Adjective clauses, which are a type of dependent or subordinate clause, consist of a relative pronoun followed by a clause that consists of a subject and a predicate. Also known as relative clauses, adjective clauses perform adjectival functions. In grammar, a verb phrase modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that modifies or describes a […] More
Similar to nouns and noun phrases in grammatical function, noun clauses are dependent or subordinate clauses that perform nominal functions and that consist of a subordinating conjunction followed by a clause. Some grammars use the term nominal clause for noun clauses. Noun clause is a grammatical form. Grammatical function distinguishes noun clauses from other subordinate […] More
Similar to modal verbs in distinctness, catenative verbs are a unique verb form to the English language. Catenative verbs form strings of verbs by linking the catenative verb to an infinitive, present participle, or base form of another verb within a single verb phrase. The adjective catenative — derived from the verb catenate — means […] More
Unique to the English language, catenative verbs form strings of verbs by linking the catenative verb to an infinitive, present participle, or base form of another verb. Derived from the verb catenate, which means “to connect, to link, to string together,” the adjective catenative refers to the connecting of one verb to another within a […] More
Verb phrase complements are words and phrases that complete the meaning of a verb or verb phrase. Unlike verb phrase modifiers that modify or describe a verb or verb phrase, verb phrase modifiers complete the meaning of the verb or verb phrase. Two grammatical forms can function as verb phrase complements. The two grammatical forms […] More
The prepositional verb is a common intransitive verb form in the English language. Prepositional verbs consist of a verb plus a prepositional phrase that functions as a verb phrase complement. For more information about prepositional verbs, see Prepositional Verbs and Verb Phrase Complements. See also the Phrasal Verb Dictionary. A abide by – Abide by […] More
Adjective phrase modifiers are words and phrases that that modify or describe an adjective or adjective phrase. Unlike adjective phrase complements that complete the meaning of an adjective or adjective phrase, adjective phrase modifiers describe an adjective or adjective phrase. Only one grammatical form can function as the adjective phrase modifier in English grammar: adverb […] More
Notional grammars traditionally define verbs as “words that denote an action or a state of being.” A verb phrase is a grammatical structure that consists of a verb that functions as the verb phrase head plus any auxiliary verbs, particles, modifiers, complements, and objects. In grammar, an indirect object is word, phrase, or clause that […] More
Verbs are notionally defined by traditional grammars as “words that denote an action or a state of being.” A verb phrase is a grammatical structure that consists of a verb that functions as the verb phrase head plus any auxiliary verbs, particles, modifiers, complements, and objects. In grammar, a direct object is a word, phrase, […] More
Halloween is a largely secular holiday celebrated every year on October 31 in the United States. Activities associated with the Halloween holiday include dressing up in costumes, trick or treating, carving pumpkins, visiting haunted houses, telling scary stories, watching horror films, and attending Halloween parties. Although the holiday is celebrated in other parts of the […] More
Verbs are traditionally defined as “words that denote an action or a state of being.” A verb phrase is a grammatical structure that consists of a verb that functions as the verb phrase head plus any auxiliary verbs, particles, modifiers, complements, and objects. In grammar, a subject complement is a word, phrase, or clause that […] More
Pronouns are small words that can take the place of nouns, noun phrases, and other grammatical forms. Subject pronouns are pronouns that perform two functions in clauses: subject and subject complement. Subjects are words, phrases, and clauses that perform the action of or act upon the verb. Subject complements are words, phrases, and clauses that […] More
Modal verbs are a type of auxiliary verb that express modality in the English language. Modality is the grammaticalized expression of the subjective attitude of the speaker, which includes opinions about possibility, probability, necessity, obligation, permissibility, ability, desire, and contingency. The nine English modal auxiliary verbs are: can could may might must shall should will […] More
Traditional grammars define the verb as a “word that denote an action or a state of being.” A verb phrase is a grammatical structure that consists of a verb that functions as the verb phrase head plus any auxiliary verbs, particles, modifiers, complements, and objects. In grammar, a subject is a word, phrase, or clause […] More
Determiners are a closed class of words that provide information such as familiarity, location, quantity, and number about a noun or noun phrase. Determiners differ in form and function from adjectives, which describe attributes of nouns and noun phrases. Like interrogative pronouns, interrogative determiners ask questions. The three interrogative determiners in English grammar are: what […] More
P-words are defined as prepositions and adverbs that no longer perform prepositional or adverbial functions. P-words are function words, which are defined as words that perform definite grammatical functions but that lack definite lexical meaning. In grammar, an infinitive marker is a function words that distinguishes the base form from the infinitive form of an […] More
Operators are words that facilitate the expression of a negation, interrogatives, and emphasis in the English language. Operators function within verb phrases functioning as predicates. Only one grammatical form can perform the function of operator in English. The one grammatical form that can function as the operator is the verb. Only the verb do, sometimes […] More
Adverb phrase heads are words that function as the heads of adverb phrases. An adverb phrase consists of an adverb plus any modifiers. Only one grammatical form can perform the function of adverb phrase head in the English language. The one grammatical form that can function as the adverb phrase head is: Adverbs The following […] More
An adjective phrase complement is a word, phrase, or clause that completes the meaning of an adjective phrase. The three grammatical forms that function as adjective phrase complements are prepositional phrases, verb phrases in the form of infinitives, and that noun clauses. The following dictionary lists the most common adjectives followed by adjective phrase complements […] More
Adjective phrase complements are words, phrases, and clauses that complete the meaning of an adjective or adjective phrase. Unlike adjective phrase modifiers that modify or describe an adjective or adjective phrase, adjective phrase complements complete the meaning of an adjective or adjective phrase. Three grammatical forms can function as adjective phrase complements. The three grammatical […] More
