AdvancedAdvanced
The subjunctive in formal English
After certain verbs and adjectives, especially in formal American English, a that-clause may use the base verb for all subjects.
Patternsrecommend that + subject + base verbit is essential that + subject + base verb
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Use it after verbs such as recommend, insist and suggest in formal style.
- Recognize alternative should-structures in British English.
Examples
- They recommended that he apply early.
- It is essential that she be informed.
Common mistake: Do not add third-person -s to the subjunctive base form.
AgreementIntermediate
Tricky agreement: each, every, either, neither
Words such as each, every, either and neither are normally singular when they are the grammatical head of the subject.
PatternsEach/Every + singular noun + singular verbEither/Neither + singular verb
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Check the head word of the subject phrase.
- Use singular agreement with each/every in standard usage.
Examples
- Each of the students has a locker.
- Neither answer is correct.
Common mistake: Do not let a plural noun inside an of-phrase control the verb.
ReportedBeginner
Reported statements
Reported speech retells what someone said, often with tense backshift when the reporting verb is in the past.
Patternssaid (that) + clausetold + object + clause
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Backshift tense when the context calls for it.
- Use tell with an object.
Examples
- She said that she was tired.
- He told me that he needed help.
Common mistake: Do not say told that without specifying who was told.
AdvancedIntermediate
Parallel structure
Items joined in a list or comparison should normally have matching grammatical form.
Patternsto read, to write, and to speakreading, writing, and speaking
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Keep coordinated items in the same grammatical pattern.
- Use parallel structure in lists and paired constructions.
Examples
- She likes reading, writing, and painting.
- The job requires patience, accuracy, and speed.
Common mistake: Avoid mixing an infinitive, gerund and full clause in one coordinated list without reason.
ParticipleAdvanced
Perfect participle clauses
Having + past participle shows that one action was completed before the action in the main clause. The passive form is having been + past participle.
PatternsHaving + past participle, main clauseHaving been + past participle, main clause
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Use it when the earlier-before-later relationship matters.
- Keep the understood subject the same as the main-clause subject.
Examples
- Having finished the report, she went home.
- Having been warned, they acted carefully.
Common mistake: Avoid a perfect participle if its implied subject does not match the main clause.
GerundIntermediate
To-infinitives and bare infinitives
Some verbs take to + infinitive, while modal verbs and certain structures take a bare infinitive.
Patternswant to gocan golet/make + object + base verb
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Learn verb complementation patterns.
- Use bare infinitive after modal auxiliaries.
Examples
- I want to leave early.
- They made us wait.
Common mistake: Do not add to after a modal verb.
RelativeIntermediate
Relative pronouns and omission
A relative pronoun can sometimes be omitted when it is the object of a defining relative clause, but not when it is the subject.
Patternsthe book (that) I boughtthe man who called
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Identify whether the relative pronoun is subject or object.
- Omit object pronouns only where grammar allows.
Examples
- The book I bought is useful.
- The woman who called left a message.
Common mistake: Do not omit the relative pronoun when it is the subject of the relative clause.
HypotheticalAdvanced
Would rather and it’s time
Would rather can express preference; with a different subject it often takes a past form. It’s time can also take a past form for desired action now.
Patternswould rather + base verbwould rather + subject + pastit is time + subject + past
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Express preferences directly.
- Use the past form for unreal or desired present behavior after these expressions.
Examples
- I would rather stay home.
- It is time we went home.
Common mistake: The past form here may refer to present or future preference, not past time.
ClauseIntermediate
Coordinating vs subordinating conjunctions
Coordinators link equal units; subordinators make one clause dependent on another.
Patternsclause, and/but/so clausebecause/although/when + clause
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Use a comma before a coordinator joining two full clauses.
- Choose the conjunction for the logical relationship.
Examples
- I called him, but he did not answer.
- We left early because traffic was heavy.
Common mistake: Do not use because and so together for the same cause-result link.
RelativeBeginner
Defining vs non-defining relative clauses
Defining relatives identify which person or thing; non-defining relatives add extra information and are set off by commas.
Patternsnoun + defining relativenoun, non-defining relative,
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Use commas around non-defining relatives.
- Do not normally use that in a non-defining relative clause.
Examples
- The students who studied passed.
