Present Continuous Tense
The present continuous is a common but challenging verb tense in English. It is used to describe actions that are happening at the current moment. Read about the rules for using the present perfect tense and how we form it, with charts and over 25 example sentences!
The present continuous (also known as the present progressive) is a very common English verb form used to describe actions that are happening right now or during this period of time. About 5% of verbs in spoken English are in the present continuous tense.
Many English learners confuse it with the simple present tense. See this article about the difference between simple present and present continuous.
Read on to learn the rules and reasons for using and forming the present continuous, including lots of charts and examples!
Just to be clear, present continuous and present progressive are just different names for this same form. In some countries, one term is more common than the other, but continuous is more common overall.
USING THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE IN ENGLISH
The present continuous is used to show that an action is happening in the current moment or period of time. The action started before now, is happening right now, and will finish after now. See the illustration below.
Chart for Present Continuous Tense In English
It is important to recognize that this is very different from many other languages, in which the simple present is used to talk about actions happening right now. In English, the simple present is not used for actions that are happening now, but for actions that happen repeatedly. So we say:
I am reading right now.
We cannot say I read right now. And we say:
I read every night.
But we do not usually say I am reading every night.
More EXAMPLES OF THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE
Here’s a bunch of examples of the present continuous to help you get a better idea of how we use it.
I am studying English right now.
Are you talking to me?
He is working, but he can come visit after 5:00.
Wow. Look at all those people across the street! I think they are protesting.
We can also use the present continuous to describe actions that are generally in progress at a particular time:
Every Friday night at 7 she's sitting there watching her favorite TV show.
6:15 is no good. We are usually eating then.
We also use it to show that a situation is not permanent:
We're living in Brooklyn with a friend for a few months.
I lost my job at the bank so I'm working at Stop and Shop.
And also for situations that are newly changing or developing:
Cell phones are affecting every aspect of our lives.
Endangered species are going extinct at an alarming rate.
Present Continuous for Future Plans
There is one more use of the present continuous that is a little different. We said that generally we use this tense to talk about the current moment, but we also use the present continuous to talk about future plans:
We are going to San Francisco next week.
What are you guys doing this weekend?
Forming the Present Continuous
Formula
To form the present continuous, we use the present form of the helping verb be and then the continuous (-ing) form of the main verb.
subject + am/is/are + VERBing
Conjugation
This table shows the complete conjugation of the verb work in the present continuous.
| Singular | Plural | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person | I | am working. | we | are working. |
| 2nd person | you | are working. | you | are working. |
| 3rd person | he | is working. | they | are working. |
| she | is working. | |||
| it | is working. | |||
When adding -ing to C-V-C words, you should double the last consonant. When adding -ing to silent E words, drop the silent E.
Other Forms of the Present Continuous
Questions
To make questions in the present continuous, we already have the helping verb be, so all we have to do is move it to before the subject.
Are you wearing a tie?
Is she having a party?
Why is he crying?
What are they eating?
Negative Sentences
When forming a negative in the present continuous, not goes between the helping verb be (am, is or are) and the main verb.
I am not wearing a tie.
She’s not having a party.
The Passive Voice
To make a passive sentence in the present continuous, use be in the present continuous (am being, is being, or are being) and then the perfect form of the main verb.
A party is being planned.
The trash is being collected.
We are being attacked.
You are being lied to.
Signal Words
If you use the present continuous, it is generally clear that the time is right now, so it is not necessary to use any signal words. But for emphasis, we can say right now, currently, at the moment, as we speak, for the time being.
We can use the present continuous with always to talk about things that happen again and again, especially to show that we are annoyed by the repeated action:
He's always interrupting me whenever we try to have a serious conversation.
She's always showing up 10 minutes late. It's so inconsiderate.
To specify the time when the current action will end, use until.
I am working until 9:00.
If you want to specify when the current action began, using since, do not use the present continuous:
I am working since 5:00.
The present perfect continuous is better for situations like this.
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Present Perfect Tense in English
Present Perfect Tense
The present perfect is a common but confusing verb tense in English. It is used to connect the past to the present.. Read about the rules for using the present perfect tense and how we form it, with charts and tons of example sentences!
The present perfect is a very common—and sometimes very confusing—verb form. The present perfect is the fourth most common verb tense in English (the simple present is most common, followed by the simple past and simple future). About 6% of verbs in spoken English are in the present perfect tense.
The reason this verb tense so confusing is that it connects two times, the present and the past. Let's look a little more at how we use the present perfect.
