Ellipsis and Substitution: How Fluent English Avoids Repeating Itself
Practise leaving out repeated words and replacing them with shorter expressions.
C2 Grammar
C2 Grammar lessons cover the rules, patterns, and structures you need at the C2 Proficiency level. Each lesson explains a grammar point with clear examples, common mistakes to avoid, and practice opportunities. Topics are ordered to build on each other so you can work through them step by step.
Hedging: The Cautious Language of Academic English
Practise making careful claims with words such as may, tends to and appears to.
The Mandative Subjunctive: I Insist That He Be Present
Explore verb forms after expressions such as I insist that and it is essential that.
Concessive Clauses: Although, Whereas, Albeit, Notwithstanding
Connect contrasting ideas with although, whereas and other concessive expressions.
Modal Perfects: Must Have, Can’t Have, Needn’t Have
Practise using modal verbs with have to talk about past possibilities and necessity.
Formal Discourse Markers: Moreover, Nonetheless, Conversely
Link ideas in formal writing with moreover, nonetheless, conversely and similar expressions.
Passive Reporting Structures: It Is Said That and He Is Believed To
Report information using expressions such as it is said that and is believed to.
Nominalisation: Turn Verbs Into Nouns for Formal, Academic English
Explore how noun forms can change the style of formal writing.
Inverted Conditionals: Had I Known, Were It Not For, Should You Need
Practise conditional sentences beginning with had, were and should.
Cleft Sentences — How English Splits a Sentence for Emphasis
Practise putting emphasis on one part of a sentence with cleft structures.