Singular And Plural
In grammar, the term number refers to the way in which differences between singular and plural are shown grammatically. An English noun exhibits a two-way distinction of number: a singular form, denoting one of...
Category: Grammar
Indicative, Imperative And Subjunctive Mood
The simplest use of a verb is to make a statement of fact or ask a question. I like classical music. Do you like classical music? A verb may also be used to express...
Main Clause
A main clause is a clause capable of making a complete sentence by itself. A sentence always contains at least one main clause, and a simple sentence consists only of a single main clause....
When To Put The Auxiliary Verb Before The Subject?
We put an auxiliary verb before the subject of a clause in several different structures. This is called inversion. Consider the statement She is coming with us, in which the subject she precedes the...
Intransitive Verbs
Intransitive is a label applied to a verb that does not take a direct object. Some English verbs are always intransitive and can never take an object. Examples are: sleep, come, go, die, fall,...
Infinitive
Infinitives are forms like (to) write and (to) read. Infinitives are generally used with the marker to. Note that this to is not a preposition; after the preposition to we use –ing forms. I...
Direct And Indirect Object
The term object refers to a noun or pronoun that comes after the verb, in an active clause. Jane wrote a story. He bought a car. Many verbs can be followed by two objects...
Articles
A, an and the are called the articles. A/an is called the indefinite article; the is called the definite article. We use the before a noun when our listener/reader knows (or can work out)...
Homograph And Homophone
Homograph One of two or more words of different meaning which are spelled in the same way, regardless of whether they are pronounced the same or differently. For example, bear (an animal) and bear...
Imperative
In sentences like Come here, Be quite, and Get me a drink, the verb forms come, be and get are called imperatives. Affirmative imperatives have the same form as the infinitive without to. Negative...