Grammar guide
English grammar guides: rules and examples (A1–C1)
Clear explanations of English grammar from A1 to C2: rules, example sentences, tables and common mistakes. Every guide ends with free practice tests and worksheets.
- grammar guides
- 62
- CEFR
- A1–C1
A1 Beginner 17 guides
- Adverbs of Frequency: Always, Usually, Often, Sometimes, Never Learn adverbs of frequency (always, usually, often, sometimes, never): word order with be and other verbs, questions, common mistakes and a quick check. Read the guide
- Articles (a, an, the): Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn when to use a, an and the in English, plus when to use no article. Simple A1 rules, clear tables, examples, common mistakes and a quick check. Read the guide
- Can and Can't (Ability): Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn how to use can and can't for ability in English: affirmative, negative and question forms, pronunciation, short answers and common A1 mistakes. Read the guide
- Have Got / Has Got: Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn how to use have got and has got in English: affirmative, negative and question forms, short answers, have vs have got, and common A1 mistakes. Read the guide
- Past Simple of To Be (was, were): Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn when to use was and were in English: forms, negatives, questions, short answers, time expressions and common mistakes, with a quick check. Read the guide
- Plural Nouns in English: Rules, Spelling and Irregular Forms Learn English plural nouns: -s, -es, -ies and -ves spelling rules, irregular plurals like children and feet, pronunciation and common mistakes. Read the guide
- Possessive Adjectives and 's: Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn possessive adjectives (my, your, his, her, its, our, their) and 's for A1 English, with tables, examples, common mistakes and a quick check. Read the guide
- Prepositions of Place: in, on, under, next to (Rules and Examples) Learn the prepositions of place in, on, under, next to, behind, between and more, with clear A1 rules, examples, common mistakes and a quick check. Read the guide
- Prepositions of Time (in, on, at): Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn when to use in, on and at for times, days and dates in English: clear rules, A1 examples, common mistakes and a quick check with answers. Read the guide
- Present Continuous: Form, Uses and Examples Learn the present continuous (am/is/are + -ing): form, spelling rules, uses, signal words and common mistakes, with examples and a quick check for A1. Read the guide
- Present Simple: Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn the English present simple at A1: when to use it, how to form positive, negative and question sentences, -s spelling rules and common mistakes. Read the guide
- Question Words in English: What, Where, Who, When, Why and How Learn English question words (what, where, who, when, why, how, which, whose) with A1 examples, word order tables, common mistakes and a quick check. Read the guide
- Some and Any: Countable and Uncountable Nouns Learn when to use some and any with countable and uncountable nouns. Clear A1 rules, tables, examples, common mistakes and a quick check with answers. Read the guide
- Subject and Object Pronouns: Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn English subject and object pronouns (I/me, he/him, they/them) with clear tables, A1 examples, common mistakes and a quick check to practise. Read the guide
- There is / There are: Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn when to use there is and there are in English: forms, negatives, questions, short answers, some and any, and common mistakes, with a quick check. Read the guide
- This, That, These, Those: Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn when to use this, that, these and those in English: near and far, singular and plural, with tables, examples, common mistakes and a quick check. Read the guide
- Verb to be (am, is, are): Forms, Uses and Common Mistakes Learn the verb to be (am, is, are) for A1: forms, contractions, negatives, questions and short answers, with examples, common mistakes and a quick check. Read the guide
A2 Elementary 14 guides
- Adjectives and Adverbs of Manner: Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn when to use adjectives and adverbs of manner in English: -ly spelling rules, irregular forms like fast and well, word order and common A2 mistakes. Read the guide
- Be Going To: Form, Uses and Common Mistakes Learn how to use be going to for plans and predictions: form tables, going to vs will, common mistakes and a quick check. Clear A2 English grammar guide. Read the guide
- Comparatives and Superlatives: Rules, Spelling and Examples Learn how to form comparatives and superlatives in English (A2): -er/-est, more/most, spelling rules, irregular forms, as…as and common mistakes. Read the guide
