Grammar Glossary
Welcome to the Grammar Glossary of Art of Grammar! We’ve expanded our glossary to include even more grammatical terms and concepts to aid you in mastering the English language. This comprehensive resource is designed to help you understand the intricacies of grammar, from basic definitions to more advanced concepts, complete with clear explanations and examples.
Use this glossary as a reference tool whenever you encounter unfamiliar terms or need clarification on specific grammatical points. The entries are organized alphabetically to facilitate easy navigation.
A
Abstract Noun
Definition: A noun that refers to an idea, quality, or state rather than a concrete object.
Example: “Love, freedom, and happiness are important to her.”
Active Voice
Definition: A sentence structure where the subject performs the action expressed by the verb.
Example: “The chef cooked the meal.”
Adverbial
Definition: A word or phrase functioning like an adverb, modifying a verb, adjective, or entire sentence.
Example: “In the morning, she jogs.”
Agreement
Definition: The grammatical correspondence between words in gender, number, case, or person.
Example: “She runs every day.” (Subject and verb agree in number.)
Allusion
Definition: An indirect reference to a person, place, event, or literary work.
Example: “He has the Midas touch.” (Alluding to King Midas.)
Ambiguity
Definition: The presence of two or more possible meanings within a single passage.
Example: “I saw her duck.” (Is “duck” a noun or a verb?)
Anaphora
Definition: The use of a word referring back to a word used earlier in a text to avoid repetition.
Example: “John said he would come.” (“He” refers to “John.”)
Antonym
Definition: A word opposite in meaning to another.
Example: “Hot” and “cold”
B
Bound Morpheme
Definition: A morpheme that cannot stand alone as a word and must be attached to a root word.
Example: The suffix “-ness” in “happiness.”
Bracket
Definition: Punctuation marks [ ] used to enclose words added by someone other than the original writer or speaker.
Example: “She said, ‘I will be there [at the meeting] tomorrow.'”
C
Capitalization
Definition: The use of uppercase letters at the beginning of sentences and proper nouns.
Example: “She lives in London.”
Cliché
Definition: An overused expression that has lost its originality.
Example: “Time heals all wounds.”
Collective Noun
Definition: A noun that refers to a group of individuals or things as a single entity.
Example: “The team is ready for the match.”
Comparative
Definition: The form of an adjective or adverb used to compare two things.
Example: “She is taller than her sister.”
Complex Sentence
Definition: A sentence containing an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.
Example: “Although it was raining, we went for a walk.”
Compound Sentence
Definition: A sentence with at least two independent clauses joined by a conjunction or semicolon.
Example: “She likes tea, and he likes coffee.”
Connotation
Definition: The idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal meaning.
Example: “Home” connotes warmth and family.
Consonant
Definition: A speech sound produced by blocking the flow of air at some point.
Example: The letters b, c, d, f, etc.
Context
Definition: The parts of a written or spoken statement that precede or follow a specific word or passage, influencing its meaning.
Example: Understanding “bank” as a financial institution or river edge depends on context.
D
Declarative Sentence
Definition: A sentence that makes a statement or expresses an opinion.
Example: “The sky is blue.”
Demonstrative Pronoun
Definition: A pronoun that points to specific things: this, that, these, those.
Example: “These are my favorite cookies.”
Denotation
Definition: The literal or primary meaning of a word.
Example: “Home” denotes a place where one lives.
Dependent Clause (Subordinate Clause)
Definition: A clause that does not express a complete thought and cannot stand alone as a sentence.
Example: “Because she was tired, she went to bed early.”
Determiner
Definition: A modifying word that determines the kind of reference a noun or noun group has.
Example: “He has many friends.”
E
Ellipsis (…)
Definition: A series of dots indicating an omission or unfinished thought.
Example: “She began to speak, but then…”
Euphemism
Definition: A mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered too harsh or blunt.
Example: “Passed away” instead of “died.”