USING THE PRESENT PERFECT TENSE IN ENGLISH
Actions described using the present perfect actually happened in the past. Read that carefully. The verb tense is called the present perfect, but the action is not in the present; it happened in the past. See the illustration below.
Chart for Present Perfect Tense In English
Why do we use a present tense verb form to talk about an action that happened in the past? Because we are not focusing on the action, but on the fact that we now have the experience of that action. For example, if I went to Paris 10 years ago, the action is finished, but I still have the experience now, so we can make this sentence:
I have visited Paris.
There are many words that signal that we should use the present perfect. When you use already, yet, never, and ever, you generally want to use the present perfect.
The examples below illustrate the rules for how we generally use the present perfect tense.
EXAMPLES OF THE PRESENT Perfect TENSE
Here’s an example to help understand.
My friend Claire says, “I just got this new book, and I started reading it last night. It’s strange. I don’t know if I like it.”
Then I say, “Oh! I have read that one. It starts off strange but it gets better.”
Notice that verb in the present perfect: I have read. I read the book in the past. But we are not talking about the past when I read the book. Claire is talking about reading the book now. I use the present perfect to connect my experience with what Claire is talking about. When I say “I have read that one,” I’m saying “I have that experience,” so I can talk about it with you, now, in the present.
To connect one’s experience with the current situation (later verbs are in the present tense):
I’ve been to Colombia. I could give you some tips.
This candidate has worked in finance for 10 years. I think she’s a good match for the job.
Present Perfect with For and Since
When used with for or since, the present perfect tense is a little different. When we use for and since, it describes situations that began in the past and are still true today. Since can be used to specify the time when the situation began.
I have lived in Boston since 2008.
I have studied English since I was a child.
I have had a headache since last night.
For is used to specify a length of time (also called duration).
I have lived in Boston for 10 years.
I have studied English for a long time.
I have had a headache for 12 hours.
Forming the Present perfect
Formula
To form the present perfect, we use the present form of the helping verb have and the perfect form of the main verb.
subject + has/have + perfect VERB
Conjugation
Here is a conjugation table, showing the verb work in the present perfect.
| Singular | Plural | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person | I | have worked. | we | have worked. |
| 2nd person | you | have worked. | you | have worked. |
| 3rd person | he | has worked. | they | have worked. |
| she | has worked. | |||
| it | has worked. | |||
Other Forms of the present perfect
Questions
In the present perfect, you will always use have (or has) as your helping verb. To form a question, put have before the subject of the sentence.
Have you visited Paris?
Has she been healthy?
How have you been?
What have you studied?
Negative Sentences
When forming a negative in the present perfect, not goes between the helping verb (have or has) and the main verb.
I have not visited Paris
I haven’t been bad.
The Passive Voice
To make a passive sentence in the present perfect, use be in the present perfect (has been, have been) and then the perfect form of the main verb.
My package has been delivered already!
You have been selected for a special offer.
Notes
Based on a study by Kramsky (1969), the present perfect accounts for about 6% of verbs in spoken English.
When using already and yet, verbs should generally be in the perfect form.
As you may know, English speakers can be a little lazy about the present perfect. In many casual situations, we just use the simple past instead, and ignore the pattern described above. You may choose to do the same. For example, if I just said to Claire, “Oh! I read that one.” it would have been okay, too. But this is only in conversation. In formal writing, using the simple past in place of the present perfect sounds inappropriate and sometimes even confusing. For example, when a journalist announces a new technology or invention in the news, it is typical to use the present perfect (because the important thing is that this technology now exists):
Google has developed a self-driving car.
Using the simple past in this case would be inappropriate.
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Contractions in English
Simple Future Tense
The simple future is a very common verb tense used to talk about plans and expectations in English. Read about the rules for using it, how we form it, and tons of example sentences!
The simple future is a very common and useful verb tense. It is the third most common verb form in English, after the simple present and simple past. Just under 10% of verbs in spoken English are in the simple future.
Using the Simple Future
Simple future verbs are used for actions that will happen at a specific time in the future, after the current moment. This includes plans, predictions, promises, willingness, and decisions.
There are two forms of the simple future tense: the first is formed using will and the second is formed using going to. The meaning of the two forms is generally the same, but it is more typical to use will in some situations and going to in other situations.
Chart for Simple Future Tense in English
The examples below illustrate the rules for how we usually use the simple future tense.
Examples
Examples of Simple Future with Will
Here are lots of example sentences showing different ways that we can use the simple future tense tense.
To make predictions and promises:
I will give you a ride to the station.
