ESL Tips

If English is not your native language, you need to watch over some special areas that may make writing difficult. The main sources of problems to those whose first language is not English are articles and verb forms in English.

• Articles
• Verbs
• More ESL Tips

Articles

1. A or an is used to refer to something generally, rather than specifically.

Use a or an with singular count nouns. That is, the noun is a person, place, or thing that can be counted, and it is not a proper name.

an ounce of prevention
a moment of intuition
a second’s hesitation

NOT a sand (non-count noun)
NOT a rain (non-count noun)
NOT a porridge (non-count noun)

Also, a or an is used when the noun is unknown or has not previously been introduced to the reader.

A woman walked into the room. The woman was making an appointment.

Remember to use an before a vowel and before an H or U that makes a vowel sound.

an honourable man
an unforgettable evening

2. Use the when you want to refer to something specifically.

because it has been mentioned already

The woman I told you about was wearing white.

because it has been modified

The sponsors of this program are proud of its high quality.

because it is superlative

You are the most wonderful person I have ever met.

because it is unique

The moon is not made of green cheese.

because it is identified in the context

Let the cat in before you go to bed.

Verbs

For many verbs, you need only remember that the present participle ends in ing and the past participle ends in ed. These forms can be combined with helping verbs (be, do, have) to create all the tenses you need.

Make an effort to memorize irregular verb forms for verbs you need to communicate. Besides the base form of the verb (the form you look up in the dictionary), memorize the past tense, the past participle, and the present participle since with these forms, you can create all the forms you may need.

Here are some special considerations:

1. Remember to add an s in the third person singular form (he, she it).

He bites.
She yells.
It hurts.

2. Review how to use be, do, have as helping verbs.

Be is used to form the progressive aspect.

He is talking nonsense.

Be is also used to form the passive voice.

The performer was gratified by the applause.

Do is used for questions.

Do you believe me?

Do is used for emphasis.

I do know how to add and subtract.

Have is used to form the perfect aspect.

I have never worked so hard in all my life!

2. Learn to recognize modal forms, such as can, could, may, might, must, shall, should will, would, ought to and the changeable modals need to, and have to.

Can: ability

A camel can travel many miles without water.

Must, have to, need to: necessity

We must never forget our history.
I have to go to the bathroom.
She needs to speak to you immediately.

Should, ought to: advisability or expectation

We should cash this cheque by tomorrow at the latest.
You ought to be ashamed of yourself.

May, might, could, must: probability or possibility

You may be excused from the table.
It might be useful to take a pen and paper.
He could have been hit by that car.
It must have rained last night.

Could, might, will, would: polite requests

Could you help me find a present for my grandmother?
Might I ask your name?
Will you be joining us this evening?
Would you be willing to assist me?

Would rather: preference

I would rather eat vegetables than meat.

Be supposed to

A dietician is supposed to provide clients with guidance on their eating habits.

Used to, would: repeated action or habit

I used to procrastinate. I would start all my assignments at the last moment.

4. Memorize which verbs are followed by gerunds (ing forms) and which by infinitives (the base form of the verb preceded by to).

I dream about swimming in the ocean (dream about takes a gerund: swimming).

I would like to know how to build a pond in my backyard (know how takes an infinitive: to build)..

5. Memorize common phrasal verbs and their meanings.

The cafeteria has run out of macaroni today.

We ran into a problem with your credit card.

5. Remember to include verbs in all English sentences.

Antonio is very hardworking.

6. Be careful when using sequences of verbs in conditional sentences. Conditional sentences state a relationship between one thing and another.

A conditional sentence may express a general truth or habitual occurrence.

Whenever it rains, my bones ache. (present)
Once the speech was over, he could finally relax. (past)

A conditional sentence may predict the future.

If you try again, you will succeed. (present followed by future)
If you apologize, she might forgive you. (present followed by a modal verb and base form)

A conditional sentence may speculate on unlikely events in the future.

If I get the job, I will be so happy. (after the main clause, the future tense)
If I had your money, I would retire today (after the main clause, a modal verb and base form)

A conditional sentence speculates about events that did not happen.

If I were careful, I wouldn’t have a sunburn.

A conditional sentence speculates that hypothetical things.

If you had listened to your parents, none of this would have happened.

MORE ESL TIPS

1. Remember to include a subject in all English sentences, except for commands.

You have a First Aid certificate.

Speak up. (a command where the subject, you, is understood)

Be especially careful with sentences that contain there or it. These expletive pronouns point to the subject and are essential parts of an English sentence.

It is important to study hard.

There is a reason for my recent behaviour.

2. Place adjectives in the appropriate order before the noun in English, as given below:

3. Adverbs may be placed at the beginning, middle or end of clauses, but never between a verb and a direct object.

X The hockey team won easily the Stanley Cup.

4. Adverbs of degree or emphasis always come immediately before the word they modify.

I am quite surprised by your silence.

5. Prepositions need special attention in English. Here are a few common uses to remember relating to time and place:

At a specific time: at dinnertime, at recess

On a specific date: on the fifth of May

In part of a 24-hour period: in the afternoon

In a year or month: in July, in 2004

In a period of time: in two years

At a specific place: at work, at my desk

At the edge of something: at the rim, at the end

At a target: looking at the picture

On a surface: on the table

On a street: on Main Street

In an enclosed place: in the box

In a geographic location surrounded by something else: in Canada, in the city