Relative Pronouns / Relative Clauses

Relative Pronouns are who, whom, that, which, whose, where, and when. We use relative pronouns to connect a clause or phrase to a noun​ (in the main clause) that it modifies. The clause with relative pronoun is called a relative clause (all the below underlined clauses). It functions as an independent clause.

We use who and that for people.

• My teacher has a luxury car. He is also an online freelancer.
  My teacher who/that is also an online freelancer has a luxury car.
• JK Rowling is an author. She wrote Harry Potter series.
  JK Rowling is the author who/that wrote Harry Potter series. 

We use whom for people as an object. Who and that can also be used in an informal way.

• He is the traveler. I saved him.
  He is the traveler whom I saved.

We use which and that for things.

• The film was horrible. We watched it last night.
  The film which/that we watch last night was horrible.
• I lost the pen. You lend it to me.
  I lost the pen which/that you lend to me.

We use whose for possessions.

• She's a lucky woman. Her husband is a billionaire.
  She's a lucky woman whose husband is a billionaire.
• They are the people. Their houses were burnt down a few days ago.
  They are the people whose houses were burnt down a few days ago.

We use where for places.

• This is the city. We grew up here.
  This is the city where we grew up.
• That is the park. I lost my wallet there.
  That is the park where I lost my wallet.

We use when for time.

• It was yesterday. The committee announced its winner at that time.
  It was yesterday when the committee announced its winner.

Articles - a, an & the

A/An

We use "a/an" with singular countable nouns. It is used to mention something for the first time, or to say that the thing is one of a number of things.

• I've got a skateboard. (mention something for the first time). It is a homemade skateboard. (the thing is one of a number of things)
• She has a sister. (mention something for the first time)

We use articles "a/an" to mention someone's profession.

• I am a professor.
• She is an engineer.

We use "a" before a consonant sound and we use "an" before a vowel sound.

• He's an artist.
• It is a German car.

The

We use "the" with countable (singular and plural) nouns and uncountable nouns. We use it to refer to something or somebody previously mentioned. (Compare to "a/an" above).

• I've got a skateboard. The skateboard was a birthday present from a penfriend.
• They need a house. The house must be big enough for the whole family. 

We use "the" talk about specific things or people.

• The restaurant we went to last night was horrible.
• Do you remember the gift I got from Mom for my birthday?

We use "the" to talk about something "unique".

• The government should promote the local products. (There is only one government in a country)
• The world is facing a serious problem. (There is only one world or I am referring to the one we are living in)

No Articles

We do not use an article when we are talking about people or things in general.

• I like oranges.
• People are sometimes selfish.
• Education is very important in the world.
• I love drinking tea in the afternoon.

Future with "Be Going To"

To form it, we use the correct form of "Be" + "Going to"+ base form

Use: Beside "will" and "shall", we can also use "be going to" to express future events as per below situations.

1. When you intend to do something in the future:
1. I am going to buy some books this weekend.
2. He is going to cut that tree down.
3. She is not going to study geography this semester.
2. When you have planned to do something in the future (previously made decision):
1. I am going to move out soon.
2. They are going to visit their grandparents this New Year Day.
3. What are you going to do this weekend? 
3. When you can forecast (based on current situation) that something is likely to happen very soon: 
1. Look! The tree is going to fall down.
2. Watch out! He is going to fall into the hole.
3. I think it is going to rain today. Look at those black clouds.

Plural Nouns

1. Add -s to form the plural of most nouns.
1. girl - girls
2. orange - oranges
3. kite - kites
4. fight - fights
5. label - labels
2. Add -es to nouns that end in -o, -ch, -sh, -s, -x, or -z
1. watch - watches
2. dish - dishes
3. bus - buses.
4.  box - boxes
5. quiz - quizzes
6. potato - potatoes
• There are some exceptions to the -o endings
1. piano - pianos
2. logo - logos
3. solo - solos
4. photo - photos
5. kangaroo - kangaroos 
6. radio - radios
   
3. For nouns that end in -y with a consonant before the -y, change the -y to -i and add -es
1. country - countries
2. baby - babies
3.  puppy - puppies
4. candy - candies
5. story - stories
4. For nouns that end in -y with a vowel before the -y, just add -s
1. toy - toys
2. boy - boys
3. monkey - monkeys
4. key - keys
5. day - days
5. For nouns that end in -f or -fe, drop the -f or -fe and add -ves
1.  loaf - loaves
2. knife - knives
3. wife - wives
4. wolf - wolves
5. leaf - leaves
6.  Some nouns have the same singular and plural forms
1. fish - fish
2. deer - deer 
3. sheep - sheep
4. salmon - salmon
   
7. Some nouns are irregular.
1. man  - men
2. woman - women
3. goose - geese
4. tooth - teeth
5. mouse - mice
6. child - children
8. Form the plural of most compound nouns by adding -s to the head nouns.
1. car park - car parks (noun + noun)
2. sister-in-law - sisters-in-law
3. train station - train stations
4. taxi driver - taxi drivers
5. firefighter - firefighters
6. passer-by - passers-by (noun + preposition)
7.  hanger-on - hangers-on
9.  Below are some exceptions to the #8 rule.
1. grown-up - grown-ups
2. check-in - check-ins
3. higher-up - higher-ups

The Future Simple "Will" & "Shall"

"Will" and "Shall" are modal verbs used to express future tense.

The Future Simple "Will" is used to:

1. Predict the future.
1. I think Manchester United will win the match tonight.
2. It will this Sunday 13th. It always does.
3. He won't (will not) be able to do it again.
2. Make offers.
1. That bag looks so heavy. I'll carry it for you.
2. No worry. I'll give you a lift to work today.
3. Make promises.
1. I won't be late again. I promise.
2. I will help you set things up all again. You don't have to worry.
4. Make invitation (with "you" in questions)
1. Will you marry me?
2. Will you join us to the party tonight?

"Shall" seems to be dated. However, we still use it with subject "I" and "We".

1. "Shall I...?" to make offers.
1. It seems so hot in here. Shall I open the window?
2. Shall I bring you some drink?
2. "Shall we...? to make suggestions.
1. Shall we eat out tonight?
2. Shall we get another week off?

The Past Continuous Tense

We form the past continuous tense with the past simple of Be and the present participle
"was/were + V.ing"

The past continuous tense is used to mention an action which was in progress at a moment in the past.

1. What were you doing at 10 last night? ~ I was chatting with my friend.
2. What was he thinking about at the dinner?
3. At three o'clock this afternoon, we were watching a movie.

We also use the past continuous to talk about an action (the past continuous) interrupted by the another action (the past simple).

1. While I was concentrating on the solution, my boss rang me and asked me to go to his office.
2. We were having dinner when we heard a bang on the door.
3. Were you listening when I explained?

This tense can be used to described the background in a story in the past tense.

• When I woke up this morning, the sun was shining, the birds were singing beautiful songs,...

Forming the Past Continuous Tense

List of State Verbs

• appreciate
• be
• belong
• consist
• contain 
• deny
• forget
• hate
• have*
• know
• like
• love
• realize
• fit
• suppose
• want
• need
• mean
• understand
• seem
• believe
• depend
• agree
• remember
• matter
• mind
• recognize
• see*
• own
• appear
• look*
• sound
• taste*
• smell
• hear
• astonish
• deny
• disagree
• impress
• satisfy
• promise
• surprise
• doubt
• think* (=have an opinion)
• feel
• wish
• imagine
• concern
• dislike
• deserve
• involve
• include 
• lack
• measure (have the lenth)
• possess
• owe
• value
• weigh (have weigh)

The verbs with asterisk (*) can be a stative verb and action verb.