My staff will help you with that.
I'll answer the phone.
The news says it will rain tomorrow.
I think Real Madrid will win.
When we have just now made a decision to do something:
[the doorbell rings]
I’ll get it!
A: We’re going to the mall.
B: Oh! I’ll come, too!
In these situations above, the speaker makes a decision and announces it immediately.
Examples of Simple Future with Going To
To talk about plans:
I'm going to exercise this evening.
We're going to visit my sister.
For things we can see are just about to happen:
Nancy: The wind is going to blow those papers away
Tonya: Ah, I’ll take them inside.
Esperanza: What are you going to do this weekend?
Mathilda: I’m going to go hiking in Maine. What about you?
Esperanza: I’m just going to stay home.
Forming the Simple FUTURE
Formula with Will
The simple future with will is the same with any subject. Just use the helping verb will, followed by the base form of the main verb.
subject + will + VERB
Conjugation
The table below shows the complete conjugation of the verb work in the simple future with will.
| Singular | Plural | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person | I | will work. | we | will work. |
| 2nd person | you | will work. | you | will work. |
| 3rd person | he | will work. | they | will work. |
| she | will work. | |||
| it | will work. | |||
Formula with Going to
The simple future with going to is just a little more complicated. Conjugate the helping verb be based on the subject. After that, just use going to and the base form of the verb.
subject + am/is/are + going to + VERB
Conjugation
This table shows the complete conjugation of work with going to.
| Singular | Plural | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person | I | am going to work. | we | are going to work. |
| 2nd person | you | are going to work. | you | are going to work. |
| 3rd person | he | is going to work. | they | are going to work. |
| she | is going to work. | |||
| it | is going to work. | |||
Other Forms of the Simple Future
Negative Sentences
To make a negative sentence in the simple future, you do not need to add do, because will works as a helping verb. Add not after will or the be verb.
I will not help you
I am not going to drink tonight.
Questions
If you are forming a question in the simple future tense with will, put will before the subject of the sentence.
Will you help me?
When will the rain stop?
How will she pay all those bills?
To form a question in the simple future with going to, put the conjugated form of be before the subject.
Are you going to go out tonight?
Who is she going to work with?
What are we going to do?
Passive Voice
To form a passive sentence in the simple future, put the verb to be in the simple future (will be or is/are going to be) and then put the main verb in the perfect participle form:
A new parking garage will be built at this intersection.
Joan is going to be promoted!
You can find more explanation and examples in our guide to the English passive voice.
Notes
Generally, when we use the simple future tense, it is important that the speaker and listener know the specific time. For example, just saying I am going to the movies is unusual.
Many experts will say that English does not technically have a future tense. When they say this, they mean that we don't inflect verbs to talk about the future like many other languages do. Instead, we talk about the future using modal verbs (will/going to). For students learning English, it is easier to just think of the future as a tense.
Give, Take, Borrow, and Lend
Give, take, borrow, and lend are all extremely useful verbs in English, but the grammar can be confusing. This post teaches all four words with examples and illustrations!
Give, take, borrow, and lend are all extremely useful verbs in English. This post teaches all four words with examples and illustrations!
Give and Take
The meaning is simple. I have something, and I want you to have it so I put it in your hand. I give it to you. You take it from me.
But the grammar is a little more difficult. Look at the sentences in the picture:
In the first sentence, Juana is giving Jim some aspirin. The word give is tricky because can have two objects, a person and a thing. The objects here are Jim and some aspirin. The thing that you give, aspirin, is called the direct object. The person who you give it to, the one who receives the action, is called the indirect object, is Jim.
We can put the indirect object just after the verb or at the end of the sentence, using to. Look at the two sentences:
Juana is giving Jim some aspirin.
Juana is giving some aspirin to Jim.
Take is much simpler. It doesn't really have an indirect object, but you can use the preposition from to indicate the person who is giving, like this:
Jim is taking some aspirin from Juana.
Borrow and Lend
Let's start with borrow. Borrow is like take, but when you borrow something, you give it back later. I can borrow your pencil now, and give it back to you when I am finished. There are two common ways to use borrow. The first works just like take:
Carlo is taking a pen from Kate.
Carlo is borrowing a pen from Kate.
Notice the preposition from. A person borrows a thing from another person. Another way to use from is with the possessive form. The pen belongs to Kate. It is Kate's pen. So we can also simply say:
Carlo is borrowing Kate's pen.
