Category: CELPIP

Some Useful Phrasal Verbs

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  • Peace talks between the USA and Iran have collapsed, and it seems that things are getting messier.

Peace talks between the USA and Iran have broken down, and it seems that things are getting messier.

  • I am trying to calculate which products fetch us good gains and which are dead weights. 

I am trying to work out which products fetch us good gains and which are dead weights.

  • The doctor said, “Initially you will feel intoxicated for some time, but after a few hours the effects of the drug will disappear.”

The doctor said, “Initially you will feel intoxicated for some time, but after a few hours the effects of the drug will wear off.”

  • It is a common sight that people exhaust themselves through overwork. They are unable to enjoy quality time with family.

It is a common sight that people wear themselves out through overwork. They are unable to enjoy quality time with family.

  • Sonali Bendre is a classic example of resilience in adversity. Despite the severity of the disease, she recovered with the help of appropriate drugs.

Sonali Bendre is a classic example of resilience in adversity. Despite the severity of the disease, she pulled through with the help of appropriate drugs.

  • I think we can resolve this issue only by having talks. Or this episode will lead to an acrimonious divorce.

I think we can sort this issue out only by having talks. Or this episode will lead to an acrimonious divorce.

  • When parents start to live apart, it impacts heavily on young children. Because of their troubled childhood, it may lead to juvenile crime in some cases, too.

When parents split up, it impacts heavily on young children. Because of their troubled childhood, it may lead to juvenile crime in some cases, too.

  • Last time, test takers who were not to take the test at our exam center came and we had to turn them away.

Last time, test takers who were not to take the test at our exam center showed up and we had to refuse them to enter.

  • The Chinese government wrongly assumed that India would join the one belt initiative road project, but India stopped being a part of the deal.

The Chinese government wrongly assumed that India would join the one belt initiative road project, but India pulled out of the deal.

  • Indians celebrate Diwali by exploding fireworks.

Indians celebrate Diwali by letting off fireworks.

  • Expecting from those people who do not fulfill their promises will disappoint you in the end.

Expecting from those people who do not fulfill their promises will let you down in the end.

  • She continued working hard after her assignment though she was well aware that she would not do well.

She kept on working hard after her assignment though she was well aware that she would not do well.

  • The journey towards Ontario was delayed because of harsh weather, and no flight took off from the island.

The journey towards Ontario was held up because of harsh weather, and no flight took off from the island.

  • We were expecting a handsome incentive after completion of our project, but the promised incentive did not take place, hurting the sentiments of the whole team.

We were expecting a handsome incentive after completion of our project, but the promised incentive fell through, hurting the sentiments of the whole team.

  • The last cycle of recession wreaked havoc and many employees became jobless.

The last cycle of recession wreaked havoc and many employees ended up jobless.

  • Scientists did some tests on rodents and found medicine had no effect whatsoever.

Scientists carried out some tests on rodents and found that medicine had no effect whatsoever.

  • Large corporations during the winter season in North America spend less on staff costs.

Large corporations during the winter season in North America cut back on staff costs.

  • After a marathon analysis and investigation, the team was successful in removing technical glitches of new software.

After a marathon analysis and investigation, the team was successful in doing away with technical glitches of new software.

  • I was talking to my boss while driving and accidentally the talk was disconnected.

I was talking to my boss while driving and accidentally the talk was cut off.

  • The project manager estimates $10 million to renovate the entire recreational areas and the testing laboratory at university.

The project manager estimates $10 million to do up the entire recreational areas and the testing laboratory at university.

