Grammatical & Linguistic Terms A to C

Looking for a thorough grammar reference? Our A to Z glossary covers everything you need to know about English grammar, from basic concepts to advanced rules. Ideal for all language learners.

Grammar and literacy glossary: A to C

A–C | D–I | J–Q | R–S | T–Z

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

Acronym

An acronym is a special kind of word. It is made by taking the first letters of a group of words and putting them together to make a new word.

Examples:

NASA: This stands for "National Aeronautics and Space Administration." [NASA is the organization that sends astronauts into space.]
LOL: This stands for "Laugh Out Loud." [People use LOL when they think something is really funny.]
FBI: This stands for "Federal Bureau of Investigation." [The FBI is a group that helps keep people safe by solving crimes.]

Why Do We Use Acronyms?

Acronyms make long names or phrases shorter and easier to say or write. Instead of saying "National Aeronautics and Space Administration" every time, we just say "NASA."

Action Verb

An action verb is a word that shows what someone or something does. It tells us about an action or movement.

Examples of Action Verbs:

Run: The dog runs in the park. ["Run" tells us what the dog is doing.]
Jump: She jumps over the puddle. ["Jump" tells us what she is doing.]

Active Voice/ Active Verb

Active voice is a way of writing where the subject of the sentence does the action. Active voice makes our sentences lively and direct. It tells us who is doing what, right away! It's like telling a story where the hero is always in action!

Examples:

The cat chased the mouse. [Here, "the cat" is the subject doing the action of "chasing."]
John kicked the ball. [In this sentence, "John" is the subject doing the action of "kicking."]

Adjective

An adjective is a word that describes a noun (a person, place, or thing). It tells us more about the noun.

Examples of Adjectives:

Red: The red apple.
Big: The big dog.
Happy: The happy child.

Adjective phrase

An adjective phrase is a group of words that work together to describe a noun. It includes an adjective and other words that give more information about the noun.

Examples of Adjective Phrases:

Very tall: The very tall tree. ["Very tall" describes the tree.]
Full of joy: The child full of joy. ["Full of joy" describes the child.]
Covered in mud: The dog covered in mud. ["Covered in mud" describes the dog.]

Adjunct

An adjunct is a word or group of words added to a sentence to give more information. It tells us more about when, where, why, or how something happens. An adjunct is not needed for the sentence to make sense but adds extra details.

Examples of Adjuncts:

In the morning: She runs in the morning. ["In the morning" tells us when she runs.]
Quickly: He finished his homework quickly. ["Quickly" tells us how he finished his homework.]
At the park: They played at the park. ["At the park" tells us where they played.]

Adverb

An adverb is a word that describes a verb (an action word). It tells us more about how, when, where, or why something happens.

Examples of Adverbs:

Quickly: She runs quickly.
Yesterday: He came yesterday.
Here: They are playing here.

Adverb phrase

An adverb phrase is a group of words that work together to describe a verb. It adds more details to the action. It tells us more about how, when, where, or why something happens.

Examples of Adverb Phrases:

In a hurry: She runs in a hurry. ["In a hurry" tells us how she runs.]
After school: He came after school. ["After school" tells us when he came.]
In the garden: They are playing in the garden. ["In the garden" tells us where they are playing.]

Adverbial

An adverbial is a word or group of words that work like an adverb to give more information about a verb. It tells us how, when, where, or why something happens.

Examples of Adverbials:

Tomorrow: She will visit tomorrow.
Very fast: He ran very fast.
In the park: They are playing in the park.

Adverbial Clause

An adverbial clause is a group of words with a subject and a verb that work together to describe a verb. It tells us how, when, where, or why something happens.

Examples of Adverbial Clauses:

Because she was tired: She went to bed early because she was tired. ["Because she was tired" tells us why she went to bed early.]
When the bell rang: They stopped playing when the bell rang. ["When the bell rang" tells us when they stopped playing.]
If it rains: We will stay inside if it rains. ["If it rains" tells us why we will stay inside.]

Affirmative Sentence

An affirmative sentence is a sentence that tells us something is true. It is used to state facts, share information, or tell someone something in a clear and positive way.

