Learning English Grammar Online

There are three ways you can use the grammar information in these pages.

1. If you are thinking "What's the present perfect?", look at the examples of the different
grammatical structures below. Then click on an example to learn more about the grammar
and to practise it.

2. Click here to see the main grammar page with a list of grammar structures. Click on one to
learn about it - you can practise it afterwards.

3. If you just want practice, click here to practise the grammar immediately - you can choose
from a list of different grammatical structures.

Name Example

Present Simple I live in England.

Present Continuous I am living with Sue at the moment.

Past Simple I lived in Paris when I was a child.

Past Continuous I was living in Paris when I met Sam.

Present Perfect Simple I have never lived in China.

Present Perfect Continuous I have been living here since 2005.

Past Perfect Simple I had lived in Paris for years when I left.

Past Perfect Continuous I had been living in Paris for years when I left.

Future verbs I am likely to pass all my exams.

Future plans I am going to visit my sister next week.

Future predictions I will never get married.

Future "continuous" I'll be waiting for you at 6 o'clock.

Future "perfect" I'll have done my homework by 6 o'clock.

First Conditional If I pass my exams, I'll go to university.

Second Conditional If I was a cat, I'd sleep all the time.

 Third Conditional If I had eaten less, I wouldn't have been sick.

The website which you are using now is the best in the

Defining Relative Clauses
world.

Reported Speech She told me that she was tired.

Reported Questions She asked me if I would help her.

Subject/Object Questions Who hit you? / Who did you hit?

Indirect Questions Could you tell me what time it is?

Question Tags You are a student, aren't you?

Articles (a/an and the) I've got a new car.

ED and ING adjectives I was annoyed by his irritating behaviour.

Strong/Weak or
James was very hot and I was absolutely boiling
Gradable/Ungradable adjectives

Comparative adjectives England is colder than Spain.

Superlative adjectives English food is the best in the world.

Gerund I love swimming.

Infinitive (with to) I want to go on holiday soon.

Phrasal Verbs - Routines

Look at these phrasal verbs and definitions. When you think you can remember them, click 'hide
words and test me' to practise using them.

wake up to stop sleeping

get up to leave your bed

put something on to get dressed

take something off to remove clothes

go out to leave the house (not for work)

set off to leave (possibly for work)

get in to return home

wash up to wash the plates and cups

tidy up to put things into the right places

drop off to fall asleep (usually for a short time)

turn something on e.g. a light, a shower (to start)

turn something off e.g. a light, a shower (to stop)

Phrasal Verbs for Speaking

Look at these examples for 1-2 minutes and try to remember as many as possible. Then
click to hide the information and try to answer the questions.

Phrasal Verb Meaning

 He pointed out that she was late.
He talked her into getting a job.
He talked her out of buying that
coat.
He brought up my divorce.
He owned up to the crime.
He chatted me up in the bar.
He went on about it for ages.
He told her off for fighting.
He went into all the details.
He needs to speak up.
tell/inform sb about sth
persuade sb to do sth
persuade sb not to do sth
mention sth
admit
flirt with sb
talk for a long time
speak angrily, because sb did sth
wrong
talk in detail about sth
talk more loudly

Note: sb = somebody and sth = something

Phrasal Verbs for Illnesses

We can use a lot of phrasal verbs to talk about illnesses. Look at these examples for 1-2
minutes and try to remember as many as possible. Then click to hide the information and
try to answer the questions.

Note: sb means somebody and sth means something.

Phrasal Verb Meaning

 You'll throw up if you keep eating. be sick, vomit
I think I'm coming down with a cold. become sick (not serious)
It took me weeks to get over my cold. recover from sth
I'll pass out if you don't open a window. faint, lose consciousness
When she came to, she was in hospital. recover consciousness
When she came round, she was in hospital. recover consciousness
Eat oranges to help fight off a cold. stop yourself getting ill
I've broken out in a rash. sth appears suddenly
He was run over by a lorry. hit by a vehicle
He passed away peacefully in the night. die

There are also some adjectives which look like phrasal verbs to talk about illness.
I feel really worn out. = tired
I feel really run down. = tired and ill
Some phrasal verbs can become nouns. For example to break out can also mean to start
suddenly. The noun is an outbreak.
Bird 'flu has broken out in China. (verb)
There has been an outbreak of bird 'flu in China. (noun)

Phrasal Verbs - Relationships

Look at these phrasal verbs and definitions. When you think you can remember
them, click 'hide words and test me' to practise using them.

ask someone out to say "would you like to go to the cinema/a restaurant...?"
go out (with someone) - 1
go out (with someone) - 2
get on (with someone)
fall out (with someone)
break up (with someone)
make up (with someone)
chat someone up
to go on a date (to the cinema/a restaurant...) with someone
to be someone's boyfriend/girlfriend
to like someone and talk easily
to argue and stop being friends
to stop being boyfriend/girlfriend
to be friends again after falling out
to flirt with someone (talk to someone like you are attracted to

Phrasal Verbs for Sleep

Look at these examples for 1-2 minutes and try to remember as many as possible. Then
click to hide the information and try to answer the questions.

Phrasal Verb Meaning

My alarm clock goes off at 7am. ring
I usually wake up at 7am. stop sleeping
I get up at 7.30. leave my bed
Sometimes I drop off at work. go to sleep
Exercise can wear you out. make you tired
You should lie down and rest. rest on your back
You'll sleep in if you forget to set your alarm. sleep longer than wanted
I like to lie in at the weekend. stay in bed after waking up
Can I sleep over at your house? sleep at a friend's house

Some phrasal verbs can also be adjectives:

I feel really worn out. = tired
Other phrasal verbs can become nouns. For example, lie in means to stay in bed in the
morning. The noun is a lie-in. And sleep over means to sleep at a friend's house - the noun
(usually a kind of party) is a sleepover. Note: to oversleep means to sleep for longer than
you planned.
I have a lie-in every Saturday.
I had a sleepover for my 12th birthday party.
I overslept this morning.