Types of Clauses: Independent, Dependent, and Relative

Understanding sentences in English often means breaking them down into smaller parts called clauses. Think of clauses as the building blocks of a sentence. But here’s the tricky part: there are different types of these building blocks.

Independent Clauses
Dependent Clauses
Relative Clauses

Now, if you’re scratching your head wondering, “What are these?” you’re not alone. Many people learning English mix them up or aren’t sure how to use them. In this article, we’ll explore each type of clause, look at examples, and by the end, you’ll have a clearer picture of how they all fit together.

And yes, at the end, we’ve got a quiz for you! It’s a fun way to test your understanding of independent, dependent, and relative clauses. Ready to dive in?

What is an Independent Clause?

An independent clause is like a main character in a story; it can stand on its own and doesn’t need anyone else to make sense. In grammar terms, it’s a group of words with a subject and a verb expressing complete thought.

Let’s break it down:

Subject: Who or what the sentence is about. It can be a person, a thing, or even an idea. For example, in the sentence “Jane reads,” “Jane” is the subject.
Verb: This is the action or state of being. In “Jane reads,” the action is “reads.”

When you put a subject and a verb together, and they can stand alone as a sentence, you have an independent clause!

Here are some more examples of independent clauses:

1. Tom plays football.

Subject: Tom
Verb: plays

2. Birds chirp.

Subject: Birds
Verb: chirp

3. The sky is blue.

Subject: The sky
Verb: is

One thing to remember is that an independent clause doesn’t always have to be short. It can be lengthy, too, but the key is that it gives a full idea on its own.

For example: The afternoon turned out to be warm and sunny.

Here, even though the clause is longer, it still provides a complete thought, making it independent.

10 Independent Clause Examples

Here are some more examples of what an independent clause might look like.

1. She dances every evening after school.

2. My brother enjoys reading science fiction novels.

3. The cat sat on the windowsill.

4. I love going to the beach.

5. Many students from different countries study at the university.

6. The concert was canceled due to heavy rain.

7. They watched a movie.

8. Grandmother baked her famous apple pie for the family reunion.

9. The museum displays artifacts from ancient civilizations.

10. He played the piano brilliantly at last night’s concert.

Each of these clauses provides a complete idea and can stand alone as a sentence. They have a clear subject and a verb, making them easy to understand and visualize.

Semicolon Usage in Independent Clauses

Sometimes, we can use a special punctuation mark, the semicolon (;), to join an independent clause with another independent clause.

Example:

I wanted to buy a guitar; however, I didn’t have enough money.

In this case, both clauses are dependent clauses. We use a semicolon here because it is actually improper to connect two independent clauses with a comma. This would be considered a comma splice, a common error made by both native and non-native speakers.

What is a Dependent Clause?

Imagine a baby koala clinging to its mother. A dependent clause is like that baby koala. It can’t stand alone. It needs another clause to make sense. For instance:

because I was tired
if you come early

These clauses are important for context, but on their own, they don’t have enough information to make a complete sentence.

10 Dependent Clause Examples

Here are some more examples of what a dependent clause might look like. The dependent clause will be bolded in each example.

She often feels exhausted, even though she gets plenty of rest.
Since my brother enjoys reading science fiction novels, he has a vast collection at home.
While the cat sat on the windowsill, it watched the birds outside.
Because I love going to the beach, I plan vacations near the coast.
Since many students from different countries study at the university, the campus has a diverse cultural atmosphere.
The concert was canceled because of bad weather.
After they watched a movie, they discussed their favorite scenes.
For the family reunion, Grandmother baked her famous apple pie.
The museum displays artifacts, but not on Sundays.
At last night’s concert, he played the piano brilliantly.

How to Identify a Dependent Clause

Identifying a dependent clause is essential for understanding sentence structure and meaning in English grammar. Here are some tips to help you recognize them:

1. Look for Subordinating Conjunctions: Dependent clauses often begin with subordinating conjunctions such as “although,” “because,” “since,” “while,” “when,” and “if.” These words signal that the clause is dependent and needs an independent clause to make sense.

2. Check for Relative Pronouns: Dependent clauses can also start with relative pronouns like “who,” “which,” “whose,” and “that.” These pronouns indicate a relationship between the dependent clause and the rest of the sentence.

3. Incomplete Thoughts: Dependent clauses usually present incomplete thoughts or ideas. They raise questions or provide additional information that the independent clause answers.

4. Test for Independence: Try to make the clause into a standalone sentence. If it doesn’t make sense on its own or leaves you with unanswered questions, it’s likely a dependent clause.

5. Understand Purpose: Consider the purpose of the clause. Dependent clauses are often used to provide context, add details, show cause and effect, or express conditions.

By keeping these tips in mind, you’ll become more adept at identifying dependent clauses in sentences, which will help you analyze and comprehend complex writing more effectively.

What are Relative Clauses?

Relative clauses, also known as adjective clauses, are essential components of English grammar that provide additional information about a noun in a sentence. These clauses frequently serve to:

Describe people (“The woman who won the award is talented.”)
Identify objects (“The car that I bought last week is red.”)
Specify places and times (“This is the restaurant where we met last summer.”)

Structure of Relative Clauses

Relative clauses begin with a relative pronoun (such as “who,” “whom,” “whose,” “which,” or “that”) or a relative adverb (typically “where” or “when”). These words introduce the clause and establish a connection between the clause and the noun it modifies.

It’s crucial to use appropriate punctuation and position relative clauses correctly within a sentence. Defining relative clauses are typically not set off by commas, while non-defining relative clauses are enclosed by commas.

Functions of Relative Clauses

1. Defining Relative Clauses: These clauses provide essential information about the noun and cannot be omitted without altering the sentence’s meaning. For example, “The book that is on the shelf is mine.” Here, the relative clause “that is on the shelf” defines which book is being referred to.

2. Non-Defining Relative Clauses: These clauses offer additional, non-essential information about the noun. They are separated by commas and can be removed without changing the core meaning of the sentence. For instance, “My brother, who is a doctor, lives in London.” The clause “who is a doctor” provides extra detail but doesn’t define which brother is being discussed.

10 Relative Clause Examples

Here are ten examples that showcase the versatility of relative clauses:

1. Defining Relative Clause with “Who”: “The student who scored the highest on the test received a special award.” In this sentence, “who scored the highest on the test” defines which student is being referred to.

2. Defining Relative Clause with “Who”: “The man who lost his shoe needs to come to the counter.” Here, “who lost his shoe” specifies the particular man.

3. Defining Relative Clause with “That”: “The dog that barks loudly lives next door.” “That barks loudly” identifies the specific dog.

4. Defining Relative Clause with “Whose”: “The man whose hair is blue is my uncle.” “whose hair is blue” provides information about the man.

5. Non-Defining Relative Clause with “Who”: “My cousin, who lives in Paris, is coming to visit.” The clause “who lives in Paris” adds extra information about your cousin.

6. Non-Defining Relative Clause with “Which”: “My car, which is a convertible, is perfect for sunny days.” “Which is a convertible” provides additional details about your car.

