WH- questions (Question Words)

There are two main types of questions: Yes/No questions and WH- question. WH-
questions are questions starting with WH-words including: what, when, where, who,
whom, which, whose, why and how.
Question words are used to ask about specific qualities, times, places, people and so on.
Below is a list of question words and example sentences:

Question
Usages Examples
words

- What are you doing?

What Used to ask about things
- What do you think about the movie?

- When will the meeting start?

When Used to ask about time
- When are you leaving?

- Where’s my bag?
Where Used to ask about places
- Where do you live?

- Who do you love the most in your family?

Who Used to ask about people
- Who told you that story?

- Whom did you see in the morning? I saw Mr. Mark,

Used to ask about people (object my English teacher.
Whom
of verb) - Whom was Jim talking to? He was talking to Jack,
his new roommate.

- Which one do you choose? The left or right?

Which Used to ask about choices - Of all the drinks in the menu, which one would you
like?

- Whose pencil is this? Is it yours?

Whose Used to ask about possession
- Whose books are these?

- Why did it happen? I didn’t understand.

Why Used to ask about reasons/ causes
- Why is he crying?

Used to ask about manner/ - How can you explain this problem? Please tell us.
How
process - How can you get here?
I. How to form WH-questions?

1. with an auxiliary

Wh-word + auxiliary + subject + main verb …?

 Auxiliary verbs are helping verbs (not main verbs).
 Common auxiliary verbs include be, do, have. Others are will, shall, would, can,
could, must, should, may, might, etc.

 What do you do for a living?

 Why should we read books?
 When is she coming?

2. without any auxiliary

(when WH-words replace subjects already)

Wh-word + main verb …?

 What happened to Peter?
 A bad accident happened to him today.

 Who won the game?

 Tio won the game.

 Who gave you this present?

 My cousin gave me this present.

II. Responding to WH-questions

1. What

 What is it?
 It’s a table.

 What color is your dress?

 It’s purple.

 What is your mom doing?

 She’s cooking in the kitchen.

 What do you think about the party?

 Well. It’s fun. I like the music best.

 What will happen if our team loses this time?

 We’ll be out of the game.

2. When

 When will the train arrive?

 The train will arrive in 30 minutes.

 When does she get up?

 She gets up at 6 am.

 When did the party end?

 It ended before 8 pm.

 When are you going to visit James?

 I’m going to see him tomorrow.

3. Where

 Where do you live?

 I live in Washington D.C.

 Where are you going?

 I’m going to the zoo.

 Where’s the coffee bar?

 It’s between the supermarket and the cinema.

 Where did you leave my jacket?

 I left it in my bedroom.

 Where have you been?

 I’ve been in the library reading books.

4. Who

 Who’s this?
 She’s my new roommate.

 Who wants to be a scientist in the future?

 My sister does. I don’t.

 Who would you like to travel with?

 I would like to travel with my best friend, Kim.

 Who told you that secret?

 Jenny did. She told me everything.

 Who do you like the most in this class?

 I like Henry. He’s so friendly.

5. Whom

 Whom should we talk to?

 We should talk to the principal. She’s responsible for student issues.

 Whom did you see yesterday?

 I saw Kevin and his girlfriend.

 Whom would you like to interview?

 I would like to interview Mr.Patrick, the director.

 Whom do we have to contact?

 We have to contact the representative of that company.

 Whom did you meet in front of the building last week?

 That was Annie, my secretary.

 Whom do you know in this class?

 I only know Danny.

 Whom are you going to invite?

 I’m going to invite all of my classmates

 With whom do you agree?

 I agree with Henry’s team.

6. Which

 Which shirt do you like?

 I like the one with the big yellow star on it.

 Which color do you choose?

 I choose red.

 Which part do you like the most in this story?

 I love the 2nd part when the prince came and proposed to the princess.

 Which is the longest river in the world?

 That’s the Nile.

 Which one is yours?

 Mine is the biggest one.

7. Whose

 Whose jacket is this?

 It’s my mom’s.

 Whose birthday is today?

 It’s Jenny’s.

 Whose pencil is on the floor?

 That’s mine.

 Whose team is better?

 Will’s team is much better.

8. Why

 Why don’t we visit him now?

 It’s a good idea.

 Why did you leave so early?

 Because I didn’t enjoy the party.

 Why do you think that he loves you?

 Because he’s given me lots of chocolate on Valentine’s day.

 Why do people celebrate Thanksgiving?

 Because it’s a special day.

 Why can’t I go to the cinema now?

 Because you haven’t done your homework.

 Why are you so late?

 Sorry, teacher. I missed the bus.

9. How

 How’s the weather?

 It’s sunny and hot.

 How do you feel?

 I feel much better now.

 How did you know him?

 We were old friends.

 How’s your new job?

 It’s interesting. I enjoy it.

 How often do you go to the movie theater?

 I sometimes go there. I’m quite busy.

 How far is it from your house to school?

 Not too far. I walk to school every day.

 How much did it cost?

 It cost $4.

 How many people are there in your class?

 There are 30 of them.

 How come you lost the game?

 I couldn’t answer the first question well enough.
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Tenses
The English Tense System
Many English learners worry too much about
The links below are to lessons for each of the 12 basic tense. If you stopped 100 native English
tenses. In each lesson we look at two aspects of the speakers in the street and asked them about
tense: tense, one of them might give you an
intelligent answer—if you were lucky. The
• Structure: How do we make the tense? other 99 would know little about terms like
• Use: When and why do we use the tense? "past perfect" or "present continuous". And
they would know nothing about aspect, voice
Some lessons look at additional aspects, and most of or mood. But they can all speak fluent
them finish with a quiz to check your understanding. English and communicate effectively. Of
course, for ESL it helps to know about
Present Tense tenses, but don't become obsessed with them.
I do do, I do Be like those native speakers! Speak
Present Continuous Tense naturally!
I am doing, I am doing tomorrow
Present Perfect Tense
I have done
Present Perfect Continuous Tense
I have been doing

Past Tense
I did do, I did
Past Continuous Tense
I was doing
Past Perfect Tense
I had done
Past Perfect Continuous Tense
I had been doing

Future Tense
I will do
Future Continuous Tense
I will be doing
Future Perfect Tense
I will have done
Future Perfect Continuous Tense
I will have been doing

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Simple Present Tense

I sing

How do we make the Simple Present Tense?

subject + auxiliary verb + main verb
do base

There are three important exceptions:

1. For positive sentences, we do not normally use the auxiliary.

2. For the 3rd person singular (he, she, it), we add s to the main verb or es to the auxiliary.
3. For the verb to be, we do not use an auxiliary, even for questions and negatives.

Look at these examples with the main verb like:

subject auxiliary verb main verb

I, you, we, they like coffee.

+
He, she, it likes coffee.

I, you, we, they do not like coffee.

-
He, she, it does not like coffee.

Do I, you, we, they like coffee?

?
Does he, she, it like coffee?

Look at these examples with the main verb be. Notice that there is no auxiliary:

subject main verb

I am French.

+ You, we, they are French.

He, she, it is French.

I am not old.

- You, we, they are not old.

He, she, it is not old.

Am I late?
?
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Are you, we, they late?

Is he, she, it late?

How do we use the Simple Present Tense?

We use the simple present tense when:

• the action is general

• the action happens all the time, or habitually, in the past, present and future
• the action is not only happening now
• the statement is always true

John drives a taxi.

past present future

It is John's job to drive a taxi. He does it every day. Past, present and future.

Look at these examples:

• I live in New York.

• The Moon goes round the Earth.
• John drives a taxi.
• He does not drive a bus.
• We do not work at night.
• Do you play football?

Note that with the verb to be, we can also use the simple present tense for situations that are not
general. We can use the simple present tense to talk about now. Look at these examples of the verb "to
be" in the simple present tense—some of them are general, some of them are now:

Am I right?
Tara is not at home.
You are happy.
past present future

The situation is now.

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I am not fat.
Why are you so beautiful?
Ram is tall.
past present future

The situation is general. Past, present and future.

This page shows the use of the simple present

tense to talk about general events. But note
that there are some other uses for the simple
present tense, for example in conditional or if
sentences, or to talk about the future. You
will learn about those later.

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Present Continuous Tense

I am singing

We often use the present continuous tense in English. It is very different from the simple present tense,
both in structure and in use.

In this lesson we look the structure and use of the present continuous tense, follwed by a quiz to check
your understanding:

• Structure: how do we make the present continuous tense?

• Use: when and why do we use the present continuous tense?
• Spelling: how do we spell verbs with -ing for the present continuous tense?
• Present Continuous Tense Quiz

Continuous tenses are also called

progressive tenses. So the present
progressive tense is the same as the present
continuous tense.

How do we make the Present Continuous Tense?

The structure of the present continuous tense is:

subject + auxiliary verb + main verb

be base + ing

Look at these examples:

subject auxiliary verb main verb

+ I am speaking to you.

+ You are reading this.

- She is not staying in London.

- We are not playing football.

? Is he watching TV?

? Are they waiting for John?

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How do we use the Present Continuous Tense?

