Thread for all who need to help and be helped about English language related matters

[safuher]

I a

I am very glad to inform you that, this thread is just for all who need to help and be helped about English language related matters. Students with questions from primary to A-level are warmly welcome, don't hesitate to present your questions here. All teachers and the other English experts ARE INVITED SO THAT they can just give assistance to those who are in needy.
For the direct help from me, present your question here or consult me through the following contacts for personal help. Thank you very much.
BY MWL. KAJANA, SELEMAN M.
Linguistic Expert from UDOM.
seremankajana@gmail.com
0744112335/0658705660

I am so happy to see this kind of thread,it's my hope that most of us we will learn new things esecially in case of improving our english speaking writing as well as reading.

I am also learn english language from a few months a go and i dont want to loose any chance that can help me to improve my english.

I want to know how can i use "were" and would"

 

[BARDIZBAH]

Teacher your good in english language , am i correct on my sentence?

 

[seleman kajana]

I a

I am so happy to see this kind of thread,it's my hope that most of us we will learn new things esecially in case of improving our english speaking writing as well as reading.

I am also learn english language from a few months a go and i dont want to loose any chance that can help me to improve my english.

I want to know how can i use "were" and would"

would

Would is an auxiliary verb - a modal auxiliary verb. We use would mainly to:

• talk about the past
• talk about the future in the past
• express the conditional mood

We also use would for other functions, such as:

• expressing desire, polite requests and questions, opinion or hope, wish and regret

Structure of would

The basic structure for would is:

subject

+

auxiliary verb would

+

main verb

Note that:

• The auxiliary verb would is invariable. There is only one form: would
• The main verb is usually in the base form (He would go).

Look at the basic structure again, with positive, negative and question sentences:

	subject	auxiliary would	not	main verb base
+​	I	would		like	tea.
-​	She	would	not	go.
?​	Would	you		help?

Note that the main verb is sometimes in the form:

• have + past participle (He would have gone)
• be + -ing (He would be going)

The main verb cannot be the to-infinitive. We cannot say: He would to like coffee.

Be careful! Note that would and had have the same short form 'd:
He'd finished = He had finished
He'd like coffee = He would like coffee

Use of would

would for the past

We often use would as a kind of past tense of will or going to:

• Even as a boy, he knew that he would succeed in life.
• I thought it would rain so I brought my umbrella.

Using would as as a kind of past tense of will or going to is common in reported speech:

• She said that she would buy some eggs. ("I will buy some eggs.")
• The candidate said that he wouldn't increase taxes. ("I won't increase taxes.")
• Why didn't you bring your umbrella? I told you it would rain! ("It's going to rain.")

We often use would not to talk about past refusals:

• He wanted a divorce but his wife would not agree.
• Yesterday morning, the car wouldn't start.

We sometimes use would (rather like used to) when talking about habitual past behaviour:

• Every weekday my father would come home from work at 6pm and watch TV.
• Every summer we'd go to the seaside.
• Sometimes she'd phone me in the middle of the night.
• We would always argue. We could never agree.

would games for past habit

would for the future in past

When talking about the past we can use would to express something that has not happened at the time we are talking about:

• In London she met the man that she would one day marry.
• He left 5 minutes late, unaware that the delay would save his life.

would for conditionals

We often use would to express the so-called second and third conditionals:

• If he lost his job he would have no money.
• If I had won the lottery I would have bought a car.

Using the same conditional structure, we often use would when giving advice:

• I wouldn't eat that if I were you.
• If I were in your place I'd refuse.
• If you asked me I would say you should go.

Sometimes the condition is "understood" and there does not have to be an "if" clause:

• Someone who liked John would probably love John's father. (If someone liked John they would probably love John's father.)
• You'd never know it. (for example: If you met him you would never know that he was rich.)
• Why don't you invite Mary? I'm sure she'd come.

