call – English Grammar Profiler
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 »
Point 15 in MODALITY is defined: would negative forms *It is incredibly hard to find an example that is not already a part of another grammar point. PELIC STUDENT EXAMPLE: I’m convinced that it wouldn’t take much time to change the system and think about how to add new things in order to help people to start the workday in a more enjoyable manner. French male level 4 writing class. An iWeb search for: would _XX * * * 1 WOULD NOT BE …
wouldn’t Read More »
Here are two A2 English Grammar Profile points in different categories that cover imperatives. Point 39 in the category of CLAUSES is defined: affirmative imperative with the base form of a main verb Point 7 in NEGATION: negative imperatives of main verbs with ‘don’t’ + main verb. For example: Now, wait a minute. Sit down, Zero. listen …
imperative Read More »
Here are two student examples of complex noun phrases using relative clauses as complements: In addition, the people who lived in Korea 100 years ago didn’t have enough transportation. PELIC Arabic male level 5 writing class Here are some of the things which I got. TLC speaking test female Kannada B2 A2 point 34 in CLAUSES is defined: a defining relative clause with ‘who‘ as the subject A2 point 20 in …
noun phrase + relative clause Read More »
A2 point 52 in MODALITY: ‘could’ with a limited range of verbs to make suggestions. A2 point 27 in MODALITY: negative form B1 point 78 in MODALITY: affirmative form of ‘could’ to talk about ability. B1 point 79 in MODALITY: ‘could’ with an increasing range of verbs to make suggestions. An iWeb search for: could …
COULD (range) Read More »
In the English Grammar Profile, B1 point 26 in the category of FUTURE is defined: the negative form of ‘be going to’ to talk about plans and intentions EXPERT EXAMPLES: The words mean the same thing, so we‘re not going to waste any more time differentiating between them. the18.com *This is hard to find automatically because this structure is difficult to differentiate from predictions with present …
BE + not going to INFINITIVE Read More »
The English Grammar Profile (EGP) B1 point 23 in the category of future is defined: past form of ‘be’ + ‘going to’ (future in the past) EGP B1 point 36 in FUTURE is defined: PLANS IN THE PAST (often followed by ‘but’) to talk about a plan, sometimes one that may have changed. These grammar …
future in the past Read More »
B1 Point 116 in the category of MODALITY is defined: ellipted ‘must’ without a subject *Note the general B2 subject pronoun ellipsis A search in iWeb for: . must _VVI *also note that this grammar is either non-existent in PELIC student writing or very difficult to locate in TLC or on Google. The example come …
MUST (ellipted subject) Read More »
Point 117 in the category of MODALITY is defined: ‘have to’ as an infinitive form *This will overlap sometimes with B2 adjectives followed by an infinitive. PELIC STUDENT EXAMPLE: A child is very expensive, this causes parents to have to work more, which can lead to frustration and anger. Taiwanese female, level 4 writing class. An iWeb search for: * _TO have _TO _VVI 1 GOING TO HAVE TO GET 4269 …
TO HAVE TO Read More »
A2 points 34 and 48 in the category of MODALITY are defined as: ‘may‘ to talk about weak possibility referring to the present and the future affirmative A2 point 47: ‘might’ … weak possibility. An iWeb search for: may_VM _VVI 1 MAY NEED 294017 2 MAY WANT 253501 3 MAY TAKE 159078 4 MAY INCLUDE 156112 …
may | might (modal verbs) Read More »
B1 Point 55 in the category of PRONOUNS is defined as: increasing range of singular reflexive pronouns with an increasing range of verbs to refer to actions where the subject and object of the verb are the same. A2 Point 12: range of singular reflexive pronouns (‘myself’, ‘yourself’) with a limited range of verbs (‘enjoy’, …
VERB + myself | yourself | himself | itself | herself Read More »
in the English Grammar Profile, B1 point 58 in the category of PRONOUNS is defined as: wide range of indefinite pronouns as objects or complements. For example: You don’t have to show anyone any of these steps. TED *We have taken the 3 pronouns found in the EGP examples as the basis for our search in iWeb corpus: _VV nothing|anyone|everywhere …
nothing | anyone | everywhere Read More »
This is another clashing point. Although ‘as soon as’ is listed at B1 future, it is also listed in B2 conjunctions. FOR EXAMPLE: It will end as soon as Hedge finds his target. A search in iWeb for: _VVI as soon as _P 1 KNOW AS SOON AS WE 441 2 KNOW AS SOON AS YOU 362 3 KNOW AS SOON …
as soon as (future) Read More »
This post contains an example of overlapping B1 grammar points located inside two different categories in the English Grammar Profile (EGP). EGP B1 point 6 in the category of REPORTED SPEECH is defined as: REPORTED REQUESTS AND COMMANDS with ‘ask’ or ‘tell’ + direct object and ‘to-‘infinitive EGP B1 point 38 in the category of …
VERB + DIRECT OBJECT + to INFINITIVE Read More »
A2 Verb Patterns expressing preference
In the English Grammar Profile, B1 point 75 in CLAUSES is defined as: a non-defining relative clause with ‘who’ as the object. A search in iWeb for: , who _P _VV 1 , WHO HE SAID 968 2 , WHO I THINK 946 3 , WHO I BELIEVE 495 This is a design by Philippe Starck, who I believe is in the audience at this very moment. …
non-defining WHO (object) Read More »
Here are two English Grammar Profile points at A2 that overlap formally. Point 9 in the category of CLAUSES/conditional is defined: ‘if’ + present simple, with an imperative in the main clause. Point 22 in the category of CLAUSES/conditional is defined as: HEDGING: ‘if-‘ clause (‘if you want’, ‘like’, ‘prefer’) to soften the directness of …
IF clause + imperative Read More »
In the English Grammar Profile, B1 point 68 in the category of CLAUSES/comparatives is defined as: ‘TOO’ + adjective + ‘to’-infinitive. Here’s a search in the iWeb corpus for: too _J to _VVI 1 TOO EARLY TO TELL 4736 2 TOO EARLY TO SAY 4112 3 TOO EARLY TO START 3206 4 TOO GOOD TO PASS 2967 …
too ADJECTIVE to INFINITIVE (too early to tell) Read More »
‘Do’ can be put before the imperative verb or auxiliary to make it less abrupt and more persuasive. In the English Grammar Profile, B1 point 64 in the category of CLAUSES/imperatives is defined as: ‘DO’: base form of a main verb, for emphasis or in formal contexts A search in iWeb for: . Do _VVI …
DO + verb (imperative) Read More »
In the English Grammar Profile, B1 point 120 in the category of MODALITY is defined as: ‘can’ with a limited range of adverbs (including ‘also’, ‘always’, ‘even’, ‘just’, ‘only’, ‘really’, ‘still’) in the normal mid position after the modal verb. PELIC STUDENT EXAMPLE: Some old people can only sit on the wheelchair. Chinese female level 3 writing class. A search on iWeb for: can_VM …
CAN + limited range of adverbs Read More »