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Exercises Explanation Downloads

Superlative adjectives - the oldest, the most important, etc.

Exercise 1

Write the superlative forms of these adjectives.

EXAMPLE: poor ⇒ the poorest

Superlative adjectives

Three or more things

We use the superlative form of an adjective or adverb to compare three or more things.

The best in

After the superlative we use in before names of places or before singular words referring to groups of people ( class, school, team, family, etc.)

The Everest is the highest mountain in the world. (NOT of the world)

The / my / John's

Before the superlative we always use the or a possessive adjective ( my, your, his, etc.) or noun + possessive 's ( Paul's, Elisabeth's, etc.)

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Superlative adjectives – the oldest, the most important, etc. - Test-English

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Superlative adjectives – the oldest, the hottest, the happiest, the most important, etc. A1 – Elementary English grammar and exercises.

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Exercises Explanation Downloads

Comparative adjectives - older than, more important than, etc.

Exercise 1

Write the opposite of these adjectives. Use the comparative form of adjectives in the box below.

bad - big - difficult - expensive - far - fat - happy - hot - old - short

Comparative adjectives

We use more + adjective + than or adjective + -er + than to compare things or people.

In this chart you can see when we need to use more ... than or -er than and the changes in spelling.

Two things

We use the comparative form of an adjective to compare two things.

Less ... than

When we compare two things, we can also use the form less + adjective + than (less ≠ more).

Than me

If we use a personal pronoun after than we need an object pronoun ( me, you, him, etc.).

My sister is taller than me.

His sister is more intelligent than him.

Much/a bit + more

Before the comparative ( more or -er) we can use much (=big difference) or a bit (=small difference).

Common mistakes!

More or -er

We use more or - er, but we cannot use more + -er.

My brother is taller than me. (NOT My brother is more taller that me.)

More than (NOT that)

After a comparative adjective, we use than and NOT that.

My brother is taller than me. (NOT My brother is taller that me.)

Than + second element of the comparison

We use than + the second thing that we are comparing. When we don't mention the second element of the comparison, we do NOT use than.

My brother is taller than me .

I am tall, but my brother is taller. (NOT my brother is taller than.)

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Comparative adjectives – older than, more important than, etc. - Test-English

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Comparative adjectives . We use ‘more’ + adjective or adjective + -er to compare two things. A1 – Elementary English grammar and exercises.

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Countable nouns

Countable nouns are nouns that we can count: car, house, book, etc. We can say one car, two cars, three cars, etc.

Singular and plural

Countable nouns have singular and plural forms: a car/cars, a house/houses, a book/books, etc.

A/an + singular countable noun

We CANNOT use a singular countable noun without a determiner like a/an or the.

Uncountable nouns

Uncountable nouns are nouns that we cannot count: money, milk, rain, etc. We cannot say one money, two moneys, etc.

Only singular

Uncountable nouns do not have a plural form, they only have a singular form: money/moneys, milk/milks, rain/rains, etc.

We cannot use a/an + uncountable noun. A/an means 'one', and we cannot count uncountable nouns.

Types of words that are uncountable

Some types of words that are typically uncountable are:

Food, drinks and liquids: cheese, bread, pasta, coffee, milk, petrol, fuel, etc.

Materials: iron, wood, metal, paper, plastic, etc.

Abstract ideas and feelings: information, advice, strength, time, love, excitement, etc.

Illnesses: diabetes, alzheimer, cancer, etc.

Languages: English, French, Spanish, etc.

Uncountable in English but not in other languages

Some nouns are uncountable in English, but they are countable in other languages. Some of them are: advice, news (it ends in -s, but it's a singular word), furniture, luggage, baggage, bread, cheese, toast, etc.

Countable and uncountable

Some nouns can be countable and uncountable because they can refer to a unit or to 'mass' or 'material'. Compare:

A/an, some, any

A/an

We use a/an + singular countable noun.

We cannot use a/an before a plural noun or an uncountable noun.

Some/any

We use some and any before countable plural nouns or singular uncountable nouns.

Some

We use some in positive sentences.

Any

We use any in negative sentences and questions.

But we use some in questions when we are asking for something or we are offering something.

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A, some, any - countable and uncountable nouns - Test-English

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a, some, any - countable and uncountable nouns. A car, some money, any money. A1 - Elementary English grammar and exercises.

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Cheese or cheeses?