- My brother, who lives in Boston, is visiting.
Common mistake: Punctuation changes whether the information is essential or additional.
ReportedIntermediate
Reported questions
Reported questions use statement word order and normally do not use do/does/did.
Patternsasked + wh-word + subject + verbasked + if/whether + subject + verb
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Use if/whether for yes-no questions.
- Keep statement word order after the question word.
Examples
- She asked where I lived.
- He asked if I was ready.
Common mistake: Do not keep direct-question inversion in a reported question.
SentenceIntermediate
Fragments, run-ons and core punctuation
A complete sentence needs an independent clause. Two independent clauses need correct coordination or punctuation such as a period, semicolon, or comma plus coordinator.
Patternsindependent clause. Independent clause.independent clause; independent clauseindependent clause, and/but/so independent clause
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Recognize sentence fragments and comma splices.
- Use punctuation to show clause boundaries.
Examples
- The shop was closed, so we went home.
- The rain stopped; we continued walking.
Common mistake: Do not join two independent clauses with only a comma.
GerundBeginner
Gerunds as nouns
A gerund is an -ing form functioning as a noun, for example as subject or object.
Patternsverb-ing as subject/objectpreposition + verb-ing
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Use gerunds after prepositions.
- Gerunds can be subjects of sentences.
Examples
- Swimming is good exercise.
- She is interested in learning Arabic.
Common mistake: Do not use a bare infinitive after an ordinary preposition.
ConditionalBeginner
Zero and first conditionals
The zero conditional describes general results; the first conditional describes a real future possibility.
PatternsIf + present, presentIf + present, will + base verb
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Use zero conditional for facts and routines.
- Use first conditional for realistic future possibilities.
Examples
- If you heat ice, it melts.
- If it rains, we will stay home.
Common mistake: Do not normally put will in the if-clause of a first conditional.
ParticipleIntermediate
Participle clauses
Participle clauses compress information when the understood subject is the same as the subject of the main clause.
PatternsWalking home, ...Built in 1900, ...Having finished, ...
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Use them to express time, reason or accompanying action.
- Make sure the understood subject is clear.
Examples
- Walking home, I saw an old friend.
- Built in 1900, the house needs repairs.
Common mistake: Avoid dangling participles whose implied subject does not match the main clause.
AgreementAdvanced
Collective nouns and quantities
Collective nouns and expressions of amount can take singular or plural agreement depending on meaning and variety of English.
PatternsA team is... / The team are...Ten dollars is...
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Treat a measurement as one amount when appropriate.
- Be consistent with your variety of English for collective nouns.
Examples
- Ten dollars is enough.
- The committee has reached a decision.
Common mistake: Do not assume every grammatically plural expression requires a plural verb.
ReportedAdvanced
Reporting verbs and their patterns
Different reporting verbs take different complements: infinitive, gerund, object + infinitive, or that-clause.
Patternsagree to dodeny doingadvise object to dosuggest that + clause / suggest doing
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Learn the complement pattern together with each reporting verb.
- Use the pattern that matches the verb, not a single rule for all reporting verbs.
Examples
- She admitted taking the money.
- He advised me to wait.
Common mistake: Do not use suggest + object + to-infinitive in standard English.
GerundAdvanced
Gerund vs infinitive: change of meaning
With some verbs, gerund and infinitive are both possible but the meaning changes, such as remember, stop and try.
Patternsremember doing / remember to dostop doing / stop to dotry doing / try to do
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Learn the meaning pair, not just the form.
- Use context to decide which complement is intended.
Examples
- I stopped smoking last year.
- I stopped to answer the phone.
Common mistake: Do not assume gerund and infinitive are interchangeable after every verb.
ReportedAdvanced
Reported commands and time/place shifts
Commands are commonly reported with tell/ask + object + infinitive; time and place words may change according to viewpoint.
Patternstold/asked + object + to-infinitivenow → then; today → that day; here → there
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Use a negative infinitive for negative commands.
- Shift time/place references only when the viewpoint changes.
Examples
- The doctor told me to rest.
- She asked us not to be late.
Common mistake: Do not backshift mechanically when the original information is still current.
SentenceBeginner
Basic sentence elements
English clauses are built around a subject and a verb, with optional objects, complements and adverbials.
