Archive for the ‘English Learning’ Category

Formation of a complex sentence

August 12th, 2010 in English Grammar, English Learning

A complex sentence has at least one main clause and one or more subordinate clauses. The subordinate clause may be a noun clause, an adjective clause or an adverb clause.

Some equivalents of modal auxiliary verbs

August 11th, 2010 in English Grammar, English Learning

Be able to

Be able to has similar meaning to can and could.

Causative use of have

August 9th, 2010 in English Grammar, English Learning

Getting something done by somebody else is expressed by the structure have + object + past participle.

Verb patterns using the infinitive

August 7th, 2010 in English Grammar, English Learning

The infinitive is often used after be (is,am, are, was and were) to talk about an agreement or an arrangement. It may also be used to give an order or to express a complaint.

More on the use of present perfect tense

August 6th, 2010 in English Grammar, English Learning

The present perfect tense generally represents an action which has been completed within a period of time that extends up to and includes the present time.

Subject + transitive verb (present perfect) + object + adverbials or complements

Verb patterns with conjunctives

August 6th, 2010 in English Grammar, English Learning

Subject + verb + (conjunctive + infinitive)

A conjunctive is an interrogative word which also serves as a conjunction. Examples are: where, what, when and how.

Special uses of auxiliary verbs

August 5th, 2010 in English Grammar, English Learning

Must

The auxiliary verb must can be used to express probability or inference.

She must be about fifty years old.
You must have been mad to do such a thing.
She must have received your letter.