We use the present continuous tense to talk about:

• action happening now

• action in the future

Present continuous tense for action happening now

a) for action happening exactly now

I am eating my lunch.
past present future

The action is happening now.

Look at these examples. Right now you are looking at this screen and at the same time...

...the pages are turning. ...the candle is burning. ...the numbers are spinning.

b) for action happening around now

The action may not be happening exactly now, but it is happening just before and just after now, and it
is not permanent or habitual.

John is going out with Mary.

past present future

The action is happening around now.

Look at these examples:

• Muriel is learning to drive.

• I am living with my sister until I find an apartment.

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Present continuous tense for the future

We can also use the present continuous tense to talk about the future—if we add a future word!! We
must add (or understand from the context) a future word. "Future words" include, for example,
tomorrow, next year, in June, at Christmas etc. We only use the present continuous tense to talk
about the future when we have planned to do something before we speak. We have already made a
decision and a plan before speaking.

I am taking my exam next month.

past present future

!!!
A firm plan or programme exists
The action is in the future.
now.

Look at these examples:

• We're eating in a restaurant tonight. We've already booked the table..

• They can play tennis with you tomorrow. They're not working.
• When are you starting your new job?

In these examples, we have a firm plan or programme before speaking. The decision and plan were
made before speaking.

How do we spell the Present Continuous Tense?

We make the present continuous tense by adding -ing to the base verb. Normally it's simple—we just
add -ing. But sometimes we have to change the word a little. Perhaps we double the last letter, or we
drop a letter. Here are the rules to help you know how to spell the present continuous tense.

Basic rule Just add -ing to the base verb:

work > working

play > playing

assist > assisting

see > seeing

be > being

Exception 1
If the base verb ends in consonant + stressed vowel + consonant, double the last letter:

s t o p
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stressed
consonant consonant
vowel
(vowels = a, e, i, o, u)

stop > stopping

run > running

begin > beginning

Note that this exception does not apply when the last syllable of the base verb is not
stressed:

open > opening

Exception 2 If the base verb ends in ie, change the ie to y:

lie > lying

die > dying

Exception 3 If the base verb ends in vowel + consonant + e, omit the e:

come > coming

mistake > mistaking

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Present Perfect Tense

I have sung

The present perfect tense is a rather important tense in English, but it gives speakers of some languages
a difficult time. That is because it uses concepts or ideas that do not exist in those languages. In fact,
the structure of the present perfect tense is very simple. The problems come with the use of the tense.
In addition, there are some differences in usage between British and American English.

In this lesson we look at the structure and use of the present perfect, followed by a quiz to check your
understanding:

• Structure: how to make the present perfect tense

• Use: when and why to use the present perfect tense
• For and Since with the present perfect tense. What's the difference?
• Present Perfect Quiz

The present perfect tense is really a very

interesting tense, and a very useful one. Try
not to translate the present perfect tense into
your language. Just try to accept the concepts
of this tense and learn to "think" present
perfect! You will soon learn to like the
present perfect tense!

How do we make the Present Perfect Tense?

The structure of the present perfect tense is:

subject + auxiliary verb + main verb

have past participle

Here are some examples of the present perfect tense:

subject auxiliary verb main verb

+ I have seen ET.

+ You have eaten mine.

- She has not been to Rome.

- We have not played football.

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? Have you finished?

? Have they done it?

Contractions with the present perfect tense

When we use the present perfect tense in speaking, we usually contract the subject and auxiliary verb.
We also sometimes do this when we write.

I have I've
He's or he's??? Be careful! The 's
You have You've contraction is used for the auxiliary verbs
have and be. For example, "It's eaten" can
He has He's mean:
She has She's
It has It's • It has eaten. [present perfect tense,
John has John's active voice]
The car has The car's • It is eaten. [present tense, passive
voice]
We have We've
It is usually clear from the context.
They have They've

Here are some examples:

• I've finished my work.

• John's seen ET.
• They've gone home.

How do we use the Present Perfect Tense?

This tense is called the present perfect tense. There is always a connection with the past and with the
present. There are basically three uses for the present perfect tense:

1. experience
2. change
3. continuing situation

1. Present perfect tense for experience

We often use the present perfect tense to talk about experience from the past. We are not interested in
when you did something. We only want to know if you did it:

I have seen ET.

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He has lived in Bangkok.

Have you been there?
We have never eaten caviar.
past present future

!!!
The action or state was in the In my head, I have a memory
past. now.
Connection with past: the event was in the past.
Connection with present: in my head, now, I have a memory of the event; I know something about
the event; I have experience of it.

2. Present perfect tense for change

We also use the present perfect tense to talk about a change or new information:

I have bought a car.

past present future

- +
Last week I didn't have a car. Now I have a car.

John has broken his leg.

past present future

+ -
Yesterday John had a good leg. Now he has a bad leg.

Has the price gone up?

past present future

+ -
Was the price $1.50 yesterday? Is the price $1.70 today?

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The police have arrested the killer.

past present future

- +
Yesterday the killer was free. Now he is in prison.
Connection with past: the past is the opposite of the present.
Connection with present: the present is the opposite of the past.

Americans do not use the present perfect

tense so much as British speakers. Americans
often use the past tense instead. An American
might say "Did you have lunch?", where a
British person would say "Have you had
lunch?"

3. Present perfect tense for continuing situation

We often use the present perfect tense to talk about a continuing situation. This is a state that started
in the past and continues in the present (and will probably continue into the future). This is a state
(not an action). We usually use for or since with this structure.

I have worked here since June.

He has been ill for 2 days.
How long have you known Tara?
past present future

(It will probably continue into

The situation started in the past. It continues up to now.
the future.)
Connection with past: the situation started in the past.
Connection with present: the situation continues in the present.

For & Since with Present Perfect Tense

We often use for and since with the present perfect tense.

• We use for to talk about a period of time—5 minutes, 2 weeks, 6 years.

• We use since to talk about a point in past time—9 o'clock, 1st January, Monday.

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for since
a period of time a point in past time

x------------

20 minutes 6.15pm

three days Monday

6 months January

4 years 1994

2 centuries 1800

a long time I left school

ever the beginning of time

etc etc

Here are some examples:

• I have been here for 20 minutes.

• I have been here since 9 o'clock.
• John hasn't called for 6 months.
• John hasn't called since February.
• He has worked in New York for a long time.
• He has worked in New York since he left school.

For can be used with all tenses. Since is

usually used with perfect tenses only.

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Present Perfect Continuous Tense

I have been singing

How do we make the Present Perfect Continuous Tense?

The structure of the present perfect continuous tense is:

subject + auxiliary verb + auxiliary verb + main verb

have
been base + ing
has

Here are some examples of the present perfect continuous tense:

subject auxiliary verb auxiliary verb main verb

+ I have been waiting for one hour.

+ You have been talking too much.

- It has not been raining.

- We have not been playing football.

? Have you been seeing her?

? Have they been doing their homework?

Contractions

When we use the present perfect continuous tense in speaking, we often contract the subject and the
first auxiliary. We also sometimes do this in informal writing.

I have been I've been

You have been You've been

He has been He's been

She has been She's been
It has been It's been
John has been John's been
The car has been The car's been

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We have been We've been

They have been They've been

Here are some examples:

• I've been reading.

• The car's been giving trouble.
• We've been playing tennis for two hours.

How do we use the Present Perfect Continuous Tense?

This tense is called the present perfect continuous tense. There is usually a connection with the
present or now. There are basically two uses for the present perfect continuous tense:

1. An action that has just stopped or recently stopped

We use the present perfect continuous tense to talk about an action that started in the past and stopped
recently. There is usually a result now.

I'm tired because I've been running.

past present future

!!!
Recent action. Result now.

• I'm tired [now] because I've been running.

• Why is the grass wet [now]? Has it been raining?
• You don't understand [now] because you haven't been listening.

2. An action continuing up to now

We use the present perfect continuous tense to talk about an action that started in the past and is
continuing now. This is often used with for or since.

I have been reading for 2 hours.

past present future

Action started in past. Action is continuing now.

• I have been reading for 2 hours. [I am still reading now.]

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• We've been studying since 9 o'clock. [We're still studying now.]
• How long have you been learning English? [You are still learning now.]
• We have not been smoking. [And we are not smoking now.]

For and Since with Present Perfect Continuous Tense

We often use for and since with the present perfect tense.

• We use for to talk about a period of time—5 minutes, 2 weeks, 6 years.

• We use since to talk about a point in past time—9 o'clock, 1st January, Monday.

for since
a period of time a point in past time

20 minutes 6.15pm

three days Monday

6 months January

4 years 1994

2 centuries 1800

a long time I left school

ever the beginning of time

etc etc

Here are some examples:

• I have been studying for 3 hours.

• I have been watching TV since 7pm.
• Tara hasn't been feeling well for 2 weeks.
• Tara hasn't been visiting us since March.
• He has been playing football for a long time.
• He has been living in Bangkok since he left school.

For can be used with all tenses. Since is

usually used with perfect tenses only.