- Much, Many, A Lot Of, A Few, A Little: Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn when to use much, many, a lot of, a few and a little with countable and uncountable nouns. A2 rules, tables, common mistakes and a quick check. Read the guide
- Must, Have To and Should: Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn how to use must, have to and should: rules, negatives, questions, mustn't vs don't have to, common mistakes and a quick check with answers. Read the guide
- Past Continuous vs Past Simple: Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn when to use the past continuous and the past simple in English, with form tables, when/while rules, examples, common mistakes and a quick check. Read the guide
- Past Simple: Regular and Irregular Verbs, Rules and Examples Learn the English Past Simple: regular -ed verbs, common irregular verbs, negatives with didn't, questions with did, signal words and common mistakes. Read the guide
- Possessive Pronouns (mine, yours, his, hers…): Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn English possessive pronouns (mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs) with tables, examples, common mistakes and a quick check. Clear A2 guide. Read the guide
- Prepositions of Movement: Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn English prepositions of movement (to, into, across, through, along, past and more) with clear examples, tables, common mistakes and a quick check. Read the guide
- Present Perfect with Ever, Never, Just, Already and Yet Learn the present perfect with ever, never, just, already and yet: form, uses, word order, past participles and common mistakes, plus a quick check quiz. Read the guide
- Present Simple vs Present Continuous: Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn when to use the present simple and the present continuous, with clear A2 examples, form tables, signal words, state verbs and common mistakes. Read the guide
- Too and Enough: Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn how to use too and enough in English: word order with adjectives, adverbs and nouns, too much vs too many, to-infinitive, and common A2 mistakes. Read the guide
- Verb + -ing or To-infinitive: Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn when to use verb + -ing or to-infinitive in English: verb lists, form tables, verbs that take both, common mistakes and a quick check for A2 learners. Read the guide
- Will for Predictions, Offers and Promises Learn will for predictions, offers, promises and quick decisions: A2 rules, form tables, will vs going to, common mistakes and a quick check. Read the guide
B1 Intermediate 14 guides
- First and Second Conditional: Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn the first and second conditional with clear rules, form tables, examples and common mistakes, then check your understanding with a quick B1 quiz. Read the guide
- Future Forms: Will, Going To and Present Continuous Learn when to use will, going to and the present continuous for the future, with B1 examples, form tables, common mistakes and a quick check. Read the guide
- Gerunds and Infinitives: Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn when to use gerunds (-ing) and infinitives (to + verb) in English: verb lists, verbs that change meaning, common mistakes and a quick B1 quiz. Read the guide
- Linking Words (although, however, because of…): Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn how to use linking words like although, however, despite and because of at B1, with clear rules, punctuation tips, common mistakes and a quiz. Read the guide
- Modals of Deduction (must, might, can't): Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn how to use must, might, may, could and can't to make guesses about the present. Clear rules, form tables, common mistakes and a quick B1 check. Read the guide
- Passive Voice (Present and Past Simple): Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn the passive voice in the present and past simple: form, uses, by + agent, irregular past participles, common mistakes and a quick check with answers. Read the guide
- Past Perfect: Form, Uses, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn the past perfect (had + past participle): when to use it, how to form it, signal words like by the time, common mistakes and a quick check. Read the guide
- Present Perfect Continuous: Form, Uses and Common Mistakes Learn the present perfect continuous (have been + -ing): uses, form tables, for and since, stative verbs and common mistakes, with a quick B1 check. Read the guide
- Present Perfect vs Past Simple: Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn when to use the present perfect vs the past simple, with clear rules, form tables, signal words, common mistakes and a quick check with answers. Read the guide
- Question Tags: Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn how to form English question tags: positive and negative tags, special cases like aren't I and shall we, intonation, answers and common mistakes. Read the guide
