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The Best Guide to the Present Perfect Continuous

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The present perfect continuous tense is used to describe events that started in the past and continue to the present.[1]https://7esl.com/present-perfect-continuous-tense/

present perfect continuous

Usage of the Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Actions that started in the past and continue to the present

You can use the verb tense to talk about actions that you started in the past and continue to do until the present.

For example:

  • I have
    been living     in France for about 4 years.
  • Susie has
    been studying     English for 2 years.
  • We have
    been driving     for 10 hours!

Recent actions in the past that have results now

You can use the verb tense to talk about actions that you recently did that clearly have results in the present.

For example:

  • I am tired because I have been studying all night for the final exam.
  • She is sick because she has not been looking after her health.
  • Frank can’t come because he has not been paying attention to the time.

Short temporary situations

You can use the the verb tense to describe shorter situations.

For example:

  • Have
    you been studying for the English
    exam this week?
  • We have
    been cooking     all day.
  • He has
    been studying     for the exam all week.

Example Exercises

Complete each sentence with the present perfect continuous verb tense.

 13%

Question 1 of 8

1. Elisabeth told me that she ____________ (think) of quitting her job.

Question 1 of 8

Question 2 of 8

2. Frank and Susie ____________ (play) basketball for hours.

Question 2 of 8

Question 3 of 8

3. My dog ____________ (sleep) all day.

Question 3 of 8

Question 4 of 8

4. I didn’t do well on the test because I ____________ (study) a lot.

Question 4 of 8

Question 5 of 8

5. ____________ (study) English for a long time?

Question 5 of 8

Question 6 of 8

6. It ____________ (snow) all week.

Question 6 of 8

Question 7 of 8

7. Who ____________ (drink) all of my milk in the refrigerator?

Question 7 of 8

Question 8 of 8

8. We ____________ (eat) the same breakfast every day this week.

Question 8 of 8


 

How did you do?

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Sometimes reading alone isn’t enough. A private one on one lesson can clear up any confusion quickly and help you use this grammar naturally and confidently.

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References[+]

The Best Guide to the Past Perfect Tense

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The past perfect tense is used to describe events in the past that were completed before a particular point in the past.[1]https://7esl.com/past-perfect-tense/

past perfect tense

When to Use the Past Perfect Tense

A Finished Event Before Another Event in the Past

You can use the past perfect verb tense to describe a finished event in the past that happened before another event in the past.

For example:

  • I had
    left     before they arrived.
  • They plane had
    taken off     before we arrived at the gate.
  • She had paid
    the bill for the meal before I had a chance to.

An Event in the Past Before a Specific Time in the Past

You can use the past perfect verb tense to talk about an even in the past that takes place before a specific time in the past.

For example:

  • Susie had
    never been to Paris before this
    summer.
  • They had
    eaten     dinner before 7pm.
  • We had never
    seen the movie before last night.

Cause and Effect

You can use the past perfect tense to describe cause and effect. In this case, you must use it with the past simple verb tense.

For example:

  • I didn’t turn in my homework because the dog had eaten it.
  • I was late to work because there had been an accident on the road.
  • She did well on the test because she had studied all weekend for it.

Emphasize the Result of a Past Event

You can use the past perfect to put emphasis on past events.

For example:

  • They had
    called     us 5 times on the phone by the time we answered it.
  • I had
    interviewed     with the company 3 times before I got the job.
  • She had
    taken     the driving test 2 times before she passed the test.

Example Exercises

Please go to The Best Guide to the Past Perfect Tense to view this quiz

How did you do?

If some of these questions were tricky don’t worry — this is one of the topics that confuses English learners the most.

Sometimes reading alone isn’t enough. A private one on one lesson can clear up any confusion quickly and help you use this grammar naturally and confidently.

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References[+]

The Best Guide to the Past Continuous Tense Pt. 2

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The past continuous tense is used to describe actions in the past and continue for a period in the past.[1]https://7esl.com/past-continuous-tense/

past continuous tense

Past Continuous Tense Usage

Parallel Actions in the Past

You can use the past continuous to describe parallel actions happening in the past.

For example:

  • While I was
    working out    , I received a phone call.
  • While they were
    cleaning     the bathroom, I was
    cleaning     the kitchen.
  • While Susie was
    studying    , Frank was watching TV.

Describe what someone was doing in the past

You can use the past continuous verb tense to describe what someone was doing at a particular time in the past.

For example:

  • They were
    working     in the office yesterday.
  • We were
    studying     for the final exam all weekend.
  • Elizabeth was
    eating     dinner last night at 7pm.

