subject + verb + object
A monotransitive verb requires a subject and a direct object in order to form a sentence.
need
present simple negative statement
A1 negative statements of main verbs in the present simple with ‘don’t’ + main verb
(ENGLISH GRAMMAR PROFILE)
CAN | WILL (affirmative declarative clause)
A1 point 1 in the category of CLAUSES is defined: affirmative declarative clauses with modal verbs. The English Grammar Profile examples include: ‘can’ and ‘will’. Future simple modality is also covered here. Here are STUDENT EXAMPLES: A lot of farmers can read and write, but they didn’t complete high school. PELIC Chinese female level 3 writing class. I will go to New York on Thanksgiving day. Korean female level …
really | always | sometimes + VERB
The first point in the English Grammar Profile! A1 point 1 in the category of ADVERBS is defined: adverbs of degree and time to modify verbs. An iWeb search for: really|always|sometimes _VV 1 REALLY WANT 213278 I really want a brother. Listen to the pronunciation 2 REALLY LIKE 181415 3 REALLY NEED 161580 4 REALLY KNOW …
TO BE + adjective
Here are the top 100 examples of how ‘TO BE adjective” are used in English. These come from a search in iWeb corpus for * TO BE _JJ 1 NEED TO BE AWARE OF 16993 We need to be aware of the data and information that we’re giving. Listen to this sentence. 2 . TO BE HONEST, 14943 To be honest, I don’t know if race relations will improve in America. listen …
IT NEEDS REPLACING. (‘need’ + gerund)
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 …
NEED I SAY MORE? (modality question)
This is an example of modality in a question:
NEED I GO ON?
It could be asked with the meaning: I don’t need to keep talking about this.
You might
In the English Grammar Profile, B1 point 92 in MODALITY is defined as: ‘might’ to make polite suggestions and give advice. We cannot automatically check a corpus for usage, but we can follow the EGP examples which both contain the pronoun ‘you’. An iWeb search for: You might * * * 1 YOU MIGHT BE …
questions with modal verbs
Let’s start with A1 grammar to explain how to form modal verb questions when asking for something. Here is an affirmative declarative sentence: I can get some help. To form a yes/no question with a modal auxiliary verb, invert the subject and the modal verb I can → Can I follow it with the bare …
anything (ellipsis)
Here are two examples of indefinite pronouns in ellipted conditional clauses: Anything we can do, anything you need, just tell us. listen Anything you want there, anything at all, just take it. Kings Row (1942) *They mean: “if there is anything that we can do” or “if there is anything that you want” C1 point 100 in PRONOUNS/indefinite is defined as: ‘anything’ in an ellipted clause. (‘if there is anything …’) When …
needn’t have + PAST PARTICPLE
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. Here are two examples: You needn’t have come so far, Asgardian. listen Well, we needn’t have worried. A search in iWeb: need n’t have _VVN 1 NEED N’T HAVE WORRIED 895 2 NEED …
(conditional) inverted SHOULD + WOULD clause
In the English Grammar Profile, C2 point 120 in the category of CLAUSES/conditional is defined as: inverted ‘should’, + ‘would’ in the main clause to talk about possible future outcomes, in polite or formal contexts. Example: Should they come forward, that would be a tricky situation for us. Listen In the COCA corpus we can do a …
Verb + TO-infinitive (range)
This is another grammar post that is better dealt with as vocabulary. In the English Grammar Profile (EGP), A2 point 25 in VERBs/patterns is defined: increasing range of verbs followed by a ‘to’-infinitive. The EGP A2 examples include: hope to go remember to bring (this clashes with the B2 point for a change of meaning verb …
dare not
This is another overlapping B2 grammar point found in a few different places in the English Grammar Profile. Point 47 in VERBS is defined as semi-modal auxiliary verbs, ‘dare’ and ‘need’. The two examples are both in the negative. And the comments in the EGP are very interesting for this point: LOW FREQUENCY ITEM. There …
going | have | need | want + TO BE + past participle
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 »
may adverb
B2 point 150 in the category of MODALITY is defined as: ‘may’ with an increasing range of adverbs (most commonly ‘even’, ‘only’, ‘already’, ‘never’, ‘just’, ‘sometimes’) in the normal mid-position after the modal verb. B1 point 70: ‘may’ with a limited range of adverbs (most commonly ‘also’) in the normal mid-position after the modal verb …
need not
Something that is not needed can be expressed with ‘need not’. For example: But while we are determined by history, it is my personal belief that we need not be trapped by history, and we need not be the victims of history. TED In the English Grammar Profile, B2 point 126 in the category of MODALITY is: need NEGATIVE However, in the English Vocabulary Profile, this is listed at A2 with the following example: You needn’t bring any food. iWeb search for need …