Verbs

Verbs

Read clear grammar explanations and example sentences to help you understand how verbs are used. Then, put your grammar knowledge into practice by doing the exercises.  

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Submitted by Nagie23 on Wed, 18/09/2024 - 09:45

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Hello,

I would like to ask if the following phrase is correct.

Thank you in advance 

Phrase:

Regarding your question about the difference among British, English, Scottish etc,the general idea is that

Hello Nagie23,

It kind of depends on what you mean by 'British', 'English' and 'Scottish'. If you're referring to people, then you need to say either 'the English' or 'English people' (and the same with the other nationalities). We also don't typically say 'etc.' to refer to people.

So if I've understood what you mean, you could say for example 'Regarding your question about the differences between the British, the English and the Scottish, the general idea is that ...'

Best wishes,
Kirk
LearnEnglish team

Submitted by melani_95 on Tue, 03/09/2024 - 19:47

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Hello, why in some sentences I see the following structure

This tool is useful to reading the books 

Instead of

"To read the book"

Hello melani_95,

That sentence is not correct so either you've misread it or the writer's English is not as good as they think!

After 'for' you need to have an object, which can be a noun or an -ing form:

This tool is useful for reading books.

 

Perhaps you saw 'used' rather than 'useful'. Then you could say these:

This tool is used for reading books.

This tool is used to read books.

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Submitted by User_1 on Wed, 08/05/2024 - 09:27

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Hello,

I have a doubt about "to go" and "to come".
When I mean to reach someone from one place to another (near places)

"he comes to somebody"
or 
"he goes to somebody"

What is the correct sentence?

Thanks for help.

Hello User_1,

The choice of come or go depends on where the speaker is. Generally come means 'to here' and go means 'to there':

Paul came home at 10.00. [the speaker is at (Paul's) home]

Paul went home at 10.00. [the speaker is somewhere else]

Please come to the office. [I am waiting at the office for you]

Please go to the office. [I am not at the office]

 

So in your examples the choice of verb depends on the location of the speaker.

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Submitted by urbonait_e on Mon, 25/03/2024 - 18:15

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Hi, can someone explain why in this example is used word ''is'' but not ''was'' as I understand it's a 2nd conditional.

Example If someone is forced, to purchase one of these more costly alternatives, it would leave people feeling exacerbated.

Hi urbonait_e,

This is called a mixed conditional (it has the condition clause of a first conditional, and the main clause of a second conditional). 

Although English learning materials (including our website) usually present first and second conditionals separately, in real life speakers sometimes mix them, like your example. This mixing may be considered incorrect from a strict grammatical point of view, but it is nevertheless common. 

Regarding the meaning, the first/second mix makes it somewhat unclear whether the speaker means that this situation is relatively realistic or likely to happen (as with a first conditional), or unrealistic or unlikely to happen (as with a second conditional).

I hope that helps.

Jonathan

LearnEnglish team

Profile picture for user benleng

Submitted by benleng on Fri, 05/01/2024 - 11:48

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Is this correct English: I hear you are travelling to Spain soon.

Hi,

1} That incident has been a turning point in my life

2]  That incident was a turning  point in my life.

Could you please explain what is the difference between these two sentences ?

Hello p_t_balagopal,

The difference between the present perfect and past simple is explained in some detail on our Talking about the past page (which by the way would be a good place to ask a question like this).

1 is a bit unnatural. The word 'that' implies some distance between the incident and the rest of your life, whereas the use of the present perfect suggests proximity. This discrepancy is what makes the sentence unnatural.

2 is much more natural because 'that' and the past simple go well together. Even though these two forms suggest that the incident happened some time ago, the fact that it was a turning point means it's still present in your life in some way.

Hope this helps.

Best wishes,
Kirk
LearnEnglish team

Submitted by Nagie23 on Tue, 19/12/2023 - 12:16

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Hello,
Is the following sentence correct?
If I must take a few ,I would say everything that my mother used to give to me as Christmas presents
Thanks in advance

Hello Nagie23,

Grammatically the sentence has no errors but I don't understand what 'take a few' refers to. Perhaps the context would clarify it, but it's not clear from the sentence.

