The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages is one standard for describing English language ability. It is divided from A1 for beginners to C2 for mastery. English Grammar Pro uses this for all of its grammar posts.
Point 8 in REPORTED SPEECH is defined as: report statements using a reporting clause with ‘say’ or ‘tell’ + ‘that-‘clause, with a pronoun and tense shift where relevant *At A2 students can already use ‘said’ or ‘tell’ with a pronoun shift. Therefore, we might surmise that at B1 it must include a tense shift. There […]
said | told * that + CLAUSE (tense shift) Read More »
The following two B1 points are only different in the order. Point 4 in REPORTED SPEECH is defined as: DIRECT SPEECH, REPORTING CLAUSE, INITIAL POSITION: report speech and thought directly, using the reporting verb before the reporting clause Point 9 is END POSITION: report speech and thought directly using the reporting verb after the reporting
DIRECT SPEECH (initial or end position) Read More »
In the English Grammar Profile, B1 point 10 in the category of REPORTED SPEECH is defined as: ‘wh-‘questions using a reporting verb + ‘wh-‘word + clause, with a change of pronoun and tense shift where relevant Expert examples: I once asked a really bright student what he hoped to learn from me. TED When asked what the biggest challenge was in making the film, William Joyce says, not giving up. listen PELIC student example: Every time, someone asked me what my major was, they always
WH- (reported question) Read More »
Existential “there + BE” is a grammatical construction that asserts the existence or non-existence of something. It is usually followed by a noun phrase that is the real subject of the sentence. For example:
There is a book on the table.
There are many stars in the sky.
Modal verbs are verbs that express possibility, necessity, obligation, permission, etc. They can be used with existential “there + BE” to hedge claims or express hypothetical situations. For example:
There may be no simple solution to this problem.
There should be some food in the fridge.
there + MODAL VERB + BE 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 »
The verb help can be followed by an object and an infinitive with or without to.
HELP + object + infinitive Read More »
In the English Grammar Profile, B1 point 41 in the category of VERBS is defined as: NEGATIVE: ‘There’ + ‘be’ + ‘n’t’ with countable and uncountable nouns. A search in iWeb for: there_E _VB _XX * * 1 THERE’S NOT A LOT 6543 2 THERE IS NOT A LOT 4009 3 THERE IS NOT A
There BE n’t + NOUN PHRASE Read More »
In the English Grammar Profile, B1 Point 42 in the category of VERBS/patterns is defined as: an increasing range of verbs, typically reporting or mental process verbs, with a ‘that’-clause as the direct object PELIC STUDENT EXAMPLE: I started to understand that there are many types of movies, and I started to distinguish between them. Arabic, Male, Level 4, Writing Class. *Note that this partly overlaps ’28
understand | realise + that CLAUSE Read More »
A2 Verb Patterns expressing preference
love | hate | prefer + VERB-ing | to-INFINITVE Read More »
In the English Grammar Profile, C2 point 113 in the category of PRONOUNS is defined as: possessive pronouns ‘hers’, ‘theirs’ and ‘his’ after noun + ‘of’. A search in iWeb for: _N of his_P . 1 FRIEND OF HIS. 504 2 FAN OF HIS. 304 3 FRIENDS OF HIS. 115 4 PASSION OF HIS. 67 Thoroughbred
NOUN + of + his | hers | theirs Read More »
Here are two examples of ‘focus’ in English grammar, using ‘the one that + clause’ in the subject position: The one that comes in the box, his colleague told him, was notorious for making users’ faces itchy and red. The Wall Street Journal The ones that make you look older, or even the ones where you turn into a hot dog are still really engaging. Mobile Marketing Magazine In the English Grammar Profile, C2 point 114 in the category of PRONOUNS/substitution is defined
THE ONE(S) THAT + clause (focus) Read More »
A cleft construction beginning with “it” to emphasize the subject of the main clause is called an it-cleft. It is a type of sentence that divides the clause into two parts:
The cleft phrase, which is the part of the sentence that is being emphasized.
The relative clause, which provides more information about the cleft phrase.
(SUBJECT) CLEFT CONSTRUCTION WITH ‘it’ Read More »
In the English Grammar Profile, C2 point 117 in the category of PRONOUNS/quantity is defined as: complex noun phrases using an inverted form ‘Many’ + ‘are’ + noun phrase, followed by a relative clause, as a focusing device. FOR EXAMPLE: NBC News Covid is having a devastating impact on children — and the vaccine won’t
Many are the + NOUN + RELATIVE CLAUSE Read More »
Point 118 in PRONOUNS is defined as: the possessive pronoun ‘his’, with singular and plural reference, in subject and object position, and complement positions after ‘be’ and after prepositions. An iWeb search for: his_P _V *The Claws7 tagging for this grammar point struggles to decide between words that can be both verbs and nouns, and
Point 119 in PRONOUNS/reflexive is defined as: ‘as for myself’ as a discourse marker to introduce or focus on a personal opinion. FOR EXAMPLE: As for myself, I have some ideas about where we went wrong this time, and one day I may call on you once more. listen TechRaptor As for myself, I am an artist in the loosest possible definition of the word; that is to say, I make art. 16 Dec 2020 A search in iWeb corpus for: . As
The C2 Point 34 in the category of QUESTIONS is defined as: alternative questions with two or more clauses and ellipsis in the second or third clause. *However, if the ellipsis is of a verb after a Modal it is actually only listed at C1. Considering how odd this complexity is and how difficult it
alternative question (ellipsis) Read More »
Point 35 in the category of QUESTIONS is defined as: NEGATIVE QUESTIONS with uncontracted ‘not’ to emphasise a point in an argument. 1 COULD IT NOT BE ? 249 2 DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND ? 227 3 DOES IT NOT MATTER ? 140 4 DO YOU NOT KNOW ? 94 5 ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?
In the English Grammar Profile, C2 point 61 in the categories of VERBS/patterns is defined: ‘would hate’ + ‘to’ infinitive, for emphasis. An iWeb search for: would hate to _VVI 1 WOULD HATE TO SEE 1982 2 WOULD HATE TO THINK 655 3 WOULD HATE TO LOSE 315 4 WOULD HATE TO GET 151 5
would hate to-INFINITIVE Read More »
In the English Grammar Profile, C2 point 62 in the category of VERBS is defined as: direct object with some prepositional verbs as well as an object of the preposition. *As with other phrasal verb grammar points, this one is also best dealt with through the EVP. For example, here is C2 grammar and C2
VERB + OBJECT + PARTICLE + PREPOSITION + OBJECT Read More »
