Here is an explanation of the uses of so and such:
So is used before an adjective or an adverb:
so big – so beautifully designed
Such is followed by a or an and is used before an adjective + a singular noun:
such a long time – such an incredible story
Idioms are figurative expressions which make learning a language fun and interesting. All languages have their own idioms. There are thousands of idioms in English. This quiz tests your knowledge of idioms related to colours.
Choose from the list of idioms to complete the sentences:
There is often some confusion between the usage of 'like' and 'as'.
'Like' is used before a noun or pronoun to say that two things are similar; they behave or work in the same way:
He works like a slave.
She swims like a fish.
He runs like the wind.
When we speak about sports and leisure activities the verbs 'play', 'go' and 'do' are used with different sports and activities.
Play is used with sports that have teams, rules and competitions:
Badminton, baseball, football, golf, rugby and tennis are some examples.
I have been playing tennis for over ten years.
When I was young we played football just outside our house in the street.
The future perfect is formed with 'will/won't + have + past participle'.
He will have left by the time you arrive.
Adjectives describe a quality that something has. To describe variations in temperature, for instance, we can use hot or cold, which are gradable adjectives but to describe the limits of temperature we use boiling or freezing. These are ungradable adjectives.
We use for to say how long
How long have you been waiting? Oh not long. Just for a few minutes.
They lived in Spain for nearly ten years.
We use since to say when something started.
I’ve worked here for nine years – I’ve worked here since 2004
From ...to/until are used to say when something starts and finishes:
The lessons are from Monday to Thursday.
We will be away from the 13th to the 20th of September.
We use phrases with prepositions as time adverbials:
At is used with:
‘Clock times’ at seven o’clock – at ten thirty – at eight fifteen
Mealtimes at breakfast – at lunch – at dinner
Other phrases at night – at the weekend – at Christmas
Question tags are a type of question that are used to confirm information we already know about or to show surprise.
Question tags are formed with an auxiliary verb and the appropriate personal pronoun. They take the same auxiliary as the statement or if there isn't an auxiliary in the statement they take 'do/does' in the present simple or 'did' in the past.
The verbs be, have and do can all be used as the main verb in a sentence:
My sister is at university.
We have a break at half past twelve.
I usually do the shopping on Saturday morning.
We use be, have and do to form tenses, questions and with negative forms. When be, have and do are used in this way they are called auxiliary verbs.
