An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase, created by using only a few of its letters or syllables to make it quicker to write or say. Common examples include "Dr." for "Doctor" or "etc." for "et cetera". Some abbreviations are formed by taking the initial letters of a series of words, such as "NASA" for "National Aeronautics and Space Administration". Abbreviations are widely used in everyday language, writing, and specialized fields to save time or space while still conveying the full meaning of the original term.

What is an "abbreviation"?

abbreviation

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An article is a type of determiner that provides information about the specificity and quantity of a noun. In English, there are two types of articles: definite and indefinite. The definite article "the" refers to a specific noun that is already known or identifiable, such as in "the cat on the porch." The indefinite articles "a" and "an" refer to non-specific nouns, indicating that the noun could be any one of a class, as in "a cat" or "an apple." Articles play an important role in communication by helping to clarify whether a noun is particular or general, contributing to the overall understanding of sentences.

What is an "article"?

article

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An auxiliary verb, also known as a helping verb, is a verb that is used together with a main verb to form a verb phrase. Auxiliary verbs provide additional information about tense, mood, voice, or aspect. Common auxiliary verbs in English include "be," "have," and "do." For example, in the sentence "She is running," the auxiliary verb "is" helps to indicate the continuous tense of the main verb "running." Auxiliary verbs are important for constructing various grammatical structures, allowing for clearer expression of time and the nature of actions in sentences.

What is an "auxiliary verb"?

auxiliary verb

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A conjunction is a word that connects words, phrases, or clauses in a sentence, creating relationships between different parts of the text. The main types of conjunctions include coordinating conjunctions, which connect elements of equal importance, and subordinating conjunctions, which link a dependent clause to an independent clause. Correlative conjunctions work in pairs to connect related elements. Understanding conjunctions is essential for constructing coherent sentences and clarifying relationships between ideas.

What is a "conjunction"?

conjunction

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A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence, often indicating direction, location, time, or manner. Common prepositions include "in," "on," "at," "between," and "under." For example, in the sentence "The book is on the table," the preposition "on" shows the relationship between the book and the table, indicating where the book is located. Prepositions are essential for providing context and clarity in communication, helping to describe how different elements in a sentence relate to each other.

What is a "preposition"?

preposition

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A proper noun is a specific name used to identify a particular person, place, organization, or thing. Unlike common nouns, which refer to general items, proper nouns are always capitalized and refer to unique entities. Examples include "John," "Paris," "Microsoft," and "Christmas." Proper nouns help distinguish specific individuals or places from broader categories. For instance, "city" is a common noun, while "New York" is a proper noun. Recognizing proper nouns is important for identifying specific names in language and following proper capitalization rules.

What is a "proper noun"?

proper noun

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A pronoun is a word that replaces a noun in a sentence to avoid repetition and make communication clearer. Pronouns can refer to people, things, or ideas and help to make sentences smoother. Common examples include "he," "she," "it," "they," and "we." For instance, in the sentence "Maria likes ice cream. She eats it every day," "she" is a pronoun that replaces the noun "Maria," and "it" replaces "ice cream." In English, pronouns can show number, indicating whether they refer to singular or plural subjects, as in "he" for singular and "they" for plural. Other languages may have different rules for pronouns, including forms that indicate gender or case, which can add complexity to their use.

What is a "pronoun"?

pronoun

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A prefix is a type of affix that is added to the beginning of a base word or root to modify its meaning. Prefixes can change the meaning of the word in various ways, such as indicating negation, repetition, or degree. For example, the prefix "un-" can be added to the word "happy" to form "unhappy", which means not happy. Other examples include "redo", where the prefix "re-" indicates doing something again, and "preview", where "pre-" means before. Prefixes are important in word formation, allowing for the creation of new words and the expansion of vocabulary in many languages.

What is a "prefix"?

prefix

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A suffix is a type of affix that is added to the end of a base word or root to modify its meaning or grammatical function. Suffixes can change the part of speech, tense, or number of a word. For example, adding the suffix "-ing" to the verb "run" forms "running,", indicating an ongoing action. Similarly, adding the suffix "-ful" to the noun "beauty" creates the adjective "beautiful", which describes something that has beauty. Suffixes play an important role in word formation and help expand vocabulary in many languages.

What is a "suffix"?

suffix

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active

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passive

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comparative

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superlative

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plural

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singular

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grammatical

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irregular

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A modal is a type of auxiliary verb used to express necessity, possibility, permission, or ability. Modals help convey the speaker's attitude toward the action of the main verb, indicating whether it is required, allowed, or likely to happen. Common modal verbs in English include "can," "could," "may," "might," "must," "shall," "should," "will," and "would." For example, in the sentence "You must study for the exam," the word "must" expresses necessity. Modals are essential for providing additional meaning and context in sentences, helping to clarify the speaker's intentions and the nature of actions.

