English Grammar Profile C1 point 80 in the category of PAST is defined as: past simple ‘I thought’ as a politeness structure to sound less direct. However, there is no way to formally decide if this is actually a politeness construction. If it is not, it might still contain B2 modal passive or B1 reporting structures. For […]
I thought… (polite) Read More »
C1 MODALITY
‘might or may + not have’ + ‘-ed’ to talk about possibility with a past reference
English Grammar Profile
might | may + not have + PAST PARTICIPLE (past possibility) Read More »
In the English Grammar Profile, C1 point 205 in MODALITY is defined as: PAST, NEGATIVE: ‘needn’t have’ + ‘-ed It means that somebody did something, but it was not necessary. Also, note that uncontracted ‘not’ is possible. Here are two examples: You needn’t have come so far, Asgardian. listen In fact, she need not have hurried. TED Well, we needn’t have worried. A search in iWeb:
need not have | needn’t have + PAST PARTICPLE Read More »
C1 point 112 in CLAUSES/conditional is defined as: Conditional subordinate clauses with ‘if’ + the past perfect simple and modal verb + ‘have’ + ‘-ed’ in the main clause, to talk about imagined situations in the past, often with regret. *Note the same definition with ‘would‘ is listed at B1! Basically, this means that for
if + PAST PERFECT + MODAL VERBS Read More »
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 »
In the English Grammar Profile, C2 point 125 in CLAUSES/conditional is defined as ‘If it weren’t / were not for’ + noun phrase to introduce conditions in formal contexts. past simple For example: And none of us would be here if it weren’t for you. Listen iWeb doesn’t allow a search for **** to the right even on a premium licence. 1 IF
IF IT WERE NOT FOR Read More »
A2 English Grammar Profile point 10 in the category of NEGATION is defined as: negative statements of main verbs in the past simple with ‘didn’t’ + main verb A search in iWeb for: did n’t _VVI 1 DID N’T KNOW 189531 2 DID N’T WANT 163517 3 DID N’T GET 103113 4 DID N’T THINK
past simple negative Read More »
C2 FOCUS | FORMAL | happened immediately before something else
HARDLY HAD + inversion Read More »
B1 past modality
English Grammar Profile
might | should + have + past participle Read More »
The past simple affirmative is used to describe completed actions or events in the past. Its usage varies with proficiency level, starting with a limited range of regular and irregular verbs at A1 level, increasing at A2 level, and covering a wide range of verbs at B1 level. The most common verbs used in the past simple tense are also listed, providing a useful reference for English language learners.
past simple affirmative Read More »
Point 79 in the category of PAST is defined as: past perfect simple, IMAGINED PAST, the affirmative form after ‘if only’, and the affirmative and negative forms after ‘wish’ to talk about regret. This is a rare match of grammar levels with Pearons’ GSE 62 B2: If only I’d worked harder. I wish we’d bought that house. if only * _vhd _vvn 1
IF ONLY | WISH + past perfect simple Read More »
In the English Grammar Profile, B2 point 78 in the category of PAST is defined as: past perfect continuous in relative clauses to give background information. For example: I was scrolling on social media, and I saw a friend who had been sharing positive news stories. TED A search in iWeb corpus for: who|that|which had been _vvg gives us the most common continuous verbs found in past perfect continuous relative
past perfect continuous in a relative clause Read More »
You can give background information in a past perfect simple relative clause. For example:
The people WHO ATTENDED the lecture knew about the test.
The teachers WHO HAD DEVELOPED the test explained what to study the night before.
past perfect simple in relative clauses Read More »
B2 English Grammar Profile point 76 in the category of PAST is: past perfect continuous WITH ADVERBS in the normal mid position For example: I had just been doing some reading. listen An iWeb search for: had _rr been _vvg 1 HAD ALREADY BEEN WORKING 359 2 HAD ALREADY BEEN USING 210 3 HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN USING 122 4 HAD ALSO
past perfect continuous + adverb ‘had already been doing’ Read More »
Point 75 in the category of PAST is defined as: Past perfect simple to report statements, where the main verb in the reporting clause is in the past simple. *This point overlaps B1. So we might surmise that ‘said’ and ‘told’ are B1 and other reporting verbs might be B2 within this structure. A search
past perfect simple (report of statements) Read More »
In the English Grammar Profile, B2 point 74 in the category of PAST is defined as: leave out the subject before the past perfect simple where it is understood from the previous clause. _c _had _vvn *However the common that clauses do not really locate ellipsis. 1 THAT HAD COME 3547 2 THAT HAD HAPPENED
past perfect simple (ellipsis) Read More »
Point 73 in the category of PAST is defined as: Past simple: ‘I wondered’ and ‘I wanted’ as politeness structures, when making polite requests and thanking. I wondered if * could * 1 I WONDERED IF IT COULD BE 52 2 I WONDERED IF I COULD DO 46 3 I WONDERED IF I COULD MAKE
past simple (politeness) Read More »
The landscape can get muddy when it has been raining.
present perfect continuous Read More »
This is another grammar point where the English Vocabulary Profile is probably better at profiling the language than the English Grammar Profile. There are a handful of adverbs that already make the task across levels quite difficult to follow. We then should consider the hundred other adverbs that appear in this ‘mid position’. A2 point
past continuous + adverb (range) Read More »
“I had been working on that project for months, so I was very disappointed when it was cancelled.” “She had been crying for hours, so her eyes were red and swollen.” “We had been waiting for the bus for so long that we were starting to get cold.” At B2, in the English Grammar Profile,
past perfect continuous + RESULT Read More »