Although there is always a main verb, sometimes it is understood (not stated) as in:

• I'd like to stay. | I wish you would. (would stay)
• Do you think he'd come? | I'm sure he would. (would come)
• Who would help us? | John would. (would help us)

would for desire or inclination

• I'd love to live here.
• Would you like some coffee?
• What I'd really like is some tea.

would for polite requests and questions

• Would you open the door, please? (more polite than: Open the door, please.)
• Would you go with me? (more polite than: Will you go with me?)
• Would you know the answer? (more polite than: Do you know the answer?)
• What would the capital of Nigeria be? (more polite than: What is the capital of Nigeria?)

would for opinion or hope

• I would imagine that they'll buy a new one.
• I suppose some people would call it torture.
• I would have to agree.
• I would expect him to come.
• Since you ask me I'd say the blue one is best.

would for wish

• I wish you would stay. (I really want you to stay. I hope you will stay.)
• They don't like me. I'm sure they wish I'd resign.

Note that all of these uses of would express some kind of distance or remoteness:

• remoteness in time (past time)
• remoteness of possibility or probability
• remoteness between speakers (formality, politeness)

would for presumption or expectation

• That would be Jo calling. I'll answer it.
• We saw a police helicopter overhead yesterday morning. | Really? They would have been looking for those bank robbers.

would for uncertainty

• He would seem to be getting better. (less certain than: He seems to be getting better.)
• It would appear that I was wrong. (less certain than: It appears that I was wrong.)

would for derogatory comment

• They would say that, wouldn't they?
• John said he didn't steal the money. | Well, he would, wouldn't he?

would that for regret (poetic/rare)

This rare, poetic or literary use of would does not have the normal structure:

• Would that it were true! (If only it were true! We wish that it were true!)
• Would that his mother had lived to see him become president.

• Was vs were
• Many people are confused as to when to use the verb was and when to use the verb were. There is sometimes a great debate concerning the use of was vs were, but the rules for using these terms are clear. We will examine how to use was or were, and look at some examples of the use of the words was and were in a sentence or two.
• 
  
• Was and were are past tenses of the verb to be. The verb to be is an irregular verb, which is a verb that does not follow any pattern or rules in its conjugation. The verb to be is probably one of the most commonly used verbs in the English language, but also one of the most confusing. It can be particularly hard to understand whether to use were or was in certain situations.
• Was is the first person singular past tense form of the verb to be, and the third person singular past tense form of the verb to be.
• For example:
• I was home last night.
• He was in bed at ten o’clock.
• She was at the restaurant until eleven.
• It was not a late night.
• 
  
• Were is the second person singular and plural past tense form of the verb to be, and the first and third person plural past tense form of the verb to be.
• 
  
• For example:
• You were home last night.
• The boys were in bed by ten o’clock.
• They were asleep by eleven.

 

[seleman kajana]

Teacher your good in english language , am i correct on my sentence?

The adjective ‘good’ collocates with the preposition ‘at’ in the sense you want.

Often, but not always, antonyms and synonyms use the same preposition collocation.

good at sth (sth=something)

bad at something

excellent at sth

terrible at sth.

eg

• got is good at creating evocative settings in her stories.
• · Paco is very good at tormenting his teachers!
• · Mr Jones is rather bad at remembering his students’ names.
• · I am good at learning and applying my English lessons.

 

[Drone Camera]

Wachimba chumvi kunatuhusu humu? Aa wii alaudi?

 

[kacherema]

I a

I am so happy to see this kind of thread,it's my hope that most of us we will learn new things esecially in case of improving our english speaking writing as well as reading.

"*I am also learn english language from a few months a go and i dont want to loose any chance that can help me to improve my english."**

CORRECT:
"I have been learning This English language for few months ago and I don't want to lose any chance that can help me improve my English "

or I also learn English language.

NB: once you use any part of an auxiliary verb "To be"(Is,Am,Are,Were etc " in a progressive tense the main verb which follows must be in present participle fo (ing form) You cannot say, "I am also learn" the main verb "learn" was supposed to be in ing(learning).

Loose and lose, lose is a verb,
I want to know how can i use "were" and would"

Were is the past form of an auxiliary verb "Are" and it can be used in various ways:

as a linking verb

The Children were in the classroom.

As a helping(To form past continuous tense) to talk about a past action which was still going on when another action interrupted.
NB: used by Subjective personal pronouns like (We,You and They.

They were playing football When I came.

You were cooking ugali when I saw you.

In conditional sentences

If my wife were here I would be so happy.

when "were" used in conditional sentences it can be used by all subjective personal pronouns.

If I were you I would look for a competent English teacher.

NOT, IF I was you**.

