Recently Added Articles Page #52

complement

A complement is a word or group of words that completes the action or state of being expressed by the verb. A subject complement typically follows the verb to be or a linking verb (seem, appear, many others).Thus, in the sentence you're now reading, ...

complement verb

A complement verb, or phrasal verb, comprises a verb and a preposition. We have hundreds of them in the English language: dredge up, drop out, make up, mess up, screw up, and the list goes on and on.The verb-preposition combination will then be trans...

complex sentence

A complex sentence comprises one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. The dependent clause, which cannot stand by itself as a sentence, performs some grammatical function in the complex sentence. In the following example* of a comple...

compound adjective

A compound adjective comprises two or more words. The unit formed then serves as an adjective. These are also called phrasal adjectives. The vast majority of writers have no clue about spelling these structures. As a general rule, you should hyphenat...

compound predicate

A compound predicate is simply two or more main verbs attached to a single subject of the sentence. Please note: When you join just two verbs, no comma should come before the and. Only when you join three or more elements in a series do you use a com...

compound sentence

A compound sentence comprises two or more independent clauses. You may join these clauses by using one of the seven coordinating conjunctions: but, or, yet, for, and, nor, so. Or you may use a correlative conjunction: not … but, not only … but (a...

compound verb

A compound verb is a multiword verb form consisting of one or more auxiliary verbs and a main verb, as in I have seen the movie, She has gone home, We will have decided this issue sometime next week.An unfortunate—and incorrect—rule has developed...

conjugation

The process of conjugation shows the forms of a verb as it appears in all tenses. Conjugation reveals tense (when), person (who), number (how many, singular or plural), and mood (showing the way the speaker regards the statement). The major tenses in...

conjunction

We have three kinds of conjunctions: (1) coordinating, (2) correlative, and (3) subordinating. The coordinating and correlative conjunctions join elements in a series. When you join elements (two or more nouns, two or more verbs, two or more adjec...

conjunctive adverb

A conjunctive adverb is a word like however or therefore. Others include nonetheless, consequently, even so, and others. We can use these words to join independent clauses. When you use them, however, make sure that you precede the word with a semico...

consonant

The word consonant refers to the phonetic sound produced by occluding with or without releasing (p, b; t, d; k, g), diverting (m, n, ng), or obstructing (f, v; s, z, etc.) the flow of air from the lungs. From grade school, you remember the vowels as ...

contraction

A contraction shows the coming together of two or more words with intervening sounds (in speech) omitted or with intervening letters (in writing) omitted. Typically, the contraction brings together an auxiliary verb and a main verb, as in He'll win (...

coordinate adjective

Coordinate adjectives are two adjectives, of equal weight, modifying the same noun. Generally, you should separate the adjectives with a comma. A good test to use: Put the word and between the two adjectives and see if that makes sense. If so, the ad...

coordinating conjunction

A coordinating conjunction joins elements in a series. Each element must perform the same grammatical function and appear in the same grammatical form. This is the rule of parallel construction.We have seven coordinating conjunctions, which you can r...

copulative verb

It's not what you think. Or hope.A copulative verb is a verb form that joins a subject to an adjective or to another noun. The verb to be is a copulative verb. So are the linking verbs (seem, appear, look, become, and others).The verb to be may join ...

correlative conjunction

These conjunctions come in pairs. We have five of them:not … but not only … but also both … and neither … nor either … orAll good writers routinely use these conjunctions in their style. You should, too.When you do, make certain that the ...

dangling modifier

A dangling modifier is a phrase or clause that does not hook up to any other word or phrase in the sentence. The dangling modifier is a gross grammatical error, one you want to avoid.The error typically arises with adjectival phrases, especially thos...

dangling participle

 See dangling modifier....

defining clause

The great grammarian Henry Fowler coined this term to refer to a restrictive clause. A defining clause looks to the noun modified and singles it out among others that could exist in the context. A defining clause points a finger at the noun modified ...

definite article

We have three articles in the English language: a, an, and the. The word the is the definite article. The words a and an are indefinite articles.Grammarians often go on for pages analyzing the differences between a-an and the. Generally, you use the ...

demonstrative pronoun

We have four demonstrative pronouns in the English language: this, that, these, those. The first two are singular, the last two plural. Demonstrative pronouns take the place of a noun, and when you use them, make sure the antecedent is crystal clear....

dependent clause

Clauses come in two varieties: independent and dependent. A dependent clause cannot stand by itself as a sentence. Dependent clauses will act in one of three ways in your sentences: (1) adjectives, (2) adverbs, or (3) nouns. An adjectival clause m...

derivative adjective

A derivative adjective derives from a verb form. You can take certain suffixes (‑ful, ‑ent,‑ant, ‑ive, and others), add them to verbs, and produce derivative adjectives. The word derivative in derivative adjective is, you guessed it, a deriva...

derivative noun

A derivative noun derives from a verb form. You can take certain suffixes (‑tion, ‑sion, ‑ence, ‑ance, and others), add them to verbs, and produce derivative nouns. Examples include conclusion, statement, pertinence, and scores of others.Be c...

direct object

Action verbs come in two varieties: transitive and intransitive. A transitive verb has the intrinsic ability to attach directly to a noun, and that noun is called the direct object. Thus, in the sentence John hit the ball, the word ball is the direct...