When you reach an advanced level in English, it can be difficult to practice some of the more complicated grammar topics in regular conversation. Please use these questions to speak in English class and practice using some of these useful but more difficult advanced grammar topics.

If you want to skip to a certain grammar topic, try clicking one of the following.

1. Advanced Modal Verbs and Levels of Certainty

2. Difficult Subject-Verb Agreement

3. Phrasal verbs with multiple meanings

4. Advanced Relative Clauses

5. Shall for Long-Term Intention 

6. Advanced Passives

7. Advanced Future

8. Formal and Informal Ways of Comparing

9. “It” Verb Patterns

10. Reflexive pronouns

Advanced Modal Verbs and Levels of Certainty

1. If your best friend is not picking up the phone, what’s the first thing that comes to mind that might have happened?

2. What might your mother, father, or significant other be doing right now?

3. What could you be doing right now instead of answering English questions?

4. If you discover that a friend sent a package, but it never arrived, what do you think could have happened and what could you do about it?

5. What could have been difficult about your grandparents’ life? Why?

6. What is something that can’t have happened while you were sleeping last night, and how do you know?

7. If you think your friend might not be coming to dinner when they said they would, what do you think could have happened to make him or her change his or her mind?

8. Your upstairs neighbors are stomping around at 3am. What must be happening? Why?

9. You notice that there is a road closed in your town and the government is putting up decorations. What must be happening soon? Why?

10. What do you think you could be doing in ten years’ time? Why?

Difficult Subject-Verb Agreement

(The tricky subject and verb are marked in bold.)

1. If there are three places you love most, what are they?

2. If there was a choice between more money or more time, what would you choose and why?

3. Are the staff at your (or your family member’s) work nice? Why or why not?

4. Would you say the staff in your (or your family member’s) office is hard-working or fun-loving? Why?

5. Would you agree that friendly management and a positive work atmosphere are the most important aspects of accepting a new job? Why or why not?

6. Finish this sentence and explain your answer. If my mom/dad/friend/etc. were the president, he/she would… because…

7. Some people say that 3 months is enough to learn a language. Do you agree? Why or why not? How much time is enough to learn a new language?

8. Do you believe that spending time in front of the computer has a positive or negative affect on your life? Why?

9. Group members who are friends work better together than group members who’ve just met. Do you agree?

10. Would you agree that a focus on taking speaking classes is more important than self-study when learning a new language? Why or why not?

Phrasal verbs with multiple meanings

1. Have you ever cut off the legs of a pair of pants? And did you or someone you know wear those cut-offs? Would you do it (again)? Why or why not? (to remove something; an article of clothing that has had a piece removed)

2. Have you ever gotten cut off while drinking? Did you cut yourself off? Or did someone else cut you off? (to stop or be stopped from doing something, typically drinking alcohol)

3. Do you know anyone who constantly cuts you off while speaking? What do you do in that situation and how do you feel? (to interrupt)

4. Is your phone service good or do you often get cut off? What do you think the best cell phone and service is? Why? (to have a phone call disconnect)

5. When’s the last time you went out? What did you do? (to go out of the house and do something fun)

6. Where do people in your area typically go out on dates? Do you like this location? Or are there better places to go out in your city? (to go on a romantic date)

7. When was the last time the lights went out where you live? What usually causes electricity outages in your area? (for a light or fire to shut off)

8. What’s an article of clothing that has gone out of fashion? Why? Would you wear this item? Why or why not? (to stop being fashionable)

9. When people are passing out flyers on the street, do you take them or not? Why or why not? (to give something to multiple people)

10. Have you ever passed out? What happened? (to faint)

Advanced Relative Clauses

1. What’s an upcoming event which you’re really looking forward to? Why?

2. What’s a piece of news which has really annoyed people recently? Why?

3. Who are two people both of whom you’d want by your side during a stressful situation? Why? What could those people do?

4. You have three projects at work, all of which are due on the same day, and you think you can’t complete them all. What would you do?

5. Where is the best view in your city from which you can also see the sunset? Why is that a good viewpoint?

6. Have you ever made a surprising statement on which everyone in your family can agree? What was it? Why did you all agree?

7. Who is a famous person who you’d most like to meet? Why?

8. Who are you friends with whose family you’d also consider close friends? Why are you so close with them?

9. Do you know the person to whom you’d most like to write a letter? Why would you like to write them a letter?

10. What is it (that) you want to do tonight? Why?

Shall for Long-Term Intention 

*Note: This grammar sounds formal and more dramatic than using will.