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Simple Past Tense

I sang

The simple past tense is sometimes called the preterit tense. We can use several tenses to talk about
the past, but the simple past tense is the one we use most often.

In this lesson we look at the structure and use of the simple past tense, followed by a quiz to check
your understanding:

How do we make the Simple Past Tense?

To make the simple past tense, we use:

• past form only

or
• auxiliary did + base form

Here you can see examples of the past form and base form for irregular verbs and regular verbs:

V1 V2 V3
base past past participle

work worked worked

regular The past form for all
explode exploded exploded
verb regular verbs ends in -ed.
like liked liked

The past form for

go went gone
irregular irregular verbs is
see saw seen
verb variable. You need to
sing sang sung
learn it by heart.

You do not need the past participle

form to make the simple past tense. It
is shown here for completeness only.

The structure for positive sentences in the simple past tense is:

subject + main verb

past

The structure for negative sentences in the simple past tense is:

subject + auxiliary verb + not + main verb

did base
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The structure for question sentences in the simple past tense is:

auxiliary verb + subject + main verb

did base

The auxiliary verb did is not conjugated. It is the same for all persons (I did, you did, he did etc). And
the base form and past form do not change. Look at these examples with the main verbs go and work:

subject auxiliary verb main verb

I went to school.
+
You worked very hard.

She did not go with me.

-
We did not work yesterday.

Did you go to London?

?
Did they work at home?

Exception! The verb to be is different. We conjugate the verb to be (I was, you were, he/she/it was,
we were, they were); and we do not use an auxiliary for negative and question sentences. To make a
question, we exchange the subject and verb. Look at these examples:

subject main verb

I, he/she/it was here.

+
You, we, they were in London.

I, he/she/it was not there.

-
You, we, they were not happy.

Was I, he/she/it right?

?
Were you, we, they late?

How do we use the Simple Past Tense?

We use the simple past tense to talk about an action or a situation—an event—in the past. The event
can be short or long.

Here are some short events with the simple past tense:

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The car exploded at 9.30am yesterday.

She went to the door.
We did not hear the telephone.
Did you see that car?
past present future

The action is in the past.

Here are some long events with the simple past tense:

I lived in Bangkok for 10 years.

The Jurassic period lasted about 62 million years.
We did not sing at the concert.
Did you watch TV last night?
past present future

The action is in the past.

Notice that it does not matter how long ago the event is: it can be a few minutes or seconds in the past,
or millions of years in the past. Also it does not matter how long the event is. It can be a few
milliseconds (car explosion) or millions of years (Jurassic period). We use the simple past tense when:

• the event is in the past

• the event is completely finished
• we say (or understand) the time and/or place of the event

In general, if we say the time or place of the

event, we must use the simple past tense; we
cannot use the present perfect.

Here are some more examples:

• I lived in that house when I was young.

• He didn't like the movie.
• What did you eat for dinner?
• John drove to London on Monday.
• Mary did not go to work yesterday.
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• Did you play tennis last week?
• I was at work yesterday.
• We were not late (for the train).
• Were you angry?

Note that when we tell a story, we usually use the simple past tense. We may use the past continuous
tense to "set the scene", but we almost always use the simple past tense for the action. Look at this
example of the beginning of a story:

"The wind was howling around the hotel and the rain was pouring down. It was cold. The door opened
and James Bond entered. He took off his coat, which was very wet, and ordered a drink at the bar. He
sat down in the corner of the lounge and quietly drank his..."
This page shows the use of the simple past
tense to talk about past events. But note that
there are some other uses for the simple past
tense, for example in conditional or if
sentences.

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Past Continuous Tense

I was singing

The past continuous tense is an important tense in English. We use it to say what we were in the
middle of doing at a particular moment in the past.

In this lesson we look at the structure and the use of the past continuous tense, followed by a quiz to
check your understanding:

How do we make the Past Continuous Tense?

The structure of the past continuous tense is:

subject + auxiliary verb BE + main verb

conjugated in simple past tense present participle

was
base + ing
were

For negative sentences in the past continuous tense, we insert not between the auxiliary verb and main
verb. For question sentences, we exchange the subject and auxiliary verb. Look at these example
sentences with the past continuous tense:

subject auxiliary verb main verb

+ I was watching TV.

+ You were working hard.

- He, she, it was not helping Mary.

- We were not joking.

? Were you being silly?

? Were they playing football?

The spelling rules for adding ing to make the past continuous tense are the same as
for the present continuous tense.

How do we use the Past Continuous Tense?

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The past continuous tense expresses action at a particular moment in the past. The action started
before that moment but has not finished at that moment. For example, yesterday I watched a film on
TV. The film started at 7pm and finished at 9pm.

At 8pm yesterday, I was watching TV.

past present future

8pm

At 8pm, I was in the middle of

watching TV.

When we use the past continuous tense, our listener usually knows or understands what time we are
talking about. Look at these examples:

• I was working at 10pm last night.

• They were not playing football at 9am this morning.
• What were you doing at 10pm last night?
• What were you doing when he arrived?
• She was cooking when I telephoned her.
• We were having dinner when it started to rain.
• Ram went home early because it was snowing.

Some verbs cannot be used in

continuous/progressive tenses.

We often use the past continuous tense to "set the scene" in stories. We use it to describe the
background situation at the moment when the action begins. Often, the story starts with the past
continuous tense and then moves into the simple past tense. Here is an example:

" James Bond was driving through town. It was raining. The wind was blowing hard. Nobody was
walking in the streets. Suddenly, Bond saw the killer in a telephone box..."

Past Continuous Tense + Simple Past Tense

We often use the past continuous tense with the simple past tense. We use the past continuous tense to
express a long action. And we use the simple past tense to express a short action that happens in the
middle of the long action. We can join the two ideas with when or while.

In the following example, we have two actions:

1. long action (watching TV), expressed with past continuous tense

2. short action (telephoned), expressed with simple past tense

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past present future

Long action.

I was watching TV at 8pm.

8pm

You telephoned at 8pm.

Short action.

We can join these two actions with when:

• I was watching TV when you telephoned.

(Notice that "when you telephoned" is also a way of defining the time [8pm].)

We use:

• when + short action (simple past tense)

• while + long action (past continuous tense)

There are four basic combinations:

I was walking past the car when it exploded.

When the car exploded I was walking past it.

The car exploded while I was walking past it.

While I was walking past the car it exploded.

Notice that the long action and short action are relative.

• "Watching TV" took a few hours. "Telephoned" took a few seconds.

• "Walking past the car" took a few seconds. "Exploded" took a few milliseconds.

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Past Perfect Tense

I had sung

The past perfect tense is quite an easy tense to understand and to use. This tense talks about the "past
in the past".

In this lesson we look at:

How do we make the Past Perfect Tense?

The structure of the past perfect tense is:

subject + auxiliary verb HAVE + main verb

conjugated in simple past tense past participle

had V3

For negative sentences in the past perfect tense, we insert not between the auxiliary verb and main
verb. For question sentences, we exchange the subject and auxiliary verb. Look at these example
sentences with the past perfect tense:

subject auxiliary verb main verb

+ I had finished my work.

+ You had stopped before me.

- She had not gone to school.

- We had not left.

? Had you arrived?

? Had they eaten dinner?

When speaking with the past perfect tense, we often contract the subject and auxiliary verb:

I had I'd

you had you'd

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he had he'd
she had she'd
it had it'd

we had we'd

they had they'd

The 'd contraction is also used for the

auxiliary verb would. For example, we'd can
mean:

• We had
or
• We would

But usually the main verb is in a different

form, for example:

• We had arrived (past participle)

• We would arrive (base)

It is always clear from the context.

How do we use the Past Perfect Tense?

The past perfect tense expresses action in the past before another action in the past. This is the past in
the past. For example:

• The train left at 9am. We arrived at 9.15am. When we arrived, the train had left.

The train had left when we arrived.

past present future

Train leaves in past at 9am.

We arrive in past at 9.15am.

Look at some more examples:

• I wasn't hungry. I had just eaten.

• They were hungry. They had not eaten for five hours.
• I didn't know who he was. I had never seen him before.
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• "Mary wasn't at home when I arrived."
"Really? Where had she gone?"

You can sometimes think of the past perfect tense like the present perfect tense, but instead of the time
being now the time is past.

past perfect tense present perfect tense

had | have |
done | done |
>| >|

past now future past now future

For example, imagine that you arrive at the station at 9.15am. The stationmaster says to you:

• "You are too late. The train has left."

Later, you tell your friends:

• "We were too late. The train had left."

We often use the past perfect tense in reported speech after verbs like said, told, asked, thought,
wondered:

Look at these examples:

• He told us that the train had left.

• I thought I had met her before, but I was wrong.
• He explained that he had closed the window because of the rain.
• I wondered if I had been there before.
• I asked them why they had not finished.

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Past Perfect Continuous Tense

I had been singing

How do we make the Past Perfect Continuous Tense?

