The good news? Conditionals are worth the effort. They let you talk about dreams, plans, and possibilities. And if you’re preparing for the IELTS, they’re one of the “complex structures” examiners look for when they score your Writing and Speaking.

In this guide, we’ll break down each type of conditional with simple formulas and examples. Then we’ll show you how to use them to raise your IELTS band score.

What Are Conditionals?

Conditionals are sentences that describe the result of a condition: if one thing happens, another thing happens. Conditional sentences are often called “if clauses” because most of them begin with the word “if.”

Here are a few examples:

• General truth: If I eat breakfast, I feel good all day.
• Future event: If I have a test tomorrow, I will study tonight.
• Hypothetical situation: If I had a million dollars, I would buy a boat!
• Hypothetical outcome: If I had prepared for the interview, I would have gotten the job.

Note that “if” does not have to be the first word of the sentence. The if-clause can also come second: “I will study tonight if I have a test tomorrow.” In some cases, “when” can replace “if” (more on that below).

What Can You Use Conditionals For?

Conditionals allow you to go far beyond the limitations of the standard English verb tenses. Some people call this the “conditional tense,” but it is more accurately described as the conditional mood. This mood lets you discuss a wide range of ideas, including:

• Hypothetical situations (unreal or imagined events)
• Events that are likely to happen in the future
• Events that are unlikely to happen in the future
• General truths or habits
• Impossible scenarios

The Four Types of Conditionals

There are four basic types of conditional sentences in English: zero, first, second, and third. Here’s a quick summary before we look at each one in detail:

It’s also possible to combine types within one sentence. These sentences are called “mixed conditionals,” and we’ll cover them after the four basic types.

1. The Zero Conditional

The zero conditional expresses a universal truth, or a situation where one action always follows another.

if (or when) + present simple | present simple

• If the temperature reaches zero degrees Celsius, water freezes.
• If you mix red and yellow, you get orange.
• When I drink coffee at night, I sleep badly.

As you might have noticed, the order of the clauses is not fixed. However, if you move “if” or “when” to the middle of the sentence, you must remove the comma. This rule applies to all four types.

• If you mix red and yellow, you get orange. (comma)
• You get orange if you mix red and yellow. (no comma)

Two more notes on the zero conditional:

• The zero conditional is the only type in which “when” can freely replace “if” without changing the meaning.
• You can use the same pattern in the past to describe past habits: When I did my homework, my teacher was happy.

2. The First Conditional

The first conditional expresses a future scenario that might really occur. If the condition is fulfilled, the outcome is likely to happen.

if + present simple | will (may/might/can/could/should) + infinitive

• If I get paid today, I will go shopping. (“Will” implies near certainty about the shopping trip if the condition is fulfilled.)
• We could go to Paris if we save enough money. (“Could” indicates that the result is possible.)
• If she knows the truth, she might not be happy. (“Might” implies a degree of uncertainty.)
• They can do it if they try. (“Can” indicates that the result is possible.)
• If I see the man, I may say something to him. (“May” implies a degree of uncertainty.)
• He should get a dog if he is lonely. (“Should” indicates that the speaker is giving an opinion.)

How is this different from the zero conditional? The zero conditional describes general truths. The first conditional describes specific situations that are likely to really happen.

Though “will” is the most common choice in the first conditional, you can also use “may,” “might,” “can,” “could,” or “should.” As the examples above show, each of these modal verbs changes the meaning of the sentence slightly.

3. The Second Conditional

The second conditional refers to either future events that are unlikely to happen or present situations that are untrue or impossible.

if + past simple | would (might/could) + infinitive

• If I were rich, I would travel the world.
• If she were to try harder, she might get better grades.
• They might be able to see it if they were more observant.
• If I met the President, I would be too nervous to speak.
• If he played sports, he might be in better shape.
• He could get the promotion if he knew the right people.

Notice the phrase “If I were rich” (not “was”). In formal English, “were” is used for all subjects in the second conditional: if I were, if she were, if they were. This form is called the past subjunctive, and it’s the safer choice in IELTS Writing.

The second conditional resembles the first conditional in meaning, but their structures are distinct. The first conditional describes future events that are likely to happen. The second conditional describes events that are unlikely, imagined, or impossible right now.

4. The Third Conditional

The third conditional expresses an unreal situation in the past, together with the hypothetical past outcome.

if + past perfect | would (could/might) have + past participle

• If I had known how you were going to react, I would have kept my mouth shut.
• If you had seen the movie, we could have talked about the ending.
• We might have crossed paths if I had left the house on time.

Both the second and third conditionals can refer to impossible events. The difference is time. The second conditional refers to impossibilities in the present (“If I were you…”). The third conditional refers to impossibilities in the past. The situations in the third conditional cannot be changed, because they already happened (or failed to happen).

Mixed Conditionals

Real life doesn’t always fit neatly into four boxes. Mixed conditionals combine a condition from one time period with a result from another. There are two common patterns:

1. Past condition → present result (third conditional if-clause + second conditional result)

• If I had studied medicine, I would be a doctor now.
• If we had left earlier, we wouldn’t be stuck in traffic.

2. Present condition → past result (second conditional if-clause + third conditional result)

• If I were braver, I would have asked the question.
• If he didn’t trust you, he would not have lent you the car.

Native speakers mix conditionals all the time in conversation. In the video below, our lead instructor explains how mixed conditionals work in real life:

Conditionals and Your IELTS Band Score

If you’re preparing for the IELTS, conditionals are not just a grammar exercise. They directly affect your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy is one of the four criteria examiners use to score your Writing and Speaking, and it counts for 25% of each. The official band descriptors draw a clear line: a Band 6 response uses “a mix of simple and complex sentence forms,” while a Band 7 response uses “a variety of complex structures” with frequent error-free sentences. Conditionals are one of the clearest examples of a complex structure, and this applies to both Academic and General Training. (IELTS is moving fully to computer-based testing in 2026, but the scoring criteria are staying exactly the same.)

