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.
Starting at the A1 level, learners can use adjectives both predicatively and attributively. Learners can, for example, use a limited range of adjectives before a noun.
We have a big garden and a small swimming pool. (SfLE1; Arabic)
My name is Bogdan. I am your new neighbour. (SfLE1; Polish)
I like my home because I have a nice park next to my house. (SfLE1; Farsi)
They can also use a limited range of adjectives after be.
I like my home because my bedroom is big. (SfLE1; Turkish)
My kitchen is nice. (SfLE1; Farsi)
This place is beautiful. (SfLE1; Tagalog)
As learners improve at the A2 level, their use adjectives of predicatively expands to include the verbs feel and look (with feel + adjective being used more frequently than look + adjective).
I bought them because I feel comfortable when I am wearing these clothes. (KET; Malay)
I liked the competition because it made me feel happy. (KET; Arabic-Meghreb)
It is black and it looks perfect. (KET; Turkish)
Learners at the A2 level are also able to use a few adjectives, such as main and only, to limit the noun that follows.
The main reason is that I am practising the language. (KET; Spanish - Latin American)
The only problem is that I need to be there at 7a.m. (KET; Portuguese-Brazil)
The only thing that you have to bring with you is your coloured pencils. (KET; Greek)
Once the B1 level is achieved, learners can use adjectives with the prefix a- (asleep, awake, alive, alone) predicatively, after linking verbs.
I was very nervous because I was alone at the bus station … (PET; Spanish – Latin American)
On that night while I was watching TV, I was almost asleep, and the door bell rang. (PET; Turkish)
We went in the room and I was very happy that my father was still alive. (PET; Chinese)
Learners at the B1 level are also competent in using adjectives as an object complement after make.
That’s something that makes me angry! (PET; Portuguese)
You should tell them that you don’t want to make them sad but you really want to go on holiday with your friends. (PET; Greek)
Maria realised that being kind and trying to make other people happy is always the best way! (PET; Farsi)
Learners at this level can use an adjective or adjective phrase after pronouns like something, nothing, somewhere and nowhere.
I like cooking and I want to cook something special. (PET; Slovak)
But something terrible happened next; I was so nervous that I stopped breathing! (PET; Spanish - Latin American)
There is nothing interesting on TV, nothing for teenagers. (PET; Others)
At the B2 level, learners can use a limited range of degree adjectives (real, absolute, complete) before a noun to express intensity. Real is used especially frequently.
Making friends is easy but to get a real, true friend is hard. (FCE; Tamil)
Suddenly the lights went out and I found myself standing in complete darkness. (FCE; Swedish)
After the teacher had told us to start, there was absolute silence. (FCE; German)
They can also use the adjectives present, future and former before a noun. Present time and present situation are used frequently at this level. Similarly, past time is often used at this level. However, this is done in error when past should be used.
I think we all are very concerned about the present situation. (FCE; Dutch)
At the present time, I work in a kindergarten as a director and also as a teacher. (FCE; Portuguese)
In the big hall, in former times, lots of parties took place. (FCE; German)
C1 level learners can accurately use the past participle as an adjective after a noun.
First of all, I would recommend providing a wider range of films and introducing discussions after each film shown. (CAE; Polish)
It is believed that if some improvements are made, the club will live up to the high standards required. (CAE; Greek)
The main development at the C2 level is that learners can use an increasing range of adjectives before a noun to express intensity.
As a conclusion, I shall say that the major problem concerns the exam. (CAE; French)
It is located in the very centre of Pisa, in a magnificent ancient building. (CPE; Italian)
Although learners can use adjectives predicatively and attributively at the A1 level, a lot of progress is made in regards to adjective position as learners advance through the CEFR levels. Between the A1 and B1 level, one of the main improvements made by learners can be seen in the expansion in how they use adjectives predicatively. At the B2 level, learner progress can be seen in the use of degree adjectives as well as adjectives that denote time before nouns. As to be expected, the main developments seen at the C1 and C2 levels show learner ability to use more advanced adjectives in complex contexts.