 

[safuher]

Were is the past form of an auxiliary verb "Are" and it can be used in various ways:

as a linking verb

The Children were in the classroom.

As a helping(To form past continuous tense) to talk about a past action which was still going on when another action interrupted.
NB: used by Subjective personal pronouns like (We,You and They.

They were playing football When I came.

You were cooking ugali when I saw you.

In conditional sentences

If my wife were here I would be so happy.

when "were" used in conditional sentences it can be used by all subjective personal pronouns.

If I were you I would look for a competent English teacher.

NOT, IF I was you**.

I were out of the forum,when you wrote this comment ...am i correct ?

Thanks a lot for your good explanation,i hope many peoples who have desire to know well english language they will use this golden chance to achieve what they want.

Desire

 

[kacherema]

I were out of the forum,when you wrote this comment ...am i correct ?

Thanks a lot for your good explanation,i hope many peoples who have desire to know well english language they will use this golden chance to achieve what they want.

Desire

No you are not correct, the correct sentence is, "I was out of the forum when you wrote this comment."

NB For the first person singular(Nafsi ya kwanza umoja I,) use "Am" Which becomes "Was" in the past.
e.g I am in the classroom.
I was in the classroom.
I am writing a letter.
I was writing a letter.
Third person singular(Nafsi ya tatu umoja He,She,It) use "Is" which also becomes "was" in the past. e.g

She is in the classroom.
She was in the classroom.
Omari is going to school.
Omari was going to school.

For the first person plural(We), second person(You) and third person plural(They) use "Are" which becomes "were" in the past.

We are in the classroom.
We were in the classroom.
You are my teacher.
You were my teacher(You are no longer my teacher)
They are in the classroom.
They were in the classroom.

NB: The Auxiliary verb "Be" has so many parts namely,
Am
Is
Was
Are
Were
Been
Being. (All of these helping verbs are derived from the base form "Be".

"Been" can be used in

Passive voice in a present perfect tense:
e.g.
ACTIVE VOICE,(,Kauli ya mtenda): I have taught English. Nimefundisha kingereza.
PASSIVE VOICE(kauli ya mtendwa) I have been taught English _Nimefundishwa Kingereza.

I have drunk tea_Nimeshakunywa chai.
Tea has been drunk _Chai imeshanywewa.

I have told you not to come here again _Nimeshakuambia usije tena hapa.
I have been told not to come here--Nimeshaambiwa nisije tena hapa.


been is also used with have to talk about an action that started in the past and still continuing in the present time(Present perfect continuous tense).

E.g
I have been learning English for one year(,Nimekuwa najifunza kingereza kwa mwaka mmoja sasa(This means that you are still learning English i.e you have not finished your course.)

I have been taking notes since morning.(Nimekuwa nanukuu notes tangu asubuhi.
PASSIVE: Notes have been being taken since morning _Nukuu zimekuw zikinukuliwa/andikwa tangu asubuhi.


You can also use "been" in past perfect tense&past perfect continuous tense in the same manner as I explained above)

"Being" can be used in passive voice of a present continuous tense.
e.g
Active voice: I am writing a letter.
Passive: A letter is being written. (by me)_Barua inaandikwa na mimi.
We are fetching water
Water is being fetched.(by us)__Maji yanachotwa na sisi.

Words you see in the bracket could be ommited and still the sentence could be meaningful. You use them if you want to mention the doer of a an action.


Being can also be used as a gerund(verb used as a noun) to state of being(kuwa au uwepo)

Being a teacher is not an easy journey(Kuwa mwalimu sio safari rahisi)

Being beautiful does not guarantee a woman to get married__Kuwa mrembo haimhakikishii mwanamke kuolewa.

Being the first applicant does not mean that you will be the first to be selected(Kuwa wa kwanza kutuma maombi haimaanishi utakuwa wa kwanza kuchaguliwa.)

You could replace the being above with an infinitive "To be"

To be a teacher is not an easy journey. and so on!

 

[safuher]

No you are not correct, the correct sentence is, "I was out of the forum when you wrote this comment."

NB For the first person singular(Nafsi ya kwanza umoja I,) use "Am" Which becomes "Was" in the past.
e.g I am in the classroom.
I was in the classroom.
I am writing a letter.
I was writing a letter.
Third person singular(Nafsi ya tatu umoja He,She,It) use "Is" which also becomes "was" in the past. e.g

She is in the classroom.
She was in the classroom.
Omari is going to school.
Omari was going to school.