The structure of the past perfect continuous tense is:

auxiliary verb auxiliary verb

subject + + + main verb
HAVE BE
conjugated in simple past present
past participle
tense participle

had been base + ing

For negative sentences in the past perfect continuous tense, we insert not after the first auxiliary verb.
For question sentences, we exchange the subject and first auxiliary verb. Look at these example
sentences with the past perfect continuous tense:

subject auxiliary verb auxiliary verb main verb

+ I had been working.

+ You had been playing tennis.

- It had not been working well.

- We had not been expecting her.

? Had you been drinking?

? Had they been waiting long?

When speaking with the past perfect continuous tense, we often contract the subject and first auxiliary
verb:

I had been I'd been

you had been you'd been

he had he'd been

she had been she'd been
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it had been it'd been

we had been we'd been

they had been they'd been

How do we use the Past Perfect Continuous Tense?

The past perfect continuous tense is like the past perfect tense, but it expresses longer actions in the
past before another action in the past. For example:

• Ram started waiting at 9am. I arrived at 11am. When I arrived, Ram had been waiting for two
hours.

Ram had been waiting for two hours when I arrived.

past present future

Ram starts waiting in past at

9am.

9 11

I arrive in past at 11am.

Here are some more examples:

• John was very tired. He had been running.

• I could smell cigarettes. Somebody had been smoking.
• Suddenly, my car broke down. I was not surprised. It had not been running well for a long
time.
• Had the pilot been drinking before the crash?

You can sometimes think of the past perfect continuous tense like the present perfect continuous tense,
but instead of the time being now the time is past.

past perfect continuous tense present perfect continuous tense

had | | | have |
been | | | been |
doing | | | doing |
>>>> | | | >>>> |

past now future past now future

For example, imagine that you meet Ram at 11am. Ram says to you:

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• "I am angry. I have been waiting for two hours."

Later, you tell your friends:

• "Ram was angry. He had been waiting for two hours."

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Simple Future Tense

I will sing

The simple future tense is often called will, because we make the simple future tense with the modal
auxiliary will.

How do we make the Simple Future Tense?

The structure of the simple future tense is:

subject + auxiliary verb WILL + main verb

invariable base

will V1

For negative sentences in the simple future tense, we insert not between the auxiliary verb and main
verb. For question sentences, we exchange the subject and auxiliary verb. Look at these example
sentences with the simple future tense:

subject auxiliary verb main verb

+ I will open the door.

+ You will finish before me.

- She will not be at school tomorrow.

- We will not leave yet.

? Will you arrive on time?

? Will they want dinner?

When we use the simple future tense in speaking, we often contract the subject and auxiliary verb:

I will I'll

you will you'll

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he will he'll
she will she'll
it will it'll

we will we'll

they will they'll

For negative sentences in the simple future tense, we contract with won't, like this:

I will not I won't

you will not you won't

he will not he won't

she will not she won't
it will not it won't

we will not we won't

they will not they won't

How do we use the Simple Future Tense?

No Plan

We use the simple future tense when there is no plan or decision to do something before we speak. We
make the decision spontaneously at the time of speaking. Look at these examples:

• Hold on. I'll get a pen.

• We will see what we can do to help you.
• Maybe we'll stay in and watch television tonight.

In these examples, we had no firm plan before speaking. The decision is made at the time of
speaking.

We often use the simple future tense with the verb to think before it:

• I think I'll go to the gym tomorrow.

• I think I will have a holiday next year.
• I don't think I'll buy that car.

Prediction

We often use the simple future tense to make a prediction about the future. Again, there is no firm
plan. We are saying what we think will happen. Here are some examples:

• It will rain tomorrow.

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• People won't go to Jupiter before the 22nd century.

• Who do you think will get the job?

Be

When the main verb is be, we can use the simple future tense even if we have a firm plan or decision
before speaking. Examples:

• I'll be in London tomorrow.

• I'm going shopping. I won't be very long.
• Will you be at work tomorrow?

Note that when we have a plan or intention to

do something in the future, we usually use
other tenses or expressions, such as the
present continuous tense or going to.

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Future Continuous Tense

I will be singing

How do we make the Future Continuous Tense?

The structure of the future continuous tense is:

auxiliary verb auxiliary verb

subject + + + main verb
WILL BE
present
invariable invariable
participle

will be base + ing

For negative sentences in the future continuous tense, we insert not between will and be. For question
sentences, we exchange the subject and will. Look at these example sentences with the future
continuous tense:

subject auxiliary verb auxiliary verb main verb

+ I will be working at 10am.

+ You will be lying on a beach tomorrow.

- She will not be using the car.

- We will not be having dinner at home.

? Will you be playing football?

? Will they be watching TV?

When we use the future continuous tense in speaking, we often contract the subject and will:

I will I'll

you will you'll

he will he'll
she will she'll
it will it'll
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we will we'll

they will they'll

For spoken negative sentences in the future continuous tense, we contract with won't, like this:

I will not I won't

you will not you won't

he will not he won't

she will not she won't
it will not it won't

we will not we won't

they will not they won't

We sometimes use shall instead of will,

especially for I and we.

How do we use the Future Continuous Tense?

The future continuous tense expresses action at a particular moment in the future. The action will
start before that moment but it will not have finished at that moment. For example, tomorrow I will
start work at 2pm and stop work at 6pm:

At 4pm tomorrow, I will be working.

past present future

4pm

At 4pm, I will be in the middle

of working.

When we use the future continuous tense, our listener usually knows or understands what time we are
talking about. Look at these examples:

• I will be playing tennis at 10am tomorrow.

• They won't be watching TV at 9pm tonight.
• What will you be doing at 10pm tonight?
• What will you be doing when I arrive?
• She will not be sleeping when you telephone her.
• We 'll be having dinner when the film starts.
• Take your umbrella. It will be raining when you return.
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Future Perfect Tense

I will have sung

The future perfect tense is quite an easy tense to understand and use. The future perfect tense talks
about the past in the future.

How do we make the Future Perfect Tense?

The structure of the future perfect tense is:

auxiliary verb auxiliary verb main

subject + + +
WILL HAVE verb
invariable invariable past participle

will have V3

Look at these example sentences in the future perfect tense:

subject auxiliary verb auxiliary verb main verb

+ I will have finished by 10am.

+ You will have forgotten me by then.

- She will not have gone to school.

- We will not have left.

? Will you have arrived?

? Will they have received it?

In speaking with the future perfect tense, we often contract the subject and will. Sometimes, we
contract the subject, will and have all together:

I will have I'll have I'll've

you will have you'll have you'll've

he will have he'll have he'll've

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she will have she'll have she'll've

it will have it'll have it'll've

we will have we'll have we'll've

they will have they'll have they'll've

We sometimes use shall instead of will,

especially for I and we.

How do we use the Future Perfect Tense?

The future perfect tense expresses action in the future before another action in the future. This is the
past in the future. For example:

• The train will leave the station at 9am. You will arrive at the station at 9.15am. When you
arrive, the train will have left.

The train will have left when you arrive.

past present future

Train leaves in future at 9am.

9 9.15

You arrive in future at 9.15am.

Look at some more examples:

• You can call me at work at 8am. I will have arrived at the office by 8.
• They will be tired when they arrive. They will not have slept for a long time.
• "Mary won't be at home when you arrive."
"Really? Where will she have gone?"

You can sometimes think of the future perfect tense like the present perfect tense, but instead of your
viewpoint being in the present, it is in the future:

present perfect tense future perfect tense

| will |
have | have |
done | done |
>| >|

past now future past now future

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Future Perfect Continuous Tense

I will have been singing

How do we make the Future Perfect Continuous Tense?

The structure of the future perfect continuous tense is:

auxiliary auxiliary auxiliary main

subject + + + +
verb WILL verb HAVE verb BE verb
present
invariable invariable past participle
participle

will have been base + ing

For negative sentences in the future perfect continuous tense, we insert not between will and have. For
question sentences, we exchange the subject and will. Look at these example sentences with the future
perfect continuous tense:

subject auxiliary verb auxiliary verb auxiliary verb main verb

+ I will have been working for four hours.

+ You will have been travelling for two days.

- She will not have been using the car.

- We will not have been waiting long.

? Will you have been playing football?

? Will they have been watching TV?

When we use the future perfect continuous tense in speaking, we often contract the subject and
auxiliary verb:

I will I'll

you will you'll

he will he'll
she will she'll
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it will it'll

we will we'll

they will they'll

For negative sentences in the future perfect continuous tense, we contract with won't, like this:

I will not I won't

you will not you won't

he will not he won't

she will not she won't
it will not it won't

we will not we won't

they will not they won't

How do we use the Future Perfect Continuous Tense?

We use the future perfect continuous tense to talk about a long action before some point in the future.
Look at these examples:

• I will have been working here for ten years next week.
• He will be tired when he arrives. He will have been traveling for 24 hours.

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How to make polite requests in English
A request is when we ask someone for something. Since we are asking someone for help, it is
important to be polite.
We must avoid being too direct.

Here are examples of being too direct:

“I want help.”
“Pass me the salt.”
“Can you carry my bag?”

These questions are all correct English but they are too direct. These are not polite requests. They
are in fact quite rude. People will be offended because they will think that you are giving them
orders.