Many people make mistakes with borrow. Many people say Please borrow me a pen. But we can not say borrow a person! The word here is lend. Similarly, lend is like give , but when you lend something, you take it back later. I can lend you my car now, and you can give it back to me tomorrow.
Carlo is giving Kate his pen.
Carlo is lending Kate his pen.
We can also move the indirect object (Kate) to the end of the sentence with both lend and give :
Carlo is giving his pen to Kate.
Carlo is lending his pen to Kate.
What you can say
In daily life, the useful sentences you may want to use are these:
May I borrow your __?
Could you lend me a __?
Can you borrow me a pen.
check out these other free grammar resources:
Contractions in English
One challenging aspect of learning English is that there are different registers: we have spoken English and written English, formal English and informal English. Some words are okay in every register, but others are only okay in speech. Some only sound right in writing.
Contractions are a big part of distinguishing between these different forms of English. If you ever go to an English-speaking university, you'll find that you can't use can't or don't or isn't in your academic writing. Let's take a look at what contractions are and how they can make your English more or less formal.
What are Contractions?
Contractions are words that combine two or more other words together into a new shortened version, usually using an apostrophe ('). Contractions are very common in spoken English. You have probably heard some of these common contractions: I'm, can't, aren't, don't, didn't.
The apostrophe is small, but important. In writing you must use the apostrophe. You do not pronounce it, but it is important in writing. Notice that the apostrophe represents some letters that are missing from the longer form of the word. For instance, the apostrophe in didn't is in place of the O in did not and the apostrophe in I'm is in the place of the A in I am.
Be careful, because not every word with an apostrophe is a contraction. Possessive nouns in English end with apostrophe -s, (Bob's house, Carla's mom) but these are not contractions.
Why Do We Have Contractions?
Contractions originate in speech. We are lazy when we speak English! When we are speaking quickly, we reduce certain sounds (make them shorter and quieter), and over time we elide them completely (we don't pronounce them at all). So over time, she will becomes she'll, I have becomes I've, going to becomes gonna.
When do we use contractions?
This question has a slightly complicated answer.
We frequently use contractions in spoken English, and you should try to use common contractions in your speech to make your English more fluent. We generally do not use any contractions in formal writing (academic papers, for examples).
In between casual speech and formal written English, there is a gray area: we have more formal spoken English, like presentations and business meetings. We have less formal writing, like emails and letters. In this case, you have more of a choice. Some people use contractions and some do not. In this gray area, we should also talk about different types of contractions!
Standard Contractions
Not all contractions are the same. Some are more standard and acceptable than others. Standard contractions include the following:
Great poem by Shel Silverstein about informal contractions
- there's
- wasn't
- we'd
- we'll
- we're
- we've
- weren't
- won't
- wouldn't
- you'd
- you'll
- you're
- he's
- how'd
- how's
- I'd
- I'm
- I've
- isn't
- let's
- she'd
- she'll
- she's
- shouldn't
- aren't
- can't
- couldn't
- didn't
- doesn't
- don't
- hadn't
- hasn't
- haven't
- he'd
- he'll
- he's
Some Standard English Contractions
You can use these in anything but formal writing. This means they are common in speech, creative writing, emails, text messages, notes, and letters. Try to pay attention when you are reading online. Are there contractions in what you are reading? If there are no contractions, you are probably reading a more formal style of writing.
Nonstandard Contractions
But there are other contractions that are nonstandard. These contractions have evolved more recently and haven't become as acceptable in written English yet. Nonstandard contractions should only be used in very informal situations (text messages with friends, for instance) or to be funny. Here are some examples:
gimme
gonna
gotta
hafta
I'd've
I'm'a
must've
there're
there've
those're
wanna
we'd've
what're
who'd've
why'd
This is not a complete list. People can often get creative and make their own contractions like these, so watch and see if you can identify new contractions!
Simple Past Tense
The simple past is a very common English verb tense used to talk about actions that happened at a specific time in the past. Read about the rules for using it, how we form it, and tons of example sentences!
The simple past (sometimes called the second verb form) is a very common verb form in English. Almost 20% of verbs in English are in this form. It is the second most common verb form, after the simple present.
Using the Simple Past
The simple past is used for actions that happened at a particular time in the past. They started and finished in the past. When you are telling a story about something that happened in the past, most main verbs will be in the simple past.
Chart for Simple Past Tense in English
The examples below illustrate the rules we generally follow when using this verb form
Examples
Here are some examples of regular verbs in the simple past:
Magellan landed in the Philippines in 1521.
Susan cooked us an amazing dinner last night!
I wanted a puppy when I was a child.