Expletive
Definition: A word or phrase that fills out a sentence without adding to the meaning; sometimes used for emphasis.
Example: “It is important to arrive on time.”
F
Finite Verb
Definition: A verb form that shows agreement with a subject and is marked for tense.
Example: “She runs every morning.”
First Person
Definition: The grammatical category used by a speaker in statements referring to themselves.
Example: “I am learning grammar.”
G
Grammar
Definition: The set of structural rules governing the composition of clauses, phrases, and words in any language.
Example: Proper subject-verb agreement is essential in English grammar.
Guiding Question
Definition: A question that directs the focus of inquiry or discussion.
Example: “How does punctuation affect the clarity of a sentence?”
H
Hyphen (-)
Definition: A punctuation mark used to join words or parts of words.
Example: “Well-known author”
I
Idiom
Definition: A phrase or expression that has a figurative meaning different from its literal meaning.
Example: “It’s raining cats and dogs.”
Imperative Mood
Definition: The form of the verb used for commands or requests.
Example: “Close the door, please.”
Indirect Object
Definition: The recipient of the direct object.
Example: “She gave him a gift.”
Indefinite Pronoun
Definition: A pronoun that does not refer to any person, amount, or thing in particular.
Example: “Everyone enjoyed the concert.”
Interrogative Sentence
Definition: A sentence that asks a question.
Example: “What time is it?”
J
Jargon
Definition: Specialized language used by a particular profession or group.
Example: Medical jargon includes terms like “hypertension” for high blood pressure.
K
Kernel Sentence
Definition: A simple, active, declarative sentence with only one verb and no modifiers.
Example: “The cat sat.”
L
Lexicon
Definition: The vocabulary of a person, language, or branch of knowledge.
Example: A linguist studies the lexicon of different languages.
Linking Verb
Definition: A verb that connects the subject with an adjective or noun that describes or identifies it.
Example: “She seems happy.”
M
Main Clause
Definition: An independent clause that can stand alone as a sentence.
Example: “I was late because I missed the bus.” (“I was late” is the main clause.)
Modal Verb
Definition: An auxiliary verb that expresses necessity or possibility.
Example: “She might come to the party.”
Modifier
Definition: A word or phrase that qualifies or describes another word.
Example: “The red car sped by.”
N
Nonrestrictive Clause
Definition: A clause that adds extra information to a sentence and is usually set off by commas.
Example: “My sister, who lives in Spain, is visiting.”
Noun Phrase
Definition: A group of words that functions in a sentence as subject, object, or prepositional object.
Example: “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.”
O
Objective Case
Definition: The form of a noun or pronoun used as the object of a verb or preposition.
Example: “Please tell me the story.”
Ordinal Number
Definition: A number defining the position of something in a series.
Example: “First, second, third”
P
Palindromes
Definition: Words or phrases that read the same backward and forward.
Example: “Racecar,” “Level”
Parallelism
Definition: The use of successive verbal constructions that correspond in grammatical structure.
Example: “She likes reading, writing, and jogging.”
Part of Speech
Definition: A category to which a word is assigned based on its syntactic functions.
Example: Noun, verb, adjective, adverb, pronoun, preposition, conjunction, interjection.
Participial Phrase
Definition: A phrase that begins with a participle and functions as an adjective.
Example: “Running down the street, he bumped into an old friend.”
Passive Voice
Definition: A sentence structure where the subject receives the action.
Example: “The song was sung by the artist.”
Past Participle
Definition: The form of a verb used in perfect tenses and the passive voice, often ending in -ed.
Example: “She has finished her work.”
Past Tense
Definition: A verb tense expressing an action that occurred in the past.
Example: “They visited the museum yesterday.”
Perfect Aspect
Definition: A verb form that expresses a completed action.
Example: “She has written three books.”
Personification
Definition: Assigning human characteristics to non-human entities.
Example: “The flowers danced in the wind.”