Some nouns are usually uncountable, like furniture, accommodation, music and luggage. Some areusually countable, like chair, room, song and suitcase. Most nouns, though, can be either countable or uncountable. It doesn't depend on the noun but on the context, on how it is being viewed.

For example, many nouns for food and drink items such as cheese, water, milk, rice, sugar and butter are normally regarded as uncountable nouns. Nouns like these however can also be countable, particularly when we think of them as different kinds or varieties of a product.
These days supermarkets sell many different cheeses. Demarara, muscovado and caster are some of the different sugars we can use when baking.
Apple or apples?

Fruit and vegetables are normally regarded as being countable as we see them as individual items.

We need to get some apples = Countable

If, however, someone has one apple and is offering you a piece of it, the noun apple becomes uncountable.

Would you like some apple? = Uncountable

Uncountable or countable: does it matter?

Yes. Countable and uncountable nouns have different grammar and are used with different words.

Countable nouns can have plural forms. They can be used with the indefinite article.

Uncountable nouns are normally used with singular forms and can't be used with the indefinite article.

Words and phrases that go with countable nouns
many, a few, a number (of), several, fewer
Words and phrases that go with uncountable nouns:
much, a little, a bit (of), a great deal of, less, amount
Words and phrases that go with both countable and uncountable nouns:
no, none, some, any, a lot (of), plenty (of), lots of, more, quantity
To do

Now why not try a little quiz? All you have to decide is if the noun is countable or uncountable. Easy?

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BBC Learning English - Course: intermediate / Unit 16 / Session 2 / Activity 1

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Some nouns are usually uncountable, like furniture, accommodation, music and luggage. Some areusually countable, like chair, room, song and suitcase. Most nouns, though, can be either countable or uncountable. It doesn't depend on the noun but on the context, on how it is being viewed.

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Exercises Explanation Downloads

Present continuous - I'm doing, I'm not doing, Are you doing?

Exercise 1

Write positive or negative sentences in present continuous using the verbs in brackets. Use SHORT FORMS when possible.

Present continuous - Form

We form the present continuous with am/is/are + the -ing form of the verb.

She is listening to the radio.

They are doing their homework.

The short forms of am/is/are are: 'm/'s/'re.

The negative short forms of am not/is not/are not are: 'm not/isn't/aren't.

Note that we can use short forms only in negative short answers, but not in positive short answers.

'Are you writing a book?' 'Yes, I am.' (NOT Yes, I'm.)

Actions happening now

We use the present continuous for things happening now, at the moment of speaking.

'What are you doing?' 'I'm watching TV.'

Actions happening around now

We use the present continuous for temporary things that are happening around now (=not at the moment of speaking but these days, or weeks, etc.)

Now, these days, at the moment, etc.

We use the present continuous with time expressions that mean 'now' or 'around now': now, at the moment, at present, today, these days, this week, etc.

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Present continuous - I'm doing, I'm not doing, Are you doing? - Test-English

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Present continuous - I'm doing, I'm not doing, Are you doing? Actions happening now. A1 - Elementary English grammar and exercises.

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Adverbs of frequency with present simple - Test-English

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Learn how to use adverbs if frequency with present simple. This is an English grammar lesson for beginners or elementary students (level A1 CEFR). In this lesson, you will find three English grammar exercises with answers. There is also a grammar explanation with grammar rules and grammar charts.

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Exercises Explanation Downloads

Questions - word order and question words

Exercise 1

Choose the correct questions.

Word order in present simple questions

The order of words in an English question in present simple is: QWASI: ( Question Word) + Auxiliary + Subject + Infinitive.

What do you do?

Where do they live?

In Yes-No questions (questions that we answer saying yes or no) there is NO Question Word.

Do you speak English?

Does she live here?

The auxiliary verb in present simple is be or do/does. Below you can see a grammar chart on the order of words in present simple questions with be or do/does.

Questions with am/is/are

When the verb in the sentence is be, we use am/is/are as the auxiliary verb before the subject. Then the word order is QWAS: ( Question Word) + Auxiliary (am/is/are) + Subject

Questions with do/does

When we have a verb that is not be, we use do/does as the auxiliary verb.
We use does with he/she/it and do with I/you/we/they. Remember that the main verb after the subject is in the infinitive form (NO -s or -es).

What does she do ? (NOT What does she does?)

Where does he work ? (NOT Where does she works?)

Question words - grammar chart

What + noun

We often use the question word what + noun as a question word: what time, what colour, what size, etc.

How + adjective/adverb

We can also use how + adjective/adverb as a question word in phrases like how often, how old, how tall, etc.

