This textbook is written for learners who understand English but struggle with correct tenses, sentence order, and fluent expression. It explains grammar in simple language, gives many examples, and provides practice exercises with answers.
- 1. Read one chapter at a time.
- 2. Copy the examples into a notebook.
- 3. Say the example sentences aloud.
- 4. Do the exercises before checking the answers.
- 5. Practise speaking with the sentence patterns every day.
Chapter 0: Before You Start: The English Sentence
- - Understand what makes a complete sentence
- - Know the parts of a sentence
- - Learn why structure comes before fluency
Many learners can think well, but when they speak English, the words come out in the wrong order. The problem is often not intelligence; it is sentence structure. A good English sentence normally needs a subject and a verb. Many sentences also need an object or complement.
A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought.
Example: The boy is reading.
This is complete because we know who is doing something and what is happening.
| Part | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Subject | The person or thing the sentence is about. | Emmanuel studies English. Subject = Emmanuel |
| Verb | The action word or state word. | She writes. Verb = writes |
| Object | The person or thing that receives the action. | He bought a book. Object = a book |
| Complement | A word or phrase that completes the meaning after verbs like be, seem, become. | She is happy. Complement = happy |
| Modifier | A word or phrase that gives extra information about time, place, manner, or degree. | He spoke slowly. Modifier = slowly |
Basic English word order is usually: Subject + Verb + Object/Complement + Extra information.
| Pattern | Formula | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Action sentence | Subject + verb + object | I read books. / She cooked rice. |
| State sentence | Subject + be + complement | I am ready. / They are students. |
| Place sentence | Subject + verb/be + place | He lives in Lagos. / The pen is on the table. |
| Time sentence | Subject + verb + object + time | We studied physics yesterday. |
Do not translate word-for-word from your native language into English. First choose the English structure, then put your idea inside it.
Wrong: I tomorrow will go school.
Correct: I will go to school tomorrow.
Chapter 1: Parts of Speech: The Building Blocks of English
- - Identify nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions and conjunctions
- - Use the right type of word in the right position
Parts of speech are the classes of words in English. If you know the job of a word, you will know where to place it in a sentence.
| Part of speech | Meaning | Examples | Sentence example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noun | Name of a person, place, thing, idea, or quality. | student, Lagos, book, honesty | The student opened the book. |
| Pronoun | A word used instead of a noun. | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | She is my sister. |
| Verb | A word that shows action or state. | go, eat, write, be, have | They are happy. |
| Adjective | A word that describes a noun. | good, tall, red, serious | He is a serious student. |
| Adverb | A word that describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb. | slowly, very, yesterday, here | She spoke clearly. |
| Preposition | A word that shows relationship of place, time, direction, or connection. | in, on, at, to, from, with | The bag is on the chair. |
| Conjunction | A word that joins words or ideas. | and, but, because, although | I studied because I had a test. |
Wrong: He is a behave well boy.
Correct: He is a well-behaved boy.
Why? In English, the adjective comes before the noun: a good boy, a serious student, a beautiful house.
A verb is the heart of a sentence. If the verb is wrong, the sentence will often sound wrong. That is why tenses are very important.
Practice 1A: Identify the part of speech
✓In the sentence "The diligent student answered quickly," identify the noun, adjective, verb, and adverb.
✓In the sentence "She travelled to Abuja yesterday," identify the pronoun, verb, preposition, and adverb of time.
✓Write five nouns around you now.
✓Write five action verbs you use every day.
✓Use the adjective "important" in a sentence.
Chapter 2: Subject, Verb and Agreement
- - Understand subject-verb agreement
- - Avoid common errors like "he go" and "they is"
- - Use singular and plural verbs correctly
Subject-verb agreement means that the verb must match the subject. A singular subject takes a singular verb. A plural subject takes a plural verb.
| Subject | Correct verb | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I | am / have / go | I am ready. I have a pen. I go to school. |
| You | are / have / go | You are kind. You have time. You go early. |
| He / She / It | is / has / goes | She is here. He has a phone. It works well. |
| We / They | are / have / go | We are ready. They have books. They go home. |
In the simple present tense, add -s or -es to the main verb when the subject is he, she, it, or one singular noun.
I work. You work. We work. They work.
