Elements of Style Glossary 2

Question 1

Split Infinitive

Answer 1

Occurs when one or more words separate ‘to’ and the verb.

Question 2

Intransitive Verb

Answer 2

A verb that does not take direct object.

Question 3

Object

Answer 3

Noun/pronoun that completes a prepositional phrase or the meaning of a transitive verb.

Question 4

Participial Phrase

Answer 4

A present or past participle with accompanying modifiers, objects, or complements.

Question 5

Participle

Answer 5

A verbal that functions as an adjective.

Question 6

Periodic Sentence

Answer 6

A sentence that expresses the main idea at the end.

Question 7

Phrase

Answer 7

A group of related words that functions as a unit but lacks a subject, a verb, or both.

Question 8

Possessive

Answer 8

Case of nouns/pronouns that indicates possession.

Question 9

Predicate

Answer 9

The verb and its related words in a clause/sentence. The predicate expresses what the subject dies, experiences or is.

Question 10

Preposition

Answer 10

A word that relates its object to another word in the sentence.

Question 11

Prepositional Phrase

Answer 11

A group of words consisting of a preposition, its object, and any of the object modifiers.

Question 12

Principal Verb

Answer 12

The predicating verb in a main clause or sentence.

Question 13

Pronominal Possessive

Answer 13

Possessive pronouns such as hers, its, or theirs.

Question 14

Proper Noun

Answer 14

The name of a particular person, place or thing. Proper nouns are capitalised.

Question 15

Common Noun

Answer 15

Name classes of people. E.g singers, cities or books.

These are not capitalised.

Question 16

Relative Clause

Answer 16

A clause introduced by a relative pronoun, such as who, which, that, or by a relative adverb, such as where, when, why.

Question 17

Relative Pronoun

Answer 17

A pronoun that connects a dependent clause to a main clause in a sentence.

Question 18

Restrictive Term, Element or Clause

Answer 18

A phrase/clause that limits the essential meaning of the sentence element it modifies/identifies.

Question 19

Sentence Fragment

Answer 19

A group of words that is not grammatically a complete sentence but is punctuated as one.

Question 20

Subject

Answer 20

Noun/pronoun which the sentence relates to.

Question 21

Subordinate Clause

Answer 21

A clause dependent on the main clause in a sentence.

Question 22

Syntax

Answer 22

The order or arrangements of words in a sentence.

Question 23

Tense

Answer 23

Time of a verb’s action or state of being, such as past, present, or future.

Question 24

Transition

Answer 24

A word/group of words that aides coherence in writing.

E.g. Moreover, However..

Question 25

Transitive Verb

Answer 25

A verb that requires a direct object to complete its meaning.

Question 26

Intransitive Verb

Answer 26

Does not require a direct object to complete its meaning.

Question 27

Verb

Answer 27

Word/group of words that expresses the action or indicates the state of being of the subject.

Question 28

Verbal

Answer 28

A verb form that functions in a sentence as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb rather than as a principal verb.

Question 29

Voice

Answer 29

The attribute of a verb that indicates whether its subject is active or passive.

Question 30

Active

Answer 30

'Janet played the guitar'

Question 31

Passive

Answer 31

'The guitar was played by Janet'