Cambridge IGCSE Grammar
Master the essential grammar structures—tenses, voices, verb forms—so you can write and speak accurately in any context.
Quick Overview
📖 What You'll Learn
All the grammar structures tested in Cambridge IGCSE: tenses, passive voice, conditionals, modals, verb forms, and more.
🎯 The Big Picture
Grammar is the foundation for accurate writing and speaking. Master these structures and you'll avoid careless errors and score higher marks.
⏱️ Where It's Tested
Grammar appears in Writing (accuracy marks), Speaking (correct structures), and in specific grammar exercises throughout exams.
✅ Your Goal
Use correct structures confidently. Write error-free sentences. Know when and why to use each tense and form.
1. Tenses: The Foundation of Grammar
Why Tenses Matter
Tenses tell the reader when something happens: past, present, future. Using the wrong tense changes meaning and loses marks. This section covers the tenses you need.
The Tenses You Must Know
Present Simple
Form: Base verb (+ s for he/she/it). "I play." "She plays."
Use: Habits, facts, general truths, routines.
Examples: "I go to school every day." "Water boils at 100°C." "She works as a doctor."
Present Continuous
Form: am/is/are + -ing. "I am playing." "She is running."
Use: Actions happening NOW, at this moment.
Examples: "I am writing an email." "It is raining outside." "They are studying for exams."
Past Simple
Form: Base verb + -ed (regular) or irregular form. "I played." "I went."
Use: Completed actions in the past. No connection to present.
Examples: "I played football yesterday." "She went to Paris last year." "They finished the project on time."
Present Perfect Simple
Form: have/has + past participle. "I have played." "She has gone."
Use: Past actions with present relevance. Time not specified or recent. "Have you ever...?"
Examples: "I have lost my keys." (I don't have them now.) "She has worked here for 5 years." (Still working.) "Have you finished homework?"
Past Perfect
Form: had + past participle. "I had finished."
Use: Past action BEFORE another past action. Shows sequence.
Examples: "When she arrived, I had already left." (I left first, then she arrived.) "They had finished dinner before the guests came."
Future Simple
Form: will + base verb. "I will play." "She will go."
Use: Predictions, decisions made at speaking time, promises.
Examples: "I will help you." "It will rain tomorrow." "She will be a doctor."
First Conditional (If...will)
Form: If + present simple, will + base verb. "If I study, I will pass."
Use: Real, possible situations in the future.
Examples: "If you work hard, you will succeed." "If it rains, I will stay home." "If she calls, I will answer."
Tense Comparison: When to Use Each
| Tense |
Use |
Example |
|---|
| Present Simple |
| Past Simple |