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Questions – word order and question words - Test-English

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Learn about the question words and the order of the words in English questions. This is an English grammar lesson for beginners or elementary students (level A1 CEFR). In this lesson, you will find three English grammar exercises with answers. There is also a grammar explanation with grammar rules and grammar charts.

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Bing Microsoft Translator - Traduci dalla lingua Inglese

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Traduci rapidamente parole e frasi tra l'inglese e più di 100 lingue.

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Speaking practice to help you learn useful language for everyday communication. Situations include meeting new people, checking understanding and making suggestions.

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Reading practice to help you understand simple information, words and sentences about known topics. Texts include posters, messages, forms and timetables.

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Listening practice to help you understand familiar words and basic phrases when people speak slowly and clearly. Situations include meeting people, shopping and conversations at work!

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Present simple vs present continuous - Form

Present simple - short forms

We normally use short forms in spoken English.

Present continuous - short forms

We normally use short forms in spoken English.

Present simple vs present continuous - Use

Present simple use

Habits or situations that happen regularly

We use the present simple to talk about actions that we do (o we don't do) regularly:

Permanent situations or things that are usually or often true

Adverbs of frequency

We often use the present simple with adverbs of frequency ( always, sometimes, etc.) and expressions of frequency ( once every three months, twice a week, every other day, etc.).

Adverbs of frequency go in mid position (before the main verb or after be).

Expressions of frequency go at the end of the sentence

Future events that are timetabled

We use the present simple to talk about future events that are scheduled or timetabled.

Present continuous use

Actions in progress

We use the present continuous to talk about things that are happening now or 'around now' (a time around this moment, such as these days, weeks or months)

I finished the Lord of the Rings and now I'm reading a new book.

Temporary actions

The present continuous is used to talk about temporary actions:

With expressions meaning 'now' or 'around now'.

The present continuous often appears next to expressions such as now, these days, this week/month, or at the moment.

Situations that are changing or developing

Future arrangements

We use the present continuous to talk or ask about future actions that are already planned or decided.

Stative verbs

Non-action verbs (or stative verbs) cannot be used in present continuous. They must be used in present simple. The most frequent are the verbs of the senses (hear, see, smell, look, seem, sound), verbs of opinion (believe, consider, like, love, hate, prefer, think, etc.) verbs of possession (have, own, belong, etc.). Other common non-action verbs are: agree, be, depend, need, mean, remember, realise, recognise, seem, want, etc.

Some verbs have an action and a non-action meaning; for example, have or think:

The verb see also has a dynamic and a stative meaning.

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Present simple or present continuous - Page 3 of 3 - Test-English

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Present simple or present continuous English grammar exercises. Intermediate grammar exercises. Present simple and progressive. Dynamic and static verbs.

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Present simple or present continuous? - Test-English

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Present simple or present continuous? Learn when to use present simple and continuous in English. A1 – Elementary English grammar and exercises.

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10. PRESENT SIMPLE OR PRESENT CONTINUOUS? Make your choice!

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10. PRESENT SIMPLE OR PRESENT CONTINUOUS? Make your choice!

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http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs1.htm

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9. PRESENT SIMPLE and PRESENT CONTINUOUS: How are they made? See a review of the whole thing!

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9. PRESENT SIMPLE and PRESENT CONTINUOUS: How are they made? See a review of the whole thing!

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http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/presentcontinuousforms.html

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7. PRESENT CONTINUOUS: When shall we use it?

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7. PRESENT CONTINUOUS: When shall we use it?

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http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/presentcontinuous.html

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Also called the present progressive tense

Read about how to make the present continuous tense here.
Download this explanation in PDF here.

Present Uses
1: First, we use the present continuous for things that are happening at the moment of speaking. These things usually last for quite a short time and they are not finished when we are talking about them.

I'm working at the moment.

Please call back as we are eating dinner now.

Julie is sleeping.

2: We can also use this tense for other kinds of temporary situations, even if the action isn't happening at this moment.

John's working in a bar until he finds a job in his field. (He might not be working now.)

I'm reading a really great book.

She's staying with her friend for a week.

Compare this with the present simple, which is used for permanent situations that we feel will continue for a long time.

I work in a school. (I think this is a permanent situation.)

I'm working in a school. (I think this is a temporary situation.)

3: We can use the present continuous for temporary or new habits (for normal habits that continue for a long time, we use the present simple). We often use this with expressions like 'these days' or 'at the moment'.

