Grammar

nouns
pronouns
adjectives
verbs
adverbs
prepositions
conjunctions
interjections

clause
direct object
indirect object
phrase
predicate
predicate adjective
predicate nominative
sentence
subject

a word, phrase or clause that modifies a noun (the biology book) or pronoun (he is nice). It answers the question what kind (a hard test), which one (an english test) how many (three tests) or how much (many tests).

verbs, prouns, and nouns can act as adjectives.

adjectives usually precede the noun or noun phrase that they modify.
adjective: the nurse wears very colorful uniforms :colorful:

A word that modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.

Examples:

verb
the physician operates quickly :quickly:
another adverb: the student scored quite badly on the test :quite:

expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence.

the professor distributed the examinations as soon the students were seated.

"the professor distributed the examinations" expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence

Independent clauses are used to write simple and compound sentences.

beings with a subordinating conjunction and does not express a complete thought and therefore cannot stand alone as a sentence.

"as soon as the students were seated" does not express a compete thought. it needs the independent clause to complete the meaning and form the sentence.

Dependent clauses are added to an independent clause. When a sentence begins with a dependent clause, use a comma to set it apart from the independent clause. however when the dependent clause is at the end of the sentence it should not be proceeded by a coma

a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought.

is a sentence that has two or more independent clauses. Each independent has a subject and a predicate and can stand alone as a sentence. When two independent clauses are joined by a coordinating cojunction such as and, but, or, or nor, place a comma before the conjunction.,

example: The professor thoughts the test was too easy, but the students thought it was too hard.

the person or thing that is directly affected by the action of the verb. This term answers the question what or whom after a transitive verb.

The students watched the professor distribute the examinations.

the professor answers whom the students watched.

a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.
Ex: "Downsizing" as a euphemism for "laying off"

is the person or thing that is indiretly affected by the action of the verb. A sentence can have an indirect object only if it has a direct object. An indirect object answers the questions to whom, for whom, to what for what after an action verb.

indirect objects come between the verb and the direct object.

the professor gave his class the test results.

His class is the indirect object. It comes between the verb (gave) and the direct object (test results) and it answers the question to whom.

is a word or phrase that expresses emotion or exclamation. It does not have any grammatical connection to the other words in the sentence.

for example, yikes or whew

is a word or group of words that names a person, place, thing or idea.

a common noun is the general not the particular name of a person, place or tihng (e.g nurse, hospital, syringe)

is the official name of a person, place or thing. proper nouns are capitalized. (Fred, Paris, Washington University)

is the name of a quality or a general idea (persistence, democracy)

a noun that represents a group of persons, animals or things (family, flock, furniture)

contains a participle and acts as an adjective
examples: They arrested the man DRIVING THE CAR.

a type of verb from that functions as an adjective is a participle, which usually ends in -ing or -ed.

is a group of two or more words that acts as a single part of speech in a sentence. A phrase can be used as a noun, an adjective or an adverb. A phrase lacks a subject and a predicate

part of the sentence that tells what the subject does or what is done to the subject. It includes the verb and all the words that modify the verb.

follows a linking verb and helps to explain the subject.

my professors are "wonderful"

noun or pronoun that follows a linking verb and helps to explain or name the subject.

professors are "teachers"

is a word that shows the relationship of a noun or pronoun to some other word in the sentence.

a compound preposition is a preposition that is made up of more than one word.

a prepositional phrase is a group of words that begins with a preposition and ends with a noun or pronoun, which is called the object of the preposition

represents a specific person place or thing

We-first person plural
you-second person plural
them-third person plural

shows ownership or possession of something
example: Jerome is learning about HIS ancestors.

That is my book
That book is mine
That is his book
That book is his

Do not use pronouns ending in self where they are inappropriate or unnecessary. Use endings with self or selves only when there is a nun or personal pronoun in the sentence to relate back to.

I myself did the entire project
Sara did the entire project herself.

made up of two or more sentences that are incorrectly run together as a single sentence.

The problem can be solved by replacing the comma with a dash, a semicolon, or a colon; by adding a coordinating conjunction; or by making two separate sentences.

makes a statement

I went to the store

asks a question

Did you go to the store?

makes a command or request

go to the store

Many imperative sentences do not seem to have subjects. An imperative sentence often has an implied subject. When we say "stop that now" the subject of the sentence is implied (you stop that now)

makes an exclamation

you went to the store!

language that creates sexual stereotypes or implies that one gender is superior to another

Abbreviations and slang commonly used to shorten a text or instant message, like using "?s" for "questions"

a word or phrase that is used to express an action or a state of being. The verb is a critical element of a sentence.

a word that takes the place of a noun, another pronoun, or a group of words acting as a noun. The word or group of words to which a pronoun refers is called the antecedent.

The students wanted their test papers graded and returned to them in a timely manner.

The word students is the antecedent of the pronouns their and them

some verbs are known as linking verbs because they link or join the subject to a noun, pronoun, or predicate adjective. A linking verb does not show action.

the most commonly used linking verbs are forms of the verb to be

is a group of words that has a subject and a predicate

is a group of words that expresses a complete thought. Every sentence has a subject and a predicate. There are four types of sentences.

declaritive
interrogative
imperative
exclamatory

is a word, phrase, or clause that names whom or what the subject is about

a subject must agree with its verb in number. a singular subject required a singular verb. likewise a plural subject requires a plural verb.