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Hi Nagie23,

If you mean to change the colour of your hair, the verb is dye: I dye my hair (black, blonde ...).

Hope that helps.

Jonathan

LearnEnglish team

Submitted by Nagie23 on Tue, 19/12/2023 - 12:11

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Hello,
I would like to ask which of the following is correct
Resting helps to renew our batteries or
Rest helps to renew our batteries
Thank you in advance

Hello again Nagie23,

Both are fine, but I think the best verb is not 'renew' but 'recharge'.

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Submitted by Nagie23 on Tue, 19/12/2023 - 12:06

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Hello,
I would like to ask which of the following are correct
1.Feel yourself at home or make yourself at home?
2.Shall I bring you or shall I bring to you?
3 It smells like daisy.

Thanks in advance

Hello Nagie23,

1. You can say 'feel at home' or 'make yourself at home'.

2. You can say 'Shall I bring you the book' or 'Shall I bring the book to you'.

3. This is fine.

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Submitted by Hashemmoradi on Wed, 06/12/2023 - 07:21

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Hello,
I would like to ask if the following sentence is correct
What president is Bosh the father in succession?

Submitted by Nagie23 on Sun, 26/11/2023 - 03:06

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Hello,
I would like to ask if the following is correct
I am taking flute lessons (I am the student).
I am a beginner
Thank you in advance

Hello Nagie23,

Yes, those sentences are fine. Well done!

By the way, in English a flute player is called a flautist.

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Submitted by Nagie23 on Mon, 13/11/2023 - 13:03

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Hello,
I would like to ask if the following is correct:In specifically the part :To work at your firm and provide.Is it to work and provide or to work and providing?

-I would love to work at your firm and provide my services as a math teacher.
Thank you in advance

Hello Nagie23,

Yes, that is correct, i.e. 'provide' is correct and 'providing' is not. 

If you're applying for a job, best of luck!

Best wishes,
Kirk
LearnEnglish team

Submitted by Nagie23 on Mon, 13/11/2023 - 10:17

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Hello,
I would like to ask if the following is correct:
She wants to know if the bus she took will stop at Oxford Street
Thank you in advance

Hi Nagie23,

Yes, it's fine!

In this situation, presumably she is on the bus at the moment of saying this sentence (since "will stop" refers to something that has not yet happened). So, I might say something like She wants to know if the bus she's on will stop at Oxford Street instead. Saying "took" (past simple) may give the idea that the bus journey is already over, which is not the case here.

Jonathan

LearnEnglish team

Submitted by Nagie23 on Mon, 30/10/2023 - 06:50

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Hello,I would like to ask if the following sentence is correct.
-In specifically the part: Instead of signing page by page
I would prefer to read all pages and then sign instead of signing page by page until the last page of contract.
Thank you in advance

Submitted by Nagie23 on Fri, 27/10/2023 - 09:04

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Hello, I would like to ask if the following are correct
1.How was your week?
2.How has your week been?
Is there any difference?
Thank you in advance

Hi Nagie23,

Yes, they are both correct, and there is a difference. Sentence 1 uses the past simple, so the week is over and finished. Perhaps today is Saturday and the speaker is referring to the person's week at work from Monday to Friday, for example. Sentence 2 uses the present simple, so the week extends into the present and is not yet finished. Perhaps today is Wednesday the the working week is not yet finished, for example. The speaker could add "so far" to emphasise this meaning.

I hope that helps.

Jonathan

Submitted by Nagie23 on Tue, 24/10/2023 - 12:22

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Hello,
I would like to ask the following. Is it correct to say? Does it make sense?(For example if we start with an adjective in a sentence it is better to continue with an adjective)
Is it correct the following?
-Please try to use the same part of speech in a sentence
Thank you in advance

Hello Nagie23,

Both of these sentences are correct and sound natural to me.

We usually put a comma after the phrase 'for example', and I would also recommend putting a comma before 'it is better to ...', but these are punctuation issues.

Well done!

