Children using social media at younger age appear to do worse in school tests
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EN: A relative clause (or adjective clause) uses a relative pronoun like 'who' to give more information about a noun. Here, 'who start using social media at a younger age' describes the noun 'children'.
Students who study regularly usually get better grades.
EN: The modal verb 'may' expresses possibility, while 'perform worse' uses the comparative degree of 'badly' (worse) to indicate a lower level of performance compared to others.
If you don't sleep well, you may perform worse on the exam tomorrow.
EN: A noun clause introduced by 'that' is used as the direct object of a reporting verb (e.g., 'discover', 'find', 'say'). It contains a full subject and predicate.
Scientists found that sleeping well improves memory.
EN: A relative clause beginning with 'who' describes and gives more information about a person or group of people ('pupils').
Students who read every day usually have higher test scores.
EN: The passive voice structure 'be + past participle' (were compared) is used when the focus is on the action being done to the subject, rather than who performed the action. Here, 'compared with/to' means to examine two things to highlight their similarities or differences.
The test results were compared with last year's data.
EN: The relative pronoun 'who' introduces a defining relative clause ('who waited until...') to specify or provide essential information about the antecedent pronoun 'those'.
People who exercise regularly tend to live longer.
EN: In many countries, including European nations like Italy, 13 or 14 is a common age threshold defined by COPPA-like regulations or the GDPR, which require parental consent for users under 13 to 16 to open social media accounts.
EN: The phrase 'be equal to' functions as a predicate expression meaning to be identical or equivalent in amount, size, value, or effect to something else. Note that 'to' acts as a preposition here, so it is followed by a noun or noun phrase.
His income is equal to twice my salary.
EN: A noun clause beginning with 'that' is used as the direct object of verbs like 'suggest', 'find', or 'show' to state a fact, result, or opinion.
Recent studies suggest that regular exercise improves sleep quality.
EN: The passive voice is formed using 'be + past participle' (was carried out). It is used when the focus is on the action or the result rather than the person performing the action.
The project was completed by the students on time.
EN: The phrasal verb 'carry out' means to conduct, perform, or execute a task, experiment, or research. In passive voice, it becomes 'be carried out by'.
The survey was carried out by an independent company.
EN: The preposition 'about' is used after the noun 'surveys' to indicate the topic or subject matter being investigated.
Researchers conducted a survey about the reading habits of teenagers.
EN: The phrase 'more than' is a prepositional phrase used before a number to mean 'over' or 'exceeding' that amount.
More than 100 people attended the lecture yesterday.
EN: The phrasal verb 'look at' means to examine, inspect, or consider something carefully. In research contexts, it often means to analyze data or results.
The committee will look at the new policy proposals next week.
EN: Parallel structure using the preposition 'in' to list multiple academic subjects: 'in maths, Italian, and English'. When listing items belonging to the same category, prepositions do not need to be repeated for each item.
She has high scores in history, science, and geography.
EN: In British English, 'maths' is the standard abbreviation for mathematics, whereas American English uses 'math'. Additionally, 'Italian' in the Italian school system refers to the subject of native language and literature, similar to 'English' class in English-speaking countries.
EN: A gerund phrase (verb + -ing) can act as a singular noun and serve as the subject of a clause. It takes a singular verb (e.g., 'is').
Studying late at night makes me feel tired the next day.
EN: A relative clause introduced by the relative pronoun 'that' modifies a preceding noun ('distraction'). It acts as an adjective describing the noun.
Noise is a major problem that affects my concentration.
EN: The conjunction 'that' introduces a noun clause functioning as the direct object of the verb 'explained'. Inside this clause, two predicate clauses ('is complex' and 'is connected...') are joined by the coordinating conjunction 'and'.
She explained that the task was difficult and required extra time.
EN: The prepositions 'to' is followed by a nominal clause (noun clause) starting with 'how', which functions as the object of the preposition. The passive voice 'are built' describes how the platforms were created/designed.
Our success depends on how team members are supported.
EN: Indirect speech (reported speech) is used to report what someone else said. When the main reporting verb (e.g., 'said') is in the past tense, the verbs in the noun clause usually shift to a past tense, though present tense can be kept if reporting a timeless fact.
She said that the report was completed yesterday.
EN: Nested noun clauses with 'that' (which can be omitted). Here, 'said that...' contains a second embedded noun clause 'shows (that) social media is...' acting as the object of 'shows'.
He believes that the study proves online learning is effective.
EN: The structure 'be to blame (for something)' is an active infinitive used with a passive meaning, indicating that someone or something is responsible for a bad outcome or mistake.
Bad weather was largely to blame for the delay of the train.
EN: A noun clause acting as a direct object introduced by the conjunction 'that'. The clause 'that social media is directly to blame...' complements the transitive verb 'prove'.
The scientists proved that the new treatment is safe.
EN: The phrasal verb 'take account of' (or 'take into account') means to consider or remember something when assessing a situation.
We must take account of the bad weather before planning the outdoor event.
EN: The preposition 'including' is used to introduce examples that belong to a larger group or category mentioned earlier.
The fee covers all activities, including the guided tour and lunch.
EN: The past perfect tense ('had opened') is used to express an action that happened before another past action ('were tested' / 'scored').
She had finished her homework before her friends arrived.
EN: Relative clauses starting with 'who' are used to give more information about a person or group of people ('those who...').
Students who study regularly usually get good grades.
EN: The linking verb 'remain' can be followed by a subject complement (an adjective like 'the same') to indicate that a state or condition continues without changing.
Despite the harsh winter, the room temperature remained warm.
EN: The preposition 'at' is used before a specific age or age range to show the time when something happens or applies.
She learned to play the piano at age 6.
EN: The degree modifier 'even' is used before comparative adjectives (like 'wider') to emphasize a greater degree or contrast.
His second test score was even higher than his first.
EN: The linking verb 'became' (past tense of 'become') connects the subject 'the gap' to the subject complement 'wider', describing a change in state.
The weather became colder after the rain.
EN: The Present Perfect Tense (have/has + past participle) is used here to describe an action that occurred at an unspecified time in the past and has direct relevance or effect on the present situation.
Recent surveys have shown a growing interest in online learning.
EN: The preposition 'about' is followed by a gerund clause ('children joining social media...'), where 'children' acts as the logical subject of the gerund 'joining'. This structure explains the specific content or topic of the 'concerns'.
There are many concerns about teenagers spending too much time on video games.
Key vocabulary words with IPA pronunciation, definitions, example sentences, and interactive quizzes.
Phrases with type tags, bilingual definitions, usage notes, and example sentences.
To perform or conduct a task, research, or experiment.
To consider or include something when judging a situation.
A test that is administered and scored in a consistent, or standard, manner.
The regular pattern or behavior of using social media platforms.