Advanced Language

Pattern Mastery
Flash Cards Vol I

Matt Caulfield
 © 2010 Matt Caulfield

This entire document is copyright to Matt Caulfield. The right to sell it as a

book or ebook is strictly reserved.
Introduction

When I completed my Master Practitioner training in 2001 I developed a set of

flash cards (just written on index cards to begin with) and a series of exercises
and games to play to practice and get good at the advanced language
patterns I had learned.

When I started teaching NLP in 2003 people continually asked me about the
cards and how to use them, so I got a limited number printed and gave them
out as part of the training literature, or sold them (for £19.99 a set). If you
have a set of these cards, keep hold of them, they are very rare; I don’t even
have a set any more!

I recently came across the original pdf designs for the cards, so (after
updating them and tarting them up a bit) I have released them for your benefit
as a pdf download.

To use these cards, print them out onto card (or print them on paper and stick
them to card), I have included a handy card back for you to use on them if you
wish! If you really want to you could even laminate them...

The secret is to use them every day, even if it is just one card for 5 minutes. If
you do that you will be surprised how quickly you master these patterns.

The great thing with having them as a pdf, rather than a hard copy, is if you
lose a card or your set becomes a bit tatty, you can just print out a new one!

I hope enjoy them and find them useful,

Matt Caulfield
A Refresher on Basic Grammar

When I start teaching language patterns on my trainings I always run through

some basic grammar before I begin. If you are unsure of basic grammar, you
are going to struggle to get your head round these advanced patterns (and
very few people have thought about grammar since their school daze).

So, here we go:

Verb: a word to express the idea of action, happening or being (a

“doing” word).

Noun: refers to a person, place or thing (a “naming” word).

Pronoun: “she”, “he”, “it”, etc, to replace a noun.

Adverb: adds information to a verb: running fast.

Adjective: adds information to a noun or pronoun: Dave is happy.

Predicate: (grammar) the part of the sentence in which something is said

about the subject: Dave (subject) went home (predicate).
Tips for Learning These Advanced Patterns

1. The labels are only a guide. You will probably have noticed that some
of the examples on the cards contain more patterns than the one it is
being used to illustrate. This because language is complex and
patterns rarely occur independently. Don’t get stuck just trying to
pigeonhole every statement you hear into one or more category. It is
unnecessary.

2. You don’t need to learn the labels. They are the least important part of
these cards. It is more important to be able to recognise, generate and
know what to do with the patterns.

3. When generating the sample sentences, think of simple aim you want
to achieve, for example, you may want to put someone into a trance or
sell something.

4. Set a goal, develop a plan and stick to it!

5. Start slowly (otherwise you may overwhelm yourself), just pick one
card a day to begin with and listen out for, and generate, that pattern.

6. Have FUN! Enjoying what you are doing will make you learn much
faster.

7. It must sound like naturally spoken, “normal”, language. If it sounds like

hypnotic mumbo jumbo, it will not be as effective.

8. Practice good tonality (for more information see “Developing You

Dynamic Voice” audio programme at www.mattcaulfield.co.uk).
Suggested Beginner Exercises

1. Get a notebook and generate examples of each of the language

patterns.

2. Draw three cards at and random and construct a paragraph with the 3
language patterns in it.

3. Draw a card (or more if you want to) a day and use that as the “pattern
of the day”, make the effort to get it into everything you say and listen
out for it (make notes of particularly interesting variations of it).

4. If you hear a meta model pattern REMEMBER you do not need to

challenge it. However, it is good practice to think of a way it could be
challenged.

For many more suggestions on how to practice language pattern drills

please see the “NLP Exercise Manual” at www.mattcaulfield.co.uk
 MIND READING CAUSE/EFFECT COMPLEX
EQUIVALENCE
claim to knowledge (of will, will make, cause,
your own or other requires making two different
persons internal experiences have the
experience) same meaning (X=Y)
“Eating that chicken will
“I know you think that...” make me sick” “He doesn’t love me, he
“I am sure your must...” doesn’t buy me flowers”
how do you know?

META MODEL META MODEL META MODEL

Distortion/Semantic Distortion/Semantic Distortion/Semantic
Ill-formedness Ill-formedness Ill-formedness
© Matt Caulfield © Matt Caulfield © Matt Caulfield

LOST NOMINALISATIONS PREDICATES

PERFORMATIVE
value judgement or
opinion where the source
of the assertion is
missing.
“It is a good thing to be
busy”
when a complex process
OF TIME
has become fixed into a
words that express a
thing.
sense of time.
turns verbs into nouns.
“I used to be able to...”
“I have depression”

who says?

META MODEL META MODEL META MODEL

Distortion/Semantic Distortion/Semantic Distortion/Semantic
Ill-formedness Ill-formedness Ill-formedness
© Matt Caulfield
© Matt Caulfield © Matt Caulfield

PREDICATES SENSORY UNIVERSAL and

OF SPACE PREDICATES LIMITED
QUANTIFIERS
words that express a words that express a
location, position or particularly sensory precludes exceptions or
alternative choices.
movement. system.
often corresponds to the persons often corresponds to the persons
submodalities primary representations system (at all, ever, never, always,
that time) Only, Just
“I need some distance “I always do that”
“It feels like...”
on this...”
“I can see myself...” “It is just that...”

