Modal verbs
Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs that help to describe such things as possibility and necessity. The most common modal verbs are: Here are some ways in which modal verbs are used: There are some...
Graham's Grammar Posts
Verb tenses in reported speech
Verb tenses in reported speech. When we talk about what someone says, we can use either “direct speech” or “indirect speech”. Nowadays most people talk about “reported speech” instead of “indirect speech”. In direct...
As different as chalk and cheese
As different as chalk and cheese is an English metaphor and idiom. We use it when two people – or two things – are so different from each other that they have nothing in...
Shopping precincts and retail parks
Shopping precincts and retail parks are types of shopping centres. In a previous post we discussed the difference between department stores and shopping malls. We said that there were other sorts of shopping centres....
Department stores and shopping malls
Department stores and shopping malls are places where we go shopping. A department store is usually a large shop where we can buy a wide variety of items such as clothing, luggage, make-up, lighting,...
Cloud Nine
“To be on cloud nine” is an English idiom meaning to be very happy. Here are some examples of how we use it: You might wonder why it’s cloud nine. Well, perhaps it comes...
Definite and Indefinite Articles Part 3
In previous posts (here and here), we’ve looked at when to use definite and indefinite articles and when we don’t need to use any article. We said that: In this post we’ll explain how...
Definite and indefinite articles Part 2
Definite and indefinite articles. In an earlier post we said that:: In this post we’ll talk further about definite and indefinite articles. We often use “a” or “an” when we mention something for the...
Definite and indefinite articles
Definite and indefinite articles can come very naturally to native English speakers but can be confusing to English languages learners – particularly when their first language doesn’t have articles. Let’s start at the beginning....
Semicolons – Part 2
In a previous post we looked at using semicolons to join two parts of a sentence when each part could be regarded as a sentence on its own. Here we’re going to find out...