Glossary of English Grammar Terms

Active Voice
In the active voice, the subject of the verb does the action (eg They killed the President). See also Passive Voice.

Adjective
A word like big, red, easy, French etc. An adjective describes a noun or pronoun.

Adverb
A word like slowly, quietly, well, often etc. An adverb modifies a verb.

Article
The "indefinite" articles are a and an. The "definite article" is the.

Auxiliary Verb
A verb that is used with a main verb. Be, do and have are auxiliary verbs. Can, may, must etc are modal auxiliary verbs.

Clause
A group of words containing a subject and its verb (for example: It was late when he arrived).

Conjunction
A word used to connect words, phrases and clauses (for example: and, but, if).

Infinitive
The basic form of a verb as in to work or work.

Interjection
An exclamation inserted into an utterance without grammatical connection (for example: oh!, ah!, ouch!, well!).

Modal Verb
An auxiliary verb like can, may, must etc that modifies the main verb and expresses possibility, probability etc. It is also called "modal auxiliary verb".

Noun
A word like table, dog, teacher, America etc. A noun is the name of an object, concept, person or place. A "concrete noun" is something you can see or touch like a person or car. An "abstract noun" is something that you cannot see or touch like a decision or happiness. A "countable noun" is something that you can count (for example: bottle, song, dollar). An "uncountable noun" is something that you cannot count (for example: water, music, money).

Object
In the active voice, a noun or its equivalent that receives the action of the verb. In the passive voice, a noun or its equivalent that does the action of the verb.

Participle
The -ing and -ed forms of verbs. The -ing form is called the "present participle". The -ed form is called the "past participle" (for irregular verbs, this is column 3).

Part Of Speech
One of the eight classes of word in English - noun, verb, adjective, adverb, pronoun, preposition, conjunction and interjection.

Passive Voice
In the passive voice, the subject receives the action of the verb (eg The President was killed). See also Active Voice.

Phrase
A group of words not containing a subject and its verb (eg on the table, the girl in a red dress).

Predicate
Each sentence contains (or implies) two parts: a subject and a predicate. The predicate is what is said about the subject.

Preposition
A word like at, to, in, over etc. Prepositions usually come before a noun and give information about things like time, place and direction.

Pronoun
A word like I, me, you, he, him, it etc. A pronoun replaces a noun.

Sentence
A group of words that express a thought. A sentence conveys a statement, question, exclamation or command. A sentence contains or implies a subject and a predicate. In simple terms, a sentence must contain a verb and (usually) a subject. A sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop (.), question mark (?) or exclamation mark (!).

Subject
Every sentence contains (or implies) two parts: a subject and a predicate. The subject is the main noun (or equivalent) in a sentence about which something is said.

Tense
The form of a verb that shows us when the action or state happens (past, present or future). Note that the name of a tense is not always a guide to when the action happens. The "present continuous tense", for example, can be used to talk about the present or the future.

Verb
A word like (to) work, (to) love, (to) begin. A verb describes an action or state.

"from (english club.com) by vahid "

   .::Grammar::.    

Simple Present Tense

I sing

How do we make the Simple Present Tense?

subject	+	auxiliary verb	+	main verb
		do		base

There are three important exceptions:

1. For positive sentences, we do not normally use the auxiliary.
2. For the 3rd person singular (he, she, it), we add s to the main verb or es to the auxiliary.
3. For the verb to be, we do not use an auxiliary, even for questions and negatives.

Look at these examples with the main verb like:

	subject	auxiliary verb		main verb
+	I, you, we, they			like	coffee.
	He, she, it			likes	coffee.
-	I, you, we, they	do	not	like	coffee.
	He, she, it	does	not	like	coffee.
?	Do	I, you, we, they		like	coffee?
	Does	he, she, it		like	coffee?

Look at these examples with the main verb be. Notice that there is no auxiliary:

	subject	main verb
+	I	am		French.
	You, we, they	are		French.
	He, she, it	is		French.
-	I	am	not	old.
	You, we, they	are	not	old.
	He, she, it	is	not	old.
?	Am	I		late?
	Are	you, we, they		late?
	Is	he, she, it		late?

How do we use the Simple Present Tense?

