English grammar, step by step
Five stages for people learning English as a second language, from your first sentences to polished, natural English. Each lesson explains the rule with pictures and examples, then lets you practise.
Stage 1 · Beginner
Start Speaking
Say simple, correct sentences about yourself and the world around you.
- 1Sentence order: Subject + Verb + Object (Hindi and Urdu put the verb last)English word order is fixed. Learn the basic patterns so every sentence you build is correct.Not started8 min
Also:Parts of speech
- 2Be and have: I am, she hasThe most important verb in English. Say who you are, where you are and what things are like.Not started8 min
- 3Present simple: I work, he worksTalk about what you do every day, what is always true, and timetables.Not started10 min
- 4Questions and negatives: do, does, didAsk questions correctly with be, do/does/did and question words like who, what, where.Not started9 min
- 5Singular and plural nouns, a / an / the basicsMake plurals correctly: one cat, two cats, one child, two children.Not started8 min
- 6This, that, there is, there areSay what exists and where it is: “There is a park near my house.”Not started7 min
- 7Pronouns and possessives: my, mine, hisI, me, my, mine, myself: pick the right form every time.Not started9 min
- 8Basic in / on / at for time and placeSmall words with big jobs: time, place, movement and the most common dependent prepositions.Not started11 min
Stage 2 · Elementary
Everyday English
Handle daily life: shopping, work, plans and short stories about your day.
- 1Present simple vs present continuousWhat is happening now, and what was happening then. -ing forms and when not to use them.Not started10 min
- 2Past simple, including 50 common irregular verbsTell stories and talk about yesterday, last year and your life: regular and irregular verbs.Not started11 min
- 3Future: will vs going toPlans, predictions, promises and instant decisions. Know when to use will and when to use going to.Not started10 min
- 4Can, could, should, must, have toAbility, permission, advice, obligation and possibility in one small group of verbs.Not started10 min
- 5Countable and uncountable nouns: much, many, a lot ofMuch, many, a lot of, few, little: choose the right word for things you can and can’t count.Not started9 min
- 6Comparatives and superlativesSay that something is bigger, more interesting or the best of all.Not started9 min
- 7Adverbs of frequency, adjectives vs adverbsgood or well? quick or quickly? Know which word to use and why.Not started8 min
- 8Linking words: and, but, because, so, whenJoin ideas smoothly: add, contrast, give reasons and show results.Not started8 min
Stage 3 · Intermediate
Talk About Your Life
Share experiences, opinions and plans, and keep a conversation going.
- 1Present perfect vs past simple. This is the biggest confusion for most learners.Experiences, news and unfinished time. Learn when to use have done instead of did.Not started12 min
- 2Past continuous, used toTalk about things you did regularly in the past and don’t do now.Not started7 min
- 3Conditionals: zero, first and secondReal possibilities and imaginary situations: If it rains… / If I were rich…Not started11 min
- 4Gerunds and infinitives: enjoy doing, want to doLesson being written
- 5Articles in depth: a / the / no articleWhen to use a, an, the, or nothing at all. The tiny words that cause the most mistakes.Not started9 min
- 6Prepositions in depth: good at, married to, depend onLesson being written
- 7Simple passive and reported speechPut the action first and the doer second: “The window was broken by a boy.”Not started10 min
- 8Relative clauses: who, which, thatJoin ideas into one smooth sentence and add extra information like a native writer.Not started12 min
Stage 4 · Upper-intermediate
Sound Natural
Speak and write the way fluent speakers do, with fewer mistakes and more ease.
- 1All tenses together in storiesLesson being written
- 2Third conditional, mixed conditionals, wishTalk about the unreal past, regrets and things you wish were different.Not started11 min
Also:Mixed conditionals
- 3Modals of guessing: must have, might haveLesson being written
- 4The 50 most useful phrasal verbsLesson being written
- 5Question tags and short replies: so do I, neither do IIt’s cold, isn’t it? You like tea, don’t you? Check information and keep conversation flowing.Not started7 min
- 6Polite and indirect language: Could you…, I was wondering if…Lesson being written
- 7Collocations and fixed phrases: make a decision, do homeworkLesson being written
Stage 5 · Advanced
Polish
Choose the right style for every situation and add emphasis with confidence.
- 1Emphasis and inversionNever have I seen… / Not only did she win… Flip the word order for dramatic, formal style.Not started12 min
- 2Participle clauses and reduced clausesLesson being written
- 3Formal vs informal EnglishLesson being written
- 4Idioms in contextLesson being written
- 5Writing emails and messagesLesson being written
Recommended books
Our lessons explain the rules. These books give you more explanation and far more practice. Look for the edition that matches your level.
Reference books (learn the rules)
Essential Grammar in Use
Raymond Murphy
Short explanation on the left page, exercises on the right. The easiest way into grammar.
A1A2
English Grammar in Use
Raymond Murphy
The best-known grammar book in the world: one clear topic per double page.
B1B2
Advanced Grammar in Use
Martin Hewings
Detailed explanations and exercises for advanced learners.
C1
Practical English Usage
Michael Swan
A dictionary of grammar problems. Look things up instead of reading it cover to cover.
C1
Practice and exercise books
Oxford Practice Grammar (Basic / Intermediate / Advanced)
John Eastwood and others · Oxford
Clear practice with a test after each section.
A1A2B1B2C1
Destination B1 / B2 / C1&C2
Malcolm Mann & Steve Taylore-Knowles · Macmillan
Lots of exercises with grammar and vocabulary in every unit. Great for exams.
B1B2C1
Cambridge Grammar for IELTS
Diana Hopkins & Pauline Cullen · Cambridge
Only if you also plan to take the IELTS exam: grammar taught through IELTS-style tasks.
B1B2C1
Fun ways to practise
Round-Up
Virginia Evans & Jenny Dooley · Pearson
Colourful, with pictures, games and puzzles.
A1A2B1
Grammar Games
Mario Rinvolucri · Cambridge
Games and activities for practising grammar with friends or in a group.
A1A2B1B2
Eats, Shoots & Leaves
Lynne Truss
A funny bestseller about punctuation. A pleasure to read alongside the C1 punctuation topic.
C1