You should always wear a helmet when riding a bike.
10.Yippee, I made this picture all by myself.

Directions for questions:

Fill the blanks with the appropriate interjection.
11.________ What are you doing there?
12.________ He is dead.
13.________ We have won the game.
14.________ Have they gone?
15.________ I got such a fright.
16.________ Don’t make noise.
17.________ you’ve stepped on my toes.
 18.________ I’ve got a toothache.
19.What do you think of that? ________
20.Kathmandu is the capital of, _________, Nepal.
21.________ that seems nice.
22."It's hot today." "________?" "I said it's hot today."
23.________ What a great idea!
24.________ please say 'yes'!
25.________ look at that!
26.________ I don't think that's a good idea.
27.________ Sia is here!
28.________ I don't know the answer to that.
29.Shall we go? _________
30.98 divided by 7 is ___ 14

Part B: Choose the Right Interjection

Direction:

In the following sentences, choose the most appropriate interjection from the
selection below and write it in the space provided.

Choose from: Wow, Seriously, Goodness, Dang, Yippee, Incredible, Bingo, Geez,
Yay, Darn

1. ______________, why didn't you hold the door for me?

2. ______________, I'm so happy that you decided to visit this summer.
3. ______________, it's not every day that you see a dog riding a skateboard.
4. ______________! How can you possibly agree with that point of view?
5. He just cost us the game with that error, ______________!
6. ______________! You just gave me a great idea.
7. ______________, that's a very large dog at the end of that leash.
8. I can't believe that I finally got an A on a project, ____________!
9. ______________, my favorite author is doing a reading at the local library.
10.This is my first new car, _______________.

Answers for Part A:

1. "Hi" is the interjection and is used as a greeting.
 2. "Wow" is the interjection and shows surprise.
3. "Bravo" is the interjection and is also used as a way to congratulate the
participants.
4. "Bah" is the interjection and shows disappointment.
5. "Hmm" is the interjection and a verbalization of a mental process.
6. "Eureka" is the interjection and indicates excitement.
7. "Shoo" is the interjection and is being used to verbally startle the cat.
8. "Darn" is the interjection and shows disappointment.
9. "Stop" is the interjection and ceases the forthcoming action.
10."Yippee" is the interjection and demonstrates excitement
11. Hello!
12. Alas!
13. Hurray!
14. Ah!
15. Oh!
16. Hush!
17. Ouch!
18. Oh!
19. Eh!
20. Er!
21. Ah!
22. Eh!
23. Hey!
24. Oh!
25. Hey!
26. Hmm!
27. Oh!
28. Uh!
29. Uh-huh!
30. Um!

Answers for Part B:

Of course, the answers to the fill-in section can vary. Several of the options can fit
more than one sentence. You could say, "Seriously," but I might say, "Geez." You
might say, "Yay," and I'd say, "Wow." But for the purposes of the exercise, we
selected these answers:

1. "Goodness" is the interjection, showing a certain level of upset.

2. "Wow" is the interjection, showing delight.
 3. "Dang" is the interjection, showing amusement or surprise.
4. "Seriously" is the interjection, showing shock or disapproval.
5. "Darn" is the interjection, showing disappointment.
6. "Bingo" is the interjection, showing excitement.
7. "Geez" is the interjection, showing awe or surprise.
8. "Incredible" is the interjection, showing delight.
9. "Yay" is the interjection, showing extreme excitement.
10."Yippie" is the interjection, showing extreme delight.

A verb is a word that we use to refer to actions (what things do) and states of being
(how things are). For example, the words describe, eat, and rotate are verbs. As
you are about to see, verbs come in a lot of different types that don’t all behave the
.same way
How to Recognize a Verb
As you can see from the examples above, one clue to help you recognize a verb is
its location compared to the subject. Verbs almost always come after a noun or
pronoun. These nouns and pronouns are referred to as the subject. The
verb thought comes after the noun Jack, so the action Jack (subject) was taking
was thinking (verb).
1. Mark eats his dinner quickly.
2. We went to the market.
3. You write neatly in your notebook.
4. They thought about all the prizes in the competition.
Here are some other ways to recognize verbs in a sentence:

1. If you’re not sure if a word is a verb, ask yourself, “Can I do ______?”

Can I think, wonder, walk, yawn? Yes, so these are verbs.

2. You can also ask,” What is happening?”

3. In the sentence Mark eats his dinner quickly, what is happening? Eating is
happening, so eating is the verb.
4. In the sentence They thought about all the prizes what is happening?
Thought (thinking) is happening, so thought is the verb.

Verb Meaning
A verb is a word that represents an action, occurrence, or state of being. The basic
form of a verb is known as its infinitive. Go, play, write, watch, and love are all
examples of infinitives.
Here are some examples of verbs in each category:
Action Verbs: talk, give, walk, run, eat
Linking Verbs: be, seem, become, appear,
Helping Verbs: can, be, do, have
Why do we need verbs
Verbs give life to sentences (and paragraphs!) They are the only type of word
necessary in a sentence.

Verbs in a sentence can change the tense of the sentence. For example, “I am
eating” in the past tense is “I ate.” This change in verb tense is what tells us that
this sentence is in the past tense.

Sometimes we use a helping verb before the main verb. This is a verb that helps
another verb function in the sentence. Be, have, do are all helping verbs.

Examples of Verbs in Sentences

The examples of verbs show how they change tense depending on the sentence:

1. I baked a huge birthday cake for my son.

2. I changed our WIFI password to a more complicated one.
3. I found my keys under the mat.
4. The cleaner scrubbed the floors of the kitchen.
5. The parent collected her child from kindergarten.
6. He played fetch with his dog at the park.
7. I don’t tolerate bad behavior in my classroom.
8. The shopping center will close at 8pm.
Verb inflections
The inflection of verbs in English is called conjugation.
English verb inflections include any endings added to the base form of the verb,
including ‘s’, ‘Ing’, and ‘ed’. The verb inflections of English are really
quite simple.

Conjugation of Verbs
A verb can change its form depending on the subject. For example:
 I am. / You are. / He is.
 I write. / He writes.
 The jackal laughs. / The jackals laugh.
When verbs change in this way, it is known as conjugation. A verb conjugates
according to the subject. The subject of a verb can be in one of six forms

Physical Verbs
Physical verbs are action verbs. They describe specific physical actions. If you can
create a motion with your body or use a tool to complete an action, the word you
use to describe it is most likely a physical verb. For example, Joe sat in his
chair, the dog breathes quickly after she chases her ball, and should we vote in the
election? Even when the action isn’t very active, if the action is done by the body or
a tool, consider it a physical verb.
Physical Verb Examples
The physical verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy
identification.
 Let’s run to the corner and back.
 I hear the train coming.
 Call me when you’re finished with class.
Mental Verbs

Mental verbs have meanings that are related to concepts such as discovering,
understanding, thinking, or planning. In general, a mental verb refers to a cognitive
.state
Mental Verb Examples
The mental verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy
identification.
 I know the answer.
 She recognized me from across the room.
 Do you believe everything people tell you?
States of Being Verbs
Also known as linking verbs, state of being verbs describe conditions or situations
that exist. State of being verbs are inactive since no action is being performed.
These verbs, forms of to be, such as am, is, are, are usually complemented by
adjectives.
States of Being Verb Examples
The state of being verbs in the following sentences are in bold for easy
identification.
 I am a student.
  We are circus performers.
 Please is quiet.
Dynamic Verbs
What is a dynamic verb?

These verbs denote an actual action or expression or process done by the subject.
They mean an action which can be seen or physically felt or the result of which is
seen or physically felt by the object or an indirect object.

 She buys new clothes every week.

Here the verb is “buys” which is an action done by the subject ‘she’, hence it is a
dynamic verb.

 He is swimming at the beach.

Here again, we have the definite action swimming done by the subject ‘he’,
making ‘swimming’ a dynamic verb in this sentence.

Types of Verbs
There are many types of verbs. In addition to the main categories of physical verbs,
mental verbs, and state of being verbs, there are several other types of verbs. In
fact, there are more than ten different types of verbs that are grouped together by
function.

List of all Verb Types

Action Verbs
Action verbs express specific actions and are used any time you want to show
action or discuss someone doing something. It’s important to remember that the
action does not have to be physical.
Action verb examples:

1. Run
2. Dance
3. Slide
4. Jump
 5. Think
6. Do
7. Go
8. Stand
9. Smile
10. Listen.
The action verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy
identification.
10.I run faster than David.
11.He does it well.
12.She thinks about poetry all day long
Transitive Verbs
Transitive verbs are action verbs that always express doable activities that relate or
affect someone or something else. These other things are generally direct objects,
nouns or pronouns that are affected by the verb, though some verbs can also take
an indirect object, such as show, take, and make. In a sentence with a transitive
verb, someone or something receives the action of the verb.
Transitive verb examples:
1. Love
2. Respect
3. Tolerate
4. Believe
5. Maintain
The transitive verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy
identification.
Gary ate the cookies.
The transitive verb is ate, Gary is the subject, because it is Gary who is doing the
eating, and the cookies are the direct object, because it is the cookies that
are being eaten. Other examples:
He kicked John.
John punches him.
They sold the tickets.
Examples of verbs used with both direct and indirect objects:
They sell him the tickets.
In this sentence, the tickets are the direct object while him is the indirect object.
Mary baked her mother a pie.
In this sentence, a pie is the direct object while her mother is the indirect object.
Intransitive Verbs
Intransitive verbs are action verbs that always express doable
activities. They are different from transitive verbs because
there is no direct object following an intransitive verb.
Intransitive verb examples:
1. Walk
2. Laugh
3. Cough
4. Play
5. Run
The intransitive verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy
identification.
We travelled to London.
The intransitive verb is travelled, the subject is we, because we are doing the
travelling, but London is not a direct object because London is not receiving the
action of the verb.
Other examples:
I sneeze in the morning.
He arrived with moments to spare.
Kathryn sat away from the others.
John eats before leaving for school.

The last example shows that the verb eats can be both transitive and intransitive
depending on whether there is a direct object or not. If the sentence
read: John eats the cookies before leaving for school, eats would be transitive as
there is a direct object – the cookies.
By the way, some verbs can be both transitive and intransitive. These verbs
include: start, leave, change, live, stop.
Auxiliary Verbs
Auxiliary verbs are also known as helping verbs and are used together with a main
verb to show the verb’s tense or to form a question or negative. Common examples
of auxiliary verbs include have, might, will. These auxiliary verbs give some
context to the main verb, for example, letting the reader know when the action took
place.
Auxiliary verb examples:
1. Would
2. Should
 3. Do
4. Can
5. Did
6. Could
7. May
The auxiliary verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy
identification.
I will go home after football practice.

The auxiliary verb (will) is telling us that the action of the main verb go is going to
take place in the future – after football practice has ended. If the auxiliary
verb will be removed, we get the sentence:

I go home after football practice.

In this case, there is no definite time frame for the action. The sentence suggests
that going home after football practice is just something the
subject I generally does. Other examples:

I may dance with you later.

We did consider Bryan’s feelings.
Jenny has spoken her final words.
In addition, we can sometimes use the auxiliary very before the pronoun to make a
question:
Might you dance with me later?
Did we consider Bryan’s feelings?
Has Jenny spoken her final words?
Also, auxiliary verbs are used to help form negative statements, with the use of
words like not and never. These will usually split the auxiliary and main verbs:
I may never dance with you again.
We did not consider Bryan’s feelings.
Jenny has not spoken her final words.
Stative Verbs
Stative verbs can be recognized because they express a state rather than an action.
They typically relate to thoughts, emotions, relationships, senses, states of being,
and measurements. The best way to think about stative verbs is that they are verbs
that describe things that are not actions. The stative verbs are all expressing a state:
A state of doubting, a state of believing, a state of wanting. These states of being
are often temporary.
The stative verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy
identification.
The doctor disagrees with your analysis.
Disagree is a stative verb here, as it describes the doctor’s state of being –
disagreement.
John doubts the doctor’s opinion.
I believe the doctor is right.
She wanted another opinion.
Modal Verbs
Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs that are used to express abilities, possibilities,
permissions, and obligations.
Modal verb examples:
1. Can
2. Must
3. May
4. Should
5. Would
The modal verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy
identification.
He can shoot a three-point shot easily.

The auxiliary verb can is expressing an ability, suggesting that shooting a three-
point shot is a skill the subject possesses.
Please note that in the case of should and must in the examples below, the modal
verbs are expressing obligations, whereas would and may are expressing
possibilities.

I should go home.
You must not delay.
Sally would not recommend the sushi.
David may be late.

Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal verbs aren’t single words; instead, they are combinations of words that are
used together to take on a different meaning to that of the original verb. There are
many examples of phrasal verbs, some of which have colloquial meanings, such as
make up, hand in, bring up, point out, look forward to. Each time the verb takes the
extra word(s) it takes on a new meaning. For example, make without
the up expresses that something is being created, whereas with make up, the
suggestion is that there are some lies or a fantastical element to the story and make
out can mean either to grasp or see something difficult, or to kiss passionately.
Phrasal verb examples:
1. Run out
2. Go all out
3. Make out
4. Hand out
5. Bring out
6. Face up
7. Think through
The phrasal verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy
identification.
Mary looked forward to her high school reunion.
The verb looked has taken on forward to become a phrasal verb meaning to be
excited about or eagerly await something.

He brought up the same points again and again.

Leroy handed in the wallet to the police.
I make up stories all the time.
She pointed out Donald’s mistake.
Irregular Verbs
Irregular verbs are those that don’t take on the regular spelling patterns of past
simple and past participle verbs. Unfortunately, there are hundreds of irregular
verbs in the English language. But don’t worry, while many are used often, the
majority are not in common usage – or if they are, you will use them so often you
will learn them quickly. Some of the most common irregular verbs include: say,
make, go, take, come, know and see.
Irregular verb examples:
1. Eat
2. Think
3. Bring
4. Hold
5. Bear
6. Buy
 7. Lay
8. Catch
9. Drive
10: paid
11: feel
12: redo

The irregular verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy
identification.
I take my time when I go to the shops (present tense)
I took my time when I went to the shops (past tense)
Julie makes cake for the classroom (present tense)
Julie made a cake for the classroom (past tense)
She sees a silhouette shaped like a man in the window (present tense)
She saw a silhouette shaped like a man in the window (past tense)
We come to Aunt Jane’s for Thanksgiving each year (present tense)
We came to Aunt Jane’s for Thanksgiving each year (past tense).
You should also remember that auxiliary verbs ‘do’ and ‘have’ are also irregular
verbs:
I do agree.
He does it often.
We have done our homework early.
They do their homework on Fridays.
I have a suspicion about Fran
Fran has a devious look.
We have no money left.
They have had a cough twice this winter.
5. Linking verbs
Linking verbs are a special type of stative verb whose name gives a big clue as to
what they do. Linking verbs are used to link a subject with a subject complement.
A subject complement describes or identifies the subject of the sentence or clause.
Linking verbs can function as intransitive verbs, which do not take direct objects.
List of words used as linking verbs
 be
 become
 seem
 appear
  grow
Examples of linking verbs in a sentence
In each of the following sentences, linking verbs are used to link a subject with a
subject complement.

 Mike is a great dancer.

 That gold watch looks expensive.
 Suddenly, the mall got really crowded.
6. Helping verbs (auxiliary verbs)
Helping verbs, also called auxiliary verbs, are helpful verbs that work with other
verbs to change the meaning of a sentence. A helping verb combines with a main
verb in order to accomplish different goals. These include changing the tense of the
verb or altering the mood of a sentence.
List of words used as helping verbs
1: be
2: have
3: do
4: can
5: will

Examples of helping verbs in a sentence

Each of the following sentences uses a helping verb. Take a moment to consider
what each sentence is saying and how a helping verb contributes to the meaning of
the sentence.
The musician has performed in concerts all over the world.
My cat is getting slow in her old age.
Cheetahs can run incredibly fast.
7. Modal verbs
Modal verbs are a subgroup of helping verbs that are used to give a sentence a
specific mood. Each modal verb is used differently, and they can express concepts
such as ability, necessity, possibility, or permission.
List of verbs used as modal verbs
 can
 may
 might
 must
 would
 Examples of modal verbs in a sentence
The following sentences all use modal verbs to express a certain tone. You’ll see
that each sentence would have a different meaning (or wouldn’t make sense)
without the modal verb.

 Once you finish your homework, you may play outside.

 We must carefully add two eggs to the mixing bowl.
 I would go to the movies if I wasn’t busy working.

11. Infinitives
Our last type of verb isn’t actually a verb at all—sorry about that! However,
infinitives look a lot like verbs because they are derived from them. An infinitive
of a verb is identical to the base form of the verb. For example, the infinitive form
of the verb open is open. Typically, we use infinitives with the word to in order to
form infinitive phrases. Infinitive phrases can be used for a variety of reasons, such
as to act like nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.
Examples of infinitive phrases in a sentence
All of the following sentences use infinitive phrases. In order, the infinitive phrases
are acting as a noun (nominal infinitive), an adjective (adjectival infinitive), and an
adverb (adverbial infinitive).
 To play guitar in a rock band is my goal.
 If you are looking for the best restaurants in town, Luis is the person to
ask.
 The writing in the letter was too small to see.
9. Compound Verbs
Just like compound nouns combine two words to create a new noun, compound
verbs combine two words to create a new verb.
Compound verbs can be one or two words long, or they can be hyphenated.
 Don’t overstay your welcome.
 Can you babysit my kids tonight?
 Be sure to waterproof your new shoes.
 I color-coded my whole file cabinet.

Fill the blank with correct phrasal verb

1. Ques People could detect smoke in the plane as soon as it ___.
(a) Rounded off
(b) Took off
 (c) Blew off
(d) Broke into
2. Ques. My father’s really sick. If he __, it’ll be a miracle.
(a) pulls through
(b) went through
(c) jump through
(d) go through
3. Ques. Have you seen my mobile phone? I can’t __ what happened to it.
(a) see out
(b) figure
(c) figure it
(d) figure out
4. Ques. When I was a child, I __ to school every day instead of going by bus.
(a) walked
(b) had walked
(c) have walked
(d) have been walking
5. Ques. Linda Robertson was so tired she __ as soon as she sat down.
(a) dozed out
(b) dozed off
(c) dozed in
(d) dozed over
6. Ques. My wife’s thinking about __ her master’s degree.
(a) going after
(b) go after
(c) going at
(d) go at
7. Ques. Bad driving ___ many accidents.
(a) causing
(b) causes
(c) cause
(d) is causing
8. Ques. When I went to John’s house, he was not there. He ______.
(a) was gone out
(b) went out
(c) had gone out
(d) was going out
9. Ques. I had to __ my fear as I waited for my turn to face the interviewer
(a) fight back
 (b) fight on
(c) fight off
(d) fight in
10.Ques. Do you really expect me to believe Dustin’s crazy story like that? __
it!
(a) going on
(b) coming off
(c) come off
(d) going off
11.Ques. Australia __ independent in 1901.
(a) got
(b) has got
(c) have got
(d) gets
12.Ques. This afternoon’s meeting will have to be ___.
(a) Round off
(b) Used up
(c) Found off
(d) Put off
13.Ques. I __ your brother’s accident last night. Is he all right?
(a) heard on
(b) heard about
(c) heard around
(d) heard of
14.Ques. I __ him today.
(a) didn’t see
(b) saw
(c) None of these
(d) haven’t seen
15.Ques. An interpreter ___ from one language into another.
(a) translate
(b) translator
(c) is translating
(d) are translating
16.Ques. Mike loves to play Basketball. In fact, he __ most college sports.
(a) go for
(b) goes for
(c) goes in for
(d) get in for
17.Ques. I haven’t met him since I __ school
(a) have left
(b) left
(c) leave
(d) leaves
18.Ques. Thanks for inviting me, but I don’t __ card games.
(a) go on for
(b) go for
(c) go in for
(d) going for
19.Ques. The high crime rate __ a need for more police officers.
(a) points to
(b) pointing to
(c) points on
(d) pointing on
20.Ques. India __ independent since 1947.
(a) has
(b) have been
(c) has been
(d) had been
21.Ques. Suzie is so shy. She was supposed to lead the conference today, but
she ___
(a) chickened on
(b) chickened out
(c) chickened about
(d) chickened over
22.Ques. This small matter has been ____ in order to cause difficulty between
the two nations.
(a) Talked about
(b) Ripped off
(c) Blown up
(d) Fight of
23. Ques. Even though Mr. Ford is the richest man in town, he never __ people.
(a) looking at
(b) looks on
(c) looks down
(d) looks down on
24.Ques. The meeting was so boring that I __.
(a) dozed on
 (b) dozed about
(c) dozed off
(d) dozed in
25.Ques. Charles __ a Tesla across the street and said it was his.
(a) pointed on
(b) pointed to
(c) pointed
(d) on pointed
26.Ques. The scientist can’t __ what the problem is with ecosystem.
(a) figure out
(b) figure on
(c) figure of
(d) figure in
27.Ques. She __ to U.S. three months ago.
(a) has gone
(b) went
(c) had
(d) goes
28.Ques. No thanks, I __ lunch.
(a) have had
(b) had
(c) had had
(d) none of these
29.Ques. John burned his finger while he __ dinner.
(a) cooked
(b) is cooking
(c) was cooking
(d) cooking
30.Ques. He kept nagging and nagging, and I finally __.
(a) gave at
(b) giving in
(c) gave off
(d) gave in
.She finally came _ to the idea, but she took a lot of convincing .31
A. round
B. in
C. on
D. over
?This jacket is coming _ at the seams. Why don´t you just throw it out .32
A. away
B. out
C. off
D. apart

.We´ve come _ _ quite a number of problems since we started the project .33
A. over to
B. down against
C. up against
D. over against

.I came _ an old photo when I was clearing out the garage .34
A. along
B. up
C. over
D. across

.The government´s economic policies have come _ _ some criticism lately .35
A. in for
B. up to
C. on for
D. up against

They came _ _ an ingenious solution to the problem. I would never have .36
.thought of it myself
A. up to
B. up with
C. on with
D. down with

.He finally came _ after being unconscious for a fair old time .37
A. over
B. to
C. about
D. through
.The bill came _ an incredible $350. Thank God I had a credit card on me .38
A. on
B. out
C. to
D. up

.Her new book is coming _ next month. They’ve already sold the film rights .39
A. off
B. out
C. up
D. over

John’s little boy comes _ with the funniest things. You never know what he’s .40
.going to say next
A. off
B. out
C. on
D. away

Fill in the blanks with the correct form (V1, V2, V3) of the verb given in the
bracket.

41. 01. He _______ (want) to become an IAS officer.

42. Raju _______ (go) to market yesterday.

43. Latha _______ (weep) bitterly on her father’s death.

44. I have ______ (complete) my homework just now.

45. Ramya _______ (be) a student.

46. Maggie has _______ (bring) a new car.

47. 07. We had ______ (reach) the airport by 9 O’clock.

48. She _____ (pass) her SSC in 2008.

49. Sita was cooking when I ______ (go) to the office.

50. They had already ______ (arrive) when we ______ (reach) there.

51. I will ______ (pass) the examination this time.

52. We _______ (be) students.

53. It has just _____ (rain).

54. He _____ (draw) it very well.

55. They _______ (catch) the thieves very bravely.

56. She _____ (has) her breakfast. Then she ______ (leave) for the college.

57. They sometimes ______ (watch) movies.

58. Raj ______ (meet) his family last year.

59. Rain ______ (be) the important source of water.

60. She ______ (fall) asleep while she was watching TV.

Answer key

1. Ans. (b)
2. Ans. (a)
3. Ans. (a)
4. Ans. (a)
5. Ans. (b)
6. Ans. (a)
7. Ans. (b)
8. Ans. (c)
9. Ans. (a)
10.Ans. (c)
11.Ans. (b)
12.Ans. (d)
13.Ans. (b)
14.Ans. (d)
15.Ans. (a)
16.Ans. (c)
17.Ans. (b)
18.Ans. (c)
19.Ans. (a)
20.Ans. (c)
21.Ans. (b)
22.Ans. (c)
23.Ans. (d)
24.Ans. (c)
25.Ans. (b)
26.Ans. (a)
27.Ans. (b)
28.Ans. (a)
29.Ans. (c)
30.Ans. (d)
31. Answer: round
32. Answer: apart
33. Answer: up against
34. Answer: across
35. Answer: in for
36. Answer: up with
37. Answer: to
38. Answer: to
39. Answer: out
40. Answer: out

41.01. He wants to become an IAS officer.

42.02. Raju went to market yesterday.
43.03. Latha wept bitterly on her father’s death.
44.04. I have completed my homework just now.
45.05. Ramya is a student.
46.06. Maggie has brought a new car.
47.07. We had reached the airport by 9 O’clock.
48.08. She passed her SSC in 2008.
49.09. Sita was cooking when I went to the office.
50.10. They had already arrived when we reached there.
 51.11. I will pass the examination this time.
52.12. We are students.
53.13. It has just rained.
54.14. He drew it very well.
55.15. They caught the thieves very bravely.
56.16. She had her breakfast. Then she left for the college.
57.17. They sometimes watch movies.
58.18. Raj met his family last year.
59.19. Rain is the important source of water.
60.20. She fell asleep while she was watching TV.

What are Tenses in English?

Grammar tenses refer to the state of the verb. The state, or tense, of the verb
explains the time of the action.

There are three major tenses in English. These include past, present, and future.
Each of these tenses can explain an event that occurred in the past, an event that
occurs in the present, or an event that will occur in the future.

In grammar, a verb shows an action or state of being. Verb tenses are changes in
the form of the word that indicate when an action occurred. There are three
possible times: past, present, and future. Within each time, a verb can also indicate
whether the action is complete, habitual, or on-going. This lesson explores the
simple aspect of the present tense - showing actions that occur now and are
habitual rather than on-going or complete.

Tenses play a crucial role in the English language. It denotes the time an action
takes place, whether sometime in the past, in the present or will take some time in
the future.

Full List of English Verb Tenses

Here are all of the major types of tense in English. For a full explanation of each
tense, click the links below.

Four Past Tenses

 Simple Past Tense > He smiled
 Past Progressive Tense > He was smiling
 Past Perfect Tense > He had smiled
 Past Perfect Progressive Tense > He had been smiling
Four Present Tenses
 Simple Present Tense > He smiles
 Present Progressive Tense > He is smiling
 Present Perfect Tense > He has smiled
Present Perfect Progressive Tense > He has been smiling
Four Future Tenses
 Simple Future Tense > He will smile
 Future Progressive Tense > He will be smiling
 Future Perfect Tense > He will have smiled
 Future Perfect Progressive Tense > He will have been smiling
Simple present tense
?What is simple present tense
Simple Present Tense indicates an action which happens in the present, but it isn’t
necessary for actions to happen right now. Simple present tense
indicates, unchanging situations, general truths, scientific facts, habits, fixed
.arrangements and frequently occurring events
When do you use simple present tense?
In general, we use simple present tense for two main reasons:

1. We use simple present tense when describing an action or state that is happening
right now.
For example, the sentence the airplane flies mean, typically, that the airplane is
flying right now as we speak.
As another example, the sentence the cheese smells like a garbage dump is
describing the cheese being in a stinky state that is happening right now in this
moment.
When using verbs this way, it is common to use stative verbs in the simple present
tense. Stative verbs are verbs that refer to states rather than actions as in This music
sounds terrible. Generally, non-stative verbs are used in the simple present tense
when a person is telling a story or writing a narrative. For example, a friend might
tell you a story like this:
Picture this: I am at the concert. Music plays. People dance. Everything is great.
Suddenly, it rains. I am wearing my nice shirt. I run for cover. It is a close call.
However, we do often use both stative and non-stative verbs in the simple
present tense to state facts (because they are true right now) as in Cats have
whiskers or I play college basketball.
2. We use simple present tense to refer to an action or situation that happens
regularly.
For example, the sentence Jessica exercises at the park expresses the thought that
Jessica makes a habit of exercising at the park on a regular basis. Similarly, the
sentence the moon looks orange sometimes is stating that the moon has an orange
color every once in a while.
Something to keep in mind is that if a sentence is describing a temporary action or
state that will continue into the future, it is NOT using a simple present tense verb.
For example, the sentences My hamster is getting really fat and I am brushing my
teeth are not using a verb in the simple present tense. Instead, these sentences use
verb phrases that are in a verb tense known as the present continuous tense.

How to form simple present tense

Out of all the different verb tenses, simple present tense is relatively, well, simple
to form. The first general rule is to simply use the root of the verb, which is the
form of a verb you will find if you look one up in our incredible dictionary, to form
the first and second person constructions. For example:
 I walk.
 You dance.
 We run.
 They exist.
 River’s flow.
The second general rule is that you add an -s or -es to the end of the root when
used with nouns or pronouns in the third person singular. Typically, you would add
an -es when a verb ends in -Ch, -Sh, –th, –ss, –x, or -z.
If the verb ends in a consonant followed by -y, we change the -y to an -i and add –
es. For example, try becomes tries. If the verb ends in a vowel followed by –y, we
simply add an –s. For example, say becomes says.
Here are examples of simple present tense verbs used with third person singular
nouns and pronouns:
 He jumps.
 She marches.
 It hisses.
 My dog whines.
 Her baby cries.
 Jason studies.
Both of these general rules apply regardless of if the verb
is transitive or intransitive. For example:
 Stephanie walks. Stephanie walks her dog.
 They race. They race cars.
However, there are two commonly used verbs (among others) that don’t follow
these general rules. The first is the verb have. In the third person
singular, have becomes has (and not “haves”) when used in simple present tense.
 I have a headache.
 They have two cars.
 Third person singular: She has two sisters.

Simple Present Tense Examples

Present simple examples include words like:
 sit, sits
 sing, sings
 investigate, investigates
 drive, drives
 smile, smiles

Each of these examples lists two verb forms. The form of the verb depends on the
subject associated with the verb - who or what is performing this action? Subjects
may be singular (one) or plural (two or more), and they may be first, second, or
third person. The verb form must match the subject. The following chart shows
how the present simple form changes to match its subject with the verb ''watch''.

Person Singular Plural

1st I watch. We watch.
2nd You watch. You watch.
He/she/it
3rd They watch.
watches.
In simple present tense, the verb changes for the third person singular form. A
notable exception is the verb ''to be,'' which has three forms: am (first person
singular), are (first person plural, second person singular and plural, third person
plural) and is (third person singular).
Using Simple Present Verbs in Sentences
To use simple present verbs in a sentence, insert the verb in the appropriate
position. Be sure that verb tenses in your sentence match and that your verb and
subject agree. The following table contains verbs in simple present tense that will
be demonstrated in several example sentences.

look cross cooks needs sleep leaves comes

read write listen reaches run sit drink

Habitual or frequent actions:

 We look both ways before we cross the street.
 Jenn cooks spaghetti every Tuesday.

Facts:
 A fish needs water to survive.
 Owl’s sleep during the day.

The Structures of Simple Present Tense

POSITIVE FORMS (+):
 Subject (I, You, We, They) + V1 (First Form of Verb)
 Subject (He, She, It) + VERB – S / ES / IES

How to Make the Simple Present Negative

The formula for making a simple present verb negative is do/does + not + [root
form of verb]. You can also use the contraction don’t or doesn’t instead of do
not or does not.

Pauline does not want to share the pie. She doesn’t think there is enough to go
around. Her friends do not agree. I don’t want pie anyway.
To make the verb to be negative, the formula is [to be] + not.

I am not a pie lover, but Pauline sure is. You aren’t ready for such delicious pie.

NEGATIVE FORMS (-):

 Subject (I, You, We, They) + do not / don’t + V1 (First Form of Verb)
 Subject (He, She, It) + does not / doesn’t + V1 (First Form of Verb)

How to Ask a Question

The formula for asking a question in the simple present is do/does + [subject] +
[root form of verb].

Do you know how to bake a pie? How much does Pauline love pie?

QUESTION FORMS (?):

 Do + Subject (I, You, We, They) + V1 (First Form of Verb)
 Does + Subject (He, She, It) + V1 (First Form of Verb)
SHORT ANSWER FORMS (+ / –):
 YES / NO + Subject (I, You, We, They) + do / do not (don’t)
 YES / NO + Subject (He, She, It) + does / does not (doesn’t)
 ATTENTION:
 1. In Simple Present Tense, we add the suffix -s at the end of the verbs for
the third singular subjects (He, She, It). On the other hand, we use first
forms of the verbs for other subjects (I, You, We, You, They).
 2. Although we add the suffix -s at the end of the verb for the third singular
subjects in positive sentences, we remove the suffix -s at the end of the verb
in questions and negative sentences because of being used ‘does’ or
‘doesn’t’ as an auxiliary verb.

Positive Sentences (Sub + V1 /V (-s, -es, -ies))

Examples:
 My mother lets me go out with my friends.
 I prefer my coffee black.
 She puts the keys on the table.
  The teacher shouts at us all the time.
 I have two brothers.
 Coffee grows in Brazil.
Negative Sentences (Sub + do/does not + V1)
Examples:
 My mother does not (doesn’t) let me go out with my friends.
 I do not (don’t) prefer my coffee black.
 She does not (doesn’t) put the keys on the table.
 The teacher does not (doesn’t) shout at us all the time.
 I do not (don’t) have two brothers.
 Coffee does not (doesn’t) grow in Brazil.
Question Sentences (Do/Does + Sbj + V1)
Examples:
 Does your mother let you go out with your friends?
 Do you prefer your coffee black?
 Does she put the keys on the table?
 Does the teacher shout at us all the time?
 Do I have two brothers?
 Does coffee grow in Brazil?
NOTES:
We use other question words (Like Who, What, why, how much / many, how often
etc.) in present tense.
1)
Question Words (who, what, why, how much / many, how often etc.) + do /
does + subject pronoun (he, she, it, I, you, we, they) + V1 (First Form of Verb)
Examples:
 How often does he call you?
 Why do you always do this?
 How much does it cost?
OR
2)
Question Words (who, what, why, etc.) + V1 / V (-s, -es, -ies) + object
pronouns (me, you, him, her, it, us, them)
Examples:
 Who gives him a scholarship?
 What makes you angry?

Multiple choice questions of simple present tense

:Exercise 1
1. She _____________ four languages.
a. speak
b. speaks
2. Jane is a teacher. She _______________ French.
a. teach
b. teaches
3. When the water _______________, will you make some tea?
a. boil
b. boils
4. I always _______________ the window at night because it is cold.
a. close
b. closes
5. Those shoes ________________ too much.
a. cost
b. costs
6. The food in Japan is expensive. It ______________ a lot to live there.
a. cost
b. costs
7. His job is great because he ________________ a lot of people.
a. meet
b. meets
8. He always _________________ his car on Sundays.
a. wash
b. washes
9. My watch is broken and it ________________ to be fixed again.
a. need
b. needs
10.I ________________ to watch movies.
a. love
b. loves
11.I _________________ to the cinema at least once a week.
a. go
b. goes
12.They never _______________ tea in the morning.
a. drink
b. drinks
13.We both __________________ to the radio in the morning.
a. listen
b. listens
 14.He ______________________ a big wedding.
a. want
b. wants
15.George _____________________ too much, so he’s getting fat.
a. eat
b. eats
16.The earth ____________________ around the sun, doesn’t it?
a. go
b. goes
17.The shops in England ____________________ at 9:00 in the morning.
a. open
b. opens
18.The post office _______________ at 5:30 pm.
a. close
b. closes
19.Jackie __________________ two children now.
a. has
b. have
20- Mr. Smith _________________ too much. He always has a cigarette in his
mouth.

a. smoke
b. smokes

:Exercise 2
21. Does she go to school every day?

a. Yes, she do.

b. Yes, she does.
22. Do you learn English at EYES?

a. Yes, I do.
b. Yes, I does.
23. Do I teach you English?

a. Yes, you do?

b. Yes, you does.
24. Are they your friends?

a. Yes, they is.

 b. No, they aren`t.
25. Am I a student?

a. Yes, you is.

b. Yes, you are.
26. What do they _____________ here?

a. does
b. do
27. How __________ he come here every morning?

a. do
b. does
28. Where does he ______________?

a. work
b. works
29. Why do you ___________ me?

a. bother
b. bothers
30. When does she ______________?

a. comes
b. come
31.________________ you want to join EYES?

a. Do
b. Does
32._________________ your brother study at university?

a. Do
b. Does
33. What ____________ he want?

a. do
b. does
34. Who ________________ TV every night?

a. does watch
b. watches
35. Who ______________ to school every day?

a. goes
b. does go
36. Who _____________________ swimming with?

a. does he go
b. he goes
37. Why __________________ come to EYES?

a. you
b. do you
38. At whom _____________________?

a. he looks
b. does he look
39. To whom _________________ English?

a. you teach
b. do you teach
40. Which company __________________ for?

a. he works
b. does he work

Answers
1. B
2. B
3. B
4. A
5. A
6. B
7. B
8. B
9. B
10.A
11.A
12.A
13.A
14.B
 15.B
16.B
17.A
18.B
19.A
20.B
21.B
22.A
23.A
24.B
25.B
26.B
27.B
28.A
29.A
30.B
31.A
32.B
33.B
34.A
35.B
36.A
37.B
38.B
39.B
40.B
Present Continuous Tense
The present continuous tense is used for actions happening now or for an action
that is unfinished. This tense is also used when the action is temporary.

How to Form the Present Continuous Tense

The present continuous tense is formed with the subject plus the present particle
form (-Ing) of the main verb and the present continuous tense of the verb to be: am,
is, are.
One simple example of this tense is: He is swimming. "He" is the subject, "is" is
the present tense of the verb to be and "swimming" is the present participle verb
form. Some other forms of this verb tense are:
  I am singing at church today.
 The boys are playing ball after school.

The Structures of Present Continuous/Progressive Tense

POSITIVE FORM (+):

 Subject + BE (am / is / are) + Verb-ING
NEGATIVE FORM (-):
 Subject + BE (am / is / are) + NOT + Verb-ING
QUESTION FORM (?):
 BE (am / is / are) + Subject + Verb-ING
SHORT ANSWER FORM (+ / –):
 YES / NO + Subject + BE / BE NOT

Examples of the Present Continuous Tense

The following are basic examples of the present continuous tense. The verb tense
in each sentence is underlined.

 She is crying.
 He is talking to his friend.
 The baby is sleeping in his crib.
 We are visiting the museum in the afternoon.

Present continuous tense can be used to express something happening right now or
to express something that is not happening right now. Examples of this use
include:

 He is not standing.
 Anthony is sitting in the chair.
 You are not watching the movie.
 Rose is reading a book.

Present continuous tense can also be used to show that something will or will not
happen in the near future. Examples of this use include:

 She is not going to the game tonight.

 He is meeting his friends after school.
  Are you visiting your cousin this weekend?
 I am not going to the meeting after work.
 Is John playing football today?

Present continuous tense can be used for actions that are still happening at the time
of speaking. Examples of this use include:

 Marc is making pizza now.

 They are eating lunch right now.
 Frances is talking on the phone at the moment.

Present continuous tense can be used in questions as well. Here are some more
examples of this use:

 Is she laughing?
 Are they listening to the teacher?
 Is the baby drinking his bottle?
 Are you going?

More Uses of Present Continuous Tense

In addition to the above, the present continuous tense can be used to describe
actions that are being repeated. Words like always, constantly and forever are used
along with the verb. Examples of this use include:

 Jack and Jill are always fighting.

 She is constantly complaining about her sister.
 Her mother is forever misplacing her keys.

Present continuous tense can be used when speaking about current trends.
Examples of this use include:

 Shopping online is growing in popularity nowadays.

 The stocks are dropping constantly due to the economy.
 Today, most people are using text messages instead of the phone.

Another use of this tense is when talking about a planned event in the future.
Examples of this use include:

 We are leaving for the beach tomorrow morning.

 The kids are arriving at six o'clock.
  She is speaking at the conference this evening.

When Not to Use Present Continuous Tense

There are certain verbs that cannot be used in the present continuous tense. The
following verbs are non-continuous:

 Communication: agree, promise, surprise

 Feelings: like, love, hate
 Senses: hear, see, smell, taste
 Thinking: believe, know, understand

The Importance of Present Continuous Tense

As you can see the present continuous tense is most often used in English
grammar to describe a continuing action, something that in unfinished. This
tense is also important since it is a simple sentence structure that can show
actions or events that are happening right now, in the planned future, or
sometimes even in the past.

Multiple choice questions of present continuous tense

Exercise 1:

1- He is _______________ English at EYES.

 a- teach
 b- teaching
2- I ____________ learning English on learn ESL.

 a- are
 b- am
3- Many people _________ coming to the party.

 a- are
 b- is
4- My brother ____________ smoking too much these days.

 a- Is
 b- is
 5- My family __________ going to the market tomorrow.

 a- are
 b- is
6- The water in the teapots ____________ boiling.
 a- is
 b- are
7- The best friends of my brother ___________ watching a movie with him.
 a- are
 b- is
Why _____________ complaining too much?

 a- you are
 b- are you
9- When ________________ getting married?

 a- she is
 b- is she
10- Where ____________ going next week?

 a- Is He
 b- is he
11- How are you _________________?

 a- Feeling
 b- feeling
12- Which ________________ he staying at?

 a- is hotel
 b- hotel is
13- To which university _______________ applying?

 a- he is
 b- is he
14- Who ______________ calling you again and again?

 a- are
 b- is
Exercise 2:
Make the present continuous – positive, negative or interrogative sentences. Add
(to be) verbs according to the subjects.

15) (We / go/ to the cinema later). _______________________________________

16) (They / work/ now). _______________________________________________

17) (You / not / walk). ________________________________________________

18) (they / learn / new things)? _________________________________________

19) (When / he / start/ work)? __________________________________________

20) Why / I / stay/ at home)? ___________________________________________

21) (it / get/ dark)? __________________________________________________

22) (We / not / win). _________________________________________________

23) (They / not / bring/ a cake). ________________________________________

24) (The dog / not / play/ with a ball). __________________________________

25) (Why / it / rain/ now)? ____________________________________________

26) (How / she / travel)? _____________________________________________

27) (Where / you / work)? ____________________________________________

28) (What / we / watch)? _____________________________________________

29) (you / meet/ your friend at four)? ___________________________________

30) (I / take too much cake)? __________________________________________

31) (you / think/about/What)? _________________________________________

32) (We / study/ this evening). _________________________________________

33) (Lucy and Steve / play/ the piano). __________________________________

34) (Sarah / not / tell/ a story). _________________________________________

Exercise #1. Answers:

1. teaching
2. am
3. are
4. is
5. is
6. is
7. are
8. are you
9. is she
10.is he
11.feeling
12.hotel is
13.is he
14.is
Exercise #2. Answers

15.We are going to the cinema later.

16.They are working now.
17.You are not walking.
18.Are they learning new things?
19.When is he starting work?
20.Why am I staying at home?
21.Is it getting dark?
22.We are not winning.
23.They are not bringing a cake.
24.The dog is not playing with a ball.
25.Why is it raining now?
26.How is she traveling?
27.Where are you working?
28.What are we watching?
29.Are you meeting your friend at four?
30.I am taking too much cake.
31.About what are you thinking?
32.We are studying this evening.
33.Lucy and Steve are playing the piano.
34.Sarah is not telling a story.
 PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
Present perfect tense is used when there is a connection with the past and with
the present. It is used when the action is complete or has ended. The exact time
when the action happened is not important and hence, it is not mentioned in this
tense.

• Structure for Present Perfect •

subject auxiliary verb main verb

subject has/have past participle
I have gone to college.

• Structure for Negative sentence •

subject auxiliary verb main verb

subject has/have + not past participle
I have not gone to college.

• Structure for interrogative sentence •

auxiliary verb subject main verb

Has/Have subject past participle
Have you gone to college?

We often use the present perfect tense to talk about experience from the
past. e.g., We are not interested in when you did homework. We only
want to know if you did homework:

We use the present perfect tense to:

talk about experience,

talk about change,
talk about continuing situation.
Note that the Present Perfect is never used with adverbs of past time. We should
not say, e.g., “He has gone to Calcutta yesterday.” In such cases Simple Past
should be used (“He went to Calcutta yesterday.”)

Contraction with Present Perfect

When we use the Present Perfect in speaking, we often contract the subject and
auxiliary verb. We also sometimes do this in informal writing.

I have I've

You have You've

He has He's
She has She's
It has It's
John has John's
The car has The car's

We have We've

They have They've

 You've told me that before.

 John's seen Harry Potter.

In negative sentences, we may contract the auxiliary verb and "not":

 You haven't won the contest.

  She hasn't heard from him.

Examples Of Present Perfect Tense

 Mike has fulfilled his ambition.

