ADVANCED GRAMMAR STRUCTURES

A.- DISTANCING
1- SEEM/APPEAR: It seems/ appears/ would seem, appear that the crisis is not about to
finish
The crisis seems/ appears/ would seem, appear not to be about to finish
2- Verbs of speaking or reporting: It is said that the crisis is not about to finish
The crisis is said not to be about to finish
There is thought to be a crisis
3.- Others: Apparently, the crisis is not about to finish
According to the peoples opinion, the crisis is not about to finish
The crisis may/ might not be about to finish

B.) SPECULATION AND DEDUCTION

1.- MODAL VERBS: + INFINITIVE: Ref. of present/ + PERFECT INFINITIVE: Ref. of past
a.) SURE: + MUST(It must have been the crisis) / - CANT/COULDNT (It cant/couldnt
have been the crisis)
b.) POSSIBLE: MAY/ MIGHT/ COULD (It might have been the crisis)
c.) EXPECTED: SHOULD (The crisis should have been solved by now)
2.- ADJECTIVES
a.) SURE: BOUND/ SURE (Its bound to have been the crisis)
b.) POSSIBLE: LIKELY / UNLIKELY (It is likely to have been the crisis)
3.- ADVERBS: POSITION: + (Before main verb/after auxiliary)/ - (Before auxiliary)
a.) SURE: DEFINITELY (It definitely wont have been the problem)
b.) POSSIBLE: PROBABLY (Itll have probably been the crisis)
C.) CONDITIONAL SENTENCES: 2ND AND 3RD
1.- FIRST: REAL ( If the crisis is not solved soon, many people wont have a house to live)
2.- SECOND: UNREAL+ PRESENT REF. (If there wasnt an economic crisis, most people would
be happier)
3.- THIRD: UNREAL+ PAST REF. (If banks hadnt lent money so easily, there wouldnt have
been so many problems)
4.- MIXED: PRESENT AND PAST REF. (If banks hadnt lent money so easily, there wouldnt be
so many problems now)
5.- ALTERNATIVES TO IF: AS, SO LONG AS/ PROVIDING, PROVIDED THAT/ ON CONDITION
(THAT)/ EVEN IF/ SUPPOSING/ WHETHER OR/ INVERSION (Had I known you were coming, I
would have gone to the cinema).

D.) UNREAL USES OF THE PAST TENSES

1.- WISHES: IF ONLY/ I WISH + Past: ref. to present or future ( I wish I were rich)
+ Past Perfect: ref. to past/ regret ( I wish I had been rich)
+ Would+ infinitive: something annoying (I wish you would
stop making that noise!)
ITS (HIGH) TIME + To infinitive: without a subject (Its time to go to bed!)
+ Subject+ Past: with a subject (Its time you went to bed!)
2.- PREFERENCES: ID (or another S.) RATHER + infinitive: = SUBJECT (Id rather go to bed)
+ a sentence in the past: SUBJECT (Id
rather you went to bed)
E.) VARIED VERBAL TENSES AND ALTERNATIVES :
1.- PAST: USED TO + Infinitive: Habitual actions or states (I used to play with dolls when I
was little)
WOULD + Infinitive: Habitual actions (not states) (I would play with dolls when I
was little)
2.- FUTURE: BE DUE TO+ Infinitive: something arranged/expected (The plane is due to leave
in 5 minutes)
BE ABOUT TO + Infinitive: something happening very soon (The plane is about
to leave in 5 minutes
BE ON THE POINT OF + -ing: the same, but + formal and imminent (The plane
is on the point of leaving)
BE TO+ Infinitive: formal, for official plans and arrangements (The Prime
Minister is to visit Asia soon)
F.) PASSIVE STRUCTURES AND ALTERNATIVES:
1.-GET+ Past Participle: more informal than BE. (He got sacked after 3 years working for
them)
2.- HAVE/ GET something done: you dont do it yourself, but someone else does it ( I
had/got my hair cut last week)
G.) EMPHASIS:
1.- INVERSION: Formal/ With negative or restrictive adverbial at the beginning (Not until I
saw you did I realize you were there) (No sooner had I arrived than I realized you were there)
2.- CLEFT SENTENCES: Beginning with:
a.) WHAT/ ALL (What / All I need is a bit of love)
b.) WHAT HAPPENS IS/ WHAT HAPPENED WAS (What happens is that I need a bit of
love)

c.) THE PERSON WHO/ THE PLACE WHERE/ THE FIRST, LAST TIME WHEN/ THE
REASON WHY
(The reason why I told you that was that/ because I needed a bit of love)
d.) IT ( It was love that I needed)
H.) ELLIPSIS AND SUBSTITUTION
1.- ELLIPSIS: S+ AUX.: YES (after AND, OR/BUT/THEN/AFTER) (I got up and had a shower)
NO (after BEFORE, AFTER/ WHEN, WHILE/ BECAUSE) (I had a shower
after I got up)
V./ ADJ.: With the same auxiliary or a different one: Present (DO)/ Past (DID)
Reduced infinitive
2.- SUBSTITUTION: Positive clause : SO / Negative clause: Positive verb + NOT/
Negative verb + SO
J.) THEY FOR GENERIC PRONOUNS (If someone goes abroad, they need to get used to a
different way of life)