In this lesson, you will learn several methods to make a polite request. The first few examples
are to be used in spoken English. The last example is for written English.

Polite requests in spoken English

Could you .. ?

Form: Could you + base form of verb ….. ?

Examples:
Could you carry my bags?
Could you give me some advice?
Could you carry these boxes?

We can add “possibly” to be even more polite. We put “possibly” in between “Could you” and
the verb.

Example:
Could you possibly hold my drink?
Would you mind .. ?

Form: Would you mind + ing form of verb … ?

Examples:
Would you mind carrying my bags?
Would you mind giving me some advice?
Would you mind helping me?
Would you mind taking my photograph?

I wonder if you could .. ?

Form: I wonder if you could + base form of verb … ?

Examples:
I wonder if you could mind my bag?
I wonder if you could give me some advice?
I wonder if you could help me?

We can add “possibly” to be even more polite:

I wonder if you could possibly take me to the airport?

Negative statements with question tags

Form: You couldn’t + base form of verb … + could you?

Example:
You couldn’t help me, could you?

Form: You wouldn’t + base form of verb … + would you?

Example:
You wouldn’t take me to the airport, would you?

Form: I don’t suppose you could + base form of verb … + could you?

Example:
I don’t suppose you could clean the bathroom, could you?
Polite requests in written English

Here is a good expression for formal emails and letters:

Form:
I would be grateful if you could + base form of verb …

Example:
I would be grateful if you could send me your price list.

We can add “most” to be even more polite:

Example:
I would be most grateful if you could send me the reports.
 Learn 10 ways of politely making requests in English.
Enjoy this Advanced English lesson!
Welcome to Advanced English where we come together to improve your fluency, confidence,
and clarity in English! Mary Daphne here and today we’re covering ten different ways of making
polite requests and a non-pushy, non-aggressive way of asking someone to do something.

Let’s get into it!

To start let me use three different seemingly polite ways of asking someone to do something.
Ready?

You are required to…

You are required to send out the newsletter at noon.

It is requested that you…

It is requested that you prepare the meeting notes a day before the meeting.

You are requested to…

You are requested to send me your PowerPoint deck ahead of the presentation.

It is required that you…

It is required that you eat your lunch in the office.

Ok, any guesses as to why these are actually not very polite requests? And no, using the passive
voice doesn’t make it any more polite.

Phrasing it like this is a demand. A requirement, a necessity. A “do this or else”… It’s pushy and
demanding and will not be received in a good way, because people don’t like to be told what to
do. They’d prefer to have the option.

So, while the above are mandates an official order to do something, they are not requests.

Let’s look at 10 polite requests with some examples.

***

Could you please…

Could you please close the window, it’s freezing in here.

Could you please send John the first draft of the manuscript by the end of the week?

Would you mind… / Do you mind…

Do you mind calling the restaurant to see if they do take out?

Would you mind giving me some feedback on this lesson, I’d really appreciate it!

Little side note here, the affirmative response to a “would you mind” or “do you mind” is no.
Because it’s no, I wouldn’t mind which means yes, I can do that. Yes I can call the restaurant and
no I don’t mind. No I don’t mind giving you feedback in fact I’d love to give you feedback!

When you get a chance, can you…

When you get a chance, can you help me prepare for my upcoming interview?

When you get a chance, can you make that banana bread you’ve been telling me about?

If you’re available in the next 5 min, could you kindly…

If you’re available in the next 5 min, could you kindly take a look at this project proposal? I need
a second pair of eyes on it.

Side note: “to have a second pair of eyes / to have another pair of eyes” on something means
you’d be happy if someone could look at your work to check that it’s good and to ensure that you
didn’t overlook anything. No spelling mistakes, typos or something bigger. This could be for an
email, another written document, or a graphic design piece. Think of it like asking for a second
opinion.

If you’re available in the next 5 min, could you kindly call Grandmother. She’s been hoping to
speak with you.

Do you think you could help me with ….

Do you think you could help me with this math equation? It’s a total mind-bender!

Do you think you could help me with cooking dinner tonight? I’ve got a lot on my plate.

Side note, “to have a lot on one’s plate” means to have a lot to do and are thus feeling a bit
overwhelmed. Imagine filling your plate so fully that it’s hard to carry let alone to eat!

Would you be able to help me with ….

Would you be able to help me with packing? I don’t know what to bring on Safari!
Would you be able to help me with the groceries? I’m hosting a dinner party this weekend and I
don’t

Can you …

Can you have a look at this graphic I created? I’d love your opinion.

Can you do the laundry this weekend? That’d be a huge help.

Would it be possible to ….

Would it be possible to order take out this weekend, I have a lot of work emails to get through
before Monday and no time to cook!

Would it be possible to use your phone? I left mine at home.

If you have a spare moment, could you …

If you have a spare moment, could you walk the dog? I’m in conference calls all day.

If you have a spare moment, could you tidy up the coffee spill?

Would you be open to …

Would you be open to a camping adventure in the Adirondacks?

Would you be open to throwing a party to celebrate our engagement?

50 Examples of Polite Requests in English
May 30, 2023 by A H M Ohidujjaman

We interact with a lot of people every day, and we usually happen to make polite requests to
them. Making a polite request means asking someone to do something politely.

For example:

 Can you please tell me the time?

 Could you write down the name and address of the contact person?
 I was wondering if you could possibly meet my assistant for detailed feedback.
In this article, I’ve listed 50 common examples of polite requests based on different situations,
like when you’re at home, school, work, a restaurant, or a public place. I’ve listed 10 examples
for each of these situations. Some of them are appropriate for formal situations, while others are
for informal and semi-formal situations. Looking at these 50 examples of polite requests is
essentially a helpful technique for learning how to make polite requests in English.

10 Examples of Polite Requests at Home

When we’re at home, we do a lot of interactions with our family members such as parents,
children, siblings, roommates, or even babysitters and servants. Although “At home” is an
informal environment, we probably want to be polite to them when we ask them to do something
for us.

The following examples of polite requests as part of daily conversations are commonly used
at home.

 Mom, can you close the door, please?

 Honey, can you please eat with your mouth closed?
 Can you shut the window? The room is already too cold.
 Anna, can you bring me the newspaper, please?
 Bob, will you stop bothering mom? She’s working.
 Hey, can you please receive the parcel? I’m going to take a shower.
 Could you get me a cup of coffee?
 Will you stop making noise? I can’t concentrate on my study.
 Could you feed something to the baby?
 Could you turn off the lights, please? I can’t sleep.
10 Examples of Polite Requests at School

When you’re at school, make sure to be polite to your teachers, students, classmates, or other
people at school. You should be polite enough while talking to a teacher because this is a formal
relationship. On the other hand, while talking to your friends, you don’t have to be as formal as
with a teacher, but make sure to be nice.

Look at the following examples of polite requests that are commonly used at school.

 Teacher, would you mind giving me detailed feedback on my homework?

 Can you pass me that book?
 Could you please help me with my homework?
 I was wondering if you could write a recommendation letter for me.
 I was wondering if it would be possible for you to send me the feedback tomorrow.
 Could you please keep quiet?
 Can you please change your seat?
 Could you show me the way to the library?
 Can you please hold this book for me?
 Will you pass me the ball?
10 Examples of Polite Requests at Work

At work, we usually interact with our coworkers, managers, and other staff every day. As this is
a formal environment, we’re supposed to be extremely polite if we need to ask someone to do
something for us. We need to use the appropriate phrases, expressions, and body language to get
things done.

The following examples can be useful for making polite requests in English at work.

 Could you give me some time after lunch?

 I was wondering if you could reschedule the meeting for next week.
 Could you please send me the project files in zip format?
 Do you mind passing me the stapler?
 I was wondering if it would be possible for you to write a short description of the project
for our website.
 Would you please take your seat?
 Would you please hand me the mic?
 John, would you mind helping Sarah in preparing the draft budget? Thanks in advance!
 Could you possibly meet me next week at the office?
 Could you telephone me in the afternoon?
10 Examples of Polite Requests at the Restaurant

When at restaurants, we interact with waiters, managers, friends and family, and strangers.
Whether it’s a semiformal or formal situation, make sure to consider being polite enough when
you make a request to someone.

Look at the examples below that can usually be relatable at restaurants.

 Can you add some extra cheese?

 Could you please make it a double?
 Excuse me! Would you mind leaving this seat for this old lady?
 Do you mind passing me the salt?
 Can you play some soft music?
 Could you please arrange one more table for us?
 I was wondering if you could cancel my order. My guests aren’t coming.
 Could you please change this food? I can see a fly on the rice.
 Would you please turn on some more lights?
 Can you give us some forks?
10 Examples of Polite Requests at the Public Place

We often interact with strangers when we’re at a public place like a station, a supermarket, a
restaurant, a walkway, or a train. No matter what place you meet strangers, make sure to be
polite enough if you have to make a request to them.

The following can be good examples of making polite requests in a public place.

 Would you mind moving aside?