Interrupted Actions in the Past

You can use the past continuous verb conjugation to talk about interrupted actions in the past.

For example:

  • I was
    driving     when I received the bad news.
  • I was
    working     on the project when they told me it was canceled.
  • We were
    eating     dinner when the phone rang.

Repetition in the Past

You can use the past continuous to talk about repetitions and irritations in the past.

For example:

  • They were
    always talking in class.
  • We were always
    complaining to the teacher.
  • I was always forgetting to do my homework.

Example Exercises

Use the words to write a sentence in the past continuous tense.

Please go to The Best Guide to the Past Continuous Tense Pt. 2 to view this quiz

How did you do?

If some of these questions were tricky don’t worry — this is one of the topics that confuses English learners the most.

Sometimes reading alone isn’t enough. A private one on one lesson can clear up any confusion quickly and help you use this grammar naturally and confidently.

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References[+]

The Best Guide to the Future Continuous Tense

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The future continuous tense is a verb tense that talks about something that will happen in the future for a period of time.[1]https://7esl.com/future-continuous-tense/

future continuous tense

Future Continuous Tense Usage

Interrupted Future Actions

You can use the future continuous verb tense to describe future actions that will be interrupted.

For example:

  • When they get her next week, we will be cleaning the house.
  • By the time Susie arrives this afternoon, we will be preparing lunch.
  • When we arrive in the USA, we will be taking a road trip.

Actions in Progress at a Specific Time in the Future

You can use the future continuous tense to describe actions that you are in the process of doing at specific times in the future.

For example:

  • At 6 pm tonight, we will be having Christmas dinner.
  • In January, he will be starting a new workout regime.
  • Tomorrow, they will be visiting us.

Current Actions that will Continue in the Future

You can use the future continuous to talk about things that you are in the process of doing right now and plan to continue doing in the future.

For example:

  • Don’t worry, we will still be playing video
    games by the time you get back.
  • They will
    be studying     all day.
  • We will
    be learning     about that subject all year in class.

To Politely Ask About the Future

You can use the future continuous tense to ask polite questions about the future.

For example:

  • Will you
    be helping us with the cleaning?
  • Will they
    be coming to the party with us?
  • Will
    she be cleaning the dishes?

Emphasize Future Intentions and Plans

You can use the future continuous verb tense to talk about future intentions and plans.

For example:

  • I will be
    going     to Europe this summer.
  • They will
    be visiting     us next month.
  • Frank will
    be helping     us tomorrow with the move.

Describe the Atmosphere in the Future

You can use the future continuous to describe the situation and atmosphere of a situation in the future.

For example:

  • When we get to the library, everybody will be studying for finals.
  • When Susie gets here, we will all be hiding in
    anticipation to surprise her for her birthday.
  • When they get here, we will be celebrating graduation from university.

Parallel Actions in the Future

You can use the future continuous verb tense to describe parallel actions or a series of parallel actions happening in the future.

For example:

  • I will be
    studying    , and she will be playing video
    games.
  • They will
    be trying     to sleep, and the baby will
    be crying     tonight.
  • I will be
    cleaning     the living room, and she will
    be cleaning     the kitchen.

Example Exercises

Use the words to write a sentence in the future continuous tense.

Please go to The Best Guide to the Future Continuous Tense to view this quiz

How did you do?

If some of these questions were tricky don’t worry — this is one of the topics that confuses English learners the most.

Sometimes reading alone isn’t enough. A private one on one lesson can clear up any confusion quickly and help you use this grammar naturally and confidently.

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References[+]

The Best Guide to the 2nd and 3rd Conditionals

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In English, conditionals help us describe something that might have or might happen. Similar to the Zero and 1st conditionals, we need to know what verb tenses to use with the 2nd and 3rd conditionals.[1]https://www.test-english.com/explanation/b2/first-second-third-conditionals/

3rd Conditionals

2nd Conditional

The 2nd conditional is used to describe hypothetical situations in the present or future.

If + past simple or past continuous verb + would/could/might + infinitive/be –ing

For example:

  • If I studied, I would not be taking the retest right now. Too bad.
  • If it was raining, the crops would be growing.
  • If she hadn’t talked to me, I might not be talking with you right now.

When the conditional clause comes after the main phrase you don’t need to use a comma.

For example:

  • I would not be taking the retest right now if I studied.
  • The crops would be growing if it was raining.
  • I might not be talking with you right now if she hadn’t talked to me.

3rd Conditional

The 3rd conditionals are used to describe hypothetical situations in the past.