META MODEL META MODEL META MODEL

Distortion/Semantic
Ill-formedness Distortion/Semantic Generalisation / Limits of
Ill-formedness Speakers Model (Map)
© Matt Caulfield © Matt Caulfield © Matt Caulfield
 MODAL MODAL MODAL
OPERATOR OF OPERATOR OF OPERATOR OF
NECESSITY POSSIBILITY DESIRE
should, must, need to, can, could, maybe, like to, love to
have to possibly

“I should really do that” “I can do that, if I “I would love to do

wanted...” that!”

META MODEL META MODEL META MODEL

Generalisation / Limits of Generalisation / Limits of Generalisation / Limits of
Speakers Model (Map) Speakers Model (Map) Speakers Model (Map)
© Matt Caulfield © Matt Caulfield
© Matt Caulfield

SIMPLE COMPARATIVE LACK OF

DELETION DELETION REFERENTIAL
INDEX
most or all specific where what is being
nouns missing. compared is deleted. the reference of the
statement is missing.

“...it can be deeply “He is better than me” “Nobody respects me”
satisfying...”
at what? who, specifically, doesn’t
respect you?

META MODEL META MODEL META MODEL

Deletion / Information Deletion / Information Deletion / Information
Gathering Gathering Gathering
© Matt Caulfield © Matt Caulfield
© Matt Caulfield

UNSPECIFIED GENERALISED LINKAGE/ IMPLIED

VERBS REFERENTIAL CAUSATIVE
INDEX (NOUNS) as, while, during,
generalised action, not
specified. before, after, following,
people, someone, when
something, certain, they
“He hurt me”
“While you become more
“Dogs are bad...” comfortable, you notice
how did he hurt you? how much more relaxed
All dogs? you are already feeling...”

META MODEL META MODEL MILTON MODEL

Deletion / Information Deletion / Information Causal Modelling
Gathering Gathering

© Matt Caulfield © Matt Caulfield © Matt Caulfield

 SUBORDINATE
CLAUSE OF
TIME
before, after, during, as,
since, prior, when,
“Just before we sign
the order form...”
MILTON MODEL
Presuppositions
© Matt Caulfield
AWARENESS
PREDICATES
know, notice, aware,
realise,
“I don’t know if you have
noticed yet that....”
MILTON MODEL
Presuppositions
© Matt Caulfield
COMMENTARY
ADJECTIVES
AND ADVERBS
fortunately, luckily,
happily, surprisingly
“Fortunately, you don’t need
to know all the labels to be
effective with these language
patterns”
MILTON MODEL
Presuppositions
© Matt Caulfield
ORDINAL USE OF “OR”
NUMBERS
first, second, third, etc
indicating an order.
“I don’t know if your left
arm or right arm will
“You may find your left
arm will start to relax relax first...”
first...”
MILTON MODEL MILTON MODEL
Presuppositions Presuppositions
© Matt Caulfield © Matt Caulfield
ADVERBS AND CHANGE OF
ADJECTIVES TIME VERBS
AND ADVERBS
easily, curious, deeply begin, end, stop, start,
continue
“You can deeply relax” “You can continue this
relaxation process for a
few minutes...”
MILTON MODEL MILTON MODEL
Presuppositions Presuppositions
© Matt Caulfield © Matt Caulfield
EMBEDDED ANALOGUE
COMMANDS MARKING
hiding a suggestion in a mark a suggestion in a
larger sentence. larger sentence with
some verbal or
“People are often nonverbal behaviour.
amazed that you can
go into a trance, so “You can relax now, or
easily and quickly...” in a few minutes...”
MILTON MODEL MILTON MODEL
Indirect Elicitation Patterns Indirect Elicitation Patterns
© Matt Caulfield © Matt Caulfield
 EMBEDDED
QUESTIONS
questions placed in a
larger sentences to
create a response
potential.
“I am curious to know
what you want out of a
new car...”
MILTON MODEL
Indirect Elicitation Patterns
© Matt Caulfield
PHONOLOGICAL
words that sound the same
but have different
meanings.
eye/I, knows/nose,
right/write
MILTON MODEL
Ambiguity
© Matt Caulfield
PUNCTUATION
overlapping 2 distinct
and separate sentences
sharing a word.
“That’s right now you
have begun to relax”
MILTON MODEL
Ambiguity
© Matt Caulfield
NEGATIVE
COMMANDS
proceeding what you
would like the person to
do with a “don’t”.
“Don’t rush...”
MILTON MODEL
Indirect Elicitation Patterns
© Matt Caulfield
SYNTACTIC
where the function of a
word cannot be
determined by the
context.
“They were milking
cows”
MILTON MODEL
Ambiguity
© Matt Caulfield
SELECTION
RESTRICTION
VIOLATIONS
attributing qualities to
something or someone
which, by definition, cannot
possess those qualities.
“The rock was sad”
MILTON MODEL
Patterns in Metaphor
© Matt Caulfield
CONVERSATIONAL
POSTULATES
a command presented as a
yes/no question.
“Can you shut the door?”
MILTON MODEL
Indirect Elicitation Patterns
© Matt Caulfield
SCOPE
where it cannot be
determined how much
of a sentence a
adjective, verb or
adverb applies to.
“The cheap cars and
motorbikes over there”
MILTON MODEL
Ambiguity
© Matt Caulfield
QUOTES
putting your suggestion
in someone else’s
mouth.
“Richard Bandler often
talks about how easy it
is to relax and go into a
trance”
MILTON MODEL
Patterns in Metaphor
© Matt Caulfield
CARD BACK TO PRINT OUT AND STICK TO YOUR CARDS!