Tag: English grammar

Linking words – test

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Linking words (named also “connecting words”) are essential for those who want to improve their writing skills.
What are linking words?
As you can deduce these English words are employed to link/connect parts of speech or whole sentences.
Linking words can be used to:

– show the reason for something;
– add ideas together;
– contrast ideas.

LIST OF LINKING WORDS

Find out if you know how to use linking words, take this test:

Test on linking wordsGriffiths, M. (2010), IELTS Writing: A Comprehensive Guide, Smashwords Edition. 

Tomorrow the answers will be available on Facebook: Free English Materials (Album Quizzes’ answers).

Do you know the difference between “to shout to somebody” and “to shout at somebody”?

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Difference_between_shout_to_and_shout_at
TO SHOUT AT (somebody) => When you are angry.
TO SHOUT TO (somebody) => When you want  people to hear you.

Example sentences:

  • Look, I am not some college student you can shout at.
  • He shouted to me from the other side of the street.

If you want you can download this mind map as imx file here: Biggerplate.

TO END vs TO FINISH – Collocations in English

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To_end_vs_to_finishBased on: McCarthy, M. O’Dell, F. (2008), Collocations in use, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

TO END

  • To stop with a clear conclusion. We use it when there’s an important change.
    Example: World War II ended in 1945.
  • END can’t be followed by either the infinitive (to- form) or the -ing form.
    Example: Mark ended drying his hair. => This sentence isn’t correct!
    The correct sentence is: Mark finished drying his hair.

TO FINISH

  • To bring something to an end.
    Example: Are you sure you’ll finish your essay by Monday?
  • To eat, drink the last of something.
    Example: I’m sorry, I just finished the coffee.
  • It can be followed by the -ing form, but not by the infinitive.
    Example: They have finished to play. => This sentence is not correct!
    The correct sentence is: They have finished playing.