He's eating a lot these days.

She's swimming every morning (she didn't use to do this).

You're smoking too much.

4: Another present continuous use is for habits that are not regular, but that happen very often. In this case we usually use an adverb like 'always', 'forever' or 'constantly'. Often, we use the present continuous in this way to talk about an annoying habit.

You're forever losing your keys!

She's constantly missing the train.

Lucy's always smiling!

Future Uses
5: The next use is for definite future arrangements (with a future time word). In this case we have already made a plan and we are pretty sure that the event will happen in the future.

I'm meeting my father tomorrow.

We're going to the beach at the weekend.

I'm leaving at three.

We can't use this tense (or any other continuous tense) with stative verbs.

Read more about the difference between the present simple and the present continuous here.)
Try some exercises about the present continuous here.

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Present Continuous Use (or Present Progressive Use)

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Present continuous use - Clear explanations about when to use the present continuous (or present progressive) tense in English, with lots of exercises.

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Choose the present simple or the present continuous.

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Present Continuous (Present Progressive) Tense

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How to make the Present Continuous (also called the Present Progressive) Tense, clear explanations and exercises

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Do you need to learn words and phrases for everyday situations? Watch our video series for beginner (CEFR level A1) or pre-intermediate (CEFR level A2) learners.

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English Vocabulary

There are two common ways of telling the time.
1) Say the hour first and then the minutes. (Hour + Minutes)

6:25 - It's six twenty-five

8:05 - It's eight O-five (the O is said like the letter O)

9:11 - It's nine eleven

2:34 - It's two thirty-four

2) Say the minutes first and then the hour. (Minutes + PAST / TO + Hour)
For minutes 1-30 we use PAST after the minutes.

For minutes 31-59 we use TO after the minutes.

2:35 - It's twenty-five to three

11:20 - It's twenty past eleven

4:18 - It's eighteen past four

8:51 - It's nine to nine

2:59 - It's one to three

When it is 15 minutes past the hour we normally say: ( a) quarter past

7:15 - It's (a) quarter past seven

When it is 15 minutes before the hour we normally say: a quarter to

12:45 - It's (a) quarter to one

When it is 30 minutes past the hour we normally say: half past

3:30 - It's half past three (but we can also say three-thirty)

O'clock

We use o'clock when there are NO minutes.

10:00 - It's ten o'clock

5:00 - It's five o'clock

1:00 - It's one o'clock

Sometimes it is written as 9 o'clock (the number + o'clock)

12:00

For 12:00 there are four expressions in English.

Telling the time video

Asking for the Time

The common question forms we use to ask for the time right now are:

What time is it?

What is the time?

A more polite way to ask for the time, especially from a stranger is:

Could you tell me the time please?

The common question forms we use to ask at what time a specific event will happen are:

What time...?

When...?

What time does the flight to New York leave?

When does the bus arrive from London?

When does the concert begin?

Giving the Time

We use It is or It's to respond to the questions that ask for the time right now.

We use the structure AT + time when giving the time of a specific event.

The bus arrives at midday (12:00).

The flight leaves at a quarter to two (1:45).

The concert begins at ten o'clock. (10:00)

We can also use subject pronouns in these responses.

It arrives at midday (12:00).

It leaves at a quarter to two (1:45).

It begins at ten o'clock. (10:00)

AM vs. PM

We don't normally use the 24-hour clock in English.

We use a.m. (am) for the morning and p.m. (pm) for the afternoon and night.

3am = Three o'clock in the morning.

3pm = Three o'clock in the afternoon.

Telling the Time - Practice Exercise

Next Activity

Try our interactive games to practice telling the time at: Telling the Time 1 and Telling the Time 2.

Check out our grammar notes about using prepositions of time.

Cómo decir la hora en inglés (for Spanish Speakers)

If you found this English Vocabulary about Telling the Time interesting or useful, let others know about it:

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English Vocabulary about how to tell the time for English Learners - Vocabulario en inglés - como decir la hora

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Is it better to receive a gift or to give one? Watch this video as Father Christmas challenges people to do something unusual and wonderful!

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Do you give Christmas presents to your friends and family? Here are some ideas for simple gifts that you can make yourself at home.

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Vocabulary exercises to help learn words to talk about Christmas.

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Exercises Explanation Downloads

Much, many, a lot of, a little, a few

Exercise 3

Complete the sentences using these words.

much - how much - many - how many - a lot of - a lot - a little - a few - any - no - none

EXAMPLE: How many hours did you work yesterday?

