Although gerunds are covered in a few different ways across a few CEFR levels in the English Grammar Profile, there is no entry given to the use of a gerund after ‘need’ as MODALITY which is listed by PEARSON: GSE 63 B2 ‘need’ with verbs in the gerund to express necessity. ‘need’ + Verb Phrase […]
IT NEEDS REPLACING. (‘need’ + gerund) Read More »
Here’s an example of past modality:
You HAD TO HAVE KNOWN about the problem before you started driving.
Before the car broke down on the highway, I am sure you noticed something was wrong with the car.
‘HAVE’ to have + PAST PARTICIPLE Read More »
In general, ‘must’ is used to indicate that something is necessary or required. It is often used in situations where there are rules or regulations that need to be followed. For example, an employee must follow certain guidelines when using company resources. Similarly, a patient must provide accurate information to their doctor in order to receive proper treatment.
MUST (obligation | necessity ) 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 »
C1 English Grammar Profile point 62 in the category of FUTURE is defined as: present simple after speech act verbs expressing suggestions and obligation. For example: l cannot recommend that you go heliskiing. listen But remember where we left off because I insist you finish later. listen This is not easily located formally in corpora but we can start with a search in iWeb for the speech act verbs
suggest | recommend | insist + present simple Read More »
Here’s an example of an infinitive passive structure. He said it was the summation of the parts working together in such a way that nothing needed to be added, taken away, or altered. listen The English Grammar Profile B1 point 4 in the category of passives is defined as: an infinitive after a limited number of forms including ‘going to’, ‘have to’, ‘need to’, ‘want to’. *Note that Pearson lists this as: GSE 59 B2
going | have | need | want + TO BE + past participle Read More »
Affirmative must questions are questions that use the modal verb must in the affirmative form. The modal verb must expresses obligation or necessity. In affirmative must questions, the subject of the verb must is inverted, meaning that the subject comes before the verb. For example:
Must I do my homework?
Must you go now?
Must we help them?
In these questions, the speaker is asking the listener if they are obliged or required to do something. The answer to these questions can be yes or no.
There are three negative points in the English Grammar Profile at C2 Modality that are quite rare. Point 215 is defined as: negative form ‘ought not to’ Point 226: CONTRACTED NEGATIVE ‘oughtn’t’ (without ‘to’) + verb Point 235 ‘ought’ + subject + ‘not to’ + verb to form (rhetorical) questions, often in formal contexts. *Point
OUGHT (negative OR questions) Read More »
Here are two student examples of using semi-modal ‘have to’ to express either a strong suggestion or that something isn’t required or necessary. Another thing is you have to make sure that you have included signal words to help the reader. PELIC Arabic female level 3 writing class. I mean if someone wears something, you don’t have to wear that because she or he wears it. TLC male Spain B1 speaking test. Listen to
have got to | have to | don’t have to Read More »
In the English Grammar Profile (EGP), there are three similar points in the category of Future expressions with ‘BE’ at B2 in the English Grammar Profile. 47 ‘be due to’ and, more formally, ‘be to’ talk about things that are scheduled or expected. 53 OBLIGATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS WITH ‘BE TO’ 56 present form of ‘be’
‘BE’ + to infinitive | ‘BE’ + due to infinitive Read More »
Let’s look at an example of ‘should be ing‘ in student writing: In Korea, it is so common that women should be looking for a job after divorce. PELIC Korean female level 4 writing. ‘Should’ can express obligation or expectation. ‘Should’ can be used with a continuous form: Should be + lookING In the English Grammar Profile at B2, there are 3 points covering ‘should + continuous form’. Points
SHOULD BE + verb ING ‘She should be looking for a job’ 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 »
The phrase “be forced to infinitive” means to be made to do something that one does not want to do. The phrase can also be used to express the idea of being compelled to do something by external circumstances, even if one is not physically forced to do it.It is a passive voice construction. In
BE forced to infinitve Read More »