 You have done the wrong thing.
 We have distributed some food for the street people.
 Has she attended the program?
 They have not laughed at the helpless people.
 Jameela has enjoyed a happy time.
 Have you not forgotten the incident?
 I have completed my project successfully.
 She has walked in the street.
 Nilufa has reached the station on time.
 We have not gained a lot of profit in this month.
 Has he not got the actual point?
 I have met with my friends today.
 You have not finished your task correctly.
 Kajal has recollected her sweet dreams.
 He has stayed in a long distance.
 Katherine has lost her friend.
 We have not agreed with his argument.
 Has she gone to the right path?
 Azim has married his beloved.

The Importance of Present Perfect Tense

The present perfect tense is used when talking about experiences from the past, a
change or a situation that has happened in the past but is still continuing today.
This tense is an important part of English grammar since it demonstrates that
.actions or events in the past have an effect on the present situation

Adverbs with the Present Perfect Tense

In the last lesson we saw when to use the present perfect tense.
Now we will look at more situations of when to use the present perfect tense but
now using adverbs.
We often use the adverbs just, ever / never, still, yet and already with the present
perfect tense.
These adverbs generally refer to a time period between the past and now. Let’s
look at each one more in detail.
JUST – Events that recently occurred – Recent past events
We often use the adverb JUST with the present perfect tense.
JUST means very recently, a short moment ago.
This is a recently completed action with a connection to now.
For example:
 Be careful, I have just broken a glass and there are pieces on the floor.
This is a recently completed action.
It is a finished event: The glass broke in the past.
BUT with a connection to now, the present: Be careful NOW because you might
cut yourself.
Notice how the word JUST is positioned between have/has and the Past Participle.
Look at this example:
 A: Would you like to go out to dinner with us?
B: Thanks, but I ‘ve just eaten an entire pizza.
(I ate the pizza recently so now I am not hungry)
Now, something important to know is:
In British English, JUST is used with the PERFECT TENSE
 Be careful, I have just broken a glass.
Now look at this sentence.
 Be careful, I just broke a glass.
It has JUST but not with the present perfect tense.
That is because in American English the PAST SIMPLE tense is often used
instead of the present perfect tense.
So…

 Be careful, I have just broken a glass. (🇬🇧 British English – Perfect Tense)

 Be careful, I just broke a glass. (🇺🇸 American English – Past Tense)

EVER / NEVER – Talking about general experiences
When the adverbs EVER and NEVER are used with the present perfect tense, they
usually refer to an event happening (or not happening) at some moment in your
life – any time up to now.
EVER is used in the present perfect question: Have you ever …?
 Have you ever fallen asleep at work? (At any moment in your life up to now)
 Has he ever tried a steak and mushroom pie? (In his life)
EVER can also be used with the first time:
 This is the first time I have ever been to Australia.
 It is the first time she has ever done
EVER in these cases emphasizes that it has never happened before in your life.
Also, notice the position of EVER between HAVE/HAS and the past participle.
NEVER = at no time in my past. It is considered a negative sentence.
 I ‘ve never seen a UFO. (In my life)
 She’s never been to Argentina. (In her life – up until this point of her life)
Again, the adverb never is between the auxiliary have or has and the past
participle.
STILL – Events that continue to happen after a long time
The adverb STILL can be used with the present perfect tense to express that we
have waited a long time for something to happen or be done and it hasn’t happened
yet. This situation continues to happen. When used in the present perfect tense, it is
normally in negative sentences.
 He still hasn’t finished the report. (It has taken a long time)
 I still haven’t had (I have had to wait to have lunch)
 They still haven’t paid (I’m waiting for it to happen)
Notice how STILL goes before the auxiliary haven’t or hasn’t.
YET – An event has not happened, but it is expected
The adverb YET usually refers to something that has not happened, but you expect
it to happen (usually soon). We normally put YET at the end of the sentence.
YET is used in negative sentences and questions.
 A: Are Jack and Jill at this event?
B: No, they haven’t arrived yet. (they’re not here now, but I expect them to be here
soon)
 I’m hungry. I haven’t had lunch yet. (I thought I was going to have lunch
before now, but it hasn’t happened. I expect to have lunch soon)
 Have you finished your homework yet?
Now look at this sentence:
 I haven’t received a letter from her yet.
In British English, YET is used with the PERFECT TENSE
Now look at this sentence:
 I didn’t receive a letter from her yet.
It has YET but not with the present perfect tense.
That is because in American English the PAST SIMPLE tense is sometimes used
instead of the present perfect tense.
So…

 I haven’t received a letter from her yet. (🇬🇧 British English – Present Perfect)

 I didn’t receive a letter from her yet. (🇺🇸 American English – Past Simple)
ALREADY – Events that occurred before you expected
The adverb ALREADY can be used with the present perfect tense to express that
something has happened early or before expected. This can come as a surprise.
Notice how the adverb ALREADY goes between the auxiliary and the past
participle.
 She has already finished the report. (I expected her to finish it later, not so
quickly)
 I’ve already had lunch. (Yes, it happened some time before now. You didn’t
expect it.)
 We’ve already chosen what we would like to eat. (You probably expected
us to take more time to choose.)
 He has already taken the trash out. (Earlier than you expected. You
probably thought he would do it later)
You can see that ALREADY is used in affirmative sentences. We don’t use
ALREADY with negative sentences.
Now look at this sentence:
 I have already eaten.
In British English, ALREADY is used with the PERFECT TENSE
Now look at this sentence:
 I already ate.
It has ALREADY but not with the present perfect tense.
That is because in American English the PAST SIMPLE tense is sometimes used
instead of the present perfect tense.
So…

 I have already eaten. (🇬🇧 British English – Present Perfect)

 I already ate. (🇺🇸 American English – Past Simple)

Still vs. Yet vs. Just vs. Already
Now compare these sentences and see how there is a difference in meaning
between them:
 He still hasn’t finished the report. (It has taken a long time and I continue to
have to wait for it)
 He hasn’t finished the report yet. (It has not been done though I expect it to
happen soon)
 He has just finished the report. (It was completed a moment ago)
 He has already finished the report. (It has been done sooner than expected)

Question: 1

I _____ home for function on Mondays. I have lunch in the canteen.

(A) will not go

(B) don’t go

(C) didn’t go

Question: 2

_____ this engineer work at the Ministry of Foreign affairs.

(A) do

(B) shall

(C) does

(D) had

Question: 3

I _____ all my work. I am free now.

(A) had done

(B) have done

(C) shall do

(D) am doing

Question: 4

Nothing will make him _____ back to her.

(A) would come

(B) to come

(C) come

(D) came

Question: 5

Balu _____ his lessons. When he finishes them, he’ll watch TV.

(A) has done

(B) is doing

(C) did

(D) does

Question: 6

Look! They _____ in our direction.

(A) are coming

(B) was coming

(C) will come

(D) come

Question: 7
You look pale. You _____ too hard these days .

(A) were working

(B) work

(C) are working

(D) have been working

Question: 8

The milk is hot I _____ on it to make it cold.

(A) had blown

(B) is blowing

(C) blow

(D) am blowing

Question: 9

Listen Somebody _____ in the next room.

(A) is singing

(B) are singing

(C) is sung

(D) sings

Question: 10

Tourists _____ a lot of different information when they travel.

(A) would get

(B) were getting

(C) get

(D) gets
11.Bob __________ the window. (paint)
12.She __________ roses in her lawn. (plant)
13.I __________ to Rome. (Not, be)
14.Everybody in the class __________ the assignment. (complete)
15.The poet __________ a romantic poem. (write)
16.Alex __________ Spanish. (learn)
17.They __________ the football. (Not, play)
18.The friends __________ to restaurant for dinner. (be)
19.My mom __________ meal for me. (cook)
20.The kids __________ the glass. (break)

Answers key
1. Ans: B don’t go
2. Ans: C does
3. Ans: B have done
4. Ans: C come
5. Ans: B is doing
6. Ans: A are coming
7. Ans: D have been working
8. Ans: D am blowing
9. Ans: A is singing
10. Ans: C get
11.Bob has painted the window.
12.She has planted roses in her lawn.
13.I have not been to Rome.
14.Everybody in the class has completed the assignment.
15.The poet has written a romantic poem.
16.Alex has learnt Spanish.
17.They have not played the football.
18.The friends have been to restaurant for dinner.
19.My mom has cooked meal for me.
20.The kids have broken the glass.

Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Present perfect continuous tense is a tense which is used to indicate the actions that
began in the past but have continued or lasted till the present moment. It lays
emphasis on the duration or the amount of time for which an action has been taking
place. As the name suggests, the present perfect continuous tense describes an event
or action that is continuing up to the present moment. It is also known as the present
perfect progressive tense.

This tense uses has or have been + present participle. In the forming of the present
perfect continuous tense, we use ‘has been’ when the subject is Singular and ‘have
been’ when the subject is Plural. The second element that is the present participle is
formed by adding -Ing to the root of the verb.

For example, reaching, missing, mixing, wiping, etc. However, all verbs are not
compatible with continuous action such as to be, to own, etc. While framing the
questions using the present perfect continuous tense, we indicate them by inverting
the subject and has or have. For making negative sentences we use not.

Using Present Perfect Continuous Tense sentences to describe:

Following are the situations where we use Present Perfect Continuous Tense along
with sentences:

1. Duration of the action from the Past until present

Sentence: He has been playing football at the club for two years.

It means that he started playing football for the club two years before and is still
playing it.

2. Events occurring recently or lately

Sentence: I have been falling ill more often, lately

It means that nowadays you are falling ill more.

3. Using ‘Since’ and ‘For’

Sentence: He has been living in Mumbai since 2008.

It means that we know a definite time from when he is living in Mumbai i.e., 2008.

Sentence: She has been waiting for the cab for one hour.

It means that we know the amount of time for which she waited for the cab i.e., one
hour.

Examples of present Perfect continuous Tense

Duration of the action from the Past until present
The following examples express the actions that began in the past and are continuing
in the present moment.

 What have you been reading for the past one hour?
 She has been watching Television for the last four hours.
 Jack has not been taking proper medication for the last three days.
 They have been discussing the project for the last 30 minutes.

Events occurring recently or lately

The following examples express the use of present perfect continuous tense, without
any duration. When we do not use duration, in order to emphasize the meaning, we
use ‘recently’ or ‘lately’.

 What have you been working on lately?

 Recently, she has been falling ill too often.
 Have you been eating healthy lately?
 Recently, John has been reading good books.

Using ‘Since’ and ‘For’

The following examples express the time of action using the present perfect
continuous tense. When we know the exact starting time of action and also intend to
reflect it in the sentence, we use the word ‘Since’. However, when we intend to
indicate the amount of time for which the action lasted or continued, we make the use
of the word ‘For’.

 They have been walking in the garden since an hour.

 She has been acting since 2015.
 He has been studying finance for three years.
 They have been working in this shop for ten years.

Some important points:

1. In any continuous tenses, we cannot use non-continuous verbs. Similarly,
we cannot use mixed verbs that have a certain non-continuous meaning.
Thus, while using such verbs, you need to use the present perfect tense.

Examples:

 Mike has had his Mercedes car for three years.

 Sharon needs help now.
 Sam seems confused.
 He is experiencing fun now.

2. Usually, adverbs such as always, never, still, ever, just, only, etc. are
used.

Examples:

 Have you only been reading here for two hours?

 You have only been working here for one hour.

3. While writing a negative sentence, we write Subject + has not been or

have not been + present participle.

Examples:

 He has not been dealing with securities since 2018.

  Kunal has not been eating fast food for two months.
 They have not been working for six months.
 She has not been cooking for one year.

4. While writing an interrogative sentence, we write has or have + Subject +

been + present participle.

Examples:

 Have you been going to the guitar classes since 2018?

 Has Jones been working as an HR head for two years?
 Have they been watching TV for two hours?

Present Perfect Continuous Tense Exercises

:Exercise 1
Put the verbs into the correct form (present perfect progressive).
1. He (work)___________________________ in this company since 1985.
2. I (wait)_________________________________ for you since two o’clock.
3. Mary (live)____________________________________ in Germany since 1992.
4. Why is he so tired? He (play)_____________________________ tennis for five
hours.
5. How long (learn / you)
________________________________________________ English?
6. We (look for) _____________________________________ the motorway for
more than an hour.
7. I (live)__________________________________________________ without
electricity for two weeks.
8. The film (run / not) _____________________________________ for ten
minutes yet, but there’s a commercial break already.
9. How long (work / she) ______________________________________________
in the garden?
10. She (not / be) _____________________________________ in the garden for
more than an hour.
:Exercise 2
Choose the correct answer from the four options.
1. He _______________________winning this championship for last 2 years.
 a. has
b. has been
c. have
d. have been
2. I _______________________living here since last year.

a. has
b. have
c. has been
d. have been
3. She has been ________________________for two hours.

a. study
b. studies
c. studied
d. studying
4. It has been ________________________ since Monday

a. rain
b. rainy
c. raining
d. rained
5. I ______________________________been cooking since 01:00 pm.

a. has
b. have
c. having
d. hasing
6. My brother _________________________________ been attending the class.

a. has not
b. have not
c. not have
d. not has
7. ____________________________they been playing?

a. Has
b. Have
c. Has been
d. Have been
8. __________________________Jamal been sleeping?

a. Has
b. Have
c. Is
d. Does
9. You have not been _________________________enough food.

a. eat
b. ate
c. eating
d. eaten
10. It has been ________

a. snow
b. snows
c. snowed
d. snowing
:Exercise 3
Change the verb into the correct form:
1. I ________________________________ (listen) to this for 2 hours.

2. You_________________________________ (wait) since this morning.

3. She ______________________________ (watch) their dog since Saturday.

4. We______________________________________ (talk) for over an hour.

5. I ______________________________ (prepare) for this test for almost 2 weeks.

6. Joe ________________________________________ (work) here since 1987.

7. You _______________________________ (do) nothing for the last 30 minutes.

8. Lilly __________________________________ (teach) English for many years.

9. I____________________________________ (eat) tomatoes for my entire life.

10. Recently, she ______________________________ (feel) quite better.

Answers
Exercise 1. Exercise 2. Exercise 3.

1. has been working 1. has been 1. have been listening

2. have been working 2. have been 2. have been waiting

3. has been living 3. studying 3. has been watching

4. has been playing 4. raining 4. have been talking

5. have you been learning 5. have 5. have been preparing

6. have been looking 6. has not been 6. has been working

7. I have been living 7. have 7. have been doing

8. has not been running 8. has 8. has been teaching

9. has she been working 9. eating 9. have been eating

10. has not been being 10. snowing 10. has been feeling

Simple Past Tense

The simple past tense is used to describe a completed activity that happened in the
past. In other words, it started in the past and ended in the past.
For example:
 John baked a cake.
 They painted the fence.

Real-life Examples of the Simple Past Tense

Here are some real-life examples of the simple past tense:
  I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free. (Italian
sculptor Michelangelo)
 I asked God for a bike, but I know God doesn't work that way so
I stole a bike and asked for forgiveness.

The Structures of Simple Past Tense

POSITIVE FORM (+):
 Subject + V2 (Second Form of Verb)
NEGATIVE FORM (-):
 Subject + did not + V1 (First Form of Verb)
QUESTION FORM (?):
 Did + Subject + V1 (First Form of Verb)
SHORT ANSWER FORM (+ / –):
 YES / NO + Subject + did / did not (didn’t)
ATTENTION! Any auxiliary verbs aren’t used in positive sentences and the
second form of the verb is used. ‘Did or did not’ is used as an auxiliary verb in
negative and question sentences and the verb remains simple.
Positive Sentences (Sub + V2)
Examples:
 We watched the news last night.
 They went to the party yesterday.
 She read the book.
 He drew beautiful pictures last week.
 I learnt Spanish last summer.
 You gave the present to your friend.
 We bought a new car.
Negative Sentences (Sub + did not + V1)
Examples:
 We did not (didn’t) watch the news last night.
 They did not (didn’t) go to the party yesterday.
 She did not (didn’t) read the book.
 He did not (didn’t) draw beautiful pictures last week.
 I did not (didn’t) learn Spanish last summer.
 You did not (didn’t) give the present to your friend.
 We did not (didn’t) buy a new car.

Question Sentences (Did + sub + V1)

Examples:
 Did we watch the news last night?
  Did they go to the party yesterday?
 Did she read the book?
 Did he draw beautiful pictures last week?
 Did I learn Spanish last summer?
 Did you give the present to your friend?
 Did we buy a new car?
NOTE:
We also use a question word (Who, What, why etc.) in past tense.
1)
Question Words (who, what, why, etc.) + did + subject pronoun (he, she, it, I, you,
we, they) + V1 (First Form of Verb)
Examples:
 Where did you stay last night?
 When did she go to the school?
 Why did she cry?
OR
Question Words (who, what, why, etc.) + V2 (Second Form of Verb) + object
pronouns (me, you, him, her, it, us, them)
Examples:
 Who gave you this gift?
 What made you angry?
Spelling Rules
If a verb of one syllable ends [consonant-vowel-consonant], double the final
consonant and add "ed":
 chat > chatted
 stop > stopped
If the final consonant is w, x, or y, don't double it:
 sew > sewed
 play > played
 fix > fixed
If last syllable of a longer verb is stressed and ends [consonant-vowel-consonant],
double the last consonant and add "ed":
 incur > incurred
 prefer > preferred
If the first syllable of a longer verb is stressed and the verb ends [consonant-vowel-
consonant], just add "ed":
 open > opened
 enter > entered
 swallow > swallowed
If the verb ends "e", just add "d":
 thrive > thrived
 guzzle > guzzled
If the verb ends [consonant + "y"], change the "y" to an "i" and add "ed":
 cry > cried
 fry > fried
Forming the Simple Past Tense of Irregular Verbs
If it's an irregular verb, the simple past tense is formed in all sorts of different
ways. Here are some examples:
 break > broke
 catch > caught
 find > found
 see > saw
The Simple Past Tense with Time Expressions
The simple past tense is often seen with a time expression explaining when the
activity took place or how long it lasted.

Examples of "when an activity took place":

On Tuesday last week, the Martians landed near the aqueduct.
("On Tuesday last week" tells you when it happened. It's called an adverbial
phrase of time. Other examples are “Yesterday," "Last year," "Before
breakfast,". They are really common. When any adverb appears at the front of
a sentence, it is usual to follow it with a comma. A comma is not usually used
when the adverbial phrase appears at the back of a sentence. NB: This is not a
strict rule. Use a comma if it helps your reader.)

Past continuous tense

What is the Past Continuous Tense?
The past continuous tense is employed in a sentence to represent an action or event
that was going on in the past. In other words, it shows the progress of the action or
event at a specific time in the past. The past continuous tense is therefore, also
calling the ‘past progressive tense’. Take a look at how different dictionaries define
the past continuous tense so that you can develop a clear idea of what it is.

Definition of the Past Continuous Tense

The past continuous tense, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is defined as
“the grammatical form used for an action that someone was doing or an event that
was happening at a particular time.” The Macmillan Dictionary defines the past
 continuous tense as “the tense used to talk about actions or behavior that were
begun and ended at some time in the past”, and according to the Collins
Dictionary, it is defined as “a verb form consisting of an auxiliary be in the past
tense followed by a present participle and used esp. to indicate that an action or
event was incomplete or in progress at a point of reference in the past, as ‘was
sleeping’ in I was sleeping when the phone rang.”
Formula and Structure of the Past Continuous Tense
Conjugating a verb in the past continuous tense can be made easier if you know
and understand its formula and structure.
Here is the formula with which you can structure a sentence in the past continuous
tense.

Subject + was/were + present participle (verb + Ing) + the rest of the sentence
Now, learn how to write a positive, negative, interrogative and negative
interrogative sentence by looking at the following table and examples given.

Structure of the Past Continuous Tense

Positive Negative Interrogative Negative Interrogative

Subject + was/were + Subject + was/were + Was/were + subject + present Wasn’t/weren’t + subject + prese
present participle not + present participle (verb+ Ing) + the rest participle (verb+ Ing) + the rest o
(verb+ Ing) + the rest participle (verb+ Ing) of the sentence the sentence
of the sentence + the rest of the
sentence

Examples: Examples: Examples: Examples:

 I was  I was not  Was I listening to the  Wasn’t I listening to

listening to listening to news? news? / Was I not listen
the news. the news.  Were you doing it to the news?
 You were  You were not again?  Weren’t you doing it
doing it doing it  Was he driving a car? again? / Were you
again. again. doing it again?
 He was  He was not  Was it raining when you  Wasn’t he driving a
driving a car. driving a car. came? car? / Was he not drivin
car?
 It was  It was not
raining when raining when  Wasn’t it raining when
you came. you came. came? / Was it
raining when you came?
 Using the Past Continuous Tense – Points to Remember
Knowing how to structure the verb in the past continuous tense can make your task
easy. A verb, when used in the past continuous tense, always takes a helping
verb (was or were) and a main verb. The helping verb is followed by the main verb
which happens to be in the present participle form (gerund form – base verb +Ing).
The sentence should start with a subject when it is a positive or negative sentence.
When the tense is used in an interrogative or negative interrogative sentence, it
should start with the helping verb followed by the subject

Uses of the Past Continuous Tense

The past continuous tense can be put to use when,

 You want to convey parallel or simultaneous actions.

For example:

 Mercy was studying while her mom was cooking breakfast.

 She wasn’t listening properly when I was speaking.
 You want to speak about an overlapping action.

For example:

 I was watering the plants when my brother came home.

 When Joe was playing cricket, he sprained his ankle.
 You want to indicate an action at an overlapping time.

For example:

 At five o’ clock, I was studying for the Math’s exam.

 Yesterday, she was waiting for me in the evening.
 You want to emphasize an action or event that was taking place at some
point in the past.

For example:

 He was working on his project all day.

 My mom was looking for these keys the whole day.
 You want to give details about the background of a story.
For example:

 When she woke up, the sun was shining, the birds were chirping and the
wind was swirling.
 The girls were playing cricket along with the boy and all the parents were
watching happily.

Examples of the Past Continuous Tense

Now, take a look at a few more examples to enrich your knowledge of past
continuous tense.

 The band was playing The Best of Me.

 I was not preparing for the test though I was scared.
 Were you not sleeping yesterday when I came home?
 I was thinking about meeting you.
 Brendon was talking to his class teacher when we were leaving home.
 The whole gang was laughing at the boy who tripped and fell down.
 My cousin was watching the new series that was released yesterday.
 My friends were waiting for me the whole day.
 The children were shouting when the teacher entered the class.
 Even at midnight, we were sitting on the balcony and talking.

?What is the formula of the past continuous tense

Understanding the past continuous tense could be made easy if you know the
formula of the past continuous tense. The formula is as follows:
Subject + was/were + present participle (verb+ Ing) + the rest of the sentence

Past Continuous Tips

While vs. When

Clauses are groups of words which have meaning, but are often not complete
sentences. Some clauses begin with the word when such as "when she called" or
"when it bit me." Other clauses begin with while such as "while she was sleeping"
and "while he was surfing." When you talk about things in the past, when is most
often followed by the verb tense simple past, whereas while is usually followed by
past continuous. While expresses the idea of "during that time." Study the examples
below. They have similar meanings, but they emphasize different parts of the
.sentence
Examples:

 I was studying when she called.

 While I was studying, she called.

REMEMBER Non-Continuous Verbs / Mixed Verbs

It is important to remember that non-continuous verbs cannot be used in any

continuous tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for mixed verbs cannot
be used in continuous tenses. Instead of using past continuous with these verbs,
you must use simple past.

Examples:

 Jane was being at my house when you arrived. Not Correct

 Jane was at my house when you arrived. Correct

ADVERB PLACEMENT

The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such
as always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.

Examples:

 You were just studying when she called.

 Were you just studying when she called?

Exercises of Past Simple Tense

Write down the correct form of the verb given in the bracket to make a sentence
into the simple past tense.

1. You _________ my window’s glass. (break)

2. I _____ something near that place. (see)
3. He _____ from London sometimes ago. (come)
4. She ______ an iPhone. (buy)
5. He ________ anyone yet for the mission. (not/choose)
6. ____ they ______ with the committee? (speak)
7. He ______ on the table all day. (stand)
 8. His head ______ to the door. (strike)
9. I ______ about this earlier. (hear)
10.The birds _____ away in the sky. (flying)
11.____ you _____ with her yesterday? (sleep)
12.Our soldiers _____ the battle. (win)
13.A Farmer _________ suicide after hearing this news. (commit)
14.He _____ a letter to the principal. (write)
15.An apple _______ from the tree. (fall)

Exercise2: Use the correct forms of the given verbs in the blanks.
1) He_____________________________ (knock) at the door.

2) Tom____________________________ (lie) to his mum.

3) Mum_____________________________ (lift) her bags.

4) They_____________________________ (like) this plan.

5) You ______________________________ (listen) to the radio in June.

6) We_______________________________ (live) in Cambridge.

7) He________________________________ (lock) the gate.

8) I___________________________________ (look) at the photos.

9) Mike______________________________ (love) dancing.

10) I__________________________________ (believe) her.

11) She_______________________________ (visit) her parents in London.

12) They _____________________________(paint) a beautiful picture.

13) My mum_________________________ (ask) me.

14) Dogs_____________________________ (hate) cats.

15) John_____________________________(marry) Susan.

16) The cars__________________________ (move) in the street.

17) You______________________________(open) the gate.

18) Dad_____________________________(pack) the dresses into the cupboard.

19) I________________________________(pass) by the window.

20) You_____________________________ (pick up) every litter in the street.

21) Paul and you______________________ (play) football.

22) I________________________________(pour) some water into the teapot.

23) Dick_____________________________(push) the door.

24) They____________________________ (swim) in the see.

25) It_______________________________(rain).

26) He______________________________ (remember) everything.

27) We______________________________(repair) our car in the garage.

28) Grandma_________________________(sew) my jeans.

29) The family________________________(ski) in winter.

30) The baby__________________________ (smile).

Past Continuous Tense Exercises

:Exercise 1
1- He was _____________ a book at 9PM last night.
 a- read
 b- Read
 c- reading
2- They _______________________down the street when the rain started.

 a- walking
 b- are walking
 c- were walking
3- She was reciting the Holy Quran when her father ________________ home.
 a- come
 b- was come
  c- came
4- My brothers were watching TV in the living room while I ______________ in
the bedroom.
 a- slept
 b- was sleeping
 c- was sleep
5- Was ______________ you something when I walked into the office?

 a- I told
 b- he tells
 c- he telling
6- I __________________ taking a shower when they came.
 a- didn`t
 b- wasn`t
 c- am not
7- They were all sleeping when he _____________ home .
 a- comes
 b- was come
 c- came
8- Why ___________________________ crying?
 a- she was
 b- Was she
 c- was she
9- Who _____________ late to class?
 a- always was coming
 b- were coming always
 c- was always coming
10- Who ________________ listening to?
 a- was
 b- he was
 c- were you
11- Weren`t you _______________ me?
 a- look at
 b- looking at
 c- looking to
:Exercise 2
A) Put the verbs into the correct form (past progressive).
1. When I phoned my friends, they (play) monopoly.
2. Yesterday at six I (prepare) dinner.
 3. The kids (play) in the garden when it suddenly began to rain.
4. I (practice) the guitar when he came home.
5. We (not / cycle) all day.
6. While Alan (work) in his room, his friends (swim) in the pool.
7. I tried to tell them the truth but they (not / listen).
8. What (you / do) yesterday?
9. Most of the time we (sit) in the park.
10.I (listen) to the radio while my sister (watch) TV.
11.When I arrived, They (play) cards.
12.We (study) English yesterday at 4:00 pm
B) Write correct sentences:

Yesterday at 6 pm your family was doing different things. Write positive

sentences in past progressive.

1. My mother / read / a novel

2. Father/watch / a movie
3. My elder sister/writing / in her diary
4. Two brothers / listen / to the radio
5. My little sister and I / not / watch / a movie
6. We / talk / about school
Answers of Simple Past Tense
:Exercises 1
1. You broke my window’s glass. (break)
2. I saw something near that place. (see)
3. He came from London some time ago. (come)
4. She bought an iPhone. (buy)
5. He did not choose anyone yet for the mission. (not/choose)
6. Did they speak with the committee? (speak)
7. He stood on the table all day. (stand)
8. His head struck the door. (strike)
9. I heard about this earlier. (hear)
10.The birds flew away in the sky. (flying)
11.Did you sleep with her yesterday? (sleep)
12.Our soldiers won the battle. (win)
13.A farmer committed suicide after hearing this news. (commit)
14.He wrote a letter to the principal. (write)
15.An apple fell from the tree. (fall)
:Answers
:Exercises 2
 1. knocked 2. lied 3. lifted 4. liked 5. listened
6. lived 7. Locked 8. looked 9. Loved 10. believed
11. visited 12. painted 13. asked 14. hated 15. married
16. moved 17. opened 18. packed 19. passed 20. picked up
21. played 22. poured 23. pushed 24. swam 25. rained
26. remembered 27. repaired 28. sewed 29. skied 30. smiled

Answers of past continuous tense

Exercise 1. Answers:
1. Reading
2. Were reading
3. Came
4. Was sleeping
5. He telling
6. Wasn’t
7. Came
8. Was she
9. Was always coming
10.Were you
11.Looking at
Exercise 2. A) Answers:
1. When I phoned my friends, they were playing monopoly.
2. Yesterday at six, I was preparing dinner.
3. The kids were playing in the garden when it suddenly began to rain.
4. I was practicing the guitar when he came home.
5. We were not cycling all day.
6. While Alan was working in his room, his friends were swimming in the
pool.
7. I tried to tell them the truth but they were not listening.
8. What were you doing yesterday?
9. Most of the time we were sitting in the park.
10.I was listening to the radio while my sister was watching TV.
11.When I arrived, they were playing cards.
12.We were studying English yesterday at 04:00 PM
B)
1. My mother was reading a novel.
2. Father was watching a movie.
3. My elder sister was writing in her diary.
4. Two brothers were listening to the radio.
 5. My little sister and I were not watching a movie.
6. We were talking about school.

Past Perfect Tense

The past perfect tense is a tense which used to indicate the actions that began and
finished in the past before any other action started in the past. As the name suggests,
past perfect tense is a part of the perfect tense and thus indicates completed actions.
In other words, it describes the first completed activity, then another activity that took
place before the present time.

This tense uses had + past participle. In the forming of the past perfect tense, we use
‘had’ irrespective of the subject being Singular or Plural. The second element that is
the past participle is formed by adding -ed or -d to the root of the verb.

For example, reached, missed, mixed, wiped, etc. However, you may use verbs with
irregular past participles also such as woken, eaten, gone, done, won, etc.

Using Past Perfect Tense sentences to describe:

Following are the situations where we use Past Perfect Tense along with sentences:

1. Past completed actions before another begin

Sentence: Only after we had bought the tickets, we were able to enter the cinema
hall.

It means that you had bought tickets is the first completed action and you were
allowed to enter the cinema hall is another completed action.

2. Events of duration before something in the past

Sentence: I had watched the movies for years without ever having to buy the tickets.

It means before you were allowed to watch movies without tickets but not now.
 3. Conditional statements

Sentence: If I had purchased movie tickets, we would have been able to watch the
movie.

It means that you had not purchased the movie tickets and thus you were not able to
watch the movie.

4. Reported Speech

Sentence: The guard asked us if we had bought the movie tickets.

It means that you had to show the guard the tickets you bought.

5. Show dissatisfaction with the past actions or events

6. Sentence: I wished I had purchased the movie tickets in advance.

7. It means that you did not purchase the movie tickets and were unable to watch
the movie. Thus, you are dissatisfied with your past action.

Examples of Past Perfect Tense

:Past completed actions before another begin
The following examples express the actions that began in the past and were also
completed in the past. Also, they were completed before the beginning of the second
event in the past.

 I had never traveled on a cruise before I went to Goa.

 After she had attended the internship, she became a practicing lawyer.
 They had forgotten the books until the librarian reminded them.
 He had never realized his talent until she praised him.

:Events of duration before something in the past

The following examples express the actions and events that started and ended in the
past but also were for a period of time i.e., duration and have now ended.
  I had delivered lectures for years without ever having to prepare for
them.
 He had admitted his love to her many times.
 They would have never discovered the truth without enquiring.
 He had kept convincing her to marry him repeatedly.

:Conditional Statements
The following examples express the conditional actions that took place in the past.
Here, the conditional action is a requirement to the consequence or result of the
condition.

 If I had studied during the class, I would have cleared the exams.
 Only if you had listened to me, you would have not got confused.
 If we had purchased coupons, we would have got the grocery.
 If you had worn the mask, you would have not got infected.

Show dissatisfaction with the past actions or events

The following examples express an event that did not actually happen in the past.
Here, the speaker is showing dissatisfaction with his or her decision and is stating the
action he or she wishes had taken place.

 I wished I had not been rude to him.

 I wished I had listened to him.
 He wished he had trusted his friend.
 We wished we had brought our family on vacation.

:Some important points

1. Do not use Past perfect tense while you are not expressing some
sequence of events. Because in this case, the listener or reader, will be
wondering what happened next. In order to make the past perfect tense
clear, there is a need for context. In the absence of context, it does not
make any sense.
2. We often use the adverbs already, still, just, ever, and never with the past
perfect.
Examples:

 I had called the doctor for an appointment but it was already full.
 I had never met anyone like him before I met Jack.
 He had still not reached his home.
 She had just received the parcel.

With non-continuous verbs and some non-continuous uses of mixed verbs, we use
the past perfect to show that something started in the past and continued up until
another action in the past.

Examples:

 We had had that car for ten years before it broke down.
 By the time Alex finished his studies, he had been in London for over eight
years.
 They felt bad about selling the house because they had owned it for more
than forty years.

The Structures of Past Perfect Tense

POSITIVE FORM (+):
 Subject + HAD (auxiliary verb- have) + V3 (third form of main verb –
past participle)
NEGATIVE FORM (-):
 Subject + HAD (auxiliary verb- have) + NOT + V3 (third form of main
verb – past participle)
QUESTION FORM (?):
 HAD (auxiliary verb- have) + Subject + V3 (third form of main verb –
past participle)
SHORT ANSWER FORM (?):
 YES/NO + Subject + had / had not

Positive Sentences ( Sbj + had + V3 )

Examples:
 I went there after I had completed the task.
 She had come late to the school.
 My father and mother had been married for two years when I was
born.
 Until he went to England, he had never spoken English.
 If you had studied hard last year, he would have passed all his exams.
 She had done her homework so she was happy.
 He had lived in Florida for ten years before he moved to California.
 They had gone out when you called.
 The woman had cried till the morning.
 I had returned to university.
 He had left when I went to the club.
 By the time we came, she had finished the project.
Negative Sentences (Sub +had + not + V3)
Examples:
 I had not (hadn’t) completed the task.
 She had not (hadn’t) come late to the school.
 They had not (hadn’t) been married when I was born.
 Until he went to England, he had not (hadn’t) spoken English.
 You had not (hadn’t) studied hard.
 She had not (hadn’t) done her homework so she was sad.
 He had not (hadn’t) lived in Florida.
 They had not (hadn’t) gone out when you called.
 The woman had not (hadn’t) cried till the morning.
 I had not (hadn’t) returned to university.
 He had not (hadn’t) left when I went to the club.
 By the time we came, she had not (hadn’t) finished the project.
Question Sentences (Had + Sub + V3 )
Examples:
 Had you completed the task?
 Had she come late to the school?
 Had they been married when I was born?
 Had he spoken English until he went to England?
 Had she done her homework?
 Had he lived in Florida?
 Had they gone out when you called?
 Had the woman cried till the morning?
 Had you returned to university?
  Had he left when I went to the club?
 Had she finished the project, by the time we came?

Using Contractions
Don't forget that in speech and writing (especially informal writing), you will
encounter the following contractions:
 I had > I'd
 You had > You'd
 He had > He'd
 She had > She'd
 It had > It'd
 We had > We'd
 They had > They'd
Also, for the negative version, you will commonly see "hadn't" instead of "had
".not

Past Perfect Continuous Tense

The past perfect continuous tense refers to a verb tense that we use to express that an
action that began in the past and continued up to another point in the past. It is also
referred to as the past perfect progressive.

We construct the past perfect continuous tense by making use of:

had been + the verb’s present participle (root + -Ing)

The past perfect continuous tense is not like the present perfect continuous that
expresses an action that started in the past and kept continuing until the present.
Instead, the past perfect continuous tense denotes an action that started in the past,
continued in the past, and also ended at a certain point in the past.

Example:

 He had been eating cereal out of the box when Dad walked into the
room.
  I had been working at the restaurant for two years when I got the
promotion.

Thus, you see that the word when, for, since, and before are often used alongside the
past perfect continuous tense.

Examples:

 Jimin had been running five miles a day before he twisted his ankle.
 The employee that was terminated had been performing well since the
last month.
 Linda had been learning ballet for 2 years when she finally asked to
perform at the annual program.
 They had been playing music non-stop for ten minutes before he finally
came out of the room to meet them.

Forms of Past Perfect Continuous Tense

We form the past perfect continuous tense by making use of:

Had +been +present participle

For indicating questions, we invert the subject and had. For making negatives, we
use not. For instance:

Statement: You had been waiting there for more than twenty minutes when he
finally arrived.

Question: Had you been waiting there for more than twenty minutes when he finally
arrived?

Negative: You had not been waiting there for more than twenty minutes when he
finally arrived.

Placement of Adverbs
We bring you some examples for showing that the placement for grammar adverbs
like always, only, just, ever, still, and more. For instance:

She had only been waiting there for a few hours when he arrived.

Had she only been waiting there for a few hours when he arrived?

Uses of Past Perfect Continuous

To understand how to incorporate the past perfect continuous tense in our daily lives,
we must learn about its uses.

Duration Before Something in the Past

We make use of the past perfect continuous tense for indicating that something began
in the past and continued up until another time in the past. “For ten minutes” and “for
six weeks” are both durations that we can use with the past perfect continuous. You
will see that this is related to the present perfect continuous. But the duration does not
continue until now, it will stop before something else in the past.

Examples:

 She had been dancing for over an hour before Sam arrived.
 He had been working at that NGO for two years when it got shut down.
 How long had you been playing to get on the team?
 Kat wanted to take a rest because she had been driving all day on road.
 Ellen had been teaching at the school for more than a month before she
left for London.
 A: How long had you been studying Korean before you move to Seoul?
 B: I had not been studying Korean very long.

Cause of Something in the Past

Another fine way to indicate show and effect is of making use of the past perfect
continuous before another action in the past.

Examples:
  Seri was exhausted because she had been dancing.
 Zubi felt refreshed because she had been sleeping.
 Jo failed the final exam because she had not been attending class.

Past Continuous vs. Past Perfect Continuous

If we do not include a duration such as “for ten minutes,” “for three weeks” or “since
Thursday,” many English speakers prefer to use the past continuous instead of the
past perfect continuous.

You must take extra care as it may change the meaning of the sentence. Past
continuous lays emphasis on the interrupted actions, whereas past perfect continuous
lays emphasis on a duration of time before something in the past. The examples
given below can help you understand the difference:

Examples:

 She was tired because she was exercising so hard.

It emphasizes that she was tired as she was exercising at that exact
moment.
 She was tired because she had been exercising so hard.
It emphasizes that she was tired because she had been exercising over a
period of time. There is also a possibility that she was still exercising at
that moment OR that she had just finished.

Non-Continuous Verbs / Mixed Verbs

We must keep in mind that we cannot use non-continuous verbs in any continuous
tenses. In addition, we cannot use some non-continuous meanings for mixed verbs in
continuous tenses. Rather than making use of past perfect continuous with these
verbs, we prefer using past perfect.

Examples:

Incorrect: The car had been belonging to Jessie for years before Tess bought it.

Correct: The car had belonged to Jessie for years before Tess bought it.
Placement of Adverbs
We bring you some examples for showing that the placement for grammar adverbs
like always, only, just, ever, still, and more. For instance:

She had only been waiting there for a few hours when he arrived.

Had she only been waiting there for a few hours when he arrived?

Exercises of past perfect tense

Correct All Grammar Errors
1- They had _____________ a lot of wood before the weather got cold in Quetta.
 a- buy
 b- buying
 c- bought
2- We had ______________ when they came home.
 a- gone shopping
 b- went shopping
 c- go shopping
.I had turned off my cell phone when you _______________ me last night -3
 a- call
 b- were call
 c- called
4- When I arrived to the classroom, the teacher _________________ the lesson
already.
 a- has already
 b- have started
 c- had started
5- Who _______________ the president of Pakistan before Musharraf?
 a- had been
 b- had had
 c- had he
6- Who ______________ gone shopping with when you saw him?
 a- had
 b- had been
 c- had he
He hadn`t ____________ job for a while before he became an English teacher at -7
.EYES
  a- have
 b- had any
 c- having
8- When he _____________ home his brothers and sisters had already eaten
dinner.
 a- Comes
 b- comes
 c- came
9- For how long _____________ president of the U.S.A. before Obama won the
election?
 a- Bush had been
 b- Had bush
 c- had Bush been
Exercise 2:
Put the verbs into the correct form (past perfect simple).
1. The storm destroyed the sandcastle that we (build) ________________.
2. He (not / be) ________________________ to Cape Town before 1997.
3. When she went out to play, she (do / already) _________ her
homework.
4. My brother ate all of the cake that our mum
(make)________________________.
5. The doctor took off the plaster that he (put on) _____ six weeks before.
6. The waiter brought a drink that I (not / order) ___________________.
7. I could not remember the poem we (learn)___________ the week
before.
8. The children collected the apples that (fall)____________ from the tree.
9. He (call)______________ Shahla before he went to see her in London?
10.She (not / ride) _____________________ a horse before that day.
Exercise 3:
Put the verbs into the correct form (Past perfect simple tense)
1. When she (hear) the noise, she turned to see what it was.
2. When I saw her, I knew we (never meet) before.
3. When I looked at the lorry, I could see that somebody (drive) into the
back of it.
4. The movie (start already) when we arrived to the cinema.
5. The doctor examined her leg and (find) that she had broken it.
6. I was hungry because I (not eat) since breakfast.
7. I was frightened because the police (come) for my brother.
 8. I was feeling very thirsty because I (drink) too much alcohol the night
before.
9. I told him twice that I (not know) him.
10.I told him I didn’t know who (steal) his pen.
11.I paid for the window because my son (break) it.
12.I felt really stupid because I (make) a lot of mistakes.
13.I couldn’t get in because I (lose) my keys.
14.I (write) a long letter to my mother yesterday.
15.He told me he (never see) anything like that.
16.He told me he (never be) to Australia before.
17.He started to read the newspaper he (buy) an hour ago.
18.He (spend) three years in Tahiti when he was a child.
19.Before he came to Warsaw, he (live) in Prague.
20.After she (finish) breakfast, she left the house.
:Answers
Exercise 1. Exercise 2.

1. bought 1. had built.

2. gone shopping 2. had not been

3. called 3. had already done

4. had started 4. had make.

