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Tag: Basics

Tag: Basics

36 articles. Page 2 of 4

Forms of the Subject in GrammarForms of the Subject

Various grammatical forms can function as the subject in a sentence. The subject can be a noun phrase, a noun clause, or a prepositional phrase.

“There” as Subject: Existential There“There” as Subject

“There” acts as a functional subject in a sentence to introduce a new topic, speak of quantity and number, or describe a situation (“There is an elephant in the garden”).

Anticipatory It as Subject and Object in GrammarAnticipatory It

Anticipatory “it” is used in the subject or object position to refer to the real subject or object, which appears later in the sentence (e.g., “It was nice to meet you”).

Empty “It” as Dummy Subject (It’s Raining)Empty It as Dummy Subject

Use it as a dummy subject to speak about weather, time, and distance, and to introduce the existence of a situation (e.g., “It’s raining”).

Implied Subject: Meaning and ExamplesImplied Subject

The subject is implied in imperatives (“Please wait here”), certain elliptical constructions (“See you later”), and some nonfinite clauses (“Rita waited, holding her breath”).

Dummy Subjects: “It” and “There”Dummy Subjects: “It” and “There”

The dummy subjects “it” and “there” introduce sentences referring to weather, time, dates, and situations in general. These pronouns fill the slot of subject in such sentences.

When to Use a PeriodWhen to Use a Period

A period indicates a longer pause than a comma or a semicolon. Use a period to end a sentence and to mark the end of a thought or fragment. Also use periods in abbreviations and to separate initials before a surname.

Conjunctions as Linking Words: Types and ExamplesConjunctions as Linking Words

Conjunctions link words, phrases, clauses, and sentences, and show a logical relation between them. Coordinating conjunctions (e.g., “and,” “but”) link elements of equal grammatical status, while subordinating conjunctions (e.g., “because,” “though”) make one clause depend on another for complete meaning.

Prepositions (In, On, At, …): Words of ConnectionPrepositions

Prepositions express relations of time (“during the day”) and space (“at the market”), and other abstract relations (“the secret of happiness”) between two parts of a sentence.

Adverbs: The When, Where, and How of It AllAdverbs

Adverbs add to the meaning of other parts of a sentence. They express a relationship of manner (how), time (when), place (where), duration (how long), degree (how much), circumstance, and connection (why, whether).

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