GUIDE ENGLISH GRAMMAR BOOK

GLOSSARY PAGE 398
and because it rained is the sub clause. A clause always has a verb (stayed,
rained). The verb can be finite or non-finite. In the sentence We all wanted to go
out, there is a finite clause with wanted and a non-finite clause with to go. See
finite.
comment adverb e.g. luckily, incredibly • 215
comparative Comparative forms are older, more famous, more efficiently etc.
• 217
complement a noun phrase or adjective phrase that comes after a linking verb
such as be: You're the boss, Al looked unhappy, • 9. These complements relate
to the subject; they are subject complements. See also object complement.
compound a word made up of other words, e.g. something (some + thing),
wristwatch (wrist + watch)
concrete noun A concrete noun is a noun referring to something that we can see
or touch, e.g. man, bottle, grass, shop. An abstract noun refers to an idea, quality
or action, something we cannot see or touch, e.g. science, excitement, stupidity,
routine.
conditional clause a clause expressing a condition, e.g. If you need a ticket, I'll get
you one. • 255
conjunction A conjunction is a word like and, but, because, when, that, which
links two clauses.
consonant See vowel.
continuous a verb form with be and an active participle, e.g. The film is starting
now. • 61(4)
continuous infinitive e.g. to be doing, to be working
co-ordinate clause a clause linked to another by and, but or or
countable noun a noun that can be either singular or plural, e.g. bag(s), road(s),
hour(s) • 144
definite article the word the
degree An adverb of degree is a word like very, rather, quite. • 212
demonstrative This, that, these and those are demonstrative determiners or
pronouns. • 175
determiner a word that can come before a noun to form a noun phrase, e.g. a, the,
this, my • 143(2a)
direct object See indirect object.
direct speech See indirect speech.
echo question a form which requests the repetition of information, e.g. She's gone
to Siberia. ~ Where has she gone? • 35(1)
echo tag a short question form expressing interest, e.g. I play chess. ~ Oh, do you?
• 35(2)
emphasis/emphatic/emphasize making a word or phrase more important,
drawing special attention to a word or phrase
emphatic pronoun a pronoun such as myself or themselves, emphasizing a noun
phrase, e.g. The Queen herself visited the scene. •186
empty subject In the sentence It was raining, it is an empty subject. It has no
meaning, but we use it because we need a subject.
empty verb In expressions like have a wash, give a laugh, have and give are empty
verbs. It is the nouns wash and laugh which express the action. • 87
end position at the end of a sentence
exclamation a special pattern with how or what, e.g. What a time you've been! or
any sentence spoken with emphasis and feeling, e.g. Quick!