London Marathon sets record after 1.8% of UK adult population applies for 2027 race
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EN: The Present Perfect Tense (have/has + past participle) is used here to describe an action that happened at an unspecified time in the past and has a result in the present, or to report recent news.
The athlete has broken the world record three times this year.
EN: The conjunction 'after' introduces a subordinate clause that indicates the sequence of events. In this sentence, the announcement happened, leading to the recognition of the broken record.
The team celebrated after they won the championship.
EN: The London Marathon is one of the six World Marathon Majors. It is famous not only for elite competition but also as a massive fundraising event where many participants run in fancy dress for charity.
EN: The Present Perfect Tense (has/have + past participle) is used here to describe an action that happened at an unspecified time in the past and has a result or relevance to the present situation.
She has already finished her application for the competition.
EN: Noun Clauses starting with 'that' function as the object of the verb 'means'. It introduces a statement that explains the implication of the previous sentence.
The report shows that more people are interested in health.
EN: The London Marathon is one of the 'World Marathon Majors'. Due to its immense popularity, entry is primarily decided by a 'ballot' (a random draw), making it very difficult for the average person to secure a spot, as reflected in the 1.8% statistic of the entire UK adult population applying.
EN: Non-defining relative clauses: Using ', which' to provide extra information about the entire preceding clause or the noun immediately before it.
The team won the championship, which surprised everyone.
EN: The past simple tense: Used here to describe a completed action in the past (reaching a specific number).
The temperature reached 40 degrees yesterday.
EN: The London Marathon is one of the six World Marathon Majors. Its popularity is so high that entry is primarily determined by a 'ballot' (a random draw), making it extremely difficult to secure a spot.
EN: Present Perfect Tense (have + past participle): Used to describe an action that started in the past and continues to the present, or has relevance to the present moment.
The number of runners has increased since 2020.
EN: Adverb Placement: Adverbs like 'quickly' often follow the verb they modify to describe the manner of the action.
She ran quickly to the finish line.
EN: The London Marathon is one of the 'World Marathon Majors'. Its increasing popularity reflects a global trend where mass-participation sporting events are becoming significant cultural and charitable milestones, not just athletic competitions.
EN: The past simple tense is used here to describe a completed action at a specific time in the past ('Last year'). The regular verb 'apply' changes to 'applied' by changing the 'y' to 'i' and adding 'ed'.
She applied for a new job yesterday.
EN: The preposition 'for' is used after the verb 'apply' to indicate the object or goal of the application (e.g., a job, a race, or a position).
Many students applied for the scholarship.
EN: The London Marathon is one of the most prestigious long-distance running events in the world. Due to its extreme popularity, most participants must enter a 'ballot' (a random draw) to get a spot, as the number of applicants far exceeds the race's capacity.
EN: The Present Perfect Tense (have/has + past participle) is used here to describe an action that happened in the past and has a direct result or relevance to the present moment.
The price of tickets has increased recently.
EN: The preposition 'by' is used to indicate the amount or degree of change when talking about increases or decreases.
The temperature dropped by ten degrees.
EN: The London Marathon is one of the 'World Marathon Majors'. The massive increase in applications reflects a global post-pandemic surge in health consciousness and the popularity of mass-participation sporting events.
EN: The phrase 'Compared to' is used to introduce a comparison between two things or situations. It often functions as a prepositional phrase at the beginning of a sentence.
Compared to last month, sales have improved significantly.
EN: The Present Perfect Tense (has/have + past participle) is used here to describe an action that happened in the past and has a result or relevance in the present.
The population of the city has grown since 2010.
EN: The London Marathon is one of the most prestigious running events globally. The massive surge in applications reflects a post-pandemic global trend where health and outdoor activities have seen unprecedented participation levels.
EN: The Present Perfect Tense (has/have + past participle) is used here to describe an action or state that started in the past and continues to be relevant or true in the present.
The city has changed a lot over the last ten years.
EN: The word 'that' functions as a conjunction to introduce a noun clause, which serves as the direct object of the verb 'show'.