Future Perfect Tense – 10 Minute English Grammar

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The sentence formation follows:

  Singular Number Plural Number
1st Person I shall have eaten = I’ll have eaten We shall have eaten = We’ll have eaten
2nd Person You will have eaten = You’ll have eaten You will have eaten = You’ll have eaten
3rd Person He will have eaten = He’ll have eaten  
  She will have eaten = She’ll have eaten They will have eaten = They’ll have eaten
  It will have eaten = It’ll have eaten  

Uses of The Future Perfect Tense:

  1. It is generally used to show the completion of an action by a certain time in the future. We use a time expression beginning with by in most cases: by that time, by the next month, by then, etc.
    • By the end of next month, I think I will have completed this project.
    • By the time you realize your mistake, you will have paid a heavy price for your wrong actions.
    • Before she comes to my place, I shall have left for school.
    • By 2025, the city’s population will have doubled.

Past Perfect Tense – 10 Minute English Grammar

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The sentence formation follows:

  Singular Number Plural Number
1st Person I had eaten = I’d eaten We had eaten = We’d eaten
2nd Person You had eaten = You’d eaten You had eaten = You’d eaten
3rd Person He had eaten = He’d eaten  
  She had eaten = She’d eaten They had eaten = They’d eaten
  It had eaten = It’d eaten  

Uses of The Past Perfect Tense:

  1. The past perfect tense is used for actions completed before a certain moment in the past:

Present: My brother has just left for airport. If you hurry you will catch him.

Past: When he arrived, my brother had just left for airport.

I met her father in Canada last year. I had seen him the last ten years before.

  • When two actions happen in the past, it may be necessary to describe which action happened earlier than the other.

When he arrived, my brother had just left for airport.

The child had begun crying before her mother reached the nursery school.

  • The past perfect tense can be used with since/for/always etc. for an action which began the time of speaking in the past, and
    • was still in progression at that time or
    • ended at that time or just before it.
  • He had been a police officer for ten years, and decided to stay in the police department till he reached the retirement.

We had lived in this small village for five years before moving to a big city.

  • The old banyan tree, which had stood in the middle of the garden for 40 years/since before the garden was developed, suddenly crashed to the ground.

Present Perfect Tense – 10 Minute English Grammar

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The sentence formation follows:

  Singular Number Plural Number
1st Person I have eaten = I’ve eaten We have eaten = We’ve eaten
2nd Person You have eaten = You’ve eaten You have eaten = You’ve eaten
3rd Person He has eaten = He’s eaten  
  She has eaten = She’s eaten They have eaten = They’ve eaten
  It has eaten = It’s eaten  

Uses of The Present Perfect Tense:

  1. It indicates completed actions in the immediate past: She has just gone out = She went out a few minutes ago.   We have just had supper = We had supper a few minutes ago.
  2. It is also used for an action which happened in the past, and its connection with the present is still maintained and possibly they could repeat in the present time, too: I have seen coyotes in that jungle. This implies that we could also see them in the present time. Daler Mehandi has sung many popular songs. This implies that Daler Mehandi is alive and can sing more.

In some case, the impact of action/result could stretch to the future: You have lost this golden opportunity. It implies that you may never get the same opportunity in the future.

3. Some actions that take place in the present perfect often results in the present: She has had a nightmare. (She is probably still in that trauma).

My car has broken down. (I have to call a taxi for my commuting).

I have completed my report for you. (It means my job is done, and you could now start yours by analyzing it).

4. It is used for an action beginning at some point of time in the past and continuing up to the present moment: We have not met for ages.   I have not received the repeat order for my produce since last month.   She has been sick since last two days.

5. The following adverb or adverb phrases can be used with the Present Perfect Tense:

Just

Often

Never

Ever (in question only)

So far

Till now

Yet (in question and negatives)

Already

Since

For

Today

This week

This month

Lately

Recently

All day

All my life

All the time

Always, etc.

IELTS Grammar

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It is a common sight that students (in some cases, teachers, too) worry about the ‘complex structures’ aspect of grammar score in their writing tests. It is nothing but a waste of time.