Here’s where they fit naturally on test day:

• Speaking Part 3: The examiner asks abstract and hypothetical questions, such as “How would cities change if cars were banned?” A correct second conditional is exactly what this question invites.
• Writing Task 2: Many IELTS Writing Task 2 questions ask you to evaluate solutions or imagine outcomes. Sentences like “If governments invested more in public transport, traffic congestion would decrease” show the examiner real grammatical range.
• Speaking Part 2: When you describe a past experience, a third conditional adds depth: “If I had practiced more, the performance would have gone better.”

Range only helps if the grammar is accurate, though. One correct conditional helps your score more than three broken ones. Aim for control first, variety second. If you want to know what band you actually need, check our guide to what counts as a good IELTS score.

Pro tip: Don’t force conditionals into every answer. Examiners reward natural, flexible grammar. One well-placed conditional in Speaking Part 3 sounds far better than a memorized phrase repeated in every response.

If you’d like an expert to check your conditionals in a real essay or speaking response, Magoosh IELTS prep includes Writing and Speaking assessments with professional feedback, so you can find and fix grammar errors before test day.

Common Conditional Mistakes

These are the errors we see most often from students. Check your own writing against this list:

1. Using “will” in the if-clause. ✗ If I will see him, I will tell him. ✓ If I see him, I will tell him. The if-clause stays in the present simple, even though the meaning is future.
2. Using “would” in the if-clause. ✗ If you would have told me, I would have helped. ✓ If you had told me, I would have helped. “Would” belongs in the result clause, not the if-clause.
3. Writing “would of” instead of “would have.” ✗ I would of passed. ✓ I would have passed. “Would of” comes from the sound of the contraction “would’ve,” but it is always incorrect in writing.
4. Comma errors. Use a comma when the if-clause comes first. Drop the comma when the if-clause comes second.
5. Mixing tenses by accident. If I had a car, I would have driven you is a real mixed conditional only if you mean a present condition with a past result. If you mean a single time period, keep both halves in the same conditional type.

How to Practice Conditionals

Reading the rules is the easy part. Here’s how to make conditionals automatic:

1. Write two of your own examples for each type. Use real details from your life. Personal sentences are easier to remember than textbook ones.
2. Answer hypothetical questions out loud. Ask yourself questions like “What would I do if I had a free year?” and answer in full sentences. This mirrors Speaking Part 3.
3. Build conditionals into your essay practice. When you write a practice Task 2 essay, include at least one conditional sentence in your argument.
4. Check your accuracy. Record yourself or reread your writing, and compare your sentences against the formulas above.

Pro tip: Try a free IELTS practice test to see how hypothetical questions actually appear on the exam, then practice answering them with the conditional types from this guide.

Conclusion

Conditionals look intimidating, but the system behind them is logical: each type matches a time period and a level of reality. Learn the four formulas, watch out for the common mistakes, and practice with your own examples.

For IELTS students, the payoff is concrete: conditionals are exactly the kind of complex structure that separates a Band 6 from a Band 7 in Writing and Speaking. Start with one type, use it until it feels natural, and build from there. And if you want structured lessons and expert feedback along the way, Magoosh IELTS prep is here to help.

Learning idioms in English is a necessary and important step toward becoming fluent. Native speakers use idioms, sayings, expressions, and proverbs all the time in their English vocabulary. Without knowing their true meaning, a non-native speaker might feel left in the dark. Thankfully, some easier idioms have context clues that point to their underlying message.

In order to better understand idioms and their importance in your IELTS vocabulary journey, let’s take a look at 30 common idioms that you are likely to encounter in English. This list will be divided into easy, intermediate, and difficult idioms. Additionally, we will provide sample sentences so that you can start using these phrases in your own conversations!

What exactly are idioms in English?

Idioms in English are phrases with an established meaning that differs from the literal meaning of the words. Much like metaphors, idioms use terms and imagery that are seemingly unrelated to their intended meaning. However, metaphors differ somewhat from English idioms; idioms are phrases that are commonly known and used by English speakers, which is not necessarily the case with metaphors.

To get a better idea of what English idioms are like, check out this video with some examples of idioms used at work.

10 Easy English Idioms with Example Sentences

These idioms are easy because it is possible to extract their meaning without a definition. Additionally, these phrases use relatively simple vocabulary that is easy to remember. So, here are 10 easy English idioms, their meanings, and example sentences:

10 Intermediate English Idioms with Example Sentences

These English idioms are a little more difficult because they use more complex vocabulary. In some cases, you may not be able to figure out what they mean without further explanation or context. So, here are 10 intermediate English idioms, their meanings, and example sentences:

10 Advanced Idioms in English with Example Sentences

These idioms are difficult because they provide little or no context related to their meaning. Without a definition, it would almost be impossible to figure out what they mean. So, here are 10 difficult English idioms, their meanings, and example sentences:

There you have it! These are 30 English idioms to help you advance your speaking vocabulary for IELTS and beyond.

English intonation is fundamentally linked with stressed and unstressed syllables.

Learning to speak English is important, but not everyone has the time to take classes or schedule in-person lessons with a private tutor. As technology advances, people are turning to their mobile devices to get the news and information they need. With applications for your smartphone, tablet, or personal computer, you have a world of knowledge right at your fingertips. So why not use an English speaking app to improve your English?

There are dozens of English speaking apps available for PC, iOS, and Android devices, but they all vary in price, quality, and versatility. Some students want an app that caters to beginners, while others want an app that allows them to practice speaking English at an advanced level. So, to help you find the right app for you, here is our list of the 10 best English speaking apps for non-native speakers:

Free English Speaking Apps

1. Speaking English Practice

“Speaking English Practice” uses virtual conversation tools, and is designed to prepare non-native speakers for real-world interactions. The English speaking practice exercises here are focused on conversation. You can practice casual conversations spanning a wide range of topics, from business English to daily life. Additionally, the app allows you to track your progress with voice recordings and preset difficulty levels.