We needed lots of money to buy the new car.
England defeated Spain in the match last night.
Here are some examples of irregular verbs in the simple past:
Last night I saw a movie.
Back in June, I went to Paris.
I had a party last weekend. All my friends came.
We lost the match by three points.
I found my t-shirt under the bed.
Forming the Simple past Tense
Formula
Regular verbs take -ed to form the simple past tense.
subject + VERBed
In some cases, this requires doubling the last consonant in the word. Irregular verbs do not follow this pattern.
When you use this verb form, you almost always need to identify a specific time in the past when the action happened. Sometimes this tense is referred to as the second verb form.
Conjugation
The table below shows the complete conjugation of the verb work in the simple past:
| Singular | Plural | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person | I | worked. | we | worked. |
| 2nd person | you | worked. | you | worked. |
| 3rd person | he | worked. | they | worked. |
| she | worked. | |||
| it | works. | |||
Notes
Generally, when we use the past tense, it is important that the speaker and listener know the specific time. For example, just saying I went to the movies is unusual.
Other Forms
Negative Sentences
If the verb is a form of be, make a negative sentences in the simple past, by putting not after the verb.
That was not Rebecca.
She wasn’t at school on Tuesday.
We were not excited.
If the verb is not a form of be, put did not before the main verb to make a negative.
We did not feel hungry at dinnertime.
I didn’t go to school yesterday.
They did not want to come.
Questions
Exactly like the questions in the simple present, if the simple past verb is a form of be, move the verb to before the subject to form a question.
Was that girl Rebecca?
Was that pork?
Were they angry?
Where were you?
How was the pizza?
For other verbs, add did before the subject.
Did you like the movie?
Did Claire go home?
Where did you go?
What did you make for lunch?
Passive Voice
To form the passive voice in the simple past, use the verb be in the simple past (was or were) and then the perfect form of the main verb:
The factory was built in 1909.
A new island was discovered.
See our complete guide to the passive voice in English for more details and examples.
More free english resources
Simple Present Tense
The simple present is the most common and useful verb tense in English. It is used to talk about repeated actions and to describe people or states of being. Read about the rules for using the simple present tense, how we form it, and tons of example sentences!
One of the most important parts of English grammar is verb tenses, and the simple present tense (also known as present simple or present indefinite) is the most common verb tense in English. Over 50% of verbs in English are in this tense, so it's a really important tense to learn. It is used for several different situations.
Using the Simple Present Tense
The simple present can describe actions that happen regularly. This means things we do again and again, things we do every day, every week, every month. This can be routines and habits, and also things that are currently, always, or generally true.
Simple Present Verb Chart
This form is also used to describe feelings, emotions, and our senses. We can also use it for describing people and things in English.
It is important to note that we do not generally use this tense for actions that are happening right now. For this situation we use the present continuous tense. See this article about the difference between simple present and present continuous/progressive.
The examples below illustrate the rules for how we generally use the simple present.
Examples
Here are twelve example sentences showing different ways that we can use the simple present tense:
To state facts:
The earth moves around the sun.
Birds have wings.
Your mother's mother is your grandmother.
To describe habits and routines:
I wake up at 7:00.
I brush my teeth every day.
I take my vacation every August.
To describe people and things:
She has brown hair.
That car is red.
Sally is tall
To describe feelings and opinions:
She is angry.
We are cold.
I smell cookies.
Sarah loves movies.
Forming The Simple Present Tense
Formula
Regular verbs in English take the base form of the verb (the infinitive without to, sometimes called first verb form).
subject + VERB
The exception is the third person singular (he, she, and it), which add an -s.
subject + VERBs
If the word ends in -ch, -sh, -th, -ss, -o, or -z, you usually have to add -es.
Conjugation
The table below shows the verb to work conjugated in the simple present tense.
| Singular | Plural | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person | I | work. | we | work. |
| 2nd person | you | work. | you | work. |
| 3rd person | he | works. | they | work. |
| she | works. | |||
| it | works. | |||
If you don’t know the words I, he, she, it, we, you, and they, you can read more about pronouns.
Other Forms
Negative Sentences
If the main verb is a form of be, simply put not after the verb to make a negative sentence.
That is not pork.
I’m not Rebecca.
If the main verb is not a form of be, use the helping verb, do (or does), then not, then the base form of the verb.
He does not like cheese.
I do not have a lighter.
She doesn’t live near here.
Questions
Many simple present questions use the verb be. If the verb is a form of be, move the verb to before the subject to form a question:
Are you Rebecca?