What is a "modal"?

modal

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conditional

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perfect

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A past participle is a verb form that typically ends in "-ed" for regular verbs, such as "walked" or "played," while irregular verbs have unique forms, such as "gone" from "go" or "seen" from "see." Past participles are used in several ways, including forming perfect tenses, passive voice, and as adjectives. For example, in the sentence "She has finished her homework," the phrase "has finished" uses the past participle "finished" to indicate a completed action. Past participles are important for conveying actions that relate to the present or for describing states, adding depth and meaning to sentences.

What is a "past participle"?

past participle

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continuous

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progressive

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Collocation refers to the habitual combination of words that frequently occur together in a language. These combinations may involve two or more words that are often used in close proximity to convey specific meanings or to sound more natural to native speakers. For example, in English, one might say "make a decision" rather than "do a decision", or "strong coffee" instead of "powerful coffee". Understanding collocations is important for language learners and speakers, as it helps them use words in ways that sound more fluent and idiomatic. Collocations can vary between languages and can change over time, reflecting the dynamic nature of language use.

What is a "collocation"?

collocation

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possessive

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pronunciation

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A consonant is a speech sound produced when airflow is partially or completely blocked in the vocal tract. Unlike vowels, which are produced with an open vocal tract, consonants involve some form of closure or narrowing, creating distinct sounds. In the English alphabet, consonants include letters such as "b," "c," "d," "f," "g," "h," and so on. Consonants can be classified based on their place and manner of articulation, such as stops, fricatives, and nasals. Understanding consonants is essential for phonetics, spelling, and pronunciation in language.

What is a "consonant"?

consonant

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A vowel is a speech sound produced with an open vocal tract, allowing air to flow freely without significant obstruction. Vowels are typically characterized by their resonance and can be voiced or voiceless, although most vowels in English are voiced. In the English alphabet, the letters "a," "e," "i," "o," and "u" represent vowel sounds, and "y" can also function as a vowel in certain contexts. Vowels are essential for forming syllables and words, and they play a key role in determining the pronunciation and meaning of words in a language.

What is a "vowel"?

vowel

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Stress refers to the emphasis placed on certain syllables or words in spoken language, affecting their loudness, pitch, and duration. Stressed syllables are typically pronounced more forcefully than unstressed ones, making them stand out in speech. For example, in the word "photograph," the first syllable "pho" is stressed, while the others are not. Stress is important in language because it can change the meaning of words and phrases, as in "record," which can be a noun or a verb depending on where the stress is placed. Understanding stress patterns is essential for proper pronunciation and effective communication.

What is "stress"?

stress

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A tag question is a short question added to the end of a statement to confirm or seek agreement about the information presented. It typically consists of an auxiliary verb or modal verb that matches the tense of the main verb in the statement, along with a pronoun that refers to the subject. For example, in the statement "You are coming to the party, aren't you?" the tag question "aren't you?" seeks confirmation of the main statement. Tag questions can express various attitudes, such as uncertainty or expectation, and are commonly used in conversational English to encourage response or agreement. Understanding tag questions is important for effective communication, as they can help to engage listeners and facilitate dialogue.

What is a "tag question"?

tag question

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punctuation

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An exclamation point (!) is a punctuation mark used to convey strong feelings, excitement, or emphasis in a sentence. It often indicates a command, an exclamation, or a sudden emotion. For example, in the sentence, “Watch out!” the exclamation point shows urgency or alertness. It can also express joy, surprise, or enthusiasm, as seen in “What a beautiful day!” The exclamation point is generally used at the end of a sentence, but it can also appear within a sentence when expressing an intense reaction. Its primary role is to enhance the tone of writing, making it more expressive and impactful.

What is an "exclamation point"?

exclamation point

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A question mark (?) is a punctuation mark used at the end of a sentence to indicate that the sentence is a question. It signals to the reader that the statement is seeking information or a response. For example, in the sentence "What time is the meeting?" the question mark shows that the speaker is asking for details about the meeting time. Question marks help convey curiosity and prompt engagement from the reader, making them an essential part of written communication when expressing inquiries.

What is a "question mark"?

question mark

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A comma (,) is a punctuation mark used to indicate a pause or separation in a sentence. It helps clarify meaning by separating items in a list, such as "apples, oranges, and bananas," or by setting off clauses and phrases, like in "After dinner, we went for a walk." Commas are also used before conjunctions in compound sentences, as in "I wanted to go, but it started to rain." By organizing sentences and improving readability, commas play an essential role in written communication, ensuring that ideas are expressed clearly and effectively.

What is a "comma"?

comma

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to spell

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Here you will learn some English words about grammar, such as "plural", "preposition", "prefix", etc. prepared for B2 learners.

Parole inglesi per "Grammatica" | Vocabolario B2