oxford_guide_to_english_grammar

PAGE 397
Glossary
abstract noun See concrete noun.
action verb a verb that refers to something happening or changing, e.g. do, walk,
buy, speak • 62
active See passive.
active participle the ing-form of a verb used after be in the continuous (I was
watching) and in other patterns • 134
adding relative clause a clause with commas around it that adds extra
information, e.g. Bernard, who was feeling unwell, left early. • 274
adjective a word like big, new, special, famous • 197
adjective phrase An adjective phrase is either an adjective on its own, e.g. sweet,
tall, hopeful, or an adjective with an adverb of degree, e.g. very sweet, a lot taller,
quite hopeful.
adverb In the sentence The time passed slowly, the word slowly is an adverb.
Adverbs are words like easily, there, sometimes, quite, possibly. They express
ideas such as how, when or where something happens, or how true
something is.
adverb phrase An adverb phrase is either an adverb on its own, e.g. carefully,
often, probably, or an adverb which is modified by an adverb of degree, e.g. very
carefully, more often, quite probably.
adverbial The adverb late, the phrase in a hurry and the clause because I was cold
all function as adverbials in these sentences: The show started late. We did
everything in a hurry. I put a coat on because I was cold.
adverbial clause In the sentence I'll ring you when I get home, the clause when I
get home functions as an adverbial. Compare I'll ring you later. • 248
agent The agent is the person, animal or thing doing the action. In an active
sentence it is the subject: Max told me the news. In a passive sentence there is
sometimes an agent after by: I was told the news by Max.
agreement the choice of the correct verb form after a subject: My ear torts but My
ears hurt. •150
apostrophe In the phrase Karen's friend there is an apostrophe between Karen
and s.
apposition In the sentence The Chairman, Mr Byers, was absent, the two noun
phrases are in apposition. • 14
article A/an is the indefinite article, and the is the definite article.
aspect A verb can have continuous aspect (is walking, was looking) or perfect
aspect (has walked, had looked), or both (have been waiting).
attributive the position of an adjective before a noun, e.g. a cold day
auxiliary verb a verb such as be, have, do, will, can which we use with an ordinary
verb • 60 (2)
bare infinitive an infinitive without to, e.g. come, drive •115
base form the form of a verb without an ending, e.g. come, call, decide
classifying relative clause a relative clause that tells us what kind is meant, e.g. a
computer that will correct my spelling • 272 (3b)
clause The sentence We stayed at home is a single clause. The sentence We stayed
at home because it rained has two clauses. We stayed at home is the main clause,