Glossary of Grammar Definitions
Active Voice -- A sentence style in which the subject performs the action. Usually preferable to passive voice unless the passive is specifically called for.
Active Voice example: The lightning struck the tree.
Passive Voice example: The tree was struck by lightning.
See for more information:
- 11 Rules of Writing Rule 10
- Guide to Grammar and Style Passive vs. Active Voice
Adjective -- A word or group of words that describe or modify a noun.
example: The slow, meandering creek sang a gentle song.
Agreement -- A singular noun or pronoun must take a singular verb, and a plural noun or pronoun must take a plural verb.
See for more information:
Apostrophe -- A punctuation mark ( ' ) used to show possession. Also used in contractions, which should be avoided in formal prose.
possession example: "That was Jack's favorite coffee mug."
contraction example: "You shouldn't have dropped it."
See for more information:
- Guide to Grammar and Style Apostrophe
Appositive -- A noun or pronoun set beside another noun or pronoun to modify it. Usually accompanied by modifiers.
example: An experienced backpacker, she left no trace of where she had camped.
Clause -- A group of words containing both a subject and a predicate.
Independent Clause example: The hobo passed through town unnoticed.
Dependent Clause example: As the hobo passed through town...
Conjunction -- A word that joins words or phrases (i.e. and, but, or).
example: I'll pass on the pork and beans, but I'd love some pizza or ziti.
See for more information:
- Guide to Grammar and Style Conjunctions
Dependent (Subordinate) Clause -- A clause that can not stand alone as a sentence and must be combined with an independent clause.
Independent Clause example: The hobo passed through town unnoticed.
Dependent Clause example: As the hobo passed through town...
See for more information:
- Guide to Grammar and Style Dependent vs. Independent Clauses
Independent Clause -- A clause that can stand alone as a sentence.
Independent Clause example: The hobo passed through town unnoticed.
Dependent Clause example: As the hobo passed through town...
See for more information:
- Guide to Grammar and Style Dependent vs. Independent Clauses
Introductory Phrase -- A group of words that cannot stand alone found at the beginning of a sentence.
example: Hoping to improve his writing, he never went to sleep before jotting down a page of random thoughts.
See for more information:
- 11 Rules of Writing Rule 4
Nonrestrictive Phrase -- A subordinate clause that is not essential to the meaning of the sentence but adds a relevant detail.
Nonrestrictive Phrase example: I gave a few coins to the street musician, who gave me a smile back.
Restrictive Phrase example: I gave a few coins to the street musician who played the sweetest song.
Noun -- A word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea.
example: A noun is a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea.
Parallel Construction -- A sentence construction where equal parts are expressed using similar grammatical forms. Each part of speech in each idea has a counterpart in the next idea.
See for more information:
- 11 Rules of Writing Rule 9
Participle -- A verb form used as an adjective.
See for more information:
- 11 Rules of Writing Rule 8
Participial Phrase -- A phrase containing a participle and any modifiers.
See for more information:
- 11 Rules of Writing Rule 8
Passive Voice -- a sentence style in which the action is performed on the subject. Usually inferior to the active voice unless specifically called for.
Active Voice example: The lightning struck the tree.
Passive Voice example: The tree was struck by lightning.
See for more information:
- 11 Rules of Writing Rule 10
- Guide to Grammar and Style Passive vs. Active Voice
Predicate -- The part of a sentence that tells what the subject does or has done to it.
example: I always forget the difference between a verb and a predicate.
Pronoun -- A word used as a substitute for a noun (known as the antecedent).
example: The pronoun is a lonely word; it must always be paired with an antecedent.
See for more information:
- Guide to Grammar and Style Pronoun
Restrictive Phrase -- A subordinate clause that is essential in specifying something about the thing it modifies.
Nonrestrictive Phrase example: I gave a few coins to the street musician, who gave me a smile back.
Restrictive Phrase example: I gave a few coins to the street musician who played the sweetest song.
Semicolon -- a punctuation mark (;) used to separate independent clauses or items in a series.
See for more information:
- Guide to Grammar and Style Semicolon
Sentence Modifier -- A word or phrase that is not the subject or predicate but adds to the meaning of the sentence.
Subject -- The thing in the sentence that is being discussed. Usually a noun or a noun phrase.
example: The butterfly had a short but beautiful existence.
Verb -- A word that expresses action or being.
example: A verb is a word that expresses action or being.
