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English grammar

English grammar lessons, from A1 to C1

The English course's 53 grammar lessons, open to read without an account. Each one explains a point with examples, tables where they help and the common mistakes, followed by practice questions with answers.

Prefer to go by subject? See English grammar by topic.

Good places to start

A1 · I live, she lives: the present simple
Habits, routines and facts, with do / does in questions and negatives
A2 · What did you do? The past simple
Regular and irregular past forms, and questions and negatives with did
A2 · Plans, arrangements and decisions: going to, will and the present continuous
Use going to for plans, the present continuous for fixed arrangements, and will for decisions made now
B1 · I've lived or I lived? Present perfect and past simple
Finished time takes the past simple; unfinished time and results now take the present perfect
B1 · Telling a story: narrative tenses
Past simple for events, past continuous for the background, past perfect for what happened earlier
B1 · If I had more time…: imagined situations
The second conditional for unreal or unlikely situations now or in the future, and giving advice with If I were you
B2 · If I had known…: third and mixed conditionals
Talk about how the past could have been different, and how a different past would change the present
B2 · although, despite, however, whereas: linking an argument
Show contrast precisely, with the right grammar after each linking word
B2 · Hi Sam / Dear Mr Silva: formal and informal English
Choose the right register for emails and messages: greetings, closings, vocabulary and tone
C1 · It would seem that…: hedging and stance
Make careful, defensible claims, and show how certain you are, in academic and professional English
C1 · Never have I seen…: inversion for emphasis
Put a negative or limiting expression first, then the auxiliary before the subject, for emphasis in formal speech and writing

Every lesson, level by level

A1 · 6 lessons

English at A1: what the level covers and what you'll be able to do

I live, she lives: the present simple (Verbs)
Where do you live? Asking questions (Questions)
I'm working now: the present continuous (Verbs)
There is a park near my house: there is / there are (Nouns)
Where were you yesterday? Was and were (Verbs)
At seven, on Monday, in June: in, on and at (Prepositions)

A2 · 5 lessons

English at A2: what the level covers and what you'll be able to do

What did you do? The past simple (Verbs)
What were you doing? The past continuous (Verbs)
Bigger, more expensive, the best: comparing things (Adjectives)
Plans, arrangements and decisions: going to, will and the present continuous (Verbs)
must, have to and should: rules, obligations and advice (Verbs)

B1 · 12 lessons

English at B1: what the level covers and what you'll be able to do

Have you ever…? Talking about experiences (Verbs)
I've lived or I lived? Present perfect and past simple (Verbs)
for, since and how long: the present perfect continuous (Verbs)
just, already, still and yet: news and progress (Verbs)
Telling a story: narrative tenses (Verbs)
used to and would: how things were (Verbs)
If it rains, we'll stay in: real possibilities (Verbs)
If I had more time…: imagined situations (Verbs)
The woman who lives next door: relative clauses (Pronouns)
It was built in 1890: the passive (Verbs)
She said she was tired: reported speech (Verbs)
In my opinion… / I see your point, but…: opinions and disagreeing politely (Idioms)

B2 · 12 lessons

English at B2: what the level covers and what you'll be able to do

If I had known…: third and mixed conditionals (Verbs)
I wish I had…: wishes and regrets (Verbs)
She must have left: modal perfects (Verbs)
My brother, who lives in Berlin…: adding information (Pronouns)
remember doing or remember to do?: verbs that change meaning (Verbs)
although, despite, however, whereas: linking an argument (Prepositions)
It is said that… / He is believed to…: reporting what people think (Verbs)
By then I'll have finished / This time tomorrow I'll be flying (Verbs)
I'm having my car repaired: having something done (Verbs)
Life, the rich and a better life: articles with general and abstract ideas (Nouns)
She suggested going / He denied taking it: reporting verbs (Verbs)
Hi Sam / Dear Mr Silva: formal and informal English (Idioms)

C1 · 12 lessons

English at C1: what the level covers and what you'll be able to do

Never have I seen…: inversion for emphasis (Idioms)
What I need is…: cleft sentences for focus (Idioms)
It would seem that…: hedging and stance (Idioms)
Should you need…, Had I known…: inverted conditionals (Verbs)
The rapid growth of…: nominalisation in academic and professional writing (Nouns)
We recommend that she rest: the subjunctive (Verbs)
The woman sitting by the window: reduced relative clauses (Pronouns)
Having finished the report, she left: participle clauses (Verbs)
The meeting over, we went home: absolute clauses (Verbs)
Much as I like the idea…: concession and contrast (Prepositions)
I hope so, so do I: ellipsis and substitution (Idioms)
Owing to the delay…: cause and result in formal writing (Prepositions)

C2 · 6 lessons

English at C2: what the level covers and what you'll be able to do

I'd rather you didn't: what is meant and what is said (Idioms)
Not bad at all: irony, understatement and litotes (Idioms)
He is thought to have left: distance and degrees of commitment (Verbs)
Thrifty or stingy? Fine distinctions of register and tone (Adjectives)
Tired as she was…: concession with fronting and fixed phrases (Prepositions)
So strong was the wind that…: fronting for focus and cohesion (Idioms)

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