VVI – English Grammar Profiler

A search in NOW corpus for: _VB _XX at _NN _TO 1 ARE NOT AT LIBERTY TO 260 2 ‘M NOT AT LIBERTY TO 220 Who‘s your client? I‘m not at liberty to say. listen 3 AM NOT AT LIBERTY TO 217 4 IS NOT AT LIBERTY TO 149 5 WAS NOT AT LIBERTY TO 118 6 ‘RE NOT …

BE + at + NOUN + to INFINITIVE Read More »

B2 To cause something means to make it happen.  This is often a bad thing/negative. Here are some advanced causative examples :   I think the jury is entitled to know what powerful force has caused him to change his mind. listen This tidal wave of high-energy particles  excites atmospheric atoms such as oxygen and nitrogen,  causing them to rapidly shed photons at various energy levels. TED A search in the NOW corpus for: CAUSE _P _TO _VVI 1 CAUSED HIM TO MISS 2458 2 CAUSING HIM TO FALL 1518 3 …

CAUSE + noun phrase + TO infinitive Read More »

At 55 B1+ on the GSE, in the vocabulary section, YET = used to emphasize that something could still happen in the future, or that there is still enough time to do something For example: There’s plenty of time yet to enter the competition. *The second sense is not listed in the EGP or EVP.  It …

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In the English Vocabulary Profile, be welcome to do sth B1 used to tell someone that they can certainly do something, if they want to A search NOW corpus for: welcome _TO _V 1 WELCOME TO COMMENT 8459 2 WELCOME TO JOIN 7347 3 WELCOME TO USE 6739 4 WELCOME TO ATTEND 5863 You‘re welcome to attend all meetings. …

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B2: SAFE TO SAY THAT | IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT

can’t/couldn’t very well do sth = used to say that something is not a suitable or practical thing to do You can’t very well expect other people to be nice to you if you aren’t willing to lead the way.

English Vocabulary Profile at C2

In the English Vocabulary Profile at C1 ‘happen + to-infinitive‘ =  do something by chance A search in the NOW corpus for: HAPPEN to _VVI 1 HAPPEN TO KNOW 1453 2 HAPPEN TO LIVE 1430 3 HAPPENED TO SEE 1172 4 HAPPEN TO THINK 1147 5 HAPPENED TO COME 1132 6 HAPPEN TO GET 1104 7 …

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In the English Vocabulary Profile, wish to do sth = B2 FORMAL to want to do something A search in the NOW corpus for: WISH _TO _VVI 1 WISH TO PERSONALISE 74195 2 WISH TO REPORT 30007 3 WISH TO CHANGE 10511 4 WISH TO RECEIVE 10259 5 WISH TO SEE 8383 6 WISH TO …

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In the English Vocabulary Profile at B2: to make matters worse = to make a situation more difficult, unpleasant, etc. If the most common example of to-infinitive + noun + comparative is listed at B2, then it would make sense that other less common should also be considered as B2.  The closest form which is clearly …

to-infinitive + noun phrase + comparative Read More »

At C2 in the English Vocabulary Profile: If it is worth your while doing something, it is useful or enjoyable to do it. A search in the NOW corpus for: * * worth _AP while 1 MAKE IT WORTH YOUR WHILE 738 2 MAKE IT WORTH THEIR WHILE 413 Adam Smith was convinced that human beings were by their very natures lazy,  and wouldn’t do anything unless you made it worth their while,  and the way you made it worth …

worth + POSSESSIVE + while Read More »

At C2 in the English Vocabulary Profile, ‘would sooner’ means ‘would prefer.’ For example: They would sooner sacrifice numbers to save the people. TED The most common collocate or grammar structure related here is comparative ‘than’.  For example: I would sooner resign than be forced to get the vaccine. Chicago Tribune on MSN.com A search in the NOW corpus for which infinitives are found next to ‘would sooner’ would …

would sooner + INFINITIVE Read More »

At C2 in the English Vocabulary Profile: could/may/might, etc. yet used to say there is still a possibility that something will happen For example: We may yet one day realize the vision of having the internet in our brains. TED And it seems like it‘s very possible that your nation, despite, actually because of the intense problems you face,  you may yet be the warning light to the world that shines most visibly, most powerfully. TED   NOW corpus search for: _VM yet _VVI 1 MAY YET PROVE 889 2 COULD YET PROVE 662 3 …

modal verb + YET Read More »

At C2 in the English Vocabulary Profile, is the structure: BE or HAVE + yet + TO-infinitive to express something expected that was not done. For example: This has yet to grow in evidence until it can come to practice. TED   A search in the NOW corpus for: _V yet _TO _VVI 1 IS YET TO COME 11897re 2 HAS YET TO MAKE …

VERB + yet to INFINITIVE Read More »

In the English Vocabulary Profile: in order (for sb/sth) to do sth B1 with the purpose of achieving something The most common collocates of ‘in order to’ in COCA: For example: Or is the concept of an afterlife just a lie in order to avoid the terror of obliteration? listen   In order for this all to work, you need to completely let me in. listen

I just put a range of sentences through the profiler on this website.   The ‘infinitive of purpose’ is A2.   To feel that you‘re special is crucial to develop a sense of security. The manager gave the staff an extended vacation to test whether they would actually take it, not because he was generous.   B1 verb pattern for a request or command. Ask him to find out what she wanted.   B2 modality with an adjective + infinitive The principal was happy to learn that his budget would increase next year. I‘m happy to see you. Be sure to remember to turn off the oven.

Surprisingly, there is no entry in the English Grammar Profile for the phrase ‘had better’.  In the English Vocabulary Profile, ‘had better’ with the meaning ‘should’ is listed at A2. You had better get out of this room and back downstairs right away. listen A search for collocates in COCA of: had better_RRR 1 START 82 2 PREPARED 59 You had better be prepared to push yourself harder than …

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Here’s the most common vocabulary in the grammar collocation of ‘noun + to-infinitive’: An iWeb search for _NN _TO _VVI 1 WAY TO GET 225421 2 WAY TO GO 139189 3 TIME TO GET 116358 4 WAY TO MAKE 110685 5 YEARS TO COME 102714 This ‘future’ time expression is unlisted in the English Vocabulary …

noun TO-infinitive ‘way to get’ Read More »

In the English Vocabulary Profile, the adjective ‘eager’ and the uncountable noun ‘eagerness’ are listed at B2 with the meanings: wanting to do or have something very much when you are eager to do something They are often followed by TO-infinitive. For example, And his eagerness to leave his mother‘s womb was the very reason he was the one who was selected. listen   Do not be too eager to deal out death and judgment. listen A search for eagerness …

eager | eagerness + infinitive Read More »

In the English Vocabulary Profile, the noun ‘determination’ is listed at B2 with the meaning: when someone continues trying to do something, although it is very difficult For example: Fretting arises from our determination to have our own way. listen ‘determination’ is often followed by an infinitive. A search in iWeb corpus for: determination TO _VVI 1 DETERMINATION TO MAKE 1407 2 DETERMINATION TO …

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The noun ‘ambition’ is often followed by an infinitive.  Here’s an EXPERT example: I see the people that do the real work and what’s really said, in a way, is that the people that are the most giving,  hardworking and capable of making this world better, usually don’t have the ego and ambition to be a leader. listen Student example from PELIC: I believe that you need to associate with positive people who have an ambition to live a happy life. Korean male level 4 writing class Often, the C1 verb ‘fulfil’ takes ‘ambition’ as an object.  PELIC student example: Furthermore, children need an educational environment that is prepared and ready to fulfill their ambitions. Arabic male level 4 …

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