VV – English Grammar Profiler

FOUND MYSELF THINKING | FIND THEMSELVES FACING | SEE HIMSELF PLAYING | KEEP ITSELF WAITING | DEFENDED HIMSELF SAYING

Although there is an English Grammar Profile point at B2 for introducing a new subject before a gerund, there is no point for a new subject before a past participle which we then assume points to C1 ability.  Even a ‘new’ subject is questionable as a criterion for advanced ability. Here’s an advanced example sentence …

lexical verb + pronoun + past participle Read More »

Here are examples of verbs that suggest ability (or lack of) + the noun phrase ‘the use of’: So how have we enabled the use of goats as a reliable form of currency? TED In that service, he actually lost the use of his legs, he‘s paralyzed and he uses marijuana for pain management. TED In the English Vocabulary Profile: the use of sth = C2 permission to use something, or the ability to use something We are interested in finding which verbs might suggest …

lexical verb + THE USE OF Read More »

In the English Vocabulary Profile: take = GO WITH SOMEONE A1 to go somewhere with someone, often paying for them or being responsible for them walk sb home/to sth B1 to walk with someone in order to guide them or keep them safe However, we would argue that the complexity differences are not that clear or …

lexical verb + object + location (walk somebody home) Read More »

There are two points in the English Vocabulary Profile that relate to ‘way‘ in regards to manner: way MANNER C1[no plural] the manner in which someone behaves or thinks, or in which something happens For example: How do we measure changes in behavior in a meaningful way that‘s going to help us with prevention of disease,  early onset of disease, and tracking the progression of disease over a long period of time? TED in a big way INFORMAL C2 used to say that someone or something …

lexical verb + IN + article + adjective + WAY (manner) Read More »

A search in the NOW corpus for: _V to the _N 1 GO TO THE HOME 158924 2 CONSENT TO THE COLLECTION 127114 3 WELCOME TO THE DISCUSSION 120567 4 CONSENT TO THE USE 115313 5 STICK TO THE TOPIC 90554 6 RELATING TO THE ACCESSIBILITY 54792 7 DIRECTED TO THE FCC 54790 8 DEDICATED …

verb + TO THE + noun Read More »

In the English Vocabulary Profile at B1: not believe/understand/hear/say, etc. a word = anything A search in iWeb corpus for: _XX _VV a word 1 N’T SAY A WORD 1726 Don’t say a word against my father. listen 2 NOT SAY A WORD 756 3 N’T UNDERSTAND A WORD 608 It was brilliant, even though I didn’t understand a word of it. listen 4 N’T BELIEVE A …

WORD (phrases) Read More »

At C2 in the English Vocabulary Profile: work out = to understand something or to find the answer to something by thinking about it A search in NOW corpus for which ‘question words’ follow phrasal verbs: work out _*Q 1 WORK OUT HOW 12286 Just give us five minutes, Mr Poirot, and I‘m sure we‘ll be able to work out how you did it. listen 2 WORK OUT WHAT 11671 …

phrasal verb + clause ‘work out how you did it’ Read More »

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 Grammar Profile,  A1 point 3 in ADVERBS is defined: a limited range of adverbs (‘here’, ‘there’) to indicate place. PELIC STUDENT EXAMPLE: I like to go there to eat food. Chinese female level 3 writing class. An iWeb search for: *many of the following results are not appropriate to this grammar point or A1 level. * * _VV …

here | there (place) Read More »

In the English Grammar Profile, A1 point 15 in the category of ADVERBS is defined: time adverbs in the usual end position. The EGP only lists ‘soon’ and ‘late’ as examples for this point.  However, this point overlaps ‘adjuncts’ in time expressions at A1: … yesterday. … tomorrow. A2 increasing range of adverbs: … later. …

late | soon (end position) Read More »

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 »

In the English Grammar Profile, A1 point 2 in the category of NOUNS is defined as: noun phrases as objects of the clause. Most of the following ranked results contain: A pronoun as the noun phrase subject + a lexical verb + a direct object noun phrase. A search in iWeb corpus for: _P _VV _A …

noun phrase (direct object) Read More »

Here’s a STUDENT EXAMPLE: Therefore, people should educate themselves on their human rights and the basic human rights that other nations have in order to avoid being deceived. PELIC Arabic female level 4 writing class. GSE 64 B2 NP + VP +VP gerund (passive)   An iWeb search for: * _VV being _VVN * 1 TO AVOID BEING HIT BY 313 2 TO AVOID BEING HIT . 185 3 N’T LIKE BEING TOLD WHAT 182 …

gerund (passive complement) Read More »

Point 12 in the category of VERBS/patterns is defined: verbs, typically reporting verbs, followed by a noun or pronoun as the indirect object and a clause with or without ‘that’, as the direct object. *Note some of our search results are not indirect objects.  However, the A2 complexity is still there with relative clauses. _VV …

verb + object + clause 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 »

Here are 3 similar A2 points in the English Grammar Profile. Point 25 in the category of NOUNS is defined: post-modify noun phrases by using a non-defining relative clause. Point 23 in the category of CLAUSES is defined: non-defining relative clause with ‘which’ as the subject Point 12 is the same but: defining relative clause …

WHICH (relative clause) Read More »

In the English Grammar Profile, A2 point 28 in the category of ADVERBS is defined as: limited range of manner adverbs and adverb phrases to modify how something happens. PELIC STUDENTS: The most important thing is to practise because with no practise, you will forget quickly. Arabic male level 3 writing class.   Yesterday I woke up early because I had a test. Arabic male level 2 writing class. *’early’ is more of a time …

manner adverbs Read More »