Cost: Free (with in-app purchases)

Platform: iOS, Android

Key Features: Short English conversation lessons, quizzes to test your knowledge, voice recording tool to track your progress

2. English Listening & Speaking

In order to speak English fluently, you also need to know how to listen. The “English Listening & Speaking” application uses thousands of lessons to improve listening comprehension, pronunciation, and vocabulary. This English speaking app also features 6 different difficulty levels, making it a great fit for almost any English student.

Cost: Free (with in-app purchases)

Platform: iOS, Android

Key Features: Thousands of audio files, online and offline functionality, lessons on grammar, vocabulary, and common phrases

3. HelloTalk

“HelloTalk” is one of the most popular language exchange apps on the market. With text, voice, and video options, you can easily converse with native English speakers all over the world. HelloTalk also uses built-in software to help you translate and pronounce English words with greater accuracy.

Cost: Free (with in-app purchases)

Platform: iOS, Android

Key Features: Live interactions with native English speakers, text to voice software, one-on-one and group chats

4. Apps4Speaking English

If you’re not ready to practice speaking English with a live person, “Apps4Speaking English” offers the next best thing: animated characters! Since you’re not speaking with real people, you can practice at your own pace, day or night. Apps4Speaking English puts particular emphasis on basic grammar structures, which gradually increase in complexity over time.

Cost: Free (with in-app purchases)

Platform: Android

Key Features: Speech recognition and feedback, 3 difficulty levels and 36 dialogues, lessons to improve grammar

Paid English Speaking Apps

5. iTalki

“iTalki” offers a more traditional learning atmosphere than most English speaking apps. With iTalki, students are paired with qualified, native English teachers for organized English lessons via video chat. Students can choose to start, stop, or continue taking classes at their own discretion, and iTalki’s service does not require any long-term membership fees. Instead, you only pay for the classes you want to take. It is important to note that you can find language exchange partners on iTalki free of charge, but you’ll still need to pay if you want to have structured lessons with a native English teacher.

Cost: ~$10-$15 per hour (varies by tutor)

Platform: Web, iOS, Android

Key Features: One-on-one live lessons with a tutor, on-demand speaking practice, pay-as-you-go sessions (no membership fees)

6. ELSA

With over 3 million active users worldwide, ELSA is one of the best and most popular applications for practicing English. Using artificial intelligence technology, ELSA provides swift feedback to your speech inputs, allowing you to make corrections as you speak. ELSA has more than 1,200 fun lessons, most of which focus on improving pronunciation and grammar.

Cost: $3.99 per month or $29.99 per year

Platform: iOS, Android

Key Features: Daily audio from native speakers, speech recognition and feedback, in-app dictionary

7. SpeakingPal

“SpeakingPal” makes speaking English fun and easy for students. No matter what level you’re at, SpeakingPal has lessons to help you advance. The video lessons are specifically designed to help you practice listening comprehension and pronunciation. Additionally, SpeakingPal administers regular quizzes to track your progress and motivate you to keep studying.

Cost: $24.99 per year

Platform: Web, iOS, Android

Key Features: Practice speaking with a video character, speech recognition and feedback, over 1,000 dialogs

8. English with Andy

“English with Andy” is a chatbot application that allows you to practice casual English conversation at your leisure. Lessons are designed to teach you about different grammar structures, pronunciation rules, and English idioms. However, English with Andy is not all about studying. This English speaking app also features dozens of games that help you learn and have fun at the same time!

Cost: $6.99 per month, $19.99 per year, or $29.99 lifetime subscription

Platform: iOS, Android

Key Features: On-demand chatbot interactions, daily grammar lessons, dozens of conversation topics

9. Learn American English with Mondly

“Learn American English with Mondly” is not exclusively for speaking English. Instead, it takes a holistic approach to English. This English speaking app includes lessons on grammar, vocabulary, reading, writing, pronunciation, and much more. In addition, Mondly features speech recognition technology to ensure that your pronunciation and intonation align with the speech of native English speakers.

Cost: $9.99 per month or $47.99 per year

Platform: Web, iOS, Android

Key Features: Audio files with professional voice actors, speech recognition and feedback, lessons on casual conversations and American idioms

10. Nativox

“Nativox” is different from most English speaking apps because it allows you to purchase individual packages based on your specific needs and goals. Whether you want to practice speaking English for the IELTS or improve your business English vocabulary, Nativox has a lesson package for you. Additionally, Nativox puts emphasis on intonation accuracy, so that you can sound like a native English speaker in no time!

Cost: $2.99 per lesson package

Platform: Web

Key Features: Intonation practice and feedback, in-app translations, video lessons on dozens of useful topics

Those are the top English speaking apps we recommend. Comment below if you have any other favorite apps to use for English learning!

Adult English students typically have very different needs, interests, and experiences compared to younger learners. As a result, adults usually want to talk about very different topics. So if you’re practicing your English speaking skills for the IELTS, you’re probably in need of some conversation topics to practice with. Watch this video to get an idea of where to start, then keep reading to get our conversation topics for adults learning English!

Engaging English Conversation Topics for Adults Learning English

For each of the following topics, we will include an overview, as well as a few questions to get you started:

Staying Healthy

As we get older, we must all face the reality of our aging bodies. When you were young, you probably weren’t very concerned about diet, exercise, cholesterol, or annual check-ups. However, changing health is now a daily reality. As a result, this is a topic that most adults will find relevant.

Here are a few good questions for your next discussion on health:

• What do you do to stay healthy?
• Have your health habits changed since you were younger? If so, how?
• What kind of remedies do you use for common ailments?
• Have you ever gone on a diet?

Parenting

Even if you don’t have children (and don’t plan to have any in the future), you probably have an opinion about parenting. Parenting styles can vary greatly between different families, and this is a great opportunity to discuss issues related to having and raising children.

Any of the following questions will help get you started:

• Do you have any children? If so, how many? If not, do you want to have children in the future?
• Did your parents keep track of your every move or did they prefer to give you more freedom as a child?
• In your opinion, what did your parent(s) do best? What could they have done better?
• Do you think there is a “right” way to raise children?

