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Grammar

Every rule from A1 to C2, in the order to read them.

How the rules work

A rule explains one point of grammar. Topics without a rule yet are marked Coming soon.

  • Examples

    Sentences with the form in bold.

  • Common mistakes

    A wrong sentence, the right one and why.

  • All the tenses on one page

    Twelve tenses side by side, with when to use each one.

Common mistakes

  • Read in order

    Each list is in reading order. A rule page shows the rules before and after it and, where it helps, what to read first.

  • Practise

    Under Practise this rule, open the quiz or set the rule links to.

The rules are open to everyone, with or without an account.

All the tenses on one pageTwelve forms side by side, with when to use each one.

171 topics in the syllabus, 145 with a rule you can read now.

Tenses

Present, past and future forms, and how to choose between them.

32 topics, 29 with a rule

  1. Verb to be: am / is / areA1Beginner
  2. have / have got (possession)A1Beginner
  3. Present Simple: affirmativeA1Beginner
  4. Present Simple: negatives & questionsA1Beginner
  5. Present ContinuousA1Beginner
  6. Present Simple vs Present Continuous (basic)A1Beginner
  7. Past of be: was / wereA1Beginner
  8. Past Simple: regular verbsA2Elementary
  9. Past Simple: irregular verbsA2Elementary
  10. Past Simple: negatives & questionsA2Elementary
  11. Past ContinuousA2Elementary
  12. Past Simple vs Past ContinuousA2Elementary
  13. Present Perfect: experienceA2Elementary
  14. Present Perfect: just / already / yetA2Elementary
  15. be going toA2Elementary
  16. will (future)A2Elementary
  17. Present Continuous for arrangementsA2Elementary
  18. Stative verbsA2Elementary
  19. Present Perfect vs Past SimpleB1Intermediate
  20. for / since / How long…?B1Intermediate
  21. Present Perfect ContinuousB1Intermediate
  22. Present Perfect Simple vs ContinuousB1Intermediate
  23. Past PerfectB1Intermediate
  24. Narrative tensesB1Intermediate
  25. used to / would (past habits)B1Intermediate
  26. Future forms reviewB1Intermediate
  27. Future Continuous and Future PerfectB2Upper-intermediate
  28. Future in the pastB2Upper-intermediate
  29. Past Perfect ContinuousB2Upper-intermediate

Questions and word order

Building sentences, questions and negatives in the right order.

11 topics, 11 with a rule

  1. there is / there areA1Beginner
  2. Dummy subject itA1Beginner
  3. Basic word order (SVO)A1Beginner
  4. ImperativesA1Beginner
  5. Question wordsA1Beginner
  6. Subject and object questionsA2Elementary
  7. Question tagsB1Intermediate
  8. So do I / Neither do I; I think soB1Intermediate
  9. Indirect questionsB1Intermediate
  10. Questions ending with prepositionsB1Intermediate
  11. Negative questions and answersB1Intermediate

Nouns and articles

Plurals, possessives, and a, an, the or no article.

8 topics, 8 with a rule

  1. Plural nounsA1Beginner
  2. Articles a / anA1Beginner
  3. Possessive 'sA1Beginner
  4. Articles: a / the / zero articleA2Elementary
  5. Articles with names and placesB1Intermediate
  6. Uncountable nouns: advancedB1Intermediate
  7. Articles: generic reference and abstract nounsB2Upper-intermediate
  8. Complex noun phrases and compound adjectivesB2Upper-intermediate

Pronouns and determiners

Words that stand for nouns or go in front of them: my, this, some, both.

13 topics, 13 with a rule

  1. Subject pronounsA1Beginner
  2. Possessive adjectivesA1Beginner
  3. this / that / these / thoseA1Beginner
  4. Object pronounsA1Beginner
  5. Countable / uncountable; some / anyA1Beginner
  6. much / many / a lot of / a few / a littleA2Elementary
  7. some / any / no + compoundsA2Elementary
  8. one / onesA2Elementary
  9. Possessive pronouns; whoseA2Elementary
  10. Reflexive pronouns; each otherB1Intermediate
  11. both / either / neither; all / noneB1Intermediate
  12. another / other / others / the otherB1Intermediate
  13. Advanced quantifiersB2Upper-intermediate

Adjectives and adverbs

Describing and comparing things and actions.

13 topics, 13 with a rule

  1. Adjectives: position and formA1Beginner
  2. Adverbs of frequencyA1Beginner
  3. Comparative adjectivesA2Elementary
  4. Superlative adjectivesA2Elementary
  5. as … as / not as … asA2Elementary
  6. Adverbs of manner; good vs wellA2Elementary
  7. too / enoughA2Elementary
  8. -ed / -ing adjectivesB1Intermediate
  9. Linking verbs + adjectiveB1Intermediate
  10. Order of adjectivesB1Intermediate
  11. Adverbs of degree; so / suchB1Intermediate
  12. Position of adverbsB1Intermediate
  13. Advanced comparisonB2Upper-intermediate

Prepositions

Time, place, movement, and the prepositions that go with certain words.