 Could you please press level 5?
 Could you tell me how to get to the supermarket?
 Do you mind giving me a hand with my luggage?
 Would you mind holding the baby for me?
 I wonder if you could help me hire a taxi. I’m pretty new here.
 Could you please keep an eye on my dog? I’ll be right back.
 Could you change the destination on my ticket? I’d like to go to NoHo instead of
Bowery.
 Could you please open the door for that old lady?
 I wonder if you could drive a little faster.
In Conclusion

It’s really important to be polite while asking someone to do something because it takes effort for
people to do even little things for us. If we don’t use appropriate words or expressions, we might
sound rude. And, of course, we don’t want to be rude to people. According to a survey conducted
in 2016, 74% of adult Americans believe that people are nowadays ruder than they were 20 or 30
years ago.

If you don’t want to sound rude to people, there are other ways:

1. When necessary, ask for permission politely.

2. Make sure to use proper body language to be even more polite.
3. Before talking to someone, ask if they are free to talk.
IN- ON- AT
A – Giới Từ In, On, At Là Gì?

Giới từ in, on, at được sử dụng để chỉ thời gian hoặc địa điểm.
Giới từ in on at là những giới từ phổ biến nhất trong tiếng Anh. Các giới từ này đóng vai trò kết
nối hai từ hoặc nhiều từ trong một câu, được sử dụng để chỉ thời gian hoặc địa điểm.

Người học sẽ bắt gặp 3 giới từ in on at đứng trước các danh từ hoặc cụm danh từ chỉ địa điểm,
thời gian, thường nằm ở cuối câu hoặc đầu câu.

Ví dụ:

I will see you at 9 AM.

(Tôi sẽ gặp bạn lúc 9 giờ sáng nhé)

At that time, she was walking on the street after school.

(Lúc đó cô ấy đang đi dạo trên phố sau giờ học)

My father is watching TV in the bedroom.

(Bố tôi đang xem TV trong phòng ngủ)

B – Cách Dùng Giới Từ In On At

Cả 3 giới từ in on at đều có cách dùng khá tương đồng dù dùng để chỉ địa điểm cho thời gian với
mức độ và quy mô tăng dần (at => on => in).

Nghĩa là in được dùng để chỉ thời gian và địa điểm với phạm vi rộng lớn nhất, có tính khái quát,
chung chung.
Còn at và on được dùng với những mốc thời gian và địa điểm cụ thể.

Khi muốn nhắc tới một khoảng thời gian chung chung, lâu dài, ví dụ như tuần, tháng, năm, thế
kỷ, thập kỷ,… hoặc một địa điểm rộng lớn như một quốc gia, một vùng,… người bản xứ thường
dùng giới từ in.

Ví dụ:

in 1998

in the 20th century

in May

in Vietnam

in the neighborhood

Cả 3 giới từ in on at đều dùng để chỉ địa điểm cho thời gian với mức độ và quy mô tăng dần
Khi muốn nói đến những mốc thời gian cụ thể hơn, ngắn hơn, và địa điểm, không gian có độ lớn
tương đối, chúng ta sử dụng giới từ on.

Ví dụ:

on the street

on the beach
on Monday

on the weekend

on July 25th

Giới từ at là giới từ có tính cụ thể nhất chỉ thời gian và địa điểm. Chúng ta dùng giới từ at để nói
tới một mốc thời gian hoặc địa điểm cực kỳ cụ thể.

Ví dụ:

at the mall

at home

at number 56 on the street

at 7 o’clock

at the moment

Như vậy, giới từ in, on, at được sử dụng để chỉ thời gian và địa điểm theo thứ tự lần lượt là
chung chung – khá bao quát – cực kỳ cụ thể.

1 – Giới từ in, on, at chỉ thời gian

Giới từ In

 In được dùng để chỉ một khoảng thời gian dài trong tương lai hoặc thời gian để làm
xong một việc gì đó.
Ví dụ:

The EDM festival will be held in 3 days.

(Lễ hội EDM sẽ được tổ chức trong 3 ngày tới)

He finished the test in 45 minutes.

(Anh ấy đã hoàn thành bài kiểm tra trong vòng 45 phút)

 In được dùng để ám chỉ một khoảng thời gian dài: tuần, tháng, năm, mùa, thế kỷ, thập
kỷ,…
Ví dụ:

I was born in 1996

(Tôi sinh năm 1996)
It’s hot in the summer
(Thời tiết rất nóng vào mùa hè)

Giới từ On

 On được dùng để chỉ các ngày cụ thể trong tuần, trong tháng, trong năm.
Ví dụ:

I’m going to the party on March 31st.

(Tôi sẽ đi dự một bữa tiệc vào ngày 31.3)

Do you go to school on Saturday?

(Bạn có phải đi học vào thứ 7 không?)

Giới từ At

 At được dùng để chỉ mốc thời gian có tính cụ thể

Ví dụ:

I will be there at 10AM.

(Tôi sẽ có mặt ở đó lúc 10h sáng)

My sister is sitting in the class at the moment.

(Em gái tôi giờ đang ngồi trong lớp học)

 At được dùng để chỉ thời điểm có tính ngắn hạn

Ví dụ:
There’s a great TV program at midnight
(Có một chương trình TV rất hay lúc nửa đêm)

We woke at dawn
(Chúng tôi dậy lúc tờ mờ sáng)

 At được dùng để nói về những kỳ nghỉ, dịp lễ

Ví dụ:

We usually eat turkey on Thanksgiving.

(Chúng tôi thường ăn gà tây vào dịp lễ Tạ Ơn)

I will meet my relatives and friends at New Year.

(Tôi sẽ gặp họ hàng và bạn bè vào dịp năm mới)

2 – Giới từ in on at chỉ nơi chốn, địa điểm

In

 In được dùng để chỉ một địa điểm lớn

Ví dụ:

There are 195 countries today in the world.

(Trên thế giới có tất cả 195 quốc gia)

Spring rolls is one of the most popular dishes in Vietnam.

(Nem rán là một trong những món ăn phổ biến nhất ở Việt Nam)
  In được dùng để chỉ một không gian
Ví dụ:

I found a puppies in a small box.

(Tôi tìm thấy một chú cún con trong một chiếc hộp nhỏ)

You can find everything in the market.

(Bạn có thể tìm thấy bất cứ thứ gì trong chợ)

 In được dùng để chỉ phương hướng

Ví dụ:

I live in the North of Vietnam

(Tôi sống ở phía Bắc của Việt Nam)

 In được dùng để chỉ vị trí của ai đó mà không có mạo từ đi kèm

Ví dụ:

She is in office now.

(Hiện giờ cô ấy đang ở văn phòng)

On

 On được dùng để chỉ những địa điểm trên bề mặt

Ví dụ:

I put my wallet on the table.

(Tôi để ví của tôi lên mặt bàn)

The boat is floating on the sea.

(Con thuyền đang trôi trên mặt biển)

 On được dùng để chỉ một địa điểm cụ thể

Ví dụ:

She lives on Tran Phu street.

(Cô ấy sống trên phố Trần Phú)

He’s working on the 15th floor.

(Anh ấy đang làm việc trên tầng 15)

 On được dùng với một số cụm từ chỉ vị trí

Ví dụ:

The bookshelf is on the left of the room.

(Kệ sách nằm ở phía bên trái căn phòng)

Please write your name and your personal information on the back of the sheet after finishing.
(Xin hãy viết tên và thông tin cá nhân của bạn ở mặt sau tờ giấy sau khi hoàn thành)

At

 At được dùng để chỉ định vị một địa điểm một cách cụ thể, chính xác
Ví dụ:

The government recommend staying at home

(Chính phủ khuyến cáo ở yên trong nhà)

She lives at 131 Tran Phu street.

(Cô ấy sống ở số nhà 131 phố Trần Phú)

 At được dùng để chỉ một không gian nếu người nói coi không gian đó như một điểm
Ví dụ:

We will meet each other at the club.

(Chúng ta sẽ gặp nhau ở câu lạc bộ nhé)
  At được dùng để chỉ một địa điểm khi người nói muốn đề cập tới sự kiện, hoạt động
diễn ra ở địa điểm đó.
Ví dụ:

There will be an interesting workshop at the cafe.

(Sẽ có một buổi workshop rất thú vị diễn ra tại quán cà phê đó)

C – Một Số Lưu Ý Và Trường Hợp Đặc Biệt Về Giới Từ In On At

 In dùng để chỉ các buổi lớn trong ngày (in the morning, in the afternoon,…), trong
khi at được dùng để chỉ những buổi ngắn chỉ kéo dài vài tiếng, xen kẽ giữa những
buổi lớn (at noon, at night…).
 Khi nói về các kỳ nghỉ, at và in được dùng để chỉ cả dịp nghỉ lễ kéo dài (at
Christmas Day, in Tet Holiday,…), trong khi on được dùng để chỉ ngày chính của
dịp lễ (on Christmas day – đêm Giáng sinh, on New Year’s Eve – đêm giao
thừa,..).
 Với từ chỉ cuối tuần, có thể dùng cả 3 giới từ in, on, at. Tuy nhiên nếu dùng at thì
không có “the” (at weekend, on the weekend, in the weekend).
 Khi in, on, at, được dùng để chỉ cùng 1 địa điểm, in sẽ chỉ ý nghĩa “bên trong sự
vật”, on là “trên bề mặt sự vật” và at mang nghĩa thông báo ai đó đang ở địa điểm đó.
Ví dụ: in the sea (trong lòng biển), on the sea (trên mặt biển), at sea (trên bãi biển)
www.learnenglishteam.com

PREPOSITIONS WITH ADJECTIVES

When do prepositions come after adjectives?