He works. She works. The machine works.
| Wrong | Correct | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| She go to school. | She goes to school. | She is singular, so the verb takes -es. |
| They is coming. | They are coming. | They is plural, so use are. |
| The boys plays football. | The boys play football. | Boys is plural, so no -s on the verb. |
| My brother have a car. | My brother has a car. | My brother is singular. |
Practice 2A: Choose the correct verb
✓My sister (like / likes) mathematics.
✓The students (is / are) in class.
✓He (have / has) a new notebook.
✓I (am / is) learning English.
✓The phone (work / works) well.
Practice 2B: Correct the errors
✓She do her assignment every night.
✓They was at home yesterday.
✓The teacher teach us English.
✓My parents lives in Benin City.
✓This information are useful.
Chapter 3: What Tense Means and How to Choose the Right Tense
- - Understand the meaning of tense
- - Know the three main times: present, past and future
- - Choose tense using time and situation
Tense is the form of a verb that shows the time of an action or situation. English uses verb forms to show whether something happens now, happened before, or will happen later.
| Time | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Present | Now, regularly, generally true, or currently happening. | I live in Lagos. / She is reading. |
| Past | Before now. | I lived in Abuja. / She was reading. |
| Future | After now. | I will travel. / She is going to read. |
A tense is not chosen only by the time word. It is chosen by the meaning. For example, "I live in Lagos" is present simple because it is a present fact. "I am living in Lagos for now" is present continuous because it sounds temporary.
| Question to ask yourself | Best tense to consider | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Is it a habit, routine, fact, or general truth? | Present simple | I wake up at 5 a.m. |
| Is it happening now or around now? | Present continuous | I am reading now. |
| Did it happen and finish in the past? | Past simple | I visited him yesterday. |
| Was it happening at a past time? | Past continuous | I was sleeping at 10 p.m. |
| Did it start before now and still matters now? | Present perfect | I have finished my work. |
| Will it happen later? | Future forms | I will call you tomorrow. |
Before you speak, ask: Is my idea about a habit, now, yesterday, before another past action, experience, or future plan? When you know the time meaning, choosing the tense becomes easier.
Chapter 4: Present Simple Tense
- - Use present simple for habits, facts and routines
- - Make positive, negative and question forms
- - Avoid common present simple mistakes
The present simple tense is used for habits, routines, general truths, permanent situations, and facts.
| Use | Explanation | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Habit or routine | Something you do regularly. | I read every night. / She attends church on Sundays. |
| General truth | Something that is always or usually true. | Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius. |
| Permanent situation | Something that is true for a long time. | My father works in a hospital. |
| Timetable or fixed schedule | A planned schedule. | The bus leaves at 7 a.m. |
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | Subject + base verb / verb+s | I study English. / She studies English. |
| Negative | Subject + do/does + not + base verb | I do not smoke. / He does not smoke. |
| Question | Do/Does + subject + base verb? | Do you understand? / Does she understand? |
After does, the main verb returns to the base form.
Wrong: Does she likes rice?
Correct: Does she like rice?
Wrong: He does not goes.
Correct: He does not go.
Common time expressions: every day, always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, never, on Mondays, in the morning.
Practice 4A: Change to present simple
✓She ____ (go) to school every morning.
✓My brother ____ (watch) football on Saturdays.
✓They ____ (not like) noise.
✓____ your mother ____ (cook) every day?
✓The sun ____ (rise) in the east.
Speaking drill 4B
✓Say five things you do every morning using present simple.
✓Say five things a good student does every week.
✓Ask someone three questions beginning with "Do you...?"
✓Ask three questions beginning with "Does he...?" or "Does she...?"
Chapter 5: Present Continuous Tense
- - Use present continuous for actions happening now
- - Use am, is and are correctly
- - Understand temporary actions and changing situations
The present continuous tense is used for actions happening now, actions happening around this period, temporary situations, and changing situations.
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing | I am studying. / She is cooking. / They are playing. |
| Negative | Subject + am/is/are + not + verb-ing | He is not sleeping. |
| Question | Am/Is/Are + subject + verb-ing? | Are you listening? / Is she coming? |
| Use | Examples |
|---|---|
| Happening now | I am writing now. / The teacher is explaining the lesson. |
| Temporary situation | I am staying with my uncle this week. |
| Changing situation | My English is improving. / Prices are increasing. |
| Future arrangement | We are meeting tomorrow. |
Present simple: I read every night. This is a habit.
Present continuous: I am reading now. This is happening now.
Present simple: He works in a bank. This is his regular job.
Present continuous: He is working late today. This is happening today only.
