Grammar Flashcards
Morpheme
The smallest grammatical unit either a root or an affix
Root morpheme
A morpheme that can stand on its own as a word
Affix
A morpheme that combines with a root morpheme to create a new word
Phrase
A group of words centred around a head word
Head word
The central word in a phrase which given the phrase it’s name
Modification
The adding of additional words to provide more detail to a head word in a phrase either before it or after it
Clause
A group of words centred around a verb which may be either grammatically complete (main clause) or incomplete (subordinate clause)
Active voice
A clause where the agent of an action is the subject
Passive voice
A clause where the patient is in the subject position and the agent either follows or is left out
Tense
How the time of an event is marked: also, present and future
Aspect
Another element of marking the time of an event by specifying whether they are progressive (ongoing) or perfective (completed)
Coordination
The joining of two or more independent clauses via co ordinating conjunctions. Single words and longer phrases can also be co-ordinated
Subordination
The joining of two or more classes where only one is independent ( the main clause) and the others dependent (subordinate clause)
Sentence
A larger unit of meaning which may be formed of a single clause
Sentence function
The purpose a sentence fulfils in communication: as a statement, question or exclamation
