Advanced Grammar Topics for Expert Writers
Grammar Master
Advanced Grammar Topics for Expert Writers
Advanced Topics
- Introduction
- Conditional Sentences
- Inversion & Emphasis
- Parallelism
- Ellipsis
- Reported Speech
Advanced Grammar Topics
Master these advanced grammar concepts to elevate your writing to a professional level.
Why Advanced Grammar Matters
Advanced grammar structures allow for:
• More sophisticated and nuanced expression
• Greater precision in conveying complex ideas
• Professional-level writing for academic and business contexts
• Enhanced stylistic variety and rhetorical impact
Conditional Sentences
Express hypothetical situations and their consequences across different time frames.
Inversion & Emphasis
Create sophisticated sentence structures for formal writing and emphasis.
Parallelism
Maintain balance and rhythm in sentences through consistent grammatical structures.
Ellipsis
Omit redundant words while maintaining clarity for concise expression.
Quick Check
Which advanced grammar topic involves omitting words that can be understood from context?
Conditional Sentences
Conditional sentences express hypothetical situations and their consequences.
Zero Conditional
Use: General truths and scientific facts
If + present simple, present simple
“If you heat ice, it melts.”
“If people don’t eat, they get hungry.”
First Conditional
Use: Real and probable future situations
If + present simple, will + base verb
“If it rains, we will cancel the picnic.”
“If you study hard, you will pass the exam.”
Second Conditional
Use: Unreal or improbable present/future situations
If + past simple, would + base verb
“If I won the lottery, I would travel the world.”
“If I were you, I would accept the offer.”
Third Conditional
Use: Unreal past situations (regrets, criticism)
If + past perfect, would have + past participle
“If I had studied harder, I would have passed the test.”
“If she had left earlier, she wouldn’t have missed the flight.”
Mixed Conditionals
Combine different time references to express complex hypothetical situations.
Past condition → Present result:
“If I had studied medicine (past), I would be a doctor now (present).”
Present condition → Past result:
“If I were taller (present), I would have become a basketball player (past).”
Practice
Complete this mixed conditional sentence:
“If she __________ (practice) more when she was younger, she __________ (be) a professional pianist now.”
Inversion & Emphasis
Advanced sentence structures for formal writing and emphasis.
Inversion with Negative Adverbs
Invert subject and verb when sentence begins with negative or restrictive adverbs.
Never: “Never have I seen such a beautiful sunset.”
Rarely: “Rarely do we encounter such generosity.”
Not only: “Not only did she finish first, but she also broke the record.”
Under no circumstances: “Under no circumstances should you open this door.”
Inversion in Conditional Sentences
In formal writing, invert subject and verb in conditional clauses (omit “if”).
Standard: “If I had known, I would have helped.”
Inverted: “Had I known, I would have helped.”
Standard: “If she were here, she would know what to do.”
Inverted: “Were she here, she would know what to do.”
Emphasis with Cleft Sentences
Use cleft sentences to emphasize specific elements.
Standard: “John broke the window yesterday.”
It-cleft: “It was John who broke the window yesterday.” (emphasizes John)
What-cleft: “What John broke yesterday was the window.” (emphasizes the window)
Practice
Transform this sentence using inversion:
“If I had realized the danger, I would never have attempted the climb.”
Parallelism
Maintain balance and rhythm through consistent grammatical structures.
What is Parallelism?
Parallelism means using the same grammatical pattern for elements that have the same function in a sentence.
“She likes reading, writing, and hiking.” (parallel gerunds)
“She likes reading, to write, and hiking.” (not parallel)
Parallelism in Lists
Maintain consistent structure in series and lists.
“The job requires attention to detail, ability to work under pressure, and excellent communication skills.”
“The job requires attention to detail, working under pressure, and to communicate well.”
Parallelism with Correlative Conjunctions
Maintain balance with pairs like both/and, either/or, neither/nor, not only/but also.
“She is not only intelligent but also hardworking.”
“She is not only intelligent but also works hard.”
Pro Tip: Read your sentences aloud. If they sound awkward or unbalanced, check for parallelism issues.
Practice
Identify the sentence with correct parallelism:
Ellipsis
Omit redundant words while maintaining clarity for concise expression.
What is Ellipsis?
Ellipsis is the omission of words that can be understood from the context, making language more efficient.
Full form: “John can play the guitar, and Mary can play the guitar too.”
With ellipsis: “John can play the guitar, and Mary can too.”
Common Types of Ellipsis
1. Verb Phrase Ellipsis: Omitting repeated verb phrases
“She wants to go to Paris, and I do too.” (instead of “and I want to go to Paris too”)
2. Noun Phrase Ellipsis: Omitting repeated nouns
“I’ll have the red shirt, and she’ll have the blue.” (instead of “the blue shirt”)
3. Clausal Ellipsis: Omitting entire clauses
“Are you coming?” “I might.” (instead of “I might be coming”)
Ellipsis in Comparative Structures
Omit repeated elements in comparative sentences.
“She earns more than he does.” (instead of “than he earns”)
“This car is faster than that one.” (instead of “than that car is fast”)
Practice
Which sentence correctly uses ellipsis?
Reported Speech
Report what someone said without using their exact words.
Tense Changes in Reported Speech
Direct Speech: “I work here.”
Reported Speech: He said he worked there.
Direct Speech: “I am working now.”
Reported Speech: She said she was working then.
Direct Speech: “I have finished.”
Reported Speech: He said he had finished.
Direct Speech: “I will help you.”
Reported Speech: She said she would help me.
Complex Cases: Modal Verbs
Modal verbs often change in reported speech.
Direct: “I can help you tomorrow.”
Reported: She said she could help me the next day.
Direct: “You must finish this today.”
Reported: He said I had to finish it that day.
Direct: “I may be late.”
Reported: She said she might be late.
Reporting Questions
Questions become statements in reported speech.
Direct: “Where do you live?”
Reported: He asked me where I lived.
Direct: “Are you coming tomorrow?”
Reported: She asked if I was coming the next day.
Exceptions to Backshifting
No tense change when:
Reporting general truths: “She said the sun rises in the east.”
Reporting something that is still true: “He said he loves chocolate.” (if he still does)
With past perfect: “She said she had already finished.” (no further backshifting)
Practice
Convert to reported speech:
“I can’t attend the meeting tomorrow because I will be traveling,” she said.
