Advanced English Grammar

What's inside

Learning objective

by the end of this course, students will be able to communicate their thoughts in a grammatically-precise manner that is appropriate for professional, academic, or informal situations, and students will also have the tools to understand most of the grammar choices of native english speakers of different social groups.

Syllabus

Introductory Concepts and Vocabulary

This lesson equips students with advanced vocabulary terms that will be used when discussing different seemingly-illogical elements of language.

For the questions that follow, choose the most appropriate word for each blank.

This lecture introduces the time-indicating terms T1-T5, which indicate whether a time is in the far past, recent past, right now, near future, or far future.

This lesson offers an overview of all existing past tenses.

An overview of the distinctions between the simple past tense, the present perfect tense, and the past perfect tense.

For each of the sentences below, choose the most appropriate verb form for each blank. Even though the past perfect tense is normally optional, you MUST use the past perfect tense if it is possible.

Possible Tenses:

1) simple past

2) present perfect

3) past perfect

This lecture explains the two situations in which the past progressive is used and how the past perfect progressive tense is ideal for explaining the time difference between two overlapping actions.

For each sentence fill in the blank with the most appropriate form of the verb in parentheses. In situations where there is more than one form is possible, you must choose the most advanced verb form possible (the perfect progressive form > perfect or progressive forms > simple past tense).

This lecture explains the use of the phrase 'used to' as either a single continuous past action or a past habit. Similarly, the word 'would' is explained as interchangeable with 'used to' as a past habit, particularly with older native speakers.

For each sentence, choose TRUE if 'used to' can be replaced by 'would' and FALSE if it cannot be replaced.

This lecture describes how people in the past imagined THEIR futures. Since this tense uses the word 'would', I then proceed to talk about all of the uses of the word 'would' that you will see during the term.

For each of the sentences below, fill in the blank with the most appropriate verb form. Even though the past perfect tense is normally optional, you MUST use the past perfect tense if it is possible.

Possible Tenses:

1) past perfect

2) past progressive

3) past perfect progressive

4) the past-future 'would'

This lecture provides an overview of the contents of this section and subsequently provides a brief review of the simple present tense, the present progressive tense, and the concept of stative verbs, which is a group of verbs that cannot be conjugated with a progressive tense in standard English (though this is increasingly not the case in informal spoken English)

Write the simple present or present progressive form of the verb in each blank. Remember, stative verbs cannot be conjugated in the present progressive form in standard English!

This lecture focuses on the conjugation and uses of the present perfect and present perfect progressive tenses.

Write the most appropriate present tense form of each verb in the blank. The possible tenses are as follows:

1. simple present

2. present progressive

3. present perfect

4. present perfect progressive

This lecture introduces the concepts discussed in this section, including the two systems of conceptualizing the future (in terms of level of planning or level of certainty) and all future tenses. Subsequently, the future planning system is explained.

Write the correct form of each verb in the blank. The possible verb tenses are as follows:

1. the simple future 'will'

2. 'be going to'

3. the present progressive

4. the simple present

This lecture focuses on the conjugation and uses of the future progressive tense.

Write the correct form of each verb in the blank. The possible verb tenses are as follows:

1. the simple future 'will'

2. the future perfect

3. the future progressive

4. the future perfect progressive

This lecture explains the uses of 'will' and 'be going to' in terms of how likely it is believed that a future event might occur. Predictions about the immediate future will also be discussed.

The decision to use an article (a, an, the, or no article) largely depends on whether a noun is count or non-count. This review quiz will help you determine your level of comfort with this concept.

In this lecture, the concepts of generic (in general), indefinite (not defined), and definite (defined) nouns are discussed and differentiated.

In this lecture, the uses of articles to indicate whether a noun is generic, indefinite, or definite is explained.

Decide whether each sentence is grammatically appropriate (true) or not (false).

This lecture explains additional guidelines for articles usage, including usage for presumably-unique nouns, requirements for all single count nouns, and specific article usage for interchangeable public places.

Decide whether each sentence is grammatically appropriate (true) or not (false).

This lecture explains the distinctions between a few/a little and few/little in terms of previous expectation.

Fill in each blank with 'a few', 'few', 'a little', or 'little'.

In a phrase with more than one verb, it can be difficult to decide if the 2nd verb (or 3rd) should be conjugated in the gerund or infinitive form. This lecture explains how native English speakers make this determination. The lecture will try to teach you the concept, but only if you try watching it!

