March 2021 – Page 4 – English Grammar Profiler

superlative + noun + postmodifier

Here are examples of superlative phrases post-modified. Daily Telegraph You‘re taught how to run in the most efficient way possible to make it feel easy. You’re the best choice by far. Listen A year ago, Amy being pregnant would have been the best thing ever! listen C1 point 68 in the category of adjectives is defined as: postmodifier to make the superlative stronger, in the structure superlative + noun + postmodifier ‘possible’, ‘ever’, ‘by far’ For example: It’s one of the most influential artworks ever made. A […]

superlative + noun + postmodifier Read More »

must not have been

C2, MODALITY, NEGATIVE, PAST

In the English Grammar Profile, C2 point 211 in MODALITY is defined as:

‘must not have been’ (especially with ‘easy’).

must not have been Read More »

SHALL (formal & predictions)

C2, formal, FUTURE, MODALITY, prediction, simple

Here are examples of using ‘shall’ in a formal context and to make a prediction: You shall shortly be sent home in disgrace. listen We shall have no peace until she goes. listen This post is another example of two overlapping grammar points found in two different categories in the English Grammar Profile. Although they are worded differently, they can be used to describe the exact same examples. C2

SHALL (formal & predictions) Read More »

future perfect simple question

C2, FUTURE, perfect, QUESTIONS, simple

Example: “Will you have achieved your goals by the end of the year?” The future perfect simple is formed by using the auxiliary verb “will” followed by the subject, then “have” and the past participle of the main verb. In this case, the main verb is “achieved,” which is the past participle form of “achieve.”

future perfect simple question Read More »

will | shall + always | never (long-term intention)

C2, FUTURE, intention, simple

The modal verbs: Will / Shall are often used with the pronouns I and we to show our intentions and to make promises with future simple. In the mid-position, the adverbs: ‘always’ and ‘never’ can make it quite clear that these statements are intended to be true for a long time. For example: This is a day we shall

will | shall + always | never (long-term intention) Read More »

Only when + PRESENT SIMPLE + will INVERTED SUBJECT

C2, FUTURE, inversion, PRESENT, simple

In the English Grammar Profile, C2 point 66 in the category of FUTURE is defined as: INVERSION present simple with ‘only when’ (followed by ‘will’ and inverted subject) to refer to the future. A search on Google News: The Irish Times Miriam Lord: Séamus the Dog beats Mary Lou to the hard questions “And

Only when + PRESENT SIMPLE + will INVERTED SUBJECT Read More »

it + BE (cleft)

C2, CLAUSES, cleft, emphasis, FOCUS, PRONOUNS, subject, subordinate

It -clefts consist of the pronoun it, a form of the verb to be, the focused element, and a relative-like dependant clause introduced by that, who/which or zero. grin.com In the English Vocabulary Profile (EVP), the pronoun ‘it’ is C2 when it emphasizes one part of a sentence. The example given in the EVP matches two C2 grammar points in the

it + BE (cleft) Read More »

how | why | where + CLEFT CLAUSE

C2, CLAUSES, cleft, FOCUS, subject

C2 point 14 in the category of FOCUS is defined as: ‘How’, ‘Why’, or ‘Where’ cleft clauses as subject, for focus. *Note, HOW + CLAUSE is also C2 as an exclamation. A search on iWeb for: . How|Why|Where _P _V * 1 . WHERE I LIVE , 688 2 . WHY YOU ASK ? 544

how | why | where + CLEFT CLAUSE Read More »

All of a sudden, out of nowhere

C2, fixed expressions, FOCUS, position

Fixed expressions are groups of words that are used together to convey a specific meaning.
“All of a sudden” and “out of nowhere” are fixed expressions that mean something happened very quickly and unexpectedly.
Sometimes, they are used together for added focus. For example:

But all of a sudden, out of nowhere, he just collapsed.
All of a sudden, out of nowhere, a huge storm hit the city.