Grammar chart - much, many, a lot of, a little, a few, no, any, none

Much/many

Many for countable, much for uncountable in (?) (-)

We use much/ many in negative sentences and questions. We use many before plural countable nouns and much before uncountable nouns. We don't normally use them in affirmative sentences.

How much/how many

We use how many + plural nouns and how much + uncountable nouns to ask about quantity. You can review countable and uncountable nouns here.

We can also say How much is it? to ask about the price of an item.

'How much is it?' 'It's 43 pounds.'

'How much are the trousers?' 'They're 58 pounds.'

A lot (of)

Before both countable and uncountable

We use a lot of before both plural countable and uncountable nouns to talk about a large quantity. We normally use a lot of in positive sentences.

We can say quite a lot of to talk about medium quantity.

It is also possible to use a lot of in negative sentences and questions.

Of before noun; of at the end of sentence

We must always use a lot of including of before a noun. However, we can use a lot (without of) at the end of a sentence or in short answers.

A few/a little

A few for countable; a little for uncountable

We use a few before plural countable nouns and a little before uncountable nouns in affirmative, negative and interrogative sentences to talk about a small quantity.

Not many, not much

We can also use not many + plural countable or not much + uncountable nouns. The meaning is similar.

I don't have to do many things this afternoon.

I don't put much milk in my tea.

No/not...any/none

When we want to talk about zero quantity, we can use no + noun or not...any + noun. The meaning is the same.

I don't have any time today.

In short answers, we use none.

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Much, many, a lot of, a little, a few - Page 3 of 3 - Test-English

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Learn quantifiers (much, many, a lot of, a little, a few.) with this fun lesson. It includes a grammar chart, lots of examples and exercises.

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At, in, on - prepositions of place

At

At a point

We use at to refer to a point near something.

At the top of/at the bottom of/at the end of

We use at in the expressions at the top of, at the bottom of and at the end of.

Group activities

We use at to refer to group activities like parties, concerts, and other events.

At + school/university/college

We normally use at with school, university and college.

Be at home/work

We say be at home/at work (without the)

At the shop

We use at to refer to shops, restaurants, cafés, etc.

In

In a 3D space

We use in to refer to a position inside of a three-dimensional space.

In a space with limits

We also use in for areas that have limits or boundaries, like continents, countries, cities, regions, etc.

In a car

In the water

We also use in when something is in the water: in the sea, in the river, in the swimming pool, etc.

In a picture, in a book

We also use in for things that are printed in books, pictures, documents, etc.

On

On a surface

We use on to refer to a position on a surface.

On the first/second/etc. floor

We use on to refer to floors in a building.

On the right/left

We use on in the expressions on the right and on the left.

On the bus/train/plane

We use on when we are using public transport: on the bus, on a train, on a plane, etc.

On TV/the radio/the Internet/a website

We use on when we read, see or learn something in the media.

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At, in, on - prepositions of place - Test-English

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At, in, on - prepositions of place. At the table, in an office, on the beach, etc. A1-Elementary English grammar and exercises.

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We use many different prepositions for talking about time. Here we are looking at: in, on, at, during and for.
We use in, on and at for lots of different times. Here's a table comparing the uses:

Months: in January / in April
Seasons: in spring / in winter
Years: in 1984 / in 2015
Centuries: in the 20th century
Times of day: in the morning / in the evening
Longer periods of time: in the past / in the 1990s / in the holidays

Days of the week: on Monday
Days + parts of days: on Tuesday afternoon / on Saturday mornings
Dates: on November 22nd
Special days: on my birthday / on New Year's Eve

Clock times: at 7.30 a.m. / at 5 o'clock
Festivals: at Christmas / at Easter
Exceptions: at night / at the weekend

Wow! That's a lot of uses! So I have to learn all those?

Yes, but you probably know most of them, don't you?

Yes, maybe ... Is that all of them? I mean, are there any exceptions?

Well, sometimes we don't use a preposition of time, for example after next/ this/ last/ every.
We go skateboarding every Saturday afternoon.
I'll see you next Friday.
Mm, but I could also say: " I'll see you on Friday."

Oh yes, that's fine too. But we often leave out on with days of the week when we're speaking.
I'll see you Friday.
OK. Now, about dates ... You write " on 8th July " but how do you say that?

Good question! We say " on the eighth of July ".

OK, so I have to remember to say " on THE eighth OF July ".

Exactly.

One last question about in. Can I use it for the future, as in " I'll do it in a minute"?

