Grammar Spotlight
The English Grammar Profile (EGP) is a sister resource to the English Vocabulary Profile, and has been put together by Anne O'Keeffe (Limerick University) and Geraldine Mark, the co-authors, along with Ron Carter and Mike McCarthy, of English Grammar Today (Cambridge University Press). Mark and O'Keeffe investigated the extensive data in the Cambridge Learner Corpus to establish when learners begin to get to grips with different linguistic structures.
A series of insights from their research will be posted on this page, each one putting the spotlight on an interesting aspect of learner grammar development. Please note that all of the learner examples come from the Cambridge Learner Corpus, a 55-million word electronic collection of written learner data. The examination and the candidate’s first language are given in brackets after each learner example.
See the latest Grammar Spotlight entry below. Scroll right down to the bottom of this page to browse through previous entries.
As to be expected, A2 level learners use a wider range of determiners to pre-modify nouns than those used at the A1 level.
There are so many shops, you can play games and eat food like Chinese food. (Cambridge English: Key; Chinese)
I spent too much money, five hundred euros, but I don’t mind because they are beautiful! (Cambridge English: Key; Italian)
I visited a lot of museums and I went shopping. (Cambridge English: Key for Schools; Spanish - Latin American)
A key improvement in the use of determiners with noun phrases by A2 level learners is seen in their use of possessive determiners formed with a singular noun and ’s. At A1 learners demonstrate knowledge of ’s, yet usage is limited to a friend’s name until the A2 level is achieved.
It’s my sister’s jacket. (Cambridge English: Key; Spanish - Latin American)
I bought a red tie because next Sunday it will be my father’s birthday. (Cambridge English: Key; Italian)
Yesterday about 8 pm, when I was coming back home from a shop, I saw two men near my neighbour’s car. (Skills for Life: Entry 3; Slovak)
A2 learners can also form simple noun phrases with a limited range of determiners + uncountable nouns.
I phoned for more information two days ago. (Cambridge English: Key; Italian)
[talking about a book] It is very important because I need to do some homework in it. (Cambridge English: Key; Marathi)
All of our classmates were there and some of my cousins too. (Cambridge English: Key; Chinese)
Learners at this level can also pre-modify noun phrases with more than one adjective. However, learners do not use a wide range of adjectives. In fact, adjectives are confined to physical description (big, small, nice, lovely, beautiful) and various colours. Also, learner work is not always accurate as the necessary article is often being missing.
It is a beautiful old city and there is the old wall around the city. (Cambridge English: Key; Russian)
I left my small white bag. (Cambridge English: Key; Spanish - Latin American)
There is a lovely large living room. (Skills for Life: Entry 2; Bulgarian)
Surprisingly, although relative clauses are often not taught until B1, A2 level learners can postmodify noun phrases by using a non-defining relative clause.
She’s in a volleyball team like me, but we’re not in the same one. She was in the other team, which lost. (Cambridge English: Key; Swiss German)
You can always visit our Shopping Centre, which is one of the biggest in Brazil. (Cambridge English: Key; Portuguese)
Learners at the A2 level are also able to use a defining relative clause as a complement to a noun phrase.
The mobile phone which I bought yesterday is brilliant. (Cambridge English: Key; Russian)
I want to invite you to a pop concert that is going to take place in the National Stadium. (Cambridge English: Key; Spanish - Latin American)
The person who gave me it was my father. (Cambridge English: Key; Portuguese)
The last day when we can see the movie is Thursday. (Cambridge English: Key; Romanian)
So, at the A2 level learners expand their uses noun phrases with determiners, use multiple adjectives in noun phrases and begin to use relative clauses. Yet, their mastery of noun phrases is far from complete. As they move forward, the B1 level presents a key stage for rapid learning.
