Linking Words

Defenition :
Although some of these words have already been mentioned as sentence connectors, they can also be used to develop coherence within a paragraph, that is linking one idea / argument to another. Print off this page to keep as a reference of useful linking words and phrases.

How to write a good English exam answer

Steps of writting a good English exam answer  :

Reported Speech

DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH 

There are two ways of relating what a person has said: direct and indirect.

In direct speech we repeat the original speaker’s exact words:

example: He said, “I want to go home”.

The 12 Twelve Most Common Grammar Errors

Many people do misspell common words, confuse similarly spelled words, or sometimes simply use the wrong form of words like “there” and “their”. In a family, friendly or informal setting, it doesn’t matter as much when such words are misused or confused since we know what they intend to say. In a formal or business setting however, such mistakes can be quite expensive. Grammar errors that make you look unprofessional can cost you customers or even indirectly drive you out of business.

Here are the commonest mistakes (if you can afford to avoid these common mistakes in your business and website materials then you will be outstanding as a potential new customer):

Conditional II Progressive (Conditional II Continuous)

Definition :
Conditional II Progressive puts emphasis on the duration of an action that could have taken place in the past.

Form :

A: He would have been talking.
N: He would not have been talking.
Q: Would he have been talking?

Conditional II Simple

Definition :
The conditional II simple expresses an action that could have taken place in the past.

Form:

     A: He would have talked. 

N: He would not have talked.

   Q: Would he have talked?

Conditional I Progressive (Conditional I Continuous)

Definition  :
The conditional I progressive puts emphasis on the course of an action that might take place.

Form :

A: He would be talking.
N: He would not be talking.
Q: Would he be talking?

Use :

action that might take place
puts emphasis on the course of an action

Conditional I Simple

Definition :
The conditional I simple expresses an action that might take place.

Form:

A: He would talk.
N: He would not talk.
Q: Would he talk?

Future II Simple

Definition:

Future II Simple expresses an action that will be finished at a certain time in the future.

Form:

A: He will have talked.
N: He will not have talked.
Q: Will he have talked?

Future I Progressive (Future I Continuous)

Definition:

Future I progressive puts emphasis on the course of an action taking place in the future.

Form:

A: He will be talking.
N: He will not be talking.
Q: Will he be talking?

Past Perfect Progressive (Past Perfect Continuous)

Definition:

The past perfect progressive puts emphasis on the course or duration of an action taking place before a certain time in the past.

Form :

A: He had been talking.
N: He had not been talking.
Q: Had he been talking?

Past Perfect Simple

Definition :

The past perfect simple expresses an action taking place before a certain time in the past.

Form of Past Perfect Simple:

	Positive	Negative	Question
no differences	I had spoken.	I had not spoken.	Had I spoken?

Present Perfect Progressive

Definition   :

The present perfect progressive expresses an action that recently stopped or is still going on. It puts emphasis on the duration or course of the action.

Present Perfect Simple

Definition :

The present perfect simple expresses an action that is still going on or that stopped recently, but has an influence on the present. It puts emphasis on the result.

Past Progressive (Past Continuous)

Definition : 

The past progressive puts emphasis on the course of an action in the past.

Form : 

Simple Past (Past Simple)

Definition :  

The simple past expresses an action in the past taking place once, never, several times. It can also be used for actions taking place one after another or in the middle of another action.

Form of Simple Past : 

Future II Progressive (Future II Continuous)

Future II progressive puts emphasis on the course / duration of an action taking place before a certain time in the future. It can also be used to express an assumption regarding a future action.

Future II progressive is not used very often as it can usually be replaced by future II simple.

Future Mix

Future Mix :

Comparison of future tenses: going to, will, Simple Present, Present Progressive

1.  → Explanation  on future I simple (going to)
2. → Explanation  on future I simple (will)
3. → Explanation  on simple present
4. → Explanation  on present progressive

Conditional Sentences / If-Clauses Type I, II und III

Conditional Sentences / If-Clauses Type I, II und III :

Conditional Sentences are also known as Conditional Clauses or If Clauses. They are used to express that the action in the main clause (without if) can only take place if a certain condition (in the clause with if) is fulfilled. There are three types of Conditional Sentences.

Infinitive and Gerund

Infinitive and Gerund :

Infinitive - definition :