• Used to: For things that were true in the past but aren't anymore (e.g., "I used to live in Paris").

• Would: Specifically for repeated actions or "stories" from the past (e.g., "Every Sunday, we would visit Grandma").

• Past Simple: For completed actions at a specific time.

Present Habits

• Present Simple: For regular, everyday routines.

• Present Continuous: Often used with "always" to describe a frequent (sometimes annoying) habit (e.g., "You're always leaving the light on!").

Adapting to Change

• Be used to: You are already comfortable with something (a state).

• Get used to / Getting used to: You are in the process of becoming comfortable with something new (a process).

Breadwinner

The person who earns the money to support a family.

In many traditional homes, the father was the sole breadwinner.

Elaborate

Detailed, complicated, or carefully planned.

They threw an elaborate party for their 50th anniversary.

Settling down

Starting a stable life (often by getting married or buying a house).

After years of traveling, he is finally settling down in London.

Cutlery

Knives, forks, and spoons used for eating.

She set the table with the finest silver cutlery.

Arrogant

Thinking you are better or more important than others.

His arrogant attitude made it hard for him to make friends.

Extraordinary

Very unusual, remarkable, or special.

The young pianist gave an extraordinary performance.

Meaning: Extremely large in size, amount, or degree.

Usage: Used to emphasize scale. It’s a step up from "huge."

Example: "The cost of repairing the bridge was enormous, far exceeding the city's budget."

2. Prune

Meaning: (Verb) To trim parts of a plant to encourage growth; (Metaphorically) To reduce something by removing unnecessary parts.

Usage: Common in gardening or business/writing contexts.

Example: "We need to prune the unnecessary paragraphs from this report to make it more concise."

3. Postpone

Meaning: To cause or arrange for something to take place at a time later than that first scheduled.

Usage: A formal way to say "put off."

Example: "The outdoor wedding was postponed until Sunday due to the heavy rain."

4. Shrug

Meaning: To raise one's shoulders slightly and momentarily to express doubt, ignorance, or indifference.

Usage: Describes a physical gesture or a mental attitude of "not caring."

Example: "When I asked him where the keys were, he just gave a shrug and went back to his book."

5. Sentimental

Meaning: Prompted by feelings of tenderness, sadness, or nostalgia.

Usage: Often used when an object holds value because of memories rather than its actual price.

Example: "That old watch isn't worth much money, but it has great sentimental value because it belonged to my grandfather."

6. Halcyon

Meaning: Denoting a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful.

Usage: Literary and nostalgic. Usually paired with "days."

Example: "The retired couple often reminisced about the halcyon days of their youth spent by the coast."

7. Talented

Meaning: Having a natural aptitude or skill for something.

Usage: High praise for someone's innate abilities.

Example: "She is an incredibly talented pianist who won her first international competition at age twelve."

8. Pretentious

Meaning: Attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, or culture than is actually possessed.

Usage: A critique of someone acting "snobby" or "fake."

Example: "The art gallery felt a bit pretentious, with descriptions that used overly complicated words just to sound smart."

9. Mutter

Meaning: To say something in a low or barely audible voice, especially in dissatisfaction or irritation.

Usage: Used when someone is complaining to themselves.

Example: "He walked away, muttering under his breath about the long wait times."

10. Ambitious

Meaning: Having or showing a strong desire and determination to succeed.

Usage: Can describe a person’s drive or the scale of a difficult project.

Example: "The company has an ambitious plan to open fifty new stores by the end of the year."

Grammar

Relative clauses are the "extra information" pieces of a sentence. They function like adjectives, describing a noun that came before them. They almost always start with a relative pronoun like who, which, that, whom, or whose.

1. Defining Relative Clauses

These are essential to the sentence. Without this clause, we wouldn’t know which specific person or thing you are talking about.

Key Rule: No commas are used.

Usage: You can use "that" instead of "who" or "which" in these clauses.

Example: "The neighbor who lives next door is a famous chef."

Why it's defining: If you just say "The neighbor is a famous chef," we don't know whichneighbor you mean. The clause defines the person.

2. Non-Defining Relative Clauses

These provide extra information. Even if you remove the clause, the sentence still makes perfect sense and we still know exactly who or what is being discussed.

Key Rule: You must use commas to separate the clause from the rest of the sentence.

Usage: You cannot use the word "that" here; you must use who or which.

Example: "My brother, who lives in New York, is a famous chef."

Why it's non-defining: You already know who "my brother" is. Telling us where he lives is just an interesting side note.

Comparison Table

Feature

Defining Clause

Non-Defining Clause

Purpose

To identify the noun.

To give bonus info.

Commas?

No.

Yes (around the clause).

Can use "that"?

Yes.

No.

Example

The car that I bought is blue.

My Tesla, which I bought last year, is blue.

Relative Pronoun Cheat Sheet

Who: Used for people (subject).

Whom: Used for people (object).

Whose: Shows possession.

Which: Used for things and animals.

That: Used for people and things (only in defining clauses).

-Full-fledged: completely developed or established.

>> He’s a full-fledged lawyer.

-Adolescent: in the process of developing from a child into an adult.

>> He’s an adolescent

-Mortage: a loan in which the lender gives the borrower a sum of money to purchase property or real estate.

>> He took out a mortgage from the bank.

-Quaint: unusual or old-fashioned.

>> a quaint cottage in the forest

-Immaculate : perfectly clean, neat, or tidy

>> this place is immaculate.

-Adventurous : willing to take risks or to try out new methods, ideas, or experiences.

>> they wanted to lead an adventurous life.

-Conceited : excessively proud of oneself; vain.

>> she is so conceited.

-Solely : not involving anyone or anything else; only.

>> He is solely responsible for any debts

-Humble : having or showing a modest estimate of one's value or importance. Not showing off.

>> I felt very humble when meeting her.

MODAL VERBS

Modal verbs are helping verbs used to express things like ability, permission, possibility, or necessity. They do not change their spelling (no "-ed" or "-ing"), and they are followed by the base form of the main verb.

• Can / Could: Used for ability or requests. (e.g., I can swim.)

• May / Might: Used for possibility or formal permission. (e.g., It might rain.)

• Must / Have to: Used for strong obligation. (e.g., You must stop.)

• Should: Used for advice. (e.g., You should eat more vegetables.)

• Will / Shall: Used for future intentions or promises. (e.g., I will help you.)

RELATIVE PRONOUNS AND CLAUSES

Relative pronouns (who, which, that, whom, whose) connect a description to a noun. They help you combine two sentences into one.

• Who: Used for people. (e.g., The man who lives next door is nice.)

• Which: Used for things and animals. (e.g., The cake, which I baked, is delicious.)

• That: Used for people or things. (e.g., The phone that I bought is broken.)

• Whose: Used for possession. (e.g., The girl whose dog ran away is sad.)

• Whom: Used for people as the object of a verb. (e.g., The person whom you called is busy.)

SUMMARY EXAMPLE

"The employee (who) joined yesterday (must) sign the contract."

• "Who joined yesterday" is the relative clause.

• "Must" is the modal verb expressing obligation.

Hot Verb: "Get"

One of English's most versatile verbs, often replacing more formal words:

Receive: Get an email.

Become: Get tired / Get cold.

Arrive: Get to work.

Understand: I don't get it.

Buy/Fetch: Get some groceries.

Common Phrasal Verbs:

Get along: Have a good relationship.

Get over: Recover from something.

Get by: Manage/survive financially.

Get out of: Avoid a task.