Category: Beginner

  • Possessives: A Complete Guide for ESL Students

    Possessives: A Complete Guide for ESL Students

    In English, we often need to make statements or ask questions about possession – ownership. Possessives help us do this in different ways: with possessive nouns, possessive adjectives, possessive pronouns, and with the question word ‘whose‘.

    This lesson will help you understand how to use each form with simple rules, clear examples, and common mistakes to avoid. You will also be able to test your knowledge of the material. By the end, you’ll be more confident using different types of possessives.

    What Are Possessive Nouns in English?

    When we want to show that something belongs to someone or something, we use possessive nouns.

    How to Make a Possessive Noun

    For most singular nouns, add ’s (apostrophe + s).

    1. That is Maria’s book.
    2. The dog’s toy is under the couch.
    3. Those are the student’s books.
    4. The teacher’s computer is on the desk.

    For plural nouns that already end in s, just add an apostrophe (’).

    1. The teachers’ room is next to the library.
    2. The students’ teacher is in front of the class.
    3. The dogs’ food is in the bowl.  
    4. My parents’ car is red. 

    For irregular plural nouns (that don’t end in s), add ’s.

    1. The children’s shoes are in the bedroom.
    2. The men’s jackets are grey. 
    3. The women’s department is on the third floor. 
    4. The sheep’s wool is soft.

    Common Mistakes with Possessive Nouns

    Don’t forget the apostrophe (’).

    ❌ Marias book

    ✅ Maria’s book

    Be careful with plural nouns.

    ❌ The students teacher

    ✅ The students’ teacher

    Don’t use “of” and ’s together.

    ❌ The book of Maria’s

    ✅ Maria’s book / The book of Maria

    👉 Grammar Tip!

    Don’t confuse the ‘s with a possessive noun with the contraction of a noun and the Be verb ‘is.’  A noun comes after the possessive noun.

    • The cat’s toy is under the couch (Possessive)
    • The cat’s under the couch (Contraction of the noun ‘cat’ and the Be verb ‘is’).

    Possessive Adjectives Explained (my, your, his, her, its, our, their)

    We use possessive adjectives to show that something belongs to someone. Possessive adjectives come before a noun.

    Subject PronounsPossessive AdjectivesExamples
    IMyThis is my book.
    YouYourThat is your pen.
    HeHisThis is his bag.
    SheHerThat is her phone.
    ItItsThe dog eats its food.
    WeOurThis is our classroom.
    TheyTheirThose are her shoes.

    🔗 Read Our Guide on Subject Pronouns

    👉 Grammar Tip!

    Possessive adjectives are not plural. They always stay the same.

    ✅ This is my book. / These are my books.

    Be careful with its (no apostrophe).

    Its = possession → The cat licked its paw.

    It’s = the contraction of ‘it is’ → It’s a sunny day.

    Sentences Using Possessive Adjectives

    1. I visit my family on Saturdays.
    2. You have your homework.
    3. He likes his guitar.
    4. She is talking to her teacher.
    5. The bird is in its cage.
    6. We are eating our lunch.
    7. They are watching their favorite movie.

    Common Mistakes with Possessive Adjectives

    ❌ This is me book.
    ✅ This is my book.
    👉 Remember: use my, not me.

    ❌ She is playing with her’s doll.
    ✅ She is playing with her doll.
    👉 Don’t add ’s to possessive adjectives.

    ❌ That is your’s pen.
    ✅ That is your pen.
    👉 Again: no apostrophe in possessive adjectives.

    ❌ This is mine pencil.
    ✅ This is my pencil.
    👉 Mine is a possessive pronoun. Use my before nouns.

    ❌ He is doing he homework.
    ✅ He is doing his homework.
    👉 Each subject has its own special form.

    👉 Grammar Tip!

    Possessive adjectives always go before a noun:

    • my book
    • your phone
    • our teacher

    Possessive Pronouns in English (mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs)

    We use possessive pronouns to show that something belongs to someone. Unlike possessive adjectives, possessive pronouns stand alone. They do not come before a noun.

    Subject PronounsPossessive AdjectivesPossessive PronounsExamples
    IMyMineThis book is mine.
    YouYourYoursThat pen is yours.
    HeHisHisThe bag is his.
    SheHerHersThe phone is hers.
    ItIts**
    WeOurOursThe classroom is ours.
    TheyTheirTheirsThe shoes are theirs.

    👉 Grammar Tip!

    Possessive pronouns replace the noun.

