Recently Added Articles Page #53

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...

elliptical clause

A useful power structure is the elliptical clause, also called a truncated clause. The structure consists of a subordinating conjunction (if, though, although, when, while, and many others) and one of six structures: (1) present participle, (2) pas...

elliptical expression

An elliptical expression is a group of words with certain understood words omitted. Good writers routinely use elliptical expressions. You may punctuate elliptical expressions in two ways: (1) begin the expression with a semicolon, and then insert a...

finite verb

A finite verb is a conjugated verb, which shows tense, person, number, and mood. The opposite of a finite verb is the infinitive, which does not show tense, person, number, or mood. Here's a finite verb: He wrote the best-selling novel. Here's an inf...

fragment

A sentence fragment is a single word or a group of words that does not qualify as a complete grammatical sentence. It might be a dependent clause written as a complete sentence. Or it might simply be a group of words with no verb at all. Many writers...

fused participle

The great grammarian Henry Fowler coined the term fused participle. The structure consists of a noun or pronoun followed by a present participle, that is, an ‑ing verb. The entire unit (noun or pronoun plus ‑ing verb) then enters the sentence and...

future-perfect progressive tense

There are six progressive tenses. Some grammarians refer to the progressive tense as the progressive aspect of a verb. The progressive tense shows an “ongoingness” of the action denoted by the verb.The progressive tense is formed by using the ver...

future-perfect tense

The perfect tenses are formed by using the auxiliary verb to have and adding the past participle of the main verb. Thus, the future perfect is formed by taking the future tense of to have (will have) and adding the past participle of the main verb. T...

future-progressive tense

There are six progressive tenses. Some grammarians refer to the progressive tense as the progressive aspect of a verb. The progressive tense shows an “ongoingness” of the action denoted by the verb.The progressive tense is formed by using the ver...

future tense

The future tense shows actions or states of being that will occur in the future. Please note, however, that we can show futurity in other ways as well. The simple present tense can show futurity: The game begins tonight.We form the future tense by co...