B1 is an intermediate level of English. It is where most ESL students tend to be and also where most errors are made as they are learning new grammar and vocabulary. To see our full list of B1 grammar points with examples click here.
Here’s an expert example of using ‘their’ with a general reference: Tech Guide It‘s based on the idea that people learn best when they are actively involved in their education. The use of ‘their’ is confusing to give level to, because there is differing information between the English Vocabulary and Grammar Profiles, and secondly the uses are hard to locate in corpora automatically. At B2, […]
Let’s look at how ‘rather than‘ is used to compare. In the English Vocabulary Profile, at B1 the meaning is: ‘instead of ‘ rather than examples: I‘d like coffee rather than tea. I usually wear a swimsuit rather than shorts. In the above examples: coffee, tea, a swimsuit, shorts are nouns or noun phrases, so ‘rather than‘ or ‘instead of‘ are complex prepositions. Here’s
RATHER THAN + non-finite clause | phrase Read More »
Let’s explain what a ‘superlative clause’ is with this example: It’s the best car that you can buy. the best is the superlative adjective. that you can buy is the relative clause We can rewrite this as two sentences: It is the best car. You can buy it. Here the object it is replaced with the
superlative + THAT clause ‘the best you can’ Read More »
A search on iWeb corpus for 3 part subordinating conjunctions reveals the following frequency: They point to another group of multiple overlapping points on the English Grammar Profile. B2 point 91 in CLAUSES & conditional is defined as: conditional subordinate clauses with a range of conjunctions ‘as long as’, ‘provided’ + present simple or present
conditional subordinate clauses & range of complex conjunctions Read More »
The phrases “as if” and “as though” are used to express that something is like something else, but it is not actually the same. They can be used to compare things that are similar, or to describe something that is imaginary or hypothetical.
In English grammar, there are two different points that describe how to use these phrases:
EGP B2 Point 90: “as if” or “as though” + finite clause to introduce a second clause as a comparison.
EGP B1 Point 70: verbs of the senses + “as if” or “as though” + finite clause.
The main difference between these two points is that the B2 point allows for a wider range of verbs, including non-sensory verbs. The B1 point is specifically for sensory verbs, such as see, hear, feel, smell, and taste.
Here are some examples of how to use “as if” and “as though” in accordance with these grammar points:
B2 example: It’s as if the cat can read my mind.
B1 example: I feel as if I’m being watched.
It’s important to note that the B1 example uses the subjunctive mood in the second clause. This is because the speaker is describing a hypothetical situation.
The text also mentions that the phrase “as if” is more common than “as though.” This is true, especially in informal writing and speech. However, both phrases are considered to be grammatically correct.
Overall, the text provides a good overview of the different ways to use the phrases “as if” and “as though.” It also highlights some of the more subtle nuances of these phrases, such as the difference between the B2 and B1 grammar points.
as if | as though (COMPARISON) Read More »
There is no evidence of when students can use “which” or “whose”.
WHICH | WHOSE + subject noun + verb (questions) Read More »
Which vocabulary to teach with ‘whose name’?
WHOSE NAME relative clause Read More »
What vocabulary should be learnt with ‘whose’?
whose relative clause Read More »
Subordinating conjunctions for upper-intermediate students.
wide range of subordinating clauses & conjunctions Read More »
Some time adjectives to learn before a noun for intermediate students.
attributive only time adjectives Read More »
Where to start teaching noun phrases to your beginner to pre-intermediate class?
article + adverb + adjective + noun Read More »
If you are teaching a pre-intermediate class about how we get our knowledge or health, then this grammar and vocabulary will be appropriate.
It is important that NOUN + VERB Read More »
B1 MODALITY: It’s hard for me to imagine.
adjective + FOR + object + TO-infinitive Read More »
The B1 / B2 divide seems to have many clashing or repeated points when locating forms. This post introduces another. The B2 points 153 in the category of MODALITY “be supposed to” to talk about expectation or obligation, and point 130 also in MODALITY ” be supposed to’ to talk about hearsay or supposition clashes
BE + supposed + to INFINITIVE Read More »
There are four entries in the English Grammar Profile that capture “May I…?” Point 97 are polite questions. They probably are not really asking for permission. 119 is literally asking for permission. Yet, for the purposes of designating a complexity level, this matters little. The interpretation of this structure becomes more difficult once we jump
If you were to choose which adverbs to teach with “would”, could you just rely on the English Grammar Profile to suggest which ones?
Would + limited range of adverbs Read More »
“Ought to” is a semi-modal verb similar to “should”. It’s used to express advice, expectation, obligation, or high probability. Unlike modal verbs, it’s followed by a ‘to-infinitive’, making it unique. It doesn’t change form for person, and can be used in various contexts to imply duty or suggest a course of action. For example, “I ought to phone my parents” implies a responsibility to call parents, while “It ought to be easy now” expresses an expectation of ease.
ought to (semi modal) Read More »
Grammar examples from B1 to C2 of this structure.
used to (semi modal) Read More »
Why do I believe that the English Grammar Profile and Vocabulary profile should be merged? Well, they both have tons of fantastic information but it would be better if they worked together. If we use the grammar profile for single token grammar points such as “actually” notice the lack of information in the EGP: Point