Change

Change is a natural part of life. While some people embrace change, other people fear it. Though this is a very general topic, it can be applied to many different aspects of adult life, from relationships to education.

Here are a few sample questions on change:

• How has fashion changed over the course of your life?
• Can people change over time, or do you think our personalities and behavior are pretty much set in stone?
• What social changes would you like to see in your country?
• If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?

Cultural Differences

When you meet someone from a different country, cultural differences are almost bound to come up. This is because many people enjoy talking about the unique aspects of their home country. While you should always be careful and show respect for other cultures, you shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions and learn more about different places.

Here are some useful conversation starters:

• Have you traveled outside of your home country?
• What role does family play in your home country?
• Do you celebrate any unique holidays in your culture?
• What aspects of your culture do you like? What aspects do you dislike?

Work

Whether you’ve only been in the workforce for a short time or you’re nearing retirement, you’ve probably got a few interesting stories to tell. For better or worse, work takes up the vast majority of your adult life. As part of this topic, you can delve into related topics like getting promotions, career aspirations, and work culture.

The following questions are just the tip of the iceberg:

• What was your first job?
• Do you prefer to work alone or as part of a team?
• Do you enjoy your work?
• Have you ever had a mentor at work? If so, what did you learn from them?

Budgeting

Even if you have a very high-income job, you probably need to budget your money to one degree or another. With bills, taxes, and day-to-day expenses, budgeting is a necessary consequence of being an adult. While it’s considered impolite to ask personal questions about income, this doesn’t mean you can’t discuss certain habits or behaviors related to money.

Here are some good ways to talk about budgeting:

• Do you like to splurge on things or do you prefer to stay frugal?
• Do you make a list of items you need to buy before you leave the house?
• Have you ever experienced “buyer’s remorse”?
• Is there a high-quality product or service that you don’t mind paying a little extra for?

Sports

Sports like soccer, baseball, and basketball are some of the most popular hobbies and pastimes in the world. However, not every adult is a huge sports fanatic. Nonetheless, most people have had some experience playing or watching sports, even if they are not passionate about the subject.

So, here are a few questions to help you talk about sports in English:

• Do you have a favorite sport? Favorite team? Favorite player?
• Did you ever play sports as a child? If so, which ones?
• What is the most popular sport in your home country?
• Do you prefer to watch sports or play sports?

Technology

Ever-changing technology is an aspect of the modern world that affects everyone. From AI replacing human workers to medical inventions saving millions of lives, the possibilities with technology are practically limitless. This also makes technology a fun and interesting topic of conversation for adult English students.

Here are a few sample questions on technology:

• Is technology an important part of your daily life?
• Which technological inventions or breakthroughs have had the biggest impact on your life?
• Do you think people spend too much time on their smartphones?
• Do you think robots will ever become “too” advanced?

Stress

While stress is not fun to experience, it can be a very interesting topic of conversation. Discussing stress is also a great way to address issues that cause it, so your conversation can be highly therapeutic. Stress is something that every adult experiences, which also makes it a great topic for your next English conversation.

Here are a few stress-related questions:

• What are some common causes of stress for people?
• Do you feel more stressed as an adult than you did as a child?
• How do you personally deal with stress?
• Do you think there are any benefits of stress?

Crime and Punishment

Crime is something that almost everyone has an opinion about. Your views on crime and punishment are likely influenced by where you were born, your upbringing, and your political views, among other things.

Crime can also be a great segue into related issues like class differences and the role of government in society. Be prepared though, as you might encounter some strong opinions on these topics!

Here are a few relevant questions:

• Do you think that there is such a thing as a “victimless” crime?
• Have you ever witnessed a crime? If so, what happened?
• Do you believe in capital punishment?
• Do you think punishments for crime in your country are too severe or not severe enough?

We hope you found these conversation topics for adults learning English useful. Now you have plenty to talk about in your next English conversation!

If you don’t remember all of the grammar rules from your English class, you’re not alone. Everybody needs their memory refreshed from time to time. This is especially true when it comes to English grammar and the parts of speech. And prepositional phrases are one of the most important aspects of English grammar. To help you with these phrases, we will be discussing the object of a preposition.

So, what exactly is the object of a preposition? How is it used in a sentence? What are some examples? And how is it related to a prepositional phrase? We will answer all of these questions and more, but first, let’s take a closer look at the term “object of a preposition.”

What is the Object of a Preposition?

Object

In order to properly define this term and provide an answer to the question above, we will need to break it down into separate parts.

In English grammar, the object is the thing that is acted upon by the subject. For example, let’s look at the following sentence:

The dog jumped over the fence.

In this example, “dog” is the subject, and “fence” is the object that is acted upon. Generally, the object comes after the subject in a sentence, though this is not always the case. Here is an example in which the object comes before the subject:

The cat was chased by the dog.

In this example, “dog” is the subject, because it is the acting agent. Alternatively, “cat” is the object of the sentence, because it is the thing being acted upon by the subject. The cat (object) is being chased by the dog (subject).

Preposition

A preposition is a word that expresses the relation between two things within a sentence. Many of the most common prepositions in English describe the physical relation between two things; where they are in relation to each other. Some common prepositions include on, in, after, with, under, to, and from. Here are some examples of prepositions in sentences:

The dog is in the house.

The cat is on the roof.

The man is behind the tree.

The woman is near the car.

In each of these examples, the preposition describes a spatial relation between two nouns. However, prepositions can also describe temporal relations between nouns:

The man has been sleeping since five o’clock.

The woman will go home after work.

The boy doesn’t talk during class.

The girl likes to play before dinner.

Prepositions don’t only express the relation between two nouns; they can also express the relation between a verb or adjective and a noun. Here are a few examples:

The girl is going to school.

The man is coming home from work.

The boy is afraid of ghosts.

The woman is worried about her friend.

Prepositional Phrase

Before we define the object of a preposition, we must also discuss prepositional phrases. In most cases, a prepositional phrase is a group of words that includes a preposition but lacks a subject or a verb (though there are some exceptions that contain a subject and verb). A prepositional phrase usually includes a preposition and a noun or pronoun. We can use some of the examples above to illustrate how prepositional phrases look in a sentence:

The girl likes to play before dinner.

