Upper-Intermediate English Lessons
Achieve professional fluency. Master advanced structures like the passive voice, conditional sentences, and subtle stylistic devices for natural expression.
1. Advanced Conditionals: Mixed & Inverted Structures
Explore hypothetical scenarios that bridge the past and present, plus formal stylistic inversions.
Mixed Conditionals
Past Cause → Present ResultUsed when a past action or state affects the present situation.
Formula: If + Past Perfect, Would + Base Verb
Example: If I had studied harder, I would have a better job now.
Inverted Conditionals
Formal / Literary StyleDropping "if" by placing auxiliary verbs (Had, Were, Should) at the beginning.
Standard: If I had known, I would have helped.
Inverted: Had I known, I would have helped.
2. The Passive Voice & Causatives
Focus on actions where the receiver is more important than the doer, and learn how to use "have something done".
| Structure | Purpose / Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Passive Voice (All Tenses) | Object becomes subject; used in formal writing or when the agent is unknown. | "The software was updated yesterday." |
| Causative (Have/Get Something Done) | When you arrange for someone else to perform a service for you. | "I had my laptop repaired last week." |
| Reporting Passives | It is said that / He is known to... (Common in journalism and academic texts). | "It is believed that the market will rise." |
3. Advanced Phrasal Verbs & Expressions
Master separable and inseparable multi-word verbs used by native speakers in professional contexts.
Draw up: To write a legal document or plan.
Carry out: To execute a task or research.
Set up: To establish a business or system.
Iron out: To resolve minor issues or conflicts.
Back up: To support or make a data copy.
Figure out: To understand or solve a problem.
Point out: To draw attention to a fact.
Turn out: To develop in a specific way.
Wind up: To finish or end up somewhere.
Ready to test your B2 Upper-Intermediate skills?
Take our interactive upper-intermediate test to evaluate your command of advanced grammar, conditionals, and passive structures.