- Relative Clauses (who, which, that, where): Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn relative clauses with who, which, that and where: clear rules, form tables, when to leave out the pronoun, common mistakes and a quick B1 check. Read the guide
- Reported Speech: Statements and Questions Learn reported speech for statements and questions: tense changes, say vs tell, time words and question word order, with examples and common mistakes. Read the guide
- So, Such, Too and Enough: Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn when to use so, such, too and enough in English: word order, so/such…that, too/enough + to-infinitive, common mistakes and a quick B1 check. Read the guide
- Used To and Would: Past Habits and States Explained Learn how to use used to and would for past habits and states: form, examples, used to vs would vs past simple, common mistakes and a quick check. Read the guide
B2 Upper-intermediate 10 guides
- Articles (Advanced Use): Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Master advanced articles in English: generic the, zero article with abstract nouns, the + adjective, place names and fixed phrases. B2 rules and examples. Read the guide
- Causative Have and Get: Form, Uses and Common Mistakes Learn causative have and get at B2: have something done, get someone to do something, tense tables, the passive contrast, common mistakes and a quick check. Read the guide
- Defining and Non-defining Relative Clauses: Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn the difference between defining and non-defining relative clauses: commas, who/which/that, omitting pronouns, and common mistakes, with examples. Read the guide
- Future Continuous and Future Perfect: Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn the future continuous and future perfect at B2: form, uses, signal words like by and by the time, common mistakes and a quick check with answers. Read the guide
- Modals of Deduction in the Past: Must Have, Might Have, Can't Have Learn how to use must have, might have, could have and can't have to make deductions about the past, with form tables, examples and common mistakes. Read the guide
- Narrative Tenses: Uses, Form and Common Mistakes Learn the four narrative tenses in English: past simple, past continuous, past perfect and past perfect continuous, with examples, tables and mistakes. Read the guide
- Participle Clauses: Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn how to use participle clauses in English (-ing, -ed and having done) with clear rules, B2 examples, common mistakes and a quick check with answers. Read the guide
- Passive Voice: Forms, Uses and Common Mistakes (B2) Learn the passive voice at B2: all tenses, modal passives, reporting structures like it is said that, get-passives and common mistakes, with a quiz. Read the guide
- Reported Speech: Tense Changes, Questions and Reporting Verbs Learn B2 reported speech: tense backshift, time words, reported questions, reporting verbs like suggest and deny, common mistakes and a quick check. Read the guide
- Wish and If Only: Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn how to use wish and if only for present wishes, past regrets and complaints, with clear tables, B2 examples, common mistakes and a quick check. Read the guide
C1 Advanced 7 guides
- Advanced Modal Verbs: Uses, Forms and Common Mistakes (C1) Master advanced English modal verbs at C1: needn't have, be bound to, will for habits, might as well, putative should and more, with examples and a quiz. Read the guide
- Alternatives to If: Unless, Provided, Supposing and More Learn alternatives to if at C1: unless, provided, as long as, supposing, in case and more, with tense tables, common mistakes and a quick check. Read the guide
- Cleft Sentences (It was… that, What I need is…): Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn C1 cleft sentences: it-clefts and wh-clefts, how to form them, when to use them for emphasis, common mistakes, and a quick check with answers. Read the guide
- Ellipsis and Substitution: Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn ellipsis and substitution in English: one/ones, do so, so/not, and leaving out words after auxiliaries and to. Rules, examples and common mistakes. Read the guide
- Emphatic Structures: Emphatic Do, Clefts, Inversion and Intensifiers Learn emphatic structures at C1: emphatic do, cleft sentences, inversion, fronting and intensifiers, with examples, common mistakes and a quick check. Read the guide
- Inversion in English: Never Have I…, Not Only…, Hardly… When and More Learn inversion in English at C1: Never have I, Not only, No sooner, Had I known and more, with clear tables, examples, common mistakes and a quick check. Read the guide
- The Subjunctive and Formal Structures: Rules, Examples and Common Mistakes Learn the English subjunctive at C1: insist that he be, if I were, it's time we left, lest and were it not for. Forms, examples and common mistakes. Read the guide