English Language Articles

Browse our library of articles with include advice, tutorials, tips and opinions about learning and using the English language. We have a wide range of articles covering topics including English grammar, examinations, learning English, spelling, punctuation and vocabulary. If you would like to see your articles on UsingEnglish.com, please submit them using our form.

Browse Articles by Category

  • English Grammar (46) - Articles and notes dealing with English grammar and English language usage topics
  • English Language Examinations (15) - Articles looking at how to teach or study for ESL exams
  • General Articles (24) - General English Language Articles
  • Learning English (34) - Articles on how to learn English successfully
  • Spelling and Punctuation (8) - Articles looking at English spelling & how to punctuate in English, including the differences between British English and American English variants
  • Teaching English (3) - Articles about teaching English as a Second Language (ESL)
  • Telephoning (8) - Telephoning is one of the most difficult things to do in another language, but these articles and guides should make making and receiving phone calls easily manageable.
  • Vocabulary (3) - Vocabulary
  • Writing (7) - Writing

Latest Articles & Notes

70 ways to improve your English Pinned

Category: Learning English Topic: Learning and Teaching
Learning a new language can be hard work, so here are 70 practical tips for improving your English that you can do outside of school or college

How to teach much, many, a lot, etc New

Category: Teaching English Topic: Quantifiers
How to present and practise quantifiers of large amounts and large numbers, with both adults and young learners.

How to teach quantifiers New

Category: Teaching English Topic: Quantifiers
How to present and practise "a few", "some", "many", "most", etc, including communicative quantifier practice games and activities.

English Tenses and Aspects 7 - The Habitual Aspect

Category: English Grammar Topic: Verbs and Tenses
A look at the difficulties of classifying "used to"

How to teach some and any

Category: Teaching English Topic: General
Teaching tips for the determiners some and any, with some and any practice games

English Tenses and Aspect 6 - The Prospective Aspect

Category: English Grammar Topic: Verbs and Tenses
A look at the use of the 'going to' form in English

Fun for all the family 3 - Quite a few games for articles and determiners

Category: English Grammar Topic: Articles
Games for a, an, the, some, etc, for both adults and young learners

English Tenses and Aspects 5 - The Retrospective Aspect

Category: English Grammar Topic: Verbs and Tenses
A look the the forms traditionally known as the perfect aspect

English Tenses and Aspects 4 - The Durative Aspect

Category: English Grammar Topic: Verbs and Tenses
A look at the form traditionally known as the continuous or progressive

English Tenses and Aspect 3 - The Marked Tense

Category: English Grammar Topic: Verbs and Tenses
This tense, the traditional 'past simple', sometimes referred to as the preterite, like the unmarked tense, can refer to past, present, future and general time.

English Tenses and Aspect 2 - The Unmarked Tense

Category: English Grammar Topic: Verbs and Tenses
It is true that the uses of the unmarked tense can present three major problems for the learner

English Tenses and Aspects 1 - Introduction

Category: English Grammar Topic: Verbs and Tenses
I believe the tense/aspect system of English verbs is far less complex than many suppose. There is an underlying logic to the system that, when understood, clears away most of the problems that have caused misery to many learners and their teachers.

100 common mistakes with starting and ending emails

Category: Writing Topic: Vocabulary
The most common mistakes in English emails, including grammar, formality, fixed phrases, paragraphing, punctuation, etc.

The 100 most useful phrases for ending emails

Category: Writing Topic: Vocabulary
Common closing lines, closing greetings and ways of writing your name at the end of emails, including phrases for formal and informal business and personal emails.

The 100 most useful phrases for starting emails

Category: Writing Topic: Vocabulary
Useful opening greetings and first lines for formal and informal business and personal emails.

The Editor's Blog

Richard Flynn (aka Tdol) is an English teacher and the Site Editor here at UsingEnglish.com. Here, he talks about English usage that catches his eye or ear, and looks at language issues that interest or puzzle him.

Browse The Editor's Blog

Formal Letter Writing - Help with formal and business letter writing. A summary of writing rules including outlines for cover letters and letters of enquiry, and abbreviations used in letters.

Speaking Out - A collection of thoughts, comments and articles regarding some of the issues and discussion points that have been raised in our ESL Forum.

More English Articles

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