should

if not (ELLIPTED)

In the English Grammar Profile, B1 point 59 in CLAUSES is defined: ‘If not’ as a conditional clause to offer an alternative to refer to a previous direct or indirect ‘yes-no’ question where the answer might be ‘no’. *I don’t believe there must be a reference to a previous question for this grammar to show B1 complexity.

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really really

In the English Grammar Profile, B1 point 38 in the category of ADVERBS/modifiers is defined as: DEGREE: ‘really really’ with verbs and adjectives for emphasis. 1 REALLY REALLY REALLY 2775 2 REALLY REALLY GOOD 2561 3 REALLY REALLY WANT 1526 4 REALLY REALLY LIKE 1090 5 REALLY REALLY BAD 1082 6 REALLY REALLY HARD 992 7 REALLY

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‘It should be noted that’ (passives to summarise)

In the English Grammar Profile, C1 point 36 in the category of PASSIVES is defined as: ‘it’ as a dummy subject, to summarise or evaluate in discussions, usually in formal or academic writing. This point often overlaps C1 impersonal modal passive reporting. *This might clash with B2. A search of the formal patterns found in the

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if you should

C1 points: 114 in CLAUSES/conditional is defined as: subordinate conditional clauses with ‘if you should’, in polite, formal contexts *Most of the English Grammar Profile examples include: ‘if you should have any’ (questions|concerns|problems) + don’t hesitate…’ Therefore, this is offering help or giving advice.  ‘should’ here gives a slight feeling of  ‘it is unlikely’ or

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if + PAST PERFECT + MODAL VERBS

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

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NEGATIVE CLAUSE + nor | neither

Here are two overlapping C2 grammar points in the English Grammar Profile. Point 129 in CLAUSES/coordinated is defined as: combine a negative clause with an inverted clause with ‘nor’, to give focus. Point 25 in CONJUNCTIONS/coordinating is defined as: ‘Neither’ or ‘Nor’ + inverted auxiliary or ‘be’ + subject to add to a previous related

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(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

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SHOULD ( advice | suggestions | ideal or desired situations | likelihood )

The text discusses the use of the modal verb “should” in English, focusing on its usage at different levels of language proficiency (A2 and B1) and in various contexts. It explains that “should” is used to give advice, make suggestions, and talk about ideal situations. The text also provides examples of common phrases using “should”, such as “maybe you should try” and “I think you should leave.”

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ADVERBS (hedging | emphasis)

Adverbs can modify assertions by hedging or emphasizing when placed in mid-position or after the main verb ‘be’. For example, “probably” in “you’re probably busy” hedges the assertion, making it less absolute. Conversely, “definitely” in “it is definitely the right thing to do” emphasizes the assertion, reinforcing its certainty. This usage of adverbs is categorized as A2 in the English Grammar Profile, with higher levels for certain constructions.

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SHOULD BE + verb ING ‘She should be looking for a job’

Let’s look at an example of ‘should be ing‘ in student writing: In Korea, it is so common that women should be looking for a job after divorce. PELIC Korean female level 4 writing. ‘Should’ can express obligation or expectation.  ‘Should’ can be used with a continuous form: Should be + lookING In the English Grammar Profile at B2, there are 3 points covering ‘should + continuous form’.  Points

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ought to (semi modal)

“Ought to” is a semi-modal verb similar to “should”. It’s used to express advice, expectation, obligation, or high probability. Unlike modal verbs, it’s followed by a ‘to-infinitive’, making it unique. It doesn’t change form for person, and can be used in various contexts to imply duty or suggest a course of action. For example, “I ought to phone my parents” implies a responsibility to call parents, while “It ought to be easy now” expresses an expectation of ease.

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