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.
Beginning at the A1 level, learners are able to modify adjectives. Very is commonly used with a limited range of common gradable adjectives. There are also some examples of really and so in learner work, but the frequency of these words is relatively low and remains far below that seen with native speakers until the B1 level is achieved.
I like Croydon because it’s very quiet and very nice. (Skills for Life: Entry 1; Farsi)
My neighbours are very friendly. (Skills for Life: Entry 1; Slovak)
I have got two boys; they are so naughty. (Skills for Life: Entry 1; Bengali)
Learners at the A2 level use adverbs of degree with an increasing range of common gradable adjectives.
It was sunny and really hot every day! (Cambridge English: Key for Schools; Spanish - Latin American)
I’m so happy because we can have a party for my birthday together! (Cambridge English: Key; Croatian)
They are quite expensive. (Cambridge English: Key; Chinese)
There is great success at the A2 level in the use of too with common gradable adjectives.
They aren’t too expensive. They cost like £30. (Cambridge English: Key; Spanish - Latin American)
I bought a jacket because the other one that I had was too small. (Cambridge English: Key; Portuguese)
It is too small so I can’t wear it. (Cambridge English: Key; Japanese)
Learners are able to use the pattern too + adjective + prepositional phrase. The most common prepositional phrase used by A2 level learners with this structure is for me.
I bought them because I noticed that most of my clothes were too small for me. (Cambridge English: Key; Japanese)
I am selling my video game for £20 because it is too difficult for me. (Cambridge English: Key; French)
Yesterday I bought a sweater because it is too cold in my house. (Cambridge English: Key; Spanish- Latin American)
Learners form adjective phrases with a very limited range of adjectives + a prepositional phrase at this level. Important to me is especially common in the work found in the corpus from A2 level learners.
It is important to me because I have asthma. (Cambridge English: Key; Tamil)
It’s very important to me because tomorrow we are going to have a history test. (Cambridge English: Key; Portuguese-Brazil)
I think swimming is good for my body. (Cambridge English: Key; Chinese)
The key difference between the A1 and A2 levels is in the use of too to modify adjectives. Interestingly, although the pattern too + adjective + to-infinitive is often taught at this level, there is not a significant number of examples of this pattern until the B1 level is achieved.