Practice 5A: Fill in the gap
✓Look! The baby ____ (cry).
✓I ____ (learn) English this month.
✓They ____ (not play) football now.
✓____ she ____ (come) with us?
✓My communication skills ____ (improve).
Practice 5B: Choose present simple or present continuous
✓I usually ____ (wake) up early, but today I ____ (wake) up late.
✓She ____ (work) in a school, but this week she ____ (attend) a training.
✓Water ____ (boil) at 100 degrees Celsius.
✓Please keep quiet; I ____ (read).
✓My phone ____ (ring) now.
Chapter 6: Past Simple Tense
- - Use past simple for completed past actions
- - Use regular and irregular verbs
- - Ask and answer past tense questions
The past simple tense is used for actions that started and ended in the past. It often goes with time expressions such as yesterday, last week, last year, in 2020, two days ago, and this morning when the morning is already finished.
| Verb type | Present | Past | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular | work | worked | I worked yesterday. |
| Regular ending in e | dance | danced | She danced well. |
| Regular ending consonant + y | study | studied | He studied hard. |
| Irregular | go | went | They went home. |
| Irregular | write | wrote | I wrote a letter. |
| Irregular | eat | ate | We ate rice. |
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | Subject + past verb | I visited him. / She went home. |
| Negative | Subject + did not + base verb | I did not visit him. / She did not go home. |
| Question | Did + subject + base verb? | Did you visit him? / Did she go home? |
After did or did not, use the base form of the verb.
Wrong: Did you went?
Correct: Did you go?
Wrong: I did not saw him.
Correct: I did not see him.
Some common irregular verbs: be - was/were; begin - began; buy - bought; come - came; do - did; drink - drank; eat - ate; get - got; give - gave; go - went; have - had; know - knew; make - made; see - saw; speak - spoke; take - took; write - wrote.
Practice 6A: Change to past simple
✓I go to school early. -> Yesterday, I ____ to school early.
✓She writes a letter. -> She ____ a letter yesterday.
✓They buy food. -> They ____ food last night.
✓He does his homework. -> He ____ his homework.
✓We see the teacher. -> We ____ the teacher.
Practice 6B: Correct the errors
✓Did you went to class?
✓I did not ate breakfast.
✓She come yesterday.
✓They was happy.
✓He buyed a new pen.
Chapter 7: Past Continuous Tense
- - Use past continuous for actions happening at a past time
- - Combine past continuous and past simple
- - Describe interrupted actions
The past continuous tense is used for an action that was happening at a particular time in the past. It is formed with was/were + verb-ing.
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | Subject + was/were + verb-ing | I was reading. / They were playing. |
| Negative | Subject + was/were + not + verb-ing | She was not sleeping. |
| Question | Was/Were + subject + verb-ing? | Were you listening? |
Use was with I, he, she, it, and singular nouns. Use were with you, we, they, and plural nouns.
| Use | Example |
|---|---|
| Action happening at a past time | At 8 p.m., I was studying. |
| Longer action interrupted by shorter action | I was eating when he called. |
| Two actions happening at the same time | She was cooking while I was reading. |
| Background description in a story | The rain was falling and people were running. |
Use past continuous for the longer action. Use past simple for the shorter action that interrupted it.
Example: I was sleeping when the phone rang.
Longer action: was sleeping. Shorter action: rang.
Practice 7A: Fill in the gap
✓I ____ (read) when the light went off.
✓They ____ (play) football at 5 p.m.
✓She ____ (not sleep) when I arrived.
✓____ you ____ (listen) when the teacher explained?
✓It ____ (rain) heavily yesterday evening.
Chapter 8: Present Perfect Tense
- - Use present perfect for past actions connected to now
- - Use have and has correctly
- - Understand already, yet, just, ever, never, since and for
The present perfect tense connects the past with the present. It is used when the exact past time is not the main point, or when the result is important now.
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | Subject + have/has + past participle | I have finished. / She has gone. |
| Negative | Subject + have/has + not + past participle | He has not arrived. |
| Question | Have/Has + subject + past participle? | Have you eaten? / Has she called? |
| Use | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Experience | I have visited Abuja. | At some time in my life, I visited Abuja. |
| Recent action with present result | She has broken the cup. | The cup is broken now. |
| Action that started in the past and continues now | I have lived here for five years. | I still live here. |
| Completed action without exact time | They have submitted the form. | The submission is complete. |
Use since for the starting point: since 2020, since Monday, since morning.
