# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Phrasal Verbs – MAKE, Definitions and Example Sentences - English Grammar Here

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Phrasal Verbs – MAKE, Definitions and Example Sentences Table of Contents Make afterMake upMake outMake up forMake intoMake towardsMake wayMake ofMake overMake for Make after to chase or follow The policeman made after the thief. Make up to make peace Please come back. I want to make up. Make ou…

# data[].attributes.body
(EN) Might not be popular with this, but I feel it's important to say.

The escalation of the conflict in Ukraine has been going on for months. My friends and acquaintances, anyone who's got anything to do with it get tons of questions. I do too.

This makes sense, people reach out with genuine concern, they worry and want to know more, and this is understandable. But since most people have no first-hand experience whatsoever about what it is like to live with this acute uncertainty, what is is like when that's over and the war that's been going on for 8 (!!) years escalates, questions are often really insensitive or inconsiderate.

I do not want to speak in anybody else's name, but having spent much of the past 3 months in Kyiv, I have some hints about how not to ask Ukrainian friends about what's going on.

1. War started 8 years ago, this is not a sudden event. Your surprise tells them you have not been paying much attention, or that news only really get to you once the situation escalates. It has been important throughout these 8 years. Latest since last November we knew that it was fragile and could blow up at any moment.

2. Questions like 'What's gonna happen? What can we expect?' are better avoided. Uncertaintly is a big enough burden and you don't want to push anyone to face it or engage in this grim calculus other than they would do on their own initiative.

3. Inform yourself before you reach out, asking locals should not be a shortcut, you should not put anyone in the situation that they need to explain stuff to you, or help you feel well-informed. They are likely exhausted, have friends and family in danger, and even if they don't, it's really not easy now for anyone.

4. 'Will your family evacuate?' Before you ask this spend a moment remebering the walls and fences on our borders that we failed to protest. Do you know for sure that they have a chance to leave? That they would be let in to neighbourging countries that have jeopardised and eroded the rights of refugees and migrants for many years? Do you know how long a Ukrainian citizen can stay in an EU country without a visa? If someone needs support in evacuating, they will say so. It's probably good to ofer support if you can, and tell them you are ready to do so, but it's probably enough to stop at that.

5. Normal life needs to carry on. It's good to just talk, and talk about something else than the war.

Solidarity.

# data[].attributes.body
I used to go to America once a year.
I used to hate spinach.
I didn't use to jog in the morning.
I didn't use to speak English.
did you use to be afraid of something?

# data[].attributes.body
I used to go swimming.
I used to go running.
I didn’t use to walk so much.
I didn’t use to speak French.
Did you use to be hate something?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Look at these examples to see how used to, get used to and be used to are used.

I used to want to be a lawyer but then I realised how hard they work!
How's Boston? Are you used to the cold weather yet?
No matter how many times I fly, I'll never get used to take-off and landing!

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Grammar test 1

'used to' + infinitive and 'be' or 'get used to' + '-ing': Grammar test 1

Read the explanation to learn more.

Grammar explanation

Used to + infinitive and be/ get used to + - ing look similar but they have very different uses.

We use used to + infinitive to talk about a past situation that is no longer true. It tells us that there was a repeated action or state in the past which has now changed.

She used to be a long-distance runner when she was younger.
I didn't use to sleep very well, but then I started doing yoga and it really helps.
Did you use to come here as a child?

be used to and get used to

Be used to means 'be familiar with' or 'be accustomed to'.

She's used to the city now and doesn't get lost any more.
He wasn't used to walking so much and his legs hurt after the hike.
I'm a teacher so I'm used to speaking in public.

We use get used to to talk about the process of becoming familiar with something.

I'm finding this new job hard but I'm sure I'll get used to it soon.
It took my mother years to get used to living in London after moving from Pakistan.
I'm getting used to the noise now. I found it really stressful when I first moved in.

Be used to and get used to are followed by a noun, pronoun or the - ing form of a verb, and can be used about the past, present or future.

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.

