English grammar is the way in which meanings are encoded into wordings in the English language. This includes the structure of words, phrases, clauses, sentences, and whole texts. There are eight parts of speech in the English language: noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction, and interjection. The part of speech indicates how the word functions in meaning as well as grammatically within the sentence. They are the building blocks of the English language.
There are various types of nouns including common nouns, proper nouns and gerunds.
Part of Speech | Explanation | Example |
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Common Nouns | It is a word that identifies a person, animal, place, thing or idea.
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mother, park, pen, friendship.
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Proper Nouns | In a sentence, these nouns are specifically named people, places or things and have a capital letter at the beginning. |
Peter, London, Great Wall of China |
Countable Nouns | Countable nouns may be singular or plural.
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cow, cows, bottle, bottles |
Uncountable Nouns | They do not have a plural, and are often liquids, powders, or intangible ideas. |
sand, ice-cream, paint, music, homework, money. |
Notes | Some nouns may be used as countable or uncountable depending on the situation. |
Example: "A chicken" refers to one chicken, an animal.
"Chickens" refers to the plural. "Chicken" (with no article) may refer to chicken meat. |
These are used in the same way as nouns, and replace them in sentences when a noun is not necessary. There are different kinds of Pronouns for different situations. Examples: it, they, them
Part of Speech | Explanation | Example |
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(Personal) Subject Pronouns | These replace the subject of a sentence when it is too obvious to state. |
I, You, He, She, We, They, It
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(Personal) Object Pronouns | These replace the object of the sentence if it is known. |
me, you, him, her, us, them, it |
Possessive Pronouns | These replace the owner of an object if the object is known. In this case the pronoun is not used to replace the noun, but displays ownership of the noun. |
Mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs. |
Reflexive Pronouns | These are used when the subject and object are the same. |
myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, themselves, yourselves, and ourselves.
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Indefinite Pronouns | We use indefinite pronouns when we are unsure about the subject, or object. |
anyone, someone, somebody, anybody, nobody, something |
Demonstrative Pronouns | We use these to "point to" or show a noun when we are talking about it as separate from other nouns. |
Singular - This |
Interrogative Pronouns | Sometimes called “question words” or “wh- words”, these pronouns are used mainly in questions. |
Who, what, where, when, why, which, whom
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Relative Pronouns | Relative pronouns are used to introduce clauses that contain more information about a subject or object. |
That, which, who, when
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Depending on the verb, it may have a present form, a past form, a past participle, or a present participle. For example, Present- Sing, Past- Sang , Past Participle- Sung, Present (continuous) participle- Singing
Part of Speech | Explanation | Example |
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Regular Verbs | Regular verbs are the most common and display their past forms by adding –d or –ed. |
Liked. Jumped |
Irregular Verbs | Their past form CANNOT be made by adding –ed or –d. |
Swam. Ate |
Transitive Verbs | A Transitive verb shows an action that must be followed by an object. |
Like, have, close
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Intransitive Verbs | Intransitive verbs do not need an object and may only be used with a subject in the sentence. |
When I heard the joke, I laughed. |
Auxiliary Verbs | Often called “helping verbs”, auxiliary verbs have no action of their own. They are used with other “action” verbs to create tense, show voice, or display state. |
Is, will, could, have, |
The “be” Verb s | It is an auxiliary verb that falls before another noun, adjective, or complement to define the subject. It may also be used to make complex grammar structures, such as the passive voice, or continuous tense. |
Is, Am, Are, Was, Were |
Modal Verbs | These have many uses, although they have no ‘action’ of their own. They are used to express need, possibility, willingness, ability or obligation. |
Will, can, might, have to |
Infinitive Verbs | These always follow "to" or a modal verb. |
I like to run.