5. had been 5. had put on

6. had 6. had not ordered

7. had any 7. had learned

8. came 8. had fallen

9. had Bush been 9. had called

10. had not ridden

Exercise 3
1. had heard 2. had never met

3. had driven 4. had started

5. had found 6. had not eaten

7. had come 8. had drunk

9. had not known 10. had stolen

11. had broken 12. had made

13. had lost 14. wrote

15. had never seen 16. had never been

17. had bought 18. had spent

19. had lived 20. finished

Past Perfect Continuous Tense Exercises
:Exercise 1
Complete the sentences in the Past Perfect Progressive.
1. Laura needed a break because she (solving)______________________ past
perfect continuous tense exercises all morning.
2. When Lorraine moved to England, she (learn)__________ English for 12 years.
3. I did not go out last night because I (work)________________________ all day.
4. Orla felt fit for the marathon because she
(exercise)___________________________ a lot.
5. When I went to see Miss. Winter, her secretary told me that she
(speak)________________________on the phone for two hours.
6. You got sick because you (eat)_____________________________ all the time.
7. When the musician became director of the opera house, he
(live)__________________________ in this town for ten years.
8. We (go)_________________ out together for two years before I met his family.
9. The passengers (wait)_____________________ for four hours before the
ground staff could finally give them information on the delay of their flight.
10. When I noticed my mistake, I (drive)______for an hour in the wrong direction.
:Exercise 2
Complete the sentences using Past Perfect Continuous:
.She ________________________ (not/sit) at home for long before she went out .1
?Had ______________ (they/stay) in a hotel before they found a flat in Warsaw .2
.Mary _______________________________ (not/wait) long when he turned up .3
?How long ___________________(you/ learn) English before you took TOEFL .4
Jack _______(work) on the project for at least half an hour when the boss came .5
?Had ____________ (she/sing) for a long time when that crazy fan attacked her .6
?Why were you so hot when we met? _________________________(you/run) .7
.She ________________ (see) Mike for only six months before she married him .8
?Had ______ (you/think) about that problem before Tom started talking about it .9
.They ____________________ (not/fly) for a long time when the plane crashed .10
?Had__________(Mark/do) such kind of things before or was that the first time .11
.We ___________________________ (travel) all day before we got to Madrid .12
?in a garage? Why were you so dirty when I saw you )you/work( ___________ .13
.They ____ (not/practice) the piano for long before they were ready to perform .14
?Had ______ (she/train) guide dogs for a long time before she changed her job .15
.My friends _______________ (not/drink) alcohol before they went to that club .16
?Had ___________(Maria/drive) for many hours when that accident happened .17
.The man _____________________________(not/paint) the walls all day long .18
.It ________________________________(not/rain) before we went out .19
?Why __________________ (you/behave) so strangely before I talked to you .20
:Exercise 3
A) Make the past perfect continuous positive sentences:
.I ______________________________(work) all day, so I didn’t want to go out .1
.She ____________________________(sleep) for ten hours when I woke her up .2
.They __________________(live) in Beijing for three years when he lost his job .3
.When we met, you _________________ (work) at that company for six months .4
.We (eat) __________________________________ all day, so we felt a bit ill .5
.He was red in the face because he ___________________________(run) .6
.It _____________________________(rain), and the road was covered in water .7
.I was really tired because I _________________________________(study) .8
.We _________________________(go) out for three years when we got married .9
:B) Make the past perfect continuous negative sentences
.I ________________________________ (not / work) there long when she quit .1
.She ______________________________ (not / work) but she was tired anyway .2
.It ___________________________________ (not / rain) long when I got home .3
.He was in trouble with the teacher because he___________ (not / go) to classes .4
.We _____________ (not / live) in London for three years when we got married .5
.Although it was hot in the kitchen, Julie __________________ (cook) for hours .6
.I ____________________not / sleep) long when there was a knock on the door .7

Answers
Exercise 1. Exercise 2. Exercise 3.

1. had been solving 1. had not been sitting (A)

2. had been learning 2. they been staying 1. had been working

3. had been working 3. had not been waiting 2. had been sleeping

4. had been exercising 4. had you been learning 3. had been living

5. had been speaking 5. had been working 4. had been working

6. had been eating 6. she been singing 5. had been eating

7. had been living 7. had you been running 6. had been running

8. had been going 8. had been seeing 7. had been raining

9. had been waiting 9. you been thinking 8. had been studying

10. had been driving 10. had not been flying 9. had been going

11. Mark been doing Part (B)

12. had been traveling 1. had not been working

13. Had you been 2. had not been working

 working

14. had not been

practicing 3. had not been raining

15. she been training 4. had not been going

16. had not been

drinking 5. had not been living

17. Maria been driving 6. had been cooking

18. had not been painting 7. had not been sleeping

19. had not been raining

20. had you been

behaving

Simple Future Tense

In simple future tense, verb describes the action in future time. For this, you
should know the forms of verb. We use modal verb shall / will in simple future
tense.
Formation of Simple Future Tense
The form of this sentence is as;
 Subject + shall/ will + be + remaining words
 Subject + shall/ will + have + remaining words
 Subject + shall/ will + main verb (base form) + remaining words)
Keep in mind that-
 We use shall for first person that is for I and we.
 Will for second and third persons.
Affirmative Sentences-
We know that, affirmative sentence is a positive sentence. We shall see these
sentences.
Examples of Simple Future Tense
We have the examples of forming simple future tense in categories using-

 be
 have
 main verb
Formation using ‘be’
In these sentences, we use 'be' with modal. Let’s have some examples.

Have a look-

 I shall be there at right time.

 We shall be there at right time.
 You will be there at right time.
 He will be there at right time.
 She will be there at right time.
 It will be there at right time.
 They will be there at right time.
Formation using ‘have’
We use have with modal in this tense. Let’s have some examples.

Have a look-

 I shall have a desktop.

 We shall have a desktop.
 You will have a desktop.
 He will have a desktop.
 She will have a desktop.
 It will have a desktop.
 They will have a desktop.
Formation using main verb
In these examples, we take modal with base form of main verb. Main verbs are in
bold letters.

 She will arrive there on tomorrow.

 They will borrow a bike for one day.
  She will join another company next week.
 I shall give her a photo frame on her birthday.
 She will shoot me an email to inform me about the rules of the company.
 I shall submit all documents at the end of this month.
 We shall provide all information about the case till Monday.
 You will get your tickets tomorrow.

The past and present tenses are well-defined whereas the future can be expressed in
many ways. Hence the future is usually referred to as the Future Time rather than
the Future Tense.

Future time can be expressed

Future time can be expressed using will, shall.

I shall leave for Paris tomorrow.

Future time can be expressed in the GOING TO form.

I am going to leave for Paris tomorrow.

Future time can be expressed as simple present.

I leave for Paris tomorrow.

Future time can be expressed as present continuous.

I am leaving for Paris tomorrow.

As you can see, all these forms express the same idea. However, each of these
forms is used to express the future in slightly different ways.

WILL / SHALL

We use the WILL or SHALL form of the Future Time when…

we decide to do something at the time of speaking.

For example :
I am running fever today, I will tell my teacher that I will not go to school today.

we are talking about something that is already decided or is certain to happen.

For example :

Look at the clouds that have gathered, it will definitely rain very soon.

the speaker is expressing his or her views. Quite often such sentences have the
words, ‘I think’, ‘I do not think’, ‘I am sure’, ‘I am not sure’, ‘I feel’, ‘I do not
feel’, and so on.

For example :

The workers have dug such a deep hole in the middle of the road, I do not think
they will be able to fill it up by this afternoon.

we offer to do something.

For example :

Come here, I will plait your hair for you.

we promise to do something.

For example :

I am sorry Ma’am, I will not play such a prank again.

we ask somebody to do something.

For example :

Will you please turn the volume down? I cannot study with the music blaring like
this.

Fill in the blanks with WILL or SHALL form of the verbs given in the brackets.


1. Jamuna will cook for the guest today as it is her turn to do so.
2. May I borrow your pencil? I shall return it at the end of this class.

3. Geeta, will you sing the national anthem at the assembly today?

4. Mohan will be the first runner while I shall be the last runner of the team.

5. You better hurry. The bus will leave in five minutes.

6. After the crops are sown, the farmers will open the gates of the canal.

7. Do not worry that you have missed the bus. Father will take you by car to
school.

8. Shall I open the door now or after half an hour?

9. The dog is looking sick. Shall I take it to the veterinary

immediately?

10. During the monsoons the roads will get flooded if we do not clean
the gutters regularly.

We use the WILL or SHALL form of the Future Time with GOING
TO.

We use the GOING TO form to express future time when we have

decided to do something in the near future.

For example :

I am going to exercise regularly from tomorrow.

We use the GOING TO form to express future time when we make a

prediction about a future event.

For example :

The year 2222 is going to be a very interesting year.

Few sentences with GOING TO…

 1. If we are not careful, the forests are going to disappear in the next
fifty years.

2. With the rising costs, the middle class is going to have a tough time
making ends meet.


3. The new reporter announced that the schools are going to hold the exams
late this year.

4. The cyclists are going so fast that there is going to be an accident.

5. We have decided that we are going to hold a concert every year.

The simple present is used to express future rime when we are talking about
timetables, programmed or schedules.

For example :

I fly into Mumbai at noon and then speak at the seminar at 4:00 p.m.

The simple present is used to express future rime when one action depends
upon another.

For example :

If you come early, we will be able to play.

The present continuous is used to express future time when we are talking
about actions that are already planned.

For example :

After graduation, he is going to marry Jayanti and settle down in Goa.

Note : While using this form, we usually provide some word that expresses a
time frame.

For example : Tomorrow. I will be teaching you how to plant the seeds.
 By next year, you will be planting saplings too.

1. Our tour operator has informed us that we will start the journey at
Chandigarh. We will travel by car, taking the road that passes through the
mountains. Finally, we are going to board the bus to reach Manali.

2. Diva has decided that she will join the army as a captain when she grows
up.

3. Keep quiet now, the band is going to perform any moment now.

4. The teacher says that she is going to distribute the worksheets in five
minutes.

5. The circus has come to town! The acrobats will swing from ropes high
above the ground and the animals are going to do many tricks. It will be
great fun!
Contractions with the Simple Future Tense
Be aware that in speech and writing (particularly informal writing), it is common
for will to be shortened to 'll. This is especially common when will follows
a personal pronoun (e.g., I, he, she).
 I will > I'll
 he will > he'll
 she will > she'll
 it will > it'll
(This is not as common as the others.)
 you will > you'll
 we will > we'll
 they will > they'll
 who will > who'll
(This is not as common as the others.)

Getting Some Emphasis in There

Be aware that will can be stressed for emphasis. For example:
 When will the cake be ready?
 I can tell you now. She will be accepted.
 (When looking for emphasis, you can't use the shortened versions. In
other words, you can't use "she'll" in this example if you want to
stress the word "will" for emphasis.)
With the negative version, the "not" is stressed. As before, you can't use the
shortened version.
 I will not tolerate sloppy drills.
(You can't use "I'll not" or "I won't" if you want to stress the word
"not" for emphasis.)
Future Progressive Tense
The future progressive tense is an English verb tense. It indicates an action that
will occur over a period of time at some point in the future.

The future progressive expresses events that will last for a duration of time at some
point in the future. It is also called the future continuous tense.

The future progressive tense is also used in the future perfect progressive.

The Future Progressive Tense refers to an action that will be in progress at a

certain point in tie in the future. The focus of progressive tenses is on the
continuity of the action, therefore, Future Progressive often refers to an unfinished
action.
 Projecting ongoing events to a specific point in time in the future
The Jetsons will be joining us for dinner tonight.
This time next week they will be sitting on the plane.
I’ll be staying with local host families in China.
He’ll still be working on his assignment in an hour.
 Predictions about the future
I’ll be missing you so much when you leave.
You’ll be living on the streets if you don’t get a job soon.
 Asking about plans in the future
Will you be bringing your girlfriend to the party?
Will she be attending the evening classes?
Will I be driving with you to the park?

Structure of Future Progressive

Subject + will + be + Progressive Participle of Main Verb+ Object
The Future Progressive Tense puts the progressive aspect in a future form. As in
the Simple Future Tense, future is expressed by the auxiliary verb ‘will’ that must
be followed by a verb in bare infinitive. Remember that ‘will’ doesn’t need to be
conjugated. To express progression, we’ll need the auxiliary verb ‘to be’ in first
form which is ‘be’. Similarly, to other progressive tenses, the action verb will
follow ‘to be’ in progressive participle form.

I will be sleeping
You will be sleeping
He / She / It will be sleeping
We will be sleeping
You will be sleeping
They will be sleeping
Making the Future Progressive Negative

As in case of Simple Future Tense, the negative form is created by combining

‘will’ and ‘not’ to ‘won’t’. The rest of the structure stays unchanged. Remember to
use the short version in an informal and the long version in formal context. The
negative of Future Progressive is formed as follows:

Subject + won’t / will not + be + Progressive Participle of Main Verb

Examples:
I won’t be sleeping when you come home.
She won’t be driving with us.
We won’t be reviewing any grammar during class today.

Yes/No Questions in Future Progressive

In the English language, questions are usually formed by switching the (first)
auxiliary verb and the subject. For example:

She can speak English. → Can she speak English?

The same logic applies in Future Progressive, as ‘will’ is also a modal verb like
‘can’ in the above-mentioned example. Just switch ‘will’ and the subject.

No, I will be watching TV. → Will you be walking the dog when I come home?
You will be helping me with the laundry. → Will you be helping me with the
laundry?
This song will be playing in the background during the wedding. → Will this song
be playing at the wedding?

Open-Ended Questions in Future Progressive

To form open-ended questions, simply put the question word to the beginning of
the sentence. The word order following the question word remains the same as in
case of yes/no questions. For example:

What will you be doing when I come home?

What will I be doing?
What song will be playing in the background?

Typical Adverbs of the Future Progressive

Tomorrow / tonight etc., at (6) pm/am/o’clock, next week / year, still, on Monday /
Tuesday etc.
Note that in time clauses beginning with while, when, before, after, if and unless,
the correct form of the verb is in present tense.

Some examples:
I’ll be making dinner when you come home.
Will you be coming to class on Thursday?
I’ll be hanging out alone unless you join me.
What will you be doing this time next week?
Mom will be cleaning up while you finish studying.

Uses of the Future Progressive

:The future progressive has several functions. It can be used to express
 future actions in progress
This refers to actions that will occur at some point in the future. These actions will
last for a period (duration) of time.
 I will be reading.
 They will be finishing school soon.
 We will be living in San Francisco.
 You will be bargaining.
 future actions in progress (negative)
 This refers to actions that will NOT occur at some point in the future.
 To form the future progressive in the negative form, “not” is added
between “will” and “be.”
  To form the future progressive (negative)
 Subject + will not be + present participle
 Examples
 He will not be graduating.
 You will not be going to the dance.
 They will not be eating with us.
 We will not be arriving on time.
 future interrogatives of duration
 This refers to actions that may or may not be occurring over a period
of time in the future.
 To form the future interrogative (question), the subject is placed
between “will” and “be”
 To form the future interrogative (question)
 Will + subject + be + present participle?
 Examples
 Will you be calling?
 Will they be eating?
 Will he be going?
 Will we be attending?

Simple Future Tense Exercises

Exercise 1:
1. He will _____________ to Jalalabad next week.

a. go
b. goes
2. We are _______________ graduate successfully from EYES, Insha’Allah.

a. will
b. going to
3. Is he _______________ come here tomorrow?

a. will
b. going to
4. Am ______________ going to see you again?

a. they
b. I
5. What _______________ buy tomorrow?
 a. you will
b. will you
6. Where ______________ he going to go next month?

a. will
b. is
7. Which ________________ they live in?

a. will
b. city will
8. Is she going to participate the meeting?

a. Yes, she is.

b. Yes, she will.
9. Who __________________ help us improve our country?

a. going to
b. will
10. Who _______________ go shopping with?

a. will
b. will you
11. Who is _______________ meet tomorrow?

a. going to
b. he going to
12. Who is ________________ meet Jalal and John the day after tomorrow?

a. she going to
b. going to
Exercise 2:
Section 1: Write positive sentences in the future with (will).
1. (I/do/this/later) ___________________________________________.
2. (we/go/shopping) __________________________________________.
3. (the/sun/shine) ____________________________________________.
4. (Peter/call/you) ____________________________________________.
5. (they/be/there) _____________________________________________.
Section 2: Complete the sentences in the future with (will).
1. It (rain/not) ______________________________________________
2. I promise I (be/not) _____________________________________ late.
3. We (start/not) __________________to watch the film without you.
 4. The bus (wait/not) __________________________________for us.
5. He (believe/not) __________________________________________
Section 3: Write questions in the future with (will).
1. (what/learn/they) __________________________________________?
2. (it/snow) _________________________________________________?
3. (when/you/come/home) _____________________________________?
4. (she/forgive/me) ___________________________________________?
5. (what/say/he) _____________________________________________?

:Answers

1. go 2. going to 3. going to 4. I 5. Will you 6. Is

7. City will 8. Yes, she will 9. Will 10. Will you 11. Going to

12. Is she going to

Section 1. Answers:
1. I will do this later.
2. We will go shopping.
3. The sun will shine.
4. Peter will call you.
5. They will be there.
Section 2. Answers:
1. It will not rain.
2. I promise I will not be late.
3. We will not start to watch the film without you.
4. The bus will not wait for us.
5. He will not believe.
Section 3. Answers:
1. What will they learn?
2. Will it snow?
3. When will you come home?
4. What will he say?

Future Continuous Tense Exercises

:Exercise1
1. He will be ______________ how to drive a car next week.
 a. learn
b. learned
c. learning
2. She is not _________________ missing the Morning Prayer anymore.

a. will be
b. going to
c. going to be
3. Will __________________ coming tomorrow?

a. be they
b. going to they
c. they be
4. Are you going to be __________________ a test tomorrow?

a. Take
b. taking
c. Taking
5. What _________________ buying at Finest next weekend?

a. he will be
b. he be will
c. will he be
6. Where ________________ learning English next winter?

a. he is going to be
b. will she be
c. you will be
7. Aren`t _____________________ watching a movie tonight?

a. you goanna be
b. will you be
c. going to you be
8. Who`s _____________________ be teaching us today?

a. he going to
b. going to
c. will he
9. Who`s ____________________ learning English from?
a. Jamal going to be
b. going to be
 c. going to he be
10. They_______________final in the capital.

a. will be playing
b. going to play
c. will playing
:Exercise 2
Put the verbs into the correct form (future progressive).
1. Tomorrow morning, we (work).
2. This time next week, we (have) a party.
3. At midnight, I (sleep).
4. This evening, we (watch) a talk show.
5. They (not/do) their homework this afternoon.
6. He (listen) to music.
7. I (read) a book this evening.
8. (walk / you) home this afternoon?
9. He (not/draw) tomorrow morning.
10. they (argue) again?
:Answers
Exercise 1. Answers:
1. learning
2. going to be
3. they be
4. taking
5. will he be
6. will she be
7. you goanna be
8. going to
9. Jamal going to be
10.will be playing
Exercise 2. Answers:
1. Tomorrow morning, we will be working.
2. This time next week, we will be having a party.
3. At midnight, I will be sleeping.
4. This evening, we will be watching a talk show.
5. They will not be doing their homework this afternoon.
6. He will be listening to music.
7. I will be reading this evening.
8. Will you be walking home this afternoon?
 9. He will not be drawing tomorrow morning.
10.They will be arguing again.

Future Perfect Tense

The future perfect tense refers to a verb tense which we use for actions that will be
finished before some other point in the future. Moreover, it has two different forms
which are ‘will have done’ and ‘be going to have done’.

They are not like simple future forms because future perfect forms are generally
interchangeable. For instance:

The movie will have ended by the time Riya returns from college. At three o’clock
I will have left.

Thus, you see how the future perfect tense is for when we talk about an action that
will be completed between now and some point in the future. Let’s say that your
aunt, Ruby, asks you to look after her dog for a few days while she goes abroad.

She asks you to come over today at noon so you can see where to find the dog food
and how to give it in which quantity so that Tommy will get healthy amounts of food.
However, as you’re not free this afternoon, you ask aunt Ruby if you can visit her at
nine o’clock tonight instead.

“No, that won’t work! At nine o’clock I will have left already,” she says.

Thus, you see the future perfect tell us that Ruby is going to leave for abroad
sometime after right now, but before a particular point in the future (nine o’clock
tonight). She probably shouldn’t have waited until the last minute to find a sitter for
her dog.

Examples of the Future Perfect Tense

Here are a few examples to show you how to use the future perfect tense in
.sentences
Referring to an action or event will be over within a certain time in the future
.Harry will have planted all the saplings in the garden by 4 p. m
.Lakshmi will have arrived by then
Referring to an action or event which will happen before another action or
event in the future
.The train will have left by the time you reach the station
The children are very smart. They will have learnt how to do it by themselves
.before we appoint someone else to teach them
Making a conviction about something that will or will not happen at a time in
the future
I don’t think Maithuna will have cleaned the house completely by the time we
.reach
Karishma and her friends will not have finished their work by Monday considering
.how things are going on now
Points to Remember When Using the Future Perfect Tense
Always keep in mind that the future perfect tense can be formed using
two auxiliary verbs (will and have) followed by the past participle of the main
verb. For example: They will have reached the station by eight in the morning.
Also, like you know, the past participle form of the verb can be formed by adding
‘ed’ to the end of the verb. However, this is not always the case. Irregular verbs
take different spelling patterns when used as a past participle. Check out the article
on irregular verbs for a detailed explanation and list of verbs and their past
participles.
Structure of the Future Perfect Tense
Positive
Negative
Interrogative
Negative Interrogative
Subject + will + have + past participle + the rest of the sentence
Subject + will + not + have + past participle + the rest of the sentence
Will + subject + have + past participle + the rest of the sentence
Will + subject + not + have + past participle + the rest of the sentence
(or)
Won’t + subject + have + past participle + the rest of the sentence

Uses of the Future Perfect Tense

You can also use the future perfect tense and the simple future tense interchangeably
sometimes. When you take a look at the sentences below, you will realize there is not
any real difference in meaning as the word before clears up the sequence of the
events:

Ruby will leave before you get there. Ruby will have left before you get there.

However, without prepositions like before or by the time that clears the sequence of
events. One must use the future perfect for showing what occurred first.

At six o’clock Ruby will leave. This shows that Ruby will wait until six o’clock to
leave.

At six o’clock Ruby will have left. This shows that Ruby will leave before six
o’clock.

The future perfect tense can be used when you want to speak about,

 An action or event that will be over before a certain time in the future.
 An action or event that will be over before another event in the future.

It is also used to express a conviction about something that will happen at a certain
time in the future.
In order to get a clear understanding, let us take a look at the uses of the future
perfect tense.

Completed Action Before Something in the Future

The future perfect will denote the idea that something will happen before another
action in the future. It may also indicate that something will take place before a
particular time in the future.

Examples:

 By next January, I will have received my degree.

 I am not going to have finished this exam at 2 o’clock.
  Ted is probably going to have finished the assignment by the time
he leaves this evening.
 By the time she gets home, he is going to have decorated the entire
house.
 How many cities are you going to have visited by the time you turn 40?

Look at the examples carefully and you will see that the reference points (given in
italics) are in simple present instead of simple future. It is because the interruptions
.are in time clauses, and one cannot make use of future tenses in time clauses
Duration Before Something in the Future
With non-continuous verbs and some non-continuous uses of mixed verbs, we make
use of the future perfect for showing that something will continue up until another
action in the future.

Examples:

 I will have been in New York for 2 months by the time I leave.
 By Sunday, Kat is going to have had my laptop for a month.

Not Using the Future Perfect Tense

We must use the future perfect tense only for actions that will be complete before a
particular point in the future. This is why the action you are talking about should
have a deadline. If there isn’t any mention of a deadline, make sure to use the simple
future tense instead of the future perfect tense.

Correct- Ruby will leave.

Incorrect- Ruby will have left.

The deadline may be very specific (six o’clock) or it can be vague (next month). It
can also depend on when something else takes place (after the movie ends). It just
has to be some time in the future.

Making the Future Perfect Negative

It is very simple to make a negative future perfect construction! You just have to
insert not between will and have.

They will not have eaten lunch before they get to the movies tomorrow afternoon.

They will not have finished reciting the poem before the play.

Moreover, we can also use the contraction won’t instead of will not. They won’t
have finished reciting the poem before the play.

Adverbs that can be used with the Future Perfect Tense

Since the future perfect tense should always have a time frame, you need to know
what kind of adverbs can be used to indicate the time frame. Given below is the list
of adverbs.

 Before
 By the time
 By (a specific time)
 When
 After
 By (date/year)
 By then
 Until
 By the end of
 Till
 By the year 2022

Simple Future Tense Vs Future Perfect Tense

For most English language learners, there is always a confusion of whether to use
the simple future tense or the future perfect tense. Well, that confusion ends now.
Look at the table below to learn the difference between the two tenses.

Simple Future Tense Future Perfect Tense

Used when you want to speak Used when you want to speak about an action or event
about an action or event that will that will take place at a certain time in the future before
take place at some time in the another action or event.
 Simple Future Tense Future Perfect Tense

future.

Can be used to refer to actions Can be used to show the sequence of events or actions
that happen in the future. that happen before a specific time in the future clearly.
Also, to speak about an action that happens before
another action in the future.

Example: Diana will Example: Diana will have reached home by Monday.
reach home on Monday.

Future Perfect Continuous Tense

We use The Future Perfect Continuous Tense to describe continuity of an action
.or a situation that will go on till the beginning of another future event

When we describe an action in the future perfect continuous tense, we are

projecting ourselves forward in time and looking back at the duration of that
activity. The activity will have begun sometime in the past, present, or in the
future, and is expected to continue in the future.
In November, I will have been working at my company for three years.
At five o’clock, I will have been waiting for thirty minutes.
When I turn thirty, I will have been playing piano for twenty-one years.

Forming Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Subject + will + have + been + verb (Ing)...

Affirmative Form
I will have been cooking for three years by 2018.

Subject + will not / won't + have + been + verb (Ing)...

Negative Form
I won't have been living here by 2019.

Will + subject + have + been + verb (Ing)...?

Question Form
Will she have been sleeping for an hour by 5?
 Won't + subject + have + been + verb (Ing)...
Negative Question
Won't they have been working for us for a year by next year?

How to form Affirmative (Positive) Sentences in Future Perfect Continuous

To form an affirmative (positive) sentence, we put the Subject first. After the
subject, we put the future form of the verb to have will have. Then we put the third
form of the verb to be been. Then the main verb with the -Ing ending. Then we can
add the rest of the sentence if needed.

Examples
a. Mr. Anderson will have been attending our course for a year by 2006.
b. I will have been practicing the piano for two years by 2007.
c. How long will you have been learning English by 2010?
c. How long will you have been living in this city by 2010?
e. My friends will have been cooking for an hour by the time we arrive.
f. Sam will have been living with us for five years by 2010.

How to form Interrogative (Question) Sentences in Future Perfect Continuous

To ask a question, we put the auxiliary verb will at the beginning. Then we put
the subject. Then have. Then we put the third form of the verb to be been. Then
the main verb with the -Ing ending. Then we can add the rest of the sentence if
.needed

By tomorrow, I will have been fixing my car for two days.

How long will you have been fixing the bike?

Where will he have been living?

She will have been quilting for five years by the end of this year.

Will you have been living in Japan for over a year when your language course is
over?
Is he going to have been married for over 5 years when his first child is born next
month?

How long will she have been living here by the time she leaves next year?
How long are you going to have been working by the time you finish?
By the time the guests arrive, how long will you have been cooking?
We can replace “How long” with other question words, but these are not very
common.

Who will have been taking care of the kids all day when we finally arrive home?
Nonaction Verbs Do Not Use the Future Perfect Continuous
Remember that nonaction verbs like to be, to seem, or to know are not suited to the
future perfect continuous tense. Instead, these verbs take the future perfect tense,
which is formed with will + have + past participle.

On Thursday, I will have been knowing you for a week. (incorrect)

On Thursday, I will have known you for a week. (correct)
I will have been reading forty-five books by Christmas. (incorrect)
I will have read forty-five books by Christmas. (correct)

Future Continuous vs. Future Perfect Continuous

If you do not include a duration such as "for five minutes," "for two weeks" or
"since Friday," many English speakers choose to use the Future Continuous rather
than the Future Perfect Continuous. Be careful because this can change the
meaning of the sentence. Future Continuous emphasizes interrupted actions,
whereas Future Perfect Continuous emphasizes a duration of time before
.something in the future. Study the examples below to understand the difference
.He will be tired because he will be exercising so hard
This sentence emphasizes that he will be tired because he will be exercising at that
.exact moment in the future
.He will be tired because he will have been exercising so hard
This sentence emphasizes that he will be tired because he will have been exercising
for a period of time. It is possible that he will still be exercising at that moment OR
.that he will just have finished

Future Perfect Tense Exercises

:Exercise 1
Fill in the verbs in parentheses in future perfect tense.
1) Anne____________________________________ her bike next week. (repair)
2) We____________________________________ the washing by 8 o’clock. (Do)
3) She________________________________ Paris by the end of next year. (Visit)
4) I_____________________________________ this by 6 o’clock. (Finish)
5) Sam________________________________ by next week. (Leave)
6) She______________________________ this with her mother tonight. (Discuss)
7) The police_________________________________ the driver. (Arrest)
8) They_________________________________ their essay by tomorrow. (Write)
9) Paolo ______________________________________ the teams. (Manage)
10) If we can do that – then we_________________________ our mission. (Fulfil)
:Exercise 2
Make sentences in the future perfect tense:
1) I_______________________________________ (leave) by six.
2) Will ___________________________ (you/finish) the report by the deadline?
3) When _________________________________ (we/do) everything?
4) She ________________ (finish) her exams by then, so we can go out for dinner.
5) You_______________________________ (read) the book before the next class.
6) She ____________________________________ (not/finish) the work by seven.
7) When_____________________________________ (you/complete) the work?
8) They ____________________________________ (arrive) by dinner time.
9) We _________________________ (be) in London for three years by next week.
10)______________________________________ (she/get) home by lunch time?
:Exercise 3
Make sentences in the future perfect tense.
1) _________________________________ (you/do) everything by seven?
2) We _______________________ (not/eat) before we come, so we’ll be hungry.
3)___________________________ (he/finish) his exams when we go on holiday?
4) __________________________________ (we/arrive) by the time it gets dark?
5) How long _______________ (you/know) your boyfriend when you get married?
6) He_________________________________ (not/complete) the project by July.
7) I ________________________________ (not/finish) the essay by the weekend.
8) Why ________________________________ (she/finish) the cleaning by six?
9) How long ____________________ (you/be) in this company when you retire?
10) They ________________________________________ (not/go) at six.

Answers
 Exercise 1. Exercise 2. Exercise 3.

1. will have repaired 1. will have left 1. Will you have done

2. will have done 2. you have finished 2. will not have eaten

3. will have visited 3. will we have done 3. He will have finished

4. will have finished 4. will have finished 4. Will we have arrived

5. will have left 5. will have read 5. will you have known

6. will have discussed 6. will not have finished 6. will not have completed

7. will have arrested 7. will you have completed 7. will not have finished

8. will have written 8. will have arrived 8. will she have finished

9. will have managed 9. will have been 9. will you have been

10. will have fulfilled 10. will she have gotten 10. will not have gone

Future Perfect Continuous Tense Exercises

:Exercise 1
Put the verbs into the correct form (future perfect progressive).
1. By the end of the week, I (work) will have been working here for four months.
2. By the end of this month, we (live)______________________ together for six
years.
3. By the end of the term, she (study)____________________________ for nine
years.
4. By midnight, we (play)______________________ this computer game for 48
hours.
5. She (talk) __________________________ on the phone for the last couple of
hours.
6. They (look for) _______________________________________ me all night
long.
7. He (play)________________________________________ soccer all day long.
8. You (watch)___________________________________________ TV all the
time.
9. He (not / sleep) _________________________________________ all morning.
10. (wait / they) __________________________________________ for 2 hours?

:Exercise 2
(A) Fill in the correct form of the verb.
1- The potatoes for 20 minutes now. (To cook)
2- The man here for 20 years. (To work)
3- The pupils at the bus stop since 1 pm. (to stand)
4- Ben English for years. (To learn)
5- Lucy with her friends for hours. (To chat)
(B) Write positive sentences, questions or negative sentences.
1- for – hours – will – have – been – He – resting.
2- have – calling – been – Jake – now – for – hours – two – Won´t?
3- a – long – time – sitting – have – will – been – there – Ben – for.
4- won´t – have – been – waiting – He – for – anyone.
5- there – for – 20 – minutes – The – taxi – standing – will – have – been.

:Exercise 3
Make the future perfect continuous. Choose the positive, negative or question
form:
1. I _______________ (work) all weekend, so I won’t be energetic on Sunday
night.
2. How long ________ (you / wait) when you finally get your exam results?
3. Julie _____________ (not / eat) much, so we’ll need to make sure she has a
good meal when she arrives.
4. How long ____________ (she / plan) to move her house when she finally
moves?
5. ________________ (she / wait) long by the time we get there?
6. _______________ (he / play) computer games for ten hours when he finally
stops?
7. They _________________(study) all day, so they’ll want to go out in the
evening.
8. They ____________________ (not / stay) in the hotel for long when she arrives.
9. I _____________________ (not / walk). When I meet you, I’ll have been
cycling.
10. She __________________ (play) squash, so she won’t be dressed up.
11. We ________________________ (look) at houses for four months next
Tuesday.
12. We _______________ (not / do) this project for long when the inspector
arrives.
13. How long __________________ (you / work) on this project when it is
finished?
14. __________________________ (you / buy) clothes when I see you?
15. He ____________ (not / do) much work, so he’ll be happy to start a new
project.
16. How long ___________________ (the children / sleep) in the living room
when their new bedroom is ready?
17. How long ________________ (he / train) when he enters the competition?
18. _____________________ (you / take) exams when we meet?
19. I _________ (answer) students’ questions all morning, so I’ll want a quiet
lunch.

:Answers

Exercise 1. Exercise 3. Exercise 3.

1. will have been 1. will have been

working working 11. will have been looking

2. have you been 12. will not have been

2. will have been living waiting doing

3. will have been 3.will not have been 13. will have you been
studying eating working

4. will have been 4. will she have been 14. Will you have been
playing planning buying
 5. will have been 5. Will she have been 15. will not have been
talking waiting doing

6. will have been 6. will she have been 16. will the children been
looking for playing sleeping

7. will have been

playing 7. have been studying 17. will he been training

8. will have been 8. will not have been 18. Will you have been
watching studying taking

9. will not have been 9. will not have been 19. will have been
sleeping walking answering

10. Will they have been 10. will have been

waiting playing
Answers to Exercise 2.
(A)
1. The potatoes are going to have been cooking for 20 minutes now.
2. The man is going to have been working here for 20 years.
3. The pupils are going to have been standing here at the bus stop since 1
PM.
4. Ben is going to have been learning English for years.
5. Lucy is going to have been chatting with her friends for hours.
(B)
1. He will have been resting for hours.
2. Won’t Jake have been calling now for two hours?
3. Ben will have been sitting there for a long time.
4. He will not have been waiting for anyone.
5. The taxi will have been standing there for 20 minutes.

Sentence
A sentence is a specific arrangement of words that, when spoken, conveys an entire
thought. The first word in the sentence should be capitalized and followed by
.appropriate punctuation to ensure it does not continue without meaning
Sentences are the building blocks of all languages. A sentence has a subject and
.predicate, which means it can make sense as an idea on its own
This guide will teach you about the different types of sentence structure and
.function. You'll also find plenty of examples for understanding each type better
Or
A sentence is the largest unit of any language. In English, it begins with a capital
.letter and ends with a full-stop, or a question mark, or an exclamation mark
The sentence is generally defined as a word or a group of words that expresses a
.thorough idea by giving a statement/order, or asking a question, or exclaiming
:Example
He is a good boy (statement), Is he a good boy? (question), What a nice weather!
.(exclaiming)
Ideally, a sentence requires at least one subject and one verb. Sometimes the
subject of a sentence can be hidden, but the verb must be visible and present in the
.sentence. Verb is called the heart of a sentence
:Example
Do it. (In this sentence, a subject ‘you’ is hidden but verb ‘do’ is visible)
a group of words, usually containing a verb, that expresses a ]A sentence is[“
thought in the form of a statement, question, instruction, or
exclamation and starts with a capital letter when written.” - (Cambridge Advanced
Learner’s Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press.)
:In other words, a complete English sentence must have three characteristics
First, in written form, a sentence begins with a capital letter and ends with a period
(i.e., a full stop) [.], a note of interrogation (i.e., a question mark) [?], or a note of
.]![ exclamation (i.e., an exclamation mark)
.Second, it must express a complete thought, not fragmented
Third, it must contain at least one subject (hidden/visible) and one verb comprising
an independent clause. (An independent clause contains an independent subject
and verb and expresses a complete thought.)
Parts of sentence
Any meaningful sentence has two main components, as listed below.

1. Subject
2. Predicate
Subject
It answers the question “Who” or “What.”
Examples:

1. Priya is writing an article.

Here, Priya is the subject. It gives the answer to the question ‘Who is taking the
class?’
2. The water is not clean.
Here, ‘The water is the subject. It answers the question, ‘What is not clean?

Predicate
It provides information about the subject. It informs the intended audience about
the action taken by the subject. It is made up of at least one verb and an object.

Examples:

1) Swathi is taking the class.

Here, ‘is taking class’s is the predicate in this sentence as it talks about the subject
Swathi.
2) Students are learning French.
Here, ‘are learning French’ is the predicate in this sentence as it answers the question
‘What are the students learning.
Rules of writing of a sentence
Grammar Rules 20

Here are 20 simple rules and tips to help you avoid mistakes in English grammar.
For more comprehensive rules please look under the appropriate topic (part of
speech etc.) on our grammar and other pages.

1. A sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a period/full stop, a
question mark or an exclamation mark.

 The fat cat sat on the mat.

 Where do you live?
 My dog is very clever!

2. The order of a basic positive sentence is Subject-Verb-Object. (Negative

and question sentences may have a different order.)

 John loves Mary.

  They were driving their car to Bangkok.

3. Every sentence must have a subject and a verb. An object is optional. Note
that an imperative sentence may have a verb only, but the subject is
understood.

 John teaches.
 John teaches English.
 Stop! (i.e., You stop!)

4. The subject and verb must agree in number, that is a singular subject needs
a singular verb and a plural subject needs a plural verb.

 John works in London.

 That monk eats once a day.
 John and Mary work in London.
 Most people eat three meals a day.

5. When two singular subjects are connected by or, use a singular verb. The
same is true for either/or and neither/nor.

 John or Mary is coming tonight.

 Either coffee or tea is fine.
 Neither John nor Mary was late.

6. Adjectives usually come before a noun (except when a verb separates the
adjective from the noun).

 I have a big dog.

 She married a handsome Italian man.
 (Her husband is rich.)

7. When using two or more adjectives together, the usual order is opinion-
adjective + fact-adjective + noun. (There are some additional rules for the
order of fact adjectives.)

 I saw a nice French table.

  That was an interesting Shakespearian play.

8. Treat collective nouns (e.g., committee, company, board of directors) as

singular OR plural. In Brief a collective noun is usually treated as plural,
needing a plural verb and pronoun. In Brief a collective noun is often treated
as singular, needing a singular verb and pronoun.

 The committee are having sandwiches for lunch. Then they will go to
London. (Typically, BrE)
 The BBC have changed their logo. (Typically, BrE)
 My family likes going to the zoo. (Typically, AmE)
 CNN has changed its logo. (Typically, AmE)

9. The words its and it's are two different words with different meanings.

 The dog has hurt its leg.

 He says it's two o'clock.

10. The words your and you're are two different words with different
meanings.

 Here is your coffee.

 You're looking good.

11. The words there, there and there are three different words with different
meanings.

 There was nobody at the party.

 I saw their new car.
 Do you think they're happy?

12. The contraction he's can mean he is OR he has. Similarly, she's can
mean she is OR she has, and it's can mean it is OR it has, and John's can
mean John is OR John has.

 He is working
 He has finished.
 She is here.
  She has left.
 John is married.
 John has divorced his wife.

13. The contraction he'd can mean he had OR he would. Similarly, they'd can
mean they had OR they would.

 He had eaten when I arrived.

 He would eat more if possible.
 They had already finished.
 They would come if they could.

14. Spell a proper noun with an initial capital letter. A proper noun is a
"name" of something, for example Josef, Mary, Russia, China, British
Broadcasting Corporation, English.

 We have written to Mary.

 Is China in Asia?
 Do you speak English?

15. Spell proper adjectives with an initial capital letter. Proper adjectives are
made from proper nouns, for example Germany → German, Orwell →
Orwellian, Machiavelli → Machiavellian.

 London is an English town.

 Who is the Canadian prime minister?
 Which is your favorite Shakespearian play?

16. Use the indefinite article a/an for countable nouns in general. Use
the definite article the for specific countable nouns and all uncountable nouns.

 I saw a bird and a balloon in the sky. The bird was blue and the
balloon was yellow.
 He always saves some of the money that he earns.
17. Use the indefinite article a with words beginning with a consonant sound.
Use the indefinite article an with words beginning with a vowel
sound. see When to Say a or an

 a cat, a game of golf, a human endeavor, a Frenchman, a university (you-

ni-ver-si-ty)
 an apple, an easy job, an interesting story, an old man, an umbrella, an
honorable man (on-o-ra-ble)

18. Use many or few with countable nouns. Use much/a lot or little for
uncountable nouns. see Quantifiers

 How many dollars do you have?

 How much money do you have?
 There are a few cars outside.
 There is little traffic on the roads.

19. To show possession (who is the owner of something) use an apostrophe +

s for singular owners, and s + apostrophe for plural owners.

 The boy's dog. (One boy)

 The boys' dog. (two or more boys)

20. In general, use the active voice (Cats eat fish) in preference to the passive
voice (Fish are eaten by cats).

 We use active in preference to passive.

 Active is used in preference to passive.

?What Is a Sentence
A sentence is the most important unit in any language. The correct way to write a

sentence is to start with an uppercase letter and end with any punctuation mark.

You can end it with periods (.), exclamation marks (!), or question marks (?).
The sentence is defined as a larger group of words that are combined to form an

idea. This should be done through the use of statements, questions, or

exclamations.

A sentence consists of a subject and a predicate.

A subject announces in a serious tone of voice what the sentence is about. A

predicate declares how they feel or think about it.

Types of Sentences on the Basis of Function

To express your ideas effectively, you need to choose the right sentence type.

There are four types of sentences categorized by a purpose: declarative,

interrogatory, imperative, and exclamatory.

What Is a Declarative Sentence?

A declarative sentence is a sentence that makes a statement or expresses an

opinion. It can make a declaration that is either true or false depending on the

situation, and it should always end with a period.

Declarative Sentence Examples

 He is studying English.

 She owns a cat.

 This is my favorite book.

  He was born on June 12, 1990.

 He is watching a movie.

Or

What is a declarative sentence? The main goal of this type of sentence is to make a
statement. So, in a nutshell, any sentence that tells us something can be attributed
to this category. It doesn’t matter what kind of information it delivers, whether it is
a proven fact or a theoretical statement, the only thing that matters is if it declares
something – if it does, it is a declarative sentence.

The standard order of words in such sentences is as follows:

 Subject + verb + object… = where the subject is usually a noun or pronoun

(a person, thing, place, etc.); the verb is the action or state of being; and the
object is any word (or multiple words) that are influenced by the verb.

Example:

The girl (subject) lost (verb) her favorite doll (object).

As a rule, a declarative sentence ends with a period. Sentences that fit the
definition for being of declarative type, can be further categorized into two groups
– positive and negative. Respectively, the difference between them is whether you
intend to make a positive or negative statement:

Positive Negative

Jessica likes history lectures. Jessica does not like history lectures.

He plays on a football team. He doesn’t play on a football team.

Where are declarative sentences used most often, you might ask? This type of
sentence is the most common type of sentence. We use it in oral and written speech
whenever we intend to share some information. Therefore, declarative sentences
are widely used in all types of academic papers, written documents, dialogues, etc.

What Is an Imperative Sentence?

The imperative sentence is a request or command that should be taken seriously. It

should end with an exclamation mark or a period.

Or

What is an imperative sentence? The main goal of these sentences is to tell others
to do something, or, in other words, give a command. Imperative sentences can end
with either a period or an exclamation mark.

The word order and form of such a sentence are different from other types. It often
doesn’t have a subject, because an imperative sentence, by default, speaks to the
recipient or reader (if it is a written text). Generally, such sentences consist of a
base verb + any additional details.

These sentences can also be negative and positive, here are a few imperative
sentence examples to help you grasp the idea:

Positive Negative

Attend history lectures! Do not attend history lectures!

Join a football team. Don’t join a football team.

As for possible applications of imperative sentences, they are mostly used in oral
speech, or, if we are talking about writing, can be used in dialogues between
characters, or in the form of a “call to action” that encourages readers to do
something.

Imperative Sentence Examples

 Close the door.

 Do your homework.

 Stop it!

 Do not stop!

 Give him tea.

What Is an Interrogative Sentence?

Interrogative sentences ask questions. Punctuated with a question mark, they're

direct questions that require an answer from the listener.

Interrogative sentences usually start with pronouns or auxiliary verbs.

Or

Interrogative Sentence

What is an interrogative sentence? A declarative sentence aims to share

information, whereas an interrogative one strives to receive information.
According to the interrogative sentence definition, any sentence that asks a
question can be attributed to this category and will always end with a question
mark.
Unlike the other types of sentences, interrogative sentences have a different word
order:
(wh-word or how) + auxiliary verb + subject

Example:

Where (wh-word) is (auxiliary verb) Kate (subject)?

Similar to other types of sentences, interrogative sentences can be either positive or

negative. Here are a few interrogative sentence examples of both:

Positive Negative

Does Jessica like history lectures? Doesn’t Jessica like history lectures?

Did he play on a football team? Didn’t he play on a football team?

