Here’s an expert example of using a conditional clause + ‘shall’ clause to express modality: Come on, if we don’t share a similar social consciousness, how shall we discuss social problems? Listen to this sentence. C2 point 225 in the category of MODALITY is defined: ‘shall’ in the main clause after an ‘if-‘ clause conditionals Long open queries are impossible on iWeb, so here we first look for the …
Here’s an expert example of a defining relative clause using TO-infinitive: Several years earlier, she‘d become the first woman to ski to the South Pole. Listen to the sentence. The first woman to ski can be written in another way with the same meaning: the first woman who skied Pearson’s GSE 56 B1+ is defined: construct defining (restrictive) relative clauses with ‘to’ + infinitive verb …
Pearson’s GSE 56 B1+ is defined: “reduced” defining (restrictive) relative clauses with verb +-ing. This point will overlap: verb of senses + object + verbing This is difficult grammar to find in corpora since many other structures get caught. We have done a search with a full stop to narrow out questions. Our search string …
‘You know the person making them’ (reduced verbING clause) Read More »
Here’s a student example of verb phrase ellipsis: You need to study hard to pass the test unless you don’t want to. PELIC Arabic female level 4 grammar class Although there are a number of grammar points in the English Grammar Profile to do with Ellipsis, there are none that cover the ellipsis of phrases before or after the ‘TO’ infinitive. Therefore, we turn to Pearson’s GSE …
Pearson’s GSE 58 B1+ clause + ‘for’ to introduce an infinitive clause with a different subject. The important thing is for you to arrive on time. My aim is for my children to go to university. A search in iWeb for: _VB for * _TO _VVI 1 IS FOR YOU TO DECIDE 392 (most examples with this string contained ‘whether’ or ‘whether or not’ which is C2.) 2 IS FOR YOU …
‘It is for you to decide.’ (FOR +TO infinitive clause) Read More »
PELIC STUDENT EXAMPLE: I think we should do our best at the present moment in order not to be regretful. Chinese male level 5 writing class. We will only cover half of: GSE 60 B2 express negative purpose with ‘so as/in order not to’ In order not to seem stupid, he didn’t say anything. I came in very quietly, so as not to wake anyone. because ‘so as not to’ is at C1 in the English Vocabulary Profile. ‘in order …
A simple comparison in English is “She is more important than you.” One way to make comparisons more complex is to increase the number of words between ‘more’ and ‘than.’ This could include nouns or adjectives followed by non-finite clauses such as the following EXPERT EXAMPLE: Today, billions of citizens have more tools, more access to information, more capacity to influence than ever before. TED Pearson’s GSE 66 B2 structure is defined …
Here we look at examples of using ‘the past tense’ in a way that is not referring to past time. In these EXPERT EXAMPLES: It’s time we started to think about the environment and a little bit less about money. Isle of Man Newspapers As an environmentalist, we would rather that didn’t happen. TED ‘the past tense’ expresses a wish that is distanced from the real situation. In reality, they are not thinking …
‘would rather’ | ‘it’s time’ + PAST TENSE CLAUSE Read More »
Here are EXPERT EXAMPLES of subject and verb ellipsis after ‘if’: When you speak your character’s words, you can hear whether they sound natural, and fix them if necessary. TED *If necessary = if it is necessary. Unlike the billions of people who have few options, if any, due to war, poverty or illness, you have plentiful opportunities to live decisively. TED *if any = if there are any. Planet Radio If in doubt, don’t drive. *if in doubt = in you are in doubt. GSE 66 B2 omit …
if + necessary | any | anything | in doubt (subject and verb ellipsis) Read More »
Let’s analyse questions that have relative clauses to give emphasis. So usually, we would say something like: What do we want to ask? What are we trying to find out here? You can see the normal auxiliary verbs ‘be’ and ‘do’ get removed and relative clauses are added in the EXPERT EXAMPLES: What is it that we want …
GSE 71 B2+ describe present or future outcomes of a hypothetical situation using initial ‘only if’ with inversion of subject and object. ‘Only if’ + first/second conditional with inversion The complexity of this structure is highly unlikely to be B2 as Pearson has it listed. The most similar EGP construction is ‘Only when’ + first …
Let’s analyse two EXPERT EXAMPLES to understand inversion with negative adverbials. Under no circumstances should doodling be eradicated from a classroom or a boardroom or even the war room. TED In no way am I saying that preference doesn’t exist. TED ‘Under no circumstances‘ and ‘In no way‘ are examples of complex negative adverbial phrases that will modify the following verb phrases: ‘should be eradicated’ or ‘am saying’. Inversion is just switching the subject and …
We know that ‘but for’ + a phrase means except for or if it were not for. At C1, this structure can be combined with a ‘would have clause’ so it is similar to a past conditional. All together this construction means “if it wasn’t for this thing that happened, then this other thing was …
Within a text or speech, we can use imperatives to point to its parts for the reader or listener to focus on. For example:
SEE the section on the presence of issues below.
NOTE the lack of a safety manual.
NOTICE the difference between these two charts.
In the English Grammar Profile, there are two similar C2 points in the category of passives: Point 38: non-finite ‘-ing’ perfect forms of the passive as the complement of prepositions. Point 40: passive non-finite ‘-ing’ perfect forms in subordinate clauses to give explanatory background information. EXAMPLE: I feel like the luckiest person in the world, having been born at the intersection of great needs and great injustices and great opportunities to change them. TED An iWeb search for: …
Point 12 in the category of VERBS/patterns is defined: verbs, typically reporting verbs, followed by a noun or pronoun as the indirect object and a clause with or without ‘that’, as the direct object. *Note some of our search results are not indirect objects. However, the A2 complexity is still there with relative clauses. _VV …
Point 18 in VERBS/patterns: reporting verbs, especially mental process verbs, with a clause as the direct object, without ‘that’, especially in informal contexts. *notably, in the English Grammar Profile examples, all the verbs but ‘said’ are in the present tense. There are grammar points that use this same construction but in the past at higher …
A2 Point 13 in the category of MODALITY/adverbs: certainty and possibility (‘maybe’, ‘perhaps’), before a clause or ellipted clause. *Note that ‘maybe’ is also listed at A1. And ‘perhaps’ is A2 in the EVP regardless of position. An iWeb search for: . maybe|perhaps * * * 1 . MAYBE IT ‘S BECAUSE 2541 2 . …
Here is another English Grammar Profile point that overlaps multiple categories making it quite difficult to choose which criterion best suits. Point 40 in the category of CLAUSES is defined: AFFIRMATIVE INTERROGATIVE: (‘yes/no’ forms) with auxiliary ‘be’ and ‘have’. The EGP examples: Are you going to the new art class? Have you got a new dress for the party? Point 17 in the category of VERBS is defined: AUXILIARY VERBS …
Here are two A2 English Grammar Profile points in different categories. Point 39 in the category of CLAUSES is defined: affirmative imperative with the base form of a main verb Point 7 in NEGATION: negative imperatives of main verbs with ‘don’t’ + main verb. PELIC STUDENT EXAMPLE: Include every ingredient for every recipe on your grocery list. Then, take your list to the refrigerator or cupboard and check off the items you have on hand. After, prepare unique food for your guests. Keep it simple. Turkish female level …