7. Non-Defining Relative Clause with “Which”: “The mountain, which is famous for its breathtaking views, attracts hikers.” The clause “that is famous for its breathtaking views” gives more information about the mountain.

8. Non-Defining Relative Clause with “Whose”: “Our new neighbor, whose daughter is a pianist, is very friendly.” “Whose daughter is a pianist” provides insight into your neighbor’s family.

9. Relative Clause with “When” (Defining): “The day when we met changed my life forever.” “When we met” specifies the particular day.

10. Relative Clause with “Where” (Defining): “The city where I grew up is known for its historic landmarks.” “Where I grew up” tells us about the city’s location.

Independent vs. Dependent Clause Quiz

Here’s a 20-question quiz on independent and dependent clauses, divided into two sections with ten questions each. The answer key will follow both sections.

Section 1: Independent Clauses

Which of the following is an independent clause?

a) She decided to take a nap.
b) Because she was tired.

a) Although it rained all day.

b) They had a great time at the beach.

a) When the teacher arrived.

b) The students greeted the teacher enthusiastically.

a) They celebrated their victory.
b) After the game was over.

a) Until he finishes his work.

b) He is going to the library to study.

a) While waiting for the bus.

b) She read a book.

a) He completed his homework.
b) Before going to bed.

a) Since it’s snowing heavily.

b) They built a snowman in the yard.

a) After the concert.

b) They sang their favorite songs.

a) They stayed indoors for safety.

b) During the storm.

Section 2: Dependent Clauses

What is the dependent clause in each sentence?

11. “Although it was cold outside, they went for a walk.”

12. “I will come over if you want me to.”

13. “When the bell rings, the students will leave.”

14. “They were able to pass the test because she studied hard.”

15. “Since it’s snowing, I’ll stay at home.”

16. “I’ll choose the pie, the one with the apples on top.”

17. “The movie, which won several awards, was a blockbuster.”

18. “Although he tried his best, it was never good enough.”

19. “After finishing her chores, she went to the park.”

20. “Because they were late, they had to do extra chores.”

Answer Key

Section 1: Independent Clauses

Section 2: Dependent Clauses

11. “Although it was cold outside, they went for a walk.”

12. “I will come over if you want me to.”

13. “When the bell rings, the students will leave.”

14. “They were able to pass the test because she studied hard.”

15. “Since it’s snowing, I’ll stay at home.”

16. “I’ll choose the pie, the one with the apples on top.”

17. “The movie, which won several awards, was a blockbuster.”

18. “Although he tried his best, it was never good enough.”

19. “After finishing her chores, she went to the park.”

20. “Because they were late, they had to do extra chores.”

Joshua Chapman

Less vs. Fewer: A Complete Guide For Beginners

Navigating the English language can be tricky. We’ve all been there—stopping mid-sentence, wondering if it’s “less” or “fewer.” It can feel confusing, but you’re not alone! Here’s a simple guide to help clear things up and make those choices a bit easier. Let’s dive in!

What is the Difference Between Less and Fewer?

“Less” and “fewer” are both used to indicate a smaller amount of something. However, they’re used in different situations:

Fewer: Used for things you can count individually.
- Example: There are fewer students in the classroom today.
Less: Used for things you can’t count individually or that don’t have a plural.
- Example: I’d like less sugar in my coffee.

In short, if you can count it item by item, go with “fewer.” If not, “less” is your word! If you want some practice learning whether a noun is countable or uncountable, take a look at our guide to countable and unaccountable nouns.

Common Less Vs. Fewer Examples

Understanding the difference between “less” and “fewer” is easier when we see them in action. Here are some examples to help illustrate their correct usage:

Example Sentences With Fewer

1. There are fewer cars on the road today.

2. I bought fewer books this month than last month.

3. She made fewer mistakes in her test this time.

4. We need fewer chairs for the meeting.

5. I hope to eat fewer chocolates this year.

6. The team scored fewer goals this season.

7. There are fewer birds in the sky than yesterday.

8. He has fewer friends in this city.

9. We received fewer complaints this week.

10. I want to spend fewer hours watching TV.

Example Sentences With Less

1. She drinks less coffee now to stay healthy.

2. I need less time to finish this task than I thought.

3. This box has less space than the other one.

4. He shows less interest in playing the piano.

5. We should use less plastic to help the environment.

6. There’s less milk in the fridge than we need.

7. She has less patience with people who are always late.

8. We’ve seen less rain this year.

9. I hope there’s less traffic on the way home.

10. They spent less money on their vacation.

Remember, when deciding between “less” and “fewer,” think about whether you can count the items one by one or not.

Common Mistakes With Fewer and Less

While “fewer” and “less” might seem interchangeable, they aren’t. Here are some common mistakes people make with these words and how to correct them:

1. Mistake: I have less books than you.

Correction: I have fewer books than you.

Why: Books are countable; we can count them one by one.

2. Mistake: She did fewer work than her colleague.

Correction: She did less work than her colleague.

Why: Work is uncountable; it refers to a quantity or bulk, not individual items.

3. Mistake: There’s fewer water in the jug.

Correction: There’s less water in the jug.

Why: Water is uncountable; it’s measured in volume, not by individual units.

4. Mistake: We have less players on our team this year.

Correction: We have fewer players on our team this year.

Why: Players can be counted individually.

5. Mistake: He has less pens than I do.

Correction: He has fewer pens than I do.

Why: Pens are countable items.

6. Mistake: There are less dishes to wash tonight.

Correction: There are fewer dishes to wash tonight.

Why: Dishes can be counted one by one.

7. Mistake: She’s less years old than her sister.

Correction: She’s fewer years old than her sister.

Why: Years can be counted individually.

8. Mistake: We need less chairs for the party.

Correction: We need fewer chairs for the party.

Why: Chairs are countable items.

9. Mistake: There’s less apples in the basket.

Correction: There are fewer apples in the basket.

Why: Apples can be counted one by one.

10. Mistake: He has less victories than his competitor.

Correction: He has fewer victories than his competitor.

Why: Victories can be counted individually.

Quiz: “Fewer” vs “Less”

You can find the answer key after this quiz to see how you did.

Section 1: Fill in the Blank

1. There are _______ (less/fewer) students in class today than yesterday.

2. I would like _______ (less/fewer) sugar in my tea, please.

3. We need to buy _______ (less/fewer) eggs for the recipe.

4. She has _______ (less/fewer) experience in this field than her colleague.

5. There’s _______ (less/fewer) milk left in the bottle than I thought.

Section 2: True or False

6. “I have fewer books than you” is a correct sentence. (True/False)

7. “There are fewer water in the bottle” is a correct sentence. (True/False)

8. “She has less patience than her brother” is a correct sentence. (True/False)

9. “I want to spend less hours on this project” is a correct sentence. (True/False)

10. “We need fewer information for the report” is a correct sentence. (True/False)

Section 3: Multiple Choice

11. Which sentence is correct?

He did fewer mistakes.
He did less mistakes.
He made fewer mistakes.
He made less mistakes.