It makes no sense when students have several complex structures (joining clauses in one sentence using linkers) with full of errors. In the IELTS test, error-free sentences are of great importance if someone wants to achieve an 8-band score. Let us look at the marking parameters here:

Band 8: most sentences are error-free
Band 7: frequent error-free sentences

I explain this fact to students, and yet, they fall in the trap. I can see that most students can write sentences with more than one clause using linkers, such as while, where, when, because, yet and as among others. They are perfectly be categorized as complex structures and do connect ideas. So, why do we need to press the need for more complex structures? I guess we do not need more than that.

Test takers must concentrate on error-free sentences, and should focus on this aspect carefully rather than being experimental on something on which they may mess up their write-up. And, if someone is not able to produce such error-free sentences, they should rely on simple sentences. In the end, your grammar mistakes count!

Future Progressive Tense – 10 Minute English Grammar

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Future Progressive Tense

The sentence formation follows:

  Singular Number Plural Number
1st Person I will/shall be eating We will/shall be eating
2nd Person You will be eating You will be eating
3rd Person He will be eating  
  She will be eating They will be eating
  It will be eating  

Uses of The Future Progressive (Continuous) Tense:

  1. It is used as an ordinary progressive tense. Generally, it has a time reference:
    1. There is no IELTS class on Sunday. So, on Sunday students will not be sitting in the classroom.
    1. By this time, I will be traveling to Mumbai
  2. It expresses the future with or without intention.
    1. I will be seeing my professor tomorrow.
    1. I guess he will not be coming with us tomorrow.
    1. I will be writing an email to my boss and tell him about this update.

Past Progressive Tense – 10 Minute English Grammar

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The sentence formation follows:

  Singular Number Plural Number
1st Person I was eating We were eating = We’re eating
2nd Person You were eating = You’re eating You were eating = You’re eating
3rd Person He was eating = He’s eating  
  She was eating = She’s eating They were eating = They’re eating
  It was eating = It’s eating  

Uses of The Past Progressive (Continuous) Tense:

  1. The past progressive tense is mainly used for past actions which continued for some time, but we may not have an idea about their exact limits. In other words, it is not important to learn the fact how long it went on. Look at the below-mentioned diagram:

. . . . . . ———————-. . . . . .

  • It can be used without a time reference; indicates gradual development.: It was getting difficult.   The temperature was rising.
  • It can also be used with a time reference; denotes that an action which began prior to that time and probably continued then after, too.
    • At nine I was having breakfast says indirectly that I was in the middle of breakfast at nine, i.e. that I started it before nine.
    • I had breakfast at nine would indicate that I started it at nine.
  • With when and while time expression:
    • When I entered the room, my cat was whining.
  • It is used in the indirect narration; a past equivalent of the present progressive tense:
    • Direct speech: She said, ‘I am leaving this place’.

Indirect speech: She said she was leaving that place.

Present Progressive Tense – 10 Minute English Grammar

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The sentence formation follows:

  Singular Number Plural Number
1st Person I am eating = I’m eating We are eating = We’re eating
2nd Person You are eating = You’re eating You are eating = You’re eating
3rd Person He is eating = He’s eating  
  She is eating = She’s eating They are eating = They’re eating
  It is eating = It’s eating  

Uses of The Present Progressive (Continuous) Tense:

  1. For an action happening at the time of speaking: She is weeping.   I am wearing a scarf as it will look good.    Why are you complaining me for the act which I did not do?
  2. For an action happening now, but not necessarily at the time of speaking: I am reading a novel in which the girl marries her bodyguard. (I may not be reading at the moment of speaking, but it means ‘now’ in a more general sense.)      My sister is learning French and teaching English. (She may not be doing either at the time of speaking)
  3. For a definite arrangement taking place in the near future (it refers to the immediate plans): Our company is opening up a new branch in Toronto next month.  My friends are coming tonight, and I am taking them to the theatre.
  4. With always, especially for obstinate habits – something which persists and annoys: My dog, Jericho is very silly; he is always jumping on the kitchen platform for human food.   I know you very well. You are always losing your keys.
  5. Certain involuntary actions are not usually used in the continuous tenses:
    1. Verbs of senses/perception: hear, notice, recognize, see, smell

However, there is certain deliberate use of senses, such as listen, gaze, look (at), observe (= watch), watch and stare and of course, we can use them in the progressive tense:

I am watching this place carefully, but don’t see anything unusual.

