10 sentence structures every English learner needs to know

1. Find(s) it + adj + to do sth: How you feel when you do something

Note:

+ "adj" stands for adjectives such as "difficult", "impossible", "hard", "interesting". ..

+ Whether or not the verb "find" adds the suffix "s" depends on the subject that precedes it (he/she + finds, we/I/they + find);

+ Sth is short for "something".

For example:

- I find it very difficult to speak English confidently (I find it very difficult to speak English confidently).

- We find it impossible to win this battle (We feel we cannot win this battle).

- She finds it interesting to read that book (She found it interesting to read that book).

- He finds it hard to communicate with his new colleagues (He found it difficult to communicate with his new colleagues.).

2. Prefer(s) sth to sth hoặc prefer(s) doing sth to doing sth: What do you like more than what?

- I prefer working from home to working at the office (I prefer working at home to working in the office.).

- Anna prefers cooking to cleaning (Anna enjoys cooking more than cleaning).

- They prefer football to basketball (They like soccer more than basketball).

3. Used to do sth: What did someone usually do?

You use this structure to describe someone who used to do something as a habit in the past and now doesn't do it anymore.

- My dad used to smoke before I was born (My father used to smoke before I was born).

- When I was a child, I used to play football with my classmates (When I was a child, I often played soccer with my classmates).

- She used to visit this bookstore when she was a university student (She often went to this bookstore when she was a college student).

4. Be used to doing sth hoặc Get used to doing sth: What is someone used to doing?

- She’s used to getting up early (She is used to getting up early in the morning).

- I’m used to studying at the library (I am used to studying at the library).

- We’re used to going to church every Sunday (We are used to going to church every Sunday).

- They got used to having meetings every morning (They are used to meeting every morning).

- He got used to driving to work (He is used to driving to work).

5. Stop someone from doing sth: Prevent someone from doing something

- The rain stops us from playing football (The rain prevented us from playing soccer).

- He tried to stop me from getting married (He tried to stop me from getting married).

- Lily’s mother stopped her from going to the party last night (Lily's mother prevented her from going to the party last night).

6. Advise someone to do sth: Advise someone what to do

- My doctor advised me to do exercise every day (The doctor advised me to exercise every day.).

- I advised Leo to study hard (I advise Leo to study hard).

- She advised us to go to the hospital as soon as possible (She advised us to go to the hospital as soon as possible).

7. Spend time/ money on sth/ doing sth: Spend money or time on something

- I spend 5 hours on learning English every day (I spend 5 hours learning English every day).

- Erica spends a lot of money on shopping (Erica spends a lot of money shopping).

- We spent the whole afternoon discussing that issue (We spent the whole afternoon discussing it).

8. So... that...: So...so much so that...

- This book is so expensive that I can not buy it (This book is so expensive that I cannot afford it).

- She is so stingy that no one wants to hang out with her (She is so stingy that no one wants to hang out with her).

- He speaks so fast that we can not understand (He spoke so fast that we couldn't understand).

9. Too adj to do sth: Too... what's the point?

- She is too young to get married (She is too young to get married).

- I am too exhausted to do anything (I'm too exhausted to do anything).

- We are too old to play this kind of game (We're too old to play this game).

10. Enough (for someone) to do sth: Enough for nothing

- She is old enough to get married (She is old enough to get married).

- The weather is nice enough for us to go out (The weather was nice enough for us to go out.).

- This essay is good enough to get a high mark (This essay is good enough to get a high score).