Examples of Affirmative Sentences:

The sun is shining.
She likes ice cream.
They are playing soccer.

Affix

An affix is a small part of a word that is added to the beginning or end of a base word to change its meaning.

Types of Affixes:

Prefix: An affix added to the beginning of a word.
Suffix: An affix added to the end of a word.

Examples of Prefixes:

Un-:

Unhappy (un- + happy = not happy)

Re-:

Reread (re- + read = read again)

Examples of Suffixes:

-ed:

Played (play + -ed = did play)

-ing:

Running (run + -ing = doing run)

Agency

Agency refers to the ability of the agent to do the action. It shows that the agent has the power to act.

Examples of Agency:

The firefighter saved the puppy. ["The firefighter" has the agency to save the puppy.]
The teacher explains the lesson. ["The teacher" has the agency to explain the lesson.]

Agent

An agent is someone or something that does an action in a sentence. It tells us who or what is doing the action.

Examples of Agents:

The cat chased the mouse. [Here, "the cat" is the agent doing the action of chasing.]
Sara baked a cake. [In this sentence, "Sara" is the agent doing the action of baking.]

Agreement

Agreement in grammar means that certain parts of a sentence must match or "agree" with each other in number (singular or plural) and gender. This helps sentences make sense and sound right.

Examples of Agreement:

Subject-Verb Agreement:

He runs fast. ["He" is singular, so "runs" is also singular.]
They run fast. ["They" is plural, so "run" is also plural.]

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement:

The girl lost her book. ["Girl" is singular and female, so we use the singular pronoun "her."]
The boys finished their homework. ["Boys" is plural, so we use the plural pronoun "their."]

Anaphora (adjective = anaphoric)

What is Anaphora in Grammar?

Anaphora is when we repeat a word or phrase at the beginning of multiple sentences or clauses. It helps to emphasize an idea or create a rhythmic effect in writing.

Examples of Anaphora:

"I have a dream" speech by Martin Luther King Jr.: "I have a dream that one day... I have a dream that one day... I have a dream that one day..." [In this speech, Martin Luther King Jr. repeats the phrase "I have a dream" to emphasize his vision for equality.]
Children's story: "Once upon a time, there was a little prince. Once upon a time, there was a little princess." [In this story, the phrase "Once upon a time" is repeated to start each sentence and create a storytelling rhythm.]

Why Do We Use Anaphora?

Anaphora adds emphasis and rhythm to writing. It helps to draw attention to key ideas or create a memorable effect. It's like a drumbeat that makes the writing sound strong and memorable!

Antecedent

An antecedent is a word that comes before a pronoun and gives it meaning. It's like the noun that the pronoun refers to.

Examples of Antecedents:

The cat chased its tail. [In this sentence, "cat" is the antecedent of "its." It tells us what "its" refers to.]
Sara lost her book. [Here, "Sara" is the antecedent of "her." It shows us whose book was lost.]

Anticipatory structure

Anticipatory structure is when we use words or phrases at the beginning of a sentence to prepare the reader for what's coming next. It helps set the stage for the main idea.

Examples of Anticipatory Structure:

"Next, we'll make a cake." [The word "Next" tells us that making a cake is what will happen after.]
"Before we go to the park, let's pack a picnic." ["Before" lets us know that packing a picnic will happen first.]

Antonym

Antonym is when we have words that have opposite meanings. It's like the opposite of a word!

Examples of Antonyms:

Hot and cold: Hot means something is warm, while cold means it's not warm.
Big and small: Big means something is large, while small means it's not large.
Happy and sad: Happy means feeling good, while sad means feeling bad.

Apposition

Apposition is when we put two nouns or noun phrases next to each other to explain or describe each other. It helps to give more information about the noun.

Examples of Apposition:

My friend, Sarah, is coming over. ["Sarah" is in apposition to "my friend." It tells us who the friend is.]
The city, New York, is famous for its skyscrapers. ["New York" is in apposition to "the city." It tells us which city is famous for skyscrapers.]

Aspect

Aspect in grammar is all about showing how actions happen over time. It tells us if the action is happening now, has already happened, or will happen in the future.