Use for for the length of time: for two years, for three days, for one hour.
Examples: I have known him since 2020. I have known him for six years.
Present perfect: I have eaten. The exact time is not important; the result is important now.
Past simple: I ate at 8 a.m. The time is stated or understood.
Practice 8A: Fill in the gap
✓I ____ (finish) my assignment.
✓She ____ (not arrive) yet.
✓Have you ever ____ (travel) by train?
✓We have lived here ____ 2021.
✓They have waited ____ two hours.
Practice 8B: Choose past simple or present perfect
✓I ____ (saw / have seen) him yesterday.
✓She ____ (has finished / finished) her work already.
✓They ____ (went / have gone) to Abuja last week.
✓Have you ever ____ (eat / eaten) pounded yam?
✓I ____ (lost / have lost) my pen; I cannot find it now.
Chapter 9: Past Perfect and Future Forms
- - Use past perfect for earlier past actions
- - Use will, going to and present continuous for future meaning
- - Avoid future tense confusion
The past perfect tense is used for an action that happened before another past action. It is formed with had + past participle.
| Tense | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Past perfect | Subject + had + past participle | I had eaten before he arrived. |
| Negative | Subject + had not + past participle | She had not left when I called. |
| Question | Had + subject + past participle? | Had they finished before the rain started? |
Imagine two past actions. The earlier action takes past perfect.
Action 1: I finished my work.
Action 2: My friend came.
Sentence: I had finished my work before my friend came.
Future meaning can be expressed in different ways. The three common forms are will, be going to, and present continuous for arrangements.
| Future form | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Will + base verb | Decision now, promise, prediction, offer. | I will call you later. / It will rain. |
| Be going to + base verb | Plan or prediction based on evidence. | I am going to study tonight. / Look at the clouds; it is going to rain. |
| Present continuous | Fixed arrangement. | We are meeting at 4 p.m. tomorrow. |
Practice 9A: Fill in the gap
✓By the time I arrived, she ____ (leave).
✓I ____ call you when I get home.
✓Look at the dark clouds. It ____ rain.
✓We ____ meeting the principal tomorrow morning.
✓They had eaten before we ____ (arrive).
Chapter 10: The Twelve Main Tenses in One Place
- - See all major tenses together
- - Compare structures quickly
- - Use a tense table for revision
English has many tense forms, but you do not need to fear them. Learn the meaning, structure, and common examples. The table below gives a simple revision guide.
| Tense | Structure | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present simple | I work / She works | Habit, fact, routine | She teaches English. |
| Present continuous | am/is/are working | Now, temporary action | She is teaching now. |
| Present perfect | have/has worked | Past connected to now | She has taught for years. |
| Present perfect continuous | have/has been working | Action continuing up to now | She has been teaching since morning. |
| Past simple | worked / went | Finished past action | She taught yesterday. |
| Past continuous | was/were working | Action happening in the past | She was teaching at 10 a.m. |
| Past perfect | had worked | Earlier past action | She had taught before she travelled. |
| Past perfect continuous | had been working | Long action before another past action | She had been teaching for two hours before the break. |
| Future simple | will work | Promise, prediction, decision | She will teach tomorrow. |
| Future continuous | will be working | Action happening at a future time | She will be teaching at 10 a.m. tomorrow. |
| Future perfect | will have worked | Completed before a future time | She will have finished by 12 noon. |
| Future perfect continuous | will have been working | Duration before a future time | By noon, she will have been teaching for three hours. |
Do not try to use all twelve tenses at once. Master the common six first: present simple, present continuous, past simple, past continuous, present perfect, and future with will/going to. Then add the others gradually.
Practice 10A: Name the tense
✓She is writing a letter.
✓They have completed the project.
✓I went to school yesterday.
✓He had left before I arrived.
✓We will travel next week.
✓I have been waiting for one hour.
✓They were playing when it started raining.
✓She works in a hospital.
