like – English Grammar Profiler
A1 negative statements of main verbs in the present simple with ‘don’t’ + main verb
(ENGLISH GRAMMAR PROFILE)
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 …
really | always | sometimes + VERB Read More »
Here are student examples of ‘just’ pre-modifying a prepositional phrase. I was a shy girl and sometimes I was just like a boy. TLC, speaking test, female China B1 Some successful people are well-known just in their country. PELIC, female Arabic level 4 writing class. In the English Grammar Profile, A2 point 3 in the category of PREPOSITIONS is defined: ‘JUST’ + to modify prepositions. An iWeb search for: just_R _II 1 JUST LIKE …
JUST + preposition Read More »
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 »
In the English Grammar Profile, A2 point 19 in the category of CLAUSES/comparatives is defined: ‘be’ + ‘like’ + noun or pronoun FOR EXAMPLE: How many people are like you? Are like me? A search in iWeb for: _VB like_II _P 1 ARE LIKE ME 7752 2 ‘RE LIKE ME 7377 3 ‘S LIKE YOU 4506 4 BE LIKE HIM 2401 …
BE + like + NOUN PHRASE Read More »
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 …
questions with modal verbs Read More »
Let’s look at the most common examples of non-finite or ellipted claused used after ‘not’. Usually, we would say: I am not sure if it is possible. But we can remove the subject and verb to make an ellipted clause: Not sure if it is possible. We can also say: This is a petrol car …
‘Not sure if it is.’ (NOT + non-finite or ellipted clause) 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 »
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 55 in the category of CLAUSES/comparatives is defined as: linking verbs + ‘like’ or ‘similar to’. EXPERT EXAMPLE: They taste similar to regular bulb onions, but they‘re milder. tastingtable.com PELIC STUDENT EXAMPLE He looks like a cute turtle. Korean, Male, Level 2 A search in iWeb for: look* like * * * 1 LOOKS LIKE THIS: 14720 2 LOOK LIKE …
LINKING VERB + like | similar to + NOUN PHRASE Read More »
C2: it is not important which possibility is true
This post is about two points in the English Grammar Profile found in two different categories and two different CEFR levels. Differentiating them depends on what prepositional verbs are. A combination of the verb and preposition has an idiomatic expression with a distinct meaning. However, the English Vocabulary Profile gives a better idea of the …
STRANDED PREPOSITION Read More »
In the English Vocabulary Profile at A1: LIKE = to enjoy something or feel that someone or something is pleasant WANT = to hope to have or do something, or to wish for something LIKE AND WANT are transitive verbs (take objects). I like football. I want money. However, they can be followed by verbs. …
like | want (verb pattern) Read More »
When it comes to single word grammar points such as single-word prepositions, the English Vocabulary Profile is much better at explaining range than the English Grammar Profile. For that reason, this post will only cover the prepositions appearing in the EGP examples. A1 is defined: prepositional phrases with a preposition and a noun phrase. limited …
simple prepositions (range) Read More »
Like is usually a preposition, verb or conjunction. A search in the iWeb and NOW corpora for ‘like’: preposition 1 LIKE (II) 12859907 1 I WAS LIKE, ‘ 43416 When Matthew told me that was yours, I was like, “I walk by there all the time.” listen 2 IT LOOKS LIKE THE EMAIL 36854 3 I ‘M LIKE , ‘ 16067 4 I WAS LIKE , ” 12239 …
What part of speech is LIKE? Read More »
Here are two example of the simple subordinating conjunction ‘if’ in a sentence: If you would like to see me again, then give me a call. listen I think it would be nice if you all dropped him a line. listen The only point for A2 CONJUNCTIONS is point 8, which is defined as: a limited range of simple subordinating conjunctions ‘(if, when, so, while)’ to introduce a subordinate clause. WHILE The conjunction ‘while’ …
if | when | so | while + SUBORDINATE CLAUSE Read More »
In the English Grammar Profile, there are three points that are A1 with the ‘would like’ form. A search on iWeb for * would like * * 1 I WOULD LIKE TO SEE 27029 Tennis World I would like to see Rafael Nadal on the court with some of the top female players. When …
would like Read More »
To get started, let’s look at some spoken student examples that show a wide range of linking verbs with very literal meanings: It‘s like a fairy tale because it doesn’t seem real. TLC female Mexico B1 To remain healthy, we have to exercise. TLC female India B1 The verbs ‘remain’ and ‘seem’ link the adjective complements: ‘real’ and ‘healthy’ in a more detailed way than …
a wide range of linking verbs used in other complex ways Read More »