For the first person plural(We), second person(You) and third person plural(They) use "Are" which becomes "were" in the past.

We are in the classroom.
We were in the classroom.
You are my teacher.
You were my teacher(You are no longer my teacher)
They are in the classroom.
They were in the classroom.

NB: The Auxiliary verb "Be" has so many parts namely,
Am
Is
Was
Are
Were
Been
Being. (All of these helping verbs are derived from the base form "Be".

"Been" can be used in

Passive voice in a present perfect tense:
e.g.
ACTIVE VOICE,(,Kauli ya mtenda): I have taught English. Nimefundisha kingereza.
PASSIVE VOICE(kauli ya mtendwa) I have been taught English _Nimefundishwa Kingereza.

I have drunk tea_Nimeshakunywa chai.
Tea has been drunk _Chai imeshanywewa.

I have told you not to come here again _Nimeshakuambia usije tena hapa.
I have been told not to come here--Nimeshaambiwa nisije tena hapa.


been is also used with have to talk about an action that started in the past and still continuing in the present time(Present perfect continuous tense).

E.g
I have been learning English for one year(,Nimekuwa najifunza kingereza kwa mwaka mmoja sasa(This means that you are still learning English i.e you have not finished your course.)

I have been taking notes since morning.(Nimekuwa nanukuu notes tangu asubuhi.
PASSIVE: Notes have been being taken since morning _Nukuu zimekuw zikinukuliwa/andikwa tangu asubuhi.


You can also use "been" in past perfect tense&past perfect continuous tense in the same manner as I explained above)

"Being" can be used in passive voice of a present continuous tense.
e.g
Active voice: I am writing a letter.
Passive: A letter is being written. (by me)_Barua inaandikwa na mimi.
We are fetching water
Water is being fetched.(by us)__Maji yanachotwa na sisi.

Words you see in the bracket could be ommited and still the sentence could be meaningful. You use them if you want to mention the doer of a an action.


Being can also be used as a gerund(verb used as a noun) to state of being(kuwa au uwepo)

Being a teacher is not an easy journey(Kuwa mwalimu sio safari rahisi)

Being beautiful does not guarantee a woman to get married__Kuwa mrembo haimhakikishii mwanamke kuolewa.

Being the first applicant does not mean that you will be the first to be selected(Kuwa wa kwanza kutuma maombi haimaanishi utakuwa wa kwanza kuchaguliwa.)

You could replace the being above with an infinitive "To be"

To be a teacher is not an easy journey. and so on!

It's very good explanation my brother.if i were near with you,i would be your english student.

Now i understand the conditions on how the word "were" used.it's my job to practice it.

So "to be" can be used instead of "being"..

 

[kacherema]

It's very good explanation my brother.if i were near with you,i would be your english student.

Now i understand the conditions on how the word "were" used.it's my job to practice it.

So "to be" can be used instead of "being"..

Of course yes! But nowadays we teach online via WhatsApp,Telegram etc so If you are willing we can arrange how you will receive a daily lesson on various aspects of this language with an affordable cost!.

We can equip you with a deep understanding of how an English verb can be used in different times and aspects i.e TENSES, e.g Go Goes,Going,Went and Gone(It's just the same word with different shapes and this inflectional change does not change the basic meaning of the verb, it just helps the verb to be used in different times and aspects.) In fact an English verb has four forms, namely
Base form_(In this form the verb is in its natural form/morphology i.e no any added letter. e.g give, gives(When the verb used by a third person singular in a simple present tense)
Infinitive form_( where a verb is preceded by a preposition TO, e.g To give)
Present participle form__(Giving) and
Past participle form__(Given&Gave).

NB: Inflectional change/Inflectional suffix is the letter or letters which are added in base form of the verb without changing its basic meaning or grammatical category e.g gives (an 'S' is an inflectional suffix) giving(ing_here is also an inflectional suffix) They don't alter the meaning of the verb not even its grammatical category(verb to noun,NO, it still remains a verb) but shape it in such a way that it can be used in different times and aspects such as simple present(when used by third person singular), simple past(by all persons), Present participle/continuous tense and past participle!.