I live in New York

Today, let’s have a look at a basic part of English grammar that many people have a hard time with.  With the simple present tense, you need to be very careful about the formation of the verbs. In English, the verb changes depending on who you are talking about. All you need to remember is that he, she, and it need the “s” at the end of the verb. For example:

• I like pizza, you like pizza, we like pizza, they like pizza.
• He likes pizza, she likes pizza, it likes pizza

I can not tell you how often I hear things like, “He like pizza very much,” from even very fluent English speakers!

Here are the spelling rules for regular verbs. For most verbs, just add “s” to the base verb:

• like → likes
• come → comes
• bring → brings

For verbs that end in a consonant plus “y,” change “y” to “I” and add “es”

• study → studies
• cry → cries
• try → tries

For verbs that end in a vowel (a-e-i-o-u) plus “y,” change “y” to “I” and add “s”

• pay → pays
• enjoy → enjoys
• stay → stays

For verbs ending in “s,” “z,” “ch,” “sh,” or “x,” add “es”

• kiss → kisses
• buzz → buzzes
• teach → teaches
• fix → fixes

There are a number of exceptions, and you can find a list of these in any good grammar book. For example:

• have→ has
• am → is (the be verb)
• go → goes

We use the simple present tense in English to talk about what is generally or usually true.

• I open my school at 8:30am. I open…
• The bank opens at 9:00am. it opens…
• The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
• Birds fly south in the winter.

We also use the simple present tense to talk about our habits.

• I wake up at 6:15am every morning.
• My dog barks when she sees a squirrel.
• Jack plays golf on the weekend.

We also use the simple present tense to talk about permanent situations.

• The Yankees play in Yankee Stadium.
• I live in New York.
• The Empire State Building is on 34^th Street.

Now it’s your turn. How about trying to write an original sentence using some of the above patterns. Use the comment box below!

If you know anyone who has trouble with this English language point, why not help them out! Just share this lesson with them.

Thanks for studying today!

When you want to talk about ability, you can use be able or can. Today, I am going to show you a few ways  to use be able to or can.

We use be able + infinitive [to verb]. For example be able to go, be able to eat, be able to play, etc. In this way, be able to has the same meaning as can. The negative forms of be able to are not able to (and) be unable to:

• I am able to leave work early today.
• Jack said he is not able to finish the report by 5:00pm.
• I had to change my seat because I was unable to see the stage.

We use can + base verb, for example, can go, can eat, can play, etc. The negative forms are can not and can’t:

• I can leave work early today.
• Jack said he can’t finish the report by 5:00pm.
• I had to change my seat because I could not see the stage.

When we talk about present ability, we use both be able and can, but can is more common:

• I can speak English and German.
• I am able to speak English and German.
• Jack can cook French food.
• Jack is able to cook French food.

When we talk about future ability, or use the present perfect, we only use be able.

• You will be able to speak English well after spending two years at this school.
• Someday, scientists will be able to communicate with dolphins.
• Jack has been able to study English in the USA and in the UK.
• I haven’t been able to call you because I’ve been busy at work.

When we talk about decisions or appointments in the future, we use both be able and can, but here too, can is more common:

• I can meet you at the airport next week.
• I am able to meet you at the airport next week
• Sorry, I can’t come to the party tomorrow.
• Sorry, I am not able to come to the party tomorrow.

Now it’s your turn. How about trying to write an original sentence using some of the above patterns. Use the comment box below!

If you know anyone who has trouble with this English language point, why not help them out! Just share this lesson with them.

Thanks for studying today!