Where can you use this type of sentence? Generally, interrogative sentences can
have a variety of applications in your speech. However, when it comes to writing,
especially academic papers, questions don’t always fit in context. For example, if
you write a narrative essay, you will likely not be required to ask questions, as the
purpose of a narrative essay paper is to provide information, not to collect it.
Interrogative sentences are more commonly used in persuasive essays to encourage
readers to reflect upon or reinforce the effect of the author’s arguments (e.g. “Did
you know that…?”).

Interrogative Sentence Examples

 Where is the key?

 What is your favorite book?

 Whose cat is that?

  Are you hungry?

 What happened?

What Is an Exclamatory Sentence?

Exclamatory sentences express strong emotions, such as surprise or excitement. It

ends with an exclamation point.

Or

What is an exclamatory sentence? The last of the four sentence types is the
exclamatory sentence. It is used to express a strong surprise of emotion and always
ends with an exclamation mark.
Here are a couple of examples of how the basic order of words in such sentences
might look:

 What (+ adjective) + noun + subject + verb

 How (+ adjective/adverb) + subject + verb

For example: What wonderful (adjective) weather (subject)! or How generous

(adjective) you (subject) are (verb)!
Unlike previous types, exclamatory sentences do not have a negative form.
Look at these exclamatory sentence examples to see how they are formed:

 What a beautiful painting!

 I feel terrible!
 What an excellent idea it was to throw him a surprise party!
 How nice it was!

Exclamatory sentences express powerful emotions, and, respectively, strive to

evoke the same emotions in readers. In many cases, using this type of sentence in
academic papers is inappropriate. However, if you are writing a descriptive or
narrative essay, exclamatory sentences are great tools for helping your story to
become even more vivid by delivering the right emotions to the reader.

Exclamatory Sentence Examples

 How she lied!

 How good she sings!

 I love this book!

 I can’t believe he lost!

 Happy anniversary!

Extra Tips on Variety

What is the key to having the perfect writing style? Some may say it is a solid
vocabulary, others may not and suggest that it is being able to include an
abundance of details. Furthermore, people might suggest that it is the number of
ideas, examples, and arguments you include in your writing. But, if you put it all
together, it turns out that the true key to literary mastery is variety!

So, here is our best tip for empowering your writing – add more variety. It may
seem a bit tricky at first. But, as soon as you fully understand the concept behind
every sentence type and get a bit more comfortable with each, you can try
experimenting with them.

Here are some of the best tips on how you can use different types of sentences to
your benefit in writing:
 1. Make a hook with a question. The introduction of a paper should be
intriguing and engaging to make the reader want to continue reading. A good
way to draw attention is to put a hook, in the form of a question, at the
beginning of your introduction.

Example: “Have you ever thought how much benefit school uniforms can bring to
students?”

2. Use imperative sentences to establish the right guidance. The right

command, presented in the right tone, can have a powerful effect on readers
and stimulate their interest.

Example: “The way people thought of uniforms in schools has often been
controversial. Some like the idea of it, while others don’t. However, studies show
that uniforms have more pros than cons. Get ready to change your opinion!”

3. Try different word orders. Although we have shared some basic formulas
for shaping sentences with you in this article, they don’t necessarily always
have to follow the “subject + verb” scenario. In fact, changing the order of
words can occasionally add variety to your style and make your text look
and sound better.

Example: Instead of writing - “I know what it means to be a part of a large team,

so I know how hard it can be to find compromises.” Try using a different format -
“Knowing what it means to be a part of a large team, I do know how hard it can be
to find compromises.” See the difference?

4. Use a question to summarize key points. Here’s another way to use

interrogative sentences – put them at the beginning of a paragraph to create a
quick summary of your ideas.

Example: “What was the result of a study on the pros of uniforms? – that’s what
we are going to talk about.”
This trick will help you to create a smoother transition between paragraphs.

5. Use different structures. As a rule, most writing tips say the same thing –
“Keep it Simple!” While this advice makes sense, sometimes adding a bit of
 variety won’t hurt. To keep readers engaged, writers often use this trick.
They alternate simple, compound, and complex constructions. This tip helps
to significantly improve the readability of the text. The thing is that people
find it hard and tiring to read the same sentence types one after another.

What Is a Conditional Sentence?

A conditional sentence is a sentence that shows action and its consequence by

following an if-then structure.
Conditional Sentence Examples
 I will answer if she calls me.
 If you will clean, I will cook.
 If you sleep, you dream.
 If you are happy, I am happy.
 If it is raining, we don’t drive.

You can mix all these types of sentences to make your writing more interesting and
dynamic. This kind of sentence variety can improve the overall quality of your
writing.

Types of Sentences on the Basis of Structure

And if we categorize the sentences according to their function, there are four types
of sentences. These include simple, complex, compound, and compound-complex.

What Is a Simple Sentence?

A simple sentence is the most basic kind of sentence in the English language. It
consists only of a subject and verb, with nothing else to cloud its meaning or intent.
Simple Sentence Examples
 Christian waited for the bus.
 The bus was late.
 He opened the door.
 I don’t like coffee.
 Alex talks very fast.
What Is a Complex Sentence?

A complex sentence has at least one independent clause and one dependent clause.
The two clauses are different in that the first can be its own sentence, but the
second cannot because it relies on context from other sentences to make sense.
Complex Sentence Examples
 Because it started raining, the football match was canceled.
 I was hungry, so I ordered food.
 The cat jumped on his lap while she was having breakfast.
 He returned the laptop after he noticed it was not working.
 I want to eat something before I watch a movie.

What Is a Compound Sentence?

A compound sentence is a type of sentence based on at least two independent

clauses. It is generally separated by a comma, semicolon, or coordinating
conjunction.
Compound Sentence Examples
 Alex made the sugar cookies; Jessica decorated them.
 She said she was not there yesterday; many people saw her there.
 It was getting dark, and we weren't near the home yet.
 I like my job. I really enjoy going to work every day.
 He didn't want to go to the doctor, yet he went anyway.

What Is a Compound-Complex Sentence?

A compound-complex sentence is a sentence in which there are two or more

clauses and at least one dependent clause.
Compound-Complex Sentence Examples
 Micheal doesn’t like action movies because they are loud, so he doesn’t
watch them.
 He likes to sleep in, but he can get up early if he has work to complete.
 The cat sat down on top of the remote control.
  Sarah cried when her dog got sick, but he soon got better.
 Why did my professor yell at me? I got angry, so I quit.

SET 1: Sentence Structuring English MCQs – FAQ in GRE Test

1. Katie ______ at the grass in the garden?
A. is watching
B. is seeing
C. is washing
D. is looking
E. None of These.
?Bruce reads in bed _______ .2
A. Sometimes
B. Never
C. Always
D. Seldom
.E. None of These
.She hasn’t bought ________ mangos .3
A. some
B. any
C. much
D. a lot
.E. None of These
?Tim and Chris ________ home .4
A. they are in
B. they are at
C. are at
D. are in
.E. None of These
?There are ________ in the examination room but only one instructor .5
A. a lot of students
B. many people
C. a lot people
D. much students
.E. None of These
.The cat jumped ____ her .6
A. in
B. over
C. upon
.D. None of These
.Is this statement true? Till is used for time .7
A. Yes
B. No
.C. None of These
.Identify which type of sentence is this? You can wait here until Joey calls you .8
A. complex
B. compound
C. simple
.D. None of These
Identify which type of sentence is this? A group of students studied the problem .9
.and solved it in a few hours
A. complex
B. compound
C. simple
.D. None of These
?Identify complete sentence .10
.A. He closed his eyes
.B. Now and then
.C. The child in bed
.D. None of These
SET 2: Sentence Structuring English MCQs – FAQ in GAT Test
11. Which is the most suitable ending for the sentence? She ran all the way but …
A. She laughed.
B. She caught the train.
C. She missed the train.
D. None of These.
.The students in our college are ________ in other colleges .12
A. smarter than those
B. smarter
C. more smarter than
D. smarter than
E. None of These
.Write down ________ your roll number and name .13
A. either
B. both
C. not only
D. neither
E. None of These
.________ CNG burns not as much as efficiently than gasoline .14
A. should burn
B. burn
C. burns
D. would burn
E. None of These
.The woman __________ purse was stolen called the police .15
A. whom
B. which
C. who
D. whose
E. None of These
.__________ The mall is nearer to them than .16
A. ourselves
B. us
C. our self
D. we
E. None of These
.__________ Jonas takes his turn, and Josephine takes .17
A. himself
B. her
C. hers
D. herself
E. None of These
?Which one of the following is a complete sentence .18
.A. Over the bridge
.B. The train number 49
.C. It was late
.D. Both A&B
.E. None of These
Which one of the following is the best word to fill the gap in this sentence? Ali .19
.likes games ……. he likes dogs
A. or
B. and
C. but
.D. Both B&C
.E. None of These
Which one of the following is the best word to fill the gap in this sentence? Ali .20
.likes chocolates ……. he hates peanuts
A. but
B. or
C. when
.D. Both A&B
.E. None of These
SET 3: Sentence Structuring English MCQs – FAQ in NTS Test
21. Is Brett short?
A. No, he’sn’t.
B. Yes, he’s.
C. Yes, he is.
D. No, his not.
E. None of These.
22. Where’s the cat?
A. Its here.
B. It is near the window.
C. There is on a table.
D. He is under table.
E. None of These.
23. Chandler is looking at ________?
A. there
B. they
C. their
D. them
E. None of These.
24. Cardi works, but ________?
A. Irene works?
B. works Irene?
C. does Irene?
D. Irene does?
E. None of These.
25. Sabrina’s ________ street.
A. under
B. in the
C. into the
D. at the
E. None of These.
26. Which of the following phrases comes immediately after the noun?
A. Pronoun phrase
B. Verb phrase
C. Adverb phrase
D. Adjective phrase
E. None of These.
27. Every statement must have a _____ and a subject.
A. phrase
B. predicate
C. verb
D. noun
E. None of These.
29. Identify which type of dependent clause is in this sentence: The narrow streams
that run through this spot are full with fish.
A. noun clause
B. adverb clause
C. adjective clause
D. None of These.
30. Identify which type of dependent clause is in this sentence: When the leaves
start to fall, they will harvest the last of their crops.
A. noun clause
B. adverb clause
C. adjective clause
D. None of These.
:Exercise 2
Question: 1

Choose the one which conveys the meaning of the sentence correctly.

(A) I was impressed rather by the manner of the speaker than by his
matter.

(B) I was rather impressed by the manner of the speaker than by his
matter.
(C) I was impressed by the manner of the speaker rather than by his
matter.

(D) Rather I was impressed by the manner of the speaker than by his
matter.

Question: 2

Choose the one which conveys the meaning of the sentence correctly.

(A) It is too hard an essay for me to far attempt.

(B) Too far it is an essay hard for me to attempt.

(C) It is far too hard an essay for me to attempt.

(D) It is too far hard an essay to attempt for me.

Question: 3

Choose the one which conveys the meaning of the sentence correctly.

(A) The teacher asked the student to leave the room with a frown on his
face.

(B) With a frown on his face, the teacher asked the students to leave the
room.

(C) The teacher asked the students with a frown on his face, to leave the
room.

(D) The teacher asked with a frown on his face the student to leave the
room,

Answers
1. D
2. A
3. B
 4. C
5. A
6. C
7. A
8. A
9. C
10.A
11.C
12.A
13.B
14.C
15.D
16.B
17.C
18.C
19.B
20.A
21.C
22.B
23.D
24.C
25.B
26.D
27.B
28.A
29.C
30.B
Exercise 2 answers
1: Ans: C

I was impressed by the manner of the speaker rather than by his matter.

2: Ans: C

It is far too hard an essay for me to attempt.

3: Ans: B
With a frown on his face, the teacher asked the students to leave the
room.
Gerund
?What Is A Gerund? Definition And Examples
?What is a gerund
A gerund is a form of a verb that ends in -ing that is used as a noun. As you may
know, a verb is a word that refers to actions or states of being, and a noun is a word
that we use to refer to people, places, things, and ideas. A gerund is like a blend of
verbs and nouns. It looks like a verb, but it acts like a noun. For example, the
word swimming is an example of a gerund. We can use the word swimming in a
sentence as a noun to refer to the act of moving around in water as in Swimming is
fun. When used in sentences, gerunds are treated as third person singular nouns
.(like he, she, and it)
A gerund phrase is a phrase that includes the gerund, its objects, and its modifiers.
Because they are derived from verbs, gerunds can take objects or be modified
by adverbs. Just like noun phrases, gerund phrases are treated as nouns in
sentences. In the sentence I love carefully collecting action figures, the gerund
.phrase carefully collecting action figures is the direct object (phrase)
To turn a verb into a gerund, all you need to do is add -ing to the base form of a
verb. The base form is the form of a verb you will find if you look up a verb in
:our dictionary. When making a gerund, there are a few things to watch out for
Unless a verb ends in -ee or -ie, we drop the final -e in a verb before adding -ing as
.in joking, taking, and making
.If a verb ends in -ee, add -ing like normal as in agreeing, fleeing, and seeing
If a verb ends in -ie, replace it with –y before adding -ing as
.in lying (lie), tying (tie), and dying (die)
As with present participles, sometimes we double a final consonant when making a
gerund. For example, the gerund of run is running. Generally speaking, these are
:the rules of when to double a final consonant to form a gerund
If a one-syllable verb ends in consonant-vowel-consonant, double the final
.consonant, as in strumming, cutting, blurring, and spinning
.Rule 1 is ignored if the verb ends in –w or –y as in knowing or playing
For longer verbs that end in consonant-vowel-consonant, we only double the final
:consonant if the last syllable is stressed
Stressed: omitting, referring, forgetting
Unstressed: visiting, eliciting, fidgeting
List of gerunds
You can turn any verb you want (except a modal verb) into a gerund. Here is a list
:of gerunds formed from a variety of verbs
singing
meditating
cooking
being
having
dancing
philosophizing
Examples of gerunds in a sentence
:Let’s take a look at some sentences that use gerunds
 Baking is one of my favorite hobbies.
 She loves reading books to the children at the library.
 When it comes to hunting deer, nobody is better than Leroy.
 Katey much prefers playing with kittens to raising them.
 The movie star has a very strenuous fitness routine that
involves dieting, jogging, sprinting, running, and lifting weights.
How do gerunds function?
Just like nouns and noun phrases, gerunds and gerund phrases can be used in
several different ways in sentences. In general, there are four different ways that
we use gerunds: as subjects, subject complements, direct objects, and objects of
prepositions.
Gerunds as nouns
As stated already, gerunds look like verbs but behave like nouns. Likewise, gerund
phrases behave like noun phrases. In practice, this means that gerunds and gerund
phrases can be the subject of sentences/clauses or be the subject complement
connected to the subject by an auxiliary verb (helping verb). Let’s look at
examples of each of these ideas:
 Gerund as a subject: Sleeping is hard if you suffer from anxiety.
 Gerund phrase as a subject: Being rude to customers won’t earn you
many tips.
 Gerund as a subject complement: His favorite activity is reading.
 Gerund phrase as a subject complement: The thing she hated most
about school was getting up early.
Gerunds as objects
Just like nouns and noun phrases, gerunds and gerund phrases can be used
as objects in sentences/clauses. They can be used as both direct objects as well as
objects of prepositions:
 Gerund as a direct object: Helena has mastered fencing.
  Gerund phrase as a direct object: They hate mowing the lawn.
 Gerund as an object of a preposition: He quickly resorted to begging.
 Gerund phrase as an object of a preposition: Holidays are perfect
for visiting family.
Gerund vs. participle phrase
Gerunds have the exact same spelling as present participles of verbs. For example,
both the gerund and present participle of go is going. However, gerunds and
participles serve different functions in sentences. The biggest difference between
the two is that gerunds are used as nouns while present participles are not. Instead,
present participles are used to form the continuous verb tenses and are used
in participle phrases. Unlike gerunds, participle phrases are used as adjectives and
not nouns. For example, in the sentence Feeling confident, she sang with
.passion, the participle phrase feeling confident modifies the pronoun she

Infinitive
?What is an infinitive
An infinitive is a verb that functions as a noun, adjective, or adverb in order to
express an opinion, purpose of an object or action, or answer the questions who,
what, or why.
An infinitive usually begins with the word “to” and is followed by the base
form of a verb (the simple form of the verb that you would find in the dictionary).
Examples of infinitives include to read, to run, to jump, to play, to sing, to laugh,
to cry, to eat, and to go.
Remember that although infinitives are verbs, they do not function as verbs,
instead they are used as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. Let’s look at
Infinitives as Nouns
Remember that a noun is a person, place, or thing. When an infinitive is used as
the subject or direct object in a sentence, it functions as a noun.
The sentence’s subject performs the verb, while the sentence’s direct
object receives the verb.
:Example 1
.I love to sleep
”.In this sentence, the verb is “love
”.Who or what receives the action of being loved? The infinitive “to sleep
.This makes “to sleep” the direct object of the sentence
In this case, the infinitive functions as a noun that expresses an opinion. It could be
”.replaced with a person, place, or thing, as in, “I love pizza
:Example 2
.To help others is so important
”.In this example, we have the verb “is
”.Who or what is so important? The infinitive “To help
.In this case, the infinitive “to help” is the sentence’s subject
.This means that the infinitive functions as a noun in this sentence

Infinitives as Adjectives
An adjective is a word that modifies (adds to or describes) a noun. So, infinitives
function as adjectives when they modify or describe nouns in a sentence.
:Example
Joel wants a book to read.
 In this sentence, the verb is “wants” and the subject is the noun
“book.”
 We also see the infinitive “to read.” What is the purpose of “to read” in
this sentence?
 It describes the book; Joel isn’t looking for just any book, he’s looking
for a book to read.
 In this sentence, the infinitive functions as an adjective.
4. Infinitives as Adverbs
Adverbs modify or describe adjectives, verbs, or other adverbs. They provide
additional information about what, where, how, and to what extent or degree.
Sometimes adverbs also answer the question, “Why?”
Infinitives function as adverbs when they are used to give more information about
adjectives, verbs, or other adverbs in the sentence.
:Example 1
The students were excited to go on a field trip.
 In this sentence, the infinitive is “to go.”

 What is the purpose of “to go” in this sentence?

The infinitive “to go” gives us more information about the adjective
“excited”; it tells us what the students were excited about (going on a
field trip).
 In this case, the infinitive functions as an adverb.
:Example 2
Mom is going to the store to buy dinner.
  In this sentence, the infinitive is “to buy.”
 What’s the purpose of “to buy” in this example?
 The infinitive “to buy” gives us more information about the verb
“going”; it tells us why Mom is going to the store (to buy dinner).
 This is another example of how infinitives can function as adverbs.
5. Infinitives Without “To”
Almost always, infinitives begin with “to.” But infinitives lose the “to” when they
follow these verbs:
 Feel
 Hear
 Help
 Let
 Make
 See
 Watch
These verbs are followed by a direct object, then by an infinitive without the “to.”
:Example 1
When I heard the alarm clock ring, I knew it was time to get up.
 This sentence uses the verb “heard” followed by the direct object,
“alarm clock.”
 When infinitives follow the verb “heard,” they lose the “to.” We
wouldn’t say, “I heard the alarm clock to ring,” or, “I heard to ring.”
 So, “alarm clock” is followed by the infinitive “ring” without the “to.”
 For this reason, this sentence correctly uses the infinitive without the
“to.”
:Example 2
My mom helps me do my homework.
 This sentence uses the verb “helps” followed by the direct object “me.”

 When infinitives follow “helps,” they drop the “to.” In English, it

doesn’t sound correct to write, “My mom helps me to do my
homework,” or, “My mom helps to do.”
 So, “me” is followed by the infinitive “do” without the “to.”
  This is another correct example of using an infinitive without the word
“to.”
6. Can You Split Infinitives?
Usually, no other word should come between “to” and the base verb that follows it.
.When this does happen, you get a split infinitive
:For example, you might say
.Ryan hopes to quickly eat his dinner so he won’t miss his favorite show
”.In this case, the word “quickly” splits the infinitive “to eat
Some English teachers will tell you that you should never split an infinitive, while
others might tell you that it’s okay, especially in informal writing. When in doubt,
.simply avoid splitting the infinitive
:In the example above, you could avoid splitting the infinitive by instead writing
.Ryan hopes to eat his dinner quickly so he won’t miss his favorite show
Remember that infinitives are formed with the word to + the base form of a verb.
Although infinitives are formed using verbs, they don’t function as verbs in a
.sentence. Instead, infinitives can function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs

Infinitive exercises
Q 1 - The officials were planning ... the meeting but the investors were not
willing ... the discussion.
A - to postpone / to stop
B - postponing / stopped
C - to postpone / stopping
D - have postponed / to have stopped
Q 2 - The captain doesn’t mind ... a few runs if his bowlers can get a wicket.
A - giving
B - being given
C - to give
D - Gave
Q 3 - We would like ... to the party, if it’s not an issue.
A - having invited
B - having been invited
C - to be invited
D - to have been invited
Q 4 - Babies don’t easily get used to ... and cuddled by relatives.
A - picking up
B - being picked up
C - be picked up
D - pick up
Q 5 - I don't mind ... with a gift every now and then.
A - surprising
B - being surprised
C - to surprise
D - to be surprised
Q 6 - He must exercise more … up his muscles.
A - Build
B - To build
C - Building
D - Built
Q 7 - The driver looked like … impatient with the traffic.
A - Get
B - To get
C - Getting
D - Got
Q 8 - He is planning … out for dinner tonight.
A - Going
B - Gone
C - To go
D - To going
Q 9 - I will love … and visit you.
A - To come
B - Coming
C - To coming
D - Came
Q 10 - He decided … Engineering.
A - Studying
B - To study
C - Studied
D - To studying
Gerund exercises
Use gerunds in the following sentences:
Always check the oil, before you start the car :1
2. To praise all alike is to praise none
3. I cannot go on to do nothing
4. To amass wealth ruins health
5. To see is to believe
6. To give is better than to receive
7. To talk like this is foolish
8. She loves to sing songs
9. The miser hated to spend money
10. I am tired to wait
11. I like to read poetry
12. To walk is a good exercise
13.To teach grammar is very interesting
14. To talk loudly is bad maimers
15. He is glad to meet you
16. To read in poor light will affect the eyes
17. Rosy did not like to stay indoors during holidays
18. To say hundred words where none is called for is the mark of a successful
politician
19. He is afraid to hurt your feelings
20. Nobody really loves to work

Infinitive Answers
Answer: A :1
Explanation
An infinitive has the exact job as that of a gerund, however the difference is that
while a gerund is formed by using verb + "ing", infinitives are formed by using
"to" + verb/verb phrase.
Answer: A :2
Explanation
A gerund is used as a noun, but is formed by using verb/verb phrase + "ing". It is
not the main verb in a sentence and is used to mention the reasons of the action
taking place.
Answer: C :3
Explanation
An infinitive has the exact job as that of a gerund, however the difference is that
while a gerund is formed by using verb + "ing", infinitives are formed by using
"to" + verb/verb phrase.
Answer: B :4
Explanation
A gerund is used as a noun, but is formed by using verb/verb phrase + "ing". It is
not the main verb in a sentence and is used to mention the reasons of the action
taking place.
Answer: B :5
Explanation
A gerund is used as a noun, but is formed by using verb/verb phrase + "ing". It is
not the main verb in a sentence and is used to mention the reasons of the action
taking place.
Answer: B :6
Explanation
An infinitive has the exact job as that of a gerund, however the difference is that
while a gerund is formed by using verb + "ing", infinitives are formed by using
"to" + verb.
Answer: C :7
Explanation
A gerund is used as a noun, but is formed by adding an action-word with "ing". It
is not the main verb in a sentence and is used to mention the reasons of the action
taking place.
Answer: C :8
Explanation
An infinitive has the exact job as that of a gerund, however the difference is that
while a gerund is formed by using verb + "ing", infinitives are formed by using
"to" + verb.
Answer: A :9
Explanation
An infinitive has the exact job as that of a gerund, however the difference is that
while a gerund is formed by using verb + "ing", infinitives are formed by using
"to" + verb.
Answer: B :10
Explanation
An infinitive has the exact job as that of a gerund, however the difference is that
while a gerund is formed by using verb + "ing", infinitives are formed by using
"to" + verb.
Gerund answers
1. Ans: Always check the oil, before starting the car
2. Ans: Praising all alike is praising none
3. Ans: I cannot go on doing nothing
4. Ans: Amassing wealth ruins health
5. Ans: Seeing is believing
6. Ans: Giving is better than receiving
7. Ans: Talking like this is foolish
8. Ans: She loves singing songs
9. Ans: The miser hated spending money
 10.Ans: I am tired of wait waiting
11.Ans: I like reading poetry
12.Ans: Walking is a good exercise
13.Ans: Teaching grammar is very interesting
14.Ans: Talking loudly is bad manners
15.Ans: He is glad meeting you
16.Ans: Reading in poor light will affect the eyes
17.Ans: Rosy did not like staying indoors during holidays
18.Ans: Saying hundred words where none is called for is the mark of a
successful politician
19.Ans: He is afraid of hurting your feelings
20.Ans: Nobody really loves working
Introduction to Tag Questions
We hear tag questions every day, don’t we? Whether it is to initiate a new
conversation or to add further gusto to an already-started one, tag questions serve a
large variety of purposes in English. It’s not uncommon for business bosses and
managers to resort to tag questions when they want their orders and commands to
sound as less unpleasant as possible. What’s more? Add these beautiful language
tools to your request sentences, and you will see your request fulfilled almost
immediately and incontestably. In this lesson, we are going to take a closer look at
tag questions.

What Are Tag Questions?

Tag questions, also called question tags, are little questions added at the end of
statements. Having a tag question turns the statement into a question. Here’s the
basic rule for tag questions – a positive statement has a negative tag question and a
negative statement has a positive tag question.
Examples of Tag Questions
Edward lives in New Jersey, doesn’t he?
Claire is a science student, isn’t she?
Life is a short yet eventful journey, isn’t it?
The Wilsons aren’t selling the property, are they?
We aren’t traveling today, are we?
Stacy must attend the wedding, mustn’t she?
 I’m going to get a detailed plan, aren’t I?

The Verb in the Tag

If the main clause contains an auxiliary, a modal verb, or the verb to be, it’s pretty
straightforward to use the verb. All we do is simply take it from the main clause
and put it in the tag question.
Examples:
You’re in some corner of some city in some country, aren’t you?
We don’t have access to the food she cooked, do we?
We should wisely choose who we befriend, shouldn’t we?
In sentences where there are no auxiliary verbs, we use do / does / did just like
when we make a normal question.
Mom worked as a nurse during the 1990s, didn’t she?
You go jogging every day, don’t you?
Lisa cooks and eats, doesn’t she?

Purpose of Tag Questions

A more common tool in speaking than writing, question tags are primarily used to
make statements sound like questions. The idea behind using a tag question is our
expectation that the listener will agree with what we are saying. Below is an
interesting use of tag questions with examples.

Tag Questions for Polite Requests

The problem with requests is that many a time they don’t go down well with the
people we make them to. It’s important that we sound as polite as possible while
we request someone for some information or to get something done by someone.
Tag questions help make this process super-easy.
Examples:
You wouldn’t know where the post office is, would you?
We could ask the question the normal way and say, "Where is the post
office?". The problem is this is not very polite and may not attract a quick,
favorable reply from the person.
 Here’s another way we could phrase this request – "Do you know where the
post office is?". It makes quite a leap from the first sentence and sounds far
more polite and thoughtful. The problem that persists, though, is it is not polite
enough.
Now, if we introduce a tag question in the scenario and say, "You wouldn’t
know where the post office is, would you?", it is going to be music to the ears
of the person. Not only will they feel very positive about us, but they will also
immediately tell us all that they possibly know about the whereabouts of the
post office.
More Examples:
You don’t know where I can buy a nice pair of sports shoes, do you?
You couldn’t help me solve this problem, could you?

The Subject of a Tag Question

Most of the time, the subject in the tag question is exactly the same as the
statement, or it refers back to the subject in the main sentence.
Examples:
We have a tough task ahead, don’t we? (The subject in the tag question – we are
exactly the same as that in the statement –we.)
You are a little late today, aren’t you?

Anthony and Joshua go to the same fitness center, don’t they? (The subject in the
tag question – they – refers back to the subject of the statement – Anthony and
Joshua.)

Basic Rule of Tag Questions

Here is the simple basic rule that every tag question follows. If the statement is
positive, the tag question is negative. If the statement is negative, the tag question
is positive.
Examples:
Annette and Wendy are sisters, aren’t they? (A positive statement followed by
a negative tag question)
Annette and Wendy aren’t sisters, are they? (A negative statement followed by
a positive statement)
 Work starts tomorrow, doesn’t it? (A positive statement followed by a negative
tag question)
Work doesn’t start tomorrow, does it? (A negative statement followed by a
positive statement)
It was raining cats and dogs last night, wasn’t it? (A positive statement
followed by a negative tag question)
It wasn’t raining cats and dogs last night, was it? (A negative statement
followed by a positive statement)

When Have Is the Main Verb

If "have" is the main verb of a sentence, we can form its tag in two different ways.
While in American English the more accepted tag for such sentences is "don’t or
doesn’t + the subject+?", in British English, it is "haven’t or hasn’t + the subject
+?".
Examples:
The Andersons have a big bungalow, don’t they? (American English)
The Andersons have a big bungalow, haven’t they? (British English)
Kevin has a new bike, doesn’t he? (American English)
Kevin has a new bike, hasn’t he? (British English)

Special Rules in Tag Questions

Although the basic rule of tag questions — that a negative tag question follows a
positive statement and a positive tag question follows a negative statement — still
prevails, not everything is as simple as it looks in tag questions. We are now going
to dig deep into some important, different rules, which every student who wishes to
master the topic of question tags must know.

Tag Questions for Adverbs Like Seldom and Hardly

Sentences that contain adverbs such as seldom, hardly, barely, rarely,
and hardly are followed by positive tag questions. The idea is these words are
negative in meaning although they appear to be positive in construction.
Examples:
The hall is never open for the public, is it?
Zachary barely speaks Chinese, does he?
 People here rarely care about each other, do they?
Martin is seldom at home, is he?

Tag Questions for Imperatives

Most of the time, students have a tough time figuring out the correct tag question
for an imperative sentence. Imperative sentences are sentences that give orders or
invitations. The tags often used with imperatives are "will you?", "won’t you?",
"can you?", "can’t you?", or "would you?". Now, do we use each of these for every
imperative sentence as we please, or should we stick to certain rules while picking
one from the list? The answer is it all depends on how more or less polite or
friendly our tone is.
Examples:
Come on in, won’t you? (A polite invitation)
Help me prepare the salad, can you? (A quite friendly request)
Help me prepare the salad, can’t you? (A quite friendly request, but apparently
with a little bit irritation)
Shut down the computer, would you? (A quite friendly request)
Stop talking, will you? (An order, less polite)
Please, however, note that a negative imperative only takes a positive tag question.
Examples:
Don’t rush through it, will you?
Don’t get upset, will you?

Tag Questions for I am

The tag question from "I am" is "aren’t I?". Although this is an ungrammatical
construct in general English, it is accepted in tag questions.
Examples:
I am part of the team, aren’t I?
I am talking to Mr. Joseph, aren’t I?

Tag Question for Let’s

Sentences with "let’s" are also considered special while forming tag questions. The
question tag for such sentences is "shall we?".
Examples:
Let’s go out for dinner today, shall we?
Let’s get the work done first, shall we?

Tag Questions for There Is, There Are, There Will Be

For sentences with impersonal constructions such as "there is", "there are", and
"there will be", which show existence, we use "isn’t there?", "is there?", "aren’t
there?", "are there?", and so on as tag questions.
Examples:
There is a shoe store nearby, isn’t there?
There isn’t a shoe store nearby, is there?

Right? and Yeah? – Universal Tags

In very informal English, it is acceptable to use the words – right and yeah – as
simple tags.
Examples:
So, you’re not coming to the party, right?
Sharon will be here by 6, yeah?
Remember these words are used only in very informal cases and never
otherwise.
Exercises of tag questions
Q.1 It is raining.

a) Is it?

b) Isn’t it?

c) Has it?

d) Is not it?
Q.2 He likes cricket.

a) Isn’t he?

b) Does he?

c) Doesn’t he?

d) Is he?

.Q.3 Remember to lock the door

a) Will you?

b) Shall not you?

c)Won’t you?

d)Haven’t you?

.Q.4 She hardly knows you

A) Don’t she?

B) Does she?

C) Is she?

D)Doesn’t she?

.Q.5 Everyone can’t come in first

a) Can’t they?

b) Did they?

c) Can they?

d) Couldn’t they?
Q.6 None of us knew the way.

1. Do we?
2. Didn’t we?
3. Could we?
4. Did we?
.Q.7 I am intelligent
1. Aren’t I?
2. Am I?
3. Amn’t I?
4. Isn’t it?

,Q.8 Some of you are learning French

1. Are you?
2. Aren’t you?
3. Did you?
4. Do you?
Q9. He isn’t my brother.
1. Is he?
2. Isn’t he?
3. Is not he?
4. Aren’t we?
Q.10 Let’s have a game of cricket.

1. Shall not you?

2. Shall we?
3. Do we?
4. Will you?
Q.11 She seldom smiles.

1. Doesn’t she?
2. Isn’t she?
3. Does she?
4. Don’t she?
.Q.12 They will come in the morning
1. Would they?
2. Won’t they?
3. Will they?
4. Shall they?
.Q.13 John and Freddy are friends
1. Are they?
2. Aren’t they?
3. Did they?
4. Isn’t they?
?Q.14 Chooses the correct answer from the given sentences
1. The boy crossed the road, didn’t he?
2. He will come tomorrow, does he?
3. You are wrong, are you?
4. Everybody loves child, did they?
Q.15 Choose the correct answer from the given sentences…?

1. The man won the challenge, did he?

2. They will come tomorrow, did they?
3. I am a good man, amn’t I?
4. They aren’t correct, are they?
.Q.16 He has done well
1. Has he?
2. Hasn’t he?
3. Haven’t he?
4. Did he?
?.Q.17 Priya is not a tall woman
1. Isn’t she?
2. Is she?
3. Does she?
4. Are she?
?…Q.18 You mustn’t be late
1. Must not you?
2. Mustn’t you?
3. Must you?
4. Don’t you?
.Q.19 We have finished our work
1. Have we?
2. Haven’t we?
3. Do we?
4. Don’t we?
.Q.20 There were only ten people presents
1. Were not there?
2. Were there?
 3. Did they?
4. Didn’t there?

Answers
1. Answer: b
2. Answer: c
3. Answer: C
4. Answer: b
5. Answer: C
6. Answer: 4
7. Answer: 1
8. Answer: 2
9. Answer: 1
10. Answer: 2
11.Answer: 3
12.Answer: 2
13.Answer; 2
14.Answer: 1
15.Answer: 4
16.Answer: 2
17.Answer: 2
18.Answer: 3
19.Answer: 2
20.Answer: 2

Conditionals and if clauses in English grammar

?What is a conditional

Conditionals are if clauses: they express a situation or condition and its possible
result. They are made up of two clauses; the conditional clause and the main
clause. The former usually starts with the word if and sets out a condition, while
the latter expresses what happens when this condition is fulfilled. The main clause
usually contains a modal verb such as will or would.

Examples:
If I have time later, I will help you with the presentation.
 I’m sorry, if I had time, I would help you.

Technically, there are four types of if-clauses in English

grammar: zero, first, second and third. Each one refers to a different context,
although we can also construct mixed conditionals.

Examples

Now remember, this presentation needs to be great. If the client likes it, they will
invest in the company.

Oh no! If I had known that, I wouldn’t have volunteered!

Well, it’s too late to change now. I would start practicing if I were you, we need
the money!

Comparing If-Clauses

For a quick and handy overview of the different types of if-clauses in English grammar, check
out the table below. Scroll down for more detail on each one.

kind Form Example Explanation

general truth/repeated action
Zero present + present If I have time, I help.
sometimes I have time
realistic future possibility
First present + will If I have time, I will help. I might have time later, it’s
unsure
unreal possibility
Second past + would If I had time, I would help. I don’t have time and I can’t
help
imagined past situation
past perfect + would if I had had time, I would have
Third I didn’t have time and I
have helped.
couldn’t help

What is the zero conditional?

Zero conditional sentences express things that always happen providing a certain
condition is met. This condition is expressed in the if-clause. Both clauses contain
the present tense.
Examples

If you heat water, it boils.

Ice cream melts if you leave it in the sun.

If you freeze water, you get ice.

When to use zero conditional if-clauses

We use zero conditional if-clauses to talk about:

 facts
Example:
If you heat water, it boils.
 habits
Example:
If it is warm, I go to the beach.
 rules
Example:
Children can ride the rollercoaster if they are over 140cm tall.

How to form the zero conditional

To form the zero conditional, we use the present tense in both the if-clause and the
main clause.

Example:
If you heat water, it boils.

We can reverse the order of the clauses without any change in meaning.

Example:
If you take the bus, you need a ticket. = You need a ticket if you take the
bus.
When the if-clause comes first, it is followed by a comma. If the order is reversed,
we do not use a comma.

Examples:
If I have time, I go to the gym after work. (Comma after if-clause)
I go to the gym after work if I have time. (No comma)

If, when and whenever

Zero conditional if-clauses express almost the same meaning as time clauses
with when and whenever. When emphasizes the certainty of an action.

Example:
Harry feels better if he exercises. = Harry feels better when he exercises.

Whenever means at any time or every time when.

Example:
Whenever it is warm, I go to the beach.

Learn more about the difference between when and if.

First Conditional If-Clauses in English Grammar

?What is the first conditional

The first conditional, also known as type I if-clause, talks about future actions that
can only occur providing that a certain condition is fulfilled. This condition is
expressed in the if-clause.

It is also known as the real conditional because it refers to realistic possibilities.

Example:
If it rains tomorrow, we will cancel the picnic.
there is a real chance that it will rain tomorrow, but it is not 100%
guaranteed
Examples
I have two job offers and I don’t know which one to accept.

If I take the job at the investment bank, I will make lots of money.

But I won’t have much free time if I work there.

If I take the job at the community center, I won’t earn very much.

But I will make a difference if I work with the local community.

If I don’t decide soon, they will take back their offers!

When to use first conditional if-clauses

Typical contexts for type I if-clauses include:

 future consequences

Example:
If I take the job at the investment bank, I will make a lot of money.
 warnings and threats
Example:
If I don’t decide soon, they will take back their offers.
 negotiations
Example:
If you provide more vacation days, I will accept the job.
 superstitions
Example:
If you break that mirror, you will have seven years of bad luck.

How to form the first conditional

The if-clause contains a present tense, while the main clause contains a future tense
(usually will/won’t + infinitive) or the imperative.
Example:
If I take the job at the community center, I will have more free time.
If you have any questions, please get in touch.

One or both clauses can be negative.

Examples:
If they don’t offer paid vacation time, I won’t take the job. (two negative
clauses)
If I take the job at the investment bank, I won’t have much free time. (one
negative clause, one positive clause)

The main clause can contain a question.

Example:
If I say no to the job, will I find another one?
Commas in the first conditional

We can reverse the order of the clauses with no change in meaning.

Example:
If I have time later, I will help you. = I will help you if I have time later.

However, when the if-clause comes first, it is followed by a comma. If the order is
reversed, we do not use a comma.

Example:
If I work with the community, I will make a difference. (Comma after the if-
clause)
I will make a difference if I work with the community. (No comma)

Alternatives to if in the first conditional

We can use the conjunctions unless, as long as and provided that to replace if in conditional
clauses:
Example:
I’ll take the job unless I get a better offer.
= I’ll take the job if I don’t get a better offer.
If vs. when

If and when have different meanings when we speak about the future.

use if in conditional sentences to talk about an action or event in the future

that may happen
Example:
If we see the Northern Lights, I will take lots of photos.
it’s not guaranteed that we will see the Northern Lights
 use when in future time clauses to express a future action or event that
is sure to happen
Example:
We will leave when the concert ends.
the concert cannot go on forever, therefore the ending is guaranteed

Learn more about the difference between when and if.

First Conditional vs. Zero Conditional

First conditional if-clauses refer to specific future situations that will happen
providing that a certain condition is fulfilled, while zero conditional if-
clauses express general facts, truths and things that always happen.

Examples:
If you leave ice cream in the sun, it melts. (Zero conditional)
expressing a general truth applicable to all ice creams
If you leave your ice cream in the sun, it will melt. (First conditional)
talking about a specific ice cream

Second Conditional If-Clauses in English Grammar

?What is the second conditional
The second conditional, also type-II if-clause or the unreal conditional, talks about
an unlikely or imaginary condition and its result. It imagines that the present is
different to how it really is.

Example:
If I had a million pounds, I would buy a beautiful house on the coast.
in reality I do not have a million pounds, and I can’t buy such a house
Examples

—I have the summer off and I want to visit as many countries as possible.
Where would you go if you had six weeks off?

—If I were you, I would go to Europe. If you went there, you could see multiple
countries in a day!

—But if I did that, the planning would be a nightmare. I wouldn’t relax if I had to
buy tickets every day.

—It would be easy if you bought an Interrailing ticket. If you had one, you would
be able to travel all over with no stress.

—That sounds perfect! I will look into it.

When to use second conditional if-clauses

Typical situations where we use second conditional if-clauses include:

 giving advice
Example:
If I were you, I would go to Europe.
 asking hypothetical questions
Example:
Where would you go if you had six weeks off?
 imagining life as different
Example:
If I lived abroad, I would miss my family a lot.
  making excuses
Example:
I’m so sorry, if I didn’t have to work, I would come to your party.

How to form the second conditional

Second conditional if-clauses contain a past tense, while the main clause
contains would + infinitive.

Example:
If you had an Interrailing ticket, the planning would be easy.

One or both clauses can be negative. The main clause can be a question.

Examples:
I wouldn’t relax if I had to buy new tickets every day. (One negative clause,
one positive)
If I didn’t have a free summer, I wouldn’t be able to travel. (Two negative
clauses)
If you had six weeks off, where would you go?

We can use the modal verbs could and might instead of would. Could introduces
the idea of ability, while might expresses a possibility. We do not use should in the
second conditional.

Example:
If you went to Europe, you could see multiple countries in one day.
Travelling might be easier if you had a bigger budget.
Commas in the second conditional

Like with other conditional types, we can reverse the order of the clauses with no
change in meaning.

Example:
If I won the lottery, I would retire early. = I would retire early if I won the
lottery.
When the if-clause comes first, it is followed by a comma. When the clauses are
reversed, we do not use a comma.

Example:
If I did that, the planning would be a nightmare. (Comma after the if-clause)
The planning would be a nightmare if I did that. (No comma)

If I were you vs. If I was you

When we use the verb be in second conditional if-clauses, we can use were instead
of was with the I, he, she and it forms of the verb. There is no change in meaning,
although where is sometimes considered more formal than was.

Examples:
If it were possible, I would stay in five-star hotels for the whole trip.
= If it was possible, …
If it weren’t so busy at the beach, we would go more often.
= If it wasn’t so busy …

The most common structure in this context is if I were you. It is practical for giving
advice.

Example:
If I were you, I would go to Europe.

Third Conditional If-Clauses in English Grammar

?What is the third conditional

The third conditional, also known as type-III if-clause, looks back at a past
situation and its outcome and imagines them as different. It is the only conditional
structure that talks about the past rather than the present or future.

Example:
I didn’t study. I didn’t pass the exam. (reality)
but: If I had studied, I would have passed the exam. (Imagined past)
Because third conditional if-clauses talk about a past situation that did not happen,
they are also known as the impossible conditional.

Examples

I’ve finally graduated from union!

I would have finished sooner if I hadn’t taken a gap year.

But I don’t regret it.

If I hadn’t spent a year abroad, I wouldn’t have had so many awesome adventures!

My degree is in medicine. If I hadn’t studied that, I would have done law.

I start my graduate job next week. However, if I had been smarter, I would have
taken more time off before joining the world of work!

When to use third conditional if-clauses

Typical contexts for third conditional if-clauses include:

 expressing regrets
Example:
If I had been smarter, I would have taken more time off!
 giving criticism and feedback
Example:
Your party would have been better if you had invited more people.
 reflecting on the past
Example:
If I hadn’t spent a year abroad, I wouldn’t have had so many awesome adventures.

How to form the third conditional

In the third conditional, the if-clause contains the past perfect, while the main
clause contains would have + past participle.
Example:
If I had done law, I would have become a lawyer.

One or both clauses can be negative. The main clause can contain a question.

