Grammar and Language Conventions: Glossary
104 words, listed in the order you meet them in Courseversity lessons.
Full explanations
Adverb
English & Language ArtsFull explanation
An adverb is a word that tells more about a verb: how, when, where or how often something happens.
Noun
English & Language ArtsFull explanation
A noun is a word that names a person, animal, place, thing or idea.
Pronoun
English & Language ArtsFull explanation
A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun, such as he, she, it or they.
All words in this topic
Grade 1
end mark
From Grade 1
a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark
Learn it in: Words and sentences (Grade 1), Writing complete sentences (Grade 1), Complete sentences (Grade 2)
noun
From Grade 1
a word that names a person, animal, place or thing
Full explanation with examples and practice →
Learn it in: Naming words (Grade 1), Describing words (Grade 1), Common and proper nouns (Grade 2)
subject
From Grade 1
who or what the sentence is about
Learn it in: Action words (Grade 1), Simple sentence construction (Grade 1), Subject and predicate (Grade 2)
pronoun
From Grade 1
a word that takes the place of a noun
Full explanation with examples and practice →
Learn it in: Pronouns (Grade 1), Pronouns (Grade 2), Nouns and pronouns (Grade 3)
complete
From Grade 1
whole
Learn it in: Simple sentence construction (Grade 1), Evaluating explanations (Grade 5)
predicate
From Grade 1
what the subject does or is
Learn it in: Simple sentence construction (Grade 1), Subject and predicate (Grade 2), Simple sentences (Grade 3)
proper noun
From Grade 1
the special name of a person or place
Full explanation with examples and practice →
Learn it in: Capital letters (Grade 1), Common and proper nouns (Grade 2), Capitalisation (Grade 2)
question word
From Grade 1
who, what, where, when or why
Learn it in: Question marks (Grade 1), Asking relevant questions (Grade 2)
proofread
From Grade 1
read carefully to find mistakes
Learn it in: Basic sentence correction (Grade 1), Editing spelling and punctuation (Grade 2), Punctuation and editing (Grade 3)
Grade 2
common noun
From Grade 2
a noun for any person, place or thing
Full explanation with examples and practice →
Learn it in: Common and proper nouns (Grade 2)
future tense
From Grade 2
will happen later
Learn it in: Verbs and verb tenses (Grade 2), Verb tense consistency (Grade 4)
past tense
From Grade 2
happened before
Learn it in: Verbs and verb tenses (Grade 2), Verb tense consistency (Grade 4)
tense
From Grade 2
when something happens
Learn it in: Verbs and verb tenses (Grade 2), Verbs and tense (Grade 3), Verb tense consistency (Grade 4)
superlative
From Grade 2
the most, such as biggest
Learn it in: Adjectives (Grade 2), Adjectives and adverbs (Grade 3)
adverb
From Grade 2
a word that describes a verb
Full explanation with examples and practice →
Learn it in: Adverbs (Grade 2), Adjectives and adverbs (Grade 3), Parts of speech (Grade 4)
modify
From Grade 2
change or add to the meaning
Learn it in: Adverbs (Grade 2), Prepositional phrases (Grade 4)
command
From Grade 2
a sentence that tells someone to do something
Learn it in: Sentence types (Grade 2)
fragment
From Grade 2
an incomplete sentence
Learn it in: Subject and predicate (Grade 2), Complete sentences (Grade 2), Sentence fragments (Grade 3)
apostrophe
From Grade 2
a mark like ’ used in contractions and possession
Learn it in: Commas and apostrophes (Grade 2), Punctuation and editing (Grade 3), Punctuation and editing (Grade 4)
contraction
From Grade 2
two words joined with an apostrophe
Learn it in: Commas and apostrophes (Grade 2)
possession
From Grade 2
showing that something belongs to someone
Learn it in: Commas and apostrophes (Grade 2)
Grade 3
irregular verb
From Grade 3
forms the past in a different way
Learn it in: Verbs and tense (Grade 3), Verb forms (Grade 5)
agreement
From Grade 3
when subject and verb match
Learn it in: Subject–verb agreement (Grade 3), Subject–verb agreement (Grade 4), Pronoun reference (Grade 6)
compound subject
From Grade 3
two or more subjects joined by and
Learn it in: Subject–verb agreement (Grade 3)
comparative
From Grade 3
a form that compares two things, such as taller
Learn it in: Adjectives and adverbs (Grade 3)
clause
From Grade 3
a group of words with a subject and a verb
Learn it in: Conjunctions (Grade 3), Coordinating conjunctions (Grade 4), Clauses (Grade 5)
coordinating conjunction
From Grade 3
and, but, or, so
Learn it in: Conjunctions (Grade 3), Coordinating conjunctions (Grade 4), Compound-complex sentences (Grade 5)
subordinating conjunction
From Grade 3
because, when, if, although
Learn it in: Conjunctions (Grade 3), Subordinating conjunctions (Grade 4), Complex sentences (Grade 5)
preposition
From Grade 3
a word that shows the position, direction or time of a noun
Learn it in: Prepositions (Grade 3), Prepositional phrases (Grade 4)
prepositional phrase
From Grade 3
a preposition with its noun, such as under the table
Learn it in: Prepositions (Grade 3), Prepositional phrases (Grade 4)
complete thought
From Grade 3
