If you know these 10 English grammar rules, your English is amazing!

Summary

In this English grammar lesson, Lucy challenges viewers with 10 questions that test various grammar rules. She explains each answer, offering insights into topics like inverted conditionals, reflexive pronouns, collective nouns, and more. Lucy also highlights differences between British and American English and touches on controversial topics like the Oxford comma. Additionally, she provides a free PDF for further practice and invites viewers to explore her advanced C1 English program. The lesson is engaging and educational, catering to both learners and native speakers alike.

Takeaways

• 📚 This video tests your grammar knowledge with 10 challenging questions, each covering a different English grammar rule.
• 🤔 Native speakers might not score as well as English learners on this quiz, so don't be overconfident!
• 📝 A free PDF is available with more detailed explanations and interactive activities to reinforce the grammar points covered.
• 🧠 The first question focuses on the inverted conditional structure, where 'were' can replace 'if' to make the sentence more formal.
• 🙋‍♀️ Reflexive pronouns like 'myself' should only be used when the subject and object are the same, as explained in question two.
• 🔄 In question three, using 'not only' followed by 'but also' involves an inversion of the subject and auxiliary verb.
• 🇬🇧🇺🇸 British and American English differ in their treatment of collective nouns like 'crowd,' with both 'is' and 'are' being acceptable in British English.
• ❓ The tricky distinction between 'lay' and 'lie' is discussed, with 'lay' requiring an object and 'lie' not needing one.
• 📜 Formal vs. informal English: 'To whom does this jacket belong?' is technically more correct, but the informal 'Who does this jacket belong to?' is more common.
• 🗣 The Oxford comma is a controversial punctuation mark, and its usage varies between British and American English.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the video 'English with Lucy'?

The purpose of the video is to test and improve the viewer's English grammar skills by answering 10 grammar questions, each featuring a different English grammar rule.

How can viewers access the detailed explanations and interactive activities for practice mentioned in the video?

Viewers can download a free PDF by clicking the link in the description box, following the provided link, or scanning the QR code, which requires entering their name and email address to sign up for Lucy's mailing list.

What is the correct word to fill in the blank in the sentence 'Were Molly to resign, who'd replace her?'

The correct word is 'were', which is used in the inverted conditional structure to make the sentence more formal.

Why is the use of 'myself' incorrect in the sentence 'Tim or myself will lead the meeting today.'?

The use of 'myself' is incorrect because it is a reflexive pronoun used as the object when the subject and object refer to the same person. In this case, a subject pronoun 'I' should be used instead.

How can you join the two sentences 'He didn't only wear mismatched socks.' and 'He also forgot to brush his teeth.' using 'not only' and 'but'?

The correct way to join the sentences is 'Not only did he wear mismatched socks, but he also forgot to brush his teeth.', which involves inversion with a negative adverbial.

What is the difference in the use of 'is' and 'are' with the word 'crowd' in British and American English?

In British English, 'crowd' can be treated as either singular or plural, so both 'is' and 'are' can be used. In American English, 'crowd' is generally treated as singular, so 'is' would be more commonly used.

Why are both 'lay' and 'lie' correct in the given sentences in the video?

Both 'lay' and 'lie' are correct because 'lay' is used when putting something in a flat position with an object (e.g., 'lay the dress'), while 'lie' is used to describe being in a flat position without an object (e.g., 'lie in the hammock').

What is the correct way to complete the sentence 'It was _ historic day for the country.'?

Both 'a historic' and 'an historic' are correct, depending on the speaker's pronunciation and accent. 'A' is traditionally used before consonant sounds, but 'an' can be used if the 'h' is dropped in pronunciation.

Why are both 'To whom does this jacket belong?' and 'Who does this jacket belong to?' considered correct in the video?

While 'To whom does this jacket belong?' is more grammatically correct with the use of 'whom' after a preposition, 'Who does this jacket belong to?' is more common in modern spoken and written English due to its informality.

What does the word 'will' indicate in the sentence 'Our neighbour will play heavy metal all night long.'?

'Will' in this context indicates a habit, either a general habit or an annoying one when emphasized, and is not strictly referring to the future.

What is the correct punctuation for the sentence 'At the fair, I ate a toffee apple, brandy snap and candy floss.'?

