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  • The Word 'another' Is Not an Adjective
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    The Word ‘another’ Is Not an Adjective

    If I had to pick a single grammar topic to focus on for the rest of my life, I would likely choose determiners. I did not learn the term determiner until my junior year as an undergraduate when I took the linguistics class that inspired my subsequent study of all things linguistic. I have often […] More

  • Is "Some Years Back" Grammatically Correct?
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    Is “Some Years Back” Grammatically Correct?

    Earlier today I came across a tweet that argued against the use of the word back in the phrase some years back. Tweeter Darlink (@NW6Rd) stated: “While standing on the platform some years back…” No. ‘ago’ ‘some years AGO’ #grammar I love adpositions, of which a postposition like back is a subcategory. As a closed, […] More

  • Lies Your Grammar Teacher Told You: Possessive Pronouns and Possessive Determiners
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    Lies Your Grammar Teacher Told You: Possessive Pronouns and Possessive Determiners

    As I have written repeatedly, the line between grammatical forms is blurry at best, especially among lexical categories like noun, verb, and adjective. Grammatical form and grammatical function distinguish one word class from other. The lines between functional categories are typically much clearer than the lines between lexical categories. As closed classes that do not […] More

  • Adjectives Versus Verbs: Participial Adjectives
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    Adjectives Versus Verbs: Participial Adjectives

    As I have written many times before, the line between grammatical forms is blurry at best, especially among lexical categories like adjectives and verbs. Adjectives are “words that describe nouns.” Verbs are “words that denote actions, occurrences, and states.” Participles are nonfinite verbs that share characteristics and functions of verbs, adjectives, and nouns. A present […] More

  • How to Diagram a Sentence: Form-Function Diagrams
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    How to Diagram a Sentence: Form-Function Diagrams

    What is grammar? The popular notion is actual or presumed prescriptive notions about the correct use of a language. But linguistics define grammar differently. Grammar is the study of the internal structure of words (morphology) and the use of words in the construction of phrases, clauses, and sentences (syntax). The Form-Function Method for teaching grammar […] More

  • Not All Forms That Function as Adverbials Are Adverbs
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    Not All Forms That Function as Adverbials Are Adverbs

    The other day I read a tweet that made some claims about adverbs: “The -s in “unawares,” as in “they were caught unawares,” is completely distinct from the pluralizing -s. It’s an adverb suffix, and it’s also in “always” and “nowadays,” and in “nights,” “weekends,” etc., as in “they work nights/weekends.” #FunWithMorphology” The -s in […] More

  • 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

  • English Adverb Clauses
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    English Adverb Clauses

    Traditional grammars describe adverb clauses as dependent or subordinate clauses that consist of a subordinating conjunction followed by a clause and that perform an adverbial function. Grammatical Forms Grammatical Form of English Adverb Clauses explains the internal structures that distinguish adverb clauses from other grammatical forms. Grammatical Functions Grammatical Function of English Adverb Clauses explains […] More

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