Phrase
Definition: A group of words without a subject-verb component, acting as a single part of speech.
Example: “Under the weather”
Plural
Definition: The form of a word used to denote more than one.
Example: “Cats, dogs, books”
Portmanteau
Definition: A word blending the sounds and combining the meanings of two others.
Example: “Brunch” (from “breakfast” and “lunch”)
Possessive
Definition: A form of a noun or pronoun indicating ownership.
Example: “Maria’s car is new.”
Predicate Nominative
Definition: A noun or pronoun that follows a linking verb and renames the subject.
Example: “She is a doctor.”
Prepositional Phrase
Definition: A modifying phrase consisting of a preposition and its object.
Example: “She sat on the chair.”
Present Participle
Definition: The -ing form of a verb used in continuous tenses and as adjectives.
Example: “They are swimming.”
Present Tense
Definition: A verb tense expressing an action currently occurring or a state that currently or generally exists.
Example: “He works at the bank.”
Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
Definition: The requirement that a pronoun agrees with its antecedent in number, gender, and person.
Example: “The children played with their toys.”
Proper Noun
Definition: A specific name of a person, place, or organization, capitalized.
Example: “London, Microsoft, Sarah“
Punctuation
Definition: Symbols used to clarify meaning by indicating separation of words into sentences and clauses.
Example: Periods, commas, question marks.
Q
Quotation Marks (” “)
Definition: Punctuation marks used to indicate direct speech, quotations, or titles of short works.
Example: “She said, ‘Hello.'”
R
Reflexive Pronoun
Definition: Pronouns that refer back to the subject of the sentence.
Example: “He hurt himself.”
Regular Verb
Definition: A verb that forms its past tense and past participle by adding -ed or -d.
Example: “Talk” becomes “talked.”
Restrictive Clause
Definition: A clause essential to the meaning of the sentence, not set off by commas.
Example: “The book that you lent me was fascinating.”
S
Second Person
Definition: The grammatical category used by a speaker in referring to the person being addressed.
Example: “You are welcome.”
Simple Sentence
Definition: A sentence consisting of only one independent clause.
Example: “She dances.”
Singular
Definition: The form of a word used to denote one.
Example: “Cat, dog, book”
Split Infinitive
Definition: An infinitive with an adverb or other word inserted between “to” and the verb.
Example: “To boldly go where no one has gone before.”
Subject Complement
Definition: The adjective, noun, or pronoun that follows a linking verb.
Example: “The sky is blue.”
Subordinate Conjunction
Definition: A conjunction that introduces a subordinate clause.
Example: “Because, although, if”
Synonym
Definition: A word having the same or nearly the same meaning as another.
Example: “Happy” and “joyful”
T
Third Person
Definition: The grammatical category used by a speaker referring to anyone other than the speaker or the one being addressed.
Example: “He is studying.”
Transitive Verb
Definition: A verb that requires one or more objects.
Example: “She kicked the ball.”
U
Uncountable Noun (Mass Noun)
Definition: A noun that cannot be counted and does not have a plural form.
Example: “Information, water, rice”
V
Verbal
Definition: A word derived from a verb but functioning as a noun, adjective, or adverb.
Example: Gerunds, participles, and infinitives.
Voice (Active and Passive)
Definition: Indicates whether the subject performs (active) or receives (passive) the action.
Example: Active: “The dog chased the cat.” Passive: “The cat was chased by the dog.”
W
Wh-Question
Definition: Questions that begin with question words: who, what, where, when, why, how.
Example: “Where are you going?”
Word Family
Definition: A group of related words formed from the same root.
Example: “Teach, teacher, teaching”
X
Definition: A foreign word or phrase used in English text.
Example: “Deja vu” (French for “already seen”)
Y
Definition: A word or phrase indicating a specific time period.
Example: “In 2020, many events were canceled.”
Z
Zeugma
Definition: A figure of speech where a word applies to multiple parts of the sentence.