The cat is on the roof.

The man is coming home from work.

The woman is worried about her friend.

They worked until after the sun went down.

Defining the Object of a Preposition

Now that we have an understanding of objects, prepositions, and prepositional phrases, we can define the object of a preposition. Much as an object completes the meaning of a sentence, the object of a preposition completes the meaning of a preposition. The object of a preposition is necessary because prepositions are inherently relational, and therefore require objects (though not necessarily subjects) to make sense.

In short, the object of a preposition is a noun, noun phrase, clause, or pronoun that follows a preposition and gives it meaning.

The Object of a Preposition Examples

Before, we looked at a number of example sentences that show objects, prepositions, and prepositional phrases. Now, let’s look at a few examples that show how the object of a preposition functions in sentences:

(The prepositional phrases are in bold, while every object of the preposition is in bold and underlined.)

Her friend should be there by now.

The two men are in a hurry.

The cat goes to sleep at night.

The dog walks to school with the girl.

It is important to note that, while the object of a sentence does not always need to follow the subject, the object of a preposition must always follow the preposition. That said, a prepositional phrase does not need to come at the end of a sentence. It can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence, regardless of where the subject appears. To illustrate this point, let’s look at a few more examples:

The man was not late for work. In fact, he arrived early.

The woman went on the record during her testimony.

Dogs are friendly by nature, but some dogs can be aggressive.

On January 1st, the new year will begin.

English Preposition Cheatsheet (Video)

After reading so much about prepositions, do you feel a bit overwhelmed?  Here’s a great visual aid from our lead instructor that will help you use prepositions followed by places and times with ease.

Learning English grammar can feel scary, especially if it is not your first language. ​Whether you’re learning English as a second language or simply want a refresher course on the basics, you will need to understand and learn English grammar.

Thankfully, learning English grammar doesn’t need to feel like a chore, and it’s actually much simpler than most people realize. That’s why we’ve devised this useful grammar guide on how to learn English grammar in 5 easy steps!

Learning English Grammar

The great thing about learning English grammar is that you don’t have to start with the most complex rules (in fact, you shouldn’t). After all, you’ll need to learn to walk before you can run!

So, let’s look at some basic grammar rules to get you started on your language-learning journey:

Step 1: Learn the Parts of Speech

The parts of speech are the different categories of English words. Every English word fits into a category, and the parts of speech help English speakers understand how each word can be used.

There are 8 basic parts of speech that you will need to know:

• Noun – A noun is a person, place, thing, group, idea, concept, etc….. (Ex: dog, man, Japan, house, anger, democracy)
• Pronoun – A pronoun is a word that can be used in place of a noun, to refer to it (Ex: I, you, he, she, it, we, they).
• Verb – A verb is a word used to describe an action (run, jump, eat), or a state of being (is, appears, thinks), etc….
• Adjective – An adjective is a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun. (Ex: strong, fast, intelligent, nice)
• Adverb – An adverb is a word that describes or modifies a verb or adjective. (Ex: slowly, exceptionally, sadly)
• Preposition – A preposition is a word that expresses the relation between two things in a sentence. (Ex: behind the door, at noon, with the man)
• Conjunction – A conjunction is a word used to connect two related parts of a sentence. These parts can be clauses (I want to play baseball, but it is raining), or smaller parts of speech such as adjectives, adverbs, nouns, verbs, etc… (fancy and expensive, silently but powerfully, kicking and screaming).
• Interjection – An interjection is a word or phrase that expresses meaning without the need for a complete sentence. (Ex: wow, oh, ouch)

Step 2: Learn New Vocabulary

Once you understand the eight basic parts of speech, you can begin to expand your vocabulary. This is one of the most important steps toward learning English grammar. Before you break out your English dictionary, you will need to understand the parts of speech.

Below, you will find examples of some common words in the English language, divided into their respective parts of speech:

Nouns

Nouns can also be subdivided into two distinct groups: proper nouns and common nouns. Generally, proper nouns are capitalized and common nouns are not. A proper noun is the name of a specific group, person, place, thing, or idea (United Nations, Australia, Brad Pitt, The Declaration of Independence). Alternatively, a common noun refers to less specific things (animal, table, city, meeting, man).

• Person – Barack Obama, woman, boy
• Place – Japan, school, kitchen
• Thing – Dog, bridge, desk
• Group – Family, team, government
• Idea – Courage, anger, feeling

Pronouns

Though there are many different types of pronouns, there are a few types that are very important for English beginners: Personal, Demonstrative, and Possessive Pronouns. Here are a few examples of each:

• Personal Pronoun – A word that represents a person, group, or thing(s).
  • I, You, He, She, We, They, It
• Demonstrative Pronoun – A word that points to specific things in regard to their quantity and proximity to the speaker.
  • This, That, These, Those
• Possessive Pronoun/Possessive Adjective – A word that shows ownership of a thing.
  • My, Mine, Your, Yours, His, Her, Hers, Our, Ours, Their, Theirs, Its

Verbs

Much like nouns, verbs can be subdivided into two important categories: stative verbs and active verbs. Stative verbs are used to describe the state of being, appearance, or other characteristics of the subject (the flower smells nice, he is from England, she understands the question). Alternatively, active verbs describe actions or occurrences (she is studying English, we’re having lunch, they’re looking for books). Additionally, while active verbs can be used in the continuous tense, stative verbs cannot.

• Eat
• Sleep
• Drive
• Walk
• Think
• Ask
• Work
• Try
• Leave
• Call

Adjectives

Many adjectives can be identified by their prefixes and/or suffixes. These prefixes and suffixes can help language learners extract meaning.

A few examples include prefixes that all signify opposition or “not,” like unlikely, impossible, irreverent, illogical, non-participant, and disloyal. Similarly, there are a few suffixes that signify certain meanings, like colorful (“full of”), homeless (“without”), countable (“can be”).