Examples:
I would have graduated sooner if I hadn’t taken a gap year. (One negative
clause, one positive)
If I hadn ‘t spent a year abroad, I wouldn’t have had so many awesome
adventures. (Two negative clauses)
If you had known all the facts at the time, would you have done things
differently?
Commas in the third conditional

Like with the other conditional structures, we can reverse the order of the clauses
with no change in meaning.

Example:
If I had been smarter, I would have taken more time off. = I would have
taken more time off if I had been smarter.

When the if-clause comes first, it is followed by a comma. When the order is
reversed, we do not use a comma.

Example:
If I had been more confident, I would have made more friends. (Comma
after if-clause)
I would have made more friends if I had been more confident. (No comma)
Note:

We often use the modal verbs could and might instead of would in the third
conditional.

Example:
If you had asked me, I could have helped you.
 I might have graduated sooner if I hadn’t done a gap year.

Mixed Conditionals
?What are mixed conditionals
Mixed conditionals are sentences that contain two different types of
conditional; one clause is contains the second conditional and the other
contains the third conditional. We use mixed conditionals when we want to
refer to two different times in the same conditional sentence.
Example

If I spoke Mandarin, I would have done the translation myself.

Trust me, if I had done this translation, you wouldn’t be able to read it.

Mixed conditionals overview

Take a look at the table below for an overview of the different kinds of mixed
conditional sentences in English grammar.

Example Conditional Type Meaning

second conditional if-clause
If I spoke Mandarin,
I would have done the translation
myself.
third conditional main
clause
third conditional if-clause
If I had put on sun cream earlier,
I wouldn’t be sunburned now.
second conditional main
clause
= imagined present
situation
(I don’t speak Mandarin)
= imagined past outcome
(I didn’t do the
translation)
= imagined past situation
(I didn’t put on sun
cream)
= imagined present
outcome
(I am sunburned now)

Imagined present situation, imagined past outcome

When we use the second conditional in the if-clause, we introduce a condition that
imagines the present as different to how it really is:
Example:
If I spoke Mandarin, …
I cannot speak Mandarin

We can then combine this with a third conditional main clause to imagine a past
outcome:

Example:
If I spoke Mandarin, I would have done the translation myself.
I didn’t do the translation, I am reimagining the past

Imagined past situation, imagined present outcome

Alternatively, when we use the third conditional in the if-clause, we introduce a

condition that reimagines the past:

Example:
If I had put on suncream, …
I didn’t put on suncream, I forgot

We can then combine this with a second conditional main clause to imagine an
alternative present:

Example:
If I had put on suncream, I wouldn’t be sunburned now.
I am sunburned, I am imagining the present as different

Inverted Conditionals
?What is an inverted conditional

Although conditional clauses are often called if-clauses, they don’t always include
the word if! In more formal situations, we use a technique called inversion where
we reverse the order of the subject and the verb. These clauses are known
as inverted conditionals or sometimes reduced conditionals.

Read on to learn more about inverted conditionals in English grammar, then put
your knowledge to the test in the exercises.
Example

Dear valued guest,

We would like to apologize for the issues during your stay here at the Royal Hotel.

Naturally, had we known about the bed bug infestation, we never would have
given you that room.

We are also sorry about the small fire that happened at the breakfast buffet. Were it
not for the quick actions of guests such as yourself, it could have been much worse.

We would also like to apologize for the serious case of food poisoning you
experienced after dining at our restaurant.

Should you book with us again, we will provide you with a 3% discount off your
stay.

Don’t forget to leave us a 5-star review on TripAdvisor!

Kind regards,

Hotel management

How to write inverted conditionals

Inverted conditionals contain inversion instead of if. Inversion means that we

reverse the order of the verb and the subject. This technique is typically seen in
more formal contexts.

Inversion in the first conditional

To invert sentences in the first conditional, we place the auxiliary should before the
subject, followed by the infinitive of the main verb: should + subject + infinitive.

Example:
Should you book with us again, we will provide you with a 3% discount.
= If you book with us again, …
Inversion in the second conditional
Generally speaking, it is uncommon to use inversion in second conditional
sentences. Inverted second conditional if-clauses are often restricted to formal,
written English.

In second conditionals, inversion is used to rewrite if-clauses that contain the

verb be. Use the structure were + subject.

Example:
Were this my hotel, I would be ashamed!
= If this were my hotel, …

When the if-clause refers to an unlikely future event, we use the inversion were +
subject + to + infinitive. We can use this structure with verbs other than be.

Example:
Were I to leave a review one day, it would be 1 star!
= If I left a review, … (at some point in the future)
Inversion in the third conditional

To invert third conditional if-clauses, use the structure had + subject + past
participle.

Example:
Had we known about the bed bug infestation, we never would have given
you that room.
= If we had known about the bed bug infestation, …

Do not use contractions in negative inverted conditionals.

Example:
Had the hotel not been so awful, I would have enjoyed myself.
Hadn’t the hotel been so awful, …
Conditional Conjunctions
?What are conditional conjunctions

Conditional conjunctions are words that we can use instead of if in conditional

sentences. The most common conditional conjunctions are: provided that,
providing that, as long as, supposing, on condition that.
Read on to learn the different conditional conjunctions in English, then put your
knowledge to the test in the exercises.

Example

Dear valued customer,

Thank you for your order.

Provided that all items are in stock, your order will be dispatched in 2–3 working
days.

As long as there are no changes to your order, it will arrive within 10 working
days. Your package will be delivered by local courier unless it contains heavy
goods.

After dispatch, customers will be able to track their order online provided that they
have access to the tracking number.

Exact delivery time will be communicated via phone as long as we have a current
telephone number on file.

Should the estimated delivery date change, we will contact you via email.

Kind regards,

Your Customer Service Team

How to use conditional conjunctions

We can use the following conjunctions instead of if:

Conjunction Meaning Example

provided that
Your order will be dispatched in 2 working days provided
providing that (Only …)
that all items are in stock.
on (the) condition if
= Your order will only be dispatched if all items are in stock.
that
as long as (Only …) Items may be returned as long as they are unworn.
so long as if = Items may only be returned if they are unworn.
unless if … not Unless it contains heavy goods, your package will be
 delivered by local courier.
= If it does not contain heavy goods, …
Supposing my order is delayed, will they refund the delivery
supposing (what) if costs?
= What if my order is delayed, …

Sentences with wish and if only

Introduction

The verb wish and the conjunction if only talk about situations that we would like
to be different, but we cannot change. Sentences with wish and if only follow the
same grammar as if-clauses in the second and third conditional.

Read on to find out the difference between wish and if only and learn which tense
to use after each one. You can put your knowledge to the test in the exercises.

Example

Carla has a big English test first thing tomorrow morning and she’s feeling
stressed! She’s trying to study, but a million thoughts are racing through her head:

I wish I were better at languages.

I wish my teacher would stop choosing such difficult topics.

I wish I had chosen Spanish instead.

I wish the test was next week, I would have more time to study.

Oh, if only I had paid more attention in class!

Which tense to use after wish & if only

Sentences with wish and if only follow the same grammar rules as if-clauses in
the second and third conditional.

Use wish/if only + simple past/past progressive to imagine a present situation

as different to how it really is.
Examples:
 I wish I were better at languages.
present reality: I am not good at languages
If only it wasn’t raining.
present reality: it is raining
 Remember: for wishes about present situations, we can
use was and were after wish/if only in the 1st and 3rd person singular forms:
Example:
I wish I were better at languages = I wish I was better at languages.
If only it weren’t so difficult. = If only it wasn’t so difficult.
 Use wish/if only + past perfect to reimagine a past situation.
Examples:
I wish I had studied more.
reality: I didn’t study enough
If only I had chosen Spanish instead.
reality: I didn’t choose Spanish, I chose English

Clauses with would/would have often follow clauses with wish/if only. They
describe the imagined results or outcomes of the wish-clause.

Example:
I wish the test was next week, I would be more prepared.
If only I had chosen Spanish, it would have been easier.

It’s possible to say I wish that…, although that is usually omitted in most everyday
contexts.

Example:
I wish that I were better at languages.
I wish that I had chosen Spanish.

wish/if only … would(not)

Unlike standard if-clauses, we can use would with wish and if only. However, the
meaning changes slightly.
Wish/if only … would(n’t) shows that the speaker is annoyed by someone else’s
behavior but is unable to change it.

Examples:
I wish my teacher would stop choosing such difficult topics.
If only my neighbor wouldn’t play the drums at night.

We only use wish/if only … would(n’t) when we want another person to change
their behavior or start/stop a specific action. To talk about states or situations we
want to be different, we use wish/if only + past tense.

Examples:
Danielle wishes Malcolm would propose. (action)
Danielle wishes they were married. (state)Danielle wishes they would be
married.

Note: the weather is the exception to this.

Examples:
I wish it would snow.
I wish it would stop raining.

Given that wish … would(n’t) talks about behavior and actions that are beyond the
speaker’s control, we do not use this structure in the first person.

Example:I wish I would do more sport.

= I wish I did more sport.
the speaker has the power to change this behavior, so we use wish + past
tense, not wish + would
Conditional Clauses Quiz
.If you had invited her, she .......................... with us .1
1. could go
2. can go
3. could have gone
.If I .......................... the opportunity, I would have gone to university .2
1. had
2. had had
3. will have
.If I ............................. her number, I would call her .3
1. Know
2. Knew
3. Had known
.If you take this medication, you ................................. well .4
1. will get
2. would get
3. would have got
.If you had sold your home then, you .............................. rich now .5
1. will be
2. would be
3. would have been
.If you ate your breakfast, you ................................ not be hungry now .6
1. will
2. would
3. had
.If you ............................ me, we both would have been happy .7
1. marry
2. married
3. had married
.If you spoke a foreign language, you ............................... a better job .8
1. could get
2. can get
3. could have got
.I could marry her if I ............................ to .9
1. want
2. wanted
3. had wanted
.If your computer ........................... you will lose unsaved work .10
1. crashes
2. crashed
3. had crashed
.If I am late, my father .......................... me to school .11
1. takes
2. will take
3. would take
.If you behaved more politely, they .............................. help you .12
May help
might help
might have helped
Answers
1. If you had invited her, she could have gone with us.
2. If I had had the opportunity, I would have gone to university.
3. If I knew her number, I would call her.
4. If you take this medication, you will get well.
5. If you had sold your home then, you would have been rich now.
6. If you ate your breakfast, you would not be hungry now.
7. If you had married me, we both would have been happy.
8. If you spoke a foreign language, you could get a better job.
9. I could marry her if I wanted to.
10. If your computer crashes you will lose unsaved work.
11. If I am late, my father takes me to school.
12. If you behaved more politely, they might help you.

Phrase

?What Is a Phrase
A phrase is a group of words that stand together as a single grammatical unit,
typically as part of a clause or a sentence.

A phrase does not contain a subject and verb and, consequently, cannot convey a
complete thought. A phrase contrasts with a clause. A clause does contain a subject
and verb, and it can convey a complete idea.

Easy Examples of Phrases

Let's start with a sentence that has no phrases and then build some in.
 Janet eats cakes daily.
(This sentence has no phrases. All of the parts of the sentence are
single words.)
 My cousin Janet eats cakes daily.
(Now we have a phrase. It's a three-word phrase functioning as the
subject of this sentence. Note that the phrase itself does not contain
its own subject and verb.)
 My cousin Janet eats cakes during the week.
(We've added another phrase. This one also has three words, but it is
functioning as an adverb.)
 My cousin Janet was eating cakes during the week.
(We've added another phrase. This one has two words. It is a multi-
word verb.)
 My cousin Janet was eating cream cakes from the bakery during
the week.
(We've added another phrase. This one has five words. It is
functioning as a direct object in this sentence.)
The examples above prove that phrases function as one single unit within a
.sentence. But, let's look a little closer

The term "cream cakes from the bakery" has its own embedded phrase ("from the
bakery"). This is a prepositional phrase describing the "cream cakes." So, it's
possible to have a phrase within a phrase. It's common in fact. There's more. The
words "was eating cream cakes from the bakery during the week" is also classified
a phrase. It's called a verb phrase. (A verb phrase consists of a verb and all its
modifiers. Those modifiers could also be phrases, as they are in this example.)

Common Types of Phrase

.Here are some examples of the common types of phrases

Adjective Phrase
An adjective phrase is a group of words headed by an adjective that modifies a
noun. In these examples, the adjective phrases are shaded and the head adjective is
in bold.
 Dexter had noticeably evil eyes.
(Here, the adjective phrase modifies "eyes.")
 Victoria was immensely proud of us.
(Here, the adjective phrase modifies "Victoria.")
The term "adjectival phrase" is often used interchangeably with "adjective phrase,"
but many grammarians reserve "adjectival phrase" for multi-word adjectives that
are not headed by an adjective. For example:
 My auntie is the lady with all the unicorn tattoos.
(The phrase "with all the unicorn tattoos" is a multi-word adjective
describing "the lady," but it is not headed by an adjective (hence no
word in bold). Headed by the preposition "with," this is an example
of a prepositional phrase functioning as an adjective. It is best
classified as an adjectival phrase as opposed to an adjective phrase.)

Easy Examples of Adjective Phrases

In each example below, the adjective phrase is shaded and the head adjective is
bold.
 She had extremely blue eyes.
(This adjective phrase describes the noun eyes. The adjective "blue"
heads the adjective phrase.)
 She wore very expensive shoes.
(This adjective phrase describes (or "modifies" as grammarians say)
the noun "shoes." The adjective "expensive" heads the adjective
phrase.)
 Sarah was hostile towards me.
(This adjective phrase modifies the noun "Sarah." The adjective
"hostile" heads the adjective phrase. Like a normal adjective, an
adjective phrase can be used before the noun it's modifying (as in the
first two examples) or afterwards (as here).)
Real-Life Examples of Adjective Phrases
Here are some real-life examples of adjective phrases (with the head adjectives in
bold):
 An overly sensitive heart is an unhappy possession on this shaky
earth. (German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)
(This adjective phrase modifies the noun "heart.")
  I'm a fairly intelligent person, but I don't think my grades reflected
that. (American footballer Barry Sanders)
(This adjective phrase modifies the noun "person.")
 People are so sick of these Twitter tirades. They want to
be proud of their leaders. (US politician Tom Perez)
(The first adjective phrase modifies the noun "people." The second
modifies the pronoun "they." Obviously, adjectives can modify
pronouns too.)
 There is always someone better than you and more talented than
you. Always. (Restaurateur David Chang)
(The adjective phrases modify the pronoun "someone.")

Why Adjective Phrases Are Important

Native English speakers are great at using adjective phrases. Adjective phrases
.cause few mistakes. However, here is one notable issue

".Don't use a hyphen with an adverb ending "-ly )Issue 1(

By far the most commonly discussed topic related to adjective phrases is whether
to use a hyphen to join an adverb to the head adjective. For example, some writers
are unsure whether they should write "professionally qualified editor" or
"professionally-qualified editor? Here's the quick answer: don't use a hyphen.

When an adverb ending "-ly" (and lots do) is modifying an adjective, don't use a
hyphen to join it to the adjective. The hyphen is unjustified (in the interest of
writing efficiency). However, if your adverb is one like "well," "fast," "best," or
"better" (i.e., one that could feasibly be mistaken as an adjective), then use a
hyphen to eliminate any ambiguity.
 She has beautifully-formed feet.
(The hyphen is unjustified when the adverb ends "-ly.")
 She has well-formed feet.
(The hyphen is justified to make it clear you mean the adverb "well,"
i.e., healthily, and not the adjective "well," i.e., healthy.)
In truth, there is often no real ambiguity with adverbs like "well," "fast," and
"best," but the hyphen has become a point of style, which is semi-justifiable with
the it-eliminates-ambiguity argument. The same is not true for "better" and "more."
Often, there is ambiguity. Look at these examples:
 Alliteration creates better flowing sentences.
(There is ambiguity here. Are the sentences better or do the
sentences flow better?)
  Alliteration creates better-flowing sentences.
(With the hyphen, it is now clear that the intended meaning is
sentences that flow better.)
 Janet has started eating more nutritious food.
(There is ambiguity here. Is Janet eating more food or the same
amount of food?)
 Janet has started eating more-nutritious food.
(With the hyphen, it is now clear that the intended meaning is the
same amount of food that is more nutritious.)

Adverbial Phrase
An adverbial phrase is a group of words that functions as an adverb. In these
examples, the adverbial phrases are shaded.
 He sings in a low register.
(Here, "in a low register" modifies the verb "sings." As it is headed
by the preposition "in," this adverbial phrase is also a prepositional
phrase.)
 Luckily for us, we arrived just in time.
(Here, the adverbial phrase modifies the verb "arrived.")

Easy Example of an Adverbial Phrase

Here is an easy example of an adverbial phrase:
 Jack will sit in silence.
(The adverbial phrase "in silence" is functioning as an adverb of
manner. It tells us how Jack sat.)
Compare the example above with these examples:
 Jack will sit quietly.
(This is a normal adverb. This example has been included to prove
that "in silence" is an adverb.)
 I will sit like a monk meditates.
(This is an adverbial clause. It includes a subject ("a monk") and
a verb ("meditates").)
In the examples above, all the adverbs tell us how the person will sit. They are all
adverbs of manner. When used to modify a verb, an adverb (including an adverbial
phrase and an adverbial clause) will usually describe when, where, how, or why
.something happens

When (Adverbial Phrase of Time)

An adverbial phrase of time states when something happens or how often. For
example:
 I'll do it in a minute.
 After the game, the king and pawn go into the same box. (Italian
Proverb)
 Do not wait for the last judgment. It takes place every day. (Albert
Camus)

Where (Adverbial Phrase of Place)

An adverbial phrase of place states where something happens. For example:
 I used to work in a fire-hydrant factory. You couldn't park anywhere
near the place. (Steven Wright)
 Opera is when a guy gets stabbed in the back and, instead of
bleeding, he sings. (Ed Gardner)

How (Adverbial Phrase of Manner)

An adverbial phrase of manner states how something is done. For example:
 He would always talk with a nationalistic tone.
 He sings in a low register.
 People who say they sleep like a baby usually don't have one. (Leo
J. Burke)

Why (Adverbial Phrase of Reason)

An adverbial phrase of reason states why something is done. For example:
 He went to the island to find gold.
 He plays up to impress his class mates.
 We tell ourselves stories in order to live. (Author Joan Didion)

The Format of Adverbial Phrases

Here are three common formats for adverbial phrases:
 Prepositional phrase. A prepositional phrase is headed by
a preposition (e.g., "in," "on," "near," "by," "with"). For example:
 He was standing in the corner.
 She is winning without trying.

Why Adverbial Phrases Are Important

Here are four good reasons to think more carefully about adverbial phrases.
.Be careful not to create a misplaced modifier )Reason 1(
A misplaced modifier is a word (or group of words) that does not link clearly to
what it is intended to modify. A misplaced modifier makes the meaning of a
sentence ambiguous or wrong. Look at this example:
 Jack, coax the monkey with the banana.
(The shaded text is a misplaced modifier. It is meant to be an
adverbial phrase modifying the verb "coax." It is supposed to tell
Jack how to coax the monkey. However, the shaded text could
feasibly be an adjective phrase describing the monkey, telling Jack
which monkey to coax.)
 Jack, use the banana to coax the monkey.
(Often, rewording is best. This corrected example does not feature
an adverbial phrase.)
Here is an example from the film "Hot Fuzz":
 "He was a hero at his last police station. He once shot a robber with
a Kalashnikov."
"Great, where did he get that?"
"No, the robber had the Kalashnikov."

(The shaded text is a misplaced modifier. It is meant to be

an adjective phrase describing the robber. However, it was taken to
be an adverbial phrase modifying the verb "shot.")

.Use commas correctly with your adverbial clauses )Reason 2(

When your adverbial phrase (or clause for that matter) is at the front of your
sentence, it is known as a "fronted adverbial." A fronted adverbial is usually offset
with a comma. For example:
 At 4 o'clock, open the gates.
 In the middle of New York, temperatures reached 106 degrees
Fahrenheit.
When your adverbial phrase is at the back, the tendency is to omit the comma. For
example:
 Open the gates at 4 o'clock.
 Temperatures reached 106 degrees Fahrenheit in the middle of New
York.
Here are examples with adverbial phrases at both ends:
 In July 1936, temperatures reached 106 degrees Fahrenheit in the
middle of New York.
  In the middle of New York, temperatures reached 106 degrees
Fahrenheit in July 1936.

".Save two words by writing "to" instead of "in order to )Reason 3(

To reduce your word count, you can usually replace "in order to" with "to" without
any loss of meaning.
 The mountaineers spent two months with the air-sea rescue team in
order to gain experience.
Even though it adds to your word count, you should not delete "in order" every
time. Using "in order to" makes it clear that the text that follows is the reason for
performing the action. (It's like using "so as to.") Using just "to" runs the risk of
creating a misplaced modifier. Look at this example:
 Jack designed a device in order to find underground water.
(With "in order" deleted, we're now unsure whether Jack designed
an underground-water finder (i.e., "to find underground water" is an
adjective describing "device") or whether he designed a device that
can be used to detect underground water as per his intention (i.e., "to
find underground water" is an adverb modifying "designed"). With
"in order to," that ambiguity disappears. It can only be the latter. Get
it?)
There's another advantage to using "in order to." It puts a little more emphasis on
the reason for the action. So, save two words if you need to, but be careful not to
.create a misplaced modifier
Noun Phrase
A noun phrase consists of a noun and all its modifiers. In these examples, the noun
phrases are shaded and the head nouns are in bold.
 How much is that doggy in the window?
(Here, the head noun is "doggy." "That" is a modifier. "In the
window" is also a modifier (a prepositional phrase functioning as an
adjective describing "doggy.")
 You can tell a lot about a fellow's character by his way of eating
jellybeans.
(Here, the modifier "of eating jellybeans" is a prepositional
phrase functioning as an adjective describing "way." The
prepositional phrase itself contains the gerund phrase (see below)
"eating jellybeans." So this simple noun phrase has an embedded
phrase that itself has an embedded phrase. As you can see, the term
 "phrase" has a broad scope. Remember that a phrase is any group of
words that function as a single unit.)
A noun phrase plays the role of a noun. In a noun phrase, the modifiers can come
before or after the noun.

Note: A noun phrase can also be headed by a pronoun. For example:

 the dog with fleas
 the one with fleas
(This is a noun phrase headed by a pronoun.)

Examples of Noun Phrases

In normal writing, nouns nearly always feature in noun phrases. It is rare to find a
noun functioning by itself (i.e., without any modifiers) in a sentence.
 Man proposes, but God disposes. (German canon Thomas à Kempis)
(This example features two nouns without any modifiers. That's rare.
In other words, there are no noun phrases in this example.)
In real life, it is far more common for nouns to feature in noun phrases, i..e, to be
accompanied by modifiers. Here is a list of noun phrases. In this list, every noun
phrase consists of a head noun (highlighted) and at least one modifier.
 People: the soldier, my cousin, dopey Alan, the lawyer with the big
nose
 Animals: that aardvark, one rat, a shark, funny Mickey
 Places: the house in the corner, inner London, dirty factory,
no shelter
 Things: this table, our London Bridge, the sharp chisel,
that nitrogen, last month, an inch, her cooking
 Ideas: utter confusion, some kindness, your faith, the Theory of
Relativity, a joy
.So, a noun with any sort of modifier (even it's just "a" or "the") is a noun phrase

The Function of Noun Phrases

Like any noun, a noun phrase can function as a subject, an object, or
a complement within a sentence. In each example below, the noun phrase is in bold
and the head noun is highlighted.
 Singing in the bath relaxes me.
(Here, the noun phrase is the subject of the verb "relaxes.")
 I know the back streets.
(Here, the noun phrase is the direct object of the verb "know.")
 She was the devil in disguise.
 (Here, the noun phrase is a subject complement following
the linking verb "was.")
As most nouns feature in noun phrases, let's look quickly at the definition for
:""phrase
Why Noun Phrases Are Important
Most native English speakers can form noun phrases without giving the grammar a
second thought. So, if the truth be told, understanding how they function isn't
particularly useful unless you're required to teach them or to compare them with
.similar structures in a foreign language you're learning
That said though, there is a common issue associated with noun phrases.

When a noun phrase is the subject of a verb, ensure subject-verb agreement

.with the head noun
 The Spitfire's 9-yard belt of bullets give us the term "the full nine
yards."
(The head noun in this noun phrase is "belt." All the other words in
the noun phrase are modifiers. As "belt" is singular, the verb "give"
is wrong. It should be "gives.")
 The Spitfire's 9-yard belt of bullets gives us the term "the full nine
yards."
Do not be tricked into agreeing the verb with the nearest noun (here, "bullets").
.When a noun phrase is the subject of a verb, the head noun governs the verb

Prepositional Phrase
A prepositional phrase is a group of words that consists of a preposition, its object
(which will be a noun or a pronoun), and any words that modify the object. In
these examples, the prepositional phrases are shaded and the prepositions are in
bold.
 I lived near the beach.
(As is the case here, a prepositional phrase can stand alone as a
single unit within a sentence. Here, the prepositional phrase is
an adverb of place.)
 How much is that doggy in the window?
(Quite often, a prepositional phrase features in another phrase.
Remember this example from above? Here, the prepositional phrase
is functioning as an adjective describing "doggy." It is part of the
noun phrase "that doggy in the window.")
 You can tell a lot about a fellow's character by his way of eating
jellybeans.
 (Remember this example from above? Here, the prepositional phrase
is functioning as an adverb modifying "can tell." Notice that the
highlighted prepositional phrase includes another prepositional
phrase ("of eating jellybeans"). Yeah, it can get complicated.)
More Examples of Prepositional Phrases
In each example, the prepositional phrase is shaded and the preposition is bold.
 A singer with passion
 A town near London
 Keep in time.
 He acts without thinking.

Harder Examples of Prepositional Phrases

It is a little bit more complicated than shown above because the noun can be
anything that plays the role of a noun. For example:
 It's a present from her.
(Remember that the "noun" can be a pronoun.)
 She stole it from the man across the street.
(Here, the noun is a noun phrase.)
 It's obvious from what he said.
(Here, the noun is a noun clause.)
The noun that follows the preposition (i.e., everything that's shaded but not bolded
in the examples) is called the object of a preposition. There will often
be modifiers in the object of the preposition making it a noun phrase. For example:
 I sat with Simba.
(There are no modifiers in this example.)
 I sat with the wonderful Simba.
(With the modifiers "the" and "wonderful," the object of the
preposition is now a noun phrase.)
Here is another example:
 He beat Lee without trying.
(There are no modifiers in this example. The object of the
preposition is a noun. In this case, it's a gerund.)
 He beat Lee without overly trying.
(With the modifier "overly," the object of the preposition is a noun
phrase.)

The Function of Prepositional Phrases

Prepositional phrases function as either adjectives modifying nouns
or adverbs modifying verbs. For example:

Prepositional phrases functioning as adjectives that modify nouns:

 Do you mean that boy in the corner?
 I know the policeman with the radio.
(In these two examples, the prepositional phrases are functioning as
adjectives. They are modifying nouns ("that boy" and "the
policeman"). As they are multi-word adjectives, these prepositional
phrases are a type of adjective phrase.)
Prepositional phrases functioning as adverbs that modify verbs:
 I live near the stadium.
 She speaks with notable enthusiasm.
(In these two examples, the prepositional phrases are functioning as
adverbs. They are modifying verbs ("live" and "speaks"). As they
are multi-word adverbs, these prepositional phrases are a type
of adverbial phrase).

Prepositional Phrases As Adjectives

Here are some more prepositional phrases functioning as adjectives:
 Please buy the scarf with dots.
(The prepositional phrase describes the noun "scarf." We could have
written "dotted scarf," which proves that "with dots" is functioning
as an adjective.)
 The man on the radio has a boring voice.
(The prepositional phrase describes the noun "man.")
 Give me one of the brown ones.
(The prepositional phrase describes the pronoun "one.")

Prepositional Phrases As Adverbs

Here are some more prepositional phrases functioning as adverbs:
 Lee raised his small mackerel with utmost pride.
(The prepositional phrase modifies the verb "raised." It is an adverb
of manner; i.e., it tells us how he raised it. We could have written
"proudly raised," which proves that "with utmost pride" is
functioning as an adverb.)
 Before the war, Chris played football for Barnston worth United.
 (The prepositional phrase modifies the verb "played." It is an adverb
of time; i.e., it tells us when he played.)
 Dawn is tired from the hike.
(The prepositional phrase modifies the verb "is." It is an adverb of
reason; i.e., it tells us why she is tired.)
 Lee lives in that fridge.
(The prepositional phrase modifies the verb "lives." It is an adverb
of place; i.e., it tells us where he lives.)

Real-Life Examples of Prepositional Phrases

In these real-life examples, the prepositional phrases are functioning as adjectives:
 The best defense against the atom bomb is not to be there when it
goes off. (The 1949 British Army Journal)
 In 1938, Time Magazine chose Adolf Hitler for man of the year.
 Red sky at night, shepherds' delight. Blue sky at night, day.
These prepositional phrases are functioning as adverbs:
 I used to work in a fire-hydrant factory. You couldn't park near the
place. (Comedian Steven Wright)
 Never ruin an apology with an excuse. (American Founding Father
Benjamin Franklin)
 This is not a novel to be tossed aside lightly. It should be
thrown with great force. (Satirist Dorothy Parker)
In the example below, the first prepositional phrase functions as an adjective while
the second functions as an adverb:
 A mathematical formula for happiness: reality
divided by expectations. There were two ways to be happy: improve
your reality or lower your expectations. (Author Jodi Picoult)
It can get quite complicated. For example:
 A raisin dropped in a glass of fresh champagne will bounce up and
down continuously from the bottom of the glass to the top.
(Here, "in a glass of fresh champagne" is a prepositional phrase
functioning as an adverb that includes a prepositional phrase ("of
fresh champagne") functioning as an adjective. Similarly, "from the
bottom of the glass to the top" is functioning as an adverb and also
includes a prepositional phrase ("of the glass") functioning as an
adjective.)

Gerund Phrase
A gerund phrase is a phrase that consists of a gerund, its object, and any modifiers.
In these examples, the gerund phrases are shaded and the gerunds are in bold.
 Moving quickly but stealthily is the key to survival.
 Arithmetic is the ability to count up to twenty without taking off
your shoes. (Mickey Mouse)

Easy Examples of Gerund Phrases

Here are some easy examples of gerund phrases. (In these examples, the gerund
phrases are shaded, and the gerunds are bold.)
 Removing the dressing quickly is the best way.
Here are the parts of the gerund phrase:
 gerund: "removing"
 direct object: "the dressing"
 modifier: "quickly"
 I like singing songs in the shower.
Here are the parts of the gerund phrase:
 gerund: "singing"
 direct object: "songs"
 modifier: "in the shower"
 Try to serve the soup without dropping the tray this time.
Here are the parts of the gerund phrase:
 gerund: "dropping"
 direct object: "the tray"
 modifier: "this time"
Here is an example without an object:
 Moving quickly is the key to survival.
Here are the parts of the gerund phrase:
 gerund: "moving"
 modifier: "quickly"
Here is an example without a modifier:
 I want to talk to you about buying those magic beans.
Here are the parts of the gerund phrase:
 gerund: "buying"
 direct object: "those magic beans"

The Function of Gerund Phrases

Like all nouns, a gerund phrase can function as a subject, an object, or
a complement within a sentence. For example:
 Eating blackberries quickly is a bad idea.
 (Here, the gerund phrase is the subject of the verb "is.")
 She hates waiting for trains.
(The gerund phrase is the direct object of the verb "hates.")
 She knew a lot about growing tomatoes in cold climates.
(The gerund phrase is the object of the preposition "about.")
 Her biggest mistake was caring too much about the quality of the
product.
(The gerund phrase is a subject complement that completes
the linking verb "was.")

Infinitive Phrase
An infinitive phrase is the infinitive form of a verb plus any complements and
modifiers. In these examples, the infinitive phrases are shaded and the infinitive
verbs are in bold.
 She tells you to dance like no one is watching.
 The first step in forgiveness is the willingness to forgive those who
have wronged us. (Author Marianne Williamson)

Examples of Infinitive Phrases

Here are some examples of infinitive phrases (shaded):
 He helped to build the roof.
 The officer returned to help the inspectors.
 Let me show you the best way to fit a door quickly.
 She tells you to dance like no one is watching.

The Function of Infinitive Phrases

An infinitive phrase can play the role of a noun, an adjective, or an adverb.

Infinitive Phrases Used As Nouns

Here are some infinitive phrases used as nouns.

Like all nouns, an infinitive phrase can function as a subject, an object, or

a complement within a sentence.

Here are two examples of infinitive phrases as subjects:

 To have a big dream requires the same effort as having a small
dream. Dream big! (Brazilian-Swiss businessman Jorge Paulo
Lemann)
 (The infinitive phrase is the subject of "requires.")
 To invent an airplane is nothing. To build one is something, but to
fly is everything. (Aviation pioneer Otto Lilienthal)
(This quotation has three infinitive phrases functioning as nouns.
They are all the subjects of "is.")
Here are two examples of infinitive phrases as objects:
 He helped to build the roof.
 (The infinitive phrase is the direct object of "helped.")
 Nobody wants to hear long speeches. (Guitarist Rick Nielsen)
(The infinitive phrase is the direct object of "wants.")
Here are two examples of infinitive phrases as complements:
 The only solution was to lower the standards.
(The infinitive phrase is a subject complement. It completes
the linking verb "was.")
 Our aim is to help the clients help themselves, not to tell them what
to think. (Businessman Peter Hargreaves)
(The infinitive phrase is a subject complement. It completes the
linking verb "is.")

Infinitive Phrases Used As Adjectives

Here are some infinitive phrases used as adjectives.

When an infinitive phrase functions an adjective, it describes a noun or a pronoun.

 Let him show you the best way to paint the door.
(The infinitive phrase describes the noun "way.")
 I love crime books. I need one to read on holiday.
(The infinitive phrase describes the pronoun "one.")
 The first step in forgiveness is the willingness to forgive those who
have wronged us. (Author Marianne Williamson)
(The infinitive phrase describes the noun "willingness.")

Infinitive Phrases Used As Adverbs

Here are some infinitive phrases used as adverbs.

Most infinitive phrases that function as adverbs tell us why the action occurred.
Most infinitive phrases that function as adverbs could start with "in order to" (as
opposed to just "to.")
 The officer returned to help the inspectors
 (The infinitive phrase modifies the verb "returned." It tells us why.)
 He opened the box to reveal a huge bullfrog.
(The infinitive phrase modifies the verb "opened." It tells us why.)
 God loves to help him who strives to help himself. (Greek tragedian
Aeschylus)
(It can get complicated. The infinitive phrase "to help him who
strives to help himself" is functioning as a noun (i.e., it is the direct
object of "loves"). That infinitive phrase contains the infinitive
phrase "to help himself," which is functioning as an adverb
modifying "strives.")

Infinitive Phrases with Bare Infinitives (When Not Preceded by "To")

Most infinitives are preceded by "to," but after certain verbs, the "to" is dropped.
This happens when an infinitive follows "can," "could," "may," "might," "must,"
"shall," "should," "will," or "would" (i.e., a modal auxiliary verb).

In these examples, the infinitive phrases have a bare infinitive (in bold):
 He should go home immediately.
 They might finish the project by Wednesday.
Bare infinitives also follow other verbs. The main ones are "feel," "hear," "help,"
"let," "make," "see," and "watch." This time, there is a direct object involved. For
example:
 Dawn helped her friend bake his mother a cake.
(The "special" verb is "helped." The direct object is "her friend." In
the infinitive phrase, the bare infinitive is "bake." Its direct object is
"a cake." This time there is an indirect object ("his mother") in the
infinitive phrase too.)
 I watched them sweep the road as fast as they could.
(The "special" verb is "watched." The direct object is "them." In the
infinitive phrase, the bare infinitive is "sweep." Its direct object is
"the road." The phrase "as fast as they could" is an adverbial clause.)

Why Infinitive Phrases Are Important

Native English speakers can use infinitive phrases without too many snags. For
those learning or teaching English though, life is a little trickier because deliberate
consideration must be given to how infinitive phrases function (i.e., as nouns,
adjectives, or adverbs) before they can be used or taught. The other issue for
language learners or teachers is understanding when to drop the "to" of an
infinitive verb (i.e., when to use a "bare infinitive"). This is covered in more detail
on the infinitive verbs page.

Here are two noteworthy points related to infinitive phrases for native English
speakers.

You can usually save two words by deleting "in order" in a phrase )Point 1(
".that starts "in order to
If you need to reduce your word count, you can usually replace "in order to" with
just "to" without any loss of meaning. For example:
 You need a stubborn belief in an idea in order to see it realised.
(Inventor James Dyson)
 In order to be a diplomat, one must speak a number of languages,
including doubletalk. (Author Carey Williams)
Bear in mind though that using "in order to" has an advantage: it makes it clear that
the text that follows is the reason for performing the action. (It's like using "so as
to.")Read more about deleting "in order" on the "infinitives" page (see Reason 3).

.Split infinitives are okay )Point 2(

It is not unusual for an infinitive phrase to feature a split infinitive. (A split
infinitive occurs when a writer splits the full infinitive with an adverb, e.g., "to
really know," "to better understand," "to secretly watch".)

Using a split infinitive is often the most succinct and natural-sounding way to
write. However, there's an issue with the split infinitive: some people regard it as
non-standard English or even a grammar mistake. Let's be clear. Split infinitives
are perfectly acceptable.

That's not the end of the issue though. Can you take the risk that some of your
readers might consider you sloppy for using a split infinitive? Here's some advice:
Have a quick go at rewording your sentence to avoid the split infinitive, but if your
new sentence doesn't read as well (and it probably won't), just go with the split
infinitive.

In these examples, the split infinitives are in bold and the infinitive phrases are
shaded:
 I need to accurately present the data.
 I need to present the data accurately.
 (Both of these are okay, but the second version (the reworded
version) is safer. It doesn't feature a split infinitive that could annoy
some of your readers, and it sounds okay.)
 I need to more than triple my income.
 I need more than to triple my income. (sounds awkward)
(The top one sounds fine, but the second one doesn't. Avoiding the
split infinitive is too difficult with this example. Go with the top
one.)

Participle Phrase
A participle phrase is an adjective phrase headed by a participle. In these examples,
the participle phrases are shaded and the participles are in bold.
 Overcome with disappointment, the professor shook his head and
sighed.
 Within 5 seconds, the dog chasing the hare was out of sight.

Examples of Participle Phrases

In each of these examples, the participle phrase is shaded and the participle is in
bold.

(Remember that participle phrases function as adjectives.)

 Peering over the top of his glasses, her tutor shook his head.
(The participle phrase describes "her tutor.")
 Cracked from top to bottom, the mirror was now ruined.
(The participle phrase describes "the mirror.")
 Look at the panther climbing the tree.
(The participle phrase describes "the panther.")
 Sebastian reached across for the pipe, signalling his agreement with
the chief's proposal.
(The participle phrase describes "Sebastian.")

A Participle Phrase Can Start with a Past Participle or a Present Participle

Here is a quick revision about participles. Remember that a participle is a verb
form that can be used as an adjective. There are two types of participles:
 Present Participles (ending "-ing"). Here is an example of one as an
adjective:
 The rising tide
 Past Participles (usually ending "-ed," "-d," "-t," "-en," or "-n"). Here
is an example of one as an adjective:
  The risen cake
Perfect Participles
Also, keep an eye out for participle phrases headed by "perfect participles." Perfect
participles are formed like this:

"Having" + [past participle]

Examples:
 Having seen
 Having taken
 Having read
These are not a third type of participle. The perfect participle is just a commonly
used structure that features a present participle ("having") and a past participle.

Here are some more examples of perfect participles (shaded):

 Having read your book, I now understand your position.
 Having signed the document, Jason felt the weight of responsibility
lift from his shoulders.

Why Participle Phrases Are Important

Participle phrases might seem complicated, but it is worth learning about them
because they can be used to create a highly efficient sentence structure (see Reason
1) as well as being linked to some common writing errors.

So, here are four good reasons to think about participle phrases a little more
clearly.

(In all of these examples, the participle phrases are shaded, the head participles are
in bold, and the nouns being modified are underlined.)

Use a participle phrase to say two or more things about your )Reason 1(
.subject tidily
A fronted participle phrase can be used to create a sentence structure that lets you
say two or more things about a subject efficiently.
 Communicating well upwards, downwards and laterally, John has
managed expectations across the program and ensured that all
projects remain oriented towards the program objective.
(The participle-phrase-upfront structure has allowed three
observations about John to be shoehorned into one sentence.)
  Having displayed a cooperative spirit from the outset, John has
become a role model for those seeking to share research ideas and
techniques.
(Here, it has allowed two observations about John to be recorded in
a chronologically tidy way.)
Don't write every sentence in this style, but the odd one will give your text variety
and help you to cram more information into fewer sentences. This structure is
particularly useful when writing personal appraisals.

.Punctuate your participle phrases correctly )Reason 2(

Here are some general guidelines to help with correctly placing and punctuating a
participle phrase.

(Guideline 1) When a participle phrase is at the front of a sentence, offset it with a

comma and put the noun being modified immediately after the comma.
 Removing his glasses, the professor shook his head with
disappointment.
(Guideline 2) When a participle phrase follows the noun it's modifying, don't use a
comma.
 Scandal is gossip made tedious by morality. (Playwright Oscar
Wilde)
However, if the participle phrase is nonessential (i.e., you could delete it or put it in
brackets), then offset with a comma (or two commas if it's mid-sentence). (You
could also use dashes or brackets.)
 The yellow Ferrari, unregistered in the UK and probably stolen in
France, was used as the get-away car.
Read more about this issue on the page about restrictive (or essential) modifiers.

(Guideline 3) When a participle phrase is at the end of your sentence and not
immediately after its noun, offset it with a comma to help show that it's not
modifying whatever is to its left.
 The boys loved their boxing gloves, wearing them even to bed.

Avoid dangling modifiers, especially when using fronted participle )Reason 3(

.phrases
Dangling modifiers are most commonly seen in sentences starting with participle
phrases. (A dangling modifier is an error caused by failing to use the word that the
modifier is meant to be modifying.)
  Having taken the antimalarial tablets religiously, the malaria
diagnosis came as a shock.
(The shaded text is a participle phrase headed by a perfect participle.
It's meant to be an adjective to a noun (or a pronoun), but that noun
doesn't feature in the sentence. That's why nothing is underlined.)
 Overcome by emotion, the whole speech was delivered in two- and
three-word bursts.
(The shaded participle phrase is meant to be an adjective to a noun,
but the noun is missing. That's why nothing is underlined.)
To avoid a dangling modifier, assume that any participle phrase you put at the start
of a sentence is "dangling" (i.e., isn't modifying anything) until you've written the
noun (or pronoun) it is modifying.
 Having taken the antimalarial tablets religiously, Sarah was
shocked by the malaria diagnosis.
 Overcome by emotion, he delivered the whole speech in two- and
three-word bursts.

Appositive Phrase
An appositive is a noun or a noun phrase that sits next to another noun to rename it
or to describe it in another way. In these examples, the appositives are shaded.
 Elizabeth I, the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, became
Queen of England in 1558.
 Thomas Edison, the inventor of the light bulb, is often called USA's
greatest inventor.
Easy Examples of Appositives
In the examples below, the appositive is shaded and the noun being renamed or
described in another way is in bold.

Appositives are usually offset with commas.

 Dexter, my dog, will chew your shoes if you leave them there.
 Lee, my Army mate, caught a whelk while fishing for bass.
 Dr. Pat, the creator of the turnip brew, sold 8 barrels on the first
day.
 The beast, a large lion with a mane like a bonfire, was showing
interest in our party.
Appositives can also be offset with parentheses (round brackets) or dashes.
 Peter (my mate from school) won the lottery.
 For the last decade, prices in Alton –a small town only 25 minutes
from London – have been soaring.
 Phrases Functioning as Different Parts of Speech
Here is a list of the parts of speech with an example of a phrase functioning as each
one.
 Adjectives
 I am looking for a book to make me laugh.
(This is an example of an infinitive phrase functioning
as an adjective. It describes "a book." Phrases
commonly function as adjectives.)
 Adverbs
 I am going there to support you.
(This is an example of an infinitive phrase functioning
as an adverb. It is an adverb of reason. Phrases
commonly function as adverbs.)
 Conjunctions
 I am not only angry but also disappointed.
(This is an example of a phrase functioning as a
conjunction. Most conjunctions are single words, not
phrases. This is an example of a correlative
conjunction.)
 Determiners
 I know a few people who could give you a hundred
and one reasons.
(In this example, there are two phrases functioning as
determiners. These determiners are both quantifiers.
Most determiners are single words.)
 Interjections
 Holy moly! She won!
(This is an example of a phrase functioning as an
interjection. Most interjections are single words.)
 Nouns
 Running the tap is necessary to clear the air pocket.
(This is an example of a gerund phrase functioning as
a noun. Phrases commonly function as nouns.)
 Prepositions
 According to Mark, the system is broken.
(This is an example of a phrase functioning as a
preposition. Most prepositions are single words.)
 Pronouns
 No one is infallible.
 (This is an example of a phrase functioning as a
pronoun. Most pronouns are single words.)
 Verbs
 I am going there to support you.
(This is an example of a phrase functioning as a verb. Only one-word verbs
(e.g., play, think) in the simple past tense (played, thought) and the simple
present tense (plays, thinks) are single words. The rest are phrases that
include auxiliary verbs.)

