Grammar/ syntax

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Active
A sentence where the subject of the verb performs the action of the verb e.g - the girls kicks the ball. The subject of the sentence is the girl and she is the one kicking the ball
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Adjective
A word that is used to describe a noun
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Adverb
A word that is used to describe a verb or an adjective ( it was a very creepy film - very would be the adverb)
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Antithetical structure
A sentence which uses balanced opposites as a stylistic device
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Articles
A definite article refers to a specific noun - the. An indefinite article refers to an unspecific subject - a
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Clause
A part of a sentence that usually contains a subject and a finite verb
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Closed question
A question which allows only one answer
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Complex sentence
A complex sentence contains a main clause and one or more subordinate clauses
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Compound sentence
A compound sentence contains more than one main clause
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Conjunction
A connective that links words, phrases and clauses
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Co-ordination
The joining together of two main clauses by a conjunction to form a compound sentence
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Declarative
A sentence which makes a statement
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Dependant clauses
A clause which depends on the main clause to make its meaning clear - it cannot form a sentence in its own right
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Descriptivism/ descriptivist
A descriptive approach to language. The term given when you describe and analyse how people actually speak and write
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Ellipsis
The omission of words in a statement that will still make sense without it - "washed up?" for "have you washed up?"
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Ellision
The omission of letters. This often involves an apostrophe - don't for do not
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Exclamatory
A sentence that expresses shock or suprise
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Finite verb
A verb that shows number, person and tense
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Horizontal complexity
Extending noun phrases to add extra information, using pre- and and post-modification so a simple noun phrase like - "the lecturer" could become - "the bright-eyed English lecturer behind the desk in H208
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Imperative
A sentence which gives a demand or instruction
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Infinitive
The "to" form of the verb for example to think, to work
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Inflections
The way that words change to show number, person and tense - "I run" "she runs"
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Interrogative
A sentence which asks a question
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Invocation
The public speaking/ rhetorical device if calling upon the audience for example "let us"
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Main clause
A clause in a sentence that can stand on its own as a complete sentence
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Modal auxilary verb
Verbs such as "can", "must" and "should" which are always used with another verb to show how likely it is that something will happen
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Modifiers
A unit in the sentence that gives extra information about another unit - single adjectives and adverbs can be called modifiers
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Noun
A word used to name something
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Noun phrase
A group of words containing a main noun with accompanying modifiers
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Open question
A question to which there would be many answers
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Parenthesis
A qualifying statement or afterthought - usually introduced into a sentence by using brackets or dashes
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Participle
The "-ing" form of the verb, is often called the present participle (running, dancing) and the form which accompanies "have"
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Passive verb
A verb is passive if the subject of the verb has the action done to it - "the ball was kicked by the girl"
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Phrase
A group of words in a sentence - different from a clause because it lacks a subject or finite verb.
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Preposition
A word used to show the relationship between other words in a sentence "on" and "under"
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Prescriptivism/ prescriptivist
An approach to language which says what is correct and tells people how they should speak and write
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Pronoun
A word that is used in place of a noun "this" "that" "he" "she"
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Object
The part of the sentence affected by the action of the verb
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Rhetorical question
A question posed for effect that that requires no answer
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Simple sentence
A sentence which contains one main clause
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Subject
The part of the section that performs the action of the verb
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Subordination
A subordinate clause is a clause within a sentence that cannot stand on its own
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Syntactic parallelism
The repetition/ paralleling of sentence elements for effect
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Syntax
The study of the structure of sentences
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Tag question
A declarative sentence that has a question tagged on to the end of it when someone is searching for reassurance or clarification in what they have said
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Tense
The way a verb changes to show when an action takes place - past, present or future
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Verb
A word that is used to show an action taking place
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Vertical complexity
Refers to the use of subordinate clauses in complex sentences
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

A word that is used to describe a noun

Back

Adjective

Card 3

Front

A word that is used to describe a verb or an adjective ( it was a very creepy film - very would be the adverb)

Back

Preview of the back of card 3

Card 4

Front

A sentence which uses balanced opposites as a stylistic device

Back

Preview of the back of card 4

Card 5

Front

A definite article refers to a specific noun - the. An indefinite article refers to an unspecific subject - a

Back

Preview of the back of card 5
View more cards

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