Grammar terminology reference

Common noun

A general, everyday name for a type of thing - not a specific name. It is not given a capital letter unless it begins a sentence.

• The kettle boiled while the dog slept by the door.
• A storm flattened the wheat in the field.

Proper noun

The specific name of one particular person, place, organisation, day or title. It always takes a capital letter.

• Priya caught the early train from Leeds on Tuesday.
• The lighthouse on Ravensgate Point was built in 1871.

Abstract noun

Names something you cannot touch, see or hear - a feeling, quality, state or idea.

• Her courage during the rescue surprised everyone.
• The silence carried a strange sense of dread.

Collective noun

A single word that names a whole group of people, animals or things considered as one unit.

• A flock of geese rose from the marsh at dawn.
• The committee voted to repair the village hall.

Personal pronoun

Replaces a noun that refers to a person or thing - for example I, you, he, she, it, we, they (and the object forms me, him, her, us, them).

• When the dancers finished, they bowed and the crowd cheered them.
• I left the parcel on the step because it was raining.

Possessive pronoun

Shows ownership and replaces a noun entirely - mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs. (Words like my or our are possessive determiners, not pronouns, because they sit in front of a noun.)

• That umbrella is not yours; the red one is mine.
• Their garden is tidy, but ours has the taller sunflowers.

Relative pronoun

Introduces a relative clause and links it to a noun - who, whom, whose, which or that.

• The mechanic who fixed the brakes also checked the tyres.
• We climbed the hill that overlooks the harbour.

Regular verb

Forms its past tense and past participle by simply adding -ed (or -d).

• Yesterday the volunteers painted the fence and tidied the yard.
• She walked home and waited under the bridge.

Irregular verb

Does not add -ed for the past tense; instead the word itself changes (go → went, swim → swam, bring → brought).

• He swam to the buoy, then went back for his goggles.
• They brought blankets and kept the campfire alight.

Auxiliary verb

A “helping” verb (be, have, do) used in front of a main verb to form a tense, a question or a negative.

• The engineers have finished the survey.
• She was running when the alarm rang.

Modal verb

A special auxiliary that shows possibility, ability, permission or obligation - can, could, may, might, shall, should, will, would, must.

• You must wear a helmet, but you may remove your gloves.
• The bridge could collapse if the river rises further.

Imperative verb

A verb used to give a command, an instruction or firm advice. The subject (“you”) is understood, not stated, so the verb usually starts the sentence or clause.

• Close the gate and lock it behind you.
• Stir the mixture gently, then pour it into the tin.

Infinitive

The base form of a verb, usually with the word “to” in front of it (to run, to decide). It names the action without tying it to a tense or subject.

• She wanted to explore the abandoned mill.
• To win the prize, the team had to finish before noon.

Adjective

Describes or modifies a noun (or pronoun), telling us which one, what kind or how many.

• A narrow, crooked lane led to the ancient farmhouse.
• The frightened kitten hid behind the heavy curtain.

Adverb

Modifies a verb, an adjective or another adverb, telling us how, when, where or to what degree. Many (but not all) end in -ly.

• She spoke quietly, then left the room immediately.
• The kite climbed extremely high before it dipped.

Preposition

Shows the relationship - usually of place, time or direction - between a noun (or pronoun) and the rest of the sentence: in, on, under, before, between, towards, during.

• The cat slept under the table during the storm.
• We walked towards the lighthouse after lunch.

Coordinating conjunction

Joins two parts of equal grammatical weight (two main clauses, or two like words). The common ones are remembered as FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.

• The path was steep, but the view was worth it.
• Pack a torch and bring spare batteries.

Subordinating conjunction

Begins a subordinate clause and shows how it depends on the main clause - because, although, while, if, when, since, unless, until.

• Although it was late, the workers stayed until the wall was finished.
• The match continued because the rain had stopped.

Complex connective

A linking word or phrase (often more than one word) that signals a sophisticated relationship between ideas - such as a contrast, a result or a sequence: however, therefore, on the other hand, as a result, consequently, in addition.

• The plan was expensive; however, the council approved it.
• The river had burst its banks. Consequently, the road was closed.

Determiner

Introduces a noun and shows whether it is specific, general or quantified. It includes the articles (a, an, the), demonstratives (this, that, these, those), possessive determiners (my, your, our, their) and quantifiers (some, many, three, every).

• The librarian found those missing books on every shelf.
• My brother borrowed three pencils and some paper.

Simple sentence

Contains one main clause: a single subject and verb expressing one complete idea.

• The bell rang.
• The exhausted runners crossed the finish line.

Compound sentence

Two (or more) main clauses of equal weight joined by a coordinating conjunction (or a semicolon). Either clause could stand alone.

• The sun set and the temperature dropped sharply.
• I knocked twice, but nobody answered.

Complex sentence

A main clause joined to at least one subordinate clause, which cannot stand alone.

• Because the lift was broken, we climbed the stairs.
• The dog, which had been missing for a week, returned at dawn.

Minor sentence

A grammatically incomplete unit used deliberately for effect - it lacks a finite verb but works as a sentence (often a single word, phrase or exclamation).

• No way.
• Silence. Then a single, distant knock.

Main clause

A clause that contains a subject and verb and makes complete sense on its own. (Also called an independent clause.)

• The tide came in quickly.
• “She locked the door before she left.” - “She locked the door” is the main clause.

Subordinate clause

A clause that adds information to a main clause but cannot stand alone. It usually begins with a subordinating conjunction.

• “When the music stopped, everyone turned round.” - “When the music stopped” is the subordinate clause.
• “We waited until the storm passed.” - “until the storm passed” is the subordinate clause.

Relative clause

A type of subordinate clause that gives extra information about a noun. It begins with a relative pronoun (who, which, that, whose).

• “The scientist who discovered the leak alerted the team.” - “who discovered the leak” is the relative clause.
• “The bridge, which was rebuilt last year, is safe again.” - “which was rebuilt last year” is the relative clause.

Apostrophe (possession)

Shows that something belongs to someone or something. It goes before the s for a singular owner and after the s for a plural owner.

• The teacher’s desk was tidy. (one teacher)
• The players’ kit was muddy. (more than one player)

Apostrophe (omission)

Marks the place where one or more letters have been left out to form a contraction.

• It’s late, and they haven’t arrived yet. (it is / have not)
• We’ll go if you can’t wait. (we will / cannot)

Colon

Introduces something that follows on directly - usually a list, an explanation or an example - after a clause that could stand alone.

• Pack three things: a torch, water and a map.
• The reason was simple: nobody had checked the lock.

Semicolon

Joins two closely related main clauses without a conjunction, or separates items in a list when those items already contain commas.

• The garden was overgrown; nobody had tended it for years.
• We visited Cairo, Egypt; Lima, Peru; and Oslo, Norway.

Dash

Marks a sharp break, an afterthought or added information. A pair of dashes works like a pair of brackets to enclose extra detail.

• She opened the box - and froze.
• The hall - cold, dim and dusty - had not been used for years.

Brackets (parentheses)

Enclose extra, non-essential information that could be removed without breaking the sentence.

• The festival (now in its tenth year) attracts huge crowds.
• Bring your ticket (printed or on a phone) to the gate.

Ellipsis

Three dots that show words have been left out, a sentence trails off, or a deliberate pause is created for tension.

• She reached for the handle … and stopped.
• “I thought you said …” His voice faded.