Learning grammar is usually considered boring, and it is quite true if it is taught as if there were no explanations and if rules were meant to be learned by heart without questioning or trying to understand its mechanism.
On the other hand if reasoning is encouraged, if questions raised help even teachers to investigate why, the process of learning becomes more interesting and pushes learners towards the attempt to master proficiency actively instead of just passively accept a given rule.
The secret, I think, is to figure out how the language works and what’s behind it. Language, after all, is culture and it serves the purpose to expresse the deep mind set of the people that use that specific language to communicate.
This page collects all the grammar posts I have written to help students gather just basic information with simple examples that are meant to clarify its uses, I have also added the main aspects that could be confusing for a learner of English as a foreign language, especially those that seem more baffling to Italians, I’ve tried to underline its peculiarities and given explanations as to how to tackle them best.
It’s structured like a book with brief sections that proceed along a path of growing complexity, it also includes summary charts and video lessons.
BASIC ENGLISH 1
COMPARING ITALIAN AND ENGLISH VERBS – PART 1
SOME/ANY (INDEFINITE ADJECTIVES)
The Present Tense – Summary Chart
Adjectives and Adjective Order
VIDEO LESSONS
The Neutral Pronoun “IT” and spelling skills
BASIC ENGLISH 2
COMPARING ITALIAN AND ENGLISH VERBS – PART 2
MODAL VERBS part 1: MAY – MIGHT and CAN – COULD
MODAL VERBS part 2: WILL – WOULD, SHALL – SHOULD and MUST – OUGHT TO
VIDEO LESSONS
PAST TENSES – Video Lesson n. 1 – Past Simple
PAST TENSES – Video Lesson n. 2 – Used To and Would
PAST TENSES – Video Lesson n. 3 – Past Continuous
Video Lesson n. 1 – Modal Verbs: Can/Could – May/Might
Video Lesson n. 2 Modal Verbs: Will/Would – Shall/Should – Must/Ought To
INTERMEDIATE ENGLISH
PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE AND CONTINUOUS: THE DURATION FORM
PAST PERFECT SIMPLE AND CONTINUOUS
IF-CLAUSES OR CONDITIONAL SENTENCES
ENGLISH VERB TENSES – TEMPI VERBALI INGLESI
GRAMMAR REVIEW – ALL THE VERB TENSES
Parts of Speech – Grammar Review Charts
Second Year Class Projects
A SUNRISE IN THE VELD – part 2
VIDEO LESSONS
REPORTED SPEECH – Video Lesson n. 1 – Introduction to Reported Speech
REPORTED SPEECH – Video Lesson n. 2 – More in Detail
How To Write A Professional Email
© L. R. Capuana