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.