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English grammar

By Trisha Patel
Adjective
 An adjective is a word that describes a noun or pronoun
 There are many adjectives that can describe the same noun or pronoun so it is important to
choose adjectives that are concise but comprehensive
Adverb
 An adverb is a word that slightly modifies a verb, adjective or even another adverb.
 Adverbs are sometimes formed from adjectives, with the added suffix ‘ly’. E.g. courageous
 courageously, silent  silently, etc.
Appositive

 A noun used to identify a noun or pronoun that comes before it


 E.g. Sally, my sister, participated in the race. My brother’s sundae, a mountain of ice
cream, started to melt when she walked outside
Auxiliary verb

 A verb used to provide further information about another verb


 The main auxiliary verbs are ‘to have’, ‘be’, ‘do’, ‘to be’, ‘can’, ‘may’, etc.
 E.g. He may get the award. She can swim gracefully. I will beat you.
Collective noun

 A collective noun is referred to collectively considering a group of people or things


 E.g. family, team, committee, flock, herd
Comparative

 A comparative adverb or adjective demonstrates a difference or similarity in two


things
 E.g. faster, bigger, worser, taller, more polite, more mannered
Compound words

 Two nouns joined together to form a new word which can be one word, joined by a hyphen
or separated by a space
 E.g. bookmark (closed compound), sister-in-law(hyphenated compound), High School
(open compound)
Clause

 A clause is a group of words or a phrase that contain a subject and a verb that is part of a
sentence
 E.g. Lily is tired when she (subject) wakes up (verb) in the morning. My best friend
(subject) performs (verb) on stage every week.
Conjunction

 A word used to connect phrases or sentences together to make one complex sentence
 E.g. but, although, however, even though, because
 More complex conjunctions: unless, neither/either, yet, gradually, furthermore, meanwhile,
subsequently, moreover, etc.
Conjunctive adverb

 Conjunctions that join phrases or sentences together but also contain adverbs
 E.g. consequently, furthermore, hence, nonetheless,
Contraction

 Shortening two or more words using an apostrophe


 Isn’t, could’ve, I’d, etc.
Declarative sentence

 A sentence that makes a statement or fact


 E.g. You are mean, that is very true, you did a good job, etc.
Dependant clause

 a part of a sentence that contains a subject and verb (a clause) but is not a complete
sentence as it does not make sense on it’s own
 It needs an independent clause to complete the sentence
 E.g. when he goes to work… only then can they start… etc.
Direct object

 A phrase in a sentence that is a noun or noun phrase, receiving the action of a verb
 E.g. she bought the candy, they won the prize, they built the house for him.
 The structure can be as follows:
Subject + verb + who or what
Elliptical clause

 An elliptical clause is an incorrect or incomplete clause as there is information missing in


the clause, however, it can make sense in the context or sentence it is in
 E.g. Jamie finished his research project first; Melanie, second.
 ‘Melanie, second’ is the elliptical clause which cannot make sense on its own, but with can
with it corresponding text.
First person

 The I/we (personal) perspective


Gerund

 Noun form with a verb – adding ‘-ing’ to a verb


 E.g. studying, talking, annoying, etc.
Gradable adjective

 An adjective that can be described or graded when it is paired with a paired adverb
 Very smart, quite bitter
Grading adverb

 An adverb that can modify or grade an adjective


 Very smart, quite bitter
Imperative

 A verb that is used to give commands


 E.g. finish your homework, clean the desk
Indefinite pronoun
Indicative
Indirect speech
Infinitive
Interjection
Interrogative pronoun
Intensifier
Intransitive verb
Lexical verb
Linking verb
Main clause
Main verb
Modal verb
Modifier
Morpheme
Negative
Neuter
Noun
Noun clause
Noun phrase
Objective case
Part of speech
Participle
Passive voice
Past tense
Preposition
Plural
Prefix
Pronoun
Proper noun
Possessive case
Present particle
Past particle
Predicate
Quantifier
Relative pronoun
Reciprocal
Second person
Second adverb
Subjunctive
Suffix
SVO – subject-verb-object
Syntax
Superlative
Third person
Tense
Transitive verb
Third conditional
Verb
Verb phrase
Verbal noun
vocative
Bibliography

 https://linguapress.com/grammar/list-of-terms.htm
 https://public.oed.com/how-to-use-the-oed/glossary-grammatical-terms/
 https://www.btb.termiumplus.gc.ca/tpv2guides/guides/wrtps/index-eng.html?lang=eng&let
tr=indx_catlog_g&page=9FJFuU_dyzUI.html
 https://grammarist.com/glossary/
 https://www.englishclub.com/grammar/terms.htm
 https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/parts-of-speech/nouns/example-of-an-appositive-noun
.html
More on English
grammar, comprehension
and punctuation

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