Latest Articles from ELB
Comparing the past simple and past perfect
In my textbook, The English Tenses (see the timeline comparing all the tenses here), each tense is presented with its full uses and examples, and is then compared to the most likely alternative. In English, we can often use more than one tense for the same meaning, so...
Word Order in English Sentences: Grammar Guide
"If you are a non-native speaker intending to write in English, YOU NEED THIS BOOK!" - Amelie Chaloux , Amazon review Word Order in English Sentences teaches effective sentence structure in English. It explains how and why English word types fit into...
At, in and on: prepositions of time and place
At, In and On are commonly confused because they are used in similar situations – mostly to demonstrate time and place. These notes will help you to identify the different uses of these prepositions, and to use them correctly. Describing Time At, in and on are used...
For, since and ago for times – comparison and exercise
For, since and ago are all prepositions that can be used for time. When talking about time, they each cover specific times, usually to demonstrate the duration of an action or event. This article explains the difference between them, and when they can and can't be...
The many cases of pronouns: subject, object, possessive and reflexive
Pronouns are used in place of a noun we already know, so we do not have to repeat names. They should make English simpler, for example saying “Bob walked home. He ate dinner.” instead of “Bob walked home. Bob ate dinner.” But pronouns can become complicated when used...
Adjective word order: sentence placement and lists
Adjectives describe nouns, and are usually placed either before a noun (as part of the noun phrase) or after a noun, pronoun or verb. Their place in a sentence, and in noun phrases, is explained briefly in the ELB Word Order in English Guide, where the general rules...
Why we say “make a change to it” but “change it”
Using make with a noun creates a more complex sentence than cases where it is possible to use the noun as a verb. For example: I want you to make a change to this picture. I want you change this picture. In these sentences, change is used as a noun and a verb. When...
On Display vs In a Display: preposition use
We can say a painting is on display in the museum or in a display at the museum. The difference is that on display describes the general action, that the painting is being displayed, while in a display says it is part of an event. This uses a fundamental difference...
English pronunciation: disappearing sounds
In English, fluent pronunciation often leads to many sounds disappearing, especially in unstressed syllables, or when two words are linked. The following are a few basic rules for understanding the way sounds disappear in spoken English, and are a good starting point...