VB – English Grammar Profiler

“ALL ABOUT” is used to describe the purpose or an aspect of something. (OXFORD B1) For example ‘Some days, we forgot all about getting to Italy.’ ‘It’s all about the money.’ 2 ALL ABOUT MAKING 4081 3 ALL ABOUT WINNING 1859 4 ALL ABOUT GIVING 1851 5 ALL ABOUT CREATING 1801 6 ALL ABOUT FINDING 1480 7 ALL ABOUT TAKING 1397 8 ALL ABOUT TRYING 1340 9 ALL ABOUT PUTTING 1279

10 ALL ABOUT KEEPING 1279

Why say “is of interest” instead of “is interesting“? ‘is of + noun‘ is more formal and in academic writing, we use the noun form of a word more often.  More importantly, ‘of+noun’ functions as a noun in this position.  Therefore, it can often collocate correctly with modifiers.  For example:  “greatest interest” is much more …

BE + of NOUN PHRASE Read More »

B2: SAFE TO SAY THAT | IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT

While working on another piece of grammar, I noticed a complex piece of grammar that is not listed in the English Grammar Profile.  There are many grammar points that are listed that are about adverbs in the middle position, but none about two which should be listed at C2. A search in iWeb corpus for …

verb + adverb + verb + adverb + verb Read More »

In the English Vocabulary Profile at B1, so did we/so have I/so is mine, etc. = someone else also does something or that the same thing is true about someone or something else For example: A: I‘m glad you‘re back. B:  So am I, dear boy. listen “So am I” in the context above means: “I’m glad I’m …

so are we | so do you | so has he (same thing is true) Read More »

‘All’ with the meaning ‘the only thing’ is listed at B1 in the English Vocabulary Profile. For example: All I can say is I‘m sorry. listen   All it does is tire your mind and stops you thinking for yourself. listen   That‘s all I can suggest. Stranger Than Fiction An iWeb search for: All * _VM _VVI _VB 1 ALL I CAN SAY IS 19460 2 ALL WE CAN SAY IS 1135 3 ALL …

ALL + clause (the only thing) ‘all I can say is…’ Read More »

Here is an example of BE + adjective + that clause: Well, when you pick a valentine you have to be sure that you choose the right person. listen Someone searched for ‘she is happy that’  so I thought I would do a iWeb corpus search for: _VB _JJ that * * There are various FOCUS, MODALITY AND HEDGING points for this grammar especially with the subject …

BE + adjective + THAT clause Read More »

In this post, we explore the passive + prepositional phrase with gerund complement: ‘Be banned from doing‘ For example: I was banned from seeing her. listen You‘re banned from busking. listen In the English Vocabulary Profile, ‘ban’ is listed at B2: VERB [T usually passive] (-nn-) to forbid something, especially officially NOUN [C] an official order that prevents something from happening An iWeb …

BE + banned from + VERB-ing Read More »

A1 point 2 in the category of CLAUSES is defined: simple affirmative declarative clauses For example: We‘re different. People see us as being different anyway. listen Also at A1 is: negative statements of the main verb ‘be’, with contracted and uncontracted forms. For example: I‘m not a doctor. listen *The English Grammar Profile examples contain the verb ‘BE’. An iWeb search for: _NN _VB …

subject + verb Read More »

There are complex combinations of grammar structures that are not found in the English Grammar Profile.  The following is a combination of an ‘adverb in mid position’ but the fact that it is an infinitive + past participle + a prepositional phrase combination should list it at around C1. A search in iWeb for: to …

To be + adverb + past participle + preposition Read More »

It is easy to find noun phrases functioning as a subject-predicate in a clause.  For example, “I was a kid.” ‘a kid’ is a noun phrase after the copular verb ‘was.’ An iWeb search for: _P _VB _A _NN . 1 I WAS A KID . 7523 2 I WAS A CHILD . 2942 3 …

noun phrase (subject predicative) Read More »

Although ‘There is’ and ‘There are’ is an A1 elementary piece of grammar, the noun phrases as complements are quite difficult for English learners. The following sentences are corrected sentences from Thai students: There are many religions in Thailand. There are many different cultures and traditions. There are many fresh plants and beautiful flowers. See uncorrected versions here. Point 1 in the category of  VERBS: there is/are + singular noun …

there is | there are 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

Here’s an expert example of a defining relative clause using TO-infinitive: Several years earlier, she‘d become the first woman to ski to the South Pole. Listen to the sentence. The first woman to ski can be written in another way with the same meaning: the first woman who skied  Pearson’s GSE 56 B1+ is defined:  construct defining (restrictive) relative clauses with ‘to’ + infinitive verb …

defining relative clause TO infinitive Read More »

Let’s analyse questions that have relative clauses to give emphasis.  So usually, we would say something like: What do we want to ask?  What are we trying to find out here? You can see the normal auxiliary verbs ‘be’ and ‘do’ get removed and relative clauses are added in the EXPERT EXAMPLES: What is it that we want …

WHAT IS IT YOU WANT? (relative clause question) Read More »

Point 73 GSE B2+ is defined: express impersonal belief and opinion using ‘thought/considered/believed/etc.’ +’ to’ + VP infSTUDENT STUDENT EXAMPLES: Moreover, English is considered to be an international language. PELIC Thai male level 5 writing class.   In addition, he is believed to be the first teacher, because the first education system in ancient China was established by Confucius. PELIC Chinese male level 5 grammar class. EXPERT EXAMPLE: After all, the first intentional human burial is thought to have occurred around 100,000 years ago. …

passive + TO infinitve (belief or opinion) 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 »

In the English Grammar Profile, A2 point 15 in the category of VERBS is defined: ‘there is’ and ‘there are’ + ‘a lot of’ + plural noun iWeb doesn’t allow for longer than 5 token searches: _EX _VB a lot of 1 THERE ARE A LOT OF 145235 2 THERE IS A LOT OF 69785 …

There is | are + a lot of + NOUN Read More »

Here is another group of A2 English Grammar Profile points that overlap multiple categories.  Many of these could be all merged into one point. Point 3 in the category of QUESTIONS: yes/no AUXILIARY ‘BE’ + subject + the continuous A search in NOW corpus for: _VB _P _VVG 1 ARE YOU GOING 38887 2 ARE …

BE | HAVE | DO (auxiliary verbs) Read More »