Advanced English Grammar Rules and Structures

Conditionals

• 0: If + Present, Present → If you heat water, it boils.
• 1: If + Present, Will → If it rains, I will stay home.
• 2: If + Past Simple, Would → If I had money, I would travel.
• 3: If + Past Perfect, Would have + PP → If you had studied, you would have passed.
• Mixed A: If I had slept earlier, I wouldn’t be tired now.
• Mixed B: If I were rich, I would have bought it.

Inverted Conditionals

• Should + subject + inf: Should you need help, call me.
• Were + subject + to + inf: Were I rich, I would buy a Ferrari.
• Had + subject + PP: Had she studied, she would have passed.

Passive Voice

• Present: is/are + PP → The car is repaired.
• Past: was/were + PP → The car was stolen.
• Future: will be + PP → The homework will be corrected.
• Modal: modal + be + PP → The work must be finished.
• Present Perfect: have/has been + PP → The project has been completed.

Impersonal Passive

• It is said that...: It is believed that he is innocent.
• Subject + is said to...: He is believed to be innocent.
• Past: She is thought to have left.

Alternatives to If

• Provided/Providing: You can go provided you study.
• As long as: You can stay as long as you behave.
• Otherwise: Study hard; otherwise, you will fail.
• But for: But for your help, I would have failed.
• Assuming: Assuming it rains, we will stay home.

Participle Clauses

• Verb-ing: Feeling tired, I went home.
• Having + PP: Having finished the exam, she relaxed.
• Passive: Given enough time, we could succeed.

Reporting Verbs

• Verb + to inf: He promised to help.
• Verb + object + to inf: She advised me to study.
• Verb + ing: He denied stealing the money.
• Verb + prep + ing: She insisted on paying.

Comparatives

• Much/far/a lot + comparative: This book is far better.
• Slightly/a bit + comparative: She is slightly taller.
• The more..., the more...: The more you study, the better you become.
• Nowhere near as...as: This isn’t nowhere near as difficult.

Common Expressions

• Be that as it may: Be that as it may, we must continue.
• On the spur of the moment: He resigned on the spur of the moment.
• Come out of the blue: The news came out of the blue.
• Pressed for time: We are pressed for time.
• Take something as read: Don’t take his support as read.

Connectors

• Addition: furthermore / moreover → Furthermore, the project was expensive.
• Contrast: nevertheless / despite → Nevertheless, we continued.
• Consequence: therefore / thus → He studied hard; therefore, he passed.

It Is No / There Is No

• It is no surprise that...: It is no surprise that she won.
• There is no denying that...: There is no denying that English is useful.
• There is no point in + ing: There is no point in arguing.
• There is no need to...: There is no need to worry.

Inversion Expressions

• Not only... but also: Not only was he late, but he was also rude.
• No sooner had... than: No sooner had I arrived than it started raining.
• Hardly had... when: Hardly had she sat down when the phone rang.
• Only then did...: Only then did I realise the truth.