If + past perfect + would/could/might + have + past participle

For example:

  • Too bad, if you had helped us, we would have finished on time.
  • If I had studied, I would have passed the test.
  • If you had been nicer, I would have helped you.

When the conditional clause comes after the main phrase you don’t need to use a comma.

For example:

  • We would have finished on time if you had helped us.
  • I would have passed the test if I had studied.
  • I would have helped you if you had been nicer.

Example Exercises

Fill in the blanks with the correct conjugations of the 2nd or 3rd conditionals.

Please go to The Best Guide to the 2nd and 3rd Conditionals to view this quiz

How did you do?

If some of these questions were tricky don’t worry — this is one of the topics that confuses English learners the most.

Sometimes reading alone isn’t enough. A private one on one lesson can clear up any confusion quickly and help you use this grammar naturally and confidently.

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References[+]

The Best Guide to Question Tags in English

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Question tags are short questions that you can ask at the end of a sentence. They are very common in spoken English. While there are many different question tags, they are not too difficult to learn.[1]https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/intermediate-to-upper-intermediate/question-tags

question tags

Positive/Negative

If the sentence is a positive sentence, you must make the question tag negative.

For example:

  • She is
    a doctor, isn’t she?
  • You are
    a teacher, aren’t you?
  • We are close
    to the beach, aren’t we?

Negative/Positive

If the sentence is a negative sentence, you must make the question tag positive.

For example:

  • You have
    not     been there before, have you?
  • They are
    not     coming, are they?
  • Susie does
    not     speak English, does she?

Additional Question Tag Rules

As you can see, the main rules with question tags is that if the main phrase is positive it should be negative and if the main phrase is negative it should be positive.

However, there are a few additional points that you need to be aware of.

Regular Verbs

With most verbs, the question tag uses the appropriate form of the verb “do”.

For example:

  • She said
    that, didn’t she?
  • You like
    to swim, don’t you?
  • Frank loves
    ice cream, doesn’t he?

Auxiliary Verbs

With auxiliary verbs such as “have” and “be”, the question tag verb is the same as the auxiliary verb.

For example:

  • We have a
    few minutes before class starts, haven’t
    we?
  • You are
    a nice person, aren’t you?
  • They aren’t
    here right now, are they?

Be careful with sentences that begin with “I am”. The correct question tag is “aren’t I”.

For example:

  • I am
    very smart, aren’t I?

Modal Verbs

If the sentence uses a modal verb, the question tag uses the same verb.[2]https://study.com/academy/lesson/modal-adverbs-definition-interpretation-examples.html

For example:

  • They can
    help us, can’t they?
  • They couldn’t
    make it, could they?
  • You mustn’t
    do that, must you?

Intonations

A question tag can either be a real question or something that we already know the answer to.

If the question is genuine, then we need to speak with a rising intonation.

If we already know the answer to the question, then we need to speak with a falling intonation.

Example Exercises

Fill in the appropriate question tag.

Please go to The Best Guide to Question Tags in English to view this quiz

How did you do?

If some of these questions were tricky don’t worry — this is one of the topics that confuses English learners the most.

Sometimes reading alone isn’t enough. A private one on one lesson can clear up any confusion quickly and help you use this grammar naturally and confidently.

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References[+]

The Best Guide to English Intensifier: So, such, too, enough

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In English, you can use several words to intensify the meaning of a phrase. They are intensifiers. Some of the most common ones are so, such, too, and enough.[1]https://phoneenglish.es/blog/2017/08/grammar-so-such-too-enough/

So

A common intensifier in English you can use is “so”. It means “very”. It can go before an adjective or an adverb.

so + adjective

  • It is so cold
    today.
  • It is so cloudy
    today.
  • It is so hot.

so + adverb

  • I have so
    much work to do today.
  • You can run so
    quickly!
  • You eat so
    slowly!

Such

Similar to “so”, the word “such” also means very. It can go before an adjective or a noun.[2]https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/so-and-such.html

such + adjective

  • They are such
    a nice family.
  • She is such
    a beautiful child.
  • We had such
    a good time today at the park.

Such + noun

  • You are such a genius.
  • You are such a jock!
  • He is such a teacher.

Too

The word “too” means a lot of something. However, it is usually used in a negative manner. It can be used before an adjective or adverb.

too + adjective

  • Our next-door neighbors are too noisy!
  • My boss at work is too mean.
  • That test was too hard.

too + adverb

  • You walk too
    fast!
  • You are speaking too quickly! Please slow down.
  • You are talking too loudly. Lower your voice.

