Grammar

Question 1

What does morphology refer to in language study?

Answer 1

Word formation

Morphology involves understanding how words are constructed from morphemes.

Question 2

What is syntax in the context of English language?

Answer 2

Order and structure within phrases, clauses, and sentences

Syntax examines how words and phrases are arranged to create meaning.

Question 3

What is the inflectional function of morphemes?

Answer 3

To show tense or number

Inflectional morphemes modify a word to express grammatical relationships.

Question 4

What is the derivational function of morphemes?

Answer 4

To form new words

Derivational morphemes create new meanings or parts of speech.

Question 5

How are head words in phrases modified?

Answer 5

To provide more detail about people, places, objects, or events

Modifiers enhance the meaning of the head word in a phrase.

Question 6

What is the significance of arranging elements in clauses?

Answer 6

To support meaning and achieve different kinds of effects

Arrangement impacts clarity and emphasis in communication.

Question 7

How can significant patterns and structures be established in a text?

Answer 7

Through the shaping of syntax

Consistent syntax can create rhythm, style, or thematic elements in writing.

Question 8

How can point of view be grammatically realized?

Answer 8

Through the use of active or passive voice

Different voices can shift focus and responsibility in sentences.

Question 9

What concepts do English verbs show through tense and aspect?

Answer 9

The concept of time

Tense indicates when an action occurs, while aspect indicates its nature.

Question 10

What is a multi-clause structure?

Answer 10

Single clauses formed through co-ordination and subordination

Multi-clause structures allow for complex ideas to be conveyed in writing.

Question 11

What types of sentences can clauses and sentences function to form?

Answer 11

Statements, questions, commands, or exclamations

Each type serves a different communicative purpose.

Question 12

True or False: The grammar of speech is the same as that of writing.

Answer 12

False

Speech and writing often follow different grammatical conventions.

Question 13

What is a morpheme?

Answer 13

The smallest grammatical unit.

Morphemes are the building blocks of words.

Question 14

Define a free morpheme.

Answer 14

A morpheme that can stand on its own as a word.

Examples include ‘cat’, ‘run’, and ‘happy’.

Question 15

What is an affix (or bound morpheme)?

Answer 15

A morpheme that cannot stand on its own as a word, but combines with others to create a new word.

Examples include prefixes like ‘un-‘ and suffixes like ‘-ing’.

Question 16

What is a phrase?

Answer 16

A group of words centred around a head word.

Phrases can be noun phrases, verb phrases, etc.

Question 17

What is a head word?

Answer 17

The central word in a phrase which gives the phrase its name.

E.g., in ‘the big dog’, ‘dog’ is the head word.

Question 18

What is modification in the context of phrases?

Answer 18

The adding of additional words to provide more detail to a head word in a phrase.

This can occur either before (pre-modification) or after (post-modification) the head word.

Question 19

Define a clause.

Answer 19

A group of words centred around a verb, which may be either grammatically complete (main clause) or incomplete (subordinate clause).

Clauses are fundamental components of sentences.

Question 20

What is the active voice?

Answer 20

A clause where the agent (doer) of an action is the subject.

E.g., ‘The dog chased the cat.’

Question 21

What is the passive voice?

Answer 21

A clause where the patient (the entity affected by an action) is in the subject position, and the agent either follows or is left out.

E.g., ‘The cat was chased by the dog.’

Question 22

What does tense refer to in grammar?

Answer 22

How the time of an event is marked, usually through verb inflection: past, present & future.

Tense indicates when an action takes place.

Question 23

Define aspect in terms of grammar.

Answer 23

An element of marking the time of an event by specifying whether they are progressive (ongoing) or perfective (completed).

E.g., ‘I am running’ (progressive) vs. ‘I have run’ (perfective).

Question 24

What is coordination in grammar?

Answer 24

The joining of two or more independent clauses via co-ordinating conjunctions.

Single words and longer phrases can also be co-ordinated.

Question 25

Define subordination in the context of clauses.

Answer 25

The joining of two or more clauses where only one is independent (the main clause) and the others are dependent (subordinate clause/clauses).

Question 26

What constitutes a sentence?

Answer 26

A larger unit of meaning, which may be formed of a single clause (simple sentence) or several clauses (compound or complex sentences). Minor sentences are sentences without a verb.

Question 27

What are the four sentence functions?

Answer 27

The purpose a sentence fulfills in communication:
* Statement (declarative)
* Question (interrogative)
* Command (imperative)
* Exclamation (exclamative).

Question 28

What is meant by word class?

Answer 28

The grammatical category into which words can be placed, including:
* Noun
* Adjective
* Verb
* Adverb
* Determiner
* Pronoun
* Preposition
* Conjunction.

Question 29

True or False: There is a consensus that English has a future tense.

Answer 29

False

There is a debate over whether or not there is a future tense in English.