Grammar for English Language Students and Teachers

This part of elteaching.com contains grammar theory and exercises. Students of English can practise different grammar aspects by clicking on the links to specific activities.

Teachers with a password can download the original Hot Potatoes files and adapt them or use them directly in their Moodle websites or other environments.

Grammar theory and exercises for elementary level - A1

The verb to be

This is a very important verb in the English Language. Practise using this verb here.

Apart from interactive activities, you may also like to have a self-study book. Here are some recommendations.

Grammar theory and exercises for pre-intermediate level - A2

Questions with "like".

The word "like" means different things in English and sometimes it is easy to make mistakes when using it. These questions are similar, but their meaning is different:

What do you like?

What are you like?

What would you like?

"What do you like?" is a general question about the things you love. The answer could be "I like photography" or "I like swimming".

"What are you like?" is a question that we use to find out about a person's character, mainly. A possible answer could be "I'm shy and quiet".

"What would you like?" is a question about your preferences. We use it frequently when we order food and drink. A possible answer could be "I would like some toast".

Do this exercise and let's see if you understand the difference!

Subject and object questions

Question structure in English is usually Question word + auxiliary verb + subject + verb, but sometimes it varies. Why does this happen? Click here to study subject and object questions and do some exercises.

Grammar theory and exercises for Intermediate level - B1

Conditional sentences.

Conditional sentences express a hypotheses. There are several types of conditional sentences in English. Usually, first conditional sentences contain two clauses, the "if-clause" and the result clause.

First conditional

In the first conditional, when the "if clause" is true, the result is also true. For example, "If you pass the exam, I will give you a present". The verb in the if-clause is in the present simple and the verb in the result clause is usually a future with "will". The order of the clauses is variable, the conditional sentence can begin with the "if clause" or with the result clause. When the "if-clause" comes before the result clause, they are separated by a comma.

The second conditional expresses an imaginary situation which probably won't happen in the near future.The verb in the "if clause" is in the past simple or past continuous and the verb in the result clause is would + infinitive.

First and second conditional exercise.