Examples of Aspect:

Simple Aspect:

"I play soccer." (It's happening now.)
"She reads books." (It happens regularly.)

Continuous Aspect:

"I am playing soccer." (I am doing it right now.)
"She was reading a book." (She was doing it in the past.)

Perfect Aspect:

"I have played soccer." (I did it before now.)
"She will have finished the book." (She will complete it in the future.)

Assertion

An assertion is a statement where we say something is true. It's like telling someone something that we believe or know.

Examples of Assertions:

Dogs are loyal animals. [This is an assertion because it states something that is believed to be true about dogs.]
The sun rises in the east. [This is another assertion because it tells us a fact about where the sun rises.]

Attributive

An attributive is a word or phrase that describes a noun by giving it more information. It helps us understand what the noun is like.

Examples of Attributives:

The big dog: "Big" is the attributive describing the dog. It tells us the size of the dog.
The red apple: "Red" is the attributive describing the apple. It tells us the color of the apple.

Auxiliary

An auxiliary is a helper word that works with a main verb to form different verb tenses or add meaning to the sentence.

Examples of Auxiliaries:

"I am eating dinner." ["Am" is the auxiliary helping the main verb "eating" to show the action is happening now.]
"She has finished her homework." ["Has" is the auxiliary helping the main verb "finished" to show that the action is completed.]

Back channeling

Back channeling is when we show that we are listening or understanding what someone is saying by making small sounds or words like "uh-huh," "okay," or nodding.

Examples of Back Channeling:

Friend talking: "I went to the zoo yesterday."
Listener: "Uh-huh."

Teacher explaining: "So, the Earth orbits around the sun."
Student: "Okay."

Why Do We Use Back Channeling?

Back channeling helps show the speaker that we are paying attention and understand what they are saying. It's a way of being polite and encouraging in conversation.

Backgrounding

Backgrounding is a way we use words to show that some information is less important in a sentence, while focusing on the main idea. Think of it like telling a story and putting some parts in the background so the main action stands out more.

Example 1:

Imagine you're telling a friend about a fun day you had at the park.

Without backgrounding: "I was eating ice cream and then I saw a clown juggling."
With backgrounding: "While I was eating ice cream, I saw a clown juggling."

Here, "While I was eating ice cream" is backgrounded. The main focus is on the exciting part—seeing the clown juggling.

Example 2:

You're explaining why you were late to school.

Without backgrounding: "I was walking to school and then it started raining."
With backgrounding: "As I was walking to school, it started raining."

In this sentence, "As I was walking to school" is backgrounded. The important part is that it started raining, which might explain why you were late.

Backshift

Backshift is a term used in grammar to describe what happens to verbs in reported speech when the reporting verb is in the past tense. It's like shifting a verb back in time.

Example:

Imagine you're telling your friend what someone else said.

Original Speech: "I am happy."
Reported Speech with Backshift: "He said he was happy."

Notice how "am" changes to "was" because we're talking about what someone said in the past.

Another Example:

Your teacher tells you, "We will have a test tomorrow."

Original Speech: "We will have a test tomorrow."
Reported Speech with Backshift: "The teacher said we would have a test the next day."

Here, "will" changes to "would" to show that the test was talked about in the past.

Backshift makes it clear that we are reporting something that has already been said or happened. It's like using a time machine for verbs!

Base form

Base form refers to the simplest form of a verb, without any endings like -ed, -ing, or -s. It's the form of the verb you would find in a dictionary.

Examples:

Here are some common verbs in their base form:

Run
Eat
Play
Sing

How We Use the Base Form:

With "to" (infinitive form):

"I like to run."
"She wants to eat pizza."

For giving commands:

"Play with your toys."
"Sing a song."

In simple present tense (with "I", "you", "we", "they"):

"I run every morning."
"They play soccer after school."

The base form is like the root of the verb. From this form, we can change the verb to fit different tenses and subjects, but the base form itself stays the same. It's the verb in its simplest, most basic form!

Blend

Blend is a term used in language to describe a word that is made by combining parts of two different words. These new words often mix sounds and meanings from the original words.