12. Choose the correct sentence:

She has less friends than I do.
She has fewer friends than I do.
She has less friend than I do.
She has fewer friend than I do.

13. Which of these is correct?

We have less time than we thought.
We have fewer time than we thought.
We have less times than we thought.
We have fewer times than we thought.

14. Pick the right sentence:

The store has fewer stock today.
The store has less stock today.
The store has fewer stocks today.
The store has less stocks today.

15. Which sentence is correct?

We should use less plastics.
We should use fewer plastics.
We should use less plastic.
We should use fewer plastic.

Quiz Answer Key

Section 1: Fill in the Blank

1. fewer

2. less

3. fewer

4. less

5. less

Section 2: True or False

6. True

7. False

8. True

9. False

10. False

Section 3: Multiple Choice

11. c) He made fewer mistakes.

12. b) She has fewer friends than I do.

13. a) We have less time than we thought.

14. b) The store has less stock today.

15. c) We should use less plastic.

Joshua Chapman

How to Teach Phonics at Home: An Ultimate Guide

Phonics is a method of teaching reading and writing by developing the learner’s understanding of the sounds that make up words. It is a crucial skill for children to learn as it helps them to become proficient readers and writers.

In this guide, we’ll go over the basics of phonics, including what phonics is, how to teach it, and some tips for making the lessons more impactful.

What is Phonics?

Phonics is a way to learn how to read and write by learning the sounds that makeup words. It helps us understand how the letters we see on paper match up with the sounds we make when we speak.

Learning phonics is important because it helps kids become better readers and writers. When they know the sounds that makeup words, they can read new words more easily. This makes reading more fun and helps them enjoy books more.

Knowing phonics also helps kids spell words correctly because they can break them down into sounds and spell them that way. Overall, learning phonics is a really important step on the way to English fluency.

4 Steps to Teach Phonics at Home

If you want to teach your child phonics at home, here are four simple steps you should follow.

1. Start with Letters and Sounds

The first step in teaching phonics is to teach children the sounds that each letter makes. You can start with the vowels and then move on to consonants. Work your way through each letter until your child is comfortable with the English alphabet.

2. Move on to Blending Sounds

Once your child knows each letter’s sounds, they can start to blend them together to form words. Start with simple three-letter words such as ‘cat,’ ‘dog,’ or ‘bat.’ Encourage your child to sound out each letter and blend them to form the word.

3. Teach Long Vowels and Special Sounds

After your child learns the basic sounds for each letter, there are some more advanced sounds they’ll need to know. This includes the long vowels and “th,” “sh,” “ch,” and “ng” sounds. All of this will take time, but with effort, your child will also learn to recognize these tricky sounds and use them when reading.

Resources to explore for long vowels:

4. Encourage Reading Practice

Encourage your child to read books that are appropriate for their reading level. Start with simple books that have short sentences and lots of pictures. As your child’s reading skills improve, move on to more challenging books.

Here are simple reading resources for you to explore:

Tips For Teaching Phonics to Beginners

Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your phonics lessons. Doing some or all of these things will help your child learn English phonics more quickly.

1. Use Visual Aids

Visual aids such as flashcards, posters, and charts can be very helpful in teaching phonics. You can create your own flashcards with pictures and words to help your child learn the sounds that each letter makes.

Need some help with flashcards? Check out our animal vocabulary and food vocabulary sections for some premade flashcards for common English nouns.

2. Make it Fun and Interactive

Make phonics lessons fun and interactive by incorporating games and activities. For example, you can play ‘I Spy’ and encourage your child to identify objects that start with a particular sound. You can also create a scavenger hunt and ask your child to find objects that begin with a specific letter.

3. Go Slow

It can be tempting when teaching your child to move ahead week after week to something new. However, it can take months for most children to learn basic phonics.

Start with simple words and sounds. Once they’ve mastered this, move on to more complex words. This way, your child will have a strong foundation for the rest of their English learning journey.

How to Teach Phonics to a 4-Year-Old (Or Younger) at Home

Teaching really young children introduces an additional challenge for parents. Although starting young is a good idea, this process will take longer.

Here are some simple tips to help you out.

1. Focus on Letter Sounds:

At the age of four, children are still developing their language skills. Focus on teaching your child the sounds that each letter makes.

Once your child is a little older, they can use this basis to start blending them to make simple words.

2. Use Rhyming Words and Songs

Using rhyming words and songs can help your child remember each letter’s sounds.

For instance, singing the alphabet song can help your child remember the order of the letters, and singing nursery rhymes can help them learn about rhyming words.

Use these English songs to kick-start your child’s vocabulary.

3. Read Aloud to Your Child

Reading aloud to your child can help them develop their language skills and improve their phonics. Choose books that have simple words and lots of pictures. Encourage your child to sound out the words and blend them together to form sentences.

Best Age to Teach and Learn Phonics

Phonics can be introduced at any age, but younger children are generally more receptive to learning phonics. The best age to teach phonics is around four or five years old when children start developing their language skills.

Can Children Learn Phonics on Their Own?

Children can learn phonics on their own, but guidance from a teacher or parent can be very helpful. It is important to provide children with the tools they need to learn phonics, such as flashcards and books, and to encourage them to practice their skills.

Phonics and Grade Level

Phonics is typically introduced in kindergarten or first grade and continues through elementary school. As children progress through school, they learn more complex phonetic rules and words.

What to Do if Your Child is Struggling with Phonics

If your child struggles with phonics, it is important to seek help from teachers or tutors. Make sure your child is practicing their phonics skills regularly and provide them with the tools they need to learn, such as books and flashcards. It is also important to make phonics a positive experience and encourage your child to practice regularly.

Help Your Child Excel at Phonics

Teaching phonics at home can be a fun and rewarding experience for both parents and children. By following these simple steps, non-native English-speaking parents can help their children develop their phonics skills and become proficient readers and writers.

Remember to keep phonics lessons fun and interactive and to provide children with the tools they need to learn, such as books, flashcards, and visual aids.

If you need more help, check out some of our phonics and reading lessons here at the Learner’s Nook.

Joshua Chapman

Common Collective Nouns: Examples, Worksheets, and a Quiz

What is a Collective Noun?

A collective noun is a noun that stands for a group of individual people, things, or animals. So instead of saying “there are many dolphins,” you could say “there’s a pod of dolphins.”

Are Collective Nouns Singular or Plural?

Generally, most collective nouns are paired with singular verbs. Singular verb agreements sound more natural to native speakers and should be your default choice.

The class was reading. (singular)

The herd moves toward the river. (singular)

The exception to this rule is if members of that collective are doing different things. For example:

The students of the class choose different things to do. (plural)

The members of the team aren’t all here today. (plural)

In this case, we’ve added “students of” and “members of” because the sentence otherwise sounds incredibly odd. We wouldn’t say:

The class choose different things to do. (plural)

The team aren’t all here today. (plural)

The 15 Most Common Collective Nouns

There are tons of collective nouns out there, but only a few are used in everyday life. Here are fifteen that we think are good to know for the average English learner.

