Difference between will and going to

Rules to form the plural of nouns

Do you remember how to form the plural of nouns? It's very easy but remember that there are some irregular nouns. Here you have the rules.

Quantifiers and determiners

	Countable nouns	Uncountable nouns
Affirmative	a/an + sing. nouns	some
	some + plural nouns
	a lot of / lots of + plural nouns	a lot of / lots of
Negative	a/an + sing. nouns	any
	any + plural nouns
	many / a lot of / lots of + plural nouns	much / a lot of / lots of
Interrogative	a/an + sing. nouns	any some (offers & requests)
	any + plural nouns some (offers & requests)
	many / a lot of / lots of + plural nouns	much / a lot of / lots of
	how many? + plural nouns	how much?

Differences between SOME and ANY

Do you have problems to know when you must use SOME or ANY? Watch this video. It'll help you.

How to use IN, AT, ON in English

Despite / in spite of / although

In spite of, despite and although are all used to show a contrast but there are differences in the structures used with them. Have a look at this link to know how to use them appropriately. An exercise is included so that you can practise.

Especially or specially?

Don't  you know when to use one or the other? Have a look at this entry of the Oxford Dictionary. It may fill in a few blanks.

How to form the comparative and superlative

Have a look at this entry of the Oxford Dictionary to know how to form the comparative and superlative of adjectives.

You will also find the entry of this blog very helpful.

Farther or further?

What is the correct form of the comparative of far? Find out what the Cambridge Dictionary says about it.

In the beginning/end versus at the beginning/end

Do you have problems to know when to say in the beginning or at the beginning? Have a look at this website. It may fill in a few blanks.

Purpose clauses

If you don't know when to use to, in order to, so as to, so that or for to form a purpose clause, have a look at this web page. It will fill a few blanks.
For further information and practice, visit these links.

Penny talking about her hobby, pottery

Listen to Penny talking about her hobby, pottery, and fill in the gaps.

1. I’ve _____________ it since I was quite little because my uncle and aunt are potters. 

2. I’ve only really become more serious about pottery since about 2008, when I ______________ to join an evening class. 

3. Last year, I ______________ my own potter’s wheel, so I can make pots at home now. 

4. When I _______________, I made some very strange, heavy little bowls. But little by little, I ______________ to make thinner bowls. 

5. My neighbour’s just ______________ me to make a set of mugs for her, and I _____________ quite a few to friends. 

6. Sometimes it became a bowl, sometimes a _____________, maybe a mug, and often I had to throw it away. 

7. Thankfully I have improved _______________ then. 

8. I ______________ to control the clay to make the shape I want. 

9. I have also started ________________ bigger things like jugs and serving bowls, and more difficult things like teapots. 

10. I __________________ any teapots yet, but my kitchen is getting very full _______________ I think I’ll need to start selling them soon!

Answers (select the following lines to see them): 1 done, 2 decided, 3 bought, 4 started / 've managed, 5 asked / 've sold, 6 plate, 7 since, 8 have learnt, 9 making, 10 haven't sold / so

Cleft sentences

A cleft sentence is a complex sentence (one having a main clause and a dependent clause) that has a meaning that could be expressed by a simple sentence. Clefts typically put a particular constituent into focus. This focusing is often accompanied by a special intonation.

Cleft sentences are used in English to emphasise a feeling or opinion. Two common forms of cleft structure are:

1 What + clause...

2 It is + noun phrase + that ...

Sentences introduced by a clause beginning with ‘What’ are used to emphasise a specific subject or object. The clause introduced by ‘What’ is employed as the subject of the sentence as is followed by the verb ‘to be’.

Examples:

What we need is a good long shower.

What he thinks isn’t necessarily true.

Sentences introduced by ‘It is’ or ‘It was’ are often used to emphasise a specific subject or object. The introductory clause is then followed by a relative pronoun.

Examples:

It was I who/that received the promotion.

It is the awful weather that drives him crazy.

Have a look at this presentation.

For further practice, try doing these exercises 1, 2, 3 online