Examples:

Here are some fun blends you might already know:

1. Brunch:

Breakfast + Lunch = Brunch

Brunch is a meal you eat in the late morning, combining breakfast and lunch.

2. Smog:

Smoke + Fog = Smog

Smog is the dirty air you see in big cities, a mix of smoke and fog.

3. Motel:

Motor + Hotel = Motel

A motel is a place for people traveling by car to stay overnight, like a hotel but usually by the roadside.

4. Spork:

Spoon + Fork = Spork

A spork is an eating utensil that is part spoon and part fork.

Blends are like word smoothies, taking pieces of two words and mixing them together to create something new and useful!

Boosting

Boosting is a way we use words to make something sound stronger or more important. It's like adding extra power to what we're saying to show that we really mean it.

Examples:

Here are some ways we use boosting in sentences:

1. Very:

"I am very excited about the party!"
"The cake is very delicious."

2. Really:

"She is really good at soccer."
"I really love this book."

3. So:

"This movie is so funny!"
"He was so happy to see his friend."

4. Absolutely:

"The view from the top of the mountain is absolutely amazing."
"She is absolutely sure about her answer."

Boosting helps us express our feelings and opinions more strongly. It's like turning up the volume on our words to show just how excited, happy, or sure we are!

Case

Case is a term used in grammar to show how a noun or pronoun is used in a sentence. It helps us understand the role that word plays, like whether it is the subject, the object, or shows possession.

Examples:

1. Subject Case (Nominative): The subject of the sentence, or who is doing the action.

"She runs fast." (She is the one running)

2. Object Case (Accusative): The object of the sentence, or what is receiving the action.

"I see her." (Her is the one being seen)

3. Possessive Case (Genitive): Shows ownership or possession.

"This is her book." (The book belongs to her)

Examples with Pronouns:

Subject Case: "He plays soccer."
Object Case: "I gave him the ball."
Possessive Case: "This is his ball."

These cases help us know who is doing what in a sentence, making our communication clear and precise. Think of it like assigning different roles to words so everyone knows what part they play in the sentence!

Cataphora (adjective = cataphoric)

Cataphora is a fancy term in grammar that describes when a word or phrase refers to something mentioned later in the sentence. It's like giving a hint about what’s coming next.

Example:

Imagine you’re telling a story, but you mention something before explaining it fully.

Simple Sentence:

"Before he finished, John had an idea." [Here, "he" refers to "John," but you hear "he" first and then find out it’s John.]

Another Example:

"If you need it, the book is on the table." ["It" refers to "the book," but you find out about the book later in the sentence.]

Example with a Short Story:

"Even though she was nervous, Maria did a great job." ["She" refers to "Maria," but you hear "she" first and then learn it’s Maria.]

Cataphora makes sentences interesting and adds a bit of suspense because you find out the details after the hint. It’s like a little mystery in a sentence that gets solved quickly!

Catenative

Catenative verbs are like teamwork verbs. They work together with another verb to show actions happening one after the other.

Example 1: want

Teamwork Verbs: I want to play. Explanation: In this sentence, "want" is the catenative verb, and "play" is the main action. They work together to show what I want to do.

Example 2: need

Teamwork Verbs: She needs to study. Explanation: Here, "needs" is the catenative verb, and "study" is the main action. They team up to show what she needs to do.

Causative

Causative is a term used in grammar to describe a special kind of sentence where one person makes another person do something. It shows that someone is causing something to happen.

Examples:

Make:

"Mom made me clean my room." [Here, "Mom" is causing "me" to do the action (clean my room).]

Have:

"The teacher had the students write an essay." [In this sentence, "the teacher" is causing "the students" to do the action (write an essay).]

Let:

"Dad let us stay up late." [Here, "Dad" is allowing "us" to do something (stay up late), which is a type of causative action.]

Get:

"She got her friend to help with the project." ["She" is causing "her friend" to do the action (help with the project).]

Class (open class, closed class)

Class in grammar refers to groups of words that share similar roles or functions in a sentence.

Open Class

Open class words are words that we can easily add new members to.

