AP Language Terms List 4
Grammar Terms
List #4
1. Antecedent- a noun or pronoun to which another noun refers
Example- Sam went to his locker. Sam is the antecedent of “his”
2.Clause- a group of words containing a subject and a predicate
Example- Emma rolled her eyes. OR People ate.
3.Independent Clause- contains a subject and predicate, can stand alone, expresses a complete thought
Example- Amber rolled her eyes at Maxine.
4.Dependent Clause- A dependent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and verb but does not express a complete thought. A dependent clause cannot be a sentence. Often a dependent clause is marked by a dependent marker word such as (while, when)
Example- While I was at the store….this sentence needs to contain a verb or predicate.
5. Subordinate Clause- much like a dependent clause but begins with a subordinate conjunction (where, while, though….)
Example- While at the store, Alexa went crazy. (While at the store is the subordinate clause)
6. Predicate- contains the action of a sentence, tells the reader something about the subject
Example- Bryan and Ryan ate the apple together. Ate the apple together is the predicate.
7. Predicate Adjectives- modifies the subject of the sentence.
Example- In the sentence “The flowers are blue,” the subject is “the flowers.” In this example, “blue” is what modifies the subject, “the flowers,” and is connected to the subject by what is known as a linking verb.
8. Pronoun- replaces a noun (he, she, they, it) Should NOT be overused in writing.
Example-Alissa runs every day, she even ran with the bears last week.
9. Adverb- modifies a verb or adjective
Example- The ball was very heavy. (very is the adverb modifying the adjective heavy)
The boy ran quickly to class. (quickly is the adverb modifying ran)
10. Direct Object- follows a transitive verb- they receive the action of the verb
Example- Sarah hit Anna really hard. It was the first fight of the year. (Anna is the DO because she is being hit- she’s receiving the action in the sentence.)
11. Appositive- An appositive is a noun or noun phrase that renames another noun right beside it. The appositive can be a short or long combination of words.
Example-The insect, a cockroach, is crawling across the kitchen table.
12. Gerund- A gerund is a verbal that ends in -ing and functions as a noun. The term verbal indicates that a gerund, like the other two kinds of verbals, is based on a verb and therefore expresses action or a state of being. However, since a gerund functions as a noun, it occupies some positions in a sentence that a noun ordinarily would
Example- Traveling might satisfy your desire for new experiences. (Traveling is the gerund.)
13. Comparative- the comparative is the form of an adjective or adverb which denotes the degree or grade by which a person, thing, or other entity has a property or quality greater or less in extent than that of another, and is used in this context with a subordinating conjunction
Example- AP Language is much easier than AP Chemistry.
14. Superlative- grammatical comparison that denotes an extreme or unsurpassed level (often end in ….est)
Example- Ms. Widdop has the smallest head in the world.
15. Articles- a, an, the
16. Modifier- Modifiers are words, phrases, or clauses that provide description in sentences. Modifiers allow writers to take the picture that they have in their heads and transfer it accurately to the heads of their readers. Essentially, modifiers breathe life into sentences.
17. Coordinating Conjunction- connect words phrases or clauses FANBOYS
Examples- I went to the bathroom and I left with toilet paper on my shoe.
18. Subordinating Conjunction- The subordinate conjunction has two jobs. First, it provides a necessary transition between the two ideas in the sentence, second it reduces the importance of one clause to another.
Examples- Because Alex didn’t want to smile, she became depressed.
19. Helping Verb-Just as the name implies, helping verbs, sometimes called auxiliary verbs, help out the main verb in a sentence. They accomplish this by giving more detail to how time is portrayed in a sentence.
Example- Said Brenna to no one, “He is so hot but I’m over him.”
20. Infinitive Phrase- begin with to, can function as nouns, adjectives and adverbs.
Example- I went to finish my sandwich and realized Geoff ate it.
21. Prepositional Phrase- states the location of the object in a sentence (between, beneath, over, under….)
Example-Hunter did not understand why no one wanted to sit beside him.
22. Proper Noun- specific person, place thing or idea
Example- Isiaah plays football for Camas High School.
23. Dangling Modifier-A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a word not clearly stated in the sentence. A modifier describes, clarifies, or gives more detail about a concept.
Example- Since Lindsey ate all the pickles, she finished her homework.
24.Absolute adjectives- an adjective that functions as a noun
Example- The poor do not have food.
25. Comma splices- two independent clauses connected only by a comma. BAD= run on sentence.
Example- My freshmen always use two independent clauses together, it drives me crazy.
26. Participles / participial phrases-A participle is a verbal that is used as an adjective and most often ends in -ing or -ed. The term verbal indicates that a participle, like the other two kinds of verbals, is based on a verb and therefore expresses action or a state of being. However, since they function as adjectives, participles modify nouns or pronouns. There are two types of participles: present participles and past participles. Present participles end in -ing. Past participles end in -ed, -en, -d, -t, -n, or -ne as in the words asked, eaten, saved, dealt, seen, and gone
Example- The crying baby hurt my ears.
27. correlative conjunction- A paired conjunction (such as not only . . . but also) that links balanced words, phrases, and clauses. The elements connected by correlative conjunctions are usually parallel--that is, similar in length and grammatical form.
Example- both, either, nor, not only…..