Grammar Definitions

Abstract nouns

A nouns that refer to ideas, qualities, or concepts that do not have a physical form.

Active voice

A grammatical construction in which the subject performs the action of the verb.

Adjectival phrase

A group of words in which an adjective is the headword, functioning to modify a noun.

Adjectives

Words that describe or modify nouns.

Adverbs

Words that give more information about a verb, adjective, or another adverb.

Adverbs of manner

Adverbs that indicate how an action is performed.

Adverbs of number

Adverbs that indicate how often or how many times an action occurs.

Adverbs of time

Adverbs that indicate when an action takes place.

Auxiliary verbs

Verbs used alongside a main verb to form tenses, aspects, moods, or voices.

Compound sentence

A sentence containing at least two main clauses, each linked by a co-ordinating conjunction.

Compound-complex sentence

A sentence that contains at least two main clauses and at least one subordinate clause.

Complements

Words, phrases, or clauses that complete the meaning of a subject or object in a sentence.

Conjunctions

Words used to link words, phrases, clauses, or sentences.

Comparative adjectives

Adjectives used to compare differences between two nouns, often indicating a higher or lower degree of a quality.

Copulas

Linking verbs that connect the subject of a sentence to a subject complement, often identifying or describing it.

Definite articles

Determiners used to refer to a specific noun that is already known to the listener or reader.

Demonstrative determiners

Determiners that indicate specific nouns in relation to the speaker, such as proximity or distance.

Dynamic verbs

Verbs that describe actions or processes that can begin and end.

Finite verb

A verb that is marked for tense and agrees with the subject.

Indefinite articles

Determiners used to refer to a non-specific noun.

Intransitive verb

A verb that does not take a direct object.

Main clause

A clause that can stand alone as a complete sentence and contains a finite verb.

Modal auxiliary verbs

Auxiliary verbs that express certainty, necessity, possibility, permission, or ability.

Minor sentence

An incomplete sentence that omits a finite verb and/or a subject.

Noun

A word that refers to a person, place, thing, or idea.

Noun phrase

A group of words in which the headword is a noun or a pronoun.

Noun phrases in apposition

Two or more noun phrases placed together to act as a single element of clause structure.

Non-finite verb

A verb form not marked for tense and not showing subject agreement.

Object

The word, phrase, or clause that receives the action of the verb in a sentence.

Passive voice

A grammatical construction in which the subject receives the action of the verb.

Past participle

The form of a verb typically ending in -ed, -en, or irregular forms, used in perfect tenses, passive voice, and as adjectives.

Phrase

A group of words that does not contain a main verb, but may contain a participle.

Possessive determiners

Determiners that indicate ownership or possession.

Pre-modifying adjectives

Adjectives that appear before the noun they describe.

Prepositional phrase

A group of words in which a preposition is the headword, often containing a noun phrase.

Present participle

The form of a verb ending in -ing, used in continuous tenses and as adjectives.

Post-modifying adjectives

Adjectives that appear after the noun they describe.

Pronouns

Words that replace nouns to avoid repetition or for cohesion.

Proper nouns

Nouns that refer to specific people, places, or organisations, usually beginning with a capital letter.

Quantifiers

Determiners that indicate quantity or amount.

Relative clause

A subordinate clause that modifies a noun or pronoun and is usually introduced by a relative pronoun such as who, which, that.

Simple sentence

A complete sentence that contains one clause.

Stative verbs

Verbs that describe a state of being, condition, or situation that is static rather than active.

Subject

The word, phrase, or clause that performs or controls the action of the verb in a sentence.

Superlative adjectives

Adjectives used to indicate the highest or lowest degree of a quality among three or more nouns.

Transitive verb

A verb that requires and is followed by a direct object.

Headword

The most important or central word in a phrase, which determines its type.

Adverbial phrase

A group of words in which an adverb is the headword, functioning to modify a verb, adjective, or another adverb by indicating manner, place, time, frequency, or degree.

Subordinate clause

A clause that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence and depends on a main clause, usually introduced by a subordinating conjunction.