In English grammar, not every verb acts like a verb. Sometimes, verbs step outside their usual role and function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. These are called verbals—words that look like verbs but don’t act as the main verb in a sentence. Instead, they take on different grammatical jobs, often adding variety and clarity to […]
Verbals in Grammar: Gerunds, Participles, & Infinitives Explained Read More »
Participial phrases help add detail and variety to your writing, allowing you to combine actions and descriptions smoothly. Built around present or past participles, these phrases act like adjectives, modifying a noun or pronoun in the sentence. In this guide, you’ll learn what participial phrases are, how they work, and how to use them with
Participial Phrases: Definition, Examples, and How to Use Them Correctly Read More »
Dynamic verbs describe actions, processes, or events that involve movement, change, or activity. They are also called action verbs because they show what someone does rather than what someone is or feels. For example, in They build houses, the verb build shows a clear action happening. Dynamic verbs are essential in English because they allow
Dynamic Verbs in English: Definition, Types, and 50 Examples Read More »
Some sentences don’t describe what someone does—they describe what someone is. That’s where predicate adjectives come in. A predicate adjective follows a linking verb and gives more detail about the subject’s qualities or condition. For example, ‘The soup smells delicious.”→ “Delicious” is a predicate adjective—it describes soup and follows the linking verb smells. In this
Predicate Adjectives in English: Definition, Examples, and Usage Read More »
Parentheses, brackets, and braces all belong to the same family, but each one plays a different role in writing. They help organize information, clarify meaning, and add structure. Used correctly, these marks can make your sentences more precise and readable. Used carelessly, they can confuse the reader or interrupt the flow. This guide explains what
Parentheses vs. Brackets vs. Braces: Proper Use with Examples Read More »
Participial adjectives are adjectives formed from verbs—usually ending in -ed or -ing—and they help us describe how someone feels or what causes a feeling. They’re often used to make writing more specific and expressive. For example, “interested” and “interesting” both come from the verb “interest,” but they don’t mean the same thing. We say “She
Participial Adjectives: Definition, Examples, and How to Use Them Read More »
Colons and semicolons are often confused, but they serve very different purposes in writing. While they look similar, each has a unique role in connecting ideas or organizing information. A colon is used to introduce something: a list, an explanation, or a quote. A semicolon, on the other hand, links two closely related sentences or
Colon vs. Semicolon: What’s the Difference and When to Use Each Read More »
When a sentence tells us more about the subject, not through an action, but through a definition or identity, it often uses a predicate nominative. This structure helps connect the subject to a noun or pronoun that renames or identifies it, giving the sentence more meaning and clarity. In this article, you’ll learn what a
Predicate Nominative in English Grammar: Definition, Examples, and Usage Read More »
In every sentence, the subject needs something to complete the thought—something that tells us what the subject does or what it is. That part is called the predicate, and at the center of it is the simple predicate. This article will explain what a simple predicate is, how to identify it, and how it differs
Simple Predicate in English Grammar: Definition and Examples Read More »
A sentence doesn’t just need a subject—it also needs something that tells us what the subject does, says, feels, or is. That’s the role of the predicate. When we look beyond the verb alone, we get the complete predicate. The complete predicate includes the main verb or verb phrase and everything that adds to it:
Sometimes a sentence needs more than one action to express a complete thought. Instead of repeating the subject, we use a compound predicate—a structure that allows one subject to do two or more things within the same sentence. What Is a Compound Predicate? A compound predicate is made up of two or more verbs or
A concessive clause is a type of subordinate clause that shows a contrast between two ideas. It introduces a condition or situation that seems to go against the result in the main clause, often using conjunctions like although, even though, or while. In this article, you’ll learn what concessive clauses are, how to recognize and
Concessive Clause in English Grammar: Definition, Examples, and Usage Read More »
