In order to talk about grammar, we will have to become familiar with some key terms, but I will try to keep these to a minimum. As a rule, my definitions will not be textbook definitions but will focus on how these things function. Since that is true, these definitions may not cover all the ways these elements of grammar work. In the end, it is not as important that we can name these so long as we know how to use them. We are becoming roadside mechanics (able to make simple repairs and do everyday maintenance) and not garage mechanics (able to diagnose every problem, tear an engine down, and rebuild it from scratch). However, it's a lot easier to call things by name rather than constantly referring to "that thingamabob thing we talked about last week."

Terms we should know

• Noun: person, place, thing, or idea
• Verb: the action a noun takes or the nature (state) of a noun
• Modify: to change (or expand) the meaning of something
• Adjective: word changing the meaning of a noun
• Adverb: word changing the meaning of a verb
• Phrase: group of related words
  • Prepositional phrase

    A phrase which begins with a preposition. Prepositional phrases always follow this pattern:

    preposition (modifiers) noun (or pronoun)

    Not all prepositional phrases have modifiers (words that change the meaning of the noun)

  • Participial phrase

    A phrase which contains a form of a verb but acts like a noun, adjective or adverb

    (for instance, a verb ending in -ing or -ed like in the sentence
    "Walking down the street is fun.")

• Clause: group of related words that include a subject and verb
  • Types of clauses by part of speech
    • Adjective: a clause which acts like an adjective (modifies a noun) [also called relative clause]
    • Adverb: a clause which acts like an adverb (modifies a verb)
    • Noun: a clause which acts like a noun or pronoun
  • Types of clauses by function
    • Independent: a clause which expresses a complete thought; a clause which can stand alone as a sentence (is independent)
    • Dependent: a clause which modifies a noun or verb or acts like a noun; a clause which depends on the rest of the sentence to complete a thought (is dependent); a clause which cannot stand alone as a sentence
  • Fragment: a piece of a sentence punctuated as if it is a complete sentence

  Comma rules for Clauses (see handout on Dependent Clauses)

  A comma never comes before the word because (well, almost never), but when because is the first word of a sentence, there is always a comma at the end of the because clause.

  A comma never comes before the word that (Again, there are circumstances where a comma before that might be appropriate, but odds are a comma will not be needed).

  A comma always comes before the word which.