The "question" that appears on all of the tests "are" appropriate"

Correct: The "question" that appears on all of the tests "is" appropriate.

Ignore any intervening phrases or clauses. Ignore words such as including, along with, as well, together with, besides, except and plus.

The "dean" along with his classes, "is" going on the tour of the facility.

The "deans", along with their classes, "are" going on the tour.

a collective noun is singular in form but plural in meaning. It is a noun that represents a group of persons, animals or things.

If the group is acting as a single entity, use a singular verb.

The "faculty agrees" to administer the test.

If the group is acting separately, use a plural verb.

The "faculty are" not in agreement about which test to administer.

usually when the subject consists of two or more words that are connected by the wrd and, the subject is pural and calls for a plural verb.

Example: The (faculty) and the (students are) in the auditorium.

When the subject consists of two or more singular words that are connected by the words (or, either/or, neither/nor or not onlyut also, the subject is singular and calls for a singular verb.

Example: Neither the student nor the dean was on time for class.

When the subject consists of singular and plura words that are connected by the wrods or, either/or, neither/nor or not onlyut also, choose a verb that agree with the subject that is cloese to the verb.

Example: Either the students or the teaching assitant is responsible.

This is the form of a pronoun which changes to show the relationship to other words in the sentence.

When choosing a pronoun that is in a compound subject, sometimes it is helpful to say the sentence without the conjunction and the other subject. We would not say, Him went to the conference or Me worked through the night or her liked the chocolate covered toffee. We would say He went to the conference and I worked through the night and She liked the chocolate covered toffee.

I/my/mine
He/his
She/her/hers
We/our/ours
You/your/yours
They/their/theirs
It/its

Used to show possession or to show that letters have been omitted
Ex a contraction

Not used to make a word plural including years and surname

Use a comma to separate three or more items in a series or list.
e.g. The nursing student took classes in English, biology, and chemistry.

The teacher and the student knew that SHE was wrong. rewrite the sentence to avoid confusion. The teacher and the student knew that THE STUDENT was wrong.

incomplete sentences

a phrase or clause placed awkwardly in a sentence so that it appears to modify or refer to an unintended word.

Example: I fear my teaching assistant may have discarded the test I was grading in the trash can.

Correction: I fear the test I was grading may have been discarded in the trash can by my teaching assistant.

are expressions or ideas that have lost their originality or impact over time because of excessive use.

Harsh, blunt, or offensive. Instead of saying they are dead you say they have passed away.

Sexist language refers to spoken or written styles that do not satisfactorily reflect the presence of women in our society.

affect is a verb and effect is a noun

Among: To show a relationship involving more than two persons or things being considered as a group (The professor will distribute the textbook s among the students in his class)

Between: To show a relationship involving two persons or things (I sit between Holly and Jo in class)

Amount: Used when referring to things in bulk (The nurse has a huge amount of paperwork)

Number: Used when referring to individual countable units (The nurse had a number of charts to complete)

Good: An adjective. Use good before nouns (He did a good job) and after linking verbs (She smells good) to modify the subject

Well: Usually an adverb. When modifying a verb, use the adverb well (She plays softball well). Well is used as an adjective only when describing someone's health (She is getting well)

Bad: Use bad an an adjective before nouns (He is a bad teacher) and after linking verbs (That smells bad) to modify the subject

Badly: Use badly as an adverb to modify an action verb (The student behaved badly in class)

Bring: conveys action toward the speaker - to carry from a distant place to a near place (Please bring your textbooks to class)

Take: Conveys action away from the speaker - to carry from a near place to a distant place (Please take your textbooks home)

Can/Could: Can and could imply ability or power (I can make an A in that class)

May/Might: May and might imply permission (You may leave early or I may leave early)

Farther: Refers to a measurable distance (The walk to class is much farther than I expected)

Further: Refers to a figurative distance and means "to a greater degree" or "to a greater extent" (i will have to study further to make better grades). Also means "moreover" (Further/Furthermore, let me tell you something) and "in addition to" (The student had nothing further to say)

Fewer: Refers to number - things that can be counted or numbered - and used with plural nouns (The professor has fewer students in his morning class than he has in his afternoon class)

Less: Refers to degree or amount - things in bulk or in the abstract - and is used with singular nouns (Fewer patients mean less work for the staff). Less is also used when referring to numeric or statistical terms (It's less than 2 miles to school. he scored less than 90 on the test)

Hear: a verb meaning "to recognize sound by means of the ear" (Can you hear me now?)

Here: most commonly used as an adverb meaning "at or in this place" (The test will be here tomorrow)

i.e. or that is specifies or explains e.g. or for example gives an example some examples of this would be i.e. i love to study chemistry i.e. the science dealing with the composition and properties of matter e.g. chemical equations, atomic structure, and molar relationships

Learn: to receive or acquire knowledge

Teach: To give or impart knowledge

Lie: to recline or rest

Lay: to put or place

Which: Used to introduce nonessential clauses (example: the hospital, which flooded last July, is down the street)

That: Used to introduce essential clauses (example: the hospital that flooded last July is down the street

Who and Whom: serve as interrogative pronouns and relative pronouns

Who: Who passed the chemistry test (He/she/they/I) passed the chemistry test
Whom: To whom did the professor give the test? he gave the test to him/her/them/mes

example:
Who is getting an A in this class? [interrogative]
Susan is the one who is getting an A in this class [relative]

To whom shall I give the textbook? [interrogative]
Susan, whom the professor favors, is very bright [relative]