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Adjectives are used to describe a Noun or Pronoun and can be used together with Nouns to make Noun Phrases. Generally, adjectives come after ‘be verbs’ or before nouns. Opinion- Wonderful, terrible Size- big, tiny Appearance- shiny, glamorous Material- leather, wood State- Broken, temporary Origin- Mexican, French Emotions- glad, depressed Numbers- 2, 9000
Part of Speech | Explanation | Example |
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Comparatives | Comparative Adjectives usually use ‘-er’ to compare one noun with another, although there are obvious exceptions to this rule.
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Bigger, Taller, Fatter, Happier |
Superlatives | Superlatives show the most or least of an Adjective. Only adjectives of degree can have superlatives.
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The biggest, the best, the fastest |
Possessive Adjectives | Possessive Adjectives are used in a very similar way to possessive pronouns. However, they only replace the owner of the noun when it is known, not the noun itself. |
My, your, his, her, our, their, its
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In much the same way as adjectives describe nouns, Adverbs describe verbs, adjectives or sometimes other adverbs. They are often formed by adding –ly to an adjective, although there are many adverbs which don’t follow this rule. For example, Happily, quickly, gladly.
Part of Speech | Explanation | Example |
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Adverbs of frequency | These are used to show how often a verb occurs. |
Sometimes, usually, never |
Adverbs of time | These show when a verb occurs |
Shortly, soon, after, now |
Adverbs of degree | These are used to show a subjective amount in relation to a verb or adjective |
Very, much, extremely |
Adverbs of place | They show where a verb takes place (without using nouns as reference) |
Here, there |
There are four ‘written’ articles with two different types. These are known as ‘indefinite’ and ‘definite’. Articles are not really ‘parts of speech’, but they are crucial to understand.
Part of Speech | Explanation | Example |
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Indefinite Articles | Indefinite articles are used when the noun is one of many, and the specific one is not yet important. |
‘a’ and ‘an’
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Definite Article | The Definite article is used when we can guess the specific object being talked about or there is only one it could be. |
‘The’
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Zero article | We use the “zero” article (or no article) when the noun is a proper noun with a capital letter or before the plural form or the uncountable form of an indefinite noun |
Ø |
Prepositions are used to show the relationships between people, things and actions by coming before other groups of words to create extra informative phrases.
Part of Speech | Explanation | Example |
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Prepositions of place | These are used to create place phrases that give the location of the main clause. |
at - shows general place ("I am at the train station") |
Prepositions of time | These show when an action is occurring in relation to something else. |
at - is used for exact times ("The movie starts at 6:00") |
Prepositions of movement | Show where objects are moving. |
into, over, through, between |
Prepositional phrases | By using a preposition in a phrase, we can complete the meanings of intransitive verbs. |
"I went" is incorrect |
Phrasal Verbs | By adding a preposition to a verb, we make phrasal verbs which take on a completely different meaning to the original verb. |
Take up an instrument.
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Modal Verbs are actually a type of auxiliary verbs that are used to show willingness, possibility, ability, necessity, obligation as well as other subtleties of the English language.
Part of Speech | Explanation | Example |
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Can | Can shows ability, possibility, informed permission, informal request, or impossibility (in the negative). It is possibly the most commonly used modal verb. |
I can swim.
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Could | Could is often used as the past, or more formal version of can. It shows past ability, polite request, suggestion, or impossibility (in the negative). |
I could swim when I was younger. |
May | Used as a polite request, asking for permission, or to show uncertainty. |
May I talk to you? May I talk with you?
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Might | Used to show uncertainty about the past present or future, and very polite questions. |
I might go to the big party with you. |
Should | Should is most commonly used to show advice, suggestion, or display the natural order of things. |
You should go to the hospital. |
Ought to | Advice, Suggestion (strong). |
You ought to go to the hospital. We ought to try the other key. |
Had Better | Advice, with a threat of negative reaction/result. |
You had better pay your speeding tickets. |
Be Supposed to | This shows the speaker’s expectations, or the natural order of things. (Note: the ‘be’ verb changes according to tense) |
You are supposed to call me if there is a problem.
