Latest Articles from ELB
Unusual adjective positions that don’t stick to the rules
The general rules for adjective word order (the basics of which are covered in the ELB guide to Word Order in English) are usually understood as most adjectives coming before the noun they describe, with a few exceptions that follow linking verbs, such as to be (when...
Noun complements and adding additional information after nouns
Basic word structure in English shows that a noun either be followed by a verb (when the noun is the subject) or a prepositional phrase or a time (when the noun is an object). However, nouns can be joined by additional information as part of a single grammatical unit....
How to use Bridging Words Effectively (however, therefore, thus etc.)
One of the most common problems I edit in more advanced writing, particularly non-fiction such as reports, essays and general academic texts, is over-use of bridging words. Everyone suffers from this at some point; even when I edit my own writing I tend to cut out a...
Word order for compound nouns
Nouns can be combined with many different words to form compound nouns, the core noun is modified as though with an adjective. Compound nouns are treated like a single unit, so the entire group of words take the position of a regular noun, and any modifiers come...
Ready, willing and able – different uses of “to be willing to do”
When we talk about future plans in English, the construction “to be willing to do” can be used with a few different adjectives (in place of willing), such as ready, prepared and able. In some contexts these can be used interchangeably with almost no difference in...
Different types of conjunctions: definitions, uses and examples
In English, conjunctions are the words that connect words, phrases or clauses. They join different parts of speeches together, creating relationships between parts of a sentence or different ideas and objects. To demonstrate different relationships, there are...
Pronouncing -ed endings – exercises
Following on from the rules and patterns laid out in my previous post about how to pronounce –ed endings in English, here are a few exercises to test understanding of when it is appropriate to add a -t, -d or –id sound (with an extra syllable) to different words...
Using “to do” + “bare infinitive” to emphasise affirmatives
I received an interesting email from a visitor asking about the form of “to do” + infinitive, in this case in a past simple sentence. It was a complex sentence, which someone hides what is a rather simple, and useful, grammar construction – that we use a construction...
Reading comprehension – Joe Orton
Joe Orton was a famous English playwright who met a very unfortunate early death. His plays are still being performed today, though, and may still be considered controversial. His writing caused outrage and amusement, in dark comedies often covering scandalous topics....