Edgood's entries Page #79

elliptical expression

An elliptical expression is a group of words with certain understood words omitted. Good writers routinely use elliptical expressions. You may punctuate elliptical expressions in two ways: (1) begin the expression with a semicolon, and then insert a...

elliptical clause

A useful power structure is the elliptical clause, also called a truncated clause. The structure consists of a subordinating conjunction (if, though, although, when, while, and many ...

direct object

Action verbs come in two varieties: transitive and intransitive. A transitive verb has the intrinsic ability to attach directly to a noun, and that noun is called the direct object...

derivative noun

A derivative noun derives from a verb form. You can take certain suffixes (‑tion, ‑sion, ‑ence, ‑ance, and others), add them to verbs, and produce derivative nouns. Examples include conclusion, statement, pertinence...

derivative adjective

A derivative adjective derives from a verb form. You can take certain suffixes (‑ful, ‑ent,‑ant, ‑ive, and others), add them to verbs, and produce derivative adjectives. The word derivative in derivative adjective is, you g...

dependent clause

Clauses come in two varieties: independent and dependent. A dependent clause cannot stand by itself as a sentence. Dependent clauses will act in one of three ways in your sentences: (1) adjectives, (2) ...

demonstrative pronoun

We have four demonstrative pronouns in the English language: this, that, these, those. The first two are singular, the last two plural. Demonstrative pronouns take the place of a noun, and when you use them, make sure the ...

definite article

We have three articles in the English language: a, an, and the. The word the is the definite article. The words a and an are indefinite articles.Grammaria...

defining clause

The great grammarian Henry Fowler coined this term to refer to a restrictive clause. A defining clause looks to the noun modified and singles it out among others that could exist in the context. A defining clause poi...

dangling participle

 See dangling modifier....

dangling modifier

A dangling modifier is a phrase or clause that does not hook up to any other word or phrase in the sentence. The dangling modifier is a gross grammatical error, one you want to avoid.The error typically arises with ...

correlative conjunction

These conjunctions come in pairs. We have five of them:not … but not only … but also both … and neither … nor either … orAll good writers routinely use these conjunctions in their style. You should,...

copulative verb

It's not what you think. Or hope.A copulative verb is a verb form that joins a subject to an adjective or to another noun. The verb...

coordinating conjunction

A coordinating conjunction joins elements in a series. Each element must perform the same grammatical function and appear in the same grammatical form. This is the rule of parallel construction.We have sev...

coordinate adjective

Coordinate adjectives are two adjectives, of equal weight, modifying the same noun. Generally, you should separate the adjectives with a comma. A good test to use: Put the word and between the two...

contraction

A contraction shows the coming together of two or more words with intervening sounds (in speech) omitted or with intervening letters (in writing) omitted. Typically, the contraction brings together an auxiliary verb and ...

consonant

The word consonant refers to the phonetic sound produced by occluding with or without releasing (p, b; t, d; k, g), diverting (m, n, ng), or obstructing (f, v; s, z, etc.) the flow of air from the lungs. From grade school, you remember the v...

conjunctive adverb

A conjunctive adverb is a word like however or therefore. Others include nonetheless, consequently, even so, and others. We can use these words to join independent clauses. When you use them, however, make sure tha...

conjunction

We have three kinds of conjunctions: (1) coordinating, (2) correlative, and (3) subordinating. The coordinating and correlative co...

conjugation

The process of conjugation shows the forms of a verb as it appears in all tenses. Conjugation reveals tense (when), person (who), number (how many, singular or plural), and ...

compound verb

A compound verb is a multiword verb form consisting of one or more auxiliary verbs and a main verb, as in I have seen the movie, She has gone home, ...

compound sentence

A compound sentence comprises two or more independent clauses. You may join these clauses by using one of the seven coordinating conjunctions: but, or, yet, for, and, nor, ...

compound predicate

A compound predicate is simply two or more main verbs attached to a single subject of the sentence. Please note: When you join just two verbs, no comma should come before the and. Only when you join three or more ele...

compound adjective

A compound adjective comprises two or more words. The unit formed then serves as an adjective. These are also called phrasal adjectives. The vast majority of writers have no clue about spelling these structures. As a general rule, you should...

complex sentence

A complex sentence comprises one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. The dependent clause, which cannot stand by itself as a sentence, performs some grammatical funct...