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  • Determiners Are Not Adjectives
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    Determiners Are Not Adjectives

    Traditional grammars categorize determiners with either adjectives or pronouns. But determiners are not adjectives. Repeat after me: Determiners are not adjectives. Notional grammars define adjectives as “words that modify nouns.” Adjectives describe attributes of nouns, pronouns, and noun phrases, functioning as noun phrase modifiers, subject complements, and object complements. Determiners provide non-attributive information such as […] More

  • Grammatical Forms of English Verb Phrases
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    Grammatical Forms of English Verb Phrases

    A verb phrase is a phrase in which a verb functions as the head of the phrase plus any auxiliaries (modals, operators, perfects, progressives, passives), modifiers, complements, objects, particles, and determinatives. The six grammatical forms that appear within the internal structure of English verb phrases are: Auxiliary verbs P-words Prepositional phrases Verb phrases Adverb phrases […] More

  • Using Verb Phrases as Adjective Phrase Complements
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    Using Verb Phrases as Adjective Phrase Complements

    Verbs are notionally defined by traditional grammars as “words that denote an action or a state of being.” A verb phrase is a grammatical structure that consists of a verb that functions as the verb phrase head plus any auxiliary verbs, particles, modifiers, complements, and objects. An infinitive phrase consists of the p-word to functioning […] More

  • The Adjective Phrase Modifier in English Grammar
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    The Adjective Phrase Modifier in English Grammar

    Adjective phrase modifiers are words and phrases that that modify or describe an adjective or adjective phrase. Unlike adjective phrase complements that complete the meaning of an adjective or adjective phrase, adjective phrase modifiers describe an adjective or adjective phrase. Only one grammatical form can function as the adjective phrase modifier in English grammar: adverb […] More

  • The Adjective Phrase Complement in English Grammar
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    The Adjective Phrase Complement in English Grammar

    Adjective phrase complements are words, phrases, and clauses that complete the meaning of an adjective or adjective phrase. Unlike adjective phrase modifiers that modify or describe an adjective or adjective phrase, adjective phrase complements complete the meaning of an adjective or adjective phrase. Three grammatical forms can function as adjective phrase complements. The three grammatical […] More

  • The Adjective Phrase Head in English Grammar
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    The Adjective Phrase Head in English Grammar

    Adjective phrase heads are words that function as the heads of adjective phrases. An adjective phrase consists of an adjective plus any modifiers and complements. Only one grammatical form can perform the function of adjective phrase head in the English language. The one grammatical form that can function as the adjective phrase head is: Adjectives […] More

  • Using Noun Clauses as Adjective Phrase Complements
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    Using Noun Clauses as Adjective Phrase Complements

    A clause is a grammatical structure that consists of a subject and a predicate. A dependent or subordinate clause is a clause that cannot function independently as a complete sentence but that must appear with another independent or main clause. A noun clause is a type of dependent clause that performs a nominal function. In […] More

  • The Predicate Adjective in English Grammar
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    The Predicate Adjective in English Grammar

    Predicate adjectives are defined as adjectival grammatical forms that perform the grammatical function of subject complement. Subject complements are words, phrases, and clauses that follow a copular, or linking, verb and refer back to modify, describe, or complete the grammatical subject of the clause. Subject complements are grammatical constituents embedded in the predicate of a […] More

  • The Noun Phrase Modifier in English Grammar
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    The Noun Phrase Modifier in English Grammar

    Noun phrase modifiers are defined as words, phrases, and clauses that describe a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase. Although adjectives and adjective phrases most frequently function to describe nouns, five grammatical forms can perform the grammatical function of noun phrase modifier in the English language. The five grammatical forms that can function as noun phrase […] More

  • The Object Complement in English Grammar
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    The Object Complement in English Grammar

    Object complements are defined as words, phrases, and clauses that directly follow and describe or complete the direct object. Object complements are grammatical constituents embedded in the predicate of a clause. Although noun phrases and adjective phrases most frequently function as the object complement of clauses, five grammatical forms can perform the grammatical function of […] More

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