Is this pork?
Where are you?
What is that?
If the main verb is not be, we need to use a helping verb to make questions. In the simple present, the helping verb is do (or does with he, she, or it).
Does he like cheese?
Do you have a lighter?
What do you think?
Where does she live?
Passive Voice
To make a passive sentence, use be in the simple present (is/are), and then the perfect form of the main verb.
Pineapples are grown in Hawaii.
Ice cream is made with milk.
The New York Times is read around the country.
Notes
Adverbs of frequency are often used with the simple present tense
check out these other free grammar resources:
The Most Common English Adjectives
If you want to quickly expand your English vocabulary, adjectives are a great place to start! Adjectives are a really important part of speech. An adjective is a word used to describe a noun.
It is a good idea to focus on the most common ones in the language. Below are lists of the 50 most common words in both American and British English.
| No. | Adjective |
|---|---|
| 1 | OTHER |
| 2 | NEW |
| 3 | GOOD |
| 4 | AMERICAN |
| 5 | GREAT |
| 6 | BIG |
| 7 | HIGH |
| 8 | OLD |
| 9 | DIFFERENT |
| 10 | NATIONAL |
| 11 | SMALL |
| 12 | LITTLE |
| 13 | BLACK |
| 14 | IMPORTANT |
| 15 | POLITICAL |
| 16 | SOCIAL |
| 17 | LONG |
| 18 | YOUNG |
| 19 | RIGHT |
| 20 | BEST |
| 21 | REAL |
| 22 | WHITE |
| 23 | PUBLIC |
| 24 | SURE |
| 25 | ONLY |
| 26 | LARGE |
| 27 | ABLE |
| 28 | HUMAN |
| 29 | LOCAL |
| 30 | EARLY |
| 31 | BAD |
| 32 | BETTER |
| 33 | ECONOMIC |
| 34 | FREE |
| 35 | POSSIBLE |
| 36 | WHOLE |
| 37 | MAJOR |
| 38 | MILITARY |
| 39 | FEDERAL |
| 40 | INTERNATIONAL |
| 41 | TRUE |
| 42 | FULL |
| 43 | HARD |
| 44 | SPECIAL |
| 45 | RECENT |
| 46 | RED |
| 47 | OPEN |
| 48 | PERSONAL |
| 49 | GENERAL |
| 50 | CLEAR |
| No. | Adjective |
|---|---|
| 1 | OTHER |
| 2 | NEW |
| 3 | GOOD |
| 4 | OLD |
| 5 | DIFFERENT |
| 6 | LOCAL |
| 7 | GREAT |
| 8 | SMALL |
| 9 | SOCIAL |
| 10 | IMPORTANT |
| 11 | NATIONAL |
| 12 | HIGH |
| 13 | BRITISH |
| 14 | POSSIBLE |
| 15 | LARGE |
| 16 | RIGHT |
| 17 | LONG |
| 18 | LITTLE |
| 19 | YOUNG |
| 20 | POLITICAL |
| 21 | ABLE |
| 22 | GENERAL |
| 23 | ONLY |
| 24 | PUBLIC |
| 25 | AVAILABLE |
| 26 | FULL |
| 27 | EARLY |
| 28 | BEST |
| 29 | BIG |
| 30 | MAIN |
| 31 | MAJOR |
| 32 | ECONOMIC |
| 33 | SURE |
| 34 | REAL |
| 35 | LIKELY |
| 36 | BLACK |
| 37 | PARTICULAR |
| 38 | INTERNATIONAL |
| 39 | SPECIAL |
| 40 | DIFFICULT |
| 41 | CERTAIN |
| 42 | CLEAR |
| 43 | WHOLE |
| 44 | FURTHER |
| 45 | WHITE |
| 46 | OPEN |
| 47 | EUROPEAN |
| 48 | FREE |
| 49 | CENTRAL |
| 50 | SIMILAR |
Most of the most common adjectives are the same in the US and the UK (78% of the top 50 and 92% of the top 25 words appear in both lists). Notice that American is the 4th most common adjective in American English and British is the 13th most common adjective in British English. We shouldn't read too much into these simple lists, but it is interesting to note that military, federal, and personal all appear in the American list. Do you notice any other patterns?
That's all for now! Start studying!
If you're looking for something similar, check out the most common verbs in English.
Sources: The primary sources for compiling this article were the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA) and the British National Corpus.
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Silent K Words
If you’re looking for explanations and examples of words with silent K, you’ve come to the right place. Charts, definitions, word lists, and the history of how silent K became silent.