Crowd: Large group of people

The crowd (of fans) cheered loudly.

Group: smaller numbers of people together

Our group (of friends) couldn’t get into the restaurant.

Committee: People with a single purpose

The party committee isn’t doing a very good job.

Team: People working together in a competition

I can’t believe you never saw our school’s soccer team.

Class: Students

The class headed out for lunch five minutes ago.

Family: Related people

Our family went to Belize this summer.

Collection: Similar things

Did you know he has a collection of cars at home?

Swarm: Bees, Flies

A swarm of bees attacked after we got too close to their nest.

Pack: Wolves, Dogs, Group of the same things bought together

The pack (of wolves) hunted throughout the night.

He bought a pack of crackers for the train ride.

Flock: Birds, Sheep

The flock (of birds) danced in the wind.

School: Fish

I saw several schools of fish while I was snorkeling.

Cattle: Cows

The cattle calmly meandered along the road.

Pod: Dolphins, Whales

Can you see that pod of dolphins over there?

Herd: Elephants, Horses, Cows

If you’re lucky you might see a herd of elephants on the safari.

Litter: Baby pigs, baby dogs, and baby cats who are born together

A new litter of puppies was born just last night.

10 Collective Nouns for Animals

Almost all animal groups have their own special collective noun. The most important ones were highlighted above, but here are some more fun ones that you can impress your friends or classmates with.

If you don’t know what term to use, “a bunch of …” is always a good choice.

Murder: Crows
Parliament: Owls
Army: Frogs
Romp: Otters
Flight: Doves
Troop: Kangaroos
Nest: Rabbits
Gaggle: Geese
Shrewdness: Apes
Colony: Gulls

Collective Nouns Worksheet

Help your students practice collective nouns with these free worksheets. We’ve made one specific to common collective nouns and another for animals.

Common-Collective-Nouns Download

Animal-Collective-Nouns Download

Common-Collective-Nouns-Answers Download

Animal-Collective-Nouns-Answers Download

Collective Nouns Quiz

Try out our multiple-choice quiz to see how well you understand collective nouns. Find the right answers at the bottom of the page.

What is the collective noun for birds?

Herd
Flock
Romp
School

2. What is the collective noun for a large group of people, say at a concert?

Crowd
Group
Herd
Committee

3. What is the collective noun for a group of students?

Committee
Crowd
Flight
Class

4. What is the collective noun for a group of wolves?

Pack
Murder
Litter
School

5. What is the collective noun for a large group of fish?

Parliament
Flight
School
Pod

Learn More About Different Kinds of Nouns and Verbs

If you’re looking to improve your English even more, here are some English resources you’ll be interested in.

Answer Key

Joshua Chapman

The Best English Learning Apps (According to an English Teacher)

English learning apps seem to be a dime a dozen these days. So I get asked a lot which ones I recommend for people learning English. Here are my favorites, with the pros and cons laid out so you can find the one(s) that work best for you and your language goals.

Maybe you’ve tried some of these before, which language learning app is your favorite for English? Let me know in the comments below to help your fellow English learners.

1. LingQ: Best for Casual English

LingQ is a desktop and mobile language learning platform that helps you learn through uploaded videos, podcasts, songs, and more. The emphasis is on learning through interacting with actual content created in those languages. Learn more in our LingQ review.

Pro Tip: Don’t use up all of your free LingQs on the free account. Once you do the dictionary function stops working, which makes the free version much worse.

LingQ English learning app UI — *Image from the LingQ App*

Pros:

Access to thousands of podcasts, books, and articles you can learn from.
Upload the content you love (on the paid version).
Interact with an engaged community of like-minded language learners.

Cons:

UI can be clunky
Much better if you’re willing to pay about $10 a month.

Price: Freemium (But still lots of content for free)
Devices: iOS and Android

2. Duolingo: Best for Beginners

Duolingo is the biggest name right now in the English learning apps business. Chances are you’ve tried it yourself. For serious learners, Duolingo leaves a lot to be desired. However, for kids and beginners, it’s quick, easy, and pretty intuitive for learning basic grammar and vocabulary.

Duolingo English learning app UI — *Image from the Duolingo App*

Pros:

Couldn’t be easier to use and navigate.
Gives you lots of repetition for the most important words and phrases.

Cons:

Advanced learners almost always get stuck practicing stuff they already know.
Repetition and memorization only get you so far.

Price: Freemium
Devices: iOS and Android

3. Memrise: Best Flashcard App

Memrise is a spaced-repetition flashcard app that aims to help you memorize your way to language learning. Although this app won’t make you fluent, vocabulary is definitely important. So Memrise might just be a key tool for getting yourself moving towards better English

Memrise English learning app UI — *Image from the Memrise App*

Pros:

Great free version, with no real need to pay for Premium.
Good for practicing vocabulary.

Cons:

Won’t help you with grammar.

Price: Free version, $59.98 for Pro.
Devices: iOS and Android

4. Busuu: Best for Self-Motivated Learners

Busuu is probably the best directed English learning app right now for serious learners. Between its AI-powered vocab builder, community support, and professional lessons, people who want to learn English have everything they need to do it right here.

Busuu English learning app UI — *Image from the Busuu App*

Pros:

Let’s you pick your language level and reason for learning English.
Customizes lessons based on how much time you have in a day.
Premium members get feedback from native speakers.
Better for actually learning to use a language than competitors like Duolingo or Memrise.

Cons:

Best features including the native English speakers require you to buy Premium.
Not very exciting for the less motivated learners.

Price: Free for basic or $70 a year for Pro (comes with a one-week free trial)
Devices: iOS and Android

5. Drops: Best for Visual Learners

Drops is undeniably a pretty app. Each new piece of vocabulary you learn comes with a gorgeous image. Drops also gets rid of boring typing drills and instead encourages users to swipe, connecting words with the images they represent. You’re not going to become a master of English with drops, but it’s a fun way to start building your English vocabulary.

Drops English learning app UI — *Image from the Drops App*

Pros:

Presents learners with a unique way of learning with images instead of typing.
Timer and daily reminders keep you motivated to practice every day.
Free version is pretty much all you need.

Cons:

Won’t help you with grammar.
Some words don’t feel relevant.

Price: Free version, Premium is $69.99
Devices: iOS and Android

6. Cambly: Best for Speaking (If You’ve Got the Cash)

Cambly connects learners with actual native English speakers who can tutor them in English conversation. Lessons are 30 minutes long and you can do a lesson or just chat about your lives. Regardless, it’s one of the best ways to get actual talking time, one of the most effective ways of learning a language.

Read our Cambly review and Cambly Kids review to learn more.

Cambly English learning app UI — *Image from the Cambly App*

Pros:

Actual speaking practice with native English speakers.
Lessons help guide your conversations across different topics, including those you might see on an IELTS exam.

Cons:

Expensive
Not all tutors on Cambly are actually English teachers.

Price: Starts at about $67 a month.
Devices: iOS and Android

8. Hellotalk: Best Free Speaking Practice

HelloTalk is a language exchange community where you and other people around the world can practice languages together. The best part is it’s all free. You share your language, and they share their language. This is a great way to get speaking time in with native English speakers without paying a dime.