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Must | Shows strong obligation/ prohibition (if used in the negative). In spoken English, it is used to show personal obligation or intrinsic value. In written English, it is used to show necessity. |
I must go to the bank this afternoon.
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Have to | Necessity, or lack of necessity (in the negative). In the positive, ‘must’ and ‘have to’ are very similar, but in the negative, they have very different uses. |
I have to work today. I don’t have to clean my room. |
Will | Future tense, used to describe events that have been decided at the time of utterance. |
Will you marry me? |
Be Going to | Future tense, used to show plans for the future that were decided on in the past. The ‘be’ verb changes according to tense. |
I am going to travel abroad next year. |
Would | Would is often used as the past, or more polite form of will. It is used in polite requests, preferences, and a repeated action in the past that is no longer performed. |
Would you close the window? |
Used to | Shows a repeated behaviour in the past that is no longer continued. In the negative and question form it loses the "d". |
When I was a policeman, I used to drive police cars. |
Shall | Not very commonly used. We use it for volunteering a future action, or formally expressing certainty. |
Shall we go to the shop?
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Part of Speech | Explanation | Example |
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Conjunctions | Conjunctions are used to join parts of speech within a sentence (generally, a main clause to a supporting clause). |
and, or, but, so, because
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Interjections | Interjections are words to express immediate feelings, or surprise. They are usually written alone in sentences. |
Boo! Ow! Phew! |
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The most basic tense in English is the Simple Present. It expresses an action that happens regularly or always. The verb should remain in its base form, allowing for voice.
Formula: Subject + (Present) Verb + (object)
Timeline(The action can occur at any time):
None
I eat cake. She eats cake.
In the negative, we use the auxiliary verb do(es) + not.
I don’t eat cake. She doesn’t eat cake.
In questions (the interrogative form), the auxiliary verb comes before the subject.
Do you eat cake?
When does she eat cake?
The simple past is used to explain about an action completed in the past.
Formula: Subject + (Past) Verb + (object)
Timeline(The action was completed before now):
None
I saw a big explosion.
I drank a bottle of soda this morning.
In the simple past negative, "don’t" and "doesn’t" become "didn’t"
I didn’t think about that.
To talk about the future, we may use the modal verb “will” when discussing future events that are only decided upon at the time of speaking and predictions.
We use “(Be) going to” to talk about future events that have been planned and predictions with much more certainty.
Formula - Subject + will + Infinitive Verb + (object)
Subject + "Be" Verb + going to + Infinitive Verb+ (object)
Timeline:
None
"Will you marry me? Yes, I will."
When a phone is ringing, we say "I’ll get it.”"
When I ask your plans for the weekend, you say "We are going to have a picnic."
In some English books, you will hear reference to the Continuous Tense, or Progressive Tense. These are exactly the same thing. These tenses are formed by using the “-ing” form of the verb.
There are two uses of the Present Progressive.
Formula - Subject + "Be" Verb + Verb-ing form + (object)
Type 1: The most common is a continuous action which coincides with the time of speaking.
Type 2: We also use it to talk about actions or events which are certain in the future. We should include a time phrase to show this aspect.
Timeline:
None
Type 1: I am learning English now.
Type 2: I can’t go to the party. I am working on Friday. She’s going to New York in two weeks.
It is used to talk about an action that was in progress in the past. It is usually in a sentence with a time phrase (or complement) to show the two actions occurring at the same time.
Formula - Subject + (past) “Be” Verb (was/were) + Verb-ing form + (object)
Timeline:
None
I was having a shower when my phone rang.
It wasn’t raining while we were swimming.
The Future Progressive is most commonly used to talk about a long slow action decided for a time in the future and should be used with a time phrase.
Formula - Subject + will be + Verb-ing form + (object)
Timeline:
None
We will be having steak for dinner.
I won’t be calling you for a week.
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When using Present Perfect Tense, we’re referring to past actions that have some result or consequence now, We often use it to talk about special life events where the time is not important or events that occurred in the immediate past.
