Mastering English Grammar: Word Order, Tenses, and More

Posted on Mar 18, 2025 in English

Word Order

Examples of correct word order in questions:

Why did they do that?
How much will they pay you?
When are you leaving?
Are you happy in your new job?
Have you ever eaten snails?
What do you want?
Where did you get the computer from?
Is she a teacher?
Can you play the guitar?
Will you marry me?

Correct Word Order in Sentences

Examples of sentences with correct word order:

Do you enjoy studying English?
Does she prefer weekdays or weekends?
My sister and her boyfriend have just got married.
My best friend always wears beautiful clothes.
I still can’t find my watch.
I’ve lived here for about three years.
Everybody knows that exercise is good for the body and the mind.
How often do you have your computer mended?
She cleaned her flat before lunch.
Tom and Jemma had arranged to meet each other.

Question Tags

Examples of question tags:

Peter works in a shop, doesn’t he?
You are Italian, aren’t you?
They can speak German, can’t they?
It will be easy to do it, won’t it?
I am right, aren’t I?
We don’t go to the cinema once a week, do we?
She isn’t from Argentina, is she?
Your brother hasn’t got a scooter, has he?
You usually drive to work, don’t you?
They never come here, do they?

Frequency Adverbs

Examples of sentences using frequency adverbs:

I usually finish work at half past five.
They always stay in the same hotel.
She never works on Saturdays.
I am often at home in the evenings.
I will always remember you.

Correct Form of Verbs

Examples of sentences with the correct verb forms:

Even though Jane says she’s feeling better, I think she is still losing weight.
Frank collects stamps in his spare time. It’s his hobby.
How are you getting on with the book? At the moment, I am reading chapter four.
He has an important project to finish by next week, so he is working in the evenings at present.
A: I can’t read this. B: You are always complaining about my handwriting.
He doesn’t usually drive to work. He usually walks.
Do you see that man over there?
The water is boiling. Can you turn it off?

Present Simple or Present Continuous

Correct verb forms in the following paragraph:

I am writing to you from our holiday home, right next to the sea. I’m sitting in my cozy bedroom, which is at the back of the building, and I’m looking out across the waves to a little island. I love this breathtaking view, and in the evening I sometimes stay in to watch the sun go down. Every day I go for a long walk along the top of the cliffs. It’s late June now, so the weather’s getting hotter, but I always leave the house early in the morning while that cool wind from out at sea is blowing. I’m having a really good time here, and I don’t think I want to go home!

Past Simple or Past Continuous

Correct verb forms in the following sentences:

Sara fell asleep when she was doing her homework.
It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining and the birds were singing.
My parents chose this school because it was near our house.
Thanks a lot for inviting me to your party. I really enjoyed myself.
Some years ago I travelled to England with a friend.
I saw you in the park yesterday. You were sitting on the grass.
I was walking along the road when I saw him, so I stopped and we had a chat.
It was warm, so I took off my coat.
I started the job two years ago.
Last week I visited one of our other sites.
What were you doing at this time yesterday? I was asleep.
Did you go out last night? No, I was too tired.
How fast were you driving when the accident happened?
I saw you in town yesterday, but you didn’t see me. You were looking the other way.
Last night I dropped a plate when I was doing the washing up. Fortunately, it didn’t break.

Used To + a Suitable Verb

Examples of sentences using “used to”:

I don’t travel much now. I used to travel a lot, but I prefer to stay at home these days.
I used to live in a small village, but now I live in New York.
When you lived in London, did you use to go to the theatre very often?
David used to spend a lot of money on clothes. These days he can’t afford it.
She used to be a vegetarian, but now she eats meat sometimes.

Present Perfect or Past Simple

Examples of sentences using present perfect or past simple:

Did you see Alan last week?
Have you ever been to the United States?
Nobody lives in those houses. They have been empty for many years.
When did they get married?
How long have you known her?
We haven’t seen them since 1998.
It’s two months since he last had that watch.
He has had that watch since Christmas.
Life was very different a hundred years ago.
Where have you been recently?

Present Perfect or Present Perfect Continuous

Examples of sentences using present perfect or present perfect continuous:

Since they were young, the children have enjoyed travelling by plane.
I have never understood why we have to pay so much tax.
In recent years, Brazilian companies have been putting a lot of money into developing advanced technology.
It has been raining since I got up this morning.
Henry has been living in California for three years.

The Future Tense

Examples of sentences using future tenses:

I’ll have finished it before you get back.
This time tomorrow I’ll be flying to New York.
She will probably come to see you tonight.
Careful! That glass is going to fall!
We will start the meeting as soon as he arrives.
I’m having a party on Saturday. Would you like to come?
I’ve bought this picture for Karen. Do you think she will like it?
We’re late. The film will already have started by the time we get to the cinema.
Next year they will have been married for 25 years.
Get out of the building! It sounds like the generator is going to explode!
If you’re ready, I ’ll explain how the equipment operates.
The next meeting of the committee is on November 5th.
The plane will be travelling at twice the speed of sound when it passes overhead.
After the operation, you won’t be doing any sport for a while.

Modal Verbs

Examples of sentences using modal verbs:

I don’t think you should tell anyone yet.
That can’t be the hotel Jane told us about.
I’m afraid that nobody would help me in that kind of situation.
There are times when the traffic here can be really heavy.
I think you should go to Brighton for a week.

Active to Passive Voice

Rules for converting active to passive voice:

Move the object to the beginning of the sentence.
Replace the verb with the same tense of the verb be.
Add the past participle of the verb.
Add any words after the past participle.
If you need to, move the subject to the end of the sentence.
Connect it using the word by.