Clauses
What is a Clause
A clause is comprised of a group of words that include a subject and a finite
verb. It contains only one subject and one verb. The subject of a clause can be
mentioned or hidden, but the verb must be apparent and distinguishable.
A clause is “a group of words containing a subject and predicate and
functioning as a member of a complex or compound sentence.
Example:
o I graduated last year. (One clause sentence)
o When I came here , I saw him. (Two clause sentence)
o When I came here , I saw him, and he greeted me . (Three clause
sentence)

’?What is the Meaning of ‘Clause

Clauses, in English, are a group of words or phrases with only one subject and one
finite verb. The subject may be hidden but the verb should be distinguishable. The
verb can be a single word (i.e., as “worked,” “played,” or “sang”) or contain
helping verbs (i.e., “will eat” or “has been writing”). A phrase is a group of words
that doesn’t have a subject, a predicate, finite verb which makes no sense
independently and can be added to a sentence as an adjective, noun or adverb.
Whereas we can add a clause to expand a sentence meaningfully, but unlike a
phrase, a clause may have a proper sense like a sentence, as it has a subject and a
predicate i.e., finite verb. Let us see what is a clause example:
I fell from the bed. (One clause sentence)
When I came here, I met Diaz. (Two clause sentence)
When I came here, I met Diaz, and she waved at me. (Three clause sentence)
Let us get greater insight into the different clauses and their types along with
clause examples.

Types of Clauses
 Independent Clause
 Dependent Clause
o Adjective Clause
o Noun Clause
o Adverbial Clause
 Principal Clause
 Coordinate Clause
 Non-finite Clause
Independent Clause
It functions on its own to make a meaningful sentence and looks much like a
regular sentence.
In a sentence two independent clauses can be connected by the coordinators: and,
but, so, or, nor, for*, yet*.
Example:
o He is a wise man.
o I like him.
o Can you, do it?
o Do it please. (Subject you is hidden)
o I read the whole story.
o I want to buy a phone, but I don’t have enough money . (Two
independent clauses)
o He went to London and visited the Lords . (Subject of the second
clause is ‘he,' so “he visited the Lords” is an independent clause.)
o Alex smiles whenever he sees her. (One independent clause)

Dependent Clause
It cannot function on its own because it leaves an idea or thought unfinished. It is
also called a subordinate clause. These help the independent clauses complete the
sentence. Alone, it cannot form a complete sentence.
The subordinators do the work of connecting the dependent clause to another
clause to complete the sentence. In each of the dependent clauses, the first word is
a subordinator. Subordinators include relative pronouns, subordinating
conjunctions, and noun clause markers.
Example:
o When I was dating Diana, I had an accident.
o I know the man who stole the watch .
o He bought a car which was too expensive .
o I know that he cannot do it.
o He does not know where he was born .
o If you don’t eat , I won’t go.
o He is a very talented player though he is out of form.
– Dependent Clauses are divided into three types and they are

1. Adjective Clause
It is a Dependent Clause that modifies a Noun. Basically, Adjective Clauses have
similar qualities as Adjectives that are of modifying Nouns and hence the name,
Adjective Clause. These are also called Relative Clauses and they usually sit right
after the Nouns they modify.
Examples:
o I’m looking for the red book that went missing last week.
o Finn is asking for the shoes which used to belong to his dad.
o You there, who is sitting quietly at the corner, come here and lead
the class out.
2. Noun Clause
Dependent Clauses acting as Nouns in sentences are called Noun Clauses or
Nominal Clauses. These often start with “how,” “that,” other Wh-words (What,
Who, Where, When, why, Which, Whose and Whom), if, whether etc.
Examples:
o I like what I hear.
o You need to express that it’s crossing a line for you.
o He knows how things work around here.

3. Adverbial Clause
By definition, these are Dependent Clauses acting as Adverbs. It means that these
clauses have the power to modify Verbs, Adjectives and other Adverbs.
Examples:
o Alice did the dishes till her legs gave up.
o Tina ran to the point of panting vehemently.
o I went through the book at a lightning speed.
Principal Clause
These have a Subject (Noun/Pronoun), Finite Verb and an Object and make full
sentences that can stand alone or act as the main part of any Complex or
Compound Sentence. Independent and Principal Clauses are functionally the same
but named from different perspectives.
Examples:
o I know that boy.
o He can jog every morning.
o Robin fishes like a pro.

Coordinate Clause
Two or more similarly important Independent Clauses joined by Coordinating
Conjunctions (and, or, but etc.) in terms of Compound Sentences are called
Coordinate Clauses.
Examples:
o I like taking photos and he loves posing for them.
o You prefer flying but she always wants to take a bus.
o We are going to visit Terry or he is coming over.

Non-finite Clause
They contain a Participle or an Infinitive Verb that makes the Subject and Verb
evident even though hidden. In terms of a Participle, the Participial Phrase takes
place of the Subject or Object of the sentence.
Examples:
o He saw the boy (who was) staring out of the window.
o She is the first person (who is) to enter the office.
o Hearing the fireworks, the children jumped up.

Conditional Clauses
Such a clause usually begins with if or unless and describes something likely
or feasible.
 For Example
Unless it rains tomorrow, I will go to school.
Relative Clauses
A relative clause is connected to the main clause by a word such as which,
what, that, whom, etc.
  For example
I was wearing a dress that I bought for my reception.

There are Two Different Types of Clauses that are Relative

 Restrictive Relative clause: without this, the sentence does not make much
sense.
o It reminded me of my school which is more than a hundred years old.
 Non-Restrictive Relative Clause: this provides extra information.
o The lady distributed woolens, which the old man took.
For rapid improvement in the quality of writing it is crucial to know where to use
the exact types of clauses correctly. It enhances the ability to communicate with an
audience drawing their direct attention and avoiding apprehensive sentence
fragments.

Phrases and Clauses Quiz

Choose whether the highlighted part in red is a phrase or a clause.

1. Faced with so many problems, I decided to get professional help.
A. Phrase
B. Clause

2.She arrived to work on time in spite of leaving home so late.

A. Phrase
B. Clause

3.Before taking any medicine, I always speak to my doctor.

A. Phrase
B. Clause

4.Mark has lived outside of his country for 14 years.

A. Phrase
B. Clause

5.In the morning it’s best to get up early.

A. Phrase
B. Clause
6.Having always been keen on caring for people, Susan decided to become a
nurse.
A. Phrase
B. Clause

7.They were annoyed by the baby crying so loudly.

A. Phrase
B. Clause

8.Although injured, John managed to crawl to safety.

A. Phrase
B. Clause

9.I will be running for President.

A. Phrase
B. Clause

10.I like the guy with the green shirt.

A. Phrase
B. Clause

Answers
1. Phrase
2. Clause
3. Clause
4. Phrase
5. Clause
6. Phrase
7. Phrase
8. Clause
9. Phrase
10. Clause

Additions to Remarks
Introduction
The other important category of Tag-questions is the ‘Additions to Remarks’.
These Remarks are mostly used in conversations. While agreeing or disagreeing
with others in conversation, we do not repeat the entire expression (sentence) the
other person says; instead, we use some Additions to give our opinion of the topic
of discussion. And learning some standard rules will help us to make our Additions
relevant to the matter in discussion and clear to the person(s) we are conversing
with.
e.g.
Mr. A.: “Bob would enjoy a game of chess in the evenings.”
Mr. B.: “Yes, yes. Tom also would enjoy a game of chess in the evenings.”
In this dialogue what Mr. B. says may not be grammatically wrong, but repeating
the others’ expressions may not sound very interesting or wise, particularly when
the other person(s) is sensitive to such things.
Suppose Mr. B. responds in this way…

Mr. A.: “Bob would enjoy a game of chess in the evenings.”

Mr. B.: “Tom would too.” OR “So would Tom.”
listeners will definitely receive this response well!
Some standard ‘additions to remarks’:
1. Affirmative (positive) additions to affirmative (positive) remarks can be
made by “subject + auxiliary (helping) verb + too/also” or “so + auxiliary
verb + subject”.
e.g.
Remark:
George will answer my call.
[‘will answer’ – verb – ‘will’ auxiliary verb, ‘answer’ – main verb – positive]
Addition:
Kate will too. OR so will Kate.
When there is an auxiliary verb in the first remark, the same is used in the
Addition. But when the expression does not have any auxiliary verb, or if it is a
non-anomalous verb, we must take the help of the ‘anomalous’ verb words
“do/does; did” depending on the person and number of the subject and tense of the
main verb:
e.g.
Remark: Mike is coming.
Addition: So is Jane. OR Jane is too.
[‘is’ – anomalous verb – used as auxiliary (helping) verb]
But…
Remark: Mike draws pictures well. [‘draws’ – non-anomalous verb]
Addition: So, draws Jane. OR Jane draws too. [wrong]
[‘draws’ – non-anomalous verb – simple present tense — cannot be used]
Therefore…
Addition: So, does Jane. OR Jane does too. [correct]
[‘does’ – anomalous verb — helping verb — simple present tense]
e.g.
Remark: Men told lies.
[‘told’ – non-anomalous verb – simple past]
Addition: So, did women. OR Women did too.
[‘did’ – anomalous verb – helping verb — simple past tense]
2. Negative Additions to negative Remarks are made with “neither/nor +
auxiliary verb + subject”.
e.g.
Remark: David never goes to see films.
[‘goes’ – non-anomalous verb — ‘never’ – adverb – negative]
Addition: Neither does his friend. [‘neither’ – negative]
e.g.
Remark: Ann hasn’t got any spare time.
[* ‘Ann’ – 3rd person – singular; “hasn’t” – verb – singular – present perfect
tense – with negative —- ‘has not’ = hasn’t]
Addition: Neither have I. OR Nor have I.
st
[** ‘I’ – 1 person; ‘have’ – verb – positive —– ‘has’ in the Remark is changed
to “have” to agree with the subject “I” in the Addition]
e.g.
Remark: I didn’t get much sleep last night.
Addition: Neither did I. OR Nor did I.
These negative Additions to negative Remarks can also be made with “subject
+ negative auxiliary + either
e.g.
Remark: He didn’t like that book.
Addition: She didn’t either.
e.g.
Remark: They haven’t made that noise.
Addition: We haven’t either.
3. Affirmative (positive) Additions to negative Remarks are made with “but +
subject + auxiliary (helping) verb”.
e.g.
Remark: Jenny hasn’t got a driving license.
[subject = Jenny; ‘hasn’t’ – verb – negative]
Addition: But Lee has.
[subject = Lee – different subject; ‘has’ – verb – positive]
e.g.
 Mood
What Is Mood in Grammar? (With Examples)
Mood is the form a verb takes to show how it is to be regarded (e.g., as a fact, a
command, a wish, an uncertainty).

There are three moods in English:

 The Indicative Mood. The indicative mood states a fact or asks a
question.
 For example:
 The sky is blue.
 Why is the sky blue?
Or
The indicative mood is a verb form that makes a statement or asks a question. For
example:
 Jack sings every Friday.
(This is a verb in the indicative mood. It's a statement.)
 Is Jack the lead vocalist?
(This is a verb in the indicative mood. It's a question.)
Compare the examples above with this:
 Sing us a song, Jack.
(This verb is not in the indicative mood. It is in the imperative mood.
It's an order. It's not a statement or a question.)

 For example:
 The sky is blue.
 Why is the sky blue?
More Examples of the Indicative Mood
The indicative mood states a fact or asks a question.
 The cat sat on the mat.
 Is the cat on the mat?
 A black cat crossing your path signifies that the animal is going
somewhere. (Comedian Groucho Marx)

 The Imperative Mood. The imperative mood expresses an order. For

example:
 Make your bed.
 Go away!
Examples of the Imperative Mood
The imperative mood expresses a command or a request.
  Get out!
 Please leave the building calmly.
 Don't give up on your dreams. Keep sleeping.

 The Subjunctive Mood. The subjunctive mood shows a wish, a

suggestion, a demand, or condition contrary to fact. For example:
 I wish it were true.
 I demand he be released.
Examples of the Subjunctive Mood
The subjunctive mood is the complicated one. It shows a wish, a suggestion, a
demand, or condition contrary to fact.
 He wishes it were him.
(This is a wish. Note the use of "were" instead of "was.")
 I suggest he be told.
(This is a suggestion. Note the use of "be" instead of "is.")
 I demand he apologize.
(This is a demand. Note the use of "apologize" instead of
"apologizes.")
 If I were you, I'd leave.
(This is a condition contrary to fact. Note the use of "were" instead of
"was.")

More Examples of the Subjunctive Mood

Here's another explanation with some real-life examples.

The subjunctive mood is the verb form used to explore a hypothetical situation,
including:

Expressing a wish.
 Don't wish it were easier; wish you were better. (Entrepreneur Jim
Rohm)
Making a suggestion.
 I suggest a chip be put in future robots' brains to shut them off if
they have murderous thoughts. (Physicist Michio Kaku)
Making a demand.
 The demand that I make of my reader is that he devotes his whole
life to reading my works. (Irish novelist James Joyce)
Expressing a condition contrary to fact.
  When I hear a man preach, I like to see him act as if he were fighting
bees. (President Abraham Lincoln)
Why Mood in Grammar Is Important
Here are two good reasons to care about mood in grammar.
Use the subjunctive mood because it usually sounds better to the )Reason 1(
.native ear...and you can show off
Native English speakers create sentences in the indicative and imperative moods
easily. The same is not always true about the subjunctive mood.

Outside set terms (e.g., "If I were you"), verbs in the subjunctive mood sometimes
sound awkward. Mostly, though, verbs in the subjunctive mood sound aesthetically
pleasing to the native ear.

As we've already seen, verbs can change in the subjunctive mood (most
commonly, "was" becomes "were" and "is" becomes "be"), but an unchanged verb
will nearly always go unchallenged. Therefore, we should expect the subjunctive
mood to continue fading until, maybe sadly for some, its use is considered archaic.
 I demand he apologies. (Subjunctive version)
(This is correct, and it sounds quite highbrow.)
 I demand he apologizes. (non-subjunctive version)
(Almost nobody would challenge this.)
If anything, it's the subjunctive version (outside set terms) that grates on the native
ear nowadays. But we haven't quite reached the stage where the subjunctive
version is out of date. This means you can use it. And, you should use it. Why?
Well, you get to use the term "subjunctive mood" when challenged. They'll Google
it, and you'll be right. That's why you should care about mood, or at least the
subjunctive mood.
.Understanding mood will help when learning a foreign language )Reason 2(
Mood is a term you will hear when learning foreign languages (many of
which have far more changes than our "optional" ones), so it's worth having
a basic understanding of mood to assist with cracking their verb changes.

Exercises of mood with answer key

.The price of gold as well as silver ____ risen .1
(A) is
(B) has
(C) have
(D) are
.Ali was warned _____ the danger quite in time .2
(A) of
(B) about
(C) against
(D) by
.She is very keen _____ going abroad, for higher studies .3
(A) at
(B) on
(C) for
(D) over
:She (never) comes late. The word in brackets is a/an .4
(A) Noun
(B) Verb
(C) Adverb
(D) Article
.The criminal is accused _____ theft .5
(A) with
(B) by
(C) of
(D) for
.We must adapt ourselves _____ our circumstances .6
(A) to
(B) in
(C) with
(D) by
.She could not refrain _____ shedding tears .7
(A) to
(B) from
(C) by
(D) with
.The United States is _____ that there are five time zones .8
(A) too big
(B) very big
(C) much big
(D) so big
.She must attend _____ the lecture .9
(A) to
(B) in
(C) on
(D) with
.She works with her hands, he works _____ the machine .10
(A) by
(B) on
(C) with
(D) at
.They are talking _____ a confidential matter, so do not interrupt .11
(A) in
(B) on
(C) for
(D) over
.I _____ you all my notes if you promise to be regular in your studies .12
(A) shall lend
(B) would lend
(C) would be lent
(D) lend
.Saniya bade farewell _____ her class mates .13
(A) to
(B) of
(C) with
(D) for
.Ali is an amateur _____ stenography .14
(A) of
(B) for
(C) in
(D) to
.Anya was very conscious _____ her weakness .15
(A) by
(B) in
(C) for
(D) of
Answers
1: The answer is: (B) has
2: The answer is: (A) of
3: The answer is: (B) on
4: The answer is: (C) Adverb
5: The answer is: (C) of
6: The answer is: (A) to
7: The answer is: (B) from
8: The answer is: (D) so big
9: The answer is: (A) to
10. The answer is: (B) on
11: The answer is: (A) in
12: The answer is: (A) shall lend
13: The answer is: (A) to
14: The answer is: (c) in
15: The answer is: (D) of

subject-verb agreement
?What is subject-verb agreement

Subject-verb agreement, also called “subject-verb concord,” refers to matching the

subject and verb of a sentence in tense, aspect, and mood (abbreviated as TAM),
which translates to number, person, and gender.

English doesn’t use grammatical gender (except for pronouns), and only the
verb be changes based on whether it’s first, second, or third person. That means
most English subject-verb agreement is about quantity: if the subject is singular,
the verb must be singular; if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural.
Even this can get confusing, though, because talking in the first-person singular
(“I climb the fence”) uses the same verb format as talking in the first-person plural
(“We climb the fence”). Aside from the verb be, subject-verb agreement in English
adapts verbs to the third-person singular (“It climbs the fence”).

Usage and subject-verb agreement examples

Basically, most subjects except third-person singular use the standard form of a
verb in the present tense.

The dogs roll in the mud.

I need to catch my breath.

You look like a celebrity!

However, if the subject is third-person singular, you must use the singular form of
the verb when speaking in the present tense. Most of the time, this means adding
an -s to the end of the verb.

The dog rolls in the mud.

She needs to catch her breath.

He looks like a celebrity!

If the verb ends in -x, –ss, –sh, –ch, –tch, or –zz, you add –es to the end to match
the third-person singular.

My snake hisses to say “I love you.”

She only matches with creeps in online dating.

If the verb ends in a consonant + y, remove the y and add –ies to match the third-
person singular.

Atlas carries the world on his shoulders.

The new drone flies higher than the old one.

However, with words that end in a vowel + y, follow the normal format and add
only –s to make the third-person singular.

My roommate stays in his bedroom from morning to night.

With the exception of the verb be, these guidelines apply to irregular verbs as well
as regular verbs.

Our father eats with the ferocity of a tiger.

So why does the verb be have so many exceptions? The most common verb in
English, be doesn’t just represent a general state of existence; it’s also an auxiliary
verb necessary for the continuous tenses.

In English, be is the only verb that changes based on the person. If you’re using the
verb be, alone or as part of a continuous tense, the subject-verb agreement rules
require that you match both the number and the person. Here’s a quick reminder
of how to conjugate be in the singular and plural of each person:

Singular Plural
First person (I) am (we) are
Second person (you) are (you) are
Third person (he/she/it) is (they) are
Considering how frequently be is used in English, it’s best to memorize this chart
so you can apply the proper subject-verb agreement instinctively.

You are always welcome in our home.

I am running a marathon tomorrow.

It is raining even though it is sunny.

If the subject-verb agreement rules seem complicated, there is some good

news: the simple past and simple future don’t change based on the number or
person of the subject. Both singular and plural subjects use the same form for
those tenses.

They will be here tomorrow.

He will be here tomorrow.

The potatoes grew overnight!

The potato grew overnight!

The only exception is, again, the verb be, which changes
between was and were based on the subject in the simple past tense.

I was young once.

We were young once.

On the other hand, the perfect tenses change their auxiliary verb depending on the
number of the subject. Singular subjects use has, and plural subjects use have.

They have not seen the movie yet, so no spoilers.

She has not seen the movie yet, so no spoilers.

That covers the basics for subject-verb agreement in English. Still, there are some
particularly difficult areas and more precise rules for special situations, which we
explain below.

Advanced subject-verb agreement rules

Here’s a list of some additional subject-verb agreement rules to clear up the more
problematic areas. If you’re still confused, review the subject-verb agreement
examples to see how they work.

1 When using the negative form in the present tense, only the verb do needs to

match the subject.

She does not like reading before bed.

She likes reading before bed.

2 Likewise, in questions that involve the word do, only do needs to match the
subject.

Do you know where the train station is?

Does anyone know where the train station is?

3 If the subject consists of multiple nouns joined by the conjunction and, treat the
subject as plural and use the plural form of the verb.

Lucas and Maxine are in love!

Only Lucas is in love.

However, some common phrases that form a single unit can act as singular.

This bed and breakfast is delightful!

4 If the subject consists of multiple singular nouns joined by or, treat the subject as
singular.

Penne or rigatoni works fine for the recipe.

However, if the subject consists of multiple plural nouns joined by or, treat the
subject as plural.

Cats or dogs make good friends.

If there’s a combination of singular and plural nouns joined by or, the verb follows
the number of the final one listed.

The teacher or the students have to inform the principal.

The students or the teacher has to inform the principal.

5 If there is more than one active verb, as with compound predicates, all the verbs
must agree with the subject.

After work, I go shopping, pick up the kids, cook dinner, and then relax for the
night.

6 Mass nouns, otherwise known as “uncountable nouns” or “noncount nouns,” act

as singular subjects.

Love makes the world go around.

7 Collective nouns can be either singular or plural, depending on whether they act
together or separately.

[Together, singular] The team goes to practice at 4:00.

[Separately, plural] The team go to their own homes after practice.

8 Verbs used in alternative forms, such as gerunds, infinitives, or participles, do

not need to follow subject-verb agreement. However, the main verbs of the
sentence still do.

The coach makes running mandatory.

The coaches make running mandatory.

9 Unless you’re using an appositive or other descriptive phrase, do not put

a comma between subjects and verbs.

The holiday is becoming a total disaster.

The holiday, which I was looking forward to, is becoming a total disaster.

10 The words each and every count as singular when they’re used as the subject,
even if they’re followed by multiple nouns.

Each window and door needs to be sealed.

Every doctor, nurse, and technician gets free training here.

11 Likewise, these words always act as singular subjects, even when they describe
more than one thing:

 anybody
  anyone

 either

 everybody

 everyone

 neither

 no one

 nobody

 somebody

 someone

Everybody loves using correct grammar!

Either blue or green works for the wallpaper color.

12 If additional phrases come between the subject and the verb, the verb must still
agree with the subject. These sentences can be tricky, so be careful.

A group consisting of Professor Lidenbrock, the Icelandic guide Hans Bjelke, and
the professor’s nephew Axel departs for the volcano.

Be particularly careful of subjects that use the phrase “one of . . .” The word one is
singular, even when followed by plural nouns.

One of the world’s leading scientists still has trouble speaking in public.
13 In the active vs. passive voice debate, the verb in the passive voice still follows
whatever word acts as the subject.

They pay the electric bill online.

The electric bill is paid by them online.

14 When choosing between “there is . . .” and “there are . . .,” the verb should
match the number of the noun that follows it. The same goes for sentences
beginning with “here . . .”

There is a new map in the DLC.

There are new maps in the DLC.

15 Similarly, words that indicate a portion, including percentages, use the number
of the noun they describe. This noun is typically the object of the phrase “of . . .”

All of the book is ruined!

All of the books are ruined!

Some of the film is funny.

Some of the films are funny.

Fifty percent of the house is made of wood.

Fifty percent of the houses are made of wood.

16 When referring to distances, periods of time, or amounts of money—taken as a

whole—use the singular form of the verb.
Twenty dollars is too much for IMAX!

17 Be careful of nouns that exist only in the plural form; they sometimes act as
singular.

The news has been depressing lately.

Politics is getting too combative.

However, some of these nouns act as plural.

The scissors do not work.

If a plural noun is preceded by the word pair, treat the subject as singular
because pair is singular.

The pair of scissors does not work.

Exercises of subject agreement with verb

Q1. The teacher ____________ completed this chapter.
A. have
B. has
C. is
D. are
Q2. Ram and Shyam __________ business partners.
A. have
B. has
C. are
D. had

Q3. She ___________ her office by 9 a.m. daily.

A. reach
B. reaches
C. reached
D. reaching
Q4. Rahul and his friends ___________ also invited to the party.
A. is
B. was
C. had
D. were
Q5. Neither you nor your sister should ___________ to them.
A. talk
B. talks
C. talked
D. talking
Q6. Twenty years _________ the minimum age to fill this form.
A. are
B. is
C. has
D. have
Q7. A bouquet of flowers ___________ required for the event.
A. are
B. have
C. has
D. is
Q8. A pair of socks ___________ been missing from my wardrobe.
A. have
B. has
C. were
D. is
Q9. Much ____________ been said in the news reports.
A. were
B. have
C. has
D. was
Q10. The information provided to you ___________ wrong.
A. were
B. was
C. are
D. have been
Q11. The company ____________ of its stakeholders.
A. think
B. thought
C. thinks
D. thinking
Q12. Either of the two dresses shall ____________ good.
A. looking
B. look
C. looks
D. looked
Q13. Each and every member __________ to vote.
A. has
B. have
C. having
D. are
Q14. A large number of soldiers ___________ died for the country.
A. has
B. is
C. are
D. have
Q15. Half of the class ___________ empty.
A. were
B. was
C. has
D. have
Q16. Physics ____________ difficult to understand.
A. were
B. are
C. is
D. have been
Q17. The quality of food here ___________ gone down.
A. have
B. has
C. is
D. are
Q18. My mother, along with others, ___________ worried.
A. were
B. are
C. have
D. was
Q19. She ___________ not take a lot of stress.
A. need
B. needs
C. needing
D. has need
Q20. None of the candidates ___________ responded.
A. were
B. have
C. has
D. is
Q21. He ____________ cooking in his leisure time.
A. enjoy
B. enjoying
C. enjoys
D. enjoyed
Q22. The book ‘Management Principles’ _____________ quite insightful.
A. are
B. is
C. have
D. has
Q23. Two dollars __________ a small amount.
A. are
B. has
C. have
D. is

Q24. A lot of startups ____________ started in the past few years.

A. is
B. are
C. have
D. has
Q25. Politics ___________ been one of the debatable topics.
A. is
B. are
C. have
D. has
Q26. Neither Rishi nor Rhea ___________ helpful.
A. were
B. was
C. are
D. have been
Q27. A series of seminars ___________ conducted.
A. was
B. were
C. are
D. have
Q28. All means of communication ____________ shut down.
A. was
B. has
C. have
D. is
Q29. My glasses ____________ nowhere to be found.
A. is
B. are
C. have
D. has
Q30. That woman ____________vegetables.
A. sell
B. selling
C. sells
D. have sold

Answer key of subject agreement with verb

Q. No. Ans.

1 B

2 C

3 B

4 D

5 A

6 B

7 D

8 B
9 C

10 B

11 C

12 B

13 A

14 D

15 B

16 C

17 B

18 D

19 A

20 B

21 C

22 B

23 D

24 C

25 D

26 B

27 B

28 C

29 B

30 C
 Introduction to Active and Passive Voices
Voice, mood, tense, person, and number are the five qualities of verbs in English
grammar; we're only concerned with voice here. The active and passive voices are
the two grammatical voices. Voice refers to the form of a verb that indicates when
a subject acts or is the receiver of the action. When the subject performs the action,
.it is active voice and when the subject receives the action it is passive voice
Examples of Active and Passive Voice
Active- He loves me.
Passive- I am loved by him.
The subject of the active voice example above is "he," the verb is "loves," and the
object is "me." The subject of the passive voice phrase is "I," the verb is "am
loved," and the object is "him."
The active sentence's subject becomes the passive sentence's object. The
components of both statements are the same, but the structure differs. Passive
sentences describe what happens to the person or object that performs an action,
whereas active sentences describe what happens to the person who does the
activity.
The active voice has a stronger, clearer tone than the passive voice, which is more
subtle and weak. So, while passive voice sounds more elegant, it is better to use
active voice if you want to get your point across effectively.
There are times when passive voice is useful and called for. For example, "The
squirrel was chased by the dog". The sentence construction would be helpful if the
squirrel were the focus of our writing and not the dog.
Structure of Active and Passive Voice
 Active voice describes a sentence where the subject is the doer of an action.
Its structure goes like this-
Subject + Verb+ Object
 Passive voice expresses an action that is carried out on the subject of the
sentence. Its structure is-
Object + verb +subject
Some examples of Active and Passive Voice
Active they will do the work
.Passive the work will be done by them
.Active the mother is feeding the baby
.Passive the baby is being fed by her
You've probably noticed that when we transform from active to passive voice, the
verb form changes. There are two types of verbs employed now: The main and
auxiliary verbs. An auxiliary verb is usually used in conjunction with the main verb.
The auxiliary verb, such as "be, do, or have", expresses the verb's tense or mood.
One thing to note here is that the exact meaning of the sentence does not change
even if the structure differs.
Here are Certain Rules for Active and Passive Voice
 The subject of the verb in the active voice(they) becomes the object in
the Passive voice sentences.
 It is a thumb rule that passive voice phrases, as a rule, always use the
third form of the verb, also known as the past participle form of the verb
(example- eat, ate, eaten- eaten is the third form of a verb).
 Auxiliary verb ‘be’ (am, is are, was, were) is added before the past
participle according to the tense of the verb.
 Generally, ‘by’ is used before the object of the passive voice sentences.
 If the notion you're attempting to express is obvious, you may sometimes
drop the subject entirely from the passive voice. You just have to make a
judgement call for that. For example:
Active- weight is measured in kilograms.
Passive voice: Kilograms is a measurement unit for weight.
 The certain verb takes fixed prepositions after them that replaces ‘by’.
Some of these verbs are- known to, surprised by/at, vexed by, amazed by,
contained in, annoyed with/at, tired of, filled with, decorated with,
engulfed in. For example
Active- The fire engulfed the building.
Passive- The building was engulfed in the fire.
To differentiate between active and passive voice, simply ask the following three
questions:
1. What/who is the subject of the statement?
2. What is the action/verb in the sentence?
3. Is the subject of the sentence performing the action/verb?
4. If the answer to the last question comes out to be ‘yes', then the sentence is
in active voice, and if the answer is ‘no’, then the passive voice is used.
5. Changes in the auxiliary word's tense: When the main verb's verb form
changes, the auxiliary word's tense changes as well. Let's look at a few examples to
understand them more clearly:
Voice and Tenses
Present Tense- Use the simple present tense to make a generalization, present a
state of being, or indicate a habitual or repeated action.
Active- I write a novel.
Passive- A novel is written by me.
Structure- Subject + auxiliary verb + past participle of the main verb+ by + object.
Present Continuous- Use the present progressive to describe an ongoing activity
or a temporary action.
Active- I am eating breakfast.
Passive- The breakfast is being eaten by me.
Structure- Subject + auxiliary verb + being + by + object
Present Perfect- Use the present perfect to describe an action occurring in the past
but relevant to the present or extending to the present.
Active- I have played the game.
Passive- A game has been played by me.
Structure- Subject + has/have been + past participle + by + object
Past Tense- Use the simple past to indicate a general or habitual action occurring
in the past or at a specific time in the past.
Active- I invited you to the party.
Passive- You were invited by me to the party.
Structure- Subject +be+ past participle by+ object
Questions
Active- Did you show me the dress?
Passive- Was I shown the dress by you?
Past Continuous- Use the past progressive to indicate an ongoing action in the
past or an action continuing through a specific past time.
Active- I was playing video games.
Passive- The video games were being played by me.
Structure- Subject auxiliary verb + being+ past participle + by +object
Past Perfect- Use the past perfect to indicate an action completed before a
particular time or before another action in the past.
Active- You had done the work.
Passive- The work had been done by you.
Structure- Subject +had+ been +past participle + by + object
Future Tense- Use the future to indicate an action that is expected to take place at
a future time.
Active- He will play the match.
Passive- The match will be played
Structure- Subject +will +be + past participle +by +object
Structure- Subject t+ will +be+ past participle +by+ object
Future perfect tense
Active- you will have started the job.
Passive- The job will have been started by you.
Structure- subject shall/will have been past participle by subject.
Note that Future continuous and perfect continuous tenses do not form passive
voice.
The more you practice the more you will understand the idea of changing active to
passive and passive to active voice.
Some Examples of Passive Voice are:

 He was praised by his father.

 The horse was frightened by the noise.
 Now a word was spoken by Sara.
 The road was lined with people.
Examples of Active and Passive Voice
Below are examples of active voice and passive voice:

Active Voice: – She is going to deliver the letters.

Passive Voice: – The letters are going to be delivered.
–

Active Voice: – I’m going to make a cake.

Passive Voice: – A cake is going to be made.
–

Active Voice: – She will deliver the letters.

Passive Voice: – The letters will be delivered.
–

Active Voice: – I have made a cake.

Passive Voice: – A cake has been made.
–

Active Voice: – Sapna helps the old lady.

Passive Voice: – The old lady was helped by Sapna.

Changing of modal auxiliaries to passive

Structure:
.Sub+ model Aux+ Verb+ com.
:Ex
.She can speak Pashto.
.They will play cricket.
.We may leave this place.
passive:
Sub+ model aux+be+v3+com
Pashto can be spoken by her
Cricket will be played by them
This place will be leaved by them

Questions sentences in passive voice

.We have two kinds of questions in the passive voice
.
:questions beginning with an auxiliary verb or yes/no questions :1
.
:questions beginning with W h words :2
.
When an active sentence begins with an auxiliary verb, the auxiliary verbs may be
.different
If the question sentence begins with a form of be, we use the form of be in the
.passive too. However, the form of be must agree with the subject of passive clause
:Ex
?Active: are the students writing the notes
?Passive: are the notes being written by them
?Active: is he inviting me
?Passive: am I being invited by him
If a question sentence in active begins with (do, does and did) omit them and use
.the form of be
:Active: passive
Do is/am/are
Does is/am/are
Did was/were
:Ex
?Active: do you speak English? Passive: is English spoken by you
?Active: does he cook lunch? Passive: is lunch cooked by him
?Active: Did he hang up the phone passive: was the phone hung up by him
If a sentence begins with the form of have, use the form of have in passive as well,
.but the form of have must agree with the subject of a passive clause
:Ex
?Active: Have they told us about the exam
?Passive: heave we been told about the exam
?Active: Had she played cricket
?Passive: had cricket been played by him
?Active: has she written the note book
?Passive: has the notebook been written by him
2: Changing of W.H questions to passive
:Rules of changing W. H questions to passive
.Use the same WH- question word in passive except who
.Auxiliary verbs may come after WH- question
.Use the form of be for be, have for have
.Omit the form of do and replace be instead of do
.If there is any auxiliary in active use the same auxiliary in the passive
Structure:
?W.H+ Aux + sub+ v+ com

Passive
?W.H+ aux+ obj+ be+ V3+com
:Ex
?Where will he submit the forms
?Where will the forms be submitted by him
?Where will you teach the class
?Where will the class be thought by you
?Why did the teacher fail the students
.Why the students were failed by teacher
?When does someone clean this room
?When the room is cleaned
If w H- question begins with who, we bring who at the beginning of the sentence,
if it is the subject of the sentence. We use by before who because who is the agent
.and we change who to whom
:Ex
?Active: Who should erase the board
?Passive: by whom should the board be erased
?Active: who broke down my car
?Passive: by whom was my car broken down
Note: when we use who to ask about the object of the sentence, we don’t use by
.with who because who ask about the object and not about the subject
:Ex
?Active: who will you invite for tonight
?Passive: who will be invited by you for tonight
.Note2: the difference with the above sentence
Active: who is teaching us? (Who ask about the subject?)
?Passive: by whom are we being taught
?Active: who are we teaching
?Passive: who is being taught by us

Changing of negative sentences in to passive

When we want to change a negative active sentence in to passive, we should take
.the following rules
if there is a modal aux in the active sentence, use the same aux with not in the :1
passive
:Ex
.Active: we won’t help with them
.Passive: they won’t be helped by us
.Active: they can’t do it
.Passive: it can’t be done by them
if a negative sentence has a form of be, use the form of be. However, the form of :2
.be must agree with the subject of passive clause
:Ex
.Active: Ahmad isn’t reading his books
.Passive: his books aren’t read by him
.Active: she wasn’t cleaning the house
.Passive: the house wasn’t cleaned by her
if a negative sentence has the form of do, we omit the form of do and use the :3
.form of be in the place of a form of do in the passive voice
Active passive
Don’t isn’t/ aren’t/ am not
Doesn’t isn’t/ aren’t/ am not
Didn’t wasn’t/ weren’t
:Ex
.Active: she doesn’t wash the dishes
.Passive: the dishes aren’t washed by her
.Active: the pagans don’t do the prayer
.Passive: the prayer isn’t done by them
.Active: shabir didn’t invite us
.Passive: we aren’t invited by them
if a negative active sentence has have, had or has we also use have, had or has in :4
.passive but have, had or has must agree with the subject
:Ex
.Active: we haven’t washed the car
.Passive: the car hasn’t been washed by us
.Active: Nazif hasn’t gotten married
.Passive: married hasn’t been gotten by him
.Active: samim hadn’t called you
.Passive: you hadn’t been called by him
Changing of imperative sentences into passive
Rules:
.Positive is changed by (let)
.Negative sentence is changed by let not
.Object does not change its form

.Structure: Verb +object +com

.Passive Let+obj+be+V3+com

Ex
.Active: open the door
.Passive: Let the door be opened
.Active: Tell him the matter
.Passive: Let he be told the matter
.Active: Polish my shoes
.Passive: let the shoes be polished
.Active: Throw it away
.Passive: Let it be thrown
.Active: Don’t punish him
.Passive: Let not he be punished
Active verbs with passive meaning
.A few active verbs sometimes have a passive meaning
:Ex
 The books are selling quickly. (= the books are being sold quickly).
 What’s showing at the movie this week? (= what’s being shown at the
movie).
 Our novels are representing already. (= our novels are being represented
already).
Verbs which are generally used the passive forms
A small number of verbs are used more frequently in the passive form than active.
.These verbs are: be, born, be married, and be obliged
:Ex
 Ahmad shah Baba was born in Afghanistan.
 I am obliged to check all the home works.
 She is married with a poor man.

Changing of causative verbs in to passive voice

We can also change causative verbs in to passive voice. We have two patterns for
.changing of causative verbs to passive
Patteren1: actor+ be+ model /helped/let+ to+ infinitive/bare-infinitive (+ by+
.causer)
:Ex
.Active: I mad Rahimullah learn English
.Passive: Rahimullah was mad to learn English
.Active: my friend helped me to fix the car
.Passive: I was helped to fix the car by my friend
.Active: the teacher let us go home early
.Passive: we were let go home early
Note: remember that we use bare- infinitive after make in active voice, but we use
to-infinitive after make in the passive voice. But we always use bare-infinitive after
.let whether it’s active voice or passive voice
:Ex
.Active: we made Ahmad study the lessons
.Passive: Ahmad was mad to study the lessons
.Active: the mother let us play cricket early
.Passive: we were let play cricket early
.Pattern2: causer+ get/have+ object+ past participle (+ by+ actor)
This formula is passive in meaning. It may describe situations where we want
.someone else to do something for us
.Active: I had Ali wash the car
.Passive: I had the car washed
.Active: she had someone service the car
.Passive: she had her car serviced
.Active: Ahmad got me to clean my room
.Passive: Ahmad got my room cleaned
Note: if a verb refers to something negative or unwanted, it has the same meaning
.as a passive sentence
:Ex
.Mudasir got his car stolen last night. (= Mudasir’s car was stolen)
They had their roof blown off in the storm. (= their roof was blown off in the
storm)
We can change a sentence to passive voice all the time when the causative verbs
are make, let and help, because they are already transitive verbs by themselves. It
doesn’t matter whether the verb which comes after them is either transitive or
intransitive. We change only the first part of the sentence which comprises of the
.subject+ make/ let/help+ object
:Ex
.Active: I made Ali buy that book. (The verb buy is transitive)
.Passive: Ali was made to buy that book
.Active: she made her husband sleep. (The verb sleep is intransitive)
.Passive: the husband was made to sleep
However, we can change an active sentence to passive voice only if the verb which
is used after get and have is transitive. If the verb which is used after get or have is
.intransitive passive voice is not possible
:Ex
.Active: Alia gets his brother to call me
.Passive: Alia gets me called by her brother
.Active: Amanullah got his son go home
.Passive: not possible because the verb go is impossible
.Using of other prepositions instead of by in the passive voice
.With: with is usually used when the subject is something
:Ex
.Active: some filled the class
.Passive: the class was filled with smoke
.Active: fire burned me
.Passive: I was burned with fire
.We use (with (with parts of the body
:Ex
.The picture was drawn with fingers
.A circle was drawn in the dust with a stick
However, we can say by hand when we mean by a person and not by a machine.
When hand is used to mean a person, then we use by. We use with when we use
.hand as a part of our body
:Ex
 The carpet has been woven by hand. (= by a person, not by a machine).
 The snake was killed with hands. (A part of body).
 We use (with) with instruments.
:Ex
 The tree was chopped with an ax.
 The meat was carved with a knife.
Note: we use with in passive voice to show the method or means of doing
.something
By shows that an action was accidental and with shows that an action was
.deliberate
:Ex
 He was killed by a falling stone. (Accidental)
 He was killed with a bayonet. (Deliberate)
With is often used with an agent especially after past participles such as crammed,
.crowded, filled, packed and covered
:Ex
 The stadium was packed with soccer hooligans.
 The hall was filled with many students.
 The floor of the basement was covered with ants.
 The bus was crowded with school children.
 The classes were crammed with children.
.the preposition (to) is used after known instead of by in the passive voice :5
:Ex
.Active: I know Hamid Karzai
.Passive: Hamid Karzai is known to me
Negative subjects in passive voice
When an active sentence has negative subject like (no thing, no one, no body) can’t
.be used. In this case we use not in the passive voice
:Ex
.Active: no one will help that poor man
.Passive: that poor man won’t be helped
.Active: nothing can cure my disease
.Passive: my disease can’t be cured
Verbs with two objects (di- transitive) in passive voice
.Some verbs have two objects. One is direct while the other is indirect object
.Direct object: is usually the name of something
Indirect object: is usually the name of someone for whom or to whom something
.is done
.We have to patterns for the verbs of two objects in active voice
.Patteren1: verb+ direct object+ to/for+ indirect object
:Ex
 .I brought a book for Arzo
.They taught English to the students
.Pattern2: verb+ indirect object+ direct object
:Ex
.I brought Arzo a book
.They taught the students English
Similarly, we have two patterns for di- transitive verb in passive voice. In the first
.pattern, direct object becomes the subject of the passive clause
.Patteren1: direct object+ be+ past participle+ to/for+ indirect object
:Ex
.Active: I gave a book to the students
.Passive: a book was given to the students
.Active: she gave a ring to me
.Passive: a ring was given to me by her
.Active: Ali brought a TV to her
.Passive: A TV was brought for her by Ali
In the second pattern, indirect object becomes the subject of the passive clause and
.we omit prepositions
.Pattern2: indirect object +be+ past participle+ direct object
:Ex
.Active: I gave Nazzeer a book
.Passive: Nazeer was given a book by me
.Active: she gave me a ring
.Passive: a ring was given to me by her
.Active: Ali brought her a TV
.Passive: TV was brought for her by Ali

Phrasal verbs in passive voice

When we change a sentence in which the particle has been separated from the verb
in to passive, then we again bring the particle and put it right after verb, because
the object is brought at the beginning of the passive sentence and nothing remains
.between the verbs and its particle
:Ex
.Active: Ahmad switched the light off
.Passive: the light was switched off by Ahmad
.Active: Ali took the notes down
.Passive: the notes were taken down by Ali
.Active: Reyaz will blow your photo up
.Passive: your photos will be blown up by Reyaz
 Active and passive voices exercises
1. Mr. Jamal asked him a question.

A He was asked a question Mr. Jamal.

B. He was asked a question to Mr. Jamal.
C. He was asked a question by Mr. Jamal.
D. A question was being asked by Mr. Jamal.

