Page 189 - Perfect English Grammar: The Indispensable Guide to Excellent Writing and Speaking

person, tense, and number.

consonant: A basic sound of language formed by the obstructed flow of air

through the mouth, such as by the tongue or teeth. Some consonants include
sounds made by the vocal cords; some do not.

contraction: A kind of abbreviation in which two or more words are shortened

into one by removing letters.

coordinate adjective: An adjective that has the same strength or importance as

another adjective used to describe the same noun.

copula: A verb that links other words, especially forms of to be, and especially
one that links the subject to the complement.

dialect: A form of language that differs from formal language in consistent

ways, and belongs to a cohesive group that shares a region, ethnicity, or social
class.

direct object: A noun or noun phrase that is acted upon by a verb.

grammar: 1. In linguistic usage, the system of how a language works, including
structure and word formation, and sometimes sound and meaning. 2. In common

usage, the rules and customs related to a language (including pragmatics and
style) that signal whether it conforms to what is generally understood to be good

practice.

homophone: A word that has the same pronunciation as another word but a
different meaning or spelling.

hypercorrection: A language mistake motivated by an attempt to sound
educated or important and based on an incorrect understanding of language

rules.

idiom: An expression, saying, or turn of phrase that is not necessarily
understandable by breaking it down into its component parts, due to the addition

of new connotations and meanings over time.