Grammar to Help You Move from B2 to C1

Let's look at three grammar points you need to know as you move from B2 to C1. These patterns may look and sound weird, but they're correct. I'm Jennifer from English with Jennifer, and here's the first odd-sounding piece of grammar. I'll usually attend classes in the morning. Using WILL to refer to the present is correct. First, WILL for present habits or tendencies. Maybe you know that I actively study Russian and Spanish. I make time for this every week. I'll often schedule a language lesson after breakfast. I don't like to study in the evening. I'll usually attend classes in the morning. That's my habit. We can use an adverb of frequency, like USUALLY, to make it clear that this is a repetitive action. I like reading, but I'll often end up watching TV if I'm free at night. Could I drop WILL and just use the simple present? I often end up watching. Yes, but American English speakers do use WILL for present habits and tendencies, that is, actions that repeat. Did you know that there are many courteous drivers in the U.S.? There are some rude ones, but drivers will often wave to say thank you if you let them turn or go ahead of you. How about where you live? Are drivers rude or courteous? Write an example in the comments and use WILL for a present habit or tendency. Second, WILL for assumptions about the present. This is kind of related to the first use. If we know habits, tendencies, and general truths, we can make logical guesses about a present situation. We can express our assumptions with WILL. Going to a theater performance, like the ballet or opera, isn't like going to the movies. Trust me. I've been to both. You can always walk in late to a movie, but at the opera or ballet, they won't let you enter until intermission. Let's imagine we're driving into Boston for a theater performance, and I'm giving you advice about where to park. Don't go to that parking garage. It'll be full by now. They won't have any space. Let's go to the other one. I'm using WILL to make a present assumption. I don't know for sure, but I'm assuming that I'm right. I almost always wake up before my kids. I do everything quietly because I know they'll still be sleeping. How about you? What do you assume about the other members of your household? Give me an example with WILL. Third, WILL for unwillingness or lack of cooperation. Do you ever have trouble opening a jar or a bottle? I do. I then put on rubber gloves and I try to twist off the lid. If that doesn't work, I'll complain and then I'll ask for help. I say, This lid won't come off. I tried and tried and it won't open. Can you get it? Think about when we have internet issues. This site won't accept my password. I've entered it three times already. I keep clicking and the page won't open. I think the link is broken. Notice how these forms are negative. How about you? What kinds of problems do you face with technology? Share an example with WILL. I suggest that everyone study this closely. Using a base verb in the THAT clause after SUGGEST and RECOMMEND is correct. The subjunctive is a mood. In grammar, MOOD refers to the speaker's attitude toward what is being said. With a subjunctive mood, we express wishes and possibilities. When we use the subjunctive with verbs like SUGGEST and RECOMMEND, we're expressing our wishes in relation to other people's actions. You'll likely be understood if you say it that way, but here are the standard patterns. And inside the noun clause, we use the present subjunctive. We use a base verb. There are other verbs that express a stronger wish, and they, too, will use the present subjunctive in the noun clause. To learn more, see my related video on the subjunctive. I'll put the link in the video description. Saying, if I were you, is correct. You learned that the present subjunctive uses the base verb. The past subjunctive is also used for wishes and possibilities, but we use past tense verb forms. The use of WERE for all subjects marks the statement as unreal. Consider this possibility. The past subjunctive is also used for wishes. Wishes are different from hopes, right? If we hope for something, it may be possible. If we wish for something, it's not realistic. That's why wishing requires the subjunctive. Any present wish expressed with the verb BE uses the past subjunctive WERE. Do you know what happens to these verbs? These are unreal situations in the present. We use past tense forms to express our wishes. Don't you wish we knew the answers to life's problems? If the present shifts back to the past, guess what happens with past tense verbs? We shift the simple past to the past perfect. I wish I hadn't done that. I wish I had learned the truth sooner. What do you wish for? Share a wish for the past or the present. Use the subjunctive. Review and practice. Remember, using WILL to refer to the present is correct. Using the base verb in a noun clause after verbs like SUGGEST and RECOMMEND is correct. It's the present subjunctive. And saying, if I were you, is correct. It's the past subjunctive. That's all for now. Please remember to like and share the video if you found the lesson useful. Don't forget to subscribe and follow me. As always, thanks for watching and happy studies!