Prepositions can sometimes appear after adjectives to complete or elaborate on the ideas or emotions the adjective describes. Prepositions used in this
way are known as adjective complements. The preposition always comes directly after the adjective and is typically followed by a noun or gerund to form a
prepositional phrase.

The most common prepositions used alongside adjectives include the following:

of
to
about
for
with
at
by
in
from

Rules
There are no definite rules when it comes to combining adjectives with prepositions, but a few patterns exist. One trick is to look at how synonymous
adjective s and antonymous adjectives pair with prepositions; another is to memorize the prepositions used with adjectives’ associated noun forms.

Synonymous adjectives
Synonymous adjectives generally take the same prepositions. For example, when the adjective afraid is replaced with its synonyms scared and terrified, the
preposition of stays the same:
“Megan was afraid of the thunderstorm.” (original)
“Megan was scared of the thunderstorm.”
“Megan was terrified of the thunderstorm.”

Be careful, though, as some similar-sounding adjectives may require different prepositions:

“Philip is upset about what was said.” (original)
“Philip is displeased with what was said.”
“Philip is hurt by what was said.”

Antonymous adjectives
Like synonymous adjectives, the majority of antonymous adjectives use the same
prepositions:
“It was smart of him to go on vacation.”
“It was stupid of him to go on vacation.”

“She’s good at skateboarding.”

“She’s bad at skateboarding.”

Noun forms with prepositions

We can also examine the prepositions used with associated nouns, as the same prepositions are often used with the adjective forms as well. For
example: “I am interested in astronomy.” (adjective)
“I have an interest in astronomy.” (associated noun)

“He is addicted to playing tennis.” (adjective)

“He has an addiction to playing tennis.” (associated noun)

“Julie is obsessed with that movie.” (adjective)

“Julie has an obsession with that movie.” (associated noun)

On occasion, an adjective and its associated noun form may not share the same preposition, as in the example below:
“He is fond of animals.” (adjective)
“He has a fondness for animals.” (associated noun)

Examples of common pairings

Because there are no distinct rules for determining how adjectives combine with prepositions, the best way to learn correct adjective + preposition
combinations is by memorizing some of the most common pairings.

Below are various examples of combinations you may come across in everyday English.
Adjective + of
An adjective paired with the preposition of can identify causes of mental and physical states (e.g., fear, exhaustion, anxiety, etc.) or offer descriptions for actions
and people. For example:

Adjective + of Example Sentences

“Sam is afraid of dogs.”

“Many kids are frightened of clowns.”

afraid of, frightened of, scared of, terrified of
“Are you scared of airplanes?”

“The poor baby was terrified of her crib.”

“How kind of you to come early.”

“That was nice of your sister to treat us to dessert.”

kind of, nice of, sweet of, thoughtful of
“It’s very sweet of John to send a gift.”

“It is thoughtful of passengers to thank their drivers.”

“How odd of that man to wear sunglasses inside.”
odd of, strange of
“It’s strange of you to change your mind like that.”
proud of “Mom told me she is proud of my accomplishments.”
rude of “I thought it rude of her to interrupt me.”
smart of “That’s very smart of you.”
“I am so sick of doing laundry every week.”
sick of, tired of
“Olivia confessed that she is tired of dating Mike.”
silly of “It was silly of me to assume I was right.”
stupid of “How stupid of that boy to drop out of high school.”

Adjective + to
When paired with an adjective, the preposition to can describe behaviors, states, or connections between things and people. For
example:

Adjective + to Example Sentences

accustomed to “He quickly became accustomed to city life.”

addicted to “I think I'm addicted to action movies.”
“She is committed to the art of dance.”

committed to, dedicated to, devoted to “How dedicated to your studies are you?”

“Lucy is devoted to her family.”

“Henry is friendly to everyone.”

“Was she good to you?”

friendly to, good to, kind to, nice to
“You should always be kind to others.”

“Mrs. Roberts was nice to the cashier.”

married to “Cassie is married to Nick.”
“Don’t be mean to your classmates.”

mean to, rude to, unfriendly to “The couple was rude to the waitress.”

“A lot of cats are unfriendly to humans.”

opposed to “I am opposed to these changes.”
similar to “His idea is similar to mine.”

Adjective + about
The preposition about typically accompanies emotive adjectives in regards to specific situations or events. For
example:

Adjective + about Example Sentences

“My neighbor is angry about the loud music we played last night.”

angry about, furious about, mad about “That woman is furious about having to wait in line.”

“You’re always mad about something.”

“Joe is anxious about studying abroad next semester.”

“She seemed nervous about the test.”

anxious about, nervous about, stressed about, worried about
“Rachel is stressed about finding a job.”
excited about “I am excited about a new book that’s coming out soon.”
happy about “Aren’t you happy about the way things turned out?”
“She might be sad about her grades.”
sad about, depressed about
“Bobby was depressed about his parents’ divorce.”
sorry about “I’m sorry about yesterday.”
upset about “He’s probably upset about losing the soccer match.”

Adjective + for
For can be used with adjectives to demonstrate purpose or reason. For example:
“Texas is famous for rodeos.”
“Australia is known for its large kangaroo population.”
“Coach Brown is responsible for the football team.”

For may also be used to emphasize someone’s feelings toward a specific event, thing, or person. This combination follows the basic form feel/be + adjective +
for + someone/something. For example:
“Marianne feels bad for her coworker.”
“Kyle is happy for his brother.”
“The company felt hopeful for the future.”

Adjective + with
When used with an adjective, the preposition with can indicate the cause of an emotional state or a connection between things or people.
For example:

Adjective + with Example Sentences

“Nicole is angry with her mother.”

angry with, furious with
“I heard he’s furious with you!”
“I’m annoyed with this traffic.”
annoyed with, fed up with
“She’s fed up with having to clean toilets all day.”
bored with “It’s hard not to be bored with long lectures.”
“Taylor was content with moving to Chicago.”

content with, fine with, OK with “I’m fine with having to rewrite the introduction.”

“Are you sure you’re OK with this?”

“Molly seems disappointed with her performance.”
disappointed with, displeased with
“The boy’s parents are displeased with his behavior.”
pleased with “We are very pleased with the number of donations we received.”

With may also be employed in passive sentences to describe the states of people or things:
“Paris is especially crowded with tourists in the summertime.”
“The cake is filled with fresh blueberries.”
“The piñata is stuffed with hundreds of pieces of candy.”

Adjective + at/by
Most adjectives that take the preposition at can also take the preposition by. When combined with adjectives, these prepositions illustrate causes for specific
reactions or emotional responses. By can be used in place of at only because these sentences require passive voice. For example:
“The man was amazed at/by the number of people offering to help him.”
“She was astonished at/by the movie’s poor ratings.”
“I’m shocked at/by his behavior.”
“Flight attendants were surprised at/by the plane’s abrupt landing.”

At can also describe skills and abilities when paired with positive and negative adjectives, such as good/bad and wonderful/terrible. In this case, by cannot be
used in place of at, as the sentences are not passive. For example:
✔ “James is good at playing the guitar.” (correct)
✖ “James is good by playing the guitar.” (incorrect)
✔ “I’m terrible at golf.” (correct)
✖ “I’m terrible by golf.” (incorrect)
Adjective + in
Some adjectives can be paired with the preposition in to show connections or relationships between people and things. For example:

“Bernard is interested in joining the school band.”

“Is she involved in politics?”

Adjective + from
Adjectives taking the preposition from can emphasize a point of opposition or the result of an action. For example:
“Turquoise is different from blue.” (point of opposition)
 “We were protected from the storm.” (point of opposition)
“I became tired from studying all night.” (result of an action)

Adjectives with multiple prepositions

Many adjectives can be paired with multiple prepositions. While some prepositions may change the meaning of a sentence, others can behave interchangeably
(such as at and by). Here are some sentence pairs that use different prepositions but have identical meanings:
“She’s very sorry about the mistake.”
“She’s very sorry for the mistake.”

“Mark is disappointed with the decision.”

“Mark is disappointed in the decision.”

In some cases, however, the prepositions are not interchangeable and can only be used to describe specific nouns or gerunds. For example, when paired with
adjectives, with and for generally refer to people, whereas about usually refers to things, events, or gerunds:
“I’m so happy for them.” (people)
“I’m so happy about the wedding.” (thing/event)

“Dad is angry with Elizabeth.” (person)

“Dad is angry about Elizabeth’s sneaking out.” (gerund)

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1. CÁCH DÙNG “THERE IS” VÀ “THERE ARE” TRONG TIẾNG ANH Ở THỂ
KHẲNG ĐỊNH

Mặc dù cách sử dụng “There is” và “There are” trong tiếng Anh có sự khác biệt, nhưng công
thức chung vẫn là:

There + is/ are + N (danh từ)

Lúc này tùy thuộc vào danh từ phía sau mà chúng ta sẽ sử dụng “is” hay “are”. Cụ thể như sau:

 Với danh từ đếm được

Cấu trúc Ví dụ

– There is a bike in front of my house.

