Grammar Topics
Browse and filter all grammar topics by level or category.
22 topics found
Cleft Sentences
Splitting a sentence for emphasis: It was John who broke the window. What I want is some rest.
Inversion with Negative Adverbials
Fronting negative adverbials triggers subject-auxiliary inversion: Never have I seen such chaos. Rarely do we…
Advanced Passive (Infinitive, Gerund, and Reporting Structures)
Passive infinitives (to be done), gerunds (being done), and complex reporting passives (believed to have been).
Advanced Reported Speech Structures
Nuanced reporting: mixed time references, reporting verbs + gerunds, distancing and hedging in formal contexts.
Fronting
Moving a non-subject element to the front of a sentence for emphasis or contrast: This I did not expect.
Advanced Inversion
Inversion in conditionals (Were it not for…), after so/such, and in comparative structures.
Ellipsis and Substitution
Omitting or replacing repeated material for efficiency: I can swim and so can she. I haven't, but I will.
Nominalization
Turning verbs and adjectives into nouns for formal, dense writing: decide → decision, fail → failure.
Advanced Coordination (Parallel Structure and Correlative Conjunctions)
Parallel structure in lists and pairs; correlative conjunctions: not only…but also, either…or, both…and.
Advanced Subordination (Participial, Absolute, and Infinitival Clauses)
C2 subordinate clause types: participial (Running fast, he...), absolute (The work finished, they left), infinitival (To succeed, you must...).