HelloTalk English learning app UI — *Image from the HelloTalk App*

Pros:

Completely free.
Meet people from around the world.
Practice with native speakers.

Cons:

Some partners will be flakey or not so good at teaching, you’ll need to find someone that works for you.
If you speak a rare language, it might be hard to find an exchange partner.

Price: Free
Devices: iOS and Android

9. FluentU: Best for People Who Love Videos

FluentU doubles down on videos as the best way to learn a language. What’s great about this platform is that it’s just more entertaining watching videos than reading courses or doing flashcards. as well, since it’s video, you practice vocabulary, reading, and listening all at once.

FluentU English learning app UI — *Image from the FluentU App*

Pros:

Really nice for practicing sentence structure, something other apps struggle with.
Videos help you practice multiple skills at once.

Cons:

More expensive than other options on this list.

Price: $19.99 a month with a 14-day free trial.
Devices: iOS and Android

10. Clozemaster: Best for Gamification and Review

And now for something a little different. Clozemaster wraps itself in an arcade-style look that hints at its many gamification features like streaks, goals, and challenges. Clozemaster is perfect for intermediate to advanced users who need to review what they’ve already learned. For beginners, it doesn’t offer much and you should look elsewhere.

Clozemaster English learning app UI — *Image from the Clozemaster App*

Pros:

Great for more involved vocabulary reviewing in context.
Perfect for keeping skills sharp over time.
Free version is perfectly good.

Cons:

Difficult to impossible for beginners.
Can get very boring, very quickly.

Price: Free version, Pro is $60
Devices: iOS and Android

Going Beyond English Learning Apps

Ultimately a single app isn’t the only thing you’ll need to complete your English fluency journey. Here are some other resources you might find useful:

Joshua Chapman

Contractions in English: Common Examples and Sentences

Contractions are words that have been shortened, making them more casual and closer to the way people actually speak day-to-day. Common examples of contractions are “aren’t,” “we’re,” or “she’s.” In each case, we use an apostrophe (‘), to show that we are dropping sounds in a word that we don’t use when speaking casually in English.

Learning contractions can help you improve your English by making it sound more casual and natural. Most native English speakers don’t speak in full, proper sentences, so when learning English, everyone should know common contractions in English to sound more fluent.

How Do Contractions Work?

When people speak in English, we often drop sounds and combine common words together. This makes it easier to speak quickly. However, it can be confusing for people who are learning. In written dialogue, these contractions may also be included to represent how people are actually speaking.

To create a contraction, all you need to do is remove the letters that are being dropped and add an apostrophe (‘). So the words “she is” are often put together and shortened. We remove the “i” sound and represent this by writing “she’s.”

The Most Common Contractions in English

These are some of the most common contractions we use in English.

Be

I am = I’m
You are = You’re
He is = He’s
She is = She’s
It is = It’s
We are = We’re
They are = They’re
That is = That’s
There is = There’s
Who is = Who’s
What are = What’re
Where is = Where’s
When is = When’s
Why is = Why’s
How are = How’re

Be Contraction Examples

He’s better than Tommy.
They’re at the park right now.

Be (Negative)

I am not = I’m not
You are not = You’re not / You aren’t
He is not = He’s not / He isn’t
She is not = She’s not / She isn’t
It is not = It’s not / It isn’t
We are not = We’re not / We aren’t
They are not = They’re not / They aren’t
That is not = That’s not / That isn’t
There is not = There isn’t
Who is not = Who’s not / Who isn’t
What are not* = What aren’t
When is not* = When isn’t
Why is not* = Why isn’t
How are not* = How aren’t

* Not commonly said outside of the contraction

Be (Negative) Contraction Examples

He isn’t better than Tommy.
They’re not at the park.

To Have

I have = I’ve
You have = You’ve
He has = He’s
She has = She’s
It has = It’s
We have = We’ve
They have = They’ve
That has = That’s
These have = These’ve
There has = There’s
Who has = Who’s
What have = What’ve
Where has = Where’s
Why has = Why’s
How have = How’ve

To Have Contraction Examples

I’ve never had better ice cream!
Who’s been to Canada before?

To Have (Negative)

I have not = I’ve not / I haven’t
You have not = You’ve not / You haven’t
He has not = He’s not / He hasn’t
She has not = She’s not / She hasn’t
It has not = It’s not / It hasn’t
We have not = We’ve not / We haven’t
They have not = They’ve not / They haven’t
That has not = That’s not / That isn’t
These have not = These haven’t
There has not = There’s not / There hasn’t
Who has not = Who’s not / Who hasn’t
What have not = What haven’t
Where has not* = Where’s not / Where isn’t
Why has not* = Why hasn’t
How have not* = How haven’t

* Not commonly said outside of the contraction

To Have (Negative) Contraction Examples

I haven’t ever had better ice cream!
Who hasn’t been to Canada before?

To Have (Past)

I had = I’d
You had = You’d
He had = He’d
She had = She’d
It had = It’d
We had = We’d
They had = They’d
That had = That’d
What had = What’d
Where had = Where’d
Why had = Why’d
How had = How’d

To Have (Past) Contraction Examples

I’d wanted to be a teacher when I was a kid.
How’d he do that?

To Have (Past / Negative)

I had not = I hadn’t
You had not = You hadn’t
He had not = He hadn’t
She had not = She hadn’t
It had not = It hadn’t
We had not = We hadn’t
They had not = They hadn’t
That had not = That hadn’t
What had not = What hadn’t
Where had not = Where hadn’t
Why had not = Why hadn’t

To Have (Past / Negative) Contraction Examples

I hadn’t been to my school since 1985.
We hadn’t believed him.

Would

I would = I’d
You would = You’d
He would = He’d
She would = She’d
It would = It’d
We would = We’d
They would = They’d
That would = That’d
There would = There’d
Who would = Who’d
Why would = Why’d
How would = How’d

Would Contraction Examples

He’d rather have chicken.
Who’d want that?

Would (Negative)

I would not = I wouldn’t
You would = You wouldn’t
He would = He wouldn’t
She would = She wouldn’t
It would = It wouldn’t
We would = We wouldn’t
They would = They wouldn’t
That would = That wouldn’t
There would = There wouldn’t
Who would = Who wouldn’t
Where would = Where wouldn’t
When would = When wouldn’t
Why would = Why wouldn’t
How would = How wouldn’t

Would (Negative) Contraction Examples

He wouldn’t ever eat chicken.
Who wouldn’t want to go to Disney Land?

Will

I will = I’ll
You will = You’ll
He will = He’ll
She will = She’ll
It will = It’ll
We will = We’ll
They will = They’ll
That will = That’ll
These will = These’ll
There will = There’ll
Who will = Who’ll
What will = What’ll
Where will = Where’ll
When will = When’ll
Why will = Why’ll
How will = How’ll

Will Contraction Examples

It’ll take some time to finish.
How’ll he beat them?