Rita is listening to the IELTS tape, but she has put on the headphones so nobody else hears it.

  • Verbs of emotions and feelings: admire (= respect), adore, appreciate (= value), care for, desire, detest, dislike, fear, feel, hate, hope, loathe, love, mind (= care), respect, prefer, refuse, value, want, wish

Some verbs can also be used in the progressive tense depending upon the context (deliberate actions). For example, admire means to look at with admiration, value means to decide the worth, appreciate means to increase in value over a period of time, enjoy and at times love/like means to enjoy, and hate means the opposite. Yet it is safer to use the simple tense with love, like and hate:

Do you like your new job? How are you liking your new job?

I hate touristy places, but I am enjoying this place for some unexplained reasons.

I love eating burgers, but I don’t know why I am not loving it today.

  • Verbs of appearing: seem, look, appear

It seems acceptable, so you are good to go.

She looks beautiful, but today she is looking stunningly a knockout girl.

  • Verbs of thinking: agree, appreciate (= understand), assume, believe, expect (= think), feel (= think), feel sure/certain, forget, know, mean, perceive, realize, recall, recognize, recollect, remember, see (= understand) see through someone (= penetrated his attempt to deceive) suppose, think (= have an opinion), trust (= believe/have confidence in), understand

I do not agree with you on this point. And I assume you have a long way to go yet.

I see through his devious plan and also feel certain that he won’t be successful in it.

  • Verbs of possession: possess, own, owe, belong

How much does she owe you?

Do you own this bungalow?

Did you know?

Some native speakers and singers do not pronounce ‘ing’ entirely, but they pronounce only ‘in’ and omit ‘g’. For example, “Quit playin games with me” instead of “Quit playing games with me.”

There is also a non-standard short form for am not, is not, are not, have not and has not. It is ain’t.  For example, “Quit playin games with me.”  ~ “No, I ain’t.”

Indian English

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  1. I belong to Ahmedabad.

This expression reminds me of the past era. It is a kind of allegiance to any ruler. It looks as if you show your allegiance to a city. Yes, when somebody asks you where you are from. Better say the following way:

I come from Ahmedabad or I am from Ahmedabad.

  • She is doing her graduation in Cincinnati.

The moment I hear the word ‘graduation’, it reminds me of my graduation ceremony day, dressing up in a gown and cap to receive the degree certificate after studying a three-year undergraduate degree. But it is not the case in India. ‘Doing graduation’ refers to the full undergraduate or graduate degree. It does not say about the one special day for which students wait anxiously in life. ‘I did my graduation at the University of Toronto’ is the equivalent of saying ‘I studied for my degree at the University of Toronto’ – in the context of India.

  • I passed out of college last year.

As per the Oxford dictionary, the phrasal verb ‘to pass out’ means ‘to become unconscious’. Therefore, if I put this statement into a literal translation, it comes out like ‘I became unconscious at the college last year’. Do we mean this? I guess not. It should be, “I graduated last year”.

  • My sister is convent-educated.

So, the meaning of convent-educated in the context of India is somebody who has studied in a school where the medium of instruction was English. Parents proudly mention this expression on matrimonial ads/websites. There was a time when teaching in India was generally delivered by members of the clergy, but it is not the case anymore. The choice is yours whether you want to use this expression or not.

  • Please do the needful.

The ‘Grammarly Blog’ describes this expression in a cogent way. The writer or speaker here wants to say is ‘do that which is needed’ or ‘do what needs to be done’.

“If it sounds too chunky or vague to you, or if your audience will be unfamiliar with it, you can politely ask people to do what you need them to do instead”.