We use the simple present tense when:

• the action is general
• the action happens all the time, or habitually, in the past, present and future
• the action is not only happening now
• the statement is always true

John drives a taxi.
past	present	future
It is John's job to drive a taxi. He does it every day. Past, present and future.

Look at these examples:

• I live in New York.
• The Moon goes round the Earth.
• John drives a taxi.
• He does not drive a bus.
• We do not work at night.
• Do you play football?

Note that with the verb to be, we can also use the simple present tense for situations that are not general. We can use the simple present tense to talk about now. Look at these examples of the verb "to be" in the simple present tense - some of them are general, some of them are now:

Am I right? Tara is not at home. You are happy.
past	present	future
The situation is now.

I am not fat. Why are you so beautiful? Ram is tall.
past	present	future
The situation is general. Past, present and future.

"send by:vahid"

"vocablury"

Sport or sports?
1. sport (noun/singular): Johhny loves sport.
2. sports (noun/plural): Johnny plays two sports; football and tennis.
3. sports (adjective): Johhny reads the sports news every day.

Word	Example sentence	Meaning
arena	The arena was full of excited spectators cheering on their team.	a level area for holding sports events, surrounded by seats for spectators
amateur	The Olympic Games were originally for amateur athletes only.	engaged in something, like playing sports, without payment; non-professional
athlete	Most professional athletes spend hours every day in training.	a person who trains for and competes in a sport
athletics	There are some very good runners on our athletics team.	'track and field' events of running, jumping, throwing, etc.
award	All the members of the winning team were awarded a gold medal.	to give someone something as a reward for high achievement
beat	Italy beat France to win the 2006 FIFA World Cup.	to defeat someone in a game or a competition
captain	The captain usually leads his or her team onto the field.	the leader of a team
catch	A wicketkeeper in cricket must be very good at catching the ball.	to grab and hold something that has been thrown
champion	The boxer Muhammad Ali was World Heavyweight Champion three times.	a top-rated, highly successful player
cheer on	The fans made a lot of noise cheering on their team.	to shout encouragement to a team or a player
coach	Players should carry out their coach's instructions during a game.	a person who trains and directs an athlete or a sports team
compete	Over 10,000 athletes will compete in the Olympic Games.	to take part in a contest or a competition
competition	The English Premiership League is one of the world's top football competitions.	an organized event in which people compete to win
competitor	Each competitor in a golf tournament must record his or her own score.	a person who takes part in a competition or a sporting contest
contest	Do you know who won this year's figure skating contest?	a game or event in which people compete to win
court	The tennis courts at Wimbledon in London have a grass surface.	a quadrangular area on which ball games are played, such as tennis or basketball
course	A golf course usually has eighteen holes.	an area of land prepared for racing, golf, or other sports
cup	After they won the final game, the winners were awarded the Championship Cup.	a cup-shaped trophy, awarded as a prize in a contest
defeat	Our players were very happy after they defeated their opponents in the final game.	to win a victory over opponents in a game or contest; to beat
defend	The team attacked and scored two goals, then spent the rest of the game defending the lead.	to protect one's goal rather than attempt to score against one's opponents
draw	The score was 1-0, but the losing team got a late goal and the game ended in a 1-1 draw.	to finish a contest or game with an even score; tie
event	The 100 metres run is one of the most exciting events in athletics.	a particular contest in a sporting programme
fan	Sometimes the umpire of a tennis match has to tell noisy fans to be quiet.	a person who supports a particular sport, team or player
field	How many players are allowed on the field during a baseball game?	a piece of land marked out for a sports contest e.g. hockey field
final score	Today's basketball game was very close. The final score was 84 to 82.	the score at the end of a game
fitness	I exercise at the gym every day for fitness and good health.	the condition of being physically fit and healthy
goal	Jimmy got the ball, ran down the pitch, and then scored the best goal of the game.	an instance of scoring in a ball game by getting the ball into a target such as between goal-posts, through a hoop, or into a net.
gym / gymnasium	Our gym has a lot of new exercise equipment, including running machines and cycling machines.	a room or building equipped for physical exercise
half-time	The players went into the rooms at half-time and listened to their coach.	the interval between the first and second halves of a game
judge	In sports like diving and gymnastics, judges score each performance in a contest.	a person who rates the quality of a sporting performance, usually by awarding points
league	Nearly every town in the U.S. has teams in a local baseball league.	a group of sports clubs that play each other over a period for a championship
leisure	It's good for kids to spend some of their leisure time playing sports.	free time, or the use of free time for enjoyment
