Syntax handbook

Question 1

the present participle form of a verb used as a noun (e.g., Lifting is difficult for him)

Answer 1

gerund

Question 1

a verb requiring an object, such that the action or state of the subject carries over to the object

Answer 1

transitive verb

Question 2

a type of noun referring to a tangible, physical entity (e.g. box, spoon)

Answer 2

concrete noun

Question 3

a type of dependent clause that compares the information in the dependent clause with information presented in the independent clause; is introduced with the words than or as

Answer 3

comparative clause

Question 3

an independent clause conjoined to another independent clause of equal weight and importance via a coordinating conjunction

Answer 3

coordinate clause

Question 3

the recipient of an action in a clause or sentence

Answer 3

direct object

Question 4

a verb form that is the bare stem of a verb preceded by to (e.g. I want to wait)

Answer 4

infinitive

Question 4

a verb that does not require an object (e.g., he sleeps)

Answer 4

intransitive verb

Question 5

this that these or those each of which identifies or highlights a particular antecedent; can function as a pronoun, as a limiting adjective, or as a determiner

Answer 5

demonstrative

Question 6

a verb used as an auxiliary that can occur in a contracted form with the full meaning of the sentence still expressed (e.g., Jen will come—> Jen’ll come)

Answer 6

Contractible Auxiliary

Question 7

a sentence type that informs by making a positive or negative statement or an assertion

Answer 7

declarative sentence

Question 7

When do most children begin using pronouns?

Answer 7

During Brown’s stage I

Question 9

a phrase that has an adjective as its head

Answer 9

adjective phrase

Question 10

a verb tense that references actions or sates of being that will be or shall be completed before a particular time in the future; is formed by combining will have or shall have and the past participle form of a verb (e.g., Ian will have eaten by the time you get home)

Answer 10

future perfect tense

Question 11

the noun to which a pronoun refers

Answer 11

antecedent

Question 12

an auxiliary verb used to describe the intention and certainty of an action (e.g., can, could, might)

Answer 12

modal auxiliary

Question 14

one of the determiners a, an, or the; is either definite (i.e. the) or indefinite (i.e., a, an).

Answer 14

article

Question 15

a verb that is linked to or combined with a main verb to provide additional information about person, tense, or mood (e.g. “Timmy was hiding” or “She will help you”)

Answer 15

Auxillary Verb/ Helping Verb

Question 16

a type of noun referring to an intangible, nonphysical entity; describes ideas, emotions, senses, and situations

Answer 16

abstract noun

Question 17

a type of descriptive adjective that typically precedes the noun it modifies (the blue sky)

Answer 17

attributive adjective

Question 18

During what stage are children adept at using simple sentence structure (subject + verb+ object)

Answer 18

Brown’s stage III, 31 months of age

Question 20

a dependent clause that elaborates or specifies information about something named (a noun or pronoun) in the subject or object position; is typically introduced with a relative pronoun

Answer 20

Adjective clause/relative clause

Question 21

a class of words that provides additional information about nouns, pronouns, and verbs; is generally either an adjective or an adverb

Answer 21

modifier

Question 23

a type of noun that names a group acting as a unit

Answer 23

collective noun

Question 24

a type of adverb that serves as a conjunction to connect two or more independent clauses (e.g., accordingly, hence, meanwhile).

Answer 24

adverbial conjunct/ conjunctive adverb

Question 25

a noun referring to a general entity (e.g., cat, beauty, box)

Answer 25

common noun

Question 26

a dependent clause that serves as the subject or object of a sentence; always contains a subject

Answer 26

finite clause/nominal clause/noun clause

Question 27

the beneficiary of an action in a clause or sentence

Answer 27

indirect object

Question 28

a sentence done in which the subject is acted upon (e.g., “the door was opened by John”

Answer 28

passive voice

Question 29

a syntactic structure that contains subject and a predicate; is either independent (main) or dependent (subordinate)

Answer 29

clause

Question 31

a verb tense that references actions or states of being that were started in the past and have recently been completed or are continuing up to the present time; is formed by combining have or has and the past participle of the verb (Ian has eaten)

Answer 31

Present perfect tense.

Question 32

What pronouns are usually acquired earliest

Answer 32

I, me, my, it, mine, you

Question 33

a be verb when it stands alone as a main verb and does not require an object (e.g., I am happy)

Answer 33

copula

Question 34

a major sentence element following the subject slot that is made up of the verb and other constituents following it; describes the action, state, or condition that is stated, asked, ordered, or exclaimed by the use of a verb (e.g. Allison is sleeping)

Answer 34

predicate

Question 35

a sentence in which the subject is the performer of an action (e.g. “Mary opened the letter”; these sentences generally follow a Subject+verb+ object or subject+verb+complement pattern

Answer 35

active voice