This rule typically doesn’t apply to shorter adjectives (see examples below):

• Happy
• Sad
• Good
• Bad
• New
• Old
• Long
• Short
• Big
• Little

An “article” is an important kind of adjective that acts differently than other adjectives. Articles always come before the noun that they modify. There are only 3 articles in the English language:

• A – Indicates a singular noun that begins with a consonant (Ex: a dog, a tree, a feeling)
• An – Indicates a singular noun that begins with a vowel (Ex: an apple, an eye, an eagle)
• The – Indicates a specific singular noun that can be either common or proper (Ex: the ocean, the government, the United States)

Adverbs

Many adverbs end in -ly, though this is not always the case. Some words that end in -ly are not adverbs, and some adverbs have a different ending entirely. Here are a few of the most common adverbs:

• Quickly
• Slowly
• Usually
• Poorly
• Well
• Quietly
• Loudly
• Perfectly
• Badly
• Never
• Always

Prepositions

Prepositions can describe three types of relations: temporal (time), spatial (space), and conceptual. Here are a few examples:

• Temporal Prepositions
  • After, when, while, before, once, ago, by, since, during, until
• Spatial Prepositions
  • Under, over, below, between, beside, In front of, behind
• Conceptual Prepositions
  • Concerning, about, regarding

Conjunctions

Conjunctions are generally used to complete a list or connect separate clauses. Here are a few examples:

• But
• And
• Or
• Yet
• Because
• Although
• While

Interjections

Interjections are exclamations that express a certain feeling or sentiment without the need for a verb. While they are important to learn, interjections are generally reserved for informal/casual English. Here are a few examples:

• Oh.
• Wow!
• Ouch!
• Oops.
• Great!
• Nice!
• Congratulations!

Step 3: Learn Sentence Structures

While there are some exceptions (like interjections), the majority of English sentences must have a subject and a verb. The subject is a noun that is doing the acting. The verb is the action that the noun is doing. Here are a few examples to illustrate the subject-verb rule:

• The dog barks.
• A baby cries.
• The bird sings.

Without a subject AND a verb, none of these sentences would make sense. In fact, they wouldn’t be sentences at all!

English Word Order

Figuring out the word order is easy enough when a sentence only has a subject and a verb, but it gets more complicated when you start adding more words. The standard word order in English is: Subject + Verb + Object. An object is the thing that is being acted upon by the subject. Here are a few examples of basic subject/verb/object sentences:

• The man calls his friend.
• The dog chews on the bone.
• The bird flies over a tree.

With simple sentences like these, figuring out the word order is pretty easy. The article (a, an, or the) comes before the noun it is describing, the noun comes before the verb, and the verb comes before the object.

Let’s keep adding more words to test it out!

• The angry man impatiently calls his friend.
• The big dog always chews on the bone.
• The little bird quickly flies over a tree.

In the examples above, we’ve added an adjective and an adverb to each sentence. Generally, adjectives come after the article and before the noun they are describing, though there are many exceptions.

Step 4: Learn Clauses

In order to understand and form more complex sentences, you will need to learn about English clauses. A clause is a phrase that forms a complete thought using a subject and a verb. Every sentence must include at least one clause.

Common English Clauses

There are two types of clauses that you’ll need to know in order to form more complex sentences: Independent Clauses (or Main Clauses) and Subordinate Clauses. Here are a few examples of each:

• Independent Clause – An independent clause can stand alone as a complete sentence. Sentences can be made up out of one clause (Ex: My dog eats pizza). However, sometimes we can see two or more independent clauses in a sentence:
  • I like music, but I don’t like this song. (2 independent clauses combined by a conjunction, “but”)
  • After we finished dinner, I decided to get some dessert. (One subordinate clause, followed by an independent clause)
• Subordinate Clause – A subordinate clause cannot stand alone (it requires an independent clause). You can recognize subordinate clauses because they have subordinate conjunctions in front of them (Ex: although, after, before, because, etc). These sentences have subordinate clauses (in italics):
  • I answered the phone when it rang.
  • He doesn’t like me because I took his pencil.
  • She raised her hand as soon as the teacher asked the question.

Clauses help organize the words in a sentence into separate sections, each with their own role within the sentence. Once you understand how each phrase or clause functions in a sentence, you can begin to understand why words are arranged in a particular order.

Now there’s only one step left to help you learn English grammar!

Step 5: Learn English Grammar Tenses

A tense expresses the time in which a sentence takes place. Verb tenses change the form a verb takes in every sentence.

There are three basic tenses in English: Past, Present, and Future. Each tense has 4 subcategories: Simple, Continuous, Perfect, and Perfect Continuous.

Before we take a look at each of the 12 English tenses, it is important to note that the active and passive voice can also affect the form that a verb takes.

Present Tense

The present tense is generally the first tense that you will learn, as it is used to describe the current moment. Here are a few examples of the present tense in all its forms:

• Simple Present Tense
  • The rabbit eats a carrot.
  • I am an American.
  • They like hamburgers today.
• Present Continuous Tense
  • I am running now
  • She is going to school today.
  • They are throwing the ball.
• Present Perfect Tense
  • The man has played baseball before.
  • I have seen the movie already.
  • We have been to the park recently.
• Present Perfect Continuous Tense
  • The man has been playing baseball.
  • I have been watching my friend.
  • We have been taking care of my sister this afternoon.

Past Tense

The past tense is important for telling stories or recounting events that occurred in the past. Here are some basic examples:

• Simple Past Tense
  • The cat ate a mouse yesterday.
  • I was a smoker a few years ago.
  • They liked the pizza.
• Past Continuous Tense
  • I was walking.
  • She was leaving for work this morning.
  • They were playing tennis last week.
• Past Perfect Tense
  • The man had worked at the company for years.
  • I had seen the show before.
  • We had been to the swimming pool.
• Past Perfect Continuous Tense
  • The man had been playing basketball.
  • I had been playing with my friend.
  • We had been taking care of my brother.