    This is my book. (possessive adjective + noun)

    ✅ This is mine. (possessive pronoun)

    Do not use both at the same time.

    ❌ This is my book mine.

    ✅ This is my book. / This is mine.

    Examples of Possessive Pronouns in Sentences

    1. That is your pencil. This pencil is mine. (mine = my pencil)
    2. That is her car. The blue car is yours. (yours = your car)
    3. Those are his books. These are his. (his = his books)
    4. Her jacket is black. Hers is blue. (Hers = her jacket)    
    5. Our house is big. Ours is small. (Ours = our house)     
    6. Their toys are in the bedroom. Theirs are in the closet. (Theirs = their toys)

    Common Mistakes with Possessive Pronouns

    ❌ This is my book mine.
    ✅ This is my book. / This is mine.

    👉 Don’t use a possessive adjective (my) and a possessive pronoun (mine) together.

    ❌ That is your’s.
    ✅ That is yours.
    👉 Never add an apostrophe to possessive pronouns.

    ❌ These are our’s bags.
    ✅ These are ours.
    👉 Possessive pronouns stand alone, without nouns after them.

    ❌ This is her. (when you mean possession)
    ✅ This is hers.
    👉 Her is an adjective, hers is the pronoun.

    ❌ The house is their.
    ✅ The house is theirs.
    👉 Always use the full possessive pronoun.

    👉 Grammar Tip!

    Use possessive adjectives (my, your, his) before nouns, but use possessive pronouns (mine, yours, his) without nouns.

    🔗 Read Our Complete Guide on Pronouns

    How to Ask Questions with Whose

    We use whose to ask about ownership or possession. It means Who does this belong to?

    Whose + Noun + Is This/Are These?

    1. Whose pen is this? → It’s my pen.
    2. Whose shoes are these? → They are her shoes.

    You can also ask without the noun:

    1. Whose is this?
    2. Whose are these?

    Answering Whose Questions (Adjectives and Pronouns)

    With a possessive adjective:

    1. Whose book is this? → It’s my book.
    2. Whose car is that? → It’s our car.

    With a possessive pronoun:

    1. Whose book is this? → It’s mine.
    2. Whose shoes are these? → They’re hers.

    Examples of Possessive Pronouns in Sentences

    1. Whose backpack is this? → It’s his.
    2. Whose phone is on the table? → It’s mine.
    3. Whose tickets are these? → They’re theirs.
    4. Whose dog is in the yard? → It’s our dog.

    Common Mistakes with Whose vs. Who’s

    ❌ Who’s book is this?

    ✅ Whose book is this?

    👉 Grammar Tip!

    Use whose to ask who owns something. Be careful not to confuse it with who’s (who is).

    1. Whose = possession (Whose pen?)
    2. Who’s = who is (Who’s at the door?)

    FAQ: Possessive Nouns, Adjectives, Pronouns, and Whose

    1. What is the difference between a possessive adjective and a possessive pronoun?
    A possessive adjective comes before a noun (my book, their house). A possessive pronoun replaces the noun (mine, theirs).

    2. Can we use ‘its’ with an apostrophe at the end?
    No. The correct form is ‘its’ (no apostrophe). It’s means it is.

    3. How do I know if I should use ’s or s’ in possessive nouns?

    • Add ’s for singular nouns (the dog’s toy).
    • Add only an ’ for plural nouns that end in s (the students’ teacher).

    4. Do we use “whose” for things or only for people?
    You can use whose for both people and things.

    • Whose pen is this? (thing)
    • Whose brother is he? (person)

    5.  What are the most common mistakes with possessives?

    • Adding an apostrophe to possessive adjectives (❌ your’s).
    • Using both forms together (❌ This is my book mine).
    • Confusing whose (possession) and who’s (who is).

    Let’s Practice!

    Exercise A

    Fill in the blank with the correct possessive noun.

    1. This is ______ (Charles) book.
    2. The _____ (boys) coach is tough.
    3. The _____ (children) teacher gives too much homework!
    4. We visited my ______ (friend) apartment.
    5. The _____ (woman) purse cost $5,000.

    Exercise B

    Complete each sentence with a possessive adjective.

    1. The students have class at 9:00am. _____ class is on the first floor.
    2. Diego and I are in the same class. _____ class starts at 9:00am.
    3. The woman is from Mexico City. _____ name is Frida.
    4. I have a dog. _____ hair is short.
    5. You are late to class. Where is _____ homework?

