Learning English Subject-verb agreement 2:there is subject-verb agreement: there is / there are Tanya Savicheva from Russia writes: Which is correct? What we are interested in is wheat varieties OR What we are interested in are wheat varieties And wh...
Learning English Subjunctive forms 1 the subjunctive Olly Jezek from the Czech Republic writes: Please could you explain how to use the subjunctive? E.g.: Its important that the lesson be funny. When should we use be and why? Maria Goranova from the...
Ask about English Subjunctive A question from John in Ireland: Although I am a native English speaker from Ireland, I teach French and a common problem with the French language for my students is the subjunctive mode. I know it is also used (unknowin...
Learning English Past simple and present perfect Combining past simple and present perfect Umed from Iraq writes: In the news, I heard a reporter from BBC World talking about the casualties of a blast. Two have been killed and twenty were injured , h...
BBC Learning English Ask about English Progressive/Simple Aspect Gary from Germany writes: Hello I've got a question about the verb 'be'. If I want to describe an action, I can say for instance: The children are being very naughty But can't I say The...
BBC Learning English Ask about English Present for the past A question from Sabir Hasan in Saudi Arabia I have always been facing a confusion between past and present in some special cases. While going through the headlines of news papers, I usually...
BBC Learning English Ask about English The emphatic do A question from Hossein: Hello, your site is really helpful and I have used it since 2003. I have a question about using do with believe. Even I surprised when I saw do with read in the comments...
Learning English Time expressions:ever,already,yet Ever, yet and in with time expressions Margot from France writes: Which tenses do you use with ever ? Is it always the present perfect: Have you ever driven a car? or can it be present perfect + -ing...
Learning English Time expressions: Tenses Time expressions and tenses Severina Rocha from Brazil writes: Would you please help me to identity which time expressions go with which tenses, e.g. not long ago, a little while earlier, till midnight , and...
BBC Learning English Ask about English 'Used to' and 'Would' A question from Wojtek in Poland: I'm 30 years old. I've been studying English for four years and I haven't still known the difference between 'used to' and 'would'. I would be most gratefu...