Future Tense

The future tense is used to talk about things that have not happened yet, but will likely happen in the future. Here are a few basic examples:

• Simple Future Tense
  • The lion will eat the zebra soon.
  • I will go to college next year.
  • They will enjoy the movie tomorrow.
• Future Continuous Tense
  • I will be seeing my family during summer vacation.
  • She will be going to the bank this afternoon.
  • They will be spending time together later.
• Future Perfect Tense
  • The man will have gone to school.
  • I will have seen the episode by then.
  • We will have been to the grocery store.
• Future Perfect Continuous Tense
  • The man will have been playing soccer.
  • I will have been singing with my friends.
  • We will have been looking after my cousin.

Additional Resources to Learn English Grammar

There you have it! While this guide does not cover every grammar rule on the books, it should provide you with enough to understand the basics of English grammar.

For more advanced grammar rules, you can also check out our articles on conditionals, the subjunctive mood, and phrasal verbs.

In any case, we hope this guide helps you improve your English grammar and feel more comfortable speaking English with others! Do you still have some grammar questions? Here are a few additional resources to help you with your daily grammar studies:

• English Grammar Flashcards
• English Grammar Test
• 50+ Grammar Rules for SAT Test Takers
• List of Punctuation Rules
• Exercises – How to Learn English Grammar

It’s important to be positive when speaking any language. The wrong words can lead to misunderstandings, confusion, or even hurt feelings. Instead, using positive language is a great way to avoid problematic interactions, get a better communication experience, and create a friendly, supportive atmosphere for the other person!

Positive adjectives make it easy to compliment others and put them at ease.

But what exactly are positive adjectives? What are some examples of these adjectives? And finally, what are some synonymous adjectives you could use? We will talk about this more, but first, let’s start with a simple question:

What Are Positive Adjectives?

Positive adjectives describe a person, place, thing, idea, or experience in a good, positive way.

These words can express different positive emotions, such as love, hope, happiness, and joy. Using these adjectives can make others feel motivated, uplifted, confident, or encouraged.

Most importantly for non-native speakers, positive adjectives can help ensure that your conversations remain cheerful and friendly.

List of Positive Adjectives A-Z

There are thousands of positive adjectives in the English language.

Many of these positive adjectives have similar meanings, but they cannot always be used in the same context. For example, “adventurous” describes a person, but not an object. Alternatively, “bold” is a synonym for “adventurous,” though it can be used to talk about the design of an object.

So, in order to better understand positive adjectives, we will divide this list into two parts: adjectives to describe personalities (of people) and adjectives to describe appearance (people or objects).

For each word, we will provide a simple definition and a couple of synonyms. This way, you can learn more words and build your vocabulary!

Positive Adjectives for Emotions, Personality, and Feelings

While there are adjectives to describe pretty much anything, many positive adjectives are reserved for describing people. More specifically, many positive adjectives describe a person’s emotions, personality, general behavior, and feelings.

Let’s look at a few common positive adjectives for describing a person’s intangible characteristics:

A-C

• Adventurous – Willing to take risks.
  • Intrepid, audacious, unafraid, dashing, venturous
• Affectionate – Showing fondness.
  • Loving, caring, tender, supportive, attentive
• Agreeable – Enjoyable and pleasant.
  • Pleasant, enjoyable, nice, appealing, delightful
• Ambitious – Possessing a strong desire to succeed.
  • Enterprising, pioneering, committed, motivated, energetic
• Bright – Possessing intelligence and mental dexterity.
  • Clever, intelligent, smart, quick, perceptive
• Charming – Pleasant and attractive
  • Endearing, attractive, alluring, captivating, seductive
• Compassionate – Showing sympathy for others.
  • Empathetic, gentle, benevolent, humane, charitable
• Considerate – Careful to not inconvenience others.
  • Thoughtful, concerned, mindful, obliging, altruistic
• Courageous – Not showing fear in the face of danger.
  • Brave, fearless, valiant, bold, heroic
• Courteous – Well-mannered and polite.
  • Respectful, polite, well-behaved, obliging, decent

D-H

• Diligent – Showing care in one’s duties.
  • Industrious, hard-working, thorough, persistent, tenacious
• Enthusiastic – Showing intense interest in something.
  • Eager, excited, keen, ardent, vivacious
• Generous – Showing a willingness to give others more than is necessary.
  • Giving, munificent, magnanimous, lavish, liberal
• Happy – Feeling contentment.
  • Content, cheerful, cheery, joyous, untroubled
• Helpful – Willing to help others.
  • Obliging, accommodating, supportive, cooperative, hospitable

I-P

• Inventive – Possessing the ability to imagine or create new things.
  • Creative, innovative, original, novel, inspired
• Likable – Easy to like.
  • Good-natured, popular, lovely, personable, endearing
• Loyal – Showing unwavering support.
  • Faithful, true, devoted, steadfast, dutiful
• Passionate – Having strong feelings.
  • Spirited, vigorous, amorous, fervent, impassioned

R-W

• Reliable – Able to be relied upon.
  • Dependable, genuine, steady, solid, secure
• Resourceful – Able to quickly solve problems.
  • Ingenious, imaginative, quick-witted, sharp, capable
• Sensible – Practical; level-headed.
  • Realistic, responsible, rational, balanced, pragmatic
• Sincere – Expressing genuine sentiments and feelings.
  • Authentic, wholehearted, honest, real, profound
• Sympathetic – Showing sympathy for others.
  • Consoling, comforting, tender, compassionate, concerned
• Trustworthy – Able to be trusted; honest.
  • Honorable, upright, virtuous, ethical, truthful
• Witty – Charming and funny.
  • Humorous, amusing, funny, comical, lively

Positive Adjectives for Appearance

Positive adjectives don’t have to describe personality and feelings. In fact, there are plenty of adjectives to describe the appearance of things as well. Many of these adjectives are positive and can apply to both people and things.