Yes, that's very common. We use in for talking about something in the future a certain length of time from now.
She'll be back in a moment.
We're going awayin two weeks.
And can I say, " We're going away for two weeks"?

Yes, but the meaning is completely different.
We're going away in two weeks. (= we leave two weeks from now)
We're going awayfor two weeks. (= our holiday will be two weeks long)
Ah, and what about "We're going away during two weeks"?

No, you can't say that. We use for + a length of time, to say how long something goes on for, and during + a noun / noun phrase, to say when something happens.
It snowed for three hours.
It snowedduring the night.
OK, that's a useful rule. But, hang on, I can also say " It snowed in the night".

And: " I did a lot of work in the holidays" or " I did a lot of work during the holidays"?

Yes, you've got the hang of this.

Good, so now I'm going to study for a few hours. I'll see you on Tuesday, in the morning, at about 10 o'clock.

See you at some time during the morning!

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Daisy is at home. She has a note for Sophie from the headmaster ...

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Give me some examples, please.

Certainly, here you are:
I've got a new computer.
They haven't got any red chilli peppers.
She's got long, brown hair.
Hehasn't got many friends.
So the negative is have/ has + not + got?

Yes, but don't forget the contraction.
I've got swimming practice at seven.
Fred's got a terrible cold.
Is has got only used for things?
I've got an idea for the weekend.
I've got all the inspiration I need ... up here!
No, it's also used for timetabled events or illnesses.

You can use have got for abstract things too.

Can I use have got in the past? For example: I had got a racing bicycle when I was younger.

No, it's only used in the present tense. For the past you use had without got.

What about the question form?

You use have/has + subject + got.

Hang on a minute, I've heard Do you have ... ? a lot too.

Yes, have got is more used in British English and have is more American. The question and negative form is different with have - you need to use the auxiliary do/does.

I have two sisters. (American English)
Do you have change for ten dollars? (American English)
He doesn't have a clue about soccer. (American English)

You will hear British people use have as well as have got.

Anything else I should know?

In British English we use have got more in speaking and have more in writing - it's a little more formal.

OK, I' ve got it now!

Very clever! Yes, you can also use have got to mean 'understand'.

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Give me some examples, please. Certainly, here you are: I've got a new computer. They haven't got any red chilli peppers. She's got long, brown hair. Hehasn't got many friends. So the negative is have/ has + not + got? Yes, but don't forget the contraction. I've got swimming practice at seven.

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Exercises Explanation Downloads

Have got

Exercise 1

Choose the correct verb forms to complete the sentences below.

Have got - form

Have got (British English) = have (American English)

The verb have got is a common form used in the UK, mainly when people are speaking. In the US, people use the verb have.

I haven't got a car. = I don't have a car.

Have you got a car? = Do you have a car?

Be careful with this common mistake!

The verb have got only has a present form (NOT past).

I had a car. (NOT had got)

I didn't have a car. (NOT hadn't got)

Did you have car? (NOT Had you got)

Have got - use

Possession, family

Ilnesses

Physical descriptions

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The verb “have got” is common in British English. It is basically used to express possession or in descriptions. In American English, they use the verb “have”. Check our complete grammar explanation and do the online exercises. A1-A2 English grammar online.

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At, in, on - prepositions of time

➪ Use at with times of day, including mealtimes, bedtime, etc.

➪ Use in with months, seasons, years, decades, centuries and long periods of time in general.

➪ Use on followed by days and dates.

➪ Use at in the following common expressions:

➪ Parts of the day:

When we say last, next, every, this we do not use at, in, on.

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At, in, on - prepositions of time - Test-English

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At, in, on - prepositions of time. At Christmas, in the morning, on Saturday, etc. A1-Elementary English grammar and exercises.

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We use the present simple to talk about repeated actions or events, permanent states or things which are always true. To find out more about the present simple, read and listen to the conversation below.
Can you give me some examples?

Yes, of course. We use the present simple to talk about things which are repeated every day, every week, every year, etc.
I usually get up at 7 o'clock.
During the week Ihave swimming practice on Mondays, I do taekwondo on Tuesdays and tennis on Thursdays.
We alwaysgo on holiday in the summer.
I see. And you use words for explaining more about the time too.

Yes, we often use adverbs of frequency sometimes, often, usually or other time expressions like on Mondays, twice a week or in the summer.

What about permanent states? What does that mean?

Permanent states are situations or feelings which are not temporary.

