Grammar Guide — Parts of a Word, Sentence & Speech

A word can be divided into its STEM (the basic part of the word containing its meaning) and its INFLECTIONS (the endings added to indicate things like plural or past tense).

The subject is the person, thing or topic which the sentence deals with. Ask who or what before the verb.

• The house stands on the hill. → What stands on the hill? → the house
• It overlooks the plain.

The predicate is all of the sentence except the subject.

• The house stands on the hill.
• It overlooks the plain.

The object is the person or thing upon which the subject carries out the action. Ask who or what after the verb.

• The house overlooks the plain.
• I see him clearly.
• He watches himself carefully.

Where one object can be expressed by placing to before it, it is the indirect object:

• He gave me the book. → He gave the book to me. (me = indirect object)

After the verb to be, the noun which follows refers to the same thing as the subject — it is the complement (not an object).

• I am a man.
• This is the question.

A group of words with a subject and finite verb that makes a complete statement.

• I am a man.
• The house stands on the hill.
• When I come home, I will let the cat in. (bold = subordinate; italic = principal)

The following are not principal clauses:

• Which is a problem
• That the house is standing on the hill
• When I come home
• The house which stands on the hill

A group of words with a finite or non-finite verb that does not make a statement by itself.

• As soon as the Green Knight entered the room, all were astounded.
• He said that the Green Knight was really orange.
• The house, which stands on the hill, is empty.

Types of subordinate clause:

Nouns denote things, people, abstract ideas.

• The house is old.
• A king was here.
• Virtue is its own reward.
• Accidents will happen.

A verb is a "doing word" expressing an action.

• Active: Alfred burnt the cakes.
• Passive: The cakes were burnt by Alfred.

The past perfect is sometimes called the pluperfect.

• Active: I place.
• Passive: I am placed. (formed with the appropriate tense of to be + past participle)

Modifies a verb, adjective or another adverb.

• The house stands firmly. (modifies verb)
• The house is very firm. (modifies adjective)
• She answered most considerately. (modifies adverb)

Connects a noun or pronoun to another word.

• It stands on hills.
• He jumped into the billabong.
• England is over the sea.
• She told the good news to him.

Qualifies a noun; describes its attributes.

• The house stands on the high hill.

Reflexive: I see myself. / People help themselves.
Emphatic: I think myself that it is wrong.

• This is the man who saw me.
• This is the man whom I saw.
• This is the man whose house I saw.
• This is the house that Jack built.

• this / these — near
• that / those — far

Also used as demonstrative adjectives: This man is green. That house is red.

• Who is that man?
• Which is the right way?
• What sweet do you recommend?

• Coordinating — join elements of the same kind: and, but, or

  • It stands on the hill and overlooks the plain.
  • I say this but she says that.

• Subordinating — join a subordinate clause to a main clause: when, because, since, as, although

  • Since it stands on the hill it overlooks the plain.
  • Although I say this she says that.
  • When Gawain saw the Green Knight he did not show that he was afraid.