C2 – Page 3 – English Grammar Profiler

The CEFR C2 level of English is advanced and the users at this level are proficient with their English. They are similar to native speakers of the language.  To see the full list of C2 grammar on one page click here.

In the English Grammar Profile, C2 point 236 in the category of MODALITY is defined: ‘as’ + pronoun + ‘used to’ to add background to a narrative, often to highlight something unusual *Note this is not the “as + adjective + as” structure. Student example in a speaking test: I don’t think that they pay enough attention towards the national customs as they used to do those days. […]

‘AS’ + pronoun + ‘USED’ + to-infinitive Read More »

Let’s look at some examples of ‘would’ + a wide range of adverbs: They would eventually become the oppressive hand of the Russian government.  (Listen) What would normally take him maybe a day or something to solder by hand, he can do in a few minutes using this machine.  (Listen)   Point 234 in the category of MODALITY is defined: wide range of adverbs with ‘would’, including ‘undoubtedly’, ‘possibly’, ‘normally’, ‘personally’, ‘eventually’, ‘obviously’, ‘significantly’,

WOULD + adverb (wide range) Read More »

C2 in the English Grammar Profile, point 230 in the category of MODALITY is defined as:
‘BE’ + ADJECTIVE + ‘NOT’ + ‘TO + infinitive for emphasis

adjective + NOT TO + infinitive (be careful not to disturb them) Read More »

The following rare student writing example shows how ‘used not to‘ expresses modality: Also when I was younger, I used not to be allowed to drink coffee. PELIC Korean female level 3 grammar class. It sounds more natural to say: “I didn’t use to be allowed to drink coffee.” *In other words, she did not have permission to drink coffee.  Although now she is an adult and can. In the

used not to Read More »

Here’s an expert example of using a conditional clause + ‘shall’ clause to express modality: Come on, if we don’t share a similar social consciousness, how shall we discuss social problems? Listen to this sentence. C2 point 225 in the category of MODALITY is defined: ‘shall’ in the main clause after an ‘if-‘ clause conditionals Long open queries are impossible on iWeb, so here we first look for the

IF clause + SHALL clause Read More »

C2: adverbs expressing certainty as short responses – MODALITY
EGP

ADVERBS as RESPONSE TOKENS Read More »

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.

NEED I SAY MORE? (modality question) Read More »

Here’s an example of past modality:

You HAD TO HAVE KNOWN about the problem before you started driving.

Before the car broke down on the highway, I am sure you noticed something was wrong with the car.

‘HAVE’ to have + PAST PARTICIPLE Read More »

The construction ‘try as * might,’ means that someone is trying very hard, but they still cannot do it. In the English Grammar Profile, point 219 in the category of MODALITY is defined: ‘try as I might’ for emphasis at the beginning of a sentence. An iWeb search for . Try as * _VM 1

Try as ‘someone’ might Read More »

It had LITTLE OR NO EFFECT on me.

little or no + NOUN Read More »

NOT ONLY MUST people go to the event, but they must also be respectful there. NEVER MUST they forget what the soldiers died for.

You must not ask about it when we are there. NOR MUST I be expected to explain it.

not only | never | nor + must + (inversion) Read More »

Here’s an example of the preposition ‘after’ complemented by a non-finite perfect form of the passive ‘having been p.p.’ Roughly a month and a half after having been laid, the surviving eggs hatch. Listen In the English Grammar Profile, there are two similar C2 points in the category of passives: Point 38: non-finite ‘-ing’ perfect forms of the passive as the complement of prepositions. Point

Having been + PAST PARTICIPLE Read More »

Here are some examples of past perfect continuous questions:

He just did something very unusual. WHAT HAD HE BEEN THINKING?

She was really sick in the taxi. HAD SHE BEEN DRINKING?

past perfect continuous questions Read More »

Adverb expressions such as ‘not only’, ‘not just’, and ‘not simply’ emphasize that something is true, but it is not the whole truth.  These co-ordinate clauses. In the English Grammar Profile, C2 point 92 in the category of PAST is defined: present perfect continuous, invert the subject and affirmative auxiliary verb with ‘not only … but’

NOT ONLY + present perfect continuous (inversion) + BUT Read More »

C2 English Grammar Profile point 38 in the category of PRESENT/continuous is defined as: POLITENESS: with verbs that are not usually used in this form to make statements and requests sound less direct. EXAMPLES: I am asking us to use our power to choose. I am asking us to level up. TED We are asking businesses not to produce and consumers not to go out and consume. TED An iWeb search for I|We am|are asking|wanting *

I am asking | wanting (polite) Read More »

This passage discusses the use of “a lot” and “much” as subject pronouns in English. It provides examples of how these words are used in sentences, as well as the frequency with which they appear in the iWeb corpus. The passage also discusses the C1 and C2 levels of these words in the EGP and EVP.

A LOT | MUCH (subject pronouns) Read More »

Point 111 in PRONOUNS: the possessive pronoun ‘hers’ with singular reference, in subject position. Point 112 in PRONOUNS: the possessive pronoun ‘theirs’, with singular and plural reference, in subject position. *NOTE that there is no EGP point for hers as a subject with a plural reference.  This probably means that plural reference would be C2. 

HERS | THEIRS (subject) Read More »

Point 115 in PRONOUNS: ‘THAT … OF’ + possessive pronouns to express an attitude about someone or something, often in humorous or sarcastic contexts. *there are other very similar C2 points to this too. iWeb doesn’t allow more than 5 tokens in a search so a COCA search for: that _JJ _NN _IO _PPGE 1

THAT + adjective + noun + OF + possessive pronoun Read More »

Here are examples of speculating about the past using this form: He COULDN’T HAVE SAID he loves you! I am still married to him!

It COULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED.

couldn’t have + PAST PARTICIPLE Read More »

In the English Grammar Profile, C2 point 113 in the category of PRONOUNS is defined as: possessive pronouns ‘hers’, ‘theirs’ and ‘his’ after noun + ‘of’. A search in iWeb for: _N of his_P . 1 FRIEND OF HIS. 504 2 FAN OF HIS. 304 3 FRIENDS OF HIS. 115 4 PASSION OF HIS. 67   Thoroughbred

NOUN + of + his | hers | theirs Read More »