verb + noun + ON YOU
PUT PRESSURE
HAVE MERCY
PLAYING TRICKS
PUT PRESSURE
HAVE MERCY
PLAYING TRICKS
LEAVE ME ALONE
TAKE IT EASY
GET IT RIGHT
DRIVING ME CRAZY
Most reporting or mental processing constructions that introduce object clauses are listed at A2 or B1 in the English Grammar Profile. We believe that if adverbs are also included, this probably shows B2 ability. To check this, we look in the TLC speaking tests and find that the most common example only starts being used at …
A search in the NOW corpus for TAKE * _NN1 _TO _VVI 1 TOOK TO TWITTER TO SHARE 5632 UNLISTED And fans were angry and they took to Twitter with the hashtag #WeWantLeia. TED 2 TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK 5134 B2 We want to take this opportunity to thank you for coming and taking the time to pay your respects. listen 3 TOOK TO TWITTER TO EXPRESS 3331 4 TAKE EVERY EFFORT TO ENSURE 2530 5 TAKES A VILLAGE TO …
Here is a search in the iWeb corpus for: *ise The 4 most common tags are: (vvi): 213 (vv0): 127 (jj): 119 (nn1): 106 1 OTHERWISE (RR) 1316552 2 NOISE (NN1) 629156 3 EXERCISE (NN1) 625637 4 RAISE (VVI) 536250 5 ENTERPRISE (NN1) 525395 6 EXPERTISE (NN1) 513919 7 RISE (NN1) 464909 8 SURPRISE (NN1) …
MIGHT HAVE BEEN BEING RELEASED
Verb patterns with ‘not to be’ generally fall between A2 and B1. If they are also negated, non-finite, passive or ellipted they should be at least B2. A search in the NOW corpus for: not to be * * 1 NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH 10259 Not to be confused with the diary of Anne Hathaway which we stole out of her purse at the Gotham Awards. listen 2 NOT …
A search in iWeb corpus for: _VB _VVN by 1 BE USED BY 82353 C2 treat someone badly in order to get what you want I knew he wouldn’t take it well, that he‘d be angry with me, but why is he allowing himself to be used by them? A United Kingdom 2 IS CAUSED BY 64234 3 IS DETERMINED BY 56481 C1 Eighty percent of what we are and what we do is determined by our genetic expression. listen 4 BE CAUSED BY 56024 5 IS USED …
Here are advanced examples of verbs + ‘WITH phrases‘: You hope for the best, then make do with what you get. listen A man threatens you with a gun, you break his neck, we can’t call the police, but it‘s nothing to do with me. listen DO WITH 796814 To find out which lexical verbs are most often followed by a ‘with PHRASE‘, we do a search in the iWeb corpus for: _VV with 1 WORK WITH 976989 A1 verb …
A search in iWeb corpus for: _VV _P _AT1 _NN 1 GIVE IT A TRY 48224 B2 We have to give it a try. listen 2 GIVE US A CALL 38081 3 GIVE YOU AN IDEA 24523 4 GIVE IT A GO 19538 5 GIVE IT A SHOT 14861 6 SEND US AN EMAIL 10866 A2 You know, why …
lexical verb + pronoun + indefinite article + noun Read More »
C2 example: Our country owes its creation to a man they declared insane. listen An iWeb search for: _VV _APPGE _NN to_II 1 MAKE YOUR WAY TO 9604 B2 Please make your way to the nearest exits. listen 2 MAKE THEIR WAY TO 6953 3 MADE THEIR WAY TO 6103 4 CHANGED ITS NAME TO 5283 B2 possessive determiner Facebook changed its name to Meta. But does that mean you should trust it? youtube 5 MADE ITS WAY TO 5135 …
lexical verb + possessive determiner + noun + TO prepositional phrase Read More »
A search in iWeb corpus for: _VV _NN _II 1 TAKE PART IN 104907 What brought you to take part in this outrage? listen 2 PAY ATTENTION TO 93080 Don’t pay attention to him. Pay attention to me. listen 3 TAKE PLACE IN 63015 Our marriage will take place in the Poconos. listen 4 TOOK PLACE IN 55684 5 TAKES PLACE IN 50638 6 TAKING PART IN 44691 7 …
A search in NOW corpus for: _VB _XX at _NN _TO 1 ARE NOT AT LIBERTY TO 260 2 ‘M NOT AT LIBERTY TO 220 Who‘s your client? I‘m not at liberty to say. listen 3 AM NOT AT LIBERTY TO 217 4 IS NOT AT LIBERTY TO 149 5 WAS NOT AT LIBERTY TO 118 6 ‘RE NOT …
A monotransitive verb requires a subject and a direct object in order to form a sentence.
B2 To cause something means to make it happen. This is often a bad thing/negative. Here are some advanced causative examples : I think the jury is entitled to know what powerful force has caused him to change his mind. listen This tidal wave of high-energy particles excites atmospheric atoms such as oxygen and nitrogen, causing them to rapidly shed photons at various energy levels. TED A search in the NOW corpus for: CAUSE _P _TO _VVI 1 CAUSED HIM TO MISS 2458 2 CAUSING HIM TO FALL 1518 3 …
FOUND MYSELF THINKING | FIND THEMSELVES FACING | SEE HIMSELF PLAYING | KEEP ITSELF WAITING | DEFENDED HIMSELF SAYING
Although there is an English Grammar Profile point at B2 for introducing a new subject before a gerund, there is no point for a new subject before a past participle which we then assume points to C1 ability. Even a ‘new’ subject is questionable as a criterion for advanced ability. Here’s an advanced example sentence …
B1: NO PROBLEM GETTING | NO EVIDENCE LINKING | NO TROUBLE FINDING | NO POINT TRYING
This structure is generally B2 grammar because it often comes with a wide range of general reference nouns without a determiner. However, more detail can be found in the English Vocabulary Profile regarding meaning and level: make fun of sb/sth = B2 to make a joke about someone or something in an unkind way make …
Here are examples of verbs that suggest ability (or lack of) + the noun phrase ‘the use of’: So how have we enabled the use of goats as a reliable form of currency? TED In that service, he actually lost the use of his legs, he‘s paralyzed and he uses marijuana for pain management. TED In the English Vocabulary Profile: the use of sth = C2 permission to use something, or the ability to use something We are interested in finding which verbs might suggest …