  • My father is out of station.

I don’t really understand the rationale behind this statement. There could be many stations in the town, such as the railway station, bus station, and other types of stations. Which station is referred to here? It can simply be said like this: My father is away or My father is not present in the place.

  • I preponed my tour.

There is no word such as prepone in the English language, but it has certainly been invented by Indians. Yes, it has been added to the dictionary because it has widely been used in India. Let’s put this word in the context: I am out of my station next week so I will prepone this job tomorrow.

The right way of speaking: I will do this job tomorrow as I am away next week.

  • He is a four-twenty.

420 is an Indian Penal Code (IPC) which states cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property. In a way, it attributes to the IPC for a cheat. Why complicate? Make it simple by saying: He is a thug.

  • My neighbor is foreign-returned.

All right, so this expression also stems from the family of convent-educated. People in India perceive valuable studying or living abroad and when somebody returns to India after living another country, they are called as foreign-returned. However, there is no such expression anywhere in the world but in India. It is an asset in the matrimonial adverts, too.

  1. My teacher is standing/sitting on my head.

It is a colloquial way of comparing. If your teacher is standing or sitting on your head, tell him to get down and make a complaint to the principal.

My teacher is stressing me out.

  1. He was doing this thing and that thing.

It is another colloquial way of comparing. He was doing all sorts of things, wasting my time.

  1. Do one thing.

It is a common expression while suggesting or ordering someone to do something, but it also brings some laughing. The right way of speaking is ‘There is one thing you could do’.

  1. Aakash is my cousin brother:

We never use a brother or a sister after the noun ‘cousin’. The word ‘cousin’ itself proves a relationship. Aakash is my cousin.

  1. According to me…

According to someone or anyone is all acceptable but not according to me. Grammatically some sentence structures cannot be challenged, but their finesse and usage will certainly be questionable. ‘According to me’ is one among them. There is no such expression. The right one is: To me or In my opinion or My viewpoint is…

  1. Myself is Ronak.

This one is the deadliest. Right from the beginning, it gives a funny impression of someone when he introduces himself using ‘myself’. I am Ronak.

Simple Future Tense – 10 Minute English Grammar

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Simple Future Tense

The sentence formation follows:

  Singular Number Plural Number
1st Person I shall/will = I’ll We shall/will = We’ll
2nd Person You will/shall = You’ll You will/shall = You’ll
3rd Person He will = He’ll  
  She will = She’ll They will = They’ll
  It will = It’ll  

Uses of The Simple Future Tense:

  1. It is used for simple future actions/commitments: We shall practice hard to win the competition.    She will remember me forever.
  2. It is used with the point of time: Next Tuesday, our website will be functional.    Next week, the government will clear all the pending dues of the recipients. Next month, we shall fly to the USA.
  3. It is used with In + Period: They will arrive in two hours.    I shall return your book in a week.
  4. Going to Future: It is going to rain soon.    Are you going to help me or not?
  5. We use ‘shall’ for determination and the same way the determination is normally expressed by ‘will’: Sometimes public speakers and others believe in using ‘shall’ instead of ‘will’ to express the determination. They feel that it is a heavier word.
    1. I am sure you shall win this competition.
    1. You shall have your share after you complete your job.
    1. We will, we will rock you (a popular song, sung by Freddie Mercury, Queen).
    1. We will not (won’t) accept his terms under any circumstances.
  6. It is used to express the speaker’s assumptions, opinions, speculations about the future. Such sentences may be introduced by verbs, such as be afraid, believe, assume, daresay, be/feel sure, expect, know, hope, doubt, think, suppose, wonder. They may be accompanied by adverbs, such as probably, perhaps, surely, possibly, but can also be used without them:
    1. (I’m sure) she’ll agree to this proposal
    1. (I suppose) they won’t be able to meet the deadline of the project.
    1. (Perhaps) you’ll find a better partner.
    1. They’ll (probably) come with us.