Both versions are correct. The use of the comma before 'and' is known as the Oxford comma and its use depends on whether one follows American or British English conventions.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Welcome and Introduction to Grammar Quiz

Lucy welcomes students to the video, inviting them to test their grammar skills with 10 questions covering various English grammar rules. She challenges native speakers to take the quiz, hinting that non-native speakers might score better. She also promotes a free PDF that provides detailed explanations and interactive activities to accompany the video. Viewers can download this PDF by joining her mailing list, which also offers weekly PDFs, news, and updates. The first grammar question involves identifying the missing word 'were' in an inverted conditional sentence.

05:04

❓ Common Grammar Mistakes and Sentence Corrections

Lucy presents several grammar challenges, including correcting the misuse of 'myself' instead of 'I' and joining sentences using 'not only' and 'but also.' She emphasizes the importance of reflexive pronouns and inversion with negative adverbials. Lucy also discusses British versus American English usage, specifically with collective nouns like 'crowd' and the difference between 'lay' and 'lie.' The paragraph concludes with a mid-lesson check-in, encouraging viewers to reflect on their progress so far.

10:05

🤔 Nuances in English Usage and Punctuation

The final set of grammar questions delves into the nuances of English usage, such as choosing between 'a' or 'an' before 'historic' and the difference between 'whom' and 'who.' Lucy explains how 'will' can indicate habits and highlights the correct usage of the phrasal verb 'get over.' The segment also covers the controversial Oxford comma, its usage in British and American English, and ends with Lucy encouraging viewers to share their quiz scores. She promotes further learning through the free PDF and her advanced C1 programme, which offers comprehensive lessons and community support for mastering English.

Keywords

💡Inverted Conditional

An inverted conditional is a grammatical structure where the usual word order of 'if' conditional sentences is reversed. Instead of starting with 'if,' the sentence begins with 'were' plus the subject and 'to infinitive.' For example, 'Were Molly to resign, who'd replace her?' This structure is more formal and adds emphasis to the condition.

💡Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns, such as 'myself,' are used when the subject and the object of a sentence are the same person or thing. In the script, the sentence 'Tim or myself will lead the meeting today' is corrected to 'Tim or I will lead the meeting today,' highlighting the misuse of the reflexive pronoun when a subject pronoun is needed.

💡Negative Adverbial

A negative adverbial involves placing an adverbial phrase at the beginning of a sentence and inverting the subject and auxiliary verb. In the example 'Not only did he wear mismatched socks, but he also forgot to brush his teeth,' 'not only' is the negative adverbial that changes the sentence structure for emphasis.

💡Collective Nouns

Collective nouns refer to a group of individuals or things considered as one unit. In British English, collective nouns like 'crowd' can be treated as singular or plural, while in American English, they are usually singular. For instance, 'The crowd is getting restless' or 'The crowd are getting restless.'

💡Lay vs. Lie

The verbs 'lay' and 'lie' are often confused. 'Lay' means to place something down and requires a direct object, as in 'Please lay the dress on the bed.' 'Lie' means to recline or be in a flat position and does not take a direct object, as in 'I like to lie in the hammock.'

💡Oxford Comma

The Oxford comma is a controversial punctuation mark used before the conjunction 'and' in a list of three or more items. For example, 'I ate a toffee apple, brandy snap, and candy floss.' In British English, the Oxford comma is often omitted, whereas in American English, it is more commonly used.

💡Non-separable Phrasal Verb

Non-separable phrasal verbs cannot have an object inserted between the verb and its particle. An example from the script is 'get over' in 'It took me a long time to get over the flu,' where 'get over' means to recover from an illness.

💡Conditional Sentence

Conditional sentences express a condition and its possible outcome. The example 'Were Molly to resign, who'd replace her?' demonstrates a second conditional where the 'if' is removed, making it an inverted conditional for formal tone.

💡Pronunciation

Pronunciation affects word choice in English, such as using 'a' or 'an' before 'historic.' Depending on whether the 'h' sound is pronounced, one might say 'a historic day' or 'an historic day.' This choice can vary based on regional accents and personal speech patterns.

💡Whom vs. Who

In formal English, 'whom' is used as the object of a verb or preposition, while 'who' is used as the subject. For example, 'To whom does this jacket belong?' is more formal than 'Who does this jacket belong to?' However, the latter is more commonly used in modern English.

Highlights

Introduction to the 10 grammar questions challenge and the possibility that English learners might outperform native speakers.

Explanation of 'inverted conditionals' using the example 'Were Molly to resign, who'd replace her?'

Correction of a common mistake in using reflexive pronouns, with the example 'Tim or myself will lead the meeting today.' The correct form is 'Tim or I will lead the meeting today.'