Will (Negative)

I will not = I won’t
You will = You won’t
He will = He won’t
She will = She won’t’
It will = It won’t
We will = We won’t
They will = They won’t
That will = That won’t
These will = These won’t
There will = There won’t
Who will = Who won’t
What will = What won’t
Where will = Where won’t
When will = When won’t
Why will = Why won’t

Will (Negative) Contraction Examples

It won’t help them.
Why won’t they just listen!

Learn to Speak More Fluently

If you’re interested in learning how to speak English like a native, it all starts with strong phonics skills. Learn more about phonics and pronunciation on our Phonics Home Page.

Josh Chapman

Present Perfect Tense Exercises (26 Questions and Audio)

Download the PDF version of these exercises by clicking on the link below.

Present-Perfect-Tense-Exercises Download

Present Perfect Tense Exercises

You can find answers to the exercise questions at the bottom of this page. Before you begin these questions, you can review the present perfect tense here.

Conjugate the Verbs /8

Correctly conjugate the verb in the parentheses and then write out the sentence on the lines below.

1. I _____________ in this playground many times. (to play)

2. How many times _____________ to install that? (you + to try)

3. They _____________ here all week. (to be + not)

4. Tim _____________ his French a lot more recently. (to practice)

5. Tim and Tod _____________ her three times this year. (already + to visit)

6. How often _____________ that model this year? (he + to build)

7. He _____________ crab before. (not + to eat)

8. She _____________ the movie. (just + to start)

Answer the Question /6

Write an appropriate answer to each question using the present perfect tense.

1. Have you tried tacos before? (Yes)

2. How many times has he watched this movie? (three times)

3. Have the students started their homework yet? (No)

4. How many floods have they had in the last year? (five)

5. How long has Tim wanted to have a dog? (always)

6. Has she been sick a lot recently? (No)

Correct the Sentence /5

Please correct and rewrite each of the sentences. Not all of the sentences are incorrect.

1. He has went to the park twice today.

2. Has Tim and Allan tried scuba before?

3. She has finished her homework last week.

4. Has the team won three times or four times?

5. It not has worked yet.

Arrange the Sentence /5

Rearrange the words to make a correct sentence or question.

1. had / before / has / she / stolen / bicycle / her / ?

2. they / her / how many / ? / seen / perform / times / have

3. not / no / to / yet / Eric’s / has / Tim / house / gone

4. dinner / have / just / we / cleaned up

5. always / a / good / she / been / friend / has / very

Listen and Answer /2

Listen to the audio on our website and answer each of the multiple-choice questions below.

1. How many times has Tod gone to the bakery this week?

A. Four times

B. Two times

C. One time

2. Has Suzie tried anchovies before?

A. Yes, she has.

B. No, she hasn’t.

C. We don’t know.

Exercise Answers

Conjugate the Verbs (Answers)

1. I have played in this playground many times.

2. How many times have you tried to install that?

3. They haven’t been here all week. / They have not been here all week.

4. Tim has practiced his French a lot more recently.

5. Tim and Tod have already visited her three times this year.

6. How often has he built that model this year?

7. He has not eaten crab before. / He hasn’t eaten crab before.

8. She has just started the movie.

Answer the Question (Answers)

1. Yes, I have tried tacos before.

2. He has watched this movie three times.

3. No, the students haven’t started their homework yet. / No, the students have not started their homework yet.

4. They have had five floods in the last year.

5. Tim has always wanted to have a dog.

6. No, she hasn’t been sick a lot recently./ No, she has not been sick a lot recently.

Correct the Sentence (Answers)

1. He has gone to the park twice today.

2. Have Tim and Allan tried Scuba before?

3. She has just finished her homework.

4. Has the team won three times or four times?

5. It has not worked yet.

Arrange the Sentence /5

1. Has she had her bicycle stolen before?

2. How many times have they seen her perform?

3. No, Tim has not gone to Eric’s house yet.

4. We have just cleaned up dinner.

5. She has always been a very good friend.

Listen and Answer /2

1. How many times has Tod gone to the bakery this week?

A. Four times

B. Two times

C. One time

Hey Lisa? How many times has Tod gone to the bakery this week? I think he has gone to the bakery twice this week.

2. Has Suzie tried anchovies before?

A. Yes, she has.

B. No, she hasn’t.

C. We don’t know.

Has Suzie tried anchovies before? I know she has tried clams, and I know she likes seafood, but I’m not sure if she has eaten anchovies before.

Learn more about other verbs including verb grammar resources, examples, and other quizzes and exercises.

Josh Chapman

Fairy Tales for Kids: The Story of Hansel and Gretel

The story of Hansel and Gretel was originally written in 1812 as a fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. The original story is quite a bit darker than a lot of modern retellings. If you are interested in reading a more faithful original version, you can find one over at Grimms Stories.

Our Version of the Hansel and Gretel Story

Our version of Hansel and Gretel has been written for English learners. The language has been simplified and the story has been shortened.

Throughout our story, we have included hyperlinks on difficult words that will take you to a dictionary definition for these words. As well, we have included audio recordings to help you with pronunciation.

If you would prefer, we also have a PDF version of this story, you can download it at the link below.

Hansel and Gretel PDF

The Story of Hansel and Gretel PDF Download

We hope you enjoy our take on this classic Grimm fairytale.

The Story of Hansel and Gretel

By: The Learner’s Nook

Once upon a time, there was a poor family.
They had two children named Hansel and Gretel.
The kid’s mother had passed away, and the dad had remarried.
Their new stepmom was evil.

Because they were poor, the family didn’t have enough money for food.
So, the stepmom wanted to get rid of Hansel and Gretel to save money.

One day the stepmom led Hansel and Gretel into the dark forest.
She went left, right, and all around to get them lost and confused.
The stepmom then left the kids in the middle of the forest all alone.
She hoped to never see them again.

However, Hansel was smart.
He left a trail of stones behind him as they walked.
When the stepmom left them, Hansel and Gretel followed the stones back home.

When they arrived, their dad was so happy to see them.
But, their stepmom was very angry.

The next day, their stepmom led Hansel and Gretel into the dark forest.
She went left, right, and all around to get them lost and confused.
Their stepmom then left the kids in the middle of the forest all alone.
She hoped to never see them again.

However, Hansel was smart.
He left a trail of breadcrumbs behind him as they walked.
When their stepmom left them, Hansel and Gretel followed the breadcrumbs.

But, soon, the breadcrumbs disappeared.
The animals had eaten all of the breadcrumbs up.
Hansel and Gretel quickly became lost in the dark forest.

They walked and walked and walked.
And then, they saw a small cottage in a clearing.
The house was made of candy and gingerbread.
Hansel and Gretel were hungry, so they began to eat the cottage.
The two kids broke off pieces of gingerbread and ate them.

“Stop eating my cottage!” yelled a voice.
Hansel and Gretel turned around.
There, in the candy doorway, was a big, fat witch.

The witch grabbed Hansel and Gretel and forced them into the cottage.
The witch threw Hansel and Gretel into a cage and locked them in.
“Let us out” yelled Hansel and Gretel.
“No,” replied the witch, “I am hungry, and I will eat you up!”

