Learning English Bare infinitive Wolfgang Drescher from Germany writes: What is the difference between: President Bush has announced a plan to help prevent the spread of the AIDS virus. President Bush has announced a plan to help to prevent the sprea...
Ask about English The dog barking A question from Arun in India: Which is correct? I could hear the dog barking OR I could hear the dog's barking? Catherine Chapman answers: Hi Arun and thanks for your question. I could hear the dog's barking is gram...
Learning English Transitive and intransitive verbs Both Zbyszek from Poland and Iqbal Ahmad from Pakistan write that they find it difficult to differentiate between transitive and intransitive verbs : 'Please explain the difference and give us some e...
'Inverted subject verb word order in conditionals' Marcela asks: A very specific question, about grammar. Is there a rule about 'inverted subject verb word order in conditionals? Martin Parrott answers: Yes there is. It sounds terribly complicated -...
Learning English let or leave Salman from Pakistan writes: I am 22 years old and have been learning English for 6 months. I would like to know the difference between let and leave . Please explain with examples. I shall be very grateful to you . Roge...
Learning English 'Lie' or 'lay' on a bed Antonio Shonis in the USA asks: What's the easy way to remember the difference between lie and lay ? lie (+ phrase of place) / lay (+ object) Perhaps the easiest way to remember the difference, Antonio, is tha...
Learning English 'like' as verb and preposition Jose Luis Luque studying English in the UK writes: Could you please tell me the difference between like as a verb and as a preposition? Roger Woodham replies: like Like as a verb is used mainly to talk...
BBC Learning English Ask about English10th August 2010 Likely A question from Daniela in Italy: In English there are many verbs to express possibility or probability, such as may, might, and could. I am very uncertain how to use the form to be likely...
Learning English Dare and need - auxiliary verbs? Christina Lamelas from Spain writes: I have some doubts dealing with appropriate use of the auxiliary particles do/does/did with need and dare . Sometimes I find need and dare used with these auxiliar...
BBC Learning English Ask about English Non-standard English A question from Cynthia Lelos in Italy: I hear so many British saying I was sat waiting for an hour or I was stood in the rain. Isn't that grammatically wrong? Shouldn't it be: I was sitting...