Explanation of using 'not only' and 'but also' in sentence construction, demonstrated with the example 'Not only did he wear mismatched socks, but he also forgot to brush his teeth.'

Discussion on the use of collective nouns in British and American English, with both 'is' and 'are' being correct in the sentence 'The crowd is/are getting restless.'

Clarification on the correct use of 'lay' and 'lie' in sentences, with 'Lay' requiring an object and 'Lie' not requiring one.

Debate over the use of 'a' vs. 'an' before 'historic,' with both being acceptable depending on pronunciation and accent.

Comparison of formal and informal usage in English with the sentences 'To whom does this jacket belong?' and 'Who does this jacket belong to?' Both are correct but differ in formality.

Explanation of using 'will' to indicate habitual actions, as shown in the sentence 'Our neighbour will play heavy metal all night long.'

Clarification of non-separable phrasal verbs using the example 'It took me a long time to get over the flu.'

Discussion of the Oxford comma and its usage, particularly the difference between American and British English in listing items.

Encouragement for viewers to test their grammar skills and share their scores, with praise for those who answered all questions correctly.

Promotion of the PDF guide that accompanies the video, containing detailed explanations and interactive activities for grammar practice.

Mention of the Beautiful British English C1 Programme, emphasizing its focus on advanced English nuances, pronunciation, and fluency.

Highlight of the programme's features, including pronunciation lessons, interactive story-based learning, and access to a private course community.

Transcripts

Hello, lovely students, and welcome back to English with Lucy.

Do you think you're good at grammar?

We're going to find out today.

If you can answer these 10 grammar questions, each featuring a different

English grammar rule, your English is amazing.

And if you speak English as a first

language and you're watching this video thinking, 'I'll definitely get 10 out of

10', don't be so sure!

Some English learners might get a better

score than you.

Before we begin, I want to remind you

that as always, I've made a PDF to go with this video, and you can download it

for free.

I go into much more detail on the

explanation of each grammar point, and I've created some interactive activities

so that you can practise what you've learnt and memorise it for life.

If you would like to download the PDF, all you have to do is click the link in

the description box or follow this link here or scan that QR code—that's a new thing.

Then you enter your name and your email address, you sign up for my mailing list

and the PDF will arrive directly in your inbox.

After that, you've joined my free PDF club.

You'll automatically receive my weekly PDFs alongside my news, course updates

and offers.

It's a free service, and you can

unsubscribe at any time with just one click.

Okay, let's start with number one.

Which word is missing from this sentence?

'_ Molly to resign, who'd replace her?'

Have a little think, I'll give you five seconds.

The answer is 'were'.

'Were Molly to resign, who'd replace her?'

This is an inverted conditional.

In second conditional sentences, we can remove if and use the structure 'were' plus

subject plus 'to infinitive', and this makes the sentence more formal.

I really like the way inverted conditionals sound!

There are other ways to write this; I've included them in the PDF.

Okay, question two.

Where is the mistake in this sentence?

'Tim or myself will lead the meeting today.'

I'll give you five seconds.

The answer is 'myself'.

This is a very common mistake!

You will come across native speakers making this mistake.

My husband does it sometimes.

Can you imagine how embarrassing that is

for me?

I'm just kidding.

He could say 'would of' and 'could of' and I'd still love him.

The correct version would be—'Tim or I will lead the meeting today.'

Remember, we use reflexive pronouns like 'myself' as the object of a sentence when

the subject and the object refer to the same person or thing.

That's the key.

In our example sentence, we need a

subject pronoun—'I'. This is such a common mistake among English speakers that it

might even become correct in the future.

Let's look at question three.

Join these sentences together using the words 'not only' and 'but'.

Sentence one —'He didn't only wear mismatched socks.'

Sentence two—'He also forgot to brush his teeth.'

I'll give you five seconds.

The answer is—'Not only did he wear mismatched socks, but he also forgot to

brush his teeth.'

Did you get that?

That's an inversion with a negative adverbial.

We put the adverbial at the beginning and

switch the normal order of the subject and auxiliary verb.

Following 'not only' with  'but also' is very common.

More information on that in the PDF.

Here's question four.

Choose the correct verb to fill the gap.

'The crowd _ getting restless.'

Should it be 'is' or 'are'?

'The crowd is', 'the crowd are'.

I'll give you some thinking time.

The answer is both—in British English!

'Crowd' is a collective

noun, and collective nouns refer to a group of people or things as one.

In British English, we often treat collective nouns as singular or plural.