(Có một chiếc xe đạp ở trước cửa nhà tôi)

– There is an apple on the table.

(Có một quả táo ở trên bàn)

There is + a/ an/ one/ the + singular noun (danh từ
đếm được số ít)
– There is only one chair in the room.

(Có duy nhất một cái ghế ở trong phòng)

– There is a hospital near my school.

(Có một bệnh viện ở gần trường học của tôi)

– There are many people who go to the beach

There are + (number/ many/ a lot of/ lots of) + during the summer vacation.
plural nouns (danh từ số nhiều)
(Có nhiều người đi biển vào kỳ nghỉ hè)
 – There are 25 students in my class.

(Có 25 học sinh ở trong lớp của tôi)

 Với danh từ không đếm được

Cấu trúc Ví dụ

– There’s cold water in the bottle.

(Có nước lạnh ở trong chai)

There is + uncountable noun
– There is some milk in the fridge.

(Có một ít sữa ở trong tủ lạnh)

Tham khảo một số danh từ không đếm được khi dùng với There is
Bài viết tham khảo: Nắm vững cách dùng danh từ đếm được và không đếm được trong Tiếng
Anh (có bài tập áp dụng)

2. CÁCH DÙNG “THERE IS” VÀ “THERE ARE” TRONG TIẾNG ANH Ở THỂ PHỦ
ĐỊNH

Cách sử dụng cấu trúc “There is” và “There are” ở thể phủ định trong tiếng Anh thường theo
công thức sau:

There + is/ are + not + N (danh từ)

Như vậy để tạo câu phủ định, bạn chỉ cần thêm “not” vào sau động từ to be.

 Với danh từ đếm được

Cấu trúc Ví dụ
 – There is not a big tree in my
grandmother’s garden.

(Không có cái cây to ở trong vườn của bà

tôi)

– There is not any book on the shelf.

There is + not + a/ an/ any + singular noun (danh từ đếm
được số ít)
(Không có quyển sách nào ở trên giá)

– There is not an apple in the basket.

(Không có quả táo ở trong chiếc rỏ)

– There are not any children at the zoo.

(Chẳng có mấy đứa trẻ ở trong vườn thú)

There are not + (number/ many/ any/ …) + plural n
ouns (danh từ số nhiều)
– There are not three pencils in the box.

(Không có 3 cái bút chì ở trong hộp)

 Với danh từ không đếm được

Cấu trúc Ví dụ

– There’s not any fat in skim milk.

There is + not + any + uncountable noun (Không có chất béo trong sữa không béo)

– There isn’t any money in his wallet.

 (Không có lấy một đồng trong ví tiền của anh ấy)

3. CÁCH DÙNG “THERE IS” VÀ “THERE ARE” TRONG TIẾNG ANH Ở THỂ NGHI
VẤN

3.1. CÁCH DÙNG “THERE IS” VÀ “THERE ARE” Ở CÂU NGHI VẤN ĐẢO IS/ ARE

Ở thể nghi vấn, cách dùng “There is” và “There are” tuân thủ theo quy tắc:

Is/ Are + there + N (danh từ)?

 Với danh từ đếm được

Cấu trúc Ví dụ

Is there + a/ an + singular noun? – Is there a way to fix this computer?

Trả lời: (Có cách sửa máy vi tính này không?)

– Yes, there is. – Is there an eraser in your school bag?

– No, there is not. (Trong cặp bạn có cục tẩy không?)

Are there + any + plural nouns?

Trả lời: – Are there any eggs in your kitchen?

– Yes, there are. (Trong bếp nhà bạn có trứng không?)

– No, there are not.

 Với danh từ không đếm được

Cấu trúc Ví dụ
 – Is there anybody home?
Is there + any + uncountable noun?
(Có ai ở nhà không?)
Trả lời:

– Yes, there is.

– Is there any milk in the fridge?
– No, there is not.
(Trong tủ lạnh có sữa không?)

3.1. CÁCH DÙNG “THERE IS” VÀ “THERE ARE” Ở CÂU NGHI VẤN DÙNG TỪ ĐỂ
HỎI

Ở thể nghi vấn dùng từ để hỏi, cách dùng “There is” và “There are” tuân thủ theo quy tắc:

How much/ How many + N (danh từ) + is/ are + there ?

Việc sử dụng “How much” hay “How many” phụ thuộc vào danh từ phía sau là danh từ đếm
được hay danh từ không đếm được.

 Với danh từ đếm được

Cấu trúc Ví dụ

How many + – How many brothers and sisters are there in your family? (Trong gia đình bạn
plural nouns + có bao nhiêu người anh và chị?) -> There are two brothers and only one sister in
are there + …? my family. (Trong gia đình tớ có 2 anh trai và 1 chị gái)

Cách dùng there is/there are với danh từ đếm được

 Với danh từ không đếm được

 Cấu trúc Ví dụ

– How much video equipment is there?

How much + uncountable noun + is (Có bao nhiêu thiết bị video?)

there?
-> There is a lot of video equipment. (Có rất nhiều thiết bị
video)

Cách dùng there is/there are với danh từ không đếm được

4. CÁCH DÙNG “THERE IS” VÀ “THERE ARE” TRONG TIẾNG ANH Ở THỂ RÚT
GỌN

Trong tiếng Anh, “There is” và “There are” thường được sử dụng ở thể rút gọn để giúp câu nói
ngắn gọn hơn. Những câu ở thể rút gọn thường được dùng trong các trường hợp không cần sự
trang trọng. Quy tắc rút gọn như sau:

 Thể khẳng định:

o There is = There’s
o There are = There’re
 Thể phủ định:
o There is not = There isn’t

o There are not = There aren’t

5. CÁCH DÙNG ĐẶC BIỆT CỦA “THERE IS” VÀ “THERE ARE” TRONG TIẾNG
ANH

Cách dùng đặc biệt của “There is” và “There are” trong tiếng Anh
Có một số cách sử dụng “there is” và “there are” đặc biệt trong tiếng Anh bạn cần lưu ý sau đây:
5.1. SỬ DỤNG CẤU TRÚC “THERE IS” NẾU DANH TỪ TRONG CHUỖI LIỆT KÊ
BẮT ĐẦU LÀ DANH TỪ ĐẾM ĐƯỢC SỐ ÍT HOẶC DANH TỪ KHÔNG ĐẾM ĐƯỢC

Ví dụ:

 There is a dog and two cats on the floor.

(Có một chú chó và hai chú mèo ở trên sàn nhà)
 There is some orange juice, three apples and some cheese in the refrigerator.
(Có ít nước cam, 3 quả táo và pho mai ở trong tủ lạnh)

5.2. SỬ DỤNG CẤU TRÚC “THERE ARE” NẾU DANH TỪ TRONG CHUỖI LIỆT KÊ
BẮT ĐẦU LÀ DANH TỪ SỐ NHIỀU

Ví dụ:

 There are two cats and a dog on the floor.

(Có hai chú mèo và một chú chó ở trên sàn nhà)

5.3. CHỈ CÓ “THERE IS” MỚI CÓ THỂ KẾT HỢP CÙNG “SOMEONE”, “ANYONE”,
“NO ONE”, “SOMETHING”, “ANYTHING”, “NOTHING”

Ví dụ:

 There is someone on the phone for you.

(Có ai đó đang chờ máy bạn)
 There is something odd with this letter.
(Bức thư này có gì đó lạ lắm)
 Is there anything wrong with him?
(Có chuyện gì xảy ra với anh ta vậy?)

5.4. THERE IS + NOUN/ SOMETHING/ SOMEONE/… + MỆNH ĐỀ QUAN HỆ

Ví dụ:

 There is a film I want to see.

(Có một bộ phim mà tôi muốn xem)
  There is something I must say.
(Có một số điều mà tôi cần phải nói)

5.5. THERE IS + NOUN/ SOMETHING/ SOMEONE/… + TO V

Ví dụ:

 There is nothing to do here.

(Chẳng có gì để làm ở đây cả)

5.6. THERE IS NO POINT IN + VING (KHÔNG CÓ LÝ NÀO/ CHẲNG CÓ LÝ NÀO)

Ví dụ:


There is no point in locking the barn door now that the horse has been stolen.
(Chẳng có lý nào lại khóa cửa chuồng bây giờ khi mà con ngựa đã bị trộm mất)
Trong một số trường hợp giới từ “in” trong cấu trúc có thể lược bỏ nhưng nghĩa không thay đổi.

Ví dụ:

 There is no point wasting time worrying about things you can’t change.
(Không có lý nào lại tốn thời gian để lo lắng về những việc mà bạn không thể thay
đổi)