7 topics, 7 with a rule

  1. Prepositions of placeA1Beginner
  2. Prepositions of time: at / on / inA1Beginner
  3. Prepositions of movementA2Elementary
  4. by / with; by car, on footA2Elementary
  5. Common dependent prepositionsB1Intermediate
  6. for / during / while; by / until; in time / on timeB1Intermediate
  7. Dependent prepositions: advancedB2Upper-intermediate

Modal verbs

Can, must, should, might and the rest: ability, duty, advice and how sure you are.

13 topics, 11 with a rule

  1. can / can'tA1Beginner
  2. must / have to; mustn't vs don't have toA2Elementary
  3. should / shouldn'tA2Elementary
  4. Requests and offers: could / would / would likeA2Elementary
  5. Permission and offers: can / could / may; Shall I…?A2Elementary
  6. may / might / could (possibility)B1Intermediate
  7. Modals of deduction: presentB1Intermediate
  8. can / could / be able toB1Intermediate
  9. ought to / be supposed toB1Intermediate
  10. Modals of deduction: pastB2Upper-intermediate
  11. should have / needn't have / didn't need toB2Upper-intermediate

Verb patterns

What follows a verb: -ing, to + verb, an object, or a particle.

11 topics, 11 with a rule

  1. like / love / hate + -ingA1Beginner
  2. Verb + to-infinitive or -ing (basic)A2Elementary
  3. Infinitive of purposeA2Elementary
  4. Verb patterns: -ing vs to-infinitiveB1Intermediate
  5. Gerund as subject and after prepositionsB1Intermediate
  6. make / let / allow / be allowed toB1Intermediate
  7. Phrasal verbs: basicsB1Intermediate
  8. used to vs be / get used toB2Upper-intermediate
  9. Verbs with -ing / to and change of meaningB2Upper-intermediate
  10. Preparatory it; adjective / noun + to-infinitiveB2Upper-intermediate
  11. Phrasal verbs: three-partB2Upper-intermediate

Conditionals and unreal situations

If sentences, wishes and things that are not real.

11 topics, 8 with a rule

  1. Zero and first conditionalA2Elementary
  2. unlessB1Intermediate
  3. Second conditionalB1Intermediate
  4. Third conditionalB2Upper-intermediate
  5. as long as / provided / in caseB2Upper-intermediate
  6. wish / if onlyB2Upper-intermediate
  7. would rather / had better / it's timeB2Upper-intermediate
  8. Mixed conditionalsC1Advanced

Passive and causative

Saying what happens to something, and having things done.

5 topics, 4 with a rule

  1. Passive: Present and Past SimpleB1Intermediate
  2. Passive: all tenses and modalsB2Upper-intermediate
  3. Impersonal passiveB2Upper-intermediate
  4. have / get something doneB2Upper-intermediate

Reported speech

Telling someone what another person said or asked.

4 topics, 4 with a rule

  1. Reported speech: statementsB1Intermediate
  2. Reported questionsB1Intermediate
  3. Reported commands and requestsB2Upper-intermediate
  4. Reporting verbsB2Upper-intermediate

Clauses and linking words

Joining ideas: relative clauses, linkers of contrast, reason, purpose and time.

15 topics, 10 with a rule

  1. and / but / or / because / soA1Beginner
  2. Sequencers and time linkersA2Elementary
  3. Future time clausesB1Intermediate
  4. Defining relative clausesB1Intermediate
  5. Linkers: although / howeverB1Intermediate
  6. Non-defining relative clausesB2Upper-intermediate
  7. Relative clauses with prepositionsB2Upper-intermediate
  8. what vs that / whichB2Upper-intermediate
  9. despite / in spite of / whereas / whileB2Upper-intermediate
  10. Purpose and resultB2Upper-intermediate

Emphasis and style

Inversion, cleft sentences and the grammar of formal writing.

13 topics, 1 with a rule

  1. Emphatic do and auxiliariesB2Upper-intermediate

Word formation

Making new words with prefixes and suffixes.

2 topics, 2 with a rule

  1. Word formation: prefixes and suffixesB1Intermediate
  2. Word formation: changing word classB2Upper-intermediate

Reference

Tables and lists to look things up in: irregular verbs, spelling, prepositions.

13 topics, 13 with a rule

  1. Spelling rulesA1Beginner
  2. ContractionsA1Beginner
  3. Irregular plurals and uncountable nounsA1Beginner
  4. Numbers, dates and timesA1Beginner
  5. Irregular verbsA2Elementary
  6. Pronunciation of -s and -ed endingsA2Elementary
  7. Prepositions of time and placeA2Elementary
  8. List of stative verbsB1Intermediate
  9. Verbs followed by -ing or toB1Intermediate
  10. Dependent prepositionsB1Intermediate
  11. Separable and inseparable phrasal verbsB1Intermediate
  12. Linking words by functionB2Upper-intermediate
  13. Punctuation and capital lettersB2Upper-intermediate