Silent K Words
There are many letters that we see and write but do not pronounce. These silent letters are a challenge. But there are many patterns we can learn to make reading and pronunciation easier. Silent K is a common pattern.
If you see a word that starts with KN-, you only pronounce the N. So knight sounds exactly the same as night and knot is pronounced exactly the same as not. Notice that this is very similar to the pattern for silent G words.
Like many silent letters, the K was not always silent. In Old English, the word knight was once cniht and knot was once cnotta, and the K sound at the beginning used to be pronounced, up until about the 17th century. But because the K-N combination is difficult to pronounce, over hundreds of years we elided it until it disappeared completely. In many other Germanic languages, the K is still pronounced in related words.
Examples
Here's a word list with 15 examples of silent K words.
| Word | IPA | PoS | Definition |
|---|---|---|---|
| knock | /nɑk/ | v. | to hit sth with the knuckles |
| knight | /naɪt/ | n. | a soldier who wore armor |
| know | /noʊ/ | v. | to have in your mind |
| knot | /nɑt/ | n. | the part where rope is tied |
| knuckle | /ˈnʌkəl/ | n. | a joint in the fingers |
| knee | /ni/ | n. | the large joint in the leg |
| knit | /nɪt/ | v. | to make something from yarn |
| knife | /nʌɪf/ | n. | a tool with a blade for cutting |
| knob | /nɒb/ | n. | a ball-shaped handle |
| knack | /nak/ | n. | a natural skill |
| knickers | /ˈnɪkərz/ | n. | an old word for pants |
| knead | /niːd/ | v. | fold dough by hand |
| knapsack | /ˈnapsak/ | n. | a backpack |
| knickknack | /ˈnɪknak/ | v. | a small decorative object |
More free resources on silent letters
Dying to learn more English pronunciation? Take a look at our other blog posts about Silent N, Silent L, Silent B, Silent G and Deleted Syllables.
English for Halloween Costumes
Halloween Costume Trends
I recently came across this great infographic over at the W5 blog, called Spooktacular Halloween Costumes (notice that spooktacular is just a fun portmanteau of spooky and spectacular—more on portmanteaus in this blog post).
This seems like a great opportunity to talk about how we talk about costumes in English, which can be a little tricky. If you're talking to an American friend about an upcoming Halloween party, she might ask you:
What are you going as?
What am I going as? Going as?
It may sound like a strange question, but your friend is asking you what your costume will be, or what you will be pretending to be for halloween. Another way to say this is:
What are you dressing up as?
You could answer with:
- I'm going as a ghost.
- I'm going as a dog.
- I'm going as Wonder Woman.
- I'm going as Jon Snow from Game of Thrones.
Notice that if you are going as something generic (not a single, specific character), we use an indefinite article—a ghost, a cat, an elephant—but for specific characters, we don't need an article.
One more thing: if you're a character from a movie or TV show, it's common to add from [the movie]:
- I'm going as Jon Snow from Game of Thrones.
- She's going as the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland.
- He went as Wolverine from X-Men.
So, what are YOU going as for Halloween!?
Most Common English Verbs
30 Most Common English Verbs
Many students ask which words they should learn first. On strategy is to focus on the most commonly used words. Check out this list of the 30 most common verbs in the English language! The verbs are listed in their base form, present tense, past tense, and perfect forms.
Words that are more common will generally be more useful, so it's a good idea to learn more common verbs first! Get to know these verbs first to make the most of your new vocabulary as you learn English.
What patterns do you notice in the list of verbs?
There is a general rule in languages (sometimes called Zipf’s Law or The Principle of Least Effort) that predicts that more commonly used words will tend to be shorter. And, as you might expect from that, the first 20 most common verbs are all only one syllable.
You may also notice that 19 of the verbs on the list are irregular verbs.
Note that verbs that work only as auxiliaries and modals (such as can and will) have been removed from this list. Verbs that act as both auxiliaries and main verbs have been left in. Data for this table came from the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA).
List of 30 Most Common English Verbs Conjugated
If you like this, check out these other English grammar posts!
Collocates with Summer
Collocates with summer
It's summer in Boston! ☀️😎🏖
Let's take a look at some of the words that are most common after summer. Remember, a collocate is a word that is often used with another word. Focusing on collocation is a very good way to learn common English phrases and expressions.
Here are some of the most common words after summer that we hope you find useful as you learn English!
If this was helpful, check out these other English collocates!
This, That, These, Those - Demonstratives
What are This, That ,These, and Those?
