TLDR;
This video is a comprehensive grammar lesson covering prepositions, basic grammar rules, articles, and tenses. It addresses common preposition confusions, explains parts of speech, clarifies article usage, and provides guidance on using English tenses correctly with marker words. The lesson aims to improve English learners' accuracy and fluency.
- Prepositions: Clarifies the usage of 'at,' 'in,' 'on,' 'to,' 'for,' and other confusing prepositions.
- Basic Grammar: Covers parts of speech, basic tenses (present, past, future), and word order.
- Articles: Explains the use of 'a,' 'an,' and 'the' with rules and exceptions.
- Tenses: Provides marker words for identifying and using different tenses correctly.
1 hour of grammar [0:00]
The video introduces a grammar class focusing on prepositions, basic grammar rules, and articles, aiming to help English learners improve their language skills. The class will cover common preposition confusions, basic grammar rules, articles, and tenses in English.
Prepositions [0:29]
The speaker discusses the confusion around prepositions for English learners, particularly in American English. While native speakers usually understand regardless of the preposition used, correct usage is important for tests. The lesson starts with differentiating "at" and "in."
at vs. in [1:15]
"In" is used with larger locations like countries, cities, and continents (e.g., in Europe, in Italy, in Rome). "At" is used with smaller, more specific places like the farmer's market, airport, or restaurant. "All of" is used before pronouns (e.g., all of us, all of them), while "all" is used in other cases (e.g., all the people, all the students).
in vs. on vs. at [4:20]
"In" is used for general time measurements (e.g., in two minutes, in two days, in two months) and years (e.g., in 1990, in 2025). "On" is used for specific dates (e.g., on Monday, on September 21st). "At" is used for specific times (e.g., at 12 pm). "Beside" means nearby, while "besides" means in addition to. "Among" is used for groups of three or more, and "between" is used for two objects. "On" and "upon" are interchangeable, but "upon" is more formal.
to vs. than [6:41]
Certain words are followed by "to," including senior, junior, prefer, prior, superior, inferior, and preferable (e.g., senior to me, prefer coffee to tea). In other cases, "than" is used for comparisons (e.g., better than me, more beautiful than me).
in vs. into [7:22]
"In" indicates a person or object is already located in a place (e.g., in the classroom, in the house, in your office). "Into" indicates movement toward something or entering a closed space (e.g., came into my office, driving into garage).
for vs. since [7:58]
"For" measures a period of time (e.g., for five years), while "since" marks a start date (e.g., since 2014).
agree with vs. agree to [8:50]
"Agree with" is used for agreement with a person (e.g., I agree with you). "Agree to" is used for agreement to a plan, proposal, or idea (e.g., I agree to your proposal).
when to use ‘to’ [9:28]
"To" is used to indicate a destination (e.g., going to Germany, going to a restaurant). In British English, "to" is used to tell time (e.g., a quarter to two). "To" can replace "until" when talking about time (e.g., from Monday to Friday). It is also used when comparing something (e.g., prefer traveling to sitting at home) and to indicate the receiver of an action (e.g., gave my book to my follower). Finally, "to" expresses a reason for an action (e.g., I came here to see you).
when to use ‘for’ [11:35]
"For" is used to indicate benefits (e.g., doing something for your health, a gift for my friend), periods of time (e.g., living in the U.S. for four years), and schedules (e.g., appointment for March 13th). It also expresses a reason (e.g., fired for being constantly late) and a purpose (e.g., creates videos for improving your English).
to vs. for [13:18]
"For" is used with a noun (e.g., learns English for fun, for work, for his master's degree), while "to" is used with a verb (e.g., learns English to talk to his friends, to get a job promotion, to study abroad). "To" indicates direction, while "for" emphasizes doing something nice. Apologize for something, but apologize to someone. Travel to a destination, but travel for a reason. Wait for someone or something, but wait to do something. Ask for something. Belong to someone. Care for somebody. Prepare for something.
at vs. in vs. on [16:38]
"At" is used with exact places (e.g., at the door, at the hospital, at school). "On" is used with streets and avenues (e.g., on Park Avenue, on Green Street), but "at" is used when a street number is given (e.g., at 13 Green Street). "In" is used with bigger locations like cities, towns, countries, and parts of countries (e.g., in London, in New York, in California). "In" is also used for enclosed spaces (e.g., in a car, in a box, in a building). "On" is used with surfaces (e.g., on a table, on the floor, on the wall) and means of transportation where you can stand up (e.g., on a bus, on an airplane). "In a hospital" means you're a patient, while "at the hospital" means you're visiting.
Basic grammar [26:24]
The video transitions to basic grammar, covering parts of speech, basic tenses, and word order. Understanding these concepts is crucial for speaking English effectively.
Parts of speech [27:15]
The lesson defines nouns (objects or subjects), pronouns (words that substitute nouns), verbs (express actions), adjectives (describe nouns), adverbs (describe actions or adjectives), prepositions (modify phrases), conjunctions (connect sentences), and articles (a, an, the). Adjectives answer questions like which one, what kind, how many, and how much, while adverbs answer when, where, and how.
One resource to learn grammar [30:48]
The speaker promotes a grammar book created by her team, covering essential aspects of English grammar with life hacks, real-life examples, and exercises. A workbook is also available for additional practice.
Basic tenses [31:51]
The video explains three basic tenses: present simple (habits, schedules, general truths), past simple (actions in the past), and future simple (future actions). In English, a sentence should always have a noun or pronoun and a verb.
Word order [33:23]
The basic word order in English is subject, verb, and object. Adverbs are placed before the verb, and adjectives are placed before the noun they describe. Adverbs should not be placed between a verb and an object.
Do you have articles in your language [34:46]
The speaker discusses articles (a, an, the) and their usage, noting that some languages don't have them, which can cause confusion for learners. "A" is used for objects encountered for the first time, while "the" is used for something specific. "A" is used with single objects, and "an" is used when a word starts with a vowel. When something is mentioned for the first time, use "a," and when it's mentioned again, use "the." "The" is always used for one-of-a-kind objects (e.g., the Moon, the Sun).
Tenses [44:23]
The video transitions to tenses, focusing on marker words that indicate which tense to use. While these words are helpful, context is always important. Present simple is used for regular actions and pre-scheduled events, with marker words like "every day," "often," "always," and "sometimes." Past simple is used to describe actions in the past, with marker words like "yesterday," "last week," "ago," and "in 1994." Future simple is used for future actions that are not 100% certain, with marker words like "tomorrow," "next week," "in an hour," and "soon." Present progressive is used to describe something happening right now, with marker words like "now," "at the moment," "today," and "look."
Present Perfect [53:57]
Present perfect focuses on the result in the present, not the details of a past action. It is formed using "have" or "has" plus the verb in the third form. Marker words include "ever," "never," "already," "yet," "recently," and "lately." Present perfect is used for actions that started in the past and still affect the present, life experiences, and unfinished time words. The video concludes with a quick exercise to differentiate between past simple and present perfect.
