Punctuation, Appositive Phrases, Verbal Phrases, and Clauses — Vocabulary Flashcards

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering punctuation rules, appositives, verbal phrases, and adjective/adverb clauses from the notes.

Comma

A punctuation mark used to indicate a pause and to set off introductory elements, items in a series, and nonessential information.

Independent clause

A group of words that can stand alone as a sentence; contains a subject and a verb.

Compound sentence

A sentence with two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction or a semicolon.

Coordinate conjunction

Words that join two independent clauses in a compound sentence (and, or, nor, for, but, yet, so).

FANBOYS

An acronym for the seven coordinating conjunctions: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.

Comma splice

A misformation where two independent clauses are joined only by a comma.

Semicolon

A punctuation mark used to join two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction or to separate items in a complex list.

Appositive

A noun or pronoun that explains or identifies another noun, often set off by commas if nonessential.

Appositive phrase

A phrase consisting of an appositive and its modifiers.

Nonessential appositive

An appositive that can be removed without changing the sentence’s fundamental meaning; set off with commas.

Essential appositive

An appositive that is necessary to identify the noun; not set off with commas.

Introductory prepositional phrase

A long prepositional phrase (often seven words or more) used at the start of a sentence and typically set off by a comma.

Prepositional phrase

A modifying phrase that begins with a preposition and ends with a noun or pronoun.

Inverted sentence

A sentence in which the normal subject–verb order is reversed, often after a long introductory phrase.

Parenthetical expression

A word or phrase that interrupts the main flow of thought and is not essential to the sentence’s meaning; set off by commas.

Verbal

A verb form used as a different part of speech (noun, adjective, or adverb); includes participles, infinitives, and gerunds.

Participle

A verbal form ending in -ing or -ed/-en/-n/-t that functions as an adjective.

Infinitive

The base form of a verb preceded by to (to + verb); can function as a noun, adjective, or adverb.

Gerund

The -ing form of a verb used as a noun.

Gerund phrase

A gerund plus its modifiers and complements, acting as a noun.

Infinitive phrase

An infinitive plus its complements or modifiers.

Split infinitive

Separating to from its verb with an intervening word (e.g., to boldly go); often discouraged in formal writing.

Introductory verbal phrase

An introductory phrase began by a form of a verb used as a noun, adjective, or adverb; typically followed by a comma.

Participial phrase

A phrase beginning with a present (-ing) or past (-ed/-en/-n/-t) participle that functions as an adjective.

Dangling modifier

A modifying phrase that does not clearly modify a nearby word in the sentence.

Misplaced modifier

A modifier placed near the wrong word, causing unclear or confusing meaning.

Elliptical clause

A dependent clause from which some words (often the subject or verb) have been omitted but understood.

Absolute phrase

A noun + participle + modifiers that is grammatically independent of the main sentence but logically linked; set off with a comma.

Nominative absolute

Another term for an absolute phrase.

Adjective clause

A subordinate clause that modifies a noun; introduced by a relative pronoun (who, whom, which, that) and often follows the noun.

Relative pronoun

Pronouns (who, whom, which, that) that introduce adjective (relative) clauses and refer back to a noun.

Restrictive clause

An essential adjective clause that limits the meaning of the noun; no commas are used.

Nonrestrictive clause

A nonessential adjective clause added for extra information; set off by commas.