Examples:

Nouns (like "dog", "car", "happiness")
Verbs (like "run", "jump", "think")
Adjectives (like "happy", "blue", "fast")
Adverbs (like "quickly", "very", "well")

Think of open class words like a toy box where you can keep adding more toys!

Closed Class

What is it? Closed class words are words that rarely get new members.

Examples:

Pronouns (like "he", "she", "they")
Prepositions (like "in", "on", "at")
Conjunctions (like "and", "but", "or")
Determiners (like "the", "a", "this")

Closed class words are like a special set of tools in a toolbox that don’t change much over time.

Clause

A clause is a group of words that has a subject and a verb and forms a part of a sentence.

Types of Clauses

Independent Clause: An independent clause can stand alone as a complete sentence.

Example: "The cat sleeps."

Explanation: It has a subject ("The cat") and a verb ("sleeps"). It makes sense on its own.

Dependent Clause: A dependent clause cannot stand alone and needs an independent clause to make sense.

Example: "Because the cat is tired."

Explanation: It has a subject ("the cat") and a verb ("is tired"), but it doesn't make sense by itself. It needs more information.

Putting It Together

Independent Clause: "I read a book."
Dependent Clause: "When I have free time."
Combine them: "I read a book when I have free time."

Cleft

A cleft is a special kind of sentence that puts emphasis on a particular part of the sentence by splitting it into two parts. It helps make the sentence clearer or more focused.

Types of Cleft Sentences

It-Cleft

This type of cleft sentence starts with "It is" or "It was".

Example: "It was the dog that barked."

Explanation: The sentence "The dog barked" is split to emphasize "the dog".

Wh-Cleft

This type starts with a word like "what", "where", "when", or "who".

Example: "What I need is a nap."

Explanation: The sentence "I need a nap" is split to emphasize "a nap".

Examples

Normal Sentence: "Tom ate the cake."
It-Cleft: "It was Tom who ate the cake."
Wh-Cleft: "What Tom ate was the cake."

Clipping

Clipping is a way of making a word shorter by cutting off part of it. This makes the word easier and quicker to say.

Examples of Clipping

Telephone becomes phone
Refrigerator becomes fridge
Mathematics becomes math
Aeroplane becomes plane

How Clipping Works

Front Clipping: Cutting off the beginning of the word.

Example: Telephone → Phone

Back Clipping: Cutting off the end of the word.

Example: Refrigerator → Fridge

Middle Clipping: Cutting off both the beginning and the end.

Example: Influenza → Flu

Cluster

A cluster in grammar refers to a group of consonants that appear together in a word without any vowels between them.

Examples of Clusters

Bl in blue
Tr in tree
Str in street
Cl in clap

How Clusters Work

Clusters can be found at the beginning, middle, or end of words.

Beginning Clusters:

Example: Bl in blue
Example: Cl in clap

Middle Clusters:

Example: Ntr in entry
Example: Mpl in simple

End Clusters:

Example: St in fast
Example: Nd in sand

Coherence

Coherence means that the ideas in a sentence or paragraph are connected and easy to understand. It's like making sure all the pieces of a puzzle fit together nicely.

How to Make Writing Coherent

Stay on Topic: Make sure all the sentences talk about the same main idea.

Example: If you're writing about your favorite animal, all your sentences should be about that animal.

Use Linking Words: Words like "and", "but", "so", and "because" help connect your ideas.

Example: "I like cats because they are playful."

Order Your Ideas: Arrange your ideas in a logical order that makes sense.

Example: First, you might describe what your favorite animal looks like, then talk about what it eats, and finally, say why you like it.

Examples

Coherent Paragraph:

"My favorite animal is the cat. Cats are very playful and friendly. They like to chase toys and enjoy sitting on laps. I love cats because they are so fun to be around."

Incoherent Paragraph:

"My favorite animal is the cat. I like pizza. They like to chase toys. Running is fun."

Cohesion

Cohesion means that all the parts of your writing stick together well, making it easier to read and understand. It's like using glue to connect your ideas smoothly.

