Grammar Flashcards
What is a preposition?
Links nouns, pronouns and phrases to other words in a sentence.
The word or phrase that the preposition introduces is called the object of the preposition.
Usually indicated the relationship of the object to the rest of the sentence (ie. the book is ON the table, she read the book DURING class)
How do you use apostrophes?
Use to show possession
In a singular noun, it’s an ‘s (ie. a woman’s hat, Mrs. Chang’s house)
What is a subject pronoun?
Used in the subject of a sentence
Singular subject pronouns are “I, you, he, she and it”
Plural subject pronouns are “we, you and they”
What is an object pronoun?
Used in the predicate (everything after the verb) of a sentence
Singular object pronouns are “me, you, him, her and it”
Plural subject pronouns are “us, you and them”
What are nouns? What is noun-verb agreement?
Person, place or thing
What are verbs? What are the types of verbs?
Verbs are words that show an action (sing), occurrence (develop), or state of being (exist)
What are adjectives?
Words whose main purpose is to modify a noun or noun phrase
Pretty flower
Enchanting evening
Lovely sunset
What are adverbs?
a word or phrase that modifies or qualifies an adjective, verb, or other adverb or a word group, expressing a relation of place, time, circumstance, manner, cause, degree, etc. (e.g., gently, quite, then, there )
What is a subordinate clause? What is n independent clause?
SC: a clause, typically introduced by a conjunction, that forms part of and is dependent on a independent clause
IC: a clause that can stand by itself as a simple sentence
What is a modifier?
An expression that limits or describes another word or phrase (can be words, phrases or subordinate clauses - ex: little boat)
What is a dangling modifier?
Words or phrases which “dangle” because they have no word in the sentence to describe
Ex: “while taking a shower, the doorbell rang”
The doorbell was taking a shower?
Better - “while I was taking a shower, the doorbell rang”
What is a misplaced modifier?
A modifier placed too close to some other word that it does not intend to modify
Ex: “there was a debate on the bill to provide financial aid to homeless people in the senate”
Homeless people in the senate?
Better - “there was a debate in the senate on the bill to provide financial aid to homeless people”
What is a squinting modifier?
Misplaced modifiers which seem to modify two words
Ex: “the employees who liked him sometimes gave him presents”
Sometimes the employees liked him or sometimes they gave him presents?
Better - “the employees who liked him gave him presents sometimes”