    Exercise C

    Complete each sentence with a possessive pronoun.

    1. I have my favorite teacher and my classmates have ______.
    2. My car is fast. Is _____ fast, too?
    3. Can I borrow your calculator? I left _____ at home.
    4. Their teacher doesn’t give a lot of homework. ______ gives homework everyday!
    5. Diego has his friends and his sister has ______ .
    6. I lost my wallet. John didn’t lose _____.

    Exercise D

    Match the beginning of the sentence with the correct ending.

    a. Who

    b. Whom

    c. Whose

    d. Who’s

    1. _____ is from Latin America?

    2. _____ in the library now?

    3. _____ backpack is under the desk?

    4. _____ does she want to date?

    Check Your Answers

    Scoring & Feedback

    🔵 17 – 20 correct

    Excellent work! 🎉You really understand possessives. Keep using them in your everyday conversations and writing.

    🟢 14 – 16 correct
    Great job! ✅ You know most of the possessives. Review the ones you missed.

    🟡 7 – 13 correct
    Good effort! 💪You’re learning, and that’s what matters. Take a moment to review the examples and do the quiz again.

    🔴 0–6 correct
    No worries! 🌱 Possessives can be tricky at first. Go back and review the examples in the lesson.

    Want more reading, writing, listening, and speaking practice? Check out the Essential English series on Amazon!

    Conclusion

    Possessive Nouns, Possessive Adjectives, Possessive Pronouns, and questions with ‘Whose’ are important words in English. Use them every day and you will become more confident. Feel free to share your thought or ask any question in the comments below.

    And remember . . . Practice, Practice, Practice!!!

  • How to Use There Is / There Are in English

    How to Use There Is / There Are in English

    One of the first grammar structures English learners study is there is and there are. These phrases are very useful when talking about the existence or location of people, places, and things. In this post, we’ll look at how to make affirmative statements, negative statements, contractions, and yes/no questions with there is/there are. We’ll also explore common mistakes and give you plenty of examples so you can practice.

    1. Affirmative Statements with There is / There are

    We use there is with singular nouns (one person or thing) and there are with plural nouns (two or more people or things).

    • There is + singular noun
      • There is a bookstore near the university.
      • There is an ATM in the grocery store.
      • There is a park close to downtown.
    • There are + plural noun
      • There are fresh apples in the grocery store.
      • There are two theaters next to the mall.
      • There are a lot of trees in the park.

    👉 Tip!

    Think of there is/there are as a way to “point out” that something exists or is located somewhere.

    2. Negative Statements with There is / There are

    To say that something does not exist or is not located somewhere, add not for singular nouns. Add not any for plural nouns.

    • There is not + singular noun
      • There is not a gym next to the university.
      • There isn’t a library in my neighborhood.
    • There are not + any + plural noun
      • There are not any zoos close to my house.
      • There aren’t any buses late at night.

    3. Contractions

    In spoken English, contractions make sentences shorter and more natural.

    • There is → There’s
      • There’s a park in front of the bank.
      • There’s a hair salon in the mall.

    ⚠️ Important!

    We usually do not contract ‘There is’ in a negative statement. The ‘Be’ verb ‘is’ and the negative ‘not’ are usually contracted instead.

    ⚠️ There’s not a park in my neighborhood.

    ✅ There isn’t a park in my neighborhood.

    We do not contract there are.

    ❌ You cannot say “There’re.” Always use the full form: There are…

    4. Yes/No Questions and Short Answers with There is / There are

    We often use there is/there are to ask questions about places and things.

    • Is there + singular noun?
      • Is there a hospital near the bus stop? → Yes, there is. / No, there isn’t.
      • Is there a fire station next to the convenience store? → No, there isn’t.
    • Are there + (any) + plural noun?
      • Are there theaters close to your house? → Yes, there are.
      • Are there any hotels downtown? → Yes, there are.
      • Are there any churches in your neighborhood? → No, there aren’t.

    👉 Note!

    The word any is optional but very common in plural questions.

    5. Common Mistakes to Avoid

    • ❌ There is two restaurants near here.
      ✅ There are two restaurants near here.
    • ❌ There are a park in the city center.
      ✅ There is a park in the city center.
    • ❌ There’re many people in the stadium.
      ✅ There are many people in the stadium.

    Let’s Practice!

    Exercise A

    Fill in the blank with There is or There are. Use contractions when possible.

