Grammar Clauses and Phrases

Grammar

Clauses

• Independent clause: a complete sentence that expresses a complete thought
• Dependent clause: a group of words that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence
• Relative clause: a dependent clause that begins with a relative pronoun (who, whom, whose, which, that)
• Subordinate clause: a dependent clause that begins with a subordinating conjunction (because, although, if, unless, while)

Phrases

• Noun phrase: a phrase that functions as a noun in a sentence
• Verb phrase: a phrase that functions as a verb in a sentence
• Adjective phrase: a phrase that functions as an adjective in a sentence
• Adverb phrase: a phrase that functions as an adverb in a sentence

Tenses

• Present tense: used to describe an action that is happening now
  • Examples: I am studying, she is reading
• Past tense: used to describe an action that happened in the past
  • Examples: I studied, she read
• Future tense: used to describe an action that will happen in the future
  • Examples: I will study, she will read

Modals

• Can: used to express ability or possibility
• Could: used to express ability or possibility in the past
• May: used to express permission or possibility
• Might: used to express possibility or uncertainty
• Shall: used to express future action or intention
• Should: used to express obligation or recommendation
• Will: used to express future action or intention
• Would: used to express past habit or possibility

Active and Passive Voice

• Active voice: the subject performs the action
  • Example: The dog bites the man.
• Passive voice: the subject receives the action
  • Example: The man was bitten by the dog.

Syntax

Sentence Structure

• Simple sentence: a sentence with one independent clause
• Compound sentence: a sentence with two or more independent clauses joined by a conjunction
• Complex sentence: a sentence with one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses
• Compound-complex sentence: a sentence with two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses

Word Order

• SVO (Subject-Verb-Object) word order: the most common word order in English sentences
• SOV (Subject-Object-Verb) word order: used in some sentences for emphasis or clarity
• OSV (Object-Subject-Verb) word order: used in some sentences for emphasis or clarity

Modifiers

• Adjectives: modify nouns or pronouns
• Adverbs: modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs
• Phrasal modifiers: phrases that function as adjectives or adverbs

Grammar

Clauses

• Independent clause: expresses a complete thought
• Dependent clause: cannot stand alone as a complete sentence
• Relative clause: begins with a relative pronoun (who, whom, whose, which, that)
• Subordinate clause: begins with a subordinating conjunction (because, although, if, unless, while)

Phrases

• Noun phrase: functions as a noun in a sentence
• Verb phrase: functions as a verb in a sentence
• Adjective phrase: functions as an adjective in a sentence
• Adverb phrase: functions as an adverb in a sentence

Tenses

• Present tense: describes an action happening now
  • Examples: I am studying, she is reading
• Past tense: describes an action that happened in the past
  • Examples: I studied, she read
• Future tense: describes an action that will happen in the future
  • Examples: I will study, she will read

Modals

• Can: expresses ability or possibility
• Could: expresses ability or possibility in the past
• May: expresses permission or possibility
• Might: expresses possibility or uncertainty
• Shall: expresses future action or intention
• Should: expresses obligation or recommendation
• Will: expresses future action or intention
• Would: expresses past habit or possibility

Active and Passive Voice

• Active voice: subject performs the action
  • Example: The dog bites the man
• Passive voice: subject receives the action
  • Example: The man was bitten by the dog

Syntax

Sentence Structure

• Simple sentence: one independent clause
• Compound sentence: two or more independent clauses joined by a conjunction
• Complex sentence: one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses
• Compound-complex sentence: two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses

Word Order

• SVO (Subject-Verb-Object) word order: most common in English sentences
• SOV (Subject-Object-Verb) word order: used for emphasis or clarity
• OSV (Object-Subject-Verb) word order: used for emphasis or clarity

Modifiers

• Adjectives: modify nouns or pronouns
• Adverbs: modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs
• Phrasal modifiers: phrases that function as adjectives or adverbs