Essential English Grammar: Phrases, Complements, and Verbs

English12 Nov 20254.1 KB

English Grammar Fundamentals: Structure and Usage

Phrases (adverb or adverbial) act as an adverb, modifying a verb, adverb, or adjective. Kinds include:

Appositive: Is a noun or pronoun next to another noun or pronoun that identifies, renames, or explains it.
Example: The teacher, Ms. Cifuentes, is a shit.
Participle: A verb form in present or past participle used as an adjective.
Example: The boring class of Lourdes.
Gerund: Is the -ing form of the verb used as a noun.
Example: Walking is a good exercise.

Complements: A word or group of words that gives meaning to the sentence and the verb. Kinds include:

Direct Object: A noun or pronoun that receives the action. It answers the questions what or whom. It comes after the action verb and is never the object of a preposition.
Example: Peter ate my lunch.
Indirect Object: A noun or pronoun that names the person or thing to which something is given or done for. It comes after the action verb and before the direct object. It answers the questions to what or to/for whom. It is never the object of the preposition.
Example: The girl read us a story.
Predicate Noun: A noun or pronoun that comes after a linking verb that renames or identifies the subject.
Example: Luis is the president of the class.
Predicate Adjective: Comes after the linking verb and describes the subject.

The principal parts of the verb are: Present, Present Participle, Past, and Past Participle.

Regular Verbs: Add -ed or -d to form the past and past participle.
Irregular Verbs: Change form for the past or past participle, or stay the same.

Verb tenses indicate the time or state of being of the action:

Active Voice: Occurs when the subject performs the action.
Passive Voice: Occurs when the subject does not perform the action. The passive voice is formed by the verb to be and the past participle. It is always a verb phrase.

Commonly confused or misused verb forms include: