Language Levels Flashcards
(51 cards)
Lexeme
Lexis is a plural form; the singular of which is lexeme
Lexicon
A particular set of words
Common nouns
Common nouns are general, like dogs, writers and feelings
These do not need capital letters unless they are starting a sentence
Proper nouns
Proper nouns are specific objects, people or things. For example, Daniel, Shakespeare and English.
These always need a capital letter.
Concrete nouns
Concrete nouns can be touched, like a plug, a phone and a tree.
Abstract nouns
Nouns like love and pain are about feelings and states of being. We call these abstract nouns.
Collective nouns
Collective nouns are nouns used to describe groups. For example, a flock of birds and a litter of kittens.
Base adjectives
Base adjectives are just plain adjectives without anything suffixes (added onto the end) onto the word. For example, big, pretty and high.
Comparative adjectives
Base adjectives become comparative when the “-er” suffix is added onto the end of the base adjective. For example, bigger, prettier and higher.
Superlative adjectives
Base adjectives become superlative when the “-est” suffix is added onto the end. For example, biggest, prettiest and highest.
Main verb
A main verb describes the main action of the clause. For example, eats, sleeps and walks.
Auxiliary verb
An auxiliary verb is a verb which helps the main verb of the sentence. For example, do and be.
These verbs can also be used to express possibility. For example can, might and will. These particular auxiliary verbs are described as modal auxiliary verbs.
Copular verb
A copular verb links the subject to a noun or adjective that complements the subject.
The most common copular verb is the verb “is” (and all of its conjugations like am, were and are).
Other examples are: appear, seem, look, sound, smell, taste, feel, become and get.
The food tastes amazing, Henry is bad at football, Margaret feels angry.
Dynamic verbs
Dynamic verbs are actions that can start and end. For example, shout, hit and build.
These verbs can either be material or verbal.
Material verbs
Material verbs are concerned with events.
Anna drove to work, James parked his car, eddy melted butter in the pan.
Verbal verbs
Verbal verbs are concerned with a communication.
Anna sang the song on her way to work, molly and billie woke for hours, Jennifer shouted at her mother.
Stative verbs
Stative verb describe actions/states which are quite constant. For example, think, believe and love.
These can be broken down into mental (or cognitive) or relational.
Mental verbs
Mental Stative verbs describe an intrinsic process.
Ellie thought about writing a book. Sally loved her brother dearly. I do believe in fairies.
Relational verbs
Relational Stative verbs show the relation between things or show a state of being.
Ellie became an author. Isaac owns three cars. The box contains my socks.
Intransitive verbs
When a verb doesn’t have a direct object.
The teacher smirked. Alex laughed manically. Bertie wept.
Transitive verb
When a verb has a direct object.
Jake bought a new phone. Sally ate all the cupcakes. Stephen baked banana bread.
Active voice
When a subject is performing an action, the verb uses the active voice.
Ryan played the character well. Christian loved his wife. I want to sleep.
Passive voice
When the subject is being acted on (I.e. it is passive to the action), the verb uses the passive voice.
The character was played well by Ryan. Christian’s wife was loved by Christian. I was overcome by sleep.
Imperative verb
The imperative mood is where there is a command.
Listen to me! Hurry up. Make me a sandwich, please.
