Grammar Overview

As you review the grammatical terms discussed in these next few pages, you will find it helpful to keep in mind the distinction between clauses and phrases: clauses are complete ideas that contain both a subject and a verb, while phrases are clusters of words that form a meaningful unit but do not contain both a subject and verb. Clauses and phrases may function as many different parts of speech or of a sentence.

Please rely on this review heavily in the first part of the quarter, returning to it throughout the quarter to clarify terms you hear in class and encounter in your readings.

Parts of Speech & Sentence Elements

Sentence Building Blocks

Sentence Types

Coordination and Subordination

Structural and Semantic Links