This is one of the most important documents in history. listen Demonstrating Proximity: The word “this” is commonly used to indicate objects or ideas that are physically close to the speaker or writer. In sentence above, it refers to a specific document that is being discussed. Essentially, it points to something nearby or within immediate reach. Profiling Research Here are a few […]
In the English Grammar Profile, A2 point 24 in the category of VERBS/patterns is defined as: limited range of verbs, typically reporting, with a ‘that’-clause as the direct object Here are examples that are not really ‘reporting’: l just want you all to know that I care about each and every person at this table. listen Studies have shown that there are many benefits of music education. pianogen.com.au *the direct object that clauses are also NOUN CLAUSES.
verb + THAT clause 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 »
The words “if” and “whether” are both used to introduce indirect questions or to express doubt or uncertainty. However, there are some differences in their usage: Conditional vs. Choice: “If” is primarily used to introduce conditional clauses or to express a condition that must be met for something else to happen. It implies a cause-and-effect
IF meaning WHETHER Read More »
In the English Grammar Profile, there are two points that overlap. B2 point 55 is defined as: PAST simple after ‘if’ as a politeness structure, especially in letters and emails. B2 point 72 is defined as: the past simple with a range of subordinating conjunctions, including ‘as soon as’, ‘before’, ‘if’, ‘once’, ‘since’, ‘so’, ‘until’,
conjunction + past simple Read More »
Like is usually a preposition, verb or conjunction. A search in the iWeb and NOW corpora for ‘like’: preposition 1 LIKE (II) 12859907 1 I WAS LIKE, ‘ 43416 When Matthew told me that was yours, I was like, “I walk by there all the time.” listen 2 IT LOOKS LIKE THE EMAIL 36854 3 I ‘M LIKE , ‘ 16067 4 I WAS LIKE , ” 12239
What part of speech is LIKE? Read More »
A search in playphrase.me for “so much as” reveals the following 3 most common collocations/multi-word units containing negative meaning or being surrounded with negation: You let your wife throw you out of your own house without so much as a whimper. listen to the example The phrase “without so much as a” means “not even the slightest amount of“. In the example above, it emphasizes that the
so much as | in as much as Read More »
In this post, we are most interested to find the most advanced uses of the word ‘even‘. At C1, The phrase “even so” is used to introduce a surprising fact or conclusion that contrasts with what has been said before. It can be used to express a sense of defiance or determination or to simply
In this post, we investigate 11 ways ‘for’ is tagged by the claws 7 tag set. 1 FOR (IF) 140146366 A1 simple preposition 1 . FOR MORE INFORMATION 77314 For more information, you‘ll have to speak with the doctor. Harry Brown 2 . FOR THOSE WHO 22531 3 THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL 19815 4 THE REASON FOR THIS IS
A subordinating conjunction connects a sentence’s main clause and a subordinate clause. The subordinate clause (also known as an adverb clause) provides additional information explaining the when, where, how, or why of the main clause. “If, when & while” are sometimes interchangeable. In the sentence “It’s hard to have a girlfriend when you don’t have a
if | when | while | so + SUBORDINATE CLAUSE Read More »
To get started, let’s look at some spoken student examples that show a wide range of linking verbs with very literal meanings: It‘s like a fairy tale because it doesn’t seem real. TLC female Mexico B1 To remain healthy, we have to exercise. TLC female India B1 The verbs ‘remain’ and ‘seem’ link the adjective complements: ‘real’ and ‘healthy’ in a more detailed way than
a wide range of linking verbs used in other complex ways Read More »
The phrases “as if” and “as though” are used to express that something is like something else, but it is not actually the same. They can be used to compare things that are similar, or to describe something that is imaginary or hypothetical.
In English grammar, there are two different points that describe how to use these phrases:
EGP B2 Point 90: “as if” or “as though” + finite clause to introduce a second clause as a comparison.
EGP B1 Point 70: verbs of the senses + “as if” or “as though” + finite clause.
The main difference between these two points is that the B2 point allows for a wider range of verbs, including non-sensory verbs. The B1 point is specifically for sensory verbs, such as see, hear, feel, smell, and taste.
Here are some examples of how to use “as if” and “as though” in accordance with these grammar points:
B2 example: It’s as if the cat can read my mind.
B1 example: I feel as if I’m being watched.
It’s important to note that the B1 example uses the subjunctive mood in the second clause. This is because the speaker is describing a hypothetical situation.
The text also mentions that the phrase “as if” is more common than “as though.” This is true, especially in informal writing and speech. However, both phrases are considered to be grammatically correct.
Overall, the text provides a good overview of the different ways to use the phrases “as if” and “as though.” It also highlights some of the more subtle nuances of these phrases, such as the difference between the B2 and B1 grammar points.
as if | as though (COMPARISON) Read More »
These are fixed expressions that are used to express a counterfactual or hypothetical situation in the past. They mean “if something had not happened, then something else would not have happened”. For example:
If it hadn’t been for your help, I would have failed the exam.
Had it not been for the storm, we would have arrived on time.
You can use different modals after these expressions, such as would, could, might. You can also invert the word order and omit “if”, as in the second example.
If it hadn’t been for / had it not been for + modal Read More »
How do you express regret?
If only + past perfect simple negative Read More »
C2 CLAUSE: introduce conditions in formal contexts
‘If it were’ + to-infinitive
EGP
if it were to INFINITIVE Read More »
These sentences showcase the usage of “if + ed endings” in various contexts, including situations where something is required, desired, approved, selected, convicted, or elected. The sentences demonstrate how these constructions can be used to express conditions, preferences, requirements, or possibilities.
if needed | if desired | if required Read More »