Enough

The word “enough” means having as much or as many as required. It can be used before a noun or after an adjective or verb.

enough + noun

  • We don’t have enough toilet paper.
  • They don’t have enough wood for the fire.
  • He doesn’t have enough wood to last winter.

adjective/verb + enough

  • Are you comfortable enough?
  • I am not sure if I have trained enough for the race.
  • Have you studied enough for the test?

Example Exercises

Choose between the intensifiers so, such, too, and enough.

Please go to The Best Guide to English Intensifier: So, such, too, enough to view this quiz

How did you do?

If some of these questions were tricky don’t worry — this is one of the topics that confuses English learners the most.

Sometimes reading alone isn’t enough. A private one on one lesson can clear up any confusion quickly and help you use this grammar naturally and confidently.

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References[+]

The Best Guide to Both, Either, and Neither in English

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You can use both, either, and neither to talk about two things or people.[1]https://www.grammar.cl/english/both-either-neither.htm

both

Both

Both is used to talk about two things. You can use it with both nouns and adjectives.

Both this and that

For example:

  • I like both
    ice cream and pizza.
  • She is both
    pretty and tall.
  • They have both
    a car and a motorcycle.

Both (of) + Determiner + Plural Noun

You can also use determiners (such as possessive adjectives) with “both”.

For example:

  • Both of my
    sisters are older than me.
  • Both of the
    schools have be rivals for a long time.
  • Both of the
    kids have been friends for a long time.

Both of + Object Pronoun

You can also use object pronouns (such as us) with “both”.

For example:

  • They invited both of us to the party.

Verb + Object Pronoun + Both

For example:

  • I hope that the university accepts us both.

Either

The word “either” is used to talk about one of two things.

Either this and that

For example:

  • You can have either a chocolate cake or ice
    cream.
  • Either
    John or Sam is going to pick us up.
  • You can choose either a car or a
    motorcycle.

Neither

Neither is used to talk about not this thing and not the other thing. This is the negative form of “both”.

Neither this nor that

For example:

  • I want neither
    cake nor ice cream.
  • Neither
    Sam nor Jake helped us.
  • I neither
    sing nor dance.

Neither + Singular Noun

For example:

  • Neither school
    participated in the competition.
  • Neither
    team had an advantage.

Neither of + Pronoun

For example:

  • Neither
    of     us want to swim.
  • Neither of
    them wanted to help.

Neither vs. Either

You can replace “neither” with “either” if you change the positive verb in the “neither” phrase with a negative verb.

For example:

  • I have neither
    friends nor family.
  • I don’t have either friends or family.

Example Exercises

Please go to The Best Guide to Both, Either, and Neither in English to view this quiz

How did you do?

If some of these questions were tricky don’t worry — this is one of the topics that confuses English learners the most.

Sometimes reading alone isn’t enough. A private one on one lesson can clear up any confusion quickly and help you use this grammar naturally and confidently.

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References[+]

The Best Guide to Passive Voice

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There are two main ways to speak in English, active voice and passive voice.[1]https://www.ef.com/wwen/english-resources/english-grammar/passive-voice/

How do you construct the passive voice?

passive voice

What is the active voice?

In the active voice, the subject performs the action.

For example: Bob ate ice cream.

What is the passive voice?

In the passive voice, the action is performed on the subject.

For example: The ice cream was eaten by Bob.

When do you use the passive voice?

In most cases, it is best to use the active voice. This is especially true when the subject of your sentences is the one performing the actions.

However, in certain cases, it is actually better to use the passive voice. Usually, you want to use the passive voice in certain legal, professional, or formal settings such as:

Emphasize the action over the one doing the action

Example: The witness was sworn in before they were allowed to testify.

In this case, it is not that important to know who the person that is swearing in the witness. Rather, the process of swearing them in is more important as we need to know that they are telling the truth.

Scientific Writing

Example: The specimens were placed under the microscope.

In this case, we understand a scientist is placing the specimens under the microscope to study; however, the passive structure emphasizes the importance of the experiment over the scientist.

Reporting crimes when you don’t know who committed it

Example: My house was broken into.

In this case, we don’t know who the criminals were. If we did, we probably would not be as worried as we could catch them. In addition, the passive structure emphasizes the crime that was committed over the actual criminals that committed it.

Please go to The Best Guide to Passive Voice to view this quiz

How did you do?

If some of these questions were tricky don’t worry — this is one of the topics that confuses English learners the most.

Sometimes reading alone isn’t enough. A private one on one lesson can clear up any confusion quickly and help you use this grammar naturally and confidently.

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References[+]