Here are ten unusual uses of English grammar for intermediate/advanced learners:
Subjunctive moods:
1) Using the subjunctive mood to express wishes or hypotheticals, e.g., “If I were a bird, I could fly.”
What is the subjunctive mood? The subjunctive mood in English grammar is used to express wishes, hypotheticals, demands, or suggestions, often conveying a sense of unreality or importance. It typically appears in clauses beginning with “that” and uses the base form of the verb regardless of subject.
For example:
1) “I suggest that he study harder.”
2) “It is essential that she be present at the meeting.”
3) “If I were you, I would apologize.”
Now give me three examples of your own. >
Inversions:
2) Employing inversion for emphasis, as in “Rarely have I seen such beauty” instead of saying, “I have rarely seen such beauty.”
What are Inversions? Inversions in English grammar occur when the normal word order of a sentence is reversed, typically to emphasize a particular part of the sentence or to form questions. This often involves placing auxiliary verbs, modal verbs, or adverbs before the subject.
Examples include:
1) “Never have I seen such a beautiful sight,” where the negative adverb “Never” comes before the auxiliary verb “have.” (I have never seen such a beautiful sight)
2) “Rarely does he arrive on time,” with “Rarely” leading the sentence and inversion of “does he.” (He rarely arrives on time)
3) “Only then did I realize the truth,” where “Only then” prompts the inversion of the auxiliary verb and subject. (I only then realised the truth)
Now give me a number of examples of your own. >
To Split Infinitives:
3) Utilizing split infinitives to clarify meaning, e.g., “to boldly go where no man has gone before.”
What are split infinitives: Split infinitives in English grammar occur when an adverb or other word is inserted between “to” and the base form of a verb in an infinitive, such as “to go” or “to read.” While traditionally considered incorrect, many modern grammarians accept them for clarity and emphasis.
Examples include:
1) “To boldly go where no one has gone before,” (Star Trek) (To go)
2) “She decided to quickly finish her homework,” (To finish)
3) “He wants to completely understand the topic.” (To understand)
Now give me some examples of your own. >
Past Perfect Continuous:
4) Applying the past perfect continuous to emphasize duration before a past point, like “She had been studying for hours before the exam.”
What is the Past Perfect Continuous? The past perfect continuous tense in English grammar is used to describe an ongoing action that started in the past and continued up until a specific point or moment in the past. It emphasizes the duration of the activity before another past event. The structure is: subject + had been + verb in the -ing form.
Examples include:
1) “She had been reading for two hours before the class started.”
2) “They had been working on the project all night when the deadline arrived.”
3) “He had been studying English for five years before he moved to the United States.”
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Unreal Scenarios:
5) Using “as if” and “as though” to introduce unreal scenarios, e.g., “He acts as if he owns the place.”
How to use “as if and “as though” : “As if” and “as though” are used in English to introduce hypothetical or unreal scenarios, often describing situations that are contrary to reality or imaginary. They typically appear in sentences to express that someone is acting in a way that suggests a false or exaggerated condition.
For example,
“He talks as if he knows everything,” implies he doesn’t actually know everything, but behaves as if he does.
Similarly, “She looked as though she had seen a ghost,” suggests she appears frightened, even if she hasn’t actually seen one.
Lastly, “They behaved as if they owned the place,” indicates their behavior was overly confident or presumptive, regardless of their actual status.
These phrases help convey irony, exaggeration, or unreal comparisons in descriptive language.
Now give me some examples of your own. >