English grammar explained in plain language simple enough to be understood.
We’ve talked all week about compound nouns. Yesterday we studied hyphenated compound nouns. It’s important to know that some hyphenated compound words are not compound nouns. These hyphenated compound words are used as adjectives to modify a noun: two-week vacationten-minute… Read more269. Other Hyphenated Compound Words
Sometimes a compound noun is two words connected with a hyphen. (-)A hyphenated compound noun looks like this: self-esteem The two nouns, self and esteem, joined with a hyphen make a new word.This new compound word has a meaning all… Read more268. Hyphenated Compound Nouns
A compound noun is two nouns pushed together to make one word. Usually the two words become one word without a space between. When we leave a space in a compound word, we call that an open compound noun. The… Read more267. Open Compound Nouns
The words whenever and wherever are subordinating conjunctions. If you begin a sentence with whenever or wherever, you are writing a subordinate clause. You must add a comma and an independent clause to make a complete sentence. Incomplete clauses with… Read more223. Complex Sentences Using Whenever and Wherever
A complex sentence has two parts: a subordinate clause and an independent clause.The subordinate clause always begins with a subordinating conjunction. Let’s look at what that means. The word since is a subordinating conjunction. When you begin with the word… Read more218. Complex Sentences Using Since and Because
An indirect object is one of those grammar pieces that seems confusing, but I can explain it in a simple way. The trick is to see the connection between an indirect object and a prepositional phrase. Here is a sentence… Read more199. Indirect Objects are Always Nouns
Here is a usage mistake that I hear quite frequently:Be sure to let Jeff or I know.Talk to Bob or I if you have any questions. Maybe you’ve heard this too. If you take Bob and Jeff out, these sentences… Read more184. Pronoun with a Compound Object
Section A: Move the adverb closer to the verb in each of these sentences.1. The little girl accepted the gift from me eagerly.2. My brother walked home from school slowly. 3. Mom read the letter from the principal quickly. Section… Read more180. Practice With Troublesome Adverbs
We use the articles – a, an, the – with common nouns. The article the can be used with all common nouns. Use the article an in front of nouns that begin with a vowel: a, e, i, o, uUse… Read more442. Using the Articles – A, An, The
The word on is a preposition. The words on me form a prepositional phrase. Always use the pronoun me (not I) with the preposition on. My little sister played a joke on me.My prom date pinned the corsage on me.The… Read more439.