forms Progressive verb forms (also called ‘continuous’ forms) are made with be + -ing. I am waiting for the shops to open, (present progressive)...

To is a preposition. It is also used as part of the infinitive (the to-infinitive): Does this train go to Cambridge? (preposition) I’d like to see...

1 ‘participles and ‘gerunds’ We can use -ing forms (e.g. smoking, walking) not only as verbs, but also like adjectives or nouns...

forms: had been + -ing I had been working. Where had she been staying? They hadn’t been listening. For double letters in words like sitting...

Introduction One way of describing a person or thing is by saying that they have more of a particular quality than someone or something else. To...

non-progressive verbs Some verbs are not used in progressive forms (see progressive 2: non-progressive verbs), even if the meaning is one for...

The words especially and specially have just a hair’s breadth of difference between them. Both can be used to mean...

active and passive structures Compare: They built this house in 1486. (active) This house was built in 1486. (passive) Austrians speak German...

We use “able” especially in the structure be able + infinitive. This often has the same meaning as can. There is a negative form...