Formula - Subject + have/has + Verb (Past Participle) + (object)
Timeline:
None
They have grown apples for years. I haven’t seen the movie since 1999. I have been bungee jumping. We have gotten lost.
We use the Past Perfect to explain an action completed before now. It shows us that one event happened before another in the past. In a Past Perfect sentence, there is usually a main clause (in the Past Perfect) and another clause in the past. It can be referred to as "The past of the past".
Formula - Subject + had + Verb (Past Participle) + (object)
Timeline:
None
Jenny had slept well, so she felt good. Bob had read the book before he went to the movie. The movie had started right before we arrived.
The Future Perfect is the tense we use to refer to future events as if they are already completed. We picture ourselves after the event looking back at it. We use "by" and a time as our second event, or time of perspective.
Formula - Subject + will have + Verb (Past Participle)
Timeline:
None
She will have been shopping for hours by then. I won’t have finished my work before you get home. Will you have paid the bills by the due date?
There are also combination tenses that rely on a mixture of both grammar structures.
The Present Perfect Progressive is used to talk about an action that was begun in the past and recently completed. Another use of the Present Perfect Progressive to express an action that was begun in the past and is still continuing now. There should be some evident result now.
Formula- Subject + have/has + been + Verb–ing + (object)
Timeline:
None
She has been cooking your dinner for hours. We haven’t been waiting very long.
Use the Past Perfect Progressive Tense to focus on an action which was continuing up to or almost until a point in the past, not necessarily a completed event.
Formula - Subject + had + been + Verb-ing form + (object)
Timeline:
None
I had been trying to call you. They hadn’t been waiting long.
This is a very uncommon tense, but still grammatically correct. Actions in the Future Perfect Progressive are long, slow actions that we predict to be occurring in a time between now and another future time. Key Time expressions – by, after
Formula - Subject + will have + been + Verb–ing form.
None
Sarah will have been working here for 2 years by September. I won’t have been spending my money.
In a conditional sentence there is usually a main clause and a conditional clause. The conditional clause is identified by words such as "if" or "unless". The type of conditional clause that is produced will depend greatly on the tenses used in the two clauses. Here we will cover the 4 conditional types, plus the mixed conditional.
# | Explanation | Example |
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Zero Conditional | Cause and Effect (always true/fact) |
If water reaches 100 degrees, it boils. |
1st Conditional | Cause and Effect (true in the present/future) |
If I keep studying, my English will improve. |
2nd Conditional | Hypothetical (untrue in the present) |
If I had a million dollars, I would buy you a house. |
3rd Conditional | Hypothetical (untrue in the past/regret) |
If I had listened to my teacher, I would have understood the test. |
2nd and 3rd Mixed Conditional | 2nd and 3rd conditionals may sometimes be mixed to show situations where something that is hypothetical in the past would have different consequences. |
If I hadn’t stolen the money, the police wouldn’t be looking for me. If I had a dog, I would have trained him to do tricks. |
Sentences may also be presented in either the active or passive voice.
# | Explanation | Example |
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The Active Voice | In the active voice, which is most common, the subject is the agent, and the performer of the action. |
A thief stole my bike. |
The Passive Voice | In the passive voice, we use a 'be' verb before the main verb (in its past participle form) to show that the subject is not the agent (not the performer of the action). |
My bike was stolen (by a thief). |
Compare -ing form, Infinitive and Past Participle of a word.
# | Explanation | Example |
---|---|---|
-ing Form | 1. The "-ing" form is used in continuous tenses with auxiliary verbs (helping verbs). These are in active voice. |
1. I was writing when the pizza arrived. |
Infinitives | 1.The infinitive is required after certain verbs in English.(Want, plan, manage etc. ) |
1. I decided to go to a movie. |
Past Participles | 1. The past participle is used in perfect tenses. |
1. I have finished my work. |
Notes | 1. Some verbs can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive and the meaning of the sentence does not really change. |
1.She likes to read. She likes reading. |