PatternsSubject + VerbSubject + Verb + ObjectSubject + Linking Verb + Complement
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Identify the subject and main verb first.
- Add objects or complements only when the verb requires them.
Examples
- The child laughed.
- Maya opened the window.
Common mistake: Do not omit the subject in ordinary English statements.
ConditionalAdvanced
Third and mixed conditionals
Third conditionals imagine a different past; mixed conditionals connect an unreal past with a present result or vice versa.
PatternsIf + past perfect, would have + past participleIf + past perfect, would + base verb
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Express past regret or imagined past results.
- Connect past causes with present consequences in mixed conditionals.
Examples
- If we had left earlier, we would have caught the train.
- If I had studied medicine, I would be a doctor now.
Common mistake: Keep the time reference consistent with the meaning you want.
PassiveBeginner
Passive voice basics
The passive focuses on the receiver of an action. It is formed with be plus a past participle.
Patternsbe + past participleObject of active sentence → subject of passive
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Use the passive when the doer is unknown, obvious or less important.
- Add by + agent only when the agent matters.
Examples
- The door was opened at nine.
- English is spoken in many countries.
Common mistake: Do not forget to change the form of be for tense and agreement.
ParticipleBeginner
Present and past participles
Present participles often describe an active or ongoing relation; past participles often describe a completed or passive relation.
Patternsverb-ingpast participle (V3)
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Distinguish bored from boring-type contrasts.
- Recognize participles in verb forms and adjective-like uses.
Examples
- The movie was boring.
- We were bored.
Common mistake: Do not confuse the -ed experiencer with the -ing cause in common adjective pairs.
ClauseAdvanced
Noun clauses and adverb clauses
A noun clause functions like a noun; an adverb clause adds information about time, reason, condition, contrast or purpose.
PatternsI know + that-clausewhat/why/how + clausesubordinator + adverb clause
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Use statement word order inside most noun clauses.
- Use adverb clauses to show logical relationships.
Examples
- I know that she is ready.
- Call me when you arrive.
Common mistake: Do not use question word order inside an embedded noun clause.
ParticipleAdvanced
Reduced relative clauses
Some relative clauses can be reduced to participle phrases when the meaning remains clear.
Patternspeople who live here → people living hereproducts that were made locally → products made locally
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Reduce active relatives with -ing when appropriate.
- Reduce passive relatives with a past participle.
Examples
- The people waiting outside are students.
- The books written by her are popular.
Common mistake: Do not reduce a relative clause if the time or subject relationship becomes unclear.
HypotheticalIntermediate
Wish and if only for past regrets
Wish/if only + past perfect expresses regret about a past event that cannot be changed.
Patternswish/if only + had + past participle
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Express past regrets and imagined alternatives.
- Use past perfect to move one step back from the past.
Examples
- I wish I had studied harder.
- If only we had left earlier.
Common mistake: Do not use simple past when the intended meaning is an unreal past regret.
ClauseAdvanced
Purpose, result and concession clauses
Complex sentences can express purpose, result and concession with structures such as so that, so/such...that, although and even though.
Patternsso that + clauseso + adjective + thatsuch + noun phrase + thatalthough/even though + clause
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Choose the connector that matches the logical relation.
- Distinguish purpose from result.
Examples
- She whispered so that nobody could hear.
- It was so cold that the lake froze.
Common mistake: Do not use although and but together in the same contrast structure.
AdvancedAdvanced
Fronting and topic–comment structure
Writers and speakers can move an element to the front to establish a topic, contrast or emphasis, especially in literary and conversational styles.
PatternsFronted adverbial + clauseObject/topic + clause/comment
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Use fronting deliberately for information structure.
- Keep the grammatical relationships clear after moving an element.
Examples
- Into the room walked the manager.
- This book, I really enjoyed.
Common mistake: Do not front elements so heavily that the sentence becomes ambiguous or unnatural.
HypotheticalAdvanced
As if and as though
As if/as though can introduce comparisons that are real or unreal. A past form can signal an unreal present comparison, and past perfect can signal an unreal past comparison.
Patternsas if/as though + presentas if/as though + pastas if/as though + past perfect
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Choose tense according to reality and time.
- Use unreal past forms when the comparison is not true.
Examples
- He talks as if he knew everything.