lob	Her lob flew high into the air and dropped into the back of the court, just inside the baseline.	a shot that is hit in a high arc, usually over the opponent's head
manager	Liverpool sacked their manager after they lost eight of their previous ten games.	the person in charge of a sports team
medal	Every athlete's dream is to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games.	a piece of engraved metal given to signify an achievement or an honor
object	The object of the game of football is to score more goals than the opponents.	the thing you want to get or achieve; what you aim to do
offside	Forwards have to learn how to avoid being caught in an offside position.	In an illegal position ahead of the ball (in football, rugby, hockey, etc.)
opponent	Roger Federer's opponent in the Wimbledon final was Rafael Nadal.	the person one competes against in a contest or a game; rival
pass	A defender tries to pass the ball to a forward in a good position to score.	to throw or kick the ball to another player on one's own team
penalty	The penalty for abusing a referee is usually a one-match suspension.	a punishment imposed on a player or team for breaking the rules of a sport
perform	All the athletes will do their best to perform well in the Olympic Games.	to carry out a practised activity, such a play a sport
performance	Venus Williams put in one the best performances of her life to win the tournament.	an instance of competing in a sports event in public
physique	Rugby players work hard in the gym to build up their physiques.	the form or shape of a person's body
pitch (1)	The fans cheered as the players ran onto the pitch.	a playing field (British)
pitch (2)	Our pitcher threw one of the best pitches of his life to win the game.	a throw of the ball, esp. in baseball and softball
player	How many players are on the court during a doubles match in tennis?	a person who plays a sport
practise (U.S. spelling; practice)	Professional golfers spend hours every day practising their shots.	to repeatedly do something in order to develop one's skill
professional	Tiger Woods has been a professional golfer since he was 20 years old.	a person whose paid occupation is playing a sport
record	Do you know who holds the world record for the men's 100 metres?	the best performance that has been officially measured and noted
referee	The referee saw a foul, blew his whistle and awarded a free kick.	a sports official with authority to make rulings during a contest
rules	In several sports there is an offside rule, and it's often difficult to explain.	the laws or regulations that govern how a game or sport is played
score	Do you know how to keep score in badminton?	the number of points a competitor or team earns during a game
serve	Serving the ball is one of the most important skills in sports like tennis.	to hit the ball to begin play (in tennis, table tennis, squash, volleyball, etc.)
shoot	In basketball, players try shoot from outside the 3-point line to score the extra points.	to kick, hit, or throw the ball in an attempt to score a goal (in soccer, hockey, basketball, etc.)
skill	Ken has gone to a boxing camp to improve his boxing skills.	the ability to do something well
spectator	Spectators can add a lot to sporting events by creating an exciting atmosphere.	a person who watches an event
sportsmanship	Good managers know how to teach their players sportsmanship.	an attitude of fairness, respect for opponents, and graciousness in winning or losing
stadium	The stadium was built for sports, but it's sometimes used for concerts as well.	a sports arena with tiered seating for spectators
strategy	One of the jobs of the manager or coach is to develop a strategy for winning each game.	a plan to achieve an objective
tackle	Rugby players have to learn how to tackle an opponent strongly but fairly.	to challenge an opponent who has the ball
tactics	Players use tactics such as attacking their opponent's weaknesses in order to win.	an action or strategy planned to achieve an objective
talent	Our daughter's basketball coach says she has a lot of natural talent for the game.	a natural aptitude or skill
teammate	The team wins because the players are always looking for their teammates.	a fellow member of a sports team
teamwork	The best teams spend a lot of time on the training ground working on teamwork.	the combined action of a group of people
tie	The score was very close throughout the game, and it ended in a tie with 89 points each.	a result in a game in which teams have the same final score; a draw
tournament	The four major tennis tournaments form what is known as the 'Grand Slam'.	a series of contests between a number of competitors, who compete for an overall prize
trainer	Some players are a bit lazy and need a strict trainer to make them work hard.	a person who helps athletes develop their skills and fitness
train	The hockey team trains every Tuesday and Thursday after school.	to teach a skill over time through instruction; to practise a skill
trophy	The players carried the trophy over their heads as they ran around the stadium.	a decorative object awarded as a prize in a contest or a tournament
umpire	In a game of cricket, there are two umpires on the field during play.	a sports official with authority to make rulings during a contest
victory	The players had worked very hard, and they deserved their victory.	the act of winning a game or contest
whistle	The referee blew his whistle twice to signal the end of the match.	a small instrument that makes a high-pitched noise when blown

"from : vahid"

Word Formation   (John Sinclair)

 Making new words by adapting old ones is very popular at present.