    1. ____ a bank near my house.
    2. ____ a mall next to the post office.
    3. ____ coffee shops in your neighborhood.
    4. ____ four bookstores in the mall.
    5. ____ six people at the bus stop.
    6. ____ an ATM in front of the bank.
    7. ____ books at the library.
    8. ____ a parking lot behind the grocery store.

    Exercise B

    Change the affirmative statements in Exercise A into negative statements. You will write 8 negative statements. Use contractions when possible.

    Exercise C

    Write a Yes/No question using the given information.

    1. a mall / near the bus stop
    2. convenience stores / near here
    3. coffee shops / downtown
    4. a bank / across from / the museum
    5. parks / close to / your house
    Check Your Answers

    Scoring & Feedback

    🔵 18 – 21 Correct

    Excellent work! 🎉 You are ready to use ‘There is’ and ‘There are’ in  your daily life. Keep using them in your everyday conversations and writing.

    🟢 15 – 17 Correct

    Good effort! ✅ You are on the right track. Review the ones you missed and keep practicing.

    🔴 0 – 14 Correct

    No Worries! 🌱 You’re learning, and that’s what matters. Take a moment to review the examples and do the quiz again.

    Want more reading, writing, listening, and speaking practice? Check out the Essential English series on Amazon!

    Conclusion

    Use the simple present every day when you talk about your life. Practice asking Yes/No questions. The more you practice, the easier it becomes! Subscribe for updated content from Beyond English!

    Leave a comment below!

    And remember . . . Practice . . . Practice . . . Practice!!

  • Yes/No Questions and Short Answers for ESL Students: A Quick Guide

    Asking and answering questions is one of the most important skills in English. In this lesson, we will look at Yes/No questions in the simple present tense and how to give short answers.

    What Are Yes/No Questions?

    A Yes/No question is a question that can be answered with ‘Yes‘ or ‘No‘.

    ✅ Examples

    • Do you like pizza? Yes, I do.
    • Does she live in San Antonio? No, she doesn’t.
    • Is he your teacher? Yes, he is.

    You do not need to give long answers. A short answer is correct and natural.

    How to Make Yes/No Questions in the Simple Present

    There are two main ways:

    1. With a Be verb (am, is, are)

    For Yes/No questions, the Be verb comes before the subject.

    a. Use ‘am’ with the subject pronoun ‘I’

    b. Use ‘is’ with the subject pronouns ‘He, She, and It’. We also use ‘is’ with plural subjects.

    ✅ Examples

    • Am I late?
    • Is he your teacher?
    • Is she your sister?
    • Is it hot today?
    • Is Lucia at the park?

    c. Use ‘are’ with the subject pronouns ‘You, We, and They‘. We also use ‘are’ with plural subjects.

    ✅ Examples

    • Are you from Mexico?
    • Are we late for class?
    • Are they students?
    • Are Alejandra and Diego in Barcelona?

    2. With Do / Does

    In Yes/No Questions, the verbs ‘do‘ and ‘does‘ are helping (auxiliary) verbs. They do not add meaning. They only help make the sentence correct.

    ‘Do‘ and ‘Does‘ are used with a main verb in Yes/No Questions in the simple present.

    ‘Do’ or ‘Does’ comes before the subject. The base form of the main verb comes after the subject.

    Use ‘Do‘ with the following subject pronouns ‘I, you, we, and they‘. We also use ‘Do’ with plural subjects.

    ✅ Examples

    • Do I have a test today?    
    • Do you want pizza for dinner tonight?     
    • Do we need our computers for class?  
    • Do they drive to class?     
    • Do your dogs like to play in the river?

    Use ‘Does‘ with the following subject pronouns ‘He, She, and It‘. We also use ‘Does’ with singular subjects.

    ✅ Examples

    • Does he speak Chinese fluently?      
    • Does she work at a bank?
    • Does it snow a lot in South Texas?
    • Does Gabriela play the guitar?

    Short Answers

    1. Use Yes or No + a Subject Pronoun + a Be Verb + (not).

    ✅ Examples

    • Am I in your class? → Yes, you are. / No, you aren’t.
    • Is he from Argentina? → Yes, he is. / No, he isn’t.
    • Is she at the coffee shop? → Yes, she is. / No, she isn’t.
    • Is it cold outside right now? → Yes, it is. / No, it isn’t.
    • Is John in your class? → Yes, he is. / No, he isn’t.
    • Are you ready for class? → Yes, I am. / No, I’m not.
    • Are we on the right bus? → Yes, we are. / No, we aren’t.
    • Are they students? → Yes, they are. / No, they aren’t.
    • Are Gabi and Patricia friends? → Yes, they are. / No, they aren’t.