2. A lion does not eat grass, however hungry he may be.

A. Grass is not eaten by a lion, however hungry he may be.

B. Grass is not being eaten by a lion, however hungry he may be.
C. Grass is eaten not by a lion, however hungry he may be.
D. Grass is being not eaten by a lion, however hungry he may be.

3. It is your duty to make tea at eleven O’clock.

A You are asked to make tea at eleven O’clock.

B. You are required to make tea at eleven O’clock.
C. You are supposed to make tea at eleven O’clock.
D. Tea is to be made by you at eleven

4. Women like men to flatter them?

A. Men are liked by women to flatter them

B. Women like to be flattered by men
C. Women like that men should flatter them
D. Women are liked to be flattered by men

5. Passive of “Why did you disobey your parents?

A. Why do your parents was disobeying by you?

B. Why were your parents disobeyed by you?
C. Why your parents were disobeyed by you?
D. Why your parents were disobeying by you?

6. Passive voice of “Who taught you English”?

A. By whom was English taught to you?

B. Who was taught English to you?
C. Who was teaches you English?
D. By whom is English is taught to you?

7. Rome was not built in a day.

A. They did not build Rome in a day.

B. They could not build Rome in a day.
C. The Romans did not build Rome in a day.
D. They have not built Rome in a day.

8. The traitors should be shot dead.

A. They should have shot the traitors dead.

B. They shall shoot the traitors dead.
C. They should shoot the traitors dead.
D. They shot the traitors dead.

9. They greet me cheerfully every morning.

A. Every morning I was greeted cheerfully.

B. I am greeted cheerfully by them every morning.
C. I am being greeted cheerfully by them every morning.
D. Cheerful greeting is done by them every morning to me.

10. Who is creating this mess?

A. Who has been created this mess?

B. By whom has this mess been created?
C. By whom this mess is being created?
D. By whom is this mess being created?

11. I remember my sister taking me to the museum.

A. I remember I was taken to the museum by my sister.

B. I remember being taken to the museum by my sister.
C. I remember myself being taken to the museum by my sister.
D. I remember taken to the museum by my sister.

12. Are they playing match against them?

A. Is a match being played against our team by them?
B. Is a match be played against our team by them?
C. Is a match played against our team by them?
D. Is a match been played against our team by them?

13. You must obey your parents.

A. Your parents must obeyed by you.

B. Your parents must been obeyed by you.
C. Your parents must be obeyed by you.
D. Your parents must being obeyed by you.

14. Have you taken a rest?

A. Have a rest been taken by you?

B. Have a rest taken by you.
C. Had a rest taken by you?
D‫ ۔‬Have a rest be take by you?

15. Why does an officer neglect duty?

A. Why the duties neglected by an officer?

B. Why are the duties neglected by an officer?
C. Why is the duties neglected by an officer?
D. Why are the duties neglect by an officer.

16. Did you visit a zoo?

A. Was a zoo being visited by you?

B. Was a zoo be visited by you?
C. Was a zoo been visited by you?
D. Was a zoo visited by you?

17. She will invite me.

A. I shall be invited by her.

B. I will be invited by her.
C. I shall being invited by her.
D. I will been invited by her.

18. I take exercise daily.

A. Exercise are taken daily by me.
B. Exercise is taken daily by me.
C. Exercise is being taken daily by me.
D. Exercise is been taken daily by me.

19. You will praise her very much.

A. She will praised very much by you.

B. She will be praised very much by you.
C. She will being praised very much by you.
D. She will been praised very much by you.

20. Why do you tell a lie?

A. Why a lie told by you?

B. Why is a lie be told by you?
C. Why is a lie told by you?
D. Why is a lite being told you?

21. Why did you waste best part of your life?

A. Why the best part of your life wasted by you?

B. Why were the best part of your life wasted by you?
C. Why did the best part of your life wasted by you?
D. Why was the best part of your life wasted by you?

22. Will my mother have baked cake?

A. Will the cake have backed by my mother?

B. Will the cake has being backed by my mother?
C. Will the cake be baked by my mother?
D. Will the cake have been backed by my mother?

23. Who designed a car?

A. By whom a car designed?

B. By whom a car had designed?
C. By whom a car was designed?
D. By whom a car was being designed?

24. He was driving a car, when accident occurred.

A. A car driven by him, when the accident occurs.
B. A car was driven by him, when the accident occur.
C. A car was been driven by him, when the accident occurred.
D. A car was being driven by him, when the accident occurred.

25. They probably won’t attend lecture tomorrow.

A. The lecture probably not attended by them tomorrow.

B. The lecture probably won’t be attended by them.
C. The lecture not probably attended by them tomorrow.
D. The lecture probably won’t been attended by them tomorrow.

26. I said to her, “Why are you sleeping”?

A. I asked her why she was sleeping.

B. I asked her that why she was sleeping.
C. I asked her that why was she sleeping.
D. None of these

27. Afridi plays the Harmonium and the sitar is_______also.

A. Played
B. Played by he
C. Played by him
D. None of these

28. He did not give up the fight even though he was badly bruised.

A. The fight did not give up by him even though he was badly bruised.
B. The fight had not given up by him even though he was badly bruised.
C. The fight was not given up by him even though he was badly bruised.
D. The fight was not being given up by him even though he was badly bruised.

29. We should avoid tranquilizer in order to have a good health.

A. Tranquilizer should avoided by us in order to have good health.

B. Tranquilizer should been avoided by us in order to have a good health.
C. Tranquilizer should be avoid by us in order to have a good health.
D. Tranquilizer should be avoided by us in order to have a good health.
30. His wife upbraided him for his irresponsible handling of the family
finance.

A. He upbraided by his wife for his irresponsible handling of the family

finance.
B. He was upbraided by his wife for his irresponsible handling of the family
finance.
C. He has upbraided by his wife for his irresponsible handling of the family
finance.
D. He were upbraided by his wife for his irresponsible handling of the family
finance.

Answers
1. C. He was asked a question by Mr. Jamal.
2. A. Grass is not eaten by a lion; however hungry he may be.
3. C. You are supposed to make tea at eleven O’clock.
4. B. Women like to be flattered by men
5. B. Why were your parents disobeyed by you?
6. A. By whom was English taught to you?
7. C. The Romans did not build Rome in a day.
8. C. They should shoot the traitors dead.
9. B. I am greeted cheerfully by them every morning.
10.D. By whom is this mess being created?
11.B. I remember being taken to the museum by my sister.
12.A. Is a match being played against our team by them?
13.C. Your parents must be obeyed by you.
14.A. Have a rest been taken by you?
15.B. Why are the duties neglected by an officer?
16.D. Was a zoo visited by you?
17.A. I shall be invited by her.
18.B. Exercise is taken daily by me.
19.B. She will be praised very much by you.
20.C. Why is a lie told by you?
21.D. Why was the best part of your life wasted by you?
22.D. Will the cake have been backed by my mother?
23.C. By whom a car was designed?
24.D. A car was being driven by him, when the accident occurred.
25.B. The lecture probably won’t be attended by them.
 26.A. I asked her why she was sleeping.
27.C. Played by him
28. C. The fight was not given up by him even though he was badly bruised.
29.D. Tranquilizer should be avoided by us in order to have a good health.
30. B. He was upbraided by his wife for his irresponsible handling of the family
finance.

Introduction to Direct and Indirect Speech

The distinction between Direct and Indirect Speech may be confusing for some
students. Often when we need to explain an incident or action, it involves quoting
what someone said. A social situation, as well as a work email or presentation, are
examples of such instances. There are two forms of Speech used to explain what
other people say: direct Speech and indirect Speech (or reported Speech).

Direct Speech
The same words spoken are quoted indirect Speech. If we use Direct Speech in
writing, we bring the words spoken between quotation marks (" ") and leave them
alone. We may be reporting something that is being said (for example, a phone
conversation) or asking someone about a previous conversation later.

Example
 Nirmal said, "There's a dog outside the window."
 Mahima says, "What time will you be home?"
 Supriya said, "I don't know!"

Indirect Speech
When we use reported or Indirect Speech to speak about the past, we generally
change the tense of the words we say. We use reporting verbs like 'say,' 'tell,' and
'ask,' and we can introduce the reported words with the word 'that.' There are no
inverted commas in this sentence.

For Example,
 Mahima said that she had seen him.
 Nirmal said he was looking forward to playing in the match on Saturday.

Direct and Indirect Speech

Children often mix up Direct and Indirect Speech. We need a way to say the
difference between what someone is claimed to have said and what they said when
we're writing. What did she say if you asked her? You may respond in one of two
ways:

“I don’t like pizza,” Siddi said. (Direct Speech)

Siddi says she doesn’t like pizza. (Indirect Speech)

Note how Speech marks (“...”) are used in Direct Speech to indicate precisely what
was said. Speech labels are located at the beginning and end of the actual words
spoken. The words 'Siddi said' are not in Speech marks because they were not
spoken aloud; rather, they are a way for the writer to express who was speaking to
the reader.

The past tense is often used in reported Speech. This is because the words have
already been spoken, and the writer is simply reporting on what has already been
saying. It's critical to think about what was said and convert it to the past tense.

Direct and Indirect Narration Rules

Following are the steps to convert the Direct/Indirect Speech and also let’s discuss
Direct and Indirect Speech tenses rules in detail.

Step 1: Write down the reporting verb that is used to determine the Indirect
Speech's tense.

Step 2: Change the position and time to reflect the speaker's actual location and
time.

Step 3: For both the object and the subject, use the correct pronoun.

Step 4: Make sure the sentence has the correct structure and word order.

Now we'll go through each of these measures in greater depth.

Step 1: Choosing the Verb's Tense and Conversion

Case 1: Nirmal said, ‘I go to the gym every day.

Case 2: Nirmal says, ‘I go to the gym every day.’

The verb ‘say' is used in both of the instances above to express the action of
speaking. In addition, the reporting verb say is used in the past tense in the first
case – said. In case 2, however, the reporting verb is in the present tense.

As a consequence, all verbs must be in the relevant past tense here. If the reporting
verb is in the past tense, this is often followed. Thus, Nirmal said, ‘I go to the class
every day will change to Nirmal said that he went to the gym every day.

The second rule is that the tense is not changed whether the reporting verb is in the
future or present tense. So, Nirmal says, ‘I go to the class every day will be
changed to Nirmal says that he goes to the class every day.

Step 2: Changes are Made to the Word That Communicates Place, Time, and
.Connection

The time or place specified in the sentence should be changed to match the current
time or position.

On 21st, May 2015: ‘I will come tomorrow,’ Sriram said.

On 21st, May 2015, Sriram said that he would come the next day.

.Step 3: The Subject and Object Pronouns are Chosen Separately

Case 1: Saurav will say to his friends, “I have started learning psychology” will
change to Saurav will tell his friends that he has started learning psychology.

In this case, the speaker and the reporter are the same people. As a consequence,
the pronoun should be the first-person pronoun.

Case 2: Ma’am said to me, “I hope you will bring the geometry to my next class”
will changed to Ma’am hoped that I would bring the geometry to her next class.

The speaker is ma'am, and the reporter is the student. As a consequence, the ma'am
pronoun should be in the third person. The reporter's pronoun should also be in the
first person.
Remember that we do not change the tense of the reporting verb within the
quotation marks when it is in the present or future tense.

Conclusion
When using English, you'll want to use both direct and indirect Speech regularly,
so make sure you're familiar with both and can use them correctly. Direct Speech
isn't always an accurate representation of what someone has said. Using inverted
commas before and after the quotation, you may quote from other texts similarly.
Instead of using the verb "to tell," consider using a verb like "to compose," "to
state," or "to define." You may convey what is being reported using a variety of
verbs; for example, while "to say" is widely used, you may also want to use "to
tell" to explain something that has been told to you. Keeping a small diary of what
has been said around you is an important way to practice – explain what people
have said and try to write a few examples of each form.
?How can we make a quoted speech
.Write the reporting speech or dialog speech or box
 Ahmad said
.Put a comma after the reporting verbs such as say, tell etc
 Ahmad said,
.Write the initial quotation mark
 Ahmad said,”
.Capitalize the first letter after initial quotation mark
:Ex
 Ahmad said, “She
.Write a period, question mark or exclamation point at the end of the sentence
:Ex
 Ahmad said, “She was my classmate.”
Write terminal quotation mark after period, question mark or exclamation point at
.the end of the sentence
:Ex
 Ahmad said, “She was my classmate.”
.If we face more than one sentence then we use quotation mark at the end
:Ex
 Ahmad said, “She is arranging tools, will you bring something from
Bazaar?”
Quotation mark is also called inverted commas in British English on other hand, in
British we use ingle quotation mark, but in American we use double quotation
.Marks
We also use Quotation marks before and after the dialogue box when it comes in
.the center. But we use a small letter after the second quotation Mark
:Ex
 Ahmad said, “He is my brother”.
Direct speech has two parts.
The part which tells us about the speaker and which also has a reporting verb. It’s
.called reporting speech or dialogue box
Reported speech: the words of the speaker which come between the quotation
.marks is called reported speech
:Ex
 Ahmad Huseen said, “I must control all problems which I have”.
Dialogue box/ reporting speech reported part/ speech
Dialogue box or reporting speech can be used in three positions of the quotation
.mark
1. At the initial position.
2. At the middle position.
3. At the final position.
:Ex
 Ali said, “My father works hard every day”. (Initial position)
 “My father, Ali said, “works hard every day”. (Middle position)
 “My father works hard every day,” said Ali. (Final position)
.)““( Quotation marks
Quotation marks are used only in direct speech and they are also called inverted
.commas in British English
.)“ “( British use single quotations (‘‘) while Americans use double quotations
We use the quotation marks when we quote the words of someone. The exact
.words of the speaker will be embedded in quotation marks
The first quotation mark is called the initial quotation mark while the second is
.called the terminal quotation marks. We don’t use them in indirect speech
Period (full stop), question mark, and exclamation mark come inside the quotation
.marks
:Ex
 She said, “What time does your class begin?”
 Nabi said, “I have a difficult exam today.”
 Quotation marks with other punctuations
.Comma and period or full stop: they are always go inside the quotation marks
:Ex
 “At last,” said the young man, “I can say that I am a good man.”
 semi colon and colons: they are always come outside the quotation marks
:Ex
 She never liked the poem “dover beach”; in fact, it was her least favorite
piece of Victorian literature.
Quotation marks, exclamation marks and dashes go inside the quotation marks
.when they are part of the quotation, and outside when they are don’t
:Ex
 Where is your copy of “the book”?
 “How cold is it outside?” my friend asked.
Reporting verbs

Say and tell are the two verbs most commonly use in the report statements in
.English. We can use either say or tell to do something
The main difference is that when we use told we normally say who is spoken to, so
.we have to use it with a direct personal object
When we use say, we don’t normally indicate who is spoken to, or, if we do, we
.must put to before the object
:Ex
 He told me that he was coming here.
 He said that he expected to get marry soon.
 Did you say anything?
 I told her nothing about it.
Note: when we are quoting direct speech, say is the more commonly used verb as
.say refer to any kind of speech
.Tell is used only with the meaning of instruct, or inform
:Ex
 “You don’t look to happy,” I said.
 “I get really stressed at work,” she said.
We can also use other informative reporting verbs in addition to said to report
statements and quoting direct speech. Like explain, remark, confess, inform, warn
.etc
:Ex
 “You don’t look very happy,” I remarked.
  “I get really stressed at work,” she confessed.
Tell+ object+ infinitive
We can also use the object+ infinitive pattern with told and other verbs suggesting
.commands or orders
:We can’t use say in this way
:Ex
 I warned her not to stay out after dark in our house.
 They told us to buy a modern phone and make facilities to ourselves.
.Change occurring in direct speech while changing it into indirect speech

Many changes occur when we change a direct speech to indirect. Pronouns, words,
tenses etc. are changed. Compare the following sentences
Original words reported word
.Will you help me? I asked him if he would help me
.You look nice. I told him that he looked nice
.I can’t swim. He pretended that he couldn’t swim
.I am fixing a car he said that he was fixing a car

Changes in tenses
Time change_ tense change
This change of time nearly always results in change of tense. When a past tense
reporting verb is used, the tense of what was said originally usually moves one
.tense back in to past
:Ex
Direct speech: I said to him, “Can you speak English?”
Indirect speech: I said to him that could you speak English?
Direct speech: who is that man in the black shirt?
Indirect speech: I asked that who that man in the black shirt was?
Direct speech: I said, “How did you come to course, Ali?”
Indirect speech: I asked that Ali how he had come to course?
Direct speech: how much money did you bring Ahmad?
Indirect speech: I wanted to know how much money Ahmad had
brought.
Time change _ not tense change
Some verbs forms can’t go further back into the past, even when they are reported
at a later date. This applies to (used to), the past perfect and post modal and third
.conditional structure
:Ex
”.Direct speech: he said, “I used to go out for working every night of that week
Indirect speech: he admitted that he used to go out for working every night of the
.week
Direct speech: they said, “we could have saved a lot of money, if we ‘d taken
”.your advices
Indirect speech: they conceded that they could have saved a lot of money if they
.‘d taken my advices
”.Direct speech: he said,” I had never eaten apples before in met Ahmad
Indirect speech: he mentioned that he had never eaten apples before he met
.Ahmad
Deference between Quoted Speech and Reported Speech

Quoted Speech Reported Speech

A – Exact words A – Not exact words
B – Using of Comma B – Not using of comma
C – Using of quotation marks C – No using of quotation
marks
D – No change of pronoun D – Change of pronoun
E – Capital letter E – No capital letter
F – NO change of tense F – Change of tense
G – No using of that G – Optionally using of that

Uses of indirect speech

Indirect speech is more common in spoken English. Then written English.
However indirect speech is still preferred in written English, as we don’t use a lot
.of punctuations in indirect speech
Indirect speech can be used in the following ways
.
Company reports .1
Parliamentary reports .2
.Giving the list of e.g., a lecture, meeting, seminar, etc .3
Passing on instructions .4
Reporting every day conversation .5
Writing new reports .6
 ?How to change direct speech to indirect

Present tenses.
It’s very easy to change present tenses to indirect speech. We change only the word
.Present to past

Simple present tense Simple past tense

.Ahmad said, “I have a car.”
.Ali said, “I am married.”
Present progressive tense
.Ahmad said, “I am working.”
.Ali said, “We are speaking.”
Present perfect tense
.Ahmad said,” I have worked.”
.Ali said,” I have eaten lunch.”
Present perfect continuous tense
.Nazif said, “I have been working.”
.Lila said, “I have been studying.”
Past tenses.
Simple past tense
.Lila said, “I played cricket.”
.Lila said, “We won the match.”
Past progressive tense
.Wali said, “I was sleeping.”
.Wali said, “I was coming.”
Past perfect tense
.Ali said, “I had gone.”
.Ali said, “I had finished my work.”
Past perfect continues tense
.Ahmad said, “I had been washing.”
.Ahmad said, “We had been driving.”
Future tenses/ modals/ semi modal auxiliaries
Ahmad said that he had a car
Ali said that he was married
past progressive tense
Ahmad said that he was working
Ali said that they were speaking
past perfect tense
Ahmad said that he had worked
Ali said that he had eaten lunch
past perfect continues tense
Nazif said that he had been working
Lila said the she had been studying
past perfect tense
Lila said that she had played cricket
Lila said that they had won the match
past perfect progressive tense
Wali said that he had been sleeping
Wali said that he had been coming
past perfect (no change to other tense)
Ali said that he had gone
Ali said that he had finished his work
past perfect continues (no change)
Ahmad said that he had been washing
Ahmad said that they had been driving

Actually, there is no tense in future and use modals to show future. Here we
.Change all models in future tenses
:Ex
Direct speech indirect speech
Will would
.Ali said,” I will learn English.” Ali said that he would learn English
.Ali said, “I will go to school.” Ali said that he would go to school
.Ali said, “we ‘ll be coming here.” Ali said that they would be coming here
Can could
.Ahmad said, “I can speak English.” Ahmad said that he could speak English
.Ahmad said, I can win the match.” Ahmad said that he could win the match
May might
.Lila said, “I may ask some questions.” Lila said that she might ask some questions
.Lila said,” We may leave the class.” Lila said that they might leave the class
Must (probability) must
.Lila said, “That must be my teacher.” Lila said that that must be his teacher
.Lila said,” I must be a good doctor.” Lila said that she must be a good doctor
Must (obligation) had to
.Ali said, “I must complain from him.” Ali said that he had to complain from him
.Ali said,” we must go to school.” Ali said that they had to go to school
Could could
.Ahmad said,” I could meet him.” Ahmad said that he could meet him
.Ahmad said,” I could come here.” Ahmad said that he could come here
Might Might
.Zabi said,” I might buy a car.” Zabi said that he might buy a car
.Zabi said,” we might listen to him,” Zabi said that they might listen to him
Should should
.Aziz said, “I should go on time.” Aziz said that he should go on time
.Aziz said,” I should come here.” Aziz said that he should come here
Ought to ought to
.Aziz said, “We ought to use our book.” Aziz said that they ought to use their book
.Aziz said, “I ought to learn English.” Aziz said that he ought to learn English
Would would
.Lila said, “I would call him.” Lila said that she would call him
.Lila said, “I would help him.” Lila said that she would help him
Has/ have to had to
.Zakir said, “I have to play cricket.” Zakir said that he had to play cricket
.Zakir said, “She has to come on time.” Zakir said that she had to come on time
Is/am/are/going to was/ were/going to
.Nazia said, “I am going to sleep.” Nazia said that she was going to sleep
.Nazia said, “We are playing.” Nazia said that they were playing
Need need
.Samim said, “I need call you.” Samim said that he need call you
.Samim said, “I need buy a pen.” Samim said the he need buy a pen
Note: Americans don’t use shall. However, shall is sometimes use in British
English. Shall can be changed to should/would/could depending on the meaning
.Of shall
:Ex
”.Direct speech: they said, “What shall we give her as a gift
.Indirect speech: they wondered what they should/ could give her as a gift
.Americans always change shall in to would when it shows future
:Ex
”.Direct speech: Ali said, “I shall call to my meeting off
.Indirect speech: Ali said that he would call his meeting off
But in British English shall can be changed either to should or would depending
On The pronoun which is used before it. Should is used with the place of shall
With The pronouns (I, we) in direct speech. And would is used in the place of shall
When the pronoun is (he, she, it, you) will can also be changed to should in British
.English if the pronoun is (I, we)
:Ex
”.Direct speech: Lila said, “I shall buy a car
.Indirect speech: Lila said that she would buy a car

”.Direct speech: Ali said to me, “you will call me soon

.Indirect speech: Ali said to me that I should call him

”.Direct speech: we said, “We shall take care of ourselves

.Indirect speech: we said that we should take care of ourselves
The British use of indirect speech is very confusing. It ‘ll be better to change both
.Shall and will into would when they show future in indirect speech
Changing pronouns in indirect speech
Pronouns can also change in indirect speech. Pronouns are changed in indirect
speech according to the (SON) formula. In this formula
.S means subject
O means object
.N means non change
First person pronouns (I, we) and their other forms (my, me, mine, myself, us, our,
.ours, ourselves) are changed according to subject of the dialogue speech
:Ex
.”Direct speech: Ali said, “I will have to take care of myself
.Indirect speech: Ali said that he would take care of himself
.”Direct speech: they said, “We are swimming our bodies by ourselves
.Indirect speech: they said that they were swimming their bodies by themselves
Second person pronouns (you) and its other forms (your, yours, yourself,
.yourselves) are changed according to the object of dialogue speech
:Ex
.”Direct speech: Ahmad told me, “You are my best friend
.Indirect speech: Ahmad told me that that I was his best friend
.”Direct speech: Arzo said me, “you are my enemy
.Indirect speech: Arzo said that I was her enemy
Third person pronouns (he, she, it) and their objective, possessive, and reflexive
.forms can’t change
:Ex
.”Direct speech: famim said, “They are playing football now
.Indirect speech: famim said that they were playing right away

.”Direct speech: you said, “She wants to go to school

.Indirect speech: you said that she wanted to go to school

Change of time/place expressions

A change of time means a change of tense. The person reporting uses tenses that
related to time when he/she is making the report and not to the time when the
.original words where used
When we change to from direct speech to indirect speech, it is often necessary to
change the pronouns to match the subject of the sentences. It is also important to
change time words when referring to present, past or future time to match the
.moment of speaking
Adverbs and adverbial phrases of time and place change as follow

Today that day

:Ex
.I told him today”, she said. She said that she had told him that day“
.He said, “We speak today.” He said that they had spoken that day
Yesterday the day before/ the previous day
:Ex
.He said, “I told her yesterday.” He said that he had told her the previous day
.He said, “I kissed her yesterday.” He said that he had kissed her the previous day
The day before yesterday two days before/ earlier
He said, “I met her the day before yesterday.” He said that he had met her two days
.before
He said, “I spoke her the day before yesterday.” He said that he had spoken to her two
.days before
Tomorrow the following/ the coming/ next day
:Ex
.He said, “I will help you tomorrow.” He said that he would help him next day
She said, “I will give you money tomorrow.” She said that she would give him money
.the coming day
The day after tomorrow in two days’ time/two days later
:Ex
They said, “We will play the day after tomorrow.” They said that they ‘d play in two
.days’ time
They said, he will win the game the day after tomorrow.” They said that he would
.win the game two days later
Tonight, that night
:Ex
.He said, “We can sleep a lot tonight.” He said that we could sleep a lot that night
.She said, “I can visit my friends to night.” She said that she could visit her that night
Next week/month/ year the following (coming) week/ month year
:Ex
.She said, “I have work next year.” She said that she had work the following year
He said, “I will come here next month.” He said that he would come here the fowling
.month
Last week/ month/ year the previous week/ moth/ year
:Ex
.He said, “I was very busy last week.” He said that he was very busy the previous week
She said, “I was very tired last month.” She said that she was very tired the previous
.month
The day after tomorrow the next two days/ in the two days
:Ex
Ali said, “I will come here the day after tomorrow.” Ali said that he would come here
.the next two days
Ali said, “I will be a good doctor the day after tomorrow.” Ali said that he would be a
.good doctor in two days
Now than/right away/immediately
:Ex
.She said, “I am playing cricket now.” She said that I was playing cricket right away
.He said, “I am coming now.” He said that he was coming immediately
Ago before/ earlier
:Ex
.He said, “I saw him two days ago.” He said that he had seen him before
.She said, “I helped her three days ago.” She said that she had helped her earlier
This (for time) that
:Ex
He said, “I am getting a new job this week.” He said that he was getting a new job
.that week
She said, “I am getting married this month.” She said that she was getting married
.that month
This/ that (adjectives) the
:Ex
.He asked, “Do you like this car?” He asked if I liked the shirt
 .She asked, do you play this game?” She asked if I played the game
These those
:Ex
.She said, “I like these books.” She said that she liked those books
.He said, “I eat these food.” He said that he ate those food
Here there
:Ex
.He said, “I have been living here.” He said that he had been living there
.She said, I have lived here.” She said that she had lived there
Come go
:Ex
.Ali said, “I am coming here soon.” Ali said that he was going there soon
.Ali said, “I come to Kabul Soon.” Ali said that he went to Kabul soon
Note: we don’t change come in to go in reported speech when there is no adverb or
.adverbial phrases after come
:Ex
.Lila said, “I am coming.” Lila said that she was coming
.Ali said, “I come.” Ali said that he came
Bring take
:Ex
.She said to me, “Bring the apples here.” She told me to take the apples there
.He said to me, “Bring the glass here.” She told me to take the glasses there
Occasions on which tenses don’t change in indirect speech

.Tenses are changed in indirect speech only if the dialogue speech is in past
:Ex
”.Direct speech: Ahmad said, “I work hard every day
.Indirect speech: Ahmad said that he worked hard every day
Note: after present, future and present perfect reporting verbs, tenses are usually
.the same as in the original because there is no important change of time
:Ex
.He says that he doesn’t want to play anymore
.I will tell him your idea is great
Tenses are not changed in the following cases.
When the reporting speech/ dialogue speech is in the present or in the future, but
pronouns do change. If the reporting verb is in the present tense, the verb form in
.the reported statement remains the same
:Ex
”.Direct speech: he will say, “The girl is very pretty
.Indirect speech: he will say that the girl is very pretty
”.Direct speech: the boy says to us, “you are good parents
.Indirect speech: the boy says to us that you are good parents
When we report immediately. We don’t change tenses in this case and we don’t
.change time and place expressions either. However, pronouns can be changed
:Ex
”.Direct speech: Ali said, “I scored a century
Indirect speech: Ali said that he scored a century. (Immediately report)

”.Direct speech: Lila said, “I am here to get married

.Indirect speech: Lila said that she is here to get married
.When we quote a universal fact
:Ex
”.Direct speech: my father said, “Allah is one
.Indirect speech: my father said that Allah is one

”.Direct speech: the teacher said, “Muhammad is the last messenger of Islam
.Indirect speech: the teacher said that Muhammad is the last messenger of Islam
.When we quote a proverb
:Ex
”.Direct speech: Ali said, “East or west home is the best
.Indirect speech: Ali said that east or west home is the best

”.Direct speech: Lila said, “All is for one and one is for all
.Indirect speech: Lila said that all is for one and one is for all
Reporting questions
In the reporting questions say and tell are not used. Instead of them we must use ask if to
report yes, no questions and with the questions word for all other types of questions we
.change WH questions and yes, no questions in different ways
Yes /no questions
When we change the questions which are started by auxiliary verb, we take the
.following steps
In the place of (say, tell) we use ask, wonder, enquire, inquire, want to know,
)interrogate
.isn’t used in the questions sentences )That(
We use (if, whether) when a question begins with an auxiliary verb if and whether
.are interchangeable after ask, want to know, wonder etc
The structure of the question must be like an affirmative sentence because all
.reported sentences are noun clauses
.The auxiliaries (do, does and did) are deleted when we change a yes/no question
.Question mark is not used and instead of it a period is used
:Ex
”?Direct speech: Ali told me, “Are you a boy
.Indirect speech: Ali asked me if I was a boy
.Also Ali wanted to know whether I was a boy
.Also Ali enquired if I was a boy
.Also Ali wondered whether I was a boy
.Also Ali inquired if I was a boy
”?Direct speech: he said to her, “Have you learned English
.Indirect speech: he asked her if she had learned English
”?Direct speech: Ali said to Ahmad, “Is you father suffering from Islam
.Indirect speech: Ali asked Ahmad whether his father was suffering from Islam

We can use object pronouns after (ask, interrogate) but we can’t use object after
other verbs and verb phrases (e.g. want to, wonder and enquire) when we report a
.question
:Ex
”?Direct speech: Ahmad told me, “Are you a boy
.Indirect speech: Ahmad asked me if I was a boy
.Not Ahmad wanted to know me whether I was a boy
.Not Ahmad enquired me if I was a boy
.Not Ahmad wondered me whether I was a boy
.Not Ahmad inquired me if I was a boy
W.H questions in reported speech

When we want to change a sentence which is started with WH- question words
.from quoted speech in to reported speech we take the following rules
In the place of (say, tell) we use ask, wonder, enquire, inquire, want to know,
)interrogate
.isn’t used in the questions sentences )That(
.aren’t used when a question begins with a WH- question word )If, whether(
The structure of the question must be like an affirmative sentence because all
.reported sentences are noun clauses
.Tenses and words will change as we have already described
:Ex
”?Direct speech: Ali told me, “What is your name
.Indirect speech: Ali asked me what my name was

”?Direct speech: Lila said, “Where were you yesterday

.Indirect speech: Lila wanted to know where I had been the previous day

”?Direct speech: he said to me, “why have you come late

.Indirect speech: he asked me why I why I had come late

”?Direct speech: she said to me, “Where is your house located

.Indirect speech: she asked me where my house located was

”?Direct speech: I said to him, “when will you return my pen

.Indirect speech: I asked him when he would return my pen

”?Direct speech: she said to us, “when will the bus arrive
.Indirect speech: she asked us when the bus would arrive

”?Direct speech: he said to me, “when did you have fever

.Indirect speech: he asked me when I had had fever
For reported questions you also need to remember the need to move the verb from
‘one tense back’. But additionally, you need to remember that there is no inversion
of subject and verb and no ‘do’, ‘does’ or ‘did’ in reported questions consider the
.following
”?Direct speech: I said, “What is the matter
.Indirect speech: I wanted to know what the matter was

”?Direct speech: the doctor said to me, “how do you feel today
.Indirect speech: the doctor asked me how I felt that day

”?Direct speech: I said to him, “where are you going

.Indirect speech: I asked him where he was going

”?Direct speech: I said, “Who is that boy in the black shirt

.Indirect speech: I wondered who that boy in the black shirt was

”?Direct speech: she said, “How did you come to course

.Indirect speech: I wanted to know how she had come to course
The word order of question sentence in indirect speech must be affirmative and the
.verb must come after the subject and not before the subject
:Ex
”?Direct speech: I said, “what ‘s the matter
.Indirect speech: I wanted to know what the matter was
”?Direct speech: I said, “Who is that girl in the black dress
.Indirect speech: I wondered who that girl in black dress was

Forms and use of infinitive in indirect speech

Imperatives (usually orders, requests, hopes, advice, etc.) are reported with
appropriate verbs followed by to- infinitive. Different verbs (e.g., ask, request,
forbid, advice, allow, threaten, warn, remained, tell, etc.) can be used depending on
the meaning of imperative sentence it carries. In each case the reporting verb must
match the function of imperative. An imperative is always changed to infinitive in
.indirect speech and we use reporting verbs+ object pronouns + to-infinitive
However, we use different verbs while we change an imperative sentence to
indirect speech depending on the meaning of the reporting verbs (usually tell, say)
.in the imperative sentences
One imperative sentence may be changed differently if the subject of the reporting
.verb is different
:Ex
”.Direct speech: my father said to me, “be quite
.Indirect speech: my father ordered me to be quiet

”.Direct speech: Ali said to me, “be quite

.Indirect speech: Ali advised me to be quiet

”.Direct speech: the teacher said to me, “be quite

.Indirect speech: the teacher threatened me to be quiet

”.Direct speech: my friend said to me, “be quite

.Indirect speech: my friend to me to be quiet
Here are the reporting verbs which we can use in indirect speech in place of
.common reporting verbs (say, tell) while reporting imperative sentences
We use (ask, request) when there is a request in the imperative sentences. We use
the object pronouns after the verb (ask, request, entreat) only if there is an object
.after them
:Ex
”.Direct speech: he said to me, “could you please open the door
.Indirect speech: he asked me to open the door

”.Direct speech: they said to us, “Please help us

.Indirect speech: they requested us to help them

”.Direct speech: she said to her husband, “Please give me your hand
.Indirect speech: she entreated her husband to give her his hand
But if there is no an object pronoun, then we can’t use to- infinitive and we use
.only the verbs ask and request and a noun as an object after them
:Ex
”?Direct speech: she asked, “Can I have an apple
.Indirect speech: she asked for an apple

”?Direct speech: they asked, “Can we have a cup of tea

.Indirect speech: they asked for a cup of tea

”?Direct speech: she said, “I have your pen please

.Indirect speech: she asked for a pen

”.Direct speech: they said, “Books please

.Indirect speech: they asked for books
.We use (order, force) when the imperative sentences carry an order
:Ex
”.Direct speech: my father told me, “Clean the room very fast
.Indirect speech: my father ordered me to clean the room very fast

”.Direct speech: the teacher told the students, “Study a lot

.Indirect speech: the teacher ordered the students to study a lot

”.Direct speech: the governor said to the guard, “Go out

.Indirect speech: the governor forced the guard to go out

”.Direct speech: the shopkeeper said to the customer, “Bring my money

.Indirect speech: the shopkeeper ordered the customer to bring his money
.We can use (advise) when the imperative sentences carry advice
:Ex
”.Direct speech: Lila said to me, “Drink a lot of milk
.Indirect speech: Lila advised me to drink a lot of milk

”.Direct speech: the doctor told me, “Rest for a week

.Indirect speech: the doctor to rest for a week
We use (direct, steer, instruct) when there are directions for doing something in
.imperative sentences
:Ex
”.Direct speech: Ahmad told me, “Go there three blocks north
.Indirect speech: Ahmad instructed me to go three blocks north

”.Direct speech: she told me, “Do sport every Friday

.Indirect speech: she directed me to do sport every Friday
We use (forbid, prohibit) when there is a negative order. When there is prohibition
in the imperative sentences then we use (forbid, prohibit). We generally use them
.when the sentence is don’t because these two verbs have already negative meaning
:Ex
”.Direct speech: Ali said to me, “Don’t speak a lot
.Indirect speech: Ali prohibited me to speak a lot
”.Direct speech: my father said to me, “Don’t smoke cigarettes
.Indirect speech: my father forbade me to smoke cigarettes
.Forbid, prohibit can be also used when the imperative sentence begins with never
:Ex
”.Direct speech: my teacher said to me, “Never cheat in the exam
.Indirect speech: my teacher forbade me to cheat in the exam
.We use (allow, permit) when the imperative carries the meaning of permission
:Ex
”.Direct speech: my elder brother said me, “Go on picnics
.Indirect speech: my elder brother allowed me to go on picnics

”.Direct speech: my grandpa said to us, “Play here

.Indirect speech: my grandpa permitted us to play here
We use (threaten, warn) when the imperative sentence carries the meaning of a
.warning or threat
:Ex
”.Direct speech: the robber said to me, “Lay down you gun
.Indirect speech: the robber threatened me to lay down your gun

”.Direct speech: my father said to us, “Don’t go with the pagans

.Indirect speech: my father warned us not to go with the pagans
.We also use warn in the place of don’t when don’t show warning
:Ex
”.Direct speech: my mother said m, “Don’t drink water anymore
.Indirect speech: my mother warned me not to drink water anymore
”.Direct speech: the man with the gun said to us, “Don’t stop here
.Indirect speech: the man with the gun warned us not to stop here
We use (encourage, persuade, embolden, motivate) when the imperative sentence
.carries the meaning of encouraging or motivating someone
:Ex
”.Direct speech: my father said me, “Give the exam for the second time
.Indirect speech: my father encouraged me to give the exam for the second time

”.Direct speech: she said to us, “Don’t lose your hopes

.Indirect speech: she emboldened me not to lose your hopes
.We use remind when the imperative sentence functions as a reminder
:Ex
”.Direct speech: she said to me, “Remember to buy a notebook for your son
.Indirect speech: she reminded me to buy a notebook for my son
We can also use tell for different purposes when we change an imperative sentence
to indirect speech. Tell can be used to show order, warning, reminder, etc. however
using the verb tell is ambiguous because it can have different meaning at the same
.time
:Ex
”.Direct speech: the manager said him, “Could you please be quite
Indirect speech: the manager told him to be quite. (Request)

”.Direct speech: I said to my wife, “Clean the house very fast

Indirect speech: I told her to clean the house very fast. (Order)

”.Direct speech: the doctor said to me, “Rest for a week

Indirect speech: the doctor to me to rest for a week. (Advice)

”.Direct speech: the police told me, “Go three blocks south
Indirect speech: the police told me to go three blocks south. (Directions)

”.Direct speech: my brother said to me, “Don’t go on the dangerous ways

Indirect speech: my brother told me not to go on the dangerous ways.
(Prohibition)

”.Direct speech: I said to her, “Play here

Indirect speech: I told her to play here. (Permission)
”.Direct speech: the robber said to them, “Lay down your guns
Indirect speech: the robber told them to lay down your guns. (Warning)

Reporting negative imperative sentences

We use the above verbs to change a negative imperative to indirect speech. But we
use not in the place of don’t in indirect speech and not is used before the infinitive.
.When a negative imperative is reported, not can go after or before to- infinitive
:Ex
”.Direct speech: she said to me, “Please don’t tell lie
.Indirect speech: she requested me not to tell lie
.Or she requested me to not tell lie

”.Direct speech: the teacher said to the governor, “Don’t leave your fist position
Indirect speech: the teacher ordered the governor not to leave/ to not leave his
.position

”.Direct speech: the dentist said to me, “Don’t eat candy

.Indirect speech: the dentist advised me not to eat/ to not eat candy

”,Direct speech: his brother said to me, “Don’t go away

.Indirect speech: his brother warned me not to go/ to not go away

”.Direct speech: she said to me, “Don’t lose your anticipations

Indirect speech: she emboldened me not to not to lose/ to lose not your
.anticipations
”!Direct speech: he said to me, “Don’t come and not visit me yet. I’m infectious
Indirect speech: he advised me not to come/to not come and visit him as he was
.still infectious
.Note: we don’t use not when we use the verb forbid
:Ex
”.Direct speech: my brother said to me, “Don’t go on dangerous ways
.Indirect speech: my brother forbade me to go on dangerous ways
We can also use the frequency adverb never in negative imperative sentences. We
.use not in place of never when we report negative imperatives
:Ex
”.Direct speech: my teacher said me, “Never cheat in the exam
.Indirect speech: my teacher advised me not to cheat in the exam
 Hopes intentions and promises in indirect speech

When we report an intention, hope or promise, we use an appropriate reporting

.verb followed by a clause or a to-infinitive
:Ex
”.Direct speech: he said to me, “I will pay you the money tomorrow
.Indirect speech: he promised me to pay me the money next day
.OR he promised that he would pay me the money the next day
Other verbs used in this pattern include: hope, propose, threaten, guarantee and
.swear
:Ex
”.Direct speech: she said, “I will be back on dinner time
.Indirect speech: she promised to be back on dinner time
.OR she promised that she would be back on dinner time

”.Direct speech: they said, “We should arrive to Kabul before three o clock
.Indirect speech: they hoped to arrive to Kabul before three o clock
.OR they hoped they would arrive to Kabul before three o clok

”.Direct speech: he said to me, “Give me the keys to the safe or I’ll shoot you
.Indirect speech: he threatened to shoot me if I didn’t give him the keys to the safe
OR he threatened that he would shoot me if I didn’t give him the keys to
.the safe
Orders, requests and suggestions in indirect speech
Suggestions are usually reported with a- clause. That and should are optional in
.these clauses
:Ex
Direct speech: she said to me, “why don’t you go to the doctor to take care of
”.yourself
Indirect speech: she suggested that I should go to the doctor to take care of
.myself
.OR she suggested I go to the doctor to take care of myself
Other reporting verbs used in this way are: insist, recommend, demand, request,
.and propose
:Ex
.Direct speech: “It would be a good idea to see the doctor”, she said
.Indirect speech: she suggested I see the doctor
Direct speech: my father, “I think we should we should examine the budget of our
.house today
Indirect speech: my father proposed that we should examine the budget of our
.house next day

”?Direct speech: he said to me, “Why don’t you sleep at my house

.Indirect speech: he suggested that I should sleep at his house

Reporting suggestions and commands

There are a few verbs like suggest or insist that require the subjunctive when they
are used in reported speech. This is very difficult to get right, so if you want to
.impress your friends, learn it
Compare the following

”.Direct speech: I said, “Let’s go to Kabul for weekend

.Indirect speech: I suggested that we should go Kabul for weekend

”.Direct speech: I said to her, “You must do washing up before you go

.Indirect speech: I insisted that she should do washing up before she went
.OR I insisted that she washing up before she went
.OR I commended her to do the washing up before she went
Exclamatory sentences in indirect speech
Exclamatory sentences express some sudden felling or emotions. And when it is
.changed from direct speech to indirect, we take the following steps
The reporting verb said changed in to exclaim with joy/delight, exclaimed with
.sorrow/grief applauded saying, exclaimed with astonishment/surprise etc
According to the sense of the sentence we use exclaimed with joy/delight in the
place of said with interjection that show joy (like hurrah); we use exclaimed with
sorrow/grief in the place of said with interjection that show grief (like alas) we use
exclaimed with astonishment/surprise in exclamatory sentences when the
interjection shows surprise (wow, hey) we use applauded saying in exclamatory
sentences when the interjection shows applause or praise (like bravo)
.The sign of exclamation mark is replaced to full stop at the end of each sentence
How and what are changed to very when they are used in the exclamatory
.sentences
:Ex
”.Direct speech: he said, “Hurrah! My brother has called
.Indirect speech: he exclaimed with joy that his brother had called

”.Direct speech: she said, “Alas! How foolish I saw

.Indirect speech: she exclaimed with sorrow that she has seen very foolish

”.Direct speech: they said, “Bravo! You have done well

.Indirect speech: they applauded him saying that he had done well

”.Direct speech: he said, “Wow! She is winner

.Indirect speech: he exclaimed with astonishment/surprise that she was winner

Optative sentences in indirect speech

When we change an optative sentence form direct to indirect speech, we take the
.following steps
The reporting verb said is changed in to prayed or wished according to the sense
.to the sentence
.The sign of exclamation is replaced to full stop
.Prayed and wished are followed the subject of the reported speech
.May is changed in might in indirect speech while reporting an optative sentence
:Ex
”!Direct speech: he said, “May this teacher live long
.Indirect speech: he prayed that teacher might live long

”!Direct speech: she said to me, “may you prosper

.Indirect speech: she wished that I might prosper

”!Direct speech: he said, “May Allah forgive my son

.Indirect speech: he prayed that Allah might pardon her son

”!Direct speech: I said to her, “would that you were successful

.Indirect speech: I washed that she had been successful

Reporting conditional clauses

We can divide all conditional clauses in to three types on the basis of their
.structure
Type1 is changed in indirect speech to type2 while type2 and type3 remain
.unchanged
The type1 conditional clauses:
Direct speech: he said, “If it rains, we can’t play cricket.”
Indirect speech: he said that if it rained, they couldn’t play cricket.