Chapter 11: Questions, Negatives and Short Answers
- - Ask correct questions
- - Make correct negative sentences
- - Answer naturally in conversation
Many learners can make positive sentences but struggle with questions. English questions often need an auxiliary verb such as do, does, did, am, is, are, was, were, have, has, had, will, can, should, or must.
| Statement | Question | Short answer |
|---|---|---|
| You like English. | Do you like English? | Yes, I do. / No, I do not. |
| She likes English. | Does she like English? | Yes, she does. / No, she does not. |
| They went home. | Did they go home? | Yes, they did. / No, they did not. |
| He is reading. | Is he reading? | Yes, he is. / No, he is not. |
| You have eaten. | Have you eaten? | Yes, I have. / No, I have not. |
| She will come. | Will she come? | Yes, she will. / No, she will not. |
For wh-questions, put the question word before the auxiliary verb: What do you want? Where did she go? Why are you crying? When will they arrive?
| Question word | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| What | Thing or action | What do you want? |
| Where | Place | Where do you live? |
| When | Time | When did he call? |
| Why | Reason | Why are you late? |
| Who | Person | Who called you? |
| How | Manner or condition | How did you do it? |
| How much / many | Quantity | How many books do you have? |
Practice 11A: Change to questions
✓She lives in Lagos.
✓They went to church yesterday.
✓He is reading now.
✓You have submitted the assignment.
✓They will visit us tomorrow.
Practice 11B: Make negative sentences
✓I understand the lesson.
✓She came late.
✓They are playing outside.
✓He has finished the food.
✓We will travel next week.
Chapter 12: Sentence Structure: Simple, Compound and Complex Sentences
- - Build clear simple sentences
- - Join ideas correctly
- - Use because, although, when, if and while
A simple sentence has one main idea. A compound sentence joins two equal ideas. A complex sentence has one main idea and one dependent idea.
| Sentence type | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Simple sentence | One complete idea. | I studied English. |
| Compound sentence | Two complete ideas joined by and, but, or, so, yet. | I studied English, and I practised speaking. |
| Complex sentence | One main idea plus one dependent idea. | I studied English because I wanted to improve. |
A dependent clause cannot stand alone because it does not express a complete thought. Examples: because I was tired; when she arrived; although it rained; if you call me.
| Connector | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| and | addition | I read the note, and I answered the questions. |
| but | contrast | I was tired, but I continued studying. |
| so | result | It was late, so we went home. |
| because | reason | I stayed home because I was sick. |
| although | surprising contrast | Although it rained, we attended the class. |
| when | time | Call me when you arrive. |
| if | condition | I will help you if I have time. |
Wrong: Because I was tired.
This is not complete. It needs a main clause.
Correct: I slept early because I was tired.
Correct: Because I was tired, I slept early.
Practice 12A: Join the sentences
✓I was hungry. I bought food. Use: so
✓She passed the exam. She studied hard. Use: because
✓It was raining. We went to school. Use: although
✓Call me. You arrive. Use: when
✓I like English. I find tenses difficult. Use: but
Practice 12B: Write your own sentences
✓Write two simple sentences about your daily routine.
✓Write two compound sentences using and and but.
✓Write two complex sentences using because and although.
✓Write one sentence with if.
✓Write one sentence with when.
Chapter 13: Common Structure Problems and How to Fix Them
- - Recognize common mistakes
- - Rewrite wrong sentences correctly
- - Speak more naturally
This chapter focuses on the kinds of mistakes many English learners make. Study the wrong sentence, the correct sentence, and the reason.
| Wrong sentence | Correct sentence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| I am having issues with my English. | I have difficulty with English. / I am having difficulty with my English. | Both are possible, but "have difficulty with" is more natural. |
| I cannot express myself very well at times. | At times, I cannot express myself very well. | The second arrangement is smoother, but both are understandable. |
| I am not fluent at English. | I am not fluent in English. | Use fluent in a language. |
| I discussed about the topic. | I discussed the topic. | Discuss does not take about after it. |
| I requested for help. | I requested help. / I asked for help. | Request is usually followed directly by the object. |
| I am hearing you. | I can hear you. | Use can hear for ability at the moment. |
| The informations are useful. | The information is useful. | Information is uncountable. |
| I am in 200 level. | I am in 200 level. / I am a 200-level student. | The second is more complete and natural. |
| I will off the light. | I will switch off the light. | Use switch off or turn off. |
| She is senior me. | She is senior to me. / She is older than me. | Use senior to. |
When you do not know how to express yourself, use this structure:
These phrases give you time to organize your thoughts and continue speaking confidently.
Practice 13A: Correct the sentences
✓I am not good in English.
✓She requested for my number.
✓I cannot be able to come tomorrow.
✓The staffs are friendly.
✓He is owing me money.
✓I did not knew the answer.
