Welcome to the 'Education' Chapter: Focusing on Verbs!
Hi there! We are excited to dive into the chapter about Education. Why do we focus on verbs here? Because verbs are the action words, and school life is full of action—studying, writing, learning, teaching, and succeeding!
In this section, we will make sure you know exactly which verbs to use and how to use them correctly when talking about academic life, homework, exams, and school routines. Don't worry if English grammar sometimes feels tricky; we will break everything down into easy steps!
1. Essential Action Verbs for Studying and Learning
When you talk about school, you need strong verbs that show exactly what you are doing. Think of these verbs as the engine of your academic sentences!
Key Verbs and Their Meanings:
- To Study: To spend time learning about a subject, usually from books or classes.
- To Revise: To read over something previously learned, usually before an exam. (This is a very important academic verb!)
- To Attend: To be present at (a meeting, class, or event).
- To Submit/To Hand In: To formally give an assignment or document to the teacher.
- To Achieve: To successfully reach a result by effort.
Example: I need to study for my history test tonight.
Example: Before the final exam, we must revise Chapters 1 through 5.
Example: All students must attend the mandatory safety workshop.
Example: Did you submit your essay before the deadline?
Example: She worked hard and achieved the top grade in the class.
Quick Tip for Vocabulary:
Sometimes, students confuse learn and teach. Remember:
- Teachers teach (They give knowledge).
- Students learn (They receive knowledge).
Key Takeaway: Choose specific action verbs (like revise or submit) to make your academic writing clearer and more formal.
2. Using Correct Tenses for Academic Routines and Deadlines
In the education chapter, the Present Simple and the Past Simple are your best friends! They help you talk about routines, facts, and completed events.
2.1 The Present Simple: Routines and Schedules
We use the Present Simple to discuss things that happen regularly, facts about the school, or fixed timetables.
Structure Reminder: Subject + Verb (Add -s or -es for He/She/It)
- Routine: I wake up at 7 a.m. every day to catch the bus.
- School Schedule/Fact: Our math class starts at 9:30 a.m.
- Habit: The teacher always gives us constructive feedback on our work.
2.2 The Past Simple: Completed Events
Use the Past Simple to talk about specific lessons, tests, or actions that are finished and happened at a definite time in the past.
Structure Reminder: Subject + Past Tense of Verb (either regular -ed or irregular form)
- Action Finished: Yesterday, we had (irregular past of *have*) a long discussion about history.
- Test Result: I passed (regular) the mid-term exam last week.
- Assignment: We wrote (irregular past of *write*) the final draft three days ago.
Quick Review: Present Simple for ALWAYS or ROUTINE. Past Simple for FINISHED ACTIONS in the past.
3. Modal Verbs: The Rules of the School
Modal verbs are essential in the education environment because they tell us about rules, obligations, advice, and ability. Think of modal verbs as tiny "bosses" that modify the main verb!
Key Modals for School Life:
3.1 Obligation and Necessity (Must / Have to)
These indicate that an action is required—often by school rules.
- Must: Strong obligation, usually internal or very important.
- Have to: Strong necessity, usually external (a rule or law).
- Must not (or mustn't): Prohibition (It is forbidden).
Example: You must submit your work by Friday at 4 p.m. (No choice!)
Example: Students have to wear the school uniform.
Example: You must not use your phone during the examination.
3.2 Advice and Recommendation (Should / Ought to)
These suggest a good idea but are not strict rules.
- Should: Used for giving advice or suggesting the right thing to do.
Example: If you want good grades, you should start revising early.
3.3 Ability and Permission (Can / May)
- Can: Expresses ability or permission.
Ability: I can understand the new math concept now.
Permission (Informal): Can I borrow your pen?
Memory Aid: Remember, the verb that follows the modal is always in its base form (infinitive without 'to').
(Example: She must studies ❌ -> She must study ✅)
Key Takeaway: Use must or have to for rules, and should for helpful advice.
4. Verb Complements: Gerunds and Infinitives (The Tricky Pair)
Some verbs in English must be followed by either a Gerund (the -ing form acting like a noun) or an Infinitive (to + base verb). This is a common test area in ESL, especially when talking about planning or completing academic tasks.
4.1 Verbs Followed by Gerunds (-ing)
Gerunds often follow verbs related to preference, starting, stopping, or completing an action.
Common Education Verbs that use Gerunds:
- Enjoy: I enjoy studying biology.
- Finish: We finished reading the chapter last week.
- Avoid: Students should avoid procrastinating on their homework.
Did you know? When the gerund is used, the focus is often on the action itself.
4.2 Verbs Followed by Infinitives (to + Verb)
Infinitives often follow verbs that express plans, decisions, or intentions for the future.
Common Education Verbs that use Infinitives:
- Plan: I plan to attend university next year.
- Decide: The committee decided to hold the meeting next month.
- Need: We need to understand this formula before the test.
- Expect: The teacher expects us to submit high-quality work.
Don't worry if this seems tricky at first! The best way to learn these is to practice them in complete sentences. Look at your textbook: does the verb *choose* use -ing or 'to + verb'? (It uses the infinitive: *I choose to study*).
Key Takeaway: Memorize the common verbs (like *enjoy* for -ing and *plan* for *to* + verb) to avoid making easy mistakes.
5. The Passive Voice in Academic Contexts
The passive voice is very common in formal reports, scientific papers, or classroom instructions, where the action or the result is more important than the person doing the action (the 'doer').
5.1 Why Use the Passive Voice in Education?
We use it when:
1. We don't know who did the action (unknown agent).
2. The 'doer' is obvious (e.g., the teacher/school).
3. We want to emphasize the subject (the thing being acted upon).
5.2 How to Form the Passive Voice
The structure is always: To Be (Conjugated) + Past Participle (V3)
Example (Present Simple):
Active: The teacher corrects the exams.
Passive: The exams are corrected by the teacher.
Example (Past Simple):
Active: The students submitted the homework.
Passive: The homework was submitted yesterday. (The focus is on the homework, not who submitted it).
Common Academic Passive Phrases:
- The deadline was extended by the administration.
- All reports must be typed. (Using a Modal verb in the passive!)
- The new school building is being constructed now.
Accessibility Tip: If you see a form of the verb "to be" (is, was, were, are) immediately followed by the V3 form (Past Participle, often ending in -ed or -en), you are looking at the Passive Voice!
Key Takeaway: Use the passive voice to sound more formal and to emphasize information (like assignments or research) over the person responsible for the action.
Chapter Summary: Verbs in Education
You have successfully mastered the key verbs needed for discussing academic life!
- We use Action Verbs (revise, submit, attend) for clarity.
- We use the Present Simple for routines and the Past Simple for finished assignments.
- Modal Verbs like must (rules) and should (advice) guide student behaviour.
- Pay close attention to Gerunds (-ing) and Infinitives (to + V) after specific verbs (like enjoy studying).
- The Passive Voice (to be + V3) is used for formal announcements and reports.
Keep practicing these verb structures, and you will greatly improve your writing and speaking about school life!