This, that, these, and those are called demonstratives.
Demonstratives are grammar words that we use to show if an object or idea is close to or far from the person speaking. You can say that we use demonstratives to demonstrate where things are and how many there are.
This and that are both singular demonstratives. These and those are both plural.
This hat is Jayne's.
That scarf is Ennio's
These sneakers are Santiago'sThose gloves are Maya's
This and these are used for things that are here, close to the speaker. That and those are used for things that are there, far from the speaker. Close and far here can mean physical distance or psychological distance.
This pen here is Jayne's
These keys I'm holding are Ennio's
That stapler over there is Santiago'sThose books on the table are Maya's
There are two ways that we use the determiners this, that, these, and those. We can use them as pronouns or as determiners.
Demonstrative Determiners
Demonstrative determiners come before a noun, as part of the noun phrase. Because they come before a noun, demonstrative determiners are sometimes inaccurately called demonstrative adjectives.
this fish
that squid
these clams
those crabs
Demonstrative determiners give us information about the quantity and location of nouns. If we say this apple, we know there is one apple, and it's right here. If someone says those apples, it usually means many apples, and they are over there, not close to the speaker.
This and that are both singular, meaning they only talk about one thing. This is for a thing that is close to us, and that is for a thing that is far away. These and those are both plural, used to talk about many things. These is for things that are close to us, and those is for things that are far away.
This, that, these, and those are all demonstratives: they demonstrate where things are and how many there are. In the examples above, they all come before nouns, which makes them determiners. But these same four words can also be used without nouns, acting as pronouns. In that case they are called demonstrative pronouns.
Demonstrative Pronouns
Today, we will take a look at another, similar way to use this, that, these, and those. We can also use these words without a noun after them. For example, we can say, "This is a hammer." Here, this doesn't go before the subject of the sentence; it is the subject of the sentence. It works takes the place a noun and represents the thing, the hammer. Words that stand in place of a noun are called pronouns. So in these sentences, this, that, these, and those are called demonstrative pronouns. See the graphic below for some more examples.
One more time, if they come directly before a noun, this, that, these, and those are called demonstrative determiners. If they replace a noun, acting as a subject or object, they are called demonstrative pronouns.
Notice that the meanings are the same for demonstrative determiners and demonstrative pronouns. This and that are both singular. These and those are both plural. This and these are both for things that are close. That and those are both for things that are over there.
Other free grammar resources
This That These Those - Demonstrative Determiners
Demonstrative determiners are this, that, these, and those. They come before a noun to indicate quantity and location.
What on earth is a demonstrative determiner!? Don't worry, it's not nearly as scary as it sounds, and this Ginseng English post will explain it!! Demonstrative determiners (which are sometimes inaccurately called demonstrative adjectives) are just the words this, that, these , and those.
This and that are both singular, meaning they only talk about one thing. This is for a thing that is close to us, and that is for a thing that is far away. These and those are both plural, used to talk about many things. These is for things that are close to us, and those is for things that are far away.
This, that, these, and those are all demonstratives: they demonstrate where things are and how many there are. In the examples above, they all come before nouns, which makes them determiners. But these same four words can also be used without nouns, acting as pronouns. In that case they are called demonstrative pronouns.
If you like this, share the image below with #ginsenglish!
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Gerunds
Need to know what a gerund is? You've come to the right place!
gerunds in English
There are three common functions for -ing verbs:
participial adjectives
gerunds.
Let’s look at gerunds in a little more detail about gerunds.
We like to think a verb is a verb, and an adjective is an adjective, and a noun is a noun right? That would make sense. But by now you probably know that English doesn't always make sense!
Form vs. Function
Words can have both a form and a function. For a simple example, think about the word dog. A noun, right? But what about in the sentence Pablo bought some dog food? Here dog is describing the type of food. It works like an adjective. The form is a noun, but the function is an adjective.
So...What exactly is a gerund?
A gerund has the form of an -ing verb, but it functions is like a noun. That is, it does things that a noun usually does. What do nouns usually do? Often they work as subjects, direct objects, or objects of prepositions in sentences. And gerunds can do the same.
Take a look at these examples:
Rowing is hard work!
Clara loves sewing.
I'm thinking about going on vacation.
In the first sentence, rowing is the subject. In the second, sewing is the direct object of love. And in the third, going is the object of the preposition about . Notice that, even though the form of thinking looks like a gerund, it is not. It is a present progressive (or present continuous) verb.
So, one more time: a gerund is a verb ending in -ing that works like a noun, as a subject or object in a sentence.
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