✓Does she likes you?
✓I have wrote the letter.
✓They was waiting for us.
✓I am understanding the lesson now.
Chapter 14: Speaking Better English: From Grammar to Fluency
- - Use grammar in real conversation
- - Practise daily speaking patterns
- - Build confidence step by step
Good speaking is not only about knowing rules. It also comes from practising sentence patterns until they become natural. Start with simple correct sentences. Then add details. Do not rush to sound complicated.
| Step | Basic sentence | Improved sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | I learn English. | I learn English every day. |
| 2 | I am improving. | I am improving because I practise daily. |
| 3 | I made a mistake. | I made a mistake yesterday, but I corrected it. |
| 4 | I want to speak well. | I want to speak well so that I can express my ideas clearly. |
| 5 | I was nervous. | I was nervous at first, but I became more confident after practising. |
5 minutes: Read ten correct sentences aloud.
5 minutes: Change the sentences into past and future forms.
5 minutes: Speak about your day using present simple and past simple.
5 minutes: Correct one common mistake and make five new sentences with the correction.
Use the following speaking frames to express yourself more clearly:
To give your opinion: In my opinion, ... / I think that ... / I believe that ...
To explain a reason: This is because ... / The reason is that ...
To give an example: For example, ... / For instance, ...
To compare: On the other hand, ... / In contrast, ...
To correct yourself: What I mean is ... / Let me rephrase that ...
To conclude: In conclusion, ... / To sum up, ...
Practice 14A: Speaking tasks
✓Speak for one minute about what you do every morning.
✓Speak for one minute about what you did yesterday.
✓Speak for one minute about what you are doing to improve your English.
✓Speak for one minute about your plans for next week.
✓Record yourself and listen for tense mistakes.
Practice 14B: Transform the sentence
✓I study English. Change it to present continuous, past simple, present perfect and future.
✓She cooks rice. Change it to negative and question forms.
✓They went home. Change it to negative and question forms.
✓He is reading. Change it to past continuous and future continuous.
✓I have finished. Change it to negative and question forms.
Chapter 15: Major Practice Test
- - Test your understanding of tenses and structure
- - Practise correction, sentence building and speaking
- - Prepare for real communication
Section A: Choose the correct answer
✓She ____ to school every day. (go / goes / going)
✓They ____ football now. (play / are playing / played)
✓I ____ him yesterday. (see / saw / have seen)
✓____ you understand the lesson? (Do / Does / Are)
✓He has ____ his food. (eat / ate / eaten)
✓We ____ sleeping when the rain started. (was / were / are)
✓By the time I came, she ____ left. (has / had / have)
✓I ____ call you tomorrow. (will / was / have)
✓Although he was tired, he ____ working. (continue / continued / continuing)
✓The information ____ important. (is / are / were)
Section B: Fill in the correct tense
✓My brother ____ (read) every evening.
✓Look! The children ____ (run) outside.
✓I ____ (finish) the assignment already.
✓She ____ (cook) when I entered the kitchen.
✓They ____ (travel) to Abuja last week.
✓We ____ (wait) here for two hours.
✓He ____ (leave) before I arrived.
✓I think it ____ (rain) tonight.
✓She ____ (not like) noise.
✓Did you ____ (see) the teacher?
Section C: Correct the sentences
✓Does he goes to school?
✓I did not saw her.
✓She have finished the work.
✓They was happy yesterday.
✓I am not fluent at English.
✓He requested for money.
✓The staffs is coming.
✓I have went there before.
✓She is understanding the lesson.
✓Because I was tired.
Section D: Build your own sentences
✓Write three sentences in the present simple tense.
✓Write three sentences in the past simple tense.
✓Write three sentences in the present perfect tense.
✓Write three sentences using because, although and if.
✓Write a short paragraph of six sentences about your English learning journey.
Chapter 16: Answer Guide
- - Check your work after trying the exercises
- - Learn from mistakes
- - Revise difficult areas
Use this answer guide after you have attempted the exercises. Some sentence-writing questions may have many correct answers. The answers below show sample correct responses.
Practice 1A
✓Noun: student; adjective: diligent; verb: answered; adverb: quickly.
✓Pronoun: She; verb: travelled; preposition: to; adverb of time: yesterday.
✓Sample nouns: book, phone, table, teacher, school.
✓Sample verbs: eat, read, write, sleep, speak.
✓Example: English is an important subject.