1. What is a quote you shall never forget? Why?

2. What is a special day you shall always remember? Why?

3. Where is a place you shall never return? Why?

4. What’s something you shall continue to do for the rest of your life? Why?

5. What’s a promise you shall always keep? Why?

Advanced Passives

1. What work was most recently done to your house/apartment? Are you happy with the outcome?

2. What can be made and sold cheaply and easily? Do you think this product is a good business investment? Why or why not?

3. What should be built to improve your city? Why?

4. Should anything be done about social media addiction? Why or why not?

5. What’s a piece of news that is reported on a lot? Why do you think it’s reported on so often?

6. What will have changed in your neighborhood in 5 years time? Why?

7. Is there anything that happened today that was to be expected? If yes, what was it?

8. Do you think noise reports should be reported to the police? Why or why not?

9. What is something that your government has been talking about, but has not yet been confirmed? Would you like for this change to be enacted? Why or why not?

10. What objects are used daily in your household? Why?

Advanced Future

1. What is your family going to be doing this weekend?

2. What will you have done by noon tomorrow?

3. How long will you have been studying English today by the time you finish answering this question?

4. Will you still be studying English in an hour? Why or why not?

5. What are you doing as soon as you finish studying today? Why?

6. What will probably be happening at your friend’s house tomorrow?

7. Do you think people will be living on Mars in the future? Why or why not?

8. By the time you’re twice the age you are now, what will you have done? Why do you want to do those things?

9. Have you ever said you were going to do something, and then did it? How did you feel when you accomplished your goal?

10. Have you ever known that someone was going to say something before they said it? Is there anyone in your life where this often happens? Who is it? Why?

Formal and Informal Ways of Comparing

1. What sport is loads more interesting than race walking? Why? (informal)

2. What’s not anywhere near as fun as watching Netflix? Why? (informal)

3. Which dish is decidedly better than sushi? Why? (formal)

4. What activity is only marginally better than watching paint dry? Why? (formal)

5. Despite studying English, is there another language you wish you were studying? Why?  

6. Whereas everyone knows about Titanic, what lesser-known movie is as good as any famous blockbuster?

7. What is something that is not at all as hard as it seems? Why?

8. Are there any hobbies that the more you did it, the less you liked it? If yes, why?

9. Is there any technology that you are increasingly excited about? If yes, what is it?

10. Do you believe the more the merrier? Why or why not?

“It” Verb Patterns

1. How long does it take you to cook dinner? Why? (It + take + pronoun + length of time + infinitive)

2. How many hours does it usually take for you to finish reading a book? Why? (It + take + pronoun + length of time + infinitive)

3. Was there ever a situation where it was smart of you to trust a stranger? Why? (It + be + adjective + of + noun + infinitive)

4. Do you think it’s careless of people to leave their dogs in their car or is it ok? Why? (It + be + adjective + of + noun + infinitive)

5. Is it often that you forget to do the dishes? Why or why not? (It + be + adjective + that…)

6. Is it strange to you that some people should never travel outside their country? Why or why not? (It + be + adjective + that…)

7. Is it possible that you’ll go to the Antarctic someday? Why or why not? (It + be + adjective + that…)

8. Is there anyone in your life where it’s no use arguing with them? Who are they? Why is it no use arguing? (It + be + adjective + gerund)

9. Is it worth worrying about the future? Why or why not? (It + be + adjective + gerund)

10. Is it easy to buy fresh food where you live? Why or why not? (It + be + adjective + infinitive)

11. Is it smart to limit children’s screen times? Why or why not? (It + be + adjective + infinitive)

Reflexive pronouns

1. What is one of the first things a toddler should learn to do by themselves? Why?

2. Is there anything difficult that teenagers should learn to do by themselves? What is it? Why?

3. Have you ever taught yourself how to do something complicated? How did you teach yourself?

4. Do you prefer to wash your car by yourself or have it done? Why?

5. What is a hobby that is better to do by yourself? Why?

6. If a child walked by himself to the grocery store in your country, would that be a good idea? Why or why not?

7. Have you ever bought a present for yourself? If yes, what was it?

8. Do you think history often repeats itself? Why or why not?

9. In what situations in life have you really had to apply yourself? Why?

10. Do you think it is easy to find oneself? Why or why not?

I hope those advanced topics helped stimulate some conversation

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