Grammar test 2

'used to' + infinitive and 'be' or 'get used to' + '-ing': Grammar test 2

Language level

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
'used to' + infinitive and 'be' or 'get used to' + '-ing'

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Look at these examples to see how used to, get used to and be used to are used. I used to want to be a lawyer but then I realised how hard they work! How's Boston? Are you used to the cold weather yet?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
and are modal auxiliary verbs. is NOT an auxiliary verb (it uses the verb as a main verb). We include here for convenience.

In this lesson we look at , and be able to, followed by a quiz to check your understanding.

Can is an auxiliary verb, a modal auxiliary verb. We use can to:

talk about possibility and ability

make requests

ask for or give permission

Structure of can

The basic structure for can is:

The main verb is always the bare infinitive (infinitive without to).

Notice that:

The main verb is always the bare infinitive (infinitive without to). We cannot say: I can to play tennis.

can for possibility and ability

We use can to talk about what is possible, what we are able or free to do:

Normally, we use for the present. But it is possible to use when we make present decisions about future ability.

1. Can you help me with my homework? (present)

2. Sorry. I'm busy today. But I can help you tomorrow. (future)

can for requests and orders

We often use in a question to ask somebody to do something. This is not a real question - we do not really want to know if the person is able to do something, we want them to do it! The use of in this way is informal (mainly between friends and family):

can for permission

We sometimes use can to ask or give permission for something:

1. Can I smoke in this room?

2. You can't smoke here, but you can smoke in the garden.

(Note that we also use could, may, might for permission. The use of for permission is informal.)

is an auxiliary verb, a modal auxiliary verb. We use to:

talk about past possibility or ability

make requests

Structure of could

The main verb is always the bare infinitive (infinitive without to).

Notice that:

The main verb is always the bare infinitive (infinitive without to). We cannot say: I could to play tennis.

Use of could

could for past possibility or ability

We use could to talk about what was possible in the past, what we were able or free to do:

I could swim when I was 5 years old.

My grandmother could speak seven languages.

When we arrived home, we could not open the door. (...couldn't open the door.)

Could you understand what he was saying?

We use I (positive) and (negative) for general ability in the past. But when we talk about one special occasion in the past, we use (positive) and (negative). Look at these examples:

+

My grandmother could speak Spanish.

A man fell into the river yesterday. The police were able to save him.

-

My grandmother couldn't speak Spanish.

A man fell into the river yesterday. The police couldn't save him.

could for requests

We often use in a question to ask somebody to do something. The use of in this way is fairly polite (formal):

Could you tell me where the bank is, please?

Could you send me a catalogue, please?

Although we look at be able to here, it is not a modal verb. It is simply the verb be plus an adjective (able) followed by the infinitive. We look at be able to here because we sometimes use it instead of can and could.

We use be able to:

Structure of be able to

The basic structure for be able to is:

Notice that be able to is possible in all tenses, for example:

Notice too that be able to has an infinitive form:

I would like to be able to speak Chinese.

Use of be able to

is NOT a modal auxiliary verb. We include it here for convenience, because it is often used like "can" and "could", which are modal auxiliary verbs.

be able to for ability

We use to express ability. "Able" is an adjective meaning: having the power, skill or means to do something. If we say "I am able to swim", it is like saying "I can swim". We sometimes use instead of "can" or "could" for ability. is possible in all tenses - but "can" is possible only in the present and "could" is possible only in the past for ability. In addition, "can" and "could" have no infinitive form. So we use when we want to use other tenses or the infinitive. Look at these examples:

I have been able to swim since I was five. (present perfect)

You will be able to speak perfect English very soon. (future simple)

I would like to be able to fly an airplane. (infinitive)

can, could, be able to Quiz

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
CAN, COULD, BE ABLE TO | Grammar | EnglishClub

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
CAN/COULD are modal auxiliary verbs. We use CAN to: a) talk about possibility and ability b) make requests c) ask for or give permission. We use COULD to: a) talk about past possibility or ability b) make requests. We include BE ABLE TO here for convenience, but it is not an auxiliary verb.

# data[].attributes.body
Be able to has a similar meaning to can (or could in the past): I'm not able to move my leg = I can't move my leg. However, can is mainly used to express capabilities or aptitudes acquired with time, while be able to refers to temporary or precise abilities or inabilities: He can't swim, he has never learned how.