- She looked as though she had seen a ghost.
Common mistake: Do not treat the past form after as if as automatically referring to past time.
SentenceIntermediate
Word order and adverb placement
English relies strongly on word order. Frequency adverbs usually go before a lexical verb but after be.
PatternsSubject + adverb + lexical verbSubject + be + adverbVerb + object + manner/place/time
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Keep the object close to the verb.
- Place frequency adverbs carefully.
Examples
- She usually takes the bus.
- They finished the work quickly.
Common mistake: Avoid separating a verb from its direct object with a long adverbial.
ClauseBeginner
Independent and dependent clauses
An independent clause can stand alone; a dependent clause needs another clause to complete the meaning.
PatternsIndependent clauseSubordinator + dependent clause
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Recognize subordinators such as because, although, if and when.
- Join clauses without creating fragments.
Examples
- I stayed home because it was raining.
- Although she was tired, she continued working.
Common mistake: A dependent clause by itself is usually a sentence fragment.
InversionAdvanced
So and such for fronted emphasis
In formal literary style, so + adjective or such + be can be fronted and followed by inversion for strong emphasis.
PatternsSo + adjective + auxiliary + subject + that...Such + be + noun phrase + that...
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Recognize this mainly in formal or literary writing.
- Do not confuse it with ordinary so/such result clauses.
Examples
- So difficult was the test that many students left early.
- Such was the noise that we could not sleep.
Common mistake: Do not apply inversion after every occurrence of so or such.
GerundAdvanced
Verb complementation patterns
English verbs select different complement types: gerund, to-infinitive, bare infinitive, object + infinitive, or that-clause. These patterns must often be learned with the verb.
Patternsavoid doingdecide to dolet someone dowant someone to doinsist that + clause
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Record the pattern whenever you learn a new verb.
- Notice whether an object is required before the infinitive.
Examples
- They avoided discussing the problem.
- I want you to come early.
Common mistake: Do not assume two near-synonymous verbs take the same complement pattern.
ConditionalIntermediate
Unless, provided that and as long as
Conditional meaning can be expressed with alternatives to if. Unless means if not; provided that and as long as express a necessary condition.
Patternsunless + affirmative clauseprovided/providing that + clauseas long as + clause
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Use unless instead of if...not when the meaning is truly negative.
- Use provided/as long as for conditions that must be satisfied.
Examples
- I will go unless it rains.
- You can borrow it as long as you return it tomorrow.
Common mistake: Avoid double negatives such as unless you do not... when you mean if you do not.
PassiveAdvanced
Reporting passives: It is said / He is believed
Formal English often reports general beliefs or claims with impersonal passive structures or subject + passive reporting verb + infinitive.
PatternsIt is said that + clauseSubject + is said/believed/thought + to-infinitive
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Use these forms when the source is general or unimportant.
- Choose a perfect infinitive for an earlier event when needed.
Examples
- It is believed that the painting is authentic.
- He is said to live in Canada.
Common mistake: Do not mix the active and passive reporting patterns in one structure.
InversionAdvanced
Conditional inversion
Formal conditionals can omit if and invert had, were or should with the subject.
PatternsHad I known, ...Were I you, ...Should you need help, ...
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Use this mainly in formal style.
- Keep the meaning equivalent to an if-clause.
Examples
- Had I known, I would have called.
- Should you need help, call me.
Common mistake: Do not invert any past verb; the pattern is limited to had, were and should structures.
InversionAdvanced
Inversion after negative adverbials
Formal emphasis can place a negative or restrictive adverbial first and invert the auxiliary and subject.
PatternsNever have I...Rarely do they...Not only did she...
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Use an auxiliary before the subject after fronted negative adverbials.
- Use do-support when no auxiliary is otherwise present.
Examples
- Never have I seen such a view.
- Rarely do they arrive late.
Common mistake: Do not invert ordinary sentences unless the trigger requires it.
PassiveAdvanced
Causative have and get
Have/get + object + past participle means that someone arranges for another person to perform a service or action.
Patternshave + object + past participleget + object + past participle
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Use it for services and arranged actions.
- Get is often less formal than have.
Examples
- I had my car repaired yesterday.
- She got her phone fixed.
Common mistake: Do not confuse I cut my hair with I had my hair cut.
