Combining Different Tenses: Past Simple and Past Continuous
I was recently asked for some basic rules regarding how we can combine two different tenses in one sentence – for example which tenses can or cannot be used together. I’m not aware a comparison of the tenses being readily available in this way; my instinct is that...
Singular and Plural Verbs with “Either…or” and “Neither…nor”
Subject/verb agreement can be confusing when we use either…oror neither…nor couplets. As we’re presenting a noun phrase withmultiple objects, it seems natural to use a plural verb, but the verb may often be used in the singular. This depends on the nouns included; the...
ELB 10k – Book Giveaway
ELB recently passed 10,000 books sold, which is cause to celebrate. It’s incredible how far the books have reached, so, this week I’m running a flash giveaway, open from now until Feb 19th, of 15 EBOOKS – five of each of our currently available...
What does it mean to “be of help”?
The phrase “to be of help” is a construction roughly synonymous with “helpful”. “Of help” is particularly common in formal settings, and has a subtly different meaning and application to the adjective “helpful”. I briefly touched on such “noun of noun” constructions...Want to Master English?
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