The witch began getting her oven ready.
But, the oven door was stuck!
“Girl,” the witch yelled, “Come help me open this door!”

The witch let Gretel out of the cage to help her open the door.
They pushed and pushed and pushed, and then the door opened.
While the witch was distracted, Gretel pushed her into the oven.

Gretel grabbed her brother and ran out of the cottage
Hansel and Gretel ran, and ran, and ran.
They found a forest path and followed it all the way back to their home.

Their dad was so happy to see them.
Their stepmom was gone (she herself had gotten lost in the forest).
The kids and their dad lived happily ever after.

Present Perfect Tense: Examples, Forms, and Uses

Present Perfect Tense Uses

The present perfect tense is a complicated verb tense in English. We have several uses for it, and it can be difficult to tell in many situations whether you should be using simple present, simple past, or present perfect.

Broadly speaking, the present perfect tense helps us talk about a situation in the present that is connected with the past. That may sound confusing. In our opinion, it is easier to see it in use, rather than just learning its definition. Here are the six most common uses for the present perfect.

To Show That You Have Experienced Something (Or to Check if Others Have Experienced Something)
Example: Have you eaten Mexican food before?
To Show Change Between the Past and Present
Example: I have seen her a lot recently) (previously you didn’t see her so much)
To Show a Continuing Situation
Example: I have been her friend for forty years.
Actions over An Incomplete Period of Time
Example: I’ve been to the dentist twice this year.
A Repeated Action, Situation, or Event that has Happened Throughout the Past (and Will Probably Happen Again)
Example: England has had twelve monarchs since 1707.
A Recently Completed Action
Example: She has just finished her exam.

If you want to test your knowledge of the present perfect, you can try our present perfect tense quiz.

Present Perfect Tense Form

As far as its form, the present perfect is fairly easy. It combines have and has with the past participle of the main verb to form its sentences. One area to note is the contractions. There are some sentences where you can choose between two different contraction forms. These do not change the meaning and are mostly up to the speaker’s preferences.

Positive and Negative Forms (Without Contractions)

Subject	Have/Has	(Not)	Past Participle Verb	Object
I	have		found	my keys.
You	have	not	tried	pasta before.
He	has		arrived	at the hotel.
She	has	not	worked	at Starbucks.
It	has		tricked	me so many times.
We	have	not	been	here recently.
They	have		found	treasure!

Positive and Negative Forms (With Contractions)

Subject + Have/Has	(Not)	Past Participle Verb	Object	Yet/Before
I’ve	not	found	my keys.
You’ve		tried	pasta	before.
He’s	not	arrived	at the hotel	yet.
She’s		worked	at Starbucks	before.
It’s	not	tricked	me at all.
We’ve		been	here	before.
They’ve	not	found	treasure	yet.

Positive and Negative Forms (With Contractions Version 2)

Subject	Have/Has + Not	Past Participle Verb	Object	Yet/Before
I	haven’t	found	my keys.
You	haven’t	tried	pasta	before.
He	hasn’t	arrived	at the hotel	yet.
She	hasn’t	worked	at Starbucks	before.
It	hasn’t	tricked	me at all.
We	haven’t	been	here	before.
They	haven’t	found	treasure	yet.

Questions Forms (Without Contractions)

Have/Has	Subject	(Not)	Past Participle Verb	Object	Yet/Before
Have	I		found	my keys	yet?
Have	you	not	tried	pasta	before?
Has	he		arrived	at the hotel	yet?
Has	she	not	worked	at Starbucks	before?
Has	it		tricked	me	before?
Have	we	not	been	here	before?
Have	they		found	treasure	yet?

Questions Forms (With Contractions)

Have/Has + (Not	Subject	Past Participle Verb	Object	Yet/Before
Haven’t	I	found	my keys	yet?
Haven’t	you	tried	pasta	before?
Hasn’t	he	arrived	at the hotel	yet?
Hasn’t	she	worked	at Starbucks	before?
Hasn’t	it	tricked	me	before?
Haven’t	we	been	here	before?
Haven’t	they	found	treasure	yet?

Examples of the Present Perfect

To understand a verb tense, it can help to see many examples. We have put together a string of examples, organized by the individual uses of the present perfect.

1. To Show That You Have Experienced Something (Or to Check if Others Have Experienced Something)

I have been to Spain before.
You have spoken to him before.
She has played soccer.
He has played that game.
We have tried this before.
Tim and Allen have lost a game already.

I haven’t been to Spain before.
You have not spoken to him before.
She has not played soccer yet.
He hasn’t played that game yet.
We have not tried this before.
Tim and Allen haven’t lost a game yet.

Have you visited London?
Why haven’t you tried octopus before?
Has she planned a trip to Europe before?
Hasn’t he followed someone on Instagram before?
Where haven’t you hiked before?
Have they played it yet?

2. To Show Change Between the Past and Present

I have played games a lot more recently.
Since the summer, she has been a lot nicer.
The leaves have changed a lot in the last few days.
We have seen a lot of birds here over the last week.
We have had a lot more visitors here than usual.
You have eaten way more meat these last couple of days.

I haven’t played games a lot recently.
Since the summer, she has not been very nice.
The leaves have not changed a lot in the last few days.
We haven’t seen a lot of birds here over the last week.
We have not had a lot more visitors here than usual.
You haven’t eaten more meat than before.

Do you think that we have been better students lately?
Has she recently practiced more?
Have we run more in these practices?
Has the internet been slow recently?
Have I procrastinated too much this week?
Compared to last year, his stats have been way down.

3. To Show a Continuing Situation

I have worked at Microsoft for six months.
She has been moody all her life.
They have been lost for the last four days.
Jane has studied that for years.
We have visited the Hamptons since I was a child.
Tina has wanted a puppy since she was 10.

I haven’t worked at Microsoft for very long.
She hasn’t been moody all day.
They have not been lost for more than an hour.
Jane has not studied that since she started university.
We have not visited the Hamptons since I got my new dog.
Tina has not wanted a puppy since one bit her.

How long has she wanted to buy a car?
Why have they always tried to start a business?
How have you played soccer for so long?
How long have we studied French?
Why have Jim and Tim wanted a new bike since they were 8?

4. Actions Over An Incomplete Period of Time

I have been to the grocery store twice already today.
You’ve flown to the UK three times this summer.
He has hit him several times.
She’s run around the track six times already.
They’ve been back to the doctor several times since he got his diagnosis.
I’ve been back there at least once a week for the last year.

I haven’t been to the grocery store yet today.
You’ve not flown to the UK yet this summer.
He has not hit him ever.
She’s not run around the track at all.
They’ve not been back to the doctor since he got his diagnosis.
I’ve been back there at least once a week for the last year.

How many times have you been to the grocery store today?
How often have you flown to the UK this summer?
How many times has he hit you?
How many times has she run around the track?
How often have they been back to the doctor since he got his diagnosis?
How many times have you been back there over the last year?

