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.
At the B1 level learners expand to their use of comparative adjectives through meaningful repetition. Following become or get, learners can repeat a comparative adjective using and in order to indicate change over time.
I saw everything become smaller and smaller. (CELSP; Chinese)
I think that’s a good question, because nowadays television is getting worse and worse, but there are still some good programmes. (Cambridge English: Preliminary; Spanish - European)
Summer is coming. Days become longer and longer. (Cambridge English: Business Preliminary; Chinese)
Although this form of repetition demonstrates a clear addition to the skills held at the A2 level, the focal point of learner progress is to be seen in how learners at the B1 level begin to modify comparative adjectives. For example, learners use even to modify and intensify comparative adjectives (usually after be or get).
I’m sure you’ve seen part one [of a film] already, but part two was even better! (Cambridge English: Preliminary; Thai)
I think that it is awful, because that means that in Spain it will be even hotter than it is now. (Cambridge English: Preliminary; Catalan)
As I finished, my smile got even bigger. (Cambridge English: preliminary; German)
Learners at the B1 level can also use a (little) bit to modify comparative adjectives.
He’s 15, a bit smaller than me, dark hair, brown eyes. (Cambridge English: preliminary; French)
Our first lesson was a bit shorter, but very unusual. (Cambridge English: preliminary; Slovak)
She’s a little bit older than me. (Cambridge English: preliminary for schools; Hungarian)
Finally, learners at the B1 level are able to use (so) much to modify and intensify comparative adjectives (usually after be).
I think the teacher in the new class is much better than the last one. (Cambridge English: Preliminary ; German)
I think that in 20 years' time, my town will be so much better than it is now. (Cambridge English: Preliminary; Portuguese-Brazilian.
The house is beautiful, and so much bigger than the previous one. (Cambridge English: Preliminary; Polish)
At the B2 level, the vocabulary used to modify comparative adjectives expands further and is again the most noticeable aspect of development. Learners can, for example, use much to modify and intensify comparative adjectives used attributively before countable and uncountable nouns.
Although it is a second-hand computer which one of my colleagues sold me, it is a much better investment than the bicycle, I think. (Cambridge English: First; German)
I think the Majestic Hotel is too expensive, so what about a much cheaper hotel like the Plaza Hotel? (Cambridge English: First; Swedish)
On the other hand, our grandparents had much fresher vegetables and meat. (Cambridge English: First; Portuguese - Brazil)
Learners at the B2 level can also use a lot and slightly to modify and intensify comparative adjectives (usually after be).
Don’t you think it would be a lot easier for you to finish college first? (Skills for Life: Level 1; Polish)
In addition, remember that a bike, even a good one, is a lot cheaper than a car. (Cambridge English: First; French)
I bought a new one, since the price of a second-hand one was slightly cheaper. (Cambridge English: First; Portuguese - Brazil)
Between the B2 and C1 levels, there appears to be no significant development in the use of comparative adjectives. At the C2 level, however, learners are able to use no or not any with comparative adjectives to limit the scale of comparison.
That is why we are not any happier than you were. (Cambridge English: Proficiency; Greek)
A little boy not any older than five came up to John. (Cambridge English: Proficiency; German)
I will probably find the water to be no higher than my thighs. (Cambridge English: Proficiency; Dutch)
Between the B1 and C2 levels, learner vocabulary expands and allows for increasingly variety in the modification of comparative adjectives. Even, a bit, much, a lot and slightly all appear before the C1 level is achieved, and at the C2 level, learners begin to use the negative phrases no and not any before comparative adjectives. Missing from C2 level vocabulary, however, is not that much, which appears very infrequently before comparative adjectives.
