📖 English Grammar for DET
Master essential English grammar concepts to excel in your Duolingo English Test (DET). This comprehensive guide covers all the grammar topics you need to know.
🎯 Grammar Topics
⏰ Verb Tenses
Present Simple
Usage:
- Habits and routines: I work every day.
- Facts and general truths: The sun rises in the east.
- Scheduled events: The train leaves at 3 PM.
Structure:
Positive: Subject + base verb (+ s/es for 3rd person singular)
Negative: Subject + don't/doesn't + base verb
Question: Do/Does + subject + base verb?
Negative: Subject + don't/doesn't + base verb
Question: Do/Does + subject + base verb?
Present Continuous
Usage:
- Actions happening now: I am studying for the DET.
- Temporary situations: She is working on a project.
- Future arrangements: We are meeting tomorrow.
Structure:
Positive: Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing
Negative: Subject + am/is/are + not + verb-ing
Question: Am/Is/Are + subject + verb-ing?
Negative: Subject + am/is/are + not + verb-ing
Question: Am/Is/Are + subject + verb-ing?
🏗️ Sentence Structure
Subject-Verb Agreement
Rules:
- Singular subjects take singular verbs: The student studies hard.
- Plural subjects take plural verbs: The students study hard.
- Collective nouns can be singular or plural: The team is ready.
Word Order
Basic Structure:
Subject + Verb + Object
Example: I (S) + love (V) + English (O).
Example: I (S) + love (V) + English (O).
With Adverbs:
Subject + Adverb + Verb + Object
Example: I (S) + always (Adv) + study (V) + grammar (O).
Example: I (S) + always (Adv) + study (V) + grammar (O).
📝 Articles & Determiners
Definite Article (The)
Usage:
- Specific nouns: The book on the table is mine.
- Unique things: The sun, the moon, the earth
- Superlatives: She is the best student.
Indefinite Articles (A/An)
Usage:
- First mention: I saw a cat in the garden.
- General statements: A doctor helps people.
- Professions: She is an engineer.
Rules:
A: Use before consonant sounds
An: Use before vowel sounds
Examples: a university, an hour, a European
An: Use before vowel sounds
Examples: a university, an hour, a European
🔗 Prepositions
Time Prepositions
Common Time Prepositions:
- At: specific times - at 3 PM, at night
- In: months, years, seasons - in March, in 2024, in summer
- On: days, dates - on Monday, on March 15th
- For: duration - for two hours, for a week
- Since: starting point - since Monday, since 2020
Place Prepositions
Common Place Prepositions:
- In: inside something - in the room, in the car
- On: surface - on the table, on the wall
- At: specific point - at the station, at home
- Between: two things - between the trees
- Among: more than two - among the students
📊 Practice Exercises
Quick Quiz
Question 1: Choose the correct form: "She _____ English every day."
Question 2: Choose the correct article: "I saw _____ interesting movie yesterday."
📚 Additional Resources
- 📖 Grammar Books: English Grammar in Use, Practical English Usage
- 🌐 Online Tools: Grammarly, Purdue OWL, Cambridge Dictionary
- 📱 Apps: Duolingo, Grammarly, English Grammar Test
- 🎥 Videos: YouTube channels: English with Lucy, BBC Learning English