”.Direct speech: she said to me, “If you try more, you will succeed in the exam
.Indirect speech: she said to me that if I tried more, I would succeed in the exam
Type2 conditional clauses:
”.Direct speech: she said to me, “If it rained, you would get wet
.Indirect speech: she said to me that if it rained, I would get wet

Direct speech: he said, “If you went to the class earlier you wouldn’t be so
”.serious
.Indirect speech: he said that if I went to the class earlier, I wouldn’t be so serious
Note: we use would in the place of should when we report a conditional clause that
.has should
:Ex
”.Direct speech: he said to me, “If I were you, I should resign from this post
.Indirect speech: he said to me that if he were me, he would resign from this post
Type3 conditional clauses:
:Ex
”.Direct speech: she said to me, “If it had rained, you would have gotten wet
.Indirect speech: she said to me that if it had rained, you would have gotten wet
Direct speech: he said, “If you had worked harder, you would have gotten much
”.money
Indirect speech: he said that if you had worked harder, you would have gotten
.much money

Exercises of direct and indirect speech

I ‘m taking my children to the zoo tomorrow, she said, “to see the baby .1
.”white tiger
1. She said that she was taking her children to the zoo the next day to see
the baby white tiger.
2. She said that she was taking the children to the zoo that day to see the
baby white tiger.
3. She said that she would take the children to the zoo the next day to see
the baby white tiger.
4. She said that she will take the children to the zoo to see the baby white
tiger tomorrow.
”.She says, “I keep at an arm’s length, all those who try to flatter me .2
1. She exclaims that she keeps at an arm’s length all of them who try to
flatter her.
2. She says that she will keep at an arm’s length all those who flatter her.
3. She says that she keeps at an arm’s length all those who try to flatter
her.
4. She said that she kept at an arm’s length all those who try to flatter her.
”.You say, “I shall visit London .3
1. You said that you will visit London.
2. You say that I will visit London.
3. You say that you will visit London.
4. You tell that you will visit London.
”.He will say, “My brother will help her .4
1. He says that his brother will help her.
2. He will say that his brother will help her.
3. He say that his brother will help her.
4. He will say that his brother helps her.
You said, “My parents never liked my accepting any job but I had always .5
.”wanted to stand on my own feet
1. You said that your parents never liked your accepting any job but you
always wanted to stand on your own feet.
2. You told that your parents never like you accepting any job but you
always wanted to stand on your own feet.
3. You said that my parents never liked my accepting any job but I had
always wanted to stand on my own feet.
4. You regretted that your parents had never liked you accepting any job
but you always wanted to stand on your own feet.
”.You say, “I went to Paris yesterday .6
1. You said that you went to Paris the previous day.
2. You tell that you went to Paris the previous day.
3. You say that you went to Paris the previous day.
4. You say that you go to Paris yesterday.
”.They said, “Alas! We have lost a great leader .7
1. They exclaimed with sorrow that they had lost a great leader.
 2. They said that, Alas! we have lost a great leader.
3. They said Alas! they have lost a great leader.
4. They exclaimed with sorrow that we have lost a great leader.
The teacher said, “Good morning, dear students! Have you done your .8
”?homework
1. The teacher said the student’s good morning and asked if they have
done their homework.
2. The teacher said that good morning, dear students! Have you done
your homework.
3. The teacher greeted the student’s good morning and asked if they have
done their homework.
4. The teacher wished the students good morning and asked if they had
done their homework.
”.She says, “I eat mango a day .9
1. She says that she eat mango a day.
2. She tells that she eats mango a day.
3. She says that she eats mango a day.
4. She said that she eats mango a day.
The master asked the people why they prevented him from going near the .10
.tiger
1. The master asked the people, “Why do they prevent me from going
near the tiger?”
2. The master asked the people, “Why are they preventing him from
going near the tiger?”
3. The master was asking the people, “Why do you prevent me from
going near the tiger?”
4. The master said to the people, “Why do you prevent me from going
near the tiger.”
”.They said, “We are practising for the next match .11
1. They said that they were practicing for the next match.
2. They said they were going to practice for the next match.
3. They said that they practiced for the next match.
4. They said that they are practicing for the next match.
”.The girl said, “I like sleeping .12
1. The girl said that she like sleeping.
 2. The girl told that she like sleeping.
3. The girl said that she liked sleeping.
4. The girl said that she had been liked sleeping.
”.Aslam said to me, “If I hear any news, I will phone you .13
1. Aslam said me that if I heard any news, I would phone me.
2. Aslam told me that if he hear any news, he will phone me.
3. Aslam told me that if he heard any news, he would phone me.
4. Aslam told me that if he hear any news, he will phone me.
”.He told her, “I want to meet your father .14
1. He told her that he wanted to meet her father.
2. He told her that I want to meet her father.
3. He told her that he want to meet her father.
4. He told her that I want to met her father.
.Make mean other suit like this,” he said to the tailor“ .15
1. He asked the tailor to make him another suit like that.
2. He asked the tailor to make me another suit like this.
3. He asks the tailor to make him another suit like this.
4. He asked the tailor to make him another suit like this.
.”He said, “Bravo! You have done well .16
1. He told him Bravo! he had done well.
2. He applauded him, saying that he had done well.
3. He said Bravo that he had done well.
4. He applauded him that he has done well.
.The ox asked the dog not to sit there .17
1. The ox said to the dog “Does not sit here.”
2. The ox said to the dog “Did not sit here.”
3. The ox said to the dog “Do not sit here.”
4. The ox said to the dog “Not to sit here.”
.”She said to me, “He mostly ignores me .18
1. She told to me that he mostly ignored me.
2. She said to me that he always ignores her.
3. She said to him that I mostly ignored her.
4. She said to me that he mostly ignored her.
”?I said to her, “Are you going to see him off at the station .19
1. I asked her is she going to see him off at the station.
2. I told her that she was going to see him off at the station.
3. I asked her was she has been going to see him off at the station.
4. I asked her was she going to see him off at the station.
.”John said, “I shall be 21 tomorrow .20
1. John said that he should be 2I the following day.
2. John said that I shall be 2I tomorrow.
3. John said that he would be 2I the following day.
4. John said that he would be 2I tomorrow.

Answers
1. 1. She said that she was taking her children to the zoo the next day to see the
baby white tiger.
2. 3. She says that she keeps at an arm’s length all those who try to flatter her.
3. 3. You say that you will visit London.
4. 2. He will say that his brother will help her.
5. 1. You said that your parents never liked your accepting any job but you
always wanted to stand on your own feet.
6. 3. You say that you went to Paris the previous day.
7. 1. They exclaimed with sorrow that they had lost a great leader.
8. 4. The teacher wished the students good morning and asked if they had done
their homework.
9. 3. She says that she eats mango a day.
10. 4. The master said to the people, “Why do you prevent me from going
near the tiger.”
11. 1. They said that they were practicing for the next match.
12. 3. The girl said that she liked sleeping.
13. 3. Aslam told me that if he heard any news, he would phone me.
14. 2. He told her that I want to meet her father.
15. 1. He asked the tailor to make him another suit like that.
16. 2. He applauded him, saying that he had done well.
17. 3. The ox said to the dog “Do not sit here.”
 18. 4. She said to me that he mostly ignored her.
19. 4. I asked her was she going to see him off at the station.
20. 3. John said that he would be 2I the following day.

Punctuation
Punctuation has a way of adding emphasis and cadence to our written sentences.
Still, many people, from native English speakers to people learning English as a
foreign language, aren’t always sure when and where to use punctuation marks.

If you find punctuation confusing, rest assured you’re not the only one. Plenty of
people, even native English speakers, have trouble when it comes to using the right
punctuation marks. The good news is that the 14 different punctuation marks aren’t
as confusing as you’d think when you break them all down. If you want to master
your writing, whether it’s for an essay or even a bestselling novel, it’s important to
understand how to use each punctuation mark.

So, what are the 14 punctuation marks and how should you use them? Let’s dive
into it.

?What are the 14 Punctuation Marks in English

There are 14 punctuation marks that are used in the English language. They are:
the period, question mark, exclamation point, comma, colon, semicolon, dash,
hyphen, brackets, braces, parentheses, apostrophe, quotation mark, and ellipsis.

If you want to make your writing easier to read and generally look more
professional, you should know what each one is and how to use them.

Don’t worry, we’ll break down each punctuation mark and show you exactly how
and when to use it.

The 14 Punctuation Marks with Examples

We can break down the punctuation marks into five categories, as follows:

 Sentence endings: period, question mark, exclamation point

  Comma, colon, and semicolon

 Dash and hyphen

 Brackets, braces, and parentheses

 Apostrophe, quotation marks, and ellipsis

Each category serves its own purpose within a sentence or a text. While there are
some differences between American and British punctuation styles, here we’ll
focus on the main examples instead of breaking down the slight differences. Let’s
.take a closer look at each punctuation mark and its usages
).( Period
This one is probably the most straightforward. Also referred to as a full stop, the
period denotes the end of a sentence. A full sentence is considered as one that is
complete and declarative.

Here’s an example of a period at the end of a sentence:

 The dog ran under the fence.

Periods are also used in abbreviations, such as in names or titles.

Here are examples of how to use a period in abbreviations:

 Dr. Smith read his patient’s chart.

 Mr. H. Potter opened his front door.

)?( Question Mark

A question mark also ends a sentence; however, it ends a sentence that is a direct
question. Typically, sentences that are questions begin with what, how, when,
where, why, or who.

Here’s how to use a question mark in a sentence:

 How do you like your eggs?

  Why didn’t you like the movie last night?

Generally, a question mark also denotes a shift in tone in a sentence if it’s being
read out loud, so this is something to take note of.

)!( Exclamation Point

An exclamation point or exclamation mark is also used at the end of a sentence
when that sentence expresses an intense emotion. The expression can be a variety
of things, from excitement, disgust, anger, joy, or anything else. Exclamation
points are meant to add emphasis to a sentence.

Here’s how to use one in a sentence:

 “Look out behind you!” she yelled.

 I’m so excited to go to the park tomorrow!

),( Comma
Commas are used to insert a pause into a sentence. The purpose of the pause can be
for different reasons, such as to separate ideas, phrases, or even alter the structure
of a sentence.

Commas have a few different uses. Commas are used for a direct address, such as:

 Joe, it was nice to see you again.

They’re also used to separate two complete sentences:

 He went to the library, and then he went out for lunch.

Commas can also be used to list items in a sentence:

 She went shopping and bought shoes, a dress, two shirts, and a pair of pants.

Commas are one of the most misused punctuation points, and its misuse often
results in a comma splice. A comma splice is when you join two independent
clauses with a comma instead of a conjunction. For example:
  It’s almost time for dinner, I’m not hungry.
 Instead of using a comma, the sentence should read:

 It’s almost time for dinner and I’m not hungry.

Oxford commas are often debated within academics and the English language, and
using one often comes down to preference. An Oxford comma is when a final
comma is placed on the last item of a list. For example:

 He likes to eat fruits, cake, vegetables, and pasta.

):( Colon
A colon has three primary uses. One way to use it is when introducing something,
such as a quote, an example, a series, or an explanation.

She took four classes last semester: history, biology, arts, and economics.

A colon can also be used to link two independent clauses if the second clause
clarifies or completes the first one. For example:

 They didn’t have time to waste: it was already late.

 Finally, a colon can also emphasize a subject in a sentence:

 I only hate one vegetable: Brussel sprouts.

);( Semicolon
Similar to a colon, a semicolon links two independent clauses. However, in this
case, the clauses are more closely related than when you would use a colon. For
example:

I have a meeting tomorrow morning; I can’t go out tonight.

Both clauses are independent enough to be their own sentences, but instead of
using a period, it’s possible to use a semicolon to show both clauses are connected.
Another less common use for semicolons is within a list that uses commas. Have a
look:

 Last summer we traveled to London, England; Paris, France; Rome, Italy;

and Athens, Greece.

)-( Dash
There are two types of dashes that vary in size and use.

En dash: Typically shorter in length, the en dash is used to denote a range, such as
between numbers or dates. For example:

 The company was operational from 1990-2000.

 He took the Chicago-New York train last night.

 Em dash: this dash is longer, and is sometimes used instead of other

punctuation marks, like commas, colons, or parentheses. Here’s an example:

 Her answer was clear — Yes!

)-( Hyphen

Not to be confused with a dash, a hyphen is used in compound words when two or
more words are connected. Here are some examples of hyphenated words:

 Step-by-step
 Mother-in-law

 Ex-boyfriend

)] [( Brackets
Brackets are used to clarify something or for technical terms or explanations. It can
also be used to clarify a subject when quoting another person or text. For example:

 She [Mrs. Smith] agrees that cats are better than dogs.
 Adam said that “[summer] is my favorite time of year.”
 )} {( Braces
It’s unlikely you’ll need to use braces very often unless you’re writing a
mathematical or technical text. However, it’s still good to know so you don’t
accidentally use them instead of brackets or parentheses. Braces are usually used in
operations, for example:

 6{3x+[28+2]}=xy

)) (( Parentheses
Parentheses are used to supply further details or information or as an aside.
Parentheses can often be replaced with commas and the sentence would retain its
same meaning. Here’s an example:

 Kate (who is Matt’s wife) likes to go for walks.

)‘( Apostrophe
Apostrophes are meant to show that a letter or letters have been omitted and also to
indicate the possessive or contractions. It can also be used to pluralize lowercase
letters. Here are some examples:

 I’ve been working from home for 6 months and it’s great.
 Rebecca’s dog had surgery yesterday.

 All that’s left to do is dot the i’s and cross the t’s.

)“( Quotation Marks

Quotation marks are used to denote text, speech, or words spoken by someone else.
It is also used to indicate dialogue.

 “I don’t like this,” said Mark.

 She told him that she “prefers not to think about that.”

 Single quotation marks (‘ ’), not to be confused with apostrophes, are often
used for a quote within a quote.

 Jill told her mother “Jack ran up the hill and he said he was going to ‘fetch a
pail of water’ before he fell.”
 )…( Ellipsis
An ellipsis is three periods used together to represent an omission of words or
letters. They are often used to jump from one sentence or phrase to another while
omitting unnecessary or obvious words. It’s also used when quoting someone and
unnecessary words are left out.

Here are some examples:

 At midnight, she began to count down: “ten, nine, eight…” and then the ball
dropped.
 When Martin Luther King said “I have a dream…” he was talking about
civil rights and an end to racism.

To Wrap Up
Now that you’ve learned more about what are the 14 punctuation marks and you’re
able to use them, you’ll be a much stronger overall writer. If you’re a student who
needs some extra help with grammar or punctuation, you can always find help
through your school.

At University of the People, our student support advisors can offer you help with
your writing skills among a number of other things.

Exercises of punctuation

PRACTICE QUESTIONS
All of the people at the school, including the teachers and .1
._______________ were glad when summer break came
:a. students
,b. students
;c. students
d. students
_____ Sit up straight .2
; .a
? .b
. .c
: .d
_____ They asked what time the department store would open .3
? .a
. .b
, .c
; .d
_____ Who do you think will win the contest .4
. .a
! .b
? .c
, .d
.Choose the sentence below with the correct punctuation .5
a. Ted and Janice, who had been friends for years, went on vacation together every
.summer
b. Ted and Janice, who had been friends for years, went on vacation together,
.every summer
c. Ted, and Janice who had been friends for years, went on vacation together every
.summer
d. Ted and Janice who had been friends for years went on vacation together every
.summer
.To _______________, Anne was on time for her math class .6
a. everybody’s surprise
b. every body’s surprise
c. everybodys surprise
d. everybodys’ surprise
In Edgar Allen Poe’s _______________________ Edgar Allen Poe describes .7
.a man with a guilty conscience
”,a. short story, “The Tell-Tale Heart
,b. short story The Tell-Tale Heart
c. short story, The Tell-Tale Heart
”,d. short story. “the Tell-Tale Heart
Billboards are considered an important part of advertising for big .8
.business, ________________ by their critics
;a. but, an eyesore
”,b. but, “ an eyesore
c. but an eyesore
d. but-an eyesore
I can never remember how to use those two common words, “sell,” .9
meaning to trade a product for money, or _____________________ meaning
.an event where products are traded for less money than usual
.a. sale
”,b. “sale
c. “sale
”,d. “to sale
The class just finished reading ______________________ a short story by .10
.Carl Stephenson about a plantation owner’s battle with army ants
,”a. -”Leinengen versus the Ants
,b. Leinengen versus the Ants
”,c. “Leinengen versus the Ants
d. Leinengen versus the Ants
_____ This is absolutely incredible .11
! .a
. .b
: .c
; .d
_____ Watch out for the broken glass .12
. .a
? .b
, .c
! .d
ANSWER KEY
B .1
.The comma separates a phrase
C .2
A period or an exclamation mark is used to end an imperative sentence, that is, at
.the end of a direction or a command
B .3
A period is used to end an indirect question. An indirect question is always a
.part of a declarative sentence and it does not require an answer
C .4
A question mark is used to end an interrogative sentence, that is, at the end of
.a direct question which requires an answer
A .5
.Use a comma to separate phrases
A .6
Possessive pronouns ending in ‘s’ take an apostrophe before the ‘s’: one’s;
;everyone’s
.somebody’s, nobody else’s, etc
A .7
Titles of short stories are enclosed in quotation
.marks
C .8
.No additional punctuation is required here
B .9
Here the word “sale” is used as a “word” and not as a word in the sentence, so
quotation
.marks are used
C .10
Titles of short stories are enclosed in quotation marks, and commas always go
inside quotation marks. Use an exclamation mark to end an exclamatory sentence,
.that is, at the end of a statement showing strong emotion
A .11
Use an exclamation mark after an imperative sentence if the command is
.urgent and forceful
D .12
Use an exclamation mark after an imperative sentence if the command is
.urgent and forceful

Writing
Writing is the basic art and modern necessity. Through writing we can expresses
.our ideas for others and understand about the others ideas as well
.We can expresses our ideas by writing sentences and paragraph
:SENTENCE WRITING – 1
:PARAGHRAPH WRITING – 2
.Sentence is a group of words which makes a complete meaning
:Ex
 The students try a lot.
2 – PARAGHRAPH WRITING:

The group of sentences which are joined by conjunctions and follow the same idea
.is called paragraph
.A paragraph usually has one topic sentence and several supporting sentences

The paragraph is divided in to four parts.

1 – Expository paragraphs.
2 – Persuasive paragraphs.
3 – Narrative paragraphs.
4 – Descriptive paragraphs.
1 – Expository paragraphs.
A paragraph which expresses information or illustration is called Expository
paragraph.
Ex:
Lila get up at four o’ clock every day. She firstly takes a shower and pray than she
eats breakfast. She leave the house at seven o’ clock and goes to the school, it is
much crowed in this time and she gets the school at eight thirty.
2 – Persuasive paragraphs.
A paragraph which encourage someone to do or not to do something is called
Persuasive paragraph.

Ex:
English is one of the international languages. It is very complicated and
comprehensive language, of course, it is the language of pagans, and most of the
people know this language.
Learning of English helps us to speak in all over the world.
3 – Narrative paragraphs.
A group of sentences which expresses a narration is called Narrative paragraph.
Ex:
One of the Pakistanis scientists says: once Ahmad shah baba participated in a
conference in India. He had to deliver speech but one of the Indian teachers asked
him to deliver his speech
In Indian language instead of English.
4 – Descriptive paragraph.
A paragraph which describe someone or something is called descriptive paragraph.
Ex:
The water fall was flowing softly reminding me the beginning of spring. A gentle
breeze was blowing and the sparrows were chattering above me, the atmosphere
was romantic and I was completely relaxed.

Letter writing
Letter Writing
A letter is a written message that can be handwritten or printed on paper. It is usually
sent to the recipient via mail or post in an envelope, although this is not a
requirement as such. Any such message that is transferred via post is a letter, a
written conversation between two parties.

Now that E-mails (Advantages and disadvantages) and texts and other such forms
have become the norm for communication, the art of letter writing has taken a
backseat. However, even today a lot of our communication, especially the formal
kind, is done via letters. Whether it is a cover letter for a job, or the bank sending you
a reminder or a college acceptance letter, letters are still an important mode of
communication. Which is why it is important that we know the intricacies of letter
writing.

Types of Letters

Let us first understand that there are broadly two types of letter, namely Formal
Letters, and Informal Letters. But then there are also a few types of letters based on
their contents, formalities, the purpose of letter writing etc. Let us have a look at the
few types of letters.

 Formal Letter: These letters follow a certain pattern and formality. They
are strictly kept professional in nature, and directly address the issues
concerned. Any type of business letter or letter to authorities falls within
this given category.
 Informal Letter: These are personal letters. They need not follow any
set pattern or adhere to any formalities. They contain personal
information or are a written conversation. Informal letters are generally
written to friends, acquaintances, relatives etc.
 Business Letter: This letter is written among business correspondents,
generally contains commercial information such as quotations, orders,
complaints, claims, letters for collections etc. Such letters are always strictly
formal and follow a structure and pattern of formalities.
 Official Letter: This type of letter is written to inform offices, branches,
subordinates of official information. It usually relays official information like
rules, regulations, procedures, events, or any other such information. Official
letters are also formal in nature and follow certain structure and decorum.
  Social Letter: A personal letter written on the occasion of a special event is
known as a social letter. Congratulatory letter, condolence letter, invitation
letter etc are all social letters.
 Circular Letter: A letter that announces information to a large number of
people is a circular letter. The same letter is circulated to a large group of
people to correspond some important information like a change of address,
change in management, the retirement of a partner etc.
 Employment Letters: Any letters with respect to the employment process,
like joining letter, promotion letter, application letter etc.

Letter Writing Tips

Now that we have learned the basics of communicating via letters and the types of
letters as well, let us focus on some tips for the actual letter writing.

Identify the type of letter ]1

This obviously is the first step of the letter writing process. You must be able to
identify the type of letter you are to be writing. This will be dictated by the person the
letter is addressed to and the information that will be conveyed through the letter.
Suppose you were writing to the principal of your college to ask for leave, this would
be a formal letter (Types of formal letters with samples). But say you were writing to
your old college professor catching up after a long time. Then this would be a
personal (informal) letter.

Make sure you open and close the letter correctly ]2

Opening a letter in the correct manner is of utmost importance. Formal letters open
with a particular structure and greeting that is formal in nature. Informal letters can
be addressed to the person’s name or any informal greeting as the writer wishes.

Even when closing the letter, it must be kept in mind what type of letter is being
written. Formal letters end respectfully and impersonally, whereas informal letters
may end with a more personal touch.

Establish the main intent of the letter ]3

Once you start writing, make sure to get to the point as soon as possible. Especially
in formal letters, it is important to immediately make clear the purpose of the letter.
Be careful of the language ]4
A letter is always supposed to be polite and considerate. Even if it is a complaint
letter, the point must be made in a careful and courteous manner. So it is necessary to
use polite expressions and civil language in all types of letters.

Length of the letter ]5

And the other important factor to be considered is the length of the letter you are
writing. It should be kept in mind that formal letters are generally to the point, precise
and short. Lengthy formal letters tend to not have the desired effect on the reader.
The length of an informal letter is determined by the message in the letter and the
relation to the recipient.

Solved Example for You

Q: Alex was to write a letter to her class teacher asking permission to remain absent
from school for 2 days on account of some personal matter. What type of letter will
he be writing?

a. Personal Letter
b. Business Letter
c. Formal Letter
d. Any of the above

Ans: The correct option is C. While the teacher is a personal acquaintance of Alex,
the situation demands a formal letter and not a personal letter.

Examples of letters
Friendly letter
,Samimllah saeedi
,Second Street
Ningrahar, Afghanistan
April, 2017 ,20
,Dear Naimatullah Alokozay
I received your letter last Saturday. I got very much happy to hear about you and
your family. I am fine and I am doing well here in the university. The lessons are
normal and I am trying my best. I hope you are fine and enjoying yourself. I will
.try to see you as soon I get time
Sincerely yours
Saeedi

A business (formal) letter

,back smith street ,6

Ningrahar Afghanistan
March, 2017 ,22
,Mr. Nazeefullah sangeen
,Talashey chauke Barber Street
.Jalalabad Afghanistan
.Dear Sir
I samimullah who have graduated from the faculty of agriculture in 1395. I ma
sending you my resume asking you for a job in your association, of course, i am
able to speak and write the formal languages of Afghanistan. Here I am attaching
the other necessary documents and I look forward to hear from you soon, I will be
.very much happy to be a member of your association
Sincerely, samimullah saeedi

A letter of invitation
Samimullah saeedi kindly invites Abdul satar Ashna and Norahman Safi for dinner
.on 10th of December at 8:00 PM
,1st street Qasaba
,Ningrahar Afghanistan
,4th November, 2017

Affixes (suffixes and prefixes)

Prefixes and suffixes are sets of letters that are added to the beginning or end of
another word. They are not words in their own right and cannot stand on their
own in a sentence: if they are printed on their own, they have a hyphen before or
.after them
Affix: means attach
According to grammar Affix is a letter or a group of letters, which can be added
before or after a word to change, its meaning, grammatical function and usage in a
sentence.
 Affix is divided into four parts

Infix Circumfix Suffix Prefix

.Prefix: is a kind of Affix, which is added before a word to change its meaning
.Prefix is divided into two parts
Positive Prefix )1(
.Negative prefix )2(
Positive prefix: is a kind of prefix which doesn’t change a word from positive -1
to negative
:Ex
 (Write – Rewrite)
 (Read – Reread)

Negative prefix: is a kind of prefix which changes a word from positive to -2

negative (UN, dis, im, in etc)
:Ex
Disadvantage Advantage
Unexpected Expect
Unfair Fair
Unable Able
:The most important prefixes in English language are
:A -UN
.It is placed before verbs and adjectives to convert their meaning
:Ex
 United ununited
 Safe unsafe
 Do undo
:B – In
.It is added before adjectives and convert it’s their meaning
:Ex
 Correct incorrect
 expensive inexpensive
:C – Dis
It is placed before adjectives and verbs and convert their meaning.
:Ex
 Like dislike
 Agree disagree
:D – Re
.It is placed before verbs and show repetition
:Ex
 Write rewrite
 Correct recorrect,
 Fresh refresh

1- Suffix: is a letter or group of letters which is added at the end of the word to
change its meaning, grammatical function and usage in a sentence.
:Ex
 King kingdom
 manage manager
 present presentation
 Sad sadness
 Etc
:The most important suffixes in English language are
:A – Or – Er
.These are placed after words and convert them into nouns
:Ex
 Act actor
 Paint painter
:B – Al
.It is added at the end of nouns and change them to adjectives
:Ex
 Nature natural
 nation national
:C – Sion
.It is added at the end of verbs and change them to abstract nouns
:Ex
 Decide decision
 admit admission
:D – Ion
.It is added at the end of verbs and convert them into nouns
:Ex
 Locate location
 participate participation
:E – Ize
.It is added after nouns and change them to verbs

:Ex
 Islam Islamize
 Mobile mobilizes.
:F – Ness
.This is placed after adjectives and change them obstruct nouns
:Ex
 Kind kindness
 Dark darkness
:G – Less
.It is added after nouns and convert their meaning
:Ex
 Care careless
 effect affectless
:H – Ful
.It is placed after nouns and change them to adjectives
:Ex
 Care careful
 Skill skillful
:I – ive
.It is placed after verbs and change them to adjectives
:Ex
 Conclude conclusive
 Elude elusive
:J – Meant
.It is added at the end of verbs and change them to nouns
:Ex
 Manage management
  Replace replacement
 Agree agreement
:K – Able
.It is placed after verbs and change them to adjectives
:Ex
 Respect respectable
 enjoy enjoyable
2- Infix: is a kind of affix, which is added in the medal of a word and changes a
word to plural form.
:Ex
 Man Men
 Foot feet
 Etc
3- Circumfix: is a kind of affix, which is added to both parts of a word, is
called circumfix.
:Ex
 Unhappiness
 Unpourable

Regular and irregular verbs

‫شماره‬ ‫اول حالت‬ ‫دوهم حالت‬ ‫دریم حالت‬ ‫پښتو مانا‬

1 Abide Abode Abode ‫اوسیدل‬
2 Arise Arose Arisen ‫ پورته کیدل‬،‫ختل‬
3 Awake Awoke Awoken ‫له خوبه پاسیدل‬
4 Bee Was/were Been ‫وجود لرل‬
5 Bear Bore Born ‫تولدیدل‬
6 Beat Beat Beaten ‫وهل‬
7 Become Became Become ‫کیدل‬
8 Befall Befell Befallen ‫چپه کول‬
9 Beget Begot Begotten ‫تولیدول‬
10 Begin Began Begun ‫پیل کول‬
11 Behold Beheld Beheld ‫تنظیمول‬
12 Bend Bent Bent ‫تاوول‬
13 Beseech Besought Besought ‫زارۍ کول‬
14 Beset Beset Beset ‫ایسارول‬
15 Bid Bid Bidden ‫بیه ورکول‬
16 Bind Bound Bound ‫تړل‬
16 Bite Bit Bitten ‫چک لګول‬
18 Bleed Bled Bled ‫وینی کیدل‬
19 Bless Blessed Blessed ‫برکت ورکول‬
20 Blow Blew Blown ‫ګل کول‬
21 Break Broke Broken ‫ماتول‬
22 Bread Bred Bred ‫ترتیبول‬
23 Bring Brought Brought ‫راوړل‬
24 Broadcast Broadcast Broadcast ‫نشرول‬
25 Browbeat Browbeat Browbeat ‫ترخي خبري کول‬
26 Build Built Built ‫ابادول‬
27 Burn Burnt/burned Burnt/burned ‫سوزیدل‬
28 Burst Burst Burst ‫چاودل‬
29 Bust Bust Bust ‫ماتول‬
30 Buy Bought Bought ‫اخیستل‬
31 Cast Cast Cast ‫غورځول‬
32 Catch Cautch Cautch ‫نیول‬
33 Choose Chose Chosen ‫انتخابول‬
34 Chide Chide Chidden ‫د غوږ تاوول‬
35 Cleave Clove Cloven ‫سوری کول‬
36 Cling Clung Clung ‫په غیږ کې نیول‬
37 Come Came Come ‫راتلل‬
38 Cost Cost Cost ‫قیمت ورکول‬
39 Creep Crept Crept ‫په سینه خویدل‬
40 Cut Cut Cut ‫پری کول‬
41 Deal Dealt Dealt ‫معامله کول‬
42 Dig Dug Dug ‫کیندل‬
43 Dive Dove Dived ‫په اوبو کې غوټه کیدل‬
44 Do Did Done ‫کول‬
45 Draw Drew Drawn ‫رسمول‬
46 Dream Dreamt Dreamt ‫خوب کول‬
47 Drink Drunk Drunk ‫څکل‬
48 Drive Drove Driven ‫چلول‬
49 Dwell Dwelt Dwelt ‫میشته کیدل‬
50 Eat Ate Eaten ‫خوړل‬
51 Fall Fell Fallen ‫لویدل‬
52 Feed Fed Fed ‫مړول‬
53 Feel Felt Felt ‫احساس کول‬
54 Fight Fought Fought ‫جکړه کول‬
55 Find Found Found ‫پیدا کول‬
56 Flee Fled Fled ‫تښتیدل‬
57 Fling Flung Flung ‫شوکاری کول‬
58 Floodlight Floodlighted Floodlighted ‫د رڼا په واسطه روښانه کول‬

59 Fly Flew Flown ‫پرواز کول‬

60 Forbear Forbore Forborne ‫ډډه کول‬
61 Forbid Forbade Forbidden ‫منع کول‬
62 Forecast Forecast Forecast ‫پیشبینی کول‬
63 Foresee Foresaw Foreseen ‫اټکل کول‬
64 Foretell Foretold Foretold ‫د مخکې نه ویل‬
65 Forget Forgot Forgotten ‫هیرول‬
66 Foregive Forgave Forgiven ‫بخل‬
67 Forgo Forwent Forgotten ‫ځان ساتل‬
68 Forswear Forswore Forsworn ‫په درغو قسم خوړل‬
69 Forsake Forsake Forsaken ‫پریښودل‬
70 Freeze Froze Frozen ‫کنګل وهل‬
71 Gainsay Gainsaid Gainsaid ‫انکار کول‬
72 Get Got Gotten ‫الس ته راوړل‬
73 Give Gave Given ‫ورکول‬
74 Go Went Gone ‫تلل‬
75 Grind Ground Ground ‫څڅیدل‬
76 Grow Grew Grown ‫کرل‬
77 Hamstring Hamstrung Hamstrung ‫ګډول‬
78 Hang Hung Hung ‫په دارځړول‬
79 Have Had Had ‫لرل‬
80 Hear Heard Heared ‫لرل‬
8 Heave Hove Hove ‫ځای په ځای کول‬
82 Hew Hewed Hewed ‫تراشول‬
83 Hide Hid Hidden ‫پټول‬
84 Hit Hit Hit ‫وهل‬
85 Hold Held Held ‫دایرول‬
86 Hurt Hurt Hurt ‫زخمی کول‬
87 Inlay Inlaid Inlaid ‫کارپریښودل‬
88 Input Input Input ‫دننه کول‬
89 Inset Inset Inset ‫زیاتول‬
90 Interweave Interwove Interwoven ‫اوبدل‬
91 Keep Kept Kept ‫ساتل‬
92 Kneel Kneelt Knelt ‫په زنګون کیدل‬
93 Knit Knit Knit ‫اوبدل‬
94 Know Knew Known ‫پیژندل‬
95 Lay Laid Laid ‫ایښودل‬
96 Lead Led Led ‫رهبری کول‬
97 Lean Leant Leant ‫تکیه کول‬
98 Leap Leapt Leapt ‫ټوپ وهل‬
99 Learn Learnt Learnt ‫زده کول‬
100 Leave Left Left ‫پریښودل‬
101 Lend Lent Lent ‫قرض ورکول‬
102 Let Let Let ‫اجازه ورکول‬
103 Lie Lay Lain ‫سمالستل‬
104 Light Lit Lit ‫روښانه کول‬
105 Lose Lost Lost ‫بایلل‬
106 Make Made Made ‫جوړول‬
107 Mean Meant Meant ‫معنا ورکول‬
108 Meet Met Met ‫لیدل‬
109 Miscast Miscast Miscast ‫برخه ورکول‬
110 Mishear Misheared Misheared ‫غلط اوریدل‬
111 Mislay Mislaid Mislaid ‫بې ځایه پریښودل‬
112 Misread Misread Misread ‫غلط تعبیر کول‬
113 Misspell Misspelled Misspelled ‫غلط امال کول‬
114 Misspend Misspent Misspent ‫تلف کول‬
115 Mistake Mistook Mistook ‫غلطي کول‬
116 Misunderstand Misunderstood Misunderstood ‫غلط پوهیدل‬
117 Mow Mowed Mowed ‫ریبل‬
118 Offset Offset Offset ‫جبرانول‬
119 Outbid Outbid Outbid ‫وړاندیز کول‬
120 Outfight Outfought Outfought ‫ښه جنګیدل‬
121 Outdo Outdid Outdone ‫ښه ترسره کول‬
122 Outfight Outfought Outfought ‫ښه جنګیدل‬
123 Outgrow Outgrew Outgrown ‫ژر غټيدل‬
124 Outsell Outsold Outsold ‫ډیر خرڅول‬
125 Outshine Outshone outshone ‫ترشعاع الندی راوستل‬
126 Overcome Overcame Overcome ‫کامیابیدل‬
127 Overdo Overdid Overdone ‫د افراد حد ته رسیدل‬
128 Overdraw Overdrew Overdrawn ‫تراعتبارزیاته حواله ورکول‬

129 Overeat Overate Overeaten ‫زیات خوړل‬

130 Overfly Overflew Overflown ‫اوچت الوتل‬
131 Overhang Overhung Overhung ‫ځوړندیدل‬
132 Overhear Overheard Overheard ‫تصادفآ اوریدل‬
133 Overpay Overpaid Overpaid ‫زیات ادا کول‬
134 Overlay Overlaid Overlaid ‫فشار راوړل‬
135 Override Overrode Overridden ‫اعتنا کول‬
136 Oversee Oversaw Overseen ‫څارنه کول‬
137 Overshoot Overshot Overshot ‫خطا کول‬
138 Oversleep Overslept Overslept ‫خوب پریښودل‬
139 Overspend Overspent Overspent ‫زیات مصرف کول‬
140 Overtake Overtook Overtaken ‫وړاندیولی کول‬
141 Overwrite Overwrote Overwritten ‫دڅه شی د پاسه لیکل‬
142 Overthrow Overthrew Overthrown ‫سرچپه کول‬
143 Partake Partook Partaken ‫شرکت کول‬
144 Pay Paid Paid ‫ادا کول‬
145 Plead Pled Pled ‫دفاع کول‬
146 Proofread Proofread Proofread ‫تصحیح کول‬
147 Prove Proved Proven ‫ثبتول‬
148 Put Put Put ‫ایښودل‬
149 Quit Quit Quit ‫ترک کول‬
150 Read Read Read ‫لوستل‬
151 Rebuild Rebuilt Rebuilt ‫بیا جوړول‬
152 Recast Recast Recast ‫طرحه کول‬
153 Redo Redid Redone ‫بیا پای ته رسول‬
154 Rehear Reheard Reheard ‫بیا اوریدل‬
155 Remake Remade Remade ‫بیا جوړول‬
156 Rend Rent Rent ‫خیری کول‬
157 Repay Repaid Repaid ‫بیا ادا کول‬
158 Rerun Reran Rerun ‫بیا نشرول‬
159 Resell Resold Resold ‫بیا خرڅول‬
160 Reset Reset Reset ‫بیا تنظیمول‬
161 Re sit Reset Reset ‫دوهم ځل امتحان ورکول‬
162 Retake Retook Retaken ‫بیا اخیستل‬
163 Retell Retold Retold ‫بیا ویل‬
164 Rewind Rewound Rewound ‫سر کول‬
165 Rewrite Rewrote Rewritten ‫بیا لیکل‬
166 Rid Rid Rid ‫بچول‬
167 Ride Rode Ridden ‫سپریدل‬
168 Ring Rang Rung ‫زنګ وهل‬
169 Rise Rise Risen ‫پورته کیدل‬
170 Run Run Run ‫منډه وهل‬
171 Saw Sawed Sawn ‫اره کول‬
172 Say Said Said ‫ویل‬
173 See Saw Seen ‫لیدل‬
174 Seek Sought Sought ‫هڅه کول‬
175 Sell Sold Sold ‫خرڅول‬
176 Send Sent Sent ‫لیږل‬
177 Set Set Set ‫ځای په ځای کول‬
178 Sow Sowed Sewn ‫ګنډل‬
179 Shake Shook Shaken ‫لړزیدل‬
180 Shear Sheared Shorn ‫غوڅول‬
181 Shed Shed Shed ‫شیندل‬
182 Shine Shone Shone ‫ځلیدل‬
183 Shit Shat Shat ‫معزرت رفع کول‬
184 Shoe Shod Shod ‫بوټ پښو کول‬
185 Shoot Shot Shot ‫په مرمي ویشتل‬
186 Show Showed Shown ‫ښکاره کول‬
187 Shrink Shrink Shrunk ‫غونجول‬
188 Shut Shut Shut ‫تړل‬
189 Sing Sang Sung ‫سندري ویل‬
190 Sink Sank Sunk ‫ډوبیدل‬
191 Sit Sat Sat ‫کښناستل‬
192 Slay Slew Slain ‫حاللول‬
193 Sleep Slept Slept ‫ویده کیدل‬
194 Slide Sled Sled ‫ښویدل‬
195 Sling Slung Slung ‫ارتول‬
196 Slink Slunk Slunk ‫پټ پټ تلل‬
197 Slit Slit Slit ‫څیرول‬
198 Smell Smelt Smelt ‫بویول‬
199 Smite Smote Smitten ‫ ټکول‬،‫وهل‬
200 Speak Spoke Spoken ‫خبری کول‬
201 Speed Sped Sped ‫تیزیدل‬
202 Spell Spelt Spelt ‫امال کول‬
203 Spill Spilt Spilt ‫تویول‬
204 Spin Spun Spun ‫اوبدل‬
205 Spit Spat Spat ‫الړی تو کول‬
206 Split Split Split ‫بیلول‬
207 Spoil Spolt Spolt ‫فاسدیدل‬
208 Spot light Spot lit Spot lit ‫روښانه کول‬
209 Spread Spread Spread ‫خپرول‬
210 Spring Sprang Sprung ‫ټوپ وهل‬
211 Stand Stood Stood ‫ودریدل‬
212 Stave Stove Stove ‫سوری کول‬
213 Steal Stole Stolen ‫غال کول‬
214 Stick Stuck Stuck ‫ننه ایستل‬
215 Sting Stung Stung ‫چیچل‬
216 Stink Stank Stank ‫خوسا بوی کول‬
217 Strew Strewed Strewn ‫پاشل‬
218 Stride Strode Strode ‫ګام پورته کول‬
219 Strike Struck Struck ‫اعتصاب کول‬
220 String Strung Strung ‫ سپمول‬،‫ټینګول‬
221 Strive Strove Striven ‫ستړی کول‬
222 Sublet Sublet Sublet ‫په اجاره ورکول‬
223 Swear Swore Sworn ‫قسم خوړل‬
224 Sweep Swept Swept ‫جارو کول‬
225 Swell Swelled Swonllen ‫پړسیدل‬
226 Swim Swum swum ‫المبو وهل‬
227 Swing Swung Swung ‫څرخیدل‬
228 Take Took Taken ‫نیول‬
229 Teach Taught Taught ‫درس ورکول‬
230 Tear Tore Torn ‫څیری کول‬
231 Tell Told Told ‫ویل‬
232 Think Thought Thought ‫فکر کول‬
233 Throw Threw Thrown ‫غورځول‬
234 Thrust Thrust Thrust ‫ټیل وهل‬
235 Thread Trode Trodden ‫پښه ایښودل‬
236 Typecast Typecast Typecast ‫نقش ښکاره کول‬
237 Unbend Unbent Unbent ‫ خالصول‬،‫سپړل‬
238 Underbid Underbid Underbid ‫ارزانول‬
239 Undercut Undercut Undercut ‫قیمت ټیټول‬
240 Undergo Underwent Undergone ‫زغمل‬
241 Underlie Underlay Underlain ‫بنسټ ایښودل‬
242 Underpay Underpaid Underpaid ‫کم حقوق ادا کول‬
243 Undersell Undersold Undersold ‫ارزانه خرڅول‬
244 Understand undersood Understood ‫پوهول‬
245 Undertake Undertook Undertaken ‫په غاړه اخیستل‬
246 Undo Undid Undone ‫باطلول‬
247 Unwind Unwound Unwound ‫خطا خوړل‬
248 Uphold Upheld Upheld ‫مال تړ کول‬
249 Upset Upset Upset ‫نسکورول‬
250 Wake Woke Woken ‫ویښیدل‬
251 Waylay Waylaid Waylaid ‫په کمین کیناستل‬
252 Wear Worn Worn ‫اغوستل‬
253 Weave Wove Woven ‫اوبدل‬
254 Wed Wed Wed ‫ واده کول‬،‫یوځای کول‬
255 Weep Wept Wept ‫ژړیدل‬
256 Wet Wet Wet ‫لمدیدل‬
257 Win Won Won ‫ګټل‬
258 Wind Wound Wound ‫کږول‬
259 Withdraw Withdrew Withdrawn ‫شاتګ کول‬
260 Withhold Withheld Withheld ‫ځان ساتل‬
261 Withstand Withstand Withstand ‫مقاومت کول‬
262 Wring Wrung Wrung ‫په زور الس ته راوړل‬
263 Write Wrote writeen ‫لیکل‬