English Grammar Essentials & Opinion Essay Writing

English Grammar: Verb Tenses

Present Simple: Habits and Routines

• Used to express habitual actions or permanent situations.
• Verb + -s (for third person singular).

Present Continuous: Ongoing or Temporary Actions

• Indicates actions happening at the moment of speaking.
• To be + verb + -ing.

Past Simple: Completed Past Actions

• Verb + -ed or irregular verb (V2).
• Used with did...? and didn't.
• Describes finished actions.
• Common time expressions: last..., a month ago, yesterday, when, once, in 2011.
• Example: She died in 1916.

Past Continuous: Actions in Progress in the Past

• Describes actions in progress at a specific time in the past.
• Was/Were + verb + -ing.
• Indicates unfinished actions.
• Common time expressions: while, as, yesterday at 9 AM.
• Example: The phone rang when I was having a shower.

Present Perfect Simple: Experiences and Unfinished Actions

• Have/Has + past participle (V3).
• Examples:
  • I haven't worked here for 8 years.
  • I haven't worked here since 1932.
  • Have you worked here?
  • I have just/already seen her.

Past Perfect Simple: Actions Before a Point in the Past

• Had/Hadn't + past participle (V3).
• Example: Had they arrived?

Opinion Essay: Media Players vs. Televisions for Teens

Both televisions and media players are very popular with teenagers today. Most teens today have televisions in their homes, and more and more are getting media players. But which of these items do teens need more? I think the answer is a media player, and I'll explain why.

Let's start with the television. You can watch your favorite programs on television and you can even play games. For example, at weekends, I can spend hours playing football or bowling on my television. But what about a media player? You can use a media player in many other ways. You can use it to listen to music, play games, and access the internet. For instance, my friends and I use our media players to go onto Facebook and YouTube all the time. The best part is that we can take our media player with us anywhere we go. The same isn't true for our television.

So, which item is more useful? If you ask me, I can do more with my media player than a television, and I can have it with me at all times. That's why, in my opinion, most teens will find a media player more useful than a television.

Essential English Vocabulary

Tiny

Very small.

Extraordinary

Exceptional; remarkable.

Equipment

The necessary items for a particular purpose.

Electronic part

Components of electronic devices.

Appliance

A device or piece of equipment designed to perform a specific task, typically an electrical one.

Improve

To make or become better.

Developed

Grown or caused to grow and become more mature, advanced, or elaborate.

Turns into

To change or be transformed into something else.

Come up with

To produce an idea or plan.

After all

Despite earlier intentions or an earlier impression; nevertheless.

In a hurry

Moving or acting with great speed.

Several

More than two but not many.

Available

Able to be used or obtained; at someone's disposal.

For instance

For example.

Task

A piece of work to be done or undertaken.

Injured

Hurt or harmed.

Loses his temper

To suddenly become angry.

Tools

Devices or implements, especially one held in the hand, used to carry out a particular function.

Come across

To find or meet by chance.

Come in handy

To be useful for a particular purpose.

Come a long way

To have made significant progress.

Come to an end

To finish or stop.

Come true

To become a reality.

So far

Until now; up to the present point.

Just

A very short time ago.