Language+Terms


 * Study this list of __//LANGUAGE TERMS//__ in order to better understand grammatical concepts in the English language. Click on the links for practice! **
 * **List 1: Includes general English language grammar terms.**
 * **List 2: Focuses on terms relevant to our unit of study.**

NOTE: All terms taken from [|UsingEnglish.com]. See citation for reference.

** LIST 1 **

**ARTICLES**


 * //A, AN//**, and //**THE**// are called articles.


 * THE** is the //definite article//.
 * A** and **AN** are both //indefinite articles//.

"The boy" refers to a definite, particular boy, but "A boy" refers to no particular boy; it could be any boy.

When no //article// is used, it is sometimes referred to as the zero article.

//Articles// belong to a group of words which are known as //determiners//; they restrict or specify a //noun// in some way.

[|Article Links]

**ADJECTIVES**

An //**adjective**// modifies a //noun//. It describes the quality, state or action that a //noun// refers to.

i) Adjectives can come before //nouns//: a **new** car ii) Adjectives can come after //verbs// such as be, become, seem, look, etc.: that car looks **fast** iii) They can be modified by //adverbs//: a very **expensive** car iv) They can be used as //complements// to a //noun//: the extras make the car **expensive**
 * ADJECTIVE RULES:**

[|**Adjective Links**]


 * ADVERBS **

Most //adverbs// in English are formed by adding -ly to an adjective. An adverb is a word that modifies the meaning of a //verb//; an //adjective//; another adverb; a //noun//; a //pronoun//; or a //prepositional phrase// and can sometimes be used as a complement of a preposition.

i) //Adjectives// ending **-l** still take **-ly**; careful-carefully. ii) //Adjectives// ending **-y** change to **-ily**; lucky-luckily iii) //Adjectives// ending **-ble** change to **-bly**; responsible-responsibly
 * ADVERB SPELLING NOTES:**


 * [|Adverb Links]**

**NOUNS**

A //noun// is a word used to refer to people, animals, objects, substances, states, events and feelings. Nouns can be a subject or an object of a verb, can be modified by an adjective and can take an article.

Nouns may be divided into two basic groups:


 * Countable Nouns** take plural forms and **Uncountable Nouns** take singular forms.

[|**Noun Links**]

**PREPOSITIONS**

A preposition is a word that links a noun, pronoun, or gerund to other words. They can have a variety of meanings:

//Direction//- He's going **TO** the shops //Location//- It's **IN** the box //Time//- He left **AFTER** the lesson had finished //Possession//- The Government **OF** taly

[|**Preposition Links**]


 * PRONOUNS **

A **pronoun** is a wrod that substitutes a noun. There are a number of different kinds of pronouns in English.


 * TYPES OF PRONOUNS:**
 * 1. Demonstrative Pronouns:** //this, that, these, those//
 * 2. Personal Pronouns:** //I, you, he, she, etc..//
 * 3. Possessive Pronouns:** //mine, yours, his, etc..//
 * 4. Reflexive Pronouns:** //myself, yourself, etc..//
 * 5. Interrogative Pronouns:** //who, what, where, etc..//
 * 6. Negative Pronouns:** //nothing, no, nobody, etc..//
 * 7. Reciprocal Pronouns:** //each other, etc..//
 * 8. Relative Clauses:** //who, whose, which, that, etc..//
 * 9. Quantifiers:** //some, any, something, much, many, little, etc.//

[|**Pronoun Links**]


 * VERBS[[image:verb.jpg width="154" height="177" align="right"]]

Verbs** are one of the major grammatical groups, and all sentences must contain one. Verbs refer to an **action** (do, break, walk, etc.) or a **state** (be, like, own).

[|Verb Links]

** LIST 2

CONDITIONALS**

The conditionals are used to talk about possible or imaginary situations. [|Conditional Links]


 * DIRECT SPEECH **

//Direct speech// is used to give the exact words used by another speaker. The words are given between quotation marks (" ") in writing:


 * EG**: //"I'm coming now," he said.[[image:litpichaircut.jpg align="right"]]//

[|**Direct Speech Links**]

**INDIRECT SPEECH**

//Indirect Speech// (also called //Reported Speech//) is used to communicate what someone else said, but without using the exact words. The tenses of the verbs are often changed.

(The person's exact words were "I'm going to come.")
 * EG**: //He said that he was going to come//.


 * [|Indirect Speech Links]**


 * MODAL VERBS **

//Modal verbs// are used to express ideas such as possibility, intention, obligation and necessity.


 * CAN, COULD, WILL, WOULD, SHALL, SHOULD, OUGHT TO, DARE and NEED are some examples.**

[|**Modal Verb Links**]


 * PHRASAL VERBS[[image:phrasal_verb.gif width="210" height="210" align="right"]] **

A **phrasal verb** consists of a verb and a preposition or adverb that modifies or changes the meaning; 'give up' is a phrasal verb that means 'stop doing' something, which is very different from 'give'. The word or words that modify a verb in this manner can also go under the name particle.

[|**Phrasal Verb Links**]


 * PASSIVE VOICE **

The **Passive** occurs in most tenses and changes the emphasis of the subject:

EG: //My roof was damaged by the storm.//

(The storm caused the damage, but the cause is less important to me than the damage to my roof, because I will have to repair it.)

[|Passive Voice Links]

**REFERENCE**

//The Glossary of Grammar Terms//. Retrieved April 19, 2010, from UsingEnglish.com website: []

Daiva Berzinskas ESL Instructor: daivaberz@gmail.com