How to Make Writing Cohesive

Use Pronouns: Replace nouns with pronouns to avoid repetition.

Example: "Sam likes apples. He eats them every day."

Use Linking Words: Words like "and", "but", "then", and "so" help connect your sentences.

Example: "I wanted to play outside, but it started to rain."

Repeat Key Words: Use the same important words to keep the topic clear.

Example: "Dogs are friendly. Dogs love to play."

Use Synonyms: Use different words that mean the same thing to add variety.

Example: "The car was fast. The vehicle zoomed down the street."

Examples

Cohesive Paragraph:

"Tom went to the park. He played on the swings. Then, Tom had a picnic with his friends. They enjoyed their time together."

Non-Cohesive Paragraph:

"Tom went to the park. The boy played on the swings. Then, Tom had a picnic. The kids enjoyed their time."

Collective noun

A collective noun is a word that names a group of people, animals, or things.

Examples of Collective Nouns

People: Team (a group of players), Class (a group of students)
Animals: Flock (a group of birds), Herd (a group of cows)
Things: Bunch (a group of grapes), Collection (a group of stamps)

How Collective Nouns Work

Collective nouns help us talk about many things as one unit.

Example: "The team is playing well." (Here, "team" refers to all the players as one group.)

Collocation

A collocation is when two or more words often go together. They sound "right" to native speakers.

Examples of Collocations

Make a cake
Do homework
Take a nap
Fast food

How Collocations Work

Collocations are words that are commonly used together. Using them correctly makes your English sound natural.

Example: We say "make a decision" (not "do a decision").

Comment

A comment in grammar is a part of a sentence that gives extra information or expresses an opinion about the main idea. It often tells us how someone feels about something.

Examples of Comments

Example 1: "The movie was great, I think."

Explanation: "I think" is the comment giving an opinion about the movie.

Example 2: "She can sing very well, in my opinion."

Explanation: "In my opinion" is the comment adding a personal view.

How Comments Work

Comments can come at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence.

Beginning: "In my opinion, the book is amazing."
Middle: "The book, I believe, is amazing."
End: "The book is amazing, I think."

Comparative, comparison

A comparative is a way of comparing two things to see which is more, less, or the same.

Examples of Comparatives

Bigger is the comparative of big.
Smaller is the comparative of small.
Faster is the comparative of fast.

How Comparatives Work

Comparatives help us decide which thing has more or less of a quality.

Example: "My cat is bigger than yours." (Here, we're comparing the sizes of two cats.)

Complement, complementation

A complement is a word or group of words that completes the meaning of a sentence. It gives more information about the subject or object.

Examples of Complements

She is happy.
He painted the wall blue.
They found the treasure under the tree.

How Complements Work

Complements help us understand more about what's happening in the sentence. They can describe, identify, or complete the subject or object.

Example: "The dog is brown." (Here, "brown" describes the dog.)

Complex verb phrase

A complex verb phrase is a group of words that includes a main verb along with one or more helping verbs (also called auxiliary verbs). It helps us understand more about the action in a sentence.

Examples of Complex Verb Phrases

She is playing.
They have been waiting.
I will be singing.

How Complex Verb Phrases Work

Complex verb phrases help us show actions happening in different ways, like whether they're happening now, in the past, or in the future.

Example: "She is playing." (Here, "is playing" tells us the action is happening now.)

Compound

In grammar, compound means something made by combining two or more things together.

Examples of Compounds

Butterfly: "Butter" + "fly"
Rainbow: "Rain" + "bow"
Sunflower: "Sun" + "flower"

How Compounds Work

Compounds help us understand things that are made up of more than one part.

Example: A "butterfly" is an insect with wings, made up of "butter" and "fly."

Compound Noun

A compound noun is a noun made up of two or more words put together. It's like combining two things to make a new word that represents something.

Examples of Compound Nouns

Toothbrush: "Tooth" + "brush"
Rainbow: "Rain" + "bow"
Sunglasses: "Sun" + "glasses"

How Compound Nouns Work

Compound nouns help us describe things by combining two words into one.

Example: "Toothbrush" is a brush for cleaning teeth. It's made from "tooth" and "brush" put together.