We also use the present simple for general facts, for example when talking about science or geography.
Thailand is really hot at this time of year.
Snakeslive on the ground, in trees and in water.
So what do I need to know about forming the present simple?

The main thing is that the third person singular forms end in - s or - es. That's for he, she or it.
He watches black and white films at his cinema club on Wednesdays.
Hethinks chess is a sport!
OK, and the other forms don't end in - s or - es? I watch TV a lot. We think Coldplay are boring.

Correct!

What about questions and negatives?

For most verbs we use the present simple of the verb do/does + subject + infinitive to form questions.

For negatives we use the subject + do/does + not + infinitive without .
Daisy and Jack don't go out together much at the weekend.
Idon't think Coldplay are boring.
To go back to the idea of permanent and temporary things, what about this sentence: Is your mum in Thailand this week? Isn't that temporary?

Yes, it is. That's a very good point. Normally we use the present simple for permanent states, and the present continuous for temporary states, but some verbs are thought of as State Verbs and they are not usually used in the continuous form.

And the verb to be is one of those verbs?

Exactly! So even though staying in Thailand is temporary, we use the present simple with the verb to be. Here's another example:

But that isn't the question form you just told me about! Where's the do?

Ah, no. I said 'for most verbs we use do in questions'. The verb to be is different and so are modal verbs like can. We'll look at the verb to be separately because it's different and very common.

What are the other state verbs?

We'll look at those when we look at the Present Continuous. Any more questions?

Yes, what about: The train leaves at 5 in the morning? Isn't that talking about an event in the future?

Yes, it is, but it's also a repeated event. This is sometimes called the 'timetable future'.

OK, I have a maths class in a minute, so I have to go.

Good use of the 'timetable future'! Bye!

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Daisy is chatting to her brother Oliver, and his best mate Alfie, about her new boyfriend. Daisy and Oliver's mum is working in Thailand this week.

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We use adverbs of frequency - like sometimes or usually - to say how often we do things, or how often things happen.
I never have any problems with adverbs of frequency.

OK, let's see what you know. We use adverbs of frequency in this order, according to their meaning.

Are there any missing?

I think that's most of them. You could include frequently, with usually. We use not very often too.

Very good, you're right. These are the most common adverbs, although there are more.
They always hang out together.
The Northern Lights areusually green.
Younormally see them best in September or March.
It'soften cloudy.
What do you notice about the position of the adverbs?

They are usually before the main verb, or between the auxiliary and the main verb. But they come after the verb to be.

Excellent! Can they also be at the beginning or the end of the sentence?

Yes, I think so. ' Sometimes I'm alone.' That sounds OK.

Yes, we can use some adverbs of frequency at the beginning or end of a sentence for emphasis.
Occasionally I meet her for a coffee.
We can use usually, often, sometimes and occasionally at the beginning of a sentence, and sometimes and often at the end. We use adverb expressions like a lot or not + (very) much after the main verb too.

Be careful with never. It is already negative, so we can't use it with not.
I never go to the supermarket with my mother.
I've just remembered some more expressions! What about once a week, twice a year, etc.?

Oh yes, I'd forgotten about those.
Take the medicine three times a day.
Weusually go swimming twice a month.
You see themonce in a lifetime, if you travel.
You see, I'm not always annoying.

OK, sorry. I'm not always right either. Usually, but not always!

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Oliver and Alfie are at home when Daisy and Amy arrive. Sophie is in Hammerfest in northern Norway.

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BBC Learning English - Course: lower intermediate / Unit 4

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Exercises Explanation Downloads

Present simple forms of 'to be' - am/is/are

Exercise 4

Fill in the gaps with the correct present simple forms of 'to be'.

The present simple form of be

The present simple of the verb be has three forms:

I am.

He/She/It is.

We/You/They are.

they= people and things

We use he for a man, she for a woman, and it for a thing.

He 's a little boy.

She 's beautiful.

We use they for people and for things.

Don't forget the subject

We always need a subject before the verb.

It is cold. (NOT Is cold.)

Sally is a wonderful woman. (NOT Is a wonderful woman.)

Contractions or short forms

We use 'm, 's and ' re with personal pronouns ( I, you, he, etc.)

But we can also use 's with names.

Contractions in short answers

We can only use contractions in negative short answers. Not in positive short answers.

Yes, I am. (NOT Yes, I'm.)

Yes, she is . (NOT Yes, she's.)

