B2 (Upper-Intermediate)

At B2 the passive goes beyond the basics. You learn passive reporting structures (used to distance yourself from a claim) and the passive with two objects. These are common in…

Beyond if, English has several conjunctions that introduce conditions with subtle differences in meaning: unless, as long as, provided/providing (that), on condition that, even if, whether or not, in case.

To express regrets, wishes and complaints, English uses past tenses with present or unreal meaning after wish, if only, it’s time, and would rather. The tense shifts “one step back”…

Mixed conditionals combine two different time frames in one sentence. They appear when the condition and the result belong to different times — most often a past condition with a…

Verbs of perception — see, hear, watch, feel, notice, listen to — follow special patterns at B2. What follows them (an infinitive without to, or an -ing form) changes the…

At B2 you speculate and deduce about both the present and the past, and you add expressions beyond modals. The degree of certainty — from sure to merely possible —…

At B2 you handle the finer distinctions between modal verbs of obligation, permission and prohibition — including the difference between external rules and personal opinion, and the tricky contrast between…

The future in the past describes something that was still in the future at a past moment — a plan, expectation, or prediction we had back then. It’s essential for…

Beyond will and going to, English has precise expressions for the near or scheduled future. At B2 these add nuance: how soon, how certain, or how officially planned something is.

English has many ways to talk about the future, and at B2 the skill is choosing the right one for the meaning. This lesson compares the main future forms and…