This is a grammar explanation from the 2nd unit of the Cambridge English Empower C1 textbook.

1. C1 Course
Unit 2: Grammar
Instructor: Faridoon T.S.
Hussainzada

2. Contents
• Comparison
• Intentions and arrangements

3. Comparison
Section 1

4. Comparison
Comparisons with than
The following words/phrases talk about a big difference:
A good/great deal, a lot, considerably, infinitely…
// There is a great deal more sugar here than in your house.

5. Comparison
Words/phrases for small difference:
A bit, a little bit, barely, fractionally, marginally, slightly …
// Taylor is fractionally taller than me.

6. Comparison
Words/phrases for no difference:
No, not any
// She is no taller than what you expected.

7. Comparison
Comparisons with as…as
Words/phrases for a big difference:
Not nearly, nothing like, nowhere near…
// He was not nearly as handsome as his profile picture.

8. Comparison
Words/phrases for small difference:
Almost, nearly, not quite…
// The King of England is almost as old as the US
president.

9. Comparison
Words/phrases for no difference:
Equally, just…
// He is just as good looking as his brother.

10. Comparison
We can delete/remove the than or the 2nd as from the sentences if
they’re obvious.
// There are just as many people who love computer science (as
there are people who want to study psychology).

11. Comparative patterns
Double comparatives with adjectives and adverbs to say that sth or sb is
changing.
// The world is getting hotter and hotter.
Or
Babies tend to become more and more gorgeous as the time goes on. (NOT
more goregous and more gorgeous.)

12. Comparative patterns
We use the … the … with comparatives or more/less to say that
things change because they depend on each other.
// The more you stay quiet, the better it is going to be for your
friends.
The richer you get, the less time you’d have with your loved ones.

13. So/such
We use these 2 structures to describe a very high level.
So + adj./adv. + (that) + …
// He is so tall that his friends stand on a ladder just to see him.
Such + (a(n)) + (adj.) + noun (singular) + (that) …
// If she is such a bad student, then why have you allowed her in your class?

14. Not enough/sufficiently/too
We use too/(not) enough to compare things with a standard.
// Qudos is not tall enough to become a model. (The standard is at least 6 ft.)
Note: Sufficiently has the same meaning as enough but is more formal.

15. Superlative patterns
We use superlatives to highlight something exceptional. To limit the
range of superlatives, we use relative clauses or adverbs.
// She is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen.
We can also use adverbs to modify the strength of a superlative.
// The USA is nearly the biggest country in the world.

16. Write a
sentence for
each of the
pictures.

17. Homework
Grammar Focus 2A: exercise b on page 140 (Student’s book)

18. Intentions and
arrangements
Section 2

19. Going to vs. present continuous
We use both – going to and present continuous – for future actions and events
that are already decided or arranged. We CANNOT use the present continuous
for things that are impossible to arrange and control.
// I’m watching THE NUN II with my friend in the cinema tomorrow night.
OR
I’m going to watch THE NUN II with my friend in the cinema tomorrow night.

20. Going to vs. present continuous
We cannot use the present continuous for the following things:
1. Permanent states
2. Indefinite and long-term plans
// James is going to be a movie actor. (NOT is being a movie
actor.)

21. Going to vs. present continuous
These continuous phrases can be used to talk about future plans:
1. Be + planning to + infinitive
// Taylor is planning to write a song.
2. Be + aiming to + infinitive
// Hector is aiming to become a doctor in the future.
3. Be + thinking of + gerund (v-ing)
// She is thinking of telling him soon.

22. Future simple and continuous
We use the future simple, will + infinitive, for spontaneous
decisions (made at the time of speaking).
// Don’t worry. I’ll come to your house, and we’ll do the homework
together.

23. Future simple and continuous
We can use the future continuous, will + be + verb + -ing, to talk
about plans that are not specially arranged. We can also use
could/may/might/going to + be + verb + -ing.
// I’ll be seeing him at the class. I’ll then pay my respects.

24. Future simple and continuous
We can also use the future continuous to say that an action will be
in progress in the future.
// Ed will be traveling to Europe.

25. Future simple and continuous
Compare going to and present continuous with the future continuous:
// Are you going to watch / Are you watching a movie this Friday? (A future plan)
// Will you be watching a movie this Friday? (A normal habit; regular activity)

26. Present simple
We use the present simple for scheduled activities and events:
// The match starts at 10:00 AM.

27. Expressions with be
We use be + to + infinitive in formal language for arrangements:
// The Canadian prime minister is to visit the king of England.

28. Expressions with be
We use be about to + infinitive to say that sth will happen very
soon.
// John Cena is about to reach London. Get the room ready for him.

29. Expressions with be
We use be + not about to + infinitive to emphasize negative
intentions.
// I didn’t drink a drop of alcohol all my life. I am not about to start
now.

30. Expressions with be
We use be due to + infinitive to say that sth is expected/owed very soon
(often at a certain time).
// Putin is due to meet with the UN leaders as soon as he sets foot in Paris.

31. Choose the
best option.

32. Homework
Grammar focus 2B: exercises b and c on page 141 (student’s book)

33. Thank you
Any questions?