Yes, they are . (NOT Yes, they're.)

be - present simple use

We use the verb be to talk about:

Who we are: I'm Steven, and this is Isabella. And this is my daughter, Alicia.

Job:

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Present simple forms of 'to be' - am/is/are - Page 4 of 4 - Test-English

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Present simple forms of 'to be'. A1. Elementary English grammar and exercises. I am, he isn't, etc. Affirmative, negative and interrogative forms of 'be'.

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Chip is a male, short-haired, black and white cat. He's stubborn, but also tolerant. He likes sleeping and drinking milk.

Rosie is a friendly, female cat. She likes to visit other houses and hunt shrews. She fights with the cat next door. Rosie spends a lot of time outside in her own garden, and doesn't go much further.

Martina is a twelve-year-old white cat. She's very old, but very clever. She likes to eat carrot cake.

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BBC Learning English - Course: lower intermediate / Unit 3 / Session 1 / Activity 2

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Chip is a male, short-haired, black and white cat. He's stubborn, but also tolerant. He likes sleeping and drinking milk. Rosie is a friendly, female cat. She likes to visit other houses and hunt shrews. She fights with the cat next door. Rosie spends a lot of time outside in her own garden, and doesn't go much further.

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English Grammar lessons online. Learn how to use the English adverbs of frequency

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Present simple: I do, I don’t, Do I? - Test-English

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Learn how to use the present simple in English. This is an English grammar lesson for beginners or elementary students (level A1 CEFR). In this lesson, you will find three English grammar exercises with answers. There is also a grammar explanation with grammar rules and grammar charts.

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PRESENT SIMPLE: Got it? Quiz on mixed forms! Transform  sentences!

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PRESENT SIMPLE: Got it? Quiz on mixed forms! Transform  sentences!

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https://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/tests/simple-present-1

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6. PRESENT SIMPLE: Got it? Quiz on mixed forms!

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6. PRESENT SIMPLE: Got it? Quiz on mixed forms!

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http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/present-simple-exercise-7.html

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5. PRESENT SIMPLE: Got it? Quiz on negative sentences!

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5. PRESENT SIMPLE: Got it? Quiz on negative sentences!

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http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/present-simple-exercise-3.html

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PRESENT SIMPLE: Got it? Quiz on affirmative sentences!

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PRESENT SIMPLE: Got it? Quiz on affirmative sentences!

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http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/present-simple-exercise-1.html

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http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/simplepresentforms.html

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http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/simplepresent.html

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Present simple vs present continuous - Form

Present simple - short forms

We normally use short forms in spoken English.

Present continuous - short forms

We normally use short forms in spoken English.

Present simple vs present continuous - Use

Present simple use

Habits or situations that happen regularly

We use the present simple to talk about actions that we do (o we don't do) regularly:

Permanent situations or things that are usually or often true

Adverbs of frequency

We often use the present simple with adverbs of frequency ( always, sometimes, etc.) and expressions of frequency ( once every three months, twice a week, every other day, etc.).

Adverbs of frequency go in mid position (before the main verb or after be).

Expressions of frequency go at the end of the sentence

Future events that are timetabled

We use the present simple to talk about future events that are scheduled or timetabled.

Present continuous use

Actions in progress

We use the present continuous to talk about things that are happening now or 'around now' (a time around this moment, such as these days, weeks or months)

I finished the Lord of the Rings and now I'm reading a new book.

Temporary actions

The present continuous is used to talk about temporary actions:

With expressions meaning 'now' or 'around now'.

The present continuous often appears next to expressions such as now, these days, this week/month, or at the moment.

Situations that are changing or developing

Future arrangements

We use the present continuous to talk or ask about future actions that are already planned or decided.

Stative verbs

Non-action verbs (or stative verbs) cannot be used in present continuous. They must be used in present simple. The most frequent are the verbs of the senses (hear, see, smell, look, seem, sound), verbs of opinion (believe, consider, like, love, hate, prefer, think, etc.) verbs of possession (have, own, belong, etc.). Other common non-action verbs are: agree, be, depend, need, mean, remember, realise, recognise, seem, want, etc.

Some verbs have an action and a non-action meaning; for example, have or think:

The verb see also has a dynamic and a stative meaning.

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Present simple or present continuous - Test-English

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Present simple or present continuous English grammar exercises. Intermediate grammar exercises. Present simple and progressive. Dynamic and static verbs.

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Comparatives and Superlatives - World Knowledge Quiz

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Comparative and Superlative Adjectives | ENGLISH GRAMMAR VIDEOS