5. A Repeated Action, Situation, or Event that Happened Throughout the Past

England has had twelve monarchs since 1707.
There have been a number of battles in America since the War of Independence.
He has tried to win the championship eighteen times since 2002.
They have moved three times since 2010.
France has chosen a new capital several times since 1500.
There have been twelve major earthquakes in California twelve since we began counting.

England hasn’t had more than fifteen monarchs since 1707.
There haven’t been any battles in America since the Civil War.
He has not tried to win the championship since he lost in 2002.
They have not moved more than three times since 2010.
France hasn’t chosen a new capital since 1950.
There haven’t been any major earthquakes in California since I was born.

How many monarchs have there been in England since 1707?
How many battles have there been in America since the Civil War?
How many times has he tried to win the championship since he lost in 2002?
How many times have they moved since 2010?
How many times has France chosen a new capital since 1950?
How many major earthquakes have there been in California since I was born?

6. A Recently Completed Action

It has just finished the download.
They have just come in from the cold.
We have just walked here from the car.
The Smiths have just decorated their Christmas tree.
I’ve just written my exam.
You’ve just cooked a meal for twenty people!

It hasn’t yet finished the download.
They have not come in from the cold yet.
We haven’t walked here from the car yet.
The Smiths have not yet decorated their Christmas tree.
I’ve not yet written my exam.
You’ve not yet cooked a meal for twenty people!

Has it finished the download yet?
Have they come in from the cold yet?
Have they walked here from the car yet?
Have the Smiths yet decorated their Christmas tree?
Have I written my exam yet?
Have you cooked a meal for twenty people yet?

More Verbs at the Learner’s Nook

At the Learner’s Nook, we have been trying to put together a complete collection of verb materials in English. To see what we have already made, you can check out our Verb Page or click on the image below.

If you have any questions feel free to comment on this page, and we will do our best to help you.

Josh Chapman

The Three Billy Goats Gruff Story (With Audio and PDF Versions)

Click on the download link below to get the PDF version of our take on the Three Billy Goats Gruff story.

The Three Billy Goats Gruff PDF Download

Additional resources will follow the story, like teaching ideas, a vocab list, and YouTube resources.

We hope you enjoy our story.

The Three Billy Goats Gruff

Once upon a time, on a grassy hill lived three billy goats.
All three of them were named Gruff.
There was Small Gruff, Medium Gruff, and Big Gruff.

One day, the Billy Goats Gruff saw a big hill that had lots and lots of grass.
To get there, though, they needed to cross a small bridge.

But, under the bridge lived a troll.
The troll was big, smelly, and very mean.
The troll was also very hungry.

Hoofs on a bridge going "trip, trap, trip, trap."

Because the bridge was small, the Billy Goats Gruff crossed one at a time.
The first goat to go was Small Gruff.
His hoofs went trip, trap, trip, trap on the bridge.

"Who is tripping on my bridge?" asked the troll

The troll heard the noise above him and jumped up onto the bridge.
“Who is tripping on my bridge?” yelled the troll.
“It’s just me, Small Gruff.”

"I am too small to eat," says Small Gruff.

“I will gobble you up!” yelled the troll.
“Please no, Mr. Troll, I am too small to eat,” said Small Gruff.
“Too small?” asked the troll.
“Yes, wait for my brother. He is much bigger than me,” said Small Gruff.

Small Gruff eating grass on the other side of the bridge

The troll thought and thought and thought.
Finally, he said, “Okay, you may go, but I will eat your brother!”
Small Gruff nodded and quickly ran across the bridge to safety.

The second billy goat to cross was Medium Gruff.
His hoofs went trip, trap, trip, trap on the bridge.

"Who is tripping on my bridge?" asks the troll.

The troll heard the noise above him and jumped up onto the bridge.
“Who is tripping on my bridge?” yelled the troll.
“It’s just me, Medium Gruff.”

"I am too small to eat," says Medium Gruff.

“I will gobble you up!” yelled the troll.
“Please no, Mr. Troll, I am too small to eat,” said Medium Gruff.
“Too small?” asked the troll.
“Yes, wait for my brother. He is much bigger than me,” said Medium Gruff.

Small Gruff and Medium Gruff eating grass on the other side of the bridge.

The troll thought and thought and thought.
Finally, he said, “Okay, you may go, but I will eat your brother!”
Medium Gruff nodded and quickly ran across the bridge to safety.

The third and final goat to cross was Big Gruff.
His hoofs went trip, trap, trip, trap on the bridge.

The troll heard the noise above him and jumped up onto the bridge.
“Who is tripping on my bridge?” yelled the troll.
“It’s me, Big Gruff.”

“I will gobble you up!” yelled the troll.
“No, you will not!” said Big Gruff.
Lowering his head, Big Gruff showed the troll his big horns.

Quickly, Big Gruff charged and smashed into the troll.
The troll flew off the bridge and fell into the river.
Then, Big Billy Goat Gruff walked across the bridge.

On the other side, the three brothers began to enjoy the grass.
Soon, they all became fat and happy.
All three billy goats lived happily ever after.

About this Story

The story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff comes from Norway. It was written in the mid-1800s and has since become a well-known children’s story in English.

Our version of the story has been simplified to make it easier for children who are learning English. If you want to see a more traditional take on this story, here is a great version from americanliteraure.com

If you want to read more fairy tales and stories for children and English learners, then you can check out our collection. All of our stories have been made using simple English that is more commonly used today. They also have pictures and additional resources to help you get the most out of our stories.

The Learner’s Nook Fairy Tale Resources

Vocabulary List

These words are the ones we believe are important for your child to know, not just to understand the story, but to improve their English level.

Once upon a time	A traditional opening to a fairy tale
Billy Goats	Male goats
Small	Little, not large
Medium	Average, not big or small
Big	Large, huge
To Cross	to go from one side to the other
Bridge	A structure that allows you to go over water or a gap
Troll	A mythical creature, usually mean
Trip, Trap	the sound of hooves on the bridge
Hoof/Hoofs	The feet of a goat or horse
Gobble	To eat
To Wait	To stay in place for an event to occur
Much	A lot
Safety	A state of being safe, out of danger
Horns	Sharp protrusions on some animals’ heads
To Enjoy	To like
Thought	Past tense of to think
Heard	Past tense of to hear
Smashed	to hit hard (past tense)
River	A moving body of water

Teaching Ideas

These are just a couple of ideas you could use to get a little more out of this story. Stories can usually be a great backbone for a larger grammar or vocabulary lesson or series of lessons. Here are some ideas that we hope you can use.

Sizes

Teach children about vocabulary like small, medium, and big. You can also work on comparisons like bigger and smaller.

Ordinal Numbers

First, second, third, etc. Lots of children have trouble learning their ordinal numbers. The Three Billy Goats Gruff story can help you with reinforcing this vocabulary. We also have a post on ordinal numbers if you need more help with this.

The Past Tense

Everyone who is learning English probably needs to review their past tense conjugations. Stories like this can help you reinforce past tense verbs without resorting to boring flashcards or tedious worksheets.