Grammar Glossary
Your complete A-Z reference guide to English grammar terms. Browse by letter to find clear definitions, examples, and links to comprehensive lessons.
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A
Active Voice
A sentence structure where the subject performs the action expressed by the verb.
Example:
The cat chased the mouse. (The subject "cat" performs the action "chased")
Adjective
A word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun, providing more information about its qualities, quantity, or state.
Example:
The beautiful garden has many colorful flowers.
Adverb
A word that modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb, often describing how, when, where, or to what extent something happens.
Example:
She speaks quickly and very clearly.
Antecedent
The noun or noun phrase that a pronoun refers back to in a sentence.
Example:
Sarah lost her keys. ("Sarah" is the antecedent of "her")
Apostrophe
A punctuation mark (') used to indicate possession or the omission of letters in contractions.
Example:
John's book is on the table. It's raining today.
Article
A word (a, an, the) that comes before a noun to indicate whether it is specific or general.
Example:
The book on the table is mine. I need a pen.
Auxiliary Verb
A helping verb (be, have, do, will, shall, would, should, can, could, may, might, must) used with a main verb to form tenses, questions, or negatives.
Example:
She has finished her work. They are studying now.
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