Find your FREE LESSON GUIDE & PRACTICE below

Read the free grammar guide in the description below as you watch this advanced English grammar lesson. Then, attempt the tasks at the bottom of the description. Share your answers to the practice task in the comments and Rupert will give you feedback! This will help you develop your advanced English grammar so that it reaches a C1 English or C2 English level.

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GRAMMAR GUIDE

10) LET ALONE

This introduces an extra noun or phrase which is very unlikely to be true because the item in the previous clause isn’t true either, despite being more likely to be true.

EXAMPLES:

“We haven’t decided what to do today, let alone tomorrow!”
“I’m too nervous to speak on stage, let alone sing!”

*NOTE: It always follows the clause it relates to. It can end a sentence, or it can be followed by a clause giving:

further explanation: “I’m too nervous to speak on stage, let alone sing, because I am shy.”
exceptions: “I can’t read, let alone write, apart from when I’m wearing my glasses.”


9) HAVE YOU

This means another person arranges for you to be in a certain situation.

EXAMPLES:

“They would have you working all day”
“We might have you doing other jobs than what you are used to”

*NOTES:
“Have you” can be followed by an adjective, too: “Don’t worry; I’ll have you safe in seconds”.
“Make you” is similar but is more direct in the connection between the object’s action and the effect on the object e.g. “I’ll make you work” means “I will use my own force”, whereas “I’ll have you work” means “I will ensure the situation happens, but I may use other methods apart from my own force”.


8) FAILING THAT

This means “if that doesn’t work”. It works in a similar way to conjunctions such as “Otherwise”.

EXAMPLES:

“Try the red key. Failing that, call a locksmith.”
“Shout to get her attention. Failing that, send someone over to her.”

7) I CAN’T BE DOING WITH

This is an informal phrase meaning “I don’t want to deal with” + object.

EXAMPLE:

“Do we have to complete this long form? I can’t be doing with that.”

*NOTE: The phrase can be followed by a verb in the “ing” form e.g. “I can’t be doing with putting the rubbish out every Friday”


6) SO AS NOT TO

This means “in order for this not to happen”. It is followed by a verb infinitive, and introduces a main clause which outlines the required behaviour for the “so as not to” phrase to be fulfilled.

EXAMPLE:

“So as not to disturb anyone, she left quietly”

*NOTE: The clauses can be reversed without a comma e.g. “She left quickly so as not to disturb anyone”


5) NEEDS MUST

This forms a short clause meaning something is necessary in order to fulfil basic living needs. Grammatically, “needs” takes the role of the subject, and “must” takes the role of the subject.

EXAMPLES:

“I don’t want to do the cooking, but we need to eat, so needs must”
“I’m working overtime because needs must!”

*NOTE: The clause is never followed by an object e.g. “Needs must money”, but could be followed by a prepositional phrase or other adverbial in some circumstances e.g. “Needs must at the moment.”


4) MONEY = SINGULAR VERB

Grammatical subjects that involve money, distances and time are usually considered to be singular, even when describing a quantity which is more than one.

EXAMPLE:

“Three dollars is a lot of money”

*NOTE: When referring to individual amounts that make up the full amount, the verb becomes plural again e.g. “These three coins are very special to me”


3) WERE HE

This is an inversion of “if he were”, with no change in meaning.

EXAMPLE:

“Were he to understand the puzzle, he would finish it easily”


2) WHERE ARE YOU AT / WHERE ARE YOU TO

“Where are you at” means “at what point in the process are you currently?”

“Where are you at with your exam preparations?”

In contrast, “where are you to” is used in some dialects of English meaning “what is your location?”

“Where are you to?” “I’m in a nearby town.”


1) LOOKING FORWARD TO + ING FORM

When this phrase is followed by a verb, this verb takes the “ing” form e.g. “I am looking forward to flying on a plane.” This is an exception to the rule that “to” should not be followed by “verb+ing”.

EXAMPLE:

“We’re looking forward to our holiday”




NEXT, try the PRACTICE TASK

The sentences below have a gap which can be filled by one of the phrases from 110 above. Which phrase completes the sentence in each gap? Write your answers in the comments and Rupert will give you feedback!

i. ______________ studying for an exam at the moment. I just want to have fun!

ii. I haven’t got the time to take a day off, _______ a whole week!

iii. I wish I could take a day off, but _______ in my current situation.

iv. If there is a bus, take that. __________, take a taxi.

v. ________________ with the holiday? Have you decided to go or not?