Grammar serves the message — not the other way round
It is tempting to think that "advanced" automatically means "better". It doesn't. A sentence packed with inversion, nominalisation and a participle clause all at once is usually harder to read than a plain one — and in an exam, unnatural or forced grammar loses marks rather than gaining them. Every structure on this page exists to do a specific job: to emphasise a point, to connect two ideas efficiently, to sound appropriately formal, or to signal caution about a claim. As you work through the page, keep asking yourself one question: does this structure make my sentence clearer and more effective, or just longer?
The three questions to ask before using an advanced structure
Eleven structures for more precise writing
Each structure below is shown with its form, function, the context where it belongs, a neutral sentence, an improved version, and a mistake to avoid.
Basic vs. Advanced
The same idea, written plainly and then rewritten with a deliberate, functional structure.
Flashcards
Tap or click a card (or press Enter/Space when focused) to reveal the explanation, the advanced variant and an example.
Gap-fill: complete the structure
Each sentence needs a specific word or short phrase to complete an advanced structure — inversion, a cleft sentence, a participle clause, hedging language, or a nominalisation. Several correct spellings/phrasings are accepted.
Test yourself
Eight questions on form and on stylistic appropriateness. A short explanation follows every answer.
Result
Choose a station
Station A — Choose the most appropriate formulation
For each writing context, click the sentence that fits best.
Station B — Transform a basic sentence
Rewrite each sentence using the structure named. Then check your answer — near-equivalent phrasings are accepted.
Station C — Identify advanced structures in context
Read the short text, then say which structure each underlined part uses.
Station D — Improve a short exam paragraph
Rewrite the paragraph below so it reads more precisely and confidently — without making it sound unnatural. Then compare with a sample improvement.
Upgrade a Comment paragraph
The paragraph below is grammatically correct but stylistically flat — typical of a solid B1/B2 essay that has not yet reached its full potential. Rewrite it so it would convince a C1-level examiner. Use at least three of the structures from this page, and only where they genuinely add something.