By learning suffix and prefix you can gain this goal. 

-able: combines with verbs to form adjectives.

Adjectives formed in this way describe someone or something that is effected by the action or process described by the verb.

For example, if something is 'avoidable', it can be avoided.

admirable: (adj.) having many good qualities that you respect and admire.

eg. It is an admirable book, the first to tell the whole truth about the war.

disposable: (adj.) intended to be used once or for a short time and then thrown away.

eg. disposable nappies

irritable: (adj.) getting annoyed quickly or easily [= crabby].

eg. Jo was tired, irritable, and depressed.

preferable: (adj.) better or more suitable

eg. In warm weather, clothes made of natural fabrics are infinitely preferable.

tolerable: (adj.) a situation that is tolerable is not very good, but you are able to accept it

eg. The heat in this room is barely tolerable.

variable: (adj.) likely to change often:

eg. Expect variable cloudiness and fog tomorrow.

( from mis.bitarafan )

Slang: NTC's Dictionary of American Slang

Ø  Bark up the wrong tree: to make the wrong choice; to ask the wrong person.

eg. If you think I'm the guilty person, you're barking up the wrong tree.

Ø  Beat a dead horse: to continue fighting a battle that has been won.

eg. Stop arguing! You have won your point. You are just beating a dead horse.

Ø  Beauty is only skin-deep: looks are only superficial.

eg. – Isn't Jane lovely? – Yes, but beauty is only skin-deep.

Ø  Before you can say Jack Robinson: almost immediately.

eg. And before you could say Jack Robinson, the bird flew away.

Ø  Behind the times: old-fashioned.

eg. Sarah is a bit behind the times. Her clothes are quite old-fashioned.

( from mis.bitarafan )

Practical English Usage   (Michael Swan)

Adjectives: order before nouns

When several adjectives come before a noun (or when nouns are used to modify another noun), they usually have to put in a particular order. Unfortunately, the rules for adjective order are very complicated, and different grammars disagree about the details. Here are some of the most important rules:

1  color, origin, material and purpose

Adjectives (or modifying nouns) of color, origin, material and purpose usually go in that order.  

eg.        Color     origin         material        purpose     noun

               red     Spanish        leather            riding       boots

2   other adjectives

Other adjectives usually go before words of color, origin, material and purpose. It is impossible to give exact rules, but adjectives of size, length and height often come first.

the round glass table (NOT the glass round table)

a big, modern brick house (NOT a modern, big brick house)

long, flexible steel poles

( from mis.bitarafan)

Practical English Usage   (Michael Swan)

about and on

compare :

-        a book for children about Africa and peoples. 

-       a text book on African history.

-        a conversation about money.  

-        a lecture on economics.

   We use "about" to talk about ordinary, more general kinds of communication.

 "on" suggests that a book, lecture, talk etc. is serious or academic, suitable for specialists.

( from mis.bitarafan )

Word Formation   (John Sinclair)

 Making new words by adapting old ones is very popular at present.

 By learning suffix and prefix you can gain this goal. 

a_: occurs in words which have 'not', 'without', 'opposite to' as part of their meaning.

         for example someone who is 'amoral'  has no moral standards or principles . Here

         is some words with this meaning :

 apolitical: (adj) having no interest or involvement in political affairs.

 eg. a group of apolitical young professional people. 

asexual: (adj)  not having sexual organs or not involving sex.

 eg. Alpine flowers are often among the most asexual of flowers.

 asocial: (adj) rejecting or lacking the capacity for social interaction.

 eg . Every body knows him an asocial person.

 atypical: (adj) not typical or usual.

 eg. This bird is atypical of most species here in that it does not build a nest.

 aformal, amoral, asensual, ...

( from mis.bitarafan )