Research shows that exercise improves mental health.
EN: The phrase 'across the world' highlights the global nature of the running boom. Major marathons like the London Marathon have transitioned from elite sporting events to mass-participation festivals that attract people from all walks of life.
EN: Appositives are nouns or noun phrases that follow another noun to provide more information or identify it. In this sentence, 'the CEO of the London Marathon' explains who Hugh Brasher is.
Mr. Smith, my English teacher, is very kind.
EN: The Past Simple tense is used to describe completed actions in the past. The verb 'welcomed' is the regular past form of 'welcome', indicating the action happened when the figures were announced.
The team celebrated the victory yesterday.
EN: The London Marathon is one of the six World Marathon Majors. The CEO, Hugh Brasher, is the son of Chris Brasher, who co-founded the event in 1981. The massive number of applicants reflects the event's status as a major global sporting and charity event.
EN: The Noun Clause with 'that': This structure acts as the object of the verb 'said'. It allows the speaker to report a statement or fact. 'That' is a conjunction that introduces the subordinate clause.
She said that the weather would be sunny tomorrow.
EN: The 'Make + Object + Complement' structure: Here, 'makes' is followed by an object ('London') and an object complement ('the most popular marathon...'). This structure describes the result or status of the object caused by the subject.
Hard work makes him a successful person.
EN: The London Marathon is one of the 'World Marathon Majors'. Its popularity is reflected in the 'ballot' system, where hundreds of thousands apply for a very limited number of spots, making it a highly prestigious event to participate in.
EN: The phrase 'come close to' is an idiomatic expression meaning to be almost as good, large, or important as something else. It is often used in negative sentences to emphasize that something is unique or superior.
No other smartphone comes close to this model in terms of camera quality.
EN: The word 'that' functions here as a conjunction introducing a noun clause (reported speech). It connects the reporting verb 'added' to the information being added.
She added that the meeting would start at ten o'clock.
EN: In the context of major sporting events like the London Marathon, 'numbers' often refers to registration or participation statistics. The phrase 'nothing else comes close' reflects the immense global prestige and scale of the London Marathon compared to other world-class races.
EN: The phrase 'According to' is a prepositional phrase used to indicate the source of information or an opinion.
According to the weather forecast, it will rain tomorrow.
EN: The structure 'inspire [someone] to [verb]' is used to describe the act of giving someone the desire or confidence to do something.
The teacher inspired her students to read more books.
EN: The London Marathon is famous for its inclusivity, encouraging not just elite athletes but also 'fun runners' of all backgrounds and physical abilities to participate, often for charitable causes.
EN: The use of 'that' as a conjunction to introduce a noun clause. In this sentence, 'that' introduces the specific information being reported by the team.
The teacher said that the exam was easy.
EN: The adverb 'alone' used for emphasis. When placed after a noun or noun phrase, it means 'only' and emphasizes that the specific thing mentioned is sufficient to produce a result or reach a total.
The rent alone costs one thousand dollars a month.
EN: The London Marathon is one of the most prestigious running events globally. The fact that over one million people applied from the UK alone reflects the deep-rooted running culture in the country and the event's status as a national institution.
EN: The structure 'This is the first time (that)...' is used to describe a unique or record-breaking occurrence. It is commonly followed by the present perfect tense (have/has + past participle) to emphasize the completion of the action up to the present moment.
This is the first time that I have visited London.
EN: The present perfect tense 'have passed' indicates an action that happened at an unspecified time in the past but has relevance or results in the present.
The company has passed its annual sales target.
EN: The 'one million mark' is a significant milestone in large-scale events. In the context of the London Marathon, reaching this number of applicants from the UK alone highlights the immense popularity of running as a sport in British culture and the prestige of this specific event.
EN: Passive Voice (be + past participle): Used when the action is more important than the person performing it. In this sentence, 'were received' focuses on the applications arriving.
The results were announced by the committee yesterday.
EN: The adjective 'additional': Used to describe an extra amount or quantity that is added to something already mentioned.
