English Grammar Usage

You can find links to pages explaining basic grammar below. If you have any examples, corrections or better explanations you would like to add to any of the pages, send your updates along with the URL of the page you would like to update. Click to send updates or advice.

---

Transition Words

Transition words are used to connect ideas and show flow. This page shows a list of transition words you can use to guide your reader through your essays or stories.

For Example: Single Transition Words

accordingly, additionally, afterward, afterwards, albeit, also, although, altogether, another, basically…

Click to Read More »

---

Bring vs Take

Third party → take → another location

Talking partner → take → another place

Speaker or writer → take → another place

Third party → bring → the partner of the conversation

Third party → bring → speaker or writer

Speaker or writer ↔ bring ↔ Talking party

Click to Read More »

---

Past Tense Verbs

ate, drank, etc…

In English, past tense verbs are actions or events that have finished. There are regular verbs that simply end with a “d” or an “ed” and irregular verbs that look different from the original verb sometimes using an “ied” at the end, like in the past tense verb married.

Regular Verb: “I have cereal every day. I eat breakfast everyday.”

Past Tense: “I had a bowl of cereal for breakfast yesterday. I ate breakfast yesterday.”

Click to Read More »

---

“get to” vs “got to”

get to vs got to

“Get to” is often about opportunity, arrival, starting something or being bothered.
“Got to” is typically about obligation (“have to”) or reflecting on an opportunity in a casual tone.

Click to Read More »

---

8 Bits of Advice

Use the active voice if possible.

• Example: I drink coffee every morning.
• 日本語: できるだけ能動態を使いましょう。
• 例: 私は毎朝コーヒーを飲みます。
  The passive version can sometimes sound unnatural.
  For example:
  コーヒーは私に飲まれます。
  △ Coffee is drunk by me.

---

Use commas to connect multiple ideas as one idea.

• 日本語: 複数のアイデアを1つの文でつなぐときはカンマを使います。

---

Link ideas with conjunctions.

• Example: I like design and I live in Sapporo.
• 日本語: 接続詞で文をつなぎましょう。
• 例: 私はデザインが好きで、札幌に住んでいます。

---

Ai likes to use serial commas in lists.
Ai puts a comma before the final item in a list, usually before “and” or “or”. This is also called the Oxford comma.

Example without a serial comma:

• I bought apples, oranges and bananas.

Example with a serial comma:

• I bought apples, oranges, and bananas.
  (The comma before “and” makes it clear each item is separate.)

日本語:
リストの最後の前にもカンマを使いましょう（オックスフォードカンマ）。

Example: I bought apples, oranges, and bananas.

• 日本語: リストの最後にもカンマを使いましょう（オックスフォードカンマ）。
• 例: 私はリンゴ、オレンジ、バナナを買いました。

---

Use semicolons to join ideas.

• Example: I like tea; my brother likes coffee.
• 日本語: セミコロンで2つの関連する文をつなぎます。
• 例: 私は紅茶が好きです；兄はコーヒーが好きです。

---

If you don’t know a past tense verb, try just adding “ed”.

• Example: I walk → I walked.
• 日本語: 過去形が分からなければ、動詞に “ed” をつけてみましょう。
• 例: walk → walked

---

Use the simple present tense for habitual actions.

• Example: I go to school every day.
• 日本語: 習慣的な行動には現在形を使います。
• 例: 私は毎日学校に行きます。

---

Use the present progressive tense for current action.

• Example: I am eating lunch now.
• 日本語: 今している行動には現在進行形を使います。
• 例: 私は今昼ご飯を食べています。