Practice 2A
✓likes
✓are
✓has
✓am
✓works
Practice 2B
✓She does her assignment every night.
✓They were at home yesterday.
✓The teacher teaches us English.
✓My parents live in Benin City.
✓This information is useful.
Practice 4A
✓goes
✓watches
✓do not like
✓Does your mother cook every day?
✓rises
Practice 5A
✓is crying
✓am learning
✓are not playing
✓Is she coming with us?
✓are improving
Practice 5B
✓wake / am waking
✓works / is attending
✓boils
✓am reading
✓is ringing
Practice 6A
✓went
✓wrote
✓bought
✓did
✓saw
Practice 6B
✓Did you go to class?
✓I did not eat breakfast.
✓She came yesterday.
✓They were happy.
✓He bought a new pen.
Practice 7A
✓was reading
✓were playing
✓was not sleeping
✓Were you listening
✓was raining
Practice 8A
✓have finished
✓has not arrived
✓travelled
✓since
✓for
Practice 8B
✓saw
✓has finished
✓went
✓eaten
✓have lost
Practice 9A
✓had left
✓will
✓is going to
✓are
✓arrived
Practice 10A
✓Present continuous
✓Present perfect
✓Past simple
✓Past perfect
✓Future simple
✓Present perfect continuous
✓Past continuous
✓Present simple
Practice 11A
✓Does she live in Lagos?
✓Did they go to church yesterday?
✓Is he reading now?
✓Have you submitted the assignment?
✓Will they visit us tomorrow?
Practice 11B
✓I do not understand the lesson.
✓She did not come late.
✓They are not playing outside.
✓He has not finished the food.
✓We will not travel next week.
Practice 12A
✓I was hungry, so I bought food.
✓She passed the exam because she studied hard.
✓Although it was raining, we went to school.
✓Call me when you arrive.
✓I like English, but I find tenses difficult.
Practice 13A
✓I am not good at English. / I am not good in English is common, but at is more standard here.
✓She requested my number. / She asked for my number.
✓I cannot come tomorrow. / I will not be able to come tomorrow.
✓The staff are friendly. / The members of staff are friendly.
✓He owes me money.
✓I did not know the answer.
✓Does she like you?
✓I have written the letter.
✓They were waiting for us.
✓I understand the lesson now.
Major Practice Test: Section A
✓goes
✓are playing
✓saw
✓Do
✓eaten
✓were
✓had
✓will
✓continued
✓is
Major Practice Test: Section B
✓reads
✓are running
✓have finished
✓was cooking
✓travelled
✓have waited / have been waiting
✓had left
✓will rain / is going to rain
✓does not like
✓see
Major Practice Test: Section C
✓Does he go to school?
✓I did not see her.
✓She has finished the work.
✓They were happy yesterday.
✓I am not fluent in English.
✓He requested money. / He asked for money.
✓The staff are coming. / The staff member is coming.
✓I have gone there before. / I went there before.
✓She understands the lesson.
✓I slept early because I was tired.
Chapter 17: 30-Day Self-Study Plan
- - Use the textbook consistently
- - Improve grammar and speaking through repetition
- - Track your progress
This plan helps you practise the lessons until they become part of your natural speech. Repeat the plan after 30 days if you still need more practice.
| Days | Focus | Daily task |
|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | Sentence parts | Write 20 simple sentences. Underline the subject and verb. |
| 4-6 | Subject-verb agreement | Practise I/you/he/she/it/we/they with common verbs. |
| 7-9 | Present simple | Describe your daily routine aloud and in writing. |
| 10-12 | Present continuous | Describe what is happening around you now. |
| 13-15 | Past simple | Tell the story of yesterday using correct past verbs. |
| 16-18 | Past continuous | Describe interrupted actions: I was ... when ... |
| 19-21 | Present perfect | Practise have/has + past participle with ever, never, already, yet, since and for. |
| 22-24 | Future forms | Talk about plans, promises and arrangements. |
| 25-27 | Complex sentences | Use because, although, if, when and while. |
| 28-30 | Speaking fluency | Record a two-minute speech, correct mistakes and repeat it better. |
Good English grows through correct repetition. Do not be ashamed of mistakes. A mistake becomes useful when you correct it and practise the correct form many times.
Continue Learning on FULBOOKBANK
Use this lesson as a daily grammar practice guide. Read one chapter, copy the examples, speak the sentences aloud, then attempt the exercises before checking the answers.