In the English Grammar Profile, C2 point 236 in the category of MODALITY is defined: ‘as’ + pronoun + ‘used to’ to add background to a narrative, often to highlight something unusual *Note this is not the “as + adjective + as” structure. Student example in a speaking test: I don’t think that they pay enough attention towards the national customs as they used to do those days. […]
‘AS’ + pronoun + ‘USED’ + to-infinitive Read More »
The sentence “Well, I wouldn’t say that.” is a common English expression used to indicate disagreement or to express a different opinion. The word “wouldn’t” in this context is used as a negated modal verb to convey polite disagreement (there is a tinge of a sense of doubt or uncertainty) . It is often used
Imperatives Defined:
Imperatives are commands or orders expressed as a grammatical mood in English.
They instruct someone to do something or refrain from doing it.
For instance, “Sit down,” “Listen carefully,” or “Don’t shout.”
Examples:
Affirmative Imperatives:
“Now, wait a minute.”
“Sit down, Zero.”
Negative Imperatives:
“Don’t shout; you’ll wake the children.”
Politeness and Tone:
Imperatives can vary in tone:
Forceful: “Stop!” (Direct command)
Polite: “Please open the window.” (Adding “please” softens the tone)
Offering Help: “Let me find you something.” (Using “let” to offer assistance)
Subject and Implied Subject:
Imperatives often imply the subject:
“Make me a pizza.” (Subject: “Anthony”)
Sometimes, the subject is explicit:
“Hey Anthony, make me a pizza.”
Defining relative clauses, also known as restrictive relative clauses, provide essential information about the noun they refer to. This information is crucial for defining or restricting the meaning of the noun.
When the noun refers to a person, ‘who’ is often used as the subject of a defining relative clause. For example, in the sentence “The woman who lives next door is a doctor,” ‘who’ is the subject of the clause and refers back to ‘the woman’. The clause “who lives next door” provides essential information about which woman is being referred to.
On the other hand, ‘that’ can also be used as a subject in defining relative clauses when referring to both people and things. For instance, in the sentence “He’s the man that saw me yesterday,” ‘that’ refers to ‘the man’, and the clause “that saw me yesterday” tells us which man is being referred to.
WHO | THAT subject pronouns in defining relative clauses Read More »
A2 point 52 in MODALITY:
‘could’ with a limited range of verbs to make suggestions.
A2 point 27 in MODALITY:
negative form
B1 point 78 in MODALITY:
affirmative form of ‘could’ to talk about ability.
B1 point 79 in MODALITY:
‘could’ with an increasing range of verbs to make suggestions.
declarative COULD ( past ability | suggestion | possibility ) with a range of verbs Read More »
In the English Grammar Profile, B1 point 26 in the category of FUTURE is defined: the negative form of ‘be going to’ to talk about plans and intentions EXPERT EXAMPLES: The words mean the same thing, so we‘re not going to waste any more time differentiating between them. the18.com *This is hard to find automatically because this structure is difficult to differentiate from predictions with present
BE + not going to INFINITIVE Read More »
The English Grammar Profile (EGP) B1 point 23 in the category of future is defined: past form of ‘be’ + ‘going to’ (future in the past) EGP B1 point 36 in FUTURE is defined: PLANS IN THE PAST (often followed by ‘but’) to talk about a plan, sometimes one that may have changed. These grammar
future in the past Read More »
‘shall’ used to make suggestions, seek advice, or ask for permission, often with ‘I’ or ‘we’.
B1 Point 116 in the category of MODALITY is defined: ellipted ‘must’ without a subject *Note the general B2 subject pronoun ellipsis A search in iWeb for: . must _VVI *also note that this grammar is either non-existent in PELIC student writing or very difficult to locate in TLC or on Google. The example come
MUST (ellipted subject) Read More »
The phrase “to have to” is a common construction in English that expresses obligation, necessity, or requirement. Let’s break down 3 examples: I‘m going to have to get a job. listen In this sentence, “going to” indicates a future action. “Have to” means that the speaker is obliged or required to do something. It implies that getting a job is necessary
TO HAVE TO (infinitive form) Read More »
In the context of the sentence “What may mean nothing to you, may be very important to me,” the word “may” is used as a modal verb to express possibility. The sentence is not referring to a specific time frame, but rather to a general situation where different people can have different opinions about the
may | might (modal verbs) Read More »
And it‘s not because you‘re not smart enough, it‘s simply that you don’t apply yourself. Another Woman The reflexive pronoun “yourself” is used as the direct object of the verb “apply.” The verb “apply” means “to use or put something to a particular purpose.” In the sentence, the speaker is telling the listener to use their own efforts or abilities to achieve a goal.
VERB + myself | yourself | himself | itself | herself Read More »
in the English Grammar Profile, B1 point 58 in the category of PRONOUNS is defined as: wide range of indefinite pronouns as objects or complements. For example: You don’t have to show anyone any of these steps. TED There are also English Vocabulary Profile phrases at various levels. For example: Come on, Scarlett! When you want something, you stop at nothing to get it.
nothing | anyone | everywhere Read More »
This is another clashing point. Although ‘as soon as’ is listed at B1 future, it is also listed in B2 conjunctions. FOR EXAMPLE: It will end as soon as Hedge finds his target. A search in iWeb for: _VVI as soon as _P 1 KNOW AS SOON AS WE 441 2 KNOW AS SOON AS YOU 362 3 KNOW AS SOON
as soon as (future) Read More »
This post contains an example of overlapping B1 grammar points located inside two different categories in the English Grammar Profile (EGP). EGP B1 point 6 in the category of REPORTED SPEECH is defined as: REPORTED REQUESTS AND COMMANDS with ‘ask’ or ‘tell’ + direct object and ‘to-‘infinitive EGP B1 point 38 in the category of
VERB + DIRECT OBJECT + to INFINITIVE Read More »
A2 Verb Patterns expressing preference
love | hate | prefer + VERB-ing | to-INFINITVE Read More »
In the English Grammar Profile, B1 point 75 in CLAUSES is defined as: a non-defining relative clause with ‘who’ as the object. A search in iWeb for: , who _P _VV 1 , WHO HE SAID 968 2 , WHO I THINK 946 3 , WHO I BELIEVE 495 This is a design by Philippe Starck, who I believe is in the audience at this very moment.
non-defining WHO (object) Read More »
Hedging is a technique used in English to express politeness and indirectness. It involves using certain words or phrases to soften the impact of what we’re saying or writing, making it less direct or categorical. The ‘if-’ clause (‘if you want’, ‘like’, ‘prefer’) is a common form of hedging used to soften the directness of
IF clause + imperative ( hedging ) Read More »
B1: CLAUSES | comparatives
In the English Grammar Profile, point 68 is defined as: ‘TOO’ + adjective + ‘to’-infinitive.
(not) too + ADJECTIVE | ADVERB + to INFINITIVE Read More »
‘Do’ can be put before the imperative verb or auxiliary to make it less abrupt and more persuasive. In the English Grammar Profile, B1 point 64 in the category of CLAUSES/imperatives is defined as: ‘DO’: base form of a main verb, for emphasis or in formal contexts A search in iWeb for: . Do _VVI
DO + verb (imperative) Read More »