a meaning that makes sense on its own
Learn it in: Simple sentences (Grade 3)
independent clause
From Grade 3
a clause that can stand alone
Learn it in: Compound sentences (Grade 3), Subordinating conjunctions (Grade 4), Independent and dependent clauses (Grade 6)
missing subject
From Grade 3
no one or nothing is doing the action
Learn it in: Sentence fragments (Grade 3)
quotation marks
From Grade 3
marks that show spoken words
Learn it in: Punctuation and editing (Grade 3), Dialogue (Grade 3), Direct speech (Grade 4)
Grade 4
present tense
From Grade 4
something happening now or regularly
Learn it in: Verb tense consistency (Grade 4)
antecedent
From Grade 4
the noun that a pronoun refers to
Learn it in: Pronoun reference (Grade 4), Pronoun usage (Grade 5), Pronoun reference (Grade 6)
vague
From Grade 4
not clear
Learn it in: Pronoun reference (Grade 4), Precise word choice (Grade 5), Precise language (Grade 6)
object of the preposition
From Grade 4
the noun that follows the preposition
Learn it in: Prepositional phrases (Grade 4)
FANBOYS
From Grade 4
a memory aid for the seven conjunctions
Learn it in: Coordinating conjunctions (Grade 4)
condition
From Grade 4
what must be true for something to happen
Learn it in: Subordinating conjunctions (Grade 4)
dependent clause
From Grade 4
a clause that cannot stand alone
Learn it in: Subordinating conjunctions (Grade 4), Independent and dependent clauses (Grade 6)
complex sentence
From Grade 4
a sentence with an independent clause and a dependent clause
Learn it in: Complex sentences (Grade 4), Complex sentences (Grade 5)
simple sentence
From Grade 4
a sentence with one independent clause
Learn it in: Complex sentences (Grade 4), Sentence structures (Grade 6)
reporting verb
From Grade 4
a verb such as asked, replied or whispered
Learn it in: Direct speech (Grade 4)
Grade 5
main clause
From Grade 5
a clause that makes sense on its own
Learn it in: Clauses (Grade 5), Complex sentences (Grade 6)
subordinate clause
From Grade 5
a clause that depends on a main clause
Learn it in: Clauses (Grade 5), Complex sentences (Grade 6)
relative clause
From Grade 5
a clause beginning with who, which or that
Learn it in: Complex sentences (Grade 5), Complex sentences (Grade 6)
compound-complex sentence
From Grade 5
two main clauses and at least one subordinate clause
Learn it in: Compound-complex sentences (Grade 5), Compound-complex sentences (Grade 6)
semicolon
From Grade 5
a mark that joins two related main clauses
Learn it in: Compound-complex sentences (Grade 5), Compound sentences (Grade 6)
auxiliary verb
From Grade 5
a helping verb such as have, has, was, were
Learn it in: Verb forms (Grade 5)
perfect tense
From Grade 5
shows an action completed or connected to another time
Learn it in: Verb forms (Grade 5), Verb forms and consistency (Grade 6)
progressive tense
From Grade 5
shows an action in progress
Learn it in: Verb forms (Grade 5), Verb forms and consistency (Grade 6)
flashback
From Grade 5
a part of a story set in an earlier time
Learn it in: Verb tense consistency (Grade 5), Literary techniques (Grade 6)
possessive pronoun
From Grade 5
a pronoun showing ownership, like mine or hers
Learn it in: Pronoun usage (Grade 5)
reflexive pronoun
From Grade 5
a pronoun ending in -self or -selves
Learn it in: Pronoun usage (Grade 5)
misplaced modifier
From Grade 5
a modifier that seems to describe the wrong word
modifier
From Grade 5
a word or phrase that describes another word
sentence opener
From Grade 5
the first word or words of a sentence
Learn it in: Sentence variety (Grade 5)
sentence variety
From Grade 5
using different lengths, openings and types
Learn it in: Sentence variety (Grade 5), Sentence structures (Grade 6)
brackets
From Grade 5
marks that enclose extra information
Learn it in: Punctuation and editing (Grade 5)
colon
From Grade 5
a mark that introduces a list or explanation
Learn it in: Punctuation and editing (Grade 5), Punctuation (Grade 6)
dash
From Grade 5
a long mark showing a break in thought
Learn it in: Punctuation and editing (Grade 5), Punctuation (Grade 6)
Grade 6
comma splice
From Grade 6
two clauses wrongly joined by only a comma
Learn it in: Compound sentences (Grade 6)
run-on sentence
From Grade 6
clauses joined without correct punctuation
Learn it in: Compound sentences (Grade 6)
subordination
From Grade 6
making one clause depend on another
Learn it in: Compound-complex sentences (Grade 6)
consistency
From Grade 6
using the same tense unless time changes
Learn it in: Verb forms and consistency (Grade 6)
dangling modifier
From Grade 6
a modifier with nothing sensible to describe
Learn it in: Modifiers (Grade 6)
parenthetical
From Grade 6
extra information in commas, dashes or brackets
Learn it in: Punctuation (Grade 6)
editing
From Grade 6
improving a draft for clarity, style and accuracy
Learn it in: Editing for clarity and style (Grade 6)
proofreading
From Grade 6
checking for small errors of spelling and punctuation
Learn it in: Editing for clarity and style (Grade 6)
redundancy
From Grade 6
repeating the same idea unnecessarily
Learn it in: Editing for clarity and style (Grade 6)