AP English Literature Syntax Review

Vocabulary flashcards covering the definitions of phrases, clauses, and sentence structures as discussed in the AP English Literature and Composition syntax review.

Phrase

A group of words working together to serve a grammatical function that lacks a subject and/or verb.

Clause

A group of words that contains both a subject and a verb.

Independent Clause

A clause that can stand alone as an idea.

Dependent Clause

A clause that contains a subject and verb but lacks a complete thought due to the weight of a subordinating conjunction.

Absolute Phrase

A phrase that often modifies an entire sentence to answer how, why, or under what conditions; it follows the structure: [possessive noun/pronoun +] noun + -ing or -ed verb form.

Appositive Phrase

A phrase that modifies a noun by renaming it with an equal 'synonym-like' noun, acting as a name tag for a person, place, or thing.

Infinitive Phrase

A phrase beginning with 'To + verb' that can function as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb.

Participial Phrase

A phrase using -ing or -ed verb forms that serves as an adjective to describe a noun's features or condition.

Subject

A noun, pronoun, or noun phrase representing who or what is taking action or being linked to a descriptor.

Predicate

A verb and its modifiers that determine the action or state of being of the subject.

Subordinating Conjunctions

Words such as if, when, although, since, because, before, and though that weigh down a clause and make it dependent.

Simple Sentence

A sentence consisting of only one independent clause with a subject and predicate.

Compound Sentence

A sentence featuring at least two independent clauses linked by FANBOYS and a comma, or a semicolon.

Complex Sentence

A sentence with at least two clauses, where one is an independent clause and at least one is a dependent clause modified by a subordinating conjunction.

Compound-Complex Sentence

A sentence containing at least three clauses (two independent and at least one dependent) and at least two conjunctions (one FANBOYS and one subordinating conjunction).

FANBOYS

An acronym for the coordinating conjunctions used to link independent clauses in compound sentences.