to

He told me not to do it (negative request)

B2, command, GSE, infinitive, object, REPORTED SPEECH, request

The English Grammar Profile B2 point 14 in REPORTED SPEECH is defined as: ‘ask’ or ‘tell’ + direct object + ‘not’ + ‘to-‘infinitive. This point can be extended with Pearson’s GSE 60 B2 report orders, requests and advice with infinitive clauses. She told me not to do it. He warned us not to be late. *Pearson also includes an affirmative example: ‘She encouraged him to

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fronted preposition + relative pronoun

B2, CLAUSES, complements, formal, PREPOSITIONS, PRONOUNS, relative, stranding

Wh-relatives can be preceded by a preposition unlike ‘that’ or ‘zero’ relatives.  For example: This is the thing which I am interested in.  (stranded preposition) This is the thing in which I am interested. (fronted preposition) This is the thing that I am interested in. (stranding) This is the thing I am interested in. (‘zero’ relative pronoun and stranding) In the English Grammar Profile, B2 point 12 in the category of PREPOSITIONs is defined as: preposition + relative pronoun as complement, to

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AS

ADVERBS, CONJUNCTIONS, phrases, PREPOSITIONS

conjunction as 1 ‘AS’ is mostly used as a subordinating conjunction. Therefore a clause will follow. (CSA) A search in iWeb for _CSA * * * * 1 AS YOU CAN SEE , 77008 2 AS ONE OF THE MOST 35020 3 AS IT TURNS OUT , 26141 4 AS YOU CAN SEE FROM 23386

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ABOUT

ADVERBS, PREPOSITIONS

In this post, we do a search in the iWeb corpus for how ‘about’ is tagged: 1 ABOUT (II) 22037137 simple preposition * * about_II * * 1 YOU THINK ABOUT IT, 14959 If you think about it,  we‘re constantly coming out to people,  so really you should be good at it. listen 2 DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. 10723 3 . ABOUT THE AUTHOR 9220 4 . ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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MINUTE

ADJECTIVES, C2, NOUNS, phrases, time

See, this is really weird,  but I had this feeling the minute that the phone rang,  I said, Jackie, pick it up, you‘ve got a grandchild. listen Minute is usually a noun, but in the above usage ‘the minute + that CLAUSE‘ it means as soon as. Similary, in the next example, ‘any minute‘ means ‘very soon‘: Colin could you possibly find somewhere else to pray,  your brother and sister will be here any minute now. listen 1 MINUTE (NNT1) 645067 (A1 noun) = 60 seconds.

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UP

ADJECTIVES, ADVERBS, PREPOSITIONS

Here are over a dozen ways that the word ‘up’ is used in English.  Firstly, ‘up’ is most commonly used as a part of phrasal verbs. 1 UP (RP) adverb particle: 1 SET UP 1105960 Well, I suppose  I‘d set up a meeting  with the State Committee for Scientific Research in Moscow. listen 2 IT UP 713509 1 PICK IT UP 40589 We just need him to pick it up,  and then I can lift the print  using this 3D laser scanner. listen

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TO

ADJECTIVES, ADVERBS, infinitive, PREPOSITIONS

The word ‘to’ is most often before an infinitive or it is a simple preposition.  A search in iWeb corpus for frequency data related to part of speech: 1 TO (TO) 240771826 infinitive marker _TO * * * * 1 TO BE ONE OF THE 87871 Everyone, this is our dear friend, Brian Bloom  who also happens to be one of the most talented young writers. listen to this C1 example

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SAME (phrases)

ADJECTIVES, DETERMINERS, phrases, PRONOUNS

In this post, we are looking for advanced phrases with the word ‘same‘.  For example: It‘s the same old story. The rich get richer,  and the most vulnerable in our country suffer. listen 1 SAME (DA) 9442876 A search in iWeb corpus for: * * same_DA * * 1 AT THE SAME TIME, 242223 B1 phrase in the English Vocabulary Profile. At the same time, we are doing business with the very same government that is flooding our streets with cocaine. listen 2

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adverbial phrases with ‘AND’

ADVERBS, CONJUNCTIONS, phrases

The second most common word in English is ‘AND’  which is usually a conjunction.  It’s also used in complex adverbial phrases: and so on (A2 in the English Vocabulary Profile EVP) I need you to help me with my bags and so on. listen Also, note that ‘and so forth‘ is not listed in the EVP, but is listed in OXFORD at B1: I‘ve had ample opportunity to observe Browning and adopt his physical presence, study his mannerisms, and so

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if | when | while | so + SUBORDINATE CLAUSE

A2, B1, CLAUSES, conditional, CONJUNCTIONS, subordinate

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

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going | have | need | want + TO BE + past participle

B1, infinitive, MODALITY, necessity, obligation, PASSIVES

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

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