    2. Use Yes or No + a Subject Pronoun + Do / Does + (not).

    a. If the question uses ‘Do‘, the short answer also uses ‘Do‘.

    ✅ Examples

    • Do I have a test today?  →  Yes, you do. / No, you don’t.  
    • Do you play soccer? → Yes, I do. / No, I don’t.
    • Do we have a test today? → Yes, we do. / No, you don’t.
    • Do they like Rock music? → Yes, they do. / No, they don’t.
    • Do your cats sleep a lot? → Yes, they do. / No, they don’t.

    b. If the question uses ‘Does‘, the short answer also uses ‘Does‘.

    ✅ Examples

    • Does he work at a bank? → Yes, he does. / No, he doesn’t.
    • Does she live in Madrid? → Yes, she does. / No, she doesn’t.
    • Does it rain a lot in April? → Yes, it does. / No, it doesn’t.
    • Does Rocio play the piano? → Yes, she does. / No, she doesn’t.

    👉 Remember! Don’t just say ‘Yes‘ or ‘No‘. Use a short answer to sound polite and clear.

    Common Mistakes with Yes/No Questions and Short Answers

    1. Forgetting Do / Does

    ❌ You like pizza?
    ✅ Do you like pizza?

    Students often forget that we need ‘do / does‘ to form the question in the simple present (except with be verbs).

    2. Using the Wrong Verb Form

    ❌ Does she likes coffee?
    ✅ Does she like coffee?

    👉 Remember! After ‘does‘ the verb stays in the base form (no “-s”).

    3. Mixing Up ‘Do‘ and ‘Does‘

    ❌ Do he live here?
    ✅ Does he live here?

    👉 Use ‘do’ with ‘I, you, we, they‘ and plural subjects. Use does with ‘he, she, it‘ and singular subjects.

    4. Incorrect Short Answers

    ❌ Yes, she do.
    ✅ Yes, she does.

    ❌ No, he don’t.
    ✅ No, he doesn’t.

    👉 Always match the helping verb do and does with the subject.

    5. Forgetting the Be verb

    ❌ She your teacher?
    ✅ Is she your teacher?

    👉 With ‘am, is, are‘ you don’t need ‘do / does‘.

    6. Only Saying “Yes” or “No”

    ❌ Teacher: Do you have your homework?
    Student: Yes.
    ✅ Yes, I do.

    👉 Just saying ‘Yes‘ or ‘No‘ can sound rude or unfinished. Always give the short answer.

    Let’s Practice!

    A. Yes/No Questions

    Each Yes/No question has a mistake. Rewrite it correctly.

    1. You like pizza?
    2. Do she speak English?
    3. Are he your brother?
    4. Does they go to school on Saturdays?
    5. She is a doctor?
    6. Do it rains a lot in April?
    7. Is you a student?
    8. They are happy?
    9. Does Maria likes ice cream?
    10. Are it cold today?

    B. Short Answers

    Choose the correct short answer.

    1. Do you like coffee?
      a) Yes, I is.
      b) Yes, I do.
      c) No, I doesn’t.
    2. Does she speak English?
      a) Yes, she does.
      b) Yes, she do.
      c) No, she don’t.
    3. Is he your brother?
      a) Yes, he are.
      b) Yes, he is.
      c) No, he doesn’t.
    4. Are they at school?
      a) No, they aren’t.
      b) No, they doesn’t.
      c) Yes, they do.
    5. Do we have class today?
      a) Yes, we are.
      b) No, we don’t.
      c) Yes, we does.
    Check Your Answers

    Scoring & Feedback

    🔵 13 – 15 Correct

    Excellent work! 🎉 You are ready to use the simple present in Yes/No questions in  your daily life. Keep using them in your everyday conversations and writing.

    🟢 11 – 12 Correct

    Good effort! ✅ You are on the right track. Review the ones you missed and keep practicing.

    🔴 0 – 10 Correct

    No Worries! 🌱 You’re learning, and that’s what matters. Take a moment to review the examples and do the quiz again.

    Want more reading, writing, listening, and speaking practice? Check out the Essential English series on Amazon!

    Conclusion

    Use the simple present every day when you talk about your life. Practice asking Yes/No questions. The more you practice, the easier it becomes! Subscribe for updated content from Beyond English!

    Leave a comment below!

    And remember . . . Practice . . . Practice . . . Practice!!!