Let’s look at a few common positive adjectives to describe appearance:

• Adorable – Inspiring delight in others.
  • Appealing, enchanting, bewitching, fetching, precious
• Attractive – Drawing the interest of others.
  • Good-looking, striking, sexy, enchanting, seductive
• Beautiful – Aesthetically-pleasing.
  • Nice-looking, alluring, irresistible, alluring, heavenly
• Clean – Free from dirt.
  • Washed, polished, spotless, immaculate, unspoiled
• Colorful – Bright and full of color.
  • Radiant, vivid, brilliant, dramatic, striking
• Cute – Pretty; endearing.
  • Endearing, sweet, delightful, winsome, pretty
• Elegant – Showing grace and style in appearance or behavior.
  • Stylish, graceful, fashionable, dignified, cultivated
• Fit – Being in good physical shape.
  • Healthy, robust, hardy, strapping, strong
• Gorgeous – Beautiful; visually-appealing.
  • Beguiling, tantalizing, sultry, handsome, pretty
• Sleek – Possessing a smooth, shiny appearance.
  • Smooth, glossy, shiny, lustrous, silken

Common Synonyms for “Good”

Some of the most common positive adjectives are simply variations of the word “good.” Rather than using the same word to describe everything that is positive, the following adjectives can be used in place of “good” to amplify its meaning:

• Amazing
• Awesome
• Excellent
• Fabulous
• Fantastic
• Incredible
• Outstanding
• Splendid
• Super
• Wonderful

Conclusion

We hope this list of positive adjectives was helpful! Remember, if you want to avoid being rude or accidentally expressing negative sentiments, the words above are a great place to start. You’ll also want to learn both positive and negative adjectives so that you will have a better understanding of which words to use at what time, depending on the context of your conversation. Adding any of these positive adjectives to your vocabulary will help keep your English conversations cheerful and friendly.

Now that you know what these adjectives mean, can you use them correctly in real life conversations? We’ve invited our lead instructor to shed some light on the usage of a couple of these words that are particularly challenging to students. 
 

Any non-native English speaker can tell you that learning English is not easy. Between complex grammar structures, confusing idioms, and difficult English pronunciation rules, English can be a lot to handle. Thankfully, there is a method to the madness.

Like any language, English relies on a set of rules that dictate the order and sound of words. Unfortunately, there is no shortcut to learning all of these rules. It takes years of study and practice; and the earlier you start, the better.

So, to help you improve your English pronunciation, we have provided the following guide on English pronunciation rules and how to learn them. Let’s start with the basics.

Basic English Pronunciation Rules

A syllable is basically just one sound in a word. Some words only have one syllable, while others have many syllables. Knowing the number of syllables in a word helps you pronounce it correctly. To use our previous example, the word “day” has three letters, but when you say the word, it only has one unbroken sound.

Every syllable must have at least one vowel, and you can often figure out the number of syllables in a word by looking at the number of vowels. Here are a few examples:

• Fast – 1 syllable, 1 vowel (Fast)
• Order – 2 syllables, 2 vowels (Or-der)
• Tomorrow – 3 syllables, 3 vowels (To-mor-row)
• Alligator – 4 syllables, 4 vowels (All-i-ga-tor)

While the majority of English words have between 1-4 syllables, some words have as many as 19! This means that counting the number of syllables is not always easy. Additionally, the number of syllables is not necessarily equal to the number of vowels. Some vowel sounds are silent, while other sounds are made up of two different vowels. For example, the word “outside” has 4 vowels, but only two syllables, because -ou only counts as one vowel sound, while -i…e combine to form the long “i” sound (like in the word “pie”), even though they are separated by a consonant.

Syllable Stress

Click below to listen to a recording of this passage.

When you say a word that only has one syllable, you only have one syllable to stress. “Syllable stress” refers to the syllable in a word that gets more emphasis than the others. This means that, in words with more than one syllable, one syllable will sound a little longer and louder than the others. Without the right stress on certain syllables, your speech might sound like a robot!

So, how do you determine which syllables to stress? While there are certain exceptions, you can generally use the following English pronunciation rules for shorter words:

• One syllable – Stress the first (and only) syllable.
  • Examples: dog, cat, day, rain, etc.
• Two syllables – Stress the first or second syllable. Generally, two-syllable nouns, adjectives, and adverbs stress the first syllable, while two-syllable verbs stress the second syllable.
  • First syllable examples: happy (HAP-py), little (LIT-tle), and running (RUN-ning).
  • Second syllable examples: record (re-CORD), combine (come-BINE), and insist (in-SIST).
• Three syllables – Stress can be on the first, second, or third syllable, depending on how the word ends.
  • Stress the first syllable on words ending with -er (ballplayer), -or (narrator), -ly (frequently), or -y (library)
  • Stress the second syllable on words ending with -tion (reception) -sion (expansion) -ic (strategic), or -al (potential)
  • Stress the third syllable on words ending with -ee (referee) -eer (pioneer) -ese (legalese), -ette (vinaigrette)
• Four syllables – Stress can be on the second or third syllable, depending on how the word ends.
  • Stress the second syllable on words ending with -cy (transparency), -ty (fraternity), -phy (philosophy), -gy (geology), -al (political)
  • Stress the third syllable on words ending with -tion (constitution), -sion (apprehension), -ic (supersonic)

Exceptions to English Pronunciation Rules

As with most languages, English doesn’t always follow its own rules. For every English pronunciation rule listed above, there is at least one exception. For example, while many three-syllable words ending in -or stress the first syllable, there are exceptions like behavior (be-HAV-ior) and receptor (re-CEPT-or). Similarly, though most two-syllable nouns stress the first syllable, some don’t, like today (to-DAY) and request (re-QUEST). So, while learning English pronunciation rules is very important, you also need to memorize the exceptions.

Going Beyond English Pronunciation Rules (Video)

You know the correct pronunciation when you hear it, but how do you get your mouth to cooperate and produce that English sound?  Learn a quick tip that will get you pronouncing the “r” sound like a native speaker.

If you’re practicing your pronunciation for the IELTS exam, check out our Complete Guide to IELTS Speaking and our podcast episode on Speaking.