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Resources Section – Grammar explained

Which versus that

If your sentence has a clause but doesn’t need it, use “which”. (Nonessential clause) (A little trick to help us remember: We don’t need “witches”—Hexen!!!).

If the sentence needs the clause, use “that”. (Essential clause)

Example 1

The old house, which (by the way) is one of my favourites, is in a bad condition.
The old house is in a bad condition. The type of antibiotic that my doctor prescribed made me feel bad.
The sentence without the clause “that my doctor prescribed” doesn’t make sense: The type of antibiotic made me feel bad.

Example 2

• Our house, which (by the way) has 3 bedrooms, is located near the sea.
• Our house that has 3 bedrooms is located near the sea.

The first sentence discusses the location of your only house and it just so happens to have 3 bedrooms. And lucky you, it’s near the sea.

The second sentence points out that the house you own with 3 bedrooms is located near the sea. This means you have more than one house, lucky devil. “That has 3 bedrooms” is how you distinguish between your many homes.

Wenn = when / if

Wenn = when / if

wenn = when und if 'wenn' im zeitlichen Sinne ('sobald', 'immer, wenn' / 'jedes Mal, wenn' = 'when' When (if) she's sixty-four, she'll retire. 'wenn' im Sinne von 'falls' = 'if'

Was wäre wenn …

Was wäre wenn …

If I had (would have) more time, I would help you. Hier ist eine Situation, die unwahrscheinlich oder unmöglich ist (Wenn ich mehr Zeit hätte ...) if-Teil: simple past und Hauptsatz: would + Infinitiv (if + would = Satz kaputt!)

Hard versus hardly

Hard versus hardly

Meist hängen wir -ly an ein Adjektiv, um ein Adverb zu bilden. (Adverbien beziehen sich auf ein Verb.) He is careful. He drives carefully. Einige wenige Adverbien haben die gleiche Form wie das Adjektiv, z.B. 'hard': He worked hard. = Er hat hart gearbeitet. I hardly...

Starting an email

Starting an email

An email or letter normally starts with a salutation or greeting: Dear Mary, Thank you .... The first word of the new sentence after the comma always begins with a capital letter!

Die meisten …

Die meisten …

Vor der Mengenangabe most steht kein the. I know most (the most) people here. Auf most kann of + the folgen, wenn von bestimmten Personen/Dingen gesprochen wird. Most of the participants here are new.

Keyword: yesterday

Keyword: yesterday

had oder have had bzw. didn't have oder haven't had I had have had time to watch the film yesterday. I didn't have haven't had time to watch the film yesterday. Present Perfect (have/has + 3. Form) ist nicht möglich, wenn ein bestimmter Zeitpunkt genannt oder gedacht...

Zu Fuß

Zu Fuß

On foot' is more commonly used. It's what I use, too. But don't worry. You won't be misunderstood. And that's what's most important. We use 'by' when we talk about other means of transport — by bicycle, by tram, by train, by plane, by car, by rickshaw ...

What do you call that?

What do you call that?

You can't think of a word. You point to an object and ask: What do you call that? OR What is that called? You can't think of a phrase. Ask: How do you say call that in English?