This lexically-oriented lecture focuses on two of the most common Group D verbs: remember and forget.

In this lecture, the fundamental differences between using a gerund or infinitive after the verbs to stop/quit, to try, and to regret are discussed.

This activity highlights the importance of remembering whether to use the infinitive or gerund form of a verb immediately following Group D verbs.

Fill in each blank with the infinitive or gerund form of the verb in parentheses.

This lecture explains the advanced concept of past infinitives and past gerunds. Afterward, you will be glad to have watched it.

Fill in each blank with the present infinitive, past infinitive, present gerund, or past gerund form of the verb in parentheses.

This lecture offers an introduction to the 4 passive sentence structures and a comprehensive review of how to form basic passive sentences.

This lecture explains in what situations the passive voice is preferable or required.

In this lecture, the formation of basic passive sentences is discussed.

This activity demonstrates the usefulness of the passive voice in a professional environment.

This lesson discusses how to conjugate passive sentences with verb phrases that contain modals.

This lecture focuses on the advanced passive form used exclusively with causative verbs (such as get and have).

This lecture introduces the high-advanced THAT- and TO- passive forms. These passive forms are known to be advanced but it is also said that these forms are not too difficult to write.

This lecture introduces the high-advanced usage of past infinitives with TO-passives. This form is known to have been difficult for learners in the past, but its form and usage are actually very logical.

This lecture briefly reviews the 5 adverb types and subsequently expands upon the meanings of relatively-complex adverbs of time.

For each of the questions that follow, choose the most appropriate answer.

This lecture focuses on the often-confused meanings and uses of the adverbs of condition whether or not and even if.

This lecture focuses on the distinctions in usage between several adverbs of condition.

Write the most appropriate condition adverb in each blank.

This lecture introduces the advanced usage and formation rules of reducing adverb clauses into adverbial phrases. After watching this lecture, you will be an expert on the most common adverb clause reduction rules.

This lecture focuses on two additional adverb clause reduction rules.

In this lecture, modal uses and basic modal tenses (including simple present modals, past modals, and present progressive modals) are reviewed.

For each sentence, write the correct tense of the verb phrase.

This lecture focuses on the important distinctions between modals of necessity, obligation, and expectation.

Read each sentence and decide if the modal indicates necessity, obligation, or expectation.

This lecture focuses on the forms and uses of modals and modal-like expressions of advice, advice with a threat or possibility of consequence, suggestions, and non-obligation.

Read each sentence and choose the most appropriate modal for each blank.

This lecture focuses on the distinctions between modals of possibility, ability, and willingness. Additional attention is paid to the easy-to-confuse uses could, couldn't, and can't.

Read each sentence and decide what the most likely meaning for each modal.

This lecture focuses on the the form and usage of past progressive modals. You might have been wondering about this tense early, and here it is.

This lecture explains the unacceptability of writing two modals next to each other and alternative terms that can be used instead..

For each sentence, you will notice two consecutive modals. Your job is to choose the most appropriate re-written verb phrase, replacing the 2nd modal with a non-modal word or phrase. If you are replacing the word 'must', you must write 'have to' in this exercise in order for your response to be marked as correct.

In this lecture, the general concepts of conditionals are reviewed and present and future real conditionals are explained.

Write the most appropriate form of each verb in parentheses.

This lecture introduces the forms and usage of unreal past, present, and future conditionals.

This lecture focuses on the phrase If only, which is used to indicate a regret or a wish about the past.

This lecture explains the limited usage of the subjunctive mood in English grammar. I wish that every student enjoy this lecture!

Choose the most appropriate form of each verb in parentheses.

This lecture focuses on how to communicate present and future imaginary effects of unreal past actions.

This lecture focuses on the Inverted Conditional, a grammar pattern that mainly exists in spoken British English. Were you living in England right now, you would hear it frequently! Had you watched the Harry Potter movies recently, you would have noticed it several times!

You will see a standard conditional sentence. Chose the most appropriate re-written condition clause in its inverted form in the blank.

Congratulations! This video marks the completion of all content areas focused on during the course. Please check back in the future for lectures in the continually-evolving frequently asked questions section!

This FAQ lecture answers the question regarding when to use there isn't vs. there aren't.

This FAQ lecture answers the question "How can a noun have the same singular and plural form and still be a count noun?"

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