

Learning English Grammar
BBC Radio
Learn English grammar with these short programmes. Each episode explores a new piece of grammar you need to improve your English. Find more at bbclearningenglish.comFollow us at
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Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 7, 2021 • 6min
Present tenses
Discussion on present tenses, including the preference for tea over coffee. Exploring present continuous and present perfect tenses, with examples like reading novels. A quiz to test understanding of present tenses.

Aug 31, 2021 • 6min
'Can', 'could', 'be able to', 'manage to'
Learn key words and phrases to talk about ability in the present and the past. Modal verbs of ability and 'be able to'. Ability and past forms of 'can'. Examples of using 'could' and 'be able to' in the past.

Aug 24, 2021 • 6min
'Used to' and 'would'
Learn how to use 'used to' and 'would' to talk about past habits and actions. They discuss the formation of questions, negatives, and contractions with these phrases and provide examples to illustrate their usage.

Aug 17, 2021 • 6min
Talking about the future
Learn about different phrases used to talk about the future including 'Will', 'Going to', 'Might', and 'Be likely to'. Understand how to express future uncertainty and ask questions using modal verbs

Aug 10, 2021 • 6min
Question tags
Learn about question tags, short yes-no questions placed at the end of a statement. Discover rules and tips for using them effectively, including examples of positive and negative auxiliary verbs. Explore their usage in spoken English and participate in a quiz for further learning.

Aug 3, 2021 • 6min
Present perfect and past simple
Learn the usage of present perfect and past simple tenses, including rules, 'ever' and 'never' usage, and formation of past participles. Explore the distinction between the two tenses, with examples and rules. Discover how present perfect and past simple tenses are used in discussing life experiences, giving information about time and place, and participate in a quiz to test understanding.

Jul 27, 2021 • 6min
State verbs
The podcast explores the concept of state verbs and their usage in continuous tenses. It discusses examples of state verbs related to feelings and attitudes. The hosts explain the difference between action verbs and state verbs, giving examples of verbs that can have dual meanings. They also discuss certain verbs that can be used in the present continuous tense in informal conversations.

Jul 20, 2021 • 6min
The second conditional
Learn about the second conditional grammar structure and how to use it. Explore second conditional sentences and giving advice. Take a quiz on the second conditional.

Jul 13, 2021 • 6min
The first conditional
Learn how to use the first conditional for talking about possible future situations and their results. Explore the structure and variations of the first conditional, including alternative phrases, advice, and a pronunciation tip. Gain a deep understanding of the first conditional, its common mistakes to avoid, and a top tip for correct usage.

Jul 6, 2021 • 6min
Present and past passives
Learn about the active and passive voice, how to transform active voice into passive voice, and the structure of the passive voice in grammar with examples of present and past tense passive sentences.