SentenceIntermediate
Objects and complements
Objects receive the action, while complements describe or identify the subject or object.
PatternsS + V + OS + linking V + subject complementS + V + O + object complement
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Distinguish action verbs from linking verbs.
- Check whether the final phrase renames or describes something.
Examples
- They elected Sara president.
- The soup smells wonderful.
Common mistake: Do not treat every noun after a verb as a direct object.
AgreementBeginner
Basic subject–verb agreement
In the present simple, third-person singular subjects normally take a verb ending in -s; plural subjects use the base form.
PatternsHe/She/It + verb-sI/You/We/They + base verb
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Find the true grammatical subject.
- Ignore nearby nouns that are not the subject.
Examples
- The teacher works here.
- The teachers work here.
Common mistake: Do not make the verb agree with the nearest noun if that noun is not the subject.
PassiveIntermediate
Passive across tenses
The passive keeps the tense in the auxiliary be while the main verb stays in the past participle form.
Patternsis done / was done / has been done / will be done / is being done
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Match the auxiliary to the intended tense.
- Keep the lexical verb in past participle form.
Examples
- The road is being repaired.
- The report has been finished.
Common mistake: Do not build the passive by changing only the main verb.
ConditionalIntermediate
Second conditional
The second conditional expresses unreal, imaginary or unlikely present and future situations.
PatternsIf + past simple, would + base verb
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Talk about imaginary situations.
- Give advice with If I were you.
Examples
- If I had more time, I would travel more.
- If I were you, I would wait.
Common mistake: Do not normally use would in the if-clause.
RelativeAdvanced
Formal relatives with prepositions
In formal style, a preposition may come before whom or which. In less formal English the preposition often stays at the end of the relative clause.
Patternsthe person to whom I spokethe company for which she works
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Use whom after a fronted preposition for people in formal style.
- Use which after a fronted preposition for things.
Examples
- The person to whom I spoke was helpful.
- This is the company for which she works.
Common mistake: Do not use that immediately after a fronted preposition.
AdvancedAdvanced
Ellipsis and substitution
English often avoids repetition by omitting recoverable words or replacing them with forms such as one, do, so and neither.
PatternsI can swim and she can too.the red oneI think so.
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Use ellipsis only when the missing meaning is clear.
- Use one/ones to substitute for countable nouns.
Examples
- I ordered the blue shirt, not the red one.
- She can drive, and I can too.
Common mistake: Do not omit information if the result becomes ambiguous.
InversionIntermediate
Emphatic do and cleft sentences
English can emphasize a statement with do/does/did or focus information with it-clefts and what-clefts.
PatternsI do agree.It was X that...What I need is...
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Use emphatic do in affirmative statements for contrast or insistence.
- Use clefts to focus one element.
Examples
- I do understand your concern.
- What I need is a quiet room.
Common mistake: Do not use emphatic do together with another finite auxiliary.
AgreementAdvanced
Agreement with there and relative clauses
In existential there structures, the verb commonly agrees with the following notional subject in formal standard English. In relative clauses, agreement depends on the antecedent represented by the relative pronoun.
PatternsThere is + singularThere are + pluralone of the people who are...
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Look beyond there to the following noun phrase.
- Find the antecedent of the relative pronoun.
Examples
- There are two messages for you.
- She is one of the people who work here.
Common mistake: Do not make the relative-clause verb agree with an unrelated nearby noun.
RelativeAdvanced
Whose, where and when in relative clauses
Whose expresses possession; where relates to places; when relates to times, though preposition + which is also possible in formal style.
Patternsperson whose + nounplace where + clausetime when + clause
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Choose the connector by its function.
- Use whose for people and also for things when natural.
Examples
- I met a writer whose books I admire.
- That is the house where I grew up.
Common mistake: Do not confuse whose with who’s.
HypotheticalBeginner
Wish for present and future situations
Wish + past form commonly expresses dissatisfaction with the present; wish + would can express a desired change in behavior or situation.
Patternswish + past simplewish + would + base verb
Examples, uses & common mistakes
Key points
- Use a past form for an unreal present wish.
- Use would for a desired change, not usually for your own controllable action.
Examples
- I wish I knew the answer.
- I wish the bus would come.
Common mistake: Do not interpret the past form after wish as past time automatically.
