can’t/couldn’t very well do sth = used to say that something is not a suitable or practical thing to do
You can’t very well expect other people to be nice to you if you aren’t willing to lead the way.
English Vocabulary Profile at C2
can’t | couldn’t + very well + INFINITIVE Read More »
‘if you ask me’ is C2 in the English Vocabulary Profile and is used to give opinions. For example: And it‘s about damned time if you ask me. listen Collocations of ‘if you ask me’ in COCA show that this is used mostly to give negative opinions. 1 STUPID 10 2 NICELY 9 3 BS 6 4 DUMB
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 »
B1 English Grammar Profile point 5 in REPORTED SPEECH is defined as: ‘YES-NO’ QUESTIONS using ‘ask’ + ‘if’ or ‘whether’ + clause, with a pronoun and tense shift where relevant. A search in iWeb for: ask* * if|whether _P _V 1 ASKED ME IF I WANTED 2391 2 ASKED ME IF I WAS 2083 3
ask + if | whether + CLAUSE Read More »
In the context of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) Level C1, Point 100 in the PRONOUNS/indefinite category refers to the use of the word “anything” in an ellipted clause. Specifically, it pertains to the construction where “anything” is used to replace a hypothetical or conditional clause that begins with “if there is anything.”
An ellipted clause is a sentence or phrase in which certain words are omitted but can be understood from the context. In this case, the full conditional clause is not explicitly stated but is implied by the use of “anything.”
For example:
If there is anything you need, let me know. (Full conditional clause)
Anything you need, let me know. (Ellipted clause)
In the ellipted clause, “anything” takes the place of the omitted conditional clause “if there is anything.” It suggests that the person should inform the speaker if there is any specific requirement or request.
This construction allows for more concise and efficient communication by omitting redundant information while conveying the intended meaning.
anything (ellipsis) Read More »
B2 Point 57 in the category of past and perfect simple is defined as: REPORTS OF QUESTIONS where the main verb in the reporting clause is in the past simple. *However, only by investigating the rest of the EGP do we discover that there is an B1 point that clashes here for yes-no questions in
past perfect simple (report of question) Read More »
Adverbs of indefinite frequency, such as ‘sometimes’, ‘occasionally’, ‘usually’, ‘normally’, ‘regularly’, and ‘often’, are commonly used with the present simple tense to indicate routine or repeated activities without specifying exact timing. These adverbs typically precede the main verb but follow the verb ‘to be’ and auxiliary verbs. They can also be positioned at the beginning or end of a sentence in some cases. The webpage provides examples of these usages in various contexts, including TED talks and student writings.
In contrast, definite adverbs of frequency, like ‘yearly’, ‘weekly’, ‘every hour’, and ‘every day’, provide exact frequencies and usually appear at the end of a sentence. The webpage also highlights the overlap and differences in the usage of these adverbs at different language proficiency levels (A1 and A2).
Furthermore, it presents common collocates for the adverb ‘usually’ and examples of sentences using ‘often’. The examples illustrate common behaviors or thought processes, suggesting that these adverbs are integral to expressing frequency in English.
PRESENT SIMPLE with ADVERBS of FREQUENCY Read More »