All of a sudden, out of nowhere Read More »

this + NOUN PHRASE + of + POSSESSIVE PRONOUN

C2, demonstrative, DETERMINERS, highlight, NOUNS, positive, possessive, PRONOUNS

C2 highlight something, often in a positive way with demonstrative DETERMINERS:
‘this’ + noun + ‘of’ + possessive pronoun
(English Grammar Profile)

this + NOUN PHRASE + of + POSSESSIVE PRONOUN Read More »

‘s (ELLIPTED NOUN)

C2, DETERMINERS, ellipsis, NOUNS, possessive

C2 point 69 in DETERMINERS/possessives is defined as: ‘s without a following noun when the noun has already been mentioned or is obvious in the context. A search in iWeb for: The examples in the EGP both contain a possessive adjective too, so we will use this here to help highlight out grammar. _AP _N

‘s (ELLIPTED NOUN) Read More »

MAKE + object + adjective

ADJECTIVES, B1, causative, complements, object, position, VERBS

In the English Grammar Profile, point 52 at B1 in ADJECTIVES/position is defined as: adjectives as object complement after ‘make’. *However, this clashes with B2: where ‘it’ introduces a reference. *Note, if you capitalise your search term such as MAKE on iWeb, it will give you all forms of the word. A search in iWeb

MAKE + object + adjective Read More »

a (little) bit + COMPARATIVE

ADJECTIVES, B1, B2, C1, comparatives, modify, predicate

Point 50 at B1 in the English Grammar Profile in the category of ADJECTIVES is defined as: ‘A (LITTLE) BIT’ to modify comparative adjectives used predicatively after a verb, usually ‘be’ However, ‘a little bit’ is considered as B2 in the EVP. And this B1 point also clashes completely with the C1 grammar point explained

a (little) bit + COMPARATIVE Read More »

comparative AND comparative

ADJECTIVES, B1, comparatives

In the English Grammar Profile, B1 point 47 in Adjectives is defined as: ‘and’ to repeat a comparative adjective to indicate change over time, usually after ‘become’ or ‘get’ However, the English Vocabulary Profile lists ‘worse and worse‘ at B2 used to emphasize how unpleasant, difficult, severe, etc. something is becoming A search in iWeb corpus: _V

comparative AND comparative Read More »

, is there?

affirmative, C1, NEGATIVE, QUESTIONS, tags

Question tags are short phrases added at the end of a statement to transform it into a question or to seek confirmation or agreement from the listener. There are no prizes for telling us what the problems are, are there? TED The following example show that native speakers do not always use the correct form of ‘BE’: Yeah, there’s only two options here, isn’t there? TED There are only two options here, aren’t

, is there? Read More »

PHRASAL PREPOSITIONAL VERBS (STRANDED PREPOSITION)

C1, complements, particle, phrasal, PREPOSITIONS, stranding, VERBS

come up with.
look out for.
watch out for.

PHRASAL PREPOSITIONAL VERBS (STRANDED PREPOSITION) Read More »

friend of + POSSESSIVE DETERMINER + NOUN

B1, DETERMINERS, NOUNS, possessive

Point 30 in NOUNs is defined as: phrases with ‘a friend of’ or ‘friends of’ + possessive determiner + noun. A search in iWeb for: a friend of _APPGE _NN 1 A FRIEND OF HIS FATHER 99 Meriden Record-Journal New Southington chief got an early start in fire service Paul was introduced to the

friend of + POSSESSIVE DETERMINER + NOUN Read More »

ADJECTIVE + enough

ADJECTIVES, B1, modify

In the English Grammar Profile, B1 point 43 in ADJECTIVES is defined as: ‘ENOUGH’ to modify an ADJECTIVE *if the enough is followed by TO-infinitive, this structure is B2. A search in iWeb for: _JJ enough 1 GOOD ENOUGH 166044 2 LUCKY ENOUGH 76058 3 LARGE ENOUGH 72118 4 BIG ENOUGH 68590 PELIC STUDENT: Turkish female level

ADJECTIVE + enough Read More »

(one of | some of | among ) the + SUPERLATIVE + PLURAL NOUN

ADJECTIVES, B1, B2, degree, GSE, indefinite, NOUNS, phrases, plural, PREPOSITIONS, PRONOUNS, quantity, superlative

The grammar “one | some + of the + SUPERLATIVE + PLURAL NOUN” is used to describe something that is among the best or most extreme of its kind. The word “one” or “some” can be used to indicate that the thing being described is only one of a few, while the word “of” indicates that the thing is part of a larger group. The superlative adjective is used to compare the thing being described to all other things of its kind, and the plural noun indicates that the thing is more than one.

(one of | some of | among ) the + SUPERLATIVE + PLURAL NOUN Read More »

EVEN + comparative adjective

ADJECTIVES, B1, comparatives, emphasis, intensity, modify, predicate

In this post, we explore ‘even + comparative’ which is used to emphasize qualities. In the English Grammar Profile, B1 point 40 in ADJECTIVES is defined as: ‘even’ to modify and intensify comparative adjectives used predicatively after a verb, usually ‘be’ and ‘get’. We did an iWeb search for even _JJ and highlighted the A2 comparative adjectives:

EVEN + comparative adjective Read More »