Example: “She broke his car and his heart.”
Punctuation Marks
Punctuation marks are essential tools in writing that help clarify meaning, indicate pauses, and separate ideas. They guide readers through the text, ensuring that the intended message is conveyed accurately. Below is a comprehensive list of punctuation marks, their definitions, and examples of how they are used.
Period (.)
Definition: A punctuation mark used at the end of a declarative sentence or statement.
Example: “She completed her assignment.”
Comma (,)
Definition: A punctuation mark indicating a pause between parts of a sentence, separating items in a list, or setting off clauses and phrases.
Usage:
- Listing Items: “We need eggs, milk, bread, and butter.”
- Separating Clauses: “If it rains, we will cancel the picnic.”
- Setting Off Nonessential Information: “My friend, who is a musician, is performing tonight.”
- After Introductory Elements: “After the show, we went out for dinner.”
Question Mark (?)
Definition: A punctuation mark used at the end of a direct question.
Example: “Are you coming to the party?”
Exclamation Point (!)
Definition: A punctuation mark expressing strong emotion, surprise, or a command.
Example: “Watch out!”
Colon (:)
Definition: A punctuation mark used to introduce a list, quote, explanation, or to separate two independent clauses when the second explains or illustrates the first.
Usage:
- Introducing a List: “You will need the following items: a flashlight, a map, and a compass.”
- Before a Quotation or Explanation: “She had only one wish: to see her family again.”
- Separating Clauses: “He was faced with a decision: he could stay or he could go.”
Semicolon (;)
Definition: A punctuation mark used to link two closely related independent clauses or to separate items in a complex list.
Usage:
- Linking Clauses: “She loves classical music; he prefers jazz.”
- Complex Lists: “On our trip, we visited Paris, France; Berlin, Germany; and Rome, Italy.”
Apostrophe (‘)
Definition: A punctuation mark indicating possession or the omission of letters or numbers.
Usage:
- Possession:
- Singular nouns: “The girl’s book was on the desk.”
- Plural nouns ending with ‘s’: “The teachers’ lounge is upstairs.”
- Contractions: “Don’t forget your keys.” (Do not)
- Omitted Numbers: “Class of ’99.”
Quotation Marks (” “)
Definition: Punctuation marks used to enclose direct speech, quotations, or titles of certain works.
Usage:
- Direct Speech: She asked, “What time is the meeting?”
- Quotations: The sign read, “No entry beyond this point.”
- Titles of Short Works: Have you read “The Tell-Tale Heart”?
- Single Quotation Marks (‘ ‘): Used for a quote within a quote.
- Example: She said, “I heard him shout, ‘Watch out!’ just before the accident happened.”
Parentheses ( )
Definition: Punctuation marks used to enclose additional information, explanations, or afterthoughts.
Example: “He gave me a bonus (which I didn’t expect) at the end of the year.”
Brackets [ ]
Definition: Punctuation marks used to include explanatory or missing material within quoted text or to clarify.
Usage:
- Adding Information: “She said, ‘I will be there soon [next week].'”
- Editorial Comments: “He [the CEO] decided to resign.”
Braces { }
Definition: Punctuation marks used to group a set of elements, often in mathematics, music, or computer programming.
Example: In mathematics: “Set A = {1, 2, 3, 4}”
Ellipsis (…)
Definition: A series of three dots indicating an omission of words, a pause, or an unfinished thought.
Usage:
- Omission in Quotations: “To be, or not to be… the question remains.”
- Trailing Off or Pause: “I’m not sure what to say…”
Hyphen (-)
Definition: A punctuation mark used to join words or parts of words.
Usage:
- Compound Words: “Mother-in-law,” “well-being”
- Compound Modifiers Before Nouns: “A well-known author”
- Numbers and Fractions: “Twenty-one,” “three-quarters”
- Word Breaks: At the end of a line when a word is split.