Compound Sentence

A compound sentence is a sentence made up of two or more simple sentences joined together by a coordinating conjunction like "and", "but", or "or".

Examples of Compound Sentences

I like ice cream, and she likes cake.
He wanted to go to the park, but it started to rain.
She will read a book, or she will watch a movie.

How Compound Sentences Work

In a compound sentence, each part could stand alone as its own sentence. When we join them together, it makes the sentence more interesting and gives more information.

Example: "I like ice cream" could be a sentence on its own. "She likes cake" could be a sentence too. But together, they make a compound sentence.

Concord (or agreement)

Concord, also called agreement, is when the parts of a sentence match correctly. It means making sure the words agree with each other in terms of number and gender.

Examples of Concord

Singular Subject, Singular Verb: "The cat is sleeping."
Plural Subject, Plural Verb: "The cats are sleeping."
Singular Subject, Singular Pronoun: "He is happy."
Plural Subject, Plural Pronoun: "They are happy."

How Concord Works

Concord helps us make sure that the words in our sentences fit together properly. If we have one thing, we use one form of the word. If we have more than one thing, we use a different form.

Example: If we're talking about one cat, we say "The cat is sleeping." But if we're talking about many cats, we say "The cats are sleeping."

Concordance

Concordance is like a matching game in grammar. It's about making sure all the parts of a sentence agree with each other.

Examples of Concordance

Singular Subject, Singular Verb: "The cat is sleeping."
Plural Subject, Plural Verb: "The cats are sleeping."
Singular Subject, Singular Pronoun: "He is happy."
Plural Subject, Plural Pronoun: "They are happy."

How Concordance Works

In a sentence, all the words need to match correctly. If we have one thing, we use one form of the word. If we have more than one thing, we use a different form.

Example: "The cat is sleeping" (one cat), "The cats are sleeping" (many cats).

Conditional clause

A conditional clause is a part of a sentence that shows a condition or a situation that must happen for something else to happen.

Examples of Conditional Clauses

If it rains, we will stay inside.
When you finish your homework, you can play.
Unless you eat your vegetables, you can't have dessert.

How Conditional Clauses Work

Conditional clauses help us talk about what might happen in different situations. They often start with words like "if", "when", or "unless".

Example: "If it rains" tells us the condition for staying inside. "We will stay inside" is what will happen if it rains.

Conjunction (another term for connector)

A conjunction is like a glue that sticks words, phrases, or sentences together in a sentence. It helps us join ideas or actions.

Examples of Conjunctions

And: I like apples and oranges.
But: She wants to play, but it's raining.
Or: Do you want pizza or pasta?

How Conjunctions Work

Conjunctions help us connect things that are related or contrast each other. They make our sentences longer and more interesting.

Example: "I like apples" is one idea. "I like oranges" is another idea. But when we put them together with "and", it becomes "I like apples and oranges."

Connector, connective

A connector or connective is like a bridge that helps us link ideas or parts of a sentence together. It makes our writing smoother and easier to understand.

Examples of Connectors

First: First, I brush my teeth.
Then: Then, I eat breakfast.
Finally: Finally, I go to school.

How Connectors Work

Connectors help us show the order of events or ideas in a sentence or paragraph. They tell us what happens first, next, and last.

Example: "First, I brush my teeth. Then, I eat breakfast. Finally, I go to school."

Continuous (progressive)

In grammar, continuous or progressive refers to actions that are happening right now, or are in progress. It's like when something is ongoing or still going on.

Examples of Continuous (Progressive)

I am playing with my toys.
She is reading a book.
They are eating dinner.

How Continuous (Progressive) Works

Continuous tense helps us talk about actions that are happening at the moment of speaking or are still going on.

Example: "I am playing with my toys" tells us the action is happening right now.

Contraction, contracted forms

A contraction is a short way of writing two words by combining them and replacing some letters with an apostrophe ('), making them quicker to say and write.

Examples of Contractions

Can't: "Cannot" becomes "can't"
I'm: "I am" becomes "I'm"
It's: "It is" or "it has" becomes "it's"
They're: "They are" becomes "they're"

How Contractions Work

Contractions help us speak and write more casually. They make sentences shorter and easier to say.

