Keyword: know
Grammatical Overview
Know is a highly frequent stative verb in English, acting as a core structural driver for expressing familiarity, awareness, and certainty. Because it is a stative verb, it is rarely used in the continuous (-ing) aspect. It frequently governs nominal clauses, embedding information through that-clauses (I know that he is here) or wh-clauses (She knows where to go). Furthermore, it is essential for expressing learned abilities when combined with an infinitive phrase (He knows how to swim). Beyond its structural versatility, know forms the backbone of numerous conversational discourse markers (e.g., you know, as far as I know) that manage shared understanding and mitigate certainty between speakers.
🗺️ Pattern Map (Colligation & Grammar)
Pattern 1: know-that-clause (Factual Awareness)
- Structure:
know + (that) + Subject + Verb - Meaning: Used to express awareness, certainty, or possession of factual information. The word "that" is often omitted in spoken English.
- Examples:
- I know that you are tired.
- She knew he was lying to her.
Pattern 2: know-how-to-verb (Learned Ability)
- Structure:
know + how + to + Base Verb - Meaning: Indicates that a person possesses the skill, knowledge, or learned ability to perform a specific action.
- Examples:
- Do you know how to change a tire?
- He doesn't know how to cook.
Pattern 3: know-wh-clause (Embedded Information)
- Structure:
know + wh-word + Subject + Verb - Meaning: Embeds a question into a statement, indicating possession (or lack) of specific information regarding time, place, reason, or identity.
- Examples:
- I don't know where they went.
- Does anyone know why the meeting was canceled?
Pattern 4: know-noun (Familiarity / Experience)
- Structure:
know + Noun Phrase (Person/Place/Thing) - Meaning: Used to state familiarity or personal experience with a person, place, or specific subject matter.
- Examples:
- I know the manager very well.
- She knows a lot about European history.
🧩 Key Lexical Chunks (Collocations & Idioms)
Spoken & Written Formulaic Units
- you-know: An extremely common conversational filler used to check for shared understanding or create solidarity with the listener.
- as-far-as-i-know: A phrase used to state what you believe to be true while acknowledging that your information might be incomplete.
- who-knows: A rhetorical question indicating that nobody possesses the answer or that predicting the future is impossible.
- know-what-i-mean: An informal phrase added to the end of a sentence to seek agreement or check if the listener understands the speaker's point.
🎴 Interactive Web Practice (10 Questions)
Practice 1: Do you ______ how to speak French?
Answer:
know
Practice 2: I know ______ she is a very hard worker.
Answer:
that
Practice 3: Nobody knows ______ the train will arrive.
Answer:
when
Practice 4: It's been a long day, you ______?
Answer:
know
Practice 5: As far as I ______, the office is closed tomorrow.
Answer:
know
Practice 6: Will it rain on our wedding day? Who ______!
Answer:
knows
Practice 7: It's just frustrating, you know ______ I mean?
Answer:
what
Practice 8: I don't really ______ my neighbors very well.
Answer:
know
Practice 9: He didn't know ______ to fix the broken pipe.
Answer:
how
Practice 10: We all ______ that it was going to be difficult.
Answer:
knew
🔗 Related Patterns & Chunks
- 🗺️ Pattern: know-that-clause — Factual Awareness
- 🗺️ Pattern: know-how-to-verb — Learned Ability
- 🗺️ Pattern: know-wh-clause — Embedded Information
- 🗺️ Pattern: know-noun — Familiarity / Experience
- 🧩 Chunk: you-know — Conversational filler / solidarity
- 🧩 Chunk: as-far-as-i-know — Limited certainty
- 🧩 Chunk: who-knows — Impossibility of knowing
- 🧩 Chunk: know-what-i-mean — Checking understanding