Best wishes,
Kirk
LearnEnglish team

Submitted by Nagie23 on Tue, 24/10/2023 - 12:17

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Hello,
I would like to ask if the following are correct and what is the difference
I love having time to myself
I love having time for myself
Thank you in advance

Hello Nagie23,

Both of these are correct. To my mind, there is a subtle difference, though in many cases these could mean the same thing. 1 means one loves to be alone and 2 focuses more on having time to pursue what you want (which doesn't necessarily mean being alone).

All the best,
Kirk
LearnEnglish team

Submitted by Xiaotii_ on Tue, 24/10/2023 - 09:05

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hello, I would like to ask
can I use "she might be working right now" for present when I'm not really sure what is she doing?

Submitted by Hosseinpour on Wed, 11/10/2023 - 17:51

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Dear team hello,
Passengers must fasten their seat-belts.
We use "must" in formal situation. Is it possible to see this sentence with "have to" on the plane?
If I say to my son: you must eat your food. You have to eat your food.
Any differences in meaning?
Thank you

Hello Hosseinpour,

When giving instructions, 'must' generally has more rhetorical power than 'have to'. This is the reason it tends to be used in things like moral dictates (religious laws/rules, for example), legal regulations and warning notices.

In your first example I think 'must' is really the natural choice. While 'have to' is not grammatically or semantically incorrect, it would not sound natural in this context.

In your second example I think both forms are possible, but I think 'have to' is more likely because of the less formal familial context.

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Submitted by Nagie23 on Sun, 08/10/2023 - 16:45

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Hello,
I would like to ask about the following
1.I have many things to take care OR
2.I have many things to take care of?
(I would like to say,that I have a very busy schedule concerning family,health,job etc)
Thank you in advance

Submitted by Nagie23 on Thu, 07/09/2023 - 10:39

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Hello,I would like to ask when we use the following
1.When you are speaking English and
2.When you speak English
Thank you in advance

Hi Nagie23,

They are similar but the first one gives a stronger sense of an ongoing activity, something like When you are in the middle of speaking English ... .

Jonathan

LearnEnglish team

Submitted by lenatian on Tue, 05/09/2023 - 03:44

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Hello,

I have a question regarding finite and non-finite verbs. I am having trouble identifying whether verbs are the latter or former when placed in sentences. I hope you can help me out with this!

1. Example of a finite verb (source: Collins Dictionary)
- Coming home last night, I SAW a deer run across the road.

2. Example of a non-finite verb (source: Collins Dictionary)
- Our guests DEPARTED, we felt a little depressed.

The 2nd example from the dictionary has caused me to feel confused. I am unsure why the dictionary labels DEPARTED as a non-finite verb in the sentence since DEPARTED has a subject (GUESTS) and also has a tense (PAST)? I do not see how DEPARTED and SAW from the 1st example is any different as SAW has a subject (I) and a tense (PAST).

Through conducting my own research online, I figured that the answer to this may have to do with regular and irregular verbs. SAW is an irregular verb unlike DEPARTED which is a regular verb and so the verb conjugated in this form is the past participle which is non-finite. Still, I do not understand the reasoning behind why DEPARTED in the sentence in the 2nd example is non-finite according to the dictionary!

I feel stuck which is why I decided to write a comment! Thank you for taking the time to read my question.

Lena

Hi Lena,

Thanks for your question and I'll try to help. You are right that "departed" is a past participle here, and that is why it is non-finite. It's similar in structure to these examples:

  • Our guests gone (away), we felt a little depressed.
  • The food all eaten, we went for a walk.

In example 2, "departed" as a past participle functions as an adjective and it has the meaning of "gone away" (see the Collins Dictionary page for "departed") or "having already left here". This usage of "departed" is uncommon and somewhat old-fashioned in style.

I can see why "departed" looks like a finite verb in that example. However, if "Our guests" is the subject and "departed" is a finite verb, then together they make an independent clause, and to make the sentence grammatical a conjunction would need to be added between the two clauses. It's not grammatical without the conjunction. 

  • Our guests departed, and we felt a little depressed.

Does that make sense?

Jonathan

LearnEnglish team

Submitted by Nagie23 on Thu, 24/08/2023 - 12:13

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Hello,
I would like to ask if the following is correct
-I would like to ask if you are interested in continuing the math lessons in October
(After summer break)
Thank you in advance