We need additional information before making a decision.
EN: The London Marathon is one of the six World Marathon Majors. Its massive global appeal is reflected in the fact that it receives applications from nearly every country, making it a truly international sporting event.
EN: The relative pronoun 'which' can be used to introduce a non-defining relative clause that refers back to the entire preceding clause, rather than just the noun before it.
He passed the exam with high marks, which surprised everyone.
EN: The verb 'appeal' is often followed by the preposition 'to' to indicate who or what finds something attractive or interesting.
The new design appeals to younger customers.
EN: The London Marathon is known for its inclusivity. The fact that participation is nearly equal between genders reflects a broader trend in global sports where female participation in long-distance running has surged over the last few decades.
EN: The past participle 'aged' is used here as a reduced relative clause (short for 'who were aged') to function as an adjective modifying the noun 'women'. It specifies the age range of the group.
The program is designed for children aged 5 to 10.
EN: Sentence adverbs like 'Interestingly' are used at the beginning of a sentence to express the speaker's attitude or comment on the entire statement that follows.
Fortunately, no one was hurt in the accident.
EN: The high interest among young women (aged 20-29) in the London Marathon reflects a global trend where running is increasingly seen as a social and wellness activity rather than just a competitive sport. This demographic shift has influenced how major marathons are marketed and organized.
EN: The phrase 'More than' is used as a quantifier to indicate a quantity that exceeds a specific number. It functions as a modifier for the noun phrase that follows.
More than 500 students attended the seminar.
EN: The past simple tense 'applied' is used here to describe a completed action in the past. When followed by the preposition 'for', it indicates the object of the application (the marathon).
She applied for a new job last week.
EN: The London Marathon is famous for its 'ballot' system, where hundreds of thousands apply for a limited number of spots. The high number of young female applicants reflects a global trend in the increasing participation of women in long-distance running, which was historically male-dominated.
EN: The Present Simple tense is used here to state a fact or a current situation. The verb 'reflects' takes an '-s' because the subject 'This trend' is third-person singular.
The data shows a similar pattern in other sports.
EN: Gerunds as Objects: 'Running' is a gerund (verb + -ing) acting as a noun. It functions as the object of the preposition 'of' within the noun phrase 'popularity of running'.
She enjoys swimming in the ocean.
EN: The sentence highlights a shift in marathon demographics. Historically, marathons were dominated by older, experienced runners, but events like the London Marathon are seeing a massive surge in interest from Gen Z and Millennials, often driven by social media 'run clubs'.
EN: Passive Voice (will be + past participle): This structure is used when the action is more important than who is performing it. In formal contexts like news or official announcements, it focuses on the results or the process.
The winners will be contacted by email next week.
EN: Preposition 'by' for deadlines: 'By' is used to indicate a deadline or a point in time before which something must happen. It means 'no later than'.
Please submit your application by Friday.
EN: The 'ballot' system is a common way for major world marathons (like London, Tokyo, or Berlin) to handle extreme demand. Because the number of applicants far exceeds the course capacity, a random lottery is used to ensure fairness, though the odds of winning are often very low.
EN: The phrase 'be likely to' is used to express probability or the chance that something will happen. It is followed by the base form of a verb.
It is likely to rain this afternoon, so take an umbrella.
EN: The conjunction 'because' is used to introduce a subordinate clause that explains the reason for the action or state in the main clause.
She stayed home because she was feeling unwell.
EN: The London Marathon uses a 'ballot' system because the number of applicants far exceeds the available spots. This random draw is a common way for major world marathons to ensure fairness among thousands of global hopefuls.
Key vocabulary words with IPA pronunciation, definitions, example sentences, and interactive quizzes.
Phrases with type tags, bilingual definitions, usage notes, and example sentences.
To do something better, faster, or more than has ever been done before.
To be almost as good, large, or important as something else.
The outcome of a process where winners are chosen by chance or voting.
A method of choosing someone or something where everyone has an equal chance, often by picking names out of a container or using a computer.