Dash
There are three types of dashes, each serving different purposes:
Hyphen (-)
As detailed above.
En Dash (–)
Definition: A dash slightly longer than a hyphen, used to indicate ranges, connections, or relationships.
Usage:
- Ranges (representing ‘to’): “Open 9:00 AM–5:00 PM,” “Pages 50–65”
- Connections or Relationships: “The New York–London flight was delayed.”
- Scores: “The final score was 3–2.”
Note: The en dash is approximately the width of the letter “N.”
Em Dash (—)
Definition: A long dash used to create a strong break in a sentence, replace parentheses, colons, or commas for emphasis or interruption.
Usage:
- Interruption or Emphasis: “She was about to give up—when suddenly the phone rang.”
- Replacing Parentheses: “He finally answered—the pause seemed endless—that he would attend.”
- In Place of a Colon for Emphasis: “There’s only one person fit for the job—Jane Smith.”
- Multiple Em Dashes for Missing Portions: “Mr. ——— stated his position clearly.”
Note: The em dash is approximately the width of the letter “M.”
Slash (/)
Definition: A punctuation mark used to indicate alternatives, fractions, dates, or to separate lines of poetry.
Usage:
- Alternatives: “Please bring your notebook and/or tablet.”
- Fractions: “1/2 cup of sugar”
- Dates: “Her birthday is on 10/12/1990”
- Poetry Lines: “Roses are red / Violets are blue.”
Backslash (\)
Definition: A punctuation mark primarily used in computing and coding to separate file paths.
Example: “C:\Program Files\MyApplication”
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Quotation Marks (‘ ‘)
As previously mentioned under Quotation Marks (” “), single quotation marks are used for quotes within quotes.
Angle Brackets (< >)
Definition: Punctuation marks used in mathematics, coding, or to enclose information.
Usage:
- Coding: “<html>…</html>”
- Mathematics: Represent vectors or intervals.
Asterisk (*)
Definition: A symbol used to indicate a footnote, an omission, or as a wildcard in computing.
Usage:
- Footnote: “The results were inconclusive.*”
*Further research is needed.
- Wildcard in Search: “Find all files named report*.”
Caret (^)
Definition: A symbol used in proofreading to indicate where to insert something or in mathematics to denote exponentiation.
Usage:
- Proofreading: “Insert the word here^above.”
- Mathematics: “2^3 means 2 to the power of 3.”
Tilde (~)
Definition: A symbol used in some languages as a diacritical mark, in mathematics to indicate similarity or approximation, or in URLs.
Usage:
- Approximation: “The population is ~10,000.”
- URLs: “http://www.example.com/~username“
Underscore (_)
Definition: A symbol used in computing and coding, often in file names and email addresses where spaces are not allowed.
Example: “file_name_version_2”
Bullet Points (•)
Definition: Symbols used to introduce items in a list, making information easy to read.
Usage:
- List Items:
- “Ingredients: • Flour • Sugar • Eggs”
Ampersand (&)
Definition: A symbol representing the word “and.”
Usage:
- Company Names: “Barnes & Noble”
- Abbreviations: “R&D stands for Research and Development.”
At Symbol (@)
Definition: A symbol used in email addresses and social media handles.
Usage:
- Email: “Contact us at info@artofgrammar.com“
- Social Media: “Follow us on Twitter @ArtOfGrammar”
Hash or Pound Sign (#)
Definition: A symbol used in social media as a hashtag, in numbering, or in programming.
Usage:
- Hashtag: “#GrammarTips”
- Numbering: “Apartment #5”
- Programming Comments: In some programming languages, “#” denotes a comment.
Percent Sign (%)
Definition: A symbol used to indicate a percentage or proportion per hundred.
Example: “She scored 95% on the test.”
Remember that mastery comes with practice and continued learning. Keep this glossary handy as you read, write, and explore the complexities of the English language. Should you encounter a term not included here, feel free to reach out or consult additional resources.