Here are some common linking words:

When we talk about something that happened in the past, we might want to refer to something that happened before that time. To do this we use the past perfect.

Look at these two sentences:
My friend left the bar at 10.00
I arrived at the bar at 10.30

We use the present perfect tense to talk about things where there is a connection between the past and the present.

He has worked with three different companies.
He started working sometime in the past. Up to now he has worked for three companies.

Look at the linking words in these sentences:

"They arrived home just as I was about to call the police."
just as – at the same time or at the start of another action.

"The workers stopped as soon as the bell rang."
as soon as – immediately after

As many of you might already know, knowing how to spell will improve your reading and writing skills. That means you will have less problems with vocabulary and comprehension.

Sharpen up your spelling skills with this quiz.  All you have to do is choose the correct spelling of the eight words below. Good luck!

Lesson by Krista

Spelling quiz 1

Look at how these sentences are linked:

1 Because it was raining, we stayed at home.
2 Because of the rain, we stayed at home.
3 Due to the rain, we stayed at home.
(Because + clause) – (Because of + noun) (Due + to + noun)

-ed adjectives

We often confuse adjectives that end both in –ed and –ing. (interested or interesting, bored or boring etc.)

Adjectives that end in –ed describe emotions – they tell us about how a person feels about something or even their opinion about something.

I’m surprised to see you.
He’s interested in fashion
I was bored during the lecture.
I was tired so I went to bed.

Third Conditionals are sentences with two clauses – an ‘if' clause and a main clause – that describe the past. They are used to describe ‘something that didn’t happen’.

We would have arrived on time if we had left earlier.
We left late so we arrived late.

If I had studied harder at school I would have gone to university.
I didn’t study very hard so I didn’t go to university.

So, we've covered similes… but what about metaphors?

Just like a simile, the non-literal figure of speech referred to as a metaphor also compares two things, but it does so in a more direct way, this time without using as or like.

The second conditional is a structure used to talk about impossible or imaginary situations.

If I won a lot of money I’d travel the world.
Where would you live if you could live anywhere in the world?
If he didn’t argue with everyone all the time, he would have a more relaxed life.

To form the second conditional we use: If+past simple and would+infinitive