Example: Instead of saying "I am" every time, we can say "I'm."

Conversion

Conversion in grammar means changing a word from one part of speech to another without adding or removing any letters. It's like giving a word a new job in a sentence.

Examples of Conversion

Noun to Verb: "Jump" (noun) becomes "jump" (verb)
Verb to Noun: "Sing" (verb) becomes "singer" (noun)
Adjective to Noun: "Happy" (adjective) becomes "happiness" (noun)

How Conversion Works

Conversion helps us use words in different ways to express ideas. It's like giving a word a new costume for a different role in a sentence.

Example: "Jump" can be a noun (The jump was high) or a verb (I will jump).

Coordination, coordinator

Coordination is when we join two or more words, phrases, or sentences of equal importance together using a coordinator (also called a conjunction). It helps us make our writing more interesting and connect related ideas.

Examples of Coordination

I like apples and oranges.
She is kind but sometimes shy.
We can go to the park or the zoo.

How Coordination Works

Coordination helps us combine ideas that go together using words like "and", "but", and "or".

Example: "I like apples" and "I like oranges" are both things I like. When we use "and" to join them, it becomes "I like apples and oranges."

Copula(r) verb

A copula(r) verb is a special type of verb that connects the subject of a sentence to a subject complement, describing or identifying the subject. The most common copula verb is "to be."

Examples of Copula(r) Verbs

I am happy.
She is a doctor.
They are friends.

How Copula(r) Verbs Work

Copula(r) verbs help us describe or identify the subject of a sentence. They don't show action but instead link the subject to more information about it.

Example: "I am happy" uses the copula verb "am" to connect "I" to the complement "happy", describing the subject "I."

Copy tag

A copy tag is a question tag that repeats a word or phrase from the main part of the sentence. It's like copying part of the sentence and turning it into a question.

Examples of Copy Tags

**You're coming to the party, aren't you?
**She likes pizza, doesn't she?
**They are going home, aren't they?

How Copy Tags Work

Copy tags repeat a word or phrase from the main part of the sentence and add an auxiliary verb to turn the statement into a question.

Example: "You're coming to the party" becomes "You're coming to the party, aren't you?" by copying "you're coming" and adding "aren't" to form the question tag.

Core modal verb

A core modal verb is a special kind of verb that helps show possibility, ability, permission, or obligation. They're like super helpers in sentences, adding extra meaning to what we're saying.

Examples of Core Modal Verbs

Can: I can swim.
Could: He could ride a bike when he was five.
May: You may have a cookie.
Must: We must finish our homework.

How Core Modal Verbs Work

Core modal verbs help us talk about what is possible, what we can do, what we're allowed to do, and what we have to do. They're like magic words that add special meanings to our sentences.

Example: "I can swim" means I have the ability to swim. "You may have a cookie" means you're allowed to have a cookie.

Corpus

A big collection of texts (books, newspapers, websites) or pieces of language used to study language patterns.

Examples: Books, newspapers, websites.

Remember, a corpus helps us learn more about how language works in the real world!

Correlative

A correlative is a pair of words that work together to join similar sentence elements, like nouns or adjectives. They often come in pairs and are used to give more information or compare things.

Examples of Correlatives

Both...and: Both cats and dogs are pets.
Either...or: You can have either cake or ice cream.
Neither...nor: Neither rain nor snow stopped the game.

Coordination, coordinator

Coordination is like teamwork in sentences. It's when we join two or more words, phrases, or sentences together using a special word called co-ordinating conjunction. This helps us combine ideas or actions and make our writing more interesting.

Examples of Coordination

I like apples and oranges.
She is kind but sometimes shy.
We can go to the park or the zoo.

Count (or countable)

Count or countable refers to things that we can count individually, like apples, toys, or books. These are things we can count one by one.

Examples of Count (or Countable)

Apples: You can count one apple, two apples, three apples, and so on.
Toys: You can count one toy, two toys, three toys, and so on.
Books: You can count one book, two books, three books, and so on.