So, in our example sentence,  'is' and 'are' both work.

In American English, people generally

treat collective nouns as singular, so they would be more likely to use 'is' in

our sentence.

Okay, question five.

Choose 'lay' or 'lie' to complete the sentences.

Sentence one—

'Every evening, I like to _ in my hammock and look at the stars.'

Two—

'Please _ the dress on the bed.'

I'll give you five seconds.

The answers—

'Every evening, I like to lie in the hammock and look at the stars.'

'Please lay the dress on the bed.'

Did you get that one?

'Lay' and 'lie' are tricky for everyone, including me.

I have to think about it sometimes.

'Lay' means to put something in a flat

position, often gently.

It should be followed by an object, which,

in our example sentence, was 'the dress'.

'Lie' means to be in or get yourself into a

flat position.

It doesn't need an object.

Okay, we're halfway through the lesson.

How many of the questions have you got

right so far?

Is anyone sporting a five out of five?

Let's see what happens with question six.

How would you complete this sentence?

'It was _ historic day for the country.'

Is it 'a' or 'an'?

Okay, the answer, and some people are going to have something to say about this.

Both are fine.

Let me explain!

You've probably been taught the rule to use 'a' before consonant sounds and 'an'

before vowel sounds.

'Historic' starts with the consonant sound

'h', and yes, people usually say 'a historic', but quite a lot of people say

'an historic'.

You can choose which is easier for you to

say based on your own pronunciation, particularly if you have an accent that

tends to drop the 'h', 'an historic'.

Certain accents do drop the 'h' at the

beginning of words; then it would make a lot of sense to say 'an historic'.

In writing, I would go for 'a historic'.

Okay, let's look at question seven.

Which sentence is correct?

The first—'To whom does this jacket belong?'

Or the second—'Who does this jacket belong to?'

I'll give you five seconds.

Both are fine—again.

Sorry, I'm really playing with you here.

Technically, the first sentence is more correct.

When we have a preposition like 'to', we should use 'whom' in a relative clause, and

these words should go at the beginning of the clause, but this is very formal and

you won't hear it used very often in modern spoken English, or written English really.

It's much more common to say—'Who does this jacket belong to?'

All right, question eight.

Which word can you add to show that this

is a habit?

'Our neighbour _ play heavy metal all night long.'

This is a toughie.

Have five seconds.

The answer is 'will'.

'Our neighbour will play heavy metal all

night long.'

Yeah, 'will' doesn't just refer to the future.

We can use it to talk about habits, either a general habit, or if you

emphasise 'will', it can be an annoying habit.

'Our neighbour will play heavy metal all

night long.'

Okay, question nine.

Which sentence is correct?

Number one—'It took me a long time to get

the flu over.'

Or number two—'It took me a long time to get over the flu.'

Have your seconds.

The second sentence 'to get over' in the

sense of to recover from an illness is a non-separable phrasal verb, meaning you

can't put the object, 'the flu', between the verb and the particle, so you get

over something.

Okay, we're on to number 10, our final question.

Which of these sentences is punctuated correctly?

Look at the final comma.

Number one—'At the fair, I ate a toffee apple, brandy snap and candy floss.'

Or number two—'At the fair, I ate a toffee apple, brandy snap,

and candy floss.'

Have five seconds.

The answer is both.

Yep, both answers are correct again.

The comma after brandy snap is one of the most controversial punctuation marks in

English—the drama.

It's called the Oxford comma.

In American English, people often use a comma before the final 'and' in a list.

In British English, at least between short items, people usually don't.

You can choose whether you use the Oxford comma or not, just be consistent with it.

Okay, so how many of those grammar rules did you know?

Let me know your score out of 10 in the  

comments.  

If you answered all of those questions

correctly, well done, your English is truly amazing!

Don't forget that we go into loads more detail in the free PDF that goes with

this video.

You also get some interactive activities,

and if you're really interested in mastering the advanced level of English,

I really think you might like my Beautiful British English C1 Programme.

We go into so much depth in this programme.

We focus on the nuances and intricacies

of English to train you to speak beautifully, fluently.

It's a fantastic programme.

It features pronunciation lessons,

conversation lessons.

The listening and reading is delivered to

you in an interactive story.

You get access to our private course community.

You can contact my expert team of teachers.

Look at the amazing experiences that some

of my C1 programme graduates have had.

I'm incredibly proud of them.

They've done very well.

If you are interested in learning more,

visit englishwithlucy.com.

I will see you soon for another lesson.

Muah!